09282023 BUSINESS by tribune242

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‘BISX home makes sense’ for Bahamas carbon credits

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor

THE BAHAMAS International Securities Exchange (BISX) is “deﬁnitely exploring” the listing and trading of the country’s blue carbon credits on its platform, its top executive asserting: “A home on BISX makes sense.”

Keith Davies, the stock exchange’s chief executive, told Tribune Business in a recent interview that “we are looking at avenues to engage and involve BISX in what could be a variety of products” following discussions with persons working on the Government’s strategy to monetise the value of this nation’s ocean-based carbon ‘sinks’.

Arguing that there is a “deﬁnite need to have transparency and price discovery” with carbon credit trading, which only a regulated exchange can provide, he conceded that the extent and nature of BISX’s

involvement will depend on how The Bahamas’ products are packaged and structured. Mr Davies, though, added that if The Bahamas wanted to use its prospective blue carbon credits “to beneﬁt the home jurisdiction”, and its citizens and investors, then their listing and trading via BISX - either as a primary or secondary market, or bothmade sense.

“I know there’s been some work in that area,” the BISX chief replied, when asked if the exchange was looking to play a role in the

Government’s blue carbon credit plans. “I have talked to the persons involved in that on the private side. I do know we are looking at avenues to engage and involve BISX in what could be quite a number of products coming out of that.

“The answer is, yes, we have been exploring it, and hopefully we can play a part. Deﬁnitely. We are looking at that. Depending on how we package carbon credits, and how we deliver them to the market, there is a deﬁnite need to have transparency

Abaco resort eyes ‘break even’ 5% rate increase

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

and price discovery and, equally, if we want to beneﬁt the home jurisdiction, The Bahamas and its citizenry and investors, a home on BISX makes sense.”

Mr Davies acknowledged that BISX’s role will ultimately “all depend on the products that result from the work being done”. He added: “If it takes the form of a fund, that’s different. If it’s a closedend fund with securities that’s

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FNM chair blames VAT for ‘marina ghost town’

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMIAN marinas yesterday warned it was vital the country develop “a uniﬁed voice” over the imposition of VAT on yacht charter fees amid suggestions that it has resulted in several boating destinations becoming “a ghost town”.

Marques Williams, the Association of Bahamas Marinas (ABM) president, told Tribune Business the industry is working with the Government on the “messaging” surrounding the 10 percent levy’s imposition as Dr Duane Sands, the Free National Movement (FNM) chairman, asserted that the increase had been “a disaster” and resulted “in a crash in market share” for this nation.

The ABM chief, while indicating that the “ghost town” description of Bahamian marinas may be a slight exaggeration, did conﬁrm that members are “seeing a decrease in many areas”. While warning against jumping to conclusions, given that The Bahamas’ winter boating season typically does not start until end-October, he

‘Putting circle in a triangle’: Why developments fail

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

A BAHAMIAN environmental consultant yesterday argued that the main nonﬁnancial reason that major development projects fail is because their principals “try to put a circle into a triangle”.

Carlos Palacious, managing principal with BRON Ltd, told a webinar held to mark World Tourism Day that it was “fascinating” to understand why investment projects failed and understand the reasons why.

Besides ﬁnancing issues, he said the explanation often stemmed from the fact developers selected

locations incompatible with their plans.

“Many, rather than ﬁnancing issues, are because the developer was trying to put a circle in a triangle,” he said, “trying to put a beachfront development somewhere where there is no beach, which costs you so much money to just try and maintain that with coastal structures.

“We can engineer it, but at a certain point we just remind them that the opex - the operational expenditure - that it takes just to sustain this. Other developments, they’re building on the rough side of the island, let’s say, and they want to build a big marina. So to

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Cable partners over $5m Exuma cays connectivity

By FAY SIMMONS Tribune Business Reporter jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

CABLE Bahamas has teamed with another provider to develop a $5m sub-sea ﬁbre network that will provide broadband Internet connectivity to hundreds of residents across 34 Exuma cays.

Andrew Allen, Global Nexus cofounder and director, yesterday said the network infrastructure will link 34 cays between Norman’s Cay and Great Exuma. “We at Global Nexus are elated that we’re ﬁnally at the end of a long road towards the

delivery of service through the communities of the Exuma cays, including three public communitiesFarmer’s Cay, Staniel Cay and Black Point - which are all have resident Bahamian populations.

“We’re grateful for the efforts of our partners, Cable Bahamas who have demonstrated a commitment to doing their part. They’ve now brought ﬁbre all the way to Norman’s Cay from New Providence to the top of the Exuma chain.

And we are now taking it to the mainland, covering all of the 34 settlements and private and public cays

THE BAHAMAS Out Island Promotion Board’s president yesterday said his hotel will likely have to increase rates by “another 5 percent” in 2024 to break even with fellow hoteliers revealing that soaring light bills “are just killing us”.

Emanuel “Manny” Alexiou, also the Abaco Beach Resort’s proprietor, told Tribune Business his property has already raised rates by 10-15 percent “across the board” to help offset Bahamas Power & Light (BPL) costs that have increased by “roughly 50 percent” for the year-to-date.

Optimistic that the resort will survive BPL’s efforts to recoup its “under-recovered” fuel costs, he added that smaller hotels were likely to be facing a much tougher struggle given that they have less ability to plan ahead and/ or raise rates to help compensate for inﬂation. And the industry’s room for further price rises may be limited given that even high-end visitors are now “starting to question” the frequent increases.

Calling for increased airlift to help “counter” higher power bills, Mr Alexiou also told this newspaper that “the biggest way to increase revenue from tourism” is to drive more visitors to the Family Islands as opposed to New Providence. Besides spreading the wealth, he argued that destinations outside New Providence have the room availability to accommodate increased visitor numbers given that they traditionally “suffer from very low occupancies” in the 45-50 percent range.

“Based on this year alone, and obviously it was a gradual increase, our increase in cost was roughly 50 percent. From January todate,” Mr Alexiou said of the Abaco Beach Resort’s energy costs. He acknowledged, though, that most - but not all - this increase

business@tribunemedia.net THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2023

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nhartnell@tribunemedia.net SEE

KEITH DAVIES DR DUANE SANDS

TOURISTS ‘LAMENT’ TOUR AND EXCURSIONS GAP

PR, but certainly ﬁnding ways to develop in very sustained way those businesses that provide excursions.”

which is the economic side of things, is also managed well.”

A SENIOR tourism ofﬁcial yesterday said there is “a gap” in The Bahamas’ tour and excursion product with many visitors “lamenting” that there are not enough activities to do.

Ian Ferguson, the Tourism Development Corporation’s executive director and chief executive, told a World Tourism Day webinar organised by The Counsellors: “As we push towards developing some areas, a gap... The research tells us that The Bahamas needs to pay some attention to tours and excursions.

“We need to develop a little more, across the islands of The Bahamas, tour and excursion exercises. Our visitors have been saying to us for some time, lamenting the fact there is so little to do, and while we know that’s really not the case, some of it just needs a little bit of structure. It needs a little bit of

Mr Ferguson said The Bahamas must take careful consideration of the protection of the environment, especially as tourism has been the major contributor to the country’s GDP for decades.

He said: “World Tourism Day is quite signiﬁcant for The Bahamas. Naturally when, for over seven decades, most of your gross domestic product numbers are attributed to or directed to touristic activities. It means that this plays obviously a quite signiﬁcant role in the life of The Bahamas.

“From a touristic standpoint, how serious are we about preparing ourselves to protect our environment and ensuring that the socioeconomic climate of the of the country is well maintained, and that it reﬂects what has been passed down to us? Ensuring that the socio-cultural heritage and authenticity is in place, and ensuring that that third pillar of sustainability,

Mr Ferguson explained that the proper management of tourism resources will ensure that proﬁts gained from the sector are seen in the wider community. He added that tourism and culture are constantly evolving. and The Bahamas must continue to develop the industry to stay competitive.

He said: “By managed well what we mean is there is that natural, organic trickling down effect, and that everyone in the country experiences or feels the beneﬁt of that $2.6bn plus that we tout, quite often from touristic endeavours.

“Tourism is quite progressive. It’s always changing, and the needs and expectations of visitors are always changing. We know that culture is always evolving, and so we have to move in tandem so that we always present ourselves so that brand Bahamas is always solid.”

Mr Ferguson noted that national pride and

education are key elements of conservation efforts as the public must see the value of our environment to protect it.

He said: “Protecting the planet and preserving the environment that we have received is very directly connected to a national pride issue and an education issue.

“I believe when people recognise what they have received, and when you know that you have been given a treasure and you know the value of that treasure, you do a little more in wanting to protect, preserve and maintain it for generations to come.”

Mr Ferguson explained that the TDC works along with micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to boost competitiveness, develop the tourism product and grow community tourism initiatives. He said: “The TDC is the arm of government responsible for ensuring that we move micro, small and medium sized businesses, in particular, to the point

of global competitiveness. It is building brands and ensuring economic viability through a multiplicity of programmes. There are four critical areas or focal points that we work from, business development being one of them.

“It is also product development and we come alongside of tourism, investments and aviation to ensure the tourism product is continuously grown and developed. And when we talk about products, we’re not just talking about actual product we’re talking about the people as well.

“We are also talking about, from a cultural and community standpoint, growing our community tourism. It is all of the work that we do even from infrastructural development.”

Mr Ferguson added that the TDC is currently working on its hospitality assurance programme, a credentialing system which will lend free technical consultancy support to MSMEs throughout the country. The programme also educates business owners on

British Colonial receives 400 manager applicants

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net

SOME 400 persons yesterday applied for managerial posts at the reopening British Colonial with the property targeting a workforce that is 95 percent Bahamian.

Dan McDermott, the downtown Nassau property’s general manager, speaking during the second day of its job fair at the Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium, told Tribune Business: “Today is a little bit slower than Monday as expected, because today it’s

about managers and supervisors. I don’t know the exact number, but I think we’ve seen somewhere around 300 or 400 people so far. Monday was a great success in my mind. We had almost 1,400 people that were interviewed.”

The British Colonial will share administrative staff with the nearby Margaritaville resort at The Pointe, given that both hotels are owned by China Construction America (CCA). But, leading up to its December re-opening, the former will be hiring staff in housekeeping, engineering and food and beverage throughout the property due to its expansion and the

addition of several restaurant concepts.

“We also need pool and beach attendants. We have sales and marketing and we’re looking for a few people. These are the typical positions we need,” Mr McDermott said. “We’re stafﬁng from scratch, and it’s exciting to be able to do that and ﬁnd people. It’s just amazing to be able to see so many people excited to apply for a job at the British Colonial because it really is a special place.”

Robert Farquharson, the Government’s director of labour, said of yesterday’s interviews: “Today is designed speciﬁcally for supervisors and managers at

the British Colonial hotel. We are very, very pleased with the turnout so far. We had about 2,900 persons apply for the vacancies, and Monday with the line staff we would have processed about 1,300 persons. Up to today we processed about 300 people and it is going very smoothly.”

The British Colonial has “taken the position that 95 percent of employees will be Bahamian”, Mr Farquharson assured. “We look forward to working with them with identifying these Bahamians,” he added. The resort is seeking to have key people hired and in place by next week, with others employed by the end

of October. Training will begin shortly thereafter.

Mr Farquharson said: “It is anticipated that the hotel will open in the ﬁrst week in December. I’m very, very pleased with this process as

sustainability and ﬁnancial viability.

He said: “We have boots on the ground currently working towards our hospitality assurance programme. It is a credentialing system, business and service focused. One of the key components of hospitality assured is on the sustainability front. It looks at helping businesses, in particular, micro, small and medium sized enterprises with doing some of the work that’s required for them to experience the kinds of success that they want.

“It’s a great way to keep a ﬁnger on the pulse of those businesses that need the support, and it’s a beautiful way to sensitise, educate and provide them with the templates and information to do business better, even from a sustainability standpoint.

“This is a powerful tool that we encourage everyone. No island is excluded. So if you are a Bahamian business person, whether you are the sole provider or

the Department of Labour continues to work with our partners like the British Colonial to ﬁnd opportunities for Bahamians who want to work.”

THE TRIBUNE Thursday, September 28, 2023, PAGE 3

By FAY SIMMONS Tribune Business Reporter jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

SEE PAGE B10

‘BISX HOME MAKES SENSE’ FOR BAHAMAS CARBON CREDITS

different. If it’s a company issuing securities based on the income, that’s different. You securitise the revenue ﬂow and list that. If there’s some sort of debt, that’s another product. It all depends on the structure.”

The BISX chief executive also conceded that the potential ﬁnancial beneﬁts, both to BISX and The Bahamas at large, from the creation, sale, trading and listing of blue carbon credits remains “totally uncertain”. He added: “A lot of work is going into organising and preparing the country for what could come.

“That’s a longer process. All these things are being discussed and looked at. You know what I always say. You get it right. You don’t do fast.” In readiness for the creation, and launch, of The Bahamas’ blue carbon credits, the Government last year steered the Carbon Trading Bill 2022 through Parliament and into law to provide the legal and regulatory framework for their trading. BISX’s role, which will come in at the end of this process, remains uncertain given that the Government has looked to much larger

international platforms to facilitate the listing and trading. It initially sounded out the FTX crypto currency exchange prior to its November 2022 implosion and, subsequently, it was revealed that The Bahamas has ambitions to become the ﬁrst country to list a “natural asset” on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) via its blue carbon credits.

Anthony Ferguson, president of CFAL (the former Colina Financial Advisors), and a director/ adviser to Carbon Management Ltd, the entity that will be responsible for developing, managing and trading the country’s blue carbon credits, revealed in June that “conservative” forecasts suggest The Bahamas could generate between $300m-$400m from monetising its seagrass and mangrove ‘carbon sinks’ via these credits.

“The Bahamas hopes to be the ﬁrst country to list a natural asset company on the NYSE. We are well on our way to doing some of the work on that. Hopefully next year we can do that. Again, in the carbon space we, as a country, for the ﬁrst time, I would say,

are leading the world with respect to seagrass blue carbon. We are pretty close to the veriﬁcation process,”

Mr Ferguson told a panel discussion hosted by the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Society of The Bahamas.

Mr Ferguson, together with Antoine Bastian, Genesis Fund Services’ chief, were previously named by Prime Minister Philip Davis KC as two principals who will help lead efforts to “ﬁnancially engineer and structure the carbon credits, and to create a network to effectively market, sell and monetise carbon credits” on The Bahamas’ behalf.

Carbon Management Ltd, a Bahamas-domiciled entity, has been charged with raising the $50m$60m required to map all The Bahamas’ blue carbon assets such as mangroves and seabeds. The size and value of The Bahamas’ blue carbon sinks, which remove carbon dioxide from the world’s atmosphere, have to be veriﬁed by independent bodies before they can be monetised and converted into carbon credits.

Tribune Business can reveal that, besides Mr Ferguson and Mr Bastian,

the directors/advisers to Carbon Management Ltd also include Michael Paton, the Lennox Paton attorney and partner; Jeffrey Kerr, president and chief executive of Green Leaf Financial Services; and Dr Livingstone Marshall, senior vice-president of environmental and community affairs at Abaco’s Baker’s Bay development.

Dr Carlton Watson, from the University of The Bahamas, and Dr Alyson Myers, vice-president of development and research at Sandy Cay Development, are other members of the Bahamian scientific and environmental community named as directors/advisers to Carbon Management. The final three members - Dr Austin Gallagher, Dr Carlos Duarte and Cristina Mittermeier - are all affiliated with Beneath the Waves.

The latter is the entity that ﬁrst informed the Davis administration that The Bahamas possessed a signiﬁcant carbon ‘sink’ in the form of what it described as the world’s largest seagrass bed. Beneath the Waves has since been involved in mapping/verifying the size of this asset, and has made

no secret on its website of its ambitions to become involved in the development of blue carbon credits.

“The Bahamas has about 97,000 square kilometres of sequence that we need to map,” Mr Ferguson told the CFA Society panel discussion of the country’s seagrass beds. “We have broken it down into 5,000 square kilometres. For any number of reasons we have mapped 15,0000 square kilometres so far.

“We’re planning another mapping of 10,000 [square kilometres] in September, which would bring us up to about 25,000 square kilometres we would have mapped. Each square kilometre is, based on our initial ﬁnding, about 500,000 carbon credits.....

“We think that once we are fully operational that we will produce anywhere from 14m to 18m tonnes of carbon a year. That’s using today’s HIS Market price of around $50, so on the low end conservatively we can see anywhere from $300m to $400m of new revenues. On the high end, we could probably see over $2bn.”

However, several ﬁnancial services sources have privately questioned

‘Putting circle in a triangle’: Why developments fail

FROM PAGE B1

build that big marina, that may cost four to ﬁve times’ what it would be to select

the other side. Maybe it’s a bit more sheltered, and doesn’t have coral reefs that need to be relocated and

mangroves that have to be replanted.”

Pointing out that “site selection is everything” for developers, especially given The Bahamas fragile environment and ecosystems, Mr Palacious said raising a property to ensure adequate protection against flooding and storm surge can “cost you so much money” from having to excavate sufficient fill and transport it to the project site.

Also warning developers against taking short-cuts, he added: “There are many factors that we often ﬁnd

are not part of the early decision-making. We have found, as an example, there are times when developers may make budgetary cuts but, when it’s time for them to get an insurance policy for their project, they can’t qualify because they may have reduced the site by a foot or two but, in actuality, the insurer is going to require them to be up to a certain height to get the insurance policy.”

Mr Palacious added that for every one development project that succeeds there are another ﬁve that fail. However, he argued that tourism’s impact more than justiﬁes its standing as the country’s leading industry

and why The Bahamas has chosen to base its economic model on the industry.

“The trickle down impact from foreign investment, especially in the tourism sector, is phenomenal,” he said. “The global studies are all out there. I don’t think The Bahamas has to validate why tourism is our model. I think we have to continue to be progressive.

What is the right model for the future of tourism in The Bahamas? The future of The Bahamas is to make the model for the future of tourism align with the future of The Bahamas.”

The BRON principal said this meant avoiding projects that are incompatible

the Government’s plans to Tribune Business and whether it will generate the revenue numbers being touted. Several have suggested that, in order to be able to create and sell carbon credits, a country has to ﬁrst reduce its own emissions and pollution as an ‘offset’ to what will be created by the purchaser. The Bahamas, they added, has yet to do this.

The sources suggested that while it was possible to monetise the country’s carbon sinks, via low-cost concessionary ‘blue economy’ loans and debt ﬁnancing, simply issuing credits against The Bahamas’ seagrass and mangrove beds is unlikely to work.

However, Mr Ferguson told the CFA Society meeting that The Bahamas will be selling “carbon certiﬁcates” rather than carbon credits. These certiﬁcates will allow the purchaser to offset their carbon dioxide or greenhouse gas emissions by investing in environmental projects and assets - such as this nation’s seagrass and mangrove beds.

with an island’s scale and size, such as a mega resort on Crooked Island or Acklins. He added that The Bahamas needs to develop a National Airbnb programme to enable more Bahamians to become entrepreneurs and own a part of the tourism industry, thus growing and spreading wealth..

And Mr Palacious also said that domestic tourism, involving locals, Bahamian and expatriate second homeowners and seasonal residents, is vital to the success of “mid-range” projects typically valued in the $75m to $100m range. BRON, he added, usually works for developments valued between $50m and $500m.

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PAGE 4, Thursday, September 28, 2023 THE TRIBUNE

FROM PAGE B1

Abaco resort eyes ‘break even’ 5% rate increase

could be attributed to BPL’s so-called fuel charge “glide path” strategy, which saw this component of customer bills increase by 163 percent between June-August 2023 compared to October 2022 ﬁgures.

“We added a few more services,” the Abaco Beach Resort owner said, noting that the property’s electricity costs year-over-year had risen to “$600,000 and something” compared to around $475,000 for the same period in 2022. “If that’s not 50 percent, it’s 45-48 percent. It’s a huge increase in that one line item,” he added. Even allowing for the introduction of the hotel’s new services, it was likely energy expenses had risen at least 35-40 percent due to BPL’s “glide path”.

Given that the September-October period traditionally represents the “dead” part of the tourism season, with many properties closing for renovations and upgrades as the visitor ﬂow slows to a trickle, Mr Alexiou voiced hope that this may contain BPL costs for some.

He added that the increase in labour and other costs had been predicted and, as a result, the Abaco Beach Resort took advantage of the post-COVID surge in pent-up travel demand to raise its rates to compensate. While this had

helped mitigate the impact of soaring BPL costs for its own ﬁnances and operations, the Promotion Board chief said smaller Out Island resorts will have had less ﬂexibility to make the necessary adjustments.

“We’re going to survive, but other hotels - the smaller hotels that can’t plan too much - might have made increases of 5 percent,” Mr Alexiou told Tribune Business. “We went higher, 10-15 percent across the board; slip revenues, occupancy revenues, to compensate.

“We’re seeing now price sensitivity. Even wealthier clients are starting to question that costs keep going up and up. Speaking for ourselves, we’re looking at more services, nicer services, and improving the resort’s infrastructure. We’ll probably have to do another 5 percent increase this year coming to break even.”

Mr Alexiou said more airlift, especially the direct and lower cost variety, is vital to “drive occupancy”, visitor numbers and revenues to help “counteract” BPL’s cost hikes and other inﬂationary pressures. And he suggested that The Bahamas look seriously at developing a strategy to drive increasing tourism arrivals to the Family Islands without depriving New Providence of business.

“The Out Islands always suffer from very low occupancy,” he explained. ‘If we get 45-50 percent average occupancy for the year we’ve done well, whereas a hotel in New Providence will be like, if they are at 65 percent, they’re doing really poorly. They’re up in the 80-90 percent range....

“The biggest way to increase revenue from tourism, without a lot of foreign investment or anything else, is the Out Islands. We have a lot of rooms. It should be relatively easy not to move the business from Nassau, but have the increase in tourism come to the Out Islands.”

Jeff Birch, principal of Andros-based Small Hope Bay Lodge, told Tribune Business that the island’s recent power woes had caused “a lot of brown-outs; a lot of equipment is being damaged”. As for BPL’s prices, he added: “My last check, it had gone up 30 percent. That’s just killing us. “Government have increased taxes. It’s just very difficult. We have a very good staff who seem to be doing their best to be efficient, so we’ve been able to hold on, but it’s very, very difficult. We bounced back from COVID, and had a good year last year as far as occupancy. Because we had a really good year, we were able to pay off some of our debt and do catch-up.

“But as far as taxation and cost, it’s as bad as I’ve seen it. If it continues, and occupancy drops, and there’s any sort of downturn or fall-out from the US election, it’s going to be tough - not just on me but all brothers and sisters in hotels. This year we’ve had reasonable occupancies, and have been able to hold our own and bounce back a little from COVID,” Mr Birch continued.

“But now we’re facing very high costs and taxes. If occupancies are good, and we break through that and break even, it’s a very good life, but if occupancies are lower and costs are as they are, it’s going to be crippling. It’s not just electricity. Food is up something like 20 percent.”

Still, Mr Birch said he believes the Family Islands and their resorts have “a leg up” when it comes to coping with such pressures because of their “relaxed” culture. And he pointed out that Small Hope Bay Lodge has survived previous recessions, such as the 2008-2009 ﬁnancial crisis and subsequent recession, with the “smaller, more nimble hotels” able to adjust more rapidly.

“Unless the economy has a melt down we should make it through next year without too much crippling,” Mr Birch said. He also praised BPL for “not standing still” and at least starting to focus on

introduction of solar into its generation mix. BPL’s all-in electricity rates increased by 70 percent for the period JuneAugust 2023, compared to October 2022, due to the imposition of a so-called ‘glide path’ strategy to recover fuel costs that the utility had failed to recoup from passing them on to customers. This resulted in the utility’s fuel charge increasing by some 163 percent from 10.5 cents per kilowatt hour (KWh) in October 2022 to 27.6 cents for that three-month summer period. The Government has never precisely stated how much this fuel “underrecovery” is costing the Bahamian people and businesses. However, Alfred Sears, ex-minister for public works and utilities, who then had responsibility for BPL, last October informed the House of Assembly that the utility’s debt to Shell was around $90m.

The $90m debt to Shell was accrued because BPL held its fuel charge at the hedged 10.5 cents per KWh price even after the trades to secure extra cut-price volumes were not executed by the Davis administration. This resulted in BPL having to buy increasing fuel volumes at higher global market spot prices, but the full cost was not passed on to consumers as the 10.5 cents rate insufﬁcient to cover this BPL’s fuel costs are supposed to be passed on 100 percent to consumers by law, and government ofﬁcials last October conceded that it had cost taxpayers “tens of millions of dollars” to hold the utility’s fuel charge at 10.5 cents. With the Government prevented from providing direct subsidies, the higher BPL fuel charges are required to reimburse the Government for paying-off Shell’s debts and effectively keeping the lights on.

THE TRIBUNE Thursday, September 28, 2023, PAGE 5

FROM PAGE B1

FNM chair blames VAT for ‘marina ghost town’

conceded that yachts which typically reserve dockage space in advance have yet to do so this time around.

Mr Williams, speaking to Tribune Business from the Monaco Boat Show, which is being attended by both ABM and Ministry of Tourism representatives, also said 2024 bookings “do not seem as strong” at this point. However, he said the Bahamian team had received positive feedback from show attendees given that the VAT rate in the Mediterranean is more than twice that of The Bahamas at around 22 percent.

“Marinas are seeing a decrease in many areas,” the ABM president said. “However, the season doesn’t pick up until after the Boat Shows. The end of October is when the season starts, then we’ll see what we’re facing. A lot of the yachts that typically come in have booked years in advance, and reserved for the following year, have not

reserved yet. Our bookings for next year do not seem as strong but we’re waiting to see what the season provides.”

He added that The Bahamas delegation will today meet with more vessel captains and owners, as well as brokers, at the Monaco Boat Show “talking to as many of them as we can”. He added that the reception so far had been “great” and “pretty good”, although the question about VAT’s imposition on foreign yacht charter fees had arisen.

“They’ve very much aware. They have VAT all over the Mediterranean,” Mr Williams said, adding that The Bahamas just needs to have “clarity of voice” on how the tax works, the mechanisms for paying it, what is expected of boats, their captains, brokers and owners, and how they can access this nation in compliance with the proper procedures.

VAT’s imposition, when added to the already-existing 4 percent fee levied

by the Port Department, took the combined tax rate facing foreign charters to 14 percent with effect from July 1, 2022. The Davis administration justified its introduction as a means to level the taxation playing field with Bahamian tour and excursion providers, and ensure visitors paid something for use of The Bahamas’ natural resources - especially since there had been significant avoidance/ evasion of the 4 percent Port Department fee. However, Dr Sands yesterday blasted the Government for imposing VAT given the negative impact for Bahamian marinas and associated businesses that serve the boating/yachting industry as a result of the subsequent decline in yachting/boating business. Suggesting the Government was being greedy, he asserted: “Pigs get fed, hogs get slaughtered. In the great money grab of 2023 [VAT was imposed in 2022], this new administration had a bright idea to squeeze more

money out of foreign yacht charters through the addition of 10 percent VAT to the existing 4 percent tariff.

“The problem is the competitors, all the other islands in the Caribbean, have far lower fees, so now yachts go somewhere else and will avoid The Bahamas. I hear the marinas around here are like ghost towns. What was supposed to increase Public Treasury revenues has resulted in a crash in market share and it’s been a disaster - not just for the Treasury.”

Besides marinas, Dr Sands suggested that suppliers, provisioning companies, mechanics, ﬂorists, grocery stores and fuel suppliers are all feeling the impact from the reduction in boating and yachting trafﬁc due to VAT’s imposition. Describing the move as “a misguided decision, a dumb decision” that has hurt the economy, the FNM chairman alleged that the “most hurtful part” was that the Government had been warned this was the

likely outcome but pressed ahead anyway. He provided no evidence to back-up this assertion, but added: “You know what they say: Hard head doesn’t make good soup. Would you believe that business tanked exactly as the experts predicted, and still the Government has not seen ﬁt to reverse that decision, and so today our marinas remain emptier than anyone can remember.”

Calling on Prime Minister Philip Davis KC, in his capacity as minister of ﬁnance, and Simon Wilson, the ﬁnancial secretary, to reverse course, Dr Sands said: “It’s never too late to admit you made a mistake. How hard is to acknowledge you messed up even if you don’t apologise?”

Mr Williams, though, said the ABM “understands what the Government’s position is and we understand what the Government is trying to do”. He also pointed to the Davis administration’s decision to award

Cable partners over $5m Exuma cays connectivity

FROM PAGE B1

between. The total cost of the installation from our side is just north of $5m.”

Franklyn Butler, Cable Bahamas chief executive, said of the partnership: “Currently, our focus is on enhancing connectivity by establishing a

backbone infrastructure that will predominantly cater to high demand nodes and vital economic centres. However, this is a crucial step in paving the way for more extensive subsequent advantages, ultimately fostering a more connected community.

“We are making strategic investments in

infrastructure, setting a foundation for a resilient and thriving Bahamas. A vision where every individual and community is not only connected and well equipped, but also primed to seize the opportunities of tomorrow.”

The Cable Bahamas chief added that new investment projects targeted at the

Family Islands will increase the demand for reliable Internet service, and the new Exuma cays ﬁbre installation will increase both broadband capacity and quality. He said: “I think everybody knows the level of tourism expansion that’s happening on the Family Islands, particularly Exuma leading the way in that regard, and we think this is a place that we have to be. As the population continues to grow, and development of hotels and communities continue to grow across the Exumas, we see an opportunity to expand capacity.

“We continue to have, from time-to-time, service challenges in the Exumas, and so we’re delighted to see brand new cable being run with the capacity to allow us to do all the things we need to do to make sure that Bahamians in Exuma ultimately are able to get world-class service in their hometown.”

Mr Butler explained that improved service will not come at increased costs to consumers but will expand services and improve resiliency. “From a Cable Bahamas perspective, and we’ll have most of the last mile customers, there’ll be

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Educational Qualifcations and Experience:

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• Interested candidates are invited to submit their letter of application and curriculum vitae to the following address: “Chief Executive Offcer,” P.O. Box CB11642, Nassau, Bahamas. The application deadline is October 2nd, 2023. Join our dynamic team and lead our company toward a prosperous future. Your vision and leadership will be instrumental in shaping our success.

no difference in our costing than anywhere else in the Bahamas,” he added.

“This will just give us a greater level of resiliency, and a greater level of capacity in the Exuma cays. It’s really an opportunity for expanded services to the average consumer of Exuma.”

Mr Allen explained that the ﬁbre network will have three main points in Staniel Cay, Norman’s Cay and Rolleville, which will provide high speed service to the cays along that route.

He said: “The main trunk of this fibre is going to run from Norman’s Cay down to Staniel Cay, and from Staniel Cay to Rolleville. And these are the three main drops that we would have along the trunk. We will run fibre to individual cays in between and beside the trunk. Once we get to Rolleville, we will then loop back to Barraterre, bringing fibre to that community using existing fibre.

“Every one of these cays along this route will have access to gigabit Internet speeds, which means the level of Internet service you’d see in the city you now have throughout the Exuma cays.”

Mr Allen said the improved service will beneﬁt schools, government agencies and residents of Exuma, and provide them with the same level of service available in the capital.

He added: “One important aspect of what we’re doing is we’ll provide the general public in the various

a multi-million dollar contract to a contractor to create an online portal, that will enable visiting boats to pay the VAT and 4 percent Port Department, as evidence that it is aiming to improve the ease of doing business for the sector.

“For the most part it’s the messaging and how it was delivered,” he said of the marina industry’s concerns. “That is pretty much our main focus. It was the roll-out, when it came into effect, and how the process was supposed to work. Those kind of things were a little bit confusing. Questions were being asked of us, questions were being asked of the Port Department, and a lot of times we didn’t know.

“That was a lot of the issues with it. We are working with the Ministry of Tourism and the Government on the messaging and getting a uniﬁed voice on what it is going to do. We need to wrap our heads around it, and how we’re going to make this work.”

communities in these cays with speeds that are world class; for Zoom, for conferencing, for streaming, all the kinds of activities that are presently eating up much of the bandwith that’s present.

“This means that from the day of installation, places like Staniel, Black Point and Farmers Cay will see the beneﬁt. Schools, clinics, government administration complexes,and the general public on these small island communities will be elevated into the top tiers of Internet speeds and connectivity.”

Mr Allen said Global Nexus will provide service to wholesale consumers such as Cable Bahamas, resorts and developers, with the BISX-listed communications provider offering service to residents and businesses in Exuma.

He said: “There’s two kinds of customers. The public communities are going to be receiving their Internet through Cable, and which is downstream, the largest last mile and others. We will be wholesaling to these entities and we would also have some of the higher end private islands buying from us in bulk, which would be a different proposition.

“So it’s not it’s going to seriously impact the cost of Internet services to Bahamians in the Exuma cays but it will seriously impact the quality of service”

PAGE 6, Thursday, September 28, 2023 THE TRIBUNE

PAGE B1

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Consultant: Development must align with environmental goals

By FAY SIMMONS Tribune Business Reporter jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

A BAHAMIAN environmental consultant yesterday stressed the importance of only approving developments that align with the country’s long-term environmental goals as the tourism sector expands.

Carlos Palacious, managing principal of BRON Ltd, speaking at a World Tourism Day webinar organised by The Counsellors, said: “It is important for us to remember that we control what comes in our house and how we allow that to happen.

“Developments that are sustainable, that align with our sustainable development goals, that align with our emissions objectives and that align with our energy requirements, pushing things such as solar and alternative energy, are the types of developments that will allow us to preserve our cultural heritage, adapt to climate change and allow us to continue to grow as a luxury destination of choice for the region.”

He explained that the country’s location and diversity in experiences is especially attractive to both air and sea visitors. Mr Palacious added: “The Bahamas’ geographic location has put us on the map to be a luxury destination around the world.

“Persons go to The Bahamas for a variety of reasons. Some want to go to mega resorts and casinos. Others want to go to islands like Inagua where they can look at birds, or they can look at reptiles, and they can see absolutely no one if

they choose for their entire vacation. “Our ability to deliver unique and very historical and cultural experiences is unprecedented. Add our proximity as it relates to private air charter and air movement, as well as yachting and boating, and this is the perfect place for paradise.”

Mr Palacious encouraged sustainable development on all islands, capitalising on nature tourism such as bird watching, bone ﬁshing and hunting. He added: “The Bahamas remains positioned to continue to expand. We populate somewhere around three to 5 percent of our entire landmass with 2,500 cays and 700 islands. We have unique experiences.

“Let's not leave any island behind because, whether its bone ﬁshing in the north, or whether it's bird watching or even hunting in the south, we have the big casinos, we have the mega cruise ports. Let's continue to remember to be intentional and do things in a sustainable way, and preserve our islands so they all live sustainably and progress in a distinct manner.”

Mr Palacious advocated for strengthened zoning requirements and ensuring that adequate protection is given to coral reefs and wetlands that provide a natural protection from storms.

He said: “One of the things we need to be more intentional about doing is understanding what parts of our country we can live in, which parts we should not. Not everywhere that we can build we should be building.

“We should ensure that we preserve the parts of our environment that help

to protect us. So the coral reefs, wetlands, these are the natural defences that God put in our country to help serve as the breakwaters that we need to help reduce the wave energy coming ashore.”

Mr Palacious also called for clear environmental objectives to be laid out in the National Development Plan, and for environmental levies to be used effectively.

He said: “We need to dust off our National Development Plan, and we need to have a very clear road map for what we environmentally - as well as sustainably - allow. What are we willing to ban in terms of imports of things that we know sit in our landﬁll and aren't properly disposed of? Are we effectively using the environmental levy?

“It's not that we can just stop everything we're doing; we have to be intentional about everything we're doing.”

Mr Palacious said his ﬁrm works for about 250 sustainable projects annually worth "several billion" in foreign investment. He said: “We do about 250 luxury projects a year, several billion dollars’ worth of foreign direct investment. We have ofﬁces in six countries around the Caribbean, and are one of the largest development consultants based in the Caribbean.

“And that's important because our role isn't just to help to develop beautiful properties that also work in harmony with the environment. But, more importantly, it's to help us to be a part of the foreign direct investment movement that helps to move the money through our economy.”

THE TRIBUNE Thursday, September 28, 2023, PAGE 7

Tourists ‘lament’ tour and excursions gap

you have a business that has up to 300 employees, this is absolutely the thing that you need to be engaged with.”

A senior tourism ofﬁcial yesterday said there is “a gap” in The Bahamas’ tour and excursion product with many visitors “lamenting” that there are not enough activities to do.

Ian Ferguson, the Tourism Development Corporation’s executive

director and chief executive, told a World Tourism Day webinar organised by The Counsellors: “As we push towards developing some areas, a gap...

The research tells us that The Bahamas needs to pay some attention to tours and excursions.

“We need to develop a little more, across the islands of The Bahamas, tour and excursion exercises. Our visitors have been saying to us for some time, lamenting the fact

there is so little to do, and while we know that’s really not the case, some of it just needs a little bit of structure. It needs a little bit of PR, but certainly ﬁnding ways to develop in very sustained way those businesses that provide excursions.”

Mr Ferguson said The Bahamas must take careful consideration of the protection of the environment, especially as tourism has been the major contributor to the country’s GDP for decades.

always present ourselves so that brand Bahamas is always solid.”

Mr Ferguson noted that national pride and education are key elements of conservation efforts as the public must see the value of our environment to protect it.

He said: “Protecting the planet and preserving the environment that we have received is very directly connected to a national pride issue and an education issue.

Mr Ferguson explained that the TDC works along with micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to boost competitiveness, develop the tourism product and grow community tourism initiatives.

He said: “The TDC is the arm of government responsible for ensuring that we move micro, small and medium sized businesses, in particular, to the point of global competitiveness. It is building brands and ensuring economic viability through a multiplicity of programmes. There are four critical areas or focal points that we work from, business development being one of them.

“It is also product development and we come alongside of tourism, investments and aviation to ensure the tourism product is continuously grown and

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developed. And when we talk about products, we’re not just talking about actual product we’re talking about the people as well.

“We are also talking about, from a cultural and community standpoint, growing our community tourism. It is all of the work that we do even from infrastructural development.”

“This is a powerful tool that we encourage everyone. No island is excluded. So if you are a Bahamian business person, whether you are the sole provider or you have a business that has up to 300 employees, this is absolutely the thing that you need to be engaged with.”

IN THE ESTATE OF WILFRED BENEBY late of #90 Lincoln Boulevard, in the Southern District of the Island of New Providence, one of the Islands of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, deceased.

Notice is hereby given that all persons having any claim or demand against the above Estate are required to send their names, addresses and the particulars of their debts or claims duly certifed in writing to the undersigned on or before the 28th October, A. D. 2023, after which date the Executors will proceed to distribute the assets having regard only to the proved debts or claims of which notice have been given.

And Notice is hereby given that all persons indebted to the said Estate are requested to make full settlement on or before the date herein before mentioned.

EDWARD B. TURNER & CO.

#24 Leonie Place

Flax Terrace off Malcolm Road

Nassau, Bahamas

Attorney for the Executors of the Estate of the late Wilfred Beneby

PAGE 10, Thursday, September 28, 2023 THE TRIBUNE

FROM PAGE B3

NOTICE

HYUNDAI AND KIA RECALL NEARLY 3.4 MILLION VEHICLES

DUE TO FIRE RISK AND URGE OWNERS TO PARK OUTDOORS

By TOM KRISHER AP Auto Writer

HYUNDAI and Kia are recalling nearly 3.4 million vehicles in the U.S. and telling owners to park them outside due to the risk of engine compartment ﬁres.

The recalls cover multiple car and SUV models from the 2010 through 2019 model years including Hyundai's Santa Fe SUV and Kia's Sorrento SUV.

Documents posted Wednesday by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration say the anti-lock brake control module can leak fluid and cause an electrical short, which can touch off a fire while the vehicles are parked or being driven.

The automakers are advising owners to park outdoors and away from structures until repairs are done.

Dealers will replace the anti-lock brake fuse at no cost to owners. Kia says in documents that it will send notiﬁcation letters to owners starting Nov. 14. For Hyundai the date is Nov. 21.

Hyundai reported 21 ﬁres in the affected vehicles in the U.S., and another 22 "thermal incidents" including smoke, burning and melting of parts, the documents say. Kia reported 10 ﬁres and melting incidents.

Hyundai said in a statement that owners can continue to drive the vehicles and that no crashes or injuries have been reported.

The automaker said it was doing the recall to ensure safety of its customers.

The company said an O-ring in the antilock brake motor shaft can lose sealing strength over time due to the presence of moisture, dirt and dissolved metals in the brake ﬂuid, causing leaks. The new fuse limits the operating current of the brake module, the statement said.

In a statement, Kia said an engine compartment ﬁre could happen in the area of the brake control unit due to an electrical short that results in excessive current. The statement says the exact cause of the short circuit is unknown and that

there have been no crashes or injuries.

Michael Brooks, executive director of the nonproﬁt Center for Auto Safety, questioned why the companies aren't ﬁxing the leak problem and why they are waiting so long to send letters to owners.

The remedy is replacing one fuse with another, but brake ﬂuid can still leak, potentially causing a safety problem, Brooks said.

"Why not fix the problem?" he asked. "What you're not doing here is fixing the O-ring and the leak that's causing the problem in the first place. You're combatting a symptom or part of the problem without actually fixing the underlying design issue."

Brooks also questioned why NHTSA is allowing the companies to only replace a fuse, and why owners aren't being sent interim letters immediately warning them of a serious problem.

"You would think that you should be notifying those owners right now that they shouldn't be parking in their garages or their house could catch ﬁre," he said.

Statements from both companies don't address why the ﬂuid leaks aren't being repaired or why it will take about two months to notify owners by letter. Spokespeople for both companies said they would check into the questions.

NHTSA said that under the federal motor vehicle safety act, automakers can choose the remedy to ﬁx a defect. The agency said it will monitor the effectiveness of the repairs and open an investigation if warranted.

In addition, automakers have 60 days to notify owners of recalled vehicles by letter, but often the mailings can happen sooner, the agency said.

NHTSA also issued a statement Wednesday warning owners to park the vehicles outdoors until repairs are made.

Affected Kia models include the 2010 through 2019 Borrego, the 2014 to 2016 Cadenza, 2010 through 2013 Forte, Forte Koup and Sportage, the 2015 to 2018 K900, the 2011 to 2015

Optima, the 2011 to 2013 Optima Hybrid and Soul, the 2012 to 2017 Rio, the 2011 to 2014 Sorento, and the 2010 to 2011 Rondo.

Hyundai models covered by the recall include the 2011 to 2015 Elantra, Genesis Coupe, and Sonata Hybrid, the 2012 to 2015 Accent, Azera, and Veloster, the 2013 to 2015 Elantra Coupe and Santa Fe, the 2014 to 2015 Equus, the 2010 to 2012 Veracruz, the 2010 to 2013 Tucson, the 2015 Tucson Fuel Cell, and the 2013 Santa Fe Sport.

Owners can go to www. nhtsa.gov/recalls and key in their 17-digit vehicle identiﬁcation number to see if their vehicle is affected.

Hyundai and Kia have been plagued by ﬁre problems since 2015. The Center for Auto Safety successfully petitioned U.S. regulators to seek recalls in 2018 and says on its website that the automakers have recalled more than 9.2 million vehicles for ﬁres and engine problems, not including the recalls announced Wednesday. More than two dozen of the recalls involved over 20 models from the 2006 through 2021 model years.

In addition, NHTSA is investigating 3 million vehicles made by the automakers from the 2011 through 2016 model years. NHTSA says it's received 161 complaints of engine ﬁres, some of which occurred in vehicles that had already been recalled.

In June 2018, NHTSA said it had received owner complaints of more than 3,100 ﬁres, 103 injuries and one death. Hyundai and Kia were ﬁned by NHTSA in 2020 for moving too slowly to recall vehicles that were prone to engine failures.

THE TRIBUNE Thursday, September 28, 2023, PAGE 11

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THE HYUNDAI company logo is displayed Sunday, Sept. 12, 2021, in Littleton, Colo. Hyundai and Kia are recalling nearly 3.4 million vehicles in the U.S., Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023, and telling owners to park them outside due to the risk of engine compartment ﬁres. Photo:David Zalubowski/AP

CVS RESPONDS QUICKLY AFTER PHARMACISTS

FRUSTRATED WITH THEIR WORKLOAD DON’T SHOW UP

By JOSH FUNK Associated Press

CVS found the right prescription on Wednesday to keep its stores open in the Kansas City area and avoid a repeat of a work stoppage last week by pharmacists: It promised to boost hiring to ease workloads that sometimes make it hard to take a bathroom break.

But it won't be easy to resolve the problems that have been growing as pharmacists at CVS and other drug stores in the U.S. took on more duties in recent years and are gearing up to deliver this year's latest ﬂu and COVID-19 vaccines.

"It all relates to not enough dollars going in to hire the appropriate staff to be able to deliver the services," said Ron Fitzwater, CEO of the Missouri Pharmacy Association.

Pharmacists in at least a dozen Kansas City-area CVS pharmacies did not show up for work last Thursday and Friday and planned to be out again this Wednesday until the company sent its chief pharmacy officer with promises to fill open positions and increase staffing levels. It was one of the latest examples nationwide of workers fed up enough to take action. But unlike in the ongoing strikes at the automakers or in Hollywood, the pharmacists weren't demanding raises or more vacation, but more workers to help them.

CVS spokeswoman Amy Thibault said the company is "focused on addressing the concerns raised by our pharmacists so we can continue to deliver the highquality care our patients depend on."

Chief Pharmacy Ofﬁcer Prem Shah apologized for not addressing concerns sooner in a memo to Kansas City-area staff that was obtained by USA Today. He promised to remain in the city until the problems are addressed and come back regularly to check on the progress.

"We want you, our valued pharmacy teams, to be in a position to succeed. We are working hard to support you and are here to help and create sustainable solutions," Shah said as he encouraged the pharmacists to continue to share their concerns even anonymously.

It's unclear why workload concerns that are common industrywide led to a work stoppage in Kansas City. The pharmacists involved are not in a union and haven't spoken publicly, so it's not entirely clear how satisﬁed they are with the company's response.

Jeff Jonas, a portfolio manager for Gabelli Funds, said there's a nationwide shortage of pharmacy workers, prompting companies to push long work hours with few bathroom and lunch breaks. At the same time, the industry is "not really unionized, so I wouldn't expect a big, coordinated action" to be inspired by the Kansas City demonstration, he said.

At stores with only one pharmacist on duty, the pharmacy has to shut down every time that person leaves the area because a pharmacist must be present to supervise technicians in their work.

The American Pharmacists Association said in a statement that it supports the stand the Kansas City pharmacists took.

"Pharmacists who ﬁnd themselves in situations where the welfare of others is in question should always pause, evaluate the situation, and take the steps necessary to ensure safe, optimal patient care," the group said.

CVS Health has about 300,000 employees and runs prescription drug plans through one of the nation's largest pharmacy beneﬁts managers. Its Aetna insurance arm covers more than 25 million people, and the company has nearly 10,000 drugstores.

The company said last month that operating income at its drugstores fell 17% as reimbursement rates from patient's insurance providers for drugs remained tight. CVS eliminated about 5,000 jobs, but company ofﬁcials said none of those involved dealing with customers.

“We want you, our valued pharmacy teams, to be in a position to succeed. We are working hard to support you and are here to help and create sustainable solutions.”

Prem Shah

Bled Tanoe, a hospital pharmacist in Oklahoma who previously worked for Walgreens, runs a social media campaign called "Pizza Is Not Working" aimed at raising awareness about the industry's working conditions. Its name comes from the pizzas that are routinely given to overwhelmed medical workers to raise morale. Tanoe said she was "wowed" by the CVS demonstration.

"They pretty much risk their reputation, their livelihood to take a stand because serving the patients is so important to them," Tanoe said.

Amanda Applegate with the Kansas Pharmacists Association said pharmacists have always had a lot on their plate.

"When we are not valued as health care professionals, it doesn't allow the job that needs to be done to be done," she said. "And that's keeping you know, patients safe — right drug, right patient, right time, right dose."

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that YVENEL BROWN of P.O. Box N556, Carmichael Road, Allen Road, New Providence, The Bahamas 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 2023 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

POSITION AVAILABLE

A mid-sized law frm seeks a Scanning-Filing Clerk/ Offce Assistant/Receptionist to contribute to the seamless operations of the Firm by ensuring (inter-alia) accurate and effcient digitization of essential documents.

Requirements/Qualifcations:

• Highly organized, with the ability to manage multiple tasks (clerical/secretarial/fling) in a responsible and accurate manner and to meet deadlines effectively;

• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal;

• Strong technical aptitude, with profciency in operating photocopying/scanning equipment and related software;

• Computer literacy in Microsoft Word, Excel and Adobe;

• Ability to greet visitors, answer phones, screen calls and disseminate requested information in a professional manner;

• Ability to maintain confdentiality and handle sensitive information with discretion;

• High school diploma or equivalent.

Resumes should be submitted by email to hrlawresume@gmail.com

PAGE 12, Thursday, September 28, 2023 THE TRIBUNE

CUSTOMERS walk to a CVS Pharmacy, Friday, Nov 4, 2022, in Boston. CVS made a move Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023, to make frustrated pharmacists in the Kansas City-area to call off a walkout. It promised to boost hiring to ease overwhelming workloads that sometimes make it hard to take a bathroom break. Photo:Michael Dwyer/AP

University of Nevada basketball could have a new home in 3 years under a major casino expansion plan

By SCOTT SONNER Associated Press

THE University of Nevada's basketball team could have a new off-campus home by 2026 under an ambitious 10-year expansion plan that Reno's largest hotel-casino announced Wednesday. The estimated $1 billion private capital investment will be the biggest in the city's history, according to ofﬁcials of the Grand Sierra Resort and Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve.

In addition to the new 10,000-seat sports, concert and special events arena, the expansion plans for the 140-acre (57-hectare) property include a new 800-room hotel tower, 300 "affordable" riverfront residential units to help address workforce housing shortages, a golf center and Las Vegaslike water shows in addition to other upgrades, the company said.

"The vision is to transform GSR into a destination where community, sports and entertainment come together," resort owner Alex Mereulo, who also is the majority owner of the NHL's Arizona Coyotes, said during a news conference Wednesday.

Mereulo and University of Nevada President Brian Sandoval conﬁrmed they've been exploring a partnership for some time between the resort and the basketball team, "which could make the arena their home beginning with the fall 2026 season."

They said no public money will be involved in the ﬁnancing.

"The investment will be at least $1 billion," Mereulo told a crowd of more than 100 at the formal announcement Wednesday in a nightclub just off the casino ﬂoor as a dozen Nevada cheerleaders cheered. "This will be the home of the Wolf Pack."

The new arena would cover approximately 300,000 square feet (27,871 square meters), including suites and premium hospitality clubs. A

rendering of the arena indicated it would be built in the parking lot of the existing hotel-casino.

Sandoval, a 1986 Nevada graduate who served two terms as governor before he was appointed university president in 2020, said the school is "excited to explore the opportunity to partner with Alex Mereulo and Grand Sierra Resort as they develop a state-of-the-art arena and entertainment district that is unprecedented in Northern Nevada."

"It will create what I think is the greatest sports venue in the country," Sandoval said.

In an interview with the AP prior to the news conference, Sandoval reﬂected on how college sports have changed: When he was a student, casino advertising was prohibited at sports venues, even in Nevada, where gambling has long been legal.

"I think there's been a recognition that sports betting has proliferated throughout the country and that it's regulated strictly and appropriately, and you can have this balance between the gaming industry and college sports," he said.

Nevada basketball coach Steve Alford told the crowd the arena would have a huge impact on recruiting.

"Now, as we get into a new era of basketball and how we go about doing our business, with the NIL (Name Image Likeness), with the transfer portal, to be able to sell this on top of our community, on top of our university, it just puts us at a whole 'nother level. It's a whole 'nother student athlete that we're going to be able to get into homes and talk to," Alford said.

Nevada Athletic Director Stephanie Rempe told reporters a lot of work already has been put into examining the partnership and one of the next steps will be to brief the state Board of Regents, which would have to sign off on any ﬁnal agreement. But she said she's conﬁdent the deal will come together.

NOTICE is hereby given that WILNER ONESSE, of Bacardi Road, New Providence, The Bahamas 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 2023 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that EMIDLEY JEAN CHARLES P.O Box 1901 Exuma, The Bahamas 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 2023 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

THE UNIVERSITY of Nevada’s basketball team could have a new home at an off-campus arena by 2026 under an ambitious 10-year expansion plan Reno’s largest hotel-casino has in the works at the Grand Sierra Resort, pictured in this photo taken Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023 in Reno, Nev. Ofﬁcials for the Grand Sierra Resort said Wednesday the nearly $1 billion capital investment planned over a decade would be the biggest in Reno history.

THE TRIBUNE Thursday, September 28, 2023, PAGE 13

Photo:Scott Sonner/AP

NOTICE

AND CRITICIZE BLACK JUDGE’S COMMENTS ON RACE

By MICHAEL GOLDBERG AND EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS

Associated Press

ACTIVISTS in Mississippi's majority-Black capital city are trying to join

a federal lawsuit against the city for violating standards for clean drinking water, even as they say the Black judge presiding over the case is stirring racial division.

The activists from the Mississippi Poor People's Campaign and People's Advocacy Institute ﬁled court papers Wednesday asking to intervene in the federal government's lawsuit against Jackson. During

a news conference Wednesday, activists said they spoke for residents in the 80% Black city who want more say over reforms to the water system.

"We feel like our lives are on the chopping block here in the city of Jackson," said Danyelle Holmes, an organizer with the Mississippi Poor People's Campaign. "We could no longer sit by idly as government agencies allow residents to be told that it's OK to drink unclean water."

The federal government has taken legal steps to scrutinize Jackson's water quality for over a decade. But in November, the Justice Department accelerated its involvement after breakdowns in Jackson caused many in the city of about 150,000 residents to go days and weeks without safe running water. Last August and September, people waited in lines for water to drink, bathe, ﬂush toilets and cook.

U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate appointed Ted Henifin, who had decades of experience running water systems in other states, to help fix Jackson's long-troubled water system. Henifin began working on several projects to improve the water infrastructure, such as repairing broken water lines and a plan to improve the city's ability to collect water bills.

Heniﬁn said in June that he was not aware of any health risk in drinking Jackson water. In a statement to The Associated Press on Wednesday, Heniﬁn said his team "is committed to public education that focuses on the people of Jackson and helping them understand what is happening with their water and the engineering science, not through the interpretive lens of activists, special interests or agendas."

"We have been completely open and transparent with our water

quality testing data and are in compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act," Heniﬁn said.

He also pointed to water quality reports and the Mississippi Department of Health water testing data that are available online.

At a multi-day federal court hearing in July, activists said they had received mixed messages about whether Jackson's water was safe to drink. Some residents reported discolored water ﬂowing from their pipes even after public health orders were lifted. Activists also said they were being kept in the dark about the status of reforms.

After Congress awarded Jackson $600 million for water repairs, some city leaders and activists also said they wanted Heniﬁn to look for minority-owned ﬁrms when awarding contracts for infrastructure projects.

Heniﬁn, who is white, said he had been transparent about the quality of Jackson's water and his work as the interim manager. He also mentioned plans to launch a minority contracting program that would employ Black-owned ﬁrms whenever possible, WLBT-TV reported.

In a July 21 ruling, Wingate, who is Black, said many of the concerns raised by the Black activists were without merit.

"They have no experience in water management, and no logical rationale why an African American would be better suited to ﬁx a lingering problem which has gone unsolved for decades by past African American leadership," Wingate wrote.

During Wednesday's news conference, activists lambasted the judge for his comments.

"When the judge made his statement that we just want someone Black to ﬁx our water, that is very disingenuous. That's a disgrace," Holmes said. "You have a

judge who is pitting Black against white, poor against the wealthy, and it's totally unfair. Whether you're Black, white or brown, we're all consuming the same water unless you're wealthy and have purchased a ﬁltration system, which many of the residents who are predominantly Black cannot afford."

Brooke Floyd, co-director of the Jackson People's Assembly, said even those without expertise in water management should be able to voice concerns.

"I think it's just unconscionable that it was even brought up," Floyd said. "The race stuff was ridiculous, and it's also ridiculous to say that because we are upset our water is not safe to drink, that we should just go sit down and be quiet and take what is given to us."

If they are allowed to join the federal lawsuit, Jackson community groups would have an "institutionalized role in settlement negotiations," the activists said. They are asking for the installation of water ﬁlters in homes, more open meetings convened by the Environmental Protection Agency and a range of other demands.

Heniﬁn had hoped to complete his work as Jackson's interim water manager in one year or less. Rukia Lumumba, executive director of the People's Advocacy Institute and sister of Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba, said she wants the city to work cordially with Heniﬁn while he is still in Jackson.

"As it relates to longterm, we want to see someone in Jackson that lives here," Rukia Lumumba said. "We want to see the city have the resources to fully operate the water system itself where we don't have to have another third-party operator."

PAGE 14, Thursday, September 28, 2023 THE TRIBUNE

MISSISSIPPI ACTIVISTS ASK TO JOIN WATER LAWSUIT

Chinese immigrant workers sue over forced labor at illegal marijuana operation on Navajo land

By SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN AND RIO YAMAT

Associated Press

CHINESE immigrant workers allege they were lured to northern New Mexico under false pretenses and forced to work 14 hours a day trimming marijuana on the Navajo Nation where cultivating the plant is illegal, according to a lawsuit ﬁled Wednesday in state court.

Job advertisements for the operation in Shiprock promised $200 per day, housing and food in exchange for "gardening" and "ﬂower cutting." But when the workers arrived in New Mexico, the complaint says, their phones and car keys were taken away, they were barred from leaving and, in some instances, family members were separated.

In a statement Wednesday, lawyers for the 15 workers said their clients were treated like animals and commended their bravery for coming forward.

"Ending forced labor requires that the

perpetrators of forced labor and those who seek to beneﬁt from such schemes face serious consequences," attorney Aaron Halegua said. "We hope that this lawsuit will demonstrate that such abusive practices do not pay." The lawsuit names as defendants Navajo businessman Dineh Benally and Irving Lin, a Taiwanese entrepreneur based in Los Angeles. It also names associates of Benally and Lin, as well as businesses linked to the farming operation, which authorities say ballooned to nearly two dozen farms and more than 1,100 greenhouses spread across 400 acres (162 hectares).

At least 19 rooms at a motel in nearby Farmington supported the operation, the complaint alleges. Workers were treated like prisoners at the motel, which was under watch by armed security guards, and like machines while toiling in the ﬁelds, according to the complaint. Farmington police busted the operation in October 2020 after they were called

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that RAINO RYAN BLACK, Emmanuel Drive, Malcom Road, Nassau, The Bahamas 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 2023 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

to the motel to investigate a "strong odor" of marijuana. They found 2,000 pounds of marijuana, worth $3 million to $10 million, according to the lawsuit. Workers who were there at the time were arrested, but drug charges later were dropped.

In late 2020, federal, state and tribal authorities also raided the Shiprock-area farms, destroying a quartermillion plants.

The Navajo Nation Department of Justice sued Benally, leading to a court order halting the operation that the lawsuit says Benally and his associates ignored.

Benally didn't respond to phone and emailed requests

for comment. David Jordan, who represented Benally in the Navajo case, declined to comment on the lawsuit, although he denied that Benally ignored the tribal judge's order to halt farming.

Lin couldn't immediately be reached for comment Wednesday. It wasn't clear from court records whether he has an attorney who could comment on his behalf, and a lawyer in New Mexico who represented Lin previously wasn't available Wednesday evening.

But in a March 2021 afﬁdavit detailed in the lawsuit, Lin stated there was "no violence and human trafﬁcking" and no "human

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that MAGDALENE MARCELLA NÉE BELL-ALBURY, General Delivery of Lower Bogue, Eleuthera, The Bahamas 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 2023 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that KATRINA PIERRE PAUL of George Town, Exuma, The Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 28th day of September, 2023 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.

rights" violated by the farming operation. The lawsuit ﬁled in Santa Fe seeks a jury trial and unspeciﬁed damages.

Benally, a former Navajo Nation presidential candidate who campaigned on growing hemp to boost the economy, is accused in the

lawsuit of turning a blind eye to federal and tribal laws that make it illegal to grow marijuana on the reservation. The complaint says he instructed his associates and the workers to refer to the marijuana as "hemp" to avoid law enforcement scrutiny.

THE TRIBUNE Thursday, September 28, 2023, PAGE 15

DISNEY WORLD GOVERNMENT WILL GIVE EMPLOYEES STIPEND AFTER BACKLASH FOR TAKING AWAY PARK PASSES CALL

By MIKE SCHNEIDER Associated Press

FACING a backlash, Walt Disney World’s governing district will pay a stipend to employees whose free passes and discounts to the theme park resort were eliminated under a policy made by a new district administrator and board members who are allies of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

The stipend will be $3,000 a year, which is around the equivalent value of the theme park passes, Glen Gilzean, district administrator of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, told board members during a meeting Wednesday evening. The board then unanimously approved the stipend.

Board members said they had taken to heart the criticism of employees who said the free passes gave them lasting memories with their families and allowed relatives to see the fruits of their work. Without the free passes, the parks would be unaffordable, many employees said.

“We heard you and have worked to respond accordingly,” said board member Ron Peri.

Employees had enjoyed the perk for decades when Disney controlled the governing district. The district was taken over by DeSantis and the Florida Legislature earlier this year in retaliation to Disney’s opposition last year to a state law critics have called “ Don’t Say Gay,” which banned classroom lessons on sexual

orientation and gender identity in early grades.

Formerly known as the Reedy Creek Improvement District, the now renamed Central Florida Tourism Oversight District provides municipal services like mosquito control, drainage and wastewater treatment.

In justifying their elimination, board members claimed the $2.5 million in theme park season passes, as well as discounts on hotels, merchandise, food and beverages, that their Disney-supporting predecessors provided governing district employees amounted to unethical beneﬁts and perks.

The arrangement was self-serving to the company because it funneled money back to Disney, with the district footing the bill, according to board members. Outside experts, though, have likened it more to an employee beneﬁt rather than a taxpayer scam, similar to the way professors at a university may get free passes to athletic events or free tuition for family members.

“The old way this program was structured could no longer legally be continued,” board member Brian Aungst said Wednesday evening.

DeSantis, who is campaigning for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, took over the the governing district previously controlled by Disney allies through legislation passed by the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature and appointed a new board

of supervisors to oversee municipal services for the sprawling theme parks and hotels. But the new supervisors’ authority over design and construction was restricted by the company’s agreements with Disneysupporting predecessors, which were signed before the new board took over.

In response, Florida lawmakers passed legislation that repealed those agreements.

Disney has sued DeSantis in federal court, claiming the governor violated the company’s free speech rights. The district has sued Disney in state court, seeking to nullify the agreements.

THE TRIBUNE Thursday, September 28, 2023, PAGE 17

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