09292016 news

THURSDAY i’m lovin’ it!

HIGH 90ÂşF LOW 78ÂşF

The Tribune L ATEST NE WS ON TRIBUNE242.COM

The People’s Paper

SUN & A T-STORM

Biggest And Best!

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2016 PRICE – $1 (Family Islands $1.50)

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Trade N G A I B A R

D E R F I N

-%

$" ) Ĺš( Š0ÂœÂ‘Čą Â?Â&#x;Š—ŒŽ

Čą

help wanted

S A M A B A H

Cars Fo Real r Sale Help Estate W Rental anted and m Ads much uch, more. ..

˜•Â? Ž› žŠ—Â?Â’Â?¢ ȹǛŗȹ ž¢ Â’Â?‘ȹ ŠœœŠž Ĺ˜ ”

ŚŖř

Ç›ČąĹœĹ?ĹœČŹ

tuition school

Čą Š— ›ȹÂ?Â˜Čą Œ˜Â?’Š Â? ÂŽÂĄÂ?Čą Â˜Â˜ČąÇ­Čą ŠœÂ?Čą ˜ŒŠÂ?ÂŽÂ?ǹȹ ž•ěȹ Â?

cars for sale

OBITUARIES

ds Classifier h 12, 2012 Monday, Marc

e TheTribun

real estate

Volume: 112 No.204

CARS! CARS!

CLASSIFIEDS TRADER

Call today 328-0

AT STARTING

for rent

No compromise over NHI plans L! ADS SEL PHOTO 351 002 / 502-2

$25

DNA: GOVT HAS MISLED NATION OVER CARNIVAL

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net DEMOCRATIC National Alliance Leader Branville McCartney yesterday said the Christie administration owes the Bahamian people a huge apology in the wake of claims that Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival was never intended to yield a profit.

SEE PAGE TEN

PM says govt will not be swayed by doctors’ concerns

By SANCHESKA DORSETT Tribune Staff Reporter sdorsett@tribunemedia.net  PRIME Minister Perry Christie said yesterday that “under no circumstance� will the government compromise on National Health Insurance despite objections from some doctors and several unions.

Mr Christie said for far too long this country and hospitals have given priority to “those who have money, while those who don’t fall through the cracks�.

The prime minister made his comments yesterday at the contract signing for major renovations for the Maternity and Male Surgical Wards as well as the Legacy Entrance at the Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH).

The contract, valued at nearly $15m, was signed with a Texas-based company headed by a Bahamian architect and will begin the process of bringing PMH up to world standards, according to Mr Christie.

However, the prime minister did not say when the renovations will begin or when the work will be completed. “As we continue to speak about NHI, and I have ministers who are dedicated to it, I decided I would chair the last meeting simply because as minister of finance I wanted to make absolutely sure we did not make a mistake and promise what we could not deliver or pay for,� Mr Christie said.

SEE PAGE SIX

CHRISTIE ‘NOT GOING TO BE FORCED INTO DECISION BY A GYNAECOLOGIST’

By SANCHESKA DORSETT Tribune Staff Reporter sdorsett@tribunemedia.net  PRIME Minister Perry Christie said yesterday there is “no way� he is going to let an “obstetrician/ gynaecologist politician� force him to make a decision that is “not in the best interest of the people�.

Mr Christie was referring to Free National Movement (FNM) Leader Dr Hubert Minnis who told reporters on Sunday that now is not the time for the government to begin renovations on the Maternity Ward. Dr Minnis has

said the planned upgrades could create problems given the large number of births that occur around this time of year.

Speaking at a contract signing ceremony for renovations to the Maternity and Male Surgical Wards, Mr Christie said the Maternity Ward has not been renovated for over 50 years and women should not be forced to give birth in “undesirable� circumstances because previous governments did not have the will or the finances to upgrade the facility.

SEE PAGE SIX

NEW MADE WITH 100% BEEF

NCTUB president John Pinder, centre, making a point at the joint press conference with the TUC yesterday, alongside TUC president Obie Ferguson at the BCPOU hall.

Photo: Tim Clarke/Tribune Staff

UNIONS WARN MEMBERS TO ‘GET READY FOR BATTLE’ OVER NOLLE PROSEQUI ISSUE

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net  WITH the full support of all of their respective affiliates, the country’s two umbrella unions yesterday warned their members to “get ready for battle� over Attorney General Allyson Maynard-Gibson’s decision to stop criminal proceedings brought by union officials against Sandals Royal Bahamian and two of its

senior executives.

Trade Union Congress (TUC) President Obie Ferguson, and National Congress of Trade Unions Bahamas (NCTUB) President John Pinder, supported by presidents and members of various NCTUB/TUC affiliates, teamed up for a joint press conference at BCPOU Hall, during which both men swore there would be “repercussions� to Mrs Maynard-Gibson’s August 15 nolle prosequi.

Mr Pinder, also the president of the Bahamas Public Services Union (BPSU), said the trade union movement will likely have to “battle this out� as the government is not on their side.

Meanwhile, Mr Ferguson said all of the TUC’s affiliates “will be called upon to take whatever action we decide,� and that both trade union bodies will commence some action “collectively.� Mr Fer-

SEE PAGE THREE

REGULATORS HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH CHRISSY LOVE SHOW BEING CUT OFF

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net

CHRISTINA “Chrissy Love�

Thompson.

THE removal of popular radio talk show host Christina “Chrissy Love�

Thompson from the airwaves during her “Reality Check� broadcast on Tuesday had nothing to do with any regulation violation,

according to the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA).

The authority’s acting CEO, Stephen Bereaux, said yesterday URCA has not had any correspondence with the management team of Guardian Radio, the show’s host station, the producers or Ms Thompson herself.

6 75

MEAL

4 99

WHOPPERRITO TM

Incl. VAT

WWW.BURGERKING.BS

guson also said both bodies will be writing the International Labour Organisation (ILO) on the controversial matter.

However, both men said any action by the union may be deterred, or at the very least tempered if the Christie administration makes the necessary amendments to the country’s labour laws no later than September 30.

/BURGERKINGNASSAU

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

Mr Bereaux said URCA has no investigation pending with respect to the show and was not involved in any way with the show being pulled.

Several audio and video clips have since surfaced on social media, recording the escalation and abrupt SEE PAGE TWO

PAGE 2, Thursday, September 29, 2016

Tropical storm Matthew forms TROPICAL Storm Matthew lashed islands in the eastern Caribbean with heavy wind and rain yesterday as it gained strength and headed west.

The effects of the storm were felt primarily in the southernmost islands of the Lesser Antilles, including Barbados, St Lucia, and St Vincent and the Grenadines. Authorities there closed airports and schools and urged people to stay indoors as the storm passed during the day.

The National Emergency Management Organisation of St Vincent said about

90 people were moved into emergency shelters because their homes were in lowlying areas that were expected to flood as the area received up to eight inches of rain.

The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami said Matthew had sustained winds of 60mph with higher gusts. It said tropical storm-force winds extended from the centre for 205 miles.

The storm was tracking across the southeastern Caribbean Sea, an area that is impacted by relatively few storms compared to the rest

15

THE TRIBUNE

INSURANCE MANAGEMENT TROPICAL STORM TRACKING MAP

of the region. A tropical storm watch was in effect for the islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao.

The NHC said Matthew could become a hurricane by tomorrow and then turn north toward Jamaica, Cuba and Haiti. Because the tracking models were at variance over when the storm would turn northwards it was to early to tell whether it would impact the Bahamas and the US Gulf or Atlantic coastlines early next week.

Matthew was centred about 65 miles west of St Lucia at 5pm yesterday and was moving west at 18mph.

years of

Mandara

WITH a staff of some 200 professionals across luxury spas in The Bahamas, Mandara Spa is celebrating 15 years of success in the country with senior regional vice-president Youlanda Deveaux (front, centre) at the helm.

Mandara, which operates spas at Atlantis and the One&Only Ocean Club, Paradise Island, and

has management consulting contracts with other high-end spas in New Providence, has performed more than 600,000 treatments.

Mandara’s parent company, founded 20 years ago, has grown from one spa in Bali to a global presence in 22 cities on four continents and aboard two cruise ships.

REGULATORS HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH CHRISSY LOVE SHOW BEING CUT OFF from page one conclusion of Tuesday’s show. In the clips, Ms Thompson could be heard addressing the cancellation, voicing her anger at the radio station’s officials.

Speaking to a guest featured on the show, Erin Ferguson, Ms Thompson could be heard asking whether or not the show went to break without her being notified.

After concluding that the show had not gone to break, and had in fact been pulled, she remarked that she was being forced to “pull files in Washington”, where the show was being broadcast live in Washington, DC, to observe the opening of the United States National Museum about African-American history.

“Because you know I try not to pull files and people always try to mess with me when they know that I can pull ... files,” she told her guest.

In response, Mr Ferguson said: “You know them people you bothering with watching.”

Ms Thompson went on to criticise station officials

back in New Providence for their decision to have the show taken off air and threatened to file a sexual harassment lawsuit in response.

According to sources, the show was pulled off air because of Mr Ferguson’s appearance. Sources said the station’s management had previously advised Ms Thompson that Mr Ferguson was “banned” from appearing on the station and had told her not to have him on the show again.

When contacted by The Tribune, Guardian Radio Station Manager Dwight Strachan said the matter was an internal one and refused to comment on the issue.

The station played a previously broadcast programme in the time slot reserved for the “Reality Check” talk show yesterday.

Although station officials would not comment, there is speculation that Ms Thompson’s contract may be terminated as a result of the problem. Ms Thompson could not be reached yesterday.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, September 29, 2016, PAGE 3

Baha Mar staff ‘should not have been told to be grateful’

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net

FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday criticised the Christie administration for the “take it or leave it” nature of the Baha Mar claims payout process, saying that former employees “should not be told to be grateful that they are being paid for their completed work.”

Dr Minnis, in a statement, criticised the government and its Baha Mar Claims Committee for its blunt position on the issuance of the settlement sums, claiming that such a stance is a disservice to persons who “have struggled for a year anticipating that the government would hopefully stand up for them to their Chinese allies.”

Dr Minnis said the government now expects former employees “to be grateful for what they are getting, in some cases less than what is due to them, and then be quiet.”

Dr Minnis also criticised the clarity of the payout process, charging that the government has “provided little direction or details” to the former Baha Mar workers and further questioned why some former employees were being “forced” to sign for their payout cheques

without having a “clear assessment or understanding” of the process or if they are being compensated correctly. Dr Minnis also reiterated his calls for Prime Minister Perry Christie to “finally unseal” the particulars of the government’s deal with the China Export-Import Bank (CEXIM), which has made the pay out process possible.

His statements came less than a day after the government commenced its threeday claims payout process for Baha Mar’s 2,000-plus former employees at the Crystal Palace Hotel Casino.

Earlier this month, Baha Mar’s former workers were bluntly informed that their payouts will be made on a “take it or leave it basis,” with little room for them to dispute the compensation offered.

The five-person Claims Committee, headed by former State Minister for Finance Minister James Smith, has said that while it would “certainly consider” correcting the settlement sum offered in the event of a mistake, the former employees have “no legal entitlement” to any of the funds the committee is administering.

The creditor committee also warned the ex-employees that while they could reject its financial offer and take action against their

PRIME Minister Perry Christie touring Baha Mar earlier this week.

former employer, this was “unlikely to result in a material payment to you.”

“Baha Mar employees and certainly any other employees who find themselves in a similar position should expect to be paid all outstanding payments and should not be told to be grateful that they are being paid for their completed work,” Dr Minnis said.

“These former employees have struggled for a year anticipating that the government would hopefully stand up for them to their Chinese allies. Now the government just wants them to be grateful for what they are getting, in some cases less than what is due to them, and then be quiet.

“But true to form this government has provided little direction or details to these former Baha Mar workers, who are forced to show up with very little information when they try to get what is owed to them.

“Why should they be forced to sign without having a clear assessment or understanding of the process or given the time to make a clear assessment if they are being compensated correctly?” Dr Minnis asked. “This is not how you treat people that have been wronged, but sadly this is how the PLP government treats the Bahamian people who elected them to serve.”

Dr Minnis also called for the prime minister to reveal the particulars of the government’s deal with CEXIM. “The people continue to cry out for transparency and true accountability,” he added. “It’s time for the embattled prime minister to finally unseal his secret deal and let the Bahamian people see what else we should be ‘grateful’ for.”

On Tuesday, former em-

BAHA Mar workers going to collect the pay they are owed this week. ployees had mixed feelings about the claims payout process.

While some former Baha Mar employees expressed no disappointment in receiving their settlement sums from the beleaguered resort, others complained of the low amount offered.

One former employee, who spoke to The Tribune, said while the process “went pretty smooth,” he felt that former employees “should have been paid more.”

The former employee, speaking on condition of anonymity, also said it wasn’t clear what the payment represented, and also that nothing was mentioned about pension payments.

The employee was also angered by a release document employees had to sign to receive their cheques, which said upon receipt of the pay out, they would not make a claim against Baha Mar or Perfect Luck Ltd, the special purpose vehicle set up for the claims exercise.

On Sunday, Mr Smith advised employees not to worry if payments did not match the amount listed on their redundancy letters.

He urged workers with discrepancies to bring in the letter they received from the resort’s human resources department upon their termination as the committee was prepared to deal with any dispute.

However, the Claims Committee has maintained that the staff will have little choice but to accept what is on offer this week.

UNIONS WARN MEMBERS TO ‘GET READY FOR BATTLE’ OVER NOLLE PROSEQUI ISSUE from page one

Those changes, Mr Pinder said, include but are not limited to amending the Industrial Relations Act (IRA) to “force” an employer to the negotiating table within 90 days once the employer receives a proposed industrial agreement from the bargaining agent in that workplace, as well as strengthening a particular clause in the Employment Act that would “make it very difficult for an employer to terminate workers without cause”.

“They promised that they will do something as it relates to amending these laws by the 30th of September,” Mr Pinder said, responding to a question from The Tribune.

“If they do something to satisfy the trade union movement and we feel as though this matter will go away and not repeat itself, we may just tone down what we have to do. But I can tell you this much, we will swim together to avoid drowning apart.”

He added: “...So I expect for all of our members to now start to circle the van, start to rally the rest of the troops, sharpen your gears, and get ready for battle.

We’re going to have to battle this out. Obviously the government is not on our side.”

Mr Pinder also said Prime Minister Perry Christie should have had the “testicular fortitude” to fire Mrs Maynard-Gibson over the matter.

“The prime minister is her boss,” Mr Pinder added. “If he is satisfied that

NATIONAL Congress Trade Union Bahamas President John Pinder. this decision is in the best interest of the country, well then let him let her remain there as attorney general, and he will get his termination letter in May of next year, or whenever he calls the general election.”

Meanwhile, Mr Ferguson regretted Mrs MaynardGibson’s issuance of the nolle prosequi, suggesting that the decision effectively neuters the trade union movement’s ability to take legal action against employers.

He added: “This is almost frightening. My God, you talk about 1958, this is worse. We are nowhere.

We’re not questioning her authority. Let me make that clear: I’m not questioning her constitutional authority to do it. But how can you?

Where are the workers supposed to go now? If you have a dispute, unless you take to the streets, where do you go? As a movement what is left for us to do?”

The nolle order in question halted the action launched against the resort, its general manager, Gary

TRADE Union Congress President Obie Ferguson.

Photos: Tim Clarke/Tribune Staff Williams, and financial controller, Fitzroy Walker, by five officers of the Bahamas Hotel Maintenance and Allied Workers Union (BHMAWU) who had alleged that Sandals was in breach of the IRA by failing/refusing to “treat or enter into negotiations” with the union.

They had also claimed that the resort, Mr Williams and Mr Walker, had violated the Industrial Tribunal Relations Act by intimidating and terminating employees.

Much of the public outcry over the nolle has hinged on the fact that it was signed on

August 15, the same day the hotel terminated more than 600 employees. Since the order was made public last week, the attorney general has come under fire from the labour movement and the Official Opposition both groups have called for her immediate resignation - as well as several of her Cabinet colleagues.

However, in response to the pushback, Mrs Maynard-Gibson released a statement last Thursday night clarifying that the order did not come into effect until it was entered in the Magistrate’s Court on September 19.

In her statement, Mrs Maynard-Gibson also made it clear that she would not be swayed “by the political objectives of her colleagues or anyone else” in the execution of her constitutional duty.

She has also dismissed rumours that her family has a business interest in the Sandals resort.

Galleria Cinemas Galleria Cinemas The TheMall-at-Marathon Mall-at-Marathon BOX BOXOFFICE OFFICEOPENS OPENSAT AT10:00 10:00AM AMDAILY DAILY

EFFECTIVE AUGUST 24TH, 2007 EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2016 DEEPWATER HORIZON MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME MASTERMINDS THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN STORKS WHEN THE BOUGH BREAKS BLAIR WITCH

NEW

1:05

3:30

N/A

6:00

8:25

10:45

NEW

1:00

3:25

N/A

6:00

8:20

10:45

6:15

8:45

10:50

NEW

1:15

3:40

N/A

T

1:00

3:50

N/A

6:35

N/A

10:00

A

1:10

3:35

N/A

6:05

8:30

10:50

C

1:00

3:30

N/A

6:00

8:25

10:45

C

1:15

3:45

N/A

6:15

8:45

10:50

GALLERIA 6 - JFK DRIVE

USE YOUR E-CARD TO RESERVE TICKETS AT 380-3649 OR WWW.GALLERIACINEMAS.COM

DEEPWATER HORIZON

NEW 1:05

3:35

N/A

6:05

8:25 10:45

MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME MASTERMINDS THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN

NEW 1:00

3:25

N/A

6:00

8:20 10:45

NEW 1:15

3:45

N/A

6:15

8:40 10:50

STORKS WHEN THE BOUGH BREAKS

T

1:00

3:45

N/A

6:30

N/A 10:05

A

1:15

3:30

N/A

6:15

8:30 10:30

C

1:05

3:30

N/A

6:05

8:25 10:45

There will be no 1:00pm showings at J.F.K from Monday thru Thursday except holidays

380-FLIX

Use your e-card to reserve tickets at 380-3549 or visit us at www.bahamaslocal.com

PAGE 4, Thursday, September 29, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

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

LEON E. H. DUPUCH,

SIR ETIENNE DUPUCH,

jrolle@tribunemedia.net

Publisher/Editor 1903-1914 Kt., O.B.E., K.M., K.C.S.G., (Hon.) LL.D., D.Litt .

Publisher/Editor 1919-1972 Contributing Editor 1972-1991

EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON,

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

Published daily Monday to Friday

Shirley & Deveaux Streets, Nassau, Bahamas N3207 TELEPHONES

News & General Information Advertising Manager Circulation Department Nassau fax Freeport, Grand Bahama Freeport fax

(242) 322-1986 (242) 502-2394 (242) 502-2386 (242) 328-2398 (242)-352-6608 (242) 352-9348

WEBSITE, TWITTER & FACEBOOK www.tribune242.com

@tribune242

tribune news network

Buck-passing honed to perfection in The Bahamas THE BAHAMAS must be one of the world’s greatest buck-passers. Everything that goes wrong is never the fault of the one in charge - the finger is always pointing in another direction, where it continues down the line until it stops at an unfortunate wretch caught napping under the coconut tree and failing to do his job.

In Freeport this week, Prime Minister Christie was caught in such an embarrassing situation when he learned of the catastrophe in the Princess Margaret Hospital’s new $100m Critical Care Block. There the operating theatre had to be closed and all operations suspended for want of something as simple as a standby compressor. Apparently, four of the hospital’s six compressors were hit by surges after a power outage and the operating theatre’s air conditioning failed to kick-in when the power was switched on.

For want of a back-up compressor and a surge protector for each unit, the operating theatre had to close and patients in critical condition had to be transferred to Doctors Hospital’s operating theatre.

To make matters worse, although we are in a country located in hurricane alley, now in the critical period when hurricanes form, no one had the foresight to have back-up compressors in storage. A hurried order was put in and Prime Minister Christie announced that they should be here by week’s end. In the meantime, seriously ill patients suffer - yes, for want of a compressor, and whoever failed to have the common sense to make certain that replacements were in stock.

Mr Christie was in Freeport when he learned of the embarrassing medical situation in Nassau.

“Prime ministers don’t ordinarily get to hear about these things” - he was referring to the break-down and lack of backup equipment. However, he said, “once he hears or reads he must find out. And there is nothing bad about the truth. This is a new facility; why would this $100m enterprise all of a sudden fail?

“I was advised that there were power outages in New Providence and when the power is reconnected the powerful surges knocked out the compressors,” he said.

“That’s what the prime minister has been advised. Yes, there were weather implications and we were helpless to going out there to see what you could do. But fundamentally, we own the power station.

Therefore, ultimately we have to bear the responsibility for that,” Mr Christie said.

And then he looked around for a scapegoat. Ah! ha! Of course, the Ingraham administration!

He questioned why the Ingraham administration, under which the units were installed, had not provided the necessary equipment and surge protectors to avoid today’s situation. It must be remembered that the new hospital had not been completed under the Ingraham administration. No one knows what might have been installed if the FNM had completed the project. However, the government cannot look back almost five years and blame a previous administration. This is happening on this government’s watch. In almost five years, those in charge of supplies and maintenance of the hospital knew what was needed and should have made a report up the administrative line.

Prime Ministers should not have to worry about such things. This is what he has Cabinet Ministers for and Cabinet ministers have permanent secretaries

who should keep the various departments operating.

At one time, we had quite a bit to do with one of the government departments, because of the operation of our equipment. We have forgotten which one we dealt with, but whichever one it was the department’s top man was excellent. Whenever there was a problem, we called him, only to discover that he had to go through a descending order of submanagers, before he could get to the man to do the job. This always slowed down the operation. It was then that we realised that the affliction of most of these government departments was overstaffing. A good pruning was needed to raise the standard of efficiency. There were too many managers, and too many opportunities for buck passing.

We do not know whose fault it is that no one had the intelligence to know that being an island, backup equipment is needed when it comes to machinery. Whoever was in charge of this section at the change of government is the one — if he had any managerial abilities — who would have known and would have been responsible for alerting his superiors that back- up equipment was essential. Possibly he did his job. Possibly his advice was ignored.

But a prudent Cabinet minister in a new government should have called in all heads of his Ministry and acquainted himself with the functions and requirements of the various departments of his ministry. It should then be up to his Permanent Secretary to meet regularly with heads of departments to keep his minister informed.

And so it is important that each employee in these ministries appreciates that his is an important job, no matter how seemingly insignificant he believes it to be. If he fails to function, he can bring the whole structure down.

And so after almost five years in government the Christie administration cannot use the Ingraham administration as a crutch on which to lean for its failings.

This government must carry the blame for the break downs in the new hospital block, including turning what the Ingraham government had intended to be patients rooms into fancy offices for themselves.

And so it is important for heads of departments and Ministries — from the Prime Minister down the administrative ladder — to understand that the small acts of omission or commission by any member of the team can have major consequences.

In the words of Benjamin Franklin: “For the want of a nail the shoe was lost, For the want of a shoe the horse was lost, For the want of a horse the rider was lost, For the want of a rider the message was lost, For want of a message the battle was lost For want of a battle the kingdom was lost, And all for the want of a horseshoenail.”

And here in The Bahamas, surgeries in the Princess Margaret Hospital’s Critical care unit had to be suspended for want of standby compressors and the failure to attach surge protectors to each compressor then in operation.

Protesting too much...

EDITOR, The Tribune.

I PARAPHRASE the line from Shakespeare’s Hamlet in responding to a columnist who wrote last week about Loretta Butler Turner’s campaign roll-out on Long Island. Sir, me thinks thou dost protest too much.

The part-time columnist and one-time domestic pugilist listened by telephone presumably from Nassau to the proceedings taking place at an FNM event on the island. That, together with what one supposes was commentary from a highly trusted source holding the other phone led him to the conclusion that Butler Turner’s campaign was atop a slippery slope. But was he warning her or was he busy greasing the hillside?

The columnist joined a chorus that was led by the party Chairman Sidney Collie in lecturing one of the few party members to retain their seat in the 2012 election massacre, on what she must do to win next time around.

This was rich, coming from Collie who could not win the MICAL seat he lost to Alfred Grey in a constituency that while far flung, had only 1374 electors.

Those he wasn’t related to he likely knew on a first name basis, but still lost.

Mind you, this is the same Collie who lost his Cabinet post because of his spectacular bungling of a local government election.

The proverbial inability to organise a kidney evacuation fete in a brewery.

The irony was even thicker when the columnist piled on. He who has (so far) demurred on entering the arena set out to castigate the woman who fought valiantly to keep the party relevant in the past four years. Though

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net they won’t admit it, the FNM owes a debt of gratitude to Butler Turner and the other MPs in the gang of six.

There can be no doubt that as it relates to Long Island, there is more in the mortar than the pestle.

There are more agendas being played out there than would be at a Middle East peace conference.

Minnis is being the pragmatist and has wrapped his head around the premise that it is better to have Butler Turner in his tent shooting out, than to have her outside the tent shooting in.

He put up a façade of support for her while writing a plot so loaded with treachery that even Shakespeare would blush. But as the old people say “you gatty do what you gatty do”.

Then there is the schemer-in-chief, oligarch Tennyson Wells, who probably wanders the halls of FNM headquarters muttering to himself why someone won’t relieve him of this wretched Butler Turner. The voices inside his head keep telling him that he is the final authority on anything to do with Long Island.

If he can’t get someone to do his bidding and run for the seat then he might just jolly well have to do it himself. We have seen this script from him many times before and each time with disastrous consequences for the FNM. Then there is the Batman villain, the Joker, and one of his sidekicks (aka Dr Andre Rollins) who has trained his sights on his ancestral home. No doubt he can scare up enough people to sign his nomination papers, now that the people of

The confusion of Baha Mar claims EDITOR, The Tribune

IT IS good to know that, as I previously predicted, the vast majority of the 2,000 Bahamian former Baha Mar employees are being paid off smoothly and efficiently, with few serious disputes.

James Smith, former Central Bank Governor, can be congratulated for leading his Claims Committee in solving administrative complexities that will bring a happy smile in many local households.

However, profound financial, legal and even Constitutional issues remain,

embodied in the payment structure that was handed to Mr Smith and that he has no power to resolve, apparently rooted in the agreement between Government and the Chinese EXIM Bank - an agreement that is still locked in confidentiality.

As required, he has made clear that expatriate employees must wait until October 31 to find out what, if anything, they might be paid. This is, of course, a huge question mark, since nobody has been told the total amount that CEXIM has agreed to pay into its fortune-cookie claims ve-

hicle, Perfect Luck Ltd. $100m? More? Less?

The doubt has been compounded by Mr Smith’s admission that he has been given no rules how to handle claims from employees of Baha Mar affiliate Hobby Horse Company or being trained by the Leadership Development Initiative.

They are just told vaguely “try and work it out, to be dealt with in a special way”.

And beyond employees, Mr Smith has to figure out how he is going to pay contractor and vendor claimants, all of whom are required to submit proof-

of-claims by the end of this week. All that’s been (unofficially) said is that claims under $500,000 will “likely” be paid, and, according to Minister Jerome Fitzgerald, Bahamians will be preferred over foreigners. The financial complications are obvious: $100 million will certainly not cover all claims; after this week’s round of employee payments, how much will be left for everybody else and how will the shortfall be divvied up?

Then there’s the tricky legal issue. I stand to be corrected but I believe Baha Mar is still under provisional

liquidation controlled by Bahamian liquidators. They are bound by our liquidation law, which does not permit any favouritism between large and small creditors or between foreign and domestic ones. If this parity is seen to be violated when payouts begin to be made, I can well imagine a flood of litigation by disgruntled creditors against CEXIM, Government, and possibly against Mr Smith personally with the other members of the Claims Committee. The charge could well be made that the agreement between CEXIM and Government is

mighty Fort Charlotte have kicked him and his hard mouth out of their garrison.

The most insidious person piling on this week was the columnist. He presupposes that an opposition MP, especially one who was consistently poking Perry Christie in the eye and kept the PLP’s feet to the fire would have been able to get on the phone to the PLP Minister of Works and get the trucks rolling to fix the roads on Long Island so that residents and rental car company owners alike will suffer less vehicular stress.

She would have been able to get the Minister of Health to ensure the clinic didn’t run out of medicine.

And she would have cajoled the Minister of Tourism to push hotel investment and tourism to the island.

This is all laughable as even PLP MPs have had a hell of a time trying to get the government to do the most basic things in their constituency.

Politics, like sport, is about power. And revenge.

And spite. In that regard, the PLP wins the gold medal and has relentlessly gone after Butler Turner.

Constituencies represented by ministers and even by the Prime Minister show signs of blight and neglect. But the columnist thinks it’s all Butler Turner’s fault that the PLP turned its back on the good people of Long Island.

I have no doubt that when racking his brain to come up with an alternative candidate for Long Island that the columnist stares at the man in the mirror and says: “You whistle, I’ll point”.

Some Long Island guinep bitter and sour.

THE GRADUATE Nassau, September 26, 2016.

invalid - ultra vires lawyers call it - since it violates our liquidation law. How will our Constitution anti-discrimination provisions apply?

I fear our hard-working public servant James Smith is facing a few tough months, through no fault of his own, by simply trying to resolve the confusion left from the hastily drafted arrangements concocted by the leadership of the PLP to save their political skins. And they may still be skinned.

RICHARD COULSON Nassau, September 28, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, September 29, 2016, PAGE 5

BTVI VISIT TO GOVERNOR GENERAL PRESIDENT of The Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI) Dr Robert W Robertson and his management team recently visited Governor General Dame Marguerite Pindling at Government House. From left, dean of construction trades and workforce development Alexander Darville; registrar Samara Sands; dean of academic affairs Pleshette McPhee; associate vice-president of administrative services Zakia Winder; president Dr Robert W Robertson; Governor General Dame Marguerite Pindling; associate vice-president, fund development Alicia Thompson; dean of student services Racquel Bethel; public relations officer Hadassah Hall and manager, technical services, Wellington Bain. ​ Missing​are​associate vice-president of finance Malissa Evans and associate vice-president of Northern Campus Veronica Collie.

Photo: Letisha Henderson/BIS

Man jailed for 45 years for part in ‘cold-blooded’ killing

By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net A MAN was sentenced to 45 years in prison yesterday for his role in a murder that a judge described as “coldblooded and calculated”.

Dyon Henry, 24, appeared before Justice Milton Evans to conclude the penalty phase of his trial in the August 31, 2013 shooting death of Robert McIntosh. Henry was convicted by a jury in July.

At a previous hearing last week, prosecutor Koschina Marshall told Justice Evans that Henry deserved no less than 40 years imprisonment when considering the 30-60 year sentence established by the Court of Appeal in the case of Larry Raymond Jones.

Ms Marshall noted that not only was it still “light out” on the day in question, but noted that a firearm was used in the commission of the offence and that the victim was struck in the neck, chest and upper extremities.

The prosecutor further noted that remorse was not shown for his part and that contrary to his claims of suffering abuse at the hands of police, Henry was videotaped walking police

through what had transpired.

Terrel Butler, lawyer for Henry, argued that her client warranted a sentence on the lower range of the scale given his youth, lack of antecedents prior to conviction and his history of having worked up until the time of the incident.

She noted that her client had a single infraction since his incarceration at the Department of Correctional Services in the past three years.

Ms Butler also urged the court to consider that based on the evidence, her client was not the shooter.

However, Justice Evans yesterday said that the evidence did not paint Henry as playing a minor role in the incident.

“There was no altercation between the deceased and the convict and his accomplice. The deceased was called over to the car in which the convict and his accomplice were driving and when he approached, was shot multiple times,” the judge recalled.

“When he fell to the ground, an individual emerged from the car and stood over the deceased and shot him a few more

times. The killing had the earmarks of an execution and was carried out in a cold blooded and calculated manner. I am not persuaded that the evidence shows he (Henry) was a passive party in the events which occurred.”

“The evidence of the firearms expert was that in his opinion based on tests done, two different guns were used in the incident.

A witness also testified that two guns were heard firing and finally the evidence of the pathologist was that the wounds indicated that it was possible that there were two shooters,” Justice Evans added.

The judge said the manner in which the crime was committed is a significant aggravating factor.

“The fact that firearms were used is also a matter which must be considered.

The prevalence of illegal firearms and the propensity of young men to use them is a grave concern. It is necessary for the court to send a clear message that such conduct will not be tolerated. In my view, the proper sentence must be geared toward ensuring that society is protected from the accused by preventing him as

MANAGING DIRECTOR OF BAHAMASAIR IN CRITICAL CONDITION IN HOSPITAL

HENRY WOODS

HENRY Woods, the Managing Director of Bahamasair, was airlifted to a Miami hospital yesterday and was reported to be in critical condition last night.

Mr Woods, who was taken ill in New Providence late last week, was visited in Doctors Hospital in Florida by his friend Philip ‘Brave’ Davis, the Deputy Prime

Minister.

Mr Woods, who underwent surgery, has been in post since 2006.

far as possible from repeating such an offence. The sentence should also serve as a deterrent to those who may be inclined to follow in his footsteps.”

The judge acknowledged Henry’s relative youth, lack of antecedents before the commission of the crime as mitigating factors in his favour.

The judge also said he could not hold lack of remorse against Henry given that he maintains his innocence.

“In all of the circumstances, I find that an appropriate sentence to be 45 years which is to run from date of conviction,” Justice Evans ruled.

The punishment was reduced by the 30 months spent on remand awaiting trial and sentence.

It means he will spend the next 42 years and six months at the Department of Correctional Services.

On July 7, Henry was unanimously convicted of McIntosh’s murder.

The trial opened on May 30 during which the prosecution called 25 witnesses.

The Crown alleged that Henry and a person referred to only as “Tones” planned the murder at Fat’s Bar in Nassau Village over

a bottle of Hennessy.

After leaving the bar, “Tones” dropped Henry off at Charles Saunders Highway. From there, Henry walked to his home in Sir Lynden Pindling Estates, where he changed into a black shirt.

Henry then returned to the vehicle and he and “Tones” got a different car, a white Suzuki Baleno.

Henry and “Tones” drove west on Freeman Smith Subdivision in Nassau Village where they saw McIntosh walking and called out to him.

McIntosh, who approached the car, was shot 11 times and police found shell casings from both a 9mm and .45 from the scene.

The gunmen fled the scene and turned north on Taylor Street and south on Soldier Road.

Henry, when taken into police custody, had purportedly given a caution statement explaining the circumstances.

However, his lawyer argued that Henry gave the statement under duress, police brutality and threats of further harm.

The defence further claims that police had

coached Henry to point out areas in Nassau Village on camera and they allegedly threatened to shoot him if he refused.

Henry also alleged that he was never advised of his right to remain silent or told that he could consult a lawyer.

Sagina Pratt, a probation officer at the Department of Rehabilitative Welfare Services, produced a report of her interview with the convict and others related to him.

His family and friends described him as a reserved and respectful individual.

Henry maintained he did not commit the murder and said that he was at the Junkanoo Summer Festival on the day in question where a fight had occurred in the vicinity.

He’d thought police had arrested him concerning the fight but later discovered that it was in relation to murder.

Henry has 21 days to lodge an appeal to the Court of Appeal against the conviction and sentence.

Failing to do so, he can apply for an extension but will have to convince the appellate court that his appeal is likely to succeed.

PAGE 6, Thursday, September 29, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

PRIME Minister Perry Christie, back, at yesterday’s contract signing, with the contract being signed by, from left, Leslie Isaacs, Herbert Brown, Hubert Fowler and Phillippa Pinder.

Photo: Peter Ramsay/BIS

No compromise over NHI plans from page one

“I want you to understand there is no compromise on our commitment to healthcare because when I go to (the) Medical or Private Surgical Ward, I know what I am going to get. When I went to the hospital I had all the doctors necessary to treat me in place, giving me all the attention I needed, and when I went to see my friend Robert, who had a stroke, I asked whether he was having the same treatment I was having because money should not determine your care.

“There is no compromise when it comes to the fundamental notion that there must be equity in our country. That our country today still gives priority to those who can pay and too often we run the risk of those who cannot pay falling through cracks.

“So to all the unions and the persons who speak for the rights of workers, I appreciate all you do but when the calls come for equality

in heath, be present. People are born in this country, many of them hostage to the circumstances to which they are born, the government cannot and will not compromise on what is right in these circumstances.”

The House of Assembly passed legislation for NHI in August, however it is unclear when the first phase of the plan for universal healthcare will be introduced.

Mr Christie also put doctors on notice that they no longer “have the right” to stop a woman in the process of delivering her baby from going into the private suites if the public ward is full.

He said this renovation to the Maternity Ward is just the first phase in the plan the government has for the unit and by next month the government will unveil plans for a two-story building dedicated to just women and children.

Mr Christie also said the Accident and Emergency Department is scheduled to be overhauled in the next phase of renovations.

CHRISTIE ‘NOT GOING TO BE FORCED INTO DECISION BY A GYNAECOLOGIST’ from page one

He urged doctors at the contract signing to tell Dr Minnis it’s time to get on board with the improvements.

“No way would I let an obstetrician/gynaecologist politician use me to make this political,” Mr Christie said.

“I want you to tell him, when you graduated and came to the hospital the state you met the Maternity Ward in. This hospital was built in the ‘50s and much hasn’t changed since then.

Tell him the problems we are trying to address. Tell him that it will cost a lot of money to do so and tell him for me that the prime minister said even though we are introducing National Health Insurance, my government has made the decision that it will use money from the Consolidated Fund to improve the Princess Margaret Hospital before people are charged rates under NHI. He needs to appreciate that people need better facilitates and better care.”

This is the second time this week that the prime

minister has criticised Dr Minnis about his comments on the planned upgrades.

On Tuesday, Dr Minnis suggested that Mr Christie “check his facts” before making “untrue, reckless comments” about the Killarney MP’s tenure as minister of health.

In an interview with The Tribune, Dr Minnis denied leaving the Maternity Ward at PMH in a bad state and questioned why the prime minister waited four and half years to fix the ward, if Mr Christie thought it was “so terrible”.

In fact, Dr Minnis said the only reason the prime minister is renovating the hospital now, is because “elections are right around the corner.”

His comments came one day after Mr Christie said that when the PLP won the election in 2012, and when Dr Minnis demitted office as minister of health, the latter left the Maternity Ward “in a state not fit for women to go and have babies.”

He also said that one of the operating theatres was “so bad” it was only used in an emergency.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, September 29, 2016, PAGE 7

Nygard to challenge ruling tomorrow

By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net PETER Nygard’s applications for leave to appeal and stay a visit to his Lyford Cay property will now be heard on Friday in the Supreme Court.

Elliot Lockhart, QC, had indicated in a hearing last week of his intention to file a motion for leave to appeal and stay Justice Rhonda Bain’s order that a site visit to Nygard Cay was necessary to determine whether the Canadian fashion designer had illegally increased the size of his property.

Mr Nygard’s lawyer had also said he would file a motion on his vocal request that former and present Directors of Physical Planning Michael Major and Charles Zonicle be subpoenaed, as well as hedge fund billionaire Louis Bacon, who is Mr Nygard’s neighbour, to give evidence at the end of Save The Bay’s (STB) case.

Justice Bain had given Mr Lockhart until Friday, September 23 at 4pm to file his motions.

When the matter was called yesterday afternoon, Mr Lockhart said the motions were filed but the filing was late.

“We’ve filed two motions, both filed out of time which I take responsibility for,” Mr Lockhart said, attributing the lateness to a “medical issue.”

The motion for a leave to appeal and a stay of the site visit was filed on Monday, September 26.

The applications for a

PETER NYGARD, who is challenging against a court visit to his property. subpoena of Mr Major, stressed.

Mr Zonicle and the crossMr Lockhart said the examination of Mr Bacon, objection “is not advantawere filed and served only geous to the progress of this yesterday. matter.”

Mr Lockhart wished to “You allege contempt of be heard on the latter ap- court but seek to exclude plications. evidence? We seek to prove Dawson Malone, who ap- that the fifth respondent, peared as one of five law- Peter Nygard, is not guilty yers for STB, noted that di- of contempt and they are rections had been given by seeking to shut out evidence the court, but they had not in support of his defence? been complied with.

I’ve never seen that happen “I don’t doubt that Mr before,” Mr Nygard’s lawLockhart had a conversa- yer said. tion with Mr (Fred) Smith “It is collusive that Pebut I’m not instructed with ter Nygard is not guilty of regards to that conversa- contempt and we intend to tion,” Mr Malone said. prove that by cross-exam“I cannot reasonably ining Michael Major and deal with an affidavit that Charles Zonicle,” Mr LockI’ve not seen,” Mr Malone hart added.

Mr Lockhart acknowledged that the documents were filed and served past the specified time, but noted that even the courts have been late with judgments they initially said would be delivered within a specific time.

“We are all ministers of justice doing the best that we can. Where is the prejudice to them? He has not said it. I made the motion on my feet last week. How can he now say he’s not ready or that he’s prejudiced? You’re serious about these judicial review proceedings or no?

You’re serious about allegations that Peter Nygard is guilty of contempt or no?”

Mr Lockhart asked.

He also said that Mr Bacon should be cross-examined on his affidavit.

Mr Malone contended that the fifth respondent’s continued disregard for directions amounted to trial by ambush.

Justice Bain acknowledged that the motions were filed late, but ruled that they would be jointly heard on Friday at noon.

“I will not accept any further filings by you, Mr Lockhart,” the judge added.

Justice Bain was asked to recuse herself from committal proceedings involving Mr Nygard through a notice of motion filed in the Supreme Court by his former lawyer on the grounds of bias.

However, in January, Justice Bain said Mr Nygard had not proved there was evidence of bias or apparent bias towards him and found the accusations to be

“scandalous”.

The Court of Appeal, in June, affirmed Justice Bain’s rejection of the application in an appeal of the decision by the Lyford Cay resident. A published decision is expected to follow.

At a hearing in 2015, Justice Bain had ordered that Mr Nygard be present in court the next day for the committal hearing against him regarding the alleged October 2014 dredging at his Lyford Cay property and to determine whether he was in breach of an injunction against him.

Mr Nygard was served with the second motion outside the courtroom.

In a previous affidavit in support of Justice Bain recusing herself from Mr Nygard’s committal hearings on the grounds of bias, the Canadian’s former attorney Keod Smith stated that both he and his client took the position that Mr Nygard was ordered to remain in court that day “for the sole purpose of affording and/or facilitating” Fred Smith, QC, in serving the fashion designer with the legal notice, notwithstanding Save The Bay’s (STB) alleged numerous failed attempts to previously serve Mr Nygard with the documents.

In that affidavit, dated September 17, 2015, Keod Smith also claimed that neither Justice Bain nor Fred Smith indicated to Mr Nygard or his lawyer that STB “had or was about to commence another contempt application.”

STB, formerly known as the Coalition to Save Clift-

on Bay, denied Mr Nygard’s recusal application, arguing that it was “transparently calculated to delay the progress of the first committal application” against Mr Nygard.

STB’s battle with Mr Nygard over the construction/development activities at his Lyford Cay home stem from allegations that the activities have led to substantial growth of the property.

The group claims that the Lyford Cay resident has almost doubled his property’s size, from 3.25 acres to 6.1 acres, since he acquired it in 1984, by allegedly reclaiming Crown land from the sea.

The advocacy group has alleged that Mr Nygard achieved this without the necessary permits and approvals, claims that have been denied by the fashion designer.

That comes against the backdrop of Justice Bain’s ruling in 2013 that until the conclusion of judicial review proceedings challenging the legality of the construction of a groyne and the dredging of the seabed off Nygard Cay, neither activity could continue.

However, since then, STB has submitted photographic evidence in court alleging that the opposite has happened.

Damian Gomez, QC and Khrisna Higgins will appear for Mr Nygard in the applications to be heard on Friday.

Romauld Ferreira, Martin Lundy II, Crispin Hall and Adrian Gibson appeared with Mr Malone.

VIDEOS SUBMITTED IN BACON APPEAL TO HAVE CASE HEARD IN NEW YORK TWO videos allegedly fabricated to include billionaire Lewis Bacon’s name in news stories dealing with insider trading and the Ku Klux Klan have been submitted to a Manhattan judge in an appeal to have a high-profile defamation case tried in New York rather than The Bahamas.

Mr Bacon’s defence lawyers have described the “smoking-gun video”, which previously was under seal, as capturing fashion mogul Peter Nygard observing what two off-screen voices call “fabricated” news clips that cast the hedge fund tycoon in a maliciously bad light according to a report in the New York Post yesterday.

The two billionaires have been at each other’s legal throats for years, arguing over a myriad issues, including development rights for their abutting Lyford Cay estates.

The $50 million defamation suit against Mr Nygard was dismissed by Judge Cynthia S Kern, of New

York State Supreme Court, last month on grounds the Bahamian court system offered a better forum for trying what Mr Bacon has alleged is “a harassment campaign against him”.

The New York Post reported that the video, submitted on September 19 as part of Mr Bacon’s appeal, shows Mr Nygard eating and drinking on a hotel bed with a younger woman while passing judgment on the fabricated news clips.

The fabricated clips can be heard but not seen on the video, which Mr Bacon’s legal team obtained through discovery for the trial. One of the clips includes CBS footage on the insider-trading arrest of Rajat Gupta, but doctored to swap in Mr Bacon in place of Gupta.

Similarly, in an ABC report “Inside the New Ku Klux Klan”, Mr Bacon’s image has been superimposed in the piece immediately after correspondent Cynthia McFadden ends her lead-in with: “It may surprise you

who’s among their ranks.”

“We were gonna’ go further, but we’re not sure how far to take it,” says one of the off-screen voices, believed to be Jessar Nygard, who is seeking instructions from his father.

“That’s not far,” Mr Nygard responds.

Mr Nygard calls the allegedly doctored footage “good stuff” near the end of the six-minute video. And when an off-screen voice admits, “It’s pretty dirty,” Mr Nygard agrees: “Pretty dirty.”

The sound track for the fabricated clips is consistent with a video currently available on YouTube, entitled “Is Louis Bacon Racist?”

That video was supposedly uploaded by a Vincent Roy, but one of its creators said in a deposition that its editing was done “at Peter Nygard’s instruction”.

The New York Post reported that a spokesman for Mr Nygard said the fashion mogul did not know he was being videotaped while watching and com-

SEVENTEEN SHOP

FINAL BLOW OUT SALE SEPTEMBER 26TH - OCTOBER 1ST

70% STOREWIDE ALL SALES FINAL, NO EXCHANGES, NO REFUNDS

menting on the fabricated news clips. The spokesman also noted that Judge Kern previously excluded the two fabricated clips as evidence.

Mr Nygard’s lawyers, however, did not move to seal the video when it was filed as part of Bacon’s appeal.

“Nygard did not put to-

gether these tapes, create or direct the content shown or post them,” his spokesman said of the clips. “Bacon’s submission of these tapes once again to Justice Kern as part of his attempt to persuade her to change her most recent ruling last month that dismissed the

remainder of Bacon’s frivolous claims is also a desperate gasp.”

A spokesman for Mr Bacon had no comment.

Mr Nygard has until September 30 to file a brief in opposition to the pending appeal, and Mr Bacon has until October 14 to reply.

PAGE 8, Thursday, September 29, 2016

The voodoo economics of Junkanoo Carnival T

HE delayed Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival Economic Impact Report is yet again demonstrative of the lack of transparency that has come to define this government’s term in office. Even more glaring, the voodoo economics and glaring mismanagement leaves one to wonder if the government, and the organisers of the event, collectively view us as chumps who they could intellectually insult without a resounding rebuke.

After much ado, the report was finally released this week. Officials from the Bahamas National Festival Commission (BNFC) revealed that the total cost of the event was $9.8m with a government subsidy of $8.1m. Nearly $10m on a glorified street party!

Quite frankly, I believe that the books were “cooked” for a few months before the lesser figures were settled upon. Is it just me or does anyone else see the selective use of figures?

I would like to see the raw data post-haste.

According to the BNFC, there were reductions in total expenses and the government’s subsidy, highlighting increases in air arrivals, attendees, employment and involvement by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) throughout the country.

Referring to its impact on the tourism economy as a “substantive improvement”, officials estimated a 56 per cent increase in tourismrelated economic activity such as hotel room revenue, stopover and cruise passenger expenditures. Further, the BNFC said despite a down month for international arrivals in Grand Bahama, arrivals for the

THE TRIBUNE

A Young Man’s View

By ADRIAN GIBSON

festival’s kick-off weekend that the festival would stay on the island were up by on budget this year. Even roughly 65 per cent. more, Mr Wilchcombe had Tourist arrivals in Nassau said that the government for the event were also said would only inject around to be up by 11.5 per cent, $3m into the event, though an increase in the monthly asserting that the final figyear-over-year average for ures were still being worked May. Officials also claimed on. that tourist related expendiThe carnival has not given tures increased in 2016 due $10m worth of value back to to a 79 per cent increase in the Bahamian society/econtourist attendance, the di- omy. The concept is simply rect employment of more daft and representative of than 1,200 workers, and the the reckless spending that indirect employment of an- is synonymous with the other 1,600 Bahamians. present government. They What was the increase in have demonstrated no fiscal tourists though? responsibility.

There is no great ‘The carnival What business increase if the has the carnival has not given numbers move spurred? This is from 35 visitors $10m worth of an insanely luto 50. The meth- value back to dicrous fete put odology must be on to “tief” taxthe Bahamian quite dodgy! payers’ money.

What’s more, society/ The carnival has officials also economy. The become a slush projected a fund for cronies, $70m impact concept is friends, families on the national simply daft and and lovers to get gross domestic representative their chunk of product (GDP) the pie. People from carnival - of the reckless are hurting but $10m less than spending that the government 2015 estimates. is synonymous seems more inSo, again we tent on focusing have an event with the on the carnival. that was over present What benefit budget and unis it to the coungovernment.’ doubtedly subtry? Here we see ject to apparthe same money ently corrupt or, at the very that always circulated in the least, opaque practices. economy moving from one This year’s carnival was place to another. But, what forecasted to cost about about the injection of new $7m. Tourism Minister money? What about the Obie Wilchcombe pub- tourists that were supposed licly stated his confidence to come here in droves and

BAHAMAS National Festival Commission chairman Paul Major. fill hotel rooms? There is no erning Progressive Liberal scientific detail in the BN- Party (PLP) is not likely to scrap the Bahamas JunFC’s figures!

Last year, chairman of the kanoo Carnival (BJC) any BNFC Paul Major claimed time soon, but this is one that the three-day event last programme that deserves weekend would yield some a stiff dose of stop, review $50m. This year, officials and cancel. projected a $70m impact on he public was promthe national GDP from carised that this year’s nival. How are they arriving festival would be at these numbers?

Where is the empirical more structured, better data to show that the festi- budgeted and constructed val, in its second year, con- in such a way to guarantee a tinued to succeed against solid return on investment. its mandate of stimulating However, on the face of it, economic opportunities for we can yet again censure SMEs in the creative sec- the lethargic organisers for tor and positively impacting poor and rushed planning, not enough international the national GDP? The Bahamas Junkanoo marketing and not anCarnival has evolved into a nouncing the artists for the matter of moving goalposts. festival’s concert sooner.

In terms of the planning Nobody is questioning how good a party we had. Baha- for the headliner/s, the inmians had a blast, but if you ternational promotions and spend $9m on a party one marketing and putting acwould expect that it’s a re- tual heads in beds, we see a ally good party. That’s not repeat of last year. I doubt it will spur major economic the point.

Admittedly, the Road activity. How sad.

On the face of it, it seems Fever event has done well.

I accept that it has been a clear that Mr Major has major stimulant for busi- seemingly taken us all for dodos. ness along its route.

Last year, although Mr That said, though the gov-

T

Major revealed information that was uninspiring and worrisome as we got no return from the Carnival 2015, he stood by his projection that the inaugural festival increased Bahamian GDP by more than $50m, with - according to him the event having a direct economic impact of $19m (including $5.5m in Grand Bahama). $11m of taxpayers monies was spent and the government failed to secure a return!

According to Mr Major, for its over-budgeted $11.3m investment in last year’s festivities, the government reaped $8.3m in combined direct and tax revenues, with the latter providing $6.7m of that sum. The direct revenue, which totalled $1.6m, largely came from ticket sales and cash sponsorships.

Some time ago, Mr Major said that the existing Junkanoo model creates no economic benefits and does not draw extra tourists to the Bahamas. He argued that the hotels were typically full during the Christ-

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, Thursday, September September 29,29, 2016, 2016, PAGE PAGE 9 9

A PERFORMER at this year’s Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival opening. mas and New Year periods, now put those junkanooers meaning there was little to work to sell to the increscope to draw extra visitors mental tourists who will be and spending. coming here. Anyone who In a recent presentation wants to make money durto the Rotary Club of West ing this week-long period Nassau, Mr Macan, and there jor said: “We are “Nobody is will be milgiving the tour- questioning lions of dollars ists something to spent. come here and do how good a Today, he in May. We have party we had. now claims 25,000 people sit- Bahamians had that the Junkating out on those noo Carnival ships, crew and a blast, but if was never depassengers every you spend $9m signed to work weekend, and on a party one as a “profit the farthest they exercise”. Mr walk is to Junka- would expect Major does not noo Beach and that it’s a really seem to tire of back. Every stop good party.” insulting our they make has the collective intelsame beach, so ligence. the question is what are we He said the festival has really selling? never been and will never “We know that Baha Mar be about turning a profit on will bring a few thousand investment, contending that rooms on stream by April. no variation of the event We have an additional hosted around the world 8,000-9,000 rooms on the has generated a profit for island, most of which will the host nation. be empty by May. We can “Nowhere in the world is

Photos: Tim Clarke/Tribune Staff

a carnival a profit venture.

In Trinidad they spend, I think we estimated somewhere around, based on the conversion, $40m a year,” said Mr Major.

He said the success of the festival must be measured by the thousands of persons that benefit from the event indirectly.

“It is about the tens of thousands of people that fill their hotel rooms; it is about the thousands of people that rent every available vehicle on the island; it is the thousands of people, one band alone that I participated in, they had 15,000 people in it (in another country) - our total parade hasn’t reached there as yet, but we will,” he said.

Wow! He sure does not sound like the Paul Major of yesteryear!

L

et’s not forget that Paul Major, as General Manager of Bahamasair, was also

slated as the chosen one to turn the airline around and make it profitable. We can all see how that worked out.

I attended this year’s carnival and observed representatives from the Bank of The Bahamas collecting monies for tickets in shoe boxes. What a disgrace.

What’s more, whilst I stood there waiting for my wrist band, there were glitches in programming it. I lost 20 minutes waiting for them to resolve their issues. That’s unacceptable.

Is it possible that with more accountability, ticket sales and ‘other revenue’ accounted for much more than the published $578,342? No doubt - given the slackness I witnessed “tiefin” occurred.

If carnival is to continue, far more private sponsorship is needed. The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) cannot be the only company that spends nearly a million of

the $1.2m in sponsorship.

According to the BNFC, BTC sponsored the event for a second consecutive year with an investment of $650,000 in cash sponsorship and $350,000 in kind.

Other sponsors identified included Commonwealth Brewery, another founding sponsor, and Atlantis, SuperClubs Breezes, Bank of the Bahamas and Cash and Go; however sponsorship amounts by these companies were not given.

While the government wastes so much money on carnival, islands such as Long Island do not have the facilities to print driver’s licences. Islanders have been riding around with printouts of their receipts for a year now. Do they not pay taxes as well?

And why doesn’t Long Island and Crooked Island have a fire engine? There are two trained firemen who are now working on Long Island as police offic-

ers. What about an ambulance for Long Island?

If the government could waste $22m on a street party, the same could be spent on a new international airport for Long Island?

Right?

Why must Long Islanders travel to New Providence to have a simple blood test done?

When will Long Islanders have the roads damaged

by Hurricane Joaquin repaired? When will people receive further assistance with their homes so that they can remove tarpaulins from their rooftops?

When will islands such as Long Island receive a much needed economic boost?

Whilst we dance and prance and waste money on a carnival where few people benefit, Bahamians are hurting. And, quite frankly, it’s no joke!

Comments and responses to ajbahama@hotmail.com

PAGE 10, Thursday, September 29, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

DNA: Govt has misled nation over carnival from page one

BRANVILLE MCCARTNEY, leader of the DNA.

Insisting that the country has been intentionally misled by the government and officials from the Bahamas National Festival Commission (BNFC), Mr McCartney has called on the government to scrap future plans for the festival until a more “financially feasible plan” could be produced and implemented.

The former Bamboo Town MP said while he ultimately expected a cost overrun for 2016 festi-

val, the profitability claim proves that the Christie administration knew from the festival’s onset that it could not make the event profitable or successful and still opted to introduce it.

“We are spending in vain, and the scariest aspect of this whole matter is that the government stood there and presented us with the festival under the guise that it would earn us money,” Mr McCartney said.

He continued: “Now we are two years in, no money made, and now they have the gall to stand there now

Teachers & Salaried Workers Co-operative Credit Union Limited

OUR NEW OFFICE HOURS The right Credit Union for you!

To our valued members PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF OUR NEW OFFICE HOURS COMMENCING OCTOBER 1, 2016 MONDAY—THURSDAY: 9:30 a.m.—4:00 p.m.

FRIDAY 9:30 a.m.— 5:00 p.m.

Sorry for any inconvenience we may have caused!

Teachers & Salaried Workers Co-operative Credit Union Limited East Street & Independence Drive P. O. Box N-8325 Nassau, The Bahamas Ph. (242) 502-9236 Fax: (242) 356-9691

and tell us that they never thought this would make money. Reckless. That is all I can say about this situation because they know the financial climate of this country and they have opted to spend roughly $20m over two years on a festival that hasn’t earned one single dollar of revenue.

“Bahamians ought to be irate, angry, unforgiving; if you listen to the comments made by (BNFC Chairman) Paul Major, all you can conclude is that the government knew how this would play out and still misled the public.

“The government has and continues to operate recklessly. If they knew this was a fruitless endeavour, why did they press it? Do they think it was wise to do this in a time when they know our country is struggling financially?”

Mr McCartney contended that taxpayers shouldn’t be saddled with the burden of funding a public party.

He further demanded that Prime Minister Perry Christie and Tourism Minister Obie Wilchcombe provide an account of the government’s impression of Mr Major’s claims.

On Monday, officials revealed the total cost for this year’s carnival event was $9.8m with a government subsidy of $8.1m.

A day later, when pressed by reporters over the financial implications of the annual event, Mr Major condemned opponents of the festival who continue to look at the country’s annual investment, instead of the carnival’s “economic impact”.

He said the festival was never and will never be

about turning a profit on investment, explaining that no variation of carnival hosted around the world has generated a profit for its host nation.

“Nowhere in the world is a carnival a profit venture.

In Trinidad they spend, I think we estimated somewhere around, based on the conversion, $40m a year,” Mr Major said.

He claimed the success of such a festival must be measured by the thousands of persons that benefit from it indirectly and the economic benefits stimulated by it.

Those claims on Tuesday were slammed by Free National Movement (FNM) Deputy Leader Peter Turnquest, who called the entire festival scheme “unreasonable,” “unbelievable” and “dumb”.

He, like Mr McCartney did yesterday, insisted that the Bahamian economy could not sustain another year of this level of reckless spending.

Last year, the government spent $11.3m on the inaugural festival, going over its initial budget of $9m, with the total cost of the first carnival $12.9m, with the rest covered by sponsors.

Officials have contended that 85 per cent of expenditure associated with the festival was consumed locally.

Officials also projected a $70m impact on the national gross domestic product (GDP) from carnival - $10m less than 2015 estimates.

Carnival 2016 kicked off on April 15-16 in Grand Bahama and took place on May 5-7 in New Providence.

READERS UNHAPPY WITH TALK OF CARNIVAL NEVER MAKING PROFIT BAHAMAS National Festival Commission Chairman Paul Major’s assertion that Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival was never meant to be a “profit exercise” did not sit well with readers on tribune242.com.

Honestman said: “That’s not what we were told at the outset! Let’s face it, this was just one big costly party. Watch for next year’s event being even bigger and more costly as the PLP tries to distract the deluded from the reality of our dire economic situation and the party’s abject failure at governing the country.”

Jusscool joked: “PS: My dear Government, I’m having a party next week. Can I have 40m toward it?”

Concernedcitizen had this to say: “No it was always meant to be a way for political cronies to make a fantastic living off of the backs of hard working tax payers, nothing more, nothing less than a faucet to the treasury.”

And there was this from John: “Is this the same Paul Major who said at the inception of carnival that, ‘It will take three or four years before it (carnival) becomes profitable’?”

In The Tribune’s latest online poll, we asked readers if they thought the $12m the government is spending on Potter’s Cay Dock was a worthwhile investment.

The majority of those voting - 82 per cent - said the money was NOT a worthwhile investment.

Commenting on the issue, and Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources V Alfred Gray’s statement that “the Bahamian people deserve the best”, John said: “Deserving it yes, having to pay an arm and two legs for it, NO! especially in these hostile economic times. Value for money.”

To which Sheeprunner12 responded with: “John, the PLP nor the FNM ever pays any attention to ‘value for money’. There is NO correlation between public and private sector valuations on QS/costing & approving contracts for government projects. It appears that what costs $100 in the public sector will cost at least $300 in a government contract or project, that is why our government debt is high and there is never any semblance of reasonable cost to build or repair government buildings.”

• Don’t miss your chance to join the debate on tribune242.com.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, September 29, 2016, PAGE 11

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

ASSISTANT CHIEF ENGINEER (ELECTRONIC/ELECTRICAL ENGINEER)

‘The Bahamas’ own street philosopher’

Be part of the Bahamian Brewery & Beverage Company – Freeport/ Grand Bahama BBB is producing the Truly Bahamian Beer brands – SANDS, SANDS LIGHT, HIGH ROCK, STRONG BACK, BUSH CRACK and SANDS PINK RADLER. REQUIREMENT AND SKILLS: • Practical experience in related industry • Knowledge in electrical wiring, programming, electrical control panels • Knowledge in utility machineries (electricity, air, water, steam boiler, generator) • Preferable knowledge in production machineries • Degree not necessary, experience a must JOB REQUIREMENTS: Ensure efficient start up of bottling hall each morning and assistance to the Chief Engineer on all his duties as set out as follows: • Maintenance and service of all machinery and equipment • Proper stock taking of all spare parts • Supervision of supply and use of all materials and additives within his department, e.g. oil and lubrication material • Organization of preventive maintenance.

• Planning and execution of annual overhauls of equipment in coordination with the Technical Manager • Documentation and reporting of each utility consumption (electricity, air, water, CO2, Diesel ) and running hours of certain equipment (e.g. steam boiler, generator etc.)

Interested persons may apply in writing to: Barefoot Marketing P.O. Box F-41779, Freeport, Grand Bahama, Bahamas

PAGE 12, Thursday, September 29, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

Gomez advises public on work of comsumer comission

By LLONELLA GILBERT Bahamas Information Services THE Consumer Protection Commission works to protect the public from merchants delivering shoddy products or poor service, and Chairman Jerome Gomez wants to ensure the public is aware of this.

The commission, which is located in offices next to the Teachers & Salaried Workers Cooperative Credit Union on East Street South, is the agency given the responsibility by the government to protect Bahamian consumers from abuse in the marketplace.

Recently, Senator Gomez explained that the commission was created by legislation (Consumer Protection Act 2006), and it has a broad function.

“We intend to look at all the issues that consumers have -- issues right down to even services delivered by the government,”

Senator Gomez said.

“I want to say to consumers that they can provide us with any kind of issues they have with the service delivery of the government whether it is at Road Traffic, Passport Office, and Business Licence – wherever it might be.

“The commission sees itself really not as only resolving issues, but bringing to light to a lot of companies and government ministries, little things that they might need to fix that could create a better customer relation.”

He said the commission could impress upon the entities to fix issues that would really relieve some anxiety and stress to the consumer.

“We want complaints not only where you may have had issues with products and services, but just bring to our attention matters of delivery where you are waiting weeks or months for something or some service you expect even from the utility companies.

“If you apply for connection to the water supply or the Bahamas Electricity Corporation, or telephone service and that has been dragging along for a quite a time, let us know.”

The senator explained that the commission wants to be an advocate that goes to these companies and asks them to look at the service they are providing.

“If somebody wants to hook up to the electrical supply, why is it taking one month? Why is their water supply taking three months? We want to be able to help the consumer to get these things done.”

He noted, however, that sometimes companies and government ministries are so busy doing what they are doing regularly, that they do not see the kinds of issues happening in the way they deliver their services or so forth.

“We want to be the watchdog and point out how they can improve their delivery of service,” CHAIRMAN of the Consumer Protection Commission Senator Jerome Gomez talks about its role.

Photo: Derek Smith/BIS he said.

DORSETT TO HOST ZIKA AND HURRICANE FORUM TONIGHT ENVIRONMENT Minister Kenred Dorsett, member of Parliament for South-

ern Shores, is hosting a joint Zika Prevention and Hurricane Preparedness Forum

tonight at Garvin Tynes Primary School.

The forum will bring to-

PROCLAMATION WHEREAS, historians have unearthed evidence in support of the fact that traders from such ancient civilizations as Mesopotamia, Carthage and other North African lands that bordered the Mediterranean Sea, when transporting goods by sea, practiced a basic form of insurance that involved “risk sharing”, whereby, in times of loss, payments of benefits were made to associates from a common fund; AND WHEREAS, history also records that even the great Roman Empire, by having all soldiers contribute ansmall amount of their earnings to their regiment’s burial club to cover the cost of burial and provide a living allowance to the family of the deceased, employed a basic principle of life insurance; AND WHEREAS, today, in contemporary western societies, insurance in one form or the other continues to be the financial instrument of choice when it comes to recovery from loss caused by water, wind, fire, accident, death or other unforeseeable devastation; AND WHEREAS, the role that the insurance industry plays in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas is substantial for, in addition to ensuring the financial stability of policy holders and an important source of funding for capital development projects, the industry has also contributed significantly to national development through job creation and providing insurance products to other institutions in the financial services sector that mitigate against certain risks and potential exposures; AND WHEREAS, in an effort to increase public awareness and draw attention to the important role that insurance plays in the economy of The Bahamas, the Bahamas Insurance Association, in collaboration with other stakeholder agencies in the insurance industry, inclusive of the Insurance Institute of The Bahamas, the Bahamas Insurance Brokers & Agents and the Insurance Commission of The Bahamas, has set aside the month of October 2016 to host a series of activities connected thereto; NOW, THEREFORE, I, Perry G. Christie, Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, do hereby proclaim the month of October 2016 as “INSURANCE MONTH”.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my Hand and Seal this 15th day of June, 2016.

PERRY G. CHRISTIE PRIME MINISTER

Insurance Month Activities & Events • Church Service & Luncheon on October 2 at St. Matthew’s Church at 10:30 am • Insurance Day October 3.

(Employees wear company shirts & Insurance Month wristbands) • Courtesy Call with the Govenor General October 12 at 11 am.

• Art Competition - The theme for the competition is “Insurance in the Modern World”. For students in the primary, junior high and secondary schools.

• Town meeting - October 12 6 - 8:30 pm. Topic: “Insurance in the Modern World”.

• FUN Morning October 22 walkathon, health screening & games • IIB Dance October 28. The insurance Institute of the Bahamas (IIB) will hold a dance on Friday October 28.

394-6625 Mackey Street, Nassau, Bahamas bahinsuranceassoc.org

gether officials from the Meteorological Office, Department of Environmental Health and Pinewood Urban Renewal.

Mr Dorsett said it is imperative that citizens remain vigilant and take proactive steps to prevent the spread of the Zika virus that is transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito.

“We want to close any gap of knowledge about the transmission of the Zika virus as an informed populace is requisite for success and survival,” said Mr Dorsett in a press release.

With regard to hurricane preparedness, Mr Dorsett said educating residents on how to prepare and remain safe during the passage of storms could save someone’s life.

“Adhering to hurricane

safety measures can protect individuals and their loved ones as hurricanes can destroy landmarks, family dwellings and take lives,” he said.

“While our hurricane season began on June 1 we understand that we are presently in the peak of activity until mid-October, but whether we are in a period of low activity or spiked activity we must always be prepared.”

He said invaluable information will be presented by officials representing the two government agencies and police officers attached to Pinewood Urban Renewal.

From the start of September, Mr Dorsett organised the Southern Shores Zika Prevention Team consisting of area residents. The team is on the ground each

Saturday to locate breeding grounds of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, remove them and educate residents on protecting themselves against contracting Zika.

Zika is a mosquito borne virus transmitted primarily by bites from the Aedes ageypti mosquito which breeds in standing water. The virus can also be transmitted through sexual contact with an infected partner. Zika infections can cause severe birth defects in newborns known as microcephaly in which the babies are born with extremely small heads.

There have been several cases reported in New Providence.

The Atlantic Hurricane Season runs from June 1 to November 30. The forum starts at 7pm.

WALKING FOR A CURE

THE TRIBUNE

THOUSANDS of walkers and runners will hit streets and highways across the region this weekend united in a common cause to raise funds and awareness in a campaign against cancer.

The fifth annual CIBC FirstCaribbean’s Walk for the Cure will see thousands across most of the 16 territories in which the bank is located, converging for early morning or afternoon walks and runs in support of local cancer charities.

The Bahamas’ walk events are in Abaco, Eleuthera and Grand Bahama at 7am on Saturday and New Providence on Sunday. Proceeds from the event and all related local fundraiser activities will be divided amongst the Sister, Sister Breast Cancer Support Group in New Providence and Grand Bahama, Cancer Society of The Bahamas, Cancer Association of Grand Bahama, Cancer Society of Abaco, Can-

Thursday, September 29, 2016, PAGE 13

cer Society of Eleuthera, Cancer Society of Grand Bahama and The One Eleuthera Foundation.

The generous support of a number of regional and local sponsors coupled with the myriad fundraising events and activities organised by the bank’s staff across the region has so far raised $402,715 of the $500,000 target set for this year.

Last year’s efforts raised $400,000, which went directly towards early detection, care, support and raising awareness of cancer across the region.

“Persons all across the region have been signing up in their thousands and we are truly overwhelmed by the support for the walk in all of our territories,” said walk Co-Chairs and CIBC FirstCaribbean executives Mark St Hill and Trevor Torzsas.

“In the short five years that we have been organising this event, it is truly

TO ADVERTISE IN THE TRIBUNE, CONTACT 502-2394

remarkable how it has emerged as one of the region’s leading cancer fundraising and awareness causes. What makes this walk so special for us is the way it rallies all sections of our regional communities together around this common cause. This is truly a family event. To see mothers, fathers, brothers, aunts and uncles from babes in strollers to grandmothers and grandfathers - all walking for the cure is simply heart-warming.”

The funds are also used to provide assistance, care and counselling to patients and their families as well as to raise awareness through education campaigns across the region.

Over the past five years the bank has raised over $1m from the event primarily supported by corporate donors and diverse fundraising activities and events hosted by staff members.

Memory Foam

MATTRESS Queen Plush $495

Call 376 1256 Tribune 1.5 x 1.indd 1

9/9/16 6:27 PM

4 days only!

Fri Sept 30th - Tues Oct 4th, 2016

• Housewares • Linens • Baby Items • Toys

PAGE 14, Thursday, September 29, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, September 29, 2016, PAGE 15 TEACHING them young: David Rees and son, Logan, in Abaco.

A ‘SLOB’ caught off West End, Grand Bahama, by Mike Bochenek

SEPTEMBER has been living up to to the hype as the month that kicks off Wahoo season in The Bahamas.

Wahoo have been caught all across the archipelago, from as far south as Long Island to as far north as West End, Grand Bahama.

The Bahamas Sport Fishing Network (BSFN) says: “This is a fantastic sign as we head into October and the winter months. This could be the year we see a record number of Wahoo being caught and - just maybe - someone will land a world record.”

BRONSON Russell with his first Abaco ‘hoo’ of the season.

Keep checking the BSFN expert page for fishing reports throughout The Bahamas: this will be helpful in tracking the “hot spots” and providing advice on gear and fishing methods being used.

For a sample of the spectacular fishing to be had in The Bahamas, expert advice, tournament dates and results, informative features and photo galleries visit the BSFN page at tribune242. com or www.bsfn.biz.

BSFN slideshows can be found on USA Today’s website in the Travel section at experience.usatoday.com.

A 150LB wreck Grouper landed by local boy Luke Maillis while deep dropping near Long Island yesterday.

OYSTERS

and Champagne Q

THURSDAYS @ 6PM

CHAMPAGNE AVAILABLE BY THE GLASS

West Bay Street . (242) 698-0119 www.aquafirebahamas.com

PAGE 16, Thursday, September 29, 2016

THE TRIBUNE