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Volume: 123 No. 215, Friday, October 2, 2026

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‘WRONG PLACE ...WRONG TIME’ Dad of two was not involved in criminal activity, says family By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net THE family of a 42-yearold man who was shot dead on Wednesday night on the street where he had lived all his life believe his death was simply a case of being in “the wrong place at the wrong time.” Renaldo Curry was among a group of people gathered near a food establishment on John Road when two masked men dressed in dark clothing

approached on a scooter from the direction of Market Street and opened fire, police said. The gunmen fled west towards Baillou Hill Road. Curry was shot several times and died at the scene. A second man, 22, was shot in the lower back and taken to hospital, where police said he was in critical condition and undergoing surgery. His sister, Desiree Curry, said the family had never CURRY - SEE PAGE TWO

RENALDO CURRY

POLICE remove the body of Renaldo Curry from the scene where he and another man were shot by gunmen in the Market and John Street area yesterday. Photo: Chappell Whyms Jr

TWENTY-YEAR SENTENCE FOR Paralysed man says $942k FATALLY STABBING GIRLFRIEND will not cover lifetime costs By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A MAN who fatally stabbed his 21-year-old girlfriend in their South Beach apartment in 2012 after she tried to leave him has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Trevor Smith, 54, remained silent in the prisoner's dock, his head bowed at several points, as Justice Jeannine WeechGomez sentenced him for manslaughter. Smith stabbed Anthonique Hunter in the SENTENCE - SEE PAGE FIVE

By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net THE MAN awarded nearly $1m after being left paralysed by a police bullet says he has never received an apology or the names of the officers involved.

Thorne Clarke, who was left wheelchair-bound, was awared $941,893.91 – seven years after judgment was entered against the Commissioner of Police and the Attorney General for failing to file a defence to his lawsuit. COSTS - SEE PAGE THREE

THORNE CLARKE

Family, PHA at odds over critically ill Brice’s transfer By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

LAMOND BRICE

THE family of critically ill patient Lamond Brice and the Public Hospitals Authority are at odds over whether the medical information needed for his transfer abroad has been provided, with the family warning that delays could jeopardise his chances of receiving potentially life-saving care while

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

the hospital maintains its fulfilled its responsibilities. In a statement released yesterday, Mr Brice’s aunt, Malaya Curry claimed repeated requests for his medical records to be released have so far been unsuccessful. Relatives shared letters with the media sent to PMH officials requesting medical records and confirmation of his hospitalisation TRANSFER- SEE PAGE THREE

PAGE 2, Friday, October 2, 2026

THE TRIBUNE

Family: Gunmen took innocent man from his family and kids CURRY from page one known him to be involved in criminal activity, gang disputes or threats, and believed he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. “We just need them to be held accountable,” Ms Curry said. “He’s an innocent man. They took him from his family, his kids.” “He was born and raised through here all of his life,” she said. He would often stop to talk with the people he had grown up with, she said. Police said ShotSpotter technology detected multiple gunshots in the eastern area of John Road around 11.30pm. Officers found Curry unresponsive with multiple gunshot injuries, and Emergency Medical Services confirmed he had no vital signs. Ms Curry described her brother as a “jack of all trades” who worked as a security guard and also did carpentry. Above all, she said, he was a family man devoted to his two sons, aged 14 and four. Both boys had lived with him at times, and he helped them with their homework and made sure they had what they needed. “He was a mother and a father,” she said. The boys were devastated, she said. “He loved those boys; those two boys were his heart,” Ms Curry said. She said she was at work when she began receiving missed calls from relatives.

A nephew told her that her brother had been killed, another relative said he had been shot, and she learned he had been fatally wounded only when she reached the family home. Ms Curry said the six siblings were raised closely by their mother and stayed connected as adults. She spoke with her brother almost every day through their family group and regularly sent him Bible scriptures and words of encouragement. She last spoke with him on Tuesday. He spent much of Wednesday with other relatives before collecting his son from school, she said. She said the family was struggling to accept that a man who had been part of their lives for more than four decades had been killed so suddenly. Ms Curry said: “We want him to be remembered for the person that everybody says to you: calm, quiet, loving, caring, supportive.” “He loved to sing. He loved to dance, and that’s what he was. He was happy,” she said. She worried the shooting could have claimed someone else’s life. Ms Curry said: “He could have had his children walking with him and just happened to say, ‘Let me stop there.’ You know, it could have been somebody else. It could have been anybody.” “Life is just so unfair, and the senseless killing has to stop,” she said. “It has to stop.”

RENALDO CURRY

THE BODY of Renaldo Curry is taken from the scene where two men were shot yesterday. Curry succumbed to his injuries at the scene on Market and John Street. Photos: Chappell Whyms Jr

PAGE 4, Friday, October 2, 2026

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Power outage leaves family scrambling to aid sick aunt By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net A PROLONGED power outage in Central New Providence forced a family to scramble for generator fuel yesterday to power an electric bed for their elderly, bedridden aunt, highlighting the strain extended outages are placing on vulnerable residents and their families. The outage began shortly after 6pm on Wednesday and lasted until around 11.30am yesterday, affecting communities including Yellow Elder Gardens, Stapledon Gardens, Harold Road, Blue Hill Heights and surrounding areas. BPL blamed the disruption on an overhead cable fault and apologised for the inconvenience caused. The outages forced the early dismissal of schools, including Government High, Tiny Tots preschool, CW Sawyer Primary school, while renewing opposition criticism. For families caring for elderly and vulnerable relatives, however, the prolonged outage presented more immediate challenges. Barbara Wilson

recounted to The Tribune yesterday her efforts to find generator fuel to keep her 86-year-old aunt’s electric bed running after their Stapledon Gardens home was left without power. She said the elderly woman has been bedridden since suffering a stroke more than two years ago and is now being cared for by her sister. “She's literally dying. She’s not able to sit up. She cannot speak. She has a tube in her stomach that she's being fed through,” she said, “and she's starting to get a pressure ulcer.” She said the recent power outage posed a serious challenge for her sister, who relies on the electrical bed to safely reposition their aunt for eating, drinking and to keep comfortable. “If you're not physically strong enough to do that, that's going be a difficult thing,” she said. “If they have to eat or drink, you can't do it with them lying flat on their back. There's procedures that need to be done with them sitting up, and so that has been a real inconvenience over the years.” She said the family keeps a back-up generator for

BAHAMAS Power and Light’s office. power outages, but it ran out of fuel. The family expected the power to be restored earlier yesterday morning but the outage continued until late morning. “Even if you have a generator, there's no guarantees,” Mrs Wilson added. “You could run out of gas, the generator could go bad, and we understand that even BPL could have issues. But this is not normal. What

is happening right now? It’s clear that there’s way more wrong than what is being said.” She blamed the country’s ongoing power woes on years of neglect by successive administrations and called for the problems to be fixed. FNM deputy leader Shanendon Cartwright also criticised the disruptions in a press statement yesterday,

calling it unacceptable while declaring that the power crisis was “paralysing” the education system. He urged the government to develop a contingency plan for schools when the electricity system fails, saying students and teachers deserve better. “The government must therefore move beyond explanations and provide solutions,” Mr Cartwright

added. Sinymae Capron, head of Good Samaritan’s Senior Citizen Homes, said she was grateful for the cooler weather Wednesday night, saying residents did not have to endure the heat during the outage. Still, she called the power cuts concerning and said the summer period was especially “bad.” The prolonged disruption comes amid growing concern about the reliability of New Providence's electricity supply following repeated outages and load shedding this summer. BPL and the Bahamas Grid Company has attributed recent disruptions to problems including cable failures, overloaded transformers, tripped feeders and breakers, damaged power lines, high temperatures and increased electricity demand. BGC chief executive officer Dareo McKenzie said last month that the company plans to increase its workforce and use its international partnerships to bring in additional skilled workers for overhead and underground lines within the next eight to ten weeks.

North Eleuthera runway needs complete resurfacing By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net WESTERN Air flights to North Eleuthera remain suspended with no date for their return, as officials say the airport's runway has deteriorated beyond patching and needs to be resurfaced, work they hope can begin

next week. David Cox, an engineer with the Ministry of Works and Family Island Affairs, said the ministry was asked to inspect the runway after Western Air suspended flights to and from North Eleuthera on Wednesday because of worsening runway conditions. Officials found scores of potholes that

had been repaired before but not properly patched with cold mix, he said. The runway was also undulating, leaving aircraft an uneven surface to land on. Officials plan to mill the middle section of the runway and lay a new layer of asphalt across the entire section. Several steps must be completed before work

can begin. The ministry must finish its scope of works before the project is put out to tender, and Cabinet approval may also be required, depending on the project's value. Despite this, Mr Cox said the ministry hoped to start repairs in the next week or so. Melanie Roach, general manager of Bahamas

Striping, said her company will pave the runway and deal with the potholes. It has already begun moving equipment north and will start work as soon as it gets the go-ahead, she said. Once the runway is paved, the asphalt must cure for 30 days before the company returns to put in markings that comply with Civil Aviation Authority requirements, Ms Roach said.

Western Air President and Chief Executive Officer Sherrexcia "Rexy" Rolle said on Wednesday that the runway's condition had "escalated" and that passenger and crew safety remained a priority. She could not say how long the suspension would last, saying it depended on the runway being fixed, and said the airline was working with the authorities to resume flights as soon as possible.

OFFICIALS from the Ministry of Works and Family Island Affairs, the Department of Aviation and Bahamas Striping Group evaluate the scope of work at North Eleuthera Airport to decide on the best possible remedy to move forward. Photos: MOW

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, October 2, 2026, PAGE 5

Man jailed 20 years for manslaughter of girlfriend SENTENCE from page one chest during an argument on October 10, 2012. Prosecutor Terry Archer told the court that Hunter wanted to leave the relationship and that the dispute ended with her being stabbed, her body wrapped in a sheet and the apartment locked. He said police had to force their way into the premises, with the landowner’s permission, before Hunter’s body was found. Smith told police that

Hunter came at him with the knife and that the stabbing happened after he disarmed her. He was initially charged with murder, but a jury acquitted him of that offence and convicted him of the lesser charge of manslaughter in August 2025. Defence attorney Cassie Bethel said the verdict reflected a finding that Smith did not intend to kill Hunter. After weighing the aggravating and mitigating factors, Justice

Weech-Gomez found the 20-year sentence proportionate and not excessive. The sentence will run from Smith’s conviction and will take into account the time he spent on remand before his trial, which prosecutors said was five months. The court recommended that Smith continue to receive psychiatric care and medication, and that prison officials watch him for signs of self-harm. During earlier sentencing submissions, Ms Bethel told the court that Smith

had been diagnosed with major depressive disorder with psychotic effects, which she said affected his perception and judgement. Justice Weech-Gomez pointed out that the diagnosis was made after Hunter’s death. Ms Bethel said the diagnosis did not excuse Smith’s conduct but should be considered when assessing his moral blameworthiness. She said Smith had been treated with antidepressants and antipsychotic medication while in custody and no longer hallucinates

or reports homicidal or suicidal thoughts. She argued that his improved mental state showed he was capable of reform and eventual reintegration into society. Mr Archer said there was no evidence that Smith had mental illness before the offence. He argued that Smith’s depression and suicidal thoughts arose after his conviction and imprisonment. The prosecution identified the seriousness of the offence, the use of a knife and the concealment of

Hunter’s body as aggravating factors. Mr Archer also referred to the prevalence of violence against women. He said Smith had no right to kill Hunter because she wanted to leave him, and argued that her death could have been prevented if Smith had walked away. He acknowledged Smith’s lack of previous convictions and his remorse, but argued that the aggravating factors outweighed them. He also said that although Smith had expressed remorse, Hunter’s mother was forced

Teen girl told police man choked, forced himself on her By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A TEENAGE girl told police that a man she met on Facebook choked her before forcing himself on her at his home, a detective testified yesterday. Nathaniel Pedro Moss, 21, is on trial before Justice Jeannine WeechGomez for unlawful sexual intercourse. Prosecutors allege he had sex with the girl, who was 14, in New

Providence on September 9, 2023. Detective Sergeant 278 Rolle said the complainant told him Moss persuaded her to sneak out that night and stay over at his home. She said that while they were watching a movie in a back room of the house, Moss tried to kiss her, and when she refused, he began choking her and then forced himself on her, the officer said. Det Sgt Rolle said he conducted a confrontation

between Moss and the complainant on September 2, 2024, in the presence of her aunt. Moss told the officer he had exchanged photos with the complainant online, but that she had never been to his house before that night. A video of the confrontation was played in court, but its audio was barely audible. In his opening statement, prosecutor Gary Rolle III told the jury that Moss met the girl on Facebook and

Accused denies he indecently asssault a14-year-old girl By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A 41-YEAR-OLD man has pleaded not guilty to indecently assaulting a 14-year-old girl last weekend. Prosecutors allege

Michael Hall Jr groped the girl in New Providence on September 27. He was arraigned before Magistrate Abigail Farrington. Hall was granted $7,000 bail with one or two sureties and must sign in at the East Street South Police Station every Friday by

7pm. He was warned that his bail could be revoked if he interferes with any witnesses. His trial is set for February 25, 2027. Levan Johnson represented Hall, while Reserve Inspector Deveaux prosecuted.

manipulated her into letting him pick her up and take her to his house on the pretence that they would watch Netflix together.

He alleged that Moss had sex with her against her will and refused to take her home that night. He urged jurors to review the

evidence dispassionately. Sonia Timothy Knowles and Crystal Stuart represent Moss. Davina Pinder is also prosecuting.

Woman accused of setting fire to apartment, leaving 40 homeless By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A 41-YEAR-OLD woman was charged yesterday with starting the June fire that gutted an apartment building on Infant View Road and left about 40 people homeless. Prosecutors allege Dwania Strachan intentionally set fire to the two-storey, multi-unit stone building, owned by Kara Butler Wight, on June 15. The damage was estimated at $425,000. Strachan appeared before acting Chief Magistrate Ancella Evans and was not required to enter a plea to a

charge of arson of a building. She was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until December 3, when she is due to be served with a voluntary bill of indictment sending her case to the Supreme Court. She was told she has the right to apply for bail in the higher court. The fire gutted the upper apartments of the seven-unit building and left the lower units damaged by heat and water. No injuries were reported. Police said the Fire Services Department was alerted shortly before 3pm and sent three fire units to the scene.

Among those displaced was Robin Pierre, 32, a mother of three who had lived in the building for 15 years and was weeks away from starting work as a nurse intern at Princess Margaret Hospital when she lost nearly everything. Ms Pierre said her family lost money, clothing, documents, appliances and furniture. "We weren't able to retrieve anything," she said. She said her relief that her family escaped unharmed outweighed the loss of their belongings. Inspector Deon Barr prosecuted the case. Cyril Morris represented Strachan.

RAHMING CALLS FOR GREATER SUPPORT FOR URBAN RENEWAL WORKERS By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

MINISTER of Urban Renewal and Community Relations Lisa Rahming has called for greater support for the employees delivering Urban Renewal services, arguing that workers cannot effectively care for vulnerable residents if they are struggling with challenges of their own. Rahming made the appeal while addressing Urban Renewal centre managers and officers from across The Bahamas during a managers’ conference held in Grand Bahama. “We have to empower them. We have to show them how much we love them. We have to give them the resources that they need. We have to encourage them and worry about their welfare too,” Rahming said. She told the gathering that Urban Renewal workers are often the first point of contact for residents facing serious hardships, including hunger, homelessness, difficulties paying rent and other financial challenges.

MINISTER of Urban Renewal & Community Relations Lisa Rahming.

But, she said, employees should not feel unable to seek assistance when they themselves encounter difficult circumstances. “This is a charge to all of the Urban Renewal staff here. I don’t want

you to sit by and hurt and not tell us,” Rahming said. “I would be saddened by that. Let us know if you need help because you won’t be able to help those in the community.” Rahming said the

government could not necessarily provide ongoing assistance with expenses such as rent, but acknowledged that people can fall on hard times and said Urban Renewal should be prepared to help in legitimate circumstances. Her comments came as she sought to clarify the direction of Urban Renewal under the newly established Ministry of Urban Renewal and Community Relations. She said the government is building on an initiative that has been in existence for approximately 24 years. “We are building on what’s already established,” she said. “We are expanding on what’s there.” Rahming said the ministry’s approach is to expand the range of services available to communities while maintaining the foundation of Urban Renewal. “We’re not changing anything. We’re expanding. We’re providing more and we’re giving more hope to persons,” she said. She placed particular emphasis on the role of Urban Renewal managers

and staff, saying the government must provide them with the tools and support required to serve communities effectively. The minister also used the conference to encourage greater collaboration among Urban Renewal centres throughout the country. She stressed that Grand Bahama and the Family Islands must be treated as integral parts of the national programme, noting that the conference was deliberately held in Grand Bahama. “New Providence is not the only place. That’s not The Bahamas,” Rahming said, drawing applause from the audience. She encouraged managers from islands including Long Island, Andros, Abaco, Bimini and others to use the gathering to develop relationships and share ideas about the needs of their respective communities. Rahming said managers should leave the conference feeling “excited” and “energised”, rather than viewing the trip simply as an opportunity for recreation. “We want to hear your ideas,” she said. “It’s not

all about what we think should happen. You understand more often than us. You tell us what to do.” The minister also announced a personal contribution towards the Grand Bahama Urban Renewal Band after being told that the group needed additional instruments. Rahming said she would contribute her monthly salary to help get the effort started. She also highlighted Urban Renewal bands in Cat Island and Exuma, saying the Cat Island band is expected to participate in the upcoming Youth March in Nassau. Minister of Immigration Frederick Mitchell and Minister for Grand Bahama Ginger Moxey were also present and brought remarks. Urban Renewal officials, police representatives and centre managers from throughout the country also attended. The minister said the conference was intended not only to discuss the programme’s direction, but also to recognise the managers and officers who work directly with communities.

PAGE 6, Friday, October 2, 2026

THE TRIBUNE

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GB’s investment revival must reach its people THERE are encouraging signs that Grand Bahama is entering a long-awaited period of renewed investment. Projects involving the Grand Bahama Shipyard, Freeport Harbour, the Grand Lucayan, Carnival’s Celebration Key and other industrial and tourism developments represent an opportunity to rebuild an economy that has endured hurricanes, business closures and years of uncertainty. Freeport Aggregates has also proposed a further $9m expansion, potentially creating 20 skilled jobs, while MSC continues investing across its substantial maritime and tourism portfolio. Minister for Grand Bahama Ginger Moxey is right to promote this activity and encourage confidence in the island’s future. Grand Bahamians need to hear that investors are interested again. Business owners need reasons to expand, young people need reasons to remain and families who have endured difficult years deserve to believe that better days are possible. But the true value of an investment is not measured only by the size of the announcement. It is measured by the number of Bahamians employed, the quality of the jobs created, the contracts awarded to local businesses and the opportunities provided for workers to advance. Grand Bahama has heard grand promises before. Too often, residents have watched impressive projects rise while wondering how much of the economic benefit remained on the island. This new period must be different. Developers should be encouraged to publish clear information about construction schedules, anticipated employment and the goods and services they expect to purchase locally. This would allow Grand Bahamian contractors and entrepreneurs to prepare instead of learning about opportunities after major contracts have already been awarded. Local participation cannot be limited to landscaping, transportation and entry-level hospitality work. Bahamians should also be trained and employed as engineers, electricians, marine technicians, project managers, environmental specialists and senior executives. That requires coordination before construction begins. The Government, developers, the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute, the University of The Bahamas and local high

schools should establish training programmes connected directly to confirmed employment needs. If a shipyard will require additional welders in two years, training should begin now. If a resort will need chefs, supervisors and engineers, students should be able to see a clear pathway from the classroom into those careers. Small businesses also require practical support. A local company may be capable of supplying food, transportation, maintenance or professional services but lack the financing, insurance or certification needed to secure a large contract. Government agencies, banks and developers should help legitimate Bahamian businesses become contract-ready. Investors must be able to obtain specialised expertise when it is genuinely unavailable locally. However, work permits should never become a substitute for training Bahamians or advertising positions properly. Accountability will be important. The Ministry for Grand Bahama should publish a straightforward investment dashboard showing which projects have received approvals, which have begun construction and how many permanent and temporary jobs have actually been created. This would distinguish active development from proposals that remain on paper. It would also strengthen public confidence without revealing commercially sensitive information. Infrastructure must keep pace with growth as well. Roads, electricity, water, housing and healthcare will face additional pressure as new projects open and employment increases. Planning for these needs after developments are completed would repeat the mistakes of the past. There is much to welcome in Grand Bahama’s emerging investment pipeline. The Government deserves credit for encouraging renewed interest, and Minister Moxey should continue championing the island with energy and optimism. But announcements are only the beginning. Grand Bahama’s revival will become real when a young person secures a career, a contractor wins a meaningful contract and a struggling business gains dependable customers. The cranes and construction sites may signal recovery. The lives improved by them will be its true measure.

When man makes his fellow man mourn EDITOR, The Tribune. THIS profound reflection on humanity’s pervasive failings resonated deeply with me, drawing upon the collective experience of countless Bahamians and individuals throughout history who have borne witness to the stark reality of “man’s inhumanity to man.” The timeless truth encapsulated in Robert Burns’s classic poem, “Man Was Made to Mourn,” vividly illuminates this tragic facet of our existence. Burns’s masterpiece offers a searing indictment of social injustice, particularly the entrenched cruelty ingrained within human societies and exacerbated by rigid societal structures. The poem powerfully illustrates the vast disparity between the privileged few and the struggling masses, demonstrating how systematic oppression inflicts immense hardship and despair upon the poor and vulnerable. This suffering, Burns argues, is a direct consequence of the unchecked actions and arbitrary power wielded by the political, wealthy, and influential classes. At its core, the work crystallises this devastating reality in its iconic and oft-quoted lament: “Man’s inhumanity to man/Makes countless thousands mourn!” This poignant couplet encapsulates the poem’s central argument, underscoring the widespread anguish that arises not merely from individual malice but from deeply embedded class disparities and the pervasive capacity for cruelty that often defines human interaction. It stands as a timeless exploration of how social stratification breeds suffering, creating an inescapable cycle of lamentation across societies. From my vantage point, the concept of “man’s inhumanity to man” has become alarmingly pervasive in contemporary times, compelling me to expand upon this most profound of idioms. For emphasis, I reiterate this poignant phrase, which succinctly encapsulates the tragic reality

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net of cruelty, violence, and systematic injustice perpetrated by individuals and groups against their fellow human beings. It speaks to a fundamental breach of compassion, leading to acts that invariably diminish human dignity and inflict widespread suffering. The historical and ongoing manifestations of this inhumanity are tragically diverse: from murder, victimisation, and rape to various forms of exploitation, such as cheating and the predatory advantage taken of the poor and indigent. These actions serve as stark reflections of humanity’s darker impulses. The enduring resonance of this expression is largely attributed to the Scottish poet Robert Burns, who immortalised it in his melancholic 1784 poem, “Man Was Made to Mourn.” In this seminal work, Burns powerfully articulated the line, “Man’s inhumanity to man/Makes countless thousands mourn!” His verse served as a scathing critique of the stark social and economic disparities prevalent in 18th-century society, lamenting how systemic exploitation and class stratification created profound hardship and despair among the populace. Burns’s genius lay in distilling a complex societal ill into a universally understood and emotionally charged observation. The manifestations of “man’s inhumanity to man” are tragically diverse and persistently evident throughout history and in contemporary society, taking many forms Systemic Exploitation: Mirroring Burns’s original critique, this encompasses economic systems that perpetuate vast class inequalities, where the prosperity of a few is built upon the exploitation, marginalisation, or oppression of many. This can manifest as unfair labor practices, unequal access to resources, or policies that exacerbate poverty

and deny fundamental opportunities. Direct Violence And Cruelty: From individual acts of assault, torture, and abuse to large-scale conflicts, genocide, and ethnic cleansing, this dimension covers all forms of physical and psychological harm inflicted deliberately by one person or group upon another, often driven by hatred or a thirst for power. Institutionalised Oppression: This refers to broader societal structures that systematically disadvantage and dehumanise specific groups based on characteristics such as politics, race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or disability. Racism, sexism, religious persecution, and other forms of discrimination fall under this umbrella, eroding human rights and fostering deep-seated societal divisions. Social And Political Injustice: This category includes governmental or societal actions that deny fundamental rights, suppress dissent, engage in corruption that harms the populace, or otherwise create environments of fear and instability. It highlights instances where power is wielded not for the common good, but for control, subjugation, and personal gain. The phrase “man’s inhumanity to man” remains a potent cultural touchstone. It serves as an urgent reminder of our collective capacity for both immense good and terrible evil, consistently challenging us to confront the darker aspects of human nature. In modern discourse, it is frequently invoked in discussions about human rights, social justice movements, conflict resolution, and the ongoing global imperative to foster empathy, understanding, and mutual respect among all people. Its continued relevance underscores the perpetual need for vigilance, advocacy, and concerted effort to build a more just and humane world. DR DONALD M McCARTNEY Freeport, Grand Bahama October 1, 2026.

Will the FNM commit political suicide? EDITOR, The Tribune. SINCE the general election the PLP has been in freefall. The list is long. The Eric Gardiner arrest and fallout for the government. The collapse of the electricity grid and blackouts all over the country. The National Investment Fund scandal and questions about how hundreds of millions of dollars are unaccounted for. Then there is the PLP arrogance, bad governance and continued collapse of public services and infrastructure. This is all highlighted by rats at PMH, poor runway conditions in North Eleuthera, no working ambulances in Bimini and other examples of PLP neglect. Despite all of this mess, we have a Leader of the Opposition that the PLP does not respect. He leads a weak and dysfunctional opposition not ready to take on the government. After seeing Michael Pintard carry the FNM to the second massive defeat since 2021, the PLP is even bolder and more arrogant. They do not fear Pintard.

Since the election, Mr. Pintard has been mostly missing in action. The FNM is in terrible shape. Nobody is really listening to the Leader of the Opposition. They have already given their verdict on an FNM led by him. The FNM is now talking about having a conclave to discuss what went wrong. This is typical of a party in decline. Voters already told the voters that they have no faith in the party’s leadership. God bless Mr. Pintard. He tried his best, but it was not enough. He is not dynamic and does not appeal to voters. He now looks desperate to cling on to power and to drag the FNM down with him. He is acting like Hubert Minnis. But even Minnis eventually stepped down. Pintard has not shown the humility and grace to step down. By the way, Hubert Minnis is gone. The FNM’s main problem is Michael C. Pintard. He failed in opposition, he is failing now, and he will fail again if he stays as leader. Is the FNM prepared to commit political suicide?

A conclave should be held to discuss new leadership and a new direction for the party. Mr. Pintard appears to be running around the country trying to hold on to power. He must think that he is bigger than the FNM. Like Minnis, Pintard is causing division. The FNM deserves better. The country wants better. Since Michael Pintard does not have the grace to do what is right, the party will have to find the strength and new leadership to restore the party to a position where it is respected by the voters and feared by the government. Mr. Pintard still has a role in the party. But he has already been given a chance to lead it to victory. And while there is always more than one reason for a defeat, the FNM mostly lost because the voters did not want him as prime minister. Will the FNM move forward or will it commit political suicide? FAITHFUL FNM Nassau, October 1, 2026.

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THE TRIBUNE

Friday, October 2, 2026, PAGE 7

BMES celebrates standout year of academic success By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net BISHOP Michael Eldon School (BMES) is celebrating a standout year of academic achievement after recording the top BJC and BGCSE results on Grand Bahama, with students producing strong performances across a wide range of subjects. The results were highlighted during the school's annual Prize Giving Ceremony, where students were recognised for excellence in academics and athletics. The ceremony also brought BMES alumni back to campus to present awards and encourage the next generation of students. The school's BJC performance included 12 students earning three or more A grades, with two students achieving all five A grades in their examinations. Among Grade 9 students, three achieved eight A grades and one B, while others recorded all A grades. Last year, BMES sent 38 Grade 8 students to sit the BJC examinations, with 37 students achieving at least one C or higher. The school's BGCSE results were equally impressive. Thirty-two present grade 12 students wrote at least one BGCSE examination, and they all passed with grades A to C, while nine students passed all five BGCSE subjects. Overall, BMES students

recorded 50 A grades, 125 B grades and 159 C grades, with 68 per cent of students achieving A to C passes. Principal Cecilia Campbell said the results reflect the dedication of students, teachers and parents and reinforce BMES' position as a leading academic institution on Grand Bahama. “Bishop Michael Eldon School continues to be the light of Grand Bahama in terms of what we are doing here academically,” Campbell said. The school's BJC results showed particularly strong class performances, with seven subjects recording averages of 80 per cent or higher. English Language led the results with a 98 per cent passes, followed by Art and Design at 90.5 per cent, Social Studies at 89.7 per cent, Mathematics at 88.24 per cent, Health Science at 85.46 per cent, Religious Studies at 85.29 per cent and Literature at 84 per cent. Seven of the school's 11 BJC subjects improved over the previous year. At the BGCSE level, BMES students also posted strong results across the school's 17 disciplines. Among the notable subject performances were 100 per cent passes in Combined Science, 88.8 per cent in Religious Studies, 88.2 per cent in Language, 82 per cent in Chemistry and 80 per cent in Food and Nutrition.

BMES student Senior Rudolph Thompson receives the Principal’s Honor Roll Award for academic excellence for receiving As in nine subjects, 2nd place Proficiency Award, Most Outstanding Male Athlete Senior. Eleven of the 17 BGCSE subjects showed improvement over the previous year's national examinations. The school also offers Advanced Placement (AP) programme, which offers students who achieve A or B grades at BGCSE an opportunity to pursue advanced studies. Last year, BMES offered seven AP subjects, including AP Art and Design and AP Environmental Science, both of which recorded 100 per cent

pass rates. Human Geography recorded a 78 per cent pass rate, Chemistry 71 per cent, while AP Science, Pre-Calculus and Language each recorded 67 per cent. AP Physics recorded a 45 per cent pass rate. VinuRaj Nair, vice principal, said the school is proud to provide students with opportunities to prepare for college and beyond. Among the students recognised at the ceremony was Grade 8 student

Rebecca Barnett, who earned five A grades in five BJC subjects. She also achieved the top Grade 8 GPA and the highest overall junior GPA in the school. Her mother, Reteka Barnett, said she was proud to see her daughter's hard work rewarded. “I feel like she deserves it because she is one who takes initiative in studying and making sure that everything she does, she tries to do it to the best of her ability,” she said. “I am proud that everything she worked for came through," she said. The ceremony also celebrated the school's longstanding connection with its alumni, with former students returning to present awards. Among them were Dr. Karis Thompson-Major, Nikita Mullings, CEO of Grand Bahama Power Company, and Dr. Shannon Smith. Campbell said maintaining strong ties with alumni helps strengthen the wider school community. “We believe that a community will only strengthen a school environment,” she said, noting that former students who attended BMES when it was known as Freeport Anglican, Freeport High or Bishop Michael Eldon School remain an important part of its history. Mullings said she was proud to return and encouraged students to remain focused and

determined. “I would tell them to stay encouraged, never give up, face your obstacles and know that you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you,” she said. She also spoke about the importance of athletics in developing teamwork, patience, fairness and sportsmanship — qualities that can benefit students later in the workplace. For Thompson-Major, returning to BMES was an opportunity to reflect on her own school years. “As I watched the kids come up on the stage for awards, I saw myself,” she said, adding that it was exciting to see the potential represented by the students. She was also impressed with the number of top male achievers. Dr Smith, another BMES alumna, said she was heartened to see the school's “warrior spirit” continuing. “I had a great experience from grade 8 through grade 12. I was active in sports, active in academics, and it is the values I was taught here certainly have pushed me in my later years. My biggest piece of advice to students would be just not to give up. “Everything is possible. Continue striving for your goals. No matter how large your goal seems, how far away it is, every step forward gets you closer to where you want to be,” she said.

PAGE 8, Friday, October 2, 2026

THE TRIBUNE

Op Ed: Sovereignty is not a lease

BY S. TIMOTHY ROBERTS Tribune Night Editor

“A sovereignty that must ask permission is not sovereignty. It is a lease.” THAT was Prime Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis at the United Nations General Assembly last week. It is a good line. It is also one worth testing against our own realities. Sovereignty is, at its simplest, a country’s authority to govern itself — to make its own laws and run its own affairs without foreign interference. It is independence. It is the freedom to choose our path and decide how we grow and develop. Every country, in theory, has that choice. In practice, powerful nations have never been particularly shy about exerting their influence on smaller ones. And while the powerful fight for dominance, it is often the weaker countries that bear the weight of their clashes. We know this well. Over the past year, under threat of US visa sanctions against Bahamian officials and their families, the government rewrote the contracts of Cuban healthcare workers and sent the new draft to Washington for review. This summer it declined to renew the contracts of 31 Cuban teachers. We are independent. We are also very dependent. THE RECENT ROW Davis’s speech didn’t come out of nowhere. It landed in the middle of a very public dispute with the United States. On 18 September, a Bahamian delegation met US Justice Department officials in Washington to complain that “rogue” Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents had been operating here without the consent of the government or the Royal Bahamas Police Force. Our Ambassador to the US, Wendall Jones, confirmed the meeting. He noted that we authorise seven DEA agents to work in The Bahamas. The complaint is about those operating outside that arrangement. US Ambassador Herschel Walker dismissed the claim as “fake news”. He then publicly asked why Bahamian officials were concerned that the United States “helped to arrest a known drug trafficker”. Attorney General Wayne Munroe went further. He said the DEA agents who ran undercover operations here had breached the Dangerous Drugs Act, and pointed out that Bahamian officers could not do the same thing on American soil while tracing the guns that flow south. There is another part of this story worth noting.

The undercover operation at the centre of the row was revealed after the arrest of Jonathan Eric Gardiner in May. When Gardiner was detained following a plane crash off Florida, authorities say he was carrying about $30,000 in Bahamian currency in an envelope bearing the handwritten name of a Bahamian politician. The name was redacted in US court filings and identified only as “Politician-1”. The DEA affidavit went further. It alleged that “Politician-1” had met an undercover DEA source and a pilot inside a Parliament building in October 2024 to discuss an upcoming cocaine shipment. Jones says the Gardiner case had nothing to do with the government’s complaint about unauthorised DEA operations. Perhaps. But it is what revealed just how far those undercover operations had apparently gone. And it is the

reason Walker’s jab stings. WHAT THE ROW TELLS US Two things can be true at once. The United States should respect Bahamian law on Bahamian soil. And a sovereignty claim is only as strong as a state’s ability to police itself. Consider Munroe’s own words. In March, as Minister of National Security, he told the inaugural Americas Counter-Cartel Conference in Florida: “Consistent with our existing bilateral agreements and with full respect for the sovereignty and laws of each country, and with due regard to international legal norms, the Ministry of National Security intends to work closely with the United States Department of War in expanding joint military cooperation, recognising the shared responsibility for regional security and stability.” In the same speech, he asked Washington to substantially expand its support for the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, “not as a concession to a small partner but as a strategic investment”. That isn’t hypocrisy. We have worked alongside the US through OPBAT since 1982, and with this much ocean sitting across the hemisphere’s main trafficking routes, we could not

The essence of neo-colonialism is that the State which is subject to it is, in theory, independent and has all the outward trappings of international sovereignty. In reality its economic system and thus its political policy is directed from outside. - Kwame Nkrumah, *Neo-Colonialism: The Last Stage of Imperialism* (1965) police our waters alone even if we wanted to. The real question is not whether we depend on others. Of course we do. The question is when dependence becomes subservience — and I think that depends, at least partly, on what we bring to the table ourselves. Davis has a name for this. Opening an international telecommunications forum in Nassau earlier this month, he described a “sovereignty discount”: the price a country pays when it has to negotiate without real alternatives. Sovereignty, he said, is rarely taken from a nation. “It is conceded, one reasonable concession at a time.” There is something important in that.

Because it also provides the honest answer to Walker. Every officer who takes a bribe, every case we cannot build ourselves and every concession we make because we have nowhere else to turn widens that discount. We cannot demand to be treated as a full sovereign while leaving the policing of our own institutions to someone else. We can complain about the intrusion. We may be entirely justified in doing so. But we also have to ask why the opportunity for intrusion exists in the first place. A LITTLE FURTHER BACK We became independent in 1973, and it was rightly celebrated. Some still debate whether full independence was necessary then, given that we already had internal self-government. That debate is academic now. We chose independence. More than 50 years later, the more useful question is: what do we intend to do with it? Political independence has not brought economic independence. We import our food and energy. We rely on foreign capital and investment, foreign markets, foreign technology and expertise, and tourists who come overwhelmingly from abroad. And, as the DEA row shows, our

NEW DIRECTOR GENERAL OF TOURISM OFFICIALLY G0ES TO WORK

security is bound up with a much larger neighbour. Nkrumah warned the leaders of newly independent Africa that political freedom was only the first step, and that economic independence

would demand the same determination. But there is a practical limit to this argument too. No small country can eliminate dependence, nor should it try. Even the largest economies depend on one another. The realistic goal is not some fantasy of complete self-sufficiency. It is to build enough national capacity that dependence does not become subservience. If the government believes what it has said this month — the lease, the sovereignty discount, Munroe’s insistence that our sovereignty is not of a lesser “value or quality” — then the rhetoric should lead somewhere practical. What is the plan for turning formal sovereignty into something more real? Government’s part is clear enough: education, infrastructure, energy, food security, a more diverse economy, institutions that work, domestic enterprise, technical skill and sensible management of foreign investment. That is a lot. It is also not enough. THE SOVEREIGNTY OF US Government can create the conditions for national capacity. It cannot manufacture it. That capacity ultimately lives in us — in our knowledge and skills,

our productivity and enterprise, our discipline, our sense of civic responsibility and our willingness to use the opportunities in front of us. Remember now those 31 Cuban teachers. The Ministry of Education says foreign teachers are hired only where no suitably qualified Bahamian can be found, and some of them were teaching specialised subjects such as welding and agriculture. There is nothing wrong with bringing in expertise we do not have. Countries do it all the time. But every post we cannot fill ourselves is also a small piece of sovereignty we rent from someone else. Yet there is a fundamental contradiction in wanting The Bahamas to depend less on foreign powers while so many of us instinctively turn to the government to solve our personal difficulties. Expecting increased national sovereignty is illogical if we continue to relinquish our personal independence. Greater national sovereignty has to come with greater individual agency. That means developing ourselves through education and work. It means taking responsibility for our circumstances where we actually have the power to change them. It means creating rather than simply consuming. And it means accepting something we all know, but do not always particularly like hearing: government cannot solve every problem. Government can provide good schools. We have to learn. It can build infrastructure. We have to use it productively. It can create opportunities. We still have to do something with them. None of that absolves government of its responsibilities. Quite the opposite. A government asking its people to do more for themselves has an even greater obligation to ensure incompetence, corruption and bad policy are not standing in their way. But sovereignty cannot exist only in Parliament, Cabinet or a speech at the United Nations. If it means anything, it eventually has to find its way down to the people themselves. Davis is right that our ancestors did not break their chains so their children could become tenants. But a lease is not only something another country imposes on us. Sometimes it is something we sign ourselves, quietly, when we stop building the capacity to do things for ourselves. A country that wants to stand firmly on its own needs citizens who are able, and willing, to do the same. In the end, a nation capable of governing itself requires individuals capable of governing themselves.

Director General of the Ministry of Tourism Jackson Weech officially began his first day at the Ministry of Tourism, where he was welcomed by Minister of Tourism the Hon. Glenys Hanna Martin and members of the Ministry’s Executive Team. His first day included meetings with the Executive Team and an official welcome luncheon as he assumed his new role.

MINISTER of Tourism, the Hon. Glenys Hanna Martin, welcomes Director General Jackson Weech to the Ministry of Tourism on his first day in office.

PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, the Hon. Randy Rolle, welcomes Director General Jackson Weech on his first day at the Ministry of Tourism. RIGHT: Permanent Secretary Lorraine Armbrister, Deputy Director General Valery Brown-Alce and Executive Director of Human Resources Leslie Norville welcome Director General Jackson Weech on his first day in office.

DIRECTOR General Jackson Weech attends a welcome luncheon with members of the Ministry of Tourism’s Executive Team and the Tourism Development Corporation.

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, October 2, 2026, PAGE 9

Diane Phillips

100 million-plus play this sport (yet it feels so . . . out there)

AS the world strives for equality, it Pre-Covid, golf was suffering a steep I wanted to understand how it ranks sometimes strikes me that the greatest decline. Its drop-out rate rivalled first year in the world of leisure, what it takes, chasm in democratisation of opportunity Trigonometry. Some 1200 courses closed, how popular it is, its history. I wanted to lies in the strangest place of all: the games nearly seven million men and women learn what it is that makes it so special who once played gave up lugging the bag that networks like NBC (which has we play. Almost anyone can pick up a basket- out of the closet or themselves out of the good sense ball and shoot hoops. Even in the poorest the house to get to the course early on a to bring us neighbourhood, there is something that weekend morning when they could just Willie Geist passes for a net, a plastic milk crate, or a sleep in instead. UNTIL the pandemic and the after- on bottomless 5-gallon paint pail. Like basketball, track is anyone’s game. All it takes math of the desire for fresh air. More off the course than on is a pair of tennis, though serious runners But there was more. The game changed. insist on something that looks like tennis but that are built for pounding a pavement Not everyone playing golf today plays on and are called “running shoes.” (History a golf course, staring at the dimpled ball, is filled with stories of track greats who sighting the next hole, calculating distance, began their running career in nothing studying angles and wind, pondering which club to use, setting up the swing. more than the feet they were born with.) There are lots of sports, in fact, that take It’s startling to realise but more men and little more than desire to participate in to women, especially the younger variety, play non-traditional golf on standalone make them playable. Soccer is available in most schools. ranges, at golf entertainment venues, or American football only requires one places like TopGolf, than those playing leather ball to be shared among a team of on a 9- or 18-hole course with greens and Sunday morn11. Pro football teams do have more than fairways. ing) can The very fact that we say men and one, to be fair, but still, at street level, all spend the rest women shows how much the sport has it takes is an elliptical ball, an open field, and a few kids with a decent arm or pow- changed. There was a time that folks made of day with its cameras erful kick. Swimming requires even less light of the acronym, GOLF, saying it focused on the greens gear, especially for us in The Bahamas. stood for “Gentlemen Only Ladies For- and fairways of a golf Anyone with something that can pass for bidden.” Today, one out of every four course most of us will never a bathing suit and who is willing to jump golfers is female. What Venus and Serena see, watching a player we into the Lucayan Sea can splash for the Williams and players like Billie Jean King do not identify with. What’s sheer joy of it or swim like Michael Phelps before them did for tennis, women like more, most viewers follow a is watching. There’s plenty of water to go Babe Zaharias and Michele Wie did for ball that our eyes can hardly make out until it lands somearound--100,000 square miles of it--room golf. where and we are told how it The real question here is why, with all for all with water to spare. got there and what Golf a whole different ball game that means for all But golf – well, golf . . . that’s a the other players. whole different ball game. Golf is We don’t see those just different – less accessible, more players, but their out of reach. It doesn’t lend itself to names are posted, homemade remedies like milk crates apparently, on something converted into hoops nets. You could called “the leaderboard.” buy a whole lot of football, baseYou could argue that tens ball, or soccer balls for the cost of a of millions watch NFL but single golf club. And greens fees, the don’t play football so what’s price you pay for a few hours on the the difference with golf? course, can run into hundreds of dolPeople will watch. Folks who lars at exclusive golf clubs or resorts, have never played, never though thanks to Craig Flowers and held a club in their hand nor the Bahamas Golf Federation there twisted their torso and lifted are far more reasonable options in their eyes to the heavens, Nassau. hoping the ball they just hit Golf courses even carry designer will land where it is supposed names, the Greg Norman or Arnold to, near a hole with a number Palmer or Tiger Woods course. You next to it. They’ll watch. don’t see the Shaq-designed basElite sport or sport for the ketball or the Tom Brady football, elite? though if you did, they’d probably Since people do watch golf sell a lot more of them over the (and I have, on rare occasion, holidays. for roughly three minutes, Despite the cost, the time it the length of time it takes to consumes for a single round, the decide what I want to change A TYPICAL Top Golf venue. equipment it takes, and the learnthe TV to), I figured I better ing curve it demands, golf is one of learn something about this Photo: Trae Collins/pexels game that remains one of the fastest growing sports, particularly among a younger population. It’s the last bastions of borderestimated that as many as 130 million line-snobbish social symbols. people play at least one round of golf a the critical issues facing us, with all the (I would have said elite sports but it’s not year. harshly spoken and unspoken matters technically. It’s more like a sport for the That’s a lot of people. impacting The Bahamas, why am I writing elite. Formula 1 racing is an elite sport.) The popularity spiked post-Covid when about golf? For crying out loud, isn’t there First, golf is one of the oldest sports in everyone who had been locked inside something more important on your mind? the world. Depending upon the source during the pandemic suddenly wanted to Here’s why: I wanted to understand of information you rely on, mine often burst free and breathe fresh air for as long something more about a subject I knew being the first one I come to, some form a period as possible, while socialising and nothing about, but was weirdly fascinated of what we call golf dates back to Medieachieving what could be justified as a goal. by: how people carve out time, especially val days. Dutch and Scots both take credit. And golf takes time, another thing that those who do it weekly, to do something Roughly translated, that’s more than 1500 makes it feel different from other sports. they love instead of something required. years ago, so it has had a lot of time to And golf takes a lot of that me-time. A lot of time. catch on. I was fascinated to see how it

In China's Taoist martial arts schools, fighting is only part of the lesson By MARÍA TERESA HERNÁNDEZ Associated Press

within myself," said Yuan, who founded a kung fu academy in central China in 2004. "But as you gradually settle into stillness, you begin to understand what the scriptures mean by spirit," he added. "You can begin to rediscover yourself." That process is known as "entering the Dao" in martial arts. It is a guiding principle at Yuan's academy in the sacred Wudang

Mountains, where disciplines like kung fu and tai chi draw on Taoist thought. Practitioners like Yuan start by strengthening the SHIYAN, China (AP) body. As they progress, — There was a time when the mind becomes more Chinese master Yuan resilient and willpower Shimao thought martial develops. arts were all about punch"The body is a vehicle ing and kicking. As a young or vessel within which the practitioner, he focused on spirit resides," Yuan said. speed and strength. "You therefore need a "I trained that way for healthy body capable of many years without becomcarrying your spirit." ing still enough to search A search for healing led to a deeper martial arts practice Yuan began practicing martial arts in the 1980s. Boxing and the Chinese combat sport of sanda attracted him at first. He heard of Wudang later that decade. As his body ached with rheumatism, Yuan read article STUDENTS practice at the Wudang Taoist Traditional Kung Fu Academy near an Wudang Mountain in Shiyan city in central China’s Hubei province on Friday, claiming Taoist practices could Sept. 4, 2026. Photo: Achmad Ibrahim/AP heal him. So he packed his bags

has evolved and its roller-coaster ride in the last decade, from courses closing to the number of new courses being built, to the explosion of non-traditional golf. Compare the length of time golf has been around to that of sports like baseball and football that can only trace their history back 200 years or less. Golf’s been played since the fall of the Roman Empire, yet for most of us, it feels like someone else’s sport. We don’t relate. Something about being surrounded by all that manicured lawn when we can barely make a patch in our yard behave sets it apart. Then there’s the cost. Greens fees for a few hours of swinging followed by chastising yourself for not doing better can equal all the money you budgeted for Christmas presents before you blew the budget. But all credit goes to Craig Flowers for spending a decade creating a Par 3 course for Bahamians at the sports complex where I understand you can play a round for about $35. There was a Bahamas Golf Federation course that at one time was even less expensive, which reminds me that LeRoy Bowe, the first Bahamian pro golfer and the founder of the BGF, still needs to be immortalized on the Wall of Fame at LPIA. But I digress. (Forgive me but Sports Minister, can we please get that done?) Back on topic Perplexed about my inexplicable fascination with a sport I have never played, comes with built-in frustration for those who do. Not to mention the grave concern about what the fertiliser run-off does to the environment. So I asked a friend who plays why he does. What’s special about this ancient sport that costs a fortune, drives those who play to get mad at themselves, and endangers the environment while looking like a setting from a fairy tale? Here’s what he said, “It’s about the fresh air and social interaction, the exercise, especially if you are able to walk the course (do people still do that?).” It’s also the challenge, he said. “It should be simple, hitting a stationary ball. But the challenge is hitting it consistently straight.” The unfortunate part -- some folks cheat by not updating their handicap. But most importantly, he added, it’s something that no matter how well you play, you can always do better. He’s been playing for 40 years and every time he hits, chips, pitches around the green, or putts, he tries to do it better than the last time. And maybe that’s the fascination with this almost ancient sport. No matter how many times you try your hand at it, you always come away from it feeling you could have done better. A chef knows when she has baked the perfect wedding cake. A runner knows when she has broken a world record. A golfer only has an ideal score in sight, perfection will always be out of reach. It’s a sport with a long shelf life, one that lasts as long as the legs will carry you and a challenge that never ends. Kind of like writing. No matter how hard you try, you always leave it feeling like you could have, should have done better.

and moved to the moun- first student more than about withdrawing from tains. There he became 2,500 years ago. That disci- the world," Shu said. acquainted with Taoist ple settled on the mountain Wudang's importance temples and embraced and helped spread his mas- as a Taoist religious center practices such as standing ter's ideas. came later. During the meditation. "It did not develop into Tang era, prayers for rain He came to understand a collective religious faith at the mountain were that movement and still- until after the Qin and believed to have been ness are interconnected, Han dynasties," said Shu answered. Its standing rather than opposites. Chenghai, direc- continued to grow under That physical activity can tor of social subsequent rulers, reachhelp practitioners quiet ing its height under Ming education the body, allowing them at Wudang emperors. to become calm and Taoist philosophy shapes Museum. grounded. Chinese martial arts Wudang "I slowly became interGuo Xinyi is a Chinese lay ested and eventually I student who began trainbenefited from the pracing at Yuan's academy five tice myself," Yuan said. years ago. She knew of his "That process was very decades-long commitment profound for me." to preserving and passing Yuan now seeks to down traditional Taoist share that knowledge martial arts. That made her with local and foreign feel she could trust him. students enrolled in the Within Chinese martial three programs at his arts, teachers like Yuan academy. are known as "Shifu." One is a five-year The closest English course offering translation is "master." in-depth marBut the Chinese term tial arts training. GUO XINYI, a Chinese student at the Wudang includes the character The second is Taoist Traditional Kung Fu Academy, speaks for "father." Guo, therefocused on during an interview near Wudang Mountain in health and Shiyan city in central China’s Hubei province on fore, thinks of Yuan not merely as a mentor, but well-being, Friday, Sept. 4, 2026. helping adults Photo: Achmad Ibrahim/AP as a father figure. When she first came exercise and to his academy, she cultivate their struggled with conflict minds. The third is a summer camp for children between present-day Xi'an with her parents. Her tai seeking exercise during and Luoyang, two major chi lessons, though, taught political centers in ancient her to approach confrontaschool breaks. China. That made it easier tion calmly. for practitioners to seek "I invited Master Yuan Taoism has a long history at seclusion while remaining to have tea and talk with Wudang Chinese philosopher within reach of major pop- us," Guo said. "During that conversation, the conflict Laozi is believed to have ulation centers. "The Taoist tradition was somehow seemed to dispassed on teachings foundational to Taoism to his therefore never entirely solve almost invisibly."

PAGE 10, Friday, October 2, 2026

THE TRIBUNE

World News

Iran's currency hits a new record low as war erodes the country's economic stability By AAMER MADHANI and FARNOUSH AMIRI Associated Press IRAN’S currency fell to a new record low on Tuesday, with traders in Tehran exchanging more than 2.5 million rials to the US dollar in a stark reflection of how the war in the Middle East has steadily eroded the Iranian economy. The latest decline came just 27 days after the rial hit its previous record low of 2.2 million to the dollar on Sept. 2. The currency has repeatedly reached new lows since the war began in February. The Iranian economy has been under duress for years in the face of international sanctions. But a US naval blockade on Iranian oil and new sanctions imposed since the start of the war have sent it into free fall. Meanwhile, Iran's top diplomat said indirect negotiations with the United States aimed at reopening the critical Strait of Hormuz have become "more serious," while the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps' chief spokesman Gen. Hossein Mohebbi on Tuesday called on Americans to take to the streets and protest the conflict. Iran's top diplomat raises the prospect of new talks Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Iranian media late on Monday that the "current focus is solely on the Strait of Hormuz," the chokepoint of the war. Araghchi made the comments shortly before departing New York — where he attended last week's gathering of world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly — and after meeting with Pakistani and Qatari mediators. Araghchi said the Qatari intermediaries were expected to soon engage with the US side. "They are set to raise the matter with the American side once more, after which the final US response will be conveyed to us," Araghchi said. "If there is a response, the Qataris will convey it to us and a decision will be made in Tehran on that basis."

appearance on Fox News said Iran was heading toward an economic "cataclysm." Administration officials say that a combination of new sanctions and a US naval blockade aimed at preventing Iranian oil from going to market are having the intended effect. "And so when you're denying them money through oil sales and sanctions, you're not just punishing them," Rubio said. "You are preventing them from getting access to money that they will use to try and kill Americans and others around the world and their own people and build weapons and threaten the world and ultimately break out to a nuclear weapon program."

MOTORBIKES drive past Iranian missiles and banners showing portraits of the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, centre, and the late armed forces commanders and nuclear scientists, who were killed in Israeli and U.S. strikes, displayed in a military exhibition commemorating the anniversary of the start of the 1980-88 Iraq-Iran war at Baharestan Square, in Tehran, Monday, Sept. 28, 2026. Photo: Vahid Salemi/AP Officials, including from the US, have confirmed to The Associated Press that mediators are working with Iran and the US on trying to broker a deal to end the fighting and open the strait. The mediation efforts continue even after US President Donald Trump earlier this week spurned an Iranian proposal to reopen the strait in seven days if the US agreed to lift its blockade of Iranian ports, release frozen Iranian assets and waive sanctions on Iranian oil sales, among other conditions. Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz were underscored by a report Tuesday that a cargo vessel was struck by an "unknown projectile" while moving through the strait on Monday. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said it had received a delayed report from a third party. The strike caused a fire on board that was extinguished, UKMTO said, and all crew members were reported safe, UKMTO said. The vessel, which wasn't identified, continued on its way, the report said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. US targets Iran's military supply chain with new sanctions The Trump administration said Tuesday that 10 individuals and entities based in Iran, Hong Kong and Pakistan now face sanctions over accusations of procuring weapons and weapon components for Iran's defence ministry as it fights its now seven-month war against the US The United States is targeting people and companies around the globe that it accuses of being financial facilitators or enablers of Iran's military supply chain, pushing ahead with economic warfare against Tehran at a time when renewed diplomacy between the two countries remains uncertain. The latest action by the Treasury Department is part of the administration's "Operation Economic Outcast" campaign, aimed at severing "critical financial lifelines" for the already

heavily sanctioned Iranian government. "Treasury will not tolerate any support to the regime and will continue to identify, expose, and isolate Iran's enablers," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement. Iran sends a provocative message to the US public The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps on Tuesday made an appeal to everyday Americans to push their government to end the US war against Iran, a provocative message that comes just weeks before critical midterm elections in the United States. Mohebbi, the Guard spokesman, read a letter during a news conference in Iran's capital, Tehran, appealing to Americans to pressure their government and claiming that the only way for the war to end is for Washington to admit defeat and leave the Mideast. Mohebbi's remarks come as Trump's Republican Party faces fierce headwinds as it looks to maintain control of Congress. But polling shows the war has darkened the American electorate's

mood ahead of the Nov. 3 election in which elevated gasoline prices, a byproduct of the conflict, loom large. Mohebbi also accused the US of using Iran's nuclear program as a ruse to "plunder Iran's wealth" and to turn the country "back into a colony." He added that the US and others failed in their belief that military and economic action would get Tehran to submit and that Washington "has no choice but to acknowledge defeat and leave the region." "This is how the war will end," he said. Trump and his top aides are insistent that Iran's economy cannot sustain a conflict much longer and have expressed confidence that Tehran will be forced to capitulate. The US president predicted soon after launching the war that the conflict would last a matter of weeks. More recently, he's said that the war will likely end after the November elections in the US US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a Monday

Major Saudi pipeline is once again operating In a separate development, a crucial oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia that was shuttered by the kingdom earlier this month after coming under attack is once again operating, according to a Saudi government official. The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, said operations are near pre-attack levels and that the pipeline should be running at full capacity within a few weeks. The kingdom relies on the East-West Pipeline, which runs the breadth of the country, to move its crude from oil processing facilities on the Gulf to ports on its western, Red Sea coast. From there it can be put on tankers for export. Saudi Arabia blamed an Iran-backed militia in Iraq for the drone attack that forced the temporary shutdown of the 1,200-kilometre (745-mile) pipeline. Satellite imagery indicated tankers on Sunday loaded some 12.5 million barrels of oil at the Yanbu export terminal, which is supplied by the East-West Pipeline, and the nearby terminal at Al Muajjiz, the data and analytical firm Kpler said in a report.

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Marine Scientist warns New Providence faces loss of liveable land as climate risks grow By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Digital Editor aturnquest@tribunemedia.net NEW PROVIDENCE could face the loss of liveable land in some of its most densely populated communities in the coming decades, according to marine ecologist Dr Kathleen Sullivan Sealey, who says The Bahamas must begin planning now for the eventual relocation of people from high-risk areas. Speaking during Bahamas Climate Week, hosted by the Baha Mar Resort Foundation, Dr Sullivan Sealey pointed to projections for New Providence through 2050 and 2100, warning that areas where large numbers of Bahamians are moving and building homes are among those facing the greatest threat.

“We’ve been sold this lie that environmental destruction is necessary for economic development, that jobs require loss of our natural environment, and that is a lie.”

“For New Providence, everybody’s moving south,” she said. “They’re the highest density Bahamian homes in areas that we’re going to have the greatest loss of liveable areas. So we’re going to need managed retreat from some areas.”

She pointed to the removal of mangroves, coastal areas filled to create valuable land and development allowed close to the sea, while coral reefs, seagrass beds and dunes have also been degraded. “We collectively have not taken very good care of our islands,” she said. “We’ve been sold this lie that environmental destruction is necessary for economic development, that jobs require loss of our natural environment, and that is a lie. There have been historic losses from coral reefs, seagrasses, mangroves and dunes.”

She said those losses have reduced the country's ability to withstand worsening climate impacts and made communities more exposed to storms and flooding. “Coastal development has already reduced our natural defences,” she said. “It’s far, far, far more expensive to restore or put in new coastal defences like seawalls than it is to protect the original coastline. We have an already weakened coastal ecosystem that is not prepared to take on these changes from the climate.”

She said the country must begin confronting what that could mean for families long before relocation becomes unavoidable. “We have to introduce that idea in managing those coastlines,” she said. “You may live in this home, but your children and grandchildren may not be able to live there. We need better resources and governance of those resources so they’re more equally distributed.” Dr Sullivan Sealey is Professor Emerita at the University of Miami, and a board member of the Bahamas Academy of Sciences.

She underscored the country's exposure to climate change has been compounded by decades of development that have weakened the natural systems that once protected its coastlines.

Friday, October 2, 2026, PAGE 11

Dr Sullivan Sealey identified storms, extreme heat and infrastructure deficiencies among the major climate risks facing the country. She also singled out Grand Bahama, warning that rising seas could dramatically alter the island's geography. DR KATHLEEN SULLIVAN SEALEY

“Freeport is probably our highest risk island as

Slides from Dr Kathleen Sullivan Sealey’s Bahamas Climate Week presentation illustrate the projected loss of liveable land in New Providence and show changes along the Montagu shoreline as coastal development has altered the area over time. sea level rises,” she said. “Grand Bahama is going to be cut into eight different islands. We’re going to have to have a bridge.” Dr Sullivan Sealey said The Bahamas should begin developing relocation and retreat strategies now, alongside greater protection of coastal wetlands, improved wastewater and stormwater management and stronger oversight of coastal development.

She said nature-based solutions should also be considered to protect valuable infrastructure already located along vulnerable coastlines. “We need to be starting and looking very seriously at nature-based solutions and mitigating high-value, high-risk assets that exist along the coast today,” she said. “We need a national climate action plan. Everybody knows this — to protect and restore coastal wetlands.”

Climate change, pollution among challenges identified in assessment of 70 marine protected areas THE Bahamas Project for Marine Conservation has completed assessments of 70 marine protected areas across the country, identifying climate change, pollution, funding and capacity among the recurring challenges facing their management. The assessments were carried out using the internationally standardised Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool (METT), with officials saying the exercise provides the country with its most comprehensive picture to date of how its marine protected areas are being managed. The five-month exercise involved the Bahamas National Trust, Department of Marine Resources, Department of Environmental Planning and Protection, Forestry Unit and Bahamas Protected Areas Fund. Jacklyn Chisholm-Lightbourne, monitoring and evaluation consultant for the project, said the exercise is intended to help move protected areas beyond being so-called “paper parks”. “The most important aspect of this is that we're taking the protected areas that are ‘paper parks’ and transforming them into actually fully and effectively managed protected areas. This allows us to identify what's going on in each of these parks and helps us identify specific issues and necessary resources, while also supporting fisheries,

tourism, and other related industries through conservation,” she said. The assessment framework was developed between April and June, incorporating previous evaluations as well as management plans, gazettes, studies and monitoring information. An interagency working group was established to carry out the assessments, with the marine protected areas divided into geographic and island clusters. Two workshops were held in Nassau involving participants from Abaco, Andros, Eleuthera, Grand Bahama and Inagua, while consultants also travelled to several Family Islands to gather feedback from communities. The resulting report documented management strengths, threats and protected-area values at individual sites. Climate change and pollution caused by human activity were among the recurring challenges identified, while priority actions included capacity building and dedicated funding for monitoring and maintenance. Rich Wilson, of Seatone Consulting, who facilitated the 2026 Bahamas METT Assessment, said the completed assessments would allow officials to identify trends across the national network. “This assessment gives The Bahamas its most comprehensive picture yet of how its marine protected areas are emerging

and being managed. By looking systematically across 70 MPAs, we can see where management is working well, where common challenges exist, and where additional attention and resources could make the greatest difference,” he said. “The real value of this national baseline is that it gives managers and decision-makers a common point of reference — not simply to measure where things stand today, but to set priorities, guide future investment and track progress in strengthening MPA management over time.” A final workshop is planned for the end of October, when stakeholders are expected to review the findings, analyse patterns by island and MPA cluster, prioritise management actions and build capacity for future assessments. “The third workshop is kind of the bridge that goes back to the first two workshops and builds on everything we’ve learned from doing all these assessments and links to the future in terms of what are the actions we need to put in place to move forward and, ideally, over time, improve management of these marine protected areas based on what we learned during the assessments,” Mr Wilson said. The project will use the findings as it moves towards developing a climate-smart management plan.

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Older Persons and Blidness awareness month church service

THE MINISTRY of Social Services marked Older Persons and Blindness Awareness Month with a church service at Bible Truth Ministries on Thursday. The service featured remarks from Minister of Social Services Senator Barbara Cartwright, greetings from Dr. Indira Grimes and Stephen Pitt, praise and worship by the Department of Social Services Choir, and a sermon by Pastor Ellison Greenslade. Photo: Shawn Hanna

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