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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2016

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HURRICANE GUIDE 2016 PREPARE FOR THE STORM WITH OUR SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT

PM: No island will be spared 16 october 20

NEMA BEGINS EVACUATIONS IN THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net EVACUATIONS for residents in the southeast Bahamas got underway yesterday, with emergency management officials moving scores of people out of low lying areas as parts of the country are expected to feel the effects of Hurricane Matthew as early as this morning.

Prime Minister Perry ChrisSEE PAGE THREE

Hurricane Matthew powers towards the Bahamas today

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net PRIME Minister Perry Christie yesterday urged the entire country to batten down and stay indoors as no island will be spared from the effects of Hurricane Matthew, with the dangerous storm forecast to touch down in the southeast Bahamas today, and make its way through the island chain into Thursday.

While all islands will experience tropical force winds up to 73mph, Trevor Basden, director of the Bahamas Meteorology Department, said computer models indicate nine southern islands will get hurricane force winds up to 125mph.

As of yesterday, computer models projected that Inagua will be the first is-

land affected today, with tropical storm force winds at 7am, then Ragged Island at 10am, Acklins at 2pm, Crooked Island and Mayaguana at 4pm, Long Island at 6pm, Samana Cay at 7pm and Rum Cay at 11pm.

Ragged Island will begin to experience hurricane force winds at 9pm today.

On Wednesday, the tropical force winds will hit Exuma and San Salvador at midnight, Crooked Island at 3am, Eleuthera at 7am, Andros at 2pm, New Providence at 3pm and Abaco at 7pm. Grand Bahama, Bimini and the Berry Islands are expected to experience tropical storm force winds on Thursday at 1am and 2am, respectively.

Mr Basden said: “Based on the trajectory, not only will the winds be important in the passage of Hurricane SEE PAGE TWO

HURRICANE MATTHEW NEWS INSIDE LPIA TO CLOSE ON WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON........................ PAGE THREE ANALYSING THE THREAT.... PAGE NINE RESORTS PLAN TO EVACUATE GUESTS.................PAGE FIVE GET LIVE UPDATES ON THE STORM ON TRIBUNE242.COM AND HOURLY ON 100 JAMZ

WORKERS clearing drains (above) and cutting branches (main picture) yesterday ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Matthew.

PHOTOS: Tim Clarke and Shawn Hanna

HURRICANE SHOPPING RUSH ‘ROUGH LIKE CHRISTMAS’

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net

THE impending arrival of Hurricane Matthew has resulted in an uptick in sales and customer traffic in several local food stores, with one storeowner saying this past weekend’s hurricane preparedness shopping rush was “rough like Christmas.”

Rupert Roberts, Super Value’s owner and president, told The Tribune that his business had seen a massive surge in customer traffic as residents scrambled to secure goods in preparation for the arrival of the category four storm. His statements were echoed by representatives from other food stores and water sales depots.

Matthew, a category four storm, is expected to begin affecting parts of the Bahamas today before leaving the country on Friday.

The Tribune observed high volumes of customer traffic in several grocery SEE PAGE THREE

INSURANCE MANAGEMENT HURRICANE MATTHEW PROJECTED TRACK THURSDAY PM Freeport

NAME: MATTHEW TYPE: Hurricane POSITION 26.6, 78.7 VALID: OCT 6,2016 / 8:00PM MAX WINDS: 120MPH GUSTS: 150MPH DIRECTION: NNW TO NW

Abaco

3

Nassau

Cat Island

Andros

Long Island

WEDNESDAY PM

3 Crooked Island 4

Great Inagua

TUESDAY PM NAME: MATTHEW TYPE: Hurricane POSITION 19.8, 74.4 VALID: OCT 4,2016 / 8:00PM MAX WINDS: 140MPH GUSTS: 165MPH DIRECTION: N

NAME: MATTHEW TYPE: Hurricane POSITION 21.8, 75.2 VALID: OCT 5,2016 / 8:00pm MAX WINDS: 125MPH GUSTS: 155MPH DIRECTION: NNW

4

SAN SALVADOR, CAT ISLAND ‘BRACED FOR THE WORST’

By KHRISNA VIRGIL Deputy Chief Reporter kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

WHILE weather experts predict that certain portions of the Bahamas will begin to feel the impact of Hurricane Matthew this morning, residents in San Salvador and Cat Island were said to be bracing themselves for the worst, according to officials stationed on these islands.

Jackson McIntosh, island administrator on Cat Island, told The Tribune yesterday that officials were in the process of ensur-

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

ing that the elderly, indigent and residents who need a safe place to ride out the category four storm were moved ahead before it makes landfall. However, he said, while preparations were going smoothly, his main concern was that the island’s morgue is not operational because the air-conditioning system needs a new compressor.

A hurricane watch is in effect for Long Island, Cat Island, Rum Cay, San Salvador and the Exumas. A hurricane alert is in place for Eleuthera, New Providence, SEE PAGE FIVE

PAGE 2, Tuesday, October 4, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

HURRICANE MATTHEW

NEWS IN BRIEF

• THE College of the Bahamas Oakes Field and Grosvenor Close campuses in New Providence and the Northern Bahamas Campus in East Grand Bahama will be closed today, with all operations and classes suspended.

The closure includes the Harry C Moore Library and Information Centre and Chapter One Bookstore.

Gerace Research Centre in San Salvador will be activated as a hurricane shelter from today.

The college said following the passage of Hurricane Matthew and after the National Emergency Management Agency has issued the official “all clear”, a thorough assessment will be conducted of all College facilities and a subsequent notice will be issued regarding the resumption of operations and classes at the respective campuses.

Administrators, faculty, staff and students are asked to closely monitor all official COB communication channels (website www.cob. edu.bs, emails and social media) as well as the national news media for announcements and updates.

• THE United States Embassy in Nassau will be closed for routine consular services for three days from Wednesday to Friday due to the anticipated effects of Hurricane Matthew on the Bahamas.

The Consular Section will only offer emergency American Citizen Services during that time.

The Embassy said individuals who had non-immigrant visa appointments scheduled for these days can reschedule their appointments by visiting the appointment scheduling website at https://ais. usvisa-info.com/en-jm/niv.

Passport applicants can reschedule their appointments through https://evisaforms.state.gov/acs/default. asp?postcode=NSS&appcode=1 • THE National Insurance Board offices in Acklins, Cat Island, Crooked Island, Eleuthera, Exuma, Inagua, Long Island, Mayaguana and San Salvador will be closed until further notice due to the projected passage of Hurricane Matthew through the Family Islands.

• BANK of the Bahamas branches in Cat Island, Exuma and San Salvador will close at 1pm on Tuesday until further notice due to the threat of Hurricane Matthew.

The bank’s Inagua branch closed after a half day yesterday.

• THE second annual Run for Pompey, set for Georgetown, Exuma on Saturday, has been postponed due to the expected passing of Hurricane Matthew this week.

Jeff Todd, race founder and Director of Communications for GIV Bahamas, said: “Our first thought is with the people of the Bahamas, many of whom are still recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Joaquin last year.

“Once Matthew has passed, we will assess and then announce a new date but we are hoping that it will be very soon, as early as later this month or in November.”

Held for the first time last year, the Run for Pompey attracted nearly 200 participants, including many local schoolchildren.

For further updates or to register, check www.runforpompey. com.

TREES and bushes were trimmed yesterday by BPL workers as the Bahamas braced for the storm.

Photo: Tim Clarke

PM: NO ISLAND WILL BE SPARED

FROM PAGE ONE

Matthew but also storm surge, dangerous storm surge, that adversely affected the islands even with Joaquin last year. It is expected that a combination of surge and wave water levels by as much as 10 to 15 feet above normal tides; this is slightly less than Joaquin which had 22-foot surges.

“We expect rainfall of eight to 12 inches to accompany the passage but mainly around the hurricane force winds itself. Some inch and a half to two inches of rainfall usually causes extensive flooding, so we are taking Matthew very seriously and we are asking residents throughout the Bahamas to pay close attention to all alerts.”

At 11pm yesterday, Matthew was centred about 180 miles southwest of the Haitian capital, Portau-Prince.

It was moving north at 8mph with sustained winds of 145mph.

Matthew’s tropical storm-force wind field extends up to 185 miles from the centre and hurricaneforce winds up to 40 miles from the centre.

Evacuations During a national broadcast from the Cabinet Office yesterday, officials from various Hurricane Command Centres operating under the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) confirmed their readiness to meet the storm’s challenges a full year after Hurricane Joaquin - a category four storm - ravaged the southern islands.

Speaking of the dangers of false reporting, Mr Christie cautioned Bahamians to heed information from official sources and not informal reports on social media.

He noted that the briefing served as one of the final statements made by the government, with continued updates to be led by NEMA. “We must listen and we must follow those directives,” Mr Christie said.

“We spoke to the administrator of Long Island. Long Island was separated by water in several places during Hurricane Joaquin. We urged the administrator to move affected persons from those areas that our experience tells us can be flooded, to move them to higher ground.

“We try not to put in mandatory evacuations and we try to persuade Bahamians to be aware of the need to protect themselves and their families. Obviously if it comes to requiring them to move

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH THE THREAT OF HURRICANE MATTHEW WITH THE TRIBUNE

• LIVE UPDATES ON MOBILE-FRIENDLY WEBSITE TRIBUNE242.COM

ON THE RADIO

• EVERY HOUR ON THE HOUR, NEWS REPORTS FROM KIRK SMITH ON 100 JAMZ, KISS 96 FM, Y98.7 FM, CLASSICAL FM AND JOY FM UNTIL THE STORM PASSES SEND US YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS AND STORIES OF YOUR HURRICANE EXPERIENCE: NEWSROOM@TRIBUNEMEDIA.NET through mandatory evacuations we will make those decisions. But as of now we are urging all Bahamians to take maximum safety precautions for yourselves and your families.”

He pledged that the government was ready and prepared to take immediate action throughout the storm and in its wake.

Pointing to the storm’s directional path through the Bahamas, NEMA Director Captain Stephen Russell explained that disaster management teams have been instructed to ensure that their operations are self-sufficient for at least three days until external assistance can arrive.

“This system coming from the south transiting the Bahamas going to the north, that means the entire Bahamas could be impacted,” Capt Russell said.

“Even though the southern Bahamas may eventually be cleared, the central and northern Bahamas is still under tropical storm or hurricane force conditions. Therefore we here in New Providence are restricted in our ability to respond to those islands in the southern Bahamas.”

He added: “Over past month or past years, we’ve been encouraging our disaster managers and committees throughout the Bahamas to try and make sure you are self-sufficient to take care of yourself for at least three days in the aftermath of a natural disaster until external assistance can arrive.”

Preparation Capt Russell said the organisation was “somewhat comfortable” with the level of preparedness

after debriefings with stakeholders yesterday, noting that Family Island administrators have all expressed “to some degree” that they are happy with the state of preparedness of their communities, and designated shelters.

Although social workers stationed at shelters will have basic health and food items, Melanie Zonicle, director of Social Services, advised persons to take a blanket, medication, and light food items because “the food items that the Department of Social Services will provide may not be in sufficient supply for everyone.” She also reminded persons to bring vital documents.

Doctors and nurses in the Family Islands are equipped with government cell phones, according to Charlene Bain, Community Health Administrator, who confirmed that health officials in Exuma, Crooked Island, Long Island and Abaco received satellite phones, with officials in San Salvador and Acklins expected to receive phones by the end of yesterday.

She confirmed that all health teams are mobilised, and ready to bring rapid response throughout the country once the all clear is given.

Mrs Bain said repairs needed to be carried out to the generator at the clinic in Inagua, where she said a doctor will be placed permanently once weather has cleared up. While there is no physician in Acklins, Mrs Bain said there were three nurses.

Speaking to communication systems, Capt Russell said that NEMA has received confirma-

tion from BTC that its systems were restructured in the aftermath of Hurricane Joaquin and should stand up “fairly well” throughout the storm’s passage.

In addition to police officers, Capt Russell said that advance teams from the Royal Bahamas Defence Force - equipped with satellite and cell phones and radios - will establish a third link in the communications network.

There also will be flood and water rescue teams of 12 to 15 persons on a dozen major islands, including Acklins, Crooked Island, Mayaguana, Exuma, Long Island, and Abaco.

The teams, trained in collaboration with the US Northern Command, are equipped with the necessary equipment to mount rescue missions.

Food and water NEMA has established a memorandum of understanding with food store chain Super Value and water companies, Capt Russell said, to ensure that food and water will be made available for transport and assessment operations.

Once the all clear is given, Capt Russell said stakeholder teams have been mobilised to immediately launch damage assessments as early as Friday.

He confirmed that international and regional agencies have pledged to assist the country following the storm’s passage, including Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency, USAID, Pathfinders and helicopter services.

Nine Royal Bahamas Defense Force patrol craft have been moved out of the storm’s path, and are on standby to render assistance with disaster assessment and relief operations.

Some 204 migrants detained at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre will be moved to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services for the duration of the storm.

The prison has been prepared for a major storm since the start of the hurricane season, according to Patrick Wright, commissioner of corrections, who confirmed that male detainees will be housed at the remand centre and women will be housed with female prisoners.

Capt Russell also warned: “Persons who are injured by hurricanes is because they do some silly things sometimes they go trying to experiment, sight-seeing from time to time.

“We encourage persons to take the storm very seriously.”

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, October 4, 2016, PAGE 3 THIS water depot saw a increase in customers as people stocked up ahead of the storm.

Photos: Tim Clarke

A CAR carrying wooden boarding to protect a home as Hurricane Matthew approaches.

NEMA BEGINS EVACUATIONS FROM PAGE ONE

LPIA TO CLOSE ON WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THE Lynden Pindling International Airport will close at 2pm on Wednesday because of Hurricane Matthew.

According to a statement from Bahamasair, the national flag carrier, the Nassau Airport Development Company (NAD) announced the impending closure. As a result of this closure Bahamasair will operate as following: Tuesday, October 4, flight 377 to San Salvador will op-

erate at 11am. There will be no flights to San Salvador on Wednesday, October 5.

On Wednesday, all morning flights to Florida will operate as scheduled.

Flight 329 to Freeport, Grand Bahama will operate at 9am while flight 103 to Ft Lauderdale will operate at 10.30am.

Persons affected as a result of Hurricane Matthew to and from these destinations can contact the Reservations Department to

make alternate travel plans, the airline said.

Passengers will be accommodated without a change of itinerary fee.

Resumption of service to the Family Islands and Florida is predicated on the all clear being given by the respective agencies.

A further update will be provided - via radio and also posted to Bahamasair. com - as new information becomes available, the airline said.

ALL SCHOOLS IN THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS TO CLOSE ON WEDNESDAY ALL schools in the northwest Bahamas will be closed on Wednesday as a result of Hurricane Matthew, the Ministry of Education announced yesterday.

Islands in the northwest include: Abaco, Andros, the Berry Islands, Bimini, Eleuthera, Grand Bahama and New Providence. No staff or students should report to school on Wednesday.

The ministry said that further updates and notifications on the reopening of schools will be provided as soon as the “all clear” is given by authorities.

Schools in the southeast and central Bahamas will remain closed until further

notice. This includes Mayaguana, Inagua, Crooked Island, Acklins, Ragged Island, Long Island, Cat Island, Rum Cay, San Salvador and Exuma.

The ministry urged residents to stay informed by visiting its social media platforms: Facebook - Ministry of Education, Bahamas; Twitter: BahamasMoest and Instagram: ministryofeducationbahamas.

The ministry added that there are individuals falsifying documents regarding school closures.

As a result all official announcements will be made on the above-named platforms.

tie, while speaking at an emergency press briefing at the Cabinet Office, implored Bahamians to take the massive category four storm seriously.

Mr Christie said his government moved those considered “vulnerable” from the threat lines of the storm, including residents that are sick, elderly and young.

He said the government had been able to, up to press time, orchestrate the removal of residents from the Crooked Island and Acklins area; while also setting in motion plans to remove some residents from Long Island.

“We have been able to have an aircraft go in, and an aircraft move people out of places like Acklins and Crooked Island and most certainly we have made plans for the same thing happening in Long Island,” Mr Christie said.

He added: “But wherever there may be vulnerable people, the intention of the government is to be able to put in place a plan that would enable them to come out to safer destinations within the Bahamas.”

According to figures from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and confirmed by respective island administrators, roughly 23 persons were airlifted out of Crooked Island at 9am Monday.

Francita Neely, island administrator in Crooked Island, said officials there spent Monday going door to door ensuring that those residents remaining on the island had the necessary supplies to “get through” Matthew.

“We were trying to get it all done today.

Plywood sheets are up, facilities are being secured and we are doing all we can. There are still some cases we are working, but for the most part, I think we are ready,” said Ms Neely.

“All of us here remember Joaquin, so we are all doing what we can to ensure that our properties and houses are secured,” she added.

Ms Neely said she held off of calling for a complete evacuation of Crooked Island because she was of the view that this would prove pointless, as all of the destinations for fleeing residents were also in the forecast track of Matthew.

“I felt as if that call should have been left up to the residents because in a situation like this, there is no best answer here.”

Roughly 250 people are said to still be on the island. Many are reported to be in homes that are secured, or near NEMA certified and monitored storm shelters.

Over in Acklins, it was said that 83 persons attempted to leave the island as a part of evacuation efforts yesterday. Of that number, around 23 persons were asked to await a second flight due to a lack of seats.

Acklins Island Administrator Chrisfield

Johnson said those left were informed that officials here in New Providence were arranging a second flight.

Mr Johnson also said minor issues were uncovered with the hurricane shelter identified for the Snug Corner settlement - Snug Corner Primary School.

He said it was determined by community leaders that the building sat too near to the sea.

“There was some issues with that set up, therefore we opted to go with the Community Centre in Spring Point,” Mr Johnson said.

Acklins has a population of roughly 400 persons.

Residents on the island are said to be apprehensive, and in some cases fearful as Matthew approaches.

A group of residents, said to be around 30, was airlifted from Mayaguana to Exuma on Monday around noon.

That group was expected to arrive in Nassau yesterday evening.

Residents in Ragged Island, Long Cay and Samana Cay in particular, have been instructed to move to the more developed islands nearby.

With respect to Long Island, one of the islands mentioned by Prime Minister Christie on Monday, officials there were still eagerly awaiting final details on evacuation flights.

Long Island MP Loretta Butler Turner told The Tribune she was informed that discussions were held in Cabinet over a timeline for evacuations.

Stocking shelters with more food items and making them ready to receive persons were also discussed, she said.

Mrs Butler-Turner said she also received assurances on the transportation of persons to shelters, availability of fuel on the island, an extra social worker for the island, security of government building and concerns about flooding.

On Sunday, Long Island Administrator Terrece Bootle-Bethel told The Tribune that residents there were taking warnings very seriously.

She noted at the time that there was a level of nervousness among Long Islanders, as the fear over Joaquin and what it did has left many of them scarred.

She stated: “We are working, and as in the nature of these things, no one can pick when the time is best.

“This comes at a time when we are still recovering from last year and there remains some challenges.”

She made note of drainage issues in Scrub Hill, Long Island, an area that proved critical during Joaquin.

Mrs Butler-Turner raised the matter on Monday, with her calling a lack of repairs in this matter “a problem” heading into Matthew.

HURRICANE SHOPPING RUSH ‘ROUGH LIKE CHRISTMAS’

SPARSE shelves in a supermarket yesterday, after a rush for products ahead of the storm.

Photo: Kenva Hunter

FROM PAGE ONE

Salvador, and the Exumas between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. New Providence is expected to feel storm conditions Wednesday afternoon.

On the forecasted track, the centre of Matthew is expected to move near eastern Cuba late today and move near or over portions of the southeast and Central Bahamas tonight and Wednesday.

stores throughout the capital – particularly on Saturday and then again on Sunday, as residents sought to prepare for the arrival of Hurricane Matthew.

“Saturday was rough like Christmas and Sunday was busy, and I imagine today and Tuesday will be the same,” Mr Roberts told The Tribune when contacted yesterday. “They were shopping Friday afternoon, it was very rushed on Saturday and Sunday and I imagine that they will be picking up their odds and ends and finishing their shopping today and tomorrow so that they’ll be ready.”

When asked if his chain of stores plans to stay open later than usual over the next 36 hours to accommodate the increased customer traffic, Mr Roberts said it all depends on the weather and if his employees might face any difficulties in returning to their respective homes. “…We will stay open as long as we can give our staff a safe passage home,” he said. “Once we decide that our staff need that safety to get home, we have to, whether we’re busy or not, we close to let our staff get home safely.”

Lauren Wong, operations manager of Chelsea’s Choice Water, said yesterday was the busiest day Chelsea’s Choice has had since news of Hurricane Matthew’s pending arrival broke. She said customers were present at the Abundant Life Road warehouse since 5am yesterday - two hours before operations commenced.

When The Tribune arrived at Chelsea’s Choice

around midday yesterday, a queue of what officials estimated to be about 60 cars could be seen extending from the company’s parking lot. That number continued to increase even after The Tribune left.

However, Ms Wong said the company did not face any difficulties in serving all of its customers.

“We as a company, historically always have reserves for incidents and events like these, so we’re not really shuffling around or inundated with orders from customers,” she said. “So in terms of our preparedness, internally we try to make sure we have sufficient reserves for the demand that comes with natural disasters like this, so hopefully it won’t be too bad.”

Shane Stubbs, general manager of Meat Max & Groceries on Carmichael Road, said while the past few days have been busy, Saturday night and Sunday were the busiest of all.

“Saturday was busy, but Sunday was crazy,” he said.

“From we opened until we closed. We were opened up pretty late. We normally close about 6.45pm, but we closed about 7.30, quarter to 8. So we were busy straight through, all day Sunday.”

When asked what the company plans to do over the next 36 hours as the storm nears, he said: “We’re trying to stay open as late as possible to accommodate our customers.”

Meanwhile, officials at Courtesy Supermarkets said they have not experienced the heavy volume of customer traffic like their counterparts, but said that would likely change over

the next 24 hours.

“Things are pretty much at a normal pace,” one store manager said. “People aren’t really reacting as yet.

I guess everybody is still waiting to see if the storm is actually going to come here

or not.”

According to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Matthew is expected to bring severe flooding and heavy rainfall.

Residents in Inagua, Mayaguana, Crooked Is-

land, Acklins, Ragged Island, Long Cay, Samana Cay are expected to feel effects from the hurricane today.

Hurricane conditions are expected in Long Island, Cat Island, Rum Cay, San

PAGE 4, Tuesday, October 4, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

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Publisher/Editor 1903-1914

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Publisher/Editor 1919-1972 Contributing Editor 1972-1991

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

Published daily Monday to Friday

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Hurricane Matthew is on its way - let’s keep in touch AS Hurricane Matthew churns itself into a dangerous ball of fury, keeping meteorologists guessing at its next turn and final direction, it seems to be positioning itself to spend the next few days in the Bahamas as it slowly moves up “hurricane alley”. Most of our islands will suffer its strong winds, lashing rain and rising tides, including Nassau.

At times like these citizens do their best to prepare for the worst. Those in the islands who have still not recovered from the ravishes of Joaquin, are being moved to safe ground, shelters are being prepared and everyone is doing his and her best to hunker down and ride it out.

Information at times like these is important and for the next few days between this newspaper, its radio stations and our website, tribune242.com, we shall try to keep you informed.

Kirk Smith, Radio House’s veteran newscaster, who is noted for keeping Bahamians informed at times like these, will be broadcasting with his team every hour on the hour as they track Matthew’s trail until it leaves the Bahamas and continues on its path of destruction.

Starting at 10am today, turn your dial to your favourite station at Radio House - 100 JAMZ, Kiss FM, Y 98 FM, Joy FM or Classified FM. Of course all of our hurricane alerts will be on each of the stations’ regular newscasts. But the latest hurricane updates will be heard on the hour - all day and all night. And for those of you in areas - particularly in the southerly Bahamas - where you can’t pick up our Radio House’s signals, then tune in to Cable, where the stations are also located. As of 10am today we shall be on the air to help you follow a slow moving, but very dangerous Category 4 hurricane.

The Tribune will be on the streets and at the depots until the wind, rain and flooding makes it too dangerous for the newspaper to be delivered. When this happens, which will be about Thursday, you will still get your news. This is when our readers can log on to tribune242.com from their desktops, laptops, or mobile phones. In this age of information, The Tribune Media Group will do its best to keep you informed from our several platforms.

It is amazing how the information age has taken us from knowing very little looking to the sky, listening to the stillness of the elements and the frightening flutter of the birds to know that although “God’s in His heaven”, all was not right with the world.

Then in our day it was the barometer - when the mercury started to fall, you started to worry. In those days the late “Rusty” Bethel, the “voice of the Bahamas” - manager of ZNS - was the author-

ity on forecasting hurricanes. No matter what the Meteorological Office said we turned to Rusty for the last word. Very often the forecaster was wrong - but never Rusty.

It was then, and only then that we started to batten down at The Tribune. Rusty relied on his old barometer and the feeling in his bones - or so he said.

The 1929 hurricane, noted for being the Bahamas’ worst, hit Nassau with its full fury. Obviously, in those days, Bahamians knew little about the eye of the storm. Sir Etienne, this newspaper’s second publisher, told how when the howling of the hurricane ceased, followed by a dead calm, many Bahamians thought that the hurricane was over. They did not know that they were in the dead calm of the “eye”.

They started to take down their shutters to get a breath of fresh air into their homes.

It was even claimed that the moon came out during that calm. No sooner had Bahamians settled into the comfort of their homes than the winds started to churn, torrential rain beat against the houses, which either crumbled or were moved off their foundations. That was the day that the tiny Tribune was destroyed.

“In 1929,” wrote Sir Etienne in his book “The Tribune Story”, “a disastrous hurricane bore down on Nassau. We lived on the lower floor of a two-storey house on the site on which The Tribune now stands. The house faced on Shirley Street, with The Tribune a small building at the rear. The house was lifted off its foundations, carried to the next yard and broken in half.”

The Tribune building was badly damaged and the machinery wrecked. Sir Etienne set to work rebuilding the machinery and succeeded in putting out one sheet of news until he could get his linotype going again.

That sheet, wrote Sir Etienne, “was printed on both sides. In its columns we breathed strength and courage to the many others who had suffered heavy losses.”

However, despite the deadly hurricane, The Tribune came out on time.

Today, with the tremendous strides in information technology, we hope to keep you fully informed.

In the meantime, The Tribune will remember all of you out there in our prayers and hope that together we shall survive this storm that hurricane experts now recognise as the Atlantic’s first Category 5 hurricane since Felix in 2007.

Matthew has since dropped to a category 4 hurricane. All we can now do is pray that a miracle will diminish its fury and change its path.

FREE SPEECH DOES NOT MEAN BEING ABUSIVE EDITOR, The Tribune.

WITH the opening of the air waves and the natural inclination of a wider participation in public comment regrettably there has been abuse. Content, specific attacks on persons and, of course, the natural and ever increasing use of the airwaves for rude politicking.

If we are to be sensible and adult an improved demeanour has to prevail but it has to prevail with all following the appropriate standards and restraining irresponsible simply unacceptable content be it the politician or the citizen - as important as it was to open the airwaves and introduce the internet/social media as Citizens we must respect that privilege. The Right of Free Speech does not permit the use of that Right to be abusive.

Man being Man unfortunately there will be abuses - on the airwaves the Stu-

dio Producer has to use the two second delay button to exclude, cut-out abuse, but do they? The chronic abusive callers have to be disallowed airing and the Regulatory Agency, with sense and proportionate management police the abuser whoever it might be. Mr Speaker, Madam President, of the hallowed halls of Parliament and the Senate also must hold a stricter hand and discipline the abusers.

In recent weeks we have heard very clearly some songs and comments which were considerably abusive and unacceptable even in the most liberal society.

With the abuse comes the requirement to uphold one of the greatest Christian virtues of forgiveness - hard as that is we are commanded to forgive, however, painful and however deep that cut went National Elections are coming - let’s pray collectively the politicians, can-

didates and us, the People, will correctly comment, avoid abusive comment, refuse to create abusive songs and the political parties will control their electioneering to the natural acceptable level of positive talk and positive proposing of their parties’ policies.

Yes, it is exceptionally hard to forgive when someone has hurt you to the core, but look at the positive by your acceptance and forgiveness you make a better person of the person who injured you and most certainly yourself.

Do not use this as a crutch.

Adopt the mantra - do unto others as you would wish others to do unto you!

We will create a better community as love-peace cements positiveness, the alternative creates hatred, anger, injuries and incites murder.

W THOMPSON Nassau, September 28, 2016.

National Youth Service - the necessity EDITOR, The Tribune..

Decades ago, our premier ‘Founding Father’, the late great and deeply lamented Prime Minister, Sir Lynden Oscar Pindling, called for a form of national youth service.

He had the vision to foresee that with the anticipated emergence of the so-called middle class that we would also witness the rise of a generation of mostly black youthful Bahamians who would be spoilt; denigrate education and espouse a life of crime and violence.

Being the visionary that he was, Sir Lynden advocated that all Bahamian youths between the ages of 16 to 21 years undergo a form of mandatory national youth service based on the Israeli model or that of The Peace Corps over in the USA. His detractors and even some of his very colleagues in the PLP and governance laughed him to scorn while ridiculing his idea as a messianic desire to create ‘Pindling’s army’! The idea went nowhere except into the proverbial dust bin of history.

Just as Sir lynden predicted, we have seen the rapid expansion and growth of the middle class.

In a few short years, persons who grew up in poverty, mostly in the inner city areas of New Providence and Grand Bahama, moved into newly developed suburbs and gated communities. Those individuals left those areas behind and, in most cases, either became absentee landlords or completely abandoned their ancestor’s homestead. Jonsers and other derelicts moved in and the rest is history, Today, we have a recorded and record breaking 35% of our younger people between the ages of 18 to 35 years as unemployed.

Many more, I am sure, are underemployed or may be referred to as “the working poor”.

A larger percentage of these same younger people, probably did not complete high school with any recognizable certificates and, for sure, no job or marketable skills.

With plenty time on their hands and with the apparent availability of nubile girls and women, who con-

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net sider it “cool” to date and have indiscriminate sexual activities with these type societal and economic misfits, the younger males (and some older ones) of the specie have little to do (or so they think), end up smoking dope; imbibing alcoholic beverages and impregnating as many of them as possible.

They, both the female and the male, of course, don’t just have casual sex with the intention of procreation but that is usually the end result.

The female may hold down a minimum wage type of job but has to spend most of her income supporting her multiple children whose multiple daddies are nowhere to be found after the birth of the multiple children.

In too many cases these daddies, who often challenge paternity, especially if there is a break in the relationship and there is no more casual sex.

The tax payer and the state then end up one way or the other, toting a huge financial and societal burden.

Most of the off spring, once at the teenage level and older, emerge or are drawn into a revolving door of petty theft; nebulous assorted petty crimes and, eventually, protection of turf or fights over females, leading to a homicide and, eventually, their own deaths.

The Bahamas is obliged to raise; educate and take care of these individuals, in and outside of The Bahamas Correctional Centre.

This phenomenon must not be allowed to continue and must be addressed and arrested right away.

The PLP and its leadership, basically, have failed to conceptualize and implement a grand scheme for the rescuing and rehabilitation of our youthful population.

The current Minister of Youth; Sports & Culture is useless and, apparently is just marking time and twiddling his thumbs.

Dr. Johnson was all gungho when first elected and gratuitously appointed to cabinet.

From day one, I submit, he was in over his head and

lacked the focus or passion for this critical ministry. It is not politically feasible, at this juncture, to cause Dr. Johnson’s resignation or termination.

The people of Carmichael will replace him, come next year, with a serious individual in the form of the Hon. Senator Keith Bell, Minister of State for National Security.

The PM and his administration will lose the next general elections if they don’t do the following; the conceptualization of a well thought out National Youth Service; the limited but successful roll out of National Health Initiative and the immediate provision of fully serviced residential building lots here in New Providence; Grand Bahama and some of the other populated Family Islands. If we (PLPs) do these things, with transparency and full accountability, our reelection will be guaranteed, even if Baha Mar is not fully operational.

I invite the PM to consider appointing the Hon. Algernon SBP Allen, Cochair of Urban Renewal as the first National Youth Service Coordinator with full responsibility for setting up the Secretariat for the same; promulgating proposed legislation and regulations; preparation of a mission statement and launch the same come January, 2017 on a completely nonpartisan basis.

This agency would fold into the Office of The Prime Minister so as to achieve maximum impact in the shortest period of time.

There is no more time to waste. To add a degree of impartiality and bipartisanism, I also suggest that individuals like Mr. Ivoine Ingraham, a rabid and long time supporter and council member of the FNM, be brought onboard as a Consultant.

The youth of the nation, as said by British Prime Minister (long dead) Benjamin Disraeli, are the trustees of our posterity.

To God then, in all things, Who is ever ageless, in all things, be the glory.

RTLAND H. BODIE O JR. Nassau, October 1, 2016.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, October 4, 2016, PAGE 5

Resorts plan to evacuate guests ahead of storm AS POWERFUL Hurricane Matthew churns towards the Bahamas, some visitors have left vulnerable areas with plans underway to evacuate others, the Ministry of Tourism said.

On Grand Bahama, the Old Bahama Bay Resort, the Taino Beach Resort and Flamingo Bay Hotel and Marina will evacuate all guests off property by the end of Tuesday. Sunwing Airlines will deploy aircraft to evacuate guests at Memories Resort.

There are currently 1,537 tourists staying in various hotels on Grand Bahama.

Boaters at the marinas on the island are also departing. The airport on the island is operating as normal until further notice.

While some of the visitors on the Family Islands are evacuating ahead of the storm, some visitors and second homeowners say they will stay put.

As of Monday, there were 90 guests on the island of

Abaco; 38 visitors on Andros; 25 international visitors in the Berry Islands; 392 guests in Bimini; 489 guests in Exuma; Long Island has 3 guests, and 18 international visitors are on San Salvador, the ministry said.

On Cat Island, four visitors left on Monday. Three international visitors on Inagua and two visitors on Mayaguana also left those islands.

On Crooked Island, four visitors also left yesterday but two second homeowners are staying on the island.

Finally, three second homeowners on Ragged Island remain on the island.

Several cruise ships have cancelled scheduled visits to the Bahamas or have changed their itinerary to avoid Hurricane Matthew.

Carnival Sensation, which was scheduled to call on Half Moon Cay and then Grand Turk will instead visit Mexico.

Carnival Ecstasy, Carni-

val Elation, Enchantment of the Seas, Majesty of the Seas, Norwegian Sky and Disney Dream have all cancelled calls to the Bahamas.

Carnival Victory has rescheduled its itinerary to avoid the storm and visited Nassau on Monday. It will visit Freeport today.

The Port Department has advised that the Port of Nassau will close at noon Tuesday. The Royal Bahamas Defence Force will take charge of the facility and be responsible for its reopening.

The Ministry of Tourism said it has fully activated its Emergency Coordinating Committee Command Centre at the British Colonial Hilton in Nassau in preparation for Hurricane Matthew.

The committee represents a cross-section of the Ministry of Tourism that includes senior management and other officers who will monitor the storm’s movements and ensure the safety

GAS STATIONS were busy in Nassau yesterday, as motorists filled up with the hurricane approaching.

DNA: DON’T TAKE HURRICANE MATTHEW LIGHTLY THE DEMOCRATIC National Alliance is urging Bahamians not to take the looming Hurricance Matthew lightly and to prepare for the impact of the powerful storm this week.

The party’s leader, Branville McCartney, appealed to the government for “specific intervention” to help Bahamians get ready for the category 4 hurricane, which is threatening the southern islands from later today.

While Mr McCartney said he was pleased to see the government bring Bahamian students from the University of the West Indies back from Jamaica at the weekend to avoid the storm, he said more action and specific government intervention will be needed to help Bahamians prepare for the impending system, “particularly those who are still recovering from the damage left behind by Joaquin. What, if any, additional support is being provided to those residents? And what steps have been taken thus far to ensure that the even minimal recovery efforts started after Joaquin will not be totally undone by the passage of Matthew?”

Mr McCartney said the DNA encourages all Bahamians to prepare for the impact of this impending storm. “This storm is not to be taken lightly,” he said, urging people on the Family Islands under a hurricance warning to find the shelters nearest to their homes. “Develop an evacuation plan with your families in the event that you may need to avail yourselves of such accommodations,” he said.

“Do not wait until it is too late to evacuate your residence. By now, we hope that residents have already secured the necessary non-perishable items which may be needed to ride out the effects of the storm over the next several days.”

He offered advice on the necessary precautions, including removing debris or other items which could become airborne projectiles in high winds, from their properties.

“Matthew is expected to bring with it strong winds and heavy rains, which will likely result in severe flooding; therefore we encourage you to properly secure valuable items high up so as to avoid the impact of possible storm surges,” he added.

SAN SALVADOR, CAT ISLAND ‘BRACED FOR THE WORST’

FROM PAGE ONE

Andros, the Berry Islands, Bimini, Grand Bahama and Abaco.

“People are battening down and we are getting the government buildings secured and making sure the supplies are in place,” Mr McIntosh said.

“People that have to move from where they are to go move with relatives elsewhere on the island because of flooding threats, we are starting to do that slowly but surely. They are making plans to ensure that the indigents are also catered to.

“As we speak, district council has two teams on the ground. One in the north and one in the south making sure that all goes well. So I am satisfied that come Wednesday morning when the brunt of it will affect us we would be ready for it.”

He added: “My concern is that if there is a disaster, the morgue right now is down. We are awaiting our

compressor. Other than that we are as ready as we are going to be at this time.

We wished that we could have gotten the compressor up and running, but that’s my only concern in the likelihood that there is a fatality on the island.”

Meanwhile Paul E Turnquest, the National Emergency Management Agency’s (NEMA) representative in San Salvador, said those on the island were making last minute preparations to homes to withstand the gusty winds expected to accompany the hurricane.

He said: “Right now we are in the process of distributing some materials to assist the residents here on San Salvador to secure their homes properly.

“Luckily for us, NEMA would have had some materials here on the island and so we were able to utilise some of this material to assist those persons who need plywood to secure windows and doors.”

Mr Turnquest said people

in San Salvador were still coping with the damage left behind by last year’s devastating hurricane, Joaquin.

Because of this, he said those on the island were not taking anything for granted.

“People are still traumatised from Joaquin because you know Joaquin devastated San Salvador and so you still have persons when they see a cloud build up they start trembling.

“Basically people here are not taking anything for granted. They are being very cautious and making sure they are properly prepared and hopefully by tomorrow everybody should be fully prepared because I think there is a little window of a few hours where persons can get their materials and do some work,” he said.

Hurricane Matthew is moving slowly northward as a strong and extremely dangerous category four hurricane, located about 140 miles south of Tiburon, Haiti, according to weather experts.

and security of visitors.

The crisis management team is liaising with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA), Nassau Airport Development Company, the Port Authority and other relevant authorities.

“All hotels and resorts throughout the Bahamas have activated their hurricane programmes and are taking all necessary precautions to protect visitors and residents, as safety remains the highest priority,” Tourism Director General Joy Jibrilu said.

“We want to assure all persons who may have family members visiting the Bahamas at this time, that every measure is being taken by hotels and our tourism offices to ensure the safety and security of those visitors. We will continue to reach out to each island for regular updates,” Ms Jibrilu added.

GRAND BAHAMA RESIDENTS ARE TOLD TO PREPARE

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

GRAND Bahama residents, particularly those in low-lying areas, are advised to “take heed” as Hurricane Matthew moves into the northwest Bahamas later this week.

A disaster preparedness meeting was called at the Ministry for Grand Bahama on Monday for all relevant public and private stakeholders, including island administrators, NEMA officials, government agency heads, the Grand Bahama Disaster Preparedness Committee, The Red Cross, the Royal Bahamas Police and Defence Forces and the Grand Bahama Power Company.

Minister for Grand Bahama Dr Michael Darville said residents should be prepared and make necessary storm preparations.

“I am appealing to all residents, especially those in low-lying areas of East and West Grand Bahama to take heed, as storm surges and coastal erosion and flash flooding are expected during this hurricane,” he said.

Matthew, a category four storm, was packing winds near 140 mph with higher gusts.

The northwest Bahamas is under hurricane alert, with storm conditions expected to be felt within 60 hours.

On Monday, residents were out at the various hardware stores on purchasing hurricane supplies and getting ready for the storm. Some homeowners have also started getting their homes prepared, by installing their window shutters.

Dr Darville said that storms are unpredictable and can change at a moment’s notice and urged all Grand Bahamians to

be prepared.

“We have already witnessed this in the past with other hurricanes,” he said.

The minister said that NEMA and the Grand Bahama Disaster Preparedness Committee have been in a state of readiness should any storm affect our region.

During an emergency disaster meeting earlier, the Ministry for Grand Bahama, in conjunction with NEMA and the Grand Bahama Disaster Committee finalised all plans and completed the logistic protocols in preparation for the passage of Hurricane Matthew.

Dr Darville said “all relevant stakeholders were a part of this meeting and we are now ready to execute our emergency plans should the need arise.”

Residents are encouraged to secure their property and personal documents, medication and other necessary items, and are advised to follow the Ministry for Grand Bahama’s Facebook page for further updates, as well as the national radio and television station.

The minister addressed some of the misinformation regarding the storm and school closure on Grand Bahama that is spreading on social media.

“It was pointed out that all schools on Grand Bahama remained open on Monday. Schools affected by closure were those in the south-eastern Bahamas on Monday and those in the central Bahamas on Tuesday.”

All schools will be closed on Wednesday.

PAGE 6, Tuesday, October 4, 2016

GREENSLADE DENIES OFFICER WAS PART OF ‘PROBE’ INTO BACKGROUND OF INDIRA CHARLES

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net COMMISSIONER of Police Ellison Greenslade yesterday denied reports that a senior police officer was sent to St Lucia to assist with a reported probe into the background of Supreme Court Justice Indira Charles.

Reports that attorney Keod Smith was in St Lucia conducting interviews with local officials concerning the character of Justice Charles have been making rounds since last month; however, news blog St Lucia Today recently alleged that Mr Smith has been accompanied by a senior police officer from the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

Mr Smith, a former Progressive Liberal Party MP, could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Insisting that police officers could not overstep their jurisdiction, or operate independently, Commissioner Greenslade said he has ordered an investigation into the matter based on information he received.

While he would not disclose further details, Commissioner Greenslade emphasised that the law enforcement agency had not authorised the alleged probe.

The report follows a decision by the House Committee on Privilege to postpone its probe into the Save The Bays email leak in Parliament, and the subsequent ruling by Justice Charles that determined the leak to be unconstitutional. The case brought against Marathon MP Jerome Fitzgerald is now before the Court of Appeal.

On Sunday, the Grand Bahama Human Rights Association said due to the reports, the country’s international reputation is at stake.

“The Grand Bahama Human Rights Association hereby calls upon the government of the Bahamas and the Royal Bahamas Police Force to distance themselves forcefully and immediately from the disturbing allegations contained in certain online reports coming out of St Lucia in recent days,” a statement from the group said.

“Specifically, it was reported on several news and information websites, including St Lucia Today, that an investigation into the ‘character’ of Justice Indra Charles of the Bahamas Supreme Court, is being conducted by certain agents from the Bahamas, including a senior RBPF officer. Justice Charles has recently been at the centre of controversy after she ruled that Minister of Education Jerome Fitzgerald’s disclosure of private emails and financial information belonging to environmental group Save The Bays (STB) was unconstitutional.

“If the claims are untrue - and we trust that they are - the Christie administration and the commissioner of police must declare their falsehood and distance themselves from any such investigation in no uncertain terms.

We also call on the Bahamas Bar Association to make its position on these allegations clear,” the group said.

THE TRIBUNE

Jeff Lloyd set to be named FNM’s St Anne’s candidate

By KHRISNA VIRGIL Deputy Chief Reporter kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

THE Free National Movement is expected, over the next several days, to finalise its decision to officially select talk show host Jeffery Lloyd as the party’s candidate for the St Anne’s constituency.

With Mr Lloyd on the party’s ticket, according to well-placed sources within the organisation, the party stands a better chance of securing the seat in the next general election, which is welcomed by party supporters.

However, when Mr Lloyd was contacted yesterday, he insisted that the party had yet to make him an official offer. Instead Mr Lloyd confirmed that as recently as this weekend, he continued talks with both the FNM and the Democratic National Alliance (DNA). Both organisations he said at some point had “aggressively” pursued him, although the latter took it a step further and placed a very attractive offer on the table.

This comes the day after St Anne’s MP Hubert Chipman announced that he has withdrawn his name from consideration for renomination in his constituency.

“I have always said two things,” Mr Lloyd told The Tribune. “One, I am under active consideration.

I, Jeffery Lloyd, am under active consideration as to whether I should enter the political arena for front line politics in 2016/2017 as a candidate. That decision has not yet been finally made by me.

“Number two, I have been ac-

“I have been actively pursued, aggressively in some instances by both the Free National Movement and the Democratic National Alliance and to a much lesser degree and extent by the Progressive Liberal Party.”

Jeffrey Lloyd

tively pursued, aggressively in some instances by both the Free National Movement and the Democratic National Alliance and to a much lesser degree and extent by the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP).

“Now whether the DNA has me or the FNM has me or even the PLP has me under active consideration, I cannot at this moment say. You would have to ask them if that is so.

“I have met with all three of

them, the DNA and the FNM repeatedly. That means many times and we have all discussed all kinds of various possibilities. I have also met with and have been courted by a group of individuals who sought to form an alternative, can’t say third party because you have about 20 of them third parties in the Bahamas now.”

He added: “I have been mentioned by and to a lesser extent been courted by this group that calls themselves the Gate Keepers and so from my vantage point I have not made a final decision as to whether I will enter the political arena as a candidate and two if I do, under what banner and associated with whom I may do so.”

Asked to confirm whether the FNM was considering him for the St Anne’s seat, Mr Lloyd said: “I have heard that too and nobody has said to me ‘Okay Jeffery I want to let you know that you are being considered for the St Anne’s con-

stituency.’”

On Sunday, Mr Chipman said he has had differences with FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis. He also criticised Dr Minnis for not pushing the government hard enough on several issues including the work of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), of which the St Anne’s MP is the chairman.

“I maintained a constituency office from February 2012 to date and was available to meet with constituents at any time,” Mr Chipman said in his statement.

“In particular, regular office hours were held from 4 to 7pm every Thursday. Because of the good work we did together, the Constituency Association expressed their confidence in me by writing to FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis and the Candidates Committee on September 5, 2015. The letter was signed by all of the executives of the association. That was over a year ago.

“The association’s letter was never acknowledged. During the first week of March of this year, the executive of my association and myself met. We then met with the leader and the then Chairman Michael Pintard during the first week of March 2016. My candidacy was discussed at length.

“We were assured that I would be re-nominated. The association again wrote to the leader on September 21, 2016 referring to its earlier letter and our meeting. To date we have heard nothing, which I consider a tremendous sign of disrespect toward the association,” Mr Chipman said.

GOVT BONDS WITH INTEREST FOR CLICO POLICYHOLDERS BY MID-NOVEMBER

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net

CLICO (Bahamas) policyholders will receive their compensatory government bonds by mid-November plus accrued interest, with the government primed to “earmark” over $40 million to facilitate the payout process.

However, the government, in a statement, said this will happen once the insurance license for Coral Insurance Company, the government’s special purpose vehicle (SPV) for this process, is processed and completed, which is expected to be no later than the second week in November.

The statement said once “duly licensed with regulatory approval in hand”, Coral’s “first order of business” will be to undertake a bond offering of approximately $45m, the proceeds of which will be “earmarked” for issuance to qualified CLICO (Bahamas) policyholders in exchange for the promissory note letters issued by the government “reflecting residual claim balances owing” following the partial claims payout exercise earlier this year.

The statement said Coral, through its issuing agents Leno Corporate Services Limited, will make avail-

Thank You On behalf of the family of

Dorothy Jean Bahl, “Dotti” we would like to extend our sincere gratitude for all the love and support we have received during these very emotional times. With your love and support, it has made a very tough time a little easier.

PRIME MINISTER Perry Christie

BISHOP Simeon Hall

able for exchange the relevant book stocks during the second week of November 2016. A separate notice regarding the swop/exchange exercise will be issued at a late date, the statement said.

Meanwhile, the statement said the government will provide “capital support” to Coral to cover “the liabilities with assets” which are admitted by the Insurance Commission of the Bahamas (ICB) for “solvency purposes.”

The statement advised policyholders with “active/ in-force” policies to therefore continue making their premium payments in accordance with their policy

contracts “to ensure that they continue to receive coverage and benefits under their policies.”

The bonds in question are designed to compensate clients of the insolvent life and health insurer who are owed more than $10,000.

The bonds can be obtained via the exchange of promissory notes issued by the government at the end of March.

The announcement signals a potential end to the eight-year-long debacle.

Additionally, the statement, which came roughly two days after the government’s September 30 deadline for the second phase of the CLICO (Bahamas)

payout, said given the bonds attracting an interest rate of prime (4.75 per cent) plus payable semi-annually, and the government’s commitment to undertaking the note exchange by September 30, interest will “start to accrue on the promissory note obligations as of October 1, 2016, based on the proposed bond terms.”

“Payment of this initial accrued interest will be made along with the first semi-annual interest instalment due on the bonds in March 2017,” the statement said. “Policyholders of CLICO (Bahamas) should note that the government continues to work assiduously to bring some relief to those affected by the closure of CLICO (Bahamas).”

In March, Prime Minister Perry Christie promised that a collective $16m cash payout would be issued to victims of the CLICO situation before the end of that month.

In announcing the payout plan during the mid-year budget debate, Mr Christie said the insolvent insurer’s executive flexible premium annuity (EPPA) holders, and surrendered pension policies, would receive a cash payment capped at $10,000.

Anything owed above that sum would be paid off via the issuance to former

clients of seven-year promissory notes (government bonds), which will provide them with quarterly insurance payments at the prime rate (4.75 per cent).

Vaughn Culmer, CLICO (Bahamas) operations manager, told The Tribune in April that the issuance of government bonds would “hopefully” take place “within the next few months.”

The payout process began in March as promised, with some policyholders recovering at least some of their life savings and long-term investments, all of which were lost when the life and health insurer collapsed into insolvency in 2009.

Since then, however, policyholders claimed they hadn’t heard anything about the issuance of the government bonds. Additionally, some policyholders reportedly still hadn’t recovered any lost funds.

Last month, however, prominent CLICO (Bahamas) policyholder Bishop Simeon Hall said he was “very optimistic” over a potential resolution to the situation.

He said during the last week in September that CLICO (Bahamas) was due to make an “announcement” about a potential resolution to the debacle in another week or two.

BODY OF MAN, 24, MISSING AFTER BOAT COLLISION FOUND NEAR PARADISE ISLAND

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net THE body of Christopher Turnquest, the man who police believed drowned after his skiff capsized following a collision with a Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) patrol vessel on Saturday, washed up in waters near Paradise Island yesterday.

Ryan Turnquest, the deceased’s older brother, told The Tribune that the tragedy came as the two had just concluded their maiden voyage as commercial fishermen.

Police yesterday said that shortly after 9am Monday, divers from the RBDF retrieved the lifeless body of a male submerged in waters west of Paradise Island.

Police said the man was believed to be the boater reported missing following an incident at sea over the weekend, as they awaited the results of an autopsy for the exact cause of death.

However, Ryan Turnquest, clearly

shaken and devastated by the loss of his brother, said the two returned to port last Friday, bringing to a close a seven-week venture which they had hoped was the first of many successful outings.

He said the family will seek justice in this matter and plan to celebrate the life of their lost loved one in the coming weeks. He added that he plans to rename their boat in honour of his dead brother.

“This is hard to talk about,” he said.

“We had just gotten in on Friday and he went back out to service the boats with a cousin of ours.

“He was out there to change the spark plugs and check the dinghies.”

Mr Turnquest said his younger brother always had a love and passion for the sea.

He said the 24-year-old pursued a life as a commercial fisherman following stints at Phil’s Mega Store and other places.

“He was always hardworking. From a young kid, 14, he was working at

Ryan’s Christmas Tree Stall on Prince Charles. Work was always a big deal - that is why we got into fishing together. This was supposed to be our thing.

This wasn’t how this was supposed to go. We just got back, and now this,” he added.

According to police reports, the 13foot skiff occupied by the deceased and another man, later identified as his cousin, was struck by a RBDF patrol vessel around 8.30pm on Saturday just east of Potter’s Cay Dock.

The deceased’s family indicated on Sunday that the crash happened in the harbour near BASRA. The other person was immediately recovered from the water by the RBDF and was unharmed.

A search party was dispatched in the harbour a short time later, but the search proved unsuccessful.

The search for Mr Turnquest involved RBDF vessels and divers, shoreline search teams and the Royal Bahamas Police Force Marine Unit.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, October 4, 2016, PAGE 7

KEITH ANTHONY MAJOR

ZELMON KNOWLES

FRANKIE PIERRE

KERRY RIGUAD

MAN JAILED OVER ILLEGAL FIREARMS, THREE OTHERS PLEAD NOT GUILTY

By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

IT was not a happy birthday for a Chippingham resident who was sentenced yesterday to five years in prison for two illegal firearms found by police during a house raid in Long Island.

Keith Anthony Major, who turned 37 yesterday, was flanked by police as he was escorted into the Magistrate’s Court complex to stand before Magistrate Constance Delancy facing four firearm related charges: possession of a prohibited weapon, possession of an unlicensed firearm and two counts of possession of ammunition.

He was also charged with possession of dangerous drugs.

It is alleged that he, with Zelmon Knowles, 41, Frankie Pierre, 45, and Kerry Riguad, 45, were found with a prohibited AK-47 rifle and a Jimenez 9MM pistol on September 29.

It is also alleged that they were in possession of a magazine clip that contained 14 7.62 rounds of ammunition for the rifle and seven bullets for the pistol.

The accused men were finally alleged to have possession of four grams of marijuana.

All accused men, except for Major, pleaded not guilty to the allegations.

On the day in question, sometime around 5.20am, Long Island police went to Cabbage Beach to execute a search warrant on a house in connection with suspected drugs and firearms.

Upon arrival, one officer took up a position to the rear of the building while the others knocked on the front door and identified themselves as police.

At this time, a man who was later identified as Major, ran towards and got out of the apartment’s back door, but was intercepted by the waiting officer.

Officers entered the home to carry out their initial task and discovered marijuana on the kitchen counter.

Officers then discovered the loaded pistol in the southeast bedroom and the loaded rifle in the closet of another bedroom.

Major was taken into custody and subsequently charged.

Magistrate Delancy asked Major if he accepted the facts and he said “yes’’.

SECOND MAN CHARGED IN CONNECTION WITH SHOOTING OF PM’S POLICE AIDE

By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A SECOND man was denied bail and remanded to prison yesterday after he was arraigned in connection with the shooting of a police aide attached to Prime Minister Perry Christie.

Tahnarze Ferguson, 22, of Ross Corner appeared before Magistrate Constance Delancy to face a charge of attempted murder.

His alleged victim is Sergeant Brent Dixon who was shot on Monday, September 5.

According to initial reports from police, Sgt Dixon had just pulled into the driveway of a home on Olde Corner when two men with handguns approached and demanded cash. A struggle followed and the officer was shot. He returned fire and shot one of the suspects while the other fled the area on foot, police said.

Both Sgt Dixon and the injured suspect were taken to hospital for treatment.

Ferguson, like his co-accused 18-year-old Jorel Augustine who was arraigned on September 12, was told that he would not be allowed to enter a plea to the charge until he is formally arraigned before a judge in the Supreme Court.

He was told that upon his return to Magistrate’s Court on November 8, he would be presented with a voluntary bill of indictment that would facilitate the transfer of his case.

Ferguson was also informed that he would have to apply for bail in the Supreme Court as the magistrate could not consider or grant a bond due to the nature of the charge.

He was remanded to the Department of Correctional Services to await trial.

He has retained Bernard Ferguson to represent him against the allegation.

BULGARIAN MAN GETS COURT DATE FOR MONEY LAUNDERING APPEAL

By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A BULGARIAN man who is contesting his conviction of money laundering will have his appeal heard next month.

Kostadin Karchav, 39, appeared in the appellate court in the appeal relating to nearly $51,000 in laundered funds found in his Royal Bank of Canada account and the purchase of a Suzuki Swift car last year.

At a hearing last month, the transcripts from the proceedings in the Supreme Court were not yet available.

In yesterday’s follow-up status hearing, Karchav’s lawyer, Stanley Rolle, informed the court that he received the documents and would be ready to argue the appeal on November 22.

The jury in Karchav’s trial heard that he gave an oral confession to the crimes prior to a record of interview that was done in the presence of his then lawyer

Roger Gomez II. Sergeant Donovan Martin, of the Central Detective Unit, testified of a conversation with Karchav under caution in the presence of Inspector Deborah Thompson on February 15, 2015.

Karchav allegedly told police he had been in the country since 2014 and was a part of a credit card group in Bulgaria.

It was alleged that he told officers he used his time in the Bahamas to obtain information about the models of the ATM machines he observed.

His accomplices replied in kind with information on credit and debit cards, which he uploaded to gift cards he had brought with him when he travelled to the Bahamas.

He allegedly told a police officer that all of the funds seized by police during his arrest were proceeds from the machines, some of which were deposited to his RBC account.

He also stated that he purchased a 2005 Suzuki

Swift with some of the funds obtained from the bank.

A record of interview was held following this conversation later on that afternoon.

Karchav, who elected to remain silent to allegations, called Mr Gomez II as a witness and the latter confirmed to defence attorney Rolle that he sat in on a record of interview, but it was not on Sunday, February 15, 2015.

Mr Armbrister asked the lawyer if Karchav had made any complaints when he went to see him. Mr Gomez said his then client’s complaint only concerned the cell and food.

The jury returned 7-2 guilty verdicts on money laundering with respect to the funds found in the RBC account and the purchase of the Suzuki Swift.

The jury returned a unanimous not guilty verdict on a count concerning an iPhone 6 cell phone, of which Justice Turner said he was discharged.

His lawyer, Jomo Campbell, said his client’s present predicament was not one he intended to find himself in on his birthday.

The lawyer said Major is not only a husband but also a father of six children, four of whom are still dependents on a man who was gainfully employed up until the day of his arrest. Mr Campbell said his client did not want to waste the court’s time and assumed responsibility for “a silly mistake.”

He said that notwithstanding the seriousness of the firearm offences, there was no indication that the weapons were intended to be used for violence or to hurt anyone. He asked the court to

balance justice with mercy.

Magistrate Delancy, after taking an hour to deliberate on a punishment, found that the crimes were deserving of a custodial sentence instead of a fine recommended by Major’s lawyer.

While crediting Major for his early plea of guilt and lack of prior convictions of a similar nature, the magistrate said that the convict had committed serious crimes and that the weapons could have posed a danger to society if used.

Major was sentenced to five years for possession of the AK-47 rifle and three years for the magazine attached to the weapon.

He further received three

years for possession of the 9mm pistol and two years for the seven bullets.

The marijuana landed him six months at the Department of Correctional Services. All sentences will run concurrently from the date of conviction.

The remaining accused will stand trial on December 7 as police prosecutor ASP Clifford Daxon said the prosecution intends to proceed with the charges against Knowles, Pierre and Riguad. The trio were denied bail, but informed of their right to apply for a bond in the Supreme Court.

They, too, have retained Mr Campbell to represent them against the charges.

PAGE 8, Tuesday, October 4, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

For passive Bahamians, voting should be compulsory O

h, I get it now. The National Development Plan (NDP) Vision 2040 ... will be complete in 2040. Got it. Thanks.

Said to be focused on four pillars - Economy, Governance, Social Policy, and (the Built and Natural) Environment - this plan, I expect, after all the time and money spent preparing it, will be an instructive manual (containing an elaborate but precise strategy) of how to grow and operate this country, enveloping the most concerning issues with explicit methods of finding our way out of them.

I do not expect the NDP 2040 to be a random narration, reiteration or regurgitation of problems or a wish list of unattainable ideals.

The woman at the helm of the NDP is a smart woman. I attended the College of The Bahamas with her, and I know her to be pleasant, diligent, responsible and exceedingly intelligent.

I have no doubt she has much to contribute to the guts of this NDP. But, my fear is that the target for the NDP keeps moving, and it will keep moving. Because our problems in this nation are so many and varied, by the time the planners think the plan is complete enough to help answer the problems in practice, it would have already begun to expire.

What may seem feasible now or tomorrow may very well not be by the time the NDP group reaches the first stages of plan implementation.

Khaalis Rolle, Minister of State for Investments, says, after missing the first deadlines, that the NDP is “a working, living, document” and no further deadlines will be given for its completion (is this becoming a trend with the current

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A FEMALE Aedes aegypti mosquito. Could the Zika virus be spread by fluids from a patient’s eyes? administration?) If so, by that definition, the NDP could conceivably change every day it exists, ie, theoretically, you - they - could actually never finish writing it.

Zika contagion Two recent news stories on ABC News were published online. The first, on September 13, was captioned ‘CDC Still Stumped

by Mystery Case in Utah’, and the second article, released on September 15, was captioned ‘Zika Virus Found in Eyes of Adult Patients, Study Finds’.

The cases referenced in these stories are eye-opening … pun intended.

Essentially, they suggest a method of contagion previously unknown or unconfirmed, such that a patient with Zika can spread it to another person if that person comes in contact with fluids from the patient’s eyes.

It is not clear whether fluids means tears or discharge. It is not clear whether contact means touch or aspiration. It is also not clear whether the Zika patient with contagious eye fluid would have had an extremely high saturation of the virus in their system and/or had the virus for a lengthy time.

When you consider the number of unknowns and the unknown possibilities for the spread of Zika, it is disturbing, particularly when you have a $2 million plus annual budget (as is the case in the Bahamas) to fight a disease that you don’t even understand. I’m not saying our medical professionals are incompetent, but we certainly don’t operate an international standard scientific research lab to keep knowledge through experimentation ever flowing.

I am still waiting to hear the health minister’s and chief medical officer’s comments on this latest update on the method of contagion of the Zika virus. As usual, there are crickets, and I fully expect an ‘after the fact’ response and some declarations of ‘having no knowledge’ of and expressing a ‘need to verify’ this information. For their convenience (and yours), these findings were published in the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC’s) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, and the Journal for the American Medical Association Ophthalmology.

Nation of slaves In the aftermath of the Sandals nolle prosequi, whereby two Sandals Re-

9/9/16 6:27 PM

PRIME MINISTER Perry Christie at the launch of the National Development Plan in April. mental poverty that has Mandatory voting makes “Our ‘independence’ turned into a real mental government more answerpoverty. A belief that we able, more accountable … was an easy liberty are made to suffer … suffer if I as a citizen have to vote loss, or anything really, for responsibly, then you as a from the British. peace sake, etc, and solidi- government have to govern I often wonder fying a low, if not the low- responsibly. what would have est, rank on the totem poles If voting was mandatory constructed by others and in the Bahamas, it is very happened if the by ourselves. So we suffer likely that more people British had told … passively. would vote and there would us ‘no’... No, you Religion - a big part of be a greater chance that the the slavery/slave-owner/suf- resulting government would cannot ride on the fering experience. Because be more representative of coattail of Martin we suffer(ed) loss and pov- the people ... all the people.

Luther King Jr. If erty, it must be ‘God’s will’ And because citizens would and therefore ‘He will take be required to vote anyway, the British had said of it’, so we don’t have their votes are less susceptino to our separation care to do anything but sit and ble to $200-wrapped t-shirt, from them, and we wait. Ergo, passive. rum/beer, fridge bribes.

Tourism - we bow to the And if people have to vote had something to particularly the dol- and don’t want to vote, then fight for on account dollar, lar of the foreign money they have the right to exof it, maybe we holder. A continuation of ercise a blank vote if they servile behaviour, com- choose none of the candiwould be stronger bined with laziness culti- dates on the ballot. You and bolder instead vated in the midst of false wouldn’t be forced to vote of weaker and abundance. No one expect- for one person or the other, ed the tourism good times you’d be forced to study the passive.” to slow or end and no one vote because it is mandatoprepared for it; now eve- ry, and, if you don’t approve rything that was always a of a candidate, then that is sort executives were ex- problem, but shielded from recorded as a ‘none-of-thecused from a labour dis- view, is now painfully vis- above’ choice or a ‘blank’ pute at the hand of the ible while we sit by and vote.

You are a citizen first, Attorney General Allyson watch. Passive.

No revolution - no fight and all else comes after.

Maynard-Gibson, Trade Union Congress president for liberty. Our ‘independ- You won’t get excused for Obie Ferguson and oth- ence’ was an easy liberty religious reasons, because ers are apparently just now from the British. I often you are a citizen before you seeing that the Bahamas wonder what would have choose your faith or religovernment places foreign happened if the British had gion.

Obviously, the elderly, interests above Bahamians’ told us ‘no’... No, you cannot ride on the coattail of Mar- indigent, or ill, and under interests.

I fail to understand their tin Luther King Jr. If the 18, would not be subject surprise. That’s the model British had said no to our to compulsory voting. For of the larger tourism in- separation from them, and those who can’t physically dustry. Why is Mr Fergu- we had something to fight be there to vote, voting by son surprised? Surely this for on account of it, maybe e-post or proxy would be is feigned astonishment … we would be stronger and required, and this option about as feigned as the re- bolder instead of weaker would also be available to elderly, ill, or indigent popquest by union leaders for and - passive. ulations. the Prime Minister to reUnion discord Compulsory voting is lieve the Attorney General more than appropriate for a of her duties because she orry to say it, but no- country of less than 400,000 signed the nolle without where is the condi- people who already strugdisclosing she had intended tioned slave mentality more gle with issues of responsito do so.

On ‘The Revolution’ ra- obvious than among the un- ble citizenship and respondio show, a guest - activist ion organisations. I heard sible government.

But the key is to interattorney Romi Ferreira - another radio host say rereferenced the descent of cently that union members twine education with uniBahamians into a nation of should be more willing to versal suffrage ... the aim disrespected slaves. Surely make sacrifices to improve being for Bahamians to he is not also just now see- labor relations in the Baha- know more and care more mas. That is amusing. about their country, with ing this?

Union members don’t the exercise of their manLook (and listen) around you. It feels like a good half join unions for sacrifice or datory vote being the culor more of the population is the improvement of labour mination of that knowledge borderline illiterate, poorly relations in the Bahamas. and concern (any illiterate educated, criminally-mind- They join unions to gain person, unless illiterate to ed, with poor work ethic, benefits of collective bar- the point of being disabled politically rabid, low on in- gaining. It’s the first thing or mentally incompetent/ill, come, low on opportunity, people talk about when you would be assisted in underminimally qualified, in poor get a job and they ask you if standing the vote.)

If voting is mandatory health from self-induced you joined the union. Bankand environmental illness, ing, savings and loans, low and you don’t vote, you habits, diets … they don’t interest rates, credit cards, would get a monetary fine, seem like an abused, aban- and health insurance bene- if you have financial means doned, trapped people? fits … that’s why people join to pay.

Without financial means, Living on a 21 mile by seven unions in the Bahamas. The mile plantation? You think rest is winin’ and rum in the you would be fined labour via community service, and it just happened overnight? Labour Day street parade. a requirement to work an Those acclaimed forefaMandatory voting election poll and/or take thers were so attached to Voting - and registering a class on citizenship and their history that they have successfully repeated it by to vote - should be com- good governance.

Any argument against inflicting it upon their peo- pulsory in the Bahamas. If it were, Bahamians might compulsory voting really ple’s future.

On the same radio show take the governance of only leads to the question of the host asked a question themselves and their coun- ‘what does not voting result in’? The only outcomes are the other day that made me try more seriously.

They might feel a uni- selfish and certainly not nathink. I like when people can make me think, even fied responsibility to make tionalist.

All you end up saying is though I may not agree the choice to elect a sensiwith them on other things. ble government that would that there was low voter I listen to this show when- work more in the interest of turnout, people were disever I can because, funda- the people, as opposed to enfranchised, and nobody mentally, I believe the host the types and methods of gives a damn about the and I want the same thing government we’ve had since country.

Your vote is your power, for our country: an incred- the 1960s. With mandatory ible change in thinking and registration and voting, the and, if you don’t choose to doing that moves us into average citizen would au- use it, you risk the welfare a position of limitless op- tomatically have a more of the entire country, yourportunity for prosperity of vested interest in participa- self included. With that in character and everything tory government. With the mind, it may be time to serequirement to vote comes riously consider the greater else that flows from that.

He wanted to know why the requirement to be edu- benefits of mandatory votcated about the vote, to un- ing in the Bahamas.

Bahamians are so passive.

And I want to answer that derstand the voting process E-mail: nburrows at tribquestion for him, with the and why it is so important for every citizen to be a part unemedia.net.

Facebook following four points: and Twitter: @SoPolitiCole Slavery - a conditioned of it.

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THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, October 4, 2016, PAGE 9

WESTWARD SHIFT IN MATTHEW’S FORECAST TRACK BRINGS THREAT TO FLORIDA

By DR JEFF MASTERS

VERY dangerous Hurricane Matthew is maintaining Category 4 strength as it heads northwards at 6mph, and is already dumping potentially catastrophic rains on Haiti and the Dominican Republic as it moves towards the Bahamas.

An unusual area of extra spin and low pressure that has been embedded on the east side of Matthew’s circulation for days is generating intense rains in excess of one inch per hour.

A portion of this feature rotated ashore over southern Haiti and the Dominican Republic early Monday morning, and the mountainous terrain of this region undoubtedly caused additional uplift that resulted in rainfall rates much higher than one inch per hour. A personal weather station in Cabo Rojo, on the southern coast of the Dominican Republic near the border with Haiti, recorded 20.05 inches of rain in 11 hours between 3am and 2pm on Monday, including a remarkable 5.33 inches between 6am and 7am.

While Personal Weather Station data is often suspect, these are believable rainfall amounts based on the satellite presentation of Matthew. The outer spiral bands of Matthew are also affecting Jamaica.

An Air Force hurricane hunter aircraft made four passes through the eye of Matthew on Monday morning and early Monday afternoon and found surface winds as high as 140mph.

The central pressure stayed in the 940 - 941 millibar range during all the passes, so it does not appear that Matthew is undergoing intensification. Satellite loops on Monday morning showed that Matthew’s eye was clearing out and becoming more distinct, and the hurricane’s cloud pattern was becoming more symmetric - signs the storm may be about to intensify, though. Light wind shear of five to 10 knots is affecting the storm, and Matthew is over warm ocean waters of 29°C (84°F) and has plenty of moisture to work with: 70 to 75 per cent relative humidity at mid-levels of the atmosphere, as analysed by the Statistical Hurricane Intensity Prediction Scheme (SHIPS) model.

Matthew passed over National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) buoy 42058 early Monday morning, and top winds during passage of the weaker portion of the eyewall were 74mph, gusting to 92mph. Seas were 34 feet, and the buoy recorded a minimum pressure of 943 mb. The wind measurement height on the buoy was five metres, so an upwards correction of about 10mph is needed to adjust these numbers to the standard 10-metre observing height for winds.

INTENSITY FORECAST The latest SHIPS model forecast predicts that wind shear will remain light to moderate, five to 15 knots, for the next five days.

Ocean temperatures will be very warm, between 29° and 30° C (84° to 86°F) and the heat content of the ocean will be high to very high, which argues for intensification of Matthew. At any time, though, Matthew could undergo an eyewall replacement cycle (ERC), where the inner eyewall collapses and is replaced by a larger-diameter eye, with a new eyewall formed from an outer spiral band. This process usually causes a weakening to the storm’s top winds for a day or so.

The down side of an

HURRICANEANALYSIS A WOMAN protects herself from the rain with a piece of plastic prior the arrival of Hurricane Matthew, in Tabarre, Haiti, Monday. The centre of Hurricane Matthew is expected to pass near or over southwestern Haiti on Tuesday, but the area was already experiencing rain from the outer bands of the storm on Monday. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery) NASSAU

PEOPLE carry suitcases as they move to a safer area before the arrival of Hurricane Matthew, in the village Paraguay, Guantanamo, Cuba. (AP)

“In the Bahamas, hurricane-force wind odds of 39 per cent were given to Great Exuma, 24 per cent to New Providence and 35 per cent to San Salvador.”

THIS NOAA satellite image taken Monday at 9:45 AM EDT shows Hurricane Matthew continuing to trek over the central Caribbean Sea. (AP)

POSITION AVAILABLE INTERNAL AUDITOR OVERALL RESPONSIBILITIES: The Internal Auditor will be responsible for establishing an internal audit program to ensure the safety and soundness of the internal control environment and the accuracy of the accounting records and financial reports. The Internal Auditor is responsible to submit an annual internal audit program to the Supervisory Committee and to present monthly reports to the Committee on audits conducted and on the status of the audit program.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES: CIVIL protection workers walk in to evacuate residents from the Grise river area, prior the arrival of Hurricane Matthew, in Tabarre, Haiti, Monday. (AP)

ERC is that is spreads out the storm’s hurricane-force winds over a wider area, resulting in severe impacts over a wider area. Our top three intensity models the HWRF, LGEM, and SHIPS models - were predicting on Monday morning that Matthew would be at Category 3 or 4 strength for the next four days. The SHIPS model gave Matthew an 11 per cent chance of rapid intensification of 30mph or more by Tuesday morning. Landfall in eastern Cuba/northwest Haiti on Tuesday could act to disrupt the hurricane and destroy its inner core, which might knock Matthew down to Category 2 strength for several days. However, Matthew will probably re-intensify by at least 20mph in the two days after its landfall in Cuba/Haiti.

THREE-DAY TRACK FORECAST Matthew will make landfall or pass very close to the southwest tip of Haiti early Tuesday morning, then make a second landfall in eastern Cuba on Tuesday afternoon. Matthew will then traverse the Bahamas from southeast to northwest Tuesday evening through Thursday morning. In their 11am EDT Monday Wind Probability Forecast, the National Hurricane Centre (NHC) gave highest odds of hurricane-force winds to Les Cayes in southwest Haiti (35 per cent) and to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (41 per cent). Lower odds were given to Kingston, Jamaica

(0) and Port-Au-Prince, Haiti (2). In the Bahamas, hurricane-force wind odds of 39 per cent were given to Great Exuma, 24 per cent to New Providence and 35 per cent to San Salvador.

BEYOND THE BAHAMAS A significant westward shift in computer model guidance on Hurricane Matthew has occurred, and this could have big implications for the hurricane’s potential impact on the US East Coast.

The main reason appears to be stronger ridging south of an area of low pressure associated with a tropical wave (designated Invest 98L) north of Matthew than earlier predicted, which may help to nudge Matthew far enough west for major impacts along the south east US coast. Last night’s 50 ensemble runs from the 00Z Monday European model included a number of tracks making landfall along the US East Coast.

Most concerning is that, for the first time in Matthew’s life, all four members of the Euro “high-probability” cluster - the members that most closely match the operational run - depict Matthew making landfall on Florida’s east coast.

Dr Jeff Masters co-founded Weather Underground in 1995 and flew with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ‘Hurricane Hunters’ from 1986 to 1990. This is his blog post from www.wunderground.com yesterday

• Manage the credit union’s audit function to ensure compliance with all regulatory policies and procedures and to safeguard the credit union’s assets.

• Determine whether operating policies and procedures are adequate to measure and control the economical efficient use of resources. Develop and implement new procedures to enhance the internal audit process.

• Conduct regular audit procedures and activities for all credit union departments.

• Track and report on issues or recommendations from external auditors, regulators and examiners.

• Prepare and/or review examination reports stating findings of various audits for senior management and Supervisory Committee.

• Examine information systems to ensure data is accurate and complete, and make recommended changes to the information system to improve output.

• Coordinate and conduct investigations of suspected and/or actual internal fraud.

• Conduct investigations or special audits at the request of management and/or the Supervisory Committee.

• Keep abreast of changes or new developments in regulatory requirements, general accounting principles and audit techniques.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS: Candidates must possess a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Finance or Business Administration or the equivalent in work experience.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS: • Experience as would normally be obtained in three (3) to five (5) years in a financial institution.

• Demonstrated understanding of internal audit theory and auditing standards • Strong knowledge of rules regulations, policies and procedures pertaining to the credit union industry • Must be a self-starter with initiative and enthusiasm.

• Must possess excellent organizational, communication and research skills.

• Dedicated to meeting deadlines.

• Must be detailed oriented and prepared to work long hours when necessary.

• Must be computer literate and proficient in all Microsoft Office applications (especially Excel).

• Must possess good interpersonal skills.

• Demonstrated investigative, analytical, problem-solving and organizational skills.

• Demonstrated ability to maintain a high level of integrity and confidentiality • Ability to work independently and as a team player, while using discretion in making sound judgment in problem solving.

Qualified candidates should submit C.V. via email to: info@biccu.org on or before October 14th, 2016.

PAGE 10, Tuesday, October 4, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

An Act to give power to the people and keep government honest YOUR SAY

By THE ORGANIZATION OF RESPONSIBLE GOVERNANCE

T

HE Organization for Responsible Governance (ORG), a non-profit, non-partisan foundation that advocates for open, accountable and responsible governance, in tandem with a coalition of other civil society and private industry groups, is continuing to urge the swift passage of a “true” Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) as the date for the final version of the bill to be introduced to Parliament nears.

The Government announced last month that a final version of the long-anticipated Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2015 will be tabled in Parliament before the end of this month. With October upon us, ORG is reiterating the urgency of passing a strong, fair FOIA to the Minister of Education, Science and Technology Jerome Fitzgerald, Members of Parliament and the public.

Aiming to ensure the Government includes commonly agreed recommendations proposed by a coalition of groups to strengthen the Act, ORG and 17 other

“A strong Freedom of Information Act would allow Bahamians to get answers and force action on pressing issues such as Carnival spending, the conditions of the recent government brokered deal with the Chinese Export-Import Bank over Baha Mar, and the increasingly murky details of Bank of the Bahamas.” groups have mobilised to engage and educate the public about the importance of the legislation and its timely passage. These groups are primarily concerned that the final version of the FOIA “gives power to the people” and “keeps the Government honest”.

The amendments put forth in their collective recommendations would increase the scope of government entities subject to FOIA, clarify what information is eligible for discretionary exemption, de-

nial, or referral, give the Freedom of Information Unit and Information Commissioner more autonomy and keep it beyond the reach of potential government interference, and provide better protection for people who step forward with information on wrongdoing within government.

The group believes the passage of a strong FOIA is a top priority for the Bahamas, as it would allow Bahamians to get answers and force action on pressing issues such as Carnival spending, the conditions of the recent government brokered deal with the Chinese Export-Import Bank over Baha Mar, and the increasingly murky details of Bank of the Bahamas.

“It’s the people’s money and the people’s decisions,” said Matt Aubry, Executive Director of ORG. “It is the people’s right to have access to information surrounding decisions and issues such as Baha Mar and BOB that affect everyone who lives and works in the Bahamas. The FOIA would allow that access and provide avenues to hold responsible parties accountable.”

The groups have launched a joint public education campaign

featuring an online petition to endorse passage of the bill with suggested recommendations from the groups.

They have since expanded campaign efforts with appearances on radio and television as well as educational information in print and social media.

The groups are asking the public to reach out to MPs and will be launching a letter writing campaign this week where citizens can urge their representatives to adopt the recommendations and pass the Bill.

T

he group sent a letter to Mr Fitzgerald, requesting a meeting to discuss the Bill, its contents and its tabling. Although Mr Fitzgerald, who has oversight of the legislation, said the Bill is expected to be tabled before Parliament, there has been no information as to which recommendations have been included in the report or what basis Cabinet would use for review. Although the letter was sent over two weeks ago, no response has been received yet from the Ministry.

“ORG alone can’t move mountains; we need the people to influ-

ence government. So we are inviting Bahamians to call on their representatives in Parliament to ensure that a “true” Freedom of Information Act is passed. A strong and fair Freedom of Information Act will benefit us all - citizens and residents, private businesses, civil society organisations, industry associations, media outlets, unions and, ultimately, government,” said Mr Aubry.

ORG, a membership-based, non-profit foundation founded in 2015, is comprised of Bahamian citizens, residents, student and youth organisations, civic groups, community leaders, businesses, associations and civil society.

This diverse and inclusive group focuses on initiating a national dialogue on core socioeconomic and geopolitical concerns affecting the Bahamas, including open and accountable government, fiscal, educational, and economic reforms and the equitable enforcement of the rule of law.

For more information, go to www.orgbahamas.com, follow on Facebook at ORG Bahamas Foundation. Sign the petition at www.campaign242.org/foia_bahamas.

BTVI HELPS SPREAD THE JOY OF READING

WITH this year marking the 50th year of International Literacy Day, The Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute launched its “Read. Write.

Communicate: Community Project” to encourage youngsters to read.

BTVI’s staff and faculty, with the help of Urban Renewal, donated more than 300 new and gently used books to Claridge Primary School, the nearest public primary school to the institution.

The BTVI team sprang into action with staff and faculty donating books or money to buy them for the worthy cause, with the culmination being the presentation at Claridge Primary’s Literacy Assembly on September 29 under the theme, “A Journey Through Bahamian Literature”.

BTVI’s Public Relations Officer Hadassah Hall said the initiative came about after discovering statistics published by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) on International Literacy Day,

September 8.

The UNESCO Institute for Statistics reported in 2015 that 757 million adults, including 115 million youth (15 - 24 years), cannot read or write a simple sentence.

“The statistics are staggering, particularly knowing how fundamental reading is to education, and life itself. We do not want the students of Claridge Primary to be among those numbers,” said Ms Hall.

“Whether you are completing an application form for a job or college, reading a flight board at an airport, reading the dosage on a medicine bottle or sitting in

an exam, the ability to read, write and communicate one’s thoughts is something we do daily. And while we want them to learn to read because it is necessary, we also wish they would read for pleasure,” she said.

Claridge Primary’s Principal Sharon Robinson said the school was pleased to be recipients of such a generous donation and all of the books will be put to good use, as the school’s librarian has a strong literacy programme.

(Photos by Shantique Longley)

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, October 4, 2016, PAGE 11

GEVON Moss makes his presentation at the Mayor’s round table discussion.

CREATIVE NASSAU TEAM REPRESENT CAPITAL IN SWEDEN

CREATIVE Nassau President, Pam Burnside, Vice President, Patricia GlintonMeicholas, and Gevon Moss, of the Downtown Nassau Partnership, represented the City of Nassau at the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) annual meeting in Östersund, Sweden, last month.

The event took place over a packed week of activities, which began with a three-day pre-Conference at the Mid Sweden University.

The academic gathering focused on Sustainability, a topic that is the subject of UNESCO’s forum in Quito, Ecuador in October.

Significantly, it is also the platform for action and innovation towards integrating culture into the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Roland Krebs, Consultant for the Inter-American Development Bank’s Emerging and Sustainable Cities Initiative and the Nassau Urban Lab study, joined the team to make a presentation based on the recent plan prepared for the Bahamian Government’s National Development Plan for Downtown Bay Street and the Grants/Bain Town areas in Nassau. The project

was developed by the consultants in conjunction with with Bahamian stakeholders, civil society groups including Creative Nassau, and architecture students from the University of Vienna and the College of The Bahamas.

The following days in Östersund - designated a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy in 2010 - were taken up with the UCCN’s extensive Meeting Agenda, including several sessions hosted by author Charles Landry, well known for his various books dealing with the concept of ‘Creative Cities’. During visits to various venues in the Östersund and Jamtland areas, delegates were treated to exciting samples of Swedish art, culture, heritage as well as gastronomical delights.

Mr Moss received first hand experiences of Östersund, as he shadowed the Deputy Mayor of the City, and was hosted to a reception by the Governor. Additionally, during the Mayor’s round table discussion at the Conference, he issued a short, passionate address on why the work of practitioners must be continued, stressing the importance of them understanding their purpose.

THE Nassau delegates at the UCCN Conference - Gevon Moss, Patricia Glinton-Meicholas and Pam Burnside.

He challenged the UCCN to push the creative envelope in order to design one-of-akind experiences in their respective cities.

He reminded the delegates that their work superseded the here and now, and the impacts of the same would be felt by future generations.

“We were particularly impressed by the variety of sites and institutions promoting history and heritage,” Mrs Glinton-Meicholas said. “Of particular note was Jamtli, a multi-structure museum that highlights Swedish history and lifeways from prehistoric times. We were delighted by the performances, cooking, household appointments and food offerings at the different stages. Not least among the attractions was a horsedrawn carriage ride and all museum staff and volunteers in period dress. We might take a page from this exposition for the promotion of our own rich Bahamian history and culture.”

Following the UCCN Conference, the Creative Nassau team travelled to Vienna to visit with Mr Krebs and several of the Vienna University students, and also to meet with an urban planning organisation that oversees an area of the Austrian captial, who shared his expertise in the programme.

The UCCN numbers 116 cities from 54 countries, and the annual meeting of-

ROLAND KREBS with Creative Nassau delegates Patricia Glinton-Meicholas and Pam Burnside following the presentation on the City of Nassau at the Mid-Sweden University. fers a unique opportunity to strengthen ties between the cities, to discuss and exchange information, to formulate partnerships and to determine and implement Network objectives, strate-

gies and operations.

Nassau to be designated as a UNESCO Creative City of Crafts and Folk Arts in December, 2015, one of only three cities in this region to hold this prestigious designa-

tion, the others being Jacmel, Haiti (Crafts and Folk Arts), and Kingston, Jamaica (Music).

The 2017 UCCN annual meeting will be held in Enghien les Bains, France.

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ALL SMILES AT ST ANNE’S FAIR

THE TRIBUNE

THE ST ANNE’S Parish held its Annual Fair and Steakout on Saturday. Those in attendance were treated to plenty of food, drink, arts and crafts – with facepainting for the youngsters.

PHOTOS: Shawn Hanna