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Volume: 118 No.218, October 7, 2021

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‘WE WILL CUT VAT AND SAVE ECONOMY’

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

THE Davis administration has pledged to “rescue” the economy, stabilise public finances, decrease value added tax, as well as ensure anti-corruption and government transparency.

In line with its campaign promise to bring relief to taxpayers, the Progressive Liberal Party government assured Bahamians that the 12 percent value added tax rate will be lowered to ten percent across the board.

In the Speech from The Throne read yesterday during the opening of Parliament at Baha Mar, the Davis administration also reiterated its plans to increase the country’s minimum wage and included a pledge to “phase in” a liveable wage.

Other notable pledges

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis speaking to the media yesterday. include introducing a framework for a cannabis industry.

In regards to its VAT tax decrease pledge, the Davis administration said this would be delivered despite the “bleak outlook” of public finances.

“The present economic crisis has left a trail of unprecedented misery among the Bahamian

people and our public finances in a dismal state,” Governor General Sir Cornelius A Smith said as he read the speech.

“Despite this bleak outlook, my government will introduce measures that will bring immediate relief to the Bahamian people and to businesses. My government will amend the VAT Act to lower the rate of VAT across the board to 10 percent.”

Apart from a pledge to build new hospitals in both New Providence and Grand Bahama through public-private partnerships, the government has also committed to restoring the economy. This will be done through a series of measures, the governor general said, before hundreds gathered at Baha Mar’s convention centre.

GOVERNOR General Cornelius A Smith reading the Speech from the Throne yesterday. See more from the event on pages TWO and THREE. Photos: Donovan McIntosh/Tribune Staff

MINNIS DOESN’T RULE OUT LEADER BID convention floor.

Asked about the matter in an interview that aired on Eyewitness News last night, Dr Minnis continually skirted the issue, ultimately saying: “I can’t answer that.”

His response comes amid widespread speculation in the FNM that he is aware of a move to have someone nominate him for

leader on the convention floor, paving the way for him to contest the position without directly offering himself for the role.

Sources say Dr Minnis has been making a number of calls to council members and meritorious council members since the general election.

SEE PAGE FIVE

FOX: I’VE DONATED TO FNM AND PLP

ANOTHER 23 COVID DEATHS CONFIRMED

SEE PAGES TWO & THREE

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

ISLAND Luck cofounder Adrian Fox says he has donated money to senior Progressive Liberal Party and Free National Movement politicians, insisting yesterday that donations are not what prompted Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis to write a letter as leader of the opposition urging a US

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis refused to say whether he would accept or reject a nomination for leader of the Free National Movement at the party’s next convention if someone nominates him on the

ADRIAN FOX judge to end a legal pursuit of him.

Mr Fox’s comments to

The Tribune came after Mr Davis, during a press conference yesterday, again defended his decision to support Mr Fox. “I’ve known Mr Davis for many years and when he wrote that letter on my part that was a demonstration of our friendship, not because of donations,” Mr Fox said.

“He was trying to give a young individual a second chance.

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

SEE PAGE FIVE

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

TWENTY-three new COVID-19 deaths were recorded in the country between Monday and Tuesday, pushing the nation’s toll to 582 since the start of the pandemic.

SEE PAGE FOUR

PAGE 2, Thursday, October 7, 2021

HISTORY MADE AS WOMEN LEAD HOUSE AND SENATE

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

freedom of speech.

“I would urge honourable members not to abuse these privileges. I intend FOR the first time in to protect the privileges of Bahamian history women this House and members will lead both the House of so that they can enjoy all of Assembly and the Senate those unfettered freedoms simultaneously. to speak on behalf of BahaSenator LaShell Adder- mians and I caution you ley was appointed president not to abuse these rights. of the upper chamber and “We cannot afford any Bamboo Town MP Patri- slippage in any of those cia Deveaux was elected areas if we intend to Speaker of advance the the House institution.” of Assembly She further during the noted that opening of a the sessional new session committees of Parliament would soon be yesterday. named.

While “I wish to women have remind the more frehonourable quently led members that the Senate in these beliefs recent years, are a part of Ms Deveaux’s the construct election of the instias House tution. They Speaker is only play a very the second important role time in Parin the overall liament’s 297 year history HOUSE Speaker Patricia functioning of that a woman Deveaux, top, and Senate the legislative has headed the President LaShell Adderley. branch of our Parliamentary lower chamber. It is also the first time democracy.

“There is much work to a Progressive Liberal Party majority government has be done. After they would have been appointed, each chosen female leadership.

In her first speech as the committee will be expected 55th speaker of the House to carry out its mandate.”

She was nominated by of Assembly, Ms Deveaux said she would not only seek Englerston MP Glenys to prove herself worthy of Hanna-Martin and the the office, but also protect nomination was seconded the rights and privileges of by Elizabeth MP Jobeth Coleby Davis. members of Parliament.

For her part, “I will seek to prove President myself worthy of my Senate office,” Ms Deveaux said. Adderley said it was note“I will aim as high as I can worthy that two women to maintain the decorum, were appointed to lead respect, dignity and fidelity both chambers.

“Indeed, this is a semiin this honourable House.

“I assure you that I will nal moment in our country claim from his excellency and, again, it is noteworall of the ancient rights thy that perhaps during and privileges that have the most challenging times been historically afforded since independence we to members of Parliament. have turned to two women These rights and privileges to keep order and to extended beyond those maintain order and transof ordinary citizens, par- parency in our system of ticularly the privilege of democracy,” she said.

THE TRIBUNE

‘We will cut VAT from page one “My government will focus on issues that will rescue, restore, and strengthen the economy,” he said. “My government will pursue strategies to address infrastructural needs of the country. My government will pursue measures to stabilise public finances and increase public revenue.

“My government will implement a debt management plan to address the historic debt burden and deficit.”

Regarding the issue of marijuana, the government said it would introduce a

“regulatory framework” for the cannabis industry and to expunge the records of young people convicted of minor offenses related to use of the drug as part of its five-year legislative agenda.

The pledge came as no surprise as Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis, while in opposition, expressed full support for both issues.

Plans for a new slate of laws also featured a declaration that the government will not tolerate corruption.

This will be supported by the introduction of effective anti-corruption legislation.

“My government will not tolerate corruption and is committed to introducing effective anti-corruption

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis presents the Speech from the Throne to Governor General Cornelius A Smith.

Photos: Donovan McIntosh/Tribune Staff

legislation,” the speech noted.

“My government will increase accountability and transparency. My government will fully implement the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act.” Additionally, the government intends to introduce measures to amend the rules of the House of Assembly that will enable fixed sessions of Parliament.

“My government will introduce a regulatory framework for the cannabis industry,” Sir Cornelius said.

He further revealed that the government planned to expunge criminal records as part of its Second Chance Programme that will allow people who have served time in prison to enter the job market.

Regarding government’s planned legislative work during its term in office, the Speech from the Throne revealed a “first priority to introduce laws that do away with current Emergency Powers Orders introduced under the former Free National Movement government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“My government fully understands that we cannot

resolve our country’s economic crisis until we have resolved the health crisis,” the governor general said.

“The COVID-19 crisis has exposed many of the weaknesses and vulnerabilities of our healthcare system.

“As a first priority, my government will, therefore, introduce legislation and policies to fully address future major health risks to avoid the need for emergency orders.”

The government also promised to introduce catastrophic healthcare insurance to make healthcare more affordable and to address mental health issues.

The government also plans to introduce legislation to facilitate a comprehensive programme of digitisation for the country and laws that protect consumers.

Further a Davis-led administration will introduce legislation to provide for the establishment of an Urban Renewal Authority to improve the quality of life of residents throughout The Bahamas.

Several amendments to existing laws are planned to ensure fiscal prudence.

This involves amending the Procurement Act to

COMMISIONER of Police Paul Rolle yesterday.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, October 7, 2021, PAGE 3

and save economy’ GOVERNOR General Cornelius A Smith and his wife, Clara Knowles.

FOREIGN Minister Fred Mitchell during the swearing-in ceremony. strengthen provisions for Bahamian participation in government procurement at all levels; amending the Fiscal Responsibility Act to strengthen the independence of the Fiscal Responsibility Council and amending the Public Financial Management Act to ensure full compliance with all existing legislation.

The government will also amend the Commercial Enterprises Act to ensure that when jobs are being filled, Bahamians receive the highest priority.

The plans for economic recovery will also include initiatives for Grand Bahama. The island has been in an economic slump for years.

“My government will capitalise on the ongoing successes of the industrial sector on Grand Bahama and use the investment arm of the Ministry for Grand Bahama to create a one stop shop to attract new local and direct foreign investment by way of dutyfree concessions across the entire island,” Sir Cornelius said.

The Davis administration also committed to ensuring that the economy works for all Bahamians and plans to amend the Hotels Encouragement Act to provide better incentives for Bahamian-owned and joint venture boutique hotels

MINNIS: SPEECH JUST A REHASH OF MY PLANS

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis during the Parliament swearing-in ceremony yesterday.

Photos: Donovan McIntosh/Tribune Staff along with related tourism offerings.

Legislation to create tax incentives for small and medium sized enterprises owned by Bahamians also will be introduced, according to the Speech from the Throne, which also foreshadowed an intention to introduce a Merchant Shipping Bill.

It is envisioned that the bill would bring the country in line with its international obligations, contemporary practices, and to enhance a competitive edge in the global maritime industry.

A new agenda also means keen attention to The Bahamas’ current building code.

“The government will introduce a new and progressive building code to increase resilience in the face of climate change,” Sir Cornelius said yesterday.

CHESTER Cooper and his wife Cecilia.

SOME of the new Members of Parliament yesterday.

NEW Deputy Speaker Sylvanus Petty.

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

AS the country grapples with the economic fall-out from COVID-19, the new Davis administration has promised to increase pensions for the elderly and raise benefits for the disabled community as a part of its plan to improve social assistance.

The administration also reiterated its promises of a minimum wage increase, expanded social benefits and additional relief measures for storm impacted residents on Abaco, Grand Bahama and Ragged Island.

The pledges — some of which were announced before on the campaign trail — were outlined in yesterday’s Speech from The Throne, read by Governor General Sir Cornelius A Smith.

for Abaco, Grand Bahama and Ragged Island.

“Through partnerships with Social Services, Urban Renewal and civil society, including the churches, my government will work to ensure that every Bahamian has life skills, food to eat, clean water and a roof over their heads.”

The Davis administration also promised to dole out additional benefits for the elderly and disabled and re-implement former social assistance programmes aimed at helping vulnerable families.

“My government will increase the pension for senior citizens,” the speech added. “My government will increase the benefits of those with disabilities and ensure that the provisions of the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities) Act are fully implemented and enforced.

“My government will

FORMER Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said the Speech from The Throne read during the opening of the new session of Parliament yesterday was mainly a rehashing of plans he had promised on the campaign trail.

He spoke to reporters on the sidelines of the event at Baha Mar yesterday.

“The Speech from The Throne seemed like a copy of our proposals that we were presenting throughout this entire electoral process, on our rallies, etc, we spoke about housing programmes, we were embarking on a mission to ensure that we presented opportunities for each and every Bahamian throughout the Bahamas (to) have an opportunity to own a home, providing them with land, incentivising them with concessions, etc, and moving towards a policy where the down payment would be removed or minimised because that is one of the greatest obstacles to homeownership within the Bahamas,” Dr Minnis said.

He said he is looking forward to the government implementing its promise to lower the value added tax rate.

“They continue to talk about reducing VAT but remember when we spoke about removing VAT off breadbasket items they thought it was impossible and we did it. But I’m looking forward to them reducing VAT to 10 percent, the Bahamian people are looking forward to that.”

Dr Minnis also spoke about the Atlantis resort’s announcement that unvaccinated employees have to pay for their own weekly antigen tests. The Killarney MP said since the Davis administration has promised to introduce free COVID-19 testing, the burden should not fall on Atlantis workers.

“If Atlantis is requiring individuals to pay, then the government who had made a statement that testing will be free, the government

should be paying for them, not the individual,” he said.

Dr Minnis also maintained his position that the government hosting the opening of Parliament at Baha Mar was unconstitutional.

Yesterday morning, Dr Minnis released a statement which noted that Article 65(1) of the Constitution says “each Session of Parliament shall be held at such place and commence at such time as the Governor-General may by proclamation appoint.”

He said when Parliament was dissolved in August, a proclamation noted “that the next session of Parliament shall be held in the City of Nassau.”

“The Baha Mar property sits outside the boundaries of the City of Nassau, as legally defined,” Dr Minnis said in a statement.

However, yesterday, Bahamas Information Services released a photo of a proclamation signed by Governor-General Sir Cornelius A Smith which paved the way for the next session of Parliament to be held at Baha Mar. Still, Dr Minnis suggested the process may not have been followed.

“We had concerns. The provost marshall normally would read the proclamation, to our knowledge that was not read and we saw this morning where the proclamation was within the booklet and was mentioned by the Speaker. But at no time was the provost marshall to our knowledge, read the proclamation and therefore (we wanted to let the population know) that the procedure as we know had not been followed. But the proclamation was in the booklet and mentioned in Parliament.”

He also said he hopes the government will release the costs associated with hosting the event at the resort.

“We don’t know the price tag yet. This government has said they will be very transparent, I’m sure they will release the figures for the Bahamian populace,” he said.

PENSION AND MINIMUM WAGE INCREASES PROMISED The event, held at Baha Mar’s Convention Centre, marked the official opening of Parliament after last month’s general election.

Yesterday, the government recommitted itself to much of what it promised the Bahamian people in the lead up to the election, including a minimum wage increase and increased social assistance for hurting Bahamians.

The speech read: “Even as we vigorously pursue avenues of progress throughout our country, my government is mindful that we will not leave behind the most vulnerable or discouraged people in our society.

“My government will enhance social assistance programmes. My government, in collaboration with the private sector and non-governmental organisations, will implement immediate relief measures

introduce legislation for the protection of consumers and my government will increase the minimum wage and phase in a livable wage. My government will re-introduce the RISE programme which provided several substantial benefits to many families.”

Sir Cornelius said the government will also work with relevant stakeholders to bring relief to mortgage and rent payers in a bid to reduce homelessness and also introduce new legislation that will allow the establishment of an Urban Renewal Authority.

The government’s promise of further social assistance comes at a time when the country is facing one of its worst economic crises and $10bn in debt.

During the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of Bahamians were either laid off or temporarily furloughed after a

CHRISTIE: I AM WILLING TO HELP DAVIS FORMER Prime Minister Perry Christie said he is willing to help Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis in whatever way necessary should the nation’s leader deem it appropriate.

His comments came when he was asked by The Tribune yesterday how he expects his relationship with Mr Davis will contrast with the relationship Free National Movement leader Dr Hubert Minnis had with former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham during his term in office.

Dr Minnis and Mr Ingraham appeared to have had a strained relationship since Dr Minnis took over as

FNM in 2012 after the party’s election loss, with the Killarney MP declaring that year that the Ingraham era was over.

In 2019, Mr Ingraham and Mr Christie suggested Dr Minnis ignored their capacity to help the country recover from Hurricane Dorian.

Dr Minnis later called their comments misleading and referred to them as an “unnecessary distraction.”

Mr Ingraham did not endorse Dr Minnis during the recent general election campaign.

“Prime Ministers get into office and they determine the extent to which

they will consult and with whom they will consult and so really it will depend entirely on Mr Davis because he knows like many others I am willing to assist him, I’m willing to help if he deems that a proper thing to do or an appropriate thing to do,” Mr Christie said yesterday. And so I am sure though that he is not going to allow me to be sitting out there when I could be of use to him and of help to him in the way Dr Minnis allowed me and Hubert Ingraham to sit out there when we could have been a more effective tool for him to use without there being politics in the matter.”

near total shutdown of the nation’s leading tourism industry.

The former Minnis administration had sought to assist those impacted by the pandemic by implementing several

COVID-19 relief initiatives, including a food distribution programme.

However, some of those programmes have since ended, with government officials announcing plans to put in place new ones.

PAGE 4, Thursday, October 7, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

Another 57,000 doses of vaccine by early November

By TANYA SMITHCARTWRIGHT tsmith-cartwright@ tribunemedia.net HEALTH officials who recently sounded the alarm on the low supplies of vaccines left in the country can breathe a sigh of relief as authorities in the Pan American Health Organization are promising the arrival of 57,300 doses in the first week of November.

Recently Dr Merceline Dahl-Regis, chairwoman of the National Vaccine Consultative Committee, said The Bahamas faced rapidly diminishing COVID-19 vaccine supplies due to increased demand. She also said vaccine hesitancy remains among a portion of the population.

There are 104,380 people in The Bahamas who are now fully vaccinated.

Yesterday, PAHO Assistant Director Dr Jarbas Barbosa gave an update

DR JARBAS BARBOSA on how the organisation will help The Bahamas get more vaccines, with the United States assisting indirectly as well.

“PAHO is doing everything that’s possible to increase the access of its member states to vaccines,” Dr Barbosa said during

PAHO’s weekly press conference. “In the case of The Bahamas we are working to expedite the process with COVAX. So The Bahamas will receive another 57,300 doses in the first week of November.

“We are also working with the US government

to expedite the donation of four million doses that the US government is donating to the Caribbean countries and The Bahamas will receive vaccines through this initiative.

“We are offering the regional countries to complement their vaccines through our direct purchasing process using PAHO’s revolving fund.”

The COVID-19 Delta variant has been identified as the dominant strain in The Bahamas recently leading to skyrocketing COVID numbers, as well as increased deaths rates and hospital cases over the summer. However in recent weeks, the number of COVID-19 infections as well as the hospital rate has lowered. Local officials say it is too early to say if we are out of the third wave, as less recorded infections could be the result of lower testing.

Dr Sylvain Aldhigieri,

COVID-19 incident manager, spoke to the dangerous Delta variant now identified as the cause of the recent infections in The Bahamas by labs in South America.

“The most recent samples sequenced at the institute in Panama and Brazil demonstrated 50 percent Delta, 45 percent unfound and 1.3 percent of Gamma,” Dr Aldhigieri said of Delta in The Bahamas.

“Although Delta is becoming predominant in most of the countries of the Caribbean in this context it is important to remember that this process of display and replacement of strains of variants is an expected phenomenon which has been happening early in the pandemic.

“The Delta variant better adapts to the human host as part of their evolution process. In The Bahamas it could be that less people are presenting for testing.

Perhaps as vaccination is increasing, people are becoming more relaxed and are less likely to present for testing when they have been exposed.”

Dr Aldhigieri said even though the vaccine roll out is going well, people should continue to use the public health and social measures that are known to work and prevent the spread of COVID-19 including all its variants.

PAHO reports that for the last month, there has been a drop in COVID infections throughout the region, even if cases remain high. Over the last week, nearly 1.2 million COVID19 cases and 24,000 COVID-related deaths were reported in the region.

Currently, 37 percent of the Caribbean have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Jamaica, Nicaragua, and Haiti have yet to reach even 10 percent coverage.

DAVIS: WE HAVE ASKED ATLANTIS TO RECONSIDER TEST CHARGE

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said he has asked Atlantis to reconsider its requirement that employees pay for weekly antigen tests if they are not vaccinated.

Atlantis’ policy took effect on October 1.

“Atlantis has not changed its stance as it relates to non-vaccinated team members,” the resort said in a statement to The Tribune on Tuesday.

The resort’s comment came less than a week

after Labour and Immigration Minister Keith Bell told reporters the resort agreed to hold off on the policy after discussions with labour officials.

Following yesterday’s opening of Parliament proceedings at Baha Mar, Mr Davis told reporters he met with the president of Atlantis recently and discussed the issue. He reiterated his administration’s intent to implement free COVID testing, which he says may mitigate the issue.

“She explained to me when I raised the issue of the (testing) being paid for

by the employees that this was a compromise that she arrived at with the corporate office,” he said. “She advised that all employees of Brookfield, all their properties, wherever they work, are required to be vaccinated.

Vaccination is mandatory for anyone who wishes to continue their employment with Brookfield.

“She appreciates the concern we have about mandatory vaccination and she reached a compromise with her corporate office that at least if they were to ask persons who wanted to continue to work with

Atlantis that they pay for their testing that might encourage them to get vaccinated. When we left the meeting they were going to revisit the issue of whether they continue to pay but at the same time we did indicate to her our desire to put in place free testing which we are still working on the logistics as to how we can get it done and so that may fall away in respect to the cost to the employee.

“We are still working on that so it will take some time so we’ve asked them to reconsider whether their employees ought to pay

but it was designed one, to keep people on the job having regard to their corporate mandate and they want to also be compliant with the wishes of the government not to mandate vaccination and thirdly they wanted to ensure that persons appreciate the need to be vaccinated and so that is the conversation we had, the deputy prime minister and I with the executives of Atlantis.”

Mr Davis said the administration is concerned that paying for tests will be burdensome for some workers.

“Our concern with respect to that was not

every employee is working seven days,” he said. “They are being rotated two, three days a week and so when they get whatever that salary is, to deduct a cost of a test from their salary leaves them with very little. It eats into what they can do with their income, particularly in light of the challenges they have with not having a full pay for a full week and the challenges they have with being furloughed for so long. I think Atlantis took on our representations in respect to the workers and we will continue to monitor that issue in respect to that.”

ANOTHER 23 COVID DEATHS CONFIRMED from page one

The latest COVID-19 deaths happened between August 10 and October 2, according to data released in the Ministry of Health’s latest dashboards.

Health officials said four deaths that were previously under investigation have now been reclassified as COVID-19 deaths.

The deaths confirmed on Monday include 15 New Providence residents, one resident from Mayaguana and one from Andros for a total of 17. Meanwhile, Tuesday saw six virus deaths recorded, all of whom are from New Providence Of the New Providence deaths reported on Monday, they are a 65-year-old man who died September 10; a 81-yearold man and 56-year-old man who both died September 17; a 61-year-old man who died September 19; a 57-year-old woman and 55-year-old man who both died September 20; a 68-year-old woman and 41-year-old man who died on September 23; a 60-yearold man who died on September 27; two women, both aged 57, who died on September 28; a 34-year-old woman who died September 29 and a 73-year-old

woman, 35-year-old man and 83-year-old woman who all died October 2.

The other deaths include a 67-year-old man from Andros who died August 10 and a 63-year-old woman from Mayaguana who died October 2.

In Tuesday’s dashboard, the ministry said a 42-year-old woman died on September 13; two men, aged 81 and 56, died on September 17; a 79-yearold man died September 28, and another two men, aged 47 and 38, died on September 29. The victims were all from New Providence.

The spike in deaths comes as virus cases continue to trend downward — though this newspaper has observed a slight uptick in infections on several Family Islands in recent days. Health officials were unable to provide comment when contacted by this newspaper yesterday.

However, it was reported that 53 new COVID-19 cases were recorded on Monday and 43 on Tuesday, bringing the nation’s total count to 21,458.

One hundred and fortyone people are still in hospital with the virus, 16 of whom are in the intensive care unit.

Despite the declining numbers, infectious disease

expert Dr Nikkiah Forbes recently said it is still too early to determine if the country is nearing the end of the third wave.

“In the last few weeks the number of cases reported is declining,” Dr Forbes recently told The Tribune.

“However, what I will tell you is that the testing has declined. When we look at the health data we look at several indicators. Test taking behaviours affect a number of positive cases and there are biases and things that will affect test taking. A holiday weekend would. If there is very big activity, test taking behaviour may change. In those weeks where the numbers were declining, testing went down. So that’s why it’s important to look at other variables, deaths, hospitalisations and the percent testing positive for the virus.

“The percent testing positive is still on an upward trend and still much higher than where we need it to be. We want it to be under five percent. When you have a high test positivity of upward of 20 percent that is informative and means there is still a lot of COVID-19 out there.

“What is positive is when hospitalisation starts to go down, when that trend continues to bear out, that’s an indicator that things are improving.

“We have to keep an eye on the epidemic curve. At the very end of last week there was a very small increase; it’s still too early to say the wave is being flattened or is behind us,” she said.

To contain the spread of COVID-19 residents are reminded of the following: if you have symptoms, contact your health provider; while home remedies may work for a period it is important to get tested and receive the proper care before symptoms become too difficult to manage; if you have been asked by the Surveillance Unit to get tested for COVID-19, please follow the advice and take the gold standard RT-PCR test.

Employees are also encouraged to work from home.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, October 7, 2021, PAGE 5

Davis: I did not know Munroe represented deputy commissioners

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis did not know that National Security Minister Wayne Munroe’s law firm represented two deputy commissioners of the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services in a 2019 lawsuit that sought to quash Charles Murphy’s appointment as commissioner of corrections before Mr Murphy was placed on administrative leave last week.

He told reporters yesterday he will speak to Mr Munroe about the issue to ensure “transparency” and that there “is no conflict.” He suggested that if the need arises, someone else in the administration

will have to substitute for Mr Munroe when there is a potential conflict.

Mr Munroe, in a press statement last week, said Commissioner Murphy has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation into the facility’s handling of Prescott Smith, a prominent Progressive Liberal Party supporter who Mr Munroe believes may have been held at the prison in contravention of a Supreme Court order.

Mr Murphy’s lawyer, Romona Farquharson Seymour, defended the prison’s handling of the matter during a press conference this week, saying Mr Smith’s lawyer did not show up to the prison with the proper release document, namely a release order.

She said the prison was not at fault for the issues that resulted in Mr Smith remaining at prison longer than he should have.

She asked whether Mr Davis knew that Mr Munroe’s firm represented prison Deputy Commissioners Doan Cleare and Bernadette ThompsonMurray in a 2019 lawsuit that alleged that former National Security Minister Marvin Dames forced them to take vacation leave to facilitate the appointment of Mr Murphy, their deputy, as commissioner.

Mr Munroe spoke to The Tribune at length about that matter around the time the lawsuit was filed in 2019. This week, Mrs Farquharson Seymour said he was directly involved in the case, noting his name

appeared on a document seeking leave from the Supreme Court to begin judicial review in the proceedings. She also noted that two weeks before the election, Munroe & Associates requested an adjournment in the matter.

Asked about Commissioner Murphy being put on administrative leave, Mr Davis said yesterday: “I was advised that steps had been taken to examine the hierarchy of the corrections institution, where we wish to carry that institution now from a punitive institution. Even though we have passed what I call a Corrections Institutions Bill, we still see it as very punitive; the leadership there is under review.

“I heard the issue about his (Mr Munroe’s) firm

MINISTER of National Security Wayne Munroe. acting (on behalf of the deputy commissioners). I have not yet spoken to him about those issues but I will speak to him and ensure there is transparency and there is no conflict in whatever he’s doing. Otherwise, we would just have to, as it were, allow someone else to deal with issues relating to (that).”

Regarding the decision to put Commissioner Murphy on leave, Mr Davis said he was informed “that the

leadership of the corrections institution was under review and it may have possibly required putting the leader on administrative leave”.

An administration official confirmed yesterday that Mr Davis did not know about the involvement of Mr Munroe’s firm in the lawsuit.

For his part, Mr Munroe has rejected the idea that he is biased towards his former clients.

FOX: I’VE DONATED TO FNM AND PLP from page one

“I have also donated a lot of money to the FNM, such people as Hubert Minnis, (Dionisio) D’Aguilar and Renward Wells and some other people. I’ve helped the PLP and the FNM. I’m a nationalist. I am trying to understand why they are signaling ‘Brave’ Davis like he did something for me for donations or political favours. He has been a mentor to me.”

Dr Minnis, Mr D’Aguilar and Mr Wells did not respond to messages seeking comment on Mr Fox’s claims before press time yesterday.

Mr Davis was one of several prominent PLP members who wrote character references supporting Mr Fox before the general election, urging a US judge to impose a light, non-custodial sentence on Mr Fox for the role he played in a

human smuggling operation more than a decade ago.

For some observers, the revelation raised questions about political donations.

The Bahamas does not have campaign finance laws despite repeated promises from politicians to enact such legislation.

Mr Fox has agreed to a plea deal with US authorities which omits all mention of human smuggling offences and has resulted in him agreeing to plead guilty to one count of helping to operate a vessel in US waters “in a grossly negligent manner.”

In an August 10, 2021, letter to Judge Denise Cote, Mr Davis praised the ways Mr Fox has transformed his life, calling him an exemplary citizen.

On Tuesday, the FNM released a statement saying that Mr Davis’ actions are “astonishing and reprehensible”.

“What is clear from news

reports is that the entire hierarchy of the PLP also seemingly happened to feel that they too may have ‘had to do it’,” the FNM said.

“Evidently a host of current PLP cabinet ministers, MPs and former MPs and ministers are reported to have waged a wholesale character reference assailment of the trial judge in New York,” the party said in a statement.

“While reports state that the then leader of the opposition, now prime minister, made it clear that he was writing in a personal, and not official capacity, the facts of a wholesale PLP campaign of character references before the New York court belies such assertions. The entire hierarchy of the PLP intervened in writing in a foreign criminal trial, on behalf of the convict.

“Just think of the national embarrassment we would suffer should

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis at yesterday’s ceremony. Photo: Donovan McIntosh/Tribune Staff

MINNIS DOESN’T RULE OUT LEADER BID from page one

While the content of the calls is unclear, many in the party have interpreted them as an effort to shore up support for a possible leadership run.

Dr Minnis did not respond to a message from The Tribune on Tuesday asking if he would run for leader if nominated on the convention floor.

Last month, FNM Chairman Carl Culmer confirmed to reporters that Dr Minnis, during a meeting with council members, said he will not offer himself up for leadership.

“We will have an opportunity to choose another leader,” Mr Culmer said.

“Dr Minnis also pledged to work with (the new) leader, whomever he may be, so that the FNM will be battle ready for the election whenever it is called.”

During his television interview, Dr Minnis said: “You know how the Westminster system works.

The Westminster system of which we follow (dictates) that if a party loses

an election the leader takes responsibility and the leader submits his resignation and the party determines the direction moving forward and I have done the proper thing.”

Dr Minnis did not resign as leader of the FNM after last month’s general election loss. He instead offered to remain leader until someone new takes over at the convention.

Asked a second time about the convention, he interrupted the interviewer and said: “Allow me to repeat. I’ve followed the Westminster system. It is the leader takes full responsibility and it is the party deals with that.”

Asked a third time about the matter, he said: “Anything’s possible, anything’s possible. When I make my decisions, once my conscience is clear and I ask my God for guidance I am happy.”

Asked if he would accept a nomination on the convention floor, he said: “I can’t answer that, I don’t know what the party (wants). My interests right

now is to be involved in the building of the Free National Movement, ensure that we are a machine that’s ready to take over and (that we are) a machine with all the amenities to take the Bahamas to another level.”

The FNM’s council is expected to meet tonight to discuss when the party will hold its convention.

Although Mr Culmer said last month that the party agreed to hold the convention in November, The Tribune understands that some may push tonight for a February convention.

Some FNM insiders believe a leadership run and victory for Dr Minnis could divide the party. Most of the FNM’s parliamentary caucus voted for Dr Minnis to be leader of the official opposition with the expectation that he would step down when a new leader is elected. It is not clear how the caucus would react to him remaining FNM leader for the long-term.

To date, no one has officially announced their intention to run for FNM leader.

each letter writer be summoned to testify in person before the New York court.

Further, such a concerted move by the most prominent PLPs could only be seen and, now especially, can only be seen as reflecting the views of the highest levels, not just in the PLP, but now of the government of The Bahamas.”

For his part, Mr Davis told reporters at Baha Mar yesterday that he far from

supports human trafficking.

“Again the typical modus operandi of the leadership of Hubert Minnis,” he said. “First of all, the charge that Mr Fox is facing now is a misdemeanor. He is being charged with mishandling or negligent handling of a vessel or boat. And as I indicated before, he was my client pre-2012. I was acting for him in this matter as a lawyer. When we lost in 2017 he engaged

me for advice in respect to the matter and I wrote the letter for him which I said I’ll do again because I recognise how he has reordered his life for quite awhile. His philanthropy and the good he has been doing in our communities particularly the distressed communities, particularly now when so many people are hurting, is commendable. It baffles me to tie me to supporting criminality.”

PAGE 6, Thursday, October 7, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

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No easy balancing act as govt lays out blueprint THE new government has shown its cards.

The Speech from the Throne is more than tradition, it’s a chance to see what the top items on the agenda are for government.

Yesterday showed some ambitious targets. In the face of the ongoing pandemic, getting the economy firing on all cylinders would be a challenge on its own, but to do so while also reducing public revenues by cutting VAT to ten percent is an extra challenge.

No timeline is given on that VAT pledge – which could be disruptive as some hold off major purchases waiting for the drop.

Elsewhere there is talk of tax incentives for small and medium businesses, of a new building code, of an increase in pensions for the elderly and benefits for the disabled community, an increase to minimum wage, more social benefits and more relief measures for Abaco, Grand Bahama and Ragged Island after the storm damage there.

That’s quite a list when you take note of the other news in today’s Business section, that The Bahamas has quite a bill to pay. The country is due to repay $3.65bn in debt by the time the next General Election comes around. This year alone, $900m is due, according to financial agency Moody’s.

As former DNA leader Branville McCartney notes: “Let’s watch the grey on Brave Davis’ head because that’s not a good position to be in for any leader.”

Mr Davis talks a good game about dealing with the challenge. “There’s no

time to waste,” he said. “The day of reckoning is here. Problems that were postponed too long must now be confronted. Many of the choices which lie ahead will not be easy ones. But if we have the best interests and the dignity of the Bahamian people as our north star, we will rise to the moment.”

Over at the FNM, Opposition leader Dr Hubert Minnis – who himself suddenly seems to be fighting shy of ruling out continuing as leader if nominated at convention – sounded doubtful about the prospect of the VAT cut.

“They continue to talk about reducing VAT,” he said, “but remember when we spoke about removing VAT off breadbasket items, they thought it was impossible and we did it. But I’m looking forward to them reducing VAT to ten percent, the Bahamian people are looking forward to that.”

There is also the prospect of the extra costs of COVID testing, with Mr Davis continuing to talk about free testing, with the government to bear that cost too.

That’s a lot of costs, a lot of debt, a drop in revenue – and a deficit to somehow balance.

It will be no easy task, but there should be no gloating from other quarters. We got to this point across multiple governments before being hit by the twin hammer blows of Hurricane Dorian and the pandemic.

One way or the other, the bill has come due, and it’s time to settle up.

We wish the new government every success in rising to the moment. Goodness knows we need to.

Avoid tit-for-tat confrontations EDITOR, The Tribune I RECENTLY decided to log onto Facebook and was disheartened to see Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) supporters gloating over Correctional Services Commissioner Charles Murphy being sent on administrative leave, as he is regarded as a political appointee.

Murphy is alleged to be a Free National Movement (FNM) supporter. This matter is now tied up in the civil courts. However, the Murphy matter has motivated political operatives of the incumbent administration of Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis to call for the heads of other suspected supporters of the erstwhile FNM administration of former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis.

These alleged FNMs are employed in the public sector that is funded by Bahamian taxpayers. This is a tit-for-tat confrontation that Davis would be wise to avoid. I am not going to call names, but I believe that these civil servants, whether

they’re FNMs or PLPs, are placed in an awkward situation when the party they don’t support assumes power.

Individuals are cavalierly calling for the termination of civil servants who were simply following orders handed down to them by the political directorate that writes their monthly cheques. Failure to carry out those orders would automatically result in swift termination from the civil service.

In our Westminster system, the prime minister is a de facto autocrat that wields tremendous power, unlike the president of the United States, who is kept in check by Congress, the Supreme Court and the Constitution. When the opposition is catapulted to power, its vindictive members would then take retaliatory measures towards politically exposed civil servants for following orders deemed harmful to their political comrades.

For these so-called politically exposed civil servants, they’re damned if they do

and damned if they don’t.

For them, it’s a no-win situation they have been placed in by a tit-for-tat system that dates all the back to the defunct United Bahamian Party.

Fellow Bahamians being hung out to dry economically because of their perceived political persuasion does not prick the conscience of these political operatives bent on revenge.

Prime Minister Davis has a grand opportunity to end this decades-old tribalistic practice that is red in tooth and claw by demonstrating to the faction of his base eager to exact revenge that he Prime minister of all Bahamians, not just PLPs. I am hoping that Davis will resist calls by his radical base for the firing of FNMs in the civil service by following the example of his former law partner Hubert Ingraham, who as prime minister, valiantly attempted to rid the system of political tribalism.

KEVIN EVANS Freeport, Grand Bahama.

October 6, 2021.

A servant leader is gone EDITOR, The Tribune.

IN ROBERT Greenleafs essay “The Servant as Leader” published in 1970, he described a servant leader as one who is focused on serving, encouraging growth and development in others whilst empowering them to reach their maximum potential. Some of the characteristics of a servant leader are strong decisionmaking skills, empathy, social interaction, trustworthiness, and foresight. The Bahamas has lost a servant leader; a giant in the name of Mr John Addington Rolle, former Comptroller of Customs.

As Comptroller of Customs, Mr Rolle contributed tremendously to the growth and development of the Bahamas Customs Department. He listened, understood, and empathised. He encouraged staff to strive to reach their maximum potential and recognised the extraordinary efforts of the deserving staff through commendations and awards.

As the longest-serving Comptroller of recent times (some 15 years), Mr Rolle saw and took the Department through numerous paradigm shifts such as the computerisation of the Department, the hiring of a more gender-balanced staff, and the implementation of Intelligence-led Investigations/Enforcement. He

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net established the Examination, Risk Analysis, and Intelligence sections and laid the foundation for many of the new and critical sections we have today such as IT, Marine, K9, Scanner, and Internal Audit to name a few. Through his perseverance, we have a home to call our own in the present Customs House (Customs Headquarters) located on University Blvd.

Under his purview, the revenue was greatly enhanced and collections always exceeded that which was projected by the government. Staff morale was at its highest because he led by staff inclusion through regular general meetings, senior officers meetings, and the establishment of various committees (which included staff of every rank) for the determinations of staff transfers, departmental changes, and assessment of offence penalties. He ensured that training was available to all staff.

As a hardworking, young officer excited about the job, I carried out my duties with diligence and pride; never hesitating to go above and beyond the call of duty. Mr Rolle (then Deputy Comptroller) recognised that he had

in me a committed, principled, uncompromising young officer. He harnessed my potential (along with others) by giving me direction and training and utilising me in areas of Customs that required officers with my innate abilities.

Because of this, I developed and became a key officer in the Revenue enhancement efforts of the Department for many years.

Mr Rolle always recognised that the staff was his greatest resource. He was approachable and accessible to all staff members and was not too big to apologise when he was wrong. He displayed a good balance of social community and professional life. Within the Department, he fostered social interaction with all staff with the aid of a striving Social Club that served the Department and the community through various outreach programmes and International Customs Day events.

Mr Rolle was a GIANT of a Comptroller, a GIANT of a man and a true Servant Leader. He will be missed.

My sincere condolences to his family and friends and the Customs family. May his soul rest in peace.

MEARLITA HEPBURN-KNOWLES Customs/Revenue, Superintendent.

Nassau.

September 27, 2021.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, October 7, 2021, PAGE 7

Canadian says he thought TEENAGE BOY DIES IN SHOOTING medical marijuana was legal

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net A CANADIAN who claimed he brought $230,000 worth of marijuana into the country because he was under the impression that medicinal marijuana was legal in The Bahamas was yesterday fined $50,000.

William McDonald, 60, was arrested at Lynden Pindling International Airport, after officers found 42.2 pounds of Indian hemp among his personal belongings on October 4.

He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess dangerous drugs with the intent to supply, possession of dangerous drugs with the intent to supply, conspiracy to import dangerous drugs and importation of dangerous drugs, during his arraignment before Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle Davis.

The court was told that around 1.30pm on the day in question, a crew of officers on mobile patrol at LPIA told McDonald that he would be searched after they suspected he was in possession of dangerous drugs. The prosecution said when police examined McDonald’s belongings, they found 12 sealed packages in one suitcase, 15 sealed packages in a second piece of luggage, 11 sealed packages in a third luggage case and four clear

sealed packages in a fourth one. All of the packages contained marijuana the court was told. When McDonald was questioned, he claimed he received permission from a person who said they worked for “the government”.

He was subsequently arrested. During his interview with police, he declined to comment.

Yesterday, McDonald’s attorney told the magistrate his client was a former cancer patient who was currently in remission. He said that McDonald came from a jurisdiction where medicinal cannabis was legal and made a “silly mistake” by bringing the parcels into the country thinking The Bahamas was like Canada in respect to the legalisation of the drug for medical purposes.

In response, Magistrate Rolle Davis said while he considered the plea in mitigation, he still had an issue with the quantity of drugs McDonald attempted to bring into the country.

As a result, he fined the Canadian $50,000 or two years in prison.

Meanwhile, a couple caught with $20 worth of marijuana they claimed they purchased to smoke in order to “relax” were both placed on a year’s probation.

Police arrested Raheem Malcolm, 25, and Vernika Cooper, 23, after they found eight grams of Indian hemp in their car on October 3.

The prosecution said that around 11.40 that night, officers on duty in the Fox Hill area noticed a car driving suspiciously. As a result, they beckoned for the vehicle to stop and informed its two occupants that they would be searched in reference to dangerous drugs and firearms. During their investigation, Cooper emptied her bag which led to the discovery of five silver foil wraps with marijuana. Cooper and Malcolm were subsequently arrested and taken to the Drug Enforcement Unit. In an interview there, they both said they had the drugs for their personal use.

Yesterday, Malcolm told the magistrate he bought the marijuana after coming home from a “long day of work”. He claimed he wanted to smoke the drugs to “take stuff off of his mind and relax.” Cooper also said she smoked marijuana to help ease her anxiety and insomnia.

In response, Magistrate Rolle Davis told the couple they had to find another way to “take their minds off of the troubles of life.” He said because they were both adults, they were now at the point where they “ought to be mature.” As a result, he placed them both on probation for one year.

If Cooper and Malcolm are convicted of a similar offence within that time frame, they could risk spending two months in prison.

THEFT CLAIM ‘WAS MISTAKEN IDENTITY’

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A MAN accused of stealing a woman’s purse five years ago vehemently denied the allegations as he gave closing arguments at the end of his trial.

Police branded Kenrick Pratt as the alleged culprit after a woman who was familiar with him identified him as the man who snatched her purse in February 2016.

However, the accused said he was the victim of mistaken identity and maintained his innocence during his trial before Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle Davis.

According to the prosecution, when the complainant gave evidence on March 29, 2016, she said she left her purse in her car after parking and

securing the vehicle on Second Street, the Grove.

The court was told that sometime later, she saw a man checking her car before running away with her handbag.

The prosecution said the woman saw the man’s face up close after she pursued him and got into a struggle with him while trying to get her purse back.

The woman said she realised the man was Pratt, who would frequent a breakfast shack in the Grove, right before he broke free and ran off with her purse.

Pratt, who is not represented by an attorney, did not call any witnesses to testify on his behalf.

However, during the proceedings, he chose to take the stand to give evidence and deny the allegations.

When he testified, he said he had “no knowledge” of the incident and insisted he only happened to be in the vicinity when the alleged offence took place.

“I was only arrested because of the people I hang out with,” he said. “My company cost me that day.”

Yesterday, Pratt also claimed he was only identified as a suspect because the officer who arrested him had a “vibe” with him.

In his closing arguments, prosecutor Kendrick Bauld reiterated the fact that the complainant identified Pratt as the man who “snatched her bag”.

In response, Pratt insisted the entire incident came about as a result of “mistaken identity.”

After listening to submissions from both sides, Magistrate Rolle Davis adjourned the matter to November 4 to deliver his ruling.

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

A TEENAGE boy died in hospital after being shot on Tuesday night, police said. He was the second homicide victim that day.

The Royal Bahamas Police Force said shortly after 9pm, officers were informed of a shooting on Cowpen Road involving a juvenile victim. Police later said the victim is a teenager, but did not provide his age.

“Officers were dispatched, and on their arrival they found a male suffering from wounds consistent with gunshots.

The victim was transported to the hospital via ambulance, where he later succumbed to his injuries,” police said.

“Initial investigations revealed that the victim was standing in front of his residence, when a male clad in dark coloured clothing approached him. The suspect discharged a firearm in his direction, hitting him several times about the body before fleeing the scene on foot.”

Earlier on Tuesday, shortly before 8pm, a man was killed and a teenage girl

was injured during a shooting that occurred off Kemp Road. Although police did not release the identity of the deceased, sources told The Tribune the victim was 35-year-old Arlington Stubbs.

He was one of three people sitting in a parked car when assailants opened fire at the vehicle. Assistant Superintendent of Police Audley Peters told reporters the three people in the car were family— a father, mother and daughter.

“On arrival of the first responders, they met a silver vehicle with three occupants within that vehicle two of whom were suffering from gunshot wounds. The occupants include an adult male, adult female, and juvenile female,” he said.

“Initial investigations indicate that a lone gunman approached the vehicle as it was parked outside a business establishment and discharged several shots into the vehicle injuring the driver who was in the driver’s seat and passenger who was in the rear seat.”

Anyone with information on any of these incidents is asked to call police at 5029991 or Crime Stoppers at 328-TIPS (8477).

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PAGE 8, Thursday, October 7, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

‘A hungry man is a angry man’ THE NATIONAL Food Assistance Task Force in action.

household unit was $42.66 enormous administrawhich included non-food tive infrastructure this THE COVID-19 pandisorder, including a rise in network, which included HEdemic NATIONAL Food and Assistance Task Force pictured in action in June. expenses.” concept would require, exposed various social problems. the Bahamas Feeding NetA number of critical the Task Force did not dramatically deepened With no income, no sav- work, the Grand Bahama policy lessons were learned consider were it to be a viable food insecurity, hunger ings and no to turn to, BOWLEG Food Assistance CommitByoneEARYEL Asked if there of The Bahamas has spent before and during the work option.” and undernutrition glob- thousands of Bahamians tee, Hands for Hunger, Tribune Staff Reporter the the list pandemic, $54m on helping people of the persons Task Force. taken A pri- off During ally. According to the were at risk from hunger, IDEA Relief, Lend a Hand mary lesson: The Bahamas the previous administration ebowleg@tribunemedia.net achieve food security over wanting to be put back on, World Bank, the pandemic including many thousands Bahamas, One Eleuthera Government in general and also created the National reversed years of develop- of children. This greater Foundation and the BahaMs Larson answered: “Yes the last 69 (weeks), next the Ministry of Social SerVaccine Consultative Comment gains in numerous insecurity exposed the mas Red Cross during THE head of the particular cannot the demands seen thatmittee. but Given we’ve week will make 70 weeks.”vices inwe’ve countries. many Bahamians already 2020. An army of voluncurrently respond to the on the Ministry of Health The bank noted in a suffering National from food inseresponded to needs ofShe FoodteersAssistance alsoof the seen also said: “The magnitude needsfor on example and at times in the dearth of recent report entitled, curity and undernutrition others.

Task Force Susan Larson one Moreover, zone in ProviDepartment of Social Sertheir own. the New leadership and competence “Food Insecurity and as well as the social and Holowesko Larson variousdence feed programmes senior levels by some revealed that“For the COVID-19” that the World economic has inequality in the stated: 70 weeks over the atlast month vices is permanently staffed, are about to be swamped public officers, the vacFood Programme estimates country. Department of without interruption, and Social Ser- permanently mandated…so that zone and cannot meet has thebeen cine reduced roll-out would have that approximately 270 milIn one of the greatest all the while in the face demands on their own. dramatically less vices will be taking over the lion people “are already at public-partnerships and one of the global COVID-19 percent,glob-50 been percent of we already have a structureMany50governments effective without the comrisk of becoming acutely of the more ambitious social pandemic, food security programme onforOctober 4. the people in that zonerobust did work and ally require public-private mittee’s food-insecure intervention tens of thousandsasofa country to help people The partnership efficiently in the coun- ‘The money goes initiativeshandover in Bahamiandiscushouseholds in was an ongoing fashion with not toneed foodinterventions. assistance and effectively run variThe new government tries where it quickly when you sions Bahamian assured. have been going on food including childhood obesity, any longer. So it’s not accuassistance.” operates. history, the “It has elevated aware- The Bahamas should not go ous food programmes. The is about to learn some divide it by the with senior ness members government haslook proven about policyrate to at ithard as itlessons is sort July,toBahamas Feeding “Acute administraof whatofcan beIn back business as usual in notoriously inept and making, logistics, crisis food insecu- 18,000 households thetionDepartment of former achieved the governof when Social of a national thing. It really Network Executive responding to the need Direcfor rity is defined requiring assistance Prime Minis- ment embraces the private nutritious food for those bungling in running food management and public Services for six weeks and, warehouses such as on the zones tolerance. and depends tor Philip Smith confirmed as when a ter Dr. Hubert sector as a willing and able requiring assistance. This is old Produce Exchange on It would do well to conperson’s life this year… The math Minnisthat there partner, in return,the the task given is and, a little where you are and force’s assistance a matter of economic good Potter’s Cay Dock to the sideremployhard lessons already or livelihood is straightforward: responded private sector contributes sense and social justice. more than a week left until would continue through to NEMAment warehouse.

Now zones, learned,sotoyes eschew recin those is in immedi- with a weekly aggressively, its experience and knowThe work of the Task it proposes to manage an reating the proverbial thecreating transition ate danger the date, how for officials the greater good.

It (there are) people that conthe end September.

Forceofended last week. In wheel, and to seek the because of budget of $768,000areFood Assis- up hasthose cemented the role such response, the new Minis- even larger warehouse? wrapping talks. tinue to need assistance but of indiMs Larson noted at the After various hurricanes, advice and counsel lack of food.” the breakdown tance Task partnerships should play in ter of Social Services and there has often been a terviduals like the heads of “The programme forAcute hunger per household unit Force. national development height as Urban thereof are also many, many of Development the programme, Min- rible wastage food. Then the food programmes, Mrs was already The Food our country moves forward. mally started “Crises working in fail- ister households Obie Wilchcombe (who have) willingly were there ispeople the degree of theft Holowesko Larson, the on the rise was $42.66 which Assistance may produce 57,000 offered some ideas on how or corruption by those using business community and June of 2020,”ureMs Larson registered globally Programme or opportunities.

The his Ministry gotten off the programme.” for food assisincluded nonwill address the because of food expenses.’ became a steldid not fail at this needs of those who were warehouses for personal others who can help them said.

“We wereBahamas put together food assistance pro-their heads tance.

At this point gain. in Will The political patronfrom bucking a number of lar example critical moment! Instead, once served by the food age now be a problem in and their toes. as a task force for initially phase of the pro- gramme began in June 2020 factors including the global of good government work- the pandemic helped the the last programme. how food is purchased and Food insecurity can climate emergency, conflict ing with non-governmental country to advance a 12-week programme, wea potento help familiesquickly in metastasize need. gramme, The 18,000 Minister households deserves into all and various socio-economic organisations and the busi- tial model of social justice some time to get this right supplied? are now thecommon pro- good, warehouse was manner of social dysfuncThe a initiative initially across the country wereRunning conditions within countries ness community to meet ending an for the and to design a transition and supply chain logistics tion, including increased and regions. extraordinary moment after in with70 many lessons learned gramme weeks. registered andHis theproposals numbers set to end in August of that programme.

Action Against World our history. because of the historic thus far appear to require require excellent manage- crime, more domestic abuse The commitment to food ment, robust and andextended greater poverty. year,oversight but was later have been getting smaller Hunger reports: “Around achievements and work of rethinking and clearer ideas good technology and comIf the government does security has been the world, more than the TaskextraorForce.” several networks. times tonotmeet the incrementally week and direction. Senior politi- by respond adequately, enough food is produced to Because of what the pan- cal leaders in the former munications dinary and the government needs of residents. week.

There are many good imaginatively and compreOther countries did not demic exposed and because feed the global population administration reportedly but as many as 811 mil- meet the moment, resulting of the lessons from the Task intended to have a transi- people in Social Services hensively to the demand lion people still go hungry. in riots, and an increase in Force, the Free National tion programme to meet who do fine work and for food, the looming crisis After steadily declining for criminality and other social Movement promoted the needs of many of those evince compassion. But may quickly turn disastrous, neither the Ministry nor upending all manner of best a decade, world hunger is problems. What would have in its Manifesto 2021, a previously served. the Department has the intentions and plans. on the rise, affecting 9.9 happened in The Bahamas Universal School Meals Mr Wilchcombe cited Asked by a reporter if he percent of people glob- if the food and the gener- programme to offer free some of the costs of the capacity or expertise in was concerned about Evanally. From 2019 to 2020, the ous economic assistance breakfast, lunch and snacks Task Force’s efforts. Mrs warehouse management. der Holyfield and his fight number of undernourished programmes were never to the approximately 40,000 Holowesko Larson offered plan, Mike Tyson famously people grew by as many as instituted? students in government- some basics on the ecoresponded: “Everyone Various international operated schools.

161 million.” nomics of the programme: Mrs Holowesko Larson has a plan until they get At home, the onslaught agencies have applauded This proposal represents “The weekly spend of the of the pandemic, with the the social and economic one of the greatest possibil- programme during 2021 warns: “Warehousing food punched in the mouth.”

The government is about resulting shellshock to our assistance efforts of the ities for social development was slightly more than for a centralised pantry concept was considered to be hit by a number of tourism-dependent econ- former government during in the country’s history. Will $768,000.” by the Task Force in its social realities it may not omy, quickly resulted in the pandemic. The $54m we fail to meet the pregnant She noted: “The money formative weeks. The Task understand. tens of thousands of Baha- programme, which began moment? goes quickly when you Force considered this to be Even worse than having mians incapable of finding in the Spring of 2020, was divide it by the 18,000 extremely resource inten- an inadequate plan, is adequate and nutritious headed by Susan Holowhouseholds requiring assis- sive, requiring huge outlays having no comprehensive food. The country risked esko Larson, who gave Given the degree of food tance this year… The math of cash and then ongoing plan at all to respond to the mass hunger and extreme exemplary national service.

The Task Force proved an insecurity, undernutri- is straightforward: with a administrative costs that tens of thousands of Bahasocial dislocation and extraordinary partnership tion and levels of obesity, weekly budget of $768,000 would diminish the pure mians who are now looking the breakdown per investment in food. for food to feed their fami“Given the urgency, lies. The last words are Bob the unknown duration of Marley’s: “A Hungry Man the programme, and the is a Angry Man.”

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Thursday, October 7, 2021, PAGE 9

Every flag a memory ON this day, there were 693,274 index card-sized white plastic flags. They were neatly arrayed in 149 sections, and a light breeze stretched out many of them so the messages they bore could be read by passersby. The sun was shining.

The sky was blue. Summer humidity had given way to a fresh cooler wave that made early autumnal temperatures feel a bit like San Diego.

And anytime the weather in Washington, DC, feels like San Diego, that’s a really good thing.

But visitors to the vast field of white symbols fluttering in the breeze in the shadow of the Washington Monument were not reveling in the weather.

Most were openly crying.

Emotion had simply overwhelmed them.

In a city full of memorials, a new installation honouring America’s COVID-19

STATESIDE

with Charlie Harper

human losses has surpassed all others but the superlative Vietnam War memorial in its emotional punch and impact on visitors.

Each four by six-inch pennant carries a message from a family member or friend of a corona-virus casualty. Often, only the name appears. Sometimes, longer messages are crammed into the small space. Many are heartbreakingly poignant.

This powerful art installation, entitled “In America: Remember,” is the creation of a Maryland artist whose genius has made a more

powerful statement than any politician ever could make about the tragedy of a pandemic that still claims hundreds of lives in the US every day.

Spread out on several acres of Washington’s national mall to the north and west of the Washington Monument, the neat sections resemble the somber, orderly pattern of the Arlington Memorial Cemetery across the Potomac River in Virginia. On a recent weekday morning, perhaps 50 visitors navigated the memorial, many

HOPEFUL SIGNS IN VIRUS FIGHT MEANTIME, there are encouraging signs that the US and other large nations are actually coming to grips with this public health catastrophe. Companies such as AT&T and YouTube, as well as nations like China, have moved positively to limit the spread of the virus. The telecom giant is beginning to require vaccinations. YouTube has pledged to excise nonfactual nonsense about the dangers of the vaccine.

China has said no foreign visitors may attend the upcoming Winter Olympic Games.

Some states and public health providers have instituted mask and/or vaccination mandates for all employees.

Numerous news articles have reported that the percentages of employees fully vaccinated has risen quickly since imposition of these requirements, often to a figure well over ninety percent.

The New York Times and Wall Street Journal have recalled that General George Washington’s

decision to require smallpox vaccinations for his Continental Army was a significant factor in America’s Revolutionary War success against the British.

Public resistance to other vaccines such as smallpox again in the late 19th Century and polio in the 1950s were controversial and contentious in ways similar to what we are witnessing now with the public outcry on the COVID vaccine. The US has been here before.

In many ways, the US is still defined in the minds of many Americans – and millions of others all across the world – as the 19th Century land of rugged individualism and solitary defiance. From James Cagney to John Wayne to Clint Eastwood, American movie heroes have followed their own compass and resisted the tide of public values conformity.

That’s why they are so intriguing and even inspirational to movie-goers.

Daniel Craig’s James Bond, returning to movie screens tomorrow in a

COVID-delayed opening, routinely frustrates his bosses with his defiant individualism.

Americans idealise individual freedom. So do many in countries around the world. But citizens do not have the right to pursue their own values in a fashion that causes harm to others well-being and, more broadly, to entire communities.

Over a century ago, a legal case presaging what we’re seeing now made its way to the American Supreme Court.

In 1905, the high court ruled against a cleric who refused to take the smallpox vaccine. The Court ruled that the Constitution did not allow Americans to always behave however they wished.

“Real liberty for all could not exist,” said the court’s majority opinion, if people could act “regardless of the injury that may be done to others.”

It’s fair to speculate about what the current US Supreme Court might rule in a similar case. Maybe we will find out.

MAJOR LEAGUE IS BACK MAJOR League Baseball in the US launched its “second season” on Tuesday evening with the sport’s most celebrated rivals facing off in Boston.

The Red Sox beat the Yankees 6-2 in a game that was never really suspenseful.

Now the Sox will face the champions of their own American League East Division and defending AL champion Tampa Bay Rays, who earned the best record in the AL this year.

While American baseball may have ceded its position as the most popular US sport to football over the past decades since a devastating 1994 players’ strike that forced cancellation of that year’s World Series, it still exercises a strong hold on sports fans in the US, particularly outside

the state of Florida where the Miami Marlins and the Rays find it persistently difficult to attract large crowds to their weather-proof stadiums.

As a consequence, the two Florida teams rank near the bottom in a list of baseball’s top 30 payrolls. The Marlins, with a 2021 wage bill of $58m, ranked third from lowest in payroll – and dead last in attendance.

Despite winning 100 games, the Rays were 26th in payroll and 28th in attendance at their rather dismal Tropicana Field concrete dome stadium. That’s the bunker where fly balls sometimes get caught in the steel grid that supports the stadium’s bulky superstructure.

The Rays still win on the field, thanks to a superlative organisation that survived

the defection seven years ago of General Manager Andrew Friedman to the Los Angeles Dodgers. There, he oversees by far baseball’s largest payroll ($267m) and largest attendance, in addition to a lucrative regional cable TV deal that sustains the team’s aggressive pursuit of more and more talent.

Payroll spending still broadly correlates with on-field baseball success in the only major American sport still without a salary cap. Other AL playoff teams include Houston (4th in payroll), Boston (6th), and the Chicago White Sox (15th). In the National League, the Dodgers are joined by St. Louis (9th), San Francisco (10th), Atlanta (12th) and the Milwaukee Brewers (19th).

overcome by feelings of grief and loss.

An elderly woman crouched low, gently fingering a plastic memory and speaking softly to her dear departed one. Nearby, a young mother and her daughter ran toward the memorial in an exuberant gambol, only to suddenly halt, smiles disappearing, at the sheer scope of the nation’s loss.

Many of the messages memorialised the elderly, with numerous loving odes to grandparents lost to the virus. Others lamented lives

cut cruelly short.

It’s simple enough to add a new tribute to these overflowing fields. Patient, polite volunteers explain the process to visitors at tent stations around the memorial’s perimeter. There are a couple of newer sections, yet unfilled, at the edges, and a few people are slowly, painstakingly pushing their metal standards into the ground as they commemorated those lost.

This exhibition is not a cemetery. It is a solemn, temporary remembrance that will soon be moved indoors at a nearby museum. But the installation’s quiet dignity represents a stark contrast with the pointless political polemic that fills up Washington and much of the US these days. There’s no blather here.

It is nonetheless tempting to wish that politicians

like Donald Trump, Florida Governor Ron De-Santis and Texas Governor Greg Abbot could be compelled to spend some time here.

Perhaps they would gain a greater appreciation for the misery their indifference and callow ambition have helped to foster.

As if to underscore that point, the south portico of the White House is clearly visible from these fields of the fallen. It was from that lofty porch that Trump appeared in a photo op after returning from a hospitalisation due to his own bout with COVID-19, waving to the cameras and continuing to downplay the severity of the pandemic.

Trump should certainly speak out much more forcefully on the need for the public to get the vaccine and observe responsible health practices, as should his disciples. Hopefully that time is coming.

BREAKTHROUGH

PAGE 10, Thursday, October 7, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

WORLD’S FIRST MALARIA VACCINE ENDORSED LONDON Associated Press THE World Health Organization on Wednesday endorsed the world’s first malaria vaccine and said it should be given to children across Africa in the hope that it will spur stalled efforts to curb the spread of the parasitic disease.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called it “a historic moment” after a meeting in which two of the UN health agency’s expert advisory groups recommended the step.

“Today’s recommendation offers a glimmer of hope for the continent,

which shoulders the heaviest burden of the disease.

And we expect many more African children to be protected from malaria and grow into healthy adults,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO’s Africa director.

WHO said its decision was based largely on results from ongoing research in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi that tracked more than 800,000 children who have received the vaccine since 2019.

The vaccine, known as Mosquirix, was developed

by GlaxoSmithKline in 1987. While it’s the first to be authorised, it does face challenges: The vaccine is only about 30 percent effective, it requires up to

four doses, and its protection fades after several months.

Still, scientists say the vaccine could have a major impact against malaria in Africa, home to most of the world’s more than 200 million cases and 400,000 deaths per year, “This is a huge step forward,” said Julian Rayner, director of the Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, who was not part of the WHO decision.

“It’s an imperfect vaccine, but it will still stop hundreds of thousands of children from dying.”

Rayner said the vaccine’s impact on the spread of the mosquito-borne disease was still unclear, but

pointed to those developed for the coronavirus as an encouraging example.

“The last two years have given us a very nuanced understanding of how important vaccines are in saving lives and reducing hospitalisations, even if they don’t directly reduce transmission,” he said.

Dr Alejandro Cravioto, head of the WHO vaccine group that made the recommendation, said designing a shot against malaria was particularly difficult because it is a parasitic disease spread by mosquitoes.

“We’re confronted with extraordinarily complex organisms,” he said. “We are not yet in reach of a

highly efficacious vaccine, but what we have now is a vaccine that can be deployed and that is safe.”

WHO said side effects were rare, but sometimes included a fever that could result in temporary convulsions.

Sian Clarke, co-director of the Malaria Centre at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said the vaccine would be a useful addition to other tools against the disease that might have exhausted their utility after decades of use, like bed nets and insecticides.

“In some countries where it gets really hot, children just sleep outside, so they can’t be protected

by a bed net,” Clarke said.

“So obviously if they’ve been vaccinated, they will still be protected.”

In recent years, little significant progress has been made against malaria, Clarke said. “If we’re going to decrease the disease burden now, we need something else,” she explained.

Azra Ghani, chair of infectious diseases at Imperial College London, said she and colleagues estimate that giving the malaria vaccine to children in Africa might result in a 30 percent reduction overall, with up to eight million fewer cases and as many as 40,000 fewer deaths per year.

US COVID surge waning with more mandates in the works COVID-19 deaths in the US are coming down again, hospitalisations are dropping, and new cases per day are about to dip below 100,000 for the first time in two months — all signs that the summer surge is waning.

Not wanting to lose momentum, government leaders and employers are looking to strengthen and vaccine requirements.

Los Angeles enacted one of the nation’s strictest vaccine mandates Wednesday, a sweeping measure that would require the shots for everyone entering a bar, restaurant, nail salon, gym or Lakers game. New York City and San Francisco have similar rules.

Minnesota’s governor this week called for vaccine and testing requirements for teachers and long-term care workers. In New York, a statewide vaccination mandate for all hospital and nursing home workers will be expanded today to home care and hospice employees.

Across the nation, deaths per day have dropped by nearly 15 percent since mid-September and are now averaging about 1,750.

New cases have fallen to just over 103,000 per day on average, a 40 percent decline over the past three weeks.

The number of Americans now in the hospital with COVID-19 has declined by about onequarter since its most recent peak of almost 94,000 a month ago.

“What we’re seeing is what we’ve seen in the prior three surges,” said Dr.

Marybeth Sexton, an infectious-disease specialist at Emory University School of Medicine. “What we need to remember is when we see these numbers go down, it’s not a signal to let up. It’s a signal to push harder.”

If people give up masks and social distancing and stop getting vaccinated, “we could be right back here in the winter with surge five,” she said.

The decreases have been especially sharp in several Deep South states, where cases have gone down more than twice as fast as they have nationwide. Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Arkansas all saw their case numbers cut in half over the past two weeks.

What’s behind the decline isn’t entirely clear, though health experts point out that the numbers are falling as more are people getting vaccinated and new requirements for the shot are being put in place by government and private employers.

The decrease in case numbers could also be due to the virus running out of susceptible people in some places.

Several big companies and institutions with vaccine requirements are seeing high compliance rates. In Denver, 92 percent of its municipal employees have gotten the shot, well above the city’s overall rate.

Ochsner Health, Louisiana’s largest health system, said last week that 82 percent of its employees were fully vaccinated. But this week, a group of employees sued to block the mandate, which includes making

unvaccinated spouses pay an extra $200 a month in health insurance.

Three of North Carolina’s largest health systems said on Wednesday that more than 99 percent of the roughly 88,000 workers they collectively employ have gotten a shot or an approved medical or religious exemption.

Just under 300 workers at Duke Health, UNC Health and Novant Health have quit or been fired over their refusal to comply.

Health care giant Kaiser Permanente put more than 2,200 employees nationwide — roughly one percent of its workforce — on unpaid leave because they have chosen not to get vaccinated. They have until December 1 to get their shots or lose their jobs.

Since its vaccination requirement was announced, the inoculation rate among employees has gone from 78 percent to 92 percent, Kaiser said.

“Vaccine requirements work. New data reinforces that fact each day,” White House COVID-19 coordinator Jeff Zients said Wednesday.

The easing of cases, death and hospitalisations is happening along with other encouraging developments, including the possibility that vaccinations for 5-to11-year-olds will become available in a matter of weeks and the first pill for treating people sick with COVID-19 could reach the market by year’s end.

Worldwide, newly reported cases fell in the last week, continuing a declining global trend.

SPORTS PAGE 11

AYTON, page 14

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2021

Jones and Sun eliminated

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

A

season of accolades came to an abrupt and disappointing end for reigning MVP Jonquel Jones and the Connecticut Sun. The Sun were eliminated 3-1 in the WNBA semifinals with a 79-69 loss in game four of the best-of-five series last night at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois.

Jones finished with 25 points and 11 rebounds, both game highs. She also added two steals, two blocked shots, two assists, shot 10-18 from the field and 2-4 from the threepoint line.

“She wanted the ball, she hunted for shots. We asked her to, and she maybe forced at times, but it was great to see an aggressive Jonquel wanting the ball and being active on the glass,” Sun head coach Curt Miller said, “And she’s not done growing.”

In last night’s series finale, the Sun got off to another slow start and trailed by double digits early on when a Candace Parker three pointer gave the Sky a 13-2 lead just 2:46 into the game.

The Suns responded with a run of their own and eventually trimmed the deficit to just three on an Alyssa Thomas layup to make the score 22-19. Jones’ layup just beat the first quarter buzzer and the Sky led 32-26 at the end of the first period.

The Sun were held to 15 points in the second quarter as the Sky rebuilt a double digit lead headed into the half, 54-41. Connecticut won their only quarter of the game in the third, 17-11, to trail 65-58 headed into the fourth.

A low scoring fourth quarter for both teams, the Sun scored a game low 11 points and were unable to mount a comeback effort to extend their season.

But WNBA MVP scores 25 points, grabs 11 rebounds

JONQUEL Jones goes up for a shot against Sky’s Courtney Vandersloot (22) and Candice Parker right, during the second half of Game 4 of their WNBA playoff semifinal yesterday in Chicago.

Chicago won 79-69.

(AP Photo/ Paul Beaty)

SEE PAGE 13

CHICAGO BEATS CONNECTICUT 79-69, HEADS TO THE WNBA FINALS

Pro soccer: Ronaldo Romario Green signs with Waterford Blues in Ireland Premier Division AN historic moment for one local soccer player and for the development of the sport in the Bahamas, Ronaldo Romario Green will take his career to the professional level internationally.

Green, a 20-year-old midfielder, has signed with Waterford Blues of the League of Ireland Premier Division.

Green, who recently completed a successful trial period with Waterford, played locally with the Western Warriors of the Bahamas Football Association’s senior league.

Waterford manager Marc Bircham described Green as a “young lad from The

Bahamas with big potential” and joked that he has no pressure on him to live up to the name he shares with the Portuguese superstar.

The Blues are currently in 9th position in the league, currently in the relegation playoff, but remain just two points behind eigth place club Dundalk. They began the season 0-7 before a recent surge under Bircham improved their place in the standings.

Green will have an opportunity to make his debut on October 22 when the Blues will face Bohemians in the Football Association of Ireland Challenge Cup semifinal.

Taylor hits walkoff HR, Dodgers beat Cards 3-1 in wild-card

By BETH HARRIS AP Sports Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — Chris Taylor hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning, lifting the Los Angeles Dodgers past the St Louis Cardinals 3-1 last night in the NL wild-card game.

The 106-win Dodgers advanced to a best-of-five NL Division Series against the rival Giants. Game 1 is Friday night in San Francisco.

The sellout crowd of 53,193 hung on every pitch as the tension of a tie game built from the fourth inning on.

Fans waved blue towels, futilely urging out the few balls launched into the outfield only to see them caught in a winner-takeall matchup between two of the most storied and

successful National League franchises.

Cody Bellinger drew a two-out walk from T.J. McFarland and stole second in the ninth, when nearly every fan was on their feet, waiting to see if the defending World Series champions could pull off a win. Alex Reyes came in to face Taylor, who sent a 2-1 pitch into the left-field pavilion, triggering an explosion of cheers.

Tommy Edman dropped a one-out single into right off closer Kenley Jansen in the top of the ninth and stole second. Paul Goldschmidt took a called third strike and Tyler O’Neill went down swinging to end the threat.

Both teams had runners on in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings, but couldn’t push a run across.

SEE PAGE 12

By CASEY DROTTAR Associated Press

MAKING HISTORY IN SOCCER - Ronaldo Romario Green, a 20-year-old midfielder, has signed with Waterford Blues of the League of Ireland Premier Division.

CHICAGO (AP) — Courtney Vandersloot scored 19 points and Kahleah Copper added 18 to help the Chicago Sky beat the top-seeded Connecticut Sun 79-69 and advance to the WNBA Finals last night.

Chicago is back in the finals for the first time since 2014 despite finishing the regular season with a .500 record.

Candace Parker, who returned home to Chicago this season, finished with 17 points, nine rebounds and seven assists.

“It means so much. Looking up into the stands and seeing familiar faces,” Parker said of getting to the Finals with her hometown team.

SEE PAGE 14

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BEFORE 15TH OCTOBER 2021.

PAGE 12, Thursday, October 7, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

College basketball players make their presence felt in Canada

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net COLLEGIATE basketball in Canada has returned at the U Sports level, and several Bahamian participants made their 2021 debut in the Stu Aberdeen Memorial Preseason Tournament.

Shamar Burrows helped lead the Dalhousie Tigers to a 3-0 record at the event, which included a semifinal win over a St Mary’s Huskies team which includes forward Qymeh Gibson and assistant coach Ollen Smith.

Burrows finished with 20 points and a team high eight rebounds.

Gibson finished with 15 points and six rebounds in the Tigers’ 100-92 win at Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Burrows shot an efficient 8-11 from the field and Gibson sent 5-12, including 3-7 from three-point range.

Dalhousie began the tournament with an 84-79 win over the St Francis Xavier X-Men, followed by a 91-67 win over host team Acadia. St Mary’s went 1-2 after a 92-71 tournament opening win over Acadia.

In a 93-90 win over St FX, Gibson finished with 11 points (3-8 on three pointers) and seven rebounds.

Both programmes are members of the Atlantic University Sport Conference. The 2021-22 AUS regular season is set to begin Friday, October 29.

The reigning AUS champion Tigers will travel to Cape Breton in their season opener while the Huskies will travel to Acadia.

The fall semester play will wrap up Sunday, November 28. Regular season play resumes Friday, January 7 for the winter semester. The regular season concludes Saturday, February 19.

The 2021 AUS championships will be hosted by the AUS conference office at Scotiabank Centre in

QYMEH GIBSON

SHAMAR BURROWS

Halifax, Nova Scotia and will take place February 25-27.

U-Sports cancelled their 2020-21 basketball season, but Burrows was named the Tigers men’s basketball “Tiger of the Year” by head coach Rick Plato.

According to the programme, the award is given to the player who displays “unwavering commitment to training and devotion to the growth of the team.”

“There are a great many athletes who could have

been selected as our Tiger of the Year this season, but there is one who really upped his level of commitment in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Plato said.

“Shamar’s energy and enthusiasm in practice was consistent regardless of the time of day, the drill, or the type of day he was having.

A three-year veteran of the team, he has grown and matured leaps and bounds over the course of his career and has become

LOS Angeles Dodgers’ Chris Taylor (3) celebrates with Cody Bellinger (35) after they both scored off of a home run hit by Taylor during the ninth inning to win a National League Wild Card playoff baseball game 3-1 over the St Louis Cardinals yesterday in Los Angeles.

a true leader and a great ambassador for the men’s basketball programme on and off the court.”

Burrows is one of several players returning to a Dalhousie team that made programme history in the 2019-20 season.

The Tigers finished the year 23-2. They ended just short of their ultimate goal, but finished as the second ranked team in all of Canadian collegiate basketball.

They finished with the silver medal at the 2020 U SPORTS Final 8 Basketball Championships - the best finish in programme history.

In his second season with the Tigers, he appeared in 20 games with six starts. He averaged 8.8 points and 4.1 rebounds per game while shooting 54 percent from the field and 77 percent from the free throw line.

“Simply stated, 2020-21, was a year unlike any we have ever seen. Coming off our first ever National Championship game, our men’s basketball team was

riding high and had tremendous momentum on which to build for this season, then the pandemic struck,” Plato said. “The consistency and resiliency of our players and their collective work ethic and dedication made this coach more than proud. I have no doubt that we will be a better team in 2021-22 as a result of the collective effort of our players and coaches.”

Gibson helped lead the Huskies to an 11-9 record last year. In his second year with the Huskies, he started all 20 contests and played just over 31 minutes per game. He led the team in scoring and was seventh in the league at 15.4 points per game. He was also eighth in rebounding at 6.5 rebounds per game.

In his first year with the programme, Gibson averaged 5.9 points in just over 10 minutes per game as a reserve.

Gibson was named a Second Team AUS Tournament All-Star.

DODGERS centre fielder Cody Bellinger (35) celebrates as he scores off of a home run hit by Chris Taylor during the ninth inning to win a National League Wild Card playoff baseball game 3-1 over the St Louis Cardinals.

(AP Photos/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Taylor hits walkoff HR, Dodgers beat Cards 3-1 in wild-card FROM PAGE 11 Duelling aces Adam Wainwright of St Louis and the Dodgers’ Max Scherzer struggled with their control early in just the second winner-take-all game in postseason history with two starting pitchers aged 37-plus. Wainwright is 40; Scherzer is 37.

They issued two walks apiece through the first three innings.

Scherzer’s wild pitch led to a run in the first and he hit Harrison Bader in the fourth.

Justin Turner tied it at 1 in the fourth on a leadoff solo shot into the Dodgers bullpen in left. It was the first homer Wainwright has ever given up on a curveball in the postseason. Turner’s 13 postseason homers are the most in franchise history.

St Louis led 1-0 when Edman scored on Scherzer’s wild pitch. Edman singled leading off, stole second base and took third when O’Neill fouled out to right.

Scherzer left with one out in the fifth after giving up a leadoff single to Edman and a walk to Goldschmidt.

He paced the dugout with his hands on his hips.

Former Cardinal Joe Kelly got out of the jam after Goldschmidt reached third on Kelly’s wild pitch.

Scherzer allowed one run and three hits, struck out four and walked three against his hometown team.

Wainwright gave up one run and four hits in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out five and walked two.

The Dodgers had Wainwright on the ropes in the third, loading the bases with one out. He was within one ball of walking in the tying run before Trea Turner broke his bat grounding into an inning-ending double play on a 3-2 pitch.

UP NEXT Cardinals: Pitchers and catchers report for spring training in mid-February.

Dodgers: Open the best-of-five NLDS against San Francisco on Friday.

They were 9-10 against the Giants this season.

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Thursday, October 7, 2021, PAGE 13

CHARLOTTE Hornets’ Kai Jones poses for a picture during media day on September 27, 2021, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

SACRAMENTO Kings guard Chavano “Buddy” Hield reacts following a three point basket during the second half of a preseason NBA basketball game on Monday.The Kings defeated the Suns 117-106.

(AP Photo/José Luis Villegas)

Hield, Ayton and Jones active in NBA preseason debuts

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net NBA basketball is officially back and all three Bahamian born players in the league were active as their teams made their respective preseason debuts.

Chavano “Buddy” Hield and Deandre Ayton faced off in the first preseason matchup for both teams October 5 at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California.

Hield finished with 14 points, four rebounds, and four assists in his Sacramento Kings’ 117-106 win over Ayton’s Phoenix Suns. Ayton finished with eight points on 4-6 shooting, three rebounds and a blocked shot in just 12 minutes.

Ayton followed with his first double double of the year last night in the Suns’ 117-105 win over the Los Angeles Lakers at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona.

The fourth year centre finished with 14 points on 6-12 shooting from the field and added a game high 11 rebounds in just 22 minutes.

The Suns will face the Lakers again on October 10 and will conclude the preseason against the Portland Trailblazers on October 13.

The Kings will continue the preseason with an October 11 matchup against the Trail Blazers and will close out against the Lakers on October 14.

Kai Jones made his NBA debut with the Charlotte Hornets in their preseason opener, a 113-97 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. He finished with four

KINGS guard Buddy Hield is photographed during the NBA basketball team’s Media Day. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) points on 2-3 shooting from the field and added four rebounds in just over eight minutes.

In the offseason, Jones said his intention is to establish himself as a player known for his effort above anything else.

“Once you have that reputation they know you are going to go hard, they are going to want to play with you and that’s good for chemistry,” Jones said.

“I’m growing every day so I’m constantly talking to coach Borrego about what he wants me to do on the floor and just trying to be efficient,” he said.

Just months into his NBA career, Jones is already looking forward to adding elements to his game.

“I’ve been working on touch shots a lot more, jump hooks and stuff. I never really used to work on that too much but like I said you can’t just dunk everything. I’m going to try to dunk everything, but I’ve been getting my reps in

HORNETS forward Kai Jones (23) dunks in the second half of a preseason NBA basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder October 4 in Oklahoma City.

(AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki) a lot. I have to expand my game,” Jones said. “It’s just about consistently doing my job the right way.”

The Hornets will continue their preseason tonight against the Memphis Grizzlies. They close out the preseason against the Miami Heat on October 11 and Dallas Mavericks on October 13.

JONES from PAGE 11 Through four games in the 2021 postseason, Jones averaged 16.3 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.3 blocked shots per game. In game one, she led the Sun with 26 points and 11 rebounds in a 101-95 double overtime loss.

In game two, she finished with a season low four points, seven rebounds and four assists in the Sun’s 79-68 win.

Game three featured another double double - 10 points, 10 rebounds - and she also added a game high four blocks, but her Sun lost game three, 86-83.

Miller said his team was outcoached and was outplayed over the course of the series, headed into the postseason with a 14-game win streak and a No.1 overall seed.

“We’re disappointed. We have a ton of players in that locker room under contract.

It took a long time to put our roster together, but I’m excited about this group, and what it could eventually do,” Miller said.

“It feels like we were always on our heels this series and it caught up with us….It’s just an empty feeling right now, that we didn’t play as well as we’re capable of playing over these last eight days.”

The Sun had an historic finish to the 2021 WNBA regular season with a

CONNECTICUT Sun’s Jonquel Jones (35) goes up for a shot against Chicago Sky’s Azura Stevens (30) during the second half of Game 4 of their WNBA basketball playoff semifinal yesterday in Chicago. .

(AP Photo/Paul Beaty) 14-game winning streak.

Their 26-6 record included a 15-1 record at home in the Mohegan Sun and earned a double bye to the semifinals.

Since the WNBA changed its playoff format in 2016, this is the first season the No. 1 seed has failed to reach the championship round.

KINGS BUDDY HIELD, left, talks with assistant coach Alvin Gentry at the Kings basketball training camp in Sacramento, California.

(AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

PAGE 14, Thursday, October 7, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

Deandre Ayton and Suns are ‘at odds’, contract extension talks have ‘stalled’

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net AS the Phoenix Suns begin their campaign to repeat as Western Conference champions in the preseason, contract negotiations with Deandre Ayton have taken centre stage.

According to an ESPN report, Ayton and the Suns remain at odds as talks have “stalled” on an extension between the organisation and the former No.1 overall pick.

Ayton, 23, is eligible for a five-year, $172.5 million extension, that could reach as much as $207 million if he reaches benchmarks and incentives.

If a deal between both sides is not reached by October 18, Ayton will

become a restricted free agent next season.

Suns leadership both on and off the floor have commented on the situation, optimistic that a deal will get done by the deadline.

Head coach Monty Williams deflected questions on the issue in his media availability.

“It’s not my job to pay a guy. If it was my job, everybody would be rich. I’d pay everybody. The cap isn’t based on my heart,” Williams told reporters, “The organisation would be broke, but everybody would be happy,” Suns guard Chris Paul regarded the issues around the contract negotiations as the business of basketball.

“I’m not concerned, that’s the business of the game,” Paul said.

“Those contract talks happen as players, agents, all that stuff. We got Mikal Bridges, another guy who’s a big part of our team (eligible for an extension), so hopefully that stuff will take care of itself, so we can get back to playing and doing what we do.”

Several players in Ayton’s 2018 NBA draft class have received max contract extensions including Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks, Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Michael Porter Jr of the Denver Nuggets.

In 2019, the Suns were just 19-63 and improved to 34-39 in the 2020 season, the first year under current head coach Monty Williams.

DEANDRE Ayton poses during the NBA basketball team’s Media Day in Phoenix.

(AP Photo/ Rick Scuteri)

The Suns headed into the 2020-21 season buoyed by their 8-0 performance at the NBA Bubble and the addition of future Hall of Fame point guard Chris Paul.

They went on to finish the regular season with a 51-21 record.

Phoenix won the Pacific Division title for the first time in 14 years and one of the league’s longest playoff droughts when they earned a postseason berth for the first time in 11 years. They also made their first NBA Finals appearance in 28 years.

Ayton appeared in 69 of the Suns’ 72 games in the

regular season. He averaged a double double for the second consecutive campaign - 14.4 points and 10.5 rebounds per game.

Ayton’s memorable 2021 postseason run ended at the hands of the Milwaukee Bucks, who won the series 4-2 to claim their first NBA Championship since 1971.

In Ayton’s playoff debut he averaged 15.8 points and 11.7 rebounds per game. He shot 65 percent from the field and finished with 14 double doubles.

According to StatMuse, Ayton is the first player in NBA history to average at least 15 points and 10

rebounds per game on 65 percent field goal shooting in a single playoffs (minimum of 10 games).

In the Finals, Ayton averaged 14.7 points, 12 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game on 54 percent shooting from the field.

Ayton posted 22 points and 19 rebounds in his NBA Finals debut and followed with 10 points and 11 rebounds in game two both wins for the Suns. He followed with 18 points and nine rebounds in a game three loss, six points and 17 rebounds in game four and finally 20 points and 10 rebounds in game five.

CONNECTICUT Sun head coach Curt Miller yells to his players during the first half of Game 3 of a WNBA semifinal playoff basketball game against the Chicago Sky on Sunday in Chicago. Chicago won 86-83.

WNBA FINALS from PAGE 11

“I grew up playing in front of these people. It really is emotional. It’s not done yet. Sometimes you have to stop and think and appreciate this moment.”

The Sky, who held a sevenpoint lead heading into the fourth quarter, opened the period with an 8-2 run to put the game away.

Astou Ndour-Fall hit a layup under the basket with

4:41 remaining, pushing Chicago’s lead to 13 points.

Parker then got the home crowd roaring after nailing a seven-footer, making the Sky’s victory all but official.

Jonquel Jones led the way for the Sun with 25 points and 11 rebounds.

Natisha Hiedeman added 16 points off the bench, hitting five 3-pointers.

Connecticut was able to trim the deficit to three in the second quarter, but the Sky then finished the half on a 16-6 run. The Sun would never get closer than that the rest of the way.

CHICAGO Sky’s Candice Parker (3) shoots while being fouled by Connecticut Sun’s DeWanna Bonner (24) during the first half of Game 4 of a WNBA basketball playoff semifinal yesterday in Chicago.

“A sad and disappointed locker room,” Chicago coach Curt Miller said. “It’s a disappointing eight-day

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CONNECTICUT Sun players watch during the final seconds in Game 4 of a WNBA basketball playoff semifinal against the Chicago Skyin Chicago. Chicago won 79-69.

(AP Photos/Paul Beaty) stretch where we were outcoached, outplayed. We just couldn’t get enough disruption on their really, really talented offensive weapons.

Just felt like we were always on our heels this series.”

It was the first time that the No. 1 seed hasn’t reached the finals since the WNBA changed its playoff format in 2016.

STAR-STUDDED CROWD Chicago native Chance the Rapper and Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen took in the game.

SITTING OUT Connecticut guard Briann January missed the game after injuring her ankle.

She tried to warm-up but couldn’t play. January had been key for the Sun’s defence in the first few games.

UP NEXT Chicago now awaits the winner of the other semifinal between the Las Vegas Aces and the Phoenix Mercury.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, October 7, 2021, PAGE 15

At least Pro Picks handles knockout pool, upset specials

By BARRY WILNER AP Pro Football Writer ONE week after a monumental performance by Pro Picks, it was more like Prodigious Misses, with bad choices across the board.

At least we’ve survived in knockout pools and, somehow, have hit on every upset special to win outright.

The challenge for any prognosticator is to rebound quickly. Unfortunately, the Week 5 schedule provides far too many tossups, starting with tonight, when the Rams and Seahawks of the powerful NFC West meet in Seattle.

The Seahawks come off a significant victory at San Francisco — no, we didn’t get that one right. Los Angeles was manhandled by visiting Arizona, another one we got wrong.

And now, it’s a short period for getting ready.

“The Thursday night kind of puts it in such a fast-forward tempo as far as the preparation goes,” says Seahawks offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, who previously was with the Rams. “So you don’t really have a lot of time to stop and think about how would this be different than going against another opponent.”

LA has struggled on defence, where it excelled in 2020 but has undergone significant changes in personnel. Only five teams have allowed more yards per game than the Rams’ 396.8. They are giving up 24.8 points per game, 18th in the league.

Worrisome? Well, when facing Russell Wilson and a strong group of receivers, it should be. “With our players, there’s a lot of new pieces that we’re asking to step into significant roles, whether it be from injuries or just some different things specifically to the back end,” coach Sean McVay said. “You lose some key guys. That’s such a vital part of it.”

Also a vital part is that Los Angeles (3-1) has the offensive pieces to keep up with Seattle (2-2). The Rams, ranked No. 4 in the AP Pro32, are 1 1-2-point favourites over No. 15

Seattle, according to FanDuel SportsBook.

RAMS: 30-23 KNOCKOUT POOL: While we were getting a whole lot wrong last week, at least the Bills came through as the survivor choice. This week, it’s NEW ENGLAND. No. 27 New York Giants (plus 7) at No. 9 Dallas The Giants shocked us, and most folks in the Big Easy, last week. Not now.

BEST BET: COWBOYS, 31-20 No. 2 Buffalo (plus 2 1-2) at No. 10 Kansas City Living dangerously given our spotless record in these ...

UPSET SPECIAL: BILLS, 31-30 No. 16 San Francisco (plus 5 1-2) at No. 1 Arizona Thought about this for top upset, but Niners’ QB situation too iffy.

CARDINALS, 26-23 No. 14 Denver (plus 1 1-2) at No. 22 Pittsburgh Ditto here with Broncos. Indeed, two selections because of Teddy Bridgewater’s concussion.

BRONCOS, 20-16 (with Bridgewater) STEELERS, 16-13 (without Bridgewater) No. 25 Chicago (plus 5 1-2) at No. 11 Las Vegas The Bears’ defence is beginning to look better.

Not good enough here.

RAIDERS, 23-20 No. 20 New England (minus 9½) at No. 30 Houston Now that the Brady “reunion” is over ...

PATRIOTS, 26-6 No. 26 Miami (plus 10) at No. 3 Tampa Bay Now that the Brady “reunion” is over ...

BUCCANEERS, 30-17 No. 8 Cleveland (plus 1) at No. 7 Los Angeles Chargers This is what we mean by a tossup game.

BROWNS, 27-25 No. 24 Indianapolis (plus 7) at No. 5 Baltimore, Monday night Don’t think John Harbaugh should worry about rushing yards streak here.

RAVENS, 27-23 No. 29 New York Jets (plus 3 1-2) vs. No. 28 Atlanta at London

NAUGHTY’S NFL PICKS - WEEK 5 LAST WEEK - 12-4 SEASON - 42-22 WELL what can I say, call me the model of consistency, another 12-4 week (third in a row) has me back in my ‘groove’.

Me in my ‘groove’ does not bode well for my friend from AP Sports Barry Wilner, he knows what’s coming.

Speaking of knowing what’s coming - the NFL seems to be hyping my 3-1 Cowboys after their third straight impressive victory.

This time over the undefeated Carolina Panthers and their No.1 ranked defense going into the game.

36-28 later you’ve got all the ‘experts’ waxing poetic about my Cowboys.

It figures Jets get a W and are sent across the ocean.

FALCONS, 30-22 No. 31 Detroit (plus 7 1-2) at No. 21 Minnesota For those who are calling the Vikings underachievers ...

VIKINGS, 36-26 No. 6 Green Bay (minus 3½) at No. 13 Cincinnati

STOP IT please let the ‘Boys remain focused on the prize, keep the same negative energy as in years past, there is no room on the bandwagon for you this lap.

So as I go for another 12-4 showing again this week or possibly better, here’s who I like.

Oh one more thing, has Urban Meyer been fired in Jacksonville yet?

If not he’ll be gone after the game on Sunday.

THURSDAY 8:20PM RAMS vs SEAHAWKS RAMS 27 SEAHAWKS 24 SUNDAY JETS vs FALCONS 9:30 AM (Live from London) FALCONS 27 - Jets 26

SUNDAY 1:00 PM GAMES EAGLES vs PANTHERS PANTHERS 27 Eagles 17 PACKERS vs BENGALS PACKERS 30 Bengals 27 PATRIOTS vs TEXANS PATRIOTS 24 Texans 10 TITANS vs JAGUARS TITANS 34 - Jaguars 17 LIONS vs VIKINGS VIKINGS 27 - Lions 20 BRONCOS vs STEELERS STEELERS 24 Broncos 20

Not a good time for the improving Bengals to meet the Aaron Rodgers and friends.

PACKERS, 30-20 No. 17 New Orleans (minus 2) at No. 19 Washington No, we can’t figure out the Saints either.

SAINTS, 27-26

No. 23 Philadelphia (plus 5) at No. 12 Carolina One day, Philly fans will be singing “Hurts So Good.”

PANTHERS, 27-21 No. 18 Tennessee (minus 4½) at No. 32 Jacksonville Boy, could Urban and Trevor use a win. Sorry ...

TITANS, 36-27

NFL Abroad: League to choose German host city, eyes France

By KEN MAGUIRE AP Sports Writer LONDON (AP) — The NFL has returned to London with the Atlanta Falcons facing the New York Jets on Sunday but the league is just as focused on its next international destination: Germany.

Brett Gosper, NFL Head of UK and Europe, said they are finalising their short list of German cities to host a game as early as next season.

The opening of an office in Germany is “reasonably imminent,” he added, as is the hiring of a general manager there as the league expands in Europe, with France and Spain also in its sights.

Eight cities in Germany expressed interest in becoming a partner city to host a regular-season game, he said. The NFL announced a bidding process in June.

“We will whittle down to three and we’re hoping we’ll be able to announce something in the next week or two,” Gosper told The Associated Press in an interview this week.

The announcement could coincide with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s expected trip to London during the International Series. After the Falcons face the Jets on Sunday, the Jacksonville Jaguars play the Miami Dolphins a week later.

Both games will be held at the stadium of

Premier League soccer team Tottenham.

Gosper declined to identify the likely German finalists but said bidders might come to London on an “observer programme” for the Jags-Dolphins game.

“They’re in the final bid,” he said. “There’s some sensitivity on their side in particular because they have to go through their own appropriate decision making. We’ve made sure these cities formed a consortium so it will be a partnership between the region, the city, the owner of the stadium — which in most cases is a Bundesliga football club.”

A regular-season game in Germany seems a question of when, not if, with a decision expected by the end of the year. He said the “only hesitation” on 2022 would be scheduling conflicts with soccer’s World Cup, which begins next November in Qatar. “If we can solve those, then it could be ‘22.

Certainly no later than ‘23,” he said.

A suitable stadium is the biggest factor, followed by ease of travel. Tottenham’s state-of-the-art facility was built to host both soccer and NFL games with capacity seating of 62,850.

The cities of Dortmund, Berlin, Gelsenkirchen, and Stuttgart each have a stadium — and Munich has two — capable of holding at least 60,000 fans, with soccer club Borussia Dortmund’s the largest at just over 81,000.

DOLPHINS vs BUCCANEERS BUCCANEERS 31 Dolphins 20 SAINTS vs WFT SAINTS 31 - WFT 30 4:00PM GAMES BROWNS vs CHARGERS CHARGERS 24 Browns 20 BEARS vs RAIDERS RAIDERS 23 - Bears 20 49ERS vs CARDINALS CARDINALS 31 49ers 23 GIANTS vs COWBOYS COWBOYS 34 Giants 24 BILLS vs CHIEFS BILLS 27 - Chiefs 26 MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL 8:20PM COLTS vs RAVENS RAVENS 23 - Colts 20

___ 2021 RECORD Last Week: Straight up: 8-8. Against spread: 4-12.

Season: Straight up: 37-27. Against spread: 34-28-2.

Best Bet: Straight up: 3-1.

Against spread: 3-1.

Upset Special: Straight up: 4-0. Against spread: 4-0.

PAGE 16, Thursday, October 7, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

Italy’s record run ended by 2-1 Nations League loss to Spain

By DANIELLA MATAR Associated Press MILAN (AP) — Spain ended Italy’s record unbeaten run of 37 matches by beating the European champion 2-1 yesterday in the Nations League semifinals after Roberto Mancini’s team was reduced to 10 men.

Ferran Torres scored two goals in the first half for Spain, the second coming after Leonardo Bonucci was sent off for a second yellow card three minutes before the break.

“We’ve been playing good for a while now. We are a young team playing well and I think this victory is another step,” said Torres, who came off four minutes into the second half after picking up a knock but said he would be fit to play Sunday’s final against either world champion France or top-ranked Belgium. “Victory over Italy in Italy. Now we’ll start thinking about the final.”

Lorenzo Pellegrini pulled one back for Italy late on as the Azzurri threatened an improbable comeback.

In the end though, Mancini’s side fell to its first loss

in more than three years, since being beaten by Portugal in September 2018.

Its unbeaten streak was a world record in international soccer.

“It (defeat) would have come eventually.

And better tonight than the final of the Euros or a World Cup final,” Mancini said.

“But this game will give us more strength despite the defeat and help us realise that we are really a great squad.”

In Milan, Italy was in the hunt for more silverware while Spain was looking for revenge after losing to the Azzurri on penalties in the Euro 2020 semifinals.

Barcelona teenager Gavi Páez started, making the 17-year-old the youngest player to make his Spain debut. Gavi, who only made his first-team debut for Barcelona a month ago, broke the national record set by Ángel Zubieta in 1936.

The match in front of a passionate, sell-out crowd of 37,000 at the San Siro was played with a high tempo from the start, with chances coming at both ends.

Federico Chiesa was the first to test the goalkeeper

ITALY’s manager Roberto Mancini gestures during the UEFA Nations League semifinal soccer match between Italy and Spain at the San Siro stadium, in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2021.

(AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) as Spain’s Unai Simón saved his effort from distance in the fifth minute and then denied Italy centerback Alessandro Bastoni moments later.

Bastoni then made a decisive block at the other end in the 13th to deny Mikel Oyarzabal following an attack down the left wing.

Spain had been probing that left flank and it provided the opener in the 17th minute as Oyarzabal’s cross from the left was volleyed into the bottom right corner

by Torres.

Spain almost immediately doubled its lead as Gianluigi Donnarumma fumbled Marcos Alonso’s

shot, and the ball came out of his hands and off the left post before Bonucci managed to clear the rebound off the line.

It was a rare mistake from the Italy goalkeeper, who was voted the player of the tournament at Euro 2020.

But his every touch was getting loudly booed by the majority of the Italy fans at San Siro, which is also the home of AC Milan — the club Donnarumma left in the offseason on a free transfer to Paris Saint-Germain.

“We were disappointed because Italy was playing, it wasn’t a club match,” Mancini said.

“It could have been put to one side for once and jeer if Milan plays PSG. Italy is Italy and it comes above everything.”

Italy had chances to level the match and its best opportunity came 10 minutes from halftime as first Federico Bernardeschi’s shot was turned onto the post by Simón before an unmarked Lorenzo Insigne turned Emerson’s cross wide from a great position.

Italy’s chances then took a blow just before

the break as Bonucci was shown a second yellow card for jumping with his elbow raised on Sergio Busquets. The Italy captain had received a first booking on the half hour, for dissent.

Spain immediately made the extra man count as it doubled its lead on the stroke of halftime, with a very similar goal to its opener. This time Torres headed Oyarzabal’s cross from the left back across goal and into the bottom left corner.

Despite being a man down, Italy continued to press and Chiesa hit the right post after a good run from the Juventus forward.

The offside flag was up but it would have been a tight decision.

Oyarzabal almost got on the scoresheet himself in the 63rd but he headed a cross from Yeremy Pino wide of the post.

Donnarumma also saved a low shot from Alonso before Italy pulled one back seven minutes from time.

Chiesa sprinted forward from inside his own half to the penalty area, drew Simón and then unselfishly rolled across for Pellegrini to tap into an empty net.

DENMARK ON BRINK, KANE ON STREAK IN WORLD CUP QUALIFYING

By J ELLINGWORTH and STEVE DOUGLAS AP Sports Writers EUROPEAN countries resume their qualifying campaigns for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar this week. Here are some things to look out for: COPING WITHOUT ERIKSEN Christian Eriksen’s future in soccer is still unknown following his collapse during a game for Denmark in the European Championship when suffering cardiac arrest.

As Eriksen continues his recovery, his national team is coping extremely well without its star player.

After reaching the Euro 2020 semifinals without the midfielder, Denmark is the only European team in World Cup qualifying to win its first six games. Beat Moldova away on Saturday then Austria at home on Tuesday in Group F and Denmark will most likely be the first country to

qualify for the tournament in Qatar.

Mikkel Damsgaard, while not a like-for-like replacement for Eriksen, has stepped up as Denmark’s most creative player in the absence of someone he calls his “role model.” In setting up Joakim Maehle for the second goal in the Danes’ 2-0 win over Scotland last month, Damsgaard took his goal involvement to nine in nine international games — scoring four and assisting five — and he added another assist in a 5-0 win over Israel that has taken Denmark to the brink of qualifying.

KANE’S STREAK Without a goal for Tottenham in the Premier League this season, Harry Kane cannot stop scoring for England, particularly in qualifying for major competitions. Kane scored in each of England’s three games in Group I last month and has now netted in each of the last 15 World Cup or European Championship

TOTTENHAM’s Harry Kane is tackled by Aston Villa’s Jacob Ramsey during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa, at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium in London, on October 3.

(AP Photo/Ian Walton) qualifiers he has played in, stretching back to September 2017. That streak has seen him close in on Wayne Rooney’s all-time scoring record for England of 53 goals. Kane has 41, putting him fifth on the list. England leads its group by four points and could qualify with wins over Andorra and Hungary, which visits Wembley Stadium a month after its fans racially abused England players in Budapest. Hungary will have to host Albania on Saturday in an empty stadium as a punishment.

GERMANY’S NEW TALENT Watch out for Karim Adeyemi as Germany takes on Romania on Friday and North Macedonia on Monday in Group J. The 19-year-old striker is making waves after scoring on his Germany debut against Armenia last month and grabbing two goals for Salzburg against French champion Lille in the Champions League.

Adeyemi, a speedy player who can also be deployed out wide, is fast outgrowing the Austrian league with eight goals in 10 games this season and could be heading back to Germany soon.

Bayern Munich, where Adeyemi spent time in the academy, is one option, along with Borussia Dortmund or Leipzig, which has a long history of signing young talents from its Red Bull sister club Salzburg.

Germany isn’t rich with strikers at the moment and Adeyemi is competing with Timo Werner as well as Kai Havertz, Leroy Sane, Serge Gnabry — three players

who mostly play wide or as a deeper-lying forward — for a place. Germany leads the group by four points.

CROATIA UNDER PRESSURE Croatia enjoyed its most successful World Cup ever in finishing runner-up in 2018, but just getting to the 2022 tournament is proving a struggle. Croatia is level on points with Russia at the top of Group H ahead of games against Cyprus on Friday and third-placed Slovakia on Monday, with only one country qualifying from each group. Coach Zlatko Dalic is trying to find longterm replacements for the 2018 generation but the team still relies heavily on 36-year-old Luka Modric in midfield. The only teenager in the squad is defender Josko Gvardiol. He was impressive at the European Championship and has swiftly become a regular starter for Leipzig since signing from Dinamo Zagreb. Russia is still experimenting with its squad after coach Valery Karpin took charge in July. Arsen Zakharyan, an 18-year-old attacking midfielder, made his debut last month and could feature against Slovakia on Friday or Slovenia on Monday.

MISSING POWERS There will be a lack of heavyweight power in European qualifying over the next week with Italy, Spain, Belgium and France competing in the final four of the Nations League in Milan and Turin. All four countries are leading their respective groups, albeit having played more games than their rivals.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, October 7, 2021, PAGE 17

NBA will not randomly test players for marijuana this season

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer THE NBA has agreed to not randomly test players for marijuana this season, a continuation of the policy that was put in place last year for the COVID-19 “restart bubble” and has remained since.

Drug testing will continue for things such as human growth hormone and performance-enhancers, along with what the league calls “drugs of abuse” — such as methamphetamine, cocaine and opiates. But the league’s agreement with the National Basketball Players Association over random marijuana tests will continue for at least another season.

“We have agreed with the NBPA to extend the suspension of random testing for marijuana for the 202122 season and focus our random testing programme on performance-enhancing products and drugs of

abuse,” NBA spokesman Mike Bass said yesterday.

The agreement was revealed to players in a memo from the union, the details of which were first reported by ESPN. The league suspended testing in March 2020 when play was suspended in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, then agreed with the players to test for performance-enhancers in the bubble at Walt Disney World that summer.

But marijuana wasn’t on that list, wasn’t tested for last season and now won’t be this season either.

Decriminalising marijuana has been a major topic at the government level for years, as has been the case in the sports world as well. Earlier this year, American sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson was left off the US team’s Olympic roster following a positive test for marijuana, costing her a chance at running on the 4x100 relay

NATIONAL PLAYER ALLEGES SEXUAL ABUSE IN AUSTRALIAN SOCCER SYDNEY (AP) — Soccer authorities in Australia have urged players to make formal complaints in any cases of sexual abuse or misconduct after one of the country’s leading international goal scorers alleged she’d been groomed and harassed by senior players early in her career.

Lisa De Vanna, who played 150 games for Australia and was second on the list of all-time of scorers for the women’s national team with 47 goals, said she first experienced harassment, abuse and bullying in 2001 when she joined a national women’s squad at age 17.

She told Sydney’s Daily Telegraph newspaper she’d been pulled down from behind by a few teammates and “I fought my way off the floor kicking and screaming.”

“They thought it was funny. I was just a young kid from Perth, I didn’t know any different. I ... wanted to punch them,” De Vanna said. “As a youngster and a player I didn’t know how to address this ... but it is still happening across all levels and it’s time to speak up.”

De Vanna went public with her allegations in the wake of the scandal in the United States, where the National Women’s Soccer League called off games on the weekend and its commissioner quit amid a sexual harassment and misconduct allegations involving a longtime coach.

The NWSL was rocked last week when two former players came forward with allegations of harassment, including sexual coercion, against North Carolina Courage coach Paul Riley.

Riley was immediately fired by the Courage, and both FIFA and US Soccer opened investigations into why he was able to continue coaching even after the players brought their concerns to the league. Riley told The Athletic the allegations were “completely untrue.”

De Vanna initially reacted on social media to a tweet from US soccer great Megan Rapinoe, who posted the message

“Men protecting men, who are abusing Women” in response to the NWSL scandal.

De Vanna posted that she agreed with Rapinoe, but she’d also witnessed “women protecting women who abuse women” and “players protecting senior players who abuse younger players” and organisations protecting “coaches/players” who abuse players.

“Abuse is abuse. Poor behaviour is poor across all boards!”

In the Daily Telegraph story, De Vanna said she’d seen “cultural problems at all levels — from men and women — and girls coming through need to be brave, and also the girls that have been through this also need to be brave and know they are not alone.”

“In any sporting organisation and in any environment, grooming, preying and unprofessional behaviour makes me sick.”

De Vanna retired from professional football last month after playing for clubs in Australia, the US, England, Sweden and Italy.

Football Australia said it had met with De Vanna and “heard her grievances” but the specific allegation was not raised at the meeting.

“In the event that Lisa chooses to lodge a formal complaint through the appropriate channels, we will be in a position to investigate and, if appropriate, act accordingly,” Football Australia said in a statement released late Tuesday.

“We encourage anyone to bring forward their concerns through Football Australia’s formal complaints process.”

The national players’ union, Professional Footballers Australia, said it was “deeply concerned” at the claims.

“We recognise that the decision to speak publicly would not have been made lightly,” the PFA said in a statement. “It is critical that the sport provides a safe and inclusive workplace and, importantly, the players are supported to come forward.”

team in Tokyo, in addition to her spot in the 100-metre individual race.

After Richardson’s suspension was announced, two members of Congress — US Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Jamie Raskin, D-Md., — wrote US and global anti-doping leaders to say in part that “the ban on marijuana is a significant and unnecessary burden on athletes’ civil liberties.”

More than half of the states in the US have decriminalised possessing small amounts of marijuana.