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WALKER CONFIRMED
First US Ambassador to The Bahamas since 2011 approved in US Senate
By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter
jrussell@tribunemedia.net
FORMER NFL star
Herschel Walker has been confirmed by the United States Senate as the next US ambassador to The Bahamas, ending a 13-year vacancy in the post.
Mr Walker, 63, of Georgia, becomes the first person to hold the role since Nicole Avant’s departure in 2011.
The US Embassy in Nassau confirmed the Senate’s vote, saying: “We look forward to welcoming him to US Embassy Nassau after he receives his presidential commission and is sworn
FNM CA NDIDATE: RESIDEN TS WA N T GENERAL ELECTION
By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter
jrussell@tribunemedia.net
BRIAN Brown, the Free National Movement’s rati-
fied candidate for Golden Isles, says residents would prefer a full general election instead of a by-election
following the death of MP Vaughn Miller. Mr Brown, who said he has lived in the constituency for more than 23 years and ran there in the last general election, said people in the area feel overlooked under
Laroda: Bahamians need to have more kids to keep NIB sustainable
By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net
Bahamians have been told: have more children.
The country’s low birth rate threatens the long-term survival of the National Insurance Board, says Myles Laroda, the
Minister of Social Services, Information and Broadcasting, who warns that too few workers are contributing to sustain future pensioners.
“We have a declining birth rate,” Mr Laroda said yesterday. “If you take immigration out of it, The Bahamas is far below. I think we’re talking about
two plus percent growth. We are at 1.7.” He said NIB’s sustainability depends on the number of contributors supporting each pensioner, describing six workers per retiree as “a healthy number.” When that ratio slips closer to
Munroe: Authorities need to ‘build better mousetrap’ after recent escape
By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune News Editor rrolle@tribunemedia.net
NATIONAL Security Minister Wayne Munroe said authorities must study how a murder suspect managed to slip away from the Magistrates’ Court last Thursday and tighten security to ensure it never happens again, comparing the process to “building a
better mousetrap.”
Mr Munroe said he had not yet been briefed on the full details of the escape of 34-year-old D’Angelo Culmer, who has been on the run for nearly a week. But he said closed-circuit cameras in the court’s holding area should reveal exactly how the incident unfolded.
By ANNEILIA N IXON Tribune Business Reporter anixon@tribunemedia.net
MAIL sent by Bahamians to the US has been halted because the Post Office’s “partner airline” is refusing to accept any outbound deliveries due to the Trump administration’s imposition of a 15 percent tariff. The Ministry of Energy and Transport, in a statement issued last night, explained what has driven the halt in US mail deliveries that has caused frustration, inconvenience and uncertainty for both Bahamians and their relatives in the US adding that the airline’s acceptance refusal came after Donald Trump, the
HERSCHEL Walker speaks during a campaign stop at the Governors Gun Club, December 5, 2022, in Kennesaw, Georgia.
Photo: Ben Gray/AP
Long-delayed Accident and Emergency at PMH to be completed by late 2025
By LYNAIRE MUNNIINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net
AFTER years of shifting timelines and missed targets, officials now say the long-delayed Accident and Emergency Department at Princess Margaret Hospital will not open until the end of 2025.
The new facility, first announced with much optimism in 2023, has been plagued by setbacks, including equipment delays and repeated changes to its projected completion dates.
Originally expected to open in 2023, the timeline was later pushed back to August, then to October; however, the doors remain shut.
Public Hospitals Authority Managing Director
Aubynette Rolle said the final phase of the project depends on the installation of a crucial cooling system.
“Our progress report is that we are working to get that done before the end of 2025. We just have one critical element that has to do with airflow and cooling, which we call the DX system, that we are just waiting on,” Ms Rolle said.
She added that contractors are now preparing the space for movement while furniture, fixtures, and equipment are being installed.
Ms Rolle explained that the DX system is essential for regulating airflow in the new unit, noting that earlier plans to rely on the
hospital’s existing system proved inadequate.
“When the new critical care was done, it was thought that once this was added, because of its proximity, it would be able to push the air out. We realise it wouldn’t, so, it doesn’t make sense going into a new space to close a new space, because persons cannot manoeuvre because it’s too hot,” she said.
She urged the public to remain patient, saying officials want to ensure the facility is properly equipped before opening.
Asked how confident she was in meeting the new target, Ms Rolle said she was optimistic but cautious.
“There’s a human element in everything, and when we are talking about the importation of things, that sometimes become
a challenge,” she said.
“Now, where I sit today, and based on my follow up with the contractor, I am confident that once the system arrives, we will have no further barrier for completion.”
The A&E expansion is meant to modernise emergency care and relieve pressure on the overcrowded existing department, where long waiting times, limited space, and staff shortages continue to strain services. Public frustration has grown over the repeated delays, as many say the new facility is urgently needed to improve conditions for both patients and healthcare workers.
PHA Managing Director Dr Aubynette Rolle giving brief remarks at a PHA Exchange Ceremony held at Public Hospitals Authority yesterday.
Photo: Nikia Charlton DIRECTOR of Bahamas National Drug Council and Ministry of Health and Wellness Permanent Secretary Dr Novia Carter-Lookie giving brief remarks at PHA Exchange Ceremony held at Public Hospitals Authority yesterday.
Rhodes scholar finalist:
Overcoming the odds
By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net
AT just 20, Bahamianborn Iyanda Hilton has beaten odds few could imagine. Once a child in constant pain from sickle cell disease, she is now a Rhodes Scholar finalist — one of the world’s most prestigious academic honours, recognising intellect, leadership, and service.
If successful, she would be the country’s fifth Rhodes Scholar, joining Jervon Sands, Dr Desiree Cox, Dr Christian Campbell and Dr Myron Rolle.
Diagnosed with sickle cell as a baby, Ms Hilton spent much of her childhood in hospital. The disease’s crippling pain crises often left her unable to attend school or enjoy a normal life. In 2014, she suffered a nearfatal bout of acute chest syndrome that sent her to the Intensive Care Unit at Doctors Hospital in Nassau.
That was the turning point. Her parents began a desperate search for a cure, eventually leading her to Holtz Children’s Hospital in Miami, where at age 12 she underwent a bone marrow transplant that changed everything.
“I think from that moment on, I knew that I always wanted to be this person who advocated for better health care access, better affordable health care access,” she told The Tribune yesterday.
Now a senior at Howard University in Washington, DC, studying biology with a minor in chemistry, Ms Hilton maintains a high GPA and is on the Dean’s List. She was sitting in a café when she learned she had been named a Rhodes finalist, a moment she said felt surreal, a reminder of how far she had come from those hospital days when she once doubted she would even live long enough to attend college.
“When I was younger, when I had sickle cell, there were times when I was in the hospital and I was just like, wow,” she said.
“I could never imagine myself even going to college, because I would be limited.”
“I wanted to actually use my story to advo- cate for those living with sickle cell or any other comorbid- ity that afects people or black people, to be specifc.”
Since her recovery, she has turned her story into purpose. As the American Red Cross HBCU Blood Drive Ambassador for Howard, she works to boost blood donations among black students whose unique blood types are vital for sickle cell treatment.
“I host blood drives on my campus every month,” she said. “Sickle cell is an illness where blood transfusions are a vital form of treatment, and black people donating it, they provide like a special subtype in their blood that caters to sickle cell patients specifically.”
Her leadership earned her the American Red Cross’ inaugural “Compassion in Action Award,” and under her guidance, Howard was named “Team of the Year” among HBCUs for collecting the most blood donations in 2024 and again in 2025.
Beyond campus, she volunteers at the Howard University Sickle Cell Center, helps lobby lawmakers for treatment funding, and co-leads the Comprehensive Medical Mentoring Programme for minority pre-health students. She is also a member of Howard’s Health Professions Society and a mentor in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Ms Hilton balances her advocacy with academics and campus life, performing in Howard’s Showtime Marching Band and conducting research with ThinkNeuro LLC, where she studies neuropathology and immune responses in the brain. She
has also completed over 140 hours of clinical shadowing in oncology, paediatric cardiology, and plastic surgery in The Bahamas.
Through it all, she has lived by her mantra: service above self.
“My future plans careerwise was to become a paediatric haematologist, but that trajectory kind of changed or shifted throughout my four years at Howard,” she said. “I
wanted to contribute more than just what medicine offered. I wanted to actually use my story to advocate for those living with sickle cell or any other comorbidity that affects people or black people, to be specific.”
The Rhodes Scholarship offers exceptional students from around the globe the opportunity to study at the University of Oxford. Established in 1902, it recognises not only academic excellence
but also leadership, character, and a commitment to public service, qualities that reflect a drive to use knowledge for the greater good. Each year, only a select group of about 100 young leaders are chosen, joining a network of global changemakers that includes heads of state, Nobel laureates, and renowned innovators. About 30 are chosen from the United States, with the remaining coming from the rest of the world.
If chosen as a Rhodes Scholar, Ms Hilton plans to study immunology at Oxford University, continuing her mission to expand healthcare access and equity in underserved communities — proof that resilience and purpose can transform a painful childhood into a life of impact.
Sickle cell disease (or sickle cell anemia) is a genetic disorder that affects hemoglobin, the molecule in red blood cells that car- ries oxygen around the body. In people with the disease, the hemoglobin (called hemoglobin S) causes red blood cells to become stiff and shaped like a crescent or “sickle” instead of round. These sickle-shaped cells can block blood flow, break apart easily, and lead to pain, anemia, and organ damage.
IYANDA HILTON
IYANDA Hilton poses with the Red Cross mascot after accepting the Team of the Year award on behalf of Howard University at the 2024 Red Event.
Laroda: Population growth and reproductive health central to country’s economic stability
by 2028 if contribution rates and benefits remain unchanged.
three, he said, “that’s where issues begin to arise.”
“As it relates to the National Insurance Fund being sustainable, one of the variables is the amount of people who are paying into that fund per pensioner,” he said.
“So, for the fund to be able to continue for generations to come, we need more people coming in, and that’s only going to come from people who are having kids,” he added.
“And so, you know, the word out from certain sectors to Bahamian citizens is: have more kids.”
Mr Laroda made the comments during the opening of a four-day workshop on sexual and reproductive health and gender-based violence, hosted in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund.
He said discussions on reproductive health must also account for economic realities, as declining fertility rates mean fewer contributors to the National Insurance Fund even as the number of pensioners grows.
His remarks reflect longstanding concern about the future of NIB, with successive actuarial reports warning that the fund is unsustainable without reform. The latest review projects that NIB’s reserves could be depleted
In July 2024, the government implemented the first of several planned contribution increases, raising the rate from 9.8 percent to 10.3 percent. Actuaries have advised that further increases — potentially up to 16.9 percent by the end of the decade — will be needed to stabilise the fund.
Mr Laroda noted that while the number of pensioners has more than tripled since 1984 — from about 13,000 to 44,000 — the base income for contributions has only doubled, widening the gap in sustainability.
He cautioned that if current trends continue, policymakers may eventually have to raise contribution rates further or reduce benefits.
Experts have warned that declining fertility is at the core of the issue.
The Bahamas’ fertility rate of about 1.7 children per woman is below the replacement level of 2.1 needed to maintain a stable population, meaning fewer young people are entering the workforce to support an ageing society.
Mr Laroda said population growth and reproductive health are not isolated issues but central to the country’s economic stability and long-term development.
Semi-Military Funeral Service for
Retired Constable #237 ANTHONY L. BROWN, 61
of Price Street, Nassau Village, will be held at Bible Truth Ministries, Martin’s Close off Cowpen Road, Nassau, Bahamas on Thursday, October 9th, 2025 at 10:00a.m. Officiating will be Pastor Ellison Greenslade, assisted by Other Ministers of The Gospel. Interment will follow in Woodlawn Gardens Cemetery, Soldier Road.
Left to cherish his memories is his Daughter: Antonia Brown; Sons: Jermaine Brown, Antoine Brown, Anthony Brown Jr., and Andrew Johnson; Granddaughters: Janae Forbes, Aaliyah Forbes, Anthonique Brown, Serenity Major, Amber Davis; Sisters: Albertha Rahming, Stephanie Harvey, Beverley Cooper; Brother-in-law: Andre Cooper & Kevin Harvey; Nieces: Monique Chase, Dominicka Capron, Andrea Forbes, Keisha King, Tamika Taylor, Sherika Cooper, Shantell King; Niece-In-law: Nakia, Ericka and Marie Rahming; Nephews: Cyril Jr., Hilton, Tracy & DeAngelo Rahming, Antonio Ferguson, Ricardo Darren& Jeffery King, Mario McKenzie & Kelso Johnson; Nephewin-law: Adrian Chase, Kendal Capron,Talbot Forbes, Tiwari Taylor and Deon Brown; Grand-Nieces: Ebony Rahming, Brenieska & Breneika Chase, Toneisha Ebony, Seria & Hiltonique Rahming, Angelic Johnson, Kadesha Brown, Brittney, Bria & Deai King, Keyona Capron, Malisha Taylor, Lloydria & Amina Evans, Garbell McKenzie, Tornisha Grace, Ester, Latonia Ferguson, Mailey Johnson, Raymeika & Tamia Knowles; Grand-Nephews: Cyvron, Dasean, Travino, Perez Hilton Jr., Nathaniel and Nathan Deangelo J, KentonRahming. Kade Deiago, Cameron & Adriana Chase Antonio Jr. & Kaden Ferguson, Grandtonio Johnson, Trevian Taylor, Deon Warren Deonte & Darren Jr. Brown; Great-Grand-Nieces: Chanta Demeritte, Rimee King, Cyvanna Kynnedi, Amelia & Ericka Rosa Rahming; Great-GrandNephews: Jeremiah Treviso, Sol Chase, Khalil ( King) Riculfy, Cyrvon & Camron Rahming; Cousins: Theorsita Martin, Pamela, Andrea, Shelly, Rochelle, Angie, Georgia, Debbie, Judy, Ruthmae, Marie, Sabrina, Nikkha, Sarah, Cynthia, Michelle, Deborae, Cedric, Stanley, Gregory, George; Other Relatives Include: Glendina Knowles & Family, Sandra Knowles & Family, Elanore Pintard & Family, The Seymour Family, The Tinker Family, Barry Ferguson & Family, Hillside Missionary Baptist Church, Royal Bahamas Police Fire Services, The Brown Family, The Humes Family, The Rahming Family, The Dean Family, The Johnson Family, The Forbes Family, The Whymm Family; Special Friends: Dianne Johnson, Anthony Marcus, Edward Pratt, Trisha Capron, Basil Smith, Kevin Greenslade, Kathon Hanna, Douglas Seavella, Elroy Knowles Jr., Michael, Noel, Deon, Daniel, John, Recardo, Wendal, Tracy, Paula, Garnell, Maxzine, Ross, Dianne, Val and a host of other relatives and friends too numerous to mention
Relatives and friends may pay their last respects on Wednesday, October 8th, 2025, at the Paul Farquharson Centre (RBPF Headquarters), East Street, and again at the church on Friday from 9:00a.m. until service time
Protection Against Violence Commission will be in place before general election
By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net
SOCIAL Services Minister Myles LaRoda said the long-promised Protection Against Violence Commission will be in place before the next general election, even as activists accuse the government of dragging its feet on a key safeguard meant to protect women and children.
The commission, mandated by the Protection Against Violence Act passed in August 2023, would serve as the central body coordinating national efforts to combat gender-based violence, monitoring data, managing shelters, and ensuring victims receive support and protection under the law. Its absence, women’s rights groups say, has left many of the law’s protections unenforceable and victims still vulnerable.
“The work that will be done by that commission will be carried on now,” Mr LaRoda said. “Once there is a definite word, I will be the first one to notify you all.”
He described the commission’s rollout as a work in progress, though campaigners argue the government has already taken too long to act.
Mr LaRoda’s comments came during a United Nations-backed workshop on national readiness to respond to gender-based violence and sexual and reproductive health needs during emergencies. He warned that women and children remain the most at risk during disasters and crises — from hurricanes to acts of violence — and said the country must strengthen both its emergency-response systems and its social protections.
“In hurricanes or whatever the tragedy is, women in particular and the most vulnerable, along with kids, are the ones most affected,” he said, adding that preparedness ensures “no one is left behind” when disasters strike.
The four-day training, hosted by the Ministry of Social Services in partnership with the UN Population Fund, is part of efforts to improve coordination between social services, police, and healthcare agencies when abuse occurs. Mr LaRoda said gender-based-violence preparedness is now recognised as an essential part of disaster planning, with agencies working to build stronger frontline capacity to assist victims.
Speaking to reporters
after the event, he said The Bahamas must also confront the stigma that keeps many victims from seeking justice.
“A lot of these cases collapse because of unwilling witnesses,” he said. “If you’re being violated by somebody of power who is the provider for the home, there’s pressure not only from that person but from other family members. Some even say, ‘If you send this person to jail, who is going to take care of us?’”
He said most offenders are relatives or guardians, making victims fearful of testifying. “The issue has never been the law itself, but rather the willingness,” he said. Mr LaRoda, a veteran lawyer, also addressed criticism of lenient sentences in sexual offence cases, saying judges weigh plea deals and cooperation from witnesses.
“Judges take into consideration all of the facts that are provided for them,” he said, adding that plea agreements often make the difference between conviction and acquittal.
“Sometimes you’d be better off to take the plea as it is than going to a trial where you could actually lose,” he said.
KIDS from page one
First US Ambassador to Bahamas in 14 years
WALKER from page one
in.” His arrival date in New Providence is unknown, but is unlikely to be before the end of the month - meaning he will miss the upcoming weekend wedding of US Chargé d’Affaires Kimberly Furnish, who has led the embassy since 2024.
Liberty Overlook, the official ambassador’s residence, will be readied for his arrival after sitting vacant for more than a decade.
Mr Walker was nominated in December 2024 by longtime associate President Donald Trump, who returned to office following his election victory that year. During his Senate confirmation hearing in September, Mr Walker said he would prioritise countering China’s growing influence in the region, strengthening anti-drug trafficking efforts with the DEA and regional partners, and encouraging US investment to boost local prosperity. He was among more than 100 nominees who were confirmed by a 51 to 47 vote.
A celebrated athlete, Mr Walker’s background spans college football, the NFL, Olympic bobsledding, and mixed martial arts. He also served as national spokesperson for the Patriot Support Programme, visiting military bases to advocate for mental health and sharing his personal experiences to promote awareness.
From 2017 to 2021, he co-chaired the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition, and for more than 18 years led National Health Through Fitness Day, linking fitness advocates with lawmakers to promote physical education.
Mr Walker entered politics in 2022 as a Republican candidate for the US Senate in Georgia but was defeated amid controversy over allegations of domestic abuse and claims that he paid for a girlfriend’s abortion despite his strong anti-abortion stance.
His appointment ends more than a decade of delays in filling the US ambassador post. Since Ms Avant’s departure, nominees across three administrations failed to secure Senate confirmation — including Cassandra Butts, who died before her hearing, and Trump nominees Doug Manchester and William Douglass, whose nominations were withdrawn. President Biden’s pick, Calvin Smyre, also never advanced to confirmation.
The Bahamas was one of only five countries, including Bolivia and Cuba, without an ambassador for more than a decade, according to the US State Department’s Office of the Historian.
A US State Department spokesperson said Walker “will be a true champion of the America first foreign policy agenda” and that his appointment would help advance US interests in the Bahamas, located less than 60 miles from Florida.
FORMAL NFL star Herschel Walker has been approved by the US Senate to be tthe new US Ambassador to The Bahamas.
Photo: AP
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IT’S about time. The Bahamas is finally going to have another ambassador from the United States.
Herschel Walker, who came to fame as a star in American football and went on to become a businessman then would-be Senator, has been confirmed to take up the post in The Bahamas.
It is a long time indeed since his predecessor was in office. Nicole Avant was the last occupant of the role, having been appointed by President Barack Obama.
That was in 2011. She was the first black woman to be appointed as ambassador to The Bahamas – and the youngest ever to fill the role, aged 41 at the time.
The 63-year-old Mr Walker brings with him the favour of President Donald Trump, having been a keen supporter of the president on the election trail.
The time in between was marked by nominees being put forward – then seemingly getting caught in the gridlock of the US confirmation process, often beset by the politics of holding up the other side like two football teams battling over inches of turf.
One candidate, Cassandra Butts, even passed away as her nomination was held up in the US Senate, her chance to serve here never arriving.
In the interim, the leading role has been filled by several chargés d’affaires. The current occupant of that post is Kimberley Furnish, her predecessor was Usha Pitts.
To be very clear, those who have taken up the role of chargé d’affaires have done many great things to help out The Bahamas – and to represent the US strongly.
There have been significant donations and cooperation to tackle crime – especially drug and human smuggling.
There have been notable partnerships with elements of the Bahamian
community to draw attention and support to a variety of causes.
There has been a necessary spotlight on the areas where our country needs to do better.
All of that and more has been done at a level that has helped keep the relationship between our two nations strong.
The arrival of an ambassador is a level above that – not through any shortfall of those who have been leading the way up until now, but because of the extra level of seniority an ambassador can bring to matters.
An ambassador typically has greater powers – although we are sure the US Embassy in its long absence of an ambassador has been more than just getting the job done.
Mr Walker himself, if he indeed has the ear of the president, could be an invaluable liaison for our leaders.
His personal history too brings with it the possibility of opportunities in areas such as business and sporting connections.
He has also been involved in issues surrounding mental health and has spoken of his own experiences. Our nation has its own challenges there too – and linking with organisations in the US to help tackle them might be a door Mr Walker could open.
There has been controversy too – the campaign trail raised questions over his stance on abortion, and some unusual quotes got plenty of airplay as he vied for and lost the Georgia Senate race.
There have been very few countries without an ambassador for more than a decade. Mr Walker will have plenty of expectation on his shoulders as he arrives.
But he will also have plenty of eagerness for his success.
It is long past time. And both our countries will be better for a permanent ambassador being in place.
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Be informed and get involved
EDITOR, The Tribune.
IN AN age where information is more accessible than ever, it’s crucial to recognize the power that comes with being informed. It’s not just about knowledge for knowledge’s sake; it’s about the active role we can play in shaping our communities and fulfilling our civic duty.
EDITOR, The Tribune.
I WRITE today out of deep concern and frustration regarding the decision to send Bahamian troops to Haiti. While every compassionate Bahamian sympathises with the hardships faced by the Haitian people, our first duty must be to The Bahamas and to the safety and wellbeing of our own citizens.
We are a small nation with limited resources, already struggling to manage escalating crime, illegal migration, economic strain, and the many challenges affecting our daily lives. Our Defence Force men and women are already stretched to their
limits — working tirelessly to secure our borders, protect our communities, and maintain peace. How, then, can we reasonably justify deploying them to another country when our own house is not yet in order?
This is not a rejection of humanitarian concern; it is a call for common sense, accountability, and national prioritisation. The Bahamas cannot pour from an empty cup. Haiti must take the lead in fighting for its own stability, while we focus on strengthening ours.
I strongly appeal to the Minister of National Security and to all
decision-makers involved in this matter: reconsider this move. Our troops must be positioned where they are needed most — here at home. Bahamians deserve to feel protected, secure, and confident that their leaders are putting their interests first. Charity must begin at home. Before we extend our hand abroad, let us first secure our borders, restore order, and ensure that The Bahamas remains a safe and sovereign nation for generations to come. A CONCERNED BAHAMIAN Nassau, October 7, 2025.
At the Organization for Responsible Governance (ORG), we believe being empowered through information is the first step in meaningful participation in society, and it is the driving force behind our mission. Our communities, especially those that are underrepresented and equity-seeking, often struggle to have their voices heard because the tools to access vital information remain out of reach. Whether it’s understanding local policies, knowing how to engage with governance processes, or simply having the resources to make informed decisions, information is the key that unlocks the door to participation. Without it, we are passive observers in systems that directly impact our lives and communities. Through programmes like Be Clear Bahamas, which breaks down the
national budget and aims to increase financial literacy; and resources like our Policy Review Center on our website, which provides access to the most up-to-date versions of national policies for public review, ORG is constantly working to bridge the gap between people and the information they need to be engaged and responsible citizens. When we are informed, we are better equipped to advocate for ourselves and others. We understand the policies and laws that affect us. We know how to get involved in community efforts, by supporting local causes or participating in public discussions. We fulfill our civic duty by being informed and inspiring and empowering those around us to do the same.
But the responsibility doesn’t fall on individuals alone. It’s on all of us to ensure that information is accessible, transparent, and easy to digest. The process of sharing and demystifying information can help build a more engaged and stronger society, where everyone has
the chance to be heard and contribute to the change they want to see.
Having just recognised “International Access to Information Day,” ORG wants to remind people of the importance of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), and the need for its full implementation. When we talk about access to information and the benefits of creating an informed society, FOIA is a critical tool to lead us in that direction. We invite the public to visit the FOIA Resource Hub at www.orgbahamas.com/ foia-hub to learn more about this law and how we can all push for its full enactment. Our call to the public to get informed; get involved. Let’s commit to bringing information back to the community. Let’s make being informed the foundation of active involvement. The path to empowerment begins with being informed on what’s happening in our nation, knowing our rights, and knowing how to get involved in the community and engage with governance processes.
ARI WELLS Senior Outreach Officer, the Organization for Responsible Governance October 5, 2025.
EDITOR, The Tribune. I HAVE no idea who the letter writer ‘B Azzan Johnson’ is, but l would like to sincerely thank her/him for the Junkanoo letter entitled ‘The soul of Junkanoo’ printed yesterday, October 6. I urge everyone to please read it! It encompasses the very same sentiments that l know my late husband, Jackson Burnside III, would have penned to describe this most disturbing state of affairs now fracturing our precious Bahamian Junkanoo’s soul. Please stop the discord, and unite in love and unity. Otherwise, you are cutting off your nose to spite your face and throwing the baby out with the bathwaterand nobody wins! There is enough for everybody to share, with sense! PAM BURNSIDE October 6, 2025.
THE HARVEST Supermoon rises behind the Statue of Liberty and the Brooklyn skyline, Monday, in Jersey City, NJ.
Photo: Adam Gray/AP
in gang rape of teen girl
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
PROSECUTORS have closed their case against a man accused of taking part in the gang rape of a 14-yearold girl in a half-finished building off Wulff Road in 2018.
Cleveland McPhee appeared before Justice Jeannine Weech-Gomez as the prosecution rested its case on the charge of unlawful sexual intercourse.
The complainant, now 21, previously told the court she had been walking to a nearby convenience store on the night of June 25, 2018. After learning the store was closed, she said she took
shelter from the rain in an unfinished building on her way home. Inside, she alleged, a group of men attacked her. She testified that she tried to defend herself with a shovel but was overpowered and forced into a storage room. The complainant said a man she knew as “CJ” raped her along with another man, while a third groped her and two others laughed when the assault ended. She told the court she eventually escaped and ran to a nearby police station to report what had happened.
McPhee maintains his innocence. His defence team, led by Nathan Smith, is expected to call its first witness when the trial resumes.
WOMAN PAYS $9K GUARANTEE FOR ATTEMPTED MURDER ACCUSED W HO FAILED TO SHOW UP FOR COURT
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A WOMAN who guaranteed bail for an accused attempted murderer was ordered to pay $9,000 after a Supreme Court judge ruled that the man “habitually” failed to appear for court and was no longer a fit and proper person to remain on bail.
Justice Andrew Forbes, sitting in the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division, revoked Antonio Johnson’s bail and ordered him remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services, finding that his repeated absences from court over nearly a year were wilful.
Johnson, who faces charges of attempted murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, was first granted $9,000 bail in April 2018 by Justice Etta GrayEvans. He was required to report to the Central Police Station three times a week and was fitted with an electronic monitoring device.
Court records show he missed seven court dates between June 2024 and April 2025, prompting the Crown to apply for his bail to be revoked and the bond forfeited. Carla Hall, who stood as Johnson’s surety, was ordered to pay the full $9,000 in instalments or
face possible conviction.
During the hearing, Johnson claimed he stayed away because a police officer allegedly threatened to kill him if he remained on Grand Bahama. But Justice Forbes noted that neither Johnson nor his attorney raised the allegation for more than two years, only doing so after the Crown moved to revoke his bail. The judge said there was no evidence or proof of the alleged threat and concluded that Johnson’s absences were deliberate.
In his written ruling, Justice Forbes cited Court of Appeal decisions affirming a judge’s authority to revoke bail where there are “substantial grounds for believing” an accused person would not appear for trial. He said the court could not impose any conditions to ensure Johnson’s attendance and therefore viewed his further remand as “optimal” for both accountability and safety.
The judge ruled that Johnson was not a fit and proper person for bail and that no conditions could guarantee his appearance in future proceedings.
Johnson was remanded to prison but may reapply for bail.
Kendal Knowles represented the accused, while Ashley Carroll appeared for the Crown.
JAMAICAN MAN ACCUSED OF TAKING PART IN A PHONE PHISHING SCAM
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A JAMAICAN man accused of taking part in a phone phishing scam that drained a local bank account was remanded to prison yesterday. Prosecutors allege that Marvin Hawthorne, 19, and others conspired to steal $3,000 from the Commonwealth Bank account of Daniel Elizor on September 13 in New Providence.
The next day, police allegedly found Hawthorne with $4,260, which investigators believe were the proceeds of the scam.
Hawthorne pleaded not guilty to charges of
conspiracy to commit stealing, stealing, and money laundering (possession) when he appeared before Senior Magistrate Shaka Serville. His attorney, Alphonso Lewis, told the court that Hawthorne was recovering from gunshot wounds. However, Inspector Deon Barr, the prosecutor, objected to bail, arguing that the accused had no legal status in The Bahamas. Magistrate Serville remanded Hawthorne to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until his status hearing on October 15. His trial is set for December 9. Alphonso Lewis represented the accused.
WOMAN ACCUSED OF EMBEZZLING NEARLY $380,000 FOR COMPANY
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter
pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A 54-YEAR-OLD woman accused of embezzling nearly $380,000 from a local construction company was granted $70,000 bail yesterday after denying dozens of theft and money laundering charges frothier employer.
Prosecutors allege Loretta Pinder stole $377,495.60 from ARC Construction Company’s Scotiabank account over a two-year period, between January 2020 and December 2022. Pinder pleaded not guilty to 38 counts of stealing by
reason of employment and 35 counts of money laundering when she appeared before Senior Magistrate Kendra Kelly-Burrows.
The magistrate granted her $70,000 bail with two to three sureties and ordered her to sign in at the Elizabeth Estates Police Station on the first Monday of each month by 7pm. She must also surrender her travel documents.
She was warned that any breach of these conditions would lead to her bail being revoked.
Pinder’s trial is scheduled to begin on December 9. Inspector Ronisha Smith prosecuted.
The genocide in Gaza continues
YESTERDAY marked two years since the beginning of a heightened awareness of the genocide in Palestine. This week, while discussion of a “20point Gaza Peace Plan” take place, the genocide continues.
I continue to write about the genocide in Palestine, enacted by “Israel”, because the genocide continues. I write about it because it is far too easy to ignore it. I write about it because it is too convenient to leave it to someone else and to determine that it is the duty of someone else to speak up. I write about it because I know that relatively few people are watching news stories about it, reading the history for themselves, or engaging in conversations with other people about what is happening, why it continues, and how it is relevant to us.
Two years later, it may seem “normal” to see tents being bombed and people scrambling to collect what little they own before moving on to a stillunknown location, only to be pushed out again. What we are seeing, or refusing to see, on social media, day after day, is colonisation. It is the system we would like to believe is in the past, never to rear its head again. It is the systematic murder of a people, destruction of the land, and an attempt at erasing their culture. It is a series of acts of domination and the complete violation of human rights. It is a testing of weapons and tactics that will not end with the Palestinian people—certainly not if we remain silent as it happens to the Palestinian people.
Though more States have recognised the State of Palestine, there is little action to end the genocide. It is absolutely necessary for governments to end their diplomatic relationships and economic engagement with “Israel.” There is no utility in “recognising” Palestine while supporting, implicitly or explicitly, the genocide “Israel” is committing every single day, with money from governments and corporations all over the world.
This week, in Middle East Eye, Palestinian journalist Fareed Taamallah wrote, “Recognition, while important, will remain meaningless unless it brings about the permanent end
By Alicia Wallace
of occupation and genocide through a serious, firm and effective challenge to Israel’s crimes. For decades, Palestinians have endured occupation while the international community failed to uphold its political and legal responsibilities, applying international law with a blatant double standard. What Palestinians need most are decisive measures: ending cooperation with Israel, imposing economic sanctions and prosecuting its leaders for war crimes.”
This year, the timing of international recognitions coincides with the olive harvest - the most important agricultural season in Palestine, vital for sustaining thousands of families and deeply symbolic in our identity. My family and I should be among the olive trees in our ancestral village of Qira, near Salfit. Instead, we face relentless obstacles, not only from seasonal droughts or pests, but from systemic restrictions imposed by the occupation. For Palestinians, harvesting olives is more than an economic necessity - it is an act of resilience and belonging.
Across the West Bank, however, families like mine are denied access to our groves by military orders and forced to watch settlers uproot and burn our trees,” Taamallah wrote.
Taamallah noted that the recognition of the State of Palestine is symbolic, and seems to be an easy way for governments to feign a moral stance when their true intent is to quiet the discontent in the public and quell any action. It should not be a single step that gives governments permission to look the other way, but lead to more decisive action to end the genocide.
“[Recognitions of the State of Palestine] must drive us to establish a democratic, inclusive system based on freedom and justice, rather than one that excludes key political factions at the demand of foreign governments.” The Palestinian people need governments to end their complicity in the genocide. Palestinian American human rights attorney Noura Erakat spoke at the Security Council 10011th meeting with a focus on
Recommendations
1. Shakespeare in Paradise The Amen Corner opened this week at the Black Box. Shakespeare in Paradise says it will be “a singing, preaching extravaganza”. Tickets are available for the show tonight and Saturday night, starting at 8pm. Shakespeare and the Alchemy of Gender is a onewoman show with visiting performer Lisa Wolpe. It “details Wolpe’s journey to find out more about her father, whose death all to early had lasting impacts on her life”. It is at Fiona’s Theater at the National Art Gallery of The Bahamas on West Hill Street, on Thursday, October 9 at 8pm. Tickets can be purchased from shakespeareinparadise. com at $37.50.
2. Women’s Wednesdays. This month, Equality Bahamas is hosting a session that will start with a presentation by Dr Talietha Minnis on breast cancer screening and radiology. It will then transition to a Feminist Standards for Governance workshop on the Environment, making the connection between the physical and social environment and our health. Women’s Wednesdays will take place at the National Art Gallery of The Bahamas on West Hill Street this evening, October 8, at 6pm. Register: Lu.ma/femniststandards
women and peace and security on October 6. She grounded her statement in Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security which acknowledges the role of women in conflict resolution, peace negotiations, peace-building, and humanitarian response. It calls on States to “ensure increased representation of women at all decision-making levels in national, regional and international institutions and mechanisms for the prevention, management, and resolution of conflict.”
“Twenty-five years ago, when this body adopted Resolution 1325, the Security Council made an unabashedly feminist commitment to advance gender equality because you understood that women are critical agents for a just peace. Nowhere is this more apparent than in Palestine where, for decades, courageous Palestinian women have resisted dispossession, removal, apartheid, and now genocide, yet nowhere have the [Women, Peace and Security] tenets of equality, inclusivity, accountability and respect for human rights been more out of reach, said Erakat.
“In Gaza, one woman and one girl have been killed every hour for the past 730 days. Despite the recent enthusiasm to end this war, the terms of the current proposal are setting up Palestinians to live under permanent occupation and siege. The end of the genocide cannot come at the expense of accountability and justice for its survivors. The voices of Palestinian women have been
notably absent from this chamber.”
Erakat noted that her participation was in representation of Palestinian sisters who could not be there due to restrictions on travel and the denial of US visas. “Others face reprisals for speaking out,” she said. “This Council should be doing everything in its power to recognise and support Palestinian women as agents of change, but when a people are enduring genocide, the first priority is life. Today, I will show how Israel’s ongoing Nakba in Gaza intends to destroy the Palestinian people in violation of the Genocide Convention.”
Erakat’s statement was specific to the reproductive genocide taking place in Palestine, and she listed four points to make clear goal of “Israel” to “eliminate the possibility of a Palestinian future”.
In the first point, Erakat stated that just surviving is a struggle. The destruction of buildings has left no room for intimacy. Engagement in sexual intimacy is made even more difficult, if not impossible, by the sexual violence enacted against Palestinian people including rape and electrocution of genitals. From 2022 to 2025, there was a 41 percent decline in the birth rate of Palestinians in Gaza.
Secondly, Erakat noted that even in cases where women were able to conceive, it has been difficult to carry a pregnancy to term. “In addition to the trauma of incessant bombardment, attacks on medical facilities, hunger, and disease, it is impossible for women
to meet basic needs, let alone access their sexual and reproductive rights.” She shared the story of a pregnant woman having to flee a bombed shelter with nowhere to go. The woman was informed, one week later, that her pregnancy would end.
Thirdly, for Palestinian women who are able to carry their pregnancies to term, it is difficult to deliver. It has been almost impossible for Palestinian women to access prenatal care which increased the risk of postpartum haemorrhage. Palestinian women are delivering in deplorable conditions, including in hospitals where there is no anaesthesia.
Fourth, for those who manage to deliver living babies, it is a struggle to keep them alive. “Over 60 percent of pregnant and breastfeeding women are unable to produce milk due to malnutrition,” Erakat said.
Babies have been born and killed during the genocide which is severely impacting the ability of Palestinians to continue life. Erakat said, “This was always the intention.”
“Israel” is not just dropping bombs on nameless, faceless people. It has been taking aim at medical professionals and journalists—people who could save lives, and people who could report on the events. It targeted areas it had declared safe. It indiscriminately killed people, many of whom were women and children. It continues to create circumstance that threaten life. It is destroying the land and it is trying to control reproduction. The elimination of then Palestinian people has always been the goal, and States need to be at least as decisive and intentional in their resolve and their actions to save lives and support the Palestinian right to self-determination. The genocide will not end when the State of Palestine is recognised by all, but when all States withdraw their support from “Israel” and its genocide.
What are you prepared to demand of your own government? What changes are you prepared to make in your spending? Join the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. Stop funding genocide.
SMOKE rises following an Israeli military strike in Gaza City, as seen from the central Gaza Strip, Tuesday. Photo: Abdel Kareem Hana/AP
Google’s Play Store shake-up looms after Supreme Court refuses to delay overhaul of the monopoly
By MICHAEL LIEDTKE Associated Press
THE US Supreme Court on Monday refused to protect Google from a year-old order requiring a major makeover of its Android app store that’s designed to unleash more competition against a system that a jury declared an illegal monopoly.
The rebuff delivered in a one-sentence decision by the Supreme Court means Google will soon have to start an overhaul of its Play Store for the apps running on the Android software that powers most smartphones that compete against Apple’s iPhone in the US
Among other changes, US District Judge James Donato last October ordered Google to give its competitors access to its entire inventory of Android apps and also make those alternative options available to download from the Play Store.
In a filing last month, Google told the US Supreme Court that Donato’s order would expose the Play Store’s more than 100 million US users to “enormous security and safety risks by enabling stores that stock malicious, deceptive, or pirated content to proliferate.”
Google also said it faced an Oct. 22 deadline to begin complying with the judge’s order if the Supreme Court didn’t grant its request for a stay. The
Mountain View, California, company was seeking the protection while pursuing a last-ditch attempt to overturn the December 2023 jury verdict that condemned the Play Store as an abusive monopoly.
In a statement, Google said it will continue its fight in the Supreme Court while submitting to what it believes is a problematic order. “The changes ordered by the US District Court will jeopardize users’ ability to safely download apps,” Google warned. Google had been insulated from the order while trying to overturn it and the monopoly verdict, but the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected that attempt in a decision issued two months ago. In its filing with the Supreme Court, Google argued it was being unfairly turned into a supplier and distributor for would-be rivals.
Donato concluded the digital walls shielding the Play Store from competition needed to be torn down to counteract a pattern of abusive behaviour. The conduct had enabled Google to reap billions of dollars in annual profits, primarily from its exclusive control of a payment processing system that collected a 15-30% fee on in-app transactions.
Those commissions were the focal point of an antitrust lawsuit that video game maker Epic Games filed against Google in 2020, setting up a monthlong trial in San Francisco federal court that culminated in the jury’s monopoly verdict.
Epic, the maker of the Fortnite game, lost a similar antitrust case targeting Apple’s iPhone app store.
Even though US District Judge Yvonne GonzalezRodgers concluded the iPhone app store wasn’t
an illegal monopoly, she ordered Apple to begin allowing links to alternative payment systems as part of a shake-up that resulted in the company being held in civil contempt of court earlier this year. In a post, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney applauded the Supreme Court for clearing the way for consumers to choose alternative app payment choices “without fees, scare screens, and friction.”
Although the Play Store changes will likely dent Google’s profit, the company makes most of its money from a digital ad network that’s anchored by its dominant search engine — the pillars of an internet empire that has been under attack on other legal fronts.
As part of cases brought by the US Justice Department, both Google’s search engine and parts of its advertising technology were declared illegal monopolies, too.
A federal judge in the search engine case earlier this year rejected a proposed break-up outlined by the Justice Department in a decision that was widely seen as a reprieve for Google. The government is now seeking to break up Google in the advertising technology case during proceedings that are scheduled to wrap up with closing arguments on Nov. 17 in Alexandria, Virginia.
OpenAI and chipmaker AMD sign chip supply partnership for AI infrastructure
Associated Press
SEMICONDUCTOR
maker AMD will supply its chips to artificial intelligence company OpenAI as part of an agreement to team up on building AI infrastructure, the companies said Monday.
OpenAI will also get the option to buy as much as a 10% stake in AMD, according to a joint statement announcing the deal. It’s the latest deal for the ChatGPT maker as it races to beef up its AI computing resources.
Under the terms of the deal, OpenAI will buy the latest version of the company’s high performance graphics chips, the Instinct MI450, which is expected to debut next year.
The agreement calls for supplying 6 gigawatts of computing power for OpenAI’s “next generation” AI infrastructure, with the first batch of chips worth 1 gigawatt to be deployed in the second half of 2026.
AMD also issued
OpenAI with a warrant allowing the AI company to buy up to 160 million shares of AMD’s common stock. That amounts to about 10% of the chipmaker based on AMD’s 1.6 billion outstanding shares. The warrant will vest based on two milestones tied to the amount of computing power deployed, as
well as unspecified “shareprice targets.”
Shares of AMD spiked nearly 24% on Monday. Shares of Nvidia, which have repeatedly set new record-highs this year, fell by 1%.
“This partnership is a major step in building the compute capacity needed to realize AI’s full potential,” OpenAI
CEO Sam Altman said in a news release. “AMD’s leadership in high-performance chips will enable us to accelerate progress and bring the benefits of advanced AI to everyone faster.”
The deal is a boost for Santa Clara, Californiabased AMD, which has been left behind by rival Nvidia. But it also hints at OpenAI’s desire to diversify its supply chain away from Nvidia’s dominance. The AI boom has fuelled demand for Nvidia’s graphics processing chips, sending its shares soaring and making it the world’s most valuable company.
Last month, OpenAI and Nvidia announced a $100 billion partnership that will add at least 10 gigawatts of data center computing power. OpenAI and its partners have already installed hundreds of Nvidia’s GB200, a tall computing rack that contains dozens of specialized AI chips within it, at the flagship Stargate data center campus under construction in Abilene, Texas.
Barclays analysts said in a note to investors Monday that OpenAI’s AMD deal is less about taking share away from Nvidia than it is a sign of how much computing is needed to meet AI demand.
“We realize there will be delays with these deals, and that the infrastructure required largely doesn’t exist today, but we would again highlight this as a proof point that the ecosystem is desperate for more compute,” wrote Barclays analyst Tom O’Malley.
WTO says AI-related buying binge and a spike in US imports spur unexpected rise in goods trade
By JAMEY KEATEN Associated Press
THE World Trade Organization is sharply raising its forecast for trade growth in goods this year after an unexpectedly strong first half due to rising AI-related purchases, front-loaded imports in the US over tariff fears and robust developing-world trade.
The Geneva-based trade body said Tuesday its economists are increasing their prediction of growth in merchandise trade to 2.4% this year, up from 0.9% as recently as August. In April, WTO experts were actually anticipating a decline of goods trade this year of 0.2%
However, they’re lowering the prediction for 2026 to 0.5%, from 1.8%.
The growth of export in services, meanwhile, is expected to come in at 4.6% in 2025 and 4.4% next year — both slower rates than the 6.8% tallied in 2024.
WTO pointed to “robust trade in artificial intelligence-related goods” that are driving the increase in merchandise trade, notably semiconductors, servers and telecommunications equipment.
Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala suggested solid trade growth among developing countries and a cool-headed reaction to sweeping — and often-varying — tariffs announced by the Trump administration earlier this year had underpinned the gains.
“Countries’ measured response to tariff changes in general, the growth potential of AI, as well as increased trade among the rest of the world — particularly among emerging economies — helped ease trade setbacks in 2025,” she said.
Despite “strong headwinds,” Okonjo-Iweala said trade has shown resilience because of “importers front-loading orders to get ahead of future tariff hikes or retaliation.” US inventories are at record levels by dollar value, and the value of North America’s imports surged 13.2% at an annual rate, driven by pharmaceuticals and precious metals — mostly gold.
She also attributed the gains to “soaring demand” for AI-related products behind a capital investment boom. A staggering 42% of global trade growth came from AI-related goods, she said, much higher than their 15% share in world trade.
South-South trade — among developing countries — grew 8% year-on-year in value terms in the first half of the year, while such trade involving partners other than China is growing at around 9%, WTO said.
A GOOGLE sign is displayed at the company’s office in San Francisco, April 12, 2023.
Photo: Jeff Chiu/AP
THE OPENAI logo appears on a mobile phone in front of a computer screen with random binary data, March 9, 2023, in Boston.
Photo: Michael Dwyer/AP
NIGERIA’S NGOZI OKONJO-IWEALA, Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), speaks to the media about the report “Global Trade Outlook and Statistics – October 2025 update”, during a press conference at the headquarters of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva, Switzerland, Tuesday.
Photo: Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone/AP
A divided Israel marks 2 years since Oct 7 attack as war in Gaza grinds on and hostages languish
REIM
Associated Press
T HOUSANDS of people converged on southern Israel on Tuesday to mourn the dead as the nation marked two years since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack plunged the region into a devastating war, while Israel and Hamas pressed on with indirect peace talks in Egypt.
The main memorial event in Tel Aviv, organized by the bereaved families, was separate from a ceremony that the government will hold on the anniversary next week according to the Hebrew calendar. The split reflects deep divisions over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s leadership, which many blame for the failure to secure a ceasefire that would free the remaining hostages held by the militants.
In the Gaza Strip, where Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed tens of thousands of people and razed entire towns and cities, those who can are fleeing another Israeli invasion of Gaza City while others are sheltering in place. Many are unable to make the arduous and costly journey south.
The worst attack in Israel’s history
It’s been two years since thousands of Hamas-led militants poured into southern Israel after a surprise barrage of rockets. They stormed army bases, farming communities and an outdoor music festival, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, including women, children and older adults.
They abducted 251 others, most of whom have since been released in ceasefires or other deals. Forty-eight hostages remain inside Gaza, around 20 of them believed by Israel to be alive. Hamas has said it will release them only in exchange for a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal. Netanyahu has vowed to continue the war until all of the captives are returned and Hamas has been disarmed.
The attack set in motion a cascade of events that led Israel into combat with Iran and its allies across the region, including Lebanon’s Hezbollah, which suffered major losses. The United States joined Israel in attacking Iran’s military and nuclear program in a 12-day war in June.
Israel has killed several top militants as well as Iranian generals and nuclear scientists, and it has vastly depleted the military capabilities of its enemies while seizing control over most of Gaza as well as parts of Lebanon and Syria.
But the failure to return the hostages has left the
country deeply divided, with weekly mass protests against Netanyahu. Israel is more isolated internationally than it has been in decades.
A memorial at the scene of a massacre
Nearly 400 Israelis were killed and dozens abducted from the Nova music festival in the border community of Reim. Over the last two years, it has emerged as a memorial site, with portraits of the kidnapped and the fallen.
Thousands of people visited throughout the day to share memories of relatives and friends who were killed, weaving through hundreds of photos encircling the spot where the DJ booth stood.
Many gathered before sunrise, playing the same track of music that was playing two years ago, stopping for a moment of silence at 6:29 am — the exact time the attack began. People embraced and spoke of their loss.
“We don’t need a specific day, because we live this every day anew,” said Alon Muskinov, 28, who was at the festival and lost three of his closest friends.
Yehuda Rahmani, whose daughter Sharon — a police officer at the festival — was also among those killed, said he visits the Nova site every day. He drinks his morning coffee next to a photo of his daughter at the last place where she was alive.
To this day, Rahmani keeps hoping he will run into a survivor who could tell him about his daughter’s last moments. He is angry at the government for not launching an inquiry into security failures of that day.
“When you don’t know what happened, it makes it so much harder,” he said.
Israeli artillery and the boom of explosions in Gaza echoed across the Nova site as smoke billowed over the Strip. The Israeli military said a rocket was launched from northern Gaza in the morning, but no damage or injuries were reported.
Israeli forces have arrested at least 35 people in the occupied West Bank, east Jerusalem and elsewhere since Monday, according to a group representing Palestinian prisoners. The Israeli military did not immediately confirm the arrests but said “regular counterterrorism activity” was underway.
In Tel Aviv, dozens gathered at a memorial site that was set up in a city square.
Shay Dickmann, whose aunt was killed in Kibbutz Be’eri and whose cousin, Carmel Gat, was taken hostage by Hamas and killed 11 months later, said everyone wants the war to end.
“There is a deal on the
table, there is an opportunity to end this war and bring everybody back home,” she said. “We all deserve it.”
Israel and Hamas discuss Trump peace plan
In neighbouring Egypt, in the resort of Sharm elSheikh, Israel and Hamas held a second day of indirect talks to discuss US President Donald Trump’s peace plan.
The war has already killed over 67,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, part of the Hamas-run government, which does not say how many were civilians or combatants. It says women and children make up around half the dead, and many independent experts say its figures are the most reliable estimate of wartime casualties.
Israel’s offensive has displaced around 90% of Gaza’s population of some 2 million, often multiple times, and restrictions on humanitarian aid have contributed to a severe hunger crisis, with experts saying Gaza City is experiencing famine.
Ghassan Abu Rejeila said the war has stripped Gaza of everything that gives life meaning, whether it’s a family gathering or a decent meal. “We’ve lost the beautiful moments. Our life has become hell upon hell. Every day, there is killing, strikes, death, martyrdom.”
Maha Shbeir, a doctor at Nasser Hospital, said the last two years have felt like decades.
“I’ve seen cases of children, elderly people, women, cases of amputation, burns, head injuries,” she said. “I don’t know how we will recover in the future from them, from those scenes that we’ve seen.”
Experts and major rights groups have accused Israel of genocide, and the International Criminal Court is seeking the arrest of Netanyahu and his former defence minister for allegedly using starvation as a method of war.
Israel vehemently denies the allegations, saying it is waging a lawful war of self-defence and taking extraordinary measures to avoid harming civilians. It blames Hamas for the death and destruction in Gaza because the militants are deeply embedded in populated areas.
Hamas portrayed the Oct. 7 attack as a response to decades of Israeli land seizures, settlement construction and military occupation. But the attack has exacted a catastrophic toll on the Palestinians, whose dream of an independent state appears as distant as ever despite recent moves by major Western countries to recognize one.
PEOPLE visit the site of the Nova music festival, where hundreds of revellers were killed and abducted by Hamas and taken into Gaza, as Israel marks the second year anniversary of the attack, near Kibbutz Reim, southern Israel, Tuesday.
Photo: Ariel Schalit/AP
‘You have to put systems in place to make sure it cannot happen again’
ESCAPEE from page one
“I remember when we used to do the Bank Lane shuffle,” he said when asked how alarmed he is by the escape. “A young girl threw a fella a gun and he shot his way out of custody. I remember when a fella dove through the downstairs Supreme Court window and made his escape for a brief time. You continue to improve the mousetrap.”
He said the police should be reviewing the video footage, questioning those on duty, and preparing a full security brief to determine whether the escape resulted from negligence or collusion.
“You always have to look and see why this happened, why this was able to happen to put systems in place to make sure it cannot happen again,” he said. “If it happened with complicity of
individuals, you hold them to account.”
Culmer escaped around 3.30pm on October 3 from the South Street complex, wearing a blue T-shirt and light blue jeans. Police said he has tattoos of lips on his neck and the name “Tiffany” on his right chest. He had been remanded to prison in February, accused of killing 39-year-old Rudiska Bethel in a drive-by shooting on Ragged Island Street on January 31. At the time of the incident, Culmer was already on bail for attempted murder. Mr Munroe noted that people who remain at large often rely on outside help and urged the public not to assist or shield the fugitive.
“When you escape, it’s an automatic two years,” he said. “To stay at large, you need assistance. You need money, people to help you, or people not to call the police when they see you. The public is encouraged
not to do either of those things.”
He added that if Culmer’s case is gang-related, the escapee could be in danger himself.
“He’s charged with murder,” he said. “If it’s one of these murders that’s gang-related, people may pose a threat to him as well. And the public, of course, should not be in the company of people who people are trying to kill. So if this is gang-related, more than the police may be looking for him.”
Police have released no new information about the fugitive’s whereabouts and said they are still investigating how he got away.
Culmer’s escape marks one of the longest lapses between an inmate’s flight from custody and recapture in recent years. In 2022, a 25-year-old man who fled the same court complex was caught within two days.
Woman set on fire in a violent attack in a
parking lot in Grand Bahama
By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune
Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
A 48-YEAROLD woman was set ablaze after being doused with rubbing alcohol during a violent attack in the parking lot of a building on Explorer’s Way, Grand Bahama, Monday night. Candice Quant, of Eight Mile Rock, sustained severe burns during the incident. According to police reports, shortly after 9.30pm, the victim was approached by an unknown man. An argument ensued, and both people threw liquid substances at each other. The suspect then lit the substance, causing the woman to be engulfed in flames before robbing her of cash and other personal items.
“I remember when a fella dove through the downstairs Supreme Court window and made his escape for a brief time. You continue to improve the mousetrap.”
Assistant Superintendent of Police Stephen Rolle confirmed that the substance was rubbing alcohol.
Emergency Medical Services transported the victim to the hospital, where she remains in stable condition.
A 39-year old man was taken into custody a short time later, and is assisting police with their investigations.
NATIONAL SECURITY
Several PLP hopefuls vying for Golden Isles
ELECTION from page one
the Progressive Liberal Party and want a government that prioritises their concerns.
He said he has remained active in Golden Isles since his last campaign and has kept his constituency office open, adding that his focus is on community-based projects for the young and elderly.
The constituency has drawn national attention since Mr Miller’s sudden death on September 28. While Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said the PLP remains in mourning, his recent call for supporters to “stay alert” has fuelled talk of an early election. Inside the PLP, several hopefuls are vying for the nomination. Senator Darren Pickstock, considered the frontrunner, said Mr Miller’s death was a shock but added that he is ready to serve in whatever capacity the prime minister decides.
“I will be on the ground and all hands on deck. Whatever way it goes, I will be ready,” he said.
Mr Pickstock described Golden Isles as a diverse constituency facing infrastructure and unemployment challenges. Asked whether not living in the area puts him at a disadvantage, he said representation is about commitment, not a “zip code.”
Other PLP hopefuls include Joe Johnson, head of the party’s men’s branch and a Golden Isles resident, and D’Asante Smalls, a young entrepreneur and marketing professional who said she submitted her nomination letter before Mr Miller’s passing.
Ms Smalls said she wants to focus on economic empowerment and establish a constituency clinic to help residents access essential services.
“I have a lot of young people around me who are feeling the same frustrations,” she said. “They need to feel and see the actual delivery of results. I think people need to believe again.”
A recent Tribune canvass of Golden Isles found that many residents are frustrated by worsening roads, rising costs, and what they described as years of limited attention from their representative. Some said they are considering switching allegiance, while others expressed doubt that politics can bring meaningful change.
AGRICULTURE & M A RINE CA DETS PROGR AMME O FFICI A LLY LA UNCHED IN F OUR S CHOOLS
THE government officially launched a key initiative to boost national food security on Monday, introducing the Agriculture & Marine Cadets Programme in four public high schools.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources inaugurated the program at Government High School, with C.I. Gibson Senior High, R.M. Bailey Senior High, and C.V. Bethel Senior High also participating. The initiative is designed to cultivate the next generation of professionals in farming, fishing, aquaculture, and agri-business.
Minister of Education, the Hon. Glenys Hanna-Martin, commended the effort as a vital investment. “This single action should not be understated,” she said. “It ensures that human beings can sustain their ability to survive on this earth.” She emphasized that modern agriculture goes beyond traditional methods, embracing innovative technologies crucial for a low-lying nation heavily dependent on imported food.
Agriculture Minister, the Hon. Jomo Campbell, reinforced the government’s vision, noting that The Bahamas currently imports over 90 percent of its food. He stressed that agriculture is a “necessary and vibrant part of our country,” providing technical, practical, and transparent training for students.
Permanent Secretary Neil Campbell provided program details, confirming that farmland will be provided, and both students and instructors will receive stipends. Participants will also benefit financially from crop sales, gaining crucial, handson, real-world experience.
The program represents a significant collaborative step, with the Department of Agriculture providing the framework, BAMSI delivering the training, and the Ministry of Education integrating the subject into the curriculum.
BROWN
SENATOR DARREN PICKSTOCK
AGRICULTURE Minister Jomo Campbell speaks at Agriculture and Marine Cadets programme launch. Photos: Kristaan Ingraham/BIS