10092024 NEWS AND SPORT

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STORM WARNING

• Northern Bahamas under tropical storm warning

• School

closures announced for Northern and Central Bahamas

WEATHER forecasters and government officials yesterday announced school closures, warned of possible power outages, and urged residents in the northern and northwest Bahamas to brace for strong winds and heavy rain as Hurricane Milton nears, despite The Bahamas being expected to avoid a direct hit. Abaco and Grand Bahama are expected to face the most severe impacts from the system starting

Davis rules out formal inquiry on Dorian Deaths

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Philip

“Brave” Davis said investigations into Hurricane Dorian-related deaths are ongoing “administratively” to guide future actions, as his administration decided to fore go a more formal inquiry that he once suggested might be necessary. His comment came after The Tribune asked about his previous calls for an independent inquiry — either by outside police investigators or through a commission of inquiry — to determine the fate of those still missing in Abaco and

DEPUTY Commissioner of Police Leamond Deleveaux said “no charges will be brought against the officers” involved in the tragic shooting of a family’s dog four months ago, a decision that has left the owner, Silvan Ferguson, angry.

When Tiana Ferguson opened her home door to the police in June, allowing her dog, Milo, to escape outside, she

Capo DemanDs $600m Damages from genting

R ES o RTS World Bimini’s original developer is demanding its Genting partner pay more than $600m in damages for allegedly turning the project into a “financial wasteland” via a nearbillion dollar liability “dump”. The spectacular

breakdown in the longstanding relationship between Gerardo Capo’s RAV Bahamas and the multi-billion dollar Malaysian conglomerate is revealed in a lawsuit filed with the south Florida federal court on Monday, with the former asserting that “a massive and co-ordinated fraud” has left the real estate and other assets it contributed to their Bimini

partnership “essentially worthless”. RAV Bahamas is essentially accusing Genting of using its 78 percent majority ownership, plus Board and management control, to conceal how it funnelled hundreds of millions of dollars in liabilities incurred elsewhere in its global empire on to the

resort’s books.

prime Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis speaking at a national address concerning preparations for Hurricane Milton. Photo: Chappell Whyms Jr

Strong winds caused by possible tornado or waterspout damage homes in Treasure Cove

A STRONG wind or waterspout resembling a tornado reportedly struck the Treasure Cove area yesterday, leaving a couple’s home severely damaged.

Aaron Bahm, a ten-year resident of Treasure Cove, told The Tribune he was watching the Weather Channel when intense gusts suddenly swept through his backyard. He said the whirlwind sent pool floats flying across the yard and tore down branches from their mahogany palm trees. The powerful winds also destroyed the back fence, snapping the posts.

The vortex struck around 3.45pm during a thunderstorm. Mr Bahm estimated the wind speeds at 50 to 60mph, saying it lasted about five seconds over his house before moving towards Palm Cay. He said most of the damage occurred at the southern tip of Treasure Cove, where some homes suffered light roof damage and tree destruction. He also said kayaks were blown 200 yards down the street.

At the time of the event, Mr Bahm’s eightyear-old daughter was home. While Mr Bahm said he wasn’t frightened, the experience left his daughter feeling nervous.

His wife, Jennifer Treco, said she was at her son’s piano lesson when the storm hit. She said their daughter is now scared a similar incident might happen again, especially since their home is near the beach. Mrs Treco said it took the family two hours to clean up the debris in their backyard.

When contacted, St Anne’s MP Adrian White confirmed the incident. He said he was only aware of Mr Bahm and Mrs Treco being impacted, noting that sometimes these types of storms hit one area before dissipating. He had no reports of other residents being affected or injuries.

A stong wind believed to be a tornado or waterspout found it’s way across the areas of Sea Breaze and Treasure Cove causing damages to homes and foliage.
HeAvy rains also left flooded streets in Pinewood Grdens and other areas throughout New Providence yesterday.

‘Abaco residents still living in trailers will be evacuated ahead of storm’

DOZENS of Abaco residents living in government RV trailers will be evacuated ahead of Hurricane Milton amid concerns about potential flooding in Central Abaco due to reportedly uncleaned drainage systems.

Disaster Risk Management Authority (DRMA) managing director Aarone Sargent told reporters last night that officials had received reports of the residents seeking shelter and evacuating.

He said the Central Abaco Primary School has been activated as a shelter to provide temporary accommodation for vulnerable residents.

His comments came after Kefieanne Ferguson, the administrator for Central Abaco, told The Tribune that around 29 families still live in the trailers, which were initially provided as temporary housing after Hurricane Dorian in 2019.

The DRMA had advised residents earlier this year that these trailers would be dismantled by the end of October.

Central and South Abaco MP

John Pinder previously told The Tribune that the trailers were never intended for long-term use and have become problematic, citing health and safety risks and their inability to withstand storms.

Yesterday, Mr Sargent said officials are in the process of demobilising those trailers.

When asked about residents living in domes, Prime Minister Philip Davis told reporters he was not aware of anyone residing in domes on Abaco and Grand Bahama. However, The Tribune confirmed that some people still live in these structures.

This situation arises amid concerns from some about inadequate government storm preparations.

Roscoe Thompson, chairman

of the Marsh Harbour/Spring City Township, told The Tribune local officials are “preparing for the worst but hoping for the best”.

He noted that residents are primarily worried about flooding due to an improperly maintained drainage system.

“Again, here we have a pending tropical storm, tropical storm winds with rains, and the Ministry of Works doesn’t have their equipment,” he said. “They didn’t have adequate tools, you know, power tools and chainsaws, etc.”

He added: “We have heavy equipment on standby from local government, just in case.”

He said officials knew the drainage system needed to be cleaned after the last storm, but took no action.

“It’s just really sad that we go through this every year, and it seems that we’re not , and I don’t want to say the community is not prepared, but the government agencies, it seems like we’re always behind the eight ball,” he said.

When pressed by The Tribune regarding residents’ concerns, Works Minister Clay Sweeting said contractors have been hired to clean the drains in both Abaco and Grand Bahama.

He said crews are prioritising cleaning the drains most prone to flooding.

Prime Minister Davis said the flooding-related challenges are partly due to rising sea levels.

He attributed recent flooding challenges to both rising sea levels and the natural composition of the country’s land. He said the limestone foundation of the islands allows water to seep up from the ground, leading to saturation when heavy rains occur, as seen in recent days. This saturation, combined with additional rainfall, results in significant flooding. While he referred to such events as ‘acts of God,’ he emphasised the government’s ongoing efforts to mitigate the effects of flooding.

GB bracing for severe weather ahead of Hurricane Milton’s arrival

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

GRAND Bahama residents are bracing for severe weather conditions as Hurricane Milton makes its way towards Florida and approaches the north-west Bahamas.

Residents are flocking to hardware stores for hurricane supplies, food stores for provisions, and water depots to fill their gallon bottles.

The Dolly Madison Home Centre on Queen’s Highway has reported a surge in sales of hurricane supplies over the past 24 hours.

James Rolle, the general manager, noted a significant increase in customer traffic since the latest forecast and development of Hurricane Milton, which is expected to reach category five as it reaches Florida State.

“Residents are buying candles, flashlights, batteries, portable stoves with butane canisters, and other essential supplies,” said Mr Rolle. “We have been in hurricane mode since June 1, and people have been coming in randomly to purchase hurricane supplies. However, in the last 24 hours, since the announcement of Milton, we’ve seen

an uptick in customers preparing for the storm.

“I think there’s a heightened level of awareness, and people are not taking this storm lightly.”

The Tribune also visited Solomon’s in downtown Freeport, where shoppers were busy stocking up on non-perishable goods like tuna, corned beef, sardines, cream, crackers, juices, and bread.

FNM leader Michael Pintard, member of Parliament for Marco City, and his team were out distributing water to residents across Grand Bahama.

“Many persons are anxiety stricken whenever there is a system that is travelling, and to the extent it is remotely close to The Bahamas and has a possibility of changing course, residents are concerned,” he said.

Water stations have been set up in Marco City at the Central Church of God on Pioneer’s Way and at the East Grand Bahama Constituency Office off Royal Palm Way, allowing residents to refill their gallon bottles with drinking water for free.

Several corporate entities are also contributing to relief efforts. Polymers International, for instance, has granted residents

access to their freshwater pumps.

Leonard Dames, administrator for West Grand Bahama, said the Incident Command Centre, located on the second floor of the Obadiah Hercules Complex, has been partially activated.

The center will be open from 9am to 5pm, and the emergency contact numbers are 727-9561 and 727-9562.

Mr Dames said executives of the Disaster Risk Management Authority held a Zoom meeting yesterday with all MPs and administrators in Bimini, Abaco, Andros, and Grand Bahama — areas expected to be impacted by the storm.

“During that meeting, a decision was made to partially activate our Incident Command Centers,” he said.

Mr Dames also reported that Bahama Rock has placed loads of sand outside their premises for residents to fill their sandbags, and the Ministry of Works is addressing drainage issues in Eight Mile Rock to alleviate potential flooding.

“We are in a state of readiness, especially in West Grand Bahama,” he said.

AArone Sargent speaking on the readiness of the DRM Authority at the DRM Authority Office yesterday.
Photo: Chappell Whyms Jr

Pintard: Single major incident could deplete Rand Memorial Hospital’s blood supply

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

FNM leader Michael Pintard warned that the Rand Memorial Hospital is facing a shortage of blood bags, saying a single major incident could deplete the hospital’s supply.

He was speaking at the Rotary Club of Lucaya’s weekly luncheon meeting at the Royal Isalander Resort on Tuesday.

The Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) later acknowledged concerns about the availability of blood bags in public hospitals, particularly at the Rand Memorial Hospital (RMH) in Grand Bahama.

The PHA reported that the current shortage is a global issue, affecting healthcare systems worldwide due to ongoing supply chain disruptions.

PHA said: “It is essential to understand that the current shortage of blood bags is a global issue impacting healthcare systems worldwide, not only The Bahamas or the PHA.

Due to ongoing supply chain disruptions, healthcare providers globally are experiencing similar

challenges.”

“Despite these obstacles, it has not impacted patients requiring blood transfusions, whether for illness, injury, or pre-and postoperative care—have been impacted by a shortage of blood products.

PHA said its vendor has successfully secured an adequate supply of blood bags and that distribution to their facilities is expected today, fully equipping hospitals to continue meeting the needs of our patients.

Mr Pintard also noted that the hospital is facing staffing shortages in the operating theatre.

“We have a problem where we have theatre available for operation, but insufficient staff in order to use the theatres that we have,” he said.

“And for all of the Allied Health Services, there are shortages.”

The FNM leader recalled that during their previous term in office, an audit of

healthcare professionals revealed a shortage of 300 to 350 nurses.

On the issue of food assistance in Grand Bahama, Mr Pintard reported that both he and East Grand Bahama MP Kwasi Thompson have reached an agreement with the minister responsible for Social Services who reconfirmed that senior citizens who were removed from the food assistance list will be reinstated while they are being verified.

“The decision to take them off the list will be reversed, and they will continue receiving support while the issue is being resolved,” he said. “Persons will remain on the list.”

He stressed the importance of maintaining a social safety net in the current economic climate.

“Those of us who live here understand this economy.

While we know Grand Bahamians would prefer to be self-sufficient, until that day comes, we must ensure

a strong social safety net,” he said.

He also called for the need for greater support for parents with special needs children, particularly those with Down Syndrome. “We need to ensure that we have proper facilities for these parents by establishing a facility in Grand Bahama, as well as to strengthen the existing school here,” he said.

Addressing another critical issue, he called for the establishment of a proper halfway house for women and children escaping domestic violence.

“We need a substantial halfway house for women and children fleeing violent situations at home, who currently have nowhere to stay. Right now, some are being housed at places like Castaways and Royal Islander Resorts, but it’s not sustainable at $100 or $75 a night. We must find a long-term solution,” he said.

Deleveaux: No charges to be brought against officer that shot family’s dog

from page one

was unable to restrain the animal before an officer shot and killed him. A viral video captured the chaotic aftermath, showing officers roughing up her father, Mr Ferguson after he became emotional.

Mr Deleveaux, who oversees the Complaints and Corruption Branch of the Royal Bahamas Police Force, had promised to shed light on the investigation’s findings, assuring the public they would be “advised and informed” when it concludes.

Mr Deleveaux said little about the case yesterday but confirmed its conclusion.

Mr Ferguson said: “It’s not fair to know that they came into my house unexpectedly. It wasn’t the house they were supposed to come to, and they’re not going to be held accountable for it.

“To me, it was not fair at all during the investigation. It shows me that the police can do whatever they want and get away with it.”

Mr Ferguson said police officials contacted him a month after the incident, asking if his daughter could identify the shooter, but he had not heard from them before The Tribune’s revelation to him yesterday.

“The police had no reason for being up by my place,” he said. “They came looking for somebody in an ankle bracelet who doesn’t live in my place.”

Da D of teen killeD in bike crash seeks answers

from page one

Kevin Louissant’s son, Brieon Sweeting, 17, was killed on September 8, the 54th traffic fatality victim of the year.

Chief Superintendent of Police Chrislyn Skippings reported that a driver of a black Ford Explorer, while turning into the Western Seaview parking lot on West Bay Street, felt an

impact on the front of his vehicle. A motorcyclist subsequently crashed into a gate on the western side of the street and died.

Mr Louissant said he visited the Road Traffic Department the week of the incident to find out what happened.

“I spoke with the lead investigation officer,” he said. “He told me I wasn’t going to have nothing on the report in like two months’ time. When I spoke to the officer in charge of traffic, he gave condolences from the police force and all that, but they really talk nothing about the incident or the matter.”

An Andros resident, Mr Louissant said he plans to visit New Providence soon to approach police again for answers.

POLICE looking for a man wearing an ankle bracelet at the wrong residence end up shooting and killing a family’s pet dog Sunday (dog pictured here with his family previously).
Fnm LEadEr mIChaEL PIntard

Storm warning

tomorrow through Friday afternoon.

Geoffrey Greene, chief meteorologist, warned that Grand Bahama would start feeling the brunt of bad weather starting Thursday, with strong winds and thunderstorms expected to hit through that period.

He was speaking during a Disaster Risk Management Authority press conference, where officials updated the public on the preparations for Hurricane Milton, which regained Category 5 strength on Tuesday before hitting central Florida.

Tropical storm force winds could also be experienced in North and Central Abaco, while Bimini may encounter gusts.

Rainfall could total four to six inches across affected areas, with isolated amounts reaching up to ten inches.

In the north-western islands, including New Providence, rainfall of three to five inches is anticipated, with isolated maximums of around eight inches.

“We’ve had some flooding on the roadways, and we expect that to continue until the system is truly out of The Bahamas area,” Mr Greene said.

He warned of potential coastal inundation due to high surf and waves, especially on Friday as the storm moves away.

He added that people in coastal areas should be cautious, as while the storm is expected to move away on Friday, the northern shores will likely face significant water impact on Friday and Saturday, with conditions improving by Sunday.

The weather system prompted officials to close schools for in-person learning on the northwestern islands, including Andros, the Berry Islands, New Providence, and Eleuthera. Schools in Abaco, Grand Bahama, and Bimini will

also be closed due to projected adverse conditions.

Several private institutions in those islands have also announced school closures. Meanwhile, authorities also warn of potential power outages because of the storm.

Energy Minister Jobeth Coleby-Davis said the country’s infrastructure lacks the resilience needed to withstand windy storm conditions, stressing the importance of building more resilient systems. She added that this effort is part of their ongoing work to transform the energy sector.

In a national address last night, Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis assured residents, particularly in Abaco and Grand Bahama, that there was no cause for alarm, noting that The Bahamas is not in line for a direct hit.

He added that lessons learned from past experiences have improved precautions, with all agencies on standby to monitor the storm and deploy resources as needed.

“As Bahamians, we are no strangers to the challenges posed by tropical storms and hurricanes. We have faced them before, and we have emerged stronger each time,” he added.

“Let us remain vigilant, prepared, and ready to act. Our government stands prepared to take every necessary measure to protect lives, property, and communities.”

Mr Davis said the government is also coordinating with its consular offices and Bahamian associations in Florida to provide assistance where necessary.

• BTC has announced it will close its operations in Abaco, Grand Bahama and Bimini at noon today, remaining closed until tomorrow. The Mall at Marathon location will also be closed today. Super Value has Grand Bahama following the Category 5 storm.

announced it will close at 6pm today to allow staff to get home safely before adverse weather sets in. All clinics in Grand

today at noon and remain closed on Thursday.

International Airport passengers are warned of possible delays and cancellations, particularly for destinations such as

are advised to check directly with their airlines for updates.

Davis rules out formal inquiry on Dorian deaths

The unresolved uncertainty surrounding the number of people unaccounted for after Hurricane Dorian continues to linger. In June 2020, then National Security Minister Marvin Dames reported that 279 people were missing, while then Assistant Commissioner of Police Solomon Cash said that only 33 remained unaccounted for.

Last year, Mr Davis said an inquiry had not been ruled out but did not confirm whether one would occur.

“I did not promise a

commission of inquiry,” he told reporters during a press conference last night. “I mooted that one might be necessary, and as we took office and realised the other issues that impacted this country and its people, we thought it best to tackle those issues, and we’re doing (that) and attempt to through administrative

means, get to the bottom of what happened at that time in Hurricane Dorian.

“There’s much resources that are required to pull us from where we are and to get us where we are today, and so we didn’t think that a useful exercise for us to go through a commission of inquiry with respect to that.

“But investigations are continuing administratively to determine what actually happened and to get recommendations for the way forward in respect to those matters that would require improvement and recommendations going forward.”

September marked the fifth anniversary of

Hurricane Dorian, the devastating Category 5 storm that killed more than 70 people and displaced hundreds.

FNM chairman Dr Duane Sands recently told The Tribune that he still supports a formal inquiry, emphasising that some families need closure regarding their missing loved ones.

Bahama except for Eight Mile Rock Clinic will close
Lynden Pindling
Tampa, Orlando, Miami and Fort Lauderdale. Passengers
Prime Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis asks the Bahamian people to not panic but to be prepared at the DRM Authority office yesterday. Photo: Chappell Whyms Jr

The Tribune Limited

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“Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master”

LEON E. H. DUPUCH

Publisher/Editor 1903-1914

SIR ETIENNE DUPUCH, Kt., O.B.E., K.M., K.C.S.G., (Hon.) LL.D., D.Litt .

Publisher/Editor 1919-1972

Contributing Editor 1972-1991

RT HON EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON, C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B.

Publisher/Editor 1972-

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Prepare for the worst, and hope for the best as Milton approaches

BE safe. Be prepared. Be ready for the stormy conditions headed our way. That was the message being drummed home by Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis yesterday – and it was the right message to give.

For those who remember Hurricane Joaquin, back in 2015, one of the notable things about that storm was the lack of warning of the storm’s approach.

The apparent lack of preparations at the time was described by then Prime Minister Perry Christie as “a teachable moment”.

Well, if that was the case, then we have learned our lesson.

We hope that the measures announced by the government will prove to have been unnecessary and that we do not suffer major effects from the bad weather that will wash our way from Hurricane Milton as it hits Florida and passes onwards.

We hope that people will be safe. We hope there will be no significant damage. But it is right to give people every chance to prepare to increase the chances of making those hopes a reality.

Schools are being closed on a number of islands, while businesses are making their own measures. BTC announced the closure of several of its offices during

the likely adverse weather, while Super Value announced an early closure at 6pm tomorrow to let staff get home safe. Private schools were making their own decisions on whether to follow the official line for public schools, but it is expected that many will do the same.

All of this should tell you one thing –take these weather conditions seriously.

There has been a separate weather system dropping rain on our islands over the past day or two – and Mr Davis referenced that in his national address, noting the ground has already had to soak up a lot of water. If Milton’s effects add to that, people should anticipate flooding.

Mr Davis warned people to prepare for such conditions, lifting up furniture if necessary if in an area that can be affected by floods.

For good measure, make sure you have your essential documents safe too –in a waterproof container would be wise. We have faced major storms of course before – so we know the drill. There may be power outages, so stock up on batteries and charge devices. There may be difficulty with access after the weather, so have food and water supplies in stock. As we say, we hope all will be well. Hope for the best. Prepare for the worst. Most of all, be safe.

Appreciation for Dr Eddison Thompson

EDITOR, The Tribune.

I WOULD like to openly thank Dr Eddison Thompson, neurologist, for his compassion, friendliness, and professionalism, that was displayed during my unfortunate visit to the Princess Margaret Hospital. You are amazing, Dr Thompson! Words fall short to capture my gratitude for the service that was given to my relative who had a surgery the end of September 2024 in the Princess Margaret Hospital performed by Dr Thompson and team. I worked in the healthcare field for over 46 years with varied experience in midwifery, critical care and healthcare management. I have seen caring nurses, physicians and support staff who work tirelessly to provide exceptional care to their patients and clients during my tenure, but I have never seen anyone before who provided such outstanding care like Dr Eddison Thompson. It was

my first time meeting him and he was impressive to put it mildly. It was a great privilege to have met you, sir! The experience that was given is unforgettable and unbelievable.

I was so frustrated in PMH because my relative did not received a discharged summary letter, and it was critical to our visit so, I decided to go to the ward to seek assistance. While I was been turned around and advised to take a seat somewhere by my former colleagues Dr Thompson happened to be on the ward at the time and he said to me said to me, “I was the one who performed the surgery on your relative, I can help you and how is she doing?” It was like God send this Doctor in the form of an angel to rescue me from my teary eye moment. Dr Thompson advised me to go to the clinic and he will see her in a few minutes, and it was literally few minutes. At that time his Intern was not present yet

Picture of the day

Schoolmate’s tribute to Miller

EDITOR, The Tribune.

LIkE most of the nation,

in the clinic so he opted to perform a procedure that would normally be done by the Intern!

I thank you, Dr Thompson, for being one of those rare people who was willing to go the extra mile yes, above and beyond for a stranger. Doctor, you have given so much of yourself indeed your empathy has made all the difference during our weakest moments, a very difficult time in our lives, yet you provided a light amongst the dark. I feel truly blessed to have met someone as dedicated as you. On behalf of my family, I would like to again thank you for your extraordinary service provided in the Princess Margaret Hospital. The way you made us feel will always be remembered with gratitude. May God bless you and as you continue your journey in this noble profession.

THEODORA ALBURY Nassau, October 7, 2024.

I was saddened to learn of the demise of Darold Miller, a Bahamian icon in journalism/broadcasting. I first met Darold in 1966 when we entered the halls of The Government High School on the campus now occupied by the University of the Bahamas. We were placed in the G stream and remained classmates for the entire five years. Our form was a very special one as there were ten boys and nineteen girls so we were a family. Most of the students in our class had known each other from the various primary schools and I was the newbie coming into their circle.

Darold always had a genuine winning smile and a mischievous laugh. He was passionate about Literature and Speech and so it came as no surprise that he chose the career he did. In school, he stood up for his convictions even if he stood alone. That was Darold. He was a humble and mannerly student as in those days, we were about academics and discipline played a vital role. His speaking was always

articulate and he enjoyed a good debate. At times he seemed to be beyond his years as he was a very smart student and oftentimes thought outside the box.

His passion and drive led him to agitate for diplomas for the graduates from The Government High School. Prior to our graduation, the ceremony was known as “Speech Day” and the graduates from the prior year would attend to collect their GCE certificates, while the present graduates would receive only subject prizes and speeches geared at preparing them for the “Real World”, hence the name “Speech Day”. It was his persistence, along with that of a few others, which led to the graduating class of 1971 becoming the first to receive diplomas and the following year, 1972, the name was changed to Graduation Ceremony.

His life and career was not all a bed of roses but he possessed a “bounce-back”

spirit like no other and never missed an opportunity to make lemonade out of the lemons tossed at him. He took pride in his work and his carriage of any event was always colourful and lively. The highlight of his career can be said to be, other than General Elections, the Straw Market Fire. Everyone can still vividly see him asking the firemen “where is the water?”

Yes, Darold Miller has completed his earthly sojourn and gone on to glory leaving behind many memories, both in the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands. In the words of Frank Sinatra: He did it his way.

The class of 1971 of The Government High School extends sincerest condolences to the entire family and pray that his legacy and style of “Lively and Provocative” broadcasting not be forgotten. May he Rest in Eternal Peace.

VANESSA A SCOTT, JP TGHS Class of 1971 Nassau, October 7, 2024.

Photo: Quentin Bounias

Davis administration ‘fully supports BPL CEO removal’

ENERGY Minister

JoBeth Coleby-Davis said Bahamas Power & Light’s board removed Shevonn Cambridge as the company’s CEO, a decision the Davis administration “fully supports”.

“We trust the board’s judgment and believe this decision aligns with the shared vision of enhancing BPL’s efficiency and services for all Bahamians,” she said in a statement yesterday as government officials avoided clarifying the circumstances and reasons for Mr Cambridge’s ouster.

She said change is part of a broader effort to transform BPL and ensure it is well-positioned for the future.

Toni Seymour has been appointed BPL’s new CEO. Bahamas Electrical Workers Union (BEWU) president Kyle Wilson told The Tribune Mr Cambridge’s departure was a “surprise” to BPL employees. He described

the former CEO as highly skilled, respected, and wellliked amongst staff.

He said he did not want to speculate about why Mr Cambridge departed. However, he expressed confidence in Ms Seymour, saying she is qualified and has a good relationship with BPL’s unions. He believes she will bring fresh leadership to the company.

BPL said Ms Seymour is the first Bahamian woman to hold the CEO position in the company’s 68-year history, with a career in the energy sector spanning decades.

“Born and raised on Long Island, Ms Seymour has a unique understanding of the critical challenges faced by Family Island residents in accessing reliable electricity,” BPL said.

“Her personal connection to these communities has shaped her commitment to advancing energy resilience and sustainability across The Bahamas.”

Ms Seymour began her career in BPL’s Engineerin-Training programme and rose to leadership positions.

“As BPL’s new CEO,

Ms Seymour’s leadership come at a pivotal time, as the company embarks on a series of transformative initiatives,” BPL said. “These include the Family Island Microgrids and Renewable Energy Projects, designed to bring greater energy independence and sustainability to island communities. She will also spearhead efforts to expand solar power integration and oversee New Providence’s Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), ensuring a cleaner and more reliable energy future for The Bahamas.”

The Davis administration is pursuing the most comprehensive transformation of the energy company in years.

It is arranging an agreement with Pike Corporation to upgrade and manage BPL’s transmission and distribution (T&D) network in New Providence. The deal will involve transferring a significant portion of BPL’s assets.

Pike’s workers and trucks have been seen across the island for weeks, addressing grid issues.

is struggling to meet demand, particularly singling out struggles at Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH).

AS groundbreaking for a new hospital on New Providence Highway nears, residents in the surrounding area of Perpall Tract continue to voice their disapproval of the approved construction of the hospital, citing flooding, environmental impacts, traffic congestion, and noise pollution among other concerns.

When The Tribune visited the area where the new hospital will be built, minimal flooding was

apparent.

Nonetheless, one homeowner association president expressed concerns that the area’s existing flooding problems will be worsened by the construction of the hospital. They believe that the large facility could overwhelm local drainage systems.

In addition to flooding, residents have raised alarms about the increased traffic that a large hospital would bring to the area.

“The roads here are already congested, and adding a major medical

facility is only going to make it worse,” said one resident of 26 years, Kandy, expressing concerns that daily commutes and emergency response times could be heavily impacted. Noise pollution from ambulances and the general increase in activity were also frequently mentioned as key concerns among locals.

Chelle, another concerned resident who has lived in the area for over 20 years, highlighted the issue of increased traffic, describing the congestion in the area as already being “really bad” and

that adding a hospital will only worsen the issue.

Meanwhile, the homeowners association president echoed these concerns, emphasising that the noise pollution from ambulances and increased traffic flow would disturb the peace residents usually enjoy.

The homeowners association president also added that the decision to build the hospital in a residential area, despite pushback from not only residents but other stakeholder sectors, felt disrespectful, adding that residents feel their

concerns have been largely dismissed by authorities.

While many residents of the surrounding area where the new hospital will be built have opposed the proposed location, some acknowledged the necessity for more healthcare facilities on the island.

One resident of over 25 years, “Williams”, a registered nurse, recognised “there has to be more expansion in healthcare, in the availability of services.” However, she emphasised that the current healthcare system

Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Michael Darville has defended the government’s choice of the Perpall Tract site, saying other potential locations were considered but found unsuitable due to factors such as flooding risks and land size constraints.

He said environmental assessments have been conducted, and strategies will be put in place to mitigate issues like traffic congestion and noise pollution. The government said the $290m project is crucial to addressing the island’s growing healthcare needs.

Former BPL Ceo Shevonn CamBridge
PhotoS: Patrick Hanna/BIS

On death, remembrance, truth and lies

Death comes, whether expected or unexpected, bringing questions and upheaval with it. Death, like human life, is complicated. It can bring as much relief as it brings sorrow. It can be violent and painful, or it can be quiet and peaceful. It is the end of a life, and the beginning of a change for who and what is left behind. there are few incidents more revealing than death.

When someone dies, we learn about their life. Who was in regular contact with them? What was their health like? Who took care of them if and/or when they were ill? Did they live alone? Did they know their neighbours? Sometimes, in the aftermath of a death, misinformation is spread and people latch on to what is shared as fact. the truth is that, when someone dies, people feel the need to lie. that goes for people close to the deceased and people who only knew (of) them in a very specific context and/or at considerable distance. In many cases, where people attain celebrity or celebrity-adjacent status, the persona they present to the world is readily and easily accepted as true, consistent, and complete rather than a face and an act put on for a job or an audience. the contrived character the person creates for themselves is perceived as reality by the people who are not close enough to see past it. When such a contrived character is tied to particular events, memories, and roles, people become attached them and reluctant to see them as only part of a whole person, much less a deliberate fabrication.

It is always interesting to hear people speak of the dead. We all know of the supposed rule that we are not to “speak ill” of the dead, and that this is taken to the extreme. Not only do people contort themselves to avoid saying anything negative about dead people—especially in the first few weeks following their death—but they go to the extent of lying in order to make positive statements about them.

Over the past few years,

No one can do so much good that the harm caused - especially without apology and repair - is erased or can never again be mentioned.

I have observed conversations about people in the early days following their deaths and the way people handle lies and the truth. Because the lies are “positive,” they are regularly allowed to pass while “negative” truths draw ire. “Don’t speak ill of the dead!” the miserable grandparent, the philandering parent, and the abusive uncle have a tendency to be eulogised as kind, caring, and pleasant. It is not that people focus on the positive or make middle-of-the-road statements. they outright lie, and they cannot give a reason for beyond “ya can’t speak ill of the dead”. even when people are not physically dead, but their careers die or career death looms, there are people who are quick to come to their defense, supposedly because they are already suffering and/or their achievements are perceived as more important than the truth about their character. We can look at the discourse during the sexual assault case against Bill Cosby as well as the public reaction to the sexual abuse cases against Robert Kelly, also known as R Kelly. there was a clear division between the #BelieveWomen and the

#NotallMen groups in both cases, but there was also a weakly formed and strongly pushed argument that their violent crimes did not and should not take away from the television shows and music that they produced. the added layer that seems to complicate public positions on heinous crimes and the people who perpetrate them is the moral judgment that is—and should be made—of the people who continue to consume their products, knowing their crimes and the harm they have caused. What does it mean when a person insists that they cannot stop listening to songs they have not even thought of in years “just because” the singer is a rapist who preys on young people, using his (perceived) industry power to manipulate them? What does it mean when a person says they loved a television show too much to “throw it away” “just because” the creator raped scores of women?

When a person dies and difficult truths are revealed about them, it is almost expected that people will come to their defense and accuse survivors and those with inside knowledge of lying. they say that people

are lying in order to have a moment in the spotlight, or to diminish the person and their achievements. Survivors, however, know that any spotlight that comes from speaking the truth about sexual violence is likely to be unpleasant and have long-standing negative effects. Speaking no ill of the dead and minimising personal responsibility (in consumption, particularly of media) seem to be priorities—not historical accuracy, and certainly not the health, safety, and wellbeing of women and girls. there has been social media discourse following a few recent deaths of well-known Bahamians. Some praised the deceased for long service, excelling in their professions, being funny, having ties to organisations and other people, making specific comments, and generally being connect to certain events and both individual and collective memories. It is not unusual that, when there is significant praise for people who have also done wrong, people want to remind others of the harm the same talented, popular, celebrated people caused to others. Just as their positive contributions may be true, their bad decisions and violent actions may be true. No one can do so much good that the harm caused— especially without apology and repair—is erased or can never again be mentioned. What we do can last longer than we do, and those who remember may choose to tell. as community members, consumers of traditional and social media, family members, friends, and people who are grieving, we are entitled to our opinions, and there is a reasonable expectation that we accept and respect other people’s decisions to share their experiences and observations. We do not all like one another. We do not all agree with one another’s words or actions. We do not all agree on what should and should not be said about public figures. We do not have to agree on these things. We do, however, need to remember that our experiences are not all the same.

We need to be honest with ourselves first.

Who was that person?

Which parts of themselves did they show to me, and what did they withhold? What might others have seen? Why do I think one cancels out the other? Why do I think my story, my experience, and my beliefs are more important than someone else’s? Does what I know and what I share make what anyone else knows and shares any less true? Who is harmed by the truth, and why? Who is harmed by silence and the absence of truth, and why? Who do I feel compelled to defend, and why? It is easy to side with power. It is easy to rush to the defence of a person, especially when that person, their reputation, and the version of them we construct for ourselves is deeply connected with the way we see ourselves. It is okay, though unpleasant, to be uncomfortable. It is even better to reflect on that discomfort and find the source. Our personal stories, as

individuals, are not the only ones. Grief is an experience we will all have, again and again. We all live complicated lives and have complex emotions. truthtelling will always be important, powerful, and life-altering. there will be discomfort with many truths. Still, when it comes to recounting and retelling people’s lives, the multiple truths matter, and the resulting discomfort is an opportunity to learn more about and challenges ourselves, our beliefs, and our priorities. there is no one right time to tell a discomforting truth, and there is no wrong time to tell the truth either. We have to make these decisions for ourselves. We cannot make them for anyone else. May the discomfort with multiple truths lead us to introspection that inspires growth. May we be truthful about the ills of the dead and set ourselves free of lies and spare others continued harm.

Recommendations

1. Shakespeare in Paradise the festival is in its final days. Ralphie’s Regiment will take the stage on thursday and Saturday at 8pm, and December will entertain the lucky 70 ticket holders (each night) on Friday at 8pm and Saturday at 4pm. Ralphie’s Regiment is actually two plays—Ralphie’s Barbershop and a Merry Regiment of Women. the former, written by Philip a. Burrows, is about a stranger in a neighborhood barbershop and the latter focuses on the women in Shakespeare plays. December is described as a “poignant love story by Jamaican playwright Patrick Brown about two elderly Jamaican immigrants facing the ends of their lives in a New York apartment building.” Visit shakespeareinparadise.org to purchase tickets for these plays as well as ticket to see Nassau Rock, a Bahamian animation that is screening on Sunday at 8pm. Support the Dundas and Shakespeare in Paradise, and remember that donations are especially appreciated as these pillars of the art community try to, quite literally, keep the lights on.

2. You Are A Lot. this is a podcast about attention deficit hyperactive disorder (aDhD), hosted by Jen Kirkman who was diagnosed with aDhD in her 30s and only started responding to it and what she calls “recovery” in her 40s. She shares personal experiences, research by experts, and ideas for navigating life as a person with aDhD, whether diagnosed by a doctor, or self-diagnosed with the wealth of information available online.

ELECTRIC VEHICLE SELLER OPENS NEW LOCATION

AI pioneers win the Nobel Prize

STOCKHOLM Associated Press

TWO pioneers of artificial intelligence — John Hopfield and Geoffrey Hinton — won the Nobel Prize in physics Tuesday for helping create the building blocks of machine learning that is revolutionising the way we work and live but also creates new threats for humanity.

Hinton, who is known as the godfather of artificial intelligence, is a citizen of Canada and Britain who works at the University of Toronto, and Hopfield is an American working at Princeton.

“These two gentlemen were really the pioneers,” said Nobel physics committee member Mark Pearce.

The artificial neural networks — interconnected computer nodes inspired by neurons in the human brain — the researchers pioneered are used throughout science and medicine and “have also become part of our daily lives,” said Ellen Moons of the Nobel committee at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.

Hopfield, whose 1982 work laid the groundwork for Hinton’s, told The Associated Press, “I continue to be amazed by the impact it has had.”

Hinton predicted that AI will end up having a “huge influence” on civilization, bringing improvements in productivity and health care.

“It would be comparable with the Industrial Revolution,” he said in an open call with reporters and officials of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.

“We have no experience of what it’s like to have things smarter than us. And it’s

PROFESSOR John Hopfield, left, and professor Geoffrey Hinton.

going to be wonderful in many respects,” Hinton said.

“But we also have to worry about a number of possible bad consequences, particularly the threat of these things getting out of control.”

The Nobel committee also mentioned fears about the possible flipside.

Moons said that while it has “enormous benefits, its rapid development has also raised concerns about our future. Collectively, humans carry the responsibility for using this new technology in a safe and ethical way for the greatest benefit of humankind.”

Hinton, who quit a role at Google so he could speak more freely about the dangers of the technology he helped create, shares those concerns.

“I am worried that the overall consequence of this might be systems more intelligent than us that eventually take control,” Hinton said.

For his part, Hopfield, who signed early petitions by researchers calling for strong

control of the technology, compared the risks and benefits to work on viruses and nuclear energy, capable of helping and harming society. At a Princeton news conference, he made reference to the concerns, bringing up the dystopia imagined in George Orwell’s “1984,” or the fictional apocalypse inadvertently created by a Nobel-winning physicist in Kurt Vonnegut’s “Cat’s Cradle.”

Hopfield, who was staying with his wife at a cottage in Hampshire, England, said that after grabbing coffee and getting his flu shot, he opened his computer to a flurry of activity.

“I’ve never seen that many emails in my life,” he said. A bottle of champagne and bowl of soup were waiting, he added, but he doubted there were any fellow physicists in town to join the celebration.

Hinton said he was shocked at the honor.

“I’m flabbergasted. I had no idea this would happen,” he said when reached by the Nobel committee on the phone. He said he was at a cheap hotel with no internet.

Hinton, 76, helped develop a technique in the 1980s known as backpropagation instrumental in training machines how to “learn” by fine-tuning errors until they disappear. It’s similar to the way a student learns, with an initial solution graded and flaws identified and returned to be fixed and repaired. This process continues until the answer matches the network’s version of reality.

Hinton had an unconventional background as a psychologist who also dabbled in carpentry and was genuinely curious about how the mind works, said protege Nick Frosst, who was Hinton’s first hire at Google’s AI division in Toronto.

AT THE end of September, Easy Car Sales celebrated the opening of its new location on the highway at Abundant Life Road named EV CITY – #1 Home of the Electric Vehicle since 2016. Easy Car Sales is the only authorised dealer for new BYD, JAC and Geely electric vehicles in The Bahamas.

The sales team showed appreciation for EV owners with sea moss lemonades from Amplifi and tantalising duffs from The New Duff. Drivers walked away with Generation E swag bags, and a free annual membership to the Bahamas National Trust.

An Apple iPad was won by Shernal Bethel, a member of the public who took a test drive. Easy Car Sales now has two locations, on Gladstone Road and EV City on the highway, which has a consumer and commercial electric vehicles.

Easy Car Sales will also attend the BMDA New Car show on October 18 and 19 at the Mall at Marathon. To find out more and book a test drive, visit www. easy242.com

MUSK COMPLIES WITH COURT - SO X IS BACK IN BRAZIL

THE Brazilian Supreme Court’s Justice Alexandre de Moraes on Tuesday authorised the restoration of social media platform X´s service in Brazil, over a month after its nationwide shutdown, according to a court document that was made public.

Elon Musk’s X was blocked on August 30 in the highly online country of 213 million people — and one of X’s biggest markets, with estimates of its user base ranging from 20 to 40 million. De Moraes ordered the shutdown after a monthslong dispute with Musk over free speech, farright accounts and misinformation. Musk had disparaged de Moraes, calling him an authoritarian and a censor, even though his rulings, including X’s suspension, were repeatedly upheld by his peers.

Despite Musk’s public bravado, X ultimately complied with all of de Moraes’ demands. They included blocking certain accounts from the platform, paying outstanding fines and naming a legal representative in the country. Failure to do the latter had triggered the suspension.

“The resumption of (X)’s activities on national territory was conditioned, solely, on full compliance with Brazilian laws and absolute observance of the Judiciary’s decisions, out of respect for national sovereignty,” de Moraes said in the court document.

“X is proud to return to Brazil,” the company said in a statement posted on its Global Government Affairs account. “Giving tens of millions of Brazilians access to our indispensable platform was paramount throughout this entire process. We will continue to defend freedom of speech, within the boundaries of the law, everywhere we operate.”

Caribbean bottling Company introduCes CoC a-Cola and oreo no sugar beverage

COCA-COLA cele-

brated friendships in style at Paradise Plates.

The philanthropic event featured leading local beverage purveyors, chefs and brewers for attendees to enjoy; with all proceeds going towards Hands for Hunger initiatives.

Caribbean Bottling Company, local producers of Coca-Cola and Dasani products, sponsored Paradise Plates.

“We have a deep appreciation for the important work Hands for Hunger does throughout the community. Sharing similar values with the organisation, we are happy to be in a position to support,” said Jonathan Thronebury, marketing director of CBC.

To commemorate CocaCola and Oreo’s No Sugar limited edition beverage, Coca-Cola created a black and white photo display and provided props for guests to capture the mood of the night.

There were also samples of the limited-edition CocaCola and Oreo No Sugar beverage.

For more on Caribbean Bottling Company, visit www.cbcbahamas.com.

Two year prison for guilty plea to having a loaded gun

A MAN was sentenced to two years in prison after admitting to having a loaded gun in his Baldwin Street home last week.

Magistrate Lennox Coleby arraigned 23-yearold Alonso Riley, his 19-year-old brother, Anfernee Riley, and their mother, Cerise Riley, on charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.

Alonso was reportedly found with a black Glock Austria pistol and eight rounds of .40 calibre ammunition around 9.20am on October 2.

Alonso pleaded guilty to both charges, while his co-defendants entered notguilty pleas. As a result, the charges against Anfernee and Cerise Riley were withdrawn.

Alonso’s attorney, K Melvin Munroe,

A 51-yeAR-OLD man was ordered to attend counselling after admitting to assaulting his adult children at their home last month.

Senior Magistrate Kara Turnquest-Deveaux arraigned Prasaint Pati on charges of assault with a dangerous instrument and causing harm. According to the prosecution, Pati’s daughter began recording him on her phone when he exhibited erratic behaviour at their home on September 29. Pati reportedly attempted to grab the phone and then

A MAN was fined $4,500 yesterday after admitting to attempting to defraud a bank of $26,000 using fake pay slips in 2022.

Senior Magistrate Kendra Kelly presided as Pedro Miller, 38, appeared for the continuation of his trial on three counts of possession of a forged document, uttering a forged document and attempted fraud by false pretenses.

A 33-yeAR-OLD man was fined yesterday after he reportedly breached his bail while on release for a sex assault charge against an 18-year-old girl.

Senior Magistrate Raquel Whyms arraigned Perry Cooper with violation of bail conditions. Cooper was on Supreme

highlighted his client’s cooperation with police and willingness to take full responsibility for the weapon. He argued that Alonso should receive credit for avoiding a trial and noted his young age and potential for rehabilitation. He also mentioned that Alonso works as an electrician.

Although Mr Munroe acknowledged the serious issue of gun violence, he emphasised that there were no aggravating factors in Alonso’s case and called for leniency in sentencing.

Magistrate Coleby sentenced Alonso to 24 months at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services, recommending that he enrol in electrical courses during his time there.

Before being taken into remand, Alonso thanked the magistrate and embraced his brother and mother, offering them comfort.

pushed his daughter against a wall. He also allegedly held a cutlass to his son’s throat.

Pati pleaded guilty to the charges and informed the court that he had recently been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and was on medication.

He was granted a conditional discharge, requiring him to attend counselling. He faces a six-month prison sentence if he fails to meet this condition.

The magistrate also encouraged Pati to continue taking his medication as prescribed.

Pati is scheduled to return to court on December 5 for a progress update on his counselling.

Miller reportedly tried defrauding Commonwealth Bank from a $26,000 loan by providing fake pay slips on May 18–19, 2022.

Miller reversed his earlier position and pleaded guilty to all nine charges against him. The defendant was fined $4,500 for the offence or risk an eight-month prison term.

Glendon Rolle represented the accused. Sergeant Vernon Pyfrom served as the prosecutor.

Court bail for the alleged indecent assault of a teenage girl in New Providence on September 27, 2023. Cooper reportedly breached his court-ordered residential curfew on the night of October 6.

The defendant pleaded guilty to the charge and apologised for his actions. Cooper was fined $400 for the breach or risk a one-month prison term.

Hurricane Milton intensifies into a powerful c at 5 as it Heads for florida

Hurricane Milton became one of the most rapidly intensifying storms on record as it went from barely hurricane strength to a dangerous category 5 storm in less than a day on a path across the Gulf of Mexico toward Florida.

With sustained winds that reached 180 mph on October 7, 2024, and very low pressure, it also became one of the strongest atlantic storms. Milton’s winds dipped to category 4 strength early on October 8, but forecasters warned that it would still be an extremely dangerous hurricane at landfall.

Less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene’s devastating impact, this kind of storm was the last thing Florida wanted to see. Hurricane Milton was expected to make landfall as a major hurricane on October 9 and had already prompted widespread evacuations.

So, what exactly is rapid intensification, and what

does global climate change have to do with it? We research hurricane behavior and teach meteorology. Here’s what you need to know.

WhaT I s rapId I nTens IfI caTIon?

rapid intensification is defined by the national Weather Service as an increase in a tropical cyclone’s maximum sustained wind speed of at least 30 knots – about 35 mph within a 24-hour period. That increase can be enough to escalate a storm from category 1 to category 3 on the SaffirSimpson scale.

Milton’s wind speed went from 80 mph to 175 mph from 1pm Sunday to 1pm Monday, and its pressure dropped from 988 millibars to 911. Most of that intensification was over just 12 hours.

The national Hurricane center had been warning that Milton was likely to become a major hurricane, but this kind of rapid intensification can catch people off guard, especially when it occurs close to landfall.

Hurricane Michael did billions of dollars in damage in 2018 when it rapidly intensified into a category 5 storm just before hitting near Tyndall air Force Base in the Florida Panhandle. in 2023, Hurricane Otis’ maximum wind speed increased by 100 mph in less than 24 hours before it hit acapulco, Mexico. Hurricane ian also rapidly intensified in 2022 before hitting just south of where Milton is projected to cross Florida.

WhaT causes hurrI canes To rapIdly I nTens Ify?

rapid intensification is

difficult to forecast, but there are a few driving forces.

• Ocean heat: Warm sea surface temperatures, particularly when they extend into deeper layers of warm water, provide the energy necessary for hurricanes to intensify. The deeper the warm water, the more energy a storm can draw upon, enhancing its strength.

• Low wind shear: Strong vertical wind shear – a rapid change in wind speed or direction with height – can disrupt a storm’s organisation, while low wind shear allows hurricanes to grow more rapidly. in Milton’s case, the atmospheric conditions were particularly conducive to rapid intensification.

• Moisture: Higher sea surface temperatures and lower salinity increase the amount of moisture available to storms, fueling rapid intensification. Warmer waters provide the heat needed for moisture to evaporate, while lower salinity helps trap that heat near the surface. This allows more sustained heat and moisture to transfer to the storm, driving faster and stronger intensification.

• Thunderstorm activity: internal dynamics, such as bursts of intense thunderstorms within a cyclone’s rotation, can reorganise a cyclone’s circulation and lead to rapid increases in

strength, even when the other conditions aren’t ideal.

research has found that globally, a majority of hurricanes category 3 and above tend to undergo rapid intensification within their lifetimes.

hoW does GloBal Warm In G Influence hurrIcane sTren GTh? if it seems as though you’ve been hearing about rapid intensification a lot more in recent years, that’s in part because it’s happening more often. a 2023 study investigating connections between rapid intensification and climate change found an increase in the number of tropical cyclones experiencing rapid intensification over the past four decades. That includes a significant rise in the number of hurricanes that rapidly intensify multiple times during their development. another analysis comparing trends from 1982 to 2017 with climate model simulations found that natural variability alone could not explain these increases in rapidly intensifying storms, indicating a likely role of human-induced climate change. How future climate change will affect hurricanes is an active area of research. as global temperatures and oceans continue to warm, however, the frequency of major hurricanes is projected to increase. The extreme hurricanes of recent years, including Beryl in June 2024 and Helene, are already raising alarms about the intensifying impact of warming on tropical cyclone behavior.

• Originally published on theconversation.com

This GOES-16
GeoColor satellite image taken at 12:15 p.m. EDT and provided by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows Hurricane Milton in the Gulf of Mexico, off the coast off Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024. Image: NOAA /AP
The ANNuAl number of tropical cyclones in the Atlantic Ocean that achieved rapid intensification each year between 1980-2023 shows an upward trend. Images: Climate Central
GOverNOr GeNerAl, Her Excellency the Most Hon. Dame Cynthia Pratt was in attendance at the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture’s National Youth Ambassador Corps Official Installation Ceremony, Monday evening, October 7, 2024 at Government House. Also in attendance were Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture the Hon. Mario Bowleg, and Permanent Secretary Roselyn Horton. Photos: Patrick hanna/BIS
his Excellency Dr. Sherif Reda Ahmad Shehata, NonResident Ambassador-Designate of the Arab Republic of Egypt, presented Credentials to Governor General, Her Excellency the Most Hon. Dame Cynthia Pratt at Government House, October 1, 2024.
Photos: letisha henderson/ BIS

Fearful residents flee Tampa Bay region as Hurricane Milton takes aim at Florida coast

TAMPA Associated Press

Fear F ul Florida residents streamed out of the Tampa Bay region Tuesday ahead of what could be a once-in-a-century direct hit from Hurricane

Milton, as crews worked furiously to prevent furniture, appliances and other waterlogged wreckage from the last big storm from becoming deadly projectiles in this one. The preparations marked the last chance

for millions of people in the Tampa metro area to prepare for lethal storm surges, ferocious winds and possible tornadoes in a place that has narrowly avoided a head-on blow from a major storm for generations.

“Today’s the last day to get ready,” said Craig Fugate, a former F e M a director who previously ran the state’s emergency operation division. “This is bringing everything.”

Gov. r on DeSantis said the state deployed over 300 dump trucks that had removed 1,300 loads of debris left behind by Hurricane Helene by Tuesday afternoon. In Clearwater Beach, Nick Szabo spent

a second long day hauling away 3-foot piles of soggy mattresses, couches and drywall after being hired by a local resident who was eager to help clear the roads and unwilling to wait for overwhelmed city contractors.

“ a ll this crap is going to be missiles,” he said.

“It’s like a spear coming at you.”

a fter weakening slightly, Milton regained strength Tuesday afternoon and became a Category 5 storm again, with winds of 165 mph (265 kph). It could make landfall Wednesday night in the Tampa Bay area, which has a population of more than 3.3 million people. The 11 Florida counties under mandatory evacuation orders are home to about 5.9 million people, according to population estimates from the u S Census Bureau.

Those who defy the orders are on their own, and first responders are not expected to risk their lives to rescue them at the height of the storm.

“You do not have to get on the interstate and go far away,” DeSantis told a news conference, assuring residents there would be enough gasoline to fuel their cars for the trip.

“You can evacuate tens of miles. You do not have to evacuate hundreds of miles away.”

Milton is forecast to cross central Florida and to dump as much as 18 inches (46 centimetres) of rain while heading toward the a tlantic Ocean, according to the National Hurricane Center. That path would largely spare other states ravaged by Helene, which killed at least 230 people on its path from Florida to the Carolinas.

The arrival of backto-back hurricanes that rapidly intensified into mighty storms comes as climate change exacerbates conditions that are allowing them to thrive in warming waters. Milton is the 13th named storm of the atlantic hurricane season, which started June 1.

Tampa Bay has not been hit directly by a major hurricane since 1921, and authorities fear its luck is about to run out. Tampa Mayor Jane Castor issued increasingly dire warnings, noting that a 15-foot surge could swallow an entire house.

“So if you’re in it, basically that’s the coffin that you’re in,” she said.

There’s no good recent example of how bad it could be because even historic hurricanes such as andrew, Harvey and Katrina did not actually directly hit a major metropolitan area. They were all to the side, said university of Miami hurricane researcher Brian McNoldy.

“It’s hard to see places coming out of this very well. If it’s not the worst case ... even the next worst case is very bad,” McNoldy said.

Most of Florida’s west coast was under a hurricane or tropical storm warning as the system spun just off Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula, creeping toward shore and sucking energy from the Gulf of Mexico’s warm waters. Hurricane warnings were extended early Tuesday to parts of the state’s east coast. In riverview, south of Tampa, several drivers waiting in a long line for fuel Tuesday morning said they had no plans to evacuate.

“I think we’ll just hang, you know — tough it out,” said Martin Oakes, of nearby apollo Beach.

“We got shutters up. The house is all ready. So this is sort of the last piece of the puzzle.”

ralph Douglas, who lives in neighbouring ruskin, said he, too, will stay put, in part because he worries about running out of gas trying to return after the storm or getting blocked by debris.

“Where I’m at right now, I don’t think I need to evacuate,” he said. at the Tampa airport, John Fedor and his wife were trying to catch a cab to a storm shelter after missing multiple flights home to Philadelphia. They had hoped taking a Caribbean cruise would bring them closer, but tensions were rising after they spent nearly $1,000 on unplanned transportation and hotel rooms due to travel delays. after a two-mile walk to the airport, Fedor’s suitcase cracked open and the wheels broke. They considered driving home or taking a train, but nothing worked out.

“We’re kind of like stranded here,” Fedor said.

President Joe Biden approved an emergency declaration for Florida, and the White House announced Tuesday that he would postpone a trip to Germany and angola to monitor the storm.

“This could be the worst storm to hit Florida in over a century,” Biden told reporters. “God willing it won’t be. But that’s what it’s looking like right now.”

The Federal emergency Management agency has almost 900 staff members in the region and has stocked two staging areas with 20 million meals and 40 million litres of water, the White House said.

Stragglers were a problem during Helene and Ian in 2022. Many residents said they evacuated during previous storms only to have major surges not materialize. But there was evidence Tuesday that people were heeding the warnings to get out before Milton arrives.

The Florida Highway Patrol reported heavy traffic northbound and eastbound on all roadways and said state troopers were escorting fuel tankers to assist with gasoline delivery.

a bout 150 miles (240 kilometres) south of Tampa, Fort Myers Beach was nearly a ghost town. Ian devastated the community two years ago with its 15-foot (4.5-metre) storm surge. Fourteen people died there. On Tuesday, the nearby Callosahatchee r iver was already choppy, slapping hard against the sea wall.

David Jalving and his family spent the morning putting away planters and outdoor furniture at his parents’ home, which sustained extensive damage from Ian. They moved back in only six months ago.

“It is getting old, and every year it seems that it is getting worse,” said Jalving, who hopes to convince his parents to move. He’s also considering leaving Florida himself.

“I can’t deal with another one,” he said.

In southwest Florida, the streets in the seaside town of Punta Gorda were still filled with furniture, books, toys and even a few hot tubs destroyed by Helene. Scott Joiner, who described bull sharks swimming in the flooded streets during that storm, said the city has been trying to pick up the trash but didn’t have enough time before Milton.

“Water is a blessing to have, but it is very deadly,” he said.

Debris from homes flooded in Hurricane Helene sits curbside as Hurricane Milton approaches on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024, in Port Richey, Florida.
Photo: Mike Carlson/AP

Mingoes open UB Showcase with dramatic win over Stampers

THE University of The Bahamas men’s basketball team had their fans on the edge of their seats before forward Gabriel Styles got a putback to lift the Mingoes to a 71-70 victory in their season-opener over the Sunlight Stampers in the UB Showcase at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium.

The Mingoes were led by senior Theodore Grant with a game high 25 points to go with six assists. He got help from freshman big man Jerehemiah Miller who finished with 20 points and eight rebounds.

Erquantae Edgecombe had a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

The team is fairly new so Grant said he had to be the scorer on the team.

“With a new team, fresh legs, we were trying to solve some pieces on the court,” Grant said. “I tried to set the standard of being a scorer.” Miller who hails from Mangrove Cay, Andros fit right into the Mingoes’ team in his first game which he said was nerve-racking.

“It was a good experience,” he said.

“We came out hard and came to the game to win. Coach drew up the game plan for us and we were able to execute.”

It was a tied ball game at 67-67 with 1.47 left in the fourth quarter.

Stampers took the lead before Grant made a

LEBRON

PALM DESERT, Calif.

(AP) — LeBron James grew up without a father, and the top scorer in NBA history has often said he savours every moment and milestone he can experience with his own three children.

When he stepped onto a court Sunday night to play alongside his son, Bronny, for the Los Angeles Lakers, this moment was more than basketball history to him.

It was the realisation of a family dream.

LeBron and Bronny became the first father and son to play in any NBA game together during the first half of the Lakers’ preseason contest against Phoenix, playing just over four minutes side-by-side in the second quarter.

“It’s pretty cool for the both of us, and especially for our family,” LeBron said. “It’s definitely a moment that I will never forget.”

The James family’s remarkable moment coincidentally happened on Bronny’s 20th birthday, and it felt like a celebration for the 39-year-old LeBron, who has spoken about his desire for this opportunity since Bronny was in high school.

Although LeBron knows they’ll get more chances to play together in the Lakers’ upcoming season, the first time on court together in uniform felt “not real” to the four-time NBA champion and 20-time All-Star.

“For a father, it means everything,” LeBron said.

“For someone who didn’t have that growing up, to

LEFT: UB guard Theodore Grant flexes after two of his game-high 25 points during their 71-70 victory at the Kendal G.L.

shot to tie it at 69-69 with 48 seconds remaining in regulation. Stampers made a free throw with 23 seconds left to take the lead. The shot clock was off with the Mingoes bringing the ball up court. They dribbled the clock down then Grant took a shot from deep that rimmed out, but Styles was there for the offensive board and put back with one second left on the clock. The Stampers

UB forward Audley Russell drives to the

were unable to get the shot off as the Mingoes held on for the win.

Edgecombe was a catalyst to the victory when he gave his team some momentum after hitting a buzzer-beater three-point shot late in the third quarter. That shot cut the Stampers lead to one point as they held a 54-53 advantage.

The Stampers’ offence was led by Tomiko King with 17 points and four

by UB Athletics

rebounds. His teammate Michael Turnquest scored 15 points.

This season, the Mingoes will be holding showcase games to highlight the team and prepare for international competition.

The Mingoes have 16 games planned in Nassau, Grand Bahama, Andros and Abaco.

The Mingoes will take the showcase onto the road when they head to Grand Bahama to play the New Era Gym Rats on Friday, October 11. And UB is scheduled to play the Pizza Hut Lions on Saturday, October 12. Both games will be played at 8pm at the St George’s Gymnasium.

LYNX RETURN TO THE WNBA FINALS WITH 88-77 WIN OVER SUN

MINNEAPOLIS (AP)

— Napheesa Collier had 27 points and 11 rebounds and Courtney Williams contributed 24 points and both-ends-of-the-court energy to lead the Minnesota Lynx past the Connecticut Sun 88-77 and into the WNBA Finals for the first time in seven years last night.

Kayla McBride fuelled a strong start with 10 of her 19 points in the first quarter for the Lynx, who advanced to face the top-seeded New York Liberty in Game 1 on Thursday night. The bestof-five series continues with Game 2 in New York on Sunday afternoon, before Minnesota hosts Game 3 on October 16.

The Lynx, who finished second in the league and two games behind the Liberty during the regular season, have won three of four matchups with New York this year. That includes the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup on June 25 to take the in-season tournament title.

DiJonai Carrington had 17 points and 12 rebounds and Brionna Jones had 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Sun, who shot only 38.5% from the floor (25 for 65) and were flustered into 19 turnovers that the Lynx converted into 22 points.

DeWanna Bonner had 14 points on 4-for-13 shooting for the Sun, who were ousted in the semifinals for the fourth time in six years. They lost in the finals in those other two seasons, 2019 and 2022, when Williams was part of the core that still hasn’t cleared that last hurdle to the franchise’s first title.

Collier averaged 40 points in the two-game sweep of the Phoenix Mercury in the first round and had 29 points and 13 rebounds at Connecticut in Game 4.

be able to have that influence on your kids and have that influence on your son, be able to have moments with your son — and the ultimate, to be able to work with your son — that’s one of the greatest things that a father could ever hope for or wish for.”

Bronny James entered the preseason game as a substitute to begin the second quarter, joining his father on court at Acrisure Arena in the Coachella Valley. Bronny was told by coach JJ Redick before the game that he would be playing alongside LeBron, but the rookie maintained his usual cool demeanour both before and after the moment.

“I was pretty psyched for that,” Bronny said.

Although he’s much less vocal about the whole situation than LeBron, Bronny is still learning how to navigate an on-court relationship with his father, who has repeatedly insisted that his son can’t call him “Dad” on the court.

“I’m always thinking about, ‘That’s my dad!’, because that’s literally my dad,” Bronny said. “But when I’m playing, he’s just my teammate. That’s all.”

Their minutes together weren’t as smooth as they’ll be later in the season: Bronny committed two turnovers and LeBron made another in their first two minutes. Shortly after LeBron hit a 3-pointer moments later, LeBron got the ball to Bronny and set a screen for his son’s 3-point attempt, but Bronny missed.

“I was really hoping that wing 3 would have gone in,” Redick said with a smile.

“That would have been a cool moment. But they’ll have a lot of moments together, I’m sure.”

Bronny came off for a substitute 4:09 into the second quarter, and LeBron came off 25 seconds later at the next dead ball.

LeBron had 19 points, five rebounds and four assists in 16 minutes during the first half, and he watched the Lakers’ second half from the bench alongside Anthony Davis.

Bronny played about nine minutes in the second half, but didn’t score in the Lakers’ 118-114 loss to the Suns. “I just told him,

‘Keep getting better,’” LeBron said. “He’s young. He wants to continue to improve, and that’s what’s most important. So every time you get a moment out there, just continue to make winning plays. Continue to learn from his mistakes and make winning plays.”

LeBron James is beginning his record-tying 22nd season in the NBA, while LeBron James Jr — known to all as Bronny — was the Lakers’ second-round draft pick this summer.

After recovering from cardiac arrest over a year ago, Bronny played just one season at Southern

California before entering the draft. Redick had vowed that the pairing would only happen “in the flow of the game,” and wouldn’t be “gimmicky.”

“I’m thrilled that I get to be a part of this, I really am,” Redick said. “It’s cool as a basketball fan. I think it speaks to LeBron’s longevity, but also his competitive stamina that he’s able to still be doing this in Year 22. It speaks to the work that Bronny has put in to get to this point, and really just the fatherly care, and certainly the motherly care from Savannah as well. Bronny, he’s such a great kid and a pleasure to be around.”

The 6-foot-2 Bronny is expected to spend much of the upcoming season working on his game with the South Bay Lakers of the G League, but he will almost certainly get to play alongside his 6-foot-9 father in a real game early in the regular season.

The games that count begin October 22 at home against Minnesota.

Although LeBron will turn 40 in late December, the top scorer in NBA history has shown no sign of slowing down with age.

LeBron sat out of the Lakers’ preseason opener against Minnesota last Friday night, resting up after a full week of training

camp following a busy summer. Bronny had two points on 1-for-6 shooting and three blocked shots while playing 16 minutes against the Timberwolves.

LeBron was early in his second NBA season with the Cleveland Cavaliers when he and his high school sweetheart, Savannah Brinson, became parents for the first time in 2004. They had two more children — son Bryce and daughter Zhuri. LeBron and Bronny have been preparing for the chance to play together ever since LeBron returned from a summer vacation after winning a gold medal with the U.S. team at the Paris Olympics.

The father and son have scrimmaged together repeatedly during workouts at the Lakers’ training complex, both as teammates and opponents. In the regular season, they’ll join a short list of fathers and sons who have shared a playing field in North American professional sports. Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr. played together with the Seattle Mariners during parts of the 1990 and 1991 baseball seasons, while hockey great Gordie Howe played with sons Marty and Mark for the Houston Aeros in the WHA and the New England/Hartford Whalers in the WHA and NHL.

LOS Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James (9), right, steps onto the court with Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) during the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game Sunday, October 6, 2024, in Palm Desert, California. (AP Photo/William Liang)
Photos
TOP RIGHT: University of The Bahamas guard Erquantae Edgecombe reacts after hitting a three pointer against The Sunlight Stampers at The Kendal Issacs Gym on October 3. The Mingoes won 71-70 with a 20-point contribution from Edgecombe. ABOVE
Isaacs Gymnasium. ABOVE RIGHT:
hoop.

CH Reeves Raptors and DW Davis Royals win

FROM PAGE 16

win,” Hanna said. “We made a lot of simple errors, which we have to clean up in order for us to win the championship.

“We have to learn to share the ball as well and stop playing ping pong with the ball.”

Even with the mistakes that they made, DW Davis were able to take control of both sets and never really relinquished their lead against a passive CH Reeves’ squad. “This the first game of the season, but I expected them to do better,” said Terae Sweeting, who made her debut as the coach of the Rebels.

“We practiced well, but we just fell short. We will be back. We just have to work on some things because the performance wasn’t where I thought it would be.”

Sweeting, one of the top female volleyball players in the country, said her squad was a little jittery, but once they can get used to playing with each other and be more aggressive, they will definitely play better.

As the season progresses, Hanna said they just have to serve and receive the ball better and they will be in a good position to be contenders for the title this year.

CH Reeves in three over

DW Davis Junior Girls

In a more entertaining showdown for the junior girls, the Royals dropped the first set, but coach Jackie Conyers was able to motivate them as they bounced back and easily took the next two for the win over the Raptors.

“It was pretty good. We had some issues, but we were able to correct those,” said Conyers, one of the country’s former premier players who previously coached the Anatol Rodgers Timberwolves’ team.

“We started to realise what we were doing and we gained some confidence, some cohesiveness and with the team work, we were victorious.”

Looking at their performances, Conyers said their serving and passing was good, but they have to work a little more on the free balls.

“These kids have been working hard. They love volleyball and they want to practice every day, even on Saturday, so that is the joy of volleyball,” she said.

“I told them they will become addicted to the sport once they develop the fundamental skills.”

If they are serious, she noted that it could take them very far.

DW Davis’ coach Fiona Tucker said even though they lost, she was still pleased.

“It was better than what I expected,” she stated. “I have a lot of seventh graders coming, but they did well. They held their own. They won the first set, so that boosted their spirits a little bit.

“But I don’t know what happened in the second and the third set.”

One problem she was able to pinpoint was their service.

“I was hoping with them bumping and getting the ball over the net, it would help us, but it didn’t,” she reflected. “We still have some more work to do. Better luck next game.”

GOLF

Brown, Van ‘Lil Joe’ Johnson, John ‘Brother John’ Willouiams, Leslie ‘Truck’ Johnson, Jerome ‘Stunt’ Moxey and deceased Van ‘Lil Joe’ Johnson, Charles ‘Chuckie’ Smith, Jackie ‘Lil Stunt’ Moxey, Zella Symonette and Aretha Mackey. No date has been set for the induction.

SOCCER NPPPSSA TOURNEY

POSTPONED

THE New Providence Public Primary Schools Sports Association’s Dawn Knowles Soccer Tournament that was to be played at the Roscoe Davies Developmental Center at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex yesterday was called off due to the inclement weather. The

association has announced that the girls will play their elimination games on Thursday and Friday, October 10-11 and the boys will play on Thursday and Friday, October 16-17. The championship games in both divisions will take place on Friday, October 18.

CROSS COUNTRY BSAA CHAMPIONSHIPS THE Bahamas Scholastic Athletic Association will hold its cross country championships on Saturday, October 26. The event will begin at 10am at Goodman’s Bay. Interested persons are urged to contact Emerrick Taylor at 565-4962, Keno Demeritte at 436-6921 or Mr Burrows at 433-5070 for more information.

TRACK SPIA MILE CHALLENGE

THE second annual SPIQ Mile Challenge will take place on Saturday, October 19 at the University of the Bahamas, starting at 7am. The event is geared for male and female in the under-9, U11, U13, U17, U20 and open divisions.

Trophies will be awarded to the first three finishers in each age group. There will also be awards for the divisional winners.

HURRICANE MILTON FORCES BUCS AND LIGHTNING TO LEAVE FLORIDA EARLY

THE NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers and NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning have left Florida ahead of Hurricane Milton to practice the rest of the week.

The Bucs departed yesterday, relocating to New Orleans, where they’ll face the Saints on Sunday. The Lightning left for Raleigh, North Carolina, on Monday night to continue preparations for their season opener against the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday night. Milton, currently a Category 5 hurricane, is projected to make landfall in the Tampa Bay area tonight.

The Lightning’s home opener against Carolina is set for Saturday night and is on as scheduled for now. It’s the third time in the past seven years the Bucs have shifted operations to another area to avoid bad weather.

In 2020, they travelled to South Florida ahead of Hurricane Ian to practice at the Miami Dolphins’ training facility before returning home to play the Kansas City Chiefs.

TOURNEY POSTPONED

DUE to the forecasted severe weather for Monday, organisers have announced that the Tee Off for the Hunger Golf Tournament today at the Ocean Golf Club will be postponed. The safety of our players and attendees is our top priority.

A new date will be determined and shared with you as soon as possible. We appreciate your understanding and continued support of this important cause. Please stay tuned for further updates, and thank you again for being part of the effort to feed Bahamians in need.

ROOTS JUNKANOO

FUN RUN/WALK THE Roots Junkanoo Group is scheduled to hold its Fun Run/Walk Race under the theme “Let’s Do This Together,” on Saturday, October 12.

The event will start promptly at 6:30am at the Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium and will be sponsored by the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and the National Sports Authority.

The registration fee is $25 per athlete. Categories include male and female under-15, under-20, 21-30,

31-40, 41-50, 51-60 and 61-and-over.

CYCLING FEDERATION ELECTIONS

THE Bahamas Cycling Federation’s secretary general Barron “Turbo” Musgrove has announced that their general meeting and election of officers will take place on Saturday, October 26.

The elections will be held at the office of the Bahamas Olympic Committee, starting at 5pm. Nominations for positions in the federation must be submitted to Musgrove in person or via email atbammus1967@gmail.com by Sunday, October 13. Positions to be filled are president, two vice presidents, general secretary, assistant secretary, treasurer and assistant treasurer. The current president is Roy Colebrooke.

BBSF CLASSIC POSTPONED

THE Bahamas Basketball Sports Federation postponed its cycling classic on Saturday and will now be rescheduled for Saturday, October 26, at the Perpall Park on West Bay Street.

The event is scheduled to begin at 9am on the new date and will cater to the open and masters men and women divisions as well as the boys and girls 15-17,

12-14 and 9-11 years old divisions. The entry fee is $20, which will include the use of a bike.

EXUMA HOMECOMING THE Williams Town Exuma Homecoming Association is scheduled to hold a softball game and road race over the weekend of October 11-14.

The softball game will be played on October 11-12 between the Corner Boyz from the New Providence Oldtimers Softball Association and the local All-Star team from Exuma. Then on October 12, a five-mile road race will be staged, starting at 7am from the Culture Centre in Forbes Hill to the public school in Williams Town.

BAPTIST SPORTS FEDERATION

TRACK MEET THE Bahamas Baptist Sports Federation will hold its Renee ‘Sunshine’ Curry-Davis Memorial Track and Field Classic on Saturday, November 16, at the Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium. The meet, hosted in conjunction with the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and the Bahamas Association of Certified Officials, will recognise Curry-Davis, a former executive of the BBSF,

When Tampa Bay’s 2017 season opener against the Dolphins was postponed because of Hurricane Irma, the team chartered several planes to move players, coaches and families to Charlotte, North Carolina, to escape the storm. This time, the Glazer family, which owns the Bucs, booked two planes for a travelling party of about 350 people and 31 pets that included players, coaches and staff who would normally travel to an away game.

Staff also had the ability to include their immediate family members and pets.

The team also purchased more than 200 hotels rooms in the Orlando and Gainesville areas for employees and families who wanted to evacuate from their homes ahead of the storm.

At the college level, the American Athletic Conference announced that a football game between Memphis and South Florida at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa has been rescheduled from Friday night to Saturday. The conference plans to monitor conditions after Milton passes and adjust accordingly.

UCF’s Big 12 home football game vs. Cincinnati remains scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. EDT kickoff Saturday in Orlando. The Knights rescheduled events in several other sports.

who was working as the director for track and field before her death this year. Beginning at 9am, the meet will be geared for men and women competing in the under-7, under-11, under-15, under20 under-30 open, under-50 open and masters 50-andover categories as well as the clergy for pastors, ministers, evangelists and deacons.

The entry deadline for teams to participate is Friday, November 1 and should be submitted to TEK Results via tmoss@ locbahamas.org or contact Brent Stubbs at 426-7265 or email stubbobs@gmail. com. A technical meeting will take place at 6pm on Tuesday, November 12 at the Bahamas Baptist College, Jean Street. ALL CARIBBEAN WRESTLING FIGHT FOR PARADISE

THE All Caribbean Wrestling (ACW) is scheduled to hold its Fight for Paradise show on Saturday, October 19, at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium. Doors open at 1pm. Wrestlers from throughout the Caribbean and the United States of America will be participating. For ticket information, persons can contact FightForParadise.eventbrite.com

Photos: Chappell Whyms Jr

Regatta time again!

FROM PAGE 16

belts will be on the line.

During the October 19 show, Rodgers said there will be a cookout where some of the top chefs will be providing some tasty dishes on sale wirth part proceeds going to charity.

“When DJ Tunezz came into my gym, I didn’t know who he was. I only got to discover that he’s one of the top DJs at 100Jamz,” Rodgers said.

“He came in and told me he just wanted to get in shape and, after he started training, he said he wanted to fight, but we couldn’t find an opponent for him.” Rodgers, however, said after DJ Tunezz started to train, DJ T-Max showed up.

“I didn’t know who he was either. But I found out that they had a beef behind the turntable and T-Max won in 2023 for the Bahamas DJ champion and DJ Tunezz won it in 2024, so they figured they would settle it in the ring.

“We’re looking forward to a full house because a lot of people follow these two DJs,” Rodgers said. “So we want to use this as a means of promoting boxing in the country.

“I’ve trained over thousands of fighters, even when I partnered with the late Ray Minus Jr, but a lot of those fighters have fallen by the wayside. So we want to make it a vibrant sport again in the country.” As for the November 23 show, Rodgers said he has been trying for years to get a star-studded lineup of the top boxers in the country to compete for the various titles and now it is finally going to become a reality.

“We have 13 different weight classes, so I decided to bring in the belts for the boys,” Rodgers said. “It doesn’t matter what weight class you are in, you can fight for a title.

“It will not only be a title that will be recognised here in The Bahamas, but all around the world because it will be sanctioned by the Bahamas Boxing Commission.”

The gates will open at 7pm with the early birds paying $45 for general admission. The general admission is $55 and the VIP tickets are priced at $125.

GEORGIA UNIVERSITY LEADERS ASK NCAA TO BAN TRANSGENDER WOMEN FROM SPORTS

ATLANTA (AP) — The regents who govern Georgia’s 26 public universities and colleges voted yesterday to ask the NCAA and another college athletic federation to ban transgender women from participating in women’s sports.

The unanimous vote came after Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, a Republican, vowed in August to pass legislation that would ban transgender women from athletic events at public colleges.

The regents asked the NCAA and the National Junior College Athletic Association to conform their policies with those of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. That federation voted in April to all but ban transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports at its 241 mostly small colleges.

Of the 25 schools governed by the regents that have sports programmes, four are members of the National Junior College Athletic Association, five are members of the NAIA, and the remaining 16 are NCAA members. The University of Georgia and Georgia Tech are NCAA members. All athletes are allowed to participate in

NAIA-sponsored male sports. But the only athletes allowed to participate in women’s sports are those whose biological sex assigned at birth is female and have not begun hormone therapy.

The much larger NCAA began in August to follow the standards of national and international governing bodies for each sport.

Before that, the NCAA policy for transgender athlete participation in place since 2010, called for one year of testosterone suppression treatment and documented testosterone levels submitted before championship competitions.

Board of Regents Secretary Chris McGraw said that the junior college federation allows some transgender students to participate in women’s athletics in some circumstances.

Of the 25 schools governed by the board that have intercollegiate sports programmes, five are NAIA members, four are members of the junior college federation and 16 are members of various NCAA divisions.

“Those are three very different sets of rules that our institutions’ athletic programmes are governed by at this point,” said McGraw, also the board’s chief lawyer, who briefly presented the resolution

before it was approved with no debate. Kristina Torres, a spokesperson, said board members and Chancellor Sonny Perdue had no further comment.

Perdue is a former Republican governor while board members have been appointed by Republican Gov. Brian Kemp. The NCAA didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment on Tuesday.

Opponents say those seeking bans on transgender participation in women’s and girls’ sports are seeking political gain.

Jeff Graham, the executive director of LGBTQ+ rights group Georgia Equality, said the university system “should recognise

the importance of diversity at many levels and should be there to care about the educational experience of all of their students regardless of their gender or gender identity.”

“I’m certainly disappointed to see the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia is spending its time passing resolutions that only serve to stigmatise transgender students and perpetuate misinformation about the reality of what is happening within athletic competitions involving transgender athletes,” Graham told The Associated Press in a phone interview.

Jones, a possible Republican contender for governor in 2026, thanked the regents

for their vote in a Tuesday statement. Senate Republicans showcased the issue in August when they heard from five former college swimmers who are suing the NCAA and Georgia Tech over a transgender woman’s participation in the 2022 NCAA women’s swimming championships at the Atlanta university.

“The work female athletes put into competing should be protected at all cost, no matter the age,” Jones said.

“This action brings us one step closer toward achieving that ultimate goal.”

Transgender participation in women’s sports roiled Georgia’s General Assembly in 2022, when lawmakers passed a law

letting the Georgia High School Association regulate transgender women’s participation in sports.

The association, mostly made up of public high schools, then banned participation by transgender women in sports events it sponsors. That law didn’t address colleges. According to the Movement Advancement Project, a group that lobbies for LGBTQ+ rights, 23 states have banned transgender students from participating in college sports, although a court ruled that Montana’s ban was unconstitutional in 2022.

The August state Senate hearing focused on the participation in the 2022 NCAA swimming championships by Lia Thomas, a transgender woman who swam for the University of Pennsylvania and won the 500-metre freestyle.

The witnesses and senators also took aim at Georgia Tech, arguing that the host of the event shared blame for allowing Thomas to participate and share a locker room with other swimmers.

Georgia Tech and the university system have denied in court papers that they had any role in deciding whether Thomas would participate or what locker room she would use.

JEFF AMY Associated Press
PENNSYLVANIA’s Lia Thomas waits for results after swimming the women’s 200 freestyle final at the NCAA swimming and diving championships Friday, March 18, 2022, at Georgia Tech in Atlanta. (AP Photo/ John Bazemore)
THE Fidelity Bahamas Optimist National Championship Regatta concluded Sunday in George Town, Exuma. Forty eight sailors competed from islands throughout The Bahamas, including sailors from the Grand Bahama Sailing Club, The Hope Town Junior Sailing
Club, the Harbour Island Sailing Club, the Eleuthera Sailing Academy, the Mack Knowles Junior Sailing Club, the Bahamas National Sailing School,
and the host club - The Exuma Sailing Club. And five junior sailors also joined from the Southern Yacht Club in Louisiana, USA.
YOUNG sailors on land and the high seas enjoying the Fidelity Bahamas Optimist National Championship Regatta on Sunday in George Town, Exuma.

SPORTS

‘Clash of the Sound Boys’

After splitting their first two encounters behind the turntable, two local disc jockeys have decided to settle the score inside the ring.

100Jamz’ sensation Jonathan ‘DJ Tunezz’ Johnson and Makonnen ‘DJ T-Max’ Thurston have agreed to a three-round heavyweight match on Saturday, October 19, at the pavilion on Clifford Park.

DJs decide to settle score in the boxing ring

The duo will headline the WHF Entertainment and Strikers Boxing Club’s ‘Clash of the Sound Boys’ show that will feature coach Cromwell “Bullet” Gordon as the celebrity judge. Ronn Rodgers, head coach of the Strikers Boxing Club, said having worked with both DJs over the past year, he’s excited to see how well they perform in the ring. “This is going to be their coming out party

RAPTORS, ROYALS WIN

DESPITE the inclement weather on the outside, the DW Davis Royals and the CH Reeves Raptors were able to cool each other off in their Government

Secondary Schools Sports Association’s junior boys and girls volleyball double header inside the Anatol Rodgers Gymnasium.

On a rainy day two of the GSSSA’s 2024 season yesterday, DW Davis swept CH Reeves 17-8, 17-11 in the junior boys’ feature contest, while CH Reeves out-distanced DW Davis 16-18, 17-10, 15-7 in the junior girls.

Junior games were also played yesterday at both the DW Davis and CI Gibson Gymnasiums, but those scores were unavailable.

The GSSSA, which kicked off the season on

Monday, will be back in action today when the senior boys and girls games are scheduled to be played at Anatol Rodgrs, DW Davis and CI Gibson Gymnasiums.

Royals over Raptors

Junior Boys

DW Davis, winners of the title two years ago, are off to a great start as coach Mark Hanna indicated that their goal is to regain their position as one of the top schools, not just in basketball, but volleyball as well in the GSSSA. “I’m very happy and thankful for the

because a lot of people don’t know that they have been going to the boxing club to train,” Rodgers said.

“They have been battling it out in the music arena for years and now they decided to take it to the ring. This will be a tune-up for them and a lot of other boxers who will fight on a card on November 23rd.”

During the Saturday, November 23 show, Rodgers said they are expected

to attract a number of fighters out of the Floyd Mayweather Boxing Club to compete here in The Bahamas.

The details for that show will be provided after the ‘Clash of the Sound Boys.’ But Rodgers said during the November show, with the sanctioning of the Bahamas Boxing Commission, all of the local boxing

‘Junkanoo

Boyz’ ready to represent The Bahamas in Nations League matches

THE Bahamas Football Association (BFA) announced the roster for the Bahamas men’s national soccer team as they prepare to compete in the upcoming Concacaf Nations League matches.

The “Junkanoo Boyz” have been training hard and are ready to represent The Bahamas with pride and determination.

The team is slated to face the US Virgin Islands on October 12 followed by a match against Barbados on October 15.

Due to ongoing renovations at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium, these matches will take place at the Wildey Turf in Barbados, where the team has previously played.

Match Schedule

October 12, Bahamas vs US Virgin Islands

October 15, Barbados vs Bahamas

Venue: Wildey Turf, Barbados

Team Roster: Michael Butler, Vance Wheaton, Lekenson Chery, Jonathan Miller, William Bayles, Michael Massey, Quinton Carey, Christopher Rahming, Wood Julmis, Lesly St. Fleur, Brandon

Perez. Coaching and Support Staff

Fred Lunn – head of delegation; Nesly Jean – head coach; Larry Minns – team manager; Kevin Davies –assistant coach; Carlton Adderley – assistant team manager; Daniel Miller – medical and Steven Soirilien – equipment manager. The team looks forward to building on their previous matchups against these opponents, bringing the same strength and passion to the field.

The “Junkanoo Boyz” continue to carry the pride of The Bahamas in every game they play.

SOFTBALL

SAM HAVEN INVITATIONAL THE Banker’s Athletic Association is scheduled to host the 8th Annual Sam Haven Invitational co-ed slowpitch tournament this weekend at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex.

Registration for teams are slated to begin at 9am on Saturday at a cost of $300 per team. The tournament will start at 9:30am.

A total cash prize of $500 will be offered along with trophies and medals to the winning teams. Interested persons can email: bankersathleticsassociation@gmail.com to obtain more information. The tournament is being held in memory of the late Sam Haven, a former founding member of the BAA and a former softball player in the league.

BSF HALL OF FAME DUE to the threat of Hurricane Milton to the Northern Bahamas, the Bahamas Softball Federation’s 2024 Hall of Fame Induction, which was scheduled for tonight, has been postponed until a later date.

The induction was scheduled to take place at Government House with Governor General Cynthia “Mother” Pratt, a Hall of Famer, was scheduled to preside over the proceedings. The list of honourees include Pedro Marcellus, Freedie ‘the Skipper’ Cornish, Elvis Rolle, Anthony Fowler, Rhonda Colton, Monique Cooper, Mario ‘Gubbs’ Ford, Kevion ‘Iceman’ Bethel, Winston ‘Strawberry’ Seymour, Stephen ‘Slugger’

SEE PAGE 14

Adderley, Walter Sawyer, Nahum Johnson, Omari Bain, Jordan Cheetham, Jack Massey and Kai
SEE PAGE 15 DJ TUNEZZ DJ T-MAX
ON THE REPLAY: CH Reeves Raptors junior girls in action yesterday during their Government Secondary Schools Sports Association volleyball opener at Anatol Rodgers Gymnasium.
Photo: Chappell Whyms Jr

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