10132020 BUSINESS AND FEATURES

business@tribunemedia.net

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2020

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pays Compass Point owner Bahamas high price over ‘torn’ over 2020 close $600m offering

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

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OMPASS Point’s owner has warned staff he is torn over whether to close the resort “permanently” by year-end 2020 due to his ongoing stand-off with the government and COVID-19’s fall-out.

Leigh Rodney told his 50-plus workforce in a recent employee message, which has been seen by Tribune Business, that while his brain was urging him to shutter the iconic West Bay Street property his heart was telling him “no” due to the impact this would have on workers.

Acknowledging that COVID-19 was set to remain a threat through summer 2021, Mr Rodney added that the “arbitrary” measures employed by the Minnis administration to contain it - including lockdowns, travel restrictions and curfews - meant it would be “impossible” for Compass Point’s hotel operations to make a profit.

• Mulls ‘permanent’ shuttering by year-end • Tells staff: ‘My brain says yes, but heart no’ • Blames govt stand-off, COVID measures

And, having already threatened to close the resort come the likely 2022 general election unless the government addresses his concerns over hotel industry regulation, he warned that it “seemed pointless” to continue incurring losses until that point due to the pandemic’s impact on business volumes.

“The virus is likely going to continue through next summer,” Mr Rodney told staff. “Since a politician, and certainly Bahamian politicians, are never wrong, your government will continue their arbitrary restrictions of some sort or another that make it impossible for our hotel to make a profit and tough for our restaurant to make a profit.

“This is going to continue for the foreseeable future.

To re-open the hotel finally next summer, suffer through the slow months of 2021,

Lockdowns ‘behind us’ for November 1

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

A CABINET minister has voiced optimism that New Providence will have “put these lockdowns behind us” in time for tourism’s planned return on November 1 with the 14-day quarantine elimination.

Dionisio D’Aguilar, pictured, minister of tourism and aviation, admitted to Tribune Business that the latest COVID-19 restrictions were “not ideal” given that the re-opening of The

Bahamas’ largest industry is less than three weeks away.

However, he added that the country had little choice but to “flatten the curve” on the surging infection rate in New Providence which is now reporting between 500-600 new cases per week, including a further 76 yesterday.

Arguing that “buy in” from all residents was essential if COVID-19 was to be contained, Mr D’Aguilar said lockdowns such as this

SEE PAGE 6

‘Material impact’: COVID-19 curbs delay cruise port

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net NASSAU Cruise Port’s top executive is urging the government to establish COVID-19 policies for essential personnel as existing restrictions create “a material impact” on its $250m redevelopment project.

Michael Maura, its chief executive, told Tribune Business that Prince George Wharf’s redevelopment has lost “a week or two’s” worth of construction because

high-level expatriate personnel are presently required to undergo the mandatory 14-day quarantine upon arriving in The Bahamas.

That requirement is set to be eliminated on November 1 in favour of more rapid and frequent testing, but Mr Maura said clarity and an easing of the restrictions was required now - especially if these persons were able to produce a negative PCR test within the allowed time restrictions and complied with the health visa condition.

SEE PAGE 4

and then close on election day 2022 seems pointless.

“For this reason, I wanted to convey that I have had the first thought towards closing permanently, perhaps by the end of this year.

I have my heart committed to keeping Compass Point open. My brain is telling me to close. As I hope you have already observed, I have consideration for you very much on my mind and will continue to think of you as I wrestle with this decision.”

Mr Rodney said he hoped staff felt he had “done much” to support them through the COVID-19 crisis, adding: “I did not do this as a charitable act. I did this because I recognise that our employees are what makes Compass Point a great property.

“I wanted to preserve this chemistry for when The Bahamas re-opened. As you have seen, we continue to

make improvements to the property to make us better then ever in the future.

Unfortunately, the clock is ticking towards the closure that I stated would occur by election day if the leader of your tourism industry did not discuss with me eliminating some regulations of hotels.

“He has not spoken to me. Obviously the draconian regulation of your lives the FNM has imposed since the virus crisis started is huge compared to my relatively minor issues, but I am committed to keeping my promise to close in two years even if the FNM keeps none of their promises.”

The tourism industry “leader” referred to

by Mr Rodney is Dionisio D’Aguilar, minister of tourism and aviation. He declined to comment when

SEE PAGE 7

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas and its taxpayers have paid a higher price “than we would like” in raising $600m from overseas investors to fill the government’s financial holes, the deputy prime minister has conceded.

K Peter Turnquest told Tribune Business that the government’s just-closed international bond offering had achieved “the best rate we can get at the moment” given the fall-out from the COVID-19 pandemic, near-total shutdown of the tourism industry and The Bahamas’ “junk” creditworthiness standing with both Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s (S&P).

The 8.95 percent interest coupon attached to The Bahamas’ $600m offering, which the government said was effectively oversubscribed by 83.3 percent based on the $1.1bn worth of investor “indications” received, is almost three percentage points higher than

K PETER TURNQUEST the six percent rate obtained the last time it placed such a sizeable foreign currency bond issue in late 2017.

This represents a near50 percent increase in the interest rate that Bahamian taxpayers, via the Public Treasury, will have to service compared to what the government would likely have been required to pay in pre-COVID and “junk” downgrade times.

Both Mr Turnquest and Marlon Johnson, the Ministry of Finance’s acting financial secretary, told this newspaper that market reaction - and the $600m

SEE PAGE 6

PAGE 2, Tuesday, October 13, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

LOCKDOWN EASING IS ‘GREAT RELIEF’ ON ABACO

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

ABACO’S Chamber of Commerce president hailed yesterday’s further easing of lockdown restrictions as “a great relief” in the island’s battle to recover from the twin ravages of Dorian and COVID-19.

Ken Hutton told Tribune Business that the adjustments agreed to by the prime minister represent a “tremendous” boost after Dr Hubert Minnis clarified that residents of Elbow Cay/Hope Town and ManO-War Cay, together with construction workers, no longer have to quarantine for 14 days when commuting between the islands and the Abaco mainland And the government’s latest emergency powers (COVID-19 Pandemic) Orders also contain several lockdown-easing measures recommended last week by Abaco’s Chamber of Commerce. Three of the four cays it urged be exempted from Abaco’s weekend lockdown - Green Turtle Cay, Man-O-War Cay and Elbow Cay - are now included among the islands where such restrictions have

KEN HUTTON

JAMES ALBURY

been removed.

The only one recommended by the Chamber which did not make this list was Great Guana Cay, but the prime minister also bowed to another Abaco Chamber request by allowing gas stations and takeaway restaurants to remain open between 6am and 6pm throughout the three-day holiday period and on all weekends going forward.

“We’re very grateful for that,” Mr Hutton told this newspaper of the adjustments. “I think it’s definitely a great relief to everybody here. It’s tremendous. We’re very pleased that the competent authority, the prime minister, was willing to give us some of the things we requested. It was very beneficial, and great to see

there’s open lines of communication between the private sector and government on this.”

Dr Minnis, in an October 12 response to a request for clarification from James Albury, parliamentary secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office and south Abaco’s MP, said “residents - including construction workers - of Elbow Cay and Man-O-War Cay - can now travel between the cays and mainland Abaco without having to be placed in quarantine”.

This, the prime minister’s note said, will enable them “to access basic essentials such as groceries, pharmacies and banking” on Abaco’s mainland. And the movement of construction workers without having to quarantine for 14 days will

facilitate the ongoing effort to rebuild from Dorian’s devastation.

The Abaco Chamber, meanwhile, has appealed directly to Jeffrey Lloyd, minister of education, to permit Abaco’s schools to re-open and offer faceto-face learning after they were shut down by the latest lockdown just one month into the new school year.

“The one thing we want to work on, and hopefully will get some kind of resolution on, is the ability of schools to re-open here,” Mr Hutton added. “The schools that are open have not set up for virtual learning anyway, and most had their first week of school this past week.

“It was a tremendous benefit to the local community to have their children back in school, and have a sense of normality return.

To have that stopped after one week was kind of disappointing.”

Mr Hutton said the minister had acknowledged receiving the Abaco Chamber’s letter, which he had passed on to the competent authority (Prime Minister’s Office) from whom a decision was now awaited.

The Abaco Chamber, in

its letter to Mr Lloyd, said: “In short, minister, there is proven data that the risk of COVID-19 infection to children in a school environment is small and can be minimised further using the established procedures. We have a school-age population in Abaco that, in many cases has not been able to attend classes in over a year due to the destruction of Hurricane Dorian and the pandemic.

“Last week for many children was their first time back in the classroom in over a year, and to shut that down is likely to exacerbate an already tenuous mental health problem here. Children need security, routine and certainty; things that have been sadly lacking here in Abaco for the last 14 months. This is to say nothing of the struggle of the parents of these children.”

Mr Albury, the south Abaco MP, added that the easing of 14-day quarantine restrictions was critical for Elbow Cay/Hope Town and Man-O-War Cay since they did not have access to “essential services” such as pharmacies and banks unless they commuted to the mainland. Grocery and food store options,

too, were limited.

“We’re still very much in the rebuilding stage all over Abaco, and Man-OWar Cay and Elbow Cay are no exceptions,” he said of the easing of construction worker movements. “That work needs to go on.”

The opening-up of gas stations and take-away restaurants enabled residents to access hot food and get fuel for their generators, Mr Albury added, explaining that this was critical for those whose homes have yet to be restored to the Bahamas Power & Light (BPL) grid.

“We’re just in a different ball park to Nassau, so these special considerations need to be made,” the MP argued.

“The one we unfortunately don’t have is construction over the weekend, but I’m very optimistic that over the next two weeks, as our numbers continue to decline, that we will be allowed to re-open in full.

“If I’m not mistaken, Abaco has not reported any new COVID-19 cases for a few days. We’re hoping this trend continues, and if it does, I don’t see any reason why we cannot have those remaining restrictions lifted.”

TAXI CHIEF: ‘READY OR NOT’ TOURISM NEEDS TO RE-OPEN

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Taxi Cab Union’s president says The Bahamas must re-open its tourism sector “ready or not” on November 1 even though COVID-19 will

remain well into 2021.

Wesley Ferguson told Tribune Business: “Ready or not we need to do something, because we can’t stay locked down indefinitely.

We have to find a way.

Those who have the brightest minds among us should

have their heads together, not making it political, and find a way for us working in this COVID environment.

“Truth be told, and from what I gather, I anticipated when I saw Donald Trump contracted COVID-19 that if he caught the virus that

means there is nowhere we can hide from it.”

Noting the difficulties associated with marketing The Bahamas amid New Providence’s latest curfew and lockdown, Mr Ferguson said: “In spite of what the minister of tourism is

saying it will have a negative effect. People want to get away and not be locked down. The Bahamas has a reputation for being a friendly people and a safe environment.

“Tourists that come here have relationships with people within our tourism industry. So the lockdown will not be very effective if we want to attract people to come to The Bahamas.

People don’t want to come here for a lockdown. Yes, we have to be careful in this COVID environment, but at the same time we have to co-exist with this COVID-19.”

Mr Ferguson added that COVID-19 virus will be present well into 2021, “and that is straight across the board. This looks like the trend in all of the Caribbean countries, and when I listened to the prime minister saying he will extend the unemployment benefits until the end of 2020, that gave me further indication to just simply write 2020 off.

“Barbados and Jamaica have written off 2020. We have to look at 2021 and beyond. The cruise ships won’t be back here until 2021. Airlines will come back on October 15, but to what extent they are coming with a load of people is another thing. With the cases here so high, and with us having the highest

per capita in the region, we have to concentrate on getting the numbers down first and then opening up to the world.”

Muna Issa, SuperClubs Breezes managing director, asked if the country will be ready for the planned November 1 tourism reopening, said: “On getting the virus under control, that is a question for the experts. The world is used to lockdowns and curfews, so I think the marketing plan should concentrate on which hotels are open and not those that are closed.

“A few hotels have been open since July 1 and, as far as I know, no positive cases have been contact-traced to the open hotels. As the song goes: We need to accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative.”

Diane McTague, general manager of the Holiday Inn Express, said: “I really hope that we have some control over the virus so that we can re-open the island. With the lockdown and curfew I think this is necessary to bring the virus under control.”

Peter Rebmann, Pearl Island’s managing partner, said: “I am not a doctor nor a virologist. All I know and see is our numbers are exploding and, as I said many times, nobody will travel to a hot spot.”

VIRTUAL PLAN FOR ABACO BUSINESS CONFERENCE

You can’t reopen your business and hire staff if there is nowhere for you or your staff to live,” he added.

“Abaco has been shut down for six to seven months because of COVID-19, and that stopped a lot of the reconstruction going on here.

“The only people who were reconstructing are the people who are already on the island. We need to open the island again to second homeowners for them to come back and rebuild.

“The other thing we need is more flexibility on behalf of the government to allow temporary housing solutions at least for a year or so. As much as we want it, it’s going to be virtually impossible to have everything built here up to hurricane standards. We’ve got to get people here to be able to build those structures,” Mr Hutton continued.

“But the most important thing coming up right now that is going to be critical in rebuilding Abaco is that the tax-free provisions for the special economic recovery zone of Abaco expire in December. Now, as a result of COVID-19, we basically lost eight months, so those provisions need to be extended.”

Wynsome Ferguson, manager of the Abaco Tourist Office, said navigating commerce around

THE Abaco Business Outlook (ABO) conference will take place virtually from October 15-16 under the theme, A new era: Resilience in the face of vulnerability.

Organisers said it will feature four sessions covering upgrades to infrastructure; small business recovery; tourism development; and technology advances as means that can help Abaco rebound from the twin setbacks of COVID-19 and Hurricane Dorian.

“ABO is our way of signalling thanks for how well Abaco has fared thus far,” said Joan Albury, TCL Group’s president, who founded the conference 16 years ago. “As always, we have secured the right experts to deliver facts and well-grounded opinions.

“Our presenters will focus on the abundant opportunities available for growth so that residents of the Abacos can address their challenges and accelerate individual and collective recovery.”

Ken Hutton, Abaco’s Chamber of Commerce president and moderator for the October 15 sessions, said housing is the most important economic issue facing Abaco today.

“It boils down to this:

SEE PAGE 5

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, October 13, 2020, PAGE 3

The first version stipulated that the Department of Environmental Planning and Protection’s director, currently Rochelle Newbold, will “fix” the size of the performance bond that a developer has to lodge or deposit as security to cover the costs of remediating any environmental damage their project may cause.

The sum required was to be based on “the probable cost” of any environmental issues or infractions that were likely to arise, with the initial draft setting both a “floor” and “ceiling” for the size of the performance bond. This was to be “no less than five percent, and no more than 50 percent, of the value of the project”.

However, the final EIA regulations tabled in the House of Assembly drastically reduced the performance bond obligation imposed on developers “to a sum no more than five percent of the value of the project”.

The change was likely due to fears that requiring developers to post a bond equivalent to 50 percent of their project’s value is simply too financially onerous, and will deter both foreign direct investment (FDI) and Bahamian investment at a time when the Bahamian economy needs every cent it can get to create jobs and earn foreign currency amid the COVID19 pandemic.

Taking the $400m figure given by the government for the next stage of Sir

Franklyn Wilson’s Jack’s Bay development as an example, a performance bond equivalent to 50 percent would equal $200m - immediately making the project non-viable. A security equal to five percent would be a much more manageable $20m.

Tribune Business was subsequently told by EIA specialists, and persons who work closely with developers, that requiring a performance bond equal to 50 percent of a project’s value would deter both local and foreign investment at the worst possible time for the Bahamian economy.

Meanwhile, the environmental groups also spelled out for the prime minister their concerns that the EIA regulations hand too much power to one person in the shape of the Department of Environmental Planning and Protection’s director and the minister of the environment and housing.

“The regulations leave it up to the discretion of the director to determine which projects will require an Environmental Impact Assessment to be done and which will not,” the activists said. “The regulations have failed to include the suggested requirement for a full Environmental Impact Assessment to be conducted in the case of certain types of projects.

“The suggested revisions that were submitted included a schedule of types of hazardous or highimpact projects for which the requirement to conduct a full Environmental Impact Assessment should be obligatory.”

Similar concerns were raised over the minister’s role in the appeals process, with the groups arguing: “Under the appeals section of the regulations, the final version tabled in the House stated that ‘a project proponent may appeal any decision of the director to the minister, who may vary or reverse such decision’.

“The regulations as

and they are doing quite well with this season that is already under way.

“So I don’t know of instances where, in fact, the market is depressing prices.

Prices have held according to fishers that have spoken to me.”

Gregory Bethel, The Bahamas’ acting director of marine resources, said: “To date, even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, our export markets with respect to exports of crawfish have not closed to us.

“As the minister would have alluded to just now, even the new season would have opened up on August 1, to-date we have been getting very good reviews. Based on the landing information we have received to-date, crawfish landings are up over last year, but again our export markets in the midst of this pandemic have not been

closed. Fishers have been receiving very good prices for their product.”

Paul Maillis, director of the National Fisheries Association of The Bahamas, told Tribune Business: “I think a lot of our fears about the price being depressed may have been over-anticipated.

You have to take into account that a lot of countries have not been shut down. Take, for example, Europe, which has not been shut down, and the US has opened up to a great extent to allow for consumption to resume as well.”

He added: “The issue of the prices has not been rehashed since we spoke last.” Mr Mailis said at that time fishermen felt the crawfish per pound price would be anywhere between $5 and $10, but certainly not as high as the $17 achieved last year.”

Activists fear ‘meaningless’ environmental bond security

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net ACTIVISTS have warned that the watering down of performance bond obligations imposed on developers in new Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) regulations could render such security “meaningless”.

A coalition of Bahamian environmental groups, in an October 9, 2020, letter to the prime minister, argued that capping such bonds at a sum equivalent to five percent of a development’s value would provide insufficient funds to cover any damage caused by a “high risk” project that involved relatively minimal investment.

The groups, including reEarth, Save the Bays, Waterkeepers Bahamas and the Bahamas Reef Environment Educational Foundation (BREEF), decried revisions to an earlier draft of the recentlyenacted EIA regulations which required developers to post performance bonds up to 50 percent of a project’s value.

“In our respectful submission the regulations, as they currently stand, are inadequate to offset potential adverse environmental impacts identified in the assessment process, and the restriction of the bond to less than five per cent of the value of the project will render the bond requirement meaningless,” the groups protested to Dr Hubert Minnis.

“This is particularly a concern in cases where the project value may be low, but the risk of causing significant environmental damage may be high.” The performance bond requirement appears to have been altered to make it less financially onerous for developers.

Fishermen confirm that crawfish prices ‘holding’

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net CRAWFISH prices have held with no major depression, a Cabinet minister has said, confounding the expectations of fishermen who believed COVID-19 would produce a major margin decline.

Michael Pintard, minister of agriculture and fisheries, in his recent report to the nation said he was unaware of any major decline in crawfish export prices. He said: “It is my understanding that fishers are pretty much fetching a consistent price; a price that they have grown accustomed,

SAM DUNCOMBE

they stand place all of the power in the hands of the minister, and provide no transparency of process. Our revisions include detailed additions that give the project proponent and the public a stronger voice in the decision-making process and provide avenues for further appeals if they feel the decision is unjust.

“Suggestions were made with regard to the conduct of an environmental audit to determine the accuracy of the projections made in the Environmental Impact Assessment. In addition, the proposed revisions also included detailed provisions with regard to the mechanism for appeals by members of the public opposing the grant of a Certificate of Environmental Clearance.”

Sam Duncombe, reEarth’s executive director, said in a statement: “We put a significant amount of time and energy into these solicited comments, which proposed important revisions to make the EIA process more effective and efficient.

“We are eager for the government to pause the tabled regulations until our submission is fully considered. This is no time to be watering down our ability to protect our vital, fragile ecosystems and our communities. This is why strengthening the regulations is so important.”

Casuarina Mckinney-Lambert, BREEF’s executive director, added: “​ The Bahamas is facing some of the most severe threats from climate change. We are at a turning point when it comes to ensuring a sustainable environment and economy.

Strong EIA regulations are essential to accomplishing this goal, and climate change and other critical impacts must be considered in all developments.”

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PAGE 4, Tuesday, October 13, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

RETAIL FEDERATION CHIEF: CURBSIDE SALES ‘NOT VIABLE’ FOR ALL

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net THE Bahamas Federation of Retailers (BFR) president says the sector is not to blame for the recent surge in COVID-19 cases, while warning that curbside sales are “not a viable” option for many firms.

Tara Morley told Tribune Business her members want to see the government’s

data and documentation on contract tracing because “everyone is stating retail not the source of infection”.

Responding to concerns that Bahamian merchants may follow Kelly’s House & Home’s lead, and decide to close down indefinitely for the duration of this latest New Providence lockdown, Ms Morley said: “It varies by size of the business and category of retail.

But for a lot of places it’s not really worth opening for curbside.”

She spoke out after Kelly’s House & Home announced it was closing “until further notice” from 6pm last Friday rather than offer the curb-side services permitted by the prime minister under his latest New Providence lockdown.

The Mall at Marathonbased retailer, one of The

Bahamas’ oldest and most prominent merchants, confirmed in a posting on its Facebook page that it will offer “no curb-side service” and will again close “until further notice”.

Kelly’s employed the same strategy when the government initiated similar COVID-19 restrictions in early August, electing to close rather offer curbside services. While Kelly’s Lumber will provide curbside service between 7am and 4.30pm on weekdays, the decision by its House & Home affiliate highlights just how difficult and costly it is for many Bahamian retailers to operate under these curbs.

One source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that while curb-side will allow non-food retailers to generate some revenues and cash flow amid the latest COVID-19 lockdown, the practice is a loss-maker that results in many merchants questioning whether it is worth remaining open.

“They don’t want to be bothered by curb-side,” they added of Kelly’s House & Home. “That’s a pain in the ass. You’re staying open to please. You cannot make any money; you cannot. It slows down your transaction rate and slows down the number of customers coming in.”

While some Kelly’s customers reacted by asking

when the retailer will develop an online presence, others in the private sector have confirmed that curb-side is not a substitute for in-store sales. Brent Burrows, CBS Bahamas (Commonwealth Building Supplies) general manager, said in August that curbside was equivalent to just 20 percent of normal sales and “not as easy” to pull-off as many think.

And Khrystle Rutherford-Ferguson, the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employer’s Confederation’s (BCCEC) chairman, warned last week that “retail businesses will be impacted” as there are practical issues regarding limiting their commercial activity to curbside pickup only without including appointments/ “We also acknowledge that many of our members are not able to offer delivery and curbside pick-up due to the nature of the goods and services they offer,” she added.

Meanwhile Lucy Burrows, general manager of Geoffrey Jones, told Tribune Business: “We’re going to stay open and offer curbside. It’s challenging and it’s not going to be easy because you can’t really look at something from outside in the road, but we will try our best and hopefully our customers can go online and see basically what we have

and say if they want something or not.

“The website will definitely help us in this situation here, but you will still have to come to the store to purchase items and, depending on who you are, we would take your credit card information over the phone even though it’s not the thing to do.”

Audrey Flowers, Master Technicians’ general manager, said: “We are going to stay open because we have an active online website, and we can take calls as well, so we just are not allowing customers in the store.

“We have had a lot of business online, so it is not that difficult, plus you can pay online as well. What we have been doing, too, is if people didn’t want to pay online on the website they can transfer directly to our bank account, and once we have that information we produce a service ticket.

“If they want to see the product up and personal, because we do have customers that are technology-challenged, then that would be a problem.

Normally what we do is we would direct them to the website because everything is online, but you have some customers that want to touch and feel and see it, but that is not going to be possible during this time, at least not in store.”

‘Material impact’: COVID-19 curbs delay cruise port

work on the project. It is just slowing things down. All of the manual labour is going to be Bahamian, but we’re talking about the technical expertise of people we have to bring in.

These are the people we need and who make decisions.

“The decision-making process around the project is delayed by the impact of the COVID-19 requirements. Has it stopped the project? No. Has it slowed the project down? Yes. It has cost us a week or two, but every day counts.”

Mr Maura said that, given the position that the government has adopted to facilitate tourism’s November 1 re-opening

with the emphasis on testing, there was no reason why “the same cannot apply to a limited number of national projects”.

He added: “We’re not talking 1,000; we’re talking about 30, and we’re asking that they be permitted to get to work. We should establish what the protocol is for essential personnel, communicate it and be accountable for it, but we have to move essential personnel into the country and allow them to get to work.

“When you put them to work you have a direct relationship between their work and the employment of Bahamians.”

FROM PAGE ONE

Pointing out that the presence of such expatriate personnel was essential to put more Bahamians to work, he explained: “The lockdowns and the quarantine have had a material impact on the project. What we have asked is the government please allow some consideration for senior level construction personnel.

“We have had people fly in and quarantine who cannot

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, October 13, 2020, PAGE 5

DONALD Trump and Joe Biden during the first presidential debate.

for Senate and Congress representatives.

A ferocious electoral campaign has been deployed by both sides, with the pinnacle of the bypartisanship reached during the first televised debate between the two presidential candidates, Joe Biden and Donald Trump, who despite testing positive and currently recovering from COVID is widely expected to remain in the contest.

Much is at stake, with two very distinct characters

and sets of policies competing to determine the future, not only of the USA, but to some degree that of the rest of the world, too. Voting and the outcome of the election will be capturing the attention of countless observers around the world, with financial markets’ traders expected to be amongst the first to provide a consequential reaction.

Uncertainty over who will win the election and the prospect of a close call victory for Joe Biden have been influencing the behaviour of traders. From early September until recently, a contested result had been the base-case for many investors, who by pricing-in such a scenario triggered a correction (fall) in the main stock exchanges. Alongside the correction in the price of shares, there was an increase in demand for refuge assets, such as

operating officer, Bahamas Power & Light; and Jon Conway, disaster response manager, Water Mission International, for the Upgrading infrastructure: Strengthening communities session on Thursday, October 15, from 10.30am to noon.

The accelerating business recovery and maximising opportunities segment, lasting from 2pm to 3.30pm, will feature Davinia Grant, executive director, Small Business Development Centre (SBDC); Sumayyah Cargill, unit head of strategic development and initiatives, Bahamas Development Bank; Samba Sidibe, programme director, CORE Relief; and Chad Sawyer, president, Price Right food store.

Friday’s session will start with Rebuilding

Abaco tourism, and last from 10.30am to noon.

The conference will end with All in: Digitisation and thriving in the new normal from 12.30pm to 2pm. Participants include Errol L Bodie, manager, information technology department, Central Bank of The Bahamas, as moderator; Lisa Culmer, IT manager, government digital services; Dennis Deveaux, chief financial officer, Doctors Hospital Health Systems; Dr Marcellus Taylor, director of education, Ministry of Education, Science & Technology; and a representative from the Central Bank Of The Bahamas.

To register for Abaco Business Outlook, visit tclevents.com or contact Alicia Greene at 322.1000 and agreen@tclbahams. com.

The American Presidential election and the financial markets ACTIVTRADES WEEKLY

By RICARDO EVANGELISTA www.activtrades.bs

T

HE northern hemisphere summer is over, but the political temperature is still rising.

We are just three weeks away from the American presidential election of November 3, when US voters will decide who’s to govern the country over the following 4 years, with ballots also being cast

VIRTUAL PLAN FOR ABACO BUSINESS CONFERENCE

FROM PAGE THREE

COVID-19 lockdowns is the biggest challenge regarding tourism on the island. She said that after recent weekend lockdowns many hotels on the island have decided to close until November 1.

Dominic Petty, northern Bahamas director for Cable Bahamas, will join Paul Rolle, commissioner of the Royal Bahamas Police Force; Craig Stubbs, assistant commissioner, Royal Bahamas Police Force; Algernon Cargill, director of aviation, Ministry of Tourism and Aviation; Ian Pratt, chief

treasuries, causing a fall in the yields these generate, which ultimately halted the tumble of stocks by reigniting risk appetite; this cycle prevented a more pronounced collapse in stock prices.

However, over the last few days Joe Biden is emerging as a likely clear winner, with the Democrats also well positioned to take the house and the senate.

Such a scenario would entail a smoother transition of power, which socially and economically would be beneficial for the country.

But would it also be seen as positive by stock traders? The answer is no, at least not initially. Joe Biden has already stated his intention to raise capital gains taxes and, probably, will

also hike corporate taxes and focus on regulating the tech sector giants; unlike Trump, who is promising to cut taxes and is not a fan of regulation.

A clear Democrat win is very likely to trigger a stocks’ sell-off. Many investors would want to cash-in their profits before new taxes are introduced. At the same time, fears over a stricter regulatory environment that could affect the tech sector, the great locomotive of this year’s market rally, are also likely

to generate selling pressure.

Although a clear-cut win for one of the candidates is in many ways the most desirable outcome for the upcoming election, that is not necessarily the case for investors (unless the winner is Trump, of course). Much has been said about the disparity between Wall Street and Main Street, and the situation here described provides another illustration of the sometimes-counterintuitive logic underpinning the actions and expectations of investors.

PAGE 6, Tuesday, October 13, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

Lockdowns ‘behind us’ for November 1 FROM PAGE ONE weekend’s and other restrictions were not what the Minnis Cabinet wanted to impose.

However, the rate and level of COVID-19 infections remains a key factor in the decision-making process for many Bahamian hotels in determining when they will re-open - something that was reiterated by Baha Mar’s president, Graeme Davis, last week.

Mr D’Aguilar said some resorts were “more willing and anxious to open than others”, although he declined to specify who fell into either camp. Those who were hanging back, he added, were especially keen to ensure “that we don’t have any more shocks in the system”.

While himself and the Ministry of Tourism were “edging them along”, and priortitising getting Bahamians back to work in the resort industry, Mr D’Aguilar reiterated that it was an individual business decision for every property as to when they will re-open.

With November 1 still the target date for eliminating the 14-day quarantine, and encouraging visitors to return, Mr D’Aguilar conceded of New Providence’s weekend lockdown and other restrictions: “It’s not ideal, I guess, but we felt by the time we get to November 1 we will have largely put this behind us.

“Time will tell. We will have to see how it goes. I’m optimistic that by November 1 we will be able to proceed with the plan we have. I expect it will be very slow; I don’t expect to have big numbers, but we have to start.

“The train is leaving the station. It will start off slow, pick up speed and hopefully by the first quarter next year we’re chugging along even though world travel and tourism is down by twothirds on 2019.”

Many observers are likely to be sceptical that New Providence will have sufficiently flattened its COVID-19 curve in sufficient time for November 1, which is when the elimination of the 14-day quarantine and its

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Kim D. Thompson (Liquidator)

replacement by more frequent, accessible and less costly testing - is designed to encourage the return of visitors by allowing them freedom of movement.

“I think that there is an enormous yearning for persons to go on holiday,” Mr D’Aguilar added. “Clearly we can’t have a tourism sector where we have quarantines, lockdowns and no access to the beach.

“The objective is to have as much of this behind us

by November 1 as possible so we can get on with the primary business of the country. It’s best we get on with that now, and try to flatten the curve as much as possible.”

Acknowledging the “push back” and criticism that the government has taken over the latest restrictions, he said: “Everybody has the belief the politicians want to do this. Trust me: We don’t want to do this. This is what the health officials are advising us to do.”

Turning to the re-opening status of the hotel industry, the minister told Tribune Business: “Some are more willing and anxious to open than others. They all have their particular criteria.

Some are more anxious to pull the trigger, get people back to work and open the doors. Others don’t see the conditions as being ideal at this time.

“There will always be pioneers ready to launch off, and some will want to make sure they don’t have any more shocks in the system; that we don’t have any more lockdowns. The number of local COVID cases is one factor, the number of cases in the US another, the airlift is one and the depressed travel environment another.

“Everybody is evaluating and looking at their booking systems, their reservations systems, their engines and making the decision they feel is in their best interests.

The Ministry of Tourism is meeting with them, encouraging them, edging them along,” Mr D’Aguilar added.

“Obviously I’m biased and anxious to get Bahamians back to work. I’m going into every meeting with that in mind, but every hotel has to make their own choice and I respect that.”

Bahamas pays high price over $600m offering FROM PAGE ONE offering’s over-subscription - showed investors “still have confidence” in the Bahamian economy and the government’s ability to meet its sharply-increasing debt obligations.

The deputy prime minister pointed out that the 8.95 percent interest rate, and yield of 9.25 percent, was far better than the 12-15 percent coupon return being sought on Bahamian government debt at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic earlier this year when the global capital markets were rocked by lockdown uncertainty.

Maintaining access to financial markets through securing sufficient funding to help cover the government’s $1.327bn budget deficit, thus enabling it to meet its obligations including the civil service payroll form the foreseeable future, will have been the primary objective behind The Bahamas’ latest issue. Not to mention securing further US dollars to bolster the external reserves and the currency peg.

However, a “back of the envelope” calculation shows just how much damage COVID-19 and the credit rating downgrades have inflicted. If the $600m bond had been priced at the six percent rate obtained in late 2017, annual debt servicing costs would have amounted to $36m.

But now, at almost nine percent, the annual cost to Bahamian taxpayers will be around $54m - an $18m per year increase. This will amount to $180m in total extra interest costs over the first ten years of what is a 12-year bond, with the principal due to be repaid in three equal $200m annual installments beginning in 2030.

Ultimately, the extra debt servicing costs that Bahamian taxpayers will have to finance compared to what was obtainable back in 2017 are likely to total close to $200m. Mr Turnquest,

MARKET REPORT www.bisxbahamas.com

FRIDAY, 09 OCTOBER 2020

BISX ALL SHARE INDEX:

CLOSE

CHANGE

2094.93

0.21

%CHANGE

YTD

YTD%

0.01 -136.67

-6.12

(242) 323-2330 (242) 323-2320

BISX LISTED & TRADED SECURITIES 52WK HI 4.08 22.65 2.00 1.79 2.46 6.00 6.75 4.80 8.59 4.50 6.16 12.77 3.64 5.60 10.88 8.44 16.99 4.25 9.40 15.21

52WK LOW 3.13 20.91 0.67 1.65 1.67 5.40 5.39 2.70 5.05 3.62 5.60 11.05 2.71 3.85 9.60 7.50 13.04 3.20 8.00 13.90

PREFERENCE SHARES 1.00

1.00

1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00

1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00

1.00 10.00 1.00

1.00 10.00 0.90

SECURITY AML Foods Limited APD Limited Benchmark Bahamas First Holdings Limited Bank of Bahamas Bahamas Property Fund Bahamas Waste Cable Bahamas Commonwealth Brewery Commonwealth Bank Colina Holdings CIBC FirstCaribbean Bank Consolidated Water BDRs Doctor's Hospital Emera Incorporated Famguard Fidelity Bank Focol Finco J. S. Johnson

SYMBOL AML APD BBL BFH BOB BPF BWL CAB CBB CBL CHL CIB CWCB DHS EMAB FAM FBB FCL FIN JSJ

Bahamas First Holdings Preference Cable Bahamas Series 6 Cable Bahamas Series 8 Cable Bahamas Series 9 Cable Bahamas Series 10 Colina Holdings Class A Fidelity Bank Class A Focol Class B

BFHP CAB6 CAB8 CAB9 CAB10 CHLA FBBA FCLB

CORPORATE DEBT - (percentage pricing) 52WK HI 100.00 100.00

52WK LOW 100.00 100.00

115.92 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 102.00

104.79 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

52WK HI 2.35 4.43 2.12 198.39 168.29 1.69 1.85 1.77 1.24 8.34 10.26 7.08 12.15 12.71 10.81 10.00 8.98 11.79

52WK LOW 2.11 3.30 1.68 164.74 116.70 1.64 1.79 1.73 1.06 6.41 7.62 5.66 8.65 10.54 9.57 9.88 8.45 11.20

SECURITY Fidelity Bank Note 22 (Series B) + Bahamas First Holdings Limited

SYMBOL FBB22 BFHB

BAHAMAS GOVERNMENT STOCK - (percentage pricing)

MUTUAL FUNDS

MARKET TERMS

Bahamas Note 6.95 (2029) BGS: 2015-1-3Y BGS: 2014-12-5Y BGS: 2015-1-5Y BGS: 2014-12-7Y BGS: 2015-1-7Y BGS: 2014-12-30Y BGS: 2015-1-30Y BGS: 2015-6-3Y BGS: 2015-6-7Y BGS: 2015-6-30Y BGS: 2015-10-3Y BGS: 2015-10-7Y

BAH29 BG0203 BG0105 BG0205 BG0107 BG0207 BG0130 BG0230 BG0303 BG0307 BG0330 BG0403 BG0407

LAST CLOSE 3.95 17.43 1.62 1.79 1.67 6.00 6.75 2.99 5.10 3.76 5.99 11.26 2.21 5.50 10.42 8.44 14.30 3.97 8.97 15.20

CLOSE 4.00 17.43 1.62 1.79 1.67 6.00 6.75 2.99 5.10 3.76 5.99 11.26 2.18 5.60 10.44 8.44 14.30 3.96 8.97 15.20

1.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1.00 10.00 1.00

1.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1.00 10.00 1.00

LAST SALE 100.00 100.00

CLOSE 100.00 100.00

CHANGE 0.00 0.00

107.31 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

107.31 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

FUND CFAL Bond Fund CFAL Balanced Fund CFAL Money Market Fund CFAL Global Bond Fund CFAL Global Equity Fund Leno Preferred Income Fund Leno Growth Fund Leno Diversified Fund Leno Global USD Bond Fund Royal Fidelity Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Secured Balanced Fund Royal Fidelity Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Targeted Equity Fund Royal Fidelity Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Prime Income Fund Royal Fidelity Int'l Fund - Equities Sub Fund Royal Fidelity Int'l Fund - High Yield Fund Royal Fidelity Int'l Fund - Alternative Strategies Fund Colonial Bahamas Fund Class D Colonial Bahamas Fund Class E Colonial Bahamas Fund Class F

BISX ALL SHARE INDEX - 19 Dec 02 = 1,000.00 52wk-Hi - Highest closing price in last 52 weeks 52wk-Low - Lowest closing price in last 52 weeks Previous Close - Previous day's weighted price for daily volume Today's Close - Current day's weighted price for daily volume Change - Change in closing price from day to day Daily Vol. - Number of total shares traded today DIV $ - Dividends per share paid in the last 12 months P/E - Closing price divided by the last 12 month earnings

CHANGE 0.05 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 (0.03) 0.10 0.02 0.00 0.00 (0.01) 0.00 0.00

VOLUME 19,000

14,000

19,000

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

EPS$ 0.239 0.932 0.000 0.000 0.070 1.760 0.369 -0.438 0.140 0.184 0.449 0.722 0.102 0.467 0.646 0.728 0.816 0.203 0.939 0.631 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

VOLUME

NAV 2.35 4.43 2.12 196.40 163.60 1.68 1.81 1.76 1.07 8.30 9.90 7.08 11.27 12.71 10.23 N/A 8.93 11.27

DIV$ 0.170 1.260 0.020 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.260 0.000 0.000 0.120 0.220 0.720 0.434 0.060 0.328 0.240 0.540 0.120 0.200 0.610 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

P/E 16.7 18.7 N/M N/M N/M N/M 18.3 -6.8 36.4 20.4 13.3 15.6 21.4 12.0 16.2 11.6 17.5 19.5 9.6 24.1

YIELD 4.25% 7.23% 1.23% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 3.85% 0.00% 0.00% 3.19% 3.67% 6.39% 19.91% 1.07% 3.14% 2.84% 3.78% 3.03% 2.23% 4.01%

0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 6.25% 7.00% 6.50%

INTEREST Prime + 1.75% 6.25%

19-Oct-2022 30-Sep-2025

6.95% 4.00% 4.25% 4.25% 4.50% 4.50% 6.25% 6.25% 4.00% 4.50% 6.25% 3.50% 4.25%

20-Nov-2029 30-Jul-2018 16-Dec-2019 30-Jul-2020 15-Dec-2021 30-Jul-2022 15-Dec-2044 30-Jul-2045 26-Jun-2018 26-Jun-2022 26-Jun-2045 15-Oct-2018 15-Oct-2022

YTD% 12 MTH% 2.95% 4.23% 1.39% 3.17% 1.60% 2.52% 0.65% 2.50% -1.88% 3.33% 1.10% 2.34% -2.43% 1.49% 0.34% 2.43% -11.07% -9.92% -0.45% 8.36% -3.20% 11.46% 2.10% 5.15% -6.17% 3.54% 2.92% 5.55% -4.66% -3.81% N/A N/A -4.20% 0.20% -8.60% -2.90%

MATURITY

NAV Date

31-Aug-2020 31-Aug-2020 28-Aug-2020 30-Jun-2020 30-Jun-2020 31-Jul-2020 31-Jul-2020 31-Jul-2020 31-Jul-2020 31-May-2020 31-May-2020 31-May-2020 31-May-2020 31-May-2020 31-May-2020 30-Jun-2020 30-Jun-2020 30-Jun-2020

YIELD - last 12 month dividends divided by closing price Bid $ - Buying price of Colina and Fidelity Ask $ - Selling price of Colina and fidelity Last Price - Last traded over-the-counter price Weekly Vol. - Trading volume of the prior week EPS $ - A company's reported earnings per share for the last 12 mths NAV - Net Asset Value N/M - Not Meaningful

though, said The Bahamas had little alternative but to pay a higher rate to compensate international investors for the perceived extra risk caused by the downgrades COVID-19’s impact on the Bahamian economy.

“I can say that we had a favourable reception,” he told this newspaper. “It means that people still have confidence in The Bahamas’ paper..... At the end of the day, this is a very unusual time, and with all the circumstances going on we believe we’ve gotten the best rate that we can get at the moment.”

Pointing out that interest rates attached to existing Bahamian government debt issues in the secondary market were “all the way up to 12-15 percent at one point”, Mr Turnquest added: “Anything trading above five to six percent is trading higher than we would like, but given all the circumstances we are faced with it’s a fair price.”

Mr Turnquest said the $600m bond offering is “the biggest chunk” of the debt financing that the government will seek to cover its $1.327bn deficit and finance the public sector amid the ongoing 50-60 percent drop in revenues below normal levels.

While this has equipped the government with sufficient funding to get through the 2020 calendar year-end, he confirmed that further borrowings will take place next year under the authority granted by Parliament when the 2020 budget was passed.

“We are looking at some additional financing options with some of the multilateral institutions,” Mr Turnquest added, referring to the likes of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

“We are also looking at some other private sector financing options.

“I think we’re still very well-placed. We’re happy with where we are, and how we were accepted by the market. Having access to the markets at a time like this is critical. We’ve been able to achieve what we wanted to achieve, so we’re in good shape in that regard.

“When we do these issues we try to bear in mind the maturities so we don’t have any significant ballooning [of debt principal repayment] in any one year, and manage the refinancing and repayments appropriately.”

Mr Johnson, the acting financial secretary, said the government will also seek some of the remaining financing necessary to cover the 2020-2021 deficit in Bahamian dollars from local institutional investors. With the administration seeking to “borrow as little as possible”, he added that tourism’s planned re-opening will soon indicate whether the amount approved by Parliament needs to increase.

“We were very pleased to see there remains ongoing

investor interest in The Bahamas,” Mr Johnson said of the $600m offering.

“We need to meet the government’s obligations on an ongoing basis and stay in line with cash planning and cash requirements.

“It signals that investors have confidence in the long-term prospects of the country, and that we remain a creditworthy destination for investors notwithstanding the two downgrades. As your credit rating goes, your interest rate goes. I think everybody appreciates what happened to get our credit rating where we are, but it is what it is.”

Mr Johnson added that the Ministry of Finance will be creating a so-called “sinking fund” where the government will “deposit monies on an ongoing basis” to finance the $600m bond’s principal redemptions when they start becoming due in 2030.

International market reports suggested that The Bahamas’ placement agents for the $600m bond, Credit Suisse and Royal Bank of Canada, spent three days last week locking down the interest rate for the offering. Discussions took place in the range of 8.5 percent to 9.5 percent, with the final coupon indicating investor and market appetite forced The Bahamas to settle for the higher end of this range.

The government, in a statement yesterday, said Mr Turnquest headed a team featuring Mr Johnson and Joy Jibrilu, director-general of tourism, who met with and briefed some 45 potential investors in the run-up to the bond offering. Mrs Jibrilu briefed investors on plans to re-open the tourism sector, alongside the typical fiscal and economic projections.

Some 140 investors participated in the $1.1bn worth of “indications”. The proceeds from the $600m bond will be used to finance the government’s 2020/2021 budgetary needs, and to repay a US$248m bridging loan provided by an international institution. This means the offering will add an additional $352m to The Bahamas national debt.

“Given the strong shock to the Bahamian economy caused by Hurricane Dorian and now COVID-19, we are satisfied with the successful pricing of this bond issue and the positive response from the investor community, which reflects the market’s ongoing confidence in The Bahamas,” Mr Turnquest said in the statement.

“Despite the interruption in our fiscal consolidation objective, the government is undeterred in its commitment to pursue a credible fiscal policy and achieve debt sustainability, and to pursuing the structural reforms that would release a strong level of economic growth.”

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• Operate proprietary software for accounting, security and operational systems • Pursue marketing strategies, meet with potential clients, negotiate leases and coordinate client requests with team members

Prospective candidates should possess the following qualifications: • Strong customer service skills required to accommodate discerning client requests

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Resumes should be submitted to:

hr.lyfordstorage@gmail.com TO TRADE CALL: CFAL 242-502-7010 | ROYALFIDELITY 242-356-7764 | COLONIAL 242-502-7525 | LENO 242-396-3225 | BENCHMARK 242-326-7333

Only considered applicants will be contacted

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, October 13, 2020, PAGE 7

Compass Point owner ‘torn’ over 2020 close FROM PAGE ONE contacted by Tribune Business and informed about the content of the Compass Point owner’s message to staff.

The duo have been involved in a stand-off over the Compass Point owner’s demand that they meet to discuss reforming how the hotel industry is regulated.

Mr Rodney had previously threatened not to renew his hotel licence for 2020 unless the government had agreed to examine his concerns.

He has frequently asserted that the Hotel Licensing Board’s annual inspections are “pointless”, and a “waste of Compass Point’s time”, asserting that a “hotel licence” did not exist in three US states he had studied, namely Michigan, Nevada and California, although aspects of resort operations were subject to health, sanitation, environmental and safety checks by state, local and federal regulators.

Mr D’Aguilar, though, has steadfastly refused to intervene, arguing that he needed to address his grievances to the Hotel Licensing Board.

The minister also suggested Mr Rodney’s concerns need to be properly analysed and consulted on with the wider resort industry before any changes are considered.

One well-placed source, speaking on condition of anonymity, previously gave an insight into Mr Rodney’s grievances by revealing: “They [the Hotel Licensing Board] tried to shut him down because a single tile was missing in the bathroom when Compass Point was doing renovations. They also forced him to place a ‘no lifeguard on duty’ sign on the beach.”

The Hotel Licensing Board, meanwhile, has now become the regulatory authority for certifying that Bahamas-based hotels are in compliance with all necessary COVID-19 health and safety protocols, and awarding the Clean & Pristine certification, creating potential new ground for a cash with Mr Rodney.

The Compass Point owner, when contacted by Tribune Business over the holiday weekend, lashed out at the government’s COVID-19 restrictions for deterring tourists from coming to The Bahamas and making it “nearly impossible” to run a profitable business.

“Obviously the draconian policies inflicted on the Bahamian people at the beginning of the virus crisis in March were totally incorrect measures to take,” Mr Rodney told this newspaper. “With virus cases today at levels well above March, the government does not acknowledge their past errors, but continues their past mistakes by inflicting arbitrary, unpredictable, partial regulations/ restrictions that still make tourists coming to the

Bahamas unlikely, and doing business profitably nearly impossible.

“Unless some miracle vaccine is invented, the virus will continue at high levels in the US indefinitely, well into at least the summer of next year, because an increasing number of people in the US are simply ignoring their government’s edicts, and getting on with their lives, accepting the small risk that the virus poses to most of the population.”

Referring to Compass Point, he added: “If this wasn’t my expensive hobby I’d have closed up a long time ago like many Bahamian businesses.” Mr Rodney, while declining to directly address his message to staff, said the resort and its restaurant enjoyed “two of our busiest nights” last Thursday and Friday as Bahamians and residents sought to enjoy themselves ahead of the holiday weekend lockdown.

Mr Rodney said Compass Point’s management staff had been paid their full salaries since March, when the COVID-19 pandemic started, with one-third of employees working full-time despite their being little tourist and/ or restaurant business. Even housekeeping staff had been placed on a rotation where they each received five to ten hours per week.

Tribune Business understands from well-placed sources that Compass Point’s payroll as a single line item has exceeded total revenues in 12 of the last 16 weeks, although Mr Rodney did not confirm this. The workforce’s size is thought to have dipped slightly from 60 to around 52 due to a combination of COVID-19 attrition and redundancies.

Mr Rodney acquired Compass Point in 2006. The property’s purchase from Island Outpost ended its twoyear post-Hurricane Frances closure, although the iconic Compass Point Recording Studios were not included in the deal.

He is president of Detroit Forming Inc, a Detroit-based designer and manufacturer of rigid plastic packaging, a family-owned business that was started by his father in 1962.

Mr Rodney told this newspaper in 2006 that he had been visiting the Bahamas for 20-30 years, having first come here in the 1970s and visited this nation once a year since then.

He also owned a residential property at Love Beach, which helped him become familiar with Compass Point.

Mr Rodney has also been attempting to sell the former Robin Hood retail store on Prince Charles Drive, which is located on the site of the former Pepsi-Cola bottling plant. The Compass Point owner holds a mortgage lien on the property as security for the monies he advanced to finance the eastern expansion of the retailer’s owner, Sandy Schaefer.

PAGE 8, Tuesday, October 13, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

BODY AND MIND

Inspired by amazing warriors to fight for the greater good

BY ALESHA CADET | TRIBUNE FEATURES WRITER ACADET@TRIBUNEMEDIA.NET

S

ERVING AS the president of the Gennie Dean Caring and Sharing Cancer Support Group has changed her life for the greater good, says Bahamian woman Duquesa Dean.

Cancer touched her life when it affected her mother, the late Gennie Dean, and could have destroyed a part of her when her mom died - but Duquesa tells Tribune Health instead it has allowed her to be even more humble, grateful, giving and to have a greater appreciation for each day she is granted here on this earth.

The support group was initially started by her mom in 2012 - and provides support to female cancer patients, as well as enhance their quality of life after diagnosis, during and after treatment.

Organisers work hard to ensure its members and other women affected by cancer are educated about healthcare options, they make certain that they can obtain quality medical care; are provided with emotional support during their battle with cancer; are provided with physical support by assisting with needs they may not be able to complete due to physical limitations; are a part of a sisterhood of warriors encouraging each other to win the war on cancer; and much more.

In addition, they also bring people affected by cancer together through various support services and other forums such as: the Race for the Cure/ Walk for the Cure, community activities, and socials to promote the importance of early detection and the encouragement of joining the fight to eradicate cancer.

The organisation’s signature look when the team participates as a group, is a sunflower headband. This was specifically chosen as

DUQUESA Dean and her mother Gennie Dean.

HIGHLIGHTS & Cancer outreach moments by the support group.

they all believe the group brings about light and love into every space they occupy just like sunflowers do.

“Serving others and doing something greater than myself makes me feel like I am adding more value to the world. When I initially took over as leader of the group, it was because the members asked for help in ensuring the group

did not die with my mom.

Working with them though, I realise that while I served them, supported them, and encouraged them, they really grounded me and provide more unconditional love and support that I could have asked for as I learned to live without my mom,” she said.

“In many ways, they anchored me. These women are amazing warriors. They

face huge battles optimistically and fearlessly. They openly share their fears and encourage each other to fight for life so that they could live, love, and laugh.

I am super proud of the vibrant, lively and bond building monthly meetings we have.”

Just last week, the group kicked off its cancer survivor series on October 7, with Dr Kitiboni Adderley.

Coming up on October 28, two cancer survivors will be sharing their stories of thriving with cancer.

“Jus Cus, has partnered with us this month to help raise awareness about our group and to help raise funds to support the group’s work. We are selling polo and T-shirts for members of the public to represent their pink in support of breast cancer month. The design for the shirts were done by students from Aquinas and St Anne’s Schools. We appreciate every purchase and invite the general public to support this fundraiser.

Contact us to support this cause by calling 802-6012,” said Ms Dean.

“We will also be taking to the radio and participating in several other cancer events locally and abroad, to bring more awareness to breast cancer. Early detection saves lives. It is not a cliché. It is fact. We also want to encourage women to release fears about a cancer diagnosis. It is better to get tested and treated than to ignore important red flags.”

She expressed that when her mom died, the group was not officially registered as a non-profit. They all thought it important to be a full licensed support group and submitted the required documents to obtain the license. The group is now an official licensed nonprofit organisation.

“Our membership is growing. We started with about 25 members are we are now at 70 members and growing. We are proud of how we have been able to assist our members over the past three years,” said Ms Dean.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, October 13, 2020, PAGE 9

DOES IT HURT WHEN YOU PEE?

THE COVID-19 pandemic has many in our community working from home and this has afforded many of us the opportunity to be more aware of our daily bathroom habits. A hectic life in the workplace in the past, often distracted most people from taking note of how often they had to urinate in a given day.

There are many unfortunate individuals that no matter their surroundings or circumstances, are very aware of every time they have to urinate because sadly it just hurts too much. Are you afraid to pee because of the pain of urination?

Many men and women are unfortunately plagued by recurrent episodes of painful urination, called dysuria.

There is a prevalent misconception that an urinary tract infection is always the cause of every occurence of pain on urination. Patients often take courses of antibiotics with no resolution of symptoms.

There are many causes of dysuria, painful urination that are not related to an infection.

There is tremendous bacterial resistance in the community against many commonly prescribed antibiotics for urinary tract infections, UTIs. The fluoroquinolone antibiotic class, such as Ciprofloxacin has as high as a 35 percent resistance rate against the common E.Coli urinary tract bacteria.

Ampicillin has about a 55 percent resistance rate against E.Coli bacteria in many scientific studies.

Ciprofloxacin and Ampicillin are two of the most commonly prescribed antibiotics given empirically for urinary tract infections and in many cases the urinary tract infections are inadequately treated due to high bacterial resistance rates.

Two antibiotics that have low bacterial resistance rates for most urinary tract infections are nitrofuratoin and fosfomycin.

The world is running out of reliable antibiotics and the indiscriminate use of these two antibiotics could eventually lead to increased resistance in the community for both these drugs.

Urinary tract infections management should involve collecting a mid stream urine culture sample that is sent to a microbiology lab to determine the antibiotic sensitivity and resistance profile of the bacteria present in the urine.

Urine lab cultures are not a perfect tool as studies have shown that about 20 percent of negative urine cultures that show no bacteria being present in the urine, are cases of false negative results.

Bacterial DNA testing of sterile negative urine cultures, have shown to actually be positive for bacteria in about one in five cases. Although urine culture tests are not perfect, it is a necessary test to try and avoid the overuse of

There is a prevalent misconception that an urinary tract infection is always the cause of every occurence of pain on urination.

antibiotics for query urinary tract infections.

Other potential causes of painful urination, dysuria include: 1) Sexually Transmitted Diseases STIs such as chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis can infect the urinary tract system and lead to painful urination. Discharge may be an accompanying symptom in both men and women.

A STI requires treatment of the patient and all sexual contacts.

2) Urethral Stricture A scarring within the urethra can lead to painful urination. There is often a reduced strength in the urinary stream and usually increased urinary urgency and frequency, with incomplete bladder emptying.

Urethral strictures may result from a sexually transmitted disease or it may be the result of trauma, which might be secondary to a previous urethral catheter or pelvic bone fractures.

3) Urethral Syndrome Inflammation and irritation of the urethra that is not related to an infection, can lead to pain within the urethra and painful urination. Irritants such as spermicides, douches, bubble baths, scented sanitary napkins, prior radiation or chemotherapy, amongst others can lead to

urethral syndrome.

4) Infection of the Prostate In men infection of the prostate could lead to painful urination and often discomfort in the perineum, pain after ejaculation and sometimes pain within the pelvis with increased urinary urgency and frequency.

5) Interstitial Cystitis Also referred to as painful bladder syndrome. It is often a diagnosis of exclusion but the hallmark of the condition is no bacteria found in the urine.

Men and women with interstitial cystitis are quite commonly treated with recurrent antibiotic courses because of painful urination and painful bladder and the cause is not infective.

Fortunately interstitial cystitis is not a common disorder.

6) Referred Pain Pain can originate elsewhere and be referred, leading to pain in the urethra of painful urination.

Kidney or ureter stones are lead to dysuria as can ovarian cysts in women.

7) Vaginal Tears In women, particularly postmenopausal women with decreased vaginal lubrication, vaginal microtears during sexual intercourse can cause discomfort during urination.

The urethra of a woman is very short and anatomically

there is a short distance between the anus with numerous normal bacterial flora and the vagina.

Sadly many women suffer recurrent dysuria post sexual intercourse and urinary tract infections and vaginal microtears are a potential cause as is urinary tract infection caused by bacteria transferred from the region of the anus into the vagina.

8) PID Pelvic Inflammatory Disorder PID starts with an infection in the vagina or cervix that ascends into the uterus, fallopian tubes or ovaries.

Symptoms may include painful urination, urethral pain, pelvic and abdominal pain, possible fever and chills, abnormal vaginal discharge and painful sexual intercourse.

The causes of dysuria, painful urination are numerous.

Many men and women wrongly assume that each episode of painful urination is an urinary tract infection, although an urinary tract infection should be investigated as a cause.

Urinary tract infections are often inadequately treated as commonly prescribed antibiotics fail to eradicate resistant bacteria.

Recurrent episodes of painful urination should be investigated by an urologist so that the cause can be

determined and the appropriate management can be employed.

If an urinary tract infection is the cause of recurrent dysuria then a functional or anatomical abnormality must be ruled out as the precipitating cause of the urinary tract infection.

An obstructive prostate or urethral stricture could lead to incomplete bladder emptying and recurrent urinary tract infections in men and uterine fibroids could cause extrinsic compression on the bladder in women and also lead to incomplete bladder emptying and recurrent urinary tract infections.

Poorly controlled diabetics or undiagnosed diabetics can lead to the development of a neuropathic bladder with impaired nerve function of the bladder so that the bladder is never emptied completely and those afflicted often have large residual urine volumes in their bladder, whereby bacteria often proliferate.

Seek compassionate, comprehensive and compassionate urological care for any urinary disorder including painful urination.

• Dr. Greggory Pinto is a board certified Bahamian Urologist and Laparascopic Surgeon. Dr. Pinto can be reached at OakTree Medical Center #2 Fifth Terrace & Mount Royal Avenue, Nassau, Bahamas . Telephone – (242) 322-1145 (6) (7) Email: welcome@urologycarebahamas.com or visit the website:www.urologycarebahamas.com

LAST year's Race for Kids was a success - and despite the pandemic, RBC is trying a different approach to ensure this year's event is a success too.

Race for kids goes virtual

BY JEFFARAH GIBSON | TRIBUNE FEATURES WRITER | JGIBSON@TRIBUNEMEDIA.NET INSTEAD of a standard running event impossible at present due to the pandemic - Royal Bank of Canada’s global Race for Kids event has gone virtual, giving participants the opportunity to choose their race distance and route in their local community.

Participants are also encouraged to complete their run or walk independently or with family members (while observing local public health advice and government guidelines) during the October 17-18 weekend.

Organisers had to change the format due to restrictions on large gatherings to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

RBC encourages people

to register for its first global and virtual charitable running event, as part of its signature race series.

Fundraising will benefit youth and children’s causes around the globe, with 36 charity partners that participants can elect to support.

In light of the significant disruption from the COVID-19 pandemic, RBC believes the youth-focused services provided by these charity partners are needed now more than ever.

RBC’s goal for the event is to create “the world’s largest virtual family fun run”, with all RBC employees, their family and friends, charity partner supporters, and members of the public invited to take part.

“The global pandemic has

disrupted several aspects of our lives. For many young people, the crisis has negatively impacted their mental health and wellbeing, access to education, and employment opportunities,” said Dave McKay, president and chief executive officer, RBC. “That’s why we’re taking our RBC Race for the Kids to a virtual format this year – to ensure we can continue to address these needs, supporting young people and their families facing these challenges. I want to thank our 36 charity partners for their ongoing dedication to youth in this critical year and am looking forward to race weekend.

The RBC Race for Kids is a compelling series of

global charitable runs supporting children’s causes that started in 2009 with an inaugural event in New York City. In addition to NYC, runs are also held in 15 major cities around the world, including Chicago, Minneapolis, Toronto, London and Sydney. In the Caribbean, there are races in Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago.

In the Caribbean, proceeds will go towards five organisations to support programs geared towards supporting youth wellbeing and mental health - Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (The Bahamas), RBC Caribbean Children’s Cancer Fund (Trinidad and Tobago), University of the West

Indies, Cave Hill Campus (Barbados), Big Brothers and Big Sisters (Cayman Islands), Casa Cuna Progreso Foundation (Aruba) and Fundashon Norma I Balor (Curaçao).

“We have chosen The Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI) as our partner and the beneficiary of the funds. The vast majority of BTVI students represent the next generation of entrepreneurs, tradespeople and skilled labourers and we believe the improvement of the learning environment and the enhancement of skill sets of the students will contribute to their global competitiveness and economic independence, which will also tangibly impact the

Bahamian economy.”

The funds will be used for the advancement of the learning environment at BTVI which includes diagnostic and learner-centered teaching techniques to support 21st century educational goals and skillsbuilding. In the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian, the first US$10,000 raised, will be directed to support the restoration of the Abaco and Freeport campuses.

Additionally, a US$10,000 donation will be made to BTVI’s early alert STAR program that identifies atrisk students.

To learn more about RBC Race for the Kids, its charity partners, or register for the virtual event, visit www. rbcraceforthekids.com.

PAGE 10, Tuesday, October 13, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

I suffered abuse, held my daughter as she died let’s end this vicious cycle

By CARA HUNT Tribune Features Reporter cbrennen@tribunemedia.net LEVITA Thurston knows more than most the pain of domestic abuse.

Not only was she herself in several abusive relationships, but her daughter Georgette Rahming was killed in a similar situation dying in her mother’s arms.

With the recent spate of murders involving woman and children, Ms Thurston is urging the community to come together and help heal the souls of both abusers and the abused so that what is a vicious cycle can be ended.

“What will we do as a people and when will enough be enough. Our children are not safe, our women are not safe.

Last month, eight-year-old Ednique Wallace and her mom Alicia Sawyer where both killed in what police suspect was a domestic incident.

“I felt so bad in my spirit when I heard that news, It hurt my body my mind and my soul, I spent a day in bed,” Ms Thurston told Tribune Weekend in an emotional interview.

In the past few months, there have been a number of other crimes including the shooting death of seven-year-old Reyes Williams, who was shot outside his home last month.

In May, ten-year-old Lorencia Simmons was shot and killed in a drive by shooting.

And last week father and son 35-year-old Jamoric Green and four-year-old Jeremy Green were killed in Eleuthera.

In June, DaNayla Roberts was sitting in her grandmother’s lap on the woman’s front porch in Hatchet Bay when gunmen opened fire nearby. The child was wounded in her abdomen.

‘As mothers, we know our children. Don’t tell me that you don’t know that your son is beating up on someone’s daughter. You have to let them know what you stand for and if you have to call the police for your child than you have to do that.’

LEVITA Thurston with her daughter, Georgette Rahming.

After receiving treatment in to have hard conversations with New Providence, she was air- their sons about how they they lifted to a hospital in Texas treat women.

Similarly, she says that women where she underwent surgery and a series of rounds of physi- who are in abusive relations should do everything in their cal therapy.

Ms Thurston said that it is power to try and get out of those time mothers stop covering up situations.

“Broken parents bred broken for their sons who may be up to children and hurt people hurt no good.

“As mothers, we know our people. I grew up with my children. Don’t tell me that you mother and my stepfather and don’t know that your son is beat- they used to argue all the time ing up on someone’s daughter. and so I grew up with that and You have to let them know what my first relationship, I was you stand for and if you have abused, but I had not healed to call the police for your child from my past and so even when I got out of that relationship, than you have to do that.”

She said that mothers need I ended up with someone else

who abused me until I realised my worth and found the strength to walk away.I was broken in so many peices, I had to find those pieces through God.” She says that often abusers are reacting from hurt that they have endured in childhood.

“You can’t talk to a man who has childhood hurt. It is the child on the inside who is hurting and so you have to find a way to talk to that child who is in pain.”

Ms Thurston believes that there is power in sharing stories of abuse.

“I will share my story with anyone who wants to hear it of how I was beaten and raped and

my daughter was killed, but I was able to get away and I was able to forgive my daughter’s killer. But I am willing to share my story because there may be someone who can say you know what she was able to find the strength to do it and if she was able to get out all those times, then surely I can do it. If God can help her, he can help me.”

She also encouraged parents to teach their daughters that abuse is not okay.

“Teach them that they are not someone else’s punching bag and that it is not okay to let other people hurt you and if someone tells you that they are being abused listen to them.

Since losing her daughter and escaping her abusers, Miss Thurston received a scholarship and earned eventually earned her doctorate in counselling.

THE LITTLE CHANGES THAT CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE from page 12 and we certainly don’t want to do anything bold as she did,” said Ms Strachan.

She began to wonder about how many small things in her life that seemed like the last or the least, did she possess, and how many of those things could be the first step in the direction of a miracle.

“The teacher and coach in me immediately wanted to carry people along as I explored the idea, and so I did that through an email and social media campaign.

What I did not realise was that a book was emerging.

I was motivated to turn the entries that I wrote for that campaign into a book, but it was several years later.

I was doing some housekeeping, cleaning out my inbox, when I came across some of the responses I got from women who responded to the campaign.

It was the first time I really became conscious or aware that I was teaching others when I wrote, and that it would be good to make that content available to more people,” said Ms Strachan.

The first time author named the book The “Little” Project: Little Changes that Will Change Your Life because she wanted her readers to stop neglecting the power of doing something small in order to move life forward.

Ms Strachan said a major part of coaching is creating movement, no matter how small. And the story of the Widow of Zarephath confirmed for her that people can always take action, even with what appears to be their very last.

“It feels pretty amazing to put my own name on the cover of a book. However, it feels even more wonderful to know that I set my mind to do it. Some days I only got to edit a page, but it was still an edit, and so progress was made. I often lamented that such a small project seemed to be taking a long time to complete, but through the process I was merely living out the things I was teaching, learning to value every step.

“Everything in this book is practical and realistic.

In fact, it is ridiculously simple. I never want to write something that every woman can’t learn from, so this is not a book of outrageous or difficult things.

More so, I would say it’s like having a conversation with a sister who ‘gets it’ and can relate to how hard it can be to look positively at things that seem inadequate. I know what it is like to feel like the money is not enough, the time is not enough, nothing is enough and I will never get where I want to go. I’ve believed that in the past, and so I know how dangerous it is when you get stuck in that

place. I have lived every page of the book, because like I say, I write as a form of teaching, and I teach what I have learned.”

With her target audience being female, Ms Strachan said the message she wants ladies to grasp is to know that even with your last few dollars, your last five minutes before bed, your last anything – it is all valuable and can be what is needed to use to open up a door to greater things.

“With God, little is much, so my message is to shift perspective, especially in this season with so much upheaval around us. If we were not in the middle of a pandemic I would have probably held a fancy book launch event, and that would be the end of it. Being able to promote and sell the book digitally, and pass it along instantly to the reader is a blessing. Technology has transformed the expectations of readers; no one wants to have to wait for a book to arrive. I happen to love bookstores, but it is a struggling industry. People want to log on, click and read. Even though it has been very different from a face-to-face book launch, I am okay with how everything has turned out so far, and I’m grateful to have the ability to keep the momentum going,” said Ms Strachan.

She told Tribune Woman

she often pulls inspiration for writing, from the things she learn and experience in life. “ I don’t write about things I have not lived. Writing is just one of the ways that I am able to teach and coach others,” said Ms Strachan.

She said the feedback from readers has been wonderful.

She is most delighted by people who tell her that they are connecting with her through the book.

“I’ve met new people because of the book, people who read it and felt that I was approachable, so they approached me. To me that is humbling and exciting because it tells me that as a teacher I came through in those pages and

people heard me. The most encouraging feedback however is when someone says they will try something from the book.

That satisfies the coach in me because if the book gets someone to make a move in life, no matter

how small, then that’s a win,” said Ms Strachan.

For all those interested, The “Little” Project: Little Changes That Will Change Your Life is now available exclusively through Amazon.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, October 13, 2020, PAGE 11

Farewell, Amanda - as she steps down from NAGB role FOR ten years, Amanda Coulson has led the National Art Gallery of The Bahamas - meaning the announcement of her departure as executive director marks the end of an era.

Ms Coulson will step down effective from April 30 next year, having returned home to The Bahamas in 2011, after having forged a successful 20-year arts career in both Europe and America.

Under her tenure, the NAGB has grown considerably in both number of visitors and capacity, with expansions that include a 200-seat outdoor amphitheatre and a new art park and native plant garden.

She also initiated and oversaw

numerous extensions beyond the walls, including a national mural programme and the Inter-Island Travelling Exhibition, which serves the Family Islands.

Ms Coulson said: “It was a dream to return to The Bahamas and to lead this important and dynamic institution. These years have been extremely rewarding and it was a privilege to forge the NAGB’s path and contribute even a small portion to our nation building. I am extremely proud of the work that we have done, the cadres of young Bahamians that have been trained, the artists whose work we have shown — both at home and internationally — the students we have encouraged and the new audiences we

have embraced. However, institutions thrive on fresh ideas and, as such, I believe it is of vital importance to allow new Bahamian leaders to emerge.

With a decade at the helm, it is time to invite other voices to lead the NAGB in telling the Bahamian story and, in my personal journey, to find new ways to support Bahamian art.”

NAGB chairman Lawrence Bascom said: “The work that Ms Coulson has done in helping the NAGB articulate its mission, vision and values will help to educate, uplift and inspire Bahamians for decades to come.

“We look forward to working closely with her in the months ahead as we identify and transition to a new executive director.”

AMANDA COULSON

THE WEATHER REPORT

5-Day Forecast

TODAY

ORLANDO

High: 90° F/32° C Low: 69° F/21° C

TAMPA

TONIGHT

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

Clouds and sun with a stray t‑storm

Mostly cloudy, show‑ ers around

A couple of showers and a t‑storm

A t‑storm in spots in the afternoon

Clouds and sun, a t‑storm or two

Some rain and a t‑storm in the p.m.

High: 87°

Low: 77°

High: 87° Low: 77°

High: 88° Low: 77°

High: 87° Low: 77°

High: 86° Low: 76°

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

99° F

88° F

97°-85° F

97°-85° F

96°-85° F

94°-81° F

High: 89° F/32° C Low: 73° F/23° C

The exclusive AccuWeather RealFeel Temperature® is an index that combines the effects of temperature, wind, humidity, sunshine intensity, cloudiness, precipitation, pressure and elevation on the human body—everything that affects how warm or cold a person feels. Temperatures reflect the high and the low for the day.

N

almanac

E

W

ABACO

S

N

High: 85° F/29° C Low: 79° F/26° C

6‑12 knots

S

WEST PALM BEACH High: 88° F/31° C Low: 75° F/24° C

6‑12 knots

FT. LAUDERDALE E

W

FREEPORT

High: 89° F/32° C Low: 76° F/24° C

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E

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High: 87° F/31° C Low: 76° F/24° C

MIAMI

High: 89° F/32° C Low: 76° F/24° C

7‑14 knots

KEY WEST

High: 88° F/31° C Low: 79° F/26° C

ELEUTHERA

NASSAU

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 77° F/25° C

Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2020

High: 86° F/30° C Low: 79° F/26° C

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The higher the AccuWeather UV IndexTM number, the greater the need for eye and skin protection.

tiDes For nassau High Today

Ht.(ft.)

Low

Ht.(ft.)

5:12 a.m.

5:38 p.m.

2.9 3.3

11:23 a.m. 0.6 ‑‑‑‑‑ ‑‑‑‑‑

Wednesday 6:07 a.m.

6:31 p.m.

3.2 3.5

12:02 a.m. 0.4 12:21 p.m. 0.3

Thursday

6:59 a.m.

7:21 p.m.

3.5 3.5

12:50 a.m. 0.1 1:16 p.m. 0.0

Friday

7:49 a.m.

8:11 p.m.

3.8 3.5

1:37 a.m. ‑0.2 2:10 p.m. ‑0.2

Saturday

8:39 a.m.

9:01 p.m.

3.9 3.5

2:24 a.m. ‑0.3 3:02 p.m. ‑0.3

Sunday

9:30 a.m.

9:51 p.m.

4.0 3.3

3:12 a.m. ‑0.4 3:55 p.m. ‑0.2

Monday

10:22 a.m.

10:44 p.m.

3.9 3.1

4:01 a.m. ‑0.3 4:50 p.m. ‑0.1

sun anD moon Sunrise Sunset

7:07 a.m.

6:44 p.m.

Moonrise Moonset

3:31 a.m.

4:53 p.m.

New

First

Full

Last

Oct. 16

Oct. 23

Oct. 31

Nov. 8

CAT ISLAND

E

W

High: 86° F/30° C Low: 80° F/27° C

N

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4‑8 knots

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3‑6 knots Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

Statistics are for Nassau through 2 p.m. yesterday Temperature High ................................................... 86° F/30° C Low .................................................... 77° F/25° C Normal high ....................................... 85° F/30° C Normal low ........................................ 73° F/23° C Last year’s high ................................. 84° F/29° C Last year’s low ................................... 79° F/26° C Precipitation As of 2 p.m. yesterday ................................. 0.40” Year to date ............................................... 52.83” Normal year to date ................................... 31.29”

uV inDex toDay

ANDROS

SAN SALVADOR

GREAT EXUMA

High: 86° F/30° C Low: 80° F/27° C

High: 86° F/30° C Low: 81° F/27° C

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High: 86° F/30° C Low: 79° F/26° C

E

W S

LONG ISLAND

tracking map

High: 86° F/30° C Low: 80° F/27° C

3‑6 knots

MAYAGUANA High: 87° F/31° C Low: 81° F/27° C

Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

CROOKED ISLAND / ACKLINS RAGGED ISLAND High: 86° F/30° C Low: 81° F/27° C

H

High: 86° F/30° C Low: 81° F/27° C

GREAT INAGUA High: 88° F/31° C Low: 81° F/27° C

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4‑8 knots

4‑8 knots

marine Forecast ABACO ANDROS CAT ISLAND CROOKED ISLAND ELEUTHERA FREEPORT GREAT EXUMA GREAT INAGUA LONG ISLAND MAYAGUANA NASSAU RAGGED ISLAND SAN SALVADOR

Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday:

WINDS N at 6‑12 Knots NNE at 6‑12 Knots N at 4‑8 Knots NE at 7‑14 Knots ESE at 4‑8 Knots ESE at 3‑6 Knots ESE at 6‑12 Knots E at 4‑8 Knots S at 3‑6 Knots SE at 4‑8 Knots NNW at 4‑8 Knots NE at 6‑12 Knots E at 3‑6 Knots E at 4‑8 Knots E at 4‑8 Knots ENE at 6‑12 Knots ESE at 4‑8 Knots ESE at 4‑8 Knots ESE at 4‑8 Knots E at 4‑8 Knots WSW at 3‑6 Knots NE at 6‑12 Knots E at 4‑8 Knots E at 4‑8 Knots SE at 3‑6 Knots ESE at 4‑8 Knots

WAVES 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 0‑1 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 2‑4 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑3 Feet 0‑1 Feet 0‑1 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑2 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 0‑1 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑2 Feet

VISIBILITY 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 6 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 6 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles

WATER TEMPS. 85° F 85° F 85° F 86° F 85° F 85° F 85° F 86° F 85° F 85° F 83° F 84° F 86° F 86° F 85° F 86° F 85° F 86° F 85° F 86° F 84° F 84° F 85° F 85° F 86° F 86° F

SECTION D

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2020

I’m just looking for my mom

By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net

her biological mother or ALL NICOLE Lightbourne extended knows about her biological family mother is her name “Laurie learns of Brennen”, she gave birth to her her plea in 1984 at the Princess Marga- and conret Hospital and put her up for tact her with adoption three years later. information.

After about 30 years without “I was her birth mother, Nicole lives born on Januwith a void that she believes will ary 15, 1984, to only ever be filled until she finds a woman named her.

Laurie Brennen in Adoption is a topic not often Princess Margaret Hospital talked about in the Bahamas. in Nassau Bahamas. She named Yet there are hundreds of chil- me Edwina Brennen. From dren in the country birth to the age who have either six, I live in Nassau ‘My parents been left orphaned Bahamas with my made sure that adopted parents. after the deaths of their parents In 1991 we moved I was never or were given up to the states where neglected and by their biological I began school and showed me parents. a new life there,” Those given up she told Tribune love. It was for adoption by not enough for Woman. their parents end Nicole was me though, up like Nicole on a adopted in April of quest to find them 1987 in Nassau. To something – a reunion that this day, she has no was missing.’ unfortunately never clue why she was happens for some. given away.

Yet Nicole “I do not have believes she has to at least make any idea why I was put up for an attempt. So, sharing her adoption and still in the blind story made perfect sense as she to this day. Growing up knowbelieves there could be chance ing I adopted was ridiculously

I always felt like the black sheep.

“I never saw baby pictures of me in early stages of life. I was lost even though I did not show it. I have mixed emotions not knowing my birth mother and family.

I suffered from anger problems. I blamed NICOLE LIGHTmy adopted BOURNE, top, mother for and inset, one of everything the few pictures all she did of her as a child. hard even was love me. I though I my parents was so mess up gave me the best life inside,” she told that I could wish for.”

Tribune Woman.

Nicole’s adopted parents The effects of being did the best they could to ensure uprooted from one who home she was loved, adequately taken and planted haphazardly in and never wanted for anything, another became even more yet Nicole lived feeling rejected. clear when Nicole became a “My parents made sure that I mother. was never neglected and showed She was affected majorly and me love. It was not enough for admitted to being scared and me though, something was miss- not knowing how to properly ing,” she said. love them.

Rejection is a common emo“I made many mistakes tion many adoptees feel. Like regarding my children what can Nicole some cannot come to I say history repeating itself?” grips with why they had been Nicole said she believes reugiven away by their parents. niting with her mother will help “I always have questions in her make sense of life now, lay my mind why me and what I do to rest some of the pain she to deserve getting thrown away. experiences daily and settle

THE LITTLE CHANGES THAT CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE

By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Reporter acadet@tribunemedia.net IT’S the little things that can make a difference.

That’s the view of Latasha Strachan, who has been a schoolteacher for more than 20 years, but who has now turned her talents to coaching and writng.

Md Strachan said from her childhood, she connected with the gift and desire to teach, but it wasn’t until adulthood that she used her skills to also become a professional writer.

“I was always the person that classmates would ask to analyse the text or correct an essay, but that was as far as it went. I never really thought I was a creative type, so even though people saw me as

someone gifted with words, I honestly had no plans to be a writer,” she said.

“Now, I realise that writing for me is just an extension of teaching and coaching. I refer to myself as student-teacher-coach because these are the roles that I flow in all the time, and I recognise that writing is one of the primary ways that I communicate lessons to others,” said Ms Strachan.

She said her newest book venture titled The “Little” Project: Little Changes That Will Change Your Life is the result of a writing exercise that began about six years ago. She started blogging inspirational pieces and sharing them through social media and email.

“Much of what I write is inspired by scripture, so this idea came out of something I had learned from my

own time of studying the Bible.

I was reading the story of the Widow of Zarephath, found in 1 Kings chapter 17, and it struck me how much had changed in her life once she had a shift in perspective about her resources.

According to the story she only had a little flour and oil left to prepare what she fully expected to be her last meal on earth, one that she would share with her son before giving up and dying.

“That last meal, however, became the gateway to provision and a new life of miracles when she agreed to make a meal for Elijah the prophet instead of herself. That struck me because so often when we have little left we become paralysed with fear SEE PAGE TEN

various questions she has about her life.

“All my life I dreamed about Laurie Brennen...all the time she was in my dreams.

“I always wonder what she looked like. I am not mad at her. I just want to know her and say thank you for giving a second chance in life. I love you no matter what the past was.

I pray that you feel the same,” she said.

And if she is able to reunite with her mother, she said has these words for her: “We are not perfect. One thing that I can say you are a strong woman. You went through a lot I am guessing.

Giving birth to a child a not knowing where they are is extremely hard a mother.

“I am hoping and praying that you will give us a second chance in relationships with a bond that can be rekindled. I love you and do not have any hatred in my heart for you. I come to with an open mind and heart. I just want to know the truth about me. Do you want a relationship with me and my family? Many nights I cried myself to sleep about you.

I search for you because I need closure.”

To contact Nicole Lightbourne 786-250-8214 or email lightbourne99@gmail.com.