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Biggest And Best!
Volume: 123 No. 222, Wednesday, October 14, 2026
THE PEOPLE’S PAPER: PRICE–$1
TWO AGs TO BE QUIZZED OVER $700M NIF DEPOSITS Spending watchdog to interview Motorised wheelchair for a ‘Miracle Baby’ past and present Attorney Generals tomorrow over legal advice given
RYAN PINDER KC
MICHAEL PINTARD
WAYNE MUNROE KC
PARLIAMENT’s spending watchdog will tomorrow interview the present and immediate past Attorney General over the National Investment Fund (NIF) as it waits for proof $700m was deposited in its accounts. Michael Pintard, the Free National Movement (FNM) leader, told Tribune Business that the Opposition-controlled Public Accounts Committee
(PAC) is hoping to meet with both Wayne Munroe KC, the current attorney general, as well as his predecessor, Ryan Pinder KC, as he hailed the “tremendous progress” made in investigating the NIF controversy. He explained that the Committee, the only one controlled by the Opposition, will probe the legal advice given to the Government that
seemingly justified it opening an account in the name “National Investment Fund” even though the latter’s governing Act, passed by the first Davis administration itself in 2022, stipulates that such facilities can only be established by the Fund’s Board. •SEE OUR BUSINESS section for the full story...
!"#$%&'()*+&,-&./'+01)22'&1)**'034&/(*&5)64/7(*&7,&)35&-*,8&+1/,,29&!33)&#/,8.: +,3&;)71/(5&7/*,64/&7()*+&,-& <,'&'(+7(*5)'&)+& =>:'()*:,25& ?)@()/&A7*)1/)39& ;/,& ;)+&B,*3&;07/&B*0772(&B,3(&50+()+(&)35&1)33,7&;)2C9&8,@(5&)*,635&035(.(35(372'& -,*&7/(&-0*+7&708(&03&)&8,7,*0+(5&;/((21/)0*D &&!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"##!$%#!&'((!"$)*+!),!-./#!0
21-year-old avoids jail after BEMU ISSUES WARNING OVER REPEATED SCHOOL CLOSURES smashing bar door and ‘boyfriend’s’ windscreen 12!B#,4"#!6.+5)53 $789:;<!&7<<@A7=! *<@A7=<7 58)'1,1CE 7*0B63(8(50)D3(7 A 21-year-old woman avoided a possible tenyear prison sentence after admitting to smashing the glass door of the man she
believed to be her boyfriend’s bar and damaging his vehicle after an encounter with his ex. Tamiquia Laing pleaded guilty to two counts of causing damage involving Yard Style Bar and its owner, Evan Daly. DAMAGE - SEE PAGE FIVE
12!3#4(#!5.6-1#(( $789:;<!"=>?!*<@A7=<7 C1)8.B(22E 7*0B63(8(50)D3(7&
BAHAMAS Educators Managerial Union (BEMU) president Stephen McPhee has warned that repeated school closures could leave students struggling to recover lost learning time, while accusing the Ministry of
Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper
Education of excluding administrators from discussions about the disruptions despite their responsibility for managing affected schools. Mr McPhee said interruptions caused by electrical, plumbing and health problems since the academic year began have threatened what he UNION - SEE PAGE THREE
PAGE 2, Wednesday, October 14, 2026
THE TRIBUNE
Over 400 Bahamians Honoured at 2026 National Honours Ceremony
CHIEF Petty Officer Arlene BethelMoss receiving the Distinguished Service Medal at the National Honours Ceremony held in Baha Mar Convention Center presented Governor-General the Most Honourable Dame Cynthia Pratt.
CHIEF Petty Officer Derron Ezrum Lewis receiving the Distinguished Service Medal at the National Honours Ceremony held in Baha Mar Convention Center presented Governor-General the Most Honourable Dame Cynthia Pratt.
DR Barbara Brennen Williams receiving the Distinguished Service Medal at the National Honours Ceremony held in Baha Mar Convention Center presented Governor-General the Most Honourable Dame Cynthia Pratt.
MR Andrea Michael Major receiving the Distinguished Service Medal at the National Honours Ceremony held in Baha Mar Convention Center presented Governor-General the Most Honourable Dame Cynthia Pratt.
MR Barry Wilmott receiving the Distinguished Service Medal at the National Honours Ceremony held in Baha Mar Convention Center presented Governor-General the Most Honourable Dame Cynthia Pratt.
MR Donald Lotmore receiving the Distinguished Service Medal at the National Honours Ceremony held in Baha Mar Convention Center presented Governor-General the Most Honourable Dame Cynthia Pratt.
MR Eric Livingstone Bailou receiving the Distinguished Service Medal at the National Honours Ceremony held in Baha Mar Convention Center presented Governor-General the Most Honourable Dame Cynthia Pratt.
MR Evangelist Franklyn Roberts receiving the Distinguished Service Medal at the National Honours Ceremony held in Baha Mar Convention Center presented Governor-General the Most Honourable Dame Cynthia Pratt.
MS Ferrone Lenise Martin-Knowles receiving the Distinguished Service Medal at the National Honours Ceremony held in Baha Mar Convention Center presented Governor-General the Most Honourable Dame Cynthia Pratt.
MR John Adrian D’Aguiar receiving the Distinguished Service Medal at the National Honours Ceremony held in Baha Mar Convention Center posing with Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis.
MRS Anita Maycock-Johnson receiving the Distinguished Service Medal at the National Honours Ceremony held in Baha Mar Convention Center presented Governor-General the Most Honourable Dame Cynthia Pratt.
MS Bathsheba J Algreen receiving the Distinguished Service Medal at the National Honours Ceremony held in Baha Mar Convention Center presented Governor-General the Most Honourable Dame Cynthia Pratt.
MS Catherine Laing receiving the Distinguished Service Medal at the National Honours Ceremony held in Baha Mar Convention Center presented Governor-General the Most Honourable Dame Cynthia Pratt
MS Deidre Pandora Rolle receiving the Distinguished Service Medal at the National Honours Ceremony held in Baha Mar Convention Center presented Governor-General the Most Honourable Dame Cynthia Pratt.
MS Delores Faith Pratt receiving the Distinguished Service Medal at the National Honours Ceremony held in Baha Mar Convention Center presented Governor-General the Most Honourable Dame Cynthia Pratt.
Photos: Nikia Charlton
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, October 14, 2026, PAGE 3
‘Miracle baby’ Navea moving independently for first time Mother Anna Thompson AFTER years of physi- gives thanks for her cally carrying her daughter to and from school, Anna motorised wheelchair Thompson watched !"#$%&'#()**'++ ,-./012#*345#(267-32!"#$$%&&'(")*#+%,%-)./+%(
through tears of joy yesterday as 10-year-old Naveah Strachan, who was born with brittle bone disease and cannot walk, moved around independently for the first time in a motorised wheelchair. Naveah, a student at Columbus Primary School, was brought to tears as she moved alongside her mother in her new chair, her feet touching the pedals as she moved on her own. Ms Thompson wiped tears of happiness from her daughter’s face.
Ms Thompson said her daughter, who was born with osteogenesis imperfecta, also known as brittle bone disease, had long wished she could walk. “When she (was) born she couldn’t walk,” she said. “So, as she grew older and older she always say "Lord, I wish one day I could walk.’” “I just used to encourage her that God gone allow you to walk one day. But it never phased me I just used
to lift her, I never take her for granted.” Ms Thompson described Naveah as her “Miracle Baby”. Osteogenesis imperfecta is a group of genetic disorders that cause bones to break easily, sometimes with little or no apparent trauma. Ms Thompson previously had to carry her daughter to and from school each day, while teachers manually pushed Naveah in a
01102345,6$5+2$4."%$2.+2%,5()5+.&2,5,%+(27)(424%"2-.#84(%"92:;<=%."<5&-21.>%.42 ?(".@4.+92 .A(%"2 (4%2 =5#+8$(%"2 "%@%)>%-2 .2 ,5(5")$%-2 74%%&@4.)"2 .(2 B5&#,*#$2 C"),."=2 ?@455&2=%$(%"-.=/21.>%.49274527.$2*5"+27)(42*")((&%2*5+%2-)$%.$%92,5>%-2."5#+-2)+24%"2 +%72@4.)"2.$2@&.$$,.(%$2@4%%"%-24%"25+/ wheelchair during school hours. The Bahamas Educators Managerial Union (BEMU) donated the motorised wheelchair during an assembly at the school, hoping it would make Naveah’s learning experience easier. BEMU president Stephen McPhee said the chair would allow Naveah to participate in activities such as Sports Day and
make travelling home after school easier. He wiped away tears as he recalled learning about Naveah’s circumstances and the assistance she needed to get around the school. As her classmates cheered for her new chair, Ms Thompson held Naveah on her hip. The little girl then waved them back. Gregory Cash, a guidance counsellor at the school who also uses a motorised
wheelchair, said he was overwhelmed with joy to see his student receive a chair that had been a blessing in his own life. “One day I hope we have a racing competition,” he said warmly. Mr Cash highlighted the need for inclusion in the education system, particularly ensuring people with disabilities have opportunities to pursue their dreams in any industry they choose.
BEMU ACCUSES MINISTRY OF EXCLUDING ADMINISTRATORS FROM DISCUSSIONS ABOUT REPEATED SCHOOL CLOSURES UNION - FROM PAGE ONE considers the most important period of the school year, with students potentially unable to recover missed lessons when classes resume in January. His concerns come amid the latest disruptions caused by suspected impetigo outbreaks at several public schools, which he said have left administrators managing anxious teachers and students without adequate information about the contagious skin infection. Mr McPhee said BEMU has had no discussions with the Ministry of Education’s executive management about the outbreaks, relying instead on updates posted to the ministry’s Facebook page. “We’ve not been invited to any meeting, however, our members are on the frontline,” Mr McPhee said. “As managers and supervisors, we’ve had a number of schools where teachers, rightfully so, refuse to remain in certain environments without having help or information.” He said administrators are also responsible for supervising students awaiting collection by their parents when suspected cases force early dismissals. The latest concerns follow the early dismissal
of students at Sadie Curtis Primary School and EP Roberts Primary School last week over suspected impetigo cases. Both schools were scheduled to reopen on Tuesday following the National Heroes Day holiday. Those disruptions followed similar concerns at Gambier Primary School in New Providence and Samuel Guy Pinder Comprehensive School in Spanish Wells, which the Ministry of Education cleared to reopen on October 5 after consultations with health officials and the completion of cleaning and sanitation. However, Bahamas Union of Teachers president Belinda Wilson subsequently urged teachers at Gambier Primary to leave their classrooms following reports of additional suspected cases, raising concerns about the decision to reopen the school. Mr McPhee called on Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville to launch a public education campaign explaining impetigo, its transmission and its potential effects, saying uncertainty about the illness was contributing to fear. “They’re not aware, they don’t know what is this thing,” he said. “What is impetigo? How does it
impact me? How does it impact those that you love and care about?” While commending the Ministry of Education for “doing their job”, he said the Ministry of Health needed to take a more prominent role in informing Bahamians and helping to “minimize fear”. Beyond the immediate health concerns, Mr McPhee warned that the cumulative effect of school closures could prove difficult to overcome. He said lessons missed between September and December may be particularly difficult for students to make up in January, when examinations, prize-giving ceremonies and other activities compete for their attention. “We go into exam periods, prize giving, and it is easy for the students to lose focus,” he said, adding that BEMU was “very much concerned”. “As we know we are coming up in this term, we can tell you in education is the most powerful term.” Mr McPhee also challenged the government’s position in its ongoing Supreme Court dispute with BEMU, questioning why the union’s September industrial action was characterised as disruptive to students’ education when subsequent school
25-year-old man shot dead near entrance to Potter’s Cay Dock A 25-YEAR-OLD man was shot dead near the entrance to Potter’s Cay Dock early Tuesday morning on East Bay Street after a reported verbal altercation involving one of his friends and another male at a business establishment. Police said they received reports of the shooting shortly before 1.30am and responded where they discovered a white Acura RDX nearby with its driver’s door open. The victim, who was dressed in a navy-blue shirt, blue jeans and black sneakers, was found lying on the
ground beside the vehicle with an apparent gunshot wound to his upper body. According to preliminary investigations, the victim had been at a business establishment with friends when the verbal altercation reportedly developed. The victim subsequently left the establishment with two male friends before the shooting occurred, travelling east along East Bay Street. As they approached the entrance to Potter’s Cay Dock, a blue vehicle reportedly pulled alongside them. A male suspect allegedly produced a firearm and
opened fire in the victim’s direction, fatally wounding him. The other occupants of the vehicle escaped injury. Police said the victim’s vehicle veered to the southern side of the street and came to a stop on the sidewalk following the shooting. The suspects fled travelling east along East Bay Street in the blue vehicle. Emergency Medical Services personnel examined him and confirmed that he showed no signs of life. There are no reports of an arrest in connection with the shooting.
closures had occurred independently of the union. BEMU took industrial action last month over longstanding promotion disputes and administrative vacancies at public schools. Members returned to work following intervention by Prime Minister Philip Davis, but the dispute continued before the Supreme Court after the government sought an injunction against further industrial action. The Ministry of Education had stressed the importance of protecting instructional time during the dispute, warning that students should not lose valuable learning time while negotiations continued. Mr McPhee argued that the subsequent disruptions exposed a contradiction in the government’s criticism of the union. “We’re presently before the Supreme Court because we were standing up for those children, those students and teachers who have gone too far without leadership, and we were told is one of the key pints of the affidavit was that we disrupted the learning of students,” he said. “Well, who’s responsible now for all of the disruptions, because if we’re before the courts because we executed our right to not allow those we lead, manage, and supervise to
be left in this continued damning position that interferes with the instructional program.” He maintained that BEMU could help address some of the problems affecting public schools but was being denied an opportunity to contribute. “If you’re not meeting with us, if you’re not involving us at the tables, then what can we do?” he asked. Mr McPhee previously complained that the union had held no further direct discussions with Education Minister Chester Cooper or senior ministry officials since a meeting following September’s industrial action, although communication with Labour Relations Unit officials had continued. He said longstanding concerns remained unresolved despite progress on some promotion matters. Among those concerns, he claimed that 36 public schools remained without substantive principals, including 29 schools without substantively appointed administrators. He distinguished those vacancies from promotion disputes dating back to 2016, some of which were addressed following the union’s industrial action. Mr McPhee said Director of Education Dominique McCartney Russell had
previously indicated that only seven schools lacked substantive principals, but claimed an affidavit submitted in the government’s Supreme Court proceedings identified 29 schools without administrators. He said the union was still awaiting discussions about filling the vacancies, while members who participated in a promotion exercise in 2025 had yet to receive the results of their interviews. Mr McPhee appealed to the Ministry and Department of Education to set aside their differences with BEMU and include the union in discussions about the challenges facing public schools. “We will continue to appear by whichever means that the ministry and the Department of Education put aside what we see us personally,” he said. “This is profession and industry. Allow us as workers as is our right, representing a certain group of workers our space in the day.” Education Minister Chester Cooper previously said the government was seeking to contain the spread of impetigo while limiting disruption to classes. He deferred questions about the illness to the Ministry of Health and public health officials.
PAGE 4, Wednesday, October 14, 2026
THE TRIBUNE
Gene ‘Sparky’ Fountain hits out at financial barriers to healthcare !"#$%&'$(#!)*($+ ,-./012#3456#&278-42!"#$%!&' ()*"+,!-!.*/0,!( COMMUNITY activist Gene “Sparky” Fountain hit out at financial barriers to healthcare as he recounted an agonising 11-hour wait at Princess Margaret Hospital in a video reportedly recorded before his death. In the video, whose recording date could not be confirmed, Mr Fountain was seen lying in bed in a dark room as he described how neighbours helped him into the back of a van while he waited for an ambulance. He said they placed two comforters and two pillows in the van, secured his dogs inside his home and took him to hospital before the ambulance arrived. “It was a very rough period,” Mr Fountain said. “Took a lot of time to get through. From about 8 o'clock last evening, we left there about something to seven this morning, but did
Community activist recounts agonising 11-hour wait at the Princess Margaret Hospital in video reportedly recorded before his death not get to see any doctors. Got to take the blood test, the pressure test, and the sugar test. Got to register, but they said they only had three doctors.” Mr Fountain recalled seeing numerous patients in distress, groaning in pain and dealing with medical and family emergencies. He described one incident in which blood was “all over the floor”. He said doctors appeared to be “chickens without heads”, although he acknowledged that they were doing their best to assist patients. “I only had time to put on my bathing suit and a shirt
and the slippers. I had to get out of here. I'm still in very much pain,” he said. The Tribune contacted the Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) for comment and was told a statement would be released. However, none had been received up to press time. Mr Fountain also used the video to highlight what he described as the financial barriers facing ordinary Bahamians who cannot afford private medical care or treatment overseas. He said he had wanted to visit a walk-in clinic, but none was open, leaving him with little choice but to seek treatment at PMH, which
he described as a “scary place”. He argued that wealthier residents, particularly politicians, could afford medical treatment in countries such as the United States, Germany and the Cayman Islands, while poorer Bahamians had fewer options. “We, the poor people ain't got nowhere to run. We can't afford to go in Doctors' Hospital,” he said. “Can’t afford to go to Lyford Cay and then the government clinics they say put me where you got me, but you got to pay them first.It's a bad, bad place.” Following news of Mr Fountain's death, Free
GENE ‘SPARKY’ FOUNTAIN National Movement (FNM) leader Michael Pintard paid tribute to the outspoken community activist, remembering him as a passionate advocate for ordinary Bahamians. Mr Pintard said many Bahamians knew Mr Fountain through his frequent calls to radio talk shows, where he remained engaged in national affairs and freely expressed his opinions. “He had a way with words, and a gift for saying it plain. You always knew exactly where he stood,” he said. Although they did not always agree politically, Mr Pintard described Mr Fountain as fair-minded and
willing to speak candidly, regardless of whom his comments might affect. “He was a community activist and one of those Bahamians who refused to be silent, especially in service of the small man. Our democracy is stronger because of people who care enough to speak up, who stay informed, and who demand more from those who serve.” “I will remember Sparky most for his passion, which was evident in everything he dedicated himself to. We shared a love for agriculture, and I was honored to help him access government land when I was minister.”
Advocacy group calls for swift passage of Senior Citizens Bill and disability law amendments THE Disabled Persons Organization (DPO) has called for the swift passage of the Senior Citizens Bill and proposed amendments to disability legislation, saying both measures present an opportunity to strengthen protections for vulnerable Bahamians. In a statement marking Blindness Awareness Month and Older Persons Month, both observed in October, the organisation urged parliamentarians to support the Senior Citizens Bill, which it said would strengthen legal protections against abuse, neglect and exploitation.
The DPO also welcomed ongoing consultations on amendments to the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities) Act, which it said were expected to come before the House of Assembly shortly. The organisation said the proposed amendments could strengthen enforcement mechanisms, improve accessibility standards and bring Bahamian legislation into closer alignment with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It encouraged people with disabilities, their families and advocates to
participate in the consultation process to ensure their concerns are reflected in the legislation. DPO president Antoine Munroe said the two legislative initiatives represented an important opportunity to advance inclusion and protect the rights of older people and those living with disabilities. “October reminds us that disability and ageing touch every Bahamian family,” Mr Munroe said. “We applaud the Bahamas Alliance for the Blind and Visually Impaired and the Disability Affairs and
Senior Citizens Divisions for their dedication. “With the Senior Citizens Bill before Parliament and the amendments to the Persons with Disabilities Equal Opportunities Act soon to follow, The Bahamas has a real opportunity to build a more inclusive nation. We call on Government, the private sector and every citizen to support these efforts so that no one is left behind.” The organisation also highlighted the connection between ageing and disability, noting that many senior citizens experience disabilities, including vision
loss, and require access to appropriate care and support. It said older Bahamians should be able to age with dignity, security and protection from abuse and neglect. As part of Blindness Awareness Month, the DPO commended the Bahamas Alliance for the Blind and Visually Impaired for its advocacy and programmes promoting independent living and mobility. Ahead of White Cane Safety Day on October 15, the organisation urged motorists, businesses and
the wider public to recognise the white cane as a symbol of independence and support efforts to improve accessibility. It called for more accessible streets, buildings, documents and digital services to ensure blind and visually impaired Bahamians can participate fully in society. The DPO reaffirmed its commitment to working with the government, civil society organisations and communities to advance the rights and well-being of older persons and people with disabilities throughout The Bahamas.
Beaches and Parks Authority chairman defends construction of boundary wall near Stokes Beach !"#('9%:&$#;<99:9+3 ,-./012#3456#&278-42%-+,,*,&1' ()*"+,!-!.*/0,!( BEACHES and Parks Authority chairman Jamal Strachan has defended construction of a boundary wall near Stokes Beach in Yamacraw, insisting Bahamians will retain access to the shoreline despite concerns that the development could restrict public access and claims that work was halted because the developer lacked environmental clearance. Mr Strachan said the Ministry of Works had issued a valid permit for the construction, explaining that the property owner was seeking to build a wall along a corrected property boundary after an error was discovered in an earlier survey. “It’s not a privatisation of any access,” he said. His comments follow the circulation of a video showing heavy machinery excavating land near the
shoreline, prompting questions about whether the development would prevent Bahamians from reaching the beach. Mr Strachan acknowledged that the existing access route might have to be adjusted to accommodate the wall but maintained that a route to the shoreline would remain available. Asked whether officials would ensure that public access was preserved, he replied: “Yeah, the access is there.” He said the road or access point could be shifted to allow the property owner to build along the corrected boundary without preventing people from reaching the beach. However, beach access advocacy group Dis We Beach said construction of the wall had been halted following concerns about its safety and the absence of environmental clearance. The group said it had spoken with the property owner and learned that the
wall was intended to extend to the high-water mark, raising questions about the implications for people using the beach. According to Dis We Beach, Yamacraw MP and Environment Minister Zane Lightbourne had also expressed concerns about the proposed wall's safety. The group claimed that although a permit had been issued, the developer had not obtained clearance from the Ministry of the Environment, which it said was required before construction could proceed. It said the ministry subsequently intervened to halt work on the boundary wall. The Tribune has sought to establish the circumstances surrounding the approvals, including whether the necessary environmental clearance was obtained and the current status of construction. Dis We Beach said it initially visited the property after learning of the work, spoke with security personnel and left its contact
23"#+,./)43$/%%3*13"!*,&35#,1()+5(!.3,!/)36(#7!138!/593*,3:/-/5)/$0 information for the developer in hopes of discussing the plans. The group confirmed that an existing access point remained unobstructed during its visit but said it wanted assurances that the development would not interfere with public access in the future. It subsequently reported speaking directly with the property owner, who it said was willing to discuss concerns about the wall's
safety. The dispute comes amid longstanding concerns about public beach access in The Bahamas, where disagreements over private property boundaries and coastal development have repeatedly raised questions about Bahamians' ability to reach the shoreline. Dis We Beach argued that the Yamacraw situation demonstrated the need for legislation explicitly protecting public access to beaches by land.
“This is precisely why clear, enforceable national beach access legislation matters,” the group said in a Facebook post. “Access to the public foreshore must mean more than being able to reach it by sea. Bahamians must have protected, practical access by land, too.” The group also said it had contacted Adrian White for comment and would provide further information as its enquiries continued.
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, October 14, 2026, PAGE 5
Public Accounts Committee has yet to find records showing who got vouchers under government-funded programme !"#$%$#&'()*'+,& &-./012#3.4.567#+8.59!"#$%&#'(") "$*+#%','-*!.%'" THE Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has yet to find clear records showing who received vouchers under a government-funded programme involving more than $1.5m in taxpayer money, how recipients qualified or who authorised the payments, Opposition leader Michael Pintard revealed yesterday. Mr Pintard said testimony and documents obtained during the committee's investigation also raised concerns that private individuals and political party members may have exercised control over public resources without holding official government positions. He said the evidence suggested the programme operated through an informal arrangement outside normal government processes, with no clear qualifying rules, publicly advertised application
process or adequate paper trail linking vouchers to eligible recipients. "So far, the Committee has not seen clear qualifying rules explaining who was entitled to receive a voucher," Mr Pintard said. "We have not seen evidence of an open and advertised process through which all eligible members of the public could apply. And we have not seen a proper paper trail connecting individual vouchers to specific people who qualified to receive them." He said the committee was examining how private individuals and political party members came to exercise control over taxpayer money, what legal authority permitted their involvement and whether any funds were used for private or political purposes. "In simple terms, there appear so far to be no formal records showing who received the vouchers, why they qualified, who approved them and how the vouchers were
tracked," he said. "Another major concern is the level of involvement of private individuals and members of political parties. The testimony and documentary evidence suggest that private actors, with no official government role or responsibility, may in some cases have exercised operational control over public resources." The PAC has heard testimony from several senior government officials and people connected to the programme, including Financial Secretary Simon Wilson, former senior adviser to the Prime Minister Jerome Fitzgerald, Ministry of Finance consultant John Nixon and Director of Public Procurement Carl Oliver. Ministry of Finance officer Dwayne Ellis and Deputy Comptroller of Customs Whitney Kenny have also appeared before the committee. At least five vendors from New Providence, Grand Bahama and Abaco have given testimony, while the
PAC has obtained payment records, correspondence and other supporting documents. Mr Pintard said the evidence received so far raised serious concerns about the programme's management and the level of accountability exercised over public funds. He said officials interviewed by the committee had not provided evidence demonstrating that the programme was administered with adequate transparency, fairness or safeguards for taxpayers. "We are looking at a programme involving more than one million dollars in taxpayer funds," Mr Pintard said. "Yet the evidence so far suggests that it was operated through an informal arrangement, outside the normal government processes. “The officials interviewed have not provided the Committee with any indication that the programme was managed with the necessary and proper transparency,
Opposition leader Pintard still demanding answers over management of about $700m linked to National Investment Fund !"#$%$#&'()*'+,& &-./012#3.4.567#+8.59!"#$%&#'(") "$*+#%','-*!.%'" OPPOSITION leader Michael Pintard is still demanding answers over the management of approximately $700m linked to the National Investment Fund (NIF), saying the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has yet to receive critical financial records needed to establish where the money went and who authorised the transactions. Mr Pintard identified five people appointed to oversee the National Investment Fund (NIF), including Central Bank Governor John Rolle, as the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) continues to seek critical financial records from the Ministry of Finance and the Treasury. He said documents obtained by the committee confirmed that appointments were made as far back as August 2025, although the government never publicly announced the board or included it
in its most recent list of boards and committees. The members were identified as Sean Longley, the apparent chairman-designate; Mr Rolle; Dianne Bowe-Pindling; Brian Jones; and Andre Rahming. In an update on the PAC's ongoing investigation, Mr Pintard questioned why the government had withheld the appointments despite repeated requests from the opposition and the media. He also reiterated concerns that the board had never been convened, despite hundreds of millions of dollars reportedly being allocated and transactions carried out in the fund's name. "Money was apparently being allocated and transactions were taking place in the name of the National Investment Fund, to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars," Mr Pintard said. "Government statements and reports referred to activity under the Fund. Yet the evidence received so far indicates that the legally appointed Board was not involved.
“Indeed, one piece of correspondence received by the PAC indicates that the Board members did not even know that these activities were taking place in the Fund's name." The committee is also examining the legal basis for an account held at the Central Bank that has been publicly described as belonging to the fund. Mr Pintard said testimony and documents obtained so far suggested that the account was not established by the appointed board but was instead created and operated under a separate arrangement controlled by the Ministry of Finance and the Treasury. He said the committee had not received a clear explanation of the legal authority used to establish and operate the account. "Instead the testimony and documents received so far suggest that the account was created and operated under a different arrangement and under the sole control of the Ministry of Finance and the Treasury," he said. "The Committee is therefore asking a
very simple but important question: If this account was not established and operated by the National Investment Fund created under the law, then what exactly was the nature of this account?" The findings have added to longstanding questions surrounding approximately $700m in excess government borrowing publicly linked to the NIF. Mr Pintard said the PAC had yet to receive transaction records needed to determine where the money went, how it was moved, which accounts were used and what transactions were conducted. "The Government publicly connected approximately $700 million in 'excess borrowing' to the National Investment Fund," he said. "But the Committee does not yet have the transaction details needed to account for that money. We do not have a complete explanation of where the funds went, how they moved, what accounts were used or what transactions were carried out. The Bahamian people deserve
21-year-old woman avoids possible 10 years in prison after admitting to damaging ‘boyfriend’s’ vehicle DAMAGE - FROM PAGE ONE a misunderstanding had led to the incident. Laing was subsequently The damage to the bar’s taken into custody and front glass door was valued admitted to committing at $1,386, while the cost of the offences, the court replacing the windscreen of heard. She had no previous Daly’s blue Kia Soul was convictions. estimated at $1,396. After accepting the prosPolice Prosecutor Cor- ecution’s account of events, poral 3700 Kenton Smith Laing explained to Magistold the court that officers trate Uel Johnson that she received a report at about had been in a relationship 1.20am on October 9 con- with Daly. cerning damage at the She said she went to the business. bar and encountered Daly’s Police went to Yard former girlfriend, who told Style Bar, where Daly her that customers were not requested their assistance. permitted behind the bar. Daly told officers he had Laing said she identified known Laing for approxi- herself to the woman, who mately two weeks and that then made a remark to
her. Although she initially walked away, Laing said she later returned and smashed the establishment’s front glass door before damaging the windscreen of Daly’s vehicle. Corporal Smith told the court that the offences carried a maximum penalty of ten years’ imprisonment. Magistrate Johnson reminded Laing of the potential sentence but said he had taken her age, lack of previous convictions and early guilty pleas into consideration. The magistrate strongly admonished Laing over her conduct, describing her behaviour as “garbage” and
warning her that she needed to conduct herself properly. Rather than imposing a prison sentence, Johnson ordered Laing to compensate Daly $2,782 for the damage caused. He also placed her on probation for six months and prohibited her from visiting Yard Style Bar for any reason. Additionally, Laing was ordered to stay away from Daly for one year. The magistrate warned that any breach of the court’s orders could result in imprisonment. Laing is scheduled to return to court on March 31, 2027, for a review of her case.
accountability, fairness or care for the public's money." He said the committee was seeking to establish whether public money had been used for legitimate purposes and whether appropriate legal authority existed for those involved in administering the programme. "The Committee is therefore examining several important questions," he said. "How did private individuals and political party members come to have control over taxpayer money? What legal authority allowed them to be involved? Were funds used for expressly private or political purposes? And what protections were
put in place to safeguard the Bahamian people's money?" The investigation follows earlier scrutiny of government voucher spending, including reports that more than $1.5m was spent on vouchers ahead of the general election. Mr Pintard stressed that the committee had not completed its investigation or made any final findings. He said further work was needed to establish who was responsible for managing the programme and whether established financial controls had been followed. The PAC expects to complete its main investigative work during October and publish its report by the middle of November.
OPPOSITION LEADER MICHAEL PINTARD
a clear accounting of that money." He also criticised the Ministry of Finance and the Treasury for failing to provide requested documents, despite both agencies receiving formal requests around the same time as the Central Bank and the Department of Legal Affairs. Mr Pintard acknowledged the cooperation of the latter two agencies, saying Central Bank Governor John Rolle and the Director of Legal Affairs had provided helpful testimony and important documents in a timely manner. However, he said the same could not be said of the Ministry of Finance and the Treasury. Financial Secretary Simon Wilson and the Treasurer have both appeared before the committee, but Mr Pintard said significant gaps remained in the documentary record. "We need the records of the transactions to determine how the money was spent," he said. "We also need the Ministry of Finance to point to
the specific legal authority that allowed it to carry out transactions in the name of the NIF without the involvement of its Board. These are not minor or technical details. They go directly to who controlled the money, who approved the transactions and what lawful authority they relied upon." The government has previously defended the administration of NIF funds through the Ministry of Finance and the Treasury, citing the Public Finance Management Act and legal advice. The PAC is expected to complete its main investigative work this month, with a report targeted for publication by the middle of November. Mr Pintard stressed that the investigation remained ongoing and that no final findings had been made. He also renewed calls for PAC proceedings to be broadcast publicly, saying the Speaker had twice refused formal requests for meetings to be carried live on the Parliamentary Channel.
PAGE 6, Wednesday, October 14, 2026
THE TRIBUNE
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A prison sentence must not become a medical gamble When a family learns that someone has died in prison custody, grief comes with questions most families never have to ask. Who was looking after him? Did anyone hear his complaints? Was the help he needed available when it mattered? Thomas Jean-Baptiste’s family is now asking those questions. They deserve a careful, documented response. Mr Jean-Baptiste died on October 4 after spending approximately two weeks in hospital. The Tribune reports that he had diabetes, morbid obesity and a history of potentially life-threatening blood clots. He had returned to prison in July after losing his sentence appeal. His sister alleges that he was not consistently given essential medication and did not receive adequate medical attention. Those allegations have not been established by an independent investigation. The available reporting cannot tell us whether different treatment would have prevented his death. What it does establish is ample reason to examine his care. Before his return to custody, the Court of Appeal considered competing medical assessments. One doctor warned of serious risks. The prison physician said his illnesses could be managed within the institution, with transfer to hospital when specialised treatment became necessary. The question now is whether the care provided fulfilled those assurances. Mr Jean-Baptiste was serving sentences for possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition. These are serious offences, particularly in a country where gun violence has brought so much suffering. The courts must be able to impose meaningful punishment. Proper medical care belongs within that punishment. It is part of the responsibility accepted by an institution that controls where a person sleeps, what he eats, when he sees a doctor and whether he receives his prescriptions. A prisoner cannot make his own appointment or leave to seek a second opinion. Even describing worsening symptoms may require him to depend upon several people before reaching someone qualified to assess them.
That dependence should make the system especially attentive. An independent investigation should reconstruct Mr Jean-Baptiste’s treatment from his return to custody through his hospital admissions. Medication records, clinical assessments, housing arrangements and the timing of decisions should be examined. Staff involved should have a fair opportunity to explain what happened. His relatives should be given a clear account of the findings. Any wider failures identified should be disclosed, with due regard for medical privacy, alongside the steps being taken to correct them. There may have been appropriate care despite a tragic outcome. There may have been failures that demand accountability. Records and independent scrutiny are how those possibilities should be resolved. The review should also test whether arrangements for other seriously ill prisoners are dependable. Every prescribed dose needs a record. Missed medication needs a prompt explanation and clinical attention. Hospital discharge instructions need to reach the people responsible for carrying them out. Where the prison cannot provide the necessary care, that limitation should be acknowledged promptly and brought before the appropriate authorities for a lawful solution. Correctional officers and medical staff also need the resources to meet these responsibilities. Expecting them to manage complex illnesses without suitable facilities, staffing or equipment would fail both employees and inmates. An honest investigation should identify those shortcomings as readily as individual mistakes. It is easy to feel distant from a person in prison. His conviction can become the only thing we see. Yet the standards we maintain behind those walls are standards maintained in our name. Mr Jean-Baptiste’s family should not have to rely on fragments of information to understand his final weeks. They deserve answers, and those still in custody deserve confidence that a request for medical help will receive proper attention. The State’s responsibility for a prisoner’s welfare lasts for every day it holds him.
Electric power cut to the main shopping district, why? EDITOR, The Tribune. I appreciate the space provided to me at this juncture to vent on an issue dear to our hearts and for which we have been receiving the same short circuit suspension of our Bahamas Power & Light (BPL) connectivities. On Monday October 5, 2026 while on my usual commute in the city center, I was surprised to see that some of the businesses downtown Nassau didn’t have power, and what was painful to see the number of tourists standing just in the doorway, with the ones brave enough were deeper inside the store, being served in darkness, but this is the city center should have substitution power source. One Of the stores I decided to visit had a light because of power backup and what the sales person revealed was that the power was offline since yesterday morning, but how come? On hearing this I was taken aback about a Canadian tourist who lamented that we in the Bahamas with all of this God’s sunlight ought not be having the outages that we seasonally have, comparing that Canada has fewer hours
LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net of sunlight, yet the power remains-on much longer than The Bahamas’, asking me what seems to be the problem? I do believe that plenty of policking is taking place, where Bahamian people don’t seem to matter to them, the holders, managers of the power company? That’s horrible! Editor, what I find intriguing is that for years Bahamians have been paying the surcharge attached to billing and what was unfair was more than actual electricity used, never a re-endorsement recouping of any sums, portions, why? What many of the customers of the corporation have been questioning is just how difficult could managing a utility company be? After All the systems have identified each office category within the company and with the procedure must attached, you have revenues collected from usages, balances, purchases of crude oils and what that sum maybe for the various overhead salaries,
incidentals, transportation expenses, gasoline, diesel maintenance, perhaps government taxes, loans? And it is not like something catches them off guard, maybe an electrical storm where damages resulted to their systems, these were fundamental mechanisms materially connected to the management of this kind of power generation company, but it appears that wisdom, knowledge and understanding have gone on holidays? Editor, my query is how would the businesses recoup their losses for all of the hours and days of no power? This company was said to be owned by The Bahamian people, many have grown discontented with the poor management unacceptable billings being passed down to its consumers of the occasional power. And what is assured is that we cannot go on and supplement the corporation to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars, translated further taxes, with bills upon bills, for it must end? FRANK GILBERT Nassau, October 6, 2026.
No one is coming to rescue us! EDITOR, The Tribune. PREVIOUS letters to this column have progressively documented our national decline. They have catalogued failing institutions, collapsing infrastructure, and a citizenry too comfortable to notice. But today, I write with renewed, urgent alarm. The events of recent weeks have removed all doubt. The Bahamas is not heading toward state failure; we have arrived. And the evidence is no longer circumstantial. It is being broadcast from American courtrooms, published in international indictments, and witnessed by a world that now sees what we have refused to acknowledge. I submit that the Bahamas has become a hidden failed state in plain sight, and the recent revelations of systemic criminality at the highest levels of governance, law enforcement, and political power confirm that our collapse is not a future threat but a present reality. The political class denies it because acknowledgement would require accountability. The citizenry fails to recognize it because recognition would demand action. But the evidence is now undeniable, and no amount of official silence can suppress it. Consider what has unfolded before our eyes. The power grid continues to fail. Bahamians endure rolling blackouts that cripple businesses, disrupt hospitals, and stagnate economic progress. The government offers explanations, not solutions. This is not a “challenge”; it is the state’s failure to perform its most basic function—keeping the lights on. Then came the bombshell from the United States. Bahamian Police and Defence Force officers were arrested and indicted in an American court on drug trafficking and corruption charges. These are not low-level functionaries; they are senior officers entrusted with upholding the law. The allegations suggest that a sitting politician provided protection for bribes, directly linking the criminal enterprise to the highest levels of our government. Then, the arrest of a convicted drug trafficker and new indictments alleging that a Bahamian politician assisted with drug transactions from within the House of Assembly itself. The people’s sacred chamber—the seat of our democracy—allegedly used
as a coordination point for narco-trafficking. And this is not an isolated actor. His alleged ties to the governing Progressive Liberal Party run deep, with government contracts reportedly awarded to his companies. The present Minister of Finance has been identified as an executive of this convicted felon’s companies. The rot is not at the margins; it is at the centre. The government’s response? The Bahamian embassy has complained to the US State Department that the DEA officers who uncovered this alleged corruption within our law enforcement ranks and governing party did not get permission to operate in the country. Let that sink in. Our government is not demanding accountability for its officials. It is not cooperating with international law enforcement. It is protesting the investigation itself. How can the United States comply with its international obligations when the very people tasked with assisting its law enforcement are the ones allegedly helping the criminals? The answer is simple: they cannot. And our government’s protest is not a defence of sovereignty; it is a shield for criminality. Meanwhile, allegations of missing funds from government accounts and mismanagement that reeks of grift and graft continue to surface. The government’s refusal to account for any of these actions has fallen on deaf ears—deaf ears in the halls of power, but not in the public square, where the people are beginning to stir. The counter-narrative from the political class is predictable. They will speak of “due process” and “the presumption of innocence.” They will dismiss the indictments as American overreach. They will claim that these are isolated incidents, not systemic failures. But the pattern is unmistakable. We are not witnessing a few bad apples; we are witnessing a rotten orchard. The hard truth is that we have become our own worst enemies. Our leaders are not invaders; they are our reflections. We elected them. We enabled them. We excused them. The apathy of the voter is not a defence but a confession of complicity. We have traded the rigor of democratic engagement for the comfort of complaint. We perform outrage on social media while failing to organize, demand, or hold accountable.
There is no unavoidable question. If we are a failed state, and both our leaders and our citizens are invested in the lie of success, is it possible for us to escape? The answer is yes—but only through drastic and painful change. The kind of change that demands that we face a hard truth. No one is coming to save us. Not the United States, not China, not the United Nations, not a benevolent foreign power. We are our own jailers. We are our own salvation. The political class will not save us; they are the architects of our collapse. The international community will not save us; they have their own interests. The miracle we pray for will not come from heaven; it must come from ourselves. The recent indictments are not a source of shame; they are a gift. They are the mirror we have refused to look into. They are the evidence we have refused to gather. They are the truth we have refused to speak. The world now sees what we have denied. The question is: will we see it too? We have awakened from one form of colonialism only to submit to another. A colonialism of the mind, where we accept mediocrity as normal and corruption as inevitable. The real struggle is not against external forces. It is against the internal enemies we have created: the apathy, the cynicism, the learned helplessness, the comfortable surrender to the status quo. The choice is ours. We can continue our drift into the abyss, comforted by the false promise that something will change, that someone will save us, that the next election will bring salvation. Or we can look into the mirror, see the truth, and decide to become architects of a new Bahamas. We can choose the pain of transformation over the agony of collapse. We can choose to awaken from our slumber and demand the future we deserve. The time is now. There is no more time for comfort, no more time for complaint, no more time for complacency. Our nation is failing, and we are the only ones who can save it. The world is watching. History is recording. What will it say of us? A Citizen No Longer Willing to Accept the Comfortable Lie BAZZAN JOHNSON Freeport, Grand Bahama October 5, 2026.
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, October 14, 2026, PAGE 7
Supreme Court dismisses lawsuit against Sandals over alleged assault By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter Lmunnings@tribunemedia.net THE Supreme Court has dismissed an American couple’s lawsuit against Sandals Royal Bahamian over an alleged sexual assault by their butler on the eve of their destination wedding, ruling that they filed the case after the legal deadline had expired. Justice Darron Ellis ruled that Ashley Reid-Pascarella and her husband, Jeffery Pascarella, brought their case more than four years after the alleged incident in April 2016, missing the three-year deadline for personal injury claims. The lawsuit, filed on October 14, 2020, sought damages from West Bay Management Limited, which operates Sandals Royal Bahamian Spa & Resort Offshore Island. The judge dismissed the action as statute-barred and ordered the couple to pay the resort’s legal costs. However, the ruling did not determine whether the alleged assault occurred or whether the resort was legally responsible. The couple had booked a stay at the resort through travel agents for their destination wedding in April 2016, inviting about 70 guests to celebrate with them.
According to the claim, Ms Reid-Pascarella was indecently assaulted by Moral Adderley, the butler assigned to the couple during their stay. The alleged incident occurred on or about April 15, 2016, the night before their wedding. Both claimants sought damages arising from the alleged incident and the resort’s alleged breaches of duty, including compensation for psychological injury, financial losses and the cost of their wedding package. The couple’s lawsuit was previously reported to be seeking $30m in damages. A 2018 report by The Tribune said the claim included $10m for alleged negligence, nearly $10m for breach of contract and $10m for Mr Pascarella’s loss of consortium. West Bay Management argued that the resort’s booking conditions required guests to give written notice of certain claims within six months and begin legal proceedings within one year. The couple challenged those restrictions, arguing that they had not been properly brought to their attention and should not prevent them from pursuing their claims. Justice Ellis found that the booking terms had been
provided through the travel agents authorised to handle the couple’s arrangements. However, he ruled that the resort could not rely on its one-year deadline to override legal protections relating to personal injury claims. The judge also found that the resort had not established that the one-year restriction was reasonable and enforceable. Instead, the court found that section 9 of the Limitation Act 1995 applied to the claims as pleaded, giving the couple three years to bring their case because it included claims for personal injury, including psychological harm. The judge found that the relevant facts were known in 2016 and that the psychological injury was known by May of that year at the latest. The deadline had therefore expired by May 2019, more than a year before the couple filed their lawsuit. The court also found no legal grounds to extend the deadline because of disability, fraud, mistake or deliberate concealment. Justice Ellis therefore dismissed the action because it was filed too late, noting that the decision concerned the time limit for bringing the case and did not decide the underlying allegations against the resort.
Three men remanded to prison following allegation of gang-rape By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net THREE men were remanded to prison yesterday after being accused of gang-raping and indecently assaulting a 19-year-old woman in New Providence earlier this month, with one also accused of assaulting the woman and deceiving a police officer to evade the law. Joseph Coriolan, 21, Jhon Kerry Monues, 22, and Ralph Hercule, 21,
allegedly raped and indecently assaulted the woman on October 4. Coriolan is also accused of assaulting the woman and, later that day, deceiving Detective Corporal 4004 Taylor in an attempt to evade the law. All three appeared before acting Chief Magistrate Ancella Evans on charges of rape and indecent assault. Coriolan faced additional charges of assault and deceit of a public officer. The defendants were not required to enter pleas.
They were informed that their case would proceed to the Supreme Court through a voluntary bill of indictment, scheduled to be served on January 28, 2027. The men were remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services after being advised of their right to apply to the Supreme Court for bail. Bjorn Ferguson and Gary Russell represented the accused. Inspector Deon Barr prosecuted the case.
Two face charges for $5,000 alcohol heist and vehicle assault at Albany Resort By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net TWO men appeared in court accused of stealing $5,055 worth of alcohol from Albany Resort last week, with one pleading guilty to receiving stolen goods and facing a separate charge of assaulting a man with his vehicle. Marlon Bodie, 62, and Samuel Kemp allegedly stole the alcohol from the resort on Frank Watson Boulevard on October
9. Bodie was reportedly employed at the resort at the time. Kemp is also accused of assaulting Sebastian Butler with his vehicle at about 2.15pm that day. Bodie was charged with stealing by reason of employment, while Kemp faced charges of stealing, receiving and assault with a deadly weapon. Appearing before Senior Magistrate Kendra Kelly Burrows, Kemp pleaded guilty to receiving but denied the remaining charges. Bodie pleaded not
guilty to stealing by reason of employment. Bodie was granted $3,000 bail, while Kemp's bail was set at $4,000, each with one or two sureties. As part of their bail conditions, Kemp must sign in at the Western Police Station every Thursday, while Bodie must report to the Carmichael Police Station every Monday. Both men are scheduled to return to court for trial on December 10. Inspector Deon Barr prosecuted the case.
Suspect charged with attempted stabbing murder using screwdriver on Hospital Lane By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A 28-YEAR-OLD man was remanded to prison yesterday after being accused of attempting to murder another man by stabbing him with a screwdriver during an altercation on Hospital Lane last week. Joshua Williams allegedly stabbed Henrich Curry in the upper body during a physical confrontation at about 9.30pm on October 5.
Williams was reportedly also stabbed during the confrontation. Curry was transported to hospital in a private vehicle, where he received treatment in the trauma room. Police later allegedly found Williams carrying the same screwdriver used in the attack without lawful cause. The weapon was seized as evidence. Williams appeared before acting Chief Magistrate Ancella Evans on charges of attempted murder and unlawfully carrying arms.
He was not required to enter a plea and was informed that his case would proceed to the Supreme Court through a voluntary bill of indictment, scheduled to be served on January 28, 2027. Williams was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services after being advised of his right to apply to the Supreme Court for bail. Inspector Deon Barr prosecuted the case.
PHOTOS of participants in the programme
39th annual Twenty Pearls programme kicks off with pinning ceremony for 46 young women By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@ tribunemedia.net Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Pi Upsilon Omega Chapter, marked the start of its 39th annual Twenty Pearls signature programme with a pinning ceremony for more than 40 high school girls on Grand Bahama. Senator D’Asante Small delivered the keynote address at the event, held on Thursday, October 8, at the Rand Nature Center under the theme “The Power of Excellence”. A total of 46 students from high schools across the island were selected to participate in this year’s programme and were presented with pins during the ceremony. Ms Small encouraged the young women to pursue excellence through discipline, leadership, responsibility and sisterhood, emphasising that it should be a daily commitment to personal growth. “Excellence is just not a destination. It’s about your habits, your discipline,
your commitment, your courage to show up every day and just be your better selves,” she said. She also stressed the importance of mentorship, noting that seeing women in leadership positions helps young women recognise the opportunities available to them. She encouraged established women leaders to remain accessible and help younger women navigate their personal and professional development. Ms Small said young women need positive influences, guidance and exposure to career opportunities, professional development and scholarships beyond what they see on social media. Reflecting on the programme’s history, she said its longevity was a testament to the commitment and sacrifice of the women who had sustained the initiative for nearly four decades. She added that the programme allowed a vision to be passed from one generation to the next, empowering young women to develop and contribute positively to their communities.
Alisa Arthur, chairman of the Twenty Pearls Committee, said the participants would take part in church and community service activities, along with sessions on college readiness, career preparation, leadership and self-awareness. The programme will conclude with an awards ceremony on April 4, 2027, when participants will be recognised for academic achievement, community service and leadership. Scholarships will also be presented. Ms Arthur said more than $15,000 in scholarships was awarded last year. Three participants received scholarships, including two who secured full scholarships to Philander Smith College, while another received a partial scholarship to LeMoyne-Owen College. As the programme enters its 39th year, Ms Arthur said the chapter remains committed to the legacy established in 1987, providing young women with mentorship and opportunities to develop the skills and confidence needed to succeed.
PAGE 8, Wednesday, October 14, 2026
Alicia Wallace
THE TRIBUNE
Three years on . . .
and the suffering continues IN his open letter to Angela Davis, James Baldwin wrote, “For if they take you in the morning, they will be coming for us that night.” He was emphasizing, to the people, the relatedness of our struggles. He was showing the Black people everywhere that they could not ignore the arrest of Angela Davis and assume that they would not be put in handcuffs and hauled to a jail cell. What we allow to happen to one can and likely will, eventually, happen to all. This is only one of the reasons that we must stand in solidarity with one another and demand justice. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) tenured linguistics professor Michel DeGraff proposed a course, for the fall 2024 semester, entitled “Language and Linguistics for Decolonization and Liberation and for Peace and Community Building—From The River to the Sea in Palestine and Israel to the Mountaintops of Haiti and Beyond” that was rejected. The panel, supposedly, questioned his expertise to teach it. The New York Times reported that DeGraff “was a leading faculty voice siding with pro-Palestinian campus protestors” MICHEL DeGraff and their “from the river to the sea” chants were misconstrued as antisemitis. DeGraff, a Haitian scholar, asserted that he was, indeed, qualified to teach the course. He sent a series of emails to colleagues and eventually shared the threads publicly. He has been prevented from teaching and taking on new student mentees for three consecutive fall semesters. MIT has maintained his salary while designating him “faculty at large.” DeGraff said, “I have a right to express my views, and as a professor, I also have a right to teach about
any issue that I find is germane to my expertise, which is linguistics.” He added, “In this particular case, Congress is trying to repress my teaching and my speech.” A February 2025 letter to President of MITechnology Sally Kornbluth—signed by Yale Law School Professor Asli Ü. Bâli and University of Southern California Professor Emerita Laurie A. Brand—said, “The circumstances surrounding the decision not to approve the proposed course, and Professor DeGraff’s history of teaching in the department, suggest that the political sensitivity of a course sympathetic to Palestinian narratives, and some fac-
ulty members’ dis-
comfort or disagreement with those narratives, may have played a role in the decision to refuse to authorize the course as a department offering.” In this way, the writers call out the anti-Palestinian roots of the decision. Importantly, Bâli and Brand highlighted DeGraff’s expertise as well as MIT’s previous positive, even celebratory, attitude toward his political work. They wrote, “It is also worth noting Professor DeGraff’s history of teaching on social justice issues in the Linguistics Department prior to the proposed course. Professor DeGraff has taught at MIT since 1996. In addition to his published research on Haitian Creole, he co-founded the MIT-Haiti initiative, which seeks to improve Creole-language education in Haiti, and the Platfòm MIT-Ayiti pou yon lekòl tèt an wo, a database for sharing Creole teaching materials developed with a colleague in the MIT Department of Mathematics and funded by the MIT Abdul Latif Jameel World Education Lab. Professor DeGraff’s stature in the field of linguistics is evidenced by election in 2023 as a Fellow of Linguistic Society of America (LSA), the most prominent institution in the field. MIT publications on Professor DeGraff’s election suggest strong support for his engagement with contemporary political questions as well as his activist approach.” It has been said, many times over, that Palestine is the litmus test. It is a test of basic decency and respect for human life. It is a test of our humanity. It is a test of international human rights law. It is a test of transnational solidarity. As Noura Erakat put it, “Palestine is a litmus test precisely because it clarifies what’s always been true - like myth of liberal democracies who affirm their unwavering support to Israel against the will of the vast majority of their people or the lie of “diversity of perspectives” in the corporate media landscape.” The position of any person or institution on Palestine is indicative of its true politics and its stance on key issues including gender and race. It gives a clear position on colonization and all of the harms that accompany it. October 7, 2026 marked three years of defined, televised, and live-streamed
genocide by Israel against Palestinians. By the end of December 2023, there were 22,185 recorded murders. In the first five months, 30,000 killings were recorded. Over the past three years, 74,000 Palestinians—one out of every 30 people in Gaza—have been killed. At least 28% of the murdered were children. It is important to note that these numbers, from the Palestinian Ministry of Health, include only the hospitals-recorded and officially registered deaths. The death toll is much higher than the recorded figures, with many of the dead trapped under rubble and otherwise unrecoverable. One of every 13 people in Gaza sustained injuries throughout the past three years. The World Health Organization estimates that 24% of them need long-term rehabilitation from life-changing injuries. The supposed ceasefire of October 2025 never took effect. Israel has attacked Gaza on an almost daily basis since then. The genocide in Palestine—the utter brutality of Israel against both the Palestinian people and the land—is covered less by news outlets and appears less frequently on social media. This is not an accident. This reality is a function of the murderous imperialism of the Americas that shifts attention from one act of cruelty to another genocide, the manipulation of algorithms, and the general discomfort with discussing issues that are presented as controversial, even when the wrongs are clear. Palestine is, in many ways, not alone. It has experienced bombardment and abandonment on its own, yet has the attention and solidarity of activists, advocates, academics, and journalists who refuse to turn away from the reality. There is also a less fortunate manner in which Palestine is not alone. There is Sudan. There is the Congo. There is Cuba. U.S. imperialism and the violence it uses to steal resources and dominate territories and people is getting closer and closer. Our neighbours in Cuba are suffering today. Shipments of fuel are being blocked, there is no electricity, maternal mortality is increasing, and people are going hungry, all at the hands of the US. We are watching as the US, in its greed, tries to bring other countries to their knees. Many of us are watching, and eventually ignoring, as though there is nothing we can do, just as the first months, and now three years, of the genocide in Palestine were watched and ignored. If not before, now is certainly the time to take note: We have no protection from the claws of imperialism outside of shared struggle and solidarity. A question for our consideration, as posed at a recent event at Mexico City’s Museum of Contemporary Art by Founding Director of the More-Than-Human Life (MOTH) Project César Rodríguez Garavito is, “What responsibilities do I have, as an inhabitant of the Earth, towards the other beings who share this living space with me?” If they take Palestine today, if they take Cuba tomorrow, how long would it before they are on our doorstep? Who is keeping watch? Who is mounting resistance?
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, October 14, 2026, PAGE 9
Hitters are winning more ABS challenges in the postseason
COMPETITIVE gamer and Twitch streamer Cody “Clix” Conrod conducts a live stream from his apartment in downtown Dallas, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026. AP Photo/LM Otero
A 21-year-old Fortnite pro gives out computers to young gamers and plans for more through a new fund By JAMES POLLARD Associated Press
there's no "healthy" talent ecosys-
By age 14, he’d made tem. There's also the stigma — many people still don't view competitive NEW YORK (AP) — After drop- nearly $200,000 gaming as a legitimate career, both ping out in eighth grade to pursue he and Conrod emphasized. esports, Cody Conrod wants to help through the Fortnite Conrod hopes that by lifting the others enter the increasingly expen- World Cup and felt financial burden of buying a comsive world of professional gaming. puter, he can get more parents to let The 21-year-old competitive Fort- he couldn’t balance their children test the professional nite player, better known as Clix limits of their hobby. "They also to his more than 8 million Twitch classes with his career. have to get good grades if they're followers, already provides hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of gaming equipment through an annual holiday giveaway. Through his new holding company, launched Thursday, he is formalizing those efforts into the Dr3amin Access Fund. Fortnite, one of the world's most popular video games, features lastone-standing showdowns where players hunt down each other's customizable avatars across an ever-shrinking map. Content creators have found loyal audiences by live streaming their exploits on platforms such as Twitch, the livestreaming platform owned by Amazon, and clipping the most eye-catching segments into viral short-form videos. But the equipment needed to compete at higher levels is pricey — and getting pricier. The massive data center buildout has pushed up the costs of computers, graphics processors and memory chips. Conrod recommends a setup that can handle at least 120 frames per second for a GPU-intensive game such as Fortnite. And even sub-$500, entry-level PCs are becoming scarcer, according to Joost van Dreunen, a longtime games industry researcher and adjunct assistant professor at New York University's Stern School of Business. "Anybody who is starting up early in their career, anybody who is building their first PC, is having an increasingly difficult time finding hardware and components for it," he said. Conrod understands the squeeze. His parents couldn't afford a "crazy
gaming computer" when he started playing when he was five. As Fortnite took the gaming world by storm, with publisher Epic Games offering $100 million tournament prizes, Conrod said he had to make do with a "worst of the worst" computer running 30 frames per second. After months spent begging his parents to help buy a roughly $1,600 computer, Conrod said, his dad wrote up a contract: the teenager would have three months to pay him back by working for his plumbing company throughout the summer. Conrod ultimately needed just two weeks' worth of Fortnite earnings to honor the deal. "If I never had that PC, if I never had access to that computer, this career — this setup that you see — would not be a thing," Conrod said, speaking from his Dallas bedroom where he streams to thousands of viewers for hours at a time. By age 14, it was time for another conversation. He'd made nearly $200,000 through the Fortnite World Cup and felt he couldn't balance classes with his career. Waking up for middle school at 6 a.m. to then compete in tournaments at 6 p.m. left him exhausted. "You can't be tired when you're playing," he explained. Reaction times, he said, have to be "crisp." After some hesitation, his parents agreed to let him go all-in on competitive gaming. Esports is still a place where it's "very hard to make a living," according to van Dreunen. The real money is clustered at the top, he said, and
in school," he added, noting that he made the "still delusional but a little less delusional" move to drop out only when he'd won "a good amount of money." Full Box Inc., his new holding company, is inspired by MrBeast's sprawling media empire, which houses the YouTube megastar's food brands, production company and philanthropy. Full Box Inc. encompasses Clix's clothing brand, clipping agency and game studio, among other endeavors. He's still figuring out the funding model for the Dr3amin Access Fund. Some proceeds from his clothing brand will support the initiative. Other brands will have the opportunity to donate during his end-of-year giveaway, Clixmas. And he'll give some, too; last year he said he personally contributed about $100,000 as Clixmas gave away five custom PCs daily throughout the month of December. Conrod got some proof of concept this past weekend. His team took fourth place — and $120,000 — among 50 duos at the Fortnite Global Championship in Belgium. Among his competitors was a gamer known online as Joshreyli. They'd met two years ago during the first-ever Clixmas when Conrod challenged his audience to eliminate him during a one-on-one match in exchange for a computer. Josh won, got the PC and has since earned six figures as a pro, according to Conrod. "It's like a full-circle moment of what helps me want to do more stuff like this," Conrod said. "Those stories fire me up."
NEW YORK (AP) — Batters have been more successful on robot umpire challenges in the playoffs than during the regular season, and teams are utilizing the Automated Ball-Strike System more overall in its postseason debut. Seventy-one of 121 overall challenges under ABS prevailed during the 25 games of the Wild Card Series and Division Series. The 59% success rate was up from 54% during the regular season. That includes an improvement for batters to 57% (29 of 51) from 49%. It’s not that hitters are necessarily being more conservative, either. Teams are challenging more in the postseason overall, with 4.8 per game compared to 4.3 during the regular season. Batter challenges are up to 2.04 per game from 1.96. Teams exhaust their challenges when they are unsuccessful twice in the game, so the more times they win appeals the more opportunities they can have. Catchers had won 60% (42 of 70) of challenges, just above their 59% during the regular season. Pitchers were 1 for 1, with Tampa Bay’s Griffin Jax making the only challenge. Among the four teams advancing to the League Championship Series, Cleveland won 7 of 13, Milwaukee 8 of 16, Tampa Bay 3 of 5 (with no tries by batters) and the Dodgers 2 of 6. Atlanta had the most challenges, winning 14 of 22 over seven games and the White Sox 12 of 31.
Rights groups urge social media platforms to resist Turkish orders to block accounts ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — More than a dozen human rights groups urged social media platforms, including X, on Monday to resist Turkish court orders blocking hundreds of accounts belonging to journalists and activists. The 21 organizations, including Human Rights Watch and Article 19, also called on the Turkish government to stop issuing the blocking orders, which they say violate freedom of expression. Over the past weeks, Turkish authorities have ordered social media platforms to withhold accounts belonging to independent media outlets, journalists and academics as well as LGBTQ groups and other nongovernmental organizations. The government has cited public safety concerns to justify the restrictions. “Social media platforms should take meaningful steps immediately to uphold their human rights responsibilities and avoid contributing to suppressing independent media and violating the right to freedom of expression,” the groups said in a joint statement. The statement said Turkish authorities ordered X to block access to at least 1,270 accounts.
Tokyo court grants legal protection to human voices in AI clone case By MARI YAMAGUCHI Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — A Tokyo court has awarded legal protection to the human voice in a landmark case in which a popular Japanese anime voice actor demanded that TikTok close an account over its unauthorized use of an artificial intelligence clone of his trademark baritone. The Tokyo District Court's decision Wednesday was the first acknowledgment of the right to one's voice in Japan. The ruling was good news for many anime voice actors at a time when they are increasingly concerned about the use of AI-generated versions of their voices on social media. The plaintiff, Kenjiro Tsuda, is an actor best known for his “lustrous and deep” voice in starring characters such as Kento Nanami in “Jujutsu Kaisen,” a popular anime series. In his lawsuit, Tsuda said that the anonymous operator of the TikTok account “Nanami" wrongfully profited by attracting viewers with his voice narrating in more than 180 videos about urban legends and paranormal phenomena, and asked for the material to be deleted.
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THE TRIBUNE
World News
Microsoft being suspended from program to apply for green cards for H-1B visa workers, Vance says By REBECCA SANTANA Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's administration is suspending tech giant Microsoft from a program to apply for green cards for workers who come to the U.S. to live and work using an H-1B visa as it accuses the company of fraud. "If you do the math, for every worker that Microsoft laid off, they replaced that worker with one and a half foreign indentured servants," said Vice President JD Vance in a White House news conference announcing the decision.
The H-1B program has long been a target of Trump supporters who say that the program undercuts American workers and is rife with abuse. H-1B visas are meant for high-skilled jobs that are difficult to find American workers to fill. Technology companies are the biggest users, with nearly three-quarters of approvals going to workers from India. Microsoft, which is based in Redmond, Washington, near Seattle, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Vance announcement came one day after Trump's Republican
administration launched another broadside against international students and their ability to work in the U.S. The Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday proposed a $70,000 fee for international students seeking to work in the United States. The proposed rule would require schools to pay the fee for every student who participates in the Optional Practical Training program, known as OPT, which allows students to work in jobs related to their major during or after their time in school. Vance also called out universities that he
VICE President JD Vance speaks during a news conference on the Fraud Task Force inside the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House campus, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026, in Washington. AP Photo/Tom Brenner
suggested were abusing a program to allow international students to come to the U.S. These temporary visas, called J-1 visas, allow international
visitors to temporarily come to the U.S. for work and study exchange programs. Vance singled out nine universities that he said merited further
investigation for J-1 visa fraud, saying they used the program in greater proportions than their counterparts.
Tensions flare over the EU's next long-term budget ahead of unpredictable elections By LORNE COOK Associated Press
IRISH Minister of State for European Affairs Thomas Byrne attends a joint debate ahead to the 15-16 October EU summit in Strasbourg, France, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026. AP Photo/Pascal Bastien
BRUSSELS (AP) — Political tensions mounted Tuesday over the European Union's next long-term budget as pressure builds to get the spending package agreed before a series of unpredictable elections in some of the biggest member countries next year. The EU budget, known as the multiannual financial framework, amounts to around 1.2% of the 27-nation bloc's gross national income. The MFF is financed mostly by the member countries based on the size of their economies. The spending plan is the cash point where EU
ambitions, conflicting policy priorities and economic realities collide and must be endorsed by all member countries and the European Parliament. The 2028-2034 budget is being negotiated as the EU faces outside challenges including supporting Ukraine as it fights off the Russian invasion and remaining competitive in the face of high energy prices and trade tensions with the United States and China. Inside the union, elections in France, Italy, Poland and Spain later this year and next year could test the resilience of the world's biggest trading bloc, with the hard right
leading in opinion polls in France and results in Poland and Spain difficult to predict.
The EU presidency tables a new proposal Over the weekend, Ireland, which holds the EU's rotating presidency, proposed to set the budget at 1.62 trillion euros ($1.81 trillion). That is a 30% increase over the current seven-year package, but 8% less than what the European Commission wants. Sweden, one of about eight countries known as net contributors paying more into the budget than they receive back in allocations, insists "several hundred billion euros" more in cuts are needed. "It's wildly unaffordable, and the volume must go down," Sweden's EU Affairs Minister Jessica Rosencrantz said as she and her counterparts met to chew over the Irish presidency proposal ahead of an EU leadership summit later this week. The Irish plan would mean "a 60% increase in the Swedish contribution" that amounts to "a fee for the Swedish taxpayers to pick up, which limits us to make the necessary priorities back home," Rosencrantz said. On Sunday, Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany, Europe's biggest economy and a major net budget contributor, welcomed Ireland's "tireless efforts" but said "we are still a long way from reaching an agreement." "The EU budget must be affordable for those who bear the main burden of financing," said Merz, who will from Thursday join his counterparts in Brussels for two days of talks. "Everyone must contribute to the necessary adjustments." Something has to give or money must be found elsewhere That "everyone" was a reference to countries rejecting cuts to cohesion funds for Europe's poorer regions, or to agriculture policy, which subsidizes the continent's farmers. Combined, this money accounts for about two-thirds of the budget. Ultimately, if countries aren't willing to stump up more cash, then either farm or cohesion spending must shrink or Europe's ambitions on defense, competitiveness and other
priorities scaled back. Unless money can be found elsewhere. Despite the uncertainty, Ireland's EU Affairs Minister Thomas Byrne thinks the presidency has laid a good foundation for negotiations in the days and weeks ahead. "That was our task, to find that basis," he told reporters in Luxembourg before chairing Tuesday's meeting. "We weren't asked to find a basis for agreement. That will come later." Indeed, most of the parties involved are complaining more or less equally and none of them have yet walked away, which may be a good sign. "Nobody's going to get everything that they want. But we hope that there'll be something there for everybody," Byrne said.
Desperately seeking Europe's 'own resources' Still, the negotiations are gathering pace just as ambitions for the EU in an uncertain world are on the rise but room for fiscal maneuver in many countries is disappearing. The MFF is tiny compared with national budgets, but France, Italy and Belgium are mired in debt and oppose paying more. As a bloc, the EU is not allowed to levy taxes, but does earn revenue from mechanisms such as customs duties and value added tax. The commission is looking for new ways to raise its "own resources" through the carbon emissions trading system and a new tobacco duty, among other measures. Whatever happens, missing the end of December "deadline" does not mean that money runs out. Nations have another year, but much time is needed to adopt legislation on spending programs and approve it all so money can be flowing by January 2028. In a letter inviting leaders to the summit, European Council President António Costa said clinching a "timely agreement" is "essential to provide our economies with the predictability and stability they need in an unstable and unpredictable world." "I count on your leadership and collaborative spirit," Costa wrote.
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, October 14, 2026, PAGE 11
54th McLean’s Town Conch Festival celebrates Bahamian culture The 54th Annual McLean’s Town Conch Cracking Festival was a resounding success, drawing residents and visitors to East End to celebrate Bahamian culture, culinary traditions and the island’s rich heritage.
Photos: Vandyke Hepburn
showcase the cultural identity and traditions of East Grand Bahama. The highlight of the festival was the popular conch-cracking competition, which challenged participants to remove and clean conch as quickly as possible. The event also celebrated the versatility of conch in Bahamian cuisine, with traditional favourites such as conch salad, conch fritters, conch and rice, and grilled conch among the offerings. The Ministry of Tourism also provided complimentary bus transportation for visitors, helping to make the cultural experience more accessible. Beyond the festivities, the festival provides opportunities for local vendors and businesses to benefit from visitor spending while promoting East Grand Bahama as a destination for cultural tourism. Its continued success underscores the importance of preserving Bahamian traditions, supporting community development and celebrating the resilience, pride and community spirit that keep the nation’s heritage alive for future generations.
The annual festival, which dates back to 1972, has become one of Grand Bahama’s longstanding cultural traditions, bringing together residents, returning natives and visitors for a celebration of community pride and authentic Bahamian experiences. Member of Parliament for East Grand Bahama Kwasi Thompson and Minister for Grand Bahama Ginger Moxey attended the festival and delivered brief remarks, joining in the celebration of an event that continues to
Sands Pop & Redeem Reloaded ends with $10,000 winner Music, ice-cold Sands beer and big cash prizes marked the finale of Sands Beer’s Pop & Redeem Reloaded campaign on Saturday, October 3, with Nassau resident Demetrie Duncombe claiming the $10,000 grand prize. Held at the Bahamian Brewery grounds in Freeport, the home of Sands beer, the Finale Beerfest brought the popular promotion to Grand Bahama for the first time. Sands Brand Manager Joel Smith described the event as a success, highlighting the turnout, entertainment and excitement surrounding the prize announcements. “The event was definitely well attended. It was a success,” he said. “Johny Cake’s performance was definitely one of the highlights of the night. The energy was great. A lot of the patrons and customers had a great time.” Johny Cake and the Deep South Island Boys Band performed, while DJs Tiko T, Big Pun, DJ Slanks and DJ Future kept the crowd entertained. Attendee Julian, who was experiencing a Sands event for the first time, said he was enjoying the evening. His friend Ken praised the turnout, performances and “icy cold” beer. However, the biggest cheers came with
the announcement of the winners. Duncombe, a self-proclaimed major Sands supporter, entered the promotion with an estimated 200 to 300 tickets and was confident his loyalty would pay off. He even submitted a video showcasing his impressive collection. “I could safely say that I is the biggest single supporter of Sands Beer in The Bahamas,” he said, adding that he was well known in Jimmy’s liquor stores throughout Nassau. His preferred choice is Sands Light, although he will drink regular Sands if his favourite is unavailable. Duncombe said he appreciated the brewery’s commitment to rewarding its customers through promotions such as Pop & Redeem Reloaded. “What I like about what y’all really do is y’all is always give back,” he said. “Sands, they have to be, without a doubt, the best company in The Bahamas.” It was not his first win this year. Smith confirmed that Duncombe had also won the brewery’s Memorial Day weekend giveaway. “He deserves it because, boy, he put in plenty tickets,” Smith said.
Duncombe is pictured with his winning check along with Joel Smith, Sands Brands Manager (left) and Alegura Armbrister, Sands Event Stage Manager. Photos: Angelina Rahming for Barefoot Marketing
Duncombe was not at the Freeport event but kept his telephone close, waiting for the call. When his name was announced, he answered live, sharing his reaction with the crowd. “When I got the call I was so happy. It was the third best phone call I got in my life. The first two were when my daughters were born, of course!” he said. “I have their back and they have mine with all these good prizes. I spent the money, and my reward has come. I am actually making money buying Sands beer!” The other winners were Crystal Cooper, who received $2,000; Adrian Cooper and Uleth Williams, who each won $1,000; and Stacia Charlton and Desirea Sands, who each received $500. Smith said the cash prizes reserved for Grand Bahama attendees made the celebration particularly special. “It was a pleasure to pull this off for Freeport and bring the event home where the beer is actually made – in Grand Bahama,” he said. With music, entertainment and prizes, the finale gave Sands customers plenty to celebrate. “I’m really excited about the event and I’m excited to see what next year brings,” Smith added.
The Sands beerfest and closing event was highlighted by door prizes specifically for the Grand Bahamian attendees of the event, making the celebration even more special were two $1k prize winners - Adrian Cooper and Uleth Williams.
Pictured is Joel Smith, Sands Brand Manager, presenting a $500 door prize to both Stacia Charlton and Desirea Sands, who each won a cash prize on the night.
Pictured are local GB residents who attended the event and won free SANDS on the wheel of fortune.
PAGE 12, Wednesday, October 14, 2026
THE TRIBUNE
Mrs. Ann Marie Davis, of the Office of the Spouse of the Prime Minister
Bahamas marks International Day of the Girl 2026 with empowerment focus International Day of the Girl 2026 was observed on Friday, slightly ahead of the official date, October 11, to the theme, ‘Silenced, Invisible, Deleted, Supporting Girls’ Rights.’ Patron, Mrs Ann Marie Davis, of the Office of the Spouse of the Prime Minister, delivered remarks to girls from various schools in ceremonies at Breezes Bahamas. The Bahamas actively observes the United Nations’ International Day of the Girl Child every year. The national celebrations focus heavily on female empowerment, leadership development, youth activism, and advocating for equal educational access and the rights of young women across the archipelago. (BIS Photos/Ulric Woodside)
Grand Bahama March and Rally highlights leadership and empowerment YOUNG people, youth organisations, community leaders and supporters took to the streets of Freeport on Sunday for the Grand Bahama National Youth Month March and Rally, held under the theme “From Voice to Vision”.
The march began at St George’s High School, with participants representing schools and community organisations in a celebration of youth unity, leadership and empowerment. The event concluded on the school’s campus with a
Junkanoo rush-out by the Platinum Knights, adding a vibrant cultural celebration to the day’s activities. The event was organised by the Ministry of Youth and Sports’ Division of Youth as part of National Youth Month 2026.