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Volume: 123 No. 223, Thursday, October 15, 2026
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‘HISTORIC’ BUDGET ‘FICTION’ AS EXCLUDES NIF SPENDING PM defends country’s first ever postIndependence surplus from FNM charges as ‘empty’ and ‘false’ BY NEIL HARTNELL TRIBUNE Business Editor nhartnell@ tribunemedia.net
KC, unveiling the June and full 12-month performance for the 2025-2026 fiscal year in the House of Assembly, said he had merely “put the case” and THE PRIME Minis- laid out the ter yesterday defended actual finanThe Bahamas’ “first ever cial numbers post-Independence” Budget in a deliberate surplus from Opposition attempt to councharges it is a “fiction”, ter the doubting “false” and “empty” because “Thomases” in the it excludes the $311m in Free National Movement National Investment Fund (FNM) and international (NIF) spending.Philip Davis credit rating agencies. FULL STORY: SEE BUSINESS
PRIME Minister ‘Brave’ Davis
Jitney shut-down threat unless adult fares are raised to $2.00 By Annelia Nixon Tribune Business Reporter anixon@tribunemedia.net JITNEY drivers and owners are threatening to shut down New Providence services unless the Government urgently addresses soaring diesel prices and approves a 33 percent increase in adult fares to at least $2. The Bahamas Unified Bus Drivers Union (BUDU),
together with the United Public Transportation Company’s (UPTC) president, Harrison Moxey, said drivers across routes one to 21A are on alert for formal instructions to suspend services, warning that rising fuel prices and operating costs have made it increasingly difficult to maintain a viable business and remain on the road. Corvell Colebrooke, the BUDU’s general secretary, said the possibility of
withdrawing services has not been taken lightly, but drivers can no longer sustain the cost of transporting commuters. “The general consensus is this: Alongside with Mr Harrison Moxey of the Drivers Association, the drivers have officially asked that we ask him, and my president has agreed, Mr Moxey has agreed, for removal of service of the bus transportation,” Mr Colebrooke said.“
FULL STORY: SEE BUSINESS
East Grand Bahama MP Kwasi Thompson
RASTAFARI GROUP TO PROTEST DURING KING CHARLES’ VISIT A RASTAFARI group plans to rally during King Charles III’s visit to The Bahamas, calling for reparations and a formal apology for injustices against people of African descent. Royal Ambassador High Priest Rithmond McKinney, of the Ethiopia Africa Black International Congress (EABIC), said the group has prepared a formal petition it also
intends to present to the King, calling for African repatriation, greater independence from Britain and an ongoing process of formal engagement. The planned action comes amid wider calls for reparatory justice and a break from the monarchy. The Bahamas National Reparations Committee (BNRC) recently said the Royal Family should not visit
King Charles III the country “empty-handed”, demanding an apology for slavery and colonisation and renewing its call for The Bahamas to become a republic. CHARLES -SEE PAGE THREE
NIB benefits “not being used to pay elderly relatives’ care home bills” By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net
Pat’s Senior Citizens Home proprietor Patricia Moxey with residents
SOME families are allegedly collecting National Insurance Board (NIB) benefits on behalf of elderly relatives at a senior citizens home while failing to pay their accommodation fees, leaving the home owed more than $200,000. Pat’s Senior Citizens Home proprietor Patricia Moxey
Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper
is pleading with families to settle their outstanding bills, warning that the home continues to face financial strain while caring for their elderly relatives. Ms Moxey said yesterday that the home has struggled to operate efficiently as some families allow bills to accumulate for years, even promising to settle outstanding debts after residents die. ELDERLY -SEE PAGE THREE
PAGE 2, Thursday, October 15, 2026
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NASSAU, The Bahamas -- It’s a busy Wednesday in downtown Nassau, with five cruise ships in port. BIS Photo: Kemuel Stubbs
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Thursday, October 15, 2026, PAGE 3
Senior citizens’ home owed over $200,000 ELDERLY from page one
Her account of the home’s financial difficulties comes after Parliament passed the Older Persons Rights, Protection, Care and Support Bill, 2026, last week. The legislation seeks to strengthen protections for elderly people, including by placing a general duty on next of kin to help ensure older relatives have an appropriate standard of living. This includes access to safe housing, adequate food and water, clothing and other essentials, as well as necessary healthcare and long-term or palliative care. The bill also seeks to address financial exploitation through a specific
“They let the bill run up,” Ms Moxey said. “And if the person happens to pass away they say ‘oh after the funeral I’ll sort you out.” She added but “you’ll never hear from them again.” Despite the unpaid bills, Ms Moxey said she cannot bring herself to turn elderly residents away, particularly when some are too vulnerable to understand what is happening. “We can't just take the people and throw them out,” she said. “I feel as if they're doing this now then that means they can’t properly take care of their loved ones.” In some cases, Ms Moxey said, families have secretly arranged for elderly relatives to be transferred to the gerontology ward at Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre to avoid settling their outstanding bills. Pat’s Senior Citizens Home has more than 40 residents, about 15 per cent of whom have families who fail to pay their accommodation fees, Ms Moxey said. Some residents are bedridden, diabetic or in fragile health, while others are unable to understand that their families have stopped paying for their care.
offence covering the improper or dishonest use, control or withholding of an older person’s money, property, pension, NIB benefits or other resources. The offence would carry a fine of up to $50,000, up to five years’ imprisonment, or both. Financial exploitation could include taking an older person’s benefits without using the money for their welfare, preventing them from accessing their funds, making unauthorised withdrawals, forging documents or coercing them into transferring property or changing a will. The proposed law would also allow authorities to require people suspected of financial exploitation to produce receipts and records showing how an older person’s money was spent. Police, the NIB or another relevant authority could investigate suspected cases. People formally authorised to manage an older person’s affairs would face additional accountability requirements. Such authorisation would have to be given freely, in writing, without coercion and witnessed by an independent person.
“We can’t just take the people and throw them out.” Ms Moxey said some residents have authorised their National Insurance benefits to be deposited into family members’ accounts, leaving the home without payment for their accommodation. “They probably have a joint account with family members,” she said.
Laroda defends prison medical care after inmate’s death By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@ tribunemedia.net NATIONAL Security Minister Myles Laroda has defended the medical care provided to an inmate who died earlier this month, saying prison officials are confident he received adequate treatment before his death. The minister said he was advised by the commissioner of corrections that Thomas Jean-Baptiste had been unwell when he entered prison and was referred to hospital for treatment. Mr Jean-Baptiste, who suffered from diabetes, morbid obesity and a history of potentially life-threatening blood clots, died on October 4 after spending about two weeks in hospital. In July, the Court of Appeal
NATIONAL Security Minister Myles Laroda
rejected his challenge to his prison sentences. “When he was admitted to the prison, he – I’m not going to give out any confidential medical information – but he was unwell,” Mr Laroda said. “He was referred to the hospital, and they sent him back after treatment. His situation didn’t get any better. He got ill again, and he was sent back to the Princess Margaret Hospital, where he was there for some three weeks.” Mr Laroda said Mr Jean-Baptiste was housed in a dormitory near the prison infirmary rather than a cell and had access to medication. He said the commissioner and other prison officials were confident that Mr Jean-Baptiste had received adequate care while in custody. His comments contrast with allegations made by
Mr Jean-Baptiste’s sister, Alicia Jean Baptiste, who previously told The Tribune that her brother repeatedly complained about inadequate medical care and food after the Court of Appeal revoked his medical bail. “He was sick or whatever, but he wasn’t sick to the point of dying,” she said. Asked whether prison officials had done everything reasonably possible to protect her brother’s life, Ms Jean Baptiste said: “Absolutely not, they made no efforts, period.” “The court order did not matter. It did not stand. They took no care, no concern.” Ms Jean Baptiste alleged that her brother was supposed to be housed in the prison infirmary but instead spent about a month in intake before being
transferred to another section of the institution. She claimed the area had no air conditioning, frequently lost electricity and was far from the infirmary. She also alleged that he was not consistently given medication he had purchased before returning to custody. In July, the Court of Appeal ruled that Mr Jean-Baptiste’s medical conditions did not justify reducing his sentences or replacing them with a non-custodial penalty. The court revoked his bail and ordered him to return to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services to serve the remainder of his concurrent sentences of three years for possession of an unlicensed firearm and two years for possession of ammunition.
Laroda defends police promotions amid vetting and board concerns By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net NATIONAL Security Minister Myles Laroda yesterday defended the vetting process for recently promoted police officers and the composition of the promotions board, amid questions over officers linked to court cases and a police bribery scandal. Mr Laroda said Police Commissioner Shanta Knowles had assured him that every officer promoted underwent checks by the force's complaints and corruption units before being approved. “First of all, there was a promotion exercise of 800,
I think, 31 regular offices, 550 reserves,” he said. “I’m advised by the commissioner of police that every one of those officers went through police complaints and corruption and were all cleared for promotion.” The promotions list has not been made public, and some appointments have raised questions because of past lawsuits involving officers who were promoted. Mr Laroda’s comments come amid scrutiny over the promotion of Jerone Thompson from inspector to assistant superintendent, despite a court ruling involving his conduct that resulted in a
$103,000 damages award against the government. The Court of Appeal had rebuked Mr Thompson for kneeling on a man's neck, prompting opposition calls for greater scrutiny of how police promotions are decided. Mr Thompson was among approximately 1,300 officers promoted to ranks ranging from corporal to chief superintendent. Asked what message such promotions send to the public, particularly when taxpayers have had to bear the cost of damages arising from officers' conduct, Mr Laroda reiterated that all promoted officers had been cleared.
Opposition leader Michael Pintard has previously called for greater transparency in the promotion process, saying cases in which officers have harmed members of the public or cost the government money should be examined and considered before promotions are granted. Questions have also emerged over the composition of the police promotions board following an Eyewitness News report that Superintendent Terico Sweeting, a key prosecution witness in a bribery case, was among its members. The Nassau Guardian reported in February 2026 that Mr Sweeting
had admitted receiving $10,000 in connection with the matter and had been granted immunity from prosecution. Former Chief Superintendent Michael Johnson, lawyer Bjorn Ferguson and Sergeant 3726 Deangelo Rolle were charged in connection with the 2025 bribery scandal. Mr Johnson has also been accused of involvement in the alleged theft of $90,000, reportedly part of $1.475m taken during an airport bank security heist while the funds were in police custody. Responding to questions about the promotions board, Mr Laroda rejected suggestions that officers facing criminal
charges had participated in the process. He challenged a reporter's reference to Mr Sweeting's “confession to being part of such a major crime”, questioning whether that characterisation was accurate. When the reporter clarified that the matter was alleged, Mr Laroda cautioned against the wording of the question. “Be careful of how you word these. That issue was also raised. No officer who had an issue with being charged or no charged officer sat on the tribunal.” Mr Laroda had previously defended the promotion exercise, saying officers deserved recognition for their service.
Rastafari group plans protest during King Charles’ visit CHARLES from page one Mr McKinney said the Rastafari community has advocated for reparations and greater self-determination for decades. He pointed to developments elsewhere in the Caribbean, including Barbados becoming a republic in 2021 and Jamaica’s efforts to move away from the monarchy. “We can't say we are an independent nation when we still have to swear to the monarchy of Great Britain,” he said. Mr McKinney said members intend to protest what they regard as continuing injustices against
Black people in The Bahamas and throughout the African diaspora. The petition calls for a formal apology from the British state, reparatory compensation and structural measures to address the lasting effects of slavery and colonial rule. It also seeks practical arrangements to help people of African descent who wish to return to Africa do so with dignity and support. Mr McKinney welcomed the growing regional focus on reparatory justice through the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), saying the organisation’s efforts
reflect a cause Rastafari advocates have pursued for generations. “We give thanks that CARICOM is on board now for reparation,” he said. In its petition, the EABIC argues that the abolition of slavery did not repair the harm caused by generations of forced labour, family separation, displacement and exploitation. It says reparations should go beyond symbolic recognition to include meaningful financial and structural measures. The organisation is asking that the petition be formally acknowledged
and forwarded to the appropriate British and diplomatic institutions for consideration, with a written response identifying channels for further engagement. Mr McKinney believes the Rastafari community in The Bahamas has grown over the years and estimates that it accounts for about 15 per cent of the country’s Black population. He described the organisation’s work as part of a wider effort to secure justice, African identity and self-determination for Black people across the Caribbean and the African diaspora.
Royal Ambassador High Priest Rithmond McKinney, of the Ethiopia Africa Black International Congress (EABIC)
PAGE 4, Thursday, October 15, 2026
THE TRIBUNE
Davis announces historic $39.3m fiscal surplus By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis yesterday announced that The Bahamas recorded its first fiscal surplus since independence, reporting a $39.3m surplus for the 2025/2026 financial year. However, the announcement sparked a heated debate in the House of Assembly, with the Opposition accusing the government of excluding hundreds of millions of dollars in spending to produce a misleading picture of the country's finances. Tabling the Ministry of Finance’s June 2026 Monthly Fiscal Summary Report in the House of Assembly, Mr Davis said the surplus, equivalent to 0.2 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP), marked a historic turnaround from the $1.3bn deficit recorded in 2020/2021 amid the economic fallout from Hurricane Dorian and the COVID-19 pandemic. East Grand Bahama MP Kwasi Thompson described the figure as a “false surplus”, questioning whether $310m in capital investment referenced by Finance Minister Simon Wilson had been excluded from the calculations. Mr Thompson argued that the government had not accounted for all its spending and questioned
whether outstanding bills had been left unpaid to achieve the reported surplus. He also raised concerns about the National Investment Fund (NIF), including the treatment of $700m, and called for the government to disclose its outstanding obligations at the end of June to establish whether unpaid bills exceeded the reported surplus. Mr Thompson questioned the significance of celebrating a surplus while Bahamians continued to struggle with rising fuel prices and the cost of living. “The cost of living is continuing to hammer our people. Inflation continues to increase, and so I think it should not be celebrated until we are able to solve sufficiently the cost of living crisis,” he said. Mr Davis rejected the criticism, insisting that the figures were available for examination and accusing Mr Thompson of dismissing the government's explanation without properly considering the information presented. He defended Ministry of Finance officials responsible for preparing the accounts, noting that some had worked under Mr Thompson when he served as Minister of Finance. Mr Thompson countered that the exclusion of the $310m was a policy decision rather than the responsibility of public servants.
According to the fiscal report, total revenue rose by 16.6 per cent to $3.96bn, exceeding budgeted revenue by 1.7 per cent, while expenditure increased by 12.6 per cent to $3.92bn. Tax revenue climbed by 13 per cent to $3.42bn, led by value added tax (VAT) collections, which increased by 14.9 per cent to $1.65bn. Non-tax revenue rose by 45.4 per cent to $543.3m. Mr Davis attributed the improvement to stronger tax collection and compliance, alongside $68.6m generated in June through the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax on large multinational groups operating in The Bahamas. The fiscal deficit had narrowed from $721.7m in 2021/2022 to $534.6m in 2022/2023, $194m in 2023/2024 and $84.8m in 2024/2025 before the reported surplus was achieved. Mr Davis said the government recorded monthly surpluses from January through June, with the final quarter producing a surplus of $196.6m. Recurrent expenditure rose by 9.7 per cent to $3.51bn, while capital expenditure increased by 45.2 per cent to $414.9m. Interest payments on the public debt totalled $674.7m for the year. Mr Davis also highlighted international recognition of the country's fiscal progress, including Moody's
PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis upgrade of The Bahamas to Ba3 with a stable outlook in April 2026 and S&P Global's upgrade in September 2025. The debate over the figures widened into a confrontation over the work of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), chaired by Opposition leader and Marco City MP Michael Pintard. Mr Davis criticised Mr Pintard for publicly discussing the committee's work before its investigation was completed, arguing that questions concerning the NIF should be directed to the committee. Mr Pintard rejected the criticism, maintaining that the PAC had exercised restraint in its public updates and had not disclosed confidential information. He said the committee had written to the Speaker twice seeking permission
Surge in child neglect cases exposes social worker shortage, urgent recruitment underway By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net THE Child Protection Unit is struggling with a shortage of social workers as reports of child neglect nearly doubled during the first eight months of 2026, prompting the Department of Social Services to recruit additional staff to investigate cases.
Minister of Social Services Senator Barbara Cartwright acknowledged the staffing shortage yesterday when questioned by reporters about Department of Social Services figures showing child neglect reports rose from 94 to 184 between January and August this year, compared with the same period in 2025. "Many social workers had strayed away from social services, but a lot of them are returning now, and
so we are in the process of recruiting and hiring new social workers at this time," she said. Mrs Cartwright did not explain why social workers had left the department or how many additional officers were needed. She also revealed that she had met with the Child Protection Unit to discuss improvements and additional support. "We are looking at ways to improving the whole
Minister of Social Services Senator Barbara Cartwright department, increasing support," she said, without providing further details. The staffing shortage comes amid an increase in reported child protection cases, with Department
for its meetings to be broadcast live, arguing that public hearings would allow Bahamians to assess testimony concerning the management of public funds. Mr Pintard also described the government's surplus claim as “contrived”, arguing that NIF spending should be considered when assessing the country's overall financial position. “The NIF is an account created by the Prime Minister, and it is the Ministry of Finance and the Treasury that's managing that,” Mr Pintard said. Mr Davis denied directing the Speaker to prevent public broadcasts of PAC proceedings, although he agreed with the decision, accusing the Opposition of seeking to turn the hearings into a “reality show”. Earlier in the session, tensions escalated when Deputy Speaker Sylvanus Petty repeatedly ordered
Mr Thompson to sit down after he interrupted West Grand Bahama MP Kingsley Smith, who was attempting to address the PAC dispute. All FNM MPs stood as Mr Thompson challenged the ruling that Mr Smith should speak first. Mr Petty warned that members would be removed if they refused to comply, and proceedings were suspended for two minutes. Despite the confrontation, Mr Davis maintained that the fiscal figures could withstand scrutiny. He said the improved financial position would strengthen the country's ability to respond to future emergencies without relying as heavily on costly borrowing, while acknowledging that further reforms were needed to address public debt, state-owned enterprises and fiscal transparency.
of Social Services figures showing 441 cases recorded between January and August this year, compared with 429 during the same period in 2025. Reports of physical abuse rose from 83 to 106, while sexual abuse reports increased from 134 to 145. When asked whether poverty could be contributing to the increase in child neglect reports, Mrs Cartwright pointed to the effects of financial instability on children, particularly their education. "Children bear the burdens of their parents, and so you have children going to school feeling the pressures of financial instability in the home and they would not be able to learn well," she explained. "I think once we lose our children, we lose a nation, and so emphasis
must be put on children's poverty." Asked what assistance was available to prevent children from falling into neglect because of financial hardship, Mrs Cartwright stressed the importance of improving parents' financial circumstances. "If we can help the parents, they can help the children," she said. "They have to upskill themselves, they have to get better jobs, thy have to look at options that they have available to them and try to see how they can better assist their families." A ministry official explained that child protection officers investigate reports involving children suspected to be in danger, with the courts also involved in determining whether care orders are necessary.
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Thursday, October 15, 2026, PAGE 5
Laroda denies receiving money from Gardiner amid House row By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Digital Editor aturnquest@tribunemedia.net PINEWOOD MP Myles Laroda yesterday denied receiving financial contributions from convicted drug trafficker Eric Gardiner during a heated House of Assembly exchange over political donations and government contracts. During debate on amendments to the Anti-Terrorism Act, Long Island MP Andre Rollins questioned whether Gardiner had contributed to the Progressive Liberal Party, claiming that companies linked to him had received multimillion-dollar government contracts. Mr Laroda, Minister of National Security, said he did not recall ever meeting Gardiner and challenged the suggestion that political patronage was unique to the PLP, pointing to
contracts awarded under previous Free National Movement administrations. "For the record, I don't ever remember meeting Eric Gardner. I didn't get any contributions from him," he said. He continued: "My point is, don't act as if what is happening in terms of patronage or the awarding of contracts only happen on this side, you know? We are not talking pittance either. We are not talking pittance." Mr Laroda said the FNM had served four terms in government during which it could have introduced campaign finance reform. "The FNM has had four terms in government of which they could have changed campaign reform. We played by the rules. When we came into power for 2021, we played by the rules that we met in place," he said.
Mr Laroda said: “I have lived long enough in this Bahamas to hear a former prime minister sanitise a former drug dealer of being reformed, campaigned with them, and was very influential. Everybody have receipts, you know.” Mr Laroda cautioned against repeatedly raising the names of individuals connected to criminal proceedings, warning that politicians on both sides Eric Gardiner
had family members and associates whose actions they might not support. During his contribution, Mr Rollins also demanded the disclosure of all recipients of government contracts through the Beaches and Parks Authority, and also urged contractors to report any demands for kickbacks from politicians. "Anybody who receives a contract, who is told by a minister of the government or a member of parliament to give them cash underneath the table, a kickback, record it, and report it. Record it and report it," he said. "It's your money if you have a contract. It's not the minister's money, and it's not a member of parliament's money." Mr Laroda maintained that political supporters received contracts under successive administrations
and disclosed that he had benefited from government contracts under the FNM. "When it be building buildings, you could tell the administrations in power who get contracts for building government buildings. Whether be schools, there are some supporters, but don't act as if you are victims. To the victors goes to spoils, they said in politics. It is no difference under this government as under yours," he said. Mr Laroda added: "I'll tell you this, FNMs would probably be more likely to get contracts under us (PLP), and I have been a beneficiary of contracts under the FNM, so I would not say lie and act as if I did not. But I would say that I was the anomaly." Gardiner, who is facing drug trafficking charges in New York, was arrested following a May 12 plane crash in the Atlantic while
PINEWOOD MP Myles Laroda travelling from Abaco to Grand Bahama. US authorities said he was carrying $30,000 in Bahamian currency when rescued. His attorneys later produced a bank slip they said accounted for $20,000 withdrawn from his business Top Notch Builders, a company linked to major government construction projects, including the Eight Mile Rock administrative complex and Carmichael Village housing development. Gardiner previously served a lengthy US federal prison sentence for cocaine importation offences.
FNM Leader Challenges PM on Ambassador’s Controversial DEA Comments By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net FREE National Movement Leader Michael Pintard challenged Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis to say whether he agreed with Bahamas Ambassador to the United States Wendall Jones’ remarks that US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents had operated in The Bahamas without authorisation. “I was just taken back, as many of us were,” Mr Pintard said yesterday in the House of Assembly . “When you could hear a sitting ambassador say,
the country that they are often in pictures with, social events with, visiting on a regular basis, giggling at social functions on the margins of these meetings, that country is attempting to destabilise the Bahamas. Now that's a serious accusation.” Mr Pintard was referring to Mr Jones’ comments about undercover DEA agents allegedly operating in the country without permission. Last month, Mr Jones confirmed that a Bahamian delegation had raised its concerns directly with the US Justice Department, meeting acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian Skaret and other officials.
Those comments prompted a sharp response from US Ambassador Herschel Walker, who dismissed the allegation that DEA agents had operated illegally as “fake news” and questioned why Bahamian officials were concerned that the United States had helped arrest a known drug trafficker. During his contribution to the anti-terrorism bill, Mr Pintard questioned whether Mr Davis shared his ambassador’s views. “If he disagreed
FREE National Movement Leader Michael Pintard
Prime Minister Davis advocates for crucial amendments to Anti-Terrorism Act to safeguard financial services By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said amendments to the Anti-Terrorism Act are necessary to protect The Bahamas’ financial services sector from proliferation financing risks and ensure the country meets its international obligations. Debating the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2026, in the House of Assembly yesterday, Mr Davis said the legislation would allow The Bahamas to implement United Nations Security Council sanctions against designated individuals, entities and states without requiring Parliament to pass new legislation each time a designation is made. “This is a narrow Bill with broad consequences,” Mr Davis said, explaining that the amendments would close a gap between The Bahamas’ international commitments and domestic legislation. He warned that failure to implement targeted financial sanctions could damage the country’s reputation with correspondent banks and international financial institutions, pointing to increased compliance costs after The Bahamas was grey-listed in 2018. The country was removed from the list in December 2020 following sustained efforts across administrations.
“In financial services, credibility functions as capital. It is accumulated slowly, through consistent conduct, and it can be drawn down quickly,” he said. The Bill would amend the Anti-Terrorism Act, 2018, to cover individuals, entities and states designated under United Nations Security Council resolutions 1737 and 2231, as well as future resolutions imposing targeted financial sanctions related to the financing of weapons of mass destruction. Resolution 1737, adopted in 2006, requires member states to freeze the funds and assets of designated individuals and entities linked to nuclear and ballistic missile proliferation. Resolution 2231, adopted in 2015, replaced much of that framework but included a mechanism for restoring earlier sanctions, which was activated in September 2025. Mr Davis said the amendments would ensure Bahamian laws remain aligned with the evolving sanctions regime. Under existing law, funds and assets held for designated persons must be frozen without delay or prior notice. Individuals and businesses are also prohibited from making funds, assets or financial services available to them, directly or indirectly. Breaches carry criminal liability. Mr Davis said these obligations extend beyond
banks to all individuals and businesses in The Bahamas. The Bill would also give the amendments retrospective effect from August 2, 2019, providing legal certainty for freezing and reporting actions taken in good faith since that date. Mr Davis said the provision would not create offences for past conduct. He also highlighted emerging risks, including front companies operating across multiple jurisdictions, the use of digital assets to finance weapons programmes and vessels using fraudulent documentation or disabling tracking systems to evade detection. He said these threats were particularly relevant to The Bahamas because of its major ship registry, digital asset industry and international financial services sector. The amendments would provide a clearer framework for the Bahamas Maritime Authority, Securities Commission, Central Bank, Financial Intelligence Unit and reporting institutions to implement sanctions. Mr Davis urged members to support the legislation, saying it would strengthen national institutions, protect the financial system and uphold The Bahamas’ international commitments. Opposition members also supported the Bill while raising concerns about related issues.
Investigations underway after 29-year-old woman’s suspected suicide attempt in local residence POLICE are investigating a suspected suicide attempt involving a 29-year-old woman at a residence on Cowpen Road on Tuesday night. According to reports, shortly after 8.30pm, a woman contacted police after suspecting that her
daughter had ingested a large quantity of over-thecounter medication and was unresponsive. Officers responded to the residence but were unable to communicate with the 29-year-old woman. Emergency Medical Services personnel
subsequently arrived, assessed her condition and transported her to hospital for further treatment and evaluation. The woman was reported to be in stable condition. Investigations are continuing.
with one of his employees, appointees, making a statement that the U.S. is seeking to destabilise the Bahamas, that person would have recanted that statement or would have been Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis
fired later that day, maybe even sooner,” Mr Pintard said, referring to the prime minister. Mr Pintard argued that the Opposition should be briefed if there was a conflict with the United States. Mr Davis has maintained that the dispute concerns the procedures governing cooperation between countries, not efforts to target criminals. He previously said he did not believe the public disagreement would damage relations with the United States and urged the public to “wait and see”. The row centres on a three-year undercover DEA investigation linked to Bahamian
Jonathan Eric Gardiner, also known as “Player”. US court filings allege that an unnamed Bahamian politician met an undercover DEA source and a drugmule pilot inside Parliament in October 2024 to discuss a proposed cocaine shipment through The Bahamas. The Bahamas and the United States have a longstanding counter-narcotics partnership through Operation Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, established in 1982 to coordinate drug interdiction efforts involving Bahamian and US agencies. In Parliament yesterday, Mr Davis reiterated that his response to the dispute was to “wait and see”.
Bahamas Ambassador to the United States Wendall Jones
PAGE 6, Thursday, October 15, 2026
THE TRIBUNE
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Parliament must act now on disability reform There is a cost to delaying disability reform, and it is paid by people whose lives are already complicated by barriers others barely notice. It is paid when a qualified applicant cannot access a workplace, when a blind person needs someone else to read a private document, and when a wheelchair user arrives at a public building only to discover that getting inside requires being lifted. Every postponed improvement leaves someone making another arrangement, asking another favour or abandoning something they should have been able to do independently. That is why the Disabled Persons Organization’s call for swift action on amendments to the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities) Act deserves an urgent response from the Government and Parliament. The organisation has welcomed consultations on changes it says could strengthen enforcement, improve accessibility standards and bring Bahamian legislation closer to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The Government should now set out when those consultations will conclude, when the amendments will reach Parliament and how implementation will be funded. People need dates they can hold decision-makers to. There is an opportunity here for the administration to deliver a reform with lasting value. Advancing these amendments would help people participate more fully in education, employment and community life. It would also ease some of the demands placed on families who routinely fill the gaps left by inaccessible services. That work deserves political priority. Consultation is necessary, particularly with people who will live with the consequences of the legislation. But consultation must lead somewhere. Remaining concerns should be identified, addressed and reflected in a clear timetable for bringing the proposals forward. People with disabilities must have a meaningful opportunity to shape the final text. Documents should be available in accessible formats, and participation should extend to the Family Islands. Those who encounter these barriers every day can identify
weaknesses that even well-intentioned officials may overlook. Once the amendments are tabled, parliamentarians should scrutinise them promptly and work across party lines to secure effective protections. Any disputed provisions should receive focused attention so that necessary improvements can proceed without avoidable delay. Passage must come with a credible plan for putting the law into practice. The public should know who will enforce accessibility requirements, where complaints can be made and how quickly they should be resolved. Responsible agencies need staff, training and funding. Businesses need clear guidance on their obligations and firm, reasonable deadlines for compliance. Some alterations to older premises will require time and money. Government should help identify practical solutions and consider targeted assistance where justified. A transition period should provide a route to compliance, with progress checked along the way. Public institutions should lead. Government can begin identifying barriers in its own offices, schools, clinics and digital services while the legislative process continues. There is no reason to postpone correcting an inaccessible form, clearing an obstructed entrance or improving communication with a person who is deaf. The DPO has also urged passage of the Senior Citizens Bill. Its concern reflects the reality that ageing and disability often overlap. Families need confidence that their older relatives will receive appropriate support and protection, while disability reform must serve people throughout their lives. Members of Parliament should hear the urgency in the advocates’ appeal. For someone waiting to enter a classroom, take a job or use a public service without unnecessary dependence, another delay has a real consequence. The Government should publish the timetable, complete the consultations and bring the amendments forward. Parliament should give them priority, and the agencies responsible should prepare now to enforce them. Bahamians with disabilities should be able to see when change is coming, and count on it arriving.
A voice for truth is silent EDITOR, The Tribune. AFTER the air waves were liberated and private radio was ushered into existence, many Bahamians found their voices, voices which had been long silent. Firstly-but not in any particular order-were J T Lewis street, Pumpkin eater, and Braman Darling Ferguson. Then came Jeff, 52, C Allen Johnson, Clever Duncombe, and of course Sparky, the incomparable one. They were the pioneers of talk radio, and many others followed thereafter. They are all ordinary Bahamians who had something to say and the talk shows carried their voices and messages unashamedly. These persons are known to many of us only by name. These are the persons whose voice dared to confront power. They are the true gape keepers, the guardians of democracy, who along with Sparky, would often prick the conscience
of the nation with their commentary on talk radio. In a Bahamas where rules are sometimes applied unevenly, they along with Sparky preached compassion, human rights, justice, and fair play for all, and as you can well imagine, Sparky was not to be out done. Sparky represented Bahamians who feared political recriminations or those who are afraid to express themselves openly, especially the common folks. Believe it or not, there are still some Bahamians in 2026 who are fearful of speaking up. Sparky sometimes came across as controversial of repetitive, but he often spoke with a full chest. He kept nothing back. He wielded truth as both shield and sword. That was Sparky. He was a colorful character, a man who was knowledgeable about the affairs of life, and one who spoke with brutal honesty. He had a story to tell. He, like all of us, had his personal
biases, but he spoke truth, an uncomfortable truth deliberately devoid of eloquence or sophistication. A child could understand him. Sparky’s passing is a vivid reminder to all of us that life is fragile, status is fleeting or temporary, and death is the ultimate equaliser and a certainty for all of mankind. We will miss Sparky if only for his constant reminder that he attended “Thee government high school”, something for which he was so justifiably proud. His death has seemingly catapulted him into celebrity status, but so be it. I did not know Mr Fountain personally, but he struck me as a man of strong conviction, a man like non other. He was truly a creature of his time. Sparky would often say “have a nice day”. ZEPHANIAH BURROWS Nassau, October 11, 2026.
When will Pride Bahamas start agitating for same-sex marriage? EDITOR, The Tribune. OVER the past holiday weekend Pride Bahamas held a slew of events in Nassau under the auspicious of the United Caribbean Trans Network. The event was dubbed Transcendence 2026. A talent showcase was held at the Marriott Ballroom, which is shocking. Based on my limited understanding, the Marriott franchise was founded by John Willard Marriot in the 1920s. Marriot was a devout member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a fundamentalist cult based in Salt Lake City, Utah. This cult is vehemently opposed to the LGBT community. On Saturday past, Pride Bahamas also held a Human Rights March event in the capital, which convened at the University of the Bahamas. Choosing UB was a strategic move, as Pride Bahamas is seeking to implement a cultural shift in the thinking of our university students who will be our future political, civic, business and religious leaders. Pride Bahamas knows exactly what it is doing. The LGBT organisation also held a Human Rights Health and Wellness Conference. And then there was the Pride Bahamas Show held on October 9. Pride Bahamas spokesperson Alexus Royale D’Marco posted two videos of a couple members of the clergy endorsing the work of the LGBT organisation. Their strong Caribbean accent suggests that they are not Bahamians. The Bahamian Constitution allows for the freedom of peaceful assembly, according to Article 24. Many Bahamians of Generation Z and Generation Alpha are not aware that the Progressive Liberal
LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net Party government in 1991 legalised same-sex relations between consenting adults. I am not aware of any widespread protests by either the Bahamas Christian Council or the Free National Movement regarding this revolutionary legislation that will have catastrophic eternal consequences for those lawmakers who supported the Bill. Be that as it may, no one would have imagined that a group of LGBT advocates would dare to openly march on the streets of New Providence some 36 years ago. But times have changed. Pride Bahamas is increasing in boldness. Their members are no longer hiding in the closet. Any constructive criticism is shouted down as being homophobic. LGBT members are sensing the cultural and moral shift in The Bahamas, with a backslidden and spiritually lukewarm church top-heavy with “apostles” and “prophets” that seems to be mainly interested in holding conferences and attaining superstardom. It seems as if everyone wants to be on Facebook prophesying rather than sharing the simple gospel of Jesus Christ. Everyone wants to build a massive religious empire similar to what African American Bishop T D Jakes did with the Potter’s House in Dallas, Texas. Everyone wants to be on TBN. Everyone wants to grace the front covers of The Tribune and The Nassau Guardian. Our motives are impure. Pride Bahamas smells blood in the water, with a morally
decadent nation reeling from gun violence, narco trafficking, political corruption; the high rate of marriage infidelity; teen sex, prostitution, child and elderly abuse and systemic gambling addiction, especially among tens of thousands of women who are spinning away their meager financial resources. Not helping matters is the high rate of alcoholism with so many of our young men hanging out at the bar rooms each night rather than being home with their families and being the priests of the home. The Bahamas is in the midst of a moral crisis. Even a charlatan like Edgar Cayce could see that Pride Bahamas will, in the not-too-distant future, begin agitating for legalisation to legalise same-sex marriage. They will appeal to the United Nations and a Democrat Party controlled White House and Congress to coerce this country in conforming to their social mores. The Bahamas is simply not in the economic or military position to say no to this LGBT blackmail, unfortunately. Based on the spiritual state of this nation, I can foresee samesex marriage becoming a reality within the next two decades, barring a spiritual reformation. Unfortunately, I have seen nothing from a lukewarm Bahamian Christian community that would remotely hint that such a revival is on the horizon. Same-sex marriage would be God’s judgment on this country for turning our backs on Him. KEVIN EVANS Freeport, Grand Bahama October 12, 2026.
The need for genuine connections in family and society EDITOR, The Tribune. THE governments proposed “Older Persons Rights, Protection, Care and Support Bill” is supposed to place a general duty on the next of kin to ensure that older persons can sustain an appropriate standard of living. While this seeks to address the obvious problem of the neglect and abandonment of the elderly at government healthcare institutions etc, it fails to address the core issue of the rapidly deterioration of the social and moral fabric of this country. I have long believed that just because people can have children doesn’t mean that they should, because of the many emotional, physical and financial demands that are placed on prospective parents. We expect a period of training for many tasks that are undertaken in daily life, but any one of reproductive age can and do have children with reckless abandon. We see it all around us, people who have nothing to offer having children to whom they can give nothing; not emotionally, materially, educationally or spiritually. The frustrations of childrearing often cause the emotionally immature to lash out at their children. We have seen young women (men too) yanking the arm of a lagging child, shouting abuses at them
or hitting them in public. I have often wondered what these same people would do to these children in private if they are so unrestrained in the public eye. Abuse hinders the proper formation of relationships between parents and children. If children do not get to experience love, be nurtured or morally trained by those closest to them, now can one expect a relationship to exist between those parents and the child. Parents forget that their children will not remain babies forever. As you get older, so are they and when there is no cord of love between parent and child because of the parents; abuse or neglect, how can that parent expect that child to look out for or care about them when they become more vulnerable. How does anyone ask a person to undertake responsibilities for a next of kin with whom there is no familial connection, simply because they are kin? Isn’t it obvious that those who have relatives to whom they share some closeness will take steps to look out for and care for them to the best of their ability? That is what real relationship does; it creates a ‘glue’ that holds people and families together in a way that mere association doesn’t. Many grow up under a roof
with parents or siblings with whom they have no connection beyond shared genes and that is a major problem. People seem to forget that children have a natural inclination to their parents and no matter what a parent does or says to a child, they will still come back to the parent and put an arm around them, until they have had enough. Then they retreat into themselves or look for that sense of ‘family’ in others. This is where many parents lose their children to various groups or gangs. Our nation is failing at the one thing that should be its priority -- producing quality citizens! That does not happen by accident. There has to be a deliberate plan to raise people who are educated (not indoctrinated), self-aware, motivated, disciplined, courteous and responsible. But that is far too lofty a goal for our governments to undertake. There are elections to win, large loans to be made and the proverbial ball to kick just a little further down the road. Until then, a virtually unenforceable bill will have to suffice for the hard work of actually committing to building a nation! JB Nassau, October 10, 2026.
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PAGE 8, Thursday, October 15, 2026
THE TRIBUNE
Simon • Front Porch
Leading grocery chain desperately needs to modernise stores At the parking lot entrance in Cable Beach of one of the two stores owned by the leading supermarket chain in the country, sat a crater pothole that had not been paved for many months. It was finally paved just yesterday. It was poorly and unevenly filled in some weeks ago. The filling quickly eroded after a few rains. Imagine a similar experience with a dentist putting in a filling that rapidly loosened after drinking a few glasses of water. Despite numerous complaints by customers to store managers, who have diligently and repeatedly notified the chain’s headquarters, drivers constantly navigated the hazard when exiting the parking lot, which had more potholes that kept getting wider and deeper. Shoppers drove their cars through these pits that could cause flat tires and other damage, especially when the holes were flooded with water and drivers could not “fathom” the depths. One reason that many of the trolleys or carts in the stores easily get twisted wheels and become rickety, making them difficult to steer, is because of the bumpy, gravelly, poorly maintained parking lots they are ridden over. How difficult is it to properly fill in these cavities, symptoms of a sort of disease of disrepair and neglect? The potholes are a stark, glaring example, a metaphor for how poorly kept and maintained are the stores in the chain. In eastern, western, southern, and central New Providence, the stores exhibit décor, tiling, and entrances that make them appear stuck in a time warp of the 1950s and 60s. While there have been cosmetic and other upgrades over the decades, like removing freezers that should have be removed and replaced years earlier, other features have not been more significantly renovated and renewed to provide a contemporary aesthetic and better amenities. It is unbecoming of an institution of the size and wealth of the chain, with a near monopoly on a part of the market, to treat its customers with this level of disdain and disrespect,
whether wittingly or unwhittingly. Bahamians travel. They know what a modern, wellkept food store looks and feels like. Customers in upscale and middle-income areas are treated to “ghetto-like” stores and those in poorer neighborhoods endure even worse and grimy facilities. While much of the managerial and other staff are cordial, the shopping experience is typically poor, or as a friend noted, “awful”. There is an outdated mindset, a corporate culture, stuck in a bygone era, that has failed to significantly enhance the customer experience.
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It is unbecoming of an institution of the size and wealth of the chain, with a near monopoly on a part of the market, to treat its customers with this level of disdain and disrespect, whether wittingly or unwittingly. The owners of the chain have the resources to modernise but have kept doing emergency or patchwork just as they have done with potholes over the years.
A lawsuit accuses Starbucks of mislabelling 8 'sugar-free' protein drinks By DEE-ANN DURBIN AP Business Writer Starbucks is facing a consumer lawsuit over claims that the protein drinks labelled "sugar-free" on its cafe menus may actually contain more sugar than a Reese's peanut butter cup. The federal lawsuit filed late Friday in Seattle alleges that eight protein beverages Starbucks sells in the U.S. contain varying amounts of sugar even though the company lists them as sugarless. On Monday, the menu on Starbucks' U.S. website listed a 16-ounce (0.5-litre) Sugar-Free Caramel Protein Matcha with 16 grams of sugar and a 20-ounce (0.6-litre) version of the same drink with 21 grams of sugar. By comparison, one Reese's cup has 11 grams of sugar. Hagens Berman, a law firm that specialises in class action cases, filed the suit on behalf of three individual consumers who bought Starbucks' sugar-free protein drinks in California, New York and Washington. "Consumers avoid sugar for various reasons, whether that be general health, diabetes and blood glucose levels or other factors,
and for many, a staunch mislabelling like this is significant," said Steve Berman, a co-founder and managing partner of the Seattle-head quartered firm. The plaintiffs contend that Starbucks' naming and marketing of sugar-free products is "false, deceptive and unlawful" and that the company violated federal labelling regulations. Seattle-based Starbucks said the sugar in its protein drinks comes from the protein-boosted milk it uses. The company said it doesn't add sugar to the drinks and it uses sugar-free syrup for flavouring. On Starbucks' website Monday, the drinks were marketed as "sugar-free," but the company also clearly stated the amount of sugar in each beverage and that they were made without added sugar. "We believe these claims have no merit," a Starbucks spokesperson said Monday. "Starbucks has consistently and clearly provided information about its protein beverages, sugar-free options, customisation choices and nutritional content across product announcements, menus, marketing materials,
THE STARBUCKS logo is displayed on a coffee shop, Nov. 24, 2025, in Boston. Photo:Charles Krupa, AP File Starbucks.com and the Starbucks app, and we intend to vigorously defend ourselves in this matter." Starbucks introduced its protein drinks in September 2025 to meet consumer demand for functional beverages and catch up to rivals like Dutch Bros, which launched protein-enhanced coffee drinks in 2024. Dutch Bros also offers a lower-sugar version of its caramel-flavoured Hopscotch Protein Latte, but it's advertised as the Hopscotch Zero Sugar Added Protein Latte. The 16-ounce (0.5-litre) iced version has 7 grams of sugar and 11 grams of protein. By comparison, a 16-ounce (0.5-litre) iced Starbucks Sugar-Free Caramel Protein Latte has 9 grams of sugar and 29 grams of protein. The lawsuit seeks damages on behalf of U.S. consumers who bought the drinks. It also wants the court to order Starbucks to stop using the label "sugar-free" on products that contain sugar.
Because most Bahamians cannot afford to shop at the more expensive grocery chain in New Providence, they have to purchase groceries, cleaning supplies,
and other items from the leading chain. We have helped to make the owners superrich. Might they at long last return this customer loyalty by cleaning the gunk off the pavement at the entrances and putting in new flooring that does not look dirty. The produce areas can be modernized and made more attractive, cleaner, fresher looking, and perhaps, even pleasurable. Many Bahamians and tourists complain of the smell of meat and other foul odors as one enters certain stores. Why is this the case in 2026? Most blood from animals is removed after slaughter. “The red liquid in storebought meat packages is not blood, but a mixture of water and a protein called myoglobin, known as ‘purge’” Many grocery stores in other countries place absorbent pads in the bottom of meat trays to soak up this extra purge. Does the leading chain use such pads? Why do customers so often have to put meat in plastic bags to catch the purge? Why do the office areas where mangers work look like a clapboard house in a shantytown? Why do the pharmacies look junky? Why do so many checkout belts break down? Why do deli sections still look so rundown, poorly appointed, and again, in desperate need of refurbishment? The cooked food area should be attractive and appealing, and not look like a food mess, pun intended. Security guards should not be sitting on milk crates outside of stores, which are professional enterprises. It is tacky. Can one imagine a security guard sitting on a milk crate outside of an insurance company or other establishment? The back areas of various stores where employees work, unload goods, and prepare meats and produce for presentation are also in urgent need of refurbishment. There are often scuffed floors and walls, peeling paint, and other signs of disrepair in the back areas that may shock shoppers. The physical state of the stores is a poor message to both customers and employees. This parlous state suggest that the owners put little stock into making the customer and
employee experience more inviting and pleasurable. Again, the chain employs a number of friendly managers and well-mannered and generally well-trained packers. They deserve better facilities in the back and front area in which to work. A part of the shopping experience for retail stores selling goods ranging from groceries to clothes to electronics, is to make the customer feel good. It is similar to promoting a good and enjoyable visitor experience for tourists. But at the leading grocery chain, the shopping experience is something to be endured. One typically wants to get in and out of the store as quickly as possible. It should be a joy and a pleasure for the owners to offer customers a beautiful and attractive experience. The chain boasts of its commitment to “customer service excellence”. Sadly, this excellence is woefully missing in the facilities of its 13 supermarkets across New Providence. A college student after returning home from her first year in college overseas marvelled at how clean and contemporary were the grocery stores in which she shopped in the Midwest in the United States. She puzzled: “Why do Bahamians put up with such rundown facilities that desperately need to be renovated and repaired? It often requires successive generations to press for and realize change. Near monopolies or duopolies, with limited competition, are often anesthetized into complacency. They are resistant to change. A new generation or the next generation of owners and managers, including grandchildren, should be encouraged and supported in transitioning the enterprise from a utilitarian mindset to one with a greater appreciation for aesthetics and better customer experiences. With the extraordinary amount of money Bahamians spend in this grocery chain, we need and should demand more “quality markets” that will afford us enhanced “super values”. These stores can be fresh markets where shopping is a pleasure, a slogan a major food chain once marketed but of which it can no longer boast.
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, October 15, 2026, PAGE 9
PAGE 10, Thursday, October 15, 2026
THE TRIBUNE
Charlie Harper • Stateside
Fines, stripped of titles or the owners being forced to sell? What next for the juggernauts of English soccer? IF you weren’t paying much attention to soccer developments in Europe, you might check on line and find that in the most powerful men’s soccer league in the world (the English Premier League) and the most powerful women’s soccer league in the world (the Women’s Super League, also in England), the same powerhouse club is in first place in both leagues. Neither the men nor the women have been defeated nor tied so far in this 202627 season that began in August. But all of this has suddenly been put at risk in the last fortnight. This same English club has won an astounding six of the past nine EPL championships, including four in a row at one point. The women’s team won the WSL title for only the second time last season, but boasts the three-time defending scoring champion. And the men’s team has featured the top EPL scorer in three of the past four seasons. This particular club has also established a powerful network of affiliates in other national leagues, including in New York City. The club’s network also includes teams in Australia, Spain, Italy, France, Brazil, Uruguay, Belgium and China. It has strong financial backing and its coaches and academies are all highly-rated. Seems like quite a juggernaut, especially when considering that the EPL and WSL are by far the strongest and most influential leagues in world soccer and are widely regarded as the most relatively competitive, top to bottom. So, on this generally sunny horizon, why are dark storm clouds gathering? And what happened on Sunday afternoon that may have changed a narrative? The storm clouds are rapidly thickening around the present and future of Manchester City Football Club, which in the past 15 years has unhorsed longtime English titlist and cross-town rival Manchester United, a club whose world renown is rivaled only by Real Madrid and perhaps Barcelona. Indeed, in neither the men’s nor the women’s game is Man U presently able to offer any real competition for City.
Manchester City sits at the pinnacle of the sport. The gathering storm clouds are solely caused by what is now regarded as the most sweeping indictment of a member club by any sports organization in any sport in the history of sport. Two weeks ago, the EPL handed down a lengthy report by independent experts and consultants that found that Man City was guilty of 114 out of 115 charges of rules-breaking and wrongdoing. As the result of a comprehensive, multi-year investigation, the EPL found that City vastly overstated how much they were earning, via phony sponsorships, payments off the books, and other miscellaneous financial skullduggery. The total estimated fraud was an eye-popping $1.19 billion. This is important because EPL rules don’t allow rich owners to just pump unlimited personal cash into a club. Instead of a salary cap such as exists in all major American sports except baseball, the EPL limits clubs’ spending to a percentage of what their teams actually earn. By inflating the club’s revenue, City’s wealthy Abu Dhabi-based owners were able to report enough revenue to enable them to recruit and pay some of the world’s most accomplished, high-earning players – all seemingly within the EPL rules. Now, however, within the past two weeks, City have been condemned as cheats and accused by Premier League CEO Richard Masters of "systemically breaking rules for almost a decade." The period in question for the 114 rules infractions is 2009-2018. Only three of Manchester City men’s eight EPL titles were earned during that 11-year period. But all of the subsequent success would be at the very least tainted if the club’s appeals are denied, because their great, sustained success would have been based on the cheating and duplicitous conduct of the club for many years previously. No one can recall such a thorough indictment of one of its members by the ruling body in the modern history of any sport in the world. So, what happens now? First, Man City has of course appealed the
Players scuffle during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Manchester City in Liverpool, England, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. Photo: Jon Super/AP judgement. The team and its owners have maintained throughout this multi-year investigation that they have done nothing wrong. They continue to assert their innocence. If they win on appeal, then Manchester City will likely continue on their present path to continuing predominance in both the men’s and women’s games. The women’s game in soccer, by the way, is growing rapidly in popularity. The American women have for many years far outpaced their male counterparts, winning championships and Olympic gold medals while the men struggled to achieve relative mediocrity on the world soccer stage. In the UK, many of the Womens’ Super League teams now play many or all of their home games in the much bigger men’s stadiums, and attendance is rising. So are payrolls. The City women have started strongly in 2026, but Chelsea are close behind. The City men have started strongly in 2026, but defending champion Arsenal lurks close behind. It won’t be easy for City teams to win this season. But it won’t be possible at all if the club’s appeal is denied or only results in some reduction in the penalties that many expect are coming.
What might those penalties be?
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.City’s many titles from the era covering 2009 to the present could all potentially be stripped from the club. In addition to their EPL crowns, the team has won numerous FA and League Cup titles and the 2022-23 Champions League title. .The club could be hit with massive fines by the EPL, and potentially also by UEFA, the body governing European soccer. Given the vast wealth of the club’s owners, however, many pundits are minimizing the possible impact of such fines. .City could be banned from player transfers for a period of time. Almost all player movements occur during the months of January and June-August. Doing business during these annual ‘transfer windows’ could be denied to City for months or even years. .The club could face points deduction penalties that could be so severe that the team would be ‘relegated’ to a lower division. At a minimum, City’s hopes for another title this year could be extinguished.
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.Finally, the Abu Dhabi owners could be forced to sell the
team. Any and potentially all of these penalties are reportedly under consideration by the EPL. This monster sports story has even spread to Number 10 Downing Street, where current British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has found himself in the spotlight for his allegiance to City. Burnham previously served as mayor of Manchester. While all of this has been happening, City’s men’s team returned from the EPL’s first ‘international break’ of this season on Sunday to play at Liverpool’s Anfield stadium. The buildup to the game was particularly sharp, because Liverpool has probably been City’s most dangerous rival during the past 17 years. City’s mens’ matches with Liverpool were the most significant contests in many recent seasons, and these two titans were separated by two points or less at the end of several seasons. Security was intense when City’s team bus arrived at Anfield earlier this week. Both teams are playing under new managers this year. Former City assistant Enzo Maresca has taken over from his mentor Pep Guardiola,
who might be the best 21st Century coach in world soccer. At Anfield, former Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola has taken the reins long held by legendary German coach Jurgen Klopp. Both teams featured expensive stars acquired over the summer. After a scoreless first 60 minutes, though, City netted three times to register an emphatic win that foretold continued on-field success. Soccer fans everywhere are flummoxed about how to react. Vilify City’s criminality or admire their soccer brilliance? Manchester City skulked into Anfield on Sunday through the back door, but strutted out of the front at the end of a day when their defiance silenced Liverpool's indignation. They have become the most unpopular team in Premier League history but, for now, they are riding the storm. Yet as they celebrated a 3-0 victory on the pitch at the end of the game, the City players did so to the tune of "Little Lies" by Fleetwood Mac -- a song played without subtlety by the Anfield DJ. Enzo Maresca's team may have won the points, but hearts and minds? Forget it.
A exterior shot of the Etihad stadium. Photo: Dave Thompson/AP
PAGE 14, Thursday, October 15, 2026
THE TRIBUNE
World News
Pope Leo is eating, celebrating Mass and walking after cancer surgery, but trip is in question By NICOLE WINFIELD and COLLEEN BARRY Associated Press ROME (AP) — Pope Leo XIV resumed his regular diet, began walking and celebrated Mass in the hospital Wednesday as he recovered from surgery to remove a cancerous mass from his lung, the Vatican said. Questions remained about whether the cancer had spread, while Peru’s president suggested Leo might have to alter his planned visit to Latin America next month. Blood tests and a chest X-ray showed the 71-yearold pope was recovering normally, his two doctors said. “The Holy Father underwent respiratory physiotherapy and has begun walking in his room. He resumed his regular diet and had breakfast and lunch,” said Dr. Luigi Carbone, the pope’s personal doctor, and Dr. Stefano Margaritora, the head thoracic surgeon at Gemelli hospital. “Recovery is proceeding as planned.” Tuesday’s surgery confirmed that Leo has lung adenocarcinoma, the most common type of lung cancer. Surgeons removed the lower lobe of his right lung. The right lung has three lobes and the left has two. After one lobe is removed, the remaining lung tissue can gradually compensate, especially in otherwise healthy, physically active people. Leo is known for his interest in sports, including weekly tennis games and swimming. The Vatican said late Wednesday that the pope had celebrated Mass with
POPE Leo XIV arrives at the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026, where doctors expect to remove a lung nodule. Photo: Alessandra Tarantino/AP his secretaries in the afternoon in a special chapel set up for him on the 10th floor of the hospital. No word yet on whether the pope’s cancer had spread Experts said some of Leo’s lymph nodes would also have been removed and tested to determine whether the cancer had spread. Those results have not so far been made public. If the cancer has spread, test results will guide treatment, said Dr. Stephen Liu, a lung cancer expert at Georgetown’s Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center. Options include chemotherapy, a combination of chemotherapy and immunotherapy, or targeted therapy, which uses pills to treat cancers with specific characteristics. Liu, who is not involved in the pope’s care, said that, of the different types of lung cancers, adenocarcinoma
has the most favorable prognosis. “While we know the diagnosis, we now need to know the stage,” Liu said. “We now need to know how big it is, how many spots in the lung are involved. Is it just one nodule, or more than one, and the lymph nodes, are they cancerous?” Dr. PierCarlo Gentile, head of radiation oncology at Rome’s San Pietro Fatebenefratelli Hospital, said the minimally invasive, video-assisted chest surgery the pope underwent typically requires 15 to 20 days of recovery. Postoperative complications, including infections, are rare, he said. Doubts over Latin America trip The Vatican hasn’t announced any changes to Leo’s planned trip to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru on Nov. 6-17. But Peruvian President Keiko Fujimori said
Wednesday that the pope’s diagnosis and recovery could affect the visit, even as she expressed hope it would go ahead. Leo spent two decades as a missionary in Peru, holds Peruvian citizenship and is beloved by his flock there. “We understand that this recovery will take several weeks, longer than expected,” Fujimori told reporters. “We also understand that there could be some changes to the schedule of his visit.” The ambitious itinerary for the longest trip of his papacy covers just over 31,000 kilometers (19,000 miles), with a dozen flights and two helicopter rides across the three countries, as well as a significant change in altitude in Peru. Fujimori said millions of Peruvians were praying for the pontiff’s recovery and awaiting further announcements from the Vatican. “We hope his recovery will be swift and that his visit can go ahead, but we will also understand if that is not possible,” she said. “What matters most is that His Holiness regains his health.” Oncology surgeons often advise patients not to fly for three weeks after surgery. “If it is Stage 1, he can complete these trips. If more treatment is needed, I would likely advise against the trips,” said Liu. Doctors took tissue samples before surgery The pontiff has offered a rare degree of transparency about the first publicly disclosed major health problem of his 17-month papacy. He revealed the discovery of a nodule, or growth, on
his lung during his Sunday noon prayer, announcing it on live television. But Leo did not disclose everything he knew Sunday. Tuesday’s medical bulletin said preoperative tests had led doctors to suspect cancer, which surgery confirmed. Leo did not use the word cancer in his announcement, though he described the nodule as being at an “early stage” and “circumscribed.” The Vatican has now said that those tests included a robotic bronchoscopic biopsy, known as an ION broncoscopy, meaning doctors had already taken tissue samples to assess whether the mass was cancerous. The procedure requires general anesthesia and must be performed in a hospital equipped with one of the advanced machines, said Dr. Lorenzo Spaggiari, chief thoracic surgeon at the European Institute of Oncology in Milan. He said Gemelli hospital had had one for about a year. The Vatican did not say when Leo underwent the diagnostic tests, which also included a chest CT scan with contrast and a PET scan. A PET scan can be used to make sure that the disease has not traveled to other places in the body, said Dr. Brendon Stiles, chief of surgical oncology at Montefiore Einstein in New York. Between the scan and the biopsy, Stiles said, “we can be hopefully reassured that this should be a stageone cancer.” Pope breaks with a tradition of secrecy surrounding health issues
Netflix is laying off 6% of its workforce in biggest round of job cuts at streaming giant in years By WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS AP Business Writer CHICAGO (AP) — Netflix plans to lay off about 6% of its workforce, amounting to nearly 1,000 positions, as the streaming giant makes wider “organizational changes.” Co-CEOs Greg Peters and Ted Sarandos
announced the job cuts in a memo to employees Wednesday. They said the company’s product, tech, legal and human resources teams would be the most impacted. “Decisions like these are never easy, and we don’t take them lightly,” Peters and Sarandos wrote in the memo, which was obtained by The Associated Press.
They maintained business was strong — but that Netflix needed to be “disciplined about where we prioritize our people and resources” as it invests in future growth and “high impact areas to improve our service.” Beyond the memo from its chief executives, Netflix declined to comment
further about Wednesday’s cuts. Between membership signups and price increases, Netflix’s profit has grown this year. In its second financial quarter, the company earned $3.4 billion and racked up revenue of $12.56 billion — up 9% and 13%, respectively, from the same period last year. Still, Netflix’s forecast for the third quarter fell below Wall Street’s expectations. The company plans to
report those earnings next week. Competition in the streaming space is growing more crowded overall. Netflix continues to be a dominant player (accounting for 19% of the market per the latest data from streaming guide JustWatch), but rivals like Amazon’s Prime Video and Disney+ are close behind. HBO Max and Paramount+ are also now under the same roof — Skydance
The Vatican has long been secretive about the health of popes and tightly controlled any such information — a practice encapsulated in the popular Italian saying, ” The pope is fine until he’s dead.” St. John XXIII died in 1963, nearly a year after doctors diagnosed stomach cancer that was kept hidden at the time. St. John Paul II died in 2005 after suffering for years from the obvious effects of Parkinson’s disease that the Vatican only confirmed after he died. Pope Francis seemed more up front about his health problems, giving an Argentine doctor a tell-all interview for a book about his physical and mental health. But in the end Francis, too, tightly controlled the information that was released in his dying months. As a result, Leo’s decision to announce himself that he had a nodule and was undergoing surgery was significant. “That was truly a revolution. It was like he was reading a medical bulletin himself,” said Giovanni Maria Vian, a church historian and the former editor-in-chief of the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano. Vian, who was part of the Vatican communications team from 2007 to 2018, said the Vatican’s obsession with secrecy was due to both practical and cultural considerations. He noted the Vatican is a 2,000-yearold institution that is culturally European — and Europeans tend to be more guarded about health problems than people in the United States.
— after Paramount’s $81 billion buyout of Warner Bros. Discovery closed last week. The new Hollywood giant plans to unify its streaming products “into a single service over time.” Netflix initially inked a deal to buy Warner’s studio and streaming business late last year, but walked away from that offer back in February. At the end of 2025, per regulatory filings, Netflix had about 16,000 full-time employees worldwide. The layoffs announced Wednesday mark the biggest round of cuts the California-based company has rolled out in years. The Wall Street Journal first reported Wednesday’s news of the layoffs.
Cornell president admits he never followed up on gang rape allegation ahead of no-confidence debate By LEAH WILLINGHAM Associated Press Cornell University President Michael Kotlikoff knew in 2024 that a student had reported being gang raped at a fraternity house, but never followed up to learn what had happened to her or whether any of the accused students had been punished. In an interview with The New York Times published Tuesday, a day before Cornell’s Faculty Senate began debating a no-confidence resolution in his administration, Kotlikoff acknowledged that he did not know until recently that the woman had dropped out of Cornell or that students had been expelled or suspended over the incident. Kotlikoff publicly addressed what he called “deeply disturbing” allegations involving drug use and sexual violence at the Chi Phi fraternity house in a November 2024 message to the Cornell community, saying criminal and university investigations were underway.
He subsequently convened a presidential task force to examine how Cornell handles sexual assault, but said this week that he never followed up to learn the outcomes of the criminal or Title IX investigations into the woman’s allegations. Case has drawn national attention, roiled campus The case has drawn national attention since the woman, identified in court documents as Jane Doe, filed a lawsuit alleging that seven Chi Phi fraternity members sexually assaulted or exploited her in October 2024 and that Cornell mishandled her complaints. On Tuesday, Kotlikoff announced a ban on fraternity parties through the end of the academic year and plans to give state police a role in investigating sexual assault reports. Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten initially declined to pursue charges after reviewing a summary prepared by Cornell University Police, but later said it omitted key details. He reopened the investigation
after the lawsuit was filed. Gov. Kathy Hochul subsequently removed him from the case, appointed Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor and ordered an independent review of Cornell’s handling of the allegations. The Cornell Faculty Senate’s proposed resolution, declaring no confidence in the administration’s ability to handle reports of sexual assault on campus, reflects growing concerns among some faculty members that people who report sexual misconduct face institutional barriers and fear retaliation. Some have called for Kotlikoff’s resignation, while others have urged patience as independent investigations proceed. Kotlikoff was to address the Faculty Senate before members began debating the resolution. Debate was expected to continue Oct. 28, followed by electronic voting by the Faculty Senate, which has approximately 130 voting members. A simple majority is required for passage.
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