10162021 WEEKEND

Friday, October 15, 2021

food interview history gardening entertainment drinks puzzles animals

Weekend

Revealing Secrets Page 03

Get Happy!

TV show returns with new season of Nassau’s culinary gems

pgs 06 +07

02 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, October 15, 2021

food

DE Forest Restaurant

THIS is BBQ heaven at De Forest

DE Forest shrimp dinner

An island haven of culinary delights

CONCH salad

By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Writer cbrennen@tribunemedia.net

Y

ou wouldn’t think it, but right in the middle of Nassau you can find a little “forest clearing” in which you can enjoy delectable island-style meals.

Inspired by her very first restaurant, the Forest Restaurant and Bar in Miley, Long Island, which she operated some 27 years ago, Pretitia Dean has brought her culinary island dreams to the capital.

Her journey began nearly three decades ago when Pretitia worked as a cook, bartender, waitress and dish washer, all in one. To further her skills, she decided to take a culinary course, later obtaining a certification.

“I became so inspired in doing things the right and proper way. The experience has made me a

CONCH Fritters

much stronger individual with a keen eye for food presentation,” she told Tribune Weekend.

Pretitia’s newest restaurant is called De Forest Restaurant and is located on Prince Charles Drive and Fox Hill Road.

“De Forest restaurant is all about island-style quality food at the right price, leaving each customer with the experience of an unforgettable taste,” she said.

Pretitia said the idea for the restaurant was one she and her ex-husband Dudley Dean came up with in 1995.

“The inspiration came from the location of our very first location in Miley, Long Island, that was in an area with an abundant amount of trees that reminded us of a forest-like environment,” she said.

Now, Pretitia has duplicated that ambience with her new restaurant.

“The atmosphere at the restaurant (in Nassau) is relaxing and cosy. It has an island theme with lots of trees and aspects of nature that truly lives up to the name. We do see in the future maybe a few more locations, as well as maybe introducing a few more recipes along the way,” she said.

On the menu at De Forest you can an array of souse and stew dishes for breakfast on weekends and throughout the week. Also available are BBQ ribs, cracked conch, steamed fish, shrimp, lamb chops, chicken wings, conch fritters and more, all served with peas and rice, macaroni, coleslaw, plantains, and salad. On Wednesdays, the team’s Master Chef Lorenzo Rolle prepares authentic Bahamian pea soup and dough.

“My favourite of the dish would be the BBQ ribs. The sauce for the BBQ ribs, chicken and Forest burgers is one of a kind because it’s a secret family recipe that was created from the restaurant’s conception. Truly a must try,” said Pretitia.

“Bahamians are very enthusiastic about the food, especially the Long Islanders who grew up on our food. The feedback has been awesome.

We also have amazing responses from customers on our social media pages (@the_forestrestaurant on Instagram and DeForestRestaurant on Facebook).”

Currently, indoor dining is available for vaccinated guess, while outdoor dining is available for all with COVID-19 protocols implemented.

“The plan is to keep cooking good quality, affordable Bahamian dishes, and of course adding new customers and making our customers happy,” said Pretitia.

The Tribune | Weekend | 03

Friday, October 15, 2021

interview

Nurse and evangelist writes about living with physical ‘abnormality’ to inspire others

By CARA HUNT | Tribune Features Writer | cbrennen@tribunemedia.net

G

rowing up, Valarina Taylor-Rolle was often bullied because she was born with what she describes as “abnormal”

feet.

However, she turned what she initially considered a major imperfection into the perfect tool to glorify God and inspire others.

And she is sharing her journey in a new book called “40 and Ready to Reveal Secrets I Thought I Would Take to My Grave.”

The book not only chronicles life with a physical challenge, but also deals with relationships, both romantic and platonic, as well as spirituality and finding one’s purpose in life.

She came up with the book’s title because she turned 40 right around the time of the book’s release.

“And I used to say that the only way people would see my feet would be over my dead body,” she said.

“Growing up, I was often bullied by both children and adults, but to be honest, I didn’t even realise at first that it was because of my feet until some specifically told me that was why. In my mind, because I am a believer, I decided that my feet were perfect because God made me the way He wanted me to be and that was just the way my feet were meant to be,” she explained.

Earlier this year, she decided that she wanted to share her story with others by penning her autobiography.

“I decided that enough was enough and that I didn’t want to hide things anymore, especially if it could help others,” she said.

“I started writing the book in January of this year, and we sent it to the printer in September. It was a long process, because I am a nurse and in ministry full time, and so I didn’t have a lot of time to write it.”

The book was a labour of love not just for her, but for her husband as

VALARINA Taylor-Rolle and her husband, Apostle Utah Taylor, at the launch of her new book. well; he helped every step of the way in its creation.

“This book was completely selfpublished. My husband helped with the editing, he took the photo of me and helped design the cover layout for me. Coming towards the end of the process, it was very tedious, but we are proud of the finished product,” she said.

In the short time since its publication, Valarina said she has gotten a tremendous response from readers.

“So far the response has been amazing. Persons have sent me pictures of their own abnormalities and their challenges, and just today I met a woman who told me how she had read the book and been inspired,” the new author said.

And Valarina said she learned valuable lessons about herself during the writing process as well.

“There is a saying that the biggest weight a person can carry is the weight of other people’s opinions.

I realised that I was really walking around figuratively obese and there was weight that I had to shed,” she said.

The entire process has inspired her to continue writing and she is already taking notes for her next project.

Valarina, a graduate of the Nassau Christian Schools and the College of the Bahamas, is a certified perioperative nurse stationed in the main operating theatre at the Princess Margaret Hospital.

“I decided to be a nurse because I really love helping others. I love being able to assist a person regain their state of normalcy. It is such a satisfying career. I have been a nurse for the past 18 years,” she said.

The pandemic, of course, has affected all healthcare workers and Valarina said she has coped with it by just taking things one day at a time to minimise feelings of becoming overwhelmed.

Her love for the Lord began at an early age and she took on a leadership role at God’s Temple of Praise, Nassau Village.

She was ordained as an evangelist in 2019 and installed as an associate pastor in 2020 at the New Oasis of Love Kingdom Ministries, where her husband, Apostle Utah Taylor, is the senior pastor. The couple have four children.

Valarina is also certified in biblical studies, evangelism and church administration. Additionally, she the CFO of the audio, visual and photography lighting company called Nitro Filmz Studios.

She often partners with her husband, who assists her with several outreach organisations and evangelism teams to take the gospel to the streets.

Her book is currently available in both the hard copy and audio book versions.

26

2 Amiable; semi-precious (6)3 Might; 4 Correct; 5 Singe; 23 Loudly 6complain Friday, October Shade; 9 when Grotesque; weak (5) 14 Gallant; 15 Haughty;

report (4) 27 Italics do generate a bit of a heartbeat (9)

04 | The Tribune | Weekend

16 Pretext; 19 Frisk; 20 Trick; 21 Crook.

ne u e cr t t A

Sudoku is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so the each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the Conceptis Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday

● The Target uses words in the main body of Chambers 21st Century Dictionary (1999 edition)

HOW many words of four letters or more can you make from the letters shown here? in making a word, each letter may be used once only. each must contain the centre letter and there must be at least one nine-letter word. no plurals.

Verb forms ending in s permitted’.

TODAY’S TARGET Good 25; very good 37; excellent 49 (or more). Solution tomorrow

Yesterday’s call 0907 181 2585 Sudokufor Answer today’s target solution *Calls cost 80p per minute plus your telephone company’s network access charge.

BATTLESHIPS CRYPTIC PUZZLE Across 1 Support an attempt to back a horse to come first (6) 4 He may cut a fine figure (8) 9 No notice is required should you wish to do it (6) 10 Striking claim by a working model (8) 12 Depression in celebrating Lent (4) 13 It may hold together broken china (5) 14 Like to take one to a continent (4) 17 She provides maternal care for a small charge (6,6) 20 Profession in which people are sure to take an interest (12) 23 Cattle without water (4) 24 Spending some surplus in gold (5) 25 Classical maid who always had the last word (4) 28 Completely out of port and unable to explain why? (3,2,3) 29 Outstanding work of art (6) 30 Two music-makers dance (8) 31 Not many people with a dog will keep one indoors (6)

1

2

3

4

9

EASY PUZZLE

5

10 11

12

13 15

17

20 21

22

23

Yesterday’s Easy Solution

Down 1 Leaving as a result Across: 1 Catch, 4 Pacific, of being fired (5,3) 8 Dim, 9 Small beer, 10 Chateau, 2 Fool’s speech in 11 Ebony, 13 Lay out, 15 Pester, 18 Harsh, 19 Harness, 21 Not production of Lear (8) up to it, 23 Ape, 24 Annoyed, 3 Unusual way to 25 Overt. serve meat (4) Down: 1 Codicil, 2 Tom Sawyer, 5 Inherit property 3 Haste, 4 Plague, 5 College, like a pilot 6 Fee, 7 Carry, 12 On the wane, may do? (4,4,4) 14 Unhappy, 16 Respect, 6 Spoil the sound of 17 Shroud, 18 Henna, 20 Ratio, 22 Tin. an instrument (4) 7 Desire a new T-shirt (6) 8 Black rock (6) 11 He may have stacks of Yesterday’s Cryptic Solution work to do (7,5) 15 I leave the older Across: 1 Armed, 4 Redress, Spaniard (5) 8 Ass, 9 Uplifting, 10 Noonday, 16 French currency sounds 11 Emits, 13 Thebes, 15 Stores, reasonable (5) 18 Range, 19 Caravan, 18 What destructive mice get 21 Billiards, 23 Rue, 24 Dresser, up to with the fish (8) 25 Needs.

19 Not many virtuous? Quite Down: 1 Against, 2 Misgovern, 3 Druid, 4 Relays, 5 Deflect, a lot in fact (1,4,3) 6 Eli, 7 Sagas, 12 In reverse, 21 How a witness appears to 14 Enemies, 16 Singers, Noah in disguise (2,4) 17 Scorer, 18 Rabid, 20 Resin, 22 A tradesman has 22 Lie. trouble occupying a high position (6) 26 Roadwork sign? (4) 27 Be a socially acceptable lover (4) Down Across 1 Foretell (8) 1 Perplex (6) 2 German airship 4 Untypical (8) 6 7 8 designer (8) 9 Resist (6) 3 Endure (4) 10 Sailing ship (8) 5 Unsurpassed 12 Contemptible (6,2,4) person (4) 6 Be ominously 13 Indistinct (5) close (4) 7 Confused mass (6) 14 Vigorous spirit (4) 14 8 In the course of (6) 17 Opportune 16 11 Flatter corrective grossly (3,2,2,5) measure (6,2,4) 15 Opportunity 20 Deeply for action (5) 18 19 involved (2,2,4,4) 16 Break into 23 On opponents’ pieces (5) ground (4) 18 Independentminded person (8) 24 Vile smell (5) 19 In a manner of 25 Preliminary 25 speaking (2,2,4) round (4) 21 University 27 28 Arousing pity (8) grounds (6) 29 Discover 22 North European intuitively (6) sea (6) 30 Similar things (8) 26 Loud ringing of 31 Cause bells (4) 27 Prima donna (4) resentment (6)

24 26

28

29

30

31

FIND where the fleet of ships shown is hidden in the grid. The numbers to the right of and below the grid indicate how many of the squares in that row are filled in with ships or parts of ships. The ships do not touch each other, even diagonally. Some squares have been filled in to start you off.

Solution tomorrow 1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9 10

A

2

B

5

C

0

D

1

E

2

F

1

G

2

H

1

I

3

J

3 2

1

3

2

1

2

2

T L U P E H D N

H E L L S K R A

N T R S A S O K

THE ALPHABEAT

TARGET Best described as a number crossword, the task in Kakuro is to fill all of the empty squares, using numbers 1 to 9, so the sum of each horizontal block equals the number to its left, and the sum of each vertical block equals the number on its top. No number may be used in the same block more than once. The difficulty level of the Conceptis Kakuro increases from Monday to Sunday.

U X P A C C F Q K E R T B A E E W N S K H I H Y L R E N A P S D

N K L T 15, G 2021 L E L

1

3

1 x Battleship

3 x Destroyer

2 x cruiser

4 x submarine

3

cAn you crack the Alphabeater?thE each grid targEt alpha number represents a letter – or black square.

Fade, Ad iNfirMary As in Alphapuzzle, every letter ofacross: the alphabet Graphic, Abate, T airy amir fain fair fairy firm is used.

But you have the gridFlorin, too! Ci friar friary infamy infirmto completeVacate, Aural, Chianti, INFIRMARY infraletters main mini mirin squares use the given and black below Ex down: Fugitive, J miry naif rain rainy ramify rani the grid to start. the grid is ‘rotationally Chirrup, Threat, H rimy symmetrical’ – in other words, it looks theQuart, Lo* Grocer, same if you turn the page upsideAmateur, down. Cinch, E

Solution tomorrow A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

3

34

30

10

24

29

22

17

3

9

11

12

24

9

10

34

16

16

39

24

33

34

37

7

37

5

8

13

4

40

37

4

23

37

18

38

24

11

24

26

22

37

14

19

25

23

5

10

29

17

13

38

17

23

12 Yesterday’s 27 3 2

14

1

2

3

4

5

6

21

22

23

24

25

26

26

40

32

21

Kakuro Answer 39 14 34 13 18

4

21

7

23

17

35

16

1

30

8

15

2

20

28

34

31

31

25

35

15

5

40

18

6

7

27

37

7

8

1

30

6

8

21

16

34

30

37

24

12

4

34

18

1

20

27

16

17

28

Y

7

8

27

28

■

9

10

11

12

13

14

29

30

31

32

33

34

■

■

● Alternatively, for six Extra Letter clues t text DXBEAT to 64343. Texts cost £1 plus your

KEIJO 3 4 1

4

3

3

4

1

1

2

1

2

2

2

3

4

The Tribune | Weekend |05

Friday, October 15, 2021

drinks

Get lit with colourful, candygarnished slushies

By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Writer acadet@tribunemedia.net

W

hile other people were maybe learning to knit or engaging in some backyard farming, Rishaun Bowe utilised her downtime during lockdown last year to enhance her knowledge of mixology. After losing her job, she even went so far as to come up with her own recipes for frozen slushies and started a business based on her creations. To make her business stand out, she decided to add an assortment of colourful candies to each drink.

“With so much time on my hands during the lockdown periods, I practiced and perfected the craft of my lovely handmade frozen slushies.

On Instagram, I always saw similar drinks being served at food trucks or by creative bartenders like myself,” said Ms Bowe, who has experience working in restaurants and as a bartender.

Today, she runs a business calls Litables, which specialises in candy-garnished alcoholic slushies and “old-fashioned cups.” The colourful, eye-catching drinks are available in a variety of fruit-based flavours.

She also offers drinks inspired by holidays and popular alcoholic brands. For example, Rishaun said one of her top sellers is named ‘O’Bailey’, inspired by the popular Irish cream liqueur.

“What I enjoy most about what I do is the freedom to express my creativity. At this time, we have 15 different flavours available. Inspired by holidays, I’ve done Christmas, Halloween, Bahamian and American Independence, and Valentine’s drinks. Slushies are my specialty, and with that said, I can make both virgin and alcoholic slushies. However, I mostly offer alcoholic slushies at this time. I offer them in cups, bottles, pitchers, and a pint size soon to come. I never ever allow my customers to get bored. Almost every week I have a new trick up my sleeve,” she said.

Litables is Rishaun’s third small business venture.

“I always say I knew nothing about having a business until starting this one. People often say

RISHAUN Bowe

that Bahamians don’t support one another, but I beg to differ. What people crave is a unique product or experience, people like ‘tings’, and that is what Litables is, ‘tings’,” she said.

But things didn’t always run as smoothly as they do now.

“The first time I opened, I offered delivery, as most small businesses do here in Nassau, and that

was a literal disaster. I don’t think anyone got their drinks in one piece that day. That particular day I accepted that I would only be able to do pick-up orders,” said Rishaun.

But she has come a long way since then and has learned a lot, especially about the importance of offering consistently high-quality products.

“I try to use the popular, tropical fruits along with alcohol that complements the flavour just right. They’re never too boozy, too sweet or bland. Every drink tastes exactly like the flavour promised,” said Rishaun.

But what really makes her slushies stand out, Rishaun believes, are the bright, attractive colours of the drinks and the candy toppers.

“We’ve had pink, red, green, light blue, orange, peach, and yellow drinks garnished with a random selection of the cutest gummies you’ll ever see,”she said.

Her next big goal now is to move into a store space.

“That will be my biggest accomplishment, because I would be able to provide not only a product, but an experience for my customers.

Only then will I fulfil the true meaning of what it is to ‘get lit with Litables’, which is our motto,’ she said.

In the meantime, to celebrate the upcoming Halloween holiday, Rishaun is offering ‘blood bag’ drink pouches for the entire month of October.

“We’ll also have Halloween themed drinks and novelty cups on sale. For the holiday season you can look out for more creamy drinks like Baileys and eggnog-based flavours,” she said.

08 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, October 15, 2021

gardening

THE MEALYBUG destroyer at work

Camouflage

T

his is a story of the wolf in sheep’s clothing of the plant world. The mealybug destroyer (the wolf) is an insect that mimics its prey by looking so similar that they blend right in, unless we look closely to differentiate the two. The mealybug (the sheep) consists of several genus and many species, some of which are more specific in their target plants and can be very damaging, to those that are relatively insignificant in agriculture and horticulture, and in our gardens.

Mealybug destroyer adults and young larvae prefer to feed on mealybug eggs and young nymphs.

Older larvae of the destroyer feed on mealybugs of any age. Mealybug destroyers also feed on egg-sac producing scale insects and sporadically other soft-bodied insects such as aphids. This insect and its larvae feed on all stages of mealybugs and can be found when mealybug populations are high enough to support

reproduction (ergo, the presence of plant pests is not something that should be targeted for complete eradication, but rather to set tolerance levels and use monitoring and management in a garden setting).

The problem is that often the mealybug destroyer is mistaken for the mealybug and exterminated by human intervention. Many are aware that the ladybug is a garden friend as it too is a voracious predator of plants pests that damage our veggie gardens and ornamental plantings.

The destroyer is a valuable predator in the garden when mealybug is the problem. When aphids are the primary garden pest, the ladybug is a valuable predator to have present.

The mealybug destroyer is a type of lady beetle (ladybug or ladybird beetle), so here again correct identification is important to help to promote the beneficial insect to be used as part of a complete Integrated Pest Management (IPM) routine to target specific garden pests. I

had someone visit me lately with a branch that was covered in mealybug destroyer larvae. I was happy that he brought it around so that the correct ID could be provided. Rather than spraying the entire tree and killing a bounty of beneficial insects, he was

able to practice a routine of monitoring the desired fruit tree for damage and letting the destroyers go about their life cycle unharmed to then move on to another problem plant or tree. That is, until some of them would have flown farther afield to help a neighbor with their mealybug problem, inhabited a problem plant, and were eventually misidentified and exterminated.

Mealybug destroyers are one of the most valuable beneficial insects to have in one’s garden, but they are easily misidentified as mealybug when they are in the larval stage.

When it comes to the veggie garden, one of the most valuable ways to spend time in the garden is to pay attention to the terminal buds, younger stems, and the undersides of leaves for pest activity. Without due attention, the beneficial insect larvae and eggs can be easily misidentified as a damaging pest and be eradicated unwittingly. There will always be some pests in a healthy and balanced garden. If there is a zero presence of pests, then there will also be zero presence of beneficials, which does not represent a balanced garden.

A healthy and balanced garden is a food source for dozens of creatures, and not only those on two legs. If regular spraying is occurring, and a pest does slip through, then without the presence of a beneficial insect to help control the “problem”, the “problem” has a much better chance of doing damage than it would in a balanced garden space. My only suggestion that I would like to reiterate here today is to be thorough in your scouting (time in the garden paying attention to what’s going on), whether you’re a professional or a beginner, it is important to correctly identify all life cycles happening in the garden. Wasting time, effort, and money to attempt to eradicate a problem that is a in fact a solution is one of the problems in being the wolf camouflaged as the sheep, as it were.

Please, correctly identify the insect before reaching for the solution, for those that wish to grow an organic garden, this becomes doubly important. As always, I wish you happy gardening!

• Adam Boorman is the nursery manager at the Fox Hill Nursery.

You can contact him with any questions you may have, or topics you would like to see discussed, at gardening242@gmail.com.

The Tribune | Weekend | 09

Friday, October 15, 2021

community

Bahamian gospel singer honoured for courage in lifechanging health battle

By CARA HUNT | Tribune Features Writer | cbrennen@tribunemedia.net

I

t has a been a rough few years for gospel artist Vanessa Clarke since receiving the diagnosis that she has a life-changing neurological disorder.

But her faith and determination to live a full life despite her numerous challenges has led an international music organisation to present her with a special trailblazer award for her courage and perseverance.

Vanessa was given the first ever Prayze Factor International Trail Blazer Award, an honour which will in the future bear her name.

The Prayze Factor Awards aim to highlight and celebrate faith-based arts on am international level with major radio, television and industry exposure. The awards were founded by Apostle Dr Teresa Jordan.

Milton Wallace of Dream Come True Travel presented Vanessa with the award during the recent ceremony.

He said the award is presented to “an individual outside the United States that is trailblazing above and beyond industry standards in spite of their extreme challenges that they are facing due to extenuating circumstances.”

Vanessa has certainly had her fair share challenges, as her illness has severely affected every aspect of her life. Just recently, she was hospitalised after suffering an aneurysm and a stroke. But she still continues to battle on.

“I want to thank the Prayze Factor team for bestowing this honour upon me. It is the first time that an international award show has given an award of such distinction to a Bahamian gospel artist,” she said.

“When I first became ill and found out that there was no cure, the thing that was most important to me became even more important, and that was my ministry and the mandate that God has for my life.

“I have been in music ministry for the past 30 years and I have never been fuelled by awards, but from when I was a little girl, I have always loved the Lord. I was very shy and never in my wildest dreams did I think He would use me as a psalmist, a songwriter, a journalist, radio personality, author.

This was not my dream, but it was the path God carved out for me and my life. He knew that deep in my heart I loved Him. Even though I cannot walk, my hands can barely work, and I need a ventilator to breathe every day, but I said to God, whatever I have left, I give to you. My love never waned, and I am going all the way with Jesus,” she said in a taped acceptance speech.

WHEELCHAIR-bound Vanessa Clarke accepts the new Prayze Factor Award named in her honour

VANESSA before her illness She added: “Thank you to my very supportive husband, Volare, my beautiful children, V’ajha and V’lori. My family and all the people from a myriad of denominations that have supported me over the years, thank you for loving me then and for loving me now while I am in the biggest fight of my life. I love you.

“Thank you for recognising my contributions to gospel music on an international stage. I am

deeply humbled and truly grateful for this honour.

God Bless you.”

Vanessa began her music career many years ago.

In 1996, Vanessa won the first Female Vocalist of the Year award at the inaugural edition of the Marlin Awards. She subsequently won three additional Marlin Awards for her participation on several projects, and along with the group Da Fam, won the Bahamas’ Cacique Award for Best Song of the Year in 2005.

She has also travelled extensively to the United States and parts of the Caribbean for ministry.

Vanessa started her career in journalism at The Tribune in 1998 as a reporter. She then moved to The Nassau Guardian where she worked for almost 10 years, ending her tenure there as the lifestyle feature editor. She later joined Love 97 as a reporter and also wrote for The Bahama Journal. She was also at Jones Communications for the launch of the JCN TV Network.

After moving to Grand Bahama, she became the first correspondent for JCN News on the island. She worked for the Broadcasting Cooperation of the Bahamas in Grand Bahama as the technical producer for the news and hosted her own radio show called “The Morning Glory Show.”

Vanessa is also a published author of two books, “Ready for Repositioning” and “Like the Dew”, a devotional for women which includes an accompanying CD.

10 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, October 15, 2021

history

The start of ‘honest’ tourism

I

n 2007, Angela Cleare published her 633-page History of Tourism in the Bahamas, which covers the birth and growth of our number one industry.

Much may have changed since 2007, but the author reminds us from whence we came.

Today, I opened the book to the foreword by Paul Adderley and the following is an excerpt of what he wrote: “We (the Bahamas) have been populated entirely by strangers to these islands, foreigners – both Black and white – who were uprooted from their natural social and economic environment and, for over 300 years, we were prepared to engage, freely and on a massive scale, in what were illegal activities, on a massive scale.

For well over 50 years, in the 17th and 18th centuries, we were pirates.

Today, piracy might seem a romantic interlude, but it was an illegal activity.

The Colonial Hotel, built by Henry M Flagler in 1901 on the site of Fort Nassau, stood until 1922 when it was destroyed by fire.

(Photo/Helen Rees)

PAUL C ARANHA FORGOTTEN FACTS

For as long as 200 years, late into the 19th century, wrecking had been the favourite activity of Bahamian

seamen, sometimes legitimate but, more often, illegal. It spawned a boat-building tradition, in which blacks and whites excelled. Blockade running, another illegal activity, generated unprecedented income for the Bahamas, during the American Civil War. The modern-day fortunes of many Bahamians had their beginnings in profits earned from illegal bootlegging, in the 1920s. After the bootleg era, honest tourism gave the Bahamas a major industry, free from crime.”

It is often said that Christopher Columbus was our ‘first tourist’. If this is accurate, the Great Explorer was only one man of three shiploads who landed that fateful day. Some 529 later, the Bahamas government put the icing on the tourism cake when “an act was passed “for the creation of a hotel on the island of New Providence.”

Completed in 1861 and said to have been the world’s first resort hotel, the Royal Victoria Hotel, it was described as “the largest and most commodious ever built in the tropics.”

In 1898, for the sum of £10,000, Henry M Flagler, a founder of the Standard Oil Company (with John D Rockefeller and Jabez Abel Bostwick) bought the Royal Vic and the site of the of Fort Nassau, where he built the Hotel Colonial. Though the Colonial burned down, it’s replacement was today’s British Colonial Hotel. Nassau and the Bahamas were up and running.

Paul Adderley’s “honest tourism gave the Bahamas a major industry, free from crime.” And the rest is history.

• For questions and comments, please send an e-mail to islandairman@gmail.com

The Tribune | Weekend | 11

Friday, October 15, 2021

animal

Farewell to a kind and

generous friend

Animal matters | KIM ARANHA

T

he Bahamas Humane Society lost a good friend yesterday. J Barrie Farrington was a quiet and faithful supporter of the BHS and the shelter work. He never looked for recognition or adulation, he cared about the animals and would quietly send me a message that there was a cheque ready for collection. If I asked him if he wished recognition, he would always shake his head and say that, no, it was not necessary.

Today, I do not try to write about Barrie’s amazingly rich and diverse life, nor to give a eulogy. Many others far more qualified than I am have already done that and will do so even more in detail over the next few weeks. No, I wish to talk about the charming and unassuming man I have known ever since I returned to Nassau in 1980 to live with my now husband.

Barrie and my husband Paul were friends since childhood, sharing all sorts of adventures and life experiences over the eighty-odd years of friendship.

It was lovely to see that no matter how long it had been since they last saw each other, once they were sitting down talking, it was as if they had seen each other the day before.

I guess that is really what friendship is really all about. Time and distance have no bearing on the thread that bonds friends together.

I met Barrie for the first time in the very early 1980s; such a long time ago. There were very happy dogs at his house, if my memory serves me correctly, they were German Shepherds. Barrie was larger than life, had a wonderful, ready smile and welcoming to this young woman newly in his old buddy’s life. I was made to feel that I was exactly where I belonged and can still remember how comfortable, I felt that evening.

Another very distinct memory I have of him was

at Paradise Island. I was meeting with some other ladies to discuss a fundraiser for the Bahamas Humane Society. We were sitting in the lobby, perhaps waiting for our cars, or another lady to arrive, that I do not remember, but I do remember the look on their faces when this impeccably dressed, furiously handsome man walked towards us, big smile and greeted me with a bear hug. They were all so impressed that not only did I know this handsome man, but that he had made the effort to come aver to say hello. That was most certainly a feather in my cap. For the next half hour, they wanted to know who he was and how I knew him.

Old friends indeed. One of the greatest gifts of KIM and Paul Aranha growing old is that you can have friendships that with Susan and Barrie J span forty, fifty, sixty years or more. The Farrington Farrington and Aranha families go way back before me or even before my birth. Paul and Barrie had scores of stories of their teenage days and young twenties, fun to listen to and they always ended up making us laugh. son John was frequently one of the players, or the We had such a very happy and engaging lunch tocaptain or the coach of those teams and Barrie was a gether in May, Barrie and his lovely wife Susan, Paul proud dad for sure. and I at Café Matisse. Much of it revolved around My husband and I loved to watch Wimbledon on the past and well-loved stories were pulled out from TV. We loved watching the centre court matches as the back of their memory banks, dusted off, and much for the quality of play as we enjoyed searching enjoyed one more time. There was laughter and a toast to the invaluable gift of friendship, the third old for Barrie in the crowd because he would always be right there, year after year. buddy John Knowles (first president of the College It is sad to say goodbye to a good, kind and generof the Bahamas) had passed away a few years ago, ous man, I count myself as fortunate to have known but he too was remembered that day. him as his old buddy, my husband, saw him. I know Barrie cared about other people ane dearly loved the last few years were not easy for Barrie, but he his country. Another side of his dedication that I was was brave and determined, and the Bahamas is privileged to experience was his passion for tennis. indeed a poorer place due to his demise. I am sure all He was heavily involved in the furtherance of tennis the animals who passed through his life were there to in the Bahamas. If there was a Davis Cup match in greet him and they all got a big smile and bear hug.

Nassau, you knew that you would see him seated, watching intently, and pulling for his home team. His

PET OF THE WEEK

Mama Mia!

By The Bahamas Humane Society

M

ama thinks she has a person already, but as it’s one of the Bahamas Humane Society staff members, it’s more than likely Mama will find herself loving a new person soon.

This easy-going potcake arrived at the BHS with a litter of pups, all in need of some TLC. Having received it, and being spayed, Mama is now ready for adoption. If you’re looking for a mellow older dog (she’s about five), Mama might just be the right fit. She’s friendly with other dogs and pretty much ignores the cats.

For more information, please call 323-5138. Mama looks for-

ward to meeting you.

• BHS Jewellery Sale The BHS Thrift Shop is holding a jewellery sale this Saturday, October 16, from 10am to 2pm. All funds raised go to the BHS. Find something special for yourself or a loved one. There’s a large selection to choose from. We look forward to seeing you there!

Photo/Linda Gill-Aranha

12 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, October 15, 2021