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Boy, 15, dies in new gun attack By SANCHESKA DORSETT Tribune Staff Reporter Sdorsett@tribunemedia.net A 15-YEAR-OLD boy is the country’s latest murder victim after a shooting off Prison Lane last night. The boy was shot in front of a house in Greenwich Street shortly after 8pm by a man in a dark coloured Honda. He was taken to hospital where he later died. This came just hours after National Security Minister Marvin Dames said that there has been a slight decline in killings under the Minnis administration. In response, Christian Council President Bishop Delton Fernander
said the country was not interested in trends but viable crime solutions as he refuted the claim. Mr Dames told reporters outside Cabinet that, despite a recent uptick in homicides, the murder rate in the last six months of the year is slightly less than the first four months. However, the figures he provided were inaccurate based on Tribune records. According to Mr Dames, there were 58 homicides during the first four months of the year, January to April. He added there had been 54 murders from May to the present - not including this latest shooting death.
By NATARIO MCKENZIE Tribune Business Reporter nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net
BAHAMAS Power and Light’s new chief executive said yesterday that he and the company’s Board of directors are ready to take on the challenge of turning the beleaguered electricity provider to a “state of the art” and “world class” entity. At a press conference at BPL’s headquarters yesterday Whitney Heastie a BPL
director and former grand Bahama Power executive was announced as BPL’s chief executive. Christina Alston, also a Bahamian who most recently served as director of supply chain services for Georgia Transmission Corporation will take up the post of chief operating officer next month. Mr Heastie told reporters that having spent time on the ground over the last few months has made him aware that turning around SEE PAGE SIX
HURRICANE INSURANCE:
Are you Covered?
Covering The Bahamas for 40 years. Nobody Does it Better!
By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis praised Health Minister Dr Duane Sands as an “exemplary public servant” yesterday, in response to criticism levelled at him for voluntarily performing surgeries while working in government. However, last night, Progressive Liberal Party Chairman Bradley Roberts insisted the Health Minister could not be a regulator and a practioner at the same time. Mr Roberts questioned who was paying Dr Sands’ professional indemnity insurance for SEE PAGE FIVE
SEE PAGE SIX
BPL BOSSES VOW: WE CAN DELIVER
MINNIS BACKS SANDS’ SURGERY
MAKING a splash for breast cancer at the annual Radio House “Dunkin’ for Boobies”. Pictured being dunked is ALIV Chief Officer Damian Blackburn. See page two. PHOTO: Shawn Hanna/Tribune staff
NO TIMELINE ON CAMPAIGN FUNDING
By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net
THE Minnis Administration hasn’t set a timeline for tabling legislation to regulate the financial operations of political parties, according to press secretary Anthony Newbold. The issue was billed as a major priority for Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis while in opposition,
increasingly so in the months leading up to the 2017 general election. “There’s no timeline yet that I can give you on that,” said Mr Newbold at yesterday’s press briefing. “There are a lot of bills, five, six, seven are going to be laid on the table (today). There’s no timeline on that campaign finance bill but it has been discussed and will be brought.”
Attorney General Carl Bethel has said the administration has numerous bills and amendments ready to be tabled. Most fit into the administration’s broad agenda of good governance, one that aims to improve or create mechanisms for transparency and accountability in the country. These include legislation that will be tabled today to SEE PAGE SIX
OFFER ON TABLE FOR GRAND LUCAYAN
By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net
to report. However, he will not make a grandiose statement about what could happen. THE Minnis adminis“The government has tration has made an offer made an offer to the to the owners of the Hutchison Whampoa Grand Lucayan Resort to purchase the Grand to purchase the properLucayan properties,” ties in Grand Bahama, Mr Newbold said yespress secretary Anthony terday during his weekly Newbold said yesterday. GRAND Lucayan Resort in Grand Bahama. press briefing. Although he did not “As you know the provide the details of this offer, Mr New- prime minister made a commitment to bold said it was in keeping with Prime not only keep the properties open, but to Minister Dr Hubert Minnis’ commit- ensure that the present jobs are maintained ment to not only keep the resort open, as well. but to ensure present jobs at the hotel are “More on that in the coming days but the maintained. prime minister will only make an announceHe said the prime minister will only make ment when he has something to report.” an announcement when he has something SEE PAGE FIVE
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NUMBERS HOUSE HIRED EX-BOARD CHAIRMAN By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net
THE hiring of former Gaming Board chairman Terah Rahming by Grand Bahama web shop Chances Game has exposed a loophole in gaming legislation. The recent hire has left officials with grave “concerns”, a Gaming Board insider said yesterday, adding there is little the board can do outside of making recommendations to the Minnis administration as to how the loophole can be closed. The Gaming Act 2014 does not prohibit employees moving from the regulator into the private sector, giving way to the potential for conflict. SEE PAGE SIX
SEXUAL HARASSMENT IS AN ACT OF VIOLENCE
SEE PAGE EIGHT
PAGE 2, Wednesday, October 18, 2017
THE TRIBUNE
DUNKIN’ FOR
BOOBIES By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
RADIO House’s fourth annual cancer fundraiser “Dunkin’ for Boobies” yesterday raised more than $10,000 as willing participants took the plunge on Shirley Street. The event had been postponed due to inclement whether but with the sun out yesterday it was heavily supported by corporate Bahamas and curious drivers who stopped traffic to donate to the cause. With a $300 donation, people could nominate their boss, manager, coworker, family member or anyone for that matter, to be dunked in the dunkin’ tank set up in the front of
Radio House on Shirley Street. Getting an early morning soak yesterday were representatives from Generali Worldwide, Island Luck, Sunshine Finance Ltd., Baha Mar’s IT Department, One on One Pre-school and 2 by 2 Academy, Aliv, Tingum Dem Band, Shell, Wok & Roll Limited, and New Oriental Laundry & Cleaners. Live broadcasts aired on 100 Jamz, Kiss 96 and Y98 from 6am until 10am. All proceeds from the event will be donated to the Cancer Society of The Bahamas. For more information, call 677-0950 or e-mail jjmckenzie@tribunemedia.net. ISLAND Luck CEO Sebas Bastian is all smiles after being dunked. Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune staff
n Bates CHIEF ALIV Partner Ala use. ca od go a for ed is dunk
RETAIL Territory Manager at She Thompson after taking the plu ll Eddie nge.
FARRAH SAUNDERS, dealer for Shell Oaksfield, before and after.
LANA LEE-BROGDON, President of New Oriental Laundry and Wok ‘N’ Roll Chinese Restaurant, in the pool.
SUSETTE ELLIOT, Manager at Shell Crossroads jumps
in.
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, October 18, 2017, PAGE 3
MINISTER URGED TO ‘STEP UP’ OVER BEACH EROSION IN BIMINI By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net
BIMINI residents facing substantial land loss due to severe beach erosion are urging Environmental and Housing Minister Romauld Ferreira to “step up, speak up and work,” fearing continued inaction could lead to environmental anarchy there. The Tribune conducted several interviews with residents after receiving a series of photographs that depicted extensive erosion along the island’s western corridor. The overarching theme of these interviews were concern over continued absence of the Marathon MP amid what many are calling an “environmental crisis” in Bimini. Just in the last three months, Bimini has faced issues with extensive erosion, a reduction in marine life and a massive Styrofoam cleanup effort following Hurricane Irma.
THESE photographs show the extent of beach erosion along the island’s southern corridor. Jenny Cook, spokesperson for the Save Our Home protest group, claimed extensive capital development projects on Bimini have led to the continued degradation of that island’s environment. She said despite assurances from the Minnis administration and Resorts World Bimini developers on how environmental matters are addressed, residents remain
unsatisfied with the level of commitment exhibited so far. “Much of what is happening now is a continuation of what we have rallied against for years,” she said. “The
“Come here and look at what we are facing. Homes next to the resort property and losing chunks. Dredging a channel that deep raised waves and tides and it is getting more severe every year.” Jenny Cook, spokesperson for the Save Our Home protest group
MANY Bimini residents say the situation is an ‘environmental crisis’.
changes were promised and the changes were supposed to come from this group. Where is it?” Ms Cook continued: “Erosion is real. We’re losing coral reefs, mangroves, sea life. All of this is real. I’d like to see this looked into. I don’t know if it is (Mr Ferreira) or whoever, but this has to be looked at; seriously.”
Reflecting on portions of Environmental Impact Assessment carried out ahead of RWB’s ferry terminal construction, Ms Cook said developments approved by successive governments have rendered residents “helpless.” She added: “The agreements are there in black and white. The resort isn’t being held to it and the government isn’t informing it.” “Beach rocks were purposefully broken down. Most of the construction done, it interferes with turtle breeding around this island.”
Land “Properties on the west side, losing large parts of the land due to erosion and nothing is said. Reports were done, they were presented and still – nothing.” “Come here and look at what we are facing. “Homes next to the resort property and losing chunks. Dredging a channel that deep raised waves and tides and it is getting more severe every year.” “This is a big concern and we aren’t getting any feedback, no response. We know the big players. We know who is responsible and for our leaders to sit back and do nothing is heartbreaking to say the least,” she said.
ATTORNEYS REQUEST BRUNO RUFA BE ALLOWED INTO THE COUNTRY FOR LEGAL HEARINGS By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net
ATTORNEYS for Canadian Bruno Rufa yesterday requested the appellate court to order Director of Immigration William Pratt to allow their client entry into the country to attend scheduled legal hearings after being denied entry on several previous occasions. Fred Smith, QC, told Court of Appeal President Dame Anita Allen and fellow Justices Stella Crane-Scott and Roy Jones that it was a “horrendous abuse of the rule of law” for Mr Rufa to not be granted entry into the country to attend yesterday’s hearing. Mr Smith said the matter is further aggravated by the existence of a letter written to the Attorney General and Immigration Director William Pratt on June 23, in which Mr Smith made an “immediate request for permission for Mr Rufa to be able to return to the Bahamas with his partner Sandra Georgiou as he has customarily done in the past.”
Letter At the time, Mr Rufa was due to appear in court three days later on the 26, which ultimately did not happen and forced an adjournment to yesterday’s date. Prior to that, according to Mr Smith’s letter, Mr Rufa was not allowed to return to the Bahamas for hearings in the Court of Appeal and the criminal court on “several occasions.” In response to Mr Smith’s submissions, Loren Klein, counsel for the respondent, said subsequent to the June 23 letter, Mr Smith had “gone silent” and did not “follow up” on the matter. He said the immigration department was more than willing to facilitate Mr
Fred Smith, QC: ‘A horrendous abuse of the law’ that client has been denied entry Rufa’s access to the country, but only if Mr Smith honoured protocol and requested permission prior to the relevant scheduled hearing. And given the department’s preparedness to grant Mr Rufa, Mr Klein suggested there was no need for the court to make an order for Mr Rufa’s attendance. Dame Anita Allen disagreed with Mr Klein’s submissions, however, stating that at the very least, the department of immigration could have responded to Mr Smith’s letter. She further questioned the reason why Mr Rufa hasn’t been – given that he is not on the stop list, the restricted list, and neither does he have any convictions. Justice Crane-Scott, however, noted the “argumentative” tone that pervaded Mr Smith’s letter to the respondents, and submitted that the effect of Mr Smith’s letter and the words contained therein likely had on its recipients were akin to “a red flag to a bull.” Thus, Justice Crane-Scott said she wasn’t surprised by the lack of a response to Mr Smith’s letter, and said the Queen’s Counsel would have been better served by writing a “simple letter” to the department advising of the need for Mr Rufa’s entrance into the country. In response, however, Mr Smith submitted that he did not see the need to write a letter for each time Mr Rufa is scheduled to appear in court. Mr Smith also said he did not want to become
beholden to a process that doesn’t exist in law. Dame Anita, in stressing that the court was not making an order for Mr Rufa’s attendance, moved to quell the cyclical nature of the discussion by suggesting that the matter be adjourned to November 10. In the interim, she said Mr Klein should inform the Department of Immigration of the same, and that Mr Rufa should make every attempt to attend.
Attendance However, should Mr Rufa not be allowed into the country to attend the upcoming hearing, Dame Anita said the court would be “minded” to make an order for his attendance. On the issue of costs, Dame Anita said the court will deal with the matter towards the end of the Mr Rufa’s appeal hearing. Mr Rufa was due to appear before the Court of Appeal yesterday for a hearing in connection with his appeal of certain portions of Supreme Court Justice Petra HannaWeekes’ April 8, 2016 judgment on the judicial
review case he won against the director of immigration. At the the time, Mr Rufa had successfully challenged the Director of Immigration’s decision to revoke permission given to him on November 20, 2015 to land and remain in the Bahamas for 150 days until April 20, 2016. Mr Smith submitted at the time that the decisions taken by the immigration director were irrational and procedurally unfair and/or breached the rules of natural justice given Mr Rufa’s long history in the Bahamas. Mr Rufa owns a unit at Coral Beach Condominiums in Freeport and has resided in the Bahamas for the past 20 years. In January 2015, the Canadian was arrested by immigration officers and charged for allegedly working in the Bahamas without a work permit. The department of immigration also brought a criminal prosecution against Mr Rufa, however they later withdrew it, according to Mr Smith. According to Mr Smith, Mr Rufa owns a unit at Coral Beach Condominiums in Freeport and has resided in the Bahamas for roughly 20 years. However, Mr Rufa is no longer a director of the Coral Beach Management Company – a position he previously held for many years.
The Environmental Impact Assessment called for, among other things, marine water quality monitoring, shoreline monitoring, biological resource monitoring, fisheries harvest monitoring, social impact monitoring, noise monitoring, beach access monitoring and traffic monitoring. Furthermore, the document’s general mitigation measures noted collaboration between the resort and the government, specifically the Office of the Prime Minister. One resident, who asked not to be named, said if she could, she would give the government a “D grade” for a lack of true effort, the Environment Minister “a flat-out F” because he never showed up to work and the resort “a big A” for its ability
BRUNO Rufa at a previous court appearance.
to “out-smart and out-think” the Bahamas government. “We in Bimini are being taken for fools by this resort,” she said.
Enough “They know as long as they keep the government happy when they visit Bimini, all is well. But enough is enough and we will not stop until we get this sorted.” “This is a beautiful island being destroyed by a company and property that doesn’t truly respect it.” RWB started construction of its cruise ship terminal, 1,000-foot pier and manmade island in May of 2014. The development has been plagued by protest and environmental issues since its inception.
PAGE 4, Wednesday, October 18, 2017
THE TRIBUNE
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Here a Trump, there a Trump, everywhere a Trump Trump ONE day in the American media it’s the continuing devastation from Hurricane Maria that continues to imperil Puerto Ricans. The next day dramatic stories in the New York Times expose the misbehaviour of movie mogul Harvey Weinstein. There is reporting about the worldwide refugee crisis, Venezuela, North Korea, and Iran. But there is a Donald Trump angle to every one of them. You cannot escape him. Trump has chosen to pick a fight with San Juan’s mayor over Puerto Rico’s ingratitude toward the U.S. over the delivery of relief assistance. Weinstein’s alleged sordid behaviour toward women in the movie industry recalls Trump’s stunningly insensitive remarks to a TV reporter about grabbing women by the crotch. All American foreign relations are now viewed through the prism of Trump, since the State Department has been emasculated, and the president’s national security apparatus is staffed primarily by foreign policy innocents, ideologues and politically dependent functionaries. The New York Times has been a frequent and recent target of Trump’s Twitter tantrums as it continues to confirm its status as the nation’s newspaper of record and its conscience. It is therefore instructive to listen in on a recent colloquium sponsored by the Times at George Washington University in the nation’s capital. Participating were the newspaper’s executive editor and Pulitzer Prize winner Dean Baquet, chief White House correspondent Peter Baker, and Maggie Haberman, a rising reporter who gained considerable notoriety during the last presidential election campaign. Their subject was Trump in general and his combative, sometimes frightening attitude toward the media generally and in particular newspapers such as the Times, Washington Post and even the reliably conservative Wall Street Journal. Television networks, especially CNN and NBC, but also Fox News at times, have also come under fire from the bombastic chief executive. These editors and reporters know Trump. They said he clearly feels a sense of almost instinctive grievance toward the press despite the fact that he benefitted immensely from media coverage of his presidential campaign last year. He has also been a fixture in the back pages of the New York tabloid papers
for over 30 years, and has enjoyed and likely profited from his resulting notoriety. The Times staffers said he truly has the tempestuous personality revealed in his public appearances and tweets. They also believe this presidency is the most transparent in recent American history – and perhaps ever. The White House may well be as chaotic as it appears to be, and leaks like a sieve. Recent American presidents have tried with varying degrees of success to plug unauthorized leaks and have at times cloaked their obsession with secrecy in the mantle of national security. With some 40 million Twitter followers privy to some of the president’s momentary thinking, this White House represents a big change. There is always a Trump story to write. The Times editor Baquet said the thing that might scare him most is the threatening desire to curtail press freedom that many feel is the instinct and perhaps the real intent of Trump and his attorney general. Such threats often take the form of aggressive federal investigations of leaks. That, Baquet said, could lead to dangerous responses such as potentially wiretapping Times reporters. Such governmental actions would represent an unacceptable and even unconstitutional example of existential threats to freedom of the American press. Now there is a new fight between Trump and the media. Recent articles have noted that the president has actually accomplished very little of his campaign agenda, which has been superimposed on the White House to an unprecedented degree as his presidential agenda. He has railed against the current tax laws, immigration, trade deals like NAFTA, international agreements such as the Iran nuclear deal, the Affordable Care Act also known as Obamacare, and most of the other achievements of his predecessor. Supporters and critics alike have noted that there has not so far been much success in reversing or amending such policies and legislation. Trump increasingly has been shuffling the responsibility for action down Pennsylvania Avenue to the Republican dominated House and Senate. But the politicians on Capitol Hill, unlike Trump, face elections next year. They will be cautious and may resist an increasingly unpopular president.
Lottery will make for a worse Bahamas EDITOR, The Tribune. I COMMEND Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar for having the courage to speak the truth about what the numbers house operators are and what they are doing to our nation’s economy and citizens who gamble. Minister D’Aguilar called them a cartel and said they are “sucking money out of the economy in enormous quantities and thereby affecting the financial well-being of many, many of the citizens.” Minister D’Aguilar said what I and many others have said time and time again in opposition to legalising numbers gambling by the former PLP government. Again, I commend him for his courage. However, at the same time, as others have done, I caution and warn Minister D’Aguilar and the FNM government against the introduction of a national lottery. Legalising numbers gambling was a reckless decision by the former government. The right decision was to enforce the law against the illegal numbers gambling then taking place. And a national lottery is no solution to the economic and moral scourge that the
numbers cartel is doing to our economy and the financial well-being of those who gamble, especially the poor. In truth, a national lottery will only add to the problem. While legally allowed, it is morally wrong for the numbers cartel to be plundering the poor, as they are in fact doing. And it would be doubly wrong for the government to do the same through a national lottery, because governments have a duty to protect its citizens, not exploit them. If the Prime Minister Dr the Hon Hubert Minnis and his government are truly concerned about the financial havoc the numbers cartel is wreaking on this country’s economy and citizens, they will shut down the numbers houses, not join them. Because joining the numbers cartel by introducing a national lottery would demonstrate no real concern. In fact, it would be tantamount to joining the numbers cartel and engaging in the financial gang rape of those who gamble. In the gambling referendum initiated by the former Prime Minister Christie and his government, a majority of voters voted no to numbers gambling and a national
lottery. Mr Christie and his government ignored the wishes of voters and introduced numbers gambling. Will the Minnis-led government join them in their betrayal of democracy and ignore the wishes of voters and introduce a national lottery? I pray that they don’t. Instead, I pray that they will have the courage to shut down the numbers houses and call our nation to renew our national commitment to self-discipline, industry, loyalty, unity, and an abiding respect for Christian values and the rule of law. To do otherwise and join the former government in betraying democracy and exploiting the poor by introducing a national lottery will make for a worse Bahamas, not a better one. May the Lord grant Prime Minister Minnis and his government the courage to do what is right regarding the scourge of gambling that afflicts our economy and many of our citizens. Towards that end I will continue to pray. PASTOR CEDRIC MOSS Nassau, October 17, 2017.
Baha Mar revisited EDITOR, The Tribune.
LIKE many Bahamians, I have watched the Baha Mar saga unfold. Having almost applied to work there, I now count myself fortunate for never having linked my future with that resort. Since its inception, Baha Mar seemed to be a shining example of the correct way an investor ought to develop anything in this country. I am too young to recall all that went on publicly with Atlantis, but it always seemed a bit disconnected from actual Bahamian culture. Baha Mar, or should I say Sarkis, however, sought out authentic Bahamian components for every single facet of the resort. There was no denying the creativity, imagination, cultural identity, and modernized Bahamian-ness that permeated every nook and cranny of that hotel, and I felt a sense of pride in the work of the many talented Bahamians that I knew personally who were contributing to this development. Then greed reared its ugly head, and a man I have come to respect immensely, was ousted from his dream by money loving, power hungry, and corrupt politicians both locally and abroad. I had thought the PLP couldn’t sink any lower than they had between 2002 and 2007, but oh how wrong I was. Leaked emails, public slandering of a local investor, and name calling unfit for any public office was a
LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net
constant reality as self-interest and morally deficient men and women sought to remove the heart of the company, and replace it with a body of people solely interested on the advancement of their agenda, and that of their country. That this blatant mistreatment of an investor, that also lives here I might add, was permitted in a place so dependent on outside sources of revenue baffles me. It ought to infuriate anyone with a love of The Bahamas that a sitting government opted to side with a Chinese owned construction company against an investor they had initially begged to develop Baha Mar. That the PLP would then go on to ridicule this investor publicly, invent ways to discredit him, and then push through gaming permits, and ignore reasonable austerity measures to facilitate Chinese investors speaks to the level of corruption both sides are willing to engage in for personal interest. In the interim, however, hardworking, decent Bahamians were made to suffer, and a resort that could have been a turning point in our economy was left to rot for two years while the greedy fought over crumbs. The time for crying shame is over. A great
wrong must be made right, and like countless others in this country, I believe that this new government must revisit in totality all permits, agreements, and contracts made between the former government and CEXIM, and CCA. Furthermore, in keeping with campaign promises of transparency, all documents ought to be made public where agents of the former government negotiated on our behalf, especially in light of the recent editorial by Eileen Carron which pointed to blatant corruption in a number of the key players currently running Baha Mar, and the potential owners in waiting, along with questionable bonuses paid out to the former gaming board specifically for gaming licenses for Baha Mar. If the PLP were as careless in their dealings with Baha Mar as they were with government monies, one can only imagine what kind of agreement they came to that we are now beholden to as a country. A blind man can see that there is something wrong here, and I join with many others who hope that these anti- Bahamian, and antiinvestor decisions that were made by the PLP be overturned, and this resort returned to its original visionary. STEVEN CARTWRIGHT Nassau, October 17, 2017.
Dr Sands, the country needs you EDITOR, The Tribune. The back and forth between Minister of Health, Dr. Duane Sands and PLP Chairman Mr.Bradley Roberts has exposed one glaring fact. It shows that Dr. Sands did not follow his many friends advice to not put the country at risk and remain in a profession that is more important to people than him being a member of parliament. Dr. Sands knows full well that his many patients and potential patients need him. The recent relegation said just that. But the stark reality is he is not just an ordinary General Practitioner, he is a Heart Surgeon. Now how many heart surgeries do we have. The heart is one of the most important parts of the body, with it not functioning properly, it puts the patients under great duress. But Dr. Sands selfishly decided to listen to those who are directing him, rather than listen to his conscience.
This has nothing to do with politics at all. It has everything to do with the perseveration of human life. Dr. Sands is the best at what he does. I would love for Dr. Sands to be available if anything should happen to me or my loved ones. So we must not get carried away, he is ill served as a member of parliament, no matter what side he is on. Come on Dr. Sands, we need you more and you can make a greater contribution to the Bahamas as a heart surgeon rather than a member of parliament. We are so anxious to decapitate everyone for offering an opinion, just look at the reasoning, when your heart starts to flutter, who would you like to be there for you. Think on these things. Laser focused. IVOINE W, INGRAHAM Nassau, October 17, 2017
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, October 18, 2017, PAGE 5
MINNIS BACKS SANDS’ SURGERY FROM PAGE ONE
pro bona surgeries at the Rand Hospital Grand Bahama, and what would happen if there were any irregularities. “Was it Dr. Sands who proclaim ‘nothing is free’ but now wishes Bahamians to believe that some things are free?” Mr Roberts said. In a statement released by Press Secretary Anthony Newbold,
“It comes as no surprise to anyone who knows Dr Sands that he would volunteer to perform critical surgery for those in need. This is in addition to work he is doing as Minister of Health to make improvements in health care throughout the country.” Prme Minister Dr Hubert Minnis Dr Minnis dismissed Progressive Liberal Party Chairman Bradley Roberts’ recent attacks as “political grandstanding and cheap shots” from a “belligerent and out of touch Chairman.” On Sunday, Mr Roberts accused Dr Minnis of looking “the other way” as Dr Sands performed surgical procedures, an act he claimed
PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis and Minister of Health Dr Duane Sands. was in direct violation of established and longstanding cabinet code of ethics and procedures for its ministers. In response yesterday, Dr Minnis openly commended Dr Sands for his devotion to the Ministry of Health and for his continuing commitment to the health of Bahamians and residents. “He is an exemplary public servant,” the Killarney MP stated. “His willingness to freely donate his time and skills to ensure Bahamians receive the care that they need is a testament to his compassion and ethic care.” Dr Minnis said following his appointment as Minister of Health, he and Dr Sands spoke at length about the need for him to continue to perform urgent and difficult surgeries on a voluntary basis should the need arise.
He added Dr Sands then applied for and received permission from the Cabinet to perform life-saving procedures free of charge. “It comes as no surprise to anyone who knows Dr Sands that he would volunteer to perform critical surgery for those in need. “This is in addition to work he is doing as Minister of Health to make improvements in health care throughout the country,” Dr Minnis said. “I want personally to thank my colleague for his stellar commitment to the Bahamian people.” Dr Minnis continued: “It is shameful and disgraceful, though no longer surprising, that the PLP and its belligerent and out of touch Chairman would place political grandstanding and cheap shots ahead of saving lives.”
“The PLP is more concerned with playing games and taking care of their own self-interests than it is with the needs of the Bahamian people. “This is why they were overwhelmingly rejected at the polls, and why most Bahamians continue to hold the PLP in such regard.” Dr Minnis said instead of attacking Dr Sands, a man who “selflessly dedicated himself to saving and improving thousands of lives of individuals from every political persuasion,” the leadership of the PLP should donate more of their time and talents to volunteerism. He concluded: “Rather than seeking power in order to enrich themselves at the expense of the Bahamian people, whom they woefully neglected in their last disastrous, unproductive and scandal-ridden term in office.” Dr Sands, when contacted Sunday for comment on Mr Roberts’ claims, said in addition to receiving Cabinet permission, he also received written authorization from the PHA to do the work as well. The Tribune saw a letter yesterday from the PHA confirming he has been authorized to maintain “unpaid admitting privileges to assist in the care of patients requiring cardiovascular care,” as stated in his resignation letter. During his contribution to the budget debate in June, Dr Sands disclosed he would provide medical help where voids exist in the public health system.
‘LAST PERSON TO SEE BARRY JOHNSON ALIVE’ CLASHES WITH DEFENCE COUNSEL By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
BRUNO Parker was the last person to see his best friend and co-worker Barry Johnson alive on the evening that the deceased and his wife were shot and killed during a home invasion at their residence in Deadman’s Reef, the Supreme Court heard. Mr Parker, who is employed at the container port, was also the victim of a similar home invasion three months earlier at his residences in Holmes Rock. Tensions rose in the courtroom between Parker and defence counsel Geoffrey Farquharson during crossexamination, with both men raising their voices at each other about the home invasion incident at Mr Parker’s residence. Mr Parker and his girlfriend and their son survived the ordeal. The Johnsons, however, did not. Mr Parker was called to testify in the murder trial of three men – Paul Belizaire, Devaughn Hall, and Kevin Dames – charged with the murder and armed robbery of Barry and Sheena Johnson. It is alleged that the incident occurred between 9pm and 10pm on September 12, 2015, and 8am on September 13, 2015, when the couple’s bodies were discovered. The Johnsons were robbed of their GMC truck. Allan Alcime and Virgil Hall, also charged with the three men, were convicted of the armed robbery. They accepted a plea deal with the AG’s Office to be witnesses for the Crown, and the murder charges against them were dropped.
Employed Mr Parker had known Barry since they were at primary school. Both were employed at the Freeport Container Port – Parker was a warehouse assistant in the Warehouse & Engineering Department, while Barry worked in the Operations Department as a supervisor. On the evening of September 12, 2015, Parker said he was at a party in the Port Lucaya area when he got a call from Barry around 9.37pm about three guys who were parked outside Parker’s residence. Mr Parker said that Barry said the guys told him that they had run out of gas. “I told Barry I was on my way (home); it took me 15 minutes,” Parker told the court. When he arrived home, Parker said he met three young guys in a red-coloured
returned with the firearm for the trial. Inspector Roberts testified that he processed the murder scene in Deadman’s Reef, dusting for fingerprints on two cellphones that were found inside Johnsons’ apartment, and an Infiniti vehicle that belonged to the Johnsons.
BARRY and Sheena Johnson were murdered at their home in Deadman’s Reef. Cavalier sedan along with Barry at his residence. He assisted the men by giving them some gas, and they left. Mr Parker said that Barry then told him he would “check him” in the morning after his wife, Sheena, went to church, and went home. That was the last time that Parker saw his friend alive. “When you went home and met Barry what was he wearing? Asked Crown counsel Erica Kemp. Parker said that Barry was wearing his orange coverall with FCP on the back, and was driving his gold-coloured GMC truck. During cross-examination, Mr Farquharson suggested to Mr Parker that the time he said it took him to get from Port Lucaya to Holmes Rock was “impossible.” “You got a call at 9.37pm at a party in Port Lucaya, and you told the police you arrived in Holmes Rock in 10 or 15 minutes? What kind of helicopter were you in? You can not get from Port Lucaya to Holmes Rock in 10 or 15 minutes, I put it to you that it takes 30 minutes, and by the time you’d get there it would have been 10pm, said, counsel. Parker insisted that he arrived home in 15 minutes. “It’s a lie; it’s impossible,” asserted Mr Farquharson. Mr Farquharson suggested that Parker knew the men parked outside his house. “You know who those fellas were; you know they had Barry, that’s why you fly down there, he suggested. “No, sir,” replied Parker. Mr Farquharson then picked up a photo album and showed Parker a photograph of a deceased Barry and said: “That could have been you. Barry take that for you,” counsel suggested in a raised voice. “What you talking about?” asked Parker during a very heated exchange. Justice Estelle Gray Evans intervened to calm tensions between the two men. Mr Farquharson then questioned Parker about him being the victim of a similar home invasion earlier,
to which Parker admitted that it had happened three months before the Johnsons’ murder. “Those people came and held you, your wife, and son at gunpoint” suggested counsel, hitting a nerve in Parker. Parker, who was visibly upset, told counsel that it was a lie. He said his girlfriend and son were not in the house at the time and had sneaked out a side door and went to the neighbours. When asked about surveillance cameras at his house, Parker said he had removed a camera installed at his residence in 2010.
Driveway “You said Barry called you about these people in your driveway and you could see it on your phone, and you fly down from Port Lucaya, and it so happen that these men in a red car run out of gas in your driveway?” asked Farquharson. Johnson said he assisted the three young guys by giving them some gas he had at home for his lawn mower, and they left. Also testifying were police officers Sgt Donovan Gibson and Inspector Martin Roberts. Gibson told the court that the police recovered a GMC Truck, registration number 8688, owned by Barry and Sheena Johnson. He said police also went to Pinedale, Eight Mile Rock, where officers recovered a chrome Winchester 12 gauge shotgun, with serial numbers erased, in a bushy area behind a peach and white house. He took photographs of the truck, and the firearm, which was presented as evidence in court. He also said that he removed four 12-gauge shotgun shells from the firearm, and took some pieces of the truck’s interior for DNA testing. He said the shotgun and the shells were sent off for forensic testing. However, the shells were not
He said fingerprints were found on the vehicle and on one of the two cellular phones. Inspector Roberts also took photos of a projectile he retrieved from the ceiling of Apartment 7 where the Johnsons’ resided. The trial resumes on Wednesday.
OFFER ON TABLE FOR GRAND LUCAYAN FROM PAGE ONE Back in August, Dr Minnis said he engaged in “fruitful talks” with from representatives Whampoa Hutchinson regarding the resort. However, at the time he would not reveal any details discussed or progress reached during his meeting with them at the Office of the Prime Minister in Grand Bahama. “We continue meaningful discussions towards the forward movement of the Lucayan hotel strip,” he said at the time. “I don’t want to go into specifics to derail or prejudice the investment moving forward, but we would continue discussions, and we will continue to work as much as is necessary to try and bring back the Lucayan strip. “There are too many people here in Grand Bahama suffering, and this has happened not as a result of the recession, but Grand Bahama has been in pain even before the recession.” A deal for the sale of the hotel property in Lucaya is critical to the survival of Grand Bahama’s economy, which has been struggling since last October when the three-resort hotel property closed following significant hurricane damage. The Nassau Guardian previously reported Paul Wynn, CEO of the Wynn Group of Canada, had pulled out of the deal to purchase the Grand Lucayan Resort on the Lucaya Strip, and was seeking to get his refundable deposit back from Hutchison Whampoa, the owners. In late July, Dr Minnis revealed during a national address the government is negotiating to become temporary joint owners of the Grand Lucayan Resort in a bid to boost the hotel until it can sell off its equity. At the time, he said “all signs point to the beginning of renovations at the resort” sometime this month, with the facility “ready for business for the winter season.”
PAGE 6, Wednesday, October 18, 2017
THE TRIBUNE
BPL BOSSES VOW: BOY, 15, DIES IN NEW GUN ATTACK WE CAN DELIVER FROM PAGE ONE
FROM PAGE ONE the struggling electricity provider is “not insurmountable”. “There’s a lot of work to be done. We have a team that can certainly accomplish the mission that we have set out before us and I feel very confident that the Bahamian people will see the results of the hard work that we will do,” said Mr Heastie. He noted that BPL’s Board has already started to put in place strategies aimed at addressing some of the “nagging issues” plaguing the company. “We have already begun to put in place some of the strategies that we need to implement to start and remedy some of the nagging issues plaguing the company both on the generation as well transmission and distribution side. We have been on the ground working from day one. I have been apprised of what has been going on and I am ready to take on that challenge,” said Mr Heastie. Mr Heastie noted that the Board has been working very closely with the management on the ground as well as both unions at BPL. “We recognise that we are going to have to do this as a team. I believe that we have the team to remedy the issues on the ground. There is no prohibitions in my mind that we can’t turn this company to state of the art and world class.” Mr Heastie noted that BPL has both generation as well as transmission and distribution needs. “We have adequate generation on the ground but we are still seeing some outages around transmission and distribution. “We have engaged the study of the transmission and distribution systems to prioritise the areas of softness and in the short term stabilise them with the future intent to strengthening those areas and bringing them to permanent resolution.”
BPL Board Chairwomen Darnell Osborne stated that Canadian firm SanCon should be on the ground next month to conduct an assessment of BPL’s equipment and needs. Mrs Osborne said that a report on their findings should be completed by December. Mrs Osborne also noted
BPL Chairwoman Darnell Osborne. that the Board was of the view that there is no need for a management company to be brought in, as was done under the Christie administration with PowerSecure. “The board is not of the view that we need a management company. This is the management team. We believe that we can turn this company and ultimately turn the country around by reducing the cost of energy.” Mrs Altson, a certified energy manager said that she was excited to be able to return home to utilise her expertise and skill set to aid the company. “This is a fantastic opportunity for me. I am proud and a Bahamian and so excited to have this opportunity. I have spent so many years wanting to come home and really address so many of the problems I understood the Bahamas was facing,” said Mrs Altson. She noted that one of the first things that she and Mr Heastie will undertake is composition of a 90-day plan to set the ground work on the way forward. “I think we could be doing a disservice if we don’t create the plan and set milestones,” said Mrs Alston.
“So if you compare the first four months with the last six months you can see it’s decline, not a meaningful decline, but there are some inroads being made,” the national security minister said. Tribune records show there were 50 murders at the end of April, and, taking into account the latest killing, there have been 63 murders since that period. Yesterday, Bishop Fernander said: “Definitely we don’t see the trend. The truth of the matter is we are talking about trending down or up but the people are not concerned about trends, we want viable solutions. We know all of us need to work together whether it’s the opposition or the church, evil flourishes when good people do nothing.” Bishop Fernander told The Tribune the council planned to meet with Mr Dames to appeal for a gun amnesty, adding it was time for the country to rise up and unite. “We will also be submitting ourselves for information,” he continued, “we’ve gotten quite a bit of reviews saying they don’t trust some of the people at the police force. So we’re going to offer ourselves as pastors for persons to come with information and we can then turn it over to the police. “It is our hope this will be embraced by the Minister, and there will be less isolation and more collaboration.” At Cabinet yesterday, ahead of Bishop Fernander’s comments to The Tribune, Mr Dames said he did not see the need for a gun amnesty because previous attempts did not produce significant results. He underscored the Royal Bahamas Police
Full Military Funeral Service Retired Supt. of Police DELMETA NYOKA TURNQUEST, 73 of #26 Plateus Ave, Twynam Heights, will be held on Thursday, 19th October, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. at Bethel Baptist Church, Meeting Street. Officiating will be Rev Timothy Stewart, assisted by Fr. Stephen Davies, Royal Bahamas Police Chaplin. Interment will follow in Bethel Baptist Cemetery, Meeting Street. Cherished memories will linger in the hearts of her three Children: Sherwood Hilton Fernander, Kenise Davinia-Turnquest, and Keno Divinci Turnquest; Sister: Andrea Hepburn-Miller; Brother-in-Law: Mr. Caroll Hepburn, Grandchildren: Chelsa and Sherelle Fernander, Jai Trinity Turnquest of North Carolina, and Ethan Scavella; two Daughters-in-law and a son-in-law: Charlene and Ereoshi, and Earnan; Nephews: Stephenson Ferguson, Trevor Nixon, Wendel Carey, Jerome Nixon, and Mark Carey; Ross, Adriel & Shonari Hepburn; Nieces: Shirley Stubbs, Sadie Lightfoot, Reverend Ivy Butler, Nyoka Williams, Ursula Pedican, Rosita and Melanie Bethel, Gale Carey, Bonnie Cheney, Sharon Carey, and Judy Carey, Gail Andrews; Long-time Friends: Debra Davis, Jerry Harrison, Claretta Duncombe, Wendy Johnson, Brenda Davis & Family; and Other Relatives and Friends, including Mr.& Mrs. Errol McPhee, Lisa McPhee, Dianne Gardiner, The Scavella Family, Lakeisha Ranger, Lorraine Smith Bert and Nola Deveaux & Family, Joyce, Fletcher and Otis Deveaux, Cynthia Knowles, Davona, Davinia and Danielle Knowles, Agatha Rodgers & Family, Lillis Deveaux & Family, Martha Roberts, Allison &Darnley Sealy, Simone Sealy, Delphine &Lemuel Boyd, Violet Storr & Family, The Fernander Family, Betty Rolle & Family, Felix & Thelma Beneby Members of St Anne’s Church Fox Hill, Pastor Dwight Ferguson & Family, Daphne Brennen & Family, Staff of CRO, the Commissioner of Police & Members of the Royal Bahamas Police Force, the Retired Officers Association, Reverend Timothy Stewart and Members of Bethel Baptist Church, Bethel Baptist Senior Saints, Teddy and Salomi McDonald & Family, Blanche Turnquest & Family, Sharon Timothy & Family, Marina Dames & Family, Virginia Outten & Family, Gloria Laing & Family, the Johnson Road community, Twynam Heights friends, including Mrs. Marina McKinney and Mrs. Willamae Salkey. A special thank you to all for your kindness, outreach and assistance and especially those that have continually kept and will continue to keep her memory in prayer. May her soul rest in peace. Amen. Friends may pay their last respects at Paul Farquharson’s Centre, Police Headquaters, East Street on Wednesday from 10am to 6pm and on Thursday at the church from 10am to service time.
MINISTER of National Security Marvin Dames.
Force has “adjusted its strategy” to target gangs rather than individual criminals. Mr Dames also said the majority of people being sought for murder, in addition to those being murdered, are all “children”. “We are determined to get this crime problem under control and we have adjusted our strategy to take down groups and organizations. If you take one suspect, some one else pops up so we are taking down groups and we will get them,” he said. “We have warrants out for seven persons for murder and the oldest one is 38, these are children we are dealing with. One of the most recent matters, the individual was in custody then he was released and within hours he went and committed a homicide and was arrested again. “The officers are doing a tremendous job,” he continued. “What you see happening now is that officers are not just looking at solving one murder but we understand the complexity related to these issues, so we know that they are gang related and they are being driven by persons who are fighting for turf to
sell drugs and so they are trying to take out the next one.” Last month Commissioner of Police Anthony Ferguson announced the establishment of two separate RBPF anti-crime units aimed at eliminating gang activity in the country and reducing the number of homicides. Mr Dames’ comments outside the Cabinet office yesterday came 24 hours after 23-year-old Gregory Hanna was shot and killed in a shooting on Ida Street. According to
“We are determined to get this crime problem under control and we have adjusted our strategy to take down groups and organizations. If you take one suspect, some one else pops up so we are taking down groups and we will get them.” Minister of National Security Marvin Dames reports, Mr Hanna was standing in front of a house when two men in a Honda vehicle shot him before speeding off. He was taken to hospital where he later died of his injuries. Police immediately launched an island-wide manhunt which led to the arrest of one of the suspects. The other suspect, along with several other men, are being sought in connection with this and several other murders in
the area that occurred over the past months. Mr Dames also said the majority of people being sought for murder, in addition to those being murdered, are all “children”. “We are determined to get this crime problem under control and we have adjusted our strategy to take down groups and organizations. If you take one suspect, some one else pops up so we are taking down groups and we will get them,” he said. “We have warrants out for seven persons for murder and the oldest one is 38, these are children we are dealing with. One of the most recent matters, the individual was in custody then he was released and within hours he went and committed a homicide and was arrested again. “The officers are doing a tremendous job,” he continued. “What you see happening now is that officers are not just looking at solving one murder but we understand the complexity related to these issues, so we know that they are gang related and there are being driven by persons who are fighting for turf to sell drugs and so they are trying to take out the next one.” Last month, Commissioner of Police Anthony Ferguson announced the establishment of two separate RBPF anti-crime units aimed at eliminating gang activity in the country and reducing the number of homicides. Anyone with information on any of the country’s killings is asked to contact police at 911 or 919, the Central Detective Unit at 502-9991 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 328-TIPS.
NO TIMELINE ON CAMPAIGN FUNDING
FROM PAGE ONE establish an Integrity Commission and an Ombudsman office. However, amid all the administration’s discussion of its “compendium” of bills, campaign finance legislation has not been mentioned. The money political parties receive and the identity of donors remain one of the political establishment’s most intensely guarded secrets. Former Prime Minister Perry Christie said in 2012 that campaign financing has sunken in the country to “repugnant” and even “criminal levels,” but his administration did nothing to address the issue. Former Tourism Minister Obie Wilchcombe, who hopes to become chairman of the party at its upcoming convention, has since the election said it was a “mistake” for the previous administration not to enact campaign finance legislation.
One bill expected to be tabled today is the Commercial Enterprises bill, designed to attract “new and diverse businesses that are not looking at the Bahamas because of the rigidities that affect new businesses in this country”. Others include: an Ombudsman Bill; an Integrity Commissions Bill; an Interception of Communication Bill; a National Intelligence Agency BIll; the Inner-City Designation of Tax Free Zones Bill; the Constitutional Amendment for the Department of Public Prosecutions; a Gaming House Regulations amendment; the Companies Regulations; the Companies Amendment Act; Non-Profit organizations regulations; the Civil Aviation Amendments Act, the Civil Aviation Accident Investigations amendment; bills to create a national arbitration centre; and three land bills to “bring in a system of land registration” and “stop the rich and famous tiefing (sic) Bahamian people lands.”
NUMBERS HOUSE HIRED EX-BOARD CHAIRMAN FROM PAGE ONE
Another insider suggested the issue may have been overlooked because the legislation was rushed under the former government. “You don’t want somebody sitting down in an office making decisions - number one where they might be conflicting in a year or so and they might be making decisions knowing they will be working for these people in a matter of months. This is something that is just not done because you know what all the household secrets are,” the insider who asked to remain anonymous said yesterday. “The potential for conflict is palpable and we are surprised that they didn’t deal with that in the legislation. I mean they were rushing, but if you are going to take best practices into account you need to apply it.”
Concerned Another board executive close to the matter said: “There are plans to add it in shortly. The board is very concerned about it and will be making recommendations to the minister to plug the loophole.” The matter has not been the only issue concerning the country’s gaming industry since the Minnis administration took office. An audit of the Gaming Board is currently underway. And Tourism Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar, who has responsibility for gaming, warned recently that the way in
which web shops have been used could land the Bahamas on a financial blacklist. Earlier this month, the minister said as people increasingly use gaming houses as a means to move money some of the clearing banks are closing branches throughout the Bahamas. He noted there is worry that this unregulated activity may put the country on an international “black list,” affecting the stability of the country’s banking sector.
“You don’t want somebody sitting down in an office making decisions - number one where they might be conflicting in a year or so and they might be making decisions knowing they will be working for these people in a matter of months.” While the limited number of gaming houses enjoy the “benefits of being a cartel,” Mr D’Aguilar said the “cash strapped” government should increase tax revenue from this sector, suggesting the Minnis administration could be considering increased taxes for operators. He prefaced this by saying in reviewing the financial statements of operators, they were receiving “eye popping” profits. Mr D’Aguilar said the Gaming Board will further push gaming houses to become more creative in controlling out of control gambling. The former Christie administration legalized the sector in 2014, despite an overwhelming no vote the previous year.
PAGE 8, Wednesday, October 18, 2017
THE TRIBUNE
Sexual harassment is an act of violence
#MeToo — a campaign started by actor Alyssa Milano encouraging women to let people know they have experienced sexual harassment or assault has populated social media with evidence of the pervasiveness of sexual violence. While it is empowering for some to be able to share their stories, or even say they have experienced something without naming or describing it, it is difficult for some people to see and understand. It has sparked necessary conversations about sexual harassment and made it clear we need to clearly define the term and consider its effects. In a 2015 survey conducted by Hollaback! Bahamas and Cornell University, 71.9 percent of respondents said they first experienced sexual harassment before the age of 15. Seventeen percent reported their first experience of sexual harassment occurred before the age of 10. We often think of sexual harassment as benign comments causing minimal harm if any at all, but over 50 percent of respondents were groped or fondled in 2015, and 80 percent had been followed by a man or group of men which made them feel unsafe. Seventy-nine percent chose not to go out at night, 85 percent changed their route home, and 72 percent decided not to interact with a person as a result of street harassment.
IN a 2015 survey conducted by Hollaback! Bahamas and Cornell University, 71.9 percent of respondents said they first experienced sexual harassment before the age of 15.
What is sexual harassment?
Sexual harassment is any unwanted sexual advances, requests for sexual favours and includes verbal and physical acts of a sexual nature which violate dig-
“Sexual harassment, even when taking the form of comments and suggestions, is not harmless. It is an act of violence. It is easy to dismiss this as an exaggeration, but it does not take long for an unwanted comment to escalate to physical aggression.” nity and/or create an intimidating and hostile environment. It often depends on and abuses an existing power dynamic, used to coerce people in order to access or maintain employment or enrolment in educational institutions. For example, in the workplace an owner, manager or
supervisor may use their position and subsequent privileges to sexually coerce employees. Suggestive remarks and inappropriate touching often go unreported because those experiencing sexual harassment fear being ostracized, terminated or facing discrimination at work. Not limited to the workplace or educational institutions, sexual harassment frequently occurs in public spaces. This is known as street harassment. From whistles and “Hey, baby” to following and groping, it is a daily experience for many. It disproportionately affects women, people of colour, differently-abled people and members of the LGBT+ community. Generally, the more people are in a public space, the higher the frequency of street harassment, so those who walk and/or use public transportation are at a higher risk. Why does this matter? Sexual harassment, even when taking the form of comments and suggestions, is not harmless. It is an act of violence. It is easy to dismiss this as an exaggeration, but
it does not take long for an unwanted comment to escalate to physical aggression. Sexual violence is a spectrum, and while sexual harassment is seen as the lower end, it is not far from rape.
ACTOR Alyssa Milano started the #MeToo campaign.
A sexual harasser ignores the same concepts and messages as a rapist. They impose themselves on other people. They refuse to acknowledge or respect boundaries. They do not bother to get consent. They are okay with making people feel uncomfortable. They prioritize themselves. They look for ways to exert their own power. They do not care if the person says no or shows fear or anger. They want to do what they want to do, no matter how it makes another person feel or impacts their life. If a person can sexually harass someone in public, or in private where their job can be at risk, what else are they capable of? What can they do behind closed doors, with no one to see, intervene or report? Sexual harassment and the casual manner we respond to (or ignore) it contributes to the normalization of violence. It creates a world where people are free to do as they wish without consequence. We assume everyone has the same experiences and interpretations of events as we do, and expect them to respond in the same ways. We are slow to consider other points of view, and recognize the problem with predatory, violent behaviour whether or not it directly affects us.
Our failure to teach and talk about consent has manifested itself in generations and generations of people who have no spatial awareness, no understanding of boundaries and a belief they have the right to other people’s bodies. What is the difference between a compliment and sexual harassment? In discussions about street harassment a lot of time is always spent dissecting compliments and trying to draw a line between a compliment and harassment. This is an exercise in futility because there is no clear, solid line. This is obvious in the definition of sexual harassment which uses “unwanted” as a descriptor of the act. By definition, an act is deemed sexual harassment when the person on the receiving end does not want to experience it. One person may find a comment acceptable while another does not. While one person may be flattered by a comment, another may be offended, angered, or fearful. The difference between a compliment and sexual harassment is how the message is received. This means we need to be mindful of other people’s feelings and pay attention to social cues. If someone walks by quickly, avoids making eye contact, or is engaging in another conversation or activity, recognize that person as uninterested in your attempts to engage. If you decide to offer a greeting and get no response, accept the lack of interest and move on. Resist the urge to impose yourself on another person. If you give what you believe to be a compliment and get no response or a response you do not like, move on without taking up more time and space. If your “compliment” has another result, something has gone wrong. Remember that compliments are about making other people feel good; not about making yourself feel good or reaping a reward. Impact vs. intent People often find the seemingly blurred line between a compliment and sexual harassment frustrating, especially when their focus is not on ending sexual harassment, but on their own desires. If your “compliments” make someone cross the street, leave the office, or
find other ways to put distance between themselves and you, you have had a different impact. It is not unusual to affect people in unexpected, unintended ways. Sometimes we want to make people laugh, but offend them instead. There are times when we want to lighten the mood, but our actions only make things more uncomfortable. At these times, our focus should not be on excusing or explaining ourselves. A message was not delivered properly,
“Most of us have witness sexual harassment. We see people pull strangers by the arm to force conversation. We hear whistles and kissing noises. We see people being cornered by strangers. By not doing anything, we condone this behaviour and communicate that we don’t care what may happen next.”
and it has affected other people. Instead of considering our own feelings and getting lost in ideas of our rightness, this is the time to recognize the impact our actions had on the other people involved. Our impact is more important and deserving of our attention than our intent. Bystander Intervention Most of us have witness sexual harassment. We see people pull strangers by the arm to force conversation. We hear whistles and kissing noises. We see people being cornered by strangers. By not doing anything, we condone this behaviour and communicate that we don’t care what may happen next. If we understand the importance of consent and ownership of our own bodies, it is on us to condemn acts of sexual violence. We can do this by directly addressing the harasser, distracting them with a question (like which bus to take or directions to the nearest bank), asking others to help stop an act, and checking in with people who experience harassment in our presence. There is always something we can do to help. For more information on ending street harassment, visit facebook.com/ hollaback242.
CARIBBEAN NEWS
LOPEZ, ANTHONY, RODRIGUEZ RAISE $35M FOR PUERTO RICO RELIEF NEW YORK (AP) — Jennifer Lopez, her ex-husband Marc Anthony and her current boyfriend Alex Rodriguez have raised more than $35 million for Puerto Rico hurricane relief. A spokeswoman said in a statement Tuesday that the two singers and the retired baseball superstar raised the money in donations, pledges and their own contributions. About $9 million was raised via the Oct. 14 benefit show “One
Voice: Somos Live! A Concert for Disaster Relief,” which the trio hosted. Most of the rest came from corporate donations and pledges. Lopez and Anthony’s parents both came to the United States from Puerto Rico, and Rodriguez’s family is from the Dominican Republic. The two singers were married in 2004 and divorced in 2014. Lopez has been dating Rodriguez since early this year.
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, October 18, 2017, PAGE 9
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA RESEARCHES
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE By KEVIN BECKMAN, Minnesota Daily
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Twenty-five years ago, Nikos Papanikolopoulos started his work in the University of Minnesota’s Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Vision lab. For the first five years, the lab researched and developed robotics that were largely unheard of. In 1997, his lab had its landmark moment, when the U.S. Military used his lab’s Scout robot to survey dangerous war zones in lieu of humans. It built the lab’s reputation into a national standout. Today, Papanikolopoulos and his lab are part of a rapidly emerging field of science fusing yesterday’s unbelievable with today’s uncharted — artificial intelligence. The Minnesota Daily reports that he and his team are working on developing technology that uses artificial intelligence and expands to all facets of life. The developments span from helping the Department of Homeland Security detect suspicious activity in airports through the lens of a camera to assessing and diagnosing mental illness. “We’re working on the line between what’s feasible and what’s just not possible yet,” said Dario Canelon, a research assistant in the lab. Papanikolopoulos and his students are helping develop technology to improve human health, agriculture and safety. Canelon is helping build an artificial intelligence system that can watch videos of children and assist in identifying symptoms of mental illness. The system can point out patterns of behavior common in certain mental illnesses
real time so it can plan and navigate to a destination and avoid obstacles and people. Paul, who has spent three years working in the MARS lab, said the team is working on building indoor navigation as well. Paul said the theoretical end game of this project could give users directions
GRAD student Tien Do inputs data into a computer to demonstrate a drone flying in the MARS lab in Minneapolis. The Minnesota Daily reports that Nikos Papanikolopoulos and his team are working on developing technology that uses artificial intelligence and expands to all facets of life. (Easton Green/The Minnesota Daily via AP) like Tourette’s Syndrome or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. “You can always have a psychologist follow a kid around, but the fact that a person is there might cause the kids to alter their behavior,” he said.
Learning Another project uses machine learning, where the machine improves its function over time and increased exposure, to look at databases of cancer characteristics to recognize formations and textures of cancerous cells and make diagnoses faster than doctors. Another of Papanikolopoulos’s students, Ruben D’Sa — a researcher for eight years — is developing solar-powered drones. These vehicles take off in the day, collect solar energy and switch to battery power when
the sun sets, letting them stay in the air to collect massive amounts of data. D’Sa and his colleagues want to incorporate AI technology into drones to let them fly over fields of crops and spot things like nitrogen deficiencies in specific areas of the field. This data can be stored and relayed to a farmer, who then knows which specific areas of the field need more fertilizer or chemical treatment. This saves the farmer money, but also limits chemical runoff that could reach lakes and rivers, Canelon said. Another lab, the Multiple Autonomous Robotic Systems lab, or MARS, is using motion sensors, cameras and lasers to come up with algorithms autonomous robots can use to navigate environments on their own. The work of two MARS students, Kejian Wu and Mrinal Paul, can be applied in self-driving cars. The car needs to know where it is in
“We’re working on the line between what’s feasible and what’s just not possible yet.” Dario Canelon, research assistant at University of Minnesota based on video of interior surroundings they take with their phones and a digital map. “We already have some of these solutions, but as time goes by the challenge is how to make things even faster and work in all different kinds of environments,” Paul said. “It does the stuff we’re not so good at.” A couple miles away from the University’s campus in downtown Minneapolis, Aftercode, an artificial intelligence startup founded by University dropout Mitch Coopet, works to bring AI to consumers. Specifically, Coopet wants to augment another landmark technology, your smart phone, with AI. The company is currently testing an app called Rambl, which uses AI technology to transcribe phone conversations, take notes, suggest follow-ups and enter dates into a phone’s calendar in seconds.
“It does the stuff we’re not so good at,” Coopet said. Aftercode focuses on training AI to observe patterns in written text transcribed from phone conversations, said Josh Cutler, an AI technician at the startup. For example, if you say in a phone call, “I will send you that by next week,” Rambl can recognize grammatical patterns and store the information in your phone. Cutler hopes this kind of technology will get to a point where AI is consistently making things better without humans having to tell computers what to do. Development around AI depends on understanding human psychology in a given situation and then coaching an AI to do the same thing, Coopet said. The next stage would be actual executive decision making by AI, but that’s still far off.
Goal “I don’t believe the real general AI goal is to make something like us,” Coopet said. “It’s to make something better than us.” In a University law school classroom, professor Francis Shen lectures students on AI ethics and society-altering implications of the field in his class “Law and Artificial Intelligence.” He said many experts on the topic are fearful of a worst-case scenario surrounding artificial intelligence. “We have to ask ourselves if we’re cataclysmically ending the human race by developing this technology,” he said. Shen said many of AI’s potential implications rest on how much decision-making ability humans give them.
GREENPEACE FAULTS MANY TECH GIANTS FOR ENVIRONMENT IMPACT By YOUKYUNG LEE Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The environmental group Greenpeace issued a report on yesterday giving technology titans including Samsung Electronics, Amazon and Huawei low marks for their environmental impact. Many of the biggest technology companies failed to deliver on commitments to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and are still reluctant to commit fully to renewable energy, according to Greenpeace USA’s Guide to Greener Electronics. The report, which assessed 17 top global tech companies in three areas, also faulted many of them for failing to use more recycled materials in their products and slow progress in phasing out use of toxic materials. “Tech companies claim to be at the forefront of innovation, but their supply chains are stuck in the Industrial Age,” Gary Cook, a campaigner at Greenpeace USA, said in a statement. The report details the hidden cost behind what may be the most sought-after and celebrated consumer
INSUNG LEE, program campaigner of Greenpeace, speaks during a press conference at Greenpeace office in Seoul, South Korea, yesterday. products in the 21st century: mobile computing devices like smartphones and tablet computers.
Transition Since 2011, Greenpeace has urged global tech companies to transition to renewable energy, prompting some of them to switch to environmentally friendly power sources for their data centers. The group is urging the industry to tackle energy issues in manufacturing and supply chains, design longerlasting products to reduce electronics waste and urging
an overall rethink of its “take-make-waste” business model. The report highlighted that tech companies’ manufacturing processes are not as environmentally friendly as their innovative images might suggest. While the energy consumption in the tech industry rose rapidly to fuel the supply chains and the manufacturing of these products as well as the data centers where social media, cloud computing and other applications run, so have the greenhouse gas emissions. Samsung Electronics received a grade of D in its
use of renewable energy, which accounted for just 1 percent of its manufacturing process, compared with Apple, which relied on renewable energy for 96 percent of its operation. Samsung, the world’s largest maker of smartphones and key component suppliers of many of the tech companies featured in the report, saw its greenhouse gas emissions rise 24 percent in 2016 from two years ago. It also received low marks on its efforts to reduce and disclose hazardous chemicals at workplaces and to design long-lasting products. Samsung Electronics and other companies mentioned in the report did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment. Chinese smartphone makers Huawei, Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo have gained a significant share of the market in the last few years. They scored below average in all categories and lacked transparency and commitment in renewable energy, the report said. Amazon was the only U.S. company that received the lowest mark, an F, in its overall environmental performance, along with
the Chinese phone makers. Greenpeace said Amazon was among the least transparent companies and did not report the greenhouse gas footprint of its own operations. Among the 17 companies, Amsterdam-based Fairphone and Apple were said to be doing better in various areas.
Power Greenpeace urged the companies to use more renewable energy, switching energy sources that power their supply chains. It also urged the tech companies to remove hazardous chemicals and other materials from their products and workplaces and design longer-lasting devices to help reduce waste. If the tech industry does not change to renewable energy, the world won’t be able to tackle climate change, said Greenpeace campaigner Lee Insung. “In the next three to five years, the use of renewable energy and how well the companies cope with climate change will determine their core competitiveness,” Lee said.
TECHTALK • MICROSOFT has begun rolling out an update to its Windows 10 operating system, hoping to spark enthusiasm for its virtualand augmented-reality ambitions. The semi-annual update became available Tuesday. Along with virtual experiences, the Fall Creators Update brings new ways to share photos and video and work with 3-D imagery. Several of Microsoft’s partners — Acer, Dell, HP and Lenovo — are simultaneously launching their first “Windows Mixed Reality” headsets Tuesday. Samsung is releasing one next month. Microsoft is also announcing a new generation of laptops in its Surface line. Two versions of the new Surface Book 2 — one 13.5 inches and the other 15 inches — will go on sale next month. Starting at $1,499, the powerful computers are aimed at graphic designers and other professionals. • WHEN two extremely dense neutron stars crashed together in a distant galaxy, astronomers struck scientific gold, confirming previously unproven theories, including some from Albert Einstein. Scientists announced Monday that after picking up two faint signals in mid-August, they were able to find the location of the long-ago crash and see the end of it play out. Measurements of the light and other energy that the crash produced helped them answer some cosmic questions. Scientists, starting with Einstein, figured that when two neutron stars collide they would produce a gravitational wave, a ripple in the universe-wide fabric of space-time. Four other times that these waves were detected they were the result of merging black holes. This is the first time scientists observed one caused by a neutron star crash. The Big Bang created light elements like hydrogen and helium. Supernovas created medium elements, up to iron. But what about the heavier ones like gold, platinum and uranium? Astronomers thought they came from two neutron stars colliding, and when they saw this crash they confirmed it. One astronomer described as a “giant train wreck that creates gold.” They estimate that this one event generated an amount of gold and platinum that outweighs the entire Earth by a factor of 10. Gamma ray bursts are some of the most energetic and deadly pulses of radiation in the universe. Astronomers weren’t quite sure where short gamma ray bursts came from, but figured that a crash of neutron stars was a good bet. Watching this event confirmed the theory.
PAGE 10, Wednesday, October 18, 2017
THE TRIBUNE
Who are the real targets? Leading human rights lawyer continues his series of articles attacking the government’s new immigration crackdown 2. Can’t apply for any papers to regularize themselves; and, 3. Can’t legally leave the Bahamas; and, 4. Can’t legally enter into another country. 5. Must try to flee the Bahamas illegally. So, insofar as those who are here illegally, the Minnis Manifesto makes no sense! They are stuck in a no man’s land of no ability to legally leave, no amnesty, no opportunity to regularize, subject to raids, subject to arrest, detention and deportation no matter what they do. Thus, insofar as illegal migrants are concerned this Christmas Manifesto is causing panic and will cause them to get on overcrowded boats and flee the country at the mercy of human traffickers or face “aggressive” consequences. Bravo Prime Minister and Minister Symonette in scaring people and not providing an amnesty as a practical mechanism to deal with the issue!
By FREDERICK R. SMITH, QC
A
T first glance, the Christmas “Minnis Manifesto” appears to be directed at persons who are illegally in the country. The Prime Minister commands them to voluntarily leave or regularize themselves by getting their papers straight or face THURSDAY aggressive arrest and deportation in the New Year. But, effectively, who is HIGH 87ºF the threat directed LOW 78ºF at?
Frederick Smith, QC
an entitlement to status but haven’t yet been “regularized”. Persons falling into the above categories, are either 1. Born in the Bahamas before 1973 independence, or 2. Born in the Bahamas after 1973, or 3. Are married to Bahamian citizens, or 4. Arrived here legally and have applied for a renewal of their permits; or 5. Have been here for decades and have a moral right to consideration of their applications. Let us remember there is no offence known to the law of the Bahamas as “not having immigration status”. There is also no law, as there cannot be, of “not having a passport”. So most of the above have not committed any offence under the law and are therefore not subject to being arrested, charged, detained and or deported. Yet, for decades, they have been
PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis and Minister of Immigration Brent Symonette.
go outside the country to apply”. This is of course illegal, but the DOI under the PLP and the FNM con- tinue to enforce this. Many have either applied for some A1MAIN kind of immigration 3 Established 190 status and are waiting for the DOI to process their appli42.COM cations or, have TRIBUNE2 N O S W E AKING N 24/7 BRE not applied for t! s e B d n any immigration A t s e g Big status. But not having a passport, OFFICIAL SOURCE or not applying for “immigration CH TE D status” or not N A S S, CAR : CARS, CAR “regularizing” ER D A TR S D CLASSIFIE oneself, is not an offence under any law in The Bahamas. I describe thousands of them as “Citizens in Waiting”, because under various Articles of the Constitution they are ENTITLED to be reg‘WE DIDN’T istered as MISUSE T U O A6MAIN G’ citizens upon ES IN SH ND LA FU H IT SM applicaM AT ‘VISIONLESS’ FN tion. They commit THE STORIES no offence BEHIND THE NEWS Residents of by simply MONDAY, OC TOBER 16, 201 speak out onthe Mud and Pigeon Pe 7 as immigration being in the ultimatum US COUPLE Bahamas CH whether PRAYED DRIVE-BY VICTIM AY DYING –DRSEAGARS ON they have or have not TO GOD AS SHE L applied for any kind of “papers”. i’m lovin’ it!
VOLUME:114
Persons who have landed illegally, have overstayed or are working without a permit. Logically and practically, it cannot be directed at people who are illegally in the country. Why? For the most part, those who are here illegally can’t legally leave. They don’t have visas or passports to legally travel to the USA or elsewhere by plane or boat. In addition Minister of Immigration Symonette on Friday emphasized that first time applicants for work permits have to be out of the country when they apply. Thus, those who are here illegally and have no papers 1. Can’t apply to the Department of Immigration (DOI) to regularize themselves; and, 2. Can’t voluntarily leave. Minister Symonette has clarified there is no amnesty until December 31 and raids and deportations would continue apace. So, the Minnis Manifesto effectively commands illegal migrants to get out illegally by finding their way into the USA thus encouraging human traffickers to secretly and illegally smuggle them out. Otherwise, how pray tell are they going to voluntarily get out? Those who are here illegally and who want to apply either for residency, for permission to land or for a work permit cannot do so because the DOI perversely (there is no law to such effect) won’t process an application unless such a person is outside of the country. So, to summarize, those who are here illegally 1. Don’t have an amnesty; and,
“Bravo Prime Minister and Minister Symonette in scaring people and not providing an amnesty as a practical mechanism to deal with the issue!”
e n u b i r T e h T
OBER 12TH, No.223, OCT
2017
PAPER:$1
OBITS THE PEOPLE’S
INSIDE
s i n n i M : t u o t Ge s l a g e l l i s e giv e n i l d a e d t i x e
of anyone who will be the fate deportation ply. yesdoes not com the House of Assembly RUSSELL aking in By KHRISNA Reporter r underscored Spe iste min ef prime Deputy Chi nemedia.net all nationaliterday, the e applied to ts krussell@ tribu amas that the deadlin Bahamians and residen Bah the persons er ties, adding that migrants in these illegal by Decemb ILLEGAL the country r Dr Hubert who also employ must leave SEE PAGE SIX e Ministe y, 31, 2017, Prim d) declared yesterda and ture Minnis (pic an aggressive pursuit as he warned
PAGE 6, Mon
day, October 16,
2017
nts came in His stateme Minnis’ ultiDr ROLLE in response to By RASHAD Reporter people living ff matum that illegally must Tribune Sta edia.net the country December 31 rrolle@tribunem by r Dr get out from ramped up iste Min er suff iPRIME is a “menace or enforce imm Hubert Minnis law” in the efforts to s. They also of ion law to the rule nd Bahama grat frustration with Bahamas, Gra Association come as his tration appears hts inis Rig adm an the Hum hed a boil d Smith has to have reacd what some President Fre point ami d declared. rebuke yet ing as self-inflicte r In his harshest supported activists see h thei he oug of the leader election, Mr wounds.Th mostly been in the general Dr Minnis criticism hasthe public eye, Smith called chell,” lik- kept out of activists have Mit nis er some leading the “New form the that the Min to ening him airs Minister been upset ion recently Foreign Affll with whom Administrat Interception of tabled the Fred Mitche tly sparred. , which Bill ion uen icat mun he has freq I could be Com Smith said yesterday “I wish that s Mr spy my energie , “is worse than the PLP expending e, positive in constructivs instead of bill.” newly the way for g ftin As upli immigration t the evil of ent figh cem to oun ing in ann hav ent yet aga SEE PAGE SIX a governm Mr five years,” for another Smith said.
RUSSELL By KHRISNA Reporter ef Deputy Chi nemedia.net krussell@ tribu THE TRI uty E r DepBUN A DAY afte r ister K Peteer Prime Min the form Turnquest said more rted dive government $150m a from than $40m f and recovt hurricane relie win the mos ery loan to tion, Opposi-” recent elec ip “Brave Phil der tion Lea the allegation ied den is Dav “confident” saying he was SEE PAGE FIVE
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Being born in The Bahamas and not having a passport is not an offence under the law. The law only provides for the offences of entering, overstaying, or working without a permit. Unfortunately, because of Mitchell’s 2014 heresy, even though they are not committing an offence, persons falling in such categories 1-5 above are regularly illegally arrested in roundups and raids, their homes are regularly invaded, their belongings often lost to vandals, detained sometimes for years and/ or are illegally deported. However, in many instances, they are simply detained until such time as an application is made for
By AVA TUR Tribune Chi NQUEST ef Reporter aturnquest@ tribunemedia .net AS A war of between humwords erupts activists and an rights the government about the impact and intent of its tion ultimatumnew immigraas usual for , it’s business one of the cou residents in and largest ntry’s oldest settlements. shanty town The Trib through the une combed aper Leading Newsp Mud and its streets of the ama Islands’ ment Pigeon sister settleNassau & Bah out from resi Peas to find den ts - most of Haitian desc Prime Ministe ent - how Minnis’ dec r Dr Hubert reverberated laration has most affected among those . Some note the undercu d an uptick in and anxiety rrent of fear RESIDENTS of the Mud and Pigeon Peas – people with common to the country’s out oldest and large in the country legal status st shan immigration ALL Photos: Terr ty town settlements. expressed disg , but most el W Carey/Tr ment of mig and the treat- in ibune staff lieu rants. peration that ust and exasof increased However, deportation. want to help trick in the Bah the “oldest Bah ami ans of Haitian desc Linda Thervill they go through themselves, ical handbo amian politent and , a long-term ok” has bee the process. Bah mian residen a- You nee pulled so soo work perm n hold t d of mon it Pige n ey, afte ers spoke Peas, said: r a general election “I know somon applied for a wor he only strongly about concern . k perm e- for year People with s that far- one who did apply so he could save it out status, or reaching for a wor and those awaiting complex ain’ k permit and they still the citizenship applica for confirma- immigration tion. t give tion, were relu “And what abo were not bein challenges here and it, they were born who ctan ut the kids t to shar their views g addressed app wer on the issue e be able to worlied so they’d whose e born here and of parents wer him he has to k. They told back hom e sent zenship inst apply for citi- do a fast e? They need to ead before er process to can get the he them. permit but that Those kids help don’t make gotta come bac no don’t want them sense. You somethi k on the boat or ng. If your work? parents went back with you whe you were eight or ninen and now you’re 20-p lus you have to “It’s a cycle, gle yourself try and smugbac the k here, and process they of asking still don for Haiti, it take stuff from them noth ’t want to give they pick you ing. s fore ver So the little up in a raid. should and it’s very cost “If you bit of money be in the syst ly. have any way So you don’t and you were born here you get to eat em, if you catc have all the and how are they to work, so ments, docu- of yourself, you take care obvious h her three times ly Nassau is going to get have to go (Im mig pay rati the money letting a tick officials) they on her go. to apply? The still gonna (to Abaco).et to come back y send you “My process to Nassau whe didn’t take Ms Thervill n too long, I was here and ued: “There’ , 40, contin- did it every time s one woman of themexactly at 18. A lot through they they come straight in the Peas are not would you catch her. Why 18 it , once you go past gets kee her to Nassau, p sending it’s bec a lot harder. But she born here three times, their ause of money, or pare her docume , she have all so they nts are in Haiti nts. Her nam have to send e for CONTINUED ON NEX T PAGE
THE IMMIGRATION ultimatum has been making the news since Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis made his announcement last week.
Those who are born in subjected to illegal raids, C le The Bahamas and or ycare detentions and deportawaiting for applications to tions because, as PLP be considered by the DOI Senator Fred Mitchell Turning now to the said on Friday “…we other categories of per- had put in place a policy, sons that are called which says that everybody “illegal” because Teachthey ers & Salariedshould have a passport Workers Co-operative Cr are “undocumented”, edit Unof ion Limhis ited or her nationalor “don’t have their BIDS FOR ity in this country. That papers” or are waiting for COLLECTI not changed. And if ON AGhas ENCIES their papers to be “pro- you are a first time work cessed” and or Th who have e Teache rs & Salariedpermit holder you have to Worke Co rs -operative Credi t Union Lim Invites bids fro ited m Collections Agencies for the Collectio n of Delinquent Loan Accounts.
them, or a family member brings in some kind of paper that is obtained, or they pay an immigration officer to release them, or they simply languish at the Carmichael Concentration Camp sometimes for years. Article 15 of the Constitution provides that “every person”, not “Bahamian citizen” is
“I describe thousands of them as ‘Citizens in Waiting’, because under various Articles of the Constitution they are ENTITLED to be registered as citizens upon application.” entitled to the human rights in Chapter III of the Constitution. Article 19 protects from arbitrary arrest and detention; Article 20 provides for due process before the courts not the DOI; Article 20 protects privacy of one’s home and property; Article 25 protects freedom of movement and immunity from expulsion as a non-citizen except under due process of law not at the arbitrary whim of the DOI and Defence Force. Section 18 of the Criminal Procedure Code provides that once arrested persons must be taken before a court “…without unnecessary delay and not later than 48 hours”. Yet thousands are never taken before a court and dealt with according to law. Most of them do not have papers to voluntarily travel out of the Bahamas before December 31, 2017. So they are also put in terror and faced with attempting to flee the Bahamas illegally rather than face illegal roundups and detentions. These “Citizens in Waiting” have committed no offence. They are entitled to some kind of status. Thus, the DOI will entertain their applications because they are not in the Bahamas illegally. They are the only ones that can get their papers in order or regularized by December 31, 2017. So, the ultimatum can only logically be directed at those thousands who are entitled to status. Accordingly, the Minnis Xmas Manifesto is a threat
to a large section of the domestic population. This shows that the object of this threat is not really to ensure that people who are here illegally should leave, but it is directed at people who are born here and people who have entitlement to status but who apparently don’t yet have papers. There is no requirement in law for people to travel around with passports. Secondly they have applied for papers and thousands are simply waiting. They can’t do anything to speed up the slow process. The Xmas Minnis Manifesto Promotes Corruption So this ultimatum is directed at illegally forcing people to get passports when there is no legal obligation on them to do so. It also targets unfortunate people who have applied for papers and are waiting. They are at the mercy of a DOI whose interest is not to process applications, but forever keep them in abeyance, so that they can continue to roundup them up and corruptly collect money at the Carmichael Concentration Camp in a process that is outside of the scrutiny of the courts. The going rate is $2500 for release. Some people have been caught in the vicious cycle of corruption 3 or 4 times. Ironically, this perpetuates corruption because it is not in the interest of the DOI to process the applications. The Government has lamented the systemic corruption. It has also confessed that there are huge backlogs of applications. I urge the Government to make a virtue out of necessity and to 1. Stop terrorizing poor people with threats of illegal raids, detentions and deportations. 2. Declare an amnesty for those illegally here to apply to get papers to leave or be regularized and stay. 3. Process First! Pick Up After! Prosecute in the Courts! 4. Protect the borders; arrest and deport immediately all newcomers. 5. Engage Civil Society and Reform Immigration Laws.
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, October 18, 2017, PAGE 11
BURGER KING ROBBERY MASTERMIND HAS SENTENCE CHALLENGE BID DISMISSED By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net
THE CONVICTED mastermind behind the armed robbery of a Burger King restaurant six years ago has had her bid to challenge her eight year sentence dismissed after the Court of Appeal found it had “absolutely no prospect of success.” Former Burger King employee Dwaynette Taylor had filed an extension of time application in order for her to appeal
her eight year sentence for conspiracy to commit armed robbery and armed robbery in connection with the October 26, 2011 armed robbery of Burger King’s Cable Beach location.
Application In an oral judgment, however, Court of Appeal President Dame Anita Allen and her fellow Justices Jon Isaacs and Stella Crane-Scott said while they were “willing to overlook the length of delay” in
Taylor filing the application, as well as the reasons given for that delay, “the appeal though, has absolutely no prospect of success.” “We therefore dismiss the application for an extension of time and the two concurrent sentences of eight years therefore stand,” she said. In September of 2014, Taylor was one of three persons convicted and sentenced for the October 26, 2011 armed robbery of Burger King located in Cable Beach.
COMMONWEALTH Secretary-General Baroness Patricia Scotland and Attorney General Carl Bethel. PHOTO: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff
OFFICE OF CIVIL AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM IS LAUNCHED By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net
therefore such countries will benefit from systems that pool best practices and knowledge from across the DURING a session of Commonwealth. yesterday’s Commonwealth The office will provide Law Ministers Meeting, technical assistance and delegates launched the practice guides, model Office of Civil and Criminal laws, standards, templates Justice Reform. and legal insight on climate Commonwealth Sec- change, human rights and a retary-General Baroness range of other issues. Patricia Scotland noted that The office will exist as common laws, common an online platform and parliamentary systems and it will highlight laws and common institutions link procedures adopted by the 52 Commonwealth commonwealth countries. member countries,
Access to the website’s portal will be restricted to Attorneys General and their offices. “This conference so far has been extremely enlightening,” Attorney General Carl Bethel said in response to the launch of the office. “It has been a very good conference that has covered a plethora of very topical issues, issues that not only confront Commonwealth countries generally but the Bahamas specifically.”
On the day in question, the three, while armed with a gun robbed the Burger King restaurant of $19,000 at around 6pm.
Charge Taylor, who was described as “the mastermind in the plot”, received
eight years at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services, then Her Majesty’s Prison for each charge she faced. Her accomplices, Tony Newbold and Kadeem Bain, received 12 years imprisonment for conspiracy to commit armed robbery and nine years for firearm possession.
They were also accused of endangering the lives of officers PC 1856 Sands and Cpl 2521 Seymour. At the time, Court of Appeal Justice Roy Jones, then a Supreme Court judge, said the three showed no remorse despite their lawyers’ pleas for leniency.
PAGE 12, Wednesday, October 18, 2017
WEINSTEIN’S FILM ACADEMY OUSTER RAISES CONCERNS ABOUT OTHERS By LINDSEY BAHR, AP Film Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — Harvey Weinstein has been kicked out of the group that awards the Oscars and his producers guild expulsion is a formality at this point, but now questions are being raised about what to do with other bad seeds who remain card-carrying members of the entertainment industry’s most prestigious organizations. Before Saturday, only one person is said to have had their Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science membership revoked, and that was for loaning out awards screeners. And before Monday, the only people to have lost their Producers Guild of America standing were those who had failed to pay their dues. Now, both organizations have opened a can of worms in expelling Weinstein for conduct following more than three dozen accusations of sexual harassment, including from some of Hollywood’s most well-known actresses. “People recognized this was an extremely important decision on the part of the Academy,” film academy board member and Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy told The Associated Press Monday. “I think they made the right choice.”
Message The film academy said its decision was, in part, to “send a message that the era of willful ignorance and shameful complicity in sexually predatory behavior and workplace harassment in our industry is over.” The board also intends to establish ethical standards that its members will be expected to uphold. The implications could be far-ranging for the 8,400plus member group. What becomes of Roman Polanski, who in the 1970s pleaded guilty to having sex with a 13-year-old girl he plied with champagne and Quaaludes? Or Bill Cosby, who has faced dozens of allegations of sexual assault? The list of film academy members is not public, and thus, occasionally there are incorrect assumptions made about who is in fact a member. Woody Allen, for one, is not. “We are going to have to look at what does that mean for the future, what kind of changes — moral clause — that we need to put into the bylaws at the academy,” Kennedy said. “And then I’m sure that the next step will be that we’ll start to look at some of these other people.”
THE TRIBUNE
TRUMP WARNS ‘I FIGHT BACK’ AFTER MCCAIN HITS OUT AT FOREIGN POLICY By KEN THOMAS, Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Tuesday warned Sen. John McCain that “I fight back” after McCain questioned “half-baked, spurious nationalism” in America’s foreign policy. McCain, a former Navy pilot who spent 5½ years in a Vietnam prisoner of war camp and is battling brain cancer, offered a simple response to Trump: “I have faced tougher adversaries.” Trump said in a radio interview with WMAL in Washington, “I’m being very, very nice but at some point I fight back and it won’t be pretty.” He bemoaned McCain’s decisive vote this past summer in opposition to a GOP bill to dismantle Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act, a move that caused the failure of GOP efforts to repeal and replace “Obamacare.”
Sacrifice In Philadelphia on Monday night, the six-term Republican senator from Arizona received an award for a lifetime of service and sacrifice to the country. In addition to recalling his more than two decades of military service and his imprisonment during the war, McCain took a moment to go a step further than the night’s other speakers, who lamented what many described as a fractured political climate. “To abandon the ideals we have advanced around the globe, to refuse the obligations of international leadership for the sake of some half-baked, spurious nationalism cooked up by people who would rather find scapegoats than solve problems,” he said, “is as unpatriotic as an attachment to any other tired dogma of the past that Americans consigned to the ash heap of history.” He continued: “We live in a land made of ideals, not blood and soil.” Former Vice President Joe Biden presented McCain with the Liberty Medal. Though members
US President Donald Trump (AP)
of opposing parties, the two men worked together during their time in the Senate. Former President Barack Obama, who defeated McCain in his bid
FORMER Vice President Joe Biden presented John McCain with the Liberty Medal. (AP)
for the presidency in 2008, congratulated the senator on the award in a tweet Monday night. “I’m grateful to @ SenJohnMcCain for his lifetime of service to our country. Congratulations, John, on receiving this year’s Liberty Medal,” Obama wrote.
SEN. John McCain (AP)
Another political foe, 2012 GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney, said on Twitter: “Ran against him, sometimes disagree, but proud to be a friend of @SenJohnMcCain: hero, champion of character and last night, Lincolnesque.” The back-and-forth between the president and McCain represented the latest skirmish between the two Republican party heavyweights and another example of Trump tangling with GOP senators who could undermine his agenda in Congress. Trump in recent weeks has feuded with Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, although the president joined with the Kentucky senator at the White House to publicly declare they were on the same page. McCain played a consequential role in the health care debate and will be lobbied heavily to support the president’s push to overhaul the tax system. In the radio interview, Trump aired his frustration with fellow Republicans who have eluded him in his attempt to overhaul the
health care law approved during President Barack Obama’s administration. “We need some votes from some of the Republicans. “For some reason, they weren’t there on health care. They should have been,” Trump told
“I’m being very, very nice but at some point I fight back and it won’t be pretty.” President Donald Trump WMAL’s Chris Plante. “We thought we had it. John McCain voted no, which was a shocker.” As a presidential candidate, Trump said in 2015 that McCain was “not a war hero” because he was captured in Vietnam, adding, “I like people who weren’t captured.” McCain, the 2008 Republican presidential nominee, said Trump owed other veterans an apology. During Trump’s presidency, McCain has questioned the president’s
immigration policies and warned him against cozying up to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The senator also criticized Trump in August for saying that both white nationalists and counterprotesters were responsible for violent clashes in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Tweet McCain insisted in a tweet that “there’s no moral equivalency between racists & Americans standing up to defy hate and bigotry” and the president should say so. The senator underwent surgery in mid-July to remove a 2-inch (51-millimetre) blood clot in his brain after being diagnosed with an aggressive tumor called a glioblastoma. It’s the same type of tumor that killed Sen. Edward M. Kennedy at age 77 in 2009 and Beau Biden, son of then-Vice President Joe Biden, at 46 in 2015. Pressed on Trump’s threat Tuesday morning, McCain told reporters he has had tougher fights, and then smiled.