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Volume: 123 No. 227, Wednesday, October 21, 2026
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FNM TRY TO PLOT RETURN FROM ELECTION LANDSLIDE Opposition grapple with low morale and leadership questions in upcoming conclave By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net THE Free National Movement will hold its long-delayed inquest into its crushing election defeat behind closed doors this weekend. Party chairman Dr Duane Sands said the party won’t allow outsiders in, saying: “How am I going to have a
confidential discussion with a PLP sitting in the room?” More than 300 constituency representatives, party officers and senior members are expected at the two-day conclave, which begins on Friday. It is the party’s first formal reckoning since it won only eight of 41 seats in the May general election. The meeting comes as CONCLAVE - SEE PAGE FOUR
Bridge repairs delayed as businesses suffer By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net A CENTRAL Andros businesswoman says the closure of the Fresh Creek Bridge forced her to shut down her business last month, and she now spends her days waiting for any work that comes her way. “I just sit and pray that
somebody call me that they need something,” Hanna Mott told The Tribune yesterday. Ms Mott, who runs Diamond Wheels on Wheels and sells food at the roadside, said trade slowed so much after the bridge closed that she had to put everything on hold. She is BRIDGE - SEE PAGE FOUR
CEDRIC ‘CID’ ROKER CEDRIC ‘CID’ ROKER
‘No disagreement is worth a human life’ By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net THE brother of a 36-year-old man shot dead during an argument over a debt says the killing has left four young children without their father,
and that no disagreement is worth a human life. Cedric “CID” Roker was killed off Carmichael Road on Saturday afternoon after a man driving a white van blocked his car and the two men argued over an outstanding debt. “No disagreement is worth a
human life. No moment of anger is worth destroying an entire family,” his brother, Ronald Roker, said in a statement yesterday. He said Cedric was more than a victim. He was a devoted father and KILLING - SEE PAGE FIVE
JUDGE UPHOLDS $500K IN GIFTS EXECUTORS REFUSED TO PAY By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune News Editor rrolle@tribunemedia.net TWO men in charge of the estate of Mary Carolyn Papai, the late founder of medical supplier Ports International, were wrong to treat $500,000 she left to a church and four other organisations as void, a Supreme Court judge has
ruled. Papai, who wished for her ashes to be placed at a columbarium linked to New Providence Community Church, left the church $300,000. Twelve years after her death, it has received nothing. Her executors, Ronald Harcourt Knowles and ESTATE - SEE PAGE THREE
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PORTS INTERNATIONAL
Realtor calls for school on Paradise Island PAGE 2, Wednesday, October 21, 2026
A LONGTIME Paradise Island resident and real estate professional is calling for the establishment of a school on the island, arguing that the absence of an educational institution is limiting its potential as a year-round residential community. Dexter Avney, of The Agency Bahamas, said Paradise Island has evolved beyond its reputation as a luxury tourism destination,
with an increasing number of families choosing to make it their permanent home. However, he said parents must still transport their children across the bridge to attend school in New Providence, creating daily logistical challenges and potentially discouraging other families from relocating to the island. “A school would give families another reason to
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establish permanent roots on Paradise Island rather than simply viewing it as a place for a second home or vacation property,” Mr Avney said. “It would help transform the island from an exceptional residential destination into a more complete and connected community.” Mr Avney argued that a school would not only reduce commuting pressures but also help foster
SEVEN women were called to the Bar of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas on the 28th of September 2026 by The Honourable Sir Ian Winder, Kt., Chief Justice with Madame Justice Weech-Gomez and Madame Justice Denise Lewis Johnson also sitting on the Bench. Those called were: Ms. Astra Phoebee Charlton whose petition was presented by Mr. Desmond Bannister. Ms. Kendall Maggie Adell Gibson whose petition was presented by Mr. Dwayne A. Gibson. Ms. Amina Farah Forbes whose petition was presented by Mr. Arnold A. Forbes. Ms. Bianca Nury Virginia Smith whose petition was presented by Mrs. Kelley Bostwick-Toote. Ms. Kristen Lauren Noel Johnson whose petition was presented by Mr. Elsworth N. Johnson. Ms. Summer Sade Aliyah Russel whose petition was presented by Mrs. Gia Moxey-Lockhart. Ms. Clishae Lauren Sands whose petition was presented by Ms. Tai Pinder.
stronger relationships among residents through extracurricular activities, sporting events and other community initiatives. He said the absence of a school represented a gap in the island's development, particularly as its residential population continues to grow. Beyond the educational benefits, Mr Avney suggested that establishing a school could strengthen the island's real estate market by attracting more families seeking permanent residences rather than holiday properties. “When families evaluate a community, they consider the complete lifestyle,” he said. “A beautiful home is important, but so are education, convenience, recreation, safety and a genuine sense of belonging. A school would strengthen every aspect of the Paradise Island residential offering.” He also suggested that greater year-round residency could benefit local businesses, encourage community participation and help diversify a housing market traditionally associated with luxury vacation homes and international investment. Mr Avney pointed to Lyford Cay International School as an example of how an educational institution can contribute to community development through athletics, cultural activities and
DEXTER Avney of The Agency Bahamas. other programmes involving students and residents. He said a Paradise Island school could complement existing educational institutions in New Providence rather than compete with them. Possible models could include a private school, international school or early-learning institution, depending on the needs of residents. Mr Avney did not identify a proposed site, developer
or funding arrangement for such a school. He maintained that the island's infrastructure and services should evolve to reflect its growing residential character. “Paradise Island is already one of the most extraordinary places in The Bahamas,” he said. “A school would help provide the missing foundation for a stronger, more connected and truly complete community.”
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Wednesday, October 21, 2026, PAGE 3
Church’s $300k inheritance upheld after 12-year dispute
ESTATE from page one Charles Wenzel Mackay, refused to pay because the will said the gifts should come from her personal accounts and from Ports’ accounts. They argued she had no personal account when she died, and that the company’s money was not hers to give away. Justice Hope Strachan agreed that the company’s money did not belong to Papai, but ruled that this did not wipe out the gifts. She found they were “demonstrative” legacies, meaning gifts of a fixed sum of money with a named source to be used first. When that source is empty or cannot lawfully be touched, the shortfall is paid from the rest of the estate instead. Justice Strachan said: “A failed source does not necessarily mean a failed gift.” The ruling, dated October 20, also covers a $50,000 gift to the Cancer Society of the Bahamas and a $150,000 fund to be held on trust for Smile Train, World Vision and Youth Empowerment through Soccer. Both were written in the same terms as the church’s gift. The judge illustrated the difference with two examples. A gift of a particular item, such as a gold watch left to a daughter, fails if the watch no longer exists when the person dies. A gift of £5,000 to be paid from a savings account does not. If the account holds only £2,000, the remaining £3,000 can come from other estate assets. Papai founded Ports International in 1987. According to the company’s website, it imports and wholesales medical, surgical, pharmaceutical and public safety supplies, and counts the Ministry of Health and the Public
Hospitals Authority among its main customers. She signed her will on February 4, 2014, and died on October 21 that year. Mr Knowles and Mr Mackay were granted probate in August 2015. The will left all her shares in Ports and HMH Enterprises Ltd to trustees for her son until he turned 35, and then to him outright. It also left him her Sandyport properties and whatever remained of the estate after the other gifts. The executors said they were obliged to preserve the company’s value and pass its shares undiluted to his trustees when he turned 35 on October 15, 2023. In letters dated August 10, 2020, and December 3, 2021, the executors rejected the church’s claim. Among their reasons, they cited the church’s failure to provide the cost of the proposed columbarium and details of other donors and how much they intended to give. The church sued in October 2022. It also sought a full account of the estate and alleged that the administration may have favoured the son over other beneficiaries. Justice Strachan said the will imposed no such conditions and the executors had no right to add them. The gift contained no words such as “provided that”, she said, and the court could not invent a condition simply because it might explain why Papai wanted to benefit the church. On the company’s money, the judge sided with the executors. Owning shares does not make a company’s bank accounts the shareholder’s property, she said, and they were right not to withdraw Ports’ funds merely because the will mentioned them. Papai’s own will made the trustees’ powers over Ports subject
MARY CAROLYN PAPAI
PORTS INTERNATIONAL ON SHIRLEY STREET, NASSAU to decisions of the company’s board. However, the judge said the estate must disclose any dividend or other payment it actually received from Ports or HMH. She also refused to accept that Papai had no personal account. The probate declaration recorded bank deposits as nil, but then listed $49,153.24 at Scotiabank and $820.31 at Royal Bank. It put the estate’s total value at $96,067, including $40,000 in household goods, her Ports shares at $1,000 and her HMH shares at $5,000. Justice Strachan said those entries needed explaining before the executors’ position could safely be accepted.
North Eleuthera runway repairs expected to finish this week
She ordered Mr Knowles and Mr Mackay to file a full inventory and account of the estate within 45 days, setting out every asset, receipt, debt, expense and payment. They must reconcile the bank entries and produce banking records where available. They must also explain a $93.45 gap
between the listed assets and the stated total, which matches a credit card balance in the declaration. In addition, they must disclose the value and fate of the Sandyport properties and the shares, any dividends received since Papai’s death, and any transfers or advances made to or for her
son. The ruling does not mean the church will be paid in full, or soon. Justice Strachan refused its request for an immediate order for the whole $300,000, saying the face value of a gift and what an estate can actually pay are different things. Once the account is filed, the court will work out how much of each gift can come from the named source and apply the legal order in which estate assets are used. It will then decide whether the gifts must be reduced. She made no order for the sale of the Sandyport land or the shares left to the son, but said they would not be immune if the estate eventually reached that stage. Whether the executors breached their duties, whether the son was improperly favoured and whether they are personally liable will be decided later. A mistaken reading of a will does not automatically make an executor personally liable, the judge said, and she found no fraud, dishonesty, bad faith or wilful default. The church was awarded its costs on the main question of whether its gift was valid. Its claim for interest was put off until the amount owed, and the date it should have been paid, are known. Norwood Rolle represented the church. Owen Wells represented the executors.
Funeral Service For Godfrey Kirkwood Pearce, 88
By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net REPAIRS to the deteriorated runway at North Eleuthera Airport, which drove Western Air to halt flights to the island, should be finished by the end of this week, Minister of Works and Family Island Affairs Clay Sweeting said yesterday. He said resurfacing was progressing and crews were expected to begin striping the runway. “We anticipate, if we don’t have too much weather, within this week you should see it completed by the end of the week,” he told reporters before a Cabinet meeting. He said the newly resurfaced runway should be ready for use by next week if all goes to plan. The runway remains open but closes around 5pm each day so the work can be done. Western Air has not flown to North Eleuthera since October 2, after it suspended service because uneven and sunken sections of the runway were causing rough take-offs and landings. The airline’s president and chief executive officer, Sherrexcia “Rexy” Rolle, has said its return depends on the repairs. The suspension came just days before thousands of people were expected to travel to Eleuthera for the Harbour Island Homecoming. Former North Eleuthera MP Rickey Mackey warned at the time that it would “create major havoc here in North Eleuthera”. Repairs began nearly two weeks ago. Mr Sweeting,
WORKS AND FAMILY ISLAND AFFAIRS MINISTER CLAY SWEETING MP for Central and South Eleuthera, initially estimated they would take about 12 days, with crews working overnight to limit disruption to flights. The work involves milling sections of the existing runway and laying new asphalt to deal with potholes and uneven areas found during inspections. Bahamas Striping, the company doing the paving, said earlier this month that the new asphalt would need 30 days to cure before markings meeting Civil Aviation Authority requirements could be applied. The resurfacing is a temporary fix while plans for a permanent airport development move forward. Mr Sweeting has said bids for the permanent project have been submitted and are being evaluated before being sent to the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) for its approval. The project is expected to include a new, longer runway and an apron able to take larger aircraft, which would also serve a
planned airport development farther east. The airport’s condition has been a concern for years, as North Eleuthera is a major gateway for visitors travelling to Harbour Island and nearby communities. In 2024, Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper described conditions at the airport as “completely embarrassing” despite the island’s strong tourism performance. He later disclosed that $55m in financing from the Saudi Fund for Development had not been drawn down because of bureaucratic delays, but said alternative funding had been secured. At an IDB procurement fair in 2023, the airport infrastructure programme’s project coordinator, Charlene Collie, outlined an estimated $30m project for North Eleuthera, including a new parallel runway, an apron and conversion of the existing runway into a taxiway. She said at the time that the package was expected to be signed that September.
of San Souci died at the Princess Margaret Hospital, Shirley Street, Nassau on Saturday, 17th October, 2026. Mr. Pearce was predeceased by his wife, Joan Kathy Pearce; father, Charles Kirkwood Pearce; mother, Olive (Moree) Pearce; sister, Patricia (Pearce) Bethel. He is survived by his son, Troy Pearce (Samantha); daughter, Gia Greene (Sean); brother, Jimmy Pearce (Hannah); grandchildren; Justin Pearce (Sharon) and Nicholas Pearce, Alexis Greene and Joshua Greene; great grandchildren, Sebastian and Serena Pearce, Jude, Sofia and Ivy Roderick; and a host of other relatives and friends; special thanks to his cousin, Marilyn Moree; friend: Willard Barr; his wonderful nurses and Dr. Chrispin Gomez. A graveside service will be held at Woodlawn Gardens Cemetery, Soldier Road, Nassau at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, 22nd October, 2026. Pastor Jay Simms will officiate. The family requests all those attending to Please wear bright colors. Arrangements by Kemp’s Funeral Home Limited.
Sands defends closed-door conclave amid party divisions PAGE 4, Wednesday, October 21, 2026
THE TRIBUNE
CONCLAVE from page one
the FNM grapples with low morale and an open debate over whether Michael Pintard should remain leader. After the election, Mr Pintard was reported to have told party members he would decide whether to stay on based on the outcome of the party’s post-mortem. The conclave was first planned for July but was postponed. Dr Sands said the party must confront hard questions about what it should do differently, including how it reaches voters, how it gets supporters to the polls and whether it has become stale. “How,” he said, “do you deal with the issue of voter turnout? How do you remain true to your core values, but at the same time, not being stale? How do you freshen up or modernise as time goes on? These are all very important issues.” He said the conclave would go beyond reviewing the defeat. Members would be presented with data for an evidence-based assessment of where the party stands and where it
FREE NATIONAL MOVEMENT PARTY CHAIRMAN DR DUANE SANDS should go. Asked whether a closeddoor meeting without outside input could produce an honest assessment, Dr Sands said the party
had already sought outside views but needed a confidential space for frank discussion. He said governments in The Bahamas had typically
been voted out after one term, but the Progressive Liberal Party broke that pattern by winning a second consecutive term for the first time in nearly three
decades, something he said the FNM must examine. Asked whether the conclave could re-energise the party’s base, Dr Sands said: “I believe it can. I believe it will.” He urged members to “be honest, objective and participate”, and said he expected the event to be positive and impactful. Party insiders have privately told The Tribune that morale has been low amid conflicting views about the party’s leadership and its future. The leadership debate further erupted in August when former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham told supporters the FNM needed leadership capable of inspiring people rather than trying to force loyalty, and urged members to “find someone who could win”. Mr Pintard rebuked Mr Ingraham for choosing the wrong setting to raise the issue, and insisted he remains the best person to lead the party. Former FNM deputy chairman Michael Turnquest went further, saying none of the sitting Opposition MPs had shown they could unite the party, re-energise its base and
win over voters. He urged the FNM to consider every option, including looking across the floor or outside the current political structure. “Pintard’s continued claim to leadership is not a show of strength,” Mr Turnquest said at the time. “It is the very definition of leadership by default.” Dr Sands has also pushed for the party’s next convention, currently due by October 2027, to be held within months. Speculation about a leadership contest continues in the background. FNM deputy leader Shanendon Cartwright, the former St Barnabas MP, and East Grand Bahama MP Kwasi Thompson are being watched as possible contenders. The Tribune also understands that interest has grown in Long Island MP Dr Andre Rollins following his forceful contributions in the House of Assembly. None has publicly declared an intention to seek the leadership. Dr Rollins said in September that he had made no decision to enter the race, and that he continued to recognise Mr Pintard as leader.
BRIDGE CLOSURE FORCES ANDROS BUSINESSWOMAN TO SHUT SHOP BRIDGE from page one now trying to sell soft drinks and food from her home while looking for other work in the community. “I put everything on hold because of the bridge, people can’t come over with their cars,” she said. “You can’t hardly go shopping and nothing like that it doesn’t make sense.” She said businesses in the area had lost at least 50 percent of their profits because
customers could no longer easily reach them. “A lot of people over here lost a lot,” she said. Ms Mott said she had seen a local school principal walking students halfway across the bridge so they could get home, and that some children were left disappointed after missing the school’s fun day because they could not get across. With cars barred from the bridge, residents have been parking near one end, walking to the other side
and trying to find rides from there. Ms Mott said there is no reliable ferry between the northern and southern sides of Central Andros. One ferry ran for about a month before stopping, she said, and another began earlier this week but left after a single day. Ms Mott, who lives in Davis Creek and has run her business for about two years, said the settlement had also suffered power outages, poor telephone
FRESH CREEK Bridge in Andros. service and limited transport in recent months. She criticised the government’s response and called on Central, Mangrove Cay and South Andros MP Leon Lundy to make sure the bridge is properly repaired rather than patched up. Her frustration was echoed yesterday outside the Office of the Prime Minister by Progressive Liberal Party supporter Edison McKenzie, who accused Mr Lundy of wanting to put a “band-aid” on the bridge instead of fixing it properly. “The people in Central Andros are fed up, and we will not accept no patching up on no bridge anymore,” he told reporters. Mr McKenzie said Mr Lundy had assured residents that repairs were under way. He also claimed several residents had been hurt because of the bridge’s
condition, recalling an incident in which a man’s foot went through the bridge, leaving him needing about 30 stitches. Minister of Works and Family Island Affairs Clay Sweeting told reporters that a structural component needed to support the bridge had arrived in the country, and that the contractor would carry out the repairs when the weather allowed. The Fresh Creek Bridge, which links Andros Town and Coakley Town, was condemned in August after engineers found that a structural support had sunk. The sinking shifted the bridge’s weight onto other supports and caused three sections to drop by about nine inches. Officials first planned a temporary bridge to keep vehicles moving while a
permanent replacement was designed. The government dropped the idea after contractors estimated it would cost more than $10m. Mr Sweeting said at the time that the cost “wasn’t feasible to the ministry”. In September, the government said it would instead spend about $400,000 repairing the existing bridge, with work expected to begin on October 1 and take four to six weeks. The repaired bridge is meant to serve in the interim while the government tenders for a permanent replacement. Concerns about the more than 50-year-old bridge are not new. In 2020, it was closed after a mailboat struck it. In 2023, officials acknowledged it was in poor condition, as residents raised concerns about its safety and design.
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Wednesday, October 21, 2026, PAGE 5
Education targets 85% FOUR CHILDREN LEFT FATHERLESS AFTER graduation rate by 2030 FATAL SHOOTING OVER DEBT DISPUTE
By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net THE Ministry of Education, Science and Technology is targeting an 85 per cent graduation rate by 2030, Education Director Dominique McCartney-Russell announced last night, while also revealing plans to strengthen literacy and numeracy, invest in staff development and improve governance and accountability. Her remarks came as the ministry unveiled its strategic roadmap for transforming the country’s education system, alongside a new brand and an independent nonprofit foundation aimed at attracting greater investment in the sector. Mrs McCartney-Russell said the ministry’s action plan centres on four priorities, beginning with students. She said the ministry must strengthen literacy and numeracy, identify learning needs early and ensure every child has a pathway to success through academics, technology, entrepreneurship, innovation or technical and vocational training. The second priority, she said, is the Bahamian people, stressing that “no education system can rise above the quality of its teachers and leaders”. She said the ministry must invest in professional development, strengthen
MINISTRY of Education Director Dominique McCartney-Russell speaks during the unveiling of the Ministry’s strategic roadmap last night. Photos: Chappell Whyms Jr leadership and support excellence across the teaching profession. "Our third priority is really how we work," she added. "We must improve governance, management, and accountability, ensuring that our efforts, small and great, remain focused on student success." The ministry’s fourth priority is to modernise the education system through digital transformation, improved infrastructure and the development of schools equipped to meet 21st-century demands, she added. "These are not separate ambitions," Mrs
RM Bailey’s Pop Band performs during the Ministry of Education’s unveiling of their strategic roadmap last night.
McCartney-Russell continued. "They are our connected commitments to one national goal, giving every Bahamian child a fair opportunity to succeed and so we have a goal of an 85 per cent graduation rate by 2030, and this is a very important key performance indicator, but our true ambition is even greater." "We want a Bahamas where opportunity is not determined by geography or circumstance." However, she stressed that the government cannot do this work alone and called for everyone to do their part, adding that "graduation is everyone's business". She then referred to the newly launched Bahamas Education, Science and Technology (BEST) Foundation, an independent non-profit organisation designed to give businesses, charitable organisations and other partners a way to contribute resources towards improving schools and expanding opportunities for students. Education Minister Chester Cooper described the foundation as one
Ministry still cannot confirm all 54 Bahamians returned home By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net MORE than a week after an earthquake in Panama sent their flights to Colombia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs still cannot say whether all 54 Bahamians caught up in the diversions have made it home. The Bahamians were among passengers on flights bound for Panama City that were diverted to Colombia after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck southern Panama on Friday, October 9. Some were sent to Barranquilla, in the north of the country, and the ministry has said Bahamians were also on flights diverted to Cartagena. Passengers on one Copa Airlines flight from New Providence that landed in Barranquilla described being kept aboard for nearly 12 hours without adequate food, water or information about how they would continue their journey. One woman said in a Facebook post, reported by The Tribune last week, that she boarded shortly after 11.45am and did not get off the plane until 11.20pm. She said there were incidents on board that needed police involvement, that some passengers needed medical help, and that once they finally disembarked, there were no airline agents to arrange the accommodation they had been promised. Yesterday, Ms Ali said
the ministry activated a consular task force to track the affected nationals and coordinate with Colombian and Panamanian officials and Copa Airlines to help them continue their journeys. Some passengers travelled from Bogotá to Fort Lauderdale, while others flew from Bogotá to Panama City before continuing to New Providence. Ms Ali said the ministry had spoken with almost all affected travellers or their relatives, but wanted to contact each person directly to confirm their circumstances. “I do like to reach out directly because sometimes our consular response, we’re not speaking with the person themselves, but we’re speaking with their grandma or their auntie,” she said. She said the incident showed the need for better communication between the ministry, airlines and foreign officials during emergencies, particularly as more Bahamians travel through Panama to shop and to connect to other destinations in the region. The ministry discussed its response with Panama’s new ambassador to The Bahamas, Ana Delgado, who pledged to strengthen communication with Copa Airlines so that future disruptions are better coordinated, Ms Ali said. The earthquake, centred near Pitaloza Arriba in Herrera province,
damaged buildings and forced the temporary closure of Tocumen International Airport, Copa’s main hub. Panama’s Civil Aviation Authority listed eight Copa flights diverted to Cartagena and Barranquilla while the airport was shut. Ms Ali also addressed the ministry’s response to the security situation in Saudi Arabia, where a small number of Bahamians live in cities including Riyadh, Mecca and Medina. She said the ministry had checked on the Bahamian community following a missile attack at an international airport and was considering what travel advice to issue. Houthi rebels in Yemen have repeatedly targeted Saudi airports this month. An attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on October 10 killed at least 13 people and wounded more than 300, according to the Associated Press. Ms Ali said the ministry regularly updates travel advisories on its website, identifying destinations where travel should be avoided, where caution is advised and where travel should be limited to essential purposes. She urged Bahamians travelling overseas to check the latest advice before leaving, and to make sure they have important contact numbers and websites for both their destination and The Bahamas in case of an emergency.
"particularly close to his heart". He said the BEST Foundation, managed by an independent private sector-led board of directors, was created to turn collective goodwill into meaningful educational impact. "It's not about giving to government. It is about giving to our children and giving them a better chance, a chance to learn, a chance to discover their gifts, a chance to pursue dreams that might otherwise remain beyond their reach," Mr Cooper said. He urged the public to be part of what he described as an education revolution. The event, held at Baha Mar and attended by Prime Minister Philip Davis and other government officials, featured student performances and video messages from Family Island teachers highlighting the need for more resources for students and staff. Students also shared the opportunities and resources they would like to see made available to them.
CEDRIC ‘CID’ ROKER KILLING from page one son, and a “man whose life mattered”. The family, he said, now faces a future without someone they hold dear. “While our hearts are broken, our family remains united in our commitment to seeing justice served through the proper legal process,” he said. “We will continue to cooperate with law enforcement and trust that those responsible will be held accountable.” Police said Roker was leaving Apostolic Way in a black Honda with another person shortly after 4pm when the van pulled across his path and blocked him in. During the argument that followed, Roker is alleged to have produced a sharp object. Another man, who had been watching, walked over, pulled out a gun and shot him. The gunman fled south along Apostolic Way in a grey vehicle. Roker died at the scene. Officers later took the 27-year-old driver of the van into custody. At last report, police said he was assisting with the investigation and that they were pursuing significant leads. The family condemned the killing as senseless, saying the dispute should never have turned deadly. Ronald Roker urged people to settle their differences by talking and through peaceful conflict resolution. He thanked the public for their support and compassion, asked anyone with information on the gunman’s whereabouts to come forward, and asked people to keep the family in their prayers in the difficult days ahead. The killing pushed the country’s murder count to 64 for the year, according to The Tribune’s records.
PAGE 6, Wednesday, October 21, 2026
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Asking for help should not become another ordeal WALKING into a police station to report violence can take more courage than those behind the desk may realise. A person may be frightened of what happens next, worried about their children or embarrassed to describe what someone close to them has done. They may have spent hours deciding whether reporting it will make their life safer or more difficult. The response they receive matters enormously. That is why the allegations now being investigated by the Royal Bahamas Police Force deserve serious attention. The Tribune reported on October 19 that a young mother alleged officers at East Street South Police Station refused to take her complaint following an assault. She said she subsequently received assistance at Carmichael Road Police Station. The force has announced an investigation into whether policies or procedures were breached and affirmed that everyone is entitled to report an incident and have it properly assessed. That response is welcome. The investigation must establish what happened, and the officers concerned must have a fair opportunity to answer the allegations. But we do not need to await its outcome to affirm a basic expectation: someone reporting violence should be heard, treated respectfully and given a clear explanation of what happens next. Taking a complaint seriously does not mean accepting every allegation as proven. It means recording the account, assessing immediate danger and investigating fairly. That protects the complainant while preserving the rights of the person accused. A dispute involving relatives or former partners deserves the same professional attention as violence involving strangers. Familiarity between the people involved cannot be a reason to dismiss an allegation or suggest that seeking help is itself the problem. For someone already afraid, a discouraging response can have consequences well beyond that first visit. They may leave believing there
is nowhere else to turn. Others who hear their experience may decide not to report their own concerns. Police leadership should therefore examine both this complaint and what can be learned from its handling. Every station should have a consistent process for receiving reports of violence. Complainants should leave knowing that their account has been recorded, whom they can contact and how to raise concerns if they believe they have not been treated properly. Where an immediate safety concern emerges, officers should explain the available assistance and help connect the person with the appropriate services. Supervisors have a particular responsibility. Training matters, but so does checking what happens during an ordinary shift. A policy has little value to someone standing at a station desk if the officer receiving them does not follow it. The investigation should also be handled by people sufficiently removed from those whose conduct is questioned. Relevant records should be preserved, and the complainant should receive updates without having to conduct a public campaign for attention. Where failures are established, the response should include appropriate accountability and practical changes. Where allegations are not substantiated, that too should be explained fairly, within the limits necessary to protect privacy and any proceedings. This is also about supporting officers who do their work properly. A dependable complaints process protects their professionalism from being overshadowed by unresolved allegations against others. We regularly urge the public to help police combat crime. That appeal depends on people believing that approaching the police will bring a serious, impartial response. Trust is built in those encounters: a patient hearing, a properly recorded account, a clear explanation and a call returned. A person asking for help should leave knowing that someone has listened and that there is a process they can rely on.
Who were the founding fathers? EDITOR, The Tribune. I LISTENED to a conversation over the weekend on a private radio station (No name) where the host of the show asked the guest “who were our founding fathers?” The guest of the show erroneously responded that our founding fathers were:Henry Milton Taylor, Cyril Stevenson, and Willian Bill Cartwright. Those of us who are friends of history would remember that the above three men were founders of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) in 1953. These
were mulatto (half white) Bahamians. History would recall that Sir Lynden joined that organisation when he returned from school later that year or the following year. There were 15 founding members of the modern Bahamas. They were:- Lynden Pindling, Arthur Hanna, Orville Turnquest, Paul Adderley, Loftus Roker, George Smith, Philip Bethel, Milo Butler, Clement Maynard, Carlton Francis, Kendall Isaacs, Cadwell Ambrister,
Henry Bowen, Norman Solomon, and Arthur Foulkes. These men attended a constitutional conference in London in September 1972, in preparation for our independence the following year 1973. To the best of my recollection, Sir Arthur Foulkes, Sir Orville Turnquest, and the Honorable Philip Bethel are the three living members of that 1972 delegation. ZEPHANIAH BURROWS Nassau, October 17, 2026.
Leadership, accountability and the future of The Bahamas EDITOR, The Tribune. AS I sit and listen to the cries of Bahamian citizens pleading with their leaders to address allegations of corruption, I find myself deeply disappointed and bewildered by the apparent lack of urgency in the response of those entrusted with governing our country. If this trend continues, with successive administrations allegedly putting personal interests ahead of the people’s welfare and birthright, I fear that the future of The Bahamas will become increasingly uncertain for the next generation. There are allegations and concerns about some of our leaders accumulating substantial wealth, including millions of dollars in bank accounts, large homes, boats, aircraft, and valuable land while serving in public office. Meanwhile, many of the very citizens they are elected to represent are struggling to afford groceries, pay utility bills, maintain their homes, and provide for their families. Some Bahamians have even been forced to leave their homeland in search of employment and better opportunities. This raises a fundamental question for our leaders: When your time on this earth comes to an end, can you take your money, houses, boats, aircraft, and land with you? We all know the answer is no. Therefore, why not choose honesty, integrity, and service to the people? Why not fulfill the promises made to the electorate and work towards building a country where every Bahamian has a fair opportunity to prosper? My late father always taught my siblings and me that if we were ever placed in positions of leadership, we should
LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net establish systems that allow everyone to survive and succeed. He believed in putting things in place that would continue to bear fruit from one generation to the next. In other words, true leadership is not about accumulating personal wealth; it is about building a lasting legacy that benefits the entire nation. If our leaders embraced that philosophy, I firmly believe The Bahamas could be much further ahead than it is today. Instead, allegations of favoritism, conflicts of interest, and the improper distribution of public resources continue to raise concerns among citizens. The perception that friends, family members, and personal associates may benefit at the expense of ordinary Bahamians undermines public confidence and weakens the principles of fairness and accountability upon which good governance must stand. We must also pay attention to the experiences of other Caribbean nations. Haiti and Jamaica have faced serious economic, political, and governance challenges, although their circumstances and histories are different. The Bahamas must learn from the challenges confronting our neighbors and take meaningful steps to protect our own institutions, economy, and democratic future. We cannot afford to ignore warning signs or assume that our country is immune to the consequences of poor governance and corruption. Our leaders must remember that public
office is a position of trust, not a personal business opportunity. The people of The Bahamas deserve transparency, accountability, equal opportunities, and leaders who put the national interest above personal gain. I therefore call upon our elected officials to reflect on the responsibility they have accepted. Investigations into credible allegations of corruption should be conducted fairly and independently, and anyone found to have engaged in wrongdoing should be held accountable under the law, regardless of their position or political affiliation. The Bahamas belongs to its people, and its resources and opportunities should serve the present generation while safeguarding the future of those yet to come. As my father taught me, leadership should be about planting seeds that will continue to bear fruit for generations. Wealth and material possessions will not accompany us when we leave this world, but the consequences of our decisions—and the legacy we leave behind— will remain. Our leaders have a choice: they can leave behind a legacy of personal enrichment and public disappointment, or they can build a nation of opportunity, dignity, and prosperity for all Bahamians. I urge our leaders to choose wisely, act honorably, and do what is right for the people and the country they have sworn to serve. The future of The Bahamas depends on it. A CONCERNED BAHAMIAN CITIZEN Freeport, Grand Bahama October 16, 2026.
Minimum wage should be on par with Turks and Caicos Islands EDITOR, The Tribune. MANY Bahamians who are earning the minimum wage of $260 a week are keeping their fingers crossed that the words of the Minister of Labor Pia Glover-Rolle about another minimum wage increase being near will come to fruition this year. With soaring costs across the board owing to oil inflation brought on by the wars in Israel, Iran, Russia and Croatia, $260 a week or $6.5 per hour is not sufficient in Freeport and Nassau. Those who earn this pittance of a salary find themselves relegated to the poverty threshold. Minimum wagers in The Bahamas cannot afford to rent a decent one-bedroom apartment, as rental fees are rising at every turn, even in rundown areas teeming with vagrants and riffraff. They are unable to qualify for a government low-cost home, which is usually priced at $120,000. A 25- year mortgage agreement coupled with the mandatory homeowner’s insurance with the banks would easily cost about $1,200 per month, with high interest rate payments. At $260 per week, you’re only earning about $1,040 in a four-week month, with NIB deductions totaling about $48, leaving you with just $992 -- $208 short of the average mortgage payment for a “low-cost” home. Minimum wagers cannot qualify for a mortgage, even for a government low-cost home. Trust me, I am being facetious with I use the
word “low-cost.” In fact, the term “low-cost home” is really a misnomer in The Bahamas. A low-cost home is very expensive, in all things considered. Minimum wagers can hardly afford an adequate number of groceries for a family of four. That’s why many of them are always seeking assistance from Social Services. They’re struggling to pay their utilities. And they’re struggling to purchase a “bubbler,” which is a Bahamian slang for a used car costing below $2,000. The cost of living in The Bahamas has outpaced the $260 minimum wages are earning. For some, this presents a financial nightmare. They can’t save for a rainy day. They can’t afford private healthcare. And they have no prospects of putting aside funds for a retirement nest egg. And considering how small their NIB contributions are, they won’t be collecting much in pension payouts. They’re doomed for a lifetime of poverty if they fail to improve their lot by attending college or a trade school. For some, attending classes is simply not feasible. Single mothers come to mind. No, I am not a socialist. Nor am I a Marxist who views The Bahamas as being made up of two socioeconomic classes: Bourgeoisie and Proletariats. I am an evangelical who champions the free market, whose navel strings are buried deep in the Swiss Protestant Reformer John Calvin’s Geneva, according to the late
German sociologist Max Weber’s The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. I am not advocating for the kind of equality Karl Marx argued for in The Communist Manifesto. Wealthy people, who have earned their wealth the honest way, should enjoy the fruits of their hard-earned labor. Begrudging them for their wealth is a sin. I am not calling for wealth redistribution. Such a Marxist policy entails the state’s stealing for wealthy people, which would only compound our problems. Stealing is also a sin. The Eight Commandments protect the rights of individuals to own private property. What I am calling for is a fair wage similar to what I see in our neighbors to the south, The Turks and Caicos Islands. I understand that the minimum wage in that British colony is $8 an hour or $352 on a 44-hour work week. Minimum wagers in The Turks and Caicos Islands are earning $92 more than Bahamian minimum wagers. At $8 an hour, minimum wage would be $320 in The Bahamas -- $60 more than the current rate. I believe that this amount is doable. Hopefully the Progressive Liberal Party government moves swiftly to bring financial relief to the thousands of minimum wagers throughout the country. It is badly needed. KEVIN EVANS Freeport, Grand Bahama October 19, 2026.
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THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, October 21, 2026, PAGE 7
Rape accused previously jailed Three accused of stealing $6,200 for escaping police custody in break-ins at two businesses By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net A 31-YEAR-OLD man was remanded to prison yesterday after being charged with raping a 19-year-old woman in New Providence earlier this month. Tevin Fritz, of Joe Farrington Road, appeared before acting Chief Magistrate Ancella Evans on one count of rape. Prosecutors allege he had sexual intercourse with the woman without her consent on October 7. Fritz was not required to enter a plea, as his case will be sent directly to the Supreme Court by a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI). He was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until
January 21, 2027, when he is due to be served with the VBI. Inspector Deon Barr prosecuted the case. Fritz is also awaiting trial in the Supreme Court on a charge of armed robbery. He and armed accomplices are accused of robbing the Chances web shop at Baillou Hill and John Roads of $500 on February 24, 2024. Police said he was arrested later that day on Fleming Street in a grey Japanese vehicle matching the description of the getaway car. Five days later, while being held for the robbery, Fritz escaped from the Southern Police Station shortly before 9pm on February 29, 2024, the night before he was due to be arraigned. He fled east along Quakoo Street and was recaptured on
Celery Drive the following afternoon. He pleaded guilty to escaping lawful custody when he was arraigned before Magistrate Kendra Kelly on March 4, 2024, and served eight months in prison for the escape. The armed robbery charge was sent to the Supreme Court by VBI. In February this year, Justice Darron Ellis refused Fritz bail on the robbery charge. He found that Fritz posed a high risk of absconding given his escape, and that the Crown’s case against him was not weak. Fritz had also been denied bail in September 2025 by Justice Joyann Ferguson. At the time of the February ruling, his trial was set for May. It is unclear when Fritz was subsquently released from prison.
By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net THREE young men accused of breaking into two New Providence businesses and taking phones, iPads, a cash register and a Sonos speaker worth more than $6,200 were each granted $4,000 bail after pleading not guilty yesterday. Makhai Knowles, 22, also known as “Muggy”, Devonte Gilbert, 18, also known as “Gully”, and Joshua Strachan, 23, appeared before Senior Magistrate Kendra Kelly on charges of shopbreaking and stealing over break-ins at Wood U Furniture on Madeira Street and Luxxe Bundles on Marathon Road. All three are charged in connection with an October 14 break-in at Luxxe Bundles, where merchandise worth $5,607.49 belonging to Watson Pierre is said to
have been stolen. According to the charges, the items included an orange Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max valued at $1,410, two pink Apple iPads worth $638.40, seven Samsung Galaxy A17 phones worth $979.30, five Samsung Galaxy A16 phones worth $596 and two Samsung A37 phones worth $684, along with assorted phone screens, charging cables and phone cases. Knowles and Gilbert are also jointly accused of breaking into Wood U Furniture between 6pm on October 7 and 7am on October 8. Prosecutors allege they took a black cash register valued at $165, a white Sonos music box worth $400 and $80 in cash, a total of $645. Knowles faces a further charge of receiving. He is accused of dishonestly receiving five iPhone Lightning cables and eight assorted iPhone LCD
screens worth $167.75 on October 14, knowing they had been obtained through an offence. Gilbert was separately charged with unlawful possession after police said he was found with a blue iPhone and a pink iPhone at Burial Ground Corner on October 19. Police allege the phones were reasonably suspected of being stolen or unlawfully obtained, and that he gave no satisfactory explanation for having them. Sergeant Vernon Pyfrom, who prosecuted, did not object to bail. Knowles must sign in at the Wulff Road Police Station every Monday and Friday before 6pm. Gilbert must sign in at the Central Police Station on Mondays and Fridays, and Strachan at the same station every Friday, both also before 6pm. The case was adjourned to January 25, 2027.
with 68-year-old Clarissa Seymour, who also lives on Ferdinand Drive. Clarissa also pleaded not guilty. According to the charges, the thefts took place between December 2016 and May 2026 and involved 11 credit union accounts, with sums ranging from $8,500 to $332,427.60 and totalling $1,266,154.84. The largest single allegation is that $332,427.60 was stolen between July 26, 2018 and February 25, 2026. Other substantial sums include $277,700 belonging to Holman McDonald and $181,900 belonging to Raquel Clarke. Waydrissa is also accused of having and presenting withdrawal request forms bearing the forged
signatures of Anastasia Smith on April 8, 2025 and Lubin Beljour on March 3, 2026. Prosecutors allege she obtained $4,200 by false pretences on April 8, 2025, and $8,500 belonging to Mr Beljour by false pretences on March 3, 2026. The two women are accused of laundering $1,248,654.84 belonging to the credit union, which prosecutors allege was the proceeds of crime. Waydrissa was granted $300,000 bail and Clarissa $30,000 bail. Both must sign in at the Wulff Road Police Station before 6pm on the first Monday of each month. The case was adjourned to January 28, 2027 for trial. Sergeant Vernon Pyfrom prosecuted.
Man cleared of loitering charge after explaining liquor store visit Two women deny laundering alleged credit union proceeds By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net
A 45-YEAR-OLD man charged with vagrancy for allegedly loitering at a liquor store on East Street South was acquitted after
telling a magistrate he was there to buy alcohol. Edrick Marshall was accused of loitering at Red Lantern liquor store on October 19, 2026, and being unable to give a satisfactory account of why he was there.
When Acting Chief Magistrate Ancella Evans asked why he was at the store, Marshall said he had gone there to buy alcohol. Marshall was acquitted, and relatives in court breathed a sigh of relief and thanked the magistrate.
British mother drowns while attempting to rescue her sons A BRITISH mother died in Bimini yesterday after she was swept away by a strong current while trying to rescue her two sons, police said. The 36-year-old woman had been snorkelling with her husband and their two boys near the southern point of the island when the current carried both children away, according to preliminary information. She went after them and was also swept away. She was later pulled from the water and taken to the North Bimini Ferry Dock, where CPR was reportedly
performed. She was then taken to the local clinic, where a doctor pronounced her dead despite efforts to save her. Officers at the Alice Town Police Station were told shortly after 10am that a woman was unresponsive at the ferry dock. When they arrived, she had already been taken to the clinic. Police did not say what happened to her sons. Police said foul play is not suspected. An autopsy will be performed to determine the exact cause of death. Her death is the latest
in a series of drownings in Bimini’s waters. In May, a 69-year-old American tourist died after he was found floating motionless during a snorkelling excursion about four nautical miles south of South Bimini. Passengers who said they were doctors performed CPR as the boat returned to shore, but he was pronounced dead at the clinic. In February last year, Bimini recorded three drownings in a single week, including an 85-year-old snorkeller who became unresponsive off Ocean Cay.
DARVILLE DECLARES COVID CLUSTER OVER AMID RISE IN RESPIRATORY ILLNESSES By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net THE Grand Bahama COVID-19 cluster is “resolved”, Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Michael Darville said yesterday, even as a pharmacist on the island reported a rise in respiratory infections among people seeking medicine. Asked whether he was concerned about the cluster, Dr Darville told reporters on his way to Cabinet: “Absolutely not.” He described the outbreak as an isolated incident, and said the one person who became sick enough to be hospitalised has since been discharged. “The cluster is resolved, and that’s nothing more to say about the cluster,” he said. The cluster followed an Anglican church retreat held at St Jude’s Anglican Church in Smith’s Point, Grand Bahama, from October 8 to 11. According to health officials, 20 of the 112 people who attended tested positive for COVID-19 through rapid testing. Fourteen live in Grand Bahama and six in New Providence. One Grand Bahama resident was admitted to the Rand Memorial Hospital in stable condition. The Bahamas Department of Correctional Services has suspended
in-person visits until further notice because of the cluster. Dr Darville said it was his duty to tell the public about the cluster, but warned against overreaction. “But it is my job as a Minister of Health that if I have a cluster, to report it to the Bahamian people,” he said. “But I don’t want this to get legs of its own as if we have a massive infestation in the country.” “COVID has never left us, but this is one incident where there was a cluster infection. Somebody was exposed to COVID, and they were in [that] environment,” he said. He said COVID-19 continues to circulate around the world, and health officials have been managing isolated cases. Dr Darville said most of those who tested positive in the cluster were vaccinated and had only mild symptoms, and that vaccination was paramount in preventing severe illness. “The beauty about it is the majority of people who tested positive were vaccinated, so they had very minimal symptoms,” he said. However, a pharmacist in Eight Mile Rock told The Tribune there had been an uptick in respiratory infections, with some customers seeking medicine for chest and other respiratory symptoms. The pharmacist said it
was hard to tell whether the illnesses were COVID-19 or other respiratory infections, as customers generally described cold-like symptoms. The pharmacist advised residents to keep up their vitamin D3 and zinc intake, saying precautions against influenza and other respiratory illnesses remained important. A pharmacist in Freeport said there had been no alarming increase in COVID-related prescriptions. Customers were mainly seeking treatment for routine coughs and colds, including antibiotics and other cold medicines, and there had been no noticeable rise in sales of supplements such as vitamin D3, vitamin C, vitamin B complex and cod liver oil, which some people take to support their immune systems. Dr Darville urged Bahamians to keep up the hygiene habits many adopted during the pandemic, particularly when they have symptoms of a cold, flu or other upper respiratory infection. He said people with mild illness can often recover at home but should take care not to spread it. “If you have an upper respiratory tract infection, put a mask on. Don’t cough in front of people. Place [your] cough in your shoulder. Keep your hands clean,” he said.
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By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net A 48-YEAR-OLD woman accused of stealing more than $1.2m from 11 accounts at Bahama Islands Co-operative Credit Union over nearly a decade has been granted $300,000 bail. Waydrissa Seymour, of Ferdinand Drive, pleaded not guilty before Senior Magistrate Kendra Kelly to 18 charges yesterday. They were 11 counts of stealing, two counts each of possession of a false document, uttering a false document and fraud by false pretences, and one count of money laundering. She is jointly charged with money laundering
PAGE 8, Wednesday, October 21, 2026
THE TRIBUNE
Alicia Wallace
A visit truly fit for a king IF a man is to come here and call himself “king,” he ought to know this space, experience it authentically, embrace the opportunity to learn, and take action to improve the conditions of all people impacted by atrocities from which he has benefitted for his entire life. This is not a time for children to stand in the sun and sing or dance for him. This is not a time for touring. It’s time for the government to demonstrate its commitment to the demand for reparations. It’s not a time to give. We must receive all that is owed to us. Here is proposed messaging for the guest: During this visit, you are required to work and cover your own expenses. Upon arrival you will be provided with work options that include customer service roles in the tourism industry, brick and mortar retail sales, roadside vending, and field work in the agriculture and fisheries industry. While financial services is a relatively large industry in The Bahamas, you are disqualified from these roles due to your record of theft and mismanagement of resources. Similarly, no uniformed services can be considered due to the ancestral use of weapons against people on their own land. You must apply and interview for positions and accept the first offer you get in the interest of time, and in order to earn the money to cover the cost of your stay. Be sure to wear a dark-colored suit, white shirt, necktie, and clean black shoes at the interview, and cut your hair to less than one inch. As a courtesy, have exact change ready to pay your bus fare for all travel. As a responsible adult must, pay your rent before spending any of your stipend on anything else, including food. You will receive $260—minimum wage— for 40 hours of work. When booking your flights, ensure that arrival at the Lynden Pindling International Airport is at
night. As British Pounds are not accepted in The Bahamas, be prepared to identify and carry your luggage from the carousel through Customs and to the ground transport area outside. From the airport, proceed onto JFK Drive where most of the streetlights do not work. Instead of staying at a hotel, stay at an ordinary Bahamian residence, and be ready to figure out how to navigate unplanned electricity outages. It would be prudent to pack ice packs to be kept in the freezer during your stay and to be used when it’s excessively hot. Spend time in the yard—you are not permitted to enter the home—of a Bahamian grandmother. Listen to the stories of her childhood, her marriage, her childbearing and childrearing, and the days of retirement (which she may not yet be able to enjoy due to the economic situation). Assist with outdoor tasks including weeding, touching up the paint on the shed, and removing garbage. After completing the other tasks, wash your hands under the direction and supervision of the grandmother, then shell peas and grate cheese for the peas-n-rice and macaroni that will be made for a family dinner. During your stay, listen to the news at least once
daily, and listen to (a) radio talk show(s) for at least two hours per day for an increased understanding of the Bahamian reality. Be attentive to the framing of new stories, current affairs, and topics raised by the talk show hosts. Note the responses of callers,
Afro-descendent peoples? Why are you comfortable with the dynamics of a formerly colonized country that has yet to recover from centuries of violence hosting you, as a supposed Head of State? While traversing the streets of New Provi-
including their tone and their references to other news events and concerns. Though you likely never think about it without prompting, challenge yourself to make connections between the themes discussed on the colonial history of The Bahamas and the continued harm the country and its people experience as a result of the history and the lack of repair. Listen, especially, to comments about your presence in our country. Why are you here? What have you come to do? Are you still pretending that you do not know the immense debt you owe to us, and to so many other
dence, ask Bahamians to point you to the most epic potholes they have unexpectedly dropped into, especially if they resulted in vehicular damage. Go to see the five most mentioned potholes. Measure their depth. Jump into them and see if you can get out without assistance. Once you are out, add soil, and plant a tree as a warning to drivers. Visit the Princess Margaret Hospital and walk through all of the public wards. Deliver water, fresh fruit, 100% fruit juices, socks, and nightwear to patients willing to receive them. Note the conditions of the facility, from
the walls and floors to the equipment, including beds and chairs. Importantly, engage with the medical and administrative staff. Make eye contact, ask specific questions about their jobs, ability to perform them, compensation, and hazards. Find out about common illnesses. Ask about the noncommunicable diseases most common in The Bahamas and the Caribbean, the percentage of them that lead to premature death, and the link to slavery. Take note of the health challenges experienced at large and the incapability of the public hospital to manage them. Make the connection between all that you see and the Caribbean demand for reparations. You must use the bus for transportation. In particular, ride the entire 15a bus route. Sit in the morning rush hour traffic on Prince Charles Drive. When the bus stops downtown, disembark and walk along Bay Street. If it’s a Wednesday, go to Parliament. Count the steps and feel them in your body as you climb to gain access to the gallery where most people with disabilities affecting their mobility cannot go. Get a glimpse of the failed Westminster systems with which we have been saddled. Listen to the immature comments, the over-talking, the insults, and the pontifications about nothing relevant to the lives of the people. After two hours of this, look at the statute in Parliament Square. Then look at the one in Rawson Square. Consider
the difference. The one of genocidal maniac Columbus has been removed from Government House after being damaged by a citizen, yet the statue of “Queen Victoria” remains. What role do you continue to play in its presence on Bay Street, symbols of a continued reign of terror? It must be said that even an independent country does not automatically come to terms with its history, completely reject and oust its oppressors, and reclaim its dignity in giving pride of place to its own people. Its process and reparations are a necessary part of it. Spend a few hours at a police station. Answer the phones and let people know when there are no cars available to bring police officers to them. Take note of the reports. How many are crimes against people and how many are crimes against property? Which get the most appropriate response? Listen to the words of the people being held in cells in the police station. Consider the ways the violent crime in The Bahamas is attributed to the Transatlantic Trade in Enslaved Africans, colonization, and the failure of the British to acknowledge the continued harm, apologize, and make reparations in the specific ways laid out by the CARICOM Ten Point Plan for Reparations. Meet with The Bahamas National Reparations Committee. As Chair Niambi Hall Campbell Dean stated, “We’re saying that the legacy of enslavement and colonisation has impacted our country, has left us in a state of underdevelopment. How can we now look at that legacy and bring justice to what has happened so that we can build as a nation?” If you are to be here, this is what you are expected to study. National development is our work, and it comes at a cost. Britain must pay. We know that you know this. Let this be the time that you take the appropriate, necessary, justice action and pay us what you owe us.
Norwegian teen sentenced to 20 years in prison for plotting murder in UK for Iran-linked gang By PAN PYLAS Associated Press LONDON (AP) — A Norwegian teenager convicted of traveling to Britain to carry out a contract killing on behalf of an international crime gang linked to Iran was sentenced Friday to 20 years in prison. Johannes Kongsnes Natland, 19, was found guilty in July of conspiracy to murder for agreeing to shoot an unknown target for 25,000 euros (21,500 pounds or $28,000) last year. He was arrested at a hotel in Huddersfield in northern England with two guns and ammunition two days after arriving in the U.K. Natland admitted to possessing the firearms and ammunition, but said that he didn't want to go through with the plan. Natland, who was working part time at a pizza restaurant at the time of his arrest, was recruited by a Swedish organized crime group known as the Foxtrot Network while he was playing a game online. The group has links to the Iranian government, according to counterterrorism officers from London's Metropolitan Police. "You agreed to be the enforcer and pursued it, despite numerous opportunities to extricate yourself," Justice Bobbie Cheema-Grubb said at his sentencing hearing at Woolwich Crown Court in southeast London. "Although the fact that no one was shot dead or physically harmed is
important, I am sure had the intervention of the police not prevented the plan from proceeding, you would have done what you had agreed to." Natland was hired by a 17-year-old known as "Generalen." A court in Norway convicted the teenager last year of attempting to "contribute to murder" and sentenced him to 14 years in custody. Three more people have been charged by Norwegian police, with a decision yet to be made by prosecutors whether to indict them. Commander Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, credited the "exceptional work" of British police working with Norwegian counterparts for Natland's arrest hours before he was due to carry out an assassination. "Natland was clearly being tasked by someone in the Foxtrot Network, an organized criminal group sanctioned by the U.K. and the U.S. due to its involvement in orchestrating violence against Jewish and Israeli targets in Europe on behalf of the Iranian regime," she said.
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, October 21, 2026, PAGE 9
Margaret Hamilton, who led software team for NASA's Apollo program, dies at 90 By JAMIE STENGLE Associated Press MARGARET Hamilton, a groundbreaking computer scientist who led the team that created the onboard flight software for NASA's moon-bound Apollo program and later in life was celebrated as a powerful symbol of women in technology, has died. She was 90. Hamilton died Sept. 30 at a hospital in Cambridge, Massachusetts, her daughter, Lauren Hamilton, told The Associated Press on Thursday. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said on the social platform X that her work helped make humanity's first journeys to the moon possible. "To say Margaret Hamilton was a pioneer — to say she was ahead of her time — would be a dramatic understatement," Olivier de Weck, the Apollo program professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and interim head of its aeronautics and astronautics department, told MIT News, a publication of the university's communications office. "She was a software engineer at a time when that field was in its infancy," de Weck continued, "and she not only developed advanced code herself but also led a team in using that nascent technology to develop one of the most complex systems humanity had ever achieved." In recent years, a photo circulated online showing a smiling Hamilton,
AP photo, file
in her early 30s, standing next to a towering stack of pages containing codes her team used during the Apollo project. A Lego set celebrating the women of NASA that was unveiled in 2017 included a figure of Hamilton. And the marking in 2019 of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing also brought attention, her daughter said. "She definitely went from nobody knowing who she was to suddenly everyone knowing who she was, especially in her field," Lauren Hamilton said. "And I think she was really happy to be acknowledged for what she did. But she was kind of a reserved person so the spotlight wasn't necessarily a natural thing for her." Hamilton graduated with a degree in mathematics from Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana, in 1958 and went to work for MIT
in 1959. Her early focus there included working with a meteorology professor on weather prediction software, according to the MIT News article. In the mid-1960s, she started at MIT's Instrumentation Lab, which had a NASA contract for Apollo. After first working on software for uncrewed missions, she later led the team developing the onboard flight software for the crewed missions, and by 1968 she was assistant director in charge of the command and service module team, according to MIT News. "We took our work seriously, many of us beginning this journey while still in our 20s," Hamilton told MIT News in 2009. "Coming up with solutions and new ideas was an adventure." "Because software was a mystery, a black box, upper
management gave us total freedom and trust," she continued. "We had to find a way, and we did. Looking back, we were the luckiest people in the world; there was no choice but to be pioneers." She worked at the Instrumentation Lab into the 1970s and then founded two software companies, according to MIT News. Lauren Hamilton said her mother's biggest interest was in the abstract. "She was very much a mathematician and into the abstraction of how to turn thought, I guess, into software," she said. She said her mother was also "a really eccentric and fun character" who loved collecting vintage clothing and had "a very mischievous sense of humor." "She encountered a lot of sexism in her field but she didn't come back aggressively," Lauren Hamilton said. "She would disarm people with her sense of humor or … just kind of dominate quietly." Born on Aug. 17, 1936, in Indiana, Hamilton grew up mostly in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, her daughter said, and she lived in Cambridge from when she was in her early 20s until her death. Hamilton received many awards and accolades, including being awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, in 2016 by President Barack Obama.
Florida wins key ruling on enforcement of kids and social media restrictions By ED WHITE Associated Press THE state of Florida won a key court decision Wednesday that allows it to enforce a ban on social media accounts for kids under 14 and other restrictions. The law was one of the most restrictive in the U.S. on social media use by children when Gov. Ron DeSantis signed it in 2024. The law implicates the First Amendment, an appeals court said, but "likely does so in a content-neutral manner." It would likely survive a full legal challenge "because it doesn't burden substantially more speech than necessary to advance the important interest in protecting minors from social media addiction," a panel from the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said in a 3-0 opinion. The law bans social media accounts for Florida children under 14 and requires parental consent for use by kids who are 14 or 15. Industry trade groups the Computer & Communications Industry Association and NetChoice sued Florida, arguing that the law violated the free-speech rights of social media providers and users. A judge in 2025 said
the law likely was unconstitutional and granted an injunction. That injunction was put on hold while the appeals court heard the case. The lawsuit, with the injunction now overturned, will return to federal court in Tallahassee. The appeals court noted that the law covers social media platforms "that have been determined to induce heavy FLORIDA Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during a news conference Aug. 12, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. use by children, AP Photo/Chris O’Meara, File and applies only to platforms that "We are currently evaluating all of use both algorithms and one of several our options as we continue the fight to addictive features." ensure Floridians' rights to free expresAn email seeking comment from the sion online are protected, and parents Florida attorney general's office was remain in the driver's seat when it not immediately answered. NetChoice comes to making decisions for their said it was disappointed with the families," said Paul Taske, a lawyer at decision. NetChoice.
China moves to curb tech exports, including AI, citing national security risks By CHAN HO-HIM AP Business Writer
HONG KONG (AP) — China on Friday said it plans to restrict or ban exports of 40 technologies that span artificial intelligence, chips and solar power as its technology race with countries including the United States intensifies. The Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Science and Technology jointly published a draft document with the proposed updates for China’s catalog of technologies subjected to export bans or restrictions. A spokesperson from the commerce ministry said in a statement that the move was “necessary” and cited national security as one of the reasons. The proposal came as China and the U.S. made progress in dialogues over AI safety and governance and on the setting up of a notification mechanism between the two superpowers for AI incidents that could threaten national security. Twenty-three AI technologies, from advanced large models to agents, are included on Friday's list, according to the Chinese ministries. U.S.-led restrictions have curbed the export of some advanced technologies to China over the past years, with the country blocked from accessing the world’s most cutting-edge AI chips and the advanced chipmaking machines that make them.
Ex-OpenAI worker accused of bugging conference room planned to fly to Saudi Arabia, prosecutors say By BARBARA ORTUTAY and PHILIP MARCELO Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A former OpenAI engineer charged with secretly installing a recording device in a conference room to glean company details had been “mere days” away from absconding to Saudi Arabia before his arrest, federal prosecutors said in new court filings. Abdulrahman Alfozan, a 35-year-old Saudi national, was also fired from his job at the ChatGPT maker, according to a government memo filed Sunday. His wife and young son left the country the day after his arrest on a one-way ticket booked and paid for by a Saudi military official, prosecutors said in the filing. “Ultimately, the defendant has little incentive to remain in the United States to see this case through,” federal prosecutors wrote. “He has ample resources — including his significant compensation from a decade of high-tech employment in the Bay Area and at least two bank accounts in Saudi Arabia — and what appears to be considerable support from a foreign government.” Prosecutors also noted Saudi Arabia has no extradition treaty with the U.S. as they seek to detain Alfozan until trial. A judge will consider the request Monday in federal court in San Francisco.
Serbian rector's phone was infected with spyware during student protests, group says By JOVANA GEC Associated Press
BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Spyware from an Israeli company was used to target the phone of the rector of the Belgrade university who has played a prominent role in nearly two years of protests against Serbia 's populist leader Aleksandar Vucic, a digital rights group said on Monday. The Balkan country is holding a tense election this weekend that is seen as a showdown between the protesting student movement and Vucic, who is seeking to extend his right-wing Serbian Progressive Party’s 14-year rule. In September, digital rights groups reported that at least 14 activists and students had their phones hacked and infected with spyware, including NSO Group’s Pegasus. The Citizen Lab group, which carries out forensic analyses of spyware attacks, said in a statement that it could confirm with "high confidence" that Vladan Djokic's phone was infected with Pegasus spyware in 2026. The group said it carried out an analysis in cooperation with Serbia-based SHARE Foundation, also a digital rights group.
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World News
From France to Albania, social unrest is setting Europe's streets ablaze By TERESA MEDRANO and SUMAN NAISHADHAM Associated Press
MADRID (AP) — Rising fuel costs, discontent with the state of schools, declining public services and a housing crisis have created perfectly stormy weather for an autumn of protests in Europe. Crowds have taken to the streets for weeks in major cities, resulting in arrests, looting, injuries, and violence across France, Italy and Albania. In Spain and Portugal, tent camps have sprung up in protests against unattainable rents and housing costs. Young Europeans are experiencing "a strong sense of uncertainty and a lack of control," said María Silvestre, professor of sociology at the University of Deusto in Spain.
attacking buildings and police. "Those who looted will have to pay for the damage, and those who sought to bring down the Republic will be held accountable," Macron said Sunday in a rare televised address. In Spain, elementary and secondary schoolteachers began an indefinite strike in Madrid last week to demand better pay and working conditions. Discontented teachers staged similar walkouts elsewhere in Spain this year. Unaffordable housing stymies young people
POLICE confront “Italia in Piazza” protesters in Milan, Italy, on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026. Stefano Porta/LaPresse via AP
"And when specific situations come together, a spark suddenly ignites that is capable of channeling that discontent and driving people into the streets." Cities have turned into battlefields as top EU economies, including France, Italy and Spain, approach pivotal elections, while far-right parties have made electoral gains in Germany and could do so elsewhere. It also comes as Europe faces a critical moment in its support for Ukraine, with President Donald Trump making overtures to President Vladimir Putin even as Russia is blamed for increasingly frequent hybrid attacks in NATO countries. Right-wing politicians have seized on the chaos. While protests in France have appeared broadbased, Trump portrayed immigrants as responsible for the destruction, writing on his Truth Social platform: "The migrants have taken over France. They must CLOSE THE BORDERS, FAST!" on Monday. Many of the protests have been fueled by frustrated young people. Other elements including blackclad, masked agitators have fomented violence, but French authorities and police have not blamed immigrants. Here's a look at what's driving the unrest: Students say education resources are dwindling In France, which has a centuries-old tradition of popular protest, high schoolers have staged blockades and demonstrations for more than three weeks, demanding more resources for schools they call understaffed and dilapidated, especially in lower-income neighborhoods. The protests then broadened as France's CGT labor union and other activists joined in while students paused for a fall break. The movement now includes demands over rising living costs and public services. Despite hundreds of thousands of people marching peacefully, the weekend's unrest led to 2,400 arrests and serious disturbances in parts of France, including looting in Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Bordeaux. In Limoges, flames engulfed the 19th-century City Hall and nearly destroyed the building. Some schools were set on fire. As students and rioters threw firebombs and law enforcement responded with tear gas, hundreds have been injured. French President Emmanuel Macron condemned Saturday's violence, accusing far-left activists of trying to foment chaos by
In Madrid's central Puerta del Sol, tarpaulin tents have blanketed the square for weeks to protest rising housing costs, sparked by the eviction of Maricarmen, an 87-yearold woman who later died while hospitalized. Smaller protest camps followed in other Spanish cities. The public pressure led the ruling Socialist govern-
wages. Inflation in Italy rose to 4.2% in September, surpassing the eurozone's 3.8%, according to government data. The peaceful marches were followed by violent riots in Turin and Bologna, and in Italy's finance and fashion capital of Milan, where masked rioters clashed with police, looted stores and set property on fire. Milan police said 271 people were arrested — most of them minors — and 14 security officers were injured during two days of unrest. Now a newly formed group calling itself the "Oct. 17 Movement" has announced what it describes as a "permanent mobilization" to demonstrate every Saturday at 3 p.m. in cities across Italy. Students in Albania join anti-corruption protests Anti-government protests have stretched over a week in Albania's capital of Tirana, with clashes escalating after high school and university students joined the broad anti-gov-
IN this image taken from Lucas Destrem’s video, flames engulf the 19-century City Hall in Limoges, central France, on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026. Lucas Destrem via AP
ment to approve affordable housing measures, but they lacked support in Parliament, triggering a snap election announced by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez for November. A general strike also was called for November — the first in 14 years. Similar housing protests have sprung up in Portugal's largest cities, Lisbon and Porto, and in Barcelona, a focal point of Spain's overtourism and housing challenges. Spain's minimum wage is 1,221 euros ($1,370), while the average monthly rent for an 80-square-meter apartment is around 1,130 euros (about $1,270), according to an analysis by the business newspaper Expansión. "Most of my paycheck goes to the rent. My roommate struggles to make ends meet just like I do," said Diana Manzanares, a 20-year-old waitress at the Madrid encampment. "This is my reality and the reality of most of us living in this city." Untenable living costs as inflation rises in Italy "Italia in Piazza," or Italy in the Streets, has galvanized thousands of demonstrators, voicing demands for better employment, healthcare, education, and access to housing, as well as higher
ernment "Flamingo" movement calling for Socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama to resign. Rama has condemned the protesters as "ideologized and radicalized" by antifa, an umbrella term for loosely organized farleft militants in the United States, where President Donald Trump has designated the movement a terrorist organization. Ending corruption is a major demand of the movement, which was named for the natural habitat of flamingos in an area where Rama's government agreed to allow a major luxury tourism development linked to Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law. They also want protections for healthcare, education, and public pensions, according to its website. In Serbia, the university students leading mass anti-corruption protests for nearly two years are challenging an attempted return to power by the Balkan country's former populist leader Aleksandar Vucic in parliamentary elections. The former authoritarian president is aiming to be named prime minister after the Oct. 25 vote. The youth-backed Students' List party is believed to be running close to Vucic's party, making the outcome uncertain and fueling fears of possible violence.
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Wednesday, October 21, 2026, PAGE 11
Youth in Senate
Young leaders from across The Bahamas debated education reform, economic opportunities and sustainable agriculture during the inaugural Youth Senate Sitting on Monday, October 19, as part of National Youth Month. Participants also called for greater youth involvement in the National Development Plan.
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