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OFFICERS ‘WILL BE HELD TO ACCOUNT’

Munroe says ministry will not defend ‘slack people’ after police cell attack

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net.

NATIONAL Security Minister Wayne Munroe said the officers on duty when a woman was indecently assaulted last week by a man with whom she was forced to share a cell, will be “held to account” while stressing that his ministry has no interest whatsoever “in defending or protecting slack people”.

Mr Munroe spoke after a 32-year-old man was charged on Monday with the indecent assault of a 25-year-old woman after he masturbated in her presence.

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net.

HEALTH and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville said his ministry is working closely with the Royal Bahamas Police Force to locate another digital monitoring system to better enforce quarantine rules as surveillance continues to remain a challenge.

Although he did not disclose how many people have broken quarantine to

SEE PAGE FOUR

THOMPSON TO RUN FOR FNM LEADER

5,000 SUPPLIERS DROPPED BY BPL OVER SCAM FEAR

SEE PAGE THREE

date, the health minister said there is concern about asymptomatic patients who “for some strange reason” feel it is acceptable to break isolation rules.

“We are concerned about individuals who for some strange reason because they may be asymptomatic (feel) that breaking the quarantine is something that the government would accept,” Dr Darville said before going to a Cabinet meeting yesterday.

- SEE PAGE EIGHT

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

EAST Grand Bahama MP Kwasi Thompson announced yesterday that he will run for leader of the Free National Movement at next month’s one-day leadership convention.

Mr Thompson, a former minister of state for finance, has the backing of former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis and many other Minnis allies, The Tribune understands.

SEE PAGE TWO

The woman said the accused also threatened to rape her while the two were detained in a holding cell at the East Street South Police Station on October 21.

The accused man pleaded guilty to the indecent assault charge during his arraignment before Magistrate Kendra Kelly and was remanded in custody for a psychiatric evaluation.

Yesterday, Mr Munroe expressed grave concern about the incident, saying he was troubled when he first heard the news over the weekend.

DARVILLE CONSIDERING A NEW QUARANTINE SYSTEM

ALICIA WALLACE: WE MUST DO MORE TO STOP DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

CHOKED BY A POLICE OFFICER ON THE STREET

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

IN this image from video, a plain clothes police officer seems to choke a woman. An official complaint was made yesterday after footage circulated on social media.

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Royal Bahamas Police Force is investigating after an official complaint was made yesterday against a plain clothes police officer caught on video choking a woman outside a nightspot.

In the five-second clip video, a male police officer chokes a woman whose back is pressed against a car before demanding that someone

bring him the phone of the person recording the encounter.

The video went viral on social media earlier this week, however Police Commissioner Paul Rolle said that a complaint was officially made yesterday afternoon.

National Security Minister Wayne Munroe also commented on the incident yesterday. He reiterated comments he made to The Tribune about the incident on Monday, telling reporters that anyone with

allegations of police brutality should file an official complaint to the Royal Bahamas Police Force so that the matter can be investigated.

When he spoke to reporters yesterday morning, he said he was told by the police commissioner that there was no information that an official complaint had been filed on the incident in question at that point.

“Up to this morning, when I met with the SEE PAGE THREE

BAHAMAS Power & Light (BPL) scrubbed some 5,000 suppliers from its vendor database in response to the $1.9m “fraudulent cheques” scam that relied heavily on nonexistent companies.

The state-owned utility’s immediate response to the much-publicised 2017 fraud is detailed in a consultants’ report, which argued that its procurement policies were still “lacking in several important areas” some two years after the near-$2m scam was detected.

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

TECHNOLOGY ELECTRIC CAR INTRODUCED BY BAHAMAS FIRM

- SEE PAGE NINE

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

PAGE 2, Wednesday, October 27, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

Union wary Smith may THOMPSON TO RUN FOR FNM LEADER stay on as UB president from page one

By TANYA SMITHCARTWRIGHT tsmith-cartwright@ tribunemedia.net

OFFICIALS from the Union of Tertiary Educators of The Bahamas are up in arms over fears that University of The Bahamas President Dr Rodney Smith is lobbying to remain at the helm of the institution even though he is almost 70 years old.

The relationship between UTEB and the president has been tumultuous over the years with many allegations from the union of a lack of transparency and accountability from the institution.

It was announced last year that Dr Smith would not seek a renewal of his contract.

UB’s board of trustees appointed a presidential search committee in November 2020 to establish the process by which a new president would be selected and hired.

UTEB president Daniel Thompson addressed his membership yesterday telling them that Dr Smith intends to stay even though others retired at 65.

“As a result of my

UNIVERSITY of the Bahamas president Dr Rodney Smith. communication to members yesterday, (Monday), I’m able to confirm that the president intends to, or has already begun to lobby for another contract of employment for the period beginning August 2022,” Mr Thompson said.

“He will be 70 years old next year. He has retired many UTEB members at 65 while claiming it was not forced by him. He had an epiphany about the nondiscriminatory age clause of

the UB Act 2016 and now wishes to have it applied to himself.

“The CEO’s application for an American university presidency in summer 2020, unbeknown to UB, precipitated UB’s presidential search. The search for a UB president resulted in three finalists. Dr Smith was not one of them.”

Mr Thompson said that the three finalists visited UB’s campus and met with UTEB’s team who listened

to their plans and questioned them.

“A qualified Bahamian was amongst the three finalists,” Mr Thompson said. “The current CEO was not. The debacle with the promised increments and promotions back pay from last year 2020 and as recent as September 2021, falls squarely on the current CEO’s shoulders, and is indicative of a litany of back peddling and broken promises.”

He also said, “UB cannot and will not be subject to another five years of this inept leadership. We need a new CEO.” The union has also taken issue with the hiring of Iraq-born Professor Sarim Al-Zubaidy to the position of executive vice president.

Attempts to secure a comment from UB were unsuccessful yesterday.

In July, UB announced the finalists for the school’s president search had been narrowed down to three candidates: Dr Erik Rolland, Sir Anthony Seldon and Dr Ian Strachan, the latter being the only Bahamian in the group.

Dr Smith’s contract expires in 2022.

He joins Central Grand Bahama MP Iram Lewis in the race and is currently expected to be the chief challenger to Marco City MP Michael Pintard who is expected to publicly declare his interest in the coming weeks.

Mr Thompson’s backers see him as an experienced, faithful FNM and a noncontroversial, stable figure who has paid his dues to the party.

“The FNM must rebuild and renew our party,” he said in a statement yesterday. “The election of a new leader on November 27 is only a beginning. We must respond to the needs and aspirations of the people as we rebuild and restore the FNM, root and branch.

“We have had many successes in government. At our 50th anniversary, there is much to celebrate about our legacy. But at times we have fallen short. At times, we could have paid more attention to public sentiment. Our mission is to return to government to build on our accomplishments. We must do so with greater humility, compassion and openness.

“Governments and political parties must inspire,

especially in difficult times.

We must once again inspire The Bahamas with a vision and with ideas. We must provide genuine hope for the future.

“Our primary mission is not solely about returning to office. Our broader mission is one of service and of building a better future for all. Our focus must be on who we serve and how we serve, inspired by the values of freedom and opportunity.”

Mr Thompson called for party unity and said the FNM must display a commitment to transparency and accountability that is reflected in the party’s finances and how candidates and senators are chosen. He said more should be done to attract women and young people.

“The FNM should develop a long-term national development plan that focuses on the coming decades and not just on five-year cycles. We will build on our recent manifesto and accomplishments in office,” he said. “Our long-term plans should be developed through a widespread consultation process.

These plans should provide guidance and consistency for the vision and direction of the party regardless of who is the leader.”

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, October 27, 2021, PAGE 3

Officers ‘will be held to account’ from page one

He also questioned how officers could have allowed a man to be put in a cell with a woman without conducting the proper checks among other procedures.

“The commissioner sent me a WhatsApp to brief me on that when it happened.

I’m troubled by that on a number of levels because of existing police policy,” Mr Munroe said before going to a Cabinet meeting.

“Firstly I would like to know if a female was in a cell from what we gathered and was sleeping with a blanket, one would think that there’s a detention record for her in her name

and unless she has a name that appears to be a man’s name, it should’ve been clear that there’s a female in custody.

“How you get to put a male in a cell with a female? I would like to hear that explanation and then I know from practice that when you’re in custody, there’s a detention record where the police is supposed to check on you periodically over the night.

“I would like to see the detention record to see if this officer has recorded time and time again that he checked on these two prisoners and they had no complaints. If that has occurred, then that would

be another problem that the officer has to explain.”

Mr Munroe said his ministry does not take such incidents lightly and added he found it astonishing that it was even allowed to happen.

“The system will hold whoever is responsible to account and these things must be explained,” he said. “Firstly, it is astounding that it could happen and secondly, if it was a detention officer and he is not honest in what he writes on the detention record, that is even more problematic and so none of us have any issues (or) any interest in defending or protecting slack people.”

IN this image from video, the plain clothes police officer is seen demanding the phone recording the incident is handed over.

CHOKED BY A POLICE OFFICER ON THE STREET from page one

MINISTER of State for the Public Service Pia Glover-Rolle.

PROMOTIONS ‘ON THE WAY’

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

HUNDREDS of promotions held back since before the 2017 general election are on the way for government workers in the coming weeks, including those in the armed forces, State Public Service Minister Pia Glover-Rolle said yesterday.

Despite the government’s previous decision that all public sector promotions and hiring exercises carried out in the lead up to the 2021 general election were paused and under review, Mrs Glover-Rolle said in recent weeks the service-wide promotions due since before 2017 were completed.

Speaking to The Tribune on Sunday, Mrs GloverRolle said this week some corrections officers and immigration officers are expected to receive promotion letters.

She elaborated on the issue yesterday.

“We are very happy to have finished that process in the large percentage immigration’s (promotions) is about 80 percent complete,” the state minister said when asked about the status of corrections and immigration officers’ promotions.

“So, those letters are being released within this week and, of course, the other

armed forces that we’ve spoken about.

“We have some others that are going to be released this week, but we are just waiting on the process to be complete, the letters to be taken care of and then we will get those letters to their respective ministries and the ministries will make the necessary announcement.”

Asked how many promotions were expected, Mrs Glover-Rolle said: “First of all we would have finished the 2017 service wide promotions.

“Those promotions would have been approved since June of 2016 (and) for whatever reason they’ve been on hold up until the end of August and there started to be some movement on them, but, of course, it wasn’t completed.

“So, that is a few hundred as I would have noted before and then there are others that would have come through other agencies as well.”

She added that there had been no reason for the delay in awarding the promotions.

“There is no apparent reason why it was a stall.

They were approved since June of 2016 and some movement would have started again in trying to advance them around August of this year.”

Correctional Officers Staff Association president Hervie Culmer said news of

the coming promotions represented a “burden lifted from the shoulders” of all who’ve been waiting for years.

He told The Tribune the association never expected the long-awaited awards to materialise so soon after the change in government.

“Officers are more than ecstatic,” Cpl Culmer said yesterday.

“Last week Wednesday we would have met with Public Services Minister Fred Mitchell and Minister (of State) GloverRolle and the association would have been informed that promotions were forthcoming as soon as possible.

“We didn’t expect them to materialise as fast as she announced on Sunday.

We’re grateful because it’s been a long time coming.

It’s been a long battle.

Those recommendations were down for those promotions since 2018 so it’s a sigh of relief.”

However, he said he was unsure of how many corrections officers would receive their rewards, estimating that it may be as many as 80.

“I know that we had issues with a particular grouping, our sergeants those are coming and there were also some other recommendations that were down there that would total somewhere about 80.

That would have been the conclusion of the entire exercise,” he said.

BELL OPTIMISTIC OVER JOBS LABOUR and Immigration Minister Keith Bell expressed optimism about the country’s job situation, saying more people are going back to work.

“We are very optimistic (in) the way in which the numbers are going in terms of persons going back to work, both in the private sector and, of course, in the government sector and when I speak of the government sector I’m talking in terms of you know, because of the COVID, we’ve had a number of government institutions work the shift system and so we see now where the greater the population that is becoming

more and more vaccinated the more persons are actually going back to work,” he said yesterday.

Earlier this month, Mr Bell told a local daily that he estimated the unemployment rate to be between 25 to 30 percent, citing the pandemic as part of the reason so many remain unemployed.

Mr Bell, speaking in his capacity as minister of immigration, also reported there were two recent interceptions of undocumented migrants. In one incident, 28 Cuban migrants were apprehended, he said.

He said a vessel was also apprehended with 44

people on board in a suspected human smuggling operation.

“One of particular note is when we would’ve intercepted a yacht with 44 persons on board,” the minister stated.

An investigation is underway to determine where the migrants came from and where they were housed.

A Bahamian man who was the suspected smuggler is in custody.

The vessel had Haitians, Colombians, Ecuadorians, Jamaicans, Romanians and one Turkish adult male on board. Minors were on board as well and one woman was pregnant.

commissioner of police, he indicated that a journalist had approached him with those persons and he had asked them to come and see the deputy commissioner of police who is concerned with discipline and to the time with me meeting with him before Cabinet today, he had no information that they had actually come in,” Mr Munroe said.

When asked if the officer in question will be reprimanded, Mr Munroe explained that there is a process that must be followed.

“You have to have a complaint,” he said.

“Some things can be on video but you have to have a complaint. You have to first validate the video. You have to make sure that it’s not

photoshopped, somebody has to come in and make a complaint because just as citizens are entitled to due process, police officers are entitled to due process. Once the complaint is made and once the material is brought, then the system will be engaged to deal with the police officer just as it was engaged to deal with the citizen.”

While noting that every agency has “good” and “bad” apples, Mr Munroe said it is his ministry’s job to root out the rotten ones.

“I have advised previously... that the police have no right to take your cell phone. I’ve advised that persons who have CCTV systems that if they fear that their DVRs will be taken, they ought to arrange recording off site,” the minister continued.

“Once you have the material to show that there has been malfeasance by the police officers in any regard, you should make a complaint to Complaints and Corruption (Unit) and if it rises to the level of criminality, you should make a criminal complaint and if nothing happens then that’s an appropriate case to involve somebody at my level.

“I’m concerned with checking that the system works properly. The system is designed to root out bad officers because in every profession you have bad professionals… The good apples have no interest in being in the same barrel with bad apples. If you have evidence, if you have complaints, please make them so the system can be engaged to deal with it.”

Memorial Service For

Marcelles Ransford Saunders, 56

of #16 St. Alban’s Drive will be held on Thursday, October 28th, 2021, 11:00 a.m. at the Church Of The Most Holy Trinity, #14 Trinity Way, Stapledon Gardens. Officiating will be Archdeacon Mark R. Lindsay-Fox and Father Roderick Bain.

He is predeceased by his aunts: Ethlyn Rolle, Geneva Dames, Eloise Colebrooke, Stella Major, Dorothy Phillips, Olive Seymour, Shirley Moore, Ivy Marshall, Wilma Outten; uncles: Charles Saunders, Oliver Saunders, Ulin Saunders Jr.

Precious memories will remain in the hearts of his wife: Judith Saunders; parents: Ransford & Rosemary Saunders; father-in-law and mother-in-law: Carmeta and Calvin; two daughters: Gabrielle & Celestia Saunders; son: Markian Lyons; four siblings: Denise Sands, Dr. Kreimild Saunders, Farrah Deveaux-Isaacs and Dr. Nina Graham; sisters-in-law: Monique, Juliette, Jullian, Tasheena, Shanique, Meshay; brothers-in-law: Roger, Roy, Callus, Michael; three nephews: Nero Sands, Peter Deveaux-Isaacs, Israel Graham Aunts: Ernestine Knowles, Jean Munroe, Inez Jones; uncle: Ernest Munroe; and a host of other relatives and friends to much to mention but including: the entire church family of the Parish of the Most Holy Trinity including Cassandra Cooper, Merlease Bethel, Ray and Camille Nairn, Florence Mackey and Family, Varence Family, Archdeacon Mark Fox, Father John Kabiga and Father Roderick Bain, the extended Saunders Family, the extended Rolle and Munroe Families, Pastor Howard Mills and Family, the Burke Family, the Gittens Family, Una Elliott (godmother), the Wisdom Family, his FAA family locally and abroad including Tyrone Forbes, Tyrone Roker, Clyde Rashad, Pedro Roberts, Shariff Carey, Wesley Ingraham, Perry Symonette and Alexis Wallace, his CB family, Lorina and Leona Lafleur, Val Toothe and family, the Staff of Shell West Bay and Shell Oakes Family, and the staff of Shell Bahamas Ltd., the Doctors, Nurses and Staff of Doctors Hospital.

Viewing will be held in the “Serenity Suite” at Restview Memorial Mortuary and Crematorium Ltd., Robinson and Soldier Roads on (TODAY) Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

PAGE 4, Wednesday, October 27, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

Darville considering a new quarantine system from page one “We’re not going to.

We’re going to be very firm on individuals who are in quarantine to ensure that you maintain quarantine and quarantine is usually about 14 days.”

During the onset of the pandemic, the former government signed a contract for a web and mobile app, called Hubbcat, to track those in quarantine.

It was later revealed by the Minnis administration that a new geofencing application would be introduced to replace the Hubbcat system.

Yesterday, Dr Darville did not want to comment on whether he felt money used on the Hubbcat system was wasted under the former government.

However, he said the Davis administration is committed to finding the right monitoring system, one that is user friendly and well suited for their purposes.

He said: “We definitely are working very closely with the Royal Bahamas Police Force to ensure that we find the right digital monitoring system that we would put in place, something that is user friendly

HEALTH and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville. that would not put our healthcare professionals at great risk and something that would be palatable to the Bahamian people.

“But I believe the Bahamian people understand that if you’re in quarantine and if you use a digital device to ensure that you maintain quarantine, I believe that it will be acceptable and we’re looking very closely at that and as a matter of fact, were discussing it in detail and we’re just finalising the

Photo: Donovan McIntosh/Tribune Staff

protocols before they are implemented throughout the country.”

Concerns about the enforcement of quarantine and isolation rules comes as the country seeks to arrest control of the COVID-19 crisis.

Although overall infection rates appear to be trending downward, there has been a slight uptick in infections on several Family Islands as well as increase in virus-related deaths.

Free COVID-19 testing is

scheduled to begin in some of those communities, particularly Eleuthera, today as officials zero in on several areas of concern.

Speaking on the issue yesterday, Dr Darville said: “Well, there’s clusters in quite a few Family Islands.

We know we have one in Inagua. We had one in Mayaguana that is resolved to my understanding. We have clusters in Eleuthera.

We have a small cluster in San Salvador and the Bahamian people must realise

that COVID is not going anywhere.

“It is the way that we control it and the way how we control it is to ensure that we have testing capabilities on the island, to make sure that we have a structured protocol in the event that someone is isolated, we know exactly how that’s done. And then, of course, we must ensure that there’s surveillance to make sure that those who are in quarantine and isolation do what they’re supposed to do because you don’t want community spread.”

“But we realise that going forward like every country in the world, there will be clusters of COVID and it’s up to the healthcare professionals to be able to solve those problems. At the Ministry of Health, we are now building our capacity in order to do it and we see the gaps that exist in the Family Islands and it’s our duty to begin to do the training and unfortunately, top quality contact tracers, you don’t just pick them up today.

They need to be trained and the training process is something that’s very intense and in order to be effective, we must begin to improve the quality of training as well as the manpower resources in order to do it.”

Dr Darville also spoke about the drop in COVID19 related hospital admissions, saying officials are pleased with the declining numbers.

At last report, less than 100 people were said to be in hospital sick with the virus, a considerable decrease from a record 195 as reported in early September.

To this, the health minister added: “Some of that is directly related to some changes at the healthcare system particularly at the tertiary facilities. We’re now getting our message out to the community that it’s important to respond quickly when you start to develop signs.

“Like I’ve said before… it’s important to understand your symptoms, know what your limitations are and if you begin to feel that it becomes more difficult for you to do lighter activity in the home, don’t feel as though you could fight it.

It’s important to intervene and get some healthcare professionals involved and to seek help.”

Since the start of the pandemic, The Bahamas has recorded more than 22,200 cases of COVID-19 and more than 640 virus-related deaths.

ANOTHER 130,000 PFIZER DOSES DUE TO ARRIVE NEXT MONTH

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net THE expected

Bahamas is to receive

another 130,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine from the United States government early next month, Health Minister Dr Michael Darville revealed

yesterday.

Dr Darville made the revelation to reporters ahead of yesterday’s Cabinet meeting where he commended the

A Service of Thanksgiving For Martha Maxine Moss Grant, 76

of Tulip Avenue and formerly of Old Bight, Cat Island will be held at Agape Church, Malcolm Road, Golden Palm Estates off Kennedy Subdivision on Thursday, October 28th, 2021 at 9:00 a.m.

Interment will follow at Lakeview Memorial Gardens, John. F. Kennedy Drive. Officiating: Bishop Helen McPhee.

Left to cherish her precious memories are her husband: Hubert Grant; two loving and caring daughters: Katherine “Katie” Kikivarakis (Albany, GA.) and Karen Kikivarakis-Ferguson; one son: Kevin Grant; step daughters: Ianthie Smith and Sandra Grant (Florida); step sons: Henry and Anthony Grant; one sister: Olive Sinclair; seven grandchildren: Kyhiel Lockhart (Savannah Ga), Anthony “Kyhlie” Strachan (Albany Ga), Antonio and Angelo Rolle; Kareem “Aaron” McSweeney; Gabrielle and Meghan Grant; step grandchildren: Yanique Smith, Leonardo Dean, Devon Grant and Karen; one daughter-in-law: Earnestine Grant; one son-in-law: Ira Chris Ferguson; nieces: Rochelle Butler, Christine, Shanrese, Keisha and Oliver Sinclair; three sisters-in-law: Dorothy Malcolm and Pearline Taylor Kathleen Harvey; one brother-in-law: Clement Sinclair; Cousins: Diane and Arthur Taylor (Miami, FL); Pastors Philip and Margaritta Munroe (Freeport, Grand Bahama); LaToya and Brandon Stubbs (Miami, FL), LaTika, Sammy, Shyanne, Mariah, Sammy Little, Jr. (Miami, FL); Arthur Taylor Jr. (Atlanta, Ga); Romel (Providence, Rhode Island) and Philip Jr. Munroe (Freeport, Grand Bahama); Peter and Patrice Robinson and Family (Miami, FL); Leana Neely and family; other nieces and nephews; numerous other relatives and friends: Henry and Agnes Romer and Family (Florida); Hector and Patty Bethel (Maine); Mike and Esther McKinley (Florida); Brenda and Jay Gibson (Florida); Robert and Susan Bethel (Florida); Craig and Suzie Bethel (Florida); Bishop Helen McPhee, officers and members of Agape Church Family; Bishop William Thompson, officers and members of Faith United Missionary Baptist Church, Hon. Glenys HannaMartin, Member of Parliament for Englerston Constituency and Family; Henry and Debbie Kikivarakis and Family (Freeport, Grand Bahama); Jeffrey and Ella Kikivarakis and Family; Tony and Joy Kikivarakis and Family; Tony and Shara Kikivarakis and family; Andrea Davies and Family; Gaynell Evans and Family; Stacey Gray and Family; Perry DeCosta and Family; John Laster and Family(Albany, Ga); Edwin Riley and Family; Anthony Strachan and Family; Al Lockhart and Family(Atlanta, Ga); Tony Seymour Jr. and Family;Marion Loud and Family (Albany, Ga); Barbara Pinder and Family; Mrs. Rolle and Family; Bertram Bowleg and Family; BrendaMae Ferguson and Family; Ethel and Family; Mrs. Cash and Family; Albany State University Family(Albany, Ga); Sherwood Baptist Church N’Fuzion Class and other members (Albany, Ga); Mom’s devoted care giver: Tracey Rivers (Smithville, Ga); Bahamas Public Parks and Public Beaches Authority and The Botanical Gardens Family and others too numerous to mention.

Viewing will be held at the “Serenity Suite” at Restview Memorial Mortuary and Crematorium Limited, Robinson and Soldier Roads on (TODAY) Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. at 6:00 p.m.

country’s rising vaccination rates.

This comes after the Ministry of Health reported earlier this week that 127,567 people in the country are now fully vaccinated against the coronavirus.

Officials said 132,240 people have received one dose of a vaccine, excluding the Johnson and Johnson shot, while 255,085 shots have been administered so far since the start of the nation’s vaccination programme.

“We are pleased with the response to the vaccine thus far,” Dr Darville said of the numbers yesterday.

“We’re also pleased that our vaccination centres are taking more appointments now that we’ve gotten the 57,000 doses of Pfizer. I’m also pleased from a meeting that I had earlier this morning that things are going very well for the American donation, the second tranche and that is good news for us.”

The Bahamas received 128,700 doses of the Pfizer vaccine as a donation from the US government in August.

The shipment was the first tranche of 397,000 Pfizer vaccine doses expected to be donated to this country.

Yesterday, Dr Darville said: “I believe we expect (the next batch) early next

month, but I don’t want to give a date because that has not been finalised and so, yes, we got the 57,000 and now we’re expecting another 130,000 doses of Pfizer.”

News about the procurement of additional vaccines comes after the country received 57,330 doses of the Pfizer vaccine last week.

The shipment represented the fourth batch of COVID-19 vaccines secured through the World Health Organization’s COVAX Facility and also arrived at the time when supplies were “diminishing”.

However, with more doses now in the country, Dr Darville said he hopes more Bahamians will get vaccinated in the days ahead, noting that the benefits far outweigh the risks.

He said: “The Bahamian people are coming out.

We hope and pray that that continues because the last thing you want to see in my position is it begins to flatten where there are some individuals who just decide that they don’t want the vaccine and so I’m pleading again to Bahamians everywhere that it is important to get vaccinated because we know from the studies that vaccinations prevent you from being hospitalised

if you do get COVID and chances of death is minimised as a result of being vaccinated.

“And when we look at the cases in our hospital, the bulk of the cases in the hospital are those who have not been vaccinated so we plead to the Bahamian community to please go out there and get your vaccinations.”

Asked when officials expect The Bahamas to reach herd immunity, Dr Darville did not want to give a timeline, only saying their goal “is to get as many people vaccinated” as soon as possible.

He said: “We have a goal and our goal is to get as many people vaccinated as we possibly can. But again, as it stands right now, the vaccinations process is voluntary and we have made a commitment to the Bahamian people that that would stay in that position at this time and we are just praying and through public education, we want to convince the Bahamian people that it’s better to be vaccinated than not and that is our goal and in our new dispensation with communications, you will begin to see us roll out more aggressive programmes, more informative programmes, encouraging Bahamians everywhere to get vaccinated.”

REMAINING HONORARIUMS PAID NEXT WEEK

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

A PUBLIC Hospitals Authority official confirmed that the remainder of honorarium payments for COVID-19 front line workers will be made to qualifying employees next week.

Lyrone Burrows, PHA deputy managing director, told The Tribune yesterday the monetary award would come by next Tuesday through cheques.

The payments were to be made this month.

He confirmed the delay after an internal memo dated October 25 sent to employees said the honorariums would not be paid out as part of the October pay package.

Asked for the reasoning behind the delay, Mr Burrows said: “System challenges in obtaining a reconciliation spreadsheet of all employees paid versus unpaid at the conclusion of September resulted in the inability for the balance of employees requiring an honorarium to be validated to meet the October deadline for inclusion in the October pay package.

POSITION AVAILABLE CASHIERS WANTED Fast Pace Environment REQUIRED TO WORK SHIFTS

PLEASE EMAIL RESUME TO Cashierwanted2021@gmail.com

“Our workaround is to provide (the) same through cheque payment which is expected to be completed by next Tuesday at the latest.”

An internal memo to PHA employees said to date, the authority paid out $6,001,398.40 to eligible recipients of the first wave COVID-19 honorarium payments. In addition, PHA said out of the approximate 3,700 employees on their pay sheet, 3,200 received an honorarium with just over 500 now being assessed for eligibility. “We are in the final stages of reviewing time and attendance records on each of these employees to validate eligibility according to the criteria provided,” the memo read.

“Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond our control, these amounts will not be paid in the October pay package as originally planned, but management is attempting to ensure that cheques are issued by month’s end to all remaining staff meeting our honorarium criteria.”

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, October 27, 2021, PAGE 5

Govt unsure if it will carry on with Abaco domes plan

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net MYLES Laroda, State Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, who has responsibility for disaster management, said the government has not decided if it will continue with the temporary dome housing project in Abaco.

He said there have been a lot of complaints expressed about the initiative by residents.

“I visited Abaco last week Thursday and Friday and inspected firsthand and there seems to be a lot of challenges there with the domes,” Mr Laroda said.

“I’ve spoken to residents who were there and there were some challenges with electricity and there’s definitely challenges with sewer backing up.

“There are complaints that the domes are not attached to the foundation.

As for where the government goes, that’s going to be a Cabinet decision. I don’t have anything definite on that, but I know the

MYLES LARODA, Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister, inspecting the domes. the National In June, Katherine challenges of those people solution, who were residing in those Emergency Management Forbes-Smith, then-DRA Agency budgeted $6.4m for managing director, said domes.”

Following Hurricane temporary domes, with an another 100 structures were Dorian’s destruction in estimated $4m committed still waiting to be erected.

Asked yesterday if he 2019, many residents in to cost.

Since the initiative was planned to recommend Abaco and Grand Bahama found themselves without launched, more than 100 to Cabinet that the prodomes have been erected in ject continue, Mr Laroda homes.

As a temporary housing Abaco and Grand Bahama. replied: “Based on my

conversations with my employees at the DRA, those domes were really supposed to be a stop gap measure, maybe for a year and a half until affordable housing could be replaced.

What I saw on the ground physically, I don’t see how those domes could be a permanent solution to the housing needs.”

This comes as several of the DRA’s initiatives are currently being reviewed by the new administration.

Asked about his findings thus far, Mr Laroda said officials have found that some projects are progressing better than others.

“Yeah, there are some things that are working better than others,” he said before a Cabinet meeting yesterday. “I viewed the dump sites in Green Turtle Cay and also in the mainland in Marsh Harbour. With regards to some of the other out islands, Moore’s Island in particular, the hurricane really ravaged that island.

“The dock that was there, the public dock was actually rebuilt by the residents of Moore’s Island

using reclaimed wood and reclaimed nails. The airport is not functioning. As a matter of fact, the windows are broken and I use this term, this is what it is ‘clinic in a can’ that has the foundation, but Moore’s Island is in a dire state and the people there were just happy to see us.”

As for his thoughts on the former administration’s response to Hurricane Dorian, the state minister said: “I’m scheduled to go to Grand Bahama on Thursday this week and I’ll review what’s on the ground in (Grand Bahama) myself.

With regards to Abaco, going to Moore’s Island, Marsh Harbour, Green Turtle Cay and also to Hope Town, what was conveyed to me was that all of the help received by those residents in those areas were from NGOs.” Dorian hit Abaco on September 1, 2019, as a Category 5 hurricane before barreling toward Grand Bahama. The estimated cost of the storm’s impact on The Bahamas is said to be some $3.4 billion.

SOCIAL SERVICES HAND OUT COUPONS IN FOOD PROGRAMME

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

Ms Fernander explained that only those on the national feeding programme who do not receive assistance from the DSS are qualified.

She stated that those on the Social Services food assistance programme have already received their coupons for the month of September.

“The help is now to provide assistance to other persons who have not been able to access the food assistance they need through the Social Services programme as yet,” she said.

Once the national feeding programme exercise is completed, the deputy director said that food assistance will be provided through the DSS exclusively.

Ms Fernander said people have to apply on the Promise Portal at promise. gov.bs to register and then apply for the assistance they need.

“So, persons can continue to get ongoing assistance as they need it,” she said.

“The distribution of coupons from the national feeding programme, we expect to complete this exercise by early December.

And thereafter, persons can receive assistance through the Department of Social Services so we urge persons to begin applying now if they think they will need food assistance thereafter,” she said.

Fran Brice, the chief welfare officer and manager of the DSS community support division, said the hours of distribution take place between 9.30am and 3.30pm.

She reported that 182 persons received coupons

THE final distribution of coupons to the nearly 4,000 persons registered with the national feeding programme in Grand Bahama is being carried out under the direction of the Department of Social Services.

Charlamae Fernander, deputy director of the DSS in the Northern Bahamas, reported that 3,722 Grand Bahama residents are currently on the feeding programme. The distribution of coupons under this initiative will come to an end in early December.

“This morning, we want to advise the general public that the Department of Social Services has assumed the responsibility for the final set of distribution for the national feeding programme in Grand Bahama,” she said yesterday at the St George’s gym.

Distributions are now taking place at the St George’s High School gymnasium for registered persons who reside in Central and East Grand Bahama and at the Eight Mile Rock High School gymnasium for those in West Grand Bahama.

“We are distributing the remaining coupons… to those persons who are on the list provided by the national feeding programme,” she said. “And because there have been some questions concerning this exercise, we wish to advise that persons currently on the Social Services food assistance programme would not qualify for this exercise.”

NASSAU

on the first day of distribution, which started on Monday.

The chief welfare officer indicated that persons whose names do not appear on the list at the door would be advised and directed to their website where you can sign up for ongoing assistance. They can also go to the department located in the Sun Coral Plaza or at the EMR office.

“We will have a second and final distribution of coupons the last week of November and the first week of December,” she said.

Ms Fernander said the coupons have expiration dates. She urged people to pay attention to those dates.

“The coupons are the same ones presented all along. If you present them after the expiration date we will not be able to issue a new coupon, so you must use them at the expiration date,” she said.

The deputy director noted that there is a high number of persons who are not registered showing up to collect coupons.

“I am sure it must be frustrating to wait for a long time on the line only to find out they do not qualify.

We are hoping to prevent that from happening going forward.

“There will be no double-dipping,” she said.

“We have 3,722 persons who were not receiving assistance from Social Services, and there was a large number applying for both. But we can’t doubledip. You can only get from one or the other,” said Ms Fernander.

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Photo: Denise Maycock/Tribune Staff

PAGE 6, Wednesday, October 27, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

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Minister Munroe aiming to get rid of bad apples NATIONAL Security Minister Wayne Munroe has had a bumpy start to his new role.

His handling of Corrections Commissioner Charles Murphy being placed on leave and two deputy commissioners his firm had previously been represented in a matter connected to Mr Murphy being brought back to their roles was awkward to say the least.

It smacked very much of a situation where he should have stepped aside and let someone else handle the matter at the very least. The fact that Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis went on to say that he did not know Mr Munroe had represented the deputy commissioners previously – even though it was reported in this very newspaper – showed a failure to communicate fully with the Prime Minister over the situation.

But now, this week, we see a minister seemingly determined to hold people to account where necessary.

In yesterday’s Tribune, we reported his call for the outcome of police tribunals to no longer be secret, after a case where a police officer punched a man in his mouth so hard it damaged his teeth, leading to a payout of more than $80,000 for the officer’s victim.

Mr Munroe said he had found nothing in the police disciplinary regulations that could justify secrecy.

Then, today, we report that he wants the officers who were on duty when a woman was indecently assaulted by a man with whom she was forced to share a cell to be “held to account”, and that his ministry has no interest whatsoever in “defending or protecting slack people”.

Further, today, we see a case where a video has been circulated seemingly showing a plain clothes police officer choking a woman outside a nightspot, and then demanding a phone be handed over when he sees it is recording him.

While acknowledging there is a process to follow to ensure the video is indeed showing what it seems to show, he said that every agency has “good”

and “bad” apples, and it is his ministry’s job to root out the rotten ones.

He said: “The system is designed to root out bad officers because in every profession you have bad professionals. The good apples have no interest in being in the same barrel with bad apples. If you have evidence, if you have complaints, please make them so the system can be engaged to deal with it.”

It is encouraging to hear that officers who fall short of the standards expected of them will be held to account.

We would suggest that the system is far from designed to root out those officers, however.

When The Tribune reported in 2019 about an incident in Eleuthera in which three innocent people claimed they were tortured by police, one of many frustrating elements in the story is that the victims followed the complaints process. They filed formal complaints after being released at the Complaints and Corruption Unit. For more than a year, they heard nothing. Then after their story went public the police called them in to discuss the complaint only to be told the time had expired in which it could be addressed by the force.

That matter has since come before the courts – but it highlights that the system itself needs reform if complaints are going to be dealt with adequately.

It is refreshing to hear that Mr Munroe seemingly does not intend to let officers get away with slackness – or worse.

It has to be about more than individual cases, however – but rather making sure that safeguards are in place ahead of time, such as proper training for officers and cameras in police stations in all areas where they deal with suspects or detainees, and a process that doesn’t let time slip away once a complaint is made.

Mr Munroe might get some resistance from some officers after his comments – but every officer should want a force that is up to the job, without officers who step over the line.

If that is Mr Munroe’s goal, we applaud it.

Bush medicine and COVID EDITOR, The Tribune.

A LOT of people here are dying unnecessarily, mainly, of course, due to the madness of vaccine hesitancy, however, other people with COVID are dying because of the use of “bush medicine”.

They are taking advice from friends and family and bypassing the real experts, ie, the health system and doctors. You

have the best pharmaceutical companies in the world that are choc full of the best researchers and brains on the planet and their collective findings are being ignored due to some sage advice from an uneducated family member or neighbour with ZERO knowledge of COVID or for that matter any other medical issue.

COVID is the most significant health emergency

in history so the idea that some “bush medicine” can overcome this ferocious plague is dangerous and unfortunately killing our citizens. It is another example of people dying due to ignorance and stupidity.

Wise up go to the experts, confine the witch doctors to history where they belong.

THE REALIST Nassau, October 26, 2021.

The elderly, widows and orphans EDITOR, The Tribune.

THANK you for allowing me the space to recognise the proprietors and caregivers at homes for the elderly and orphans throughout the country.

Having visited several of these homes regularly, I am moved by the dedication of these compassionate and caring persons. Unfortunately, many of us do not understand the work being done in these homes and the cost of running them.

In most cases, the main contribution is the monthly subsidies from NIB. It is noted that it cost the government thousands of dollars a year for each prisoner held behind bars. We are talking about young, healthy men and women.

Can you imagine the cost for each elderly fragile person in these homes?

Elderly folks that have to be looked after 24/7. Folks that have to be cared for as we do a newborn baby. They have to be fed and given a bath three/four times a day; sometimes more because most of them are in sanitary undergarments.

While most residents in these homes are placed there by families who love and care about them, but lack time to take care of them the way they would like to, these relatives make every effort to ensure their loved ones are placed in homes where they will be looked after around the clock. They spend quality time with them at every chance, bathing and feeding them daily. Paying for their care while hurting to know they can’t do more.

But in some cases, some folks have been abandoned altogether. This is where NIB comes in. The truth be told, the pearls most neglected are the ones whose relatives are in a position to take care of them.

I know some of us are thinking that some children turn their backs on parents because of the way they were treated while young.

But are they taking into consideration the circumstances that brought about

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net the situation?

No sane parent sets out to intentionally neglect their child. Unfortunately, some people are caught up in drugs and alcohol that places them in a downward spiral that causes them to lose control. Not only are the elderly in these homes, but there are also orphans, some severely handicapped, who can do absolutely nothing for themselves. They, too, are left there by families that never looked back. What about them? Besides being born the way they are, who did they hurt?

The emergency hostel for children, the last time I visited, had 38 children, some severely handicapped.

What about them?

I want to pause right here and say “thank you” and congratulations to the many families who have not turned their backs on their elderly and handicapped loved ones and the many donors who regularly contribute to making lives better for folks in the homes.

God bless you.

Every day on our streets, you can observe disheveled persons asking for a bit of charity, and when they approach our car, we roll up the glasses. Has it ever occurred to us that by giving them a little of the change in your ashtray once in a while, you are giving them hope, and one day, they might be able to repay you? Well, maybe not them, but our Heavenly Father who said the least you do unto them you do unto me. Are we looking at the bigger picture?

Every day, some youth is taken before the magistrate charged with all sorts of crimes.

Parents spend sleepless nights worrying about where their child might be.

Boys are sleeping in abandoned cars because they were locked out of their homes at night for staying out late. Many of them turn

to gangs where they are welcomed.”

People don’t you understand the child needs a helping hand or someday he will grow up to be an angry young man. Teenage girls are thrown out because they got pregnant.

What are to become of them?

Roberta Flack talked about them in Trade Winds.”Young men of restless breed looking for a fight young girls soon to become streetwalkers in the night. Children of rich and poor searching for the truth, and if they don’t find it, God help tomorrow.”

The young man you refused to let into the house is now standing in front of the judge or dead.

The pregnant girl is on the streets, trading her body for a hit. Her children, the oldest four, are left to look after his younger siblings, three and two. The beggar you did not give a little spare change is armed and about to break into your home. What are you going to do?

A sad fact is that there are many widows and orphans in the Bahamas who are left to fend for themselves.

But what many of us have forgotten is that God mandates us to maintain an active role in providing for the underprivileged. It is our Christian duty, relatives or not.

James 1:27 says,”Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their afflictions.

Special thanks to Minister Butler at Unity House, Ms Ferguson at the Hostel, Deacon Sister Moxey at Pat’s home for the elderly, Reverend Kendal at Good Samaritan, Nurse Rodgers at Persis Rodgers at her home for the aged, Nurse Bain at A&A Comfort Care, Dr Ilonka at Rebecca House, the Ranfurly Home.

And others for the beautiful job they are doing in caring for the elderly, the orphans, and the underprivileged.

ANTHONY PRATT Nassau, October 25, 2021.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, October 27, 2021, PAGE 7

HOLIDAY ENDS IN COURT OVER DRUGS

LISA Rahming. Minister of State for Social Services and Urban Development.

REVAMP PLANNED FOR URBAN RENEWAL

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

THE Davis administration plans to revamp the Urban Renewal Authority Act to give the programme more autonomy.

State Minister for Social Services Lisa Rahming said the update would allow Urban Renewal to solicit funds from private entities and organisations.

“The Act now is in deliberation and we’re looking forward to four weeks because we’re putting some things in, adding some things out based on what we see on the ground,” she said.

She highlighted some restructuring to come in the future.

“You would find in the next week or two, we are restructuring in both ways.

For the first one, I would like to speak about capital-wise. We are trying to

restructure, revamp the capital first and then you will find out the human capital would be somewhat reshuffled,” she said.

She noted that historically Urban Renewal only catered to the inner-city.

Due to the downturn caused by the pandemic they will be extended to rural areas.

Ms Rahming said there are many people who need help.

“Because of the economy it has certainly put them in a position that they’ve never been in before and we don’t want to finish demoralise these persons by handing out groceries and telling them come to the centre for coupons, but we’re going to knock on their doors and bring help to them,” she said.

She said the Urban Renewal Foundation, which has been “stagnant” for sometime, will have

a consultant brought on board.

“With the foundation, the foundation will then have the authority to solicit from all agencies - private, corporations, banks, churches.”

She said Urban Renewal will also create jobs.

“As it relates to increase in jobs, it’s those jobs for persons who want to be a part of the Urban Renewal programme because we’re looking forward to partnering with the churches because in our investigation we have found out that most of the school aged children are not attending school in the inner-city.

We’ve learnt that some of them it’s not because they don’t have internet in some instances. It’s not because they don’t have the technology. It’s because they don’t have anybody at home to help them.”

She confirmed Urban Renewal was awarded more than $6m in the last budget.

VAGRANT TO HAVE PSYCHIATRIC EVALUATION

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A VAGRANT accused of unlawfully entering someone else’s property was yesterday remanded into custody pending a psychiatric evaluation.

Luther Ferguson, Jr, was arrested after he went inside a Skyline Heights building without the permission of its owner on October 22.

He pleaded not guilty when he appeared before Magistrate Kendra Kelly.

After Ferguson, Jr, denied the allegations, his father, who attended the arraignment, told the magistrate his son did have a place to stay, but chose to stay away from home. He also said his son was prone to unpredictable behaviour and asked if he could be evaluated by mental health professionals.

According to court documents, the accused has no fixed address. When questioned, Ferguson, Jr, also claimed that he was homeless and had no desire to live with his father or other

family members. While a magistrate has the jurisdiction to grant bail for the offence of unlawful entry, a accused must have a specified address in order to be released before their trial.

As Ferguson, Jr, insisted that he did not want to reside with his father and had no other address he could offer, she remanded him into custody so he could be evaluated at the Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre.

The accused returns to court on December 14 for a status report.

Graveside Service For Reginald Moxey, 80

affectionately called “Partner

Partner”

of Look-Out Drive, Coral Heights East, Coral Harbour and formerly of Mangrove Cay, Andros will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, 28th October, 2021 at Southern Cemetery, Cowpen & Spikenard Roads. Officiating will be Rev. Brainard King.

He is predeceased by his father: George Moxey; mother: Irene Rolle-Moxey; son: Tyrone Brown.

He is survived by his wife: Martha Moxey; children: Randolph Strachan (Iris), Rev. Kevin Bradley Moxey (Terry), Andrea and Nikoya Moxey; grandchildren: Trenton Smith, Tyronique Brown, Tyrese Brown, Shuranda Hall, Shakera Strachan, Kenya Strachan, Rishanda Seymour, Bradley, Brandon, and Branae Moxey; nine great-grandchildren; brothers: George Moxey Jr. and Bursal Moxey; aunt: Eva Glinton; uncle: Elroy Wilson; brothers-inlaw and sisters-in-law: Deacon Isaiah (Evangelist Cynthia) King, Ivan (Mary)Miller, Ralph (Isadora) Moxey and Elizabeth Greene; nephews and nieces: Arinthia, Esthermae, Berylin, Philip, Ushieka, Whitlean, Sharon, Janette, Cassandra, Lynn, Sonia, Dianne, Debbie, Melody, Renay, Jennifer, Livingston, Daconil, Jeannie, Alton, Godfrey, Angela, Coral, Bernice, Courtney, Orthnel, Deborah, Brian, Gregory, Rolston, Clarence, Princess, Grace, Vernita, Ellen, Prince, Percy, Alexander, Annette, Idamae, Lydell, Miriam, Barbara, Susan, Patrice, Ephraim, Doranell, Donalee, Prenell, Jacklyn, Carolyn, Rochelle and Rev. Brainard, George, Georgina and Georgette, William and Virginia King, Patrick and Henrietta King; friends including: Pat’s Senior Home, Patricia Moxey, Dr. Glenn Beneby, Nurse Eddiemae Gibson, Nurse Vernique Rahming, Crystal Glinton, Alfreda McPhee, Rufus Johnson, Radisson Cable Beach Family especially the Engineering Department, Stephen and Gail Thompson, Natasha Young, Jacinta Taylor, Annemarie Miller, Niccola Miller, management and staff of Walk-In Clinic/Pharma-Choice, management and staff of Providence Advisors, Melissa Deleveaux, Dr. Vincent & Dr. Christina Nwosa, Wilfred Jack and Family, Barbara Barnes and Family, Lulamae Strachan and Family, Dotley Moss and Family, the entire Moxey Family and the entire Community of Mangrove Cay, Andros.

The body will repose at Curtis Memorial Mortuary, Robinson Road and 5th Street, Coconut Grove (TODAY) Wednesday, October 27, 2021 from 12 noon to 5:00 p.m.

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

AN American couple’s honeymoon in paradise was cut short when they were caught with $30 worth of marijuana last week.

Joseph Kurayev and Lily Abramo Kurayev were arrested after a police dog sniffed out six grams of Indian hemp among the couple’s belongings as they were lounging on a local beach on October 20.

The New York natives pleaded guilty to simple possession during their arraignment before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt.

The court was told that officers and a dog

from their K-9 unit went to Cabbage Beach around 1pm on the day in question. When they arrived, they deployed the police dog, who gave indications to the Kurayevs who were seated next to a blue bag. Officers then approached the newlywed couple and informed them that they would be searched for dangerous drugs.

During their investigation, officers found a white marijuana cigarette in one of the defendant’s hands.

A further search of the couple’s blue bag also led to the discovery of a cigarette box with five more homemade marijuana cigarettes. The two were subsequently arrested and taken to the Paradise

Island police station.

When they were questioned there, they both admitted the offence.

During the hearing, the Kurayevs told the magistrate they were vacationing in the country for their honeymoon. They said they were “sorry” for their actions and insisted they did not realise that the laws in The Bahamas concerning the legalisation of marijuana differed from the legislation that was enforced in some American states.

After listening to their explanation, Magistrate Ferguson-Pratt accepted the couple’s guilty pleas and fined them both $175 or one month at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.

SECURITY OFFICER ADMITS HAVING UNLICENCED GUN

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A MAGISTRATE is set to determine the fate of a security officer who admitted having an unlicenced firearm that he claimed he kept with him for “protection”.

Police arrested Kenray Rigby after they found a black and yellow .45mm pistol with six rounds of ammunition in his car on September 20.

He admitted the offence when he appeared before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt.

The court was told that around 7.30pm on the night in question, officers on mobile patrol on Balfour

Avenue observed a car driving in a suspicious manner.

As a result, they brought the vehicle to a stop and informed its sole occupant that he would be searched for dangerous drugs and firearms.

The prosecution said while officers did not find anything illegal on Rigby, when they searched his car that evening, they discovered the loaded pistol. He was subsequently arrested and taken to the Grove Police Station. During an interview with police there he declined to answer any questions that were put to him.

During the hearing, Rigby’s attorney told the magistrate his client was a security officer who got

the job after his brother with the same occupation helped him apply for a position. He said that although Rigby’s brother was also a security guard, he was shot and killed a year ago. He said this made the accused feel that he needed to get a gun to protect himself.

In response, Magistrate Ferguson-Pratt said she could not condone or endorse anyone being in possession of an unlicensed firearm. Nevertheless, she said she would adjourn his case to give herself an opportunity to consider an appropriate punishment.

Rigby returns to court later this week for sentencing. He was remanded into custody until then.

PAGE 8, Wednesday, October 27, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

We must do more to stop domestic violence EVERYONE is familiar with the term “domestic violence”. It, unfortunately, comes up often enough that it is a regular part of our vocabulary and we believe we know what it means.

Domestic violence is violent or aggressive behaviour between people in the same home, and it usually involves partners. We know that it can be physical, but it can take other forms that are often not recognized as domestic violence, and it disproportionately affects women.

In a 2009 survey of 600 college students in New Providence by Susan J Plumridge and William Fielding, it was found that 21 per cent of students grew up in households where domestic violence occurred. There is also the 2014 study by (then) College of The Bahamas in which 58 per cent of high school boys and 37 per cent of high school girls participating said they believed men should “discipline” their partners. We know that what children

By Alicia Wallace experience at home helps to shape their world view and behaviour. It is not enough to educate children about healthy relationships and warn them about intimate partner violence and domestic violence. We have to be able to address what is happening now, causing harm to people experiencing and witnessing violence.

Domestic violence is largely understood as physical abuse. The billboards, pamphlets, and PSAs usually include graphic images of women with wounds and bruises, most often on their faces. In many cases, physical violence is hidden, leaving no visible evidence, or covered up by clothing and makeup. There are

also many cases of domestic violence that do not involve physical violence.

It can be the threat of violence, denial of basic needs such as food and clothing, isolation from family members and friends, deprivation of money or the ability to work, damage to property, and other controlling behaviour. These may not be immediately recognised as domestic violence by the person being violated or the people in their life, if ever. We all need to know the signs of domestic violence and how people change when they are experiencing it. For that to happen, we need to expand our understanding of domestic violence, indicate that it is not

Funeral Service For

Rosalie Gardiner-Gibson, 74 of Governors Harbor and formerly of Whymms Bight will be held at Wesley Methodist Church, Wemyss Bight, Eleuthera on Saturday, October 30th, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. Interment will follow at Wemyss Bight Public Cemetery. Officiating will be Rev. Christopher Neely assisted by other ministers of the gospel.

She is predeceased by her husband: Wendall “Zenna” Gibson now Left to cherish her beautiful memories are her children: Cherry, Michael Sr. (Valerie), Sheril Gibson, Sharon (Delshire) Mingo, Sheila, Clyde, Ralph Jr., Dale Gibson Sr., Kevin (Tonya) Johnson; grandchildren: Michael Jr., Michaela Gibson, Eddinique Albury, Wayne Douglas Jr.; adopted children: Lloyd Riley, Bernard Miller, Abby McKenzie, Tristan Cooper, Shantel Rahming, Tessa Culmer, Daniel Gierszewski; sisters: Doris Rolle, Lillian & Alma Gardiner, Viola Morley, Naomi Edwards; brother: Wilson “Brush” Delancy; brothers-in-law: Wilmore, Winton, Carmen, Hansel, Clarence, Richard “Nump” Gibson, Anthony Morley; sisters-in-law: Althea & Mirrriam Gibson, Cedrica Russel, Vernie Johnson; nieces & nephews: Derrick, Michelle, Franklyn Rolle, Hedgy, Lavardo, Jason, Cleo, Arnold, Audie Morley, Keniesha, Karell, Kendid, Kenneth, Kishon, Remarl, Kenaje Delancy, Raymond, Yohann, Garreth, Ericka, Karen, Yvette, Kendal, Lakeisha, Lakera, Latia, Lateria, Jamal, Lavone, Quincetta, Deniqua, Marco, Braunay Edwards; other relatives and friends: Mirriam & Clint Knowles, Oria McKinney & Family, Karleen Nixon & Family, Raynell Colebrooke, Donnalee & Bercil Miller, Nadine Rolle Bernice, John & Trevor Pinder, Wilbert Deal & Family, Dennis & Tracy Culmer, Diann Farrington, Emily Petty, Myrtle Mingo, Eddison Albury, Rebecca Goodman, Francis & Louis Thompson, Rodrick Pinder & Family, Rosan “Jean” Steven, Marsha, Caleb, Lester, Jaquelin Gibson, Diann Wallace, Evan Evans, Iva & Wilton Thompson, Leroy Curlene, Veronica, Percy Taylor, Lee Delancy & Family, Deann Thompson, staff at the Wemyss Bight and Rock Sound Clinic, Charlberto Darling, Hunt’s, Meadow’s & Gadiner’s of Tarpum Bay, Nola & Harcourt Brown, Sidney Young, Norma Cooper, Lauretta & John McKinney, Kathleen Culmer & Family, Mirriam Frobes & Family, Sheen Duncombe, Agnes Sweeting & Family, Christine Neely, Elaine Hunt, Vanessa & Melanie Brown, Ellen Smith and the entire community of Deep Creek and Governors Harbour.

Viewing will be held at the “Serenity Suite” at Restview Memorial Mortuary and Crematorium Limited, Robinson and Soldier Roads on (TODAY) Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. at 6:00 p.m.

limited to physical violence whenever we talk about it, and portray it in more than one way. This work falls to non-governmental organisations, but the government is obligated to engage. It has a responsibility to the people and obligations through international mechanisms, and it must not be allowed to ignore or assign these responsibilities to other bodies, especially with proper resourcing.

Beyond a clear understanding of domestic violence, we need to acknowledge that people are at different levels of risk and require different interventions and support services. Domestic violence is experienced differently by people with children, and their opportunities to leave and to report are affected by having dependents. Domestic violence is different for people with disabilities. It is different for people who are unemployed. It is different for people who are living in a country where they do not have citizenship, family, or any other support system.

Laws, policies, and services have to take these people into consideration and respond to their specific needs.

In her report on violence against women in The Bahamas, Dubravka Šimonovic — former Special Rapporteur on violence against women — noted that socio-economic status and social exclusion put migrant women at increased risk of various forms of violence and reduces the likelihood that they would report violence for fear of being deported. She also noted that crimes against LGBTQI+ people, including domestic violence, largely go unreported.

For both migrants and LGBTQI+ people, there is fear of the unintended consequences of reporting.

Will they be blamed? Will their status or identity be made public? How will they be made to suffer because of it? Is reporting worth the risk? The government is obligated to ensure that it is not only possible, but safe for people to report domestic violence and that they will receive assistance beyond the option to prosecute. Šimonovic recommended continued training for police officers on domestic violence along with training of people in various institutions that would come into contact with survivors of domestic violence, including healthcare facilities, welfare agencies, and immigration officers. As first points of contact, they need to understand domestic violence, its impact on people, and the way it disproportionately affects people who are already in situations of vulnerability.

It was noted in Šimonovic’s report that there is a need for more shelters in all of the islands of The Bahamas. It is important that people are able to safely report domestic violence and access safe temporary housing. It is particularly difficult for women with children, especially boys over the age of ten, to find appropriate shelter.

The report said: “At is required to come into least one shelter capable compliance with Belém of admitting women and do Pará which acknowlchildren around the clock edges that violence against should be available in every women is violation of region of the State, includ- human rights. Article 2 says ing rural areas.” violence against women We are not there yet. It is includes that which “occurs unacceptable that domestic within the family or domesviolence is such a common tic unit or within any other occurrence and we do not interpersonal relationship, have resources in place to whether or not the perpesupport survivors. Even trator shares or has shared worse, people are shamed the same residence with the for not leaving (sooner), woman[…]” as though they have someThe Convention also where to go. We, in fact, includes violence that is need to shift away from dis- “perpetrated or condoned placing survivors, instead by the state or its agents requiring perpetrators to regardless of where it find other accommodations occurs”. It obligates the and stay away from the state to prevent and inveshome. tigate violence against We need to implement women and include that in the National Strategic Plan legislation and administraon Gender-based Violence tive measures, to amend and legislation to protect or repeal laws that “sustain from genderthe persistence based violence There are also and tolerance and domestic many cases of of violence violence.

In againstwomen,” addition to domestic violence and to “estabchanges in law that do not lish fair and and the sup- involve physical effective legal port of plans procedures” and policies, violence. It can for women we need to be the threat of who experiimplement ence violence. violence, denial practices and In addition to of basic needs procedures legal remedy, that support such as food the Conventhe work to tion requires and clothing, end domesstates to tic violence isolation from implement and violence family members measures and against women. programmes One issue and friends, to address culthat comes deprivation of tural attitudes up over and money or the and patterns of over again on violence, raise most issues, ability to work, awareness of but especially damage to the issue, and issues of wom- property, and ensure proper en’s human data collection rights, is the other controlling among other lack of data. behaviour. obligations.

The absence Belém do of data is frequently used Pará is an important conby detractors as “proof” vention that has gone that a problem does not without attention for a long exist, is not big enough, time. It is relatively easy to or does not affect enough read and understand, and it people to even warrant a is imperative that we impleconversation. We need to ment it. It is not enough to do much better on collect- ratify. The government is ing data, analysing it, and obligated to educate the making it publicly avail- public on human rights able, not in response to mechanisms and what they the misogynists and anti- mean for us. Civil society rights people, but to better needs to be aware of what understand the issue, how we have ratified and how it is changing, the ways it it all applies to the lives of affects people, and how we the people they are meant can more effectively pre- to serve. vent and respond to it. The As we get closer to issue of insufficient data the start of the global 16 has been addressed by vari- Days of Activism Against ous experts, entities, and Gender-based Violence mechanisms. campaign which begins on Šimonovic’s report calls November 25, take some on the government to “reg- time to read the Convenularly collect, analyse, and tion. Simply type “Belém publish statistical data on do Pará convention” into all forms of gender-based your search engine of violence against women, choice and it will be the through a femicide watch first result. Get familiar or observatory on violence with it along with other against women, with aggre- conventions such as the gated data on the number Convention on the Elimiof complaints, convictions, nation of all Forms of and reparations made to Discrimination against victims”. This is a rein- Women (CEDAW). forcement of an existing Equality Bahamas will obligation through an Inter- be especially focused on American mechanism. domestic violence, femiThe Bahamas ratified the cide, and violence and Inter-American Convention harassment in the world of on the Prevention, Punish- work in the coming weeks ment, and Eradication of and will host a series of Violence against Women events on these topics as (Convention of Belém do well as human rights, the Pará) in 1995. Little has importance of data, and the been done to familiarize role of the media. Follow the general public with this the organization on social convention. We need to be media (@equality242) and aware of the international look out for the calendar of mechanisms that expand events and calls to action and protect our rights, to end gender-based vioespecially when the State lence against women and ratified them. The Bahamas LGBTQI+ people.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, October 27, 2021, PAGE 9

LEFT: Pia Farmer, Managing Director of Easy Car Sales Ltd., welcomes the invitees at the launch.

BELOW LEFT: Her Excellency Dai Qingli, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to The Bahamas, makes her remarks.

BELOW: The distinguished guests included Jobeth Coleby-Davis, MP, Minister of Transport and Housing.

THE NEW 100% electric BYD Han is unveiled.

BAHAMIAN CAR DEALERSHIP INTRODUCES

CUTTING-EDGE ELECTRIC VEHICLE EASY Car Sales Ltd rolled out the red carpet at Fusion Superplex for the world premiere of the new 100% electric BYD Han luxury sports sedan recently.

Streamed live from The Bahamas to the world, the event marked the third anniversary of Easy Car’s relationship with BYD, a private Chinese company with a presence in over 50 countries and one of the largest manufacturers of batteries and Electric Vehicles (EVs) in the world, now available in The Bahamas. Easy Car offers a complete line of BYD EV models for consumers and businesses with local support, parts and an eight-year warranty.

“BYD is an acronym for Build Your Dreams,” said Pia Farmer,

TECOYO BRIDGEWATER, co-founder of Fusion Superplex, sits at the wheel of the new BYD Han luxury sedan.

Managing Director of Easy Car Sales, during the unveiling of the Han. “Our Electric Dream Team is building on our vision to make The Bahamas a leader in EV adoption in the region, empowering Bahamians to reduce their carbon footprint and drive better vehicles that save money,

are simpler to maintain and offer all the features of a luxury ride. It’s certainly no sacrifice to drive electric.”

Invitees were eager to see the groundbreaking automobile, which CarBuzz magazine calls “Tesla’s worst nightmare” due to its advanced features, latest technology,

TRIBUNE Radio personality Anthony ‘AC’ Coakley checks out the new BYD EV.

ultra-luxe interior and powerful performance.

Distinguished guests included Her Excellency Dai Qingli, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to The Bahamas; Jobeth Coleby-Davis, MP, Minister of Transport

and Housing, and Ms Neva Zhang, BYD Sales Manager for the Central American and Caribbean region, along with enthusiastic EV owners, fans and friends.

Photos: Dante Carrer

COLLEGE STUDENTS, CANCER CENTRE CREATE VIRTUAL REALITY GAME

By PATRICIA MCKNIGHT, Sarasota Herald-Tribune SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) — When most people think of cancer treatment, gaming doesn’t usually come to mind. “Fun” and “cancer” aren’t necessarily two words often used in the same context.

However, a partnership between the Ringling College of Art and Design and Moffitt Cancer Center is combining the two. The duo is developing a creative way for cancer patients to prepare themselves for the road to recovery using virtual reality and animation.

“The collaboration with Ringling College will focus on the patient journey and how we can create meaningful tools to help decrease stress, enhance understanding of upcoming treatments, and connect patients to survivor stories so they don’t feel so alone,” said Dr. Sarah Hoffe with Moffitt Cancer Center.

Virtual reality (VR) is the use of computer technology to generate a stimulating environment. Ringling and Moffitt are developing

body is targeted for treatment. MRI, magnetic resonance imaging, is a type of scan that uses radio waves to produce detailed images of the inside of the body. The process requires the patient to remain extremely still for sometimes up to an hour.

According to Hoffe, breathing moves the targeted area of the body during treatment. She says when patients hold their breath, the radiation therapy is more precise so it doesn’t affect surrounding healthy tissue.

Just the thought of having radiation treatment sparks nervousness RINGLING College of Art and Design and anxiety. Imagine having heightsenior Joseph Janssen puts on a ened anxiety along with having to VR headset, Friday in Sarasota, Fla. be extremely still while also holding Students at the school have partnered your breath incrementally. Sounds pretty difficult right? with Moffitt Cancer Center to create That’s why Ringling and Moffitt virtual reality games for cancer patients. have developed a virtual breathing (Patricia McKnight/Sarasota Herald“game” that prepares patients for Tribune via AP) the actual MRI process. Patients digital technology to ease patient choose between two themes: golf stress during their MRI-guided radi- and space. The mini-games challenge ation therapy. the users to be still while holding When a patient undergoes radia- their breath for 25 seconds. Ringtion therapy, a specific area of the ling College senior Joseph Janssen is

behind the game’s design.

Janssen spent his entire summer working to optimize the VR experience for cancer patients and has really been the leader of the project, according to his professors. He never thought that he’d be combining his artistic skill with the field of medicine.

“What’s great about is that we can combine art and design to create something that’s not only functional but also visually appealing,” said Jannsen. “So then that way, it’s easily understandable to almost any viewer or user.”

Though the process is still developing, the game is an innovative way to ease the anxiety of cancer patients through such a stressful time. Hoffe believes it could help many people.

“I think creativity is the currency of innovation,” said Hoffe. “People have to understand that medicine may not traditionally be creative, but we have to surround ourselves with those individuals who can make us better because at the end of the day I want what’s the best for my patients.”

TECHTALK

GM PROGRAMME TO INSTALL MORE EV CHARGERS ACROSS THE US AND CANADA GENERAL Motors is planning to install up to 40,000 electric vehicle chargers across the U.S. and Canada as part of a new community charging programme.

The vehicle maker said Tuesday that the programme will start next year. It will work with its dealers to have the charging stations in locations including workplaces, multi-unit dwellings, sports and entertainment venues and college and universities. According to the company, nearly 90% of the U.S. population lives within 10 miles of a GM dealer.

The charging stations will not be limited to those that have GM vehicles. They will be available to anyone that has an electric vehicle, regardless of the brand.

The programme is part of a series of investments the Detroit company announced earlier this month. GM then pledged to increase its investment in EV charging networks by nearly $750 million through 2025.

The announcement comes a day after Hertz ordered 100,00 Model 3 small cars from Tesla — and announced plans to set up its own charging network — due to growing consumer interest in electric vehicles.

TOP FREE iPAD APPS: 1. Candy Challenge 3D, Idil Morgul urvival Game - 3D 2. S Challenge, Kien Nguyen 3. Fidget Toy Maker, Geisha Tokyo Inc. uman Vehicle, 4. H SUPERSONIC STUDIOS LTD tring Pull, 5. S Crazy Labs raffic Cop 3D, 6. T Kwalee Ltd ouTube: 7. Y Watch, Listen, Stream, Google LLC etflix, Netflix, Inc. 8. N ookie Run: King9. C dom, Devsisters 10. Survival Challenge 3D, Osman Senol

PAGE 12, Wednesday, October 27, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

FDA PANEL BACKS PFIZER LOW-DOSE VACCINE FOR CHILDREN AS YOUNG AS FIVE WASHINGTON Associated Press THE US moved a step closer to expanding COVID-19 vaccinations for millions more children as a panel of government advisers on Tuesday endorsed kid-size doses of Pfizer’s shots for five- to 11-year-olds.

A Food and Drug Administration advisory panel voted unanimously, with one abstention, that

the vaccine’s benefits in preventing COVID-19 in that age group outweigh any potential risks — including a heart-related side effect that’s been very rare in teens and young adults despite their use of a much higher shot dose.

While children are at lower risk of severe COVID-19 than older people, ultimately many panelists decided it’s important to give parents the choice to protect their

youngsters — especially those at high risk of illness or who live in places where other precautions, like masks in schools, aren’t being used.

The virus is “not going away. We have to find a way to live with it and I think the vaccines give us a way to do that,” said FDA adviser Jeannette Lee of the University of Arkansas.

“I do think it’s a relatively close call,” said adviser Dr Eric Rubin of

Harvard University. “It’s really going to be a question of what the prevailing conditions are but we’re never going to learn about how safe this vaccine is unless we start giving it.”

The FDA isn’t bound by the panel’s recommendation and is expected to make its own decision within days.

If the FDA authorizes the kid-size doses, there’s still another step: Next week, the Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention will have to decide whether to recommend the shots and which youngsters should get them.

Full-strength shots made

by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech already are recommended for everyone 12 and older but pediatricians and many parents are clamoring for protection for younger children. The extra-contagious delta variant has caused an alarming rise in pediatric infections - and families are

frustrated with school quarantines and having to say no to sleepovers and other rites of childhood to keep the virus at bay.

States are getting ready to roll out shots for little arms - in special orangecapped vials to distinguish them from adult vaccine as soon as the government gives the OK. More than 25,000 pediatricians and other primary care providers have signed up so far to offer vaccination.

Before Rosa Parks, there was Claudette Colvin - now she wants her conviction expunged MONTGOMERY, Alabama Associated Press MONTHS before Rosa Parks became the mother of the modern civil rights movement by refusing to move to the back of a segregated Alabama bus, Black teenager Claudette Colvin did the same.

Convicted of assaulting a police officer while being arrested, she was placed on probation yet never received notice that she’d finished the term and was on safe ground legally.

Now 82 and slowed by age, Colvin has asked a judge to end the matter once and for all. She wants a court in Montgomery to wipe away a record that her lawyer says has cast a shadow over the life of a largely unsung hero of the civil rights era.

“I am an old woman now. Having my records expunged will mean something to my grandchildren and great grandchildren.

And it will mean something for other

CLAUDETTE COLVIN

Black children,” Colvin said in a sworn statement.

Supporters sang civil rights anthems and clapped as Colvin entered the clerk’s office and filed the expungement request yesterday. Her attorney, Phillip Ensler, said he was seeking all legal documents to be sealed and all records of the case erased.

Montgomery County District Attorney Daryl Bailey later said he agreed with the request to clear Colvin’s record, removing any doubt it would be approved.

“I guess you can say that now I am no longer a juvenile delinquent,” Colvin told a crowd that included relatives, well wishers and activists.

Recalling her arrest, Colvin told the crowd: “My mindset was on freedom.”

“So I was not going to move that day,” she said. “I told them that history had me glued to the seat.”

Colvin left Alabama at age 20 and spent decades in New York, but relatives always worried what might happen when she returned for visits since no court official ever said she had finished probation, according to Ensler.

“Her family has lived with this tremendous fear ever since then,” he said. “For all the recognition of recent years and the attempts to tell her story, there wasn’t anything done to clear her record.”

Currently living in Birmingham before a move to stay with relatives in Texas, the octogenarian Colvin made her request to a juvenile court judge oddly enough since that’s where she was judged delinquent and placed on what, for all practical purposes, amounted to a lifetime of probation, Ensler said.

Graveside Service For Arlington Dawkins, 46

of East Street will be held at Southern Cemetery on Thursday, October 28th, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. Officiating will be Pastor Gladstone Patton and Rev. Anthony Sands.

Precious memories will always linger in the hearts of his 4 sisters: Deloris Baker, Brenda Dawkins, Jarnaine Georges and Lorna Joseph; 4 brothers: Ricardo Cox, Spessard Horton, Mark Burrows and Nelson; 4 nieces: Anastacia McPhee, Bridgae Ogiste, Kevinique Dawkins and Shanova Delancy; 3 nephews: Willis McPhee, Calvin McPhee and Marvin Joseph; 4 grandnieces: Calvinique Mcphee, Angel McPhee, Mia and Emma; 6 grandnephews: Anthony, Calvin, Aaron, Zavyon and Peter; aunts: Francina Storr, Mordell Wells and Missy Wells; uncles: Herman McMinns and Charles Rolle; cousins: Ricardo, Sherman, Melvin, Harvey, Elvis, Cereal, Norman, Hermis, Jacob, Joan, Fedricka, Jackie, Tamika, Cola, Patrice, Tanya, megan, Kendra, Nicole, Brutlin, Jeffrey, Ruthamae, Pearlamae, Doramae, Jacob, Audey, Sherell, Cameal, Sharmaine, Dell, Crystal and family, Garen, Hubert, Kino, Reese, Jazzy and family and Carlton; other relatives and friends: My brothers keeper group memebers, Henry, Andre, Trevor, Arthur, Johanovca, Christine, former Crystal Palace Crew, Sherry, Deeka, Margrett and family, Jennie Bethel and Family, Hanna’s Hardware and Family, Stafford and Family, Dokie, Dorinda, Debra, Della and many too numerous to mention.

Viewing will be held at the “Serenity Suite” at Restview Memorial Mortuary and Crematorium Limited, Robinson and Soldier Roads on (TODAY) Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. at 6:00 p.m.

QUEEN Elizabeth II holds a virtual audience via video link with the Ambassador from the Swiss Confederation, Markus Leitner, accompanied by his wife Nicole Leitner, from Windsor Castle.

QUEEN WILL NOT ATTEND CLIMATE CONFERENCE LONDON Associated Press

QUEEN Elizabeth II has canceled her planned appearance at the UN climate conference in Glasgow, accepting doctors’ advice to rest just days after spending the night in a hospital for tests.

The 95-year-old monarch announced yesterday that she has “regretfully’’ decided that she will no longer travel to Glasgow to attend the reception on November 1 — a move that will dash the hopes of Britain’s Conservative government, which is anxious to show the importance of the session to the fate of the planet. The climate conference runs from October 31 to November 12 and her attendance was meant to kick it off in style and splendour.

“Her Majesty is disappointed not to attend the reception but will deliver an address to the assembled delegates via a recorded

video message,’’ Buckingham Palace said.

The news came after the sovereign held virtual audiences Tuesday at Windsor Castle — the first since revelations that her doctors ordered her to rest last week.

The sovereign greeted the ambassadors from South Korea and Switzerland during her first technology-aided appearance since she was driven to London’s King Edward VII’s Hospital on October 20 for “preliminary investigations”. She returned to her Windsor Castle home at lunchtime the next day and has been taking on light duties since.

The queen underwent the medical tests after she canceled a scheduled trip to mark 100 years since the creation of Northern Ireland, and the palace said she had “reluctantly” accepted advice to rest for a few days. The matter was not related to COVID-19.

Her doctors ordered rest last week after the monarch who likes to be seen by the people carried out a hectic series of events. She held audiences with diplomats, had a reception at Windsor Castle for global business leaders and attended the horse races at Ascot.

Her hospital visit last week came amid general disquiet about Elizabeth’s health. Days earlier, she was seen using a walking stick at a Westminster Abbey service marking the centenary of the Royal British Legion, an armed forces charity. Although she had used a cane in 2003, it was after she underwent knee surgery.

The queen’s husband, Prince Philip, died in April 2021 at 99. Elizabeth has enjoyed robust health throughout her life, becoming Britain’s longest-lived and longest-reigning monarch. She is due to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee — 70 years on the throne — next year.

SPORTS PAGE 13

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2021

Bastian, Williams inducted into Benedict Hall of Fame

By BRENT STUBBS Senior SPORTS REPORTER bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

H

aving persevered in almost similar fashion from humble beginnings, Bahamian triple sporting star Melinda Bastian and multiple distance running national record holder O’Neil Williams emerged as two of the top studentathletes ever produced at Benedict College.

While Bastian was able to return to Colombia, South Carolina on Thursday, October 21 to be inducted into the 2021 Hall of Fame class, Williams didn’t get to travel to his alma mater from Africa because of a lack of funding.

The duo, nonetheless, were enshrined along with James Byrd, Gerald Herbert (‘90), Ramon Robinson (‘99), Tina Ivory Sanders (‘06), Attorney Ralph Warren (‘71), Gerard Washington (‘06) and Anthony Wilson (‘97).

After getting a “fresh new start” at Benedict College from 2007-2011, Bastian, who ran cross country, threw the javelin and played both volleyball and softball, graduated with a 3.26 grade point average and cum laude with her degree in therapeutic recreation.

“I feel very proud and confident in myself because I was given a second opportunity for a fresh new start,” Bastian said. “I went to Benedict College at the age of 24 with two kids and was determined to get my degree and compete in sports at the same time.”

After graduating from CR Walker Secondary High where she shined for the Knights in just about every sport they participated in at the Government Secondary Schools Sports Association level, Bastian was enrolled in Garden City Community College in Kansas in 2002 on a partial scholarship.

The financial strain on her family forced her to return home where she began working and subsequently had her first two children, Vashawna Bastian and Vanessa Sawyer.

But because she always had that desire to better

MELINDA Bastian with her induction awards. her life situation, Bastian said when coach Gwendolyn Rouse came to the Bahamas to sort her out on the advice of her teammates Cherese Rolle-Bain and Crystal Rolle-Brown, she jumped at the opportunity.

“I always wanted to become a physical education teacher, so I knew I had to get my degree,” said Bastian, who was just as impressive in the classroom as she was on the sports field.

“Cherese and Crystal encouraged the coach to come here to look for me. When she came, she provided me with the opportunity to go to Benedict College. So I am grateful to them all for their support.”

At Benedict College, Bastian emerged as one of the most dominant women’s athletes, not just in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC), but also in the (National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II.

She was the SIAC Player of the Year twice in volleyball and was a two-time SIAC Track and Field Athlete of the Year and All-American. In volleyball, she was the SIAC Player of the Year in 2007 and 2008 and was the SIAC Tournament Most Valuable Player in 2008 and in softball, she was named to the SIAC All-Conference team as a shortstop.

“It’s a privilege. For the stamina of the athlete that I was and still am today, representing the country in three different sports, track and field, volleyball and softball, if the school can see the calibre of athlete that I am, it should open the eyes of the Bahamas in paying attention to what they have.”

On her return home, Bastian started her employment as a security officer until she got a call from the Ministry of Education in October, 2011 to June 2012 as a Teacher’s Aide at Columbus Primary.

On the completion of that assignment, she was

O’Neil Williams with his one-year-old daughter Janeil. hired permanently and was first enrolled at LW Young Junior High for five years before she was transferred to AF Adderley.

At the age of 37 and with two additional children, Omar Bastian and Michael Higgs Jr, Bastian said she’s thrilled to have been given the opportunity to go to college, get her degree while competing and returning home to make a contribution to the Bahamas.

Her only regret is that there are no active sporting events for her to instruct her students in the Government Secondary Schools Sports Association (GSSSA) or to participate in the New Providence Softball Association or the New Providence Volleyball Association as a top notch competitor.

Williams, the Bahamian national marathon record holder, helped Benedict College earn their first SIAC cross country championships in 2008. He also earned All-Region and SIAC Athlete of the Year

accolades during his collegiate career at Benedict College.

Williams, 38, said he’s grateful to Benedict College for bestowing such a prestigious honour as an inductee in this year’s class.

“It’s overwhelming and surreal. I never knew that I was going to be inducted into the Hall of Fame,” he said. “I had some idea, but when the coach tried to contact me through some of our athletes, I was really excited.

“I haven’t heard of any other Bahamian distance runner inducted into the Hall of Fame for their college. So if there was any, I know I’m in a special field of just a few, but if there are none, I’m glad to be a pioneer. No matter what, it’s a fantastic feeling.”

After graduating from LW Young Secondary High in 2000, Williams remembered when he approached former Minister of Tourism Dionisio D’Aguilar in 2006 about purchasing himself a

SEE PAGE 15

WORLD SERIES, PAGE 15

KNICKS BEAT 76ERS FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 2017 NEW YORK (AP) — Kemba Walker scored 19 points in his best game with his hometown team and the New York Knicks snapped a 15-game losing streak against the Philadelphia 76ers with a 112-99 victory last night.

Evan Fournier added 18 points in the Knicks’ first victory over Philadelphia since April 12, 2017. Julius Randle had 16 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists.

Joel Embiid didn’t have a field goal in the first half of his career loss to the Knicks, who seized control by outscoring Philadelphia 39-16 in the second quarter.

Tobias Harris scored 23 points for the 76ers. Embiid finished with 14 points and six rebounds, shooting just 2 for 7.

LAKERS 125, SPURS 121 SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Anthony Davis had 35 points and 17 rebounds, Russell Westbrook added 33 points and 10 rebounds, and the Los Angeles Lakers rallied without LeBron James to beat the San Antonio Spurs in overtime last night.

Dejounte Murray had 21 points, 15 assists and 12 rebounds for his fifth career triple-double, and he missed a jumper in the closing seconds that would have won it for the Spurs. Jakob Poeltl added 27 points and 14 rebounds for San Antonio, and Lonnie Walker IV had a season-high 21 points.

James missed the Lakers’ first road game of the season with a sore right ankle, an injury that occurred in Sunday’s win over Memphis.

WARRIORS 106, THUNDER 98 OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Stephen Curry scored 23 points and the Warriors remained unbeaten, rallying in the second half to beat the Thunder.

Andrew Wiggins had 21 points and Damion Lee scored 20 for the Warriors, who have opened the season with four straight wins.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30 points on 11-of19 shooting for the winless Thunder.

A 3-pointer by Otto Porter Jr put the Warriors ahead for the first time, 78-76, with a minute left in the third.

The Warriors took an 81-76 edge into the fourth, and they remained in control the rest of the way.

Henfield Basketball Shooting Academy takes it to ‘The Lab’

By BRENT STUBBS Senior SPORTS REPORTER bstubbs@tribunemedia.net IT’S called “The Lab,” where coach and mentor Marvin Henfield has created his home for the Marvin Henfield Basketball Shooting Academy for basketball players who have been marginalised because of their shooting abilities.

Henfield, who has hosted a series of basketball camps and coached a number of local and international basketball players, will provide an open house for “The Lab” on Saturday between the hours of noon and 2pm.

“The Lab” is located at No.83 Thompson Boulevard at the rear of Jones Communications in warehouse No.3, formerly the Caribbean Bottling Company’s factory for Coca-Cola.

With a gift for teaching and a passion for basketball, Henfield said he was

able to blend the two together to come up with the right ingredient to pursue this dream through the Caribbean Sports Academy (CSA) and his International Youth Education and Sports Foundation (IYES). “I have the gift of taking anything and putting it in steps and I’m passionate about shooting,” he said. “For 33 years I was basically trying to figure out how to teach basketball. I did it for 20 years for myself and the last 13 years for the kids.

“But it wasn’t until this pandemic hit in April this year, all those years of studying late nights and trying to figure out how to teach this methodology that I was basically able to get a divine revelation from God when I was fasting and praying where he allowed me to see the vision and the wisdom in what I need to do.”

What he figured out was what he was teaching in

COACH Marvin Henfield in “The Lab”. three months, he can now do it in three sessions.

And coming from a spot where he could have easily been despondent when he

first learned about the game of basketball as a seventh grader at RM Bailey High School, Henfield said he can better comprehend to

the targeted players he’s trying to instruct in this new venture.

“At age 11 when I went to RM Bailey, I didn’t have any family member who participated in sports,” Henfield said. “Although the (late) great (Charles) Chuck Mackey was there as the head coach, no one took the time or interest to invest in me.

“I was one of those kids who didn’t have any chance in basketball because I didn’t know anything. So this is about targeting those kids who are on the bench that probably won’t get a chance to play and those kids who have no chance in basketball, but are passionate about the game.”

During the open house, persons will get a chance to view the new facilities for those involved in the CSA, who were deprived of getting together to train because of the restrictions imposed by COVID-19.

“We want them to see this next step in this evolution in terms of the space where we will do our training and the next step we will take as a country where we will provide indoor training for our kids,” he said.

“In the first instance, the training is individualised, which simply means that where we have put your six goals and we will put up the next five, which will give us 11, so the kids can go to one goal with one basketball at a time where they can rotate for a hour.”

Once the COVID-19 restrictions subside, Henfield said they will resume their group training, but for now, it will be one skill training and that is shooting for all persons involved.

In November, Henfield hopes to have “The Lab” fully operational for players ages 14-16, who are either bench warmers and don’t

SEE PAGE 15

PAGE 14, Wednesday, October 27, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

Scottish soccer coaching great Walter Smith dies at 73

By STEVE DOUGLAS AP Sports Writer WALTER Smith, the Scottish soccer coach who won 21 trophies over two spells with Rangers and restored respectability to his national team in a brief stint in charge, has died. He was 73.

Smith had been “battling illness,” Rangers chairman Douglas Park said yesterday in a statement from the Glasgow team announcing the death.

“It is almost impossible to encapsulate what Walter meant to every one of us at Rangers,” Park said. “He embodied everything that a Ranger should be. His character and leadership was second to none.”

With a dry sense of humour and an endearing humbleness belying his status as one of Scotland’s greatest ever coaches, Smith established Rangers as the country’s biggest force in soccer by winning seven straight Scottish league titles as well as three Scottish Cups and three Scottish League Cups in his first spell at Ibrox from 1991-98.

Among the players in Smith’s team were Paul Gascoigne and Brian

Laudrup, and Rangers tied rival Celtic’s record of nine consecutive league titles in 1997.

Smith returned to stabilise the club in 2007, winning three straight league titles from 200911, five domestic cups, and guiding Rangers to the final of the now-defunct UEFA Cup in 2008.

Park described Smith as “one of the great modernday football managers.”

“However, for Rangers supporters,” Park said, “he was much more than just a football manager. Walter was a friend to many, a leader, an ambassador and most of all, a legend.”

In between his stints at Rangers, Smith managed Premier League club Everton from 1998-2002, had a short period as assistant to close friend Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, and took charge of the Scottish national team from 2004-07.

Scotland was at a low ebb after a disappointing two years under Germanborn coach Berti Vogts, and Smith improved the team’s fortunes and lifted it 70 places in the FIFA rankings.

His best result was the win over France at Hampden Park in a European

LPGA player of the year coming down to Ko and Nelly Korda

By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer THE LPGA Tour decides its player of the year based strictly on points. If those were style points, Nelly Korda would be tough to beat.

Korda’s three LPGA victories this year include her first major, the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Atlanta Athletic Club, which elevated the 23-year-old American to No. 1 in the world. Throw in a gold medal from the Tokyo Olympics, and she has put together the most memorable year in women’s golf.

But the best year? Jin Young Ko would like a word.

Coming off a six-week break after a disappointing Olympics, during which Ko worked with her old coach in South Korea and found a putter she likes, she has won three of her last five starts on the LPGA Tour and was runner-up in the ShopRite LPGA Classic.

Her victory in the BMW Ladies Championship not only returned her to No. 1 in the world, Ko took over the lead in the Race to the CME Globe, both positions previously belonging to Korda.

GLASGOW Rangers’s coach Walter Smith answers a question during a press conference in Betera, near Valencia, Spain, on the eve of their group C Champions League soccer match against Valencia in November, 2010.

Championship qualifier that left Scotland in first place in their group, but he never completed the qualification campaign after being enticed back to Rangers — the team he supported growing up in Glasgow.

Smith was also briefly non-executive director and then chairman of Rangers, and developed a close bond with the club’s current manager, Steven Gerrard, who led the team last season to its first Scottish league title since 2011. “Thank you for all your wisdom, support and friendship,” Gerrard

And she now has a 15-point lead over Korda with two tournaments remaining.

Winning is worth 30 points — 12 points are awarded for second — so the race is far from decided.

Korda has a slight lead for the Vare Trophy for lowest scoring average — 69.07 to 69.18 — though neither player will be eligible for the award because they haven’t played enough rounds.

Ko became a footnote in history at the BMW Ladies Championship by getting the 200th career win by a South Korean player. It extended her late-season surge, which began with her first victory of the year at the Volunteers of America Classic in July.

There was a reason for the slow start. Her grandmother became ill and Ko couldn’t get home to South Korea and her preparations for the majors because of COVID-19 travel restrictions.

She said she even questioned what she was doing with her life. “I came to think, ‘What’s the use of all this?’ I was very sceptical about why I was playing golf when I couldn’t be there for my grandmother,” she said.

said on social media. “You meant the world to everyone at Rangers.”

As a player, Smith had a modest career — his clubs were Dundee United and Dumbarton — before retiring because of injury at the age of 32 and going straight into coaching, initially with Scotland’s youth teams.

“He was respected by all and one of the few able to transcend rivalries,” Scotland great Kenny Dalglish, who played for and coached Celtic, wrote on Twitter.

“Today we have lost a truly great man.”

RAUF’S 4-22 HELPS PAKISTAN TO 5-WICKET WIN OVER NEW ZEALAND SHARJAH, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Fast bowler Haris Rauf compiled a careerbest 4-22 to help Pakistan rally for a five-wicket victory over injuryhit New Zealand yesterday at the T20 World Cup. Rauf’s variations kept New Zealand to 134-8 in its opening Group 1 game after Pakistan skipper Babar Azam won the toss and opted to field.

The experience of Shoaib Malik (27 not out) and power-hitting of Asif Ali (27 not out) then quashed New Zealand’s hopes of a late comeback and carried Pakistan to 136-5 in 18.4 overs to earn the team its second victory in three days. Asif smashed two late sixes in Tim Southee’s one

over and then hoisted Trent Boult over wide mid-on for a six before scampering for two runs at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

“It’s always good to win. We’ll take this confidence forward in the tournament,” Pakistan skipper Babar Azam said.

“The way Shaheen (Afridi) and especially Haris Rauf bowled was very impressive.”

Pakistan beat India, one of the tournament favourites, by 10 wickets on Sunday.

The team has three more games to go against Afghanistan, Namibia and Scotland and is now among the contenders for a place in the semifinals.

New Zealand missed fast bowler Lockie Fergusion, who

A T L A N T A All games on FOX All times 8:09 p.m. (EDT) *If necessary

B R A V E S

GAME 1 Houston (home) Tues., Oct. 26

GAME 3 Atlanta (home) Fri., Oct. 29

48 runs off the last 31 balls. But Asif used his power-hitting and also braved a sharp bouncer from Southee which struck him on the helmet.

“It’s very disappointing at the end,” Williamson said.

“Unfortunately, we couldn’t nail things towards the back end, but we were up against a very good side in Pakistan and congratulations to them.”

Earlier, Rauf was equally good with the new and old ball after Shaheen Afridi started by bowling a maiden over to Martin Guptill.

Rauf hails from Rawalpindi, the city where New Zealand abandoned its limited-overs tour to Pakistan because of a security

S E R I E S

•

GAME 4 Atlanta (home) Sat., Oct. 30

threat last month minutes before the toss in the first ODI. Rauf made an immediate impact off his second delivery when he beat Guptill with pace as the ball rattled the stumps after deflecting off the batsman’s pads in the sixth over.

New Zealand tried to accelerate against the spinners with Conway (27) smashing three straight boundaries in legspinner Shadab Khan’s one over before Hasan Ali ran out Williamson (25) in the 13th over.

Rauf returned in the late overs and had the wickets of Conway and Glenn Phillips (13), and then rounded off the spell by having Mitchell Santner clean bowled off the last delivery.

HOUSTON ASTROS GAME 5* Atlanta (home) Sun., Oct. 31

GAME 6* Houston (home) Tues., Nov. 2

FALL CLASSIC: Braves vs. Astros

ATLANTA BRAVES CATCHER

Travis d’Arnaud 7 0

• T H E 11 7 TH W O R L D

GAME 2 Houston (home) Wed., Oct. 27

This is a matchup six decades in the making, pairing former National League rivals who’ve played more than 700 times, including five postseason series.

Projected starters

.220 .194

was ruled out of the tournament because of a torn calf before the game.

The ICC later approved Adam Milne as the replacement for Ferguson.

Southee got Babar (9) early for his 100th wicket in T20s when he knocked back the middle stump in the sixth over.

Legspinner Ish Sodhi (2-28) then trapped Fakhar Zaman (11) and Mohammad Rizwan (33) leg before wicket off his sharp turners, In between those strikes, Devon Conway made a twohanded diving catch in the deep to the dismay of Mohammad Hafeez (11).

And when Boult nailed Imad Wasim lbw, Pakistan still needed

26 .300 1 .294

Because of scheduling and COVID-19, the Astros and Braves haven’t seen each other since 2017. They’ll now meet for Game 1 on Tuesday night at Minute Maid Park.

BATTING AVERAGE • HOME RUNS • RUNS BATTED IN (2021 regular season and postseason stats) PITCHERS: WINS-LOSSES • ERA

FIRST BASE SECOND BASE SHORTSTOP

Freddie Freeman

GAME 7* Houston (home) Wed., Nov. 3

Ozzie Albies

31 83 .259 3 6 .258

Dansby Swanson

30 106 .248 3 9 .237

THIRD BASE

Austin Riley

27 88 .303 0 1 .212

LEFT FIELD CENTER FIELD RIGHT FIELD

Eddie Rosario

33 107 .259 3 9 .474

Adam Duvall

14 62 .228 3 11 .229

DH

Joc Pederson

38 113 .238 1 4 .276

Jorge Soler

18 61 .223 3 9 .154

PROJECTED ROTATION

RHP Charlie Morton 14-6 0-1

27 70 0 0

3.34 3.77

LHP Max Fried 14-7 1-1

RHP Ian Anderson

3.04 3.78

9-5 1-0

3.58 2.25

CLOSER

LHP Drew Smyly

LHP Will Smith

11-4 1-0

37 saves, 3.44 4 saves, 0.00

4.48 5.40

HOUSTON ASTROS

Martín Maldonado .172 12 .069 0

Yuli Gurriel

36 .319 1 .333

MANAGERS

Jose Altuve

15 81 .278 1 8 .200

(Regular season stats)

WON/LOSS

Braves: 441-390 (2016-present) OVERALL: 454-416 Brian Snitker

The 66-year-old has spent four decades in the Braves’ organization as a player, coach and skipper. He squares off against his son, Troy, the Houston hitting coach, in the series.

SOURCE: Major League Baseball

Carlos Correa

31 83 .279 3 7 .297

Alex Bregman

26 92 .270 1 5 .282

Michael Brantley

12 55 .311 1 5 .311

8 0

Chas McCormick

47 .257 8 .316

Kyle Tucker

14 50 .294 0 1 .275

Yordan Alvarez

30 92 .277 4 15 .441

LHP Framber Valdez 11-6 1-0

33 104 2 9

3.14 4.20

RHP Luis Garcia 11-8 1-1

RHP José Urquidy

3.48 9.64

8-3 0-1

3.62 27.00

RHP Zack Greinke 11-6 2-1

RHP Ryan Pressly

4.16 7.71

26 saves 2.25 1 save 1.50

WON/LOSS

Giants: 840-715 Cubs: 322-326 Reds: 509-463 Nationals: 192-132 Astros: 124-98 OVERALL: 1,987-1,734

OFFENSE Regular • Postseason (record) AVG HR Dusty Baker

The 72-year-old Baker is the first manager to win division titles with five teams. This is his eighth division championship and 11th trip to playoffs but he is still seeking first World Series title as manager.

FIELDING

PITCHING

RUNS

OBP SLG OPS

E

ERA

BB

SO

WHIP

BRAVES (88-73) (7-3)

.244 .250

239 12

790 40

.319 .435 .754 .319 .407 .725

72 1

3.88 3.41

516 31

1417 100

1.24 1.21

ASTROS (95-67) (7-3)

.267 .281

221 13

863 67

.339 .444 .784 .353 .443 .797

71 6

3.78 4.50

549 35

1456 93

1.23 1.34

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, October 27, 2021, PAGE 15

Morton throws 16 pitches on broken leg, Braves top Astros in Series opener

By BEN WALKER AP Baseball Writer HOUSTON (AP) — A healthy swing by Jorge Soler powered the Atlanta Braves to a smashing start in the World Series.

Making his first start since testing positive for COVID-19, Soler became the first player to begin a World Series with a home run and the Braves, despite the loss of pitcher Charlie Morton to a broken leg, hushed the Houston Astros 6-2 last night in Game 1.

Boosted by a strong bullpen effort, a two-run homer by Adam Duvall and a late sacrifice fly from Freddie Freeman, the Braves coasted in their first Series appearance since Chipper Jones and their Big Three aces ascended in 1999.

Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa and the Astros mostly looked lost at the plate. This is their third World Series in five seasons — and first since their illegal sign-stealing scheme was revealed.

Before the game, Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said there were plenty of sleuths monitoring the dugouts, clubhouse and stands to guard against any possible shenanigans.

“There’s a lot more people watching what goes on as a

BRAVES starting pitcher Charlie Morton throws in the first inning.

(AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

BRAVES’ Jorge Soler celebrates his home run last night in Houston.

(AP Photo/Eric Gay)

result of the issues that we’ve had,” he said.

Soler’s no-doubt jolt into the left-field seats on Framber Valdez’s third pitch quickly took all the juice out of Minute Maid Park, quieting a boisterous, sellout crowd.

Fresh off dispatching the defending World Series champion Dodgers in the playoffs, the Braves weren’t done, either.

Aggressive in every way, they kept teeing off against their former, longtime National League rivals.

Moments later, Ozzie Albies stole a base and Austin Riley hit an RBI double, taking a rare swing at a 3-0 pitch.

Soler added an RBI grounder in the second and when Duvall launched a two-run homer, it was 5-0 and the Braves had made even more October history — the only team to score in each of the first three innings in a World Series opener.

At that point, Braves batters were far from the only ones making noise. The few Atlanta fans sprinkled in the sea of orange had started their familiar chant, too.

By then, it looked as if everything was going right for the Braves. But baseball can be a fickle game, and the fates can spin faster than the best curveball.

Because in the bottom the third, Atlanta absorbed its own big hit.

As he struck out Altuve, Morton suddenly grimaced and took an awkward step. His teammates, manager Brian Snitker and a trainer soon joined him on the mound, and just like that, Morton was gone.

Turned out a hard comebacker by Yuli Gurriel that ricocheted off Morton’s leg to Freeman at first base for an out to begin the second had done more damage than anyone realized.

Morton stayed in for another inning, amazingly, before gingerly walking off with a fractured right fibula. The 37-year-old righty, the winning pitcher for the Astros in Game 7 of the 2017 World Series, will be replaced on the roster. He’s expected to be OK for spring training. A.J. Minter replaced Morton and got the win, permitting one run in 2 2/3 innings.

Atlanta relievers Tyler Matzek, Luke Jackson and Will Smith finished it.

Game 2 is tonight, with Braves lefty Max Fried starting against Astros right-hander José Urquidy.

Altuve and the Astros did little all night. The All-Star second baseman struck out three times — he’d never done that in 73 prior postseason games.

Penalties for Chelsea, smoother for Arsenal to win in cup LONDON (AP) — Chelsea advanced in the League Cup thanks to its third penalty shootout success of the season. Arsenal had a smother path into the quarterfinals.

Reece James netted the penalty that sealed Chelsea’s 4-3 victory against Southampton in the shootout at Stamford Bridge. The game was tied 1-1 through 90 minutes yesterday after Kai Havertz’s header for Chelsea just before halftime was cancelled out by Che Adams’ tap-in two minutes into the second half.

But Southampton saw Theo Walcott’s penalty saved by goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga and Will Smallbone shoot over, while visiting goalkeeper Fraser Forster denied only Mason Mount.

Thomas Tuchel’s Premier League leaders had reached the fourth round by beating Aston Villa on penalties, having also started the season by winning the UEFA Super Cup in a shootout against Villarreal in August.

There was another all-Premier League encounter in London at Emirates Stadium where Arsenal beat Leeds 2-0. Calum Chambers put Arsenal in front with his first touch after replacing the injured Benjamin White, heading in a knock back from Nicolas Pépé in the 55th minute. It was the defender’s first goal since 2019.

The quarterfinal lineup will be completed today when Manchester City continues its bid for a fifth straight League Cup against West Ham. Burnley hosts Tottenham, Leicester plays Brighton, Liverpool faces second-tier club Preston, and Brentford visits Stoke.

PRO BODYBUILDER JOHNSON PLEASED WITH HIS ‘TEST RUN’ IN SANTO DOMINGO

By BRENT STUBBS Senior SPORTS REPORTER bstubbs@tribunemedia.net ALTHOUGH he didn’t place in the top five, Jason Johnson said he was pleased with his “test run” in his show as a professional bodybuilder on Sunday at the Amateur Bodybuilding & Fitness Championships Elite Pro Qualifier in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Johnson, the only Bahamian to participate in the event, took part in his first pro show just eight weeks after receiving his card, thanks to the assistance from Bahamas Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation president Joel Stubbs.

Competing against bodybuilders with more than 10 years of experience, Johnson, who only started competing about two years ago, said he was thrilled by his pro debut after he earned both his International (IFBB) and World Beauty and Fitness Fashion (WBFF) pro cards in 2021.

“It was an excellent opportunity for me to see where I’m at as a pro bodybuilder and what I need to

work on,” Johnson said.

“By me entering the event, it was good to be competing against the seasoned pros.

“The competition was intense. A lot of the guys who competed had years of experience over me, even though I wasn’t fully recovered from the previous two shows that I did at the CAC (Central American and Caribbean Bodybuilding Championships) and the Miami Pre and the other shows that I did.”

In a field of 12 competitors, Johnson said he decided to just push through the competition, keep a tunnel vision and close out the year on a high note as he enjoys the journey, which was foremost than what his final position turned out to be.

“Now that I’m done for the year, I will take some time off to build up some size because I think I performed very well this year, but if I really want to be competitive in this sport, I have to increase my size,” he said.

“I need to focus on what I need to do to be able to compete at a high level as a pro builder.”

HALL OF FAME from PAGE 13

plane ticket to get to South Carolina. The next day, Williams said he left for Benedict College with just a t-shirt, pants and a pair of slippers on his feet to begin his tenure. At the time, Williams told the coach that if he didn’t come then, he wasn’t coming any other time.

“When I got there, I really helped to shape the distance running programme at Benedict College,” he said.

“We had Morehouse College next door and they were beating just about every historic black college in that area.

“But when I went there, I dominated every race I competed in from the 800 to the 10,000m. I even did the steeplechase and I won cross country for the school. It was just a great experience for me.”

Not only did Williams excel athletically, but academically, he maintained a 3.50 or above GPA

During the offseason, Johnson said he will be working out with his partner, female pro bodybuilder Lorraine LaFleur, whom he operates the Gaines for Life Gym on Soldier Road with.

“I just started the sport and I’ve done pretty good with the size I have now,” said Johnson, who competes around 190-200 pounds. “But where I’m heading now, I need to put on more size and do more heavier lifting to develop my symmetry. My conditioning is alright, but I know I need to get bigger in order to be a contender in the pro ranks.”

Before he gets back into the gym and begins his vigorous training routine, Johnson said he will take some time off to enjoy life, spending some time with LaFleur and his family.

And although the indulgence has already started, Johnson said he was delighted to partake in a pepperoni pizza right after the show. He said he also intends to engage in some delicious burgers and fries with a Coke zero to provide some grease and extra calories for his system.

and he eventually graduated magna cum laude with a master’s degree in accounting with a 3.6 GPA for the duration of his tenure at Benedict College.

“I came from humble beginnings,” said Williams, who was left in the hospital at the age of two months by his biological mother and was raised by his great-grandmother Janetta White, who was 87 at the time. “So just to go to college was an honour, coming out of the ghetto in Englerston. It was a great achievement.”

While he appreciated the support he got from D’Aguilar, his great-grandmother and aunt, Joanne Sweeting, Williams said he will forever be indebted to Dawn Knowles as well, who like an adopted mother, assured him that she will make sure he goes off to college.

He also thanked his father-figure, mentor, coach Wilson Bain for paying for a ticket for him when he got stuck in Amsterdam after he broke the national marathon record in 2019. “He used his credit card to purchase a ticket for me and told me not to worry about

HENFIELD FROM PAGE 13

ALTHOUGH he didn’t place in the top five, Jason Johnson said he was pleased with his “test run” in his show as a professional bodybuilder on Sunday at the Amateur Bodybuilding & Fitness Championships Elite Pro Qualifier in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

With no plans to compete until late next year, when he hopes to “give those guys a run for their money,” Johnson said he’s also looking at the possibility of being on the same stage competing in a show with LaFleur.

“We are looking at the schedule and see how we fit it in,” said Johnson, who is expected to compete in his first show around August for September, 2021.

“We are both in the same

MELINDA BASTIAN, left, with coach Gwendolyn Rouse. repaying him until I got back on my feet.”

And from the time he first ventured to Kenya in 2011, Williams said Shavaughn Blades, a member of the Bahamas Roadmasters, has extended a helping hand along with D’Aguilar to assist him in his training.

organisation, so we will most definitely do something together for sure. We want to put on a show for the Bahamas as a couple,” he said.

While he publicly thanked Stubbs for all of the assistance he provided, Johnson made an appeal for the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture to provide some financial support for the bodybuilders, who endure a hefty price to train and compete on stage.

Still disappointed that he couldn’t get any consistent assistance from the government to continue his training in Kenya, Williams said he’s pressing forward and is now preparing to run in the Valencia marathon on December 5.

Additionally, Williams is also planning his wedding to his engaged African/Bahamian girlfriend, Faith - the mother of his one-year-old daughter Janeil.

“I’ve represented the country for over 20 years now and I just want the country to help me out after I’ve been doing this for all these years,” he summed up. “I’m looking forward to coming home and starting my new life with my family when I retire from the sport.”

In addition to his marathon record (two hours, 29 minutes and 26 seconds), Williams is listed as national record holder in the 5,000m (14:00.54), 5 km road (16:48), 10 km road (33:34), 15 km road (50:44), 20 km road (1:08.20), half marathon (1:12.02), 25 km road (1:25.24), 30 km road (1:42.52) and 3,000m steeplechase (9:38.3).

get any playing time and those who are passionate about basketball, but don’t have any chance of playing.

That’s what I’m passionate about and what I love,” he stated.

Additionally, Henfield intends to create a strength training environment, as well as a student lounge for the players to complete their homework before or after their training session and a snack lounge to get something to eat.

“This is a start for us. But I do envision that in about six months we will outgrow this facility and we have our eyes on a next facility that we expect to be in by June next year,” he said.

“This is our beginning, but this is not the end.

“So I would say to the Bahamas, stay tuned and watch us grow as we continue to make life change for those young, marginalised young players.”

Interested persons can visit the website at www. mhbshootingacademy. com and on social media using the same handle mhbshootingacademy or marvinjhenfield on Instagram where they can view the job that Henfield has done in training over 15,000 players, particularly in developing their shooting skills.

“This is not basketball general full house. This is one course skills that we are doing in this first initiation which is basketball shooting and developing that core.”

The facility also has three half courts, which Henfield hopes to utilise for the popular three-on-three basketball competition which was introduced to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games this year.

“When this COVID-19 thing is done, we would be able to expand upon the new phenomenon that is happening in basketball with three-on-three competition,” he said.

“We intend to be able to offer our three-onthree league, which would extend beyond the youth in going to our broader society to corporate Bahamas with the competitive and recreational league, our 45-plus league for men and our women’s 30-and-over league and even our youth league competition.”

With all that going on, Henfield said they will have the opportunity to provide a full garment of programming at the facility, but they want to be able to first get their shooting skills programme off the ground.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, October 27, 2021, PAGE 17

BPL SCRUBBED 5,000 VENDORS DUE TO FRAUD FROM PAGE 22 to facilitate the process for those without easy Internet access”.

Yet other executives indicated that the supplier registration drive was not foolproof. FTI Consulting reported Mr Pratt and others as “acknowledging that there may be some vendors that are able to to do business with BPL without first registering.... This mostly applies to vendors who were ‘grandfathered’ in because because they had been doing business with BPL before [the system] was implemented”.

While those vendors were being encouraged to register, Mr Pratt said they were “generally permitted to continue their business with BPL without doing so”. And the report added: “FTI asked Pratt if he was aware of any vendor ever registering to do business with BPL, but being denied due to adverse findings from the vetting process.

He said he was not aware of any such cases.

“Pratt noted that BPL is in the process of creating a more formal vendor management policy that will address, among other

things, how vendors are to be vetted before being approved to do business with BPL and the process for debarring them from future business as a result of malfeasance or poor performance.”

It is unclear whether further reforms/improvements have been made because BPL yesterday said it was impossible to comment on the FTI Consulting report’s findings since it has yet to receive a copy.

Nevertheless, BPL hit back via a statement saying it was “gravely concerned” that the contents were being publicly disclosed despite it not having a chance to review the contents. And it defended its procurement process as having “transparency, fairness and integrity at its core, as well as seeking the best evaluated bid and value for money”.

“BPL has to-date not yet received a copy of the FTI Consulting report ordered by the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM). That is to say neither the Board of Directors nor the executive committee at BPL has seen the report, and nor did anybody at BPL see a draft of the report before it was

ASIAN STOCKS FALL AFTER AUSTRALIA INFLATION ACCELERATES

By JOE MCDONALD AP Business Writer

BEIJING (AP) — Asian stock markets fell Wednesday after Australian inflation increased, highlighting global pressure for prices to rise, while investors looked ahead to U.S. economic growth data due out this week.

Shanghai, Tokyo and Hong Kong all retreated.

Wall Street’s S&P 500 index rose 0.2% on Tuesday to its second high in two days, driven by strong earnings reports by some major companies.

Australia’s government reported its underlying inflation rate rose by 0.7 percentage points to 2.1% in the quarter ending in September. Fuel costs rose by a record 7.1%.

Investors worry rising inflation as economies recover from the coronavirus pandemic might put pressure on central banks to roll back economic stimulus that is boosting stock prices.

“A jump in Australian core inflation highlighted intensifying cost pressures in the global economy,” said Anderson Alves of ActivTrades in a report.

Investors were waiting for U.S. economic growth data due out Thursday that might influence whether the Federal Reserve changes its timeline for reducing stimulus.

The Shanghai Composite Index lost 1% to 3,562.12 and the Nikkei 225 in Tokyo sank 0.6% to 28,946.61. The Hang Seng in Hong Kong lost 1.7% to 25,592.20.

The Kospi in Seoul shed 0.7% to 3,026.57 while the S&P-ASX 200 in Sydney was unchanged at 7,443.80.

New Zealand and Jakarta retreated while Singapore gained.

The S&P 500 rose 8.31 points to 4,574.79. The index is up 21.8% for the year. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 15.73 points to 35,756.88. The Nasdaq composite added 9.01 points to 15,235.71.

UPS jumped 6.9% for the biggest gain in the S&P 500 on stronger third-quarter profits than expected due to higher shipping rates.

Hasbro rose 3.2% after the maker of Transformers, My Little Pony and other toys reported solid financial results.

Chipmaker Nvidia rose 6.7%. Health care stocks and a mix of companies that rely on consumer spending for goods and services also made solid gains. UnitedHealth Group rose 1.2% and Amazon.com rose 1.7%.

Facebook slid 3.9% after giving investors a weak sales forecast.

General Motors Co., Ford Motor Co., Boeing Co. and Coca-Cola Cos. were due to report Wednesday.

Apple Inc. and Amazon Inc. follow on Thursday.

In energy markets, benchmark U.S. crude lost 47 cents to $84.18 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract rose 89 cents on Tuesday to $84.65. Brent crude, the price basis for international oils, shed 33 cents to $85.32 per barrel in London. It closed 41 cents higher the previous session at $86.40.

The dollar declined to 114.03 yen from Tuesday’s 114.17 yen. The euro advanced to $1.1601 from $1.1598.

ADVERTISE TODAY! CALL THE TRIBUNE TODAY @ 502-2394

NOTICE NOTICE is hereby given that IESHA ISIS DAVID of Yellow Elder, Nassau, The Bahamas, is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 27th day of October, 2021 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

completed and handed in to the OPM,” it added.

Arguing that the facts detailed in the FTI Consulting report “have not been vetted or verified by BPL”, it added: “As such, BPL’s leadership is gravely concerned that statements about the company, its Board members, executives, and its practices are being made in the public arena in the absence of any objective review or comment from BPL. “Until BPL has had a chance to review the report, we will refrain from further comment on the specifics alleged to be contained therein. However, BPL procurement generally follows a procurement process that has transparency, fairness and integrity at its core, as well as seeking the best evaluated bid and value for money.”

The disclosures came as Tribune Business learned that the Davis administration is set to name Pedro Rolle, the Exuma Chamber of Commerce president and a realtor by profession, as BPL’s next chairman. He will succeed Dr Donovan Moxey, who yesterday declined to comment on

the FTI Consulting report when contacted by this newspaper.

Whitney Heastie, BPL’s chief executive, also could not be reached for comment. It is unclear, though, whether BPL has reached out to the Prime Minister’s Office to obtain a copy of the FTI Consulting report and, if not, why it has not done so. However, the document is due to be tabled in Parliament today.

This newspaper understands that BPL’s outgoing Board and management view both the process used

by FTI Consulting and the report’s subsequent disclosure as “beyond unfair”. With regard to the former, BPL simply gave the consultants access to its executives and files as requested by the Prime Minister’s Office, while requesting that they come back to clarify any concerns or gaps.

No member of BPL’s Board or management was shown a draft report, and allowed to comment or seek clarifications/corrections, before the final version was sent to the Prime Minister’s Office.

Ironically, BPL is raising exactly the same complaints

as former chair, Darnell Osborne, and her fellow ex-directors Nicholas Dean and Nicola Thompson, who are also describing the FTI Consulting report as one-sided because it never interviewed them or sought their input despite speaking to members of their rival Board faction.

Tribune Business understands that FTI Consulting was originally engaged by the Prime Minister’s Office to conduct an investigation into the in-fighting and dysfunction that resulted in the Minnis administration’s original BPL Board splitting into two factions, one of which was headed by Mrs Osborne.

However, the final report’s contents suggest this assignment was relegated to a bit part, with the exercise morphing into an analysis and probe into BPL’s procurement practices and policies. BPL, though, in its statement yesterday said it remained committed to open tendering.

The FTI Consulting report, though, said that at the time it was written BPL “lacks a vendor management policy governing its vendor due diligence and

onboarding requirements”, although it acknowledged that one was being drafted.

“FTI found BPL’s vendor due diligence to be inadequate,” it added. “BPL performs only a rudimentary level of diligence on its vendors. It evidently does not require the disclosure of ultimate beneficial ownership of its vendors or other risk-related information such as political exposure, debarments or criminal convictions.

“This likely exposes BPL to a significant level of counter-party and reputational risk.” FTI Consulting recommended that BPL require all suppliers to identify shareholders who own greater than a 5 percent equity stake; disclose the identities of their principals and owners, and if they hold public positions and are politically exposed; and if they have ever been “debarred form doing business”.

The $1.9m scam identified in 2017 involved collusion between multiple BPL staffers where fraudulent cheques were written in the name of fictitious companies or suppliers, then cashed at local commercial banks.

AN ELECTRONIC stock board is displayed at a conference hall in Tokyo, Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021. Asian stock markets fell Wednesday after Australian inflation increased, highlighting global pressure for prices to rise, while investors looked ahead to U.S. economic growth data due out this week.

Photo:Koji Sasahara/AP

PAGE 18, Wednesday, October 27, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

SALE OF DOCTORS’ NEW GB HOME IN NOVEMBER CLOSE FROM PAGE 22

“Despite the prevailing negative economic impact of Hurricane Dorian on the economy of Freeport, plus the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, various potential purchasers expressed preliminary interest in the remaining property.

“One potential purchaser continued its discussions with the management of Premier, which ultimately resulted in the receipt of a formal purchase offer.

Discussions ensued, and counter-offers were exchanged, and the parties finally entered into a purchase and sale agreement on May 26, 2021 (the APA),” Mr Massi wrote.

“The APA provides for a six-month due diligence period. Once the purchaser has completed its due diligence and waived its rights in respect thereof, the Mosaic joint official liquidators will present a motion

before the Bahamas court to seek authorisation to conclude this sale transaction. All the supporting documents relating to this motion are in the process of being compiled in the interim.

“It is anticipated that the closing for this transaction will occur in November 2021. The total net proceeds, after payment of costs, Bahamas VAT taxes, and other incidentals relating to the transaction will be publicly disclosed at the time approval of the transaction is sought from the Bahamas court.”

No specifics were provided on the buyer or purchase price, although Bahamian realtors have previously listed the First Commercial Centre on their websites for $6m. It is thus unclear whether Doctors Hospital itself is the purchaser, or if it is merely going to lease space at the property from the buyer for

its planned Grand Bahama hospital.

Neither Dr Charles Diggiss, Doctors Hospital’s president and largest shareholder, nor Dennis Deveaux, its chief financial officer, responded to Tribune Business inquiries and multiple messages seeking confirmation on whether the BISX-listed healthcare provider is the Freeport Commercial Centre’s purchaser. It has not announced any deal.

However, one source, speaking on condition of anonymity, suggested the First Commercial Centre’s purchaser could be a wealthy private donor who would then grant/donate the property to Doctors Hospital in their desire for quality trauma and tertiary care facilities to come to Grand Bahama.

“It’s a great thing that is potentially going to happen for Freeport. Doctors Hospital will pump some money

in here, and put in a trauma centre. They’re expanding, and will be a welcome addition here, especially for foreign residents.”

Doctors Hospital certainly has the financial resources to acquire the First Commercial Centre itself after receiving a .Mr Deveaux told the recent Abaco Business Outlook that its 30-bed hospital Grand Bahama is targeting a fall 2022 opening.

And he previously told Tribune Business that Doctors Hospital plans to offer a 40 percent equity ownership interest in the $12m-$15m facility to northern Bahamas residents, with between 90-100 jobs created at “full maturity”.

The new Grand Bahama hospital will likely include at least some of the space previously used by the Okyanos Centre for Regenerative Medicine, the stem cell therapy provider now

in separate Supreme Courtsupervised liquidation.

Okyanos lost more than $30m over its lifetime. Cheryl Simms, the Kikivarakis & Co accountant acting as liquidator, revealed in her first report last year that the company had lost $30.172m - some $14.856m of which was incurred over the three years to end-2019.

These losses provide some insight into why LS Enterprises, Okyanos’ main debt financier, may have been eager to petition for the company’s courtsupervised winding-up in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian’s devastation given that it was owed some $12.438m in outstanding principal and interest.

Premier was founded and sponsored by Hannes Babak, the former Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) and Freeport Concrete chairman, to acquire several commercial

BPL CHIEF HAD TO DEAL WITH ROGUE PURCHASES FROM PAGE 22 the final version went to the Prime Minister’s Office.

Tribune Business understands that Desmond Bannister, former deputy prime minister and minister of works, who had responsibility for BPL under the Minnis administration, did not see the report and was unaware of its contents until disclosure by the media. It

is also unclear if Dr Hubert Minnis, the former prime minister, reviewed it as no action seems to have been taken by his office.

Meanwhile, BPL’s outgoing Board and existing management are understood to feel they and their reputations have become ‘collateral damage’ in an effort by the newly-elected Davis administration to dig up “dirt” on its predecessor.

And, until the full report is published, they are unable to properly defend themselves since they have not seen the findings themselves.

FTI Consulting, in conclusions dating from when it completed its work in 20192020, asserted: “BPL lacks a coherent approach for the management and control of its written policies

in relation to procurement and tendering.

“In general, FTI found a significant degree of disorganisation and confusion over which written policies have been approved by the Board, which have been superseded, which are in use, and who is or was responsible for managing them.”

The report acknowledged that Shervonne Johnson,

who joined BPL in June 2019 as director of risk and compliance, had been given responsibility to clean this up but “disagreement over the protocols for policy approval” was holding this up.

And FTI Consulting also described BPL’s procurement policies as “lacking in several important areas”, including exceptions and overrides to existing

REGULATOR LOSES $116K ROOF REPAIRS STRIKE-OUT FROM PAGE 22 project with Specialised Roofing Installations (SRI), with the latter responsible for removing the “existing membrane”.

The Central Bank, in arguing that the claim be dismissed, asserted that the construction agreement was with Guarantee rather than

Mr Fowler personally. And it alleged that Guarantee was struck off the Companies Registry on August 23, 2019, and not restored.

“An executed agreement has not been produced by either party.

Fowler contends that he entered into the contract personally trading as

Guarantee Construction, and that nowhere in the documents is there is there any reference to a limited company,” Justice Winder wrote.

“Fowler says that whilst the use of the name Guarantee Construction Company is on some of the documents, none of the

references use the word limited to suggest a limited company.” The contractor added that he also produced evidence of tax and National Insurance Board (NIB) compliance, as well as a valid Business Licence, showing he was “trading as” Guarantee.

The Central Bank, though, argued that the case should be struck out because it was brought

by Mr Fowler “trading as Guarantee” and he was not the contracting party.

However, Justice Winder concluded: “Whilst there could be some confusion as to whether a company was being engaged by the Central Bank or whether Fowler was personally engaged via his trade name, I am not satisfied that the claim could be described as an abuse of the process of the court.

“No executed agreement has been provided, and whilst there is a reference to Guarantee Construction Company there is no reference to Guarantee Construction Company Ltd. There was no certificate of incorporation

properties including the First Commercial Centre he himself developed. However, it was never a strong financial performer, and it previously sold-off the two former Caribbean Bottling properties it owed.

Among Premier’s founding directors, although he is no longer on the Board, was Stephen Hancock, president and chief executive of Cardinal International, the ex-Bahamian fund administrator for Olympus Univest, Mosaic and a number of other entities in the investment structure.

Cardinal, too, shut down at the time that Olympus Univest and Mosaic went into court-supervised liquidation. The Olympus Univest/Mosaic Composite collapse left around 1,900 small retail investors, many of them Canadian, out of pocket with no explanation as to where most of the money went. policies. “This could diminish employee accountability and have negative effects on the overall culture of compliance,” it warned.

“Although BPL has an approved tender policy, the policy lacks significant detail in a number of key areas, including tendering procedures, the appointment of tender evaluation committee member and committee composition, conflict disclosures and bid evaluation.” provided to the Bank by Fowler at the time the roofing contract was entered into.

“It is also to be noted that the Bank had Fowler’s business license in its possession at the time of the entry of the agreement.

This business license, which was current at the time, was in Fowler’s personal name trading as Guarantee Construction.

Upon this contract Fowler claims to have received well over $700,000 towards the reconstruction of the Bank’s roof,” he added.

“Whilst the Bank may have had ample reason to construe that the reference to company in the contractor’s representations was to a corporate entity rather than simply a business, it is not the only possible interpretation. It could not be said to be a plain and obvious case. I am therefore not satisfied that this is a matter to be determined on a summary basis.”

LIGHTNING STRIKE ADDS TO HOTEL’S $3M SUPPLY WOE

FROM PAGE 22

demand and bookings levels.

“We’re not really in a rush because we don’t have the business levels yet,” he added. “It would be nice to get them done, but it is difficult to get things in.

It has delayed the work, but it doesn’t really matter because we don’t need the rooms and have to take a bit of a ‘stop and go’ approach to it.

“The business levels in Freeport are not such that we need the rooms back.

We’re doing the renovations because we want to be ready for what we hope to happen in the future, but we don’t have pressure that they must be ready at a certain date.”

Of the 48 rooms, Mr Alnebeck said 24 or half will become “long stay” equipped with a kitchenette so guests can do their own cooking. “There’s definitely a market for that in Freeport from corporate guests that are staying a long time and doing projects at the Shipyard,” he explained.

“We are investing in total in those rooms probably around $3m. It’s also new air conditioning plant, that sort of stuff.... It depends on worldwide delays, but we’re hoping to be ready in March even though we don’t like to be pinned down to a deadline.”

Revealing that supply chain woes extend beyond the renovations, Mr Alnebeck said: “We had a lightning strike three weeks ago. That came through the power system and we lost a lot of IT equipment. We had a lot of IT equipment in spares, and we’ll use that up, and want to have spares for the next time we have a problem, and have found out that is on back order.

“The world is a complicated engine to restart, and that’s what we’re doing at the moment. We’re trying to restart an engine that’s been shut down for a year-and-a-half. It’s not dissimilar to what’s happening with ourselves, getting the children back to school, getting back to a normal life. That’s what the whole world is trying to do at the moment.”

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, October 27, 2021, PAGE 19

DPM’S DELIGHT AT $11M AIRPORT TAXPAYER VALUE THE deputy prime minister led a ministerial delegation on a tour of Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) to assess upgrades to the country’s major gateway as tourism begins to ramp up.

Mr Cooper, who is also minister of tourism, investments and aviation, was led on the tour by Vernice Walkine, the Nassau Airport Development Company’s president and chief executive.

Also present were Keith Bell, minister of labour and Immigration; Michael Halkitis, minister of economic affairs; John Pinder II, parliamentary secretary, Wayde Watson, parliamentary secretary; Senator Randy Rolle; Joy Jibrilu, director-general of tourism; Latia Duncombe, deputy director-general of tourism; and Algernon Cargill, director of aviation.

The tour covered the US departures terminal,

CHESTER COOPER, deputy prime minister, and minister of tourism, investments and aviation, and other government officials were taken on a tour of Lynden Pindling International Airport last Wednesday. Pictured from left are Ricardo Rolle, general manager of Nassau Flight Services; Latia Duncombe, deputy director-general, tourism; Senator Randy Rolle; Joy Jibrilu, director-general of tourism; Wayde Watson, parliamentary secretary; Keith Bell, minister of labour and Immigration; Mr Cooper; Senator Michael Halkitis, minister of economic affairs; Vernice Walkine, president and chief executive, NAD; Kevin McDonald, NAD’s vice-president of maintenance and engineering; Deborah Coleby, NAD’s vice-president of operations; and Algernon Cargill, acting general manager, Airport Authority.

Photo:Kemuel Stubbs/BIS

international arrivals terminal and the domestic and international terminal. It also focused on upgrades to the US pre-clearance area aimed at providing a better traveller experience; the ‘back-of-house’ area called the Matrix where luggage is screened; the baggage claim area;

Bahamas Immigration area; and other facilities.

“This is an impressive gateway to The Bahamas.

I am quite pleased with what I saw today,” said Mr Cooper, adding that there are still works in progress to improve the entire experience.

“I understand from the Airport Authority that

DPM TO KEYNOTE EXUMA OUTLOOK The deputy prime minister will be the keynote speaker at this year’s 15th annual Exuma Business Outlook conference which will be held tomorrow starting at 9.30am.

“For this year’s Exuma Business Outlook we are honoured to have a son of the soil as our keynote speaker. We acknowledge the strong connection that our deputy prime minister has to the island of Exuma as a national leader who was born and raised in Forbes Hill, Little Exuma and served as Member of Parliament for the Exumas and Ragged Island since 2017,” said Joan Albury, president of TCL group, the conference organiser.

“So we are looking forward to what he will share

about the Government’s plans for future island developments. We have had a very successful run with our 2021 Bahamas Business Outlook series to date, specifically with our ability to gather experts and innovators from key industries within various major islands. We anticipate that our upcoming Exuma Business Outlook will only build on that success.”

The Exuma Business Outlook is being held under the theme Facing unprecedented times: Recover.

Adapt. Advance. It will bring together national, social and economic leaders to address current challenges and opportunities relevant to Exuma and the surrounding cays.

Presentations will cover various topics, including the status of airport development; Sand Dollar implementation; sustained investment in electricity, water and broadband infrastructure; enhancement of healthcare and patient safety during COVID-19; hotel and airline updates; and financing and investment options.

“Exuma is internationally known for its beautiful water and cays, but there is much potential to be discovered and developed on the main island as well,” said Mrs Albury.

“With Exuma Business Outlook, we hope to highlight the available opportunities that lie untapped on the island.

And as a result, we have

AIRPORT AUTHORITY POSITION VACANT

Payables Officer – Finance Department The Airport Authority wishes to advise that a vacancy currently exists in the Finance Department for the position of Payables Officer.

POSITION SUMMARY: This position is primarily responsible for the ongoing maintenance and processing of all matters relating to payable transactions of the Finance Dept. Additionally, this position is expected to provide excellent customer service to both internal and external customers, while functioning in accordance with established procedures, policies, and governing regulations.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: • Prepare, review, and verify invoices and payment requests • Process electronic payment transfers and other payments • Reconcile accounts payable transactions • Ensure that supporting documentation are accurately filed and accessible for audits • Maintain Accounts Payables aging schedules SKILLS /COMPETENCY EXPECTATIONS: • Good time management, planning and organizing skills • Ability to work productively with minimal supervision • Make sound, independent judgements within policy guidelines • Exercise tact and diplomacy in dealing with complex, confidential, and sensitive issues • Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those encountered in the course of work • Computer literacy, including familiarity with common word processing, spreadsheet, database, and basic software • Excellent written and verbal communications skills • Ability to multi-task efficiently • Adaptability and willingness to meet evolving department demands and skillset requirements • Maintain files and records so they remain updated and easily accessible REQUIREMENTS: • Associate degree in Accounting or related field from an accredited education institution • Minimum of two (2) years’ experience in Accounts Payables and/or general accounting procedures • Knowledge of common accounting software eg: Sage, ISL Interested persons can visit the Human Resources Department to submit their resume and cover letter for application by Monday, November 1, 2021.

email: humanresources@airportsbahamas.com

we recently spent $11m to upgrade the facility so it’s good to see where some of the taxpayer’s dollars have been spent.”

He spoke while viewing upgrades to baggage claim.

He also remarked that a reasonably good job is being done in maintenance.

“These are exciting times for tourism. Our

numbers are returning to pre-COVID levels very rapidly. By the end of the year we anticipate being almost 100 percent over 2019. We are excited about that increase,” Mr Cooper said.

“We are attracting new airlift. We expect Virgin to join our fleet of carriers by the end of November, and we were pleased to see that NAD really has contemplated expansion opportunities for the arrival of new carriers.

“I am delighted to report that we are ready for the boom once again, so I am excited about what we saw today. It’s fabulous. I am happy that we are in a position to do so, and we look forward to continued improvements of the facility. The Airport Authority and NAD work closely together to ensure we are ready to welcome our guests.”

brought together a group of speakers who will be able to address the potential emerging within Exuma’s industries and the bright future that is ahead.”

Conference moderators include Pedro Rolle,

president, Exuma Chamber of Commerce; Kerry Fountain, executive director, Bahama Out Islands Promotion Board; and Felicia Saunders, island manager for Aliv on Exuma, Ragged Island and Long Island,.

Exuma Business Outlook attendees will be eligible to win various prizes courtesy of Aliv. To register, visit tclevents.com or contact Margaret Albury at malbury@tclbahamas.com or 322-1000.

PAGE 20, Wednesday, October 27, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

ACTIVIST SLAMS CLIMATE HYPOCRISY ON OIL DRILLING

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net AN environmental activist yesterday accused slams the Government of hypocrisy for its stance on oil exploration ahead of the upcoming global climate change summit.

Joseph Darville, Save The Bays’ chairman, told Tribune Business he is ready to for fresh legal battles with the Government and Challenger Energy Group PLPC (formerly Bahamas Petroleum Company) if the Davis administration decides to

renew its four licence areas for a fresh term.

He argued that such an action would be “hypocritical” given the issues to be discussed at the COP26 meeting in Glasgow, Scotland, where world leaders, including Prime Minister Philip Davis, are expected to discuss actions to mitigate climate change.

The Bahamas is one of the world’s most vulnerable nations to climate change and sea level rise. Hurricanes are becoming more powerful and frequent as a result, with a United Nations (UN) report unveiled in August warning that the world will become 1.5 degrees warmer in the next 20 years if drastic

action is not taken to curb the amount of carbon dioxide emissions.

Mr Darville said: “I can say this. If our Prime Minister and our delegation are going to COP26 in Scotland, and they go with any intention of drilling for oil in the archipelagic waters of The Bahamas, they are betraying the very things that they’re talking about.

And that is that we must step up our efforts to deal with matters related to climate change and sea level rise.

“So it would be a total contradiction even to consider the possibility of drilling for oil, when it is the oil that is creating the havoc in the world today. There

is no way The Bahamas can do that without a catastrophic accident some time in the future. “ Asking about the message the Davis administration would be sending if they make any move to renew Challenger Energy Group’s licences, Mr Darville said: “It would be totally contrary if we want funding from the developed nations, which have created the havoc that we are now facing. We have to show them that we are not going to go down the same route that they went and create even more havoc for ourselves in The Bahamas.”

He challenged the Prime Minister to instead seek advice from environmental

groups about the possibility of oil spills, and what it would cost The Bahamas in terms of tourism and marine resources.

Mr Darville added: “BPC have been saying they are going to renew their licences, and they have resurrected that intention based upon the fact that it was the previous administration who gave them the open door to come in and do the exploration to begin with. So they probably feel now that they have another inroad.

“I don’t think they should be so foolhardy to think that the population of The Bahamas is going to welcome them, particularly in light of what is

happening with oil spills around the world from California to right here in Grand Bahama, and also in other Caribbean islands.

“We are ready to take the Challenger Group back to court. You don’t have to worry about that because we know the route that we have to follow to get all of the information that we need, and if they don’t follow all of the regulations in terms of how these things are decided, and whose permission is given and how the permission is given, we will pursue the matter to the n’th degree.”

CHAMBER DIRECTOR CALLS MINISTER OPTIMISTIC ON FOR END TO SHELL TALKS GROWING EMPLOYMENT

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net A CHAMBER of Commerce director yesterday urged the Government to move on from Bahamas Power & Light’s (BPL) talks with Shell and seek alternative options.

Debbie Deal, the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation’s (BCCEC) energy and environment director, told Tribune Business: “All of the timeframes have passed a long time ago, and there has to be a reason why it’s taking so long.

“Do they have another scheme like are they waiting until they build Station D, and then at that point in time sell it to Shell? What exactly is the plan?”

Ms Deal was responding to Alfred Sears QC, minister

for works and utilities with responsibility for BPL, who confirmed ahead of yesterday’s Cabinet meeting that he plans to meet with Shell North America “shortly” having already spoken to the multinational energy giant’s representatives.

Mr Sears added that he has received phone calls from firms interested in offering generation solutions as independent power producers (IPPs), especially in the renewable energy sector, as the Government seeks to ensure that 30 percent of The Bahamas’ energy mix comes from renewable sources by 2030.

“I’ve started to meet with some of those persons and I will continue to inform myself so that we can move as expeditiously as possible in the area of renewable power generation,” Mr Sears said.

is unclear whether Shell North America will still be responsible for taking over the new 220 Mega Watts (MW) of generation capacity, and supplying BPL via a power purchase agreement (PPA), or if its interest will be restricted to supplying liquefied natural gas (LNG) as the plant’s primary fuel from a $270m facility proposed to be constructed at Clifton Pier.

The newly-elected Davis administration must now decide whether to pursue negotiations with Shell North America to a conclusion after the latter was unable to seal the deal with its predecessor. It is thought that completion of an agreement is linked to BPL successfully concluding its mammoth $535m rate reduction bond refinancing, which is also under review by the Government.

AIRPORT AUTHORITY POSITION VACANT

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net A CABINET minister yesterday said he is optimistic that more Bahamians are being recalled to work ahead of the furlough period’s December 13 end.

Keith Bell, minister for labour and Immigration, speaking outside the Cabinet Office, said there were encouraging signs that employment is starting to rebound as the economy opens up post-COVID. “There are a number of persons who are returning to work,” he added. “We are very optimistic with the way in which the numbers are going in terms of persons going back to work, both in the private sector and, of course, in the Government sector.

“When I speak of the government sector, I’m talking in terms of the

COVID-19. We have had a number of government institutions that had to work the shift system, and we see now where the greater the population that is becoming more vaccinated, the more persons are actually going back to work. So we are quite happy and we are optimistic on how things are going.”

Mr Bell had previously estimated The Bahamas was enduring a 30 percent unemployment rate due to the pandemic’s economic fall-out.

The Government last week signalled that the COVID-19 emergency orders will end on November 12 and not be renewed.

This will trigger, some 30 days later, an end to the furlough period for workers sent home by their employers due to COVID-19.

Thus the Employment Act’s section 28 (c), requiring employers to either recall or pay termination packages to workers some

90 days (13 weeks) after they have been sent home, will take effect once again on December 13.

The furlough period was always intended to end eventually, given that some workers will by have been at home for nearly 21 months due to COVID-19 come mid-December. Its cessation will thus give such employees closure and certainty, knowing that they will now either be recalled or handed termination packages.

However, while many workers will doubtless welcome receiving full severance pay after a long struggle to survive, they may also struggle to find new jobs in a shrunken economy with high unemployment.

As for employers, many may struggle to finance the termination packages mandated by law, following the devastation inflicted on revenues, cash flow and profits

by COVID-19.

DPM MEETS MSC CRUISES

Payroll Officer – Finance Department The Airport Authority wishes to advise that a vacancy currently exists in the Finance Department for the position of Payroll Officer.

POSITION SUMMARY: This position is primarily responsible for preparing and processing all payroll transactions, calculating employee benefits and deductions, along with other related payroll functions. In addition, this position is expected to provide excellent customer service to both internal and external customers, while functioning in accordance with established procedures, policies, and governing regulations.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: • Calculate employee salary hours • Prepare payroll reports noting all payouts and deductions • Address salary-related concerns and provide accurate payroll information • Identify, investigate, and resolve all timesheet and payroll

discrepancies • Ensure that supporting documentation are accurately filed and accessible for audits • Preparing & submitting monthly C-10 NIB forms SKILLS /COMPETENCY EXPECTATIONS: • Good time management, planning and organizing skills • Ability to work productively with minimal supervision • Make sound, independent judgements within policy guidelines • Exercise tact and diplomacy when dealing with complex,

confidential, and sensitive issues • Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those encountered in the course of work • Computer literacy, including familiarity with common word processing, spreadsheet, database, and basic software (Microsoft Excel and Word) • Ability to multi-task efficiently • Adaptability and willingness to meet evolving department demands and skillset requirements • Maintain files and records so they remain updated and easily accessible REQUIREMENTS: • Associate degree in Accounting or related field from an accredited education institution • Minimum of two (2) years’ experience in Payroll and/or general accounting procedures • Knowledge of relevant accounting software eg: Sage,ISL Interested persons can visit the Human Resources Department to submit their resume and cover letter for application by Monday, November 1, 2021.

email: humanresources@airportsbahamas.com

MEDITERRANEAN Shipping Company (MSC) Cruises’ chief executive, Richard Sasso, met on Monday with Chester Cooper, deputy prime minister and minister of tourism, investments and aviation, at the ministry’s offices. Also present were Joy Jibrilu, director-general of tourism, and Phylicia Woods-Hanna, director of investments . (BIS Photos/Kemuel Stubbs)

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, October 27, 2021, PAGE 21

TOURISM WORKERS TRAINED IN EMERGENCY RESPONSE TWENTY-FIVE tourism workers have completed the National Emergency Management Agency’s (NEMA) five-day Basic Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training.

Most participants on the course, which finished on Sunday at the SuperClubs Breezes resort, represented several smaller New Providence hotel properties.

The CERT Training was made available through $17,000 in grant funding from the Organisation of American States (OAS), via its Build the resilience of small tourism enterprises in the Caribbean to disasters project, and an additional $8,000 in training

materials/equipment from the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), based in Bridgetown, Barbados.

The training covered areas such as CPR; first aid; light search and rescue; disaster medical operations; disaster psychology; fire safety; utility controls; disaster preparedness; and CERT and terrorism.

Myles Laroda, minister of state in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for disaster preparedness, management and reconstruction, said CERT training gives The Bahamas’ disaster and emergency planners additional opportunities to “build a ‘culture of preparedness’

in The Bahamas as lifethreatening emergencies can happen, and emergency first responders aren’t always nearby”.

Mr Laroda, who also has responsibility for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Disaster Reconstruction Authority (DRA), added: “We are all aware of the setback caused to our tourism sector, and the economy in general, due to the impact of Hurricane Dorian on the Abacos and Grand Bahama.

“But we do not have to experience an event as severe as Dorian to have significant negative consequences in the tourism sector. For example, there

may be a mishap during a boating excursion or jet ski experience, and if the response is ineffective, the fall-out due to negative reporting alone can be significant.

“It is my understanding that the participants in this CERT programme engaged in a very practical exercise that simulated a structural collapse of four balconies on the west wing of these resort facilities. Should something like that occur in the facilities where you are employed, you would want to have the best outcome for yourselves and your guests,” he added.

“It is essential for us to build a ‘culture of preparedness’ in The Bahamas

as life-threatening emergencies can happen, and emergency first responders aren’t always nearby. You may be able to save a life by taking simple actions immediately. You are the help until help arrives.”

Established in The Bahamas in 2004, the CERT programme educates volunteers from the community about disaster preparedness and hazards that may impact their area.

It trains them in basic disaster response skills such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organisation, and disaster medical operations.

CERT offers an approach to volunteer training and organisation that

emergency first responders can rely on during disaster situations and/or emergencies, allowing them to focus on more complex tasks.

Mr LaRoda added: “Emergencies and disasters may occur in our communities at any time, and often at times when we least expect. In order to be prepared to respond effectively to emergencies and disasters, the involvement of communities is crucial [as] life-threatening injuries require immediate action to prevent an injured person from dying. Those nearest to someone with life-threatening injuries are best positioned to provide first care.”

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2021

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BPL scrubbed 5,000 vendors due to fraud

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net BAHAMAS Power & Light (BPL) scrubbed some 5,000 suppliers from its vendor database in response to the $1.9m “fraudulent cheques” scam that relied heavily on non-existent companies.

The state-owned utility’s immediate response to the much-publicised 2017 fraud is detailed in a consultants’ report, which argued that its procurement policies were still “lacking in several important areas” some two years after the near-$2m scam was detected.

The report by FTI Consulting, drawing on an interview with Ian Pratt, BPL’s chief operating officer, detailed how he “recalled that after the fictitious vendor fraud was uncovered in 2017, BPL’s IT department was ordered to identify all vendors [in the procurement database] whose record showed they had not done business with BPL within

the past five years and deactivate their profiles”.

This was done to ensure they could not conduct further business with BPL without first registering in the system.

Francina Beneby, an executive assistant in BPL’s legal department, who was entrusted with the task of vetting BPL’s legacy suppliers, “estimated that roughly 5,000 vendor profiles were deactivated as a result”.

The move was a direct response to the use of fictitious, or dummy, companies to perpetrate a “fraudulent cheques” scam that was estimated to have cost BPL almost $2m when it was uncovered on the day the Minnis administration was elected to office.

Detailing BPL’s other reforms, FTI Consulting noted assertions by the utility’s managers that they were even “requiring small ‘mom and pop’ businesses to register as vendors” through the creation of “kiosks in the Family Islands

• $1.9m scam sparked vigorous database clean-up • But consultants say supplier scrutiny ‘rudimentary’ • BPL hits back; ‘gravely concerned’ over fairness

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net A PROMINENT Grand Bahama hotel yesterday said its $3m room renovation has fallen victim to global supply chain disruption with a recent “lightning strike” creating further complications.

Magnus Alnebeck, Pelican Bay’s general manager, told Tribune Business that delayed deliveries - with furniture, fixtures and equipment sometimes taking three times’ longer than promised to arrive - was “causing problems” for a 48-room upgrade at the well-known property.

Forecasting that the project will likely be completed by March 2022, he added that relatively low visitor volumes meant the resort did not need to rush what represents just over 25 percent of its room inventory back into action.

But the Pelican Bay chief added that the supply chain woes were now likely to impact the property’s need for replacement information technology (IT) parts after a lightning strike some three weeks ago, and “hit” to the electricity system, knocked out sufficient computer-related equipment to consume all its previous “spares” inventory in the repairs.

“We are in the middle of doing a refurbishment at Pelican Bay doing 48 rooms, and yes, we are having problems with the delivery of certain items,” Mr Alnebeck said. “We are trying to be ahead of the curve with the day-to-day stuff we always need, and we are trying to stockpile for.

“But with the renovations we have problems with some things on back order, and not knowing when they are going to get here, so it’s definitely causing problems. It’s more furniture, fixtures and equipment (FFE) for the rooms, certain things that we find take longer to get here and are on back order.

“It’s difficult to say when you will actually get things. We often get the answer: ‘It’s on back order and will be here in four weeks’. Then it’s delayed for three weeks, and then delayed for another three weeks.

What you thought would be four weeks ends up being six, eight, ten, 12 weeks.”

Pelican Bay’s total room inventory stands at 184, and Mr Alnebeck said the resort was in no rush to have the 48 under renovation back in service given current

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• Unclear if BISX-listed firm purchaser • Final asset disposal for delisted entity • Key recovery for collapsed $471m fund

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

“For example, Heastie said he had recently sent a company-wide e-mail reminding employees that such behaviour is prohibited, and may result in termination,” the FTI Consulting report said.

The report and its contents have come under attack for being incomplete and one-sided, with the existing BPL Board and management, as well as the former Board faction headed by ex-chair Darnell Osborne, either complaining they were never interviewed or not given a chance to review and respond to the findings before

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BPL chief had to deal with rogue purchases

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net BAHAMAS Power & Light’s (BPL) chief executive dealt with “a significant issue” by warning staff they faced termination if goods and services were purchased outside established protocols.

Whitney Heastie told consultants that addressing the ingrained habits of long-serving BPL workers was one of his first moves upon taking the post in October 2017 after the state-owned utility’s management services agreement with PowerSecure was terminated.

The FTI Consulting report, which has been seen by Tribune Business, disclosed: “Heastie said that this was a significant issue when he became chief executive in October 2017. At that time, he recalled, there were certain long-tenured employees at BPL who believed it was within their purview to independently commit to purchasing goods and services.

“There is no realistic way to completely prevent this behaviour, although without an approved purchase order any resulting invoices would in theory be rejected by BPL’s accounts payable department.”

Both Mr Heastie and Joy Darling, supervisor of BPL’s grid solutions unit, said the utility had “made efforts to discourage such behaviour and to encourage compliance with procurement protocols.

Sale of Doctors’ new GB home in November close

THE sale of Doctors Hospital’s new Freeport home will represent the final asset disposal for a former BISX-listed company when it completes next month, Tribune Business can reveal.

Documents filed in the Canadian courts by the liquidators for a collapsed $471m investment fund structure, which have been seen by this newspaper, reveal the protracted search for a buyer for the First Commercial Centre may finally be nearing an end after a sales agreement was signed on May 26, 2021.

The deal, which gave the purchaser a six-month period to conduct due diligence, is thus due to close by the end of November once the necessary approvals are obtained from the Bahamian Supreme Court.

The sale, if it goes through, is significant in multiple ways. Besides involving the planned location of Doctors Hospital’s Grand Bahama hospital, it also represents the final property owned by Premier Commercial Real Estate Investment Corporation, the former BISX-listed real estate investment trust that delisted from the Bahamian stock exchange many years ago.

While Premier will effectively cease to exist as an operating business, any proceeds from First Commercial Centre’s sale can be paid out as dividends to its shareholders. And its majority 50.4 percent investor, Mosaic Composite, is the counter-party to an investment structure that collapsed some 16 years ago while owing long-suffering investors close to $471m.

Mosaic’s liquidators, who include Clifford and Myles Culmer of BDO Bahamas, have repeatedly said the ownership interest in Premier represents one of the best sources of recovery for investors. They have previously estimated that the First Commercial Centre’s sale, and Premier’s subsequent payout of the proceeds, could generate between $4m-$5m for the liquidation estate.

No forecasts were provided in the latest October 21, 2021, report to the Ontario Superior Court, although the mere $10.7m recovered for Olympus Univest investors to-date would increase by almost 50 percent if the First Commercial Centre proceeds goal is realised.

“In March 2020, the management of Premier engaged Bahama[s] Realty Ltd to advertise and market the property,” said the report by Richter Advisory Services’ Raymond Massi, the Culmers’ co-liquidator.

BAHAMAS POWER & LIGHT (BPL) HEADQUARTERS

Lightning strike adds to hotel’s $3m supply woe

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WHITNEY HEASTIE

Regulator loses $116k roof repairs strike-out

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE Central Bank’s bid to strike out a Bahamian contractor’s $116,000 claim for breach of contract relating to roof repairs has been rejected by a Supreme Court judge.

Justice Ian Winder, in an October 25, 2021, said he was “not satisfied” that the claim

by Hubert Fowler, trading as Guarantee Construction, should be dismissed despite the banking regulator arguing that it was “an abuse of process” because there was “no privity of contract” between the two parties.

The contractor is claiming that the Central Bank, on September 4, 2017, “accepted a proposal... to ‘conduct a

CENTRAL BANK OF THE BAHAMAS

rehabilitation of the concrete underdeck” on the Central Bank’s roofing system for $838,088.

“The claim alleges that payments are outstanding on the contract in the amount of $64,315, as well as an agreed overtime amount of $51,377,” Justice Winder said. “The Bank pleaded that it did not enter into an agreement with Fowler but with a company called Guarantee Construction Company Ltd. “It further pleads that there was no overtime agreement, and that any outstanding sums claimed under the contract were not paid as the work performed by Guarantee were sub-standard.” The contractor, it added, was part of a joint

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