10312018 NEWS

WEDNESDAY i’m lovin’ it!

The Tribune Established 1903

24/7 BREAKING NEWS ON TRIBUNE242.COM

HIGH 85ºF LOW 75ºF

Biggest And Best!

VOLUME:115 No.235, OCTOBER 31ST, 2018

THE PEOPLE’S PAPER: $1

ALICIA WALLACE: NOW THE BACK-PEDALLING BEGINS

4C’s in the dock Owner and captain face manslaughter over fatal explosion

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net

4C’S ADVENTURES owner Clayton Smith and one of his tour boat captains, Roderick Watson, were charged yesterday with causing the death of an American woman and injuring nine other people due to negligence when the boat they were chartering burst into flames earlier this year.

The two Stuart Manor, Exuma, natives both stood before acting Deputy Chief Magistrate Subusola Swain to face one count each of manslaughter by negligence and nine other counts of causing negligent harm concerning the deadly CAPTAIN: Roderick Watson

OWNER: Clayton Smith

SEE PAGE TWO

PHA ‘OUTSMARTED’ OVER ‘ABORTION COMMENTS TO SHIFT CHANGE BY UNION UN READ OUT OF CONTEXT’

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

A 2014 shift change agreement between the Bahamas Nurses Union and the Public Hospitals Authority is null and void, according to Jannah Khalfani, the woman who as former union president signed the document on behalf of the BNU. The agreement stipulated that nurses’ shifts would

change from four on/four off to five on/two off.

Whether the agreement is enforceable is at the heart of the dispute between PHA and BNU, with health officials insisting it empowers the authority to implement a shift change because both sides signed the document.

Yesterday, Ms Khalfani recounted what led to the signing of the 2014 agreement, painting a picture of a union that outwitted top PHA officials by

capitalising on their apparent ignorance of the proper procedure for changing the terms and conditions of the nurses’ employment.

The shift change issue was raised during negotiations between BNU and the Ministry of Health concerning the industrial agreement for nurses employed by the Department of Public Health. It was PHA’s then managing director, Herbert SEE PAGE FIVE

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

SOCIAL Services Minister Frankie Campbell suggested yesterday that the position on abortion by a senior health official before a United Nations committee last week was taken out of context.

Mr Campbell stressed the comments by Sherry Armbrister, senior nursing officer in the Ministry

of Health, only inferred the looming Patient’s Bill of Rights could pave the way for discussion on abortion.

Outside of Cabinet, he defended the performance of his delegation at the 71st Session of the Committee in Geneva on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

“I imagine if you would take it into context,” he told reporters, “because everything is in context. In

STABBED TO DEATH IN LATE NIGHT ROW

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net

POLICE are investigating the death of a man found stabbed and wrapped in a sheet in a bushy area outside the Okra Hill City Lodge property yesterday.

Police said they received information about a woman in distress shortly after 8am on Tuesday and responded to the scene at Okra Hill,

EMOTIONS run high after a body was found at Okra Hill off Shirley Street. Officers met a woman with injuries and, acting on information,

searched a bushy area where they found the deceased partially wrapped in a sheet with trauma to his body.

Chief Superintendent Solomon Cash told reporters once responding officers spoke with the woman, she alleged that she and her boyfriend were attacked by a man at the property around 4am yesterday.

The woman told police

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

SEE PAGE THREE

the context in the way the question was framed, the response was, that there is a group addressing a possible legislation as it relates to the Patient’s Bill of Rights. And then the comment went on further to say this could pave the way to addressing abortion.”

Mr Campbell said: “So take it into context. It wasn’t saying that we have a law pertaining to abortions, SEE PAGE FIVE

TECHNOLOGY

$25M HUNT TO FIND SOFTER SIDE TO AI

SEE PAGE NINE

PAGE 2, Wednesday, October 31, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

THE SCENE in Exuma in June when a 4C’s boat was hit by fire.

4C’s in the dock from page one explosion in waters off Barraterre, Exuma on June 30.

It is alleged the pair’s negligence caused the death of Tennessee native Maleka Johnson, and also negligently caused harm to her husband of 15 years, Tiran Jackson, who had to have one of his legs amputated.

Similarly, the pair were accused of negligently causing harm to 22-year-old Vermont-native Stephanie Schaffer, who had to have both of her legs amputated after the incident. Smith and Watson are further alleged to have caused negligent harm to Stephanie Schaffer’s sister Brooke

THE AFTERMATH of the fire.

Schaffer, her mother Stacey Bender, and Paul Bender, her mother’s husband.

Smith and Watson are also alleged to have negligently caused harm to John Inman, Sheila Jones, Haiden Jones, and Kyle Ackerman.

According to initial reports, shortly after 9am, a 40-foot chartered tour boat was travelling in waters just off Barraterre, Exuma, with ten tourists and two Bahamians on board, when an engine exploded, causing the boat to catch afire.

The ten people on board the vessel were consequently injured and taken to the mini hospital in George Town. One of those injured, Mrs Jackson, died

of her injuries, while several others were airlifted for further medical treatment.

Neither Smith, 45, or Watson, 36, were required to enter a plea to the charges yesterday and the matter was adjourned to December 12 for service of a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI). Bail was denied and they were both remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services (BDCS) in the interim.

Their attorney, Elliot Lockhart, QC, told The Tribune after the proceedings that he intends to apply for bail for his clients “as soon as possible,” which The Tribune understands will take place today.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, October 31, 2018, PAGE 3

MAN DENIES DEFRAUDING 11 OF $50,000 IN VEHICLE SCAMS

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net

A 31-YEAR-OLD MAN was charged in a Magistrate’s Court yesterday with defrauding 11 people of more than $50,000 in the furtherance of a vehicle scam, while operating under several names.

Shane Mackey, aka Arnold

Smith, Ashwood Bodie and Devargo Saunders, was charged with 11 counts of fraud before two different magistrates concerning his actions between January and October of this year.

When arraigned before Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle-Davis, the South Beach resident was accused of defrauding Origin Delevaux of

$5,000 cash between January 26 and February 14; Devon Stuart of $6,800 between April 24 and 30; and Garrecka Johnson of $9,500 between May 25 and June 27.

He is also alleged to have defrauded Albert McKinney of $3,500 on June 11; Shanique Russell of $4,250 between June 16 and 19; and Sarah Buchanan of $4,600 on June 21.

When arraigned before Magistrate Samuel McKinney, he was further accused of defrauding Antonia Benjamin of $3,000 on August 8; Brian Cartwright of $3,500 on August 13; Randy Alonza Taylor of $6,500 between August 22 and 28; Tiffany Moss of $500 on September 22; and Daniel Davidson of $5,000 on October 15.

Mackey pleaded not guilty to

all of the charges and the matters were adjourned to November 23 for trial before Magistrate McKinney, and February for trial before Senior Magistrate Rolle-Davis.

Bail was denied and he was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services (BDCS) in the interim.

He has a right to apply to the Supreme Court for bail.

Victim stabbed to death in late night row from page one the altercation had resulted in both of them receiving injuries about the body, with those sustained by her boyfriend proving to be fatal.

CSP Cash said officers spoke with several other people at the scene, and following those conversations, were able to take a man into custody.

CSP Cash said that man led police to the body.

“We don’t know the motive for this latest homicide,” he told reporters yesterday. “But, of course, we are working with the female victim and we believe that once we speak to her further, we will be able to establish what happened here at this location.”

According to CSP Cash, all three persons involved in the matter - both victims and the man taken into custody - are believed to be in their late 20s or early 30s.

The woman victim is in stable condition in hospital.

CSP Cash also confirmed that the deceased was not

known to police. He did not say whether a weapon was recovered at the scene.

The incident has pushed the country’s murder toll to 74 for the year, according to police records.

The Okra Hill City Lodge property has given cause for concerns for quite some time. The property had long been in a state of disrepair when portions of it were damaged by fire earlier this year.

In the lead up to that fire, there were calls for

something to be done about the property given the belief that its facilities were being used for the sale and exchange of drugs.

When asked about the status of the property yesterday, CSP Cash said he did have concerns with it, adding that given its state, “humans should not be in the general area.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 911 or 919, the Central Detective Unit at 502-9991 or Crime Stoppers at 328-TIPS.

POLICE investigate the scene of murder on Okra Hill where a body was found.

Photos: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff

Two men flee as officers seize drugs

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMIAN and US law enforcement officers seized over $1 million worth of suspected marijuana during a high speed boat chase in East Grand Bahama, but the two suspects were able to escape after running the vessel aground in shallow waters.

This is the largest single drug seizure this year on Grand Bahama.

According to reports, shortly before 1am yesterday, a suspicious 20-ft white single engine vessel with two men on board was spotted off the coast of High Rock, East End. A team of local officers as well as counterparts from the US Drug Enforcement Administration were on patrol in the area at the time.

MAIN picture and inset: Law enforcement officers after seizing over $1 million worth of suspected marijuana after a high speed boat chase in East Grand Bahama.

The two male suspects on seeing the police vessel took off at high speed to evade law enforcement officials, who gave chase. The vessel was intercepted in an area off Gold Rock Creek, where the suspects ran their vessel aground in shallow waters and escaped in the bushes.

When officers boarded the vessel, they discovered some 23 crocus bags of suspected marijuana with an estimated street value of $1.3 million.

• Last week, three Grand Bahama men were arrested off South Andros after they were allegedly caught with almost $4 million worth of what was suspected to be marijuana. Some 84 crocus bags of marijuana, weighing 3,870 pounds with an estimated value of $3,870,000, were discovered on board their vessel. The men have since been charged in Nassau.

PAGE 4, Wednesday, October 31, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

The Tribune Limited NULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI “Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master”

LEON E. H. DUPUCH,

SIR ETIENNE DUPUCH,

jamaaltheartist@gmail.com

Publisher/Editor 1903-1914 Kt., O.B.E., K.M., K.C.S.G., (Hon.) LL.D., D.Litt .

Publisher/Editor 1919-1972 Contributing Editor 1972-1991

EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON,

C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B. Publisher/Editor 1972-

Published daily Monday to Friday

Shirley & Deveaux Streets, Nassau, Bahamas N3207 TELEPHONES

News & General Information Advertising Manager Circulation Department Nassau fax Freeport, Grand Bahama Freeport fax

(242) 322-1986 (242) 502-2394 (242) 502-2386 (242) 328-2398 (242)-352-6608 (242) 352-9348

WEBSITE, TWITTER & FACEBOOK www.tribune242.com

@tribune242

tribune news network

How work permits are helping this country move forward RECENTLY Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis declared that something had to be done to decrease the “thousands” of work permits annually approved by the Immigration Department.

We hope that the Prime Minister is sufficiently attuned to this country’s needs to understand that The Bahamas can only grow if it has the material with which to build. Businesses require highly trained and responsible persons to move forward. Expert competence at the helm allows a business to employ less qualified Bahamians in the hope that one day they will learn by example and eventually be able to qualify for the various executive positions that a business requires. Unless our schools can provide students with higher than a D grade average and parents can instill in them the proper attitude to work, The Bahamas will have to make a decision – lower its standards and fail, or allow businesses to import qualified and responsible staff and succeed.

Statistics from the Immigration Department confirmed that thousands of work permits are approved annually for foreign workers.

“Many of these applications are approved primarily,” said the department, “because employers claim and provide justification that in many instances Bahamians lack the requisite skills and/or certification to fill various vacancies.”

This is not to suggest that The Bahamas does not have any highly qualified and competent Bahamians for the various professions. They are here, but not in sufficient numbers to fulfill the needs of a growing economy. And so until this country is able to produce the number of qualified Bahamians needed to staff a developing country, the Immigration Department will be kept busy supplying work permits.

Labour Minister Dion Foulkes has said that there will be no work permits where Bahamians are qualified for the job. That is fair enough, but who decides if there is a Bahamian qualified for a particular job – the government or the employer? During the PLP’s administration under Pindling it was the government – the government always knew best. And the best qualification that one could have in those days was to be PLP. In all those years The Tribune never qualified – it was never PLP. Besides it needed better qualifications than that to move ahead and grow.

We recall a very “enlightening” conversation that we had with the late Sir Lynden Pindling in his office when we tried to get a permit for a British editor – the editor had to be British because a working knowledge of defamation was important. Sir Lynden said that only a Bahamian should hold that position.

We told him that we had searched, we had advertised and that we had trained many young Bahamian journalists, but we could not find anyone with the skills or experience required for that stage of The Tribune’s development. Sir Lynden was convinced that anyone who had been to university could write and that anyone who could write could sit in an editor’s chair. He mentioned the late John Taylor, at that time a well-known Bahamian playwright who was a great friend of The Tribune. John could write,

he said, therefore, as night follows day, John could be an editor. We had many a laugh with John over Pindling’s naiveté.

John was the first to admit that he was quite incapable – both by temperament and ability – for the job, despite the fact that he was a brilliant playwright.

When The Tribune published on Tribune 242 the prime minister’s recent statement on work permits, a Bahamian wrote to comment: “To tell a business to hire a certain nationality, as opposed to the best candidate, is suicide for the business. If you want the best candidate, educate, train and instill in them a good work ethic. If you want a failed business, keep telling them who to hire. If you want foreigners out of your country, tell your government.

Business people want their business to succeed, and will therefore hire the best people. Once you present that ideal job candidate, clean, prompt, honest, a team worker and willing to please, the employer will be ecstatic and will hire them quickly, before someone else does.

To think that just because someone has education or a degree in hotel management, they can do the job is foolish and unrealistic.”

The same can be said for journalism or any other business that needs hard working and qualified professionals – The Bahamas has been unable to produce a sufficient number of them to make expensive work permits unnecessary.

We were recently told that a Freeport businessman – despite all of the unemployed in Freeport - had to stop offering a certain product because he could not find a Bahamian to produce it up to the required standard.

And our acceptance of mediocrity all started back with the advent of the PLP under the leadership of the late Sir Lynden Pindling who promised Bahamians that if his party became the government no longer would they be “hewers of wood and drawers of water”.

Twenty years later he regretted those words. “We are falling backward with so-called sophisticatuon,” he complained in April, 1990, “and not putting first things first.”

“Because we have got slack and we’ve got lazy and we’ve got sophisticated over these last 20 years and that’s our fault,” he said. “I accept responsibility for this.” Sir Lynden said they were now moving fast, but in moving so fast they have “lost a couple of important things along the way. Now we’ve got to learn to do again some jobs that we have discarded, just refused to take.

Again because we say they’re Haitian jobs. Now we’ve got to get those things back on track.” He observed that jobs requiring technical skills were particularly affected.

“We have got to bring discipline and skills back into our children and people,” he said. “And with all those things we will make our country great.”

And here we are – 28 years later — still without enough skilled Bahamians to either reduce or eliminate work permits.

We suggest this government concentrate on building more qualified and dedicated Bahamians before it interferes with work permits that are assisting this country in its forward motion.

Another flawed tender process EDITOR, The Tribune LIGHTHOUSE Pointe - Eleuthera … incredible someone in government understands - you can’t make an application for a proposal if you don’t have any rights to the land thank you Ace Newbold …. hope you explain to PM Minnis and Minister D’Aguilar!

Seeing you are understanding issues now deal with BP&L yes that RFP for the 80MW standbys which grew incredibly to 275MW in a totally flawed

tender process. Start Ace with BP&L emailed their favoured customers/bidders a whole six-eight days prior to the RFP was Gazetted.

How did the requirementscope grow from 80MW to 275MW and there was no official advice to the builders? It is obvious for certain other issues as Aggreko are still providing standby generators to BP&L and nothing changed. Oh by the way how was Aggreko allowed to participate in this RFP when they were then and now are providing such services to BP&L?

Considerable disadvantage to all other bidders as Aggreko equipment was installed …this RFP was is flawed and so the potential LNG deal from Shell America must be cancelled.

Ace you got it on Lighthouse hope you now see this travesty or irregularity and advise the PM and Minister of Public works that RFP has to be cancelled.

LNG increases levels of CO2 by 25% annually!

W THOMPSON Nassau, October 24, 2018.

Question of Halloween EDITOR, The Tribune

ON SUNDAY past, I was asked my thoughts on whether Christians should celebrate Halloween. It is a great question, but it is one that Scripture does not speak to in a direct manner, as is the case with many issues that we as Christians have to think through.

Therefore, in responding to the question asked on Sunday, my hope is that my approach can serve as a guide for how we should consider matters that Scripture does not specifically address.

History of Halloween It is always important to try to ensure that we have the right information before we seek to come to a conclusion. Some people’s opinion about Halloween has been shaped by what they have heard secondhand from others or what they have observed. But what is the true origin of Halloween? According to history.com, Halloween has its origin in “the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts.

In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as a time to honour all saints; soon, All Saints Day incorporated some of the traditions of Samhain. The evening before, October 31, was known as All Hallows Eve, and later Halloween. Over time, Halloween evolved into a day of activities like trick-or-treating, donning costumes and eating sweet treats.

Halloween Today I think it is fair to say that, although the origin of Halloween is rooted in superstition about ghosts, the modern-day practice of it has more to do with activities like festival parties and trick-or-treating for children. According to the National Retail Federation of the USA, Americans are expected to spend $9 billion on Halloween this year (the spending of Bahamians is included in that because we import virtually all of our Halloween candy and

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net costumes from the USA!).

This does not mean that people who dabble in darkness do not carry on superstitious and even demonic practices which they associate with Halloween. But largely, the activity that marks Halloween more than any other is trick-or-treating for children dressed up in a wide range of costumes, some good (like angels and bible characters), some neutral (like Batman and super heroes), and some evil (like Satan and witches).

Following Conscience Bearing in mind the origin of Halloween and its practice today, I believe it is fair to say that whether one celebrates Christmas or not is a conscience issue. So, a good question to ask, is this: What does my conscience allow? We must accept that different Christians will answer this differently; the conscience of some Christians allows them and their children to celebrate Halloween, while the conscience of other Christians does not allow them to, and both are right to follow their conscience.

The only thing that would be wrong is to judge those whose conscience allows them to do the opposite of what yours allows (see Romans 14:1-12).

Another important Scripture to consider is 1 Corinthians 10:31: “So, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” So, we should ask the question: “Can I celebrate Halloween to the glory of God?” Again, genuine Christians will answer yes and no to this question. And we should not judge those whose answer and practice are different from ours.

Using Wisdom Wherever we land on the question about whether Christians should celebrate Halloween or not, we will need wisdom. This is

obvious for the Christians who choose to celebrate Halloween. For example, it would be unwise for Christian parents who see nothing wrong with celebrating Halloween to allow their children to go trickor-treating dressed up as devils, witches, or anything that would be dishonouring to the Lord and betray their faith. Would it not be better to choose good or neutral costumes and explain to the children the reason behind the choice?

Choosing such good or neutral costumes could result in an obvious contrast with the bad or questionable costumes that other children wear, and there could be an opportunity to verbally bear witness to Christ and share the gospel with unbelieving parents.

For Christians who choose not to participate, wisdom is also needed, although not so obvious.

Such persons should be prepared to give a patient, God-centred response to their children when they ask why they can’t go trickor-treating or to the school’s Halloween party. Such conversations might arise with unbelieving co-workers or fellow parents.

Conclusion So, should Christians celebrate Halloween? In light of the foregoing considerations about Halloween, it should be clear that the most faithful answer is: It depends. It depends on one’s conscience. So, the answer can be yes or no.

Therefore, whatever you decide, by God’s grace, try to ensure that your decision is based on: *An informed conscience from history and Scripture; *The absence of judging others whose decision is different; *A desire to glorify God; and *What wisdom dictates, all things considered.

So, whether we celebrate Halloween or not, let us celebrate it or not celebrate it to the glory of God. PASTOR CEDRIC MOSS Nassau October 24, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, October 31, 2018, PAGE 5

PHA ‘outsmarted’ over shift change by union

THE BAHAMAS Nurses Union outside the Princess Margaret Hospital on Monday in protest aout their new shift system. from page one Brown, who sought to make progress on that agreement contingent on addressing the shift change he wanted for nurses employed by PHA, Ms Khalfani said.

Desperate for a deal for Department of Public Health nurses, Ms Khalfani said the union signed the 2014 shift change agreement to pacify Mr Brown and PHA so it could move on to other negotiating issues.

“They were trying to put us against a wall,” she said, “so the paper was signed and we moved on. However, we knew it had to be incorporated into the industrial agreement to matter. Once the paper was signed both sides ought to have known that the PHA still had to send a proper letter to the union saying they wanted to open the industrial agreement up and renegotiate certain terms. They never went through that process.”

Ms Khalfani said the process laid out in the industrial agreement for how to change nurses’

terms and conditions is very specific.

“If they wanted the change,” she said, “firstly they would’ve had to send a letter to request that the industrial agreement be opened up so the night duty shift change could be discussed. That was not done. They never sent a letter to get the process started.

They only addressed the issue with us around the table while we were negotiating a separate agreement. If they did send us an official letter, the procedure for what must come next is clear.

“The union would’ve been required to present that letter to its members, informing them that PHA wants to reopen the industrial agreement for negotiation. Then the union would set a date with PHA, a meeting to review what was on the table. Ratification had to happen.

Union leaders aren’t there representing themselves at the table.

When the PHA formally says what it wants, the union has to go back to its members and present the letter and say this is what

they are putting to us, we need a counter-proposal. Even now they are not doing it properly. This is what happens when you grapple with people with no respect.

They come to the table and want to bully but ignore the industrial agreement and what it says must happen,” the former union leader said.

When the 2015 industrial agreement was ratified, it did not incorporate a shift change. Yesterday, attorney Wayne Munroe said nurses could be right about the applicability of the 2014 shift change agreement.

“There is a Court of Appeal decision that says unless something is in the Industrial Agreement there is no entitlement to it,” he said.

Nurses are fighting the night shift change because they say it would overwork them. Studies show nurses who work night shifts are more likely to develop heath issues than nurses who work day shifts. Under the PHA’s desired shift change, nurses could work five eight-hour night shifts and

‘ABORTION COMMENTS TO UN READ OUT OF CONTEXT’

from page one

the Patient’s Bill of Rights could pave the way to a discussion.”

Addressing the international forum in Geneva, Switzerland last Thursday, Ms Armbrister revealed the government was working on a Patient’s Bill of Rights that would address the right of women in the Bahamas to have abortions.

Ms Armbrister implied that a substantial bill of rights was being fine-tuned and could head to Parliament, with a view to pave the way for, among other things, a youth emancipation framework and the right for women to have abortions.

“Currently we are working on a patient’s bill of rights, which has to go to Parliament, and once that is passed or when it is passed, it will pave the way for us to deal with the emancipated youth as well as the right for a woman to have [an] abortion,” Ms Armbrister told the UN committee.

The UN committee had

FRANKIE CAMPBELL, Minister for Social Services asked the Bahamian delegation, which was led by Mr Campbell, to clarify the measures being taken to broaden the condition under which abortions can legally be made available in the country - mainly in instances of rape, incest, severe foetal impairments and risk to the health of a pregnant woman.

The statement was quickly walked back by both Attorney General Carl Bethel and Health Minister Dr Duane Sands over the weekend, both insisting that there were no plans to

review the legal status of abortions on the government’s working agenda.

Dr Sands reiterated on Monday while a national discussion on abortion may need to happen, it is not on the government’s legislative agenda right now.

Yesterday, Mr Campbell said: “Remember us being on this journey. So on a journey, every time you take one step, you are able to see another step that you need to take. So in the context the Patient’s Bill of Rights could pave for that discussion.

Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff have two days off, whereas some now work four ten hour shifts and have four days off.

“Nurses’ shifts are a global problem,” Ms Khalfani said. “We sent research to PHA showing them the problems associated with night shift. Night is a special time. Working those shifts messes up a nurse’s circadian rhythm.

Our bodies are designed to sleep, to rest at time for optimum functionality. When you allow nurses to work four ten hour night shifts and then have four days off that was better for their well-being than what is being proposed now.”

Ms Khalfani said if PHA wants to increase the number of nurses on during a single shift and clamp down on overtime pay, other shift arrangements are better. “We gave them research that speaks to 12-hour night shifts,” she said, adding that nurses in such cases would work only three days per week. “The good news about 12 hour night shifts is at some point that shift will overlap with another shift for a good three to four hours, helping

with manpower whereas with three separate eight-hour shifts, the shifts would never overlap.”

It’s not clear what impact 12-hour shifts have on nurses’ health, however. One study by academics at the University of Southampton concluded that such shifts “may lead to reduced nurses’ well-being and healthcare systems’ loss of productivity.”

On Monday, nurses across the country staged lunch hour “walk outs” in protest of the shift change, set to take effect in December. There were no reports of similar activity yesterday, according to a PHA official.

However, the Ministry of Health released a statement warning there could be interruption of services at public health facilities and all clinics today. The ministry said limited services will be available and people may experience delays. “Consequently, we encourage those who are not critically ill not to present themselves at our facilities on these days,” the statement said.

PAGE 6, Wednesday, October 31, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

CHESTER COOPER, MP for Exuma and Ragged Island.

DEPUTY Prime Minister Peter Turnquest.

‘On course for fiscal targets’ but Cooper says VAT flagging THE Minnis administration is “cautiously optimistic” it will meet its fiscal targets for the year after the deficit declined 50 percent in the first quarter and revenue increased, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Peter Turnquest said in a statement yesterday.

The data, however, points to potential headwinds, according to Progressive Liberal Party Deputy Leader Chester Cooper who said value added tax collections

for the quarter are “significantly below budget”.

VAT revenue brought in $199.4m, up 19 percent for the quarter, according to information from the Ministry of Finance.

“My contention is that the VAT revenue is up by 19 percent even though they increased the rate by 60 percent,” Mr Cooper told The Tribune, saying the numbers raise red flags even when accounting for seasonal fluctuations in revenues. “They would have

to do a monster second quarter to make up for that short fall. I don’t believe they will.

“We maintain that the socalled expert modeling and massive tax hike itself were ill-advised,” the shadow finance minister said in his statement.

For his part, Mr Turnquest said “performance reporting is not about popping champagne when we are happy with our progress and burying the numbers when we are not.”

#10 Palmetto Avenue & Acklins Street P.O. Box N-3572 Nassau, Bahamas Tel: (242) 326-5773

Full Military Service for

Retired Deputy Superintendent of Bahamas Department of Corrections

ALEXANDER FONSWIT STUBBS, 79 affectionately called “FL” or “Poke”

a resident of Yamacraw Beach Drive and formerly of Orange Creek, Cat Island, who died on 17th October 2018, will be held at Grant’s Town Wesley Methodist Church, Baillou Hill Road and Chapel, Street, on Thursday, 1st November, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. Officiating will be Reverend L. Carla R. Culmer (President, Bahamas Conference of Methodist Church), Reverend Lester Ferguson (Pastor, Grant’s Town Wesley Methodist Church), Reverend George Bodie (Acting Chaplain, Bahamas Department of Corrections), assisted by Reverend Cecil Newbold (Minister, Wesley Methodist Church (MCCA), Malcolm Road). Interment will follow in Woodlawn Memorial Gardens, Soldier Road.

Left to cherish his memories: Wife of 52 years Elva; Children: Ava, Ian, Valerie, Craig, Tanya, Nancy and Brando; Brother: Clonius Stubbs; Grandchildren: Ominique, Najhi, Xavier, Jahmari, Jenesys and Chanel; Great grandchildren: LeDanian and Dominick; Daughters-in-law: Marion and Charpella; Sons-in-law: Barry McKinney, John Williams and Douglas Conyers; Nieces: Eleanor Lindsay, Prescola Smith, Marilyn Dean, Madge Farrington, Joanne Brooks, Thais Russell, Pamela Stubbs, Melony Thompson, Pamela Grant, Deidre Bodie, Erika Major, Shynika Lablanc, Shavonne Bain, Janice Evans-Morley; Nephews: David Farrington, Clive Stubbs, Edwin, Arthur and Horatio Stubbs, Jeffery and Dion Stubbs, Constantino Evans; Sister-in-law: Rhoda Munnings, Vernita Stubbs; Brothers-in-law: Allan and Solomon Stuart; Godchildren: Emerick Seymour, Yorick Butler, Denzel Carroll and Sky Clarke; Other relatives and friends: Rev. Cecil Newbold, William, Marcus, Desmond Newbold, Ellen Newbold, Nathalie Bonimy, Monica Stuart and Shirley Stuart, Frank Rolle, Princess Maycock, and Dainette Bonimy, Annamae Ferguson, Inez Stuart, Rosemary Cambridge, Altemese Carey, Alice Stubbs, Holbrooke Stuart, Martin, Basil, Bernard and Clinton Smith, Cleveland, Reuben, Octivia and Arlington Stuart, Marilyn Neymour, Diane and Robert Stuart, Florinda Smith, Olivia Bowles, Ann Burrows, Helena Stubbs, Winifred Wright, Evelyn Seymour, Coralee Turner, Miriam Seymour, Emeline Lockhart, William McDonald, William Munnings, William Poitier, Wentworth Stubbs, Verdell Pinder, Annabell Burrows, Una Bain, Whitney Stubbs, Don Butler, Ann Lightbourne, Rudy McDonald, Theorelle Nottage, Jamal Kenny, Donna Thurston, Sabrina Usher, Jacklyn Moxey, The Yamacraw Beach Estates Community: Dr. and Mrs. Joseph Evans, Mr. and Mrs. Gary Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Everett Burrows, Donna Henfield, Cheryl and Anya Rolle, Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Clarke, Mr. and Mrs. Berkley Chisholm, Staff of Solomon’s Fresh Market, Royal Bahamas Defense Force, Temple Christian Elementary School, Commonwealth Bank, Oakes Field, Claridge Primary School and Members of The Thelma Gibson Women’s Group, The Fountain Family, The entire community of Orange Creek, Cat Island and Wesley Methodist Church (Grant’s Town and Malcolm Road), Staff members of The Bahamas Department of Corrections, and all others too numerous to mention.

Relatives and friends may pay their last respects at Newbold Brothers Funeral Chapel, Palmetto Avenue & Acklins Street off Market and East Streets TODAY Wednesday, 31st October 2018, from 12:00 noon until 5:00 p.m., and on Thursday at the church from 9:00 a.m., until service time.

He added: “Performance reporting is about full disclosure. It is about upending the culture of closed government and prompting transparency instead.”

This is the first time a quarterly budget performance report on the government’s revenue, expenditure and financing operations has been presented to the public.

“It aligns with global fiscal disclosure standards and best practices,” Mr

Turnquest said.

“In the Ministry of Finance, we are proactively working to set a new model for good governance: from the ground up, we are building a culture of openness, access to information and engagement, which is what the public demands and expects. We all know that change takes time, especially within large bureaucracies, but each small step we take in the right direction is cause for encouragement. The

launch of quarterly performance reporting is certainly a step in the right direction.

The government has a big reform agenda and this is another step forward in fulfilling same.”

The Ministry of Finance also revealed the country’s deficit, which measures the amount by which government spending exceeds revenue, was cut by $56.6m compared to the 2017 fiscal first quarter performance - falling from $108.6m to $52m year-over-year.

SURVEY AS GOVT TAKES STEPS TO BOOST HEALTH

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net

HEALTH Minister Dr Duane Sands on Monday announced the launch of the 2018 STEPS health survey in conjunction with the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/ WHO).

The survey, which is carried out globally in five year periods, assesses the health habits and risk factors for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in populations analysed.

According to Dr Sands, the survey will run through the month of November and, it is anticipated that almost 4,000 Bahamians between 18 and 69, across the islands of New Providence, Grand Bahama, Abaco, Eleuthera, Exuma, Cat Island and Inagua will be screened.

He also explained that the survey, which is voluntary and confidential, will be carried out over three steps at the homes of those who participate.

As a part of step one, participants will be required to answer a series of questions on their overall health and habits, while step two will focus on physical and

medical measurements such as weight, height, waist circumference, blood pressure and heart rate readings.

Additionally, as a part of step two, blood and urine samples will be collected to test for fat and sugar levels.

Step three will cover the reporting and analysis of findings.

The process is projected to take no longer than an hour, according to guidelines and specifics provided by the Ministry of Health.

In an effort to garner support for the exercise, Dr Sands on Monday highlighted projections made during the 2007 CARICOM meeting with heads of governments in Trinidad, where it was stated that by 2030, the rate of people dying from non-communicable diseases in the Caribbean would increase by 300 percent.

Dr Sands said despite these figures, countries in the region were still trending the wrong direction with NCDs, a fact he noted as a “hard but bitter pill to swallow.”

Dr Sands added: “The World Health Organisation estimates that by 2020, chronic non-communicable diseases will be responsible for more than 60 percent of deaths worldwide.

“Now to put that in context, fellow Bahamians, the Bahamas in 2018 already exceeds this target.”

Dr Sands said 74 percent of deaths in the Bahamas result from NCDs, and that as a country, the Bahamas exceeded the regional average for the unconditional probability of dying.

“In simple terms, Bahamians have a 17 percent chance of dying prematurely from NCDs like heart disease, diabetes, cancer, or chronic respiratory illnesses; almost two percentage points higher than the rest of the region,” he said.

Of the survey’s intent, Dr Sands added: “(It) will map our collective progress related to the specific NCD risk factors.”

“Of interest, it will also break new ground, generating novel baseline data on national salt intake and all health practices, as well as determining our population’s specific risk for cardiovascular disease.

“Findings from this study will enhance our ability to report on several local and international indicators in the NCDs global monitoring framework and for the sustainable development goals,” he said.

SACRED HEART TO HOLD STEAK-OUT SACRED Heart Roman Catholic Church will hold its annual steak-out and mini-fair this Saturday, with organisers announcing fish has now been added to entrée offerings.

The event, which will take place from 11am-5.30pm on the church grounds located at the corner of Shirley Street and Shirley Park, typically draws hundreds of people every year for a fun, family oriented afternoon.

Organisers are gearing up

for another successful fair and are happy to offer new additions to their food line up.

“We have truly become known for our delicious steak and chicken dinners at a great price, and we are adding fresh fish dinners this year for the first time,” said Angela Fox, steak-out chairperson.

“We really concentrate on the food and people appreciate the home-style cooking.

If you have had our steak

and chicken dinners before then you know the fish will be just as excellent. Bring your family and friends and taste them for yourself.”

In addition to food, the event will have a raffle, children’s games, bingo and other activities.

Tickets can be purchased at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church office. Mass is also offered at 6.30 pm following the steak-out. For more information call 3266004.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, October 31, 2018, PAGE 7

Govt to take stock of buildings with audit

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net THE government intends to undertake an audit of all the properties it currently owns or rents, in an effort to best streamline its facilities portfolio in the coming years, press secretary Anthony Newbold said yesterday.

The announcement came during Mr Newbold’s weekly press briefing, with him calling the process a follow-up of the

government’s decision to rent a section of the Town Centre Mall, owned by Cabinet minister Brent Symonette and his brother, to temporarily house the General Post Office.

However, Mr Newbold gave no details on exactly when the audit will be carried out, who would conduct it or how much would be spent to have it completed. He said the government is on quest to determine, once and for all, what they own, where these properties are located, and

in cases of rented facilities, the total amount it is paying month to month.

“Obviously, once that audit has been completed, then decisions would have to be made,” he said.

“The prime minister has talked about this, you heard him talk about the fact that government spends an inordinate amount of money renting. The government should have its own premises. It should have its own buildings. (But) what has to go with that, of course, is a real serious maintenance

schedule because we all know, we don’t take care of anything. We build a new building, five years later we need to build another one because we didn’t take care of the one that we built.”

According to Mr Newbold, once the exercise is complete, some new buildings will be constructed to house various government agencies, while many others will be renovated.

Speaking specifically to the former St John’s and City Market sites on Market Street, Mr Newbold

insisted those two sites have already been earmarked for development.

However, he said he was uncertain what will be constructed on the properties.

“We don’t know what is going to go there, but we know there will be something there,” he added.

The government last week pushed a resolution through Parliament that would see it rent sections of the Town Centre Mall for $12 per square foot.

The resolution noted that the General Post Office

building on East Hill Street was condemned as being structurally unsound and had suffered from periodic, deep-rooted mould infestation and other harmful environment pathogens.

That move came after the government balked on plans that would have seen the postal operations moved to either the Independence Drive Shopping Centre, the old Phil’s supermarket building on Gladstone Road or the old City Markets building on Market Street.

ACTING Permanent Secretary for Urban Renewal David Cates with Ministry of Social Services and Urban Development Director of Gender and Family Affairs Dr Jacinta Higgs. Photos: Derek Smith/BIS

STEERING YOUTHS AWAY FROM RISK

OLYMPIC athletes such as Pauline Davis-Thompson, right, gave words of wisdom to at-risk youth at a Ministry of Social Services workshop.

THE Ministry of Social Services and Urban Development in conjunction with the Urban Renewal Commission held its third annual ‘Youth-at-Risk’ one-day seminar at Salem Union Baptist Church yesterday.

Aimed at providing youth from rural areas affected by gang activity with another option going forward, the workshop was addressed by Olympic athletes such as Pauline Davis-Thompson, Chris

“Fireman” Brown, Ramon Miller, as well as DJ Counsellor, Julis Duclus, minister LaQuisha Wallace, founder of the Take the Lord Movement, Epic Church, and minister Felicia Archer, who all sent the message of a better way with God and real friends.

The seminar was held under the theme, “Let us Dream Again,” and was addressed by acting Permanent Secretary for Urban Renewal David Cates.

MAN WHO SWORE AT JUDGE TO BE RETRIED FOR MURDER

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net

A MAN who cursed out a Supreme Court judge is to be retried for attempting to murder another man three years ago because the judge he berated did not allow him to change his lawyer during his trial, the Court of Appeal has ruled.

Acting Appellate President Jon Isaacs, and fellow Justices Stella Crane-Scott, and Sir Michael Barnett, said Prescott Knowles is to be retried “in the shortest time possible” concerning the June 5, 2015, attempted murder of Michael Fox Jr. Knowles was convicted of Fox Jr’s attempted murder on May 19, 2016, and was sentenced to 30 years imprisonment by Justice Cheryl Grant-Thompson.

According to the

evidence, Fox Jr was in the front of a residence on Ida Street changing some parts on a car, along with others, when a silver coloured Honda Accord pulled up, and someone wearing sunglasses and armed with a firearm jumped out and began firing shots.

Fox Jr tried to run, but after two steps, felt something hit him in his back, causing him to fall to the ground. The gunman stood over him and continued to shoot. Afterwards, the gunman stopped shooting and got into the Honda Accord, which subsequently pulled off.

When the trial commenced on May 9, 2016, and while the virtual complainant was giving evidence from the witness stand, Knowles apparently lost control and, from the holding box, stood up and

started challenging the veracity of the virtual complainant’s claims that he shot him.

“So tell me something… you saying I shoot you?”

Knowles asked Fox Jr from the box, according to a transcript. After both statements, Justice GrantThompson ordered him to sit back down.

“I ain’t shoot this n****,” Knowles said. “Want jail me for something I ain’t do big man.”

When Justice GrantThompson ordered for Knowles to be taken out of the court, he again blurted out: “F****** mix up aye?

Try get your people who shoot you. All of y’all freaking out in this court.”

Justice Grant-Thompson ordered the man to be removed from the court, after which he said: “Talking f***. Don’t mix me up.”

Justice Grant-Thompson again ordered for the man to be taken out of the court, and when she did so a second time, he responded by saying: “F*** you bey, Ms Bethel, your big p****.”

Justice Bethel subsequently stated: “I find you in contempt of court.”

The trial subsequently proceeded in Knowles’ absence, and Justice GrantThompson did not address Knowles directly on his outburst until the following day, at which time he apologised for his conduct.

Knowles also indicated at the time that he didn’t feel as if he would have a fair trial, especially in view of his outburst and “different little things”. He said he was going to ask his thenattorney, Calvin Seymour, to relieve himself from the case, because he had spoken with his family with

an aim to retaining attorney Murrio Ducille.

However, Justice GrantThompson said she “would not allow Mr Seymour to be relieved,” and that the attorney “would have to continue.” She further stated that Knowles could have Mr Ducille join Mr Seymour, but that she “would not restart the trial for that individual.”

However, the appellate judges said it was “not competent” for the judge to have required a “private” counsel to be “yoked to a court-appointed attorney” in circumstances where the accused person no longer requires or wants their services, and further noted that Knowles made no request for a new or restarted trial.

The appellate judges thus said it was “obvious” that the trial judge was “more concerned about the time

that may have been wasted should new counsel be inserted in the trial than she was for the constitutional rights of the accused…to have counsel of his choice.”

They said the judge’s “failure to recognise the constitutional imperative resulted in whatever transpired thereafter as an unfair trial.”

“We are of the view that this conviction cannot be sustained,” the appellate judges said. “In the circumstances, the conviction is quashed and the sentence set aside. We order that there be a retrial and that that occur in the shortest time possible.

“The appellant is to be detained until such time as that retrial occurs unless granted bail by the court below.”

Knowles was represented by Christina Galanos during his appeal.

PAGE 8, Wednesday, October 31, 2018

ALICIA speaking in Geneva.

T

HE Government of The Bahamas faced review by the Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) Committee during the 71st session at the United Nations in Geneva. The review followed the submission of the State’s report on progress made since the last submission, tabling of shadow reports by three non-governmental organizations (NGOs) — one of which is publicly available — and oral statements and a private meeting with NGOs. It is clear the CEDAW Committee does not rely on the State report, nor does it depend on shadow report to give a fuller picture of the State under review. Committee members conduct their own research including, but not limited to reading national newspapers.

Awareness of issues of national concern and general public sentiment around hot button issues was demonstrated in the questions posed and comments made by Committee members during the dialogue with the State.

Knowing it is important for Bahamians to know what the government of The Bahamas is saying and doing in international spaces, I am sharing my own account of some of the key points that arose during the first part of the session.

THE TRIBUNE

Everyone has their say - then the back-pedalling begins The art of the back-pedal

The opening MINISTER of Social Services Frankie Campbell led the government delegation and brought an introductory statement and led in responding to most of the questions from the Committee. In his statement, Campbell made reference to his daughters as the reason for his commitment to women’s equality, referred to CEDAW as “a journey, and not a destination,” and said The Bahamas will, one day, lift the reservations on Articles 2a and 9(2) concerning non-discrimination on the basis of sex and nationality — issues central to the referendum of 2016. He noted the government is drafting amendments to the Nationality Act to give Bahamian women, upon application, the ability to confer citizenship on their children regardless of where they are born.

He spoke about the national machinery which was an area of concern for Committee members and

FROM left, Erin Greene, Noelle Nicholls and Alicia Wallace in Geneva for the CEDAW conference. was referenced in shadow reports and NGO oral statements. Campbell noted the 250 percent increase in budget for the Department of Gender and Family Affairs, the strategic plan for ending gender-based violence (not yet adopted), and updates to the national gender equality policy which, he said, is going to Cabinet soon.

Reference was made to a number of other activities including a needs assessment survey in the Family Islands and financial partnerships with organizations such as Civil Society Bahamas, Bahamas Crisis Centre, Families of All Murder Victims (FOAM), the Governor General’s Youth Awards, and Great Commission.

Terminal Manager wanted at Tropical Shipping to manage our processes and procedures related to vessel, terminal, equipment control operations and equipment maintenance.

Great opportunity to manage freight handling equipment and coordinate facility maintenance including stevedoring, port interchange and yard activities, as well as warehouse and freight distribution, all while keeping safety #1. If you’re interested in joining the Tropical Team and highlighting your leadership skills, please contact: rfox@tropical.com 5+ years’ experience in port operations management preferred.

Protection against sex discrimination THE CEDAW Committee expressed concern about sex-based discrimination, and a Committee member called the “no” vote on bill four “distressing”. She asked the government to give concrete steps it will take to the issue, and directly asked whether or not it will set a fixed date for the next referendum that is not near a general election, do it in a nonpartisan agreement, and engage civil society in managing the process.

She also asked the government if it will reform existing legislation to safeguard against sex-based discrimination as with the Employment Act. The Committee member also asked the government to commit to protecting women and LGBT+ people from discrimination and provide avenues for redress, especially for migrant, differently-abled, and LBTQ+ women.

In his response, the Minister said The Bahamas is a democratic nation and the government cannot change the constitution. He confirme the government will make amendments to legislation, but said he could not give a timeline. He agreed to including civil society in the process. Jewel Major from the Attorney General’s office said the AG asked for a review of legislation to see which do not have a non-discrimination clause. Among legislation under review is the Education Act. The Minister told the CEDAW Committee the government is aware of its shortcomings and is open the Committee’s

recommendations.

In response to a question about providing comprehensive protection against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, he suggested it is a new concept and the government is committed to having the conversation so we can all “coexist in harmony”.

Family Island women are women too A number of Committee members asked specifically about Family Island women and their access to resources, day-today experiences and access to justice. Campbell spoke about stigma of reporting in a small community, and said saving lives is more important. He went on to say there is a need to “removed [the] spirit of dependence” so that women could report gender-based violence more easily. Major added that most islands have a resident magistrate and video conferencing is available to hear matters for other islands.

Lack of resources A Committee member asked when the national strategic plan and policy will be implemented, and what frameworks exist to guide and monitor compliance with CEDAW. She also pressed the government on temporary special measures beyond the political leadership course. These questions were not sufficiently answered, though it was said the national gender policy has expired and experts have been

reconvened to update the document.

Director of Gender and Family Affairs Jacinta Higgs spoke about the under-resourcing of the department.

She also pointed out staff from other areas within the Ministry are providing support, UN Women is providing specialized training and the Department is making a “progressive thrust” to work with NGOs. Higgs noted the need for tech support in the area of research and data collection, and the request for assistance from University of the West Indies’ Institute of Gender and Development Studies and University of The Bahamas.

The lack of statistics came up several times throughout the session, and this lead to the Committee advising the government to take steps to remedy it.

Data and skills gap THIS is the way the session went for five hours.

The CEDAW Committee posed a set of questions, the government delegation had the opportunity to respond, and when time permitted, follow-up questions were asked and answered.

In some cases, the delegation struggled to answer questions.

This happened for various reasons including lack of data or access to it, hesitation in making a commitment and general unfamiliarity with terminology and concepts.

It stressed its willingness to work with NGOs and recognition of the experience and skills of the organisations and people working on issues of gender and women’s rights.

IN my oral statement, I raised two important issues.

I noted the Government of The Bahamas has failed to inform the Bahamian public about its CEDAW commitments, how CEDAW can be used as a tool for women, and ways for its (non)compliance to be monitors.

There is also the issue of the government responding to issues, as it did with the CEDAW Committee, with information and commitments that it ignores or denies in The Bahamas.

We saw this play out as if scripted over the past few days. Senior Nursing Officer at the Ministry of Health Sherry Armbrister told the CEDAW Committee about work on a patients’ bill of rights which “will pave the way for […] the right for a woman to have [an] abortion.” The Attorney General and Minister of Health both deny that a change in the law is under consideration. Sands also said reproductive rights are not on the list of priorities.

This sentiment was certainly not expressed to the CEDAW Committee. It is possible this bill was in the works, but officials are not prepared to have a national conversation about abortion. It is also possible that someone is misinformed, or members of the delegation were prepared to deceive the Committee, perhaps in an attempt to prevent it from including a recommendation to legalise abortion which would require the government to act on it before the next review.

The Bahamas ratified CEDAW by choice. We are not being forced to take any particular actions. The government has committed to expanding and protecting the rights of women through domestication of CEDAW — the women’s bill of rights.

Review by the CEDAW Committee is a built-in monitoring and evaluation system wherein members review submitted reports, conduct their own research, engage in constructive dialogue with officials and make determinations about the country’s progress since the previous session.

At the end of the 71st session, the Committee will publish concluding observations which including recommendations for the government that it will be expected to act upon and report on at the next review. As citizens, it is important we pay attention to this process and engage as much as possible as the government works toward fulfilling its commitment.

We will only benefit by knowing what has been promised and demanding it. Look at the abortion conversation. The back-pedalling has already started, but we already know what was said. That, in and of itself, is power in our hands.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, October 31, 2018, PAGE 9

A softer side to AI?

Google to give $25m to fund humane artificial intelligence projects SUNNYVALE, CALIFORNIA Associated Press GOOGLE will give away $25m to projects that propose ways to use the artificial intelligence of computers to help create a more humane society.

The grant programme announced on Monday is part of a broader Google initiative called “AI for Social Good” that aims to ease concerns that advances in artificial intelligence will eliminate jobs and perhaps even be autonomously deployed by militaries to kill people.

Other technology companies have taken similar steps to address ethical issues in AI. For instance, Microsoft has committed $115m to an “AI for Good” initiative that provides grants to organisations harnessing AI for humanitarian, accessibility and environmental projects.

During a presentation in Sunnyvale, California, Google demonstrated how its AI technology is already being used to diagnose diseases, help people with disabilities, predict areas likely to flood and protect endangered species.

Despite commitments NEW YORK Associated Press APPLE’S new iPads will more closely resemble its latest iPhones as they ditch a home button and fingerprint sensor to make more room for the screen.

As with the latest iPhone models — the XR and XS —the new iPad Pro will use facial-recognition technology to unlock the device and to authorise app and Apple Pay purchases.

Apple also unveiled new Mac computers, including an overdue refresh of the MacBook Air laptop, now with a high-resolution screen.

Better screens come with price increases for both iPads and Macs.

Yesterday’s announcements took place at an opera house in New York, where the company emphasised its products’ ability to create music, video and sketches.

Neither the Mac nor the iPad generates as much revenue for Apple as iPhones.

Tablet sales have been declining overall, though Apple saw a three percent increase in iPad sales last year to nearly 44 million, commanding a 27 percent market share, according to research firm IDC. Apple has been promoting its high-end iPad Pro as ideal for artists, photographers and other creators.

DA Davidson Co analyst Tom Forte said Apple did “a nice job of rolling out next-generation devices with features customers want to sustain momentum” in iPad sales growth.

The smaller of the two new

PARKER Solar Probe pictured in July at Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Florida, after the installation of its heat shield. The probe is now closer to the sun than any spacecraft has ever gotten. Early Monday afternoon, Parker surpassed the record of 26.55 million miles set by Helios-2 back in 1976. Photo: Ed Whitman/AP GOOGLE headquarters in Mountain View, California. (AP) like those being made by Google and Microsoft, the specter of AI going horribly awry lingers.

Even as it pledges to do good things with AI, Microsoft is pursuing a massive US military contract that prompted an open letter earlier this month from a purported group of Microsoft employees worried the

company might be betraying its own artificial intelligence principles. Microsoft reaffirmed its resolve to win the military contract in its own blog post last week, promising to address any ethical concerns that may arise if it ends up working on the project.

Google decided not to bid for the same military

contract that Microsoft wants after some its own employees protested. The company concluded the contract, potentially worth $10bn, didn’t comply with its AI principles, which preclude the technology from being used to “cause or directly facilitate injury to people”.

The company’s AI For

iPads, Macs get new screens as Apple pushes creativity

Pros will have a wider display than before when held horizontally. Its screen is 11 inches rather than 10.5 inches, measured diagonally. It starts

at about $800, or $150 more than the 10.5-inch version.

For the larger, 12.9-inch model, Apple is fitting the same-size display into a

Social Good programme was already in the works before Google employees raised objections about the military contract, said Jeff Dean, a senior fellow overseeing AI. Google’s nonprofit arm will announce the winners of its AI grants next spring at an annual company conference.

an LCD screen similar to the iPhone XR rather than the more vibrant one found in the top-of-the-line iPhone XS models. The displays on the new iPads don’t run to the edges as much as they do on iPhones.

An updated pencil, still at $99, will attach magnetically to the iPad for storage and charging.

Apple is bringing a highresolution display to its low-end MacBook Air, something until now limited to pricier models such as the MacBook Pro products. But the starting price goes up $200 to about $1,200.

The Air also joins higherend Pros in sporting a fingerprint sensor, something the iPad just lost.

Apple also announced an updated desktop computer, the Mac Mini, starting at about $800.

The company said both Macs will use aluminum left over from producing iPads and other products.

The new MacBook Air and iPad Pros will now use a standard, oval-shaped connector called USB-C. That means accessories using the JAPANESE artist Mako iPad’s old LightOke draws on the new ning port will iPad Pro using its pencil need adapters, accessory after an event sold separately. announcing new products The change will yesterday. allow people to charge their iPhones through the iPad. smaller device — about the The Air also loses the slot size of a standard sheet of for camera memory cards. paper. That starts at about An adapter costs $39. $1,000, a price hike of $200.

All the new products come The new iPads will have out Nov 7.

• NASA’s Parker Solar Probe is now closer to the sun than any spacecraft has ever gotten.

Parker on Monday surpassed the record of 26.6 million miles (43 million kilometres) set by Helios-2 back in 1976. And it will keep getting closer to the sun until it flies through the corona, or outer atmosphere, for the first time next week, passing within 15 million miles (24 million kilometres) of the solar surface.

Parker will make 24 close approaches to the sun over the next seven years, ultimately coming within just 3.8 million miles (six million kilometres).

Launched in August, Parker is on track to set another record late Monday night. It will surpass Helios-2’s speed record of 153,454 miles per hour (247,000 kilometres per hour), relative to the sun.

• GOOGLE’S robotic car spin-off Waymo is poised to become the first to test fully driverless vehicles on California’s public roads.

The regulatory approval clearing the cars to begin navigating the state’s highways and streets without a backup human driver behind the wheel comes nearly a decade after Waymo began as a secretive project within Google.

Its fully autonomous cars have been giving rides to passengers in Arizona since last year. That pilot programme is supposed to be transformed into a ridehailing service open to all comers by the end of this year.

Waymo intends to start in California by confining the rides in driverless cars to its own employees before launching a pilot programme similar to the one in Arizona.

PAGE 10, Wednesday, October 31, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

KINGDOM CENTRE SAYS IT’S TIME TO TURN AWAY FROM TRICK OR TREAT INSTEAD of participating in the various Halloween affairs around town, the Kingdom Discipleship Centre is encouraging Bahamians to engage in other wholesome activities that “bring glory and honour to God”.

The centre in partnership with the several local churches will be hosting its “Unmasking” outreach event once again. It is scheduled for tomorrow at Windsor Park beginning 6pm.

According to Ambassador Devon Rolle, the event was started to bring awareness and discourage involvement in Halloween activities.

“We have seen in our country and beyond some of the negative activities that our youth have been involved with over decades, like throwing stones and giving poisonous treats instead of sweet treats. So we wanted to start a movement the would discourage that kind of participation,” he said.

He said the main aim of the event is to demonstrate unity and the love of God to those who attend.

“We want to worship God and to praise him while also showing forth the positive attributes of Bahamians, especially around this time.”

The event is expected to feature a workshop, music, drama, and spoken word declarations.

At last year’s “Unmasking”, mothers and family members of murder victims

were invited to come out for a time of prayer.

“We added as of 2017, a new aspect to our initiative. We observed the rising murder rate and thought it was important for us to use this platform to create greater awareness, he said.

“We need to pray and come together against the spirit of murder in our country. We seek to create a more loving atmosphere with people because we want people to show more

love to their neighbour.

“We want to encourage the average Bahamians on all levels to honour God and come together in a fun filled family environment that is spiritual.”

Since its inception, KDC’s mission has been to move follower from religion to relationship and from tradition to transformation.

This is also the thrust of the event.

“I am praying that the persons who attend will take away a great

experience with fellow Bahamians. They will have further appreciation for being their brothers keeper and what it means to have a relationship with God. The event’s sub theme this year is ‘love over violence’ and is the ultimate message organises are sending.

“I hope that would be a mantra that begins to infiltrate the communities. My aim is to always lift up God and the principles of the kingdom,” he said.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, October 31, 2018, PAGE 11

‘Whitey’ Bulger, Boston gangster, killed in prison at 89 BOSTON Associated Press JAMES “Whitey” Bulger, the murderous Boston gangster who benefited from a corrupt relationship with the FBI before spending 16 years as one of America’s most wanted men, was killed in federal prison. He was 89.

Bulger was found unresponsive yesterday morning at the US penitentiary in West Virginia to which he had recently been transferred, and a medical examiner declared him dead soon after, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

Authorities did not immediately release a cause of death, but Justin Tarovisky, a prison union official, said the death was being investigated as a homicide.

Bulger, the model for Jack Nicholson’s ruthless crime boss in

the 2006 Martin Scorsese movie, The Departed, led a largely Irish mob that ran loan-sharking, gambling and drug rackets. He also was an FBI informant who ratted on the New England mob, his gang’s main rival, in an era when bringing down the Mafia was a top national priority for the FBI. Bulger fled Boston in late 1994 after his FBI handler, John Connolly Jr, warned him he was about to be indicted. With a $2 million reward on his head, Bulger became one of the FBI’s “Ten Most Wanted” criminals, with a place just below Osama bin Laden.

There was no love lost for Bulger on the Boston streets he once ruled. Patricia Donahue’s husband, Michael, was killed in 1982 when he offered a ride home to a man allegedly targeted for

JAMES "Whitey" Bulger, right, is escorted from a US Coast Guard helicopter after attending hearings in federal court in Boston in 2011.

death by Bulger because he was talking to the FBI. “I’d like to open up a champagne bottle and celebrate,” she told reporters yesterday.

Tom Duffy, a retired state police detective who searched for Bulger and was a consultant on The Departed, called news of Bulger’s death “celebratory news”.

When the extent of his crimes and the FBI’s role in overlooking them became public in the late 1990s, Bulger became a source of embarrassment for the FBI. During the years he was a fugitive, the FBI battled a public perception that it had not tried very hard to find him.

After more than 16 years on the run, Bulger was captured at age 81 in Santa Monica, California, where he had been living in a rent-controlled apartment.

Trumps pay tribute at the synagogue where 11 died PITTSBURGH Associated Press PRESIDENT Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump paid solemn tribute yesterday to each of the 11 people slain in the worst instance of anti-Semitic violence in American history. As the Trumps placed their remembrances outside the Tree of Life synagogue, protesters nearby shouted that the president was not welcome.

The Trumps first went inside the vestibule of the synagogue, where they lit candles for each victim before stepping outside.

It was a marker of the political divisions roiling the nation in the aftermath of the Sabbath shooting that shouts of “Words matter!” and “Trump, go home!” could be heard from demonstrators gathered not far from where a gunman had opened fire on Saturday.

Rabbi Jeffrey Myers, who had been conducting services when the shots rang out, led the first couple outside and gestured at white Jewish stars posted for each victim. At each, the president placed a stone, a Jewish burial tradition, while the first lady added a flower. They were trailed by first daughter Ivanka Trump and sonin-law, Jared Kushner, who are Jewish.

Trump stepped into the role of national consoler, a title he wears uncomfortably, as he arrived in Squirrel Hill, the neighborhood where he faced an uneasy welcome. Flowers, candles and chalk drawings filled the nearby corner, including a small rock painted with the number “6,000,011,” adding the victims this week to the estimated number of Jews killed in the Holocaust.

Squirrel Hill resident Paul Carberry, 55, said Trump should not have visited until the dead were buried, and he decried the president’s divisive rhetoric.

“He didn’t pull the trigger, but his verbiage and actions don’t help,” Carberry said. Hundreds of protesters assembled to show their displeasure with Trump’s presence.

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, first lady Melania Trump, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner visit a memorial outside Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh yesterday to pay their respects to the victims of a mass shooting at the synagogue last week.

Photo: Matt Rourke/AP When Air Force One touched down at the airport outside Pittsburgh, the Trumps were not greeted by the usual phalanx of local officials that typically welcomes a visiting president, a reflection of controversy surrounding the visit.

Local and religious leaders were divided on whether Trump should have come.

Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto, a Democrat, told reporters before the visit was announced that the White House ought to consult with the families of the victims about their preferences and asked that the president not come during a funeral. Neither he nor Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf planned to appear with Trump.

As his motorcade wound

through downtown Pittsburgh, some onlookers saluted the president with upraised middle fingers and others with downturned thumbs. Scattered protest signs included messages The White House invited the top four congressional leaders to join Trump in Pennsylvania, but none accompanied him.

A spokesman for Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he already had events in his home state of Kentucky, pushing back on the suggestion that he declined.

Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan’s office said he could not attend on short notice. Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Democratic House Minority Leader

Nancy Pelosi also opted not to participate.

Questions have long swirled about the president’s credibility as a unifier. Since his 2016 Republican campaign for the White House, Trump has at times been slow to denounce white nationalists, neo-Nazis and other hate-filled individuals and groups that found common cause with his nationalistic political rhetoric.

Trump traveled to the historic hub of the city’s Jewish community as the first funerals were held for the victims, who range in age from 54 to 97. The dead include a set of brothers, a husband and wife, professors, dentists and a physician. It was not immediately clear whether Trump would meet with any family members.

Those who live in the tight-knit community were uncertain about whether they wanted the presidential visit. To Marianne Novy, Trump wasn’t wanted “unless he really changes his ways.” For David Dvir, politics should take a pause for grief: “It’s our president, and we need to welcome him.”

Barry Werber, 76, who said he survived the massacre by hiding in a dark storage closet as the gunman rampaged through the building, said he hoped Trump wouldn’t visit, noting that the president has embraced the politically fraught label of “nationalist.” Werber said the Nazis were nationalists. “It’s part of his program to instigate his base,” Werber said, and “bigots are coming out of the woodwork.”

PAGE 12, Wednesday, October 31, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

FROM left, BTVI technical services manager Wellington Bain; BTVI dean of student services Raquel Bethel; BTVI associate vice president of fund development Alicia Thompson; Robert Lotmore; BTVI president Dr Robert Robertson and Custom Computers account representative Racquella Sweeting.

Photo: Paulette Richardson/BTVI

BTVI boosted by donation from Custom Computers THE Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute recently received a generous donation of 13 desktop computers and 15 monitors to be used in its student resource centre.

Retired accountant Robert Lotmore partnered with Custom Computers to make this donation in hopes that others will follow suit in investing in a BTVI education.

“When I became aware of BTVI’s dire need for computers, I immediately

decided to get involved, recognising the importance of technology in today’s education system.

“Further, I hope this donation helps to spur other individuals, organisations and companies to donate to this valuable institution,” said Mr Lotmore.

“I take this opportunity to encourage corporate Bahamas to invest in our people who are undertaking a technical and vocational education. The skills they

will acquire are desperately needed in a modern, functioning society. These students will graduate and eventually work on our vehicles and computers, and repair our light fixtures and our plumbing,” he added.

Director of Custom Computers Pia Farmer said the company understands that technology is a crucial component of the learning environment.

“We are proud to have once again partnered

with BTVI as it continues to encourage members of our community to, ‘Learn, Grown, Achieve,’ by pursuing excellence in education,” said Ms Farmer.

“We congratulate the institute for providing the opportunity for students to improve their skills set by offering numerous options for academic growth and technical training,” she added.

BTVI’s associate vice president of fund

development Alicia Thompson is thankful for donors like Mr Lotmore and Custom Computers.

“This donation by Mr Lotmore and Custom Computers will now enable us to accommodate twice as many students in our student resource centre as we did previously.

“The use of technology is prominent on our campus and as we prepare our students to be globally competitive, computer access is of utmost importance,” said

Ms Thompson.

“While accessing a computer may be a small deal for some, we still have many students whose only access to a computer is in one of our labs.

“With our increase in enrolment, there is a corresponding need for additional computers. It is our hope that a lot more persons will follow the lead of Mr Lotmore and Custom Computers and make donations to the BTVI,” she said.