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VOLUME:117 No.234, NOVEMBER 2ND, 2020

HO US E & 12 THE PEOPLE’S PAPER: $1

INSIDE: JAMES BOND STAR SEAN CONNERY REMEMBERED PAGES

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‘THAT’S WHAT HAPPENS FOR DEALING WITH GOVT’ SPEAKER MOULTRIE HANDS IN HIS KEYS

Non-profit which D’Aguilar partnered for rapid testing rages at sudden about-turn

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net A BAHAMIAN nonprofit has blasted the Government’s “180 degree turn at the 11th hour” for “sidelining” their agreement to provide three million COVID-19 test kits to facilitate tourism’s re-opening.

Robert Myers, a principal with the Living with COVID Coalition (LWCC), told Tribune Business the Minnis administration’s last-minute decision to abandon rapid antigen testing for all border arrivals occurred after the group had already distributed the kits “throughout The Bahamas” to all ports of entry.

Revealing that the Coalition was only informed of

the policy switch last Thursday, less than 72 hours before tourism’s “reopening” yesterday, Mr Myers said the reversal represented a waste of time and money for both himself and other members as he declared: “This is why I don’t like doing work for government.”

To eliminate the 14-day mandatory quarantine for all arrivals, which was seen as a major impediment to tourists travelling to The Bahamas, the Government initially announced its replacement with a series of more frequent tests.

Besides presenting a negative COVID-19 PCR test upon arrival, visitors were to also receive an antigen test at the border and again if they stayed for five days.

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

By TANYA SMITHCARTWRIGHT tsmith-cartwright@ tribunemedia.net

HOUSE of Assembly Speaker Halston Moultrie has turned in his keys to the government because he is not satisfied with the state of his office and bathroom facilities. He is refusing to set foot in that area again unless the situation has been corrected.

While in Parliament on October 22, Mr Moultrie chided Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis for mentioning the planned relocation of the Cabinet Office because of a leaky roof while failing to indicate SEE PAGE TWO

CHAMBER AT WAR OVER ITS RESPONSE TO CRISIS

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

A FURIOUS internal row has erupted at the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce over a retailer’s complaint that the chamber is doing to little to address private sector concerns over COVID-19 restrictions.

The response to an email from Kelly-Anne Huber, Rubins Department Store’s marketing manager, prompted the chamber’s

vice-chairman to rebuke a fellow director and board member for creating “unneeded animosity”.

Tim Ingraham, Summit Insurance Company’s principal, told Khalil Parker, the Bahamas Bar Association’s head, in an October 29, email the Chamber would now have to “repair the damage” caused by a response he branded “inappropriate” and “dismissive”.

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

‘DON’T BLAME PLP FOR GB’S INCREASE IN COVID CASES’

HOW MANY WILL COME?

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

SOME of the first arrivals at Lynden Pindling International Airport after the country reopened to tourists.

Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff

OFFICER IN COURT ON EXUMA KILLING

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A POLICE sergeant was charged with manslaughter on Friday in connection with the shooting death of an Exuma man on Wednesday.

Jason Anderson, 52, appeared before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt charged with the death of Jarvis Burrows on October 28.

Initial reports from police said the incident, which

JASON Anderson outside court on Friday.

Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/ Tribune Staff involved an off-duty police officer, occurred shortly after 9pm in Harts, Exuma.

“A male victim was transported to the Exuma medical facility to be treated,” police reported.

“Air Ambulance was summoned to transport the victim to New Providence.

While at the Exuma International Airport awaiting transport, sometime around 11pm the victim succumbed to his injuries. The officer involved has been relieved of his duties and is assisting police with the investigation.”

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

SEE PAGE SEVEN

PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party chairman Fred Mitchell said a social media post that accused PLP Leader Philip “Brave” Davis and party supporters of attending a “super spreader” event in Grand Bahama is nothing more than political “propaganda”.

SEE PAGE FIVE

INSIGHT HOW DOES AN ISLAND NATION STAY CASE-FREE

PAGE EIGHT

PAGE 2, Monday, November 2, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

SPEAKER of the House Halson Moultrie.

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Photo: Terrel W Carey/Tribune Staff

SPEAKER MOULTRIE HANDS IN HIS KEYS from page one

a plan to address issues in the House of Assembly.

Mr Moultrie had previously said there was no running water in his bathroom and cited mould, a leaking roof, and an office that was deemed a security risk by the Royal Bahamas Police Force as other issues of contention.

In his scathing address to Parliament on the matter, Mr Moultrie said he is of the view that a man should never respect any other man above himself and since God is not a respecter of persons, he could not sit idly by as the presiding officer of Parliament and accept such circumstances.

Mr Moultrie threatened that if his office and bathroom were not addressed, he would turn in his keys for his office on October 31, as he would not be utilising that office in its present condition.

When contacted on Sunday for an update, Mr Moultrie told The Tribune: “I have already moved out on Friday and I turned the keys into Parliament. This has nothing to do with me being the Speaker of the House of Assembly. I made it very clear that I will not be resigning as Speaker, but rather pushing for the independence or autonomy of the legislative branch.

“I was given the assurance by the Minister of Works that the ground floor of the Senate building would be renovated to accommodate the Speaker’s office. In the interim, the

existing Speaker’s office, the conditions remain the same. In respect to the existing Speaker’s office, I will not be returning there.

It is a health hazard and has been condemned as a security risk by the police.

There is no running water in the bathroom facilities.

The place is full of mould and the ceiling is leaking.”

The Nassau Village MP is of the view that there is not sufficient focus being put on the development of the legislative branch of Parliament by the executive branch.

“I believe that the relationship with the executive branch and the legislative branch is an adulterous relationship in the doctrine of the separation of powers.

The model of democracy that we have adopted calls for three branches of government – the legislative branch, the executive branch and the judicial branch. Democracy cannot work when one branch would encroach into the main jurisdiction of any of the other two branches.

“There is a strict, unwritten rule that no individual should function within two or more branches. In other words, if you are an executive, you should have no role in the judiciary or legislative branch. The reasons for that to me are simple and clear. You cannot have one branch of the government dominating the other two branches and that is exactly what we have in The Bahamas today, dominance of the judiciary and the legislative branch by the executive branch.”

DIVER BITTEN

BY SHARK IN ATTACK

A SWEETING’S Cay resident is in hospital after a shark attack on Friday.

According to police, around 6pm the man was bitten by an eight to tenfoot shark in waters off East End Point, McClean’s Town in Grand Bahama while diving for fish.

He received serious injuries to his right arm and was taken to the Rand Memorial Hospital by EMS personnel where his injuries are listed as serious, but non-life threatening.

He is said to be in stable condition, but will have to undergo surgery.

Several shark attacks were reported in Bahamian waters last year.

In July 2019, an American tourist was bitten by a shark while snorkeling in waters

off Guana Cay, becoming the third reported person attacked by a shark in Bahamian waters in a twoweek span.

That incident came a week after an American woman was killed by sharks while snorkeling with her family in waters off Rose Island.

Jordan Lindsey, a 21-year-old college student from California, was swimming when she was attacked on June 26, 2019, police said.

Her right arm was ripped off and the sharks bit her other arm and both legs, in addition to other areas. She was taken to hospital where she later died.

Days before that fatal attack, an American man survived a shark bite in Abaco.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, November 2, 2020, PAGE 3

Sean Connery dies, aged 90 JAMES Bond star and longtime Bahamas resident Sir Sean Connery died aged 90 on Saturday.

His wife and two sons said he “died peacefully in his sleep surrounded by family” in The Bahamas.

His wife, Micheline, told the Daily Mail that the actor had been battling dementia.

“It was no life for him,” she said, according to the British newspaper. “He was not able to express himself latterly. At least he died in his sleep and it was just so peaceful. I was with him all the time and he just slipped away. It was what he wanted.

“He had dementia and it took its toll on him. He got his final wish to slip away without any fuss.”

Meanwhile, his son Jason Connery said his father had been “unwell for some time.”

He said: “We are all working at understanding this huge event as it only happened so recently, even though my dad has been unwell for some time.

“A sad day for all who knew and loved my dad and a sad loss for all people around the world who enjoyed the wonderful gift he had as an actor.”

The Scottish actor starred in seven Bond films, including Thunderball, which was filmed in The Bahamas, as well as high profile roles in Marnie, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, The Hunt for Red October and The Untouchables – for which he landed an Oscar.

Bond producers Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli said they were “devastated” by the news.

They said Connery’s “gritty and witty portrayal of the sexy and charismatic secret agent” was largely responsible for the success of the film series.

“He was and shall always be remembered as the original James Bond whose indelible entrance into cinema history began when he announced those unforgettable words — ‘The name’s Bond... James Bond,’” they said in a statement.

Daniel Craig, the current Bond, said Connery “defined an era and a style” and that the “wit and charm he portrayed on screen could be measured in megawatts.”

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the country was mourning “one of her best loved sons”.

Star Wars director and Indiana Jones creator George Lucas said Connery left a mark on cinematic history.

“He will always hold a special place in my heart as Indy’s dad,” Mr Lucas said. With an air of intelligent authority and sly sense of comedic mischief, only someone like Sean Connery could render Indiana Jones immediately into boyish regret or relief through a stern fatherly chiding or rejoiceful hug.

“I’m thankful for having had the good fortune to have known and worked with him. My thoughts are with his family.”

Connery moved to The Bahamas in the 1990s, settling in the luxury gated community of Lyford Cay. The celebrated actor was knighted by the Queen of England in 2000.

He turned 90 in August and had spent his later years out of the public eye.

Connery is survived by his wife, brother Neil and sons Jason and Stefan. His publicist, Nancy Seltzer, said there would be a private ceremony followed by a memorial service once the coronavirus pandemic has ended.

• See pullout section inside

ECONOMY REBOUND ‘IN SIX MONTHS’

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

LABOUR Director John Pinder said yesterday he believes the Bahamian economy will start to rebound from COVID-19’s impact in the next six months now that the country has started its phased re-opening of the tourism industry.

However, he said, the rebound would still be dependent on the cruise ship and airline industries return.

“I think once the cruise lines start to come in and the airlines open up and they start flying in with their regular numbers, I believe in six months or so we should be in a position where we can see results coming in. The economy should start to rebound by then,” he told The Tribune yesterday.

His comments came as the country welcomed visitors and returning residents without requiring that they quarantine for 14 days and test upon arrival into the country.

Instead, people entering the country are now required to present a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test no older than five days and have an approved Bahamas health travel visa.

For the duration of their visit, they must complete a daily online health questionnaire for symptom tracking purposes. Travellers will also have to take a COVID-19 rapid antigen

test on the fifth day of their visit (unless departing on day five).

The new travel guidelines were announced by Tourism Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar during his ministry’s press conference on Saturday.

Explaining the government’s rationale to scrap antigen testing on arrival, the minister said the decision was made due to the logistics behind such a roll out, given the number of entry points the country has.

Many have since criticised the move, saying they are fearful that the newly relaxed measures would result in a surge of new infections especially as numbers in New Providence – the country’s COVID-19 epicentre — appear to be trending down.

However, yesterday, the Labour Director defended the move, insisting there is no perfect solution to safely reopening the country.

He said: “I understand the concerns but there is no perfect way of doing this. We got to take some risks involved. The steps that have been put in place by the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Health and the government as it relates to reopening the tourism industry is low risk.

It’s not high risk because there is some testing being involved.

“But the thing is if we don’t try something and you have to make it attractive enough that while there is a safety mechanism in place, there’s also less stress for

persons wanting to travel.

“So I know there is a catch but again as long as those persons who have to come into contact with visitors keep their safeguards in place, their face mask and their social distancing and the regular hand sanitising, etc... with those (measures) in place, we have to start somewhere.

You don’t want to stress people too much, but simultaneously you have to make sure your citizens are safe.”

With these new protocols in place, Mr Pinder said officials are hopeful that more visitors will want to travel to The Bahamas, allowing for more resorts to reopen sooner.

Some resorts have said that they may not resume operations until Christmas, while others have indicated that they may not reopen until next year.

Speaking on the matter yesterday, Mr Pinder told The Tribune: “Yes, it’s very good to hear that Atlantis is going to start some opening in December. Also on the drawing board for December is The Pointe. There’s one or two little situations in there by the stroke of the pen so we believe that they too will be ready to open in December.

“Baha Mar I understand is trying to see how best they can open early in the new year. And so, this is good news for persons in the industry and if they can now get back to work, I guess by the end of the first quarter of next year we shall see some sort of normalcy.”

SEAN Connery pictured in 1992. The actor has died, aged 90, in The Bahamas.

DONATIONS GIVEN TO HELP RAND MEMORIAL COVID UNIT

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

THE Rand Memorial Hospital received over a dozen smart televisions for its new COVID unit, which is expected to open today for patient care.

Hospital administrator Sharon Williams commended the National Pastors’ Alliance of Grand Bahama for the donation following a request for televisions by the Grand Bahama Health Services for the COVID unit.

“The staff and management of GBHS would like to thank you for ensuring that we are able to outfit our new COVID unit,” she said. “When we reached out and asked you were surprised…but televisions are essential in any healthcare environment.

“Can you imagine being

staring at the walls worrying about what the nurses, doctors will say is the prognosis for their health? We want to serve the patient’s physical, social and mental wellness.

“In order to get the isolation unit open November 2 for full COVID care, we had to reach out to our health partners and we are extremely happy they were able to quickly fulfill our needs,” Ms Williams said.

Pastor Eddie Victor of Living Waters Assembly of God said that the pastors were able to acquire 14 43-inch smart TVs and wall mounts for RMH through partnership with several churches and businesses on the island.

In addition to the televisions, the group also donated medical supplies.

“When we got the call that the hospital needed

unit, we immediately started communicating with pastors and bishops, and Christian businesses. The response was tremendous.

It is an amazing demonstration of unity to help the hospital,” Pastor Victor said.

Pastor Eric Clarke, of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, said the donation not only benefits the hospital, but also the entire community of Grand Bahama.

“We were delighted to partner in this special project, we believe it will go a long way, and we support the RMH in everything they do,” he said.

John Swain, assistant pastor at Grace Bible Church, said: “This is our hospital and we will continue to support them. It is so important because the hospital serves this entire community.”

A Private Graveside Service & Interment for SIDNEY K. WHITFIELD, 93 of Nelson Street, Blair Estates, will be held on Thursday, November 5th, 2020 at Woodlawn Gardens, Soldier Road. Officiating will be Fr. Dwight Bowe.

Due to current Government regulations in respect of Covid-19, attendance is limited to ten (10) persons.

Left to cherish his memories are his, Wife: Luella Whitfield; Sisters: Audrey Fountain, Lady Alicia Fountain and Lady Naomi Whitfield & family; Brother: Peter Whitfield & family; Other Relatives and Friends: Rashad and Youlanda Fountain & family, Carl and Constance Gibson & family, Derreck and Janice Johnson, Bernadette Godet & family, Bernadett Poitier of Miami, FL., Sharon Archer, Leroy Archer Sr., Leroy Archer Jr. & family, Siobhan Deane, Euell Johnson, Lera Archer & family, Dr. Joseph Poitier of Miami, FL., Dr. Adrian Sawyer, Andrea Gibson, L.M. Bowe, Vincent Curry & family (Pat), Henry and Shirley Saunders & family, Ed. Bethel & family, Keva Roberts, Constance Seymour, Harry Miller & family, Beverly and Shelly Archer, Charles and Jan McCartney, Mathew Williams & family, Arthur Chase, Marco Rolle & family, Philip and Kim Carey, Tyrone Peterson, George Capron, Ian Lawrence Smith, Dennis Baxton of California, St. Michael Lodge No. 1634 and Connie Seymour; Care Givers: Josephine L. Ngoap & Annie and Nicholas (his barber).

May His Soul Rest in Peace!

Friends may pay their last respects at Bethel Brothers Morticians & Crematorium on Wednesday November 4th from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

locked down in a unit just

televisions for the isolation

PAGE 4, Monday, November 2, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

Eleuthera bracing for 6,735 146 lockdown TOTAL CASES

NEWLY CONFIRMED CASES 21 CASES THURSDAY

SATURDAY

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net AS health officials conduct more COVID-19 testing on Eleuthera, some residents say they have already started preparing for a possible lockdown should the government take that course of action.

Their comments came after a team was deployed to the island over the weekend to assist medical workers with contact tracing and COVID-19 testing.

The move was foreshadowed by Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis on Wednesday, who revealed that plans were underway to have the COVID-19 situation on Eleuthera assessed as was previously done for Bimini.

Yesterday, The Tribune spoke to several residents for a reaction to the rising cases, many of whom said they believed a lockdown was necessary to stop further community spread.

“I would welcome more restrictions like a full lockdown because the people here are not adhering to the rules and regulations and they are moving about more often than they should for less importance,” said one Eleuthera resident, who

only wanted to be identified as Mrs Pinder.

“I’ve been following all of the protocols and I have prepared myself if we were to lockdown.”

Vandolyn Albury, of Spanish Wells, said: “They say there are many cases in Eleuthera… so yeah, we have prepared.”

Danielle Gibson, another Eleuthera resident, also conceded that drastic action may be needed to respond to rising cases there as she spoke of the need for free testing, more COVID-19 supplies and more government support to help defeat the virus.

“Whether I support it or not, I think (a lockdown) is imminent as there are dozens of unreported cases here and the inadequacies of the health care system cause the cases to proliferate,” she said. “The hands-off approach and the negative stigma associated with the illness causes many to suffer in silence.

“Do not be mistaken, a lot of people are sick and a whole lot have recovered,” she claimed. “Eleutherans use bush medicine in abundance these last few months in addition to many people purchasing zinc and D3 and vitamin C. “But, (we) need free

testing more medicine, and a hospital. The clinics do not treat anyone or offer support unless you’re having difficulty breathing as there are no ventilators…

But hopefully, (the prime minister) sees the errors, especially since Eleuthera is a major stakeholder in the tourism industry.”

Ms Gibson said while she herself will not be greatly affected by the move; some might find difficulties in getting the supplies they need as many do not have the funds to do so.

“I’m always prepared.

Lockdowns don’t worry me because I work remotely but with very little jobs still open and the reduced payments of the food programme will not be enough, a lot of residents will be affected especially with the BPL disconnections resuming tomorrow, “ she noted.

Ms Gibson added that if the government were to add more restrictions, she hopes they inform the public well in advance so Eleuthera residents will have ample time to prepare.

As of Saturday, COVID cases on the Eleuthera climbed to 80 after an additional case was recorded for the island. On Friday, the Ministry of Health reported 15 new cases for Eleuthera.

DOCTOR’S CONCERN OVER RETHINK ON RAPID TESTING

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net A SENIOR physician yesterday raised concerns about the reversal of protocol for antigen testing on arrival in the country, saying the relaxed measures have many loopholes that could potentially lead to negative consequences for the country.

The doctor’s comments came after Tourism Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar announced new travel requirements on Saturday, when he noted travellers will not be required to take a COVID-19 rapid antigen test upon arrival. Instead, visitors and returning residents will have to do so on the fifth day of the visit (unless departing on that day).

Speaking to The Tribune yesterday, Consultant Physicians Staff Association (CPSA) president Sabriquet Pinder-Butler said it was unfortunate that

the association and other health stakeholders were not consulted before the government’s decision to scrap the antigen testing on arrival.

Calling the new protocols “concerning”, she said in order for the country to successfully defeat the virus, there must be a concerted effort by all parties involved to ensure that everyone is on the same page.

This, she added, is to ensure that everyone is made aware of the risks involved so as not to add further strain to an already burdened healthcare system.

“We know that there are also insurmountable cases in various countries that we have a lot of our tourists coming in from like the USA and we know that Europe is seeing an increase so when we look at what are the measures in place to make sure that we’re not adding to an already overwhelmed

or overburdened system, certainly we’re always watching,” she said.

“We were hopeful that we would’ve been involved in the discussions related to what that would mean but we were not engaged as we should have been unfortunately and, so when we know that we are no longer having quarantine and in addition to that, persons are having to test let’s say five days out, but only persons who are potentially staying for five days or more may be doing another test. What may potentially happen in that interim?”

She continued: “Are we saying that it means persons who are staying less days are just going to be those persons who still will be asymptomatic or not positive and then they would have already interacted with so many persons in the country? Do we even have a system in play that will allow us to even know that, because my

NEW PROVIDENCE 14 ABACO 4 GRAND BAHAMA 2 ELEUTHERA 1

FRIDAY

70 CASES

NEW PROVIDENCE 50 ELEUTHERA 15 GRAND BAHAMA 3 ABACO 1 EXUMA 1

TOTAL TESTS

36,066

TOTAL DEATHS

HOSPITALISED

81

37 CASES

NEW PROVIDENCE 30 GRAND BAHAMA 4 PENDING 3

LATEST DEATHS • 81-year-old woman from New Providence on October 31 • 72-year-old woman from New Providence on October 31 • 81-year-old man from New Providence on October 20 • 81-year-old woman from New Providence on October 26

CASES IN ICU

7

• 59-year-old man from Eleuthera on October 6 • 66-year-old man from New Providence on October 24 • 78-year-old man from New Providence on October 21 • 49-year-old woman from New Providence on October 23

RECOVERED

4,493

91 NEW CASES AND FOUR DEATHS CONFIRMED THE country recorded 91 new cases of COVID19 between Friday and Saturday along with four additional related deaths.

The deaths announced on Friday include an 81-year-old man and an 81-year-old woman, both from New Providence, who died on October 20 and October 26, respectively.

Saturday’s data from the Ministry of Health also noted two more deaths: an 81-year-old woman and a 72-year-old woman, both of whom died on October 31.

These deaths pushed the official toll to 146. Twentytwo deaths are under investigation.

As of Saturday, the country had 6,735 reported coronavirus cases: 21 were reported on Saturday and 70 were reported on Friday.

Of the cases announced

in Saturday’s data, 14 were in New Providence, two in Grand Bahama, four in Abaco and one in Eleuthera.

Friday’s cases included 50 in New Providence, three in Grand Bahama, one in Abaco, 15 in Eleuthera and one in Exuma.

Yesterday, Consultant Physicians Staff Association president Dr Sabriquet Pinder-Butler urged Bahamians to not let their guard down amid fluctuating COVID numbers. “We don’t want to let our guards down to think that this means that we are truly having a flattening at this point of time,” she said. “We are still watching that certainly. It’s certainly not reflective of what we’re seeing in terms of hospitalisations numbers and

that sort of thing so it’s still relative but we are hopeful that within time, we will be able to see some true flattening of those numbers.

“So, we have to put everything in context of what it may mean,” she added.

“We’re still encouraging people to get tested because they’re still not doing it.

Then there are some persons who don’t want to know because they don’t necessarily not want to be away from work and so we have to watch those trends and put these in contexts.

“We’re finding as well that because of the stigma attached to COVID, people are still not going to get tested and those sorts of things are still happening.”

More than 36,000 COVID-19 tests have been completed in the country.

understanding is because they are not quarantining there, there’s no true facility that will allow for policing because you know they are no longer required to put Hubbcatt (a quarantine tracking app) on their phones?

“I think that is very risky to say the least because we are not having specific tourists or travel bubbles in a sense where we are only allowing them to stay in certain quarters and that sort of thing.”

All persons entering the country are required to have a negative PCR test no older than five days.

The CPSA president while health stakeholders are cognisant of the need to re-start the country’s leading industry and get people back to work, they also want to make sure that the nation is reopening in a safe manner that will not put its residents at greater risk.

“We appreciate that the economy needs a boost and we’ve been saying that for a while but we want to make sure that we do it as safely as possible and that we are not doing last minute changes at the ninth or tenth hour and wondering what to do now,” Dr Pinder-Butler said. “….It’s concerning. We again want to encourage

the government to properly engage as many persons as possible in healthcare and the Bahamian population because we are all in this together.

None of us can do it without each other.

“I think that by now, we would have appreciated that and been on the ball but I don’t think we are and until that happens, we’re going to continue to have these things where everybody is looking in amazement and wondering if they just heard these announcements especially considering what you had previously advised.”

Bahamas Nurses Union president Amancha Williams also echoed similar sentiments, highlighting the need for better communication between the government and relevant stakeholders on the matter.

“We need to know where these people are going to be going and we need to know where their stop points are, what are they going to do? Are they only going to remain in Paradise Island?” she asked.

“We need to make sure strict protocols are set in place if we want to open back up. Make sure we are all in agreement in decision making and what we want

for our country and where we want to go.”

In a statement released yesterday, Living with COVID Coalition (LWCC) said the government’s decision to remove the antigen testing upon arrival has not impacted its operations and even makes it more critical for employers to ensure that their workers are protected.

The non-for-profit coalition partnered with the tourism industry ahead of the country’s re-opening to ensure The Bahamas has access to as many as three million World Health Organisation (WHO) and Ministry of Healthapproved COVID-19 rapid antigen tests.

“The removal of the ability to screen at ports of entry creates an even more urgent need to reduce the risk of viral transmission in the workplace and in the local community as well as to reduce the potential additional burden to the healthcare system,” the coalition said.

“Rapid antigen tests are cost effective and provide results in approximately 30 minutes, enabling employers and individuals to be tested more frequently, and for those who test positive for the coronavirus, to selfisolate more quickly.”

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, November 2, 2020, PAGE 5

D’Aguilar: Science does not support using rapid antigen tests for visitors

By TANYA SMITHCARTWRIGHT tsmith-cartwright@ tribunemedia.net THE government scrapped the idea of COVID-19 antigen testing for travellers upon arrival in the country, with Minister of Tourism Dionisio D’Aguilar saying the science does not support the move.

He made the announcement on Saturday at a Ministry of Tourism press conference conducted via Zoom. As previously announced, he also said that effective yesterday, tourists and returning residents/citizens would no longer need to quarantine or “vacation in place” for 14 days upon arrival.

“Effective tomorrow, Sunday, 1 November, The

Bahamas will be removing the mandatory 14-day quarantine as promised,” Mr D’Aguilar said on Saturday.

“Foreign visitors will be welcomed to our country, to stay at our hotels, to go to our beaches, to enjoy some of our world famous excursions and activities and, most importantly, to abide by our health and safety protocols. As such, the emergency orders will be revised to reflect that change.”

All people entering the country will have to present a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test no older than five days and have an approved Bahamas health travel visa to enter the country.

For the duration of the visit, those entering the country must complete a

daily online health questionnaire for symptom tracking purposes. Travellers will also have to take a COVID-19 rapid antigen test on day five of the visit (unless departing on day five).

Rules for allowing travellers in the country have shifted continuously throughout the pandemic.

The country’s cases and death count exploded after July 1, when the borders reopened after closing in March.

Several weeks ago, Mr D’Aguilar announced that tourists and returning residents would be mandated to take antigen tests upon arrival in the country and then five days later, beginning November 1. Asked about the latest change in policy, Mr D’Aguilar said other countries were not

doing airport tests.

“I looked throughout the Caribbean at a total of 20 destinations and only three were testing upon arrival,” Mr D’Aguilar said.

“So obviously this is not something that is being generally accepted so if everybody is not doing it, there must be some reason why they are not doing it. They are not doing it because science is not supporting it.

“We can only go with science. We have a very robust public health department.

We are guided by them. We had the same questions as you.

“As a country, we have encountered much hardship from this deadly coronavirus. We have made many sacrifices, have faced huge financial hardship, endured ever increasing emotional

and mental stress, have juggled roles and responsibilities, both personally and professionally, and have had to exponentially change our lifestyles. This has not been easy.”

He also said: “As the Ministry of Tourism fleshed out that idea of testing at the border and began to roll it out with the huge support of the Immigration Department, NAD, the Airport Authority, the Grand Bahama Airport Company, marina operators, local health care providers and other interested parties in the private sector, the guidance from the Ministry of Health changed. The use of rapid antigen tests as an effective screening tool at the border was not supported by the available research... or, as some like to say... was not supported

by the science.”

Officials said travellers must also have an approved Bahamas travel visa to enter the country.

“Travellers will enter The Bahamas, as they have always done, with their Bahamas health travel visa and their accompanying PCR test, conducted within five days prior to arrival, have their temperature checked at the airport and any other screening deemed necessary by the public health officials and proceed to their final destinations in The Bahamas,” Mr D’Aguilar said.

“As there will no longer be any requirement to quarantine, there will be no requirement to enrol in the Hubb Catt monitoring system nor go through the time-consuming process of downloading that app.”

TEST PLUS INSURANCE FOR VISITORS

By TANYA SMITHCARTWRIGHT tsmith-cartwright@ tribunemedia.net

AN ARRIVAL at Lynden Pindling International Airport after flights resumed.

Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff

The issue has angered some locals because the government recently advised Bahamian travellers to take VISITORS to The some extra cash with them Bahamas will not only when travelling abroad, as have to present a negative the Bahamian embassies COVID-19 test, but they where they might seek assiswill also have to purchase tance when in trouble due to an approved travel health COVID-19 restrictions are visa and travel insurance, not in a position to finanTourism and Aviation Min- cially assist them.

The issue prompted some ister Dionisio D’Aguilar negative pushback on social announced Saturday.

“As of November 1, trav- media.

Acting Financial Secreellers will be required to tary Mr Johnson in a series pay an application fee for their travel health visa,” Mr of responses on Facebook D’Aguilar said. “Addition- explained that the per diem ally, as of November 14 all to be paid would be covvisitors to The Bahamas ered in the health insurance will be required to purchase included in the health visa COVID-19 health insur- required for entry into The ance before they come to Bahamas.

“That insurance coverThe Bahamas. The cost of this mandatory health age will cover all related insurance will be automati- expenses at no cost to the cally included in the total government,” he said in a Facebook response to a cost of the health visa.

“The inclusion of the post.

Atlantic Medical, now travel health insurance is to ensure that any visitor who CG Atlantic, has been conmay test positive for the cor- tracted by the government onavirus while on vacation to be the provider of this in The Bahamas or become mandatory requirement.

“In the case where a ill from the virus while in The Bahamas will not sud- visitor tests positive, three denly become a burden on comprehensive options are an already overburdened available to the visitor – Bahamian public health none of which will burden system. This insurance is our existing health infranot intended for Bahami- structure,” Mr D’Aguilar ans, as they will be returning explained. “First, those who home and we expect them to test positive but exhibit no avail themselves of our local symptoms (asymptomatic) health care providers and can quarantine in place for our local medical facilities in up to 14 days. The insurance will cover the hotel the usual manner.”

Tourists who find them- costs of that quarantine.

“Second, if a person tests selves stuck here due to testing positive to COVID- positive, exhibits no symp19 will be provided a per toms (asymptomatic) but has diem under the travel a pre-existing medical condihealth insurance, which is tion, then they will have the provided by a private com- option to be medically evacupany, officials also said. ated out of the country. And

third, if a person tests positive and exhibits symptoms, they will be immediately medically evacuated to their home country for medical purposes.”

All associated costs with administering The Bahamas’ health protocols for visitors will be added to the new fee for the travel health visa.

Fees for the health visa are: citizens and returning residents, alongside visitors staying up to four nights will be charged $40; visitors staying more than four nights will be charged $60; children ten years and under will not be charged.

Meanwhile, Mr D’Aguilar said data suggests international tourism is down by 70 percent due to COVID-19’s impact.

He said the country must safely reopen so the country’s economy can begin to recover.

“The latest data from the World Tourism Organization shows that international tourism is down a whopping 70 percent. Put another way, if we used to get 7.2 million tourists a year as we did just last year in 2019 the best we can expect right now is 2.2 million tourists a year – a reduction of a staggering 5 million tourists assuming we all do our part to prevent, diminish, stop further community spread of this deadly virus by wearing our masks, social distancing and not congregating in groups, both large and small.

“Here in The Bahamas, we are seeing and living this data firsthand. Tourism is the heart of our economy and accounts for 50 percent of our entire GDP and

65% of our employment.

We must safely reopen and restart our tourism sector so that we, as a nation, can begin to recover. I firmly believe that together, and with the support and participation from every single member of our community, we can move the needle from survive to thrive.”

Ministry of Tourism Director General Joy Jibrilu could not give an approximate figure of visitors expected this week, but is hopeful that numbers will pick up by Thanksgiving.

“We can’t give that figure to you now,” she said. “We would have an approximate number but I don’t expect those numbers to be considerably more than they have been. Although having said that, we know yesterday alone our Travel Health Unit approved 1,000 applicants for the week of November 1.

“So they have had a very busy time and that is included the challenges that we’ve been experiencing.

So while we don’t expect those numbers to be particularly anywhere near where they would have been even at the beginning of this year, we can look at those numbers at the end of November, looking towards Thanksgiving and coming up to Christmas and I think it would be great to check where we are now and how we ramp up and are ramping up.”

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Delon Brennen was also present at the press conference working remotely from the United States in his new role with the Ministry of Tourism and Aviation.

DAVIS: POLICY REVERSAL INCREASES RISK OF SPREAD THE government’s “confusing” COVID-19 travel policy reversal increases the risk of spread to Bahamians, Progressive Liberal Party leader Philip “Brave” Davis said yesterday.

Mr Davis released a statement on Saturday hours after tourism officials revealed they had scrapped the plan to deliver antigen tests on arrival to travellers who enter the country beginning November 1.

Instead, travellers will have to present a negative COVID-19 PCR test to enter the country and, if staying more than five days, they would take an antigen test on day five.

“What on earth is happening behind closed doors in the Minnis administration? Just a few short days ago, the Prime Minister held a press conference— for the first time in a long time, even though the country faces multiple urgent crises,” Mr Davis said.

“Had the competent authority already decided to change the nation’s COVID policies for visitors, announced many weeks earlier, for the November 1 reopening? If so, he should have said so during his press conference. Hotels and other tourism partners deserve full transparency and ample notice. Did he not have the courage or

ability to defend the new policies to reporters?

“In any case, as Bahamians readied themselves for the November 1 reopening based on previously announced policy changes, we had a surprise: the rules published yesterday, on October 30, included none of these changes. The rules were exactly the same as before.

“Phone lines were burning up yesterday (Friday) with anger and confusion and a great deal of concern about the ineptitude of the government and the incompetence of the competent authority.

“One day later, with the ink not even dry on yesterday’s regulations, they announce another set of rules. This time, testing on arrival is out the window, gone with the wind. Governance requires certainty and a steady hand, not multiple reversals within several days.”

Mr Davis said the opposition has a lot of concerns.

Mainly, the party thinks the removal of antigen tests on arrival takes away an “important protection”.

He said: “Rapid tests are not perfect. But catching some infections is surely better than catching none as visitors enter the country. The US recorded a record 99,784 new COVID

‘DON’T BLAME PLP FOR GB’S INCREASE IN COVID CASES’

from page one

The post suggests the event held in Freeport may have contributed to the increase in COVID-19 cases on the island. Photos of Mr Davis and a number of supporters in Grand Bahama were posted on social media. It was reported Mr Davis and supporters attended a recent funeral and motorcade.

According to information obtained

by The Tribune, Mr Davis flew to Freeport on October 10 to attend a funeral for the late Rio Williams, a staunch PLP supporter in Grand Bahama.

In the photos, Mr Davis and supporters were wearing masks, however it does not appear that social distancing was being observed.

In August, Mr Davis tested positive for COVID-19, and was hospitalised. He then left the country to receive care in the United States, cases yesterday (Friday).

This seems like a time to increase our vigilance.

“We all want our tourism sector to open successfully.

But the government has a responsibility to protect Bahamians who will interact with visitors. We know how quickly a few positive cases can turn into many more, especially in a country with a weak testing and isolation policy, which

where his daughter, Philippa, works as a senior critical care physician.

In response to the post, Mr Mitchell said it is false and the recent uptick in cases in Grand Bahama has nothing to do with Mr Davis.

“I have learned over the years not to engage the FNM in their propaganda. When Dr Minnis apologises to the leader of the opposition for those silly remarks he made (last week), maybe we will engage.

“I am advised that the surge in GB may not be a surge at all because as we in the PLP suspected, there was an undercount by the government because they were not following our advice and testing.

“I’m advised that these numbers may have spiked because two private companies were not satisfied with the government’s figures and paid for their employees to get tested and thus the figures. Trust the FNM always to make up false stories like

unfortunately describes The Bahamas right now.”

Mr Davis also said it does not make sense to scrap the antigen tests on arrival, only to later test those who have been in the country for five days.

“How does this make sense? Is the rapid antigen test a useful screening tool, in the government’s view, or not? We note also that should a visitor taking this

these bogus social media posts... it’s Minnis’ fault. Nothing to do with Brave Davis,” Mr Mitchell said.

A little over a week ago, Grand Bahama saw an increase in coronavirus infections after a recent lull.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis warned that Bahamians must get used to cycles that involve tightening and loosening of restrictions because the pandemic will be “with us well into next year”.

Beginning last Friday, an 8pm to 5am weekday curfew was applied to New Providence, Abaco and Grand Bahama. Grand Bahama previously had a 10pm curfew while New Providence and Abaco were under a 7pm curfew.

Events such as weddings and funerals on Grand Bahama will be limited to ten people, not including officiants and mortuary workers.

As of October 31, Grand Bahama had 749 cases.

test on the fifth day test positive, they are allowed to quarantine in place if asymptomatic. But asymptomatic individuals are still infectious. Where are the protocols and support for hotels to protect hotel staff?

“Has the government stopped worrying about community spread, or the dangers to our doctors and nurses on the frontlines?

“Trust is essential in a

public health crisis, but this government inspires none.

The PLP is not alone in our concerns. A senior executive of Sandals Resorts admitted (last) week that one reason Sandals is not open in Exuma is uncertainty about the direction of the Minnis government’s COVID policies. Please note that Sandals Resorts are open in many other countries right now,” Mr Davis said.

PAGE 6, Monday, November 2, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

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

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It’s D’Aguilar vs D’Aguilar over policy TOURISM Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar was adamant when he spoke up on Saturday about rapid antigen testing.

“The use of rapid antigen tests as an effective screening tool at the border was not supported by the available research or was not supported by the science.”

Well, that’s that, then. That sounds pretty definitive.

Except there was someone who disagreed with Mr D’Aguilar, who on October 25 said: “Having uninterrupted access to high-quality rapid antigen tests is a crucial component for us to begin reinvigorating our critically important tourism sector.”

The person with the wildly differing view to Mr D’Aguilar was… well, we hate to break it to him, but it’s Mr D’Aguilar.

The Tourism Minister managed to take opposing viewpoints within a week.

So does this mean his earlier statement was not guided by the science? Are the tests no longer a crucial component?

Which Mr D’Aguilar should we believe?

When a minister speaks to the people about matters rooted in science, they should absolutely make sure they get their facts right. If antigen tests weren’t so crucial after all, why did we spend so much time talking about them or – worse – letting the non-profit body Living With COVID Coalition set about rounding up three million such test kits to help the reopening, only to sideline their effort with only 72 hours to go before the country reopened to tourism.

It’s no wonder that Robert Myers, a principal with the non-profit, wearily said: “This is why I don’t like doing work for government.”

It’s probably an insight too into why Sandals last week lamented that The Bahamas was causing “confusion in the market” with its shifting COVID restrictions.

Mr Myers and his team had delivered the antigen tests throughout the country for use – only to find out they weren’t going to be used at all. Time, money and energy spent with none of it bearing fruit.

The concern is that antigen tests, according to deputy chief medical officer Dr Delon Brennen, from his base in Baltimore in the US, are of little use in picking up carriers of the virus who don’t have symptoms. As he said, if visitors have a PCR test taken within five

days of travel showing they are clear, the antigen test would not likely show exposure since that first test anyway.

But why wasn’t that the position to begin with, rather than it emerging as a late reversal? Was adequate consultation carried out before committing to that original policy?

Mr Myers denounced the whole thing as a “bloody mess” – and it’s hard to argue. If this is how quickly policies can unravel, how confident can we be about any of our policies with regard to reopening to tourists at present?

Indeed, without the extra testing, what’s the crucial difference between this time and the reopening that brought us our fresh wave of cases in July?

If there is a clear, consistent plan guiding our actions in tackling COVID-19, this type of U-turn is not showing it. The government needs to inspire confidence that it knows what it is doing. This is doing the opposite.

Farewell, Sir Sean

He was the boy who grew up in poverty in Edinburgh to become one of the most famous actors alive.

Sean Connery was more than James Bond, the character he brought to life on the movie screen and launched a franchise that is still with us today. But it was James Bond that brought the star to The Bahamas – and here it is that he died at the weekend, in his sleep, with his family close by.

What has emerged since the news of his death was announced is the number of stories Bahamians have of encounters with the actor. He didn’t just retreat behind the walls of Lyford Cay and live in an ivory tower – he took part in the society around him. It was not just an appearance at the Bahamas International Film Festival, or coming out to support Bahamas Speed Week – it was the more everyday encounters that mean so many have a story about Sir Sean.

In today’s Tribune, we reprint an article by Sir Christopher Ondaatje looking back at the life of the man who would be king of the movie world for a time.

We urge you to read it – it is also on our website, www.tribune242.com – and we would love to hear more of your memories of an acting giant who made our home his own.

Pastors and politics EDITOR, The Tribune.

PERHAPS it’s because people have such bad memories that we can listen to a Pastor pontificate about a Prime Minister who wants to be God, or wants to be “a” god and not remember that it is actually a class of Pastors who have had a hand in creating the political monsters we have had to deal with since 1967.

I am speaking about those “men of the cloth” who would have a word with their Member of Parliament or whoever the current Prime Minister was even before they checked with God. Always found myself perturbed by the culturally accepted norm that as soon as a person was appointed as a Pastor or elected as a member of Parliament, they received an instant anointing from somewhere that equipped you with whatever gifts, talents or wisdom that was needed for the assignment ahead.

I don’t think that most Pastors who lambast the government or the Prime Minister are speaking for themselves.

There is a very disgruntled under sixty demographic who have spent their best years of their lives moving back and forward between different political alternatives and now are at a crossroads and there are no clear choices to make.

If you listen to the talk shows and keep watch on Facebook you can sense the uneasiness and volatility in many of the responses to some of the even mundane questions. It looks like there is a price to pay for our misuse of the opportunities afforded us from 1973.

I take notice of the coronavirus’s impact rates on nations that are larger and smaller than ours, especially those with a high literacy rate and intact social cultures; their rates have a much lower per-capita number that ours.

You are thinking how did I get from Pastors to COVID-19? Very intentionally. This pandemic presents us with an opportunity to adequately assess what and who is working for us.

It is not going to be

enough for Pastors to get on the national stage and take issue with a situation that some of them have helped to create and encourage, and now want to play “bopeep” with the sensibilities of persons who are going through some very rough times.

Leaders of all categories need to back up a bit and see this for what it is.

A major adjustment, that is going to take skills they did not know they had or new skills they have to acquire.

I tell most of my friends that after they swing their feet over the bed, touch the floor and give God thanks for another day, only four things matter right now.

Farming, Fishing, Transportation and Toilet Paper, and everything we do right now revolves around those necessities.

Get used to different, get back to basics and use the digital framework and common sense to plot a path forward.

EDWARD HUTCHESON Nassau, October 29, 2020.

Atheism and the FNM EDITOR, The Tribune.

IT WOULD be discriminatory of evangelical Christians and other theists to single out Acting Financial Secretary Marlon Johnson for harassment and disenfranchisement for his atheism. As a Bahamian citizen, Johnson has as much rights as any other Bahamian to earn a living without fear of religious persecution for his secular and anti-Christian views. While I utterly disagree with his viewpoints, I still view him as a human being that should be treated with dignity.

By mentioning the word “tyranny” to The Tribune, Johnson unwittingly reinforced one of the strongest proofs for God’s existence: the moral argument. As an atheist, I am sure that Johnson is a moral human being who opposes religious discrimination. How do I know this? Because he obviously opposes the idea of Bahamian human secularists being denied equal opportunities to fulfill their potential in The Bahamas – a privilege enshrined in the Bahamas Constitution aimed at protecting religious, ethnic and political minorities. In certain countries, it is downright dangerous, from a financial standpoint, to flaunt your

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net atheism. Ask Salman Rushdie. I contend that without God there would be no objective morality. Johnson’s opinions concerning discrimination would be just that – his opinions.

There would be no objective grounds on which to determine who is right and who is wrong.

Religious tyranny, such as the Inquisition, the Crusades, the Salem Witch Trials and Islamic terrorism, have embarrassed theism. This is a point that has repeatedly been raised by the so-called Four Horsemen of New Atheism: Richard Dawkins, Daniel Bennet, Christopher Hitchens and Sam Harris. But the irony of criticizing religion for the atrocities committed in its name underscores the inherent weaknesses of atheism. On what basis is the Inquisition morally wrong? On what basis was Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda wrong for masterminding the mass murder of nearly 3,000 civilians on 9/11? On what basis were Hutu racists morally wrong for carrying out the Rwandan genocide? Who accurately determined that

Adolf Hitler was wrong for carrying out the Holocaust?

If there is no God, why all the fuss? Intuitively, we know murder is wrong. We know rape and torture are wrong. And we know that denying an atheist the right to earn an honest living is also wrong, because humans have what French Protestant reformer John Calvin called the senses divinitatis, which is the moral compass in human beings.

As for Johnson’s publicly admitting his atheism, one would hope that Bahamians who are opposed to the Free National Movement (FNM) wouldn’t view this as a reflection of the entire party. Having worked in the Christie and Ingraham administrations, Johnson, as a highly educated Bahamian, is obviously valued by our policymakers from both sides of the political divide.

While the FNM is indeed a secular organisation, Johnson’s atheism shouldn’t be viewed as a reflection of the political organisation any more than MICAL MP Mariam Emmanuel’s membership suggests that the party is a Christian fundamentalist organisation.

KEVIN EVANS Freeport, Grand Bahama, October 28, 2020.

Johnson’s views EDITOR, The Tribune.

IT SHOULD matter to nobody what Financial Secretary Marlon Johnson’s views (or lack of them) on religious matters are. What should and does matter is that he and his political masters continue to pursue and justify fiscal and economic policies that have made The Bahamas among the most unequal places on earth and continue to needlessly dampen its economic prospects.

Johnson and his political masters continually speak about the fiscal constraints exposed (not caused) by short term emergencies like Hurricane Dorian and COVID-19, while ignoring the basic context that these constraints only exist because our leaders continue to exempt wealthier residents and corporations from worldwide norms of progressive taxation and place most of the tax burden on the poor (via consumption taxes).

Bahamians who live glued to US television probably find themselves aghast at revelations of Donald Trump’s minimal income tax contributions, which result from clever accounting and legal loopholes.

Yet these same Bahamians appear impervious to the fact that in their own country no such loopholes are even needed: government policy brazenly transfers wealth from the poor to the rich by exempting the wealthy from any income tax at all and making up the shortfall with taxes on consumption (i.e. the poor).

Some of these Bahamians will even vote next time round for a party that agreed to keep a Real Property tax break on billionaires in Lyford Cay in the very same week that it raised VAT to 12 percent on working Bahamians.

In the last few weeks, the Economic Recovery Committee, of which Mr.

Johnson is a part, has predictably used the COVID-19 crisis to roll out a slew of recommendations, most of which prescribe the same poisonous patent medicines of either easing business for foreign investors (on the laughably false premise that we don’t get enough foreign investment) or removing tax exemptions and restrictions in favour of Bahamians (the drivers of the domestic economy). They will sell this snake oil on the back of the public’s undue reverence for “experts” who are in fact merely representatives of business interests.

Whatever Mr Johnson’s supposed spiritual sins, they pale in comparison to the twisted economic philosophy that he and his colleagues continue to impose on The Bahamas – a country with almost limitless prospects.

ANDREW ALLEN Nassau, October 25, 2020.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, November 2, 2020, PAGE 7

OFFICER IN COURT ON EXUMA KILLING from page one

During the hearing, Anderson was not required to enter a plea and the matter was adjourned to January 18, 2021 for service of a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI).

The accused was denied bail and remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until that time.

His attorney, K Melvin Munroe, indicated he was in the process of applying to the Supreme Court for bail for his client.

JASON Anderson outside court on Friday.

Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff

He said he wanted attention - he got four months in jail

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A 46-YEAR-OLD man who claimed he broke a woman’s office door for attention was on Friday sentenced to four months in prison.

Police arrested Courtney Gardiner after he threw an object through the glass door of an office on Robinson Road on October 28.

He pleaded guilty to one count of damage during a hearing before Magistrate Ambrose Armbrister.

The prosecution said around 10am that day,

Bernadette Whylly was at her office at Robinson Road, when an unknown man threw an object through the front door of the establishment. The court was told his actions caused $768 worth of damage to the quarter-inch glass door.

Ms Whylly filed an official complaint with police and Gardiner was arrested a short time later. In an interview with police at the Grove police station, the accused admitted the offence and told the officer he planned to “play crazy” when he was brought before the court for the charge.

When given an opportunity to speak, Gardiner told the magistrate he damaged the glass door for “attention” so that the “police could come and get him”.

He was sentenced to four months at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.

• On Friday, Kareem Johnson, appeared before Magistrate Armbrister after accused of causing $275 worth of damage to a man’s door on October 29. He denied the allegation and the case was adjourned to December 2 for trial.

In the meantime, Johnson was granted $2,500 bail.

MAN WHO PUNCHED CHILDREN’S MOTHER SENTENCED TO PROBATION

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A MAN who punched his children’s mother after he caught her naked on a video call with another person was placed on three months’ probation on Friday.

The 35-year-old was accused of harming his children’s mother on October 27.

The court heard the woman was involved in an argument with the accused around 9.10pm that night.

She told police during the verbal altercation he

beat her about the body which caused her to sustain injuries. The woman then filed an official report and requested police action.

The accused was arrested a short time later. In an interview with police, he admitted to punching the woman.

During the hearing, the defendant told the magistrate that night, he was in his front room on a Zoom call. He claimed he was having connection problems so he went to his room to ask his children’s mother for assistance. The accused said when he opened the door, he saw the woman on

a video call with another person while she was naked.

He said when he asked her who she was on the phone with, she pushed him and the two of them got into a fight.

After listening to his explanation, Magistrate Armbrister placed the accused on probation for three months. He told him if he failed to be of good behaviour during that time frame, he would be fined $300. Magistrate Armbrister also told the accused he needed to move away from people who upset him since he should not touch anybody in an aggressive way.

FAKE NAME BRINGS $100 FINE

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A 24-YEAR-OLD man who gave a police officer a fake name while he was searched was fined $100 on Friday.

Kevin Estelhomme appeared before Magistrate Ambrose Armbrister after he was accused of giving Police Constable 4057 Martin a false name when officers searched him on October 28.

The prosecution said around 10.35pm on the night in question, officers on Baillou Hill Road near A F Adderley Junior

High stopped and searched Estelhomme.

When they questioned the defendant, he told them his name was Jamal Smith.

However, when further inquiries were made, officers discovered his name was actually Kevin Estelhomme.

The accused was subsequently arrested. In an interview with police, he told officers he gave them a fake name because he was scared and under the influence of alcohol.

After pleading guilty to the offence, he was fined $100 or two weeks in custody.

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A Private Graveside Service & Interment for the late Former Member of Parliament and Former Cabinet Minister

HON. DARRELL E. ROLLE, 78 of Westridge Drive, will be held on Friday, November 6th, 2020 at Lakeview Memorial Gardens & Mausoleum, JFK Drive. Officiating will be Bishop Dr. Carrington S. Pinder and other Ministers of the Gospel.

Due to current Government regulations in respect of Covid-19, attendance is limited to ten (10) persons.

He was pre-deceased by his Wife: Beryl Marie Rolle; Father and Mother; Sisters: Cynthia Alfreda Murphy and Althea Rolle-Johnson; Brother: Roosvelt Rolle and several Nieces and Nephews including: Magistrate Clyde Newton and Dr. Nigel Johnson.

His unforgettable memories will forever live on in the hearts of his five children, Daughters: Veretas Rolle-Fernandes, Shakira Rolle-Davis, Anne-Marie Albury and Janice Sears; Son: Darrell Elliot Rolle; 3 Sons-in-law: Mark Fernandes Sr, Niko Davis and Quentin Albury; 9 Grand-children: Anthony and Angelane Fernandes, Celeste Moncur, Sasha and Quenalise Albury, Janayne Pennerman, Latika Brooks, Frankeisha Sears, 2818 Janardo Orgall and Conrad Thelwell Jr.; 3 Grand Sons-in-law: Adrian Brooks, Terron Thompson and Rodger Rolle; 14 Great Grand-children: Orlandarnique, Takayla, Tyrie and Terron Thompson Jr, Janiah Orgall, Janaye Major, Conneisha, Cataleya and Conrad Thelwell III, Keyshawn Pennerman, Adrian, Latiko and Andrea Brooks and Rodger Rolle Jr.; 7 Sisters: Revd’s Lucine Newton and Norine Smith, Trudell Melford, Rev. Dr. Sebrena Poitier and Minister’s Almetta Culmer, Chryslee Rolle and Christabelle Forbes; 3 Brothers: Edgar Axel, Ezzard Charles and Captain Allison Rolle; 6 Brothers-in-law: Rev. Dr. E. J. Newton, Delano Culmer, Rev. Dr. Oswald Poitier, Arlington Forbes, Ednol and Elvin Smith Sr.; 9 Sisters-in-law: Ophelia, Paige and Enid Rolle, Iris Dean, Valarie Lockhart, Avis Outten, Andrea and Beulah Smith and Sharon Deal; 35 Nieces: Marina Mckie, Elrona Lewis, Rosetta Booth, Anginette Monroe, Prophetess Sharnette Kemp, Michelle Brown, Sheena Roberts, Dr. Marlo Braynen, Stacey Cash, Rhonda Fabius, Jenesta Wallace, Michelle Hanna, Aretha Johnson, Dr. Charlotte Rolle, Shanta DiBlasio, Thamara Munnings LLB, Dr. Krystle Rolle, Bianca Bullard RN, Shema, Samantha and Selah Poitier, Khara T. Forbes, Zakia Rhodriguez, Shelrine and Elisabeth Smith, Gillian Dean, Tammy Dean, Lynda Burrows, Theresa Stubbs, Blanche CuffyBethel, Natasha Henderson, Iverne Sharif, Inger Miller, Depatra Gray, Jannell Smith; 33 Nephews: Craig Newton, Jefton Murphy, Mark Bethel, Earl Andrew Johnson, Claude Rolle, Cecil Russell, Delano Culmer Jr., Mark-Anthony, Dr. Ezzard Rolle Jr. and PC 3637 Joey Rolle, Sammie Poitier, Jethro Forbes and R. Bernard Collie, Ricardo Dean, Leonardo Dean, Lyngard Lockhart, Le’Moine Lockhart, Trevor Cuffy, Ashton Cuffy, Jermaine Smith, Robert Deal II, Charlton Deal, Elvin Smith Jr.; 8 Nieces-in-law: Judge Donna and Paulette Newton, Racine Poitier, Gaye Dean, Yosy Lockhart, Sheila Cuffy, Antionette Deal, Mandy Smith; 12 Nephews-in-law: Rev. Martin Kemp, Michael Mckie, James Booth, Peter DiBlasio, Sean Munnings, James Bullard, Patrick Rhodriguez, Andrew Burrows, DeCosta Bethel, Jeffrey Henderson, Brad Miller, Wellington Gray; 48 Grand Nieces: 46 Grand Nephews: 4 Great Grand Nieces and 5 Great Grand Nephews; and Host of Other Relatives and Friends including: Emmerson McQueen, Oneezer, Haldore, Luther, Milton, Victor, Rubalee and Apostle Christopher Russell & Families, Charles Fernander, Dr. Joseph Evans & family, Eldridge Edwards & Family, Yvette Bain & Family, Elvina Rose Williams & Family, Isolyn Smith, Godfrey Huyler & Family, Shirley Greene & Family, E.R. Hanna & Family, Harvey Tynes & Family, Monica Sharma & Family, Paulette Dawkins, Kenris Carey & Family, Luther Smith & Family, Dr. Rudy King, Dino Adamson, Former Members of Cabinet & Parliament, Members and Supporters of The Progressive Liberal Party, Members of the Diplomatic Core, The People of North & Central Andros, Members and Officers of The St. John’s Native Baptist Cathedral and a host of other relatives and friends too many to mention.

May His Soul Rest in Peace!

Friends may pay their last respects at Gambier House, PLP Headquarters, Farrington Road on Wednesday November 4th from 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m. and on Thursday November 5th at the House of Assembly from 12:00 noon to 3:00 p.m.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2020

THE STORIES BEHIND THE NEWS

A small island nation with no COVID cases since April - how do you do that?

WHILE many places around the world are hitting new highs in coronavirus cases, Taiwan has achieved a different kind of record - 200 days without a locally transmitted case.

Taiwan holds the world’s best virus record by far and reached the new landmark on October 29, even as the pathogen explodes anew in Europe and the United States.

Taiwan’s last local case came on April 12; there has been no second wave.

What did this island with 23 million people do right? It has had 550 confirmed cases, with only seven deaths.

Experts say closing borders early and tightly regulating travel have gone a long way towards fighting the virus. Other factors include rigorous contact tracing, technology-enforced quarantine and universal mask wearing.

Further, Taiwan’s earlier deadly experience with the severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) has scared people into compliance.

“Taiwan is the only major economy that has so far been able to keep community transmission of Covid eliminated,” said Dr Peter Collignon, an infectious disease physician and professor at the Australian National University Medical School.

Taiwan “probably had the best result around the world”, he said, and it’s “even more impressive” for an economy with a population about the same size as Australia’s, with many people living close to one another in apartments.

Taiwan will be among the few economies to grow this year, with the government in August forecasting that the gross domestic

As The Bahamas stumbles along in the battle against COVID another island state on the other side of the world has become the envy of nations everywhere - it is Taiwan. Why? Because for more than 200 days it has not recorded any domestic case of the virus.

This report from Bloomberg tells the story of how they have achieved this when so many other countries continue to be defeated by the pandemic.

A lot will appear very similar to what The Bahamas has done yet the result is so very different. product will expand 1.56 per cent in 2020.

Still, Taiwan isn’t out of the woods yet, as it recorded 20 imported cases in the past two weeks, mostly from South-east Asian countries like the Philippines and Indonesia.

And others that fought the virus well initially, like Singapore and Japan, then had spikes in cases.

What countries with surging infections can take away from Taiwan’s experience is that nothing works without contact tracing those who have tested positive and then quarantining them, said Dr Chen Chien-jen, Taiwan’s former Vice-President and an epidemiologist.

Also, as it is not easy to make people stay in quarantine, Taiwan has taken steps to provide meal and grocery delivery and even some friendly contact via Line Bot, a robot that texts and chats.

There is also punishment those who break quarantine face fines of up to $35,000.

Here is how Taiwan has achieved its milestone:

BORDER CONTROL

Taiwan shut down to all non-residents shortly after the

pandemic broke out in January and has kept tight control over its borders since.

“Taiwan’s continual success is due to strict enforcement of border control,” said Dr Jason Wang, the director of Stanford University’s Centre for Policy, Outcomes and Prevention.

That includes symptom-based surveillance before travellers board flights and digital fence tracking via cellular signals to ensure their compliance with a 14-day quarantine, he said.

The decision to stockpile and have central distribution of face masks played a key role in Taiwan’s success.

The government early in the pandemic stockpiled all domestically produced face masks and banned export.

Within four months, companies increased production from two million to 20 million units a day, enabling the island to ration masks to residents on a regular basis.

CONTACT TRACING, QUARANTINE

Taiwan has world-class contact tracing - on average, linking 20

to 30 contacts to each confirmed case.

In extreme situations, such as that of a worker at a Taipei City hostess club who contracted the virus, the government tracked down as many as 150 contacts.

Then, all contacts must undergo a 14-day home quarantine, even if they test negative.

So far, about 340,000 people have been under home quarantine, with fewer than 1,000 fined for breaking it.

That means 99.7 per cent have complied, according to Dr Chen.

“We sacrificed 14 days of 340,000 people in exchange for normal lives for 23 million people,” he said.

SARS EXPERIENCE

The painful lessons of past epidemics paved the way for Taiwan’s success in fighting COVID-19.

It began building an emergency-response network for containing infectious diseases after its experience with Sars in 2003, when hundreds became ill and at least 73 died, for the world’s third-highest infection rate.

Taiwan later experienced pandemics like bird flu and influenza H1N1. As a result, its residents are acutely aware of disease-fighting habits like hand washing and mask wearing.

EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net

INSIGHT

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2020 PAGE 9

Democracy is not guaranteed by elections alone A BIZARRE moment at the 50th session of the general assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS), on October 20 and 21, was a claim by the outgoing Foreign Minister, Karen Longaric that her government had brought democracy to Bolivia.

It was the people of Bolivia who had brought democracy to their country – and everybody knew it. Ms Longaric was one of those who had helped to deny it.

Most Bolivians, resentful of Ms Longaric and her party that had assumed government one year ago with the help of the military, turfed them out through the power of the ballot.

On November 11, 2019, the commander of the armed forces, Williams Kaliman announced that “we ask(ed) the President of the state (Evo Morales) to renounce his presidential mandate”. It was hardly a request that Morales could refuse with the armed forces arrayed against him.

The military instruction to Morales to renounce his Presidency and leave Bolivia came after Presidential elections were declared fraudulent by an audit team from the OAS. The team’s findings were hotly disputed, including by the New York Times which, on June 7, said that, “a study by independent researchers, using data obtained by The New York Times from the Bolivian electoral authorities, has

World View

By SIR RONALD SANDERS

found that the Organization of American States’ statistical analysis was itself flawed”.

Recalling this event at the OAS 50th general assembly, Maximiliano Reyes Zúñiga, the Mexican representative, placed responsibility for the “flawed” analysis directly in the hands of Luis Almagro, the OAS Secretary-General.

He stated: “Mexico suggests to Mr Luis Almagro that he submit himself to a process of self-criticism of his actions against the OAS Charter and for hurting Bolivia’s democracy, to determine if he still has the necessary moral authority to lead this organisation.”

In any event, in November last year the Bolivian military installed Jeanine Añez, a member of the Civic Community party, as President. She pledged to hold fresh elections within three months in February.

That pledge was also given to the member states of the OAS at a subsequent meeting of the Permanent Council. But the February date became May, and then September and finally October, amid growing violence in the country, including atrocities against the indigenous people who

are the main supporters of Morales party, Movement Towards Socialism (MAS).

No effort was made in the OAS to hold Añez’s government to account because, hypocritically, it had become an ally of powerful governments in their campaigns to target selected countries, particularly Venezuela and Nicaragua. Only increasing agitation by the Bolivian people eventually led to elections on October 18.

Of Bolivia’s seven million voters, 88.42 percent turned out at the election, giving Morales’ successor as the leader of MAS, Luis Arce, 55.18 percent of the vote in the first round. There was no room for the OAS, or any elections observation mission, to claim fraud. For many, this overwhelming number served to reenforce the view that Morales had also won the 2019 elections and had been wrongfully denied it.

Despite MAS’ convincing win, all is not well in Bolivia. Luis Arce, the President-elect, will not be sworn-in until November 8. In the meantime, much mischief can be made, and there are those who are agitating it.

WHEN THERE IS NO OTHER CHOICE, YOU PLAY THE HAND YOU HAVE

By MALCOLM STRACHAN

THE Bahamas is one of the most beautiful places on Earth – charismatic people, pink sands and crystal blue waters - and attracts millions of tourists a year. Our natural beauty also enables citizens in the private sector to earn an income and put food in their families’ mouths. When a global pandemic snatches all of that away, we have seen that our gift is also our curse in some respects.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Peter Turnquest’s announcement of how much revenue has been lost in mere months during the fight against this pandemic presents a horrifying picture of what’s to come unless we do something about it. With the country’s revenue contracting by $251.4m in the first fiscal quarter, or 45.5 percent, we need something drastic to happen. We have already had to make significant outlays to decrease government debt, repair islands destroyed by Hurricane Dorian and now, in a global pandemic, we need some way to replenish our coffers.

“The safe reopening of our economy remains one of the most urgent priorities, and we must work together to follow public health protocols and adapt our businesses to better contain the spread of the virus,” said the Deputy Prime Minister.

He added: “The government is making sizeable outlays to respond to this crisis, and we are doing so in areas that can make the largest impact on the welfare of people: unemployment assistance, social

support and small business assistance.”

Certainly, fighting this crisis from a public health standpoint has been an onerous undertaking. As cases continue to rise and our capacity remains under siege, one may say that the choice has already been made for us. The best we can hope for is it is done methodically and efficiently.

To this end, the Ministry of Tourism’s press conference over the weekend should have instilled confidence in the citizenry that a strategic approach has been taken.

Minister of Tourism Dionisio D’Aguilar’s admission we did not get things right a few months ago and some of the new information given is an encouraging sign that we may be able to receive tourists safely and grease the wheels of the economy once again.

Abandoning nonsensical measures such as a 14-day quarantine for travellers was a smart move, as the idea was a total deterrent for any prospective visitor.

In its place, travellers will have to apply for a health visa inclusive of a negative RT-PCR test no more than five days old, and starting on November 14, the purchase of COVID-19 health insurance. Additionally, if guests are staying in the country beyond five days, on the fifth day, they would be required to take a rapid antigen test. Though not perfect, it provides a viable solution for what we need right now – heads in beds.

While the advice by local medical experts challenges the notion that testing at ports of entry is not needed, we understand the government is far more sensitive to deterring travel as the logistics of such an undertaking would be more

complex in an archipelagic nation with multiple ports of entry. However, as demand and reduced airlift gives us the ability to focus on Grand Bahama and New Providence, we still would have liked to have seen this measure included in the new protocols.

Nonetheless, Tourism Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar has expressed confidence we are in a position to get things right this time around. We certainly hope that is the case, as we could not imagine what would happen if our major resorts cannot open. And while much of the conversation focuses on hotel employees, there are many individuals who depend on restaurants, excursions and other hospitality businesses for their livelihoods.

The United Nations World Tourism Organization recently announced that since the global contraction of the tourism industry, there has been $730bn in lost tourism revenue compared with last year in the face of a 70 percent decline in travel demand for 2020. With most experts projecting a third quarter of 2021 for a rebound, all of this is contingent on how well we manage COVID-19 in tandem with the success of our hospitality industry and these new protocols.

No doubt, the government has been roundly criticised for opening when and how it did in July.

Now, however, we have no choice and no other option but to do so safely and successfully. For as long as our people have been desperately trying to keep our heads above water, for those of us that were drowning amid this pandemic, hopefully we can soon come up for air.

On October 27, crowds were organised outside military barracks in four areas of Bolivia, calling for the armed forces to intervene to overturn the result of the October 18 general election.

The ethnic group, who had ruled the country for decades prior to Morales and who grabbed power for a year under Añez - is angry at having to relinquish control. Among the organised crowds were far-right militia groups, threatening violence if the result is not overturned.

However, the military is keenly aware that the large number of MAS supporters would not tolerate another installation of a government they did not elect. These supporters are already demanding action against the military for killing protesters opposed to the removal of Morales last year. They want Arce to punish those responsible, something he is unlikely to do, given the impracticality of it. Therefore, an uneasy truce is more likely with the troops staying in their barracks, and the commanders maintaining their constitutional role. At least for now.

Bolivian society is riven by deep ethnic divisions.

Racist discourse, religious bigotry and regional rivalry have long been a feature of the country’s politics. The hostility has re-emerged in a nation divided between a wealthier, more Europeandescended lowland east and a more indigenous, poorer, highland west.

This situation will call for careful handling by the new Arce government.

While those opposed to his government on grounds of ethnic superiority are a minority, they comprise the far-right which is given to violence, and have links to other far-right, ideological groups in the hemisphere.

In seeking reparations for slavery, CARICOM countries have made it clear that they also want reparation for genocide against indigenous people. That is why shortly after Añez’s government took office, ambassadors representing the 14 independent CARICOM nations at the OAS, produced a resolution, taking a strong position against discrimination and violence toward the indigenous people in Bolivia. It was adopted by a majority vote of only one vote to the vexation of governments at the OAS, allied to the Añez government.

Fortunately, on October 21, with no shred of doubt surrounding the will of the majority of the Bolivian people in the 2020 elections, the US government declared that it “looks forward to working with the new, democratically elected government on matters of mutual interest”.

Nonetheless, unease remains among some hemispheric nations ruled by a particular ethnic and rightist elite. Consequently, the situation in Bolivia will now have to be watched carefully for attempts to undermine Arce’s government by forces inside and outside the country.

Democracy is not guaranteed by elections alone.

Nations that care about democracy will have to help safeguard it.

• Responses and previous commentaries: www. sirronaldsanders.com

(The writer is Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the U.S. and the OAS. He is also a senior fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies at the University of London and at Massey College in the University of Toronto. The views expressed are entirely his own).

PAGE 10, Monday, November 2, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

71 DEAD IN TURKEY QUAKE

MEMBERS of rescue services search in the debris of a collapsed building for survivors in Izmir, Turkey, yesterday.

Photo: Darko Bandic/AP

RESCUE workers in western Turkey extricated a 70-year-old man from a collapsed building yesterday, some 34 hours after a strong earthquake in the Aegean Sea struck Turkey and Greece, killing at least 71 people and injuring more than 900.

The man was pulled out of the rubble overnight and doing well at a hospital, according to the Turkish health minister. The minister tweeted that the survivor, Ahmet Citim, told him, “I never lost hope.” The operation that saved Citim was the latest in a series of remarkable rescues after the Friday afternoon earthquake.

But on the third day since the disaster, search-and-rescue teams appeared to be finding more bodies than survivors in Izmir, Turkey’s third-largest city.

They continued searching in eight toppled buildings.

The earthquake was centred in the Aegean northeast of the Greek island of Samos.

Will Trump’s rallies mean big votes?

PRESIDENT Donald Trump yesterday launched one final test of whether the large crowds at his rallies will translate into votes as he races through the final 48 hours of the 2020 campaign with an onslaught of events in the states that

could decide the race.

A rally north of Detroit on a frigid morning kicked off a frenzied blitz of campaigning over the last two days before the election, with nine more rallies to go. Down in the polls and at a cash disadvantage

to Democrat Joe Biden, Trump is turning to these large gatherings to help keep his message in front of voters.

It’s unclear whether the rallies will broaden his appeal beyond those people already likely to vote for

him, and the packed — often unmasked — crowds risk deepening the pandemic at a time when coronavirus cases are rising.

But Trump, still relishing his late surge against Hillary Clinton in 2016, sees his showmanship as a central element of his outsider appeal that he hopes will resonate once more.

He began the final push in Washington, Michigan, at an outdoor rally with whipping winds and temperatures that felt well below freezing.

“This is a hell of a day. You guys must love Trump, this place is packed,” said Trump, who jokingly complained throughout his speech about the cold. “It’s really a contest to see if we can all stand it. And we’ll get through it.

And we’ll love it.”

With more than 91 million votes already cast, Trump and Biden are out of time to reshape the race.

Instead, they’re focusing on their base and making sure that any potential supporters have either already voted or plan to do so in person on Tuesday.

For Biden, that means paying close attention to Black voters who are a critical part of the coalition he needs to build to win. His team is confident in Biden’s standing with women, college-educated voters and suburbanites.

His campaign must now ensure that voters of colour show up in force to support Biden, which will be especially critical in fiercely competitive states such as Pennsylvania and Michigan.

The challenge is exacerbated by the Democratic push this year to encourage voting by mail to prevent people waiting in long lines during a pandemic. But that runs counter to the tradition of some Black

voters who prefer to vote in person on Election Day. “Most Black voters in Philly have been skeptical of mail-in voting,” said Joe Hill, a veteran Democratic operative-turned-lobbyist from the city. “A lot of us have gotten our ballots already,” Hill said, but added, “Election Day has always been everything in Philadelphia.”

Biden planned to spend much of Sunday in Philadelphia encouraging voters to turn out. He was to participate in a “souls to the polls” event aimed at encouraging Black church congregations to organise and vote.

He held his first in-person campaign events with Barack Obama on Saturday in the predominantly Black cities of Detroit and Flint, Michigan. The former president will campaign for Biden on Monday in Georgia and in South Florida, another area of potential concern if Latino voters sit out the election.

As the largest city in a state that could decide the presidency, Philadelphia has always held special significance for Biden. Just 30 miles from his longtime home in Wilmington, Delaware, Biden established his campaign headquarters in Philadelphia before the pandemic forced most of his staff to work remotely.

The city gets intense focus because it’s such a deep trove of Democratic votes, especially nonwhite voters.

Clinton lost Pennsylvania by almost 45,000 votes four years ago even as she fell just 4,800 votes shy of Obama’s Philadelphia County total in 2012. Clinton’s bigger problem was that she lost ground to Trump in other parts of the state beyond Philadelphia and its suburbs.

According to an analysis by University of Florida professor Michael McDonald, a nonpartisan political data expert, almost 2.3 million Pennsylvania voters had returned absentee ballots as of Friday out of almost 3.1 million requested. That’s a statewide return rate of 74.2 percent.

Philadelphia’s return rate was a tick higher, at 74.6%, but it had the highest raw total of outstanding ballots, with more than 101,000. Statewide, registered Democrats maintained a solid advantage over Republicans on returned ballots: 1.54 million to about 520,000. In a separate analysis, the Democratic data firm TargetSmart found that more than 385,000 of the early Democratic voters didn’t vote at all in 2016.

Across the state in Pittsburgh, Democratic consultant Mike Mikus stressed that Philadelphia isn’t Biden’s only path to flipping Pennsylvania.

Mikus noted that Trump won a Pittsburgh-area congressional district by nearly 20 percentage points in 2016 only to watch Democrat Conor Lamb win a special congressional election there a year later.

Lamb won a full term in 2018 and is heavily favored again tomorrow.

Mikus said that trend will help Biden run up a wide margin in Allegheny County, the state’s second most populous.

“He’s got a real base, but there’s just no evidence that he’s done anything to reach anybody who didn’t already like him in 2016,” Mikus said, “and he’s lost people who weren’t sure about him but were willing to take the gamble. ... It’s not just about Philadelphia.”

FOUR-WEEK UK LOCKDOWN MAY HAVE TO LAST LONGER LONDON Associated Press

A NEW national lockdown in England may have to last longer than the planned four weeks if coronavirus infection rates don’t fall quickly enough, a senior government minister said yesterday.

The lockdown announced on Saturday by Prime Minister Boris Johnson is to run from Thursday until December 2.

Johnson says it’s needed to stop hospitals from becoming overwhelmed by COVID19 patients within weeks.

Cabinet minister Michael Gove said it was the government’s “fervent hope” that the lockdown would end on time, but that could not be guaranteed.

“With a virus this malignant, and with its capacity to move so quickly, it would be foolish to predict with absolute certainty what will happen in four weeks’ time,” he told Sky News.

“We’re going to review it on the 2nd of December but we’re always driven by what the data says.”

Under the new restrictions, bars and restaurants can only offer take-out, non-essential shops must close and people will only be able to leave home for a short list of reasons including exercise. Hairdressers, gyms, golf courses, swimming pools and bowling alleys are among venues that must shut down, and foreign holidays are barred.

Unlike during the UK’s first three-month coronavirus lockdown earlier this year, schools, universities, construction sites and manufacturing businesses will stay open.

Britain has the worst virus death toll in Europe, with more than 46,700 dead. It passed one million confirmed coronavirus cases on Saturday and confirmed another 23,254 new infections yesterday.

Like other European countries, virus cases in the UK began to climb after lockdown measures were eased in the summer and people began to return to workplaces, schools, universities and social life.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, November 2, 2020, PAGE 11

GN-2455

PUBLIC NOTICE MINISTRY OF PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICAL PLANNING The public is hereby notified that an application for Site Plan Application (SPA/6/2020) on behalf of Albany Resort C/O Michael Diggiss & Associates is presently being reviewed by The Department of Physical Planning for presentation to the Town Planning Committee.

The applicant is seeking Site Plan Application approval to develop 16 acres of ocean front property approximately 1,100ft west of the existing ALBANY Resort on South West Bay Road. This project is intended to be operated as an extension to the resort.

The proposed development will comprise of the following:

• Eight(8) single family lots for the development of custom residences • Beachside amenity buildings and pools • Two (2) luxury residential condominium buildings nine (9) stories high inclusive of private roof terraces • Security Gate house • Extension of the Sea wall • Rerouting of the South West Bay Road and associated infrastructure.

A virtual public meeting will be held Monday November 23, 2020 at 6:00 pm for all interested parties to discuss and address planning issues related to the proposed extension to the resort development. Due to Covid-19 protocols, only ten (10) individuals can be accommodated in the public meeting room at The Department for viewing.

Access to the meeting will be available by way of Webex using the following link:

https://bahamasgovernment.webex.com/bahamasgovernment/j.php?MTID=m37819d3efa05143ba8b e191ae8117d8a Or simply emailing the Department at the address below for an electronic invite.

The application file for the proposed use is available for viewing at The Department of Physical Planning, located in the Aventura Plaza on John F. Kennedy Drive, during normal working hours.

Interested persons and organizations are invited to review the information on file and provide written comments or questions prior to the meeting. Comments should be directed to the Acting Director of Physical Planning. Submissions can be made via P .O Box N-1611, Nassau Bahamas,fax (242) 328-3206 or email to the Department of Physical Planning at DEPTPHYSICALPLANNING@BAHAMAS.GOV.BS.

*Please note: Webex platform will have to be downloaded to your electronic device in order to join and view the meeting. It is advisable to download it prior to the meeting you wish to view to allow time to contact the

Department with any connection issues.

Signed Charles B. Zonicle Acting Director of Physical Planning