‘ bring integrity commission now’
ORG calls on Davis government to create independent body
By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS
Tribune Staff Reporter
lmunnings@tribunemedis.net
CALLS for an independent Integrity Commission have intensified after revelations surrounding former Christie administration officials involved in the Baha Mar conflict with Sarkis Izmirlian and China Construction America (CCA).
Matt Aubry, executive Director of the Organization for Responsible Governance, emphasized the need for transparent mechanisms to ensure accountability and restore public trust in governance. Last month, New York State Supreme Court Judge
Food assistance needs rise For dads and grandparents
By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS
Tribune Staff Reporter
lmunnings@tribunemedis.net
The number of single fathers and grandparents facing food insecurity in The Bahamas has risen, with demand for assistance showing no signs of decline, according to hands For hunger executive director Keisha ellis.
She noted that hands for hunger serves people from various demographics, most of whom are working, but struggling.
“We do have a lot of single mothers,” she said.
“We have a lot of families that come in. Over the years, we’ve actually seen an increase in the number
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
The multi-billion dollar owner of iconic Las Vegas mega resorts such as Caesars Palace, MGM Grand and the Venetian is
exploring a deal for Paradise Island’s Atlantis resort. Tribune Business can reveal that VICI Properties, a New York headquartered real estate investment trust (ReIT) that owns 93 resort, gaming and hospitality assets spread across the US
and Canada, is in talks with Atlantis’ current owner, Brookfield Asset Management, although the two parties have yet to reach agreement on a sale or how the potential deal may look.
davis calls F or end o F c uba embargo
By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
PRIMe Minister Philip “Brave” Davis reaffirmed The Bahamas’ position on Cuba during his Diplomatic Week opening address at the Grand Lucayan Resort, calling for an end to the trade embargo restricting economic exchange with the island nation. he said that the time for embargoes has passed and urged the removal of trade barriers,
By NEIL HARTNELL
Davis calls for end of Cuba embargo
“The shackles that hold back free exchange must be lifted, for they serve only to hinder progress and prosperity in our shared sea,” Mr Davis said. “We call upon the world to remove this barrier, to allow Cuba the dignity of engagement and the promise of opportunity. Let our waters flow with trade, ideas, and friendship, for only through connection shall our region thrive.”
Mr Davis’s remarks also covered climate justice, trade, and cultural pride, setting the stage for this year’s event, the first to be hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Freeport. The theme, “Climate, Trade, and Cultural Diplomacy,” brought focus to pressing issues facing The Bahamas.
Addressing a large contingent of diplomats, Mr Davis highlighted the urgent impact of climate change on small island nations like The Bahamas, whose sovereignty is at stake. He called for accountability from nations most responsible for environmental degradation.
“The International Court of Justice is now poised to deliver an advisory opinion on climate change — a ruling that we believe will echo across borders and demand accountability,” he said.
“This is not about treaties and pledges; it is about moral reckoning, an acknowledgment that those who have sown the seeds of destruction must also reap the responsibility to repair.”
In the struggle for climate justice, Mr Davis stressed that The Bahamas stands as a voice for the vulnerable, seeking to secure the lives and futures of Bahamians.
“We fight for a world where those responsible for this crisis answer for the loss and damages felt by those who contributed least to its cause,” he said. “Thus, we turn to the law, seeking
justice from the very courts that stand as guardians of humanity’s conscience.”
“For too long, our islands and countless others have borne the burden of ‘loss and damage’ inflicted by climate change: land eroded, homes destroyed, livelihoods swept away in storms more violent, more frequent than any our ancestors could have foreseen.”
Mr Davis urged the country’s diplomats also to be climate advocates.
“As ambassadors, you are called not only to advocate, but to educate — to speak plainly of the impacts we face and to rally the world toward action,” he said.
“Through diplomacy, we insist that The Bahamas and all small island nations shall not be mere bystanders, but leaders in crafting a sustainable and equitable future.
“Let it be known: The Bahamas will not be a silent spectator in this struggle. We are neither large in land nor might, but we are bound by an unyielding resolve. We will wield the law as our shield and justice as our sword, joining hands with other nations who refuse to be casualties of indifference.”
On the matter of trade, the prime minister admitted that the country has depended “on a narrow set of industries for a long time.”
The Office of the Prime Minister is taking on this challenge, he said, by opening new pathways for Bahamian businesses through export, manufacturing, or tech-driven enterprise.
“Through the National Trade Policy and Vision
2040, we are paving the way for trade to be inclusive and transformative, driving both local economic growth and foreign partnerships. We are identifying markets, building capacity, and dismantling the structural barriers that have kept our economy anchored in a narrow space,” said Mr Davis.
He noted that this includes efforts to expand Freeport as a free trade zone, foster export-oriented industries, and strategically reduce tariffs to make Bahamian products more competitive abroad.
Mr Davis told diplomats they must ensure The Bahamas is seen as a “reliable and innovative partner for businesses worldwide.”
“As we look toward Freeport and other emerging
trade zones, we see a vision where Bahamian ports become bustling hubs of international commerce, where local businesses and foreign investors alike benefit from our strategic location,” he said.
According to the prime minister, The Bahamas is establishing an office in the United Arab Emirates to lay the groundwork for strategic economic cooperation in the Middle East.
In Africa and the Middle East, he said the foreign policy is focused on partnerships that drive economic, technological, and political collaboration.
The government will be expanding its diplomatic presence on the African continent to strengthen ties in trade, technology, and development, Mr Davis said.
Speaking about the current struggles in Haiti, he said The Bahamas stands ready to support Haiti’s path to stability and peace.
“By building closer ties with South Pacific nations, The Bahamas aims to enhance cooperation in these critical areas, fostering partnerships that will support both our immediate needs and our long-term stability,” he added.
On the matter of culture, he expressed the country’s pride in Bahamians who have achieved international recognition and success in various genres, including dance, sport, music, and art. He noted that Bahamians, such as Tavares Strachan, Courtney C. Spears, Buddy Hield, Jonquel Jones, Jazz Chisholm, Lenny Kravitz, Amos Ferguson, and Jeffrey Meris represent the country and carry Bahamian pride.
“Through their achievements, The Bahamas proclaims to the world that we are not merely a destination, but a nation rich in talent, spirit, and ambition,” he said.
“Our cultural ambassadors do not just perform — they embody our resilience, our pride, and our unwavering belief in who we are,” he said.
“We are a small island nation, yet we stride with giants. Our diplomats, our athletes, our artists — each of you carries this legacy forward, bearing the weight of our dreams and the fire of our convictions,” he said.
Minister for Grand Bahama and Member of Parliament for Pineridge Ginger Moxey brought brief welcome remarks; Jamahl Strachan, MP for Nassau Village and Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, delivered the Statement of Purpose. The St George’s High School Pop Band performed a cultural presentation.
Mitchell: Climate change is Bahamas’ number one issue
By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter
dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
FOREIGN Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell said Prime Minister Philip Davis has indicated that climate change is the number one policy issue for The Bahamas.
He stressed the urgent need for the country to address climate change during the opening of Diplomatic Week in Grand Bahama, warning that severe sea level rise could leave 70 percent of New Providence underwater by 2100.
He said the government plans to make its case at the upcoming COP29 this month.
“If we are to protect what we have, we must get to
work in an open transparent way to address climate change,” he said.
“It’s existential for us. With 80 percent of our land mass within a meter of the sea, and here on Grand Bahama, the highest point on this island is 48 ft above sea level. So we are headed to COP29 to make the case.”
Mr Mitchell recalled a presentation shown at the Explorer’s Club in New York last year, which forecast that by 2037, 30 percent of New Providence would be submerged, and by 2100, that figure would rise to a staggering 70 percent.
“We just come from the Pacific Islands and the predictions there are equally as dire,” he said.
“Freeport is a favourite city of mine in The
Bahamas. It is our second city and it is where you heard Hurricane Dorian hit five years ago in September 2019. It is a city in recovery, and I am proud of the people here and their resilience.’
He noted his desire to support Freeport, hosting the international community and bringing visitors on two previous occasions in June 2005 and April 2016.
“We welcome you as we begin our work and we hope you leave here understanding The Bahamas and its people a little better,” he told the diplomats.
“I have been foreign minister three times; lightning does not strike in the same place twice, they say. So judge three times, and I know it won’t strike a fourth time.”
Prime Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis giving the opening address during Diplomatic Week at the Grand Lucayan Resort, calling for an end to the trade embargo restricting economic exchange with the island nation.
Photo: mario Duncanson/BIS
FreD Mitchell speaking during the opening of Diplomatic Week at the Grand Lucayan Resort in Grand Bahama yesterday.
Photos: mario Duncanson/BIS
‘Bring Integrity Commission now’
Andrew Borrok ruled that CCA acted in bad faith, leading to the bankruptcy of the Baha Mar project in 2015. He described the construction delays and mismanagement as “an absolute sham and shakedown” that contributed to the financial collapse.
The judge found that a $2.3 million payment from CCA to Notarc Management Group — a company run by Leslie Miller, son of Sir Baltron Bethel — was intended to “curry favour” and “gain access” to Mr Christie’s senior policy advisor and the Bahamian government during the Baha Mar dispute. In defending its actions, CCA has blamed Mr Izmirlian, his BML Properties vehicle, and the executive team for mismanaging the development and its budget.
Mr Aubry underscored the importance of an independent body to handle such issues and called for establishing an Integrity Commission.
“The theory of promoting things like the integrity commission or other legislative structures that ensure when these things come up, there are regular and standardized ways for them to be handled, gives assurance to the public, it gives clarity for the process,” he said.
He noted that the Integrity Commission has not been established even though the Progressive Liberal Party, like the last
Free National Movement administration, committed to it.
“It,” he said, “was in the last administration’s agenda. They brought it forward, tabled it, but it never got debated. In the current administration, it was in their Blueprint for Change, so we think this is a key reminder for future initiatives.”
“It’s important to have a system in place that builds trust, creates transparent mechanisms, and ensures accountability, so that if something comes forward, it’s looked at, it’s vetted, it’s determined to have validity or not. Then the public would understand and be assured that this system is how we in The Bahamas handle these types of issues.”
He said ORG remains committed to promoting transparency and good governance in The Bahamas, noting the organisation recently attended an Anti-Corruption Conference in Lithuania, where international experts discussed best practices and strategies.
The Minnis administration tabled the the Integrity Commission Bill, 2017, but never debated the legislation, which seeks to establish an independent Integrity Commission in The Bahamas to promote ethical conduct and combat corruption among public officials.
The bill proposes creating the Integrity Commission, responsible
for investigating, preventing, and prosecuting acts of corruption. Its functions encompass promoting ethical standards, overseeing public officials’ financial disclosures, and educating the public on anti-corruption measures.
The Commission would be empowered to summon and examine witnesses, require the production of documents, and conduct inquiries into alleged corruption. It can collaborate with international bodies and recommend legislative or administrative changes to prevent corruption.
The bill defines various acts of corruption, including bribery, fraud, and illicit enrichment. It criminalises the acceptance or offering of undue advantages by public officials and establishes penalties for such offences.
Public officials are mandated to file annual declarations of their financial affairs, including assets, liabilities, and income. The Commission would be tasked with verifying these disclosures and can investigate discrepancies or unexplained wealth.
The bill includes provisions to protect people who report corruption, ensuring their confidentiality and safeguarding them from retaliation.
Penalties for corruptionrelated offences range from fines to imprisonment, depending on the severity of the act. The bill also allows for the confiscation of assets obtained through corrupt practices.
Food assistance needs rise for dads and grandparents
of single fathers that are coming in to support their children, and also a lot of grandparents raising children. I will say, though, that the majority of families we serve have children.”
She said the non-profit organisation supports over 5,000 families through its various programmes. Despite the support, many of those seeking assistance are fully employed, often working two jobs to make ends meet.
“I think that’s something that people perhaps don’t fully understand –– that being food insecure does not mean you are not working,” she said. “It does not mean that you are not trying. It simply means that you are working, you are really putting yourself out there, but it’s just not enough to cover your needs.”
She emphasised that the rising cost of living is impacting people across The Bahamas and beyond,
noting that while wages have seen slight increases in certain sectors, they have not kept pace with escalating prices. As a result, many full-time workers are finding it increasingly difficult to afford basic necessities.
Ms Ellis, who has led the organisation for six years and served it for eight, said the demand for food assistance has remained high since the impacts of COVID-19 and Hurricane Dorian. Requests for help surged after these events and have stayed elevated, with little decrease in the number of people seeking assistance.
“It is a big task trying to keep enough food available so that we can support the people who are registered, as well as the people who walk in off the street because part of what we understand is that, you know, some individuals go through periods of food insecurity,” she said.
“So, it’s not that they are constantly food insecure,
but for whatever reason, a family emergency or a loss of a job or a natural disaster, they in this moment need food, and we want to be able to support those people as well.”
A 2023 study conducted by University of The Bahamas researcher Lesvie Archer provides context to these challenges, showing that a middle-class family of four in New Providence needs a monthly income of $10,200 to sustain a basic lifestyle, while a similar family in Grand Bahama requires $10,100. This slight one percent difference reflects variations in specific expenses between the two islands.
The study’s findings underscore the significant financial pressures many families in The Bahamas face. A 2023 United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) study also revealed that 17.2 percent of Bahamians experienced “moderate to severe food insecurity” between 2019 and 2021.
Org ann Ounces Map4 gOO d t O help n O n-prO fit Organisati O ns
By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedis.net
THE Organisation for Responsible Governance (ORG) announced the launch of Map4 Good Bahamas, an initiative to improve access to resources and support for non-profit and faith-based organisations nationwide.
The project will create a comprehensive public directory and an interactive map, enabling users to easily locate organisations, understand the services they offer, and identify collaboration opportunities.
Vanessa Bethel, project manager for ORG, shared her motivation for the initiative, reflecting on her experience as an Abaconian affected by Hurricane Dorian.
“I recognised the value of these organisations, but at the time, I remember, especially as the months went on after the storm and the initial emergency aid organisations had to leave, there was still support available, but sometimes you didn’t know who or where,” she said during a press conference. “I remember thinking, wouldn’t it be great if there was a way to easily identify where you can say, I have this need, and I know where to go and how to get that help.”
The Map4Good platform aims to help people find available services and facilitate connections between organisations. The initiative will include ongoing outreach to gather information about non-profit and faith-based organisations, as well as a phone survey to create a comprehensive overview of the sector, identifying potential collaboration opportunities and service gaps.
“Imagine being able to see in one place all of the non-profit and faith-based organisations in the country,
but not just an inventory; it will be a tool to show an organisation’s location, the services they provide, the work they are doing, and the communities they serve,” Ms Bethel explained.
Matt Aubry, executive director of ORG, emphasised the significance of understanding the role of faith-based organisations in the community.
“One of the biggest areas we want to understand is the wide array of work happening in our faith-based organisations. Churches were required to register as not-for-profit organisations, but they may not have operated in the same manner as other non-profits. This project gives us a chance to understand an important facet of the community that is doing a tremendous amount of good,” he said.
Keisha Ellis, executive director of Hands for Hunger, highlighted the importance of community collaboration. “We’re all in this together,” she said.
“Anyone who does this kind of work knows that we cannot do it alone, and we shouldn’t expect to do it alone. So, I want to jump on your call to action and say, if you are a community organisation, if you are doing work, if you want to do work, reach out, become involved in this project.”
Ms Ellis also addressed funding challenges within the sector, saying: “One of the biggest cries that we hear
from people in this community is the lack of funding. By having all of these things in place — having your registration and licenses — it makes it a lot easier to reach out to a variety of funders to accomplish your goals. This really is an opportunity for the sector to be strengthened, and by extension, for our entire community to be strengthened.”
As the project unfolds, Ms Bethel called for media support to raise awareness among non-profit and faithbased organisations and the wider public. The initiative plans to develop the comprehensive public directory and interactive map over the next year, allowing users to access information about various organisations and their activities with just a few clicks. This will enable organisations to see each other’s efforts, identify opportunities for strategic collaboration, and recognise areas where service gaps or duplication of efforts may exist.
Ms Bethel emphasised the platform’s importance for policymakers, noting that it will provide insights into who is working in the community and the critical issues at hand. She pointed out that individuals and organisations on the ground have valuable expertise that can influence government programming, helping policymakers allocate resources effectively to support vital community work.
ORG executive director Matthew Aubry speaking at press conference yesterday.
Photo: Nikia Charlton
Sands calls Davis’ immigration commission ‘lip service’ tactic
By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net
FREE National Move-
ment Chairman Dr Duane Sands has questioned the existence of the immigration commission Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis announced last year.
Dr Sands told The Tribune yesterday that he was not surprised there has been no update or full disclosure of the commission’s work. He doubted the body’s existence, calling it a “lip service” tactic by the Davis administration.
Prime Minister Davis announced the commission’s formation in October 2023, after FNM leader Michael Pintard leaked documents in July 2023 showing concerns from senior immigration officials about Mr Bell’s alleged interference in their work. The commission was intended to review discretionary decisions made at the Department of Immigration. One incident highlighted by Mr Pintard involved Mr Bell allowing the release
of Chinese nationals staying at the British Colonial Hotel in January 2023, despite alleged irregularities in their work permits. Former Immigration Director Keturah
Ferguson had expressed her disapproval of this situation in a letter to the Ministry of Immigration’s permanent secretary.
The commission was set up to examine how
immigration decisions are made and included former Education Director Marcellus Taylor, former Royal Bahamas Defence Force Commodore Clifford Scavella, and
Alexandria Hall. Last month, Immigration Minister Alfred Sears declined to comment on the commission’s progress.
Commission officials told this newspaper they would
provide an update on the commission’s progress via email as soon as possible, but that had not happened up to press time.
Dr Sands recalled that FNM members protested in the rain outside the Department of Immigration, demanding Mr Bell’s resignation. He added that the commission was supposed to be transparent and address unresolved issues within the department.
“I doubt that the commission actually exists,” Dr Sands said. “So don’t mind that they appointed a chairman. Maybe this is another reason why the chairman of the Progressive Liberal Party is not a big fan of Freedom of Information. If you were to ask for the minutes of all of the meetings held by this commission, I bet it would be less than one sheet of paper.”
“If the commission has done any work — and I bet they haven’t — then just produce it. They’ve had more than a year to do enough work. So, show us what you’ve done.”
Coleby-Davis announces two-day energy summit to begin tomorrow
By JADE RUSSELL
Tribune Staff Reporter
jrussell@tribunemedia.net
THE Ministry of Transport and Energy will host a two-day energy summit from November 7 to November 8 under the theme “Accelerating the Bahamas Energy Transition through Innovative and Strategic Partnership”. Minister of Transport and Energy JoBeth Coleby-Davis announced the summit during a press briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister on Monday. November is designated as CARICOM Energy Month, aiming to raise awareness about community energy issues. Mrs Coleby-Davis said The Bahamas, as a
CARICOM member, is committed to supporting sustainable energy efforts in the Caribbean. The summit will take place at the Baha Mar Convention Centre, aiming to mobilise and engage energy partners, update the public on energy reform plans, promote energy efficiency, and deepen understanding of the energy sector. Day one, open to the public, will feature an opening ceremony and panel discussions. Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis is expected to deliver the keynote address. There will also be a special presentation on electric vehicles in the public transportation sector. Panel discussions will
cover themes such as transforming Bahamas Power and Light (BPL), integrating renewable energy and microgrids for New Providence and the Family Islands, the role of energy in economic growth, and improving the regulatory framework.
Panelists will include representatives from BPL, Nassau Airport Development Company (NAD), The Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation, Bahamas Tourism and Hospitality Association, the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA), and the Office of the Attorney General.
“A key highlight of the panel discussion on getting the regulatory framework
right is an update on the national energy policy, which is currently being revised and improved through a collaborative effort by the Ministry of Energy and Transport
and URCA,” said Mrs Coleby–Davis. Day two, closed to the public, will feature technical working sessions for energy partners and relevant government departments. Discussions will focus on timelines, organisation, key deliverables, and other commitments to ensure timely completion of energy projects.
Augusta Street fight ends with man dead
By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net
A MAN believed to be in his 50s was killed after a dispute turned violent in the Bain Town area late Monday night. His death brings the country’s murder count to 104 for the year, according to The Tribune’s records. Police said the fight occurred after 10pm at a home on Augusta Street, where a group of people had gathered for a social event. The situation took a turn for the worse when the dispute escalated, and one man struck the other with an object. The victim collapsed from head injuries and died at the scene, while the suspect fled. Investigations are continuing.
Free NatioNal MoveMeNt ChairMaN Dr DuaNe SaNDS
MiNiSter oF traNSport aND eNergy JoBeth ColeBy-DaviS
Bar chief condemns arrest of David Cash
By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net
THE Bahamas Bar Association condemned the arrest of attorney David Cash, who was charged with disorderly conduct and obscene language after attempting to meet with his client, Mervie Knowles, a Grand Bahama care home administrator accused of elder abuse and financial exploitation.
Kahlil Parker, president of The Bahamas Bar Association, expressed concern about Mr Cash’s recent arrest when he sought to visit Ms Knowles, who was being held in custody at a Freeport police station. Mr Parker said Mr Cash had emphasised his client’s constitutional right to private communication with her attorney. Mr Parker said that attorneys representing people in custody have a responsibility to assert their clients’ inalienable rights.
Mr Parker cited Article 19(2) of the constitution, which states any person arrested or detained shall
be permitted, at their own expense, to retain and instruct without delay a legal representative of their own choice and hold private communication with them.
“We remind the officers of the Royal Bahamas Police Force that when one of our members present themselves at a detention facility in fulfillment of their constitutional duty to and in vindication of the constitutional rights of any detained person, they are not alone,” Mr Parker said. “As an association, we stand in solidarity with all of our members on behalf of every citizen, resident, and visitor in The Bahamas who each upon arrest or detention, has a right to be represented by and private communication with counsel without delay.”
The Bar Association noted the charges against Mr Cash for disorderly conduct and obscene language and cautioned authorities to respect lawyers’ roles in defending fundamental rights.
It is alleged that on Saturday, November 2, while
at the Central Police Station in Freeport, Mr Cash behaved in a disorderly manner and used obscene language to the annoyance of Police Officers 3429 Curtis and Woman Sergeant 3169 Forbes. On Monday, in Freeport Magistrate’s Court he pleaded not guilty to both charges. Magistrate LaQuay Laing granted Mr Cash $1,500 bail. The matter was adjourned to January 20, 2025.
Mr Cash travelled to Freeport on Saturday to represent Ms Knowles, who had been detained in police custody since October 29 in connection with a fraud investigation concerning the assets of an elderly resident. The attorney claims that he was initially denied access to see Ms Knowles.
“I went to go and see her and represent her while she was in custody, and essentially, I was denied initially that right to see my client, and it is either the constitutional rights of these defendants or persons in custody are going to matter or don’t. And my position
is that the constitution matters, and so, that is what landed me in court today,”
Mr Cash said.
Mr Cash was later permitted to see Ms Knowles that evening and represented her through the
weekend until her release on Sunday. He also alleged he was detained for 11 hours on Saturday. The Bar Association president expressed concern over Mr Cash’s detention and highlighted
engage with relevant authorities to address the matter.
Prosecutors accuse Gibson defence team of repeated delays
By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter
THE lead prosecutor in the criminal trial involving Long Island MP Adrian Gibson and others accused the defence team of repeatedly delaying proceedings by introducing documents not yet proven to be relevant to the case.
Acting Director of Public Prosecution Cordell Frazier made this statement after Damian Gomez, KC, who represents Mr Gibson, requested that Robert Deal produce additional
documents concerning WSC budgets and forecasts from 2022 and 2024. She said their requests for “irrelevant” documents were “getting out of hand.”
“What is happening is a continuous delay tactic and this is my submission to open a frolic of bringing documents which have not been established to be relevant to these activities,” Ms Frazier added.
“We have boxes under the counter, none of which has been fruitful to what we are discussing in this matter.” However, defence
attorney Geoffrey Farquharson said he understood the DPP might feel overwhelmed by the “mass of material” but argued this was her “fault” as she chose to lead a case with more than 80 counts and five defendants. He also accused the DPP of trying to protect the witness, who he called a “liar.”
“M’lady and I’m telling you now, there’s worse to come,” he added.
Ms Frazier acknowledged that the case was “voluminous,” saying this is why it’s important to stick to the issues at hand.
“What we are embarking on is irrelevant material and we say it’s a sham and a smoke in the mirror,” she added.
Ultimately, Mr Gomez shifted his line of questioning.
When asked whether his role as general manager involved ensuring that contracted work was completed accurately and met acceptable standards, Mr Deal replied yes.
Mr Gomez also asked the witness whether five WSC tanks were painted and refurbished.
Mr Deal replied that,
to his understanding, the tanks were painted. When asked about the nature of the tank works, Mr Deal said he was not directly involved in the project’s scope.
Mr Gomez asked how often the tanks were inspected.
Mr Deal said the tanks are inspected daily by staff and monthly by the engineers.
Mr Gibson, the Long Island MP, is on trial alongside Mr Elwood Donaldson, Jr, the WSC’s former general manager, Joan Knowles, Peaches
Farquharson, and Jerome Missick.
He faces charges related to his tenure as WSC executive chairman, including allegations of failing to declare his interest in contracts awarded by the corporation.
The defence team consists of Mr Gomez, Mr Farquharson, Murrio Ducille, KC, Ian Cargill, Bryan Bastian, Ryan Eve, and Raphael Moxey.
The Crown’s legal team includes Ms Frazier, Karine MacVean, and others.
the lack of adequate facilities in police stations for private attorney-client communications. Mr Parker said the Bar Council would
Bar association president Kahlil parKer
adrian GiBson
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LEON E. H. DUPUCH
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RT HON EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON, C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B.
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The power of the vote in democracies
IF you are anything like the staff here at The Tribune, you spent last night watching the coverage from the US election.
It may not affect The Bahamas directly in terms of us having a vote – but the future of the US affects us directly in terms of our economy, the visitors coming our way, and a host of issues from ability to travel to tariffs we might have to pay.
So as we watch the microscopic detail of which way a particular county in North Carolina might vote, or why it’s so hard to tell until late in the day what Nevada’s vote will be, it is fascinating to watch.
There are some broad points to make, regardless of who the winner is – which at the time of writing is very much still up in the air.
First, vast amounts of money have been spent in this election cycle. The total election spending is predicted to be at least $15.9 billion.
Most remarkably, despite all that spending, looking at the results as they come in, the results are often only a point different here, a point different there.
All that money, and hardly any difference. It is impossible not to imagine how that money might have been spent in making a more substantial difference in the world than persuading a few people in battleground states.
Speaking of those battlegrounds, a huge amount of attention has been focused on those few states. So many states are taken for granted as voting one way or the other.
It might in some ways seem as if those other votes don’t matter – and yet, following the reporters on the ground, they
consistently heard from locations where a small increase in votes, such as in college campuses, could make a radical difference to the outcome.
That is perhaps the biggest thing to learn for our own electoral system.
Too often it can seem as if one vote might not make a difference – but it really can.
There have been many occasions in our own voting history where the difference between a candidate winning or losing has come down to a handful of votes.
That is what we should be focusing on as this election passes by and as we start to look towards our next election here in The Bahamas. We are on the road towards that vote – and our political parties will be looking to win your vote.
You will have the power to hire and fire – if you don’t like what they say, don’t give them your vote. If you don’t like what they have done, then show them the door.
There will be many promises. You should also judge parties on the promises they have made in the past – did they fulfill them or did they go by the wayside?
For those in opposition, take note of the things they are calling for right now – committees and inquiries, hold them to those demands. Make sure they appear in manifestos when the campaign trail begins, or they are not living up to their word.
So as we watch the campaign enthusiasm in our near neighbour, let us make sure we harness that energy for our own future. A few voices can make a difference. Use them.
Why is cost so high on GB airport?
EDITOR, The Tribune.
GRAND Bahama International Airport … did the powers simply decide to use a large sledge hammer rather than a more economic approach to rebuilding the terminal to a quality that it would be hurricane safe? Nothing wrong with the structure … remove soft metal sidings and install precast concrete slabs - floor to ceiling. The rest is internal restoration not $300 plus million, but maybe $100m. Our lucaya - Davis and
Co need to be honest… is there really a suitor? Seems they feed news stories to The Tribune then The Tribune publishes them and then eternal silence - nothing. Was there, as the speculation suggests, a five-star Vegas suitor for Our lucaya? Doubt it considerably as potentials for lucaya are not anything like profits that can be generated in Vegas and the new destination Dubai-UAE. Gladstone Road and Bahama Boulevard and University Drive
Picture of the day
Development wrong type of Exuma
EDITOR, The Tribune.
roundabout...remove the roundabout install traffic signals, solve the traffic mess not only for now for what will be doubled when they dual-carriage Gladstone … last thing you need on a wider Gladstone are roundabouts... have turning lanes, a middle lane north and south. Remember a high percentage of traffic are the 38 plus ft containers, possibility also use traffic signals turning lanes.
CLIVE PINDER Nassau, October 29, 2024.
KINDlY allow me space in your publication to express my concerns after attending the public consultation in Black Point, Exuma on Thursday, October 3, 2024 regarding the proposed development on east Sampson Cay. I have been a tour boat operator for over 13 years, having been inspired by my grandfather, who was a catamaran operator when I was a boy. The Exumas is the only home I know. I am an Exumian first, and a tour operator second. Exuma is what most would describe as having a boutique charm. It’s remote with a quiet sense of community. Its scarcity in development is what gives it its charm. That’s what attracts the tourist that comes here to the Exuma Cays. We’re not a market for a large, commercial resort. You have to do your research to know about Exuma to even think about coming here, and we like it like that. This is what the people who visit these islands like about the Exuma Cays.
A project of this proportion, with its potential economic and environmental effects is not a good match for the Exumas. It’s like driving a Rolls Royce in the streets of the Exuma Cays. An incredible display of engineering and design, the Rolls Royce should
be admired, but it simply does not work in this environment.
These concerns were shared during the public meeting, which I attended virtually, but I have yet to receive a response from the organizers. With about a few hundred people in attendance, the number of people that would be affected by this project is likely triple that number. The local tourism businesses, which represent about 85% of successful Exumians, are thriving because of the small, boutique feel of the area.
The project proposal calls for the dredging of two marinas and a service dock on the northern bay. The proposed northern marina and service dock present major concerns, especially with the scale of seabed dredging that they will require. Dredging those areas presents some serious effects on seagrass and the surrounding marine ecosystem. Within the seagrass is where conch and sea turtles feed and frequent, and so you threaten their life span. Dredging also can affect the local coral reefs, which would suffer irreparable damage, sedimentation, and complete destruction.
During the public meeting, it was said that the native trees would be removed from over 40% of the land and later replanted on other islands in the Exumas on a 3:1 scale. That just doesn’t make sense to me. This means that some native trees will be removed permanently. This includes mangroves, which are a nursery haven for young marine life and act as a protective barrier in the event of a surge due to a hurricane or other natural disaster. Alone, these factors may not seem like a big deal, but together, they are a big deal and threaten our environment.
The development seems to be contrary to what is the natural aura of the Exumas. This project may work for the larger, more developed Bahama Islands, but surely not for smaller islands.
I live here because of the simplicity of the area. I love to fish, catch conch, and enjoy the island and its blessings. We all are living here by choice. I’d hate to see a large scale of the environment destroyed in exchange for a development that, at present, seems to be widely missing the mark, both environmentally and economically.
KEIRAN MILLER, Co-owner of Staniel Cay Adventures November 3, 2024.
young girl holds a “Black Voters for Harris-Walz” sign outside of Democratic presidential nomi-
Harris’ election night watch party at Howard University, in Washington yesterday.
Photo: Terrance Williams/AP
BCCEC calls for increased police patrols downtown
By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
THE Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers’s Confederation (BCCEC) called on the police to increase patrols in all commercial areas after a downtown incident captured on camera.
Footage appeared to show two women running after a man downtown. One of the women fell while the other tried to stop the man from running away. However, the man jumped through a car window and drove off.
Police said the incident, which occurred around 2.30 pm on Sunday, was not an
armed robbery but a fare dispute between a taxi driver and a passenger. The dispute ended with the passenger being put out of the taxi.
The passenger received minor injuries and was treated by medical personnel. The taxi driver was taken into police custody and is assisting with the investigation.
The BCCEC inaccurately referred to the incident as a daytime robbery, adding that increased police patrols in all commercial areas would “protect members of the public visitors and businesses, especially as we approach the busy shopping and tourist season.”
Preschool owner charged with failing to pay NIB contributions
By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter
ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
A NURSERY and preschool owner plead not guilty to failing to pay over $15,000 in National Insurance Board contributions for the past five years.
Joycelyn Newbold of Bridgeway Nursery and Preschool allegedly failed to pay $15,181.29 for her employees from April 2018 to September 2023. She pleaded not guilty before Magistrate Shaka Seville, and her matter was adjourned to March 11, 2025. Meanwhile, Annette Saintill, trading as Green’s Goodwill Upholstery, was named as the employer who failed to pay National Insurance contributions for her employees, amounting to $893.65, within the prescribed time from July 2013 to September 2014. She told the court she plans to pay the balance by the first week of December. She is due back in court on December 10, 2024, for a report on the payment.
Americ A n m A n ple A ds guilty to A ss Ault while on cruise ship
By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
AN American man pleaded guilty to assaulting a cruise ship employee aboard the vessel.
Magistrate Shaka Seville warned and cautioned 22-year-old Deonte Dixon for assaulting assistant server Claudine Tonico on November 3, 2024.
The prosecutor reported that the victim said a darkskinned man approached her from behind in the staff area on one of the decks and pulled her waist, causing her to be fearful. When he asked her to accompany him, she refused, prompting him to walk away.
“Instances like these are particularly concerning as everyday Bahamians, the business community and tourists are exposed to such violence,” the chamber said. “To arrest this issue, the government needs to prioritize security and minimize the economic fallout for the country if crimes against tourists persist.”
The BCCEC also welcomed the opportunity to collaborate with the government through tourism and law enforcement by providing business mapping for heavily saturated areas and filtering the direct concerns from members concerning lighting, patrols, vagrants, blind spots and other safety issues.
He said: “So here it is, this person’s at work. Not a patron like yourself, a female at work, a place that’s supposed to be a safe environment for them, and then to have some person forcefully try to control their body’s movements.”
Mr Dixon said he was on the cruise with his girlfriend, his first visit to The Bahamas. He appeared in court alone and expressed remorse, stating that he was intoxicated and did not recall the incident or know the victim. He said this was his first arrest. The American said he is enlisted in the Navy and will begin boot camp in January. In his remarks, Magistrate Seville said the defendant cannot fully appreciate the situation as he is a man.
camera footage shows the altercation between a woman and taxi driver yesterday.
Dear survivor, I believe you
EVERY now and then, there is a story that takes over the news. It is a top story one day, and lingers in the main section, even if not on the front page, for a while. It pops up again when it becomes particularly relevant. It is discussed widely, and in public, by people with varying degrees of knowledge of the situation, but usually with strong opinions regardless of knowledge. People participating in commentary are confident and loud in their positions. They do not think about the consequences of being heard by the people in the news story or their loved ones, much less people in their own lives or in close physical proximity who relate to the story in a personal way. They do not view the affected people as human beings, making it easier to use them as fodder for uninformed conversations.
Much of the messaging in the media is to the general public. Some of it is directed to the government. There is not enough support, in word and deed, directed to survivors of gender-based violence. Today, in the aftermath of a high profile case and in the flurry of conversation about the US presidential election, my attention is specifically and exclusively on survivors.
Dear Survivor,
I believe you. I know that what you said happened is what happened. I know there are parts that you have forgotten — some that you would like to remember, and some that you are relieved to be rid of. Memory sometimes seems to fail us. Know that the brain has ways of protecting us. Trust that your brain and your body, in all that they are doing, are trying to protect you from further harm.
People may have said and may continue to say that you lied or exaggerated, and that is far from the truth. I know that we, survivors, often minimise when we recount what has happened to us. There are parts of our stories that we do not want to think about it, much less talk about. There are parts of our stories that we will only tell when we are ready. There are parts of our stories that no one else will ever know. Sometimes we have to keep something for ourselves, even when it is pain. You know the truth, and no one’s disbelief is more important than that. I know that you did nothing to cause the violence you experienced. People make hurtful comments, state assumptions as though they are facts, and forget that you are a real person who has experienced one of the most horrific acts of violence. It is tempting to read the news, to read the comments, and to see what people are saying, and it is usually best to avoid it all. I hope that you have someone you can rely on to monitor the news and the comments made, record them, and make them
By Alicia Wallace
available to you or the relevant people working with and for you if and when there is a time that may be useful. You do not need to do it alone.
I know that you are not and cannot be solely responsible for your healing. Even meeting your most basic needs can be difficult, and this is not a failing of yours. Lean on the people who love you. You may be inclined to push people away in this moment. Consider that you may actually need to let people in. Allow them to help you, whether by dropping off meals, helping with childcare, or sleeping in another room so you have privacy as well as someone to call on when you need support. Professional mental health support is important too. If you are able to access therapy, take the opportunity. You need a safe space to talk. It makes sense if you are disappointed with the people around you who did not do everything they could to prevent the violence you experienced. There may be people who could have warned you, but didn’t. There may be people who saw what was happening and did not take action. There may be people who could have stepped in, and they stayed on the sidelines. There may be people who could have supported you in material and immaterial ways, but they never made the offer. It is okay to be upset with them. It is okay to forgive them. It is okay if you cannot even contemplate forgiveness right now, or ever. It has to be in your own time, and it all depends on the way you process everything that has happened. You are entitled to your feelings, and you do not have to put mind over matter all of the time. You do not have to set anyone free from the consequences of their actions or inaction. You deserve to be free, even from the expectation that you be the “bigger person”.
I understand that you may be angry with people you have never met. I understand that you may be hurt because of things strangers have said about you, about your story, and about your actions toward justice. These almost-anonymous people are reckless in their commentary, and there is very little recourse for you. Your feelings, however, have a purpose. You know the difference between right and wrong. You know that what you experienced was wrong, and the way you are being treated by the people who seek to discredit you is wrong. You may not see a clear action to take as a result of your
feelings, but it is important to recognise them and your right to them.
Justice, Survivor, is not often had through the judicial system. In far too many cases, survivors are put on trial. It is we, the ones who were harmed, who are made to retell stories of violation, whose characters are called into question, and who are accused of trying to ruin the lives of violent people. It is exhausting, it is frustrating, and it is demoralizing to try to navigate systems that were not developed for our benefit at all. We are expected to fit into them and to take what we can get from them.
Your justice — and certainly your healing — will likely not come through a court case. It may be in knowing that you spoke the truth. That you did not take on the shame that belongs to the perpetrator. That you would not be quiet about what happened. That you said their name out loud. That you can share your story with other people. That you are the person someone else can call when they see the signs, when they are in trouble, when they want to know the way forward, when they need someone to stand with them against another person who thought they could get away with it. That you still know that you are a person, that you have rights, that you are whole, that there are many possibilities, and that you, above all else, can love and trust yourself fiercely.
It is difficult to participate in inhumane processes as human beings. This is not a statement on your character. The systems we live within are terribly flawed. We need more people and organizations to help people to navigate them, but more than that, we need to change them. This is not your job.
Your number one responsibility is to prioritize yourself and your healing, knowing that the road is long, and can be a bit easier with support. When you need help, please ask. If you did not get referrals when you reported, if you reported, reach out to nongovernmental organizations working in this area. You can always contact Equality Bahamas at equalitybahamas@gmail.com. We want you to win — not just a court case, but the struggle to stay in this life, to centre yourself, and to embrace the journey of healing. You deserve to be here just as much as anyone else. Your life has value. The world needs what you came here to deliver. Believe it as strongly and unreservedly as I believe you.
In Solidarity,
ALICIA WALLACE
A TV as big as a bed?
By ANNE D’INNOCENZIO
AP Retail Writer
FOR some television viewers, size apparently does matter.
Forget the 65-inch TVs that were considered bigger than average a decade ago. In time for the holidays, manufacturers and retailers are rolling out more XXL screens measuring more than 8 feet diagonally. That’s wider than a standard three-seat sofa or a king-size bed.
Supersize televisions only accounted for 1.7% of revenue from all TV set sales in the US during the first nine months of the year, according to market research firm Circana. But companies preparing for shoppers to go big for Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa have reason to think the growing ultra category will be a bright spot in an otherwise tepid television market, according to analysts.
The 38,100 televisions of at least 97 inches sold between January and September represented a tenfold increase from the same period last year, Circana said. Best Buy, the nation’s largest consumer electronics chain, doubled
the assortment of hefty TVs — the 19 models range in price from $2,000 to $25,000 — and introduced displays in roughly 70% of its stores.
“It’s really taken off this year,” Blake Hampton, Best Buy’s senior vice president of merchandising, said. Analysts credit the emerging demand to improved technology and much lower prices. So far this year, the average price for TVs spanning at least 97 inches was $3,113 compared to $6,662 last year, according to Circana. South Korean electronics manufacturer Samsung introduced its first 98-inch TV in 2019 with a hefty price tag of $99,000; it now has four versions starting at $4,000, the company said.
Anthony Ash, a 42-yearold owner of a wood pallet and recycling business, recently bought a 98-inch Sony for his 14,000-square-foot house in Bristol, Wisconsin. The device, which cost about $5,000 excluding installation fees, replaced an 85-inch TV in the great room off his kitchen. Ash now has 17 televisions at home and uses some to display digital art.
“We just saw that the price was affordable for
what we were looking for and thought, ‘Why not?’” he said of deciding to upsize to the Sony. “You get a better TV experience with a bigger TV. You’re sitting watching TV with a person on TV that is the same size as you. You can put yourself in the scene.”
The amount of time that many people spend staring at their cellphones and tablets, including to stream movies and TV shows, is another factor driving the growth of widescreen TV screens. Overall TV sales revenue fell 4%, while the number of units sold rose 1% from the January through September period, Circana said.
Most people only invest in a television every seven years, but when they do, they typically choose bigger ones, according to Rick Kowalski, the senior director of business intelligence at the Consumer Technology Association. In the past 15 years, the size of flatpanel TVs that were shipped to US retailers and dealers grew an average of one inch a year, Kowalski said.
The coronavirus pandemic accelerated the elongation trend as people spent more time at home. In fact, screen sizes increased
an average of two inches in both 2021 and 2022, and 85-inch TVs began gaining traction with consumers, Kowalski said. Shipments of 98-inch TVs to the US are picking up pace this year, and models as huge as 110-115 inches are on the market right now, he said.
“You get better resolution over time,” Kowalski said. “You get better picture quality. And so just over time, it’s easier to produce those sets and improve the technology.”
Best Buy’s Hampton said a benefit of a colossal TV is the viewer can watch multiple shows at once, an experience he described as “incredible”.
“If you’re watching YouTube TV content or ‘NFL Sunday Ticket,’ you can actually get four screens up, and that’s four 48-inch screens on it,” he said.
Manufacturers are also adding new features. Samsung said it designed its 98-inch lineup with a component that analyzes what the viewer is watching to increase sharpness and reduce visible noise across every scene.
James Fishler, senior vice president of the home entertainment division of Samsung’s US division, said
the way people watch TV and experience content is shifting.
“It’s even more so about watching TV as a shared experience,” Fishler said.
“They want to host a watch party and gather around their TV to watch the big game, or set up a cinematic movie experience right at home. “
Walmart, the nation’s largest retailer, its Sam’s Club division, and Chicago retailer Abt Electronics, also say they are expanding their TV ranges to meet customer demand for supersize screens.
TV industry experts say these monster TVs are beginning to encroach on home theater projectors, which create a 100- to 120inch image that is less sharp and require rooms with blackout curtains or without windows.
“A dedicated viewing room for watching movies was exclusively the purview of projectors,” Andrew Sivori, vice president in the entertainment division of LG Electronics, another Korean manufacturer. “But you can get a much better viewing experience with direct TV.”
Retailers and TV makers said the buyers trading up range from millennials
and members of Generation X to the tech-native Gen Z crowd. But as Jon Abt, co-president of Abt Electronics said, “It’s still a niche business.”
“A lot of people just don’t have the space to put one of those in,” he added. Before dreaming big for the holidays, shoppers therefore should make sure a 98-inch TV will fit. Best Buy said its Geek Squad team asks if stairwells and entry halls are large enough to accommodate delivery and installation. An augmented reality feature on the Best Buy app that allows customers to see if products are the right size has been especially helpful for XXL TVs, the retailer said.
But for those worried about having the space for viewing, the good news is that the recommended distance for a 98-inch TV is actually just 6-12 feet from the seating area. The rule of thumb is to multiple the diagonal length of the TV by 1.2 to determine the ideal viewing distance, Samsung’s Fishler said. If bigger is better in the TV department, how big can they go? “I think we’ll have to wait and see,” Fishler said.
APPLE SELLS $46 BILLION WORTH OF IPHONES OVER THE SUMMER AS AI HELPS END SLUMP
APPLE snapped out of a recent iPhone sales slump during its summer quarter, an early sign that its recent efforts to revive demand for its marquee product with an infusion of artificial intelligence are paying off. Sales of the iPhone totaled $46.22 billion for the July-September period, a 6% increase from the same time last year, according to Apple’s fiscal fourth-quarter report released Thursday. That improvement reversed two consecutive year-over-year declines in the iPhone’s quarterly sales. The iPhone boost helped Apple deliver total quarterly revenue and profit that exceeded the analyst
projections that sway investors, excluding a one-time charge of $10.2 billion to account for a recent European Union court decision that lumped the Cupertino, California, company with a huge bill for back taxes.
Apple earned $14.74 billion, or 97 cents per share, a 36% decrease from the same time last year. If not
for the one-time tax hit, Apple said it would have earned $1.64 per share — topping the $1.60 per share predicted by analysts, according to FactSet Research. Revenue rose 6% from last year to $94.93 billion, about $400 million more than analysts forecast.
But investors evidently were hoping for an even better quarter and appeared disappointed by an Apple forecast that implied its revenue for the October-December quarter covering the holiday shopping season might not grow as robustly as analysts envisioned. Apple’s stock price shed about 2% in Thursday’s extended trading, leaving the shares hovering around $221 — well below their peak of about $237 reached in mid-October.
The latest quarterly results captured the first few days that consumers were able to buy a new iPhone 16 line-up that included four different models designed to handle a variety of AI wizardry that the company is marketing as “Apple Intelligence.”
Photo: Richard Drew/AP
Early election takeaways: Trump weakens Democrats’ coalition
WASHINGTON Associated Press
EvEn with the outcome uncertain Tuesday night, the 2024 presidential election already has exposed the depths of a fractured nation as the candidates navigated political shifts based on class, race and age under the near-constant threat of misinformation and violence.
Early data suggests that Republican Donald Trump may benefit from some of the shifts more than Democrat Kamala Harris. And the Republican former president may have also benefited from frustrated voters’ focus on the economy.
The biggest conclusions from the election so far, however, may be the most obvious.
The United States is poised to elect either its first female president in Harris or its first president with a felony conviction in former president Trump, whose enduring political strength through chaos — much of it his own making — has carried few political costs so far.
With votes still being counted across the country, here are some early takeaways:
With modest shifts, Trump weakens the Democrats’ coalition
Black voters — men and women — have been the bedrock of the Democratic Party, and Democrats have had a strong pull for Latino voters. It’s been the same with young voters.
But preliminary data from AP voteCast, an expansive survey of more than 115,000 voters nationwide, suggested that the groups shifted in Trump’s direction. voters under age 30 represent a fraction of the total electorate, but about half of them supported Harris. That’s compared to the roughly 6 in 10 who backed Biden in 2020.
Slightly more than 4 in 10 young voters went for Trump, up from about one-third in 2020.
Another shift that emerged was among Black and Latino voters, who appeared slightly less likely to support Harris than they were to back Biden four years ago, according to AP voteCast.
About 8 in 10 Black voters backed Harris, down from the roughly 9 in 10 who backed Biden. More than half of Hispanic voters supported Harris, but that was down slightly from the roughly 6 in 10 who backed Biden in 2020. Trump’s support among those groups appeared to rise slightly
compared to 2020.
Trump boasted throughout the fall that he would get more support from Black men and Latino men than he had before.
Harris, meanwhile, went after more educated voters — including moderate Republicans — repelled by Trump.
It may turn out that the Trump era is not a permanent realignment of the major party coalitions. But it’s clear that old coalitions and longstanding understandings of how to win the White House simply do not apply with Trump in the mix.
A new president will take charge of a nation with deep fissures
Whether Trump or Harris ends up behind the Resolute Desk, the 47th president will lead a nation with deepening political and cultural fissures and a worried electorate.
AP voteCast found that about 4 in 10 voters considered the economy and jobs the most important problem facing the country. Roughly 2 in 10 voters said the top issue is immigration, an anchor of Trump’s argument, and about 1 in 10 picked abortion, a pillar of Harris’ campaign.
In a reminder of just how unusual this election has been, about 1 in 4 Trump voters said the assassination attempts against him were the most important factor in their vote. But when asked what most influenced their vote, about half of voters cited the future of democracy. That was higher than the share who answered the same way about inflation, immigration or abortion
policy. And it crosses over the two major parties: About two-thirds of Harris voters and about a third of Trump voters said the future of democracy was the most important factor in their votes.
That’s not surprising given the realities of the Trump era and the rhetoric of the campaign.
Trump refused to acknowledge his 2020 defeat and watched his supporters ransack the US Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, as Congress convened to certify Democrat Joe Biden’s victory. Trump even mused two days before Election Day that he “shouldn’t have left” the White House after repeatedly promising retribution to his political enemies.
Harris, by the end of the campaign, joined other critics — including some of Trump’s former White House chief of staff — in describing the former president as a “fascist.” Trump, meanwhile, labelled Harris a “fascist” and a “communist.” Trump’s criminal baggage not an issue for many voters
Incomplete returns show that Donald Trump’s criminal convictions, additional pending indictments and any concerns over his most incendiary rhetoric simply were not a sufficient concern to keep tens of millions of Americans from voting for him. According to AP voteCast, slightly more than half of voters said Harris has the moral character to be president, compared to about 4 in 10 who said that about Trump. It’s quite possible, as Trump has said
many times on the campaign trail, that his legal peril actually helped him.
As it stands, Trump may never actually face sentencing in a new York business fraud case in which he was convicted of 34 felonies. For now, his sentencing is scheduled for later this month.
He’s already had one federal indictment in Florida dismissed, sparing him from a trial on whether he flouted US law on protecting national security secrets. And he’s made clear he would use his power as president to spike the federal case against him for his role in the Jan. 6 attack on the
US Capitol. That would leave a Georgia racketeering case pending against Trump and others accused of trying to subvert the 2020 election result.
Relatively few voters said Trump’s legal cases was a major factor in their decision-making this election. Only about a quarter of Trump voters said the legal cases involving Trump were an important factor.
Mars and Venus:
Abortion, ‘bro’ politics illuminate gender voting differences
It was the first presidential election after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and ended a woman’s national right to terminate a pregnancy. It was also the first time that a Republican presidential candidate overly courted males with a hypermasculine approach.
Both Harris’ and Trump’s advisers expected a historic “gender gap” between the two candidates, with women making up a clear majority of Harris’ supporters and men providing the clear majority of Trump’s total.
But about half of women backed Harris, while about half of men went for Trump, according to AP voteCast. That appears largely consistent with the shares for Biden and Trump in 2020.
voteCast found that about 1 in 10 voters said abortion is the top issue facing the country, reinforcing the newfound salience of an issue that barely registered for voters four years ago.
About one-quarter of voters said that abortion
policy was the single most important factor for their vote, while close to half said it was an important factor, but not the most important.
Questions about ‘election integrity’ persist — thanks to misinformation
Trump spent the closing days of the election aggressively promoting baseless claims about the integrity of the election, insisting that would lose only if Democrats cheat. not long after, he claimed on social media, without evidence, that there was “a lot of talk about massive CHEATInG in Philadelphia.”
There is no credible information pointing to significant fraud in this election — or the last one, despite Trump’s claims to the contrary. A broad coalition of top government and industry officials, many of them Republicans, found that the 2020 election was the “most secure” in American history.”
At the same time, a misinformation campaign promoting false instances of election fraud is spreading online.
The FBI on Tuesday issued a statement highlighting two examples of its name and insignia being misused in electionrelated videos. One of them featured a fabricated press release alleges that the management of five prisons in Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Arizona rigged inmate voting and colluded with a political party.
“This video is also not authentic, and its contents are false,” the FBI said.
Howard University students watch live election results during a watch party near an election night event for Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris at Howard University in
Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024.
Photo: Nathan Howard/AP
republicaN presidential nominee former President Donald Trump visits his campaign headquarters, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla.
Photo: evan Vucci/AP
democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris phone banks with volunteers at the DNC headquarters on Election Day, yesterday in Washington.
Photo: Jacquelyn martin/AP
VJ Edgecombe makes collegiate debut
By TENAJH SWEETING Tribune Sports Reporter tsweeting@tribunemedia.net
BIMINI native Valdez
“VJ” Edgecombe Jr finally made his collegiate debut with the Baylor Bears last night and is already making rounds on social media for a monster dunk he threw down against the no. 6 Gonzaga Bulldogs at the Spokane Arena in Spokane, Washington.
The no 8 ranked Baylor Bears struggled offensively
against the Bulldogs and lost 101-63. Edgecombe, one of ESPN’s Top 5 prospects, logged 29 minutes in the game and posted 4 points, seven rebounds and two blocks. He shot 2-for-11 from the field and 0-for-3 from deep. Baylor struggled to get their offence going in the opening half of the game. They missed their first five shot attempts and were shooting 36.2 per cent from the field going into the
second half.
“VJ” scored his first points with the Baylor Bears at the 2:08 mark of the first half. He made a layup off an assist from Robert Wright III to shift the score to 42-28.
The Bulldogs were comfortably ahead 49-30 at the end of the first half.
The Bears chipped away at Gonzaga’s lead in the second half and shaved the deficit down to 13 (59-46) at the 13:34 mark.
The Bulldogs then put
together a 24-4 run in the
second half to shut down any chances of a Baylor comeback.
Before the game ended, Edgcombe posterized guard Joe Few, the son of Gonzaga coach Mark Few.
“VJ” got ahead in the open court and received an assist from Josh Ojianwuna and nearly jumped over Few for a thunderous finish with 1:41 remaining in the game.
His dunk was one of the bright spots in what was otherwise a tough loss for
Baylor. It was the biggest win margin in Bulldogs history over a top-10 opponent. Nolan Hickman led Gonzaga with 17 points and Norchad Omier paced the Bears with 15 points and nine rebounds. Gonzaga benefited greatly from sharpshooting.
The team converted 57.1 per cent of their field goals while Baylor shot 37.1 per cent for the game. The Bulldogs also made 41.9 per cent of their threes
while holding Baylor to 14.3 per cent shooting from deep.
The Bulldogs also bullied Baylor on the glass, outrebounding their opponents 45-32.
Baylor will return to action on Saturday night at 7:30pm versus the no.16 ranked Arkansas. Edgecombe and the Bears will compete at the Baha Mar Hoops Championship later this month from November 21-22 at the Baha Mar Resort.
PRINCE STRACHAN CATCHES FIRST TD, MIKE STRACHAN MAKES NFL PRACTICE SQUAD
By TENAJH SWEETING
Tribune Sports Reporter
tsweeting@tribunemedia.net
BAHAMIAN wide receiver
Prince Strachan caught his first touchdown of the season over the weekend for the Boise State University Broncos.
The Broncos pulled off a decisive 56-24 victory against San Diego State University (SDSU) Aztecs on Friday at the Alberstone Stadium in Boise, Idaho.
The no 12 ranked Boise State had a dominant showing early on and pulled ahead to a 21-0 lead following a play where Danny O’Neil launched a 35-yard pick six to cornerback A’Marion McCoy in the first quarter.
The Broncos scored another touchdown on their third offensive drive of the game this time thanks to Strachan.
Broncos quarterback Maddux Madsen threw a 14-yard touchdown pass that went to wide receiver Strachan on a crossing route.
The Aztecs defence showed up and got their first stop of the game late in the first half. Marquez Cooper got a six-yard rushing touchdown to shave the lead down to 28-10.
Boise State did not let up and scored another touchdown with just 22 seconds remaining in the half. The drive wrapped up with a touchdown pass to LaTrell Caples that gave the Broncos a commanding 35-10 lead at halftime.
The Broncos continued to run up the score on the Aztecs in the second half. Ashton Jeanty scored a four-yard rushing touchdown to push the Boise State lead to 42-10.
The game was a foregone conclusion at this point.
Strachan completed the game with four catches in 49 yards along with a touchdown.
He has 15 catches for 187 yards and one touchdown this season.
The Broncos improved to a 7-1 win/loss record and 4-0 record in the Mountain West Conference.
In other football news, Strachan’s older brother Michael Strachan found a new National Football League (NFL) home.
He was signed to the Washington Commanders’ practice squad in late October.
Strachan, 27, played 54 preseason snaps for the Carolina Panthers before being waived by the team back in August. He finished his preseason stint with one catch for seven yards. The Bahamian NFL wide receiver was called up to the Panthers 53-man roster last year after he was elevated and caught a big pass in their game versus the Chicago Bears.
He caught a career-long 45-yard reception from Bryce Young in his former team’s 16-13 loss against the Bears.
The former seventh round draft pick has picked up six career receptions for 130 yards since being drafted in 2021.
BAYLOR guard VJ Edgecombe controls the ball during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Gonzaga on Monday in Spokane, Washington.
Photo: Young Kwak/AP
BOISE State wide receiver Prince Strachan (17) pushes off UNLV defensive back Jett Elad (9) during the second half of an NCAA college football game on Friday, October 25, in Las Vegas.
Photo: Sam Morris/AP
BAHAMAS BOWL WEEKLY NOTES
Each week, the Bahamas Bowl will spotlight college football players and teams from Conference USA and the MidAmerican Conference. This will provide insight into the programs that are vying for a spot in the Bahamas Bowl on January 4, 2025, at Thomas A Robinson National Stadium in Nassau.
C-USA
Jacksonville State remained unbeaten in conference play with a 31-14 win over defending C-USA champion Liberty.
The Gamecocks will play in their first ever bowl game after the season.
Florida International wide receiver Eric Rivers set a school record with 295 receiving yards in a 34-13 win over New Mexico State. Rivers also scored three touchdowns.
MAC
Toledo became bowl eligible with a 29-28 win at Eastern Michigan, rallying from a 19-7 deficit after three quarters. The Rockets played in the 2018 Bahamas Bowl.
Buffalo running back Al-Jay Henderson had 18 carries for 107 yards and a touchdown in a 41-31 win over Akron. Henderson also caught three passes for 22 yards.
By DAVE SKRETTA
AP Sports Writer
THE entirety of the Kansas City Chiefs’ season at the midway point could be summed up by their performance Monday night against Tampa Bay.
They had their miscues, their turnovers, their blown tackles on defence, and they allowed a team they were expected to beat easily hang around to the end of regulation.
Then they won anyway.
The Buccaneers gave Patrick Mahomes and Co one more chance in overtime, after they elected to kick the PAT and tie the game after their touchdown with 27 seconds left, and the Chiefs promptly scored a TD of their own for a 30-24 victory.
That improved the Chiefs to 8-0, making them just the sixth defending Super Bowl champion to reach that mark unbeaten, and they have done it by the slimmest of margins. Kansas
City is winning by an average of 7.0 points per game, the smallest margin of victory by nearly half a point of the 41 teams in NFL history that have won their first eight games.
The previous low was 7.4 points, set by the Colts in 2006. They went on to win the Super Bowl.
“Against a team with an offence like that,” Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield said, “you can only give them so many chances.”
More specifically, you can only give Mahomes so many chances. The two-time NFL MVP had played a pedestrian first seven games, throwing a pick in each of them. But with threetime All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins suddenly at his disposal, courtesy of a trade with the Titans, Mahomes was back to slinging the ball all over the field. He threw for 291 yards and three TDs against the Bucs, with
Hopkins getting two of them.
“Pat and I just out there making plays,” Hopkins said afterward. Just as he’s done so many times with so many wide receivers.
Indeed, Mahomes looked like his vintage self against Tampa Bay, rallying the Chiefs on two long fourth-quarter TD drives to take the lead with 4:17 to go, despite playing on a sore ankle. And when Mayfield and the Bucs forced overtime with their touchdown in the final minute, Mahomes was 5 for 5 in the extra session, setting up Kareem Hunt’s winning touchdown plunge.
Mahomes improved to 47-19 in games decided by a touchdown or less, including playoffs. The only QB better with at least 30 games on his resume is Daryle Lamonica, who went 24-5-6 during a 12-year career with Buffalo and Oakland.
Yet Mahomes is the first to point out that all those wins are a team effort. The Chiefs defense continues to be one of the best in the NFL, especially against the run, while Hunt’s arrival has allowed them to keep some semblance of offensive balance.
The result has been a perfect start to their pursuit of an unprecedented third straight Super Bowl title.
What’s working The Chiefs’ passing game has finally hit its stride, thanks largely to Hopkins, who had eight catches for 86 yards in only his second game with Kansas City. Even when he wasn’t catching passes Monday night, the Buccaneers were forced to pay attention to him, and that freed up Travis Kelce to catch 14 passes — his most in a regular-season game — for 100 yards.
What needs help
The Chiefs have struggled all season to cover
Chiefs reach 8-0 with nail-biter
tight ends, beginning in Week 1 with Baltimore’s Isaiah Likely right through Tampa Bay’s Cade Otton on Monday night. Otton finished with eight catches for 77 yards and a touchdown.
Stock up Chiefs cornerback Chris Roland-Wallace has quietly excelled when pressed into duty following an injury to Jaylen Watson that will sideline him for the rest of the season. Nazeeh Johnson also has been missing while in the concussion protocol.
Stock down The Chiefs expected firstround pick Xavier Worthy to be a bit boom-or-bust as a rookie, and lately the speedster has been more bust than boom. He carried twice for minus-10 yards and failed to catch either of his targets against Tampa Bay. Worthy has only had more than three catches or eclipsed 47 yards receiving once through the first eight games.
Injuries Mahomes tweaked his ankle against Tampa Bay but finished the game, and WR Mecole Hardman (shoulder), DE George Karlaftis (hip) and DE Turk Wharton (right knee) also played through minor injuries. The Chiefs hope to get Johnson back this week, while it is beginning to look promising that RB Isiah Pacheco (fractured fibulas) could return at some point this season.
Key number 30 — The Chiefs, once known for their prolific offense, scored 30 points on Monday night — albeit needing overtime to do it — for the first time since beating the Raiders 31-17 on Nov. 26, 2023.
Next steps The Chiefs get a rare noon kickoff at Arrowhead Stadium when they play the AFC West-rival Denver Broncos next Sunday.
JETS TRADE WIDE RECEIVER MIKE WILLIAMS TO STEELERS
MIKE Williams struggled to establish a rapport with Aaron Rodgers on the New York Jets.
The Pittsburgh Steelers think the veteran wide receiver will fit in just fine with Russell Wilson and their offense.
The teams announced Tuesday that the Jets agreed to trade Williams to the Steelers for a fifthround pick in next year’s draft, pending a physical.
Williams struggled with production and building an on-field connection with Rodgers in his first season with New York. He became expendable when the Jets acquired Davante Adams from Las Vegas last month.
Williams, who signed a one-year, $10 million contract with New York in the offseason as a free agent, had just 12 catches for 166 yards in nine games with the Jets. He had only a 6-yard reception on just
two targets in his last two games. He heads from the scuffling Jets (3-6) to the first-place Steelers (6-2), who have been searching for a complement to top wideout George Pickens for months.
“Mike’s a good guy,” Rodgers said during his weekly appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” just as news of the trade was being reported. “He’ll be good in that locker room. ... He’s had a nice career, and sometimes a change of scenery is great for certain guys. It was great for me to kind of get re-enthused and stuff.
“We kind of knew with Davante coming in, there would be less targets for everybody.”
The addition of Williams also gives the Steelers a big red zone target for Wilson, along with Pickens and tight end Pat Freiermuth. While Van Jefferson and Calvin
Austin III have seen their production tick up since Wilson returned after missing the first six games with a calf injury, both lack Williams’ size and his resume.
“If this gives Mike more opportunities, that’s awesome,” Rodgers said. “We wish Mike well.”
The 6-foot-4 Williams spent his first seven NFL seasons with the Chargers, for whom he caught 309 passes for 4,806 yards and 31 touchdowns. He tore the ACL in his right knee in Week 3 last year and missed the rest of the season. The Jets brought Williams along slowly throughout the offseason and in training camp, but he never seemed to click with Rodgers when he got onto the field.
“Mike’s a quiet guy, just kind of goes about his business,” Rodgers said. “Mike had a rough injury last year, an ACL. That’s tough to come back from and he worked his (butt) off all last
season. He wasn’t around for a lot of training camp and was working on the side. But I felt like he was getting better throughout the early part of the season. I felt like his speed was getting better and starting to feel more comfortable with it.”
In New York’s 23-20 loss to Buffalo on Oct. 14, Rodgers threw to Williams during the final few minutes — but was intercepted when Taron Johnson intercepted the pass that was short of Williams and sealed the loss for the Jets. Rodgers later said Williams ran the wrong route. The wide receiver said he wasn’t bothered by the quarterback’s criticism and said the two spoke about it. But Williams then became the subject of trade rumors, especially after he sat out the first two days of practice that week with what the Jets said were “personal reasons.”
Six days after New York’s loss to Buffalo, Williams caught a 15-yard pass in a 37-15 loss in Pittsburgh. And now he’ll be playing for those Steelers. Pittsburgh has been looking for another outside receiver to put opposite Pickens since the team traded Diontae Johnson to Carolina in the offseason. The Steelers missed out on Brandon Aiyuk — who opted to remain in San Francisco — and couldn’t land Adams or DeAndre Hopkins when both became available.
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin acknowledged the team was looking to upgrade its roster in general for the stretch run, but also made it a point to acknowledge the rise in the quality of play of Austin and Jefferson.
“I just feel like we have a group that’s hardworking and capable and can’t wait to show the football world
those capabilities,” Tomlin said Tuesday shortly before the trade. “And every time we step into a stadium, they get an opportunity to do so. And you seen some examples of it already.”
Just not enough to resist the chance to bring in Williams for a relatively low cost.
The move actually leaves the Jets a bit short-handed at wide receiver. New York still has starters Adams and Garrett Wilson, along with backups Xavier Gipson, special teamer Irvin Charles and rookie Malachi Corley, who had his first NFL touchdown run overturned last Thursday night against Houston when he dropped the ball before he crossed the goal line.
Allen Lazard, who had 30 receptions for
KANSAS City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes walks off the field after a win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in overtime of an NFL football gameon Monday in Kansas City. Photo: Charlie Riedel/AP
Commanders acquire 4-time Pro Bowler Lattimore from the Saints
By STEPHEN WHYNO AP Sports Writer
SURPRISE buyers at the NFL trade deadline, the Washington Commanders made a major splash Tuesday by acquiring fourtime Pro Bowl cornerback Marshon Lattimore from the New Orleans Saints.
Washington sent third-, fourth- and sixth-round picks in the 2025 draft to New Orleans and got a
fifth back along with Lattimore, pending him passing a physical.
Lattimore, 28, provides an instant upgrade on defense for the Commanders, who are off to a 7-2 start to the season and looked to add to augment their unexpected playoff aspirations. He should start alongside Benjamin St-Juste and rookie Mike Sainristil at cornerback in a secondary that also includes
impressive safeties Jeremy Chinn and Quan Martin. Trading Lattimore is the latest shakeup for the Saints after firing coach Dennis Allen following a seventh consecutive loss that dropped them to 2-7.
The 2017 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year has been dogged by hamstring injuries that caused him to miss games and was the subject of trade rumors for quite some time.
Lattimore has not allowed a touchdown to be scored on him in coverage since 2021, a strength that makes up for having just two interceptions over that time. His restructured contract made him a low-cost addition for Washington, and he has no guaranteed money remaining.
First-year general manager Adam Peters also did not have to give up many assets the organization did
not already have when he was hired in January. Peters got a third-round pick from Philadelphia in the August trade that sent receiver Jahan Dotson to the Eagles, and the sixth going to the Saints is their own from acquiring defensive tackle John Ridgeway from the Commanders just before the start of the season.
Lattimore also gives Peters and coach Dan Quinn options with young
struggling cornerback Emmanuel Forbes, who did not play a snap Sunday at the New York Giants. Forbes, a 2023 first-round pick a year after Dotson in a succession of draft mistakes by Ron Rivera’s previous regime, has been benched multiple times as a pro. To make room on the roster for Lattimore, the Commanders released defensive end Efe Obada.
OREGON GETS TOP BILLING IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF’S OPENING RANKINGS
By EDDIE PELLS AP National Writer
A SEASON full of surprises didn’t produce many when the first set of rankings on the road to college football’s new 12-team playoff came out Tuesday.
Undefeated Oregon got top billing. The selection committee liked Ohio State just a touch more than Georgia in its top 25 — the first of six weekly polls the committee will put out.
Other than that, the panel’s top 12 looked exactly like the top dozen in the most recent AP poll, which has been shaken up almost weekly thanks to a bundle of upsets that left the mighty SEC, of all conferences, without a single undefeated team.
The near mirror image of AP and the College Football Playoff polls meant Alabama, despite its two losses, would be in the bracket at No 11 if it came out this week, as would Boise State, the leader of the Mountain West Conference, which came in at No. 12 and would earn an automatic spot as the fifth-best conference champion.
“The summary is, Boise State is an impressive team,” said Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel, who serves as chair of the selection committee.
would look like based on this week’s rankings ESPN is paying billions to televise these games, so it got exclusive rights to the bracket reveal, filling the show with analysis and lots of references to “America finally finding out” — a nod to the opening rankings being released on election night. The network chose to fill in the bracket as it went along, which made things a little confusing —
in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl. No. 11 Alabama at No. 5 Texas: Longhorns win over ‘Bama in 2023 punctured myth of Tide invincibility. No. 10 Notre Dame at No. 7 Penn State: Feels like we need Keith Jackson for this one. Anyone remember the 1992 Snow Bowl? No. 9 Indiana at No. 8 Tennessee: Hoosiers entry to the big-time (football) would come in front of 100,000 on Rocky Top.
“We’re splitting hairs as far as looking at two great teams,” Manuel said. The rankings will come out each week through Dec 8, when the final list will decide the bracket for the playoffs. Those start Dec. 20-21, with the 5-12 seeds in action at the better seed’s
Maunel explained Ohio State was ranked No 2 because its only loss came by one point to Oregon. Both the Buckeyes and third-ranked Bulldogs were rated ahead of undefeated Miami most likely thanks to strength of schedules that were much tougher than that of the ‘Canes, who were ranked fourth.
home field, and close with the national title game in Atlanta on Jan 20. The rankings don’t directly correlate to where the teams would fall in the bracket. The four best-ranked conference champions receive first-round byes, which according to this ranking would belong to Oregon (ranked 1), Georgia (3),
Miami (4) and BYU (9).
The committee chose Alabama over a handful of one-loss teams, but the Tide’s strength of schedule clearly helped them leap over teams like No. 13 SMU (ACC), No. 17 Iowa State (Big 12) and No. 18 Pitt (ACC), who play in weaker conferences.
The rest of the teams in the fictional first-week
bracket and their rankings: No. 5 Texas, No. 6 Penn State, No. 7 Tennessee, No. 8 Indiana and No. 10 Notre Dame. First team out was No. 13 SMU while Army, with an 8-0 record and leading the American Athletic Conference, barely squeaked into the rankings at No. 25.
What first-round matchups
What will change after this week? LSU is ranked 15 and hosts Alabama on Saturday in what feels like an elimination game for the loser. Also this week, Georgia plays at No. 17 Ole Miss; the Rebels two losses have both come by a field goal — to Kentucky and LSU. Indiana hosts Michigan and is favored by 12 1/2, barreling toward a Nov. 23 matchup against Ohio State.
NEW Orleans Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore warms up before an NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers in New Orleans in September.
Photo: Gerald Herbert/AP
Photo: Jose Juarez/AP
Real Madrid, Man City both suffer humiliation in Champions League
By CIARÁN FAHEY
AP Sports Writer
EUROPEAN heavyweights Real Madrid and Manchester City both suffered big defeats in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Defending champion Madrid was humbled 3-1 at home by AC Milan, while Erling Haaland missed a penalty and City squandered a fourth-minute lead as it lost 4-1 at Sporting Lisbon, whose coach will soon take charge of its crosstown rival.
It was a much better evening for Liverpool, as Luis Diaz scored a hat trick and Cody Gakpo grabbed another goal in a 4-0 win over German champion Bayer Leverkusen at Anfield that marred Xabi Alonso’s return to his old home.
The Leverkusen coach was given a warm welcome on his return to the club where he became a fan favorite as a player over five seasons between 2004-09. Alonso won the Champions League with Liverpool in 2005.
Liverpool moved top of the league phase table with four wins from four games, followed by Sporting and Monaco, both on 10 points after three wins and a draw. Under the new 36-team format introduced by UEFA this season, the top eight teams advance directly to the next round, and those from ninth to 24th enter playoffs to reach it, while the bottom 12 are eliminated.
Amorim’s audition
Before their game, Sporting fans displayed a huge tifo thanking Rúben Amorim in his last home game before he takes over Manchester United.
Phil Foden then got City off to a flying start in the fourth minute, only the second goal Sporting has conceded in four games of the competition. But Swedish forward
Viktor Gyökeres scored a hat trick as Sporting came roaring back. Gyökeres first equalized in the 38th after a perfect through ball from Geovany Quenda, before Maximiliano Araújo made it 2-1 right after the break. Gyökeres then made it 3-1 from the penalty spot after Joško Gvardiol was penalized for a shove on Francisco Trincão in the area. Haaland’s penalty hit the crossbar, before Gyökeres showed the Norwegian how it’s done with another spot kick at the other end to complete the scoring. It is the first time since 2018 that City has lost three straight games, coming off a
defeat to Tottenham in the English League Cup and a loss to Bournemouth in the Premier League.
“In my seven and a half years at the club, I don’t remember losing three games in a row,” City midfielder Bernardo Silva said.
Madrid faltering In Spain, Christian Pulisic sent in a corner for Malick Thiaw to head Milan into a 12th-minute lead, ensuring Madrid trailed in a third straight game in the Champions League this season. The 15-time champion had already lost to surprise team Lille in their second game.
Vinícius Júnior
equalized from the penalty spot in the 23rd after he’d been tripped, but Álvaro Morata pounced on the rebound after Andriy Lunin saved Rafael Leão’s shot to restore the visitors’ lead against his former club.
Morata had already been given a hostile reception from the home fans, who evidently remember the goal he scored to take Juventus through to the 2015 final at their team’s expense.
Tijjani Reijnders scored Milan’s third goal as the home fans made their frustrations known at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.
“The last two defeats are
inexplicable. We have to analyze and react quickly,” Lunin said, referring to Madrid’s 4-0 loss to Barcelona in its previous Spanish league game. It’s the first time since 2009 that Madrid has lost two successive games at home with at least three goals conceded in each, according to Opta. “We have to get back on track,” Lunin said.
Other results German forward Nicolas Kühn scored twice as Celtic defeated Leipzig 3-1 at home, and Juventus drew 1-1 at Lille. Lille midfielder Edon Zhegrova eluded two
AC MILAN’S Alvaro Morata celebrates after scoring his side’s 2nd goal against Real Madrid during the Champions League opening phase soccer match at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain.
Photo: Manu Fernandez/AP
SPORTING players toss coach Ruben Amorim into the air during the UEFA Champions League opening phase soccer
match between Sporting and Manchester City in Lisbon, Portugal.
Photo: Armando Franca/AP
‘Nonsensical’ for CCA to declare bankruptcy
such a scenario would materialise. “I think it’s inconceivable that a company ultimately owned by the Chinese state would ever declare bankruptcy,” he reiterated to Tribune Business. “That would be like the Water & Sewerage Corporation or Bahamas Power & Light or Bahamasair declaring bankruptcy.
“It would be just inconceivable that a corporation, company or entity owned by the state would ever consider taking such a move. I find it incredibly difficult to believe a company ultimately owned by the Chinese state would ever consider declaring bankruptcy. I’m sure that it would be the first time it has ever happened.”
Suggesting that a CCA insolvency would have wider ramifications by undermining global
confidence in doing business with Chinese state-owned firms, Mr D’Aguilar said: “I would find it very odd and truly ground breaking if the Chinese state were to allow one of its entities to declare bankruptcy or Chapter 11. “It’s nonsensical to think that a company that is ultimately owned by the Chinese state would declare bankruptcy. It’s inconceivable that would ever be the consideration. Obviously, the huge embarrassment and loss of credibility that those companies would endure would be significant.
“No. They want to appeal, and in the US you can only appeal if you can afford to. They are saying they clearly cannot afford to appeal so settle and see where the number is at, then talk to your parent and see what can be done. This matter needs to be settled,” Mr D’Aguilar continued.
“I would encourage them, as I did last week, to settle... and as they were encouraged to do. They should have done it when Judge Andrew Borrok strenuously encouraged both parties to settle. Anyway, it is what it is.”
CCA moved rapidly to secure its injunction because it was unable to obtain the near-$2bn bond required by New York State Supreme Court rules to gain an “automatic stay” of any judgment it issues. Branding the sum awarded against it as “breathtaking”, CCA alleged that the damages handed to Mr Izmirlian are “several times’ the combined value” of itself and its affiliates.
A surety bond broker, used by CCA as an expert witness, besides asserting that there is “no ability” to use the two Bahamian resorts as collateral for the security demanded by the
Gov’t urged: ‘Come clean’ on $133.4m spending hike FROM PAGE A20
near-doubling of the Government’s July 2024 payments for goods and services to $69.3m from $36.5m, is likely to fuel Opposition charges that it deferred paying bills due to private sector vendors until after the 2023-2024 fiscal year closed on June 30 to enable it to meet its deficit projections.
“I believe that is the right question to ask,” Mr Thompson told Tribune Business. “The Government must come clean with respect to their payments in August and July. The Government must come clean, they must be transparent and detail what the real spending situation is. That is the relevant question to ask the Government, and they must come clean.”
The east Grand Bahama MP urged Bahamians to compare the Government’s spending during July and August 2024 with that incurred during prior years.
“All you would need to do is look at the spending patterns that took place last year and compare how in the world the Government could have spent $130m
more in those two months than they spent last year,” he added. “That’s completely unacceptable and warrants further explanation.” Simon Wilson, the Ministry of Finance’s financial secretary, could not be reached for comment despite several Tribune Business attempts by telephone, while Michael Halkitis, minister of economic affairs, did not respond to this newspaper’s request for comment before press time.
However, one fiscal observer, speaking on condition of anonymity, yesterday said he was in no doubt that the higher July and August deficits were at least partially due to the Government paying down on arrears owed to its goods and services suppliers that had been deferred from 2023-2024 to enable it to meet that year’s revised deficit targets.
Asserting that the Government has never traditionally incurred the expenditure reported for July and August 2024, they said: “That means they trailed the spending over from the end of last year to preserve that deficit
number. The question for the Government is: Does this represent items presented before the end of the 2023-2024 Budget year?
“This is shifting numbers over [from the prior fiscal year]. At the beginning of the fiscal year spending is always slow because the agencies are just ramping up. The Government would not incur that level of expenditure in the first couple of months. It just would not happen.”
The Davis administration’s recurrent, or fixed-cost, spending for the two months through endAugust 2024 represented a 21.5 percent year-overyear increase, rising by $93.6m from $435.2m to hit $528.8m in 2024-2025. And it was an almost-$100m increase compared to the recurrent expenditure for the two months through end-August 2022. The Government’s capital expenditure for the first two months of 2024-2025 has also risen sharply, leaping 86.7 percent from $46m in the prior year to $85.9m. The latter figure is a tripling of the $27.5m in capital expenditure generated in 2022-2023.
New York court also argued that financiers will shy away from Bahamas-based assets due to perceived challenges with enforcing agreements and potentially having to deal with this nation’s court system.
Mark Goodman, an attorney with CCA’s US attorneys, Debevoise & Plimpton, in a November 1, 2024, affidavit alleged: “Defendants are ongoing businesses facing a judgment that is several times their combined value even under the most optimistic assumptions. The judgment is far more than any defendant could possibly satisfy.”
Describing CCA as a New Jersey-based construction company whose primary asset is the equity ownership stakes it holds in its subsidiaries, Mr Goodman sought to portray the contractor and its affiliates as having minimal worth.
This is also not the first time that suspicions have been voiced that the Government is holding back on its accounts payables and debts owed to vendors, resulting in a build-up of arrears, to ensure it meets fiscal forecasts. Similar charges were levied after the 2023-2024 deficit came in relatively close to its $131.1m target at $186.7m.
Dr Duane Sands, the FNM’s chairman, complained then that deferred payments would spill over into the current 20242025 period and future fiscal years as the Government’s cash-based accounting system only captures expenditure when payments are incurred - not when bills are received and commitments incurred that have to be paid in future.
However, the Government’s fiscal performance for July and August are not necessarily an indicator of how the full 2024-2025 fiscal year will pan out. Due to the cyclical nature of the Budget cycle, the first half of the year - from July 1 to end-December - has traditionally always been weaker and a period when the Government - regardless of which party was in poweroften incurs heavy deficits.
These are then slashed by the revenue-rich first four months of the calendar year, which coincides with the winter tourism season high
He added that China State Construction and Engineering Corporation (Bahamas) was merely a Bahamian special purpose vehicle (SPV) “that has no meaningful assets” after it lost its $150m preference share investment when Baha Mar was liquidated, while its $248m counterclaim against Mr Izmirlian was last month dismissed by the New York court. As for CCA’s own Bahamian subsidiary, CCA Bahamas, he added that its “principal assets are its ownership interests in two subsidiaries, which together own and operate two hotels in Nassau, Bahamas, and no surety firm would accept its assets as a form of collateral on a supersedeas bond”. “Absent a stay of enforcement, some or all of the defendants may be forced to file for bankruptcy in the US or initiate liquidation proceedings in
and peak economic activity as well as the payment of Business Licence fees, the bulk of real property taxes, and commercial vehicle licensing in March. Thus it is too early to write-off the Government’s chances of hitting its $69.8m full-year deficit target.
Mr Thompson, meanwhile, declined to comment on the net $104m increase in Central Bank advances to the Government to help finance its deficit spending during the first two months of 2024-2025. During that period, the central Government’s direct portion of the national debt increased by $323.4m as it also obtained $216.2m in foreign currency bank loans.
However, he argued that the figures showed “spending is spiralling out of control with no accountability. A moderate rise in revenue is utterly meaningless when overshadowed by an 18.4 percent explosion in spending. This resulted in a staggering $70.1m deficit in August 2024 alone, a significant leap from the $31.7m deficit in the same period last year.
“July 2024 saw a similarly alarming deficit of $59.2m, fuelled by a shocking 34.9 percent increase in spending. The Government seems to have forgotten that every dollar they squander comes directly from the pockets of
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The Bahamas,” Mr Goodman added. “In this case, bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings would harm not only defendants but non-parties as well.
“The two hotels CCA Bahamas owns employ hundreds of people. And CCA provides shared services, including communications, accounting, information technology and other general administration services, to non-party affiliates engaged in ongoing construction projects.
“Defendants have diligently sought to avoid this outcome. They approached several bonding companies, but none were willing to provide a bond in any amount. A discretionary stay of enforcement is the only means by which defendants can preserve their assets while pursuing their right to appeal.”
hardworking Bahamians,” Mr Thompson asserted.
“Where is this money going? It is completely unacceptable that, in two months - July and August 2024 - you have increased spending by over $130m over the same period last year. This government has a responsibility to be accountable to the people. Instead, they offer us a blank cheque and demand blind trust.”
The Ministry of Finance, detailing the July 2024 performance, said: “The $297.3m in recurrent outlays for the month represented an increase of 25.8 percent ($61m) from the corresponding period in the prior year. Outlays for the use of goods and services expanded by $32.8m to $69.3m. Public debt interest payments were higher by $12.8m at $64.7m. Other transfers rose by $12m to $33.4m.”
As for August 2024, it added: “Recurrent expenditure, which represented 83.1 percent of the total outlays at $278.7m, was 14.8 percent ($29.8m) above the spending in the comparable period of the prior year. The key factor underlying this outcome was the $18.4m boost in other payments associated with transfers to public entities and government personal insurance premiums.
“Subsidies registered a gain of 27.3 percent ($7.5m) to $35.1m, primarily explained by increased transfers to state-owned enterprises (SOEs). Outlays for the use of goods and services grew by 15.1 percent ($6m) to $45.4m. Personal emoluments at $74.6m registered a gain of 6.3 percent ($4.4m), which was primarily explained by recent salary-related increases.”
TOP VEGAS STRIP OWNER IN ATLANTIS NEGOTIATIONS
FROM PAGE A20
to non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), confirmed that the REIT - which was created in October 2017 when it was spun off from Caesars Entertainment as part of the latter’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganisation - is the Atlantis front-runner.
While emphasising that no deal has been reached, and there is no guarantee one will be sealed, they added that the current proposal’s structure would see VICI follow its existing model by acquiring and taking over Atlantis’s physical buildings and real estate assets.
They said the plan also involves Brookfield, which in common with VICI is principally an asset manager/investor in real estate, remaining involved as a management/operating
partner for Atlantis. This would be something of a departure from Brookfield’s existing business model, though, and several contacts have already argued it would be better for The Bahamas to have an established mega resort operator involved.
It is also unclear whether the $382m investment mentioned by the Central Bank, details for which were obtained from the Bahamas Investment Authority (BIA), the Government agency charged with processing all major projects, is a prelude to a much wider partnership with Brookfield and involvement by VICI. Atlantis was said to have a $2.5bn price tag in September 2023 when Brookfield formally started seeking bids.
Stephen Melvin, chair of Higgs & Johnson’s real
Abaco resort concern over slower bookings
FROM PAGE A20
Abaco’s utilities would improve the business environment for resorts on the island. “Making it easier to do business here would be great for all of us,” said Ms McIntosh. “The power has been going off and on here again. I don’t know why. It’s not like it’s from the load. There’s not a large demand right now. The marina is practically empty.”
Looking forward to attracting new clients, Ms McIntosh recently participated in a the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show in with other marina owners and the Ministry of Tourism.
She said the experience was a “smart business decision” as both the Ministry of Tourism’s booths had a considerable amount of traffic. Attendees were extremely interested in Family Island destinations, especially Abaco, Exuma and Eleuthera.
“Most of the people that come to that boat show didn’t ask much about Nassau; they all are coming and asking about the Family Islands, Exuma, Eleuthera or Abaco. Abaco is very popular with the Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach boat shows,” said Ms McIntosh.
“The Ministry of Tourism staff there really did a good job. They were proactive. We pay to be in those booths and they gave good service, made you feel like they were helping out and they had good knowledge. We had two different booths at the show and they both got a lot of traffic. It was a big show and it was definitely worth going. It was expensive but I think it was a smart thing to do and it will prove to be good for us.”
Ms McIntosh said while there was some boater interest in the southern Bahamas islands it was concentrated among persons that are seeking more adventurous destinations and are more flexible, as provisions can be harder to access.
“There was some interest in the southern islands but it seems like there’s a certain group that goes there. They have to be a little more adventurous,” she explained.
“The beauty of those southern islands is what draws people there. It’s just a little harder. You have to be a little more flexible to take what comes and figure it out. Sometimes you plan on this and then, oops, they don’t have milk in the store or something like that.”
NOTICE
Rover Assets Corporation
In Voluntary Liquidation
Notice is hereby given that in accordance with Section 138(4) of the International Business Companies Act. 2000, Rover Assets Corporation is in dissolution as of October 30, 2024.
International Liquidator Services Ltd. situated at 3rd Floor Whitfield Tower, 4792 Coney Drive, Belize City, Belize is the Liquidator.
L I Q U I D A T O R
RICOLA PROPERTIES LIMITED (IN VOLUNTARY LIQUIDATION) Company No. 72039
NOTICE is hereby given pursuant to section 204, subsection 1 (b) of the BVI Business Companies Act, 2004 that the Company is in Voluntary Liquidation. The Voluntary Liquidation commenced on 24th October 2024. The Liquidator is Myron Walwyn of Travers Thorp Alberga, 2nd Floor Jayla Place, P.O. Box 216, Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands, VG1110.
Dated 24th October 2024
(Sgd) Myron Walwyn Voluntary Liquidator
estate and development practice group, and who is understood to be VICI’s Bahamas legal representative, did no respond to Tribune Business phone calls and messages seeking comment before press time last night. Atlantis representatives did not respond to requests for comment either, while a Brookfield spokesperson also declined to comment.
Documents on VICI’s website suggest it potentially may be a good fit for Atlantis from a real estate ownership perspective. The Paradise Island mega resort appears well-aligned with its business model, which includes 54 gaming properties featuring a combined 124 million square feet of space and more than 60,000 hotel rooms. Operations include four million square feet of casino, and seven
million square feet of convention, space. VICI, on its website, describes itself as owning “one of the largest portfolios of market-leading gaming, hospitality and entertainment destinations, including Caesars Palace Las Vegas, MGM Grand and the Venetian Resort Las Vegas, three of the most iconic entertainment facilities on the Las Vegas Strip”.
It added: “VICI Properties owns 93 experiential assets across a geographically-diverse portfolio consisting of 54 gaming properties and 39 other experiential properties across the US and Canada. The portfolio is comprised of approximately 127 million square feet and features approximately 60,300 hotel rooms and over 500 restaurants,
‘THE FIRST STEP’: LOAN REQUESTS REBOUND TO PRE-COVID VOLUME
FROM PAGE A20
many potential borrowers have increased confidence in their ability to qualify for credit, he reiterated that this optimism did not necessarily translate into approvals as there could be “some legacy issues” with past delinquencies, for example, that candidates must first resolve.
While not trying “to put a wet blanket” over the Central Bank report’s findings, Mr Bowe said the “size and quantum” of loans being disbursed is another critical factor. “Is the amount being disbursed comparable to pre-COVID?” he asked.
“I know the answer: Absolutely not.
“In consumer loans up to the end of August this year, growth from January 1 was about $74.8m. That’s certainly positive in that regard. However, when we say there was a contraction in the overall loan portfolio of banks of $500m from the beginning of COVID to about 2023, and if you’re growing back at $120m a year, that will take about four to five years which is not inconsistent with what we disclosed in our [Fidelity’s] annual report...
“It’s not to dampen the enthusiasm, because I think it’s exactly right for us to be optimistic because we are seeing a reversal of these trends.” While the Bahamian banking industry’s commercial loan book has
expanded by $90m year-todate through August 2024, and its overall portfolio has expanded by $116m, Mr Bowe said there has been “contraction” in both mortgage lending and credit to the Government.
“If we are saying total loans contracted by $500m, and we only got back $120m, even though the final quarter may see some additional growth and we may possibly get to $150m a year, that’s still three-and-a-half years to get back,” he told Tribune Business
“We should take the optimism and confidence of borrowers. That’s the first step. We must then consider if they are meeting the credit criteria, and that will be a bit tighter given the experience in COVID and prior to COVID with the 2008-2009 recession, and then see if the disbursements are panning out.
“Is there growth there? Yes. Is there growth in consumer and commercial loans? Yes. Is there growth in government lending and mortgages? No, there’s contraction. Is there overall growth? Yes. Is that at the pace where it will rebound in one to two years? No, it will be three to four years with that growth.”
Mr Bowe said the commercial banking industry’s total outstanding mortgage loan book has narrowly contracted by $1.5m for 2024 to-date, even though the Central Bank’s lending
NOTICE
PIER MANAGEMENT LTD.
Incorporated under the International Business Companies Act, 2000 of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. Registration number 210060 B (In Voluntary Liquidation)
Notice is hereby given that the above-named Company is in dissolution, commencing on the 1ST day of November A.D. 2024.
Articles of Dissolution have been duly registered by the Registrar. The Liquidator is Mr. Alexandre Zen, whose address is Joao Bauer, 142 Centro, Brusque – Santa Catarina, CEP: 88350-075, Brazil. Any Persons having a Claim against the above-named Company are required on or before the 1st day of December A.D. 2024 to send their names, addresses and particulars of their debts or claims to the Liquidator of the Company, or in default thereof they may be excluded from the benefit of any distribution made before such claim is proved.
Dated this 1st day of November A.D. 2024.
ALEXANDRE ZEN LIQUIDATOR
bars, nightclubs and sports books. “Its properties are occupied by industry-leading gaming, leisure and hospitality operators under long-term, triple-net lease agreements...... VICI Properties’ goal is to create the highest quality, and most productive, experiential real estate portfolio through a strategy of partnering with the highest quality experiential place makers and operators.”
VICI’s just released 2024 third quarter results reveal that for the three months to end-September 2024 it generated $964.7m in revenues and profits of $733m. The latter represented a 31.7 percent, or $176.6m, yearover-year increase, and VICI is projecting it will generate between $2.36bn and $2.37bn in adjusted funds from operation
conditions survey disclosed that the approval rate for such credit rose by 22 percentage points to 54.3 percent for the first six months of the year.
The approval rate rose despite a 25.5 percent yearover-year reduction in demand for mortgage loans based on a lower volume of applications. “You have less people applying but a greater percentage being approved,” Mr Bowe added. “Is it because only prime borrowers are borrowing so approval rates are going higher?
“It’s not appropriate to disaggregate applications from approvals and disbursements. They are all related if you want to understand the environment. You want to understand the contraction in applications. Does that mean discouraged mortgage applicants are not submitting? If there is a higher percentage being approved, does that mean less applicants and a greater percentage being approved because they ate better borrowers?”
Mr Bowe said the reduced industry mortgage book meant this element of its lending portfolio is not growing, with institutions “running to stand still” as new loans replace those that have been paid off or amortised. “Over the first half of 2024, respondent banks received 793 residential mortgage applications; constituting 98.3 percent of the total mortgage applications received,” the Central Bank survey said.
“Residential mortgage applications decreased further by 25.5 percent, year-on-year, following the 7.6 percent decline a year earlier. Reductions were documented for all three major categories: New construction (49.1 percent), rehabilitations and additions (23.8 percent) and existing dwellings (8.7 percent).
“Of the applications received, financing sought against existing residential dwellings represented 41.4 percent of mortgage demand, while rehabilitations and additions and mortgages for new construction accounted for 38.8 percent and 18.1 percent, respectively. Moreover, commercial financing applications constituted just 1.7 percent of requests.”
The Central Bank added: “Analysis by island revealed that mortgage applications processed in New Providence fell by 29.3 percent, and in the Family Islands
(AFFO) during the 2024 calendar year. Brookfield has been seeking an Atlantis exit for some time but several bidding processes and efforts to find a buyer have failed to bear fruit. Observers have repeatedly suggested this is because Brookfield is seeking too high a price, especially given that Atlantis is a relatively old property compared to Baha Mar and capital investment/maintenance has been deferred, although this has not been confirmed.
The Toronto-headquartered asset manager took over Atlantis in late 2011 as part of a debt-forequity swap that saw previous owner, Kerzner International, transferred ownership of the resort in a restructuring that saw Brookfield forgive $175m worth of debt in return.
by 36.8 percent. In contrast, demand increased in Grand Bahama by 13.2 percent.
“Nevertheless, total mortgage applications recorded an approval rate of 54.3 percent in the first half of 2024, an increase of 22.1 percentage points vis-à-vis the same period last year. Specifically, the approval rate for renovation projects was 10.2 percent, while support for new construction and existing dwellings requests were 63.7 percent and 91.6 percent, respectively. Further, commercial mortgages registered an approvals rate of 50 percent.”
As for consumer loans, which accounted for 91.7 percent of all credit applications, the Central Bank revealed that 24 percent - close to one in four submissions - was for purposes of debt consolidation. And, of the 9.2 percent of consumer loan requests that were rejected, nearly 53 percent of these denials were for low credit scores and poor risk assessments. High debt service ratios accounted for more than one in four rejections.
“Requests grew by 10 percent year-on-year on account of growth in applications received from New Providence (13.6 percent) and the Family Islands (9.3 percent). Conversely, demand from Grand Bahama reduced by 12.3 percent,” the Central Bank said.
“Of the 15,691 consumer loan applications received, requests were mainly for ‘other’ miscellaneous purposes (26.1 percent), consolidation of debt (24 percent), credit cards (21.7 percent) and travel (11.8 percent). Categorised by component, lending requests showed gains for debt consolidation by 31.5 percent and land purchases by 27.4 percent.
“In the same trend, demand rose for ‘other’ miscellaneous purposes (26.4 percent) and credit cards (17.2 percent). In contrast, applications reduced for commercial vehicles (84.9 percent), education (43.3 percent), home improvements (41.5 percent) and medical (41 percent),” it added.
“Further declines were recorded for furnishings and appliances by 13.2 percent, travel, by 9.9 percent and private cars by 2.1 percent. Meanwhile, the number of applications received for taxis and rented cars registered a flat outturn.”
NOTICE
Bela Idea Ltd.
Incorporated under the International Business Companies Act, 2000 of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. Registration number 204273 B (In Voluntary Liquidation)
Notice is hereby given that the above-named Company is in dissolution, commencing on the 1st day of November A.D. 2024.
Articles of Dissolution have been duly registered by the Registrar. The Liquidator is Mrs. Carolina Machado Teixeira, whose address is Alameda Cedro Vermelho 229, Residencial Damha II, CEP: 79046-006, MS, Brazil. Any Persons having a Claim against the above-named Company are required on or before the 1st day of December A.D. 2024 to send their names, addresses and particulars of their debts or claims to the Liquidator of the Company, or in default thereof they may be excluded from the benefit of any distribution made before such claim is proved.
Dated this 1st day of November A.D. 2024.
CAROLINA MACHADO TEIXEIRA LIQUIDATOR
Bay Street taxi fight ‘not armed robbery’
By FAY SIMMONS
BAHAMIAN businesses yesterday called for a greater police presence in commercial areas ahead of the upcoming season after a visitor suffered “minor injuries” in a dispute with a taxi driver.
The Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation (BCCEC) made the call after a 30-second video, seemingly taken from a nearby security camera, captured the Sunday afternoon altercation between the driver and his passengers. It took place in the middle of Bay Street at just after 3pm on November 3,
2024, before a mixed crowd of tourists and locals.
The driver is seen apparently attempting to flee, and get away from, two female passengers who are pursuing him after all get out of the taxi. Both women seem to trip, and fall down in the middle of Bay Street just where the road straightens out after going around the British Colonial, with bags and cell phones scattered in the street.
The driver jumps through an open window to get back in the taxi and drives off as one of the women attempts to hang on to the moving vehicle. She is eventually forced to release her grip and falls in the road for a second time, giving up the pursuit and returning to retrieve her belongings
NOTICE
to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 30th day of October, 2024 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
NOTICE is hereby given that QUARTUS PATERSON, Fox Hill, Nassau, Bahamas, applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 6th day of November, 2024 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
with the help of several onlookers.
Reacting to the video, which was widely circulated on social media, the BCCEC urged the police to increase its presence in tourist and busy commercial areas to ensure The Bahamas does not suffer an “economic fall-out” due to incidents involving visitors.
“The BCCEC has watched with deep concern the video depicting an apparent brazen daytime robbery in downtown Nassau, and calls on the police to increase patrols in all commercial areas to protect members of the public, visitors and businesses, especially as we approach the busy shopping and tourist season,” it added.
“Instances like these are particularly concerning as everyday Bahamians, the business community and tourists are exposed. To arrest this issue, the Government needs to prioritise security and minimise the economic fall-out for the country if incidents against tourists persist.
“BCCEC welcomes the opportunity to collaborate with the Government through tourism and law enforcement by providing business mapping for heavily-saturated areas and filtering the direct concerns from our members/the business community relative to lighting, patrols, vagrants, blind spots and other aspects that can impede the safety of the shopping public.”
The Royal Bahamas Police Force, however, said the video did not depict a robbery but, rather, a “fare dispute” between the taxi driver and his passengers. And Wesley Ferguson, president of the Bahamas Taxi Cab Union (BTCU), while confirming to Tribune Business that the man in the footage is a taxi driver argued that he - rather than the two women - was the actual victim in the incident.
Mr Ferguson explained that the taxi driver had completed his tour with the two cruise ship passengers when an argument erupted over where they should be dropped-off to return to the vessel docked in Nassau Cruise Port. He said the duo requested he drop them off at a specific location and, when he told them he was unable to do so at that location, they attacked him.
Mr Ferguson defended the driver’s actions as “selfdefence” and said he had to get away from the passengers to prevent them or himself from being injured.
“He had to get away. When it comes to defending yourself, I don’t care who it is; whether it’s a tourist, a police officer or a priest, you have to defend yourself. Self-preservation is the point,” the union chief said.
He added that police officers were “dismissive”
of the taxi driver’s complaints and chose not to file charges against the cruise passengers in relation to the incident. “The police was dismissive to him. They were disregarding what he had to say,” said Mr Ferguson.
“There were no charges pressed against them, but the police never took any statements from eye witnesses because there were some people who were there and went to the station, and they basically kind of shrugged it off.”
The Royal Bahamas Police Force, in a statement, said: “The police wish to inform the public that they are aware of a video circulating on various social media platforms claiming that an armed robbery occurred within the city of Nassau.
“Police wish to advise that the incident, which occurred around 2.30 pm on Sunday, November 3, 2024, was not an armed robbery but a fare dispute between a taxi driver and a passenger, which resulted in the passenger being put out of the taxi.”
The statement said the passenger received “minor injuries” and was given medical treatment, while the taxi driver was taken into custody and is assisting with the investigation.
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that SHERLANDA JOSEPH, Cumberland Place, Nassau, The Bahamas, applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 25th day of October, 2024 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
NAD UNVEILS PLANS FOR UP TO $8.5M SOLAR BUILD-OUT
LYNDEN Pindling International Airport’s (LPIA) operator will tomorrow unveil plans to invest up to $8.5m in a solar energy project it hopes to start constructing by fall 2025.
The Nassau Airport Development Company (NAD), in a statement, said it will share the proposal for solar power integration at LPIA during the Ministry of Energy and Transport’s energy summit.
Kevin McDonald, NAD’s vicepresident of engineering and maintenance, will join a panel discussion as part of the event’s theme, ‘Accelerating The Bahamas’ energy transition through innovation and strategic partnerships’. He will discuss NAD’s path to sustainable energy solutions, specifically the development of a scalable solar power system at LPIA.
“Solar energy is an essential part of our vision for a more resilient and sustainable LPIA,” said Mr McDonald. “This upcoming project allows us to harness our natural resources, stabilise energy costs and reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, which is increasingly important as The Bahamas navigates energy challenges and looks towards a greener future.”
LPIA’s solar project will rollout through the three stages of design, procurement and implementation. NAD currently has an open bidding process for the engineering and design phase on the Government’s procurement portal.
It added that the project is expected to begin at one MW and could expand to as much as 3.4 MW pending government approvals and regulatory changes. The estimated cost of the phased project ranges from $2.5m for one
MW up to $8.5m for 3.4
MW.
The project will be developed at a greenfield site located off the roundabout by the Shell gas station and airport police station.
NAD said the grid-tied system will require collaboration with Bahamas Power & Light (BPL) to ensure seamless integration into the existing energy infrastructure. The project is also contingent upon the support of key stakeholders, including the Ministry of Energy and Transport and Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA).
The airport operator said transitioning a major energy consumer such as LPIA to sustainable solar power could provide the platform for a major shift that addresses New Providence’s current power supply challenges while meeting the airport’s operational needs.
“Collaborating with government, regulators and utility
providers is essential to scaling this initiative,” added Mr McDonald. “As legislation and infrastructure evolve, we can create a reliable, renewable energy source that
KEVIN MCDONALD,
Airport Development Company’s vice-president of engineering and maintenance, will speak at tomorrow’s Ministry of Energy and Transport summit.
benefits the airport and wider Bahamian community.”
NAD initially began exploring solar options in 2017, though plans were delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Construction is now projected to begin by fall 2025, moving LPIA closer to achieving a sustainable, reliable energy supply that can better support the airport’s needs during peak operating hours, while also positioning The Bahamas at the forefront of renewable energy adoption in the Caribbean.
Travel event set to showcase Bahamas’ ‘frontrunner’ status
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor
THE Ministry of Tour-
ism’s director-general is leading the Bahamian delegation at a three-day global travel trade show in
London that is due to end tomorrow.
Latia Duncombe is heading this nation’s presence at World Travel Market (WTM), which is being held at London’s ExCel from November 5-7. The event draws around 4,000 exhibitors from 135 nations and regions, and the Ministry of
Tourism said its participation underscores the need to position The Bahamas as a leading choice for travellers as visitor numbers to the country hit record highs.
“Attending the World Travel Market 2024 allows us to amplify The Bahamas’ position as a frontrunner
in the tourism industry,” said Mrs Duncombe. “Our success in achieving record visitor arrivals reflects our commitment to delivering world class experiences across our islands.
“This year, we aim to deepen partnerships, highlight the unique beauty and culture of our destination, and share our vision for continued innovation and sustainable growth as we look ahead to an even stronger 2025.”
With travel demand for The Bahamas’ 16 island destinations growing, the Ministry of Tourism said its team will use World Travel Market to negotiate new contracts and provide updates on new developments in The Bahamas. It will also, in 2025, celebrate 50 years of the Ministry of Tourism’s award-winning people- to-people programme, which fosters connections between visitors and locals.
MARINE FORECAST
Top Vegas Strip owner in Atlantis negotiations
By NEIL HARTNELL
Business Editor
THE multi-billion dollar owner of iconic Las Vegas mega resorts such as Caesars Palace, MGM Grand and the Venetian is exploring a deal for Paradise Island’s Atlantis resort.
Tribune Business can reveal that VICI Properties, a New York headquartered real estate investment trust (REIT) that owns 93 resort, gaming and hospitality assets spread across the US and Canada, is in talks with Atlantis’
current owner, Brookfield Asset Management, although the two parties have yet to reach agreement on a sale or how the potential deal may look.
VICI, which owns the physical real estate assets at all its properties, then leases them back to resort and gaming operators such as Caesars Entertainment, MGM Resorts International and Venetian Las Vegas, was identified as the new potential partner for Atlantis and Brookfield in the Central Bank of The Bahamas’ latest quarterly economic report.
That document, which contains a section on recently-approved foreign direct investment (FDI) projects, revealed: “VICI Properties and Brookfield were approved for a $382m project on September 10, 2024, in the hospitality sector.”
While Atlantis was not identified, the Paradise Island mega resort is the only Bahamas-based asset that Brookfield is involved with.
Subsequent checks with wellplaced sources, who only spoke on condition of anonymity given that all persons involved with the VICI negotiations are signed
Gov’t urged: ‘Come clean’ on $133.4m spending hike
By NEIL HARTNELL
THE Opposition’s finance spokesman yesterday demanded that “the Government must come clean” over the $133.4m spending jump that drove a near ten-fold deficit surge for the two months to August.
Kwasi Thompson, hitting out after the Davis administration revealed the outcome for the first two months of the 2024-2025 fiscal year, told Tribune Business that “the right question to ask” is whether the 27.7 percent year-overyear spending increase and hugely-expanded deficit have resulted from the Government delaying payment of debts owed to its
By NEIL HARTNELL
A KEY Sarkis Izmirlian ally yesterday reiterated it would be “nonsensical” and “ground breaking” for Baha Mar’s contractor and its affiliates to declare bankruptcy as protection against his $1.642bn damages award.
Dionisio D’Aguilar, who sat on Baha Mar’s Board under the original developer, told Tribune Business it was “inconceivable” that a Chinese state-owned company such as China Construction America (CCA) Bahamas and its affiliates would ever make such a move given the embarrassment to Beijing as well as potential loss of confidence in doing business with its corporate entities.
• Deficit for first two months leaps almost ten-fold to $129m
• Opposition raises suspicions over vendor payment deferral
• Revenues increase modestly as debt jumps by $323.4m
vendors so it could meet the prior year’s targets. The combined $129.3m deficit incurred for the two months through August is 85.3 percent, or $59.5m, higher than the $69.8m that the Government is targeting for the full 12-month fiscal year that closes at end-June 2025. And it is also means that the Government has incurred more ‘red ink’ during the initial two months of the 20242025 fiscal year than it did
Renewing his call for CCA to “settle”, rather than appeal the original New York State Supreme Court verdict, he spoke as Mr Izmirlian and the latter’s BML Properties vehicle yesterday voiced their opposition to the construction firm’s efforts to “stay” enforcement of the judgment on the basis that it has “already avoided
during the first four in the prior year.
The expanded deficit, which measures by how much the Government’s spending exceeds its revenue income, was generated despite a modest 3.7 percent increase in revenue for the first two months of the 2024-2025 fiscal year. Total revenue rose by $17.4m year-over-year, rising from $467.9m in 2023-2024 to $485.3m this time around.
answering for its wrongdoings for a decade”.
“BML Properties is opposed to CCA’s attempts to delay any enforcement in this case pending the outcome of the appeal, which could take years, without proper bonding or satisfactory guarantee,” they said. “CCA has avoided answering for its wrongdoings for a decade.
“However, BML Properties emphasises that it stands willing to work constructively with CCA and its parent company, China State Construction and Engineering Corporation, to reach a mutually satisfactory resolution.”
Mr Izmirlian hit back after CCA, on Monday, obtained an “emergency stay” that temporarily prevents him from enforcing the $1.642bn damages award against the stateowned entity.
• MGM Grand, Caesars owner exploring potential deal
• Central Bank names VICI in $382m Brookfield tie-up
• No agreement yet, but would take over PI real estate
The deficit, which grew almost ten-fold from the $13.2m incurred during the first two months of the prior 2023-2024 fiscal year when the Government actually ran an $18.3m surplus for July, was entirely driven by a surge in total spending which hit $614.6m compared to $481.2m for the previous 12 months. And the Government’s debt also rose by $323.4m during the first two months of the 20242025 fiscal year.
The expenditure increase, especially the 89.8 percent rise or
SEE PAGE A16
However, the injunction is to be “expedited” for a full hearing before the New York State Supreme Court’s appeal divisionmeaning that it may yet be overturned. If it is not in place, CCA has warned it will become insolvent and could be forced to place itself and its affiliates into bankruptcy in the US as well as liquidation in The Bahamas.
The latter, should it come to pass, would negatively impact the two Bahamian resorts - the British Colonial and Margaritaville Beach Resort (The Pointe) - that represent CCA’s two most valuable assets. This, CCA has warned, could put the “hundreds of jobs” reliant on both resorts in peril.
Mr D’Aguilar, though, voiced scepticism that
Abaco resort concern over slower bookings
By FAY SIMMONS Tribune Business
AN Abaco resort yesterday voiced concern over slower forward bookings even though revenues year-to-date are up 7 percent on a record-breaking 2023. Molly McIntosh, the Bluff House Beach Resort and Marina’s proprietor, speculated that the slower forward bookings could be due to last night’s US presidential election or recent rough weather which has made it difficult for freight boats and yachts to dock in Abaco. “2024 has been a good year for Bluff House. We’re up about 7 percent overall in revenue from 2023 and we’ve still got a little more way to go, but we’re not seeing the forward bookings that we
were seeing this time last year,” said Ms McIntosh. “I don’t know if it’s because of the election and people waiting to see who wins or what happens there in the United States, because that’s where most of our tourists come from, or if it’s a combination of the weather and the election. By January we’ll know, because that is when we get a lot of reservations for the year.”
Ms McIntosh said despite slower forward bookings she has a positive outlook and is confident the year will end strong and 2025 will be “great”. “I have a positive outlook. I think the last part of the year is going to be good, and I think 2025 is going to be great,” she said. The Bluff House chief said improving the ease of doing business and
‘The first step’: Loan requests rebound to pre-COVID volume
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
RESTORING credit applications to pre-COVID volumes is just “the first step” to reversing the $500m pandemic-driven cut in the Bahamian commercial banking industry’s loan book, a senior executive said yesterday.
Gowon Bowe, the Clearing Banks Association’s (CBA) chairman, told Tribune Business that while the return of loan applications to their highest levels since the 2020 first quarter signals greater borrower confidence it has to be viewed against how much the total bank credit market shrunk in the three years prior to 2023.
With the industry’s total outstanding loan portfolio having shrunk by around half a billion dollars during that period, he explained that renewed credit growth averaging around $120m to $150m per annum means it will take between threeand-a-half to four years to recover the ground lost to COVID. Based on that timescale, Bahamian commercial banks will only fully rebuild the portfolios they had by around 2026.
Mr Bowe, also Fidelity Bank (Bahamas) chief executive, spoke after the Central Bank’s lending conditions survey for
the 2024 first half suggested an improving credit market with the number of approved applications having increased by 15.1 percent to 13,764 compared to the prior year period. This made for an approval rating of 80.4 percent. Loan applications received increased by 7.7 percent year-over-year to 17,118 for the six months to end-June 2024, the Central Bank found, while so-called “loan denials” fell by 37.4 percent when measure against the same period in June 2023. Mr Bowe, though, emphasised that the credit marketloan applications, approvals and disbursements - must be viewed in its entirety to gain a full understanding of its health.
Describing the increased loan applications as “a positive trend”, and a sign that
KWASI THOMPSON
ATLANTIS RESORT AND CASINO
GOWON BOWE