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Volume: 120 No.213, November 7, 2023

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THE RACE IS ON Five nominated to contest by-election

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net THE by-election for West Grand Bahama and Bimini will be contested by five people after nomination day yesterday – with the countdown now on to voting on November 22.

The five candidates are Free National Movement candidate Bishop Ricardo Grant, Progressive Liberal Party candidate Kingsley Smith, Coalition of Independents candidate Lincoln Bain, and two independent candidates, Terneille Burrows and DaQuan Swain.

SEE PAGE TWO, THREE and FOUR

PICTURED: PLP candidate Kingsley Smith (left) and FNM candidate Ricardo Grant (right) hold their receipts on nomination day. Also nominating were COI’s Lincoln Bain and independant candidates Terneille Burrows and DaQuan Swain.

Photo: Vandyke Hepburn

KOOL ACRES DEMOLITION BEGINS Cornish pleads not guilty to charges PM SAID LYNES IN WAKE OF SHANTY TOWN BLAZE of rape, assault and death threats ‘doesn’t have my support’ FOR CHAIRMAN

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

AS the demolition crews moved into Kool Acres shanty town yesterday, resident Souvenance Similien watched, hoping to reclaim the abandoned car he calls home.

The unemployed 30-yearold told the media that the

vehicle in which he lived was amid the debris of the site – which was hit by a fire on Saturday ahead of the demolition beginning yesterday.

For the Ministry of Works crews, it was one shanty town down, one more to go, as demolition of Kool Acres began yesterday and SEE PAGE FIVE

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

NORTH Abaco MP Kirk Cornish yesterday denied accusations that he raped, assaulted and threatened to kill a woman earlier this year.

Cornish pleaded not guilty to charges of rape, assault and threats of death during his official

KIRK Cornish outside court yesterday. Photo: Dante Carrer arraignment before Justice Cheryl Grant-Thompson.

Police allege that Cornish committed offences between January 20 and April 4.

He is accused of raping the 35-year-old woman on two separate occasions and threatening to kill her while in New Providence on April 4.

He also allegedly assaulted her in Cooper’s

the matter from defence attorneys.

The press was not allowed to sit in on those discussions.

In her ruling, Justice Grant-Thompson declared the trial would remain open and asked journalists to continue to be fair, accurate and balanced in their reporting.

She issued the same

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis last night said he was “surprised” when former senator Robyn Lynes decided to run for chairman of the PLP. He said while “she doesn’t have my support” that no one had to be given the ok to run.

Mr Davis explained to The Tribune yesterday that Ms Lynes came to him indicating she wished to run but she told him she would not after the PLP leader gave his views.

Ms Lynes, the party’s deputy chair is facing off with Fred Mitchell, the incumbent chairman, at the party’s convention on November 10.

SEE PAGE FIVE

SEE PAGE SEVEN

SEE PAGE FIVE

JUDGE SAYS NO TO GAG ORDER IN GIBSON CASE

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net A SUPREME Court judge cautioned the press yesterday to report accurate information concerning Adrian Gibson’s corruption trial after deciding not to impose a gag order barring journalists from reporting the case.

Justice Cheryl GrantThompson spoke

ADRIAN Gibson heads to court.

Photo: Dante Carrer to members of the media in her court yesterday after hearing legal arguments on

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

PAGE 2, Tuesday, November 7, 2023

THE TRIBUNE

FNM and PLP candidates are first to nominate for by-election

FIVE candidates nominated yesterday for the West Grand Bahama and Bimini by-election.

Phortos: Vandyke Hepburn from page one Bishop Grant was the first to arrive for nominations, shortly after 9am at the Mount Zion Baptist Church in Eight Mile Rock.

A large turnout of party supporters carried FNM flags and marched with Bishop Grant and his wife, from his headquarters in Hanna Hill to the church.

FNM leader Michael Pintard, deputy leader Shanendon Cartwright, party chairman Duane Sands, Senator Michela Barnett, and FNM founding member Maurice Moore also attended.

After completing the process, Bishop Grant emerged from the church hall at around 9.35am, with his nomination receipt raised high in his hand.

Administrator Leonard Dames was the presiding officer.

Bishop Grant said the process was smooth. “We are feeling great, the supporters have been phenomenal,” he said, adding

that the campaign trail has been going well and people have been warm and very receptive to their message.

Bishop Grant said he understands the plight of the people in West Grand Bahama and Bimini. He said that residents are very optimistic that he can provide the kind of representation they need and deserve.

The constituents need a strong voice in parliament, he said.

“They are tired of being ignored,” adding that he plans to improve and expand the fish fry, ensure there are increased entrepreneurial opportunities, access to educational and vocational training, as well as facilities and programmes for the development of such young talents as Jonquel Jones, Buddy Hield and Donald Thomas.

Kingsley Smith arrived at the church around 9.40am, also with a good turnout of supporters. He was second to nominate.

Prime Minister Philip

“Brave” Davis, Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper, Minister for Grand Bahama Ginger Moxey, and Smith’s wife and mother accompanied him inside the hall for the process.

After nominating, Mr Smith said he felt good to officially have his name added to the ballot.

“It is a day filled with promise for both West Grand Bahama and Bimini,” he said.

“I heard your concerns, aspirations, and your frustrations. We are in this together, and I pledge to be a voice, your champion, and most importantly, your active partner in bringing about the progress we all yearn for.”

Mr Smith said he wants to continue to fulfill the plans left in place by the former PLP MP for West Grand Bahama and Bimini, the late Obie Wilchcombe.

During his campaign, Mr Smith said there were concerns expressed about small SEE PAGE THREE

INDEPENDENT candidate Terneille ‘Tada’ Burrows speaks to the press after nominating.

LINCOLN Bain along with party supporters arrives to nominate for the upcoming by-election.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, November 7, 2023, PAGE 3

Three independent candidates nominated

COMMUNITY activist Terneille Burrows is the only woman in the race. She came alone and completed the process at 10.10am as the third candidate nominated.

Photos: Vandyke Hepburn from page two home repairs and the need for educational institutions for children in the area.

“We have full teams up and about throughout all polling divisions and we are taking the streets by storm.

Now that I am officially nominated, the work has just begun,” he said.

Mr Davis was pleased by the outpouring of support for Mr Smith.

“As leader of the PLP, it is a profound honour to stand with Kingsley.

He embodies the spirit and resilience of GB and Bimini. He understands that leadership is about listening, rolling up your sleeves, and getting things done,” he said.

Mr Davis said Smith would be a powerful advocate within the governing body who can take their concerns directly to the table where discussions and decisions are made.

Community activist Terneille Burrows is the only woman in the race.

She came alone and completed the process at 10.10am as the third candidate nominated.

She has dedicated her candidacy to women, abused children, and atrisk young men.

“This is a new wave and a new day,” she said.

“There is not going to be any substantive change if you elect another MP to Parliament that wears

LINCOLN BAIN, leader of the Coalition of Independents, shows his receipt for nominating for the West Grand Bahama and Bimini by-election.

PLP colours or FNM colours; we need different, we need dynamic, we need someone to represent the youth and children of this nation.

“We have a serious scourge of incest in this country and that is what I called the devil. We see a PLP MP now before the courts for rape, and a Senator, a fugitive accused of sexually assaulting a little boy … vote for Terneille Burrows for a better Bahamas.”

Burrows, who was a victim of incest at age five, has vowed to be an advocate for other child victims.

“This is a unique opportunity for the people of SEE PAGE FOUR

INDEPENDENT candidate Daquan Swain, the youngest in the race, completed the nomination process around noon, beating the 1pm deadline.

PAGE 4, Tuesday, November 7, 2023

THE TRIBUNE

Candidates speak of voters’ needs and how they propose to address them from page three West End and Bimini who will make a change in the House,” she said.

Coalition of Independents leader Lincoln Bain was the fourth candidate nominated in the race, completing the process shortly after 11am.

He said the feedback on the ground from residents has been positive in West Grand Bahama.

“We are feeling confident, people want change and we are glad that this is an opportunity to bring change to this nation,” Mr Bain said.

The PLP and FNM have neglected the people of West Grand Bahama and Bimini, he said.

“On the ground, people are in pain and people are hurting. People have been neglected in this constituency for many years, not just in the two years of this administration. You can take a drive around and see.

People are relieved that I came to town because my coming to town has already brought change,” he said.

Mr Bain claims the PLP is now all of a sudden talking about opening the administration building, opening the school, fixing the West End Police Station, the seawall, and potholes, and installing streetlights, all of which he had agitated for two weeks ago when he was in West Grand Bahama.

“People have died on that road because there were no lights. I spoke about it, and immediately they put up the lights,” Mr Bain said.

“We thank Obie Wilchcombe for his years of wonderful service, but now it is time for a different style of leadership,” he said.

When asked his thoughts about being referred to as “a dark horse” in the race, Mr Bain responded: “What I say is that people of this constituency finally have a horse in the race. The

people of the Bahamas finally have a horse in the race; someone who is going to fight for them and look out for them, and not for the party,” he said.

“I am not here to look out for the COI. We are an activist group and we are only using this political platform because that is the way to bring change. We are here to represent the Bahamian people and give back what belongs to us.”

Mr Bain said the people of Bimini are also expressing the same sentiments for change.

Independent candidate Daquan Swain, the youngest in the race, completed the nomination process around noon, beating the 1pm deadline.

“The process was smooth,” said Swain. “I am feeling extremely good and the energy is high.”

Swain, 28, believes he is the ideal candidate who can relate to both young and mature voters.

“What we have been doing for years is building rapport with residents.

So, now all we are doing is standing on that foundation that we have already built with residents in West Grand Bahama and Bimini.”

“You need a mixture, you need mature individuals who have that experience in parliament, and then you need innovation,” Mr Swain said, adding his age group makes up the biggest demographic of voters.

Mr Swain stressed that the old ways and models of doing things do not work anymore.

“We need that new voice in there who understands and relates to the young man who is 18 and 19 years old, knows his issues and what he is going through, and also can relate to the mature in the community to know what they need as well,” he said.

PARTY supporters gathered as five candidates nominated for the upcoming West Grand Bahama and Bimini by-election.

Photos: Vandyke Hepburn

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THE TRIBUNE

Kool Acres demolition begins in wake of shanty town blaze

Tuesday, November 7, 2023, PAGE 5

CORNISH PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO CHARGES OF RAPE, ASSAULT AND DEATH THREATS

ATTORNEY Owen Wells and North Abaco MP Kirk Cornish arriving at court yesterday.

Photos: Dante Carrer from page one Town on January 20 and then again on March 25.

Justice Grant-Thompson told Cornish that his bail would remain at

Judge says no to gag order in Gibson case

JUST days after a fire destroyed more than 70 homes demolition begins in the shanty community known as Kool Acres.

Photos: Moise Amisial from page one the All Saints Way community was eyed next.

At 7am yesterday, demolition began despite the blaze that tore through the shantytown on Saturday, destroying more than 70 homes. The cause of the fire remains unknown.

The unregulated community was marked vacant as of Saturday, with almost no residents visible yesterday.

At the site yesterday, members of both the Royal Bahamas Defence Force and Royal Bahamas Police Force were present, including K9 units.

More than five dump trucks and a tractor destroyed what was left of the shantytown.

As he watched, Mr Similien said he was hoping the government would give residents until January.

He said: “I swear to God, sir, I hate to say it but I am 30 years old, all my life here. I was born in the back here.”

He was hopeful he would be able to reclaim his vehicle so that he would have a

place to sleep.

Authorities posted eviction notices in the Kool Acres and All Saints Way communities on October 2, giving residents 28 days notice. It is unknown how many people were affected as a result of yesterday’s demolition exercise.

Demolition in the All Saints Way shanty town has yet to begin, with officials conducting assessments and hoping to begin by next week.

“This is an ongoing operation by all agencies to clear down and get rid of all unregulated communities in The Bahamas. This morning we started with Kool Acres with approximately 120 structures in this area,” said Superintendent Stephen Carey yesterday.

“A fire on Saturday burned down about 80 per cent of the area, so we are left with debris and 20 per cent to clear down. As we move through The Bahamas, we urge all persons in these areas to please seek regulated communities because we will be in

$9,000.

She assigned the case to Justice Renea McKay. Cornish, who is represented by attorney Owen Wells, will next return to court on November 16.

AS the demolition crews moved into Kool Acres shanty town yesterday, resident Souvenance Similien (pictured) watched, hoping to reclaim the abandoned car he calls home. the other areas doing the same as we are doing here, we urge you to take notice now.”

Mr Carey confirmed there are 23 unregulated communities in The Bahamas, 13 of them in New Providence.

In addition to All Saints Way and Kool Acres, shanty towns in Marsh Harbour, Abaco, and elsewhere in New Providence are expected to become targets for the government.

Kool Acres is expected

to be cleared by the end of the week.

“With regards to the demolition, we scheduled between two to five days depending on what’s going on. Right now, because of the weather, it’s actually going to be a little bit of a shorter process,” said Bahiyyah Hepburn, assistant civil engineer at the Ministry of Works.

She noted that debris will be transferred to the New Providence Ecology Park.

Man allegedly shot by accomplice during an exchange of gunfire on Key West Street To advertise in The Tribune, contact 502-2394

THE BODY of a man that was fatally shot last night is removed from the crime scene.

Photo: Dante Carrer

By EARYEL BOWLEG “Officers responded and hospital where he said to be Tribune Staff Reporter on arrival discovered a dark listed in stable condition at ebowleg@tribunemedia.net male wearing dark clothing this time.”

- fully masked with gloves Ms Skippings said detecA GUNMAN was fatally lying in the front of a resi- tives will be combing the shot by his own accomplice dence on Key West Street.” area for any CCTV footage. during a shooting on Key She added: “InformaChief Superintendent West Street, police said last tion received is that the Chaswell Hanna, officer-innight. deceased was along with the charge of the Grove Police Officers said the men second male who pulled in Station, described the relawere opening fire on a front of this residence in a tionship police have with man – but it was one of the dark-coloured vehicle. Both people in the area, saying: gunmen who was shot dead, men exited the vehicle and “Oh we’re pretty familiar not the intended victim. opened fire on a male who with persons in this area.

The accomplice left the was standing on the side of We have good relationarea. a residence in the yard just ships with them. I think Police press liaison Chief behind me. they’re pretty much calm.

Superintendent Chrislyn “During the exchange They have confidence in the Skippings told reporters or during the barrage of police. on the scene that around gunshot, the deceased was “They see us day to day…

8.25pm police were notified shot by his own accomplice. so we think they’re going of a shooting on Key West The accomplice left the to be just fine and they are Street north of Robinson area in an unknown direc- going to continue to give us Road. tion. Another male, who information that will assist She said the deceased is was in the yard doing some us in preventing, solving unknown to police at this work, he was shot in his arm these matters and also pretime. and he has been taken to venting others from.”

ADRIAN GIBSON from page one advisory for people on social media, warning that failure to do so would prompt a police investigation.

Last week, a new jury was empaneled to hear evidence in the case after a lengthy selection process that dismissed several candidates because of their ties to the accused or witnesses.

The jury of five women and four men was selected months after Justice GrantThompson discharged the initial jury when one member admitted to discussing the case out of court and another claimed to know Tanya Demeritte, a witness who took a plea deal last year to avoid prosecution.

Gibson is facing corruption charges in connection with his tenure as executive chairman of the Water and Sewerage Corporation

(WSC) under the Minnis administration.

The charges stem from Mr Gibson’s alleged failure to declare his interest in contracts awarded by the WSC. The FNM politician is charged with WSC’s former general manager, Elwood Donaldson, Jr, Rashae Gibson, Gibson’s cousin, Joan Knowles, Peaches Farquharson and Jerome Missick.

Since the defendants were charged last June, the trial has been delayed several times, mostly because of legal challenges.

Together, the group face 98 charges, including conspiracy to commit bribery, bribery, fraud, receiving and money laundering.

Damian Gomez, KC, Murrio Ducille, KC, Raphael Moxey, Christina Galanos, Ian Cargill and Donald Saunders represent the defendants.

PAGE 6, Tuesday, November 7, 2023

The Tribune Limited

THE TRIBUNE

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RT HON EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON,

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US Supreme Court considers abuse victims’ gun rights SHOULD it be legal to take away the guns of people who are under a domestic violence protective order, which aims to shield victims from their abusers?

That’s the question posed in one of the biggest cases of the current Supreme Court term, focused on the limits of individual gun rights, which will be argued before the justices on Nov. 7.

The case, U.S. v. Rahimi, comes in the wake of revolutionary changes in doctrine over the past two court terms. Now, justices must grapple with how far the new principles will reach.

Two years ago, the court began what many consider to be a constitutional revolution.

The new supermajority of six conservative justices rapidly introduced new doctrines across a range of controversies, including abortion, guns, religion and race.

When the court announces a new principle – for example, a limit on the powers of a specific part of government – citizens and lawyers are not sure of the full ramifications of the new rule. How far will it go? What other areas of law will come under the same umbrella?

In a revolutionary period, aggressive litigants will push the boundaries of the new doctrine, attempting to stretch it to their advantage. After a period of uncertainty, a case that defines the limits on the new rule is likely to emerge.

U.S. v. Rahimi may be the limiting case for gun rights, identifying the stopping point of the recent changes in Second Amendment doctrine.

Zackey Rahimi is a convicted drug dealer and violent criminal who also had a restraining order in place after assaulting his girlfriend. The court will decide whether the federal law prohibiting the possession of firearms by someone subject to a domestic violence restraining order violates the Second Amendment.

In the 2022 case of New York Rifle & Pistol v. Bruen, the court announced

a new understanding of the Second Amendment. The amendment had long been understood to recognize a limited right to bear arms. Under the Bruen ruling, the amendment instead describes an individual right to carry a gun for self-protection in most places in society, expanding its range to the level of other constitutional rights such as freedom of religion or speech, which apply in public spaces.

However, the court’s conservative justices also tend to argue that constitutional rights are balanced by responsibilities to promote a functional society, a concept known as “ordered liberty.” The practical question is how to know the proper balance between liberty and order. If the right to carry a gun can be regulated but not eradicated, limited but not eliminated, where is the line?

The court’s answer in Bruen is history – a current law does not have to match a specific historical one exactly, but it has to be similar in form and purpose.

Whatever gun regulations Americans allowed during the early republic – the critical period from around the 1780s to around the 1860s at the time of the Civil War – are allowable now, with the exception of any that would violate principles added to the Constitution more recently, such as racial equality under the 14th Amendment.

Justice Clarence Thomas, the author of the Bruen ruling, described it this way: The government must “identify a wellestablished and representative historical analogue, not a historical twin.” Thomas argued in Bruen that no such historical analogue existed for the limits New York imposed, invalidating the state’s ban on concealed carry permits.

The Rahimi case will provide a critical test of this historical approach to the boundaries of constitutional rights.

By Morgan Marietta theconversation.com

Responding to calls of need EDITOR, The Tribune.

HISTORY is full of events and people that have done horrible things, as we are witnessing in Gaza, The Middle East, RussiaUkraine, and so many other places in the world. Bad things happening to good, innocent people, families, communities and entire peoples. Feeling helpless, unable to process all this horrible stuff you see in the media, are told by your leaders and word of mouth?

Fatalism, helplessness and discouragement along with depression have shown its ugly face to us all. What can we possibly do about so many people suffering, tormented and injured?

Honestly not enough, not a whole lot. We face greater pressure within our personal, professional lives, as the combination of worldly and personal distress builds towards a cloud of confusion, depression and helpless routine.

We can pray for an end to these ongoing events, cry out for mercy and peace to

develop somehow between these combatants. Help the injured, nationless people, women, elderly and young looking for a return to homes that no longer exist.

Donations can help but go only so far. While all hell breaks loose around the world we all search for answers to questions as old as history itself. Why, how, when? One can believe in a deity, a spiritual source of goodness that you can count on through thick or thin, peace or troubled.

Prayer has its effect upon those who pray, asking for God’s will to be done, with mercy shown to all.

Lived Justice in action helping these people in their time of need lay within our grasp, a commitment of faith in each other as human beings, of the same family of Humanity that sees within us all that we are truly the same.

The strength one can find within yourself, the courage to roll the dice by helping those in need, around you or half way across the world can be found if one looks

within. If a child needs help, do you not help it? Then extend this compassion to strangers and possibly their children as well.

Yah, I know we have done so in the past with Syrians, Afghans, African and Latino populations, and the blessings upon us continue and are appreciated. North Americans are a powerful people, compassionate, understanding and courageous when challenged, in war and peace time. Look to your neighbours, young and old and courageously open your hearts and minds to those who are in need.

Extend this compassion to “others”, with the same courage demanded of all human beings.

Responding to the call of those in need, whether in your family, neighbourhood or across the planet, makes you liken to a God, for if God can only create life, you can preserve and protect it.

STEVEN KASZAB Bradford, Ontario November 4, 2023

FNM chairman Duane Sands greets Prime Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis on nomination day ahead of the West Grand Bahama and Bimini by-election.

The PLP’s triumvirate unbeatable EDITOR, The Tribune.

THE Progressive Liberal Party is led my an unbeatable Triumvirate in the form of the Most Hon. Philip ‘Brave’ Davis, KC, MP; the Honourable I Chester Cooper, MP, and the Honourable Frederick A Mitchell, MP. A triumvirate is an administration or a government led by three individuals who, while nominally wielding equal power, there is one amongst them who is primus inter pares, or first amongst equals. Clearly, this is what is needed in our wonderful nation at this critical juncture.

The undisputed leader of the PLP is the Prime Minister. Mr Davis was an economic and political apprentice most of his youthful career. Well do I remember him as a banker with the then predominant Barclay’s Bank on Bay Street. Later he articled in the law chambers of the late Charles A Barnwell and was eventually called to The Bahamas Bar. A few years later at the behest of the late great and deeply lamented Rt Hon Lynden Oscar Pindling, as he then was, he entered front line politics and was elected MP for Cat Island where he remains to this very day. He served under brother Pindling and Mr Christie. Obviously, he was a good student. Now, by the grace of God and natural ability, he is Prime Minister. Whether or not one is a supporter of the iconic PLP, one must admit that

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net Mr Davis is well on the way to becoming one of the best Prime Ministers this nation would have seen to date, save and except for Sir Lynden.

There were some entrenched ‘old’ guards within the PLP who were NOT too happy with the nomination and selection of Brother Cooper back in 2017. They regarded him as an interloper and even, perhaps, a political carpet bagger. Well do I recall being in the office of then Prime Minister Christie when he made a confidential call to the neophyte I. Chester Cooper over in Exuma. I pledged whatever political support that I could muster up during that fateful conference.

The rest is history. Christie resigned following the blow out by the FNM and the Hon. Dr. Hubert A. Minnis (FNM-Killarney).

The PLP was extremely successful during the 2021 general elections. Brave was appointed Prime Minister and I. Chester Cooper (PLP-Exuma) became the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism; Aviation & Investments. By anyone’s yard stick, he and his within his assorted portfolios have performed well.

What about the third member of this Triumvirate, the Hon Frederick A Mitchell (PLP-Fox Hill)?

The Minister of Foreign

Affairs and exceptionally talented National Party Chairman of the PLP has discharged his duties and portfolio with distinction across the board. There are very few Bahamians who seem to possess the perseverance and tenacity of Brother Mitchell.

He has been around the blocks, politically speaking and is well seasoned.

Some deluded persons have sought, bogusly, to label him as a globe trotting cigar smoking Minister of Foreign Affairs. Well, apart from the cigars, that is what a Minister of Foreign Affairs is supposed to do.

The Bahamas is now recognized and respected as a world player and participants. We have emerged as the leader of the Caribbean and CARICOM to boot.

Mr Mitchell as National Chairman for the New Day PLP was able, almost single handily, able to reorganise and whipped ALL local PLP branches into battle shape for the historic and game changer 2021 general elections. After almost four years of pure hell under the Minnis interregnum, The Bahamas is back BIG TIME under the benign and wise leadership of an unbeatable triumvirate.

These three men are about the business of the people and not about grandstanding and posturing. If it is not broken, why attempt to fix it?

Jr

ORTLAND H BODIE, Nassau, November 2, 2023.

To advertise in The Tribune, contact 502-2394

PM says Lynes ‘doesn’t have my support’ for chairman THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, November 7, 2023, PAGE 7

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis last night said he was “surprised” when former senator Robyn Lynes decided to run for chairman of the PLP. He said while “she doesn’t have my support” that no one had to be given the ok to run.

Photo: Moise Amisial from page one for the convention where on just for another year gave her what my views have to give anyone okay agent. because I wanted us to were… she told me that to run. We express our As for if he would sup- the party will discuss Mr Mitchell said it is get through at least half she would not run and the preferences. So it’s not port Ms Lynes if Mr marital rape, legalising likely the “penultimate” our time before we start, next thing I knew she was that she didn’t have the Mitchell lost, Mr Davis marijuana for recreational okay to run - she’s run- answered: “We’ll see what use and transitioning to a campaign of his career and thinking about changes running.” republic.

The Tribune was told ning and she doesn’t have happens.”

Mr Davis asked him to run in the party level and it’s “Well, you know the unfortunate.” by a source close to Prime my support but that didn’t Former Cabinet Minfor chairman again. are used “I had a conversation Minister Philip “Brave” stop her from wanting to ister Shane Gibson conventions At the sideline of an announced last week he to have our policies event last night, Mr Davis with Ms Lynes. She had Davis that when Ms Lynes run or running.”

Mr Mitchell suggested withdrew from the race to informed, our initiatives was pressed about the race indicated to me that she discussed a potential chair and asking Mr Mitchell to was not intending to run bid with Mr Davis, he said if Prime Minister Philip consolidate opposition to crafted, and we expect that delegates will be again. She was not going he supported Mr Mitchell “Brave” Davis does not Fred Mitchell. run again.

Mr Davis gave no com- engage in all these topics “That was an unfortu- to run. So it was surprise and did not want a con- support the victor of the tested election. chairmanship race, that ment on Mr Gibson that we have - out of which nate exercise that we’re to me that she did.” we have some outcomes…

He added: “Two weeks Pressed on her not get- person would struggle to bowing out. going through at this time.

Meanwhile, the PLP help shape our policies I had indicated to, I had ago, she indicated to me ting the okay to run, Mr function and carry out asked Mr Mitchell to stay that she wished to run. I Davis retorted: “You don’t their duties as a vital party leader expressed his hopes going forward.”

CLAIM DEAD PRISONER WAS BEATEN DISMISSED - PNEUMONIA WAS CAUSE OF DEATH, SAYS MUNROE quite often they don’t really have anyone checking for them.”

The family of Javon still wants more answers on his death.

Mr Sweeting said to get a clearer understanding of how Javon died, the family commissioned an independent pathologist from the United States to examine Javon’s body.

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemdia.net NATIONAL Security Minister Wayne Munroe dismissed a family’s claim that their loved one appeared to have been beaten to death in prison when they viewed his body. He said the inmate’s death was due to pneumonia and his body probably deteriorated while in the morgue.

Mr Munroe told The Tribune yesterday that 38-year-old Javon Charlow had been in the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services since March. He said Javon was charged with assault with a deadly weapon and threats of death.

On July 11, Javon was admitted to Princess Margaret Hospital for medical assistance. He was later pronounced dead on July 19.

Colin Sweeting, the uncle of Javon, told this newspaper that his family has spent more than $8,000 to get answers on Javon’s death. Mr Sweeting said he didn’t find out his nephew was dead until August after persistent inquiries with officials.

Mr Sweeting noted Javon’s body was identified by a picture by the family. He claimed there were marks and bruises on Javon’s face consistent with being hit or physically hurt.

Mr Sweeting said authorities are now operating based on a physical check of the body, rather than an autopsy.

When asked about the family’s speculations that Javon’s death was caused by him being beaten

JAVON CHARLOW up rather than having pneumonia, Mr Munroe dismissed the claims.

Mr Munroe said a photo was taken of Javon when he died which showed no evidence of bruises or trauma to his face.

“The fella went to hospital because he was suffering from pneumonia,” Mr Munroe said. “He died as a result of that.

His face was in perfect condition, and on the day of his death, a photo was taken. And his body must have deteriorated in the morgue.”

Mr Munroe said Javon’s body was at the morgue for several months. He added there were also some refrigeration issues at the morgue.

“When you die there are changes to your body. So, if the refrigeration doesn’t work perfectly, your body will decompose.”

Although Mr Sweeting claimed his family was

trying to cover Javon’s bail before his death.

Mr Munroe said there was no record of anyone visiting or putting anything at the gate for Javon when he was at BDCS from March to July.

He said that Javon was living under the dock when police initially arrested him. When Javon died, the prison sent welfare workers to the dock in hopes of finding his family.

“I can tell you we have a load of people in the facility whose family doesn’t really check for them,” he said.

Mr Munroe said the prison now has video visitations which can be used from the comfort of one’s home, saying there’s no excuse for people not to visit their family.

“Our experiences, especially for homeless people, and people who are sent to the facility who were picked up off the streets

However, one day before the pathologist was scheduled to arrive in the country, Mr Sweeting said the coroner informed them an inquest had to be conducted.

“We’re awaiting permission from the coroner to permit the examination from the pathologist.

That’s all we want. Either it’s what I’m thinking or it’s

what they’re saying and if that’s what it is, wouldn’t an autopsy discover and reveal everything that there is to know,” Mr Sweeting said.

Mr Munroe added that the Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Michael Darville had approved for the pathologist to come in and perform the autopsy on behalf of the family.

PAGE 8, Tuesday, November 7, 2023

THE TRIBUNE

Dr Adelle Thomas: making a difference for the world on UN’s climate change panel

CLIMATE change scientist Dr Adelle Thomas is making history and taking great strides to do her part to help mitigate against the impact of climate change in The Bahamas and the world. Her work has been instrumental in helping to formulate policies that will drive global changes to help quell the climate change crisis.

She made history for The Bahamas by becoming the first English-speaking Caribbean Scientist and first female Caribbean Scientist to be elected to the Bureau of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). She was elected as vice chair of IPCC’s Working Group II during its 59th Session held in Nairobi, Kenya, on July 28, 2023. She will hold this position for the next five to seven years. The IPCC, a United Nations body, plays a crucial role in assessing the science behind climate change, evaluating its impacts and future risks, and providing essential insights into adaptation and mitigation options. IPCC’s work feeds straight into the United Nations’ Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP).

The 28th session of the Conference of Parties to the UNFCCC (COP28), hosted by the UAE, opens at Expo City, Dubai on 30 November 2023. Finance is a key component of discussions at this year’s conference, which is significant for The Bahamas. Prime Minister Philip E Davis has already

Face to Face

By FELICITY DARVILLE

DR ADELLE THOMAS passionately addressed on the environment and on COP in the past, and his billions of people around campaign to gain funding the world. Rising sea levels, for The Bahamas and other declining corals and marine Small Island Developing life, increasing storms and States (SIDS) from larger other impacts are being felt countries, which are the all around the world. SIDS main contributors to global are especially at risk, and gas emissions and other The Bahamas remains in pollutants. the top ten most vulnerable Adelle has focused her countries in the world. entire career on research on SIDS have been pushing climate change in order to to see rising global temhelp provide the necessary peratures capped at 1.5 information for countries degrees. For years, the “1.5 like The Bahamas to have to Stay Alive” Campaign the backing they need to has sought to bring to bear mitigate climate change. the importance of major Our lives depend on countries doing all they can it. Climate change has to decrease emissions and resulted in a global warm- pollution. ing of planet Earth that is “In the global dishaving devastating effects course, there’s sort of this

feeling that 1.5 is lost and that we are just going to blow through 1.5 and go up to 2 degrees,” Adelle told me.

“But what we as SIDS are really doing is pushing that 1.5 to Stay Alive message. 1.5 is really a critical threshold of warming, beyond which, small islands may not be able to survive in the long term. So now is the time for really robust climate action - for mitigation by the big countries that are emitting so much fossil fuels to curb emissions and actually to stop emissions. So COP 28 is going to be a critical time to show us where we are at and who is actually serious about climate change.”

Climate change for The Bahamas threatens our very existence, Adelle pointed out.

“We are a series of lowlying islands,” she said.

“When you think about sea level rise and the intensity of hurricanes, climate change could result in us not even being on the map.

So, it’s something incredibly serious for us to take into account.”

Adelle has her finger on the pulse of climate change as a distinguished Senior Scientist at Climate Analytics and a Senior Fellow at the Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Research Centre of the University of The Bahamas (UB). Her work with UB students is helping to provide vital scientific information to help The Bahamas understand where we really are and what needs to be done to mitigate climate change in The Bahamas.

“The Bahamas, even though we are one of the most vulnerable countries for climate change, the research on climate change in The Bahamas is lacking,” she admitted.

“We need much more research on what’s happening to us now, what could

DR ADELLE THOMAS happen in the future, and then how we can deal with these impacts. And that is why we started the Climate Change Research Centre at the University of The Bahamas to provide an impetus for this research and to bring young scholars and young people into climate change research. In order to deal with the impacts of climate change, we really need that evidence as to what will work, and what is out there.”

Adelle has put in years of valuable work that led to her grabbing the attention of climate experts around the world. As the vice chair of IPCC’s Working Group II, she helped to lead the preparation of vital reports that will be reviewed at COP 28, where decisions will be made on the future of climate change. She comes with a wealth of experience and education.

Her educational journey began at Xavier’s School for her primary education. She then attended St Augustine’s College (SAC).

The SAC community, she said, instilled a mentality in her and her schoolmates that underpins her success today.

“SAC instilled in us from a young age that we had high potential that we were expected to live up to and achieve great things,” she said.

Achieve great things she did. Adelle went on to attend Macalester College, where she earned a

DR Adelle Thomas speaks at a UN Climate Change Conference.

Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering Science. She then earned another Bachelor’s Degree, this time in Civil Engineering from the University of Minnesota. This intelligent, determined and passionate Bahamian then started to carve out her niche of focus. She attended Rutgers University where she earned her Master’s, then her PhD in Geography.

As a woman, her research has also led her to investigate the impact of climate change on women: “On one hand, women on a global scale are vulnerable to climate change impacts and are experiencing those impacts more acutely. But on the other hand, we are seeing women take a leadership role in climate change.

We are seeing more women in leadership roles on a national scale. In The Bahamas, we see women leading climate change issues in places like the Department of Environmental Planning and Protection, and the Office of the Prime Minister. We see women’s leadership in climate action at the international scale, and at the COPs. We see more women leading delegations from different countries that are speaking up and that are going to say, ‘these are the ways we address climate change as it relates to gender’. Even in the scientific arena which is where I mostly stand, we are seeing more and more women leaders in science that are breaking into that male club and are showing the value that women bring to climate solutions.”

In addition to her passion for the environment and her country, Adelle is a wife and committed mother of one. She is working for a better world for her child and for future generations, so that they would enjoy the beauty of the environment and witness the flora and fauna that not only amazes us, but sustains us as human beings.

Respect free speech but keep streets of London peaceful THE TRIBUNE

WITH the horrors of the Israel-Gaza war dominating the international news it is hard to remain silent on the issue, so elsewhere on this page I take a separate look at Israel’s action in particular. I do not claim to be an expert on the Middle East, but offer comment from experience of a career in Britain’s diplomatic service and a thorough study of the history of the region together with the latest media reports.

Although commenting weekly mainly on international affairs, I know from readers’ feedback that some people are also interested in developments in Britain; given, in particular, the historical relationship between our two countries.

But, partly out of loyalty, I normally shy away from criticism of UK domestic matters. So I am reluctant to write today about what is being allowed to happen on the streets of London in protest against the

Tuesday, November 7, 2023, PAGE 9

The Peter Young column terrible savagery of that dreadful slaughter of innocents within Israel on October 7. People of Orwell’s generation would have been appalled at the atmosphere of hatred, bigotry and intimidation of these marches - the banners threatening Jews, displays of anti-Semitism

POLICE Officers clash with rival supporters as protesters walk past the Cenotaph on Whitehall during a pro-Palestine march organised by Palestine Solidarity Campaign in central London, on October 28, 2023.

Photo: Jordan Pettitt/AP actions of Israel in bombarding Gaza and in relation to the broader Arab-Israeli conflict. These have gone well beyond the acceptable peaceful demonstrations that are a feature of legitimate protest in a democracy – and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has condemned them as “hate marches”.

George Orwell was reported by one commentator to have written in 1941 that the “gentleness of English civilisation is its most marked characteristic”. In more modern times, that civilisation is being challenged constantly by disputes, arguments and protests. This is acceptable in one sense since an important element of Britain’s long-standing democracy is the people’s right to freedom of speech and expression in a tolerant society that respects the diversity of individual opinion and action as long as it is within the law - and the right to demonstrate, if necessary en masse, is sacrosanct provided it is done peacefully.

Over the years, there have been countless demonstrations in London on a range of issues of public concern. The majority are peaceful though, of course, there has been violence from time to time in the past.

According to commentators in the UK press, the evidence suggests that what is happening right now in central London in support of Gaza and the Palestinian cause more broadly is being driven by Islamic fundamentalists who share the radical ideology of Hamas and its backers in Iran. These jihadists based in Britain are allied to socialists on the far left who dislike Western civilisation, which they regard as oppressive imperialism, and work against it. They violently oppose Israel’s actions in Gaza – but fail to see, let alone acknowledge, the evil horrors carried out

by Hamas terrorists within Israel.

Whatever the justification of their cause, they simply brush aside the

and the chant of “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” that challenges Israel’s very existence. The marches are part of a wider pattern of anti-Jewish bigotry and intolerance and reflect not just growing anti-Semitism but include physical violence against Jews, abuse and damage to property – and to most people this unacceptable.

Protesters have descended on the capital for the past four or five Saturdays. On October 28, half a million people marched in London, making it the biggest Palestinian demonstration in British history. Alarmingly, it is reported that they intend to do so again on November 11 which is, of course, Remembrance Day. Hundreds of thousands of pro-Palestine activists plan to join a march next Saturday at the same time the Festival of Remembrance is held at the Royal Albert Hall, with two performances in the afternoon and evening. The potential chaos and danger of violent clashes is self-evident.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said that these hate marches are an affront to British values and has spoken of the need to protect the sanctity of Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday.

There has also been talk of banning such a provocative and disrespectful pro-Palestinian protest on Armistice Day. But it seems that few in Britain have any faith in the police enforcing the law on so-called hate crimes when for years the authorities have taken a “softly, softly” approach to a range of offences involving civil disobedience, including infractions of the law during public demonstrations and marches.

Overall, the UK authorities have been accused of a feeble reaction in dealing with radicals. This has included the police’s practice of appeasement in handling protests by environmentalists like the group called Just Stop Oil. Some observers put this down to the threat

of accusations of racism and the obsession of local leaders with multiculturalism and diversity that, for example, has encouraged immigrants to cling to the customs and languages of their homelands rather than to integrate fully with their new community in Britain. Overall, the UK authorities have even been accused of being complicit in the violence by allowing it to happen instead of policing the marches more robustly – and thereby protecting and respecting the nation’s democratic values.

COLLECTIVE PUNISHMENT OF GAZA UNACCEPTABLE It has been said that history shows you cannot destroy terrorism by terrorising a whole population. But this appears to be what Israel is doing.

While many agree that as a sovereign state it has the right to defend itself after Hamas’s barbaric murderous attacks inside Israel itself a month ago, most people judge that Israel’s apparently indiscriminate and disproportionate bombardment of Gaza that has left thousands dead constitutes collective punishment of its people and has created an immense humanitarian disaster that has shocked the world.

There can be no question that this is inhumane, wrong in law, dangerous in practice and works against Israel’s overall interests as it is roundly condemned by the rest of the world, not least its Arab neighbours.

For their part, the Israelis maintain that Hamas’s complex of tunnels and command centres are concentrated within the northern part of the Gaza Strip – cynically built underneath civilian infrastructure – and that Hamas is so heavily embedded in the civilian population that they have no choice but

In their own interests, let alone for the sake of humanity, the Israelis must somehow be forced to find another way.

BRITAIN TAKES GLOBAL LEAD IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Billionaire Elon Musk, the CEO of electric car company Tesla, is not only the richest man in the world but is called by some a tech maverick. He has suggested that eventually no one will have to work thanks to advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI), though they could still do so for “personal satisfaction”.

But Musk has also warned that AI could lead to “humanity’s extinction” since it has the potential to be the most disruptive force in history. Earlier this year, he called for a pause in the “dangerous race” to develop AI because of fears about the risk to society and humanity and the potential catastrophic effects.

He attended what has been called the UK’s AI Safety Summit last week to discuss the risks of this new technology and described it as timely because the phenomenon of AI posed an “existential risk” to humans who face being outsmarted by machines for the first time.

This two-day gathering of world leaders or their representatives though notable absentees were President Biden, the German chancellor and French president – together with invited guests from the tech industry and scientists was held at Bletchley Park in Buckinghamshire, which was the home of England’s codebreakers during the Second World War. The summit was a huge success for the UK and personally for Prime

PALESTINIANS look for survivors under the rubble of a destroyed building following an Israeli airstrike in Khan Younis refugee camp, southern Gaza Strip, yesterday.

Photo: Mohammed Dahman/AP to go after civilian targets in order to root out these terrorists once and for all.

They say that Hamas must be eliminated or the grisly cycle of terrorist attack followed by the need for retribution and military action will simply continue.

The history of the persecution and hatred of Jews, who are called by Islamist extremists “the children of Satan” – including inquisitions, pogroms and the Holocaust itself - is well documented and does not bear scrutiny here.

For many, anti-Semitism cannot be justified but the reasons for it arouse extreme passions.

Some commentators have drawn attention to Israel’s latest efforts to chronicle and publicise the horrendous actions perpetrated by Hamas terrorists as the extent of the terror sinks in. People are talking about the “darkness of the human heart” and “man’s inhumanity to man”.

Israelis may perhaps hope that seeing the hideous details of such cruelty and depravity may even convince those who condemn them that their extreme reaction might almost be understandable even if the mass bombing of Gaza and indiscriminate killing of its people cannot be justified.

TESLA and SpaceX’s CEO Elon Musk during an in-conversation event with Britain’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at Lancaster House in London, on Thursday. Sunak discussed AI with Elon Musk in a conversation that is played on the social network X, which Musk owns.

Photo: Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP Minister Sunak whose brainchild it was following his visit to Washington in June. As a Stanford University graduate, he is said to have a dream of creating a British Silicon Valley. He has also proposed that the UK should be a centre for regulating the developing technology of AI. Among various AI definitions, I believe one stands out as being notably clear; namely, “the ability of a digital computer or computer-controlled robot to perform tasks currently associated with intelligent beings or tasks normally requiring human intelligence”.

It is claimed that the new technology of AI will revolutionize how vast swathes of data are assessed and analysed since it would be able to synthesize a lot of written information and answer questions about it, though this could be done maliciously and with an ulterior motive.

For the layman grappling with the idea of AI, perhaps the words of Mr Sunak described best what he called Bletchley Park’s historic achievements in “convening this group of people for the first time and leaving with a tangible outcome” — by which he meant the Bletchley Declaration, whose signatories included the US, the EU and China. This was described as a landmark

deal recognizing that AI, which already has a foothold in some activities, “presents enormous global opportunities but should be developed in a way that is human-centric, trustworthy and responsible” – and this was the world’s first ever international statement on so-called frontier AI that could exceed the capabilities of today’s most advanced systems.

Summing it all up, Sunak said “we have the political will and the capability to control this technology and secure its benefits for the long-term” – and on a global basis. But the declaration agreed that there was a need to understand properly the risks of AI and collectively manage them before seeking to legislate on the issue and regulate it. The Bletchley Declaration also marks the start of a new global effort to build public trust by ensuring the technology’s safe development.

These are, of course, early days for AI and its growing use. No one knows what lies in store for it. But at least it is good to know that the issues it raises are now being examined on a global basis - and that human creativity is still unique. So, if critical thinking and imagination are still in demand, human beings remain essential.

PAGE 10, Tuesday, November 7, 2023

THE TRIBUNE

PUBLIC NOTICE

WEST GRAND BAHAMA AND BIMINI NOMINATION PAPERS

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, November 7, 2023, PAGE 11

PUBLIC NOTICE

WEST GRAND BAHAMA AND BIMINI NOMINATION PAPERS

ELECTION DATE FOR WEST GRAND BAHAMA AND BIMINI: NOVEMBER 22

PAGE 12, Tuesday, November 7, 2023

THE TRIBUNE

Doctor’s Hospital West Despite health concerns, possibly due to mould, re-opening with a Ministry of Grand focus on urgent care Bahama remains open

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Staff Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

DOCTORS Hospital West re-opens now transformed into a primarily urgent care and inpatient facility. They showcased the eight inpatient suites as well as its urgent care facilities. In addition to offering specialist care in the fields of dermatology, sports medicine, paediatrics and psychiatry, the facility will also feature diagnostic tools and a hyperbaric chamber.

Photos: Pavel Bailey

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net “DOCTORS Hospital West is back,” said hospital president and CEO Dr Charles W Diggiss, Jr, yesterday at the reopening of the Blake Road facility.

Members of the press were taken on a tour of the facility yesterday which will focus on urgent and inpatient care for residents of western New Providence.

Dr Diggiss, Jr, led a tour of the refurbished facility with senior vice president Bridgette Sherman.

This comes after Doctors Hospital west was commandeered by the government in 2020 to act as a critical care centre for ventilated COVID patients during the pandemic and was in use until earlier this year.

Dr Diggiss explained the

decision to transform Doctors Hospital West into a primarily urgent care and inpatient facility was pushed for by residents of western New Providence.

“Doctors Hospital West is back and the reason we have repurposed Doctors Hospital West for the services you are about to tour, especially with urgent care and inpatient care, is because of the request of the communities in western New Providence,” Dr Diggiss said. “We have established some very key relationships. Baha Mar has been a very notable partner of ours. Residential communities were probably the decision maker when it comes to us reopening in the form that you see. And those communities include Lyford Cay, Albany and more recently inquiries from Old Fort Bay.”

“What we are going to offer here is the ability to have your emergency and urgent care issues managed properly in coordination with our ground ambulance services. And we are so clear that this is going to be a great benefit to the communities, especially in western New Providence.

“Our mission transcends the treatment of illness, it’s about elevating the overall health and wellbeing of our nation. The reopening of Doctors Hospital West for urgent care embodies our unwavering commitment to this cause, specifically addressing the urgent needs of patients who do not seek emergency room care, but cannot wait for a traditional doctor’s appointment.”

The tour showcased the eight inpatient suites as well as its urgent care

facilities. In addition to offering specialist care in the fields of dermatology, sports medicine, paediatrics and psychiatry, the facility will also feature diagnostic tools and a hyperbaric chamber.

This hyperbaric chamber will be available 24/7 especially for emergency cases in the dive community.

Last year, 16-year-old Randall Sawyer, of Abaco, died of complications from decompression sickness or the bends. His family strongly believes he would have survived if he had access to a hyperbaric chamber. At the time, the decompression chamber in New Providence was defunct.

Doctors Hospital West will be open from 8am to 11pm on weekdays and from 8am to 4pm on weekends and holidays.

WORLDWIDE NURSE SHORTAGE IMPACTING RECRUITMENT LOCALLY

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A WORLWIDE shortage of nurses is impacting recruitment in The Bahamas, a senior Doctors Hospital executive said yesterday.

Bridgette Sherman, the senior vice president of patient care service and nursing administration at Doctors Hospital, highlighted the problem during the reopening of Doctors Hospital West.

She said it is an issue that is affecting both the public and private sectors.

She said of the nursing shortage: “It’s worldwide.

Every country is having that issue and it’s a combination of things.

“It’s retirement.

It’s upward mobility, most persons find another line to work on. Case management is something else they move on to as well as insurance. You find a lot of nurses in insurance, that sort of thing, to assist those in billing and coding when they are billing us.”

The Bahamas has faced issues with a reported decline in nurses as more Bahamian nurses seek better career opportunities abroad, such as in the United States and Canada.

Last week, Gina Dean, director of nursing at the Ministry of Health, acknowledged the nursing shortage has proved challenging. She also said her ministry is trying to improve working conditions to entice more local nurses to stay.

When asked how Doctor’s Hospital is tackling the shortage, Ms Sherman

said it was company policy to focus on retention and mentoring of potential future nurses. She also said Doctors Hospital tries to entice new nurses from the University of the Bahamas (UB) to remain in The Bahamas, saying it was part of their strategic goals “goals to look at what we are doing for retention as well as to recruit”.

She added: “We have a number of things, I know that salary is at the top of it. Just making certain that we are competitive and best in market. We benchmark against Florida with those things. We look at what are equipment looks like for ease of our nursing team and to lend support. We have now started to bring on train clinical nurses in the system to assist the registered nurse. We have increased our capacity with patient care technicians, also an assistant to the nurse. We also just added this year certified medical technicians or certified medical assistants rather.”

Ms Sherman discussed how Doctors Hospital’s Institute of Leaning acts as a post-secondary institution focused on training certified medical assistants and emergency medical technicians to assist registered nurses.

Additionally, Doctors Hospital has in place a nursing cadet programme aimed at students in grades 10 through 12.

Ms Sherman said it is through these initiatives and the scouting of nurses currently at UB that Doctors Hospital hopes to recruit more nurses locally.

She said: “We have a large number (nurses

in training). I think in total we have somewhere around 50. And I say in total because each year you have a certain number that graduates. This past

nursing council exam we had 27 who went to UB who took the exam. And we have another 15 who will sit exams again in December of this year.”

STAFF at the Grand Bahama Ministry has been experiencing health issues due to the presence of mould at the Harold DeGregory Government Complex Building on the Mall.

Melvin Seymour, permanent secretary at the Ministry for Grand Bahama, also confirmed that poor air quality due to dust particles from construction work in the building is causing some challenges for workers.

Some workers have experienced symptoms such as coughing, sinus issues, and throat and eye irritations.

In the meantime, Mr Seymour said the building remains open until a decision is made concerning full remediation.

“We do have some requests where persons have been asking if they can work away and we have approved those. It could be about four or five persons. We explained to workers that if they need to work away, they can request it,” he said.

“We are waiting to see how long before we need to close to get it done over the short term. For example, if we have all ducks in the pond, and we know from Thursday to Sunday we can get everything done, we might very well be able to do it that way, or for a week.

“So, we are going to determine that very soon from the quotes we get for doing this work and following further discussion from providers of the services.”

Permanent Secretary Seymour said the Ministry for Grand Bahama building has been plagued with challenges following Hurricane Dorian when four feet of water came into the building.

He said a lot of work was done initially to take out and replace all of the sheetrock on the ground floor.

“We found out later that by the force of the wind and rain some water might have leaked through the windows and got into additional plating on the interior, and that might have caused some challenges as well,” he said.

He said for more than a year they have been working to resolve the challenges by changing all floor carpeting with tiles.

“We were of the view that contaminants would have been part of what was causing people to cough more than usual and bring down sinuses more, and that kind of thing,” he added.

According to M Seymour, the HVAC system is also cleaned on a regular basis to minimise mould infestation among other things.

He said assessments have been conducted and an analyst has confirmed there are still some challenges in terms of air quality and the possible lingering presence of some mould in the building.

“Some of it might have been caused by the construction we are doing and dust that is happening, and so we are trying to minimise that as well.”

Mr Seymour said work is underway on the entire fifth floor which is being turned into an office space.

“The analyst is of the view that some of what is happening there is spreading throughout the building from construction on the fifth floor. It is not new construction, it is retrofitting and it is on the interior and some of that might be the cause of dust moving from place to place,” he said.

The Ministry for Grand Bahama has hired additional cleaners since July last year, and air filters in the AC are being changed.

“We done that yesterday, and we are hoping in the short term we can get some things done because the building is over 20 years old,” he said.

Mr Seymour said government services will continue until a determination can be made concerning full remediation.

“We have plans to remediate this whole situation so we can get back to normal working habits and not put anyone’s life in harm’s way,” he said.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, November 7, 2023, PAGE 13

NEW YORK CITY MARATHON

TAMIRAT TOLA, of Ethiopia, crosses the finish line in the professional men’s division of the New York City Marathon on Sunday.

(AP Photos/Craig Ruttle)

HELLEN OBIRI, of Kenya, crosses the finish line in the professional women’s division.

Tamirat Tola sets NYC Marathon course record to win men’s race

By DOUG FEINBERG AP Sports Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Tamirat Tola wasn’t thinking about breaking the New York City Marathon course record as he was running by himself in Central Park for the last few miles of the race. He just was focused on trying to win.

The Ethiopian runner broke the 12-year old mark, finishing the 26.2-mile race in 2 hours, 4 minutes and 58 seconds on Sunday — eight seconds faster than Geoffrey Mutai in 2011.

“The people of New York is amazing to give me moral support every kilometre,” Tola said. “I’m happy for them. Thank you all people.

It’s a long kilometres to do alone. ... I’m not thinking about a lot. I’m thinking to win. So this is nice.”

Tola, who finished fourth in the race in 2018 and 2019, pulled away from countrymate Jemal Yimer when the pair were heading toward the Bronx at mile 20. By the time Tola headed back into Manhattan a mile later he was up by 19 seconds and left only chasing Mutai’s mark. The 32-year-old was a late add to the field, joining three weeks ago.

Albert Korir of Kenya, who won the 2021 NYC Marathon, finished second nearly two minutes behind Tola.

While there wasn’t much drama in the men’s race after Tola pulled away, the women’s competition came down to the final stretch.

Hellen Obiri of Kenya pulled away in the final 400 metres to take the women’s title.

The 33-year-old Obiri ran New York for the first time last year and finished sixth.

“My first debut here was terrible for me, and I say like I don’t want to come back here next year,” Obiri said. “After that, I said, wow, I’m here again. So you know sometimes you learn from your mistakes, so I did a lot of mistakes last year, so I said I want to try to do my best.”

She sure did.

Obiri, Letesenbet Gidey of Ethiopia and defending champion Sharon Lokedi were all running together exchanging the lead. Obiri made a move as the trio

headed back into Central Park for the final half-mile pulling away. She finished in 2:27:23. Gidey finished second, six seconds behind.

Lokedi was 10 seconds behind Obiri, who won the Boston Marathon in April.

She’s the first woman to win those two marathons in the same year since Norwegian Ingrid Kristiansen did it in 1989.

This was a stellar women’s field that was expected to potentially take down the course record of 2:22:31 set

by Margaret Okayo in 2003.

Unlike last year when the weather was unseasonably warm with temperatures in the 70s, Sunday’s race was much cooler with it being in the 50s — ideal conditions for record breaking times and for the 50,000 runners.

Instead, the women had a tactical race with 11 runners, including Americans Kellyn Taylor and Molly Huddle in the lead pack for the first 20 miles. Taylor and Huddle both led the group at points before falling back and finishing in eighth and ninth.

“The first 20 miles, I was like what the heck was going on,” Taylor said. “It was super weird, one of the weirdest races I ever ran with the calibre of talent in the field. There were talks of breaking the course record and doing all the things, after a bit it was like that’s not going to happen.

We’re running six-minute pace for no good reasons.

Sometimes that’s how races play out. You can jump on board and do that or do your own thing. Today i just decide to jump onboard and try and hang on.”

Once the lead group came back into Manhattan for the final few miles, Obiri, Gidey and Lokedi pushed the pace.

As the trio entered Central Park they further distanced themselves from Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei, who finished fourth.

The men’s and women’s winners finished within a few minutes of each other.

About an hour earlier, Marcel Hug won the men’s wheelchair race, finishing a few seconds short of his own course record by finishing in 1:25:29. It was the Swiss star’s record-extending sixth NYC Marathon victory.

MARCEL HUG, of Switzerland, crosses the finish line first in the men’s wheelchair division.

(AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)

Hellen Obiri takes women’s title RUNNERS make their way in the Brooklyn borough New York during the New York City Marathon.

(AP Photo/Jeenah Moon)

RUNNERS cross the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge at the start of the New York City Marathon.

“It’s incredible. I think it takes some time to realise what happened,” Hug said.

“I’m so happy as well.”

He’s the most decorated champion in the wheelchair race at the event, breaking a tie with Tatyana McFadden and Kurt Fearnley for most wins in the division in event history.

Catherine Debrunner of Switzerland won her New York debut, shattering the course record in the women’s wheelchair race. She finished in 1:39:32, besting the previous mark by over 3 minutes, which was held by American Susannah Scaroni. “It’s difficult to describe in words. I said to my coach if I win this race, it’s the best performance I ever showed,” she said. “Knew it’s the toughest marathon of all. It was the first time. I knew it was going to be so tough.”

Debrunner and Tola both earned a $50,000 bonus for topping the previous course records.

TICKETS TO PARIS Daniel Romanchuk and Aaron Pike qualified for the 2024 Paris Games by finishing as the top Americans in the men’s wheelchair race.

Scaroni and McFadden qualified on the women’s side for the Olympics.

(AP Photo/Peter K Afriyie)

WOMEN’s elite division runners make their way onto the Verrazano Narrows Bridge at the start of the New York City Marathon.

(AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

TAMIRAT TOLA, of Ethiopia, leads the men runners over the Queensboro Bridge during the New York City Marathon.

(AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

PAGE 14, Tuesday, November 7, 2023

THE TRIBUNE

Chargers roll past Jets 27-6

By DENNIS WASZAK JR AP Pro Football Writer EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Derius Davis returned a punt 87 yards for a touchdown, Austin Ekeler ran for two scores and Joey Bosa and Los Angeles’ defence stifled Zach Wilson and the New York Jets’ bumbling offence in the Chargers’ 27-6 victory last night.

Justin Herbert didn’t have to do much in this one, finishing 16 of 30 for just 136 yards, but became the fastest player in NFL history to 1,500 completions as the Chargers (4-4) snapped the Jets’ threegame winning streak.

Keenan Allen had eight catches for 77 yards to reach 10,000 career yards receiving. Los Angeles, which forced New York

(4-4) to fumble four times and recovered three of them, sacked Wilson eight times, including 2 1/2 by Bosa and two each

by Khalil Mack and Tuli Tuipulotu.

Wilson and the Jets couldn’t get anything going despite facing the NFL’s worst-ranked passing defence. Wilson was 33 of 49 for 263 yards while taking a step back in his development.

After the Jets went three-and-out on their opening drive, Davis gave the Chargers a 7-0 lead when the rookie fielded Thomas Morstead’s punt near the right sideline, avoided a tackle attempt, cut inside and took off — avoiding a few more tackle tries along the way — for an 87-yard touchdown return.

It was the longest punt return in the NFL this season, and the Chargers’ first punt return for a TD since Desmond King brought one back 68 yards against Denver in 2019.

The Jets moved the ball on their next drive, helped in part by a roughing the passer penalty on Bosa — the first such call in New York’s favour since 2021.

But Garrett Wilson lost a fumble on the next play on a hit by Alohi Gilman, with Derwin James recovering.

Los Angeles couldn’t take advantage of that takeaway, but did so after Bosa strip-sacked Zach Wilson and recovered the fumble on the Jets’ next drive.

From the Jets 21, Ekeler slipped two tackle tries and zipped downfield and into the end zone and

BENGALS GET 24-18 WIN OVER BILLS

By MITCH STACY AP Sports Writer

LOS Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) passes against the New York Jets during the first quarter last night.

(AP Photo/Adam Hunger) celebrated a touchdown — lead again for the Chargers but was ruled out at the 1. heading into halftime.

He got into the end zone Dicker’s 38-yarder in again two plays later, but it the fourth quarter made it was negated because D.J. 20-6 on a drive helped by a Reed was called for defen- circus catch by Allen, who sive offside. fully extended to reach for Ekeler celebrated again a high throw and snagged — and it counted this time it with his left hand before — on the next play when corralling it with both he punched it in to make hands as he rolled to the it 14-0 with 2:45 left in the turf for a 23-yard reception opening quarter. on third-and-4.

Greg Zuerlein’s 47-yard Ekeler ran it in from 2 field goal cut the Jets’ yards out to make it 27-6 deficit to 14-3 with 5:57 one play after Mack had remaining in the first a strip-sack of Wilson and half. Cameron Dicker’s Gilman returned it 48 55-yarder as time expired yards to set up the sealing made it a two-touchdown score.

Swiatek earns the WTA Finals title and a return to No. 1 by beating Jessica Pegula CANCUN, Mexico (AP) — Iga Swiatek earned her first WTA Finals title and the year-end No. 1 ranking by overwhelming Jessica Pegula 6-1, 6-0 yesterday in the latest in a series of dominant performances.

From 1-all at the outset, Swiatek seized complete control, collecting the next 11 games with her high-quality baseline game, rarely making an unforced error and repeatedly pressuring Pegula into mistakes.

Swiatek, a 22-year-old from Poland, went 5-0 at the tour’s season-closing championship, winning all 10 sets she played and ceding a total of just 20 games. That’s the fewest by the tournament’s winner since 2003, when the event for the top eight players in women’s tennis returned to a round-robin format; the previous low in that span was the 34 games dropped

by Justine Henin in 2007.

“We’ve had many ups and downs, but this is, for sure, an up,” Swiatek said, addressing her team during the post-match ceremony.

She is the youngest WTA Finals champion

since Petra Kvitova was 21 in 2011.

Swiatek extended her winning streak to 11 matches and improved to 68-11 with six trophies in 2023, including at the French Open in June for her fourth Grand Slam title.

Pegula called it “an amazing year.”

“You continue to push me to be a better player every single year,” Pegula said. “I wish I could have done better today, but that’s not how it goes sometimes.”

This victory allows Swiatek to return to No. 1, a spot she held from April 2022 until this September, when she relinquished it to Aryna Sabalenka after the U.S. Open.

In Cancun, Swiatek defeated Sabalenka in a semifinal that began Saturday, was suspended by rain, then finished on Sunday.

Pegula hadn’t dropped a set entering Monday and eliminated her doubles partner, U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff, on Saturday.

Pegula, a 29-year-old born in New York and now

IGA SWIATEK, of Poland, kisses her trophy after her victory over Jessica Pegula, of the United States, in the women’s singles final of the WTA Finals tennis championships, in Cancun, Mexico, yesterday.

(AP Photo/Fernando Llano) based in Florida, was bid- event since the start of the ding to become the oldest WTA rankings in 1975. first-time WTA Finals “Playing against you has champ and to pick up what never been easy,” Swiatek would have been the most told Pegula. important trophy of her But Pegula’s nine-match career. winning streak was stopped By beating No. 1 emphatically by Swiatek.

Sabalenka and No. 4 Elena Swiatek finished with Rybakina in the group more winners, 9-6, and stage, then No. 3 Gauff in far fewer unforced errors, the semis, before taking 23-6. on No. 2 Swiatek, Pegula She broke Pegula five became the first woman to times while only facing one face each of the top four break point herself — and players in the world at one it came as Swiatek served

for the match in the last game. Swiatek won 25 of 36 points in the first set, and 26 of 36 in the second.

When it ended, Swiatek dropped to her back, then sat up and yelled. Some spectators waved red-andwhite Polish flags. During the trophy presentation, fans showered her with chants of “Iga!” The final was played under a mostly blue sky and with far less wind than players were forced to contend with throughout the week. And, most importantly, there wasn’t a drop of rain.

Laura Siegemund of Germany and Vera Zvonareva of Russia won the doubles title yesterday by beating Nicole MelicharMartinez of the U.S. and Ellen Perez of Australia 6-4, 6-4.

The singles and doubles title matches both originally were scheduled to be contested Sunday, then were pushed back after a series of showers affected play during the WTA Finals.

“It hasn’t hasn’t been the easiest week,” Pegula told the crowd, “for any of us.”

CINCINNATI (AP) — The Cincinnati Bengals showed a national TV audience on Sunday night they are still serious AFC playoff contenders.

The Bengals were all but counted out after starting the season with two losses and falling to 1-3 on October 1. But four straight wins have pulled them back up and into the conversation.

The latest was a 24-18 victory over the Buffalo Bills in a rematch of a divisional playoff game from last season.

“We went out and proved to the world we’re back and we’re here,” said Cincinnati receiver Tee Higgins, who had eight catches for a season-high 110 yards.

Joe Burrow threw for a season-high 348 yards and two touchdowns, and Cincinnati’s defence forced two turnovers and held off the Bills.

“We’re coming along,” Burrow said. “We’ve played well the last couple of weeks and we have to keep it going.”

Cincinnati (5-3) is locked in a tie with Cleveland and Pittsburgh, all of them chasing the division-leading Ravens (7-2) in the AFC North. The Bengals still have to play the Steelers twice and have rematches with the Browns and Ravens on the schedule.

Burrow, who was still struggling with a calf injury early in the season, was 31 for 44 while completing passes to eight receivers, with tight ends Irv Smith Jr. and Drew Sample making the touchdown grabs.

Meanwhile, Cincinnati kept Josh Allen and the Bills (5-4) playing from behind throughout.

Cam Taylor-Britt intercepted Allen to shut down a drive in the second quarter.

Nick Scott upended Buffalo tight end Dalton Kincaid and recovered the fumble on Cincinnati’s 13-yard line in the third quarter.

The subsequent Bengals drive ate up 5:20 and a 20-yard field goal by Evan McPherson extended Cincinnati’s lead to 24-10.

Allen threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Stefon Diggs and the two connected on a 2-point conversion pass to cut the lead to 24-18 with 3 1/2 minutes left, but the Bengals got two first downs and ran out the clock to seal it.

Bangladesh ends 6-match losing streak at Cricket World Cup and Mathews suffers unusual dismissal NEW DELHI (AP) — Sri Lanka was eliminated from World Cup semifinal contention by Bangladesh and Angelo Mathews became the first batter to be timed out in international cricket yesterday.

Bangladesh won by three wickets with nearly nine overs to spare and ended a six-match losing run.

Najmul Hossain Shanto, 90, and skipper Shakib Al Hasan, 82, who stood by his timed out appeal against Mathews, featured as the Bangladesh top order finally clicked to reach 282-7 in 41.1 overs.

Sri Lanka was all out for 279 and propped up by Charith Asalanka’s brilliant 108.

Mathews wasn’t ready to face his first ball within two minutes of the previous dismissal — as stipulated by the tournament rules — after his helmet strap broke and he called for a replacement helmet.

By the time a teammate ran out with a new helmet, more than three minutes had elapsed.

On-field umpires Marais Erasmus and Richard Illingworth told Mathews he was timed out. Shakib also appealed for him to be timed out.

“One of our fielders came to me and said that if I appealed, he would be out, it’s in the laws,” Shakib said.

“I don’t know if it’s right or wrong, (but) I felt like I was at a war so whatever I had to do, I did it.”

Mathews, as a bowler, gave Sri Lanka a sniff when he dismissed Shakib and Shanto in consecutive overs to end a beefy 169-run stand off 149 balls between the two Bangladesh lefthanders, but the tailenders hung in to see them home.

Mathews should have dismissed Shakib on 7 in the 11th over, but Asalanka dropped a sitter at short extra cover.

Shakib and Shanto made their match-winning stand while dew was making it difficult to grip the wet ball.

They scored at a rapid pace before Asalanka made amends very late when he held onto the leading edge off Shakib’s bat.

Shanto hit 12 fours in his 101-ball knock before he was clean bowled by Matthews.

Shanto made an unbeaten 59 in Bangladesh’s opening win against Afghanistan but followed with only 28 runs across the next six games.

“We had to bat deep, luckily we got a big partnership,” Shakib said.

“Shanto and I applied ourselves really well, we would have loved to finish it early with lesser wickets (lost), but a win is a win,” he added.

AN UMPIRE intervenes as Bangladesh players and Sri Lankan players get into an altercation during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup match between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in New Delhi, India, yesterday.

(AP Photo/Manish Swarup) Left-arm fast bowler Dilshan Madushanka picked up 3-69 to be the leading wicket-taker of the World Cup with 21.

Madushanka, who picked up the wickets of openers Tanzid Hasan and Litton Das inside the batting powerplay, clean-bowled Musfiqur Rahim in his

return spell, but Towhid Hridoy made an unbeaten 15 with two pulled sixes to get Bangladesh home.

Earlier, Pathum Nissanka and Sadeera Samarawickrama both made 41 runs each but couldn’t convert good starts and fell to Shakib’s left-arm spin. Sri Lanka slumped to 135-5 midway

through its innings. Matthews’ exit in the rarest of fashions disappointed skipper Kusal Mendis.

“When Mathews came to the crease, there were five seconds left and he found out about the strap of the helmet. It was an equipment failure,” Mendis said.

“It’s disappointing that the

umpires couldn’t step in and make good decision.”

Asalanka revived Sri Lanka in a 78-run stand with Dhananjaya de Silva, who made 34. Asalanka raised his second ODI hundred off 101 balls. He hit five sixes and six boundaries before holing out in the deep in the penultimate over against seamer Tanzim Hasan.

Hasan took 3-80 while fast bowler Shoriful Islam and Shakib took two expensive wickets each.

“Charith played a brilliant innings, but we were 30-40 runs short,” Mendis said. “We had a couple of injuries (before the World Cup) and that was the reason we had so many newcomers. But we also made mistakes. Had we played better cricket, we would have a better chance of entering the top four.”

Bangladesh won its opening game against Afghanistan then lost six consecutive games. It moved to seventh ahead of Sri Lanka on net runrate as both teams vie for a top-seven finish to qualify for the 2025 Champions Trophy along with host Pakistan.

Bangladesh faces Australia in its last round-robin game on Saturday while Sri Lanka will meet New Zealand on Thursday.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, November 7, 2023, PAGE 15

Embiid has 48 points to help 76ers roll to 5th straight win over Wizards PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid scored 29 of his season-high 48 points in the third quarter and the Philadelphia 76ers rolled to their fifth straight victory, 146-128 over the Washington Wizards last night.

Philadelphia is unbeaten after a one-point loss at Milwaukee in its opener.

In the third quarter, Embiid was 10 for 10 from the floor and 9 for 9 from the foul to help the 76ers extend their lead to 120-98.

Embiid has scored 40 or more points 40 times in the regular season. He also had 11 rebounds and six assists.

Tyrese Maxey added 22 points and 11 assists, Tobias Harris had 18 and DeAnthony Melton a season-high 14 .

Nicolas Baton, who was picked up as one of the pieces in the trade that sent James Harden to the Los Angeles Clippers, scored 11 points on 4-for-5 shooting in his Sixers debut.

Kyle Kuzma scored 28 points for Washington, and Jordan Poole had 23.

HEAT 108, LAKERS 107 MIAMI (AP) — Bam Adebayo had the first 20-rebound triple-double in Miami history, Jimmy Butler scored 28 points and the Heat survived a big offensive drought at the end to beat Los Angeles.

Adebayo had 22 points, 20 rebounds and 10 assists for Miami in what became his sixth regular-season triple-double.

Tyler Herro also scored 22 points for the Heat, and Duncan Robinson added 12.

LeBron James had 30 points for the Lakers, who fell to 0-4 on the road. Austin Reaves was an assist shy of a tripledouble, finishing with 23

points, 10 rebounds and nine assists. The Lakers didn’t have Anthony Davis for the final 14 minutes; he left the game twice with a left hip spasm and finished with nine points and six rebounds.

TIMERWOLVES 114, CELTICS 109, OT MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Anthony Edwards scored eight of his 38 points in overtime and Minnesota sent Boston to its first loss of the season Jaden McDaniels added 20 points, and Rudy Gobert added 14 points and 12 rebounds as Minnesota improved to 4-0 at home in a third consecutive victory.

Jayson Tatum had 32 points and Jaylen Brown added 26 for the Celtics.

Boston’s 6-0 start was its best since 2009-10.

KNICKS 111, CLIPPERS 97 NEW YORK (AP) — Julius Randle scored 27 points, RJ Barrett had 26 in his return to the lineup and New York spoiled James Harden’s debut with Los Angeles.

Barrett had missed the previous two games with a sore left knee.

Harden played 31 minutes and had 17 points and six assists in his first game since being traded from the Philadelphia 76ers.

Mitchell Robinson added 13 points and 14 rebounds as the Knicks snapped ar two-game losing streak and recorded their first home victory of the season.

Kawhi Leonard led the Clippers with 18 points.

NUGGETS 134, PELICANS 116 DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic had his 108th triple-double with 35 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists and Denver Nuggets

PHILADELPHIA 76ers’ Joel Embiid plays during an NBA basketball game last night in Philadelphia.

(AP Photo/Matt Slocum) overcame a 20-point, firsthalf deficit to beat New Orleans. Jokic broke a tie with LeBron James and Jason Kidd to move into fourth place in tripledoubles. He trails Magic Johnson by 30 for third.

Denver rookie Julian Strawther scored a careerhigh 21 points of the bench to help overcome the absence of Jamal Murray, who will miss several games with a right hamstring injury.

New Orleans rookie Jordan Hawkins, starting for CJ McCollum, set a career best with 31 points on 7-for-14 shooting from 3-point range.

BUCKS 129, NETS 125 NEW YORK (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo had 36 points and 12 rebounds to help Milwaukee beat Brooklyn.

Damian Lillard added 21 points, and Jae Crowder had 15. Milwaukee improved to 4-2 with its first road victory of the season.

Cam Thomas scored 45 points for Brooklyn in his fourth 30-point game of the season. Mikal Bridges had 31 points, and Lonnie Walker IV added 19 points.

Brooklyn fell to 3-4 overall and 0-3 at home.

MAVERICKS 117, MAGIC 102 ORLANDO, Florida (AP) — Luka Doncic returned from a brief absence after bumping his head to score 12 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter, leading Dallas past Orlando.

Kyrie Irving and Tim Hardaway Jr. added 21 points as the Mavericks erased a 15-point deficit for the second night in a row to sweep their first back-toback of the season.

Paolo Banchero led Orlando with 22 points.

WARRIORS 120, PISTONS 109 DETROIT (AP) — Steph Curry scored 34 points and Golden State dominated on the offensive glass against Detroit.

Golden State had 17 offensive rebounds to Detroit’s seven and finished with a 26-10 advantage in second-chance points.

Klay Thompson and Chris Paul each added 17 points for the Warriors.

Cade Cunningham and Killian Hayes each had 21 points for Detroit.

ROCKETS 122, KINGS 97 HOUSTON (AP) — Alperen Sengun had 17 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds and Jalen

Green scored 23 points in Houston’s victory over Sacramento.

The Rockets have won three straight to improve to 3-3. They are .500 for the first time since Oct. 22, 2021, when they started the 2021-22 season 1-1.

Sengun fell just two rebounds shy of his third career triple-double, doing so in just 26 minutes and without playing in the fourth quarter.

Kings’ star De’Aaron Fox was out for a third straight game.

THUNDER 126, HORNETS 117 OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai GilgeousAlexander scored 30 points in Oklahoma City’s victory over Atlanta.

The Thunder’s leading scorer sat out Friday against Golden State because of a sprained left knee. He bounced back quickly, making 11 of 20 shots and getting eight rebounds and six assists.

Dejounte Murray scored 29 points for Atlanta, and Trae Young added 22 points and 11 assists not far from the campus where he starred for Oklahoma.

BULLS 130, JAZZ 113 CHICAGO (AP) — Zach LaVine scored 24 points, DeMar DeRozan had 21 and Chicago beat Utah to snap a three-game losing streak.

Coby White added 18 as the Bulls scored a season high in points. Chicago got a boost off the bench as Jevon Carter hit four 3-pointers and scored 12 points, and Andre Drummond added 12 points from inside the paint. Drummond had seven rebounds, reaching 10,000 for his career. Lauri Markannen scored 29 points for Utah.

Richard Gibson Jr is the first Bahamian golfer to compete in Pan Am Games FROM PAGE 18 wouldn’t miss, so that probably was it,” he stated.

“Putting really killed me during this tournament.”

If there was any consolation for Gibson, he was able to interact with a lot of the Bahamian athletes in the Games Village, something that he wouldn’t get to do at home.

“They were giving me some advice on how to market myself as well,” he stated. “Some of them have already been to the Olympics, so it was nice to hear about their experiences and what it takes to get it.”

During his stay in Chile, Gibson Jr said he missed watching Lamar Taylor pick up his silver medal in swimming or witness the tennis players in action, especially collegian Sydney Clarke, whom everybody talked highly about her performance.

But he said he was there to watch as Rhema Otabor secured the silver in the women’s javelin and Donald Thomas soared to bronze in the high jump. He said he was impressed by the performances of the track team, including sprinter Samson Colebrooke.

After he finished his competition, Gibson said he was surprised that so many people were interested in getting his autograph. He called it a “new experience” for him as well. But he credited a

VOLLEYBALL FROM PAGE 18

season right now and so there is a lot of interest in volleyball. We want to increase that excitement.

“We have added the high school division to allow the teams playing in the Government Secondary

lot of accomplishments to Gina Gonzalez-Rolle, who had always encouraged him to “get it together” because she considered him “the best that we have.”

Gibson Jr will now prepare for the Latin American Championships in January in Panama where he and Noel Johnson will be representing the Bahamas as the top two ranked players on the circuit.

Miller, who also served as the team manager in Chile, said for the level of competition, Gibson Jr played his best.

“We wanted better. We tried for better, but things just didn’t work that way.

It was a very competitive field,” Miller pointed out.

“He had some bad breaks and some unfamiliar weather out there, so he had to bear with that and adjusted accordingly.

“But overall, we had a pretty good showing. Everything went very well. We picked up some things that we could learn from and just get adjusted for the next event.”

As a caddie, Miller said he had to adjust to a learning process as well.

“I’ve never experienced being a caddie, walking and giving advice,” he reflected.

“I’ve always been a person making up my own mind, so it was a good experience adjusting to somebody else’s experience.”

Having cracked the Pan American Games level, Miller said the next step Schools Sports Association and the Bahamas Small Schools Association, as well as the Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools, to come out and participate.”

Rolle said it’s important to have the high school teams participate as well because it will provide them with an opportunity to also get to play some

RICHARD GIBSON JR, centre, of The Bahamas, gets ready to tee off at the 19th Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile. is ofcourse the Olympic Games.

“One of my mandates when I took over as the president was to get a Bahamian in the Olympics,” he said.

“I think we are still on track for that to happen.

We started the process with getting our athletes ranked. You can’t get there if you’re not ranked.

“So we’re working on that. We have a few Bahamians who are ranked.

Now that’s happening, we’re checking the next step to see what is necessary for us to get to the Olympics.”

Having gotten his feet wet in competition at the Pan Am Games, Gibson Jr said whatever it takes, he’s willing to go the extra mile to get a chance to compete in the Olympics, if not in Paris, France next year, at least in Los Angeles, California in 2028.

He said the experience at Pan Am has just made him more thirsty for more of the same exposure to the international level of the games’ competition, rather than just going to a golf tournament.

Gibson dedicated his participation in the games to his former 2009 CV

Bethel classmate Teneil Levarity, who passed away from lupus while he was in Chile. He said he wore a band projecting lupus awareness in honour of Levarity.

“To hear the news today (yesterday) was devastating,” Gibson said. “Before I went away, they posted in our class group that she was back in the hospital. So I put the band on when I went away to honour her. I was really devastated when I heard she passed away.”

Gibson extended condolences to the family of Levarity and his classmates.

extra games. She said they are thrilled to be able to open the tournament to the future volleyball players in the country.

“The Ministry of Sports had approached. We had originally planned to host this tournament in December, but they approached us and asked us if we would like for the tournament to be a featured part of

the activities,” Rolle said.

“They are also a sponsor for the tournament.”

Rolle said the tournament will also have some participation from at least Grand Bahama, which is expected to be represented by an All-Star team.

She noted that they were also looking at getting a team in from Abaco, but there will be some

participation of players on some of the local teams.

Teams still interested in participating in the tournament are urged to contact any of the committee members. The registration fee is $200 per team. The winning team will earn a cash prize of $2,000, second will collect $1,000 and third place will pocket $500 to share among its players.

LEBRON JAMES REFLECTS ON HIS 4 HEAT SEASONS

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer MIAMI (AP) — LeBron James couldn’t help but notice the new floor in Miami yesterday, the one with the word “Culture” splashed across midcourt and with team president Pat Riley’s long mantra painted in each of the lanes.

James and the Los Angeles Lakers were the first opponent to hit the new court, with them making their annual visit to Miami for a contest last night. The court is part of the team’s primary marketing scheme for 2023-24, with plans calling for the Heat to use the new floor and the uniforms with ‘Culture’ across the front several times throughout the season.

LOS Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) warms up before an NBA basketball game against the Orlando Magic, Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/ Gary McCullough) James took a trip down memory lane yesterday, when asked about the court and reflecting on his four seasons with Miami — a span that led to four NBA Finals trips, along with the first two of his four NBA titles. Back then, ‘culture’ was a Heat philosophy and buzzword; it wasn’t splashed on shirts until years later.

“We didn’t really talk about it too much,” James said. “It was just, you come in, and you work, and the product of how much you put in the work was going to pay off on the floor.”

The mantra — “hardest working, best conditioned, most professional, unselfish, toughest, meanest, nastiest team in the NBA” — has been the core of what Riley has spent nearly 30 years building and nurturing in Miami.

“You know, I think everybody on the outside, they probably hear it so much, they’re probably tired of hearing about it,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said of the ‘culture’ credo. “But we don’t care. You have to stand for something and we stand for that.”

It was in the summer of 2010 when the Heat found a way to bring James and Chris Bosh to Miami to play alongside Dwyane Wade.

Spoelstra — one of the league’s newest coaches at that time — is still coaching the Heat, his current tenure now the second-longest with one team in the NBA behind only San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich.

To James, that’s the culture — how Riley, Spoelstra, managing general partner Micky Arison, general manager Andy Elisburg and many other top executives — were in Miami long before he arrived, and remain there.

“Besides San Antonio, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New England Patriots, I think those are the only franchises that you can say have the same stability as the Miami Heat,” James said.

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PAGE 16, Tuesday, November 7, 2023

THE TRIBUNE

‘Buddy’ erupts for 19 points in 21 minutes

By PHILLIP B WILSON Associated Press INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Tyrese Haliburton scored 23, Chavano “Buddy” Hield put up 19 points in 21 minutes, and the Indiana Pacers routed the San Antonio Spurs 152-111 last night for coach Rick Carlisle’s 900th career victory.

Carlisle, second among active coaches in wins, beat the all-time leader, active or otherwise, in Hall of Fame coach Gregg Popovich, who has 1,369 victories, all with the Spurs.

The Pacers won in style, tying a team record for most points in a game.

Haliburton, who also had eight assists, was one of six Pacers in double figures.

Obi Toppin also scored 19.

Myles Turner had 15 points and 11 rebounds for the Pacers, who had their biggest lead at 39 points late in the third quarter.

Spurs rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama had his worst shooting night in his first back-to-back, going 3 of 12 and finishing with 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Reserve Doug McDermott scored 17 points to lead the Spurs, who lost at home to Toronto a night earlier.

Carlisle has 245 wins over two stints with the Pacers and 555 in 13 seasons with Dallas, where he won his only championship as a head coach in 2011.

The 64-year-old also won 100 games in Detroit.

San Antonio was lethargic from the outset.

The Pacers tied a franchise record for most first-half points in taking an 86-61 lead at the break.

Indiana sank 12 3-pointers in the first half and finished 20 of 38. San Antonio was 8 of 26. The Pacers won handily two nights after setting a team record with 12 3-pointers in a 50-point third quarter, but in a 125-124 loss at home to Charlotte.

Hield and the Pacers get Carlisle his 900th win with 152-111 rout of Spurs

INDIANA Pacers guard Buddy Hield (7) in action during an NBA basketball game between the Charlotte Hornets and the Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis on Saturday.

(AP Photo/AJ Mast)

‘WEMBY’ DAZZLES IN 5TH NBA GAME

By DAVID BRANDT AP Sports Writer PHOENIX (AP) — Victor Wembanyama strolled through the hallways at Footprint Center after the best game of his short NBA career when he passed 13-time All-Star Kevin Durant, stopping for a quick handshake and quick hug.

Some say the 7-foot-4 Frenchman is a taller version of Durant.

Durant’s first impression is that the budding San Antonio Spurs star might be even better.

“His enthusiasm for the game — you can tell that through the TV and playing against him,” Durant said.

“He’s his own player, own person. He’s going to create his own lane and is much different than anyone else who has played.”

In just his fifth NBA game, the 19-year-old Wembanyama showed why he was one of the most-hyped prospects in years, scoring 38 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in a standout performance during a 132-121 victory over Durant and the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night.

Wembanyama produced several highlight-reel plays in the game, including a soaring dunk while running the floor during the second quarter. But it was his poise in the fourth quarter that was the real eye-opener.

The Spurs built a 27-point lead in the first half and still had a 14-point lead entering the fourth quarter before the Suns clawed back to tie it 116 with about four minutes left. That’s when Wembanyama took over, with the precocious rookie making a 3-pointer, three free throws, a dunk and an 18-foot jumper to push the Spurs on a 12-0 run that sealed the win.

Wembanyama shot 15 of 26 from the field and added two assists, two blocks and a steal to help the Spurs complete a two-game sweep in Phoenix.

Memphis beats Ayton and Portland 112-100 for first win of the season

By ANNE M PETERSON AP Sports Writer PORTLAND, Oregon (AP) — The Memphis Grizzlies knew that a win would eventually come, sooner rather than later.

Desmond Bane had 30 points and the Grizzlies won for the first time this season, rallying late to beat the Portland Trail Blazers 112-100 on Sunday night.

“We’ve been competing, growing and learning a lot.

A lot of people are getting new opportunities,” Bane said. “I’m happy with where we’re headed and how we played tonight.”

Jaren Jackson Jr. added 27 points for the Grizzlies, who opened the season with six straight losses, most since the 2002-03 season when the team opened 0-13.

Jerami Grant led the Blazers with 27 points. The loss snapped a three-game winning streak. Bahamian big man Deandre Ayton contributed six points, 11 rebounds, two steals and a block.

The Blazers led 86-62 going into the final quarter but were hurt when Robert Williams III was knocked to the ground underneath the Grizzlies’ basket and came up limping. He tried to play, but left the court and headed straight for the locker room.

PORTLAND Trail Blazers centre Deandre Ayton, right, blocks the shot of Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane, centre, as forward Toumani Camara, left, defends, on Sunday night.

MEMPHIS Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr, left, has his shot blocked by Portland Trail Blazers centre Deandre Ayton, right, during the second half on Sunday night.

(AP Photos/Steve Dykes) Memphis went on a 9-0 run to get within 98-95 with 5:26 left, then tied it at 100 on Jackson’s dunk.

He scored again to put the

Grizzlies in front and they led the rest of the way.

“You’ve got to celebrate, you know how hard it is to win this league. We’re

going to enjoy this one for sure,” Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said. “It’s been a difficult first couple of weeks. But as I’ve said, our guys are resilient. They respond. We’ve been competitive every single night, sometimes it hasn’t gone our way.”

Shaedon Sharpe added 18 points and eight rebounds for the the Blazers, while Malcolm Brogdon had his second straight doubledouble with 18 points and 11 assists Portland was without rookie guard Scoot Henderson for the second straight game with right ankle sprain. The Blazers were already missing guard Anfernee Simons because of a torn ligament in his right thumb.

Bismack Biyombo, signed Wednesday by Memphis, made a very brief debut for the Grizzlies on Friday before starting on Sunday.

He got into foul trouble, collecting his fifth in the third quarter and went to the bench. A 12-year NBA

veteran, Biyombo played for the Suns the past two seasons.

Santi Aldama made his first appearance of the season for Memphis after missing the team’s first six games with a sprained right ankle. Jenkins said Aldama’s minutes would be limited.

Portland led by as many a 11 points early but Memphis got back in it on Luke Kennard’s 3-pointer that pulled the Grizzlies within 32-30 at the end of the first quarter.

David Roddy’s jumper tied it at 40 and the Grizzlies took the lead on Bane’s floater. Jackson capped the half with a 3-pointer to give the Grizzlies a 63-55 lead.

Grant made three consecutive 3-pointers during an 11-4 Portland run to start the second half and pull to 67-66. Bane had a personal 8-0 run to extend Memphis’ lead again.

The Grizzlies stayed in front until Skylar Mays’ 3-pointer gave Portland an 81-80 lead with just

over two minute left in the quarter.

Coach Chauncey Billups said the Blazers are still in development. Portland is a young team rebuilding after the departure of All-Star guard Damian Lillard in the offseason.

“If it’s something to be taught, I’m teaching no matter if we’re winning or we’re losing, because those things go up and down.

You can never know what’s going to happen,” Billups said.

“I want to keep teaching and keep demanding it from the dudes, and we’ll just see what it looks like once we get there.”

The Blazers beat the Grizzlies 115-113 in overtime on Friday night in the first game for both teams in the NBA’s new In-Season Tournament.

UP NEXT Grizzlies: Host the Miami Heat on Wednesday.

Trail Blazers: Visit the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday to kick off a three-game road trip.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, November 7, 2023, PAGE 17

Getting a glimpse of college life

By FAY SIMMONS Tribune Education Reporter jsimmons@tribunemedia.net HIGH School students got a chance to experience college life through the Morehouse College Alumni Association’s Immersion Excursion.

Morehouse College Alumni Association Bahamas Chapter held its premiere Homecoming Immersion Excursion for High School Students last month and six exceptional students were chosen to take part in the initiate.

The excursion provided senior students from various New Providence high schools with an unparalleled opportunity to experience Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia and bridge the gap between prospective students and

FROM left, Carlos Outten (VP Bahamas Chapter, Alumni Chaperone), Alton McKenzie (Alumni Chaperone), Jabari Brown (Anatol Rodgers), Alexander Saunders (CI Gibson), Nathan Gittens (St Augustine’s College), Nathaniel Sands (Anatol Rodgers), Donte Dorelien (CR Walker), Quinton Brennen (Morehouse Bahamas Alumni), Mark Pedican (CR Walker).

Morehouse College for future enrolment.

The six students selected for this inaugural excursion

were: Jabari Brown and Nathaniel Sands (Anatol Rodgers High School), Donte Doreliens and

Mark Pedican (CR Walker High School), Alexander Saunders (CI Gibson High School), and Nathan

Gittens (St Augustine’s College).

The educational field trip offered the students a

Student Spotlight

PLANTING THE FUTURE

By FAY SIMMONS Tribune Education Reporter jsimmons@tribunemedia.net PRIMARY schools received fruit trees from BAMSI as part its One to One initiate.

Sadie Curtis Primary, Claridge Primary and Gerald Cash Primary had trees planted on their campuses as part of the Bahamas Agricultural and Marine Science Institute’s (BAMSI)’s ‘One to One Campaign.

The programme will extend throughout the Bahamas and seeks to plant one tree for every Bahamian

in green spaces and public park in the long run.

The rollout will see BAMSI plant a tree in one school in every constituency throughout October and November.

The goal of the campaign is to change the landscape of the nation by growing more native fruit trees, strengthen the level of food security, build sustainability and increase access to healthy food for local communities.

CLOCKWISE from top, tree planting at Sadie Curtis, Gerald Cash and Claridge Primary Schools.

SECOND PHASE OF SCHEME LAUNCHED TO GIVE KIDS A GOOD BREAKFAST

By FAY SIMMONS Tribune Education Reporter jsimmons@tribunemedia.net THE Ministry of Education launched the second phase of the National Breakfast programme

yesterday, expanding the initiate to include hundreds of Family Island students.

The first phase of the programme was launched last month to students in the participating New Providence schools, Columbus

Primary, Ridgeland Primary, Sandilands Primary and Albury Sayles Primary.

The second phase of the programme included students from Rolleville Primary in Exuma, Holmes Rock Primary in Grand

Bahama, Cherokee Sound Primary in Abaco and Old Bight Primary in Abaco.

The third phase will expand the programme to include additional public primary schools nationwide.

LW YOUNG CHOOSES ITS HEAD BOY AND GIRL

By FAY SIMMONS Tribune Education Reporter jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

DEONTE Rolle and Sasha Butterfield.

comprehensive and enriching experience, immersing them in the academic environment of Morehouse College, the Atlanta University Center (AUC), and the City of Atlanta itself.

The excursion culminated with the college’s annual homecoming tailgating and football events.

During their stay, the students toured Morehouse College, Spelman College and Clark Atlanta University.

This initiative was made possible through the sponsorship of the alumni from the Morehouse College Alumni Association Bahamas Chapter and executives of the Morehouse College National Alumni Association, who are both deeply committed to fostering the academic growth and future aspirations of Bahamian males.

LW Young Junior High School held its student leader’s prefect instillation ceremony last week and appointed 38 students as prefects for the duration of the school year.

Senator Barry Griffin

gave keynote address and encouraged the students to continue on the ‘path of excellence’ and challenged them to work hard and set firm educational goals.

He said: “I want to challenge you to continue to work hard, to make your school a better place, to lead by example in your words and in your actions,

to set firm educational goals and to take responsibility for your learning in order to fulfil your dreams.”

Deonte Rolle and Sasha Butterfield were awarded head boy and head girl during the ceremony and Robert Burrows and Rachea Fernander were named deputy head boy and deputy head girl.

RACHEA Fernander, pictured top, is a ninth grade student at LW Young Jr High School and was awarded the position of deputy head girl during their recent prefect instillation ceremony.

She is 13 years old and enjoys drawing and painting.

In the future, Rachea would like enter the medical profession, becoming an anaesthesiologist or surgeon. A fun fact about her is that her favourite food is seafood.

• Robert Burrows, pictured right, is a ninth grade student at LW Young Jr High School and was awarded the position of deputy head boy during their recent prefect instillation ceremony.

He is 14 years old and enjoys participating in judo and boxing.

Robert plans to one day become a neurologist so that he can help people in need. A fun fact about him is that he shadow boxes randomly.

• Do you know a student you’d like to nominate to feature in Student Spotlight on our Education page? Email details to jsimmons@tribunemedia.net and celebrate our next generation.

SPORTS PAGE 18

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2023

Buddy, Page 16

Richard Gibson makes history

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

I

n breaking new grounds as the first Bahamian golfer to compete in the Pan American Games, Richard Gibson Jr said his experience in Santiago, Chile, last week could be rated an eight out of a 10.

Gibson Jr, with Bahamas Golf Federation president Lynford Miller as his caddie, was a part of an almost 20-member team that represented the Bahamas in swimming, tennis, sailing, wrestling and track and field.

After his four days of competition against a combined professional and amateur field of 30 competitors, Gibson Jr finished with a total score of 297 on Sunday after he posted rounds of 77-72-73-75 to end up in a two-way tie for 27th with Jean Paul Ducruet of Panama.

Abraham Ancer of Mexico took the gold with 267 (68-6765-67), while the silver went to Sebastian Munoz of Colombia with 268 (66-66-68-68) and the bronze went to American Dylan Menante with 271 (66-69-70-66).

For the 31-year-old Gibson Jr, the operations manager at the Royal Blue Golf Course at Baha Mar, the experience was one that he will never forget, not just because of how he played but the conditions that he played under.

“I was expecting to come and just see golfers. I wasn’t expecting to see athletes from every sport,” he said. “This was something definitely new for me being in an efficiency with all of your countrymen from other sports in a Games Village. It was just crazy.”

Another shocker was when Gibson Jr arrived to start preparing for the competition, he found out that it was more of a pro event with about 22 pros from the golf tours in the region with eight amateurs.

The first Bahamian golfer to compete in Pan Am Games “One of the guys, who I played against in the Corn Ferry event in the Bahamas, I played with, who actually won the event,” Gibson Jr said. “I didn’t get to play with a lot of the pros.

“I really stayed with the same guys for the four rounds. I had one person who I either played with earlier in the week or later in the week. I really didn’t get bounced around that much.”

His performance dictated that and although it was “average,” Gibson Jr said he will take it.

“Due to the fact that the weather was crazy, not to make excuses, but it was too cold for me,” he pointed out. “But overall, I think my performance was decent. It wasn’t great, but due to the circumstances of the weather, it was alright.”

Realising that he struggled more with his putting during the competition, Gibson Jr said he missed a lot of them and that could be attributed to the fact that he added a new putter to his bag about two weeks ago and he really didn’t have a chance to get used to it.

“I don’t feel that was it, but I missed putts that I normally

SEE PAGE 15

BRAVING THE WEATHER: Bahamian golfer Richard Gibson Jr at the 19th Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, last week.

‘SPIKING IN PARADISE’ VOLLEYBALL TOURNEY ALL SET

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net IN an effort to provide more opportunities for local players to participate in the game, a group of persons have come together to form the Spiking in Paradise Thanksgiving Volleyball Tournament.

The committee, including Dr Bridgette Rolle, Cora Hepburn, Dawn WoodsideJohnson, Lancerlot Miller and Edrick Poitier, will host the tournament from November 17-19 at both the Anatol Rodgers and DW Davis gymnasiums.

According to Rolle, the tournament will be held as a part of the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture’s National Sports Month and will be open to teams in both the private and public schools and the New Providence Volleyball Association.

“Initially we had hoped to have some international teams come and participate, but they said because it was too close to Thanksgiving, they won’t be able to travel this year,” Rolle said.

“This is just the beginning because we hope to make this an annual event.

“We are also looking at putting on several tournaments during the year so hopefully we can get those teams out of the region to come in and participate. We just want to provide a lot more opportunities for our local players to participate in the game.”

While the games will kick off on Friday, November 17 with the NPVA men and ladies’ teams participating, Rolle said they will be staging competition between the top four schools in both public and private on Saturday. The tournament will close out on Sunday, November 19.

“We are looking forward to putting on a very exciting tournament,” Rolle said.

“We know that the NPVA is currently playing its regular

SEE PAGE 15

GSSSA: Sudden death volleyball playoffs today, cross country on

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net WHILE their volleyball sudden death playoff games will get underway today at the DW Davis and Anatol Rodgers gymnasiums for juniors and seniors respectively, the Government Secondary Schools Sports Association is also gearing up for its cross country championships.

After being postponed last Saturday, the GSSSA will host the event this Saturday starting at 7:30am in front of the new Thomas A Robinson National Stadium and, according to president Varel Davis, it’s going to be an event you won’t want to miss.

“We know that the teams and the athletes have been gearing up for this event,” Davis said. “There’s been at least four or five cross country events and the majority of our athletes and teams have been competing in them.

“So with this being a year that we expect that things will get bigger and better, we are expecting that this weekend’s cross country championships will be very competitive.”

The CR Walker Knights are the defending champions in the senior division, while the HO Nash Lions are the defending champions in the junior division.

Will they both repeat?

Davis said there are a number of teams whose athletes are coming out to dethrone them. But she noted that they have to go out on the course and prove it.

Distances will increase as the competition moves from the junior to the senior divisions, which will add to the excitement that is already brewing amongst the schools.

Most athletes, according to Davis, are using the cross country races as a base for their training for the track and field season next year.

But she noted that coaches

GETTING IN GEAR: The Government Secondary Schools Sports Association is gearing up for its cross country championships. After being postponed last Saturday, the GSSSA will host the event starting at 7:30am this Saturday in front of the new Thomas A Robinson National Stadium.

are also using athletes in the different sports to help develop their stamina to compete in the other sports, while at the same time garnishing points for their schools.

As for volleyball, Davis said the sudden death will be played today starting at 4pm at DW Davis Gymnasium for the junior girls and boys and at Anatol Rodgers for the senior girls and boys.

“This should be a very competitive playoffs,” Davis said. “There are some close finishes in the standings, so it’s not like there was any team that ran away with it this year. So we expect that the playoffs and the championships will be just as competitive as the regular season.”

Following volleyball and the cross country championships, the GSSSA will close out the year with the start of its basketball competition, which will resume in January after they take a break for the Christmas holidays.