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Volume: 118 No.242, November 11, 2021

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VACCINE DROP OFF RAISES CONCERNS Slowdown raises alarm and fears vital supplies could be left unused

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net HEALTH and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville said his ministry along with officials from the Pan Health American Organisation are concerned about vaccine hesitancy in the country, noting a drop in vaccination rates in recent weeks.

Dr Darville’s comments came after Marco City MP

MEMBERS of Parliament passed a bill yesterday to bring an end to certain suspensions implemented under the former Minnis administration through the Emergency Powers Orders.

National Security Minister Wayne Munroe told House of Assembly members that had the former

HOTELS WANT TESTING COSTS PAID BY STAFF A TOP hotelier yesterday issued “a clarion call” for The Bahamas to eliminate legal stipulations that mandate employers must pay for their workers’ COVID-19 testing.

Robert Sands, the Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association’s (BHTA) president, used the Accountants Week seminars to challenge both the Government and trade unions to at least work with the private sector on reforming the Health and Safety at Work Act’s section nine.

Michael Pintard raised alarm about the issue in the House of Assembly yesterday, while calling on the minister to explain the reasoning behind the weakening demand for vaccinations.

He also described the trend as concerning.

“The vaccination rate appears to be dropping,” Mr Pintard told MPs. “I’m uncertain and I’m sure SEE PAGE FOUR

government listened to senior legislators and lawyers that the emergency orders were not to be in place for a protracted period of time, there would be no need for the transitionary bill.

The Free Town MP also addressed concerns about vehicle licensing. He said motorists have up to 30 days after the end of the Emergency Powers Orders SEE PAGE FOUR

- SEE PAGE EIGHT

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

SEE BUSINESS SECTION

BILL PASSED TO END EMERGENCY ORDERS

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

FRONT PORCH: ISLANDS IN THE CAULDRON OF CLIMATE CHANGE

VAT BILL GIVES SAVING TO $2M HOME OWNERS PEOPLE take part in the ‘March for Baby Bella’ in Grand Bahama yesterday.

‘JUSTICE FOR BELLA’

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

SCORES of people took to the street in Grand Bahama yesterday chanting “Justice for Bella” in the aftermath of the death of four-year-old Bella Walker last week.

Bella lived in Grand Bahama with her paternal relatives since she was an infant and was only sent to New Providence to live with a female relative about two months ago.

The “March for Baby Bella” started shortly after 4pm at the Independence Park in Freeport.

While addressing the gathering, Progressive Liberal Party Senator Kirkland Russell described Bella’s death as “the worst of the worst.”

“There is no doubt in my mind that what happened to Bella is indeed the worst of the worst.

“On Monday in the Senate I would

have said that a sword of sorrow has pierced the hearts of Bahamians.

“Bella has touched the hearts of men, women and children….,” he said.

On Tuesday, police said Bella’s cause of death was blunt force trauma. The child died in hospital on Friday after she was brought to Princess Margaret Hospital with injuries to her body.

While some have speculated that she may have also been a victim of sexual assault, Minister of National Security Wayne Munroe yesterday said while the circumstances of her death are tragic, there is no evidence of sexual abuse.

Despite officials saying there was no evidence of sexual abuse in Bella’s case, those at the march used her death to speak out against child sex crimes.

Senator Russell stated that Bella was from the small community of Hunters, where he is from. She lived with her grandparents.

“Bella from my community down SEE PAGE TWO

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

REALTORS yesterday hailed the Government’s decision to eliminate the 12 percent VAT rate on high-end property sales as “a very solid move”, adding: “It shows we mean business.”

SEE BUSINESS SECTION

STATESIDE IT’S NOT EASY KEEPING PACE WITH THE POLARIZATION OF AMERICAN POLITICS

- SEE PAGE NINE

PAGE 2, Thursday, November 11, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

PLP Senator Kirkland Russell.

‘JUSTICE FOR BELLA’

FROM PAGE ONE

south, man - Hunters and Pinder’s Point; we don’t know nothing about them kind of foolishness,” he said.

Mr Russell felt that more people should have attended the march.

“We got to be serious if we going to change. The Independence Field ought to be too small for Grand Bahama for this evening. This field ought to be too small for what happened to Bella.

“But let me say this, the healing process, the change in this country can’t begin when men and women reach 27 and 29 years-old. We have to begin with our young people and bring them up in the admonition of the Lord,” He said.

Melanie Butler-Rolle, who attended the march, expressed anger at what happened to Bella.

“It is wrong to harm the little children,” she said.

“They are small, they don’t have a voice. But people are hurting them, especially these men. And some women are no good because they know what is going on and say nothing. We must be the children’s voice. Look what happened to Bella in this Bahamaland.”

The event started with a prayer and the singing of the song, “Bind Us Together.”

Concerned citizen Shelly Shepherd also brought comments, calling for healing against the sexual perversion, particularly among the men, in the country.

Billy Jane Ferguson, Rotary District Governor for Area 6990, said the practice of hurting children must be stopped.

“This gathering is very emotional for me,” she said.

“I have a granddaughter and her name is Bella as well.

And just the thought of something horrific happening to my Bella tore me to pieces. I came out here to support this family and this community, and we have to put a stop to hurting our little darlings.”

Senator James Turner said: “. . .We ought to do what is required to make sure this does not happen to any other child. And the only way to make that happen is if we continue to stand together.

“We have to let people know in our community that this is unacceptable, that we will not accept it, and that if you do this in our community we will expose you and ensure justice is served.

“We have to stand together.

This could have been any of our children. I am asking Grand Bahama residents to stand together to make sure all of our children are safe,” he said.

You look out for them while you’re here.

We’ll be sure they’re well taken care of when you’re not.

Your wishes, your instructions, our promise to fulfill.

Your bridge to the future.

T: 242.396.3225 E: info@lenobahamas.com www.lenobahamas.com 2nd Floor, Pineapple Place, Bernard Road

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Thursday, November 11, 2021, PAGE 3

Minister says he has seen nothing regarding Bella Walker’s death to suggest sexual abuse

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net NATIONAL Security Minister Wayne Munroe said he has seen nothing regarding D’Onya Bella Walker’s death that suggests sexual abuse.

His comments came a day after police said the fouryear-old died as a result of blunt force trauma.

When asked by a reporter yesterday if there was any evidence of sexual abuse in Bella’s case, Police Press Liaison Officer ASP Audley Peters said no comment.

Mr Munroe said it is enough for him that a child was killed without requiring any additional details to be outraged about the incident, as he suggested people were “insinuating” there was more to the situation.

On Tuesday night, the Royal Bahamas Police Force said the girl died as a result of blunt force trauma to the body resulting in multiple fractures. There was no mention of any sexual assault findings.

This has not quelled social media speculation that there is more to the case that has not been released to the public.

Asked by The Tribune yesterday whether there was any evidence to suggest sexual abuse, Mr Munroe said: “Nothing that I have seen.

“What is distressing is this: a young child has been killed. Now I understand the public’s appetite for sleaze but at the end

of the day I am sufficiently outraged by a young child being killed that I don’t require anything additional to be outraged.

“The point that I made in Parliament is, we get outraged, we kick up and then after a while it goes flat.

“Marco’s Alert isn’t active. We were all offended

by Marco Archer’s death.

We don’t need to insinuate anything more into something than is there.

“If a child dies, if it’s by violence that is unacceptable and I don’t understand

STATE Legal Affairs Minister Jomo Campbell. that people don’t see that as sufficient. I don’t understand people who don’t see that as sufficient,” Mr Munroe added.

Bella died at Princess Margaret Hospital after she was brought to the facility with injuries about the body last Friday.

People living near the major subdivision apartment where the child lived have told The Tribune the environment was volatile with constant fighting. A neighbour also claimed that on at least one occasion

a female relative living at the home asked him to call the police, citing violence against her and the child from a man in the home.

Another woman alleged the child had been left home alone on more than one occasion.

Bella lived with her great grandmother, Mary Grant, in Grand Bahama from the time she was two weeks old until very recently.

Ms Grant said relatives there are distraught and feel that she was “sent to her death.”

The tragedy has gripped the nation and caused a public outcry.

It was a frequent talking point in the House of Assembly yesterday, with House Speaker Patricia Deveaux holding a moment of silence at the beginning of the sitting in honour of the well-loved child.

She began the sitting by alluding to the allegations of sexual abuse adding that Bella Walker had been robbed of her innocence. “(Beautiful Bella) was robbed of her future to become a pioneer in our society,” Speaker Deveaux said.

“As a mother I’m appalled.”

She asked fellow Members of Parliament to join her in protest of acts of violence against children.

When he spoke yesterday, State Legal Affairs Minister Jomo Campbell, Centreville MP, offered condolences.

“Princess Bella was also a resident of Centreville and this situation has certainly touched the hearts of not

NATIONAL Security Minister Wayne Munroe in the House of Assembly.

PHOTO: Donavan McIntosh/Tribune staff

only our community, but our entire country,” he said.

“I want to take this time to mention and to reaffirm my commitment as minister to pass and strengthen the

MARCO City MP Michael Pintard. necessary laws to enhance the protection of our most vulnerable amongst us, our children.

“It is our desire to see the enhancement of the administration of justice in this regard through the creation of a sexual offenders court.”

He said through practising in the legal system for 16 years, he was well aware of the challenges, adding that he and the attorney general would do their best not to interfere in the

‘MORE RESOURCES NEEDED’ TO ADDRESS SUSPECTED CASES OF CHILD ABUSE, NEGLECT

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

OFFICIALS from the Department of Gender and Family Affairs said more resources are needed to address suspected cases of child abuse and neglect.

They also said there are a number of issues facing mothers and minors, such as lack of access to reproductive health services and a strong family court system.

The comments came after police reported that a mother stabbed her boyfriend at their residence, who is suspected of sexually assaulting her 12-year-old daughter. The man has been taken into custody and the girl admitted to hospital for examination for the alleged assault.

Speaking at a joint press conference yesterday, Dr Calae Philippe, director of the department, said that “we do not have a genderbased violence policy” in The Bahamas.

“That’s going to be significant and we really need the communities to support that,” she said. “Two, on the books currently, unlawful sexual intercourse happens according to the law under 16 and so the concern is now that a 16-year-old can consent to sexual intercourse, but is unable to access health services. “. . .We do not have a strong family court system.

We need that so that mothers, fathers when they have an issue, it can be addressed. We have the sexually suspected child abuse and neglect unit.

It’s very small to address the issue. We do not have enough persons on the ground to address these issues. We do not have child care, so if you are a single parent and you have to go to work, you have to choose between work and finding a place for your child to be and if someone who’s of the opposite sex, that’s only person you can find, you are caught between a rock and a hard place.”

Marisa Mason-Smith of the Zonta Club said that there is a lack of awareness about these issues.

She added: “What we want to see is when persons make a complaint (of abuse) to the police that they allow the process to go through. Many times what we’re seeing is persons put it in and because that person is the breadwinner, they don’t want to hurt their source of living, so they (retract) the complaint against that person.

So we’ve seen a lot of that.

So I think more education awareness. We need more rights in terms of safety for our women, safety for our girls, safety for our environment.”

Dr Philippe also noted that there are not enough safe houses for victims of abuse.

“We also have the challenge where you go to a safe house and it’s supposed to be safe and you calling the person (who abused you) and you’re exposing the safe house so it’s a whole culture if we’re going to have the safe house.

“Even then, it’s only about two weeks that you can stay in a safe house.

Where are you going if you’re financially dependent on this person? Who is going to pay your salary - the government? Who is going to take care of the child? The safe house is only a gap, only a time period then we must figure out what’s the next step.

“There’s prevention, there’s intervention, and then there’s rehabilitation.

We have to think, how do we prevent this from happening? Because young women do not have access to sexual reproductive health services, they cannot go to a clinic and get protection so they are at risk.”

This news comes after the death of four-year-old Bella Walker. Police confirmed the child - who has been officially identified as D’Onya Bella Walker - died as a result of blunt force trauma to the body which resulted in multiple fractures. It was reported that neighbours expressed guilt

and remorse at not doing enough to get the relevant authorities to intervene on the child’s behalf.

Dr Philippe made a plea for people to speak up.

“We just lost a young child because of violence.

Because we did not intervene and so we want to call to action everyone in their community do not be afraid to speak up. Do not be afraid to call the hotlines if

you see something wrong,” she pleaded.

The press conference for “Healing The Bahamas Through Healthy Relationships” highlighted the activities and causes of International Men’s Day on November 19, National Women’s Week designated for November 24-30, and 16 Days of Activism – which run from November 25 to December 10.

process, but to ensure that all had the tools needed to enable the smooth, swift and equitable dispensation of justice in The Bahamas.

For his part, Marco City MP Michael Pintard said too often the country is moved to outrage at the onset of a tragedy and then moves on to the inertia of doing nothing.

He said the country has come to a point once again where all should be outraged and act in a manner that said “enough was enough.”

A man and woman are assisting police with their investigation.

MAN CRITICAL AFTER SHOOTING A MAN is in critical condition in hospital after he was shot around 8pm on Tuesday.

Police were alerted to an incident on Mahogany Street, Pinewood Gardens, where a man was shot about his body.

He was taken to hospital in a private vehicle, his condition is listed as critical.

This matter remains under active investigation.

PAGE 4, Thursday, November 11, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

BILL PASSED TO END EMERGENCY ORDERS

FROM PAGE ONE to license their cars.

The current emergency orders come to end on Saturday. The country has been under a state of emergency since March 2020.

“One can remember that the emergency orders in the beginning suspended vehicle licensing until the conclusion of the state of emergency,” Mr Munroe said.

“There is a view that that suspension ended May 2020 with the end of the first period.

“There is some debate over it. Being a lawyer as I am we would know that anything is debatable. I can say as the Minister of National Security as the police have in this year taken the position that they are enforcing insurance only thereby representing that the suspension was still in place.

“But I have no expectation that that would change and the persons would have the 30 days after the end of the state of emergency to license their vehicles.”

Yesterday, the House of Assembly passed a Bill for an Act to Provide for the Transition and Consequences of the Suspension of Certain Enactments under the Emergency Powers COVID-19 Pandemic Management and Recovery Special Provisions Order 2021.

Regarding these enactments, Mr Munroe said: “The advice to the government is that those suspensions die with the state of emergency. It creates issues and problems and this Bill addresses that.

“The first issue to be addressed is the issue of local government elections. This ought to have happened in June of 2020. The order suspended them and by section four of the proposed bill it is being thought that they be further extended for 90 days to permit the orderly conduct of elections to local government. The same applies to school board elections and the same extension of 90 days is provided by section five.

“The emergency regulation also suspended the need to renew work permits, annual residence and other permits under the Immigration Act. “Come November 13 when the state of emergency ends that suspension will also end and persons who would have acted in faith with that provision of the regulation may find themselves in difficulties.

“The regulation provided a 30-day period after the end of the state of emergency to renew and unfortunately the order will cease to have any effect on the 14 of November and the full implications of the law will apply.

“In order to address and safeguard those persons who acted in good faith, section six of the Bill provides for a 90-day period for those persons to make the necessary applications to regularise their positions in this country.”

He continued: “Lastly the emergency regulations suspended the provisions of the Data Protection Act in order to permit the National Insurance Board to share with money transmission services personal details of insured persons. That order provided for the suspension of the provision of the Data Protection Act as indicated at the end of the period come November 14.

“The board and the money transmission services would have difficulty because they would be in breach of the Data Protection Act. The remedy that we’ve found is Section 7 and provides a 90-day period for the board and the money transmission services to resolve a way forward.

“In the interim and at all times money transmission service will have to keep the information confidential.”

Last week, the government tabled the 2021 Health Services Rules in the House of Assembly to replace the current COVID-19 emergency orders – regulations that, once enacted, will put an end to the competent authority and empower the Ministry of Health and Wellness to manage the ongoing pandemic.

According to the regulations, Bahamians and visitors will still be required to wear a mask, sanitize and socially distance following the November 13 deadline.

A business may also operate provided it “prepares a protocol document containing guidelines relevant to the business as issues or approved by the ministry; completes the ministry’s workplace assessment online survey and ensures that every employee is familiar with the content of the approved protocol document.”

However, businesses can be closed if ordered by the Health Minister, on the advice of the Chief Medical Officer, for non-compliance or because a COVID outbreak among other things.

Indoor dining at restaurants also will be allowed at a 50 percent seating capacity, but all customers must be fully vaccinated and have a “valid” negative antigen test result.

Pertaining to religious activities, church services, weddings and funerals can be held indoors in accordance with protocols provided by the Bahamas Christian Council and approved by the Ministry of Health.

VACCINE DROP OFF RAISES CONCERNS

HEALTH and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville in the House of Assembly. Photo: Donavan McIntosh/Tribune staff FROM PAGE ONE the Minister of Health can clarify because I’m certainly interested in what accounts for the rate that Bahamians are now getting vaccinations.

“I believe we’ve fallen off if I’m not correct, somewhere around 1,000 or so a day, we’re down to probably 500. I’m not sure but the member of Tall Pines if it’s an issue if persons simply don’t have access to vaccines, I find that difficult to understand because we have and I’m advised on adequate supplies in country but could it be that the option is not a bigger as it ought to be, but it’s a worrisome trend and I’m hoping that it does not continue.

“Now I remember before the election, the government side, (who was) then opposition, was adamant that one of the things that was critical was testing, testing and testing and then of course, you supported the vaccination as well but very quietly,” he added.

Admitting that vaccination rates have slowed in the past few weeks, Dr Darville said officials have found vaccination centres are just not as effective as they once were, a situation that forced officials to become more creative.

In a bid to make vaccines more accessible, the minister said the government decided to introduce mobile vaccination units and pop up sites.

“The reality is that the member did speak about our vaccination programme and in one instance, he is absolutely correct,” Dr Darville told Parliament. “We, along with the Pan American Health Organisation, are very concerned with our numbers of vaccinations the last two or three weeks. We are beginning to see a fall and like any responsible government it is our responsibility to begin to explore

all of the reasons why.

“One of the things we’ve noticed is that the larger centres, just reflective of centres across the globe, are not as effective at this stage now that we have passed 40 percent and it is our responsibility to go (to) the people in smaller different vaccination mobile units (in) different places to make life easier for individuals who want to be vaccinated.

“As we speak, the vaccination committee as well as my ministry is exploring all of the avenues.

We realise that at 40 percent, like many other parts of the world, we are now approaching the time where we’re beginning to see some areas of vaccination hesitation.”

Data Yesterday, Mr Pintard said that based on the most recent data, it appeared the pace of vaccinations had been slowing since September.

However, Dr Darville replied: “That’s not correct... we realised that in coming to office, there were some partial delays in vaccines arriving in the country at the appropriate dates. I’ve made some utterances as it relates to why that happened and subsequently, we have adequate vaccines in the country as we speak and we are now vaccinating individuals in our Family Islands by way of our clinics. We’re exploring avenues on how to get the private healthcare facilities involved...”

Mr Pintard also asked if Cabinet ministers and government MPs have been mandated to take the vaccine, since the government was encouraging the public to get their shots. In response, Dr Darville said it was the government’s policy that vaccinations are not mandatory for anyone—however people are greatly encouraged to

take them.

Yesterday, Free National Movement leader Dr Hubert Minnis contacted The Tribune, also raising concern about the declining vaccination rates. He questioned if some vaccines might go to waste through expiration since numbers were dwindling.

Dr Minnis said: “At this rate, will we utilise the amount of vaccines that we have gotten for the country? How many individuals must be vaccinated weekly in order to utilise the hundreds of thousands of vaccines that the FNM government had secured and will this rate result in vaccines not being utilised and the government placed in a position to throw away hard earned vaccines? And will the government kindly inform us as to the expiration dates of the vaccines? How many expire in November? How many expire in December?

“If they are not utilised, will they be discarded and thrown away?”

When contacted, Dr Darville said “the vaccines still have quite a bit of time left” before they expire, however he could not say exactly when they would not be fit for use.

The declining appetite for vaccinations comes at a time when local COVID infections and hospitalisations are declining in the country.

According to the latest data, 136,238 people in the country are fully vaccinated as of November 6.

Meanwhile, 138,073 people have received at least one dose of the vaccine.

In a post released yesterday, the Ministry of Health said the Pfizer vaccine will be offered at several pop-up sites in New Providence over the weekend, including the South West Shopping Centre on Carmichael, the Mall of Marathon, Fusion Superplex and Arawak Cay.

FOUR MORE DIE OF COVID-19, BRINGING DEATH TOLL TO 665 FOUR more people have been added to the nation’s COVID-19 death toll, bringing the number to 665.

The deceased are a 76-year-old New Providence man who died on October 7; a 74-year-old Eleuthera woman who died on October 11; a 91-yearold New Providence woman who died on October 20 and a 78-year-old Abaco woman who died on

October 26.

Officials also reported that eight new COVID19 cases were recorded on Tuesday.

The nation now has

22,552 confirmed cases of the virus. However only 262 of these are active cases.

Fifty-two people are in hospital with the virus.

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Thursday, November 11, 2021, PAGE 5

48 PERCENT OF CARIBBEAN REGION IS IMMUNISED AGAINST COVID-19

POLICE Commissioner Paul Rolle pictured during yesterday’s walkabout.

PHOTO: Racardo Thomas/Tribune staff

By TANYA SMITH-CARTWRIGHT tsmith-cartwright tribunemedia.net

COMMISSIONER: PARENTS SHOULD BE AWARE OF SIGNS OF ABUSE POLICE Commissioner Paul Rolle said parents should be aware of signs that a child may be suffering from abuse.

“When your children come to you and give you information, don’t just dismiss it. “Don’t just tell them, ‘shut up, you’re lying.’ But look into it for what it’s worth,” he told reporters during a tour of Downtown Nassau with senior members of the police force.

He spoke after police reported that a man had been stabbed by his girlfriend on Tuesday after suspicion he allegedly sexually abused her 12-year-old daughter.

This comes after four-year-old Bella Walker died in hospital on Friday from injuries police said were caused by blunt

force trauma.

“Whenever you are dealing with children, it takes on a different connotation,” Commissioner Rolle said.

“You have innocence. . .(with the) fouryear-old, I don’t know what they were thinking. To see the extent of the injuries, internal injuries, that were caused by the brutal force that was used. And then of course you heard the one yesterday with the 12-year-old—some of the younger ones may not be able to speak for themselves.”

He said parents should be aware of red flags such as a child saying they don’t want to go to a certain relatives’ homes, etc, as signs of potential abuse.

Amendment to VAT legislation tabled in House

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

GOVERNMENT tabled an amendment to the value added tax legislation in the House of Assembly yesterday, outlining the planned rate change to 10 percent from the current 12 percent.

The amendment outlines the removal of the zero-rated application from several items. These include the local sale of butter, bread, mayonnaise, grits, cheese, corned beef, evaporated milk, condensed milk, margarine, rice, flour, tomato paste, cooking oil, baby formula and baby food, powder detergent, fresh milk, canned fish, soaps, soups and broths.

The list also includes mustard, sanitary napkins and tampons, napkins and napkin liners for infants.

The local sale of medicines and medicinal drugs will also now have VAT applied at the point of sale.

Further, the amendment says the zero-rating will be removed from the importation of replaced or repaired goods and services related to the use of terminal or bathing facilities by commercial vessels in respect of goods that have not been entered for home consumption under the Customs Management Act where the origin and port of destination are not within The Bahamas.

The same applies to commission earned as a result of the supply of the Central Bank of The Bahamas’ digital service.

The Bill also adds financial services to the list of zero-rated professional services when the benefit or advantage of those services are outside of The Bahamas.

According to the Bill the amendment additionally seeks to limit the scope of the zero-rated application by excluding international transport services attributed to privately owned and operated chartered vessels and carriers that leave port in ballast form from international commercial service.

There is also a provision to limit the zero-rating by providing that ancillary services are only included in the definition of international transport service where such services are supplied by the supplier of international transport services for or on behalf of such supplier as part of the same journey to which the supply of international transport services relates.

The reduction of VAT to 10 percent was a Progressive Liberal Party campaign promise.

However, its decision to place VAT on items that were made VAT-free under the former Minnis administration was met with mixed reviews.

Former State Minister for Finance Kwasi Thompson is

across the board, it will also increase the VAT rate to ten percent on a variety of items that had been zero-rated under the Minnis administration. Exceptions to this policy include VAT exemption for electricity bills and

PRIME Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis.

FORMER State Minister for Finance Kwasi Thompson. among the critics.

Last month he said the Davis administration will be hurting the most vulnerable people in society when it reintroduces value added tax on breadbasket items.

Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis announced in the House of Assembly last month that while his administration will reduce VAT to ten percent

special economic zones.

However, the policy shift means VAT will return to such items as baby food, bread, butter, grits, rice, soap, corned beef and various medications.

Mr Davis noted that experts have long said the government should strive to keep the VAT rate as broad as possible and exempt few, if any, items from the tax.

This, experts say, would help the government keep the overall rate as low as possible while maximising returns.

AS COVID-19 cases continue to wane in the Caribbean, Pan American Health Organization officials have revealed 48 percent of the region has been fully immunised against the deadly disease.

This news was announced at the organization’s weekly webinar by PAHO’s Director Dr Carissa Etienne.

Whereas The Bahamas is experiencing a welcomed decrease in reported cases, health officials here are cautious of a possible fourth wave.

“After two consecutive months of decline, COVID infections are increasing in some countries in the Americas,” she said. “Over the last week, 700,000 new cases and 13,000 COVIDrelated deaths were reported in our region.

“In the Caribbean, while Cuba, Jamaica and Puerto Rico have reported decreases in new infections, cases are rising in the Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados. The Cayman Islands and Dominica are

also experiencing a high number of cases.

“The good news is that vaccinations continue to pick up pace in our region.

Forty-eight percent of people in Latin America and the Caribbean have been fully immunised against COVID. But coverage is still much lower in some countries and territories.”

The director updated reporters on regional vaccine coverage and assistance given to countries that are in need of delivered vaccines.

“In Jamaica, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Guatemala, less than one in five people have been protected,” Dr Etienne said. “In Nicaragua, coverage remains in the single digits and in Haiti, less than one percent of people have been fully vaccinated. This inequity must be addressed.

“PAHO is committed to helping countries in our region secure the vaccines they need to protect their people, through donations, via COVAX and through direct procurement.

“We’re already working with manufacturers to secure additional doses on behalf of our region.

PAHO has signed supply agreements with three manufacturers of WHO EUL listed vaccines and it is in final negotiation with a fourth supplier, a mRNA vaccine producer, to expand vaccine options for our countries in 2021 and 2022,” she said.

PAHO has invited its member states to join this initiative using the Revolving Fund, its established and proven mechanism for equitable access to vaccine supplies, guided by evidence-based recommendations.

“With an eye on the future, we’re working directly with public institutions and private companies in Argentina and Brazil to strengthen their capacity to develop and produce COVID mRNA vaccines in our region that will benefit all countries in Latin America and the Caribbean,” Dr Etienne said.

“This is a strategic and long-term project to reduce our vulnerability and dependence by establishing regional capacity for this innovative technology.

In the future, this can also help us combat other viral diseases of importance in SEE PAGE 10

PAGE 6, Thursday, November 11, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

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

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Are people lying more since the rise of social media and smartphones?

TECHNOLOGY has given people more ways to connect, but has it also given them more opportunities to lie?

You might text your friend a white lie to get out of going to dinner, exaggerate your height on a dating profile to appear more attractive or invent an excuse to your boss over email to save face.

Social psychologists and communication scholars have long wondered not just who lies the most, but where people tend to lie the most – that is, in person or through some other communication medium.

A seminal 2004 study was among the first to investigate the connection between deception rates and technology. Since then, the ways we communicate have shifted – fewer phone calls and more social media messaging, for example – and I wanted to see how well earlier results held up.

The link between deception and technology Back in 2004, communication researcher Jeff Hancock and his colleagues had 28 students report the number of social interactions they had via face-to-face communication, the phone, instant messaging and email over seven days. Students also reported the number of times they lied in each social interaction.

The results suggested people told the most lies per social interaction on the phone. The fewest were told via email.

The findings aligned with a framework Hancock called the “feature-based model.” According to this model, specific aspects of a technology – whether people can communicate back and forth seamlessly, whether the messages are fleeting and whether communicators are distant – predict where people tend to lie the most.

In Hancock’s study, the most lies per social interaction occurred via the technology with all of these features: the phone. The fewest occurred on email, where people couldn’t communicate synchronously and the messages were recorded.

The Hancock Study, revisited When Hancock conducted his study, only students at a few select universities could create a Facebook account.

The iPhone was in its early stages of development, a highly confidential project nicknamed “Project Purple.”

What would his results look like nearly 20 years later?

In a new study, I recruited a larger group of participants and studied interactions from more forms of technology. A total of 250 people recorded their social interactions and number of interactions with a lie over seven days, across face-to-face communication, social media, the phone, texting, video chat and email.

As in Hancock’s study, people told the most lies per social interaction over media that were synchronous and recordless and when communicators were distant: over the phone or on video chat. They told the fewest lies per social interaction via email.

Interestingly, though, the differences across the forms of communication were small. Differences among participants – how much people varied in their lying tendencies – were more predictive of deception rates than differences among media.

Despite changes in the way people communicate over the past two decades – along with ways the COVID-19 pandemic changed how people socialize – people seem to lie systematically and in alignment with the featurebased model.

There are several possible explanations for these results, though more work is needed to understand exactly why different media lead to different lying rates. It’s possible that certain media are better facilitators of deception than others. Some media – the phone, video chat – might make deception feel easier or less costly to a social relationship if caught.

Deception rates might also differ across technology because people use some forms of technology for certain social relationships. For example, people might only email their professional colleagues, while video chat might be a better fit for more personal relationships.

Technology misunderstood To me, there are two key takeaways.

First, there are, overall, small differences in lying rates across media. An individual’s tendency to lie matters more than whether someone is emailing or talking on the phone.

Second, there’s a low rate of lying across the board. Most people are honest – a premise consistent with truth-default theory, which suggests most people report being honest most of the time and there are only a few prolific liars in a population.

Since 2004, social media have become a primary place for interacting with other people. Yet a common misperception persists that communicating online or via technology, as opposed to in person, leads to social interactions that are lower in quantity and quality.

People often believe that just because we use technology to interact, honesty is harder to come by and users aren’t well served.

Not only is this perception misguided, but it is also unsupported by empirical evidence. The belief that lying is rampant in the digital age just doesn’t match the data.

• This article is by David Markowitz, University of Oregon, for theconversation.com.

ADDRESSING CRITICAL NATIONAL PROBLEM EDITOR, The Tribune.

The media is currently filled with letters, comments, and opinions in response to the reported recent abuse and death of a four-year-old girl.

This incident has prompted a great amount of sadness, anger, and outrage from the highest political, religious, and social levels, to the ordinary residents on the streets.

What is so unfortunate, indeed tragic, is that this high level of concern for the abuse of our vulnerable children is seen only in the wake of a horrific incident

such as befell Bella Walker, even though it is common knowledge what has been going on in this society for decades.

Our deepest and sincerest condolences are extended to the family in this time of deep sorrow.

In an effort to inform, educate, and challenge the public to action, Bahamas Against Crime (BAC) hosted a Conference on the “Abuse, Exploitation, and Trafficking of Children”, November 3-8, 2019. The Week of Activities which included hundreds of participants drawn from all sectors of

society was a tremendous success. Planned as an annual event, 2020 – 2021 were interrupted by the COVID-19 Pandemic, however, the next Conference is scheduled for early 2022.

We trust that as in 2019, Government Agencies, Non-Profits, and other civil society groups will partner with Bahamas Against Crime to aggressively address this very critical national problem.

REV DR C B MOSS Bahamas Against Crime Nassau, November 9, 2021.

A mismanaged opportunity EDITOR, The Tribune.

The conclusion of Dr Minnis’ term as prime minister of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas came on September 16, 2021. He will also be the former leader of the Free National Movement (FNM) when they hold their convention on November 27th. These factors come as no surprise to the masses; the only people who seem to be stunned are a few loyal FNMs and Dr Minnis. Dr Minnis probably never realised that he was feeding his eventual demise through his silly talk and his refusal to properly articulate to the media his government’s policies and decisions. I believe that he mismanaged his opportunity as prime minister. I will explain.

First of all, Dr Minnis did not seek nor was interested in expert help during the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian.

He shunned former Prime Ministers Hubert Ingraham and Perry Christie and didn’t allow them to officially assist him after the greatest hurricane that ever made it to Bahamian landfall devastating Abaco and parts of Grand Bahama. In my view this was a mistake of epic proportions and history will always remember this.

There also appeared to be a logistical issue with getting donated hurricane supplies to affected victims.

It’s been two years since the passage of hurricane Dorian and supplies have still not been issued to persons who need them. It is now public knowledge that some of the supplies have rotted or are no longer able to be used.

Secondly, some of the public was of the view that Dr Minnis, who was referred to as the Competent Authority during the emergency orders, was a one man wrecking crew. Leaked information and actions from former ministers clearly showed that some decisions made during the curfew were solely the works of Dr Minnis.

I remember one incident when a high ranking minister was asked by reporters about rumours of a pending lockdown. He said that no lockdown was discussed by the Cabinet and then a few hours later The Competent Authority announced an immediate lockdown of New Providence. This caused a major public uproar and this decision was reversed a day or two later.

Additionally, the lack of respect for the media was another important factor in how Dr Minnis mismanaged

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net his opportunity. As Prime Minister, Dr Minnis had a responsibility to properly inform the media about the business his government was conducting on behalf of the Bahamian people. Comments like “I going to eat my stew fish” and “I already answered that question”, greatly damaged his public image and that of the FNM. I think many Bahamians felt disrespected about his personal conduct with the media because his tone was always abrasive and matter of fact and he seldom provided clear answers on matters that affected the public interest.

Didn’t Dr Minnis and the FNM in 2017 promise a government of transparency?

Furthermore, Dr Minnis calling an early general election was mind-boggling to many, including political pundits. With record COVID-19 infections and COVID-19 related deaths at the time, this appeared to show that he was completely out of touch and many Bahamians said that as a doctor he should have known better.

Many Bahamians vowed to teach him a lesson for this and many FNMs did not cast their vote.

Moreover, there was unrest in the civil service about unpaid funds and nurses and other health care workers in particular were very unhappy with their remuneration packages. I can’t remember in recent times when a general election was called with so many outstanding issues.

The Oban and the Town Centre Mall Post Office deals along with the firing of the Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) board started to plant seeds of doubt about the Minnis administration.

Dr Minnis did cause the firing of Dr Duane Sands after he was caught up in a breach of the emergency orders.

He did cause his Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Peter Turnquest to resign after a financial scandal involving a private company was publicized. Dr Minnis did cause utility bill payments to be suspended for a time because unemployment in 2020 after the pandemic hit had reached record levels.

Most of all Dr. Minnis exercised his authority to cause one part of his social welfare plan to financially assist thousands of Bahamians who received much needed

National Insurance Board (NIB) cheques shortly after the country was shut down in March of last year. This was indeed very commendable and he showed superb leadership in this instance.

The aftermath of hurricane Dorian provided an opportunity for Dr Minnis to bring the country closer together. He did not do that.

The lack of reporting on the true number of deaths due to the hurricane and the lack of a strong law enforcement presence specifically on the island of Abaco brought more despair to that community. Criminal activity was on the rise and illegal communities destroyed by hurricane Dorian started to be illegally rebuilt right under the government’s nose.

The pandemic spending which was under the watchful eye of Dr Minnis was, in my opinion, another missed opportunity for him to show that he could manage the country’s affairs properly.

Requests from the Auditor General, Mr Terrance Bastian to provide reports on the pandemic spending went unanswered and the mistrust of the FNM government was heightened.

One of Dr Minnis’ famous quotes before he became prime minister was “One is one and two is two. I gave the answer. Bye bye.” This was during one of his comedic interviews when he was not in the mood to answer questions from the media. In hindsight, this was a sign of things to come.

A teary-eyed Dr Minnis announced in October that he will not seek leadership of the FNM at their convention on November 27. What was once a promising political career only five years ago has now turned into a forced early retirement.

Bye bye, Dr Minnis. You blew your chance of becoming prime minister of the Bahamas for a second term like your predecessors. The little political clout you had has evaporated. You have forfeited the chance to defend your crown.

This is exactly why it’s a new day. I don’t know if history will be kind to his legacy.

Jim Rohn said, “The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind but not weak; be bold, but not bully; be thoughtful but not lazy; be humble but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humour but without folly.”

DEHAVILLAND MOSS Nassau, November 10, 2021.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, November 11, 2021, PAGE 7

Security officer ‘tricked into giving cousin a ride to pick up marijuana’

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A SECURITY officer said he unknowingly became an accessory to his relative’s crime after he was tricked into giving his cousin a ride to pick up a box of marijuana he claims he thought contained building tools.

Demetrio Rolle is currently on trial before Samuel McKinney after officers found $42,000 worth of Indian hemp in his car next to his young son in February.

His co-accused, Winston Gibson, pleaded guilty to dangerous drug possession with the intent to supply at their arraignment and was convicted.

However, as Rolle denied the allegation at his first court appearance, his case was adjourned for trial.

When he took the stand yesterday, he said on the day in question, he was at home when he received a

call from Gibson, who told him he needed a ride to work.

The court was told that Gibson, who worked as a carpenter, is Rolle’s cousin.

The accused said when he picked Gibson up, the man told him he had to get his tools from a residence on Fire Trail Road.

He said when he drove his cousin there, a “person had a box waiting for him by the door.”

“Fifteen minutes later, we were pulled over by police,” he told the court.

“My two-year-old son was with me. I never thought to look in the box because my cousin was dressed in steeltoe boots and a painted-up shirt, so I actually believed he was picking up his tools for work.”

Rolle said when the police questioned them, he told them he had just come from Fire Trail Road with his cousin to “pick up some of his stuff.”

However, he said when police searched his car and pulled out the box, they

NEW BCB EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN IS INTRODUCED TO MANAGEMENT TEAM THE new executive chairman of the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas Picewell Forbes was formally introduced to the entity’s executive management team by Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister Myles Laroda.

Mr Laroda has responsibility for the BCB in his portfolio.

Pictured at the table are Mr Laroda, centre, Mr Forbes, and BCB’s General Manager Kayleaser Deveaux Isaacs.

Mr Forbes is shown taking a walk through the workspace, and pausing for a few comments. (BIS Photos/Ulric Woodside)

discovered 42.2 pounds of marijuana in it and he realised that he had been lied to.

“When I realise what was happening, I swing at my cousin and lost it in front of the officers,” he stated.

“He didn’t tell me what was going on. Now I mix up even though he told me he was going to plead guilty in court.”

In cross-examination, Rolle said this incident was not the first time he had given his cousin a ride.

He also denied taking his son along with him and Gibson on their drug run to the “Rasta camp” so their trip would not look suspicious when the prosecution suggested the notion.

“I would never jeopardise my child’s life like that,” he insisted.

After Rolle testified, his defence counsel closed his case. They return to court November 18 to present closing submissions.

RBDF OFFICER CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A ROYAL Bahamas Defence Force officer was yesterday charged with the attempted murder of his reported ex-girlfriend.

Ewan Moncur, 35, appeared before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt after he was accused of trying to kill Crystal Horton

on November 6.

Prosecutors alleged the marine also caused over $1,500 worth of damage to the vehicle the woman was riding in that day.

Due to the nature of the first offence, he was not required to enter a plea and his case was adjourned to January 2022 for service of a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI).

Moncur was granted $18,000 bail yesterday.

WOMAN ‘STABBED BOYFRIEND AFTER SUSPICIONS HE HAD SEXUALLY ASSAULTED HER DAUGHTER’ POLICE said a woman stabbed her boyfriend because she was suspicious he had sexually assaulted her 12-year-old daughter.

Police were called to a home in southwest New Providence shortly after

1pm on Monday, where they met a man with stab wounds about the body.

“Preliminary reports are that the adult male is suspected of sexually assaulting the 12-year-old daughter of his girlfriend at the residence,” a police report said.

“This allegedly resulted in the girlfriend stabbing him.”

The man was arrested and the child was taken to the hospital to be examined for the alleged assault.

An investigation is continuing.

DEU OFFICER ‘FOUND COCAINE IN SHIPMENT BOXES’

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A DRUG Enforcement Unit officer yesterday testified to discovering 23 pounds of cocaine in three shipment boxes addressed to a man who had been wanted by police for more than a year.

Antonio Baillou is charged with conspiracy to possess dangerous drugs with intent to supply, conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply and importation of drugs.

The charges stem from the discovery of $140,000 worth of cocaine at Lynden Pindling International Airport in March 2020.

After evading arrest for 15 months, Baillou was taken into custody, formally arraigned and given a date to stand trial before Magistrate Samuel McKinney on the drug smuggling charges.

At a previous sitting, a customs officer told the court he discovered the illegal drugs after his police dog made indications to three

large shipments at LPIA’s air freight terminal signed in Baillou’s name.

At the resumption of his trial yesterday, Sergeant Devin Clarke said the packages were handed over to the DEU to be inspected.

He said during his examination, he found 19 black sport bags in the boxes which each contained a clear plastic wrap with a powdery substance he believed was cocaine.

He said although he obtained a warrant of apprehension for the accused in June 2020, it was not until June of this year that Baillou was arrested.

Sgt Clarke said after the accused was detained at the Criminal Investigations Department, he invited him to participate in an interview.

He said although Baillou was questioned in the presence of his attorney, he responded “no comment” to most of the questions put to him and refused to sign his interview statement.

The court was told that when samples of the drugs were tested in the laboratory, they tested positive for cocaine.

PAGE 8, Thursday, November 11, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

ISLANDS IN THE CAULDRON OF CLIMATE CHANGE

“I have no choice but to keep on repeating it. What will it take for you to listen to us? Our islands are slowly being eaten by the sea, one by one. If we do not reverse this trend, the Maldives will cease to exist by the end of the century.”

– President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih of the Maldives IN the closing days of August 2030, the ninth month of the year, a peak period for Atlantic hurricanes, the country nervously watched a gathering storm. It began as an unreported weather phenomenon off West Africa, travelling westerly and eventually funnelled toward The Bahamas as a tropical storm.

Many years before 2030, unimaginable storms were now more common in the Caribbean, a hotter atmosphere breeding a wetter atmosphere.

A National Geographic story instructed: “Warm ocean water is fuel to a hurricane, powering it like an engine.

The warmer the water, the more the engine revs, growing faster, larger, and capable of dumping more water.” Climate change boils the water needed for stronger brews of storms.

Travelling north of Hispaniola and heading northwest, the 2030 storm headed toward Mayaguana, trekking

DEVASTATION in Abaco after Hurricane Dorian. (NOAA via AP) indifferent, mostly unaware.

Years earlier, the decision to ban single use plastics blew up into a silly public brouhaha, with quite a number complaining that they had to pay 25 cents for a plastic bag.

SPEECHES

through the archipelago, venturing toward the Central Bahamas, rapidly churning into a Category 5 hurricane in ever warming tropical Bahamian waters.

The usual superstition, debate about where the storm would make landfall, religious reckoning and bargaining, and conspiratorial thinking were pervasive.

There was uncertainty as to where the storm and its wellformed eyewall – “where the most damaging winds and intense rainfall is found” – would cause the most damage.

Most people in the country were largely disconnected from the reality and threats of climate change,

Despite the ritual speeches with rhetoric of an “existential crisis”, and attendance at international conferences, neither major political party had significantly built up the resilience and adaptation measures required throughout the archipelago.

Most political leaders had failed to press the urgency of the climate emergency to Bahamians.

They failed to fully appreciate the warning of the United Nation’s Development Programme (UNDP) for The Bahamas: “Costs associated with planned adaptation will be high but the cost of not acting will be measured directly in loss of life, loss of competitiveness in the tourism sector and often at the expense of the environment.”

Residents of New Providence were strongly advised to make preparations for

the potential impact of the Category 5 storm, and if necessary, move to shelters.

Because the island had not received a direct hit in decades, many thought they would once again avoid the brunt of the disaster.

Most made some preparation. But many refused to evacuate to shelters. Many of them would be found dead after the hurricane. Over a thousand or more flew out of the country.

The hurricane first made landfall on New Providence in the surrounds of Adelaide Village, a marshland on the southwestern coast, established in the early 1830s for freed slaves.

Adelaide was obliterated, eaten by the sea surge and drowned by the relentless downpour. No structures were left intact. Most of those who refused to evacuate died.

The slow-moving monster storm took its time, hovering, creeping over New Providence and Paradise Island, unleashing a tyranny of wind and water.

Like a weapon unleashed from the sky, the blasts of the hurricane moved outward, affecting the entire landmass of New Providence.

The topography of the island is made up of a higher central ridge, including Mount Fitzwilliam.

With little other elevation, New Providence is mostly flat, with some hilltops, a number of which have been excavated.

Moving south and Overthe-Hill, there are extensive low-lying areas which form a bowl in which water easily collects, with limited drainage, despite various infrastructural upgrades.

STALLED

Areas like Pinewood Gardens, always at risk from heavy rain, were inundated with water reaching rooftops.

Quite a number, including children, drowning from the mixture of sea surge and rainfall as the hurricane stalled over New Providence for deadly hours.

When the 2030 hurricane struck, most of Over-the-Hill and many other communities could now only be accessed by jet skis and boats, the high waters concealing many dangers, including

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contamination and the risk of various diseases.

The death toll in these communities was numbering in the many hundreds. Like similar disasters, there would never be a full accounting of the dead, including the number of undocumented migrants killed.

The hurricane that punished New Providence proved as powerful as Hurricane Dorian, which devastated much of Abaco, the Abaco Cays and parts of Grand Bahama 11 years earlier.

The stark differences this time were the population density of New Providence and the vastly larger economic and public infrastructure.

This time, the central government, which coordinated the Dorian response, mostly collapsed, with few assets and resources left to command, including public health facilities, medicine and adequate health personnel.

Hours before the New Providence hurricane struck, the Cabinet agreed that the Governor General, the Chief Justice and half the cabinet should be evacuated to Grand Bahama.

Some contingencies were in place, with many of these proving inconsequential as the security infrastructure of the Royal Bahamas Police Force and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, as well as the central administration, including the Office of the Prime Minister, the Cabinet Office and many government ministries either destroyed or unusable.

With most of the overhead electrical grid and telecommunications infrastructure destroyed, food and water scarce, and other basics of life unavailable, New Providence was now in need of the mercy of foreign governments and international agencies.

Widespread panic and looting ensued. Many residents, including those with generators, were banding together and barricading themselves in their homes.

There was a quick and brutal uptick in gun crimes and violence.

The capacity of government to respond was now minimal. Desperate for help, even those who criticized the then government’s assistance to Dominica in 2017, were begging for help from Caricom, the United States and the world.

The Cabinet quickly agreed to ask the United States and Caricom to send in 2,500 armed military and other security personnel, and assets to restore basic law and order.

The Government had nearly no capacity left to administer the nation-state.

Nighttime curfews and other emergency regulations were instituted indefinitely.

Cruise ships were brought in as offices and facilities for the civil service, security agencies, international aid groups and others. A decision had to be made as to whether to relocate the capital and the heads of the government bureaucracy to Freeport.

The Bahamas began negotiations with other countries to accept students, older citizens and others with health care needs, and climate refugees.

Internal refugees in the tens of thousands moved to various Family Islands to stay with family.

DISASTERS

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According to the United Nation’s Secretary General António Guterres, approximately four billion people have been affected by climate-related disasters in the last decade.

Most Bahamians, especially the residents of New Providence, because they did not personally experience the effects of Dorian, remain largely unconcerned about or do not understand the degree and danger of climate change.

Referring to the storm which devastated Dominica in 2017, National Geographic commented: “What unites the country, however, is a

sense of patriotism forged from shared trauma. Embroidered on t-shirts and painted on buildings is the mantra ‘Dominica strong.’”

A resident declared: “It’s how every citizen seems to describe their country – strong in the wake of disaster. People are taking things more seriously.

They’re building much stronger.” Just about every Dominican was affected by Maria.

Over a period of four hours in 2017, Hurricane Irma destroyed 90 percent of the country’s infrastructure and its economy was crippled. Dominica lost 226 percent of its GDP. In The Bahamas we do not have a sense of patriotism forged from the shared trauma of a major climate event.

Humans move toward conversion or tend to change because of lived experience.

Our sense of national identity is often sentimental and nostalgic. Residents of New Providence may boast of Family Island ties or enjoy a homecoming weekend. But most are oblivious to the circumstances and needs of other islands.

Days after the devastation of Dorian, some public sector union leaders were calling for increments as the country faced “estimated damages and losses… [of] $3.4 billion (IDB, 2019), a number equivalent to a quarter of the country’s GDP.” It was an act of disgraceful selfishness and self-absorption at a grave hour.

At the Conference of Parties (COP) 26 summit in Glasgow, Barbados Prime Minister Mia Motley again lent her powerful and passionate moral and intellectual voice on behalf of Caricom and the smaller nations of the world: “It’s like me throwing garbage into your yard and telling you to pay to clean it up – even if it means you can’t pay your mortgage, you can’t buy food. You can’t do anything because you have to spend all your money on the garbage I threw into your yard.”

The head of the United Nation’s Environmental Programme noted disappointingly that many of the pledges made at the summit were akin to: “An elephant giving birth to a mouse.”

Countries in the Pacific, like Fiji, Kiribati, Tonga, the Maldives, Tuvalu, the Federated States of Micronesia and others recognize that while discussions and pledges on limiting carbon emissions are critical, much of this debate is in some ways irrelevant to countries already being eaten by the sea, island by island, country by country.

We cannot wait on the rich countries of the world to do what is just and right. We will have to work tirelessly and collectively to get even minimal aid for resilience and adaptation.

And, we will have to work quickly as the impending and gathering storms are on the horizon.

Academics, commentators, businesses and the media in The Bahamas have a tremendous responsibility to educate and inform Bahamians about climate change, to press governments for clear strategies, and to push citizens toward greater personal and civic responsibility.

As one commentator observed, getting citizens to understand the need for action and change, is also a cognitive and emotional battle.

Our collective indifference, ignorance and obliviousness will end, either through education and greater consciousness or through the wrathful instruction of a monster hurricane to the residents of our most populous island. *** This 700th column by this writer is dedicated to a beloved and dear friend, a great mentor, and three respective editors. Thank you to the many readers, and those who assisted through critical insight, support and ideas for improvement and growth.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, November 11, 2021, PAGE 9

It’s not easy keeping pace with the polarization of American politics GIVEN the choice, most of us would probably prefer a public figure or politician whose views are plain and consistent. That way, at least we know who and more importantly, what we are voting for. One of the most damaging criticisms of politicians in recent decades has been the charge of “flip-flopping,” especially in American elections.

Historians now attribute George H. W. Bush’s stunning loss in the 1992 US presidential election to his reversal on increasing taxes. Many will recall his earlier boast that voters could “Read my lips: No new taxes.” But he then acquiesced in a large tax increase that underpinned the big Internet boom and widespread prosperity of the 1990s in the US. It also doomed Bush’s reelection chances.

In the 30 years since, the exponential polarization of American politics has often been debated. Civility and bipartisanship in the US legislature have ebbed and now seemingly often disappeared altogether.

Parenthetically, this continues to belie and undercut President Joe Biden’s hopes and expectations for the eventual success of his most important legislative initiatives. Many remain sceptical of the President’s agenda, even after passage of the massive infrastructure bill.

Repeated outrageous statements and even actions have proven to be among the most effective means of becoming known and attracting not only political followers but also surprisingly large campaign war chests.

Consider Representative Marjorie Taylor-Greene of Georgia. Not so long ago, nobody outside her district north of Atlanta had ever heard of Taylor-Greene, and that fact would have surprised few and disappointed even fewer. Now, after a couple of years of outrageous public statements and outlandish behaviour, millions of people have heard of this Republican congresswoman, conspiracy theorist and ardent Donald

Trump supporter.

She has become famous and probably much wealthier as the result of her ability to attract public attention. And no one who has heard of her doubts what she stands for.

Maybe she read Trump’s political playbook. He has often said “no publicity is bad publicity.”

Someone else has also read that playbook. This person is much more important than Taylor-Greene, with much more at stake politically. That person is Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

Successful As DeSantis has rapidly risen from obscure congressman from near Orlando to Trump’s preferred and ultimately successful candidate for Florida governor, DeSantis has left little doubt where he stands on some of the major issues of this tumultuous political era in the US. At the heart of DeSantis’ message is individual liberty and freedom. He has fully embraced – some would say led – a nationally appealing pushback against government “mandates” in two areas of vital concern to millions of Americans. One is public education. The other is public health.

The fact that DeSantis leads perhaps the most politically significant American state makes it all the more important to pay close attention to this rising star. Among the giant states in the US these days, California, Illinois and New York are basically blue.

For a variety of reasons, they are likely to remain reliably

Democratic for the near term and beyond.

Texas, with its surging population growth and magnetism for immigrants, will probably remain a mirage for liberals who are hopeful that changing demographics will lead to the state’s release from the current political stranglehold exercised by Republicans and their conservative allies.

Even committed liberals in the state have found it necessary to acknowledge that formerly reliably bellwether Ohio has turned red. Perhaps nowhere else has the Ronald Reagan effect been felt than in the Buckeye State, where Reagan’s appeal to blue-collar rust belt workers both weakened the political influence of labour unions and energized a rural conservative base that has enthusiastically embraced both the Tea Party and Donald Trump.

All these changes and non-changes have propelled formerly true-blue Michigan and Pennsylvania into the national discussion as “swing” states, as well as formerly ruby red North Carolina and Georgia as perhaps trending purple.

But Florida has not only the nation’s third largest population but a politically more evenly divided electorate than any other large state.

While both current senators are Republicans, as is of course the governor, the Sunshine State’s major population centres are still up for grabs and, if the Democrats can unite behind an appealing gubernatorial choice in next November’s election, the incumbent may face some serious headwinds.

Of course, that may turn out to be a big “if”. The best

Democratic candidate may be former governor Charlie Crist.

The recent fate of former governor Terry McAuliffe, who lost in a re-election bid in Virginia just two weeks ago.

Running someone seen as a retread should be a cautionary note for Democrats in Florida.

Meantime, DeSantis is staying true to his course. The governor is reportedly planning to call a special state legislative session in order to pass legislation which he has claimed will offer the state’s residents “medical freedom.”

“I will not let the heavy hand of government force Floridians to take a shot,” DeSantis tweeted last month.

He then had his state sue the Biden administration in an effort to invalidate the US government’s vaccine orders for federal employees and contractors.

“In Florida, there will be no vaccine mandate for children in our schools,” DeSantis has said repeatedly. “This is a decision that belongs to parents.”

Florida’s state health department maintains an email account designed to receive complaints from citizens about businesses or even local governments that try to impose vaccine mandates.

There’s reportedly a current list in the governor’s office of supposed miscreants, including Starbucks and AT&T. The list also includes Ashley Hannah, the proprietor of a yoga studio near Jacksonville who faces potential fines of $100,000 from the state because she has taken the radical step of offering yoga classes for only vaccinated customers, in addition to her regular classes.

“I just don’t understand

FLORIDA Gov. Ron DeSantis. this,” she told the Washington Post. “We’re a small business.

If we didn’t have at least some classes only for the vaccinated, we would lose those customers. We wanted to give people a choice.

“I’m not defying the governor. I’m offering alternatives.”

Mandate Leon County, location of the state capital of Tallahassee, has recently been hit with a $3.5 million fine from the state for the astounding transgression of imposing a mandate on its workers who interact with the general voting public all the time.

Alachua County is home to Gainesville and to Florida’s well-regarded flagship public liberal arts University of Florida. The county defied the governor’s ban on mask mandates when their school district began suffering from a rise in COVID-19 cases. DeSantis’ department of education announced this reasonable measure nonetheless violated a “parents’ bill of rights” passed by the state legislature, and withheld school board salaries as a punishment.

More than $192,000 has so far been pulled back by the state. This started a tug of war with the federal Department of Education in Washington, which has made up for the lost funds via grant money.

Alachua County’s school superintendent told the Post: “It’s obviously concerning, and

scary, because he (DeSantis) is a powerful man. There is an enormous amount of pressure.

(Imposing the mask mandate in school) was what I needed to do as a mother, an educator and as a human being.”

Elsewhere in Gainesville, the University of Florida has been celebrating its anointment by US News and World Report as the nation’s fifthbest public university. As if to make up for a discouraging season by its perennially powerhouse football team, the university boasted of “a milestone decades in the making.”

But wait. That No. 5 ranking is now threatened by the university’s accrediting agency, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. That’s also arguably because of Governor DeSantis.

Fearing backlash from the governor and restrictions on the state’s massive financial support, the university’s administration last month refused permission for three of its eminent scholars to testify in a controversial voting rights case involving the state government. The professors sued, alleging impingement of their First Amendment rights to free speech, and forced a course reversal by the university.

The accreditation agency has announced it will examine what happened.

Politics in Florida will be riveting for at least the next year. And we, like it or not, have a ringside seat.

PAGE 10, Thursday, November 11, 2021

UB NORTH EMBARKS ON SOLAR PROJECT

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

UNIVERSITY of The Bahamas North has embarked on a solarisation project for its Environmental and Marine Science Field Research Station in East Grand Bahama.

Dr Ian Strachan, president of UB North, expressed his excitement about the project, funded through a $100,000 grant from the Bahamas Protected Area Fund Hurricane Dorian Grant.

“Today is a wonderful day for UB North in that we have received this grant from the Bahamas Protected Areas Fund,” he said at a press conference at the UB campus in East Grand Bahama. “We are so excited about it and see it as something that sends a signal to where we want to go with this field station and the work we want to do.”

The first installation of solar panels will provide energy to the science lab, restrooms, and sleeping quarters on the second level of the building. UB will host researchers and students from around the globe interested in environmental, atmospheric, and marine science as well as sustainable development, forestry, hydrology, geology, and climatology.

According to Dr Strachan, the field station should be online by early Spring 2022.

However, he noted that UB’s field station will be a work in progress over the next two years.

“We are focusing on this on a project by project, grant by grant approach,” Dr Strachan explained. “The physical work would be ongoing over the next year or two as we write grants, and we make up our mind as to how best to rebuild.

“My guess is that we would be online by early Spring of 2022, to be able to have classes, use the lab, and have people sleep over, and have researchers coming in and out by April next year.”

Dr Strachan indicated that the move is the beginning of something bigger for the university, in terms of finding innovative solutions to the country’s national problems: climate change, finding more sustainable forms of development, economic diversification, and being able to manage and be more resilient in the case of category five storms.

“I am very pleased that this is happening. I am thankful to the team, particularly Dr

NASSAU

Andrew Moxey and Ms Keturah Babb. They both did a lot of work to make sure we got it to this point. I am also happy for the vote of confidence shown in the university, and there is more to come. It is the first of more announcements to come,” he said.

Karen Patton, of the Bahamas Protected Area Fund, said that they are pleased to partner with UB in such a transformative project.

This latest grant, she said, is the fourth presented to UB by the Bahamas Protected Area Fund.

“We are very excited at this transformative vision of Dr Strachan, Dr Moxey, and the fine team here at UB in putting together a centre of excellence that we know would be in the best interest of Grand Bahama and the people of the Bahamas at large,” she said.

“Dorian was an extraordinary storm and hopefully one we will never experience again.

We want to say to Grand Bahama and that we have every confidence in Dr Strachan, and that we have every confidence in the university because this is the third $100,000 grant that we have given to the UB directly and indirectly and the fourth grant that we have actually put here on the ground in Grand Bahama.”

Dr Andrew Moxey commended BPAF for its level of confidence in UB by awarding them the grant. He said that they plan to seek out more grants to further develop the field station.

“We have already secured an additional grant from generous donors to construct a vegetation seedling nursery, and work has already begun,” he said.

Dr Moxey said that there are several other research projects that UB North plans to execute at the facility.

“Our water table has been the object of many hurricanes over the past, but Dorian pretty much rendered the entire aquifer system in the east dysfunctional and unusable. And so we have several research projects that are being led by our colleagues and collaborators from around the world, including California Technical University, Florida Tech University, and the Technical University of Munich in Germany.

All these institutions are partnering and collaborating with us to understand the profile of the recovery phase of what Dorian left.

Those are the three additional projects that will require the use of our lab facilities and nursery facilities to revegetate some of the areas. Those are some of the activities that will be emanating out of the field station,” he said.

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THE TRIBUNE ERIN BROWN, a 41-year-old mother-of-two and a para-triathlete who cycles, runs, swims and competes at an international level.

PARA-ATHLETE ERIN BROWN TO BECOME GODMOTHER OF ROYAL CARIBBEAN’S ODYSSEY OF THE SEAS A BAHAMIAN woman who lost her leg to cancer and went on to defy odds and inspire thousands will be named “godmother” of Royal Caribbean International’s Odyssey of the Seas.

Erin Brown, a 41-yearold mother-of-two and a para-triathlete who cycles, runs, swims and competes at an international level, will accept the honour at a special ceremony in Florida later this week.

“From the moment we heard the story of Erin, how her courage and determination in the face of adversity inspired others and led to a more inclusive consciousness about succeeding with disabilities, we were moved and knew she was a great candidate for godmother of our newest ship, Odyssey of the Seas,” said Michael Bayley, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean International.

“A godmother serves as the guiding spirit of the ship and brings good luck and safe travels to its crew and guests.”

While she was in college participating as a

track and field athlete, Erin was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer called osteosarcoma after suffering a fall that resulted in a broken leg.

After more than a year of chemotherapy, her tumour showed no signs of shrinking, and she made the difficult decision to amputate her limb above the knee.

Erin, who watched her own mother struggle for five years before losing her battle with lupus linked to cancer, knew she had to keep going because her child depended on her. She underwent surgery and woke up to one less leg.

“Mind over matter,” she repeated. And then, she reinvented herself.

She said she recognizes now that her disability was a signal to start over. The first time she completed the 100-mile cycling event, Ride for Hope, raising money for cancer research, education and prevention, she led a group of adaptive athletes who heard the thunderous applause and cheers from the crowd that

had witnessed the one-legged cyclist achieve what few with two legs could on the hilly terrain.

“A sudden change like the one I experienced is just an opportunity to rebrand yourself to yourself and to society. All those skills you had before – you still have them,” said Brown who has gone on to become an advocate for rights for the disabled and works at the University of The Bahamas as the compliance officer and counsellor for the physically challenged.

“Having Erin as our godmother is a fitting way for us to pay tribute to The Bahamas,” said Mr Bayley.

“Our company’s very first port of call outside the US was to The Bahamas more than 50 years ago. To this day, Nassau remains one of our most popular ports of call and Perfect Day at CocoCay remains our top pick by our guests. We are excited about this ceremony and honouring our long-time partners, as well as the newest Bahamian flagged ship in our fleet.”

48 PERCENT OF CARIBBEAN REGION IS IMMUNISED AGAINST COVID-19 FROM PAGE FIVE

the region.”

PAHO has partnered with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) to analyse the region’s manufacturing potential with the hope of strengthening its role at every step of the supply chain to reduce its current reliance on pharmaceutical imports.

Although PAHO has good news for the region with COVID immunisations on the rise and cases on the decline, the organisation still reports that there are many in the region with little to no access to vaccinations.

“Too many people in our region remain vulnerable and don’t have access to the vaccines they need,” Dr Etienne said. “Over the last year and a half, we’ve seen how the health of our populations, the state of our economies and the wellbeing of our society are interconnected.

“That’s why today I want to talk about the importance of resilient health systems that can help our economies and our

societies recover from this pandemic.”

Dr Etienne spoke to the disruptions in healthcare caused by COVID-19.

“Health systems have been weakened by the pandemic,” she said.

“As countries worked to quickly build up ICUs and ramp up hospital services to care for COVID patients, other essential health services suffered.

“More than half of countries in our region reported disruptions to mental health services and routine immunisation programmes.

Reproductive health services, nutrition care and support for managing chronic conditions were interrupted in more than 40 percent of countries.

“These services have one thing in common: they’re offered at the first level of care.”

She said primary care is the backbone of health systems.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, November 11, 2021, PAGE 11

CHINA, US PLEDGE TO INCREASE COOPERATION AT UN CLIMATE TALKS

By SETH BORENSTEIN, ELLEN KNICKMEYER and FRANK JORDANS Associated Press GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) — The world’s top carbon polluters, China and the United States, agreed Wednesday to increase their cooperation and speed up action to rein in climatedamaging emissions, signaling a mutual effort on global warming at a time of tension over their other disputes.

In back-to-back news conferences at U.N. climate talks in Glasgow, Chinese climate envoy Xie Zhenhua and U.S. counterpart John Kerry said the two countries would work together to accelerate the emissions reductions required to meet the goals of the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change.

“It’s beneficial not only to our two countries but the world as a whole that two major powers in the world, China and the U.S., shoulder special international responsibilities and obligations,” Xie told reporters.

“We need to think big and be responsible.”

“The steps we’re taking ... can answer questions people have about the pace at which China is going, and help China and us to be able to accelerate our efforts,” Kerry said.

China also agreed for the first time to crack down on methane leaks, following the lead of the Biden administration’s efforts to curb the potent greenhouse gas. Beijing and Washington agreed to share technology to reduce emissions.

Governments agreed in Paris to jointly cut greenhouse gas emissions enough to keep the global temperature rise “well below” 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) since pre-industrial times, with a more stringent target of trying to keep warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) preferred.

Aid official: Thousands of Afghan refugees fleeing to Iran

By AMIR VAHDAT ASSOCIATED PRESS TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Thousands of Afghan refugees are fleeing the Taliban into neighboring Iran every day and the trend could eventually become a crisis for Europe, a top aid official said Wednesday.

Jan Egeland, secretarygeneral of the Norwegian Refugee Council, visited refugees this week around Kerman province in eastern Iran close to the Afghanistan border. He warned that Europe could be affected if the influx into Iran continues.

Speaking to The Associated Press in the capital Tehran at the end of his trip, Egeland said more needs to be done to provide hope, food and care for Afghans fleeing the Taliban.

“Many Afghan refugees called their relatives telling them they are on their way to Iran and many want to go on to Europe, so Europe should be less occupied with a few thousand (refugees) sitting on the Polish-Belorussian border.”

“More people came today to Iran than are now on that border,” he added.

More than 120,000 Americans, Afghans and others were flown out of Afghanistan during a massive airlift operation in the days after the capital of Kabul fell to the Taliban on Aug. 15. But thousands more were left behind, with many fleeing to the borders and seeking help from aid agencies.

An estimated 300,000 have fled Afghanistan into Iran since the Taliban takeover, according to the NRC. “There is no economy, there is very little assistance, and there is too little shelter and food for millions and millions in need,” Egeland said.

He said that as the Afghan winter arrives

SECRETARY General of the Norwegian Refugee Council, NRC, Jan Egeland speaks in an interview with The Associated Press in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday. Thousands of Afghan refugees are fleeing the Taliban into neighbouring Iran every day and the trend could become a crisis for Europe, Egeland said Wednesday. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi) and there are not enough shelters for refugees in Afghanistan, more refugees will enter Iran.

“We expect this to become even more acute as hundreds of thousands are coming to the border between Afghanistan and Iran. Winter will be horrific in Afghanistan,” he said.

The secretary-general urged wealthy countries to immediately scale up their aid contributions, both inside Afghanistan and in neighboring countries such as Iran, before the deadly winter cold.

According to the NRC, between 4,000 and 5,000 Afghans are fleeing into Iran each day through informal border crossings.

It said Iran has supported

those Afghans, in addition to hundreds of thousands of others who have been sheltering in the country for much longer — some for decades.

During his trip to Kerman province, Egeland met with some of the refugees and he said that the 3.5 million Afghan migrants already in Iran are struggling as a result of U.S. sanctions on Iran.

Iran’s interior minister, Ahmad Vahidi, on Tuesday said Iran has several thousand people at its border with Afghanistan every day. He, too, warned that a fresh wave of Afghan refugees might attempt to go to Europe if help is not delivered.

The influx into Iran of

millions of Afghan refugees began in 1979, when forces of the former Soviet Union occupied Afghanistan. The occupation ended in 1989, giving way to years of civil war and ultimately a Taliban-controlled government.

Then came the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks on New York and Washington, and the subsequent U.S.-led invasion targeting al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, who was harboured by the Taliban.

Iran and Afghanistan have three border crossings along a common border some 945 kilometres (580 miles) long. Reportedly, Iran hosts some 800,000 registered Afghan refugees and more than 3 million undocumented Afghans.

In the years since the U.S. pulled out of the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers and reimposed sanctions that sent the country’s economy into free fall, however, some Afghans in Iran have left the country.

Egeland praised Iran for hosting millions of Afghans for the past four decades and said the international community must now step up and show support. “How can you expect Iran to shoulder this responsibility on their own?” he said.

“What Europe should do is invest in hope, possibility, opportunity inside Afghanistan and in the neighboring countries if they want to avoid people wandering towards Europe.”

2022 FIRST QUARTER REPORT CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION

Sep 30

Jun 30

2021

2021

ASSETS $76,043 1,202 14,089 5,251 34,990 10,020 729 142,324

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS

THREE MONTHS ENDED

THREE MONTHS ENDED

For the period ended September 30, 2021 with comparatives for September 30, 2020 (Expressed in B$000, unaudited)

As of September 30, 2021 (Expressed in B$000, unaudited)

CURRENT ASSETS : Cash and cash equivalents Term deposits Trade and other receivables, net Prepaid expenses and deposits Short-term investments Inventory Contract assets Total current assets

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF PROFIT OR LOSS AND OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

$57,834 6,597 16,400 6,477 44,991 9,554 916 142,769

316,720 62,086 747 379,553 $521,877

319,241 62,933 681 382,855 $525,624

Sep 30

Sep 30

Sep 30

2021

2020

2021

2020

$(2,009)

$(5,524)

12,596

12,301

$53,402

$48,217

OPERATING EXPENSES

(35,589)

(32,967)

17,813

15,250

Depreciation and amortization

(12,596)

(12,301)

5,217

2,949

3

(23)

22

7

Interest expense

(4,310)

(4,844)

Dividends on preferred shares

(2,941)

(3,613)

Gain (loss) on disposal of assets & investment in subsidiary, net Other income

NON-CURRENT ASSETS : Property, plant and equipment Intangible assets Contract assets Total non-current assets TOTAL

Sep 30

REVENUE

OPERATING INCOME

NET AND COMPREHENSIVE LOSS

$(2,009)

$(5,524)

Net and comprehensive loss attributable to non-controlling interests

$(4,522)

to owners of the parent $61,244 3,725 11,277 4,345 80,591

$59,042 6,130 9,272 3,574 2,520 80,538

7,602 53,866 58,662 12, 259 264,078 396,467 477,058

8,851 54,746 58,620 11,998 264,043 398,258 478,796

NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES:

$(5,345)

$2,513

$(179)

BASIC EARNINGS PER SHARE

$0.06

$(0.00)

DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE

$0.06

$(0.00)

EQUITY: Ordinary share capital Retained earnings Non-controlling interest Total equity TOTAL

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY For the period ended September 30, 2021 (Expressed in B$000, unaudited)

Balance at June 30, 2021

Adjustments for: Depreciation and amortization Other expense

-

31

Interest expense

4,310

4,844

Dividends on preferred shares

2,941

3,613

(Gain) loss disposal of assets & investment in subsidiary, net

(3)

23

17,835

15,288

Decrease in trade and other receivables, net

2,311

1,618

Decrease in prepaid expenses and deposits

1,226

1,729

Increase in inventory

(466)

(1,499)

Operating cash flow before working capital changes

Decrease in contract assets

owners of the parent

RETAINED

CONTROLLING

CAPITA L

EARNINGS

INTEREST

TOTAL

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED INTERIM FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

550 (3,063)

(Decrease) increase in deferred income

(2,405)

278

Decrease in subscriber deposits

(1,249)

(140)

18,516

14,761

Net cash from operating activities

CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES 5,395

(4,381)

Proceeds from redemption (purchase) of investments

10,001

(34,983)

Additions to property, plant and equipment

( 8,843)

(9,388)

Disbursements associated with sale of subsidiary

-

(24)

Net cash from (used in) investing activities

6,553

(48,776)

(3,631)

(2,641)

(709)

$30, 367

$86,865

$(70, 404)

$46,828

(75)

-

2,513

-

2,513

-

-

(4,522)

(4,522)

$30, 367

$89,378

$(74,926)

$44,819

Lease liabilities, net

Net and comprehensive loss attributable to Balance at September 30, 2021

121 1,143

CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES

NON-

SHARE

Net and comprehensive income attributable to

non-controlling interest 30,367 30,367 89,378 86,865 (74,926) (70,404) 44,819 46,828 $521,877 $525,624

Net loss

Decrease (increase) in term deposits

ORDINARY Subscriber deposits Lease liabilities Notes payable Long-term debt Preferred shares Total non-current liabilities Total liabilities

CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES

Increase (decrease) in accounts payable & accrued liabilities

Net and comprehensive income (loss) attributable LIABILITIES AND EQUITY CURRENT LIABILITIES: Accounts payable & accrued liabilities Current deferred income Current portion of preferred shares Current portion of lease liabilities Current portion of long-term debt Total current liabilities

For the period ended September 30, 2021 with comparatives for September 30, 2020 (Expressed in B$000, unaudited)

Interest paid on long-term debt Payments of long-term debt

(2,520)

-

(6,860)

(2,716)

INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS

18,209

(36,731)

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, BEGINNING OF PERIOD

57,834

174,902

$76,043

$138,171

Net cash used in financing activities

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, END OF PERIOD

These consolidated interim condensed financial statements are prepared in accordance with IAS 34, Interim Financial Reporting. The accounting policies used in the preparation of these interim financial statements are consistent with those used in the annual financial statements for the year ended June 30, 2021. These statements also follow the guidelines of IFRS 10, Consolidated Financial Statements and incorporate the financial statements of the 48.25% owned subsidiary Be Aliv Limited. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated on consolidation.

SPORTS PAGE 14

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2021

NFL PICKS, Pg 17

Bermuda thrashes The Bahamas by 140 runs

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

T

eam Bahamas fell to 1-2 at the International Cricket Council T20 World Cup Americas Qualifying event in Antigua and Barbuda.

Bermuda outscored The Bahamas by 140 runs yesterday at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua.

The Bahamas finished with 99 runs in 20 overs, while Bermuda finished with 239 runs for six wickets in 20 overs.

Offensively for The Bahamas, Kervon Hinds totalled 40 runs.

Greg Taylor Jr led the bowlers with a three-wicket haul in three overs and allowed 24 runs.

The Bahamas is scheduled to face Belize 9am today at Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Grounds in Antigua.

On day one of competition, The Bahamas returned to ICC

SEE PAGE 15

BAHAMAS national cricket team players finished with 99 runs in 20 overs yesterday at the International Cricket Council T20 World Cup Americas Qualifying event at the Coolidge Cricket Ground stadium in Osbourn, Antigua and Barbuda.

Miller Jr, Clarke and Hunter standouts in NCAA openers

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net THE 2021-22 NCAA Division I season got underway Tuesday night and several Bahamian players were in action for their respective programmes.

Florida Gulf Coast Eagles redshirt junior guard Franco Miller Jr was the top performer among the group.

Miller finished with 10 points, five rebounds and four assists in his team’s dominant 94-57 win over the Florida National Conquistadors.

Of the 13 players who dressed, 11 scored at least a single field goal on the night.

“I was encouraged tonight just by being back

in the building - seeing the student section and seeing our fans,” said Eagles head coach Michael Fly. “Last year was so difficult for so many across the world, so just being back in the normalcy of a basketball game being fun was uplifting.”

The Eagles will next head to Chicago on November 12 for a matchup with Loyola-Chicago.

Last season, Miller played in 15 games with six starts and averaged 5.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.1 steals per game before he missed postseason play due to injury.

Garvin Clarke and his Akron Zips nearly pulled off an opening night upset, but fell just short in a 67-66 loss to the No.17 Ohio State Buckeyes at Value

FRANCO Miller Jr in action on the court.

City Arena in Columbus, Ohio.

Akron will host Point Park for its 2021-22 home opener at James A. Rhodes Arena on November 12.

In his true freshman season, Clarke played in

22 games and totalled 52 points, 18 rebounds, 12 assists with six steals.

Sammy Hunter scored five points in 11 minutes off the bench in his Ole Miss Rebels’ 82-60 win over New Orleans.

All 14 Rebels saw playing time on Tuesday night.

“I think we’ve got really good depth on our team.

I really do,” Rebels head coach Kermit Davis said.

“We’re trying to figure it all out like a lot of teams.

I think we’ve got 11 guys or so that we can put in a game and they’re fighting for possessions. Depth is a huge thing with foul trouble down the stretch, so I like where we are with that. We just gotta keep working.”

Ole Miss will host Charleston Southern on November 11.

Last year Hunter appeared in 25 contests off the bench, averaging 2.2 points and 1.4 rebounds in eight minutes per game.

He shot 48 percent from the field and 33 percent from three-point range.

MCMINNS AND TIGERS CLAIM THE MOOSEHEAD CUP

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net EUGENE McMinns won the third Atlantic Football League championship of his career, this time on the sidelines in his first season as a wide receivers’ coach for the Dalhousie Tigers staff.

The Tigers claimed the Moosehead Cup with a 40-14 victory over the University of New Brunswick Red Bombers in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, on November 8.

It was also the third title for the programme in the last five seasons. “It has been an honour to be these

SEE PAGE 18

FREDRICK KING JR COMMITS TO CARDS

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net IT took just several months for Fredrick King Jr to go from relative unknown to elite Division I prospect for the class of 2022.

King, a product of the NBA Academy Latin America, committed to ACC powerhouse - the Louisville Cardinals - and will join the programme in the upcoming fall campaign.

The 6’10” forward chose head coach Chris Mack’s programme ahead of the Washington State Trojans, Creighton Bluejays, Georgetown Hoyas and Miami Hurricanes.

ESPN listed King as one of the class of 2022’s top prospects emerging from the NBA Academy Invitational in September.

King averaged 23 points and 12 rebounds per game on 77 percent shooting from the field at the event

hosted by his NBA Academy Latin America programme in San Luis Potosi, Mexico.

He opened with 31 points and 16 KING JR rebounds to lead NBA Latin America to an 82-61 win over NBA Africa Red and followed with 29 points and 13 rebounds in a 93-87 victory over The Skills Factory.

ESPNs Jonathan Givony said King’s stock was the fastest riser of any prospect at the camp.

“King exploded onto the radar of NBA scouts and college coaches… it was impressive to see King’s poise and maturity,” Givony said. “He anchored his team’s defence, created offence from the mid

and low post, and found teammates with intelligent passes all weekend long.

“With a remarkably high intensity level, King played to near exhaustion, almost never leaving the floor and constantly battling on both ends of the floor.”

At just 17, King is deemed “young for his class” but opted to remain in the class of 2022 rather than play a year at a prep school before entering the collegiate ranks.

King joins four-star wing D’Ante Davis in the Cardinals’ upcoming class.

According to Givony, Louisville is awaiting word from the NCAA on potential punishments stemming from allegations made in the FBI’s investigation into the sport of college basketball.

King made Bahamian basketball history last January when he became the country’s first student athlete to enrol in one of the NBA’s global academies.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, November 11, 2021, PAGE 15

BAHAMAS FROM PAGE 14

competition for the first time since 2013 and was outscored by 122 runs in a loss to Canada.

The Bahamas scored 68 runs in 15.2 overs, while Canada finished with 190 runs for five wickets in 20 overs.

Marc Taylor scored 44 runs and Jagnauth Jagroo bowled for three wickets and allowed 24 runs in four overs.

In game two, the Bahamas got into the win column with a 12-run win over Argentina. Batting first, The Bahamas improved offensively and scored 121 runs all out.

Bowling, they limited Argentina to 109 runs for five wickets in 20 overs.

Marc Taylor scored 60 runs.

Jonathan Barry allowed 20 runs and earned two wickets in four overs.

BROOKLYN Nets forward Kevin Durant (7) and guard James Harden (13) high-five after a basket during the first half of the team’s NBA basketball game against the Orlando Magic last night.

(AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Durant, Harden help Nets rout Magic for 6th win in 7 games ORLANDO, Florida (AP) — Kevin Durant scored 30 points and James Harden had his 59th career triple double in the Brooklyn Nets’ 123-90 victory over the Orlando Magic last night.

Durant, the NBA’s leading scorer at 29.5 points per game, made 11 of 12 shots, including both of his 3-point attempts, to help Brooklyn win for the sixth time in seven games.

Harden had 17 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists to help. The two stars sat out the fourth quarter, with the Nets up 94-75 after three.

LaMarcus Aldridge came off the bench with a big second quarter to put Brooklyn in command. He had 21 points and eight rebounds.

Terrence Ross led Orlando with 17 points.

BUCKS 112, KNICKS 100 NEW YORK (AP) — Pat Connaughton scored a season-high 23 points, making three late 3-pointers to swing a wild second

half back in Milwaukee’s favour, and the Bucks blew a 24-point lead before beating New York.

Less than a week after the Knicks came from 21 down to win 113-98 at Milwaukee, the Bucks opened a 70-46 cushion midway through the third quarter.

But the Knicks’ reserves wiped that away and the game was tied with five minutes to play.

Jrue Holiday scored 18 points and Giannis Antetokounmpo had 15 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists for the Bucks. They won at Philadelphia on Tuesday night.

Derrick Rose had 22 points and seven assists for New York.

SUNS 119, TRAIL BLAZERS 109 PHOENIX (AP) — Frank Kaminsky scored a career-high 31 points, Chris Paul added 21 and Phoenix beat Portland for its sixth straight victory.

The 7-foot Kaminsky continued a stellar stretch of play, making up for the

recent absence of injured starter Deandre Ayton.

Kaminsky has at least 10 points in four of the past five games and was at his best yesterday, making 12 of 18 shots and grabbing seven rebounds.

Damian Lillard led Portland with 28 points.

HORNETS 118, GRIZZLIES 108 MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Kelly Oubre Jr scored a season-best 37 points on 13-of-17 shooting and Charlotte beat Memphis to snap a five-game losing streak.

Oubre matched his career high with seven 3-points on nine attempts and broke the franchise record for points off the bench.

Gordon Hayward added 25 points for Charlotte.

LaMelo Ball, who was coming off a triple-double of 25 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists Monday night in an overtime loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, fell just short of his second consecutive triple-double with 12 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.

Spain facing injury battle ahead of decisive qualifiers

By TALES AZZONI AP Sports Writer MADRID (AP) — Spain enters its decisive World Cup qualifiers against Greece and Sweden without some key players because of injuries.

Nine players are not available for coach Luis Enrique for the matches at Greece today and against Sweden on Sunday.

Spain enters its final two matches in second place in Group B, two points behind Sweden and four ahead of third-place Greece. Only the group winners directly qualify for next year’s tournament in Qatar, while the second-place finishers will have to go through a playoff.

Pedri González, Ferran Torres and Marcos Llorente, who helped lead Spain to the semifinals of the European Championship a few months ago, are among those who couldn’t be called up by Luis Enrique.

Also missing from the Euro 2020 squad are Gerard Moreno, Mikel Oyarzabal and Eric García.

García was was hurt while playing for Barcelona in the Spanish league, as was young forward Ansu Fati, who was returning to the national team after a long absence because of another injury.

Yeremi Pino was another player who got injured and had to be replaced after being called up.

Luis Enrique said yesterday that Mikel Merino also isn’t likely to play today, though he will remain with the squad.

“We have to focus on what we can control,” Luis Enrique said.

“I’m thrilled with the players I was able to bring.

Fortunately, I’m a coach who can choose from at least 60 players who have a lot of quality. We are prepared.”

The coach was able to get a few players back after they recovered from recent injuries, including Pau Torres, José Luis Gayà, Jordi Alba, Álvaro Morata and Dani Olmo.

Two victories will be enough for Spain to finish first in its group and qualify

Ja Morant led Memphis with 32 points, 19 of them in the first quarter, and eight assists.

CELTICS 104, RAPTORS 88 BOSTON (AP) — Jayson Tatum had 22 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists in Boston’s victory over Toronto.

Robert Williams III added 16 points and 13 rebounds, with a careerbest eight coming on the offensive glass. Dennis Schroder scored 20 points, Josh Richardson had 15 and Marcus Smart 13.

Scottie Barnes led Toronto with 21 points.

BULLS 117, MAVERICKS 107 CHICAGO (AP) — Zach LaVine scored 23 points and Lonzo Ball made seven of Chicago’s 15 3-pointers, helping the Bulls beat Dalla.

Nikola Vucevic added 18 points and 10 rebounds, and DeMar DeRozan finished with 17 points.

Kristaps Porzingis had 22 points and 12 rebounds

for Dallas. Luka Doncic finished with 20 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds.

WIZARDS 97, CAVALIERS 94 CLEVELAND (AP) — Kyle Kuzma hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 12 seconds left and Washington scored the final five points to beat Cleveland.

Kuzma scored 12 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter, including two 3-pointers in the final 26 seconds.

Montrezl Harrell led the Wizards with 24 points and 11 rebounds.

Ricky Rubio had 20 points for Cleveland.

PISTONS 112, ROCKETS 104 HOUSTON (AP) — Jerami Grant scored a season-high 35 points to help Detroit beat Houston in a matchup of two of the worst teams in the NBA. Detroit improved to 2-8, and Houston dropped to 1-10.

The meeting was the first between the top two picks in the July draft. Cade Cunningham, Detroit’s choice

as the No. 1 pick, had 20 points on 8-of-18 shooting.

Houston’s Jalen Green, the No. 2 pick, had 23 points on 8-of-20 shooting.

SPURS 136, KINGS 117 SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Dejounte Murray had 26 points and San Antonio never trailed, overcoming De’Aaron Fox’s seasonhigh 37 points in rolling past Sacramento.

San Antonio hit a season-high 18 3-pointers and snapped a three-game skid at the AT&T Center.

Sacramento has lost three straight and five of seven.

THUNDER 108, PELICANS 100 NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Lu Dort scored 27 points, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 24 points and Oklahoma City beat New Orleans for its third straight victory. Nickeil AlexanderWalker had 33 points, and Jonas Valanciunas had 25 points and 15 rebounds for the NBA-worst Pelicans.

They dropped to 1-11 with their eighth straight loss.

BARCELONA’S ANSU FATI, sits injured during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Celta and Barcelona at the Balaidos stadium in Vigo, Spain, on Saturday, November 6.

(AP Photo/ Lalo R. Villar)

for the World Cup without depending on other results.

A draw against Greece will guarantee at least a second-place finish in the group, which would send Spain into the playoffs against the other nine group runners-up and two group winners from the UEFA Nations League.

The 12 countries will be drawn into three four-team brackets and play next March. Seeded teams getting a home game in the bracket semifinals.

A win by Sweden at fourth-place Georgia today and a Spain draw against Greece will secure first place for the Swedes.

Spain has qualified for every World Cup since 1978, winning its lone title in 2010 in South Africa.

It was eliminated by host Russia in the last 16 of the 2018 World Cup. “I can’t imagine a World Cup without Spain,” forward Brahim Díaz said.

“We have two finals ahead of us and we have to win them.”

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, November 11, 2021, PAGE 17

Ravens figure to provide more angst for fans and another win

By BARRY WILNER AP Pro Football Writer THE Baltimore Ravens do nothing easily.

Yes, they have the AFC’s best record among teams that have had their bye (6-2; Tennessee is 7-2). Their excitement quotient is off the charts, and their special teams are, well, very special.

Yet they specialise in providing angst for their fans and, probably, for coach John Harbaugh.

“I don’t think we’re ever really out of a game, but you hate to be in those situations,” receiver Marquise Brown said.

“You kind of want to start fast so you don’t have to do that. But if you’re in that situation in the game, I’m confident that we can get it done.”

They will need to get it done again tonight against struggling Miami (2-7), which just ended a sevengame slide by beating equally woeful Houston.

The Dolphins are uncertain at quarterback with Tua Tagovailoa having issues with a finger on his left, throwing hand, that sidelined him against the Texans.

Baltimore, ranked No. 6 in the AP Pro32, is a 7 1/2point favourite at No. 30 Miami, according to FanDuel SportsBook.

Like we said, the Ravens tend to make it difficult.

RAVENS, 20-16 KNOCKOUT POOL: No reason to read this after Pro Picks flopped for a second straight week following an unbeaten run. Dallas got hammered by Denver. But we’re obligated to keep trying, so it’s INDIANAPOLIS this week.

No. 32 Detroit (plus 9) at No. 10 Pittsburgh We can’t see the Lions winning, nor see the Steelers covering a big spread.

BEST BET: STEELERS, 22-15

No. 21 Minnesota (plus 2 1/2) at No. 9 Los Angeles Chargers At some point the Vikings will pull out one of these games. Maybe this one.

UPSET SPECIAL: VIKINGS, 30-28 No. 7 (tie) Buffalo (minus 13) at No. 29 New York Jets One of many hefty spreads, but the Bills are not trustworthy right now.

BILLS, 30-20 No. 3 Tampa Bay (minus 9 1/2) at No. 27 Washington Another big spread, but in Tom Brady we trust.

BUCCANEERS, 33-16 No. 19 Atlanta (plus 9) at No. 7 (tie) Dallas That stinker last week

by Dallas came out of nowhere. This will smell better.

COWBOYS, 30-26 No. 22 Carolina (plus 10) at No. 1 Arizona It looks as if something special is rising up from the Valley of the Sun. CARDINALS, 26-13 No. 28 Jacksonville (plus 10 1/2) at No. 18 Indianapolis Yet another huge spread that would’ve been bigger if not for the Jaguars’ upset win last week.

COLTS, 29-10 No. 20 Seattle (plus 3 1/2) at No. 5 Green Bay Two picks here due to the relative uncertainty of Aaron Rodgers being available.

With Rodgers: PACKERS, 27-20 Minus Rodgers: SEAHAWKS, 22-13 No. 11 Cleveland (plus 1 1/2) at No. 12 New England The winner of this one has an open path to the playoffs.

PATRIOTS, 21-16 No. 13 New Orleans (plus 3) at No. 2 Tennessee Mike Vrabel for Coach of the Year? Could be if the Titans keep this up.

TITANS, 24-16

CUTHBERT BACK IN WALES RUGBY TEAM AFTER 4-YEAR ABSENCE CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — Alex Cuthbert will make his first appearance for Wales in four years as one of five changes for the rugby test against Fiji on Sunday.

The 31-year-old winger, who will win his 49th cap, last featured for Wales in a match against Georgia in November 2017.

Joining English club Exeter the following year made him ineligible for his national team under a Welsh Rugby Union rule preventing players getting picked for the country if they played outside Wales and had fewer than 60 caps.

Cuthbert is now back in Welsh rugby with the Ospreys.

Flanker Thomas Young and scrumhalf Kieran Hardy are recalled, Liam Williams comes in at fullback for his first start of the autumn campaign, Josh Adams moves from wing to center where he is partnered in midfield by Johnny Williams.

In another positional change, flanker Taine Basham switches to No. 8 to cover for the injured Aaron Wainwright.

“We want to be able to use our squad where we can,” said Wales coach Wayne Pivac, whose team lost 23-18 to South Africa on Saturday. “In terms of the forwards, we don’t have

a lot of options with injuries and unavailability.

“The exciting one is Josh Adams getting an opportunity. That is really looking at the future. When you have to pick a World Cup squad of 33, you’ve got to have players that can play in more than one position and we have been wanting to do it for a while, so we will see how Josh goes in the midfield.”

On the bench is uncapped 19-year-old forward Christ Tshiunza, who plays in the second row or back row and moved to Wales from Congo in 2010. He is a product of the same school in Cardiff where some of Wales’ biggest sports stars — former rugby captain Sam Warburton, soccer player Gareth Bale and former Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas — went. ___ Wales team: Liam Williams, Alex Cuthbert, Josh Adams, Johnny Williams, Louis Rees-Zammit, Dan Biggar, Kieran Hardy; Taine Basham, Thomas Young, Ellis Jenkins (captain), Adam Beard, Will Rowlands, Tomas Francis, Ryan Elias, Rhys Carre.

Reserves: Bradley Roberts, Gareth Thomas, WillGriff John, Christ Tshiunza, Seb Davies, Tomos Williams, Callum Sheedy, Nick Tompkins

AP PRO PICKS: Taking Ravens over Dolphins Thursday night

The Ravens have the AFC’s best record among teams that have had their bye. Thursday night they go against Miami (2-7), which just ended a seven-game slide by beating Houston. Baltimore, No. 6 in the AP Pro32, is a 7 1-2-point favorite at No. 30 Miami, according to FanDuel SportsBook.

GAME

STORYLINE

PICK

BAL at MIA

Ravens specialize in providing angst for their fans, still ...

BAL 20-16

DET at PIT

Can’t see Lions winning nor Steelers covering big spread

PIT 22-15

MIN at LAC

At some point the Vikings will pull out one of these games ...

MIN 30-28

BUF at NYJ

One of many hefty spreads but Bills are not trustworthy right now

BUF 30-20

TB at WAS

Another big spread, but in Tom Brady we trust

ATL at DAL

Stinker last week by Dallas came out of nowhere, this will smell better

DAL 30-26

CAR at ARI

Looks as if something special is rising up from the Valley of the Sun

ARI 26-13

JAC at IND

Another huge spread that would’ve been bigger if not for Jags’ upset of Bills

IND 29-10

SEA at GB

Two picks due to uncertainty of Aaron Rodgers playing

TB 33-16

WITH: GB 27-20, OUT: SEA 22-13

CLE at NE

Winner of this one has an open path to the playoffs

NO at TEN

Mike Vrabel for Coach of the Year? Could be if Titans keep this up ...

KC at LV LAR at SF PHI at DEN

NE 21-16 TEN 24-16 KC 20-19

Still waiting for real Chiefs to surface, unless they already have Rivalry games tend to be close but Rams can cover this meager spread

LAR 26-18

Could see the Eagles stealing this one, should be tight

DEN 24-23

NAUGHTY’S NFL PICKS - WEEK 10 LAST WEEK - 8-6 SEASON - 94-42

Tampa Bay vs WFT The Brady Bunch takes a road trip to the capital for the road win.

BUCS 34 - WFT 17

Week 10 Byes - Bears, Bengals, Texans, Giants I AM convinced my boy Wilner from AP is practicing the dark arts on my picks, or the ‘Man’ in Vegas has his hand on some of these games, maybe both?

Nonetheless there’s still a long ways to go and I still have a healthy lead.

Here’s who I like this week for Week 10.

THURSDAY NIGHT Baltimore vs Miami Baltimore is clearly the better team right now.... good enough to win ugly on the road.

RAVENS 27 - Dolphins 20 SUNDAY 1PM Atlanta vs Dallas This should be entertaining as the Cowboys get back in the win column at home.

COWBOYS 38 - Falcons 24 Jacksonville vs Indianapolis Colts keep it going at home with convincing home win.

COLTS 24 - Jaguars 13 Cleveland vs New England Belichick has something up his sleeve, to confuse Browns QB Baker No. 15 Kansas City (minus 2 1/2) at No. 14 Las Vegas We are still waiting for the real Chiefs to surface.

Unless they already have.

CHIEFS, 20-19

Mayfield, which isn’t hard to do sometimes.

Patriots get the W at home.

PATRIOTS 27 - Browns 24 Buffalo vs New York Jets Lightning won’t strike twice!

BILLS 38 - Jets 17 Detroit vs Pittsburgh The Steelers are starting to come together, especially at home.

STEELERS 31 vs Detroit 20 New Orleans vs Tennessee Titans win again, at home this time minus RB Derek Henry.

TITANS 31 - Saints 24

No. 4 Los Angeles Rams (minus 4) at No. 23 San Francisco, Monday night Rivalry games tend to be close, but the Rams can cover this meager spread.

RAMS, 26-18

SUNDAY 4PM Carolina vs Arizona The Cardinals declaw the Panthers in the desert.

CARDINALS 34 - 20 Minnesota vs Los Angeles Chargers Chargers win their second straight, this time at home.

CHARGERS 34 - Vikings 31 Philadelphia vs Denver The Broncos get their second straight against the NFC East.

BRONCOS 24 - Eagles 20 Seattle vs Green Bay Two night time QBs return in this one, Wilson for the ‘Hawks and Aaron Rodgers for the Packers.

Packers win at home.

PACKERS 31 - Seattle 27 SUNDAY NIGHT Kansas City vs Las Vegas Viva Las Vegas - Raiders at home get it done.

RAIDERS 34 - Chiefs 31 MONDAY NIGHT Los Angeles Rams vs San Francisco I think the Rams run away in this blowout.

RAMS 30 - 49ers 27

No. 24 Philadelphia (plus 2 1/2) at No. 17 Denver We could see the Eagles stealing this one. It should be tight. BRONCOS, 24-23 Last Week: Straight up: 9-5. Against spread: 10-4.

Season: Straight up: 86-50.

Against spread: 75-57-2.

Best Bet: Straight up: 5-4.

Against spread: 6-3.

Upset Special: Straight up: 8-0. Against spread: 8-0.

PAGE 18, Thursday, November 11, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

JACKSON FEELS HE’S RIGHT FIT FOR REELING RAIDERS

By W.G. RAMIREZ Associated Press

THE TIGERS claimed the Moosehead Cup with a 40-14 victory over the University of New Brunswick Red Bombers in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, November 8.

MCMINNS AND TIGERS TAKE HOME MOOSEHEAD CUP WITH 40-14 VICTORY OVER RED BOMBERS FROM PAGE 14 young men’s wide receivers coach. This year’s wide receivers squad was the best in the league. I’m so proud of these guys,” McMinns said.

“Honestly, it was even a bigger blessing to win the AFL Championship in my first year as a university coach, [and to have] a chance to mentor the future ballers of the next generation for the University of Dalhousie.”

McMinns joined the Tigers as a wide receivers coach under general manager and head coach Mark Haggett. They concluded the season 7-1, with their only blemish, an October 2 loss to the Red Bombers.

“Thank you to the Dalhousie football organisation for recruiting and believing in me,” McMinns said.

“The man from Coconut Grove Nassau, Bahamas... this island man did it again.

Grateful for the journey.

Trusting the process.”

A former wide receiver in his collegiate career with the Holland College Hurricanes and Acadia Axemen, McMinns said he looks forward to developing young players at the position.

The Tigers are one of four teams that play in the Atlantic Football League and returned to competition in 2010 after a 34-year hiatus.

In 2016, the team won the AFL championship with an 8-0 undefeated record, and again went undefeated in 2018, capturing 2 AFL championships in three years.

McMinns began his collegiate career with the Holland College Hurricanes. In two years with the Hurricanes, McMinns developed into one of the team’s top playmakers as they claimed back-to-back Atlantic Football League titles in 2013 and 2014. He was named the Holland College male Rookie of the Year in his first season with the programme.

After two seasons, he transferred to Acadia.

EUGENE McMinns won the third Atlantic Football League championship of his career, this time on the sidelines in his first season as a wide receivers’ coach for the Dalhousie Tigers staff.

In his final collegiate season, McMinns was a part of the Bahamian connection that helped the Axemen win the 2017 Atlantic University Sports (AUS) championship title.

At the conclusion of his career, he finished second

on the Axemen in receptions and yardage with 29 catches for 346 yards and three touchdowns.

McMinns ended the regular season ranked third in all-purpose yards in the AUS with a total of 1,232 yards and 154 per game.

Following his collegiate career, he participated in several combines in an attempt to work his way into the Canadian Football League.

He also played at the semi-pro level with the Halifax Harbour Hawks.

HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — DeSean Jackson said the first time he attended an NFL game, as a fan around 7 or 8 years old, the Kansas City Chiefs were visiting the Raiders in Oakland.

Ever since then, he wanted to play in the NFL. The Raiders’ new wide receiver will get his first taste of the AFC West rivalry as a player when the Chiefs visit Las Vegas on Sunday night.

Jackson was released last week by the Los Angeles Rams and signed with Las Vegas on Monday. The speedy 14-year veteran hopes have an immediate impact for an offence that stalled last week in a 23-16 loss to the New York Giants.

“I’m not asking to get the ball 100 times, I’m not asking to play 100 percent — whatever that role is that fits, just let me play it to the best of my ability,” said Jackson, who has led the league four times in yards per reception. “Being that spark, what I’ve been able to do my whole career.

Deep threat, vertical threat ... if it’s being a decoy opening it up for other guys, (Darren) Waller, Huner (Renfrow), whatever it is I need to do to be a spark that’s what I’m here for.”

The Raiders had a need at receiver after the team released Henry Ruggs III, who last week slammed his car into another vehicle, leading to the deaths of a woman and her dog. Police said Ruggs was drunk and he faces decades in prison.

Las Vegas also cut another first-round draft pick, cornerback Damon Arnette, after he was seen threatening someone with a gun in a video posted online.

Attempting to move on following the turmoil, the team signed the well-travelled Jackson, who joins his sixth organisation.

Jackson was targeted 15 times with the Rams and had eight receptions for 221 yards and one touchdown.

Three of his catches went for 40 yards or more.

Prior to Sunday’s loss, 114 of quarterback Derek Carr’s 180 completions went for 10 or more yards, an average of 16.2 per game. But only nine of his 30 completions against the Giants went for 10 yards or longer.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, November 11, 2021, PAGE 19

JOKIC SUSPENDED 1 GAME BY NBA, MORRIS AND BUTLER FINED

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer MIAMI (AP) — After Denver’s Nikola Jokic and Miami’s Markieff Morris hit one another, the NBA hit back.

And the reigning MVP took the worst of that.

Jokic has been suspended one game for shoving Morris in the back, the league announced Tuesday night. That means Jokic did not play yesterday when the Nuggets hosted Indiana.

Morris didn’t play on Wednesday, either: The Heat said he has a neck

injury, diagnosed as whiplash, and has been ruled out from Miami’s matchup at the Los Angeles Lakers.

Morris was fined $50,000 for his role in the mess, and Heat forward Jimmy Butler drew a $30,000 fine “for attempting to escalate the altercation and failing to comply with an NBA Security interview as part of the review process pertaining to an on-court matter,” the league said.

The NBA’s decision was the last salvo in a wild day following Monday night’s scuffle in Denver, one that prompted the brothers of

the two players who had the starring roles in the dustup to take their anger to Twitter.

“It’s a situation that I think we’ll all learn from, not allowing emotions to get the best of us,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said Tuesday, a few hours before the decision by NBA President of League Operations Byron Spruell was announced.

Denver visits Miami on November 29.

The Nuggets don’t face the Clippers, Marcus Morris’ team, again until December 26.