TUESDAY i’m lovin’ it!
HIGH 86ºF LOW 72ºF
The Tribune Established 1903
24/7 BREAKING NEWS ON TRIBUNE242.COM
Biggest And Best!
VOLUME:114 No.246, NOVEMBER 14TH, 2017
THE PEOPLE’S PAPER: $1
“I WANT TO BE THE ONE TO FIND A CURE FOR
DIABETES.”
WORLD DIABETES DAY: GET YOUR SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT INSIDE
Missing migrants ‘had help ashore’
By SANCHESKA DORSETT Tribune Staff Reporter sdorsett@tribunemedia.net
THE Department of Immigration is conducting massive sweeps of known “areas for Haitian migrants” after a large empty sloop was discovered on the shoreline of Adelaide Village Sunday afternoon. In an interview with The Tribune, Immigration Director William Pratt said he “had no idea” how such a large sloop could land so close to the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) Coral Harbour Base and go undetected, but suggested the RBDF should perhaps “improve their surveillance”. Authorities believe the immigrants who landed on Sunday had help from people already on New
Providence and yesterday warned anyone who was found to be hiding them would be jailed, fined or both. Kirklyn Neely, head the Department of Immigration’s Enforcement Unit, said he estimated between 150 to 250 undocumented migrants were on board the sloop. He said immigration officers apprehended 27 immigrants on Monday in an effort to gain information on the people who landed illegally the day before. None of the people caught were on board that vessel. The hunt for the migrants began on Sunday when the RBDF said it was investigating reports of a wooden Haitian sloop landing in the southwest area of New Providence. SEE PAGE THREE
PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party (PLP) Leader Philip “Brave” Davis dismissed as “much ado about nothing” revelations his brother’s company was paid in full for two Bahamas Electricity Corporation (BEC) contracts he ordered cancelled. The Nassau Guardian reported Friday that by the time Ministry of Works Permanent Secretary Colin Higgs had ordered the cancellation of two contracts for AL D’s Construction and Roofing - a company owned
by Mr Davis brother about $90,000 had already been paid out. And after the permanent secretary’s instructions were issued, almost $70,000 was further paid out, indicating Mr Davis’ brother received virtually the entire value for his contracts despite Mr Davis’ intervention. The former deputy prime minister and minister of works with responsibility for BEC repeated yesterday the contracts were cancelled, recalling his brother “was very upset” at the time. SEE PAGE SIX
Produced by
PINTARD: PEOPLE FIRST, NOT MPs’ PAY By MORGAN ADDERLEY MINISTER of Youth, Sports and Culture Michael Pintard said yesterday economic growth, shrinking the deficit and organising public services are higher priorities to the Minnis administration than raising the pay of Members of Parliament. While Mr Pintard said Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis is correct that MPs need a raise, he did not expect a pay hike “any time soon” and other important issues are likely to precede any increase. The Marco City MP was asked about the contentious issue of proposed salary increases for MPs while at a signing ceremony yesterday for an agreement between the governments of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and The Bahamas. SEE PAGE SIX
POST OFFICE STAFF: WE NEED NEW HQ - NOW
BRAVE’S BROTHER’S FURY OVER CANCELLED DEALS By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net
TEN-YEAR-OLD KAIDEN DREAM WHICH WOU HAS A LD HER LIFE AND MILLIONS CHANGE LIKE HER
By SANCHESKA DORSETT Tribune Staff Reporter sdorsett@tribunemedia.net NEARLY 100 employees at the “rat and mould infested” General Post Office demonstrated on East Hill Street yesterday demanding the government either make the building habitable or move them immediately. In an interview with The Tribune, Bahamas Public Services Union (BPSU) President Kingsley Ferguson said the workers will demonstrate every day and “even march to Parliament if necessary” until someone pays attention to their concerns. SEE PAGE EIGHT THE SLOOP that was found on the shoreline of Adelaide Village in this photograph posted to Facebook.
RBDF AUDIT ‘QUESTIONS STILL TO ASK’ By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net FORMER Assistant Commissioner Paul Thompson yesterday raised concerns over the findings of an audit conducted into the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF), telling The Tribune he felt assurances offered by National Security Minister Marvin Dames were “premature”.
Mr Thompson insisted concerns raised by Auditor General Terrence Bastian over weapons procurement were legitimate and could not be brushed off until a full audit of inventory is conducted and cross referenced with illegal guns found in the country. Mr Bastian’s audit report covers the period July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2015, and found that a 2014 procurement exercise posed
a threat to the safety and security of Bahamian borders by awarding a $1.3m contract to a home-based company that did not have the necessary approvals to import weapons from the commissioner of police. The audit, tabled in the House of Assembly last week, also noted the “online purchasing/courier service” had been inactive for more than four SEE PAGE FIVE
Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper
BOB TURNS FIRST PROFIT IN FIVE YEARS By NEIL HARTNELL
Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
THE Bank of the Bahamas (BOB) “amazed” its shareholders yesterday by declaring its first quarterly profit in almost five years, following its $162m summer ‘bail-out’. The institution produced $838,261 in total comprehensive income for the three months to endSeptember 2017. FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS
PAGE 2, Tuesday, November 14, 2017
THE TRIBUNE
Three years in jail for drug and gun possession By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net A 27-YEAR-OLD man was sentenced to three years in prison yesterday after pleading guilty to three firearm related charges and one drug
related charge stemming from a drug and gun seizure in the Quarry Mission Road area last week. Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt further ordered Valentino Pratt, of Gibbs Corner, pay a $5,000 fine by the conclusion of his three-year prison term or
GEORGIMAE GARDINER, 57, left, and Chassidy Scott, 21.
LIVINGSTON PRATT, 21.
risk facing an additional 12 months of incarceration at the Fox Hill jail. Pratt, along with his 57-year-old mother, Georgimae Gardiner, his 21-year-old brother Livingston Pratt, and his girlfriend Chassidy Scott, were all arraigned on one count each of possession of an unlicenced firearm, possession of ammunition, possession of ammunition with intent to supply, and possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply. Gardiner, Scott, and Livingston each pleaded not guilty to the charges. However, the Crown said based on Valentino Pratt’s guilty pleas, it would withdraw the four charges against them. Their arraignments stem from a seizure that took place on Thursday last week. According to reports, shortly after 12 noon on the day in question, Drug Enforcement Unit officers executed a search warrant on a residence at Gibbs Lane in New Providence and found one black Sky CPX handgun, 53 rounds of ammunition and a quantity of marijuana. According to the prosecutor, the 14.78 ounces of marijuana, with a street value of $1,120, were found in a dresser drawer in 24 silver foil wraps, which were in turn concealed in a
VALENTINO PRATT, 27, outside court. Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff read by the prosecution. clear, plastic bag. However, the chief In making a plea of miti- magistrate said while it is In a closet in the same room, and underneath a gation, his attorney, Keith “commendable” he has heap of clothes, the pros- Bell subsequently pleaded maintained a clean police ecutor said, officers also for lenience and mercy on record, and that he was discovered a dark-coloured his client’s behalf, noting “a real man” for owning backpack containing a the gun in question was up to the crimes and thus taped package which held purchased by his client after sparing his family and 50 live rounds of 9mm falling prey to two armed girlfriend the trouble of robberies in the past. ammunition. going through trial, the The marijuana, Mr Bell nature of his offences are A further search of a dresser drawer in a room said, was used for personal a part of what she called a just opposite the first one consumption by his client. “very serious issue” in The Mr Bell further submitted Bahamas. revealed a black Sky CPX handgun, and in the maga- his client had no previous She subsequently senzine of that handgun were convictions, was gainfully tenced him to three years in three rounds of live 9mm employed at Albany as well prison in addition to a fine as at a restaurant, and con- of $3,500 for count one, two ammunition. As a result of the various tributes to his household years for count two, three discoveries, all of the occu- via his employment. Mr years for count three and pants of the house were Bell further noted his client two years and an additional grew up in a churchgoing $1,500 fine for count four, taken into custody. Valentino Pratt accepted family and attends Evange- with the sentences to run the summary of the facts as listic Temple. concurrently.
BRITNEY NEYMOUR, 19.
Photo: Tribune Staff/Shawn Hanna
TEEN CHARGED AFTER DRUG SEIZURE By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net
A 19-YEAR-OLD woman was charged in connection with a drug seizure at the Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) over the weekend. Britney Neymour stood
before magistrate Samuel McKinney faced with one count each of possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply and taking steps preparatory to export dangerous drugs. According to police, Neymour was allegedly bound to take a JetBlue flight to Orlando when
she was caught with nine ounces of suspected cocaine. She pleaded not guilty to the charges, and the matter was adjourned to December 1 for trial. She was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services (BDCS) in the interim.
FOUR ACCUSED IN GUN CASE By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
FOUR people including a juvenile were arraigned in the Freeport Magistrates Court yesterday on charges of attempted murder and possession of a firearm. Shannon Johnson, 26, of Limewood Lane,
Freeport, was charged with attempted murder, two counts of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and causing grievous harm. Antonio Morley, 21, of Limewood Lane, Freeport and Claude Vissaint, 25, of Tasman Circle, and a 17-year-old were each charged with two counts of
possession of firearm with intent to endanger life, causing grievous harm and causing harm. The men were not required to plea to the charges and were remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services in Nassau until February 27, 2018 for trial.
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, November 14, 2017, PAGE 3
PLP DEPUTY LEADERSHIP CANDIDATE FIRED FROM BAIC By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net
RICARDO Smith, who suffered an overwhelming loss to Chester Cooper in the deputy leader race at the Progressive Liberal Party’s (PLP) convention last month, has been fired from the Bahamas Agricultural
& Industrial Corporation (BAIC). Mr Smith, who was head of security at the institute, was dismissed because of his participation in the convention, he told The Tribune. It is an allegation officials in the government did not deny yesterday. BAIC’s staff regulations
prohibit employees from standing for elections as a member of a political party. BAIC chairwoman Miriam Emmanuel, when asked if Mr Smith’s claims of why he was fired are true, said of his firing: “It was a breach of policy and staff regulations. No further comments.” BAIC regulations state:
“No staff member shall hold any public or private employment or engage in any occupation or profession, which in the opinion of the general manager is incompatible with the proper performance of his/her official duties. No staff member shall take an active part in politics or in any political gathering or
demonstration or stand for election as a member of any political party. Any staff member who accepts a public office of a political nature shall immediately resign from the corporation.” Sources in the PLP yesterday said the rules are rarely enforced but it remained unclear whether they intended to challenge
the decision. The Tribune understands that in connection with his firing, Mr Smith was said to be paid $35,000. In the PLP deputy leader race, Mr Smith received 69 votes. His competitor, Mr Cooper, received 1,226. Of all the major leadership races, Mr Smith’s loss was by far the most lopsided.
fraudulent spousal permits and work permits and birth certificates, so have your documentation on you at all times.” The total number of undocumented migrants apprehended by the RBDF
for the year is approximately 1,100. Half of these apprehensions were made jointly with local immigration and police authorities officers as well as the United States Coast Guard, the RBDF said.
Missing migrants ‘had help ashore’ from page one The ship came ashore sometime Saturday night or early Sunday morning, the RBDF said, adding the number of suspected migrants on board were unknown. Officers conducted a search of the immediate area but did not capture anyone from the vessel. Yesterday, Mr Pratt said the search for the migrants was ongoing and would be for days to come. “An extensive search of the area was conducted today (Monday),” Mr Pratt said. “We do not know how the boat came in undetected. We did a sweep of the main area but the search was also extended to areas where we know a lot of Haitians are concentrated. So for the
rest of the week, we will be picking up illegal immigrants every day, whether they were on the boat or not, until we get the persons that came on the sloop. Honestly, I do not know how the boat was not seen, seeing that it was so close to the base but maybe they need to reevaluate their surveillance – but it’s quite unusual.” Meanwhile, Mr Neely sent a strong message to anyone who may be housing or hiding the immigrants. “We were able to capture 27 people including Haitians, Jamaicans and Colombians who were here illegally. This kind of search will continue all week until we get the people who were on the boat,” Mr Neely said. “We have questions – where did the boat come from? What time did it
IMMIGRATION Director William Pratt. leave and were there any children who were on the boat? I also want to send a strong message to people, there is a fine or jail time or both if you are caught hiding illegals. All those people did not disappear
without any help. There is also a misconception I want to clear up. The Immigration Act specifically says the burden of proof is on the individual who is living and working in this country. We have seen
REPORTS OF RONNIE BUTLER’S HEALTH DISMISSED AS FAKE NEWS By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net
BELOVED Bahamian musician Ronnie Butler is alive, contrary to social media reports which were widely spread yesterday morning. Youth, Sports & Culture Minister Michael Pintard yesterday lamented the ‘fake news’ and the impact it could have had on Mr Butler’s family. “Having been in public life for quite a few years, I’ve grown accustomed
to fake news as well as rumours that people embrace as being factual,” he said. “The distinction between those two are they are things people deliberately manufacture to serve their purpose and there are those things people hear about and don’t intend for it to necessarily be harmful but they repeated it relentlessly with no care about whether they are accurate or not. These kinds of things we spread do have an impact on people’s lives. So this is a continuation of that kind
FOR RENT In the Bayparl Building Downtown, Bay Street and Parliament Street 1400sq.ft. Shop next to Coles of Nassau, also First Floor Offices (own restrooms) 1000 sq.ft. and 500 s.q.ft. Call 477-1579/698-8551/326-2197
email: philip.hillier34@gmail.com PARLIAMENT PROPERTIES LIMITED
of culture we have created locally and internationally. “Everyone has become an armchair journalist doing your job so rather than have responsible people who would take the time to vet the accuracy of information, we have folks simply sharing information unintentionally causing harm to others.” Mr Pintard highlighted Mr Butler’s stature as a cultural giant. “What is very clear in this case is the overwhelming love, respect and deep appreciation that tens of
thousands of Bahamians have for Ronnie Butler who, thank God, is alive,” he said. “And certainly, Ronnie’s stature in this community would cause any mention of his name to generate a high level of response and I would encourage persons to continue to celebrate Ronnie, to give him his flowers now that he’s alive, to go out and purchase his music, to encourage the various radio stations to increase Bahamian content in general and Ronnie music in particular not just
at a time when you have concerns about the health of a Bahamian icon but on a regular basis. “Those of us who are cultural practitioners recognise Ronnie as one of the greatest storytellers in our region. He has captured so many dimensions of national life in his songs. He has given very serious social commentary on the condition of our people, the challenges we face in a number of areas, whether it’s with crime or social deterioration. He’s also celebrated us as a people,
talking a great deal about relationships, PG-rated as well as otherwise. Ronnie has impacted our national thought in so many ways and this should be a lesson to all of us to continue to appreciate people in very practical ways while they are with us so they never forget how much we cared about them,” Mr Pintard said. In July 2015, Mr Butler received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Icon Awards for a musical career that has spanned more than five decades.
PAGE 4, Tuesday, November 14, 2017
The Tribune Limited NULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI “Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master”
LEON E. H. DUPUCH,
SIR ETIENNE DUPUCH,
THE TRIBUNE
jrolle@tribunemedia.net
Publisher/Editor 1903-1914 Kt., O.B.E., K.M., K.C.S.G., (Hon.) LL.D., D.Litt .
Publisher/Editor 1919-1972 Contributing Editor 1972-1991
EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON,
C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B. Publisher/Editor 1972-
Published daily Monday to Friday
Shirley & Deveaux Streets, Nassau, Bahamas N3207 TELEPHONES
News & General Information Advertising Manager Circulation Department Nassau fax Freeport, Grand Bahama Freeport fax
(242) 322-1986 (242) 502-2394 (242) 502-2386 (242) 328-2398 (242)-352-6608 (242) 352-9348
WEBSITE, TWITTER & FACEBOOK www.tribune242.com
@tribune242
tribune news network
How to crack the traffic problem IT WILL not take yet another traffic study to tell us what we already know. If you live in New Providence, chances are great the single biggest loss of productive time on any given day when school is in session will be on the roadways. Scenarios of the nightmare we call traffic are endless - sitting at traffic lights as they change three times. You inch up slowly but can’t get far enough to make it across a busy intersection with cars blocking from the other direction, or frustrated because the car in front of you lacks confidence to enter a roundabout, or angry that somewhere ahead a good Samaritan plays traffic cop and lets a dozen cars out from a side road to ease his conscience about some other misdeed he did. We can measure the lost time. What is far more difficult to measure than lost productivity is what the traffic nightmare costs us in personal wellbeing, even affecting our satisfaction with where we live. We are frustrated. The frustration causes us stress, anxiety and angst. We are less patient with our children as if it were their fault they had to be picked up from school at the same time children all over the island are being picked up. If we have school pickup, we have shortened or non-existent lunch hours so we gobble fast food in the car, becoming Styrofoam supermoms, dining with fingers instead of forks. If enough drivers on the road frustrate us with what we perceive as their bad driving, our anger boils over. We honk our horns more than we ever did before. We become ruder as a people. Road rage is never far away. And when we finally get a chance to break free, we speed like crazy, causing more serious accidents, even death. Those are the facts. Unscientific, but irrefutable observations of heavy, slow traffic on a small island with too many vehicles. The question is what can we do about it? Various governments have tried to discourage additional cars but no amount of increasing Customs duties has worked. The higher costs of importing a vehicle have only caused people to buy less expensive, older cars and trucks that are in poorer condition than newer vehicles would be. The policy has backfired. So what do we do? Until the overall public transportation system improves and shows innovation including using Nassau harbour as our natural north coast highway with parking along several on-off boarding spots for continuously operating ferries as recommended in the Historic Nassau Study, we suggest the following changes be considered to ease the burden and speed up movement. Roundabout fix: Drivers must be educated in how to use roundabouts. We strongly recommend the Ministry of Transport take this on as an educational campaign for road safety. Drivers must slow down so others can filter in. Roundabouts are meant to allow traffic to flow. They are not substitutes for traffic signals. There are Youtube videos that could be played in public places until the proper use of roundabouts is ingrained. Traffic light snarl fixes: Drone photos show areas of worst traffic backups; adjust signals or entry-exits that cause it. Three quick examples – heading west on Shirley Street, lights at Kemp Road and Mackey Street are poorly timed. The green light should be extended for the westbound Shirley Street traffic. The greatest offence is Mackey Street, also known
as the Atlantis light, which allows a few southbound cars coming over the bridge from Paradise Island to take their time getting through while westbound traffic is backed up a mile. At hotel shift change, the smart light could be adjusted, but other drivers should not be penalised all day. Additionally, there are two narrow side roads that run parallel to each other just west of Mackey Street, both dumping traffic on to an already crowded Shirley Street and slowing crawling traffic even more because of the dual entries. The road that runs smack into oncoming traffic heading the opposite direction, northbound, from Bilney Lane could easily be converted from southbound to northbound. Presently, there is no way to get to Bay Street without adding to the traffic on Shirley and heading west to Church Street, then turning east again on to Bay. Saunders Beach fix: Eastbound in the morning and westbound in the evening, north coast road nightmares, are largely the result of myriad entrance points from various businesses, including at times a backed up drive-thru window at KFC and Pizza Hut. The fix: creation of a single access road south of all businesses with all eastbound traffic exiting through new road. Westbound traffic would continue to enter through the current West Bay Street entrances. The only other solution is to use eminent domain for 12 feet of land on the south side and create a centre turning lane. Cable Beach fix: A dangerous and potentially life-threatening situation exists on Baha Mar Boulevard with the northernmost pedestrian crosswalk so close to the turning on the roundabout. As traffic increases with the opening of more properties including the SLS this week, there will be serious accidents as cars coming off that roundabout do not have enough warning time to stop. The fix: Bus pullover is fine, but move pedestrian crosswalk at least 100 feet further south. Safety fix: All traffic signals should turn to blinking at 1am and remain blinking until 6am. Traffic flow fix: Identify the dozens of intersections where you can make a left on red. ‘Worst Design Ever Award’ fix: New parking area on East Bay Street east of the old Paradise Island bridge. The fact you have to get to the strip parking lot east of Potter’s Cay by entering a turnoff west of Potter’s Cay, driving through Potter’s Cay, adding to that congestion among restaurants, conch stands, ferries and commercial cargo traffic, and exiting thousands of feet away on the east side deserves the award for the stupidest road plan ever devised for the city of Nassau. Various businesses have offered to pay for an entry point on the northern side of East Bay Street. Accept their offer. Still to come – Blue Hill, Golden Gates and the Highway with ideas for Town Centre Mall. On the positive side, the roadway past Lake Cunningham makes the drive to LPIA a treat. Only drawback – street lights should have been placed in the middle of the median with arms extending either side to minimise risk of damage and destruction by passing trucks and traffic. The median and verge along the lake could be planted with beautiful flowers that are changed with the seasons, so long as they are kept low, maintaining uninterrupted lake view.
Tobacco toxin EDITOR, The Tribune. THERE can be little doubt that the great benefit to 20/50 being employed by Wind River Tobacco Company far outweighs
the damage done to hundreds of thousands of people whose life will be forever changed by their product. I would suggest we make it mandatory that they add
asbestos and Agent Orange to the already toxic mix. What an embarrassment. LEONARD SMITH Nassau, November 3, 2017.
China is on the rise EDITOR, The Tribune. WE live in a multipolar world. The United States (US) is no longer the undisputed leader of the world. China is a direct challenge to US hegemony. Venezuela is also a threat to the old world order because she is influencing Latin America and the Caribbean. North Korea is a military challenge to US dominance. Iran is a treat to US control of the Middle East. Russia is also a treat to the US military dominance. In the Caribbean and The Bahamas the threat of climate change and crime are other aspects of the world in flux. The countries that come out on top of this new world order will be resilient and assertive of their interest. The US has pulledcout of The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), or the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) - a trade agreement between Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru and Singaporein a move designed to hinder the influence of China. On June 1, President Donald Trump announced the US would cease all participation in the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change mitigation. This accord is designed to let states vulnerable to climate change - such as small island states of the Caribbean - a modicum of hope to mitigate the negative effects of climate change a global problem. The US will pull out of UNESCO in 2018. UNESCO represent the soft power of the United Nations where a world order is encouraged through culture and education rather than force. People usually choose leaders they think will be beneficial to them. China recently unveiled the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-century Maritime Silk Road to allow countries to benefit from its endeavours and consequently become allies. For the Caribbean de-risking and other classification of the US have not been helpful. The offshore industry of the Caribbean has been decimated by US lead regulation. Offshore banking is very popular in the Caribbean. It is an attempt for Caribbean countries to generate income as most are not industrialised and manufacturing is challenging
LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net given their circumstances. The New York Times, states the Cayman Islands has US$1.9 trillion on deposit in 281 banks, including 40 of the world’s top 50 banks so offshore banking is an integral part of Caribbean economy. Fourteen nations in the wider Caribbean have been named by the US as “major money laundering” countries in the 2016 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR). This is bad for Caribbean economies. If there is not enough benefits from the US global leadership countries will look elsewhere. China’s President Xi Jinping visited Trinidad and Tobago in 2013 with US $3 billion in loans for Caribbean countries. The search of capital for cheaper source of labour. Human history from Roman times shows little improvement in the standard of living but from 1820 until the present day standard of living did improve drastically due to productivity improvement. Today the world is moving to a more service driven economy. It’s predicted if a country don’t join the productive sector in the next 20 years it will be impractical in the future. Natural resources in a modern developed economy has proven inadequate. Natural resources appropriated by a small number of people does not benefit a country on a whole. The recent Paradise Papers shows the threat of financial exposure to external shock of a develop world controlled system. Bermuda and Cayman has been named as international money laundering countries, 28% of Bermuda GDP is from financial services so they are vulnerable to international financial system which they have no control of. Mr Trump is visiting Beijing and this demonstrates US and China are inextricably linked, similar to how the United Kingdom and the US were in the 1940’s. They have a struggle for dominance like Jamaica and Trinidad do in CARICOM but they have a symbiotic relationship. The Venezuelan influence in the Americas cannot be underestimated - see how the OAS was
paralyzed in sanctioning Venezuela all because of the influence of Petrocaribe. Many Latin American and Caribbean countries have benefited from concessionary oil loans which have helped the cash flow in their domestic economy. No matter what the United States does, Venezuela will survive because they are willing to fight to the end. They have a model in Hugo Chavez. The Iran and North Korea factors are helping Venezuela by demonstrating the US is not omnipotent and dissipates power by spreading it too thin. My view is that we are seeing a wave of resetting the international order when the head of the IMF states “if we have this conversation in 10 years’ time we might not be sitting in Washington DC. We will do it in Beijing.That’s a possibility. And it’s actually called for in the articles of the IMF - the head office has to be in the largest economy in the institution.” China now has the world’s largest economy using purchasing parity but the second largest in actual GDP. It is expected that in about ten years China will have the world largest GDP. What does this mean for the world order? It means China will be the most powerful country in the world! Whoever got the gold makes the rule - is this true? The recent hurricanes which decimated several Caribbean countries means they will have to rebuild. United States and Europe will not be able to assist them to the extent they desire - that’s guaranteed. CARICOM countries will stand shoulder to shoulder with them because they know that eventually they will experience a similar fate because climate change increases that possibility. Why am I bringing all these conundrums; because as Malcom X said the future belongs to who prepare for it today. If The Bahamas prepares for a future of global change The Bahamas will come out being a beneficiary of the new world order. But, if The Bahamas act subservient to the old order it will be adversely affected. The choice is clear - build or regress. BRIAN ELLIS PLUMMER Nassau, November 9, 2017.
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, November 14, 2017, PAGE 5
BILLYDEE ROBINSON JR, 26, left, and Bartholomew Pinder, 38, being escorted into court yesterday.
Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff
TWO CHARGED AFTER 400LB MARIJUANA FIND By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net
TWO Abaco natives were arraigned in Magistrates Court yesterday in connection with the seizure of more than 400 pounds of marijuana near the Exumas last week, when it was alleged they assaulted several
police officers with a boat. Bartholomew Pinder, 38, and 26-year-old Billydee Robinson Jr, both of Sandy Point, stood before magistrate Derence RolleDavis faced with three drug related charges and one assault charge stemming from the November 8 incident. It is alleged on the day in question near
Highbourn’s Cay, the two were found in possession of dangerous drugs, namely marijuana, with the intent to supply, and that between November 7 and 8 they conspired to possess those drugs with the intent to supply. It is further alleged on the day in question, they assaulted Assistant Superintendent Henry Haley,
Detective Constable 3543 McKenzie, Detective Corporal 3636 Rolle, and Corporal 3063 Ford with a boat. According to initial reports, around 3am a team of officers from the Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) and the Police Marine Support Unit, assisted by US Drug Enforcement agents, spotted a go-fast vessel in
the area of Highbourn’s Cay with two Bahamian men on board. A chase ensued, during which packages were seen being thrown into the water. The vessel was later stopped and two suspects arrested. The officers were also able to retrieve six bales of marijuana from the water.
Some 433 lbs of marijuana were seized as a result of the incident, according to police. Both Pinder and Robinson pleaded not guilty to the charges. The matter was subsequently adjourned to January 22, 23 and 24 for trial, and the two men were remanded into custody until that time.
RBDF audit ‘questions still to ask’ from page one years before it renewed its business licence just four months before receiving Cabinet approval on its bid; and the Customs Department could not locate two shipment entries in December 2014, and June 2015. In response to the report, Mr Dames told The Tribune he was not concerned about the procurement exercise as there were multiple layers of scrutiny surrounding weapons shipment. He said he was convinced there was no cause for alarm over the report after speaking with Commodore Tellis
Bethel and Ministry of National Security Permanent Secretary Carl Smith. Mr Dames stressed despite the reported missing customs entries - there were no missing weapons. While there were no concerns over the integrity of the 2014 procurement process, Mr Dames said he has ordered a full review of all companies currently engaged with his ministry to ensure full compliance will all laws and policies. Yesterday, Mr Thompson said he found both the report’s findings and Mr Dames’ response “bothersome”. “The police are
responsible for the licencing of firearms dealers and I cannot imagine why the police were not involved in this person and why the name or business is being kept so secret, I don’t see why that is,” the former police officer said. “How the person got a licence to deal with firearms without the knowledge of the police, I can’t understand.” Mr Thompson continued: “I’m also a bit set back, with all due respect to him, that the minister would try to make it seem that everything is all right. I don’t think everything is alright, we need to check to see if
everything is all right. “First, we should determine how the dealer got the licence without due diligence from police. The next thing is what weapons, the entire list of weapons the company imported from suppliers overseas, we should identify those suppliers and check with them to
find out what weapons they supplied since [company] has been nominated as the dealer for the country. “When we have done that, we should compare it with the inventory of weapons in possession of defence force and if there are weapons missing we could find out. The dealer can tell us what
was sent here, if the RBDF don’t have it then they were sent elsewhere. We should also see if the weapons on the streets being brought in, whether they match. “When we do that investigation,” Mr Thompson said, “we can then satisfy ourselves that there is nothing to worry about.”
PAGE 6, Tuesday, November 14, 2017
Brave’s brother’s fury over cancelled deals from page one “I knew (my instructions) were carried out because (my brother) felt aggrieved by it,” Mr Davis told The Tribune. “From what I heard back then, it was in fact cancelled and I knew because I had to face my brother and other siblings. They felt, ‘why couldn’t he do it? You had nothing to do with this; there was an open bid.’ They were concerned by what that meant but I explained that it’s not that you can’t get a contract from the government, just not from my ministry.” Mr Davis said revelations his brother was purportedly paid in full in connection with the contracts “misses the point because the fact is the (Ernst & Young audit) was incomplete and in error.” “Once the issuance of a contract to my brother came to my attention,” Mr Davis reiterated, “I sought to get to the bottom of it because in this political atmosphere and with the standard to which PLP is held, it’s a different standard than for others and I don’t want to have to respond to my brother getting a contract even though
I had nothing to do with it. “The chairman (at the time, Leslie Miller) was right in corporate governance to bring to my attention that my brother ought not to be disqualified because of his relationship to me. But I made it clear that while it may be okay for a contract to be given from the government, it shouldn’t be given from an entity under my portfolio. I gave verbal instructions to cancel it and to my permanent secretary to ensure that my instructions were carried out.” Mr Davis did not respond to questions about what the Ernst & Young audit revealed about Mr Miller’s alleged “irregular” conduct as chairman of BEC, now called Bahamas Power & Light. Mr Miller, however, has denied the allegations. According to the EY audit, Mr Miller directed BEC officials in 2012 to give two contracts to AL D’s Construction & Roofing even though the business was not the preferred bidder in the tender process. “Both contracts were awarded to this vendor for a higher value than the recommended bidder,” the audit report said. “Supporting documentation in connection with these transactions include
internal memorandums from Kevin Basden and Lana Mingo requesting Mr Miller’s approval to award the contracts to D N Construction Co and Dudley Smith Construction Company,” the audit, tabled in the House of Assembly last Wednesday, noted. “A handwritten response from Mr Miller is included on the memorandums stating that the board requested for the contracts to be awarded to AL D’s Construction & Roofing. “For one of the contracts, the recommended bidder price was $118,816 and the contract was awarded to ALD’s Construction & Roofing for $119,000. “The recommended price for the second contract was $36,400 and the contract was awarded to ALD’s Construction & Roofing for $41,417. “There was also another company lower than ALD’s Construction & Roofing at $40,260,” the report noted. The EY audit was leaked to The Tribune ahead of it being tabled in Parliament. Last Wednesday, Mr Davis took issue with The Tribune’s article because the EY audit did not include information about his orders to have his sibling’s contract cancelled.
PHILIP “Brave” Davis, leader of the PLP.
THE TRIBUNE
Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff
PINTARD: PEOPLE FIRST, NOT MPs’ PAY from page one
Mr Pintard initially dodged the question, saying: “The prime
minister has spoken on the subject, over the course of the next several weeks
you’ll hear him speak more on it. For me I’m narrowly focused at this juncture… [on] using sports and culture as a tool of national development.” However, when pressed by reporters about whether he “cared” about the salary increase at all, Mr Pintard said: “I do not expect that any time soon there’s going to be a pay raise for any member of the Minnis administration.” He added: “Clearly the prime minister is correct that there is a need, at some point in the future, for a pay raise, but his priorities are clear. “There are a number of things that will precede that and for the prime minister, he is interested in growing the economy, closing the national deficit, making sure that the public service is properly organised, in other words eliminating anomalies that exist between salaries,
making sure persons who historically were due salary raises and increments, that those things in fact take place. “So there are a wide range of things that are far more important to this administration than another item, which is salary raise for Members of Parliament. And those things are, many of those are likely to precede any increase.” He also said: “The prime minister is a wealthy man, and so certainly what he was speaking about was in the broader context of us making decisions to change the way that we do business in this country. “So for those who wish to be critical, I would say to them just stay tuned. Our goal is to transform the condition of Bahamians first; every elected member of Parliament will be fine. I believe that his concern is for the people long before
he [has] any concern about those that have been called to serve them.” MPs currently make a salary of $28,000 a year. Two weeks ago, Dr Minnis announced he would present a salary increase for MPs in the next budget cycle. At the time, he said he would create an independent committee to look at the members’ salaries and review the salary structure for government entitles. This announcement immediately sparked immense backlash from the general public and the Official Opposition. It also represents a change in Dr Minnis’ 2014 position, when in response to the Christie administration’s desire for the same thing, he said: “As long as I am leader of this country, the FNM would not support any pay increase with all the pain and suffering that is going on in this country.”
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, November 14, 2017, PAGE 7
Concerns raised over pay for new financial secretary By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net LEADING accountant Gowon Bowe yesterday called on the government to clarify the fate of former Financial Secretary Simon Wilson amid concerns over the value of the contract awarded to his successor. Mr Bowe said the lack of transparency surrounding Mr Wilson’s removal, and his subsequent “limbo” status, did not engender confidence in the process or the government’s commitment to reform. He likened Mr Wilson’s absence to the uncertainty surrounding former Commissioner of Police Ellison Greenslade earlier this year. Meanwhile some senior civil servants, who did not want to be named, worry Mr Wilson’s successor is being paid considerably more than he was and enjoying more benefits. “The understanding certainly in the public sphere,” Mr Bowe said, “is that he is right now on administrative leave or on vacation as he had a tremendous amount of accumulated time. I don’t recall a formal statement from the government acknowledging his many years of service, recognising he is now departing or retiring or whatever has been agreed. For all of the personality discussions you can have, in reality he has been a very dedicated civil servant for many years. It is at least owed to him to be transparent.” It was suggested Mr Wilson would be transferred to the Central Bank, where former Financial Secretary John Rolle serves as governor. However, sources close to the matter have confirmed Mr Wilson is on leave and
has not received any further directive. Mr Bowe said: “If there is no other role that you want clarity and stability on it’s the financial secretary, they hold the strings to the purse, while there are multiple agencies, the financial secretary is the primary person responsible for balancing the budget. “It’s been a sad silence, each person has strengths and weaknesses but I think that each person regardless of what their behaviour is, it’s important each person is treated with respect and dignity. Sometimes there’s an unintended consequence of coming across critical by silence as opposed to being very transparent about what is actually going to happen. If that’s not the case it should be very clear, I don’t fault the government for disengagement if that’s the rationale then say so, there is no loss of dignity in saying I’m going in a different direction.” He said: “It would end all the speculation, mischief and idle chatter, which is distracting from the wider issue of is the economy moving the way we want it to be and more importantly are we seeing measurable results?” According to sources, the contract value for the FS post has risen considerably, with the reported addition of benefits like housing and education allowances for incoming FS Marlon Johnson. However, officials have not confirmed this. Yesterday, Mr Johnson declined comment on the details of his contract however, he confirmed he was hired as a Bahamian. He also declined comment on speculation over his competency for the post. Mr Johnson, former
vice-president of sales and marketing at the Bahamas Telecommunications Company, was announced as the new financial secretary in September. Before taking up the post, he served as chief sales marketing officer for a Belizean telecommunications company, Belize Telemedia Ltd. According to a Cabinet minister, who yesterday spoke on the condition of anonymity, Mr Johnson had previous experience in the Ministry of Finance and was groomed for the FS role while in government. However, a senior executive in the Ministry of Finance countered that the move has brought much consternation to the ministry as some feel Mr Johnson does not have the experience needed to fill the role, and his lack of tenure had slighted long serving public servants. For his part, Mr Bowe said: “When we start talking about government and the technocrats in government, we should be saying what are the roles and responsibilities performed to them, what is the market value in the private sector, and are we attracting the best? “I don’t think it should be directed at individuals and a specific dollar amount. What would be the market value of similar type position then debate whether person engaged in the role fits the qualifications. There is a true question as it relates to the substantive post, the question would be how was it effectively advertised, what was the recruiting process in terms of evaluating persons that may have submitted resumes or interest, how was it vetted
INCOMING financial secretary Marlon Johnson. and ultimately selected.” personalisation of dollar Mr Bowe added: “The amounts as opposed to discussion has devolved saying what is the market into finger pointing and rate, and am I getting value
for money. After that it really is, are they delivering on what you’ve paid them for?”
PAGE 8, Tuesday, November 14, 2017
THE TRIBUNE JOHN Pinder pictured last year inspecting damage at the Post Office.
Post Office staff: We need new HQ - now from page one
Earlier this year, thenBPSU President John Pinder threatened industrial action if the government
did not immediately relocate employees from the “unsanitary” building. At the time, he said his members were forced to work in a mould infested building with rats, termites and a leaking ceiling. Since then, Mr Ferguson said things have got progressively worse and despite employees only working half days, many of them have reportedly developed respiratory issues because of the toxic environment. Despite nearly a year of shortened shifts and several meetings with the new government, Mr Ferguson
said he has still has not been given a timeline for the relocation of staff and operations. He said however, the government has selected the former Phil’s Food Services building on Gladstone Road for the post office’s new location. “They cannot work in this environment anymore,” Mr Ferguson said. “There is mould, leaking pipes and rats. People are getting sick and nearly a dozen employees have developed respiratory issues and have had to go to doctors. “So we are demonstrating in an effort to get the attention of the relevant
authorities and have our concerns addressed. We spoke with the minister and we did a tour of Phil’s and we were told that is where we are moving but we want to know what is going to happen in the interim. We have not got a moving date, so are we just supposed to stay in here? Are they going to make the Post Office liveable temporarily? So we will continue to be here on the sidewalk until we get some answers. We will demonstrate downtown if need to be to get the attention of the government.” In October, Bahamas Chamber of Commerce
CEO Edison Sumner said reduced operations at the General Post Office are negatively affecting businesses, adding the chamber sees “no end in sight” to the problem. The Christie administration, through a public private partnership, gave the green light to a project to relocate the General Post Office to the Independence Drive Shopping Centre off Tonique Williams Darling Highway. However, the Minnis administration has halted that project, expressing concerns that it was approved without due diligence.
READERS RESPOND TO $800M BORROWING PLAN READERS on tribune242.com have been giving their reactions to the news that the government is aiming to raise up to $800m via a US dollar bond to cover its deficit financing. Proudloudandfnm said: “This country is going down and all government can think to do is borrow and tax.” To which OMG responded with: “This was set in motion way before this FNM government.” Bogart asked: “Shouldn’t the accountants first try to find the missing 42 million first before trying to borrow
more money and add to the existing debt..?” There was this from SP: “These clowns want to BORROW $800M for GOD knows what, and simultaneously turn up their noses to the proven financial benefits of marijuana legalisation????? NO. NO. NO. NO. NO. NO. NO. NO. NO. NO.
NO. NO. NO. NO, HELL NO!!!!” Sheeprunner12 wondered: “What bills left by the PLP?????? The least KPT can do is give us an itemised list of the PLP bills then place them in three heaps: Must pay, May Pay, Don’t Pay . . . but we just have these nebulous $800 Millions with NO evidence of what it is really for.” John offered this explanation: “As was explained today: The $800m is not all new loans. Some of it will be to replace older loans in the form of bonds that have expired. So the net result
The Winterbotham Trust Company Limited
Winterbotham Place – P.O. Box N-3026 – Marlborough & Queen Streets
Nassau – The Bahamas Tel: (1-242) 356-5454 – Fax: (1-242) 356-9432 E-mail: nassau@winterbotham.com – Website: www.winterbotham.com
JOB OPPORTUNITY The Winterbotham Trust Company Limited is looking to fill the position of Junior Accountant FOR A SIX-MONTH CONTRACT Main Function: To provide accounting services to several clients, including assistance with the preparation of financial statements under IFRS. In this position you will be responsible for but not limited to the following tasks: • To gather all information needed to start bookkeeping. To this extent, liaison with Corporate Administrators and filing staff is required. • Bookkeeping. • Preparation of bank account reconciliations. • Preparation of special accounting reports. • Assistance with the building and formatting of Financial Statements for trusts, companies and foundations and onward delivery to AVP for review. • To provide audit support to certain clients. To validate balances on external audit confirmations. The successful applicant must have the following qualifications: • Associates Degree (or equivalent) with emphasis in Accounting. • 1 year of experience in a similar position. • Knowledge of Accounting standards (IFRS), Office (Excel, Word) • Strong organization and communication skills • Team work-focused, ability to achieve several objectives in parallel. • Consistency in meeting reporting deadlines. Applications/resume should be sent by e-mail to jobs@winterbotham.com Under reference “Junior Accountant” ABSOLUTELY NO TELEPHONE INQUIRIES WILL BE ACCEPTED Persons not meeting the above requirements need not apply Deadline for applications Tuesday, November 21, 2017
will NOT be an increase in the national debt by $800m. It will be LESS! If that adds any comfort. There will be a netting out effect. But it may also mean that some of the older loans will be replaced with ones at higher coupon (interest) rates, since our financial ratings have been downgraded several times since the money was borrowed.” TheMadHatter asked: “Is this the same 730M (approx) they talked about needing about a month after election . . . or did they borrow that back then? Is so, from who did they get it? Is this that which was talked about or is this a new one? If a new one then isn’t it strange the amounts are so similar?” There was also a lively reaction to the news that management of the Bahamas’ main cruise port will be put out to bid by mid-December. HonestTruth said: “This is a wonderful idea. One thing I must say about D’Aguillar is this man appears to be the hardest working man in government and has a real business mindset towards how our country should be ran. If the opportunity presents itself, he needs to have a larger role in government and even a bigger portfolio than tourism with respect to our economy.” And Sheeprunner12 had this to say: “There can be NO talk of upgrading PG Wharf without upgrading Bay Street from Potters Cay to Fish Fry. That means getting traffic off Bay Street (British Colonial to PI Bridge??) and making it a place where people will want to live and hang out again . . . and please move Junkanoo to Ft. Charlotte or the Sports Centre once and for all, so it can become a real quasi-commercial venture for the A and B groups . . . then we can finally get rid of this stupid Junkanoo-Carnival distraction.” In The Tribune’s latest online poll, we asked readers if they thought MPs should get a pay rise. The majority of those voting - 73 per cent – did NOT believe they should receive a higher salary. • Don’t miss your chance to join the debate on tribune242.com.
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, November 14, 2017, PAGE 9
DEAL DONE WITH UAE TO BRING SOLAR POWER TO STADIUM LOT By MORGAN ADDERLEY
THE United Arab Emirates (UAE) has given the Bahamas a grant to help this nation become more clean energy friendly, which will be used to outfit the parking lot at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium with solar power. The UAE has set up a fund that will help small island developing states (SIDS) respond to the effects of climate change. In The Bahamas, this has taken the form of “comprehensive grant funding to construct a one megawatt solar system” that will cover the parking lots at the stadium, officials said. Yesterday, representatives of the UAE government conducted a site visit at the stadium. Minister of the Environment and Housing Romauld Ferreira and Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Michael Pintard were present at the event, which commenced with a signing ceremony. Mr Pintard spoke with reporters about the agreement, saying: “The ministry
with responsibility for the environment and housing has entered into an arrangement with the United Arab Emirates, [which] has a Caribbean-wide facility seeking to assist various Caribbean countries particularly on the renewable energy side. “With respect to the Thomas A Robinson Stadium, the goal is to put in place a car park facility that is completely powered by solar. This is obviously consistent with the government’s objective, which is essentially to move increasingly towards renewable energy, and our goal really is to develop this country in a sustainable way. “You will see it in a number of ways with respect to what is done in Ragged Island, with respect with what will be done with government buildings and increasingly we’re encouraging the private sector to look at renewable energy as a way to bring down energy costs but also to develop the country in a sustainable manner.” Solar energy development was an element of the Free National Movement’s pre-election campaign.
MINISTER of Environment Romauld ‘Romi’ Ferreira (right), Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, Michael Pintard (centre), and assistant manager, Special Projects Unit for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) John Caruso at a signing ceremony yesterday for a solar system. Photo: Terrel W. Carey/ Tribune Staff At an FNM ratification event held on November 15 last year FNM leader Dr Hubert Minnis promised to “invest in Bahamian entrepreneurs who can provide employment in the renewable energy industry by creating a national solarisation initiative”. Dr Minnis also said the FNM’s energy policy “will include a national solarisation programme beginning with residential and small businesses where, through net billing, these homes can receive quarterly, sixmonthly or even yearly checks or credit on their accounts from the major power company”.
THE THOMAS A Robinson National Stadium, which will have solar power introduced to power the parking lot thanks to a deal with the UAE.
Career Opportunity Scotia Wealth Management is seeking the services of a
Senior Associate Position Summary: Maintain high quality administration of a portfolio of trust, foundation, insurance, fund, company and agency solutions of varying complexity in a manner that deepens relationships and enhances profitability, and contributes to the effective operation of Relationship Management through the maintenance of effective risk management controls.
Key Accountabilities for this role: •
Communicating with Designated Persons and their advisors in a prompt and efficient manner, with regard to the operation of wealth structures serviced by the Team.
•
Liaising with attorneys, accountants, brokers, insurers, property managers, and other professionals for advice and recommendations, as appropriate.
•
Ensuring compliance with Scotiatrust’s policies, procedures and practices.
•
Maintaining a current knowledge of global markets and investment matters.
•
Assisting with the formulation and presentation of profitable and competitive proposals for prospects.
•
Maintain effective protection of Scotiatrust, and Designated Persons.
•
Detailed understanding of and acting in accordance with the Founding and Ancillary Documentation of all cases under administration, assets held, the Designated Persons, and associated tax, legal, and regulatory impact.
•
Key administrative functions as it relates to role.
•
Meet Regulatory Compliance, Anti-Money Laundering/Anti-Terrorist Financing and Bank Policies and procedures for Customer transactions.
Educational/Competency Requirements: Musts: •
In-depth knowledge of fiduciary principles and practices, of the requirements for administration of companies incorporated in various jurisdictions.
•
Detailed understanding of local laws is required as they apply to the administration of wealth structures and the regulation of the financial services industry.
•
Ability to work with minimal supervision and possess good interpersonal, analytical, and organizational skills
•
Must be able to communicate effectively both internally and externally with Designated Persons of major importance and with professionals.
•
Strong Accounting knowledge
•
Company Secretarial or Professional Trust qualifications or meets the accreditation requirements of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners accreditation
•
10-12 years growth experience in the fiduciary and financial services industry.
•
Legal background and foreign language capabilities are desirable, especially Spanish and European languages.
Qualified candidates should submit C.V. via email to: hrbahamas@scotiabank.com on or before November 17, 2017. Please note that only those individuals short-listed for an interview will be contacted.
™Trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia, used under licence (where applicable).
PAGE 10, Tuesday, November 14, 2017
THE TRIBUNE
TRUMP JR ‘COMMUNICATED WITH WIKILEAKS’ WASHINGTON (AP) — The Atlantic is reporting that President Donald Trump’s oldest son communicated with the Twitter account behind WikiLeaks, exchanging direct messages during the 2016 election about leaked emails from Democrat Hillary Clinton’s campaign and other issues. The report details several direct messages between WikiLeaks and Donald Trump Jr, including requests to push out tweets highlighting the website’s work. The website released stolen e-mail messages from top Democrats during the campaign. Democrats swiftly reacted to the report, saying Trump Jr should provide more information.
SECOND WOMAN ACCUSES MOORE OF SEX ASSAULT WASHINGTON (AP) — A second woman abruptly emerged Monday to accuse Roy Moore of sexually assaulting her as a teenager in the late 1970s, this time in a locked car, further roiling the Alabama Republican’s candidacy for an open Senate seat. Leaders of Moore’s own party intensified their efforts to push him out of the race. Moore’s campaign ridiculed Beverly Young Nelson’s attorney, Gloria Allred, beforehand as “a sensationalist leading a witch hunt”. The campaign said Moore was innocent and “has never had any sexual misconduct with anyone”. He insisted he was in the race to stay.
SURVIVORS sit in front of buildings damaged by an earthquake, in Sarpol-e-Zahab, western Iran, on Monday.
Photo: Omid Salehi/AP
Over 400 dead in Iran-Iraq quake TEHRAN, IRAN Associated Press RESCUERS dug with their bare hands Monday through the debris of buildings brought down by a powerful earthquake that killed more than 400 people in the once-contested mountainous border region between Iraq and Iran, with nearly all of the victims in an area rebuilt since the end of the ruinous 1980s war. Sunday night’s magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck about 19 miles (31 kilometers) outside the eastern Iraqi city of Halabja, according to the most recent measurements from the US
NOTICE
Geological Survey. It hit at 9:48 p.m. Iran time, just as people were going to bed. The worst damage appeared to be in the Kurdish town of Sarpol-e-Zahab in the western Iranian province of Kermanshah, which sits in the Zagros Mountains that divide Iran and Iraq. Residents fled into the streets as the quake struck, without time to grab their possessions, as apartment complexes collapsed into rubble. Outside walls of some complexes were sheared off by the quake, power and water lines were severed, and telephone service was disrupted.
Residents dug frantically through wrecked buildings for survivors as they wailed. Firefighters from Tehran joined other rescuers in the desperate search, using dogs to inspect the rubble. The hospital in Sarpol-e-Zahab was heavily damaged, and the army set up field hospitals, although many of the injured were moved to other cities, including Tehran. It also damaged an army garrison and buildings in the border city and killed an unspecified number of soldiers, according to reports. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei immediately dispatched all
PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that NATASHIA D. GREAVES of Freeport, Grand Bahama, The Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 14th day of November, 2017 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
INTENT TO CHANGE NAME BY DEED POLL
NOTICE
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that VALENTINO PINDER of Hope Gardens, P.O. Box SB-51120, New Providence, The Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 7th day of November, 2017 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
The Public is hereby advised that I, ROCHELLE SMITH SEYMOUR, Freeport, Bahamas, intend to change my name to ROCHELLE SMITH. If there are any objections to this change of name by Deed Poll, you may write such objections to the Deputy Chief Passport Officer, P.O.Box F-43536, Grand Bahama, no later than thirty (30) days after the date of publication of this notice.
NOTICE is hereby given that CHARLENE PIERRE of McCoullough Corner, New Providence, The Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 14th day of November, 2017 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
government and military forces to aid those affected. Many of the heavily damaged complexes in Sarpol-e-Zahab were part of construction projects under former hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The newly homeless slept outside in cold, huddled around makeshift fires for warmth, wrapped in blankets — as were the dead. The quake killed 407 people in Iran and injured 7,156 others, Iran’s crisis management headquarters spokesman Behnam Saeedi told state TV. Most of the injuries were minor, he said, with fewer than 1,000 still hospitalised. The semi-official Tasnim news agency reported 445 dead and 7,370 injured. There was no immediate explanation of the discrepancy, although double-counting of victims is common during such disasters in Iran. The official death toll came from provincial forensic authorities based on
death certificates issued. Some reports said authorities have warned that unauthorised burials without certification could mean the death toll was actually higher. In Iraq, the earthquake killed at least seven people and injured 535 others, all in the country’s northern, semiautonomous Kurdish region, according to its Interior Ministry. The disparity in the fatality figures immediately drew questions from Iranians, especially because so much of the town was new. The earthquake struck 14.4 miles (23.2 kilometers) below the surface, a shallow depth that can have broader damage. Magnitude 7 earthquakes on their own are capable of widespread, heavy damage. The quake caused Dubai’s skyscrapers to sway and could be felt 1,060 kilometers (660 miles) away on the Mediterranean coast. Nearly 120 aftershocks followed.
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that FENDI FANETTE LEBRANT SINORD of The Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/ naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 14th day of November, 2017 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that JOHN TITUS of Minnie Street, New Providence, The Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 7th day of November, 2017 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that EDSON POLONY JOSEPH of South Beach Estates, New Providence, Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 14th day of November, 2017 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that ROSE TIEMA CASIMIR of Carmichael Road, New Providence, The Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 14th day of November, 2017 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that MASELINE CHER-AMI of David Street, Nassau, Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/ naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 14th day of November, 2017 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
PAGE 12, Tuesday, November 14, 2017
THE TRIBUNE
HURRICANE ALERT OVER CLIMATE CHANGE
THIS was the first time since 2010 that three hurricanes were active in the Atlantic at the same time, and a rare case of multiple Atlantic hurricanes threatening land at the same time. As Hurricane Irma menaced The Bahamas, centre, it is seen flanked by Hurricane Katia, left, and Hurricane Lee.
IF the world continues to emit greenhouse gases at the current rate, the Caribbean will be faced with more intense hurricanes, higher sea levels and a significantly warmer, drier climate. This is according to research done by the Caribbean Development Bank’s Caribbean Science Series (CSS). The data paints a bleak picture of the risks to the region if climate change is not curtailed. According to a press release from the CSS, analysis of the region’s historical climate data shows what an approximate 1°C of global warming since pre-industrial times has meant for the region. “One degree has contributed to: a warming of both air and ocean surface temperatures in the Caribbean; an increase in the number of very hot days and nights; longer and more frequent periods of droughts; an increase in very heavy rainfall events; higher sea levels; more intense hurricanes with stronger winds and lots more rain,” the release said. According to the release, this would affect agriculture and food production, population health, marine and terrestrial ecosystems, tourism, fresh water systems, energy systems, livelihoods, worker and student productivity, coastal infrastructure and ultimately the economies of Caribbean countries. “By running an analysing the results of computer models, regional scientists are also providing a glimpse of what the future climate of the region may look like at high global warming levels. For example, if the world continues to emit greenhouse gases, at the current rate the world could potentially end up three or four degrees warmer than during pre-industrial times. The Caribbean will be significantly warmer and drier, especially during times of the year it expects to get rain, face much higher sea levels, and experience more intense hurricanes of the likes of Irma and Maria in 2017. “And even if global mean temperatures are constrained to just two degrees above pre-industrial levels, at least two-thirds of the year will be very hot and dry, and the southeastern Caribbean in particular will be significantly drier than at present,” the release noted. Even if global warming beyond the 1°C already experienced were limited to only a further half a degree, there would still be consequences for the Caribbean region, it was noted. “The most noticeable differences will be related to mean temperature and temperature extremes. When compared to the climate of the present, the region will be significantly warmer, with many more very hot days in any given year, and longer spells of hot and dry conditions.”