11152022 NEWS AND SPORT

GOVT WON’T APPROVE EVENT FOR ‘FUGITIVE’

Deputy PM responds to reports of event planned by

Fyre Festival organiser

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg @ tribunemedia.net

THE Davis administra tion will not endorse or approve any event in The Bahamas associated with “fugitive” Fyre Festival organiser Billy McFarland, Deputy Prime Minister and Exuma MP Chester Cooper said yesterday.

Mr Cooper said Mr McFarland is considered to be a “fugitive” due to several pending complaints made against him with the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF).

The minister was responding to reports of

Mr McFarland’s new ven ture with plans of returning to the country to host a “treasure hunt” that will be the focus of an upcoming documentary.

According to MixMag, Mr McFarland is heading back to Exuma, the original site for the failed 2017 Fyre Festival, to launch “PYRT” which will “see participants take part in a treasure hunt where they track down bot tles containing messages”.

Mr McFarland has been teasing the “treasure hunt” on TikTok.

However, Mr Cooper said in his statement: “The

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle @ tribunemedia.net

AN Andros man is breathing a sigh of relief after having survived a brutal shark attack on the island over the weekend.

Navado Sweeting, 32, was bitten on his left hand by a bull shark while spearfishing with his brother and nephew

on Saturday.

According to relatives, the Andros resident, who spears fish for a living, had to break his hand in order to free himself from the shark’s biting grip.

His youngest brother dove “in a pool of blood” to help save him following the attack, this newspaper was told.

PINTARD DEMANDS ACCOUNT OF PUBLIC FUNDS TO BPL

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

Last

continuously assisted BPL through various financial challenges.

“The government has been assisting BPL through various financing mecha nisms to cover the arrears owed by BPL to Shell,” the minister said at the time in the House of Assembly.

“A firm arrangement has now been arrived at whereby as of October 1, 2022, the government will make a monthly subven tion of $10m to Shell to be

FTX IMPLOSION THREATENS PERFECT ‘40 OF 40’ IN FINANCIAL CRIME FIGHT

THE Bahamas’ bid to achieve full compliance with all global anti-financial crime standards before year-end may have been endangered by the implosion of the FTX crypto currency exchange, it can be revealed.

For one of the two out standing standards, on which The Bahamas was hoping to achieve fully “compliant” status this month after rem edying previously-identified deficiencies in its supervi sory regime, relates directly to regulation of the digital assets industry.

HARTNELL

OPPOSITION Leader

Michael Pintard demanded the Davis administration provide a full account of public funds submitted to Bahamas Power and Light (BPL), after the govern ment revealed further financial assistance to the entity.

month, Works and Utilities Minister Alfred Sears said the government intended to make payments

of $10 million to Shell for a period of nine months to satisfy BPL’S debt. He also noted that the government has

FNM leader Michael Pintard.

BAHAMAS National Trust Executive Director Eric Carey said yesterday the organisation is “not worried” about the ongoing roadworks on Village Road (pictured here from last night) despite its Jollification festival set for this weekend. Photo: Moise Amisial

Govt won’t approve event for ‘fugitive’

FROM PAGE ONE

public is advised that no application has been made to the government of The Bahamas for considera tion of any event promoted by Billy McFarland or any entity or parties known to be associated with him.

“McFarland was the organiser of the Fyre Fes tival several years ago, a notorious charade for which McFarland was con victed and sent to prison in the USA. The govern ment of The Bahamas will not endorse or approve any event in The Bahamas asso ciated with him.

“He is considered to be a fugitive, with several pending complaints made against him with the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF). Anyone knowing of his whereabouts should report the same to the RBPF.”

The 2017 festival’s col lapse on Exuma was chronicled in Netflix and Hulu documentaries.

Mr McFarland was dubbed a “serial fraud ster” and sentenced to six years in a US prison. He admitted to defrauding investors of $26 million

in the festival, and over $100,000 in a fraudulent ticket-selling scheme while he was out on bail pending trial for the Fyre scam.

On Sunday, The Trib une spoke with several people on Exuma about Mr

McFarland’s possible return to the island.

Elvis Rolle’s business, Exuma Point Beach Bar and Grill, did catering for the festival and he said he has not been paid as yet.

Asked about Mr

McFarland’s plans to return to this country, Mr Rolle told The Tribune previously he would not be against it, but said the convicted felon would have to pay people what he owed them before starting a new venture here.

PINTARD DEMANDS ACCOUNT OF PUBLIC FUNDS TO BPL

FROM PAGE ONE

applied to BPL’s arrears. This arrangement will continue to June 2023,” he said.

In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis, Mr Pintard said he is seeking “immedi ate” answers to an array of questions.

He said: “Since September 2021, what is the total value of monies pro vided from the government to BPL and what were the specific reasons for these subventions?

“Since September 2021, what is the total value of monies provided and monies committed to assist BPL going forward to allow the company to meet current obligations and arrears? What were and are the reasons for these subventions and commitments?”

He continued: “What portion of the funds spent and committed by the government - if any - are direct nonreimbursable subsidies to BPL and where in the budget were the funds taken from?

“What portion of the funds spent and committed by the govern ment - if any - are reimbursable advances or loans to BPL and under

what statutory provisions were the advances made? Specifically, were the loans and advances made consistent with the provisions of Sections 37, 38

and 40 of the Public Debt Manage ment Act?

“For the portion of funds that are reimbursable to the government, what are the express terms covering the loans to BPL? What are the interest rates charged? What are the related intervals and timelines for the repay ment of the loans?

“For the reimbursable portions, does an element of the proposed sur charge increase intend to fund the repayments of the advances made by central government? What propor tions of the indicated new surcharge rates are to cover repayment of advances or loans made by the central government to BPL?”

With the recent announcement of the spike in BPL’s surcharge and the repayment of the debt owed to the fuel supplier, Mr Pintard requested a “full and proper explanation” in a statement in Parliament on the matter from the prime minister or the works and utilities minister as he deemed it “unreasonable”.

Mr Sears was contacted by this newspaper for comment, but he did not respond up to press time.

HAITIAN MIGRANTS ARRESTED IN GRAND BAHAMA

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

illegal embarkation were arrested on Grand Bahama early this week.

According to police reports, shortly after 5pm on Sunday, November 13, officers of the West End

AML LAUNCHES SEVENTH ‘FEED 5000’ PROGRAMME

AML Foods Limited has launched its seventh annual “Feed 5000” holiday feed ing programme with an initial injection of $5,000.

The company is once again seeking to provide holiday meals to thousands of Bahamian families in need for Christmas. Up to December 19, they are invit ing their team members, corporate Bahamas, and customers to support the programme by purchas ing or donating towards the purchase of Christmas dinner packages valued at $50 at any Fresh Market, Solomon’s, or Cost Right location in New Providence or Grand Bahama, and Exuma Markets in George town, Exuma.

This year given infla tion, AML has increased the amount of each food package by $10. The com pany has partnered with the Bahamas Feeding Net work, the Salvation Army, the Grand Bahama branch of the Red Cross, and the One Exuma Foundation, four of the leading feeding programmes in the country, to facilitate the distribution of all proceeds raised.

“AML Foods remains steadfast in our commit ment to helping those in need, particularly in the area of hunger relief,”

Gavin Watchorn, AML CEO and president, said, “Since starting the pro gramme in 2016, AML, through our donations as well as support from our customers and corporate Bahamas, have success fully raised and distributed more than half a million dollars in food vouchers.

“This equates to more than 12,500 Christmas meals, feeding more than 50,000 Bahamians.”

Police Station and K-9 Unit, acting on a tip, went to Bootle Bay.

While there, police found and arrested six adult males and one adult female, all of Haitian nationality.

The immigrants were handed over to the Baha mas Department of Immigration for processing and deportation. Investigations into the matter are continuing.

GOVT HOUSE PROJECT TO BE COMPLETED IN FEBRUARY 2023

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

THE extensive Govern ment House restoration

began in

2020, is set to reach completion by mid-Febru ary 2023 after being hit by delays due to the COVID19 pandemic and cost overruns from inflation.

However, officials were yesterday unable to say what additional funds were needed to complete the project, which is now in its 29th month.

Officials initially pro jected a timeline of 16 months.

Tomico Collie, quan tity surveyor of Telco Enterprises Limited, the company contracted to do the work, said while he was unable to give the complete cost of the pro ject, several factors played into the need for addi tional funds.

“Yes, some additional funds were required,” Mr Collie told reporters yes terday. “We started the project during the pan demic so that brought us unique challenges as well as there was a whole series of change orders that tran spired over the life of the project so that had the effect of escalating costs from time to time.

“But we can see the light at the end of the tunnel now and we are on the way to completion.”

He also said: “I think the final numbers are still being tallied up now. We’re still in the process of doing that but it was, of course, to the tune of several million dollars. Of course (with) a project of this magnitude that’s not unreasonable, but we’re doing our endeavour best now to wrap up the project and provide a wonderful project for the Bahamian people.”

Yesterday, Prime Minis ter Philip “Brave” Davis, several Cabinet ministers and officials of various government departments toured Government House where numerous

“Based on the work and our discovery of the condi tion of this building I don’t think cost is going to be a concern to the govern ment or to the Bahamian people because this is a restoration or renovation project.

“This project if you look at it, restoration means you have to try to salvage the existing material and make it work, take the bad material that you move (and) try to cut off all of the original ones, try to cut off the bad ends and use the same material to restore whatever it is that you are doing.

“For example those rail ings, all of those spokes in the railings are the old Abaco Pine, back from the 18 and early 1900s.

“The interior was full of termites, roaches, all of the Abaco Pine were rot ting away,” Mr Wilmott also said. “The (Royal Bahamas) Defense Force was complaining about the restrooms.

“The ballroom and administration, if you can recall you would know during functions held here the then government or whichever government was in power had to go elsewhere to host the func tions and they would host them on the back porch of the main residence.

“So, I don’t need to say more on the condition of the ballroom under that circumstance. But the ball room is 100 percent Ipe and Abaco Pine.”

Mr Wilmott said apart from one or two Haitian and Jamaican labourers with specialised skills along with one man from the United States, the workers needed to com plete the project were all Bahamian.

SEVERAL Haitian immigrants accused of

project, which

June

construction workers made progress with the restoration efforts.

Floyd Wilmott, CEO of Telco, said Government House needed extensive repairs, adding it was a wonder that the build ing had not collapsed on anyone, given its poor state.

says Renea Bastian, VP of Marketing and Communica tions. “We understand what this programme has come to represent for many families and the positive impact it has in the community.”

GAVIN WATCHORN, AML CEO and president.

BILLY McFarland showing off one of the bottles in his Exuma “treasure hunt” in a video posted to TikTok.

DEPUTY Prime Minister Chester Cooper.

OPPOSITION Leader Michael Pintard.

BNT ‘not worried’ about roadworks ahead of Jollification

By JADE RUSSELL jrussell@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS National Trust Executive Director Eric Carey said yesterday the organisation is “not worried” about the ongoing roadworks on Village Road despite its Jollification festi val set for this weekend.

Mr Carey said the organi sation has been working alongside contractor Emile Knowles of the Village Road project.

Jollification had a twoyear hiatus as a result of the pandemic, now the Christ mas arts and crafts festival is back and set to happen this Saturday and Sunday at The Retreat Garden on Vil lage Road.

Mr Carey Said: “The parking is going to be avail able at Queen’s College as usual and on the side streets, so we’re not wor ried whatsoever. We are working with the contrac tor Mr Emile Knowles from Knowles Construction; we are coordinating with him.

“So, by Friday we are going to have the front entrance of the Retreat nicely smoothed down and ready to accept all patrons.

“There’s no impact on the inside of the garden. And for Village Road, he’s also going to make sure that it is passable and that people are easily able to flow along Village Road to get to and

from the Retreat. So, we’re not worried by any stretch.”

Although the road work has caused frustration to some businesses and motorists in the Village Road area, Mr Carey gave a positive outlook on the situation.

“We have to understand that we have to be a part of national development, pro gress, and infrastructure.

“And while it’s an inconvenience we have to continue to work with the government on these types of projects.”

He continued: “But we are really looking forward to Jollification. It’s very important as a fundraiser to the BNT so we’re hoping people will come out to support it.”

Meanwhile, Albrion Symonette Jr, resident engi neer of the Village Road Improvement Project, said yesterday their team has been carefully coordinating with BNT.

“We’re in constant com munication with the parks manager there. As we coor dinate, we’ve advised them that it is our intention to have the front entrance of the BNT smooth.

“It wouldn’t be paved as yet but we would have the surface whereas it’s rideable and give access to patrons on Village Road to the Jol lification,” Mr Symonette said.

When asked about the completion of the project, Mr Symonette said Decem ber 31 is still the projected date.

Mr Symonette also urged motorists to adhere to the traffic management sites and to drive with caution.

“It is an active work zone, so we want to maintain the safety for the motor ing public as well as for the workmen and work ladies as well,” he said.

“We apologise for the inconvenience and we thank you for your patience as we work to improve the Village Road corridor.”

After several months of construction more work had been added to the Vil lage Road Improvement Project.

Last month, Mr Symon ette said although the current sewer works were not included in the original scope of the project, the work was added a few years early to “consolidate the inconvenience” for busi nesses and the public.

In September, Works and Utilities Minister Alfred Sears said in reference to the $6.4m project, “There is disruption, but at the end of the day, it will improve the quality of life of all of the stakeholders on Vil lage Road and the general public.”

TRAFFIC negotiating roadworks on Village Road last night. Photos: Moise Amisial

Speaking to The Tribune from his hospi tal bed yesterday, Mr Sweeting recalled the terrifying ordeal.

“All I could remember is me and my brother was in the water and I spotted the shark and he was coming with so much speed so I quickly got in between the shark and my brother so I tried to protect my brother,” he said yesterday.

“But the shark ended up grabbing hold of my hand and started shaking and that’s when my brother pulled me back up to safety and called for the boat to come for us and so my brother was actually the one who saved me, but I was actually trying to save him from getting attacked by the shark.”

He added: “I had to break my hand because he was pulling me back down and he was trying to drown me.”

Mr Sweeting said he probably would have died if he did not resort to such tactics.

Before this newspaper’s interview with Mr Sweeting yesterday, The Tribune con tacted relatives who were still a bit shaken from the incident.

They said the ordeal brought back pain ful memories for them because it was similar to the shark attack his father expe rienced in the 1980s when he lost his left hand in the incident.

“Whom God keeps is well kept...It’s taking a toll, but you have to try to hold up yourself,” his grandmother, Monica Sweet ing, said.

Meanwhile, Phillip J Sweeting, the vic tim’s father, said he never expected that his son would endure a similar ordeal to what he experienced.

However, he said the family is still thank ful because his son was able to save his life and also his hand which remains intact.

“It gets emotional when I keep on talk ing, but my son keeps encouraging me not to cry,” Mr Sweeting said. “And people say that’s the same left hand (he got bit in) like you and … I didn’t expect it because they told me last week that it does be a lot of sharks coming in over there because those boats keep dropping this garbage in the water and you know like that.

“So, it’s a deep-water area and the sharks them would frequent that area and I always telling them be careful and I usually What sApp a lot of my people every morning and I encourage them, and I always tell my sons, ‘y’all don’t know when you’re going to die so put God first.’

“That incident happened to me in 1982 and I never give up and I just told them from the hospital that I’m going to live my life to the fullest and from then I was work ing and carrying on.”

Family members said the road to recov ery will not be easy for the 32-year-old as he will have to receive therapy for several months.

To help with his medical expenses, they are appealing for donations.

To make a donation, you can contact his relatives at 471-2301 or 817-1942

Family wants closure over missing men

By LETRE SWEETING lsweeting @ tribunemedia.net

THE family of two boaters who went missing over two months ago want closure.

Brothers Christopher Mackey, 51, an employee of the Water and Sew erage Corporation, and Jerone Sands, 44, a car penter and boat engine repair man, went missing in August while attempt ing to make their way to Andros from Bimini.

Jessica Sands, the sister of the missing boaters, told The Tribune yester day that though her family does not believe the men are still alive, they just want answers.

“My brothers were miss ing (since) August 22. We filed the police report two days after that, so it would have been August 24. We want closure,” she said.

“We want to know what happened, where they are. We don’t think they’re alive honestly, but basi cally our main issue is we really want the police to get involved to bring some closure to the family,” Ms Sands said.

“I think if they had investigated from the beginning they probably would’ve already found out something. It’s really crazy, but we want to con tinue to reach out to the media to hear our cry and to air our story as much as they can,” she said.

“It’s sad that you have to call and try go behind them every day. A letter was sent to the commis sioner. We just would like the police to look into what happened.”

The Tribune was told by a Royal Bahamas Police Force official that the letter has not been seen by police as yet.

However, an officer has provided a contact for Ms Sands to directly speak with a police official for additional assistance.

The Tribune also con tacted the Alice Town Bimini Police Station for comment, but was asked to call back today.

The Tribune also con tacted Assistant Police Commissioner Theophilus Cunningham with respon sibility for the Family Islands, who was unable

to provide comment up to press time.

Assistant Superin tendent Stephen Rolle contacted The Tribune and said as the missing person’s report was filed in New Providence, the Central Investigation Department would have more information.

The Central Investiga tion Unit was unavailable for comment up to press time.

On August 21, the men, said to be experienced boaters from New Provi dence went to Florida to retrieve a bright yellow and white used boat for a buyer in Nassau.

As they were travel ling, the boat experienced issues with one of its two engines and the hull.

Still both men made it safely to Bimini, where they stopped to get assis tance from a relative, Tony Sands, and other relatives on the island, before heading back on the water toward the clos est island Andros, where the brothers had other relatives that were willing to assist them.

Another sister of the missing boaters, Talinda Rolle said, “To my knowl edge the last information I

received from a rela tive in Bimini, was that they left Bimini, headed for Andros, on Monday (August 22) after 3pm. They never reached Andros.

“They contacted my brother in Andros to be on the lookout for them, because the boat was experiencing issues. My brother stayed on the dock until two am Tues day morning, they never arrived.

“And that’s when we got alarmed.”

In addition to getting assistance from Bahamas Air Sea Rescue Associa tion (BASRA), the Royal Bahamas Defence Force and the United States Coast Guard, Ms Rolle said she also officially reported her brother miss ing two days later.

BASRA operations manager, Captain Chris Lloyd echoed Ms Rolle’s sentiments.

He said that BASRA and RBDF search and rescue officers had found nothing in their searches.

“We had multiple aircraft searches and assis tance from the US Coast Guard.

“Nothing has been seen,” Mr Lloyd said.

CHRISTOPHER Mackey and Jerone Sands.

NAVADO Sweeting in his hospital bed.

NULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI

“Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master”

Publisher/Editor 1903-1914

LEON E. H. DUPUCH,

SIR ETIENNE DUPUCH, 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

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Four signs of progress at the UN climate change summit

(THE CONVERSATION) Some thing significant is happening in the desert in Egypt as countries meet at COP27, the United Nations summit on climate change.

Despite frustrating sclerosis in the negotiating halls, the pathway forward for ramping up climate finance to help low-income countries adapt to climate change and transition to clean energy is becoming clearer.

I spent a large part of my career working on international finance at the World Bank and the United Nations and now advise public development and private funds and teach climate diplomacy focusing on finance. Climate finance has been one of the thorniest issues in global climate negotiations for decades, but I’m seeing four promising signs of progress at COP27.

• Getting to net zero – without greenwashing

First, the goal – getting the world to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 to stop global warming – is clearer.

The last climate conference, COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, nearly fell apart over frustration that international finance wasn’t flowing to developing countries and that corporations and financial institutions were greenwashing – making claims they couldn’t back up. One year on, something is stirring.

In 2021, the financial sector arrived at COP26 in full force for the first time. Private banks, insurers and institutional investors representing US$130 trillion said they would align their investments with the goal of keeping global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius – a pledge to net zero.

That would increase funding for green growth and clean energy transi tions, and reduce investments in fossil fuels. It was an apparent breakthrough. But many observers cried foul and accused the financial institutions of greenwashing.

In the year since then, a U.N. com mission has put a red line around greenwashing, delineating what a com pany or institution must do to make a credible claim about its net-zero goals. Its checklist isn’t mandatory, but it sets a high bar based on science and will help hold companies and investors to account.

• Reforming international financial institutions

Second, how international financial institutions like the International Mone tary Fund and World Bank are working is getting much-needed attention.

Over the past 12 months, frustration has grown with the international finan cial system, especially with the World Bank Group’s leadership. Low-income countries have long complained about having to borrow to finance resilience to climate impacts they didn’t cause, and they have called for development banks to take more risk and leverage more private investment for much-needed projects, including expanding renew able energy.

That frustration has culminated in pressure for World Bank President David Malpass to step down. Malpass, nominated by the Trump administration in 2019, has clung on for now, but he is under pressure from the U.S., Europe and others to bring forward a new road map for the World Bank’s response to climate change this year.

Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mot tley, a leading voice for reform, and others have called for $1 trillion already in the international financial system to be redirected to climate resilience projects to help vulnerable countries protect themselves from future climate disasters.

At COP27, French President Emma nuel Macron supported Mottley’s call for a shake-up in how international finance works, and together they have agreed to set up a group to suggest

changes at the next meeting of the IMF and World Bank governors in spring 2023.

Meanwhile, regional development banks have been reinventing them selves to better address their countries’ needs. The Inter-American Develop ment Bank, focused on Latin America and the Caribbean, is considering shift ing its business model to take more risk and crowd in more private sector investment.

The Asian Development Bank has launched an entirely new operating model designed to achieve greater climate results and leverage private financing more effectively.

• Getting private finance flowing

Third, more public-private partner ships are being developed to speed decarbonisation and power the clean energy transition.

The first of these “Just Energy Transi tion Partnerships,” announced in 2021, was designed to support South Afri ca’s transition away from coal power. It relies on a mix of grants, loans and investments, as well as risk sharing to help bring in more private sector finance. Indonesia expects to announce a similar partnership when it hosts the G-20 summit in late November. Viet nam is working on another, and Egypt announced a major new partnership at COP27.

However, the public funding has been hard to lock in. Developed countries’ coffers are dwindling, with governments including the U.S. unable or unwilling to maintain commitments. Now, pressure from the war in Ukraine and economic crises is adding to their problems.

The lack of public funds was the impetus behind U.S. Special Climate Envoy John Kerry’s proposal to use a new form of carbon offsets to pay for green energy investments in countries transitioning from coal.

The idea, loosely sketched out, is that countries dependent on coal could sell carbon credits to companies, with the revenue going to fund clean energy pro jects. The country would speed its exit from coal and lower its emissions, and the private company could then claim that reduction in its own accounting toward net zero emissions.

Globally, voluntary carbon markets for these offsets have grown from $300 million to $2 billion since 2019, but they are still relatively small and fragile and need more robust rules.

Kerry’s proposal drew criticism, pend ing the fine print, for fear of swamping the market with industrial credits, col lapsing prices and potentially allowing companies in the developed world to greenwash their own claims by retiring coal in the developing world.

• New rules to strengthen carbon markets

Fourth, new rules are emerging to strengthen those voluntary carbon markets.

A new set of “high-integrity carbon credit principles” is expected in 2023. A code of conduct for how corporations can use voluntary carbon markets to meet their net zero claims has already been issued, and standards for ensuring that a company’s plans meet the Paris Agreement’s goals are evolving.

Incredibly, all this progress is outside the Paris Agreement, which simply calls for governments to make “finance flows consistent with a pathway towards low greenhouse gas emissions and climateresilient development.”

Negotiators seem reluctant to men tion this widespread reform movement in the formal text being negotiated at COP27, but walking through the halls here, they cannot ignore it. It’s been too slow in coming, but change in the finan cial system is on the way.

(This article is by Rachel Kyte, Tufts University for theconversation.com)

Readers have their say on carbon credits and sea walls

READERS have been posting their reactions to the stories making the news on tribune242.com.

After Prime Minister Phillip “Brave” Davis along with environmental enthusiasts unveiled the Bahamas Blue Carbon Credit Management Ini tiative at the CARICOM Pavilion at COP-27 on Friday, SP posted this: “We need to stop with the distractions. What needs to be unveiled is why only a handful of Bahamians are benefiting from our natural resources!”

Sheeprunner12 had this suggestion: “We need a Sovereign Wealth Fund for our sand deposits alone. This country has the largest reserves of pure calcite sand in the world that is worth premium prices per ton. But who can we trust to exploit it so that ALL of our people

can benefit, and not just the 1%????????”

The passing of Hurri cane Nicole last week had two readers commenting on the effectiveness of sea walls.

John had this to say: “The most effective sea walls appear to be the ones used in East Bay Street and some Family Islands. Before these were installed, some entire por tions of the roadway were washed away during a storm like Nicole or even the annual winter weather that hits the northern shorelines.

“The design of these sea walls with the notches, breaks the impact of the waves as it smashes into the shoreline, reducing the impact. And water is allowed to constantly filter back out to sea, through the notches, even as more waves continue to splash

inland. This prevents the build up op water and reduces erosion. And whilst not perfect, it has greatly reduced the impact of rough seas.”

That prompted this reply from Sickened: “I have yet to drive down by Sapodilla restaurant (Nassau) to see what damage was done by where they had built up that break wall and put all of those different sized boulders on the seaside of the wall.

“But from what I hear that section stood up very well (maybe some boul ders need to be added now?) compared to other parts of that same road (just before Travellers) where some of the break walls were replaced and most weren’t.”

Don’t miss your chance to join the debate on tribune242com.

MERCEDES driver George Russell, of Britain, celebrates his victory in the Brazilian Formula One Grand Prix at the Interlagos race track in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Sunday. (AP Photo/Marcelo Chello)

UNLAWFUL SEX CASE IS DISMISSED

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN accused of having sexual relations with an underage girl in 2009 had his case dis missed in the Supreme Court yesterday.

Eric Dean, represented by Murrio Ducille, KC, appeared before Justice Jeanine Weech-Gomez for his last appearance on a charge of unlawful sexual intercourse.

In 2013 the defendant was formally accused of sleeping with the female complainant in 2009 when she was 14 years old.

After having previously pleaded not guilty to the offence, Justice WeechGomez informed Dean of the nolle prosequi recently signed by Direc tor of Public Prosecutions Garvin Gaskin. As a result, the defendant’s matter was discontinued by the court.

Dean appeared visibly relieved by the news.

Two charged with separate murders

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

TWO men appeared in Magistrate’s Court yester day in connection with two separate murders in the nation’s capital.

Jerron Woodside, 22, represented by attorney Krysta Mason-Smith, faced Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt on a charge of murder.

Woodside is accused of fatally shooting Larez Johnson while the victim was in his car on Novem ber 4 on Palm Breeze Drive.

Due to the gravity of the offence, the accused was not required to enter a plea. He was informed that his matter would proceed to the Supreme Court by a voluntary bill of indict ment (VBI).

Woodside was then

PAIR ADMIT SHOP BREAKING, STEALING

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

TWO men admitted to breaking into a conveni ence store to steal cash and a cellphone.

Joshua Penn, 20, and Julian Noel, 20, appeared before Magistrate Shaka Serville on charges of shop breaking, stealing, and receiving.

Around 1.40am on

November 10, the pair broke into Aunt Jenny’s Delights on Brougham Street.

There the two stole $37 in cash and a black Alcatel cellphone valued at $50.

In court the defend ants pleaded guilty to the charge.

In view of this the mag istrate deferred the pair’s sentencing to December 30, prior to which they will be released from custody.

MARATHON RESIDENTS GET UP-TO-DATE WITH THEIR HEALTH DURING COMMUNITY FAIR

By FELICITY DARVILLE

A FULL-SERVICE

health fair, assisting residents with a wide range of health issues, was held this month in the Marathon constitu ency. Attendees were able to have their blood glucose and blood pressure checked; weight and body mass index reviewed; be educated on cholesterol; receive free flu shots; have a full nutrition assessment, and speak with a fitness consultant.

The event, held on November 5 at the Lou Adderley Park, Clar idge Road, was hosted by Member of Parliament for Marathon Lisa T Rahming. She said she wanted to make sure that residents had avail able to them everything they needed to know about their physical health.

She also arranged a com munity bus for the day. The bus combed through all the streets of Marathon, col lecting any resident that

needed a ride to the park. They included senior citi zens and people living with disabilities. Additionally, the ‘Marathon Strong’ con stituency also delivered healthcare packages door to door.

People from neighbour ing communities also came out to the park and were welcomed.

Dr Sherrlyn Dorsett, Dr Yvette Carter and Dr Nigia Mackey were on hand to perform health checks and provide consultations along with nurses from Beyond Heath & Wellness Medical Clinic. Dr Jamal Moncur of New Life Natural Vegeta tion Cell Food was present to provide education on the benefits of natural food and medicine.

Delvin Scott served as the fitness consultant, and Sky Blue Fitness conducted lively fitness sessions for children and adults. Com mittee Members Sister Rochelle McPhee and Alicia

Fernander made sure the event went smoothly, and that every attendee had an opportunity to receive a health screening.

In one case, Emergency Medical Services had to escort a female resident to hospital for immediate care.

Looking at her vitals, doctors said the health fair practically saved her life.

For additional health services, contact beyondhw mclinic@hotmail.com.

informed that as the magistrate lacked the juris diction to grant him bail, he had the right to apply for it at the Supreme Court. Until bail is granted the accused was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services (BDCS). After Woodside was informed that service of his VBI is slated for March 2, 2023, he was allowed a brief moment with

relatives before being sent to the BFCS. The other man, Vanton Sturrup, 22, was represented by attor ney Ian Cargill.

He stood before the chief magistrate for ser vice of his VBI on charges of murder and attempted murder.

Sturrup is accused of the fatal shooting of Lucksom Veus and the attempted murder of Nelson Miller on December 2, 2021 at

Second Street in Coconut Grove.

After receiving and sign ing his VBI in court, the accused was informed of his notice of alibi. Sturrup then elected to inform the court of his selection of witnesses for his defence within 21 days.

Sturrup is next expected to go before Senior Jus tice Bernard Turner on December 2 for the con tinuation of his case.

MAN ORDERED TO HAVE PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was granted bail in Mag istrate’s Court yesterday on firearm and ammunition charges, however he was ordered to have psychological evaluation.

Tyrone Newbold, 41, stood before Magistrate Kendra Kelly on charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm and possession of ammunition.

Newbold is accused of being in

possession of a black Springfield .9mm pistol on November 10.

At the time of his arrest, it is said authorities found 14 unfired rounds of .9mm ammunition.

In court the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges.

While Newbold was granted $8,000 bail with one or two sureties, the magistrate ordered that he have a psy chological evaluation at Sandilands before his next court appearance.

Newbold’s case was adjourned to December 12.

ABOVE: Residents were given blue ‘Marathon Strong’ T-shirts and participated in a workout session with MP Lisa T Rahming and Sky Blue Fitness.

LEFT: Kids also enjoyed a workout session with Sky Blue Fitness.

BELOW: MITZI TURNQUEST, assistant chairman of the PLP’s Women’s Branch; Lisa T Rahming, Member of Parliament for Marathon, and Nadia Stor.

MARATHON MP Lisa T Rahming

greets senior citizens who arrived on the courtesy bus.

Grand Bahama pays respects in Remembrance Day Service

Photos from Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church by Vandyke Hepburn

PRESCOLA BARBBS, daugh ter of World War II veteran P/L Cecil A.V. Hepburn.

Success and challenges for two pharmacy industry forerunners

TWO phenom enal women, both forerun ners in the Pharmacy industry in the Bahamas, shared their stories with me this week. We spoke of their journey to success, and the challenges along the way, including the most recent hurdle, which led them to join with pharmacists throughout the country for a shock ing one-day closure of pharmacies.

Shantia Heild-McBride is the current president of the Bahamas Pharmacy Association (BPA), an organisation that has been the voice for the pharmacy profession in the Bahamas since it was founded in the 1970s.

Chargrega D McPhee is on her final lap in her quest to attain her Doctor ate degree in Pharmacy, with a vision to educate and inspire the next gen eration of pharmacists.

“One of the main rea sons I chose to pursue my Doctorate in pharmacy (Pharm D) is actually to be able to lecture, in order to further pharmacy edu cation in The Bahamas,” Chargrega told me.

“I went to school in Jamaica (University of Technology), which has a very solid pharmaceu tical programme. Their pharmacy education is one of the top in the Caribbean. I didn’t see a reason why The Baha mas couldn’t have the

pharmacies throughout New Providence. Char grega has also changed the game in pharmacy ownership. She worked for Comprehensive Pharmacy located in the Oaktree Medical Plaza for three years, before she turned around and bought the pharmacy from the owners. She has been successfully running oper ations for two years.

Both women are pow erfully navigating an industry that has grown by leaps and bounds in the past four decades since the BPA has been in existence. Its membership comprises pharmacists, technicians, educators and supply management per sonnel - the movers and shakers who are propel ling the profession into the future.

“We provide services that often go unnoticed because it’s a part of our training; but we do it because we care,” Shantia said.

“As drug treatment spe cialists, we provide, at no charge, disease and drug consultation, walk-in ser vices, monitoring services, and more. Pharmacists are on the frontline of health care in The Bahamas every day.”

To become a registered pharmacist in The Baha mas, you have to earn a Bachelor of Pharmacy Degree from an accredited university, then complete 2000 intern hours. After that, you must sit and pass

retailers. This will remain in place for at least three months until January 17, 2023, although it could be extended for longer.

Shantia explained the predicament it put mem bers of the BPA in: “Due to inflation in different sectors of doing business, the 50% (price control markup under which we previously operated) only brought us to marginal profit. We were able to sustain ourselves and live comfortably, but it’s not the grand profit margins that people think of when they think of a pharmacy. So, going to 35 or 40 per cent would place many of us below operational costs. Bigger pharma cies may have been able to survive the drop, but many smaller pharma cies could not. They cater to smaller communities. They would not have been able to make it through the recommended three months.”

From the government’s standpoint, the changes are necessary to help alle viate the cost of living in several areas, after con ducting surveys in order to meet the needs of the public.

But the BPA says it had no forewarning of the price-controlled markup changes, and were blind sided by the government’s decision.

will operate at a 20 per cent markup, and retailers at 40 percent.

“While pharmacists have a mandate to help with the healthcare of our patients, one of our biggest mandates is also education,” Chargrega said.

“We do it on a relatively smaller scale, reach ing people one-on-one in our communities. But by partnering with gov ernment we can have a broader range and addi tional capital that makes this education better. One of the things Dr Darville (Minister of Health) said is that the hospital beds are full. In this case, you have patients who either can’t afford the medi cation, or they are not compliant with taking their medication. So, while the government is trying to get prices down, our mandate has always been education.

“If we can help to educate people on the importance of taking their medication as prescribed, and stay compliant with their medication, then we can help people get better. We can be more proactive instead of reactive, help to reduce hospital admission and keep the numbers down.”

she could to expand the pharmacy industry in the Caribbean, especially the Bahamas.

When she became BPA president, Shantia and her team swiftly started a movement to ensure that pharmacy remains an active stakeholder in health discussions, initiatives, and unfore seen national disasters. She represented phar macy owners in the NHI negotiations.

She helped to organ ise a team of pharmacy volunteers to be ready on day one at the medi cal triage, Odyssey Suite,

Successive BPA presidents included: Carrol Sands; Vanria Rolle; Laura Pratt Charlton; Philip Gray; Jeff Lowe; Marvin Smith; Stephon Flowers; Renee Reines; Michelle Fin layson and now, Shantia Hield-McBride.

“As I perused the myriad of experiences that we have had, it is undeniably colourful and heartwarming to see the strides made and tem plates set for us to follow,” Shantia said.

“We have had some troubling low moments but those have been nul lified by the many success

same. It just requires us having more phar macy lecturers, providing more clinical knowledge, expanding and improving on our knowledge locally. I want to help push that movement. In order to do so at the University level, you have to have your doctorate degree.”

Shantia also attended the University of Technol ogy in Jamaica. Both she and Chargrega graduated from St Augustine’s Col lege in Nassau, prior to pursuing tertiary studies. Shantia has been in the pharmacy profession for over 23 years.

Both of these women are young women, and both are pharmacy owners. Shantia is the proprietor of One-onOne Pharmacy, which has two locations; Total Care Pharmacy and Island Care Pharmacy. Additionally, this powerhouse shares partnerships in other

the Bahamas Pharmacy Council’s Pharmacist Reg istration Exam (PRE).

“Pharmacists can spe cialise in any disease area list in the Price Control list,” Shantia explained.

“We are proud to say that we have phar macists specialising in Oncology, Nephrology, Compounding, and Infu sion/Nutrition. There are also clinical pharmacists that assist physicians on hospital ward rounds for Total Patient Manage ment Therapy.”

That Price Control list of which she speaks, recently became a thorn in the side of pharma cists. The Price Control (Drugs) (Amendment) Regulations 2022, which took effect on Monday, October 17 imposes pricecontrolled mark-ups ranging from 15 percent to 18 percent on phar maceutical wholesalers, and 35 to 40 percent for

On November 1, 2022, which was the second date of enforcement of price control regulations, most of the privately owned pharmacies in the coun try closed their doors. Many members of the public were in a panic, and were especially concerned about how long such essential services would be unavailable.

Doctor’s Hospital pharmacies, government facilities, and a few private entities remained open that day.

Shantia explained that in the face of $5,000 fines in violation of the Regu lations, and unspecified terms of imprisonment, they were forced to close their doors that day, or face possibly having to close them indefinitely.

Members of the BPA were able to gain an expeditious meeting with government, including Ministers Michael Dar ville, Michael Halkitis and Attorney General Ryan Pinder.

Together, they strat egised a price control amendment that allows for the survival of phar macy operations, while also providing economic relief to Bahamians. Phar maceutical wholesalers

Chargrega’s passion for pharmacy is not only clinical. It extends to the education and regula tion areas, leading to her previous posts as Educa tion Chair and Council Member of The Caribbean Pharmacy Association. She is also the immedi ate past Deputy Chair of The Bahamas Pharmacy Council.

She is currently com pleting her research thesis paper entitled “Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Phar macists in The Bahamas towards Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting”. This will allow her to successfully complete the requirements to be awarded her Doctorate of Pharmacy degree. She is doing all this while being a dedicated mother to her daughter Canaan.

Shantia is also a regional trailblazer. She serves as a Council member on the Caribbean Association of Pharmacists Board. She won the Caribbean Com munity Pharmacist of the Year Award, 2018 and she was also bestowed the Caribbean Pharmacist of The Year, 2021. When asked about her biggest accomplishment to date, she says that being the best wife and mother she could be is paramount, while giving as much as

during Hurricane Dorian. She also assisted in host ing vaccinator training on the initial vaccination health team of COVID-19 vaccinators.

“If we could educate Bahamians about the importance of going to their doctor every three months, sticking to their medication - every single problem I can think about boils down to education, and so we want to partner with the government on that.”

She believes that phar macy stakeholders like herself and Chargega stand on great shoulders and have a lot to live up to, for the industry and for the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.

The first BPA president was the father of phar macy in The Bahamas, E Pedro Roberts. He was succeeded by Viviene Lockhart, Dencil Major, and Clinton McCartney.

Chargrega D McPhee

stories and the varied hur dles we have overcome.”

There are several types of pharmacies operating in The Bahamas, includ ing: a hospital pharmacy; clinical pharmacy; com munity/retail pharmacy; wholesale distribution warehouse; and manufac turing facility.

In a letter to the gov ernment, the BPA offered several recommendations, including: eliminate Vat and duty on medicines and ensure that Price Control Officers enforce that savings are passed on to customers; and that price control for whole sale and retail operations be revised after 90 days.

They still hope to return to the 50 percent mark-up on prescription medicines for retail pharmacy oper ations, and 25 percent mark-up on prescription medications for wholesale operations.

SHANTIA Heild-McBride

CHARGREGA D McPhee

“As I perused the myriad of experiences that we have had, it is undeniably colourful and heartwarming to see the strides made and templates set for us to follow.”

Shantia Heild-McBride

“While pharmacists have a mandate to help with the healthcare of our patients, one of our biggest mandates is also education.”

ZELENSKYY CALLS THE LIBERATION OF KHERSON ‘BEGINNING OF THE END’

By SAM MEDNICK Associated Press

KHERSON,

Ukraine (AP) — President Volodymyr Zelenskyy triumphantly walked the streets of the newly liberated city of Kher son on Monday, hailing Russia’s withdrawal as the “beginning of the end of the war,” but also acknowledging the heavy price Ukrainian troops are paying in their grinding effort to push back the invaders.

The retaking of Kher son was one of Ukraine’s biggest successes in the nearly 9-month-old war, dealing another stinging blow to the Kremlin.

It could serve as a springboard for more advances into occupied territory.

President Joe Biden called it a “significant vic tory” for Ukraine.

“I can do nothing but applaud the cour age, determination and capacity of the Ukrainian people, the Ukrainian military,” he said on the sidelines of a Group of 20 summit in Indonesia. “They’ve really been amazing. ... we’re going to continue to provide the capability for the Ukrain ian people to defend themselves.”

Large parts of eastern and southern Ukraine are still under Russian control, and the city of Kherson itself remains within reach of Moscow’s shells and missiles.

Heavy fighting contin ued elsewhere in Ukraine. Russia’s state news agency RIA Novosti reported the town of Oleshky, in Russian-held territory across the Dnieper River from Kherson, came under heavy artillery fire.

Zelenskyy awarded medals to soldiers in Kher son and posed with them for selfies while striking a defiant note.

“This is the beginning of the end of the war,” he said. “We are step by step coming to all the temporarily occupied territories.”

But he also grimly noted the fighting “took the best heroes of our country.”

The end of Russia’s occupation of the city — the only provincial capital seized since the February invasion — has sparked days of celebration.

But as winter approaches, its remain ing 80,000 residents are without heat, water and electricity, and short on food and medicine. Zelenskyy says the city is laced with booby traps and mines. And Ukrain ian authorities say there are signs of atrocities emerging, just as in other liberated areas.

Russian forces “destroyed everything in their path, wrecked the entire electricity net work,” he said.

Communications opera tors said cellphone service was being restored and the regional governor said a public wireless internet access point would begin working Tuesday.

The Institute for the Study of War said Ukraine has won “an important victory” in Kherson and other areas west of the Dnieper, but the Wash ington-based think tank noted that “it has by no means liberated the mini mum territory essential to its future security and economic survival.”

NATO Secre tary-General Jens Stoltenberg warned that Moscow should not be underestimated.

“The Russian armed forces retain significant capability as well as a large number of troops, and Russia has demon strated their willingness to bear significant losses,” he said in The Hague.

In Ankara, Turkey, CIA Director Bill Burns met with his Russian intelli gence counterpart, Sergei Naryshkin, to underscore the consequences if Moscow were to deploy a nuclear weapon in Ukraine, according to a White House National Security Council official.

Biden, Xi clash on Taiwan but aim to ‘manage’ differences

By SEUNG MIN KIM and ZEKE MILLER Associated Press

NUSA DUA, Indone sia (AP) — President Joe Biden objected directly to China’s “coercive and increasingly aggressive actions” toward Taiwan during the first in-person meeting of his presidency with Xi Jinping, as the two superpower leaders aimed on Monday to “manage” their differences in the competition for global influence.

The nearly three-hour meeting was the high light of Biden’s weeklong, round-the-world trip to the Middle East and Asia, and came at a critical juncture for the two countries amid increasing economic and security tensions. Speaking at a news conference after ward, Biden said that when it comes to China, the U.S. would “compete vigorously, but I’m not looking for conflict.”

He added: “I absolutely believe there need not be a new Cold War” between America and the rising Asian power.

Biden reiterated U.S. support for its longstanding “One China” policy, which recognises the government in Beijing — while allow ing for informal American relations and defence ties with Taipei, and “strategic ambiguity” over whether the U.S. would respond militarily if the island were attacked. He also said that despite China’s recent saber rattling, he does not believe “there’s any immi nent attempt on the part of China to invade Taiwan.” Xi, according to the

Chinese government’s account of the meeting, “stressed that the Taiwan question is at the very core of China’s core inter ests, the bedrock of the political foundation of China-U.S. relations, and the first red line that must not be crossed in ChinaU.S. relations.”

Biden said he and Xi also discussed Russia’s aggres sion against Ukraine and “reaffirmed our shared belief” that the use or even the threat of nuclear weapons is “totally unac ceptable.” That was a reference to Moscow’s thinly veiled threats to use atomic weapons as its nearly nine-month invasion of Ukraine has faltered.

Chinese officials have largely refrained from public criticism of Russia’s war, although Beijing has avoided direct support of the Russians, such as sup plying arms.

Gains

While there were no watershed breakthroughs, the Biden-Xi meet ing brought each side long-sought, if modest, gains. In addition to the shared condemnation of Russian nuclear threats, Biden appeared to secure from Xi the resumption of lower-level cooperation from China on a range of shared global challenges.

Meanwhile, Xi, who has aimed to establish China as a geopolitical peer of the U.S., got symbolic home turf for the meeting as well as Biden’s forceful One China policy commitment.

The White House said

Biden and Xi agreed to “empower key senior offi cials” to work on areas of potential cooperation, including tackling climate change and maintaining global financial, health and food stability.

Beijing had cut off such contacts with the U.S. in protest of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s trip to Taiwan in August.

China and the U.S. are the world’s worst climate polluters, and their oneon-one climate contacts are seen as vital to staving off some of the most dire sce narios of climate change. Biden’s first stop on his long overseas trip was in Egypt for a major climate conference.

The two leaders agreed to have U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken travel to Beijing to continue discussions.

Xi and Biden warmly greeted each other with a handshake at a luxury resort hotel in Indonesia, where they are attending the Group of 20 summit of large economies.

“As the leaders of our two nations, we share responsibility, in my view, to show that China and the United States can manage our differences, prevent competition from becoming anything ever near conflict, and to find ways to work together on urgent global issues that require our mutual cooperation,” Biden said to open the meeting.

Xi called on Biden to “chart the right course” and “elevate the relation ship” between China and the U.S. He said he wanted a “candid and in-depth exchange of views.”

Both men entered the highly anticipated meet ing with bolstered political standing at home. Demo crats triumphantly held onto control of the U.S. Senate, with a chance to boost their ranks by one in a runoff election in Geor gia next month, while Xi was awarded a third fiveyear term in October by the Communist Party’s national congress, a break with tradition.

Relations

But relations between the two powers have grown more strained under successive American administrations, with eco nomic, trade, human rights and security differences at the fore.

As president, Biden has repeatedly taken China to task for human rights abuses against the Uyghur people and other ethnic minorities, crackdowns on democracy activists in Hong Kong, coercive trade prac tices, military provocations against self-ruled Taiwan and differences over Russia and Ukraine.

The White House said Biden specifically men tioned U.S. concerns about China’s actions in Xinjiang, Tibet, and Hong Kong, and the plight of Americans it considers “wrongfully detained” or subject to exit bans in China.

Taiwan has emerged as one of the most conten tious issues. Multiple times in his presidency, Biden has said the U.S. would defend the island — which China has eyed for even tual unification — in case

of a Beijing-led invasion. But administration officials have stressed each time that the U.S. China policy has not changed.

Pelosi’s trip prompted China, officially the Peo ple’s Republic of China, to retaliate with military drills and the firing of ballistic missiles into nearby waters. The White House said Biden “raised U.S. objec tions to the PRC’s coercive and increasingly aggres sive actions toward Taiwan, which undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and in the broader region, and jeopardise global prosperity.”

In the meeting, Biden said China’s economic practices “harm American workers and families, and workers and families around the world,” the White House said.

The meeting came just weeks after the Biden administration blocked exports of advanced com puter chips to China — a national security move that bolsters U.S. competition against Beijing.

Xi’s government said he condemned such moves, saying, “Starting a trade war or a technology war, building walls and barriers, and pushing for decoupling and severing supply chains run counter to the princi ples of market economy and undermine interna tional trade rules.”

Although the two men have held five phone or video calls during Biden’s presidency, White House officials said those encoun ters were no substitute for an in-person meeting. They said sitting down with Xi was all the more important after the Chinese leader strengthened his grip on power with a third term and because lower-level Chinese officials have been unable or unwilling to speak for their leader.

White House officials and their Chinese coun terparts spent weeks negotiating details of the meeting, which was held at Xi’s hotel with translators providing simul taneous interpretation through headsets.

Each leader was flanked by nine N-95 mask-wearing aides, and in the case of Xi, at least one official newly elevated in the recent Con gress to its top leadership.

U.S. officials were eager to see how Xi approached the meeting after consoli dating his position as the unquestioned leader of the state — whether that made him more or less likely to seek out areas of cooperation.

Biden said Xi was as he’s always been.

“I didn’t find him more confrontational or more conciliatory,” Biden said. “I found him the way he’s always been, direct and straightforward.”

U.S. President Joe Biden, right, and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands before their meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit meeting, Monday in Nusa Dua, in Bali, Indonesia. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

PRESIDENT Joe Biden speaks during a news conference on the sidelines of the G20 summit meeting, Monday in Bali, Indonesia.

(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

HAITI GUNMEN FIRE AT CONVOY WITH US EMBASSY VEHICLES

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Gunmen in Haiti opened fire Monday on a convoy that included vehicles from the U.S. Embassy and Haitian National Police, as well as commercial vehicles, according to a U.S. official. A Haitian driver was injured, but no police or embassy personnel were reported hurt.

A State Department spokesman confirmed those details to The Associated Press, but gave no other informa tion on the incident beyond noting that the injured person’s wounds were not life-threatening.

The incident comes at a time of rising violence and increasingly brazen attacks by Haitian gangs that have grown more powerful since the July 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse.

HAITI PRIME MINISTER OUSTS TOP OFFICIALS AMID US SANCTIONS

Artemis launch delay is the latest of many NASA scrubs and comes from hard lessons on crew safety

(THE CONVERSA TION) I love a good space launch, and I have been eagerly awaiting NASA’s powerful new Space Launch System rocket to take off as the first part of NASA’s ambitious Artemis Mission to put U.S. astro nauts back on the Moon. But this launch has already been pushed back four times this year – twice due to technical issues and once apiece for a tropical storm and a hurricane.

of political upheaval.

Former Justice Minister Berto Dorcé first fired Government Commissioner Jacques Lafontant on Henry’s orders before being ousted himself days later along with Interior Minister Liszt Quitel, according to documents that The Associated Press obtained on Monday.

Quitel had previ ously served as justice minister.

Henry did not say why the officials were removed, and his spokesman could not be immediately reached for comment.

Henry has become Haiti’s interior minis ter while still serving as prime minister, and Emmelie Prophète Milcé was named justice minister, the fifth one in the past two years as the country struggles to bring to justice all those involved in the July 2021 assassination of Presi dent Jovenel Moïse.

The dismissals come a month after the U.S. government announced it was pulling the visas belonging to current and former Haitian govern ment officials involved with gangs. The officials were not identified.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on Haitian Senate President Joseph Lambert and former Senator Youri Latortue amid allegations they abused their positions to smuggle drugs along side gangs and directed others to engage in violence.

I am a professor of space studies who teaches courses in space law and history. One lesson I’ve learned is that as successful as the U.S. and other nations have been at launching rockets into space over the decades, a huge number of launches get delayed due to weather or safety concerns. Of NASA’s 135 Space Shuttle missions, only about 40% launched on time.

While Artemis 1 is con tinuing the long tradition of delayed NASA launches, there are good reasons for the high level of caution that underlies these delays. But as private space launch activities continue to grow, the odds of watching an on-time launch are slowly improving.

Delays, scrubs and safety

Launches that don’t go off on time are classified as either postponements, scrubs or delays. Postpone ments refer to pushing a planned launch date back to a later date. Scrubs are when a mission is halted on the day the launch is supposed to occur and rescheduled for a later date.

Scrubs are usually a lastminute decision triggered by bad weather or mechani cal issues causing safety concerns. A delay is when a launch occurs later in a day than originally planned, but does happen in the same day.

The ill-fated launch of the space shuttle Chal lenger in January 1986 experienced all of these hold-ups. First, the mission experienced two postpone ments for a total of three days to accommodate the landing of the space shuttle Columbia. The launch was also scrubbed twice due to weather and technical prob lems, and finally the mission experienced two delays on the day of the actual launch.

Sadly, the shuttle and astro nauts aboard were lost in an explosion 74 seconds after launch.

This first Artemis launch has experienced both

postponements and scrubs, but part of the reason there have been such long stretches of time between launch attempts is due to the concept of launch win dows. Due to the rotation of the Earth and position of the Moon, launching a rocket at certain times requires substantially less fuel than launching at other times. If a launch misses its window, you usually can’t simply launch again the next day.

While the repeated post ponements and scrubs of Artemis 1 are dishearten ing, these delays are for good reason. NASA wants to ensure a safe and suc cessful mission.

A culture of safety Postponements, scrubs and delays tend to occur due to bad weather condi tions, mechanical issues or health concerns of the crew – any of which could

threaten the safety of the craft and the people aboard. NASA has learned the hard way to be cautious of these scenarios.

The first lesson came in January 1967, during a test for the Apollo 1 mission. The rocket in question was meant to go on an early test flight for the first U.S. missions to the Moon.

Astronauts Ed White, Roger Chaffee and Gus Grissom were all killed when a fire started in the crew cabin during a launch pad test. After the tragedy, NASA created its Office of Flight Safety.

Most of NASA’s launches went well after the Chal lenger disaster. But the breakup of shuttle Colum bia after entering the Earth’s atmosphere in Feb ruary 2003 was a notable exception that killed all seven astronauts onboard. That disaster in particu lar caused NASA to pause

operations and take stock of its launch strategies. In a truly stinging report from an internal investigation, NASA highlighted its own “broken safety culture” and a failure to learn from the mistakes of the Challenger disaster.

In the years since, NASA has demonstrated a con certed effort to learn from the mistakes of the past. It’s not surprising that it will delay launches if there is a need to check on the safety of craft or crew.

Contemporary trends

Space launches are hap pening more frequently every year. This increase is mostly driven by the rise of private space compa nies like SpaceX serving as re-suppliers for the Inter national Space Station and carrying satellites into orbit. All signs suggest that the upward trend in launches will continue.

Unlike government agencies, private launch companies have a strong profit motive to launch fre quently. While specific data on private industry’s launch schedules is hard to come by, it does seem that, more often than not, SpaceX launches, for example, go off on time. This may be due to the fact that the high volume of launches using the Falcon9 rocket –around 50 this year alone – has given the company’s engineers plenty of time to iron out mechanical issues. While other companies trail SpaceX in volume, they are catching up. Blue Origin, for example, completed its 22nd mission to space in August 2022, carrying six passengers.

Despite their general suc cess, private companies are not immune to technical issues, weather or health concerns that can lead to postponements, scrubs or delays. In early October 2022, SpaceX scrubbed a launch of one of its Falcon9 rockets to allow for addi tional vehicle inspections. SpaceX also postponed a launch due to the same hurricane that has pushed back Artemis again. And in 2021, a launch was delayed when a medical issue came up with one of the NASA astronauts that was bound for the International Space Station.

As more rockets get lined up for both governmental and private needs, delays and scrubs for launches will continue to be a fact of life for anyone launching rock ets to space.

The feeling of tension, frustration and excitement that I feel when waiting to see that brilliant flash of ignition and a rocket headed to the heavens is a feeling many have endured. During the long delay for the 1961 Freedom 7 Mer cury mission, astronaut Alan Shepard was strapped in his capsule with little to do but wait for several hours. Eventually he got fed up and told NASA to “fix your little problem and light this candle.”

After a while, NASA gave the go-ahead, and Shepard became the first American to fly to space.

(This article is by Michael Dodge University of North Dakota for theconvesation. com. The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Prime Minister Ariel Henry has dismissed Haiti’s justice minister, interior minister and its govern ment commissioner in a fresh round

HAITIAN Prime Minister Ariel Henry. (AP Photo/Ode lyn Joseph, File)

A CLOSE-up view of NASA’s moon rocket at Kennedy Space Center, Monday, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. Hur ricane Nicole’s high winds last week caused a 10-foot section of caulking to peel away near the capsule at the top of the rocket. Mission managers want to make sure the narrow strip won’t damage the rocket if it breaks off during liftoff, scheduled for Nov. 16, at 1:04 a.m. EST with test dum mies on board.

(Bill Ingalls/NASA via AP)

THE NASA moon rocket slated for the Artemis mission pictured in September.

(AP Photo/John Raoux)

THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH OF BAHAMAS GOLDEN JUBILEE GAMES

DOLPHINS CLICKING ON ALL SIDES AS THEY HEAD INTO THEIR BYE

By ALANIS THAMES AP Sports Writer

MIAMI GARDENS, Florida (AP) — The Miami Dolphins already built a formidable résumé before Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns.

A comeback victory against Baltimore. An upset win over their divisional opponent Buffalo.

They’ve won defensive battles and high-scoring slugfests.

Miami’s 39-17 rout of Cleveland on Sunday was the dominant win the Dol phins (7-3) needed. And it couldn’t have come at a better time as they’ll head into their bye week alone in first place in the AFC East after Buffalo lost to Min nesota and fell to a tie with the New York Jets.

“We probably played our most complete game today in all three phases,” Miami defensive end Christian Wilkins said. “Yeah, there were things we can clean up on and things we can get better on, but this is prob ably our most complete.”

Quarterback Tua Tago vailoa’s confidence and command of the offence is growing more evident with each game, and it has made the Dolphins nearly unstoppable.

The three highest-rated games of his career have come in the past three weeks, capped by Sunday’s performance in which he completed 25 of 32 passes for 285 yards, threw three touchdowns and no inter ceptions for a 135.0 passer rating.

Tagovailoa hasn’t thrown an interception since he returned from a concus sion in Week 7, and he said Sunday feels as though he’s playing the most consistent football of his career.

McDaniel pointed to Tagovailoa’s vision, ball placement and ability to move through his progres sions at lightning speed as the reasons for his success.

“That’s really making it frustrating for a defen sive front,” McDaniel said. “You’re in pass rush mode and you can’t get to them. ... So he is doing a lot of things visually, manipulating defenders, making really good throws and getting the ball out.”

The Dolphins are clos ing in on their first playoff berth since 2016, but they have a tough stretch coming up, with road games against San Francisco, Buffalo and the Los Angeles Chargers. But first, they’ll have a week to rest. And McDan iel really wants them to rest.

“Deliberate practice is a brain drain,” McDaniel said. “And in order to do it the appropriate way, you have to have deliberate rest as well. So I’m a leader by example. I’m going to show these guys how to rest my butt off.”

NEXT STEPS

After their week off, the Dolphins will host the Hou ston Texans on November 27. After that, four of their next five games will be on the road.

By FRED GOODALL

TAMPA, Florida (AP) —

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are back at .500 and feeling good about their prospects of making a strong secondhalf run.

The Bucs (5-5) enter this week’s bye sitting alone atop the NFC South, confi dent they’re headed in the right direction after con secutive wins over the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks.

The two-game winning streak follows a stretch in which they struggled offen sively and defensively while losing five of six games.

“Hopefully, we’re trend ing forward,” coach Todd Bowles said after Sunday’s 21-16 victory over the Sea hawks in Munich, Germany.

“You almost don’t want to have a bye since you won two in a row,” Bowles

added. “But we’ve got some guys nicked up and we’ve got to get healthy, so we’ll get some rest and get ready for the stretch run.”

The Bucs delivered per haps their best overall performance of the season to end Seattle’s four-game winning streak with Tom Brady throwing for 258 yards and two touchdowns and finally getting some assistance from a running game that’s been absent most of the year.

The defence sparkled, too, despite allowing a couple of late touchdowns that tightened the score in the fourth quarter.

“It wasn’t perfect, but the best part is winning the game and feeling like we made some improvements,” Brady said.

“We have a bye week now,” the seven-time Super Bowl winner added, “so can take a little bit of time to refresh and get ready to make a big push, figure out kind of some of the things we haven’t done well the first 10 weeks of the season, and how we can get better.”

The remainder of the regular-season schedule includes road matchups at Cleveland, San Francisco, Arizona and Atlanta, as well as home games against

New Orleans, Cincinnati and Carolina.

WHAT’S WORKING

At 45, Brady still ranks among the league leaders in passing yardage, averaging 280.5 yards per game.

WR Mike Evans is on pace for another 1,000yard season receiving, and on Sunday Chris Godwin caught his first TD pass since undergoing knee sur gery and Julio Jones scored his second since returning from injuries that have kept him out of five games this season.

WHAT NEEDS HELP

The running game remains a work in progress.

The Bucs rushed for a sea son-best 161 yards against the Seahawks, topping the century mark for the first time since a Week 1 victory over Dallas.

That increased their season average by 10 yards per game, but they still have the NFL’s secondworst ground attack at just 70.7 yards per game.

KEY NUMBER

17. To beat the Sea hawks, the Bucs felt they had to contain RB Ken neth Walker III. Mission accomplished.

The Seattle rookie man aged 17 yards rushing on 10 attempts.

THE Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture officially launched the Bahamas Golden Jubilee Games at Baha Mar on Saturday night. Minister Bowleg gave the keynote speech during the event that was attended by various delegates from the 10 participating islands as well as representatives from the national sporting bodies who will be staging the competitive sports and exhibitions. The sixth edition of the games is set for July 7-11 in New Providence and will be back after the last one was held 22 years ago in 2001. The other mini-Olympic-style games was first held in 1989, then 1991, 1995 and 1998.

Photos by Eric Rose/BIS

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE HIGHLIGHTS

Commanders end sloppy Eagles’ perfect season 32-21

By DAN GELSTON AP Sports Writer

PHILADELPHIA

(AP) — The Philadelphia Eagles’ bid for an unde feated season is over.

The Washington Com manders turned methodical drives into scores and took advantage of turn over-prone Philadelphia, stunning the Eagles 32-21 last night and sending them to their first loss in nine games this season.

Behind Jalen Hurts, the Eagles were 8-0 for the first time in franchise his tory and the last team in the NFL that could make a run at Miami’s 17-0 mark in 1972 and the lone per fect season. The 2007 New England Patriots came close, going 18-0 before a Super Bowl loss.

The Eagles had their shot at perfection slip out of their hands.

Trailing at halftime for the first time this season, Hurts seemed to have one more big play left in him to pull out a victory. He con nected on a deep ball to wide receiver Quez Wat kins on a 51-yard reception late in the fourth quarter down 26-21. Watkins hit the ground, popped up and took off running, only to fumble the ball and give Washington possession.

That was it for the Eagles and their four turnovers, a high number for a team that had only three in the first eight games.

A.J Brown had a catch knock off his hands and turn into an interception, and Dallas Goedert fum bled in the fourth quarter when linebacker Jamin Davis grabbed the tight end by the facemask.

Washington’s Taylor Heinicke again started for injured QB Carson Wentz,

the much-maligned former Eagles QB who did play a key role in helping them win a Super Bowl in the 2017 season. He wasn’t flashy, but efficient, going 17 for 29 and throwing 229 yards. Terry McLau rin had 128 yards receiving -- including a 41-yard haul that led to a field goal. Joey Slye kicked four field goals.

The Commanders also spoiled Pittsburgh’s 11-0 start in 2020.

Hurts was 17 for 26 for just 175 yards.

The Eagles were favored by 10 1/2 points, according to FanDuel Sportsbook, and the Commanders rev eled in pulling off the upset.

By TOM CANAVAN AP Sports Writer

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — New York Giants coach Brian Daboll was happy after Sunday’s win over the Houston Texans.

It would be easy to assume being 7-2 and having the Giants in posi tion for the franchise’s first playoff appearance since the 2016 season made Daboll happy.

It really wasn’t. He had a smile on his face because his daughter, Avery, had asked her father for a win for her birthday. The team delivered, and Dad proba bly will get her a game ball or something.

Daboll laughed when asked if any of his other five children had a birthday coming soon and what he would do if they asked for a playoff berth or even a Super Bowl.

While he is a first-year head coach, Daboll knows

nothing is guaranteed in sports. He came into the NFL as an offensive assistant with the Patri ots in 2000 and missed the playoffs. He was a Super Bowl winner the following season, missed the playoffs the next year and then won two consecutive NFL titles.

Thinking about the post season was easy then. He doesn’t do it any more.

“It’s a God’s honest truth, you just worry about the next day, the meeting, just having practice,” Daboll said Monday. “I know it’s boring, but that’s the truth. You have to focus and stay in the moment because it really doesn’t matter, there’s so many games to be played.

“It’s good to be 7-2, but again, it’ll humble you really quick when you start worrying about the wrong things or thinking about the wrong things to me in this business,” he added.

Daboll’s players have adopted his approach. So

this week is about pre paring to host Detroit on Sunday. Worrying about the Thanksgiving game at Dallas probably will start 15 minutes after the Lions’ game is over.

It’s been a winning for mula for the Giants, at least for the first nine games. So why change it?

WHAT’S WORKING

The running game. The Giants are averaging 164.8 yards rushing, which is 3.8 yards more than their passing average. Saquon Barkley had his fourth 100yard game Sunday, carrying a career-high 35 times for 152 yards. He is 69 yards shy of his first 1,000-yard season since 2019. The play of the offensive line has been much improved.

WHAT’S NOT WORKING

Punting. Jamie Gillan had a bad game. He had two punts in the second quarter when a drive bogged down in the area where coaches have to

“We had a marvelous time ruining everything,” the Commanders tweeted.

The Eagles tried to make the Commanders seem like just another bump in their bid for a perfect season, with the kind of early good fortune that they have enjoyed this season.

Take, for example, a roughing-the-kicker pen alty that gave Washington a first down and new life on the game’s opening drive. Eagles defensive end Josh Sweat simply strip-sacked Heinicke on the next play and the Eagles recovered. Hurts rushed up the middle for a 1-yard TD and a 7-0 lead.

The Commanders then flashed their first clockkilling drive with a 16-play effort that chewed up more than seven minutes and ended with Antonio Gib son’s 1-yard rushing TD.

Hurts hit the highlightreel with an ode to former Florida star Tim Tebow with a jump pass to Goed ert for a 6-yard score, and the QB struck the Heisman pose in celebration.

The points off takea ways and Hurts scoring with his arms and legs had been the key ingredients in the team’s flawless start, and the Eagles certainly seemed poised to make it an easy night.

IN ON THE PLAYOFFS

decide whether to punt or attempt a long field goal. Daboll went with the punt twice from the Texans 40. Gillan’s first punt was a touchback and the second went out of bounds after going 14 yards. For the day, he punted six times for a 40.3 gross average with a 34.2 yard net.

WHAT NEEDS HELP

The Giants defence is still giving up too many big plays. The Texans had seven plays over 20 yards, including two over 40. Safety Julian Love made up ground to prevent two of them from either being longer or scoring plays.

STOCK UP Dexter Lawrence. The defensive tackle is getting better and better. He was a game-changer against Houston, recording a sack and five quarterback hits.

STOCK DOWN Kenny Golladay. The wide receiver is at rock bottom in his career with the Giants after being

Ronaldo’s Manchester United career looks over but who replaces him?

By JAMES ROBSON AP Soccer Writer

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Cris tiano Ronaldo’s explosive TV interview with Piers Morgan seems certain to end his Manchester United career.

It is hard to see a way back for the 37-year-old for ward, who said he does not respect manager Erik ten Hag and feels “betrayed” by the club.

The question now is whether Ronaldo can secure a transfer in Janu ary after failing to leave for a Champions League club before the start of the season.

United was already plan ning for life without him before excerpts from his interview began circulat ing on Sunday night – but that process is likely to be speeded up after his latest public show of dissent.

Ten Hag already had to censure him for leaving a pre-season friendly early –and cut him from his squad last month when he refused to come on as a substitute

against Tottenham. Ron aldo displayed an element of contrition on social media later and held clearthe-air talks with Ten Hag before being welcomed back into the fold.

But these fresh comments threaten to be a final strike in terms of the Portugal World Cup forward’s rela tionship with his manager.

“I don’t have respect for him because he doesn’t show respect for me,” Ron aldo told the Piers Morgan Uncensored TV show. “If you don’t have respect for me, I’m never gonna have respect for you.”

Ronaldo also claims there is an attempt to push him out of the club.

That comes despite the five-time Ballon d’Or win ner’s own desire to leave earlier in the year.

Ten Hag was reluctant to let him go in pre-season, not least because of a lack of viable replacements either within his squad or on the market. And that problem remains going into January, when United’s pur suit of a new centre forward will be further complicated

by the typically inflated prices during the midseason transfer window.

United’s recruitment team would prefer to do their business at the end of the season – and Ten Hag was prepared to make Ron aldo part of his plans for the remainder of the campaign even after the incident against Tottenham.

The feeling at United on Sunday night was that Ron aldo’s actions would not be allowed to detract from the positivity generated by Alejandro Garnacho’s late winner in the 2-1 victory at Fulham.

Yet the opposite is true –and the former Real Madrid and Juventus forward’s off-field behaviour has too often been an unwel come distraction during Ten Hag’s four months in charge.

The timing of the inter view also ensures it will hang over the club while the Premier League pauses for the World Cup.

Morgan has refused to confirm when it was con ducted, which only adds to the impression that it was

a premeditated and stagemanaged attempt to gain maximum impact.

“The club will consider its response after the full facts have been established,” United said yesterday. “Our focus remains on prepar ing for the second half of the season and continuing the momentum, belief and togetherness being built among the players, man ager, staff and fans.”

That statement, itself, suggest the club’s hierarchy was caught by surprise.

The interview could also be interpreted as a message to potential suitors - and Ronaldo will have to hope more come forward than in pre-season.

His reputed salary of around £500,000-a-week ($587,000) rules out the majority of clubs in Europe.

If Ronaldo’s desire is still to play in the Champions League then the number of possible clubs shrinks fur ther, with that competition now down to the last 16.

Another problem is his unconvincing form this season – with just three goals in 18 appearances.

benched in the second half. He had two targets in his return from a knee injury that sidelined him for four weeks, including a dropped 5-yard pass late in the first half.

Isaiah Hodgins, who was acquired on waivers from Buffalo on November 2, stepped in and had two catches for 41 yards.

INJURED Safety Dane Belton had a chest X-ray after the game but he wasn’t concerned. Centre Jon Feliciano was banged up late.

KEY NUMBER

3 — If the Giants can get three more wins in the final eight games, they will have a legitimate shot at making the playoffs.

NEXT STEPS

The Giants are not going to blow anyone out this season. Every game is going to be a grind. The Lions have won two in a row and have four losses by four points or less.

RAYNOR ANDREWS INVITED TO LEGENDS SHOWCASE

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

THE recruitment pro cess continues to intensify for prep football prospect Raynor Andrews following his breakout season with the Miami Jackson Generals.

Andrews, a 6’6”, 310pound offensive lineman, was invited to the Legends Football Showcase, which features the top junior pros pects throughout the state of Florida.

“Legends Showcase is a source for young and developing high school athletes to receive recogni tion for their efforts on the playing field and an oppor tunity for them to obtain a football scholarship,” the organisation said. “Leg ends Showcase’s goal is to use football for these young men to obtain a college degree. If we can help these young men obtain degrees, we can impact them and their future family life.”

Andrews has yet to receive official offers, but he recently took an official visit to Rutgers University. He is one of several Bahamian prospects that continue to garner atten tion for their performance on the gridiron for the Miami, Florida-based Jack son Generals.

The Generals concluded the season 7-4 and lost in the first round of the FHSAA 2M Football State Championships, 37-6 to Miami Norland.

Defensive back Kaleb Barnett has already com mitted to an NCAA Divison I programme while teammates Jamal McKin ney-Flowers and Andrews look to follow suit.

McKinney-Flowers, a 6’0”, 185-pound defensive back, has been heralded for his speed and physical style of play. A senior for the Generals, he has also posted a time of 10.66 seconds in the 100m. McKinney-Flow ers has received an offer thus far from the Arkanas State Red Wolves.

In July, Barnett, a 5’11” defensive back, announced his commitment to the Temple Owls football pro gramme for the Fall 2023 season. Barnett is also a 100m sprinter who has turned in a time of 10.70.

A good World Cup could see interest in the veteran striker grow.

In terms of a replace ment, the picture is hardly any clearer for United than it was during the last window.

Red Bull Salzburg striker Benjamin Sesko was a seri ous consideration, but he signed a pre-contract with RB Leipzig, while Darwin Nunez was another target before he joined Liverpool.

So small was the pool of potential forwards that United even explored the possibility of signing vet eran Bologna striker Marko Arnautovic, which sparked a furious response from fans. There is an acceptance among elite clubs that there are precious few emerg ing players of the profile of Manchester City’s Erling Haaland.

That was underlined by Bayern Munich and Bar celona, who both signed strikers in their 30s as they pursued top-class goalscor ers earlier this year.

Bayern signed 30-yearold Sadio Mane after selling 34-year-old Robert Lewandowski to Barcelona. Meanwhile, 34-year-old Karim Benzema contin ues to lead Real Madrid’s attack.

Ten Hag hopes Anthony Martial can overcome the fitness issues that have dis rupted his United career and is trying to help Marcus Rashford develop into a prolific scorer.

He may have to rely on that pair until the end of the season at the very least, with Ronaldo’s comments surely signalling an acrimo nious end to his time at Old Trafford.

EAGLES quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) runs against Commanders cornerback Benjamin St-Juste (25) during the second half last night in Philadelphia.

(AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

MANCHESTER United’s Cristiano Ronaldo stands on the pitch during warmup before the English Premier League soccer match against Aston Villa at Villa Park in Birmingham, England. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira)

Boxing team heading off

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

WITH the 27-member team already reduced because of the lack of funding, Bahamas Boxing Federation President Vin cent Strachan said he’s confident the remaining 10 boxers will get the oppor tunity to travel this week to Kissimmee, Florida.

Yesterday during a press conference at the office of the Bahamas Olym pic Committee, Strachan, naming the team that will participate in the annual Sugar Bert Championships this weekend, said they are still seeking the pub lic’s assistance before they leave on Wednesday.

This is the second tour nament this year for the federation, which last took a team to compete in the High School Tournament in Georgetown, Guyana.

Both tournaments are back after a two-year hiatus because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Sugar Bert Boxing Championships will take place from Friday to Sunday from the beginners to the elite level.

While Strachan will travel as the team’s man ager, Valentino Knowles is the head coach, assisted by Jermaine Gibson from Grand Bahama.

The team will be made up of boxers from Grand Bahama, Inagua and New Providence and they will be staying at the Wyndham Orlando Resort and Con vention Center.

Introduced at the press conference were 11-yearold 85-pound Milton Newbold, 18-year-old high school silver medallist Keano Cox out of Inagua and 20-year-old heavy weight Tyrone Humes.

The other members of the team expected to travel are Elijah Smith, a heavyweight who won a silver medal at the High School Championships and super heavyweights Clar ence Hepburn and Keano Greene, both out of Grand Bahama.

Also, Christian Thomp son, a junior middleweight, Anai Powell, a welter weight, Maleko Davis, lightweight.

And veteran Carl Hield, who will compete in the elite class.

“We are looking for great things from these boxers,” said Strachan, who will travel as the team manager.

“Most of them are new, but I am satisfied that they will do well, and they will medal in these champion ships because the coaches who have been working with them have been doing a very good job.”

Knowles said he likes the make-up of the team, especially the three com petitors who attended the press conference, and is confident that although they are all novice compet itors, with the exception of Hield, they will perform at their best.

He said after joining the After Shock Boxing Club a year ago, Newbold has demonstrated that he has the ability to make the team and should have a very good showing in Florida.

Knowles said Humes, as a heavyweight, has also demonstrated his ability to perform and he’s looking forward to him making his presence felt.

“I am confident with the team that we are going down with,” Knowles said.

“We intend to bring back some gold medals and be productive.

“But this is a novice team, and they will be get ting their feet wet.

“I’m not looking for any high expectations, but it’s a feeder system for them. We just want them to go out there and do their best at this time.”

Newbold, a student at Palmdale Primary School, said he’s all geared up and ready to compete.

He sent out a shout out to his father and his family for pushing him as

he works with the After Shock Boxing Club to pre pare him to compete.

“I hope to bring back a gold medal. I will try my best to bring back one,” said Newbold, who gets up at 4am to train.

“I train every day and I train hard because I want to be one of the greatest fighters in the history of the Bahamas.”

Cox, who moved from New Providence to Inagua where his father got him involved in boxing, said he’s enjoying the sport so far. “My preparation for this event has been going very well.

“I’ve been training every day, running, doing my pushups, sit-ups, going to the gym,” said Cox, as he expressed his thanks to his coaches Rico Arnett and Vincent Deleveaux, who have been pushing him along with his parents and his family.

“If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t have gotten this far,” he said. “They gave me the motivation, especially my mother and father. I want to thank you all.”

And Humes, who has also been training with After Shock Boxing Club for about a year, said he’s looking forward to bring ing home a gold medal as well. “I would like to thank my coach and my parents

for giving me this oppor tunity and believing in me that I can actually do this,” said Humes, a student at the University of the Bahamas.

“I’ve been training every day at least two times a week, doing morning runs, sit-ups, push-ups, hitting the bags, sparring and every type of exercise. So, I’m almost like training three times a day.”

After reducing the team, Strachan said they hope that in the future they will be able to secure the nec essary funding to take the entire team selected.

He noted that even as they prepare to travel this week, they are still asking for the public’s assistance to get the team off on Wednesday.

Interested persons can make cheques payable to the Bahamas Boxing Federation or their Com monwealth Bank account number 11150 or con tact Strachan at 426-1113 or 601-0002 at the BOC office.

“We are looking forward to your support to ensure that these boxers have an opportunity to represent this country and indeed do this country proud.”

Following this event, the boxers will prepare for the CARIFTA Boxing Cham pionships from December 10-18 in Dominica.

ATP FINALS: DJOKOVIC DEFEATS TSITSIPAS FOR 9TH STRAIGHT TIME

TURIN, Italy (AP) — Novak Djokovic beat Stefanos Tsitsipas for the ninth straight time by 6-4, 7-6 (4) in the players’ open ing match at the ATP Finals yesterday.

Djokovic has beaten Tsit sipas in his third straight tournament following wins in Astana, Kazakhstan and at the Paris Masters.

“All the matches we’ve played have been decided by two or three points and that was again the case tonight,” Djokovic said.

He broke Tsitsipas in the opening game and held from there to close out the first set.

“A break in these condi tions is decisive,” Djokovic said of the fast indoor court.

A cross-court backhand passing shot winner that landed on the line helped Djokovic move ahead in the second-set tiebreaker.

Tsitsipas won two of his first three career matches against Djokovic but hasn’t beaten the 21-time Grand Slam winner in more than three years.

Earlier, Andrey Rublev won a 37-shot rally on his fifth match point to seal a 6-7 (7), 6-3, 7-6 (7) win over fellow Russian Daniil Medvedev in the other Red Group match.

Following his win, Rublev wrote “Peace, Peace, Peace, All we need,” on a TV camera lens in an appar ent reference to the war in Ukraine.

Rublev and Medvedev — along with all Russian and Belarus tennis play ers — have been competing without their flag or country next to their names as part of widespread sports sanc tions due to Russia’s war with Ukraine.

Rublev made a similar appeal in February, writing “No war please” on a TV camera lens shortly after Russia’s invasion.

His latest appeal comes following Russia’s with drawal from the Ukrainian city of Kherson, one of Ukraine’s biggest successes in the nearly nine-month war.

SHORT WORLD CUP BUILD-UP POSES CHALLENGES, TESTS COACHES

By STEVE DOUGLAS AP Sports Writer

SOCCER’s top players have followed a well-trod den path in the lead-up to previous World Cup tournaments.

Finish your club season. Take a break with friends and family.

Join up with your national team.

Spend two or three weeks familiarising yourself with teammates, working on practice drills and playing a

few warmup games before the big kickoff.

Not this time.

Adding to the novelty of this unique World Cup in Qatar — the first in the Middle East, the first to be played in the middle of the traditional European soccer season — is the unusually truncated build-up to the tournament.

One week.

For some players, even less than that. “We fly to Qatar on the 15th, arrive on the 16th, then we have five

Lightbourne finished with 19 points and four steals.

days to prepare for the first game,” said Tony Strud wick, head of performance for Wales’ national team.

“It’s a challenge how we bring that all together.”

Strudwick has the cru cial job of getting Wales’ players in prime shape — physically, but also men tally — for the nation’s first World Cup game in 64 years, which will be against the United States on Nov. 21.

On one hand, he is excited about welcoming players who are in what he describes as a “good rhythm” midway through a season.

four assists, two steals and two blocked shots.

The sharpshooting Dames made 5-7 from three-point range en route to his 23 points. He also added five rebounds, four assists and two steals.

The Blue Devils split the weekend with a 93-82 loss to Metropolitan CC.

Dames scored 21 points and was again on the mark from three-point range at 4-9. Lightbourne scored 10. The Blue Devils were selected to finish third in the KJCCC DII Men’s Basketball Coaches’ Poll.

The Blue Devils were picked behind Allen at No. 1 and Johnson County at No. 2. KCKCC is also receiving votes in the first NJCAA DII Men’s Bas ketball Top 20 Poll.

KCKCC is 2-4 on the season with two of those losses coming against ranked teams. In the season opener,

Dames added 19 points and eight rebounds in an 86-77 loss to the no.9 ranked Des Moines Area.

Lightbourne also scored 16 in an 80-73 loss to no.18 ranked Butler CC.

KCKCC also split a pair with Iowa Western CC. In game one, Lightbourne posted his first double double of the season with 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Dames scored 11 with four steals.

In game two, Dames made four threes en route to a game high 19 points while Lightbourne added 10 points, six rebounds and five assists.

Last season, both play ers received conference wide recognition for stand out freshman seasons.

Lightbourne was named to the All-Second Team and Dames to the All-Third Team respectively.

Lightbourne aver aged 12 points and five rebounds per game on the season.

On the other, he and the rest of Wales’ back room staff have no control over what shape the squad will arrive for the tourna ment. Some players have been playing virtually three games a week for the past two months; others might have been struggling for game time at their clubs.

“We can’t phone up the clubs and say, ‘We need X, Y and Z players to be playing these minutes,’” Strudwick told The Asso ciated Press. “We can’t dictate that, so we have to be agile in our planning.

“It’s going to come right down to the last league game before the World Cup and we’ll need contingency plans.”

World Cup-bound play ers had to be freed from club duties from Monday. The first game of the tour nament is between host Qatar and Ecuador on Sunday.

How a team prepares during those few days

before group play begins largely depends on when its first game takes place, with the first set of matches spread over five days.

The squads of Brazil and Serbia have the longest preparation time, for exam ple, given the countries meet in the last of the four games on Nov. 24.

Lars Lagerback has coached at three World Cups for two nations — with his native Sweden in 2002 and 2006 and with Nigeria in 2010 — and said his priority would be “rehab” in the few days the squad is together before its opening game.

“You can’t do much train ing,” Lagerback told the

AP in a telephone inter view. “I think it’s going to benefit the national teams with coaches who have organized the team for a long time and where every body knows how to play.

“If you have been with a team for at least one or two years, they have an idea and a philosophy of how they want to play. I don’t think having a friendly match or not is really important.”

Some countries simply have no time for a friendly, with FIFA saying teams must arrive in the host country at least five days before their first game and cannot organize a warmup match in that time.

The countries start ing later have a choice. While World Cup cham pion France has no friendly planned before its opener against Australia on Nov.

22, Argentina — also in group action that day — is scheduled to play the United Arab Emirates in a warmup match on Wednes day. Spain has a friendly arranged against Jordan on Thursday, when Portugal has one against Nigeria.

Wales is one of the teams who will not play a friendly and Strudwick doesn’t see that as a disadvantage.

“We can build fitness and match rhythm and tempo in in-house games, where we can control what players do,” he said. “You can’t have that control in a friendly. And if we were to put a friendly game in there, while only having a week’s preparation, it means you lose training days.”

What’s clear is that teams, whether they play a

warmup or not, are unlikely to be up to full speed for their first games, given the shortened buildup com pared to a typical June-July World Cup. That might play into the hands of the weaker nations, and per haps lead to some shocks early in the tournament.

Soccer author Jonathan Wilson noted there were only nine goals in the first eight group games of the African Cup of Nations this year, after the majority of teams only met up a week before the tournament started.

“A lot of teams will go into their first game think ing, ‘We’re not really prepared, so let’s play safety-first and keep it tight, not lose and be under pressure straightaway,’” said Wilson, who wrote “Inverting The Pyramid: The History of Football Tactics.”

“Once teams have been together a bit longer, the attacking mechanisms begin to click to an extent — with the caveat that with international football, they are never as slick as they are at club level.”

Before that, coaches simply have to cross their fingers and hope their play ers have come through their final club games before the World Cup unscathed. They will be nervous times.

“You are hoping your stronger players, the ones you want available, are in that ‘moment,’ as Pep Guardiola says,” Strudwick said. “And we can’t manu facture that. We are heavily reliant on the clubs.”

SHOWN, from left to right, are head coach Valentino Knowles, boxer Milton Newbold, federation president Vincent Strachan and boxers Keano Cox and Tyrone Humes before they leave town with the rest of the national team this week.

HEAD coach Hajime Moriyasu walks on the pitch during a training session of Japan’s national soccer team in Dues seldorf, Germany, prior to a friendly match against the USA on September 22. (AP)

US HOLDS OFF COLOMBIA IN WORLD CUP QUALIFYING, FRANCE WINS

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer

USA Basketball’s magic number for clinching a World Cup berth is down to one. Langston Gallo way and David Stockton each scored 23 points, and moved the Americans to the brink of earning a spot in next year’s World Cup with an 88-81 win over Colombia last night.

The Americans improved to 8-2 in qualifying, with two games left — those coming in February, both on the road. There are multiple ways the U.S. can clinch its spot in the 32-team World Cup field, the simplest of them being a win against either Uruguay on February 23 or Brazil on February 26.

It’s also possible the U.S. clinches Monday night, depending on the outcome of a late Brazil-Mexico game. “This is really about the character of your guys,” U.S. coach Jim Boylen said. “And we’ve got a highcharacter group, guys that care.”

The World Cup will be held in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia next summer.

Colombia gave the U.S. a bit of a scare, closing within seven early in the fourth quarter and missing a shot that would have cut the deficit to five. That’s when Galloway took over.

He scored the next 10 points for the U.S., a pair of 3-pointers coming in that run, to answer every challenge from Colombia. Stockton made a 3-pointer with 4:09 left for an 80-67 lead, and the Americans would escape. “I didn’t want to let my team lose,” Gallo way said. “I didn’t want to let everybody down. I knew it was important, wearing this USA on the front my chest and wearing my name on the back.”

Adebayo scores 30 points as Heat rally past Suns 113-112

MIAMI (AP) — Bam Adebayo scored 30 points, including a pair of free throws to put Miami up for good with 35 seconds left, and the Heat rallied from a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat the Phoenix Suns 113-112 last night.

Phoenix had three shots to win on its final posses sion — a missed layup by Cameron Payne, a jumper from Devin Booker that Jimmy Butler blocked, and then a 3-pointer from Booker that fell short.

Butler finished with 16 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists for Miami.

Caleb Martin and Kyle Lowry each scored 15 for Miami, which got back to .500 at 7-7.

Booker led Phoenix with 25 points, and Duane Washington Jr added 21. Deandre Ayton finished with 16 points and 12 rebounds for the Suns, who shot only four free throws compared to 25 for Miami.

CELTICS 126, THUNDER 122

BOSTON (AP) — Marcus Smart scored 20 of his 22 points in the second half, and Boston beat Oklahoma City for its sev enth straight win.

Boston trailed by 15 in the third quarter but out scored Oklahoma City 37-26 in the fourth.

Jayson Tatum had 27 points and 10 rebounds for the Celtics. Jaylen Brown scored 26, and Al Horford added 12 points and 11 rebounds.

Smart also had eight assists and five rebounds, and reserve Payton Pritchard added 10 points, leading a key surge late in the third and early in the fourth as the Celtics rallied.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexan der led the Thunder with 37 points.

Lu Dort scored 21 and Aleksej Pokusevski fin ished with 16 points and 14 rebounds.

HAWKS 121, BUCKS 106

MILWAUKEE (AP) — De’Andre Hunter scored 24 points and Trae Young had 21 points and nine assists, leading Atlanta over Milwaukee.

Clint Capela added 19 points and 10 rebounds as the Hawks won for the fifth time in seven games. Dejounte Murray also scored 19, and John Col lins had 16 points and nine boards.

Giannis Antetok ounmpo, who missed the previous two games and three of the past four with left knee soreness, scored

27 points in 31 minutes. The Bucks have lost three of four after a 9-0 start.

It was the third meet ing between the teams in 16 days. MarJon Beau champ had 20 points for the Bucks, who dropped to 7-1 at home.

RAPTORS 115, PISTONS 111

DETROIT (AP) — Dalano Banton scored 27 points and Chris Boucher added 20 as short-handed Toronto snapped a threegame losing streak with a victory over Detroit.

O.G. Anunoby added 19 points and seven rebounds for the Raptors, who

played without Fred Van Vleet (non-COVID-19 illness), Pascal Siakam (abdominal strain) and Gary Trent (hip). Rookie guard Jaden Ivey scored 21 for the Pis tons, who lost their fourth straight.

Bojan Bogdanovic added 18 points.

HORNETS 112, MAGIC 105

ORLANDO, Florida (AP) — LaMelo Ball had 17 points and nine assists, and Charlotte stopped an eight-game slide by beat ing Orlando.

Seven players scored in double figures for the Hornets, including their entire starting lineup.

Mason Plumlee had 18 points and 10 rebounds.

Terry Rozier scored 17, and Kelly Oubre Jr. had 16.

Franz Wagner scored 23 points and Wendell Carter Jr. added 20 for Orlando, but the Magic committed 22 turnovers.

Ball, who missed the Hornets’ 113-93 loss at Orlando last month because of a sprained ankle, played in only his second game of the season after missing the first 13.

CLIPPERS 122, ROCKETS 106

HOUSTON (AP) — Paul George scored 22 points in three quarters to lead Los Angeles past Houston.

George, who also had eight rebounds and five assists, spent the fourth quarter on the bench with the game in hand as Clippers coach Tyronn Lue didn’t play his start ers in the final period on the front end of a back-to-back.

Jalen Green scored 25 points and Kevin Porter Jr. added 20 for the Rock ets, who dropped their third in a row.

Reggie Jackson had 17 points and six assists to help the Clippers win for the third time in four games.

EURO LEAGUE: JONQUEL JONES POSTS 2ND DOUBLE DOUBLE

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

JONQUEL Jones returned to FIBA Euro League play and immedi ately returned to her usual dominance.

Jones finished with 24 points, 19 rebounds, two steals and two blocks to lead CBK Mersin Yenise hir Bld to their first win of the 2022 Euro League cam paign with a 68-61 win over French club Basket Landes.

She has double dou bles in both Euro League appearances thus far for Mersin with 20 points and 10 rebounds in a 75-50 loss to Sopron on November 2. Jones highlighted a season of high-priced acqui sitions that initially vaulted Mersin to no.3 in the FIBA Euro League power rank ings, however, they fell to no.6 in the latest edition after a pair of losses.

Mersin will host Hungary DVTK Therm on Novem ber 16 in Mersin, Turkey.

In Turkey’s Herbalife Nutrition Women’s Bas ketball Super League, Jones has led Mersin to a 5-1 record averaging 15.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game.

In last night’s 91-68 loss to Nesibe, Jones finished with 15 points and six rebounds in just 14 minutes.

In 11 Euro League games last season with Russian powerhouse UMMC Eka terinburg, Jones averaged a team-leading 17.1 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.1 blocks per game.

The Foxes were favoured to repeat as Euro League champions for the seventh consecutive year and had an undefeated 4-0 record before the campaign ended abruptly due to the Rus sian-Ukranian conflict.

BLTA REPRESENTS AT ITF CONFERENCE, AGM IN GLASGLOW

BAHAMAS Lawn Tennis Association (BLTA) President Perry Newton and vice-president Chilean Burrows are attending the 2022 International Tennis Federation (ITF) Confer ence and Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Glas glow, Scotland.

Some of the initiatives of the ITF that are being pre sented are:

- To be open and welcom ing to everyone, embracing new forms of the sport - To be open to evolution and the challenge to think differently - To be inclusive and creative

The ITF focus areas include investment, devel opment of the sport, Billie Jean Cup and Davis Cup participation, fostering

partnerships and promot ing opportunities that will ensure tennis is inclusive for all. Relative to the Opportunities platform the ITF’s “Advantage All” pro gramme spearheaded by ITF Vice President Katrina Adams, provides opportu nities for talented women to serve tennis nationally, regionally and internation ally. “One of the highlights at the ITF AGM is digital strategies that will enhance tennis efficiency, productiv ity and growth,” Newton said. “The digitalization features that are of particu lar interest for the BLTA include promotion of the online ITF Academy, utili zation of the World Tennis Number (WTN) as well as the tournament manage ment software.”

Newton noted that the BLTA fully supports the Advantage All programme that seeks to provide equal opportunities for women in tennis. “It was a pleasure to see Billie Jean King (BJK) in attendance at the BJK Cup finals, a pioneer of women’s rights in the field of tennis,” Newton said. Burrows said she also supports the Advantage All programme. “The pro gramme’s purpose is to get more women and girls involved in the sport by strengthening the junior tennis initiative (JTI) pro gramme,” she said. “The conference is going well and President Haggerty is doing a marvelous job and it is good to see a return to a full physical conference and AGM this year.”

being invisible in soci ety,” he said. “We have to use Paris 2024 as a powerful tool to change our rights.”

Organisers said they didn’t want to choose an animal or other creature, like mascots at previous Games, but instead wanted something that represented an “ideal.” They said they chose the cap as an “alle gory of freedom.”

The choice to use the Phrygian cap for the Paris Games seems to draw out links between modern France and the ancient world. “The Phrygian cap embodies the ability we all have together when we collectively decide to rise up to strive for better,” Paris organising commit tee brand director Julie Matikhine said.

The two mascots will be dubbed “Les Phryges,” pronounced something like “freezh.”

Jeremiasz, who is French, guessed that his English wife might mispronounce

it, but added, “at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter ... it will be sexy to have people from all over the world to try to pronounce it their own way.”

Merchandise goes on sale starting today. They’ll use fabric developed in

11, 2024, and the Paralympics from August 28 to September 8.

the French region of Brit tany, but the toys and other products will primarily be manufactured in China.

The Paris Olympics will be held from July 26 to August

MASCOTS of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, right, and Para lympics Games, a Phrygian cap, pose during a preview in Saint Denis, outside Paris, on November 10, 2022.

(AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

PRESIDENT Newton and Vice President Burrows with the ITF President David Haggerty, ITF Vice President Katrina Adems and Cotecc (Confederation of Tennis of Central American and the Carib bean) President Persio Maldonado along with other regional federation presidents and executives.

MIAMI Heat centre Bam Adebayo (13) reacts after scoring during the second half against the Phoenix Suns last night in Miami.

(AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Shaunae doesn’t make Athlete of the Year list

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

With the voting pro cedure closed on October 31, Baha mian quarter-miler Shaunae Miller-Uibo fell short of making the list for the final five for the World Athletics’ Women’s Athlete of the Year.

World Athletics revealed yes terday the names of the five finalists as the countdown to the World Athletics Awards 2022 continues.

The winners will be revealed on World Athletics’ social media platforms in early December.

The five athletes remaining on the list represent five countries from three area associations and they have achieved sensational performances across a range of athletics disciplines in 2022.

They competed at the World Athletics Championships Oregon22, World Athletics Indoor Championships Belgrade

LIGHTBOURNE AND DAMES LEAD KCKCC TO UPSET OVER NO.19 PIRATES

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

THE Kansas Community College Blue Devils have opened the season with one of the most difficult sched ules in all of junior college basketball and got their first upset win over a ranked team led by its talented Bahamian duo.

Bradley Lightbourne scored 24 and Joshua Dames scored 23 to lead the Blue Devils to an 87-83 win over the no.19 ranked North Central Mis souri College Pirates in the KCKCC Classic.

Lightbourne shot 9-15 from the field, 2-3 from three-point range and made an impact on both ends of the floor with six rebounds,

22, one-day meeting circuits and other events around the world.

In October, Miller-Uibo was originally placed in the top 10 after she produced a triple crown at the World Athletics’ Indoor and Outdoor Championships and the NACAC.

For the 28-year-old MillerUibo, it was a culmination of events this season that she had either never competed in before or had previously fell short of winning that she is now able to post on her résumé.

She returned to the World Indoor Championships for some unfinished business when she claimed her first gold medal in the 400m in 50.31 seconds in Belgrade, Serbia on March 19 to improve on the bronze she achieved in her initial appearance in Sopot, Poland, in 2014.

She accomplished another first at the first World Championships to be held in the United States in Eugene, Oregon, on July 22 to snatch her first gold in 49.11 –adding to a pair of silver medals

SHAUNAE MILLER-UIBO

and a fourth place in the 400 and a bronze and fourth in the 200 in four previous championships from 2013. And to top off her year, Miller-Uibo came home, albeit in Grand Bahama, for her successful

debut at the North American, Central American and Caribbean Championships (NACAC) with a meet record breaking perfor mance of 49.40 on August 20.

The finalists are (in alphabetical order):

- Tobi Amusan is Nigeria’s world 100m hurdles champion, Diamond League, Common wealth and African 100m hurdles champion who broke the world record in a time of 12.12 seconds.

- Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is Jamaica’s World 100m champion, claiming a fifth gold medal in the event, Diamond League 100m champion and runner of a worldleading 10.62 among her record seven sub-10.70 100m races of the season.

- Kimberly Garcia won Peru’s first ever World Athletics Cham pionships 20K walk medal and was the world 35km race walk champion in a South American record to complete a race walk double and World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships 20km bronze medallist.

- Sydney McLaughlin is Amer ica’s world 400m hurdles and 4x400m champion, who broke the world 400m hurdles record with 51.41 at the US Championships and further improved the world record to 50.68 to win the world title.

- Yulimar Rojas is Venezuela’s world indoor and outdoor triple jump champion and Diamond League triple jump champion, who improved her world record to 15.74m in Belgrade.

A three-way voting process determined the finalists with the World Athletics Council and the World Athletics Family casting their votes by email.

And the fans logged their decisions online via the World Athletics social media platforms where a record 1.3 million votes were registered.

The World Athletics Council’s vote counted for 50 percent of the result, while the World Athlet ics Family’s votes and the public votes each counted for 25 percent of the final result.

BAHAMAS GOLDEN JUBILEE GAMES OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED

Valentino Knowles will serve as the new president for one year

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

AFTER being dor mant for quite a while, the New Providence Boxing Association has been reestablished with national boxing coach Valentino Knowles being appointed as the new president by the Bahamas Boxing Federation.

President Vincent Stra chan revealed that Knowles will serve for an interim term of one year and he and his executive team, that will be announced shortly, will be looked at as the “flag ship association” for all boxing associations in the country.

“I’m looking forward to great things from Mr Knowles, who is very enthusiastic and energetic

and ensuring that boxing moves to the next level,” Strachan said.

“I am delighted once again to appoint him to head this organisation for the next year.”

Knowles, one of the country’s most decorated amateur boxers turned coach of the After Shock Boxing Club, said he’s grateful for the appoint ment and the confidence that both former federation president Wellington Miller and Strachan has confided in him.

“Right now, the associa tion has been in shambles. What I intend to do is start in house,” he said. “I want to start with bringing all of the clubs together because we need to stop all of the bickering and arguing and bring all of the clubs together.”

The last person to serve as president of the asso ciation was Lavan Hinsey, who has since moved on to become an executive of the federation. As the new president, Knowles said they are adopting a simple mission statement that will be encompassed of all involved in boxing in New Providence.

“Our goal, as the New Providence Boxing Asso ciation, is to serve the needs of the New Provi dence boxing community, ensuring that they are being considered and com munications between the Bahamas Boxing Federa tion and the association are met in conjunction with the AIBA constitution,” he summed up.

Knowles said his execu tive team will be introduced to the public immediately

after he returns from Florida where he will be travelling this week with the federation’s 10-member team that is participating in the Sugar Bert Boxing Championships this week end in Kissimmee, Florida.

PARIS 2024 OLYMPICS, PARALYMPICS MASCOT IS A SMILING HAT

By MASHA MACPHERSON and THOMAS ADAMSON Associated Press

PARIS (AP) — The mascots for the 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympics have been revealed — a Phrygian cap.

The soft red cap, also known as a liberty cap, is an updated version of a conical hat worn in antiquity in places such as Persia, the Balkans, Thrace, Dacia and Phry gia, a place in modern day Turkey where the name originates.

It later became a symbol of the pursuit of liberty in the French Revolution — and is still worn by the figure of Marianne, the

national personification of France since that time.

The Olympic cap is triangular in shape, and comes complete with friendly smile, blue eyes, tricolor ribbon and big coloured sneakers.

The Paralympic ver sion features a prosthetic leg that goes to the knee — the first time such a mascot sports a visible dis ability, organisers said.

Michael Jeremiasz, gold medallist in wheelchair tennis at the 2008 Bei jing Paralympics, said the prosthesis sends an inclu sive message to disabled people around the world.

“That’s the key for us, because we suffer from

THE Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture officially launched the Bahamas Golden Jubilee Games at Baha Mar on Saturday night. The sixth edition of the games is set for July 7-11 in New Providence and will be back after the last one was held 22 years ago in 2001. SEE MORE PHOTOS ON PAGE 12

Photo: Eric Rose/BIS

VALENTINO KNOWLES