11172020 BUSINESS AND FEATURES

business@tribunemedia.net

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2020

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ROBERT SANDS

Baha Mar ‘unsure what caused’ halt in benefit payouts By NEIL HARTNELL AND YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporters A SENIOR Baha Mar executive was last night “unsure what caused” the delay in resort employees receiving their unemployment benefit but said the situation had been resolved at one of its properties. Robert Sands, Baha Mar’s senior vice-president of external and government affairs, told Tribune Business that “the Melia situation has been resolved” with the National Insurance Board (NIB) advancing the $100 per week benefit to the resort so it can be distributed to eligible furloughed employees. He added that the Cable Beach mega resort had also supplied a list of furloughed employees at its Grand Hyatt, SLS and Rosewoodbranded hotels to NIB some two weeks ago, and was working with the government and its agencies to resolve the matter. “We’ve finalised the list to the government,” Mr Sands said. “We continue to work with them on the Baha Mar side, and have forwarded the list to the government so we’re waiting on the outcome of that. “We’re trying to determine what the problem is. We’re not certain what caused it. It’s unfortunate that it got to this particular point, but we’re working to resolve it. It’s fair to say the government is in possession of our list. It’s been in for a couple of weeks.” One Melia Nassau Beach resort employees spoken to Tribune Business last night said they had yet to be notified that their $100 per week benefit had been sent or was in their bank account. “They aren’t saying anything to the employees,” they added. Mr Sands spoke out after Brensil Rolle, minister with responsibility for the public service and National Insurance, told Tribune Business that the Baha Mar had failed to supply the government with a list of still-furloughed employees at its Grand Hyatt, SLS and Rosewood brands as well as the Melia Nassau Beach resort.

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DPM targets ‘missing COVID puzzle piece’ By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

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HE deputy prime minister yesterday pledged that the government’s upcoming Fiscal Strategy Report will seek to provide “the missing piece of the puzzle” to its COVID-19 economic recovery plan. K Peter Turnquest acknowledged to Tribune Business that the Minnis administration needed to “communicate a more detailed” strategy to the Bahamian people - especially how it would deal with the immediate short-term consequences if the tourism industry failed to fire as expected. Agreeing that there needed to be “more flesh” on near-term economic plans, Mr Turnquest said the report - which was due to be tabled in the House of Assembly tomorrow but has been delayed - will seek to fill in the gaps and provide a comprehensive strategy on the way forward. “I think it’s true to say that we have not communicated to the public as detailed a plan as they

• Concedes recovery strategy needs ‘more flesh’ • Says short-term alternatives to tourism missing • Again rejects new and/or increased taxes move

K PETER TURNQUEST might want and need,” he told this newspaper, “but, at the same time, we’ve been working with the Economic Recovery Committee to determine a strategy for the way forward. “I think the piece missing, if I were to criticise our efforts, is the immediate short-term piece: What do we do if tourism does not turnaround as we anticipate? What do we do in the interim while we wait?” Mr Turnquest said the recently-unveiled $5m grant funding partnership,

announced between the Small Business Development Centre (SBDC) and Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources, to boost production among farming and fisheries entrepreneurs was one component of the government’s short-term recovery plan. He identified another as the so-called “Blue Economy”, which involves maximising economic growth and environmental sustainability through controlled exploitation of this nation’s marine industry, and is the focus of the InterAmerican Development Bank’s (IDB) recent $200m loan to the government. “There are other pieces to that puzzle that need more flesh and to be communicated to the Bahamian people,” Mr Turnquest added: “That will hopefully address the short to medium term. That may be the part that needs more flesh to satisfy persons looking for that road map.”

AN Abaco resort manager yesterday warned the government it will “add insult to injury” if it fails to extend the Hurricane Dorian tax breaks that are due to expire at year-end 2020. Molly McIntosh, the Bluff House Beach Resort and Marina’s general manager, told Tribune Business the government needed to see a six-month to one-year extension of the Special Economic Recovery Zone benefits as an “investment” that would ultimately more than pay for itself by creating a stronger Abaco economy and therefore more revenues for the Public Treasury long-term. She revealed that residents and businesses are “are all going nuts” as they desperately race to

He said the Ministry of Finance “is working as we speak” on finalising the Fiscal Strategy Report, which sets out the government’s fiscal and economic projections. The deputy prime minister said the delayed tabling reflected the fact he is presently out of the country as well as the need “to wrap up consultation on various pieces of it”. The governmentappointed Economic Recovery Committee’s report largely focused on medium to long-term objectives, as opposed to the short-term. While many observers argue that The Bahamas’ tourism dependence means it has little choice but to hope for a strong, swift rebound in this sector, the committee’s near-term focus was largely on approving all feasible investment projects still in the pipeline.

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‘Worrying’ growth in uninsured accidents By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net BAHAMAS First’s top executive yesterday revealed that COVID-19 restrictions have produced a “noticeable” drop in motor vehicle claims despite a “worrying” increase in uninsured driver accidents. Patrick Ward, the BISXlisted property and casualty insurer’s top underwriter, told Tribune Business that despite the overall decline in such payouts there had been a marked uptick in accidents involving drivers who lacked the proper coverage. Suggesting this was at least partially due to the pandemic’s impact on jobs and incomes, as well as negligence by owners when it come to letting others use their vehicles, Mr Ward said innocent victims were frequently being left with no recourse when it came to financing repairs to their cars and/or medical bills.

• Insurer sees rise in drivers with no coverage • But COVID causes ‘noticeable’ drop in claims • ‘Pushing’ to finish Dorian payouts by year-end

PATRICK WARD “It’s quite a noticeable difference in the frequency of claims,” Mr Ward told this newspaper, as Bahamas First unveiled its financial results for the nine months to end-September 2020. “We have less claims reported than would typically be the case for that period of time simply because there are less vehicles on the road.”

The insurer, in its message to shareholders, said the falloff had been “brought about by driving restrictions in response to the pandemic”. Lockdowns and curfews, together with the tourism industry’s closure and that of other businesses, and more staff working remotely from home, have all reduced the number of vehicles on New Providence’s overcrowded streets. While Mr Ward produced no figures for the decline in vehicle accident claims, he was quick to add: “One worrying concern is that even though that’s the case, we’ve seen quite a number of accidents where the other party does not have insurance either because coverage has expired or the driver is not

Don’t ‘add insult to injury’ over Dorian’s tax breaks By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

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• Abaco resort manager says extension an ‘investment’ • Says residents ‘all going nuts’ to beat concession end • DPM ‘comfortable’ vehicles will be taxed from year-end order essential home/office appliances, furnitures and fixtures within the remaining six weeks before the import duty and VAT exemptions expire, with many unlikely to obtain what they need before that deadline. Ms McIntosh explained that manufacturing delays and backlogs in the US, resulting from the COVID19 pandemic, meant increased waiting times pushing the arrival of goods that Abaconians require to outfit their homes and businesses back into 2021. Adding her voice to those of Ken Hutton, the Abaco Chamber of Commerce’s president, and Roscoe Thompson, the Marsh

Harbour/Spring City Council’s head, she pleaded with the Minnis administration to give the island more “to get back on its feet” given that Dorian-related reconstruction has been delayed by eight months of COVID19 related restrictions and lockdowns. Disclosing a letter she plans to send to both the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Tourism, she told this newspaper: “We are all going nuts here in Abaco right now trying to purchase things we need to open or to get back in our homes for the New Year. Many people are finding it impossible to order and get things in before the end of the year.

“Due to COVID-19 restrictions and business closings and slow downs in the US and worldwide, manufacturing has been impacted and there are longer than normal waiting times for items to be shipped. If the duty and VAT exemptions could be extended for even six months it would help businesses, as well as home owners and renters, be able to start to get back to normal and operational in order to welcome tourists back to the area. “We are asking the government to look at extending the exemptions, and to see it as

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covered under that particular policy. “We’ve seen a bit of an uptick in the number of those cases in recent times. Unfortunately, there are people driving who are not covered or drivers who are not covered by the policy attached to that particular vehicle.” Mr Ward said he was unable to provide figures for the number of such accidents, or the level of increase, adding: “There’s no benchmark. It’s a little bit more anecdotal in the sense that we’ve seen such accidents coming up more regularly than they normally would. “It’s a concern for the insurance industry, but even

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$3.95 Water Corp debt to major supplier slashed to $15m By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE Water & Sewerage Corporation managed to cut the debt owed to its main BISX-listed supplier by $3.3m in October after making zero progress during then first nine months of 2020. Consolidated Water, the operator of the two New Providence reverse osmosis plants that supply the water consumed by the stateowned utility’s customers, last night revealed that the debt owed to it had been cut to $15.1m at end-October 2020. Its corporate filings with the US Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC), disclosing its third quarter results, revealed that at end-September the sum owed by the Water & Sewerage Corporation was the same as it had started the year with -$18.4m. Consolidated Water also revealed that more than three-quarters of the sum owed to it was “delinquent”, meaning it is 90 days or more past due, with the $3.1m arrears reduction in October likely to have been paid on the Corporation’s behalf by the government using taxpayer monies. “Consolidated Water (Bahamas) accounts receivable balances (which include accrued interest) due from the Water and Sewerage Corporation of The Bahamas amounted to $18.4m as of September 30, 2020, and $18.4m as of December 31, 2019,” the company’s filings stated. “Approximately 77 percent of the September 30, 2020, accounts receivable balance was delinquent as of that date. The delay in collecting these accounts receivable has adversely impacted the liquidity of this subsidiary. As of October 31, 2020, Consolidated Water (Bahamas) accounts receivable from the Water & Sewerage Corporation totalled approximately $15.1m.” Consolidated Water added: “We believe the delays we have experienced in collecting Consolidated Water (Bahamas) receivables were extended due to the impact of Hurricane Dorian, which devastated the northern Bahamas in September 2019, and the severe economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on The Bahamas government’s revenue sources. “If Consolidated Water (Bahamas) continues to be unable to collect a

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Retailers forecast a bleak Christmas By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net RETAILERS yesterday forecast a bleak Christmas after recently-removed curb-side restrictions further dampened sales expectations amid the COVID-19 pandemic’s economic fall-out. Jack Moree, owner/ operator of Sandy’s department store, told Tribune Business: “We’re going to have a pre-Thanksgiving sale. Last week is the first week we’ve been open in a month. We can’t do that sidewalk thing, that’s not going to work. You know, you come here, you want a pair of pants. What are

you going to do? You can’t come in, so I’ve got to bring ten different pants for you to have a look at. “It’s not worth it [to have been open] To turn it on, the air conditioning costs us about $10,000 a month. So we’re going to turn it on for what? And we have to pay for staff. It’s not worth it and everybody is finding it like that. Those who tried it got burnt, so we just didn’t do it. Mr Moree said Sandy’s would have been ready for Christmas season despite the month-long curb-side restrictions because “we don’t wait for the last minute or anything; we have our stock”.

He added, though: “We we’re kind of screwed with back to school, because there was nothing hardly this year and we still have all our school stuff. So only thing is we don’t have to order for next year. “We’re jammed in that way, and we can’t order anything else right now because it’s not going to be worth it. It’s too late. Too late. It’s too late to get Christmas stuff in. It takes time. We’ve got a lot of stuff so we’re not going out of stock because this is no Mickey Mouse operation.” Keva Gotlieb, general manager of the Sports Centre at Sandy Port, added: “This is the second

week that we’ve been open. Thank goodness for that. Because the sidewalk sale definitely was not working for anyone.” She said it was “too early to tell” if her company had opened in time to save the Christmas season, adding that she was unsure when other industries will reopen and employees be back to work full-time. Ms Gotlieb said: “Luckily for us here at this location we’ve got a lot of persons with disposable income, you know, the expatriates. But overall, this year is going to be a tough Christmas. “Our business is mainly locals, and our biggest customer base is in Atlantis

and Baha Mar. All of those workers, they’re not working. So it’s better than where we were with the curb-side, but we still aren’t on an upswing as yet.” Anticipating a bleaker than normal Christmas, Ms Gotlieb predicted that even when the major hotels do re-open “those people are just going to be making money to pay bills, because I’m sure they’d be behind on more important expenses than choosing sportswear”. Taiisha Forbes, interim manager at Modernistic Gardens and Pet Supply, said: “This is the second time back up again fully, but this is really a slow

season right now anyway. Usually we’re getting all of our orders in for Christmas. Normally around this time people just went back to school and stuff like that, so we should be picking up in around the end of the month.” Ms Forbes said the company would have had to start terminating staff if curb-side restrictions had remained in place any longer, adding: “We’re in the middle of getting our stock right now, so the stores will be stocked and everything. We’re continuing with the same volume we normally get every year around this month.”

BTC launches Xmas campaign Water Corp debt to major THE Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) yesterday launched its seven-week “All I want for Christmas is” campaign featuring special offers on all its products and services. BTC’s chief executive, Garry Sinclair, said: “Tis’ the season to be jolly. We’re looking forward to ending 2020 with a bang. Christmas is always our largest trading season of the year. Our product and marketing teams have been working very hard behind the scenes to deliver what I believe are a variety of attractive and compelling offers with every single customer in mind. “We are laser-focused on the connected home and customising solutions to meet the ever-evolving needs of each household. This year, the word normal has been turned on its head entirely. With so many people working from home and students attending school virtually, we’ve thought about every possible scenario to keep our customers connected for the holidays and beyond, and we’re inviting you to take advantage of these special offers to improve your

supplier slashed to $15m FROM PAGE ONE

services right where you are, right now.” BTC said that instead of its traditional Black Friday event, it will spread the savings out through the festive season through “Blue Fridays” that begin this week and last until December 18. It promised pre-paid and post-paid smart phone savings for customers. It added that all retail stores will be open during the holiday season, but warned this could change depending on the government’s emergency orders. “We are continuing to exercise all safety precautions with our customers and team members in mind,” BTC said. “Customers are reminded to wear a face mask. All

customers will be required to have their temperature checked and to sanitise their hands before entering the retail stores. Social distancing markers are placed throughout the store and there will be a limited number of customers in store at a time. Store hours will vary by location.” BTC said its virtual stores will be open from 8am to 8pm, Monday through Saturday. Customers can purchase devices, sign up for mobile and fixed plans, pay bills, top-up and take advantage of Blue Friday offers from the comfort of their homes. Concierge and curb-side services will be available for delivery or pick-up options nationwide.

significant portion of its delinquent accounts receivable, one or more of the following events may occur. Consolidated Water (Bahamas) may not have sufficient liquidity to meet its obligations; we may be required to cease the recognition of revenue on Consolidated Water (Bahamas) water supply agreements with the Water and Sewerage Corporation; and we may be required to provide an allowance for doubtful accounts for Consolidated Water (Bahamas) accounts receivable.”

Consolidated Water said none of these events had ever occurred before, as all previous delinquent debts had been paid after payment plans were developed with the government. The company added that it had “sufficient spare parts and consumables inventories to continue normal operations for the remainder of 2020 and into 2021” in The Bahamas. The latest debt revelations come after Adrian Gibson, the Water & Sewerage Corporation executive chairman, recently revealed that it owed more than $30m to vendors and suppliers as

at end-August 2020. A significant chunk of that will likely have been the debt owed to Consolidated Water. They also occur just after another reverse osmosis plant supplier, Aqua Design in central Eleuthera, shut off the water supplied to the Water & Sewerage Corporation’s customers due to a payment dispute over a much smaller amount owed by the state-owned utility. Consolidated Water’s filings thus further highlight the financial hardship inflicted on the Water & Sewerage Corporation by Dorian and COVID-19.

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PAGE 4, Tuesday, November 17, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

‘Worrying’ growth in uninsured accidents FROM PAGE ONE more of a concern for the public. There’s cases where persons have insured themselves fully with comprehensive coverage, so there will be a mechanism for recovery, but if you don’t have an adequate amount of insurance to protect you, you are left on your own to recover from the wrongful party or have no recovery

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because that party is unable to pay.” Mr Ward said he suspected that the economic hardship inflicted by COVID-19, especially the soaring unemployment rate and loss of incomes, was partly responsible for the seeming increase in uninsured drivers. He added that it was “either a case where the funds are not available” to renew motor vehicle insurance “or people being less than prudent about how they allow their vehicles to be used”. In the latter case, Bahamian property and casualty insurers typically seek to limit their liability exposure by inserting “authorised driver” clauses into the policy contract. This restricts insurance coverage to a certain number of persons who are “authorised” to drive the said vehicle. However, many Bahamian vehicle owners are either unaware or forget that such clauses apply. As a result, they either let family members or friends not included among the “authorised drivers” have the keys to their vehicle, while employers do similar with their employees. In both cases they expose themselves and other road users to potentially significant loss and hardship. Bahamas First’s results for the nine months to end-September, meanwhile, showed the benefit of not having to deal with the nine-figure claims produced by a Hurricane Dorian-strength storm. Mr Ward said the impact was “significant” even allowing for COVID-19, as the carrier enjoyed a $11.346m bottom line turnaround

through $6.842m in profits compared to last year’s $4.505m loss. Alison Treco, Bahamas First’s chair, said gross written premiums has shrugged off the pandemic’s impact to post a minor 0.3 percent year-over-year increase, standing at $124.98m for the nine months to endSeptember 2020 despite the pressures imposed on corporate and individual clients by the virus. “There was a small decrease in premiums in The Bahamas, which was offset by an increase in Cayman,” Ms Treco wrote. “The loss of premiums in The Bahamas as a result of Hurricane Dorian and COVID-19 was offset by property rate increases, and the additional business generated by construction activity following Hurricane Dorian. “It is evident that the balance of 2020 will continue to see restrictions on business operations in order to combat the spread of the virus, which will continue to have a negative impact on the economy.” Mr Ward said he was “slightly surprised but, when you think about it, not entirely shocked” that Bahamas First’s premium income had held up under COVID-19’s assault. Fresh memories of Hurricane Dorian’s devastation had likely prompted many homeowners to ensure they remain covered, he added, while banks and other lenders with outstanding mortgages will also take steps to protect their security. Some 97 percent of Dorian-related claims were said to have been settled as

at end-September 2020, and Mr Ward said the underwriter was driving to settle the remaining ones by yearend. “There are just a few claims left. Typically the more complicated claims are the last to go,” he explained. “Our objective was to be done with them by now, but we’re making a big push to get all those claims resolved by the end of the year. In all these cases we’ve made offers to settle the claims, so it’s up to the client to negotiate directly or their representative to conclude these discussions.” Ms Treco, meanwhile, confirmed the value of Bahamas First’s investment holdings had been hit with COVID-19’s economic fallout producing an unrealised $2.3m loss on these assets for 2020 to-date. “To summarise the group’s financial performance over the three quarters to September 30, 2020, premiums have remained steady while claims saw a sharp decrease,” she wrote. “Total other expenses for the year to date were slightly higher than last year by 2.7 percent. The leading factor contributing to this was the cost of conversion of reinsurance payments received in relation to Hurricane Dorian. “As the pandemic lingers, we continue to face the economic hardships that come as a result of governmentmandated restrictions and the curtailment of economic activity. Ultimately, this will present challenges to premium collection and has already adversely impacted our equity investments.”

ELEUTHERA COVID OUTBREAK GIVES GOVT FEW ALTERNATIVES FROM PAGE THREE of policemen and agents here who are really pushing the buttons hard. But when you have young guys who hang out on the corner and share a bottle for three or four hours, and then go home, they are bound to take something else with them in addition to the headache.” Eleuthera is currently subject to a daily curfew and weekend lockdowns. During the week, from Monday to Friday, a daily curfew is in effect from 6pm

to 5am on the island. Commercial activity will only continue during non-curfew hours. Victor Russell, owner/ operator of Smart Roofing, said: “Actually, I think the competent authority [Prime Minister’s Office] was pretty good for construction. As a contractor I was very happy that he let us work. We’re not even coming in contact with any customers, me particularly, because I’m on the roof and I know what’s needed for the circumstances we’re under.” Franklyn Johnson, owner/operator of Franklyn Johnson Construction, said: “It depends on which area you are staying in. I live on the mainland in north

Eleuthera. It is a little different after work hours, but you are allowed to go to work as usual. “I know a lot of people get off at 5pm in the evening, and if you live across the bridge - as some people have to drive from James Cistern, Hatchet Bay and Gregory Town to go to work in some of the areas like Harbour Island - it makes it a little difficult to get back home in time. “The travel is the greatest part of it. For a lot of those people that own small businesses like little take-away restaurants, it is difficult for them because they have to close completely, and they just recently started to reopen and engage in some type of profitable business.”

NOTICE NEWFIELD CHINA LDC

__________________________ Creditors having debts or claims against the above-named Company are required to send particulars thereof to the undersigned c/o P.O. Box N-624, Nassau, Bahamas on or before 4th day of December, A.D., 2020. In default there of they will be excluded from the benefit of any distribution made by the Liquidator. Dated the 16th day of November, A.D., 2020.

Kirvy Ferguson Liquidator 253 Shirley Street Nassau Bahamas

Legal Notice NOTICE MAGNOLIA INVESTMENTS FUND IC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN as follows: (a)

MAGNOLIA INVESTMENTS FUND IC is in dissolution under the provisions of the Investment Condominium Act, 2014

(b)

The dissolution of the said Company commenced on the 12th day of November, 2020 when its Notice of Dissolution were submitted to and registered by the Registrar General.

(c)

The Liquidator of the said Company is Shareece Scott,Deltec Bank & Trust Limited, Deltec House, Lyford Cay, P.O. Box N-3229, Nassau, Bahamas.

Shareece Scott Liquidator

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, November 17, 2020, PAGE 5

Don’t ‘add insult to injury’ over Dorian’s tax breaks FROM PAGE ONE an investment to ensure Abaco gets back more quickly and starts providing revenue back to the government. Abaco really needs this or it will cost the government far more than what they will get by starting VAT and duty back too early. COVID-19 restrictions here and abroad have really slowed the progress.” The Economic Recovery Zones, implemented in late 2019 in Dorian’s aftermath, provide businesses and homeowners in stormravaged Abaco and Grand Bahama with a variety of tax breaks and concessions. VAT, import duty and excise tax has been eliminated on construction materials and all other physical goods sold and brought into the zones, while discounts have also been provided on real property tax and other real estate-related taxes provided certain conditions are met. The government also removed VAT from construction services, and has already extended the zones’ life once beyond their initial end-June expiry to year-end 2020. And the tax exemptions related to building materials, as well as the elimination of VAT on construction services, do not expire until end-June 2021 to coincide with the close of the fiscal year. K Peter Turnquest, deputy prime minister and minister of finance, told Tribune Business last night that the only tax breaks expiring at year-end in the zones’ relate to furniture/ appliances and vehicles. “On those elements I’m fairly comfortable saying the vehicles will not be extended,” he said. “The furniture and furnishings we will have a look at in terms of how we see the building programme for the next six months, and make some determinations about that.” Reiterating that the zones’ tax breaks were “not intended to be longterm”, Mr Turnquest said of their expiry: “This is one way to tackle the revenue shortfall without increasing taxes.” The deputy prime minister said the zones, and their tax breaks, were created to enable persons without insurance coverage to rebuild their homes and livelihoods, while also stimulating construction and other economic activities.

Acknowledging that COVID-19 may have impacted the pace of rebuilding, he added that the government may also have to revisit the tax breaks and other incentives granted if reconstruction had not been stimulated as intended. Ms McIntosh, meanwhile, said homeowners and businesses had to wait to bring in appliances and furniture while they restored their roofs and physical properties. “Now, if they go out to buy it, they can’t get it for six to eight weeks, so they will not get them in in time to get under the duty and VAT exemption,” she explained. “It’s hurting progress and people think it’s unfair. “We’re just hoping that if the government extends it for six months, if they look at it as an investment, the effect will trickle down, everybody will get their stuff coming in, and there will be more money circulating. Right now it’s a trickle, and there are more people with their hand out looking for help than money coming in. “I know the government needs money. I know there are more people in Nassau that need help. I understand it, but if they think about it and look at it from all points of view, they would make a better decision.” Ms McIntosh emphasised that her pleas were not intended to benefit herself and the Bluff House Beach Resort alone, as she was still able to enjoy duty-free exemptions on all imported resort materials via the Hotels Encouragement Act. “I can bring in beds that I ordered, but they’re not going to be in until January because of manufacturing delays in the US,” she added. “We need other businesses to be open. We all need each other in Abaco. Our guests love going to the restaurants and bars. If they can’t get open it’s going to be hard for my business. “The benefits of extending the exemptions would be that it will enable Abaco to get back on its feet, get people back in here and the government will make money. If they start charging taxes now it’s going to hurt a lot of people, especially Bahamians who have not been able to get their homes rebuilt. “In the long run that would greatly reduce the amount of money coming from Abaco. In the shortterm it might bring them

in more money, but in the long-term it’s going to hurt.” Ms McIntosh shared the letter she plans to send to government agencies, which argued that the various COVID-19 lockdowns, curfews and other restrictions had muted the impact of the Special Economic Recovery Zones and their tax breaks. “Abaco people are resilient, hard working and tenacious but we are suffering. Adding duty and VAT now will just add insult to injury. Give us a chance to rebuild,” she urged. “People are finally betting back home to Abaco, have their roofs back on their homes, made some progress toward getting businesses and individuals up to speed, or at least are on track to get there. “Still, many people have not been able to get electricity turned back on or water running inside their homes. This is real. Can you imagine no power or running water for 14 months? We can imagine. We live it, but yet we are still striving, sacrificing and working.” Making the case for the exemptions to be extended, Ms McIntosh added: “This would be an investment, and would pave the avenue toward the strong contributions that a rebuilt and successful Abaco will bring the country’s economy and, maybe even as important, to the country’s reputation as a leader in providing the best tourism experience..... “Invest in Abaco, not so much by giving us funds but by not taking funds out of Abaco. Hold off on taxation on items needed to rebuild and refurbish. Abaco has what people have been, and will certainly be, looking for in these days and times when people want to be able to stay distant but still enjoy unending beauty and top quality amenities.”

PAGE 6, Tuesday, November 17, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

DPM targets ‘missing COVID puzzle piece’ FROM PAGE ONE

Mr Turnquest, meanwhile, conceded that it will take time for The Bahamas to reverse the trend of successive credit rating downgrades by Standard & Poor’s (S&P) and Moody’s given that the government’s finances are only likely to return to the previously-set

fiscal consolidation path in 2026-2027. “I think the reality is it’s going to take a little while for us to roll this back,” he told Tribune Business after S&P pushed The Bahamas’ sovereign creditworthiness further into so-called “junk” status. “We’ve got to figure out how to grow GDP in the short-term without too much of a tax burden

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because the reality is that the cost of borrowing has gone up, which is another burden. “We’re projecting 20262027 for us to get back on the fiscal path where we were before Dorian. That’s where we are. That’s the reality.” Mr Turnquest also acknowledged that a further external shock, such as another major hurricane following so swiftly behind Dorian and COVID-19, would have been “a game changer” for The Bahamas’ economic and fiscal prospects.

“We’ve had everything crossed for this season,” he added. “If we had any significant or minor damage at this stage it could certainly have been a game changer.” With the 2020 hurricane season having two weeks to run, Mr Turnquest said The Bahamas’ vulnerability to climate change and storms something it has no control over - factor prominently in rating agency assessments of its creditworthiness. “We live in hurricane alley,” he said. “The fact is that risk is largely not able to be mitigated. When you

talk about building resilience to climate change it’s much easier said than done. Retrofitting existing structures for higher winds or storm surge, the cost of doing so is just not feasible.” As a result, Mr Turnquest said The Bahamas had to focus on what it can control, citing fiscal management and prudence as the key priorities. While S&P had suggested that the government will have to look at revenueraising measures, such as new and/or increased taxes, to counter the debt

Baha Mar ‘unsure what caused’ halt in benefit payouts

Darrin Woods, the Bahamas Hotel, Catering and Allied Workers Union’s (BHCAWU) president, yesterday told Tribune Business that he had pressed for his members’ at the Melia to receive priority attention because - unlike their Baha Mar counterparts - they were not being paid 30 percent of their salary while on furlough. Mr Rolle had told this newspaper NIB and the government had netted off this 30 percent payment against the unemployment benefits they were due, effectively paying the difference, and Mr Woods said this was where the problem had occurred. “Apparently what was happening is because Baha Mar is saying that for employee salaries, government or NIB wants to be able to deduct whatever their employees received from their assistance payments,” he said. “We don’t represent Baha Mar; the Melia is attached to Baha Mar. The Melia isn’t paying their employees anything, so you have Melia caught in the middle of his wrangling between the government and the property. So what we tried to do is see if we could get Melia back out of the equation so they can be paid, because they’re not receiving any payments from the hotel.” Mr Woods added: “What we are saying is take the Melia out of the equation so the Melia employees can be paid because they’re not receiving any payments from their employer now. Melia is under Baha Mar. Baha Mar is paying their employees

FROM PAGE ONE He explained that the government required this information, which is requested from all other hotels and employers with still temporarily laid-off staff, so that the National Insurance Board (NIB) which is administering the now-taxpayer funded benefits - can verify that each worker’s status has remained unchanged. Explaining that this was done “to cover our backs”, and ensure the government’s scarce resources were directed to those most in need, instead of unemployment benefits going to persons who had gone back to work, Mr Rolle said he was “puzzled” by Baha Mar’s failure to send its employee list. Mr Rolle said the Cable Beach-based mega resort had always co-operated in supplying the names of furloughed employees up until the point that benefits were cut to $100 a few weeks ago. And Mr Sands, too, indicated he was puzzled by the delayed benefit payments given that these had never occurred whenever Baha Mar had previously submitted its lists.

MARKET REPORT

DARRIN WOODS some 30 percent of their salary. “What NIB is saying is send us a listing of your employees who you’re paying so we can verify and cross reference it because we want to deduct from the unemployment benefit or a government extension what you would have paid them. “Baha Mar is saying that’s not fair to the employees because we’re giving them a benefit, and what you’re doing for them should not be tied to the benefit that we’re giving them by way of payment. Melia is not receiving that same benefit. They’re getting nothing,” the union chief continued. “But no one has been paid because the names have not been submitted property-wide. Now what we’re trying to do is say if the company isn’t paying the Melia employees, take them out of the equation so NIB could pay them and you can stop the wrangling with the people who are getting paid. It might sound selfish but let’s deal with some and then you can deal with the rest.”

www.bisxbahamas.com

MONDAY, 16 NOVEMBER 2020

BISX ALL SHARE INDEX:

and deficit blow-out produced by COVID-19, the deputy prime minister again rejected this action. “I don’t think that is the answer, quite frankly,” he told this newspaper. “If you have an economy that is already burdened, and will have difficulties growing, taxation is only going to exacerbate that problem. The answer is to provide the right kind of stimulus, and have more economic activity going and generate more tax revenue from additional sources.”

CLOSE

CHANGE

2088.49

6.05

%CHANGE

YTD

YTD%

0.29 -143.11

-6.41

(242) 323-2330 (242) 323-2320

BISX LISTED & TRADED SECURITIES 52WK HI 4.05 24.40 2.00 1.79 2.46 6.00 6.75 4.50 8.59 4.50 6.16 12.77 3.64 6.25 10.88 8.44 16.99 4.25 9.26 15.21

52WK LOW 3.13 22.65 0.67 1.62 1.67 5.00 5.92 2.70 4.75 3.50 5.60 11.06 2.10 3.85 9.60 7.50 13.04 3.20 8.15 13.90

PREFERENCE SHARES 1.00

1.00

1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00

1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00

1.00 10.00 1.00

1.00 10.00 0.90

SECURITY AML Foods Limited APD Limited Benchmark Bahamas First Holdings Limited Bank of Bahamas Bahamas Property Fund Bahamas Waste Cable Bahamas Commonwealth Brewery Commonwealth Bank Colina Holdings CIBC FirstCaribbean Bank Consolidated Water BDRs Doctor's Hospital Emera Incorporated Famguard RF Bank & Trust Limited Focol Finco J. S. Johnson

SYMBOL AML APD BBL BFH BOB BPF BWL CAB CBB CBL CHL CIB CWCB DHS EMAB FAM FBB FCL FIN JSJ

Bahamas First Holdings Preference Cable Bahamas Series 6 Cable Bahamas Series 8 Cable Bahamas Series 9 Cable Bahamas Series 10 Colina Holdings Class A RF Bank & Trust Limited Class A Focol Class B

BFHP CAB6 CAB8 CAB9 CAB10 CHLA FBBA FCLB

CORPORATE DEBT - (percentage pricing) 52WK HI 100.00 100.00

52WK LOW 100.00 100.00

115.92 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 102.00

104.79 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

52WK HI 2.36 4.43 2.13 198.39 176.73 1.69 1.85 1.77 1.24 8.34 10.26 7.08 12.15 12.71 10.81 10.00 8.98 11.79

52WK LOW 2.11 3.30 1.68 164.74 116.70 1.64 1.79 1.73 1.06 6.41 7.62 5.66 8.65 10.54 9.57 9.88 8.45 11.20

SECURITY RF Bank Note 22 (Series B) + Bahamas First Holdings Limited

SYMBOL FBB22 BFHB

BAHAMAS GOVERNMENT STOCK - (percentage pricing)

MUTUAL FUNDS

MARKET TERMS

Bahamas Note 6.95 (2029) BGS: 2014-12-7Y BGS: 2015-1-7Y BGS: 2014-12-30Y BGS: 2015-1-30Y BGS: 2015-6-7Y BGS: 2015-6-30Y BGS: 2015-10-7Y

BAH29 BG0107 BG0207 BG0130 BG0230 BG0307 BG0330 BG0407

LAST CLOSE 4.05 23.61 1.62 1.78 1.67 5.00 6.75 2.99 4.75 3.65 5.99 11.26 2.24 6.22 10.35 8.44 14.30 3.94 8.30 15.20

CLOSE 4.05 23.61 1.62 1.79 1.67 5.50 6.75 2.99 4.75 3.64 5.99 11.26 2.36 6.22 10.38 8.44 14.30 3.94 8.85 15.20

CHANGE 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.50 0.00 0.00 0.00 (0.01) 0.00 0.00 0.12 0.00 0.03 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.55 0.00

1.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1.00 10.00 1.00

1.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1.00 10.00 1.00

LAST SALE 100.00 100.00

CLOSE 100.00 100.00

CHANGE 0.00 0.00

107.31 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

107.31 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

VOLUME

25,000 1,000

10,000

1,000

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 VOLUME

FUND CFAL Bond Fund CFAL Balanced Fund CFAL Money Market Fund CFAL Global Bond Fund CFAL Global Equity Fund Leno Preferred Income Fund Leno Growth Fund Leno Diversified Fund Leno Global USD Bond Fund Royal Fidelity Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Secured Balanced Fund Royal Fidelity Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Targeted Equity Fund Royal Fidelity Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Prime Income Fund Royal Fidelity Int'l Fund - Equities Sub Fund Royal Fidelity Int'l Fund - High Yield Fund Royal Fidelity Int'l Fund - Alternative Strategies Fund Colonial Bahamas Fund Class D Colonial Bahamas Fund Class E Colonial Bahamas Fund Class F

BISX ALL SHARE INDEX - 19 Dec 02 = 1,000.00

EPS$ 0.239 0.932 0.000 0.000 0.070 1.760 0.369 -0.438 0.140 0.184 0.449 0.722 0.102 0.467 0.646 0.728 0.816 0.203 0.939 0.631

NAV 2.36 4.43 2.13 198.36 173.98 1.68 1.81 1.76 1.07 8.30 9.90 7.08 11.27 12.71 10.23 N/A 9.28 11.86

DIV$ 0.170 1.260 0.020 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.260 0.000 0.000 0.120 0.220 0.720 0.434 0.060 0.328 0.240 0.540 0.120 0.200 0.610 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

P/E 16.9 25.3 N/M N/M N/M N/M 18.3 -6.8 33.9 19.8 13.3 15.6 23.1 13.3 16.1 11.6 17.5 19.4 9.4 24.1

YIELD 4.20% 5.34% 1.23% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 3.85% 0.00% 0.00% 3.30% 3.67% 6.39% 18.39% 0.96% 3.16% 2.84% 3.78% 3.05% 2.26% 4.01%

0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 6.25% 7.00% 6.50%

INTEREST Prime + 1.75% 6.25%

MATURITY 19-Oct-2022 30-Sep-2025

6.95% 4.50% 4.50% 6.25% 6.25% 4.50% 6.25% 4.25%

20-Nov-2029 15-Dec-2021 30-Jul-2022 15-Dec-2044 30-Jul-2045 26-Jun-2022 26-Jun-2045 15-Oct-2022

YTD% 12 MTH% 3.35% 4.31% 1.56% 3.12% 1.84% 2.51% 1.65% 2.39% 4.34% 9.82% 1.10% 2.34% -2.43% 1.49% 0.34% 2.43% -11.07% -9.92% -0.45% 8.36% -3.20% 11.46% 2.10% 5.15% -6.17% 3.54% 2.92% 5.55% -4.66% -3.81% N/A N/A -0.50% 3.70% -3.80% 4.10%

NAV Date 30-Sep-2020 30-Sep-2020 25-Sep-2020 30-Sep-2020 30-Sep-2020 31-Jul-2020 31-Jul-2020 31-Jul-2020 31-Jul-2020 31-May-2020 31-May-2020 31-May-2020 31-May-2020 31-May-2020 31-May-2020 30-Sep-2020 30-Sep-2020 30-Sep-2020

YIELD - last 12 month dividends divided by closing price

52wk-Hi - Highest closing price in last 52 weeks

Bid $ - Buying price of Colina and Fidelity

52wk-Low - Lowest closing price in last 52 weeks

Ask $ - Selling price of Colina and fidelity

Previous Close - Previous day's weighted price for daily volume

Last Price - Last traded over-the-counter price

Today's Close - Current day's weighted price for daily volume

Weekly Vol. - Trading volume of the prior week

Change - Change in closing price from day to day

EPS $ - A company's reported earnings per share for the last 12 mths

Daily Vol. - Number of total shares traded today

NAV - Net Asset Value

DIV $ - Dividends per share paid in the last 12 months

N/M - Not Meaningful

P/E - Closing price divided by the last 12 month earnings

NOTICE AML Foods Limited wishes to apologize for the adjournment of our Annual Shareholders’ Meeting on November 12, 2020 and any inconvenience caused. No business was transacted during the meeting and we have set a new meeting date for December 10th 2020 at 10am. As a result of an administrative oversight, notice of the meeting was not published in a daily local newspaper as required by the BISX rules and regulations. Our Company believes in transparency, and we appreciate that there are shareholders who rely on notices in the newspaper. Given this, we decided to immediately adjourn the November 12, 2020 meeting to allow all shareholders the opportunity to [virtually] attend. A separate notice for the new meeting date will be published. Again, our apologies for the inconvenience caused

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE International Business Companies Act (No. 46 of 2000)

CAMBRIA INC. Registration Number: 82861 B

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 138 (8) of the International Business Companies Act, 2000 notice is hereby given that CAMBRIA INC., has been dissolved and has been struck off the Register of Companies with effect from the 8th day of October, 2020.

________________________________

TO TRADE CALL: CFAL 242-502-7010 | ROYALFIDELITY 242-356-7764 | CAROLISLE 242-502-7525 | LENO 242-396-3225 | BENCHMARK 242-326-7333

GSO Corporate Services Ltd. Liquidator

PAGE 8, Tuesday, November 17, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

BODY AND MIND

Bahamians both cautious and optimistic about potential COVID vaccine By CARA HUNT Tribune Features Writer cbrennen@tribunemedia.net With two major pharmaceutical companies announcing significant progress in a potential COVID19 vaccine, Tribune Health asked Bahamians how comfortable they would feel taking an early version of the drug. Yesterday, Moderna announced that its COVID-19 vaccine is proving highly effective in a major trial. The company said its vaccine appears to be 94.5 per cent effective, according to preliminary data from Moderna’s ongoing study. A week ago, competitor Pfizer Inc announced its own vaccine appeared similarly effective — news that puts both companies on track to seek permission within weeks for emergency use in the US. The results are “truly striking,” said Dr Anthony Fauci, the US government’s top infectious diseases expert. Earlier this year, Dr Fauci said he would be happy with a COVID-19 vaccine that was 60 per cent effective. Around the world, life as we know it has been put on pause while medical researchers scramble for a vaccine. Here in the Bahamas, many welcome the news of a potential light at the end of the long pandemic tunnel. “This is great news,” said Marie, “I am so happy to know that we are at least a bit closer to ending this COVID-19 nightmare. I wish we could do test runs here. I don’t buy into all the conspiracy theories. These vaccines have immense quality control each step of the way and so I am sure that when they say it is ready for humans, it will be safe. I think a vaccine is the

“I believe in vaccinations, I do. I was vaccinated, and I vaccinated my children, but I am bit fearful that they are racing to say it’s ready because they want to be able to get things opened again.”

only way we will be able to even begin to have some semblance of a normal life. I don’t think it will eliminate COVID all together, but it will at least slow down the rate of the spread so bring it on.” While Dee agrees that it is good news, she is concerned about how fast it seems to have come about. “I believe in vaccinations, I do. I was vaccinated, and I vaccinated my children, but I am bit fearful that they are racing to say it’s ready because they want to be able to get things opened again. I don’t want the cure to be worse than the disease. So even if it is available here, I don’t want to be in that first set trying to get it. Let some time pass, I don’t think I will feel safe until they have had time to see how people react for at least another year.” Priscilla agreed. “I think our focus should not be on the vaccination, but on learning to live with COVID-19, like social distancing and mask wearing and smaller gatherings,” she said. “The reason I say that is because I feel like the science needs time. We need to get COVID under a control a bit more. I think people just think that the vaccine will be the miracle thing and be 100 percent effective, and so they will throw common sense out the window. But we still need to be careful.” Leslie said she is very sceptical of a vaccine. “All you hear is that vaccines need so many years to be be created and be safe. Now after what, eight months, all of a sudden they have a vaccine for it and it safe? No ma’am, you won’t be using me as no guinea pig. I wish they would all get together to work on cancer like they did this COVID,” she said.

A new hope for diabetics

Mini clinics to offer ‘affordable, accessible’ assistance for foot problems By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Reporter acadet@tribunemedia.net UNDER the theme “New Hope For the Diabetic Foot”, The Foot and Ankle International team recently hosted its third annual conference geared towards solving painful and dangerous problem many Bahamian face. “People in the Caribbean are being assaulted by diabetes. Our people are being overrun by diabetes, and if there is no good news, you cannot mount a defence. In the last 50 years there has been no major change, no major breakthrough in the treatment of the diabetic foot. Here in our little country we have been privileged to find the latest breakthrough,” said Dr Daniel Johnson, founder of Foot And Ankle International. With two new initiatives, Project LEAP and Foot Care RX, Dr Johnson said the first represents the power of prevention. “In medical school the abbreviation on the medical chart in the hospital is LEA: Persons scheduled for a lower extremity amputation. It can be viewed as something being taken away, so I said, let’s add something to it. People are less frightened when you add something to it and I made the decision to add a ‘P’ and the ‘P’ represents prevention. So we started practicing what we now call the ‘Power of Prevention’. It’s not taking the chance that you may survive, it’s trying to make

sure you don’t get into trouble. So what does that do? It improves people’s outlook on life,” said Dr Johnson. Meanwhile, Foot Care RX is an initiative that is set to launch various mini clinics which are intended to meet the demands of diabetic patients by providing affordable access to quality patient-centre care. World Diabetes Day was observed last Saturday and Dr Johnson’s recent virtual conference highlighted topics and speakers that included: the Impact of COVID-19 on the Diabetic Foot by Dr Keva Thompson; Flow to the Toe by Dr Delton Farquharson; To Debride or Not to Debride by Dr Shanika Hill; Diabetic Foot Infections by Dr Monique Mitchell; Salon Pedicure

Safety by Donnae Smith-Ross; Foot Care at Home by Christal Woodside; Exercises for Fit Feet by Dr Kitiboni Rolle-Adderley; Food for Healthy Feet by Shandera Smith, and Beating Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy and the Advantage of Minimal Invasive Surgery for Diabetic Foot by Dr Johnson himself. “Our big announcement is that we have cracked the code on the power of prevention. We now know that 90 percent of amputations are preventable. We are calling attention to the fact that the health of Caribbean people are being assaulted by diabetes and high blood pressure. New hope means we have taken a specific focus to something that is such a complication as diabetes such as amputation. Amputation

of a lower limb is a life-changing, often life-ending experience,” he said. “In the 21st century, in small nations, we have to be able to get these problems under control. The formula that we use is three easy steps: awareness, access, and action.” He said with the innovation of the Foot Care RX mini clinics, Foot And Ankle International have now taken the experience and the expertise and packaged it in a safe, affordable, accessible, fast formula where anybody at any time can call, can walk in and walk out with the innovation and assistance they need. “What does that mean? It means that for the first time in a long time we have put advanced triage and treatment in one setting, one time and in one space. And the results have proven to be an enormous success. So we believe that people can look forward to feeling hopeful when they have a diabetic complication. We think people who should feel hopeful when someone says you have a diabetic foot ulcer, we think people should feel hopeful when someone says, ‘You have neuropathy’, because our conference will prove what new hope means: that these conditions are treatable, preventable and reversible,” said Dr Johnson. Foot and Ankle International plans to also reach the Family Islands and the country’s Caribbean neighbours who are suffering the same fate in regards

to diabetes. And they have to make sure that they follow up with people in need. “So for people who cannot afford these advanced treatments, we are packaging programmes where people from the Diabetic Association, people from the International Diabetic Foundation may donate the staff time, the theatre time and the equipment necessary so that we can find the doctors who will do these procedures for free. And we began last week,” said Dr Johnson. On Friday, November 13, Dr Johnson said they planned and scheduled five major procedures on a diabetic foot, free of charge. All of the equipment, the theatre time, and the nursing time will be paid for by donations from the Podiatric Medical Association. Foot and Ankle International, located on Dean’s Lane atop Fort Charlotte, and at its newest location in the Grosvenor Medical Plaza, Shirley Street, is designed as a one-stop shop for common foot disorders. The team’s vision, according to Dr Johnson, is to solve the problem of lack of mobility within the human race. It’s core mission is to give worldclass diagnostic treatment and training, with a goal therefore to make the Bahamas the number one destination for podiatric medical and surgical treatment in the world. This includes the most innovative research and development projects, hence its international scope.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, November 17, 2020, PAGE 9

Curing prostate cancer by freezing it Cryotherapy - also referred to as cryoablation or cryosurgery - uses freezing gas to destroy prostate cancer cells, while leaving the prostate gland intact. The term cryotherapy is misleading as it is not a form of surgery. Cryotherapy was US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved for prostate cancer treatment in the year 2000. It has been used in the past 20 years as an effective, minimally invasive management option for prostate cancer.

How does cryotherapy destroy prostate cancer? Living tissue and cells of the body and prostate cannot tolerate extremely cold temperatures. Nitrogen or argon gas infused

into the prostate gland rapidly extracts heat from the prostate gland. Ice crystals are formed as the heat is drawn out of the prostate gland, which causes rupture of the prostate cancer cells and cell death. Following death of the prostate cancer cells, white blood cells clean up the dead cells and the body’s immune system attacks and destroys any remaining prostate cancer cells. There are two types of cryotherapy: Whole prostate cryotherapy that treats the whole prostate gland, this includes the prostate cancer cells and the healthy prostate tissue. Focal cryotherapy only treats the prostate tissue that involves the prostate cancer, thus less healthy prostate tissue is

THE UROLOGY DOCTOR IS IN...

Dr Greggory Pinto

frozen when compared to whole prostate cryotherapy. Cryotherapy is an excellent treatment for men with localised prostate cancer, cases where the prostate cancer has only extended out of one side of the prostate gland or in the case of a prostate cancer recurrence after radiation therapy. Men with very large prostate glands are not very good candidates for cryotherapy but these patients may have their prostate glands reduced in size by

hormonal therapy then receive cryotherapy. The occurrence of stress urinary incontinence with cryotherapy is generally much less than with other prostate cancer treatments such as radiation therapy or surgical removal of the prostate. The cryotherapy prostate cancer treatment is minimally invasive and incision free. It is performed as an outpatient procedure or sometimes involves an overnight hospital stay. A patient found to be a suitable candidate for cryotherapy prostate cancer treatment will receive general or spinal anesthesia. The urologist will use image guidance to place six to eight tiny needles through the skin in the perineum and into the prostate gland. Argon gas cools the needles within the prostate, which freezes the prostate tissue and kills the prostate cancer cells. Cryotherapy is less invasive than even the da Vinci robot assisted or laparoscopic prostate cancer removal surgery, so there is a shorter hospital stay, quicker recovery, it is less painful and there is less possible blood loss. Cryotherapy like all prostate cancer management options have possible side effects such as impaired erectile function, bladder and bowel dysfunction, blood in the urine and acutely painful

urination. Focal cryotherapy generally has less side effects than whole prostate gland cryotherapy. The key to prostate cancer cure is always early detection. Ensure early detection by getting a prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood test annually starting at the age of 40. Cryotherapy is one of many prostate cancer treatment options, including cancer removal surgery, radiation therapy, brachytherapy, high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), hormonal therapy and active surveillance. One in six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime, with men of African ancestry often having a more aggressive form of prostate cancer that occurs earlier in life than their other racial counterparts. Seek comprehensive, confidential and compassionate care for prostate cancer treatment and surveillance.

• Dr Greggory Pinto is a board certified Bahamian urologist and laparoscopic surgeon. He has trained in Germany, South Africa and France, and is a member of the European Association of Urology. He can be contacted at The Surgical Suite, Centreville Medical Centre, #68 Collins Avenue/Sixth Terrace; telephone: 326-1929.

Grand Bahama nurse and Nassau humanitarian awarded for heroic deeds Seven newborns, a shrinking food supply, and rising floodwaters in the Grand Bahama Rand Memorial Hospital during Hurricane Dorian quickly turned Nurse Nicole Morgan into what her colleagues describe as a timely hero. Months after this feat came COVID-19, a battle requiring the same tenacity and will to overcome. For exhibiting bravery and selflessness, both she and Sonia Rolle, an inner-city humanitarian in New Providence, have been named CIBC FirstCaribbean Unsung Frontline Heroes. The bank launched the initiative in August with the aim of identifying those unsung heroes who have shone brightest in the darkest moments of the COVID19 crisis with the help of the public. Out of the almost 90 nominations received from the Bahamas, Nurse Morgan and Mrs Rolle passed the initial screening and vied for the title amongst 39 other worthy nominees spanning Medical Personnel, Protective Services, and Community Hero award categories. Nurse Morgan was nominated for her leadership during Hurricane Dorian and unwavering efforts in the fight against COVID-19. “I worked through Matthew and other hurricanes but Dorian was not a regular storm. We started off in normalcy but things took a turn,” said Nurse Morgan. She and her colleagues had to escape from a compromised room through floodwater, sewage and debris-with seven crying babies - to a trailer attached to the

NURSE Nicole Morgan hospital because no upstairs or rafter options existed. At one particularly distressing point, Nurse Morgan had to hide to recoup and gather herself. She turned to prayer, and as she heard her associates calling her name, she wiped away her tears and reverted to being the strong leader amongst other healthcare workers. Now facing the coronavirus pandemic, Nurse Morgan said she and her colleagues are in smaller spaces doing their part but with added measures.

HUMANITARIAN Sonia Rolle “There’s nothing we can do about hurricane-damaged infrastructure, but we try to hold it together, practice social distancing and still maintain the medical standards that we were taught,” she said. Just as with Hurricane Dorian, Nurse Morgan said she still faces all the emotions expressed by others but has to keep her cool. “As we are shuffled around departments due to limited staff, there is a physical and emotional toll.” An example of this for Nurse Morgan is not being able to hail

her 76-year-old mother after work due to added caution. “It’s an intense time for nurses everywhere. You hear a lot of people say “that’s what you were trained for” but no, we weren’t trained for COVID-19 because we don’t know what COVID-19 is,” she said. The second winner, Sonia Rolle, became a familiar face to innercity communities numerous years ago and remains active during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although she remains nameless to the many who have benefitted from her outreach initiatives, her efforts have

been titled “a blessing” by residents in areas such as Bain Town, Kemp Road, and Nassau Village. As donated goods are received by individuals, Mrs Rolle drives around these communities handing out a variety of needed supplies. “I started doing it out of pocket but went on dialysis and had to pay for medication,” she said. From vegetables to clothing, she “pulls up to a scene of 10-20 children and distributes. One particular yard has about 30 children and they rush when they see me because they know I am bringing food,” Mrs. Rolle said. She added: “Everybody isn’t a part of the government feeding programme and some have not even been seen because they can’t register online and have access to the rapid packages.” As a regular, she knows who’s who and can account for their individual needs and do her best to meet them. “The joy of the Lord is my strength’ is my motto,” said Mrs Rolle. “What I am doing is for the honor and glory of God. Whatever you do in the dark, He will reveal in the light.” CIBC FirstCaribbean awarded both Nurse Nicole Morgan and Mrs Rolle with an e-cheque for US$2,000 toward a staycation at a local hotel of their choice. In the darkest moments of the COVID-19 crisis, these heroic women have made the fight against COVID-19 and its impact their daily mission. They have shone brightest despite circumstances that have made it difficult to do so.

PAGE 10, Tuesday, November 17, 2020

Vulnerable girls

THE TRIBUNE

How COVID-19 exacerbates their exploitation The socio-economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic has rendered a silent group – girls in conflict with the law – even more vulnerable to exploitation. According to psychologist Dr Valerie Knowles, society cannot afford to forget them, especially “parentified” girls who at the expense of their own childhoods have had to function as caretakers from an early age. “They feel the adult weight of the economic crisis given the role they play in their families. They become vulnerable to being exploited by unscrupulous persons who would demand or seduce inappropriate gifts in exchange for resources to help make ends meet,” said the 20-year practitioner of child and adolescent psychology. “Other stressors in the environment can set in motion a series of events that could eventually bring the girl child in conflict with the law. Society must stay on guard.” The coronavirus and its resulting economic fallout exacerbate the crisis of this category of girls who have always been marginalised in almost every area imaginable. Worldwide, said Dr Knowles, most female juveniles who find themselves in conflict with the law are in trouble for offences that are not criminal in nature. In many instances, she added, behaviour viewed as “criminal” for a female adolescent are considered “a rite of passage into adulthood” for male juveniles. “There are not many parents anywhere in the world who would bring their juvenile sons into contact with the law because they were in an inappropriate relationship with an older adult, or consumed alcohol, illegal drugs, used profanity to their annoyance,

or slept out with their friends without permission. The same is not true for girls,” said Dr Knowles. “The reality is, behind most inappropriately behaving girls is an inappropriately behaving adult. That adult could be a negligent parent, a predatory neighbor, stranger or family member, boyfriend, even adult financed entertainment that targets vulnerable youth.” Catastrophic experiences According to international research, girls in conflict with the law are usually unique in the many life challenges that they must deal with. They have experienced more prolonged patterns of family conflict, experimented with substance use, may have coped with repeated episodes of sexual and physical violence. Some girls living in high risk situations have not one, but several challenges to deal with at the same time: interrelated violence exposure, mental health problems, family violence, school failure, and poverty. “Sometimes these girls are carrying and managing challenges that many of the adult folk who scorn them are unable to imagine, much less survive. All of these factors interacting can present us with a frustrated girl child approaching life with anger and low frustration tolerance,” said Dr Knowles. She concedes however, that not all girls in conflict with the law are acting out in distress. There are some who have adapted or were taught some effective ‘bad’ habits for getting along in life. In the case of “parentified” girls, they have been functioning as adults all their young lives. Age restrictions make little sense to them. As such, there is no adult behaviours off limits to them.

“As we reach out to assist girls in conflict with the law, or those living in high risk volatile situations, we must ensure that our interventions do not criminalize, and or re-traumatize those girls who are victims of adult created conflict,” said Dr Knowles. “Quick labels of ‘fresh’, ‘hot’ and or ‘rude’ are counterproductive and feed the strategy of the predator. Misguided adults can make matters worse with their own inappropriate response to perceived ‘out of order’ behaviour.” Suggested measures According to Dr Knowles, there is a need to understand that behaviours change slowl. They disappear only when replaced with new thinking and new behaviours that the girls believe can work for them. Even though Bahamian government policies have been proactive to not criminalise juveniles in conflict with the law, this noted expert believes there is still work to be done when it comes to creating a framework that is systematic and professional in assessing and recogniaing and managing behaviours that in many cases could be cries for help. “Not all persons support giving positive specialised attention to girls in conflict with the law. For some persons, the solution lies in administering more slaps and beatings,” said Dr Knowles. However, studies show corporal punishment has little positive impact on someone who has become used to receiving indiscriminate insults and blows with fists, belts, wire, and all manner of things. It is what they know. According to Dr Knowles, sometimes the most powerful tool for adults is a display of respect

Five affordable anti-aging tips from a celebrity dermatologist (BPT) - With all the changes that have occurred this year, it’s not surprising that women everywhere have been reassessing their skincare routines. Spending more time at home has spurred a focus on overall skin health and rituals to smooth out lines and wrinkles - and they want convenient solutions that get the job done but don’t cost a fortune. A new poll from RoC Skincare and Poshly surveyed 1,000 beauty shoppers to understand if women have shifted skincare habits since the pandemic. Results showed that while 71 percent had to make changes to their budget, they still want to maintain an effective routine. Whether they are rethinking high-end anti-aging treatments, skipping in-office visits or simply being more conservative with spending, women are turning to

options found right in the drugstore aisle: one in four reported they have stopped getting injectables or professional skincare treatments and started using retinol and drugstore products. Fortunately, there are inexpensive practices and products out there like OTC retinol (a vitamin A derivative) that are effective at keeping skin looking bright, smooth and youthful, according to board-certified celebrity dermatologist Dr Anna Guanche. “While some of my best advice to my patients may seem simple,” Dr Guanche says, “it’s also all too easy to neglect the basics that really make a difference to protect and improve your skin.” Here Dr Guanche shares her top anti-aging tips that involve either no cost or affordable items found online and at your local store.

1. Go easy on the hot water Hot water can strip your skin of its natural oils, which can lead to dryness and the appearance of premature aging. Keep the water temperature from getting too hot (you can even set your water heater to a lower default temp). Pro tip: Apply moisturiser right out of the bath or shower, and immediately after washing your face. 2. Look to retinol at night Retinol is an anti-aging mainstay, and choosing one has never been easier because of the new Retinol Correxion Night Serum Capsules from RoC - the brand that discovered how to stabilise this superpower ingredient. one night. “What I love about these capsules is the instant gratification

for the girl as a young person caught up in a life that has gone amiss. “She will probably test you to see if the respect is for real. As you give respect, it will eventually come back to you. The more she accepts your respect, the easier it will be for her to genuinely return it to you and give it to herself. There needs to be PSYCHOLOGIST Dr Valerie Knowles the ability to see the diamond in the rough.” Others seek solutions in juvenile detention facilities which have their own inherent strengths and limits. A young lady is detained so that she can be removed from nega- “Can the results attained by tive peer pressure. Yet, she could incarcerating girls in conflict find herself locked down in a situ- with the law be achieved without ation where there is more intense, incarceration, for less money? Can more societal effort go into negative peer pressure. “Sometimes the negative peer strengthening resources and propressure can prohibit change. grammes that make and keep girl Within the powerful social group- children safer within their home ings that can develop in such environments, strengthening their settings, good behaviour could family resources, hunting down be punished by the more power- and calling out their predators? ful disordered girls, in a manner Should we be sponsoring more invisible to even the most vigilant intensive, professionally run day caretakers,” said Dr Knowles. “Some girls may have to develop programmes staffed by more stronger ‘out of order skills’ to trained professionals?” Dr Knowles said the Bahamas survive. They may end up being more disturbed than when they will only be able to safeguard all of its children when it has ferwere first admitted.” Society, she added, must ask reted out these truths and acted itself some pertinent questions: with haste upon the findings.

you get with overnight line smoothing benefits and how the results keep getting better overtime if you make them a regular part of your nighttime routine,” says Dr Guanche. “And even better, they are perfectly dosed, don’t irritate skin and a steal for the price.”

supplements containing vitamins such as C, E, D and K will help nourish your skin from the inside out. Eating foods rich in vitamins, like colourful vegetables and fruits, is also a vital - and delicious - way to “feed” your skin well.

3. Prioritise sleep While you’re letting your skin absorb a retinol, make sure you’re sleeping a good eight hours per night if possible. Keeping your room cooler and darker at night will help ensure you’ll not only fall asleep more easily, but stay asleep longer, for the rest your body and face need. Pro tip: Launder your bedding regularly, especially your pillowcases! That way you know you’re helping to keep your skin clean while you’re getting your beauty rest.

5. Limit sun exposure While getting a little vitamin D from sunshine is a good thing, too much time under UV rays can prematurely age your skin - and put your skin at risk. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends using a facial moisturizer or sunscreen containing at least 30 SPF for the best protection against sunburn and skin cancer. Pro tip: Keep sunscreen near the door or in your bag so you’ll remember to apply before going out. Sticking to these tips daily will make a big difference in how your skin looks and feels. Try a couple until they become habit, then try more. Your skin will thank you!

4. Stock up on vitamins “Keeping your skin looking and feeling its best is also a question of feeding it from within,” says Dr Guanche. Taking daily

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, November 17, 2020, PAGE 11

Iyeasha’s blooming adventure From pg B12 “People can also place (flowers) in a standout vase as an accent to the décor. Flowers are refreshing to look at and in my opinion flowers speak words that people can’t say,” said Iyeasha. In addition to making people’s homes look more attractive, she also wants them to smell better. She is planning to achieve this with her upcoming Blooming Candle Collection. Even when times are hard for small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs, Iyeasha said all you need is someone who believes in you and your ideas. “The mother is also a professional nail technician and owner of a local hair bonnet company. I always tell persons who want to start a business, it only takes one person to believe in you, and you start from there. All great things take time. You will have to fall and get back up again, but it all helps build your character,” she said.

THE WEATHER REPORT

5-Day Forecast

TODAY

ORLANDO

High: 76° F/24° C Low: 56° F/13° C

TAMPA

TONIGHT

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

Time of clouds and sun

Cloudy with a shower in spots

Some sun; windy with a shower

Windy with a shower

Strong winds gradually subsiding

A couple of showers possible; windy

High: 83°

Low: 74°

High: 81° Low: 72°

High: 80° Low: 73°

High: 82° Low: 74°

High: 83° Low: 73°

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

86° F

73° F

79°-68° F

80°-71° F

82°-73° F

86°-75° F

High: 78° F/26° C Low: 57° F/14° C

The exclusive AccuWeather RealFeel Temperature® is an index that combines the effects of temperature, wind, humidity, sunshine intensity, cloudiness, precipitation, pressure and elevation on the human body—everything that affects how warm or cold a person feels. Temperatures reflect the high and the low for the day.

N

almanac

E

W

ABACO

S

N

High: 79° F/26° C Low: 69° F/21° C

10-20 knots

S

WEST PALM BEACH High: 81° F/27° C Low: 70° F/21° C

7-14 knots

FT. LAUDERDALE E

W

FREEPORT

High: 82° F/28° C Low: 71° F/22° C

N

S

E

W

High: 80° F/27° C Low: 70° F/21° C

MIAMI

High: 82° F/28° C Low: 70° F/21° C

10-20 knots

KEY WEST

High: 81° F/27° C Low: 72° F/22° C

ELEUTHERA

NASSAU

High: 83° F/28° C Low: 74° F/23° C

Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2020

High: 83° F/28° C Low: 73° F/23° C

N

The higher the AccuWeather UV IndexTM number, the greater the need for eye and skin protection.

tiDes For nassau High Today

Ht.(ft.)

9:03 a.m. 9:25 p.m.

Low

Ht.(ft.)

3.7 2.8

2:39 a.m. -0.6 3:34 p.m. -0.3

Wednesday 9:55 a.m. 10:20 p.m.

3.5 2.6

3:31 a.m. -0.4 4:28 p.m. -0.1

Thursday

10:50 a.m. 11:19 p.m.

3.3 2.5

4:25 a.m. -0.1 5:25 p.m. 0.1

Friday

11:47 a.m. -----

3.1 -----

5:22 a.m. 6:23 p.m.

0.2 0.3

Saturday

12:20 a.m. 12:45 p.m.

2.4 2.9

6:24 a.m. 7:22 p.m.

0.5 0.4

Sunday

1:24 a.m. 1:45 p.m.

2.3 2.7

7:29 a.m. 8:19 p.m.

0.7 0.5

Monday

2:27 a.m. 2:42 p.m.

2.4 2.6

8:34 a.m. 9:12 p.m.

0.8 0.5

sun anD moon Sunrise Sunset

6:28 a.m. 5:21 p.m.

Moonrise Moonset

9:03 a.m. 7:50 p.m.

First

Full

Last

New

Nov. 21

Nov. 30

Dec. 7

Dec. 14

CAT ISLAND

E

W

High: 84° F/29° C Low: 74° F/23° C

N

S

E

W

10-20 knots

S

10-20 knots Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

Statistics are for Nassau through 1 p.m. yesterday Temperature High ................................................... 84° F/29° C Low .................................................... 77° F/25° C Normal high ....................................... 81° F/27° C Normal low ........................................ 70° F/21° C Last year’s high ................................. 81° F/27° C Last year’s low ................................... 73° F/23° C Precipitation As of 1 p.m. yesterday ................................. 0.00” Year to date ............................................... 66.31” Normal year to date ................................... 37.31”

uV inDex toDay

ANDROS

SAN SALVADOR

GREAT EXUMA

High: 85° F/29° C Low: 75° F/24° C

High: 84° F/29° C Low: 77° F/25° C

N

High: 83° F/28° C Low: 75° F/24° C

E

W S

LONG ISLAND

tracking map

High: 84° F/29° C Low: 76° F/24° C

8-16 knots

MAYAGUANA High: 83° F/28° C Low: 77° F/25° C

Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures

CROOKED ISLAND / ACKLINS

are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

RAGGED ISLAND High: 84° F/29° C Low: 77° F/25° C

High: 84° F/29° C Low: 77° F/25° C

GREAT INAGUA High: 85° F/29° C Low: 77° F/25° C

N

E

W

E

W

N

S

S

8-16 knots

8-16 knots

marine Forecast ABACO ANDROS CAT ISLAND CROOKED ISLAND ELEUTHERA FREEPORT GREAT EXUMA GREAT INAGUA LONG ISLAND MAYAGUANA NASSAU RAGGED ISLAND SAN SALVADOR

Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday:

WINDS NE at 7-14 Knots NE at 15-25 Knots NE at 10-20 Knots NE at 12-25 Knots NE at 8-16 Knots NE at 12-25 Knots ENE at 8-16 Knots NE at 10-20 Knots NE at 8-16 Knots NE at 12-25 Knots NNE at 10-20 Knots NE at 15-25 Knots NE at 10-20 Knots NE at 12-25 Knots E at 8-16 Knots NE at 10-20 Knots ENE at 8-16 Knots NE at 12-25 Knots ENE at 8-16 Knots NE at 10-20 Knots NE at 7-14 Knots NE at 15-25 Knots NE at 8-16 Knots NE at 12-25 Knots NE at 8-16 Knots NE at 12-25 Knots

WAVES 3-5 Feet 6-10 Feet 1-3 Feet 3-6 Feet 3-6 Feet 5-9 Feet 4-7 Feet 4-7 Feet 3-6 Feet 6-10 Feet 3-5 Feet 5-9 Feet 1-3 Feet 3-5 Feet 3-6 Feet 3-6 Feet 3-5 Feet 3-5 Feet 5-9 Feet 4-8 Feet 1-3 Feet 4-8 Feet 3-6 Feet 3-5 Feet 2-4 Feet 4-8 Feet

VISIBILITY 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 5 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 6 Miles 6 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 7 Miles 10 Miles 6 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 5 Miles 10 Miles 5 Miles 10 Miles 5 Miles

WATER TEMPS. 80° F 80° F 80° F 80° F 79° F 79° F 83° F 83° F 81° F 80° F 82° F 80° F 81° F 81° F 83° F 83° F 83° F 82° F 82° F 82° F 82° F 82° F 82° F 82° F 81° F 81° F

SECTION B

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2020

The limits of sisterhood By CARA HUNT Tribune Features Writer cbrennen@tribunemedia.net

Being the disadvantaged sex since the beginning of time, there has always been this notion that women should always support each other in a some sort of universal bond of sisterhood. Countless memes talk about how a real woman “straightens another’s crown” so that they can both shine, and former US Secretary of State Madeline Albright once proclaimed that there is a special place in hell for women who don’t support other women. But if women are totally honest with themselves they will admit that sometimes that generosity of spirit can be hard to offer up. Former “The Good Place” star Jameela Jamil was a recent guest on Jada Pinkett Smith’s popular “Red Table Talk” show on Facebook, where she owned up to the fact that in past she was a real misogynist, despite being a woman herself. “I was bullied at school by girls, and I didn’t always have great relationships with all of the women in my family. So I didn’t have a good vibe with women growing up,” she said. “I would speak disparagingly about women and think that women were just always in drama. I had all this rage, and I would project it at women — at the easiest, nearest target. “And so, there is documented proof of me slut-shaming loads of female celebrities,” she said in the extremely candid interview. The British actress said the fact that she was victim of abuse was also to blame for her behaviour. “I’m sexually assaulted. I’m too afraid to confront my rapist. And so, instead, I get angry at all women who sexualise themselves because I blame them for why men have always sexualised me since I was a child,” she said. “I’m like, ‘It’s your fault because you

“I was bullied at school by girls, and I didn’t always have great relationships with all of the women in my family.

make them think that they have permission to my body,’ whereas that was never the case. I was afraid, deep down, and that’s how I projected by pain.” It’s an emotion many Bahamian women can identify with.

“In the Bahamas, we have so many women who really do act horribly towards other women. They want to go after your man or talk badly about you to their friends. They criticise everything you do, from your appearance to your job performance, to how

you raise your kids, so yeah, sometimes it is hard to want to be decent in return,” saidTribune reader Gina. She added: “I know women who have said the most vile things about me; they don’t even know me, just because they have some

untrue perception of my life and who they think I am because of how I chose to spend my money or who I am married to.” Ceana admits that she is also probably “a bit of a slut shamer.” “I don’t have a lot of respect for women who knowingly are happy to be the sweetheart. I remember my uncle had a sweetheart for years; it destroyed my aunt. After their divorce he married her and she tried to have a relationship with me. But even though she was nice enough, I couldn’t get past the fact that she was in my mind just a loose woman. Why would you sleep with someone else’s husband and ruin a marriage? So yes, I judged her big time. And if you want me honest, I judge women who have indiscriminate sex with any and everyone. I just don’t like women who go from pillar to post like they a 24-hour grocery store.” Donna said that while it may be petty, there are women whose businesses she won’t patronise simply because her “spirit doesn’t take to them.” “I needed a lockdown birthday gift the other day and was recommended someone on Facebook. But this woman, I know, had beef with my sister a while back, so I was like, well my money ain’ going there.”

Iyeasha’s blooming adventure By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Reporter acadet@tribunemedia.net This year, thanks to a global pandemic, we have found ourselves spending more time in our homes than ever before. So it’s important that the space we now use for living, working, and in many cases, even teaching our children, is comfortable, welcoming, and yes, attractive. To help you make your home more attractive, or to celebrate special seasons and occasions while staying safe inside, Iyeasha Williams-Storr suggests bringing a bit of nature indoors by adding floral arrangements to the décor. Iyeasha, who is the daughter of famed Bahamian musician Ira Storr, just recently got into the florist business with her brand called The Bloomroom. “Our floral arrangements are in great demand as people are still finding it in them to celebrate special occasions this year. We aim to produce great work with our unique and contemporary style of floral work. We also intend to

never stop identifying with new floral inspiration and doing our best to bring it to fruition here in the country,” she told Tribune Woman. In addition to floral arrangements, Iyeasha said she hopes people find joy in decorating their homes with balloons, arches, centrepieces, garlands, and in the lead-up to the Yuletide season, with Christmas wreaths and other decorations. “As a wife and mother I take great pleasure in always doing what I can to be innovative and creative with my personal and business life. This year has been rough for many but it has been a blessing for me to still be able to put a smile on people’s face with my God-given talent and creativity. And even though I have a long way to go, I am extremely grateful,” she said. Using her own home as a template, Iyeasha said an example of decorating for the holiday season could be placing an eye-catching centrepiece in the entryway of residence or room.

IYEASHA Williams-Storr believes in the eloquence of flowers

See PG B11