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VOLUME:116 No.228, NOVEMBER 20TH, 2019

THE PEOPLE’S PAPER: $1

ALICIA WALLACE: TAKING TIME TO SEE WHAT WORKED

Why computers deal had to work Just $6m paid from 125,000 patients using our hospitals

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

TENS of millions of dollars have slipped through the fingers of the Public Health Authority after the failure of the contract to digitise patient information in The Bahamas.

In comparison with our Caribbean neighbours, we have been collecting a fraction of the costs we incur for treating local and foreign patients. The full scale of the damage to our health services is revealed in documents The Tribune has seen which show less than $6m was charged to around

125,000 patients in one year. This is why the patient records system which the former PLP government signed up to was so needed - so that bills to patients could have been sent out and the costs recovered.

This would have narrowed the $88m gap that exists between the $5.678m in revenues collected by Princess Margaret Hospital for treating patients and its annual $93.747m operating expenses, As The Tribune has revealed, the deal the PLP oversaw has delivered nothing.

A SENIOR official yesterday said the government “could sign tomorrow” with multiple offers as it seeks to raise $100m for the overhaul of four Family Island airports.

Algernon Cargill, director of aviation, said proposals were “already on the table” from both local and international investors prior to the government

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

TRANSPORT Minister Renward Wells says officials are looking to boost security at Potter’s Cay after a woman was assaulted there.

Last week a woman was beaten, sexually assaulted and thrown into water at the dock by two men around 1am on November 11, police said. Her attackers left the area and the woman was rescued by a passing vessel hours later, shortly after 6am.

Police subsequently arrested a 41-year-old man and were said to be searching for a second suspect.

The status of their investigation into the matter is unclear.

Mr Wells told reporters yesterday: “There is security out at Potter’s Cay. We’re looking at how we can increase that to 24-hour security because that is the

‘ALRAE HAD SUFFERED HEAD INJURY’

By SYANN THOMPSON Tribune Staff Reporter sthompson@tribunemedia.net

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

approaching the capital markets. He added that the “strong” interest shown in teaming with the government to redevelop these airports represented a show of confidence in Bahamian tourism post-Dorian.

The airports involved are Exuma’s (Georgetown), North Eleuthera, Deadman’s Cay in Long Island, and the refurbishment of Abaco’s Leonard Thompson International Airport.

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

SEE PAGE TWO

INVESTORS LINING UP FOR AIRPORT PROJECTS

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

POTTER’S CAY SECURITY TO RISE AFTER SEX ATTACK

CASE CLOSED THE Crown closed its case against former Cabinet minister Shane Gibson yesterday.

Full story - Page 3 Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff

NYGARD TRIES TO DODGE JAIL TERM

By SYANN THOMPSON Tribune Staff Reporter sthompson@tribunemedia.net LAWYERS for Canadian tycoon Peter Nygard filed an urgent application on Monday to appeal Justice Ruth Bowe-Darville’s decision last Friday to jail the fashion designer for 90 days and fine him.

The Tribune secured a copy of the appeal application to set aside the decision made

by Justice Bowe-Darville,

APPEAL: Peter Nygard which asserts that the sentencing and other requirements were “excessive”.

Canadian lawyer for Mr Nygard, Jay Prober echoed similar sentiments. In reacting to the decision made at the Supreme Court, he criticised Justice Bowe-Darville’s judgment and told The National Post that the degree of punishment was uncalled for. “The decision is unfair, it is unreasonable and it’s unnecessary, and quite frankly it’s unheard of. I have never seen in civil

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

SEE PAGE THREE

THE father of one of two men who died mysteriously in an Italian river claims one of the men had a blow to the head.

Randolph John, father of Blair John, said his family plans to hire a lawyer to assist them with uncovering the mystery surrounding his son’s and Alrae Ramsey’s deaths.

“Alrae had a blow to his head, Italian police still can’t give us answers on how that happened,” Mr John told this newspaper yesterday. “All we want is answers of what really happen to our boys. When SEE PAGE SEVEN

TECHNOLOGY

WILL STADIA NOW ATTRACT THE GAMERS? SEE PAGE NINE

PAGE 2, Wednesday, November 20, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

Potter’s Cay security to rise after sex attack from page one issue. We are looking into it but again, those kinds of matters are for the police, there is a police station there. There was a development process going on at Potter’s Cay for lighting, security, new buildings. We have gone to phase two of that development. Phase

three, I believe a part of that was CCTV cameras and others and the government is still moving forward to it.

We also said about a year and a half ago about how we could move a public private partnership to complete operations at Potter’s Cay.” There have been several notable crimes at Potter’s Cay dock in the last year.

In May, two men were shot and killed at the dock.

About three months earlier, in February, another man was shot dead at the dock.

The killings prompted a boost in security that attracted the ire of vendors who accused police of being too heavy handed with patrons.

TRANSPORT Minister Renward Wells says officials are looking to boost security at Potter’s Cay

Sexual assault still the most reported crime on cruise ships

By RIEL MAJOR Tribune Staff Reporter rmajor@tribunemedia.net ALLEGED sexual assault remains the most reported criminal activity on cruise ships, according to international statistics.

Data released in the United States under the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act (CVSSA), shows there were a total of 46 reported incidents from July 1 to September 30 - of which 35 were sexual assaults. Of these incidents, 27 involved passengers, five involved crew members and three more assaults were listed under the category ‘other’.

Carnival reported 20 sexual assault incidents involving passengers; one of a crew member and one assault was listed under other. Royal Caribbean recorded four passenger incidents, three involving crew and one listed under other. Norwegian reported three passenger involved incidents, while MSC reported one passenger sexual assault incident.

The numbers also show that during the specific time period, there were two reported incidents of alleged assault with serious bodily injury, two

missing US national passengers were reported, two persons fired for tampering with the vessel and five incidents of alleged theft of less than $10,000.

The statistics are published on the US Department of Transportation’s website.

This crime data is tracked for major cruise lines with routes to the Bahamas, such as Carnival Cruise Lines, Norwegian Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean.

Alleged criminal activities on board cruise ships have increased for the second quarter of 2019.

According to the CVSSA statistics, during the period of January 1 to March 31, there were a total of 25 reported incidents, 18 of which were sexual assaults.

The numbers also show that during the specified time period, there was one reported incident of alleged assault with serious bodily injury and six incidents of alleged theft of less than $10,000.

During the period of October 1, 2018 to December 31, 2018 there were a total of 34 reported incidents, 22 of which were sexual assaults.

The numbers show that during that specified time period, there were two suspicious deaths; two assaults; and eight incidents of alleged theft of less than $10,000.

Up to September 30, 2018 there were 86 incidents reported – 60 of which were for sexual assault.

In 2017, 76 percent of reported crimes aboard Carnival vessels were for sexual assault; as was 68 percent of crime reported on board Royal Caribbean vessels.

There was the same number of sexual assault incidents reported for that time period in 2017, out of 85 incidents. There was a total of 106 incidents reported for 2017.

In 2016, officials recorded 92 incidents with 62 of them being sexual assault.

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THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, November 20, 2019, PAGE 3

NYGARD TRIES TO DODGE 90-DAY JAIL SENTENCE from page one

contempt proceedings a jail sentence or a fine of that magnitude,” he said.

According to the appeal application, Mr Nygard did not violate the February injunction. His lead attorney Carlton Martin insists not only that he abided by the February New York court injunction, but that he never dealt with the

documents in question or correspondence.

Other reasons the appeal application outlines are that Mr Nygard was entitled to an adjournment prior to the November 15 sentencing and that Mr Nygard nor those acting on his behalf were properly served with contempt proceedings or made aware of these proceedings in accordance with the rules of the Supreme Court.

In justifying his reason for not showing up to court, the fashion mogul’s Canadian doctors say he is too ill to travel to the Bahamas.

In an affidavit filed on Mr Nygard’s behalf, physician Dr Lynwood Brown wrote, “I do believe that the preliminary decision of his Canada-based physicians to ground him in Canada is in the best interest of his health. In particular, I believe that the air-pressure

of flying at or over 30,000 feet in order to get to the Bahamas, could be fatal.”

While Mr Nygard remains beyond the reach of local authorities, he has an exhaustive list of obligations to be fulfilled by this Friday unless the Court of Appeal overturns the decision.

The orders include - turning himself into police, paying the $150,000 fine, providing a full apology for

his non-appearances and assuring the court that he will discontinue using Save the Bays’ emails, which were the subject of a February 2019 injunction in a New York court proceeding.

If Mr Nygard does not turn himself over to police or pay the fine, the judge ordered that he would spend an additional 30 days in prison and fined $5,000 for each day the fine is unpaid.

The ongoing case involves the use of emails from environmental activists Save The Bays. The emails surfaced in an affidavit exhibited by lawyer Keod Smith. Lawyers for Save the Bays secured an injunction preventing the Canadian tycoon and Mr Smith from perusing, publishing or disseminating any information contained within the emails which Mr Nygard denies ever doing.

ASSISTANT Superintendent Debra Thompson, left, and Shane Gibson outside court yesterday.

Photos: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff

Crown wraps up its case against Gibson

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net THE Crown closed its case yesterday against former Cabinet minister Shane Gibson over allegations he demanded more than $300,000 from local businessman Jonathan Ash to ensure the contractor would be paid for hurricane cleanup efforts.

Lead Crown attorney James Guthrie, QC, made the announcement to Justice Carolita Bethel and the jury yesterday afternoon, after the latter fielded just over two months of evidence against the former parliamentarian.

The Crown and the defence will make legal submissions in the absence of the jury today. The jury will reconvene on Thursday.

Gibson is charged with 15 counts of bribery. It is alleged that between January 16 and 19, 2017, and being concerned with a woman connected to him, Deborah Bastian, he had solicited $250,000 from Mr

Ash as an inducement to or a reward for him giving assistance or using his influence in approving outstanding payments owed to Mr Ash by the government.

The Crown further asserts that on various dates between January 19-31, 2017, Gibson, still concerned with Bastian, consequently accepted $100,000 worth of payments from Mr Ash. Then between January 30 and February 28 of that year, Gibson accepted several cash payments from Mr Ash totaling some $100,000.

Between February 10 and March 27, 2017, Gibson solicited and accepted a total of $80,000 from Ash, but this time he was not concerned with Bastian, the Crown maintains. The Crown claims Mr Ash initially made the payments to Gibson through Ms Bastian for the first set of payments totaling $200,000, but made them directly to Gibson for the remaining $80,000.

At the start of the trial, Mr Guthrie claimed that Gibson took “advantage”

of Mr Ash by soliciting $330,000 from the contractor over three months in 2017 in exchange for him using his government position to ensure Mr Ash would be paid the $1m plus he was owed by the government in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew.

Mr Guthrie conceded that as Mr Ash was involved in making the various payments, it is fair to assert that he partook in the criminal acts.

However, Mr Guthrie said it was Gibson who instigated the offences, and that he had “no business” accepting the “dirty money” from Mr Ash, who was eventually granted immunity from prosecution.

Mr Guthrie, in summarising the evidence, said after Hurricane Matthew battered the Bahamas, and New Providence in particular in October 2016, the government spearheaded a “huge” clean-up operation.

Mr Ash, of Ash Enterprises and Trucking Services, was one of many persons involved in the efforts.

Mr Ash, Mr Guthrie said, owns a number of trucks and heavy equipment and was able to call on “large numbers of men” to perform the “heavy work” the clean-up operation required.

According to Mr Guthrie, Mr Ash began working in late 2016 after meeting with Urban Renewal Commission Deputy Director Gregory Butler. He first worked on Bay Street, then the Centreville constituency for three months. Afterwards, Mr Ash was asked to take over three dump sites – the city dump, the dump at the sports centre, and Bacardi Road – Mr Guthrie said.

Doing such large amounts of work and employing so many workers meant Mr Ash was billing the government “large amounts of money,” the prosecutor said. But the government was slow to pay, despite owing Mr Ash upwards of $1m, the English attorney said. The contractor, Mr Guthrie said, “was desperate to be paid”.

Mr Guthrie said as a result of the slow payments, one of the people Mr Ash complained to was Jack Thompson, then the permanent secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister. Mr Thompson consequently referred Mr Ash to Ms Bastian, through whom he eventually met Gibson.

At some point, a meeting between Mr Ash, Gibson, and Bastian was held at Gibson’s office at the Ministry of the Public Service on Meeting Street, Mr Guthrie said.

The English attorney said “almost immediately”

after that meeting, Mr Ash began to make payments to Bastian. However, those payments were actually intended for and accepted

by Gibson, the Crown argued. Mr Guthrie said after a while, Mr Ash started making the payments directly to the former Cabinet minister.

Thus, Mr Guthrie asserted that the payments were bribes and that if Mr Ash paid Gibson the requested amount, he would see to it that Mr Ash’s bills were paid “as night follows day”.

Gibson denies the allegations.

PAGE 4, Wednesday, November 20, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

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Rewarding consumers will boost recycling YOU finish that last sip of morning coffee and stare at the empty paper cup in your hand. Should it go into the recycling bin, compost, or be landfilled or incinerated?

You are not alone. Most Americans are confused about recycling, and the crisis driven by China’s decision to stop accepting most foreign scrap material is worsening the problem. At this point it’s hard to be sure that items put in the recycling bin are recycled.

Research shows that more often than not, Americans give up trying to sort their recyclables. Or they engage in wishful recycling, tossing nonrecyclables into the bin. Even so, most waste never gets that far. People feel intimidated by the task. The average American generates about 4.5 pounds of waste each day.

Only 1.5 pounds of it is recycled or composted. This means that over an average lifetime of 78.7 years, one American would send 67,000 pounds of waste to landfills. That’s more than twice the weight of a cruise ship anchor.

Although many communities and advocates have adopted regulations and action plans centered on moving toward a circular economy, major barriers still make it hard for individuals to reduce, reuse and recycle. Existing policies have been developed based on insights from engineering and economics, and give little consideration of how human behavior at the individual level fits into the system.

My colleagues and I use behavior science to foster goals ranging from energy conservation to community solidarity.

In a recent paper, economist Marieke Huysentruyt, Ph.D. candidate Emma Barnosky and I uncovered promising solutions to the recycling crisis driven by personal benefits and social connections.

Why is getting Americans to recycle more so challenging? First, many of them don’t understand waste problems and recycling strategies. Few are aware of the environmental problems waste causes, and most have a hard time connecting individual actions to those problems.

Most people don’t know where their waste goes, whether it includes recyclables or what can be made from them.

They may know what day to put out curbside trash and recycling, but are unsure which materials the companies accept. In a 2019 survey of 2,000 Americans, 53% erroneously believed greasy pizza boxes could be recycled, and 68% thought the same for used plastic utensils.

Another 39% of respondents cited inconvenience and poor access to recycling facilities as major barriers.

California pays a 5- to 10-cent redemption fee for each beverage container, but the facilities often are inconvenient to reach. For example, the closest to my home in Los Angeles is eight miles away, which can involve driving for an hour or more. That’s not worth it for the few cans my family produces.

Most U.S. consumers are opposed to pollution, of course, but research shows that they seldom view themselves as significant contributors. As taxpayers, they hold local governments responsible for recycling. Many are not sure what happens next, or whether their actions make a difference.

What can be done to address these barriers? Better messaging, such as emphasising how waste can be transformed into new objects, can make a difference.

But as I argue in my 2018 book, “The Green Bundle: Pairing the Market With the Planet,” information alone can’t drive sustainable behavior. People must feel motivated, and the best motivations bundle environmental benefits with personal benefits, such as economic rewards, increased status or social connections.

In a 2014 survey, 41% of respondents said that money or rewards were the most effective way to get them to recycle. Take-back systems, such as deposits on cans and bottles, have proven effective in some contexts. Such systems need to be more convenient, however.

Returning bottles directly to stores is one possibility, but novel strategies are being deployed across the country.

“Pay-as-you-throw” policies charge customers based on how much solid waste they discard, thus incentivising waste reduction, reuse and more sustainable purchasing behavior. Recyclebank, a New York company, rewards people for recycling with discounts and deals from local and national businesses.

Social status also motivates people.

The zero-waste lifestyle has become a sensation on social media, driving the rise of Instagram influencers such as Bea Johnson, Lauren Singer and Kathryn Kellogg, who are competing to leave behind the smallest quantity of waste.

Visibility of conservation behavior matters, and could be a powerful component in pay-as-you-throw schemes.

It’s also nice to have support. Mutual help organisations, or communityled groups, trigger behavioral change through social connections and faceto-face interactions. They have the potential to transfer empowering information and sustain long-term commitment.

One famous example is Alcoholics Anonymous, which relies on member expertise instead of instructions from health care specialists. Similarly, Weight Watchers focuses on open communication, group celebration of weight loss progress and supportive relationships among members.

Our research has shown that by leveraging technology and human behavior, behavioral science can encourage people to recycle much more effectively than simplistic campaigns or slogans.

By Magali Delmas of the University of California, Los Angeles. This article first appeared on The Conversation

Cut us some slack, please EDITOR, The Tribune THE nation is in a treadmill sort of mode, in my view. This statement is not to generate a sense of anxiety but one designed, deliberately, to bring to the forefront those issues of public policy and initiatives which directly impact the quality of life and well being of tens of thousands of ordinary Bahamians, if there are any of them left.

Health care has been debated in our wonderful nation from the time hammer was yet an infant hatchet. Successive administrations have spent millions of dollars of taxpayers money on elusive studies. The public has been and is being ill served by our national health care system. This administration and the current Minister of Health do not appear to be friendly towards the demands recently made by a representative group of medical doctors. Their morale on the job may well have been and may still be a debilitating effect on the quality and time lined delivery of health care to the bulk of our people.

What is ironic is that the Most Honourable Prime Minister, Dr Hubert A Ingraham (FNM-Killarney) and his hapless Minister of Health, Dr Duane Sands (FNM-Elizabeth) are both medical doctors of long standing. As such, they should have first hand

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net knowledge of the issues and concerns of fellow professionals. What is the problem with bringing resolution to the simmering unrest? Surely, it cannot be about money, not when and where the collective health of our people is concerned.

The devil is still a liar.

Adequate and affordable housing is another vexing issue of national public policy. Here in New Providence, where more than 65% of the known population lives, residential land that is affordable to the lower and middle classes is but a pipe dream and an impossibility. The Crown, via the administration of the day, has access to acres and acres of land right here in New Providence that could be laid out in subdivisions, complete with all (underground) utilities, and sold at almost zero to qualified applicants.

Instead of the Ministry of Housing getting involved in the financing and construction of homes, that ministry would simply vet potential contractors and the latter would enter into construction contracts, directly, with the relevant parties. The administration should also consider the feasibility of leasing Crown land here in New Providence to private

developers for the construction of project styled single and double bedroom apartments. For too long we have shied away from multi-family housing projects because all of you want your own home. This is now difficult so we will have to innovate.

Crime continues to be an issue. The Minister of National Security seems to be on a mission to dismantle and demoralise the armed forces. Many serving officers are uncertain about their future and tenure.

Who are not being sent home on vacation others are being kept at the same rank for decades, or so they say.

If officers are uncertain about these issues do you expect them, ordinarily, to leave home each day or night and get this sort of treatment? I’d think not…the Most Honourable Prime Minister needs to address this and other issues post haste. Crime and rehabilitation seems to have been relegated to the back burners. More will be submitted on these in another missive.

I wish Dr Minnis and them all the best but, man, they have got to cut the Bahamian people some slack. To God then, in all things, be the glory.

ORTLAND H BODIE, Jr Nassau November 14, 2019.

Don’t talk about crime Time to dispense with - you will never win military side of police EDITOR, The Tribune

IF I held either the position of Minister for National Security or Commissioner of Police I would be exceptionally careful when and if I made public comments on crime…you never win.

A further incident #94 and counting the rest of November to go and December and everyone must be wondering will we exceed 100 murder incidents in 2019? Minister’s wish under 85…darn gone.

There is a pattern that needs explaining…virtually all of these murders there is no robbery factor…one assailant or two guns down someone for seemingly an unknown reason. Are the Police carrying out incident autopsies as to the why and the wherefore the murder took place? If they are not and simply classified the incidents as “unknown reason” just how can you counter that? Any incidents CCTV caused the arrest of one criminal?

Are they for the

collection of drug debts?

Because the person stole drugs? Sweethearting? Gang related? You don’t kill someone for no reason.

Visibility of Police…I have had reason to drive the length of Nassau two-three times at different times…

Never have I seen a Policeman on duty - a Police car or any other form of Police vehicle…invisible…

W THOMPSON Nassau November 11, 2019

EDITOR, The Tribune IS IT long overdue to change the military posture of the Royal Bahamas Police to a pure appearance of a civil Police Force?

Much time has passed and we have the military side of our uniformed services the Royal Bahamas Defence Force who are purely military – surely it is time they presume that official position as they have already in standing the guard at Government House?

What would this mean?

Guards of Honour would consist of only the RBDF…one addition I would make is to equip that guard with the police pith helmet…not too much of an expense infact if they use the pitch helmets of the Police zero costs just remove the red sash.

The Police would be on duty controlling traffic spectators - security, etc… hopefully trained with civil order control…watch the

UK-France or anywhere else the Police always have their back to the parade looking into the spectators – crowds as from there danger will potentially come.

Yes there will be the traditionalists who will scream, but if the Police posture is a civil force then the ministry aspect needs to be removed.

D K MINUS Nassau November 12, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, November 20, 2019, PAGE 5

Cash urges vigilance after spate of armed robberies

By RIEL MAJOR Tribune Staff Reporter rmajor@tribunemedia.net AFTER a spate of recent armed robberies in the capital, Chief Superintendent Solomon Cash of the Central Detective Unit urged residents and business owners to be vigilant and to take all necessary precautions to remain safe as the Christmas season approaches.

Despite nearly daily armed robberies in New Providence in the past several weeks, CSP Cash told The Tribune yesterday armed robberies have not increased. However he said police presence will be beefed up in certain areas heading into peak shopping season.

“I wouldn’t say we’ve had a lot of armed robberies, but we are beefing up patrols.

Beefing up patrols is a part of (our) strategy particularly in the shopping areas, the high-volume shopping

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net THE 17 Dominican poachers caught plundering Bahamian waters of nearly 3,000 pounds of fisheries last week were collectively fined over $30,000 for their actions yesterday afternoon.

Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt fined the 17 poachers $23,000 in total for raiding the country’s waters of some 2,943 pounds of fish last Thursday.

Fifteen of the 17 poachers were collectively fined $13,000 for the seven crimes they committed. Failure to pay the fines would result in three months in prison for those 15, the chief magistrate said.

The captain of the crew, Hector Prichardo, and another crew member, Ruddy Cross, both of whom are repeat offenders, were both fined $10,000 for being caught with 2,154 pounds of undersized crawfish, with a six month custodial sentence in default.

By comparison, their other 15 compatriots received a $5,000 fine or a three month custodial sentence in default for that offence.

Additionally, the chief magistrate ordered that those two poachers have their sentences in default of the seven fines doubled, meaning the pair could serve six months in prison.

Another member of the group, 28-year-old Elbison Tabenas, who admitted to being in possession of 34 rounds of shotgun ammunition he intended to supply to others, received a nine month custodial sentence for the crime, in addition to the $13,000 fine he and the other 15 were hit with.

However, as all of the sentences are ordered to run concurrently, Tabenas will only serve nine months in prison.

The Dominican vessel they used to commit the criminal act has been ordered to be confiscated, The Tribune understands.

Howard Thompson Jr, the attorney for the 17 Dominican poachers, confirmed to The Tribune that it is very likely that the fines will be paid by the poachers’ respective families back in the Dominican Republic.

However, he said his clients have already been fingerprinted and photographed, and will be placed on a stop list. He said the likelihood is that if they ever commit those or similar offences again, “the book will be thrown at them”.

Mr Thompson also confirmed to this newspaper that Paul McWeeney, the Bahamas’ honorary consul to the Dominican Republic (DR), gave evidence under oath that the DR’s government has undertaken to pay for all repatriation expenses.

Otherwise, Mr Thompson, who has represented

areas so you will see more police moving closer to Christmas season,” CSP Cash said.

“We don’t expect any crime to increase but we are in a preventative mode, so we aren’t expecting the worst. We are expecting a good Christmas for all Bahamian citizens and in ensuring that you will see high volumes of police presence.”

As holiday period approaches, CSP Cash advised people making large bank deposits not to do so alone and urged business owners to use armored car services.

He said: “We want to tell the general public particularly those shopping during peak season, we ask people to as much as they can avoid exposing valuables. We also encourage people who will be parking, to park in areas where vehicles are more concentrated than isolated areas. If you are moving about, you should always

walk with another person who could be a second eye for them as they go about their business.

“We want to encourage business owners, particularly those who are highly paid during the day who have to move about with large cash, to be mindful that they can use armored car services who can assist them in moving cash from their locations to the banks where they are making deposits. In addition, if they’re not using that method, do not go alone always be accompanied by an individual in a second car so they can be a watchful eye when they go about making their deposits.”

CSP Cash said criminals need to know that the police are on ‘high alert’ for them.

“Should they decide they will perpetrate against any citizens, the police will be well and ready to arrest them and have them taken

CHIEF Superintendent Solomon Cash

into police custody,” he said.

His comments came as police said they were looking for one suspect connected with an armed robbery committed Sunday night.

According to reports, shortly after 10pm on Sunday, an armed man entered a service station on Fox Hill and Prince Charles Drive. The assailant held an employee at bay and robbed the establishment of an undetermined amount of cash before fleeing the scene in a grey Honda Fit. Investigations into this matter is ongoing.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the TIP hotline at 376-TIPS (8477) or the Central Detective Unit at 502-9991/2.

The Nassau Guardian reported on Monday that there were 59 armed robberies between September 1 to November 15, according to figures obtained by police.

Dominican poachers fined $30,000 for 3,000 pounds of fish

Dominican poachers in the past, said he felt that the chief magistrate’s decision was “very fair and just given the circumstances.”

“The reason I harp on the circumstances is that 15 out of the 17 fishermen were first time offenders,” he explained. “The other two (Prichardo and Cross) have committed the offence in the Bahamas before. And so their sentence was different from those who were first time offenders.

“The magistrate also took into consideration that giving these huge, exorbitant fines has never been paid for by the persons.

And so what you had was that these persons were just being sent to prison, which is a huge burden on the system in that we had to house a bunch of these Dominicans, feed them three times a day, and so on and so forth.

“So the likelihood is that these fines are going to be paid from these persons’ families back in the Dominican Republic.

Those persons will be placed on a stop list. They’ve been fingerprinted, photographed, and the likelihood is if they ever commit the offences again the book will be thrown at them.”

Mr Thompson also said he went to “great lengths” to point out to the chief magistrate that his clients are from “poor, unprivileged backgrounds”, and that the “real criminals” were the people who employed them.

“I would have said to the magistrate that the real criminals are the owners of these vessels,” he told The Tribune. “And that our government should take some sort of action to bring the owners of these vessels to justice.”

On Monday, the 17 Dominican poachers, ranging in age from 23 to 53, all entered guilty pleas to raiding the country’s seas of 2,943 pounds of fish last Thursday.

Of that number, 2,154 pounds were undersized crawfish; 772 pounds were undersized Nassau Grouper; six pounds each of egg bearing crawfish and Caribbean reef shark; and five pounds of undersized stone crab claws.

The 17 poachers further admitted to being caught with two spear guns, which are illegal fishing apparatus’ in the Bahamas.

Their arraignments came just days after a 76-ft

ABOVE: The Dominican poachers vessel arriving at HMBS Coral Harbour Base; left: RBDF marines transporting the poachers

Dominican vessel was spotted in the Cochinos Banks, Ragged Island by a US aircraft last Thursday.

According to reports, after the Royal Bahamas Defence Force and the US Coast Guard were alerted, RBDF officials said HMBS Cascarilla under the command of Senior Lieutenant Samantha Hart were dispatched to the area.

The Dominican vessel, which contained a large quantity of fishery products, and its occupants were detained by RBDF marines and were subsequently taken to New Providence.

After pleading guilty to the offence, one of the Dominicans indicated that they are all fathers trying

to provide for their children. Another asked Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt to “have mercy” upon them “in the name of God”.

Another promised the chief magistrate that if allowed to leave the country, they would never return.

In August of last year, 46 Dominican poachers, who were also represented by Mr Thompson, were collectively fined $2.3m, or $53,000 each, for plundering Bahamian waters of some 33,000 pounds of fisheries the month before.

Radhamas Hernandez, their captain, was further sentenced to 18 months for possession of an unlicensed, black pistol grip 12-gauge

shotgun and one year for possession of nine rounds of ammunition, to run concurrently.

Another poacher was fined $100,000 due to that incident being his second conviction for poaching in Bahamian waters.

However, 45 of those poachers eventually had their one-year prison sentences reduced to six months by the Court of Appeal. The basis for the shortening of their sentences was because the sentencing magistrate did not take into account any of the mitigating factors, nor their guilty pleas.

Hernandez’ sentence was not interfered with, however.

In June 2018, four Dominican fishermen, who were caught poaching in the Great Bahama Bank, were fined a collective $30,000 for their actions. Three of them were fined $20,000 or eight months in prison, and the fourth was fined $10,000 or four months in prison.

PAGE 6, Wednesday, November 20, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

Two bodies found as official toll reaches 69

THE EXTENSIVE damage and destruction in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian is clear to see at The Mudd in this picture taken on September 5.

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net POLICE in Abaco have recovered two bodies in the Mudd, bringing the official death toll from Hurricane Dorian to 69.

In a statement, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said one body was found on November 8 and the other on November 14.

There are 59 confirmed deaths in Abaco and ten confirmed deaths in Grand Bahama from the monster hurricane.

This is the first update since October, when police recovered remains of two unidentified bodies, one in Dundas Town, Abaco and the other in The Mudd.

National Security Minister Marvin Dames said in October that police have reports of 282 people still

missing, the majority of them from Abaco.

The death toll is expected to grow as crews continue to clean up debris from the affected islands. Minister of Health Dr Duane Sands has previously said other victims may have been washed out to sea and their bodies may never be recovered.

The country continues to come to terms with Dorian’s impact.

On Friday, the InterAmerican Bank released an assessment indicating the hurricane’s impact will cost the country $3.4bn, more than a quarter of its GDP. The IDB estimates Dorian will cost the country one percentage of its GDP, implying the economy will grow 0.9 percent post-disaster, resulting in a decrease in salaries of $51.3m and capital income of $60.9m.

The IDB estimates Dorian caused $2.5 billion worth of damage, 91 percent of this to the private sector.

“Abaco suffered 87 percent of the damage and Grand Bahama 13 percent,” the IDB’s report said. “Losses are estimated at $717.3 million and were sustained primarily in the private sector, which accounted for 84 percent of the total. Seventy

percent of the losses took place on Abaco, 15 percent on Grand Bahama, and nine percent of the other islands. Additional costs add up to $220.9 million, 46.4 percent of those costs were in the environment sector and are associated to the cleaning of the oil spill. A major part of the remainder of the additional costs is related to debris removal and demolition.”

DAMES CONFIRMS CLAIMS OF MISTREATMENT WILL NOT BE BRUSHED ASIDE A6MAIN

PAGE 6, Tuesday, November 19, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

DOMINICAN POACHERS BEG COURT FOR MERCY from page one

By LEANDRA ROLLE lrolle@tribunemedia.net

NATIONAL Security Minister Marvin Dames suggested yesterday that his ministry would not brush allegations of mistreatment against Haitian migrants in the wake of Hurricane Dorian aside.

His comments to reporters came days after an international watchdog raised concerns with the repatriation of Haitian migrants to their home country and alleged abuse before they were deported at the hands of officers. Mr Dames said law enforcement agencies do not ignore complaints of this nature, but allegations will be investigated where warranted to determine if they are legitimate.

“If you have a concern or a complaint, there is a channel by which that complaint could be directed and investigated...we’ll always have concerns when there are allegations against our law enforcement officers,” Mr Dames said.

“We don’t brush any complaints aside. Anything that’s investigated, and we determine whether there is a validity or otherwise.”

In a statement released last week, the International Organisation for Migration said it has monitored the deportation of some 340 Haitian migrants from the Bahamas. And, in monitoring the issue, IOM’s Chief of Mission in Haiti Giuseppe Loprete told The Tribune that on the second and third rounds of deportation post-Hurricane Dorian, his team had interviewed 150 persons, some of whom complained about being abused.

Mr Loprete also told Eyewitness News earlier that

He and his 16 compatriots further admitted to being caught with two spear guns, which are illegal fishing apparatus’ in The Bahamas.

The arraignment of the 17 poachers came after a

76-ft Dominican vessel was spotted in the Cochinos Banks, Ragged Island by a US aircraft last Thursday.

According to reports, after the Royal Bahamas Defence Force and the US Coast Guard were alerted, RBDF officials said HMBS Cascarilla under the command of Senior Lieutenant

Samantha Hart was dispatched to the area.

The Dominican vessel, which contained a large quantity of fishery products, and its occupants were detained by RBDF marines and were subsequently taken to New Providence.

After pleading guilty

to the offence, one of the Dominicans indicated that they are all fathers trying to provide for their children. Another asked Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt to “have mercy” upon them “in the name of God”. Another promised the chief magistrate that if allowed to leave the

country, they would never return.

However, Chief Magistrate Ferguson-Pratt said while the group can be assured they will be dealt with fairly in her court, she would not address their individual and/or collective pleas for mercy without being fully apprised of the

facts of the matter from the prosecution. She subsequently adjourned the matter to today. The 17 poachers were remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until that time.

They are represented by lawyer Howard Thompson Jr.

“We lost everything in the Bahamas because of Dorian. And now they bring us back to Haiti! What will we do?” said one of the returned migrants.

Photo: Bernard Lami/IOM

Any abuse claims will be examined, says Johnson from page one rounds of deportation postHurricane Dorian, his team interviewed 150 persons, some of whom complained about being abused. He said the UN office of Human Rights was informed and the IOM office in the capital is expected to raise the issue and advocate for the respect of immigrants’ rights.

Mr Loprete earlier told Eyewitness News that allegations of sexual assault have been reported to Haitian authorities and the Bahamas mission. He also alleged that migrants who were processed last week displayed signs of physical abuse.

“In this last charter, we can confirm there are some migrants with evident signs of physical abuse, and again they have a lot of stories,”

Mr Loprete told EWN Online. “Some black eyes, some bruising. We have informed our IOM colleagues in the Bahamas and we are talking with Haitian officials to see if they can send a message.”

However, Mr Johnson said the Department of Immigration has faced countless accusations of abuse against Haitian migrants that have been false.

“We are finding frivolous, vexatious and downright false accusations. Complaints have been made where there was alleged burning of people in the Bahamas. There was a particular booklet that showed pictures that were not taken in the Bahamas with a man holding a revolver and having an attack dog attack a person. These complaints have been unfounded,” he said.

As it relates to the alleged physical and sexual abuse of deportees, Mr Johnson said the Bahamas adheres to its international obligations, in particular the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and has emphasised the protection of fundamental rights. “What we would suggest is that those complaints come to us, that is documented, send it in.

Too often we have these undocumented complaints being sent in and you have no complainant. We have to be fair in everything we do, and we will continue to comply with the law,” the immigration minister said.

The government’s

HOW The Tribune reported the story yesterday allegations of sexual assault have been reported to Haitian authorities and the Bahamas mission.

He also alleged that migrants who were processed last week displayed signs of physical abuse.

Responding to these claims highlighted, Immigration Minister Elsworth Johnson told The Tribune on Monday that officials will investigate any documented allegations of abuse towards Haitian migrants in the country.

However, Mr Johnson also noted that the government has frequently dealt with “false” accusations of abuse against migrants in the past.

“Complaints have been made where there was alleged burning of people in the Bahamas. There was a particular booklet that showed pictures that were not taken in the Bahamas with a man holding a revolver and having an attack dog attack a

decision to resume deportation of undocumented migrants weeks after Hurricane Dorian pummelled Grand Bahama and Abaco, leaving thousands homeless, was “painstaking” but came after careful analysis that was deemed appropriately humane and necessary, officials have said.

The Minnis administration has staunchly defended its handling of the immigration situation in the wake of the Category Five storm and said that any person found in violation of the Bahamas’ Immigration Act will be dealt with according to statute laws.

DISASTER RELIEF FUND person. NEW These complaints AIMSunfounded,” TO RAISE $100,000 he have been said.

But, if a claim is credible, Mr Johnson said a process has to be followed.

Of late, various local and international entities have denounced the repatriation of Haitian migrants from the Bahamas, citing the weeks of unrest, violent protests and political turmoil that have plagued Haiti.

In fact, last month, Haitian Chargé d’Affaires Dorval Darlier said the Minnis administration should consider suspending the repatriation of migrants “because of the political situation” in Haiti.

However, the government has remained firmed in its stance on the handling of illegal migration.

The Minnis administration has said that any person found in violation of the Bahamas Immigration Act will be dealt with according to statute laws.

A NEW disaster relief fund announced yesterday will focus on areas hit hardest by Hurricane Dorian, in order to drive relief and recovery efforts on the ground in Sweetings Cay, Grand Bahama.

The fund is being formed through a partnership between GlobalGiving, a global crowdfunding platform for grassroots charitable projects, and the Bahamas Sportfishing and Conservation Association — a nonprofit fostering the development of sportfishing and conservation in the Bahamas.

The fund is being created with the goal of raising $100,000 to support recovery and relief efforts in Sweetings Cay. Initially, the fund will help with pressing and immediate needs such as food, fuel, clean water, hygiene products and shelter, according to a press release from organisers. The fund will eventually transition to support longer-term recovery and rebuilding efforts.

This partnership was coordinated by Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), organisers said.

“Donations will be used to stimulate regional fishing communities,” said Prescott Smith, BSCA president.

“Special attention is being

paid to supporting areas of greatest need as we work to rebuild infrastructure, including fisheries and other key sources of food and income, in a sustainable manner. By engaging with our communities in this way, we are building resilient economies that can bounce back faster after catastrophic events.”

BSCA has a commitment to conserving habitats and marine ecosystems through sustainable fishing practices, a press release noted. As part of its work on the ground, BSCA is closely working with EDF to empower local fishing communities to become champions for conservation for the sake of their livelihoods and the natural resources they depend upon.

“Climate-fueled storms are posing ever-greater threats to livelihoods and natural resources in our coastal communities, and it is up to all of us to take action. The Bahamas is is predicted to lose more fish and experience more devastation in the face of climate change,” said Sepp Haukebo, manager of private angler management reform at EDF. To donate to the disaster relief fund, please visit BSCA’s GlobalGiving fund page.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, November 20, 2019, PAGE 7

ALRAE HAD BLOW TO THE HEAD, SAYS BLAIR JOHN’S FATHER from page one all this was happening and my daughter went to Italy to find out about Blair, the treatment was absolutely poor, they treated her and her friends like criminals.”

The bodies of Ramsey, 29, and John, 28, were found in the Po River in Turin, Italy on June 4 and 5 respectively. Italian officials said that the cause of death was an accidental drowning, but the families of the young men have been rejecting this explanation.

Insisting that the case was prejudiced, Mr John said that both men were well educated and welltravelled, with a promising future ahead of them. But he believes that the case was not properly handled because the John and Ramsey are black Bahamians.

“If this was two Italians who were killed in The Bahamas, the government would be scurrying to do damage control. Because these boys were black, it seems these Italians don’t care. If they had another

nationality or different race this may have been treated differently. And even after all this, you would think that the government would issue a travel advisory to other Bahamians travelling to Italy. These weren’t any kind of men off the street, they were hard-working.

My son never had anything handed to him, he was always pushing to get an education and to do his best,” he said.

In seeking answers for his relatives, Mr John says they will never see

their boys again, but they want justice for their sons. Six months after the death of the two men, Mr John says the family is still awaiting a toxicology report and a detailed death certificate.

The Bahamas government has launched an independent investigation into the matter by engaging a law firm in Italy. Attorney General Carl Bethel previously told the media that Bahamian officials have communication with Italian authorities and made

ALRAE RAMSEY a formal international request for assistance in obtaining the reports and

their findings on the mysterious deaths.

Ramsey, a foreign service officer on study leave in Vienna, was reportedly in Turin on a break.

He and his friend, John, were staying at a bed and breakfast establishment at Via la Loggia 2 in Turin.

John, a 28-year-old Saint Mary’s University graduate student, was there to attend a psychology conference.

The men both attended the same high school, Saint Augustine’s College in New Providence.

NICE TO MEET YOU

JAYDEN Kelly and Aami Davis, 12th Grade students of Bahamas Academy, paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Hubert Minnis on Monday at the office of the Prime Minister. The students were given the opportunity to meet with several department heads to learn first-hand the day-to-day operations in the Office of the Prime Minister.

Photos: Yontalay Bowe/BIS

Marijuana Commission ‘will not be influencd by PM’s comments’

By LEANDRA ROLLE lrolle@tribunemedia.net THE prime minister’s recent comments supporting decriminalising possession of small amounts of marijuana and making the substance legal for medicinal and/ or scientific purposes will not influence the Bahamas National Commission on Marijuana’s report on the issue.

This is according to BNCM CoChair Quinn McCartney who said yesterday that commission members are hoping to submit a final report of their findings to Cabinet by early next year.

Last year, the commission was given its mandate by Cabinet to comprehensively examine issues surrounding the use of marijuana.

The group was initially expected to produce a report in

April, however the deadline was extended several times.

Yesterday, Mr McCartney said the commission is working vigorously to present its preliminary report by the end of this month and the final report in early 2020.

“We’ve committed to the minister of health and Dr Sands has indicated that he is hoping to get a preliminary report from us by the end of this month and then we hope to have a final report with some additional information by early in the new year….(so) we are trying hard to meet that deadline,” he said.

His comments came days after Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis became the first sitting prime minister to publicly support some form of marijuana decriminalisation. Dr Minnis told The Tribune on Sunday that he hopes

the decriminalisation process will happen before the end of this term.

He also said he is eagerly awaiting the release of a report by the commission to help chart the way forward on the substance.

“Many Bahamians including young men have been convicted for possession of small amounts of marijuana resulting in criminal records and the loss of a job or inability to find employment,” Dr Minnis said.

“Studies have shown that CBDs (Cannabidiol) have been proven to aid patients suffering from various diseases including cancer, Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis and Crohn’s disease. Other Caribbean countries have taken steps to or are considering the decriminalising of marijuana for various purposes.”

But, while the commission has not yet taken a clear stance on whether the drug should be legalised in the country, Mr McCartney said the prime minister’s recent comments on the matter will not sway their recommendations.

“The prime minister is a member and citizen of the Bahamas and as a citizen, he is entitled to express his views and we are pleased to hear his (comments), but I think it’s safe to say that it won’t influence our decision at all.

We will look at his comments like we look at everybody else comments,” he said.

“We are getting the views of persons far and wide throughout the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. . .and we know that this is an initiative that certainly the government is interested in

hearing about and more importantly, the public is waiting to hear from us.”

But, in the meantime, Mr McCartney maintains that the commission remains committed to providing a comprehensive report that is supported by its research.

“We have a team of commissioners and independent bodies who’ve been dealing with this issue for the past nine (or) ten months and so we have been listening to the Bahamian public and so we will base our views based on our research,” he added. “(And) as we’ve always said before, we want to give a holistic report that’s reflective of views and supported by our research and what’s happening around the world.”

JOBS CORPS TRAINING PLAN OFFERS FREE COURSES THE Citizens Security and Justice Programme has officially started, enrollment to its Job Corps training initiative that offers free courses for young Bahamians in up to four disciplines.

With the sessions set to begin in the first quarter of 2020, the CSJP is encouraging anyone eligible to register for the courses, which include soft skills training, technical trades, hospitality and retail and numeracy and literacy.

“Under our CSJP Component 2, we focus on improving youth employability, employment

prospects by strengthening and developing critical skill sets,” said CSJP monitoring and evaluations specialist Arvis Mortimer, who works closely with the Job Corps. “This training is open to any young person who is in need of a second chance.

So, that is a young person who may not have been successful in high school, who didn’t finish high school or left with only a leaving certificate. This is a great opportunity for youth to improve their lives because they will be better equipped for the world of work – whether that’s obtaining a job upon

completion or becoming an entrepreneur.

“Our programme seeks to provide much needed, comprehensive, and datasupported training.”

The Job Corps training is open to Bahamians and legal residents who may be unemployed, between the ages 15 to 29 years old, left high school with less than a diploma or fewer than five BGCSEs. The training courses will be facilitated by participating vendors that specialise in the designated discipline. Presently, there are three ways interested people can enroll in the training, including going to

the Department of Labour directly to sign up, logging on to the jobseekers. bahamas.gov.bs website from any smart phone or computer device and inputting required information.

Interested applicants can also come out to one of the CSJP’s mobile enrollment sessions throughout New Providence.

The CSJP has mobile enrollment sessions coming up over the next several weeks in the Kemp Road area as well as in Mt Moriah and Nassau Village. Team members will be in place to personally walk applicants through the process of signing up on the website and

creating a profile for tracking of information.

Victoria Major, a recent enrollee into the upcoming job training sessions, said she is already sensing an upwards shift in the trajectory of her life.

“I feel that there is hope and that I’m actually getting somewhere in life right now,” said the 19-year-old.

“It’s good because I know I have some type of support and somewhere I can go and we need more programmes like that.

“I feel like my future is more secure.”

For more information on the CSJP training and other initiatives, the public

is asked to follow the social media accounts for frequent updates.

The Citizen Security and Justice Programme is one of the country’s leading social programmes that aims to reduce crime and violence with a multi-faceted approach targeting youth and community development, employment and employability, strengthening the justice system and prison reform. The CSJP is funded by a loan facility from the Inter-American Development Bank to the government and is executed under the Ministry of National Security.

PAGE 8, Wednesday, November 20, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

Finding time to look back, see what worked and plan ahead The

Alicia Wallace column AS THE end of the calendar year approaches, it is important to take time for self-reflection and selfassessment, especially for those who use the Gregorian calendar for setting goals and try to commit to new year’s resolutions.

December tends to be too late as there is so little time to sit in silence, look ahead and be realistic because of the hectic nature of the holiday season, the looming deadline of December 31, and the distraction of others’ lofty goals. November, particularly before American Thanksgiving, is late enough in the year to give us a significant time period to look back on and early enough to start more intentional reflective and goal-setting processes.

It can be particularly helpful to have a change in environment to bring more clarity of thought, not being surrounded by familiar people, places and things that can often cloud judgment and limit creativity in thinking. To reflect, we need some distance, and to plan for the year or years ahead, we need a limitless mindset. It is much easier and more effective to think in expansive ways and figure out how to get to the goal than it is to think in terms of the resources we currently we have and try to be creative with limitations. Sitting in your office surrounded by co-workers and to-do lists sets a tone

that is completely different from a long train ride, a café overlooking the ocean, or a creative space stocked with supplies.

While travelling this month, I not only had time to reflect on the past year, but was exposed to a completely different environment and culture. I had the opportunity to observe the action and inaction undertaken by citizens of a different country, participate in conversations about social issues, solution development and project implementation around the world, and to think critically about my own work and the usefulness of the tactics currently employed by my organisations, colleagues and peers. This sets the foundation for the process of professional assessment and planning for the future.

Observing the practice – and subsequent successes and failures – of others has great value when used for more than an exercise in criticism or copycatting.

What methods are being used? Which ones are working, and how do we know? Why are some methods working while others are not? Could the same methods be used elsewhere? How can they be adjusted for effectiveness in another context?

What might have led them to these methods? When we ask the right questions, without judgment, about what is happening around

us, the answers can lead to ideas that can be useful as we move into goal setting and charting the way forward.

By speaking with people engaged in work toward the achievement of the Sustainable Development

Goals (SDGs) about their motivations, access to resources, skillsets, doubts, and personal and professional experiences, I also developed a blueprint for a more personal assessment to jumpstart my goal-setting process. For example, in hearing about numerous people’s struggle with balancing family life and professional endeavours,

I was prompted to include work-life balance in my list of areas for consideration.

In addition, because climate change was one of the eight areas of focus for our time together in the SDG innovation lab, people whose primary focus was on climate and environment expressed concern about the carbon footprint of the event – which

was offset by the organisers and sponsors – and this led me to think about personal responsibility to reduce carbon emissions and give specific consideration to the environmental impact of decisions, including those meant to help achieve the other SDGs (which are inextricably linked to Goal 13 – Climate Action).

Corporate Bahamas can do much better, and so can we all AS THE year draws to a close, businesses should already have plans in place for 2020 when the plastic ban will be in effect. Not many have made use of this opportunity to include climate action in corporate social responsibility policies or creating a policy if one did not already exist. Multinational companies tend to have these policies which often include set amounts of money for donations to nonprofit organisations, special campaigns and projects, and incentives and rewards for employees who get involved in community initiatives. Following Hurricane Dorian, there should be more focus on climate action as The Bahamas is still reeling from the effects – which continue to emerge and grow – and continues to be vulnerable not only to storms, but to rising sea levels and environmental degradation.

Cafes have become popular in recent years, especially as people look for alternatives to office spaces and conference rooms for day-to-day work and meetings. Small café-style spaces are popping up and have a unique opportunity to incorporate environmental sustainability and climate action into their business models and public relations.

Compliance with the plastic ban should not be limited to the switch from plastic straws to paper straws or changing the type of containers and utensils for takeaway items. Businesses should not be focused solely on changing materials and making adjustments for the increased cost, but pushing consumers to reduce their consumption of disposable products.

Businesses should be

offering discounts to people who bring their own travel mugs and bottles for their coffees, teas, shakes, and smoothies. In fact, they could sell branded containers and encourage their customers to bring them every time. In addition, they could make bamboo straws available for sale as these are reusable and certainly a welcome alternative to the paper straws everyone dislikes. There are opportunities for businesses to make money, reduce waste, and promote more sustainable living.

The time to do this is now as promotion, adoption and change of behaviour take time and practice.

The plastic ban was announced months ago, yet grocery stores have done little, if anything, to encourage customers to move away from using plastic bags.

There should be reusable bags available for purchase at checkout, and cashiers should make every customer aware of the option.

The reusable bags on the market – currently in use in many countries including Canada, USA, and Antigua and Barbuda -- are durable, can hold more weight, and only need to be purchased once. It takes some time to get used to taking your own bags to the grocery store, and we should have started already. The extra step we will need to add is returning the empty bags to the car after unpacking the grocery or putting them where we will remember to take them if we take the bus or get a ride to the grocery store, and it becomes a part of the routine after a while. We should not be waiting until January 2020 to start this practice.

We, as consumers, can

also take the initiative to ask the businesses we patronise for sustainable options and remind them that the plastic ban is only weeks away. If they are not prepared to meet the demand, already built-in by law, it will be on us to find alternatives and we all know they are readily available in foreign markets. It is important to support the local economy, and critical for us to actively reduce waste in order to mitigate against climate change. If the local economy does not give us the alternatives we need, we will have to find other ways, or we will continue to find ourselves in an unwinnable battle against an unmanageable dumpsite, a rising sea level, decline in agriculture and fisheries, and increasingly frequent, devastating storms.

Just like we take water bottles to the gym, we can take travel mugs to the coffee shop. It is just as easy to carry bamboo utensils to work, even keeping them in our desk drawers, as it is to grab disposable utensils at restaurants and takeaways.

In the same way that we ask for specific products and discounts when shopping, we can ask for the sustainable options in containers and bags as well as consumer incentives for using them. The cost of reusable shopping bags as well as other sustainable products is far less than the cost of climate change, both on the macro and micro levels. We have to take responsibility for the way we consume, the waste we create and the effects we have on the environment.

Corporate Bahamas can do much better, and so can we, as consumers and drivers of demand.

Come on down, Canada PAGE 10, Wednesday, November 20, 2019

THE Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Aviation delegates lead by Minister of Tourism Dionisio D’Aguilar as well as numerous industry partners took media outlets and tour operators in Canada on a whirlwind tour of the Islands of the Bahamas, solidifying the messaging of the Bahamas being a viable destination for the Canadian tourists, despite the impact of Hurricane Dorian.

“Following Hurricane Dorian, we felt that it was absolutely critical to come and let the Canadian market know that we are open for business and to introduce The Bahamas to new aspects of the Canadian market,” remarked Bahamas Ministry of Tourism Director General, Joy Jibrilu, “as far west as Vancouver, there is huge potential to market the country.”

Canada is the second largest country in the world and the second largest source market for visitor arrivals to The Bahamas next to the United States. Throughout the first seven months of 2019 an estimated 3.7 million Canadian arrivals to the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America representing a YOY increase of 4.3%. Canadian visitor arrivals to The Bahamas increased by 14% YOY in 2017-2018. During the months of January through September, Canadian arrivals paced 10.5% ahead of the same in 2018.

“The tourism industry had an historic year in 2018 and has maintained momentum right up to Dorian’s arrival.

International arrivals to the Bahamas increased by just over 13% in August, including 2.1% growth from Canada. Air capacity from Canada was up 7% and fall bookings were looking strong,” remarked D’Aguilar, “it’s not business as usual in the Bahamas- that will be years away but this is a major step to be present in the Canadian market to regain momentum.”

Ministry of Tourism officials are hopeful that the media blitz will strengthen sales efforts and add an intimate appeal to the Canadian tourist to visit the Bahamas. “We’ve had a record-breaking year with the Canadian market, and we are looking to continue that trend,” said Jibrilu.

THE TRIBUNE

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, November 20, 2019, PAGE 11

HAITI MOURNS FIVE PEOPLE KILLED DURING ONGOING PROTESTS PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti Associated Press

WAILS filled a church in Haiti’s capital yesterday during funeral services for five people killed in anti-government protests that began more than two months ago.

Among those killed was 15-year-old Jasmine Pierre, whose father told The Associated Press that she was hit inside their home by a stray bullet when police began firing at protesters.

“This really hurts,” said her father, Macene Pierre. “I lost my little girl. I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

Hundreds of people attended the funerals for Pierre and four men, three of whom were allegedly shot by police while participating in the protests.

The fourth victim, 25-year-old Bernard Vaudreuil, was working as a moto taxi driver when he was shot, said cousin Marie-Ange Laroche.

“He was not involved in the turmoil,” she said. “He was just trying to survive.”

More than 40 people have been killed and dozens injured in more than two months of demonstrations organized by opposition leaders demanding the resignation

RELATIVES attend a funeral for people who were killed in protests

of President Jovenel Moïse amid anger over corruption, ballooning inflation and a scarcity of basic goods.

The protests have shuttered many businesses and schools across the country as Moïse continues to urge dialogue after stating he won’t resign.

The mourners joined a small group of protesters after church services as some of them jogged down the street with one casket while tires burned around them.

Among the mourners was Guerline Jeremie, a mother of two whose husband, Desir Jean Belleville, 34, was killed last week.

BUTTIGIEG ON RISE SO COULD FACE ATTACKS

PROTESTERS SURROUNDED

BY POLICE HONG KONG Associated Press A SMALL band of anti-government protesters, their numbers diminished by surrenders and failed escape attempts, remained holed up at a Hong Kong university early today as they braced for the endgame in a police siege of the campus.

Police were waiting them out after 10 days of some of the most intense protests the city has seen in more than five months of often-violent unrest gripping the semi-autonomous Chinese city.

Since the siege began Sunday, more than 1,000 people were arrested and hundreds of injured treated at hospitals as the government has stood firm, rejecting most of the protesters’ demands.

ATLANTA Associated Press

RIOT police detain a protestor after he tried to escape from Hong Kong Polytechnic University yesterday

Trump’s Ukraine call ‘improper’, says officer WASHINGTON Associated Press A CAREER Army officer yesterday testified that President Donald Trump’s call with Ukraine was “improper,” as Republicans tried to undercut the national security official with pointed exchanges questioning his loyalty to the US during a remarkable day in the impeachment hearings.

Arriving on Capitol Hill in military blue with medals across his chest, Lt Col Alexander Vindman told lawmakers it was his “duty” to report his concerns about the call. But he deflected repeated Republican efforts to divulge everyone he told about it -- thwarting Trump allies’ attempts to identify the anonymous whistleblower who spurred the impeachment probe.

Vindman, a 20-year military officer who received a Purple Heart for being wounded in the Iraq War, was among the officials who listened in to the July 25 call when Trump asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for a

LT COL ALEXANDER VINDMAN “favour” -- investigations of Democrat Joe Biden and other issues.

“Without hesitation, I knew I had to report this,” Vindman told the House Intelligence Committee. “It was inappropriate, it was improper for the president to demand an investigation into a political opponent.”

The testimony launched a pivotal week as the House’s historic impeachment investigation reaches further into Trump’s White House.

Democrats say Trump’s pressure on Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden while

withholding U.S. military aid to Kyiv may be grounds for removing the 45th president. Republicans have argued both that there was no linkage between the two matters and that there is nothing inappropriate even if there was.

Vindman, an official at the National Security Council, testified alongside Jennifer Williams, his counterpart at Vice President Mike Pence’s office. Both said they had concerns as Trump spoke with the newly elected Ukrainian president about political investigations into Biden.

Trump insists Zelenskiy did not feel pressured and has cast the impeachment probe as a partisan affair aimed at pushing him from office.

It wasn’t the first time Vindman was alarmed over the administration’s push to have Ukraine investigate Democrats, he testified.

He highlighted a July 10 meeting at the White House when Ambassador Gordon Sondland told visiting Ukraine officials they would need to “deliver” before next steps — a

THREE KILLED IN VIOLENCE NEAR BOLIVIAN FUEL PLANT EL ALTO, Bolivia Associated Press

POLICE and soldiers yesterday escorted gasoline tankers from a major Bolivian fuel plant that had been blockaded for five days by supporters of former President Evo Morales, and at least three people were reported killed while the operation was underway.

The public defender’s office also reported 18 people injured, but said the circumstances of the deaths and injuries hadn’t been determined.

An Associated Press journalist in the area heard shooting near the fuel plant.

Smoke rose from fires set by protesters and a military helicopter was seen flying over the area. The military

SUPPORTERS of Evo Morales yesterday said in a statement that the operation to move the fuel from El Alto to the nearby capital of La Paz was peaceful.

Public defender Nadia Cruz said the deaths were caused by gunshots. She called for the interim government to withdraw troops from policing operations

to reduce violence. Some Bolivian cities have reported food and gasoline shortages because of demonstrations by pro-Morales groups.

Víctor Hugo Zamora, the hydrocarbons minister, told ATB television that 23 tanker trucks were able to load on fuel at the plant.

meeting Zelenskiy wanted with Trump.

“Ambassador Sondland referred to investigations into the Bidens and Burisma in 2016,” he testified.

On both occasions, Vindman said, he took his concerns about the shifting Ukraine policy to the lead counsel at the NSC, John Eisenberg. Republicans later criticized him for not reporting to his direct supervisor.

An immigrant who came to the U.S. as a toddler from Ukraine, Vindman opened his testimony by assuring his father he would be “fine for telling the truth.”

Yet Vindman spent long stretches fielding Republican attacks on his loyalty to the U.S. and his career in public service. The Republicans’ lead counsel asked at one point about an offer to Vindman from a Ukrainian official to become the country’s defense minister.

Vindman called it “comical” and said he swiftly reported it up his chain of command.

“I’m an American,” Vindman said. “And I immediately dismissed these offers.”

PETE Buttigieg’s dramatic rise from little-known Indiana mayor to a leading Democratic presidential candidate faces its toughest test today, with rivals poised to lob debate-stage attacks in an effort to stall his momentum.

The debate in Atlanta marks the first time Buttigieg will face other White House hopefuls as an undisputed member of the top tier.

The 37-year old mayor of South Bend, Indiana, gained significant ground in recent months in Iowa, which holds the nation’s first caucuses in February.

He is bunched at the top of most polls in Iowa with candidates who have much longer political resumes: former Vice President Joe Biden and Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Some surveys are beginning to show him taking a more convincing lead in the race.

Buttigieg still faces plenty of hurdles to clinching the Democratic nomination, particularly winning over black and other minority voters. But his Iowa rise means he could come under fire from his rivals like never before.

“Anytime a candidate pops up above the pack, there’s a vigorous effort to vet them,” said Democratic strategist Zac Petkanas.

“Buttigieg is going to have to prove that his recent rise is not just a flash in the pan.”

Biden, Warren and Sanders have all faced similar scrutiny in previous debates, and those attacks did little to change the trajectory of the race.

The debate will unfold at a moment of uncertainty about the Democratic field, with some in the party worried there’s no one positioned to defeat President Donald Trump. Former President Barack Obama took the unusual step last week of warning the party against moving too far to the left.

Speaking to that anxiety, former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick entered the Democratic race last week.