11212023 BUSINESS

business@tribunemedia.net

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2023

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By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE CASE for imposing a corporate income tax was yesterday said to be have been strengthened by revelations that a Shell subsidiary paid not a cent in tax on $1.55bn of profits generated in The Bahamas.

The multinational energy giant, unveiling its 2022 global “tax contribution” report, revealed that Bahamas-based Shell Western Supply and Trading earned pre-tax profits equal to 12.4 percent of the country’s $12.556bn total public sector but none of this reached the Public Treasury in the absence of a corporate income tax.

Shell Western, which specialises in the buying and selling (trading) of crude oil sourced from Africa and Latin America, generated total revenues worth $28.29bn from these activities last year - a sum that is more than double, or twice as large, as The Bahamas’ total public sector debt.

Combined revenues produced

by Shell’s Bahamian subsidiary increased by almost $7bn or 31 percent year-over-year, while profits nearly tripled from the $571.441m achieved in 2021. Yet the energy giant’s report made clear that none of its millions/billions were taxed in The Bahamas and, as an International Business Company (IBC), it only paid a very modest amount of taxes and fees locally.

GOWON BOWE

PAUL MOSS

“Shell has been present in The Bahamas since 2002. As of 2018, Shell’s principal business in the Bahamas is Shell Western Supply and Trading (SWST). SWST sources crude oil from West Africa and Latin America, and trades globally,” the Shell report said.

“The Bahamas does not impose corporate income tax on international business companies (IBCs) operating in the country.

However, international business companies pay indirect taxes and fees in The Bahamas. The increase in profit before tax is the result of higher crude oil prices.”

When these revelations were brought to their attention, financial services executives again urged The Bahamas to “get on the front foot” and beat the OECD/G-20 push for a ‘minimum’ 15 percent global corporate income tax by implementing a lower rate version to suit its needs and maintain economic competitiveness.

SEE PAGE B4

‘Incredibly difficult’ Public sector debt drops $93m during first quarter for middle class to ever purchase home

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

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By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net MIDDLE class Bahamians will find it “incredibly difficult to ever get a home”, developers and realtors warned yesterday, with financing and other hurdles constantly being raised that “little bit higher”.

Matt Sweeting, real estate broker with 1 OAK Bahamas, told Tribune Business that three out of every 10 potential property deals he handles fail due to the buyer’s inability to secure mortgage financing and this number has increased in recent years post-COVID. Speaking after the Central Bank’s lending conditions survey for the 2023 first half revealed the mortgage loan approval ratio had fallen to its lowest level in four-and-a-half years, with less than on in three applications approved by commercial banks, he added that the industry’s standard time for processing such credit has in many

TOTAL public sector debt fell by $93m during the first quarter of the 2023-2024 fiscal year, it was disclosed yesterday, cutting it slightly from its June peak as the foreign currency share fell by 1.5 percentage points.

The Ministry of Finance’s quarterly public debt statistical bulletin, covering the three months to end-September 2023, suggested that further growth in the Government’s debt burden had been contained over the period with the economy’s continuing postCOVID rebound helping to lower the debt-to-GDP

ratio to 80.4 percent over the period.

The central government’s direct debt also declined by $45m during the 2023-2024 fiscal year’s first quarter, lowering slightly to $11.215bn, although some $3.257bn in maturing debt has to be refinanced in the nine months between October 2023 and June 2024.

Included in that sum is a $300m foreign currency bond issue held by external investors.

“Outstanding debt of the public sector was estimated at $12.556bn at end-September 2023, a decline of $92.9m (0.7 percent) from end-June 2023 and a $453.8m (3.8 percent) increase since end-September 2022,” the report said.

THE Attorney General yesterday admitted The Bahamas has been “negligent” in protecting the innovations of its entrepreneurs by failing to keep pace with intellectual property (IP) safeguards.

Ryan Pinder KC, addressing an IP consultation with representatives from the cultural and agribusiness industries, said it

Despite the modest reduction in the Government’s outstanding debt, the interest burden associated with it continues to suck large sums of money away from the provision of public services such as health, education, social services, the police, Defence Force and other national security agencies.

“Debt service costs totaled an estimated $830.7m for the first quarter of fiscal year 2023-2024, a reduction of 7.4 percent from the June 2023 quarter but nearly 58 percent above the outlays in the corresponding period of the prior year,” the Government’s debt bulletin said.

SEE PAGE B4

Bahamians using renewables ‘without understanding’ them MATT SWEETING cases near-tripled from 21 days to 60 days.

Affirming that “99 percent” of the transactions he brokers require the buyers to come up with mortgage financing, Mr Sweeting told this newspaper that applying and gaining the necessary bank approvals is “the longest process in the transaction right now”.

“Traditionally we were writing the industry standard language for financing at 21 days some years ago,” he explained. “We’ve been forced to adjust that to a minimum industry standard

SEE PAGE B4

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net BAHAMIANS are using key components of renewable energy technology “without understanding where or when or how” it impacts their lives, regulators are asserting.

The Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA), in unveiling the results of a 400-strong survey on battery energy storage systems (BESS), referred to “disturbing” findings when it came to both renewable energy uptake and the level of confidence several

residential consumers have in the regulator.

More than three out of every four residential respondents, who totalled 300, said they have no plans to install a renewable system at their homes, which could have consequences for The Bahamas’ ambitions to achieve its target of generating 30 percent of total energy needs from sustainable sources by 2030.

And 19 percent of respondents, or almost one in five, said they either did not know what role URCA should play in this process and the roll-out of BESS systems or lacked confidence and trust in the energy sector regulator.

Bahamas ‘negligent’ in protecting innovators

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

“Foreign currency debt was lower by $182.6m relative to the previous quarter and constituted 44.6 percent of the total portfolio—an almost uninterrupted quarterly reduction from the 46 percent posted at end-September 2022.

Since end-June 2023, the Bahamian dollar component grew by $89.7m (1.3 percent), and the share in total debt firmed by 1.4 percentage points since end-September 2022 to 55.4 percent. Movements in the public debt stock vis-à-vis end-June 2023 were due to almost equal net repayment positions for both government and agencies and GBEs (government business enterprises).”

was “the plain truth” that successive administrations have failed to ensure creative money-making ideas were given the necessary protections to prevent them from being pirated, stolen or copied.

Describing the present system for intellectual property rights protection as “clunky, slow and inefficient”, and with The Bahamas also lacking membership in the necessary international conventions, he pledged to

transform processes from ones that are manual-based via the launch of an online electronic portal.

Mr Pinder said a dedicated IP Office will be created as a standalone entity, spun out from its present home in the Registrar General’s Department.

Confirming that the Government plans to implement IP legal reforms that will bring The Bahamas into line with international best

SEE PAGE B2

RYAN PINDER KC

BESS systems, at their most basic, allow energy generated from traditional sources or renewables, such as solar and wind, to be stored and then released when that power is needed.

With solar, they typically store any excess energy produced during the day for

use at night when no sun is shining.

“Knowledge of the concept of energy storage and use of batteries is widespread in residential consumers. This may be due to familiarisation with consumer electronics and

SEE PAGE B2

PAGE 2, Tuesday, November 21, 2023

THE TRIBUNE

Bahamian tourism teams for World Travel Market THE Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation was joined by major resorts in promoting The Bahamas at the World Travel Market (WTM) from November 6-8 in London.

The ministry, in a statement, described the event as a major showpiece in the tourism calendar with

participation from more than 5,000 exhibitors representing 182 countries and regions.

The Bahamian delegation, led by Latia Duncombe, the Ministry of Tourism, Investments and Aviation’s director-general at The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation,

included members of the Bahamas Tourist Office in the UK and international team members specialising in sales, marketing and communications.

The team engaged with global contacts in the travel industry, and were joined by representatives from the Nassau/Paradise Island

Promotion Board, Atlantis, Margaritaville Beach Resort, Majestic Tours and the Bahama Out Islands Promotion Board.

Mrs Duncombe said: “World Travel Market 2023 has once again proven to be a significant event in the industry calendar, providing an excellent

LATIA DUNCOMBE opportunity to showcase the world class offerings in The Bahamas, establish new relationships and nurture existing partnerships.”

She said there were discussions with 100

BAHAMIANS USING RENEWABLES ‘WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING’ THEM FROM PAGE B1 the batteries contained therein,” URCA said.

“However, of the 250 respondents, less than 10 percent were able to name a specific use for battery energy storage systems, the majority of whom (57 percent) may have been prompted by the name of the technology....

“The main concern of residential consumers with respect to battery energy storage installation was cost.

For those persons who had installed battery energy systems, the main reason for such installations was to improve power quality.”

Other aspects of the survey were of more concern to URCA. “Over three-quarters (76 percent)

of respondents indicated they have no plans to install a renewable energy system.

This response is supported by the low levels of the penetration of renewable energy systems in The Bahamas,” the regulator added of the findings.

“Regarding URCA’s role in the electricity sector in general, and BESS in particular, a sizeable number of residential respondents felt URCA’s most important role was to educate the public. It is disturbing, however, that a fair proportion of the respondents were either not sure what role URCA should play or had no confidence in URCA (19 percent combined).”

Commercial consumers were much more reluctant to reply to the URCA survey,

Bahamas ‘negligent’ in protecting innovators FROM PAGE B1 practice, he added that it also intends to establish a “defined sector policy” for intellectual property.

“The plain truth is that when it comes to providing necessary intellectual protection for our people to protect their creations and business innovations, and the creation of a proper platform for the

domestic and international protection of these important assets, The Bahamas has been negligent in keeping up with international standards to provide you with adequate opportunities for economic growth and development,” Mr Pinder conceded.

“Our laws are inadequate, our registration system is clunky, slow and ineffective, and we are not party

contacts, including partners in the airline, hotel and trade industries, as The Bahamas surpassed 2019’s full-year record of 7.2m visitors in just the first nine months of 2023.

Mrs Duncombe concluded: “The stage is now set for an even more significant and prosperous 2024. The Bahamas is open for business, and we look forward to continuing the constructive discussions and exploring business opportunities discussed at World Travel Market to further strengthen our position on the world stage.”

although the results showed the installation of BESS systems was not a priority for many because 75 percent said they had never heard of such devices. “While there is widespread knowledge, there is scant adoption and seemingly little interest,” the energy regulator added.

URCA concluded that “lack of awareness” and cost are the two key obstacles preventing greater use of BESS in The Bahamas by both residential and commercial users. In particular, it added that residential respondents to its survey were unaware of any BESS companies operating in The Bahamas and system safety.

“These results paint the picture of a community that is utilizing the technology without understanding

where or when or how it is impacting their lives in many positive ways, and the additional ways that successful integration can continue to improve the quality of life,” URCA said.

“There is little doubt that a need exists for battery energy systems of every capacity from the consumer level to the utility level. Further, the advantages of having a robust battery energy system to complement renewable energy penetration is well documented in industry standards.

“Power markets worldwide are experiencing a shift in the way that energy is produced, marketed and consumed. This change is driving innovation in the design, financing and legal

structuring of power systems, and The Bahamas will be caught up in this shift as it embraces the green economy and the adoption of renewables,” the regulator continued.

“Energy storage is one of the key enabling technologies in the shift towards a green economy and has a key role to play in decarbonising grids. Energy storage systems are increasingly able to deliver and, in some cases, improve energy services for utility grids at increasingly competitive prices.”

To address the concerns, URCA said it plans to further develop BESS regulation via a licensing regime for both systems that are integrated with generation facilities and standalone

storage systems. “An ESS will be required to withstand frequency and voltage deviations under normal and abnormal conditions,” the regulator added.

“Disconnection and connection to the network will be at the discretion of the system operator. The codes will specify the number of tests to be performed by the project owner to demonstrate compliance with the code requirements before being allowed connection by the system operator.”

URCA added: “Energy storage systems have a role to play in increasing and improving access to energy, economic development, reducing carbon emissions, attracting foreign investment, advancing job creation, expanding industrialisation, ensuring system security and stabilising the grid.”

to the necessary international conventions to ensure international protections to Bahamians who would want protection for their intellectual property.”

Applying for intellectual property rights protection, such as copyrights, patents and trademarks, is presently “not efficient, easy or progressive”. Mr Pinder added: “The process is managed by the intellectual Property division of the Registrar General. The application process is a manual process by submitting the relevant application and must wait

for its manual review and approval.

“This is a burdensome process and creates unnecessary delays, which have a material effect on the ability of Bahamians to timely seek protection and to have their intellectual property published for notice of its protection. We look to reform this entire process to make the application procedure easy, straightforward and efficient to ensure timely protection of your IP assets.

“With the passing of our legislative reforms... we will be in a position to operationalise an online intellectual property portal that will facilitate the application and approval of intellectual property protections online.

This will allow clear, timely and transparent review and approval of applications. The platform will be supported

by WIPO so that your intellectual property is protected worldwide.”

WIPO is the World Intellectual Property Organisation, and Mr Pinder said: “Our government believes intellectual property protections are a foundational element of economic empowerment for Bahamians. As such, we believe that the administration of intellectual property rights requires a focused and dedicated Intellectual Property Office.

“Once we have implemented our reforms, we will look to split the functions of administering intellectual property rights in The Bahamas from where it currently lies, in the Registrar General’s office, and have

a stand-alone, dedicated IP Office.

“This is the internationally-recognised best practice and would provide the necessary focus on what our government believes is fundamental to Bahamian economic empowerment, especially in the creative industries and Orange Economy.”

Intellectual property rights protections are required in industries such as music, film, the arts, publishing, creative enterprises such as Junkanoo and even the agribusiness sector. “Agriculture has evolved from what it was generations ago. There is now technology and genetic testing and development associated with the agriculture business,” Mr Pinder said.

“This has demanded that intellectual property protections now be a fundamental part of the furtherance of agribusiness throughout the world. There are many ways that companies protect intellectual property in the agricultural industry.

“For example, companies file for utility patents to protect a wide variety of plant-related inventions, such as breeding methods, plant-based chemicals, plant parts and plant products.

Plant Variety Protection certificates provide certain exclusive rights to breeders of any new, distinct, uniform, and stable sexually or asexually reproduced or tuber-propagated plant varieties.”

Mr Pinder said the proposed legal reforms “will allow for an efficient and

streamlined process for international and domestic protection of IP assets and creations” in areas such as integrated circuits, false trade descriptions and geographical indications.

“These will be comprehensive reforms that will launch The Bahamas into the forefront of intellectual property protections for our citizens, creating the necessary element for economic empowerment in areas of new creations,” the Attorney General added.

“We will not only pass the legislation, we will also join the necessary international conventions to ensure the protection of the above elements of intellectual property internationally. We will be joining the necessary conventions for international protection of intellectual property in a phased approach, so we can implement the conventions effectively. At the end of the process, we look forward to joining up to 11 new IP international conventions.”

The Government plans to launch a public consultation on the reforms in December, much as it did with the medical marijuana changes. “Our government is determined to ensure that Bahamian creatives extract greater value from global orange economy revenues,” Mr Pinder said, adding that the reforms will also provide a mechanism whereby IP assets can be used as collateral for financing.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, November 21, 2023, PAGE 3

RESTAURANT ENTREPRENEUR TARGETING SIX FRANCHISEES

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net A BAHAMIAN entrepreneur yesterday said he is seeking up to six franchisees at $150,000 apiece to expand his restaurant brand throughout this nation.

Chef Kevin Culmer, chief executive of Tropical Gyros, which successfully raised capital via the ArawakX crowd-funding platform, told Tribune Business he is willing to help prospective

franchisees secure the necessary financing.

“We feel, through discussions with persons in various communities on the islands, that Grand Bahama, Abaco, Exuma and Eleuthera are ready for something like Tropical Gyros. There’s an eastern district on New Providence that we are eying that is looking available, and we are also planning on going back downtown,” Chef Culmer disclosed.

Franchisees will be able to select their own locations, and Chef Culmer affirmed he will work with them to access funding via

the likes of the commercial banks and government agencies such as the Small Business Development Centre (SBDC) and the Bahamas Development Bank. The latter, he added, has already been approached and indicated a willingness to support the franchise plan.

“Once people respond with an expression of interest, there is a form for them to fill out, which expresses the level of commitment they are looking at. But our franchise is pretty affordable for $150,000 can get you up and running,” Chef Culmer said.

If franchisees do not succeed, Chef Culmer will take over their locations and continue to build the Tropical Gyros brand. He will assume all their debts and financial obligations, and continue to meet these commitments.

He added: “We will tell the institutions that if they falter - if for some reason the franchisees falter - then Tropical Gyros would step in and take over the operation and also the continued payment.

“We don’t want to see the brand fail. So it’s incumbent upon us to ensure that we select the right candidates

for franchising.

That’s number one; persons who have a commitment and a drive, and a desire to truly become entrepreneurs and make this work.”

The strength of Tropical Gyros’ main Rosetta Street location, and the second site in the JFK Plaza, has given Chef Culmer the belief that a franchisee model can be successful with each location having the ability to make up to $200,000 per year.

He said: “When you look at the trajectory of Tropical Gyros you would have to say that there is some longevity here, and some

staying power, and there is customer satisfaction with the product.”

Tropical Gyros also plans to add a food trailer to go along with its two existing locations while it continues to build out the Carmichael Road location. “The food trailer will be here in another three weeks and we are right now in discussions with an organisation to put it someplace, but it is a verbal commitment. We have not gotten it in writing yet,” Chef Culmer said.

The food trailer will be a “full service restaurant on wheels” with the exception of seating inside.

POTTER’S CAY VENDORS: HOW WAS BLAZE ALLOWED TO OCCUR?

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net ALL Potter’s Cay Dock vendors were yesterday said to be back in operation apart from the five stalls that were either destroyed or severely damaged by the weekend’s fire.

Maltese Davis, secretary for the Bahamas Dock and Allied Venues Vendors Association, which represents stall owners and operators, complained to Tribune Business that the authorities had done too little to prevent the burning boat - which caused the blaze - from drifting back into Potter’s Cay. “When the boat started to drift over, I guess they just let it go. They just figured that if they pulled it out that it would just stay there on the sea and burn, but that area is high with current and pulled it in straight into those stalls,” she said.

Ms Davis, who is the owner of TC’s Bayview, added: “The fire department called me to ask me if I had any damage. I told them ‘no’. So right now I am back open on the dock and so are many of the other vendors open for business.”

The fire erupted on Sunday evening after a blaze broke out on a boat, which was then caught by the current and drifted in towards the western side of Potter’s Cay dock, caused five stalls to catch fire. Four burned down completely, while another sustained significant damage and was unable to reopen for business yesterday.

A previous fire struck Potter’s Cay Dock on April 12, 2021, which also destroyed several stalls and boats. The reconstruction of Potter’s Cay dock’s eastern side was ongoing as this second fire hit. Ms Davis said the latest fire is just another obstacle for vendors to overcome.

“We have been having massive roadblocks and police operations on Potter’s Cay Dockm and the vendors are curious as to why this happening,” Ms Davis said.

“Potter’s Cay Dock is like done, because it really first started off with the operations and people feeling like: ‘Hey, I’m going on the dock to pick up a conch salad and I have to pay $100 to get my car because they’re towing the vehicles’. They are not being consistent with the security and the patrols.”

The main parking lot at Potter’s Cay Dock has no

CALL 502-2394 TO ADVERTISE TODAY! LEGAL NOTICE SONOMA SHIPPING COMPANY LIMITED (In Voluntary Liquidation)

Notice is hereby given in pursuance of Section 138(8) of The International Business Companies Act, 2000 (as amended), the Dissolution of the above-named company has been completed, a Certificate of Dissolution has been issued and the abovenamed company has therefore been struck off the Register. The date of the completion of the dissolution was the 20th day of October 2023.

Bennet R. Atkinson Liquidator

PUBLIC NOTICE This is to inform the public that B.K.B Enterprises Machine Shop located on #96 Miami Street will be closing permenantly on Friday, November 24th, 2023 Signed BKB Enterprises Management

security after a certain time at night, Ms Davis said, resulting in car break-ins and the theft of car parts.

This has forced customers park in front of individual stalls or under the bridge, which are no parking zones.

“Yes, you have signs up. But for many, many years the parking lot has remained not properly lit.

It’s where we would have women with their children going back to their vehicles and finding their cars were broken in or finding a part is missing off their car,” Ms Davis “There is no security in the facilities of the parking area other than periodic police patrols, and even with that we don’t have consistent policing. Many times the [police] station is closed.”

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE

LEGAL NOTICE

International Business Companies Act No.45 of 2000

International Business Companies Act (No. 45 of 2000)

Sigma Tau Equities Ltd.

PBV Investment Ltd.

(the “Company”)

(the “Company”)

Notice is hereby given that, in accordance with Section 138 (8) of the International Business Companies Act, No.45 of 2000, the Dissolution of Sigma Tau Equities Ltd., has been completed, a Certificate of Dissolution has been issued and the Company has therefore been struck off the Register. The date of completion of the dissolution was the 06th day of November, 2023.

In Voluntary Liquidation Notice is hereby given that, in accordance with Section 138 (4) of the International Business Companies Act, (No.45 of 2000), PBV Investment Ltd. (the “Company”) is in Dissolution. The date of commencement of the Dissolution is the 17th day of November, 2023. Gustavo dos Santos Vaz is the Liquidator and can be contacted at Rua Vieira de Almeida, 550, Apto. 274, Torre Paineira, Ipiranga, São Paulo, SP, 04268-040, Brazil. All persons having claims against the above-named Company are required to send their names, addresses and particulars of their debts or claims to the Liquidator before the 18th day of December, 2023.

Gustavo dos Santos Vaz Liquidator

PAGE 4, Tuesday, November 21, 2023

THE TRIBUNE

‘Incredibly difficult’ for middle class to ever purchase home middle class to purchase homes.

“Firstly, there is serious upward pressure on construction costs.. since COVID, very, very appreciably in the period of time to which that study refers.

There’s very little doubt that the cost of construction has gone up far faster than the incomes of potential borrowers would have gone up. The statistics you are quoting would be evidencing some of that reality.”

While that is propelling the cost of new-build residential homes beyond the reach of many Bahamians, Sir Franklyn added: “The second thing referenced is what is happening to people’s debt levels. It’s very concerning and it’s not a new phenomenon. It’s been a phenomenon in train for some time since the public policy rules were changed for personal financing in The Bahamas.

The Central Bank report showed that more than onethird - or one in every three - of mortgage loan applications was rejected during the 2023 first half because potential borrowers were still breaching the more generous 50 percent debt service ratio.

Using the Central Bank’s statistics, just 356 of the

total 1,104 mortgage applications submitted during the 2023 first half were approved by its commercial bank licensees. This means that two-thirds, or 748, were rejected. Of that 748, some 33.6 percent or 251 were declined because the applicants’ debt service ratios would breach the 50 percent benchmark.

This would mean more than half their income would be going to servicing debt, placing their finances under stress especially if something went wrong.

That 251 is equivalent to 22.7 percent of all 1,104 mortgage applications, which means close to one in every four submissions was dismissed because the potential borrowers/homeowners are already too heavily indebted.

“That’s not likely to get better soon,” Sir Franklyn said of heavily indebted borrowers.

“The third factor, in my view, which was not referenced, would be the prevalence of gambling. Let’s face it. In this climate, what’s happening with gambling is having an impact. When you combine those three things, in my humble view, there’s only going to be serious change when you affect two of those three things.

“I think it’s going to be incredibly difficult for a lot of people to ever get a home. I don’t want to be doom and gloom, and wish to be proved wrong. But that’s the way I see it. This goes to the wider question of society’s common good.

“From that point of view, it’s not a good thing. It’s a legitimate matter for public policy concern, and these are not easy issues. These are not recent issues. It warrants the concern of anyone interested in the common good of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.”

The Central Bank’s 2023 first half lending conditions survey showed that almost nine out of every 10 loan applications during the six months to end-June 2023 was of the consumer variety. And, in a sign of the financial stress facing many Bahamian households, there was a 27 percent rise in debt consolidation applications to 2,863, of which 19,89 or 69.5 percent were approved.

“What does debt consolidation mean?” Sir Franklyn asked. “It means you’re borrowing from Peter to pay Paul. Debt consolidation means you borrow from Peter to pay Paul.”

NO BAHAMAS TAXES ON SHELL’S $1.55BN PROFITS

what The Bahamas should focus its attention on.

“The Bahamas should be on the front foot, maybe justify a lower rate, and be more competitive because the size of the economy demonstrates we don’t need a higher tax rate. We are at a level that meets our needs.

“Most of these [Shelltype] entities have no difficulty paying the same tax as they do in their home jurisdictions,” Mr Bowe added. “We shouldn’t be at the back of the pack because these large entities prefer certainty over tax avoidance. Having a rate that differentiates, and can be put forward, gives them greater confidence that The Bahamas will stay at that rate as opposed to holding on and being blacklisted.

“We should simply be riding along the front trend, not too far ahead, but providing greater certainty for these entities so they can plan into the future and they will stick with us... We have to look at this, not wait until we are obligated and mandated. We don’t want businesses packing up and leaving The Bahamas because there’s no clarity.”

A corporate income tax would ensure The

Bahamas complies and fulfills its obligations as one of 140 countries that have signed on to the G-20/ Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) drive for a minimum 15 percent global corporate tax. In the first instance, this applies only to corporate groups and their subsidiaries that have a minimum annual turnover in excess of 750m euros.

The ‘green paper’ on “corporate income tax strategies for The Bahamas” revealed that none of the four corporate income tax options being considered will have a positive impact on Bahamian economic growth, employment, foreign and domestic investment, with the fallout negative in all bar two instances.

The Davis administration, following studies by the Deloitte & Touche accounting firm, said it has to consider “the trade-off between raising government revenue at the expense of economic activity” in all four scenarios as it mulls historical changes that will potentially eliminate Business Licence fees for most companies and replace them with a corporate income tax.

GDP from 82 percent for the June 2023 quarter and 86 percent a year earlier.” While the Government’s foreign currency debt enjoyed a $165.6m net decline during the 2023-2024 first quarter, the domestic component rose by $120.1m.

“Implementation of the Government’s debt management strategy to contain interest rate risk was observed in a further firming of the share of domestic debt contracted at fixed rates by 2.6 percentage points at 65.9 percent at end-September 2023.

Correspondingly, there was an equivalent contraction in the variable interest rate debt share to 34.1 percent,” the debt report added.

“At end-September 2023, debt outstanding

for agencies and government business enterprises was estimated at $1.342bn corresponding to a net repayment of $47.4m (3.4 percent) relative to endJune 2023 but a firming of $16m (1.2 percent) over the comparative period in the prior year.

“The $988.1m in domestic indebtedness constituted 73.7 percent of the portfolio at end-September 2023.

Meanwhile, the Bahamian Dollar component declined by $36.6m (3.9 percent) to $895.1m, which represented 66.7 percent of the total.

“With approximately $92.8m of domestic debt denominated in foreign currency, total foreign currency indebtedness amounted to $446.5m or 33.3 percent of the total portfolio.”

FROM PAGE B1 of 30 days, and are ending up at 45 to 60 days for someone to get approval for financing. Often times that can end up in the denial basket.

“A major new factor in the application for financing is the Credit Bureau. A number of financial institutions are now requiring people to get credit reports to to supplement their own financial data. This has been another hurdle or challenge in the home buying process.”

Mr Sweeting estimated that around 30 percent of potential home and real estate sales fall through because the buyer cannot qualify for a mortgage. “I’d say that three out of every 10 transactions fail due to financing,” he said. “That’s definitely increased in more recent times due to the additional financial hurdles institutions want you to jump through to qualify.

“They’re being a tight on lending post-COVID just because of the speculation around lending.” Bahamian commercial banks, though, first became much more conservative over issuing mortgages following the 2008-2009 financial crisis, when they became stuck

FROM PAGE B1 Arguing that such a move would not drive global multinationals such as Shell from this jurisdiction, as there will soon be “nowhere to hide”, they argued that the energy giant’s disclosures present a potential business opportunity for The Bahamas as they indicate there is “a tremendous amount of global trading that needs a tax home”.

Corporate income tax discussion has been muted since the passing of the end-August deadline for feedback on the Government’s so-called ‘green paper’ to be submitted. The Davis administration was then supposed to publish a summary of the suggestions it received, before developing a ‘white paper’ that more fully signals the tax reform direction it plans to take, but none of these steps have yet occurred.

Paul Moss, president of Dominion Management Services, told Tribune Business yesterday that the figures disclosed by Shell “certainly don’t change my

with a huge number of delinquent and distressed properties that they were unable to offload swiftly once borrowers defaulted.

Mr Sweeting, meanwhile, said “a fairly new policy” is the requirement from some banks that a survey report to establish the boundaries of the subject properties be obtained as “a contingency for approval” rather than a condition of the closing.

This was forcing either the buyer or the seller, or a combination of the two, to come up with an extra $600$1,000 much earlier in the process.

“The hurdles are a little bit higher,” the 1 OAK principal reiterated. “There’s only one commercial institution that’s accepting 5 percent down payments.

That means other institutions want 10 percent minimum.

This means every hurdle increases the cost for people being able to purchase.

“Self employed people are having the hardest time getting financing because banks want to see their financial track record for a number of years. People in hospitality, it’s being made more difficult for them. They [the banks] want a history of gratuities and they’ll only consider

mind” on implementing a lower corporate income tax rate than the OECD/G-20’s 15 percent in a bid to gain a competitive advantage for The Bahamas.

“Shell or companies like that, these are extraordinary companies,” he said.

“There are many companies that are IBCs which are making billions of dollars and not paying any taxes. We need a low rate that captures everybody as opposed to making it very difficult for companies with a 15 percent rate which may kill their business off.

“I think the corporate income tax rate is something we have missed the boat on and continue to miss the boat on, because there are companies in this country doing well and not paying a single dime.

I believe that if we say to them they have an option of paying 1-2 percent of their profits in tax, I think they’ll take that up and pay it.

“We’re too afraid of the boogeyman. We think if we tax these people they will run away. But there’s no place to run. You cannot

a portion of those” in the income calculation.

Despite all these obstacles, Mr Sweeting said the desire of Bahamians to acquire their own homes has not diminished. “People are still very ambitious.

This has not dampened their ambition for home ownership,” he said.

“People still see this as a mark of true success.

For someone working for a number of years people want this for their families.

People are working their way through this, even though there are more obstacles, working their way to the finish line.”

Sir Franklyn Wilson, the Arawak Homes and Sunshine Holdings chairman, told Tribune Business that soaring post-COVID construction costs, overborrowing on consumer loans and the prevalence of gambling were all factors combining to undermine the affordability of home ownership for many Bahamians and push this beyond their reach.

“The statistics to which you refer reflect the net outcome from a number of forces,” he said of the Central Bank’s lending survey results. “It’s increasingly difficult for persons in the

hide... There’s a lot of money being made here. I know of a company from Texas that made about $100bn in profits about ten years ago. That’s a good chunk of change. They paid nothing. They paid $1,000 in fees to the Registrar General’s Department.”

If the OECD/G-20’s 15 percent ‘minimum’ global corporate income tax rate was applied to Shell’s Bahamian subsidiary, Tribune Business calculations show this would generate around $233m worth of taxes.

While this may be oversimplistic, it does highlight the extent of the potential tax boost that could accrue to the Public Treasury from such a levy.

“I think that demonstrates when persons or entities are parties to the jurisdiction they should be making an equitable contribution to the economies which they operate from,” Gowon Bowe, Fidelity Bank (Bahamas) chief executive, said yesterday.

“Ultimately that would demonstrate the level of corporate income tax that

we would have to levy and be assessing on all entities in the jurisdiction to encourage us to be more competitive.... It’s more about The Bahamas looking at our opportunities and saying if we can be equitable by having all entities operating in the economy contributing on an equal footing with taxes and revenues to the Government there’s an opportunity to be extremely competitive.”

Mr Bowe argued that The Bahamas may “be able to justify” implementing a corporate income tax with lower rate than 15 percent if it can show this generates sufficient revenues to cover all government spending and eliminate annual Budget deficits. The present tax burden is borne largely by companies operating in the domestic Bahamian economy as opposed to the international side.

Asserting that the 15 percent cited by the OECD/G-20 is “not a magical number”, he added: “If all entities are contributing equitably we should not be running a deficit, and that’s

PUBLIC SECTOR DEBT DROPS $93M DURING FIRST QUARTER FROM PAGE B1 “Reflecting the central government’s debt profile, 73 percent of the aggregate costs was on account of Bahamian dollar obligations with the remaining 27 percent attributed to foreign currency liabilities.

Of the $698.9 million in principal payments (84.1 percent of the total cost), a dominant 75.6 percent was in Bahamian dollars and reflected the Government’s

domestic securities issuance programme.

“Interest costs of $131.8m (15.9 percent of the total) were split between Bahamian dollars (59.3 percent) and foreign currency (40.7 percent) components.”

The Government also has to contend with significant refinancing needs over the next nine months as existing domestic and foreign securities mature.

“The debt redemption profile for the balance of

the fiscal year includes reissuances of Treasury bills ($1.054bn), Treasury notes ($76.9m) and Central Bank advances ($337.5m), and the $300m external bond maturity,” the Government’s debt bulletin added.

“The pattern of external payments primarily reflects the incidence of central government’s bond maturities, with the domestic evolution similarly tracking government’s domestic bond redemptions. Across

the maturity spectrum, the longer maturity and amortizing profile of the multilateral and bilateral credits continue to provide smoothing to debt operations.”

As for the Government’s direct debt, the report added: “The central government’s debt outstanding stood at an estimated $11.215bn at end-September 2023, down $45.5m (0.4 percent) since end-June 2023 and a gain of $437.8m (4.1 percent) over end-September 2022 (see Table 1).

“Reflecting the continuation of favourable economic conditions, outstanding debt improved to an estimated 80.4 percent as a proportion of nominal

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, November 21, 2023, PAGE 5

UK leader Rishi Sunak urges world to use AI and science to end malnutrition

By JILL LAWLESS Associated Press BRITISH Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Monday that the U.K. is setting up a new science initiative to help develop flood-tolerant rice, disease-resistant wheat and other crops that are more resilient to climate change.

Sunak was joined by ministers, diplomats and philanthropists from about 20 countries at a one-day Global Food Security Summit in London, where he urged world leaders to harness artificial intelligence and other cutting-edge technology to end malnutrition around the globe.

Sunak told delegates that a “fundamental shift” is needed to confront a food-security crisis that is being worsened by climate change. He focused on the role of science and said the U.K. would set up a “virtual science hub” linking international researchers working on more resilient crops. The U.K. hub will be part of a global research partnership known as CGIAR. “Climate change, conflict and population rise mean ever greater challenges to food supplies,” Sunak said.

“So we need a fundamental

shift in the way we approach food security, with a focus on long-term solutions to stop food crises before they start. And we need to harness the full power of science and technology to ensure supplies are resilient to threats like conflict, drought and floods.”

The event was co-hosted

by Somalia and the United Arab Emirates alongside the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The summit coincided with publication of a “re-energized” U.K. development strategy aimed at ending extreme poverty and tackling climate change and biodiversity loss.

The document sets out the U.K.’s aid plans through 2030, and confirms Britain will not restore development aid to 0.7% of gross national income — after it was cut to 0.5% during the coronavirus pandemic — until “the fiscal situation allows.” Instead, the U.K. says it will spend smarter, earmarking money to help countries strengthen their defenses against natural disasters, raising more private-sector money for development and building “mutually respectful” relationships with developing nations.

BRITISH Prime Minister Rishi Sunak opens the Global Food Security Summit in London, Monday, Nov. 20, 2023. The summit, hosted by the UK in partnership with the UAE, Somalia, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Children’s Investment Fund, aims to galvanise action to tackle hunger and malnutrition.

Photo:Dan Kitwood/AP LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE Pursuant to the provisions of Section 138 (4) of the International Business Companies Act, (as amended) NOTICE is hereby given that Cape Orson Limited is in dissolution and the date of commencement of the dissolution is the 17th November, 2023.

Alexandre Sampedro and Juliana Glinton LIQUIDATORS c/o EFG Bank & Trust (Bahamas) Ltd Goodman’s Bay Corporate Centre 3rd Floor, West Bay Street and Sea View Drive P.O. Box CB 10956 Nassau, Bahamas

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE Pursuant to the provisions of Section 138 (4) of the International Business Companies Act, (as amended) NOTICE is hereby given that Lito Corporation Ltd. is in dissolution and the date of commencement of the dissolution is the 17th November, 2023.

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE Pursuant to the provisions of Section 138 (4) of the International Business Companies Act, (as amended) NOTICE is hereby given that GNS Investments Corp. is in dissolution and the date of commencement of the dissolution is the 17th November, 2023.

Alexandre Sampedro and Juliana Glinton LIQUIDATORS c/o EFG Bank & Trust (Bahamas) Ltd Goodman’s Bay Corporate Centre 3rd Floor, West Bay Street and Sea View Drive P.O. Box CB 10956 Nassau, Bahamas

Legal Notice NOTICE INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS COMPANIES ACT, 2000

BLUESEE INVEST SA

(IN VOLUNTARY LIQUIDATION) NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that in accordance with section 138(4) of the International Business Companies Act, 2000, as amended, BLUESEE INVEST SA is in dissolution.

The dissolution of the said Company commenced on November 16, 2023 when the Articles of Dissolution were submitted to and registered with the Registrar General in Nassau, The Bahamas.

The sole liquidator of the said Company is Kim D Thompson of Equity Trust House, Caves Village, West Bay Street, P O Box N 10697, Nassau, Bahamas.

Kim D Thompson Sole Liquidator

Alexandre Sampedro and Juliana Glinton LIQUIDATORS c/o EFG Bank & Trust (Bahamas) Ltd Goodman’s Bay Corporate Centre 3rd Floor, West Bay Street and Sea View Drive P.O. Box CB 10956 Nassau, Bahamas

“Today’s answer cannot be about rich countries ‘doing development’ to others,” Foreign Secretary David Cameron wrote in an introduction. “We need to work together as partners, shaping narratives which developing countries own and deliver.”

The Lancaster House conference venue was picketed by activists from Medical Aid for Palestinians calling for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war to get urgently needed food and humanitarian aid into Gaza.

“It is good that they are talking about addressing food and security in the world. But if they’re going to do that seriously, they cannot ignore the situation in Gaza, where 2.2 million

people are at risk of starvation,” said the group’s chief executive, Melanie Ward.

“Because of the siege that’s been imposed on Gaza, the amount of aid that’s gotten in the last month is only enough for about two normal days in Gaza. So less than 10% of the food needed to keep people in Gaza alive is actually getting in.”

Like the United States, the U.K. has not called for a cease-fire, but Sunak urged Israel to agree to “urgent and substantive humanitarian pauses” to get in food, fuel and medicine.

“The situation on the ground is truly tragic and getting worse,” he said.

NOTICE LUNA VISTA CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LTD. Pursuant to the provision of Section 138(8) of the International Business Companies Act, 2000 (Chapter 309) NOTICE is hereby given that the above-named company has been dissolved and struck off the Register of Companies. A Certificate of Dissolution has been issued by the Registrar General. The date of completion of the Dissolution is 21st April 2023.

Brittany Investment Company Limited Liquidator

NOTICE KENTWELL INVESTMENT CO. LTD. Pursuant to the provision of Section 138(8) of the International Business Companies Act, 2000 (Chapter 309) NOTICE is hereby given that the above-named company has been dissolved and struck off the Register of Companies. A Certificate of Dissolution has been issued by the Registrar General. The date of completion of the Dissolution is 21st April 2023.

Brittany Investment Company Limited Liquidator

PAGE 6, Tuesday, November 21, 2023

THE TRIBUNE

STOCK MARKET TODAY

Wall Street rises to its best level since the start of August

By STAN CHOE AP Business Writer WALL Street rose again Monday to begin a holiday-shortened week and reached its best level in more than three months.

The S&P 500 gained 33.36 points, or 0.7%, to 4,547.38, coming off its third straight winning week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 203.76, or 0.6%, to 33,151.04, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 159.05, or 1.1%, to 14,284.53.

Microsoft was the strongest force pushing the market higher, and it rose 2.1% after saying it's bringing on Sam Altman for a new venture following his sudden dismissal as CEO of OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT. Microsoft said it will also continue its partnership with OpenAI, as fervor around artificialintelligence technology and the huge profits it's expected to create continue to dominate Wall Street.

Stocks broadly drifted higher through the day

before they took a turn upward in the afternoon when yields fell in the bond market following an auction of Treasurys. Easing Treasury yields have been the main reason for a strong rally for stocks in recent weeks.

This upcoming week is relatively light on reports that could sway the hopes on Wall Street that have underpinned that drop in Treasury yields.

Wall Street is getting more convinced that inflation is cooling enough for the Federal Reserve to finally be done with its market-crunching hikes to interest rates. Not only that, traders are moving up their expectations for when the Fed could actually begin cutting interest rates.

Despite Fed officials saying they may keep rates high for a while to ensure high inflation is definitively beaten, traders are thinking the first cut to rates could happen by early summer or maybe even by March.

Cuts to rates tend to act like

steroids for financial markets and offer oxygen across the financial system.

The Thanksgiving holiday means the U.S. government will release its weekly update on jobless claims on Wednesday instead of the usual Thursday. Other than that, the release of the minutes from the Fed's latest policy meeting on Tuesday and preliminary reports on U.S. business activity on Friday are among the highlights.

That could make Nvidia's upcoming profit report on Tuesday the week's highestprofile event.

Nvidia carries huge sway on the S&P 500 and other indexes because it's swelled to become the fifth-most valuable U.S. stock. Much of that rise has been because of excitement around AI, and Nvidia's report could offer clues on how much all the talk about AI is translating into actual sales.

Analysts expect Nvidia to say its earnings per more than quintupled from a year earlier and that its

revenue soared to nearly $16.2 billion from less than $6 billion.

Nvidia has been one of the seven Big Tech stocks that have accounted for a disproportionate amount of the S&P 500's gains this year. The "Magnificent Seven" stocks have returned 73% so far this year, versus just 6% for the other 493 companies, according to Goldman Sachs strategists.

While forecasts continue for them to deliver stronger growth, the strategists led

by David Kostin warn "the risk/reward profile is not especially compelling given elevated expectations."

Nvidia rose 2.3% before its report. Best Buy, Deere, HP and Lowe's will also be giving their latest quarterly updates this week.

On the losing end of Wall Street Monday was Kohl's.

The retailer fell 2.7% after it said that Dave Alves left as its president and chief operating officer, less than nine months after naming him to the post.

NOTICE

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that RODOLPH CHARLES, Claridge Road, Nassau, The Bahamas applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 21st day of November 2023 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

NOTICE is hereby given that COLLEEN ERICA BROWNEVANS of #18 Apple Way, Mandarin Close Subdivision, New Providence, Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/ naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twentyeight days from the 14th day of November, 2023 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.

AMERICAN Airlines planes sit on the tarmac at Terminal B at LaGuardia Airport, Jan. 11, 2023, in New York. American Airlines flight attendants are asking federal officials for the right to go on strike, possibly before the end of the Christmas and New Year’s travel rush, but the airline said there was “no possibility” of a walkout over the holidays.

Photo:Seth Wenig/AP

American Airlines flight attendants ask for permission to strike. Southwest pilots could be next

By DAVID KOENIG AP Airlines Writer AMERICAN Airlines flight attendants are asking federal officials for the right to go on strike, possibly before the end of the Christmas and New Year's travel rush, but American said there was "no possibility" of a walkout over the holidays.

Leaders of the flight attendants' union say they are frustrated with the lack of progress in negotiations over a new contract for workers who have not seen raises since 2019.

The Association of Professional Flight Attendants petitioned the National Mediation Board on Monday to declare the negotiations deadlocked and give the union permission to strike after a 30-day "cooling-off period."

Meanwhile, pilots at Southwest opened a "strike center" in Dallas this week.

Officials with the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association say they too will ask for the right to strike if they don't have a contract deal with the airline in the next few days.

A digital clock on the wall at the pilots' union headquarters ticked down toward a potential strike on Dec. 29. It is far from certain that either union will go on strike, however. Federal law makes it very hard for airline workers to walk off the

job or for carriers to lock out workers. Strikes and lockouts are legal only if federal mediators take the rare step of declaring that negotiations are at an impasse and that either side may resort to "self help." Even then, the president or Congress can block a strike that might hurt the economy.

The last strike by a U.S. airline union took place in 2010, involving pilots at Spirit Airlines.

American disputed the flight attendants' union claim that negotiations are stalemated. In a statement, the airline said that for months it has been offering the union an "industry-leading economic proposal," and progress continues on other contract items.

The airline, which is based in Fort Worth, said it is ready to continue working with the union and the National Mediation Board to reach an agreement.

American added that there is "no possibility" of a strike over Thanksgiving or the December holidays.

The flight attendants' union is asking American for immediate raises of 35% and then annual increases of 6% under a 3-year deal.

American is offering 11% upfront but says it's 18% including higher pay during the time that passengers board planes, followed by annual increases of 2%.

NOTICE NOTICE is hereby given that AMONCY ARTHUR of P. O. Box GT-2100, Margaret Road, Tropical Gardens, New Providence, Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 14th day of November, 2023 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.

NOTICE NOTICE is hereby given that MICHELE DAVIS, Sunridge Road, Freeport, Grand Bahama, Bahamas applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 21st day of November 2023 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

NOTICE NOTICE is hereby given that PRESALIA ARTHUR of P. O. Box GT-2100, Margaret Road, Tropical Gardens, New Providence, Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twentyeight days from the 14th day of November, 2023 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.

PAGE 8, Tuesday, November 21, 2023

THE TRIBUNE

BODY AND MIND

PHOTO: Mizuno K/Pexels

Workshop to sensitise media professionals on mental health reporting

By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net The Ministry of Health and Wellness is seeking to encourage proper mental health reporting through an upcoming workshop.

The Media Sensitiaation Workshop is geared towards media professionals and seeks to sensitise industry workers on the proper way to report matters of mental health.

The Ministry, in conjunction with the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) and Bahamas Psychological Association (BPA), will be hosting the workshop this Friday from 10am to 2pm, at its headquarters on Meeting and Delancy Streets in the cafeteria.

The half-day workshop will feature segments from experienced journalists and mental health professionals who will give a comprehensive overview on why media professionals should be well-informed about mental health to make appropriate considerations in reporting.

Also featured in the workshop will be a segment on climate change and health reporting, and opportunities for the attendees to learn by engaging in interactive segments.

The workshop will also

focus on topics such as media ethics, the best practices in mental health reporting, climate change and health reporting, self-care for media professionals, how mental health is affected by the media, the role of the media in supporting mental well-being as well as various case studies for interactive learning.

“Our main goal is to lend support to media professionals,” said Christina Johnson, psychotherapist at the ministry’s Health System Office.

“Firstly, in recognising that media personnel are first responders, we understand that they have unique stressors – like tight deadlines, irregular hours, and exposure to traumatic content for some. Raising awareness of mental health issues specific to this field and lending these professionals support and resources is our way to give back to them. Secondly, it’s crucial that the media reports positively on mental health issues. The responsible, accurate, and compassionate portrayal of individuals living with mental health concerns or mental illness assists in the reduction of stereotypes and stigma, both of which are barriers to understanding and empathy. We hope that the attendees will walk away

empowered and informed to do good work moving forward.”

The workshop is intended to equip media professionals to fulfil their professional duty of mental health reporting “in the most beneficial ways - for the wellbeing of those being featured, for society’s understanding and awareness, and while taking care of themselves.”

It is the hope after the workshop, media professionals are sensitise are are able to report on matters objectively and compassionately.

“The media plays a strong role in shaping public perception and understanding of mental health through its reporting. By reporting responsibly – which encompasses using accurate and compassionate language, avoiding stigmatizing terminology, respecting individuals’ privacy, and consulting mental health experts – the media can significantly contribute to reducing stigma, increasing awareness, and promoting understanding and support for mental health issues in society,” said Christina.

The workshop is geared towards journalists and reporters, radio hosts, print media, digital media, producers, photographers, public relations professionals and writers.

MEASLES DEATHS WORLDWIDE JUMPED 40% LAST YEAR, HEALTH AGENCIES SAY LONDON (AP) — Measles deaths globally spiked by more than 40 percent last year and cases rose after vaccination levels dramatically dropped during the pandemic, leading health agencies said last week.

The highly infectious disease triggered epidemics in 37 countries last year, versus 22 countries in 2021.

It sickened 9 million children and killed 136,00, mostly in poorer countries, the World Health Organization and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a new report.

The number of measles A VIAL of a measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. cases also rose by nearly 20 (AP Photo/Paul Vernon, File) percent after immunization

levels dropped to their lowest in 15 years during the pandemic, the agencies said.

“The increase in measles outbreaks and deaths is staggering, but unfortunately, not unexpected given the declining vaccination rates we’ve seen in the past few years,” said CDC’s John Vertefeuille, said in a statement.

Two doses of the measles vaccine are highly protective against the disease. Children in developing countries in Africa, Southeast Asia, Latin America and India are at highest risk.

WHO and CDC said that immunization rates in poorer countries are about

66 percent, “a rate that shows no recovery at all from the backsliding during the pandemic.”

Measles is among the most infectious diseases known and spreads in the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

It is most common in children under five. Symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose and a distinctive rash.

Most deaths are due to complications like encephalitis, severe dehydration, serious breathing problems and pneumonia. Complications are most likely in young children and adults over 30.

The disease has also surged in some rich countries

in recent years. British health authorities warned in July that there was an extremely high risk of outbreaks in London, with some areas of the capital reporting that only 40 percent of children were vaccinated.

Immunisation rates against measles in the UK have never fully recovered since spurious claims that linked the vaccine to autism were made by discredited British doctor Andrew Wakefield more than two decades ago.

No scientific studies have ever confirmed the link, but Wakefield’s research led to millions of parents worldwide abandoning the shot.

KEEPING IT NATURAL: YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR LAUNCHES CHEMICAL-FREE HAIRCARE LINE

By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Writer acadet@tribunemedia.net Haircare, for La’Ren Neely, is an essential part of every individual’s well-being.

Now, having rediscovered the benefits wearing natural hair as a Black woman, she has launched her own haircare line to help others Growing up, La’Ren Neely always loved anything to do with haircare, and wore her hair in its natural texture for many years.

However, when she started sixth grade, she texturised her hair, which resulted in damage. At the end of 12th grade, she decided to transition back to her natural hair; a process which required lots of repairing.

The now 21-year-old said, she never uses chemically infused products on her hair. And to help others follow in her footsteps, she has launched the Flax It Haircare brand.

“Using chemically infused products defeats the ultimate goal of my journey, as the ingredients will weaken my hair follicles and slow down the growth rapidly. Therefore, I decided to do my own research to come up

LA’Ren Neely

with my own products. I spent endless and sleepless nights watching YouTube videos on how to make hair products using natural ingredients and I got straight to experimenting in the kitchen. After numerous errors, I was finally able to master it,” she told Tribune Health.

Presently, the Flax It hair product line consists of shampoo, conditioner, hair masks, edge control and hair oil. The brand also has its own “Bling Bonnet Collection”; caps that protect

BONNETS by Flax It.

the hair and allows customers to sleep in “style”.

“Investing in hair health and wellness can lead to not only aesthetic benefits, but also contributes to an individual’s holistic well-being, self-care practices and a positive self-image. During my experimental phase, I used my products on four different natural hair types, including mine for six months, and monitored the performance and results. In weeks, I got positive feedback on the products and that was when I knew my

product line was going to be an effective one,” she said.

La’Ren said her most popular product is the edge control which gives a sleek and shiny look.

She explained how to use the products: “Our products are used on natural hair types. When using our rice water collection, your hair has to be damp. Firstly, you will gradually apply the shampoo evenly throughout your hair, ensuring that there is full coverage from the roots to the ends. Rinse the first

wash out and repeat this once again. After shampooing twice, apply the conditioner evenly throughout your hair and this can also be used as a moisturising milk. Lastly, apply the hair mask and let it sit for about 10 minutes before rinse. While the mask is setting, use a wide-tooth comb to detangle the hair, then rinse.”

“Being a natural girly myself, I know it was a struggle to find hair products that worked for my hair and I know many

naturalists can relate.

Knowing that I was able to add effective products to the industry is nothing short of an amazing and fulfilling feeling. It is my brand’s goal to help people work towards and maintain their healthy haircare journey, while achieving their hair goals. It brings me joy when customers reach out to my brand and send their results and they are satisfied with our products,” she said.

Check out flaxitbahamas on Instagram and Facebook.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, November 21, 2023, PAGE 9

Diabetes and urology: A reflection from World Diabetes Day 2023

By DR GREGGORY PINTO Every year on November 14, World Diabetes Day brings people from all the globe together to shine a light on a disease that silently affects millions.

Diabetes is a health condition that affects how your body uses food for energy. When you eat, your body turns food into a kind of sugar called glucose, which goes into your blood.

Your pancreas makes insulin, a special key that helps glucose enter your body’s cells to give you energy.

But with diabetes, either your body doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t use it properly or both.

When this happens, too much sugar stays in your blood instead of going into the cells to give you energy.

This proves to be harmful over time.

Diabetes might not always make headlines, but its impact is profound. It’s not just about managing sugar; it’s about safeguarding lives, preventing complications, and advocating for greater awareness.

Diabetes doesn’t discriminate—it impacts people of all ages, genders, and backgrounds.

Its widespread prevalence is staggering, with approximately 537 million adults worldwide currently living with diabetes.

If substantial actions aren’t taken, projections from the International Diabetes Federation suggest this number could soar to 783 million by 2045.

Urologic complications of diabetes Diabetes significantly impacts urologic health, often overshadowed by its more commonly discussed complications like heart attacks and stroke.

The condition creates a breeding ground for urologic issues due to several interlinked factors which can have profound effects in the lives of not only those affected but also their partners.

THE UROLOGY DOCTOR IS IN...

Dr Greggory Pinto

Bladder dysfunction Around 50 percent of men and women dealing with diabetes face varying levels of bladder issues, known as bladder dysfunction (BD). This condition presents in different ways, including reduced sensation during bladder filling and weakened muscle contractions, leading to higher amounts of urine left in the bladder after urination. This situation raises the likelihood of infections, kidney stones, and potential harm to the kidneys due to the increased residual urine left behind.

A study done by Golbidi and Laher in people with diabetes showed that many experience bladder problems like bladder sensitivity or instability (affecting 39 to 61 percent of patients). These problems lead to various symptoms, from frequent urges to urinate (40 to 80 percent risk) to severe cases of involuntary urination (incontinence) (80 percent increased risk). Women with diabetes face a higher likelihood of urgency urinary incontinence (a type of urinary incontinence in adults, which involves sudden compelling urges to void and results in involuntary leakage of urine) compared to women without diabetes, as indicated by

research from Jackson et al. and Brown et al.

Prostatic enlargement in men Benign Prostatic Enlargement (BPE) is frequently diagnosed in men with diabetes. Berger et al. suggest that bladder dysfunction might lead to heightened sympathetic nerve activity and vascular damage. This could contribute to increased hypoxia (lack of oxygen) in the bladder and prostate. Consequently, this environment might spur abnormal cell growth, leading to an upsurge in lower urinary tract symptoms.

As outlined by Ikeda et al. and Vikram et al., type-2 diabetes involves increased insulin release from the pancreas, resulting in elevated blood insulin levels. Experiments utilizing mouse models with heightened insulin levels displayed noticeable prostate growth. This observation suggests a potential mechanism wherein insulin, beyond its primary function, might interact with prostate cells, potentially prompting their growth and contributing to prostatic enlargement.

The suggested mechanisms highlight how inadequately controlled diabetes can potentially harm prostate health in affected individuals. This added impact on the prostate could significantly influence the quality of life for these men. Thus, emphasizing the importance of comprehensive diabetes management not only for glucose control but also for mitigating potential impacts on prostate health and overall quality of life.

Sexual dysfunction Sexual dysfunctions encompass the inability to achieve or sustain a satisfactory sexual response throughout a sexual encounter, hindering the attainment of a fulfilling orgasmic sensation. The occurrence of sexual dysfunction is notably higher in males with type 2 diabetes, reaching 46 percent as per Vickers and team. In women, diagnosing sexual dysfunction

is more intricate due to various influencing factors.

Women with type 1 diabetes exhibit a prevalence of sexual dysfunction at 71 percent, while those with type 2 diabetes experience it at a rate of 42 percent according to research by Enzlin and Owiredu and their respective teams.

The alterations in sexual dysfunction include diminished sexual desire, reduced arousal, abnormalities in achieving orgasm, and experiencing painful intercourse. In diabetic women, clitoral erection, although affected, is just one facet of sexual function. Consequently, treating it solely with medication to improve erection, doesn’t fully resolve sexual dysfunction in women, as it involves multiple interconnected components beyond clitoral erection requiring a more multifaceted approach.

Erectile dysfunction Erectile dysfunction (ED) signifies the persistent challenge in achieving or maintaining a firm erection suitable for a fulfilling sexual encounter.

Amid diabetes complications, ED stands as the third most prevalent issue and carries substantial impact, significantly affecting the quality of life for those affected by diabetes. In diabetes, damage to nerves and blood vessels in different body systems affects the ability to have erections.

Urinary tract infections Diabetic patients often face a higher risk of infections, including urinary tract infections (UTIs). Diabetes is linked to serious skin infections around the genitals, like Fournier’s gangrene which can be fatal if not addressed early. Additionally, individuals with type 1 diabetes are more prone to kidney infections known as pyelonephritis.

Diabetes also leads to changes in the body’s defence system, raising the risk of the common urinary infections. Immunological issues, like impaired

movement and changes in the ability of certain white blood cells (blood components responsible for body’s defence) to respond to infection signals, are common in diabetic patients. These immune system alterations in diabetes not only contribute to the increased occurrence of these urinary tract infections but also pave the way for infections caused by organisms like fungi, which are less common in non-diabetic individuals.

Take-home message The key to avoid diabetic complication lies in awareness, education, and proactive management. Observing World Diabetes Day isn’t merely symbolic; it’s an opportunity to educate ourselves and others about the importance of early detection, lifestyle modifications, and accessible healthcare.

Understanding risk factors such as family history, unhealthy diets, lack of physical activity, and obesity is crucial. It serves as a rallying call for governments, healthcare providers, and individuals to prioritise diabetes prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

From promoting healthy eating habits to encouraging regular screenings, the collective effort can make a profound difference. Moreover, advocating for policies that ensure equitable access to essential medications and healthcare services is imperative. World Diabetes Day isn’t just a date on the calendar, it’s a reminder of the urgency to address a global health crisis.

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BENEFITS OF RESISTANCE BANDS IN PHYSIOTHERAPY

Hannah Foster Middleton BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy, MCSP, SRP RESISTANCE bands are ideal for strengthening muscles and bones, without requiring wholebody movement.

They also provide a solution for conditioning the body against fractures, fall risks and degenerative injuries.

Learn why a physiotherapist may recommend the use of resistance bands.

What are resistance bands?

Resistance bands are made of an elastic rubber and help facilitate various strength training exercises.

They are a lighter-weight, more convenient alternative to free weights and machines, allowing you to take your exercise routine wherever you go.

Studies have found that resistance bands deliver a workout similar to traditional weight training.

When using resistance bands, you’ll notice: UÊ / iÞÊ V iÊ Ê Û>ÀÞ }Ê Àià ÃÌance levels.

As your recovery progresses, you can incorporate greater resistance. Increased resistance also targets more muscles, including the stabiliser muscles in your knees, legs and hips.

UÊ > Ê LiÊ `i> Ê v ÀÊ L ÌÞÊ issues. As your range of motion and flexibility return, you can add greater resistance and tension, without having to support extra weight.

UÊ / iÊ iÛi Ê vÊ Àià ÃÌ> ViÊ ÃÊ ÌÊ absolute.

Compared to lifting dumbbells of a fixed weight, resistance increases the more that you stretch a band.

Types of resistance bands During physiotherapy your band type and degree of resistance will be relative to your condition.

As you gain more strength and mobility, you’ll progress to different levels of resistance bands.

It’s important to understand that too much resistance can place additional strain on your joints.

Always follow your therapist’s recommendation on which bands to use throughout your recovery.

Common types of resistance bands include: UÊ/ iÀ>«ÞÊL> `Ã\Ê ÊÃ } iÊÃÌÀ «Ê of material that measures about three to four feet long.

Pulling the band farther results in greater resistance.

Different colors can also indicate varying degrees of resistance.

UÊ «ÊL> `Ã\Ê ÊV ÀVÕ >ÀÊÃ >«i]Ê ideal for working the lower extremities.

They can also be used for resistance training involving arms.

UÊ }ÕÀi i } ÌÊL> `Ã\Ê Ê` ÕL i loop design with handles at each end.

These are also ideal for lowerbody exercises.

Benefits of resistance bands For your recovery and longterm strength and conditioning, resistance bands offer a number of benefits, including: UÊ9 ÕÊV> Ê` ÊÞ ÕÀÊÀ ÕÌ iÊvÀ Ê anywhere, due to their lighter weight and portability.

UÊ >Ãi`Ê Ê« Ã Ì }]ÊÞ ÕÊV> Ê work the whole body. In addition to strength, flexibility and joint mobility, this can help enhance your core strength, posture and circulation.

UÊ9 ÕÊV> Ê«iÀv À ÊÞ ÕÀÊÀ ÕÌ iÊ in a weight-bearing position, sitting or lying down.

UÊ ,ià ÃÌ> ViÊ V> Ê LiÊ «À }ÀiÃsive, allowing you to build up strength over time. Multiple

bands allow for a broader spectrum of resistance.

UÊ «>Ài`Ê Ì Ê Ì iÀÊ ÃÌÀi }Ì Ê training equipment, resistance bands are fairly affordable.

UÊ / iÊ >V Ê vÊ Üi } ÌÊ >ÞÊ i «Ê you ease back into activity following an injury.

UÊ vÊ Þ Õ½ÀiÊ Ã ÀiÊ iÊ `>Þ]Ê Þ ÕÊ may be able to continue muscle training and conditioning with decreased resistance.

Whether you’re looking for more targeted strength and conditioning or physiotherapy for injury recovery these are a great option for all levels.

UÊ ÀʵÕiÃÌ ÃÊ> `ÊV i ÌÃ]Ê call Hannah Foster-Middleton at 356 4806, e-mail genesisphysiotherapy@gmail.com,

PAGE 10, Tuesday, November 21, 2023

THE TRIBUNE

BOOK REVIEW: ‘I WOULD MEET YOU ANYWHERE’ IS A BREATHTAKING ACCOUNT OF AN ADOPTEE’S SEARCH FOR FAMILY

By DONNA EDWARDS Associated Press Susan Kiyo Ito always knew she was adopted, but uncovering her birth family became a decadeslong process marked by moments of warm connection and icy divides — raw stories compiled into a memoir that’s alternately touching and heartbreaking.

Opening on the fateful moment when Ito is about to meet her birth mother for the first time, “I Would Meet You Anywhere” transcends a title and becomes a refrain throughout the book.

Ito’s relationship with Yumi is fraught from the beginning, but her birth mother holds the key to the information she needs to find the other half of her DNA. Ito meets Yumi when and where the latter deems convenient — New Jersey, California, a small Midwestern town; in a house, a hotel, a hospital.

And Ito would meet her anywhere.

In the process of finding her birth parents and piecing together her origins, Ito explores the theme of family — and what it means to occupy the various roles within it — pondering the symmetry in the first 17 years she spent living with her mom, Kikuko, taking care of her to the last 27 years of her mom’s life when their roles reversed.

Meanwhile, Yumi flits in and out of the story, leaving the impression of her taking up more space than her physical presence.

Ito is left wondering about the reproductive choices that have shaped her life, starting with her conception. After all, what choice did Yumi have? Her family had started over with nothing after the United States forced them into internment camps, along with an estimated 120,000 other Japanese Americans and Japanese nationals.

There aren’t many things Yumi refuses to talk about, but these topics are frustratingly the most important ones, big question marks that threaten to burn answerless into oblivion.

Unlike Yumi, the author is totally open about her thoughts, feelings and experiences.

Ito’s prose follows her mood; the default of easy conversational writing becomes stilted when she’s upset, flowing when she’s hopeful.

Part 2 ends in a burst of poetry disguised as prose, an astounding compilation of similes and squishy adjectives that perfectly capture a feeling that rests right on the periphery of language.

It’s an absolutely surreal moment of her life described the only way one can truly capture such a confluence of happenstance: with uncanny poetic prose that verges on nonsense, if it weren’t so utterly fitting.

“I Would Meet You Anywhere” is breathtaking. Like a master quilter, Ito is able to find the patterns and fit them together in a beautiful, cohesive story that’s balanced and satisfying, working in tandem to create a blanket of meaning enshrouding an entire life, plus some.

Learn to do ‘just enough’ this holiday season

By CARA HUNT Tribune Features Writer cbrennen@tribunemedia.net For women, there is no time when the pressure is greater to “have it all together” than during the holidays.

The pressure is intense to have the perfectly decorated home well in advance of December 1, to host the perfect round of casual and formal parties, and to choose the perfect gifts (including emergency gifts when someone shows up at your door).

All these expectations can leave you feeling like a Scrooge if you can’t fulfil them all at once.

But Tribune Woman spoke with

many female readers who told us that it’s the season to do “just enough”, not “do it all.”

“I have to constantly remind myself that it’s OK to not have ten trees in my house and a whole winter wonderland in my backyard.

And it’s OK if I don’t do all those things that I see on Pinterest. My kids will still have a good holiday with the one tree,” said Nadia.

Malikah added, “I realised just how unnecessary all the things we were forcing ourselves to do during that first COVID lockdown and money was tight.

“So many things were cancelled and things that I would normally buy or places we would normally go, I couldn’t and it just made

Christmas easy. I bought a few gifts for my kids and we had a simple Christmas dinner, and we had turkey wings because none of us like white meat.

“But you know how you feel like you have to do certain dishes because it’s traditional, but there was none of that; we ate what we wanted how we wanted.”

Malikah said it was the least stressed she’s ever been around the holidays.

“I mean, I like going out and doing things, but sometimes the money or the energy may just not be there, and it’s nice to have a more quiet Christmas and my kids were happy and didn’t miss all the extra,” she said.

Belinda said her problem is that she always wants everything to be perfect.

“I am looking at a lot of things I want to do and we are travelling for a wedding at New Year’s, and so what I have to tell myself is that this has to be the year when maybe I slow things down, so I am not broke or exhausted before our trip,” she said.

Katie said women also need to free themselves from the shackles of social media.

“You don’t have to work yourself to the bone just to have the perfect Christmas house to show off on Instagram or Facebook. Concentrate on yourself and not on what others think,” she said.

PHOTO: Katerina Holmes/Pexels

‘GIRL MATH’ MAY NOT BE SMART FINANCIAL ADVICE, BUT IT COULD HELP WOMEN FEEL MORE EMPOWERED WITH MONEY (THE CONVERSATION) If you’ve ever calculated cost per wear to justify the price of an expensive dress, or felt like you’ve made a profit after returning an illfitting pair of jeans, you might be an expert in “girl math”.

With videos about the topic going viral on social media, girl math might seem like a silly (or even sexist) trend, but it actually tells us a lot about the relationship between gender, money and emotions.

Girl math introduces a spend classification system: purchases below a certain value, or made in cash, don’t “count”.

Psychologically, this makes low-value spending feel safe and emphasises the importance of the long-term value derived from more expensive items.

For example, girl math tells us that buying an expensive dress is only “worth it” if you can wear it to multiple events.

This approach has similarities to portfolio theory – a method of choosing investments to maximise expected returns and minimise risk. By evaluating how each purchase contributes to the shopping portfolio, girl math shoppers

essentially become shopping portfolio managers.

Money and emotions People of all genders, rich or poor, feel anxious when dealing with their personal finances. Many people in the UK do not understand pensions or saving enough to afford their retirement. Without motivation to learn, people avoid dealing with money altogether. One way to find this motivation, as girl math shows, is by having an emotional and tangible connection to our finances.

On the surface, it may seem that women are being ridiculed and encouraged to overspend by using girl math. From a different perspective, it hints at something critical: for a person to really care about something as seemingly abstract as personal finance, they need to feel that they can relate to it.

Thinking about money in terms of the value of purchases can help create an emotional relationship to finance, making it something people want to look after.

The girl math we need Women are a consumer force to

be reckoned with, controlling up to 80 percent of consumer spending globally. The girl math trend is a demonstration of women’s mastery at applying portfolio theory to their shopping, making them investment powerhouses whose potential is overlooked by the financial services industry.

Women are disadvantaged when it comes to money and finance.

Women in the UK earn on average £260,000 ($325,000) less than men during their careers and the retirement income of men is twice as high as women’s.

As I’ve found in my research on gender and finance, women have lower financial self-efficacy (belief in their own abilities) compared to men. This is not helped by women feeling patronised when seeking financial advice.

Because the world of finance was created by men for men, its language and culture are intrinsically male. Only in the mid-1970s did women in the UK gain the legal right to open a bank account without a male signature and it was not until 1980 that they could apply for credit independently. With the law now more (but not fully)

gender equal, the financial services industry has failed to connect with women.

Studies show that 49 percent of women are anxious about their finances. However, they have not bought into patronising offers and mansplaining by financial advisers.

This outdated approach suggests that it is women, rather than the malfunctioning financial system, who need fixing.

Women continue to feel that they do not belong to or are able to trust the world of finance. And why would women trust an industry with a gender pay gap of up to 59 percent and a severe lack of women in senior positions?

Girl math on its own isn’t necessarily good financial advice, but if it helps even a handful of women feel more empowered to manage and understand their finances, it should not be dismissed.

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THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, November 21, 2023, PAGE 11

NEXT MET GALA THEME UNVEILED: THE ‘SLEEPING BEAUTIES’ OF FASHION

By JOCELYN NOVECK AP National Writer NEW YORK (AP) — It may be time to get out those fairytale ballgowns. The theme of the next Met Gala has been unveiled: “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion.”

In this case, though, the title refers not to a princess with a pricked finger, but to the fabulous gown she might be wearing. The stars of the Met’s spring exhibit, to be launched by the celebrity-studded Met Gala on May 6, will be treasured garments from the vast collection at the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art — some too fragile to hang upright, lest they disintegrate. They will lie in glass cases, like Sleeping Beauty herself.

Curator Andrew Bolton, who masterminds all of the Met’s blockbuster fashion exhibits, says he was looking for a way to literally breathe life into a collection of 33,000 pieces, many of which are never seen. He’s chosen about 250 of them, spanning four centuries.

“Fashion is such a living art form,” Bolton said on Wednesday as he led a group of journalists into

the bowels of the museum where the conservation lab lies and where the garments currently “slumber,” in his words. His aim, he says, was to bring garments to museum-goers via the various senses — not just sight but smell, and sound, too.

“When a costume comes into the Met collection it changes irrevocably,” Bolton explained. “It can’t be worn, obviously, you don’t see it in movement, you can’t smell it, can’t hear it, can’t touch it.” The idea was to “reawaken the sensorial aspect” of the clothing.

This could mean scents will be wafting through a gallery, connected perhaps to the perfume used by the wearer. It also means that the rattling sound of razor clams will accompany a dress by Alexander McQueen covered with stripped and varnished razor clam shells.

The initial plan was to organise the show around certain masterworks, but curators then changed their strategy. The themes of land, sea, and sky will organize the displays.

“It’s based a lot on nature, as you will see, and Andrew’s vision goes from

snakes to roses,” quipped Anna Wintour, the Vogue editor and doyenne of American fashion who runs the gala each year and accompanied Bolton at the preview.

Bolton added: “I think nature is a broader metaphor for fashion — the fragility and ephemerality of fashion, but also the circular nature of fashion, the ideas of regeneration and rebirth. So the through-line is the natural world.”

Among the oldest items: a tiny 17th century Elizabethan-era bodice embroidered with naturethemed elements like peas in a pod, and birds eating insects. That bodice was fitted onto a mannequin, but nearby, a stunning silk satin ballgown by the 19thcentury English designer Charles Frederick Worth lay on a table. Like some 50 of the items to be displayed, it is too delicate to be shown any other way.

The immersive nature of the show may prove a little frightening to some, Bolton noted — perhaps particularly the presentation of a black tulle dress covered with embroidered blackbirds, designed just before World War II. Like many

CURATOR Andrew Bolton displays garments in the conservation space of the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan, November 8, 2023. The garments will be part of the upcoming spring exhibit at the Costume Institute, launched by the Met Gala. “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion” will run from May 10-September 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Jocelyn Noveck) Yet to be announced: the celebrity co-hosts of the Met Gala, which will occur as usual the first Monday in May. The carpet beforehand is one of the biggest pop culture spectacles of the year with stars like Lady Gaga, Kim Kardashian, Billy Porter and Rihanna wearing outfits tailored to the night’s theme.

Last year’s gala honored

of the older items, it will be paired with a contemporary garment, in this case a McQueen jacket inspired

by Hitchcock’s “The Birds.”

As in many of the displays, cutting-edge technology will be used to create a mood, in this case “a Hitchcockian swarm of black birds” on the ceiling.

“If you’re afraid of birds, I wouldn’t go in there,” Bolton said.

THE WEATHER REPORT

5-DAY FORECAST

ORLANDO

High: 81° F/27° C Low: 67° F/19° C

TAMPA

TODAY

TONIGHT

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

UV INDEX TODAY

Sunshine, breezy and pleasant

Partly cloudy

Beautiful with sun and clouds

Mostly sunny with a quick shower

Mostly sunny and pleasant

Nice with some sun

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

High: 82°

Low: 72°

High: 84° Low: 70°

High: 83° Low: 70°

High: 84° Low: 73°

High: 83° Low: 71°

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

83° F

71° F

87°-72° F

89°-72° F

89°-75° F

90°-73° F

High: 82° F/28° C Low: 70° F/21° C

E

W

ABACO

S

N

High: 78° F/26° C Low: 74° F/23° C

10-20 knots

S

WEST PALM BEACH High: 82° F/28° C Low: 70° F/21° C

10-20 knots

FT. LAUDERDALE

FREEPORT

High: 83° F/28° C Low: 72° F/22° C

E

W S

E

W

High: 80° F/27° C Low: 70° F/21° C

MIAMI

High: 83° F/28° C Low: 72° F/22° C

8-16 knots

Ht.(ft.)

Low

Ht.(ft.)

1:56 a.m.

2:18 p.m.

2.6 2.9

8:05 a.m.

8:48 p.m.

0.5 0.2

ALMANAC

Wednesday 3:01 a.m.

3:19 p.m.

2.8 2.8

9:16 a.m.

9:43 p.m.

0.4 0.0

Statistics are for Nassau through 1 p.m. yesterday Temperature High ................................................... 81° F/27° C Low .................................................... 73° F/23° C Normal high ....................................... 81° F/27° C Normal low ........................................ 69° F/21° C Last year’s high .................................. 86° F/30° C Last year’s low ................................... 69° F/21° C Precipitation As of 1 p.m. yesterday ................................. 0.00” Year to date ................................................ 50.77” Normal year to date ................................... 37.67”

Thursday

4:01 a.m.

4:17 p.m.

3.0 2.8

10:20 a.m. 0.3 10:35 p.m. -0.1

Friday

4:56 a.m.

5:11 p.m.

3.2 2.7

11:19 a.m. 0.1 11:24 p.m. -0.3

Saturday

5:47 a.m.

6:03 p.m.

3.4 2.7

12:13 p.m. 0.0 ---------

Sunday

6:35 a.m.

6:51 p.m.

3.4 2.6

12:11 a.m. -0.4 1:04 p.m. -0.1

Monday

7:21 a.m.

7:38 p.m.

3.4 2.5

12:56 a.m. -0.4 1:52 p.m. -0.1

KEY WEST

High: 83° F/28° C Low: 75° F/24° C

ELEUTHERA

NASSAU

High: 82° F/28° C Low: 72° F/22° C

Today

SUN AND MOON Sunrise Sunset

6:30 a.m. Moonrise 5:21 p.m. Moonset

1:39 p.m.

12:34 a.m.

Full

Last

New

First

Nov. 27

Dec. 5

Dec. 12

Dec. 19

CAT ISLAND

E

High: 83° F/28° C Low: 73° 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.

Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2023

High: 80° F/27° C Low: 75° F/24° C

N W

TIDES FOR NASSAU High

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

N

late designer Karl Lagerfeld, but other years have focused on broader themes like punk, American fashion, or camp.

Bolton said he imagined this year’s guests will use the theme of nature to guide their sartorial choices.

“Probably a lot of florals,” Bolton guessed. Or, perhaps, razor clams.

The exhibit will run May 10-Sept. 2, 2024.

ANDROS

SAN SALVADOR

GREAT EXUMA

High: 82° F/28° C Low: 72° F/22° C

High: 81° F/27° C Low: 76° F/24° C

N

High: 82° F/28° C Low: 76° F/24° C

E

W S

LONG ISLAND

TRACKING MAP

High: 81° F/27° C Low: 76° F/24° C

12-25 knots

MAYAGUANA High: 83° F/28° C Low: 73° F/23° C

Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

CROOKED ISLAND / ACKLINS RAGGED ISLAND High: 82° F/28° C Low: 77° F/25° C

High: 81° F/27° C Low: 76° F/24° C

GREAT INAGUA High: 84° F/29° C Low: 76° F/24° C

N

E

W

E

W

N

S

S

12-25 knots

12-25 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 E at 10-20 Knots SE at 8-16 Knots NE at 10-20 Knots ESE at 7-14 Knots ENE at 12-25 Knots ESE at 8-16 Knots ENE at 12-25 Knots E at 10-20 Knots E at 10-20 Knots ESE at 8-16 Knots ESE at 10-20 Knots SSE at 7-14 Knots NE at 10-20 Knots ESE at 8-16 Knots NE at 12-25 Knots E at 10-20 Knots ENE at 12-25 Knots E at 10-20 Knots ENE at 12-25 Knots E at 8-16 Knots E at 8-16 Knots ESE at 7-14 Knots NE at 12-25 Knots E at 10-20 Knots NE at 12-25 Knots ESE at 8-16 Knots

WAVES 4-7 Feet 4-7 Feet 1-2 Feet 0-1 Feet 4-8 Feet 4-8 Feet 4-7 Feet 4-7 Feet 4-8 Feet 4-8 Feet 2-4 Feet 1-3 Feet 1-2 Feet 1-2 Feet 3-6 Feet 3-5 Feet 3-6 Feet 3-5 Feet 5-9 Feet 5-9 Feet 1-3 Feet 1-3 Feet 3-6 Feet 3-5 Feet 2-4 Feet 1-3 Feet

VISIBILITY 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 6 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles

WATER TEMPS. 78° F 78° F 79° F 79° F 80° F 80° F 81° F 81° F 79° F 79° F 79° F 78° F 80° F 80° F 82° F 82° F 81° F 81° F 81° F 81° F 79° F 79° F 81° F 81° F 79° F 79° F

SECTION B

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2023

LEARN TO

STRUT YOUR STUFF Former Miss Bahama Universe Chantel O’Brian teaches walking-in-heels class

FORMER Miss Bahama Universe Chantel O’Brian.

By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net While many women own numerous pairs of heels in various styles, colours and heights, there are those who have yet to master the strut.

There is a technique to walking in heels, and Miss Universe top ten finalist Chantel O’Brian is ready to show ladies how to walk with poise and confidence.

In conjunction with PS O’Brian Consulting, she is hosting the Friendsgiving Sip – Silk n’ Strut Walk Class.

The class will be held this Sunday at Gourmet Seafood House, Pompey Square, from 4pm to 5.30pm.

Chantel said she was constantly being asked about hosting walking classes.

“Frequently, I get inquiries about walk classes that go beyond the usual focus on pageantry and modelling. It struck me as a fantastic chance to blend enjoyment with sharing my techniques for commanding a room in heels,” she told Tribune Woman.

“This idea has been simmering for a couple of years, and now, at long last, it’s coming to life.”

The upcoming event, she said, is tailored for women aged 21 and above, catering to a diverse range of individuals – be it career professionals, entrepreneurs, creatives, socialites, or those simply seeking to step out of their comfort zones and try something new.

“The walk class is designed to infuse fun into the learning process. Whether you’re in search of a confidence boost or aiming to make heels less intimidating, this class is for you. We firmly believe that heels aren’t exclusive; they should be worn confidently by every woman. It’s time to own your stride and embrace the empowerment that comes with it,” she said.

For the class, Chantel has partnered with various brands that promote confidence in women.

“I’m thrilled to blend together elements that contribute to women’s confidence beyond

mastering the art of walking in heels. Grateful to have the support of generous companies like Perfec-Tone, Brow Envy, and Girl Lush Cosmetics, who have been with me since the inception of my journey to Miss Universe. They’re bringing exclusive goodies for participants, from skincare to selfcare to beauty. Picture this: expert guidance on confident walking in an atmosphere that sets the perfect tone – it truly doesn’t get any better,” she said.

The Friendsgiving Sip – Silk n’ Strut Walk Class, she said, is the perfect opportunity to unwind and share a unique experience with other women.

“There’s truly nothing like trying something new with your best girls by your side. The lessons you gain from this class, when put into practice, are not just a win – they’re a lasting victory. After all, the real triumph lies in the knowledge you gain and the memories you create with your squad,” she said.

Since making Bahamian history in the Miss Universe Pageant 2021, where she placed in the top 10, Chantel’s life has been an exciting roller coaster ride.

“It’s been a crazy ride, honestly.

This year has been a roller coaster of trying new things and putting myself out there in different ways. From leading walk tours to getting up on the TEDx stage, organising Confidence Month (Confidence Day was proclaimed on April 29), taking a shot at

PHOTO: The Feligrapher/Pexels

acting, and diving into coaching young girls and women to rock it on stage, all the way to dropping the ‘Activate Your Aura’ e-book, it’s been a wild journey,” she said.

“Seeing my clients crush their goals, whether in pageantry or their personal lives, has been the real highlight. I’m still on the upswing, still aiming to inspire and motivate wherever I can.

The grind is real, but so is the passion.”

Chantel has also been lucky to team up with some heavy hitters in the industry, not just for the sake of building her personal brand, but to champion women’s empowerment – which she said is the core of her mission.

“The synergy between Miss Universe and my relentless work ethic has opened the door to explore some seriously exciting and intriguing opportunities.”

As for what lies ahead, the former Miss Bahama Universe said “the possibilities are endless.”

“As a coach in pageantry, runway and etiquette, a dynamic speaker, a mentor, and now, a freshly-minted author, I can confidently say that what’s to come is better than what’s been,” she said, Those who’ve been part of Chantel’s journey or are keen to hop on board, can stay in the loop by following on IG: @meetchantel and @psobrianconsulting.

Or contact psobrianconsulting. com or call 242- 823-2962.

REACHING FOR THE STARS BAHAMAS GALAXY PAGEANTS CROWNS ITS QUEENS

By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Writer acadet@tribunemedia.net The Bahamas has four new galactic beauty queens following at special finale and coronation ceremony held at the University of the Bahamas’ Performing Arts Centre over the weekend.

Tamesha Sweeting was officially crowned as the new Miss Galaxy Bahamas, while Sophia Wallace was named Mrs Galaxy Bahamas, Mia Gordon was named Miss Teen Galaxy Bahamas, and L’Amour Dawkins snagged the Junior Miss title.

Eight contestants entered this year’s Bahamas Galaxy Pageants.

“This was our 14th annual pageant.

“These winners will now

have the opportunity to travel next year to Galaxy International Pageants to be held in Orlando, Florida in August 2024.

The training in interview skills, deportment, local appearances, community involvement and the teaching of Galaxy style stage presence will be the focused on for the next nine months,” said Andrea Knott, the pageant’s director.

The Bahamas Galaxy Pageants is a subsidiary of Galaxy International Pageants of which Maria Torres is the CEO and president.

The pageant has been held in the Bahamas since 2009.

The international and local pageants aim to provide personal development opportunities for women and young girls.

Andrea said it is the team’s mission to help nurture self-esteem and sense of personal style in contestants; to bring out their true inner beauty and foster their cultural appreciation.

“I have been a contestant in pageants at a young age and it helped me in building my self-awareness and social attributes,” she said.

Andrea said she became inspired and passionate about imparting this knowledge and providing training for other girls and young women.

“Over the years, my team and I have seen the personal development in many young girls and women who came through our system,” she said.

“It is as a result of us offering educational seminars

and workshops focused on equipping contestants with the necessary tools to strengthen their body, mind and spirit, and to improve their life skills.

“In addition, the pageant affords each lady the opportunity to grow and advance her personal and career goals while being a role model in her community.

Furthermore, it is gratifying to see how they also become actively involved with outreach and community service programmes.”

At the pageant’s crowning ceremony this past Saturday, Miss Florida Galaxy Vandalia Bryant-Scott and Trei Bethel served as hosts.

In addition to the coronation, special awards were given out following the interview and swimsuit categories

MISS Teen Galaxy Bahamas Mia Gordon.

MISS Galaxy Bahamas Tamesha Sweeting.

MRS Galaxy Bahamas Sophia Wallace.

JUNIOR Miss Galaxy Bahamas L’Amour Dawkins.

which had been completed at preliminaries.

“The ladies wore dresses from Bahari for their

opening number.

Onstage, they competed in fashion wear and evening gown,” said Andrea.