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The Tribune

Volume:115 No.252, NOVEMBER 23RD, 2018

Established 1903

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WEEKEND: A LENS ON THE LIFE OF MAGICAL ELEUTHERA

Friday, November 23, 2018

history

BELLES OF THE BALL Page 14 & 15

Island magic

A lens on life in Eleuthera

Here we go again • Just like Jean Rony, born here but Foreste shipped off to Haiti • Immigration ignored injunction preventing court ruling on status

pages 4 & 5

KILLER ESCAPES DEATH PENALTY

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net

A MAN has been spared the death penalty for murdering another man in his Family Island home during the course of an armed robbery four years ago.

Instead, Justice Carolita Bethel sentenced Giordano Rolle to 30 years behind bars for murdering Dwayne Finnekan in Exuma on February 18, 2014.

Rolle was further sentenced to 15 years for armed robbery; both sentences are to run concurrently, minus the three years he was on remand.

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

Andrew Forbes to keep him in the country until his matter could be heard in court.

A service form obtained THE government is by The Tribune indicates facing another immigra- the Attorney General’s tion legal challenge from a Office received the injuncBahamas-born man of Hai- tion on October 25. The tian descent after he was family claims officials at the deported to Haiti in viola- Department of Immigration of a Supreme Court tion, and the Carmichael order.

Road Detention Centre Yesterday, 24-year- were also served with the old Louisbin Foreste told order; however, The TribThe Tribune his time in une has not seen any proof Haiti - his first time leaving of service.

The Bahamas - has been The 24-year-old said filled with hardhe was still ship, hunger struggling to and a constant understand his fear for his life. plight given “You know his ties to The when people Bahamas, and tell you about repeatedly somewhere you claimed that never been, but several immilike you can gration officers only imagine it? stationed at Well, it’s worse the Carmichael and every Road Detention day people Centre during JEAN RONY are dropping his detention dead,” Mr Forwere his former este said in a telephone classmates. interview.

Mr Foreste had peti“Every day I’m seeing tioned the lawfulness of cars flipping over, bikes his near month-long detenflipping over, many people tion and Justice Forbes dead. And stuff in Haiti is was scheduled to hear his expensive, it’s very bad. I’m habeas corpus application living with strangers, some on November 30. nights I go to sleep hungry In his affidavit filed on if my sister don’t send October 22 in support of money. A water to drink is that application, Mr Foreste $20 Haitian.” stated his belief that the Mr Foreste was deported Department of Immigration on October 27, just four intended to “surreptitiously days after his lawyer expedite” his deportation obtained an injunction before acting Justice SEE PAGE THREE

food puzzles gardening

SEE PAGE SIX

LUCAYAN TO UNDERGO $3.5M SALE FACELIFT

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

LOUISBIN Foreste pictured yesterday in Haiti. “I’m living with strangers and some nights I go to sleep hungry.”

THE government is investing $3.5m in pre-sale upgrades at the Grand Lucayan, the resort’s chairman revealed yesterday, with a preferred buyer unlikely to be selected before Easter 2019.

Michael Scott, chairman of Lucayan Renewal Holdings, the governmentowned special purpose vehicle (SPV) that controls the hotel, told Tribune Business that “limited improvements” were being made to “maximise” the property’s earning potential for the peak winter tourism season that began with this week’s Thanksgiving holiday.

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

‘MARCH A TOTAL FAILURE - JUST LIKE PLP’

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Free National Movement has dismissed Wednesday’s protest march as a Progressive Liberal Party event, calling it disorganised and small.

Several hundred people had protested from Blue Hill Road to Bay Street, calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis over a host

WEDNESDAY’S MARCH of reasons, including escalating electricity costs.

In a press statement, FNM chairman Carl Culmer said: “Weeks prior to the march they heavily

promoted the event and went on to say the event is non-political, however, as the march drew closer it was clear that it was a PLPled demonstration.

“Much like the PLP, the march was a complete failure as they could draw only 300 people to march with them. Apart from the small numbers, the march was disorganised with printed paraphernalia and the two main leaders arriving late.”

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

SEE PAGE FIVE

A COMIC’S VIEW THE ‘PEOPLE’ ARE READY TO PUT DOC & CO OUT OF HOUSE

SEE PAGE EIGHT

PAGE 2, Friday, November 23, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

PM’S WIFE BECOMES A HERO FOR A DAY

By RIEL MAJOR

MINISTER of Environment Romauld Ferreira continued his launch of the “Be a Hero” campaign yesterday, this time with a stop at Adelaide Primary School.

The school-based campaign aims to change the mindset of young Bahamians about the environment and to instill pride in their surroundings.

Adelaide Primary School hosted a special assembly under the theme “Be a Hero; Conserve, Preserve, and Sustain.” Students in grades one to six were in attendance and all participated in original poems, songs, and skits.

Mr Ferreira said Adelaide Primary School students had set the standard for others to follow.

Mr Ferreira said: “We are here to show you love because we love you and care about what happens to you and we care about our country. We want you to understand but, I think Adelaide Primary gets it more than any other place we have visited so far.

“As I look out at this audience and I see all these beautiful faces looking back at me, and I know this is a diverse audience of diverse backgrounds, I want you to remember one thing even though you all are separate it doesn’t matter because we all breathe the same air and we all drink the same water...We are one.

“When I came, I saw the (Be a Hero) back drop and super heroes...you have set the standard and you have to be congratulated. I know that none of this is possible without

the hard work of the principal, the administrators, parents and of course the teachers.

“We should keep our country clean for ourselves so we cannot expect persons who are visitors to come into our country and value it more than ourselves. This is our country so this is our (job) to take care of it.”

According to Mr Ferreira, there are strong statistics suggesting cleaner environments are safer environments.

“There is a vast body of research showing higher crime rates and more aggressive behaviour in dirty communities and where litter is strewn all about. Even in highly dense urban areas of low cost public housing in the US, studies have shown that crime is reduced when there are green and clean spaces.

“Filth breeds disrespect.

Rats and rodents breeds disease. Disrespect for property transfers into disrespect for authority. When streets and communities are clean, crime decreases, community spirits increases, schools and students fare better, people feel connected,” he said.

The wife of the prime minister, Patricia Minnis, attended to show her support for the “Be a Hero” campaign. She said she was invited to the assembly last minute and she dropped everything to attend.

She stressed the outstanding job the students of Adelaide Primary have done.

Mrs Minnis said: “You are amazing. I would like to salute the principle and the teachers here at this school. I mean those skits and songs were amazing; you all are going somewhere.”

PATRICIA MINNIS, above, wife of Prime Minister Hubert Minnis, yesterday joined Minister of the Environment Romauld Ferreira at a tree planting ceremony at Adelaide Primary School.

Photos: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, November 23, 2018, PAGE 3

Government facing another immigration legal challenge after Louisbin Foreste, a Bahamas-born man of Haitian descent, is deported to Haiti in violation of a Supreme Court order

from page one because his family had told officials he was seeking legal representation.

Mr Foreste was arrested by immigration officers during a sweep of a village off Montgomery Avenue on October 5, and had been detained at the Carmichael Road facility until his deportation.

In the days following his arrest, his family members reportedly provided immigration officials with his birth and baptismal certificates, immunisation and school records and his National Insurance Board card.

His sister Louidna Foreste claims she was told by the Immigration Department that officials would make a determination on his release after all documents were submitted.

“We went immigration,” Ms Foreste said, “they told us what to bring but still nothing came of it. We gone to the detention centre, they told us to go to head office, when I gone to head office [an immigration official] tell us what to bring, his documents to prove he was born here.”

She continued: “We showed his birth, baptism and immunisation card, and she said she will still need school record. She told us anyone can get a birth certificate.

“So we take all the stuff and the woman say they will have to make the decision. Every day we call they say they haven’t made decision yet. One immigration officer at the detention centre said they just want to leave him in there for a few days just to teach him a lesson. I say I sure by now he learn his lesson.”

Family members were tipped off that Mr Foreste was slated for deportation on Friday evening, October 26, according to Ms Foreste, who said she and

Here we go again with echoes of the Jean Rony case other family members slept in their cars outside the Carmichael Road facility and watched as he was put on a bus for the airport the following morning despite their pleas about the court injunction.

In north Haiti, Mr Foreste said he was befriended by another deported man who took pity on him.

“It was really bad at the airport,” Mr Foreste said.

“They had a handcuff on my hand really tight. Just the way they treat me, it was very bad for someone to me I born and raised in the Bahamas. People told me about Haiti, but it’s very bad.

“When I get deported,” Mr Foreste said, “one of the guys was on the plane I tell him I don’t have no one ... he ask if I want to come with him because he didn’t want to leave me there because I told him I didn’t have any family in Haiti. I borrowed his phone and I call (my) sister. He lets me use it to talk to my people sometimes, he see me, I might be in the room laying down tears coming out my eyes.

“I feel bad,” he continued, “I mostly try stay inside, how I see it how it is around here it’s very bad.

In Haiti when you speak

LOUISBIN FORESTE, above and top, was deported on October 27, four days after his lawyer obtained an injunction before acting Justice Andrew Forbes to keep him in the country until his matter could be heard in court.

English they take it in a bad way, they feel like you cursing them, but I speak Kreyol.”

According to his birth certificate, Mr Foreste was born in Abaco on August 11, 1994 to Prevelus Foreste, a labourer, and Elizia Joseph, an engineer.

His father Prevelus came to the Bahamas in 1976, and his mother Elizia in 1988, according to his

sister Louidna, who said the pair was in search of a better life and never returned to Haiti.

Of Mr Foreste’s five siblings, his three sisters hold Bahamian citizenship while he and his older brother did not apply.

He said he went to Central Abaco Primary school until he moved to Nassau with his siblings to stay with a family friend.

In Nassau, he attended Sandilands Primary, and Anatol Rogers until grade nine when he dropped out.

Ms Foreste said: “School is not for everyone, especially if you don’t have that adult support. Our parents are in Abaco, and we were living with a family friend in Nassau. If you not encouraged to be in school and you’re not learning, you wouldn’t want to stay.”

Despite his unemployment, and having not yet applied for citizenship, Ms Foreste stressed her brother was a humble, honest, respectful and kind-hearted person, who had never been arrested or broken any laws in The Bahamas.

Meanwhile, Mr Foreste is struggling to adjust to his new environment.

“Everything in the Bahamas,” Mr Foreste said, “how life is in Haiti, it’s a different life. Sometimes I pass places I see little kids lifting the heaviest stuff, kids run up to you begging for just a $1 for something to eat. I don’t even have it. Last time I had like $3 I gave it to this little kid and he told me God would bless me, I felt good about that at least that day.”

Mr Foreste is represented by McKell Bonaby of Arnold Forbes & Co. Mr

Bonaby did not return calls placed by The Tribune up to press time.

Mr Foreste’s matter is similar to the high-profile case of Jean Rony JeanCharles, a man who said he is was born in The Bahamas to migrant parents. Mr Jean-Charles was deported, but later ordered to be brought back from Haiti by a Supreme Court judge.

The Court of Appeal later set aside that landmark decision and Mr Jean-Charles has since taken his case to the Privy Council in London.

Ahead of those court proceedings last year, Immigration minister Brent Symonette said the Immigration Department did not “normally” deport people who were born in The Bahamas. He added he would be “disappointed” if this practice was being carried out.

Yesterday, Mr Symonette did not speak to Mr Foreste’s case but clarified his earlier statement, telling The Tribune: “I said it’s not the normal policy but there are still circumstances where it could happen.”

Asked whether there has been any change in policy, Mr Symonette said “No, it’s the same.”

GOVT DENIES HAITIAN MAN WAS SENT BACK TO BAHAMAS

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

THE Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday refuted social media claims that a deported Haitian man was denied entry to Haiti and sent back to the Bahamas.

In a statement, the ministry called the claim “complete fabrication and without merit,” and warned it was a “punishable offence” to spread false information.

It further confirmed the Haitian government has never denied entry to any Haitian nationals “repatriated or deported from the Bahamas who are born to Haitian parents.”

“The Haitian Embassy in the Bahamas and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs work

together at all times,” the statement read, “and in a coordinated manner, to ensure the smooth and respectful course of action required in this sensitive process.

“The ministry reminds that the Bahamas is committed to abiding by all international laws with respect to the return of foreign nationals to their countries of origin.

“The ministry further cautions the public to be responsible with their postings on social media that falsely implicate on government-to-government relations and strongly requests that parties involved refrain from spreading such false information, which is a punishable offence.”

The picture of an unnamed man had been

circulated in a Facebook group, and on WhatsApp in connection with the claim.

In a separate statement yesterday, the ministry also issued a travel warning to Bahamians during the holiday season. The ministry noted Bahamian travel documents are amongst the “most highly sought after documents globally.”

“During the upcoming holiday season,” it said, “many Bahamians will travel to various parts of the world for any variety of reasons. This is a time of joy and happiness to visit family, friends and loved ones or simply to have an enjoyable vacation.

“Unfortunately, this is also a time when travellers

fall prey to unfortunate events such as theft and physical attacks.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reminds all members of the travelling public to exercise proper care and precaution during their

holiday travel, especially to safeguard money, valuables and travel documents.

“Should any person experience an unfortunate incident, please contact the nearest Bahamian overseas office immediately.”

PAGE 4, Friday, November 23, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

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How sci-fi movies could help Silicon Valley IF THERE’S one line that stands the test of time in Steven Spielberg’s 1993 classic Jurassic Park, it’s probably Jeff Goldblum’s exclamation, “Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should.”

Goldblum’s character, Dr Ian Malcolm, was warning against the hubris of naively tinkering with dinosaur DNA in an effort to bring these extinct creatures back to life. Twenty-five years on, his words are taking on new relevance as a growing number of scientists and companies are grappling with how to tread the line between “could” and “should” in areas ranging from gene editing and real-world “de-extinction” to human augmentation, artificial intelligence and many others.

Despite growing concerns that powerful emerging technologies could lead to unexpected and wide-ranging consequences, innovators are struggling with how to develop beneficial new products while being socially responsible. Part of the answer could lie in watching more science fiction movies like Jurassic Park.

I’ve long been interested in how innovators and others can better understand the increasingly complex landscape around the social risks and benefits associated with emerging technologies.

Growing concerns over the impacts of tech on jobs, privacy, security and even the ability of people to live their lives without undue interference highlight the need for new thinking around how to innovate responsibly.

New ideas require creativity and imagination, and a willingness to see the world differently. And this is where science fiction movies can help.

Sci-fi flicks are, of course, notoriously unreliable when it comes to accurately depicting science and technology. But because their plots are often driven by the intertwined relationships between people and technology, they can be remarkably insightful in revealing social factors that affect successful and responsible innovation.

This is clearly seen in Jurassic Park.

The movie provides a surprisingly good starting point for thinking about the pros and cons of modern-day genetic engineering and the growing interest in bringing extinct species back from the dead. But it also opens up conversations around the nature of complex systems that involve both people and technology, and the potential dangers of “permissionless” innovation that’s driven by power, wealth and a lack of accountability.

In a recent op-ed in The New York Times, journalist Kara Swisher asked, “Who will teach Silicon Valley to be ethical?” Prompted by a growing litany of socially questionable decisions among tech companies, Swisher suggests that many of them need to grow up and get serious about ethics. But ethics alone

are rarely enough. It’s easy for good intentions to get swamped by fiscal pressures and mired in social realities.

Technology companies increasingly need to find some way to break from business as usual if they are to become more responsible. High-profile cases involving companies like Facebook and Uber as well as Tesla’s Elon Musk have highlighted the social as well as the business dangers of operating without fully understanding the consequences of people-oriented actions.

Many more companies are struggling to create socially beneficial technologies and discovering that, without the necessary insights and tools, they risk blundering about in the dark.

Experts within this global community are actively exploring ways to translate good ideas into responsible practices.

And this includes the need for creative insights into the social landscape around technology innovation, and the imagination to develop novel ways to navigate it.

Here is where science fiction movies become a powerful tool for guiding innovators, technology leaders and the companies where they work. Their fictional scenarios can reveal potential pitfalls and opportunities that can help steer real-world decisions toward socially beneficial and responsible outcomes, while avoiding unnecessary risks.

And science fiction movies bring people together. By their very nature, these films are social and educational levelers. Look at who’s watching and discussing the latest sci-fi blockbuster, and you’ll often find a diverse cross-section of society. The genre can help build bridges between people who know how science and technology work, and those who know what’s needed to ensure they work for the good of society.

This is the underlying theme in my new book “Films from the Future: The Technology and Morality of Sci-Fi Movies.” It’s written for anyone who’s curious about emerging trends in technology innovation and how they might potentially affect society. But it’s also written for innovators who want to do the right thing and just don’t know where to start.

Of course science fiction films alone aren’t enough to ensure socially responsible innovation. But they can help reveal some profound societal challenges facing technology innovators and possible ways to navigate them. And what better way to learn how to innovate responsibly than to invite some friends round, open the popcorn and put on a movie?

It certainly beats being blindsided by risks that, with hindsight, could have been avoided.

By Andrew Maynard of Arizona State University.

This article first appeared on The Conversation

Middle classes are being decimated by rising taxes EDITOR, The Tribune EVERY time the PM and his celebrated Free National Movement administration seem to be getting it right they bungle and do so very badly. It is almost beyond logic and simple common sense to try and understand their intention towards the bulk of the unwashed Bahamians.

We are all able to appreciate the necessity for additional revenues but this crew has failed/ refused to fully account for the manner in which they are spending the people’s monies. They have also adopted a very bad habit of increasing fees and taxes, by whatever names you might wish to call them, on the backs of an already financially challenged populace.

The middle class is being decimated as you read this.

Electrical rates are among the highest and most unreliable in the region.

While I agree that it was/is “fake” news relative to the supposed 70% in electrical billings, the rate which hovers around 30-45%, is still too draconian and unanticipated.

The PM and his crew have a bad public communications issue. They have, so far, been unable to flesh out and sell their agenda to the people of this wonderful nation. Bahamians, by and large, don’t mind a little bit of political flam and gaffes but, too much of anything may become an annoyance.

The barricades downtown the other day were uncalled for and I cry shame on the police for this antic.

The very public spat and disagreement between “Learned” Attorney General and the Hon Marvin “Fearless” Dames, my esteemed Member of Parliament, and Minister of National Security is disturbing and should be resolved by the PM immediately.

This, again, is a bad case of terrible communications.

Lastly, I do not ascribe to civil servants and executives on government boards or corporations, publicly speaking out against’ politicians. They were appointed to serve the interest of ALL Bahamians, regardless of the party in power. To God then, in all things, be the glory.

ORTLAND H BODIE Jr Nassau, November 22, 2018.

We need small government EDITOR, The Tribune I AGREED with the PLP when they opposed the sale of majority shares in BTC to a private company.

Now, several years on, I must say that my position has completely reversed.

We now have two telecoms companies and while I am happy to say that I do not use BTC, I understand that their service and standards have improved exponentially through competition.

And what was the anxiety really all about? What did we really lose – revenue? Hardly, the old BTC was bleeding money just like the rest of the public ‘assets’ that Bahamians think we need to hold on to for sentimental and irrational reasons. Meanwhile they are like so many anchors around our neck, dragging us down to the bottom of the sea.

Hats off to Hubert Ingraham, who knew better. He was always the visionary and 10 steps ahead of the rest of us. I now support the privatisation of as many of our national encumbrances as is feasible. It can only lead to a lightening of the strain on the public purse, better service, quality and standards.

Take for example BahamasAir. It costs us some $20 million a year to run this dinosaur. For what?

What does this achieve for us? Nothing at all, I submit.

We are an archipelago of nations where at least 30 islands need some form of airlift. That means regular scheduled flights, airports, ground staff etc. have to be in place. Even though many of the flights may be half

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net empty, the plane still has to go, it still has to have a crew and a pilot, the airports have to be staffed every day.

It is virtually impossible for one entity to take on all of this responsibility and make money. So, why not privatise any and all aspects of this mammoth responsibility to companies willing to take it on and which have an interest in making money? If several airlines want to take over specific routes, let them. If someone wants to manage an airport, or several or all, I say wonderful. All these people will have to pay the government to play, meaning an economic shot in the arm for Bahamians, and because they do not have a national treasury to fall back on, you had best believe these companies will work their hardest to ensure standards, efficiency and customer satisfaction.

The same goes for education. It is a well known fact that the D average grade for graduating students is really an F from the public schools, boosted by higher grades from the private institutions. For decades, government has shouldered the responsibility of educating the vast majority of students in this country, in the name of keeping schooling free. But, are they really being educated?

Can we call them scholars when they are allowed to leave school functionally illiterate through social promotion?

The government divesting itself of this responsibility need not mean that all students will be charged money for school. If we gave half or even two thirds of the more than $200 million we spend annually on education to have a private, professional company with experience in rehabilitative education programmes to take over these schools, I guarantee you the national average would shoot up within five years. Meanwhile, the public would save $50 to $100 million annually.

So why not? The usual answer is jobs. These private companies will fire people! Perhaps they will initially, but then look again at the BTC example.

There are now two thriving companies, both doing their best to succeed, both trying to employ the best and the brightest, which leads young people interested in a telecoms career to try and excel in order to make the big dollars, leading to higher standards all around, higher salaries and more people employed in the sector across the two companies at the end of the day.

The time for small government in The Bahamas has come. The tired, stagnant, slow, decrepit old system by which we have been living has failed us. It is time now to take these anchors from around our necks so we can float to the surface and breathe some fresh air.

ESSY BOOTLE Nassau November 19, 2018

Drones could help us patrol EDITOR, The Tribune WELL we were seemingly for years disinterested in drone technology now so. It seems we will have a drone hovering over every constituency in Nassau - listening!

If one takes the explanation of the prime minister last week in Freeport we seem to be wasting more little available money on knowing there has been a shooting - hold-up - rape etc…surely the police don’t

think drones are going to deter crime?

Technology that listens to the sound of gunfire and directs the police to where it is coming from old technology basically to me again chasing a crime already having been completed - cheaper to wait for the call to 911 - nothing going to change!

I am suspicious as we have a listening law - drones can be equipped to do that just thing…forget about your home being your

castle Mr RBPF coming snooping soon!

The RBDF needed long range drones years ago and did absolutely nothing about it although it was obvious that was the sole solution to reduce the cost of patrolling and intervening and would give the RBDF an advantage… successive governments ignored that.

ABRAHAM MOSS Nassau November 20, 201

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, November 23, 2018, PAGE 5

SWINE FLU KILLS AT LEAST TWO ... AND THERE MAY BE MORE

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

AT LEAST two cases of swine flu resulting in one death have been documented in the country and it is possible there could be more but officials are unable to say for certain, Health Minister Dr Duane Sands said yesterday.

While both cases of the illness were documented at Doctors Hospital, he said it is not common practise for public sector facilities to do viral testing, which is how the H1N1 virus is detected.

This is because viral tests are more expensive when compared to bacterial testing, the most used test type in the government health sector.

In the House of Assembly on Wednesday, Dr Sands revealed swine flu cases had been reported and implored residents to take advantage of free flu vaccines

available at public health facilities across the country.

But despite no out-of-pocket cost for the flu shot, officials know that Bahamians are not getting vaccinated as they should. Dr Sands said a “significant” amount of nearly 20,000 doses of the shot provided each year go to waste.

As receiving the shot is the only way to safeguard against contracting the swine flu, Dr Sands strongly urged people, especially those in the high-risk category to get the shot.

Those in this category are health care workers, day care providers and school teachers, children between six months and five years old, the elderly, persons with chronic, non-communicable diseases, women who will be pregnant during flu season and obese persons.

“In The Bahamas the challenge that we have in persons who develop pneumonia is identifying the culprit organism because

sometimes we just call it pneumonia and some of the people that have influenza virus have superimposed bacterial pneumonia on top of it but what killed them was influenza,” Dr Sands explained yesterday. “So when we look at the capacity in our healthcare system, most of the cases reported of documented influenza comes out of the private sector and particularly Doctors Hospital.

“Why? Because they check and because it’s expensive to check.

“So when you start doing viral tests they are more expensive than doing bacterial tests. It is very likely, and this is something that we discussed at our technical meeting a week ago, that we are underestimating the number of persons who are infected and who die from flu in The Bahamas because we are simply not testing in the public sector.

“Now some would say ‘oh why don’t you do so?’ When you have

all of the these people that show up with the cold or the flu or whatever and you ask whether or not we should test them for influenza you are talking about a pretty expensive proposition.”

He continued: “Because in the private sector we check for it, in the public sector we don’t.

“There are rare occasions when we have checked for it in the public sector but as a rule we check more often in the private sector than in the public sector.

“The fact that we now know that we have had at least two H1N1 cases is because at Doctors Hospital they checked for it. It doesn’t mean that we haven’t had H1N1 cases at Princess Margaret (Hospital) or at the Rand (Memorial Hospital).

“All it means is that at Doctors, we documented that that’s what it was and so given the fact that it is unlikely that people with flu are only people with insurance, are

the only people with means, are the only people who go private then a reasonable assumption is there are more cases, but we have not documented them.

“And when you now get into the question of should we be testing all of these people, it’s an interesting public policy question but the better approach is to avail yourself of a preventative strategy, reduce or eliminate the risk of developing influenza by getting the flu shot.”

During the 2009-2010 swine flu epidemic, 59 million Americans were thought to have caught the swine flu that first appeared in the spring, but only about 12,000 died.

That flu, an H1N1 strain, was called “swine flu,” despite the objections of the pork industry, because it emerged in a pig-farming region of Mexico and was the first human flu virus to contain genes from both North American and Eurasian pig flues.

Much like the PLP, march was a failure, says FNM chairman from page one

A source in the FNM said insiders had been concerned about the march until several days out when it seemed unlikely to rival the significance of the We March protest in the months before the 2017 general election.

The FNM’s statement said: “The FNM supports the freedom of speech and the right for people of this country to demonstrate freely. The march on Wednesday showed us several things - the PLP is desperate to get back in power and will use anybody to disrupt.

“The march also showed us the level of support for the PLP in this country is less than it was May 10, 2017, however, the old, tired and hypocritical ‘Brave’ Davis and his PLP still do not understand the people are done with them.

Finally, the march showed us that the people of The Bahamas are still prepared to give the FNM time to do its job to ‘repair’ this country from the damage it received under the PLP administration.

“The old and tired PLP had a strong message sent to them today by the people

of the Bahamas. They were soundly rejected by the poor turnout Wednesday morning.”

FNM Senator Jamal Moss hit out at the protest in his own statement yesterday, calling the PLP hypocritical.

He said: “PLP Leader Philip Davis and Englerston MP Glenys Hanna-Martin were among the same characters who did not come out of the House of Assembly during last year’s ‘We March’ to hear the cries of the people or even pay mind to them. Instead, these were the same people who told their supporters not to march or in the words of their former MP, now chairman, Fred Mitchell, ‘no PLP should be caught dead in it.’

“Now suddenly, the PLP MPs, former MPs and their supporters can find the time to either march, be with the people or even speak for them. There is an old saying in politics that ‘hypocrisy is a political sin’ and by what we saw, this is hypocrisy at its best.

“Davis should be the last person to talk about Bahamas Power and Light because he serves as the former minister of works and under his watch nothing substantial was done to improve the company.”

COURT OF APPEAL ORDERS MURDER CONVICTION RETRIAL

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net THE Court of Appeal has quashed the murder conviction of a man sentenced to almost 40 years in prison for murdering a retired physician in his Long Island home.

In a ruling published to the court’s website this week, the Court of Appeal ruled that Moses Morris, 46, be retried for the murder of Dr Harry Harding.

Morris pleaded guilty to the charge of murder, but his lawyer, Damien White, later suggested his client intended to plead guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter.

White did not appear for Morris on the date of his initial plea.

At his first appearance for Morris, Mr White informed the court that he had been in discussions with the Crown for Morris to plead guilty to manslaughter.

However, despite this indication, trial judge Justice Cheryl GrantThompson, denied the request for a change of plea.

Mrs Grant-Thompson refused the application on the basis that Morris still accepted guilt, ultimately indicating that she could take Morris’ position into account during sentencing.

Court of Appeal Justice Jon Isaacs, who delivered the decision in the case, said based on the evidence

that would have been brought at trial, there could have been a case made for a partial excuse as presented in section 290 of the Penal Code.

The section notes that an appellant may have the benefit of having the jury consider a manslaughter by reason of provocation verdict as an alternative to the charge of murder.

According to initial reports, shortly before noon on the day in question, police in Long Island received a report that a man had been found dead at his home in Clarence Town. When they arrived, they found the lifeless body of Dr Harding with multiple stab wounds in his body.

Dr Harding, who owned a vacation home in Long Island, was pronounced dead at the scene.

In a confession to police, Morris alleged that he often sold conch pearls to Harding, which the victim in turn would sell online at inflated rates.

Morris said on the day of the murder, Dr Harding called him to collect payment for eight pearls he had sold to him.

However, payment was never made and the two got into a physical confrontation.

Morris said he became angry after Dr Harding swung at him.

Morris said during the altercation he took a knife from the kitchen and stabbed Dr Harding multiple times.

WEDNESDAY’s march showed the level of support for the PLP in this country is less than it was in May, 2017, says FNM. Photo: Terrel W Carey/Tribune Staff

PAGE 6, Friday, November 23, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

Killer escapes death penalty FROM PAGE ONE His co-accused, Demetri Rolle, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for manslaughter, and 15 years for armed robbery to run concurrently, minus the three years he was on remand.

Their sentences were handed down more than a year and a half after they were convicted in connection with Finnekan’s death.

On March 10, 2017, following a trial by jury over the crimes in question, Giordano Rolle was convicted of murder and armed robbery, while Demetri Rolle was convicted of

manslaughter and armed robbery.

According to previous reports, on the date in question, Finneken, also known as Dwayne Nixon, was at home with another man when two men armed with firearms entered the residence.

The two convicts, while armed with a handgun and a shotgun, subsequently robbed Finnekan of cash, a gold necklace and a hand chain.

One of the men shot the victim, resulting in his death, before they fled on foot.

The 23-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene

by the island’s local doctor.

According to court testimony, Finneken was lying face down on the bed when he was shot in the back.

The one person who was in a position to assist him in any way was being held at gunpoint by Demetri Rolle in the front room.

In his record of interview, Demetri Rolle said a man named “American” had sent the pair to the victim’s house to “take the drugs and money…”

When asked if it was he who shot and killed Finnekan, aka “Yardy,” and not Giordano Rolle or another individual, Demetri Rolle

GIORDANO Rolle and Dimitri Rolle pictured outside court in 2014. said: “It was Gio, sir, not me.”

David Cash represented Giordano Rolle during trial, while Sonia Timothy represented Demetri Rolle.

Al-Leecia Delancy, who had previously called for Giordano Rolle to be sentenced to death, represented the Crown.

DAMES: LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES WORKING TOGETHER TO FIGHT CRIME

By RIEL MAJOR

the Bahamas. “. . . Keeping our eyes on trends, figures and measurements. We feel that we are headed in the right direction and I just want to let you know as well.”

There were 116 murders recorded in 2017.

According to The Tribune’s records, there have been 76 murders so far this year, a decline of about 34 percent.

Mr Dames, Mount Moriah MP, spoke to reporters at a press conference called about an upcoming Mount Moriah Transformers Band performance.

WITH a sharp decline in homicides compared to last year, National Security Minister Marvin Dames said all law enforcement agencies are working collectively to keep the crime rate down.

He said the public should also soon expect to see increased police presence on the streets with a new crop of police officers to be added to the Royal Bahamas Police Force and more communitybased police initiatives in 2019.

Mr Dames made these remarks yesterday while speaking to reporters outside his Mount Moriah constituency office.

Band

Opportunity He said: “I would certainly like to take this opportunity to commend all law enforcement and that’s not just the Royal Bahamas Police Force but the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, Bahamas Department of Corrections, and although the other ministries are not under my remit even the Departments of Customs and Immigration.

“We have from we started as government we have been preaching this concept of a multi-agency approach to everything especially crime.

This country is much too small for us to be policing in silos and so the leaders of these respective agencies have been working in concert and collectively and in partnership together now from since we came into office.”

Mr Dames said his ministry has been seeing positive results, adding in the coming months the public will see more initiatives between the police and the wider community.

“We are actually on a daily basis...we are seeing new neighbourhood watch groups popping up but this time around there is a focus to what we are doing and so we had a conclave about two weeks ago and (we are)

MINISTER of National Security Marvin Dames speaks yesterday.

PHOTO: Terrel W. Carey Sr/Tribune staff planning a conclave for 2019.”

He also said: “Looking at avenues whereby we can continue to work towards bringing a greater level of focus and standardisation to the things we are doing.

You’re going to see in 2019 some amazing initiatives between the police and the community. “ Mr Dames added that the focus of the police is to bring a greater degree of scrutiny on prolific offenders and increasing police visibility.

“The government would have provided a new fleet of vehicles and very shortly we would be passing out (graduating), I would say 134 police and fire officers during the

month of December. We are excited about that...we have 100 officers that are about to pass out next month and they will go into those communities that are challenged.”

He continued: “You know I often talk about our man power audit so all we are doing is using that as a blue print now and we are populating those police stations based on population density, crime trends and crime levels based on any number of variables. So the public very shortly would begin to see as when you travel, you go places like New York and about on every street corner you see a police vehicle or officer well that’s the concept we are trying to do here in

The band participated in Chicago yesterday for a Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Station WGN aired the parade live at 9am and noon.

Mr Dames said: “Not too long ago we had the opportunity to watch on WGN - our Mount Moriah Transformers Band was given an invitation more than a year ago to participate in the McDonalds Thanksgiving Parade and today for that group of young people was a very special day and a tremendous experience because they had the opportunity to play in front of millions.

“This is what we are seeking to do...seeking to expose our young people to opportunities not only locally but abroad.

“These young people are now given an opportunity to audition for many groups overseas and hopefully one day they would be able to earn a scholarship to a college or university to further their education. This part of the objection of what we are seeking to achieve here but we are excited.

“Next year there is an invitation to play in Switzerland and we hope by then we would have added to that band so when we do in fact get to Switzerland we will be raising the banner of Mount Moriah and by extension the flag of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas high and that’s the objective.”

ARRESTING OFFICERS FOUND MURDER ACCUSED WITH GUNSHOT WOUND

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net ARRESTING officers found murder accused Jesus Ramos on his father’s sofa, suffering from a gunshot wound in his right leg, a Supreme Court jury heard in testimony yesterday.

Police Corporal 3105 Nelson Miller testified that he, while in possession of a search warrant and operating on information gathered following a shooting at the Tropicana Bar and Grill on Woods Rodgers Wharf in the early hours of September 4, 2016, led a team of officers to the home of Eduardo Martinez, where they found his son, Ramos, with the wound.

It is alleged that on the date in question, Ramos killed Jorge Herrera.

According to initial police reports, shortly after midnight, three men, believed to be Hispanics, were put out of a nightclub after creating a disturbance.

Shortly after 3am, one of the men returned to the club armed with a handgun.

He then got into an argument with Herrera - the disc jockey - who attempted to disarm him, police alleged.

This led to the disc jockey, the armed man and Hanna Palomino, another victim, being shot.

Suspect The armed suspect then fled the scene in a Nissan vehicle.

According to PC Miller, shortly after he arrived at the home of Mr Martinez, he indicated his reason for being there and informed the father that his son was believed to be involved in a shooting incident at a nightclub.

PC Miller said he was given access to the home and upon entry, saw a man openly bleeding on a couch in the home – that man was later acknowledged to be Ramos.

PC Miller said his first attempt to communicate with Ramos was unsuccessful because the accused could not comprehend English, and the officer could not speak Spanish.

To bypass the language barrier, PC Miller said he communicated his purpose through both Ramos’ father and the accused’s younger brother who he

did not name in court.

PC Miller said he informed the two that Ramos was suspected of having been involved in a shooting and needed to be taken into custody on the charge of attempted murder.

He said he saw Ramos’ father and brother communicate what he had said, in Spanish, to Ramos; adding that the reaction by all three and Ramos’ mother, who was also present at the time of the arrest, suggested that Ramos fully comprehended what was going on.

PC Miller said he, upon seeing the state Ramos was in, called for an ambulance.

Ramos was taken to the Princess Margaret Hospital where he was treated and later released into police custody.

Testimony Meanwhile, in separate testimony, Vandyke Russell, a witness to the aftermath of the scuffle at the Tropicana Bar and Grill on the morning of September 4, claimed that in the process of giving aid to a wounded Jorge Herrera, he saw another person being helped away from the scene.

Mr Russell told the court that given the chaotic scene, he was unable to clearly make out whether the person being assisted was a male or female, or the extent of their injury.

He told the court that all he could see was a person, who he believed was a man, being helped into a car.

When asked to give a description of the car, Mr Russell said the car resembled “a matchbox”.

“A dark coloured car.

Like one of those matchbox cars. A small Nissan Cube,” he said.

Mr Russell said his full attention was on Jorge Herrera, who indicated there was a problem with his legs and side.

“He was holding his leg…. Saying ‘my leg, my leg, I can’t feel it, can’t feel it.’”

“Then he said ‘my side, my side,’” Mr Russell told the court. The disc jockey died from his injuries several days later. The other wounded man survived.

Ramos is represented by attorney Shaka Serville.

The case continues Monday at 10am.

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, November 23, 2018, PAGE 7

CONSUMERS EATING ROMAINE LETTUCE AND TURKEY ‘ARE TAKING A GAMBLE’

By MORGAN ADDERLEY Tribune Staff Reporter madderley@tribunemedia.net HEALTH Minister Duane Sands yesterday warned that consumers who continue to eat romaine lettuce and turkey products in spite of officials’ recent caution against these food items are taking a “gamble” and making an “ill-informed” decision.

He added although there have been no local cases of illnesses associated with the E coli and salmonella outbreaks reported in the United States and Canada,

“Now, we have not seen any cases locally. However, we believe that it’s responsible for us to notify Bahamians because we get romaine lettuce and raw turkey and turkey products in the Bahamas from the United States.”

Health Minister Dr Duane Sands Bahamian authorities felt a responsibility to warn the public.

“We are following up on… advisories from the (Federal Drug Administration) FDA, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), (Centre for

MINISTER THANKS SENIORS FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO SOCIETY

BY DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

MINISTER of Agriculture and Marine Resources Michael Pintard hosted senior citizens in his constituency to a Thanksgiving Luncheon at the Castaways Resort on Thursday for a third consecutive year on Grand Bahama.

Mr Pintard greeted seniors and thanked them for their contributions to society and the country. He said that the aged continue to play an essential role in society as a “repository of historical knowledge” and from which young people can learn a lot.

“This is the third year we have been holding our Thanksgiving Luncheon because we have always held the view that it is important to say thank you to our senior citizens,” he said.

“They are the foundation of this community, and they have played a pivotal role in the development of Grand Bahama, and Freeport, in particular.”

Sacrifices The Marco City MP said that seniors have made sacrifices and have given their service whether in the formal workforce or as homemakers who have groomed the next generation of leaders in the country.

“We want them to know we appreciate the sacrifices they have made,” the MP said.

Additionally, Mr Pintard said the event provides senior citizens the opportunity of fellowship and catching up with old friends they had not seen in the last two years.

“Functions like this help to reunite them, and we thought this opportunity would be good, and it gives me as the MP the opportunity to become acquainted with them in an informal setting,” he added.

The MP stated that he plans to hold some intergenerational functions throughout next year to encourage fellowship between young people and senior citizens.

Mr Pintard said that there should be an appreciation among young people for seniors.

He noted that “notwithstanding that society has changed and that young people are now emerging to lead things, there is still value in persons who are senior citizens… as they are the repository of historical knowledge and they can glean from their wisdom.”

Mr Pintard noted that the Marco City Constituency team will continue to try assist those seniors who are still having challenges regarding hurricane repairs.

“Some of the challenges throughout islands like GB that have been hit by hurricanes, notwithstanding the $3.5 million distributed for hurricane relief and the Marco City hurricane relief programme – which is quite

WARNING: Health Minister Duane Sands.

MINISTER of Agriculture and Marine Resources Michael Pintard. possibly the largest relief programme of any constituency in the country – and the small home repairs initiated over the last several weeks to catch a number of homes that were missed, some persons are still faced with leaking roofs. We still have some work to do,” he added.

Mr Pintard said: “I (intend) to find out what concerns residents have, and what we could do to be helpful with what is singularly the most significant issue.”

“People still need assistance with the repair of their roofs, and I hope that some contractors would assist some of the residents as a number of us would assist in providing building supplies.

And so as early as tomorrow I will be meeting with some of them to mobilise some assistance for them, but that is a major concern.”

Employment Another issue that seniors are concerned about is their children and grandchildren who have returned from school abroad, but have not been able to find employment.

“They are saying to me, ‘my granddaughter just graduated from high school can you assist with getting a job?’, ‘my son has just come home with multiple degrees and is having challenges finding opportunities, what are you able to do?’

“So they have serious concerns about job opportunities for their families, and that why this administration expanding this economy is crucial. If we do not grow this economy by three percent, it is going to be difficult even to absorb those coming out of school. And we have an even greater challenge trying to attract the best and brightest to come back home,” he explained.

MP Pintard said that an initiative he and his team had launched prior to the election of a programme concerning the implementation of city water in the Fiddler’s Green area would continue.

He noted that some unforeseen problem that developed, but they looking to resolve the issue and continue the city water programme in those areas that have wells but do not have access to city water.

Disease Control) CDC, and the World Health Organisation,” Dr Sands told The Tribune yesterday.

“So they have notified all countries of this challenge of E coli in romaine lettuce in the United States and salmonella in raw turkey and turkey products.”

“Now, we have not seen any cases locally,” Dr Sands continued. “However, we believe that it’s responsible for us to notify Bahamians because we get romaine lettuce and raw turkey and turkey products in the Bahamas from the United States.

“Individuals would then decide how they’re going to deal with the information.

Some people will say ‘man, I done spend my money, I’m going to eat the lettuce, I’m going to eat the turkey.’

“However, it’s all well and good if things go well. If it doesn’t go so well, then that’s a gamble that you would have taken. But, given the fact that we have been warned by all of the American agencies, we felt it appropriate to

pass the information on to the Bahamian public and the Bahamian consumers, so that they can make an informed decision.”

In an interview with The Tribune on Wednesday, Super Value President Rupert Roberts said the grocery store chain will likely not pull any lettuce or turkey products from its shelves.

Mr Roberts said instead the company will apply warnings to the products and allow shoppers to choose whether or not they wish to buy or consume.

When asked if he would encourage restaurants, food stores, and wholesalers not to sell romaine lettuce, Dr Sands’ referenced Mr Roberts’ comments.

“I’ve seen Super Value’s position,” the health minister

said.

“And so, I’m not going to get into a tit for tat on this matter.

“At the end of the day we have made recommendations to the Bahamian public.

Those recommendations are very specific, that if you have not grown or seen the romaine lettuce being grown, don’t eat it.

“That would automatically suggest that if you’re purchasing it in a store, and we’re recommending that you throw it out, that you’ve made an ill-informed decision.”

Dr Sands added he has stopped eating these products.

On Wednesday, the Bahamas Agricultural Health and Food Safety Authority (BAHFSA) released

a statement advising local consumers, retailers, and wholesalers to “voluntarily throw out” any lettuce purchased from stores selling US derived lettuce products following the recent E coli outbreak and warning of Romaine lettuce in the United States, which has caused over 30 illnesses in the US. The BAHFSA also cautioned consumers about the “ongoing outbreak” in raw turkey products associated with an antibiotic-resistant strain of salmonella. It noted the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has recalled all raw ground turkey due to this outbreak, which has been linked to over 160 illnesses and one death in the US.

JAMAICAN MAN JAILED FOR OVERSTAYING

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net

A JAMAICAN man whose fingerprints matched those of a man previously deemed an “undesirable” person by immigration officials has been sentenced to almost a year in prison for overstaying in the country.

Senior Magistrate Carolyn VogtEvans sentenced Michael George Sinclair aka Floyd Bartlett to eight months at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services (BDCS) for overstaying his time in the country by four days.

Four of his fellow countrymen, namely Kevin George Smith, Dave St Aubyn Johnson, Luke Courtney Williams and Steve Anthony Earl were collectively fined $8,000 for the same offence.

According to the facts, at around 1pm on November 15, Police Corporal 3822 Butterflied and Police Constable 3566 Smith went to unit two at Trinity Apartments in Alice Town, Bimini.

While there, all five Jamaican men were arrested for immigration purposes, and subsequently handed over to Senior Immigration Officer Deron Brooks. A check of their Jamaican

passports revealed they had each overstayed their respective visits in the country.

Sinclair landed legally on November 4 at Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) and was granted a stay for a period of seven days. He was granted no extension but had overstayed his time in the country by four days.

Fingerprints While being processed at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre, at which time his fingerprints were analysed by the Department of Immigration’s Automated Fingerprint Information System (AFIS), it was revealed that Sinclair’s fingerprints matched that of Floyd Bartlett, a Jamaican national who was refused entry into the country on August 31 at LPIA for being an undesirable according to Section 22 (2) G and J of the Immigration Act. As a result of his actions and his previous antecedent, Sinclair was sentenced to eight months at BDCS. Williams, meanwhile was landed legally on June 12 of this year at

LPIA for a period of 10 days. He was granted an extension by the Department of Immigration up until August 12, but ended up overstaying for three months and three days.

He was consequently convicted and fined $3,000 or otherwise would face six months at the BDCS. Earl was landed legally on August 3 at LPIA for a period of 14 days. He received an extension up until September 16, but overstayed his time in the country by two months.

He too was fined $3,000 with a six month custodial sentence if he defaults.

Smith was legally landed on October 26 at LPIA for 10 days, but ended up overstaying for 10 days. He was fined $1,000 for his actions, and faces a three month sentence at the BDCS if he defaults.

Johnson was legally landed on October 25 at LPIA for seven days, but ended up staying for an additional two weeks without an extension being granted.

He was consequently convicted and fined $1,000 or otherwise face three months at the BDCS. Shandisha Marshall prosecuted the matter.

PAGE 8, Friday, November 23, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

The ‘People’ are ready to put Doc and company out of the house IS THIS the week that it finally dawns on the Free National Movement that the honeymoon is over?

Not only is the honeymoon over, it seems the ‘People’ are ready to put Doc and company out of the house and change the locks.

Less than two years into this new administration, there was a sizeable protest march on Bay Street against the policies and performance of the FNM. In normal times, such a march so soon would be shocking, but when you consider the number of controversial decisions made by the Prime Minister such as OBAN, increased VAT, the General Post Office scandal, the Grand Lucayan purchase and the Lighthouse Point saga (to name a few) it’s a wonder these protests didn’t happen sooner.

It doesn’t help that the FNM leadership (on down) responds to any and every critique like entitled schoolchildren with tissue paper thin skin.

It doesn’t help that what’s left of this government’s most ardent supporters act like crazed fanatics on social media even when defending the indefensible. (Conflicts of interest,

anyone?)

Now granted, these are attitude and character deficiencies that could – theoretically – be corrected.

The problem is that this new bunch has shown no desire to change their ways.

During the march, there were hundreds of people screaming “enough is enough” on the streets, but in my view the bigger problem for the FNM was the silence.

There was silence from many Bahamians who otherwise would have come to the party’s defence.

In conversation after conversation in real life and on social media that day, I was surprised at how many “I’ne on their run no more” and “I finish wit dem” responses I got when I reached out to persons who I know for a fact supported the FNM last election.

‘Tings tuff’ right now.

In the wake of the almost

doubling of VAT, there’s a lot of anxiety amongst our poorest and what remains of the middle class. And, if you listen to ‘da streets,’ the only thing happening right now is that the rich are getting richer.

Now whether that’s true or not, when people are starving, perception becomes reality.

This is the strange intersection the FNM finds itself at, where not only are their policies wanting but so is their attitude. As the elders would say, ‘Some a dem gat some bad ways.’

When speaking to reporters, you can almost sense a ‘suck teet’ from the Prime Minister before he says something he obviously thinks is clever but comes off as cold.

You can say the same about a handful of ministers who seem lost in their own arrogance as well.

So now you have hard policies (even if you deem

FIDA DONATES TO GRAND BAHAMA CHILDREN’S HOME

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

THE International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Grand Bahama Chapter donated food and cleaning supplies to the Grand Bahama Children’s Home after organising a successful food drive.

Zia Lewis-Adams, new FIDA president, along with other members, made the presentation at the home yesterday.

FIDA makes ongoing donations; however, Mrs Adams said the group is committed to forging an even stronger partnership with the children’s home, which houses anywhere from 28 to 35 children from infancy to the age of 13.

“We have done things with them in the past but this year we wanted to create a partnership dynamic really, and the food drive came about when our chairman of the outreach committee, Hadassah Swain spoke to Sheila Johnson Smith who said that cleaning supplies were also needed.”

Ms Swain said that due to the financial challenges faced by the home, FIDA wanted to step in and assist the facility.

“In the spirit of Thanksgiving we are elated to present this generous donation this morning provided by our members,” she said.

Mrs Lewis added that FIDA looks forward to assisting other organisations in the future.

“We desire to take this initiative into the wider community; we hope to expand our

reach to the homes of the aged and other organisations in need in the near future,” she said.

Sheila Johnson Smith, the orphanage’s executive director, was very grateful for the donation and commended the organisation for its continued support during the year.

According to Ms Smith, the home is a 24-hour facility with an operational cost of some $500,000 per year.

Despite the financial challenges, Ms Smith said the home continues to take in more children and has just recently accepted another disabled child.

“This facility was not designed for nonambulatory children.

“But when we get a call, what can we do?

“We have to help, we can’t turn them away, and we cannot turn social services down; we really need all the help we can get from the community,” she said.

As part of its community service outreach, FIDA is also planning to conduct a free legal clinic for the public next month.

Mrs Lewis-Adams said the clinic is scheduled for December 8 at the Sir Charles Hayward Library from 9am to 1pm.

“Anyone needing free legal advice is invited to stop by as we will offer legal advice on family and matrimonial matters, probate issues, and divorce, etc. So, if anyone is looking for free legal advice they should come and take advantage of this opportunity,” she said.

PROTESTERS on Bay Street on Wednesday. them necessary) and a hard at bay. Which was another attitude to go with it. And slap in the face since it was that’s when you end up with protesters and marchers a major protest on your who helped sweep the FNM hands eighteen months into in and gave them a super your administration. majority.

Ironically, If you watched Yet I didn’t see any the parliamentary channel government member of during Wednesday’s event parliament save for Frederyou wouldn’t have known ick McAlpine go out on the that there were people right street or even entertain the outside the House with protesters’ concerns. picket signs.

How quickly they forget.

Of course, to be clear, Out of the hundreds of they were not technically placards that were hoisted right outside the window in the hot sun on Wednessince the police used bar- day one really stood out. ricades and chains with No, it wasn’t the ‘Call the locks to keep the protesters police for BPL’ sign or the

‘We voted and we failed again’ sign.

It was a placard my sister-in-law spotted tossed in some bushes near the bank downtown that read, ‘Minnis is Wutless.’

Like I said before, the honeymoon is definitely over.

I will leave you this week with the wise words of the great poet Maya Angelou who said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

CLUBS AND SOCIETIES clubs@tribunemedia.net

Bel Canto Singers THE Bel Canto Singers will once again partner with members of The South Carolina Philharmonic Orchestra among other musicians for this year’s “Christmastide.”

The Christmastide concert, held annually for multiple nights in early December, has grown into a beloved holiday tradition in New Providence.

The concert features special arrangements of Christmas carols, anthems and spirituals. Hundreds of people come from all over the island each year to attend the concerts, which the singers present as a gift to the music community.

This year’s Christmastide will be held under the patronage of Dame Marguerite Pindling, Governor General.

Bel Canto will be hosting the Christmastide Gala – for the

third year at the Balmoral Club – on Friday, November 30th at 7:00pm.

As part of the festivities, there will also be a silent auction, with wine and gourmet cuisine provided, as well as several vendors selling wonderful gifts for the season, including Cia Monet, Sonia Rolle handmade bags, and Trevor Tucker ceramic art for Christmas trees as well

as prints of his original oil works. Gala tickets are $125 per person.

There will be one concert-only performance on Saturday, December 1st at 7:30pm at Christ Church Cathedral, George Street.

Tickets priced at $25 are available at Custom Computers, Cable Beach and Logos Bookstore in the Harbour Bay Shopping Plaza.

‘THIS CLOSE’ to eradicating polio.

The Rotaract Club of East Nassau meets every second and fourth Monday at 6pm at Smugglers Restaurant, Downtown and is open to all individuals between the ages of 18-30 looking to make a difference within their community and broaden their professional network.

For more information about the Rotaract Club of East Nassau, please visit https://www.facebook.com/ RotaractEastNassau/

Rotaract Club of East Nassau IT’S Rotary Foundation Month and the Rotaract Club of East Nassau is educating the public on the important work that Rotary is doing in the world.

On the 24th October, RCEN hosted a “World’s Greatest Meal” World Polio Day Happy Hour Party at Smugglers Restaurant There were “polio shots”, polio trivia, and funds were raised for the fight to eradicate polio. Polio is present in three countries today: Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria.

There are currently 27 cases of polio in the world. Eradication is getting closer.

To donate you can reach out to any Rotary or Rotaract Club or visit endpolionow.org.

Foundation Month celebrations continued as RCEN

joined the Rotaract Club of the Bahamas Technical & Vocational Institute in their “Coffee & Conversation” series focused on “Everything you need to know about the Rotary Foundation”.

PP Carla Card-Stubbs and PAG Lindsey Cancino led the informative session, showing how the Rotary organisation is doing their part to change the world, one act of service at a time.

Mt Olive Baptist Church ON DECEMBER 15th, Mt. Olive Baptist Church will host the Annual Senior Citizens Christmas Program for the 29th year.

As usual, the event will be held at Town Centre Square at Meadow and Augusta Streets, beginning at 2pm.

The program will include the singing of Christmas songs, a sumptuous lunch, fine entertainment, plus a gift for each senior citizen.

This event is the highlight of the year for a great many of the elderly residents who attend.

The church is asking for donations (cash, food, gifts, paper goods) for the event – and gives thanks for any contributions made to its social ministry in the past.

They are also asking for nominations for “Bain Town Senior Citizen of the Year 2018”.

(See form left)

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, November 23, 2018, PAGE 9

THE 5,500-passenger record-breaking Symphony of the Seas docked in Nassau.

Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

O

UR New Cruise Port: Run by Whom? Since government published over a month ago its massive Request for Proposals (RFP) to radically improve our Nassau Cruise Port, we’re wondering who’s in the running to win the job.

There’s no doubt that improvement is needed. Some 3.5 million passengers from half a dozen cruise lines pass through its gates every year, making it the largest cruise port in the Caribbean.

But Nassau is popular mainly because it’s the shortest voyage from Florida’s three homeports.

According to many studies, it’s one of the least appealing in the area. The recent arrival of the 5,500-passenger record-breaking Symphony of the Seas showed a range of on-board attractions that give passengers even fewer reasons to disembark into the chaotic welcoming scene of our Prince George Wharf Terminal.

Government is seeking a party to “design, build, operate, finance and invest” in a facility with increased dockage space for future cruise vessels, and it must also “propose a comprehensive upland development for improving the guest experience and increase the tourist offering.” In short, it must know both how to land more tourists and then how to entertain them.

How does government expect to find the most talented candidate for these demanding tasks, who will be granted a 25-year exclusive concession? It’s clear that a bid will be submitted by Global Ports Holding, a company listed on the London Stock Exchange and said to be controlled by Turkish interests. It has a strong track record of operating over a dozen cruise ports in Europe, including such major ones as Barcelona and Venice, and recently signed up its first Caribbean venture in Havana.

To satisfy the RFP’s requirement for “significant local participation” by resident Bahamian businesses, it has taken Arawak Port Development as a partner, the operator of our container terminal, publicly traded on BISX with a minority government stake. Local investment bank CFAL has been signed to raise equity capital from Bahamian investors. Global may have a head-start over any competitors, since it earlier submitted a 49-page “unsolicited proposal” that government used as a template for the RFP. However, other names are appearing as probable bidders.

Several major cruise companies serving Nassau recently met to organise a consortium that would build and operate the terminal, providing the initial capital and the port management expertise.

A local Bahamian initiative is planning a proposal for redevelopment of the existing docks and surrounding amenities. It would incorporate ideas evolved by Gerald Strachan’s “Culture Village” enterprise, for providing cruise and stopover passengers with experiences

Countdown’s on for the cruise port contenders rooted in Bahamian heritage, culture and traditions, in conjunction with international experts in port design and management.

While nothing has yet been signed, this group is receiving legal advice how to combine with the cruise ship consortium while Royal Fidelity bankers have been approached to consider the financial structure.

Competition is always good, and it’s to be hoped these varied interests can be forged together by the deadline of December 7 to submit separate or consolidated bids. Each bidder must prove financial resources of at least $100 million and clearly specify who is the “lead firm” coordinating the project. Once that’s done, these groups could offer strong competition to the experienced Global Ports Holding team.

Government has a major stake in choosing the best entry, since rebuilding the port and its environs is the only way to kick-start revitalization of down town eastern Bay Street, a decaying zombie zone ever since the removal of commercial shipping to Arawak Cay.

Bahamas Population: Growth is Needed WHEN I visited Singapore in 1965, it was just emerging from the Federation of Malaysia and was still a minor Third World country. Dominated by the low-lying colonial landmark The Raffles Hotel, it looked not too different from Nassau. Its population of about 1.5 million spread over a compact 280 square miles (sqm) gave it a density of 5,350 people per sqm. Today, with about 5.6 million people, the density ratio has risen to nearly 20,000. Surely, Singapore must have become a dreadfully over-crowded and unpleasant place to live, sitting on the Equator’s permanent sea-level humid heat.

Not at all. Singapore has become one of the world’s most dynamic economies, as a leading financial and trade centre and electronics exporter. It boasts an AAA sovereign bond rating and unemployment rate of 1.9 percent, and comes first on the World Bank’s ease of doing business

ranking. It provides an appealing environment for its populace of entrepreneurs, business executives, small shopkeepers, and ordinary wage-earners, standing 9th on the UN Human Development Index (54th for The Bahamas).

While office towers and highrise apartment blocks rule the central sky line, plenty of space remains for greenery and botanical gardens. The bi-ethnic Chinese-Malay citizenship works in harmony, and the immigration policy for qualified expatriates has allowed non-citizens to become over 40 percent of total population.

The key to Singapore’s success: public services that have kept pace with population growth. Electric power, water and sewage, transport network, and education are all first-rate.

Private wealth is subject to an equitable income tax. All resulted from the strong political leadership of the late Lee Kuan Yew, pictured, the initial prime minister. He stamped the tradition of incorruptible hard work on the country in a way that neither British colonial rule nor subsequent independent governments have come close to achieving here.

Yet we enjoy advantages for growth potential not available to Singapore. We are not a compact society squashed between the land masses of Malaysia and Sumatra, but an archipelago of

SYMPHONY of the Seas showed a range of on-board attractions that give passengers even fewer reasons to disembark.

tropical islands 700 miles long with sovereignty over possibly 150,000 sqm. and a land area of only 5,380 sqm. Our population of 400,000 gives us a density of just 75 per sqm., of course higher in New Providence but still only 3,125. Uncounted miles of matchless solitary beaches grace our shorelines, and thousand of acres of land lie vacant, some arable and all within reach of cooling sea breezes.

The dispersion of population over many island communities long posed an insuperable block to economic growth, since no concentration could be achieved solely with sailing craft. This obstacle is now vanishing with electronic communication, more efficient air services and expanding networks of high-speed vessels. And within 50 years our major islands may well be linked by bridges and causeways giving full range to automotive transport.

Like Singapore, our potential cannot be realized with a static work force. Higher local birth rates and greatly increased immigration must be welcomed – provided, of course, that public services keep pace. Nostalgia for keeping all of our country physically “as is” must fade away.

Downtown Nassau must be allowed to bloom with office and condo towers and population density to match Singapore, Panama, or Miami, since we have the incomparable advantage of a highly varied archipelago.

Harbour Island, the Abacos, Eleuthera, Exuma, and Cat and Long Islands can all be regulated with stiff architectural codes and zoning rules to preserve their charm and tranquility. Grand Bahamas can become another canal-crossed Ft Lauderdale suburbia, and Andros can be divided into precise agricultural districts.

Our innumerable coral reefs can be preserved as magnets for undersea exploration, and as a yachting and fishing paradise.

We can rejoice that, unlike our neighbours Barbados or Dominica or St. Kitts, The Bahamas is a huge nation, as long as the entire Antilles chain, that can be both city and country, beach and ocean, farm and garden – all things to all peoples.

PAGE 10, Friday, November 23, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

FLYING HIGH IN NEW YORK

THE FLECK, Bjorn, Jojo, and Hugg balloons make their way down New York’s Sixth Avenue during the 92nd annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade yesterday.

Trump rails against judges FLORIDA Associated Press PRESIDENT Donald Trump used a Thanksgiving Day call to troops deployed overseas to pat himself on the back and air grievances about the courts, trade and migrants heading to the US-Mexico border.

Trump’s call, made from his opulent private Mar-a-Lago club, struck an unusually political tone as he spoke with members of all five branches of the military to wish them happy holidays.

“It’s a disgrace,” Trump said of judges

who have blocked his attempts to overhaul US immigration law, as he linked his efforts to secure the border with military missions overseas.

Trump later threatened to close the US border with Mexico for an undisclosed period of time if his administration determines Mexico has lost “control” on its side.

The call was a uniquely Trump blend of boasting, peppered questions and offthe-cuff observations as his comments veered from venting about slights to praising troops — “You really are our heroes,” he said — as club waiters worked to set

Thanksgiving dinner tables on the outdoor terrace behind him. And it was yet another show of how Trump has dramatically transformed the presidency, erasing the traditional divisions between domestic policy and military matters and efforts to keep the troops clear of politics.

“You probably see over the news what’s happening on our southern border,” Trump told one Air Force brigadier general stationed at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan, adding: “I don’t have to even ask you. I know what you want to do, you want to make sure that you know who we’re letting in.”

Trump also continued to rail against the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals, which he said has become “a big thorn in our side”.

“It’s a terrible thing,” he said, when judges “tell you how to protect your border. It’s a disgrace.”

Later, Trump asked a US Coast Guard commander about trade, which he noted was “a very big subject” for him personally. “We’ve been taken advantage of for many, many years by bad trade deals,” Trump told the commander, who sheepishly replied that, “We don’t see any issues in terms of trade right now.”

And throughout, Trump was sure to congratulate himself, telling the officers that the country is doing exceptionally well on his watch. “I hope that you’ll take solace in knowing that all of the American families you hold so close to your heart are all doing well,” he said. “The nation’s doing well economically, better than anybody in the world.” He later told reporters “nobody’s done more for the military than

PRESIDENT Donald Trump with members of the US Coast Guard. me.” Indeed, asked what he was thankful for this Thanksgiving, Trump cited his “great family,” as well as himself.

“I made a tremendous difference in this country,” he said. “This country is so much stronger now than it was when I took office and you wouldn’t believe it and when you see it, we’ve gotten so much stronger people don’t even believe it.”

But Trump continued to warn about the situation on the southern border as he took questions from reporters, pointing to the caravans of Central American migrants that have been making their way toward the US.

UK PM MAY FACES MORE CRITICISM FOR POST-BREXIT TIES DRAFT TEXT

LONDON Associated Press

BRITISH Prime Minister Theresa May faced wide-ranging criticism from skeptical lawmakers as she sought to portray a draft agreement on a post-Brexit relationship with the European Union as a “good deal for our country.”

Addressing the House of Commons after the publication of a 26-page draft political declaration with the EU on post-Brexit relations, May said the agreement will ensure a “smooth and orderly” British departure from the European Union. Britain officially leaves the 28-nation EU — the first country to ever do so — on March 29.

“The draft text that we have agreed with the (European) Commission is a good deal for our country and for our partners in the EU,” May said.

May is due to travel to Brussels tomorrow for further Brexit meetings, including with Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, a day before a summit of the EU’s 27 other leaders at which both the political declaration on post-Brexit relations as well

as the divorce agreement, which alone has legal status, are expected to be formally signed off.

The withdrawal agreement needs to be sealed soon to leave enough time for the European Parliament and the UK Parliament to endorse it.

May told lawmakers that the outlines for the future help protect jobs, end the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice in the UK, give British fishermen more control and avoid the return of a hard border between EU member Ireland and Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom.

She also said the agreement paves the way for a free trade agreement with the bloc as well as allowing Britain to forge new trade deals around the world.

But her rosy predictions met with resistance on many fronts in Parliament, which is expected to vote on the Brexit plan next month.

At the moment, it looks precarious for the prime minister given the number of lawmakers who have expressed discontent with the proposals, notably the 585-page legal treaty that deals with the terms of Britain’s departure, including

what the country owes the EU. Jeremy Corbyn, leader of Britain’s main opposition Labour Party, poured scorn on the agreement on future relations, describing it a “26 pages of waffle” that represented a failure of the Conservative Party and May during two years of negotiations.

Corbyn said the agreement “represents the worst of all worlds” and that Britain will have “no say” over EU rules that will continue to apply in Britain. “This is the blindfold Brexit we all feared,” he said. “A leap into the dark.”

May is likely to need some Labour lawmakers to back her plan if she has realistic hopes of winning approval, given that her Conservative Party does not enjoy a majority in the House of Commons.

May also faced criticism from hard-line Conservative Party Brexiteers, notably Boris Johnson and Jacob Rees-Mogg, and from others who pressed May to back a second referendum on the whole Brexit proposition.

If May fails to get a majority in Parliament, it’s unclear what would then happen.

SAMSUNG APOLOGISES OVER SICKNESSES AND DEATHS

SEOUL Associated Press

SAMSUNG has apologised for the sickness and deaths of some of its workers, saying it failed to create a safe working environment at its computer chip and display factories.

The announcement by the South Korean technology giant came weeks after the

company and a group representing ailing Samsung workers agreed to accept compensation terms suggested by a mediator and end a highly-publicised standoff that went on for more than a decade.

Samsung’s device solutions chief Kinam Kim says the company failed to “sufficiently manage health threats” at its semiconductor and liquid crystal display manufacturing lines.

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, November 23, 2018, PAGE 11

UNIVERSITY OF THE BAHAMAS ‘RESPECTS UNIONS’ RIGHTS TO FREE ASSEMBLY’

By MORGAN ADDERLEY Tribune Staff Reporter madderley@tribunemedia.net IN the aftermath of a protest by the Union of Tertiary Educators of the Bahamas, the University of the Bahamas (UB) has released a statement reiterating unions’ right to free assembly while noting that under the UB Act of 2016, an independent board of trustees has been granted control over “matters involving the rights and responsibilities of the university’s faculty members.”

On Wednesday, a small group of UTEB members demonstrated on UB’s campus, unleashing a litany of complaints, including the university’s failure to negotiate a new industrial agreement.

“Negotiations for a new industrial agreement began

UTEB Members hold stage their protest on Wednesday.

PHOTO: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff eight months late on February 19, 2018 and were suspended by UTEB on June 20, 2018, in an attempt to get a legal interpretation when the university refused to negotiate in good faith,” UTEB said in a statement on

Wednesday.

“UB’s position, which is against all labour practices, has been that more than fifty percent of our current industrial agreement falls under the purview of the Academic Senate created under the UB

Act and they were not prepared to renegotiate these clauses.”

The union outlined 20 other grievances with the university.

In response to this, the university released a statement.

“The Bahamian Constitution specifically grants labour unions the right to free assembly and association,” the statement begins, adding UB acknowledges and respects these rights and seeks to foster “peaceful and productive industrial relations with all unions represented at the university.”

The statement noted the University of the Bahamas Act of 2016, which formalised the institution’s legal transition from college to university, represented “unique and historical changes” for how UB operates.

“The University of The

Bahamas Act 2016 is the institution’s new operational framework and it is the university’s new constitution.

“The Act designates a system of shared governance between an independent board of trustees and a newly constituted Academic Senate.

“Article 7 of the Act confirms the Academic Senate as ...the academic authority with full responsibility for maintaining the academic standards, regulation and superintendence of the education of students.

“The board of trustees has the general direction and control over the conduct of the affairs of the university including, but not limited to, matters involving the rights and responsibilities of the University’s Faculty members.

“Both the Academic

Senate and board of trustees are assigned specific powers, functions, duties and responsibilities under the Act. “All industrial agreements to be negotiated by the university will have to be guided by and aligned with the new University of The Bahamas Act. “All necessary procedural and substantive provisions as stipulated in the Industrial Relations Act regarding collective bargaining agreements will be adopted as relevant to the higher education context.”

During the protest, UTEB membership secretary Erica Hepburn told reporters that university administrators have been given a timeline of until December 7 — after which it will be decided if industrial action will take place.