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The Tribune

Volume:115 No.04, NOVEMBER 24TH, 2017

Established 1903

Weekend

WEEKEND: MEET THE FASTEST CARICATURIST IN THE WORLD

Crime’s down, now jobs are my priority

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday said crime and the fear of crime is down, telling reporters his administration has now turned its focus to the country’s economy.

“I’m still focusing on crime,” he told reporters outside the House of Assembly yesterday.

Dr Minnis, pictured, visited Parliament to view the body of former Speaker of the House Sir Arlington Butler.

“But my observation, as I move through the community, crime is down, the fear of crime is down, and now our great focus is the

economy and the ease of doing business.”

He continued: “And that’s why I’m going to Cabinet now so that we can approve investments to create jobs for Bahamians - that’s my number one priority.

When asked if he focused on recent criticisms of his administration, Dr Minnis said: “I am focused on Bahamians’ lives, the quality of lives being improved, that’s my number one focus.”

The prime minister’s assessment follows similar statements from National Security Minister Marvin Dames last week amid a reprieve in shooting deaths for nearly a month.

SEE PAGE SIX

SHAQ’S THE STAR MAN AT MOUNT MORIAH

GOWON Bowe, president of the Bahamas Institute of Chartered Accountants, warned yesterday against xenophobic reactions to the Minnis administration’s Commercial Enterprises Bill even as he criticised the government for not consulting Bahamians more widely on it.

The bill, which was passed in the House of Assembly Wednesday and will now be debated in the

Senate, aims to liberalise the granting of work permits to enterprises that wish to establish themselves in The Bahamas and require work permits for management and key personnel.

Enterprises like those concentrating on arbitration and wealth management services would benefit from the law if they meet an investment threshold of at least $250,000. The bill empowers the relevant minister, however, to expand the list of enterprises to which the law would apply.

SEE PAGE SIX

ACTIVISTS DEMAND HALT TO MIGRANT CRACKDOWN

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

RIGHTS Bahamas yesterday urged the government to cease and desist its heightened immigration crackdown, pointing to an incident where a mother and child reportedly fell off the back of a truck and were hurt as they tried to evade authorities.

Images of a young child with facial injuries in the arms of a woman purported to be her mother were circulated on social media Tuesday night, but have not been confirmed by relatives or law enforcement.

The photo was purported to have been taken in Andros, according to Rights Bahamas (RB), which claimed eye witnesses saw when an Immigration Department vehicle carrying armed officers in military fatigues began chasing a civilian pickup truck carrying several individuals in the rear bed.

SEE PAGE SEVEN

SUSPECT, 22, CHARGED WITH 2014 MURDER

‘CONSULTATION CALMS FEARS’

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE PEOPLE’S PAPER: $1

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net A 22-year-old man was arraigned on one count of murder and six counts of armed robbery in Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

Michael Newland, of Montell Heights, is accused of the murder of Martin Flauristine by means of unlawful harm on February 24, 2014.

His armed robbery charges concern a spate of robberies that also occurred on that day.

SEE PAGE SIX FORMER NBA star Shaquille O’Neal is the centre of attention yesterday as he helped to distribute turkeys in Marvin Dames’ constituency. See page three for more photographs.

Photo: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff

SPEAKER PRAYS SIR ARLIE’S FAMILY END BITTER FEUD

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

HOUSE Speaker Halson Moultrie yesterday said he prayed for peace for the family of Sir Arlington Butler, a former teacher of his, whose loving spirit he hoped

would reunite relatives.

Mr Moultrie heralded Sir Arlington, affectionately known as Sir Arlie, as a patriotic Bahamian and accomplished political statesman who never squandered an opportunity to uplift local talent.

In the days leading up to the statesman’s

funeral, a public and legal feud erupted in the press between his children and his widow, Lady Hazel Butler.

“We’re just praying for the peace of God to cover the family so that his life would be an example of SEE PAGE FIVE

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

DR MINNIS, WE’RE NOT YOUR ENEMY SEE PAGE EIGHT

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, November 24, 2017, PAGE 3

SHAQ’S THE STAR MAN AT MOUNT MORIAH

FORMER NBA star Shaquille O’Neal joined Minister of National Security Marvin Damees to distribute turkeys in Marvin Dames’ constituency, Mount Moriah, yesterday.

Photos: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff

US MAN HELD AN American man was arrested at Freeport Harbour after he was allegedly found in possession of dangerous drugs, police reported.

Sometime around 4pm on Wednesday, security officers at the harbour discovered a man with 1.1 pounds of cocaine, with an estimated street value of $11,500. The man was taken into custody and investigations are continuing into the matter.

CORRECTION

AN incorrect photo was published on page 8 of the November 23 edition of The Tribune, under the headline ‘Culmer says FNM backs Enterprise Bill plans.’

The photo accompanying the article wrongly pictured Carl Culmer Jr as Carl Culmer, chairman of the Free National Movement.

The Tribune would like to apologise for this error.

PM TO MAKE CHRISTMAS ADDRESS

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net PRME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis is slated to make a national address for the Christmas holiday and another early in the New Year; however it’s not clear when promised quarterly press conferences will be introduced.

Yesterday, Press Secretary Anthony Newbold said that aspect of press engagement – announced shortly after the general election – had not been fully worked through.

“It’s unlikely that we will,” Mr Newbold said when asked by The Tribune whether the initiative would be implemented before year-end.

“It probably won’t start until early New Year shortly after the national addresses,” he continued.

“At Christmas, and

then one to start the New Year. We just started talking about it. I know one thing for sure there will be a national address in January and one just before Christmas. Exactly when we will do that (press conferences) I’m not sure, we haven’t firmed that up yet.”

In a later correspondence, Mr Newbold explained the scheduled press conferences were intended to “assure access to the prime minister.”

“However, the press has been able to speak freely with the prime minister most times he has appeared in public,” he said.

“But there is a commitment to get on a schedule next year.”

In recent weeks, Dr Minnis has repeatedly blocked attempts by the press to question him on matters of national interest, although he briefly spoke

to reporters yesterday and gave The Tribune an interview on the sidelines of the opening of the SLS hotel at Baha Mar on Friday night.

An article in The Nassau Guardian last week, reported Dr Minnis ran from a staff reporter seeking further information about his announcement on changes to citizenship laws.

The relationship between the Minnis administration and the press core was thrust into the spotlight at a recent banquet honouring Bahamian media professionals on Saturday.

Dr Minnis criticised the press for reporting “drama” rather than policy, for not comparing the Bahamas enough with other countries and for “blurring” the lines between reporting and editorial writing.

The Bahamas Press Club had honoured Dr Minnis with the Person of the Year Award.

PAGE 4, Friday, November 24, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

The Tribune Limited NULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI “Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master”

LEON E. H. DUPUCH,

Publisher/Editor 1903-1914

SIR ETIENNE DUPUCH,

jrolle@tribunemedia.net

Kt., O.B.E., K.M., K.C.S.G., (Hon.) LL.D., D.Litt .

Publisher/Editor 1919-1972 Contributing Editor 1972-1991

EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON,

C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B. Publisher/Editor 1972-

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Zimbabwe - a nation robbed of its promise by a reviled despot THE old maxim that “power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely” sums up the 37-year rule of the deposed president of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, and suggests why his ultimate downfall was inevitable. Not surprisingly, the overthrow of Africa’s infamous and longest serving despot whose actions have destroyed the lives of so many has attracted huge international media attention.

The dramatic recent events which led to his humiliating resignation this week were precipitated by his earlier sacking of his vice president in an unwise attempt to prepare the ground for his wife’s eventual succession to the presidency. There had also been well-substantiated accusations that she was already pulling the strings of government through her frail 93-year-old husband and was enjoying an unacceptably lavish life style.

Mugabe’s authority crumbled with lightning speed after intervention by the nation’s armed forces and his resignation followed preparations by his own ruling party, ZANU-PF, to remove him from the presidency by impeachment on the grounds he had become a “source of instability” and had disrespected the rule of law.

Unlike military action to overthrow elected leaders elsewhere in Africa, the leaders of Zimbabwe’s armed forces made it clear they had not mounted a coup to take over the government but were seeking Mugabe’s removal by constitutional means following his expulsion of the vice president, and there was no violence or bloodshed.

To most observers, the writing had been on the wall for a long time because Mugabe had become a tyrannical dictator who had persecuted his own people in order to stay in power and had presided over a disastrous collapse of his country’s economy.

His brutal oppression of political opponents and perceived enemies - involving rigged elections, harassment and intimidation, torture, abduction and murder - is well documented, not least the tribal massacres in Matabeleland during the 1980s in which as many as 20,000 civilians died.

In addition, the forcible eviction of white farmers from their land without compensation had resulted in unspeakable violence and killing and had also irreparably damaged the nation’s thriving agricultural sector.

All this had led over the years to massive emigration to South Africa and elsewhere creating a Zimbabwean diaspora. But, before the onset of his corrupt and murderous rule, Mugabe had preached reconciliation, national unity and a free market economy when he first came to power after winning a landslide election victory in 1980 - and

Zimbabwe had briefly prospered as a result.

This had followed the 1979 Lancaster House conference in London when Britain brokered a deal to bring about black majority rule in the former colony of Rhodesia which had proceeded with its illegal unilateral declaration of independence in 1965.

Unlike other British territories in Africa, Rhodesia had been a self-governing colony, but it had acted outside the law in breaking away from Britain which finally lost patience with the rebellious white minority government and forced it to negotiate.

Mugabe was regarded by his own supporters and by other African nations as a liberation hero who had taken part in the bush war against minority rule.

However, he soon turned into an unprincipled and destructive villain after the switch from a British-style prime-ministership to an executive presidency and, in effect, a one-party state.

The reaction in Zimbabwe to Mugabe’s fall from power has been predictably ecstatic because many feared him but did not like him and many have been celebrating the prospect of a new dawn.

Reportedly, on return from his short exile in South Africa, the expelled vice president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, will be sworn in as president to serve until elections scheduled for next year. He has pledged to be a voice for all Zimbabweans in a new democracy. Some people are sceptical since he was Mugabe’s right-hand man and brutal enforcer for many years. Thus, it remains to be seen whether the new president will take the country in a fresh direction and whether the so-called new ‘popular power’ can hold him fully to account. It also will be interesting to watch the public reaction to the grant to both Mugabe and his wife of immunity from prosecution.

The sudden ending of Mugabe’s hideously long period of harsh and failed leadership could well serve as a lesson for other dictators in Africa and elsewhere. Likewise, it could be a cautionary tale for political leaders of young democracies - particularly in small developing countries which lack the well-established checks and balances in older and larger democratic nations - to reject corruption and the abuse of power.

Even in our own country, where we enjoy a system of democratic government bequeathed to us by Britain through our Constitution, we need constantly to be on guard against our leaders arrogating to themselves extra powers inconsistent with the interests of the people who elect them.

To paraphrase Thomas Jefferson, only the people themselves can govern the governors.

Pastor concerns EDITOR, The Tribune.

DO you think it is possible for the pastors who have come out in opposition to proposed citizenship amendments have the courage to voice their concerns from their pulpits? If they have done so I would really like to hear those sermons.

I recall, especially in the public sessions that were held at my home church and the Bar Association office that there was a particular consensus among the majority of Church leaders, that they really did not have a problem with bills one, two and three and that the administration at the time could have just passed those amendments. What has happened between then and now? It seems that too many “Religionists” only find their voices if they find themselves under an administration that they are not able to benefit from; and their inclination to disagree

has a “political tinge” to it that is apparent to all who would observe objectively.

Is there a “double double mindedness” going on here that has to be addressed?

The pulpits in this nation speak to a population where at least 45,000 persons are deemed stateless, because of previous administrations refusal to do what we said we would do in 1973.

We have twiddled our thumbs and are now at a point where the combination of this situation and a lax immigration process have us facing a “God only knows” scenario. We do not need a referendum to begin dealing with this issue. I am waiting to see if any “fellow pastors” have the courage to address this misstep.

Maybe it is ultimately about that faceless status quo that we all refer to but are never able to put a finger on; where persons use the Bahamian club to keep the “modern Bahamas” in line with their

misguided perceptions. If some pastors cannot get this right, what confusion must be happening in the pews.

The pastors who oppose these amendments, should recall what Bill #4 was all about and why they were so against it. The word “sex” would have become an attribute which would have resulted in a “flawed” legal document and this would have left it up to the courts to decide what “sex” meant. Up to this point, all of the progress made by those who would benefit from such an interpretation have relied heavily on the legal system. They have not had much success through “majority vote”.

Since we are taking everybody to task on their missteps, I am just making a contribution to see that no one or group is left out.

EDWARD HUTCHESON Nassau, November 16, 2017.

Minnis and response by journalists EDITOR, The Tribune.

I HAVE read much of the commentary by journalists on the Prime Minister’s recent speech to the Press Club. Much of the heated commentary validated much of what Dr Minnis had to say.

Some of the journalists were factually incorrect about what Dr Minnis said.

One said that Dr Minnis suggested there should be more coverage of international events. He never said that.

He said that journalists might better report local news with reference to how other countries might be doing something that we are trying to implement in The Bahamas.

The lack of comprehension by some in the press of what they hear or read is sadly all too common in The Bahamas, with journalists often corrected for mistakes in reporting.

Others went wild, claiming that the Prime Minister is trying to suppress a free press. These claims are blatantly false. Dr Minnis did no such thing.

Did some in the press purposefully ignore or did not understand when he emphasised the role of the

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net press in a democracy? Dr. Minnis clearly stated: “The press has an essential role in promoting good governance, transparency and accountability.

“By pressing public officials for accurate and timely information, the press helps citizens to learn about the decisions being made by a government on their behalf.”

He also said, “I especially thank the reporters and editors who work hard to inform and educate viewers and readers. Your role in our democracy is essential.”

On social media Gladstone Thurston noted that Dr Minnis commenting on journalism was akin to Thurston surgically delivering a baby. To start off, Thurston ought to know that obstetricians, not gynecologists deliver babies.

More importantly, is Thurston suggesting that only a journalist can comment on what journalists do? This would make for an unhealthy democracy and society.

Just as journalists can criticise politicians, politicians and everyone else should be able to criticise journalists. And doctors and other professions should also be open to criticism from others.

Former journalist Oswald Brown wrote in a commentary that, “having been involved in the newspaper business as a journalist for more than 50 years, I consider some of his criticism to be quite valid”.

A fair and balanced response by journalists may have included commentary that both criticised the Prime Minister and acknowledged what may be valid in his criticism.

Alas, many who responded to the Prime Minister’s remarks validated his criticism and the views of many Bahamians about the quality and state of journalism in our country.

Sadly, too many members of the press corps do not appear open to selfreflection and constructive criticism, no matter from which quarter it may come, including from a politician.

DIOGENES Nassau, November 22, 2017.

Baha Mar U-turn EDITOR, The Tribune.

WOW! What a change of tune and commentary, on the FNM position on Baha Mar - but then every moment seems to be a changing moment these days.

One day policy firmly heading north, then south and by the end of the day east and west!

Truth told whether anyone actually does wish to give credit, Rt Hon Perry Christie really pulled off a coup, and whether we voted to kick him out, he has to get the credit. Baha Mar is open and employing “000”s

- more to come when Rosewood opens and it could just save our financial butts.

Give the credit, Prime Minister Minnis.

Unfortunately for the Minnis Government, they inherited what the Christie Government did, when it comes to detail –- yes, many feel there should have been more clarity, as to who eventually got the Casino License at Baha Mar! There are some extremely serious questions, floating out there which should be cleared up.

Can the good Minister of Tourism - Wow never ever thought I would hear

you talk, with such superlatives about Baha Mar, since the Liquidation...but you are honest. Yes it is fantastic the resort is open.

Could you release as much as might be permitted, as to the process under the Gaming Act, as to Chow Tai Fook Enterprises application for a Casino License.

Why leave a shadow cloud over the issue?

The FNM stands for transparency.

Awaiting….

ABRAHAM MOSS, Nassau, November 22, 2017.

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, November 24, 2017, PAGE 5

Speaker prays Sir Arlie’s family end bitter feud

from page one

how they should proceed into the future,” Mr Moultrie said.

When asked for further comment, Mr Moultrie said: “Other than let the peace of God that passes all understanding guide and keep them during this time. Sir Arlie, from the person that I know, would be a person to expect the love and care of family members.

“That’s the person he was and so I’m hoping that his spirit takes over and the family would once again reunite.”

Mr Moultrie spoke with the media at the in-state viewing of Sir Arlington’s body at the House of Assembly.

“This is a sad period in Bahamian history,” he said, “we’ve lost a patriotic Bahamian and political statesman in Sir Arlie. My

experience with Sir Arlie dates back in the 60s when he was a teacher at Government High School and I was a first year student.”

Prior to entering politics, Sir Arlington was assistant headmaster of Government High School and Prince William High School.

His career as a statesman included posts as minister of several government ministries, including minister of public safety and transport from 1992 to 1995 and minister of public works in 1995 in the Free National Movement (FNM) under the administration of former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham.

Sir Arlington served as speaker of the House of Assembly from October 18, 1972 to October 20, 1977.

He served as president of the Bahamas Olympic Committee for almost 40 years.

Mr Moultrie continued:

FORMER Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham greets the family of Sir Arlington Butler after viewing the body.

“Sir Arlie had a way with words, he had the British way of speaking and he was able to mentor a lot of young men, particularly in sporting organisations. He was involved in cricket, he was involved in the Olympic Association, and he assisted a number of young men and redirected their lives politically.

“He set a standard in the Office of Speaker that most speakers would want to emulate and even walk in his shoes now. He was also a man of courage because during his period as a speaker, he, of course, challenged the executive. He believed in the separation of powers, he knew his role as speaker, he knew that the parliament should be an autonomous body.

“He challenged the former Prime Minister Sir Lynden Pindling in that regard and so he would be sadly missed.”

SPEAKER of the House Halson Moultrie viewing the body of Sir Arlington Butler.

Photos: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff Dr Mildred Hall-Wil“And he introduced as we attempt to learn what son, vice-president of the himself to us and I think God has taught us that this Senate, shared similar he knew us as individu- will also be used and manisentiments with reporters als, it was not just another fested in their relationship yesterday. class for physical ed. Sir with each other.”

She recalled her time Arlie, during that time, he On Wednesday, two days as a student of Sir Arling- was a teacher who became before Sir Arlington Button, who was her physical our most favourite and I ler’s funeral, his children education teacher at Gov- think we’re all aware of the announced their decision ernment High School, and a contribution he made polit- to relinquish any direct favourite of many. ically and in civil society involvement in planning of “We would go out,” she as a member of our com- the arrangements to their said, “and there was this munity, particularly at the stepmother. larger than life individual time he was associated with In the interest of propriwith a strong British accent the Olympic Association as ety and the Butler family’s and we were like what is president. dignity, Sir Arlington’s chilgoing on?

“It was a tremendous dren said they were allowing amount he did in promot- his widow to solely plan his ing our country during the funeral, claiming there were times he had occasion to repeated attempts, which get with the international failed, to engage her and bodies, and I don’t think resolve several pertinent that something that will be issues. These included a easily forgotten. funeral date, place of inter“And the athletes that ment among other things. were participating at the Last week, Lady Butler time he was president will resorted to legal action to be aware of the contribu- prevent her from being tion he made through his removed from her marital work to their ability to home by two of her stepchilparticipate in international dren, as well as to have a say meets. And so as we lay over her husband’s funeral. him to rest today I hope Sir Arlington’s state-recthat we all remember, inclu- ognised funeral will be held PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis with Lady Hazel, the widow of sive of the family, that God today at 11am at Christ is a God of forgiveness and Church Cathedral.

Sir Arlington Butler.

BURGER KING ARMED ROBBERY APPEAL DISMISSED

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

THE COURT of Appeal has dismissed the appeal of two men convicted of an armed robbery of a Burger King restaurant six years ago.

Kadeem Bain and Tony Newbold were convicted on February 28, 2014 of being concerned together and with others in the armed robbery of Burger King’s Cable Beach location on the evening of September26, 2011. Newbold was also convicted of two counts of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.

Both appellants were sentenced to imprisonment on September 24, 2014.

In a written judgment, Court of Appeal President

Dame Anita Allen concluded that “none of the grounds of appeal put forward by either appellant has been made out, and I would dismiss both appeals”. She was supported by her fellow Justices Jon Isaacs and Stella Crane-Scott.

In 2014, the Burger King Cable Beach location was robbed by assailants wearing masks and bearing guns, the judgment said.

Shortly thereafter mobile police encountered a vehicle and motioned for the driver to pull over. The driver of the vehicle did not pull over but persisted in driving erratically, crashing into another vehicle at the Tonique Williams Darling Highway roundabout, the ruling continued.

The officers fired at the fleeing assailants and

Newbold was shot.

Four persons, including the two appellants, were charged with the robbery.

According to the summation, they all gave confession statements to the police and later recanted alleging that they had been forced to sign the confession statements through oppression, violence and omissions by the police.

A voir dire was held to determine the admissibility of the confessions and the trial judge gave his finding but did not give reasons for so finding.

Dame Allen ruled the judge’s decision that confession statements were admissible as evidence was supported by the evidence reviewed.

“I acknowledge that the burden is on the

prosecution to refute any allegation made by the defendant that he experienced pain during the interview due to the police’s neglect to give him medication prescribed by the doctor for the reduction or relief of pain caused by his surgery,” it read.

“However, it is obvious from the learned judge’s decision on the voir dire, that he found Newbold was not in pain during the interview, and that the failure to give him his medication did not amount to an omission which would render the

confessions unreliable.”

She continued: “Having ruminated on the evidence before the court, and given the simplicity of the issues in the case, the fact that Newbold, although advised by the court that he could have representation, chose not to, and given his facility in structuring his questions, I am of the view that Newbold’s case was properly and effectively made out before the jury.

“In the result, the jury believed the case the prosecution placed before them and were satisfied beyond a

reasonable doubt of Newbold’s guilt. I have no doubt that had the case been presented by counsel the results would have been the same. I have no doubt that there was no miscarriage of justice in this case.

“I apprehend no prejudice suffered by the appellant, nor do I find that his lack of representation made his trial unfair or his conviction unsafe. I accordingly conclude that none of the grounds of appeal put forward by either appellant has been made out, and I would dismiss both appeals.”

PAGE 6, Friday, November 24, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

CRIME’S DOWN, NOW JOBS ARE MY PRIORITY from page one

The last reported homicide was on October 26, when a woman’s partially decomposed body was found in bushes in Abaco.

Police opened a murder investigation and a man has

been arraigned in connection with her death.

According to The Tribune’s records, there have been 117 murders for the year. This marks a 43 percent increase in the number of homicides recorded by October 26, 2016 when there were 82 killings,

according to our records.

Notwithstanding the lull in murders, a shooting in the parking lot of a primary school last week drew national attention.

A parent collecting his child, a fourth grader, from school was shot in the hand by assailants in the parking

lot of St Francis Joseph Catholic Primary School on November 16.

Despite the incident, school officials said students, administrators and staff were in no immediate danger.

The school was placed on lockdown shortly after the incident, but opened as

normal the following day.

Parents canvassed by The Tribune the next day, said they regretted the shooting on school grounds, but most said the incident was not surprising given the “open season” state of the country.

Last week, Mr Dames said: “It all depends on

where you are measuring from, but I can say certainly in the last few weeks a month or so that we’ve been seeing some very encouraging results.

“Have we arrived, we’re far from it, but it certainly begins to set the stage for 2018.”

‘CONSULTATION CALMS FEARS’ from page one

Critics like the Progressive Liberal Party say the bill would exacerbate inequalities in this country while benefiting foreigners over Bahamians.

“We have to spur economic activity,” Mr Bowe countered yesterday when contacted by The Tribune.

“We cannot have xenophobia in the country. We cannot have it where we want their investments but not their labour, where we say bring your money but not your talent. There is a need to make sure that we are open to expanding the economy.”

As for concern that the benefits from the regime created won’t trickle down to many Bahamians, Mr Bowe said such criticism ignores why there are inequalities and said it’s best to grow the economy than to have no growth at all.

“We look at the wrong

root cause,” he said. “Why is there economic inequality or disparities? Are we training our Bahamian persons to take on high skill jobs and opportunities that come along when some of these centres come in the country?

We forget that we have an immigration policy that says that for every expatriate permit granted there should be an understudy. That’s not picking up any person off the street and saying ‘I have people who are skilled in the area and qualified as an understudy.’ To say that this will contribute to greater disparities in terms of economic level, the question is, if you have no economic activity, is that going to solve the disparity? With no new business, new enterprises or commercial activity, is that gong to help solve the problem? We have to have commercial activity and prepare people to take advantage of

that by getting the skills necessary.”

Mr Bowe emphasised that the bill must come as part of wide reform.

“We have to be careful not to put a Band-Aid on a cancer,” he said. “Are we doing small pieces of it as opposed to looking at overall immigration reform? Are we modifying the system to ensure people who will bring economic immigrants and capital resources and expertise are treated differently from immigrants coming here because it is a better place to be? We ought to be doing wider reform.”

Mr Bowe also said the bill appears to have been rushed through the legislative process.

“It’s this political arrogance,” he said, “the belief that you bring legislation and people will just jump behind it as opposed to dealing with concerns before tabling it so that dialogue could

be finished and you could have a majority of supporters in the end. It’s come across as being done in a very swift manner and I don’t know that dialogue and consultation with key stakeholders took the time that it should have. If it were done with financial services, construction, the Investment Authority then they should be coming out more vocally in support of it as opposed to having this deterioration into a political argument about whether it puts Bahamians first or not. That’s where politicians go. Those who are in power will support it and those who are in opposition will say it’s sponsoring foreigners as opposed to Bahamians.

‘You may never get everyone to be in full agreement with this but when you just table it before wider consultations you start this sort of debate and cause this kind of emotional roller coaster,” Mr Bowe said.

GOWON BOWE

HEALTH SERVICES ‘CAN HELP TO PREVENT’ VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN HEALTH services can take specific steps to respond to violence against women and help prevent its future occurrences, if they are equipped with the tools and training they need. These are the conclusions of a new manual being issued by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) for the International Day of Elimination of Violence against Women, observed November 25.

The document, “Strengthening health systems to respond to women subjected to intimate partner violence or sexual violence: A manual for health managers” builds on other tools to help health care systems provide compassionate and effective services to survivors that

address the consequences of violence and help reduce its recurrence.

This is considered urgent because at least one of every three women aged 15 to 49 in Latin America and the Caribbean have experienced physical or sexual violence by a partner, according to Alessandra Guedes, PAHO’s Regional Advisor on Family Violence. She noted that violence against women is a public health problem because it is associated with a number of significant health conditions, including anxiety, depression, suicide, unintended pregnancy, STI/ HIV infection, unhealthy drinking, and others. It can also take many forms, including sexual harassment, physical/emotional/ sexual violence by a partner, sexual violence by

strangers and femicide, among others.

“Health systems and health care providers have a key role to play in mitigating the negative health consequences of violence, preventing recurrence of violence, and connecting survivors with services provided by other sectors such as justice and social welfare,” Ms Guedes said.

“By providing quality and compassionate care to women who have experienced violence, as well as to their children, health care providers can also help prevent the impact of violence on the next generation.”

The groups recommend five steps health care workers can take respond to and help prevent violence against women.

“Listen closely, with

empathy and no judgment; inquire about their needs and concerns; validate their experiences - show you believe and understand; enhance their safety; support them to connect with additional services.”

These form the mnemonic “Lives.”

The organisations have developed several evidence-based tools to strengthen health care providers’ abilities and health systems’ capacity to respond to women who have experienced violence, which are available online.

Although some progress has been made in preventing violence against women in the Americas, there is still “limited recognition of violence as a public health issue that imposes a significant burden for countries,” health ministers from throughout the Americas heard at the Pan American Sanitary Conference in September.

“Few resources, financial or human, are allocated to these areas of work,” the health ministers were told.

To improve the situation,

measures should be taken to continue advocating for the recognition of violence against women as a public health priority and for increased investment by governments in its prevention across the life course, the report to them said.

PAHO has intensified its cooperation with countries to prevent violence against women and children, developing tools, strengthening networks and coalitions, building capacities in the countries, and improving the availability of data.

Countries have agreed in regional and global plans of action to implement strategies that will strengthen the capacity of health systems to respond to survivors of violence against women. Essential actions to prevent and respond to violence against women include collecting data about prevalence, risk factors and consequences of violence and raising awareness of violence against women as a public health problem.

Public health strategies

can also be used to change social norms and behaviors linked to violence, and to provide early intervention for families at risk, such as home visitation and parenting programme.

Comprehensive care to survivors of violence that can mitigate consequences of violence and prevent re-occurrence covers early identification, acute care, appropriate sexual and reproductive health services, danger assessment, safety planning, mental health care, and referral to legal and social support services.

Countries should also continue the actions recommended in regional and global strategies and plans of action, and work to achieve the violence-related targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the report concluded.

Sustainable Development Goal 5 calls to “Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation.”

SUSPECT, 22, CHARGED WITH 2014 MURDER from page one Newland is accused of robbing six people in separate incidents of a collective $388 and a black Nokia cell phone. Four of

those alleged victims were women, according to court documents.

He was not allowed to enter a plea to the charges and was remanded to the Department of Correctional Services.

The 22-year-old appeared before Magistrate Samuel McKinney, who adjourned the matter to February 9, 2018, at which time Newland can apply for a voluntary bill of indictment to the Supreme Court.

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, November 24, 2017, PAGE 7

Activists demand halt to migrant crackdown from page one The human rights advocacy group reported the mother and child sustained injuries when they fell from the truck bed as the frightened driver sought to escape an “aggressive immigration apprehension exercise”.

RB alleges that the pair were treated at a clinic and detained.

However, Immigration Director William Pratt, as well as the department’s Family Island head, yesterday said they had not received any report of such an incident.

A press statement from RB read: “These images highlight just one of several violent incidents and human rights abuses that have been reported to activists

as a result of the state’s illegal immigration crackdown and unconstitutional deadline of December 31 for all undocumented migrants to leave the country.

“This behaviour on the part of the immigration officers was totally illegal,” the rights group claimed, as immigration “sought to curtail the constitutional right to freedom of movement of the occupants of the vehicle, without a legal warrant and without any probable cause.

“Frightened by the aggressive and illegal action of the officers, the driver sought to escape, resulting in a mother and her young child falling from the truck and sustaining injuries, the severities of which remain unknown. They were taken to a local clinic where, according to witnesses, they

were detained by the Immigration officers.”

RB claimed: “The child, having been born in The Bahamas, has a constitutional right to be registered as a citizen upon her 18th birthday. Her detention and eventual deportation therefore represents a gross violation of her constitutional rights.”

The group recalled the shooting of suspected undocumented migrant Jean Marie Justilien, who was shot during an immigration round up in Palmetto Point, Eleuthera, on June 9, 2015. A medical report revealed the bullet entered at the back of Justilien’s neck and exited his left cheek.

Justilien filed a writ against the government seeking $500,000 in damages for the shooting and

breaches to his constitutional rights. He was represented by RB president, attorney Frederick Smith, QC, and Adrian Gibson, now Long Island MP. RB wrote: “[Justilien] likewise fled in fear when armed and aggressive immigration officers chased him.

He was later summarily deported without due process, in time for the state to avoid facing a hearing on the shooting.

“Over the past three years, the Bahamas Immigration Department has become increasingly violent and intimidating in their enforcement exercises, employing nighttime raids and roadblocks which the Supreme Court of The Bahamas has declared unconstitutional,” RB claimed.

IMMIGRATION director William Pratt.

The press statement con“We also call upon the tinued: “Rights Bahamas state to release all minors once again urges the state, who have a right to be regin the strongest possible istered as citizens of The terms, to cease and desist Bahamas, along with their from this reckless and dan- legal guardians, until a gerous course before any human and legal solution further human rights viola- to their situation can be tions take place. found.”

BAHAMIAN-BORN MAN ‘DENIED ENTRY TO THE COUNTRY’

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

A MAN, who was born in the Bahamas to an unwed Bahamian father and foreign mother, claims he is being denied entry to the country after being deemed an “undesirable” by authorities due to prior brushes with the law.

Michael Stapleton says he is unable to return home and is presently living in Jamaica – a country he says he knows nothing about and does not have any ties with.

He said he was deemed an undesirable and was placed on the stop list by the Department of Immigration in 2017.

Mr Stapleton has children, a home and businesses in Grand Bahama. He was raised by a Bahamian

father in the Eight Mile Rock community and was educated in the publicschool system.

He applied for his Bahamian citizenship, and claimed he had been called in to take the pledge before then-Director of Immigration Jack Thompson, and was told that his citizenship was awaiting approval before Cabinet.

Mr Stapleton has been charged with a number of offences, including a shooting in 2012, drug possession in 2013, and then assault of a public officer, threatening to kill six immigration officers, disorderly behaviour and overstaying in 2014.

Mr Stapleton, 42, pleaded guilty to the assault charge, but said he was not convicted of any of the other offences, which he said were all withdrawn and dismissed.

He alleged the authorities had also at one point put out a wanted poster for his arrest for stealing by reason of service, but when he went in to inquire about it, he was told he was not wanted.

While attempting to return home after leaving the country, Mr Stapleton said he was informed by an airline representative he had been placed on the stop list and could not enter the country.

Mr Stapleton took a flight to The Turks and Caicos, and flew to The Bahamas, but was arrested and detained by immigration officials on his arrival.

He alleged that after being threatened to be jailed at the Department of Correctional Services, he left the country.

“I have no criminal

history other than pointing in an immigration officer’s face, and to put me on the stop list denying my entry to The Bahamas where I have a home, business, and children and forced to live in a country that I never lived before and have no knowledge of,” he said.

In 2013, Mr Stapleton said he took out a Jamaican passport so that he could travel.

“Former Immigration Minister Fred Mitchell had advised persons that in the interim in waiting on citizenship, we could apply for application of descent and get passports if we wanted to be mobile and live a normal life,” he explained.

“When they said that I was an undesirable, I wrote to the Director William Pratt and explained to him that I don’t have any

criminal history and that all the charges against me were thrown out.

“I am in Jamaica and I cannot get home because they have me on the stop list. The minister of immigration is the only person I can appeal to take me off the stop list,” said Mr Stapleton.

“I would love to come back home, but they have painted this false image of me to the minister,” he said.

When contacted about the claims, Mr Pratt initially did not want to speak about the matter.

He later said: “I did not deem him an undesirable. The Cabinet of The Bahamas deemed him an undesirable. The Immigration Act gives Cabinet that authority to deem an individual undesirable, not the director.”

The Tribune also spoke with Assistant Director of Immigration Fostina Major Smith about Mr Stapleton’s claims.

She noted that while she is not too familiar with the case, she can confirm that Mr Stapleton was born in Grand Bahama to a foreign mother and Bahamian father who were not married.

She said he had applied for citizenship, but it was denied and he was offered permanent resident status, but he rejected it.

Meanwhile, Mr Stapleton said that his car-import business has suffered because he is unable to deliver the vehicles to his customers.

“I collected monies and I am not able to deliver the 17 of vehicles that are now in storage,” he said.

PAGE 8, Friday, November 24, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

Dr Minnis, we’re not your enemy THIS week was quite interesting. Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis (in rare form) took on the media, many focused their attention (and ire) on a new bill, while the Christian Council cried foul on an amendment to the Nationality Act we’ve been debating for a generation.

It Went Viral As luck would have it, this past weekend I was attending my brother-inlaw’s wedding in Freeport, which meant I was unable to attend the prestigious Bahamas Press Club Awards.

Late Saturday night, I learned I had won the P Anthony White award for best columnist.

Since I didn’t get a chance to deliver that “Oscars” speech I’ve been rehearsing in my head all my life, let me take a moment to thank God, my family, my editors, the Press Club, the Academy, and all of you crazy people who read my work each week.

I would also like to congratulate my fellow colleague Alicia Wallace on her nomination in the same category and great work as well.

Upon my return to Nassau, much to my surprise, the masses weren’t talking about my fantastic win but were involved in wars of words over comments our good Prime Minister made at that same awards show.

Based on reports in both dailies, I gather the the PM lambasted the media about doing its job. Apparently, Dr Minnis likened the major newspapers to “tabloids” that focused on “the clashes and drama” of politics.

Now, there’s not much that I can say about Dr Minnis’ speech that hasn’t already been said in editorials, on the airwaves, social media, and most succinctly

by Press Club President Anthony Capron who acknowledged the Prime Minister should have been “more gracious” in his keynote address at Saturday’s

awards banquet.

Still, allow me to point out the irony of standing in a room full of media personalities and berating them for what you were doing in that exact moment.

Imagine that... the PM had as his hostage the ear of most of the top editors, journalists and opinion writers in the country and instead of focusing on something substantive he “ran on” dramatically about them loving “drama”.

You can’t make this stuff up, folks.

If the hardworking members of the press are missing something, it may be because it’s simply not there.

Show us the details of these policy initiatives you say go unreported (FYI, they don’t) and I’ll show you a headline.

Otherwise, quit with the ‘Trumpian’ routine of trying to cover your missteps by blaming the media. It’s hard for anyone who isn’t actually Trump (and sometimes even Trump himself) to pull off.

It’s not the job or role of those in the media to make you look “good” or “bad” - it’s to report the facts as best they can, or, as I do in this column, call it like we see it.

Truly, we’re not your “enemy”, Mr Prime Minister, incompetence is. And don’t look now but “some people say” it’s gaining on your administration!

The New One-Man Band Veteran reporter Anthony “Ace” Newbold sure has his hands full.

The first ever “Press Secretary” in the country’s history (presumably modeled after the American version) only made it seven months before having to defend his boss in the most

Sean Spicer or Sarah Huckabee-Sanders way possible.

When questioned at the weekly press briefing about criticism that Dr Minnis makes too many premature announcements, Ace found himself having to spit out the doozy that Dr. Minnis can “make statements that he feels are appropriate for him to make”. He added that this includes statements he hasn’t even discussed with his Cabinet.

On the surface, I feel for a gifted communicator like Newbold having to verbally vomit words that sound anything like the ones often heard from Spicer and Co (and now Sanders) when they repeatedly leaned on, “the president’s tweets speak for themselves” to explain an inexplicably nonsensical tweet.

Look a little deeper, however, and another vexing problem emerges; one-man band syndrome.

In the Westminster system, it’s important to remember that collective responsibility rules and the Prime Minister is merely first among equals. Should he be making policy pronouncements without discussing them with his Cabinet? Not a good idea and I wouldn’t advise it.

Besides, if his Cabinet is so “useless” that he isn’t bothering to consult them, why are they there? And why is the government reaching into our cookie jar to pay these same people (and the rest of the “useless” MPs) more of our hard earned tax dollars?

A Prick of Conscience It seems The Bahamas Christian Council has an internal squabble going on.

When the Prime Minister announced he would effect change to the Nationality

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis at the 2017 press awards Act through normal legislative powers, Council president Bishop Delton Fernander accused the administration of “draconian” and “dictatorial” actions.

He reminded the public that twice now (Twice!)

Bahamians had rejected the proposed changes through two failed constitutional referenda.

This week, the vice president of the Council, Reverend James Palacious, endorsed the decision by PM Minnis, saying, “it is the right thing to do”.

So now we have the “Church” speaking out of “two sides of its mouth”.

In my eyes, Reverend Palacious is correct in saying the Minnis administration is doing the right thing in righting a terrible wrong. Bahamian women and their children should have the same rights and protections as every Bahamian man. End of story.

The sad thing is it really didn’t have to come to this.

When the last “gender equality” referendum was defeated, it was because

our now PM (then Opposition Leader) took the political calculation that by defeating the four bills he would also ensure a general election defeat of the Progressive Liberal Party.

After all, the same thing had happened to the ruling FNM before.

So when Dr Minnis came out with the mealy-mouthed “vote your conscience” routine, he must have known the great disservice he did to Bahamian women who were sacrificed on the altar of political expediency.

I can only imagine that his conscience wouldn’t let him rest so now he is trying to atone for his (and his party’s) duplicity. I sincerely applaud him for that.

Still, he must understand the criticism. It is true he is going against the collective decision of the Bahamian people (however flawed he thinks that decision was.)

And so Bishop Delton, too, has a point.

The best advice I can give the PM is that he should explain this about-face not just in parliament but with a national address. Tell

the people why you will do what you plan to do. Allay their concerns.

Talk directly to the public, Dr Minnis, because people are making up all kinds of sensational claims and (your favourite) “fake news” about what you plan to do on the other controversial questions that were also defeated at the polls.

Set the record straight.

And, as my grandfather liked to say, “for God’s sake” do it quickly.

You know, they say confession is good for the soul.

Bills, bills, bills There’s a new Commercial Enterprises Bill that has been tabled in the House of Assembly.

This new bill has become quite controversial, and as much as I’d like to wade into the controversy today, I am still researching what I think is an important section of it.

Rest assured, good readers, by next week, your award-winning, humble columnist will throw in my little two cents on that legislation, too.

THE TOPIC WE DON’T TALK ABOUT: VIOLENCE IN THE HOME YOUR SAY

by Rochelle Dean

IT’S the great taboo subject - violence in the home.

Throughout The Bahamas, behind many locked doors men and women are living in relationships dominated by abuse, whether it be physical, verbal or mental.

For many of us we pretend it’s not people like us who live in this nightmare world, it’s the “others” - people of a different class who know no better.

Truth is domestic violence effects all levels of our society. And where does it begin.

Sadly the terrifying statistic today is one in three of our teenagers are experiencing a relationship where they suffer some form of abuse. To make matters worse many girls - and boys - are conditioned to accept it. They see it in their own homes, where say a father abuses the mother and when it comes to their own fledgling relationships they act in the same way. We see our teenagers accept the idea that being beaten, cheated on and even yelled at constantly is simply a part of the relationship experience or the culture that we live in.

I’ve seen it first hand myself. Girls will verbally abuse boys and even resort to physical violence.

In today’s hi-tech world teenagers have become savvier - cyber abuse is the order of the day where many teens are now engaged in posting comments and pictures on social media that are meant to be a form of humiliation.

Someone posting derogatory comments about you is abuse, sharing personal information that you trusted them with is abuse.

A boyfriend threatening to expose your private pictures is abuse. These are all signs of the times and how relationships for young people can be out of

ROCHELLE DEAN control.

But what do we expect when our adults are doing the same thing?

Stalking someone or demanding to know where and who they are with at all times is abuse. Imposing limits or telling someone who they can and cannot be friends with is abuse.

Teenagers must thrive in an atmosphere of trust and in doing that they are given freedom to make decisions.

As adults, we have not relinquished that freedom to them because many of us are not free ourselves.

We live in that abuse house, silently suffering the hand we’ve been dealt with, often never revealing to friends or family how our life has turned out.

When we have children they accept this is just the way it is and the cycle repeats itself.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Teenagers experiencing their first relationship are trying to grow, find trust, stand on their own two feet and make their own decisions. They will make mistakes but they should be able to do this without raising a hand or their voice.

I had a boyfriend throughout my entire senior years of high school and we certainly did not have an abusive relationship. It was filled with moments of joy as we studied together, did homework together, had Sunday dinner with our parents and also worked on our future career goals together. We planned prom together, all those things

that a teenager should do in a relationship.

And of course it ran it’s course. It’s what first relationships are about learning and sharing and respecting your partner so that when you move on in life you have all the tools necessary for that day when you find “The One”.

My story though isn’t today’s reality for that third of our youngsters.

Abuse isn’t excusable.

There is no logical explanation for anyone to physically, verbally or sexually harm someone but it’s happening.

They are exposed to conditions that some of us deem normal - we breathe a culture of low self-esteem where teenagers see the behaviour as normal and acceptable.

We recycle a society of dysfunctional human beings who will perfect the abusive behaviour and even become experts at it.

In order to end the abusive culture, we must foster better relationships with each other by respecting one another and this can start by implementing respect classes in school.

Churches must also play a bigger role in developing self-esteem in individuals by teaching the importance of forgiveness of others but more importantly forgiveness of self. This helps with our self-development and allows people who may not have fully developed in this area of their lives to fully equip themselves with the tools needed to have healthy successful relationships free from abuse.

We must also implement practical mentor programs that give young people a real sense of what life is about. We must have mentors who can speak on issues that teens are experiencing and have a keen sense of the effects of issues like abuse and how teenagers can overcome them.

If we don’t try, nothing will change.

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, November 24, 2017, PAGE 9

From Hatchet Bay to High Commissioner

By MORGAN ADDERLEY AFTER more than 20 years in frontline politics, former Speaker of the House Alvin Smith is looking forward to embarking on a new chapter as High Commissioner to Canada.

In an interview with The Tribune, Mr Smith detailed what he hopes to accomplish in this role, saying, “I’m looking for opportunities for Bahamians.”

“One of my primary obligations is to assist Bahamian citizens, be they students, visitors or residents there who call upon the High Commission - eg renewal of documents, authentication of documents, persons who run afoul of the law or generally Bahamians who are in distress.”

For students, he said, “there are opportunities to increase the number of scholarships that are available to Bahamians” as well as foster the “[development of] courses geared toward the national development of The Bahamas” in Canadian universities.

Education and hard work are very important to Mr Smith, who spent 24 years as an educator. Born and raised in Hatchet Bay, Eleuthera, Mr Smith started working from the age of 13, taking care of his grandparents’ hogs, goats and sheep.

From 14 to 16, Mr Smith worked on the trucks that transported goods from the poultry and dairy divisions to the docks.

Of that time, he said: “I would be the one to offload them on the boat….

Went to work [at] 7 in the morning, left at 8:45, went to school, then went back to work at 3:15, 3:30 after school.”

By the age of 17, Mr Smith had become a monitor, or an untrained teacher, and commenced his studies at the San Salvador Teachers’ College. Upon graduating, and one month before his 22nd birthday, Mr Smith became principal of the All Age School in Staniel Cay, Exuma.

From 1976-1987, Mr Smith taught at SC

ALVIN SMITH McPherson Junior High School in Nassau. He also obtained a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Secondary Education from the University of Miami. From 1987-1992, he was the head of physical education at CH Reeves Junior High School.

Mr Smith’s time in education, and specifically his involvement in the Teacher’s Union, directly led to his involvement in politics.

“The first, I think, national strike against the PLP since it was the government was in January of 1981 by the Teacher’s Union. And I was very active in that — attended every meeting, participated in every demonstration,” he said.

In early 1992, the Trade Union Congress recommended to then Free National Movement Leader Hubert Ingraham that Mr Smith be appointed to the Senate.

Although Mr Smith was unable to become a senator then, in the general election of August 1992, he was designated to campaign for the FNM in Central Eleuthera.

“I went against one of the giants…he would have been

‘I hope I can increase the interest of persons wanting to do business in The Bahamas, heighten the level of promotion of business investments, trade.’

the [Member of Parliament] for several (election cycles) then, Mr Philip Bethel,” Mr Smith recalled.

“I think I lost by about 300 votes that election. But it brought about a change in the politics of Hatchet Bay. Overall he beat me by over 300 (votes), but out of that community in Hatchet Bay he beat me by about 30-something votes. And that was the beginning of the change in that whole town, which used to be a PLP stronghold.”

Following that defeat, Mr Smith became a senator and was appointed vicepresident of the Senate.

Mr Smith campaigned and was elected MP for North Eleuthera in 1997, 2002, and 2007. His additional roles included: parliamentary secretary for the Ministry of Education (1995-1997 and 2001-2002), executive chairman of the Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Cooperation (1997-2001), deputy speaker of the House of Assembly (1997-2000), and leader of the Official Opposition (2002-2005).

In 2007, Mr Smith became speaker of the House of Assembly, a position he maintained until 2012. Following this tenure, Mr Smith declined to run in the 2012 election, thinking it was time for a “break”.

However, there were times he “regretted it”.

“I thought could I have helped my party more if I had remained. No MP, no prime minister, no government, completes their

whole agenda. There’s always more that you can do. Always. You do as much as you can during the time that you have... (But) when you review, take a retrospection, you wish you were there, that’s always with you.”

From 2012-2016, Mr Smith became a licensed realtor and underwriter. In 2016 he declined an invitation to vie for the post of FNM chairman, however, he has remained active in the party, serving on committees and councils.

In November 2017, Mr Smith was appointed High Commissioner to Canada.

In addition to creating and maintaining opportunities for Bahamians in Canada, he also said: “I hope I can increase the interest of persons wanting to do business in The Bahamas, heighten the level of promotion of business investments, trade.”

“I was reading the files, and I was told that almost weekly there are usually six to ten persons that would contact the High Commission and express their interest in investing in The Bahamas. So hopefully that number can increase, and not just numbers in proposals, but in actual development in The Bahamas.”

Mr Smith also hopes to promote The Bahamas as a destination for Canadians, “to visit on vacation, and also visit to invest.” He also seeks to agree upon “memorandums of understanding” with Canada to ease trade between the two nations.

Mr Smith said he will be representing the interests of Bahamians in his new role, and will also focus on

connecting with Bahamians abroad in Canada.

“There is a wealth of knowledge among Bahamians over there. So we would like to know, or get them interested, in sharing with The Bahamas. Whether it’s sharing through consultancy, or sharing to actually relocate back to The Bahamas. But we really want to deepen that relationship with the Bahamian diaspora.”

Mr Smith is looking forward to his new role.

“It is my sincere belief and my conviction that Bahamians representing our country abroad, particularly in the Foreign Service where we are the face of the country, its people and its government, that we should at all times represent the best of our country— in our deportment, manner of dress, our attitude, our conduct, our culture and our overall standard in all spheres of our interactions and responsibilities.

“We should respect and show sensitivity to the culture, traditions and overall standards of the countries, territories, and provinces of the jurisdictions we are privileged to serve in and represent our country.

“I thank God for His continued blessings and I wish to sincerely thank our Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis for giving me this cherished opportunity to serve my country and to represent our government and our people in the international arena.”

Since 1974, Mr Smith has been married to Arnette Pinder Smith. The two have a son, who is a graduate of Acadia University in Canada, a daughter, and “an amazing granddaughter”.

DISTRIBUTOR DEFRAUDED OF FOOD SUPPLIES

By MORGAN ADDERLEY A MAJOR food distributor has been defrauded of a “large amount” of food supplies.

According to the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s Press Liaison Office, five people were taken into custody on Wednesday “assisting police into an investigation where a major food distributor was defrauded of a large amount of food supplies during the month of October 2017”.

The investigation is continuing.

In February 2016, three men were charged with stealing over $24,000 worth of food from a major distribution company.

It was alleged that between November 2015 and January 2016 they stole “338 cases of Confidence chicken (whole), 67 cases of beef oxtail, 39 cases of lamb carcass, 49 cases of chicken wings, 79 cases of shrimp, cases of diced fries, 120 cases of crinkle cut fries and ten cases of lamb chop loin” belonging to Bahamas Food Services.

The items had a combined value of $24,154.17.

The allegations were denied.

To advertise in The Tribune, contact 502-2394

PAGE 10, Friday, November 24, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

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RELATIVES of missing submarine crew member Celso Oscar Vallejo react to the news that a sound detected during the search for the ARA San Juan submarine is consistent with that of an explosion, at the Mar de Plata Naval Base in Argentina, yesterday.

Photo: Esteban Felix/AP

Explosion heard as sub goes missing MAR DEL PLATA, Argentina Associated Press

AN apparent explosion occurred near the time and place an Argentine submarine went missing, the country’s navy reported Thursday, prompting relatives of its 44 crew members to burst into tears and some to say they had lost hope of a rescue.

Navy spokesman Enrique Balbi said the search will continue until there is full certainty about the fate of the ARA San Juan, despite the evidence of an explosion and with more than a week having passed since the submarine disappeared. It was originally scheduled to arrive Monday at Argentina’s Mar del Plata Navy Base.

The US Navy and an international nuclear test-ban monitoring organisation said a “hydroacoustic anomaly” was

produced just hours after the navy lost contact with the sub on Nov 15.

“According to this report, there was an explosion,” Balbi told reporters. “We don’t know what caused an explosion of these characteristics at this site on this date.”

The navy spokesman described the event as “singular, short, violent and non-nuclear.” It was detected near where the ARA San Juan went missing.

Relatives of the crew who have gathered at the base to receive psychological counseling broke into tears and hugged each other after they received the news. Some fell on their knees or clung to a fence crowded with blueand-white Argentine flags, rosary beads and messages of support. Most declined to speak, while a few others lashed out in anger at the

navy’s response.

“They sent a piece of crap to sail,” said Itati Leguizamon, wife of submarine crew member German Suarez. “They inaugurated a submarine with a coat of paint and a flag in 2014, but without any equipment inside. The navy is to blame for its 15 years of abandonment.”

The German-built diesel-electric TR-1700 class submarine was commissioned in 1985 and was most recently refit in 2014.

During the $12m retrofitting, the vessel was cut in half and had its engines and batteries replaced.

Experts say that refits can be difficult because they involve integrating systems produced by different manufacturers and even the smallest mistake during the cutting phase of the operation can put the safety of the ship and the crew at risk.

DEAL DONE FOR RETURN OF ROHINGYA REFUGEES BANGKOK Associated Press MYANMAR and Bangladesh signed an agreement on Thursday covering the return of Rohingya Muslims who fled across their mutual border to escape violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine state.

Myanmar announced the agreement but provided no details on how many Rohingya refugees would be allowed to return home.

Bangladesh said the repatriations are to begin within two months.

More than 620,000 Rohingya have fled from Myanmar into Bangladesh since Aug 25, when the army began what it called “clearance operations”

following an attack on police posts by a group of Rohingya insurgents. Refugees arriving in Bangladesh said their homes were set on fire by soldiers and Buddhist mobs, and some reported being shot at by security forces.

The office of Myanmar civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi said the agreement “on the return of displaced persons from Rakhine state” was signed by Cabinet officials in Naypyitaw, Myanmar’s capital. It said the pact follows a formula set in a 1992 repatriation agreement signed by the two nations after an earlier spasm of violence. Under that agreement, Rohingya were required to present residency documents,

which few have, before being allowed to return to Myanmar.

“We’re continuing our bilateral talks with Myanmar so that these Myanmar nationals (Rohingya) could return to their country,” Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was quoted as saying by the United News of Bangladesh news agency. “It’s my call to Myanmar to start taking back soon their nationals from Bangladesh.”

Rohingya at a refugee camp in Bangladesh expressed deep doubts about the agreement.

“They burned our houses, they took our land and cows - will they give us these things back?” asked Abdul Hamid from Hoyakong.

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, November 24, 2017, PAGE 11

COMMONWEALTH BREWERY GIVES BACK TO THE COMMUNITY COMMONWEALTH There was a beach clean- community service direc- Ricardo Roberts; managing Brewery has partnered with the Ministry of Education and the Rotary Club of West Nassau.

up project, top left, plus a Lignum Vitae tree planting scheme. Pictured bottom left are, from left, Rotary Club

tor Nicholas Symonette; Commonwealth corporate relations director Dennis Hanna; brewing manager

director Hans Neven; Minister of Environment Romauld Ferreira; director of Forestry Unit Christopher Russel.