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Moody’s raises deficit forecast to near-$300m

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net Moody’s is predicting that the Bahamas’ fiscal deficits over the next two years will be one percentage point of GDP higher than initially forecast, after Hurricane Matthew blew a hole in the Government’s consolidation plans.

The rating agency, in its November 2016 update on the Bahamas’ sovereign credit rating, said the damage inflicted by the Category Four storm means the Bahamas’ debt-to-GDP ratio will now not peak until 2017-2018 - a year later than originally thought.

As a result, Moody’s has increased its 2016-2017

Predicts next two years’ deficits to be 1% pt higher Says Matthew blew hole in fiscal consolidation But raises 2017 growth on ‘major Baha Mar upside’ fiscal deficit projection to 3.6 per cent of GDP, a sum equivalent to between $280-$300 million - almost three times’ the Christie administration’s $100 million Budget forecast.

And it estimated that

Matthew may have inflicted $700 million in property and infrastructure damage when it hit New Providence, Grand Bahama and Andros in early October, making it necessary to revise the fiscal outlook for this nation.

This became essential after the Government was forced to undertake $150 million in unexpected borrowing to help finance hurricane relief and restoration efforts, a move that makes achieving its 2016-2017 fiscal targets highly unlikely.

“The Bahamas sustained major damage from Hurricane Matthew, which hit the archipelago in October,” Moody’s acknowledged.

“According to preliminary estimates, the damage to property and infrastruc-

ture may be as high as $700 million, part of which is covered by insurance.

“To support relief efforts, the parliament authorised a $150 million borrowing, which will include a $120 million bank loan component and a $30 million bond component. This debt will fund reconstruction of public infrastructure, compensate for hurricane-related shortfall in revenue, and support tax concessions offered to construction companies.”

Detailing the fiscal impact from all this, Moody’s said: “We have revised our projections accordingly, and now expect that in fiscal year 2017 and fiscal year 2018, the Government will See pg b4

80% Baha Mar vendor DNA pledges end to contract payout by tomorrow workers in public service

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net Baha Mar’s creditor payout committee believes it will “have dealt with” about 80 per cent of Bahamian vendor and contractor claims by tomorrow, as it explores ways to “speed up” the process.

James Smith, the former minister of state for finance who is chairing the committee, told Tribune Business yesterday that it was offering settlements “in the region of $500,000” to creditors seeking early settlement.

In return for moving up the queue, these Bahamian corporate creditors may be freely accepting sums slightly less than what they are owed, Mr Smith acknowledged, as the committee sought to complete the payouts by year-end.

He added that the committee, which is using $100 million in funding by China Export-Import Bank to finance claims settlements, was now focusing on Bahamian creditors owed more than $500,000 and those whose demands were more “tricky” to resolve.

Mr Smith explained that the committee was dealing with Bahamian claimants who may have been subcontractors of local and international companies hired directly by Baha Mar, and those who may be storing construction materials needed to complete the $3.5 billion project.

Committee seeking to ‘speed up process’ Offering early settlements ‘in region of $500k’ Taxing extra care on ‘tricky’ claims, funding pot

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

The Democratic National Alliance’s (DNA) leader yesterday pledged to end what he called the “unconscionable” practice of having “unregularised” or contract employees engaged within the public sector for long periods of time.

Branville McCartney, highlighting the party’s ‘white paper’ on public service reform, said public service employment would only be permanent and pensionable, adding that the DNA proposes to introduce a “clear and transparent” path for promotion.

Youri Kemp, the DNA’s candidate for Garden Hills and finance spokesman, said: “We want to deal with persons on contract. There are too many persons on

Bran: Practice is ‘unconscionable’ Party unveils ‘white paper’ on public sector reform Change key to boosting ‘ease of doing business’ contract that have not even been given a chance to become regularised, and become full and pensionable civil servants.”

The issue of contractual/ temporary workers in the public service was highlighted in an Auditor General’s report earlier this year, which found that the Government was not living See pg b6

James Smith

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Employer-employee consensus on reforms for ‘toothless poodle’

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net Bahamian employers and workers appear to be in rare consensus on the need to enhance the Industrial Tribunal, which one union leader recently described as “a toothless poodle”.

Both trade union umbrella bodies, the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and the and the National Congress of Trade Unions (NCTU), are pushing for the Tribunal to be upgraded to “the industrial side of the Supreme Court” - something an employer representative yesterday said he had no objection to.

Peter Goudie, who is one of the private sector’s representatives on the National Tripartite Council, the body created to deal with all workplace/labour issues, said: “I don’t think anyone will be objecting to it.

“It’s a matter of whether See pg b5

Agree on Industrial Tribunal upgrade Unions: Matters too long, costly and can’t be enforced Employers: ‘No objection’ to proposed overhaul

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Abaco Club opponents claiming ‘slight victory’

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net Opponents of the Abaco Club’s Little Harbour marina project yesterday claimed “a slight victory”, as the Supreme Court effectively imposed a 16-day block on the development being granted any permits or approvals.

Fred Smith QC, the Callenders & Co attorney and partner, who is representing Responsible Development for Abaco in its Judicial Review challenge, told Tribune Business that “the status quo” had been maintained

Supreme Court in 16-day block on permits, approvals QC: ‘Status quo’ upheld on marina project But trial delayed, Govt gets ‘cost security’ hearing - at least temporarily.

He confirmed that the Government had succeeded in having the main trial See pg b6

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He added that with the ‘funding pool’ shrinking, as the claims payout process neared its conclusion, the committee needed to take extra care with the settlements on offer.

“It’s an ongoing process, and we’re hoping that by the end of this month - in two days time - we could have dealt with 70 per cent, and possibly 80 per cent of the service providers,” Mr Smith told Tribune See pg b4

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Who is UN body fooling with anti-tax haven rant?

Dear Sir, The Nassau Guardian published a Caribbean News Now article on Page A5 that was written by Alicia B’arcena, the executive secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC). It contains the most ignorant and onesided critique of the global financial system that I have ever seen.

Her article contains 14 references to tax evasion and tax havens, as if every dollar passing through (and I emphasise ‘passing through’) offshore banks, not only in so-called tax havens but in many international financial centres (IFCs), does so for dubious purposes. She suggests that “these practices take a heavy economic toll, and their elimination would provide significant resources for funding the 2030 Agenda”.

In the first place, where are these assets held? They may be invested in US stocks, shares and government bonds, or in US banks, for example. The funds may originate from legitimate international businesses over man,y many years. If a tax on a foreign company, foreign trust or foreign investment fund, is not collected in the US, for example, as a with-holding tax on income, where is the benefit

in regulators getting the legal authority to check on any such legitimate transactions where tax has already been collected?

In the second place, it is not illegal to give away assets. No doubt presidentelect Trump, as well as many others, did so as part of their tax planning. Many wealthy people are appalled at government attempts to tax them as high as 60 per cent of their well-earned, sweat of the brow, income.

Even in the UK, up to 90 per cent of such income was collected by the Atlee Labour government, forcing the likes of Lord Astor to emigrate.

Such gifts of wealth are being made every day. In most countries there is no gift tax, or a pro rate tax over a period of time, especially in cases where a death duty can be avoided entirely if a gift is made over seven years before death. So, in practice, every person is entitled to take steps to minimise his tax liability, and this will surely continue.

One such method to protect the dissipation of family wealth by governments, and future heirs, has been the well-trodden use of trusts. Such trusts are more usually formed in so-called tax havens for obvious reasons. Well designed by the legal experts, they provide that either no beneficiary can benefit unless the trus-

tees so decide, or that a limited and specific income is granted to deserving beneficiaries, again at the exclusive discretion of the trustees. Every legal gift must leave no power to the grantee or donor to recover or control the gifted assets.

Otherwise, the law provides that it is an incompleted gift, or no gift at all.

Charitable trusts are governed by similar rules and conditions. If a trust or foundation is entirely charitable, gifts to the Charity are granted tax exemptions to the donor. Some of the largest charities, such as the Rotary International Foundation, celebrating its 100th anniversary, have distributed $2 billion in tax-free donations over the course of their history. All this funding was for the benefit of mankind, including the funding to end Polio, now believed to have reached its goal with only 12 known cases this year throughout the world.

Combating tax evasion is going to be an enormous expense, and require an enormous number of new bureaucrats and regulators.

Who will pay for this growing army? The taxpayers.

And who will benefit the most? The bureaucrats.

Are we not looking at a Communist-type regime, or at least a Socialist global government which will take at least 30 per cent of an-

nual private profits.That is why small businesses only deal in cash, and pay no taxes.

I can only see this tactic, of ECLAC and the 2030 Agenda, as an excuse for the failings of socialist governments throughout the Caribbeanand the world.

It is not the answer to promote jobs and benefits for the starving majority of the world, and the displaced persons running from war zones.

I suggest the better plan would include the following. The purpose here is to move economic activity from government spending to the freedom of the individual and to develop economic activity. Don’t forget that $1 spent and moved several times a day creates more economic activity than $1 put into a bank savings account. Similarly, if government sits on the money (and how they can sit), no economic activity is created by that tax dollar until it is used. The individual with more money to spend will increase productivity as opposed to governments using taxpayers’ money to pay for things the government uses to keep them in office. Government is a very, very big business.

Perhaps the biggest of any corporation, except maybe J.P. Morgan, whose income is over $2 billion per annum, more than the total

income of the whole Caribbean. Apart from paying the salaries, pensions and expenses, and the up keep or non-up-keep of Government buildings, little is left to finance the socialist agenda for public health, the provision of clean water, security in the form of police and fire brigades, the military and navy, the protection of all borders, and a prison system to keep prisoners fed and housed at a cost of $18,000 per year.

Are we all fooled by this?

Here are suggestions for a solution :1. Reduction or elimination of withholding taxes on net income. The present system of taxing company profits, and then taxing dividends, and then paying another tax, VAT, on all receipts or services is double if not triple - tax collection.

A VAT of 7.5 per cent, or even 15 per cent, is in actual fact ending up at double these amounts, as it is being charged on each transaction for the same item - a tax that should be refunded, but is often not refundable.

It is a vicious tax on the end consumer, leading to massive inflation.

2. Improve the collection of existing taxes. Property taxes and National Insurance payments should be charged quarterly, making budgeting for everyone easier.

These and other taxes

can then be better collected if you need a tax certificate before you are allowed to leave the country. Trinidad used this method to check on income taxpayers. What if the chief executive of a company, or a government employee, cannot leave to go to a conferences unless his companies, and his own taxes, are all paid up. Such a system would well pay for the reductions in withholding taxes.

3. Stop wastage and corruption.

4. The audit and reconciliation of all government bank accounts on a daily basis. If individuals can do this to check on their finances, why cannot government?

5. Refund and pay all debts due by government within 30 days. Why should I wait 15 months for a refund agreed due to me?

Or is this due to corruption and fraud?

As long as taxes are excessive, people will try to avoid them.

I have deviated from the purpose of this letter, which is to criticise the 2030 Agenda of ECLAC. What the writer has missed is the overall purpose of moving financial assets to a ‘Safe Haven’, rather than a ‘Tax Haven’.

The US and UK have benefited enormously from this. Enormous wealth was See pg b5

Realtors invest in 3D tour technology Two Bahamian realtors yesterday announced they have launched ‘3D Tours’ of listed properties via their respective websites, allowing clients to ‘walk through’ potential purchases without leaving their seat.

Damianos Sotheby’s International Realty and Bahamas Realty both suggested to Tribune Business that this technology is going to revolutionise how the real estate business is conducted.

Damianos said its web-

site, SIRbahamas.com, will support 3D Tours on its listing pages, enabling real estate consumers to fully view listed properties online.

The 3DTours will also feature Virtual Reality Tour (VR) experiences that can be viewed through devices such as an Android phone and VR headset.

“Introducing 3D and VR Tours on SIRbahamas.com is just one more example of how we are keeping Damianos Sotheby’s International Realty on the cutting

edge of technology, while creating an advanced immersive experience for our consumers,” said Nicholas Delaney, multimedia coordinator for Damianos Sotheby’s International Realty.

“This technology allows for buyers to purchase homes without having to physically travel to view them, which is especially relevant to the global clientele we serve.”

The 3D and VR Tours are produced by placing special-

ised cameras throughout a home to create a result that transforms the way people view homes online.

Bahamas Realty, meanwhile, confirmed that it is now using the same technology. The company said it had been testing for several weeks, and can now produce a full tour in less than 24 hours.

Bahamas Realty said it knew of at least three real estate companies that were investing in the 3D Tour technology.

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Tuesday, November 29, 2016, PAGE 3

NHI Secretariat defends public insurer bid process

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net The National Health Insurance (NHI) Secretariat last night defended the bidding process for the scheme’s public insurer, arguing that three months was sufficient time given that a “timely roll-out” was required in the New Year.

The Secretariat, responding to concerns raised by Bahamas Insurance Association (BIA) president, Emmanuel Komolafe, in an interview with Tribune Business, said any further delay in selecting the public insurer’s manager could “impact implementation timelines” for NHI. It said the two extensions to the bid deadline had given interested parties three months to respond to the initial Request for Proposal (RFP), a timeline it labelled “sufficient” given that all had access to key documents via a ‘data room’.

“With regards to the RFP process, it should be noted that the deadline for sub-

Further delay would delay scheme’s roll-out Argues that three months was ‘sufficient’ mitting bids was extended twice due to the requests from potential bidders for more time, and due to the passing of Hurricane Matthew,” the Secretariat said in a statement.

“Organisations had access to a data room with key documents, FAQs, the ability to submit questions and receive timely answers, and almost three months to prepare responses.

“Therefore, we believe this was sufficient time to submit proposals. Interested parties had from August 22 to November 21 to complete their bids.”

Reiterating that three bids were received from unnamed Bahamian and international groups, the

NHI Secretariat said the proposals were already being assessed to determine the winner that will be recommended to the Christie administration’s Cabinet.

“Any further delay of the deadline for bid submission could impact our implementation timelines, and cause potential delays for the upcoming enrolment phase of NHI Bahamas, and subsequent roll-out of primary care services,” the Secretariat said.

“This means Bahamians in need would have to wait longer before they can start to receive essential health care services.”

Then, employing the emotive language frequently used by the Christie administration to sell the proposed NHI scheme to the Bahamian public, the Secretariat said: “As it stands, approximately 200,000 Bahamians do not have health insurance.

“Many of these persons are opting out of visiting the doctor when they feel sick due to concerns around not being able to afford the treatment they need.

“With NHI Bahamas, these Bahamians in need, and in fact all eligible persons, will be able to get modern, affordable and accessible health care services.”

Mr Komolafe had told Tribune Business that the relatively low number of bids to manage the public insurer, Bahama Care, showed “the cons outweighed the pros” for many BIA members when it came to participating.

While “there was clear interest” from the industry, Mr Komolafe said there were several factors that may have discouraged Bahamian firms from participating.

Although the bid deadlines were extended twice, the last time because of Hurricane Matthew, the BIA chairman said there were “certain restrictions, stipulations and unique requirements” that may have made the process unattractive to Bahamian companies.

“As indicated upon the initial release of the RFP, the timeframes were quite

ambitious and tight,” Mr Komolafe told Tribune Business.

“In spite of the extended deadlines, arguably the short timelines did not allow for broader participation which could have resulted in the submission of several robust proposals by both local and international firms from which the nation could choose.”

He added: “In addition, certain restrictions, stipulations and unique requirements within the RFP seem to have rendered the process unattractive to a number of local firms.

“Presumably, certain firms would have conducted a cost benefit analysis considering the cost of putting a viable proposal together

within the limited timeframe, the potential impact on their operations, the amount of proprietary information demanded, and the probability of being successful in winning the bid against the financial gains in potential fees in order to arrive at a decision on whether or not to submit a proposal.”

Mr Komolafe did not identify these ‘restrictions’, but the Bahama Care management services Request for Proposal (RFP) stipulated that the public insurer will not be able to provide products known as ‘supplemental’ or ‘top up’ insurance policies.

These offer greater benefits and coverage than NHI, See pg b5

Bran blasts public pension disparity

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

The Democratic National Alliance’s (DNA) leader yesterday pledged to reform public pensions, and lashed out at the disparity between MPs’ retirement income and that of longstanding civil servants such as police officers.

Addressing a press conference to outline the party’s public service reform ‘white paper’, Branville McCartney said: “It is unfortunate that we have politicians

Slams MP earnings in comparison to police DNA warns on salary deductions to tackle crisis that come into politics for eight years and end up getting a pension of hundreds of thousands of dollars on the backs of Bahamians, when you have police officers working for many years and can’t get the same

benefits. That must stop.”

Acknowledging the Government’s unfunded $2.2 billion public sector pension liabilities, which have been flagged by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Youri Kemp, the DNA’s finance spokesman, said that pension reform was a key part of the party’s economic agenda.

“We’re going to have to probably have to increase [salary] deductions,” he admitted. “Secondly, we’re probably going to have to get some premium package done to give persons more flexibility.”

The IMF has said it is “inevitable” that the Government will have to reform both public sector (civil service) pensions and the National Insurance Board (NIB) to defuse a potential social time bomb.

“We have to put legislation in place to ensure that in the private sector, persons have pension plans in place for their employees.

That is essential and is for the welfare of all. We’re also going to have to look at these pensions that have been given out for years and the unfairness of it,” said Mr McCartney.

Minister defends Govt on renewable energy

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

A Cabinet minister yesterday defended the Christie administration’s efforts to facilitate renewable energy in the Bahamas, following the Black Friday ‘We March’ protest.

Event organisers, in an open letter, had called for a policy to facilitate the use of renewable energy. But Kenred Dorsett, minister of the environment and housing, said: “I remind them that this has been done. The National Energy Policy speaks to our goal of a minimum of 30 per cent renewable energy penetration in our energy matrix by 2033, and

we have begun the national dialogue on the matter.”

The Minister, in a statement, continued: “The Government has also amended the Electricity Act to allow for renewable energy generating systems and interconnection to the grid, as well as established the regulator for the electricity sector the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA).”

Mr Dorsett said the Residential Energy Self Generation (RESG) programme, which will allow homes and businesses to use solar generating systems to connect to the grid under a net billing framework with Bahamas Power and Light (BPL), is currently before

URCA for its review and approval.

“We have been, and continue to be, committed to policies that deliver positive change,” said Mr Dorsett Organisers of the ‘We March Bahamas’ protest have promised to stage a similar event on Majority Rule Day if the Government does not meet their demands.

The protest attracted significant support from activists and civic organisations, as well as the support of the country’s two umbrella unions, the Obie Fergusonled Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the John Pinder-led National Congress of Trade Unions Bahamas (NCTUB).

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Moody’s raises deficit forecast to near-$300m From pg B1 post fiscal deficits that are one percentage point higher relative to GDP when compared to our baseline at the time of our August rating action.

“This will delay fiscal consolidation and, as a result, we do not expect the debt level to peak until fiscal year 2018, when it will reach around 70 per cent of GDP (gross domestic product). After fiscal year 2018, we project that lower fiscal deficits will support the stabilisation of the debt trend.”

While Matthew’s negative impact on the Government’s fiscal consolidation plans has been widely anticipated, Moody’s latest assessment is the first time

anyone - locally or internationally - has tried to place this in context.

Given that one percentage point of Bahamian GDP is thought to be roughly equivalent to $80 million, Moody’s is thus estimating that the deficits for both the current 2016-2017 fiscal year, and 2017-2018, will be this much higher than anticipated.

Due to Matthew’s impact, Moody’s has increased the Bahamas’ estimated 20162017 fiscal deficit from 2.4 per cent of GDP it projected in August 2016 to 3.6 per cent - a full 1.2 percentage point rise.

The 3.6 per cent estimate is more than three times’ the 1.1 per cent of GDP projected by the Christie administration during its

May Budget presentation, illustrating the impact natural disasters can have on government financial planning.

Moody’s is now predicting that the Government will run a primary deficit, equal to 0.6 per cent of GDP, for the 2016-2017 fiscal year, as opposed to the primary surplus forecast in August - the 1.2 percentage point negative swing on the full deficit.

The primary deficit measures the difference between the Government’s revenues and recurrent outlays on goods and services, while stripping out interest payments to service its debt.

Moody’s also raised its debt-to-GDP projections for the current fiscal year, increasing the ratio to 69.2 per cent compared to the 67.5 per cent it forecast in August. The debt-to-GDP ratio is now forecast to go higher, and peak later, than anticipated.

The positive news for the Bahamas is that Moody’s maintained this nation’s ‘investment grade’ credit rating and ‘stable outlook’ in its latest assessment, and gave no indication that this is to change in the shortterm.

Standard & Poor’s (S&P), which currently has this nation in the middle of an 18-month window where

there is a ‘one in three’ likelihood of a further creditworthiness downgrade, has also given no sign of taking such action.

This all suggests that there has been no ‘knee jerk’ reaction to Matthew’s impact on the Bahamian economy and the Government’s finances, and that both rating agencies are giving this country more time to get its ‘fiscal house’ in order.

But with both S&P and Moody’s currently placing the Bahamas ‘one notch’ above so-called ‘junk status’, this nation’s ‘investment grade’ rating remains under threat.

The loss of ‘investment grade’ status would be highly damaging for the Bahamas and its economy, as it would signal to the international capital markets that this nation’s creditworthiness was slipping into dangerous territory.

The Government would likely have to pay more for current and future debt issues, raising its debt servicing (interest) costs, and sucking money away from essential public and security services.

A downgrade to ‘junk’ could also deter investors assessing the Bahamas as a place to invest, as it raises questions about the Government’s economic man-

80% Baha Mar vendor payout by tomorrow From pg B1 Business.

“We’re dealing with the remaining creditors, which would involve those owed in excess of $500,000; there have to be less than 30.”

The biggest Bahamian creditor is the Government, and its various agencies, who claimed to be owed $59 million when it petitioned to put Baha Mar into liquidation last year.

The majority of this sum, some $26 million, was said to be owed to the Bahamas

Electricity Corporation (BEC), with the remainder spread around the likes of NIB, Water & Sewerage, the Gaming Board and the Treasury in terms of unpaid taxes.

Of Baha Mar’s 20 largest unsecured creditors at the time of the Chapter 11 filing in June 2015, only a few besides BEC were Bahamian.

They were Osprey’s joint venture with Yates, valued at $5.281 million; TBI Caribbean’s $2.353 million; Cable Bahamas with $1.435

THE TRIBUNE

agement.

However, Moody’s said the agreement between the Government and China Export-Import Bank for Baha Mar’s construction completion and opening presented “major upside” for the Bahamian economy and its growth prospects.

“While the details of the agreement were not disclosed, the Government made it clear that it expects main facilities to open during the 2016-2017 winter season,” Moody’s said.

“Although it is unlikely that the restart of the project will provide a significant boost to the economy in 2016, it represents a major upside risk for economic growth in 2017.”

Events have also seemingly progressed further than Moody’s has allowed for, given that Hong Kongbased conglomerate, Chow Tai Fook Enterprises (CTFE), has been named as Baha Mar’s prospective buyer.

Moody’s has increased its 2017 GDP growth forecast for the Bahamas to 1.2 per cent, up from 1 per cent in August, with Baha Mar’s opening vital to maintaining its ‘stable’ outlook on this nation.

“The stable outlook also incorporates the expectation that economic performance will strengthen

in 2017-2018, returning to levels close to the Bahamas’ potential growth of 1-1.5 per cent,” Moody’s said.

“Under this baseline, we would see a stabilisation of the Bahamas’ key economic and fiscal metrics, although these metrics would remain weaker than for most ‘Baa’ rating peers.”

Moody’s also noted the threat to the Bahamian financial services industry and wider economy as a result of global ‘de-risking’ trends and the termination of correspondent banking services.

“While the prevalence of subsidiaries of global banks in the financial system minimises the risk to the economy, as their correspondent relationships with parent banks are not threatened, some 25 per cent of large registered institutions face material risks of losing access to the international payment system,” Moody’s said.

“Although risks stemming from the banking system may rise should these relationships be terminated, we continue to consider that the likelihood that banking sector contingent liabilities could materialise on the sovereign’s balance sheet remains low.”

million; Cable Beach Resort Association at $1.219 million; and Island Site Development with $1.153 million.

The larger creditors are now taking the committee’s focus, after it paid out nearly 2,000 former Baha Mar staff what was due to them in salaries, redundancy pay and other benefits, and settled with smaller Bahamian corporate creditors owed $500,000 or less.

Mr Smith said: “After having processed and settled on virtually two thousand (1,938) former Baha Mar staff members, the Claims Committee, together with its technical support team, reviewed the remaining categories of outstanding Bahamian companies and individual service providers to the project - those claims that were less than $500,000 and those that were in excess of $500,000.

“Guidelines have been given to the payments team, and..... approximately 140 checks have been issued.”

Mr Smith added that there were around 275 Bahamian vendor claims, “and further negotiations and reconciliations are still scheduled to be completed by year-end”.

“We’re trying to speed up the process,” he further told Tribune Business yesterday.

“We would make an offer to a Bahamian firm in the region of $500,000, and if they accept that we will settle with them.

“If they don’t have a problem accepting an offer, we will get them out of the

way... Like everything else we want to get ones that are easy to settle paid out rather than burn a lot of time.

Once we get those out of the way, we will look more closely at what remains.”

Mr Smith added that the payout committee was also advising Bahamian subcontractors of when those firms who had contracted them were paid what was due, as they needed to obtain their compensation from them rather than the committee directly.

And it was also dealing carefully with service providers who might be needed to complete Baha Mar, or who were holding essential construction materials for the project.

“When you get down to this part of the process, you have to be more careful,” Mr Smith said. “If not, you don’t have sufficient in the pot and have to be careful how you settle.

“There’s not a great deal of them, but there are some tricky ones. We know, for instance, that there have been cases where the local guys are storing a lot of material in their warehouses that is needed to start the job again, and they need access to those materials.

There’s no point in upsetting those guys.”

Mr Smith said that based on Baha Mar’s corporate documents, and court records, not all potential claims had been submitted to the payout committee.

And he suggested that Baha Mar’s foreign creditors were unlikely to be fully compensated, given that the agreement between the Government and China Export-Import Bank was focused on their Bahamian counterparts.

The two have been able to favour Bahamian creditors because the funding for the payouts is coming from the latter, not Baha Mar, taking the process outside the receivership and provisional liquidation.

“We feel pretty certain we would complete our job by that timeline [of year-end],” Mr Smith said.

“I think we stand a good chance of getting a high percentage complete at the end of the year; maybe not to the satisfaction of everyone, but there will be good satisfaction overall, I suspect, given the nature of the procedure itself.”

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THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, November 29, 2016, PAGE 5

Who is UN body fooling with anti-tax haven rant?

From pg B2 moved out of Russia and invested in London properties, meaning that few Britons could afford to buy a London home. Similarly, in the US, scared or frightened money has flooded in as a protection from political confiscation. To say this is tax evasion is untrue. If taxes are not paid on such assets, or if their removal from a country is in breach of exchange control regulations, it is the banks and others who are guilty of cooperating in such moves.

The country can still enforce their own laws. It is not the responsibility of the receiving country to breach its own laws and its reputation for confidentiality and bank secrecy. It is a simple matter to have an annual return, or affidavit, from each taxpayer to reveal any overseas assets on pain of severe penalties, and at the time he or she may wish to leave the

country.

But ironically, and for the same reasons, people like to invest their savings in the safest places. Stock markets are well regulated. Publiclylisted companies produce quarterly reports. So even offshore trusts and investment funds invest their assets back into the wellregulated and trusted US or European stock markets.

The money is being used and spent in those jurisdictions to the loss of offshore jurisdictions, whose only benefit is the small services fees and taxes paid in local currency, and the employment this provides.

In fact, the losers in all this are the ECLAC countries. All the benefits are already accumulated in the US and European Union (EU), and if anything they should pay ECLAC countries for all the support and benefits they receive. This is like the human resources

Employer-employee consensus on reforms for ‘toothless poodle’ From pg B1 it can get done; I don’t think anyone will object to that at all. It would be up to the Government to do that, and that would have to be through legislation. That could take forever.”

This rare agreement potentially allows the private sector, trade unions and the Government to move forward on what is probably the least contentious aspect of the proposed labour law reforms.

Through the National Tripartite Council, they can address ‘low hanging fruit’ while setting aside the proposed removal of the Employment Act’s redundancy pay ‘cap’ and the fines/penalties planned for employers who fail to give adequate notice of impending redundancies.

Both Mr Goudie and Obie Ferguson, the TUC president, agree that the Industrial Tribunal is failing to deliver on its mandate, and objective, of providing swift, impartial resolution

NHI Secretariat defends public insurer bid process From pg B3 and are seen by the private sector as potentially providing a key earnings stream beyond the proposed government-run scheme.

And, while the public insurer is restricted solely to offering NHI benefits packages to the Bahamian public, the selected management/operating partner is also barred from providing

for employer-worker disputes.

Mr Ferguson told Tribune Business in a recent interview that the Industrial Tribunal had become “a toothless poodle”, as matters took years to come before it, and it had no ability to enforce its own rulings.

He argued that the increased time and expense involved, with litigants having to go to the Supreme Court to enforce Tribunal rulings, left many workers unable to pursue and collect what has been awarded to them.

“We have asked the Government to make the Tribunal the industrial side of the Supreme Court,” Mr Ferguson said. “That’s a stroke of the pen.

“There’s no cost to the Government, no cost to the employer, no cost to the unions. We cannot be unable to do something as basic as that.”

Arguing that the Industrial Tribunal was “not functioning”, Mr Ferguson these policies separately via its existing network.

“Based on feedback received from BIA members, it was very clear that there was interest in exploring the opportunity to manage the public RHA (registered health administrator) in an effective and efficient manner,” Mr Komolafe told Tribune Business.

“In the end, it is apparent based on the number of local bids or proposals, that the cons outweighed the pros for majority of our members.”

of well-educated ECLAC persons, educated to high school level at the expense of governments, who give out scholarships and receive no returns as more than 50 per cent never return to their native countries. They work and pay taxes in the US and EU. Are we being fooled?

Clearly, there are attempts to avoid taxes, especially by transfer pricing, over-invoicing and the use of trade to move assets abroad. Some commodities involved are diamonds and gems, jewellery, or even rare works of art and stamp collections. A better way to deal with this is to give a reasonable allowance per annum, as the Bahamas has given to its residents, allowing them $50,000 per annum in foreign exchange, and to enforce the disclosure at the exit border of any cash held above $10,000. Failure to report this results, on discovery, of the confiscation of the whole amount by the Government. It is not that the Government can tax those

sums, as they do not have income tax or death taxes.

So why the problem?

In times of war, people become desperate to save their assets, and move them into gold, convertible cash, or even government bonds.

As a result of the failure of governments to protect their citizens against the destruction of cities and banks, as is the case in Iraq and Syria, how can ECLAC propose that all movements of assets is tax evasion?

Who does one report one’s hidden wealth to in such circumstances?

We need a much better, alternative forum to discuss and make serious recommendations that are practical and beneficial to mankind, not just to Governments and their minions.

added: “It cannot enforce its own judgments. If the Tribunal makes a ruling, for you to enforce that ruling you have to go to the Supreme Court, and make application to convert it to a judgment of the Supreme Court and enforce it.

“If it’s $500 you win, where’s the incentive to spend $2,500-$4,000 - depending on the situation at the Supreme Court - to convert and enforce it? It’s expensive.

“The Tribunal was intended to be a one-stop shop situation. It was intended to be the end of it, but if you succeed you have to go to the Supreme Court, and the average worker does not have the funds to go there.”

The TUC chief said making the Industrial Tribunal an arm of the Supreme Court would “give it some teeth”, although it could retain its “informality”

compared to other judicial branches.

Mr Ferguson said that in reforming the Industrial Tribunal, besides being given the power to enforce its own rulings and give directions to the parties in dispute, it also needed “the discretion to fast track a matter which ought to be addressed to avoid a strike.

“The Tribunal ought to be able to fast track a matter and have it dealt with immediately,” Mr Ferguson told Tribune Business.

“If you file a matter now, it goes into the list and takes three to four years for it to be heard.”

Mr Goudie voiced similar complaints to Mr Ferguson over the length of time taken by the Industrial Tribunal to resolve employeremployee disputes.

“The Industrial Tribunal just doesn’t move,” he told Tribune Business. “It’s years behind.”

With great respect, Anthony J.R. Howorth, BA Juris New College, Oxford, (1959) President Euro-Caribbean Management Services Ltd Nassau, Bahamas

FIRST SCHEDULE FORM 1 PUbLIC NOTICE OF INTENDED APPLICATION FOR A GRANT OF (Specify type of grant)

IN THE SUPREME COURT PRObATE DIVISION In the Estate of Mario Nathaniel Stuart, late of balls Alley in the City of Nassau, deceased.

NOTICE is hereby given that LORNA LOUISE TAYLOR of Balls Alley, New Providence, bahamas will make application to the Supreme Court of The bahamas after the expiration of fourteen days from the date hereof, for a grant of Letters of Administration of the real and personal Estate of Mario Nathaniel Stuart, in the Eastern District of the Island of New Providence, one of the Islands of the Commonwealth of The bahamas, deceased.

COMMONWEALTH OF THE BAHAMAS IN THE SUPREME COURT

2012

CLE/qui/01749

Common Law and Equity Division IN THE MATTER of The Quieting Titles Act, 1959 AND IN THE MATTER of ALL THAT piece parcel or Lot being Lot Number Eighteen (18), Block Number Forty-nine (49) of a Subdivision called and known as Englerston and bounded on the NORTH by land the property of one Williams and running thereon One Hundred and Twentyseven Hundredths (100.27’) feet on the WEST by land the property of one McKinney and running thereon Fifty and Sixteen Hundredths (50.16’) feet on the SOUTH by land the property of one Outten and running thereon Ninety-eight and eighty-two Hundredths (98.82’) feet and on the EAST by Ida Street and running thereon Fortynine and Forty-five Hundredths (49.45’) feet the lot being 50 x 100 in the Southern District of the Island of New Providence one of the Islands of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas AND IN THE MATTER of The Petition of MICHELLE GEORGINA JOHNSON (Administratrix of the Estate of Wilbur John Ferguson, deceased) _________________________________ NOTICE _________________________________ THE PETITION of MICHELLE GEORGINA JOHNSON (Administratrix of the Estate of Wilbur John Ferguson, deceased) “ALL THAT piece parcel or Lot being Lot Number Eighteen (18), Block Number Forty-nine (49) of a Subdivision called and known as Englerston and bounded on the NORTH by Lot Number Nineteen (19) in the said Subdivision now said to be the property of one Williams and running thereon One Hundred and Sixty-six Hundredths (100.66) feet on the WEST by Lot Number Fifteen (15) in the said Subdivision now said to be the property of one McKinney and running thereon Fifty and Forty-four Hundredths (50.44) feet on the SOUTH by Lot Number Seventeen (17) in the said Subdivision now said to be the property of one Outten and running thereon Ninety-eight and Seventy-seven Hundredths (98.77) feet and on the EAST by Ida Street and running thereon Fortynine and Forty-four Hundredths (49.44) feet and is more particularly described on PLAN 5771 NP filed at the Department of Lands & Surveys.

NORWOOD A. ROLLE & CO. Chambers Suite #6, Gomez Building Dowdeswell Street east of Christie Street Nassau, Bahamas Attorneys for the Petitioner

PAGE 6, Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Abaco Club opponents claiming ‘slight victory’ From pg B1 pushed back from yesterday until February 23-24, 2017, with its demand that RDA pay ‘security for costs’ now set to be heard on December 14.

“There was a slight victory,” Mr Smith told Tribune Business of yesterday’s hearing in Freeport. “The court has, in the meantime, issued a conservatory Order to maintain the status quo, so that no permits and licences are to be issued until a further hearing takes place on December 14, when the Government summons for security for costs

is to be heard.

“At least the residents of Little Harbour, although they did not have their day in court, are not going to be prejudiced by the adjournment. The Order is going to maintain the status quo and ensure no approvals and permits are granted in the meantime.”

Mr Smith said an attorney from Higgs & Johnson, representing the Abaco Club’s owners, a consortium featuring a group of homeowners and Southworth Development, was present for yesterday’s hearing.

He added that the Government also gained per-

mission to file affidavit evidence from the nine respondents to RDA’s Judicial Review action.

The nine government respondents to the Judicial Review include Prime Minister Perry Christie; Deputy Prime Minister Philip Davis; Glenys Hanna Martin, minister of transport and aviation; Kenred Dorsett, minister of the environment; the Town Planning Committee; South Abaco District Council; Richard Hardy, acting director of Lands and Surveys; and Marques Williams, Abaco’s port administrator.

Yet the Government wants the four Cabinet ministers, plus Mr Hardy, to be struck out as defendants by the Supreme Court.

The RDA action is the

its legal costs as a first attempt to ‘knock out’ such Judicial Reviews, believing that environmental activist groups lack the funding to meet such demands.

Ashley Sturrup, an assistant attorney in the Attorney General’s Office, alleged in a November 23, 2016, affidavit that a review of RDA’s incorporation documents and Judicial Review application showed it was “a nominal claimant with no private interests of its own to pursue”.

She also suggested that RDA was acting as a ‘vehicle’ to promote the vested interests of individuals, pointing to admissions by David Pitcairn, its vicepresident, that he owned a residential adjacent to the Little Harbour project site.

The Government’s demands had already been conveyed to RDA and Mr Smith by Antoinette Bonamy, the director of legal affairs, on November 22.

Ms Bonamy expressed doubts that RDA would be able to pay the Government’s legal costs, if its action was unsuccessful, based on its “shoestring method of funding”.

“Further, the respondents have serious concerns about the merits of this action, having regard to the multiple government respondents which have been named (unnecessarily and

improperly, it is contended), and the fact that the main decision under challenge (lack of consultation) may be premature,” she added.

The Government’s position is that while applications for the necessary permits have been made by the Abaco Club, no permits or decisions have yet been rendered.

The Abaco Club is proposing to remove some existing moorings and demolish an existing dock to make way for its 44-slip facility.

This will extend some 270 feet into Little Harbour and measure 320 feet across, with supporting facilities such as a restaurant, supplies store, car park, desalination and wastewater treatment plants also set to be built.

“The development is opposed by an overwhelming majority of the residents and homeowners in Little Harbour,” RDA and Callenders & Co alleged.

“It is opposed on the grounds that it would swamp Little Harbour (occupying approximately two acres of the 11 acres of usable space in the harbour); it would cause environmental damage; it would increase pollution, light, noise and traffic; and it would commercialise what is, at present, a quiet ‘off-grid’ community.”

DNA pledges end to contract workers in public service

Explaining the concept of ‘professional hurt counselling’, Mr Kemp said: “We find that persons who have been wronged, missed a promotion, can’t get along with direct supervisor, can’t see a pathway forward, are less motivated to come to work, take long lunch breaks and those kinds of things.

“Once we can provide counselling for, first of all, persons dealing with professional hurt, that can solve half of the problem.

We have to incentivise persons and give them proper job classifications so that they know what they are doing and won’t become burnt out.”

Mr McCartney added: “The General Orders in this public service are used almost as an excuse for poor performance. I always say that the public service should be as professional, or even more so, than the private sector.

“The General Orders must be reviewed and, in certain circumstances, parts must be taken out in order for us to have an efficient and effective public service.”

Mr McCartney said addressing the issues affecting the public service, and making it more efficient and professional, is key to improving the Bahamas’ ‘ease of doing business’ ranking.

“We are 121st out of 190 countries in the ease of doing business. We need to change that. We need to make sure that doing business in the Bahamas is easy, remove the bureaucracy and the red tape,” he added.

latest development-related Judicial Review case to be launched against the Government and its regulatory agencies on the basis that they have either failed to follow their own permitting/approval processes as set out in law, and/or not properly consulted affected parties on the actions they propose to take.

“There is no good reason why the respondents [government agencies] should refuse to engage with the applicant,” RDA alleged.

“It appears to be simply a co-ordinated attempt to avoid proper scrutiny of governmental decisionmaking.

“The respondents have already gone down the wrong path in respect of their duty to consult. Their failure to confirm that they will carry out proper consultation, their failure to provide relevant information, and their refusal to engage with the applicants means that it is to be inferred that, without an Order from this court, consultation is likely to be nonexistent or, at best, fundamentally flawed.”

The Government, though, is first demanding that RDA pay $150,000 as ‘security for costs’ before the matter proceeds to trial.

The Government has typically sought the payment of a bond or ‘security’ to cover

From pg B1 up to its obligations to the 33 per cent of Department of Social Services staff who were initially hired via the Unemployment Assistance Programme.

Mr McCartney added: “There are thousands of persons in the public service who don’t know whether they will be working the following month.

It’s unconscionable for that to happen. They are unable to get loans from the banks, build homes and live the life that God really intended for them to have. That must come to a stop, and will come to a stop, under a DNA government.”

Prime Minister Perry Christie, during his 2016-

MARKET REPORT MONDAY, 28 NOVEMBER 2016

t. 242.323.2330 | f. 242.323.2320 | www.bisxbahamas.com

BISX ALL SHARE INDEX: CLOSE 1,943.16 | CHG 0.78 | %CHG 0.04 | YTD 119.21 | YTD% 6.54 BISX LISTED & TRADED SECURITIES 52WK HI 4.25 17.43 9.09 3.55 4.70 0.12 8.28 8.50 6.10 10.60 15.50 2.72 1.60 5.82 9.05 11.00 8.69 6.90 12.25 11.00

52WK LOW 2.50 17.43 8.19 3.50 1.77 0.12 5.50 8.05 5.50 7.66 13.05 2.18 1.31 5.60 6.60 8.56 6.12 6.23 11.81 10.00

PREFERENCE SHARES 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00

900.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00

1.00 106.00 100.00 106.00 105.00 105.00 100.00 10.00 1.01

1.00 105.50 100.00 100.00 105.00 100.00 100.00 10.00 1.01

SECURITY AML Foods Limited APD Limited Bahamas Property Fund Bahamas Waste Bank of Bahamas Benchmark Cable Bahamas CIBC FirstCaribbean Bank Colina Holdings Commonwealth Bank Commonwealth Brewery Consolidated Water BDRs Doctor's Hospital Famguard Fidelity Bank Finco Focol ICD Utilities J. S. Johnson Premier Real Estate

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

LAST CLOSE 4.06 15.85 9.09 3.52 1.77 0.12 5.60 8.50 5.83 10.49 13.98 2.28 1.55 5.82 9.00 10.95 8.69 6.61 11.93 10.00

CLOSE 4.06 15.85 9.09 3.52 1.77 0.12 5.60 8.50 5.83 10.49 13.98 2.33 1.55 5.82 9.05 10.96 8.69 6.61 11.93 10.00

CHANGE 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.05 0.00 0.00 0.05 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

Cable Bahamas Series 6 Cable Bahamas Series 8 Cable Bahamas Series 9 Cable Bahamas Series 10 Colina Holdings Class A Commonwealth Bank Class Commonwealth Bank Class Commonwealth Bank Class Commonwealth Bank Class Commonwealth Bank Class Commonwealth Bank Class Fidelity Bank Class A Focol Class B

CAB6 CAB8 CAB9 CAB10 CHLA CBLE CBLJ CBLK CBLL CBLM CBLN FBBA FCLB

1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 10.00 1.01

1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1.00 100.00 100.00 100.11 100.00 100.00 100.00 10.00 1.01

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

E J K L M N

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

52WK LOW 100.00 100.00 100.00

SECURITY Fidelity Bank Note 17 (Series A) + Fidelity Bank Note 18 (Series E) + Fidelity Bank Note 22 (Series B) +

SYMBOL FBB17 FBB18 FBB22

Bahamas Note 6.95 (2029) BGS: 2014-12-3Y BGS: 2015-1-3Y BGS: 2014-12-5Y BGS: 2015-1-5Y BGS: 2014-12-7Y BGS: 2015-1-7Y BGS: 2014-12-30Y BGS: 2015-1-30Y BGS: 2015-6-3Y BGS: 2015-6-5Y BGS: 2015-6-7Y BGS: 2015-6-30Y BGS: 2015-10-3Y BGS: 2015-10-5Y BGS: 2015-10-7Y

BAH29 BG0103 BG0203 BG0105 BG0205 BG0107 BG0207 BG0130 BG0230 BG0303 BG0305 BG0307 BG0330 BG0403 BG0405 BG0407

BAHAMAS GOVERNMENT STOCK - (percentage pricing) 115.92 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

113.70 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

LAST SALE 100.00 100.00 100.00

CLOSE 100.00 100.00 100.00

CHANGE 0.00 0.00 0.00

110.52 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

110.50 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

-0.02 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

VOLUME

1,300

3,000 17,667

VOLUME

THE TRIBUNE

EPS$ 0.304 1.351 1.086 0.220 -1.134 0.000 0.185 0.551 0.508 0.541 0.528 0.094 0.166 0.510 0.612 0.960 0.650 0.703 0.756 0.000

DIV$ 0.090 1.000 0.000 0.160 0.000 0.000 0.187 0.260 0.200 0.360 0.610 0.060 0.040 0.240 0.275 0.000 0.280 0.120 0.640 0.000

P/E 13.4 11.7 8.4 16.0 N/M N/M 30.3 15.4 11.5 19.4 26.5 24.8 9.3 11.4 14.8 11.4 13.4 9.4 15.8 0.0

YIELD 2.22% 6.31% 0.00% 4.55% 0.00% 0.00% 3.34% 3.06% 3.43% 3.43% 4.36% 2.58% 2.58% 4.12% 3.04% 0.00% 3.22% 1.82% 5.36% 0.00%

0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

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

INTEREST 7.00% 6.00% Prime + 1.75%

MATURITY 19-Oct-2017 31-May-2018 19-Oct-2022

6.95% 4.00% 4.00% 4.25% 4.25% 4.50% 4.50% 6.25% 6.25% 4.00% 4.25% 4.50% 6.25% 3.50% 3.88% 4.25%

20-Nov-2029 15-Dec-2017 30-Jul-2018 16-Dec-2019 30-Jul-2020 15-Dec-2021 30-Jul-2022 15-Dec-2044 30-Jul-2045 26-Jun-2018 26-Jun-2020 26-Jun-2022 26-Jun-2045 15-Oct-2018 15-Oct-2020 15-Oct-2022

2017 Budget communication, pledged that the Government would look to bring the number of temporary and contractual workers in the public service to an “irreducible minimum”.

“Many of these workers joined the public service without the requisite qualifications and, through their own hard work and commitment, are making a valuable contribution to the public service and the country; they are deserving of being integrated into the public service,” he said then.

The DNA’s public service reform plan, outlined in its ‘Public Service Reform: The Programme for Public Reassurance 2017’ white paper, proposes to address key issues impacting the public sector.

These include the functioning and operation of the Public Service Commission; General Orders that govern the conduct of civil servants; and improving productivity and attrition management in the civil service.

“We are looking at revisiting and revising the compensation structure for civil services, increasing facilities for professional hurt counselling, enhancing the public and private sector interface and increasing training opportunities for the civil service,” said Mr Kemp.

“There will also be a system where we manage employee attrition, where persons who want to exit the system can do so in a very .” said Mr Kemp.

PUBLIC NOTICE

INTENT TO CHANGE NAME BY DEED POLL The Public is hereby advised that I, SHANIQUE DELANCY of Hunter, Grand Bahama, Bahamas, mother of ANWAR NATHANIEL WILDGOOSE DELANCEY intend to change my child’s name to ANWAR NATHANIEL WILDGOOSE. If there are any objections to this change of name by Deed Poll, you may write such objections to the Chief Passport Officer, P.O.Box N-742 Nassau Bahamas no later than thirty (30) days after the date of the publication of this notice.

NOTICE

MUTUAL FUNDS 52WK HI 2.01 3.91 1.93 169.70 140.34 1.45 1.67 1.56 1.09 6.94 8.65 5.92 9.94 11.15 10.46

52WK LOW 1.67 3.04 1.68 164.74 116.70 1.40 1.61 1.50 1.03 6.41 7.62 5.66 8.65 10.54 9.57

FUND CFAL Bond Fund CFAL Balanced Fund CFAL Money Market Fund CFAL Global Bond Fund CFAL Global Equity Fund FG Financial Preferred Income Fund FG Financial Growth Fund FG Financial Diversified Fund FG Financial Global USD Bond Fund Royal Fidelity Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Secured Balanced Fund Royal Fidelity Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Targeted Equity Fund Royal Fidelity Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Prime Income Fund Royal Fidelity Int'l Fund - Equities Sub Fund Royal Fidelity Int'l Fund - High Yield Fund Royal Fidelity Int'l Fund - Alternative Strategies Fund

NAV 2.01 3.90 1.93 169.70 140.34 1.45 1.67 1.56 1.09 6.94 8.65 5.92 9.59 11.15 9.57

YTD% 12 MTH% 3.11% 4.17% 3.28% 4.34% 2.07% 2.93% 4.73% 5.64% 5.70% 7.66% 2.86% 3.86% 2.64% 3.93% 2.51% 3.63% 5.44% 4.48% 4.05% 8.28% 5.93% 13.53% 2.73% 4.73% 3.97% -3.53% 2.96% 4.33% -4.26% -6.22%

NAV Date 30-Sep-2016 30-Sep-2016 30-Sep-2016 30-Sep-2016 30-Sep-2016 30-Sep-2016 30-Sep-2016 30-Sep-2016 30-Sep-2016 31-Jul-2016 31-Jul-2016 31-Jul-2016 31-Jul-2016 31-Jul-2016 31-Jul-2016

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 138 (4) of the International Business Companies Act, 2000, (As Amended) NOTICE is hereby given that, LETOSAN LIMITED is in dissolution and that the date of commencement of the dissolution is the 2 day of November A. D. 2016

MARKET TERMS BISX ALL SHARE INDEX - 19 Dec 02 = 1,000.00 52wk-Hi - Highest closing price in last 52 weeks 52wk-Low - Lowest closing price in last 52 weeks Previous Close - Previous day's weighted price for daily volume Today's Close - Current day's weighted price for daily volume Change - Change in closing price from day to day Daily Vol. - Number of total shares traded today DIV $ - Dividends per share paid in the last 12 months P/E - Closing price divided by the last 12 month earnings

YIELD - last 12 month dividends divided by closing price Bid $ - Buying price of Colina and Fidelity Ask $ - Selling price of Colina and fidelity Last Price - Last traded over-the-counter price Weekly Vol. - Trading volume of the prior week EPS $ - A company's reported earnings per share for the last 12 mths NAV - Net Asset Value N/M - Not Meaningful

TO TRADE CALL: CFAL 242-502-7010 | ROYALFIDELITY 242-356-7764 | FG CAPITAL MARKETS 242-396-4000 | COLONIAL 242-502-7525 | LENO 242-396-3225

ENERVO ADMINISRATION LIMITED LIQUIDATOR Montague Sterling Centre East Bay Street Nassau, The Bahamas

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, November 29, 2016, PAGE 7

HAVANA (AP) — Fidel Castro changed the flavor of the milk Cuban children drink at breakfast.

He filled Cuban kitchens with energy-saving rice cookers, and he gave a two-hour lesson in their use live on national television.

He even changed the nation’s lightbulbs, launching a nationwide campaign to replace incandescent bulbs with fluorescents that cast a pallid white light in Cuban homes to this day.

Castro, who died Friday night at 90, gained global stature with grand visions: confronting the United States; building universal health care and education; sending Cuba’s doctors to heal the Third World’s sick and its soldiers to fight alongside socialist allies from Vietnam to Angola.

At home, he expended vast quantities of time and energy remaking the minutest aspects of life in the country he ruled for nearly 50 years. Obsessive, restless, fixated on details, Castro is being remembered by many Cubans for his decades of smaller-scale, often quixotic initiatives to implant Soviet-style central planning on an unruly and improvisational Caribbean island.

Ten years after Castro turned power over to his brother Raul, the artifacts of his time in command still feature in the daily lives of average Cubans, particularly those related to Castro’s passions for agricultural productivity and energysaving. Millions of Cubans still depend on the paleblue ration book that once provided a month’s worth of free food, reduced today to about 15 days of rice, beans, eggs, chicken, cooking oil, salt and sugar.

From milk to lightbulbs, Fidel Castro reshaped life in Cuba

In November 2005, Castro tried to persuade his countrymen to also feed their children “chocolatin,” a mix of powdered milk and cocoa distributed to families in 200-gram (sevenounce) bags.

“Seven of every 11 grams are whole milk powder, believe me,” he said. “Check it if you’re skeptical. Take it to a laboratory and test it.

There’s also four grams of cocoa, which is very strong,

as strong as it is healthy. I know that our doctors over there in the mountains of Kashmir are drinking their chocolate every night.”

To this day, it’s hard to find a Cuban child who doesn’t ask for chocolateflavored morning milk, itself a legacy of Castro’s pledge to give every Cuban under age 7 one liter of milk every day.

In 1961, two years after Castro’s revolution won

A caricature depicting Cuba’s late leader Fidel Castro is surrounded by flowers at a makeshift memorial outside the Cuban embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina, yesterday. Castro, who led a rebel army to improbable victory, embraced Sovietstyle communism and defied the power of 10 U.S. presidents during his half century rule of Cuba, died late Friday at age 90. (AP Photo)

NOTICE

NOTICE

power, the new Cuban government launched an ambitious campaign to stamp out illiteracy. Some 250,000 volunteer teachers, many of them young women, fanned out across the country, especially in rural areas where access to education was spotty and the need was greatest. In the space of a year, about 700,000 people learned to read and write, said “Maestra,” a documentary that explores the initiative’s history. Today, Cuba reports a literacy rate of 99.8 percent, on par with the most developed nations in the world.

In 1960, Castro launched the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution, neighborhood watch groups given the job of implementing social welfare projects and natural disaster assistance, looking out for the elderly and organizing modest block parties. They also serve as the government’s eyes and ears, networks of informants that enforce compliance and watch for suspicious activity such as political dissidence or an illegal satellite hookup. The committees are so ubiquitous that just about everyone in Cuba, especially in the cities, still lives within sight of the home of a committee member.

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that DESIR BENEDICT of #53 Flemming Road, Freeport, Grand Bahama, Bahama is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/ naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 22nd day of November, 2016 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.

NOTICE

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 138 (8) of the International Business Companies Act, 2000, notice is hereby given that:-

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 138 (8) of the International Business Companies Act, 2000, notice is hereby given that:-

UPHILL CLIMB LTD. has been dissolved and struck off the Register pursuant to a Certificate of Dissolution issued by the Registrar General on 11th November, 2016.

HAZEL HOLDINGS LTD. has been dissolved and struck off the Register pursuant to a Certificate of Dissolution issued by the Registrar General on 11th November, 2016.

C.B. Strategy Ltd. LIQUIDATOR

C.B. Strategy Ltd. LIQUIDATOR

NOTICE

NOTICE

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 138 (8) of the International Business Companies Act, 2000, notice is hereby given that:-

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 138 (8) of the International Business Companies Act, 2000, notice is hereby given that:-

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 138 (8) of the International Business Companies Act, 2000, notice is hereby given that:-

STOMPING BOOTS LIMITED has been dissolved and struck off the Register pursuant to a Certificate of Dissolution issued by the Registrar General on 11th November, 2016.

LITE SLATE INC. has been dissolved and struck off the Register pursuant to a Certificate of Dissolution issued by the Registrar General on 11th November, 2016.

NERVOUS TICK INC. has been dissolved and struck off the Register pursuant to a Certificate of Dissolution issued by the Registrar General on 11th November, 2016.

C.B. Strategy Ltd. LIQUIDATOR

C.B. Strategy Ltd. LIQUIDATOR

C.B. Strategy Ltd. LIQUIDATOR

SCREENFIELDS HOLDINGS LIMITED ____________________________________ NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Shareholders of SCREENSFIELD HOLDINGS LIMITED is hereby called to be held in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on the 21st day of December, 2016 at 12 o’clock in the forenoon.

The object and purpose of said meeting is to have laid before the Shareholders of the Company the accounts of the Liquidator, Marcia Melo Campos Pahl, showing the manner in which the winding up of the Company has been conducted and also to hear any explanation that may be given by said Liquidator.

Dated the 29th day of November, 2016.

Marcia Melo Campos Pahl LIQUIDATOR of SCREENFIELDS HOLDINGS LIMITED

Legal Notice

NOTICE INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS COMPANIES ACT (No. 45 of 2000)

COSSINGTON ENTERPRISES LIMITED In Voluntary liquidation

Notice is hereby given that in accordance with Section 138 (4) of the International Business Companies Act (No. 45 of 2000), COSSINGTON ENTERPRISES LIMITED, has been dissolved and struck off the Register according to the Certificate of Dissolution issued by the Registrar General on the 11th day of November, 2016.

Babaeva Irina Vladimirovna Of Lenina Street, Bld. 422, Apt. 8, City of Stavropol, Russia Liquidator

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, November 29, 2016, PAGE 9

b o dy an d m in d

Living with cancer and the “herbal chemo” cure

By ALESHA CADET

Tribune Features Reporter

acadet@tribunemedia.net

IT WAS when she was 14 and entering the more demanding years of high school that Ashley Moree’s mother became diagnosed with stage one breast cancer.

Her mother, Judy Moree-McDowells, urgently received eight rounds of chemotherapy which left her cancer free, or so they had thought.

“At that time my two younger brothers, Ashton and Kelvin, were four and two, respectively. Five years has now passed and that period what should have been my mother’s remission years were her progression years. Doctors diagnosed my mother with stage four breast cancer in the summer of 2014 and she continues her fight today,” said Ashley.

The cancer has since metastasised to Judy’s lung, liver and lymph node. Sharing her story with Tribune Health, Judy remembers her terrible experience undergoing chemotherapy following the removal of her right breast.

“I wanted to do a more natural healing process so I told the doctors I won’t be doing chemo. In 2013, I went away to Alabama to this gentleman who had been treating people holistically for cancer. I went there to learn how I can better take care of myself. When I came back I started that regime but I couldn’t keep up

Family portraits: Judy Moree-McDowells with her children. with it due to money challenges and going through a divorce battle. Since then I have been doing the best I can without trying to depend so much on my daughter, Ashley.”

Last year she took a second trip to Alabama, where she became educated in what she calls “herbal chemo”, a natural cancer

treatment practice which encourages the use of herbs like molasses, bladderwrack, selenium, prickly ash and more.

“The Alabama doctor was also treating some people so he didn’t have enough accommodation to house me.

So what he did was make medicine for me, and my friend who lives in Alabama

treated me at her home knowing what to do. I came back home to the Bahamas when my time was up and I have just been making the medicines that he showed me when I attended the classes. What these herbs do, they help move the waste from your digestive organs, it helps you to pass so you don’t experience that

heavy bloating that a lot of cancer patients have around their diaphragm area. With cancer patients, just how they are slow and tired on the outside, it is even more so on the inside so you need a way to take that out of your system,” said Judy.

Why the natural route?

Judy said education is key.

Over the years she learned that while the chemo was assisting in killing the cancer cells, it was also killing the vital cells that she needs in order to survive.

“It is just something wrong with that to me. I just decided that I didn’t want to go through that. And the way it left my legs and feet at the bottom, I didn’t have a feeling in that area. At first when I went through some of the challenges I faced, I started to doubt myself going the natural route, but when I learned more and looked back at everyone that I have met during this journey since I have had cancer, a lot of them have fell by the wayside. I have seen a lot of people die, so whether it is God keeping me or me trying to take care of myself, I would say I haven’t regretted going the natural way,” said Judy.

At this point the difficutly is finding the monies to continue the journey, to properly take care of herself and not depend on her daughter.

For Ashley, a positive attitude is everything. She said past experiences have brought her family close to what was suppose to be “the end” but things keep work-

ing out. The 21-year-old has recently launched a GoFundMe Campaign to raise money to assist her mother in travelling to North Carolina to receive natural cancer treatment.

“She is a fighter with a soul stronger than anyone I’ve ever known. Even now, at her lowest point in life, she still finds strength to give what little she has.

A donation of any kind will help give my mother the fighting chance she deserves. She deserves to see her two youngest children graduate elementary school, at the very least.

And maybe, hopefully, see her first grandchild, too.

Please help make this possible. Any assistance is necessary and much appreciated,” said Ashley.

With tears filling her eyes, she said: “I know it would be naive to not think about death but my biggest issue with everything is, I would accept her death had she had the chances that other people in her position get.

If she had the money to go and just do the natural treatment that we are trying to get her to do now and it doesn’t work, then I would be okay because we honestly did everything. The only thing that keeps me hopeful is to try and just give her the fight she needs.”

sary. Tell your doctor about your family history of breast cancer and discuss whether that history might support the consideration of changes to your care.

The Breast Center at Cleveland Clinic Florida is fully accredited by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), a designation given to centers that are committed to providing the highest quality breast care.

The breast cancer team provides the most up-to-date information on the genetic components of breast can-

cer, and offers predictive testing for family members who may have inherited a specific genetic mutation.

“Understanding the increased genetic risk enables you to evaluate your options in advance. Working with our breast cancer care team, you can create a personalised plan, designed to prevent or detect cancer at an earlier and more treatable stage,” Ms Carroll says.

Women can be empowered to make important health decisions, armed with the knowledge of their genetic breast cancer risk.

• A donation to the family can be made to accounts at Scotiabank via 107801-1065, RBC via 05165-6002265 or www.gofundme.com/judymorees-medical-fund.

Hereditary breast cancer: are you at risk?

For about five to 10 per cent of women diagnosed with breast cancer, hereditary factors are the root cause.

In fact, having a first-degree (mother, sister, daughter) relative with breast cancer, increases the potential that you are carrying a mutated breast cancer gene.

And women who inherit a gene mutation have a much higher risk of developing breast cancer.

A gene can often harbour an abnormality that changes how the cell works or responds to its environment. According to Sara Carroll, genetic counsellor at Cleveland Clinic Florida, “the most common causes of hereditary breast cancer include mutations in the BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 gene”. There are other hereditary causes of breast cancer, but these are the most prevalent.

These

A leading US clinic suggests genetic testing can detect problems earlier and help evaluate options genes can be inherited from either parent.

BRCA genes help to correct DNA damage. In people with a mutation in BRCA1 or BRCA2, the ability to repair damage is impaired and can sometimes lead to breast cancer.

This suggests an estimated 87 per cent lifetime risk of developing breast cancer, which begins to rise steeply at the age of 30. The risk of developing breast cancer by the age of 50 is approximately 50 per cent.

There are several factors that can suggest the possibility that hereditary breast cancer runs in your family.

You should be concerned if: • There is both breast and ovarian cancer in your fam-

ily.

• Diagnosis of breast cancer has occurred before age 50.

• Diagnosis of bilateral breast cancer (cancer in both breasts).

Ask about genetic counselling if you are concerned, or call for a risk assessment appointment if you are unsure. High-risk women can be tested to screen for mutations in the BRCA genes.

“Genetic testing can be beneficial in determining whether a cancer diagnosis was random or the result of an inherited mutation,” says Ms Carroll.

This is valuable information, as there may also be an increased risk for other cancers as well. Your family

members will also benefit from discovering whether a hereditary risk exists.

At the genetic counselling visit, a personal and detailed family medical history will be obtained.

Depending what your hereditary risk factors are, we can determine whether or not genetic testing is appropriate, and which genetic changes to assess. Genetic testing involves a blood test, and the results are typically known in a few weeks.

Hereditary risk assessment and genetic testing have become tools in the personalisation of breast cancer treatment, by providing a basic understanding of the structure and function of genes at a molecular level. This knowledge allows the best clinical management to be determined. In some instances, additional breast cancer risk management options may be neces-

AIDS foundation focuses on mother-child transmission

By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net WITH World AIDS Day just around the corner, the AIDS Foundation of the Bahamas has re-stated its commitment to seeing that there are no new infections, no AIDS-related deaths and no stigma and discrimination and a reminder of the need for a collective fight to achieve that goal.

Celebrated every year on December 1, World AIDS Day 2016 calls for expanding anti-retroviral therapy to all people living with HIV, the key to ending the AIDS epidemic within a generation, according to the World Health Organisation.

The day is also a way to demonstrate international solidarity for people living with HIV and to commemorate the spirit of those who

have died battling the deadly disease.

The Bahamas AIDS Foundation is continuing with its initiatives to raise more awareness and educate people on the disease.

Tomorrow night, the organisation in partnership with the national HIV/ AIDS Centre of the Min-

istry of Health, will hold a candle light vigil at Fort Charlotte to commemorate those who have died from AIDS-related causes and remember those living with HIV and AIDS. It begins at 6pm.

On Saturday the organisation’s Annual Fun/Run/ Walk/Cycle event takes

place at Goodman’s Bay. Start time is 6am.

Lady Camille Barnett, president of the Bahamas AIDS Foundation, told Tribune Health that the organisation’s objective remain educating and sensitising people to the fight against HIV and AIDS. “This year one of things that we hoped to do is reduce the mother to child transmission. We think this is something that is doable, something that is in our grasp,” she said.

The foundation is in the process of finalising two public service announcements - one that will encourage the use of condoms and another that will encourage women who are pregnant and HIV positive to take medication to protect their babies.

“The numbers as it relates to mother to child transmis-

sion is relatively small. But because we know the numbers are small we know that this is something manageable and is something that we can achieve once we get women who are at child bearing age to get tested.

Though the numbers are small anything more that zero is too much. And in today’s age there is no reason for a child to be born with HIV/AIDS contracted from their mom,” Lady Camille said.

The foundation also continues to place special attention on young people by empowering them and giving them hope through its Adolescents’ Outreach Programme. Several components part of the initiative include an after-school programme providing access to computers, tutoring, work towards national examinations (BJC and BGCSE) a

hot meal, counselling, life skills, job skills/placement, and support services and the purchase of special third line medicines needed by some persons.

“Our focus is still on young people part of our outreach programme,” Lady Camille said. “We are just trying to give the kids support so that they can continue to taking their medications, stay healthy and have a sense of hope.

And even the adults need that but we can only afford to focus on the kids at this time.”

The Bahamas AIDS Foundation is a non-profit, non-government organisation dedicated to the fight against HIV/AIDS in the Bahamas and worldwide.

Those interested in donating or volunteering with the foundation can contact 242325-9326.

PAGE 10, Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Golden glow to new Komen Bahamas promotion AN Olympic legend and an award-winning film director have teamed up for an emotional breast cancer television advertisement.

Two-time Olympic sprint gold medallist Pauline Davis-Thompson is the star of a new commercial promoting the Susan G Komen Bahamas Race for the Cure event in January.

The commercial, dubbed “Never Alone”, will circulate on social media this month. It details Mrs Davis-Thompson’s journey to the top and the challenges she encountered along the way. The commercial, which will be shortened for television audiences, also features several student athletes from DavisThompson’s track club.

Sunshine Insurance (Agents & Brokers) Ltd is the lead organiser and sponsor of Komen Bahamas. Marketing Co-ordinator, Rogan Smith, who wrote the advertisement, explained what she wanted to capture.

“The minute Pauline signed on to do the commercial, I knew that I had to highlight her struggles and draw parallels with those battling cancer. Even though one is clearly more serious, there are a lot of similarities. There’s a lot of loneliness in the ath-

letic world and it requires a lot of mental toughness because there are so many moments when they feel like giving up; they feel alone. Someone fighting cancer experiences similar sentiments. However, what they might not realise is that someone is always in their corner rooting for them and as with anything, you have to take it one day at a time and never allow yourself to drift in that mental space where you want to give up,” said Ms Smith.

Directing and producing the commercial is noted director and Icon Award winner, Lavado Stubbs, who is also the owner and creative director of Conch Boy Films, a boutique production company.

“I heard about the Susan G Komen Bahamas event through the media in the past and its many promotional outlets.,” Mr Stubbs said. “I was approached by the marketing team this year to participate and I am honored to be a sponsor this year.

“In the commercial, I wanted to capture the essence of never giving up.

Pauline Davis is our country’s double gold Olympic medallist and is a prime example of someone who never gave up. In the video,

THE TRIBUNE

Two-time Olympic gold medallist Pauline Davis-Thompson

Award-winning director, Lavado Stubbs.

Photo/Scharad Lightbourne I created a black and white environment and isolated the colour pink throughout the video, which is sym-

bolic with the pink ribbon that represents breast cancer awareness,” said Mr Stubbs.

“Pauline Davis’ battle to

achieve those Olympic gold medals is parallel to those that battle cancer. Therefore, I wanted this video to merge both worlds and motivate anyone to be a part of this powerful Susan G Komen event and truly race for the cure.”

Mrs Davis-Thompson competed at five Olympic Games for the Bahamas.

She won her first medal at her fourth Olympics - a silver in the 4 x 100m relay in Atlanta in 1996 - and her first gold medals in Sydney four years later aged at 34 in the 4 × 100m relay and the 200m.

Ms Smith thanked Mr Stubbs for delivering a “stellar” commercial. “We

have had good commercials in the past, but this one just blows them all away. He is so meticulous with the production and so easy to work with. I honestly screamed and cried when I saw the ad; it was that good. We can’t thank him enough for coming on board,” she said.

Komen Bahamas has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for local cancer charities since its inception.

The 2017 race - which is part of the Sunshine Insurance Race Weekend (SIRW) - will take place on January 14, 2017 at 7am starting at the Montagu foreshore. To register, visit www.komenbahamas.org.

Words of wisdom The adult dentition of a human being consists of 32 teeth. The third molars - or ‘wisdom teeth’ are the last set of teeth to erupt in the mouth.

Most people get their wisdom teeth between the ages of 17 and 25. Our third molars are nicknamed ‘wisdom teeth’ because their eruption time is so late, at an age when an individual is approaching adulthood.

If healthy and properly aligned, the wisdom teeth function just as well as any other teeth. However, more often than not, they are poorly aligned and eventually require removal.

Why is it most people have problems with their wisdom teeth?

Scientists have found, over time, the human jaw has become smaller. Since the wisdom teeth are the last permanent teeth to come in, there is usually not enough room or space to accommodate them in the mouth. This can cause the wisdom teeth to be impacted or partially impacted.

When a tooth is impacted, it is essentially trapped within the soft tissue or bone. Partial impaction means a portion of the tooth has erupted through the gum. With only partial eruption of a wisdom

Dr Tamika Ferguson tooth, this leaves an opening for food/debris to become trapped around the tooth. A dental infection called pericorinitis may occur if this happens. The area where the food is trapped under the gum becomes swollen and red due to bacterial growth. Some symptoms of pericorinitis include a bad smell or taste in the mouth and a discharge from the gum.

Further, partially erupted wisdom teeth pose a threat because of their location and, sometimes, angle in the mouth. Wisdom teeth are found all the way to the back of the mouth making them hard

More often than not, wisdom teeth are poorly aligned and eventually require removal. to reach. Therefore, it is challenging for people to brush and floss effectively. If our teeth are not cleaned properly they can become decayed. Also, partially impacted wisdom teeth can cause the second permanent molars to be susceptible to decay. Food can become trapped between the wisdom tooth and second molar resulting in not only cavity formation but bone loss.

Impacted wisdom teeth can lead to other oral health issues. These include crowding and formation

of a cyst. Pressure from impacted wisdom teeth may cause crowding of the lower front teeth. On rare occasions, a fluid filled sac (cyst) can form around the crown of an impacted wisdom tooth.

At your next dental visit, you should ask your dentist about your wisdom teeth. Your dentist will take a radiograph to evaluate presence and alignment. Based on your consultation he/she may recommend extraction of the teeth.

Even if you are not experiencing any pain/discomfort, your dentist

The mane event Frompg B12 edition products, offers, samples and a promised “unforgettable” stage show.

Natural No Lye is presented in part by Lowe’s Wholesale, Crème of Nature, Lottabody, African Pride, Design Essentials, Aunt Jackie’s, Texture My Way and Jamaican Mango & Lime.

“On ‘Mane Stage’, our host Bodine will entertain three international stylists representing Design Essentials, Bio Care Labs and Luster Beauty Products as well as styling demonstrations from local salons and supply store,” said Krista Nairn, marketing manager at Lowes Wholesale.

“Express makeovers, free health screenings, interactive fitness demonstrations plus style suites featuring a Braid Bar, a Sweet Retreat featuring Shiver and Puffee Cotton Candy, a Beauty Mark with Henna Tattoos from Island Gal Henna, and an Express Yourself lounge featuring Pick a Prop & Pose Photo Booth and caricatures by Wayne Head are all in store at the event. There will be a student hair styling competition featuring High School and BTVI students presented by Design Essentials.

Finally, there will be lots of door prizes and giveaways throughout the show.”

With over 30 exhibitors, attendees can look forward

to deals and freebies from their favourite brands like Creme of Nature, Lottabody, African Pride, Aunt Jackies Texture My Way, Jamaican Mango & Lime, Design Essentials, Coconut Restore, Doo Fro Jamaican Black Castor Oil, Cantu, Curls and Naturals, Garnier, Maybelline, Luster, Revlon, Bio Oil, Eco Styler, Happy Hair Boutique, Hair & Now, Kiki’s Beauty Supply & Accessories Ltd., Monty’s Beauty Supply & Trinkets, The Catwalk Boutique, The Prettiest Little Things, The Lemonade Stand, Pretty Persuasions, Pursenal ParaDiyse and Caribbean Sweat Fitness.

Natural No Lye will take on the same format as “The Little Pink Party”, a popular experiential marketing event Ms Nairn, her business partner and sister hosted in times past.

“Two things inspired the event. The first was Gloria Brown, a long time brand manager who having been with the company (Lowe’s Wholesale) for over 30 years always aspired to host a major trade show before she retired. Now with three years to retirement, she is finally seeing her dream come to fruition.

“Secondly, having co-produced ‘The Little Pink Party’ along with my business partner and sister, Kandice Cargill, she and I welcomed the opportunity to remix our event template

by focusing on this niche market. In fact, hair and beauty brands have always made up the majority of the exhibitor marketplace of our popular experiential marketing event,” she said.

Ms Nairn said they are encouraging men, women and children, with or without transition to natural hair to join in celebrating the rich and vibrant heritage of Nassau’s naturals.

• Ticket locations are Lowe’s Wholesale - Soldier Road; Windermere Day Spa - Harbour Bay; Nicole’s Hair World - East Street South; The Hair Republic - Shirley Street; Styles Unisex Salon - Soldier Road; and Happy Hair Boutique

- Sear’s Hill. For more information contact (242) 396-7000 ext 10246 or e-mail marketing@loweswholesale. com.

may opt to have these teeth removed before any problems develop.

Extraction of wisdom teeth is easier in younger individuals. So, the earlier it is done the better. In younger individuals, the roots are not fully developed and the bone is less dense, making it slightly easier to remove the tooth.

Impacted wisdom teeth do not always show symptoms, but consult your dentist today to prevent problems in the future.

Follow these words of wisdom!

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, November 29, 2016, PAGE 11

Get creative with these cool Christmas traditions The holidays are all about family and traditions.

Every family and culture has their own unique traditions that they hold dear.

I have a big family and there are a few things we do every year without fail, most of which involve eating and, of course, a little drinking. The kids love all of the sweets and chocolate, the things they have to normally do special things to get are available at their fingertips all holiday long. Eggnog, which they call Christmas milk, and hot chocolate are some of their favourite drinks.

And bashfully, I admit that I’m one of those nauseating people that usually puts up their Christmas tree the week after Halloween! I really can’t get enough of the lights and all the Christmas flare.

I’ve been searching for a few new Christmas traditions to incorporate this year with my family. I think its fun to add a thing or two every year to what we normally do; not huge things, just little ones. Last year was the first year we got into ‘Elf on the Shelf’: goodness me, it was very challenging trying to figure out where our little elf was going to be hiding every morning. I think we had one of the laziest elves ever; he only managed to hide in different places twice a week.

This year I thought I would try and get a little more creative with our Christmas traditions, so here are a few cool Christmas traditions you may like too.

Bun In The Oven

Bianca Carter Leave Santa a special key to get in the door

My kids used to ask me how Santa got in the house considering we don’t have a fireplace; they typically ask every year so now I have a brilliant response for them. We’ll decorate a special key for Santa and leave it on the doorstep so he can get in with his big bag of gifts.

Christmas Eve cookie bake

We leave cookies and cake for Santa, and a small glass of Christmas milk for him like everyone does, but nothing smells and tastes better than warm, homemade cookies. All of the leftover cookies can be packed up for Christmas Day or you can freeze some batter for any New Year’s celebration you might be having.

Glitter and dry oats can reward reindeer for their important work while a special key for Santa will help him into houses with no fireplace.

Don’t leave out the reindeers Reindeer do an important job on Christmas and they should be rewarded too. Try sprinkling glitter and dry oats on your front lawn leading to your door so that the reindeers know where to go.

Do a marathon

Christmas Eve in my house usually involves watching a Christmas movie or reading “T’was the night before Christmas” before bedtime. But now that Netflix is so popular, you can

watch an entire marathon of your favourite family holiday movies on Christmas Eve! Popcorn anyone?

Leave a special thank you note to Santa

Santa works hard all year round to make things special for Christmas. Teaching your kids about gratitude, and the real meaning of Christmas is so important. Get them to write a special card to Santa and keep them over the years.

A time to speak: Trumpism in the Bahamas IF it is the case that the Bahamas feels the influence of Donald Trump and that many Bahamians hold similar views to his, we need to speak to our boys.

In the United States, in black or African-American families one often hears mention of fathers having the talk with their sons.

The talk is usually not about sex, or girls or anything so pedestrian, but about how to survive being black in what bell hooks, the American author, feminist and activist, sees as “white supremacist capitalist patriarchy” because (she) wanted to have some language that would actually remind us continually of the interlocking systems of domination that define our reality and not to just have one thing be like, you know, gender is the important issue, race is the important issue. But for me the use of that particular jargonistic phrase was a way of saying all of these things actually are functioning simultaneously at all times in our lives.

As a black woman, hooks (real name Gloria Jean Watkins) sees the polemics of power and domination as they are used against black males. What is interesting is that they are used against everyone who does not fit into the specific mould she describes.

She writes that if I really want to understand what’s happening to me, right now at this moment in my life, as a black female of a certain age group, I won’t be able to understand it if I’m only looking through the lens of race.

I won’t be able to understand it if I’m only looking through the lens of gender. I won’t be able to understand it if I’m only looking at how white people see me ...

It seems that hooks has captured so much of what we inhabit today, in a non-white country where black boys are usually seen as bad men, because so many of them are, and because they have been painted like this for generations and there is now no longer a discussion of how to liberate young, black males from

Dr Ian Bethell-Bennett this system that guarantees their failure. It is not coincidental that education has been so utterly devastated that if one does not have the wherewithal to buy a good education, one is left to a place of being lucky if one emerges being able to read and not hating oneself given the systemic and systematic message of uselessness and ‘nogoodness’ that one is bombarded by daily.

It is simply business as usual for governments, who see nothing wrong with the failure of over 50 per cent of the public school population, where family values are harped on about, but over 60 per cent of all children are born into single-parent households where there is absolutely no love for this creature that has issued from the encounter between the ‘noo good pa’ and the hardworking mother. The anger that is internalised along with the selfloathing can hardly lead to much other than either explosion in the neighbourhood or self implosion.

The message deployed to many young people is that they cannot do anything because no matter what they do, they are worthless.

In a place where this kind of brainwashing exists, national devastation is not only surprising but expected. We need to rethink the mental trauma we create.

Moreover, when young males are interviewed in prisons, their response to what they did is that they did nothing. Perhaps they are not as innocent ‘as all that’, but much like in the US, if one

bell hooks writes about how to survive being black in a “white supremacist capitalist patriarchy”.

“Governments see nothing wrong with the failure of over 50 per cent of the public school population, where family values are harped on about, but over 60 per cent of all children are born into single-parent households where there is absolutely no love for this creature that has issued from the encounter between the ‘noo good pa’ and the hardworking mother.”

is black or Latino, one can go to prison for walking and chewing gum on the wrong side of the street.

This is the conversation that must be had with young people.

Laws are stacked against them.

Notwithstanding the system being led by black leaders, it is still determined to destroy young, poor black males, especially.

The police state will see to that.

What the caustic home does not damage, the school, where young boys are not taught because they are too disruptive and unruly and so the girls are taught instead, stamps out, because we already know that they won’t amount to anything anyway. How many of us have been told this?

So, the home life of fatherhating mother and child and the school life where he will amount to nothing because no one will take the time with him because he’s not worth it, to a legal system

Grow with good intentions

tive for many. Rather than focus on personal growth, people are more driven towards the acquisition of more stuff. Yet, this treadmill of external pursuits gets tired after a while. Even the very wealthy amongst us come to accept that, after having bought all the things money could buy, money cannot buy them what matters most.

Example: money can buy an enormous house but not a home.

Imagine the amount of resources that people direct towards buying an exquisitely decorated house only to find in it there is no peace of mind, no sense of joy or happiness.

Needless to say, life is about way more than this. It is an exciting adventure of growing, understanding your purpose and becoming the person you are born to be. Truth be told, if you are not growing then you are in fact dying. If you are not moving with a sense of purpose, you’ll die long before you are physically dead.

Leader to leader, assess your attitude, habits and behaviours to ensure you are experiencing personal growth. Recognise that you

ARE YOU are still engaging in unproductive habits and behaviours? Are you still unwilling to cut ties with the lies you are living in?

Well, you may want to assess the degree to which you are experiencing personal growth.

So often, people assess their sense of growth based on the accumulation of things. Yet, getting more stuff in and of itself cannot be a true reflection of personal growth.

Just look at the mass amount of ill-gotten, beautiful things achieved by would be drug dealers, thieves and the like.

Things are often easy to get. As such, the experience of personal growth is a much deeper phenomenon. My simple definition of personal growth is a process of growing yourself from the inside out. This means taking time for self-understanding, developing healthy attitude, habits and quality language that enable

Michelle Miller Motivationals

Michelle M Miller you to live an empowered life.

The other great thing about personal growth is the fact that it is personal. It is your choice to grow in ways that best serve your personal objectives.

Here’s a broader definition of personal growth as self-directed

improvement on an economic, intellectual, emotional and spiritual level. The key phrase here is ‘self-directed’. This is where personal growth differs; it’s not about the group mentality but a self-directed approach to improving your life because you alone are responsible for the way your life is directed.

Another critical point to note - while change may be inevitable, growth on the other hand must be intentional. Things often change whether we want them to or not. Growth, however, will not just happen. Nobody can make you grow - you must choose to grow.

John Maxwell puts it nicely: to reach your potential you must grow. And to grow, you must be highly intentional. This intentional growth starts with taking small, baby steps on a daily basis.

To experience growth, you must have an intention to grow, which is not a common objec-

Love & Hugs!

• Bianca Carter is a Certified Lactation Counsellor (CLC) and Founder of Bun in the Oven. For more information, email her at info@babybunintheoven.com.

Follow BITO on FB at babybunintheoven, and check out the BITO blog every Monday and Thursday at http://babybunintheoven.com that offers no defence when a youth is picked up for being with the wrong people or in the wrong place except for the services he can afford to secure, which are, frankly, none, he will go to jail because without a good lawyer, he is doomed.

Who told him not to take weed from just anyone? Who told him how to avoid trouble? Who taught him how to speak politely to an officer so as not to be slapped down in the middle of the road and then arrested for ‘resisting arrest’? Listening to the stories of so many young people (and the tragedy is that we are destroying ourselves), they say, ‘ain’t no body got time for that’. While we talk about this being a problem in the US, Trumpism is alive and well in this small town.

We are ready to deprive anyone else of their rights, just don’t let it happen to me. We won’t say anything unless it hits home.

Though, often, even when it hits home the response is usually, ‘oh he was bad anyhow’. What made him bad? Was it the fact that that was all he ever heard and that his mother never took a minute to communicate anything to him other than derision, disdain and anger at who he was or who he looked like? In this kind of society where the devastation begins with an internalised self-hatred and an anger that is so caustic it could kill generations from one drop, we are doomed to fail.

Too often the image of young people who stand up for themselves is that they are antinationalist and a danger to the state. It is a travesty when the body politic is willing to throw its young men under the bus, abuse its young women and ignore those who express their needs, because, apparently, they do not jive with their own or take away from their power. We must speak with our sons to warn them of the dangers that are all around them, not to instill fear in them, but to empower them to the realities that work against them.

• Dr Ian Bethell Bennett is Dean of the Faculty of Liberal and Fine Arts at the University of the Bahamas

have the power to grow from the inside out. Such growth requires that you do something different, to do more than what you have always done.

At some level all persons who come for counselling or coaching are all yearning to experience something new, something better in their lives. Even though they have achieved much material success, they are still longing for more inner growth. They desire to live a life that is about something bigger, more empowering and more meaningful.

Deep within, you too have this inner yearning to live your own truth - to become your best self.

Your personal growth is the way to make this happen. When you grow from the inside out, you are better prepared to live an empowered life. Yes, you can do it!

• What do you think? Michelle M Miller is a certified Life-Coach and Communications/Leadership Expert. Questions or comments can be sent to email coaching242@ yahoo.com or telephone 429-6770 or visit www.talktomichellemmiller.com or snail mail to PO Box CB-13060

SECTION b

tuesday, november 29, 2016

The mane event

By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net

S

ince its takeoff in recent years, many black women across the globe and in the Bahamas have been inspired by the natural hair movement, trading in their weaves for the coils and kinks that shoot straight from their roots.

Those who have embraced the movement fully and decided to wear their hair in its natural unprocessed state have done for the sake of having healthy hair and will go beyond to

First Natural No Lye showcases style

ensure their hair is as beautiful as it can be.

But the natural hair journey may not be the easiest.

However, many women have proven that with the right products, styling tips and a little bit of commitment it is doable and enjoyable at that.

An upcoming event will be a playground for local naturalists, who will be exposed to a bevy of hair care and beauty products designed especially for them.

The first annual Natural No Lye event takes place on Sunday at the Melia Nassau Beach resort with upbeat, non-stop entertainment and attraction. When doors open at noon, the entire event space will be buzzing with live marketing activity.

The event will showcase the best brands in hair, health and beauty for the modern women of colour.

Attendees will also be inundated with special limitedSee pg b10

Eat healthy, be healthy

By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Reporter acadet@tribunemedia.net KESHLAH Smith knew from the very beginning 20 years ago that becoming a chef was her calling.

A certified butler, yacht and private chef, Chef Smith made the transition to focusing more on being a healthy lifestyle chef three years ago. She said cooking food that is more natural and less processed also became the direction of her life and career.

Finding herself on a weight loss journey some years ago resulted in the launch of Chef Smith’s

Healthy Concepts business at the Smooth Move Cafe at Jemi Wellness.

“I wanted to do something different and had many persons tell me I am crazy for doing it, and I was told that there is no market for that concept here. Little did they know I love challenges. I brained stormed, got advice from some persons in the health field and planned it out. It has now been 15 months and we are still open and getting bigger. When you have a dream you go for it,” she said.

Along with this, Chef Smith said it blossomed into the desire to become a mother to 17-month-old daughter, Katalayea. “She keeps

mommy busy and the desire to eat better and live better is even greater than before,” said the chef.

She believes the benefits of health and wellness are wide ranging, saying more education is needed in that field because some Bahamians lack the understanding of what they are doing to their bodies when they make wrong food choices.

“Smooth Move Café offers freshly made products and items,” she said. “From our breads, sauces, dressing, we make in-house, we offer great tasting healthy foods at an affordable price. We also offer foods with various healthy benefits. From ginger tea to cinnamon breads to smoothies that clean out

Chef Keshlah Smith

the body from toxins to those that recharge the body.”

Thankful for the positive feedback so far, Chef Smith said people are asking for a second location. Her goal is to see the business grow in 2017, opening a small retail store and also launch the café’s package meals and grocery items delivered to the customers’ door.

“We do a little of it now but we are about to expand it in the coming weeks. We have a whole organic line of meats and produce coming in as well with unbelievable low prices. Not to mention the fresh seafood we bring in weekly on ice. We are generally sold out every week,” she said.