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VOLUME:115 No.07, NOVEMBER 29TH, 2017
THE PEOPLE’S PAPER: $1
VIOLENCE CANNOT BE TOLERATED IN ANY FORM - SEE PAGE EIGHT
Fake news, PM? Well, not quite Ferreira DID lose part of his portfolio BY RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net A DOCUMENT about the transfer of portfolio responsibilities of Environment Minister Romauld Ferreira, pictured, that was dismissed as “fake news” over the weekend by Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis is legitimate and was gazetted on August 22. Critics pounced on this revelation yesterday to question Dr Minnis’ trustworthiness. But Press
Secretary Anthony Newbold came to Dr Minnis’ defence during his weekly press briefing yesterday and said the gazetted document is real but contains errors. He said it prescribes to Dr Minnis responsibilities Cabinet never transferred to him, a fact officials only recently learned. The document reports that responsibility for seven matters has been transferred from the portfolio of Mr Ferreira to the Office of the Prime Minister. SEE PAGE FIVE
ALTHOUGH Free National Movement parliamentarians unanimously voted to pass the Commercial Enterprises Bill in the House of Assembly last week, Press Secretary Anthony Newbold, in the face of criticism from some, yesterday said
the administration will consider “recommendations and suggestions” for the bill and incorporate those it believes have merit. It’s not clear what timeline the government has set for considering the recommendations and debate on the bill, which begins in the Senate next Monday. SEE PAGE SIX
By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net
A TEENAGER, one of three individuals accused of murdering Queen’s College elementary teacher Joyelle McIntosh in 2015, confessed to committing the crime during his initial record of interview with police, Supreme Court jurors heard yesterday. Police Detective Sergeant Kendra Wallace, taking the witness stand before Justice Bernard Turner, said the teenager admitted to shooting the fourth-grade teacher when interviewed on November 20, 2015 at the Central Detective Unit. Det Sgt Wallace said the teenager, who cannot be named because he was charged as a minor, made his initial confession to a social services employee in the presence of herself SEE PAGE THREE
POLICE PROBE DEATH THREATS TO MINISTERS POLICE have been asked to investigate threats included in several expletive-filled voice notes circulated yesterday that someone would “kill” Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis, Deputy Prime Minister K Peter Turnquest and others in the Free National Movement . The voice notes were recorded by a man who said he was a “hardcore” FNM supporter who was struggling financially and sometimes went to bed hungry. SEE PAGE THREE
ENTERPRISE BILL MAY HAVE CHANGES By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net
TEENAGER ‘CONFESSED’ TO TEACHER’S MURDER
FRANK SMITH, with his wife, Sharilyn, outside court yesterday. His case on extortion and bribery charges was delayed yesterday by the lack of a court stenographer. See page three for more. Photo: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff
WORLD RIGHTS GROUPS CHALLENGE DEPORTATIONS By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
AS the government’s December 31 deadline for irregular migrants to leave the country looms, seven international human rights groups have expressed concerns over its impact on Bahamian-born children and the compliance of state deportation procedures with international law. In a joint statement, the signatory organisations
urged the government to share a written policy on migration, which they noted should be human-rights based with detention used only as a last resort. The groups expressed concerns over media reports on the increased apprehension exercises, which include the stop and search of suspected migrants and shantytown raids, following the announcement of the December 31 deadline. Signatories include: Amnesty International;
Caribbean Institute for Human Rights; Centre for Justice and International Law (CEJIL); Centro para la Observación Migratoria y el Desarrollo Social en el Caribe (Observation Centre for Migration and Social Development in the Caribbean, OBMICA); The Institute on Race, Equality, and Human Rights; Robert F Kennedy Human Rights; and the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA). SEE PAGE FIVE
Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper
STUDENT LOAN DEBTORS SLOW ON REPAYMENTS
By MORGAN ADDERLEY
EDUCATION Minister Jeff Lloyd said the government is not happy about the slow response for repayment from those persons who have defaulted on student loans. He reiterated yesterday the government’s intent to take defaulters to court, even though officials would rather not do so. Yesterday after a press conference held at the Ministry of Education, Mr Lloyd was asked for an update on defaulted payments of student loans from the Education Loan Authority (ELA). SEE PAGE TWO
PAGE 2, Wednesday, November 29, 2017
THE TRIBUNE
Student loan debtors slow on repayments from page one
MINISTER of Education, Science and Technology Jeff Lloyd. Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff
Mr Lloyd replied: “You know this is a process that is ongoing and the reason that it is ongoing is because we have given people an opportunity to come in and settle their arrears. They are doing that. “We would really not want to take people to court, because we understand some of the circumstances, but those who insist that they are not going to respond to our overtures, then yes we will take them to court. “I am happy that there is a response [but] we are not happy with the pace of the response or the amount of the response.” The South Beach MP was also asked if there has been an increase in persons making payments or agreements to settle their debts. Mr Lloyd said: “Yes, I wouldn’t say there’s necessarily an increase, but there’s been a steady response to our invitations for people to come and settle their arrears.” In June, during the
2017-2018 budget debate, Mr Lloyd warned those owing the ELA to pay up or face “grief”. The loan programme was established in 2000 to assist people pursuing tertiary education, either locally or abroad. However, it was suspended in August 2009 due to its high delinquency rate. In July, Mr Lloyd indicated to The Tribune his ministry had commenced the dissemination of written requests to the more that 4,600 former loan recipients, requesting some form of repayment. In October, ELA Chairman Michael Foulkes disclosed that the ELA had commenced legal action in the Supreme Court against delinquent borrowers and guarantors to recover the more than $150m it is owed. According to the Golden Gates MP, requests to have loan holders come in and amicably agree to settlements and payment options have only resulted in 25 per cent of persons with delinquent accounts either paying their loans in full or
becoming current on their loans. Mr Foulkes said this leaves a “whopping and unacceptable” 75 per cent of loan holders who have not paid or made attempts to pay. This also means the ELA has had to turn away new applicants due to a lack of financial resources. Mr Foulkes urged all persons not paying their loans, and their guarantors or coapplicants, to contact the authority at 323-6322 or visit the ELA’s office at 97 Collins Avenue, so that an arrangement can be made. Yesterday, Mr Lloyd was also asked about speculation that he is remodeling his office despite cutbacks in the public service. “No, there is no rumour,” Mr Lloyd answered. “That is a fact. I have remodeled my office. So there’s [no rumour] about it, I have rearranged my office. I have taken up the dirty carpet that was here and I have changed it and put in plants, and [made] my office the place that I want to be since I spend so many hours a day here. There’s no rumour that’s a fact.”
SANDS - NO ACTIVE CASES OF TB AT RM BAILEY HIGH SCHOOL By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net
HEALTH officials do not believe there are any active cases of tuberculosis at R M Bailey Senior High School despite 28 students and eight teachers testing positive for the disease, according to Health Minister Dr Duane Sands yesterday. He said while none of the individuals are displaying symptoms, x-rays will have to be completed to determine if there is any sign of active TB. Dr Sands further revealed there are four active cases of TB in Eleuthera found out of 380 people on the island who had positive Mantoux tests. Dr Sands said that in total 2,500 were screened. The Mantoux is a skin test that can tell if a person has had exposure to TB. And despite concerns there might have been a case of tuberculosis at the C H Reeves Junior High School, Dr Sands said none of the screenings done there returned a positive result. He said: “(At) RM Bailey we have just about completed the screening of the students. We’ve done about 700, 800 students and all of the teachers and staff.
Eight of the teachers have been shown to have positive Mantoux or skin tests and 28 of the students have positive Mantoux. “We will now have to do x-rays on the students to determine if there is any sign of active tuberculosis. At this point nobody is symptomatic and so we do not believe that there are any active cases of TB other than the original case that prompted the concern.” In Eleuthera, Dr Sands said the majority of the cases on the island are latent. He said: “Thus far we have screened almost 2,500 people in Eleuthera of that number we now have 380 positive. When I say positive I’m talking about Mantoux or TB skin tests positive so these would be patients with latent tuberculosis not active TB. There were a number of suspicious chest x-rays and we have now identified four patients with active tuberculosis. “Now if you do the numbers say 2,400 or thereabouts, screened a total of 380 positive skin tests and four out of that entire number with active TB so the overall prevalence of active TB is less than a half of one per cent. “When we look at the results in Eleuthera and we
see that less than 0.5 per cent have active TB probably along the order of 0.2 per cent. It means that again that’s not bad but we want to do better. “So we are now completing evaluation of all of the different communities so that our comments are statistically relevant and valid so we are starting to see some patterns that gives us an idea of which communities have a higher incident or prevalence of positive skin tests and so as we attempt to get the complete population screened we would at least know that our activity is being driven by evidence.” Dr Sands said officials will head to Exuma to begin screenings there once work is complete in Eleuthera. TB is one of the top 10 causes of death worldwide. It is an infectious disease that generally affects the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections do not have symptoms. If left untreated when it becomes active, the disease kills about half of those infected, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). Anyone with questions on TB is asked to call the Ministry of Health’s Surveillance Unit at 376-1103, 376-3970 or 502-4705.
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, November 29, 2017, PAGE 3
SMITH TRIAL DELAYED BY LACK OF STENOGRAPHER By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net
THE trial of former Progressive Liberal Party Senator Frank Smith’s multiple extortion and bribery related charges was adjourned to today due to the unavailability of a stenographer. Before yesterday’s adjournment, however, Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt, who is hearing the matter, informed the court that a stenographer would be available for the remainder of the trial. She stressed that she personally insisted on having a stenographer present for the trial’s duration, a sentiment she said was previously agreed to by both the Crown and the defence. The case starts at 10am today. Smith is facing 15 criminal charges concerning his alleged solicitation of $65,000 in bribes from a woman he is said to have assisted in getting a contract. He is currently out on $50,000 bail. He was initially arraigned before the Chief Magistrate in July charged with 13 counts of extortion and one count of attempted extortion and bribery. The extortion and attempted extortion charges
were brought under section 452(1) of the Penal Code while the bribery charge was brought under Sections 4(2)(a) and 10(b) of the Prevention of Bribery Act. It is alleged that Smith, between April 2016 and April 2017, in respect of his duties as a public officer, demanded and obtained $5,000 per month from Barbara Hanna, knowing he was not lawfully authorised to do so. He is also alleged to have attempted to extort another $5,000 from Ms Hanna in May of this year. Concerning the bribery charge, it is alleged that he solicited $5,000 a month from Ms Hanna for aiding her in getting a contract with the Public Hospitals Authority. Smith pleaded not guilty to all of the allegations during his arraignment. Within an hour of the arraignment, Smith’s lead attorney, Damian Gomez, QC, and assisting lawyers, Glendon Rolle and Valentine Grimes, appeared before Senior Justice Stephen Isaacs asking for Smith to be released from custody ahead of trial. Anthony Delaney and Al-Leecia Delancy are the two Crown prosecutors on record for the matter. Mr Gomez, along with Keith Knight, QC, and Philip McKenzie, represent Smith.
from page one Press Secretary to the Prime Minister Anthony Newbold said last night he did not know who recorded the messages, but he had forwarded them to Commissioner of Police Anthony Ferguson for investigation.
ANTHONY NEWBOLD
FRANK Smith outside court yesterday.
TEENAGER ‘CONFESSED’ TO TEACHER’S MURDER from page one
and the interviewing officer after alerting the officers that he needed to “get something off his chest”. The social services employee was contacted and requested to be present in the interview with the teenager after several failed attempts to contact the accused’s mother, Det Sgt Wallace said. A pastor was also present during the initial confession, she said. Det Sgt Wallace said the teenager, in speaking with the social services employee in the presence of both herself and the interviewing officer, said he felt bad about what he did and only did it because he wanted to steal the car McIntosh was driving. The witness said the teenager again confessed to committing the crime at the start of the actual record of interview, but denied participating in the interview process on the advice of his attorney. Additionally, Det Sgt Wallace said the teenager’s co-accused, Johnny Mackey aka “Eagle Eye”
and Armando Sergeant, in their records of interview on November 18, told officers the teenager was the one who shot McIntosh. Det Sgt Wallace said Mackey, who was the individual lying in the middle of Parkgate Road on the night in question, thus causing McIntosh to swerve to avoid hitting him, admitted he did so but said it was because he caught a “cramp”. Meanwhile, Sergeant, she said, admitted to having knowledge of the offence but denied shooting the deceased. He said he, Mackey and the teenager were on Parkgate Road when they saw a woman driving a silver vehicle headed east towards Village Road. According to Det Sgt Wallace, Sergeant said he saw when Mackey dropped to the ground and said he knew it would be a robbery. As the car approached, he said the teenager approached and subsequently shot the deceased. Similar information was elicited by Sergeant while accompanying the witness, the interviewing officer, and another officer responsible for recording the whole
ordeal on a drive from the Wulff Road Police Station onto Kemp Road and then onto Parkgate Road on November 19, 2015. However, the teenager’s attorney questioned if Det Sgt Wallace took notes of her client’s confession. The officer said she did not. When asked by Sonia Timothy why her client’s confession was not produced in writing, the senior officer replied: “I cannot speak to that, ma’am.” She further stated she could not speak to why the interviewing officer did not take notes of the confession. Ms Timothy also charged that her client initially denied the allegations against him, and after doing so, was taken to a separate section of the CDU complex, slapped by Det Sgt Wallace, and bagged multiple times by the interviewing officer with another officer present. After this and other acts of police brutality, Ms Timothy submitted to Det Sgt Wallace that her client was taken back to the interviewing room to continue the interview process. The senior officer
MEN DENIED EXTRADITION APPEAL - BUT GIVEN EXTRA TIME FOR PRIVY COUNCIL MOVE By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net
THE Court of Appeal has denied five men leave to appeal to the Privy Council seeking to avoid extradition to the United States of America on drug trafficking charges. However, the court granted them a conservatory order for 14 days to allow them “the opportunity to seek special leave from the Privy Council”. The matter involving Austin Knowles, Nathaniel Knowles, Edison Watson, Ian Bethel and Sean Bruey
aka Shawn Saunders has taken years. The men were committed to prison to await their extradition after Court of Appeal President Dame Anita Allen, Justice Jon Isaacs and Justice Stella Crane-Scott affirmed Supreme Court Senior Justice Stephen Isaacs’ refusal to grant them writs of habeas corpus last year. In their ruling, the Court of Appeal justices noted the “laissez-faire” attitudes of the five men in seeking favourable court orders to prevent their own extradition was a major reason why their own grounds of appeal towards that end were
ultimately unsuccessful. Dame Anita Allen further noted that contrary to the appellants’ submissions that their extradition would be oppressive after the passage of 16 years, that particular circumstance “does not surmount the high threshold requisite for establishing oppression.” Conversely, the court noted that when the suggestions of potential oppression are “weighed against the gravity and seriousness of the crimes they are accused of,” it “would not be sufficient to tip the balance in favour of their (being) discharged.”
TWO WOMEN IN HOSPITAL AFTER STABBING By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
TWO women were hospitalised this week following a stabbing incident in Freeport, police reported on Tuesday. Asst Supt Terecita Pinder said two women were taken to the Rand Memorial Hospital with serious injuries to the body on Monday evening. According to reports, shortly after 8pm police were called to a business at the International Bazaar in reference to an altercation.
On arrival, officers saw two women with stab wounds to their bodies. They were taken to hospital where they were seen
POLICE PROBE DEATH THREATS TO MINISTERS
by doctors who described their injuries as serious. ASP Pinder said police are investigating the matter.
denied all of Ms Timothy’s assertions. The trial continues. Yesterday’s proceedings are the latest in the murder trial of the fourth-grade teacher on November 11, 2015. It is alleged the teenager, who was 17 at the time of the incident, along with Mackey of Bonaby Alley and Sergeant of Kemp Road, attempted to rob McIntosh at gunpoint of her 2009 silver coloured Toyota Corolla worth $6,000.
It is alleged that during the failed carjacking, the victim was shot multiple times in her head and body. She later crashed into a wall at the intersection of Parkgate and Village Roads. All three have denied the allegations. Viola Barnett and Akeyra Saunders represent the Crown. David Cash and Dorsey McPhee are the other two defense attorneys on record, representing Sergeant and Mackey, respectively.
“I hurting on this corner man,” the self-proclaimed FNM supporter said in one voice note. “I [expletive] hurting. And I is a big time FNM. . . some night I go to bed hungry . . . gas killing [expletive] me. “The struggle real. These FNMs and Minnis and [expletive] Peter Turnquest [expletive] right around, if they keep this [expletive] up, someone ga kill them bey. I don’t care who is record these Whatsapp. . .” The man also claimed he worked on the election campaign of Mount Moriah MP Marvin Dames and helped him get elected, but now he could not even get $20 or a job from the government.
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PAGE 4, Wednesday, November 29, 2017
THE TRIBUNE
The Tribune Limited NULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI “Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master”
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Pressing need for economic reform IN these columns last week, we supported the government’s policy to reform and open up the economy and move towards membership of the World Trade Organization. Today, following the passage through the House of Assembly of the Commercial Enterprises Bill, we address the issue of competition and diversification, together with the ease of doing business, as the keys to achieving economic growth. It was encouraging to hear from the Prime Minister recently that with a reduction in crime his administration could now focus on economic matters. Incoming governments tend to blame their predecessors for fiscal mismanagement whatever the true state of affairs, but this time we believe the new FNM government’s claims about the financial cupboard being bare as a result of the profligacy and mismanagement of the PLP administration and that major reform of the country’s economic model was urgently required. In case of any doubt, the International Monetary Fund issued a stern warning recently that, without fiscal consolidation and structural reform that will stimulate growth, The Bahamas’ national debt could become virtually equal to its Gross Domestic Product by 2022. These are the objective views of seasoned economists with no political axe to grind and we ignore them at our peril. The seriousness of our current economic situation has perhaps been lost on some people but all should welcome the courage of the government in tackling the issue of reform head-on in an effort to stave off economic disaster and to achieve economic growth. We have depended for too long on the two pillars of tourism and financial services and it has become imperative to diversify and become more competitive in order to prevent the nation from going bankrupt. The Commercial Enterprises Bill is designed to boost the economy by attracting new foreign investment and involvement in the private sector and also improving the ease of doing business. Traditionally, many Bahamians have been deeply suspicious of outsiders becoming part of our domestic economy because of a perceived threat to their livelihood and interests through being swamped by foreigners. To others, this attitude has amounted to xenophobia and has polarised our society. In the modern world, as a small country we have to interact with others and seek foreign investment for our prosperity – if not survival – as an independent sovereign nation. So a shift in thinking and approach is essential, though it remains the case that Bahamian workers need some protection. The key is to find the right balance.
This Bill may well need some amendment and fine-tuning to accommodate various concerns of the Chamber of Commerce, and issues like the $250,000 threshold should perhaps be reexamined. Given our reputation for bureaucratic inertia, there are doubts, too, about the practicality of a 14-day turnaround for decisions about work permits. But the Bill’s main purpose of introducing competition should be welcomed as a step in the right direction. This is an essential element of a free enterprise system and plays a vital role in improving productivity and driving economic growth because businesses are forced to become more efficient by controlling costs and being more innovative in developing new products at competitive prices which consumers want. It beggars belief that in our small country there cannot be a bipartisan approach to national investment policy. For the PLP to claim that all the government is doing is to “lay out the red carpet for foreign investors” shows a profound misunderstanding of the need for economic reform if we are to achieve growth and thus protect the standard of living of Bahamians generally which should result from the claimed “trickle down” effect. Moreover, its leader’s pledge to repeal the Commercial Enterprises legislation if the PLP returns to power demonstrates his political naivety. The PLP’s vote against the Bill on what appears to be ideological grounds to protect local workers is misguided in our view while a commitment to repeal it is unwise, if not foolhardy. The FNM government has an overwhelming majority, so there is no prospect of an early general election and it is impossible to predict what the economic conditions will be in 2022. Such a stance also sends all the wrong signals to potential investors. Pro-market economists agree that competition is an indispensable spur to efficiency and innovation. Most notable was Nobel Prize-winning American economist Milton Friedman – an adviser to Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s when each presided over successful financial and business reform in their respective countries – who was a strong advocate of the benefits of free and competitive markets as the driving force of economic development. In all the circumstances, the Commercial Enterprises legislation must be the right way forward for our country as Dr Minnis’s administration seeks to position us to survive and prosper in a globalised economy. But it is important to ensure a proper balance among differing interests by retaining adequate safeguards for our domestic economy against potentially unscrupulous investors while encouraging foreign direct investment as a whole.
Commerce Bill plan EDITOR, The Tribune. I IMAGINE that Brent Symonette is a little selfconscious about tooting his own family’s horn, but perhaps the very best example that could be given to the Bahamian people, to demonstrate the positive side of what this bill is trying to do, is to simply look at the history of our own Commonwealth Bank. That history is online for anyone to read http://www. combankltd.com/web/bank.
nsf/vContent/About%20 Us#history and it tells of a 57-year history, starting with Brent’s own father, joint venturing with a Canadian, Peter Paul Saunders, who was the former head of a Canadian company Laurentide Financial Corporation. Today, Commonwealth Bank is a major player in commercial banking in The Bahamas, and is run entirely by Bahamians, but more importantly, it is owned by Bahamians,
perhaps exclusively. Bahamians have to get beyond the “bogey man foreigner” coming here just to eat their lunch. And I don’t know of any politician on either side of the political spectrum, who would be so politically stupid, to knowingly let that happen. There is nothing to fear but fear itself. BRUCE G RAINE Nassau, November 27, 2017.
The fourth estate and Dr Minnis EDITOR, The Tribune. IN Constitutional Law, it is generally accepted that there are four estates in any civilised and democratic country. The church is often referred to as the “first” estate. The legislature as the second estate. The executive as the third estate and, of course, the media is known as the fourth estate. The demarcation between these “estates” often overlap and may be difficult to separate. It is no different here in our wonderful nation. At a recent doll house event sponsored by the so-called Bahamas Press Club, our erstwhile Prime Minister, obviously, must have strayed from the script presented to him by his political handlers. The mainstream media, inclusive of The Tribune and The Nassau Guardian, fully supported the Free National Movement (FNM) and Dr Minnis. The PLP and its now defunct leader were literally hated by the average voter and, indeed, Bahamians across the board. It was commonly accepted that the then governing PLP and its bumbling and disconnected leader had to go into forced political retirement. The mainstream media hammered them without mercy for years leading up to the general elections of May 10th, 2017 Mind you, what little ‘good’ the PLP may have done (and it was hardly visible to the naked eye), was grossly out weighted by the bad, which was voluminous and pervasive. It is a spectacle of national proportions to have seen and heard the PM’s tirade against the media at that “doll house” styled event. He, a medical doctor, with little to no communication skills, lit into those in attendance and accused them of being everything except a child of God. He condemned the press for becoming tabloid
LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net in nature and accused the media of ignoring public policy initiatives as espoused by his administration. The attendees sat right there with their mouths wide open and, possibly, catching flies. The venue and time were wrong and the PM should have been more graceful and temperate in his disjointed and convoluted bogus accusations. Minnis and crew have been in power for a little over six months. Apart from moving a Bill to amend The Pensions Act, so as to pay out former Commissioner of Police, Elliston Greenslade, a reasonable pension as he “retired’’ from that position, what other significant Bills have been brought to parliament of a public policy nature? Not a single one. Minnis has an apparent aversion to questionings by the media and talk show hosts. He has long sought to dismiss most of us as distractions and obstructionists to what he calls “public policy initiatives”. This man, obviously, is a resident of the Twilight Zone 2.0. A Bill has now been introduced erroneously titled: “The Commercial Enterprise Bill”. This so-called revolutionary piece of legislation is designed, in my view, almost 95% for the benefit of foreign investors and their corporate shells. This Bill will allow foreign individuals and corporate structures to set up shop in our nation with the minimum of red tape. In fact, these foreign people and entities do not even need to first apply for a work permit before starting a commercial enterprise. The unwashed Bahamian masses, especially the black ones, will not be “taken cared of, at this time” as, clearly, ‘It is the people dem time...’ Massive red
tape and massive inability to access the smallest amount of business capital continues to literally plague the people of this wonderful nation, more than 44 years after our so-called “Independence”. The Minnis administration appears to have absolutely no public policy plans and initiatives for Bahamians. Grand Bahama is still on its economic knees despite sweeping all of the parliamentary seats. The DPM is from Grand Bahama. The Minister of Sports is Freeport based. The Minister of State for Grand Bahama’s Prime Minister’s Office (a soft job for one of the boys) is also based in Grand Bahama. In six months what has Minnis and crew done for the long suffering people of Grand Bahama, generally, and Freeport in particular? Minnis crowed a few months ago, in tandem with the erstwhile Minister of Tourism that Our Lucaya, or was it Memories, would be up and running for this winter season! This is an impossibility and was designed to bull skate the people of Grand Bahama and to buy political solace for Minnis and his motley crew. And, therefore, beloved, because this political and economically destitute administration never had a real plan of action, it has had to wing it, so to speak. When and where this fails, Minnis and crew have resorted to attacking the media and journalists, inclusive of talk show hosts. Minnis and them will live to regret this blatant and undemocratic attack on the Fourth Estate. If he and they were only to do their jobs with accountability and transparency, most things will work out for all Bahamians. To God then, in all things, be the glory. ORTLAND H BODIE, Jr Nassau, November 22, 2017.
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, November 29, 2017, PAGE 5
MORE THAN 100 DEPORTED - BUT NONE FROM ADELAIDE BEACH SLOOP By SANCHESKA DORSETT Tribune Staff Reporter sdorsett@tribunemedia.net
MORE than 100 illegal Haitian immigrants have been deported in the weeks since a large empty sloop was discovered on the shoreline of Adelaide Beach, however immigration officers say none of the captured migrants is suspected to have been on board, according to
Kirklyn Neely, head of the Immigration Department’s Enforcement Unit. In an interview with The Tribune, Mr Neely said no one is “admitting to being on the vessel” but immigration officers’ efforts have still paid off. He said an additional 150 illegal Haitians, who were caught in about two weeks, are at the Detention Centre waiting to be deported. “We are still searching,
WORLD RIGHTS GROUPS CHALLENGE DEPORTATIONS from page one The statement read: “The signatory organisations call on the Bahamian authorities to urgently share a written human rights-based migration policy that uses detention only as a measure of last resort; includes details of the processes available to those who wish to regularise their status; screening processes to avoid the expulsion of individuals born in the Bahamas with a right to Bahamian nationality; and processes to assess asylum claims with all procedural safeguards.” It continued: “We remind the Bahamian authorities that in accordance with international standards, any deportation procedures must ensure individual assessments of each case, provide individuals with deportation orders in writing, and safeguard the right of individuals to challenge their deportation order before an independent court of law.” The Immigration Act also calls for similar processing before the courts before a person is deported; however, officials are of the opinion that this process would severely backlog operations due to the high volume of irregular migrants. The international groups recalled the country’s 2015 hearing before the InterAmerican Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) concerning the impact of its November 2014 policy, and conditions at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre. The IACHR requested the county adopt precautionary measures to “safeguard the lives and integrity of detainees held at Carmichael Detention Centre, including providing better hygienic conditions, medical treatment for detainees, reducing overcrowding, access to legal assistance, and allowing civil society organisations access to Carmichael to monitor conditions”. The statement continued: “To date, we understand that conditions at Carmichael remain similar to those that formed the basis of the request in 2015 and
we urge the Bahamian authorities to fully implement those measures.” Meanwhile, local advocacy group Rights Bahamas has called for the resignation or firing of Immigration Director William Pratt for “blatant human rights abuses and constitutional violations which have occurred on his watch”, singling out the deportation of Bahamian-born minors. RB charged the only possible aim for removing persons with rights to apply for citizenship, without due process, was “ethnic cleansing”. “In that regard,” the RB statement read, “considering his admission that it is the overt policy of the Immigration Department to expel minors born in the Bahamas along with their parents, Rights Bahamas calls for the immediate resignation of Immigration Director William Pratt. If he will not resign, he must be fired. The blatant human rights abuses and constitutional violations which have occurred on his watch cannot go without consequence.” RB welcomed the support of international human rights associations, charging in a separate statement that the December 31 ultimatum risked more than just an “international black eye” for the country. RB referred to a recent incident in which a young child and her mother were injured after falling from a truck bed in a bid to evade immigration officers. “We join human rights defenders from across the globe in denouncing the inexcusable forms of abuse which have been reported over the past several weeks – aptly symbolised by the harrowing images of facial injuries suffered by a young, frightened child,” the RB statement read. “We have warned the government repeatedly that their high-handed and aggressive actions against migrants are illegal, discriminatory, abusive and violate numerous international treaties to which the country is signatory. Clearly, such behaviour has no place in a modern progressive society.”
we are still looking. So far, we have sent 114 Haitians back home on a Bahamasair flight and 18 on a smaller plane. These are the persons who were caught since our search began for the persons on board the vessel,” he said. “We have an additional 150 Haitians at the Detention Centre waiting to be deported. It costs us about $45,000 every time one of those Bahamasair flights are
chartered. We caught a lot of illegals but no one is admitting to being on that boat.” Authorities believe the immigrants who landed in mid-November had help from people already on New Providence and warned anyone who was found hiding them would be jailed, fined or both. Mr Neely estimated between 150 to 250 undocumented migrants were on board the sloop.
The hunt for the migrants began three Sundays ago when the RBDF said it was investigating reports of a wooden Haitian sloop landing in the southwest area of New Providence. The ship came ashore sometime on the night of November 11 or the morning of November 12, the RBDF said, adding that the number of suspected migrants on board were unknown.
The intense immigration sweeps since the landing have angered local activist and attorney Fred Smith, QC. Mr Smith, president of Rights Bahamas (RB), has written to members of the government expressing displeasure about the “complete and intentional” breakdown of the rule of law regarding the actions of immigration officials and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force.
Fake news, PM? Well, not quite from page one Because Mr Ferreira is a persistent target of rumours from the Free National Movement’s opponents on social media, the document over the weekend gave rise to unsubstantiated theories about why he was having his portfolio reduced. Mr Newbold said Dr Minnis had not seen the document when he dismissed it as “fake news” in a short interview with reporters on Saturday, but had merely assumed the document claimed there was “wholesale transfer of responsibilities from Mr Ferreira to him with the intent to demote (Mr Ferreira)”. Mr Newbold said the only function transferred to Dr Minnis is responsibility for the Bahamas Environmental Science and Technology (BEST) Commission. The other matters - the Plant Protection Act, Wild Animal and Bird Protection, Natural History Specimens, relations with national and international organisations on matters relating to the environment, international convention, treaties, protocols and agreements relating to the environment and reef and blue holes - were not transferred to the prime minister as the gazetted document says, according to Mr Newbold. His explanation made PLP Leader Philip “Brave” Davis incredulous yesterday. Mr Davis said all the matters Mr Newbold said were wrongfully attached to Dr Minnis in the gazetted document relate so closely to the work of the BEST Commission that it would “be very difficult to dissociate the work of BEST from those matters.” Mr Davis suggested the administration is trying to excuse Dr Minnis’ previous dismissal of the document. Mr Newbold could not explain how the official document got its errors but told reporters it would have to be corrected. He said he found out about the matter “like everybody else” when it was circulated on social
PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis. media recently. Asked if Dr Minnis sent to the Cabinet Office his written instructions of the matters that should be transferred to him, Mr Newbold suggested no such written communication was sent. “To my understanding,” he said, the matter was discussed in Cabinet “and people taking notes [wrote] it down.” This too drew scepticism from Mr Davis. “There had to have been some writing,” he said. “One would expect there would have been a directive in writing to the secretary of the Cabinet to make this instruction to the governor general saying this is how I want these portfolios to be allocated.” Under the Constitution, the governor general,
on advice from the prime minister, is responsible for prescribing responsibilities and functions to ministers. “Any portfolio movement has to first emanate from the prime minister,” Mr Davis said. “That’s at his sole discretion and authority.” Dr Minnis did not previously announce his new responsibility for the BEST Commission. Mr Newbold said the institution was transferred to assist the government with investment matters. “The BEST Commission was established to help guide the process of development projects,” he said. “When the Bahamas Investment Authority (BIA) was formed initially, it sought and obtained the advice of the BEST Commission,
as part of its review process, before development projects were presented to the National Economic Council for its consideration. BEST would review the Environmental Impact Assessment presented, ensure that all impacts that could disrupt the environment were included and interacted with the developer to ensure that they were all listed. BEST then reviewed the developer’s Environment Plan and if all of these were in accord, then the project proceeded to NEC. Once the project was given the green light by NEC, BEST monitored the management of these impacts by the developer. “Over the past several years this practice was discontinued and NEC made decisions about projects that impacted the environment without the input of BEST and such projects were approved ‘in principle’ subject to the BEST Commission. The cart was before the horse. Invariably, there were aspects of the proposals that impacted the environment that BEST could not support, but the developers had already been ‘approved’ and it became very difficult for the BEST’s objections to prevail. The Prime Minister decided to take responsibility for BEST so that as an agency under the Office of the Prime Minister, it could be a part of the review process before matters went to NEC.”
PAGE 6, Wednesday, November 29, 2017
THE TRIBUNE
Turnquest warns against sensationalising bill By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net A DAY after former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham gave a stinging assessment of the Commercial Enterprises Bill, Deputy Prime Minister K Peter Turnquest replied to the critique, saying everyone is entitled to their own view but should not sensationalise or read into the bill things that do not exist. Pointedly asked about the former prime minister’s concern regarding the bill’s provision entitling businesses to a specified number of work permits, Mr Turnquest said: “Again we are attracting new industries. I cannot sit here and tell you for the sake of argument in a biomedical firm how many people they need to bring. I don’t know. “But any investment is going to have to go through the regular investment process where the business plan will be produced. They will have discussions with the BIA (Bahamas Investment Authority) about what they require. They will have conversations with immigration about what they require and what is available vs what is not available on the island and those decisions will be made. “Again we are all entitled to our view but we must not try to sensationalise or read into this bill things that do not exist.” The bill’s provision entitling businesses to a specified number of work permits were likened by Mr Ingraham to 1950s era policies that have long since been “discarded”. The bill would also allow foreigners or Bahamians to receive “economic concessions” if they establish specified types of businesses in the Bahamas with an investment of no less than $250,000. Such businesses would be entitled to a specified number of work permits for executives, managers and people with “specialised knowledge.” The bill’s
ENTERPRISE BILL MAY HAVE CHANGES from page one
DEPUTY Prime Minister K Peter Turnquest. $250,000 threshold “is too low,” Mr Ingraham said. However, according to Minister of Financial Services and Immigration Brent Symonette, there are many businesses that do not require a “big set up”. He said there was no need to be scared about this aspect of the legislation. Asked whether the government was of the mind to tweak the bill, Mr Turnquest said he could not answer the question, adding he believed the government was mindful of all the comments that have been made. He said officials would look to see whether the concerns were already addressed in the bill or whether there should be any amendments. On Monday, Mr Ingraham critiqued the controversial CEB saying the Minnis administration should “rethink the bill and make necessary adjustments”. “I don’t know if he attacked it,” Mr Turnquest said in response to a question from The Tribune. “I think he has some concerns like a lot of Bahamians have some concerns. Certainly, we have to do a better job at educating the Bahamian public as to what it is we are trying to accomplish here. “Again, there is no mystery here. There are no secrets or backroom dealings with respect to what we are trying to accomplish. As the bill outlines, we are trying to make the Bahamas more competitive so that we can attract these niche type industries
that are either under represented or do not exist in the country and I think that’s where Bahamians are getting a little confused and there’s a lot of political spin around this and we understand that.” Mr Turnquest also echoed the sentiments of Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis in asserting the financial services sector is dying. This is something Mr Ingraham disagrees with, telling The Tribune on Monday that the sector is “vibrant and dynamic”. “We have to recognise that we haven’t had any significant growth and in fact we’ve had negative growth over the last five years it’s unsustainable,” Mr Turnquest said. “When we talk about disadvantaging Bahamian investors the truth of the matter is that if we could do this by ourselves we would have done it. We cannot grow this economy by ourselves. We need foreign direct investment. It is a fact because we are an open economy.” He also said: “The financial services industry is under a lot of pressure and we see it every time that we make an advancement in terms of conforming to socalled BEST practises the ball moves again and the latest right now is this base erosion profit shifting concept that has been brought in. “We cannot sit here and do the things that we have done in the past not adapt our legislation. Not adapt
Mr Newbold’s comments came after former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham criticised most of the bill’s key provisions in an interview with The Tribune on Monday. Mr Ingraham said tradeoffs for Bahamians are not clear and the bill represents a piecemeal approach to changing longstanding immigration policies when a more comprehensive, bipartisan approach would be useful. The bill would allow foreigners or Bahamians to receive “economic concessions” if they establish specified types of businesses in the Bahamas with an investment of no less than $250,000. Such businesses would be entitled to a specified number of work permits for executives, managers and people with “specialised knowledge.” Asked if the Minnis administration is comfortable moving forward with the bill in view of the criticism, Mr Newbold said: “The administration has to accept that recommendations, suggestions, criticisms - that’s a part of the whole process of public consultation. The bill passed in the House of Assembly will be debated in the Senate beginning Monday. The attorney
general has committed to speaking with several civil society groups, including the Chamber of Commerce who published a list of concerns they have. Whatever recommendations and suggestions the government thinks have merits, will be incorporated into that bill. No sane government will deliberately hurt its citizens. “The former prime minister is a good Bahamian citizen, distinguished one actually, a three-term prime minister; he like everyone else should have a right to make commentary.” Mr Newbold also appeared to reiterate Dr Minnis’ view about the health of the financial services sector. Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis has said the sector is “dying” but Mr Ingraham said Monday the sector is “dynamic” and “evolving.” “Financial services… has been on life support for some time now,” Mr Newbold said. “It’s been under threat for at least two decades. The Commercial Enterprises Bill is designed to do something differently from what we’ve been doing the last 40, 50 years. We all agree the economy is anemic; been that way for some time. We can’t keep doing that the same way; we have
to do something different.” Traditionally, the National Economic Council (NEC) has been responsible for considering investment policies and matters. Mr Newbold yesterday refused to reveal who Dr Minnis has appointed to this council. “I will let the prime minister decide [to release the identities],” he said. “He hasn’t given me approval to release those names yet. I’m not going to give you anything, but he will.” Both the National Congress of Trade Unions Bahamas (NCTUB) and the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) have released press statements calling on the administration to disclose the identities of the people on the NEC. But the administration, which campaigned on a pledge of transparency, have not done so as yet. It’s not clear whether those on the NEC advised the government on the Commercial Enterprises Bill. Opposition Leader Philip “Brave” Davis said yesterday: “I’m not only interested in who they have appointed, I want to know if they had impact on this bill. Transparency, accountability, they are catchy words. If they say they are transparent, release the names.”
our enabling environment to be competitive and to anticipate not just react but anticipate where the world is going and expect that we’re going to have growth. This is about job creation for Bahamians. This is about creating opportunities for Bahamians that do not exist today.
“So when I hear this thing about the government favouring foreigners over domestic businesses that is nonsense. We are not about introducing foreign competition for Bahamian businesses. That is not what this bill is about. “This is not about introducing foreigners to come and take jobs that
Bahamians have or Bahamians are qualified to do. This is about creating new opportunities. This is about introducing new skills into the country that is designed such that those skills are transferred to Bahamians so that they could take advantage of those opportunities going forward,” Mr Turnquest also said.
By SANCHESKA DORSETT Tribune Staff Reporter sdorsett@tribunemedia.net
in the CEB and vowed that the PLP would repeal the bill if re-elected. “The Minister of Finance Peter Turnquest really has a nerve. He has suddenly found religion in the sense that he now recognises that the world is watching what is said in The Bahamas,” Mr Mitchell said. “The PLP was aware of this all the time. That is why the PLP warned Mr Turnquest from the day he took on the job of minister of finance that he ought to be careful what he says about our finances because what he says about the state of the finances of our country could hurt or damage our country. Mr Turnquest in his arrogance ignored us and continued with his loose talk which led to the outlook for the economy being changed to negative. He went about saying the country was broke, implied that the PLP had stolen the VAT money, then said himself that the PLP used $42m earmarked for hurricane relief to buy the last general election. All of those FNM inspired brickbats were false and untrue. We warned them that it would backfire on him and the FNM. We remind him that a fisherman does not call his own fish foul.” “Now that the PLP has said it will repeal the Commercial Enterprises Bill, he suddenly finds that the world is interested in what goes on in The Bahamas. Indeed they are interested
and we repeat that if the bill passes, it will be repealed by the PLP when it comes to office,” the statement said. “No less a person than the former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham today [Tuesday] intervened in the press to say that no bill should be passed without the agreement of the PLP on so fundamental a matter as immigration. Remember Mr Minister of Finance when you dig one grave, dig two.” On Monday, Mr Ingraham attacked the controversial bill, saying the Minnis administration should “rethink the bill and make necessary adjustments”. He told The Tribune if the Minnis administration wants to adjust the country’s immigration policies on work permits, it should not only do so in concert with the PLP but it should also take a comprehensive approach rather than a piecemeal one. “Many investments are stifled and are not properly proceeded with because of immigration regulations and procedures,” Mr Ingraham said. “That’s a fact. It would be good for The Bahamas if both political parties can agree on an immigration policy that becomes a national immigration policy so that when the PLP is in and the FNM is out they don’t change it and the FNM doesn’t change it when it gets in so everyone knows this is the national policy of The Bahamas.”
MITCHELL: THE WORLD IS WATCHING PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party Chairman Fred Mitchell yesterday criticised Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance K Peter Turnquest for suggesting that recent comments from the PLP regarding the Commercial Enterprises Bill could ruin the Bahamas’ international reputation with investors. In a statement, Mr Mitchell said he is surprised the East Grand Bahama MP finally “recognises the world was watching” what goes on in The Bahamas. On Monday, Mr Turnquest told The Nassau Guardian Official Opposition Leader Phillip “Brave” Davis’ statement that the PLP would repeal the CEB is “wrong and dangerous.” “For them to have made this statement in a time when we are trying to attract investment, when we are managing a very fragile economy… I think is very unfortunate,” Mr Turnquest said. In a statement on Sunday, Mr Davis warned potential foreign investors to “think carefully” before accepting the benefits contained
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PAGE 8, Wednesday, November 29, 2017
THE TRIBUNE
Violence cannot be tolerated - in whatever form it comes G
ENDERbased violence is a pervasive issue that often goes unrecognised and unchecked. We all know it exists, but our understanding of it can be quite limited in scope and type. In discussions about violence, emphasis is generally put on direct violence to recognise the violation in which includes physical acts favour of misplacing blame like hitting and pushing, for the violation is another with little focus on forms act of violence. Indirect violence includes of violence that are just as damaging. Direct violence systemic issues and the stealso includes sexual vio- reotypes with which we are lence, from harassment to familiar, even if we do not rape, and less frequently recognise them as such. Yesterday, in a session discussed acts like human trafficking, exploitation focused on the United of domestic workers and Nations Convention for the Elimination of All forms online harassment. We have fallen into the of Discrimination Against habit of excusing direct vio- Women, a differently-abled lence. We find ways to put woman spoke out about the blame on the survivors and lack of access to spaces — victims of violence. This is public and otherwise — and increased sometimes vulnerbecause As the holidays ability of we want differentlyto protect approach and the abled the abus- season of giving women. ers, but in makes us more She idenmost cases, tified the we fail to willing to part with money, think about exclusion recognise certain how can you support of differently-abled acts as viowomen as lence. We an organisation an act viouse words advocating for the lence. This like “teas- rights of women or is a form of ing” and violence we “flirting” to providing support do not often downplay to women and girl recognise harassment, survivors of violence. or acknowlrefusing to edge, but see the disis part of the lived realtinction between them. Women and girls are ity of differently-abled seen as unfriendly or people and compounds the “stuck up” when they dare marginalisation of differto say or show that atten- ently-abled women. Women tion is unwanted. Men and do not get to be only boys are allowed to make women. We are women and nuisances of themselves black, women and queer, because there is more value women and poor, women on their performance of and elderly and any number masculinity and seeking to of other layered identities. Every year, 16 Days of fill their own needs than the comfort and safety of Activism Against Genderbased Violence — a global women and girls. Far too many people con- campaign — run from cern themselves with what a November 25 to December women or girl was wearing, 10. It opens on the Day for where she was, who she was the Elimination of Violence with and why she was there Against Women and closes with whomever was in her on International Human company when she reports Rights Day. These obsersexual assault. This refusal vations underscore both
the pervasive and possibly most easily identified forms of gender inequality and the recognition of women’s rights as human rights. This campaign coincides with National Women’s Week in The Bahamas which this year began on the fifty-fifth anniversary of the first time Bahamian women voted. The Department of Gender and Family Affairs planned Orange Day, a church service and the information and walkthrough of the CEDAW report. The Department also disseminated information on NGO-led events and initiatives, including the Zonta Says No town hall held last night and the series of events and actions organised by Equality Bahamas. These included a Day of Silence, screening of Marion Bethel’s Womanish Ways — a documentary on the Bahamian Women’s Suffrage Movement — and open mic at Expressions at Bistro Underground being held tonight, featuring Tingum Collective from University of The Bahamas, Blue Elite dance troupe and poets Zemi Holland and Letitia Pratt. This 16-day campaign includes a broad range of activities which are aimed at raising awareness and driving action. Beyond wearing orange and attending events in droves, it is critical we advocate for the change we need, systemically, to end gender-based violence. As Donna Nicolls, of Bahamas Women’s Watch, stated at a few events thus far during the campaign, we need to continue our action and remember that 16 days is not enough. The campaign is beneficial for introducing people to the issues, increasing and
A MEMBER of the Zonta Club drapes an orange ribbon on a tree in Pinewood Gardens as part of a project to show domestic violence awareness. Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff deepening understanding and the headmistress. It is both the organisation and of those issues and con- clear none of us can wait for its clients. There are always people necting with organisations annual campaigns, nor can and individuals working on we limit our advocacy and who want to help, but are women’s rights and ending activism to these limited not able to give tangible items, and there is space gender-based violence year- periods. Everyone is not able to for them too. Bahamas round all over the world. Last year, the Life in Leg- participate in global cam- Sexual Health and Rights (BaSHRA) gings movement started paigns or contribute to Association in Barbados, swept across ongoing work in the same is running Baby Can Wait the region and encouraged ways, so it is important to — a comprehensive sexual many Bahamian women to consider various levels of education program — in share their stories of sexual involvement, time com- a few high schools this violence. For most of them, mitment, and frequency academic year and could it was the first time they of activity. As the holidays certainly benefit from had spoken about their approach and the season more volunteers willing to of giving makes us more be trained and assigned a experiences. While the campaign was willing to part with money, class to teach for one hour not launched as a part of think about how can you per week for ten weeks. the 16-day campaign, it support an organisation There are many ways to connected thousands of advocating for the rights of take action and EqualCaribbean women and women or providing sup- ity Bahamas is sharing a highlighted the similarity port to women and girl new idea every day during 16-days. of stories, laws and sys- survivors of violence. While money is always The first step is to think temic issues. This year, just before the beginning helpful, a phone call or about violence in its variof the campaign, people in email to find out about ous forms, where it shows Guyana stood in support items needed is always wel- up in your life and how you of high school girls who come. The Bahamas Crisis respond to it. Every act of reported sexual violence by Centre, for example, is violence is not intentional, a teacher and rebuked the currently in need of non- but is still wrong, so it is on headmistress who shamed perishable food including the individual, along with girl students for not sup- noodles, tuna, corned beef organisations, to be intentional in our actions and porting their teacher. They and small packs of rice. Whether you can give a inclusion of women and pushed for a response from the Ministry of Education can of tuna or a case of tuna, girls and all other marginalwith regard to the teacher it would be appreciated by ised people.
PAGE 10, Wednesday, November 29, 2017
MAY DATE FOR ROYAL WEDDING
LONDON (AP) — It will be a spring wedding at Windsor Castle for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The wedding will be in May, but the date has not been chosen, Harry’s communications secretary, Jason Knauf, told a packed briefing at Buckingham Palace. Harry’s grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, had given permission for the couple to wed at St George’s Chapel, the historic church on the Windsor Castle grounds.
THE TRIBUNE
Puerto Rico without tarps despite $30m deal WASHINGTON Associated Press AFTER Hurricane Maria damaged tens of thousands of homes in Puerto Rico, a newly created Florida company with an unproven record won more than $30m in contracts from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide emergency tarps and plastic sheeting for repairs. Bronze Star LLC never delivered those urgently needed supplies, which even months later remain in demand by hurricane victims on the island. FEMA eventually terminated the contracts,
EDGARDO de León sits in his living room with a hole in the ceiling caused by Hurricane Maria, in Cataño, Puerto Rico. Photo: Carlos Giusti/AP without paying any money, and re-started the process this month to supply more tarps for the island. The earlier effort took nearly four weeks from the day FEMA awarded the contracts to Bronze Star and the day it canceled them. Thousands of Puerto Ricans remain homeless, and many complain that the federal government is taking too long to install
tarps. The US territory has been hit by severe rainstorms in recent weeks that have caused widespread flooding. It is not clear how thoroughly FEMA investigated Bronze Star or its ability to fulfill the contracts. Formed by two brothers in August, Bronze Star had never before won a government contract or delivered tarps or plastic sheeting. The
address listed for the business is a single-family home in a residential subdivision in St Cloud, Florida. One of the brothers, Kayon Jones, said manufacturers he contacted before bidding on the contracts assured him they could provide the tarps but later said they could not meet the government’s requirements. Jones said supplying the materials was problematic because most of the raw materials came out of Houston, which was hit hard by Hurricane Harvey. He said he sought a waiver from FEMA to allow him to order tarps from a Chinese manufacturer and for more time, but FEMA denied the request. FEMA canceled the contracts Nov 6, Jones said. The government notified his brother and him a few days later that it would seek $9.3m in damages unless they signed a waiver releasing the US from any liability. The brothers agreed. “We were trying to help;
it wasn’t about making money or anything like that,” Jones said. FEMA awarded the company two contracts Oct 10 to provide 500,000 tarps and 60,000 rolls of plastic sheeting. More than a half dozen others also bid, but FEMA said it could not provide details about their bids. “The award of a government contract to a company with absolutely no experience in producing the materials sought obviously raises very bright red flags,” said Dan Feldman, professor of public management at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice at City University of New York. “I would hope and assume that the inspector general for the Department of Homeland Security would begin immediately to take a very hard look at this process.” A FEMA spokesman, Ron Roth, said the agency’s review process was “somewhat expedited” after Hurricane Maria.
NORTH KOREA LAUNCHES NEW LONG-RANGE MISSILE WASHINGTON Associated Press
NORTH Korea abruptly ended a ten-week pause in its weapons testing Tuesday by launching what the Pentagon said was an intercontinental ballistic missile — apparently its longestrange test yet — a move that will escalate tensions with Washington. Pentagon spokesman Col
Rob Manning said the missile was launched from Sain Ni, North Korea, and traveled about 1,000km (620 miles) before landing in the Sea of Japan within 370 nautical km (200 nautical miles) of Japan’s coast. It flew for 53 minutes, Japan’s defense minister said. South Korea responded with shorter-range missile tests of its own to mimic striking the North Korea
launch site, which it said lies not far from the North Korean capital. The launch, early on Wednesday in Asia, is North Korea’s first since it fired an intermediate-range missile over Japan on Sept 15. Indications it flew higher than past launches suggest progress by Pyongyang in developing a weapon of mass destruction that
could strike the US mainland. President Donald Trump has vowed to prevent North Korea from having that capability — using military force if necessary. In response to the launch, Trump said the United States will “take care of it”. He told reporters: “It is a situation that we will handle.” He did not elaborate.
GN-1980
THE TRIBUNE
Minister: Protest over late pay at NIB not justified By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net MINISTER of National Insurance and the Public Service Brensil Rolle said a protest by some National Insurance Board workers on Monday about late salary payments was “not justified”, because the matter was resolved that morning. Asked about issues at NIB before yesterday’s Cabinet meeting at the Churchill Building, Mr Rolle said: “The first issue was a letter was issued to some employees of NIB to deal with unexplained absence. Our position is very clear. NIB is a corporate organisation. If persons have absences that are unexplained they must be given an opportunity to explain their absences. “(But) to me it is patently unfair to make these unexplained absences retroactive to 2016. If you were working in 2016 at some point your work habit should [have been] evaluated for that year and you should not be able to go back to 2016 and say this is what happened two years ago, now we are going to take action against you now. It’s unfortunate [but]
personally unacceptable to me. “I had a meeting with the acting director and the human resource manager and as a result they had a meeting with the union and my understanding is the union has agreed with the director to take action and that the process of what’s going to take place between now and February of next year is going to be discussed.” Regarding the late salaries, Mr Rolle said: “Individuals received a notice on Friday that their salary payments would be late. That matter was resolved to the best of my understanding Monday morning and it is unfortunate that individuals had to be called out knowing full well the matter would be addressed and that is what is unfortunate to me. “I tried to reach out to the union at every turn to make sure that they know where we are and I want them to respect our position as we respect their position. So I think the 45-minute demonstration yesterday (Monday) was not justified in my view.” President of the Union of Public Officers Marvin Duncombe told ZNS News on Monday that human
resources sent out letters stating employees would be cut for December. The letters also asked the workers to present letters of unexcused absences. “We have submitted these unexcused absences for 2016, we are not going to submit them once again. They seem as if they don’t know how to do their job and they want us to do their job for them,” he said. He said employees are also upset some workers were not paid their salaries on time this month. “In a $1.7bn operation, you can’t pay salaries? For the first time in history, our members have not been paid and today they won’t be paid until after 5 today [Monday],” Mr Duncombe said. “This is unacceptable, we are not taking it and we are here to take a stand.” He also said: “I’m calling on the leaders of the nation to fix this NIB. NIB is helpful to too many people around this country for the people, the workers to be suffering in the way that they are suffering.” According to ZNS News, Minister of Public Service and National Insurance Brensil Rolle said the delay in staff salaries was due to a glitch at FirstCaribbean International Bank.
Wednesday, November 29, 2017, PAGE 11
STAFF protesting outside NIB on Monday, in this image shared on social media.