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The Tribune

Volume:117 No.07, NOVEMBER 29TH, 2019

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WEEKEND: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JANET - YOU DESERVE IT

THANKS A LOT

Dionisio’s frustration as Atlantis staff spring snap holiday walkout

By RIEL MAJOR Tribune Staff Reporter rmajor@tribunemedia.net AFTER disgruntled hotel workers picketed outside of the Atlantis resort over unresolved issues with their industrial agreement, Tourism Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar expressed his disappointment in the Bahamas Hotel Catering & Allied Workers Union.

Speaking to The Tribune outside of the House of Assembly yesterday, Mr D’Aguilar said he was extremely disappointed that at a critical period like Thanksgiving holiday period, the union would conduct a demonstration

THANKFUL WE’LL ALWAYS HAVE LAUGHTER

SEE PAGE EIGHT

20 YEARS TO REPAY BAILOUT

- while last night an injunction was taken out against workers from picketing at Atlantis by the Island Hotel Company.

“As you can imagine our tourism sector was inflicted with millions upon millions of dollars of negative public relations as a result of Hurricane Dorian. The tourism sector is reeling from the effects of that negative public relations,” said Mr D’Aguilar.

“Anything at this time that negatively impacts our tourism sector like industrial action, compounds, causes another problem on top of another problem.”

SEE PAGE FIVE

SYANN THOMPSON Tribune Staff Reporter sthompson@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS Power and Light customers will pay for the company’s rate reduction bond for the next 20 years to bail-out the company – but the highest increase in electricity bills is only expected to last through 2020, according to Works Minister Desmond Bannister.

Mr Bannister, closing debate on the Electricity Rate Reduction Bill 2019 in the House of Assembly, said when the bonds are placed customers will pay the fee for the life of the bond, which is 20 years.

SEE PAGE SIX

GIBSON’S LAWYERS WANT COMMISSIONER SACKED

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

prosecution on Mr Gibson’s behalf.

In defending their client, Mr Gibson’s lawyers SHANE Gibson’s stressed the testimony of lawyers want Police Assistant Superintendent of Commissioner Anthony Fer- Police Debrah Thompson guson removed above everyfrom office and thing. will make a comASP Thompplaint to the Bar son admitted Association to she was wrong have Director to meet of Public Proskey players to ecutions Garvin synchronise Gaskin disbarred their statements. due to the way Prosecution investigations lawyers argued were handled that the subsein Mr Gibson’s quent changes case, accordto a witnesses’ ing to former FORMER Labour Min- statement were State Minister ister Shane Gibson. immaterial. ASP for Legal Affairs Thompson tesDamian Gomez, QC. tified that such conduct He said lawyers also SEE PAGE THREE intend to sue for malicious

pages 14 & 15

...FAMILIES SAY - IT’S SO UNFAIR

FIND KENRIKA’S KILLER

By LEANDRA ROLLE lrolle@tribunemedia.net

KENRIKA MARTIN, who was found dead on Wednesday morning at Stokes Cabana in the Yamacraw area. Family members have paid tribute to Kenrika, calling her sweet and loving. See page three for the full story.

BAHAMAS Power and Light customers yesterday criticised the government’s decision to increase light bills through its rate reduction bond, which will allow for additional charges to be added to customer’s monthly bills starting 2020.

SEE PAGE SIX

OFFICIALS BYPASS STUDENT LOAN RULES

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

GOVERNMENT officials have admitted that Ministry of Education scholarships are awarded to persons who do not go through the proper approval process or meet application deadlines.

The Auditor General’s report into the processes employed by the Scholarship and Education Loan

Division (SELD), tabled in the House of Assembly this week, reveals that not all scholarship recipients are approved by the board designated for this task as “other persons in the Ministry [of Education’s] leadership” can give the go-ahead outside the established processes.

The report reveals that the division’s management conceded such practices existed, while also revealing that “exceptions were

made outside our purview” to accept scholarship applications submitted after the due deadline expired.

These disclosures suggest that the scholarship awards process is open to potential abuse from arbitrary and political influences that threaten to undermine the concept of a Bahamian meritocracy, depriving more deserving candidates after much sought-after educational opportunities.

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

WE NEED TO SPEND TO FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE

SEE PAGE NINE

PAGE 2, Friday, November 29, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

THE PROPOSED location of the satellite passport office in Long Island.

Photo: Adrian Gibson

Passport office for Long Island To advertise in The Tribune, contact 502-2394

PLANS are afoot for a satellite Passport Office in Long Island.

Adrian Gibson, MP for the community, announced that staff of the Passport Office in New Providence recently inspected the Administrator’s Office in Clarence Town to assess the readiness of space and infrastructure with a view to commencing passport services.

“In the coming weeks, the Administrator’s Office will be retrofitted to commence services.

Once

done, the days of having to travel to New Providence to obtain a passport will be over. We welcome this,” said Mr Gibson.

During his 2019/2020 Budget contribution to the House of Assembly in June, Minister of Foreign Affairs Darren Henfield said: “To reduce the large crowds at the Passport Office, plans are underway to install e-Pics systems, which are kiosks to be placed in strategic locations in New Providence and Grand Bahama.

“The installation of these systems will allow persons to complete and submit electronic applications for passport renewals without having to visit the Passport Office. It is anticipated that utilisation of the kiosks will significantly decrease the current overcrowding at the Passport Office.”

He noted that the government also plans to install e-Pics systems in four Family Islands, namely Exuma, Central Eleuthera, Inagua and Long Island.

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, November 29, 2019, PAGE 3

FORMER Labour Minister Shane Gibson is pictured along with his lawyers and supporters after being acquitted on all counts of bribery.

Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

Gibson’s lawyers want commissioner sacked from page one is common in investigations.

She said Commissioner Ferguson and Mr Gaskin were aware of her meeting with contractor Jonathan Ash, Mr Gibson’s alleged co-conspirator Deborah Bastian and their lawyers.

Mr Gibson was accused of soliciting and accepting bribes from Mr Ash, with Ms Bastian being his alleged middle-woman.

When she summed up the case, Supreme Court Justice Carolita Bethel told jurors this coordination of witness testimonies was “very wrong” and should not have happened.

A day after jurors acquitted Mr Gibson on the 15 charges he faced, Mr Gomez said: “This ain’t gon’ end like this.”

He said they will submit a complaint against Commissioner Ferguson to the Police Service Commission, following which they will have the matter reviewed in court. Mr Gomez said Mr Gibson’s legal team will seek to have Commissioner Ferguson removed according to constitutional provisions.

“We will lodge it with the Police Service Commission and following that

LEAD counsel Keith Knight QC and Damian Gomez QC. we will take legal action,” he said. “We are also going to make complaints to the Bar Association in respect to the conduct of (certain persons) with respect to the (alleged) witness tampering in this case.”

“We will be asking that they be disbarred,” Mr Gomez said. “They have (taken action) with the purpose of having Shane

Gibson imprisoned for over eight years.”

Mr Gomez said if they aren’t disbarred, lawyers will have the Bar’s decision reviewed by the courts.

“I’m instructed to take this to the end,” he said.

“This is where the rubber hits the road and it is important for those of us who enjoy the privilege of being members of the Bar

FIND KENRIKA’S KILLER

By RIEL MAJOR Tribune Staff Reporter rmajor@tribunemedia.net

THE aunt of the teenage girl found dead Wednesday morning at Stokes Cabana in the Yamacraw area said her family is distraught over her murder.

Police said shortly after 7am, they were alerted to the partially nude body of a female on a beach at the abandoned and damaged property.

At the scene, Chief Supt Solomon Cash said there was evidence of blunt force trauma, adding officers were investigating the possibility the victim was sexually assaulted.

Police later identified the victim as Kenrika Martin, 17, of Nassau Village.

In an interview with The Tribune, Kenrika’s aunt, Tyrene Knowles said her niece was sweet and loving.

She said: “She was a regular 17-year-old girl.

She enjoyed going out and having fun. For something like this to happen, this really a shocker right now.

“This isn’t easy. She’s my sister’s only daughter and the second oldest child. She

was very friendly and she loved fashion. She liked to dress up and she was never the type of girl to be all about.”

Ms Knowles sobbed as she reminisced on her last conversation with her niece.

She said: “The last time we talked, and what hurting me so much is she said, ‘aunty you’re my favourite aunty’.

Basically, my sister was always on her own and she is hurting so much, she never had a mother in her life, and she wanted to be a mother to lil’ T. These dogs just take my sister baby just like that.

It’s hard I can’t even explain it, I don’t think my sister can ever come back from this one. I don’t think so.”

Kenrika’s death brought the country’s murder count to 91 for the year, according to The Tribune’s records.

The homicide came almost a week after National Security Minister Marvin Dames told reporters that police will be beefing up manpower in the capital as the holiday season approaches.

He was speaking on the increase of homicides compared with last year’s figure around this time. The Minnis administration has previously said that they want to reduce the number of murders in the country to 85 by 2021. Last year, there were 91 murders, a decrease from 122 in 2017.

not to conduct ourselves in this way. Where we do not exercise our right to assert our duty against the abuses of the state we are behaving unethically. Worse yet, if we are paid to abuse citizens of the Bahamas in the

way Shane Gibson has been abused, we ought not to be members of the Bar.” Mr Gomez said the complaints will be sent on Monday.

“All of their conduct is judicially reviewable,” he

said. “If they refuse to act we will have that refusal reviewed by the Supreme Court. This is a very serious human rights issue and I am surprised that the organisations that normally speak out for Haitians have not spoken out for Bahamians on this.”

Mr Gomez said ASP Thompson’s testimony about how often officers synchronise statements “is chilling.”

“It is against a just result because they fix the result in a police room,” he said.

“We need a real inquiry so that we can actually say to people ‘sorry, release them’ and deal with the criminal justice system in a way that holistically restores a level of order to our society. Too many people are upset and angered and they are taking law into their own hands because they have lost faith in the system. ASP Thompson’s testimony justifies that loss of faith. It has to stop.”

Commissioner Ferguson declined to discuss ASP Thompson’s statement yesterday. Mr Gaskin could not be reached; an official at his office said he was out of the country.

PAGE 4, Friday, November 29, 2019

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THE TRIBUNE

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A year of industrial disputes EARLIER this year, this column warned that we were facing a long hot summer of industrial action. Winter is at our doorstep and there still seems no end to the series of industrial disputes.

The latest pair of protests yesterday were very different from one another in many ways, but shared a similar bone of contention over the length of time it has taken to try to find a resolution.

The least welcome of the two disputes is the one that saw hotel workers picket Atlantis resort - right at the point when many US tourists are enjoying a Thanksgiving breakaway. There was little thanks on show to the guests coming to visit The Bahamas, though.

Unions are of course entitled to make their case - but to take action at a time when it would cause the most disruption to their employer and their fellow workers seems ill advised. Atlantis will be very busy trying to cater to the increased number of guests, and the disruption will not have served any of the visitors well who have nothing to do with the dispute.

Understandably, Tourism Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar sounded frustrated when he said that it was very important to show the world that The Bahamas is open for business following Hurricane Dorian - and yesterday’s protest was no help in that regard.

Union members want a registered industrial agreement - and while Atlantis insists negotiations had been moving swiftly along, it appears that hasn’t been swiftly enough.

Equally, workers at NIB also protested after negotiations over a new

industrial agreement there hit a brick wall.

With a near unanimous strike vote in the union’s pocket there, it is surely time to sit down and sort out a proper agreement to avoid any further disruption.

But then the same could be said in many walks of life - there remains ongoing negotiations with the teachers union too.

And while the hurricane has caused its problems with the tourism sector as the nation tries to entice visitors, it has also caused difficulties in public sector negotiations. All those repairs won’t pay for themselves and the public purse is a little lighter than it was before Dorian made landfall.

So where do we go from here? Unions certainly need to understand the impact of Dorian on the likelihood of their demands being met, or the extra damage any action might cause. But at the same time, there are legitimate demands in some cases that have been left unresolved for too long.

The can should not be endlessly kicked down the road to some later date. If there are issues to be sorted out, delaying that resolution will only make it harder to reach a compromise.

It is fair to say to unions you’ve made your point, now let’s talk. It’s equally fair for unions to say they’ve waited a long time, so let’s make sure the talks are meaningful.

There’s a little over a month left in this decade - let’s try our best not to carry some of these disputes over into a new one.

What hours for jitneys?

EDITOR, The Tribune.

FOR the last week at the downtown bus terminal and since the recent time change. This has created a clogging of sorts there.

As many of the workers relying on this form of transportation to get from work, were left sitting in the dark...at the Frederick Street south side, where the 10-a, 14-a and 15-a are lined up.

Some of the workers get off work at 6:30pm and have to get a bus and arrive in time to catch the final ride to their residence. But what I and others have found, is that many of the buses use 6pm, as their last run, this leaves many struggling to find alternative transportation.

The Bahamian people would like to know from the controller of Road Traffic Department, what are the operating hours/times for the jitney buses daily

on the island? And since the public transportation system falls under the RTD, I think that it is only fair that the roster there, take into account those operating hours and have officers assigned, especially at the bus stops in the downtown area.

Also struggling to make their journey are tourists, wanting to get to their resort properties, along West Bay Street and even far west as Lyford Cay. Someone needs to monitor this situation. Just the other night around 6:20pm there were four tourists trying to get to Cable Beach, gathered at the Frederick Street (north) stop and in succession the first 10-rt, jitney arrived, the driver said “sorry, I am off”.

Another 10-rt, bus came and he said the same thing, the third bus came and did not pull off to the designated area, but kept going.

The female police officer on duty at that junction, was so frustrated that she actually questioned one of the drivers, who stated that he began work from 4am, that is on you the officer told him.

The operating hours are from 6am to 7pm.

But this did not matter.

The officer managed to convinced a driver from 10-a, to take the tourists beyond his appointed cut-off-point.

Controller, something needs to be done about these bus drivers. Maybe if they see your officers there they would realise that any violations of the codes, could cause their licences to be suspended.

So can you deploy your officers at the downtown bus terminal until the official closure for jitneys?

FRANK GILBERT Nassau, November 27, 2019.

GB purchase EDITOR, The Tribune.

GRAND Bahama Port Authority - Harbour and GB Airport…it shocks me that over the past 10-12 years learned Attorneys residing in GB continue to propose Government purchase these assets.

Surely after all this time the Attorneys would have known that the Partners in GBPA, either, have the right of first refusal to any purchase or acquisition.

W THOMPSON Nassau, November 8, 2019.

Legacy of Felix Bethel EDITOR, The Tribune.

THE following letter, written by Felix Bethel in 2014, is published here at the request of one of his daughters. Mr Bethel, who died last week at the age of 70, was on the staff of the College of The Bahamas – now the University of the Bahamas — for 45 years.

His daughter, Xan-Xi Bethel, believes that this “piece is fitting as an honour of his legacy and impact in the Bahamas.

This is a way for him to have his last word.”

The Rough Cut “...two coffins...”

What a time; what a life; what a sweet sweetness to still be alive to be broke; and to also know, that – on one fine day: Jesus Christ will come and shall put an end to all of this damned foolishness.

But in the interim: I prepare for the end.

And in and for that inevitability, I have purposed in my heart to have a carpenter-friend of mine, Robert U. – a Haitian gentleman – build two coffins – one labeled FREDERICKFELIX BETHEL; and the other signaling: TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN; one for me – the other [perhaps] for you.

And now this confession: “...I was sinking deep in sin, Far from the peaceful shore, Very deeply stained within, Sinking to rise no more; But the Master of the sea Heard my despairing cry, From the waters lifted me, Now safe am I. Love lifted me! Love lifted me!

When nothing else could help, Love lifted me.

Now let it be known: If ever there was such a thing as a real blast from the past; this revelation is a blockbuster but blockbuster or not, the fact remains that, it now seems like just yesterday when I found myself astounded by a question that a wisp of a girl-child put to my sainted mother, with that question being –as I still can recall, “…Miss Bettul, I didn’t know you had children old like him” – with that “him” being none other than: This black bastard [educated by the British] and who was born some 65 years ago, Out East in that African community which was known then as Freetown.

My mother – thank God – explained nothing and – to her credit said less about that tumultuous time sometime in 1948 when the !!!lubricious!!! deed was done.

– And [of course] she said even more nothing about that sweetest of bitter-sweet moments when the mid-wife announced that, she had been delivered of a blackbastard-bouncing-baby-boy.

And, of course, there

LETTERS

letters@tribunemedia.net was no light in the sky to announce that worldchanging entrance.

Today, I wait and cling to that life –even as I make well on my promise to enjoy this life as best I can and must –even where that life comes tinged with the bitter and with the sweet.

And so today, in the midst of a bevy of wonderments and bewilderments brought hither by the death of a very fine lady [That Carol B.]; I marvel that: In this here and now and in this still-warm midst of life; I now wallow in preparation for that moment when it is said, It’s all right now!

And thus: The two coffins!! And thus: That one labeled FREDERICKFELIX BETHEL; and that other one signaling: TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN; one for me – the other (perhaps) for you.

And yet, I remember that, it was in a yesterday time that refuses to fade, that a girl-child could wonder how it was that, the sainted Miss Sylvie could look so young after having disgorged from her womb eight other children – my brothers and sisters of the half-blood – all now men and women who were fated to share the womb-space that sheltered God’s man-servant; your child; your brother, your cousin and who still aspires to become one of this great nation’s builders.

What I am trying to say is that, through it all and despite some of the downs that I have faced and perhaps, even because of some of the sufferings that now enshroud what is left of my life; today I can tell you – my brothers and sisters – I give thanks for the bitter and for the sweet.

But please believe me when I tell you that, I am feeling time’s pinch; and here please also believe me when I say to you that, it’s just amazing what a little wine intended for the stomach’s sake can do to your head; you drink a little wine before you curl up for the short spurts of sleep that now suffice to keep your tired old ass firmly locked in harness – and then, the magic moment comes when you dream and when in the dream you dream, you dream of love that was once yours; you dream of the time before you became old when – that so very sweet time when you would be caressed and cared for – not for the money you have; but for the you that you just happened to be in those powerful days.

Alas! Those days are gone; and all I have left are these shards of memory;

these broken pieces of love found and love lost in the tempest of the life I have lived; and so today, I now find that, the time has come when all of that is now shrouded in sweet memory.

And so, today when wake to old cock’s insistent cry; I know that i am standing on the doorsteps of dread and death – that place where the mire waits and where stumble and fall are always close at hand.

Evidently, my days are now shorter and shorter.

What I am currently noting is that – as you age and if you dare live long enough – the days get shorter and shorter.

And as these days that are yours speed up, you find that all of the days that you might yet have – are in this precious moment – set to be chewed up in lament and regret about some of the things you should have done.

If you are smart, you would catch yourself, tell the Devil that he is a liar – and then and thereafter pick your tired old self up and get on with the business of drinking the cup that is yours down to the last bloody dregs.

So today, I sip on the brew that I have made of this life that is yet mine; and as I taste tastes that now remind me of the bitterest and sweetest I have ever tasted; I sometimes find myself crying in regret for this or that ‘wrong’ road taken; this or that messed up person I met and loved and cared for and hoped that I would grow old with; and I pity the fool that I now drag around with the tired remains of shadow that limn the profile of the man I was in those powerful days...

What I am trying to say to you, my beloved brothers and sisters is simply this; having lived for a fairly long time, I can tell you that, King Solomon was absolutely right when – on his return – he realised that, there was no new thing under the sun; that all is vanity and vexation; and that, man born of woman is fated to be cut down – and then and thereafter, have his remains returned to the dust.

But brethren and all my beloved, please believe me when I tell you that, when it is all summed up and when I had the last drop even down to the dregs; I would confess to you that, I did it my way.

And so today, all that remains is for me to pick the rest of myself up and get back in the race – and do it [finally] His way; that being as He did when he – as Yeshua – walked among us and strove to obey even as he was lifted high on that old rugged cross...and yet, love lifted me...

FELIX F BETHEL Nassau, Bahamas.

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, November 29, 2019, PAGE 5

DISGRUNTLED hotel workers pictured outside the Department of Labour after protesting at Atlantis resort yesterday morning in response to recent shift changes and other unresolved issues.

Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

Thanks a lot from page one

“This is the period, this is the time of the year where we must demonstrate to the world that despite their lack of knowledge about the geography of The Bahamas and their impression that The Bahamas as a country has been destroyed by Hurricane Dorian, that is very important that when people come here that they find first of all that the country was not destroyed.”

He added: “Over 90 percent of our tourism infrastructure is up and running and they are met with not only a tourism sector that’s up and running operating as it has done but they are greeted with friendly face and exceptional customer service so that they

can report back to the world by social media and other means that not only is The Bahamas open for business and the islands of The Bahamas are buy and large operating as they imagine it would, that the service and the experiences have been exceptional.”

The protest included chefs as well as workers from the housekeeping and maintenance departments.

Noting Hurricane Dorian passed just two months ago, Mr D’Aguilar said the tourism sector is still at a very sensitive stage.

“I could have understood the case better had not Hurricane Dorian passed because our tourism sector is at a very sensitive stage right now,” he said.

“In order to ensure that we rebound quickly we must do everything that we

NIB STAFF HOLD PROTEST

By RIEL MAJOR Tribune Staff Reporter rmajor@tribunemedia.net

IRATE employees of the National Insurance Board (NIB) protested yesterday after negotiations over a new industrial agreement failed.

Speaking to reporters outside of NIB’s headquarters during the workers’ morning tea break, Ghion Roach, Union of Public Officers (UPO) president, said they walked off the job because negotiations have stalled again.

Mr Roach said: “Our protest from the beginning has been (over) an expired contract. We can’t get the representatives to come to the table and finish. We been working on meeting in the middle on issues, but we just can’t get it complete.

“We have an expired contract that we’ve been trying to get finished and we can’t get it finished.”

The union leader said workers will protest until the matter is resolved.

Earlier this month, NIB workers voted almost unanimously to take strike action. The UPO president said, at the time, the votes were overwhelmingly in favour of a strike; the Nassau count included 229

voting “yes” with just one “no”.

Mr Roach said after that strike vote: “The minister has agreed to restart negotiations this week, we will see where it goes from there.

(If) things go left, we’ll be back at (protesting) again, but we will work with management for now.”

This vote came after NIB staff went on “work-torule” because a previous strike vote was deemed invalid.

Speaking to reporters previously, Mr Roach said Director of Labour John Pinder deemed the prior strike vote invalid because there were some technicalities with the application.

NIB previously called on the Union of Public Officers to de-escalate its issues to reach an amicable solution that won’t disrupt the pension and other benefit payments to residents who rely on NIB. The agency has said it will continue to cooperate in good faith with its staff union to assist the Ministry of the Public Service and National Insurance to conclude negotiations on a new industrial agreement in an environment where the board has to improve its efficiency targets and better manage administrative costs.

can to present our foreign visitors with an exceptional experience so I implore as I’ve done in the past that the employers and the employees work this problem out because (they) will both suffer from it. Not only the employers through reduced booking but the employees through reduced compensation because this is the busiest time of the year.”

Darren Woods, Bahamas Hotel Catering & Allied Workers Union president, told reporters yesterday the employees are calling for a registered industrial agreement.

“The changes that would have been made, the shift that would have been changed and persons who would have been reprimanded,” he said of the employees’ frustrations.

“The Ocean Club would

have moved from weekly to biweekly payments for the employees with a total disregard for the union but in particular with the recent court ruling that says in the absence of a contract the union has no voice and it’s a free for all.

“The employees have decided today that since the employers were able to do as they see fit, it’s now time for them to do as they see fit. Until such time (when) we are able to get resolution to the changes and subsequent industrial agreement signed and registered because we are not getting up from any table without having an agreement that is able to be registered.”

He added: “We said to them we are going to do whatever is necessary to protect the rights of our

members. Our members have been agitating for weeks that they are tired, and this is just the first step in our quest to go to full fledged industrial action on the industry. This is step number one. We are talking but in the same vein while we were negotiating, they were making changes. The employees are taking matters into their own hands.”

Mr Woods said the union will demonstrate for as long as it takes.

He said: “However long it takes to be able to bring resolution to the plight of these people because the industry cannot say that they have not benefitted on the backs of these people you see standing here today. We are going to be here as long as it takes. The changes that would have been made that we went

to labour for that are still outstanding we want them resolved.

“We aren’t wasting anytime, either each member of the association will have to then sign, or we gone just let it fly. When time to use to strike certificate, you won’t see just them out here you’ll see everyone out here.”

When contacted, Atlantis Senior Vice President of Public Affairs Ed Fields said the demonstration held yesterday was “unforeseen”.

He said: “Negotiations were moving along fairly swiftly and calmly without any contention. We were supposed to sign today 36 segments of the (industrial) agreement out of 48 that we mutually agreed on. We simply don’t know what this is about.”

PAGE 6, Friday, November 29, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

PM: Asking business to pay more for BPL would have meant job cuts

By SYANN THOMPSON Tribune Staff Reporter sthompson@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis suggested yesterday that the business community threatened layoffs if they had to pay more for the increase on electricity than the average Bahamas Power and Light customer.

Dr Minnis was responding to Member of Parliament for Englerston Glenys Hanna Martin, who said that it is “immoral” and “unjust” for a family Over-the Hill to pay the same as a billionaire living in Lyford Cay to cover BPL’s rate reduction bond.

Her comments prompted him to suggest that lowincome households may

receive some assistance in this regard.

While he did not fully disclose the consultation he had with the business sector, Dr Minnis responded to Mrs Hanna Martin’s concerns.

“We would look at that group that needs more help and I will make a formal statement later as to how we would support that group,” the prime minister told the House of Assembly. “But I remind you that the sliding-scale we spoke of. I reminded the leader of the opposition that when that was presented to the business sector, we were advised that if that was implemented, there were gross objections and that there would be

mass lay-offs, as a result of that we pulled back,” said Dr Minnis.

During the debate on the Electricity Rate Reduction Bond Bill 2019, Mrs Hanna Martin told Parliament she believes that it is an injustice when a family living in an inner-city community has to pay the same increase as a large hotel when their consumption of electricity is completely different.

“It is wrong, it is immoral to tax all persons along the same lines. You think the person on Miami Street believes it’s stretching when they are paying the same tax as billionaires or millionaires in this country?

You think those persons thinks that’s stretching? He who feels it knows it, Mr

Chairman,” the Englerston MP said.

She told parliamentarians that the former administration had a policy for the Electricity Rate Reduction Bond Act it passed in 2015 that would have allowed people to pay the increase based on consumption.

When enacting the new legislation, she asked Dr Minnis if the government would reconsider the payments and allow BPL customers to be charged based on consumption.

“I am asking that the government reconsider an across the board tax and to consider in the alternative.

I want to put this for your consideration, it (the PLP’s policy) was tiered. The first tier was those consumers who tend to be on the

poverty line and the scheme in fact offered for an instant reduction in rates, but as you go up in consumption you begin to tax relatively.

So, it was taxed on how much people used per kilowatt hours. That has been universally the underlying philosophy of taxation.

“We do not tax people the same way, it is unfair and so something is wrong with a formula that has Lyford Cay paying the same as someone from Miami Street. I want to use this opportunity to invite the government not do that, but to look at the scheme the former administration had proposed which phased it in at the means and consumption of the grouping,” she said.

This week, Minister of

Works Desmond Bannister announced that BPL customers will see a $20 to $30 increase in their monthly electricity bills for 10 months starting in 2020.

This move is to bail-out “cash strapped” BPL as the government is seeking to raise $650 million dollars for the company that is in desperate need of upgrades and has debt owed to banks this December.

The new Electricity Rate Reduction Bond Bill 2019, similar to the Rate Reduction Act 2015 requires every BPL customer by law to pay the rate reduction bond fee. The new legislation repeals the Electricity Rate Reduction Bond Act 2015. The new bill was passed in the House of Assembly yesterday.

FAMILIES SAY - IT’S SO UNFAIR from page one

SHEAN Cartwright said if he has to pay more for his light bill, he expects the power to be on.

Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

The new Electricity Rate Reduction Bond Bill 2019, which was passed in the House of Assembly yesterday, requires every BPL customer by law to pay the rate reduction bond fee.

According to Minister of Works Desmond Bannister, customers should expect to see an additional $20 to $30 increase in their electricity bills for ten months beginning in 2020.

Many frustrated residents feel it is unfair for BPL to increase light bills given that the cost of living is already too high.

“It’s ridiculous considering the government wouldn’t raise minimum wage. If we don’t get a raise in salary, how they expect for us to pay them?

We can’t pay the bills we have for them right now.

So, how are we going to pay an additional $20 to $30,” said one resident, who wanted to remain anonymous.

One woman, Molinda Smith, said: “We don’t have it. Where I work, we haven’t had a salary increase for years so if BPL want to increase, we wouldn’t have the money to do so. How BPL feel about that if you don’t have the money? The cost of living is already high here and I think if they put this increase on us (added) to VAT, I think we will go into a recession.”

Meanwhile, another BPL customer branded the utility provider’s bill increase as a vicious move meant to further cripple the poor.

“I think that’s a vicious attitude. I know that the poor has to be taxed for things to get done, but the rich supposed to be taxed even more. The poor people ain’t hardly making nothing now to pay the bills..so they need to pay the people more,” said the man, who only gave his first name as Gregory.

Anthony Petit added: “We all need to get together as a nation collectively to take care of our bills, but right now I don’t think it’s the right time and we’re paying a lot as it is.

You have a lot of people

MOLINDA SMITH struggling to make ends to decrease its debt, which meet right now and for their some claim is a result of electricity to go up $20 or mismanagement. $30, I think that’s overdoing “I’m paying my bills every it. Maybe (the government) month so them having to needs to make a pay cut.” pay the debt shouldn’t have The issuance of the to concern me. I don’t agree bonds, Mr Bannister with it, but they gone still has said, will be used to tax us regardless and the refinance BPL’s $321m sad thing is plenty people debt and to pay for phase ain’t working. These some two of the new Wartsila serious times we in,” said power plant and manage one customer who did not other liabilities. want to be named.

But, some consumers Meanwhile, others are are arguing that the public saying they don’t mind should not have to pay paying the extra charges if additional charges to BPL it means BPL could efficiently provide the services required by its paying customers.

One of them is Shean Cartwright.

“Anything to make this Bahama land a better country, I will do. So, if increasing my light bill is gonna make my life better and gone make my light be on more efficiently, then I don’t have an issue with that. But, if I gotta go home when I’m paying my $200 or $300 for whatever for light bill, I expect it to be on,” he added.

Dr Donovan Moxey, the state-owned utility’s chairman, promised earlier this month that the proposed rate reduction bond issue will ultimately result in “better outcomes” for all GREGORY, who branded the Bahamian households and BPL increase as a vicious businesses even though the move meant to cripple the “structure” of electricity poor. bills will change.

20 YEARS TO REPAY BAILOUT from page one

However, the highest payments will only be the $20 to $30 dollar increase to electricity bills, for 10 months next year.

“The proposed rate reduction bond will be longer (20 years) than what is available to BPL in commercial banking markets (typically less than five years). This means the cost of debt service is spread out over time and is eventually outweighed by operational cost savings from the capital expenditure that is funded by the rate reduction bond. This minimises the cost impact on customers and indeed allows customers tariffs to be reduced over time,” he said.

After BPL customers

suffered through one of the worst summers and parts of the fall due to load-shedding this year, Mr Bannister said December’s opening of the $95 million-dollar Wartsila plant is expected to improve the quality of electricity generation to New Providence.

“In the next two years, we should have 250 mega watts of reliable, inexpensive new power, that’s historical, it’s never ever happened in this country before. That is good news for Bahamians. No government in the history of this country has ever accomplished that. It is revolutionary and it’s a new paradigm, it is clean power and reliable power. And this will happen in three weeks when we get that new 132 megawatts online,” he said.

The works minister

reminded parliamentarians that for many years New Providence shared the load of the Family Islands which show up in their electricity bills, but he explained that this is necessary.

“As the prime minister indicated, New Providence consumers subsidises the Family Islands. Because we want our brothers and sisters in the Family Islands to pay the same thing we pay here in New Providence and it would be unfair to charge them what power really costs,” said Mr Bannister.

The $650 million dollars used by BPL will go to the company’s debt refinancing, phase two of Wartsila, solar installations and LNG conversion in the Family Islands and installation of smart metres among other upgrades.

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, November 29, 2019, PAGE 7

Pintard ‘puts aid before politics’ for restoration

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net MARCO City MP Michael Pintard has pledged to assist all his constituents in the restoration of their homes regardless of their politics.

While in Grand Bahama on Thursday, Mr Pintard hosted senior citizens of his constituency to a Thanksgiving luncheon at the Flamingo Restaurant in Castaways Resort.

He indicated that as an MP, helping the Bahamian people — no matter their persuasion — is his life’s mission.

“Politics for me is absolutely secondary,” he told the gathering.

“What people decide in

two-and-a-half years to me, today is largely irrelevant to me.

“We made a commitment that we are going to help in Marco City; that is the commitment we are going to live by. What you do with your politics later does not make a whole lot of difference to me,” said the MP. “When I ran in the campaign, I did not sell unrealistic dreams. I did not pretend to be somebody’s saviour - I could never be that. But we committed in Marco City we wanted to be your partners.”

He said the island is still reeling from the damage brought by Hurricane Dorian.

“We are not yet completely through the tragedy of Dorian. But, I believe

that by the grace of God, and all of us pulling together, we can heal from the tragedy that we have experienced.

“It is very difficult in GB; the rest of The Bahamas does not completely understand it. It is difficult to understand unless you have experienced it.”

He said he is aware that constituents are having to endure “difficult” conditions in their homes.

“You have come from homes where the walls are completely up, and the roof is on, but inside conditions are difficult. And we made a commitment that we are going to work with every family for as long as it takes to assist you in your restoration,” he pledged.

“And that is why we have

been on the road seven days a week…trying to render assistance, and we will continue to do so. So, those of you whose homes need to be gutted, have been gutted and need assistance, we intend to work with you.”

Mr Pintard indicated that his team in Marco City intends to go home-byhome to assist in addressing leaks.

Additionally, he noted that the government has committed that up to $10,000 will be available to households through a voucher programme.

Meanwhile, Mr Pintard said his team will continue to distribute supplies such as plywood, Sheetrock, and shingles, etc.

“We are in this for the long haul,” he told his

constituents. “And while I make mention of beyond the next two-and-a-half years, I want to be crystal clear, politics for me is absolutely secondary.”

Mr Pintard stressed: “I have told everybody who works with me that politics have to be secondary.

Secondly, wherever at any point any member of the team has ever offended anyone of you, I apologise on their behalf.

“The truth of the matter is the pain is too great in the community for us to allow personal frustrations to run interference with doing what we have been called to do.”

“For me, this is my life’s mission. So, it is not an occupation, it ain’t paying me enough for it to be an occupation - I would be

doing something else.

“It is not about prestige value because praise from our people turns into the most vicious attacks tomorrow…

“It is about my mission and the mission many of you have because many of you have served this country with distinction for years. And we have not always been good to you in the times when you need us the most,” he said.

“We are doing several things to help senior citizens in your homes to restore it bit by bit. We can’t do it all, but we can do as much as can.”

Mr Pintard stated that they have acquired a vehicle to provide transportation to senior citizens in Marco City.

AMBULANCES DEPLOYED TO GRAND BAHAMA

AMBULANCES being deployed to Grand Bahama yesterday.

Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff

MORE POWER RESTORED IN ABACO

By LEANDRA ROLLE lrolle@tribunemedia.net

NEARLY three months after Hurricane Dorian devastated the northwestern Bahamas, electricity supply to the clinic, government offices, airport and water plant in Abaco has been restored, according to Bahamas Power and Light officials yesterday.

These services were restored on November 21.

“Once the critical infrastructure within Marsh Harbour has been restored, repairs in the remaining areas will continue,” BPL said. “In fact, work has already commenced to restore infrastructure within Marsh Harbour.

The settlement of Marsh Harbour has several key substation locations, including the PWD substation, which is at an advanced stage of restoration with 93 distribution poles replaced and five anchors restored.

BPL intends to use this line

to add some solar street lighting within the main city areas.

BPL’s latest update on the restoration process in Abaco came weeks after it announced that power had been restored from Crown Haven to Cooper’s Town in North Abaco and from the Wilson City Power Station to Sandy Point in South Abaco.

And, according to the power provider, the next area of focus will be Central Pines.

The statement added: “BPL intends to commence restoration within the Central Pines area on December 2, 2019. However, given the extensive damage in Marsh Harbour, we will have to work closely with inspectors from the Ministry of Works before supplies can be restored.”

Meanwhile, on Green Turtle Cay, BPL said: “All overhead line work in the main town (GT Estates) has been completed. We

are presently constructing a temporary generation site at the Treasure Cay Airport Ferry Terminal...the present projection is that the temporary generating equipment will be online within the next week, with supply restored to the main township by November 30.”

The powerful Category Five storm, which devastated Abaco and Grand Bahama in early September, flattened homes and businesses, while destroying a number of power lines on both islands.

However, since then, the power provider has remained committed to restoring electricity on Abaco and returning the island back to some normalcy for its residents.

To date, BPL has received eight Caterpillar XQ2000 (3516) generators, which will be used to power communities once repairs are completed and the transmission lines have been rebuilt.

ROTARY GIVES OUT BUILDING SUPPLIES

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

THE Rotary organisation distributed building materials for the restoration of some 60 homes in the Hawksbill Subdivision yesterday.

The community experienced its worst flooding during Hurricane Dorian compared to previous hurricanes.

On Thursday, Rotarians were out in the Grand Bahama community delivering Sheetrock to those homes that have undergone mould remediation.

Lisabeth Knowles, area governor for Grand Bahama for Rotary District 6990, said the group’s members are happy to give back.

“We are so thankful to be here today on Thanksgiving Day. This is our pilot project and our first community to give Sheetrock and the supplies needed for Sheetrock installation in 60

homes here,” she said.

She said Hawksbill is the first community where Rotary started assessments in homes following the storm. They gutted the homes, removing all the damaged Sheetrock, and then did mould remediation.

“Now today, they are getting supplies,” Ms Knowles said. She said the group has received lots of donations, which increases the number of people its members can help.

“We appreciate the donations – the more we get the more we can do,” she said.

Ms Knowles said Rotary has also started to assist in Hudson Estate Subdivision, and will go to Regency Park next.

“So, as long as the money is there we will continue,” she pledged.

Homeowner Alvin Dickenson said the Hawksbill community is thankful to Rotary for the assistance.

“We have been waiting

on this so patiently and I am so proud that today it has come. I thank the Rotary Club that has helped us through this stressful situation,” he said.

Mr Dickenson said the water level was near the ceiling in his house during Dorian.

“That is about seven plus feet -– I lost about everything,” he said.

Resident Myrtle Cooper said the distribution of building materials is a blessing.

“I did not know where to begin – it is blessing to us. I lost everything. I went through three hurricanes and this was the worst. It (the water) was right up to the ceiling and everything went.”

Before the storm, Ms Cooper said that she put her things up high, expecting that they would be safe.

“When I came back it was like Beirut. I am glad about this donation of building materials today,” she said.

TWO ambulances donated by Canadian manufacturer DemersBraun-Crestline Group as part of Hurricane Dorian relief and recovery efforts were deployed to Grand Bahama yesterday by the Public Hospitals Authority.

The ambulances, which are outfitted with emergency medical equipment and supplies, were delivered to the Mailboat Company Ltd and are expected to be received by the Grand Bahama Health Services at 8am today.

The ambulances are the Type III MX164 models that feature best in class safety and ergonomics, reduced maintenance and an industry-leading mobility seat.

Dr Alvery Hanna, director of National Emergency Medical Services (NEMS), said: “These

two ambulances were earmarked to go to Grand Bahama to assist with the emergency medical services in Grand Bahama where we would have had the majority of our ambulances there destroyed by water damage.”

In the weeks following Hurricane Dorian, four ambulances donated

by Global Medical Response were deployed to Grand Bahama. With these two ambulances, there are a total of six donated ambulances deployed to the island.

“Emergency services in Grand Bahama is fully functional,” Dr Hanna said. “Staff are doing very dedicated work. They are working their eight-hour shifts, responding to emergencies as well as providing transport for the Grand Bahama Health Services.”

PAGE 8, Friday, November 29, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

A YOUNG fan holds up a sign asking Dallas Cowboys team owner Jerry Jones for a new head coach in the first half of an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills in Arlington, Texas, last night. Football may let us down from time to time - but there are still things to smile at in life.

Photo: Michael Ainsworth/AP

We can be thankful we’ll always have laughter SEEING how my Cowboys lost yesterday, on Thanksgiving, I could easily practice my ‘Grinch’ routine early, but I won’t.

Instead, I’ve decided to laugh it off, because if I don’t laugh, I’m most certainly going to cry.

This dysfunctional relationship with my favourite sports team is taking its toll

on me, as not to slip into the doldrums, here are a few

funny Thanksgiving stories to make us all laugh.

COLD TURKEY It was the day before Thanksgiving, and a man collapsed in a WalMart in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Other customers gathered around and the first-aider was summoned.

It did not look good for the man.

There was blood coming out of his ear, his face looked white and he was unconscious.

The store manager dialled 911 and when the medical team arrived the first thing they did was take off the man’s hat, and to everyone’s amazement inside was a partially frozen turkey.

What felled the man was the chill from the turkey numbing his brain. The blood came from the giblets which had melted and leaked over his hair and down into his ear.

As it was Thanksgiving eve, the manager took pity, and rather than prosecuting the shoplifter, gave him the partly thawed bird and sent him on his way.

Two days later, the manager got letter from the man apologising for his behaviour and thanking the manager for his action.

Also inside the envelope was $25 - the price of his turkey - and a bill from his doctor.

TIGHT END TURKEY The Miami Dolphins, had just finished their daily practice session when a large turkey came strutting onto the field.

While the players gazed in amazement, the turkey walked up to the head coach and demanded to be given a chance to play at tight end.

Everyone stared in silence as the turkey caught pass after pass and ran right through the defensive line.

When the turkey returned, the coach shouted, ‘You’re superb. I want to sign you for the season, and I’ll see to it that you get a huge bonus.’

‘Forget the bonus,’ replied the turkey, ‘What I want to know is, does your season go past Thanksgiving Day?’ SIMON SAYS MORE STUFFING PLEASE Young Simon was sitting in his grandmother’s kitchen, watching her prepare the Thanksgiving meal.

“What are you doing?”

Simon enquired.

“Oh, I’m just stuffing the turkey,” his grandmother replied.

“Wow, that’s cool!”

Simon remarked. “Are you going to hang it next to the deer?”

LEFTOVERS In closing, I will leave you with a classic, from one of my favorites, David Letterman.

And remember, be thankful for all that you have, and don’t worry about what you don’t.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone, and enjoy those turkey leftovers, turkey sandwiches, turkey salad, steam turkey and turkey souse in the days to come.

HERE’S LETTERMAN When I was a kid in Indiana, we thought it would be fun to get a turkey a year ahead of time and feed it and so on for the following Thanksgiving.

But by the time Thanksgiving came around, we sort of thought of the turkey as a pet, so we ate the dog. Only kidding. It was the cat.

David Letterman

READERS RESPOND TO $30 INCREASE IN ELECTRIC BILLS AFTER Minister of Works Desmond Bannister said Bahamas Power and Light customers will see a $20 to $30 increase in their monthly electricity bills for ten months starting in 2020, readers posted their reactions on tribune242.com.

Dawes had this to say: “And yet nothing has changed at BPL, no one has been fired for gross incompetence, no one has been arrested for theft or corruption. But no, it’s easier to just make the people pay more. There’s been no change at BPL to make people feel we won’t be right back in this situation in a couple years. Please DNA, start coming out with some good ideas, etc, as the two parties that have run this country for over 50 years have brought us to ruin and are too dumb to even realise it.”

Buddah17 had this suggestion: “Maybe it should work this way: $20 a month for 10 months ONLY is put into a holding account that is in the name of the consumer and BPL. Nobody can ‘withdraw’ unless

BOTH sign the cheque.

Then, AFTER the 12 months when ALL of the brand new generators are up and running, the money is withdrawn by both parties, with the cheque going to BPL. As this is a guaranteed ‘bond’, a local (or several) banks should cover BPL until then. (They could make interest on the funds that would be in their bank.) However, if the plant ISN’T up and running by then, the BANK(S) own the power company!!!

(Might work out better if that happened anyway . . .)”

Geostorm said: “We are spiraling out of control.

How can we do better? We have to do better!”

TheMadHatter posted this comment: “We would be less upset about paying this if we knew where all the VAT money goes. Over 900 million each year since

2015 and ZERO accounting for it. They cannot say where one red cent gone.”

Hrysippus said: “Almost half a century of socialist governments and the government corporations are all ready to go bankrupt?

Wow, how did that happen?

Is it possible socialist policies do not work?”

And there was this from Sheeprunner12: “How many PEPs are still exempted from paying BPL? How many illegal reconnections are done

by BPL employees (for favours)? How many BPL employees continue to work OT and pay their bosses a percentage? How many senior managers will collect bonuses even though BPL is continuing to lose money? Who continues to get the fat contracts from BPL with no public advertisements or documents made available to the Parliament and the public?

When will the Government address these matters?

Accountability First.”

• Don’t miss your chance to join the debate on tribune242.com.

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, November 29, 2019, PAGE 9

Leave our debt for another day - we need to spend to fight off climate change

By Diane L IKE most folks, I hate to owe anything to anybody.

I feel a sense of supreme satisfaction paying off a credit card. I even enjoy paying bills (except BPL which infuriates me), but as I said, knowing that I’m momentarily debt-free and what I earn is what I get to keep - at least until the next bill comes along - provides a good-all-over feeling.

So, like many, I transfer and upload that admittedly obnoxious moral satisfaction from a personal level to a national level. If I can balance my budget, why can’t the people who run the government? They borrowed. Now, isn’t it the moral thing to do, to pay back what you promised you would? Maybe. Then again, maybe not.

National budgets, balanced or tipsy, hardly keep us awake at night unless we are running for re-election or hoping to displace those running for re-election, but does a balanced budget really matter?

Ever since Hurricane Dorian slammed into Abaco, Grand Bahama and the finances of The Bahamas, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Peter Turnquest, Financial Secretary Marlon Johnson and others have been labouring overtime to try to get us to understand that the balanced budget trajectory they were on has to take a back seat to putting lives and a country back together. That seems obvious.

Apology not needed.

What is needed is transparent accounting, an explanation of how the devastation impacted and will continue to impact revenue and a clear and transparent picture of what the benefits of expenditure - including infrastructure, stepped up law enforcement and incentives to get business back up and running - will be and most importantly, what the costs of mitigation against future Dorians are.

The second reason I’m entering unfamiliar territory of national budgets - about which I know less than just about anyone is because I heard a very prominent American recently declare the US was facing a “ticking debt bomb”. It sounded so dramatic I thought he must be correct, so I went Googling to learn about the true cost of debt. People spend their entire lives studying heavy subjects like this. I gave it an hour.

That American, a former

Phillips

member of a Republican Cabinet and still a very relevant man, was probably on to something in the US where national debt stands at $22.71 trillion and the national gross domestic product is roughly $20 trillion. It’s not as though the debt has to be repaid and certainly not immediately because even though it sounds bad that it’s $67,000 for every man, woman and child living in the United States, about three quarters of that debt will be owed to the American people over an extended period of time in Medicare payments, notes and bonds.

The rich, for the time being, will continue to make money off the debt because as the US government continues to borrow, those who can invest in Treasury notes and bonds will earn interest. So, yes, it’s a formidable issue that will take its toll and probably cause taxes to increase because no politician likes to cut spending, though of course pundits say the best way to emerge from a debt crisis is the same way you emerge from a slow economy – governments jumpstart it with capital gains and infrastructure projects.

And that brings us right back to The Bahamas.

National debt is not our greatest worry for those who look beyond the next election.

Our greatest threat is and will continue to be climate change and the fastest way to tackle both is to spend the money necessary to prepare and to mitigate.

Zones that will be safe for aircraft 20 or 50 years from now, harbours that need to be beefed up, seawalls and bridges that need to be raised and solar, wind and hydro-power projects for New Providence as well as the solar project announced for Family Islands – all those projects will create untold jobs and net vast rewards far greater than the pronouncement of a balanced budget.

From an accounting view, The Bahamas is in far better condition than the US. Sure, our debt is high for a small nation, $8.2bn, but that is still under 65 percent of GDP. This may sound like heresy. But the forwardlooking leaders who take

climate change as seriously as it needs to be taken and take courageous steps now to mitigate the impact will be the leaders whose legacy will matter.

‘National debt is not our greatest worry for those who look beyond the next election.

Our greatest threat is and will continue to be climate change and the fastest way to tackle both is to spend the money necessary to prepare and to mitigate.’

WHEN A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS AND YOU CAN’T COME UP WITH ANY IT IS hard to not to notice that a certain business in a highly trafficked area of East Bay Street has been operating al fresco in recent years.

The particular business, which happens to be where thousands of visitors pass on their way to the resorts and homes on Paradise Island, might best be described as a storefront minus the store.

Here’s what it does have instead – the latest in beachwear and cover-ups, bare tent frames, dangling bare bone mannequins and in the background, what appears to be an abandoned vehicle with a tarp of sorts. Business does seem to be a bit slow these days.

PAGE 10, Friday, November 29, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

40 DEAD AS FORCES FIRE ON IRAQ PROTESTORS BAGHDAD Associated Press

SECURITY forces shot dead 40 anti-government protestors during 24 hours of bloodshed amid spiraling violence in the capital and Iraq’s south, security and medical officials said Thursday, one day after an Iranian consulate was torched.

Iran condemned the burning of its consulate in the holy city of Najaf as violence continued into the night across southern Iraq, where security forces had killed 36 protestors and wounded 245 since Wednesday evening, the officials said. Another four protestors were shot dead in the capital. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.

Police and military forces were deployed across key oil-rich provinces to reopen roads closed off by demonstrations.

The escalating violence and heavy response against demonstrators by a largely Iran-backed government threatened to intensify tensions, especially if efforts to implement electoral and anti-corruption reforms fail to placate protestors.

Crisis committees were created to enhance coordination between Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi and governors in provinces affected by the protests “for the importance of controlling security and enforcing the law,” said a statement from the joint operations command.

Security forces shot four protestors dead in Baghdad and wounded 22 when they tried to cross the important Ahrar Bridge leading to the nearby Green Zone, the heavily fortified seat of Iraq’s government. Protestors occupy parts of the Jumhuriya, Sinak and Ahrar bridges, all of which lead to or near the fortified area.

46 KILLED IN ALBANIA EARTHQUAKE DURRES, Albania Associated Press

HOPES were fading yesterday of finding anyone else alive beneath the rubble of collapsed buildings in Albania, two days after a deadly quake struck the country’s Adriatic coast killing at least 46 people and injuring more than 2,000.

By yesterday afternoon, search operations were winding down, and focused on one collapsed villa that housed an extended family in the port city of Durres, 20 miles west of the capital Tirana, police at the site said.

The bodies of five people had already been recovered from the house from which the sole survivor so far was a 17-year-old boy rescued from beneath the rubble.

Rescuers continued searching for three more missing family members.

Search operations in the nearby town of Thumane, also badly hit by the quake, ended early Thursday after six more bodies were recovered overnight from a collapsed apartment building.

The Health Ministry said more than 2,000 people were injured in the 6.4-magnitude earthquake that struck before dawn Tuesday as people slept, trapping dozens in collapsed apartment buildings. More than 60 people remain hospitalized, four in serious condition.

The main quake has been followed by hundreds of aftershocks, including at least three with magnitudes of above 5.0, complicating rescue efforts.

Another aftershock, with a magnitude of 4.9, rattled the area at midday, sending people fleeing into the streets in panic. At least one building suffered further damage.

PROTESTORS hold American flags and placard during a demonstration in Central, the financial district of Hong Kong, yesterday. China reacted furiously to President Donald Trump’s signing of two bills on Hong Kong human rights and said the US will bear unspecified consequences.

Photo: Kin Cheung/AP

China furious as Trump signs bills to support Hong Kong BEIJING Associated Press CHINA reacted furiously yesterday to President Donald Trump’s signing two bills aimed at supporting human rights in Hong Kong, summoning the US ambassador to protest and warning the move would undermine co-operation with Washington.

Hong Kong, a former British colony that was granted semi-autonomy when China took control in 1997, has been rocked by six months of sometimes violent pro-democracy demonstrations.

Thousands of pro-democracy activists crowded a public square in downtown Hong Kong last night for a “Thanksgiving Day” rally to thank the United States for passing the laws and vowed to “march on” in their fight.

Trump’s approval of the bills was not unexpected.

Neither was the reaction from Beijing, given China’s adamant rejections of any commentary on what it considers an internal issue.

Nevertheless, the clash comes at a sensitive time and could upset already thorny trade negotiations between the two nations.

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng told US Ambassador Terry Branstad that the move constituted “serious interference in China’s internal affairs and a serious violation of international law”, a foreign ministry statement said.

Le called it a “nakedly hegemonic act”. He urged the US not to implement the bills to prevent greater damage to US-China relations, the ministry said.

In a statement about the meeting, the US Embassy in Beijing said, “the Chinese Communist Party must honor its promises to the Hong Kong people”.

The US “believes that Hong Kong’s autonomy, its adherence to the rule of law, and its commitment to protecting civil liberties are key to preserving its special status under US law,” it said.

The US laws, which passed both chambers of Congress almost unanimously, mandate sanctions on Chinese and Hong Kong officials who carry out human rights abuses in Hong Kong, require an annual review of Hong Kong’s favorable trade status and prohibit the export to Hong Kong police of certain nonlethal munitions.

“I signed these bills out of respect for President Xi, China, and the people of Hong Kong,” Trump said in a statement. “They are being enacted in the hope that Leaders and Representatives of China and Hong Kong will be able to amicably settle their differences leading to long term peace

and prosperity for all.”

Prominent Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong, who was among those who lobbied for the US laws, said it was remarkable that human rights had triumphed over the US-China trade talks.

Wong told Thursday’s rally that the next aim is to expand global support by getting Britain and other Western nations to follow suit.

Since the Hong Kong protests began in June, Beijing has responded to expressions of support for the demonstrators from the US and other countries by accusing them of orchestrating the unrest to contain China’s development. The central government has blamed foreign “black hands” bent on destroying the city.

CY Leung, a former chief executive of Hong Kong, said at a talk at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Hong Kong that he doubts the US or supporters of the bills “ever had the interest

of Hong Kong in mind”.

He suggested Hong Kong was being used as a “proxy” for China and the legislation was a way to hit back at Beijing.

While China has repeatedly threatened unspecified “countermeasures”, it’s unclear exactly how it will respond. Speaking on Fox News, Trump called the protests a “complicating factor” in trade negotiations with Beijing.

At a daily briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang responded to a question about how Trump’s endorsement of the legislation might affect the trade talks by saying it would undermine “co-operation in important areas”.

Asked yesterday if the US legislation would affect trade talks with Washington, a Chinese Commerce Ministry spokesman said he had no new information to share.

US PRESIDENT VISITS TROOPS, TALKS TALIBAN DEAL BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan Associated Press

PRESIDENT Donald Trump paid a surprise Thanksgiving visit to Afghanistan, where he announced the US and Taliban have been engaged in ongoing peace talks and said he believes the Taliban want a ceasefire.

In his first trip to the site of America’s longest war, Trump arrived at Bagram Air Field shortly after 8.30pm local time yesterday and spent 3½ hours on the ground, serving turkey, thanking the troops and sitting down with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani before leaving just after midnight.

As per tradition, reporters were under strict instructions to keep the trip a secret to ensure the president’s safety in the country.

About 12,000 US forces remain in Afghanistan.

Traveling with Republican Sen John Barrasso of Wyoming and a small clutch of aides, including his acting chief of staff, press secretary and national security adviser, Trump appeared in good spirits as he was escorted around the base

PRESIDENT Donald Trump holds up a tray of Thanksgiving dinner during a surprise Thanksgiving Day visit to the troops yesterday at Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan.

Photo: Alex Brandon/AP by heavily armed soldiers, as the smell of burning fuel and garbage wafted through the chilly air. Unlike last year’s post-Christmas visit to Iraq, first lady Melania Trump did not make the trip.

Trump’s first stop was a dining hall, where he plated turkey and sat down for a

meal. But he said he only tasted the mashed potatoes before he was pulled away for photos.

“I never got the turkey,” he told the troops. “A gorgeous piece of turkey.”

During his visit, Trump said the US and Taliban have been engaged in peace talks and insisted

the Taliban want to make a deal after heavy US fire in recent months.

“We’re meeting with them,” he said. “And we’re saying it has to be a ceasefire. And they don’t want to do a ceasefire, but now they do want to do a ceasefire, I believe ... and we’ll see what happens.”

The trip came after Trump abruptly broke off peace talks with the Taliban in September, canceling a secret meeting with Taliban and Afghan leaders at the Camp David presidential retreat after a particularly deadly spate of violence, capped by a bombing in Kabul that killed 12 people, including an American soldier.

That ended a nearly yearlong effort by the US to reach a political settlement with the Taliban, the group that protected al-Qaida extremists in Afghanistan, prompting US military action after the Sept 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. US and international forces have been on the ground ever since.

It was not immediately clear how long or substantive the US reengagement with the Taliban has been.

Trump ran his 2016 campaign promising to end the nation’s “endless wars” and has been pushing to withdraw troops from Afghanistan and in the Middle East despite protests from top US officials, Trump’s Republican allies in Washington and many US allies abroad.

JOHNSON REPLACED WITH MELTING ICE IN LEADER DEBATE LONDON Associated Press

BRITAIN’S opposition parties intensified attacks on Prime Minister Boris Johnson yesterday with two weeks to go until election day, as polls suggested the UK leader’s Conservatives have a substantial lead.

Johnson was accused of running scared of scrutiny after he declined to take part in a debate alongside his main opponent, Jeremy Corbyn of the Labour Party,

and other party leaders, and refused to commit to a oneon-one TV interview.

For yesterday’s climate change-themed debate, broadcaster Channel 4 put Earth-shaped ice sculptures atop podiums in place of Johnson and Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage, who also declined to appear.

With most polls showing a double-digit lead for Johnson’s Conservatives, the party is keen to limit the prime minister’s opportunities for gaffes and slip-ups.

As well as skipping the climate debate, Johnson is the only main leader not to have agreed — so far — to a one-on-one interview with BBC journalist Andrew Neil. Corbyn was subjected to an intense grilling by Neil earlier this week about allegations of anti-Semitism within the Labour Party.

The Conservatives complained to Britain’s broadcast regulator after Channel 4 refused to let another government

minister appear instead of Johnson at the climate debate. The channel said it was a leaders-only event.

Those taking part promised to slash Britain’s carbon emissions to zero, though the parties have set different target dates: 2030 in the case of the Green Party, “within the 2030s” for Labour and 2045 for the Liberal Democrats and Scottish National Party.

The Conservatives say they will do it by 2050.

Johnson insisted that he would do “many, many interviews over the course of the next few days and I’m sure that people are having all sorts of conversations right now about who I’m going to be talking to, when and where, and I look forward to it very much.”

Jo Swinson, leader of the centrist Liberal Democrats, earlier accused Johnson of spewing serial falsehoods and dragging the office of prime minister “through the mud”.