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VOLUME:118 No.08, DECEMBER 2ND, 2020

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WAITING GAME FOR DESPERATE FAMILIES

Govt holds off a decision on whether aid schemes will extend into new year

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net THE government has not yet decided whether it will further extend its COVID-19 support initiatives – including the unemployment benefits programme – beyond the December deadline, according to Public Service Minister Brensil Rolle.

Mr Rolle was asked whether there will be a continuation of the programmes, which are set to end this month.

“We’ve not evaluated

...AND DRIVERS WAIT TOO

that process as yet,” he told reporters. “You are aware the government had extended from June to December. At some point, we will take a look at what’s happening in the country and make the judgment.”

To assist with the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Minnis administration in March launched its unemployment benefit programme, among other initiatives, for selfemployed people directly connected to the tourism SEE PAGE THREE

IMMIGRATION CHIEF INSISTS HIS STAFF OBEY THE LAW

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

IMMIGRATION Director Clarence Russell said the Department of Immigration intends to “make sure people are safe, treated as humanely as possible and that due course is taken”.

He was speaking to The Tribune after a Supreme Court judge awarded Kenyan national Douglas Ngumi the largest award of damages ever in the country because he suffered cruel and inhumane treatment during his unlawful six-and-a-half-year stay at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre.

Mr Russell noted that he took over the Immigration Department in 2018 and that Mr Ngumi’s matter preceded his tenure.

“My position is I don’t question the jurisdiction and decision of the judiciary,” he said. “That comes under the portfolio of the Attorney General. With respect to immigration, I manage immigration and I can say without a shadow of a doubt that since my arrival in the Immigration Department there have been numerous changes. As long as I sit in this position, the law will be applied with every single situation.

SEE PAGE FIVE

THE START of the month brought lengthy queues at the national stadium as drivers sought to licence their vehicles yesterday, with traffic tailing back a double length of the stadium.

Photo: Donovan McIntosh

BPC BITES BACK AT QC FRED

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net BAHAMAS Petroleum Company last night blasted oil exploration opponents for “significantly exaggerated” claims and waiting more than a decade to make a last-minute attempt to halt its plans.

The oil explorer, which is aiming to begin drilling its first exploratory well

in waters 90 miles west of Andros on December 15, accused Fred Smith QC, the lead attorney for the Our Islands, Our Future coalition, of making “inaccurate” and “ill-informed” statements concerning potential environmental risks.

Arguing it has complied with all the required legal processes to obtain its Environmental Authorisation and other permits, BPC argued Mr Smith’s assertions

“do not appear to stand up under scrutiny of both the facts, nor the extensive body of work undertaken” by the company.

Simon Potter, BPC’s chief executive, said the threatened legal action was interfering with “the sovereign right” of the government to determine whether a natural resource exists within its maritime boundaries.

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

RASTAFARI MOURN DEATH OF PHILIP BLYDEN RASTAFARI leader Priest Philip Blyden died in hospital on Monday, prompting shock from those who knew him.

One relative described him as a wise and knowledgeable leader, who was self-taught.

“His heart was pure and filled with love and hope,” his nephew posted on Facebook. “He was a man of integrity. He taught

PHILIP BLYDEN me a world of truth about Black history. It was largely

because of him that I developed an interest in Black liberation theology, African traditional religions and theological philosophy and later studied the same in university.

“He was a warrior, a soldier but most of all a friend.

He did not make excuses no matter what life brought his way.”

SEE PAGE FOUR

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

HILTON TO REOPEN ON DECEMBER 15

By YOURI KEMP and NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Reporters HOTEL union president Darrin Woods last night said The Bahamas’ battered tourism product must “keep the wind in its sails” after the British Colonial Hilton confirmed it will “partially” re-open this month.

He spoke after Pablo Casal, the hotel’s general manager, told this newspaper: “I am writing you just to let you know that we are re-opening December 15.”

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

TECHNOLOGY PEOPLE WEAKEST LINK FOR APPS TRACING COVID-19

SEE PAGE NINE

PAGE 2, Wednesday, December 2, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

POLICE HUNTING SUSPECT AFTER CAR CHASE POLICE in Grand Bahama are searching for a suspect who led them on a car chase.

Shortly after 1pm on Tuesday, officers of the Mobile Unit were alerted to a suspicious vehicle, a gold Chevy, in the area of East Sunrise Highway and suspected that the lone male driver was in possession of a firearm.

The driver upon seeing officers accelerated his

speed along East Sunrise Highway, prompting police to pursue. The vehicle then spun around in the midst of traffic and sped off in the opposite direction in the opposite lane. Officers gave chase to the area of Seahorse Road where the male suspect stopped the vehicle and ran into nearby bushes.

Police are in search of the suspect who they have identified.

Photos: Derek Carroll

THREE IN HOSPITAL AFTER SHOOTINGS POLICE on New Providence are investigating two shooting incidents that occurred on Monday leaving three men in hospital.

Sometime around 6.30pm, two men were driving a silver coloured Nissan Note car on Margaret Avenue, Millers Heights, when the driver of a black Nissan Note overtook their car. An occupant of the black car opened fire on them injuring the driver and his passenger.

The driver was struck in the lower back and the passenger in his buttocks.

The victims were taken to hospital where their conditions are not known at this time.

In the second incident, police were told that shortly after 7pm a man was standing outside his residence at Lady Slipper Avenue when the occupant of a gold coloured Chevy S10 truck approached his house. An occupant of that vehicle discharged a firearm in his direction injuring him in the upper torso. The victim was taken to hospital and is listed in stable condition.

Investigations into both matters continue.

The Tribune

For all our stories

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, December 2, 2020, PAGE 3

NIB ‘is well established to continue’ after director resignation

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net THE day after it was confirmed that Nicola Virgill-Rolle was stepping down as National Insurance Board director, NIB’s chairman assured stakeholders the organisation’s structure and mechanisms were well established to continue operations.

In a brief statement yesterday, NIB chairman Troy Smith said an announcement would come at a later date of Mrs Virgill-Rolle’s replacement.

“Mr Tony Smith, chairman of the National Insurance Board wishes to advise that Dr Nicola Virgill-Rolle has tendered her resignation as director/ CEO of NIB,” the statement read.

“Since appointed director in July 2018, Dr Rolle has led the management team and the organisation through two significant periods in its history, namely the impact of Hurricane Dorian in September 2019 and more recently, the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The board extends its gratitude to Dr Rolle for the contribution she has made to NIB during her tenure.

“The chairman also assures stakeholders that the structure and mechanisms within the board are well established to ensure continued operations.

An announcement on the appointment of a new director will be made at a later date by the Ministry of the Public Service and National Insurance.”

Yesterday outside Cabinet, National Insurance Board Minister Brensil Rolle thanked Mrs VirgillRolle for her service to the board and the Bahamian people.

Asked about her replacement, he said because the situation unfolded quickly, officials at NIB had not begun the process but it was expected to begin in earnest.

“This particular incident developed so quickly. NIB has internally some leadership. Her resignation to us, the contract demands that she gives three months’ notice or alternatively we give three months’ notice so we’re now working though how we’re going to deal with the process going forward.”

However, he said he was unable to give the assurance that this meant Mrs

NICOLA VIRGILL-ROLLE Virgill-Rolle would remain at the board for the next three months.

“I spoke with her yesterday. We will negotiate exactly what we’re going to do, but that’s the condition in the contract.”

According to Mr Rolle, Mrs Virgil-Rolle indicated she made the decision to resign as her engagement with NIB was contractual, whereas her new post at Lyford Cay Foundations

was permanent.

Mr Rolle admitted Monday that he did not take Mrs Virgill-Rolle seriously when she revealed in a conversation last Wednesday that she was considering resigning after more than two years as NIB’s director.

Once her decision was made official in writing over the weekend, Mr Rolle said board officials sought to dissuade Mrs VirgillRolle, but their efforts were

unsuccessful.

Mrs Virgill-Rolle’s resignation was announced on Monday in unusual fashion, with her new employer making public her new post before an official government statement was released.

She will leave NIB to become the next executive director of Lyford Cay Foundations, a release from the foundations said. The release made no mention of her tenure with NIB.

REPAIR SCHEME NEEDS $13M

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

MINISTER of Disaster Preparedness Iram Lewis said yesterday officials are hopeful that the Small Home Repair Programme will resume before early next year.

He also pleaded with registrants to be patient until the agency secures the funding needed to complete the relief initiative.

Speaking ahead of yesterday’s Cabinet meeting, the minister told reporters that as it stands, the Disaster Reconstruction Authority needs to acquire more than $13m to fulfil its current obligations to those who were approved for repair help.

Noting that officials are actively working towards the goal, Mr Lewis said once the DRA gets the approval it needs from Cabinet, an announcement will be made about the way forward.

“To fund the overall programme, we are in the neighbourhood of $13m,” he said. “So, that’s a major shortfall with respect to the reconstruction and even though we are undergoing serious financial challenges right now, we will see

how we can do our best to secure that level of funding which is a lot considering the times that we are in.

“It is slightly over $13 million that we need to finish the programme and that is by no stretch of imagination a small number as I said earlier based on the financial challenges that we are faced with right now but we are seeking to get an approval and once we get an approval, we will make an announcement and we hope that the approval will be granted and once it’s done, we’ll resume the programme.”

His comments come amid heightened public scrutiny of the programme – which is currently suspended— after concerns were raised by suppliers in September about not receiving payments from the agency since the initiative was launched in February.

Many approved applicants have also expressed frustration, questioning when the programme will continue, allowing them to receive much needed home supplies.

Yesterday, Mr Lewis acknowledged both the concerns, but also called for more patience as he reiterated the agency’s commitment towards

completing the programme.

He said: “We know that there are persons who are anxiously waiting for the programme to continue and we will be making an announcement in short order. We have a paper to present to Cabinet to get all of the necessary financing to move the project forward. I just want to assure all of those persons who we made a commitment to that we will honour our commitments.

“Persons who would’ve registered, those persons who we would’ve assessed, persons who would’ve started the registration, who we would’ve reached out to, I know it’s been a long time coming but the intention is to honour all of our commitments and the overall number is in the neighbourhood of 4,200 persons and, of course, the system ranges from 2,500 to 10,000 so again, we are focusing on rebuilding and I know persons are incredibly impatient. They have been waiting for a long time, the vendors have been waiting and again, as a government we will honour our commitment.”

Asked yesterday whether the public can expect to see the resumption of the programme by early next year,

Mr Lewis said officials are hopeful the greenlight will be given before then.

He said: “We are hopeful that it will start before (next year) but of course you know we are financially stretched right now and as I indicated earlier, when we had the pledge conference, the number of commitments that came through – a commitment is not a contract and those persons who committed to giving us funding to help with the reconstruction, their priorities shifted as a result of COVID-19.

“But, as a government, our commitment is to take care of our people and so we now have to pivot a bit to seek other avenues on how we can finance those projects moving forward.”

As of October, over 4,000 people were said to have registered for the DRA’s Small Homes Repair programme in Abaco and Grand Bahama, with some $11m spent towards the initiative.

IRAM LEWIS, Minister of Disaster Preparedness.

WAITING GAME FOR DESPERATE FAMILIES from page one

sector and later expanded it to include self-employed people outside of the industry.

The programme was initially extended to July and then to September.

However, recognising that thousands continued to be affected by the pandemic, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis announced in October that the assistance programmes will continue until December, with an additional $45m allocated towards those initiatives.

According to Mr Rolle, hundreds of assistance cheques at NIB are still waiting to be collected by beneficiaries.

“There are hundreds of individuals who have not collected their cheques and we’ve advised the public. We have tried to call individuals based on the number contacts that we had and there are a number of persons who have not collected their cheques from the benefits from the board as yet,” he said.

Yesterday, the minister was also asked about the possibility of National Insurance Board contribution rates increasing next year due to the financial losses experienced by the agency amid the health crisis.

However, Mr Rolle refrained from giving a direct answer, only telling reporters he wanted them

to spread the word to the Bahamian people about the importance of making NIB payments.

He said yesterday: “I told you before, I’d be interested in you taking the lead in this process and you informing and educating the public as to what is required for you to have a very good understanding of the fact that NIB had to spend $150m that was not budgeted this year and that monies and the board must somehow be there for you and me.

“So, if you lead the way and you use your platform and your great influence to educate the public and tell them about the importance of NIB then certainly there may be some consideration.”

YOUR

CHOICE FOR THE FAMILY WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/JOYFM1019

PAGE 4, Wednesday, December 2, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

Call for Caribbean to adopt HIV self-testing ON the occasion of World AIDS Day, Caribbean AIDS response stakeholders are calling for countries in the region to adopt HIV self-testing.

During the virtual launch of the “In Your Hands” Caribbean HIV self-testing campaign this week, partners advocated for self-testing policies to be developed and implemented as part of a comprehensive strategy to ensure that HIV diagnosis does not decline during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The advocacy campaign is jointly endorsed by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP), President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the Caribbean Med Labs Foundation (CMLF).

In order to achieve the fast-track targets that would set countries on course to end AIDS by 2030, it is imperative that people living with HIV are diagnosed early, start treatment right away and achieve an undetectable viral load.

People who are virally

DR NIKKIAH FORBES suppressed are not able to “treatment as prevention” transmit the virus. Testing is strategy. the critical first pillar of this Dr Nikkiah Forbes,

TOTAL CASES

TOTAL DEATHS

7,543 163

NEWLY CONFIRMED CASES TUESDAY 2 CASES NEW PROVIDENCE

TOTAL TESTS

43,794

2

HOSPITALISED

16

CASES IN ICU

0

RECOVERED

5,934

Bahamas National HIV/ AIDS and Infectious Disease programme director, said self-testing takes away some of the stigma associated with the disease.

“HIV self-testing allows people to get tested where they are,” Dr Forbes said in a press release. “It takes away some degree of stigma discrimination. As AIDS programmes we need to make sure we have responsible services to support self-testing.”

Even before COVID-19, the Caribbean was not on track to achieve the 90-9090 testing and treatment targets due at the end of 2020. In 2019 77 percent of all people living with HIV in the Caribbean knew their status, 81 percent of diagnosed people were on treatment and 80 percent of those on antiretroviral therapy were virally suppressed. A survey conducted by PANCAP and PAHO showed that during 2020, facility-and community-based HIV testing services were reduced in two-thirds (69 percent) of countries due to COVID-19.

“This decline means that people with undiagnosed HIV are not getting

lifesaving antiretroviral treatment and, of course, continue to be unaware of their HIV status with the risk of potentially exposing others,” said Ms Sandra Jones, PAHO’s Technical Advisor for HIV/STI, TB & Viral Hepatitis in the Caribbean.

“The COVID-19 pandemic… has presented the opportunity for us to explore new and innovative approaches that are result oriented. We cannot sit and continue to debate how we can increase the number of people who know their HIV status without seizing the opportunity to explore and implement initiatives such as HIV self-testing,” PANCAP Director, Dr Rosmond Adams said.

According to UNAIDS Caribbean Sub-regional Office Director, Dr James Guwani, it is particularly important to increase testing uptake among men who are more likely to be diagnosed late. In 2019 85 percent of Caribbean women living with HIV were aware of their status as compared to 72 percent of men. There is also a need to increase testing coverage among members of key population communities

who have reduced access to HIV services due to stigma and discrimination.

HIV self-testing is a process whereby a person collects a saliva or pinprick blood specimen, performs a test, and receives the result in private.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that HIV selftesting be offered as an additional approach to facility and community-based services. Evidence shows that self-testing is safe and accurate and increases testing uptake among people who may not test otherwise.

National policies should include a communication package with information to link testers to prevention and treatment services, as well as minimum standards for the procurement and distribution of HIV selftest kits in the private and public sectors.

At the launch, leaders from communities of people living with HIV and key populations endorsed the call for HIV self-testing. At the same time, they advised that increased investments are needed in post-test counselling and adherence counselling for the entire HIV response.

AN EXTRA HOUR BEFORE CURFEW IN NEW RULES

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

NEW Providence and mainland Abaco have been placed under a 10pm to 5am curfew, according to the latest Emergency Powers Order.

Previously, the islands were on a 9pm to 5am weekday curfew and a 6pm to 5am curfew on weekends.

Businesses are now allowed to operate between 6am and 9pm from Monday to Saturday and worship services are now allowed to take place on weekdays from 6am to 9pm and from 7am to 1pm on weekends.

Outdoor dining is allowed between 6am and 9pm from Monday to Saturday. Food services are still limited on Sundays and can only comprise drive thru and takeaway services.

Additionally, the competent authority has lifted the 24-hour curfew for Exuma and Eleuthera. A curfew for both islands remains in place between 10pm and 5am Monday through Sunday.

The curfew in Grand Bahama has also been changed from 9pm to 5am daily to 10pm to 5am.

According to the Order, schools can operate with either virtual or face-toface learning so long as the institution providing the later service has been given permission from the Ministry of Education.

The further relaxation of restrictions comes as the Ministry of Health recorded only two cases yesterday. Both cases are in New Providence.

The country now has 7,543 coronavirus cases and 163 deaths.

Last week, Health

Minister Renward Wells declared in the House of Assembly that Bahamians are flattening the COVID19 epidemic curve.

“While it is true that the entire Bahamas only experienced one complete lockdown in April, 2020, other islands such as Grand Bahama and Bimini, experienced lockdowns for some two weeks to control the spread of the virus on these islands,” he said at the time.

“Controlled weekday and 24-hour weekend curfews have been most effective on the islands of Eleuthera, Exuma, Abaco and New Providence to bring the overall transmission down, ‘flatten the curve,’ reduce infections and avoid overwhelming our treasured health care system.”

The order also allows New Providence grocery stores to open on Sundays from 6am to 9pm.

RASTAFARI MOURN DEATH OF PHILIP BLYDEN from page one

“He stood tall and faced life. He conquered it. He was a man of deep convictions. Uncle Phil was a strongly committed soul.

Among the commitments that he held dear, was his strong commitment to family, the education of his students (at Akhepran school) and of course to the House of Rastafari.”

Other loved ones expressed shock at his death and praised him for his work teaching African culture and spirituality.

Akhepran International Academy, where he worked in the art department, said he will always be remembered for his contributions to the school.

Blyden was born and raised in Bain Town to a straw vendor mother and taxi driver father.

He was one of several Bahamians who started the Pan African and the Rastafari movements in the country.

In August, he spoke with Face to Face and explained how the movements burgeoned.

“I returned to Nassau

on November 15, 1979 not knowing that Bob Marley was performing here,” Blyden shared at the time.

“I noticed a surging increase of Rastafari numbers, so we formed study groups and made arts and crafts, Rastafari icons, cultural T-shirts and the like. As time went by in the 1980s, the African village that we once knew (in the inner cities) was almost gone. By 1988 while involved in a Rastafari Inter-mansion group King of Kings Missionary Movement, I was asked to assist

organising a platform of unity, fellowship, fundraising and a human rights drive. As the group dissolved, it was decided that funds that were raised go to the EABIC (Ethiopia Africa Black International Congress) at the headquarters in Bull Bay, St Andrew, Jamaica.”

During his life, he frequently petitioned the government to legalise marijuana and recognise the rights of the Rasta community.

In July 2018, amid national debate on legalising marijuana, he recalled

making a presentation on the same issue before a Select Senate Committee headed by PLP Chairman Fred Mitchell in 1993.

“Our culture, wellbeing, and spirituality has been interrupted by first, the colonial powers,” he told The Tribune at the time. “Slavery is the biggest interruption of our civilisation. Rastafari members were then hunted by the neo-colonial authorities and our service sacrilegiously interrupted, and sometimes our camps burned down, and our women are sometimes

being violated by officers and it’s a number of things.

“We are being eclipsed by those snakes and vultures that are coming up now and everybody’s seeking to benefit from our pain and suffering,” he added. “We suffered under the criminalisation of marijuana more than any other social group in the Bahamas and if it is to be legalised, I think that there should be a pardon issued to the group on behalf of the government of The Bahamas - simply because it’s the government who would be seeking to benefit.”

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, December 2, 2020, PAGE 5

Immigration chief insists his staff obey the law from page one “One of my mandates was to give each individual due process. The history since I’ve been in the department suggests that has been the case.”

Nonetheless, attorney Fred Smith, who represented Mr Ngumi, said little has changed at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre since his client was released in 2017. Mr Smith took aim yesterday at comments made by Immigration Minister Elsworth Johnson.

“I take issue with Minister Ellsworth’s suggestion that we are a country governed by the rule of law,” he said.

“Insofar as immigration is concerned, there is no rule of law and that is reflected by the fact that there are judgments after judgments from the courts which expose the civil criminality of the

Immigration Department who are in fact kidnapping people, beating people, torturing people, holding them for arbitrary and illegally long periods of time, separating families and abusing almost all of their human and constitutional rights,” he alleged.

“And this state institutionalised savagery and state sanctioned terrorism against thousands and thousands of people, many of which are born in The Bahamas, is a terrible stain internationally on our nation.”

Mr Smith challenged immigration officials to publish a list of people at the detention centre, how long they have been at the centre, why they are detained and whether they have been taken before a court as required by the constitution and the criminal procedure code.

“I have clients who are currently at the detention centre that have been there

for over two years without being taken before a court,” he said. “I am tired of these mealy-mouthed sophistry about respecting the rule of law. Before Minister Johnson became a minister, he was a human rights activist and stood for the rule of law. He is overseeing an Immigration Department which has very little respect for the laws of The Bahamas or the international obligations of The Bahamas and I call upon him, firstly, as a spiritual Christian human being, to reign in the Immigration Department’s abuse and to release all of the illegally held detainees currently at the detention centre.”

Mr Smith continued: “This is no time for jokes and pandering words to the constitution. He is in charge and he knows what is going on and he knows there are people at the detention centre who are there illegally. As Moses said, ‘let my people go!’”

AUDITOR ISSUES WITH COURTS ‘PARTIALLY ADDRESSED’

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

CHIEF Justice Brian Moree said issues raised in a recent Auditor General report regarding payments at the courts have been partially addressed.

He assured the public yesterday judiciary officials were working to ensure integrity is a mainstay in the court system.

Alleged impropriety at the Magistrates Courts was highlighted in February in a report by Auditor General Terrence Bastian, exposing instances of cashiers allegedly altering payment receipts and nearly two dozen missing cheques.

Another incident – a missing endorsed blank cheque for $6,000 that was later cashed — was directly given to the Royal Bahamas Police Force for further investigation.

Mr Bastian noted differences between amounts that were paid for maintenance support – either child support or spousal support payments — versus the amount that cashiers posted to client cards for these payments.

Yesterday, asked to assure Bahamians that mechanisms have been put in place to thwart further wrongdoing, Mr Moree said: “The integrity of the court system and the administration of justice is essential in order to earn the public’s confidence in our court system and so this is a matter that is extremely important.

“The issues that arose as a result of the report of the Auditor General in the Magistrates Courts have been partially addressed.

With regards to processes and procedures and checks and balances and different protocols and I must say that the final response, the final chapter of the

response to that report will be introduced probably before the end of December or if not in early January, which will involve a substantial revamping of work processes in the Magistrates Courts.

“So, I can assure the Bahamian public that these issues of integrity and honesty and transparency and the way in which we deal with money and the disposition of cases and I might add the whole regime dealing with alternative sentencing, which does not involve a custodial sentence, but may involve some form of counselling or some other form of sentence other than incarceration all of that is being revamped.

“I am working with the Ministry of Social Services and one of their key departments to introduce new procedures and protocols for oversight of all agencies who are involved in noncustodial sentencing.

“I had a very productive and helpful discussion with the minister of social services about a week and a half ago and he is fully supportive of our efforts to revamp this procedure to make it more transparent and to bring it in line with best practice.

“So many of those issues we are addressing those issues and there will be major changes, work processes and procedures to ensure accountability, transparency and by the way it will also involve improving our service platform for users of the Magistrates Courts.”

The Chief Justice also gave an update on the digitisation of the court system.

Officials expect the changes to increase the judiciary’s efficiency.

Registrar of the Supreme Court Camille DarvilleGomez said it is likely the entire process will take 12 months to complete.

However, the new electronic bail management system will come online December 14. There is also a court integration management system in the works.

Mr Moree further announced that Constance Delancy has been appointed senior court administrator, while Alphanette Grant is administrator for the Magistrates’ Courts.

DOUGLAS NGUMI, pictured with Fred Smith QC outside Supreme Court previously.

Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff

CHIEF JUSTICE WANTS MORE PLEA BARGAINS

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

CHIEF Justice Brian Moree wants to see greater use of plea bargains in the Bahamian criminal justice system, saying yesterday the country does not have the resources for every case to go to trial.

He said plea bargaining “must be an integral part of any modern criminal justice system and I would strongly encourage a more robust approach to plea bargaining by both the DPP’s (Director of Public Prosecution’s) Office and the private defence bar.”

He was speaking during a virtual press conference yesterday. “What the empirical data shows throughout courts around the world,” he said, “is that no court system in the United States,

in Australia, in Britain, in the largest countries in the world, no court system has the resources to bring to trial every criminal case that is filed. It simply cannot happen and it doesn’t happen anywhere in the world so plea bargaining becomes an integral part of the disposition regime for criminal cases.”

Mr Moree said it is encouraging that though the country’s plea-bargaining rate “was quite low,” it has increased in the last three to five years.

A plea deal is an agreement between a prosecutor and a defendant where the accused agrees to plead guilty to a particular charge in return for some concession. The government passed a law in 2008 to allow for plea bargaining in criminal cases. In 2014, a two-day plea bargain

conference was held as part of the government’s Swift Justice programme. Director of Public Prosecutions Garvin Gaskin told The Tribune at the time that he did not want to see an overuse of plea deals.

Chief Justice Moree said yesterday: “I would strongly support the judicious and careful and proper use of plea bargaining in appropriate cases in order to manage the backlog, and as I said it has to be an integral part of the system because we cannot take all criminal cases to trial, we just don’t have the resources.

“I’m glad the DPP seems to be focusing on that. I hope that members of the private criminal bar will also focus on it and we will see an increased use of plea bargains moving forward as part of our reduction of the backlog.”

PAGE 6, Wednesday, December 2, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

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Help families by letting them plan ahead WHAT is your plan for how to put food on the table tomorrow? Or next week? Or next month?

For many, that’s a situation that is almost taken for granted – although it shouldn’t be, now more than ever.

For families who have been put on furlough, though, or who have lost their jobs due to the pandemic, it’s a real and genuine concern.

In today’s , we report that the government has not yet decided whether to extend its support efforts for those affected by COVID-19. They have previously been extended – originally, they were supposed to end in June, but were continued because the effects of COVID-19, as we all know, had not gone away. Now they are due to conclude in December, even though businesses, including the big resorts, are only tentatively starting their reopening.

People need to be able to plan ahead, to work out what little money they have will pay for. For those looking at the possible end of support at the end of this month, they will be weighing up whether the money they have will go towards a bill, will perhaps allow for a little gift for Christmas for the children, or whether they need to hold on to it to pay for food in January.

The authorities know the budgets available, they know the opening dates for major businesses such as Atlantis and Baha Mar and the number of people affected from each of those places. To think that for those not fortunate enough to be getting back to work this month that support will just come to a sudden stop seems either unlikely or cruel.

So let people know. Let people plan.

For every one that gets back to work, that’s one less that needs help – but that still leaves a great number needing that support.

We long for the day when we are back to normal as a nation and no one needs those COVID-19 support payments – but we’re not there yet, just as we weren’t there in June when the deadline was extended previously.

And once we are back in business?

Time to fill up that NIB pot again – and be thankful it was there when we

needed it.

Will we learn?

It was like that when I got here.

The words could be coming from Immigration Director Clarence Russell, they could be coming from TV character Bart Simpson. Either way, they don’t help much.

Mr Russell didn’t say those exact words, but he did shrug off the case of Douglas Ngumi, who was unlawfully detained for six and a half years, as he noted that the case preceded his tenure.

Notably absent from his comments were any criticism of the officers involved previously or the actions of the department he now leads.

Let’s go for a second absence – any reassurance that no one is presently being detained unlawfully.

Fred Smith, QC, is calling for officials to publish a list of people at the detention centre, how long they have been there, why they were detained and whether they have been taken before a court as required by law.

If the authorities are so confident that no one is being similarly mistreated, that should be a simple thing to produce.

The award for damages given to Mr Ngumi was the biggest of its kind in the history of The Bahamas. From the reaction – or lack thereof – from officials, you wouldn’t think a case of such magnitude had just concluded.

There isn’t just a lack of commitment to change – there’s barely a recognition that something was wrong to begin with. Mr Russell says a number of changes have taken place under his tenure. We sincerely hope those changes would prevent another unlawful detention – but we can’t trust to his word alone, it must be verified.

And if it’s still happening? Hold all those responsible to account. Unlawful should mean the same no matter whose action we are talking about – whether that is a migrant or an officer in uniform.

Hateful speech EDITOR, The Tribune.

I WOULD like to add some comments to the excellent letter in Monday’s Tribune from Saskia D’Aguilar in reference to the letter from Kevin Evans in Friday’s Tribune.

Evans’ letter in essence says homosexuals are the devil’s children who will spend eternity in hell.

Homosexuals have been around long before Christ walked the earth, i.e. long before Christianity. Worldwide statistically two in a 100 people are homo or bi-sexual.

It’s important to

understand it’s NOT a choice it’s in the make up of their DNA. So the concept they will be punished for a sexual orientation that is totally out of their control is absurd.

Look at it from this perspective if Christ walked the earth now would he condemn homosexuals and define them as Satan’s children? Christ spewing hateful bile?

Christ may, however, take great exception to preachers like we have here and all round the world whose only interest in religion is acquiring wealth and power whilst using that power to

molest boys and girls. The Catholic Church has been bedeviled with this sickness and the Bahamas is far from exempt from malignant pedophilia.

Letters such as this from Evans are to be expected as this is the guy who praises and defends the dreadful racism spouted by the hatefilled Trump.

Freedom of speech is important in a healthy democracy, but reading hateful drivel is unspeakably vile.

THE REALIST Nassau, November 30, 2020.

Our islands, our future - no drilling To advertise in The Tribune, contact 502-2394

EDITOR, The Tribune.

I HAVE no words for what I saw with Dorian.

This drilling is not what The Bahamas is about as a nation with natural beauty in its people, marine life and ocean.

I vibrate another way for our people to not see the Prime Minister make another plea at the UN

about the impact of climate change.

This drilling will impact our natural environment impacting climate change, impacting our waters, soil, humans and ecosystem.

BAHAMIAN FOR ENVIRONMENT Nassau, December 1, 2020.

Stay alive EDITOR, The Tribune.

IF YOU live long enough, you will have a story to tell.

Life is a mysterious gift to some, an adventure to others, and for many a dismal ride that ends in a series of losses that can seem to be meaningless at times. Many of these experiences are not just the narrow thoughts of those who lived them but are in most cases the unfiltered facts of individual lives that propel some to glory and leave others in the dust.

Several of my fondest memories were those of when I was a child. Back then I knew nothing but that was okay. The only dreams I had were about the kind of games that I would play tomorrow, or which beaches my friends and I would venture on throughout the day. I am thankful that I can reflect on my childhood. Those thoughts still make me smile whenever I need one.

I never knew how treasured that phase of my life would become until I grew up and the rainbow-coloured view that I had of this world began to fade.

A wise man said once that with “much knowledge, comes much grief”.

It seems like the further we go into the depths of this reality, the more our eyes begin to open up, and we behold the naked truth about everything that we ever thought we knew.

One year you are on cloud nine and the next year you’re being suckerpunched from every line on the modern compass. Then,

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net if you survived that ride you get to live another year of having to deal with the anxiety of the same things happening all over again.

Yippy!

Growing up can mean questioning the validity and intentions of others that you have known all your life. It can also mean having unwarranted reservations for those you’ve just met.

Growing up can mean building a wall around you so high to protect your heart from being broken, that at the same time you become ignorant of the fact that you’re making your own soul a prisoner.

What this year especially has taught us is that most of humanity is truly uncivilized. Some may appear to be civil or in instances collectively show care and concern for others when the occasion calls for it or the cameras are rolling.

However, many have found out this year that whenever the backs of men slip, when the vanity or religion that some hold dear to themselves are threatened, even those who you would assume to but the most humble of our kind can turn into monsters.

It can be a frightening thought to finally realise like many have had to recently that the world is a very scary place; and guess what? You live in it!

It’s what we call life, and whatever our individual experiences or opinions may be; the ultimate goal of

each and every one of us is to preserve it; to stay alive.

I remember while lamenting on some heartaches that I was experiencing; a friend of mine told me that if I were to “appreciate and love the sweet things in life, shouldn’t I accept the sour as well?”

His words made me think about my attitude towards what I felt to be the better experiences that life offered me versus the ones that I wished had never happened. I learned that all I had faced up to that point, every high and low; even though very painful at times they all were meaningful events in some way that gave character to my existence.

I later found out that he stole that quote from the book of Job but nevertheless, it changed my view on things and made challenges a lot easier for me to deal with. Though the words of that text may appear to be blunt and insensitive to the plight of an individual, it is a truth that knocks at the core of our purpose for being here.

If you live long enough you will realise that nothing lasts forever. Even the most terrible times will eventually fade away at the same speed as the good times.

The best advice that I can give to anyone who is experiencing a season loss, death, or tragedy is to try to Stay Alive. If you live long enough you will eventually outlast whatever season comes along, including this one.

DELROY MEADOWS Nassau, November 28, 2020.

Environmentally friendly oil drilling?

EDITOR, The Tribune.

IT IS sincerely to be hoped that, once he becomes Prime Minister, opposition leader Brave Davis will revisit his position on oil drilling in The Bahamas.

The notion of “environmentally-friendly oil drilling” is akin to “health-friendly heroin use”. It is an oxymoron

and would be frankly comical if not uttered so frequently and with such serious possible consequences.

What makes the idea all the more perplexing is that, in these dying days of the fossil fuel industry, it is being advanced so persistently in a country that is already very wealthy without it and whose main problems

relate to the bad distribution of that wealth (thanks to needlessly regressive economic and fiscal policies).

Anyone who thinks that the oil industry is a remedy for uneven wealth distribution needs to visit Nigeria.

ANDREW ALLEN Nassau, November 30, 2020.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, December 2, 2020, PAGE 7

‘Disciplinary action taken’ over party in courtroom

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

CHIEF Justice Brian Moree said appropriate disciplinary action was handed to staff who attended and staged a party inside a courtroom earlier this year.

Top judiciary officials investigated the incident after a video of people partying at the Magistrate’s Court went viral on social media in July.

In the 30 second clip, several women were seen on cell phone video gyrating to dancehall music and holding beverages in what appeared to be a courtroom at the Magistrates Court complex on Nassau Street.

Several men are also seen dancing in the clip.

Asked about the outcome of the investigation during a virtual press briefing on digital upgrades to come for the judicial system, Mr Moree said: “We did conduct an inquiry into that matter from the point of view of our court staff.

“The issues related to the

CHIEF Justice Brian Moree. police were of course dealt with by the Commissioner of Police.

“We made certain conclusions and identified the causes for that incident and

appropriate disciplinary proceedings or action was taken.”

However, he did not elaborate on the disciplinary measures.

“The new protocols that we put in place strictly prohibits the use of courtrooms or indeed any rooms or offices in the Magistrates Court for public events or social events without following now a designated procedure, which involves an application, involves the approval, it involves appointing a senior court officer to preside over those court proceedings and it also involves oversight to ensure adherence with strict physical distancing requirements.

“So, we do not expect a recurrence of that event and Mrs Grant our new court administrator in the Magistrates Court is fully engaged in that regard and I don’t think the public will see that happening again.”

A statement by Chief Justice Moree and Chief Magistrate Joyanne Ferguson-Pratt following the

incident said the behaviour does not reflect the standards and professionalism of court staff.

“The Office of the Judiciary is aware of the video circulating on social media showing persons dancing and socialising at an event which is said to have occurred in the Magistrates Court Complex on July 9, 2020,” the statement said.

“In response to this, we wish to advise that an internal enquiry into this incident has been launched to determine what actually occurred in the Magistrates Court building, and the facts and circumstances surrounding the events which are partially captured on the video. Appropriate action will be taken in line with the conclusions of the enquiry.

“It is apparent that the individuals in the video are not wearing facial masks and are not complying with the physical distancing requirements. Some of the persons who can be seen on the video appear to be members of the court

staff while others do not appear to be employed by the judiciary. The scenes shown on the video do not reflect the standards and professionalism of the members of the court staff in discharging their duties to the public.

“We are cognizant of the importance of preserving the decorum of court buildings and the dignity and fairness of all court proceedings. For these reasons, we regard the incident shown as a serious matter which requires our urgent attention and action consistent with maintaining public confidence in the administration of justice.

“Within the judiciary, our diligent efforts to reform and modernise the court system in the Bahamas will continue. We trust that the results of our endeavours will become apparent to the Bahamian public over the next three to six months as we execute a series of new initiatives in the delivery of justice to all persons in The Bahamas.”

THIEF SAYS UNEMPLOYMENT ‘PAY BACK THE STOLEN MONEY’ DURING PANDEMIC DROVE HIM TO STEAL FROM HOUSE

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net A 38-YEAR-OLD man was sentenced to eight months in prison after claiming that being unemployed during the pandemic drove him to break into another man’s house and steal.

Police arrested John Bazile after he broke into Cecil Newbold’s residence and stole a 24-inch television, a microwave and an assortment of other personal items on November 27. The prosecution said the accused caused $380 worth of damage to Mr Newbold’s window and screen.

During his hearing before Deputy Chief Magistrate Andrew Forbes, Bazile pleaded guilty to housebreaking and stealing.

The court was told that when Mr Newbold arrived home around 10.30am on November 27, he noticed

that one of the northern windows of his home had been damaged. When he went inside his residence, he discovered that several household items were missing. The court was told that neighbours then told Mr Newbold that the person who had broken into his home had just left. The complainant was able to detain Bazile and recover his stolen items a short time later. He then contacted police, who arrested the accused and took him to a nearby station.

In an interview there, Bazile admitted the offences.

Bazile told the magistrate that he only broke into the home because his wife was pregnant, he was unemployed and was making no money due to the pandemic. He insisted he was “really and truly” sorry for his actions.

Magistrate Forbes asked Bazile what would

16-YEAR-OLD CAUGHT ROLLING MARIJUANA

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net A TEENAGER who was caught rolling marijuana joints was given a curfew and granted $1,000 bail before his sentencing.

The 16-year-old appeared before Deputy Chief Magistrate Andrew Forbes after officers said they found him with $1,320 worth of Indian hemp on November 25.

During his arraignment he pleaded guilty to one count of dangerous drug possession with the intent to supply.

The court was told that officers proceeded to a residence in the Haitian Village near Dignity Gardens around 4pm on the day in question. Upon their arrival, they knocked on the door of a residence and showed the accused a search warrant. During

their investigation, officers discovered ten clear plastic bags with suspected marijuana in one of the bedrooms.

The youngster was subsequently arrested and taken to the Drug Enforcement Unit. In an interview with police there, he said he was aware that the drugs were in the home, but claimed he was only assisting with wrapping the joints.

After listening to the prosecution’s facts, Magistrate Forbes said he would invite representatives from the Department of Social Services to prepare a probation report before he sentenced the teenager.

As a result, he placed him on a curfew which requires him to be home by 6pm on weekdays and 5pm on weekends and granted him $1,000 bail until March 10.

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have happened if Mr Newbold had been at home when he broke into his residence. He also told him he was lucky that Mr Newbold had chosen to contact police when he detained him, instead of taking matters into his own hands.

As a result, he convicted Bazile of the offences and sentenced him to eight months at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services. He also ordered the accused to compensate Mr Newbold $380 for his damaged window.

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A MAN who cashed several cheques that he illegally obtained from his former employer was yesterday ordered to pay back the stolen money.

Khiry Daxon, 28, appeared before Deputy Chief Magistrate Andrew Forbes accused of defrauding Marvin’s Safe and Reliable LP Gas Service of $3,830 between July and August of this year.

The prosecution said Daxon possessed and uttered five forged Royal Bank of Canada and Scotiabank cheques in the company’s name in the amounts of $775; $625; $1,010; $700; and $720.

He pleaded guilty to five counts each of possession of a forged document, uttering a forged document and fraud by false pretences.

The court was that told Marvin Bethel said some of his former employees had forged several cheques in his business’ name. He told officers that he had received some of the cheques back and turned them over to the Financial Crimes Investigation Unit for further investigation.

He then provided a statement and requested police action. Inquiries into the matter led to Daxon’s arrest.

In an interview with police at a nearby station, Daxon denied the allegations.

The prosecution said that when officers made

further checks, they discovered the accused had used his ID to cash the fraudulent cheques. He was subsequently cautioned and charged.

During the arraignment, Daxon was represented by attorney Ian Cargill. He told the magistrate that his client worked as a gas technician and was the father of a young child. He insisted his client pleaded guilty because he didn’t want to waste the court’s time and insisted he was remorseful for his actions.

As a result, Magistrate Forbes ordered Daxon to reimburse Mr Bethel the $3,830 he defrauded by December 11. He also fined him $1,000 or six months in prison for committing the acts.

PAGE 8, Wednesday, December 2, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

What it takes to lead and, most importantly, pass the baton on THERE are positions of leadership and there are a particular set of skills, competencies and flexibility that, used appropriately make leadership successful.

How often do they meet?

We often think of leadership as control and power, centralised in one person, unit, or institution and this leads to practices and expectations of leadership that fail us over and over again.

Those who are paying attention are learning about leadership by observing the events and circumstances surrounding the resignations we have seen over the past few months, happening for various reasons, all linked to power and control.

Leaders have to accept responsibility for mistakes PRIME Minister Dr Hubert both made Minnis may be the leader by them of the nation at present and under but there is much that a their watch, leader must do to make they need the most of their team. to watch the optics and prioritise the reputation of their institutions.

They also need to be confident, motivated and secure in their positions.

When they are not, they need to step down or they put everyone else at risk as they flounder just to appear competent and authoritative.

What we need, however, is transparent, accountable, consistent leaders capable of assembling, strengthening and empowering teams such that they can achieve success.

It is important we understand the role of power.

A leader needs power.

They need to have access to information, sufficient resources and the ability to make decisions and execute in a timely manner.

While board approval may be required for certain actions, it should not always have to wait until the next board meeting.

Decision-making needs to be efficient, participants in the process must be agile and there has to be a system in place for emergencies and situations requiring rapid response.

Without all of this, leaders are unable to carry out their mandates. There are times people are put in positions we see as leadership, but the power to truly lead is withheld from them.

Another person or group of people maintain control while the visible leader appears foolish, weak, or ignorant.

In worse cases, they are seen as responsible for failures that are not of their own making, but point to the deficiency of the systems within which they operate.

DECENTRALISATION OF POWER Not only does the leader need to have sufficient power, but they need know how to share it with team members.

A critical component of leadership is team building. Beyond recruiting and hiring the best people, they need to be able to do their work.

This means creating a supportive environment, fostering collaboration and dynamic interaction within and across teams, enabling skill sharing, creating and using feedback processes and recognising the expertise of individuals.

There are far too many people working on teams, in offices, on committees and within coalitions who are not fulfilling their potentials because others refuse to work with their ideas, listen to their interventions, or factor their feedback into the decisionmaking process.

Too many people in positions of leadership expect their teams, considered beneath them, to do the grunt work and nothing more.

We have created cultures of mediocrity and

By Alicia Wallace

resentment by ignoring or preventing contributions.

Worse, we have reduced our collective capacity to achieve more and improve systems and lies by limiting teams and team members to the elementary and perfunctory.

A leader sees every person on their team as an asset and should create opportunities for them to contribute to shared outcomes. That involves the decentralisation of power and requires a level of selfconfidence many leaders do not possess. Instead, they have arrogance and insecurity, both of which keep them from allowing anyone else to be seen as valuable.

OPPOSING POINTS OF VIEW

a title. People who are not allowed to do their jobs, yet will suffer the long-lasting consequences of institutional failure, will leave when they have the opportunity to do so.

No one studies and works hard to gain knowledge, experience and insight only to be prevented from implementing necessary systems and practices by people who hold more power and refuse to share it with experts.

The frustration and potential for embarrassment are not worth the pay cheque, especially when other opportunities abound. Leaders need to be personally and professionally fulfilled, making the best possible use of their talent.

SUCCESSION PLANNING Effective leaders consult with other people, both Leaders cannot hold their within their teams and positions forever, no matter from other spaces. They how they may behave as recognise the value of an though they are invincible. outsider’s perspective. They Where the age of retirebuild professional relationment fails, human mortality ships with people for this proves inescapable. It is in purpose. Having ideas and the best interest of every championing the work of a institution to cross-train team is necessary, but leademployees and actively ers have to be prepared to engage in succession planbe challenged. They need ning. There should be no people who will poke holes irreplaceable people on any in theories, insist on thorteam. No two people are ough explanations of how a the same, but there should plan will be executed, point be shared competencies. to red flags.

People should be able to Leaders need people who go on leave without being will tell them when they called in to perform tasks, are wrong, recommend maintain or repair relationother courses ships, or make of action, and ‘Leaders, no decisions. connect them In many with people matter how organisations, who have good they are at leaders are the know- their jobs, have near or past the how they are age of retirelacking. Con- to know that ment while sultants see they will not be younger what people around forever people have on the inside the necessary and, if they are miss. They can, qualifications, however, only good leaders who but insufficient do so much. believe in their experience It is up to the and instituown output, they leader to use tional learning the informa- will dedicate because they tion to improve resources to have been ideas, plans systematipreparing new and execution. cally kept at a We can leaders.’ certain level. all point to They need to examples, parbe given opportunities to ticularly over the past few learn more, do more and months, of leaders refusing be compensated approprito accept recommendations ately. This kind of training from consultants. and advancements needs Ego, arrogance and per- to be built into institutional sonal gain often prevents culture. them from making the best Every leader has to think decisions for the people about what would happen if they directly impact. they were suddenly unable FULFILMENT ON THE JOB While direct personal benefit should not be a primary reason for taking positions of leadership, everyone needs fulfilment.

We want, not only to do well, but to be seen as doing well. This is not limited to income and lifestyle. Many people want to be sought after, to have opportunities to make more money and to be remembered for something.

People want to have a positive legacy. To be the one to balance the budget.

To be at the helm when the largest profit is made. To adeptly steer the country to safety in the midst of the most difficult year in recent history. To have the highest staff retention rate. To have the most innovative solution to a persisting problem.

People want their names to be associated with the first or the best of something. No one wants to be associated with the failures of a brand, company, industry or country. Such an association could be damning to a career and embarrassing to a family for generations.

For a leader who knows their worth and their potential, it does not make sense to keep a job that not only brings little satisfaction, but is not much more than

to do their job, what would need to happen to ensure activities continued as normal or improved in their absence, and what needs to be done to fill that gap.

People have to be trained to take on positions of leadership. It should not wait until someone is transitioning out or unexpectedly leaves. This has to be a normal practice in all sectors.

Leaders, no matter how good they are at their jobs, have to know that they will not be around forever and, if they are good leaders who believe in their own output, they will dedicate resources to preparing new leaders.

In fact, they will not want to hold on to positions until they can no longer do it.

Leadership without succession planning will lead to failure.

Leadership is not forever. A leader has a limited amount of time to have impact, inspire others, and excuse themselves so that fresh minds and new ideas — undergirded by the mentoring of past leaders — can propel use toward the shared vision. Once that time is up, the leader becomes a symbol of stagnation, ego, and delusion.

A leader knows when they have given all they have, when it is time to give space and support to someone new.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, December 2, 2020, PAGE 9

TECHTALK

PEOPLE WEAKEST LINK FOR APPS TRACKING CORONAVIRUS EXPOSURE

WAYMO OPENING NEW AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE TESTING SITE IN OHIO

By JOHN SEEWER ASSOCIATED PRESS

By RAE ELLEN BICHELL Kaiser Health News THE app builders had planned for pranksters, ensuring that only people with verified COVID-19 cases could trigger an alert. They’d planned for heavy criticism about privacy, in many cases making the features as barebones as possible. But, as more states roll out smartphone contact-tracing technology, other challenges are emerging. Namely, human nature.

The problem starts with downloads.

Stefano Tessaro calls it the “chickenand-egg” issue: The system works only if a lot of people buy into it, but people will buy into it only if they know it works.

“Accuracy of the system ends up increasing trust, but it is trust that increases adoptions, which in turn increases accuracy,” Tessaro, a computer scientist at the University of Washington who was involved in creating that state’s forthcoming contact-tracing app, said in a lecture last month.

In other parts of the world, people are taking that necessary leap of faith. Ireland and Switzerland, touting some of the highest uptake rates, report more than 20% of their populations use a contact-tracing app, Kaiser Health News reports.

Notification Americans seem not so hot on the idea. As with much of the U.S. response to the pandemic, this country hasn’t had a national strategy. So it’s up to states. And only about a dozen, including the recent addition of Colorado, have launched the smartphone feature, which sends users a notification if they’ve crossed paths with another app user who later tests positive for COVID-19.

Within those few states, enthusiasm appears dim. In Wyoming, Alabama and North Dakota, some of the few states with usage data beyond initial downloads, under 3% of the population is using the app.

The service, built by Google and Apple and adapted by individual countries, states or territories, either appears as a downloadable app or as a setting, depending on the state and the device. It uses Bluetooth to identify other phones using the app within about 6 feet for more than 15 minutes.

If a user tests positive for COVID-19,

they’re given a verification code to input so that each contact can be notified they were potentially exposed.

The person’s identity is shielded, as are those of the people notified.

“The more people who add their phone to the fight against COVID, the more protection we all get. Everyone should do it,” Sarah Tuneberg, who leads Colorado’s test and containment effort, told reporters on Oct. 29. “The sky’s the limit. Or the population is the limit, really.”

But the population could prove to be quite a limit. Data from early-adopter governments suggests even those who download the app and use it might not follow directions at the most critical juncture.

According to the Virginia Health Department, from August to November, about 613 app users tested positive and received a code to alert their contacts that they may have exposed them to the virus. About 60% of them actually activated it.

In North Dakota, where the outbreak is so big that human contact tracers can’t keep up, the data is even more dire. In October, about 90 people tested positive and received the codes required to alert their contacts. Only about 30% did so.

Researchers in Dublin tracking app usage in 33 regions around the world have encountered echoes of the same issue. In October, they wrote that in parts of Europe fewer people were alerting their contacts than expected, given the scale of the outbreaks and the number of active app users. Italy and Poland ranked lowest. There, they estimated, just 10% of the app users they’d expect were submitting the codes necessary to warn others.

“I’m not sure that anybody working in this field had foreseen that that could be a problem,” said Lucie Abeler-Dörner, part of a team at the Big Data Institute at Oxford studying COVID-19 interventions, including digital contact tracing. “Everybody just assumed that if you sign up for a

voluntary app … why would you then not push that button?”

So far, people in the field only have guesses. Abeler-Dörner wonders how much of it has to do with people going into panic mode when they find out they’re positive.

Tessaro, the University of Washington computer scientist, asks if the health officials who provide the code need more training on how to provide clear instructions to users.

Elissa Redmiles, a faculty member at the Max Planck Institute for Software Systems who is studying what drives people to install contact-tracing apps, worries that people may have difficulty inputting their test results.

But Tim Brookins, a Microsoft engineer who developed North Dakota’s contact-tracing app as a volunteer, has a bleaker outlook.

“There’s a general belief that some people want to load the app so that they can be notified if someone else was positive, in a selfserving way,” he said. “But if they’re positive, they don’t want to take the time.”

Abeler-Dörner called the voluntary notification a design flaw and said the alerts should instead be automatically triggered.

Even with the limitations of the apps, the technology can help identify new COVID cases. In Switzerland, researchers looked at data from two studies of contact-tracing app users. They wrote in a not-yet-peerreviewed paper that while only 13% of people with confirmed cases in Switzerland used the app to alert their contacts from July to September, that prompted about 1,700 people who had potentially been exposed to call a dedicated hotline for help. And of those, at least 41 people discovered they were, indeed, positive for COVID-19.

In the U.S., another non-peerreviewed modeling study from Google and Oxford University looking at

three Washington state counties found that even if only 15% of the population uses a contact-tracing app, it could lead to a drop in COVID-19 infections and deaths. Abeler-Dörner, a study co-author, said the findings could be applicable elsewhere, in broad strokes.

“It will avert infections,” she said.

“If it’s 200 or 1,000 and it prevents 10 deaths, it’s probably worth it.”

Data That may be true even at low adoption rates if the app users are clustered in certain communities, as opposed to being scattered evenly across the state.

But prioritising privacy has required health departments to forgo the very data that would let them know if users are near one another. While an app in the United Kingdom asks users for the first few digits of their postal code, very few U.S. states can tell if users are in the same community.

Some exceptions include North Dakota, Wyoming and Arizona, which allow app users to select an affiliation with a college or university.

At the University of Arizona, enough people are using the app that about 27% of people contacted by campus contact tracers said they’d already been notified of a possible exposure.

Brookins of Microsoft, who created Care19 Alert, the app used in Wyoming and North Dakota, said that offering an affiliation option also allows people who’ve been exposed to get campus-specific instructions on where to get tested and what to do next.

“In theory, we can add businesses,” he said. “It’s so polarising, no businesses have wanted to sign up, honestly.”

The privacy-focused design also means researchers don’t have what they need to prove the apps’ usefulness and therefore encourage higher adoption.

“Here there is actually some irony because the fact that we are designing this solution with privacy in mind somehow prevents us from accurately assessing whether the system works as it should,” Tessaro said.

TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — Waymo plans to open a new testing site in Ohio for its driverless autonomous vehicles that will focus on dense, urban areas, the company said Tuesday.

The new site being built at the Transportation Research Center near Columbus will allow the company to work on motion control testing, heavyduty truck testing and testing in varying weather conditions, the company said.

Waymo’s main testing facility is near Merced, California.

While it has conducted testing in several other states, this will be its first permanent location at a third-party test site.

It plans to open the new centre in Ohio sometime in the middle of next year.

Waymo, a unit of Google parent Alphabet Inc., is seen by many as the leader in autonomous vehicle technology. In October, it expanded its ride hailing service in Phoenix to use more vehicles that have no back-up drivers behind the wheel.

Operating its self-driving vehicles in inclement weather has been an ongoing challenge.

The company has been working on snow and wet roads in the Detroit area and heavy rain and fog in Florida and San Francisco, Patrick Cadariu, Waymo’s head of supply chain operations, said during the summer.

The testing site at the Transportation Research Center in Ohio will be designed with various types of terrain, including hills, along with dense, urban environments, the company said.

The research centre in East Liberty, about 40 miles (64 kilometres) northwest of Columbus, opened a $45 million testing ground for selfdriving vehicles last year.

It features roads and structures intended to replicate high-speed intersections, rural roads and urban areas normally encountered by drivers. Officials say the facility is among the most advanced in North America.

CHINA SPACECRAFT LANDS ON MOON TO BRING ROCKS BACK TO EARTH

By JOE MCDONALD ASSOCIATED PRESS BEIJING (AP) — A Chinese spacecraft landed on the moon to bring back lunar rocks to Earth for the first time since the 1970s, the government announced.

The China National Space Administration said Chang’e 5 “successfully landed” at its designated site shortly after 11 p.m.

(1500 GMT) Tuesday after making a powered descent from its orbiter.

It published images of the barren scene at the landing site, including where the lander’s shadow can be seen.

The lander was launched Nov. 24 from the tropical southern island of Hainan. It is the latest venture by a Chinese space programme that sent its first astronaut into orbit in 2003, has a spacecraft en route to Mars and aims eventually to land a human on the moon.

Plans call for the lander to spend about two days drilling into the lunar surface and collecting 2 kilogrammes (4.4 pounds) of rocks and

A SCREEN shows the landed Chang’e-5 spacecraft and a moon surface picture, below, taken by camera aboard Chang’e-5 spacecraft during its landing process, at Beijing Aerospace Control Center (BACC) in Beijing on Tuesday.

(Jin Liwang/Xinhua via AP) debris. The sample will be lifted up into orbit and transferred to a return capsule for the trip to Earth, setting

down on the grasslands of Inner Mongolia around the middle of the month.

If it succeeds, it will be the first time scientists have obtained fresh samples of lunar rocks since a Soviet probe in the 1970s. Those samples are expected to be made available to scientists from other nations, although its unclear how much access NASA will have, given tight U.S. government restrictions on space cooperation with China.

From the rocks and debris, scientists hope to learn more about the moon, including its precise age, as well as increased knowledge about other bodies in our solar system.

Collecting samples, including from asteroids, is an increasing focus of many space programmes and China’s mastery of the technology once again places it among the leading nations operating in space.

U.S. astronauts with NASA’s Apollo space programme brought back 842 pounds (382 kilogrammes) of lunar samples from 1969 to 1972, some of which is still being analyzed and experimented on.

The Chang’e 5 flight is China’s third successful lunar landing. Its predecessor, Chang’e 4, was the first

probe to land on the moon’s littleexplored far side. Chinese space program officials have said they envision future crewed missions along with robotic ones, including possibly building some sort of permanent space base for conducting research. No timeline or other details have been announced.

The latest flight includes collaboration with the European Space Agency, which is helping to monitor the mission.

China’s space programme has proceeded more cautiously than the U.S.-Soviet space race of the 1960s, which was marked by fatalities and launch failures.

In 2003, China became the third country to send an astronaut into orbit on its own after the Soviet Union and the United States. It also launched a crewed space station.

China, along with neighbours Japan and India, also has joined the growing race to explore Mars. The Tianwen 1 probe launched in July is on its way to the red planet carrying a lander and a rover to search for water.

PAGE 10, Wednesday, December 2, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

PUERTO RICO TELESCOPE COLLAPSES

A HUGE, already damaged radio telescope in Puerto Rico that has played a key role in astronomical discoveries for more than half a century completely collapsed yesterday.

The telescope’s 900-ton receiver platform and the Gregorian dome — a structure as tall as a four-storey building that houses secondary reflectors — fell onto the northern portion of the vast reflector dish more than 400 feet below.

The US National Science Foundation earlier announced it would close the radio telescope. An auxiliary cable snapped in August, causing a 100ft gash on the 1,000ft wide dish and damaged the receiver platform that hung above it.

Then a main cable broke in early November.

The collapse stunned many scientists who had relied on what was until recently the largest radio telescope in the world.

THIS satellite image provided by 2020 Maxar Technologies shows the damaged radio telescope at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico, yesterday.

First vaccines ‘to health workers, nursing homes’ NEW YORK Associated Press HEALTH care workers and nursing home residents should be at the front of the line when the first coronavirus vaccine shots become available, an influential government advisory panel said yesterday.

The panel voted 13-1 to recommend those groups get priority in the first days of any coming vaccination program, when doses are expected to be very limited.

The two groups encompass about 24 million people out of a US population of about 330 million.

Later this month, the Food and Drug Administration will consider authorizing emergency use of two vaccines made by Pfizer and Moderna. Current estimates project that no more than 20 million doses of each vaccine will be available by the end of 2020. And each product requires two doses. As a result, the shots will be rationed in the early stages.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices will meet again at some point to decide who should be next in line.

Among the possibilities: teachers, police, firefighters and workers in other essential fields such as food production and transportation; the elderly; and people with underlying medical conditions.

Tuesday’s action merely designated who should get shots first if a safe and effective vaccine becomes available. The panel did not endorse any particular vaccine. Panel members are waiting to hear FDA’s evaluation and to see more safety and efficacy data before endorsing any particular product.

Experts say the vaccine will probably not become widely available in the US until the spring.

The panel of outside scientific experts, created in

1964, makes recommendations to the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who almost always approves them. It normally has 15 voting members, but one seat is vacant.

The recommendations are not binding, but for decades they have been widely heeded by doctors, and they have determined the scope and funding of US vaccination programmes.

It will be up to state authorities whether to follow the guidance. It will also be left to them to make further, more detailed decisions if necessary — for example, whether to put emergency room doctors and nurses ahead of other health care workers if vaccine supplies are low.

The outbreak in the US has killed nearly 270,000 people and caused more than 13.5 million confirmed infections, with deaths, hospitalisations and cases rocketing in recent weeks.

As the virtual meeting got underway, panel member Dr Beth Bell of the University of Washington noted that on average, one person is dying of COVID-19 per minute in the US right now, “so I guess we are acting none too soon.”

About three million people are living in nursing homes, long-term chronic care hospitals, and other US long-term care facilities. Those patients and the staff members who care for them have accounted for six percent of the nation’s coronavirus cases and a staggering 39 percent of the deaths, CDC officials say.

Despite the heavy toll, some board members at yesterday’s meeting said they hesitated to include such patients in the first group getting shots. They wanted more information about the safety and effectiveness of new vaccines on the fragile people living in such facilities. Some noted research that suggested that

NURSE KATHE OLMSTEAD, right, gives volunteer Melissa Harting, of Harpersville, New York, an injection as a study of a possible COVID-19 vaccine, developed by the National Institutes of Health and Moderna Inc, gets underway earlier this year. if the staff at such facilities feet so they can adminis- administration officials that are fully vaccinated, that ter the shots and tend to suggested differing vaccine would likely have a greater the booming number of priorities. impact of stopping spread infected Americans.

Dr Deborah Birx of the of the virus in those places.

For months, members White House coronavirus But committee mem- of the immunisation panel task force said in a meetbers were unanimous in had said they wouldn’t ing with CDC officials last voicing support for vacci- take a vote until the FDA month that people 65 and nating health care workers approved a vaccine. That older should go to the head — about 21 million people, is customary procedure of the line, according to a according to CDC officials. for the panel, with some federal official.

That broad category exceptions, such as during Then last week US includes medical staff who a flu outbreak in 2009. But Health and Human Sercare for — or come in con- late last week, the group vices Secretary Alex Azar tact with — patients in suddenly scheduled an stressed that ultimately hospitals, nursing homes, emergency meeting for governors will decide who clinics and doctor’s offices. yesterday. in their states gets the shots.

It also includes home health The panel’s chairman, Vice President Mike Pence care workers and paramed- Dr Jose Romero, said the echoed that view. ics. Depending on how state decision stemmed from a The comments churned officials apply the panel’s realisation that the states up long-standing concerns recommendations, it could are facing a Friday dead- during the Trump adminalso encompass janitorial line to place initial orders istration that vaccination staff, food service employ- for the Pfizer vaccine and decisions would be dicees and medical records determine where they tated by political concerns clerks. should be delivered. The instead of science.

The government esti- committee decided to Asked whether Azar’s mates people working in meet now to give state and comment played a role in health care account for 12 local officials guidance, he the scheduling of the meetpercent of US COVID-19 said. ing, Romero said; “We cases but only about 0.5 But some panel mem- don’t live in a bubble. We percent of deaths. Experts bers and other experts had know what he said. But that say it’s imperative to keep also grown concerned by wasn’t the primary reason health care workers on their comments from Trump this is being done.”

GUNMEN TAKE OVER BRAZIL STREETS FOR ATTACK ON BANK RIO DE JANEIRO Associated Press

DOZENS of gunmen armed with assault rifles invaded a city in southern Brazil overnight yesterday and took control of the streets as they assaulted a local bank.

Video broadcast on the Globo television network showed hooded men dressed in black walking the streets of Criciuma in the state of Santa Catarina, and local residents being held hostage during the takeover, which began around midnight and lasted almost two hours. Shots echoed across the city of some 220,000 people.

At least 30 assailants and 10 cars were involved in the well-planned operation, Anselmo Cruz, head of the state police’s robbery and kidnapping department, told a news conference, speaking alongside

the governor and the mayor. They blocked access to the city — including with burning vehicles — to prevent police reinforcements from responding swiftly, and deployed explosives in the robbery.

The gunmen traded fire with officers in the city center and at a police station, Santa Catarina’s military police said on their official Twitter account. Two people were wounded in the firefight: a security guard and a police officer, who was shot in the abdomen and remained hospitalised in serious condition Tuesday.

“It was an unprecedented action for the state. There was never anything with this scope, this violence,” Cruz said in a separate interview with Globo News. The television network quoted him as saying the robbers fired bullets with calibers capable of downing a helicopter.

José Damasio was driving home from work around 11:30 p.m. when he passed street sweepers and other municipal employees painting crosswalks. Damasio had no way of knowing they would soon be taken hostage.

“If I had been delayed 20 minutes, just a little later, I would’ve been screwed,” the 27-year-old Damasio told The Associated Press by phone. “I got home and 15 minutes later heard the shots.”

Through a window of his home, Damasio said he saw the men firing into the air — with each high-power shot booming like a bomb. He took shelter in a back room with his mother and remained there until the shooting stopped.

Images on Globo showed a bank vault with a square-shaped hole in it and a convoy of criminals’ vehicles as they made their escape. Bills

were scattered across the ground in one area of the city, and newspaper Folha de S.Paulo reported that police arrested several people who collected 810,000 reais ($150,000) worth of the notes.

Police later located the attackers’ vehicles in a cornfield of a neighboring municipality. Some of the cars’ interiors were stained with blood, indicating some of the gunmen had been hit by police bullets, the Santa Catarina police force said on its Twitter account.

State-run Bank of Brazil said in an emailed statement that its branch in Criciuma will remain closed, and that it doesn’t provide information regarding the amount of money taken. It didn’t respond to an AP request for comment about local media reports the branch was a regional treasury.

SPECIAL COUNSEL APPOINTED IN RUSSIA PROBE A CHINESE spacecraft landed on the moon to bring back lunar rocks to Earth for the first time since the 1970s, the government announced.

The China National Space Administration said Chang’e 5 “successfully landed” at its designated site shortly after 11pm yesterday after making a powered descent from its orbiter. It published images of the barren scene at the landing site, including where the lander’s shadow can be seen.

The lander was launched on November 24 from the tropical southern island of Hainan. It is the latest venture by a Chinese space program that sent its first astronaut into orbit in 2003, has a spacecraft en route to Mars and aims eventually to land a human on the moon.

Plans call for the lander to spend about two days drilling into the lunar surface and collecting 2kg of rocks and debris.

BARR SAYS NO WIDESPREAD ELECTION FRAUD ATTORNEY General William Barr said yesterday the Justice Department has not uncovered evidence of widespread voter fraud that would change the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.

His comments come despite President Donald Trump’s repeated baseless claims the election was stolen, Trump’s effort to subvert the results of the 2020 presidential election and his refusal to concede to President-Elect Joe Biden.

Barr said US attorneys and FBI agents have been working to follow up specific complaints and information they’ve received, but they’ve uncovered no evidence that would change the outcome.

ACTOR PAGE COMES OUT AS TRANSGENDER OSCAR-NOMINATED actor Elliot Page, the star of Juno, Inception and The Umbrella Academy, came out as transgender yesterday in an announcement greeted as a watershed moment for the trans community in Hollywood.

“I love that I am trans.

And I love that I am queer,” Page said in a statement on social media.

Page, the 33-year-old actor from Nova Scotia, said his decision to come out as trans, which also involved changing his first name, came after a long journey and with much support from the LGBTQ community.

“I can’t begin to express how remarkable it feels to finally love who I am enough to pursue my authentic self,” Page wrote.

SPORTS PAGE 11

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2020

NBA, PAGE 13

Maycock leads the pack

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

W

ith two consistent rounds of two-over-par 74s, veteran Greg Maycock holds a slim four-stroke lead over his nearest rival Keathen Stuart after the first two days of competition in the Bahamas Professional Golf Association (BPGA) 2020 National Championships.

Despite the increase with the wind on the Ocean Club Golf Course on Paradise Island yesterday, Maycock was able to match his performance from day one on Monday to stage out front with a total of 148.

Playing in the threesome with Maycock, Stuart matched his own four-overpar with a pair of 76s for his two-day total of 152.

Marcus Pratt, the only member of the group, is in third with 80-78-158.

Only three other players are participating in the tournament that will continue today and wrap up on Thursday. They all played in the other threesome.

Chris Lewis, president of the BPGA, leads that crew with 82-90-162, followed

by Glenn Pratt with 89-82171 and Matthew Cox, the youngest member in the field, with 97-88-185.

Looking at his consistency over the first two days of competition, Maycock attributed it to his driver.

“My driver has allowed me to hit the majority of the greens,” he said. “Yesterday (Monday), I hit too many, but I was right on target today.”

And as the tournament goes into its final half, Maycock said as long as he can endure the weather, he should be able to hold onto his lead. Not letting him get

VETERAN golfer Greg Maycock holds a slim four-stroke lead over nearest rival Keathen Stuart after the first two days of competition in the Bahamas Professional Golf Association (BPGA) 2020 National Championships.

Photo: Donavan Mcintosh out of sight or reach, Stuart admitted that he will have to capitalise on the few mistakes he made over the first two days, missing a put here and there. “Each day I messed up on one hole,” he said. “I triple bogeyed 17, so it’s pretty strong with just one hole messed up. I just have to continue to do my best and 17 won’t get me again.”

Based on the conditions, Pratt said he can’t complain about his performance.

“We’ve not been playing any major golf on any major golf course at the professional level in the Bahamas at all, so I consider my game in grand standings,” he stated.

“The next two days, the only thing I need to work on out here is my putting. I didn’t make too much mistakes today, but it was really a putting struggle because I wasn’t used to the greens.”

Lewis, in from Grand Bahama, admitted that

he’s not playing as well as he anticipated, but he’s just glad that they have a tournament to get things back on track for the professionals. “So far, I’m just scrapping by, not playing that well. I have too many loop holes out there on the golf course,” Lewis said.

“Today, I shot an 80, but I made a quadruple bogey, a triple bogey and a double bogey. That was my whole day summed up in three holes.”

The Grand Bahama resident said although the field was quite small, the competition is still there. “We have some people just going back to work, so we didn’t expect a huge number. As a matter of fact, in professional golf, we don’t have that many numbers to begin with,” he stated.

“We probably were missing about three or four guys, but you have to take the first step in order to start rebuilding.”

For Glenn Pratt, it’s all about getting readjusted to playing golf again. “I expect to improve every day and I’ve done that for the first two days,” he said. “I haven’t done anything outstanding because this is like only the second time that I’ve played for the year.

“It’s important that we continue playing and keeping the association alive, so I’m definitely going to do whatever I can to keep it alive.”

He noted that Maycock has set the pace for them so far in the tournament, but they’re missing players like Keno Turnquest, who is nursing an injury.

“We have to struggle around that and hope that we can manage more golf courses so that we can get to play more regularly,” he said.

“Until then, it’s going to be a struggle for us. We need to be employed and have access to improve our game by playing more tournaments.”

For Cox, he’s just glad to be participating in the tournament. “My game isn’t up to my standard, but I’m still enjoying the experience, enjoying the competition,” Cox said.

“The golf course is providing a good test for everybody, so hopefully I can put in two good rounds and finish strong.”

The former junior national team player said he hopes that more tournaments will follow to improve his game.

“I don’t focus on how many persons are in the tournament, just on who has the lowest score,” he said. “So that is my target because I try to surpass what they are doing.”

The players will all have two more days to improve their scores.

Bowleg: ‘I still want to commend the players who were available. They went out there and played their hearts out’

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net BAHAMAS Basketball Federation President Mario Bowleg admitted that the men’s national team could have played better than they did against the United States of America and Puerto Rico in the bubble in Indianapolis, Indiana.

After getting trounced 99-59 to the USA in game one of the FIBA AmeriCup 2022 Qualifiers on Sunday night at the Indiana Convention Center, Team Bahamas returned to the court Monday and lost 91-85 to Puerto Rico.

On his return home after he and Moses Johnson assisted head coach Chris DeMarco of the Golden State Warriors, Bowleg said although they only had 10 players in uniform, they gave it a gallant effort in both games.

“We felt that if we had Kentwan Smith and Willis Mackey Jr available to play against the USA, the team would have played much better,” he said.

“But I still want to commend the players who were available. They went out there and played their hearts out.”

Smith and Mackey, who play in Europe, were affected by the ruling of the USA government, which had tightened their restrictions on visitors from that area due to the coronavirus pandemic. But Bowleg expressed his gratitude to

MEN’s national basketball team members in the bubble at the FIBA AmeriCup 2022 Qualifiers in Indianapolis, Indiana. the Bahamas Consulate, who assisted in getting the players into the USA so that they could at least play in the final game.

He noted that the other players they wanted to bring in would not have made the requirements in the bubble in time.

The other members of Team Bahamas in Indiana

were Godfrey Rolle III, Jaron Cornish, Ahmad Pratt, Mychel Thompson, Nashad Mackey, D’Shon Taylor, Eugene Bain and Robert Nortmann.

With both Smith and Mackey in uniform after taking the four necessary COVID-19 tests before the game was played, Bowleg said it showed in their final

outcome against Puerto Rico. “We just have to take care of the ball better at the end of the game,” Bowleg said. “We were actually leading this game against Puerto Rico, but we didn’t handle the ball the way we should down the stretch and it cost us the game.

“As we prepare for the next window of the qualifying

process in February, we have to try and find a way to get our better players available to play in those games.”

Immediately, Bowleg said the federation will be contacting the various leagues that the Bahamian professional players participate in and to ensure that they are released in time so that

they can compete for Team Bahamas.

He noted that there are a list of 24 players who fit that criteria and once they can get their release, Bowleg said it will be incumbent upon the federation to get the team to play in at least two scrimmage games to develop the cohesiveness that they will need by the time the next window rolls around.

It’s not certain yet as to where the next round will be played as countries have been invited by FIBA to bid on hosting a bubble, similar to what was done in Indiana.

However, Bowleg said the federation doesn’t intend to put in another bid, as they were already turned down when they made a previous request to the Bahamas Government to host the first bubble that they just played in.

“We’re just going to reach out to the 24 players available to play,” Bowleg said.

“Once we can confirm the team, we will do whatever is necessary to ensure that they can get sufficient time to work out together as a unit.”

The Bahamas will have to beat Puerto Rico by more than six points in order to finish in the top three to advance out of Group D to the FIBA AmeriCup 2022.

The USA remains undefeated at 4-0, while Mexico is second at 2-2, Puerto Rico is third and Bahamas fourth, both at 1-3.