12032025 NEWS

WEDNESDAY

Bold flavor, mighty crunch, Mighty Wings

‘DETAINEE HAD TO

BE REVIVED TWICE’

Haitian man was brutally punched, slapped and beaten by officers, says lawyer

By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter

THE lawyer for a 31-year-old Haitian man held at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre says his client had to be revived twice by hospital staff after being brutally punched, slapped and beaten about the face and body by immigrations officers both at the facility and on the bus on the way there. In calling for an inquiry into the alleged mistreatment, attorney Martin Lundy said that although his client,

Fegens Laguerre is alive, he is “not well” after suffering serious mistreatment in immigration custody and needing emergency medical care after his arrest last week. Questions about Mr Laguerre’s condition emerged earlier this week after reports that he had been taken to hospital before a court appearance and then could not be located for three days. Mr Lundy said relatives “camped out” at the airport with a ticket for his self-deportation, expecting him to be placed

MOM DIES IN CRASH BEFORE SEEING DAUGHTER GRADUATE

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Chief Reporter

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter

THREE

Ms Joseph, a hair braider known on TikTok as Mary Fox, was at work on Satur day when a call came just after 2pm: “Come home right away, your house is on fire.” She rushed to her apartment across from Windsor Park, but

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter

LOUISE JOSEPH stands in the burned remains of her home.

CARMICHAEL ROAD DETENTION CENTRE

CONTAINER barge the Brooklyn Bridge stranded on top of coral reefs near Nunjack Cay in North Abaco in November.

Blaze destroys everything for TikToker ‘Mary Fox’

time she arrived, her unit was engulfed in thick black smoke.

All the other renters salvaged their belongings. Hers was the only unit completely gutted.

“She lost everything in the fire,” her employer and friend, Erlande Cineas, said, recalling how Ms Joseph collapsed to the ground, holding her head in disbelief. “She lost clothes. She lost all her documents. She literally only was left with the clothes on her back, like she didn’t save nothing.”

For Ms Joseph, the loss cuts deeper than the physical ruin. The apartment had become her refuge after leaving Haiti, a place she filled with reminders of the four children — ages six to fifteen — she supports from afar.

She told The Tribune the destruction has revived the despair she felt when she first arrived in The Bahamas, when she was unemployed and struggling with depression.

“While I didn’t want to leave my country, having four children with no father and finding work in Haiti is scarce and it’s not safe especially for a woman especially with the civil unrest,” she said through an interpreter, adding that she has legal papers to live in The Bahamas.

Now she has no home, no belongings and no sense of what comes next. Friends are sheltering her while she tries to navigate the aftermath.

“It’s affected her family greatly because now whatever that is she may have had to help them. She has to now try to see how she can sort herself out, because her family is only equal to her strength,” Ms Cineas said. “So, she’s down and out.”

Some assistance has trickled in, but Ms Cineas said Ms Joseph needs far more to regain stability.

“A lot of times when persons hear a fire, they automatically think, oh, we need clothes, we need clothes. But there still is the issue of just trying to find a sense of normalcy, in that you still need somewhere else, somewhere to rest your head,” she added.

She urged the public to support the woman whose TikTok videos often lift the spirits of others battling depression, noting she can be contacted at 433-9044.

LOUISE JOSEPH - aka TikToker Mary Fox - sifts through the burnt remains of her home. REFUGE

Family struggles as young mom dies in violent car crash

from page one

and found the Stepwagon with extensive front-end damage and the Accord overturned, with Roberts partially ejected and drifting in and out of consciousness. She later died in the hospital. The Stepwagon’s driver and passenger suffered minor injuries.

Her stepsister, Felicia Russell, who lives in Grand Bahama, said she was on the road when another sister called with the news.

“I just stopped the car on the side of the road, and I had to pause because I started having a little sharp pain because we talked all Sunday night, and I just see her,” she said.

Ms Russell said the two, who grew up together and were close, had just spent the weekend celebrating at a cousin’s wedding. Their final conversation, she said, was about their childhood — going to church together — and their shared plan to deepen their spiritual journey.

“We just was talking about only what we do for Christ will last,” she said.

“If we knew it would’ve been her last, I would’ve stayed on the phone or I might have even stayed in Nassau.” She described Roberts as ambitious and full of energy. Roberts worked at Bahamas Power and Light and also ran several side businesses, including a cleaning service, a nail salon, and a clothing and hair product business.

“I always used to tell her ‘Girl, you trying to take the world over all at once’ because she just want to do everything,”

Ms Russell said. She added that the family is

devastated, especially Roberts’ two daughters. The older child, set to graduate next year, is struggling with the loss, while the younger daughter keeps crying and asking for her mother.

“When she be talking about Laura, that’s the oldest one, she said when Laura comes out of school, she wants her to go to college. She used to tell her make something out of yourself,” Ms Russell said.

Roberts, who lost both parents at an early age, often spoke about wanting to watch her daughters grow into adulthood. Ms Russell said the family intends to honour that hope by supporting the children and ensuring they have every opportunity she wanted for them.

This is the second traffic fatality reported this week and the 62nd this year, according to The Tribune’s records.

Shaquell Roberts, who lost both parents at an early age, often spoke about wanting to watch her daughters grow into adulthood.

Faulty body trailer replaced at Rand amid morgue delay questions

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

A MALFUNCTION-

ING refrigerated trailer used to store bodies at the Rand Memorial Hospital has been replaced, according to Public Hospitals Authority officials, amid questions over overdue delays in the construction of a new morgue facility on Grand Bahama.

Concerns about the morgue facility recently resurfaced after the temporary reefer trailer collapsed and was no longer functioning.

Dr Aubenette Rolle, managing director at the Public Hospitals Authority, confirmed yesterday that the faulty trailer had been replaced on Monday.

Kwasi Thompson, MP for East Grand Bahama, said the situation is an example of the government’s continued neglect in Grand Bahama.

A $1.6m contract for morgue upgrades and related renovations at the Rand was signed in June 2022 with Pinnacle Investment Company Limited.

The project was intended to modernise the morgue, expand its capacity, and address corridor damage from Hurricane Dorian and subsequent storms. At the time, officials said Grand Bahama could expect a modern, fully restored morgue facility within six to seven

months.

It has been more than two years and there is still no new morgue. When asked about the allocation of funds for construction of a new morgue, Ms Rolle declined to comment on that, but indicated the project is ongoing.

“I'm not going to get into that element. That project remains ongoing. As it relates to the reefer that you called about, that we had issues, that has been replaced as of yesterday and it's fully functional,” she said.

“There's been no changes in the other plans of the facility related to the renovations of the morgue, that remains ongoing,” Ms Rolle said.

Mr Thompson said there has been no transparent explanation for the delay, adding that it demonstrates “a troubling lack of accountability and responsiveness to community needs.”

“When the government cannot manage something as critical as morgue services, it undermines public confidence in its ability to handle larger issues. The PLP continues to fail the people of Grand Bahama,” he said.

The Rand’s morgue has faced longstanding issues since Dorian, with temporary trailers repeatedly used to compensate for inadequate infrastruct Kwasi Thompson ure.

Officials previously underscored the vital role of reliable morgue services in hospital operations, from the proper receipt and storage of bodies to the safe and timely completion of autopsies.

Omar Isaacs, FNM candidate for West Grand

Bahama and Bimini, said the lack of a proper morgue in Grand Bahama is unacceptable. He argued that a functioning morgue is a basic amenity the island should not be without.

“In what they call a second city, it isn't really

befitting of us not to have simple amenities such as a morgue,” he said. “They have a lot of different line items when you look at the budget contribution and they are not dealing with matters that matter the most in Grand Bahama.”

Mr Isaacs said the

government has repeatedly budgeted funds but failed to prioritise matters that are most important to Grand Bahamians, calling the morgue delay an example of mismanagement and a broader pattern of failed commitments to the island.

SHAQUELL ROBERTS

MP FOR EAST GRAND BAHAMA KWASI THOMPSON

Inquiry urged as lawyer claims client was beaten

by immigration officers

on a flight, but he did not arrive.

“When he entered the custody of the Department of Immigration, he was healthy and walking upright and experiencing no pain,” Mr Lundy said. “Now you have a man that’s doubled over in pain, cannot open his mouth too wide, cannot

eat, very dizzy, pains in his spine.”

Mr Lundy said his client has also experienced nausea, vomiting, pain in his spine, and difficulty hearing in his left ear.

“The doctors at the hospital had to tell him that he actually died twice,” he said. “They had to revive him.”

He said Mr Laguerre was X-rayed and that relatives are waiting for

those results. He claimed doctors prescribed up to five medications that the Detention Centre could not supply, telling family members they would need to locate them themselves. He said some have been sourced, and added that Mr Laguerre “really needs” to see a private doctor.

“He’s very concerned about his mother not knowing about his

condition, so he’s very clear about that — he knows that she’s going to worry,” Mr Lundy said.

A long-time resident in the community where Mr Laguerre was picked up said he knew the 30-year-old personally and described him as “very respectable, sociable”.

The resident, who requested anonymity, said he often spoke with Mr Laguerre and saw him as

someone the same age as his own daughters.

“He just turned 30, so my two daughters are also 30,” said the resident. “They’re my babies, so he could’ve been my son. I always see him and talk with him and if I could help him in any way.”

He said he once watched Mr Laguerre call his son in Haiti and heard the child cry out “Papa! Papa!”

He said he spent days trying to find out where Mr Laguerre was. Mr Lundy said he and Mr Laguerre’s relatives are now planning their next steps after meeting with him. He said “something needs to be done” and that they intend to pursue whatever measures are necessary to secure care, accountability and justice for the injured detainee.

Couple awarded $131,000 after police acted as ‘debt collectors’

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

A SUPREME Court

Registrar has rebuked police officers who arrested and detained a married couple for more than 31 hours over what he found was nothing more than a civil rental dispute.

Acting Registrar Renaldo Toote delivered the criticism in a detailed judgment awarding damages to Jinnah and Reshenda Forde, who were unlawfully arrested, falsely imprisoned, assaulted and subjected to degrading treatment after officers removed them from their home on March 25, 2014. They were awarded a total of $131,000 in damages and compensation and costs of $60,000.

The Fordes had signed a tenancy agreement on March 21, 2014, with a prospective tenant identified as SB, who paid first and last month’s rent and a security deposit totalling $1,650. Within days, a dispute developed and the Fordes told SB they no longer wished to proceed with the rental.

SB claimed they refused to return the money and launched both a civil action in the Magistrate’s Court and a criminal complaint with the police. Registrar Toote found the matter was “patently civil in nature”, noting the tenant had already turned to the civil courts.

Despite this, officers in an unmarked vehicle arrived at the Fordes’ home at about 9.45am on 25 March. Arresting officer DC 3025 Deon Barr said he carried out what he called a “constructive arrest”, forcing the couple to dress and accompany officers to the Grove Police Station.

Their young child was made to travel with them and was left alone in a patrol car until a family

member arrived. The Fordes were handcuffed, booked, and taken to the Central Detective Unit. Their detention records listed the offence as “Stealing by Reason of Service”. Registrar Toote said there was no legal basis for such a charge. After reviewing the Penal Code, he said it was “difficult to determine” how a landlord’s reliance on a contractual forfeiture clause could constitute stealing by reason of service, which applies only to employees or fiduciaries and requires dishonesty. A genuine belief in a contractual right, he noted, would negate criminal intent.

The couple was placed in separate cells for hours.

Mrs Forde’s cell faced male cells, exposing her to male detainees relieving themselves on open toilets and displaying their private parts. A defence witness confirmed the layout. Registrar Toote described the conditions as an “affront to her self-dignity” and said the exposure amounted to degrading and humiliating treatment. The Fordes remained in custody for more than 31 hours. They said they were not told why they were detained until the second day, when detectives told them they would only be released if they returned the tenant’s money. Mrs Forde, a veteran banker, said they felt compelled to refund the funds because of the threat of prosecution and the conditions they were held in.

Registrar Toote ruled that officers acted without reasonable suspicion of any criminal offence and relied solely on SB’s allegations. He said the officers appeared to have adopted an “arrest first then investigate later” approach and that the manner of arrest — entering the home, forcing the couple out, involving their young child — heightened the wrongdoing. He

said that “the police are not debt collectors” and found that officers had used their powers “as instruments of intimidation or oppression”. He accepted the Fordes’ account in full and found they were unlawfully detained and subjected to degrading treatment.

Although the child was exposed to the arrest, the Registrar found his involvement incidental and not a separate tort, noting that police eventually ensured a family member collected him — though he said the child should never have been placed in that situation.

The Court awarded Mrs Forde $35,000 in general damages for wrongful arrest and false imprisonment and Mr Forde $32,000. Both received $5,000 in assault and battery damages for being handcuffed and physically compelled during their unlawful detention. Each was awarded $10,000 in aggravated damages for the officers' high-handed conduct, and $15,000 in exemplary damages to punish and deter police misconduct. They also received $7,000 each in vindicatory damages to reflect the constitutional breach, particularly the degrading conditions endured by Mrs Forde.

Mrs Forde’s total damages amount to $67,000; Mr Forde’s to $64,000. No damages were awarded to the minor child. Compensatory damages attract interest at three percent from the date of the Writ until judgment, and 6.25 percent thereafter. The Court ordered the defendants to pay the Fordes’ costs, fixed at $60,000.

Registrar Toote concluded that officers either misunderstood the basic difference between civil and criminal matters or deliberately misused their authority, saying the conduct “represents a serious threat to the rule of law”.

Assessment finds extensive harm to Abaco coral reef

international headlines, with some organisations describing it as modern-day piracy. Trailer Bridge has said an estimated 90 percent of its containers were compromised.

Several people have since been arrested and charged, but police have said little about their efforts to go after other thieves.

Dr Rhianna Neely-Murphy, director of the Department of Environmental Planning and Protection (DEPP), said a team assessed the site last week.

She said DEPP has notified Trailer Bridge, the barge’s owner, of the findings. She said a meeting is expected with company representatives to determine next steps, noting that “per the law, they are responsible for any restoration and remediation activities”.

She said the affected reef remains largely functional but not untouched.

“The reef is still functioning, and a lot of it is still intact, but there is a part of it that has been damaged,” she said. “We will do our best to reattach corals that are able to be reattached, and replant corals that cannot be replanted in the same area.”

The extent of displaced marine life has not yet been determined.

Under the Environmental Planning Protection Amendment Act 2024, the spot fine for damaging coral reefs is $20,000.

Dr Neely-Murphy said any additional penalties would need to be assessed separately.

The update follows weeks of pressure from environmental advocates calling for accountability, warning that the grounding threatened fragile ecosystems and the livelihoods of fishermen and tour operators. The barge was reportedly being towed by the Southern Dawn from Jacksonville, Florida, to San Juan, Puerto Rico, when its steel line snapped in bad weather. It drifted onto a reef near Nunjack Cay in North Abaco

earlier in November.

While the looting dominated public discussion, residents and environmentalists also raised alarms about the reef impact

caused by the grounded vessel. Dr Neely-Murphy said her department is working to safeguard the country’s natural resources.

On November 15, the Ministry of Energy and Transport confirmed the Brooklyn Bridge had been refloated and removed from the reef.

Nursing home owner denies suicide claim, says resident cut himself shaving

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

THE proprietor of a Soldier Road nursing home is disputing a police report that an 80-year-old resident attempted suicide, insisting the man simply cut himself while shaving — something she said he routinely does on his own.

Patricia Moxey, who runs Pat’s Senior Citizen Nursing

Home and Daycare Centre, said the incident “was put out of proportion” and did not happen as described.

“It was put out wrongly,” she claimed. “People get frustrated and then they get excited. It was nothing like it was said. Absolutely nothing. I hope you will correct that for me.

“He shaves himself. The nurse weren’t there when he was shaving himself.”

She said the resident is

mentally capable of shaving himself, has been at the home for six to seven months, and has never shown signs of self-harm.

Police, however, said officers were told the man was found around 7am on Monday with injuries to his left wrist that were suspected to be self-inflicted with a sharp object. Medical personnel assessed him at the home and determined the injuries were superficial.

A specialist is expected to carry out a further evaluation.

A student nurse told The Tribune she was caring for the man that morning when she noticed the “nip”.

The discovery occurred during the residents’ usual morning routine, when staff assist with bathing, breakfast and medication.

The nurse said she checked the wound, ensured nothing was

lodged in it, applied pressure to stop the bleeding and bandaged it. She said then reported the matter to the head nurse and emergency services were called.

She said she only learned yesterday that police were investigating it as an attempted suicide.

She described the man as “really nice”, alert, in his right frame of mind, and regularly visited by family. He remains under close monitoring.

Ms Moxey said the man has since returned to the home and is resting comfortably. She suggested the nurse who made the initial call may have “overreacted”.

Police press liaison Chief Superintendent Sheria King said the classification is based on the ongoing investigation, but urged anyone with additional information to come forward.

THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE container barge stranded on a reef in North Abaco as looters tie up to the vessel.

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DUE process in justice is one of the building blocks of any civil society. Any person who must face legal matters should be entitled to fairness, equal application of the rules and freedom from any form of abuse. Too often we hear stories that suggest anything but equality for all in that regard.

Earlier this week, we reported on concerns about a Haitian man who had disappeared after a court hearing, as far as friends and family were concerned, only for it to turn out that he had been sent to the detention centre. In this very column, we spoke about the importance of transparency when it came to dealings with Immigration. Now more concerning details have been suggested.

The lawyer for Fegens Laguerre has alleged that the 31-year-old had to be revived twice by hospital staff. The attorney, Martin Lundy, alleges that Mr Laguerre was punched, slapped, and beaten about the face and body by immigration officers at the detention centre and on the bus on the way to the facility.

Mr Lundy said that Mr Laguerre went from a healthy man walking upright without pain to “a man that’s doubled over in pain, cannot open his mouth too wide, cannot eat, very dizzy, pains in his spine”.

He said that doctors at the hospital after he was treated there told Mr Laguerre that he had died twice.

This is far from the first time there have been allegations of abuse involving immigration officers. A quick look back at previous Tribune articles will point up a case in May this year, where a viral video showed men dressed in immigration officer uniforms choking and assaulting a man during a home raid – for which no further explanation has been forthcoming. Earlier this year, a wheelchair user discharged from Supreme Court was dragged in the street by plain clothes officers – again, little more has emerged.

In 2021, The Tribune reported the denial of allegations that an officer raped a woman in detention, in 2019 we reported on claims that officers beat suspects during an immigration raid.

In 2014, we reported on the case of Dahene Nonord, who was picked up by officers during an immigration exercise despite the fact she had applied for citizenship and was waiting on a decision on her application. In October this year, 11 years on, there was a Court of Appeal ruling on who would pay the legal costs in her long-running citizenship case. She

had applied for judicial review in 2018, was heard in 2021, but the judge took more than three years to issue the ruling – which the government then appealed on the basis of the length of time for the ruling.

There was the case of Douglas Ngumi, locked away for six and a half years unlawfully, for which he was given $641,950 in damages – a paltry amount given that he said he was abused at the detention centre, stripped naked, handcuffed under a table and beaten repeatedly with a PVC pipe.

There was Matthew Sewell, locked up for nearly ten years despite never being convicted of a single crime. Or Atain Takitota, locked up from 1991 to 2004 and initially only awarded $1,000 in damages, later appealed to $500,000 plus costs.

In another story today, a Supreme Court registrar has rebuked officers who intervened in a simple civil dispute over $1,650 in rent and arrested and detained a married couple for more than 31 hours. The registrar deemed they were unlawfully arrested and falsely imprisoned, and ordered they be paid $131,000 in damages and compensation. The wife was placed in a cell opposite cells with men in who displayed their private parts to her as they used the toilet.

In many of these cases, there are questions over the behaviour of officers who overstepped their powers. The key phrase often used is unlawful detention. Against the law. And yet we seldom see officers prosecuted for breaking that law. Instead, there is a compensation payment, made by the taxpayer, and on we go. Where there are accusations of beating, there should be inquiries as to whether officers should face charges of assault.

When any of us breaks the law, there should be consequences. That should hold true for officers who let down their uniforms as much as it does to any one of us.

In the case of Mr Laguerre, these remain accusations at present – although frankly if there are medical records, that should be strong evidence in any investigation.

People have rights. People should not be beaten in custody. People should not be detained illegally. As long as we permit such actions, we deny them due process in our system – and that is a danger not just to these individuals in these cases, it is a danger to all of us.

Buyer remorse for Lewis?

EDITOR, The Tribune. ABOUT 18 days before the Coalition of Independents held their Blackout Rally for the Golden Isles by-election, Central Grand Bahama MP Iram Lewis issued a brief statement in The Tribune disclaiming rumors that he had resigned from the COI. A hardcore Progressive Liberal Party supporter was probably behind the Facebook rumors which had gained significant traction before Lewis and the COI had issued a formal statement to the press. On November 22 -- two days before the by-election in Golden Isles -- the COI held a rally that was aired on Facebook and YouTube. I went back and viewed portions of it on YouTube, and noticed that Lewis was not platformed, despite being the sole COI MP.

COI candidates Maria Daxon, William Knowles, Charlotte Green, Dr Veronica McIver, Brian Rolle, Daniel Mitchell and Lincoln Bain all spoke at the rally. Mitchell is the candidate for the Pineridge constituency on Grand Bahama. Maybe I missed something. Maybe

Lewis spoke and I just happened to miss it. Yet if he didn’t, why didn’t he take part in the event, especially with him being the second most prominent member of the COI? I find it odd that Daniel Mitchell would be allowed to address the rally, but not a sitting Parliamentarian. We must also factor in the possibility that Lewis might be the only COI to ever sit in the House of Assembly. His amalgamation to the COI gave to the party some publicity. But that publicity has worn off. In the absence of any feasible explanation, I am inclined to think that either Lewis is having buyer’s remorse or his relationship with the COI hierarchy has gone frosty, for whatever reason we might never get to know. It would be utterly disastrous for the COI if the relationship between Lewis and the COI top brass is strained, seeing that it was only about seven months ago the Central Grand Bahama MP joined the party after defecting from the Free National Movement. Any leakage of this possible breakup could further

PICTURE OF THE DAY

Clean voter’s roll now

EDITOR, The Tribune.

THE outcomes of the 2021 General Election, the 2023 West Grand Bahama and Bimini By-Election, and the recent 2025 Golden Isles By-Election have revealed significant structural weaknesses in our electoral framework and a broader crisis of voter engagement in the Bahamas. These events are not isolated; collectively, they serve as warning signs for our democracy.

What is particularly concerning is not only the technical deficiencies within our systems but also the mindset guiding them. The current Prime Minister, Philip Davis, has publicly stated that his primary focus is on mobilising voters who align with his political agenda and bolstering his reelection efforts. While this may be a straightforward political approach, it poses a governance risk.

hurt an organisation that is already reeling from the Golden Isles loss. Based on the poor performance of the COI in the Golden Isles by-election, I see no pathway for Lewis to hold on to Central Grand Bahama in the upcoming general election. What’s more, I have not heard anything from him in months outside of his brief press statement. You would think that he would be far more visible and vocal in light of the fact that he’s the only COI member to be serving in the House of Assembly. I have a strong hunch that something is not right in the COI. For Lewis and the FNM leadership, is the relationship between the two irreparably damaged that a reconciliation cannot be achieved? Both sides must ponder this question as we approach the year 2026. And while I had initially agreed with Lewis in his decision to leave the FNM for the COI, I am beginning to second guess myself.

KEVIN EVANS

Freeport, Grand Bahama December 2, 2025.

A Prime Minister’s foremost duty is to uphold the integrity of the electoral system and ensure equal participation for all eligible citizens, rather than concentrating solely on rallying support from “our side” while neglecting the wider electorate.

If we are genuinely committed to democracy, we must prioritise the integrity of the electoral roll.

We urgently need a complete and independent audit and cleansing of the voters’ register well before the constitutionally mandated deadline in October 2026. This process cannot be just a box-ticking exercise or an internal review; it must involve a thorough verification of every registered voter. We require transparent criteria, published timelines, and public reporting at each stage.

The current approach is not adequate. The biometric voting system, as it is currently configured and implemented, has not provided the level of assurance promised to citizens. Simply layering technology on top of a contaminated or poorly managed database does not create trust; it only automates and expands existing doubts.

Therefore, we must establish a separate and

independent secondary verification process to confirm the legitimacy of each individual listed as an eligible voter. Relying primarily on the passport system is insufficient and, frankly, irresponsible. There have been internal concerns and reports that a significant number of passports may be held by individuals who are not properly eligible to possess them. If this is even partially true, using an unverified passport database as our main reference point risks exacerbating the problem. You cannot resolve a contaminated system by comparing it to another contaminated system. If we check the voters’ roll only against potentially compromised passport data, we risk confirming the participation of hundreds, possibly thousands, of ineligible voters. In a first-past-the-post electoral system like ours, this is not a minor procedural error; it poses a significant threat to the legitimacy of election outcomes. In closely contested constituencies, even the presence of just a few ineligible voters - two or three in each constituency - could sway the results, determine who occupies Parliament, and ultimately influence national policy for the next five years, and beyond.

“This is how a technical weakness can escalate into a Constitutional Crisis.”

What needs to be done?

Independent Forensic Audit of the Voter Roll: An independent, non-partisan organisation, possibly with regional or international technical support, should carry out a comprehensive forensic audit of the current voter roll. This audit should include random sampling, address verification, checks against death records, and the removal of duplicate or questionable entries.

Multi-Factor

Verification of Citizenship and Eligibility: Voter eligibility must be verified through multiple sources: birth

records, citizenship and naturalisation registries, unique identifiers from the National Identification Board (NIB) or equivalent, and regulated passport data. No single database should be considered infallible.

Reform of the Biometric System and Data Governance: Biometric tools must be governed by strict data management protocols, undergo external testing, and be subject to public oversight. Technology should support transparent rules and clean data, rather than replace them. Clear Legal Penalties and Public Accountability: There should be clear and enforced penalties for individuals who knowingly register or vote while ineligible, as well as for public officials who deliberately manipulate or neglect the integrity of the voter registry.

Voter Engagement Beyond Political Parties: A reformed system must be complemented by a national, non-partisan civic education and voter engagement initiative that encourages all eligible Bahamians to register, verify their status, and vote, regardless of their support for the current government. If we fail to take action, we will not merely be mismanaging a technical process; “We will be Undermining the Sovereignty and Democratic Integrity of the Bahamas.” Our electoral system must belong to the Bahamian people and not be controlled by any party, leader, or political agenda. The urgency of this moment cannot be overstated. We have a limited opportunity before October 2026 to demonstrate that our democracy is more than just a ritual or a simple outcome. It must be a process that every Bahamian can trust. If we do not clean the voter rolls, verify eligibility, and restore public confidence now, we may find that while elections continue to be held, our democracy is no longer genuinely ours.

NOĒSIS — CRITICAL

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A SAILBOAT entering Nassau harbour.

Photo: Brian

BTVI board defends president in unions dispute over benefits

By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Tech -

nical and Vocational

Institute’s Board of Directors pushed back yesterday against claims that President Dr Linda Davis withheld benefits from staff, insisting that decisions on increments, allowances and other entitlements do not fall under her authority.

The Bahamas Union of Auxiliary Professionals in Education (BUAPE) and the Union of Tertiary Educators of The Bahamas (UTEB) have accused Dr Davis of blocking payments owed to faculty — allegations that fuelled Monday’s sitout by BTVI staff.

In a statement, the board said Dr Davis has no unilateral control over employee compensation.

“Dr Davis does not possess unilateral authority to withhold, delay or deny disbursement of any employee benefits,” the board said. “All compensation-related decisions lie strictly within the purview of the institution’s Board of Directors, which is responsible for the implementation of institutional policies and procedures through its executive leadership.”

It added that the board must also consult the Ministry of Finance before making any financial commitments and said “all staff and faculty who are duly owed benefits under established policies will be compensated”.

The board also rejected suggestions that Dr Davis or board members questioned faculty qualifications, noting that responsibility for evaluating credentials lies

with an external body.

“The assessment of professional qualifications are made by the National Accreditation and Equivalency Council of The Bahamas (NAECOB), a statutory national accreditation body,” the statement said.

The Tribune understands the unions met with the board multiple times this year as concerns grew over outstanding increments, certification allowances and degree appreciation payments that faculty say were agreed to in industrial discussions.

Despite those meetings, union leaders said on Monday that staff remained without benefits due since July 2025 and argued that the outgoing president had failed to resolve the matter before leaving office in just over two weeks.

Father jailed four years for indecent assault of his12-year-old daughter

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was yesterday sentenced to four years in prison for indecently assaulting his then 12-yearold daughter in the summer of 2012.

The 47-year-old defendant, whose name is being withheld to protect the victim, received the sentence from Justice Dale Fitzpatrick after a jury unanimously found him guilty on May 7. The term is to be reduced by the time he spent on remand and takes effect from the date of conviction.

The complainant, now 25, told the court the incident happened on her last night staying at her grandparents’ house when, at her father’s request, she slept in the same bed as him. She said he guided her hand to his groin area. She testified that she pulled away and feigned

sleep, later noticing light from his phone and seeing him engaging in sexual behaviour beside her.

Defence attorney Dorsey McPhee urged the court to show mercy. He said the defendant, who maintains his innocence, remained well-regarded by relatives, coworkers, and neighbours, and is the primary caregiver for his mother, who has Alzheimer’s disease. He noted the man had no previous convictions and questioned the benefit of imprisonment now that the complainant is an adult.

Prosecutor T’Shura Ambrose, however, asked for a sentence of six to eight years to serve as a deterrent, arguing that the defendant showed no remorse and had gravely violated his daughter’s trust.

Addressing the court, the convict said the charge was an attack on his character.

He said it was “unfair” to his mother that he would be

sent to prison and insisted he wished she were well enough to speak on his behalf. He asked for leniency so he could spend her remaining days with her.

Justice Fitzpatrick said he considered the man’s caregiving responsibilities and the positive views held of him in his community. However, he found the victim’s vulnerability, the breach of trust, and the ongoing trauma detailed in the probation report to be significant aggravating factors. The judge noted that the complainant continues to suffer nightmares and lasting emotional harm.

Justice Fitzpatrick concluded that the man had acted in a predatory way toward a child and had taken no responsibility for the offence.

The man’s fiancée attended the sentencing hearing. In addition to Ms Ambrose, Jacklyn Conyers also served as a prosecutor.

Man sent for psych evaluation in attempted murder abetment case

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

the higher court.

TRIO ORDERED TO PAY COMPENSATION FOR GOOMBAY FESTIVAL STABBING TO VICTIM

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

THREE men who pleaded guilty to charges stemming from a 2024 stabbing incident in Freeport were ordered to pay a total of $1,200 in compensation to the victim and court related fines and fees.

Jahnecio Kemp, 18, of Abaco, and Dominick and Luckenson Edmond, 18 and 19 respectively, appeared in the Grand Bahama’s Magistrate Court before Magistrate Charlton Smith on Tuesday. Prosecutor Assistant Superintendent Veron Rolle informed the court that the accused men had indicated they wanted to change their not-guilty pleas and put the matter behind them so they could get on with their lives. He said that a plea agreement was reached with the accused men, who

expressed remorse for what happened.

The men were initially charged with intentionally causing harm to Jaden Gabriel. According to the facts read by Prosecutor Rolle, on July 25, 2024, sometime around 11.45 pm, officers responded to an incident at the Goombay Festival, where they saw and spoke with Mr Gabriel, who had been stabbed. He was transported to the hospital for medical treatment. Following police investigations, the three men were arrested and charged.

Magistrate Smith asked the men if they accepted the facts. They said they did.

Prosecutor Rolle said the men have no prior antecedents and suggested conditional discharge, with each paying $300 as compensation to the virtual complainant.

The magistrate admonished the young men,

noting that the situation could have been worse.

“You all could have gone to prison or ended up dead,” he said. He added that too many 18 and 19-year-old men in the country are getting themselves into situations where they are killing each other.

When Magistrate Smith asked the young men if they were employed, Mr Kemp said he worked as an assistant painter in Abaco, and Luckenson said he was a snorkel guide. Dominick, who was not employed, said he was seeking to enroll at BTVI.

“Violence is not the answer; concentrate on developing yourselves,” he said.

Mr Smith ordered the men to each pay $300 in compensation to the virtual complainant, $100 each in fines and a court-related fee. He then granted the men absolute discharge.

A MAN was remanded for psychological evaluation after being accused of abetting two attempted murders last month. Prosecutors allege Shavon Reid, 32, aided and abetted the attempted murders of Q’Shawn Turnquest and Dinari Brown in New Providence on 18 November.

MURDER

Reid was not required to enter a plea to the abetment to attempted murder charge before Chief Magistrate Roberto Reckley. He was told his matter would proceed to the Supreme Court by way of voluntary bill of indictment. Reid was informed of his right to apply for bail through

Reid’s counsel told the court the defendant has a mental health condition.

He was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until service of his VBI on 2 April 2026 and will undergo a psychological evaluation while on remand.

Inspector Deon Barr prosecuted.

ACCUSED GETS BAIL ON GUN CHARGE

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN awaiting a murder trial was granted bail yesterday after being accused of having a banned assault rifle near his home in January. Brinton Thompson, 36, was granted $9,500 bail on charges of possession of a prohibited weapon, possession of dangerous drugs, and two counts of possession of ammunition

before Justice Joyann Ferguson. Prosecutors allege police found a black and brown high-powered rifle with the serial number erased, along with sixteen 7.62mm rounds and ten .223 rounds, in an abandoned structure near Thompson’s New Providence residence on 28 January. That same day, 1 1/8oz of marijuana was allegedly found inside his home. At the time of the alleged offence,

Thompson was on release awaiting trial for the murder of Randino Pratt, who prosecutors say was shot and killed outside Corner Pocket Bar on St James Road on 12 November 2011. Under his bail conditions, Thompson must sign in at the Wulff Road Police Station every Monday, Wednesday and Friday by 6pm. He is also required to wear a monitoring device. Damian White represented the accused.

TWO ARRESTED AT LPIA IN SEIZURE OF NEARLY $90K

TWO men were arrested at Lynden Pindling International Airport yesterday after officers seized nearly $90,000 in undeclared cash in two separate incidents. The first incident happened shortly before 8am, when police, working with Airport Authority officials, searched a man who appeared suspicious while checking in for a flight to Haiti. Officers reportedly found $43,000 in cash that had not been declared. The 43-yearold Haitian national was taken into custody, and the money was seized. He is assisting police with investigations. The second incident occurred shortly before 1pm, when Airport Division officers, acting on information, arrested a 52-year-old US citizen after they found $46,748 in cash that was not declared.

The board said it remains committed to protecting BTVI’s governance structure and ensuring that proper financial processes are followed as the institution prepares for a leadership transition.

BTVI faculty stage a sit out over Monday over claims that outgoing president has withheld benefits from school staff.

Photo: Chappell Whyms Jr

Now is the time for disability-inclusivity action

TODAY is International

Day of Personswith Disabilities (IDPD) and the theme set by the United Nations is “Fostering disability-inclusivesocieties for advancingsocial progress.” Ajust, inclusive, and equitableworld requires thatsociety acknowledgedifferences in (dis)abilities and needs and adapts with systems and practices thatresult in equal access and outcomes. Today, many people with disabilities cannot even access Parliament, as itis upstairs in a building that does not have an elevator.Eight yearssince the passingof thePersons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities) Act, it has still not been fully implemented.

Section 20 of the Persons with Disabilities Act states, Every person with a disabilityshallbe entitledtoabarrier-free and disabled-friendly environment to enablehim to have access to buildings, Information Communication Technology (ICT), roads and othersocial amenities,andassistive or adaptive devices and other equipmentto promote his mobility.

Section 21 states:

(1) Aproprietor ofany building to which the public is permittedaccess shalladaptit to suit personswith disabilities in such manner as may be specified by the Commission, including provisionfor parking of vehicles by persons withdisabilities. (2)Allproprietors of buildings under subsection (1) shall comply with subsection (1) within two years after this section comes intooperation, oronsuch other date as the Minister may appoint by Notice published in the Gazette.(3) All proprietors ofbuildings shalldesignate parking forpersonswith disabilities within six months after the cominginto operation of this Act.” With little effort, we can determinethatthis isnotour reality today. Thereare build-

ingswithout rampsandthere are places ofbusiness with layouts that do not accommodate mobilitydevices. Parking spacesdesignated for peoplewith disabilitiesare often blocked bylarge cones with no one nearby to move themwhen thespacesare needed. It thenbecomes the job ofthe driver tofind the person responsible for moving the cone or comeup with another way to move it. There areroads without sidewalks andthere areroads with sidewalks that end before the roaddoes. Thereare pedestrian crossingsthat arenot marked by paintand are ignored by drivers, who block them while sitting on red lights.These includethe Bernard Road-Village RoadWulff Road-and Soldier Road intersection. Itis almostimpossibletocross theroadat this intersection because of drivers’ failure to pay attention, to identify crosswalks, and torespect thepeople who need to usethem, including theblind andvisually-impaired andusers ofmobility devices.

It isnot enoughto acknowledge a day. It is not enough to wearpinsor t-shirtsorto make speeches and write essays. Itis necessarythat people care aboutpeople. We allneed tocare aboutpeople with disabilities.We allneed to dowhat wecan toincrease their accessto services,resources, and opportunities. It means talking to management aboutchanging theway theparkinglot ismanaged.It meansasking questionsabout the layout ofstores and information managers of the consequences, bothintended and unintended.It means reading and understanding the law. It means raising this issue withMembers ofParliament and anyone who comes knocking, looking for votes. It means making this issue a priority,whether wearedirectly

Alicia Wallace

affected by itor not. There will beno equalityfor anyone untilweall havetheaccess that makes equitable outcomes possible.

#ReadPalestineWeek It isInternational Read Palestine Week,and Publishers forPalestine have made several ebooks available free ofcharge. Theyinclude Banging on the Walls of the Tank: Dispatches from Gaza byHaidarEid, Where the Jasmine Blooms by Zeina Sleiman, Ancestral Daughter by Zaina Jhaish, and Enemy of the Sun: PoetryofPalestinian Resistance edited byEdmund Ghareeband NaseerAruri. Visit publishersforpalestine.org to download the free ebooks.

Other books by Palestinian authors If I Must Die by Refaat Alareer. Thiscompilation ofpoetrywas publishedin December 2024. After he was killed, Alareer’s poem, If I Must Die, written for his daughter in 2011, went viral. If I must die, you must live to tell my story to sell my things

to buy a piece of cloth and some strings, (make itwhite witha long tail) so thata child, somewhere in Gaza whilelooking heavenin the eye awaiting his dadwho left in a blaze and bid no one farewell not even to his flesh not even to himself sees the kite, my kite you made, flying up above and thinks fora momentan angel is there bringing back love If I must die let it bring hope let it be a tale

SumŸd:A NewPalestinian Reader, edited by Malu Halasa and Jordan Elgrably. “How do you imagine a future when the present is being obliteratedbefore youreyes?” Thisis thequestion posedby the Foreword of SumŸd This isaquestion Ihaveconsidered, bothas aPalestinian andawriter,inthewakeofthe apocalyptic violencesubleasedon Palestiniansafter the Hamas attacks of October 7,2023. Inthe monthsthat followed, it wasimpossible to look awayas Israelreduced most of Gaza to rubble. The magnitude ofthe brutality meanttherewasnolimittothe blood and gore,the lifeless children and soot-covered bodies pulled fromtheir destroyed homes.” This anthology features work from the 20thand21stcenturiesandincludes 25 illustrations by Palestinian artists.

The Hollow Half: A Memoir of Bodies andBorders by Sarah Aziza. Winner of the Palestine BookAward, the storytraces threegenerations, revealing family secrets that linkto Aziza s own trauma. “Weaving timelines,languages, geographies,and genres, The Hollow Half probes thecontradictions and

Princess Aiko's popularity sparks calls to change Japan's male-only succession law

By MARI YAMAGUCHI Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) Japan's beloved PrincessAikoisoftencheeredlikeapop star.

Duringa visittoNagasaki withEmperorNaruhitoandEmpressMasako,the soundofher namebeingscreamedby well-wishers along theroads overwhelmedthecheersforherparents.

Asshe turns24onMonday, hersupporterswanttochangeJapan'smale-only succession law,which prohibitsAiko, theemperor'sonlychild,frombecoming monarch.

Alongwithfrustration thatthediscussion on succession rules has stalled, there'sasense ofurgency.Japan's shrinkingmonarchyisonthebrinkofextinction. Naruhito's teenagenephew is the onlyeligible heirfrom theyounger

generation.

Experts say the femaleban should be liftedbeforetheroyalfamilydiesout,but conservative lawmakers,including Prime Minister SanaeTakaichi, oppose thechange.

Aiko'spopularityboosts demandfora femalemonarch

Aiko has gainedadmirers since debutingasanadultroyalin2021,whenshe impressed the publicas intelligent, friendly,caringandfunny.

SupportforAiko asafuturemonarch increasedfollowingherfirstsoloofficial overseas tripto Laosin November,representing the emperor. During the sixday visit,she met with topLaotian officials,visited culturalandhistorical venuesandmetwithlocals.

Earlier this year,Aiko accompanied herparentsto NagasakiandOkinawa.

She hasfollowed the example setby her father, whoplaces greatimportance on passing down the tragedyof WWII to youngergenerations.

"I havealways beenrooting forPrincess Aiko to be crowned," said Setsuko Matsuo, an 82-year-old atomic bombing survivor whocame toNagasaki's peace parkhoursbefore Aikoandherparents' scheduledarrivalin thearea."Ilike everything about her, especially her smile...socomforting,"shetoldTheAssociatedPressatthetime.

Mari Maehira, a 58-year-old office workerwho waitedtocheerAiko inNagasaki, saidshe has seen Aikogrow up and"now wewant toseeher becomea futuremonarch."

The princess' popularity has triggered some to pressurelegislators to change thelaw.

contingenciesthat create ‘nation’ and ‘history.’ Blazing with honesty, urgency, and poetry,this stunningdebut memoir isa fearlesscall to imagineboth theself andthe world anew.”

I ll TellYou WhenI m Home byHala Allan.Anexcerpt: I don t rememberthe final time before the surrogate, only that it must’ve beenin January.I mighthave waited untilthe firstblood draw, my doctor s voice excited. These numbers lookso good, Hala,and Icouldfeel my overachiever s heart rise like bread. I’d gone to a pastry store in theVillage, bought an éclair, eaten it so quickly I’d rippedabit ofthepaperwith myteeth.Then Itoldhim.I must’ve. Ijust can’t remember. (The ebook version is available freethrough Publishers for Palestine.) Heaven LooksLike Us edited by AbrahamandHindi. The introduction tothis collection of poetry begins, “We are writingfrom oneofthe darkest moments of Palestinianhistory, intoafuturewhoseshape,letaloneexistence, is unknowable to us. Itis January2024. Weare over ahundred daysinto the latest iteration ofZionist genocidein Gaza,and withthe necrotic weightof unknowable thousands of slaughtered kin each a whole universe of dreams, hopes,wonders, beauties, stolen from us too soon we sing.”

Books by people who are not Palestinian Freedom is a Constant Struggle: Ferguson, Palestine,and theFoundationsofa Movement by AngelaY. Davis. “In asociety that continually pushes individualism, [this book] is an important reminder of the transnational strugglefor freedom, onereviewerwrote. Drawing connections between thebeginnings ofthe

BlackLives Mattermovement, theoccupation of Palestine,and otherinstances of colonialism and genocide, this bookis acollection ofinterviews and speeches that encouragedtheir audiences(and now readers) to reject an isolated view of both current and past events,and toseehow each struggle for freedom is connected, no matter the time period,location orgroupinvolved.”

The Message by Ta-Nehisi Coates.In thisbook,Coates "explores the urgent question ofhowour stories – our reporting, imaginative narrativesand mythmaking – both expose and distort our realities. Thethree partsofthe book are based on his travel to three sitesof conflict,delving into the stories,both told and untold, andthe waysthey impact our lives in the long term. “Coates connectswith Palestinianwriters andactivists during hisstay, reinforcinghisbelief thattrueliberation mustbe universal, Nikki Keating wrotein areview for The Oberlin Review. “He emphasizes thatthe suppression of Palestinian voices is a significant barrierto justice,as theirstories oftengounheard on the global stage [ ] Coates believesthat the written word allows us to preserve history, confront oppression, and inspire change.”

Genocide Bad: Noteson Palestine, Jewish History, and Collective Liberation by Sim Kern. Part activistmemoir, part crash coursein Jewish andPalestinian history, Genocide Bad dismantles Zionist propagandain 10unapologetic essays. Drawing connectionsbetween Biblicalpromises andexploding pagers, medieval dress codes and modern-day apartheid, Kern sketches a sweeping history of imperialism with their characteristicblend offar-ranging research, pop-cultureinsights, and scathing humour.”

CartoonistYoshinoriKobayashihas writtencomicbooks that pushfor alegal changeto allowAiko tobecomemon-

arch, which supporters keep sending to parliamentarians to raise awareness and get their backingforthecause.

Swiss say no to mandatory national service for women

By JAMEY KEATEN Associated Press

GENEVA (AP) Swiss voters onSunday decisively rejecteda calltorequire womento donationalservice in themilitary, civilprotection teamsor otherforms, asmen must do already. Ina referendum,over84% of voters rejectedthe "citizen service initiative" and none of the country's 26 cantons, or states, came anywhere near voting in favor. Proposals need amajority ofboth votersand cantons to pass.

A separate proposal to impose anew national taxon individual donationsor inheritances ofmore than50 million francs($62 million)wasshot downbymore than78%of voters. The revenueswere to be usedto fight theimpact of climatechange andhelp

Switzerland meet its ambitions to have net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Supporters ofthe national service planhoped thatit wouldboost socialcohesion by adding jobs in areas like environmental prevention, food securityand elderlycare.But lawmakers opposedit, mainly forcost reasonsand outof concern that it could hurt the economy by taking many youngpeople outof theworkforce. The proposal came at a time when other European countriesarefinding waystobolstertheir armedforces inthe faceof growingconcerns about Russia'spotential threat beyond the war in Ukraine. Young menin neutral Switzerlandare alreadyrequired to carry outmilitary service or joincivil protection

APERSON walksby referendumposters ofpolitical partiesand associations as Swiss voters are casting ballots to decide whether women, likemen, must do nationalservice in themilitary, civil protectionteams orin otherforms,

PRINCESS Aiko,the daughter ofJapan's EmperorNaruhito and Empress Masako visits the Wat Xieng Thong Buddhist Temple in Luang Prabang, Laos, Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025.

Photo: Japan Pool/Kyodo News via AP

A groupof Information Technology/ComputerStudies students gather with School Administrators, teachers and representatives from the Bahamas Maritime Authority as the computers are officially handed over to the C.R. Walker Senior High School. The Principal,Ms.TriverCulmerand Mr.HansMolofGREENSEA Charters are pictured front and centre.

STUDENTS demonstrate their proficiency with the new stateof-the-art computers which have allowed them to work with a number of advanced technologicalfeatures. They have been able to produce their own commercials which are of the calibre that are seen on any television station.

Cadet Corps gives Thanksgiving gift to CR Walker High School

THANKSGIVINGDAY 2025will foreverbe etchedin theannalsof thehistoryofthe CRWalkerSeniorHigh School. On Thursday, November 27, the school waspresented with20 state-ofthe-art computers, whichreplaced the oneswhich weretakenwhen thecomputer lab was broken into some time earlier.

Theexercise wasacollaboration betweenthe school,the BahamasMaritime Cadet Corpsand GREENSEA Charters, which is a shipping company headquarteredin AntwerpBelgium, whose vesselsare registered withthe Bahamas Maritime Authority. During a visit toThe Bahamasearlylastyear, Mr.Hans Mol, Managing Director of GREENSEA, along with his associate Ms. Gro Isaksen, had occasion to visitwith the Bahamas Maritime CadetCorps. Theywere quite impressed with the cadetsand offered to make a donation to the programme.

Prior to theoffer from GREENSEA, theCoordinatoroftheBahamasMaritime Cadet Corps (BMCC), Mr. Clayton Curtis,wasapproached byMr.Richard Deal, Vice Principal atCR Walker, with anappeal forassistancewith thecomputer lab. Rather than accepting the gift from GREENSEA, the BMCC decided to shift the donation from the cadet corps to the school. And since the BMCC was observing its 20th anniversary – and the CR Walker HighSchool hasserved asthe headquarters for theMaritime Cadets since its inception in2004--it was only fittingthat thedonationshould bemade to the school.

Mr. Hans Mol madea special trip to

'Rage bait' named Oxford University Press word of year as outrage fuels social media

LONDON (AP) Oxford University Press has named "ragebait'' asitsword ofthe year, capturingthe internet zeitgeist of 2025.

we'll appreciatethat wetend to engage morewith negative content and content that really provokes us."

New Providenceexclusivelyto officiallyhand over the computersto the school, which took place within thecontext ofthe Harvest ThanksgivingAssembly.

I cannot pushyou to workhard, butI canhelp youtohave thebesttools available and help you get thebest possibleeducation and the bestpossible start in life, he saidin his remarks. “Thesenew computers are notjust machines, but tools of opportunity and an investment in your future. As young students, you arethefuture. Those of you who are maritime cadets, you are the future navigators, engineers, and leaders of the seas. These computers will help you sharpen your skills, expandyour knowledge,and prepare youto meet the challengesof tomorrow.One thingisclear: mostpeople inmy generation – myselfincluded – are not skilledto explorethe possibilitiesof Artificial intelligence (AI) or Information Technology (IT).You are. Weneed you now more than ever before.”

BAHAMAS Maritime Authorityrepresentatives along with the Coordinator ofthe Bahamas Maritime Cadet CorpsposewithMr. HansMolandtheComputer Studies/Mass Communications Teacher. L-R: Mrs. Katie Clarke,Country Manager,BMA;Mr.Clayton Curtis,Coordinator,BMCC; Mr.HansMol, ManagingDirector, Charters; Mr. Jason Small,Teacher; Mr. Kenneth Carey, Technical Officer, BMA.

demonstrated the useof AI technology; 3-D printing; utilization of the green screen,whichis usedregularlyinnewscasts;and theproductionof atelevision commercialwhere thestudentscreated their own graphics and sound effects.

Following thepresentation, Mr.Mol and representatives of the Bahamas MaritimeAuthorityretreatedtotheJournalism Technology/Computer StudiesDepartment, where severalstudents illustrated what theyhave been able toproduce utilizing thenew computers.In additionto theroutine computerinstruction,they

Mr.Molexpressedhowexcitedhewas tohave beenapart ofthisproject. Inappreciationof thiskindgesture, thestudents presented Mr. Mol with a print of a Bahamian painting depicting marine life, something which is nearand dear to him. He said he is beginning to see Nassau as his second home, due to the level of warmthandhospitality thatheexperiences every time he visits the country.

How do we unlock our AI potential?

By Montino Roberts

Rage baittopped twoother contenders "aura farming'' and"biohack'' after public comment on ashortlist compiled by lexicographers at Oxford University Press.

Consumer Reports: Blueair 2025 Best Air Purifier Brand

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS)

Blueair, a globalleader in airwellness,hasbeennamed the "Best Air Purifier Brand of 2025"by ConsumerReports. In the publication's latest evaluation of air purifierbrands, Blueairearned thehighest score,outperforming thecompetition in performance, reliability, and customer satisfaction.

Blueair has been recognizedby ConsumerReports as the Best Air Purifier Brand of2025. Thepublication's latest testing ranked Blueair atthe top ofthe category, reflectingstrong marksin performance,reliability,andoverallconsumer

YOUNG persons usetheir phones to view social media in Sydney, on Nov. 8, 2024.

The phraserefers toonline contentthat is"deliberately designed to elicit anger or outrage by being frustrating, provocative oroffensive," with the aimof driving trafficto a particularsocial mediaaccount,Oxfordsaid inastatement. "The personproducing it will bask in the millions, quite often, of comments and shares and evenlikes sometimes,'' lexicographer Susie Dent told theBBC.Thisisaresultofthe algorithms usedby social media companies, "because although we love fluffy cats,

satisfaction.

India mandates government cyber safety app

By SHEIKH SAALIQ, AP NEW DELHI (AP) India's telecoms ministryhas directed smartphonemanufacturers topreinstall a government-run cybersecurity appon allnewdevices,according to a government order, raising concernsof dataprivacy and userconsent inone ofthe largest global handset markets.

"Aura farming'' means to cultivate a public image by presenting oneself in"a way intended subtlyto conveyan airof confidence,coolnessor mystique.'' "Biohack''is definedas "anattempt toimprove or optimize one's physical ormental performance, health or longevity.''

Mexico to build LA's most powerful supercomputer

MEXICO CITY (AP)

Mexico unveiledplans Wednesday to build what it claims willbe Latin America's most powerful

supercomputer a project the governmentsays will helpthe countrycapitalize on therapidly evolving usesof artificialintelligence andexponentially expandthe country'scomputing capacity

INSIDE every oneof us, thereisaseed.Forsome,itis theseedofentrepreneurship, for others,public service, community leadership, or quiet acts of transformation. Each seed carries the possibilityof becomingsomething fargreater thanitself.The real questionis: Whatwould your life look like if that potential were truly unlocked? Formost ofmytechnologycareer, I ve been obsessed positively obsessed with enabling human potentialthrough technology. Technologythat helps us achievewhat we didn’t even knowwe were capable of. Artificial Intelligenceis nowatthe centreofglobal conversation. For some, it inspires excitement,for others, uncertainty.That reaction isunderstandable. Every majorleap inhistory from the steam engine to the internet has brought bothopportunity anddisruption. AI isno different. But hereisthe truthasplainlyas I can putit: AI is atool. It is nota threat,nora saviour.It is a tool and ifwe learn to use it well, it can amplify the very best of who we are. Good leaders already spendtheir livestryingto unlock potentialin others.It isimportant tonote thatAI does notreplace that work it enhances it. It allows asmall teamto operate withtheprecisionandpower of a much larger one. It enables a small or mediumsized businessto compete

withglobal enterprises.It puts world-classinnovation into the hands of everyday people. This is what excites me: AI bringsglobal capability down toa local level. It democratises opportunity. Of course,some fearjob losses orrapid change.But AI is here. It will continue to evolve whetherwe embrace itorresistit. So,eachofus has a choice:Will you be disrupted? Or willyou be a part of the creative disruption that shapes ourfuture? Afterall, whatgood istechnology if itdoes not add value to our lives? We have theabilitytoharnessthelimitlesspoweroftechnologyto solve everyday problemswhetherthatisstrengthening national security,improving patientoutcomes,orgivinga young Bahamianentrepreneura fightingchancein theglobal arena.Onething issure: byleveragingtechnology toprovide solutions, we can enableeveryone to reach their full potential. Imagine AI gives you the ability tooperate justfive percent better five percent more efficient, five percent more productive, five percent more focused.That same five percentapplied at a nationalscale wouldadd $805 million tothe Nation's GDP.Nowimaginewhatjust fivepercent moreof your own potential would mean for your life, your business, or your future.A leader who looksat AIwithwisdom realizesthis isnot aboutreplacement it is about empowerment. We cantake the best thinking, thebest tools,

the most advanced innovation intheworld, andtailorthem to the unique needs of our islands. That is exciting news. Therefore, this weekmarks adefining moment forusas leaders. TheBahamas is hosting itslargest-ever forum on Artificial Intelligence, organised by Proficient BusinessServices Ltd.Our goalis simple: equip government and business leaderswith the insightto shapeournation s nextchapter.Wearehonoured to welcome Noelle Russell Microsoft s five-time AI MVP anda key contributorto Amazon s Alexa as our keynote speaker. Whenwe combinethebest ofthe worldwiththe bestof whowe are,transformationis inevitable. Remember: AI transforms humanpotential into limitless possibilities.

MontinoRoberts isthe founder and executive chairmanofProficientBusinessServices.

ThePBS AIandInnovationForum2025isbeingheld at the British Colonial on Thursday,December 4.For more details, call 242-3761926 or visit www.pbshope.com

Photos: Anita Clare, Clare Squared Marketing

AP Photo/Rick Rycroft

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo

Gangs launch large-scale attack in Haiti’s central region as hundreds flee gunfire and burning homes

SAINT-MARC Associated Press

HEAVILY armed gangs attacked Haiti’s central region over the weekend, killing men, women and children as they set fire to homes and forced survivors to flee into the darkness.

Police made emergency calls for backup, asserting that 50% of the Artibonite region had fallen under gang control after the largescale attacks targeting towns including Bercy and Pont-Sondé.

“The population cannot live, cannot work, cannot move,” one of Haiti’s police unions, SPNH-17, said Sunday on X. “Losing the country’s 2 largest departments – West and Artibonite – is the greatest security failure in modern Haitian history.”

A run for the coast

said Réné Charles, who survived the attack. “We’ve got to stand up and fight!”

The crowd tried to break into the mayor’s office with one unidentified man telling the AP that they weren’t going to rely on the government any longer: “We’re going to take justice into our own hands!”

Charlesma Jean Marcos, a political activist, said the gang announced last week that they were going to invade the area, and that they alerted authorities to no avail.

1,303 victims reported from January to August, compared with 419 during the same period in 2024.

“These assaults underscore the capacity of gangs to consolidate control across a corridor from the Centre to the Artibonite amid limited law enforcement presence and logistical constraints,” a recent UN report stated.

Fritz Alphonse Jean, a member of Haiti’s

transitional presidential council who was sanctioned by the US last month and is seeking to oust the current prime minister, condemned the latest attacks.

“Blood continues to flow, lives and property continues to be lost in front of a government incapable of addressing the population’s problems for more than a year,” he wrote on X, adding: “Stability???!”

The bulk of Haiti’s police force and the Kenyan officers leading a UN-backed mission to help repel gangs are in the capital, Port-au-Prince, which itself is largely held by gangs. Guerby Simeus, a PontSondé official, told The Associated Press by phone on Monday that he had confirmed nearly a dozen deaths, including a mother and her child and a local government employee.

“The gangs are still in Pont-Sondé,” he said, noting that no additional police had arrived.

Many survivors fled to the coastal town of SaintMarc, where hundreds of angry people on Monday demanded that the government take action against gangs who have repeatedly attacked Haiti’s central region.

“Give me the guns! I’m going to fight the gangs!”

“For now, the only people really fighting (the gang) is the self-defence group,” he said. “A country cannot run like this.”

Marcos urged all the survivors sleeping on the street and in public parks to instead sleep inside police stations and government offices until the government can take back Artibonite.

“A lot of people are going to be hungry,” he warned. “We can support you today, we can support you tomorrow, but we won’t be able to support you forever.”

More than half of Haiti’s population is already experiencing crisis levels of hunger or worse, with gangs blocking main roads and the ongoing violence displacing a record 1.4 million people.

A region overrun with gangs

The attacks in central Haiti began late Friday and late Saturday, with gang members broadcasting them live on social media.

The attacks were blamed on the Gran Grif gang, which operates in the area and was responsible for an attack on Pont-Sondé in October 2024 that killed at least 100 people, one of the biggest massacres in Haiti’s recent history.

“I heard heavy shooting, so much shooting,” one unidentified man recalled to The Associated Press and criticized the lack of police, saying he was stuck inside his house all weekend until Monday morning. “Why don’t they send any drones to Artibonite? They just use the drones in Port-au-Prince. I feel this gang is special. They don’t want to destroy this gang.”

A spokesperson for Haiti’s National Police did not immediately return a message seeking comment.

Gran Grif is considered one of Haiti’s cruellest gangs. Its leader, Luckson Elan, recently was sanctioned by the UN Security Council and the US government. Also sanctioned was Prophane Victor, a former legislator that the UN accused of arming young men in the Artibonite region.

The UN has said killings have risen dramatically in Haiti’s Artibonite and Centre departments this year, with

HAITI’S TRANSITIONAL GOVT ADOPTS KEY LAW TO HOLD FIRST GENERAL ELECTION SINCE 2016

SAN JUAN Associated Press

HAITI’S transitional presidential council has backed an electoral law in the latest step toward holding a general election for the first time in nearly a decade.

The approval late Monday means that the government can finally publish an official and longawaited electoral calendar, after fears that the council would try to push back the tentative dates to stay in power longer. Council President Laurent Saint-Cyr called the move a “major decision” for Haiti.

“We must finally offer the Haitian people the opportunity to freely and responsibly choose those who will lead them,” he wrote on X. “By taking this decisive step, while remaining fully committed to restoring security, we reaffirm our dedication to putting Haiti back on the path to democratic legitimacy and stability.”

The adoption of the electoral law came as some council members have pushed for the ouster of Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, including Fritz Alphonse Jean, who was recently sanctioned by the U.S. government.

Some believe that U.S. visa restrictions, like the

one imposed on Jean, are being used as a threat to try and influence Haiti’s politics.

Three of seven council members with voting powers weren’t present for Monday’s meeting, where the electoral law was approved, including Jean, according to Le Nouvelliste newspaper. Council member Frinel Joseph, who voted in favor of the law, said that it marked “a decisive turning point” in the transition of power and that it provided Haiti “with the necessary legal and political framework for holding elections.” Haiti’s Provisional Electoral Council has said it plans to hold the first round of voting in August and the final round in December next year, although ongoing gang violence could push back those dates.

Meanwhile, the transitional presidential council is supposed to step down by Feb. 7 to give way to democratic rule.

Haiti last held a general election in 2016 and hasn’t had a president since Jovenel Moïse was killed at his private residence in July 2021.

The transitional presidential council was appointed after the killing, and the prime ministers that have served since the killing have been nominated by the council.

HEGSETH CITES ‘FOG OF WAR’ IN DEFENDING FOLLOW-ON STRIKE ON ALLEGED DRUG BOAT

WASHINGTON Associated Press

DEFENSE Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday cited the “fog of war” in defending a follow-up strike on an alleged drug-carrying boat in the Caribbean Sea in early September.

During a Cabinet meeting at the White House, Hegseth said he did not see any survivors in the water, saying the vessel “exploded in fire, smoke, you can’t see anything. ... This is called the fog of war.”

Hegseth also said he “didn’t stick around” for the remainder of the Sept. 2 mission following the initial strike and the admiral in charge “made the right call” in ordering the second hit, which he “had complete authority to do.”

Lawmakers have opened investigations following a Washington Post report that Hegseth issued a verbal order to “kill everybody” on the boat, the first vessel hit in the Trump administration’s counterdrug campaign in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific Ocean that has grown to over 20 known strikes and more than 80 dead.

The U.S. also has built up its largest military presence in the region in generations,

and many see the actions as a tactic to pressure Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to resign.

While several legal experts have told The Associated Press they believed the second strike violated peacetime laws and those governing armed conflict, the Pentagon’s own manual on the laws of armed conflict also specifically cites striking survivors of a sunken ship as being patently illegal.

“Orders to fire upon the shipwrecked would be clearly illegal,” the manual says.

President Donald Trump on Tuesday distanced himself from the secondary strike, which the news report said killed two survivors who were clinging to the wreckage.

Trump said he “didn’t know anything” and that he “still hasn’t gotten a lot of information because I rely on Pete,” referencing Hegseth, when asked if he supported the second strike.

“I didn’t know anything about people. I wasn’t involved in it,” he added.

Hegseth, sitting next to Trump at the Cabinet meeting, said Trump has empowered “commanders to do what is necessary, which is dark and difficult things in the dead of night on behalf of the

American people.”

Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson said earlier in the day that all of the strikes have been “presidentially directed and the chain of command functions as it should.”

“At the end of the day, the secretary and the president are the ones directing these strikes,” Wilson said while speaking to handpicked outlets at an event at the Pentagon.

The Trump administration has suggested that the admiral overseeing the operation made the actual decision to conduct a second strike. Trump called him an “extraordinary person” on Tuesday and said “I want those boats taken out, and if we have to, will attack on land also, just like we attack on sea.”

The White House said Monday that Navy Vice Adm. Frank “Mitch” Bradley acted “within his authority and the law” when he ordered the second strike, while Hegseth said on social media that he stood by Bradley “and the combat decisions he has made.”

Bradley is expected to provide a classified briefing Thursday to lawmakers overseeing the military.

A MAN rides his bicycle past police station in Pont-Sonde, Haiti, October 7, 2024. Photo: Odelyn Joseph/AP

CHIEF OF PROTOCOL of the National Palace Marc Marie Yves Mazile speaks to Fritz Alphonse Jean, a member of Haiti’s transitional presidential council, before the start of a press conference in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Tuesday, November 25, 2025.

Photo: Odelyn Joseph/AP

Henfield: Curious that Cooper not sure of Fox’s nationality as ambassadors are required to be Bahamian citizens

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.ne

SENATOR Darren Henfield says he finds it ‘curious’ that Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper claimed not to know Rick Fox was Bahamian when that is one of the requisites for being an Ambassador-at-Large for the Bahamas.

His comments came after Mr Cooper said he has “never been sure” if Mr Fox is even Bahamian.

The remarks drew criticism from Mr Henfield, who said the comments raised a serious question about the government’s handling of diplomatic appointments.

“I found it curious the Deputy Prime Minister's comment, which inferred that, you know, Mr Fox might not be a Bahamian,” he said. “If, in fact, that is the case, how is he qualified to be appointed as an ambassador in the first instance?”

“One of the qualifications of an ambassador is to be a citizen of the country. That is a principal qualification, so it

begs the question as to whether or not they knew who they were appointing to be an ambassador. I don't believe that they would have been so ignorant to appoint someone who they knew was not a citizen of the country.”

“On the point of his resignation, he's appointed by the Prime Minister. It is customary that if the Prime Minister is not pleased with an ambassador, he asks for his resignation, that's normal,” he said.

Senator Henfield also says he sees “no difference” between Mr Fox’s political ambitions and the actions of Sebas Bastian, another ambassador who is “openly campaigning”, questioning why one is being indirectly pressured to resign while the other pursues frontline politics.

“You have an ambassador on the ground, openly campaigning, so what is the difference? That is my question to the PLP,” he said. “You know you have an ambassador openly campaigning on the ground, so why is it a different thing with Fox?”

Senior homes

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

SENIOR care homes say they are keeping their doors open but remain financially stretched, limiting what they can offer to both residents and staff.

At the Mary Ingraham Care Centre, administrator Patrika Hanna said the home houses five women and can take one more. Staff provide full daily care, including meals and transportation to medical appointments. She said donations

‘financially stretched’ as families struggle to pay fees

started slowly but picked up around Thanksgiving, allowing the home to stay current with its bills. Still, she said resources fall short of what is needed.

“I think it’s still a financial struggle because you know there’s more you can do for them if you had more financial help, and then there’s more you can do for also the staff, if you know the money was there,” Ms Hanna said.

“But with it not there you’re limited as to what you could do. You know, staff has been really, really deserving of a raise, but

there’s no money to do that, and seniors with the menu, maybe you could switch things up and give them some more options, but the money isn’t there to be able to do that.”

At the Good Samaritan Home for the Aged, administrator Inderia Ewing said the facility receives donations, including pampers, canned goods, meats and toiletries, but faces its own financial strain because many families struggle to pay monthly fees. The home has 23 residents, some of whom have lived there since 2003 or

2004. Fees increased from $800 to $900 a month for new residents.

“It is difficult sometimes when the relative call saying they can’t pay and if you bear with them,” Ms Ewing said.

Pat’s Senior Citizen Nursing Home and Daycare Centre operates on a much larger scale and requires about $50,000 a month to cover expenses. Proprietor Patricia Moxey said the facility houses 42 people, with seven to eight in the daycare programme and 30 to 32 full-time residents. She said donations this

year have come mostly from people rather than major organisations. The home is not requesting cash specifically and will accept items and food vouchers.

The facility cares for amputees, cancer patients and seniors with hypertension, often after families find themselves unable to manage post-hospital care. With nurses and doctors on-site, the home can address a range of medical needs.

“We try to just economize and everything,” Ms Moxey said. “We see there’s a leak, we try to

take care of it right away lights where it’s not necessary. Like I said, we try to cut that off. You try to cut down in that way. We try to cook food only what we know the person would eat so we wouldn’t have any wastage. Then sometimes we try to bake our own bread, our banana bread, our own bread pudding. You know, if you get stuff from BAIC we we utilize it like the potatoes.” She said the home would welcome volunteers to help with upkeep, including painting and window repairs.

BACSWN unveils emissions platform with 16 pending patents

By

Tribune Digital Editor aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas strengthened its presence on the global climate stage this week as representatives from the Bahamas Aviation, Climate & Severe Weather Network returned for a second year to the Global Carbon Markets Conference, unveiling major advancements in aviation emissions technology and weather intelligence infrastructure.

BACSWN Chief Operating Officer Michael Strachan and Tribune Digital Labs President Quincy Rolle delivered a joint presentation during a dedicated session on day one, drawing international attention to the country’s growing footprint in aviation, meteorology and carbon market innovation.

Their appearance comes as BACSWN prepares to one of the region’s first next-generation meteorological watch offices and aviation weather centres under a Heads of Agreement signed with the government earlier this year. Mr Strachan used the session to underscore the climate pressures driving the initiative, noting the vulnerability of small island states and the scale of aviation emissions transiting Bahamian airspace.

“Working with the Government of The Bahamas and wider Caribbean community to assist in bringing certain climate agendas and mandates to fruition especially in the aviation sector,” he said. “Like a lot

of neighboring countries

The Bahamas is at risk for severe weather experiences due to climate change so it’s important that countries like ourselves and private sector companies come together…to support decarbonization projects and develop projects where we can.”

He noted that under the May 7 Heads of Agreement, BACSWN was appointed the country’s aviation and meteorological authority, with a planned US$427m investment to build infrastructure across key islands.

“BACSWN was formed about 7 years ago in the aftermath of Hurricane Joaquin,” Mr Strachan said, explaining that what began as an aviation visualisation tool has grown into a climate-tech platform with regional and global applications.

He added that The Bahamas — the sixth-largest airspace in the world, with more than 616,000 flights annually — has a unique role in developing credible emissions frameworks.

“For a small island nation the carbon emissions over our airspace adds to the problem we’re already facing,” he said.

Mr Strachan also confirmed the company is finalising a reciprocal agreement with Carbon Management Limited Bahamas to oversee the aviation carbon space, tying into the country’s recently passed Carbon Credits Trading Act.

For his part, Mr Rolle highlighted the evolution of the carbon intelligence platform introduced at last year’s conference and built

by Tribune Digital Labs for BACSWN.

He explained how the system integrates BACSWN’s proprietary WxSense net weather network, live flight data, and a custom-built algorithm capable of tracking emissions in real time.

Mr Rolle said the full system is now complete, with 16 patents filed and pending.

“When we built this software we were not fully aware of every problem we were solving which I guess is a good problem to have,”

he said.

“We were focusing on helping airlines save on carbon emissions… but additionally we were able to solve a few more problems as well. We’re very pleased to be able to achieve the patent pending status on 16 different patents. But what is really most important is the fact that this platform that we’ve created is also adaptable to any country.”

Both executives are expected to continue highlevel meetings with industry participants through the end of the conference.

FORMER NBA PLAYER RICK FOX

FNM SENATOR DARREN HENFIELD

MICHAEL STRACHAN, BACSWN Chief Operating Office, centre, with Patrick Rollins, Chief Exectuive Officer at the Global Carbon Markets Conference on Tuesday.

Photos: James Breeden

BACSWN Chief Operating Officer Michael Strachan speaking at the Global Carbon Markets Conference on Tuesday.