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US FIRM’S PLAN TO REVIVE GINN RESORT

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

A NEW contender to acquire the former Ginn sur mer project is aiming to construct a 28-storey “iconic tower” modelled on Alexandria’s ancient lighthouse, pictured, as its focal point if the deal proceeds.

Plans by Kingwood International Resorts and its principals call for the construction of a “a new wonder of the world” in Grand Bahama’s West End should they complete the acquisition and secure the necessary government approvals and permits.

‘TRAVEL BAN UNFAIR - WE NEED TESTS’

The tower, to be called The Lighthouse, will stand almost 400ft high and feature “a five-star luxury hotel” with 102 rooms; 40 two-bedroom condominiums and penthouse suites on the top four floors, according to Kingwood documents.

Much, though, remains to be done.

Tribune Business sources familiar with developments at West End said while Kingwood International Resorts has a signed sales agreement in place, and has paid the deposit customary in all real estate-based transactions, the purchase has yet to close.

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement leader Michael Pintard said countries have been premature and uneven in implementing travel bans on African nations.

Last week, The Bahamas followed a number of countries around the world in introducing travel restrictions from several countries, including Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Zimbabwe and South Africa.

SEE PAGE FOUR

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

NO END OF TERM EXAMS FOR STATE SCHOOL PUPILS

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Ministry of Education, Technical and Vocational Training said on the weekend that end of term examinations will not be held for students in public schools this semester, a continuation of the policy that began last year.

Education Minister Glenys Hanna Martin told

The Tribune: “The (consensus) was arrived at by the ministry, the district superintendents, teachers’ representative bodies and the managers’ union.

They were all in it and there was an absolute consensus. It was not a unilateral decision. It’s been a very disruptive period. A significant amount of children have not been online at all.

SEE PAGE THREE

TWENTY NEW COVID DEATHS CONFIRMED

VIKTOR, VICTORIOUS THE WINNER of the 2021 Hero World Challenge, Viktor Hovland, with his trophy for winning the tournament held in Nassau. He is pictured with Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper on the final day of the tournament. See SPORTS for the full story.

COVID-19 deaths have surpassed 700, with 20 additional deaths reported by health officials over the weekend. The country now has 705 confirmed virusrelated deaths.

Four deaths — accounted for in the December 4 dashboard — were reported yesterday.

SEE PAGE FOUR

UNHOLY MESS GETTING TO THE TRUTH TEENAGER SHOT DEAD

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

A SUPREME Court judge is unsure whether she obtained “the whole truth and nothing but the truth” in an unholy battle over the land upon which a 2,500 seat mega Freeport “cathedral” now sits.

Senior justice Estelle Gray-Evans, in a mammoth 128-page judgment, concluded that “there are no real winners” in a dispute

ST JOHN’S JUBILEE CATHEDRAL that featured multiple allegations “of skullduggery, conning, conniving and betrayal” made by prominent clergy members against their fellow brethren.

Acknowledging that the dispute over the site of St John’s Jubilee Cathedral “has dragged on for far too long”, given that legal action was first initiated some 12 years ago, she added that she “simply gave up trying to address” all the irrelevant arguments made by the various parties and their attorneys, and they must “decide for yourselves” whether she did justice to their submissions.

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

BY GUNMAN

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

A TEEN was shot dead in the Pinder’s Point area on Friday, less than an hour after the annual Police Christmas tree lighting ceremony at Police Headquarters in Freeport.

SEE PAGE TWO

PAGE 2, Monday, December 6, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

Teen gunned down from page one Shortly after 8pm, police received a call about a shooting at a local bar in the Pinder’s Point area.

Police said officers went to the scene to investigate.

According to a crime report, initial investigations revealed that a 17-yearold boy was conducting mechanical work in the area. Police said the victim walked across the street when a man with a firearm approached him and discharged several rounds of ammunition in his direction, shooting him multiple times about the body.

EMS personnel were summoned to the scene and found no signs of life. The victim was taken to Rand Memorial Hospital, where a doctor pronounced him dead.

This murder comes just weeks following recent murders in the Eight Mile Rock area.

Less than an hour before the shooting, police officers, their families, and the public were at the annual tree lighting at the RBPF complex.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Stephen Rolle offered his condolences to the victim’s family.

SHOCK TREATMENT SCHEME RELAUNCHED

By TANYA SMITHCARTWRIGHT tsmith-cartwright@ tribunemedia.net

THE SCENE of Friday’s shooting in Pinder’s Point.

“First, I offer my condolences to the family who has lost a loved one here tonight,” he said at the scene in Pinder’s Point.

“The police are following some leads in this matter and hopefully will bring this matter to a close very soon. I want to urge members of the public who have any information concerning this incident to contact the Criminal Investigation Department at 350-3106 or

911, or 919,” he said.

Following the recent murders in EMR, ASP Rolle said police want to continue to urge the public to find ways to resolve conflicts.

“You have a lot of young men out there who find themselves in possession of illegal firearms, and if persons are aware that these firearms are in these persons’ possession to please contact the nearest police so these guns can come off the street

Photo: Vandyke Hepburn and we can save another life in The Bahamas.”

Meanwhile, police said they want to question Drexton Dominique Belony, 28, of Frobisher Circle, and Jones Town, Eight Mile Rock. They believe he can offer help in an ongoing investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Criminal Investigation Department in Grand Bahama at 350-3109/10.

THE Ministry of National Security has announced the relaunch of its Shock Treatment youth intervention programme, which officials allege was shelved for no reason by the Minnis Administration, “leaving troubled children out in the cold”.

National Security Minister Wayne Munroe, QC, made the announcement on Friday at a press conference at his ministry.

The Ministry of National Security launched the Project Safe initiative on June 8, 2014. This initiative was a part of the Christie Administration’s drive to reduce the level of violent crimes in young people. The Shock Treatment programme was among the list of initiatives in the plan.

Shock Treatment was designed as an intervention programme to target young men who were susceptible to gang activities and other behaviour that would eventually lead to them becoming menaces to society.

“Sadly, this programme was halted by the Minnis Administration with no true reason as to why,” Mr Munroe said. “Hundreds of mothers and families eager to get some kind of assistance with troubled children were left out in the cold. The focus was on arresting the criminal rather than preventing a young man or woman from becoming one.

“It was a mistake that has made a lasting negative impact on our country’s fight against crime and violence. In the last few years, we have seen violent criminal behaviour by young people that is beyond shocking.

“Sadly, in the last five years, several of the boys we attempted to save with the original iteration of Shock Treatment were lost to violent crime.”

Once again Carlos Reid is set to head the programme which, as in the past, will have a reality TV series attached to it produced by Andrew Burrows.

Mr Munroe explained the format of the intervention programme. He said, “That is why we must do something and do something impactful. It is, therefore, my pleasure to announce that the Ministry of National Security will be relaunching the Shock Treatment programme and television show in January of 2022. The original agencies are once again steering the programme under the direction of Mr Carlos Reid.

“The programme enlisted five of the entities under the portfolio of National

Security at that time: the Citizen Security Unit of the Ministry of National Security, the Royal Bahamas Police Force, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, Bahamas Department of Corrections and the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas.

“The programme was designed to create a shocking experience for the participants who were prone to living a life that glorified all things wrong and violent in our society.

They would be exposed to what life was like in the hands of the law at every step of our criminal justice system.”

In this programme, troubled youth get to experience what happens when people run afoul of the law.

They enter the programme at a police station and over the course of a week they experience being interviewed by police detectives, being in a holding cell, being restrained and their movements managed by the police.

They are exposed to the realities of prison life and are also put under the supervision of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force.

Mr Munroe said that at every step of the way, there was a concerted effort to shock these children into understanding the consequences of the choices they make. “It was not all shock, however,” he said. “They were exposed to the power of positive choices too and also to alternative options for a better life.

“This programme was documented on video and presented to the public as a groundbreaking reality television series on the ZNS Network also called Shock Treatment. The popularity of this programme helped to propel the message that the limited size of the cohorts could not.

“The government was serious about its commitment to the fight to prevent a lost generation of killers, robbers, rapists and career criminals from happening. We saw a direct correlation between the efforts to prevent young men from becoming criminals and the eventual outcome of crimes.”

Mr Munroe said this time around, there will be a more streamlined and targeted approach in order to tackle the problem being faced.

He is encouraging parents and guardians of young men and women who are presenting challenges in the home, at school or may appear to be headed toward a life of crime to contact the Shock Treatment Secretariat in order to enroll their child into the programme.

They can be as young as 10 years old.

The numbers for the Secretariat are: (242) 601-4842 and (242) 601-4360.

WAYNE MUNROE, Carlos Reid and Andrew Burrows.

Photo: Tanya Smith-Cartwright/Tribune Staff

THREE RESCUED BUT ONE DROWNS AS TUG SINKS

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

THREE men were rescued while the body of a man who drowned was recovered after a tugboat sank off Sandy Point, Abaco early yesterday morning.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Stephen Rolle said the incident occurred shortly after 4am in the area of Hole in the Wall.

He said that a 65ft tugboat with four men on board was en route from New Providence to Cooper’s Town, Abaco, when it began to experience mechanical problems.

The captain made a

distress call when the vessel started to take on water and sink, resulting in the four men abandoning the vessel.

The United States Coast Guard located the men and dropped rafts, along with a radio set to them.

ASP Rolle said that BASRA, a private aircraft, and a private vessel also assisted in the rescue. Three survivors and one deceased male were recovered.

All of the men were taken to the Marsh Harbour Clinic for medical attention.

The deceased male was examined by a doctor and pronounced dead.

Mr Rolle said investigations are continuing into the incident.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, December 6, 2021, PAGE 3

Govt called on to honour treaties over gender violence A LOCAL organisation is calling on government to meet its commitments to international treaties and work on ending genderbased violence.

The call came in a statement from Equality Bahamas yesterday in recognition of Femicide Awareness Day, which remembers the women and girls killed because of their sex, and calls for naming, counting, and reporting of such killings as femicide.

Equality Bahamas is also participating in the Global 16 Days campaign, which along with raising awareness about femicide, also has the theme of domestic violence in the workplace.

“At Equality Bahamas, we recognise both themes, and we will carry them

into 2022 as we continue to advocate for femicide to be named, counted, and reported, and for The Bahamas to ratify C190,” said Alicia Wallace, director of Equality Bahamas. “Ending gender-based violence requires legislative reform and a gender-responsive approach to policies and programmes.”

Equality Bahamas reminded the government of the ratification of Belém do Pará and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and its obligation to educate the public on them.

The government must meet its commitments, made through treaty bodies, to end gender-based violence, the group said.

“We have had the Strategic Plan to End Gender-based Violence since 2015. Six years later, it has yet to be implemented, and is now in need of an update,” said Ms Wallace. “The Bahamas reported to the CEDAW Committee in 2018, and the committee’s recommendations include implementation of the strategic plan along with acceleration of other key plans, policies, and legislative reform.”

As a matter of priority, marital rape must be criminalised, the group noted.

“Even before the launch of our Strike Five campaign in 2020, we have consistently called for the criminalisation of marital rape,” said Lauren Glinton, campaign coordinator.

“Marital rape is rape, and

we demand that the government recognise it as such and make the necessary change to Article 3 of the Sexual Offences Act, removing ‘who is not his spouse.’

“For far too long,” Ms Glinton continued, “people have questioned its legitimacy as a public issue, but violence in all forms should be of public concern, regardless of persons’ marital status. It is time to move towards legislative action, and to focus our efforts on prevention.”

The Strategic Plan to End Gender-based Violence, CEDAW, Belém do Pará, criminalisation of marital rape, naming, counting, and reporting on femicide, and ratification of C190 are all necessary for bringing

gender-based violence to an end, Equality Bahamas said.

“We urge the government to move on this now. As we have seen in recent weeks, it cannot wait. We have some of the tools already, waiting to be implemented.

This is a public issue, and the government is obligated to act,” said Ms Wallace.

Equality Bahamas has already hosted seven events during the campaign.

Today, an event called Reporting on Gender-based Violence and Femicide with Ava Turnquest, Cathy Otten (Journalism Initiative on Gender-based Violence), and Daffodil Altan (FRONTLINE) will take place at 6pm.

Another event, Using Data to End Gender-based

Violence will include Aneesah Abdullah (UN Country Coordination Officer, The Bahamas), Melissa Scaia (Global Rights for Women, USA), and Eugenia D’Angelo (MundoSur, Argentina) will take place Tuesday at 6pm. The events will close with Fostering a Culture of Human Rights with human rights expert Gaynel Curry on Thursday at 6pm. All event details, recordings of previous events, and campaign resources are available at tiny.cc/go16.

Equality Bahamas is a feminist organisation that promotes women’s and LGBTQI+ people’s rights as human rights through advocacy, public education and community engagement.

NO END OF TERM EXAMS FOR STATE SCHOOL PUPILS from page one

EDUCATION Minister Glenys Hanna Martin.

Photo: Donavan McIntosh/Tribune Staff

“They’re going to do assessments of primary and high school, particularly those who are graduating or going to university.

There will be assessments, so there’s no loss of that. It’s just using an alternate mode of assessing performance.

This is not a shortcut and this is not a deprivation, it is just a shift of strategy in the assessment.”

Mrs Hanna Martin emphasised that the major impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had has been on students’ ability to learn.

“We cannot walk around not having knowledge of what is happening,” she said. “This is a global phenomenon, that millions of children have been out of school. In this country, the numbers have been huge.

We are in a crisis. We’ve had tremendous learning loss. For many thousands of

UNION BACKS STRACHAN FOR UNIVERSITY ROLE

By TANYA SMITHCARTWRIGHT tsmith-cartwright@ tribunemedia.net

THE Union of Tertiary Educators of The Bahamas is supporting Dr Ian Strachan as the next president of the University of The Bahamas.

Current president Dr Rodney Smith is set to retire in mid-2022 after having what many term a tumultuous relationship with UTEB over matters of alleged lack of transparency and accountability.

In August, UTEB officials were up in arms over allegations that Dr Smith was lobbying to remain at the helm of the university even though he is almost 70 years old.

Dr Smith also came under fire from the union for the hiring of Iraq-born Professor Sarim Al-Zubaidy to the role of executive vice president, as union officials felt a Bahamian should occupy that position.

UTEB’s president, Daniel Thompson, at the time, showed concern that Professor Al-Zubaidy was

a de facto future president, who would ultimately become the acting president of UB upon Dr Smith’s departure – a position, union officials said, he was never interviewed for.

Mr Thompson said, “With regards to the appointment of a new president at UB, UTEB supports the view that the Bahamian finalist Dr Ian Strachan should be chosen.

“We are advised that the former Minnis Administration refused to make an announcement before the elections because they felt their selection was toxic.

Now that we are in a new era, the Davis Administration should approve someone consistent with their ideals.”

The union has been known over the years to agitate for Bahamians to be at the helm of tertiary education facilities, including the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute which is headed by Canadian Dr Robert Robertson.

The other candidates for UB president are Dr Erik Rolland and Sir Anthony Seldon. Dr Strachan is

the only Bahamian in the group. He currently heads UB’s northern campus.

“As we prepare to celebrate our nation’s 50th anniversary, a qualified Bahamian ought to lead our institution,” Mr Thompson added.

“The current president retires in seven months, having been rejected for a new contract by all stakeholders at the academy, including the Presidential Search Committee and the Board of Trustees. There were three finalists during the presidential search. Dr Strachan was one of the finalists.

“Dr Ian Strachan is campus president at UB North and has demonstrated great leadership and integrity throughout his time at UB as a student, an employee, a scholar, a teacher, an administrator and a community influencer.”

In October, UB’s board of trustees released a statement saying it concluded its search for the next UB president after an “overwhelming majority” reached the same

CONDOLENCES SENT TO FORMER US AMBASSADOR

THE Free National Movement has sent condolences to a former US Ambassador to The Bahamas whose mother was discovered murdered in her Beverly Hills home on Wednesday.

Beverly Hills police confirmed that Jacqueline Avant, the mother of former US Ambassador Nicole Avant and wife of music icon Clarence Avant, died after being shot at her home that she shared with her husband.

Mrs Avant, 81, was taken to a local hospital, but did not survive the gunshot injury.

Beverly Hills authorities said they received a call just before 2.30am about a shooting in the 1100 block of Maytor Place.

When they arrived, police discovered a woman, later identified as Mrs Avant, had been shot. No suspects have been arrested.

The FNM statement read: “The Official Opposition, Free National Movement, sadly extends heartfelt condolences to former United States (US) Ambassador to The Bahamas, Her Excellency Nicole Avant, and her family, on the untimely demise of her mother, Mrs Jacqueline Avant on Wednesday past.

“Ambassador Avant was appointed to The Bahamas in June of 2009 by President Barack Obama and served in that position until November 2011.

“Upon taking office, Ambassador Avant’s leadership was immediately felt in the multi-faceted law enforcement community of The Bahamas with whom she worked tirelessly to counter threats to the US and Bahamian national security.

“Mrs Jacqueline Avant — wife of music executive Clarence Avant — will undoubtedly be missed by her family and the entire Los Angeles community for her generous philanthropic spirit.”

The FNM has written directly to former Ambassador Avant to express its condolences on the passing of her mother.

The deceased has been recognised as an amazing woman, wife, mother and philanthropist. She was a 55-year resident of Beverly Hills who made an immeasurable positive impact on the arts community.

On Wednesday, Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell issued condolences about her death on behalf of the government and Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis.

decision on the school’s next successor.

The statement said an announcement on the new appointment was delayed because of the 2021 general election and change in government. It noted that the announcement would be made soon.

Mr Thompson said Dr Strachan is a role model for all workers and students at UB and the wider Bahamian society. He said on the international stage, Dr Strachan’s name and reputation is impeccable.

children there has been two years lost.”

Mrs Hanna Martin said officials are also in the process of putting together a testing protocol for all levels to “determine the learning loss of each particular child and thereafter to implement remediation strategies.”

She said: “It might be very significant in some instances, not so significant in others. And then you know the question is whether we’re going to go for just core subjects in the beginning, literacy and numeracy. And then the other issue is the children who graduated and they ain’t been in school. We have to now identify each child through outreach with their parents and then see how we can get them into other programmes, training agencies, BTVI, adult learning extension so that we can ensure no child is left behind.”

In a statement issued on Saturday, the ministry said that Friday will be the final day for students in public schools for the end of the Christmas term.

National Report Card Day, originally scheduled for Thursday, December 16, has been postponed.

The last working day for teachers for the Christmas term will be December 17, with dismissal at noon.

Teachers will return to work on Tuesday, January 4, 2022.

“It is anticipated that students will be engaged in hybrid learning commencing Tuesday, January 11, 2022, subject to approval by the Ministry of Health and Wellness,” the ministry’s statement noted.

“Further details related to the engagement of students in hybrid learning, the conduct of student assessment and new dates for the National Report Card Day will be provided at a later date.”

PAGE 4, Monday, December 6, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

MINISTRY DENIES REPORTS OF APPROVAL GIVEN TO HOLIDAY CARNIVAL THE Ministry of Health and Wellness has denied “false reports on social media” claiming that Health Minister Dr Michael Darville approved the holiday carnival to operate on Clifford Park starting this month until January.

In a statement issued on Friday, the ministry said the proprietors of the holiday carnival made an application to the Ministry of Health and Wellness to

host the popular event.

The ministry said it acknowledged the application and gave recommendations on how to improve COVID-19 protocols that must be carefully implemented at such an event. The ministry said it awaits the proprietors’ response.

The statement also said the ministry reserves the right to revoke any prior approval given for a public event if it is deemed a

threat to public health.

In the wake of questions regarding how the carnival’s proprietors brought equipment into the country and began setting up rides at the site ahead of formal approval from health officials, the ministry’s statement noted it has no oversight over the importation of such items.

“It is noteworthy to mention that several members of the public raised concerns about the

importation of trailers and amusement park equipment into the country.

The public is hereby notified that the Ministry of Health and Wellness has no jurisdiction over the importation or exportation of non-medical items into The Bahamas.

“The public is to be assured that if any event poses a threat to public health, the Ministry of Health and Wellness reserves the right to

revoke any previous approvals granted for a public event. Revocation of approvals are determined based on the disease burden in the country, increased cluster cases from an event, and continued breaches to agreed public health measures and strategies to prevent disease transmission.

“The public is encouraged to obtain health information from reliable

sources such as the Ministry of Health and the Office of the Prime Minister.

Please beware of receiving and/or sharing misinformation about COVID-19 and the Health Services (COVID-19) (Prevention and Management of Community Spread) Rules, 2021. The circulation of misinformation threatens public health efforts and can be harmful to physical and mental health,” the ministry said.

Sands: Don’t make same mistake

By TANYA SMITHCARTWRIGHT tsmith-cartwright@ tribunemedia.net FORMER Health Minister Dr Duane Sands is warning health officials not to make the same mistake with the Omicron COVID19 variant as they did with the Delta strain, saying this new threat, if not here already, might be in The Bahamas “fairly soon”.

Dr Sands said the government should tighten travel restrictions, requiring those entering the country to present a negative PCR test taken no more than 72 hours prior to departure.

The Omicron variant, which is now popping up in countries all over the world, was first identified in Africa. Several countries, including The Bahamas and the United States, have subsequently banned travellers from those African nations.

Dr Sands said although the real threat of Omicron is still unknown, Bahamians should be, “hoping and praying for the best, but preparing for the worst.”

“If you remember the whole discussion about Delta, we kind of had our head buried in the sand for weeks saying that we haven’t proven it to be here,” Dr Sands said.

“You can’t prove it if you don’t look for it. Given the fact that this variant is all over the United States, all over Europe, in a number of places in Africa and so on, there’s no reason to believe that if it isn’t here, that it’s not going to get here fairly soon. We ought to be hoping and praying for the best, but preparing for the worst.

“As to what clinical threat it is, I think it’s too early for the world to know. Scientists all around the world are very concerned about this variant and the fact that it has so many mutations

‘TRAVEL BAN UNFAIR - WE NEED TESTS’ from page one

Travel from those countries was banned after the discovery of the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron.

“Health officials should have fairly uniform policies governing entry into the country given the fact that the new variant is in multiple countries across time zones and socio-economic brackets,” Mr Pintard said yesterday. “The countries that targeted the African nations did so unevenly and prematurely given the fact that it was not conclusive that Sub-Saharan Africa was the point of origin. Furthermore, the wealthy northern nations and now The Bahamas are discriminating against the very countries who were discriminated against when the vaccines were being distributed initially.

“We are grateful to have benefitted from our neighbour to the north who provided us with large numbers of vaccine doses. Not all countries were as fortunate as we were. Developing that we don’t know how well we will be protected by vaccines or by previous infections with other strains of the coronavirus.”

Dr Sands pointed out that the Omicron variant was already outside of southern Africa by the time the alarm was sounded. He said it’s the same way the Wuhan version of COVID19 had spread outside of China by the time the world first learned about it.

“What we learn then is that travel bans really didn’t help,” Dr Sands continued. “We did it because we didn’t know where we were, but hindsight should demonstrate to us that as a public health tool, it probably has limited utility. What would have real utility is beefing up your public health adherences and getting your population vaccinated.

“Even though this variant

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countries were not assisted in substantial ways with their fair share of vaccines by pharmaceutical companies and wealthy countries, hence their vulnerability to new variants.

We are now penalising them economically by starving off commerce on inconclusive evidence.”

Mr Pintard said instead of travel bans, the government should adjust its testing requirements.

“We ought to adjust testing and screening policies to require PCR for all (vaccinated and unvaccinated) 48 to 72 hours prior to travel,” he said.

“Requiring the vaccinated to secure more than a rapid antigen test is unlikely to have deal-breaking economic consequences given the widespread availability of PCR tests, particularly in the USA. The flow of tourists and Bahamians will be minimally affected. However, this must be weighed against science relative to the severity of impact of the new variant, the ease of transmission and the efficacy of the existing vaccines. Continuation

has multiple mutations on the body of virus as well as the spike, preliminary information is that there is some protection that is afforded by vaccinations and boosters.

“As our understanding of this thing evolves, then we also need to move along in terms of our vaccination programmes. One thing that has happened, even in the setting of relatively low

of commerce is crucial; however protection of health is paramount if commerce is to succeed.”

The Marco City MP’s view on the matter contrasts with that of former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis who last week urged the government to ban travel from African countries.

Scientists are not yet sure if the new variant is more contagious or deadly than other strains.

“The government has to lay out carefully but aggressively their vaccination plan and should reveal how many of their cabinet ministers are vaccinated. While our population should not be bullied relative to vaccination there should be clear signs from those that are advocating it that they have the moral authority to do so,” Mr Pintard said.

Bahamians and residents who are travelling from the restricted African areas will not be prevented from entering the country, however they will be required to self-isolate for two weeks as a precautionary measure, officials have said.

numbers is you’ve seen the adjudication in the causes of deaths of patients.”

The Bahamas has confirmed more than 700 COVID-19 deaths, which Dr Sands said puts the country “in sad company” in terms of its overall experience with COVID. That equates to about 1,600 deaths per million which is not ideal, he said.

“Pound for pound we are

underperforming the rest of the world and I think Bahamians ought to take note and particularly as this Omicron variant now is threatening,” he continued.

“This ought to be our wake up call. We did poorly with Delta so let’s not gamble with Omicron.”

Shifting gears a bit, Dr Sands spoke of what he thought should be an adjustment in the country’s

testing rules for travellers.

“We should move to PCR testing to all travellers vaccinated or unvaccinated – citizens, residents, visitors— and to reduce the time of these tests to 72 hours,” he said. “Whether we want to be more aggressive and reduce that time line to 24 hours, I think puts a pretty logistical hardship on people, because sometimes it’s almost impossible to find a place to do a PCR depending on where you are.

“So 48 to 72 hours is certainly more reasonable than five days. We should move away from antigen testing alone. The approach that we have taken to restrict travellers from certain jurisdictions is more symbolic than anything else and probably will have no significant impact on whether or not we wind up having the Omicron variant in The Bahamas.”

Currently any person wishing to enter The Bahamas must present a negative COVID-19 test no older than five days. Vaccinated travellers have the option of taking an antigen or PCR test.

Recently, Dr Sands predicted there will likely be a fourth wave of the virus heading this way. His position has not changed and he reminded Bahamians there has been no “all-clear” given on COVID-19.

TWENTY NEW COVID DEATHS CONFIRMED from page one The deceased include a 34-year-old New Providence woman who died on November 27; a 49-yearold New Providence man who died on November 29; a 54-year-old Eleuthera woman who died on November 27 and a 62-yearold New Providence woman who died on November 30.

Six deaths were recorded on Friday, December 4.

According to the data, which was released on

Saturday, the deceased included three men and three women who were all New Providence residents.

Their deaths occurred between September 13 and November 11.

The ministry’s December 2 dashboard — released on Friday — notes 10 COVID19 deaths, which were previously listed as under investigation. Nine of the deceased people were from New Providence while one was from Grand Bahama.

Their ages ranged from 54 to 91 years old. They

died between September 23 and November 11.

Thirty-six other deaths are currently under investigation.

Meanwhile, new COVID19 infections continue to be recorded in the low double or single digits with only 27 new cases over a three-day period.

The Ministry of Health said 16 new cases were confirmed on Thursday, two new cases were confirmed Friday and nine new cases were recorded on Saturday, bringing the nation’s virus

toll since the start of the pandemic to 22,836.

According to the latest data provided by health officials, 20 people are in hospital with the disease.

The government’s latest vaccine tracker shows that 148,952 people have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (excluding those who have taken the one-shot Johnson and Johnson vaccine) as of December 4.

To make an appointment to get vaccinated, visit vax. gov.bs.

EXTENDED DOSE APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE THE Ministry of Health and Wellness has announced that effective Monday, extended dose appointments (not boosters), will be available in New Providence to those that are immunocompromised.

The extended doses will start in Grand Bahama and the Family Islands on Thursday, December 9.

Those eligible for

extended doses include persons who have active cancer or ended treatment within the last 12 months; have had an organ transplant; are on chronic dialysis; have HIV with a current CD4 count.

People who want to take advantage of the extended dose are required to present a letter from a doctor confirming that they can receive the extended dose

of available vaccines, the ministry said.

The Ministry of Health and Wellness said booster shots will be available before the end of the year for people who have completed their primary series of Pfizer or AstraZeneca at least six months ago, and in the case of Johnson and Johnson, two months ago.

“The rollout of booster shots will be conducted in

a phased approach similar to the approach taken at the commencement of the vaccination exercise,” a statement issued by the ministry on Friday noted.

“Healthcare workers, first responders, teachers and persons over 60 years of age will be eligible in the first phase.”

Further details will be available before the rollout of each phase.

FERRIES JOBS FAIR BRINGS IN HOPEFULS

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

MORE than a dozen job seekers attended a job fair hosted by Bahamas Ferries yesterday.

Human resources manager at Bahamas Ferries, Natasha Morgan told The Tribune the boating company decided to host the fair to assist those seeking to further their career in the maritime sector.

She said officials were looking to hire some 30 people in both New Providence and Abaco in hopes of filling vacant positions ranging from boat captain to cabin attendants.

“We are looking for maritime employees so that would be from the captain, the mate, the engineer and also deck hands and we do have one or two positions available in the freight department along with cabin attendants,” Ms Morgan said.

“It’s important because we are looking for qualified persons, certificated persons. We’re looking for persons

who want to further their maritime career so there’s various reasons why we’re having this job fair. We want to make it as open and accessible as possible and so we decided to have it today.

“We also have one that will be in Abaco tomorrow because we do have an operation down there and we will be looking for those same positions we spoke about.”

Among those who attended yesterday’s event was Andre Buchanan.

Mr Buchanan said his love for boating and desire to excel in the industry encouraged him to apply at Bahamas Ferries.

He said: “I was diving for ten years and I have my certifications and I didn’t want it to go to waste so I said let me get back on the boat. I was trying to get more involved in marine life so this would be the best experience for more boating so I can move on to get my captainship…because its rough out there and people taking advantage of good people who

looking for work and they trying to give them any little salary because they need them to work.”

For Daniel Pinder, his motivation to apply at the company was due to the lack of job prospects for unvaccinated people like himself.

He said: “The job market is really serious. I graduated in 2020 and (finding a job) was particularly hard for people who aren’t vaccinated like myself and it was kind of a fight. I hopped on one of the better jobs I found STCW (Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping) certification and stuff.”

According to Ms Morgan, those who were unable to attend the jobs fair can still apply at the company.

“We very much need to fill these positions as quickly as possible so we’re hoping for the best. We’re hoping to have a good turn out with successful candidates who can immediately start employment,” she said.

“So, we are accepting applications even after the job fair.”

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, December 6, 2021, PAGE 5

Gibson hits back at Petty over Water and Sewerage

By TANYA SMITHCARTWRIGHT tsmith-cartwright@ tribunemedia.net

LONG Island MP Adrian Gibson has hit back at recent remarks made by Sylvanus Petty, the newly appointed chairman of the Water and Sewerage Corporation, claiming that his successor’s “new role is above his aptitude”.

At a press conference held last week to announce the corporation’s new board, Mr Petty referred to Mr Gibson, noting that WSC’s recent promotions were decided on by the board and executive staff as, “I am not the former chairman who does everything himself.”

Responding to the remarks, Mr Gibson said he was “astounded” by them.

“I watched with interest as the new chairman of WSC fumbled over himself to mount a cheap,

ADRIAN GIBSON predictable political attack — no doubt because we exposed acts of victimisation, threats and rank attacks being exacted on suspected FNMs or persons who worked along with the last administration,” the former WSC executive chairman said.

“There have been times when our board met anywhere from three to five times per month. At no time did I or the board unilaterally, singularly and/ or without the advice and

involvement of executive managers make any decisions. The record would reflect that.”

Mr Gibson suggested that Mr Petty become familiar with the rules and regulations of operating WSC. He said he will not stand for Mr Petty impugning his reputation.

“Had he bothered to read the law/rules/policies, he would note that all pivotal decisions of a financial nature and all major decisions must come to the board of directors,” Mr Gibson said. “No person can operate in a silo in that regard.”

He added: “Who didn’t I consult? He falsely asserted that I did everything myself? He knows not of what he speaks.

“I will not have this Sylvanus Petty question my integrity and cast aspersions, nor will I sit idly by as he casts innuendos,

spews falsehoods and seeks to get political mileage on myself or the former board.

Nothing shady — to use his ill-informed word — was done.

“A few weeks ago, I addressed a number of matters in the inaugural speech of my second term, when I contributed to the debate from the Speech from the Throne.”

Mr Gibson did not shy away from the usual investigations from an incoming government. He advised the new chairman to consult the general manager and check files that were left behind.

“I am happy to hear that he is desirous of getting to the bottom of matters,” he said. “He should read the paperwork on file, speak to the general manager and others who can provide clarity and provide him with insight before making ignorant, unfounded statements.

“One cannot escape responsibility by obfuscating, misleading the public and claiming to be transparent whilst clearly not being transparent. As the immediate past chairman, I can speak to the facts, with the necessary information to prove the same. “It appears Mr Petty has been placed in a role above his aptitude.”

More than 60 people received promotions under Mr Gibson prior to the September general election and upon the incoming government taking office, all those promotions were put on hold.

A source at WSC said the promotions appeared to be campaign orchestrated, but reminded The Tribune that no one knew when former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis planned to call an early election.

Mr Gibson stressed the promotions under his tenure were decided on in

consultation.

“Firstly, the then assistant board secretary attended that meeting and took meeting notes — which I have. Secondly, the general manager and the AGM of Family Islands were in that meeting and proffered recommendations for promotions.

“I continue to have the emails, lists and WhatsApp messages from executive members that speak to their recommendations for promotion. Had the chairman bothered to inquire — as opposed to seeking to score cheap political brownie points — he would know that.”

While he said he is determined to defend his actions at WSC, Mr Gibson told The Tribune his real focus is the people of Long Island.

He said the new government should stop wasting the people’s time by chasing red herrings.

RESTORATION OF GRAND BAHAMA PINE FOREST ‘TAKING SHAPE’

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

A TEAM of biodiversity consultants with the Implementing Land, Water, and Ecosystems Management (IWEco) project is seeing evidence of slow restoration taking shape in the pine forest and mangroves in East Grand Bahama.

The experts conducted week-long field surveys of the pineland and wetland areas in the east.

“In the pinelands and mangroves that make East Grand Bahama so distinctly unique, nature is replenishing itself from the massive destruction of Hurricane Dorian,” a statement issued by the group recently noted.

The biodiversity experts and scientists who conducted field assessments have indicated they are seeing new life springing up. However, they also reported fears that some species of birds might have died out as a result.

During a new phase of field surveys in East Grand

Bahama, the team assessed pinelands and wetlands, collecting detailed information on the habitats and the life forms they support for a biodiversity inventory that will be published as part of the project.

Mark Daniels, a biodiversity consultant with BRON Ltd, said: “We have yet to see a standing pine tree that remains alive. In different types of pine habitats, however, you’re seeing different rates of recovery, with seedlings beginning to be established, and these seedlings are typically anywhere from eight to 12 inches tall, and some we’ve seen are two to three feet tall.”

The team spent more than a week conducting point counts, walking transects, and vegetation plots to better understand the recovery process of pine and wetland areas in East Grand Bahama since Hurricane Dorian.

Mr Daniels reported that while the outer fringes of those mangrove systems remain dead, in the more protected interior regions of the mangrove patches, they are seeing mangroves

returning.

Additionally, he reported that those creek systems— where there are mangrove habitats that are inland and protected from the full force of the sea—are also recovering and looking very healthy.

The team has also reported seeing several species of wetland and forest birds, as well as endemics such as the Bahama Yellowthroat and Bahama Woodstar. As well as pine saplings that are growing in areas where the trees were dead.

Information gathered on wildlife in East Grand Bahama will also be included in the biodiversity inventory to be made public.

Scott Johnson, a biodiversity consultant with BRON Ltd, reported sighting more birds in the area. He also noted that several pineland species were absent.

“We are seeing a lot more birds in the area, but most of them are winter migrants from North America coming to The Bahamas, and their presence increases our avian fauna by over 50

FREEPORT CHRISTMAS TREE SWITCH-ON

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

ASSISTANT Commissioner of Police Theophilus Cunningham turned the switch to light the Christmas Tree at the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s annual Christmas Tree Lighting on Friday at the Gerald Bartlett Police Headquarters in Freeport.

Attending the ceremony were Senior Justice Estelle Gray-Evans, Supreme Court Justice Petra HannaAdderley, her husband, Neville Adderley, and magistrates, including retired Magistrate Rengin Johnson.

Police officers and their families also attended.

Santa Claus came through on a truck wishing everyone a Merry Christmas. And Christmas presents were presented to the children.

This year’s theme was “Celebrating the Gift of Peace & Hope”.

The Police Pop Band played Christmas songs, and Corporal 3492 Shayan Dean sang popular songs, such as Gee Whiz It’s Christmas. Athea Delva, a fifth-grade student of Hugh Campbell Primary, read the Scripture reading of Luke2:7-20. And a band selection was performed by the Tabernacle Academy Band.

ACP Theophilus Cunningham thanked everyone for coming out and celebrating with them the birth of Jesus, whose message was peace and love to all mankind. “Today, we gathered in the spirit of love for this tree-light ceremony.”

Delivering words of

inspiration this year was Rev Keith Russell, who called on Bahamians to make room for Christ Jesus, who came to bring peace and hope to the world.

The pastor indicated that it appears that people have forgotten the reason for Christmas.

“As we mark the sacred occasion with the lighting of a tree, I do not see a nativity scene nowhere in sight - no Jesus, no Mary, not even a representation of Joseph.

To the keen observer, it would appear that 2,000 years plus, we still have no room for them.”

“Make room this Christmas for Christ… in the midst of your merriment.

Christmas is His birthday – make room for Him at his own celebration,” he said.

Drawing comparison to what Mary and Joseph experienced when the Innkeeper who told them there was no room at the inn for them, Rev Russell asked: “What kind of inns are we keeping? What kind of inns are we constructing?”

He noted that the collective pronoun ‘them’, sometimes excludes. If the church of Jesus Christ is indeed a holy or sacred Inn. How should it look on the inside? Should it have people that only look like us, speak like us, people from our socio-economic level? Should we exclude people from the inn because of their sexuality?

Should we exclude people because of their ethnicity?

Rev Russell said where there is no justice, there would be no peace.

“If the world in which we live was an inn, how should it look? Do we create,

develop, or keep an inn where women are discarded and bruised, and battered and could hardly get any justice from the court system just because they have become ‘them’?

“Maybe that is why a four-year-old can show up consistently with bruises and be hungry, and nobody seems to want to do anything... because after, all she is just one of them.

“Maybe that is why a woman can be beaten, stabbed, and run over by a vehicle in a crowded neighbourhood, but nobody steps in to stop the mayhem because she was just one of them.”

Rev Russell said Christmas is about peace and hope.

“I want to suggest this Christmas we make room for peace. Engage yourself and get involved so that we can have peace and goodwill to all people.”

“We must find room for hope. We have gone through the devastation of Dorian, and we are wrestling with wave after wave of this pandemic.

“People are living on the edge of an abyss. Many are in a state of quiet desperation. We must make room for hope – say an encouraging word to somebody; sit with them a while; give and help them with some of your resources. We must keep hope alive,” he stated.

Rev Russell said that Jesus died for all – not just a select few.

“When we divide people between them and them, they make no space for love or compassion. God has an Inn that has all kinds of people in it,’ he said.

per cent,” he said.

“What’s also interesting is that some of the highest diversity of birds we are seeing is in patches of coppice areas in East Grand Bahama. These birds are occupying sites that have a variety of plant species that are producing flowers and some fruits, so they have food resources.”

Mr Johnson said although the Bahama Yellowthroat and Bahama Woodstar have been observed in the area, other pineland species of birds have not, since Hurricane Dorian in 2019.

“I fear that they may have been extirpated from the

East Grand Bahama area.

Until that pineland ecosystem comes back, which may allow for new immigration of birds in that area, the chances are that we may not see Bahama Warblers, Olive-Capped Warblers, or Cuban Emeralds in that area for a while,” said Mr Johnson.

The IWEco Bahamas project is part of a larger, regional undertaking for the Caribbean funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and implemented by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the statement said.

For The Bahamas, the

leading partners are the Department of Environmental Planning and Protection, the Forestry Unit, the Ministry of Public Works, and Bonefish & Tarpon Trust.

The project aims to develop and implement integrated systems that support ecosystem health and strengthen national monitoring, and evaluation systems. Other goals include policy, legislative and institutional reforms to increase capacity for sustainable natural resource management, and deepen the knowledge that is key for effective stakeholder involvement.

PAGE 6, Monday, December 6, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

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Decisions, decisions on tackling Omicron IT IS two years this month since the COVID-19 virus was discovered. That 19 in the name refers to the year in which it was discovered. Since then, we have learned a great deal about the virus itself, but one thing has also become clear – we don’t know what to do about it.

Last week, there was a flurry of activity across the globe as a new variant appeared. Omicron, which sounds like a villain from a sci-fi movie, is the latest version of the virus to appear.

Shutting everything down was the kneejerk response, and there was a rush to ban travel from countries in Africa.

Except, as it turned out, the variant was already in plenty of places – it’s just that South Africa found it before other countries.

Here too, we blocked travel from a number of countries – including Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa.

There were dire predictions of what this new variant might do, concerns over new waves of deaths. Here at home, Dr Duane Sands has warned that we must not make the same mistake with Omicron as we did with the Delta strain, and saying we should tighten travel restrictions.

Meanwhile, new FNM leader Michael Pintard says instead of travel restrictions, we should change our testing requirements to require PCR tests rather than the antigen tests, for both vaccinated and unvaccinated travellers, 48 to 72 hours prior to travel.

The PLP, meanwhile, came into office on a pledge to tackle COVID with free

testing. We still haven’t seen that appear yet, even though they’ve lifted a number of other restrictions.

COVID, meanwhile, has not gone away, and the number of deaths from the virus have now gone past the 700 mark, after another 20 deaths, some dating back as far as September, were reported over the weekend.

Across in the US, Dr Anthony Fauci, the top advisor on the virus, sounded hopeful yesterday when he said that the evidence showed that perhaps the new variant might not be as deadly – though we still have to wait for more data.

So here we are, shutting down travel from countries that are good enough to spot the variant in the first place, talking of tightening restrictions, changing restrictions, not putting in promised measures and not even knowing yet if this new variant is more dangerous or not yet. If you’re looking for a coherent plan of action, whose do you choose?

We’re not the experts, we don’t know who is right and who is wrong.

What we do know from the past two years is what we have to do individually. People can argue all they like about changes in testing or availability of testing – but we can carry on doing our part. That means wearing masks, using sanitiser, keeping our distance, and remembering we’re doing it all to protect those we love. There would be nothing worse than to know you were responsible for passing on the virus to someone you care about, so keep on being careful.

The answers for what to do about the next variant will come. Until then, we just keep on keeping on.

We must repudiate more than Republic is Minnis era a sad move for nation EDITOR, The Tribune.

I AM writing in response to Sir Ronald Sanders’ column concerning Barbados. The 30th of November marked a sad day for many Barbados people. A republic came into effect without a referendum or the consent of the population. After nearly 400 years under The Crown we have tossed all our history away for a republic for which there was little demand.

Prime Minister Mia Mottley’s administration thrust this on our country with indecent haste. There was little discussion and no public consultation.

An anti-democractic manoeuvre backed up by her pliant Cabinet and MP’s fearful for their jobs… At

the private ceremony inaugurating the event with the public not allowed Prince Charles was seen smiling with Mottley as she took our Queen from us.

We the loyal population were far from smiling.

Such a profound change and we could not have a vote whether we agreed or not.

Over the past few years there has been a marked increase in Communist Chinese influence in Barbados. Chinese people, rarely seen here previously, are now seen everywhere buying up businesses and mingling with government officials and undertaking projects for the Government. It would appear that this influence is growing at a rapid pace.

China seems to want to dominate the Caribbean.

The Queen as Head of State with our Parliament, an impartial judiciary and courts has been a hallmark of the history in this region.

As these foundations are taken from us by greedy politicians coming under China’s sway it will soon result in Barbados and any other of our neighbours who follow this path becoming vassal states of an increasingly hostile China.

The independence we gained from The United Kingdom will be taken from us. This frightening prospect is very unsettling.

BRYAN IM ALAN Bridgetown, Barbados.

December 2, 2021.

Follow Barbados’ shining light EDITOR, The Tribune.

THE following is an open letter to Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis.

Dear Prime Minister Davis.

I hereby formally request your due consideration to rename the “Colonial Beach” on the western end of Paradise Island to “Lighthouse Beach”. While others wish to perpetuate selfperceived entitlement of

“Royalty” it would be a step backwards allowing this pristine Bahamian owned land to be called “Royal Beach”.

I believe that many Bahamians support the movement of wishing to move away from Colonial rule, and towards what the Bahamas truly aspires to be; free.

As you witnessed, firsthand, with Barbados moving away from the Royal Families’ oversight

of their now self-governed, republic, The Bahamas stands to gain so much more in shaping our own destiny for the benefit of Bahamians.

Thank you.

Best wishes, CAPT TOBY SMITH Future Lighthouse Keeper, Paradise “Hog” Island Lighthouse.

Nassau, December 5, 2021.

EDITOR, The Tribune.

BENJAMIN Disraeli, the 19th Century British Prime Minister, when once asked to clarify the distinction between a misfortune and a calamity, illustrated his response with two scenarios involving his great rival, William Gladstone.

A misfortune, he said, would be if Mr Gladstone fell into the Thames one morning on his way to Westminster. A calamity would be if someone fished him out before he drowned.

A calamity, then, is something with long-lasting negative effects, while a misfortune is an isolated event whose negativity is inherent and discrete.

Hubert Minnis’ thankfully brief stint in office bore the hallmarks of a mere misfortune in that it will have left no lasting imprint on the structure of the Bahamian economy, society or development model. That he achieved nothing was the only blessing of his premiership – aside from its brevity.

But the calamity is larger and more enduring than Minnis. Since 1992, successive administrations have normalised aspects of an economic agenda that, unless reappraised, will continue to challenge The Bahamas’ efforts to regain the initiative in national development that it once unquestionably held.

Vast concessions to investors, which reflect neither the country’s high cost and income profile nor its innate desirability as an investment destination, are coupled with internal tax policies that exempt the rich and the foreign and

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net hammer the poor at every opportunity. The dystopian results (slow growth and high unemployment among them) are then sold as a pretext for more “medicine”.

The giveaway of BTC is still having dreadful consequences for national development, undiminished by Mr Christie’s weak efforts of redress – itself driven by a false belief that an actual take-back would have caused a loss of “investor confidence”.

As the recently revealed Royal Caribbean/Minnis deal demonstrates, our problem as a nation is not of “investor confidence”, but rather of “investor over-reach” fed by a national inferiority complex unknown in the Pindling or UBP eras. That is why we have so little to show (in terms of advances in living standards) for the massive investment inflows that have come our way since 1992.

National development planning was (in the Ingraham era) reduced to farcical “Heads of Agreements” with foreigners, which made a mockery of notions of accountability and transparency long before Minnis took it to perverse and comical extremes with the Oban debacle.

No amount of retrospective “tabling” in Parliament can justify governments meeting in closed rooms with foreign interests and signing away vast concessions from the patrimony of Bahamians in return for

politically convenient trinkets. Minnis illustrated its absurdity, but he was not its progenitor.

I agree with those who contend that we are too politically tribalised a society and that this sometimes blinds us to issues.

But the deeper blindness is one inherent in a view of the two parties as fresh contenders for office every five years – divorced from their historical records and reflecting only the new faces that front them.

This view, which has become prevalent in part because of the cyclical failures of an economic model re-engineered 30 years ago, actually engenders stagnation masquerading as “change”.

When viewed in historical, rather than in party political terms, the record illustrates that the era that began in 1992 has been a failure by every important metric when compared with the preceding era – in growth rates, income disparities, violent crime and the sustainability of the middle class.

It is no coincidence that the latter era was characterized by national self-confidence, institutionbuilding, public investment and Bahamianisation, while the former has featured a capitulation to neo-liberal capitalism, divestment of public assets, a beggarly approach to foreign investment and a stubborn faith in the long-debunked myth of trickle-down economics.

ANDREW ALLEN Nassau, December 5, 2021.

Ex-minister and son Fraud trial next year deny $1.2m fraud for former minister

COSTMonday, $50MDecember 6, 2021, PAGE 7

THE TRIBUNE

BREANNA KILLERS TO APPEAL SENTENCES

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

ROYAL Caribbean will invest around $50m to develop its Royal Beach Club project on Paradise Island, its chief executive has revealed, having set a late 2022 target date for its opening.

By FARRAHMichael JOHNSON it represented the proceeds Bayley, who is Tribune Staff of crime. alsoReporter the cruise line’s presifjohnson@tribunemedia.net During their initial court dent, told Tribune Business while in Grand Bahama on appearance, all of the Monday thatminall employFORMER Cabinet accused denied the allewho work will there will be ister Elma ees Campbell gations and the case was gave stand trial Bahamian in Aprilalthough next headjourned to March 2020 no figure for the number of year charged with a number for a status hearing. likely hires. of fraud offences.

However, this action was “We are still working In 2020, the former Free through all of the details delayed because of the of the RoyalsenaBeach restrictions Club, National Movement imposed on the her investment tor, along and with son, will thebeMagistrate’s Court at a minimum at $50m, and Che Chase,at were charged the start of the COVID-19 that’s not including the cost with several fraud related of acquiring the land.pandemic.

So, offences onit being accused When the trio returned to is a fairly significant proof defrauding Ministry court in May, their trial was ject,”the he said. of Tourism of $1.2m. then scheduled for SeptemFULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

sentences, however, when they appeared before Justices Sir Michael Barnett, Jon Isaacs, and By FARRAH JOHNSON TWO of the women who adjourned to March 30 at Carolita Bethell last week, fjohnson@tribunemedia.net 10am. were convicted of mur- Campbell, who is also a their attorneys said they dering teenage mother former Bahamian ambashad not received the tranA FORMER Cabinet Breanna Mackey more sador to China, and trial Chasejudge’s script of the minister and her son were arraigned with than threein years will were charged the ago Magissummary or her direction to Curry, 38, and appeal their yesterday 28-year prison trate’s court with Damalus the jury.

Leah Davis, 39, who were sentences Courtof of defraudinginthethe Ministry Since neither of the charged with one and two Tourismearly of $1.2m.

Appeal next year. counts of money launderappellants were in the posiFormer Free National Zaria Burrows, 24, and respectively.

TheySir also to proceed, Michael Movement Senator and ingtion Dervinique Edwards, 24, adjourned not guilty the the tomatter to Minister of State for Immi- pleaded brought against were of the charges grationconvicted Elma Campbell, January 27, 2022.

19-year-old’s January 2018 them.The women’s respec64, and her son Che Chase, Curry, a businessman, 37, were charged before death when a 12-member lawyers expected wastive charged with are acquirChief Magistrate Joyann jury found both of them ingto$465,000 presentknowing their grounds of that Ferguson-Pratt, with fraud guilty last February. it represented the proappeal at that time. by false pretenses and 18 of crime. isHisrepresented case In June, Justice Cheryl ceeds Burrows counts of money laundering. to today Grant-Thompson sen- wasbyadjourned Chase was also charged attorney Jairam Mangra 10.30am. Davis, a martenced both in women to 28 at while with being possession Edwards is repreketing executive, was of a forged document years in prison minusandthe alsosented by of theacquiring Office of the accused uttering same.on remand time theythespent Public Defender.

Both individuals pleaded $24,000 and $20,550 in Sepawaiting sentencing, which tember last year her of the They areduring the last not guilty to all of the included year and nine arraignment. six women who were concharges abrought against SEE PAGE TWO months for Burrows and victed and subsequently them. Their case was two years and ten months sentenced for Mackey’s for Edwards. murder that fatal night.

Both of the women The incident was said to applied to the Court of have been recorded over a Appeal to appeal their cell phone.

The mother and son were ber 6-10. charged with Damalus However, when they Curry who was also appeared before Magisarraigned on a count of trate Samuel McKinney at money laundering. that time, he noted that the Prosecutors said Camp- matter included a number bell and Chase, with intent of lawyers and witnesses to defraud, obtained $1.2m that the court’s current size from the Royal Bank of could not accommodate

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Canada (RBC) with Reporter a without violating the social Tribune Chief forged cheque in the name distancing protocols. krussell@tribunemedia.net of the Ministry of Tourism, At their mention hearPROGRESSIVE Lib-last week, Magistrate making the amount payable ing eral Party Leader Philip to Campbell-Chase Law. informed Camp“Brave” Davis saidMcKinney the They further alleged sale bell, Grand Lucayan’s to Chase and Curry that that the two their trial will take place foreigntransferred interests signifies $512,000 from their law a loss of tens of millions in 4-7 of 2022.

April dollars, account to taxpayer a private RBC vindicatAttorneys Elliot Locking the long QC, and Dion Smith Finco account in party bothover of itshart, held position that govappear for Campbell, while their namesernment before transfershould not have Bjorn Ferguson appears for ring another $24,000thefrom purchased property. the same joint to ofCurry Mr account Davis’ point con- in the matter.

Chase is represented by an RBC account tention belonging is that government the resort attorneys from Roberto Reckto another purchased woman, among former owner Hutchinley and Mr Smith, while other transactions.

Whampoa at a cost of Terry Archer represents Curry, ason businessman, $65m in 2018, but sold it to the was charged with acquirRoyal Caribbean Interna-Department of Public Prosecutions. ing $465,000 knowing that tional and ITM Group for

...AS PLP LEADER SAYS DEAL ON GRAND LUCAYAN DOESN’T ADD UP

PINDLING DAUGHTER LOSES OUT IN ANDROS CHALLENGE

CHARGES DROPPED AFTER IMMIGRATION NO-SHOW

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

Cat Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador MP Philip “Brave” Davis, Exuma and Ragged Island MP ChesPROGRESSIVE Lib- ter Cooper, Englerston MP eral Party incumbents Glenys Hanna Martin and have been guaranteed Mr Forbes. He said this is By FARRAH in JOHNSON His“they casearewas adjourned nominations the 2022 because the ones Tribune Reporter trial.the tsunami Nonetheless, general Staff election, a move whofor withstood that blocks a daughter of in 2017”. fjohnson@tribunemedia.net after the prosecutor and Sir Lynden Pindling from Multiple peoplethe in witnesses from DepartA HAITIAN who South challenging South man Andros have told failed mentAndros of Immigration MP charged Picewell with Forbes for The Tribune Ms Pindling was illegally attend court on three the party’s tonomination in hasto expressed migrating the country serious occasions, Delia requested his constituency. interest vying for the had his case dismissed when a finalinadjournment.

For months, Monique Pin- seat. immigration officials dling has been testing failed the the leader accused OneWhen community towaters appear to testify against in South Andros and saidappeared former before GovernorMagisELMA CAMPBELL him. weighing a run.

General Dame McKinney Marguetrate Samuel for However, Francis PLP chairman Lucien Delia ritea Pindling called to time, him all attempts Fredarrested Mitchell,after during a assessfourth interest in her daughwas officers to reach a representative press conference yesterday, ter’s possible run. alleged found in from the department were said the he partywas has formally SEE PAGE SIX FORMER FNM Cabinet Minister Elma Campbell outside court yesterday.

Marsh Abaco, in unsuccessful. decidedHarbour, to renominate Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff

April, after he had landed from a place outside The Bahamas without leave of an immigration officer.

At his first court appearance, Delia denied the allegations and claimed that he was born in The Bahamas.

As a result, Magistrate McKinney dismissed the case and discharged Delia.

Since the charges were dropped, Delia said ByheEARYEL BOWLEG intended to apply ebowleg@tribunemedia.net to the Supreme Court to have his ankle bracelet OFFICERS shot and removed. killed a man in Sea Breeze

OFFICERS SHOOT DEAD ANOTHER SUSPECT

Estates who allegedly pointed a gun at them yesterday afternoon, the black plastic pouch with third $40 fatal police-involved in a little over a worth of marijuana in shooting the week.

New York native’s carry-on Police did not release luggage. his identity, however Superintendent Shanta He was subsequently said the man was arrested and taken toKnowles a

HOLIDAY ENDS IN COURT FOR TOURIST

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

AN American tourist’s vacation in paradise ended before it began as he was arrested at the airport for marijuana possession shortly after his arrival.

Abram Yakabuv was taken to the Drug Enforcement Unit after US customs officers at Lynden Pindling International Airport found 2.3 grams of Indian hemp in his luggage on December 2.

He pleaded guilty to one count of simple possession when he appeared before Magistrate Shaka Serville.

The court was told that on the day in question, an officer at LPIA went to the US Customs screening area. There he spoke with an American border agent who gave him certain information that prompted him to conduct a search of Yakabuv. During his investigation, the officer found a

nearby station. When he was questioned in custody, he admitted having possession and control of the drugs. He also said he bought the drugs in NYC and used it for his depression and anxiety.

On Friday, Yakabuv also told the magistrate he had the “prescribed” drugs for his personal use. He said he just flew into the country that morning and was not aware that marijuana was illegal in The Bahamas.

“I’m sorry I had to find that fact out the rough way,” he said.

After listening to his explanation Magistrate Serville accepted Yakabuv’s guilty plea and fined him $200, which he promptly paid.

PROBATION OVER MARIJUANA FIND

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A MAN caught with a quantity of marijuana was given probation on Friday.

Lesaen Taylor was arrested after officers found 1.14 ounces of Indian hemp in his home on November 24.

He pleaded guilty to one count of simple possession during his hearing before Magistrate Samuel McKinney.

The prosecution said officers executed a search warrant on Taylor’s residence around 6.30 on the night in question. The court heard a subsequent search

of the home led to the discovery of a clear plastic bag containing marijuana in one of the bedrooms.

Taylor was then arrested and taken to a nearby station. In an interview with police there, he owned up to the offence.

During the hearing, his attorney told the magistrate that his client was remorseful for his actions and pleaded guilty because he did not want to waste the court’s time.

After listening to the plea in mitigation, Magistrate McKinney placed Taylor on 18 months probation. If he is convicted within that time, he will be fined $500 or three months in prison.

ATTEMPTED MURDER SUSPECT CHARGED

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A 37-YEAR-OLD man was charged in the Magistrate’s Court on Friday with attempted murder.

Ralph Williams appeared before Magistrate Shaka Serville accused of attempting to kill a man on November 26.

Police alleged the accused also agreed to commit murder that same

day after conspiring with others.

Due to the nature of the charges, Williams was not required to enter a plea and his case was adjourned to April 2022 for service of a voluntary bill of indictment.

In the meantime, he was denied bail and remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.

He has a right to apply to the Supreme Court for bail.

STEVE VOLTAIRE, who was shot and killed by police yesterday. known to police and was being electronically monitored. Family members

on the scene identified the deceased as Steve Voltaire.

Voltaire was arraigned on a murder charge in February 2018.

At the scene, Supt Knowles told reporters that the incident took place shortly after 1pm when Mobile Division officers were patrolling the Sea Breeze community and noticed a male on a moped.

SEE PAGE THREE

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

$50m. This, he said, was in addition to millions more already spent in operational costs.

“On the face of it, it would seem that we have gotten swing again,” Mr Davis said yesterday at his SEE PAGE SIX

TECHNOLOGY

EXHIBIT PUTS VISITORS EYE TO EYE WITH MARTIN LUTHER KING JR

SEE PAGE NINE

MONDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2021

THE STORIES BEHIND THE NEWS

BARBADOS’ new President Sandra Mason, centre right, awards Prince Charles with the Order of Freedom of Barbados during the presidential inauguration ceremony in Bridgetown, Barbados, as Barbados stops pledging allegiance to Queen Elizabeth II as it becomes a republic. Rihanna, right, was honoured as a national hero during the event.

Are we ready to become a republic?

Barbados was the centre of attention last week – as the nation officially became a republic.

Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis was in attendance for the event, as was Prince Charles to witness the moment when the country stopped pledging allegiance to the Queen.

The presence of music superstar Rihanna also caught the eye, who was named a hero of Barbados and bestowed with the title “the right excellent”. As she presented the award, Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley said: “May you continue to shine like a diamond and bring honour to your nation by your words, your actions, and

to do credit wherever you shall go. God bless you, my dear.”

As he watched the proceedings, one wonders what Mr Davis thought of the idea of a republic, and whether it is a path that The Bahamas might follow.

Next year marks the 50th anniversary of our own Independence, but we still have our connection to the Queen.

Just last month, upon his return from the climate talks in Glasgow, Mr Davis revealed that he had asked Prince Charles and Prince William to attend our celebrations next year.

He said: “Among those to say yes, I was pleased that Prince Charles was very

enthusiastic, as was Prince William at another event.

As Prince Charles represented the Queen at the original Independence Ceremony in 1973, this was a wonderful gesture.”

Mr Davis’ PLP comrade, Fred Mitchell, who fills both the roles of party chairman and Foreign Affairs Minister, was quick to weigh in on the prospect of becoming a republic.

He said he was committed to the nation becoming a republic, but in a moment of seeming world-weariness, he added: “It is my life’s work toward deepening our democracy, but try as I might over my lifetime I have been unable to fire up the succeeding generations

on this issue. Perhaps they have more important things to do.”

He went on to say: “I suspect that there will be a cascading effect since Barbados – arguably the most conservative of CARICOM societies – has done so. The whole question of whether o not a republic is impatient of debate, but the political reality is that unless the younger generation buys into it, it will go nowhere.”

Is it really the younger generation that isn’t buying into it? After all, there is a certain amount of political

GN-2650

expedience to be had in our current situation.

Recently, there have been a few renewed calls for the death penalty to be carried out once more. Politically, that question has hinged for years on the finding in the 2011 Maxo Tido case, when the Privy Council – one of those vestiges of our link to the Queen – ruled that such a penalty should only be carried out in cases which were “the worst of the worst and the rarest of the rare”.

Successive governments could have taken further action to legislate to define when a death penalty could be carried out – but is there a certain advantage to avoid dealing with such thorny questions by passing the buck up to the Privy Council? An advantage to pretend that hands are tied instead of taking legislative responsibility?

And is it the younger generation still clamouring for awards from the Queen, such as the OBE, MBE and knighthoods? Just last month, the Governor General, Sir Cornelius A Smith, received his own knighthood at Windsor Castle, as did the Chief Justice, Sir Brian Moree.

We have our own national honours now – but do we value our own honours higher than those awarded by the Queen?

Meanwhile, the influence of Britain is perhaps stronger than it has been in years, thanks to the increased presence of the British High Commissioner, Sarah Dickson, present recently at the return of Virgin Atlantic flights to The Bahamas. More notably, the High Commission played a part helping out in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian, as did British forces which deployed to help people affected by the storm.

A moment of transition is coming for the British royal family, with the Queen having taken a step back recently to deal with health issues. She is 95 years of age, and Prince Charles, her successor, will take the role at some point.

But will that moment of transition spur any desire for change here? There are few loud voices calling for such a change, to lay claim to the full independence of the nation.

Frustrations more to the fore are pointed at the government of the day, whichever one it is, rather than the bigger picture of independence – and the need for a referendum to make such a move is another issue to consider.

We do not have a good track record with getting referendums passed recently – even when it came to the issue of simply giving women and men the same rights when it came to citizenship.

The first president of Barbados, Sandra Mason, as she was sworn in, said: “We must seek to redefine our definition of self, of state, and the Barbados brand, in a more complex, fractured and turbulent world.

“Our country and people must dream big dreams and fight to realise them.”

Before we think of following Barbados, we too must take that first step of defining who we are and what we want. We too are more than capable of dreaming big dreams – but only when we shrug off the convenience of our current state and our desire to hold on to institutions that would be left behind.

It seems we are more keen to look forward to royal visits than we are to cast off the royal connection – so talk of a move to a republic seems like just that for now: talk

EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net

INSIGHT

MONDAY, DECE,BER 6, 2021 PAGE 9

A candle in the shadows IN 1992, Mike Tyson, the heavy-weight champion of the world, was charged with rape, tried and found guilty.

Mae Jemison became the first African American woman to go to space, the notorious drug kingpin Pablo Escobar escaped from prison and Bill Clinton was elected the 42nd President of the United States. That year is also notable for the Los Angeles riots which erupted following the acquittal of four white police officers on trial for the beating of Rodney King.

But world events notwithstanding, 1992 is forever etched in my patient’s mind for a very different reason because it was the year his mother died from AIDS. She was 45 years old at the time and it changed his life forever.

He was born the second of three boys but was the only child sent to live with his father at six weeks old while his two half-brothers remained with their mother. It wasn’t until years later that he appreciated the reason why.

His father thought he was protecting him and surrounded him with the love and support of his family.

But his father’s wellmeaning actions left him with questions that no one would answer. He wanted to know why he was separated from the rest of his family.

These unanswered questions made him blame himself for years and he was filled with anger, resentment and a crippling sense of abandonment.

By DR KENNETH D KEMP

At age 14 he learned the reason was because not only did his mother have AIDS but his

older and younger brothers also died from the disease at ages 38 and 30 respectively. Each one of them became infected by a chronic lifestyle of drug addiction and having unprotected sexual intercourse with multiple (and sometimes married) partners. They were all aware of their

diagnosis but never sought treatment. How many partners they many have infected remains unknown.

He still hasn’t resolved all of the anger and resentment from his childhood and he never became close to his mother or his siblings but now, in his mid-50s, my patient has dedicated his life to helping people with this disease. He does not have HIV/AIDS but is heartbroken daily by the struggle this population faces.

Assisting people in his community through an outreach ministry has given him a sense of purpose and he believes it to be his life’s calling. He often feels like a small relentless candle in a shadow of broken men and women. It is a cross he has chosen to bear and he has promised to do so until his last breath. Today he has chosen to share his story because you can’t heal what you don’t speak and because helping others has helped him so much, he is infinitely humbled by the opportunity to walk this

path.

HIV and AIDS swept across the world in the 1980s and early 1990s despite being discovered decades earlier. At the time, being

diagnosed with the disease was a near death sentence where the treatment was almost worse than the disease. The virus destroyed the immune system and the slew of anti-retrovirals that patients had to take daily, sometimes numbering over 10 to 15 different drugs, had severe side effects.

Fortunately, the treatment options offered today are infinitely better than they once were. The United Nations has taken the position that stigma and discrimination, the marginalisation and criminalisation of communities and a lack of access to health, education and other essential services has been a deleterious roadblock to ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.

In an interview earlier this week with Carlyne Smith-McKenzie, the secretary of the board of directors and chair of the education committee for The Bahamas Aids Foundation, she stated that World AIDS day is celebrated on the 1st of December every year and this year she considered what it might take for us to finally eradicate AIDS. Both now and in her former position as adherence manager for the National AIDS programme, she is convinced there is still a level of stigma and discrimination against this community. She also imparted how important it is we as a country respect the personal choices and decisions made by people regarding their intimate relationships and things

they can’t control like their country of origin, race and the like.

Mrs Smith-McKenzie emphasised that looking at the availability of HIV care and support services and the fact HIV treatment is free in The Bahamas, we are well on our way to ending AIDS here. To do so, however, requires the personal will and an unwavering concerted effort by these individuals to seek help and stay committed to their medical regimen.

My patient echoes this in saying past behaviour is the best predictor of future performance. That is why he only helps people who truly want to be helped. But for those who do, providing them with emotional support, something to eat, a bed to lay on and sheets or clothes can have an absolutely profound impact.

The work throughout the years of the All-Saints Camp, the AIDS Secretariat and the AIDS Foundation within The Bahamas has been monumentally impactful and they deserve the praise of each and every citizen. They consistently remind us that using a condom remains the best prophylactic measure against contraction of the virus.

To date over 77 million people have become infected with HIV and more than 36 million people have died worldwide from AIDS related illnesses since the start of the epidemic.

In contrast, COVID-19, has claimed approximately 5.4 million lives and has

dominated every news cycle for the past two years. We’ve seen it bring the world to a halt in real time and cripple the economy of some of the most powerful nations. Despite the longer time frame, it’s worthwhile to acknowledge that six times more people have died from HIV/AIDS than COVID-19 and a future analysis regarding the number of COVID19 deaths among people already living with HIV/ AIDS is warranted.

Sometimes parents conceal the truth from their children to protect them but by doing do, despite their best intentions, these children grow up with intense anger and resentment. In most cases the truth eventually reveals itself and all the years of blame and selfdoubt was for nothing. For my patient, 1992 is a year that he will never forget but he chose to transform his trauma into triumph and as it turns out he became a hero himself for members of his community just as his father was to him.

May we each collectively follow in his footsteps and transform our pain into something positive that benefits people, and particularly the disenfranchised, throughout our community. That will ultimately be our true saving grace and allow us to leave this country even better than what our forefathers bestowed to us for the next generation and beyond.

• Nick-named ‘The Prince of Podiatry’, Dr. Kenneth D. Kemp is the founder and medical director of Bahamas Foot and Ankle located in Caves Village, Western New Providence. He served as the Deputy chairman for the Health Council for 5 years and he currently sits on the board of directors for the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation in his role as co-vice-chairman.

PAGE 10 MONDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2021

INSIGHT

EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net

PLASTICS IN THE OCEANS - AND US IS THE BIGGEST POLLUTER

By MATTHEW SAVOC, Stanford University ANNA ROBUCK, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and LAUREN KASHIWABARA, University of the Pacific

PLASTIC waste of all shapes and sizes permeates the world’s oceans. It shows up on beaches, in fish and even in Arctic sea ice. And a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine makes clear that the US is a big part of the problem.

As the report shows, the US produces a large share of the global supply of plastic resin – the precursor material to all plastic industrial and consumer products. It also imports and exports billions of dollars’ worth of plastic products every year.

On a per capita basis, the US produces an order of magnitude more plastic waste than China – a nation often vilified over pollution-related issues. These findings build off a study published in 2020 that concluded the US is the largest global source of plastic waste, including plastics shipped to other countries that later are mismanaged.

And only a small fraction of plastic in US household waste streams is recycled.

The study calls current US recycling systems “grossly insufficient to manage the diversity, complexity and quantity of plastic waste”.

As scientists who study the effects of plastic pollution on marine ecosystems, we view this report as an important first step on a long road to reducing ocean plastic pollution. While it’s important to make clear how the US is contributing to ocean plastic waste, we see a need for specific, actionable goals and recommendations to mitigate the plastic pollution crisis, and would have liked to see the report go further in that direction.

Researchers started documenting marine plastic pollution in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Public and scientific interest in the issue exploded in the early 2000s after oceanographer Charles Moore drew attention to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch – a region in the central north Pacific where ocean currents concentrate floating plastic trash into spinning collections thousands of miles across.

More plastic garbage patches have now been

found in the South Pacific, the North and South Atlantic, and the Indian Ocean.

Unsurprisingly, plastic pervades marine food webs.

Over 700 marine species are known to ingest plastic, including over 200 species of fish that humans eat.

Humans also consume plastic that fragments into beverages and food from packaging and inhale microplastic particles in household dust. Scientists are only beginning to assess what this means for public health. Research to date suggests exposure to plasticassociated chemicals may interfere with hormones that regulate many processes in our bodies, cause developmental problems in children, or alter human metabolic processes in ways that promote obesity.

Scientists estimate that if plastics continue to enter the ocean at current rates they will outweigh fish by 2050.

A NEED FOR A NATIONAL STRATEGY

The new report is a sweeping overview of marine plastic pollution, grounded in

science. However, many of its conclusions and recommendations have been proposed in various forms for years, and in our view the report could have done more to advance those discussions.

For example, it strongly recommends developing a national marine debris monitoring programme, led by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s Marine Debris Programme. We agree with this proposal, but the report does not address what to monitor, how to do it or what the specific goals of monitoring should be.

Ideally, we believe the federal government should create a coalition of relevant agencies, such as NOAA, the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Institutes of Health, to tackle plastic pollution. Agencies have done this in the past in response to acute pollution events, such as the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill, but not for chronic problems like marine debris. The report proposes a cross-government effort as well but does not provide specifics.

AN UNDERFUNDED PROBLEM

Actions to detect, track and remove plastic

waste from the ocean will require substantial financial support. But there’s little federal funding for marine debris research and cleanup. In 2020, for example, NOAA’s Marine Debris Programme budget request was $7 million, which represents 0.1 percent of NOAA’s $5.65 billion 2020 budget. Proposed funding for the Marine Debris Programme increased by $9 million for fiscal 2022, which is a step in the right direction.

Even so, making progress on ocean plastic waste will require considerably more funding for academic research, nongovernmental organizations and NOAA’s marine debris activities.

Increased support for these programmes will help close knowledge gaps, increase public awareness and spur effective action across the entire life cycle of plastics.

CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY AND EQUITY

The private sector also has a crucial role to play in reducing plastic use and waste. We would have liked to see more discussion in the report of how businesses and industries contribute to the accumulation of ocean plastic waste

and their role in solutions.

The report correctly notes that plastic pollution is an environmental justice issue. Minority and lowincome communities are disproportionately affected by many activities that produce plastic waste, from oil drilling emissions to toxic chemicals released during the production or incineration of plastics. Some proposals in the report, such as better waste management and increased recycling, may benefit these communities – but only if they are directly involved in planning and carrying them out.

The study also highlights the need to produce less plastic and scale up effective plastic recycling.

More public and private funding for solutions like reusable and refillable containers, reduced packaging and standardized plastic recycling processes would increase opportunities for consumers to shift away from single-use disposable products.

Plastic pollution threatens the world’s oceans. It also poses direct and indirect risks to human health.

We hope the bipartisan support this study has received is a sign US leaders are ready to take far-reaching action on this critical environmental problem.

• Originally published in theconversation

EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net

INSIGHT

MONDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2021 PAGE 11

‘We want to create links and not dependence’ European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen

Europe is following the road where China has already led World View

A TELEVISION interviewer asked me if I thought Caribbean countries, and other developing territories, would benefit from the “war for influence” the European Union (EU) has launched against the PeoBy SIR RONALD SANDERS ple’s Republic of China.

He was referring to the announcement by the EU billion in grants.

Commission President, The EU has pointed Ursula von der Leyen, that out it has been providing the EU will launch “Global “grants” while China has Gateway”, a scheme to been providing “loans”. compete with China’s But in truth the repay“Belt and Road Initiative” ment terms of the Chinese (BRI) which has been in loans are concessionary and place since the end of 2013. affordable. Further, they The Commission Presi- are used mostly for infradent did not try structure projects to hide the EU’s that developing ‘What is Global Gateway countries need, is aimed at trying striking about whereas EU to stop China’s this new grants are highly spread around conditional and the world, and rivalry to take very long to its growing influ- lend money disburse. ence as the major to developing Added to all creditor to more this, while the than 60 develop- countries is it EU’s “Global ing countries on has arisen not Gateway” was every continent. in response to launched with “We want to much fanfare, its create links and the needs of draft plan does not depend- these countries not contain a list ence,” she said for economic of projects it will – an allusion to undertake immethe claim by the advancement diately. Nor does G7 countries and social it say to which (the rich nations improvement, countries. of the West), that Significantly, China is indebt- but from big absent also, is ing developing power rivalry any indication countries so as to for influence of if the EU will control them. drop its criterion What is strik- in their own of low per capita ing about this interest.’ income as a qualnew rivalry to ifier for access to lend money to developing the “Global Gateway”. Socountries is it has arisen not called middle-income and in response to the needs of high-income countries have these countries for economic long been disqualified for advancement and social access to grants and concesimprovement, but from big sionary loans from the EU, power rivalry for influence except in disastrous situain their own interest. tions. The development of Nonetheless, should the many Caribbean countries contest, between richer is measured by this flawed countries, result in the criterion. availability of more money Perhaps at some point to fund growth and prosper- the EU will actually have ity in developing nations, it a serious discussion with should be welcomed. Not regional groups of developonly would it produce a ing countries about their real larger global pot of money, needs and how best the EU but it will allow develop- can help – particularly as seving nations to accept loans eral of its members have a from the rival providers sad legacy of underdevelopthat offer the best terms. ment across every continent.

The EU has started late Among the EU members are in this race, and the sums France, Italy, Spain, Portuit is suggesting are less gal, Belgium and Germany. than half of the $1.2 tril- The UK is omitted from this lion China has already put list since “Global Gateway” on the table for 13,000 pro- is a EU project and the UK is jects in 63 countries. The no longer a EU member.

EU Commission said it will The bottom line is if this “seek” to mobilise $340 bil- EU-China rivalry produces lion by 2027 (six years from more money for developnow) and from a combina- ing nations, including the tion of public investment Caribbean, it would signal and, as yet unsecured, pri- the start of a new world. vate investment. What the That would be especially EU appears to be sure of is so, if developing countries $40 billion in export guar- can choose the options best antees to European private suited to them, and not to investors and around $18 the lenders. In this way, they

could retain their autonomy from all lenders, spreading their exposure and seeking the best terms possible.

However, right now – especially as the global financial institutions such as the IMF and World Bank – still reflect the policies of G7 countries, China remains the lender of choice.

The G7 and leading members of the EU who built their economies on the backs of developing countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America and the Caribbean should wake up and smell the Chow Mein. It is everywhere.

• Response and previous commentaries: www.sirronaldsanders.com (The writer is Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the US and the OAS. He is also a senior fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies at the University of London and at Massey College in the University of Toronto. The view expressed are entirely his own).

PAGE 12, Monday, December 6, 2021

CNN FIRES CUOMO AFTER ALLEGATIONS

A NEW allegation of sexual harassment against Chris Cuomo emerged just days before CNN announced it was firing the anchor amid an investigation into work he did defending his brother from similar harassment allegations.

Attorney Debra Katz said yesterday her client was the victim of “serious sexual misconduct” by Cuomo and that she had contacted CNN about the woman’s allegations on Wednesday.

CNN suspended Cuomo earlier this week after details emerged about how he assisted his brother, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, as the politician faced sexual harassment allegations.

Network officials said “additional information has come to light” when announcing Chris Cuomo’s firing on Saturday, but did not elaborate.

Katz said the accuser decided to come forward after the New York attorney general’s office released evidence showing Cuomo had taken a much more active role than previously thought in strategizing and helping to craft a response to the allegations his brother was facing. When the initial allegations surfaced against Andrew Cuomo, Chris Cuomo had told viewers he had “always cared very deeply about these issues”, Katz said.

“Hearing the hypocrisy of Chris Cuomo’s on-air words and disgusted by his efforts to try to discredit these women, my client retained counsel to report his serious sexual misconduct against her to CNN,” Katz said in the statement.

OMICRON ‘MAY BE LESS DEADLY THAN DELTA’ US HEALTH officials said yesterday that while the omicron variant of the coronavirus is rapidly spreading throughout the country, early indications suggest it may be less dangerous than delta, which continues to drive a surge of hospitalizations.

President Joe Biden’s chief medial adviser, Dr. Anthony Fauci, said that scientists need more information before drawing conclusion.

Reports from South Africa, where it emerged and is becoming the dominant strain, suggest hospitalisation rates have not increased alarmingly.

“Thus far, it does not look like there’s a great degree of severity to it,” Fauci said.

“But we have really got to be careful before we make any determinations that it is less severe or it really doesn’t cause any severe illness, comparable to delta.”

Fauci said the Biden administration is considering lifting travel restrictions against noncitizens entering the United States from several African countries. They were imposed as the omicron variant exploded in the region, but UN SecretaryGeneral Antonio Guterres has blasted such measures as “travel apartheid”.

“Hopefully we’ll be able to lift that ban in a quite reasonable period of time,” Fauci said. “We all feel very badly about the hardship that has been put on not only on South Africa but the other African countries.”

BOB DOLE DIES, AGED 98

BOB Dole, who overcame disabling war wounds to become a sharp-tongued Senate leader from Kansas, a Republican presidential candidate and then a symbol and celebrant of his dwindling generation of World War II veterans, has died. He was 98.

His wife, Elizabeth Dole, said in an announcement posted on social media that he died early on Sunday morning in his sleep.

Dole announced in February that he’d been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer.

THE TRIBUNE

AT LEAST 14 DEAD IN WAKE OF INDONESIAN VOLCANO ERUPTION

A RESCUER walks past a house buried in ash following the eruption of Mount Semeru in Lumajang district, East Java province, Indonesia, on Sunday.

Photo: Trisnadi/AP LUMAJANG, Indonesia by heavy rains. Villages and nearby farms, houses are scorched, every- neighbouring district of Malang, as Associated Press towns were blanketed and several thing is covered in heavy gray ash,” well as a smaller bridge. hamlets buried under tons of mud said Haryadi Purnomo of East The eruption eased pressure that RESCUERS were sifting through from volcanic debris.

Java’s search and rescue agency. He had been building under a lava smoldering debris and thick mud Authorities warned the thousands said that several other areas were dome perched on the crater. But in search of survivors a day after of people who fled the volcano’s virtually untouched. experts warned the dome could still the highest volcano on Java island wrath not to return during Sunday’s Search and rescue efforts were further collapse, causing an avaerupted with fury, killing at least 14 lull in activity. But some were des- temporarily suspended on Sunday lanche of blistering gas and debris. people with searing gas and ash. perate to check on livestock and afternoon because of fears that A thunderstorm and days of rain, Mount Semeru in Lumajang dis- possessions left behind. In several hot ash and debris could tumble which eroded and partly collapsed trict in East Java province spewed areas, everything — from the thinnest down from the crater due to heavy the dome atop the 3,676-meter thick columns of ash more than tree branch to couches and chairs rains. On Saturday, a torrent of Semeru, triggered the eruption, 12,000 meters into the sky in a inside homes — was caked with ash. mud destroyed the main bridge said Eko Budi Lelono, who heads sudden eruption Saturday triggered “There’s no life there... trees, connecting Lumajang and the the geological survey centre.

Israel seeking harder US line on Iran nuclear talks JERUSALEM Associated Press THE long-delayed resumption of nuclear talks with Iran has gotten off to a rough start — with Iran digging in and its negotiating partners openly voicing frustration and pessimism.

After five days of talks in Vienna ended last week, the United States said Iran did not appear to be serious. European diplomats accused Iran of backtracking on previous promises.

Even Russia, which has stronger relations with Iran, questioned Iran’s commitment to the process. Israel, an outside observer with a stake in the outcome of the talks, has ramped up its rhetoric and is dispatching two top security officials to Washington for consultations.

“I call on every country negotiating with Iran in Vienna to take a strong line and make it clear to Iran that they cannot enrich uranium and negotiate at the same time,” Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said Sunday. “Iran must begin to pay a price for its violations.”

Perhaps the most

encouraging outcome of last week’s talks was an agreement to continue talking. When negotiators reconvene in coming days, it could become clearer if the wide gaps visible last week were a sign of posturing or a serious crisis.

The negotiations seek to revive the 2015 nuclear accord between Iran and six world powers.

That agreement, spearheaded by President Barack Obama, granted Iran relief from crippling sanctions in exchange for curbs on its nuclear programme.

But three years later, President Donald Trump, with strong encouragement from then-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, withdrew from the deal, causing it to unravel. Since then, Iran has stepped up its nuclear activities -- amassing a stockpile of highly enriched uranium that goes well beyond the bounds of the accord.

Iran last week took a hard stance, suggesting everything discussed in previous rounds of diplomacy could be renegotiated. In the midst of the negotiations, the UN’s

nuclear watchdog confirmed that Iran had begun enriching uranium up to 20 percent purity at its underground facility at Fordo – a site where enrichment is not permitted under the deal.

Despite Iran’s claims that its nuclear activities are for peaceful purposes only, the continued advances in its atomic programme have further raised the stakes.

Last week’s talks in Vienna came after a hiatus of more than five months and were the first in which Iran’s new hard-line government participated. The United States, no longer a party to the agreement, was not in the room and negotiated remotely through mediators.

A senior US State Department official said over the weekend that negotiators had expected Iran to “show seriousness” at the talks. He said that even Russia and China, important trading outlets for Iran that have traditionally taken a softer line, were concerned about the prospects for a deal.

“Every day that goes by is a day where we come closer to the conclusion that they don’t have in mind a

return” to the deal, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to brief reporters on the US assessment.

European negotiators also expressed frustration.

In a joint statement, senior diplomats from Germany, Britain and France said Iran has “fast-forwarded its nuclear programme” and “backtracked on diplomatic progress”.

“Unclear how these new gaps can be closed in a realistic time frame on the basis of Iranian drafts,” they said.

Mikhail Ulyanov, a senior Russian diplomat in Vienna, said that Iran had offered a “radical revision” of previous understandings.

“Technically, amendments are always possible,” he said. “However, it is desirable that such amendments... do not turn into a roadblock to progress.”

On Sunday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry issued a nine-page document that appeared to slightly step back from its tough positions.

“Other parties only need to show political determination and express readiness to take necessary practical steps,” the document read. “Then, ways will be opened for the conclusion

of a deal and settlement of differences.”

But the document gave few specifics on what Iran might have in mind.

That is unlikely to satisfy Israel, which has returned to its role as possible spoiler.

Israel considers Iran to be its greatest enemy and it strongly opposed the 2015 deal. It says it wants an improved deal that places tighter restrictions on Iran’s nuclear programme and addresses Iran’s long-range missile programme and its support for hostile proxies along Israel’s borders.

Israel also says that the negotiations must be accompanied by a “credible” military threat to ensure that Iran does not delay indefinitely.

Bennett said Israel was using the time between rounds to persuade the Americans to “use a different toolkit” against Iran’s nuclear programme, without elaborating.

The head of Israel’s Mossad intelligence service, David Barnea, was traveling to Washington on Sunday, and Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz, a former military chief, heads there later this week.

POPE CHIDES EUROPE AS HE COMFORTS MIGRANTS LESBOS, Greece Associated Press

POPE Francis returned yesterday to the Greek island of Lesbos to offer comfort to migrants at a refugee camp and blast what he said was Europe’s indifference and self-interest “that condemns to death those on the fringes”.

“Please, let us stop this shipwreck of civilisation!”

Francis said at the Mavrovouni camp, a cluster of white UN containers on the edge of the sea lined by barbed wire fencing and draped with laundry drying in the air.

A maskless Francis took his time walking through the camp Sunday, patting children and babies on the head and posing for selfies. He gave a “thumbs up” after he was serenaded by African women singing a song of welcome.

It was Francis’ second trip to Lesbos in five years.

He lamented that little had changed since 2016, when Lesbos was at the heart of

POPE Francis meets migrants during his visit at the Karatepe refugee camp, on the northeastern Aegean island of Lesbos, Greece, yesterday.

Photo: Alessandra Tarantino/AP a massive wave of migration to Europe and when Francis brought 12 Syrian Muslim refugees from the island back home with him aboard the papal plane.

That concrete gesture of solidarity had raised hopes among current residents of the Lesbos camp, some of whom have given birth to children here while waiting for their asylum claims to be processed. But there were no papal airlifts on

Sunday and Francis returns to the Vatican today.

“It is a grace for us that the pope is coming here. We have a lot of problems here as refugees, a lot of suffering,” said Enice Kiaku from Congo, whose two-year-old son on her lap was born on Lesbos. But like little Guilain, she has no identity documents and is stuck.

“The arrival of the pope here makes us feel blessed, because we hope the

pope will take us with him because here we suffer,” Kiaku said as she waited in a tent for the pope to arrive.

Francis’ five-day trip to Cyprus and Greece has been dominated by the topic of migration and Francis’ call for European countries to show greater solidarity with those in need. He insisted yesterday that Europe must stop building walls, stoking fears and shutting out “those in greater need who knock at our door”.

During the first leg of Francis’ trip in Cyprus, the Vatican announced that 12 migrants who had crossed over from the breakaway Turkish Cypriot north would be relocated to Italy in the coming weeks. Cypriot officials, who say the European Union island nation can’t accept more migrants, said a total of 50 would eventually be sent.

“I ask every man and woman, all of us, to overcome the paralysis of fear,

the indifference that kills, the cynical disregard that nonchalantly condemns to death those on the fringes!”

Francis said Sunday. “Let us stop ignoring reality, stop constantly shifting responsibility, stop passing off the issue of migration to others, as if it mattered to no one and was only a pointless burden to be shouldered by somebody else!”

He denounced that the Mediterranean Sea, “the cradle of so many civilisations”, had become a vast cemetery where smuggling boats packed with desperate people too often sink.

“Let us not let our sea (mare nostrum) be transformed into a desolate sea of death (mare mortuum),” he said.

Sitting before him in a tent at the water’s edge was Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou, EU Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas and would-be refugees from Afghanistan, Iraq and Congo, among other countries.

SPORTS PAGE 13

MONDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2021

TIGER WOODS’ HERO WORLD CHALLENGE

Hovland rallies to win from 6 back

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

N

orwegian golfer Viktor Hovland can now add a new milestone to his list of “firsts” - winner of the 2021 Hero World Challenge.

The 24-year-old shot a blistering 66 (-6) in the final round of competition yesterday at the Albany Golf Course to finish ahead of a field that included some of the top players on the PGA Tour.

Hovland’s strong finish produced a -18 final score and included a six-shot comeback that won by a single stroke for his fourth PGA Tour title.

“Honestly, when I first teed off and obviously got off to just making a few pars early on, I didn’t really think winning was even in question, but after I made three birdies in a row at the end of the front nine and I got to No. 9 and I was in the greenside bunker and I looked up at the leaderboard and I saw I believe I was tied for the lead, maybe one shot behind or something like that, that’s when I knew that, okay, if I play really well on the back nine, I’ve got a chance.”

Reigning British Open champion Collin Morikawa squandered a five-stroke lead, allowing Hovland the opportunity to rally.

“I knew like I’ve had good stretches of golf throughout the week, but I’ve had a couple bogeys here and there that have kind of stymied my round, so I knew if I can just kind of keep planning my way around there and I can make a couple of key upand-downs here there and there and keep hitting the way I have and make putts, I could shoot a really low number,” he said.

“Obviously today I kind of got it a bit more going until the end when I kind of limped through the finish line. Yeah, I mean, I knew I needed to take care of business.”

In February 2020, Hovland became the first Norwegian to win on the PGA Tour when he won

VIKTOR HOVLAND, of Norway, right, and Tiger Woods pose with the championship trophy yesterday after the final round of the Hero World Challenge PGA Tour at the Albany Golf Club.

Photo: Donavan McIntosh/Tribune staff the Puerto Rico Open.

Later that year, in December, he picked up his second PGA Tour win, and his first at a full-strength PGA Tour tournament, at the Mayakoba Golf Classic.

This year, Hovland became the first Norwegian to win on the European Tour when he won the BMW International Open in June. In November, he successfully defended his title at the World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

Hovland was one of eight players in the 20-man Hero World Challenge field making their debut at Albany last week. The eight first-timers have combined to win 13 times on the PGA TOUR since the last time the tournament was played.

“There’s only 20 guys in the field, but the players here are really good and I feel like my wins have come when the field hasn’t been as strong, so for me

to do well in a field like this gives me a lot of confidence,” he said.

“You know, still it’s crazy to think that I’m, you know, still just playing the PGA TOUR is pretty incredible just from thinking back to where I grew up and playing golf in Norway, you’re playing golf six months out of the year and it’s pretty farfetched to even just play golf professionally coming from Norway. So for me to be here and winning tournaments is pretty unreal.”

Hovland also noted that his wins have come in tropical climates - Puerto Rico, Mexico and now The Bahamas - a stark contrast to his home country.

“Yeah, there’s not that many similarities to Norway, so I don’t really get it myself,” he said.

“Usually there’s trouble off the tee and you’ve got to hit it straight, I think that helps. But frankly, the grass here, the paspalum and the Bermuda, is not something that I’m very used to, so I don’t know.

For some reason I just play well here.”

Scottie Scheffler birdied six of the last eight holes and finished second at -17.

Scheffler began the day seven shots back and even bogeyed the fourth hole before he turned his day around.

“I feel good. I’m ready for the off-season, I’m a bit tired, but usually I play terribly in the fall so I’m pretty pleased to have a few decent starts,” he said.

“Feel like I’m learning a lot. The stuff that I’ve been working on for a long time I feel is starting to improve, and to have a month off now to where I can really take a couple weeks off and get right back to work is exciting and it’s going to be good to be home for a little while.”

Sam Burns and Patrick Reed finished tied for third at -15 while Moriwaka and Justin Thomas finished tied for third at -14 under.

“For as bad as some of the golf shots that I hit this week, I hit way more really,

Student athletes make season debuts in NCAA Indoor Track and Field

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net SEVERAL Bahamian student athletes made their season debuts as the indoor track and field season got underway at various levels of NCAA competition.

The Purdue track and field programme, headed by Bahamian Norbert Elliot, began their indoor season at the Fred Wilt Open on Saturday at Lambert Fieldhouse in West Lafayette, Indiana.

A pair of jumpers recorded second place finishes in the field for the Big 10 powerhouse.

Senior Tamar Greene was second in the triple jump with his mark of 15.56m (51’ 0.75”) while sophomore Vinajah Adderley was second in the long

jump at 5.36m (17’ 7”), The Boilermakers recorded 15 first-place finishes at the meet.

“First of all, I’m just excited that we were able to get on the track,” Elliot said.

“I was really excited and really pleased with some of the good results that we showed today. I think that the kids were really amped up, they had a lot of bottled-up energy, and it was good to see them show it today.”

Up next, the Boilermakers remain at home for the Gene Edmonds Open on Saturday, January 8.

In the Summit League, the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles began its season with the first of its six indoor meets on its schedule - the Bob Timmons Challenge, hosted by the University

of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas. Several Bahamian athletes on the Golden Eagles roster recorded top three finishes.

Senior quartermiler Brad Dormeus led the way with a first-place finish in the 400m in 47.94 seconds. He also anchored the 4x400m team that took first place in 3:16.23.

Gabrielle Gibson took first place in the 60mH in 8.50, and second in the 60m in 7.71.

Indea Cartwright was second to Gibson in the 60mH in 8.78. Both were members of the 4x400m relay team which finished fifth in 4:02.55.

Freshman Keithwood Stubbs made his debut and finished fourth in the high jump at 1.85m.

The next meet for ORU is slated for January 14 in

Fayetteville, Arkansas at the Arkansas Invitational, hosted by the University of Arkansas.

Marissa White had an impressive freshman debut for the Temple Owls at the Fast Times Before Finals meet at Rauch Fieldhouse, hosted by Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

White finished first in the 400m in a time of 57.62.

The Owls travel to Princeton for the Joe Handelman Invitational on December 12.

In NCAA Division II, Denisha Cartwright began her much anticipated sophomore campaign for the Minnesota State Mankato Mavericks with her team’s home win at the Chuck Petersen Open in Mankato,

SEE PAGE 15

really good ones,” Thomas said. “I mean, obviously worked plenty hard the last couple weeks, but it wasn’t exactly my normal preparation with Thanksgiving the week prior. I was glad to at least have a good one today to salvage a decent week.”

The Hero World Challenge, hosted by Tiger Words, returned to the Albany Resort for the sixth time, and for the first time following a 2020 cancellation due to COVID-19.

The event, which began in 2000, was hosted at Grayhawk Golf Club in Arizona. It then moved to Sherwood Country Club in Los Angeles, where it enjoyed a 13-year tenure.

The following year, it moved to the Isleworth Country Club in Florida before its most recent shift to The Bahamas.

The four-round, 72-hole stroke play event features a $3.5 million purse, $1 million winner’s prize and Official World Golf Ranking points awarded.

Davis Cup, Page 17

CHIEFS BEAT UP BRONCOS 22-9

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports Writer KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Broncos coach Vic Fangio declared that “field goals weren’t going to beat” the Kansas City Chiefs last night.

Neither were 20-play drives that resulted in no points.

That long march that consumed more than 11 minutes of the second quarter didn’t lead to a 22-9 loss to the Chiefs by itself, but it sure didn’t help matters.

And Fangio’s failed decision to go for it on fourth-and-2 at the Kansas City 8, rather than hit a field goal to make it a 10-6 game at halftime, left the demoralised Broncos playing catch-up the rest of the way.

Fangio’s bold fourthdown call wasn’t the only play the Broncos probably wanted back Sunday night.

There was Courtland Sutton’s pass route on thirdand-7 that he failed to run to the first-down marker on the opening drive of the second half, and the ball that Teddy Bridgewater threw on the next drive that was picked off by Juan Thornhill.

There was the gaffe by the punt return team a few minutes later, when Caden Sterns ran into return man Diontae Spencer and the Chiefs hopped on the loose ball, and Bridgewater’s pick-6 to Daniel Sorensen that put the game away.

That’s not going to get it done against the two-time defending AFC champions, especially when the Chiefs are coming off a late-season bye. Andy Reid improved to 20-3 when he has a week off to prepare for an opponent.

Meanwhile, the Chiefs must have decided that field goals were in fact going to beat Denver.

Harrison Butker drilled a 56-yarder into the wind late in the first quarter, split the uprights from 45 yards out in the third, then tacked on a 26-yard chip shot to stake Kansas City to a 16-3 lead.

The result was another loss to the Chiefs in what is fast becoming a lopsided series. Kansas City has won 12 straight in the series, which means quarterback Patrick Mahomes has never lost to the Broncos in nine career starts — including the first of his career and one that ended with an injury. The Broncos dropped to 3-20 when they play at Kansas City in December dating to their days together in the AFL.

PAGE 14, Monday, December 6, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

JAZZ BEAT CAVALIERS BY 1 POINT FOR 4TH STRAIGHT WIN

STINGRAYS WIN SENIOR BOYS’ DIVISION OF ISLAND LUCK CARES HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net AFTER almost two years since they won the prestigious Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic, the Sunland Lutheran Stingrays returned to action over the weekend by winning the senior boys’ division of the Island Luck Cares Foundation High School Basketball Tournament.

The Stingrays, coached by Jay Philippe, emerged as the champions with a 60-53 decision over the Tabernacle Falcons, coached by Kevin Clarke. Tianno Roberts had a game high 15 points in the win, while Alex Minus had 11 in the loss.

The tournament, organised by the Grand Bahama Secondary Schools Sports Association, also featured a junior boys’ division with the Falcons securing a 48-33 triumph over the Stingrays as most valuable player Aiden Miller produced a game high 17 in the win.

Daelyn Delancy had 15 in the loss.

Philippe, who juggles his time as a coach and sportscaster at ZNS, said he’s so proud of the achievement of his Stingrays, considering the fact that they had two weeks to prepare for the tournament.

“This is a totally new team. The last time we played was 20 months ago when we won the Hugh Campbell Basketball Tournament,” he said. “To come back 20 months later with a new team that only featured four guys returning from the previous team, just speaks about our structure. I’m so proud of those guys.”

Philippe said their coaching staff, including Marco Cooper and team manager Bonnie Basden, spent the past two weeks with 14 days straight in training in preparation for the tournament.

IVAN BUTLER, left, presents Sunland Lutheran Stingers’ (team photo top) D’Angelo Parker with his MVP and Defensive Player of the Tournament awards.

The tournament also served as a tune-up for Sunland as they prepare to leave Grand Bahama on December 16 to compete in three different tournaments over two weeks, as well as visit some of the colleges such as Philippe’s alma mater at Webb University before they return home on January 3.

As a part of their celebrations, the Stingrays attended church at the St John’s Jubilee Cathedral where the senior pastor is Bishop Godfrey Williams.

During the service, an offering was raised to assist the Stingers with their trip.

At the end of the tournament, MVP D’Angelo Parker, Tianno Roberts and Donneil Charles from Sunland Lutheran and Jadyn Pinder and Jared Hall from Tabernacle were named to the senior boys’ All-Tournament team.

Named to the junior boys’ AllTournament team were Noah Bain, Aiden Miller and Joshua

TABERNACLE’s Aiden Miller receives his junior boys’ MVP award.

TABERNACLE’s Joshua Williams collects his junior boys’ Defensive Player of the Tournament award.

Williams from Tabernacle and Marco Carey and Dario Mills from Sunland Lutheran.

D’Angelo Parker of the Stingrays and Joshua Williams of the Falcons were named the senior and junior boys’ defensive players of the game respectively.

Philippe praised the organisers for putting on a splendid tournament. “Hopefully this can be the blueprint to use throughout the Bahamas,” he said.

“The organisers did a tremendous job in ensuring that all of the protocols and safety measures were put in place,” he said.

“I think it’s a good sign for sports in general in the country and high school basketball in particular, to ensure that we were as safe as can be.”

Norris Bain, whose committee consisted of Ossie ‘the Insider’ Simmons, Ivan Butler and Charlie ‘Softly’ Robins, was content with the support they received from

the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, the Ministry of Education and IL Cares Foundation, in making the tournament a success.

“We were able to sit down with the ministries to put in some good protocols in order to pull the event off,” Bain said. “The event went really well. Everyone was really excited about it. It went very well.

It was only four days, but it was very good.”

While the first three days were designed especially for the participating teams and their school personnel, organisers opened the door on championship day on Saturday to accommodate a specific number of fans from their schools.

Mario Bowleg, Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, was on hand for the tournament and he too lauded the organisers for a job done well and is hoping that the same effort can be duplicated in New Providence for similar events to get back on the drawing board.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 35 points, Rudy Gobert had 20 rebounds and five blocks and the Utah Jazz survived Cleveland’s late surge for their fourth straight win, 109-108 over the Cavaliers yesterday.

Bojan Bogdanovic added 16 points and Rudy Gay had 15 for Utah, which made 20 3-pointers and gave away a 15-point lead in the fourth.

The Cavs had a chance to win, but Darius Garland missed a 28-footer with 2.9 seconds to go, and Jarrett Allen couldn’t get his tip to drop as Cleveland had its winning streak stopped at four.

Garland scored 31 points, Allen added 17 points and 11 rebounds and rookie Evan Mobley had 14 points and 12 rebounds for the Cavs, who were back at home after beating Dallas, Miami and Washington. It was the first time since 1975 that the Cavs won three straight on the road over teams with winning records.

HORNETS 130, HAWKS 127 ATLANTA (AP) — Miles Bridges scored 32 points for a short-handed Charlotte team that leaned on its best 3-point shooting game of the season to beat Atlanta.

Kelly Oubre Jr made six 3s and scored 28 points for Charlotte. The Hornets made a season-high 17 3s.

John Collins led Atlanta with a season-best 31 points and 12 rebounds.

The four Charlotte players held out after being placed in the NBA’s health and safety COVID-19 protocols were leading scorer LaMelo Ball, starting guard Terry Rozier, centre Mason Plumlee and forward Jalen McDaniels. They’ll be sidelined for at least 10 days.

WIZARDS 102, RAPTORS 90 TORONTO (AP) — Pascal Siakam scored 31 points, Precious Achiuwa had 10 points and 14 rebounds, and Toronto beat Washingtonnight.

Chris Boucher scored 14 points, Scottie Barnes had 11, and Fred VanVleet 10 to help the Raptors win backto-back games for the first time since a five-game winning streak from October 27 to November 3.

Kentavious CaldwellPope scored a season-high 26 points and Bradley Beal had 14 for the Wizards, who couldn’t dig out of a hole after shooting poorly in the first quarter.

LAMINE DIACK, EX IAAF CHIEF CONVICTED OF CORRUPTION, DIES

By BABACAR DIONE and GRAHAM DUNBAR Associated Press DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Lamine Diack, the controversial long-time leader of track and field who was convicted of extorting money from athletes and accused of taking bribes in an Olympic hosting vote, has died, his family said Friday. He was 88.

Awa Diack, niece of the former International Olympic Committee member, told The Associated Press that “my uncle Lamine Diack passed away Thursday to Friday night.”

Diack led track and field’s governing body — then known as the IAAF, now World Athletics — for 16 years. But his name has become a byword for corruption in Olympic circles since 2015, as allegations of wrongdoing emerged soon after Diack’s leadership of his sport ended.

Diack died in his home country, Senegal, where he was allowed to return this year from France after being detained under house arrest for several years and then convicted of various corruption charges linked to abuses of his prominent positions in world sports.

“With the death of Lamine Diack, Senegal loses one of its most

illustrious sons,” the west African country’s President Macky Sall said via Twitter.

A former politician in Senegal, Diack became head of the IAAF in 1999 and saw the sport flourish during his time in charge, in part because of the popularity of sprinter Usain Bolt.

Behind the scenes, Diack and his son Papa Massata Diack were involved in wrongdoing that would taint the integrity of their sport and the IOC’s bidding contests and votes to choose Olympic host cities.

They were linked to extorting cash from runners, to cover up their doping cases before the 2012 London Olympics, and taking bribes from Brazilian officials to help ensure Rio de Janeiro was picked as the 2016 Olympics host.

Among its opponents was a Chicago bid supported at the vote in Denmark by then-President Barack Obama.

An ongoing French investigation has linked Papa Massata Diack to financial wrongdoing connected to Tokyo’s winning bid to host the 2020 Olympics.

The IOC has now scrapped the traditional bid campaigns and contests that proved vulnerable to abuse, and IOC members no longer vote from a range

LAMINE Diack adjusts his headphones during a joint IOC and IAAF news conference on the site of the World Athletic Championships in Beijing on August 21, 2015.

(AP Photo/Kin Cheung) of candidates. Instead, a bond of about $600,000 to controlled in-house pro- let him leave. cess picks a single preferred Diack was convicted on host for IOC members to multiple charges of corruprubber-stamp. tion during his tenure, some Diack was sentenced to of it related to the Russian four years in prison, two doping scandal. His son was of them suspended, in Sep- sentenced in his absence to tember 2020 for covering five years in prison. up the payment of bribes by The former IAAF presiRussian athletes involved in dent’s conviction marked a doping cases and the financ- spectacular fall from grace ing by Russia of political for such an influential figure campaigns in Senegal. in the world of Olympic In May, Diack returned sports. home to Senegal from At the sentencing last France, where he had been week in Brazil of its oneunder house arrest, after time most senior Olympic a local soccer club paid a official Carlos Nuzman,

the court was told bribes were paid so that the Diack family could help secure several IOC votes for Rio in 2009.

The years-long case also implicated one of Africa’s top track athletes, four-time Olympic medallist Frank Fredericks of Namibia who rose as an IOC member to take a seat on its executive board. The IOC suspended Fredericks after French investigators revealed he got a $300,000 payment on the day of the Rio vote in October 2009 routed via the Diacks.

At his own trial, Lamine Diack was also found guilty of being part of a scheme that squeezed 3.2 million euros ($3.8 million) in bribes out of Russian athletes suspected of doping.

The hush money allowed the athletes, who should have been suspended, to keep competing.

Diack was also found guilty on breach of trust charges but acquitted of money laundering. His son, Papa Massata, worked as a long-time IAAF marketing consultant. The French judge said $15 million was funnelled to the younger Diack’s companies from various contracts negotiated by the IAAF while his father was in charge.

Even before he became IAAF president, Lamine

Diack took irregular cash payments from the Swiss sports marketing agency ISL that was later at the center of a kickbacks scandal that rocked world soccer body FIFA. The IOC ethics commission formally warned Diack in 2011 after a British television programme detailed ISL payments to Diack in 1993 amounting to $30,000 and 30,000 French francs.

At the time Diack was a vice president at the IAAF, which was negotiating a deal with the marketing agency.

Diack was a full IOC member for 15 years until 2014, then got an honorary membership which ended the next year when the extortion of athletes was detailed as part of the Russian doping scandal.

During the French investigation, Diack reportedly said under questioning that he asked for about $1.6 million from Russian interests in 2011 to support opposition candidates in upcoming elections in Senegal.

The 2012 presidential vote was won by Sall, who later denied getting funding from Diack for his campaign.

Sall wrote Friday on Twitter that Diack was “a man of great dimension.

My heartfelt condolences to the whole Nation.”

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, December 6, 2021, PAGE 15

Davis’ 28 lead Kings to 2nd straight win over Clippers

By BEN ROSS Associated Press SACRAMENTO, Calif.

(AP) — Terence Davis scored 23 of his 28 points in the second half and the Sacramento Kings beat the Los Angeles Clippers for the second time in four nights with a 104-99 victory Saturday.

Davis made all four of his 3-point attempts in the third quarter and finished 6 of 11 from beyond the arc.

“I think he’s getting a little more comfortable in stuff,” Kings interim coach Alvin Gentry said. “I think with him, the whole idea is behind what is a good shot and what is not, or when do you shoot it and when do you not shoot it.

I think he did a good job tonight of picking those opportunities.”

Tyrese Haliburton added 18 points, six rebounds and five assists for Sacramento, which beat the Clippers 124-115 on Wednesday in Los Angeles. De’Aaron Fox had 17 points, seven rebounds and five assists, and Marvin Bagley III recorded his first doubledouble of the season with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

“When you make shots, everybody’s feeling good,” Haliburton said. “It feels like you’re throwing a rock in the ocean. It feels

BUDDY HIELD SCORES 10 like everybody’s going and everybody’s having fun. It definitely feels good for us and we’ve just got to keep this momentum going.”

Marcus Morris Sr led the Clippers with 21 points and nine rebounds. Reggie Jackson added 18 points.

Paul George had 15 points and nine assists, but shot just 5 of 21 from the field. Ivica Zubac had 12 points and 11 rebounds.

“Terence Davis comes in to make six 3s, big shots, and momentum killers,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “He had a great game — two great games. He was aggressive. Tonight he hurt us.”

Sacramento used a 12-2 run early in the fourth quarter to open its biggest lead of the game at 90-76.

Los Angeles answered with nine straight points to get within 90-85, but Davis’ three-point play pushed the lead back to eight with 4:24 remaining.

Morris made a deep 3-pointer with 10.4 seconds remaining to cut the Kings’ lead to 102-99, but Chavano “Buddy” Hield made two free throws to seal the win. Sacramento

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

CLIPPERS guard Luke Kennard (5) drives past Kings guard Buddy Hield (24) during the first quarter on Saturday.

(AP Photo/Randall Benton) held the Clippers to just 38 percent shooting from the field, including 13 of 34 from 3-point range. The Kings shot 42 percent.

“I thought defensively, obviously, we were really good,” Gentry said.

“We have to try to get to that consistent level where we’re doing it every night.”

Los Angeles opened the game on a 9-2 run and led by as many as eight in the first half.

Sacramento went on a 10-0 run late in the second

quarter to take a 50-45 lead into halftime.

IT’S BEEN A WHILE The Kings’ win marked their first home victory against the Clippers since March 19, 2013, snapping a 15-game losing streak.

TIP-INS Clippers: Nicolas Batum missed his eighth straight game in the league’s health and safety protocols, but Lue said that he was nearing a return. ... Morris was assessed a technical foul in the third quarter.

Kings: Harrison Barnes (right foot sprain) missed his fifth straight game and Moe Harkless (left knee soreness) missed his fourth straight.

Gentry was hopeful both could play next game. ... Bagley returned to the lineup after missing two games with a non-COVID-19 illness.

UP NEXT Clippers: At Portland tonight.

Kings: Host Orlando on Wednesday night.

Curry bounces back, Warriors end Suns’ 18-game streak

By MICHAEL WAGAMAN Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Warriors coach Steve Kerr spent a good chunk of his postgame press conference reiterating his belief that the Suns are the best team in the West.

Funny, because Phoenix coach Monty Williams said pretty much the same thing about Golden State.

With the two top teams in the NBA splitting a pair of games this week, the debate isn’t likely to be settled soon.

Stephen Curry bounced back from one of the worst shooting nights of his career and scored 23 points, and the Warriors convincingly ended the Suns’ 18-game winning streak with a 118-96 victory on Friday night.

“We know that we’re trying to catch them, not vice-versa,” Kerr said of the defending Western Conference champs. “We haven’t been in the playoffs for two years. We’re trying to catch them and we know they’re the best team in the West until somebody knocks them off.”

That’s something no team had been able to do for more than five weeks as Phoenix erased a 1-3 start and rose to the top of the West standings.

Golden State was among those who tried and failed, losing 104-96 on Tuesday.

Kerr’s team flipped the script in the rematch.

The Warriors (19-3) limited the Suns (19-4) to a season low for scoring and slipped past Phoenix for the best record in the NBA. “They did a good job of speeding us up,” Williams said. “We did that to them the other day. That’s part of the chess match. When we got to the paint and found guys, it was phenomenal in the second quarter but that’s the only quarter we did it consistently.”

The Suns were within 83-74 following a dunk by JaVale McGee early in the fourth quarter but never got closer. Gary Payton II scored on consecutive possessions, added a breakaway two-handed dunk, then followed with a short jumper to put Golden State ahead by 20.

Three days after going 4 of 21 while missing 11 of

DEANDRE AYTON CANS 23 IN LOSS 14 3-point tries in Phoenix, Curry shot 8 of 20 with six 3s, five rebounds and five assists.

Andrew Wiggins added 19 points as Golden State extended its home winning streak to 11. Draymond Green had nine points, nine assists and nine rebounds to go with six steals and three blocks.

“They got us at their home so we had to come here and protect our house,” Wiggins said.

“They made it hard for us.

Facing them is going to be a battle all the time.”

Deandre Ayton had 23 points and six rebounds for Phoenix. Chris Paul added 12 points and eight assists.

Williams had tried his best to keep talk about the streak to a minimum while at the same time encouraging his players to relish the ride. He won’t have to worry about that anymore following Phoenix’s first loss since October 27.

Now the talk is which team is the one to beat in the West, with their next meeting set for Christmas in Phoenix.

“Not quite sure who it is but it’s good to be in that category,” Williams said.

Playing the second half of a back-to-back and again without injured leading scorer Devin Booker, the Suns fell behind by double digits early and spent the rest of the night trying to catch up.

Curry made it an impossible climb.

The two-time MVP hit his first two 3s, completed a three-point play amid chants of “MVP! MVP!” and made another shot beyond the arc to put the Warriors up 49-37. “We were, especially in the second half, much more patient,” Kerr said. “Once we settled down after that sort of disastrous final four minutes of the second quarter, we were really poised, competed and earned a really good win.”

The Suns trailed by 11, then closed the second quarter on an 8-0 run to pull within 51-48 before the Warriors pulled away in the second half. “The winning streak was a lot

NCAA DIVISION II BASKETBALL: MCCOY, MCFALL, BASTIAN IN SPOTLIGHT MALACHI McCoy earned conference player of the week honours, Jonathan McFall continued his high scoring and MCCOY Lathaniel Bastian posted another double double in NCAA Division II basketball.

McCoy, the Benedict Tigers’ junior forward, was named the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) men’s basketball player of the week for his career high double double performance in a win over Tuskegee.

He scored 17 points and grabbed 12 rebounds with one block in the Tigers’ 73-62 win. McCoy had his most efficient shooting game, 8-11 from the field.

For the week he averaged 9.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and shot 60 percent from the field.

The Tigers improved to 4-3 with Saturday’s 69-54 win over Claflin in the Paws Up HBCU Classic. McCoy finished with eight points, five rebounds and three blocked shots.

McFall surpassed the 20-point mark for the third time this season and his Slippery Rock University have won five of their last six games.

MCFALL McFall finished with 24 points to lead The Rock to an 83-79 win over Bloomsburg Saturday night in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference crossover competition.

He shot 11-20 from the field and added eight rebounds.

Slippery Rock improved to 5-2 on the season, 3-0 in the PSAC. In his first season with the programme, McFall is averaging 17.1 points and 6.9 rebounds per game.

Bastian followed up his career high scoring effort on Thursday with his second double double in an Angelo State Rams uniform.

BASTIAN The junior forward finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds in his no.12 Golden Rams 77-75 loss to the Texas A and M-Kingsville Javelinas on Saturday night.

Bastian’s performance Saturday night came off a career high 22 points and eight rebounds in ASU’s 74-71 win over the Texas A and M-International Dustdevils Thursday night.

ASU is 7-1 on the season and Bastian is averaging 12.8 points and 7.4 rebounds per game.

TRACK

FROM PAGE 13 PHOENIX Suns centre Deandre Ayton, right, shoots against Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) during the first half on Friday night.

(AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) TIP-INS of fun,” Paul said. “Been but coach Steve Kerr did Suns: Mikal Bridges left not say whether Thompson a long time since we felt a loss but hell, let’s start a the court briefly in the would play in the G League first half after appearing to before rejoining the Warnew one.” injure his right hand while riors. The biggest issue UP AND OVER Warriors swingman attempting to chase down a facing Thompson right Juan Toscano-Anderson loose ball. Bridges returned now, Kerr said, is condibrought a roaring Chase midway through the second tioning. … Andre Iguodala Center crowd to its feet quarter with medical tape (right knee soreness) sat late in the first quarter with around his pinky finger. … out his eighth consecutive a thunderous one-handed Booker is nursing a sore game. dunk over Suns 7-foot left hamstring.

UP NEXT Warriors: Klay Thompcentre McGee, who was Suns: Host Spurs tonight. standing in the lane under son will continue to Suns have won 3 straight participate in scrimmages against the Spurs. in front of the basket.

Minnesota.

In the 60m hurdles, Denisha Cartwright finished first with a provisional qualifying time of 8.59 seconds, which currently ranks 2nd in the nation amongst DII athletes.

Samson Colebrooke competed at the Clemson Opener Invitational in Clemson, South Carolina and won the 60m in 6.79.

Daejha Moss finished first in the high jump with a mark of 1.64m at the Dakota Alumni Classic at the Shelly Ellig Indoor Facility in Fargo North Dakota.

PAGE 16, Monday, December 6, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

Team Bahamas named

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net AFTER two gruelling days of intense competition, the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations determined the eight-member team to represent the country at the North American, Central American and Caribbean Age Group Championships.

While the trials was held over the weekend at the Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium, the team is scheduled to travel to Nicaragua to compete in the championships December 17-18.

Based on their performances, Kenny Moxey Jr and George Nottage will compete in the boys’ 13-14 division, Jamiah Nabbie and Phebe Thompson clinched their berths in the girls’ 13-14, Kamron Henfield and Jonathan Higgs have booked their tickets in the boys’ 11-12 and Keyezra Thomas and Keely Deveaux are listed in the girls’ 11-12.

Moxey Jr, the 14-yearold wearing size 14, was a towering figure at 6-feet, 3-inches over his 10 other opponents as he racked up a total of 4,600 points in the seven-event, well ahead of Nottage with 4,251. Gee Sene was third with 4,239 points.

Since getting started at age four, Moxey Jr said he’s been motivated by his father Kenny Moxey Sr, one of the country’s top multiple athlete and pole vaulter. But he said his goal is to niché his own name in track and field and he hopes to start with these championships.

“I really enjoyed it. I grew up with most of the competitors, so it was fun competing against them,” said Moxey Jr, a 10th grader at Queen’s College. “I’m also actually ecstatic. I’ve never been on a national team with George, so I think we will do very well.”

While he dominated five of the events, including the 80m (9.92 seconds for 816 points), long jump (5.41m 700 pts), 80m hurdles (12.42 - 652 pts), high jump (1.65m - 741 pts) and baseball throw (67.86m - 693 pts), Moxey Jr ended up second in the shot put (10.77m 559 pts) and struggled for seventh in the finale in the 1,200m (4:06.72 - 439 - pts).

After a close finish to Moxey Jr in the 80m (9.93 - 814 pts), Nottage dropped behind in the long jump (4.92m - 605 pts), but he managed to pick things up again in the shot put (8.99m - 473 pts), 80m hurdles (13.45 - 541 pts), high jump

BAAA NACAC YOUTH AGE GROUP CHAMPIONSHIP TRIALS RESULTS: Girls 11-12 Pentathlon 1. Keyezra Thomas – 2,660 points 2. Keely Deveaux – 2,465 points 3. Eden Johnson – 2,411 points 4. Alexandria Komolafe – 2,238 points 5. Sarsha Wright – 2,090 points 6. Nataya Watson – 2,085 points 7. Syria Smith – 1,948 points 8. Breyteisha Kemp – 1,789 points 9. Dwaynoque Sheperd – 1,755 points 10. Breynice Kemp – 1,722 points 11. Cartia Murphy – 1,523 points 12. Ramonique McLennon – 1,452 points 13. Courtney Ferguson - 988 points

THE NORTH American, Central American and Caribbean Age Group Championships trials was held over the weekend at the Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium.

Photos: Racardo Thomas/Tribune staff (1.55m - 663 pts), baseball throw (59.35m - 625 pts) and 1,200m (3:52.36 - 530 pts).

Nottage, a 13-year-old eighth grader at CH Reeves Secondary High School, thanked his coaches, including Varel Davis and Foster Dorsett of the T-Bird Flyers Track Club for preparing him to compete to the best of his ability.

“I think the competition was very good. I thought I would have missed my first race this morning (Saturday) because I got here late, but I reached in time,” Nottage said. “The compeIn the 80m, Thompson I still managed to pull tition was good. I just have was right in the top of the through.” to work on the 80m and the pack (10.40 - 723 pts), long The 11-year-old Temple high jump.” jump (4.93m - 607 pts), shot Christian Academy sixth He noted that in team- put (7.33m - 385 pts), 60m grader said once he can ing up with Moxey Jr, they hurdles (11.20 - 811 pts), develop his form and his should be able to push each high jump (1.33m - 484 pts), speed, he should be a conother. baseball throw (26.80m - tender for a medal at the With her lanky 5-10 309 pts) and 1,000m (3:58.47 championships. figure, Nabbie fell short in - 434 pts).

As the runner-up, Higgs her first attempt at making “I feel great. I’m glad tried to keep pace with the team in the 11-12 divi- that I made the team. I just Henfield. sion, but she was more want to thank the Lord for His performances were determined than ever to bringing me safe so far,” as follows: 60m - 8.26 for clinch a spot this year.

Thompson said. “I ask that 802 pts; high jump - 1.35m She got off to a slow start he continue to guide and for 439 pts; baseball throw in the 80m (10.37 - 729 pts), protect me and that I have - 36.43m for 415 pts; long but she was more consistent a bright future.” jump - 4.66m for 552 pts in all of the other events, As she prepares for her and 1,000m - 3:34.72 for 457 including the long jump second appearance at the pts.

(5.27m - 674 pts), shot put championships, Thomp“It was hard, but at the (6.29m - 324 pts), 60m hur- son said she would like to end, I didn’t know that I dles (10.81 - 869 pts), high improve her performance won, but I came this far and jump (1.48m - 607 pts) and as she works on her high I’m very pleased,” said an baseball throw (33.82m - jump, ball throw, hurdles emotional Higgs, a 12-year389 pts), before she fell off and 1,000m run. old eighth grader at HO again in the 1,000m (4:03.04 “I hope that we can build Nash Junior High School, - 301). “I felt good,” said a bond, stick together and as he tried to hold back the Nabbie, who juggles her do our best,” said Thomp- tears of joy. time between school at QC son about competing His emotions were worth and operating her own busi- alongside Nabbie. it after his second place ness called “Just Things.”

“We hope to make our finish behind Henfield.

“I wished I could have country proud of our His performances posted done better in the 80m and achievement.” are as follows: 60m – 8.26 the 1,200m, but it comes Henfield, in winning the for 802 pts; high jump – with practice. In the hur- boys’ 11-12 category, stood 1.35m for 499 pts; baseball dles, I was a little timid, but out in just about all of the throw – 36.43m for 415 pts; I knew I could do well in five events they competed long jump – 4.66m for 552 the high jump and the long in. They were the 60m (8.16 pts and the 1,000m – 3:34.72 jump because I usually do - 824m), high jump (1.25m for 457 pts. well in these events.”

- 426 pts), baseball throw Combining with HenThompson, a little more (49.79m - 545 pts), long field, Higgs said they form consistent in her events, jump (4.73m - 566 pts) and a formidable team and he’s was determined to make 1,000m (3:31.94 - 468 pts). looking forward to some the team as a 10th grader at “It feels good. I strug- impressive results at the Bishop Michael Eldon High gled a lot for the past five championships, once he can School in Grand Bahama. years, so I’m just happy that improve on his foot speed She did it by trading the I finally made a national and the strength in his arms. lead with Nabbie during the team,” said Henfield. “My Thomas, in winning competition. knee started to hurt, but the girls’ 11-12 division,

Girls 13-14 Heptathlon 1. Jamiah Nabbie – 3,893 points 2. Phebe Thompson – 3,753 points 3. Zo’E Adderley – 1,603 points 4. Shania Adderley – 3,579 points 5. Castaneda Akompi – 3,540 points 6. Kianna Henchell – 3,449 points 7. Khylee Wallace – 3,137 points 8. D’Andra Sears – 2,915 points 9. Kamia Smith – 2,910 points 10 - Stacyann Humes – 2,817 points 11. Alena Sands – 2,731 points 12. Katelyn Miller – 2,726 points 13. Zyhrissa Carey – 2,542 points Boys 11-12 Pentathlon 1. Kamron Henfield – 2,829 points 2. Jonathan Higgs – 2,725 points 3. Terrin Beckles – 2,585 points 4. Andrew Rolle – 2,508 points 5. Zion Bradford – 2,505 points 6. Anthony Saunders – 2,504 points 7. Lyndavion Storr – 2,500 points 8. Jaheim Pennerman – 2,449 points 9. Cordell Munroe – 2,398 points 10.. Sheldon Jones – 2,334 points 11. Rion Larimore – 2,136 points 12. Neko Seymour – 1,838 points 13. Joel McPhee – 1,522 points Boys 13-14 Heptathlon 1. Kenny Moxey Jr – 4,600 points 2. George Nottage – 4,251 points 3. Gee Sene – 4,239 points 4. Demian Brice – 4,176 points 5. Aden Taylor – 4,134 points 6. Breck Kemp – 3,526 points 7. Davon Davis – 3,385 points 8. Justin Filterman – 3,201 points 9. Jarred Thompson – 3,125 points 10. Stanley Pratt – 3,067 points 11. Martin Ross – 2,394 points performed exceptionally well in her five events.

In the 60m, she ran 8.20 for 815 pts, cleared 1.42m in the high jump for 557 pts, threw the baseball 29.14m for 333 pts, cleared 4.37m in the long jump and ran 2:39.85 in the 800m for 471 pts.

“It went good. I came first in two events, but I think I did good overall,” said Thomas, who also hails from Grand Bahama where she attends Freeport Anglican High School.

“I didn’t have much practice in Freeport, so to come here in New Providence and did so well, I’m really proud of myself. If there’s anything I need to work on, it’s my ball throw and 800m.

Trailing Thomas, Deveaux did the 60m in 8.36 (779 pts), high jump with 1.27m (440 pts),

baseball throw with 40.65m (461 pts), long jump with 4.39m (496 pts) sand ran the 800m in 3:04.63 (289 pts).

“At first, when I started running the 800m, I was feeling bad because I don’t run that event,” said Deveuax, a sprinter from CH Reeves where she is in grade eight.

“Now that I’ve done it, I feel much better and I just want to work a little harder in it before I go to the championships.”

Having competed in the field events for the first time, the 12-year-old Deveaux thanked Flyers’ coaches Varel Davis and Foster Dorsett for getting her prepared. She said she’s eager to see how well she can compete against the international field when she travels with the national team.

Jazz owner takes break from day job to caddie for Finau

By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) — The tanned, stubbled face behind the dark sunglasses and a black T-shirt underneath a white bib made Ryan Smith look the part of a PGA Tour caddie in the Hero World Challenge.

Looping for Tony Finau is a break from his day job, and Smith only missed his regular routine briefly when he considered the calendar.

The Utah Jazz owner would be missing a home game Friday night against the Boston Celtics.

Even so, he couldn’t pass up the opportunity.

Finau’s regular caddie, Mark Urbanek, is home as his wife prepares to have a child. Finau and Smith have been friends in Salt Lake City longer than either can remember.

“He called me and he’s like, ‘Bro, I need you to caddie for me.’ I had to answer the bell, right?”

Smith said after his boss for the week rolled in an 18-foot birdie putt for a

6-under 66 to sit one shot off the lead going into the weekend.

“When Tony calls, you go. He doesn’t ask for a lot.”

The Jazz beat the Celtics 137-130 in Smith’s absence.

This isn’t their first time inside the ropes at a tournament. Finau and Smith have been partners twice in the Dunhill Links Championship, a three-course rotation that allows Smith to take on the Barry Burn at Carnoustie and the Road Hole at St Andrews.

“I’ve been next to him as an amateur partner when he’s in contention on the Old Course, so I know his game well enough, and kind of his temperament,” Smith said. “It’s the perfect setup.”

Almost.

Smith reached the top of the stairs next to the scoring room as Finau stepped inside to sign his card at Albany Golf Club. This was more work than play, but he was loving it.

“Hauling a 50-pound bag around, I think everyone thinks I’m on vacation,”

he said. “This is hard work.

I’m exhausted.”

Smith is co-founder of Qualtrics, a cloud-computing company in Utah that was sold to German software firm SAP for $8 billion three years ago. The 44-year-old then became majority owner of the Jazz a year ago.

Basketball has been a lifelong passion, and so has golf. “I had a stepfather who is no longer with us, but he kind of got me going in golf,” Smith said.

“I worked at a golf course when I was 14 years old, picking balls on the range and then just loved it. At some point in my 20s, I was like, ‘OK, you’ve got to sit down and see what your things are. And golf is one of my things.”

Even as he was building Qualtrics, Smith spent enough time on his game to get down to a 2 handicap index. Along with playing the Dunhill Links with Finau in 2018 and 2019, he has been at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am with players like Branden Grace and Josh Teater.

CADDIE RYAN SMITH, owner of the Utah Jazz and co-founder of software firm Qualtrics, left, hands a ball to golfer Tony Finau, of the United States, on the third green during the second round of the Hero World Challenge PGA Tour at the Albany Golf Club on Friday.

(AP Photo/Fernando Llano) Smith won the Jack Lemmon Award at Pebble in 2019, giving to the amateur who provides the most help to his pro. He and Teater finished third in the pro-am.

“It’s like suiting up and playing an NBA preseason game,” Smith said.

As much as he loves the competition, Smith finds great value in relationships through golf, not to mention a little peace and quiet.

“Some of the best business relationships and the best partners I’ve met on the golf courses. No way our

paths would have crossed if not for this game,” he said.

“And it’s the one place I go where the phone stays in the bag, which is incredible.

“My wife says, ‘You need yoga.’ I tell her my yoga is golf.”

Smith plays as much basketball as he does golf with Finau, one of the more popular players on the PGA Tour. Finau ended a drought that stretched 142 tournaments over five years when he won The Northern Trust to start the PGA Tour’s postseason. That victory made Finau a shoo-in

to be picked for the Ryder Cup team, where he teamed with Harris English during a record rout by the Americans at Whistling Straits.

This is a good way to end a big year — a 20-man field of elite players, a $3.5 million purse and $1 million to the winner.

Finau says his billionaire friend will be treated like his regular caddie. “He’s taking an extreme pay cut, I know that,” Finau told Golf Channel. “It’s a fun atmosphere and the perfect tournament to bring Ryan along.”

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, December 6, 2021, PAGE 17

DAVIS CUP FINALS TO ADD HOST CITIES, REDUCE TEAMS NEXT YEAR

By TALES AZZONI AP Sports Writer

THE RUSSIAN Tennis Federation team celebrate with the trophy after winning the Davis Cup tennis final at the Madrid Arena in Madrid, Spain, yesterday.

(AP Photos/Bernat Armangue)

Medvedev-led Russia wins Davis Cup after 15-year wait

By TALES AZZONI AP Sports Writer MADRID (AP) — Russia’s 15-year wait for a Davis Cup title ended yesterday after another clutch performance by Daniil Medvedev.

Medvedev capped his amazing year with a 7-6 (7), 6-2 win over Marin Cilic in the second singles match to give Russia an insurmountable 2-0 lead over Croatia and its first Davis Cup title since 2006.

It was the fifth consecutive straight-set victory in the Davis Cup for the No. 2 Medvedev, who three months ago defeated Novak Djokovic to win the US Open for his first Grand Slam title.

“It was a pretty amazing two weeks,” Medvedev said.

“Because it’s never easy to come here at the end of the season. It feels (like) the best weeks of my career.”

Andrey Rublev earlier had beaten Borna Gojo in straight sets to put the Russians ahead at the Madrid Arena.

Russia’s other Davis Cup title was in 2002. Croatia also was seeking its third title after triumphs in 2005 and 2018.

Russia completed a sweep of team events after the women’s team won the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Prague last month.

The last nation to do the double had been the Czech Republic in 2012.

The triumph also capped a special week for Russia captain Shamil Tarpischev, the longest-serving Davis Cup captain.

DANIIL Medvedev celebrates after beating Croatia’s Marin Cilic to win the Davis Cup tennis final yesterday.

He first captained in 1974, and appeared in his 100th match as captain in the semifinals against Germany.

The Russian team is officially being called RTF (Russian Tennis

India closes in on victory against New Zealand in 2nd test MUMBAI, India (AP) — New Zealand slumped to 140-5 at stumps on day three of the second test against India yesterday with the visitors needing another 400 runs for an improbable victory.

India, meanwhile, is just five wickets away from a series win in the two-match contest. The first test in Kanpur was drawn.

India, which declared its second innings at 276-7 to set a 540-run target for the Black Caps, started losing wickets after lunch.

Shubman Gill (47) and Virat Kohli (36) did manage to put on 82 runs for the third wicket but New Zealand’s spinners continued doing the work for the touring side as Ajaz Patel finished with 4-106 following his historic 10-for in the first innings.

Rachin Ravindra (3-56) also got into the act, dismissing both Kohli and Gill.

Patel got rid of Shreyas Iyer (14) and Jayant Yadav (6) as India lost four wickets for 41 runs.

Patel finished with a match haul of 14 wickets for 225 runs for the best match

NEW Zealand’s Ajaz Patel celebrates the dismissal of India’s Mayank Agarwal during the day three of their second test cricket match yesterday.

(AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool) haul in test cricket for any visiting bowler in India.

The previous best was Englishman Ian Botham’s 13 wickets for 106 runs in 1980, also in Mumbai.

Facing a mammoth total, New Zealand then collapsed under India’s spin pressure.

Ravichandran Ashwin (3-27) opened the bowling and trapped Tom Latham (6) lbw. He also had Will Young (20) caught at forward short leg while Ross Taylor (6) played a surprising slog sweep and was caught to leave New Zealand reeling on 55-3.

Daryl Mitchell (60) managed to resist the Indian spin attack to reach a half-century, helping New Zealand cross the 100-run mark and put on 73 runs for the fourth wicket with Henry Nicholls. But Axar Patel (1-42) struck before stumps to remove Mitchell and then Tom Blundell was run-out for a duck to leave the Black Caps faltering.

At stumps, Nicholls was unbeaten on 36 runs with Rachin Ravindra (2 not out) for company.

“The way Agarwal played in both innings for India, he set the template for how I personally wanted to try and go about, taking on the Indian spinners today,” Said Mitchell. “Disappointing to not still be out there and kick on but it was nice to get a partnership going.

It’s a pretty challenging surface. The ball is definitely turning there with your name on it.”

On Saturday, India took control of the test by reaching 69-0 in its second innings at stumps after bowling New Zealand out for 62. The first test ended in a draw.

Federation) in the competition amid its ongoing doping suspension in international sport.

After a tight first set, Medvedev broke serve twice in the second against the 30th-ranked Cilic to comfortably clinch the victory. “It was a tough match all day long,” Medvedev said.

“The tiebreak is a matter of a few points. I made a double-fault on the set point that was probably a big mistake, but I’m happy that today it was enough to win. It was a really tough match.”

Rublev had converted on his first match point to clinch a 6-4, 7-6 (5) win over Gojo, who arrived at the Davis Cup Finals as the 279th-ranked player but had won all his three matches. It was the third

consecutive victory for the fifth-ranked Rublev after a loss against Spain’s Feliciano López in the group stage.

Gojo had no break opportunities throughout the match against Rublev, who converted one of his eight to grab the first set and eventually clinch the win in the second-set tiebreaker.

Croatia got past Serbia and the top-ranked Novak Djokovic in the semifinals, while Russia ousted Germany.

The Russians won a group that included defending champion Spain and Ecuador, then advanced past Sweden in the quarterfinals.

Croatia won a group with Australia and Hungary, then defeated Italy in the last eight.

MADRID (AP) — There will be more host cities and fewer nations playing in the Davis Cup Finals next season in an attempt to increase fan engagement and keep the revamped team event sustainable, organisers said yesterday.

The International Tennis Federation and the Kosmos Tennis group that is behind the competition said four cities will host the group stages beginning in 2022, with another venue — likely Abu Dhabi — hosting the knockout rounds.

Madrid was the sole host of the competition over a seven-day period in 2019.

This year, Innsbruck in Austria and Turin in Italy were added as hosts over an 11-day period. The event was not played in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Each city will host matches from one of the four-team groups, with the top two teams advancing to the knockout stage. This year, the group winners in the six groups, plus the top two second-place finishers, advanced.

The changes are being made as organisers continue to address the scheduling challenges that marred the first edition two years ago.

“We are constantly thinking of how to improve, adjust for the future and looking to the edition of 2022,” Kosmos CEO Enric Rojas said. “We are going to try again to do another adjustment, a bit of an evolution, for having four different cities hosting the group stage, and then going to a neutral city for playing the final part of the competition. “We think that with that small adjustment and evolution we are going to have even more fan engagement and more people in the arenas because of having four cities with extra home interest,” he said. “It’s going to give us, in our view, the final piece of becoming a real successful event and the real World Cup of Tennis.”

Organisers fell short of confirming a deal with Abu Dhabi to become the neutral host city next year.

A bidding process will begin in January for all cities interested in becoming hosts. The cities will have six weeks to present their proposals, and a final decision is expected to be made by mid-March. There will be backup host cities in case the home countries don’t qualify for the tournament.

PAGE 18, Monday, December 6, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

LIONS WIN ON FINAL PLAY, END WINLESS STRING 29-27 OVER VIKINGS DETROIT (AP) — The Lions finally found a victory when Jared Goff threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown as time expired, lifting previously winless Detroit to a 29-27 win over the Minnesota Vikings yesterday.

Not only was the finish dramatic, it was stunning.

Goff led the Lions on a 75-yard decisive possession without a timeout after Kirk Cousins threw a goahead 3-yard touchdown pass to Justin Jefferson with 1:50 left. The Vikings failed on a 2-point conversion for the third time; those missed opportunities proved costly.

Goff threw two touchdown passes in the first half to put Detroit ahead by 14 points, its biggest lead this season. Then he turned over the ball twice in the second half to help Minnesota rally.

He came through in the end, leading the long drive and delivering a sharp pass to the rookie receiver, who took advantage of the Vikings secondary playing too deep in the end zone.

The Lions (1-10-1) ended a 15-game winless streak that lasted 364 days since winning at Chicago last season, giving firstyear coach Dan Campbell his first victory with the franchise.

The Vikings (5-7) hurt their chances of earning a wild-card spot in the playoffs by losing a game they were favoured to win by a touchdown — and led until the very last tick of the clock.

CARDINALS 33, BEARS 22 CHICAGO (AP) — Kyler Murray threw for two touchdowns and ran for two more in his return from an ankle injury.

The Cardinals (10-2) got back Murray and threetime All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins after both players missed three games because of injuries, then rolled to an easy victory over Chicago (4-8).

The NFC West leaders, who have the NFL’s best record, intercepted Andy Dalton four times.

The Cardinals, who were coming off a bye, improved to 7-0 on the road, with each win by 10 points or more.

Jalen Thompson and Budda Baker picked off passes that deflected off the intended target on Chicago’s first two possessions. The Cardinals took advantage.

Murray completed 11 of 15 passes for 123 yards, giving him 10,092 in three seasons, on a cool and soggy afternoon. At 24 years, 120 days, he became the fourth-youngest player with 10,000 career yards passing, according to NFL research. Drew Bledsoe (23 years, 299 days), Jameis Winston (23 years, 303 days) and Dan Marino (24 years, 63 days) are the only younger players to reach it. Murray also joined Cam Newton as the only players in NFL history with at least 10,000 yards passing

and 1,500 rushing in his first three seasons.

BUCCANEERS 30, FALCONS 17 ATLANTA (AP) — Tom Brady threw for 368 yards and four touchdowns — two of them to longtime favorite target Rob Gronkowski — and the Buccaneers moved to the brink of clinching the NFC South title.

The Bucs (9-3) won their third straight game and pushed their division lead to four games over Atlanta, Carolina and New Orleans (all 5-7) with five games remaining.

Brady improved to 10-0 in his career against the Falcons, including four straight wins over the last two seasons since moving from New England to Tampa Bay. The 44-yearold Brady completed 38 of 51 throws, including touchdowns of 27 and 11 yards to Gronkowski — their first scoring passes since Week 2 against the Falcons. The prolific duo has combined for 90 regular-season TDs, passing Phillip Rivers and Antonio Gates for No. 2 in NFL history. Only Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison have more, hooking up for 112. Brady shook off a huge blunder in the final minute of the first half, when 278-pound defensive lineman Marlon Davidson picked off a short pass and glided 3 yards into the end zone for a touchdown that cut Tampa Bay’s lead to 20-17 at the break.

STEELERS 20, RAVENS 19 PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh thwarted a 2-point conversion attempt after Lamar Jackson’s touchdown pass to Sammy Watkins got the Ravens within one with 12 seconds to go.

Rather than turn to star kicker Justin Tucker for an almost automatic 35-yard extra point, the Ravens (8-4) went for the knockout punch. Baltimore tight end Mark Andrews couldn’t haul in a flip by Jackson.

The Steelers (6-5-1) recovered an onside kick to seal it. Pittsburgh ended a threegame winless streak behind the 39th fourth-quarter comeback engineered by Ben Roethlisberger. The 39-year-old quarterback threw for 236 yards and two second-half touchdowns to Diontae Johnson, the final one a 5-yard catch-and-run with 1:48 to play that gave the Steelers a 20-13 lead.

Jackson took the Ravens 60 yards in eight plays, the last six coming on a tumbling grab by Watkins in the back of the end zone. The offense stayed on the field for the 2-point conversion, opting to do it even after a surprised Pittsburgh called a timeout to reset.

The Steelers brought pressure on Jackson — a constant for three-plus hours — and his hurried throw was too far out in front for Andrews to bring it in.

SEAHAWKS 30, 49ERS 23 SEATTLE (AP) — Russell Wilson played his best

DETROIT Lions linebacker Josh Woods (51) and linebacker Austin Bryant (2) run off the field after the second half against the Minnesota Vikings yesterday in Detroit.

(AP Photo/Paul Sancya) game since returning from finger surgery throwing for 231 yards and two touchdowns, and the Seahawks made a late goal line stand.

Seattle (4-8) snapped a three-game losing streak but it wasn’t easy as a number of mistakes gave the 49ers a chance for a tying touchdown in the final moments.

Gerald Everett fumbled at the San Francisco 2 with 4:03 remaining and Seattle on the cusp of a clinching score. Jimmy Garoppolo led the 49ers 95 yards to the Seattle 3.

But his third-down pass for Trent Sherfield was broken up by Sidney Jones, and his fourth- down pass was deflected at the line of scrimmage by Carlos Dunlap.

It was the second big play

by Dunlap, who sacked Garoppolo for a safety early in the third quarter.

Newly signed running back Adrian Peterson moved into a tie with Jim Brown for 10th all-time with 126 career touchdowns, scoring on a 1-yard run in the second quarter for Seattle.

Travis Homer also ran 73 yards for a touchdown on a fake punt on the opening possession of the game for Seattle.

San Francisco (6-6) saw its three-game win streak snapped and was swept by Seattle this season. The 49ers were unable to get their run game going as in recent weeks, with Elijah Mitchell rushing for 66 yards on 22 carries.

George Kittle had nine catches for 181 yards and two touchdowns WASHINGTON 17, RAIDERS 15 LAS VEGAS (AP) — Taylor Heinicke threw two touchdown passes and set up new kicker Brian Johnson’s winning 48-yard field goal with 37 seconds remaining to lead Washington to its fourth straight victory.

Heinicke threw a 7-yard TD pass to Logan Thomas on the opening drive and a 4-yarder to Antonio Gibson early in the fourth quarter after extending the drive with a key third-down scramble. But Washington (6-6) then allowed the

Raiders (6-6) to score on successive drives to take a 15-14 lead on Daniel Carlson’s 37-yard field goal set up by Nate Hobbs’ interception of Heinicke.

Heinicke responded and drove Washington down the field to set up the kick

by Johnson. who was signed earlier this week after Joey Slye went down with an injury.

Coordinator Jack Del Rio’s defence then sealed it to give him the win in his first game against the Raiders since being fired by the team following the 2017 season.

RAMS 37, JAGUARS 7 INGLEWOOD, Calif.

(AP) — Cooper Kupp, Van Jefferson and Odell Beckham Jr. caught touchdown passes from Matthew Stafford, and the Rams snapped their three-game losing streak.

Stafford passed for 295 yards while Sony Michel rushed for 121 yards and a score for the Rams (8-4), who rebounded from a winless November with a solid all-around effort against a struggling opponent. Kupp had his 100th reception of a remarkable season among his eight catches for 129 yards.

Stafford also snapped back into form, playing turnover-free football after giving the ball away six times during the threegame skid that threatened to derail the Rams’ playoff plans. Los Angeles still has never lost four straight in coach Sean McVay’s halfdecade in charge.

Rookie Trevor Lawrence passed for 145 yards for the Jaguars (2-10), who have lost four straight.

Jacksonville turned over the ball twice and struggled to get anything going offensively against LA’s star-studded defence, managing just 197 total yards.

This defeat means Urban Meyer will lose at least twice as many games in his rookie NFL season as he ever did in any of his 17 seasons as a head coach at the college level.

CHARGERS 41, BENGALS 22 CINCINNATI (AP) — Justin Herbert passed for three touchdowns

and Tevaughn Campbell returned a Joe Mixon fumble 61 yards for a score.

Herbert was 26 of 35 for 317 yards as Los Angeles (7-5) bounced back nicely after losing 28-13 at Denver last weekend.

Mike Williams had five receptions for 110 yards, and Keenan Allen caught two of Herbert’s TD passes.

Cincinnati (7-5) stormed back after falling behind 24-0 in the second quarter. Mixon’s 7-yard TD run made it 24-22 with 7:10 left in the third. But Mixon was stuffed on the 2-point conversion try and Campbell’s fumble return in the fourth helped close it out for Los Angeles.

The Bengals committed four of the game’s seven turnovers. Battling a hand injury for much of the day, Joe Burrow threw two interceptions and lost a fumble.

EAGLES 33, JETS 18 EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Gardner Minshew started in place of an injured Jalen Hurts and led the clock-eating Philadelphia Eagles to scores on their first seven possessions.

Minshew was 20 of 25 for 242 yards and two touchdowns to Dallas Goedert.

Kenneth Gainwell ran for a score, Jake Elliott kicked four field goals and the Eagles (6-7) improved to 12-0 all-time against the Jets (3-9).

With Hurts out with an ankle injury, Philadelphia bounced back from a 13-7 loss to the Giants last weekend at MetLife Stadium to slice through the Jets’ defense drive after drive.

The only possession on which the Eagles didn’t score was their last.

But the win might have come at a cost as running back Miles Sanders left in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury after running for 120 yards on 24 carries.

Centre Jason Kelce also limped off the field at the two-minute warning.

It appeared the Jets and Eagles would be in for a slugfest as they both scored touchdowns on their first three possessions. It was the first game since the Elias Sports Bureau began tracking in 1978 that each team

scored TDs on their first three drives.

Things slowed considerably after halftime as the Jets held the ball for only 70 seconds in the third quarter — just three plays for 3 yards.

Meanwhile, the Eagles had 24 plays for 81 yards over 13:50 in the period.

Philadelphia held the overall edge in time of possession: 35:36 to 24:24.

DOLPHINS 20, GIANTS 9 MIAMI GARDENS, Florida (AP) — Tua Tagovailoa threw a pair of short touchdown passes, and the Dolphins extended their winning streak to five games.

Isaiah Ford and Mack Hollins had the scoring grabs for Miami (6-7), which has shaken off a 1-7 start.

Jaylen Waddle had nine catches for 90 yards for the Dolphins, and rookie Jaelan Phillips had two more sacks — giving him five in his past two games.

Tagovailoa completed 30 of 41 passes for 244 yards and the two scores.

Mike Glennon started at quarterback for the Giants (4-8) in place of Daniel Jones, who was sidelined with a neck injury. Glennon completed 23 of 44 throws for 187 yards, and Saquon Barkley had 55 rushing yards on 11 carries.

Glennon finished the game, and the team said he was diagnosed postgame with a concussion.

New York never found the end zone against a defence that has yielded only 55 points during the five-game winning streak.

Graham Gano had three field goals for the Giants.

COLTS 31, TEXANS 0 HOUSTON (AP) — Jonathan Taylor ran for 143 yards and two touchdowns and the Colts rolled.

The Texans turned over the ball twice in the first quarter and quarterback Tyrod Taylor was benched in the third quarter as Houston (2-10) lost for the ninth time in 10 games.

Indianapolis’ Taylor, who leads the NFL in yards rushing, has 16 rushing touchdowns this season, which ties the franchise record set by Lenny Moore in 1964.

It’s the 10th straight game when he’s ran for a touchdown, the longest streak in the NFL since LaDainian Tomlinson did it in 18 straight in the 2004 and 2005 seasons.

Carson Wentz threw for 158 yards and a touchdown for the Colts (7-6) before being replaced by Sam Ehlinger with five minutes left in the fourth quarter and the game long decided.

Things went wrong for Houston immediately with Tyrod Taylor throwing an interception on the team’s first play. It was initially ruled an incompletion, but the Colts challenged the call and the review showed that Kenny Moore grabbed it just before falling out of bounds.

NEW-MANAGER BOUNCE IN FULL FLOW AT MAN UNITED, SPURS, VILLA

By STEVE DOUGLAS AP Sports Writer A 90-minute performance of off-the-ball intensity by Cristiano Ronaldo. A rare clean sheet.

And something even more unlikely — a goal by Fred, off his weaker right foot.

Ralf Rangnick is already working his magic at Manchester United.

The 63-year-old German led England’s biggest club into a game for the first time yesterday, and his imprint was all over United’s unfussy 1-0 win over Crystal Palace that ended with a chant of “We love you Rangnick, we do” by home fans toward their new manager who is sometimes referred to as the “Godfather of Gegenpressing.”

Indeed, United’s players pressed high and hard in a tweaked 4-2-2-2 formation, with even the 36-year-old Ronaldo showing a work ethic that belied his age.

“Cristiano Ronaldo’s work off the ball, chapeau,” Rangnick said with a smile.

But it wasn’t world soccer’s most prolific scorer who clinched the hardfought win to kick off the latest new era at United since Alex Ferguson’s retirement eight years ago.

That honour fell to Fred, the oft-maligned Brazil midfielder whose work rate and endeavour is likely to make him a key member of Rangnick’s lineup this season.

Goals aren’t Fred’s strong point — his only one this season came on the opening day — but he looked something of a natural the way he calmly curled in a finish from the edge of the area with his right foot.

“I had to ask my assistant coach if that was Fred’s right foot,” Rangnick said.

Bruno Fernandes, Fred’s teammate, might have been even more surprised.

“Fred has these moments, one shot per year,” Fernandes said.

With Harry Maguire donning a bandage around his forehead for the final minutes after a nasty-looking

MANCHESTER United’s Fred celebrates at the end of the English Premier League soccer match against Crystal Palace at Old Trafford stadium in Manchester, England, yesterday.

(AP Photo/Jon Super) clash, United’s defence eked out only its third clean sheet of the season in the league to complete a satisfying first game for Rangnick “Overall I am more than happy. I was positively surprised by the physical state and intensity,” said Rangnick, who was mostly seen patrolling the technical area during the match. “I didn’t expect them to play on that

kind of level after such a short time.”

United jumped up to sixth place and has a nicelooking run of upcoming league fixtures — starting with a trip to Norwich next weekend — to ease Rangnick into his new role.

CONTE’S LATEST WIN Another manager who has had a successful start at a Premier League team is

Antonio Conte. There’s still one thing that is proving beyond the Italian at Tottenham, though — getting Harry Kane scoring goals again.

A 3-0 victory over Norwich was routine but didn’t contain any goal involvement from Kane, who led the league in goals (23) and assists (14) last season. This season, after 14 matches, he has one goal and one assist — and they came in the same game at Newcastle.

Lucas Moura, Davinson Sanchez and Son Heungmin were the scorers against Norwich as Spurs made it three wins and a draw in four league games under Conte.

Tottenham climbed to fifth place and is two points off fourth-place West Ham with a game in hand.

KONSA INSPIRES GERRARD’S VILLA The new-manager bounce is in full force at Aston Villa, too, under Steven Gerrard after a 2-1 win over Leicester.

It’s now three victories in four games for Villa since the arrival of the former Liverpool midfielder who will make an emotional return to his boyhood club next weekend.

Gerrard will do so with his team having climbed into the top 10 after rallying for a win at Villa Park thanks to two goals by centre back Ezri Konsa, in the 17th and 54th minutes.

Harvey Barnes put Leicester ahead in the 14th.

Gerrard got one over his former manager at Liverpool, Brendan Rodgers, who now leads Leicester.

It was a renewal of their coaching rivalry that was seen in Scotland when Gerrard was at Rangers and Rodgers was at fellow Glasgow team Celtic.

In the other game, England striker Patrick Bamford marked his first appearance after more than two months through injury with an equaliser in the fifth minute of added time to earn Leeds a 2-2 draw at home to Brentford.

THE TRIBUNE

MIDDLE Tennessee (6-6, Conference USA), vs.

Toledo (7-5, Mid-American Conference), December 17, noon ET TOP PLAYERS MTSU: QB Chase Cunningham completed 62.5% of his attempts for 16 touchdowns with just three interceptions in eight games.

Toledo: RB Bryant Koback rushed for 1,274 yards and 15 touchdowns and caught 29 passes for 333 yards and three TDs.

Monday, December 6, 2021, PAGE 19

NOTABLE MTSU: The Blue Raiders became bowl eligible by coming back from a 17-3 deficit with 24 consecutive points against Florida Atlantic. The victory was also the 100th of coach Rick Stockstill’s career.

Toledo: The Rockets led No. 5 Notre Dame 29-24 until Jack Coan’s 18-yard touchdown pass to Michael

Mayer with 1:09 remaining on September 11.

LAST TIME The teams have never met in football.

BOWL HISTORY MTSU: The Blue Raiders have been to 12 bowl games in their history, the last nine during Stockstill’s 16-year tenure.

Toledo: Head coach Jason Candle has guided the Rockets to five bowl games in six years. They played in the Bahamas Bowl in 2018.

Steakhouse

King

Nassau

TM & © 2021 Burger King Corporation.

Used under license. All rights reserved.

TM

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, December 6, 2021, PAGE 21

PAGE 22, Monday, December 6, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

ALARM OVER CRACKDOWN ON HAITIAN MIGRANTS

HAITIANS wait to cross the border between the Dominican Republic and Haiti in Dajabon, Dominican Republic, on Friday, November 19.

DAJABON, Dominican Republic Associated Press BIEN-AIMÉ St Clair frowned as the stream of older Haitian migrants pushed past him. Accused of living in the Dominican Republic illegally, they

knew they had no choice but to go back across the border to Haiti.

But St Clair, 18, hesitated.

He shouted at an immigration agent.

“Boss! Hey! I don’t know anyone there,” he yelled in Spanish, motioning toward Haiti as he stood on the

frontier that the two countries share on the island of Hispaniola.

St Clair was a child when his mother brought him to the Dominican Republic, and though his life has been hard - his mom died when he was young, his father disappeared, and he was left

alone to raise his disabled brother -- it’s the only life he has known.

And now, he was being forced to leave, like more than 31,000 people deported by the Dominican Republic to Haiti this year, more than 12,000 of them in just the past three months -- a huge spike, observers say. As the rest of the world closes its doors to Haitian migrants, the country that shares an island with Haiti also is cracking down in a way that human rights activists say hasn’t been seen in decades.

The increasing mistreatment of the country’s Haitians, they say, coincided with the rise of Luis Abinader, who took office as president in August 2020.

They accuse the government of targeting vulnerable populations, separating children from their parents and racial profiling - Haiti is overwhelmingly Black, while the majority Dominicans identify as mixed race.

Dominican authorities, they say, are not only seeking out Haitians who recently crossed illegally into the Dominican Republic, but also those who have long lived there.

“We’ve never seen this,” said William Charpantier, national coordinator for the nonprofit National Roundtable for Migration and Refugees. “The government is acting like we’re at war.”

They’ve arrested Haitians who crossed illegally into the Dominican Republic; Haitians whose Dominican work permits have expired; those born in the DR to Haitian parents but denied citizenship; even, activists say, Black Dominicans born to Dominican parents whom authorities mistake for Haitians.

Haitian officials and activists also say the government is violating laws and agreements by deporting pregnant women, separating children from parents and arresting people between 6pm and 6am.

Meanwhile, activists say hostility against Haitians is spiraling as Abinader unleashed a flurry of antiHaitian actions.

He suspended a student-visa programme for Haitians, prohibited companies from drawing more than 20 percent of their workforce from migrant workers and ordered Haitian migrants to register their whereabouts.

He announced an audit of some 220,000 people previously awarded immigration

status to determine if they still qualify, and he warned that anyone who provides transportation or housing to undocumented migrants will be fined. And he suspended pension payments owed to hundreds of former sugarcane workers - most of them Haitian.

The measures follow Abinader’s announcement in February that his administration would build a multimillion-dollar, 118mile wall along the Haitian border.

The construction has begun. Meanwhile, life has become ever more miserable for Haitians who remain in the Dominican Republic and those, like St Clair, who have been deported.

The teenager watched as the bus that dropped him off at the border pulled away, empty except for a machete, hammer and other work tools the other migrants were carrying when they were detained.

“Hey!” he yelled.

No response. St Clair clicked his tongue and sighed.

Haiti and the Dominican Republic have long had a wary and difficult relationship, stained by a 1937 massacre in which thousands of Haitians were killed under Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo.

Racism and rejection of Haitians is still palpable, with Dominicans cursing them or making disparaging comments when they see them on the street.

Still, hundreds of thousands of Haitians were believed to live in the Dominican Republic, even before many fled Haiti in recent months in the wake of a presidential assassination, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake, a severe shortage of fuel and a spike in gang-related violence and kidnappings.

“We don’t come here to take over the country.

We’re trying to survive,” said Gaetjens Thelusma of the nonprofit group We Will Save Haiti.

The government has repeatedly said it treats migrants humanely. Abinader recently told the United Nations that his country had borne the burden of dealing with the ripples of Haiti’s crises on its own, without much help from the rest of the world.

While his country has demonstrated solidarity and collaboration with Haiti and will keep doing so, he said, “I also reiterate that there is not and will never be a Dominican solution to the crisis in Haiti.”

His own ministers have

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 17 - NOON THOMAS A. ROBINSON NATIONAL STADIUM VS.

LIVE ON

Photo: Matias Delacroix/AP referred darkly to Haitians as invaders: Speaking in favor of the border wall, Dominican Migration Director Enrique García said in October that “we cannot lose our country”.

“What option do you have when you can’t handle your neighbour any longer?

Protect your house, your property and your family,” he told D’Agenda, a local TV news programme.

And in early November, Jesús Vázquez, Dominican minister of the interior and police, inaugurated the first of several dozen offices where foreigners will be required to register.

He told reporters: “The main threat that the Dominican Republic faces nowadays is Haiti, and we are called upon to defend our homeland.”

Rosemita Doreru was nine months pregnant when she was detained in early November inside a hospital in the capital of Santo Domingo. She was later deported, leaving behind three young children.

“Every day they ask me, ‘When is Mom coming home? When is Mom coming home?’” said her partner, Guens Molière.

“They cry almost daily.”

She gave birth in Haiti; Molière remains angry that officials did not let him send her a suitcase with her clothes and items for their newborn before she was deported. And he does not know what will happen next - he can’t afford the $260 that human smugglers are now charging to illegally cross pregnant women and those with young children into the Dominican Republic.

Doreru is not alone in her misery. On a recent afternoon in Dajabón, authorities deported more than 40 unaccompanied children and dozens of lactating women, said Rolbert Félicien with the nonprofit Institute of Social Wellbeing and Research. If the children’s parents or relatives are not found, they are placed in an orphanage in Haiti.

Dozens of Haitian migrants interviewed in other Dominican cities and towns accused Abinader’s administration of treating them “like dogs”.

The treatment is not reserved only for those who entered the country unlawfully; on a bustling market day in the dusty border town of Dajabon, at least one Dominican official used a stun gun on migrants who crossed the border legally to buy and sell goods.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, December 6, 2021, PAGE 23

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PAGE 24, Monday, December 6, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

CRUISE SHIP WITH COVID INFECTIONS ARRIVES IN NEW ORLEANS NEW ORLEANS Associated Press

NORWEGIAN Cruise Line ship with at least ten passengers and crew members infected with COVID-19 docked Sunday in New Orleans, where health officials said they were trying to disembark people without worsening the spread of the coronavirus illness.

Local news outlets in New Orleans confirmed the Norwegian Breakaway had arrived in the city. The ship departed New Orleans on November 28. The Louisiana Department of Health said in a late Saturday news release that over the past week, the

the company’s statement said. “Any guests who have tested positive for COVID19 will travel by personal vehicle to their personal residence or self-isolate in accommodations provided by the company.”

The state health department — which is working with the cruise line and state and local officials to contain the outbreak — said at least ten people on the ship tested positive for COVID-19. More than 3,200 people were on board the ship, officials said.

Some disembarking passengers told WVUE-TV in New Orleans that they were notified about the positive cases on the ship, while

THE NORWEGIAN Breakaway in New York in 2013. ship made stops in Belize, Honduras and Mexico.

Norwegian Cruise Line issued a statement that confirmed a “handful of COVID-19 cases among guests and crew”. The company said all of the identified cases involved people without symptoms

of the illness.

“We are testing all individuals on Norwegian Breakaway prior to disembarkation, as well as providing post-exposure and quarantine public health guidance by the (US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention),”

others said they had no idea about the outbreak until being asked about it by a reporter.

“We didn’t hear of this until we kind of heard you talking a second ago,” said Don Canole, a passenger from North Carolina. “It would have been nice to have known. We would have taken maybe a few more precautions.”

Passengers said they were tested for COVID-19 exposure on Saturday before disembarking Sunday. The cruise line also gave passengers take-home rapid tests as they left the ship, according to WVUE. Norwegian said it requires all passengers

THE WEATHER REPORT

5-Day Forecast

TODAY

ORLANDO

High: 83° F/28° C Low: 63° F/17° C

TAMPA

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

A stray afternoon t‑storm; humid

A stray thunderstorm in the evening

Mostly sunny and humid

Humid with partial sunshine

Mostly sunny and humid

Humid with sunshine

High: 82°

Low: 71°

High: 83° Low: 72°

High: 82° Low: 71°

High: 83° Low: 70°

High: 82° Low: 71°

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

AccuWeather RealFeel

90° F

73° F

93°-77° F

92°-74° F

91°-77° F

89°-72° F

tiDes For nassau High

almanac

E

ABACO

S

N

High: 79° F/26° C Low: 74° F/23° C

6‑12 knots

S

High: 83° F/28° C Low: 67° F/19° C

6‑12 knots

FT. LAUDERDALE

FREEPORT

High: 83° F/28° C Low: 69° F/21° C

S

E

W

WEST PALM BEACH

E

The higher the AccuWeather UV IndexTM number, the greater the need for eye and skin protection.

The exclusive AccuWeather RealFeel Temperature® is an index that combines the effects of temperature, wind, humidity, sunshine intensity, cloudiness, precipitation, pressure and elevation on the human body—everything that affects how warm or cold a person feels. Temperatures reflect the high and the low for the day.

N

W

uV inDex toDay

TUESDAY

W

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| Go to AccuWeather.com

TONIGHT

High: 79° F/26° C Low: 62° F/17° C

High: 81° F/27° C Low: 70° F/21° C

MIAMI

High: 83° F/28° C Low: 68° F/20° C

4‑8 knots

KEY WEST

High: 79° F/26° C Low: 70° F/21° C

ELEUTHERA

NASSAU

High: 82° F/28° C Low: 71° F/21° C

Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2021

N

Ht.(ft.)

Low

Ht.(ft.)

Today

9:02 a.m.

9:25 p.m.

3.6 2.7

2:35 a.m. ‑0.8 3:34 p.m. ‑0.5

Tuesday

9:56 a.m.

10:22 p.m.

3.5 2.6

3:30 a.m. ‑0.6 4:29 p.m. ‑0.4

Wednesday 10:52 a.m.

11:23 p.m.

3.3 2.5

4:27 a.m. ‑0.3 5:26 p.m. ‑0.2

Thursday

11:50 a.m. ‑‑‑‑‑

3.0 ‑‑‑‑‑

5:28 a.m.

6:24 p.m.

0.0 0.0

Friday

12:27 a.m.

12:49 p.m.

2.5 2.8

6:33 a.m.

7:22 p.m.

0.2 0.0

Saturday

1:31 a.m.

1:49 p.m.

2.5 2.6

7:40 a.m.

8:18 p.m.

0.4 0.1

Sunday

2:34 a.m.

2:47 p.m.

2.5 2.4

8:47 a.m.

9:11 p.m.

0.5 0.1

sun anD moon Sunrise Sunset

6:41 a.m.

5:20 p.m.

Moonrise Moonset

9:15 a.m.

7:57 p.m.

First

Full

Last

New

Dec. 10

Dec. 18

Dec. 26

Jan. 2

CAT ISLAND

E

W

High: 82° F/28° C Low: 76° F/24° C

N

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E

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6‑12 knots

S

7‑14 knots Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

Statistics are for Nassau through 1 p.m. yesterday Temperature High ................................................... 85° F/29° C Low .................................................... 70° F/21° C Normal high ....................................... 80° F/26° C Normal low ........................................ 68° F/20° C Last year’s high ................................. 82° F/28° C Last year’s low ................................... 62° F/17° C Precipitation As of 1 p.m. yesterday ................................. 0.00” Year to date ............................................... 33.37” Normal year to date ................................... 38.67”

High: 82° F/28° C Low: 75° F/24° C

and crew members to have been vaccinated against the coronavirus prior to departure. The company said no changes to scheduled future sailings on the Norwegian Breakaway are currently planned, and the ship was scheduled to depart again Sunday evening.

Cruise ships were an early source of outbreaks last year at the start of the coronavirus pandemic as some ships were rejected at ports and passengers were forced into quarantine. The CDC issued a no-sail order in March 2020, prompting a standstill that ended last June as cruise ships began to leave US ports with new health and safety requirements.

ANDROS

SAN SALVADOR

GREAT EXUMA

High: 82° F/28° C Low: 77° F/25° C

High: 82° F/28° C Low: 77° F/25° C

N

High: 82° F/28° C Low: 76° F/24° C

S

LONG ISLAND

tracking map

High: 83° F/28° C Low: 77° F/25° C

H

E

W

7‑14 knots

MAYAGUANA High: 83° F/28° C Low: 78° F/26° C

Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

CROOKED ISLAND / ACKLINS RAGGED ISLAND High: 84° F/29° C Low: 77° F/25° C

High: 83° F/28° C Low: 77° F/25° C

GREAT INAGUA High: 86° F/30° C Low: 78° F/26° C

N

E

W

E

W

N

S

S

8‑16 knots

8‑16 knots

marine Forecast ABACO ANDROS CAT ISLAND CROOKED ISLAND ELEUTHERA FREEPORT GREAT EXUMA GREAT INAGUA LONG ISLAND MAYAGUANA NASSAU RAGGED ISLAND SAN SALVADOR

Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday: Today: Tuesday:

WINDS SE at 6‑12 Knots SW at 6‑12 Knots SE at 6‑12 Knots NNE at 4‑8 Knots ESE at 7‑14 Knots SE at 7‑14 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 7‑14 Knots SSW at 6‑12 Knots SE at 6‑12 Knots N at 4‑8 Knots SE at 7‑14 Knots SE at 6‑12 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots E at 10‑20 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 6‑12 Knots SSE at 4‑8 Knots SE at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots SE at 7‑14 Knots SSE at 7‑14 Knots

WAVES 3‑5 Feet 3‑5 Feet 1‑2 Feet 0‑1 Feet 3‑6 Feet 3‑5 Feet 3‑6 Feet 3‑5 Feet 3‑6 Feet 3‑5 Feet 1‑2 Feet 0‑1 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑2 Feet 3‑5 Feet 2‑4 Feet 3‑6 Feet 3‑5 Feet 4‑8 Feet 4‑7 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑2 Feet 3‑6 Feet 3‑5 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet

VISIBILITY 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 5 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles

WATER TEMPS. 79° F 79° F 78° F 79° F 81° F 81° F 83° F 83° F 80° F 80° F 78° F 79° F 80° F 80° F 83° F 83° F 83° F 83° F 82° F 82° F 80° F 80° F 82° F 82° F 81° F 81° F