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VOLUME:118 No.11, DECEMBER 7, 2020

HO US E & 8 THE PEOPLE’S PAPER: $1

SPORTS: ‘I’D HAVE WON IF GYMS HADN’T BEEN SHUT’ PAGES

PM DELIVERS A CHRISTMAS GIFT Minnis loosens rules over holiday season and allows Midnight Mass

By TANYA SMITHCARTWRIGHT tsmith-cartwright@ tribunemedia.net AHEAD of the Christmas holidays, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis announced loosening of COVID-19 restrictions including extra shopping days for retailers, special worship services during curfew hours and social gatherings with a maximum of ten people.

And gym owners, who for months have been agitating for the green light to resume operations, can now breathe a sigh of relief as their facilities in New Providence and Abaco can

reopen today under health protocols. Dr Minnis also said the quarantine mandate for travellers from New Providence and Grand Bahama to other Family islands will be lifted today.

While he touted the strides the nation has made in beating back the second wave of COVID-19, he noted there are thousands who are still out of work and in need. As a result, the government’s unemployment and food assistance initiatives will be extended through January 2021.

He made the announcements as he told the nation the sacrifices the country SEE PAGE FOUR

BANNISTER PROMOTED TO DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis has announced the appointment of Minister of Works Desmond Bannister as deputy prime minister.

Senator Kwasi Thompson, minister of state for Grand Bahama, will also be appointed minister of state for finance.

Meanwhile, Dr Minnis said he will continue to serve as the minister of finance for the remainder of this term to advance his administration’s economic goals and to boost jobs.

He made the announcements during a national address last night as he

touted his administration’s “national success” in tackling the health challenges of COVID-19.

He said while officials were saving lives and protecting the public’s health, the government must also continue to restore the economy and stimulate jobs.

He said he will be guided by an economic team — including Financial Secretary Marlon Johnson and former Central Bank Governor Wendy Craigg — that will chart the nation’s fiscal recovery.

SEE PAGE 11

SHE FLED TO THE BAHAMAS FOR SAFETY - NOW SHE CAN’T EVEN SEE HER BABY VIOLET Acha Werengie was tortured, raped and almost killed by government troops in Cameroon.

She fled to The Bahamas to seek asylum - and has been detained for 11 months, and has been separated from her toddler. She is one of seven asylum seekers from Cameroon detained by the Immigration Department, and Human Rights Bahamas is accusing the government of illegally detaining them. See page five for the full story.

‘NO TIME TO PLAY A BLAME GAME’

By TANYA SMITHCARTWRIGHT tsmith-cartwright@ tribunemedia.net

WITH the issue of teen suicide in the national spotlight, psychiatrist Dr David Allen has given insight to parents about dealing with a child who may be experiencing mental health problems.

When dealing with such sensitive issues, Dr Allen

THE SCENE last week after the son of Romauld Ferreira MP was found dead. said this is no time to play the blame game.

He spoke to The Tribune days after the teen son of Environment Minister Romauld Ferreira was found dead in the family home, in what police say is a suspected suicide.

“That is an explosion for the family to deal with and it is an explosion for our little culture,” Dr Allen said in regards to coping with a tragedy like this.

SEE PAGE SEVEN

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PASTOR IS FOUND DEAD IN A POOL OF BLOOD

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

A MOTHER was discovered brutally murdered at a home in the Carmichael area Friday morning following a domestic dispute that also left her daughter in hospital.

The deceased victim, 69-year-old Pastor Lena Pratt, was remembered by relatives yesterday as a powerful woman of God who touched the lives of all she met.

“She was an agent of change, a caring and loving person you know and she impacted and touched the lives of many,” her niece, Victoria Knowles told The Tribune yesterday.

“She was a prayer warrior and she just was a powerful woman of God. She was a good preacher who was a people’s person and like I said, everyone who she encountered fell in love with her. She just had a loving spirit.”

SEE PAGE THREE

‘WE MUST REINVENT OUR CITY’

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

THE Downtown Nassau Partnership’s co-chair is urging stakeholders to seize the opportunity provided by cruise tourism’s absence to “reinvent the city”, adding: “The door is open for change.”

Charles Klonaris, warning that he expects to see plenty of empty retail and office spaces on Bay Street once the cruise lines return after a year-long COVIDinduced absence, told Tribune Business that the government and private sector needed to team with the cruise port developer to make it a “more attractive, liveable and environmentally friendly city”.

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

INSIGHT ‘WORST-CASE SCENARIO’ OVER OIL DRILLING

SEE PAGE EIGHT

PAGE 2, Monday, December 7, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

MAN GUNNED DOWN OUTSIDE EAST ST BUSINESS

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

A MAN became the country’s latest murder victim when he was shot dead at a business on East Street Friday night, just hours after a woman was found brutally murdered at home.

The shooting marked the third homicide that took place last week in less than 48 hours.

Speaking to reporters at the scene, Assistant Superintendent of Police Audley Peters said sometime around 9.35pm Friday, police received reports of a shooting at a business on East Street South off Soldier Road.

When officers arrived at the scene, they saw a large gathering outside the business and were directed to a man’s body lying on the ground with gunshot wounds.

Emergency Medical Services were called and pronounced him dead at the scene.

According to ASP Peters, the incident unfolded when two armed men got out of a white coloured vehicle and fired in the direction of the crowd at the establishment, fatally wounding the victim.

“He was pronounced lifeless after the Emergency Medical Services (team) would’ve examined his body. At the moment, we are awaiting the identification of the next of kin to determine his identity,” the police press liaison officer said.

ASP Peters could not say whether any other individual had received injuries

nor confirm if the victim was targeted, only telling reporters that police were still gathering information at the time.

Less than 12 hours earlier, police discovered a woman murdered at her home in the Carmichael area in what officers said was the result of a domestic dispute. Her daughter was also injured in the dispute. Police said a man was assisting their investigation into that incident.

And on Thursday, a 33-year-old man, Alfred Bastian Jr, was found shot dead outside a home in Cooper’s Terrace off Kemp Road.

ASP Peters told reporters that investigations into those incidents were still ongoing.

“As I’ve said earlier, we’re seeking out all the information so that we can correlate them and determine the root cause, the intent and motive for the reason it’s been happening,” he said.

While it is not clear how many people attended Friday’s gathering, ASP Peters admitted that police were concerned about the number of people still defying COVID-19 orders, especially considering the fact that the homicide on Friday night happened just before the 10pm curfew.

“We are concerned for a number of reasons,” he told reporters at the scene.

“One, the proximity to the point of the COVID19 Order being breached, secondly we’re concerned about the number of persons who may be at these establishments that may cause the spread of the virus itself — hampering or delaying the opening of the country which would be a detriment to the benefit of all.

“Thirdly, persons should do their part in alleviating the country’s burden with respect to this COVID-19 situation that we’re faced with.”

Asked if police are expecting an increase in crime as the holiday season approaches, ASP Peters replied: “The reality is… we don’t expect it. We are prepared for any eventuality and you would’ve heard me say earlier in the week that we would’ve deployed people strategically to address areas that we historically know would be of concern for us during this time of season.

“So, not only would we do our part, but we expect members of the public to do their part as well in particular those individual who may know of some persons to be in possession of firearms, contraband to call the police so we can do our part to prevent the senseless killing.”

Anyone with information on this latest killing or any other crime is asked to contact the Central Detective Unit on 502-9991/2, Crime Stoppers on 328TIPS (8477) or the nearest police station.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, December 7, 2020, PAGE 3

Pastor is found dead in a pool of blood from page one

The mother of two and former Abaco resident was discovered at a home on Shabbach Close off Bellot Road Friday morning. Relatives said her daughter, a Hurricane Dorian survivor, is now in stable condition.

Speaking at the scene, Assistant Superintendent of Police Audley Peters told reporters that police were alerted to the incident shortly before 10am Friday.

Upon arrival at the home, officers discovered a woman’s body lying in a pool of blood in a bathroom.

ASP Peters did not detail where the woman sustained injuries or how she was killed, only telling reporters “evidence at this time appears to be a sharp object” – suggesting she was stabbed to death.

The Tribune understands that the perpetrator is a close relative of Pastor Pratt. Police said a man is currently in custody assisting officers with their probe.

Pastor Pratt’s death has dealt a big blow to her family, who are still struggling to cope with the news.

“Everyone loved her,” her niece added. “That day was considered the saddest day in history. That’s how I would consider that day, the saddest day in history.”

Friday’s incident also shocked many residents in the Shabbach Close area, which they described as a quiet community.

Alexandria Norelus — who recently moved in the area — was visibly shaken when she recalled the frightening moment her neighbour ran to her

THE WOMAN’s body is removed from the scene on Friday and, below right, ASP Audley Peters speaks to the media. door, asking for her and her boyfriend’s help while also notifying them of her fears that her relative was dead.

Ms Norelus said she was the one who told other neighbours to call the police after being unsuccessful in her attempts to contact the relevant authorities.

“She came to the front porch pouring blood so I tried my best to assist her,” she told reporters.

“We told her to be quiet and not to say anything

LENA PRATT

but surprisingly I was very happy she came and we helped her out and she was talking so much because I told her to be quiet because her throat was sliced from here to here.”

She added: “She just was saying she needs an ambulance and she thinks her grandmother is dead because he’s still inside the house with her. I was sitting right to the front window and I told my boyfriend that someone was outside bleeding to death so he just came out and saw her bleeding and grabbed her shirt and was like trying to put pressure on the wounds.”

While lending their assistance to the victim, Ms Norelus said she and her boyfriend were almost attacked.

“As he was trying to put pressure, I looked at the other side of the window and I see (the alleged perpetrator) rushing with a black jacket pouring blood.

His face was full of blood and it just was scary. I told (my boyfriend) to ‘watch out, he coming’ and I guess he pull out the knife and tried to attack my boyfriend who was helping.

“So (my boyfriend) told him ‘stay back’. He had a knife also and told him ‘stay back, don’t come any

WOMAN TAKEN TO HOSPITAL AFTER SHOOTING A WOMAN was taken to hospital after she was shot on Saturday night.

Around 9pm, police responded to a Shot Spotter alert on Bonaby Alley off Kemp Road. On the officers’ arrival, they received information that a woman was dropping a friend home when an unknown person discharged a weapon in her direction. She was hit on her right side while seated in her vehicle, police said.

She was taken to hospital where her condition was not known up to press time.

Meanwhile a man was stabbed in Abaco during a fight yesterday. Police said shortly before 1am

Sunday, officers were called to the Marsh Harbour Clinic where a man was brought in suffering from multiple stab wounds about the body and hands.

The man, who is from New Providence, reported that he had had an argument with a man known to him that resulted in him being stabbed about his body.

He is listed in serious condition and was later airlifted to New Providence for further medical attention.

New Providence police are also investigating two armed robberies that occurred on Friday.

In the first incident, shortly before 7pm two masked men, one with a handgun, entered a business in Peardale and demanded cash. The female cashier complied with the gunman’s request. Both suspects escaped in an unknown direction.

A few minutes later, around 7.20pm, a man was standing in front of the government complex located on Windsor Lane when he was accosted by three men, one of whom was armed with a black handgun. The suspects then robbed him of cash and escaped on foot.

Investigations into these matter continue.

MAN THREATENED TO SHOOT FIANCEE’S EX

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A 30-YEAR-OLD man who threatened to shoot his fiancée’s ex-boyfriend during an argument was bound over to keep the peace for six months.

Shanton Lloyd appeared before Magistrate Samuel McKinney after he was accused of threatening to harm his fiancée’s former boyfriend on August 22.

The prosecution said

the man told police he was having a conversation with his daughter’s mother on the phone, when Lloyd came on the line and threatened to shoot and kill him. As a result of his complaint, Lloyd was arrested.

In an interview with police at the East Street South station, he admitted to being in a verbal altercation with the complainant, but denied threatening to harm him.

During the hearing, Lloyd’s counsel told

the magistrate that his client had been in a relationship with the complainant’s “baby mother”. He claimed Lloyd did not like how the man was speaking to his fiancée on the phone, so in his “act of chivalry”, he said some things in an effort to defend her.

After Lloyd pleaded guilty, he was bound over to keep the peace for six months. If he doesn’t, he could risk being fined $300 or spending one month behind bars.

further’ so I tried to get the lady up to put her inside the house so she could be safe as well and lock the door.

Two police cars came in rushing and then he just ran off and that was it.”

Ms Norelus said the entire ordeal has left her in complete shock.

In late September, a mother and her daughter were found slain at their Nassau Village home in what police said was a result of a domestic dispute. A man has since been charged in connection to that incident.

On Friday, ASP Peters urged members of the public to consider exercising conflict resolution skills when involved in a heated debate or discussion with friends or family members.

Photos: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff

PAGE 4, Monday, December 7, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

MIXED VIEWS FOR PARENTS OVER IN-SCHOOL LEARNING

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

WITH a sustained drop in COVID-19 cases over the past few weeks, some parents have expressed optimism that more schools will soon resume face-to face learning.

The Tribune spoke to several parents who said they have no reservations about their children returning to the classroom as long as the proper safety protocols are present.

Among them is Bianca Sawyer who said she is hoping that come January, the high school division of her daughter’s school offers face-to-face learning.

So far, she’s only had notice that those in the early learning division will be welcomed back to the classroom next month. Her daughter has not had the chance to have the kind of experience most children entering high school look forward to.

“I am really hoping for that,” Mrs Sawyer said regarding the restart of

in class learning. “I am in kind of a strange position because my daughter is a first-time student at (her high school) and so September would have been her first time there for seventh grade and as you know kids are excited for seventh grade. That’s high school.

That’s new beginnings and so the virtual platform — I think while they have been doing the best that they possibly can—it’s still a struggle for her because she doesn’t know anyone. She’s never met the teachers physically and just that whole adjustment of you know feeling a part of something. Not just a virtual setting, it’s a bit challenging for us. So, I am hoping that they can come back and we’re going to allow the high school kids in addition to the primary school kids (to) come back in the classroom.

“Every time you ask my daughter how is school going, she’ll say she hates it because like I said it’s virtual,” Mrs Sawyer added.

“She wants that face-toface interaction. She wants to meet people, sit and

get to know her teachers in that setting and so it’s challenging.”

The uncertainty of not knowing if in person learning will restart in January has also created anxiety about getting physically ready to attend classes.

“I am thinking in the virtual setting they don’t wear uniforms. I haven’t really gotten her uniform. If they were to come at the end of the month and say we are opening for high school kids in January that means I have to go out and do all that uniform shopping.

Get shoes, get the mask and make sure she is fully prepared so it leaves me in kind of a limbo because like I say we don’t know,” Mrs Sawyer said.

Another parent, Melanie Lewis is also eager for her first grader to get back to school. Ms Lewis’ daughter misses contact with her friends and teachers.

“She does not like the virtual at all,” Ms Lewis said. “She wants to get back to school for every reason.

She misses her friends. She said she misses the learning

experience with the teachers. She doesn’t like the virtual.”

Asked if she had any reservations about her daughter attending school, Ms Lewis said she has none.

“I want her to actually start immediately. I have no reservations because I had her in school in September face-to-face.

“I don’t have any reservations because her school did a very good job at making sure the campus is as safe as possible. They installed all of the hand sanitizer machines. They wear masks and they are doing a good job at giving them air time.

So, no, no reservations at all.”

However, Cara Hunt, a mother of two, said she thinks it’s too soon for children to return to school.

Her son is in the sixth grade.

“As much as I am eager to get my kids out of my hair and get them back into a structured school environment, I think it is much too soon,” Mrs Hunt, a Tribune journalist, said.

“At the end of the day

the safety of the kids and the safety of the teachers is what’s most important.

I prefer them to be home and safe than to try and go back early then you have infections that you have to struggle to get back under control.”

On the other hand, Anieka Hanna is anxious for her children to return to school.

“I would like for them to start as soon as possible, honestly,” she said of her son and daughter.

“Both of them want to be in school right now. I don’t think the virtual is as effective as it can be. The school is doing a good job providing the platform and the teachers are definitely engaged.

“However, it’s difficult to get the attention of kids when you’re not there.”

“Sometimes it’s distraction from another child with whatever is going on in the home that can cause the entire class to be distracted. Also, for instance in the primary school there is teacher’s aid and so if a child or two does not

understand a particular topic the aid would stay with the ones that don’t and enforce what was taught.

“With the virtual there is no teacher’s aid and it kinda slows the lessons down as well as you are still not sure who is getting it or isn’t.”

Last month Education Minster Jeff Lloyd said it was possible face-to-face learning could resume in all schools across the country before year’s end. The minister said health officials had indicated it was possible schools could safely reopen with in-person instructions amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The development came as Mr Lloyd raised concerns at the time over the fact that 30 percent of registered students were not regularly participating in virtual classes.

An emergency order issued last week said schools can operate with either virtual or face-to-face learning so long as the institution providing the latter service has been given permission from the Ministry of Education.

PM delivers a Christmas gift from page one has made during the pandemic have paid off.

“In order to celebrate Christmas and because we are doing generally well at the moment, I wish to advise you of the relaxation of a number of measures,” Dr Minnis said.

He said residents can attend traditional Christmas and watch night services after the 10pm curfew and families and friends can also get together for Christmas dinners with a maximum of ten people.

“For the Christmas season, church and religious services may be held during curfew hours, that is, after 10pm to accommodate midnight mass, watch-night services and other liturgical services,” Dr Minnis advised the nation.

“This applies to New Providence, Abaco, Grand Bahama, Exuma and Eleuthera, as other islands do not currently have evening curfews. This provision extends from December 24, 2020, up to and including January 3, 2021. For the period of December 24, 2020 up to and including January 3, 2021, social gatherings may take place with

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis during his national address yesterday.

Photo: Yontalay Bowe/BIS a maximum of ten people.”

Providence, Abaco, Exuma He said in the event and Eleuthera which are that any church requires under curfew. additional provisions to Retail operators on the appropriately celebrate islands of New Providence the Christmas season, they and Abaco will be able to should make requests to the provide services between competent authority. The the hours of 6am and 9pm requests will be given con- on Sunday, December 13 sideration with appropriate and Sunday, December 20. consultation with public These islands are still under health officials. a daily 10pm to 5am curfew These provisions apply and other public health proto the islands of New tection measures are still in

place.

On inter-island travel, Dr Minnis said: “Travellers from New Providence and Grand Bahama to the rest of the Bahamas will be required to obtain the travel visa, to complete the daily health questionnaire and take the rapid antigen test on the fifth day after their travel.

“This is the same protocol in place for international travellers to the Bahamas.

Additionally, the requirement for people travelling from Exuma to the remainder of the Bahamas to take an RT PCR test will be removed.”

He said the requirement for an RT PCR test for travellers from New Providence and Grand Bahama to the remainder of the Bahamas will remain in place.

The unemployed and furloughed will also receive extended support, he said.

“Bahamians are beginning to go back to work,” he noted. “But tens of thousands still remain unemployed and in need.

To continue to meet the needs of many of our citizens, the government will extend yet again the unemployment benefit assistance through January 2021.

“This extended unemployment benefit programme, which is funded by the government but administered by NIB, has benefited 36,959 Bahamians whose employment benefits ended after the customary 13 weeks, or who otherwise would not qualify for unemployment.”

Dr Minnis said the payouts for this programme at the end of November 2020 totaled just over $70m. The extension of the programme through the end of January, he said, will mean that tens of thousands of Bahamians will continue to get some measure of assistance until

TOTAL CASES TOTAL DEATHS

7,579 163

SUNDAY SATURDAY

NEWLY CONFIRMED CASES 0 CASES THURSDAY 9 CASES

NEW PROVIDENCE GRAND BAHAMA

FRIDAY

6 3

5 CASES

NEW PROVIDENCE

TOTAL TESTS

44,757

16 CASES

NEW PROVIDENCE GRAND BAHAMA

WEDNESDAY

8 8

6 CASES

NEW PROVIDENCE GRAND BAHAMA

4 2

5

11

CASES IN ICU

0

RECOVERED

6,003

ZERO NEW CASES ON SUNDAY THE Ministry of Health recorded 14 cases of COVID-19 between Friday and Sunday, pushing the nation’s total to 7,579.

On Saturday, nine cases were recorded: six in New Providence and three in Grand Bahama. The five cases recorded on Friday were all in New Providence. On Sunday, zero new cases were recorded. they are called back to work. The government’s food assistance plan will also be extended.

“Similarly, the government will extend its food distribution programme for the first quarter of 2021 with an allocation of another $10m to provide food assistance to the most vulnerable in our society,” he continued.

“This programme has to date provided assistance to over 100,000 Bahamians. I want again to thank

Data released last week shows that 16 cases were recorded on Thursday and six on Wednesday.

Up to press time, 12 cases were in hospital but none of the patients was in intensive care. There are 1,359 active cases while 5,998 cases have recovered to date. The country’s death toll from the virus remains at 163, with no new deaths since early November. the many businesses, civic groups and individual citizens who have given their money and their time over and over again to help support the government’s feeding programme and many other programmes.”

Under the relaxed Emergency Orders, Exuma and Eleuthera, effective today, may resume in-person church services following the health guidelines of the Bahamas Christian Council and approved by the Ministry of Health.

NO HOLIDAY CARNIVAL ALLOWED THIS YEAR THE government said a decision has been made in consultation with health officials not to allow the holiday carnival into the country this year.

The news came in a statement over the weekend dispelling “false reports” circulating on WhatsApp that operators of the annual

Christmas Carnival have received permission from the government to operate this holiday season.

“These reports are untrue,” government officials said.

“The government has not issued any permits to the operators of the carnival. The decision has been

taken, in consultation with health officials, not to allow the carnival this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the public health risks associated with large public gatherings.

“The public is encouraged to rely on official and credible sources of information.”

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, December 7, 2020, PAGE 5

RESORTS WORLD BIMINI ANNOUNCES REOPENING ON BOXING DAY RESORTS World Bimini will re-open on Saturday, December 26, joining other major hotels that plan to resume operations this month.

In a statement released on Friday, the property said thanks to its comprehensive “Safe in the Sun!” health and safety plan and the Bahamas’ Clean and

Pristine Certification programme, guests will be able to responsibly enjoy an extraordinary island escape this winter and beyond.

“Resorts World Bimini couldn’t be happier to be opening its doors once again and welcoming back our guests,” said Robert DeSalvio, president of Genting Americas East.

“Our team members have done everything under the sun to make guests’ experiences here clean, safe and fun.”

The resort’s press release said from arrival to departure, each step of a Bimini vacation has been reviewed to ensure health and safety, in keeping with the Bahamas’ Clean

and Pristine Certification programme.

“Hand-sanitizing stations are available throughout the resort and all products offered for handwashing are aligned to CDC guidelines,” resort officials said. “The Resorts World Bimini team is ready to respond if additional needs arise and the resort’s

travel partners, including Bimini Undersea, Tropic Ocean Airways and Silver Airways have stepped up their protocols to ensure that guests can arrive in Bimini and experience the resort worry-free.”

Meanwhile mega-resort Atlantis on Paradise Island has announced plans to reopen on December 10

while Cable Beach luxury resort Baha Mar will begin a phased reopening on December 17.

Stakeholders have hailed these announcements as good news for the tourism sector that has been left debilitated by travel restrictions and other protocols due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Immigration accused of illegally detaining seven asylum seekers

By LEANDRA ROLLE lrolle@tribunemedia.net HUMAN Rights Bahamas has accused the Department of Immigration of “illegally detaining” seven asylum seekers who sought to take refuge in the country after fleeing Cameroon, Central Africa due to fears of persecution.

In a statement released yesterday, the human rights watchdog called for the immediate release of the asylum seekers, noting activists intend to sue the government on their behalf “for false imprisonment, assault and battery and breaches of their constitutional rights.”

Rights Bahamas said: “Less than a week after (Immigration) Minister Elsworth Johnson insisted that the Bahamas is a ‘country of laws’, it has emerged that his Immigration Department is (allegedly) illegally detaining seven asylum seekers who fled a violent sectarian conflict in Cameroon where they were targeted as members of a minority group.

“The seven are from an English-speaking region in the northwest of that country, which since 2017 has struggled to resist forcible assimilation by the much larger French-speaking majority and government.

The struggle that so far claimed 3,000 lives and displaced more than half a million people.

“The asylum seekers have not been charged with or convicted of any crime in the Bahamas and the government has no

legal justification for holding them indefinitely, some for more than a year and a half,” the statement said.

However one of the asylum seekers was arraigned last week.

“All have been interviewed by the United Nations High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR), and are in the process of having their political refugee status officially confirmed.”

An asylum–seeker is a person who is yet to receive a decision on his/her claim for refugee status. This term could refer to someone who has not yet applied for refugee status or someone who is awaiting feedback.

Many applicants for refugee status will not be successful in attaining it, this newspaper had been previously told.

According to Rights Bahamas, the detained asylum seekers include Patrick Awara Tarh, who fled his country after many of his political colleagues were arrested and jailed; and Violet Acha Werengie, who fled Cameroon for Nigeria after being tortured, raped and almost killed by four armed government troops.

Her young child, Sama Eliana Itoh, from whom she has been separated, is also among the asylum seekers.

Others include Carine Valerie Nguesap, Anye Celestine Ngang, Ndi Tinong, and Ahmed Mbia Mambingo. They are all said to be in immigration’s custody except Ms Werengie, who is currently in “Fox Hill prison” after being arraigned in court on assault charges last week.

Other asylum seekers include Elvis Forwang and Perpetua Forwang — two siblings who are no longer detained at the Detention Centre for health reasons but remain under immigration surveillance.

Yesterday, Rights Bahamas sought to remind officials of the rights of each individual as noted in the constitution.

“The Bahamas constitution prohibits unlawful arrest and arbitrary detention; it also guarantees freedom of movement and due process for anyone detained, including access to legal representation and the right to be brought before a court of law as soon as possible and either charged with a crime, or released, “ the statement continued.

“The Bahamas became a signatory of the United Nations Convention and Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees in 1993.

The main thrust of this agreement is the principle of non-refoulement, which asserts that a refugee should not be returned to a country where they face serious threats to their life or freedom. This is now considered a core rule of customary international law.”

When contacted for comment yesterday, Attorney General Carl Bethel said he was not aware of the claims, but noted that an investigation would be launched to determine the truth of the allegations.

Attempts to reach Immigration Minister Elsworth Johnson were unsuccessful up to press time.

JAMAICAN ACCUSED OF IMPORTING COCAINE

Virtual Memorial Service For

Fred Howard Neely, 88

of Golden Gates will be held on Tuesday, December 8, 2020 at 6:30p.m. Streaming from St. Michael’s Methodist Church, Churchhill Avenue, Boyd Subdivision. Officiating will be Rev. Christopher Neely, Bishop Dr. Raymond Neilly and Rev. Dr. Philp Stubbs. Private Interment will be at Woodlawn Gardens, Soldier Road.

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net A JAMAICAN man who was accused of importing five kilos of cocaine into the Bahamas was on Friday denied bail ahead of his trial.

Dion Crooks was accused of conspiring to possess a quantity of dangerous drugs with intent to supply sometime between November 20 and December 2.

During his hearing before Magistrate Samuel McKinney, the accused was also charged with possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply, conspiracy to import dangerous drugs and importation of dangerous drugs.

On Friday, Crooks denied all of the allegations and the case was adjourned to January 19, 2021 for trial.

Due to the nature of the charges, he was denied bail and remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until his trial.

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

To advertise in The Tribune, contact 502-2394

CLOCKWISE from top left, Carine Valerie Ngue, Ahmed Mbia Mambingo, Sama Eliana Itoh, whose mother Violet Acha Werengie is in Fox Hill prison, and Patrick Awara Tarh.

Due to Government regulations with respect to COVID-19 attendance at the Graveside Service is restricted to Ten (10) family members.

He is pre-deceased by his wife: Monica Sylvia Neely nee Johnson; parents: Euphemia and Emmanuel Neely; siblings: Mervin McKinney, Eunice Albury, Arimina Cash, Leon Nimmo, and Bruce Neilly.

DION Crooks outside court on Friday.

Photo: Donovan McIntosh

His survivors include his children: Bishop Dr. Raymond (Johnique) Neilly, Engineer Wellington (Gertrude) Neely, Stephanie (Larry) McPhee, Reverend Christopher (Roslyn) Neely, Janice Nairn, Dr. Andre (Laverne) Neely; grand-children: DeAndrea (Lawrence) Lewis, Raymond (Tracee) Neilly Jr., Stefan Allen, Christopher, De’Verne and Jai Neely; great grand-children: Maia and Micah Lewis, Alicia Allen, Sierra and Raymond R Neilly III; sister-in-law: Verneka Thompson; brother-in-law: Larry (Sheila) Johnson; nieces: Patricia Hart, Winifred Colbourne, Mizpah Edgecombe, Sister Ena Albury, Myrtle Armstrong, Assoc. Pastor Charmaine Davis, Marva Thompson, Vanessa Johnson; nephews: Roland, Paul, Michael, Glen, Thomas and Asa Albury, Errol Cash, William Armstrong, Van Neilly, RiCardo, Winston and Marlon Thompson; Wayde, Kevin and Dwight Delancey; Tyrone, Troy and Garth Johnson; other relatives and friends including: Roselin Neilly, Thirza Dean, Lavarity and Judy Deveaux, Maxwell and Eve Poitier, Kenris Carey and family, Raquel Adderley, Paula Harris, Jennifer Edgecombe, Joanne Ellis, Ena Pinder, Charles Clarke, Reverend Carla Culmer and the Bahamas Conference of the Methodist Church family, Reverend Dr. Philip Stubbs and the St. Michael’s Methodist Church Family including the Men’s Fellowship, the Sanctuary Choir and the One Family Care group, Reverend Marie Neilly and the North Eleuthera Methodist Region, Pastor Wayde Higgs and the Charles Wesley Methodist Church family, Bernard and Daphne Ferguson, the Young family, the Poitier family, Harcourt Rolle and family, Dorothy Ingraham, Christine Fountain, Jacinth Taylor, Laura Roberts, Eulamae Higgs, Reginald Eldon, Pastor Charles and Ruth Lewis, Eloise Eneas and family, Maud Ferguson and family, Charles and Mary Rolle and family, Orean Cash, Donald and Doris Cash, Paul Hanna, Danny Knowles and family, Bernis and Patricia Pinder, The Watkins family, The Butlers, Henfields, Saunders and Winters families of St. Kitts Road, the Communities of Lower Bogue, Upper Bogue, Bluff, Current Island, Current, Harbour Island, the family of the late Stanley Reckley, Jennifer Palmer, and the Retired Police Officers Association; staff: Annette Bingham, Dino Fleureus.

We regret very much that it is not possible to list all the relatives and friends in this program. However, please know that we are grateful for all your thoughts, prayers, and kind words.

In lieu of flowers, we kindly ask that you make a donation in memory of Fred Neely to: St. Michael’s Methodist Church Music Ministry at Royal Bank Prince Charles Account # 057751231307, or Charles Wesley Methodist Church Building Fund at Royal Bank Harbour Island Account # 054051063304.

Due to the Current Emergency Order with respect to COVID-19 viewing for Fred Howard Neely will be at Butlers’ Funeral Homes & Crematorium, Ernest and York Streets, on Tuesday December 08, 2020 at these times from 11:00a.m. to 12:30p.m. and from 2:00p.m. to 4:00p.m.

Social Distancing and Face Masks will be enforced.

PAGE 6, Monday, December 7, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

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A glimmer of hope for the end of the year IT’S beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

People are putting up trees, decorations are going up… and the Prime Minister is doing his best Santa impersonation by delivering his own festive treat – an easing of some of the COVID19 regulations.

Let’s be clear about this, though – it would be a bad idea to ease up for Christmas if the virus was still running rampant around the country. The good news is that the number of cases continues to drop. On Friday and Saturday, just 14 cases were recorded in the country. One case is still too many, of course, and we should listen to the advice of experts such as Dr Nikkiah Forbes, who last week warned that we should not be overly confident or come to the conclusion that the disease has left the country.

It has most certainly not. Up to four in ten people can have COVID-19 and never have any symptoms – so they’re not getting tested, by and large.

But the drop in numbers is good news.

And the hopes of having a more normal Christmas – though it still won’t be quite the same – lift the spirits at the end of a very difficult year.

Churches will be allowed to have midnight mass without worrying about the curfew rules, and there will be extra shopping days for retailers.

People will be able to have gatherings with a maximum of ten people. We urge people not to push that too much – not having a gathering with ten one day, then a different ten the next, then another ten the day after. Remember to keep trying to minimise your contact as best you can so you don’t inadvertently carry the virus from one gathering to another.

Best of all, there will be extra support for the unemployed and furloughed workers. Last week’s sight of thousands of people queuing for help at an Island Luck IL Cares event was a visual demonstration of how many people remain in need. Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis has given his own helping hand, extending the unemployment benefit programme through January. The food distribution programme gets another $10m to continue for the first quarter of next year. Those who don’t need such help might make their own Christmas donation to help out as well. There are

a lot of Bahamians in need. Those of us who can help are needed by those who can’t.

It’s good news all round – but to keep it that way, we must keep wearing masks, washing our hands and keeping our distance.

It’s been a long road, and there’s a long way still to go – but at last there’s something to smile about.

Answers on detainees It was always a case of waiting for the other shoe to drop.

After the case of Douglas Ngumi, who was unlawfully detained for six and a half years, the question was always going to be who else is being unlawfully detained.

Immigration Director Clarence Russell insisted that his staff obey the law, while Immigration Minister Elsworth Johnson said “we are a country of laws”, but Fred Smith QC, who represented Mr Ngumi at court, said he has dozens more similar cases.

He challenged immigration officials to publish a list of people at the detention centre, how long they have been there, why they are detained and whether they have been taken before a court. No such list has been forthcoming.

Now Human Rights Bahamas has accused the Immigration Department of illegally detaining seven asylum seekers, who sought refuge in The Bahamas after fleeing from Cameroon.

Six are in immigration custody, with one charged last week with assault and being held in prison in Fox Hill.

The Attorney General yesterday said he was unaware of the claims, while the Immigration Minister was unavailable for comment.

We have detailed before in this newspaper cases such as Matthew Sewell, who was locked up for more than nine years without being convicted of a single crime, or Atain Takitota, who spent eight years behind bars unconstitutionally. Mr Ngumi’s case was not the first time we have seen this happen.

And if these accusations are true, then it won’t be the last. But what are we doing to stop these travesties from taking place? Answers need to be forthcoming.

Biden’s Cuba policy EDITOR, The Tribune.

UNDER President John F Kennedy, the United States placed a crippling economic embargo on communist Cuba, then led by Fidel Castro, a rabid loyalist of the USSR, in 1962 – 15 years into the geopolitical tension between the two countries dubbed the Cold War, which began in 1947.

Under the United Bahamian Party and the shrewd Sir Stafford Sands, the architect of our tourism industry, The Bahamas capitalised on Cuba’s diplomatic fallout with the Americans.

Cuba’s economic languishing had coincided with the unprecedented era of prosperity in The Bahamas, owing to the millions of Americans vacationing here.

With his historic March 2016 visit to that Caribbean island nation, former President Barak Obama became the first US president to officially visit Cuba since Calvin Coolidge did in 1928.

Obama’s visit occurred some eight months after his country had resumed diplomatic relations with Cuba – an historic move

that had thousands of Bahamians nervous.

Former Secretary of State John Kerry’s raising of the US flag over the American embassy in August of 2015 was a symbolic gesture that the frosty relations between the United States and Cuba were thawing.

Had Obama had the unfettered authority to unilaterally repeal the decades-old embargo, I believe he would’ve done so without hesitation, despite Cuba’s atrocious record in human rights and its deeply entrenched communist system.

Unfortunately for Obama, that decision lies solely with Congress.

President Donald Trump did rescind some of the agreements Obama had made with former Cuban President Raul Castro in 2017.

For Bahamians monitoring the political maneuvering between Cuba and the United States, President-elect Joe Biden’s November 3 general election victory signals a potential restart of the normalisation process begun under Obama.

Bear in mind that Biden

served as vice-president in the Obama administration. There’s ample reason to assume that Biden shares the same diplomatic viewpoints on Cuba as his former boss.

Bahamians who are celebrating Biden’s win obviously are not taking into consideration the potential negative implications of his assumed policy towards Cuba, which could entail loosening restrictions on travelling to that country for American vacationers.

Such a move could spell trouble for our tourism sector, as millions of Americans are anxious to see what a reopened Cuba has to offer.

I am not too certain that the Caribbean tourism industry is big enough to accommodate Cuba, while allowing other tourism destinations such as The Bahamas to continue flourishing as they have done since Kennedy’s 1962 announcement of a trade embargo against the Cubans.

KEVIN EVANS Freeport, Grand Bahama, December 6, 2020.

Raise taxes on property EDITOR, The Tribune.

I AM, among other things, a real estate attorney. As such I work with realtors every day. Like many realtors, I make money from high end property sales involving mostly foreigners.

Like them, I understand (although I do not overstate) the role that the high end real estate market plays in our economy.

Nor do I not fault realtors their right (like everyone else’s) to speak collectively to their economic interests.

But when a group of realtors tells you that the IMF is too left leaning in its approach to taxation on luxury properties, it is time to consider whether short-sighted and narrow self-interest is getting the better of objective judgment, common sense and patriotism.

The economic arguments in favour of low taxes on luxury property are senseless in the extreme.

Firstly, nobody comes to The Bahamas to buy property because it is cheap.

Nothing in The Bahamas is cheap, and luxury properties are certainly no exception.

By what logic should the taxes on an inherently expensive (hence ‘luxury’) item be concessionary?

Secondly, Americans,

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net Canadians and Europeans are quite accustomed to high (and strongly enforced) property taxes on high end real estate.

In my practice, I am frequently pestered by Canadian clients who are unable to get prompt tax bills sent out and fear (wrongly, as it is) that their property will be seized for non-payment.

Because of a lack of enforcement, there are at present hundreds of foreign owned luxury properties around The Bahamas with delinquent tax bills which are effectively frozen out of the market because the owner adds the cost of the outstanding tax to their asking price, alienating them both from potential buyers and from tax income.

In any sane jurisdiction (like those most buyers call home) these properties would be seized and sold for tax to new buyers, keeping the luxury property market energised and taxes coming in.

Now any student of Bahamian history knows that our elites have traditionally been masters of self-harming economic illogic (like the retailers who fight tooth and nail against higher wages,

which will end up in the pockets of their customers and ultimately themselves).

But even if there was some short term economic benefit to low taxes on luxury real estate, such benefit would only accrue to a narrow segment of the population – people like myself and high end realtors.

Meanwhile, the cost of running this country would continue to be disproportionately placed upon the poor, who ultimately pay for discounted taxes on wealth and property.

The Bahamas today is a place where taxes on consumption (which, by definition, affect the poor disproportionately) are high and rising, while taxes on income are non-existent and taxes on luxury property are absurdly low and unenforced.

The result is one of the most unequal societies in our region, while spending (contrary to a widespread misperception) is pitifully low by comparison to our wealth.

This is the root cause of crime and every other social emergency that we face.

Economically, it is both unsustainable and utterly senseless. Even the IMF can see that.

ANDREW ALLEN Nassau, December 5, 2020.

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THE TRIBUNE

Monday, December 7, 2020, PAGE 7

‘No time to play a blame game’ from page one “You have to go to prayer, you have to reach out to your other children and reach out to your family.

“A child’s suicide is a national tragedy, because when our young people see no futurity, that means that something has happened in this society that has blocked their view of hope. When a child is hurt, the society has a big hurt.”

Asked about suicidal signs, especially in a young person, Dr Allen said sometimes these warning signals are difficult to detect.

“It is very difficult to see any signs,” he explained.

“Kids can cover up anything. Kids will smile at you like everything is okay.

Sometimes you cannot trust research and just ask simple questions. When you say hello to a kid and they smile, that does not mean anything.

“You have to spend time with that kid. Loving a child means time. Sometimes no matter what you are giving that kid, if you are not putting in the time, the kid does not feel loved.”

Dr Allen and his team have been working on a

paper on suicides which is set to be released very shortly. He explained the mindset of teen suicide.

“Shame always produces blame,” he said. “This is not a time to blame. What (do) children do? They don’t blame parents. They are so kind, they always blame themselves. So they never think, ‘daddy has got a problem or mommy has got a problem,’ they say, ‘I am the problem.’

“A kid has three major needs. Safety, love and affirmation. Shame means Self Hatred Aimed at Me. Some kids feel like they are not enough and some feel rejected and unlovable. Some feel, if they are not affirmed, that they are a failure. Then they have deep, rooted shame.”

As Mr Ferreira’s child is a student, Dr Allen said he was particularly concerned about the effect the child’s apparent suicide would have on his classmates and peers.

“Some children can be really traumatised when faced with someone committing suicide,” he said.

“We have to be very careful and get to every one of his friends or people in that class because they are all traumatised. In cases like

OFFICIALS SEND CONDOLENCES TO GRIEVING FERREIRA FAMILY

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

GOVERNMENT officials on Friday extended condolences to the family of Environment Minister Romauld Ferreira after his teenage son was found dead at their home on Thursday afternoon.

Police made the discovery after 2pm that day while responding to reports of a body being found unresponsive at the Ferreira home. It is suspected the teen died by suicide.

In a press statement, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said he was deeply saddened to hear about the news, adding that he had planned to visit the family last Friday.

“As a parent, I cannot imagine the unspeakable pain that Minister Ferreira and his family are going through,” he said.

“I have spoken with Minister Ferreira a number of times and assured him of my support as a colleague and as a friend. I know that my Cabinet and parliamentary colleagues and his staff have expressed the same sentiments.”

Dr Minnis also called on the nation to join him in prayers for the family’s “healing, strength and peace” during their time of bereavement.

He added: “During Advent, we pray that the family may find comfort in the light of Christ who is our hope and our strength especially in the most difficult times. We should respect the privacy of the family during this time of loss and grief.”

His sentiments were echoed by State Minister for Disaster Preparedness Iram Lewis, who recalled his experience of losing a son several years ago.

“As a father who lost his only son in a tragic car accident, I can truly testify that I know what my colleague Romi and his wife Erica are going through. Please keep them in earnest prayer at this time. May God, the

Great Comforter, be with the family now and more than ever,” he posted on Facebook.

Progressive Liberal Party Leader Phillip “Brave” Davis also expressed his sympathy to the Ferreira family.

“I send condolences to Romauld and the Ferreira family on behalf of my wife Ann-Marie and the officers and members of the Progressive Liberal party,” he said in a statement issued on Thursday.

“I pray for the Ferreira family that they may find strength, solace and comfort in the midst of this unsettling tragedy. I ask that the nation also pray for them and respect their privacy, allowing them to grieve in private.”

Also extending condolences on behalf of the Bridge Authority Board of directors, management and staff was its acting chairman Brad McPhee. “To lose a child is something that no parent wishes to go through. We pray for the continued strength of your family and those close to you as you navigate this difficult situation.”

Queen’s College — the school Ferreira’s son attended — posted on Facebook on Friday: “As a school community and family, we come together in our time of grief and loss.

May the comfort of the Holy Spirit rest and remain with each of us.”

Outside the Ferreira home on Thursday, Assistant Superintendent of Police Audley Peters said while police suspect suicide, there were no visible signs of injury on the teen’s body.

“When they (police) arrived, they were directed to a room where they found the body of a juvenile male lying on the ground unresponsive. EMS was called in and performed CPR, however they were not successful in resuscitating the juvenile. The coroner visited the scene and the investigations into this matter continue.”

TOOL THIEF MUST PAY VICTIM BACK

By FARRAH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A MAN who stole building tools earlier this year was ordered to compensate his victim.

Police said Mark Winters, 32, stole $1,200 worth of building tools, including a skill saw and portable drill, from Ivan Thompson in May. He pleaded guilty during a hearing before Magistrate Samuel McKinney on Friday.

The court was told Mr Thompson told police unknown persons had stolen

the items out of his grey Silverado truck, which was parked at his residence. The complainant said he believed the crime was committed between May 15 and 18.

Winters was arrested a short time later and admitted to the offence.

He was fined $500 or six months at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services. Magistrate McKinney ordered him to compensate Mr Thompson $1,200 for his stolen tools.

He warned Winters if he failed to do so, he would be sentenced to an additional month in prison.

this you see the police, you see the ambulance, but you don’t see anyone going to take care of the traumatised children.

“Now what we know from our work is, when a kid is traumatised, the trauma goes into his psyche.

He might smile with you and say he is happy, but that trauma now is digging deep into his inner life.

But, eventually as he gets older and he gets under a lot of pressure, two things happen, he can act out being masochistic which is suicide, against themselves, or sadistic which is hurting others or homicide.”

Dr Allen made it clear that any family can fall victim to this type of tragedy.

“The sad thing is that this is now happening with distinguished Bahamian families as well,” he noted.

“What’s happening is happening to all of us now. So no family can think they are apart from this.

“The thing is that a father may scream at a child when he feels stressed. Or a mother may call him something and the kid gets into a rage and it might lead to masochistic, hurting themselves or sadistic behaviour, hurting others.

This is what happens.”

THE SCENE outside the Ferreira home on Thursday afternoon.

Dr Allen said in order to deal with children effectively, there has to be a “community effect” involving teachers, police, psychology, psychiatrists, social workers, churches and parents all working together.

“Working alone you are

not effective,” he said. “We have to work together. This is a clarion call to say, yes our culture is challenged.

We need each other. You cannot raise a child alone and you cannot love alone.

This is a clarion call for Bahamas to get together.

Churches, let’s get together.

Photo: Donovan McIntosh “The psychologists must get together with the psychiatrists. The psychiatrists must get together with the police. The police must get together with the teachers. The teachers must get together with the social workers. We all have to come together.”

MONDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2020

THE STORIES BEHIND THE NEWS

‘Worst-case scenario’ Questions raised as oil ship churns towards The Bahamas

THE STENA ICEMAX, which is on its way to The Bahamas to start drilling.

By FREDERICK SMITH, QC TWELVE metres. That’s how close the coastal communities of Nova Scotia, Canada came to total disaster in 2016, when a mammoth metal pipe, weighing the equivalent of 20 elephants, struck the ocean floor.

The pipe was suspended in the air from an oil drilling ship when it broke loose and came crashing down in a wreck that stretched across an area the size of three football fields.

One section made impact less than 40 feet from an undersea oil exploration wellhead.

Had that well been struck, crude oil and other highly toxic materials and gasses would have spewed forth unabated into the sea, severely impacting or even wiping out the nearby commercial fishing grounds that are the cornerstone of Nova Scotia’s local economy.

It is impossible to say just how much oil might have spilled or how long the disaster would have taken to contain. The Deepwater Horizon spill in 2010 took 87 days to stop, by which time more than 200 million gallons of oil had spewed forth into the sea, killing sea-life on a massive scale

and ruining ecosystems and economies for miles around.

“It’s much too close to a worst-case scenario happening,” Mark Butler, director of the Ecology Action Centre, said of the near miss off Nova Scotia.

A preliminary accident report blamed human error and staff inexperience.

Just one year before, the same drilling company, Stena Oil, was convicted and fined in connection with an incident that killed two workers off the coast of Australia. Clearly, Stena has not had the best safety record over the past several years.

And now, the Stena IceMAX, a vessel belonging to the same company – in fact, the very same

“worst-case scenario” ship responsible for the nearcatastrophic accident off Canada, is bearing down relentlessly upon our pristine waters.

The Bahamas Petroleum Company (BPC) says it has all the approvals it needs from Government to drill, but they don’t mention the fact that the IceMAX is not the same vessel that was extensively described in documents submitted to support their application.

In fact, BPC switched the ships a full three months after their plan received the alleged official green light, meaning that the safety procedures, protocols and specialised equipment outlined for the original ship, the West Saturn, owned by SeaDrill which received government approval, could be null and void.

How does the IceMAX, with its dubious safety record, stack up to the West Saturn? We just don’t know.

Nor, as far as we can tell, does the government. If BPC has filed an amended Environmental Impact Assessment that accounts for the ship change, they certainly have not made it public.

Meanwhile, BPC boasted to its foreign shareholders that the ship switch and other changes had brought the drilling cost down by 15 per cent. At least someone’s interests are being protected; certainly not that of The Bahamas!

So a massive, unapproved drill ship with a dubious recent safety record, which was chosen by a foreign company with an eye for saving money, is on its way to drill a very risky underwater oil well that could utterly ruin our tourism industry and the 130,000 associated jobs if something goes wrong.

There has been plenty of focus on the very serious environmental and economic risks associated with this project. After all, the Deepwater Horizon was also an exploratory well similar to the one BPC proposes to drill. That spill covered an area of the Gulf of Mexico larger than the entire Bahamas. An even partial repeat here would mean tourism, fishing, diving, all gone in a flash.

But what about the serious worker health and safety issues? As BPC’s target drill date approaches, Minister of Labour Dion Foulkes and the statutory Health and Safety Advisory Council have remained completely silent.

The Health and Safety – who will be working on at Work Act is very clear: this drill site.

Every employer active in On the subject of forThe Bahamas has a legal eign workers, the IceMAX duty to ensure the health, can hold up to 220 people. safety and welfare of their How many are currently workers. This means ensur- aboard and on their way to ing, as far as possible, that The Bahamas? How many working conditions, the of the non-crew workers handling of dangerous coming to man the drill materials and machinery itself have applied for and (for example crude oil, been granted a work permit toxic drill by-products and in accordance with the offshore drill equipment) Bahamas Immigration Act? can be undertaken with Have they each submitted as little risk to workers as a valid health certificate, possible. police report, etc, in comThere is also a legal duty pliance with the rules? to protect non-workers Has there been any who could be affected, for advertisement for their example the people of West positions through the MinAndros, from any harm. istry of Labour, or any This includes an obliga- Labour Clearance Certion on the employer to tificate issued confirming inform all those that no Bahawho may be ‘A massive, mian can do impacted by their job? Did the work of unapproved BPC make any “such aspects drill ship with a effort at all about the way during these dubious recent in which he extremely conducts his safety record, difficult ecoundertaking nomic times which was as may affect to employ as their health and chosen by a many Bahamiforeign company ans as possible safety”.

Similar obli- with an eye for on the rig? gations apply Hundreds to any and all saving money, of Bahamians is on its way to equipment with technibrought in for drill a very risky cal experience industrial use, in Freeport’s including a underwater oil industrial requirement to well that could sector have lost test such equip- utterly ruin our their jobs at the ment to ensure Grand Bahama its health and tourism industry Shipyard and safety creden- and the 130,000 many other tials. Because associated jobs industrial sites BPC’s appliand are eager cations to the if something for work. Why government do goes wrong.’ should 200 not mention foreigners be the IceMAX employed withship, its equipment or its out seeing if Bahamians are safety protocols at all, there available first? After all, is no way to tell whether this has been unshakeable the project will be under- government policy for half taken lawfully, or in serious a century. breach of the law.

And then, with so many The duty to oversee and outsiders entering the jurisenforce all of this falls to the diction, what about our Minister of Labour and the COVID-19 testing proAdvisory Council, which tocols, mandated under can also appoint inspectors. Emergency Orders? CurThe Act also mandates that rently half-way across the every place of employment Atlantic and intending to with more than 20 workers land in Freeport immimust establish a commit- nently, how will these tee for health and safety to workers be able to fulfil ensure compliance with all the obligation to undergo a of the above.

RT-PCR test administered BPC says it intends to by a medical professional, begin drilling in just over five days before entera week, yet no such inter- ing The Bahamas? After nal committee has been making their way to the announced and there is proposed drill site, how no indication that Labour will the workers undergo Minister Foulkes or his a rapid diagnostic antiAdvisory Council have gen test, administered by taken any steps whatso- a Bahamas Department of ever to fulfil their statutory Health professional, five obligations to protect the days after arrival? employees – whether they It is important to underare foreigners or Bahamian stand that these workers

will not remain isolated on the ship for the 60-day life of the proposed drill.

Rather, they will be regularly rotated with replacement teams through Nassau. It is therefore vital that they fulfil the safety protocols mandated by our PM Hubert Minnis, our Competent Authority, to the letter.

Nor is there any indication that precautions are in place to prevent these workers leaving the ship while docked in Freeport, or from moving about New Providence while waiting to be transported to or from the rig. With both Grand Bahama and Nassau finally coming out of their COVID second wave ordeals, we cannot afford to risk a superspreader event because of the IceMAX and its foreign crew.

Given its track record and the many unknowns, this Worst Case Scenario Ship could well represent a health and safety nightmare for The Bahamas.

At the very least, the way this is playing out suggests a shocking abdication of responsibility and failure by our government to enforce the laws of the land, not to mention its own health and safety protocols.

I call upon Minister of Labour Dion Foulkes, Minister of Health Renward Wells and Minister of Immigration Elsworth Johnson to report to the public on the status of their various statutory duties with regard to this ship, the foreign workers it is bringing into the jurisdiction and BPC’s proposed drill project. Unless and until all of the relevant laws are met, the vessel must not be allowed to enter the jurisdiction and should certainly not be allowed to dock at any port or begin work at the proposed drill site.

The laws of The Bahamas are not optional, they are not to be treated as a plaything by either local officials or foreign companies. The Health and Safety at Work Act, the Immigration Act, the Environmental Planning and Protection Act, all bind the Crown. Our government has no choice but to enforce these laws to their fullest extent and cannot simply waive them for anyone’s convenience – including and especially an untried rookie oil company seeking to undertake an extremely risky project with potentially massive negative consequences for all Bahamians.

EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net

INSIGHT

MONDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2020 PAGE 9 THE ISLAND Luck IL Cares giveaway on Thursday saw people queuing from as early as 5.15am for an event due to start at noon.

Photo: Donovan McIntosh

By MALCOLM STRACHAN

Warp Speed, much of the damage had been done as he was not in lockstep with the rest of the world on THOUSANDS of Baha- tightening protocols to mitimians turned out at Island gate the spread of the virus.

Luck’s food giveaway on Now, as President-elect Thursday. Boxes of food- Joe Biden is faced with the stuffs containing cereal, question of what he is going cream, sardines and other to do about it, a few things budget-friendly cupboard can be ascertained. First, we fixtures all but evaporated can glean that his primary by the event’s scheduled goal is to address the mess start time at noon. This was that is COVID-19 with the very telling of the tremen- focus of keeping Americans dous difficulties faced by safe. His request to keep Bahamians, many of whom top infectious disease spehaven’t worked since March cialist Dr Anthony Fauci on when the World Health board and as a key member Organisation declared of his COVID-19 task force COVID-19 a global health and a chief medical advisor crisis. Before the sun rose, lets us know that the US is they lined up for hours and ready to arrive to the party. still left empty-handed.

However, we’ve been at While some were grateful this party for a long time. of the gesture, The DJ has others left played our ‘We need relief disappointed favorite song but hopeful and we need it a few times to get lucky quickly. We need too many and this Thursthe drinks our resorts filled day when the are becoming event takes and downtown watered down. place again.

We need relief merchants and The govand we need restaurateurs ernment it quickly. announced providing eliteWe need our last month it level service to resorts filled would support and downtown the National our visitors who merchants and Food Dis- we hope would restaurateurs tribution providing spread the word Taskforce elite-level serby funneling and let the world vice to our another $10m know that The visitors who toward the we hope Bahamas is back second phase would spread of the initia- in business.’ the word and tive taking its let the world overall contribution up know that The Bahamas is to $26m in total. Other back in business. groups in civil society have However, we know that also been chipping in with this is not what’s going to these efforts but it’s still not happen. enough.

Another focus of the Everywhere you turn, incoming US President will you hear of the immense be to revive their economy. suffering of Bahamians.

With Congress getting It is worrisome that many close to an agreement on a of us are unable to fathom nearly trillion dollar stimuthat 2020 is not a year that lus package for Americans, we can look at in isolation. you can bet the goal is for We may be on the precipice that funding to be recirof a very incredibly difficult culated into the economy period that we unfortu- and not on vacations overnately are ill-equipped to seas – which is perhaps the navigate. best thing for their counThroughout history, try, despite where that may periods such as the Great leave us. Possibly, for all Depression, although it of 2021, we can expect to sparked great innovation, it see strong “America first” lasted for a decade inflicting policies coming out of many economic casualties Washington, DC. in its course. For its part, And as long we’re still the Great Recession lasted subject to travel advisories for a year and a half and and the optics they bring, took years after that for the our case won’t be helped US economy to regain full much. strength.

Last week, with the US A nation such as ours topping 14 million COVID which is so incredibly cases and more than 2,800 dependent on tourism could deaths in one day – the not have found itself in a highest recorded since April more difficult circumstance. - Fauci’s prudence remains It has been no small under- intact as he calls for more taking by the ministries of stringent travel advisories health and tourism, along during the upcoming Christwith the hotel sector, to pro- mas Holidays. Although duce protocols and adopt Americans were advised the technology to make it as not to travel for Thanksgivsafe as possible for tourists ing, more than nine million to visit The Bahamas. flouted the recommendaAnd with outgoing US tions given by the Centers President Donald Trump’s for Disease Control and laissez-faire attitude Prevention. towards the pandemic, the In an interview with virus has spread like wild- NBC’s “Meet the Press”, fire in our primary source Fauci said, “I think we are market. Though many still going to have to make decicredit him for Operation sions as a nation, state, city

IT’S A TOUGH TIME FOR BAHAMIANS AND IT’S NOT GETTING EASIER ANY TIME SOON and family that we are in a very difficult time, and we’re going to have to do the kinds of restrictions of things we would have liked to have done, particularly in this holiday season, because we’re entering into what’s really a precarious situation.”

Bad news for us is that this is what would typically be high season in the

hospitality industry. But a new normal is upon us I suppose.

On the bright side, President-elect Biden seems resolute in coming in and attacking the virus the way it should have been handled months ago. We just hope that until travel returns to a level we can confidently begin to climb out of these

dire straits that our citizens can still be fed and cared for.

The strain on our financial well-being and our mental and physical health cannot be overstated.

While we should still be grateful for our government showing its commitment to feed families and support Bahamians, sometimes the bureaucracy, red tape and

convoluted processes too often serve as hindrances.

Companies in the private sector going the extra mile to help our brothers and sisters in a meaningful way is something we wish to see continue. More than a wish, it is at this point, a necessity.

Getting through this together is our only solution.

PAGE 10 MONDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2020

INSIGHT

EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net

Guyana and Suriname can underpin Caricom’s sovereignty and prosperity World View

By SIR RONALD SANDERS

THE presidents of Guyana and Suriname have announced two major joint venture projects whose implementation will deepen the beneficial relations between the two countries, and could have a positive effect for the 15-nation Caribbean Community (CARICOM) of which they are members.

The projects are a bridge across the Corentyne river to link the two countries, and the construction of a US$1 billion offshore base to support huge oil discoveries in the GuyanaSuriname basin of more than 10 billion barrels of oil.

Relations between the two countries have not always been harmonious.

Land and sea territorial disputes have caused military skirmishes and tension in the past. Fortunately, successive governments of both territories were sufficiently restrained to stop short of a full-scale war – a marked difference with the other countries on the South American continent.

Peaceful resolution of disputes through negotiation and international arbitration, and active fostering of economic integration, have always been the best way forward for Guyana (formerly British Guiana) and Suriname (formerly Dutch Guiana).

Along with French Guiana, they make up what used to be known as ‘The Three Guianas’, lying next to each other on the north-eastern coast of South America.

In the foreword to the book, “Post-Colonial Trajectories in the Caribbean: The Three Guianas”, published by Routledge in 2017, I wrote: “Guyana and Suriname are more similar to each other than they are to any of the member countries of CARICOM, except Trinidad and Tobago.

Given the similarity of their resources which includes mining, agriculture, fisheries and oil, they would benefit enormously from the economic integration of their production, freedom of movement of goods and services, joint bargaining with foreign investors and the international community generally”.

I added: “If the governments of Guyana and Suriname – together with the private sectors of both countries – were to work diligently toward economic integration, the two countries could easily become a joint economic powerhouse, exporting their products globally”. In this connection, it is noteworthy that the Surinamese President, Chandrikapersad Santokhi, said that the US$1 billion offshore base

“will extend also to the private sector so that we can have a public-private partnership approach”.

In pursuing joint venture projects that will strengthen their economic integration, the governments have sensibly not ignored their one remaining territorial dispute. Having settled their maritime boundary dispute in September 2007 under an arbitration by the United Nations Tribunal on the Law of the Sea, the governments have agreed that their joint Border Commission will continue to examine ways of resolving the land border dispute over an area known as ‘the New River Triangle’.

Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali, in noting that the “future of (the two) economies is intertwined”, also stated that “Guyana and Suriname are also part of the Caribbean Community”. He did not have to do so. His deliberate inclusion of this remark to the Suriname Parliament, is an indication of the importance his government places on CARICOM. Even more indicative of Guyana’s commitment to CARICOM is President Ali’s further remark that “both states (should) take the lead in demonstrating the efficacy of regional integration”. “Together,” he said, “we can meet and fulfil a great portion of the food needs within the Caribbean community”.

President Ali is right, provided that the longstanding problem of sea and air transportation can be resolved to carry food between Suriname-Guyana and other countries in CARICOM. The regional group’s bill for the importation of food is now US$5 billion a year. It would be highly beneficial to the region’s food security and its retention of foreign exchange, if its member states could collectively devise at least a break-even financial operation for a shipping line. It is a project which Guyana and Suriname, in collaboration with Trinidad and Tobago, might consider underwriting through a portion of their oil and gas income.

Guyana and Suriname are expected to receive significant revenues in the coming years. Neither country has the absorptive capacity to utilize all the expected annual income, however free spending they might be in building physical infrastructure, increasing the wages of their workforce, and improving health and education. They should be able to dedicate a portion of their revenues to invest in CARICOM projects

‘Both states (should) take the lead in demonstrating the efficacy of regional integration... Together, we can meet and fulfil a great portion of the food needs within the Caribbean community”.

President Irfaan Ali and member states in ways that would strengthen the region, breaking its dependence on external powers and enhancing its integration.

None of this would be a give-away; it could be targeted investment in projects that provide financial returns for all the parties concerned, while accelerating development in CARICOM. In addition to food and related transportation, Suriname, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago could consider, in consultation with other CARICOM states, how they could profitably underpin energy security for the region. That profit would be measured not only in financial terms, but also in the benefits of ending reliance on external countries and strengthening the sovereignty of the region in its decision-making.

Security of regional transportation, food and energy would be three important, immediate areas for Guyana and Suriname to “take the lead in demonstrating the efficacy

of regional integration” to which President Ali referred.

The “dedicated pathway to deepen economic and social cooperation” between Guyana and Suriname should be applauded by all. Even as they pursue this path, from which both countries and their peoples will undoubtedly benefit, they should take the steps to examine how such cooperation can be extended to CARICOM. The neighbourhood in which the people of Guyana and Suriname live would be more secure, and in that regard, so would they.

• Responses and previous commentaries: www. sirronaldsanders.com The writer is Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the United States and the Organization of American States. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies at the University of London and Massey College in the University of Toronto. The views expressed are entirely his own.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, December 7, 2020, PAGE 11

Bannister promoted to Deputy Prime Minister from page one He said because of Mr Bannister’s portfolio, experience and “good counsel,” the Carmichael Road MP will also be a part of this team.

“A part of this team will be Senator Kwasi Thompson, who will be the minister of state for finance,” Dr Minnis said.

“Over the past nearly four years he has been minister of state for Grand Bahama and has promoted digital technology and training. As minister of state for finance, I have asked him to focus on the economic needs and recovery of Grand Bahama, Family Island development and the ongoing digital transformation of the Bahamas and the government.”

Dr Minnis was sworn in as minister of finance last week, replacing East Grand Bahama MP Peter Turnquest, who resigned as minister of finance and deputy prime minister amid allegations of his involvement in a “bogus loan scheme”.

Mr Turnquest has denied

MINISTER of Public Works and new Deputy Prime Miniser Desmond Bannister.

Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff the allegations and said he “I intend to work closely expects to be vindicated with the competent team of when in court. experts and professionals Last night, Mr Thompson who have been providing said he intends to focus on policy advice and administhe development and full trative support throughout recovery of Grand Bahama this administration and long and the Family Islands with before,” Mr Thompson his new portfolio. said. “This will allow the

UK GEARS UP FOR HUGE VACCINATION PLAN LONDON Associated Press SHIPMENTS of the coronavirus vaccine developed by American drugmaker Pfizer and Germany’s BioNTech were delivered yesterday in the UK in super-cold containers, two days before it goes public in an immunisation programme that is being closely watched around the world.

Around 800,000 doses of the vaccine were expected to be in place for the start of the immunisation program tomorrow, a day that Health Secretary Matt Hancock has reportedly dubbed as “V-Day,” a nod to triumphs in World War II. “To know that they are here, and we are amongst the first in the country to actually receive the vaccine and therefore the first in the world, is just amazing,” said Louise Coughlan, joint chief pharmacist at Croydon Health Services NHS Trust, just south of London.

“I’m so proud,” she said after the trust, which runs Croydon University Hospital, took delivery of the vaccine.

Last week, the UK became the first country to authorise the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine for emergency use. In trials, the vaccine was shown to have around 95% efficacy. Vaccinations will be administered starting tomorrow at around 50 hospital hubs in England.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will also begin their vaccination rollouts the same day.

Governments and health agencies around the world will be monitoring the British vaccination program, which will take months, to note its successes and failures and adjust their own plans accordingly. The US hopes to start vaccinations later this month. British regulatory authorities are also examining data on the vaccines from American

biotechnology company Moderna and AstraZenecaOxford University.

Russia on Saturday began vaccinating thousands of doctors, teachers and others at dozens of centres in Moscow with its Russianmade Sputnik V vaccine, which was approved over the summer after being tested in only a few dozen people.

The excitement in Britain, which has Europe’s highest virus-related death toll at more than 61,000, was palpable.

“Despite the huge complexities, hospitals will kickstart the first phase of the largest scale vaccination campaign in our country’s history from Tuesday,” said Professor Stephen Powis, NHS England’s national medical director.

Patients aged 80 and above who are already attending hospitals as outpatients and those being discharged after a stay in the hospital will be among the first to receive the jab.

Hospitals will also start inviting over 80s in for a vaccine shot and will work with nursing homes to book staff into vaccination clinics. Any appointments not taken up will be offered to those health workers deemed to be at the highest risk of COVID-19. Everyone who is vaccinated will need a booster jab 21 days later.

Buckingham Palace refused to comment on speculation that Queen Elizabeth II, 94, and her 99-year-old husband, Prince Philip, will soon be vaccinated and then make it public, a move that could reassure anyone nervous about getting a vaccination.

“Our goal is totally to protect every member of the population, Her Majesty, of course, as well,” Dr June Raine, chief executive of Britain’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, which authorised the vaccine, told the BBC.

TRUMP LAWYER GIULIANI CATCHES VIRUS WASHINGTON Associated Press

PRESIDENT Donald Trump said yesterday his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani has tested positive for the coronavirus, making him the latest in Trump’s inner circle to contract the disease that is now surging across the US. The 76-year-old former New York mayor has traveled extensively to

battleground states in recent days and weeks in an effort to help Trump subvert his election loss. On numerous occasions he has met with officials for hours at a time without wearing a mask.

Trump, who confirmed Giuliani’s positive test in a Sunday afternoon tweet, wished him a speedy recovery. “Get better soon Rudy, we will carry on!!!” Trump wrote.

Ministry’s work to continue without interruption. I have confidence in their work and plan to jump right in to continue implementing the robust and transparent fiscal and economic policies of the government.”

Dr Minnis said his economic team will continue to consult widely with business, labour, religious leaders and civil society.

“A core economic team will continue to meet regularly, just as public health officials have done during the pandemic,” Dr Minnis said. “The core work of this team and of my administration during the remainder of this term is job-creation and economic recovery.

“This includes structural reform, and bold ideas for diversification, the ease of doing business and the ongoing transformation toward a digital economy.

We are committed to the implementation of a number of the recommendations of the Economic Recovery Committee, including rolling out a new and more nimble domestic and foreign investment process to get more money flowing into our economy.

“The emphasis will be on projects which produce jobs and economic opportunity for all Bahamians. We must also promote new thinking, ideas and structural reform to make our tourism sector even more innovative and vibrant.

“We must utilise innovative public-private partnerships to get more Bahamians back to work.

We have already stated that we are boosting the amount of funds available to the Small Business Development Centre, including funds directed specifically for younger Bahamians and women.”

Dr Minnis said he is also appointing Nathaniel Beneby Jr as a special advisor in the Office of the Prime Minister, who will help to drive the recommendations made by the Economic Recovery Committee and to focus on the ease of doing business.

Mr Beneby was the first Bahamian to be appointed managing director and chairman of the board of Royal Bank of Canada.

“He has long standing experience in banking and has served on a number

of public and private boards,” Dr Minnis said.

He has many decades of experience.

“His core assignment is to help turn recommendations into action.”

Kenneth Kerr, co-chair of the government’s Economic Recovery Committee, also will be on this new fiscal recovery team.

Dr Minnis said the team will be augmented as necessary with individuals from across the country, including various members from the Economic Recovery Committee, such as John Delaney, chair of the Economic Advisory Committee; Christina Rolle, executive director of the Securities Commission; Patrick Ward, who has long standing experience in business and the insurance industry and noted businessman Franklyn Butler.

He said he will invite small business owners and entrepreneurs in their 20s, 30s and 40s to some of these economic recovery meetings “to offer specific and concrete suggestions on what they and their colleagues need to boost their businesses”.

SPORTS

PAGE 12, Monday, December 7, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

‘Anywhere’ Fun Run raises $30,000 LYFORD Cay International School’s (LCIS) 18th annual fun run was another tremendous success thanks to the support of LCIS families, friends and local businesses who served as corporate sponsors.

The non-profit international school met its fundraising goal for the event, with $30,000 in donations raised.

“The success of this event has not only shown the enduring generosity of our school community, but also the depth of our connectedness,” said David Mindorff, principal of LCIS. In accordance with physical distancing protocols and to ensure the safety of the community, participants were able to take part in the run anywhere they were on the island or around the world. Unlike in past years, this year’s fun run saw parents, teachers, students and friends of the school walking in their own neighbourhoods, along the beach, or even on their treadmills at home.

Participants sent in many photos and videos of themselves wearing their t-shirts and walking with their families. Submissions came from as far away as Europe.

CAC from PAGE 16 is expected to compete in next year.

Norius, who turned pro in 2018, was competing in just his second show for the year, having last appeared on stage in February in Brazil where he was fourth in the men’s classic physique pro division at the Angela Borges Fitness Cup Championships.

In the amateur segment that took place on Saturday and Sunday, Decius-Norius claimed the first medal for the Bahamas with her third place finish in her debut in the Women’s Bikini Short Class. The Bahamas also received bronze from Wellington Wallace and Kaif Young in the men’s Physique Tall Class. Fania Joseph was fifth in the Women’s Bikini, while Jason Johnson and David Dormavil were both sixth.

Dean, assisted by Tim Rolle, served as the head and assistant coaches

JACOBI BAIN from PAGE 16

Traditionally, the annual fun run takes place within the historic community of Lyford Cay where LCIS’s Lower School campus is located. Prior to the necessary health restrictions introduced earlier this year, there were plans for the run to begin at LCIS’s new Upper School campus, located just outside of the community next to St Paul’s Church.

Construction of the Upper School campus is nearing completion, and students will begin learning in the new, state-of-theart facilities in January.

All funds raised from the respectively for the team, which was accompanied

by Stubbs, the president of the Bahamas Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation, who along with executive member Brittny Hamilton, participated in the CAC Congress. Stubbs and Hamilton also served as judges.

Decius-Norius, who competed in the NPC Ultimate Grand Prix Bodybuilding and Fitness Championships last month in Florida, said she was delighted to represent the Bahamas for the first time at the CAC Championships.

“I am very proud of myself because I only worked out in my home,” said Decius-Norius, who was trained by her husband, Jimmy Norius. “I enjoyed travelling with the team for the first time in the IFBB because when I last competed, I did it in the NPC. The next time I come back, I hope to do much better.”

Wallace said he was pleased with his performance and all of the Bahamian athletes put their

Orleans in August. “I selected that school because I felt the tennis team was a great choice for me and it’s in a great city in New Orleans, so I just felt everything was just right for me.”

As a result of the COVID-19 restrictions, Bain was unable to make a trip to visit the school, but he indicated that the men’s tennis head coach Alan Green has provided him with photos of the campus.

Bain, an ambidextrous person, who plays primarily with his left hand and writes with his right, said he hopes to make his presence felt with XUL as they continue to build on their repetition as being

BETTY COLE from PAGE 16 “You couldn’t do anything but swim hard,” he said.

While the Dolphins Swim Club was based at Xavier’s, Morley said Cole also took a group of swimmers to train at St Augustine’s College in the mornings.

“She would actually come and pick me up for the morning practices and dropped me back home,” he recalled. “I had one of my fond memories sitting down in the front of the father’s house.

“In the winter days, it was dead cold and you really didn’t want to go to practice. But I could literally hear her car turning the corner from Shirley Street onto East Bay Street. I was like ‘oh, she’s here, I have to go.”

Morley shared some of those early morning

fun run will go towards the LCIS Annual Fund, which supports the cchool’s robust scholarship programme for Bahamian students and allows the school to make improvements to its facilities that benefit all students.

The school is extremely thankful for its sponsors who showed their support during what has been a challenging year.

This year’s fun run was generously sponsored by RBC Capital Markets, SunTee, RUBiS Bahamas Limited, Klonaris & Co, Nature’s Way Landscaping, Bahamas Hot Mix, Woslee Construction, Oasis

Bahamas, New Providence Development Company, New Providence Water Development Company, the Lyford Cay Club, 700 Wines & Spirits, JS Johnson, Damianos Sotheby’s International Realty, Transformations Landscape Development Ltd, Albany, Thompson Trading, and

BAHAMIAN WELLINGTON WALLACE, centre, flanked by two competitors in the men’s physique. best foot forward, even though they were limited in their training without access to the gyms.

“Other countries made concessions for their athletes, but our athletes were not allowed the same concessions, so I think that was a disadvantage for us,” he said. “Still we put our best foot forward and I felt we did well. I think we still

one of the top ranked schools in the NSSIA Gulf Regional.

“I just want to be able to go there and earn one of the top spots on the team,” Bain said.

“I’m going to try and do my best and play my best tennis.”

In speaking with coach Green, Bain said he just simply has to show up at school next year and perform as he’s done as one of the top junior players in the region.

“I feel like going to college, rather than going pro (professional) is a better option for me,” Bain said. “It’s just another stepping stone to becoming a pro. “So hopefully I can go to college and make a name for myself and then venture into the pro ranks with that experience under my belt. So I felt like playing college will only help me to enhance my game.”

His father, Bradley Bain, said the plan was always for his son

sessions with swimmers like Don and Jeff Waugh, Jimmy Lightbourn, Jimmy Blake and Owen and Chad Shepherd.

“In those days when the Dolphins had a swim meet, we had an intermission for about an hour and it was almost like it was a whole family event because you had someone barbecuing burgers,” Morley said.

“The meals were phenomenal. Everybody had a great experience. She had a way of getting the parents involved. Everybody knew exactly what they had to do and they did it.”

Morley said Cole was a “phenomenal leader,” who demanded “the respect” of everyone. “It was one of those things where no one wanted to do anything to displease her because we had so much respect for her.”

After competing in the Olympics, Morley had a chance to compete in the Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, Scotland, but unfortunately, the Bahamas

PARTICIPANTS enjoy Lyford Cay International School’s 18th annual fun run.

did excellent with the gyms being closed. If they were open, I felt we could have done better. But all in all, we’re still grateful that we could bring some medals home.”

In making his debut at the championships, he said he too was pleased with the effort.

“I feel as if we didn’t have enough time to prepare,

to play college tennis and get his education through sports.

“He has been steadfast in the development of his game and now it’s time to move his game to the next phase in his development,” said Bain, who previously coached his son, while his mother worked on his fitness level.

“He will be playing NAIA Division One with a lot of talented players. He will have an opportunity to compete against NCAA Division One players, which will help in his development.”

The elder Bain said if the younger Bain plays up to his full potential, he could earn AllAmerican status at the end of his freshman year.

In preparation for college, the elder Bain said his son will participate in a few lower level professional tennis tournaments this summer.

countries and speak 14 different languages. LCIS is the only school in The Bahamas to offer the International Baccalaureate curriculum to students from 18 months to 18 years.

Upon graduation, LCIS students move on to top colleges and universities around the world.

due to the fact that we didn’t have access to the gyms,” he reiterated. “We had to work with the little access that we had. But I think the team did very good. I want to thank the Ministry of Sports for the grant in helping us to compete in this year’s CAC and we’re looking for next year, going bigger and better and harder next year if the gyms are opened.”

Joseph said it was challenging preparing for the championships, considering the restrictions that were placed due to COVID-19.

“I wanted to compete this year, so I made an effort to try to get in the best position shape for this competition,” she said. “I thought the package that I presented was the best package, although I only just started competing last year.

“I can most certainly say that I have seen an improvement in my physique. I’m looking forward to getting some feedback from the judges to clarify or

to ascertain what it is that I can work on, I can improve to bring the look that the federation is looking for as it pertains to bikini fitness.”

As a crowd pleaser, Joseph said she felt she was more conditioned than her debut last year, despite not getting in the top three. But she said she was happy in getting her body properly prepared under the circumstances and she thanked the federation for affording her the opportunity to represent the Bahamas.

She indicated that she thoroughly enjoyed the experience this year.

Like Joseph, Dormavil said not having access to the gym to train prevented him from performing as well as he had anticipated.

“We could have done better and we have the potential to do better and we have some great athletes that we believe in, but because the gyms were closed, we had to work with what we had,” he said.

“We didn’t have any other choice.”

In the meantime, the younger Bain said he’s looking forward to graduating from high school in June.

“Things have been going good.

I’ve been hitting with one of the top tennis players in the world, Milos Raonic and Michael Major, another top junior tennis player, who is now here at the Albany Tennis Academy.”

On hitting against Raonic, a 29-year-old Canadian who stands at 6-feet, 5-inches and is ranked at No.14 in the world, Bain said he’s been in awe.

“I got with him over the summer and now he’s back here, so I’m just delighted to see how tall he is and how well he moves round the court,” Bain stated.

With no national or international tennis to participate in, Bain said he’s just delighted to have the opportunity to play some

BETTY COLE, remembered as a phenomenal leader with a keen knack for discipline, who left her mark as a pioneering basketball player, swimming coach and Girl Guides leader, passed away on Saturday. She was 92 years old and reportedly suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

Government boycotted the night before the team was scheduled to travel because of South Africa’s participation.

“I was in my prime. If I had done my time in the 100m backstroke, I could have won a silver medal,” Morley said.

“If I had beaten my time by two tenths of a second, I could have won the gold medal.”

Kelly’s House and Home.

Founded in 1962, Lyford Cay International School (LCIS) is a fully accredited international day school located in western New Providence offering an educational programme that inspires excellence.

LCIS students and staff come from 40 different

Morley left St Andrew’s School after grade eight to attend Deerfield Academy in Deerfield, Massachusetts, before he went on to swim for Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.

His daughter, Laura Morley, is currently in Indiana training for the postponed 2020 Olympics next year in Tokyo, Japan.

She graduated from Indiana University and is now

tennis at Albany and he’s looking for the day when the tournaments come back on course before he heads off to school.

“I feel it’s a perfect opportunity for me to get ready for the next level at college because I’m playing with high level tennis pros and they should be able to help me,” he said.

“I really would have liked to play in some tournaments here, but I’ve been able to stay fit by running and working out as much as I can on the tennis court,” he added.

With some time to get ready for college, Bain said he is still contemplating what major he will pursue, but it will probably be communications.

“Everything else is going good.

I’m just waiting to get to college next year and prove what I can do,” he summed up.

training with the pro team.

Andy Knowles, a 1976 Olympic swimmer who went on to coach the Bahamas team at six Olympics from 1983 to 2008, recalled the days he started working with Cole for about 40 years.

“I never did swim for her, but coached alongside her.

I have pleasant memories of her coaching days,” said Knowles, who eventually went on to form the Swift Swimming Club, which included his son, Jeremy, whom he coached at the Olympics in 2000, 2004 and 2008.

Knowles noted how after the Nassau Yacht Club programme stopped at the end of the 1960s, which involved his early competitive swim days, Cole alongside David Sumner and others started the Dolphin Swim club, which is now the oldest swim club in the Bahamas.

“Betty loved coaching children and was a strong disciplinarian, who taught her swimmers to be upright students as well as good

swimmers,” Knowles said.

“She developed many of the country’s top swimmers who represented the Bahamas well, all the way to the Olympic level, swimmers like Bruce Knowles, David Morley, Garvin Ferguson, and Tim Eneas. She was a great patriot to our country and sport and will be missed.”

The Bahamas Government eventually renamed the basketball court at Malcolm Park, the Betty Cole Basketball Park to honour her achievements as one of the first female basketball players in the country.

Having grown up in the Sears Road area, Cole helped to form the Sweet Sears Association, which was responsible for developing the park.

For a long time as a teacher at Xavier’s Roman Catholic School, Cole operated the Dolphins Swim Club where she was responsible for developing a number of local and international swimmers. May her soul rest in peace.

SPORTS

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, December 7, 2020, PAGE 13

Qatar plans for ‘complete normal’ World Cup in 2022 after vaccines

By ROB HARRIS AP Global Soccer Writer QATAR is now planning for a “complete normal” World Cup in 2022 after the rapid progress in producing vaccines for the coronavirus, the tournament CEO told The Associated Press yesterday ahead of the European qualifying draw.

Early in the pandemic that forced the cancellation of the European Championship and Olympics this year, Qatar was concerned about the long-term impact of COVID-19 on the first World Cup to be staged in the Middle East.

Across the world sports have resumed in front of limited or no crowds, but the vaccines have provided hope that crowds can return in large numbers from next year.

“The introduction of the vaccine and the rollout of the vaccine, it’s definitely good news for everybody,” 2022 World Cup chief executive Nasser Al-Khater said in an interview with the AP. “Everybody’s looking forward to going back to some sort of normalcy in life and especially in sports as well.

“We’re very hopeful and very looking forward that, by 2022, hopefully things will really be back to complete normal and looking forward to hosting the fans and having a normal and successful World Cup.” European nations today will discover their path to securing one of 13 spots in the tournament when the qualifying draw is staged at FIFA HQ in Zurich. The pandemic has prevented the event being staged in the host nation as would usually happen before a World Cup. “In the post-COVID pandemic era, we hope

NASSER al-Khater, deputysecretary general of the World Cup organising committee.

(AP) that sports will go back to normal as quickly as possible,” Al-Khater said.

The tournament isn’t just going to a new region, but being played at the end of 2022 rather than the usual June-July slot, due to the fierce summer heat in the Gulf nation.

“When the announcement was made for the World Cup to be played in November and December, obviously at that time there was a lot of feedback about the disruption to the different calendars of the leagues,” Al-Khater said.

“One thing we learned from the pandemic is that many leagues were able to adapt.”

And the months without any football during the pandemic will put into a new perspective the necessary break in the European seasons in 2022 to accommodate the World Cup. The later tournament gives more breathing space for qualifying to be completed rather than the tournament starting in about 18 months.

It also should provide a break eventually for players in the summer of 2022 after enduring a long stretch of games from around June this

A VIEW shows the Al Janoub Stadium, one of the 2022 World Cup stadiums, in Doha, Qatar. The 2022 World Cup will open with four games every day in a 12-day group stage and some matches that go into extra time will extend past midnight in Qatar. (AP) year through rescheduled events, including the Euros, and next season.

“There was always that advantage that the World Cup is taking place midseason, so players are going to be fresh and it would translate into much better football on the field of play,” Al-Khater said. “We hope that remains the same that they will have a break in the summer (of 2022).”

Last week marked 10 years since Qatar won the right to host the World Cup in a contentious FIFA vote that sparked corruption investigations into the entire bidding process.

Evidence was not found by FIFA to warrant stripping Qatar of the hosting rights.

The natural gas-rich emirate has spent tens of

SPURS BEAT ARSENAL TO STAY TOP, FANS RETURN TO ANFIELD LONDON (AP) — Fans of Premier League title challengers Liverpool and Tottenham had waited since March to watch their teams win from the stands.

They weren’t disappointed.

Spurs supporters — a maximum of 2,000 under coronavirus restrictions, and no away fans — were treated to a 2-0 win over fierce north London rival Arsenal.

It was the first Tottenham home game since fans were allowed back in stadiums in England.

The 2,000 fans at Liverpool’s Anfield home belted out the first rendition of “You’ll Never Walk Alone” at the stadium since the pandemic interrupted the previous season in March.

Liverpool responded with a 4-0 win over Wolverhampton to stay level with league leader Tottenham on points.

SPURS IN CONTROL The dependable duo of Harry Kane and Son Heung-min delivered again as Tottenham beat its old rival and stayed atop the table as it chases what would be the club’s first English league title since 1961.

First Kane played in Son to score with a curling longrange shot, and then the 28-year-old South Korean assisted Kane to score from close range just before the end of the first half.

“We’re just feeling good.

We’re both at an age now where we’re coming into maybe our prime in terms of understanding the game, understanding each other,” the 27-year-old Kane told broadcaster Sky Sports. He and Son have combined for 12 goals this season.

ANFIELD CELEBRATES Liverpool fans missed the official celebration when their club ended its long wait for the title last season, but had plenty to smile

LIVERPOOL fans applaud during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Anfield Stadium, Liverpool, England, yesterday.

(Peter Powell/Pool via AP) about in a straightforward win over Wolves.

There was a goal for Mohamed Salah after the Egyptian showed good awareness to snatch the ball away from Wolves defender Conor Coady, then a spectacular curling shot from Georginio Wijnaldum. The home crowd was treated to the rare sight of a goal from Joel Matip, the defender’s first in 14 months. Nelson Semedo’s own-goal fully extinguished Wolves’ last hopes of a comeback.

It was Liverpool’s biggest margin of victory in the EPL since beating Crystal Palace 4-0 in June. The game was effectively over before Diogo Jota, a key Liverpool forward since his arrival from Wolves, came off the bench in the 73rd to face his old club.

VARDY’S WINNER Jamie Vardy hit the winning goal in the 90th minute as Leicester stayed in the Champions League qualifying spots with a 2-1 victory over Sheffield United.

Vardy’s goal meant an end to a four-game winless

run in all competitions for Leicester. Sheffield has just one point from its first 11 league games this season.

That’s the worst start to a season by any team in EPL history and a dramatic contrast to last season, when Chris Wilder’s promoted Sheffield was a surprise mainstay in the top half of the table and challenged established clubs for a spot in European competition.

ZAHA BACK IN STYLE The fans weren’t back as Crystal Palace won 5-1 at West Bromwich Albion — the Hawthorns stadium is in an area under tighter coronavirus restrictions — but Wilfried Zaha returned triumphantly from his own encounter with the virus.

Zaha scored two goals for Palace in his first game since recovering from the coronavirus, and Christian Benteke also scored two. It was a one-sided game after a red card for West Brom’s Matheus Pereira in the 34th minute after he appeared to catch an opponent in the stomach with his boot.

billions of dollars to build hotels, a new transport system and lavish stadiums to cope with staging one of the biggest sporting events.

Qatar used the seventeam Club World Cup in December 2019 that was won by Liverpool to test footballing infrastructure.

This year’s edition, featuring Bayern Munich as European champions, has been postponed until February due to the pandemic and it’s unlikely to have an influx of supporters like last year.

Three of the eight stadiums have been completed and a fourth at Al Rayyan is due to be ready to stage the domestic Amir Cup on December 18, which is Qatar’s National Day and when the World Cup final

is due to be played in two years.

“The rest will be completed by the end of the year (2021), beginning of 2022,” Al-Khater said.

After being awarded the World Cup, the need for mass construction projects across Qatar exposed conditions for a migrant workforce that drew condemnation from rights activists and forced the nation to provide better conditions and clamp down on violations.

“The World Cup has definitely been a catalyst to looking out into workers rights and standards,” Al-Khater said. “Not everybody is going to agree with what you say, and not everybody is going to change their point of view.”

NAPOLI RENAMES STADIUM IN HONOUR OF MARADONA NAPLES, Italy (AP) — Italian club Napoli has renamed its stadium in honour of former captain Diego Maradona.

The Naples city council unanimously approved the change of name from Stadio San Paolo to Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

“Napoli is delighted about today’s decision,” the club said in a brief online statement Friday.

Maradona died last week aged 60 in his native Argentina. Fans gathered in their thousands at Napoli’s stadium to mourn him, leaving candles, flowers, pictures and notes.

In a seven-year stint at Napoli from 1984-91, Maradona led the club to its only Serie A titles in 1987 and 1990, the Italian Cup in 1987, and its only major European title, the UEFA Cup, in 1989.

The day after his death, Maradona was honoured

by Napoli at its Europa League match against HNK Rijeka when every player wore a shirt inscribed with ‘Maradona 10.’

PAGE 14, Monday, December 7, 2020

SPORTS

THE TRIBUNE

Raiders score with 5 seconds left, leave Jets winless, 31-28 EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Derek Carr threw a 46-yard touchdown pass to Henry Ruggs III with 5 seconds left, lifting the Las Vegas Raiders to a wild 31-28 victory over the still-winless New York Jets yesterday.

The Jets took a 28-24 lead with 5:34 remaining on Ty Johnson’s 1-yard touchdown and the defence came up with a big fourthdown stop that appeared to end New York’s agonising wait for its first win of the season.

But New York went three-and-out with a chance to seal it, and Carr and the Raiders had 35 seconds left for what appeared an unlikely comeback. Four plays later, Carr found Ruggs streaking downfield — beating rookie cornerback Lamar Jackson — and delivered the ball perfectly for the winning score.

The Raiders (7-5) celebrated wildly, and the deflated Jets (0-12) could only imagine what could — and maybe should — have been.

After a squib kick by Las Vegas, the Jets had one final chance but Sam Darnold’s Hail Mary throw was batted down in front of the end zone.

The lowly Jets lost their 12th straight and tied the team mark for longest overall skid, which spanned the 1995 and ‘96 seasons under Rich Kotite. New York remains on pace to join the 2008 Detroit Lions and 2017 Cleveland Browns as the only NFL teams to go 0-16.

BROWNS 41, TITANS 35 NASHVILLE, Tenn.

(AP) —The NFL’s longest active playoff drought is moving closer to an end after 18 seasons.

Baker Mayfield threw for a season-high 334 yards with all four of his touchdown passes in the first half, and the Browns scored the first 17 points before holding on to win their fourth straight.

With both chasing AFC playoff berths, the Browns looked like the team leading a division — they are second in the AFC North behind the unbeaten Pittsburgh Steelers — as they improved to 9-3 for the third time in their expansion era.

The Titans (8-4) came in leading the AFC South and left tied after the Colts beat Houston 26-20, though Tennessee still has the better division record. The Titans

Colt McCoy was far from spectacular but made key plays and avoided critical mistakes following a firsthalf interception.

Wayne Gallman rushed for 135 yards on 16 carries for New York.

LAS Vegas Raiders’ Henry Ruggs III, right, catches a touchdown during the second half against the New York Jets yesterday in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Noah K Murray) fell apart after a bad fourthdown spot on their opening drive. NFL rushing leader Derrick Henry lost his first fumble this season on the next drive.

Mayfield kept the Browns from needing the NFL’s top rushing offence in what had been expected to be a rungame showdown against the Titans and Henry. The Browns had their best-scoring half ever, leading 38-7 at halftime, topping the 35 points scored in the second half at Cincinnati in 2004.

COLTS 26, TEXANS 20 HOUSTON (AP) — Philip Rivers threw two touchdown passes in the first half and the Indianapolis defence dominated in the second half.

The Texans had a chance to take the lead with about 90 seconds left. They were at the Colts 2 when Deshaun Watson fumbled a low snap and Anthony Walker pounced on it to seal Indy’s win.

The Colts (8-4) led 24-20 at the break after Rivers threw TD passes of 21 and 39 yards. Their offence didn’t score after that, but the defence held Houston (4-8) scoreless in the second half and Justin Houston added a safety.

The safety was Indy’s third this season and the fourth of Houston’s career, tying him for the most in NFL history. Houston also had three sacks, three QB hits and forced a fumble.

Watson threw for 341 yards and ran for a score in the first half.

But he did not have a touchdown pass for the first time this season and threw an interception after not being picked off in the last six games.

DOLPHINS 19, BENGALS 7 MIAMI GARDENS, Florida (AP) — Tua Tagovailoa returned from a thumb injury that forced him to miss one game, throwing for a season-high 296 yards and a score in a game that included five ejections and a benchesclearing confrontation.

The Dolphins lost their best defender when NFL interception leader Xavien Howard was thrown out late in the first half. But they limited Cincinnati to 25 yards after halftime and finished with six sacks.

Miami ranks second in the NFL in scoring defence and has allowed 10 points in the past two weeks.

Both benches emptied in fourth quarter after Cincinnati’s Mike Thomas was flagged for a foul covering a punt. There was pushing and shoving, and Bengals safety Shawn Williams and Miami receivers DeVante Parker and Mack Hollins were ejected.

Tyler Boyd turned a short pass into a 72-yard touchdown to give the Bengals a 7-0 lead, but he was later ejected following a tussle with Howard.

The Dolphins (8-4) won for the seventh time in eight games to achieve their best 12-game record since 2003.

The Bengals (2-9-1) lost their fourth game in a row and are assured of at least nine defeats for the fifth consecutive year.

Tagovailoa improved to 4-1 as a rookie starter with seven touchdown passes and still no interceptions.

He played with the thumb on his throwing hand taped, and warmed up as the game wore on. He threw for 167 yards in the pivotal third quarter, when the Dolphins rallied from a 7-6 halftime deficit to mount three scoring drives.

VIKINGS 27, JAGUARS 24, OT MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Dan Bailey kicked a 23-yard field goal with 1:49 left in overtime for Minnesota after he missed two extra points and a 51-yard try with 13 seconds remaining in regulation.

The Jaguars (1-11) lost their 11th straight game.

Harrison Smith set up Bailey’s redo with a diving interception at the Jacksonville 46, the fourth turnover of the game by the Jaguars.

Jacksonville stayed one game ahead of the winless Jets in the overall standings, trailing New York for the top pick in the next draft.

The Vikings (6-6) kept the playoffs well within reach with their fifth win in six games after their bye despite a steady stream of gaffes.

Justin Jefferson topped the 1,000-yard mark for Minnesota just 12 games into his rookie season, finishing with nine receptions for 121 yards. Adam Thielen had eight catches for 75 yards and a score in his return from a one-game COVID-19 quarantine.

The Jaguars, who’ve had four of their last five outcomes decided by four points or less, had the edge in the unenforced error department. Mike Glennon was picked off twice and lost a fumble in the second half, as did Chris Conley, and the Jaguars had 10 penalties for 83 yards.

SAINTS 21, FALCONS 16 ATLANTA (AP) — The Saints finally gave up a touchdown but the defence stood tall at the end to preserve their ninth straight victory and clinch a playoff berth — the first team in the NFL to do so.

The Saints (10-2) clinched with Chicago’s 34-30 loss to Detroit.

Making his third straight start in place of Drew Brees, Taysom Hill threw the first two touchdown passes of his career. But his fumble deep in Atlanta territory sparked a Falcons comeback.

Atlanta drove 85 yards, the Saints, capped by Matt Ryan’s 10-yard touchdown pass to Russell Gage with 7:43 remaining. New Orleans hadn’t allowed a touchdown since the opening drive of a game against

San Francisco on November 15, a span of 14 quarters without one.

The Falcons (4-8) got the ball back and again pushed deep into New Orleans territory. On second-and-2 at the Saints 13, Todd Gurley was stuffed for no gain.

He got the ball again on third down, trying a sweep around the left end, but Demario Davis caught him for a 7-yard loss. The Falcons threw incomplete into the end zone on fourth down.

PACKERS 30, EAGLES 16 GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Aaron Jones rushed for 130 yards and delivered a game-clinching 77-yard touchdown run with 2:36 left.

Aaron Rodgers connected with Davante Adams on two of his three touchdown passes and reached a couple of career milestones to help Green Bay (9-3) hand the Eagles (3-8-1) their fourth consecutive loss. Kingsley Keke had two of the Packers’ seven sacks.

Green Bay owned a 23-3 lead in the fourth quarter when the Eagles scored two touchdowns in a span of just over a minute.

Rookie quarterback Jalen Hurts, who took over for an ineffective Carson Wentz midway through the third quarter, started it by throwing a 32-yard touchdown pass to Greg Ward on fourth-and-18. Jalen Reagor then delivered a 73-yard punt return to cut the lead to 23-16 with 6:30 left, though Jake Elliott missed the extra point.

The Eagles forced a second straight three-andout, but couldn’t move the ball and punted. That’s when Jones put away the game.

Rodgers, who went 25 of 34 for 295 yards, increased his career touchdown passes to 400, the seventh NFL player to join that fraternity. The others are Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, Brett Favre, Dan Marino and Philip Rivers.

GIANTS 17, SEAHAWKS 12 SEATTLE (AP) — Alfred Morris scored a pair of third-quarter touchdowns and the New York defence shut down Russell Wilson and one of the top offences in the league.

Double-digit underdogs, the Giants (5-7) handed Seattle (8-4) its first home loss of the season, sent the NFC West race into some mayhem, and kept their spot on top of the NFC East for another week.

Following its 0-5 start, New York has won five of its past seven, the last four in a row. New York had been close in tight losses to Tampa Bay and the Rams, but picked the perfect time to get its first victory over a team with a winning record.

And the Giants did it with starting quarterback Daniel Jones (hamstring) a spectator after getting hurt last week against Cincinnati.

RAMS 38, CARDINALS 28 GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP ) — Jared Goff threw for 351 yards, Darrell Henderson ran for a crucial 38-yard touchdown and the Rams moved into a tie for the NFC West lead with Seattle. The Rams (8-4) have won three of four.

Los Angeles had a 24-14 lead early in the fourth quarter and looked like it was going to pull away until Nsimba Webster fumbled on a punt return. The Cardinals quickly turned the mistake into a touchdown on Kenyan Drake’s 4-yard run that pulled Arizona within 24-21.

The Rams responded as Henderson sliced through Arizona’s defense untouched for the 38-yard score that pushed it to 31-21.

The Cardinals (6-6) have lost three straight and four of their past five. Secondyear Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray had an inconsistent game, completing 21 of 39 passes for 173 yards and three touchdowns. He also lost a fumble midway through the fourth and threw a pick-6 to LA’s Troy Hill, who ran it back 35 yards for a 38-21 lead.

PATRIOTS 45, CHARGERS 0 INGLEWOOD, Calif.

(AP) — Cam Newton ran for two touchdowns and the Patriots scored two TDs on special teams.

Gunner Olszewski took Ty Long’s punt 70 yards up the right sideline early in the second quarter, putting New England ahead 14-0. The Patriots’ second special teams score came on the last play of the first half, when Devin McCourty returned a blocked fieldgoal attempt 44 yards.

Newton has four games this season with multiple rushing touchdowns, breaking the league record for a quarterback. He had three such games in 2011, an achievement he shared with five others, and has 10 in his career, three more than any other QB. Newton’s 1-yard dive on the game’s opening drive and a 2-yard keeper up the middle in the second quarter gave him 11 rushing scores on the year. His most in a season is 14 as a rookie with the Carolina Panthers in 2011.

The Patriots (6-6) have won two straight and four of five to get back into playoff contention in the AFC. Los Angeles (3-9) suffered the worst loss in franchise history, eclipsing a 49-6 defeat to Kansas City in 1964. It was the first time since 2014 the Chargers were shut out.

LIONS 34, BEARS 30 CHICAGO (AP) — The Lions won their first game under interim coach Darrell Bevell, rallying to beat the slumping Bears.

Adrian Peterson scored from the 5 after Romeo Okwara strip-sacked Mitchell Trubisky with about two minutes left, capping a big comeback. Matthew Stafford threw for 402 yards and three touchdowns for the Lions (5-7), who came away with a wild win following a major shakeup after a Thanksgiving loss to Houston. They fired general manager Bob Quinn and coach Matt Patricia while elevating Bevell, their offensive coordinator.

Detroit trailed 30-20 early in the fourth period after Trubisky threw an 11-yard touchdown to Cole Kmet on a bootleg. Chicago’s Bilal Nichols then intercepted a short pass intended for Jesse James.

But the Lions turned things around down the stretch, sending the Bears (5-7) to their sixth straight loss.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, December 7, 2020, PAGE 15

SPORTS PAGE 16

MONDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2020

Bodybuilders: Closure of gyms hampered our progress at CAC

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

ad the local gyms reopened before they left for Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, professional bodybuilder Jimmy Norius felt he would have been in a better position to win the title at the Central American and Caribbean Bodybuilding Championships.

For the first time this weekend, due to the fact that there were limited events staged because of the coronavirus pandemic, the amateurs and professionals competed over the weekend at the CAC Championships.

Norius, the only Bahamian pro to travel with the six-member amateur team to compete in the championships, got second in the Classic Men’s Bodybuilding.

He was the smallest competitor in his group on stage, but he rocked the spectators with his performance as he collected a certificate of achievement from the Elite Pro IFBB and a small cheque to enjoy Christmas.

H

“The guys who I went up against were top of the line, very impressive,” said Norius following his competition on Sunday.

“It was more competitive than the show in Brazil. I noticed that one guy who competed in Brazil, got third and I second. The guy who got first deserved it.

“But I had a good routine, good support system and the show was rough.

I didn’t have access to the gym like I wanted, but I just made use of what I had at home. Even though I came as a pro athlete, I was able to piggyback off of the amateurs. Nardo (Dean) came in the back and he encouraged me to press and Joel (Stubbs) encouraged me.”

However, Norius’ comments cemented those of the other competitors, who felt that the closure of the gyms in the Bahamas hampered their progress.

The 45-year-old Norius, whose wife Serena Salius Decius-Norius was a part of the amateur team, said he will now take the rest of the year off and try to develop more mass so that he can be better prepared for the next show that he

SEE PAGE 12

PRO bodybuilder Jimmy Norius and his wife, Serena Salius Decius-Norius, on stage at the Central American and Caribbean Bodybuilding Championships in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

NFL

PAGE 14

BETTY COLE DIES AT 92

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net BETTY Cole, remembered as a phenomenal leader with a keen knack for discipline, who left her mark as a pioneering basketball player, swimming coach and Girl Guides leader, passed away on Saturday.

She was 92 years old and reportedly suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

One of her top swimmers David Morley, who went on to represent the Bahamas at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, California, called her a phenomenal woman, whom he started swimming for at the age of seven to 20 in the 1970s.

“She was remarkable. I wouldn’t want to call her a mentor because she was really like a parent to me,” he said. “She made me become a better person.

“She always made sure you knew right from wrong and when it was time to swim, she sent everybody in the pool and believe it or not, when she said get into the pool, everybody got into the pool. Nobody lingered, nobody jerked around or anything. It was like game time.”

Those practice sessions transcended to the swim meets where Morley said when Cole instructed them to “swim hard,” everybody went out and did just that.

SEE PAGE 12

Junior tennis ace Jacobi Bain can’t wait to enrol at Xavier University

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net JACOBI Bain, one of the Bahamas’ top junior tennis players, has signed his official letters to attend Xavier University of Louisiana.

Bain, 17, is in his senior year at Albany Tennis Academy and Windsor School. But he said he can’t wait to enrol in the private historically black Roman Catholic university in New

SEE PAGE 12

JACOBI BAIN, of the Bahamas, has signed his official letters to attend Xavier University of Louisiana.’