12162021 NEWS AND SPORT

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THE GREAT RETURN

Airport to be swamped with arrival of 6,000 passengers on Saturday

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE Bahamas’ major aviation gateway is confident it can escape another debt default waiver as it readies for “numbers we’ve not seen for two years” with 6,100 arrivals anticipated this Saturday.

Vernice Walkine, the Nassau Airport Development Company’s (NAD) president and chief executive, yesterday told Tribune Business that the strong tourism and aviation traffic rebound meant the airport operator is optimistic it will not have to negotiate further relief from investors who hold $345.157m of its long-term debt.

NAD’s just-released 2021

annual report warned that the Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) operator would likely still be in breach of the debt service coverage ratio it agreed with lenders, who financed its redevelopment some 12 years ago, at end-June 2022 and would thus need to obtain another “waiver” from this condition to avoid a potential debt default.

However, Ms Walkine said NAD had revised its financial forecasts and projections based on The Bahamas’ stronger-thanexpected tourism and aviation rebound, and now “didn’t anticipate” requiring an extension of the existing waiver when it expires on June 30 next year.

THANKS, FOLKS

- SEE PAGE EIGHT

SIX MORE DEATHS BLAMED ON COVID COVID-19 deaths have increased by six, bringing the overall count to 714.

According to the Ministry of Health’s December 14 dashboard, the six people all died between August 30 and November 7.

The deceased were residents of New Providence and Eleuthera. Thirty-six other deaths are under investigation.

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

CARNIVAL LEFT TO WAIT ON APPROVAL DECISION HEALTH officials were still in meetings last night and up to press time no decision had been made on a new application from operators of the Christmas Carnival who are still seeking to open despite being denied permission by the Ministry of Health last week.

The Tribune understands the Ministry of Health and Wellness’ advisory committee was still awaiting advice from the Office of the Attorney General on certain matters yesterday and was expected to continue deliberating after receiving the information.

SEE PAGE FOUR

BOB’S GOING AGAINST TIDE

BY OPENING BRANCHES

On Tuesday, Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville said the advisory committee had certain matters to take into consideration when it deliberated over the issue.

He described the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) as the “guardians for events of this nature”.

“The EOC has certain protocols that they take into consideration; it’s a team of experts, medical experts as well as people in the community,” he replied when asked why other SEE PAGE TWO

FRONT PORCH: ONGOING STRUGGLE TO EMANCIPATE COLONISED MINDS

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

MISS Universe Bahamas Chantel O’Brian waves from her motorcade as she returns home after reaching the top ten of the Miss Universe competition. See PAGE THREE for more.

Photo: Donavan McIntosh/Tribune Staff

NURSES’ CONCERN AT HOSPITAL SECURITY

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS Nurses Union president Amancha Williams says one nurse was injured and others have been left mentally shaken after a fight broke out between patients in the Emergency Department of Princess Margaret Hospital.

She said patients also witnessed the “scary” incident and were pushed and thrown around in the

AMANCHA WILLIAMS confusion.

Speaking to The Tribune yesterday, the union president questioned the

whereabouts of security officers during the incident, adding: “The security wasn’t there.”

Ms Williams said not only does security at the hospital need to be beefed up, but the same is also needed at community clinics.

She said that about two months ago a shooting incident occurred at Elizabeth Estates prompting the people involved to run to the nearby clinic.

SEE PAGE THREE

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

THE Bank of The Bahamas yesterday revealed it plans to buck the industry’s downsizing trend by opening two new branch locations on New Providence by September 2022.

Managing director Kenrick Brathwaite said it will establish a physical presence on JFK Drive “by the six-legged roundabout” as well as a location at the One West Business Park on Windsor Field Road in western New Providence.

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

STATESIDE - TIS THE SEASON TO KEEP ON WORRYING

- SEE PAGE NINE

PAGE 2, Thursday, December 16, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

CARNIVAL LEFT TO WAIT ON APPROVAL DECISION What 'doing more' could look like.

A CARNIVAL ride set up - but with no approval yet for the event. from page one

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events have been allowed.

“Multiple events have gone through the EOC and I stand by the EOC. They are a well-structured body and for us because we have removed so many factors as it relates COVID-19. The only control or mechanism of control we have is to really address gatherings with large numbers and protocols must be put in place to prevent the possibility of a super spreader event.”

Meanwhile yesterday Progressive Liberal Party Chairman and Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell released a letter dated October 16, 2018 showing that the Ministry of Finance had given approval to the treasurer of the Free National Movement for the importation of equipment for that year’s carnival.

He said the letter was evidence of the “hypocrisy and double standards employed

when it comes to judging the PLP and the FNM.” He also said: “The FNM can get away with murder, but the establishment in this country will jump with forensic enthusiasm at every little nonsense with the PLP and make up lurid stories from a nothing burger.”

This comes after Free National Movement Senator Maxine Seymour tabled a letter in the Senate on Monday that showed the Ministry of Finance gave the Progressive Liberal Party temporary approval to import “equipment, apparatus, trailers and supplies” for the Christmas Carnival event.

Political insiders have said it is not unusual for the two major political parties to partner with the carnival operator to bring the event into the country as a party fundraising event which The Tribune has reported in its coverage of the story this week.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, December 16, 2021, PAGE 3 MISS Bahamas Universe Chantel O’Brian waving during her motorcade after reaching the top ten in the international Miss Universe contest.

Photos: Moise Amisial

Welcome back, you did the nation proud

By TANYA SMITHCARTWRIGHT tsmith-cartwright@ tribunemedia.net TOURISM Minister Chester Cooper revealed yesterday that Miss Bahamas Universe Chantel O’Brian will be offered a job at his ministry starting Monday.

The announcement came at a press conference at Fusion Superflex, shortly after the beauty queen returned home from Eilat, Israel, where she placed in the top ten as a contestant in the Miss Universe pageant.

Mr Cooper said the job offered to the beauty queen by his ministry will be full time with full pay while still affording her the opportunity to carry out her pageantry duties.

“It is my distinct pleasure, as Minister of Tourism and a representative of the government of The Bahamas, to announce that on Monday, Chantel will be offered a full role with the Ministry of Tourism,” Mr Cooper said. “Full time and full pay.

“You will be able to continue to do your work in

MISS Universe Bahamas Chantel O’Brian receives a gift from Jamaal Rolle, The Celebrity Artist and Tribune cartoonist, pictured alongside Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper.

Photo: Donavan McIntosh/Tribune Staff pageantry and you will help us to continue to grow and prosper our country.

“This is a proud moment for all of us. We continue to do it in grand style.

It is my distinct pleasure to welcome Chantel O’Brian home, from her historic achievement at the Miss Universe pageant in Israel. Chantel is a young woman who exemplifies

determination and stepping out on faith.”

He said it was not only Ms O’Brian’s beauty that brought her success on the international stage, but also her hard work.

“In her we see not only beauty, but hard work, charm, grace, charisma and all that personifies the Bahamian woman,” Mr Cooper said. “You are an

inspiration for the Bahamian people, especially women and girls. I encourage you therefore, to use your platform boldly and fearlessly.

“You have not only demonstrated that to us, but you have demonstrated your courage to the world.

You have worked to build yourself and your brand to an international level and

standard.

“You have also showed us that perseverance pays off, especially in the face of great adversity. Chantel’s story is a touching one.

One which I can relate to coming from humble beginnings in Englerston.”

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg said Ms O’Brian’s success at Miss Universe has

nudged his ministry to form a National Consul of Pageantry.

“We all sat this weekend, from the preliminary on Friday evening and on the stage on Sunday night and watched as you wowed the world and even the universe,” Mr Bowleg said.

“We cheered loudly and we do so now again today in your presence.

“Beyond today, beyond the crown, the light and the big stage, our commitment is to ensure that pageantry in The Bahamas stays at a level and continues to soar.

“This will happen through regulation and good policies beginning with the formation of a National Consul of Pageantry.”

He also said to Ms O’Brian: “Your accomplishments, as I am sure you will know, are amazing and transformative.

“We applaud and commend you on all that you have achieved. I am certain that all Bahamians join me in saying that we do not wish to see the success end here today.”

NURSES’ CONCERN AT HOSPITAL SECURITY from page one

Nurses there at the time received no assistance despite there being a police station nearby, the BNU president claimed.

In a statement earlier this week, the Public Hospitals Authority said a patient was arrested after he attacked another patient at PMH on Saturday. The statement said no other patients or hospital staff were physically injured as a result of the incident and that two knives were recovered.

The attacker was restrained by Emergency Department staff, Royal Bahamas Defence Force officers deployed to the Emergency Department and hospital security officers, PHA said.

“This is the festive season and the country is open, so we have to beef up the security in Accident and Emergency to ensure the safety of the nurses when we are accepting gunshot wounds and stab wounds and all those stuff,” Ms Williams said yesterday.

“The main problem was that there was no security there. So, it was the nurses who were struggling and

the porters struggling to assist in that big commotion at A&E and so we have been asking that security is there at all the locations.

“We have been having a security challenge at the clinics also because we had a shootout in Elizabeth Estates about two months ago roughly and after they got shot they ran to the clinic and security couldn’t defend them and the police station is right across the road. Still, no one came to assist the nurses. So, we asked that the commodore and the commissioner of police and PHA look at this.

“We have security firms in the hospital that are being paid out of the PHA purse in addition to the police and Royal Bahamas Police Force.”

Speaking about the recent incident at PMH, she said: “One nurse was injured and everybody else was psychologically affected and the patients also witnessed and were pushed and thrown around you know throughout the area.

“That was scary. This is not the first incident for us. More severe incidents have happened before. This is ongoing

and traumatising us and if anything happens, we don’t have no insurance to cover us and so that puts up a red flag.

“The nurses say they ain’t working where there is no security and you can’t just have security there to look in people bags.”

Asked about the matter on Tuesday, National Security Minister Wayne Munroe told reporters the government does not anticipate placing additional defence force officers at public clinics and hospitals at this time.

He said the Public

Hospitals Authority has the responsibility for ensuring security at its facilities.

When asked about possible increased security at public hospitals and clinics, Mr Munroe said the incident showed that even the presence of a static guard does not mean people will not act violently.

“That should tell you that even if you have a static guard that’s not a guarantee that people won’t act unlawfully. In terms of manpower to put static guards at every clinic that is something that is not anticipated at the moment,” he said.

PAGE 4, Thursday, December 16, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

‘Only open schools when safety measures in place’

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

Health officials also reported that 21 new cases were recorded on Tuesday. The country has had 22,971 confirmed coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic. However only 406 cases are currently active.

At last report, 21 people were in hospital with the virus.

be at the forefront of all considerations and decisions being taken in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr Ugarte added the opening and closing in-person school activities have been addressed by PAHO/ WHO through guidelines, but also a part of a comprehensive set of public health social distancing measures.

“There is a specific document that details how these measures can be implemented considering the different epidemiological local situation, but also what is the capacity of responding to increase in the number of cases and taking into account, of course, the emergence of variants,” he said.

“For instance, (in) a situation (where) there is a community transmission with limited additional capacity to respond, childcare services, primary and secondary schools may remain open with adequate safety and surveillance measures in place as long as the local context allows,” he said.

“But in situations when there is an uncontrolled epidemic, where in that case it is situation level four with limited or no additional system response capacity, all individuals, including fully vaccinated, partially vaccinated, or recovered individuals should stay at home and limit physical contact with people outside the household and that is the situation also, of course,

A PAN American Health Organization official has said the organisation does not recommend using vaccine supplies for booster shots at this time, saying the doses should be used to increase vaccination coverage.

The statement from Dr Jarvis Barbosa, assistant director of PAHO, came after The Bahamas rolled

out its COVID-19 vaccine booster programme about two weeks ago.

He said it was important to recognise the effort that The Bahamas and many other countries are making to increase people’s access to COVID-19 vaccines.

More than 151,000 people have been vaccinated in The Bahamas.

However, on the issue of

AS public schools prepare to reopen for hybrid instruction with face-to-face learning next month, a Pan American Health Organization official said this can be done once adequate safety and health measures are in place.

However, the PAHO representative suggested officials must be quick to adapt to changing situations during the pandemic, such as a surge in cases, adding that suppressing cases should be a priority.

In a press briefing yesterday, Dr Ciro Ugarte, director of health emergencies, stated the position the World Health Organization (WHO), PAHO, and many countries have adopted. He explained that continuity of education for children for their overall well-being, health and safety should

SIX MORE DEATHS BLAMED ON COVID from page one

DIRECTOR of health emergencies Dr Ciro Ugarte. for schools.

“Therefore, we consider the decision of The Bahamas to resume in person learning seems to reflect the consolidation of the collective learning process that we have been going through these past two years, but we trust that educational institutions are fit to ensure adequate ventilation, to maintain physical distancing and to allow hand

hygiene.

“Protocols for use of masks are also developed and implemented and arrangements are in place between the health and education authority for the early detection and management of cases in school settings as well as the identification and follow up of the contacts. There are many criteria I’d like to highlight and in countries

where there is intense community transmission in settings where physical distancing cannot be achieved.

There are certain additional recommendations, including the use of masks in the schools that must be implemented.”

Although PAHO/WHO offers technical guidance for safe in person learning, the “utmost priority” for national and local

authorities should remain the suppression of transmission, said Dr Ugarte.

“This obviously implies the complex decision-making processes including the implication related to continuing or interrupting the in-person learning. So the safety of the children, the teachers... but also the entire community is at stake. So those decisions must be carefully taken.”

PAHO OFFICIAL: DON’T USE DOSES FOR BOOSTERS NOW a third booster shot, he said: “It’s much more important to use these doses to increase the coverage.”

He also said: “Following the recommendation that PAHO has made, it’s very important to increase the coverage in the population and to make the third dose for that group that... are 60 or older and for any people that are

immunocompromised.”

Earlier this month, the Ministry of Health rolled out the first phase of its COVID-19 booster shot campaign for people 60 and older. On Monday, boosters were made available for everyone over the age of 18.

Those who received Pfizer or AstraZeneca second doses six months ago and the Johnson & Johnson one-shot jab two months ago are eligible for a booster shot.

Yesterday, another PAHO official said the group has never recommended PCR, antigen or any other test requirement to enter a country regardless of the variants that are circulating.

Dr Jairo Andres Mendez Rico made the revelation yesterday when asked for PAHO’s opinion about some countries not asking for a negative PCR or vaccination card for travellers considering a new variant of concern.

Dr Rico said the tests are not foolproof and may give a false sense of security.

“PAHO, we have never recommended PCR or antigen or any other test requirement to enter a country regardless of the variants that are circulating. This is not an efficient measure even with very sensitive techniques such as a PCR negative test may be seen in a person even though this person may be

infected at a time in the infection where the virus is incubation and so it has non-detectable levels. So a negative result prior to a travel does not preclude that person is infected by the time the person reaches their destination.

In addition, there can be a sense of false security that will lead (to) relaxing public health measures and therefore public health efforts should be focused on implementing public health measures on concern such as physical distancing.”

His words come after Dr Darville announced on Tuesday that some new testing rules at the border may come soon.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, December 16, 2021, PAGE 5

Disputes probed over staff dismissed by Minnis govt

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net LABOUR Director Robert Farquharson says the Department of Labour is reviewing trade disputes related to 65 employees of Urban Renewal in Grand Bahama who were dismissed under the Minnis administration.

“There were 65 employees of Urban Renewal in Grand Bahama who were dismissed by the previous administration and they filed trade disputes,” he said yesterday.

“Those trade disputes were before the director of labour and... are being reviewed to make a determination. Those persons were fired by the government of The Bahamas and they claimed wrongful

dismissal and unfair dismissal. In my capacity as director of labour, I was reviewing the file to see if they have a valid claim.

Those matters are also before the Industrial Tribunal. Because they are before the Industrial Tribunal, I cannot comment on those.

Those matters are presently being investigated.”

Mr Farquharson declined to comment on unconfirmed reports that the government is about to pay hundreds of thousands to the workers to settle their claims. Labour Minister Keith Bell also declined to comment.

Mr Farquharson said on average, his department receives hundreds of new trade disputes each week, adding they persist regardless of which party is in

power.

Free National Movement leader Michael Pintard said on Tuesday his party may take legal action on behalf of supporters who have lost their jobs or had their contracts cancelled after the Davis administration came to power.

“We are going to put together the actual figures,” Mr Pintard said.

“Our intention is to write to the substantive minister.

We wish to have a gradual approach, first give the ministries an opportunity to correct what is happening and then, of course, to speak with the Prime Minister. We have already started those discussions, and then (we will) take other actions which, in the fullest of time, we will be prepared to announce.”

ROBERT FARQUHARSON

MINISTRY INSISTS: THERE HAS BEEN NO ATTACK ON ANY PUBLIC SERVANT

By KHRISNA RUSSELL Tribune Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

IN the face of claims that some island administrators were being victimised, the ministry with responsibility for local government has said no public servant has been attacked.

In a press statement yesterday, the Ministry of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Family Island Affairs confirmed it was aware of concerns from Family Island administrators who were recently redeployed to other ministries/departments within the public service.

While noting there was a recent restructure at the Department of Local Government, the ministry said it was not unusual for there to be reassignments.

The statement was released in response to inquiries by The Tribune regarding four permanent and pensionable island administrators who were of the view that despite

their job status in the public service, they were being victimised.

One of several administrators told this newspaper this was “curious” because some contract workers had not been redeployed or reassigned.

“It should be noted that they were not dismissed,” the statement from the ministry said yesterday.

“In an effort to ensure that officers are strategically positioned to gain the maximum benefit from their skills, talent and services, the public service occasionally reorganises its ministries and departments.

“The recent restructuring of the Department of Local Government in relation to the movement of Family Island administrators, is not an unusual exercise and should not be deduced as an attack on any public servant.

“All Family Island administrators that were redeployed to other government agencies would have received official letters

and should they have any concerns, they may follow the procedures established within the public service.”

On the condition of anonymity yesterday, an administrator confirmed that a letter of reassignment was received, but no explanation was given for the decision.

What’s more frustrating was that another administrator who was subject to scrutiny due to the handling of funds in a district did not face reassignment, the official claimed.

“We all have years of experience in the public service and so after completing two full years in the capacity understudying and working in the capacity of Family Island administrators, the public service approved us, gave us our appointment letters and because we are long time civil servants those letters were really promotions,” the administrator said.

“We had challenges with the top officials in the department.”

The official believes this made them targets in this situation.

“There were just a number of instances leading up to this as to why we believe we are being victimised,” the administrator said.

The administrator said they were also shocked to learn that the decision to redeploy them did not come from the Cabinet.

The source said officials at the new assignment were unaware of what role she would play there, adding: “He said I will likely have to be redeployed because they don’t have anything for me to do there.

“What we are saying is you didn’t redeploy the contract workers.

You didn’t redeploy those who are not qualified, so why are you redeploying us?

“Everyone knows when the government changes and there are cuts to be made, the contract workers go first. You never touch the paid and pensionable workers,” the administrator said.

BTC HELPING SPREAD CHRISTMAS CHEER BTC HAS announced its corporate donations to 18 organisations for the holidays to help them to spread Christmas cheer to families across the Bahamas.

Among the organisations are five children’s homes and eight groups committed to feeding those in need.

BTC CEO Andre Foster said: “The magic of Christmas includes giving back to the communities that we have the pleasure of serving all year round. This year, each department was asked to choose an organisation that the company should provide a Christmas donation to, and I couldn’t be happier with the choices.”

BTC provided donations to the Kiwanis clubs, in New Providence, Grand Bahama and South Eleuthera. Each branch will host an initiative to provide meals for families in need.

Others receiving donations include Great Commission Ministries, which operates shelters for the homeless, a feeding centre, food bank, and a drug rehabilitation programme. BTC has been a partner of Great Commission for the last four years providing monthly donations and assistance.

In Exuma, BTC provided a donation to the Cancer Society which will help to assist residents needing treatment. A donation was also provided for the elderly residents at the South Andros Senior Citizen Home.

Additionally, a donation was provided to the Crisis

Centre and FOAM in honor of its recently implemented Gender-Based Violence policy, as BTC is committed to do everything in its power to educate, prevent, protect and support against Gender-Based Violence, not just in the company but within the community.

The Crisis Centre provides a 24-hour hotline, crisis counselling and a wide range of advocacy outreach. FOAM provides

support to families affected by murder.

The donation to Bishop Lawrence Rolle will support his feeding ministries, which provides relief to thousands of residents on a weekly basis. The Bahamas Association for the Physically Disabled supports parents of disabled and special needs children.

The Bahamas Red Cross and The Salvation Army are also supported, and

BTC is a long-standing partner of both.

The five children’s homes receiving donations are The Old Bight Mission Home in Cat Island, The Grand Bahama Children’s Home, The Nazareth Centre, The Ranfurly Home and the Simpson Penn Centre for Boys. The donations will go towards the purchase of Christmas gifts and a Christmas meal for the children.

PAGE 6, Thursday, December 16, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

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A glimpse of sunshine at last WITH every cloud, there comes a silver lining – but what a cloud we’ve been living under.

The scale of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been much talked about, but it’s when you see the actual numbers stacking up that it really comes into perspective.

In today’s Tribune Business section, we report that the losses suffered by the Nassau Airport Development Company (NAD) rose to $37.396m for the year to the end of June – an increase of more than eight-fold.

The previous losses were $4.449m.

That’s a high loss on its own, you would think, but it is a tiny amount in comparison.

It doesn’t take a genius to see that those kind of losses are unsustainable in the long term, but they come because of one reason, and one reason alone – people stopped travelling.

The world shut down because of COVID. Even when restrictions started to lift, it became a gamble for tourists to take a trip with the possibility of new rules coming into place that might affect their trip.

Only recently, we have seen the new variant omicron bringing a shutdown of flights to a number of African countries as the world chose caution first.

So those are the dangers – and the losses that come with them.

But where is the silver lining?

Well, this Saturday the airport is ready for “numbers we’ve not seen for two years”, with 6,100 people expected to arrive in one day alone.

It’s been a long, tough road for the airport as it weathered increasing debts, but Vernice Walkine says that the rebound in traffic and tourism should

be enough for it not to have to negotiate for a waiver over its debts.

It’s possibly even better yet, with Ms Walkine saying she is “almost afraid to say out loud” how strong passenger projections are in the near-term.

We hope for her sake, for the airport’s sake, for all our sakes that those projections turn out to be true.

Perhaps then we won’t be worrying about that cloud so much – but the sunshine that lies ahead.

Victimisation I poke you in the eye, then you poke me in the eye. That’s almost how it feels hearing that the Department of Labour is now reviewing trade disputes related to 65 employees of Urban Renewal in Grand Bahama who were dismissed under the Minnis administration.

This comes hot on the heels of the FNM saying they might take legal action on behalf of those who have lost their jobs or had contracts cancelled by the Davis administration.

Can we expect another round again if the FNM gets back into power in five years?

Who is right? Who is wrong? Either way there is partisan finger-pointing, all while people’s jobs and lives are pulled this way and that in the middle.

Even aside from those involved, how can government ever expect to hire the best the country has to offer if there is a feeling that job might only last until the next administration comes in and then off you go.

As Gandhi is reported to have said, an eye for an eye will leave the whole world blind.

McAlpine hoodwinked by voters EDITOR, The Tribune.

I RECENTLY came across a Facebook post by a former Free National Movement (FNM) MP in which this individual was mocked by a slew of rude commenters.

I took keen notice of one of the commenters who suggested that the ousted MP should’ve used his voice to speak up for Bahamians while Dr Hubert Minnis was Prime Minister. I think the person was being disingenuous.

One only has to look at former FNM MP Frederick McAlpine in Pineridge.

McAlpine and three other FNM MPs opposed the Minnis administration’s 60 percent increase in VAT in 2018.

For his role in the rebellion, the former Pineridge MP was stripped of his chairmanship post in the Hotel Corporation.

Between 2018-2021,

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McAlpine would prove to be a perennial thorn in the side of Minnis and certain elements within the FNM clique.

McAlpine’s opposition was enthusiastically encouraged by thousands of disgruntled voters, especially in his Pineridge constituency.

This was evident by the massive crowd of well wishers who showed up at the Grand Bahama International Airport after news broke of his dismissal from the Hotel Corporation.

Judging by the massive support he received then, I can see why the McAlpine camp assumed he would’ve been re-elected to Parliament.

At least this was what many in Pineridge insinuated.

Hindsight being 20/20, we can now confidently state, based on the September 16 general election results, that Pineridge voters hoodwinked McAlpine.

As an independent candidate, McAlpine faced an uphill battle in retaining Pineridge.

And to think that so many hundreds of voters cheered him on in his one-man crusade against Minnis. It was all for nought, other than getting his 15 minutes of fame.

McAlpine may have been motivated by this group of disgruntled voters who never had any intentions of supporting him at the polls, despite all the chatter about moving away from the FNM and Progressive Liberal Party (PLP).

Current MPs, on both sides of the political aisle, should take note of Pineridge.

The rift between McAlpine and the FNM hierarchy made for good, wholesome entertainment.

Disgruntled voters got a kick out of McAlpine harassing Minnis in Parliament during his contributions. He sacrificed his seat for this group; and they rewarded him by voting for the PLP. Such is the nature of our political system, in which hardworking MPs are let down by fickle voters.

I cannot point to one substantial accomplishment that came out of the McAlpine rift, other than it paving the way for Ginger Moxey to cruise to an easy win in Pineridge.

The fall of McAlpine in Pineridge is further evidence that The Bahamas is a two-party state.

KEVIN EVANS Freeport, Grand Bahama December 15, 2021.

A changing world and The Bahamas EDITOR, The Tribune.

THE world is changing rapidly and the way forward for countries like The Bahamas needs to be reinvented. As a nation, we are impacted by global warming and need to find ways to both protect and take advantage of this challenge.

A growing component of global warming is the regulation, trading and investing of carbon credits, a topic well discussed at the latest Climate Change Conference in Glasgow. The world needs to see a reduction in global carbon emissions from 36 billion tons to roughly 18 billion in 2030 to keep global warming under control.

An important component of this reduction is the movement of capital into projects that reduce or remove carbon emissions.

Almost every major business in the world will be impacted in some fashion by carbon credits. If you pollute, you will need to find offsetting green projects that give you carbon credits to offset your pollution.

At the UN conference in Glasgow, countries agreed on rules and guidelines for

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net carbon markets. Defining exactly what qualifies as a carbon credit is difficult and the Institute of International Finance has sponsored a group to help create standards.

As a country, The Bahamas will always find it difficult to get funding from other countries for climate related investments. Most countries have strong political reasons for allocating capital based on things like access to resources, or other geopolitical issues. Rather than trying to convince countries to give funds, The Bahamas should band together with other low emission and climate vulnerable countries to create a framework that encourages companies, rather than countries, to provide that capital.

One way to do this would be a push to get global institutions to agree that every dollar invested in a carbon credit in a vulnerable low emission country is worth two dollars invested in a less vulnerable high emission country (or some

higher multiple). If a company can be incentivised to invest, it will, provided the projects are certified, have some element of public/private cooperation, and meet the standards set out for carbon credits. It would be easier to convince foreign governments to establish incentives for investments than to invest themselves.

Some of the best carbon credit projects are related to forests and solar fields.

Examples of carbon credits focused on forestry can be found at ncx.com, forestlandgroup.com and pachama.com. Why can’t The Bahamas create global recognised carbon credit projects for solar facilities around the country as well as the re-forestation of Abaco, Andros and Grand Bahama? It can, and should.

If a framework was in place that qualifies these projects as carbon credits, and there was a system in place that incentivised companies to invest, we could find new sources of funding for worthy projects throughout the country.

MARK HOLOWESKO Nassau, December 15, 2021.

Lunatics are still running the asylum EDITOR, The Tribune.

REFERENCE my letter dated 25/03/2021 captioned The Lunatics are running the asylum. This is just to say that they are still running it. Arbitrary and capricious are words that seem to be synonymous with the Immigration modus operandi. When I wrote in March, Immigration had just, and without notice, changed the public parking lot, east of its Hawkins Hill office, into Employee’s Only parking, and offered public parking at the bottom of the hill for anyone with the stamina to walk up the hill to conduct

any business they had with the department. I am still wondering how the disabled access works for people in hand powered wheel chairs.

But it’s a new day now, and today because of a glitch in the e-services web site, I took my housekeeper down to lodge the application and pay the $200.00 fee. After dropping her off and as I turned around to leave, I could see her walking away from the Sentry Booth and I enquired as to what happened. “He say you need an appointment to get in now”! Incredulous, I asked how one could make an appointment. The Sentry wrote out a number

on a tiny piece of paper and I called the number from my cell phone. The usual sweet talk reception, ending with call your parties extension if you know it, or select from the following options: Now wait for it - four options are given, but not a single one says anything about making an appointment for anything. Nothing on the website, I certainly have never seen any notice in the press to that effect.

No printed sign, even at the Sentry station. They must think we are clairvoyant!

MONKEEDOO Nassau, December 15, 2021.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, December 16, 2021, PAGE 7

$2.5M TRIAL FOR WOMAN ACCUSED OF DEFRAUDING CABLE BAHAMAS ADJOURNED

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

A MAGISTRATE yesterday adjourned the trial of a woman who was accused of stealing from and defrauding Cable Bahamas of more than $2.5m over a 12-month period.

Precious Moxey-Miller is currently on trial before Magistrate Kendra Kelly in relation to 161 fraudrelated charges for her alleged actions between January 2018 and February 2019.

The charges included counts of falsification of accounts, uttering a forged

document, fraud by false pretences and stealing by reason of service.

Yesterday, three witnesses were scheduled to give evidence at the trial’s opening, however, they were unable to after MoxeyMiller’s attorney, Bjorn Ferguson raised the issue that certain documents, namely the C13 customs forms, which formed the basis of the case, were not in his possession.

However, prosecutor Sgt Vernon Pyfrom insisted the documents were handed over to him, sparking a back-and-forth between the two.

DISCHARGE AFTER STEALING CAR PART

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

A 31-YEAR-OLD man who admitted to stealing a car part from a woman’s vehicle last year was granted an absolute discharge yesterday.

Reno McDonald was arrested after he stole the front grill from Lazell Strachan’s Honda Accord last March. Prosecutor Sgt Vernon Pyfrom told the court on March 15, 2020, that Strachan reported to police she was at her home when an unknown man stole a grill from her car, estimated cost $52.99.

An investigation was launched and resulted in the accused being arrested.

While being interviewed by police, McDonald admitted the offence.

During his second appearance before Magistrate Kendra Kelly yesterday, he pleaded guilty to the charge.

In mitigation, McDonald’s attorney told the court the accused was under the influence of alcohol during the time of the incident and was extremely remorseful for his actions. He said the accused was approached by several people who bribed him with liquor, got him drunk and took him to Ms Strachan’s residence.

His lawyer noted that while he was under the influence, the people in question ordered him to steal the item from the car.

However, his lawyer said that on later realising what had happened, he returned the items to Ms Strachan, which was confirmed by the prosecution. “He is very remorseful. I can assure the court that it will never happen again,” the attorney said.

Magistrate Kelly granted McDonald an absolute discharge.

However, she reminded him stealing was a serious offence that could result in imprisonment and also warned him to never repeat the behaviour again.

Also appearing before court on similar offences were Mitch Moss, 25, and 19-year-old Cruz Johnson.

During their hearing before Magistrate Kelly, the two admitted to dishonestly receiving an iPhone worth $519, belonging to Walliscia McKinney on November 27. Moss also pleaded guilty to unlawful possession after police found several iPhones in his possession which were suspected to have been stolen.

The court was told that

on that day, a woman reported to police that sometime around 4.15am, her car was broken into by an unknown person while parked on Rosetta Street.

The prosecution said the woman later discovered that she and her friend’s phones were missing.

Sometime later, officers arrested Moss and took him to the Quakoo Street Police Station. During his interview with police, the accused told officers he had purchased the phones from a man known to him.

He said one of the phones found in his possession was given to him by a man named “Cruz”, to whom he took the phone in hopes of getting it unlocked.

Moss told the court he repaired cell phones for a living and explained an acquaintance brought him several phones that were locked which he later bought.

He said he did not know the phones were stolen.

However, in response, Magistrate Kelly said she could not accept his guilty pleas based on his claims of not knowing the items were stolen. But, Moss maintained his guilty pleas, which prompted Magistrate Kelly to ask if he either knew or suspected the items were stolen.

Moss later said he knew the phones were locked, but Magistrate Kelly interjected and asked him: “What does it mean when the phone is locked?”

The accused replied: “That means it’s someone else’s own.”

After listening to his explanation, Magistrate Kelly subsequently fined Moss $2,500 for receiving and $500 for unlawful possession, adding that she found his behaviour completely unacceptable.

The magistrate also gave him until the end of the month to make his first payment of $1,000.

Moss was also told that failure to pay the fines for the receiving charge will result in one year in prison and five months for unlawful possession.

Meanwhile, as it relates to Johnson, Magistrate Kelly granted him a conditional discharge provided he completes 150 hours of community service.

Magistrate Kelly made the ruling after Johnson’s attorney begged the court for leniency, noting the offence was a minor one.

She also said Johnson, a business owner, was remorseful for his actions.

MAN ‘PANICKED’ AND GAVE WRONG NAME

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

A 24-YEAR-OLD man who gave police the wrong name earlier this week was yesterday ordered to complete 100 hours of community service to avoid spending a month behind bars.

Police arrested Terry Higgs after he intentionally deceived an officer by giving him a false name on December 13. Higgs admitted the offence before Magistrate Kendra Kelly.

Prosecutor Vernon Pyfrom told the court that officers in Marshall Road stopped a red Nissan Cube.

Police asked the driver his name, which he replied was “Terrance Higgs”.

However, officers later discovered his real name

was Terry Higgs and arrested him and took him to the police station where he denied the offence.

Higgs told the court he gave officers the wrong name out of panic.

He said after officers pulled his vehicle over, they “rushed” at him with guns and positioned a gun at his chest. “I panicked and ended up giving them the wrong name,” he said.

The 24-year-old said he was sorry and begged the court for mercy, saying the incident was his first run in with the law. Magistrate Kelly told him to be truthful going forward and granted him conditional discharge once he completed 100 hours of community service.

She warned if he didn’t do the service, he risked spending a month in prison.

Intervening on the matter, Magistrate Kelly told the attorney she had written in her notes from earlier this month that several documents, including the customs forms, were handed over to the defence team.

However, Mr Ferguson insisted the documents he and his team received were only Excel spreadsheets and audit reports.

He also told the court that “this was not a game”, suggesting that the prosecution was not taking the case seriously. He also conceded that his client’s personal life was in “shambles” due

to the serious offences of which she is charged.

When asked by the magistrate if he had the documents present, prosecutor Pyfrom replied that he did.

As a result, Magistrate Kelly asked the attorneys to meet on January 28, 2022, for disclosure where all documents will be presented to the relevant parties before the court and the trial was also adjourned to March 21 and 22, 2022.

Officers allege that between January 2018 and February 2019, MoxeyMiller stole over $480,000 from Cable Bahamas,

which she had custody of by reason of service.

It is further alleged that between those same dates, she obtained a total of $1,321,510.17 from Cable Bahamas Limited located on Old Trail Road by means of false pretences.

She is also accused of uttering several false Bahamas customs forms and making numerous false entries on the forms, purporting to show the bill of lading was consigned to Cable Bahamas knowing the information to be false.

Among the additional charges, the 34-year-old is accused of fraudulently

obtaining from Cable Bahamas Ltd a Royal Bank of Canada cheque in the amount of $90,569.53 on February 15, 2019.

She is also accused of stealing $38,618.24 from the company, which she had custody of by reason of her service that same day.

Prosecutors allege the accused also made false entries on a Bahamas Customs Department C13 form that she was required to maintain on February 26, 2019.

However, Moxey-Miller has denied the allegations.

She is also represented by attorney Tony Scriven.

SPEND $500 ON ANOTHER MAN’S CARD? PAY UP $5,000

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net A 22-YEAR-OLD man who admitted purchasing over $500 worth of items using another man’s bank card was fined over $5,000 yesterday.

Steven Allen, Jr, was before Magistrate Kendra Kelly charged with several fraud-related matters after he used Chevron Rolle’s stolen debit card to obtain clothing valued at $514.94 from Shein and $70.95 worth of mobile top-up from BTC on November 24.

Allen also tried to obtain another $185.99 worth of clothing from Shein and $19.44 worth of service from Kraven Food and Beverage that same day.

In addition he attempted

to purchase goods from Apple valued at $41.66 and obtain $6.65 worth of top-up from ETop-Up online November 25.

The 22-year-old is also accused of unlawful possession after he was found with two Scotiabank debit Mastercards in the name of Anna C Hanna and Eric M Storr on December 13 which officers believe were stolen.

Prosecutor Sgt Vernon Pyfrom told the court that around 10.30 am on November 24, Rolle reported to police he had received notifications from his bank regarding two transactions he did not make. The man subsequently froze the card but an hour later, was alerted to another purchase. This prompted him to check to

see if his debit card was in his possession and discovered it was missing.

The court was told that police, armed with a warrant, searched Allen’s home where they found two debit bank cards in the closet.

Allen was arrested, cautioned and taken to the police station where he admitted to the offences.

Yesterday, Allen pleaded guilty to three counts of fraud, four counts of attempted fraud and two counts of unlawful possession. He told the court he was sorry and asked for leniency, adding he was willing to reimburse Rolle for the stolen funds.

Asked how he got Rolle’s card in his possession, Allen said he found the man’s wallet in the road.

As for the other cards in his home, the accused said they came into his possession after he was involved with an argument with a man known to him who he claimed owed him money.

In an effort to get his funds back, Allen told the court he made an attempt to take the man’s wallet which resulted in several cards falling on the ground.

“He picked up the cards but it was probably the same two cards that he didn’t end up seeing that were probably under the car,” he said.

After accepting Allen’s guilty plea, Magistrate Kelly fined him $5,600 and also ordered him to pay $585.89 as compensation to Rolle. He was told that failure to comply will result in two years in prison.

PAGE 8, Thursday, December 16, 2021 “The most important area of domination [is] the mental universe of the colonised, the control, through culture, of how people perceive themselves and their relationship to the world.”

Jason Hickel AMONG the lasting and pernicious achievements of imperialism is the pervasive colonisation of the minds and hearts of the colonized even after the independence of former colonies.

The mental universe of arguably most Bahamians is so thoroughly colonised that many cannot even begin to fathom why we should become a republic. We are mostly smug and blind to how toadying we seem to other nations because of our fetishisation and mimicry of most things foreign, especially that of the United States.

The minds and world views of many Bahamians are still dominated by a certain intellectual hegemony, including a tragic racial calculus, namely, an entrenched belief in the racial superiority of the white colonial powers and the inferiority of blacks.

A friend remembers walking into Princess Margaret Hospital, overwhelmed by a large photograph of a young Princess Margaret. It was a sort of iconography that reinforced the power and prestige of the former colonial masters.

Imagine walking into PMH, renamed the Milo Butler Hospital, with a statue and/or photograph of this giant of Bahamian political liberation and national life.

Statues, paintings and the names on buildings reveal the sensibilities, aspirations and history of a people. They demonstrate a sense of pride and celebration of one’s culture.

Sir Winston Churchill

was an extraordinary figure new sense of who we are as a in World War II, deserving people and a country. of praise for his leadership in that monumental strug- HOW WE VIEW OURSELVES gle. He was also a vicious Sadly, today, many racist and dedicated impe- Bahamians are still more rialist, who deemed black concerned with how forand brown people inher- eigners view them than they ently inferior. are about how they should Here is vintage Church- proudly portray themselves ill: “I do not admit that the and our varied and unique dog in the manger has the Bahamian identities. final right to the manger, There are still many though he may have lain people of African origin in there for a very long time our country on the plantaI do not admit that right. I tion, afraid to leave master’s do not admit for instance so-called protection, afraid that a great wrong has been of mentally liberating themdone to the Red Indians selves, incapable of new of America or the black and fuller identities. people of Australia.

After last week’s column, “I do not admit that a there were a number of comwrong has been done to ments in this those people journal. One by the ‘There are still comment fact that a many people of noted: “There stronger race, is no appeAfrican origin in a highertite here for a grade race our country on republic says or at any the plantation, the author. I rate a more quite agree. afraid to leave worldly-wise The idea that race, to put it master’s so-called it is ‘progresthat way, has protection, afraid of sive’ to have come in and a republic taken their mentally liberating is nonsense. place. I do themselves, Most of the not admit it. incapable of new republics “I do not which overthink the Red and fuller identities.’ threw their Indians had monarchies any right to say, ‘American have turned out to be failed continent belongs to us and states with financial and we are not going to have political instability. Why any of these European set- would we want that here? tlers coming in here’. They “We have a good system had not the right, nor had of government now with they the power.” a Bahamian GovernorWhen it was suggested to General, Parliament and remove Churchill’s name impartial courts. Invesfrom the building after tors have confidence in our majority rule, many balked, country that their investasking what message that ments are safe. Canada, would send to the British? Australia and New Zealand Really!? Now that the Cabi- have all prospered. They net Office that bore his name are monarchies like our has been torn down, do we country. Barbados is hardly propose to rebuild the Office a democratic republic.” and again place his name on Sadly, this commentary is it? One hopes the new build- suffused with breathtaking ing will be suitably named, ignorance, a lack of underevoking national pride and a standing of what constitutes

THE TRIBUNE

ONGOING STRUGGLE TO EMANCIPATE COLONISED MINDS

a republic, and replete with factual errors. This is also, to put it charitably, the level of “misunderstanding” in the country, The commentator averred: “Most of the republics which overthrew their monarchies have turned out to be failed states with financial and political instability.” Oh dear!

THE MOST SUCCESSFUL

The most economically successful republic in the world is the United States of America, a superpower which overthrew the British monarch in a war of independence. The US republic is now 245 years old.

Singapore is one of the most successful countries in the world. It is a republic that no longer has the British monarch as head of state. Most of the successful economies in the world are republics, whether they were formerly British colonies or not.

India is the world’s largest democratic republic.

While it continues to have tremendous challenges, it is the sixth largest economy in the world by GDP, and has a vibrant and sustainable democratic heritage, despite difficult periods in its modern history.

Australia, Canada and New Zealand are not economically successful because they retain the British monarch. Even after they become republics they will maintain a special relationship with the UK because of shared histories and language.

France, South Korea, Italy, Germany and most South American countries are republics, some of which are parliamentary democracies, as is now Barbados, which constitutionally did not require a referendum to become a republic.

The commentator also noted: “We have a good system of government now with a Bahamian GovernorGeneral, Parliament and impartial courts.”

Yes, and after we become a republic we will maintain our parliamentary democracy, a Bahamian president who will replace the Governor-General, and impartial courts. There is

a tremendous amount of public education needed on what is a republic.

Becoming a republic does not mean we are going to move away from our current system, which includes cabinet government. “Singapore is a parliamentary republic based on the Westminster system,” as is India and most former British colonies.

The list of countries which are parliamentary democracies based on variations of the Westminster system include: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Dominica, Fiji, Grenada, India, Ireland, Italy, Israel, Japan, Jamaica, Kuwait, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Nepal, New Zealand (which is unicameral), Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, Singapore, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Solomon Islands, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, the United Kingdom and Vanuatu.

These countries appreciate the genius of parliamentary democracy, with some working better than others based on their individual histories.

Another commentator on last week’s column simply wrote: “What’s best for the economy, FDI, tourism?

Easy answer.”

Regrettably, this is a simplistic and fallacious non-answer, and a nearly 50-year-old nonsensical argument that was as specious in 1973 as it is now.

It is a verifiably incorrect argument dominated by fear and absence of facts.

Since independence both our tourism and foreign direct investment numbers have increased. Investors will continue to come to The Bahamas, whether or not we are a republic as long as we maintain political stability as we have since independence.

STILL PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACIES

When Canada, Australia and New Zealand remove the British Monarch as head of state, which they are likely to do after the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, they will still be parliamentary democracies. Their economies, depending on good governance and global conditions, will continue to flourish.

The newsmagazine Loop in Jamaica recently ran a story entitled, “Make Jamaica a Republic by 2022”. The report quoted a letter by former Prime Minister PJ Patterson to Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Opposition Leader Mark Golding.

Patterson wrote passionately and movingly: “[It would be] repulsive to contemplate a Diamond Jubilee where our Constitution rests on an Order in Council dated the 23rd July 1962, and a Head of State who does not reflect our

own image…

“I write to you jointly as our Prime Minister and leader of the opposition who have the political authority and the opportunity to capture a truly historic landmark by [the] establishment of Jamaica as a republic within the Commonwealth and simultaneously repatriate our Constitution during the 60th anniversary of our independence in 2022.”

Patterson urged: “… the political parties you both lead have repeatedly accepted the institution of our own indigenous president as head of state. This has been reflected in the election manifestoes of both the JLP and PNP since 2002.”

He noted: “successive Prime Ministers have reiterated that firm intention at their inaugural installations and also reaffirmed their policy positions in numerous Throne Speeches from the dawn of the millennium…

“Based on the work and reports of previous commissions and parliamentary committees, the single outstanding issue is whether the incumbent should be chosen by a two-third membership of both Houses [of the Parliament] sitting separately or jointly…

“It would be a spectacular contribution to building our parliamentary democracy; permitting both parties to share a single platform in a campaign to secure national approval and allow one of our own image to become head of state. That would inspire the fullest confidence in ourselves.”

Patterson pressed: “I sincerely believe that the solution to these and other problems requires unity of purpose and action, transcending partisan borders. I dare to suggest that a powerful signal of combined will when government and opposition are seen to act together, would be transmitted to our entire population.

“It would demonstrate our determination to act in concert by making the long-overdue constitutional change as we promote our common identity and make our National Motto — ‘Out of Many, One People’ — a meaningful reality.”

Approaching 50 years of sovereignty, it is embarrassing and depressing that there is little to no appetite by most in the political directorate and most of the populace to even begin a national dialogue on removing one of the last institutional vestiges of colonial rule.

Sadly, we remain deeply intellectually colonised in how we perceive ourselves and our relationship to the world and to the future, as many continue to live in an imperialist cum colonial engendered mind-set and past.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, December 16, 2021, PAGE 9

‘Tis the season to... keep on worrying for the world

STATESIDE

with Charlie Harper

THERE was a time, not of all time. His fall from so very long ago, when it grace was among the most seemed like the second memorable of the past half of December provided half-century.

When will a previously a respite from news about West Virginia the troubles in the world. obscure Part of this was due to the Democratic senator named fact that in many coun- Joe Manchin change his tries, including the US, the mind? Now that he has politicians were on vaca- become a household name tion somewhere warm due to his refusal so far to and the media journalists join his party colleagues who covered them knew and pass Biden’s $2 trilthe Christmas season was lion Build Back Better one of the few times of the bill, Manchin has become year – August was usually the target of journalistic another of them – when a sleuths. They have revealed family vacation could safely that due to his continuing family and possibly perbe booked.

Now, not so much. This sonal interest in his state’s coal industry, Manchin’s week, we read about: Whether the US Presi- objections to the President’s dent is really up to the plans may not spring from job he holds. Pundits on principle as he claims, but all sides of the Ameri- rather, from selfish greed. can political spectrum Hardly shocking these days, are speculating Joe Biden but hardly inspirational would do the country a either.

Will the great favour if world soon he announced ‘Will the world be at war? over the holi- soon be at war?

Vladimir Putin days that is a master at he would Vladimir Putin making the not seek re- is a master at West guess election to a making the West what he will second term. do next. These This would guess what he days, the West either gal- will do next.’ is wondering vanise the Democratic party to rally if, or when, he will unleash around someone more the nearly 200,000 troops charismatic and much and artillery he has massed younger, or it would clear on much of the Russian and the decks for a real con- Belarusian frontiers with servative to emerge from Ukraine. This geographithe chaos of the contem- cally unfortunate nation, porary Republican party, independent for 30 years, or it would, well, you can was coveted by Adolph Hitler when it was known fill in the blank.

What will become of OJ as the “breadbasket of Simpson now that he has Europe”. Now its continued been released in Nevada dependence on Moscow is after serving over nine coveted by Putin. The US years in federal prison and and UK have been in the nearly four more years on forefront of rallying their parole for kidnapping and less enthusiastic NATO armed robbery in a case allies to blistering warnings involving sports memora- to Putin to keep the leash bilia? Simpson, now 74, on his army. What happens was one of the most recog- if the Russian President lets nisable faces in the US for go of the tether?

And some are speculating years before he become the defendant in a spectacu- that in Beijing the Chinese lar trial 27 years ago in the are rubbing their hands in murder of his wife and her anticipation of a Russiamale friend. He beat those West confrontation, armed murder charges in what or even rhetorical. Suppose was called The Trial of The that while NATO and Putin were preoccupied with Century.

But before that, Simp- each other, China decided son was exceedingly to really tighten the screws popular.

A superstar on Taiwan? Who believes football running back at the US and most of its allies the University of South- are really prepared psychoern California and in the logically or politically to do NFL for the Buffalo Bills, more than bluster?

How about Antarctica he followed fellow star runner Jim Brown into and the North Pole? Scithe movie business and entists are all over the with his handsome face media these days, reportand appealing manner, ing that a massive ice shelf became quite successful at the South Pole is within not only in Hollywood a couple of years of fragbut in the advertising menting, undermined by business, where his Hertz warmer sub-surface ocean commercials were some currents that are being of the most successful heated by human activity.

NASSAU

Beavers are reportedly invading the environs of the North Pole, such is the warmth now prevailing in that remote part of the world. It seems like old news that you can think about booking a cruise through the Northwest Passage for your vacation.

That is, if you’re even considering a vacation while COVID and its variants continue to proliferate in a world inconsistently committed to arresting their spread.

We’re all going to master the entire Greek alphabet if new strains of this virus continue to appear.

The death toll in the US has now surpassed RUSSIAN President 800,000 and Vladimir Putin, left, and it takes US President Joe Biden a ruling shake hands during their from the meeting at the ‘Villa la American Grange’ in Geneva, SwitSupreme zerland in June.

Court to enforce sensible precautions for some health care and emergency personnel.

While we’re on the subject of COVID, a new wave of positive tests and infections is threatening to overwhelm American and international sports. In the US, the Chicago Bulls of the NBA, who are enjoying what may be their most convincing renaissance since Michael Jordan’s era, have postponed a couple of upcoming games due to a virulent COVID outbreak on the team. The Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League have also been beset by COVIDrelated postponements, and they are not alone. COVID positive tests have sidelined increasing numbers of players in Europe’s major soccer leagues.

Even the mighty National Football League, which has basked in the glow of completing past and current seasons during the pandemic, reported on Monday the most positive cases since the COVID crisis began.

Nearly a dozen teams are in enhanced protocol status, meaning that their players are tested for COVID every day. The league still maintains there will be no cancelled games, but that might change if the current trend continues.

Sports was providing one of the most reliable diversions from the world’s troubles. What if we have to find something different to take our minds off all the problems during a season that no longer provides much respite from them?

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PAGE 10, Thursday, December 16, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

Attempted murder conviction quashed at Court of Appeal

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Senior Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

SIGNING OFF AFTER 24 years of bringing Christmas cheer to students at the Centre for the Deaf, businessman Mario Carey, left, is officially signing off and turning the yuletide tradition over to Livingston Brown, right, a sales associate at Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate MCR Group.

Carey, who is hearing impaired and the father of a son with Asperger’s on the autism spectrum, is signing ‘You’re welcome’ after young Shenique Williams says thank you in sign language.

Pictured wearing the same colours as Santa is Centre for the Deaf Principal Sonja Rolle. Carey said the decades of bringing Santa, gifts and food to the students, instructors and staff at the centre have been “rewarding beyond description, but now it is time to turn it over to the new generation of those who care and want to share”.

Photo: Ashley Bethel

THE Court of Appeal has quashed the 2017 attempted murder conviction of a juvenile who was sentenced to 35 years in prison, ruling the Supreme Court judge in the case was wrong to let the trial continue in the young man’s absence.

The court ruled that the young man must now be retried in the Supreme Court as soon as possible.

The appellant was arraigned as a minor on January 30, 2012 on the attempted murder charge.

In his absence, he was convicted of the charge and sentenced on March 6, 2017.

The Court of Appeal said: “The learned judge even if she had decided to proceed in the absence of

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the appellant was required to consider whether doing so would lead to injustice.

It is clear that no evidence was led by the Crown as to their efforts to contact or locate the appellant. There was an indication that the appellant may not have known about the court date.

The issue was raised about confusion which from time to time occurred due to the fact that there was another inmate with the same name.

“It was also brought to the judge’s attention that the appellant who was on remand for the present charge was also serving time. However, when his sentence was completed he was released from prison without regard for the remand. The trial judge did not take reasonable steps to ascertain whether the appellant was actually informed of his trial date

nor why he was not present at the commencement of the trial. She appeared to have operated on the assumption that the appellant was present in court in September, 2016 and was, therefore, aware of the trial date. That could hardly be sufficient. We could not say that in all the circumstances the appellant’s trial was properly and fairly disposed of in his absence.”

Justice Cheryl GrantThompson was the trial judge.

In appealing the Supreme Court’s ruling, the appellant argued that the trial judge erred in allowing the trial to continue in his absence; that she erred in allowing the trial to continue in the absence of a parent or guardian as the appellant was charged as a juvenile; and she did not treat the proceedings like juvenile proceedings in

accordance with the Child Protection Act. The appellant further argued that: “The learned trial judge erred in fact and/ or law when she proceeded to sentence the appellant in his absence. Consequently, the appellant was severely prejudiced as the court did not have the benefit of any probation report coupled with his inability to instruct his counsel on any mitigating factors. Additionally, the court was unable to assess remorse, if any, or any other considerations in his favour where rehabilitation of offenders are concerned, inter alia, and the sentence is excessive having regard to the appellant being charged as a juvenile and there being no regard for the time he had spent on remand since 2012 or the Child Protection Act.”

SUPPLIES BUSINESS CELEBRATES DECADE OF FREEPORT OPERATION

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

GRAND Bahama Industrial Supplies has reached a ten-year milestone in Freeport, rebuilding its operation from scratch after suffering severe flood damage two years ago during Hurricane Dorian.

The company — located in the flood zone on Queens Highway — was under 10ft of water and lost more than 90 percent of its inventory, estimated at about $250,000.

Kenneth Knowles, operations manager, said the business continues to grow year after year, and there are plans for expansions in the future.

“We started as a small operation in a small space of 20x40, with just two persons, and over the years we have been able to grow from renting the space initially, to purchasing the entire property we are on now,” he said.

Mr Knowles said the company started by selling tools, welding supplies, and some industrial gases, but has since then branched off into appliances, housewares, fire extinguishers, safety tools, industrial gases, among other things.

In 2019, he recalled preparing for the coming of Dorian.

“We are in the flood zone and when a storm is coming, we would normally move all the items from our bottom shelves and put them up higher and into containers in the yard,” he explained.

He said Dorian was an unusual storm and they did not expect what had happened.

“We were watching the storm on Facebook, and

someone posted a photo of the bus stop across from our business, and I could only see the top of the roof of the bus stop. I said, with that much water there is no chance we can save much of anything.”

After the storm passed and flood water receded, Mr Knowles and his staff discovered that the entire building and inventory was lost.

“It was no surprise, we had about 10ft of water and 95 percent of our inventory was under saltwater,” he recalled.

Although devastated, Mr Knowles said they decided to get to work after the insurance adjusters had completed assessments.

“We decided that we can’t sit around and cry about it, so we started throwing and pulling everything out of the store.”

Within a week, he said they were back in business with a temporary makeshift operation.

“We got a computer and the little items that were damaged but salvageable collected, we found a desk and chair, and a generator, got a makeshift office in our warehouse area, and started conducting business,” he said.

Mr Knowles said they sold the items at reduced cost to customers. “We found that a lot of the items customers needed after the hurricane,” he said.

Mr Knowles said that the next step was rebuilding. “We had to gut the entire building – we took out all the walls, everything, the metal shell on the outside, all the wiring; we basically were starting from scratch.

“We began healing and rebuilding five days after

the hurricane had passed – we had a temporary operation going on and we estimated that about $250,000 worth of inventory was lost,” he said.

While many businesses were also affected by the COVID pandemic, GB Industrial Supplies was not negatively impacted, according to Mr Knowles.

He said that the business has always done well since its opening in December 2011.

“The interesting thing is that when we started the business, and as much as we hear people cry about Grand Bahama, for us in our business we have been able to increase our business every year since we have been in operation,” Mr Knowles said.

“Since the day we started to this day, we have been able to increase our sales.

“Despite the pandemic, it did not affect us in a negative way, other than the lockdowns because we also supply the hospital with medical gas. So that has been able to keep us going, and we have a lot of essential items.”

He indicated that there are plans for expansion.

“We are hoping to do some expansion, and at that point we will build higher.

But with the existing building, we cannot build up or move it any higher, so we hope we do not have another hurricane like Dorian anytime soon.”

Mr Knowles said the company is grateful to the Grand Bahama community.

“We appreciate all the support that the Grand Bahama community has given us, and we are planning a customer appreciation celebration,” he said.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, December 16, 2021, PAGE 11

Could oyster gardens help restore reefs?

BAY ST LOUIS, Mississippi Associated Press IT’S time to agitate the oysters at St Stanislaus High School on Mississippi’s Gulf coast.

Students on a platform below the school’s long pier gently shake their oyster garden’s wire cages as they pull them from the water, loosening mud and algae that might keep water and nutrients from baby oysters clinging to those shells.

These students in Bay St Louis are part of a volunteer force along US coasts that’s raising oysters from translucent spat the width of a soda straw to hardshelled bivalves that can help restore depleted reefs.

Oyster reefs are a keystone of coastal ecosystems.

Each oyster filters 25 to 50 gallons of water a day. Spat glue themselves to larger oysters and grow. The reefs provide habitat for shrimp, crabs and fish and protect shorelines.

In Maryland, Virginia, Mississippi and Alabama alone, there are more than 1,000 oyster gardens, most in wire cages hanging from private docks or opentopped floats tied to them.

Dennis Hatfield of Gulf Shores, Alabama, said he is struck each summer by the number of crabs, fish, shrimp, sponges and other animals he clears from his cages on Little Lagoon.

“I feel very positive we are creating habitat in the lagoon,” he said, adding that many of the 50,000 to 55,000 adult oysters grown there each year go to reefs in Mobile Bay. In the 1950s, an average of 37,400 tons of oysters were taken annually from brackish waters nationwide. But overharvesting, pollution, parasites, smothering sediment and other problems saw US oyster harvests fall 68 percent to about 11,900 tons a year in the 1990s, federal figures show.

Commercial farmers around the country grow oysters near the surface because they mature much faster where the water holds more of the plankton they eat and predators can be more easily removed.

Oyster gardening uses the same techniques on a smaller scale. But the oysters aren’t being grown for the half-shell or deep fryer.

It’s as much education as restoration, said Bob Stokes, director of the Galveston Bay Foundation in Texas. Volunteers become “engaged about caring about the bay they live on,” he said.

When the Little Lagoon oysters were collected, more than 20 big plastic “shrimp baskets” held clumps of oysters.

Big enough to spawn next spring, they’re now on reefs being restored for fishing or reserved to hold

RUSSIAN DIPLOMATS EXPELLED BERLIN Associated Press GERMANY announced yesterday it is expelling two Russian diplomats after a German court concluded that Moscow was behind the killing of a Chechen man in Berlin two years ago.

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock called the state-ordered killing a “grave breach of German law and the sovereignty of the Federal Republic of Germany”. Russia’s ambassador in Berlin was summoned to discuss the court’s finding and informed of the diplomats’ expulsion, she said.

The 2019 daylight killing of Zelimkhan “Tornike” Khangoshvili, a 40-yearold Georgian citizen of Chechen ethnicity, sparked outrage in Berlin.

ST Stanislaus HIgh School seniors Dayton Hall (L) and Jackson Mountjoy use calipers to measure a tiny baby oyster at the school’s oyster garden in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. The school is among more than 50 locations in Mississippi and more than 1,000 nationwide - most of them private docks - where people raise oysters to help build reefs off their states’ coasts.

Photo: Janet McConnaughey/AP brood stock for future generations, with no harvest allowed.

In the Mississippi Sound, heavy rains through spring and summer were hard on baby oysters. Most shells in the cages set out in late June at St Stanislaus held only silt in mid-November, and surviving juveniles were generally less than an inch long.

“When you find one with an oyster, put it aside so you don’t count them twice,” cautioned Rayne Palmer, an Auburn University graduate student who runs the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant’s gardening program in Mississippi.

Empty shells also go onto reefs, said Letha Boudreaux, head of the marine biology program at St. Stanislaus.

Oyster shells are the hard surface spat prefer, and entire artificial reefs are made from recycled

shells. The Galveston Bay program puts mesh bags holding recycled shells into the water to attract spat and give them a head start.

Oyster gardening started in the late 1990s around the Chesapeake Bay, where harvests had plummeted 90 percent in two decades.

The Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant’s oyster gardening program, modeled on the Chesapeake’s, started in Alabama in 2001 as master’s thesis research.

“It makes me really happy to see that it took off and people are still doing it” in Alabama, said Kimberly Henderson Hedrick, who won a Gulf Guardian Award in 2004 as head of Alabama’s Shellfish Restoration Project and now teaches in the Indiana farm town where she grew up.

The Chesapeake Bay oysters were beset by two highly lethal parasitic diseases, in addition to other

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problems. Declines in the second half of the 1900s followed an even more

drastic crash in the 1920s from rampant overharvesting, said Chris Moore, senior ecosystem scientist for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

Gardeners in the foundation and its member groups have added at least 15 million oysters in Maryland and one million in Virginia, Moore said.

Virginia’s Tidewater Oyster Gardeners Association members grow oysters to eat as well as to plant.

Tidewater hasn’t been able to collect data on reef contributions, but president emeritus Vic Spain thinks it’s probably at least 500,000 a year.

An umbrella group called the Chesapeake Oyster Alliance has set a goal of 10 billion added oysters by 2025.

“Wish us luck, that’s gonna be tough,” Spain wrote in an email.

Dozens of schools and community groups around New York Harbor have similar projects as part of the Billion Oyster Project, spokeswoman Helene Hetrick said in an email.

The project does not call them “oyster gardens”

because the harbor’s oysters are unsafe to eat and the goal is not food but restoration, she said.

Oyster gardens get pulled from the water every week to ten days to clear out critters, keep oysters from growing through the cage mesh, and dry out and clean off algae and seaweed growing on the wire.

It can take oysters three to four years to reach adulthood in the Chesapeake, and a year to 18 months in raised cages.

In Mobile Bay and in Mississippi, it may take only four to five months to have oysters ready to transplant, said PJ Waters, an Auburn University extension associate professor who oversees Alabama’s oyster gardening at Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant.

Colin Wood, one of two student interns who maintain the St Stanislaus garden, collect data and supervise other students not for pay but for a credit on their transcripts - said he was excited by the hands-on aspect.

“I didn’t realise oysters had a big impact on the environment,” he said.

SPORTS PAGE 14

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2021

‘FANTASTIC FOUR’ IN FINA WORLD SWIM CHAMPIONSHIPS

Don’t Blink Home Run Derby in Paradise SATURDAY, DECEMBER 18 @ ATLANTIS

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net BAHAMAS Aquatics is expected to field a four-member team to compete at the 2021 FINA World Swimming Championships (25m).

Olympians Joanna Evans and Izaak Bastian along with Lilly Higgs and Lamar Taylor will represent the Bahamas during the week long event at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Evans will compete in the 200 freestyle (December 16) and 400 freestyle (December 19). Bastian swims in the 100 breaststroke (December 16) and 50 breaststroke (December 20), Higgs swims the 50 breaststroke (December 16)

and 100 breaststroke (December 19) while Taylor competes in the 50 free (December 18) and 100 freestyle (December 20) Evans had an active fall season in the International Swimming League as a member of DC Trident. She highlighted the campaign when she lowered the 200m free national record.

The former Texas Longhorn finished second in Playoff Match Five to earn seven points for her team toward their fourth-place finish in the final team standings.

Bastian, the Florida State Seminoles senior, placed first in all of his events at the TYR Fall Classic, including meet records in the 400 medley

relay, 100 breast (54.34), and 200 medley relay along with winning performances in the 200 free relay and 200 breast (2:01.33).

Taylor, a sophomore at Henderson State, recently represented The Bahamas at inaugural Junior Pan American Championships in Cali, Colombia.

Higgs, the North Carolina Tar Heel senior, got off to an impressive start this fall with three three-podium finishes in her first meet of the season.

The FINA World Swimming Championships will host the world’s best ‘short course’ swimmers to compete across six-days and 44 events.

The Etihad Arena is a brand new multi-purpose facility which event organisers say

has the ability to host familyoriented entertainment.The event was originally scheduled for 2020 but was postponed due to COVID-19.

Several FINA member nations have withdrawn from this year’s event due to concerns of the surging omicron variant.

FINA has confirmed that 937 swimmers are gearing up to compete in the World Swimming Championships and an additional 197 in various events of the aquatics festival.

President Husain Al-Musallam spoke at the opening press conference. He said that the protocols and measures in place are sufficient to successfully stage the event and host its participants.

Prime Minister’s Trophy up for grabs

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

F

inal practice sessions are in the books, and the return of the Bahamas Bowl is just hours away from kickoff as teams vie for the Prime Minister’s Trophy.

The Toledo Rockets and Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders will face off at noon on Friday at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium.

In the final media availability prior to kickoff, Rockets head coach Jason Candle said he looks forward to his players taking advantage of the opportunity.

“It is a once in a lifetime experience for our players and many of the players will not have the opportunity to leave the country and what a great way to do it in an influential time of their life.

An 18-22-year-old man can

tell their people back home that they had a trip to The Bahamas to play football game is an eye-opening experience. Honoured to be here and excited to play that football game. Congratulations to coach Stock and his crew for having a great season that they were able to put together to be down here with us. We are looking forward to a great game on Friday.”

Toledo (7-5 overall, 5-3 MAC) is in their fifth bowl game under Candle. The 2021 Bahamas Bowl will be the first bowl game for the Rockets since the 2018 Bahamas Bowl.

Rockets centre Bryce Harris one of the few holdovers from the team’s first appearance at the Bahamas Bowl in 2018, said he looks forward to concluding his collegiate career with a bowl win.

“I think the difference in the team back then and this year is that we have each

other’s back more than I have ever seen. I think this is a true brotherhood.

I have seen teams with a brotherhood like 2017 when we won our conference championship.

“Having that brotherhood mindset and truly having each other’s back is different than saying family,” Harris said.

Blue Raiders head coach Rick Stockstill said he

hopes his defence can be the deciding factor.

“I am excited to be here.

I am proud of our team with the fight that they put forth to get to a bowl game. Every team in the country starts out year after year with a goal of going to a bowl. Not every team makes it to one. We did so I am proud of these guys.

Congratulations to Jason and Toledo for the season

that they had but we are very excited to be here and looking forward to Friday afternoon,” he said.

“Our defense has done a great job and our coaches have down a great job. We spend an enormous amount of time at each practice about the turnover emphasis. I talk about it constantly throughout the week and that it is the number one factor most of the times that determines who wins and who loses.

“Against a team like Toledo, when you get an opportunity, you cannot be a hand-clapper because they are special and good at protecting the ball. The opportunities are going to be limited. If we have an opportunity we have to capitalise on it.”

Stockstill leads Middle Tennessee (6-6 overall, 4-4 Conference USA) in his 16th season (100-98) as a college head coach, to a bowl game for the ninth

Wide receiver Prince Strachan commits to Boise State Broncos

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net PRINCE Strachan ended his recruitment during the early signing period and announced his commitment to the Boise State Broncos.

The senior wide receiver out of John Carroll Catholic in Fort Pierce, Florida, and the younger brother of Indianapolis Colts receiver Mike Strachan, joins a vaunted Broncos incoming class that ranks No. 1 in the Mountain West Conference and No. 50 in the country, according to 247Sports. The class is ranked No. 67 nationally.

“This moment is a dream come true for me and my family. This is what I trained all my life for — playing football and earning that big scholarship, but the job is not yet done. There were a lot of obstacles I had to go through to get to this point.

Just staying focused on my end goal and training hard is what kept me going and motivated,” Strachan said in a statement to the TC Palm.

“My sophomore year when I got [to John Carroll] from the Bahamas, I always had that belief that this could happen. My family always believed, too. I came a long way, but we always had that dream that I could get that big scholarship. I was never relaxed. My goal was always to be the best

time in his career. The 2021 Bahamas Bowl will be the first bowl game for Middle Tennessee since the 2018 R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl.

Blue Raiders wide receiver CJ Windham also looks to conclude his career with a win.

“This is my seventh year playing college football. It is about time that I do get out of here. It always hurts to leave. I soaked this whole experience in. Yesterday (Tuesday) was my last technical fully-padded practice and I went as hard as I possibly could. I am trying to exert as much good energy and leadership to this team than I possibly can before I leave. I know once I am gone, someone will have to step up and I have to keep leading by example. The only way to go out is to go out as hard as you possibly can, go hard for my teammates, coaches and go out with a bang.”

DEANDRE AYTON: ‘THAT’S WHAT 45 MINUTES FEELS LIKE, I’VE NEVER PLAYED 45’

By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

His varsity high school career concluded with 70 receptions for over 1,400 yards and 26 touchdowns.

Last season he finished with a team-leading 33 receptions for 633 yards and eight touchdowns last year. His yardage and touchdown totals were second on the team. He also averaged 18.6 yards per catch and 57.5 receiving yards per game in 11 contests.

Strachan will join Boise State as a grey shirt which means he will be eligible to play in January 2023.

DEANDRE Ayton returned from a nonCOVID-related illness with a season high scoring effort to help the league-leading Phoenix Suns avoid consecutive losses for the second time this season.

Ayton said he was expecting a minutes restriction entering Tuesday night’s contest but finished with 28 points and 13 rebounds in a season high 45 minutes in the Suns’ 11-107 win over the Portland Trail Blazers.

“I feel great. Felt like that was training camp.

That’s what 45 minutes feels like, I’ve never played 45,” Ayton told reporters postgame.

“I lost 10 pounds off that illness. I’m just glad it wasn’t COVID to where it’ll be a longer wait [to return to the court]. It’s locking in and having a certain mindset when you get back, giving 110 percent when you step on the floor and it got put to the test tonight.

“I caught myself in [overtime] a couple times with my hands on my knees but this is the NBA, how bad do you want it? I thought

SEE PAGE 18

SEE PAGE 18

PRINCE Strachan has announced his commitment to the Boise State Broncos. The senior wide receiver out of John Caroll Catholic in Fort Pierce, Florida, joins a vaunted Broncos incoming class that ranks No. 1 in the Mountain West Conference. player. I always had that goal to get a bigger scholarship that was the plan. We felt like I deserved it with the seasons I had.”

The Broncos are 7-5 this season and are headed for a December 31 matchup with Central Michigan in the Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl.

The programme is 12–7 in bowl games since 1999, including a 3-0 record in the Fiesta Bowl and has a winning percentage of .732 all time in Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) football.

The 6’4”, 195-pound Grand Bahama native relocated to the Fort Pierce

institution following Hurricane Dorian. He played sparingly as a sophomore but evolved into the top receiving threat for the Rams by his senior season.

“My family played a big role in this, too. They told me never to give up and train hard because nothing is given to you. It was a lot of obstacles,” Strachan said.

“Coming here was exciting to me because my dad always had that dream. The hard thing was just leaving my family. They toured the school and made sure I was settled in and then they went back home. That’s

when it hit that I’m over here and I’m about to do this thing. I thought it was going to take a long, long time but we’re already in my senior year.”

This season, Strachan finished with 33 receptions for 773 yards and 10 touchdowns this season, all team leads. He also averaged 21.8 yards per catch and 80.1 receiving yards per game in nine contests.

The Rams finished their season 7-3 and played in a regional final for the second consecutive season in the Florida High School Athletic Association Region 4-2A title game.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, December 16, 2021, PAGE 15

Rookie Reaves hits 3-pointer at OT buzzer, Lakers beat Mavs 107-104 DALLAS (AP) — Rookie Austin Reaves hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer in overtime and give the Los Angeles Lakers a 107104 victory over the Dallas Mavericks last night.

Reaves’ basket, his fifth from behind the arc, was the only Lakers basket in overtime scored by someone other than the team’s Big Three.

LeBron James scored 24 points, Russell Westbrook added 23 and Anthony Davis had 20 points and 12 rebounds after missing two games with a sore left knee.

Jalen Brunson scored 25 points, and Kristaps Porzingis had 23 points and 12 rebounds for the Mavericks, They played their third straight game without guard Luka Doncic.

Three Lakers were missing after entering the NBA’s COVID-19 protocol: centre Dwight Howard, forward Talen Horton-Tucker and guard Malik Monk.

PELICANS 113, THUNDER 110 OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Devonte’ Graham’s 60-foot heave at the buzzer lifted New Orleans past Oklahoma City.

Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander hit an off-balance 30-footer to tie the score with 2.3 seconds remaining. The Pelicans inbounded to Graham, who launched the ball from near the 3-point arc on the other end of the floor.

Brandon Ingram scored 34 points and Jonas Valanciunas added 19 points and 16 rebounds for the Pelicans. Graham finished with 15 points and eight assists.

Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 33 points.

BUCKS 114, PACERS 99 MILWAUKEE (AP) — Playing without stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton, Milwaukee leaned on Jrue Holiday and had a 21-0 fourth-quarter run to beat Indiana.

Holiday had 26 points and 14 assists. Tied at 87 after three quarters, Milwaukee surged ahead early in the fourth quarter with

LOS Angeles Lakers’ Russell Westbrook (0), Anthony Davis, centre left, Wayne Ellington (2) and others celebrate with Austin Reaves, centre being lifted, after Reaves scored a three-point basket with seconds left in overtime of an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks in Dallas last night.

(AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) the big run. The Bucks raced to a 112-92 lead with just over three minutes left, with Pat Connaughton and Jordan Nwora each scoring eight points during the run. Both finished with 20 points.

Antetokounmpo entered the league’s health and safety protocols list Tuesday.

Middleton has a hyperextended left knee. Indiana coach Rick Carlisle missed his third game since testing positive for COVID-19.

Assistant Lloyd Pierce filled in.

HEAT 101, 76ERS 96 PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Gabe Vincent hit a key 3-pointer in the fourth quarter and scored 26 points, Duncan Robinson had 21 points and short-handed Miami built a 23-point lead and held on to beat Philadelphia.

Kyle Lowry added 14 points for the Heat. They had only 10 available players — seven undrafted.

Joel Embiid had 17 points and 14 rebounds in his return from right rib soreness after missing Philadelphia’s loss Monday night at Memphis. Tyrese Maxey led the 76ers with 27 points, and Tobias Harris had 24.

Both teams — especially the Heat — were ravaged by injury, illness and protocols. Philadelphia’s Georges Niang and Miami’s Caleb Martin sat out because of the NBA’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols. Martin missed his third straight game. Miami’s top three scorers — Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo — sat out.

HAWKS 111, MAGIC 99 ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Trae Young played through a minor neck injury to score 28 points, John Collins had 21 points and 10 rebounds and Atlanta beat Orlando to end a two-game losing streak.

ARSENAL’S YOUNGSTERS SHOW THERE’S LIFE AFTER AUBAMEYANG

By STEVE DOUGLAS AP Sports Writer WITH Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang dropped following his latest disciplinary breach, Arsenal needed other attackers to step up for its big Premier League match against top-four rival West Ham yesterday.

Alexandre Lacazette, Gabriel Martinelli and Emile Smith Rowe did just that in a 2-0 win at Emirates Stadium.

Replacing Aubameyang as captain, Lacazette played a perfectly weighted throughball and the 20-year-old Martinelli — delivering a fine impression of Arsenal’s ostracised striker — burst through down the left and produced a precise finish into the far corner.

Then, the 21-year-old Smith Rowe, another of Arsenal’s talented youngsters, entered as a substitute and put away a clinical finish at the end of a counter attack in the 87th minute.

Arsenal was dominant for large spells — the margin should have been heavier, with Lacazette later missing a penalty when the score was 1-0 — to show that life after Aubameyang is nothing to be feared.

Indeed, the result lifted Arsenal above West Ham and into fourth place, the final Champions League qualification position.

“They wanted to show how strong we are as a team,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said of his players at the end of a

tumultuous few days at the club. “The performance, the attitude and the commitment they showed today is exactly what we are as a club.

“I expect it from every player — to stick to our values.”

That felt like a dig at Aubameyang, who wasn’t spotted at the stadium having been stripped of the captaincy and told he wasn’t available for selection for the West Ham game after returning late from an approved trip abroad last week.

He could be free to play against Leeds on Saturday, though. “He wasn’t eligible for this game and that’s it,” Arteta said. “This game is gone.”

WARD-PROWSE SPECIAL Another trademark free kick from James WardProwse. Another draw for Southampton.

The England midfielder’s curling strike from 25 metres was the highlight of the 2-2 draw between Southampton and Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. It was a a league-high eighth draw of the season for both teams.

Ward-Prowse has now scored 11 direct free kick goals in the Premier League. Only three players — David Beckham, Thierry Henry and Gianfranco Zola — have scored more.

His latest canceled out Wilfried Zaha’s secondminute opener for Palace, which then fell behind to Armando Broja’s shot from outside the area in the 36th.

ARSENAL’S GABRIEL MARTINELLI, left, celebrates his goal with his teammates in London yesterday.

(AP Photo/Ian Walton) Jordan Ayew equalised in the 65th for his first goal in 45 matches for Palace.

WIN FOR WOLVES Brighton’s winless run stretched to a clubrecord 11 Premier League games after Romain Saiss’ first-half strike earned Wolverhampton a 1-0 victory at the Amex Stadium The defender volleyed home from a delightful pass from Ruben Neves in firsthalf stoppage time.

Brighton has not won since September 19 and was without a host of key players while it battles an injury and coronavirus crisis.

A bigger COVID-19 outbreak came at Watford and it caused the postponement of its game at Burnley.

It was the third match in four days to be called off for such a reason, after Brighton-Tottenham on Sunday and BrentfordManchester United on Tuesday.

Young left for the locker room late in the third quarter after Cole Anthony hit him with a shoulder in the face on an offensive foul.

Young was deemed to have a neck cramp and returned with 5:31 remaining after Orlando got to 104-84.

Terrence Ross scored 18 points for Orlando.

CAVALIERS 124, ROCKETS 89 CLEVELAND (AP) — Darius Garland scored 21 points, Isaac Okoro added 20 and Cleveland won its fifth straight, routing Houston.

Cleveland improved to 18-12 with its first fivegame winning streak since March 28-April 5, 2018 — when LeBron James was on the roster.

Houston coach Stephen Silas walked off the court late in the first quarter and was treated for dehydration. Assistant John Lucas directed the team the rest of the way. Rookie Alperen Sengun had season highs of 19 points and 11 rebounds.

TIMBERWOLVES 124, NUGGETS 107 DENVER (AP) — Anthony Edwards made 10 3-pointers and scored 38 points and Minnesota snapped a 12-game losing streak to Denver.

Karl-Anthony Towns scored 32 points, and D’Angelo Russell added 16 for the Timberwolves.

They shot 23 for 48 from beyond the arc, including 16 makes in the first half.

Denver’s Nikola Jokic had 27 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists for his sixth triple-double of the season and the 63rd of his career.

HORNETS 131, SPURS 115 SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Gordon Hayward scored a season-high 41 points and Charlotte never trailed in its victory over San Antonio.

Hayward was 15 for 19 from the field and matched a season high with five 3-pointers on six attempts.

Bryn Forbes scored 25 points for San Antonio.

PLISKOVA OUT OF OPEN WITH HAND INJURY MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Karolina Pliskova has withdrawn from next month’s Australian Open and two warm-up tournaments because of a right hand injury sustained in training.

Australian Open officials yesterday confirmed the world fourth-ranked player’s withdrawal, and said in a tweet: “wishing you a speedy recovery.”

Pliskova had earlier said on social media “unfortunately I hurt my right hand in practice yesterday and I won’t be able to play in Adelaide, Sydney and Australian Open this year.”

The 29-year-old Czech Republic player is a twotime Grand Slam finalist.

She lost to No. 1-ranked Ash Barty in this year’s Wimbledon title match and in the 2016 US Open final to Angelique Kerber after Pliskova beat Serena Williams in the semifinals.

Pliskova’s best finish at Melbourne Park was the semifinals in 2019, where she lost to eventual champion Naomi Osaka after beating Williams in the quarterfinals.

The Australian Open begins January 17.

UCLA CALLS OFF GAME AGAINST ALABAMA STATE DUE TO COVID-19 LOS ANGELES (AP) — UCLA’s game against Alabama State last night was called off because of COVID-19 protocols.

The decision was announced an hour before the fourth-ranked Bruins were set to take the court.

Some players from both teams were on the court when they were informed.

Earlier in the day, UCLA said coach Mick Cronin would miss the game because of COVID-19 protocols.

He was set to be replaced by associate head coach Darren Savino.

Fans streaming toward Pauley Pavilion were taken by surprise as word of mouth spread. The arena had yet to be opened to the public.

UCLA team spokesman Alex Timiraos had no further comment.

Alabama State has been in the Los Angeles area since last week, when the Hornets lost at Pepperdine 79-62 on Saturday.

The Bruins (8-1) are next scheduled to play North Carolina in Las Vegas on Saturday as part of the CBS Sports Classic.

PAGE 16, Thursday, December 16, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

ROADRUNNERS TRACK AND FIELD CLUB ANNUAL AWARDS AND PRESENTATION BANQUET

‘One Mind, One Focus, One Destination...Success’

AWARDS BANQUET: The Roadrunners Track and Field Club brought back its annual awards and presentation banquet over the weekend after missing last year due to the coronavirus pandemic. The club’s top athletes were honoured Saturday night as the Roadrunners held the 21st edition of the presentation of awards banquet in the Imperial Room of the Atlantis resort on Paradise Island under the theme: “One Mind, One Focus, One Destination .... Success.” Among the list of dignitaries on hand were Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg, Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations president Drumeco Archer, BAAA CEO May Miller, dedicated sponsors Harrison Petty and Timothy Ingraham, in addition to First Baptist pastor, Rev Dianna Francis, who serves as the chaplain for the club. The keynote speaker was Dr Shantell Missick, the operator of the Dynamic Healing Wellness Center.

Photos: Racardo Thomas/Tribune Staff

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Thursday, December 16, 2021, PAGE 17

COVID-19 issues complicate NFL games and Pro Picks choices

By BARRY WILNER AP Pro Football Writer WITH COVID-19 outbreaks for a variety of NFL teams, figuring out who will be on the field is as difficult as predicting who will win games.

Those issues begin with tonight’s prime-time and big-time matchup in the AFC West between the Chiefs (9-4) and Chargers (8-5). Kansas City, which has won six straight games to move atop the division it has dominated the past five seasons, placed defensive tackle Chris Jones in the COVID-19 protocol on Tuesday. Jones has been a catalyst for the team’s defensive resurgence.

Wide receiver Josh Gordon has also tested positive.

“When you’re down the stretch run you have to take it serious,” Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said, “because you want to be available. It’s just like any injury you would get at this point. You want to do whatever you can to be available to the team. Whether that’s distancing in the locker room or with your family, we understand it’s part of the world. “Do the best you can to help yourself and help the guy next to you so that you can be available.”

The Chargers, who beat KC in September, put offensive tackle Rashawn Slater on the COVID-19 list, while star receiver Keenan Allen and backup center Scott Quessenberry had positive tests last week and remain on it.

Kansas City, ranked fourth in the AP Pro32, is a 3-point favourite at No. 9 Los Angeles. It’s difficult to pick against the Chiefs right now.

CHIEFS, 26-20 KNOCKOUT POOL: The Chargers did us right not only here, but as the Best Bet. This week, we’ll go with MIAMI. No. 18 Washington (plus 6 1/2) at No. 21 Philadelphia Too many points to be spotting the erratic Eagles.

BEST BET: EAGLES, 23-21 No. 3 New England (plus 2 1/2) at No. 12 Indianapolis, Saturday We don’t get this spread with the way the Patriots have been performing.

UPSET SPECIAL: PATRIOTS, 20-17 No. 24 Las Vegas (plus 1) at No. 15 Cleveland, Saturday The Browns might be the hardest hit by a recent coronavirus outbreak. But the Raiders are a mess.

BROWNS, 16-13

AP PRO PICKS: Tough to bet against the Chiefs right now

Thursday night’s prime-time and big-time matchup in the AFC West features the Chiefs (9-4) and Chargers (8-5). Kansas City, ranked fourth in the AP Pro32, is a 3-point favorite at No. 9 Los Angeles.

It’s difficult to pick against the Chiefs, winners of six straight games.

GAME

STORYLINE

KC at LAC

Hot Chiefs have moved atop division it has dominated past five seasons

KC 26-20

WAS at PHI

Too many points to be spotting the erratic Eagles

PHI 23-21

NE at IND

Don’t get this spread with the way the Patriots have been performing

NE 20-17

LV at CLE

Browns might be hardest hit by COVID-19 outbreak, still ...

CLE 16-13

Rams also short-handed because of COVID-19 issues, still ...

LAR 27-24

SEA at LAR ARI at DET

Here come the huge betting line games, Cardinals unbeaten on the road

ARI 30-20

CAR at BUF

If Bills falter here, they might not even make the postseason

BUF 23-9

DAL at NYG

Rivalry games shouldn’t have such big lines, this one makes some sense

DAL 27-13

NYJ at MIA

Rivalry games shouldn’t have such big lines, but Miami can’t score a lot

MIA 20-13

NO at TB

Rivalry games shouldn’t have such big lines, but Tampa can score a lot

TB 33-17

Both teams are in the NFC wild-card mix

SF 23-15

GB at BAL

Pro Picks feels sorry for the banged-up Ravens ... Green Bay won’t

GB 27-17

MIN at CHI

Not exactly the prime-time showcase the Thursday night game is

MIN 28-17

TEN at PIT

Kind of a toss-up and the Steelers somehow have life in AFC North

TEN 16-14

CIN at DEN

Winner here might have realistic hopes for the postseason

CIN 24-23

HOU at JAC

Well, we have to pick every game, so ...

ATL at SF

No. 25 Seattle (plus 4 1/2) at No. 6 Los Angeles Rams Rams also figure to be short-handed because of COVID issues and the Seahawks are playing better.

RAMS, 27-24 No. 5 Arizona (minus 13 1/2) at No. 30 Detroit Here come the huge betting line games. The Cardinals are unbeaten on the road.

CARDINALS, 30-20 No. 26 Carolina (plus 10 1/2) at No. 11 Buffalo If Bills falter here, they might not even make the postseason - BILLS, 23-9

No. 7 Dallas (minus 10 1/2) at No. 28 New York Giants Rivalry games shouldn’t have such a big line. Yet this one makes some sense.

COWBOYS, 27-13 No. 29 New York Jets (plus 9 1/2) at No. 20 Miami Rivalry games shouldn’t have such a big line. And Miami can’t score a lot.

DOLPHINS, 20-13 No. 23 New Orleans (plus 10 1/2) at No. 2 Tampa Bay Rivalry games shouldn’t have such a big line. But Tampa can score a lot.

BUCCANEERS, 33-17

NAUGHTY’S NFL PICKS - WEEK 15 LAST WEEK: 11-4 SEASON: 139-69-1 OKAY I’m back in my groove, 11-4 last week and that should put a fork in Wilner.

It’s a crazy busy weekend for me between the Don’t Blink Home Run Derby and the Bahamas Bowl, so here’s who I like this week with no long talks.

THURSDAY 8:20 pm Chargers vs Chiefs CHIEFS 34 - Chargers 27 SATURDAY 4:25 pm Raiders vs Browns BROWNS 24 - Raiders 23 SATURDAY 8:20 pm Patriots vs Colts PATRIOTS 27 Colts 24 OT SUNDAY 1:00 pm

Titans vs Steelers TITANS 23 - Steelers 20 Panthers vs Bills BILLS 31 - Panthers 17 WFT vs Eagles EAGLES 27 - WFT 24 Texans vs Jaguars TEXANS 24 - Jaguars 23 Cowboys vs Giants COWBOYS 34 - Giants 13

Cardinals vs Lions CARDINALS 37 Lions 17 Jets vs Dolphins DOLPHINS 27 - Jets 20 SUNDAY 4:25 Bengals vs Broncos BRONCOS 27 Bengals 24 Falcons vs 49ers 49 ERS 24 - Falcons 17 Seahawks vs Rams RAMS 34 - Seahawks 30 Packers vs Ravens PACKERS 31 - Ravens 24 SUNDAY 8:20 pm Saints vs Buccaneers BUCCANEERS 27 Saints 24 MONDAY 8:20 pm Vikings vs Bears Vikings 20 - Bears 17

Dolphins’ depth at RB likely to be tested this week by virus

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Sports Writer MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Duke Johnson has played in just one game this season. He’s carried the ball four times. His longest carry has gone for 6 yards.

And he might be vital to the Miami Dolphins’ hopes this weekend.

With the team’s two leading rushers on the NFL’s COVID-19 reserve list — and therefore very questionable to be ready for Sunday’s game against the New York Jets — the Dolphins had no choice but to promote Johnson from the practice squad to the 53-man roster. Unless Myles Gaskin or Salvon Ahmed can return, it looks as if Johnson may end up as a primary ball-carrier for the first time this season.

“I kind of go by my day to day like I’m playing every week,” Johnson said.

“It’s a routine that I have whether I’m on the practice squad or not. Kind of the same routine so when you do get called up, you don’t change anything. You don’t try anything different that will throw you off. Do everything the same.”

MIAMI Dolphins head coach Brian Flores talks to the media before practice at Baptist Health Training Complex in Hard Rock Stadium yesterday in Miami Gardens, Fla., in preparation for their game against the New York Jets on Sunday.

(David Santiago/Miami Herald via AP) Johnson’s only other appearance this season was against the Jets, his four carries coming down the stretch to help Miami finish off a 24-17 win on Nov. 21.

The Dolphins (6-7) have

PICK

won five consecutive games now, but returned from the bye week to learn that Gaskin, Ahmed and Phillip Lindsay — the three running backs on the 53-man roster last week — all had

to enter the NFL’s virus protocols.

Malcolm Brown, who hasn’t played since Week 7 because of a quad injury, practiced Wednesday and may be ready to go this weekend as well. Brown has 125 yards on 24 carries this season. “Duke played in the one game against the Jets,” Dolphins coach Brian Flores said. “He’s done a good job in practice over the last — I don’t know exactly how many weeks it’s been, but let’s call it six or seven weeks. He’s a professional. He’s had a lot of production in this league. He’s preparing and he always prepares as if he’s going to play. If he gets an opportunity, hopefully he’s put himself in position to take advantage of it.”

If that opportunity comes, Johnson will get a chance to play for the Dolphins at home for the first time. He’s a Miami native, played his college ball at Hard Rock Stadium for the Miami Hurricanes and grew up a Dolphins fan.

“It really won’t hit me until the game,” Johnson said. “Right now, I’m just taking it all in, just enjoying the moment.”

No. 22 Atlanta (plus 9) at No. 13 San Francisco Both teams are in the NFC wild-card mix.

49ERS, 23-15 No. 1 Green Bay (minus 4 1/2) at No. 10 Baltimore Pro Picks feels sorry for the banged-up Ravens.

Green Bay won’t.

PACKERS, 27-17 No. 19 Minnesota (minus 3 1/2) at No. 27 Chicago, (Monday) - Not exactly the prime-time showcase the Thursday night game is.

VIKINGS, 28-16 No. 8 Tennessee (minus 1 1/2) at No. 16 Pittsburgh Kind of a toss-up game and the Steelers somehow have life in the AFC North.

TITANS, 16-14

HOU 19-17

No. 14 Cincinnati (plus 2 1/2) at No. 17 Denver The winner here might have realistic hopes for the postseason.

BENGALS, 24-23 No. 31 Houston (plus 3 1/2) at No. 32 Jacksonville Well, we have to pick every game, so ...

TEXANS, 19-17 2021 RECORD Last Week: Straight up: 11-3. Against spread: 7-7.

Season: Straight up: 134-73-1. Against spread: 117-88-2.

Best Bet: Straight up: 8-5-1. Against spread: 10-4.

Upset Special: Straight up: 12-1. Against spread: 12-1.

PAGE 18, Thursday, December 16, 2021

THE TRIBUNE

US sports leagues cope with COVID-19 outbreaks amid variants

By ERICA HUNZINGER AP Sports Writer DENVER (AP) — U.S. sports leagues are seeing rapidly increasing COVID19 outbreaks with dozens of players in health and safety protocols, amid an ongoing surge by the delta variant of the coronavirus and rising cases of the highly transmissible omicron mutation.

Both the NBA and NHL have had to postpone games over the last month with so many players sidelined, and the men’s basketball teams at Tulane and the University of Washington have seen cancellations due to outbreaks in their programmes. The NFL won’t postpone games, saying forfeits could be in play instead.

The difficulties for U.S. sports come on the heels of soaring infections in Europe, where English Premier League officials called off three soccer matches in four days due to the virus and the German government temporarily restricted Bundesliga arenas to 50 percent attendance or 15,000 fans. But don’t expect the U.S. leagues return to “bubble” play or shut down for a couple of weeks to let things subside.

“The way our system is set up now, an infection triggers a chain of events and that leads to confusion, disruption, mayhem.

But from a medical respect,

AYTON FROM PAGE 14

coach was going to take it easy on me, but JaVale [McGee] got in a little foul trouble, but I was on go, I was ready to show my team ‘I got y’all’”.

Ayton was sidelined for the Suns’ 111-90 win over the Boston Celtics on December 10 and a 111-95 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on December 13.

Following the Clippers loss, he vowed to teammates that he would return the next game and get the team back into the win column.

“They know how I am, I talk with my chest and I mean it too. Everyone was a little down after the loss and I told them don’t worry about it, I’ll be back and we won’t lose two in a row.

“It’s the NBA it’s hard to win in this league but I had to let them know I have their back,” Ayton said.

“We were just trusting one another and playing together the whole night, it was beautiful to see. I didn’t miss anything, I just kept

these people are mainly vaccinated and not going to go to the hospital,” said Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease specialist at the University of California, San Francisco.

“We’re in a very different world from a year ago. …

It’s not too bad for young, healthy athletes,” ChinHong added.

And there’s too much financially at stake for leagues to consider shutdowns, given the millions upon millions of dollars lost when sports took a hiatus last year. There’s also fan pressure to take into account.

“The short answer is money. It’s what’s driving (the leagues’) decisions to continue to play, even in the face of these outbreaks,” said Nola Agha, a professor of sports management at the University of San Francisco. “I don’t think they will reduce the number of fans or shut down the entire season,” she continued. “I think they will continue to do the best they can within local health department guidelines, which might reduce the number of fans.”

In Canada on Wednesday, the country’s largest province, Ontario — home to the NBA’s Toronto Raptors and the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators — set a cap of 50 percent of capacity for large gatherings such as professional sports events. doing what I do when I got there on the floor.”

Ayton said his progression has included becoming a playmaker for his teammates on the floor.

“I’ve seen every coverage possible they can throw at us.

“Now it’s just me being a better basketball player, taking what the defence gives me, playing that short role, I really dissect that now,” Ayton said.

“Taking advantage of my size and my ability to pass to either corner. Me, [Chris Paul] and coach Mark Bryant, we’ve been on that.

I really wanted to be more of a threat this year…you can break it off to me in the short role and I’ll be the playmaker, simple as that.”

It was Ayton’s 11th double double of the season and second game this season where he led the Suns in both points and rebounds.

“If there’s any issue I will show him the film from this game because that’s how dominant he can be,” Suns point guard Chris Paul said.

“That can be him every single night and when he

So far the NHL has had the most postponed games for a league in North America this season, with 10.

The Senators were first in mid-November, followed by the Calgary Flames and the Carolina Hurricanes this week. On Wednesday alone, the Nashville Predators added six players and six staff members to the health and safety protocols, and Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron went in as well.

The omicron variant is mostly responsible for the uptick in NHL cases, according to a person with direct knowledge of discussions between the league and the NHL Players’ Association, but it does not account for all positive tests. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the talks were private.

The person also said the NHL is reintroducing enhanced COVID-19 protocols including restricting players to their hotels while on the road and bringing back daily testing through at least January 7.

Interim coach Derek King of the Chicago Blackhawks, who were supposed to play the Flames this week, said the team has been reinforcing with players the importance of social distancing, hygiene and avoiding crowds.

“Just really knuckle down, because we don’t

want to be one of those teams that’s got to rearrange their schedule because we have COVID,” King said.

The NBA also has several stars in COVID-19 protocols right now, including the Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Brooklyn Nets’ James Harden. As of Wednesday afternoon, 33 players — about 6.5 percent of the league — were in the protocols, with 17 of those playing for either Chicago or Brooklyn.

The Bulls had games postponed Tuesday and today because they didn’t have enough players available, while Brooklyn played with an NBA-minimum roster of eight on Tuesday.

That same night, when Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry set a record for career threepointers at New York’s Madison Square Garden, NBA commissioner Adam Silver wasn’t in the audience — both he and deputy commissioner Mark Tatum have been undergoing daily testing after attending an event hosted by Toronto president Masai Ujiri, who tested positive soon after.

“Like the rest of the country, and as was predicted by our infectious disease specialists, we have seen an increase of cases around the league,” NBA spokesman Mike Bass said yesterday, adding that the

league will continue to be guided by science and data and cooperate with the Players Association.

The NBA says 97 percent of players are vaccinated and just over 60 have received booster shots.

Preeti Malani, the University of Michigan’s chief health officer, an infectious disease expert and a member of two Big Ten COVID-19 advisory committees, said boosters will be “essential” to avoiding schedule disruptions.

“The biggest thing we can do, whether it’s sports or school or workplace, is to be highly vaccinated. …

That means being boosted in addition to the primary series,” Malani said.

The NFL is perhaps fortunate in that most of its games are played outdoors, so there’s less risk for fans.

But the league is having its worst outbreak in terms of players on the reserve/ COVID list: Eighty-eight tested positive Monday and Tuesday, and several more were added yesterday including eight on the Washington Football Team.

The L.A. Rams have 16 on the list.

It’s a small percentage for a league with about 2,200 players between active rosters, injured reserves and practice squads. But omicron could cause that to rise quickly.

New York Giants coach Joe Judge said his players

GOLDEN State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) wears a face mask to protect against the spread of COVID-19 against the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday.

(AP Photo/Eric Gay) are now wearing masks indoors and are spaced out more in meetings.

“Anyone who’s been involved in any kind of a close contact or test at this point has either been removed or separated from the team, and they’re in virtual meetings,” Judge said.

The NFL Players Association has raised alarms for months about the league moving from daily to weekly testing, which hampers detection of outbreaks.

Chin-Hong of UCSF said they’re right to be concerned and the NFL should rethink the policy. “(Testing) once a week is so 2020,” he said. “We have the technology to do it several times a day.”

The American Athletic Conference, Pac-12, Southeastern Conference and Big East all told AP that their policies haven’t changed since the beginning of the school year: Teams unable to play conference games will forfeit.

PHOENIX Suns guard Chris Paul, right, passes the ball to Suns centre Deandre Ayton, left, during the second half against the Portland Trail Blazers in Portland, Oregon, on Tuesday night. Phoenix defeated Portland 111-107 in overtime.

(AP Photo/Steve Dipaola plays like that it’s going to Williams applauded Ayton’s “The know how, under“He was good at it last be tough to beat us.” effort and productivity in standing where his year in terms of finding Ayton is averaging 16.9 his first game back while teammates are is something people. Now he’s putting points and 11.2 rebounds also noting his development that we try to work on but the ball down so much more per game on the season. as a playmaker. he, JaVale, Mark Bryant, easier and even times when Suns head coach Monty “First game back, in my Sticks, they work on that a they try to get a charge.” mind I’m thinking about ton and they work on that The Suns are scheduled minute restrictions, he particular part of the floor, to host the Washington comes back and plays 44 when Chris and Book get Wizards 10pm local time minutes and goes for 28 and blitsed they have to facili- tonight at the Footprint 13,” Williams said. tate and make plays.

Center in Phoenix, Arizona.

Prince Strachan commits to Boise State Broncos FROM PAGE 14 A greyshirt is when a team offers a player enrolment on scholarship at the start of the second semester, after the upcoming season.

The athlete then has five years to play four seasons, with the ability to redshirt at some point.

Athletes who greyshirt are allowed to enrol as students. They go to class for the first semester as parttime students, either at the school or at a junior college, without starting their eligibility clocks. Then they begin as full-time students on scholarship.

Strachan recently concluded his high school football career with a play that garnered national recognition by the worldwide leader in sports.

His 52-yard touchdown reception against Champagnat Catholic in the Florida High School Athletic Association playoff game was featured on the “You Got Mossed” segment on ESPN’s “Sunday

PRINCE Strachan has announced his commitment to the Boise State Broncos. The senior wide receiver out of John Caroll Catholic in Fort Pierce, Florida, joins a vaunted Broncos incoming class that ranks No. 1 in the Mountain West Conference.

NFL Countdown” on November 27.

Jerome Strachan played wide receiver collegiately at Bethune Cookman and is credited with introducing the game to his sons.

Both young receivers look to continue the lineage established by their father.

Mike was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the seventh round of the 2021 NFL Draft and Prince looks to follow in those footsteps. “I appreciate my

brother a lot. He’s who I look up to and who I aspire and want to be like one day.

He played a big role in my life,” Prince said.

“My dad and brother taught me a lot about the game and he was the first to go through this process that I’m doing now.

“I learned a lot from him coming over here. It made it easier for me to know what to expect and not let anything catch me by surprise.”

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, December 16, 2021, PAGE 19

AP SOURCE: NBA, PLAYERS’ UNION MAY RETURN TO DAILY TESTING

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer THE NBA and the National Basketball Players Association are in the process of enhancing their health and safety protocols in response to rising coronavirus numbers around the league, said a person familiar with the negotiations.

Among the biggest changes: The league and the union are working to finalise a plan to return to daily testing for players and coaches, at least in the short term, said the person who spoke to The Associated Press yesterday on condition of anonymity because nothing

had been finalised or publicly announced.

Fully vaccinated players have not needed daily testing this season. The league and the union were already prepared to start daily testing on Friday for those who have yet to receive booster shots, and now may simply widen those plans.

The league has said about 97 percent of players are vaccinated, and just over 60 percent of those are boosted.

But there were 33 players known to be in the league’s health and safety protocols as of Wednesday evening, along with two head coaches — Indiana’s Rick Carlisle and Sacramento interim

coach Alvin Gentry — and a number of other staffers.

Among the big-name players currently sidelined: Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brooklyn’s James Harden. The league has postponed two games this week involving the Chicago Bulls, who have a league-high 10 players currently in protocols.

“I’ve got a feeling we may go back to some of the stuff we did last year, which was clearly no fun,” Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers said yesterday. “But we got through the season, so I guess that’s the sacrifice. If that’s what we have to do, we have to do it.”

PAGE 20, Thursday, December 16, 2021

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