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VOLUME:115 No.22, DECEMBER 20TH, 2017
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CHRISTMAS SHOPPING GUIDE: SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT INSIDE
28 deaths - but still no inquests
By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net
ATTORNEY General Carl Bethel said yesterday the lack of inquests into police-involved killings and in-custody deaths over a number of years is “distressing” and “unacceptable” and his administration will deal with the matter aggressively. He said he will meet officials of his office and Coroner Jeanine WeechGomez to determine whether administrative or legislative fixes are necessary to address the problem. He revealed there are about 28 police-related deaths that require an inquest, most of which are “just there”, languishing in the system. While families often have their own thoughts about why their loved one was killed by police, it falls to the Coroner’s Court to
COURT ORDERS 11 BAILED YET NO SIGN OF JEAN RONY
ascertain the facts of each incident. Some lawyers believe uncertainty around inquests go beyond slow judicial administration and raises human rights concerns as well. “I received a preliminary report that indicates there are around about 28 outstanding coroner’s inquests into police-related deaths and I was distressed to see that roughly, possibly four of them are only being proceeded with,” Mr Bethel said following yesterday’s Cabinet meeting. “The rest are just there. I find that to be an unacceptable situation. I’ve already called on my officials to have a meeting this week to begin to address it to determine what has to be done, but it’s simply unacceptable that there should be 28 as yet unresolved matters that must attract and have a SEE PAGE FIVE
DAVIS: PLP DIDN’T SIGN OFF DILLET PROJECT By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
WORK on the multimillion-dollar project to renovate the Stephen Dillet Primary School did not start under the former Christie administration, but in the first few months of the new Free National Movement (FNM) government, according to a tender report obtained by The Tribune. The documents appear to
contradict previous statements by Works Minister Desmond Bannister, who asked when the project started, told The Tribune last week: “They started it under the PLP regime. (It) started when the PLP was in power. They obviously were working on it and we were not aware of it. We came to power and met all of this going on and we had to deal with the individuals who were involved.” SEE PAGE SEVEN
ANDRICK John embraces his 11-year-old daughter, Chitara, after she is released from an immigration safehouse for detained women and children yesterday. She has been there since December 8. See page three for the full story.
NOW HOMEOWNERS SUE SCHOONER BAY By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net A GROUP of Schooner Bay homeowners have joined a legal action alleging the developer has “unlawfully interfered” with their rights, with the trial due in March 2018. Documents obtained by Tribune Business reveal that
the group became embroiled in a dispute between Schooner Bay Ventures and their Bahamian property manager, which ultimately cost them the opportunity to market their properties via a magazine with a 4.5 million monthly readership. They are claiming that the developer, headed by US principals Dr David Huber and Tina Gascoigne,
caused Coastal Living magazine to withdraw from featuring their properties in its vacation rental programme with assertions that have no basis in law. Schooner Bay Ventures, according to the papers, informed the magazine that the homeowners’ property manager was breaching the 220-acre project’s covenants. FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS
Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper
MIGRANTS ‘PACKING UP AND READY TO LEAVE’ By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net
ILLEGAL immigrants preparing to leave the country on January 1 or shortly thereafter may need additional time to “wind up their affairs”, according to activist Louby Georges. Mr Georges, in an interview with The Tribune yesterday, stressed some undocumented immigrants already preparing to leave the country in the coming weeks are now in the processes of packing their belongings, arranging transit and shipping their items out of The Bahamas. SEE PAGE THREE
ROLLE: WE SHOULD NOT RUSH OVER RAPE ISSUE By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net SOCIAL Services and Urban Development Minister Lanisha Rolle, the only woman in Cabinet, yesterday shied away from taking a firm position on whether marital rape should be criminalised in The Bahamas, but insisted marriage is private and its sanctity should be protected. Mrs Rolle said before the government acts or makes determinations that legislate how people’s personal lives are managed – adding there are two sides to every story – there should be a proper national conversation on spousal rape. SEE PAGE SIX
‘LED TO THE SLAUGHTER BY BULLYING EUROPE’ By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
THE Bahamas is “too eagerly being led to the slaughter” over the introduction of corporate income tax, a former finance minister blasted yesterday. James Smith, also a former Central Bank governor, told Tribune Business that the Government was “kowtowing” to the European Union (EU) and Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) without fully understanding the potential consequences. He warned The Bahamas would be “shooting ourselves in the foot” with a corporate income tax. FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS
PAGE 2, Wednesday, December 20, 2017
THE TRIBUNE
THE BAHAMAS Feeding Network distributed more than a thousand packages yesterday for their Feed 5,000 campaign at Solomon’s Supermarket, Yamacraw. Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff
Feeding the 5,000 in time for Christmas By MORGAN ADDERLEY THOUSANDS of families will be fed this holiday season thanks to an initiative spearheaded by the Bahamas Feeding Network (BFN) in conjunction with AML Foods Limited and Aliv. Through their campaign, over 1,000 families in New Providence and over 1,000
families in Grand Bahama will receive parcels which include a picnic ham, whole chicken, five-pound bag of rice, two cans of peas, two cans of vegetables and a box of stuffing. The Nassau packages were distributed yesterday at Solomon’s in Yamacraw, and the same exercise will be taking place in Grand Bahama from the Solomon’s Queen’s Highway location, according to Renea Bastian, vice president of marketing & communications at AML. BFN Executive Director Philip Smith said although the campaign is named “Feed 5,000,” each parcel “can feed four persons in a family for a few days. So really its 8,000— 8,000 people will be fed from what we’re going to distribute over the next two days.” To explain how the parcels are allocated, Mr Smith said, “(BFN has) a group of members that has existed since we started… in December 2013. We selected a group of almost 100 churches, soup kitchens and feeding organisations, and they are from everywhere in Nassau, Grand Bahama and some of the Family Islands.” These organisations “can now go into their various communities and distribute these (parcels).” Ms Bastian, provided background on the event: “The Feed 5000 programme is an initiative that we started last year. The goal was basically to help those families in need…have a good Christmas dinner.” “We put together a package that includes everything that a family would need to have Christmas dinner. Last year we were able to raise $63,000. This year we actually beat our goal, and were successful in raising (over) $80,000. And that equates to feeding over 2,000 families.” “To launch the programme, AML donated $20,000. We then collected over $30,000 from our registers through donations from our customers and then we also had some donations come in from corporate sponsors. “And we are so grateful to everyone who supported us and made
this initiative such a huge success. It’s going to go a long way to help families that are hungry…We take for granted that everybody (eats three meals a day), and that’s just not the case. So we’re so happy that we’re able to put a smile on some families’ faces once again this year and you know we’re looking forward to this being even bigger and better in 2018.” Also present at yesterday’s event were the recipients of the packages. The Tribune spoke with Janice Mackey, a human resources administrator & logistics officer at Red Cross Bahamas. Ms Mackey said, “We are here today just to receive a donation from (BFN). And the food of course we will use to distribute to the persons who participate in our programmes. I’ve been told (the Red Cross will receive) 40 (parcels).” When asked who her organisation will distribute the packages to, Ms Mackey replied, “We have an ongoing list of persons we provide assistance for during the year, and it will no doubt be some of those persons, and any walk-ins who we assess that would need urgent assistance.” The Salvation Army was also present at the event. Andrew Sears, who works in the thrift shop, said, “We distribute the items through an event that’s happening on Thursday. We host it every year, (where) we feed the elderly people. They come in through the month of November, they register, then we tell when the event is. Then they come…we have the police band and everything. And they also get to take home the items we received here.” The Rotary Club of Old Fort was one of the contributors to the event. Dr Petra Forbes was a representative of this organisation, saying, “We are out here today to support the Bahamas Feeding Network and make a donation. Rotary is a service group and we try to give back to the community: we raise funds for BFN (and) organisations like Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre. Anything to help the community and give back, Rotary is apart of.
A VOLUNTEER helping to fill a package package for the Feed 5,000 campaign. All packages includes ham, chicken, cans of vegetables, rice and more.
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, December 20, 2017, PAGE 3
Court orders 11 bailed yet no sign of Jean Rony By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net THE attorney for detainee Jean Rony JeanCharles yesterday called for the government to be found in contempt of court for failing to honour a Supreme Court judge’s order to produce his client and bring evidence to justify his arrest and detention earlier this month. This call came as a judge granted bail to 11 other detainees – eight adults and three children until they return to court in January. Fred Smith, QC, submitted to Justice Gregory Hilton that notwithstanding the government’s breach of his order, it should be afforded an additional 21 days to produce Mr JeanCharles and also provide justification for his deportation on November 24 as per Mr Smith’s writ of habeas corpus. Mr Smith further charged that Justice Hilton exercise his discretion under Article 28 of the Constitution to make an order to cause Mr Jean-Charles to be returned to The Bahamas. In response, the Crown, represented by Gary Francis, submitted that Mr Smith’s writ of habeas corpus ought to be dismissed on the basis that no one bearing the name Jean Rony Jean-Charles is in the custody of the state, and that an individual bearing a name similar to the detainee was “returned” to Haiti days prior to Mr Smith’s filing of the writ of habeas corpus. According to a return to the writ of habeas corpus filed on Monday by Acting Director of Immigration Keturah Ferguson, on behalf of Immigration Director William Pratt and Peter Joseph, officer-incharge of the Detention Centre, a Haitian man was interviewed by immigration officers during a “routine patrol” in the Fire Trail Road area. That man, the document said, gave his name as Jean Charles, aged 31, date of birth December 1, 1985. Jean Charles was not able to provide any
JEAN Rony Jean-Charles documents or “any proof as to his lawful presence” in the country, and was subsequently taken to the Detention Centre for “further investigation relative to suspected contravention of the Immigration Act.” According to the document, Jean Charles subsequently signed an immigration profile form confirming his identity and other information he provided to the authorities as correct, in particular, the name he gave and his date of birth. He “duly signed” his name as Jean Charles, the return said. A subsequent check of birth records at the Bahamas Registrar General’s Department based on the information provided by Jean Charles yielded “negative results”. The document further said there was “no record or any other evidence presented or subsequently uncovered” to show that Jean Charles was either born in The Bahamas, entered The Bahamas legally, obtained leave to enter The Bahamas pursuant to the Immigration Act, nor had any status
whatsoever which entitled him to remain in The Bahamas. As a result, the document said the man was “safely returned” to his home country on a Bahamasair charter flight on Friday, November 24. The document said the man again confirmed his identity as “Jean Charles” during a roll call of passengers prior to boarding and “appeared to be in good health”. The Bahamasair flight was met by both Bahamian and Haitian officials in Haiti, where Jean Charles was handed over to Haitian authorities who “duly accepted their nationals for subsequent release.” As such, the document said any “custody and control” of Jean Charles or “whatever name he may be called” came to an end on that day in November. Thus, the return certified that the detainee in question is not in the “custody or control” of either the Detention Centre or Department of Immigration. And he was not in the custody and control of either entity on November 29 or December 7, the dates the application
MIGRANTS ‘PACKING UP AND READY TO LEAVE’
from page one
“Take into consideration the logistics of shipping,” he said when asked about ongoing preparation in Haitian communities ahead of the government’s December 31 immigration deadline. “Remember many built a life already. Acquiring capital and other means. Give them time to wind up their affairs. Give them time to ship stuff back; pack things. “Be fair, they want to comply. Many (are) ready to leave but they have affairs that need to be gathered up.” On Monday, Dr Minnis again urged undocumented migrants to leave the country by his December 31 deadline or apply for legal status. Dr Minnis implored those here illegally to do the “honourable, respectable
thing and leave - or apply through the legal channel” to allow for the proper process to play out. Faced with those comments yesterday, Mr Georges told The Tribune he believed Dr Minnis could expressed his latest statement “a different way”, but underneath he had no issues with the government’s hardline stance, asserting the efforts displayed by the Minnis administration since coming to office have all been fair and above-board. Mr Georges said as a result of this approach, many illegal immigrants are “preparing honestly” for the deadline and the process that comes with it by either “applying and trying to regularise themselves” or making preparations to leave. He stated: “Some have indeed left but, for the most part they are trying to comply.”
Mr Georges said while he could give no clear statistics on the number of people who have left or are preparing to leave, but come January 1 he didn’t believe the public would witness mass round-ups and deportations. He told The Tribune he firmly expects “the norm” to continue. On Monday, Dr Minnis also revealed Cabinet approved an independent board that will oversee the granting of citizenship applications. This was something foreshadowed by Dr Minnis earlier this year. Responding to that move, Mr Georges stated: “We tip our hats to the government for having an independent immigration board now and hopefully they can focus on protecting the borders as oppose to unleashing the immigration officers on those here as if that will solve the case.”
WATER AND SEWERAGE CORRECTION IN an article which ran under the headline ‘Water theft probe: Police investigate,’ published in Tuesday’s edition of The Tribune, it was incorrectly stated that Water and Sewerage Corporation (WSC) Chairman Adrian Gibson said General Manager Glen Laville is still on administration leave.
The Tribune would like to clarify that Mr Gibson did not say this and that Mr Laville returned to WSC after several days of leave in October while a forensic audit was taking place. Tuesday’s article also reported officials were investigating allegations of theft of “thousands
of dollars”. However, Mr Gibson has asked this newspaper to clarify that when asked by reporters about theft, he said there was an alleged theft of items and when asked the value, he said it was in the “thousands of dollars”. The Tribune apologises for the error.
for a writ of habeas corpus and the granted of said writ was granted, respectively. And it was for this reason chiefly that Mr Francis submitted that Mr Smith’s writ of habeas corpus be dismissed. Mr Francis also submitted that based on the information contained in the return to writ, if the information submitted by “Jean Charles” to immigration authorities on September 18 was intended to deceive them, then that person “contributed significantly” to his own fate. Regarding Mr Smith’s calls for an order to be made to have Mr JeanCharles returned to the Bahamas, Mr Francis said it would be a “far stretch” for the government to reach into another sovereign country in Haiti and bring Mr Jean-Charles back. However, Mr Smith countered by saying while the return to writ purports to be referencing his client, Mr Jean-Charles and the “Jean Charles” taken into custody have different birth dates: Mr Jean Charles was born on December 5, 1982. Further, Mr Smith noted how according to a “replacement list of Haitian nationals scheduled for repatriation” on November 24, in the return to writ, “Jean Charles’” place of birth is Nassau, Bahamas, notwithstanding the return referring to “Jean Charles” as a Haitian national. Mr Smith further charged that even if Mr JeanCharles and “Jean Charles” are the same person, the return to writ does not show any justification for that individual’s arrest and subsequent detention. Upon hearing these and other submissions from both sides, Justice Hilton said he would give a determination on Mr Jean-Charles’
matter at a later date, subsequent to him reviewing the transcripts and the relevant authorities upon which counsel had relied to support their case. On the 11 detainees granted bail yesterday, Justice Hilton said those individuals would themselves sign to pay $1,000 should they not show up on their respective adjourned dates, and report to the Department of Immigration once a week every Wednesday until then. Justice Hilton will also give a ruling on whether two others who were detained but later released were lawfully arrested, namely Jamaican national Ricardo Johnson who is married to a Bahamian citizen, and Reggionel Raymonvil, who was born in The Bahamas. Mr Johnson, who is in possession of a resident spousal permit due to expire in October of 2018, was detained on December 1 and released on December 8. Mr Raymonvil was detained on November 29 and released on December 7, according to court documents. After the hearing, Mr Smith told reporters the hearing was a “fantastic victory” for the “rule of law” and “due process”. “What this clearly establishes is immigration simply does not have the right, the
lawful authority to simply pick up people and hold them indefinitely, that everybody is entitled to be brought before the court to decide whether their detention is illegal, and pending that, they’re entitled to bail in the meantime,” he said. “People can’t just disappear into the Detention Centre forever. People have rights. This is very simple.” Earlier this month, Mr Pratt told The Tribune Mr Jean-Charles, who relatives said was born and raised in The Bahamas to Haitian parents, had been flown to Port au Prince, Haiti on November 24 after not being able to prove he was in the country legally. Representatives from the Haitian embassy later told The Tribune they have no record of Mr Jean-Charles being repatriated. When contacted, Kerl Chatelier, first secretary of the Haitian Embassy, said when the Immigration Department is sending suspected illegal immigrants back to Haiti his embassy is notified of the individuals involved. Applications for habeas corpus were subsequently filed in the Supreme Court against the attorney general, minister of immigration, director of immigration, and superintendent of the Carmichael Road based Detention Centre on November 29.
PAGE 4, Wednesday, December 20, 2017
THE TRIBUNE
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Uncertainty in the absence of diplomacy IN the face of endless conflict affecting an increasingly uncertain world, widespread concern about international stability and even the threat of war continues to grow. The instantaneous dissemination of news via the internet, leading to a general overload of information, only heightens a sense of permanent unease about imminent disaster, since persistent bad news creates a perception of disorder, confusion and lack of control. Given the USA’s enhanced influence in the world and its economic and military strength, its capacity and willingness to resolve problems at an international level become crucial in maintaining peace and stability. Most people in the West expect America to take the lead in resolving international crises. However, with the most mercurial and combative President at the helm since the nation became a global power after the Second World War - and, progressively, the leader of the free world - there is genuine alarm on the part of many about the future. The reduction of international tensions remains essential since the ultimate use of force involving weapons of mass destruction would have overwhelming and widespread effects. As for the Caribbean, we depend on our giant neighbour for our security and prosperity so how the US interacts with others on the world stage matters even more to us than to other countries. During the first year of his presidency, Mr Trump has been faced with myriad challenges in relation to foreign affairs – for example, North Korea’s nuclear testing, Russian expansionism, China’s growing power and its military activity in the South China Sea, ISIS and radical Islamic terrorism and the Iran nuclear deal. So far, his controversial tweeting has induced concern that US foreign policy is being made on the hoof without proper consideration of complicated issues in an informed and rational manner and without even identifying the nation’s strategic aims beyond his rhetoric about the need to “make America great again”. Thus, the President’s announcement earlier this week of a National Security Strategy has already been welcomed. It provides a framework for US international relations and describes his administration’s priorities as protecting America’s way of life, promoting the nation’s prosperity, preserving peace through strength and advancing US influence in the world. He has also stressed America will lead the way vigorously in achieving these overall aims and, while recognising China and Russia as “rival powers”, will confront challenges head-on including
the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula. But there was no mention of climate change despite its inherent importance to any nation’s economy, though he acknowledged the economy was crucial to national security. While the key to world peace during the Cold War was nuclear parity between the West and the Soviet Union as an effective deterrent to mutual destruction, perhaps the most pressing issue now facing the President is not only the direct challenge from North Korea as the greatest current threat but also the danger of the spread of nuclear weapons to other rogue states and into the hands of terrorists. On a broader front, US foreign policy should surely be concerned with preservation of a rules-based and US-led liberal international order that underpins the work of supranational organisations and protects the integrity and sovereignty of the nation-state. Moreover, the importance of so-called soft power - in the shape of America’s values and cultural achievements that contribute to its influence and appeal should not be underestimated. Having now identified the US’s national security priorities, the question is how to give them effect. The President’s critics point to his often one-dimensional and direct approach to issues that has been effective in achieving his aims in business matters but may not be appropriate in dealing with other countries. In the more varied and sophisticated world of international affairs the exercise of diplomacy is required in order to secure the co-operation of others. But, judging from the reported major cuts in the State Department, the Trump administration appears not to recognise its value. This ignores the fact that careful management of relations among independent states by a process of diplomatic negotiation is the accepted method of gaining strategic or tactical advantage without the use of force. Diplomacy involves the tough and hard-headed task of promoting and protecting the interests of a nation by seeking to strengthen mutual interests and reconcile conflicting ones - either multilaterally through the United Nations and other international organisations or bilaterally through resident diplomatic missions and official visits. Such an approach to the conduct of foreign affairs may or may not be Mr Trump’s preferred way of doing business. But what is certain is that without vigorous and pre-emptive diplomacy (often behind the scenes) the world would be in a permanent state of crisis and thus become an ever more dangerous place.
Act on bank charges EDITOR, The Tribune. THE Central Bank must no doubt act and act quickly as there is such large discrepancy’s in Bank Charges under certain headings that it has to be questioned. These banks are operating in the same country, down the same road in the same Plaza but, for example getting a paper statement how can there be a 50 percent difference between Bank ‘A and Bank C’? Look at ‘stop payment’ fee - high at First Caribbean of $67.19 to a low - Scotia of $15.00 - if Scotia can accept a ‘stop payment’ fee of $15.00 why is First Caribbean asking $67.19?
Cashing a non client cheque, a big grumble with many people - RBC happy with a charge of $16.13 but the rest are all under $7.00 for the same service and cheques are cleared electronically, so why the difference? Returned cheques RBC-First Caribbean $37.63 the rest, Commonwealth as low as $10.75 to mid-rate for Scotia, BOB, Fidelity of $26.88 - why the difference RBC? Monthly service charges - what does RBC give their customers the others don’t? Good question as RBC charges $16.13 for a chequing a/c against low for Commonwealth of $7.537
Why is RBC so expensive to do business with? Editor - these charges are adding considerably to the cost of doing business ... clearing cheques is electronic, instant but try paying off a transfer immediately you still have to wait three-days - why Central Bank? At least RBC does not charge pensioners any charges - boy you have to wait ‘til 65 to get something back worth something! It might be cheaper to keep ya money under the bed or stone! W THOMPSON Nassau, December 13, 2017.
We need change EDITOR, The Tribune. IT is extremely unfortunate the government does not seem to understand that in order for us to have lasting prosperity and success as a nation there are areas in which our culture must change. It is not enough to simply try to bolster the economy and provide jobs, while the greater percentage of our people live like animals in the jungle. The core values of our people must be addressed. Constraints in time and space does not allow this to be a complete list, but these are several areas that need immediate attention if this nation is to be turned around. Common courtesy and respect for others and their property are values that used to be taught at home. Parents used to teach their children how to speak to others respectfully, how to answer a telephone and take messages. Now this most basic training has to be taught in many entry level jobs. Many do not even know how to dress for an interview or how to complete a resume properly. The proliferation of single parent homes has seen a significant increase in the number of untrained children who become uncouth adults. More value is placed in natural hair weaves, tattoos, push-up bras and inch long eyelashes than an education. Many young adults who fail to take advantage of the education offered to them, are pushed through the educational system.
LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net After graduation, many are chronological adults with a 6th grade mentality who feel entitled to have a job that they are ill prepared for. So naturally, they make minimum wage or slightly better and perpetuate the cycle of material and mental poverty by soon having children themselves. The issue of work ethic must be addressed. The average Bahamian wants a job, but they do not really want to work. Many stroll into work late or after arriving they have to have breakfast first. They are satisfied collecting a cheque without any regard for whether or not they may have earned it. Many do not understand a company’s vision and what their role is in fulfilling it. Concepts of honesty and integrity are largely unknown. They believe the employer should pay them according to what their personal responsibilities are not for the value their position has to the employer. How often people complain about their bills and why the boss should pay them more, but they are not working while they complain! Some reinforce this nonsense by advocating for workers to have their birthdays off when many of them simply pass the time when at work on other days. Far too many function on a purely survival instinct. Everything they do is in an
effort to survive or to feel like they are getting ahead. There is no rationale in their actions, no concept of consequences for actions. The almighty dollar is their god, though they have no concept of how to manage or invest it. Their lives are hard, their hearts harder. They are always on the hustle, eager to pull one over on the unsuspecting.They will cut you off in traffic, run red lights, cut in front of you in lines, get involved in relationships and steal from their employers just to get ahead. Many of these people are able to find jobs in tourism and become undesirable ambassadors for the country. You see many of these unsightly faces outside of stores on Bay Street. What is the point of spending millions of dollars marketing the tourism product abroad only to have tourists come and have experiences with some of these ‘hustlers’ that results in the countries image being tarnished? They have no loyalty to God, country or others, only themselves! Haven’t we all experienced this? Success in this economy is unsustainable in a way that will expand the middle class if fundamental cultural values remain unchanged. Any gains made will speedily evaporate if we do not learn how to retain them. The government cannot overlook the value of creating essential cultural change in the areas of work, family and education. JB Nassau,
Pointless Popeye EDITOR, The Tribune. WHY The Popeye’s Bowl? Do we make any money from it? Based on the past years this event - fan fared by the then PLP Government was an enormous economic impetus to the economy. But truth don’t lie, when the TV cameras swung across The Thomas Robertson
Stadium all you saw were hundreds of empty seats. The east side of the stadium was totally empty! This is a Ministry of Sports and Culture event - can the Minister make public the past financial report and event analysis which would have determined it was good business sense to commit again to this event? The FNM have cancelled
all kinds of things since May 10, 20l7 - many can’t understand why not this non-performing expensive event? Minister - shows us the reasoning why we should financially support this obvious failing event. ABRAHAM MOSS Nassau, December 10, 2017.
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, December 20, 2017, PAGE 5
MINISTER of National Security Marvin Dames.
Photo: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff
POLICE RECRUITMENT DOWN By SANCHESKA DORSETT Tribune Staff Reporter sdorsett@tribunemedia.net
ROYAL Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) recruitment numbers are down, according to Minister of National Security Marvin Dames, who said he is concerned the “numbers in the organisation have been declining as opposed to remaining constant or increasing.” In an interview with reporters outside of the Cabinet Office, Mr Dames said a recent audit of the RBPF revealed that since 2011, attrition in the RBPF has been outpacing recruitment. It’s not clear who is conducting the audit, but Mr Dames said it will be released to the public “hopefully in January”. He also said a similar manpower audit is now being conducted in the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) and the Department of Correctional Services. “For far too long we have just been recruiting not knowing what we are recruiting, who we are recruiting and why we are
recruiting. We have basically completed our audit of the Royal Bahamas Police Force and we are running through the draft now and making some amendments where necessary so hopefully some time in January we will release the results of that audit,” Mr Dames said. “But one of the things that audit is telling us, is that between 2011 and now, that attrition in the Royal Bahamas Police Force has been outpacing recruitment. So what does that say? The numbers in the organisation have been declining as opposed to remaining constant or increasing and so that is a concern for us and now we will use that audit to help us bring the numbers up to where it ought to be... This is a scientific study, we have been looking at demographics and we have been looking at growth in areas, we have been looking at crime levels in a particular area because one of the things that we want to do is to make certain at the end of the day, that the Bahamian people are well served. Meaning that there are adequate number
of officers and resources at these policing divisions to serve those respective communities.” Last week, RBDF Commodore Tellis Bethel could not give a date when more than 100 new recruits will receive a call to start their 16-week training. It is still unclear why the recruitment process for the RBDF was stalled, however Mr Dames said those recruits should begin their training “any day now”. “So yes, we are about to take in recruits in all of these areas in the upcoming weeks. (In) the defence force there are more than 100 plus recruits that are projected any day now, same for the Royal Bahamas Police Force and same thing for her majesty’s Department of Corrections,” he said. “And those numbers will begin this process of helping us reach the required levels for these organisations and so we will now at the end of the day have many officers we need.” In October, during his contribution in the House of Assembly, Mr Dames said an audit of manpower
28 DEATHS - BUT STILL NO INQUESTS from page one
coroner’s inquest in order to bring closure as a matter of law; police-related deaths, in-custody deaths etc. “We want to have this dealt with expeditiously. So I want to have meetings with my officials and thereafter have some meetings with the coroner and then we look at what has to be done either administratively or legislatively to correct the situation as soon as possible.” Mr Bethel could not say how far back the outstanding matters go.
However, police-involved deaths before 2011 do not automatically trigger an inquest because they happened before the Coroner’s Act came into force. Some lawyers say relief may be sought from the Supreme Court to get the coroner to hold an inquest into such matters. “I got a listing of case names and their status in terms of whether they have been proceeded with,” Mr Bethel said. “The three or four that I saw have been adjourned until next year and the rest are just sitting there. We have to at least get those cases dealt with
TEEN SHOT IN ABACO POLICE in Abaco are investigating a shooting that left a 17-year-old boy with injuries. On Monday shortly before 10pm, the teen was at a basketball court in Dundas Town, Abaco when he was approached by another male who shot him before fleeing on foot,
police were told. He was transported to a nearby clinic where he was seen by a doctor. His injuries are not life threatening. Two 17-year-old boys of Dundas Town were arrested and are assisting police with their investigation into this matter.
expeditiously.” In an interview on Monday, attorney Romona Farquharson-Seymour blamed the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) and the Office of the Attorney General for the inefficiencies at the court in such matters. She said those institutions take an “inordinate” amount of time sending their files to the Coroner’s Court. “The AG’s Office,” she said, “marshals many of the matters. Police deal with interviews, the AG’s Office usually sends the file on to the Coroner’s Court and that’s where the delay
in the RBPF revealed the institution is top-heavy and recent promotional exercises by the Christie administration placed burden on the performance of the force. “Preliminary findings… indicate that the police force is top-heavy and that the organisation’s equilibrium command structure and performance are being impacted. It was found that the recent massive promotion exercise resulted in an oversubscription of gazetted officers especially at the superintendent and assistant commissioners level,” he said at the time. “In fact, five of the current ten assistant commissioners are performing the same duties they performed prior to being promoted. Simply put, there were not enough vacancies for these officers to fill.” In an act many considered to be politically motivated as the general election neared, 851 officers were promoted in May under the Christie administration, including two to the rank of chief superintendent’s, 76 to superintendent’s rank and 90 to the assistant
arises.” She said: “If they can get VBIs together, they can get these together. They have enough officers for them to get it done. We have over 100 murders a year. At least 70 percent of the time VBIs are ready in three to six months and it involves the same process as what is needed in police shooting matters. In fact, it’s less arduous because you’re not levying any charges. It’s just a pathologist report, witness statements, etc.” According to The Tribune’s records, 11 people have died in police-related shootings this year.
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superintendent’s rank. Prior to that, ten officers were promoted to the assistant commissioner of police’s position. One officer was promoted to senior assistant commissioner of police.
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PAGE 6, Wednesday, December 20, 2017
THE TRIBUNE
Rolle: we should not rush over rape issue from page one Once a public consensus is taken, she said the Minnis administration should act accordingly. Meanwhile, her colleague, Deputy Prime Minister K Peter Turnquest said his personal view is marriage does not give a man the right to “own anybody”. He said every woman is to determine what happens to her body, which is a fundamental right. Asked whether he believed the issue was something that should be looked at legislatively, the minister of finance said he was “certainly” open to this. The issue of recognising marital rape was again ignited in the country after Dubravka Šimonovic, the UN’s special rapporteur on violence against women, said last week marital rape is the most pressing gender-based issue facing the Bahamas. Ms Šimonovic, a human rights expert, stressed the legality of martial rape is “a sign that something is deeply wrong,” adding the issue could easily be resolved through legislative changes. “Certainly, we do not support any form of violence against women,” Mrs Rolle told reporters yesterday ahead of the morning Cabinet session. “That is the stance that the country has taken. Certainly, I am one that supports that. “In relation to marital rape, I have always said that it is an issue that is private. It can become public, but we want to start where marriage is sacred and marriage is private. And so, if we are going to legislate any type of law to affect marital couples and relationships between those parties, it is proper to have a conversation with the wider community to get their perspective on how they feel about it. “Certainly, there are existing laws that deal with domestic violence that deal with sexual offences. There are laws that are on the books at this time,” the Seabreeze MP said.
MINISTER of Social Services and Urban Development Lanisha Rolle. “The Penal Code covers determinations as to how should be criminalised, several offences in rela- we are going to manage Mr Turnquest said he believed “there ought to be tion to acts and rape is one people’s lives. “Sometimes people say consequences”. of them, assault is another, He said: “I think it is but when we get into the one thing and then there sanctuary of marriage it’s are two sides to the story something that we need to very, very important I feel and so let’s hear what eve- look at. There is this argubecause this relates to rybody has to say without ment from some churches both parties and you know just making decisions. Out- with respect to this right. I nobody else would be there side of that I think that’s the don’t necessarily share that appropriate thing to do in a view and I apologise if that than those two parties.” Asked pointedly if she sensitive situation like this offends anybody, but I just believed marital rape other than that let the law don’t share that view. “I think that each of us should be outlawed, the take its course in any form minister said: “I said when and any kind of way,” Mrs has an inalienable right to decide for ourselves and to it comes to the privacy and Rolle said. She added that men were protect for ourselves. To the rights of individuals particularly those within also victims of rape and the extent that somebody a marriage, we want to were often laughed at when forces themselves on the other I think there ought to hear what the popula- trying to report the matter. When he was asked if be consequences.” tion has to say before we Earlier in his interview go and legislate and make he thought marital rape
Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff with reporters, Mr Turn“I can’t imagine that any quest said: “My personal man would think it’s right to belief is that no man has force himself upon a woman. the right to force himself on I don’t care if you are marany woman whether mar- ried to her or not. It’s just ried or not. So as far as the unacceptable,” he said. law is concerned I am not On Monday, Attora lawyer so I won’t get too ney General Carl Bethel, much involved in that.” acknowledging the contro“But I think as a funda- versial nature of the issue, mental right every woman said he hopes a comprohas a right to determine mise can be made resulting what happens to her (and) in characterising sex withto her body and no man out consent in a marriage has the right. You don’t as sexual spousal abuse as own anybody. Slavery was opposed to rape. This, he (abolished) a long time ago said, could be addressed by and nobody has the right amending the Matrimonial to abuse another person, a Causes Act or the Domesman or woman. We need to tic Violence (Protection look at it legislatively. Cer- Orders) Act. tainly, I am open to it. • Rape is rape - see page 8
FOULKES STILL WORKING ON GAMING BOARD JOBS RESOLUTION By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net LABOUR Minister Dion Foulkes said he is currently working to see how best
the government can reach a resolution after 30 people were terminated from the Gaming Board. Mr Foulkes said: “I had a meeting with the executives of the
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Bahamas Public Services Union (BPSU) yesterday (Monday) for several hours. We discussed all of the issues involved (along) with their concerns about the layoffs at the Gaming Board. I made a commitment to them that I will attempt to meet with the chairman and the board and put their concerns to the board to see if I can get a resolution to the problems. “They have five major issues that I intend to raise
with the Gaming Board today. I have requested an urgent meeting with them. One or two of their board members, there are only four, one or two of them, are out of the country so if the meeting comes off hopefully I’ll be able to have a discussion with them.” Earlier this month the BPSU said it was pursuing “legal action” against the Gaming Board for the terminations. BPSU President Kingsley Ferguson had said the
union hired a lawyer and was pursuing legal action against the government for refusing to reinstate some of the terminated employees. At the time, Mr Ferguson also reiterated the Minnis administration had until the end of the week to rehire some of the employees or further “action” will be taken. According to the BPSU, 17 employees, ranging from administrative assistants to revenue collectors and managers,
were terminated at the end of November. Last month about 18 workers were sent home from the Gaming Board. The Minnis administration has taken a conservative approach to public sector hiring and has not shied away from letting workers go since the May 10 general election. Since that time, more than 100 people have been let go for various reasons, according to The Tribune’s reports.
NEW TENDERING SYSTEM TO BE SET UP IN BID TO IMPROVE CONTRACT TRANSPARENCY THE country’s public procurement system, long a target of frustration and even international criticism, will be transformed next year to boost transparency and save the country a substantial amount of money, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance K Peter Turnquest said yesterday. During a press conference, Mr Turnquest announced the government’s E-Tendering and Supplier Registry System will be launched on February 5 next year where it will serve as a one-stop shop of sorts for tendering and procurement matters. The government will soon table a Public Procurement Bill to “strengthen
the regularity framework around government’s procurement.” Through the bill, a Public Procurement Department and a Public Procurement Board will be established. A Public Review Tribunal will also be established “to give recourse to persons who believe there have been an injustice rendered to them during the tendering process.” During the first phase of the project, potential suppliers will be able to register on the online portal; registered vendors will receive notifications when request for tenders are uploaded to the system; and interested bidders will be able to prepare and submit bidding
documents through the online portal “at their convenience prior to bidding deadlines,” Mr Turnquest said. He added the system will “increase ease of doing business and make procurement processes more competitive.” “There will be complete visibility,” he said. “All qualifying Bahamian businesses will be able to register to do businesses consistent with their qualifications. Moreover, all persons by visiting the portal will be able to view business opportunities, know all the offers available, monitor the progress and see who is awarded the contracts and at what
prices and the justification behind those awards. There is tracking of every decision throughout the procurement chain. All bid forms are time stamped which prevents interference form those who might be inclined to act outside their scope and after the close of a bid. Every action taken by government personnel within the system is tracked.” The first phase of the project will cost $331,396, but officials could not say how much the project will cost overall. The second phase will feature the Public Procurement Act and its attendant regulations and establishment of departments.
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, December 20, 2017, PAGE 7
Davis: PLP didn’t sign off Dillet project from page one Official Opposition Leader Philip Davis has accused Mr Bannister of twice misleading the public on the issue, and yesterday vowed to refer the matter to the Public Accounts Committee for review. Terming Mr Bannister’s statements a “breach of public trust,” Mr Davis challenged Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis to provide a full report on the controversy he dubbed the “Stephen Dillet Scandal”. “For the record, there is nothing inherently wrong with no bid contracts. Notwithstanding the protocols set out for the awarding of contracts under the Financial Administration and Audit Act, the exigencies attendant to an award may permit departure,” Mr Davis said. “While in government, we awarded contracts without engaging the tender process for a myriad of sound reasons. “Notwithstanding, the FNM, while in opposition and in government – especially during the budget debate for this fiscal year – broadsided us continually on the award of contracts without public tender. The PLP is aggrieved generally by the hypocrisy of the minister and more particularly by the fact that he has told two rank untruths. “It is also unconscionable that the minister of works now blames public officers for this gaffe,” he added. The tender report for proposed renovation and canopy extension to Stephen Dillet, which recommended a $4,566,845.10 contract be awarded to Mal Jack Construction
Company, is dated July 16. Included in the tender report is a copy of a memo from the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology to the Ministry of Works dated November 4, 2016, when the Christie administration was in office. The 2016 memo indicates a request was made by administration at Stephen Dillet for “among other things, restroom facilities for staff”. However, no further communication on the matter is documented until a memo on July 11, in which the Ministry of Education advises the Ministry of Works that the school’s request for interior reconfiguration was agreed to as per the architectural drawings presented. The tender report states this decision was made due to the short time constraint during summer months and the volume of works to be executed. It also notes that work had commenced without the authority of a contract, suggesting the project proceed to Cabinet for approval. The July 11 memo read: “With the narrow window that is available before the reopening of school, the Ministry of Education is hereby directing your ministry to negotiate with Jack Andrews of Mal Jack Construction Company for the proposed reconfiguration at the school.” The Ministry of Education, according to the memo, also granted approval for the contracting of three companies for consultancies: quantity surveyor, John Michael Clarke (Veritas Consultants Limited); mechanical
OPPOSITION Leader Philip ‘Brave’ Davis. & electrical, Dereck King (Grand Bahama Engineering and Procurement Company); and structure, Adrian Rollins and Associates Engineering Company. Another Ministry of Education memo dated July 11, states Minister Jeff Lloyd conducted a site visit the previous day and recommended several changes to the scope of works to reduce the construction cost. Supplementary documentation indicates work had already commenced on the project by late June. A report from consultant Veritas documented a site visit on June 27, with GB Engineering reporting site
visits with Veritas and Mal Jack on July 8-11. Controversy over works at the school was stoked by former Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Chairman Bradley Roberts, who claimed the contract to renovate the school was awarded to Mal Jack Construction without a proper public tendering process. The Free National Movement (FNM), in the lead-up to the May general election and since then, has vowed to be transparent about contract awards and has committed to ensuring tendering process takes place for them. Yesterday, the Ministry of Finance launched its digital
Photo: Shawn Hanna/ Tribune Staff platform for the E-Tendering and Supplier Registry System. Yesterday, Mr Davis questioned whether there was a disconnect between Cabinet ministers of education and works. He pointed to a statement from Mr Lloyd reported by The Tribune in May, when the education minister announced the Ministry of Education is “looking to establish a cohort of construction and maintenance personnel to carry out repairs and construction independent of the Ministry of Works.” Mr Davis said: “I am satisfied that construction (demolition works)
commenced on June 1, 2017, based on information that has come to me. We also know that the prime minister regularly inspected this project, so it is his administration that must answer for any irregularities here.” Mr Bannister did not respond to requests by The Tribune yesterday for comment. However, last week he said the Minnis administration brought the matter to Cabinet when it realised the project began without ministerial approval under the former Christie administration. He said the public servants responsible have been held accountable.
GRAND LUCAYAN RESORT DEAL STILL BEING NEGOTIATED By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net
DESPITE the Minnis administration’s ambitions to open the Grand Lucayan Resort by winter this year, Finance Minister K Peter Turnquest said the deal is still being negotiated. “Unfortunately, it’s not gone as fast as we’d like,” the deputy prime minister said in response to questions from The Tribune ahead of yesterday’s morning session of
Cabinet. “But these things happen with these kinds of transactions.” He said the government was still “very encouraged” by what’s happening and anticipated an early resolution in “the coming weeks”. Mr Turnquest said the Wynn Group, a Canadian real estate development company, was still involved, adding there were also interests from other groups. He declined to go into further detail of what was
on the table, saying to do this would be “inappropriate,” but assured that the government would have a deal within weeks. Earlier this month, Tribune Business reported the Wynn Group was back at the table and negotiating with Cheung Kong (CK) Property Holdings over a new, revised offer to purchase the Grand Lucayan. In addition, Tribune Business said this resulted in the Minnis administration placing its own takeover offer on hold, in the hopes
of Wynn or another private investor successfully concluding a deal with Hutchison Whampoa’s real estate arm, thus limiting the taxpayer’s potential financial exposure. The Nassau Guardian previously reported Paul Wynn, CEO of the Wynn Group, pulled out of the deal to purchase the resort and was seeking to get his refundable deposit back from Hutchison Whampoa, the owners. In October, the government made an offer to
THREE MARIJUANA FIELDS FOUND IN ANDROS AN ongoing investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Unit assisted by US Drug Enforcement Agency agents resulted in the discovery of three additional marijuana fields in Andros on Monday.
Shortly after 9am, DEU officers along with DEA agents returned to an area near Owens Town where they uncovered three marijuana fields. An estimated 4,000 marijuana plants were uprooted.
Last week, local officers and US agents uncovered as estimated 10,300 marijuana plants from two fields in the same area. No arrests were made in this latest discovery. Investigations are ongoing.
READERS RESPOND TO ISSUES OF THE DAY READERS have been giving their reaction to the news on tribune242.com. After PLP Deputy Leader Chester Cooper cautioned celebrating Standard&Poor’s decision to uphold the country’s credit rating, Birdiestrachan said: “Mr Cooper is a great man, very intelligent and he has a winning personality. we live in a democracy and it is his God giving right to state his opinion. There are those who can learn from him. Because all knowledge is not deposited in any one being.” There was this from Sheeprunner12: “This S&P probation period has to play out . . . by the new FNM Government plan. Hope it goes better than with the PLP - who hoodwinked S&P and Moody’s for five years.” The possibility of the large-scale import of live spiny lobster from the Bahamas to China prompted a lively response. Alfalfa thought there
would be challenges to such an operation: “I hope Mr Wells does his homework on this. Lobster fisherman in the Bahamas are currently geared towards capturing lobster by ‘hooking’ them with a modified spear; wringing the tails; dipping them in a cleaning solution; and freezing the tails. In order to capture live lobster and bring them to market, boats would have to have wells; dinghies would have to have some sort of live storage capabilities, and capturing would be a whole different ball game. Boats that currently set traps for lobsters (very few) would have to be modified from freezer storage to live well. Very expensive to do. Purchasers of the live lobster would have to have large
storage areas to place them in, (again, very expensive), and then there is the matter of transport to China. Talk to the real fishermen in Spanish Wells and get their input. Sounds like a pipe dream to me.” Porcupine said: “This is not news. The market for live lobster has been there for many years. No laws against it. Alfalfa makes clear the barriers to the market. A whole different way of fishing and equipment needed. Traps don’t work in The Bahamas. Is it a mystery why? The seafood export dialogue should remain in The Bahamas, by Bahamians. According to all reports, we will be able to sell every scrap of seafood we catch for the foreseeable future, with or without foreign comment. We do not need the WTO, the Chinese, or anyone else telling us what to do. All we need is a sustainable supply of good quality seafood. Why are we complicating matters?
However, it is important to realise, as currently evident to anyone reading the science, we humans are doing a fantastically miserable job of acting within the limits of sustainability. Most every fishery is collapsing, including the conch fishery in the Caribbean. It is presently not sustainable and is subject to total collapse in the near term.” And Scampi75 asked: “It’s all well and good to try increase export revenue but is it sustainable? Just because someone says it is doesn’t mean it’s so. Are there proper studies confirming this? A shortsighted approach now will pay dearly in the future. Also, has there been any discussion of putting limits on exports? Probably not. Anyone who thinks conch, lobster and grouper are an inexhaustible resource are living in lala land!” • Don’t miss your chance to join the debate on tribune242.com.
the owners of the hotel to purchase the properties in Grand Bahama to remain in line with Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis’ commitment to not only keep the resort open but ensure jobs were maintained. Finding a purchaser for the Grand Lucayan is critical to the survival of Grand Bahama’s sluggish economy, which has been struggling since last October when the three-resort hotel property closed following significant hurricane damage. Grand Bahama’s
economy has also been in decline since Hurricanes Jeanne and Frances in 2004. Dr Minnis, in late July, revealed during a national address the government was negotiating to become temporary joint owners of the Grand Lucayan Resort in a bid to boost the hotel until it can sell off its equity. At the time, he said “all signs point to the beginning of renovations at the resort” sometime in October, with the facility “ready for business for the winter season”.
PAGE 8, Wednesday, December 20, 2017
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Eight years on the same debate with the same answer - rape is rape
W
E need to talk about consent. Most of us understand it to mean permission. Parents and guardians signing forms to allow children to participate in extracurricular activities probably comes to mind. We don’t think about consent as a way of controlling and protecting our own bodies. Instead, we view the bodies of women and girls as public property. When we force children to show affection to family members and friends without prejudice, we teach them they do not own their bodies. When we tell teenaged girls, “Dress the way you want to be addressed”, we are telling them other people’s perceptions of them are the most important thing. We have many ways of making each other less than human, stripping away rights and dignity. We find ways to blame one another for any violation experienced, conditioned by and continuing the perpetuation of rape culture. Rape culture is prevalent in our environment and allows people to
believe there is something women and girls can do to prevent sexual assault. We can dress differently, travel in groups, ensure we are always accompanied by men, refrain from consuming alcohol, get home before dark and ignore our own sexuality. Even further, we can purchase a number of products like special underwear that only we can remove and nail polish that detects date rape drugs in our drinks. The onus is continuously put on us, women and girls to protect ourselves by being less visible and investing in products specifically designed for us. As if this is not enough to bear, our law does not recognise us as full people after we marry. According to the Sexual Offences Act, once married, women are no longer entitled to (not) give
consent to their husbands and are expected to engage in sexual activity whether we would like to or not. The Act says we cannot be raped and, by marrying us, men have unlimited rights to access our bodies. What if this were the case for murder? If a man owns his wife’s body to the extent he can penetrate her vagina without her consent, what is to keep him from thinking he can kill her without consequence? If we stick to the “two become one” argument, we set ourselves down a slippery slope. Married women can vote, but not say “no” to sex and have the right to press charges if her husband rapes her. Married women are human beings in some ways, but property in others. There is no reason for women to be denied the right to choose what to do
‘If a man owns his wife’s body to the extent he can penetrate her vagina without her consent, what is to keep him from thinking he can kill her without consequence?’ with their bodies, in marriage or otherwise. The narrative of false accusations is completely baseless at best and foolish at worst. If we create legislation and policies based on potential for misuse, we would likely be forced to go without. Anarchy, anyone? People talk about the great fear of the lying woman. Won’t married women lie on their husbands, just because? People sometimes lie — not women; people. Cases sometimes go to court and the defendants are innocent. Sometimes it is difficult to prove the crime. We see this happen every day. This is the reason for courts, judges and juries. It is the reason evidence is required. The justice system has its issues, but so do society, the church and the institution of marriage. Are we really satisfied to doom married women to live as the property of their husbands, able to be lawfully violated? Are we happy to have even ten women suffer in silence, with no legal recourse, because one might lie on her husband? Do we really believe men are entitled to sex on demand when they marry a woman? To be clear, rape is not sex. Sex can only occur with clear, continuous consent from all parties involved. When anyone is forced to participate in sexual activity, it is assault — a violation. If a person is underage, they are not able to give consent. If a person is intoxicated, they are not able to give consent. If a person is unconscious or
asleep, they are not able to give consent. Consent must exist for a sexual act to be lawful. It must be explicit and cannot be coerced. There is no such thing as sex without consent; that is rape. It does not matter whether or not the people involved are married. Consent is not granted in perpetuity, regardless of licences and vows. We have the right to say yes or no. In July 2009, then MP for Long Island Loretta ButlerTurner tabled the marital rape bill which would have amended the Sexual Offences Act to omit “who is not his spouse” so that marital status does not enter the definition of rape or impede access to justice. Eight years later, we are having the same conversation on the same level, seemingly with no better understanding of or appreciation for women’s rights as human rights. We listen to political and religious leaders and allow them to guide our thoughts on opinions far too often. We forget Members of Parliament and Cabinet Ministers work for us and should be acting in the best interest of the Bahamian people. Laws and policies should be made to protect the most vulnerable among us; not putting them at higher risk or further marginalizing them from the rest of society. Religious leaders should not be interfering in governance of the country, or imposing themselves and their views on the citizenry. They should be rebuking the consistent, dangerous misuse of biblical text to
support misogyny. Those who support men who rape their wives often use biblical text, mostly in fragments, to compel others to do the same. A favourite is Ephesians 5:22 which implores women to submit themselves to their husbands. Those quoting this scripture conveniently neglect to mention verses 23 and 28 which call on men to love their wives as Christ loved the church and “as their own bodies”. A true, practising Christian would surely look at the full scripture and, upon seeing “love,” refer to I Corinthians 13 for its definition and characteristics. According to Paul, love is patient, kind and protective and is not self-seeking. If a man loves his wife, would he not be patient, kind and protective, and willing to put his own desires aside instead of being self-seeking? If a man loves his wife as Christ loved the church — for which He gave His life — what limit would there be to what he would give up for her? Why aren’t we holding men to the same standards we demand women meet? A married woman is still a woman, and a human being. Married women, like unmarried women, have human rights. These include being equal in dignity and rights, the right to security of person, freedom from slavery or servitude and recognition everywhere as a person before the law. In addition to being protected from sexual assault and understood to be human beings, women deserve to have access to justice. We need to look at the Sexual Offences Act and its definition of rape. We need to look at the way we view marriage and, in particular, the privileges of men within the institution. We need to understand that rape is rape, no matter who is involved. Perhaps more than that, we need to look at the positions we take and the arguments we use and ask ourselves who we are trying to protect - and why?
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, December 20, 2017, PAGE 9
TECHTALK IMPROVES HOW BLIND PEOPLE CAN ‘SEE’ IMAGES USING AI By RYAN NAKASHIMA, Technology Writer MENLO PARK, Calif. (AP) — When Matt King first got on Facebook eight years ago, the blind engineer had to weigh whether it was worth spending an entire Saturday morning checking whether a friend of his was actually in his friend list. Such were the tools at the time for the visually impaired — almost nonexistent.
Tagged Today, thanks to text-toaudio software, it just takes a few seconds for him to accomplish the same task. And because of a new face recognition service the social network is rolling out Tuesday, he can now learn which friends are in photos, even those who haven’t been tagged by another user. The facial recognition technology, which uses artificially intelligent algorithms, doesn’t appear to have changed much since Facebook began using it in 2010 to suggest the identities of people in photos.
But after incorporating feedback from billions of user interactions, Facebook felt confident enough to push its use into new territory. “What we’re doing with AI is making it possible for anybody to enjoy the experience,” says 52-year-old King, who lost his sight in college due to a degenerative eye disease and now works at Facebook as an accessibility specialist. In addition to the improved facial recognition, Facebook has in recent years also automated descriptions of what’s happening in a photo. (Those remain relatively primitive, as they’re limited to only about 100 or so concepts and roughly a dozen action verbs.) For the sighted, the new facial recognition settings will also help crack down on imposters. Starting Tuesday, Facebook will notify you if someone has uploaded your face as their profile picture. And just in time for alcohol-laden holiday parties, you can also be notified if someone in your friend network
ENGINEER MATT KING, who is blind, demonstrates facial recognition technology via a teleconference at Facebook headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif. Facebook is unveiling a new AI-powered feature just in time for alcohol-filled holiday parties: you can now see untagged pictures of your face on your friend’s news feeds and ask the poster to remove them. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg) has posted a compromising picture of you without explicitly tagging you. That check is not perfect. If you don’t want a drunken karaoke picture of yourself online, for example, you can’t veto the resulting photos posted by your friends, although you can ask them to take it down. Serious violations or disputes can be flagged to Facebook staff, which they will review according to their community standards. Facebook lets the person posting a photo have the final say this way in order to deal
with situations like public speaking events, where the speaker shouldn’t have control over what’s shared. For the visually impaired, the company is also working on identifying text in manipulated photos like memes, though its technique isn’t quite ready for primetime.
Accuracy Even small accuracy problems can ruin the punchline, according to Facebook accessibility director Jeff Wieland. For Janni Lehrer-Stein,
a volunteer who advises Facebook, the new facial recognition capability will help her enjoy more of her daughter’s recent graduation photos. Lehrer-Stein had lost her sight by the time she was 46, and has long used audio-to-text software on Facebook. Knowing who is in each photo makes a big difference, says the sixtysomething mother of three. The technology gives her enough information to “engage” in special family moments captured in photos, she says. “Even though I can’t see them.”
BID TO INJECT ROBO-CAT WITH AI TO HELP SENIORS
By MICHELLE R. SMITH, Associated Press
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Imagine a cat that can keep a person company, doesn’t need a litter box and can remind an aging relative to take her medicine or help find her eyeglasses. That’s the vision of toymaker Hasbro and scientists at Brown University, who have received a three-year, $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation to find ways to add artificial intelligence to Hasbro’s “Joy for All” robotic cat. The cat, which has been on the market for two years, is aimed at seniors and meant to act as a “companion.” It purrs and meows, and even appears to lick its paw and roll over to ask for a belly rub. The Brown-Hasbro project is aimed at developing additional capabilities for the cats to help older adults with simple tasks. Researchers at Brown’s Humanity-Centered Robotics Initiative are working to determine which tasks make the most sense, and which can help older adults stay in their own homes longer, such as finding lost objects, or reminding the owner to call someone or go to a doctor’s appointment. “It’s not going to iron and wash dishes,” said Bertram Malle, a professor of cognitive, linguistic and psychological sciences at Brown. “Nobody expects them to have a conversation. Nobody expects them to move around and fetch a newspaper. “They’re really good at providing comfort.” Malle said they don’t want to make overblown promises of what the cat can do, something he and
93-YEAR-OLD Mary Derr holds her robot cat she calls “Buddy” as she talks to it in her home she shares with her daughter Jeanne Elliott in South Kingstown, R.I. Derr has mild dementia, and Elliott purchased a “Joy for All” robotic cat earlier this year to keep her mother company. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia) his fellow researcher — computer science professor Michael Littman — said they’ve seen in other robots on the market. They hope to make a cat that would perform a small set of tasks very well. They also want to keep it affordable, just a few hundred dollars. The current version costs $100. They’ve given the project a name that gets at that idea: Affordable Robotic Intelligence for Elderly Support, or ARIES. The team includes researchers from Brown’s medical school, area hospitals and a designer at the University of Cincinnati. It’s an idea that has appeal to
Jeanne Elliott, whose 93-yearold mother, Mary Derr, lives with her in South Kingstown. Derr has mild dementia and the Joy for All cat Elliott purchased this year has become a true companion for Derr, keeping her company and soothing her while Elliott is at work. Derr treats it like a real cat, even though she knows it has batteries. “Mom has a tendency to forget things,” she said, adding that a cat reminding her “we don’t have any appointments today, take your meds, be careful when you walk, things like that, be safe, reassuring things, to have that available during the day would be awesome.”
Diane Feeney Mahoney, a professor emerita at MGH Institute of Health Professions School of Nursing, who has studied technology for older people, said the project showed promise because of the team of researchers. She hopes they involve people from the Alzheimer’s community and that “we just don’t want to push technology for technology’s sake.” She called the cat a tool that could make things easier for someone caring for a person with middle-stage dementia, or to be used in nursing homes where pets are not allowed. The scientists are embarking on surveys, focus groups and interviews to get a sense of the landscape of everyday living for an older adult. They’re also trying to figure out how the souped-up robo-cats would do those tasks, and then how it would communicate that information. They don’t think they want a talking cat, Littman said. “Cats don’t generally talk to you,” Littman said, and it might be upsetting if it did. They’re looking at whether the cat could move its head in a certain way to get across the message it’s trying to communicate, for example. In the end, they hope that by creating an interaction in which the human is needed, they could even help stem feelings of loneliness, depression and anxiety. “The cat doesn’t do things on its own. It needs the human, and the human gets something back,” Malle said. “That interaction is a huge step up. Loneliness and uselessness feelings are hugely problematic.”
• PRESIDENT Donald Trump’s administration is publicly blaming North Korea for a ransomware attack that infected hundreds of thousands of computers worldwide in May and crippled parts of Britain’s National Health Service. Homeland security adviser Tom Bossert wrote in a Wall Street Journal op-ed published Monday night that North Korea was “directly responsible” for the WannaCry ransomware attack and that Pyongyang will be held accountable for it. Bossert said the administration’s finding of responsibility is based on evidence and confirmed by other governments and private companies, including the United Kingdom and Microsoft. “North Korea has acted especially badly, largely unchecked, for more than a decade, and its malicious behaviour is growing more egregious. WannaCry was indiscriminately reckless,” he wrote. Bossert said the Trump administration will continue to use its “maximum pressure strategy to curb Pyongyang’s ability to mount attacks, cyber or otherwise.” The WannaCry attack struck more than 150 nations in May, locking up digital documents, databases and other files and demanding a ransom for their release. The United States and South Korea have accused North Korea of launching a series of cyberattacks in recent years, though the North has dismissed the accusations. • FIFA has been informed of goal-line technology glitches during French league games, by the same system used at the 2014 World Cup. Soccer’s governing body said on Tuesday it has yet to confirm whether GoalControl will be used in Russia at a second straight World Cup. FIFA’s statement followed the French league warning GoalControl in a meeting on Tuesday that the contract could be terminated at the end of the season. The French league said it wants improvements after expressing “dissatisfaction with the failures” in several matches with GoalControl, which informs referees on a watch if the ball has crossed the line. It wrongly indicated during a weekend game that a header from a Troyes player crossed the line when it bounced down from the crossbar. But it was ruled out after the referee realised there was a problem with the technology. The French league said the readings from GoalControl cameras were distorted by the intensity of LEDs in the stadium, leading to the referee’s watch to wrongly vibrate indicating a goal. A technician in a van spent several minutes checking the footage. Goal-line technology entered soccer after a goal was wrongly disallowed at the 2010 World Cup. FIFA is focused on fast-tracking the next phase of technology — video assistant referees — for the 2018 World Cup. GLT and VAR systems were provided by Hawk-Eye at the Confederations Cup this year.
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THE TRIBUNE
US short of options on N Korea cyber attack WASHINGTON Associated Press THE Trump administration vowed Tuesday that North Korea would be held accountable for a May cyber attack that affected 150 countries, but it didn’t say how, highlighting the difficulty of punishing a pariah nation already sanctioned to the hilt for its nuclear weapons program. The WannaCry ransomware attack infected hundreds of thousands of computers worldwide and crippled parts of Britain’s National Health Service. It was the highest-profile cyberattack North Korea has been blamed for since the 2014 hack of Sony Pictures after it produced “The Interview”, a satirical movie imagining a CIA plot to kill leader Kim Jong Un. While that attack led to leaks of confidential data from the movie studio and emails that embarrassed Sony talent, the implications of the WannaCry intrusion were altogether more serious. Homeland security adviser Tom Bossert said it was “a reckless attack and it was meant to cause havoc and destruction”. He said it put lives at risk in British hospitals. Other experts say the attack was more likely an attempt by Kim’s cashstrapped government to extract money. Last year,
the same hacking group was suspected in a malware attack that penetrated the Bangladesh Central Bank’s computer system, stealing $81m. Whatever the motivation, the public declaration of blame by Washington reflects growing concern over North Korea’s cyber capabilities that appear all the more threatening because of Pyongyang’s scant regard for international norms. In defiance of world opinion, North Korea is the only country to test nuclear weapons this century and is closing in on a missile that could strike anywhere on US mainland. “President Trump has used just about every lever you can use, short of starving the people of North Korea to death, to change their behavior,” Bossert told reporters at the White House. “And so we don’t have a lot of room left here to apply pressure to change their behavior.” In a sign of continuing malevolent online activity, Microsoft and Facebook said Tuesday that they worked together last week to help disable hackers tied to the same hacking group that was behind WannaCry. Under Trump, the US has piled on economic sanctions against North Korea both on its own and with wide international support. Although experts
say North Korea’s access to hard cash could be further hurt by more targeting of Chinese intermediary banks and companies, US options for punishing steps are limited. “Sanctions on North Korea really aren’t going to change its behavior,” said James Lewis, a technology and intelligence expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, who proposes not just targeting North Korea’s revenue sources but also its government’s own limited access to the internet. “Sending a carrier battle group off North Korea won’t get them to stop hacking.” In January 2015, President Barack Obama responded to the Sony attack by imposing sanctions on North Korea’s primary intelligence agency and a state corporation involved in ballistic missiles and arms trading, as well as on officials who worked for it. He also warned of further unidentified actions that would take place “at a time and manner of our choosing.” If any further action was taken, it was never made public. While experts say North Korea lacks the elite capabilities of Russia or China, it has honed its cyber skills and has been accused of increasingly serious attacks.
FIRST responders work at the scene of an Amtrak train that derailed south of Seattle on Monday. Photo: Daniella Fenelon/AP
THREE KILLED AS TRAIN DERAILS DUPONT, WASHINGTON Associated Press
AN Amtrak train making the first-ever run along a faster new route hurtled off an overpass south of Seattle on Monday and spilled some of its cars onto the highway below, killing at least three people, injuring dozens and crushing two vehicles, authorities said. Attention quickly turned to the train’s speed. Federal investigators say the train was traveling at 80mph (129kph) in a 30mph (48kph) zone. Bella Dinh-Zarr, an NTSB board member, said at a Monday night news conference that information from the event data recorder
in the rear locomotive provided information about the train’s speed. Dinh-Zarr said it’s not yet known what caused the train to derail and that “it’s too early to tell” why it was going so fast. She said federal investigators will likely be on scene for a week or more. There were 80 passengers and five on-duty crew on board when the train derailed and pulled 13 cars off the tracks. Authorities said there were three confirmed deaths. More than 70 people were taken for medical care — including ten with serious injuries. About two hours after the accident, a US official
who was briefed on the investigation said he was told at least six people were killed. The official said he had no new information to explain the discrepancy in the numbers. The official was not authorised to discuss the investigation publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. A track chart prepared by the Washington State Department of Transportation shows the maximum speed drops from 79mph (127kph) to 30mph for passenger trains just before the tracks curve to cross Interstate 5, which is where the train went off the tracks.
REPUBLICANS CLOSE IN ON TAX DEAL WASHINGTON Associated Press
JUBILANT Republicans pushed on Tuesday to the verge of the most sweeping rewrite of the nation’s tax laws in more than three decades, a deeply unpopular bill they insist Americans will learn to love when they see their paychecks in the new year. President Donald Trump cheered the lawmakers on, eager to claim his first major legislative victory. Perhaps emblematic of the stumbles along the way, there was one last hiccup. Speaker Paul Ryan, who has worked years toward the goal of revamping the tax code, gleefully pounded the gavel on the final House vote, but then it turned out it wasn’t final after all. The Senate still expected to pass the legislation on Tuesday night, but the plan to send it on to Trump for his signature had to be scrapped. Democrats noted that three provisions violated Senate rules and had to be removed. So the massive bill will be hauled
back across the Capitol for the House to re-vote on Wednesday. GOP House members roared and applauded as their chamber passed the $1.5 trillion package largely along party lines, 227-203. Ryan declared, “This was a promise made. This is a promise kept,” as he and other GOP leaders convened a victory news conference moments later. The Senate was still on track to approve the package that will touch every American taxpayer and every corner of the US economy, providing steep tax cuts for businesses and the wealthy, and more modest help for middleand low-income families. Despite Republican talk of spending discipline, the bill will push the huge national debt ever higher. After the delay for a second House vote, the measure then heads to Trump who is aching for a win after 11 months of legislative failures and non-starters. The president tweeted his congratulations to GOP leaders and “all
great House Republicans who voted in favor of cutting your taxes!” Congressional Republicans, who faltered badly in trying to dismantle Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act, see passage of the tax bill as crucial to proving to Americans they can govern — and imperative for holding onto House and Senate majorities in next year’s midterm elections. They have repeatedly argued the bill will spur economic growth as corporations, flush with cash, increase wages and hire more workers. But they acknowledge they have work to do in convincing everyday Americans. Many voters in surveys see the legislation as a boost to the wealthy, such as Trump and his family, and a minor gain at best for the middle class. “I don’t think we’ve done a good job messaging,” said Rep Greg Walden, R-Ore. “Now, you’re able to look at the final product.” Ryan was positive, even insistent. He declared, “Results are what’s going to make this popular.”