12212022 NEWS AND SPORT

$142M TO RECOVER FROM TOXIC LOANS

Just five delinquent loans owe collective total of $100m

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

THE Bank of The Bahamas bail-out vehicle must now employ “lots of muscle” to recover its remaining “toxic” loan collateral valued at $142m, its chairman revealed yesterday.

James Gomez, Bahamas Resolve’s chairman, said it has largely recovered the “low hanging fruit” among delinquent Bank of The Bahamas commercial loans that it received via two transfers in 2014 and 2018.

Disclosing that some

$40m has been recovered to date, on assets appraised at a collective $63m, he said Bahamas Resolve is now focusing on the “more toxic” credit in its portfolio.

Mr Gomez said five loans worth a collective $100m will be key to remaining recoveries. While he declined to identify the borrowers, one is almost certainly the Summerwinds Plaza on Tonique Williams Highway that was pledged as collateral by former PLP cabinet minister, Leslie Miller, and upon which more than $30m is alleged to be owed.

DONATIONS SUFFERING A SLUMP, SAY CHARITIES

By JADE RUSSELL jrussell@tribunemedia.net

WITH Christmas days away, several non-profit organisations are appealing for assistance as some say donations are in a slump.

Alicia Pinder, director general of the Red Cross Bahamas Society, told The Tribune yesterday donations were coming in rather slowly for the holiday season.

“Well, donations have been slow. We have one or two corporations that have made contributions.

“But the donations that we generally would get from some food suppliers or even individuals coming in to make contributions compared to pre-pandemic, those contributions are considerably low.”

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS Feeding Network is providing up to 100,000 meals a month, supporting more than 100 local feeding programmes.

The organisation got a welcome donation yesterday of 20,000 pounds of ham and chicken from Royal Caribbean International. The donation will help feed people who otherwise would not have a proper meal this holiday season.

Felix Stubbs, BFN chairman, said Royal Caribbean

has been a supporter of the network for many years.

He added: “As they’ve done in the past, again this year, they’re making a significant contribution here at Christmas time to assist in the feeding of many Bahamians who ordinarily would not have had a proper meal this time of the year.

“Some of you may be aware, we’ve been in existence now for 13 years, we’ve been feeding individuals for more, so supporting a network of feeding programmes so that as many deserving Bahamians are fed a proper meal.”

POLICE OFFICER IN A COMA AFTER ‘JUMPING FROM CAR’

FAMILY and close friends of a police officer who allegedly jumped from a moving vehicle this week have launched a GoFundMe page to assist with his medical expenses.

On Sunday, police officer Thomas Mario Hairston, 33, was admitted to hospital with significant head injuries

‘HISTORIC’ YEAR FOR TOURISM AHEAD

By LETRE SWEETING lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS Hotel and Tourism Association president Robert “Sandy” Sands said The Bahamas is set to see a “historic” level of visitor arrivals next year while bookings for most hotels in New Providence this holiday season and throughout the new year remain strong.

“We’re looking forward to perhaps an historical year in terms of visitor arrivals

He added: “The bookings for the festive season are very strong and we are very encouraged by the bookings over this period. I can also report that many hotels in New Providence are also looking at very strong bookings for this period as well. Most hotels are in excess of 92-93 percent over this period. It doesn’t stop there, bookings for the first quarter also in New Providence, are very strong.

after the reported incident. He is now in a coma.

In a statement released Monday, police said initial reports indicate that Hairston and a female companion were occupants of a grey Toyota that was travelling in the Joe Farrington Road area.

to The Bahamas in 2023,” Mr Sands said yesterday at the sidelines of a press conference at Baha Mar.

ALICIA WALLACE: HANDLING THE HOLIDAYS

ROBERT “Sandy” Sands yesterday.

Photo: Austin Fernander

RUSSELL BENFORD, vice president of government relations at Royal Caribbean, and Lisa Rahming, Minister of State for Social Services, as Royal Caribbean donated 20,000lbs of meat.

Photo: Austin Fernander

Golden Tender & Juicy McNuggets

Baha Mar backing the Valley Boys

By LETRE SWEETING lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

Boxing Day parade and the 2023 New Year’s Day parade.

At a press conference yesterday at Baha Mar, Robert Sands, senior vice president of government affairs at the resort, said Baha Mar is proud to be the primary sponsor for the “leading Junkanoo group” for the parades as well as for other events at the resort throughout the year.

“There’s no question that the leading resort in The Bahamas would sponsor the leading Junkanoo group in The Bahamas. And so we are proud this morning through the Baha Mar Resort Foundation to be the primary sponsor of the Valley Boys this year. The Valley Boys are here multiple times a week, so that our guests can take back just a little bit of the culture of The Bahamas,” Mr Sands said.

“We want to certainly congratulate The Valley Boys. We’re looking for two first places this year. But more importantly, that you continue to do well, that you continue to educate, inform and entertain, as you’ve mentioned, and we wish you well, this coming year. This commitment is a commitment that we will continue for many more years to come,” Mr Sands said.

Valley Boys chairman Brian Adderley said that the Junkanoo group is excited to be back on Bay Street after three years.

“Baha Mar has put (its) money where its mouth is and they have put their action where their mouth is by incorporating Junkanoo and culture into its product. I just wanted to start off by thanking Baha Mar and the Baha Mar Resort Foundation for its support of the Valley Boys since 2015. I just want to say that yes, we have been off for the past three years. But we are excited to be back,” Mr Adderley said.

“We’ve been recruiting and increasing our numbers.

That has me frightened by the way. But I would say on the parade, we’re gonna have about three to 400 persons on Boxing Day and New Year’s, but behind the scenes, (there are) even just as many persons supporting our activities to get to the parade,” he said.

The group’s theme for Boxing Day is The Magnificent Wonders of the Deep.

“The reason why we consider this theme to be very important, with global warming, and the push for countries to make sure that their development is sustainable. We feel that by highlighting this theme at this time, it will remind Bahamians as to how important our water resources are and for us to take them very, very seriously, so that they can be sustained for not only future economic development, but for future generations of Bahamians,” Mr Adderley said.

“Imagine The Bahamas without water. And so we’re going to give you a Boxing Day, a deep dive into the waters of The Bahamas, and quite frankly, a glimpse into a new bright blue future,” Mr Adderley said.

The group’s New Year’s Day performance will showcase the state of Florida and its connection to Bahamians.

Meanwhile, Junkanoo tickets for Boxing Day are nearly gone.

Dwayne Davis, chief information officer for Cable Bahamas Group of Companies, told The Tribune that as of yesterday, that the Boxing Day parade was “basically” sold out.

“The Boxing Day Junkanoo parade is basically sold out. The ratio is 58 percent of the tickets sold online and 42 percent of the tickets sold in the store. So far, as of yesterday 2pm, there were a total of only 745 tickets remaining for Boxing Day, but there are over 6,000 tickets remaining for New Year’s Day,” Mr Davis said yesterday.

MEGA resort Baha Mar is continuing its years-long partnership with the Valley Boys Junkanoo group and is the group’s primary sponsor for the nearly sold-out

THE VALLEY Boys senior leadership pictured yesterday.

Photos: Austin Fernander

STEPHEN BAIN, deputy chairman of the Valley Boys, Brian Adderley, chairman, Robert Sandy Sands, senior vice president of government affairst at Baha Mar, and Francisco Cooper, deputy chair.

100,000 meals a month to feed those in need

page one

He also said: “Currently, we are feeding up to 100,000 meals a month by supporting over 100 feeding programmes. Those are persons who come to us and use our resources to collect food or financing. So they’re able to go back into the communities, cook the food we give them or the (items) we give them and prepare meals for those people who are in need.”

Russell Benford, vice

president of government relations for the Americas at the Royal Caribbean group, spoke of the deep relationship between the company and BFN.

“You know, we’ve been working with the feeding network for five years now and this is the third year we provided an extra gift during the time of the holidays of food to the network.

I think, you know, for us as our relationship has grown over time, you know, we’ve gotten to know this organisation,” he said.

State Minister for Social Services and Urban Development Lisa Rahming expressed her gratitude for the donation.

She acknowledged the work of BFN.

“We’re very grateful on behalf of the Ministry of Social Services and Urban Development. We are extremely grateful and I always reiterated that the government cannot do it alone. So this here is an extension of that and, of course, our food network is that hub, that central arm that extends out to the

DONATIONS SUFFERING

CHARITIES

from page one

Ms Pinder explained that many businesses and residents are still trying to recover financially from the COVID-19 pandemic, adding it played a role in people being unable to contribute.

However, Ms Pinder said the low rate of donations has put the organisation in jeopardy of being able to assist Family Islanders with its annual food package.

“We would do on a regular basis mass shipping of items to our Family Islands and we’re not able to do that before Christmas. We’re hoping that we’ll be able to do some of it maybe as things pick up possibly into the new year,” Ms Pinder said.

Asked which items the Red Cross were in need of, Ms Pinder said canned goods, clothing, or money will be appreciated.

The Good Samaritan Senior Citizen’s Home is also seeing donations trickle in.

Dr Sinymae Capron, the head of the home, said there have been some donations throughout the holiday season. but not a lot leading up to Christmas.

“Some people came in earlier at Thanksgiving time and some folks were dropping stuff off now and then. But this weekend so far we don’t have many people coming in for the holiday.”

She said items such as cleaning supplies, bed pads, common medications, and nonperishable food items are needed at the elder home.

Meanwhile, Ingrid Deveaux, the administrator of the Ranfurly Homes for Children, said donations were flowing in, however, things are still needed.

“As it relates to gift giving, it is going well. We

have our transitional home at the back of the property that we’re trying to complete.”

She added: “We also have a sponsor-a-child student education programme. And then there’s the general items that we typically need like toiletries, food items, and clothing.”

Percy Grant, general manager of the Bahamas Humane Society, said yesterday that the shelter had over 500 animals at the site, adding there was not a “big flush” of donations currently.

“Things are medium, we’re not having a big flush of donations at this time. I guess people are just trying to get back to normal after the pandemic. But we’re getting in our small donations as normal,” he said.

He added that dog food, cat food, and cleaning supplies are some of the items the shelter needs.

other civic groups and individuals who took on the mandate to help those in need.”

“You know I don’t like to use the word poor, but those who are underprivileged, less fortunate among us. And so I am happy and I’m grateful because our stipend that we give to the civic groups could never be enough and so this is an extended arm from us,” she said.

Of the 100 outreach centres BFN works with, larger ones get food in bulk while the organisation prepares

parcels for some of the smaller ones.

It is estimated that each parcel can feed a family of four eight meals each.

Norris Williams, of First Born Church Of the Living God, said the church feeds at least 30 to 40 people a week.

“The Bahamas Feeding Network helps us a whole lot and it goes a long way because there are a lot of people out there that are hurting. (Sometimes) people who are hurting, they don’t come out to the public and say ‘Hey, I’m

hurting’, but they find the church and because the church is so discreet they come to the church and we assist them in any way we can,” Mr Williams said.

“There’s a whole lot of people that come. People that you have never seen before. They show up because you’ve given them something during Christmas. But we try to do it not only at Christmas, but we try to do it throughout the year. But especially during Christmas, we have a whole flock of people that come in.”

from

FOOD parcels being loaded up after a Royal Caribbean food donation to the Bahamas Feeding Network yesterday.

Photo: Austin Fernander

‘HISTORIC’ YEAR FOR TOURISM AHEAD

“I think it speaks to the strength of The Bahamas brand. It speaks to the strength of the type of resorts and the quality of resorts we have in The Bahamas and certainly Baha Mar is contributing to that. It also speaks to the resilience of tourism in our country and

the opportunities that will avail themselves in the new year, so it will also be a major contributor to the economy of The Bahamas. Our success is The Bahamas’ success,” Mr Sands said.

“I’m looking forward to a full year in tourism that is uninterrupted. Where we have sustained occupancy, increased employment, a significant reduction in

crime and goodwill that is being shared amongst all people,” Mr Sands said.

He said Bahamians can expect to see multiple events from various hotels throughout the holiday season.

“I think most individual hotels will have individual events that they will organise and promote separately. So you’ll see multiple, multiple offerings of festivities

for the hotel industry, at this time,” Mr Sands said.

Earlier this month, at the BHTA’s annual general meeting, Mr Sands said the cost of doing business in The Bahamas “is one of the most daunting obstacles” in the tourism industry’s path. “It has a direct, immediate impact on the cost of goods and services in our country and the tourism industry is

not immune to this reality,” he said at the time.

Mr Sands added to these comments yesterday.

“If we offer value for money, then those costs will not appear to be as high.

When we continue not to offer value for money then we may begin to lose some market share,” he said.

“We will continue to advocate with the government in

areas that can help to bring down certain costs, whether it be in the area of electricity, whether it be in the area of customs, duties, reductions on certain food items for importation or utilising more than what we produce in the country. All of this will go toward helping to mitigate the increased cost of goods and keep goods at a particular level,” Mr Sands said.

Long Islanders ‘excited’ by $250m resort and port

By JADE RUSSELL jrussell@tribunemedia.net

LONG Island’s Chamber of Commerce president yesterday praised the impending construction of a $250m resort and cruise port on the island and described it as “exciting”.

Azul Destinations broke ground on Monday for the multi-million project called the Calypso Cove, which will consist of a 200-bedroom hotel, mega yacht marina facilities, interior pools, casinos, a cruise port, cruise pier and 18-hole golf course.

Cheryl de Goicoechea, Long Island’s Chamber of Commerce president, told The Tribune yesterday that

the project was something needed on the island to boost the economy.

“I think that it will bring a lot of employment, and some more economy to the island which is much needed. So, people may be able to return home and live here. And be employed

at the different businesses and the port that’s going to be open and available. So yes, I’m excited.

“I’m sure that the majority of the people on the island are excited and we’re looking forward to seeing it happen.

“I’m looking forward to

seeing it come into fruition. And I think that, once it is open and everything’s moving forward, it will bring some good investments to the island. And hopefully with that coming into play may even get our international airport upgrades, which will be quite exciting,” she said.

Ms Goicoechea added that developers of the multi-million project and government officials have assured them that the venture will aid in providing numerous residents with jobs.

She continued: “We will have first dibs on any jobs that are going to be offered. And it will not be offered out to the other islands

unless they are not able to find the employees that they need on the island. But they assured us that all people from the island would be considered for the position before any other island.”

Sharon Cartwright, owner of Sunflower Food Mart, is also excited at the prospect of an economic boost from the development.

“I think it’s excellent and that it’s overdue for Long Island,” she said.

“And it’s very positive, it’s going to be a lot of good opportunities for our young children,” Ms Cartwright said.

Prime Minister Phillip “Brave” Davis on Monday

at the groundbreaking ceremony wished the developers the best and also committed his administration to doing its part in ensuring the project is a success for the benefit of all.

“We are committed, and we need to ensure that opportunities for Long Islanders, as for any islander, is the same as it is for those in New Providence. We’re committed to that, and we will continue on that journey,” he said.

For his part, Tourism, Investments and Aviation Minister Chester Cooper said he was happy for Long Island, adding that this latest project was just the beginning of what’s to come for residents there.

THE GROUND-BREAKING ceremony held in Long Island yesterday.

Photos: Moise Amisial

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis at the ground-breaking.

20 out of 23 unpaid nurses have now received pay

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

THE demand for unpaid salaries did not fall on deaf ears, as the Bahamas Nurses Union president confirmed that 20 of the 23 nurses who were owed money from the beginning of the year have now been paid.

Speaking to The Tribune yesterday, Amancha Williams said she is “pleased” with the Ministry of Public Service in meeting the demand, despite three nurses not being paid as yet.

She said: “I’m very pleased to know that (Ministry of) Public Service has done an excellent job in meeting the request of the nurses.”

She also thanked acting Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Service Gina Thompson, who went “overboard” to ensure the nurses were paid.

According to Ms Williams, the delay in payment to the remaining nurses is due to the government requiring “reclassification” of their work status.

The nurses included recent college graduates who have only recently received their appointment letter from the government, rather than a confirmation letter, according to Nurse Williams.

“They need to be reclassified,” she told this newspaper yesterday.

“And here again, I’m still saying, reclassification should not have to be a problem, because these persons are already in the system, you understand? They’re already in the system. So why do we have to take a year or more than a year to reclassify people?”

She continued: “You know, I keep saying, I’m reiterating that this

government really needs to sit down and look at HR (human resources) because it’s horrible.”

Nurse Williams criticised the government’s failure to communicate and acknowledge the inconvenience placed on the nurses.

She said this is not the first time the government has failed to pay staff, however, they should aim to ensure the matter is resolved permanently.

“Here again communicate with the union, let us know what’s going on, but don’t keep the workers in suspense. Don’t give them a letter. Don’t do anything.

“Human resources departments are supposed to be running smoother than that.”

When contacted for comment, Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Michael Darville was unresponsive up to press time.

POLICE OFFICER IN A COMA AFTER ‘JUMPING FROM CAR’

from page one

At some point, the victim, a front seat passenger, allegedly jumped from the vehicle following an argument, police reported.

He was taken to hospital by EMS personnel where he remains in critical condition.

According to relatives yesterday, due to the nature of his injuries, the 33-year-old now needs to be airlifted abroad to receive additional medical attention.

“The damage to his skull and brain resulted in a surgical procedure in Nassau, Bahamas on Monday December 19th, 2022,”

a relative posted on the GoFundMe page.

“It has now been determined that further medical expertise is necessary for a better chance of saving his life.

“Most recently, Thomas Mario was given the go ahead to be treated at Jackson State Memorial in Miami, Florida. As he remains in a comatose state, he will need to be airlifted to the facility as soon as possible.”

The relative described the officer as a “well mannered” person who is full of life and said the family is doing everything in their power to save his life.

“Every moment is vital, and although Thomas

Mario is stable, he is fighting for his life,” the family member said. “If you know Thomas Mario, you know him to be a pleasant, well mannered, highly intelligent, artistically talented young man, who is full of life, joy and kindness.

“We are trying to do everything possible to save his life, and if you too would like to assist the family financially with his medical expenses at this time, please donate.”

The GoFundMe account for Mr Hairston raised more than $3,000 up to press time yesterday.

Meanwhile, a 44-yearold woman is said to be assisting police with their investigation at last report.

Funeral Services for Mary Adrella Rolle, 92

of Coral Lakes Avenue, and formerly of Kemp’s Bay, Andros, will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday 22nd December, 2022 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Boyd Road Celebrant, The Reverend Fr. Kendrick Forbes. Interment will follow in Lakeview Gardens & Mausoleums, Gladstone Road & John F. Kennedy Drive.

She was preceded in death by her Husband: David, and her Step daughter and Step son-in-law: Elizabeth Smith (Eleazor Thomas).

Left to mourn Mary are her Seven sons: David, Fairbourne (Joan), Craig, Jefferson, Gary, Leslie (Denise) and Ray Rolle; Four daughters: Jennifer Rolle, Sherry Pinder (Andrew), Vernita Moss (Christopher) and Christina Rolle; Twenty-two grandchildren: Cherice Sweeting (Lawson), Alisa Gibson (Hezekiah), Julian Smith (Ana) and Shenika Deveaux (Eltura); Pastor Cynara Munroe (Apostle Cleon) Shantique Neeley (Neville) and Fabian Rolle; Dario, Domonique (Moneisha), Desmond and Deangelo Rolle; Latonya Rivas (Norman), Dervin Rolle, Lakeisha and Latoya Moncur-Rolle; Tameka Rolle; Andrew and Andia Pinder, Sean Moss (Ines), Neko Moss, Kristel Moss-Dean (Rashad), Kristie and Rico Moss; She is further survived by Thirty-three great grandchildren and a host of other relatives and friends including; Adopted Brother: Henry Forbes; In-laws: Bursil and Edna Rolle; Masalena Rolle; Nephews and nieces: Norwood, Edmund and Ezra Rahming, Elfloy Newry, Ovilda Forbes; Charles & Samuel Rodgers, Lorena Rolle, Ellen Forbes, and Dorothy Clarke; Betty Knowles, Yvonne Adderley, Pethrel Miller, Coralee Munroe, Sharelann Rolle, Jennifer Smith, Prince, Edward, Ralph, Donnie & Ellen Rolle, Patsy Knowles, Mark, Luke, John, Timothy, Peter, Eleasar, Joshua & Micah Rolle, Esther Thompson, Elizabeth Brown, Ruby, Rosco, Kenneth & Eric Rolle, The children of Wilmore & Valeria Bethel, The children of George and Ellen Forbes, The children of Henry & Ruthnell Forbes; Neighbours and friends: Rev. Dr. Philip McPhee & Family, Minerva Butler & Family, Cynthia Davis & Family, The Brennen Families, Maurice & Hester Clarke & Family, Philippa Perpall & Family, Linda Bethel & Family, Ivy & Patrick Goodridge, Bebie Farrington, Simone Ardis, Keith Beneby, Thomas and Dale Forbes, Neville Adderley & Family, Linda Adderley, Melissa Daley, Maverick Clarke, Margaret Bethel & Family, The Hon. Wayde Watson & Family, Commissioner of Police, Clayton Fernander, Administrators & Staff of Ministry of Health, Management & Staff of Cole Insurance Agents & Brokers Ltd., Securities Commission of The Bahamas, Staff of Morris, Blue Wave and The Bain Street Community.

May Her Soul Rest in Peace!

Friends may pay their last respects at Bethel Brothers Morticians & Crematorium, #44A Nassau Street on Wednesday December 21st, 2022 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. There will be no viewing at the church.

Monique Virginia Moss Hepburn, 64

of Soldier Road West, will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday 22nd December, 2022 at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, West Street North. Celebrant, The Reverend Fr. Glen Nixon. Interment will follow in the Catholic Cemetery, Tyler Street.

Monique is survived by her Spouse: Henry Alexander Hepburn; Children, Son: Malik Alexander Hepburn; Adopted: Alexandria Hepburn (Sebastian, Kristoph), and Vincent Hepburn; Brothers: Rupert “Dr. Roop”, Michael (Willie), Charles (Betty), Adlai, Edwin, Ambry (Cherolyn) and Rev’d Trevor (Devono); Sisters: Greta Bain, and Jasmin Strachan; Nieces & Nephews: Adamma (Moncrief), Amos, Ras, Jahson, Jahnek, Aaron, Jahdan, Anjah, Angelica, Zion, Abria and Rashaad; Mikala and Louis (Dr. Tamarra); Chaz and Cristov; Adlai Jr., Brian (Annalea), Avard, Alysia, Apryl, Aree and Atarri; Peter (Turkessa), Andre, Chadee and Tyrie; Ambry Jr. and Amba; Everette III, Ramon, Dr. Jade-Evette (Ron) and Chad; Trevor Jr., Alexandria and Micah; Grand Nieces & Nephews: Huey and Haile; Chade, Izayah, Kaywon, Destiny, Nijvera, Elija-Maleek; Aiden; Amaya; Lauren, Taylor and Louis Jr.; Tyler and Dylan; Tajee, Kamrin and Jaiden; Leanna; Brooklyn, Anaiyah; Autumn and Asher; Eric, Princess, Gem, Mariana and Madison; Briell; Cousins: Deidree, Basil, Craig (Lorna), Kim (Sythela), Candice, Eartha (Leclain), Dovella (Bernard), Karen, Shelly (Edward), Lavonda, Lester, Colin (Annamaria), Italia, Kelsie, Kai (Renee), Andy (Louise), Dedra (Severado), Renee (Orville), Crystal, Revé, Saudia, Peter (DeFaynne), Troy, Porshe (Andre), Peter (Michelle), Kamaal, Kazim (Priti), Sean (Sharon), Kenny (Spanjee), Agnes, Maria (Spencer), Donald (Teresa), Dave (Sharlene), Maxwell Jr. (Adean), Jerome (Jamas), Larry (Cindy), Desmond (Amber), Marcella, Daphne (Nick), Denise; In-laws: Frances Hepburn Simmons (Dr. Simmons, Dwight), Willamae Hepburn (Jovanna), David Hepburn (Cynthia, Nelson, Sonia, Nathan), Isaac Hepburn (Sharon, Shane, Shanica), Dolores Hepburn, Ruth Hepburn, Michael Hepburn (Barbara), Andrea Hepburn Fountain (Leroy Fountain), Leo Hepburn (Anya), Albert Hepburn and Paul Hepburn; Relatives and Friends: Elizabeth (Peter) Collins, John Doherty, Allison Campbell, Basheva DeGregory, Glenda DeGregory, Philip Major, Annie Sears, Blanche, Earla, Donald, Andrew and Earl Moss, Rosemary Williams and family, Mark Demeritte and Family; Yvonne Maura and family; Angela (Alfred) Philips, Sheila Ferguson, Rev’d Colin (Marjorie) Archer, Melanie Farrington, Donald (Deborah) Archer, Albert (Alexandra) Archer, Robert (Marjorie) Archer, Rev’d Carl Campbell, Mabel Colton, Mrs. William Lowe, Sandra Armbrister-Rutherford, Patricia Russell-Yunghanns, Charlene RussellKing, Charles Russell, Ersula Russell-Pottevien, Charlberto Darling, Nellie Young and family, Mavis Darling-Hill, Charles Diggiss and Family, Sherrine Styles, Sybil Archer and Family, Mrs. Eleanor Newbold, Ester Quant and family, the Mosses, DeGregorys, Panzas, D’Aguilas, Lampkins, Archers, Campbells, Davis’, Duncansons, Barrs, Lowes, Deans, Neillys, Roberts, Hudsons, Bethels, Poitiers, Gibsons, Bullards, Nixons, Knowles, Frank and Gemma Davis, Carole Barnett, Lisa and Carl Bethel, Murrio Ducille, Dr. Marsha Williams-Bethel, Teorah Lowe-Ferguson, Shenna Holder, Jeri Outten, Delores Kellman, Patsy Alexander, Sherry and Pastor David Cann, Vernice Walkine, Mercynth and Pat Ferguson, Karen Cargill, Sheena Deveaux, O’lanna Nicholas, Sonia Hepburn, Kristal Bethel, Shena Newton, Clarise Pinder, Christine Munnings, Rev’d Dr. William Thompson, Rev’d Arthur Charlton, Rev’d Angela Palacious, Dr. Theodore Turnquest, Dr. Margo Munroe, Dr. Beverton Moxey, Nurse Khristine Wring, Charles Albury, Lorrine Armbrister and family, Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation families and St. Francis Xavier Cathedral Church families; (Pastor, Father Glenn Nixon, Deacon Mitchel and Archbishop Patrick C. Pinder).

May Her Soul Rest in Peace!

Friends may pay their last respects at Bethel Brothers Morticians & Crematorium, #44A Nassau Street on Wednesday December 21st, 2022 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. There will be no viewing at the church.

AMANCHA WILLIAMS, Bahamas Nurses Union president.

Photo: Austin Fernander

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EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON, C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B. Publisher/Editor 1972Published daily Monday to Friday Shirley & Deveaux Streets, Nassau, Bahamas N3207

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The good and bad of our

THE reverberations of the COVID pandemic on the economy are still with us, much as some might like to pretend the virus is a thing of the past.

Three stories on the front page of today’s Tribune point to the state of our current economy – both good and bad.

Let’s start with the donation by Royal Caribbean International of 20,000 pounds of ham and chicken.

The good news there is that such a donation is very welcome, the bad news is that it is very necessary.

The Bahamas Feeding Network is still providing up to 100,000 meals a month to people who are in need.

Network chairman Felix Stubbs said: “There are persons who come to us and use our resources to collect food or financing. So they’re able to get back into the communities, cook the food we give them or the (items) we give them and prepare meals for those people who are in need.”

Nora Williams, of the First Born Church of the Living God, is one of those on the front line helping people.

She said: “There are a lot of people out there that are hurting. (Sometimes) people who are hurting, they don’t come out to the public and say ‘Hey, I’m hurting’, but they find the church and because the church is so discreet they come to the church and we assist them any way we can.”

People in need, so much so that they need to reach out for a helping hand to get enough food in their bellies.

It’s a legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic, of course, but also of the damage from Hurricane Dorian for some. And for others it’s a legacy of straight-up hard times.

economy

The second story that points to our current state is that charities themselves are finding donations short in supply these days.

The Red Cross Bahamas Society says donations are slow, the Good Samaritan Senior Citizen’s home says donations are trickling in, the Bahamas Humane Society says there isn’t a “big flush” of donations.

Put those two situations together and it’s not a bright picture. Even worse if you consider the suggestion that the US is headed for a recession.

Remember, when the US sneezes, The Bahamas catches a cold – and we’re already shivering.

There is a silver lining, however. The third story on today’s front page that completes our jigsaw puzzle is the prospect of a good year for tourism next year.

Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association president Robert “Sandy” Sands expects we will see a “historic” level of visitor arrivals.

He spoke of the benefits that may spring from that too – talking of sustained occupancy perhaps bringing a reduction in crime, increased employment and, fittingly in this festive season, goodwill for all.

The lift to the economy that will come from increased tourism must indeed benefit all. A record year in our biggest industry will seem hollow if we still have 100,000 meals a month being served to the needy. That would represent a stark difference between opposite ends of our society.

So we hope indeed for a good year –an excellent year, in fact. And we hope that such success will not leave our fellow Bahamians behind.

Kindness at Christmas

EDITOR, The Tribune.

THERE is a hotel out West with a most magnificently decorated tree with an equally magnificent sea of gifts underneath - all beautifully wrapped and positioned. While I was marvelling at this magical sight, one of the staff tapped me on the shoulder and said, “You know, those are real gifts!” As I moved forward to take a closer look, indeed I saw that every gift was labeled! I stood in awe for a few minutes to absorb the sheer beauty of it all and before

I left, I had a chat with the staff.

A children’s home in Nassau had been invited to come to the hotel this particular evening, to witness ‘the lighting of the Christmas tree.’ The children had been asked to make a wish list of three gifts that they would like to receive for Christmas. Behind the scenes, the incredibly kind and generous staff at the hotel quickly got to work and collected the necessary funds to buy not only one gift for each child, but the three gifts they had listed! All I wanted to do at this point was hang around to

witness the magic of Christmas unfold as the children entered the room to see what they thought would be ‘the lighting of the tree’! I can only imagine the sheer delight, excitement and beaming faces that filled that room - children and staff included!

The thoughtfulness and generosity of the staff at this particular hotel certainly made over 20 children‘s Christmas dreams come true last night - and mine too! Thank You!

VICKI LIDDELL Nassau, December 20,

2022.

Post-COVID apathy in education?

EDITOR, The Tribune.

I WILL preface this letter by saying that teaching is a wonderful profession. However, there is a post-COVID indifference in public education. I have observed that once enthusiastic teachers are now zombified and all around running on empty. Younger teachers have already left or are actively and quietly planning their exit. During the pandemic, teacher workload quadrupled and we are all now struggling to come to grips with the ensuing exodus.

As a colleague noted, the pandemic did not turn cracks into craters, but revealed craters that were already there. The revolving door is in full motion and the question is: What is being done to shut it and keep it shut? Before Dr Marcellus Taylor hung up his coat as director of education, he, whenever prompted by journalists, excused his Ministry’s lack of vision with the excuse that the issue of teacher attrition is not unique to the Bahamas, but education systems across the globe. Some may say he’s right. Others may say that that old tune is merely a cop out, a kind of deflection, an attempt to offer pre-rehearsed answers that might quell the nerves of those concerned or otherwise oblivious. Can it be both? Of course, where I stand on that question will be left to the reader’s imagination.

To the ill-informed and largely aloof public, Dr Taylor’s excuses for the ongoing rot of public education in this country went unchallenged. But for a teacher on the ground — a millennial I might add, I say with the good fortune of experience, that education in this country is in bad shape. I read Haldane Chase’s generous editorial singing all manner of praises in regard to Dr Taylor’s record as director and thought, admittedly shamefully, had the blame been misplaced all this time? Certainly, in this model postcolonial society, where black leadership too continues to fail us ye poor and common, everything is so intricately choreographed to remain as it is and has been for generations. What I want to say is one does not want to rock the boat too much when such postings ebb and flow with successive governments.

Certainly, this piece is not an attack on Dr Taylor’s

performance, who was merely the chief spokesperson and spin doctor, which I mean in the nicest possible way. I wish to be above board when I say that anyone appointed to such posts are tasked with delivering rosy and optimistic prognoses to the public on the state of their respective ministries — especially when re-election partly depends on it. And in all these short years I have been working in the education system, that cliched line “We are trying our best and need all hands on deck” has never fallen short from the lips of education officials and politicians at any given time.

Rather than join in with my criticism, I ask the reader to permit me to empathise with education officials —- see it their way. On the one hand, they are faced with the proverbial ‘red tape’ if you like, which has tied both their hands.

If they dare cut it, they run the risk of jeopardising their jobs. In their mind, it is not that easy to enact measures of gender separation, create real-world and critical curricula, or simply to decentralise school governance (because not all schools are alike!) Perhaps it is also ‘difficult’ to revise the High School Diploma, which has many students wandering purposelessly along school corridors — or, as another colleague put it, ‘coming for coming sake.’ I watched the other day as one of my colleagues had a nervous meltdown which was met with a frenetic chorus of laughter and wondered if I would be next.

And perhaps, in the mind of education officials, it is not that ‘easy’ to reduce teacher workloads so as to increase their handson efficiency and ability to be student-centred. Do not let me mention the gross class sizes imposed on teachers of core subjects. No matter how you slice and dice it, many of our nation’s children are being left behind. Ian Strachan’s qualm about teacher competence, highlighted in his editorial “Teacher’s make the world go round” is largely legitimate, even though I think our public education has excellent teachers for the most part, doubtless there are a great many ‘incurious’ ones too.

But one thing we can both agree on is that the majority, for better or worse, are burnt out and poorly compensated and working in the most unpleasant circumstances. Let’s face it, nobody in their sound mind works will pursue or last in this dysfunction. In the same piece, Dr Strachan also pointed out that education rarely gets the best and the brightest. Let’s also be honest: Are the best and the brightest, with all their good sense, really going to pursue public education or the lower ends of the public service at all? Where is the advancement or compensation? One might be lucky to live 40 years in public education given the stress incurred by the ridiculous expectations visited upon teachers.

Finally, in the mind of education officials lies one real dilemma; they are pressed between their desire to see the union head ousted and improving teacher working conditions. Of the latter, one can never be so sure as to which as any improvement to teacher conditions under Mrs Wilson’s leadership will inadvertently score her political brownie points, consolidating her leadership much to the Ministry’s chagrin. For all that it is worth, the validity of Mrs Wilson’s arguments, in which I see little untruth, will continue to be overshadowed by those on the other end likely questioning her motives for re-election over the welfare of teachers. In the end, the filibuster for better working conditions has no foreseeable end.

So, when I am reminded by the Prime Minister’s remark that teachers must go the extra mile, I, like many of my colleagues, use it as comedy fodder. We make jokes about it to mask the sickening insult. We know that this profession is 90% charity and 10% employment and to get young, dynamic teachers and retain them, given these ridiculous terms, is no small feat. Surely, politicians of grass-root, high-poverty constituencies benefit most at the polls from this decaying education system, and this is why we have seen nothing but a two-party swap for little over the last 50 years! What the rest of us are left with is a widening skills gap and a rising cycle of gun violence.

G K Nassau,

HELPERS packing bags of groceries for the Bahamas Feeding Network yesterday.

Photo: Austin Fernander

The stories of our nation as anthology is launched

THE Ministry of Youth, Sports & Culture marked a major milestone this week with the launch of its first anthology of short stories. The book features the work of more than 30 Bahamian writers and authors.

A ceremony marking the event was held on Monday in the foyer of the Ivy Dumont Building on University Drive.

Youth, Sports and Culture Minister Mario Bowleg congratulated the writers and said that the collection of literary pieces can educate people, effect change and preserve and protect Bahamian culture.

“The submissions are highly readable and provide multiple perspectives and writing styles with a cultural thrust that can

educate and effect change,” he said. “To combat the constant international influences on the development of our culture, this anthology will memorialise Bahamian cultural experiences.”

He said that it is also anticipated that the national anthology will develop the literary arm of the cultural sector by providing national and international exposure for Bahamian authors, which can lead to economic opportunities. Additionally, he said it would promote and venerate Bahamian practices, phrases and sites in print and e-formats for global access to Bahamian cultural material. That material, he said, could be used as supplementary educational material and leisure reading for tourists as well as Bahamians,

COUNSELLING ORDER AFTER FATHER ATTACKED

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was placed on probation and ordered to attend counselling yesterday after admitting to attacking his father and another man last week.

Kenneth Ingraham, 35, stood before Magistrate Kara Turnquest-Deveaux on two counts of causing harm and threats of death.

He is accused of attacking Antonio Aimable at Peardale, resulting in harm. It is said that the

accused attacked and threatened to kill his father, Mario Ingraham the same day.

In court, the accused pleaded guilty to all charges. He was placed on six months’ probation by the magistrate and ordered to attend counselling.

If he breaches these conditions, he faces three to six months in prison for the charges relating to his father and another six months for the charge relating to Mr Aimable.

Ingraham is expected to return to court on March 23, 2023.

TWO FACE COURT OVER ALLEGED CUTLASS ATTACK

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

TWO men were granted bail in Magistrate’s Court yesterday in connection with an alleged cutlass attack.

Dudley Smith, Jr, 31, and Michael Adderley, 30, both represented by attorney Carmen Brown, faced Senior Magistrate Derence A Rolle Davis on a charge of assault with a dangerous

instrument.

It is alleged that on December 11 on Nelson Street, Yellow Elder, the pair assaulted Damascus McIntosh with a cutlass.

In court, both accused pleaded not guilty. There was no objection to bail; it was granted to the accused men at $1,000 with one surety each.

The two men are expected to return to court for trial on February 20, 2023.

ACCUSED OF INJURING MAN

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was granted bail in Magistrate’s Court yesterday after being accused of injuring a man earlier this week.

Stanley Sinclair, 43, appeared before Senior Magistrate Derence A Rolle Davis charged with

causing harm. On December 18 in New Providence, it is alleged that the accused attacked and injured Almardo Jones.

After being read his charge, Sinclair pleaded not guilty. The accused was granted $1,500 bail with one surety.

Sinclair’s trial will begin on February 27, 2023.

CONTRIBUTORS to the National Anthology of Short stories are pictured during a book launch held at the Ivy Dumont Building, University Drive, on December 19. Photo: Patrick Hanna/BIS

HANDLING

THE HOLIDAYS

IN just a few days, Christmas Day will be here and we will all hear people saying some version of, “All that, and one day and it’s over.” The build-up to Christmas is long, everyone seems to be frantic, and everything is expensive and time-consuming. Many resources go into planning and executing Christmas activities, and for many of us, it is all an untouchable, unchangeable practice, but what if we took a step back?

The holiday period can quickly and easily fill with obligations. There seems to be no end to the list of tasks to complete, and this can be especially stressful when statutory holidays and weekends combine and there is uncertainty about what will be open when. The mysterious week between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day is always strange because it is not easy to predict which businesses will remain closed, which will operate during regular business hours on non-holidays, and

By Alicia Wallace

which will open at the usual time and close unexpectedly at noon, 1pm, or even 3pm, but usually five minutes before you get there.

If you enjoy every bit of it, great, but if you find yourself resenting people, beyond tired, and financially struggling by the time January rolls around, it may be time to, at the very least, make a shift.

Is there more work than fun in the holiday season?

Plan something to look forward to. It is too late, at this point, to get everything done early. You just have to do what you can at this point, and make sure it includes a light at the end of the tunnel. Plan something especially enjoyable.

It could be your favorite breakfast with a good friend on your patio, a walk on the beach, a simple photo shoot (which, by the way, you can accomplish with a camera and tripod), or a few hours without the children while they hang out with their favorite aunt. Maybe you need a few of these, spread across the holiday period. If you plan these moments, they are more likely to actually happen.

Are you always stressed at this time of year?

Reduce obligations. Some of us tend to take on far more responsibilities than anyone should. Does everyone see you as the capable one? The responsible one? The one with

RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin. This is the story of a friendship. Sam and Sadie meet in a hospital where Sam and Sadie’s sister are receiving treatment. Both gamers, they become friends, their friendship ends, and they reconnect years later. The story really picks up when they design Ichigo, a game that takes off and propels them to instant fame. The novel has quite a bit of focus on the gaming world, but it is all about the relationship between Sam and Sadie and how it evolves over time.

2. The Great British Bake Off. This is one of the easiest kitchen competition shows to watch because all of the participants come across as good-natured and helpful, and the judge, while honest, are encouraging and kind in the delivery of their feedback. In Season 3, the participants range in age from 17 to 69, and they all show great skill and creativity. One of the best parts of the show is the way they all support one another, and they can be seen, on more than one occasion, helping someone who needs another set of hands to complete a challenge.

the most free time? None of this means you are the only person who can complete the tasks, and none of it means you have to be the one to do them. It does not matter that you have been doing them all along.

Last year could be the last time you took it all on. This year, you do not have the time. You do not have the space. You simply do not want to do it. You may not be ready to be honest about it, but you can definitely find ways to communicate that you will not be cooking both the turkey and the ham, braiding all seven of your nieces’ hair, taking your grandparents to watch night service, organizing the games, changing the curtains, and pressure washing the house. Maybe you can do two of those tasks, but not all of them. The sooner you let everyone know, the sooner they can organize themselves and re-delegate. Some things may not get done, but what is and is not done will be a team effort, not all dependent on you. Is everyone getting on your nerves?

Exercise empathy. We are all having different experiences in what appears to be the same world. Remember that we are treated differently based on identity and circumstance. Some people struggle during the holidays because they do not have the resources to celebrate in the ways we have come to regard as normal. Buying a Christmas tree is a given for some households while for others it has never been possible. For some families, it used to be possible, but this year it cannot happen.

For some, this is the first holiday since the death of a loved one. Some people are navigating difficult circumstances, from living in violent households to facing mental health challenges without support.

People often hide their struggles. Pity does not help. Judgment does not help. Many do their best to carry on as though everything is fine, but sometimes, the cracks start to show. This can happen in various ways. It may be a slip in memory so something did not get done, a sudden mood change that results in a screaming match, or isolation that others read as anti-social behaviour. When you see changes in behaviour, do not make it about you. Acknowledge that you do not know everything about anyone. What you see could be only 20 percent what is actually going on. If you can, ask if they need to talk, or if they need help. Deescalate arguments. Decenter yourself. You may not have the capacity to help them, but do your best not to guilt or ridicule them if they are having a tough time.

Are inappropriate behaviours spoiling the day?

Name behaviour or ask them to explain. In many cases, people behave inappropriately because no one says anything to them about it. They are used to getting away with lewd comments, rude questions, and offensive “jokes.” When you call it what it is, they have to face it, and it draws the attention of others. Sometimes other people will push back, and they may

even say, “That’s just how he is,” or telling you to respect an older person. You do not have to accept it because other people do. If you prefer not to be direct in confronting the situation, you can feign ignorance. If someone makes jokes that, for example, are racist or misogynistic, you can ask, “Why is that funny?” You can say that you do not understand the joke. People usually do not want to explain that their “joke” is funny because a particular group of people is inferior because, on some level, they know that they are wrong. Change the dynamic by putting them in the awkward position.

Sick and tired?

Feel free to leave. One of the biggest mistakes many of us make is staying in places where we are uncomfortable or simply do not want to be any more. Maybe it is boring. Maybe that annoying uncle arrived. Maybe there are too many loud, drunk people. Maybe no one considered the fact that you are gluten-free and the only things on the table that you can eat are salad and beets. Maybe you have been there the longest because you set up. Maybe the event is at your house and you have not had a chance to sit down all day. You do not have to make an announcement. If you need ten minutes alone in the bathroom, go for it. If you want to rant to a friend for five minutes, go sit in your car. If you are truly done for the day, drive away. There is no prize for sticking it out. Prioritise your peace.

CONVERTING CLASSIC CARS TO GO ELECTRIC

DENVER Associated Press

WHEN Kevin Erickson fires up his 1972 Plymouth Satellite, a faint hum replaces what is normally the sound of pistons pumping, gas coursing through the carburetor and the low thrum of the exhaust.

Even though it’s nearly silent, the classic American muscle car isn’t broken. It’s electric.

Erickson is among a small but expanding group of tinkerers, racers, engineers and entrepreneurs across the country who are converting vintage cars and trucks into greener, and often much faster, electric vehicles.

Despite derision from some purists about the converted cars resembling golf carts or remote-controlled cars, electric powertrain conversions are becoming more mainstream as battery technology advances and the world turns toward cleaner energy to combat climate change.

“RC cars are fast, so that’s kind of a compliment really,” said Erickson, whose renamed “Electrollite” accelerates to 0-60 mph in three seconds and tops out at about 155mph. It also invites curious stares at public charging stations, which are becoming increasingly common across the country.

At the end of 2019, Erickson, a cargo pilot who lives in suburban Denver, bought the car for $6,500. He then embarked on a year-and-ahalf-long project to convert the car into a 636-horsepower electric vehicle (475 kW), using battery packs, a motor and the entire rear subframe from a crashed Tesla Model S.

“This was my way of taking the car that I like — my favorite body — and then taking the modern

technology and performance, and mixing them together,” said Erickson, who has put about $60,000 into the project.

Jonathan Klinger, vice president of car culture for Hagerty, an insurance company and automotive lifestyle brand that specializes in collector vehicles, said converting classic cars into EVs is “definitely a trend”, although research on the practice is limited.

In May, the Michiganbased company conducted a web-based survey of about 25,000 self-identified automobile enthusiasts in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. About 1% had either partially or fully converted their classic to run on some sort of electrified drivetrain.

The respondents’ top three reasons for converting their vehicles were for faster acceleration and improved

performance, for a fun and challenging project, and because of environmental and emissions concerns.

About 25% of respondents said they approve of classic vehicles being partially or fully converted to EVs.

“Electric vehicles deliver some pretty astonishing performance just by the nature of the mechanics of how they work,” Klinger said.

So it’s not surprising to him that a small percentage of people converting classic cars to EVs are interested in improving performance. He compared the current trend to the hot-rod movement of the 1950s.

But Klinger, who owns several vintage vehicles, said he doesn’t think electric motors will replace all internal combustion engines — especially when considering historically significant vehicles.

“There’s something

satisfying about having a vintage car that has a carburetor,” he said, because it’s the same as when the car was new. Some enthusiasts want to preserve the sound and rumble of older cars’ original engines.

Other barriers to converting cars include the knowledge it takes to delve into such a complicated project, as well as safety concerns about tinkering with high-voltage components, the availability of parts, and the time it takes to realize a positive, environmental impact. Because classic vehicles are driven for fewer than 1,500 miles (2,414 kilometers) a year on average, it takes longer to offset the initial carbon footprint of manufacturing the batteries, Klinger said.

And then there’s the price. Sean Moudry, who coowns Inspire EV, a small conversion business in

suburban Denver, recently modified a 1965 Ford Mustang that was destined for the landfill. The year-and-ahalf-long project cost more than $100,000 and revealed several other obstacles that underscore why conversions are not “plug-and-play” endeavors.

Trying to pack enough power into the pony car to “smoke the tires off of it” at a drag strip, Moudry and his partners replaced the underpowered six-cylinder gas engine with a motor from a crashed Tesla Model S. They also installed 16 Tesla battery packs weighing a total of about 800 pounds (363 kilograms).

Most classic vehicles, including the Mustang, weren’t designed to handle that much weight — or the increased performance that comes with a powerful electric motor. So the team had to beef up the car’s suspension, steering, driveshaft and brakes.

The result is a Frankenstein-like vehicle that includes a rear axle from a Ford F-150 pickup and rotors from a Dodge Durango SUV, as well as disc brakes and sturdier coil-over shocks in the front and rear.

Although Ford and General Motors have or are planning to produce standalone electric “crate” motors that are marketed to classic vehicle owners, Moudry says it’s still not realistic for a casual car tinkerer to have the resources to take on such a complicated project. Because of this, he thinks it will take a while for EV conversions to become mainstream.

“I think it’s going to be 20 years,” he said. “It’s going to be a 20-year run before you go to a car show and 50 to 60% of the cars are running some variant of an electric motor in it.”

CONGRESS MOVES TO BAN TIKTOK FROM US GOVERNMENT DEVICES

WASHINGTON Associated Press

TIKTOK would be banned from most US government devices under a spending bill Congress unveiled early yesterday, the latest push by American lawmakers against the Chinese-owned social media app.

The $1.7 trillion package includes requirements for the Biden administration to prohibit most uses of TikTok or any other app created by its owner, ByteDance Ltd. The requirements would apply to the executive branch — with exemptions for national security, law enforcement and research purposes — and don’t appear to cover Congress, where a handful of lawmakers maintain TikTok accounts.

TikTok is consumed by two-thirds of American teens and has become the secondmost popular domain in the world. But there’s long been

Brooke Oberwetter, a spokesperson for TikTok, called the ban “a political gesture that will do nothing to advance national security interests”. TikTok is developing security and data privacy plans as part of an ongoing national security review

by

“These plans have been developed under the oversight of our country’s top national security agencies — plans that we are well underway in implementing — to further secure our platform in the United States, and we will continue to brief lawmakers on them,” Oberwetter said in a statement.

Speaking on Friday, CIA Director William Burns said

Beijing can “insist upon extracting the private data of a lot of TikTok users in this country and also to shape the content of what goes on to TikTok as well to suit the interests of the Chinese leadership.”

“I think those are real challenges and a source of real concern,” Burns told PBS. He declined to take a position on congressional efforts to limit TikTok.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was pushing to include the TikTok provision in the big year-end bill, her office said. Sen Josh Hawley, a Missouri Republican who authored a version of the TikTok bill that passed the Senate last week, called the government device ban “the first major strike against Big Tech enacted into law”.

Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Hawley said users should have the right to use TikTok without having their data subject to Beijing’s

control. He called for the Biden administration to force ByteDance to divest its US operations. Courts blocked former President Donald Trump’s efforts to ban TikTok from US smartphone app stores.

“We shouldn’t have to ban it,” Hawley said. “Put up a firewall between Beijing and TikTok.”

Rep Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., has co-sponsored legislation to prohibit TikTok from operating in the US altogether. He called the government device ban an appropriate initial step and said there was a “groundswell of support” for wider action.

“We’re not just talking about Republicans and Democrats and independents,” said Krishnamoorthi, a member of the House Intelligence Committee. “We’re talking about parents who are concerned broadly about social media and TikTok in particular.”

COVID POLICY IN INDIA IS ENFORCED BY FACIAL RECOGNITION

HYDERABAD, India Associated Press

AFTER a pair of Islamist bombings rocked the south-central Indian city of Hyderabad in 2013, officials rushed to install 5,000 CCTV cameras to bolster security. Now there are nearly 700,000 in and around the metropolis.

The most striking symbol of the city’s rise as a surveillance hotspot is the gleaming new Command and Control Centre in the posh Banjara Hills neighbourhood. The 20-storey tower replaces a campus where swarms of officers already had access to 24-hour, realtime CCTV and cell phone tower data that geolocates reported crimes. The technology triggers any available camera in the area, pops up a mugshot database of criminals and can pair images with facial recognition software to scan CCTV footage for known criminals in the vicinity.

Police Commissioner CV Anand said the new command centre, inaugurated in August, encourages using technologies across government departments, not just police. It cost $75m, according to Mahender Reddy, director general of the Telangana State Police.

Facial recognition and artificial intelligence have exploded in India in recent years, becoming key law enforcement tools for monitoring big gatherings.

Police aren’t just using technology to solve murders or catch armed robbers. Hyderabad was among the first local police forces in India to use a mobile application to dole out traffic fines and take pictures of people flaunting mask mandates. Officers also can use facial recognition software to scan pictures against a criminal database. Police officers have access to an app, called TSCOP, on their smartphones and tablets that includes facial recognition scanning capabilities. The app also connects almost all police officers in the city to a host of government and emergency services.

Anand said photos of traffic violators and maskmandate offenders are kept only long enough to be sure they aren’t needed in court and are then expunged. He expressed surprise that any law-abiding citizen would object.

bipartisan concern in Washington that Beijing would use legal and regulatory power to seize American user data or try to push pro-China narratives or misinformation.

President Joe Biden’s administration.

KEVIN Erickson walks around his electrified 1972 Plymouth Satellite at his Commerce City, Colorado, home. Erickson is part of a small but expanding group of tinkerers, racers, engineers, and entrepreneurs across the country converting vintage cars and trucks into greener, and often much faster, electric vehicles.

Photo: Thomas Peipert/AP

Well, the weather in the US is frightful...

KANSAS CITY Associated Press

A LARGE swath of the US. braced for a dangerous mix of sub-zero temperatures, howling winds and blizzard conditions, expected to disrupt plans for millions of holiday travellers.

The blast of frigid weather began hammering the Pacific Northwest Tuesday morning, and is

expected to move to northern Rockies, then grip the Plains in a deep-freeze and blanket the Midwest with heavy snowfall, forecasters say. By Friday, the arctic front is forecast to spread bone-chilling cold as far south as Florida.

Authorities across the country are worried about the potential for power outages and warned people to take precautions to protect the elderly, the homeless

and livestock — and, if possible, to postpone travel. The northern-most regions of the US could see wind chills approaching 70 degrees below zero (minus 57 Celsius) — cold enough to leave exposed skin frostbitten in a matter of minutes.

Even warm-weather states are preparing for the worst. Texas officials are hoping to avoid a repeat of the February 2021 storm

that left millions without power, some for several days. Temperatures were expected to dip to near freezing as far south as central Florida by the weekend.

The drop in temperatures will be precipitous. In Denver, the high on Wednesday will be around 50 degrees (10 degrees Celsius); by Thursday, it is forecast to plummet to around zero (minus 18 Celsius).

The heaviest snow is expected in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming, according to the National Weather Service, and frigid wind will be fierce across the country’s mid-section.

“I would not be surprised if there are lots of delays due to wind and also a lot of delays due to the snow,” said Bob Oravec, lead forecaster for the National Weather Service in College Park, Maryland.

The Northwest was already experiencing the effects yesterday. In Vancouver, Canada, authorities at the city’s YVR airport said the conditions have resulted in an “unprecedented number of cancelled flights”, adding that cancellations and delays “will persist for the majority of scheduled flights” and that de-icing operations will continue to be necessary. In Seattle, a combination of snow, rain and low visibility caused nearly 200 flight cancellations at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Greyhound cancelled bus service between Seattle and Spokane, Washington.

In Oregon, one person died yesterday after a semitruck collided with an SUV. Police said a thin layer of ice on the highway may have been a contributing factor.

Nearly 113 million Americans were expected to travel 50 miles or more from home this holiday season, up four percent from last year but still short of the record 119 million in 2019, according to AAA. Most were planning to travel by car; around six percent were planning to fly.

Several inches of snow were expected from Chicago through the Great

Lakes region by Friday. Snow also was forecast in the lower Midwest. With the storm approaching, Delta, American, United and Southwest airlines said they were waiving change fees for people traveling through affected airports.

The National Weather Service predicted windchill levels in Montana that could approach 60 degrees below zero (minus 51 Celsius) by Thursday morning. Almost impossibly, the forecast was even worse for parts of Wyoming. The 1,500-resident town of Lusk could see wind chills of 70 degrees below zero (minus 57 Celsius.)

“Please take precautions: Check on elderly/vulnerable, protect pets, shelter livestock, cover exposed skin!” the local branch of the National Weather Service said on Twitter.

Karina Jones’ family raises about 400 head of cattle in north-central Nebraska near Broken Bow, where wind chills as low as 50 below zero (minus 46 Celsius) are expected Thursday and Friday mornings. She said Nebraska cattle ranchers are “a hearty bunch,” but the bitter cold is rough.

Ranchers “lie awake at night praying that you did everything you could for your livestock”, Jones said.

In Kansas, where up to four inches of snow is expected to accompany wind chills dipping to 40 degrees below zero (minus 40 Celsius), Shawn Tiffany runs three feedlots with about 35,000 cattle combined. He’s worried about keeping 40 employees safe and warm.

“Every conversation I’ve had for the last four days has consisted of ‘Are you prepared and are you ready?’ Everybody is taking it very seriously,” Tiffany said.

In Texas, where the temperature is expected to drop to around 11 degrees (minus 12 Celsius), the state’s power grid will be put to the test once again.

A historic freeze in February 2021 led to one of the biggest power outages in US history, knocking out electricity to four million customers in Texas

and leading to hundreds of deaths.

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which manages the state’s power grid, said last week it expects to have sufficient generation to meet anticipated electricity demand during this week’s winter blast. The council said it has implemented reforms to increase reliability, including bringing more generation online sooner if needed and purchasing more reserve power.

But a report on the power grid that ERCOT published last month said that Texans could still face possible power outages this winter if an extreme storm prompted very high demand for electricity.

In Jackson, Mississippi, where dangerously cold weather is expected by the weekend, all eyes are on the capital city’s troubled water system. A cold snap in 2021 left tens of thousands of people without running water after pipes froze, and Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba said on Monday that the water distribution system remains a “huge vulnerability”.

The deep-freeze will be particularly dangerous for people without homes. Salt Lake City will make 95 additional shelter beds available after five died in recent days amid sub-freezing temperatures, Mayor Erin Mendenhall, a Democrat, said.

In Kansas City, Missouri, emergency shelters are opening for anyone needing warmth, food or safety. Organizers warn, though, that capacity is limited overnight.

“We’re going to get in as many as we can,” said Karl Ploeger, chief development officer for City Union Mission, a Christian nonprofit.

If the shelters are overcapacity at night, the mission works with other organisations to try and find alternatives for people.

Northern Florida cities such as Tallahassee may see temperatures in the low 20s (minus 3 Celsius) on Friday, Christmas Eve and Christmas nights. The forecast calls for temperatures to drop to near freezing as far south as Tampa.

A PERSON shovels snow outside Rome Grocery northeast of Bellingham, Washington, yesterday. Heavy snow, freezing rain and sleet have disrupted travel across the Pacific Northwest, causing widespread flight cancellations and creating hazardous driving conditions.

Photo: Lisa Baumann/AP

BAHAMAS LAWN TENNIS ASSOCIATION GIORGIO BALDACCI OPEN NATIONALS

Clarke vs Mackey in final

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

Top seeds Sydney Clarke and Elana Mackey, home from college for the holidays, booked their spots in the women’s final of the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association’s 2022 Giorgio Baldacci Open Nationals.

The duo advanced to the final set for Thursday at the National Tennis Centre after they breezed through their semifinal matches yesterday.

Clarke, the defending champion, marched in with a 6-0, 6-0 victory over high schooler Breann Ferguson, while Mackey pulled off a 6-2, 6-1 decision over Grand Bahamian high schooler Jalisa Clarke.

After going through a three-set thriller over Simone Pratt on Monday in her first-round match, Clarke said she was delighted to get in a much easier match against Ferguson in the semifinal of the small field of competitors entered in the tournament that serves as the first qualifier for the Bahamas national team for the Billie Jean King Cup for ladies next year.

“I got off to a slow start, but I know that each round I will begin to get into my groove,” said Clarke, now in her senior year at the University of Albama at

Birmingham. “I felt my first-round match prepared me for my second match. It was tough mentally and physically, but I think it will prepare me for my final.”

As she looks forward to the final after a rest day today, Clarke said she hopes to be on her A game when she faces Mackey on Thursday.

“Once I do my best, I will be alright,” Clarke stated.

On the opposite side of the court to face her will

PHOENIX (AP) — Kyle Kuzma scored 29 points and the Washington Wizards stopped their 10-game losing streak last night, beating the Phoenix Suns 113-110.

Washington played without Kristaps Porzingis, sidelined with what Wizards coach Wes Unseld Jr called a “non-COVID illness.”

The Wizards won for the first time since November 28, when they beat Minnesota 142-128 in Washington.

Deandre Ayton scored 30 - five points shy of his career high - and grabbed 13 rebounds with a blocked shot in 32 minutes on the floor for the Suns. He had 12 points and five rebounds at halftime.

Bradley Beal, held to two points in the first half, finished with 27 for the Wizards (12-20), including two free throws to make it a five-point lead with 14 seconds left. Deni Avdija had 16 points and 10 rebounds. Landry Shamet led the Suns with a season-high 31

Don’t Blink Home Run Derby continues to grow

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

WHEN they got the Don’t Blink Home Run Derby started in 2018, neither Todd Isaacs Jr nor Lucius Fox envisioned that the event would become such a spectacular for the world to see in the Bahamas.

The duo not only assemble the best talent available in the professional baseball ranks in the Major League affiliations and now there’s a wide range of celebrities coming on board to participate in the week-long festivities.

“This is just our fifth year, and the growth has been tremendous,” said Fox, who became just the eighth Bahamian-born player to make the Majors.

“This was big come through. We dreamed about it being big, but this

is even bigger than we had envisioned for it.

“We’re thankful and grateful to all who have come on board and make it what it is today. Hopefully this won’t be the end of it, but we will continue to see the growth and development for it over the next five years. We are just glad to put on this showcase for the Bahamian people and to bring the world to our shores to view what we have to offer.”

His partner Isaacs Jr said they took the home run derby week to another level this year when they invited a number of stars, including Major League Hall of Famers Andre Dawson and Dave Winfield, who blessed the participants of the Home Run Derby with their knowledge of the game.

“The Players Alliance came down as well and they really showed us a lot

of love by participating in a celebrity softball game, a golf tournament, the kids’ camp and of course the Home Run Derby,” Isaacs Jr said. “It was truly a week

in Paradise for all of our visitors who came in for the event.”

When this year’s curtain came down on the first All-Bahamian finalists, it

Column: Tiger has shots and a limp to keep everyone guessing

By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer

ORLANDO, Florida

(AP) — Tiger Woods relished the two days spent with his son, along with the chance to remind anyone watching he still has game. Some of the shots he hit during the PNC Championship did not belong to a ceremonial golfer.

Woods hasn’t lost his needle, either, as sharp as his short game.

The fifth fairway at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club Orlando was immaculate — except for a scorecard stuck into the grass next to the tee shot of Justin Thomas, which was some 15 yards behind where Woods had hit his drive.

On the card, a note that Woods wrote in cursive: “You’ve got mail.”

Padraig Harrington broke into laughter when he heard about this. The message takes on different meaning to different people — for the Irishman, it refers to being in a different postal code — but it translates to how far Woods blew it by him.

“You don’t even have to write it down. We all know when somebody does that,” Harrington said. “He was airmailed.”

Small victories? Not really. Woods said in the Bahamas earlier this month, when he was reduced to being only the tournament host because of plantar fasciitis in his right foot, that he could still hit all the shots. The trouble was walking to them.

He was in a cart at the PNC Championship because the PGA Tour

Champions runs the event and carts are allowed on the senior circuit.

John Daly is about to have knee replacement and took a ride. So did David Duval, playing with a torn muscle in his calf. The

question is when Woods will play next on the PGA Tour.

Not even he knows. A year ago, when he was still recovering from broken

was Chicago Cubs’ minor league infielder BJ Murray who was left standing as the champion after he outdueled Trent Deveaux 9-8 in the keenly contested showdown.

As the first Bahamian to hoist the conch-shell shaped trophy, the 21-yearold Murray joined an elite field that includes initial back-to-back champion Bo Bichette in 2018 and 2019, Lewis Brinson in 2020, MJ Melendez in 2021 in the much-anticipated head-tohead competition.

Prior to that victory, Murray joined his Team Fox team-mates in carting off the team title in a 146126 decision over Team Isaacs.

Also in attendance, although he didn’t participate in the Home Run Derby, was Jasrado ‘Jazz’ Chisholm, the seventh Bahamian to play in the Major League.

Chisholm had to sit out the latter part of the season because of an injury but hopes to be back to the form that had the entire Florida area rocking with Jazz at the beginning of the season.

Isaacs Jr said just the presence of Chisholm at the event brought a lot of publicity to the Home Run Derby because the media came in from MLB to promote and showcase what the Bahamas has to offer, not just in sports but from the people who have helped to form and shape the lives of the many players in the pipeline in baseball, either in the minors or in college.

“To be able to host this event, we really look forward to it,” Isaacs Jr said. “It’s over now, but we’re looking forward to what we are going to do different next year. We’re always

Judge and Yankees finalise $360m, 9-year contract

NEW YORK (AP) — American League MVP Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees on Tuesday finalized their $360 million, nine-year contract, the third-largest deal in baseball history. New York announced the agreement and called a news conference for today at Yankee Stadium to discuss the contract, which was agreed to on Dec. 7 subject to a successful physical.

Judge hit 62 homers last season to break the previous AL record of 61 set by the Yankees’ Roger Maris in 1961.

Just before opening day, Judge turned down the Yankees’ offer of $213.5 million over seven years (2023-29). By betting on himself, Judge gained an

additional $146.5 million and two guaranteed seasons. He turns 31 in April.

Judge’s contract trails only Mike Trout’s $426.5 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels for 201931 and Mookie Betts’ $365 million pact with the Los Angeles Dodgers for 2021-32. Judge’s $40 million average salary is the highest for a position player, behind only New York Mets pitchers Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander at $43.33 million.

Judge hit .311 and tied for the major league lead with 131 RBIs. He hit 16 home runs more than any other player, the largest gap since the Philadelphia Athletics’ Jimmie Foxx hit 58 in 1932 and the Yankees’ Babe Ruth had 41.

TIGER WOODS, right, and his son Charlie Woods, left, answer questions from the media after finishing the 18th hole during the first round of the PNC Championship golf tournament. (AP Photo/Kevin Kolczynski)

TODD ISAACS JR, left, and Lucius Fox. Photos courtesy of Tevere Saunders

TOP FORM: Sydney Clarke in action yesterday as she advanced to the final of the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association’s Giorgio Baldacci Open Nationals at the National Tennis Centre.

Photo: Moises Amisial/Tribune Staff

SUNS’ Deandre Ayton (22) grabs a rebound last night. (AP Photo/Darryl Webb)

Men’s semifinal set for today

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE men’s semifinal of the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association’s 2022 Giorgio Baldacci Open Nationals is scheduled to be played today at the National Tennis Centre between two familiar names and two surprise entries from Grand Bahama.

On one half of the draw, top seed Kevin Major Jr will take on veteran Davis Cupper Marvin Rolle and the other will be a showcase between former Davis Cupper Rodney Carey and Denali Nottage.

In one bracket of yesterday’s quarterfinal match, Major Jr stayed spotless in his two matches with a 6-0, 6-0 whitewashing of high schooler Dentry Mortimer Jr, while Rolle got by Anthony Burrows Jr in identical scores of 6-1, 6-1.

The other bracket saw Carey Jr outlast collegian Jacobi Bain 1-6, 7-5, 7-6 (8-6) and Nottage made easy work of Savano Hanna 6-0, 6-0.

From the tournament, the BLTA will begin the process of selecting its men’s team for the 2023 Davis Cup competition with the two finalists given the first two spots.

Rolle, at 39, is the longest serving member on the team, having not only travelled as a player, but also a captain.

He admits that while he’s glad to be in a position to get another spot on the team, it won’t be easy facing Major Jr.

“He should win the match because he’s out there playing,” said Rolle.

“I’m going to go out there and give it 100 percent. Hopefully it will be a good match and he won’t blow me out. He’s still in his 20s and I’m almost 40. Hopefully it would be a good match.”

Against Burrows Jr, Rolle said he just wanted to get through the match as quickly as possible.

“AJ is one of the top guys coming up. He played well,” Rolle said.

“I guess it was my experience over the years that really pulled me through the match.”

In his match, Major Jr said he didn’t want to exert too much energy playing Dentry Mortimer Jr, a student at St Augustine’s College.

“The match was pretty much straight forward. I played another top junior, but I’m still holding it down

Mackey said she just wants to give it her best shot.

and I will continue to hold it down for as long as I can,” said Major Jr, who is now training in Tampa, Florida and is back on the circuit after a three-year hiatus.

“When these youngsters do decide to enter the pros, I want to be there to help them. But for now, playing against them, it’s all business. It’s all business whenever I come here.”

Looking ahead to the semi today against Rolle, Major Jr said he’s aware of the experience that he brings to the match, but everybody is on his radar, and he knows he’s on their radar as well.

“I’m just prepared to do whatever it takes to win,” he said. “We will let the dust settle and when it settles, we will see who the winner is.”

Should he get past Rolle, Major Jr said it doesn’t

matter who emerges between Carey Jr and Nottage. He claims that he’s only here to take care of business.

In his quarter-final match against Bain, Carey Jr had the longest and most exciting encounter of the day.

In the third and deciding set, 30-year-old Carey Jr had taken a 3-1 lead and was up 5-3 but couldn’t put 21-year-old Bain away as he stormed back to even the score at 6-6 to force the tie breaker.

In the tie breaker, Carey Jr held on for the nail-biting 8-6 decision.

“I was still trying to find my groove because I haven’t been performing as I should,” said Carey Jr, who is employed with the Ministry of Education in Grand Bahama. “I just came here to try and stay here in the game.

“I’m happy that I came through with the win and now I can look forward to the semifinal. I know I will have another tough match against Denali, but I’m hoping that my experience can pull me through as I try to win this match and get back on the Davis Cup team.”

Nottage, a former outstanding junior player, said he played much better yesterday than he did in his opening match of the tournament on Monday.

“I had a game plan and rhythm,” Nottage said. “I feel good. I’m coming along good. I’ve been training hard. So, to be in the semis, I know the competition will get tougher. But I just hope to go out there and give it my best.”

The men are slated to be back in action today, starting at 9am.

MONACO (AP) — Kenyan marathoner Diana Kipyokei has been banned for six years and stripped of her 2021 Boston Marathon title for doping and tampering, the Athletics Integrity Unit said yesterday.

Kipyokei’s urine sample after winning in Boston in October 2021 had traces of triamcinolone acetonide — an antiinflammatory prohibited at races when an athlete does not have permission to use it as a medication.

The AIU said Kipyokei “provided false/misleading information” in trying to explain her use of the substance, “including fake documentation which she alleged came from a hospital.”

The Boston Athletic Association announced that Kipyokei’s result in the 2021 Boston Marathon has been disqualified, and that Edna Kiplagat of Kenya has been elevated to winner. Kiplagat is now recognised as a two-time Boston winner, having also won in 2017.

The BAA had said in October that it would annul Kipyokei’s result pending completion of the AIU investigation and sanction announcement.

The AIU also announced that a second Kenyan marathoner, Purity Rionoripo, has received a five-year ban for similar offenses.

Rionoripo won the 2017 Paris Marathon.

Her sample taken in May in Kenya revealed the presence of furosemide, which is a diuretic.

be Mackey, who admitted that she had to play a lot harder in the semis against (Jalisa) Clarke than she did in her opener on Monday.

“Today, I had a slow start in the first set, but I still managed to come back and win,” Mackey said.

“In the second set, I played much better. I was just going for my shots more.”

As she prepares for the final against Sydney Clarke,

“I hope that I can dedicate the points to her and not have to run around,” said Mackey, who noted that Clarke has held the advantage in their head-tohead confrontations in the past.

“I’m going to try my best this time. I just have to be more confident.”

Mackey, who attends Mars Hill University, has a little more at stake. Her room-mate Alina Mueller from Germany is here with her for the holidays and

“If there’s a chance — which you know there is a chance — he’s going to find it.”

she’s hoping that her Bahamian close friend will put on a good show.

“She played very well today, but I could see that she was sort of mad with herself because she missed a few balls,” said Mueller, who competes in the heptathlon on the track team.

“I know she will do well in the final. I just want to be here to support her.”

Mackey, who also competes on the cross country and track teams, said she was excited when she heard Mueller was coming with her. “We planned to do a

lot of stuff when we came, but that hasn’t yet,” said Mackey, who has until January 5 to entertain her friend.

“Once the tournament is over, we will be able to do a lot of exploring and stuff like that.”

While here, Mackey said they will definitely attend the junkanoo parades on Bay Street on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day as well as the carnival.

“I hope that I can save up enough money so that I can go to Germany with her sometime soon,” said

Mackey, who is also trying to learn how to speak the German language.

Mueller, making her initial appearance here in the Bahamas, said she’s trying to teach her a few words, but she’s slowly learning.

Fluent in English, Mueller said she has enjoyed the Bahamian food as well as the beach.

In the placement rounds, Saphirre Ferguson won 6-1, 6-0 over Genesis Missick and Caila Bowe got a walk over win over Simone Pratt. Missick also got a walk over win over Pratt.

“In her explanation, she claimed to have been prescribed medication by a doctor at a hospital to treat an ankle injury and presented supporting documentation. However, investigations revealed that, though Rionoripo was treated at the hospital, she had altered her prescription form to include Lasix (the commercial name for furosemide),” the AIU said.

Rionoripo could have been banned for six years but received a one-year reduction “due to an early admission and acceptance of the sanction,” the AIU said.

bones in his right leg from a car crash in Los Angeles some 10 months earlier, his only hope was to play the British Open at St Andrews. He wound up playing two other majors, making 2022 a success. The speculation on his return will start in February for the Genesis Invitational at Riviera and continue until azaleas begin to bloom at Augusta National.

For now, everyone is left with predictions, always a dangerous game involving Woods. Remember, in a span of five years he had four surgeries on his lower back and had to deal with a DUI arrest stemming from a mix of painkillers. And then he won the Masters.

“You’d figure not a chance,” Matt Kuchar said. “He’s proven me wrong on multiple guesses of will he play again, will he win again, all of those. I’ve probably been proven wrong several times, and I’m a guy of the mindset you can never count him out.

Opinions vary widely. Last week alone, Colin Montgomerie doubted Woods could ever win again.

He said Woods would have to return to a higher than ever standard of golf to be able to beat players 20 years younger than him and “I don’t see that happening.”

A few days later, Harrington said he thought Woods can still win a major.

Woods turns 47 on December 30. Once he stepped out of the cart and set up over a 3-iron into the 18th green Saturday, he looked every bit of 27.

“There’s not many in the world of golf that could hit that shot — 159 (mph) ball speed, off the fairway with an iron, knowing his irons have quite a bit of loft,” Harrington said. “That’s a very impressive strike.

“There are people hitting 3-irons out on tour who are low 140s ball speed,” he added. “There’s not many people who can do that in the world of golf.”

fans something special to watch.”

Given the atmosphere of the PNC Championship — Woods never smiled so wide when playing in the final group and tying for eighth — he was in selfdeprecating form.

He was asked Saturday if it was his best putting round of the year, a leading question because he had played

only nine other rounds, and Woods mentioned all his three-putts at Augusta and St Andrews. His best shot of the week? “I can tell you a lot of my worst shots,” he replied.

He was reminded of that 3-iron and smiled. “I thought that was a good one, yes,” he said. And then

he mentioned the 4-iron into 15 feet on the par-5 14th for eagle on Saturday, followed by the times he ripped driver by Thomas, the 29-year-old PGA champion.

He knows what he can do. Woods mentioned a few text messages he had from friends Saturday night

“The trophy will stay right here in the Bahamas where it should be.”

reacting to that 3-iron on the 18th. “It was basically me rolling the clock back a little bit,” Woods said, still aware that he faces a hopeless race against Father Time.

More confirmation came from his 13-year-old son, Charlie, who for the longest time only knew of his dad’s heroics from video highlights. That changed when Woods contended at Carnoustie in 2018, won at East Lake two months later and then scooped him up into his arms when he won the Masters the following April.

One moment Saturday illustrated why it takes only one appearance for Woods, aging and hobbled, to create so much hope that maybe more is come. He poured in putts 20 feet and 35 feet, and more birdies followed on the next two holes.

Charlie walked over to him and said, “Man, I didn’t know you were this good.” It was a small needle in a haystack of truth.

How good can he still be? After all these years, all the injuries and surgeries, that’s still to be determined.

chasing growth and we want to do something as we give our family, friends and

For Fox, it was a double dose of victory, firstly for the success of the entire week and secondly as his team got the win over Isaacs’ team. “My guys said they were going to perform and I’m so glad that they did,” Fox said.

It was even sweeter as Murray got the win over Deveaux in the All-Bahamian final in the Home Run Derby.

“We couldn’t ask for a better ending,” Fox stated.

As they look ahead to next year, Fox said they are looking for some more funding so that they can continue to improve on the Don’t Blink Home Run Derby project that they have introduced to the Bahamas.

“We just want to see it get bigger and better,” he summed up.

Even as he looks at the growth of the event, Fox is hoping that he personally

will get another crack at playing in the Major League and hopefully this time it will be to stay as he joins Chisholm and the sixth Bahamian to play, Antoan Richardson, who is now the first base coach for the San Francisco Giants.

“I just have to stay healthy and stay on the field. Once I can do that, I will be alright,” Fox stressed. “I want to be able to play in the Major League. I would love to there for the 162 games, so we will see how it goes.”

TIGER WOODS, right, fist bumps his son Charlie Woods, left, after finishing the 9th hole during the first round of the PNC Championship golf tournament on Saturday in Orlando, Florida.

(AP Photo/ Kevin Kolczynski)

KEVIN MAJOR JR and Dentry Mortimer Jr share a special moment yesterday after their match in the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association’s Giorgio Baldacci Open Nationals at the National Tennis Centre.

ALL-Bahamian Don’t Blink Home Run Derby finalists runners-up Trent Deveaux and champion BJ Murray, right.

RODNEY Carey Jr and Jacobi Bain, right, embrace yesterday after their match in the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association’s Giorgio Baldacci Open Nationals.

Photos: Moises Amisial/Tribune Staff

BOSTON HOSTS BUDDY AND PACERS ON HOME SLIDE

Indiana Pacers (15-16, ninth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Boston Celtics (22-9, second in the Eastern Conference)

Boston; Tonight, 7:30pm EST

BOTTOM LINE: Boston aims to end its three-game home losing streak with a victory against Indiana.

The Celtics are 14-7 in Eastern Conference games. Boston ranks ninth in the NBA with 26.3 assists per game. Marcus Smart leads the Celtics averaging 7.3.

The Pacers are 10-8 in Eastern Conference play. Indiana ranks fifth in the Eastern Conference shooting 36.5% from 3-point range.

TOP PERFORMERS: Jayson Tatum is shooting 35.7% from beyond the arc with 3.3 made 3-pointers per game for the Celtics, while averaging 30.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists. Jaylen

Brown is shooting 51.7% and averaging 24.4 points over the past 10 games for Boston.

Tyrese Haliburton is averaging 19.5 points, 10.7 assists and 1.7 steals for the Pacers. Buddy Hield is averaging 17.3 points over the last 10 games for Indiana.

LAST 10 GAMES: Celtics: 5-5, averaging 111.7 points, 45.7 rebounds, 24.2 assists, 7.9 steals and 5.0 blocks per game while shooting 45.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 110.7 points per game.

Pacers: 3-7, averaging 112.5 points, 38.3 rebounds, 24.8 assists, 8.0 steals and 5.3 blocks per game while shooting 47.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.0 points.

INJURIES: Pacers: Daniel Theis: out (knee), Kendall Brown: out (leg).

KNICKS EXTEND NBA-BEST WIN STREAK TO EIGHT, ROUT WARRIORS 132-94

By JEFFREY BERNSTEIN Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Immanuel Quickley scored 22 points, Jalen Brunson had 21 and the New York Knicks rolled to their eighth straight victory, beating the depleted Golden State Warriors 132-94 night.

Quentin Grimes added 19 points and RJ Barrett had 18 as New York extended the longest current winning streak in the NBA. Julius Randle finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds, while Mitchell Robinson had nine points and 11 rebounds.

Jordan Poole scored 26 points for the Warriors, who were without

Stephen Curry, Andrew Wiggins and other key players. Jonathan Kuminga had 13, while Draymond Green, Klay Thompson and Ty Jerome each had 11.

The Knicks scored the first eight points of the game and never trailed. They led 33-25 at the end of the first quarter.

BULLS 113, HEAT 103 MIAMI (AP) — Nikola Vucevic had 29 points and 12 rebounds, DeMar DeRozan scored 24 points and Chicago stopped a four-game slide by beating short-handed Miami. Zach LaVine scored 21 and Coby White added 14 for the Bulls, who used a 30-7 run in the second half to take control.

Bam Adebayo made his first nine shots and scored 27 points. Adebayo also had 12 rebounds for the Heat, who got 19 points from Tyler Herro, 18 from Haywood Highsmith, 14 from Victor Oladipo and 13 from Duncan Robinson. Miami was without three starters — Jimmy Butler (gastrointestinal illness), Kyle Lowry (left knee soreness) and Caleb Martin (sprained left ankle) — and had its season-best, four-game winning streak snapped.

JAZZ 126, PISTONS 111 DETROIT (AP) — Lauri Markkanen scored 38 points, including a career-high nine 3-pointers, and Utah defeated Detroit.

Jarred Vanderbilt added 18 points and 13 rebounds for the Jazz, who outscored Detroit 65-51 in the second half.

Utah had at least 30 points in all four quarters.

Jordan Clarkson scored 21 and Malik Beasley led the second unit with 17 points.

Utah lost its previous two games by an average of 24.5 points, including a 122-99 defeat Monday in Cleveland.

Jaden Ivey led Detroit with 30 points. Pistons rookie Jalen Duren had 15 points and 14 rebounds. He has at least 11 rebounds in seven straight games, matching Dwight Howard’s 2005 mark for the longest streak by a teenager.

AYTON 5 POINTS SHY OF CAREER HIGH

FROM PAGE 11

points, making a careerhigh nine 3-pointers.

Devin Booker missed his second straight game with groin soreness after scoring 58 points against New Orleans on Saturday.

Chris Paul, who scored 28 points against the Lakers on Monday, didn’t score Tuesday until midway through the third quarter and finished with 12 points and 10 assists.

Duane Washington Jr., in his first game back from a hip injury, scored 10 for the Suns. Mikal Bridges also scored 10.

NEW LOOK

While Washington is back, the Suns lost G Josh Okogie (right hip soreness) to the injury list as Monty Williams continues to make roster and rotation adjustments.

“You’re shuffling the deck,” the Suns coach said. “It’s up to me to figure out how to manage who’s on the floor, the combinations that help Chris, Mikal and (Ayton) have more room and at the same time putting a productive group on the floor.

“I get these texts early in the morning from (the medical department) and they give me an idea of who we’re going to have. And that allows me to prepare. It helps you from a rotation standpoint. You’re managing minutes.” Williams said Booker will probably have an evaluation today.

NEXT Wizards: At Utah Thursday.

Suns: Host Memphis Friday.

IN PAKISTAN

By RIZWAN ALI AP Sports Writer

KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) — Ben Stokes finished unbeaten as his relentless England lineup powered to an eight-wicket win in the third and final cricket test yesterday to complete an historic series sweep in Pakistan.

England started the day needing a further 55 runs for victory and reached 170-2 within 38 minutes to secure its second successive win with more than a day to spare in its first test tour to Pakistan in 17 years.

It was Pakistan’s first ever 3-0 loss in a three-test series on home soil.

Pakistan fell for 216 against 18-year-old legspinner Rehan Ahmed (5-48) in the second innings, setting England a modest target of 167 for victory.

Ben Duckett resumed Day 4 on 50 and remained unbeaten on 82 off 78 balls and skipper Stokes signed off his team’s dominant ‘Bazball’ brand of aggressive cricket by finishing 35 not out.

“The commitment and mindset have been top drawer,” Stokes said. “It comes down to belief that I have and the 10 other guys. That resonates around everyone, the confidence everyone has has given me so much confidence in myself too.”

Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed could have finished the series with 18 wickets in two test matches, but Agha Salman couldn’t hold onto a difficult chance from Stoke at long-on with England just 19 runs away from a memorable win.

“Definitely disappointment as a team, we are not

good enough to fight back,” Pakistan captain Babar Azam said.

“We were good in patches, but we lost backto-back wickets in the first innings and that moment cost us.”

England won the first test on a flat wicket in Rawalpindi by 74 runs in dimming light on the last day before recording a thrilling 26-run win at Multan on a slow turning track inside four days.

Rehan Ahmed, on debut, conquered Pakistan’s batters in the team’s fortress – National Stadium – on Day 3 and England had motored to 112-2 in the final session through aggressive batting of Zak Crawley (41) and Duckett.

“We’ve got a process we want to play but the challenge was the different pitches for every test,”

Stokes said. “We stuck to our gameplans and adapted really well, particularly with the ball. Whoever I threw it to they seemed to deliver.”

It was a just a third loss for Pakistan at the National Stadium in 45 test matches and first in 15 years.

England was the first team to beat Pakistan there in a test match in 2000 before South Africa won a test match here seven years later.

The 3-0 drubbing was also Pakistan’s fourth successive test loss at home after Australia beat them in the final test earlier this year to win the two-test series 1-0.

Pakistan was kept at bay throughout the last three weeks and unable to find the right combination to counter England’s aggressive gameplan, which began at home this summer and

now has seen them winning nine of the last 10 test matches. England’s only loss in that period was against South Africa at Lord’s before the Proteas got beaten 2-1 in the series.

England set the tone of a clean sweep in Pakistan when four of its batters smashed centuries on the opening day of the first test and the visitors racked up world-record 506-4.

Young Harry Brook filled perfectly in the shoes of injured Jonny Bairstow with three successive test centuries on tour and amassed 468 runs.

“Every person has stood up at some point, but Harry Brook has been unbelievable for us,” Stokes said.

“He’s set Pakistan on fire, the calmness and belief is high class.”

Brook’s 111 at Karachi in the first innings fetched

England a vital first innings lead of 50 runs before Pakistan capitulated against Ahmed’s legspin in the second innings.

“Probably my best tour so far, to win 3-0 here, no-one’s done it before,” Brook said after being named both player of the match and player of the series.

Brook’s only blemish in the series came in the first innings at Multan when he fell to Abrar Ahmed for 9 in the first innings when the mystery spinner got the first seven England wickets in his debut test. He made 153 and 87 in two belligerent knocks at Rawalpindi before scoring 117 in the second innings at Multan.

“I was annoyed with myself in the second test when I got out to Abrar, had to look myself in the mirror.”

ENGLAND’s players pose for a photograph with the trophy after winning the third test and series against Pakistan, in Karachi, Pakistan, yesterday.

(AP Photo/Fareed Khan)

RECENT LOSSES

By ALANIS THAMES AP Sports Writer

MIAMI GARDENS, Florida (AP) — Mike McDaniel understands the NFL is a results-oriented business, but he thought the Miami Dolphins showed plenty of positive signs in their 32-29 loss to Buffalo on Sunday.

“I think that is night and day from the football we’ve played since the bye,” McDaniel said. “So had we played like that for the whole season, we’d be feeling a lot different because it wouldn’t be the third loss in a row.”

Behind an improved performance from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins’ offence, Miami held a fourth-quarter lead against the Bills and were a few missed opportunities away from sweeping Buffalo for the season.

But there are no consolation prizes in the NFL. And after dropping its third straight game, Miami needs two wins in its final three games to make the postseason.

The Dolphins (8-6) dropped to the AFC’s seventh playoff spot Sunday after the Los Angeles Chargers defeated the Tennessee Titans. The Chargers

(8-6) took Miami’s spot as the sixth seed because of their win over the Dolphins in Week 14.

Miami is slipping at the wrong time, but the Dolphins will make the playoffs in McDaniel’s first year as head coach if they beat New England in Week 17 and the Jets in Week 18.

Miami will host Green Bay on Christmas Day.

The Dolphins are definitely in if they win out, and their performance against the Bills showed they are capable of winning all of their remaining games.

“All right, we’ve came back home with three losses,” Tagovailoa said. “Why in this game did we come out with a loss? What can we get better from this loss to go into next week to improve our chances to win? I like to look at all the goods that our team has displayed tonight against a really tough divisional opponent.”

Miami ran the ball surprisingly well against a Bills defence that doesn’t give up much on the ground. The Dolphins rushed for 188 yards on 7.5 yards per carry and put up 405 yards of offence against Buffalo in blustery conditions.

But late in the game, McDaniel went away from

what was working on the ground and questionably opted to pass on several third-and-short situations, and the Dolphins did not convert. Miami finished the game 5 of 14 on third down.

McDaniel said Miami strayed away from the run game down the stretch to “stay ahead” of Buffalo’s defence. “I think when they adjust, we had to give them a reason to play single safety,” he said. “I think they played four snaps of man the first time we played them. So you have a choice – you can either play scared or you can try to continue doing what your offence is built to do. And if they’re blitzing five-man pressures to stop the run, it’s going to get ugly.”

WHAT’S WORKING Miami’s passing game returned to form Saturday with Tagovailoa passing for 234 yards and two TDs. Jaylen Waddle caught three passes for 114 yards,

including a 67-yard touchdown catch.

WHAT NEEDS HELP Miami can point to missed opportunities as one of the biggest reasons for its three-game skid. The Dolphins were not able to run the ball against San Francisco and, more surprisingly, a banged-up Los Angeles defence. Against Buffalo, Miami settled for field goals in the first half instead of touchdowns as dropped balls kept the Dolphins out of the end zone. Those misses were the difference in a game decided by a field goal.

STOCK UP

With Jeff Wilson (hip) inactive, RB Raheem Mostert had 136 yards rushing on 17 carries as Miami’s lead back. He averaged 8 yards per carry and had a 67-yard rush in the first half that set up a field goal. It was Mostert’s best rushing output of the season, and best since Week 5.

STOCK DOWN

The run defence. The Dolphins continue to struggle against running quarterbacks. Allen led Buffalo with 77 yards rushing in addition to his 304 passing yards.

Miami gave up 119 yards rushing to Lamar Jackson in Week 3 and 178 yards rushing to Justin Fields in Week 9.

INJURED DB Keion Crossen was in and out of the game with a knee injury.

S Jevon Holland left in the second quarter with a knee injury but returned. ... WR Jaylen Waddle left with a forearm injury but returned.

KEY NUMBER

72 -- Miami currently has a 72% chance to make the playoffs, according to Fivethirtyeight.com, but its margin for error is small, as that number drops to 19% with losses to the Patriots and Jets.

PACKERS FACE GRUELLING 3-GAME STRETCH RUN IN PLAYOFF BID

By STEVE MEGARGEE AP Sports Writer

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP)

— Aaron Rodgers realises the easy part is over for the Green Bay Packers as they try to continue their improbable path from a 4-8 hole to a playoff berth.

The climbs are much steeper going forward.

Green Bay (6-8) maintained its postseason hopes by producing back-to-back victories over the Chicago Bears (3-11) and Los Angeles Rams (4-10). The Packers’ final three opponents are all .500 or better.

The Packers visit Miami (8-6) on Christmas Day before hosting the NFC North champion Minnesota Vikings (11-3) and Detroit Lions (7-7) in their final two regular-season games.

“They’re all good football teams,” Rodgers said after the Packers’ 24-12 Monday night win over the Rams. “Miami’s playing for the playoffs, Minnesota’s obviously division winners and coming off a big win. Detroit’s won six out of seven, they’re playing really well. So it’s going to be three difficult games.

“But two of them are at home against dome teams. It’ll be January for those two. We’ve notoriously been pretty good in

those games over the years. So, yeah, this one’s really important because it’s on the road.”

Even if the Packers win all three games, they’ll need plenty of help to earn their fourth straight postseason berth. But the Packers at least have some incentive as they enter this stretch run.

Miami’s high-powered offence will test the progress of Green Bay’s defence, which has shown signs of bouncing back from its season-long struggles.

The Packers won 28-19 at Chicago by allowing just three second-half points and picking off passes to end the Bears’ last two series.

They followed that up by getting a season-high five sacks and allowing a season-low 156 yards against the Rams.

“We came in and said, ‘Let’s dominate and let’s get a win,’” cornerback Rasul Douglas said. “Now, we’re moving on to step two and that’s Miami.”

WHAT’S WORKING

The defence held Los Angeles to its lowest singlegame yardage total since Sean McVay took over as the Rams’ coach in 2017.

... The offence didn’t produce a whole lot of points, but it did produce some

time-consuming drives.

The Packers had four series that lasted more than six minutes and three scoring drives of at least 11 plays. They finished the game with a drive lasting nearly nine minutes and controlled possession for a season-high 37 minutes, 19 seconds.

WHAT NEEDS WORK

Although the Packers were flagged only four times, those four penalties consumed 80 yards. A holding penalty on

Jonathan

touchdowns this season. His last catch had come on November 13.

INJURED

AP SOURCE: ISHBIA AGREES TO BUY SUNS, MERCURY FOR $4 BILLION

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer

MORTGAGE executive Mat Ishbia has agreed in principle to buy the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury from the embattled owner Robert Sarver for $4 billion, a person with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press yesterday.

It is the first step in a process that is expected to take several weeks to complete, according to the person, who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because neither Ishbia nor the Suns had disclosed the agreement publicly.

ESPN first reported the agreement between Sarver and Ishbia — who is chairman, president and chief executive of United Wholesale Mortgage, which bills itself as the nation’s largest mortgage lender.

Forbes recently listed Ishbia’s net worth at $5.1 billion.

Ishbia, a former Michigan State player and a member of the Spartans’ NCAA championship team in 2000, will now be subject to a vetting process by the NBA. Once that process is completed, the NBA’s board of governors will have to approve the sale.

The board isn’t scheduled to meet again until March, though it could convene virtually if the vetting process is successfully completed beforehand.

If the sale closes at $4 billion, it would be the largest purchase in NBA history. Joe Tsai bought the Brooklyn Nets and Barclays Center for $3.3 billion in 2019, and Tilman Fertitta purchased the Houston Rockets for $2.2 billion in 2017.

STOCK UP

LB Quay Walker forced a fumble and had a sack and two passes defended. ... OLB Preston Smith had two sacks. Smith has four sacks over his last four games to improve his season total to 7 1/2. ...

Douglas has two interceptions and a forced fumble over his last four games. … KR/CB Keisean Nixon had a 52-yard kickoff return, his league-leading third return of at least 40 yards.

Nixon is the first Packer since Sam Shields in 2010 to have a kickoff return of at least 30 yards in four straight games. “In all my 18 years, I’ve never once, until tonight, seen an opposing team’s kicker kick away from one of our returners on purpose,” Rodgers said after the game. “That’s fun. That’s pretty incredible.”

STOCK DOWN

WR Sammy Watkins was released before the game. Watkins had 13 receptions for 206 yards and no

After scoring two touchdowns earlier in the game, RB A.J. Dillon left midway through the second half to get evaluated for a concussion. Packers coach Matt LaFleur said yesterday that Dillon cleared that evaluation, an encouraging sign for the running back’s potential availability against Miami.

LaFleur also indicated that running back Aaron Jones has been playing at far less than full strength.

LaFleur said the Packers wanted to limit Jones’ snaps on Monday, but Dillon’s exit didn’t make that feasible. Jones’ situation could affect his practice time. “It’ll be a day-to-day thing, I would say,” LaFleur said. “We’ve just got to make sure that he is healthy come game time. He is a guy that is going to battle through everything.”

KEY NUMBER 5,100 — Jones’ career rushing total after running for 90 yards on 17 carries Monday. He also had a 7-yard touchdown catch. Jones overtook John Brockington’s 5,024 yards to move into third place on the Packers’ career rushing list.

The only other NBA franchise known to be sold for $2 billion or more was the Los Angeles Clippers, when Steve Ballmer acquired that team in 2014.

“I had a great call with fellow Spartan Mat Ishbia congratulating him on his purchase of the Phoenix Suns,” Magic Johnson, another Michigan State alum, tweeted yesterday. “He’s going to do great things not only for the Suns organisation, but for the entire league. All of the other 29 NBA teams better watch out because Mat’s a winner!”

Ishbia’s company is built around team aspects, and he often speaks of the lessons he learned while playing for Tom Izzo and with Mateen Cleaves at Michigan State. His company even has an intramural basketball programme with an on-site full-court gym.

“This is not that complicated,” Ishbia recently told HBO’s “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel” for a profile, discussing his strategy with people.

“Get the best people to join your team, just like in sports. Train them, coach them to be the best version of themselves, like Izzo used to do with us. And then treat them so well that they never want to leave.”

RAIDERS’ WILD LAST-SECOND WIN OVER PATRIOTS STILL TALK OF NFL

By MARK ANDERSON AP Sports Writer

HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) —

The game-winning play, a day later, seems just as unreal as when it happened.

That play was a highly illadvised lateral that Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Chandler Jones picked off to score a 48-yard touchdown for a walk-off 30-24 victory Sunday over the New England Patriots.

A play that was discussed from ocean to ocean Sunday night well into Monday morning, and Raiders coach Josh McDaniels said he received his share of text messages. “I have friends and family that obviously thought that was just about what it was — crazy,” McDaniels said. “We didn’t do a whole lot other than take advantage of something that was presented to us in that last situation. I don’t want to take too much

credit for that. We were trying to hopefully go to overtime.”

The play helped the Raiders finally hold on to a double-digit halftime lead. Until Sunday, they were 0-4 in such situations, the first team since at least 1930 to blow that kind of advantage that many times. A team that has found creative ways to lose finally found a unique way to win, with a massive assist from the other side.

This wasn’t the first time the Raiders have been involved in a play that has the entire NFL and its fans talking.

Friday is the 50th anniversary of the Immaculate Reception. Las Vegas plays at the Pittsburgh Steelers the following day, so the Raiders will be reminded of a play that the franchise still insists shouldn’t have counted because of the rules at the time, though the replays are inconclusive.

Also in the Raiders’ history are the Sea of Hands game that

ended the Miami Dolphins’ bid for a fourth straight Super Bowl appearance and the Holy Roller against the San Diego Chargers in 1978 that led to a rules change. Plus, of course, there was the Tuck Rule game that cost the Raiders a potential trip to the 2002 Super Bowl and helped launch the Patriots’ dynasty.

And now the wacky lateral that gives the Raiders (6-8) some hope of making the playoffs. However, it’s still a long shot.

McDaniels said trying to keep up with the playoff scenarios was “confusing” and pointless because much of it was beyond the team’s control. “The one thing that we know we have to do in order to keep going is win,” he said.

WHAT’S WORKING

Special teams continued to be strong. Malcolm Koonce blocked a punt that set up a touchdown, Daniel Carlson made a 49-yard field goal, AJ Cole placed two

punts inside the 20-yard line including one at the 2, and Ameer Abdullah averaged 22.2 yards on five kickoff returns.

WHAT NEEDS HELP

The banged-up offensive line is a mess. When the Patriots knew Las Vegas had to pass, they unloaded on quarterback Derek Carr, who was sacked three times in the second half. It’s uncertain whether that group will get any healthier, which makes the closing stretch against the Steelers, San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs even more difficult.

STOCK UP Mack Hollins caught four passes for 40 yards and a touchdown. Another reception was a 12-yarder on fourth-and-10 from the Raiders 19 in the final two minutes that kept alive what turned out to be the game-tying drive. He also got down the field on a punt to down the ball at the 2. And when the Raiders wanted

some insurance on the last play against a deep pass, they put Hollins in at safety.

STOCK DOWN

The Raiders made too many unforced errors, getting hit with four false start penalties and two for delay of game.

“There are no excuses for those,” McDaniels said. “We need to be able to go out and call a play in the huddle, break the huddle, get to the line of scrimmage and snap the ball without penalty before the play clock’s down.”

KEY NUMBER

28 — The number of receiving yards for Davante Adams against the Patriots, his third fewest this season. Much of that is because New England does what it almost always does and took away the offence’s best playmaker. But Adams is going to have to be much more involved in the offence if the Raiders are to finish the season strong.

DOLPHINS wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) catches a pass from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa for a touchdown during the second half against the Buffalo Bills in Orchard Park, N.Y., on Sunday. (AP Photo/Joshua Bessex)

Garvin wiped out a 49-yard kickoff return by Keisean Nixon. A 40-yard pass interference penalty on Adrian Amos enabled the Rams to cross midfield while trailing 24-12 in the fourth quarter, though the defence eventually forced a punt.

PACKERS QB Aaron Rodgers (12) waves to fans as he leaves the fieldm on Monday night. The Packers defeated the Rams 24-12.

(AP Photo/Mike Roemer)

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

ORGANISER Glenn Smith was so impressed with the initial staging of the Hoopfest in Paradise High School Basketball Tournament over the weekend that they are already looking at returning for the second edition in 2023.

Smith, who serves as president of Hoopfest in Paradise Basketball Incorporated, said they were able to display some top-notch basketball competition with some of the top stars coming in from the United States.

“The fans who came out got to see the number one and number two top teams in the United States play against each other,” said Smith of the opening day matchup on Friday night that saw Duncanville High knock off Roselle Catholic School 73-58.

“We had a lot of outstanding talent on display here.”

Smith said having first visited our shores as a tourist, he was so impressed that when he returned to the United States, he began to form the framework that has produced the Hoopfest in Paradise.

“I wanted more people in the United States to experience what I did,” Smith said. “In return, I thought with the history of basketball in the country, what better way to give them that exposure than by bringing

the basketball talent from the United States for them to see.”

Jerome Gomez, who along with Jeff Rodgers served as the local organisers, said they were delighted to join Smith in bringing the tournament to the Bahamas.

“We got to see some high-level basketball competition from these high school players who will go on to become the next stars in college and even in the NBA,” Gomez said. “So, we’re looking forward to next year.

“We’re looking forward to an even bigger draw and hopefully we will get more fans to come out and watch the action because you can’t get no better than this when it comes to the high school competition in the United States.”

Smith said he was so impressed with what transpired that he has already made the commitment to return next year for the second edition of Hoopfest in Paradise.

And to add to the level of competition, Smith said they are looking at bringing some of the girls’ high school teams to participate in the tournament as well.

This year’s tournament also featured two Bahamian All-Star teams.

The New Providence All-Stars lost 71-36 to the Miami Northwestern High School on Friday and the Grand Bahama All-Stars lost 66-47 to Miami Northwestern High on Saturday.

HIGHLIGHTS from this year’s Hoopfest in Paradise High School Basketball Tournament over the weekend at the Kendal Isaacs Gym.

Photos courtesy of FreeKeyThree Creative