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The Tribune Weekend L ATEST NE WS ON TRIBUNE242.COM
Volume: 113 No.25
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2016
PRICE - $1 (Abaco / Grand Bahama $1.50) The Tribune
Festive flowers
Bringing a floral touch to Christmas - inside Weekend
PM: Rivals are in ‘meltdown’
food books society film fashion mus Friday, Decemb er 23, 2016 ic puzzles podcasts
Weekend
Festive flowe rs
a ‘lit’ xmas Page 8
Deck the h alls
for Christm as
Holidays, page 9
MAN WEARING ANKLE BRACELET SHOT DEAD IN BEDROOM By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net POLICE found the lifeless body of a man wearing an ankle bracelet in Melvin Road, off Yellow Elder yesterday morning. The man was found with gun shot wounds in his body, Chief Superintendent Clayton Fernander said at the scene. SEE PAGE SIX
Christie defends HELPING TO FEED THOSE IN NEED AT CHRISTMAS govt performance despite downgrade By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net THE “meltdown” of opposition parties in the Bahamas is a reason to have confidence in the Progressive Liberal Party, Prime Minister Perry Christie suggested yesterday as he defended the performance of his government following Standard & Poor’s decision to downgrade the country’s credit rating. Mr Christie’s comments came during a groundbreaking ceremony for a new public private partnership administrative complex in Grand Bahama. Mr Christie pitched his party as a force of stability compared to its alternatives even as he became
impassioned defending the actions his government has taken in the lead-up to S&P’s decision, which is expected to increase the cost of borrowing and could affect future investments. He said: “…Watching what’s happening in politics, the meltdown of opposition parties, the instability that is being institutionalised, the hatred politically that is being manifested should (make people) watch the PLP to once again conclude that you don’t roll the dice with governance but you make conscious, considered decisions at how best to protect future generations of Bahamians (and) how best to manage the challenges of the day.” SEE PAGE SIX
CUT IN INTEREST RATES ‘NOT SPARKED BY S&P MOVE’ THE governor of the Central Bank has denied that yesterday’s interest rate cut was prompted by the downgrade of The Bahamas’ credit rating to junk status by S&P. John Rolle told Tribune Business that the bank’s decision to reduce the discount rate by 0.5 per cent was its own, and not prompted by pressure from the Christie
administration. He said: “The timing of the Central Bank’s decision is coincidental to, and not influenced by the S&P ratings action.” Mr Rolle’s response came after Opposition politicians described the Central Bank’s action as an obvious response to the S&P downgrade. FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS
THE BAHAMAS Feeding Network and AML Foods distributes 293 food packages yesterday received through the Feed 5,000 Families campaign to BFN member partners at Moseff House. Those partners include churches, soup kitchens and feeding centres. Philip Smith, Bahamas Feeding Network executive director, and Fred Mitchell, Fox Hill MP, are also pictured. Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff
BUTLER-TURNER: FNM ACCUSATIONS BOGUS By SANCHESKA DORSETT Tribune Staff Reporter sdorsett@tribunemedia.net LONG ISLAND MP Loretta Butler-Turner said yesterday there is no need for her to appear before the Free National Movement’s “kangaroo court” because the party’s “trumped up” accusations against her “are bogus”. In an interview with The Tribune at her home, Mrs Butler-Turner also refuted claims by FNM Chairman Sidney Collie that she did not respond to the party’s Executive Council concern-
ing the charges against her and the six members of Parliament who ousted FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis as leader of the Official Opposition in the House of Assembly. On Wednesday, the FNM appointed a three-person tribunal to decide the fate of the “rebel seven”. The party accused the group of MPs of bringing the party into “disrepute, division, rancour and dishonour” as well as signing, delivering and causing to be a read a letter to withdraw support for Dr Hubert Minnis. They had seven days to write the
Executive Committee of the FNM to attempt to exculpate themselves. Mr Collie told The Tribune that the MPs have yet to submit letters of response to the charges against him and therefore the FNM is proceeding with the disciplinary process. However, in an email obtained by The Tribune dated December 15, Mrs Butler Turner acknowledged receipt of a letter from Michael Foulkes, the party’s secretary general, on December 8 and responded to the charges. SEE PAGE FIVE
OPPOSITION LEADER APOLOGISES FOR MONCUR COMMENTS By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
OFFICIAL Opposition Leader Loretta ButlerTurner sought to establish clear boundaries on the type of conduct she expects from her new parliamentary caucus in a public apology yesterday for the
“inappropriate and insensitive comments” made by Senator Rodney Moncur towards a Tribune reporter. However, she defended the controversial talk show host’s right to free speech and expression. Her remarks came in a statement released two days after Mr Moncur became
combative and aggressive with Tribune Deputy Chief Reporter Khrisna Virgil, after the journalist questioned Mrs Butler-Turner about Mr Moncur’s opposition to a 2009 Marital Rape Bill. Among a string of outbursts, Mr Moncur told Ms SEE PAGE FIVE
FNM CANDIDATE WITHDRAWS AMID HEALTH CONCERNS By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net
FREE National Movement MICAL candidate Walt Saunders has withdrawn his candidacy for the 2017 general election amid health concerns, according to party Chairman Sidney Collie. He is the third ratified FNM candidate to withdraw from the race ahead of the 2017 general election. SEE PAGE TEN
The Tribune wishes all readers a happy Christmas!
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