12232022 NEWS AND SPORT

PMH RENOVATION TO START ‘NEXT WEEK’

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

HEALTH and Wellness

Minister

ville

Michael

renovations at Princess Margaret Hospital will begin as early as the beginning of next week.

The minister gave an update at the official commissioning of the National Emergency Medical Services (NEMS) headquarters yesterday.

The Tall Pines MP not only mentioned the work being done at PMH, but plans to improve clinics on the Family Islands.

He said: “As we speak, there’s a transformation

change that is presently in stream for the construction of nine new clinics throughout our Family Islands, the renovation of 22 clinics, the construction of a new state of the art hospital for Grand Bahama and a construction for new state of the art hospital here in New Providence. While this is going on, we are renovating the existing structures throughout our archipelago and our hospitals.

“As you are aware a few weeks ago, (the) managing director made it very clear that we are now going to use some components of Doctors Hospital West where

BANKMAN-FRIED GRANTED $250M BAIL BY US COURT

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

ONE day after being extradited to the United States, Samuel Bankman-Fried, former CEO of the failed cryptocurrency exchange FTX, was released on a $250m bond while he awaits trial on several fraud charges.

At yesterday’s arraignment in New York, Bankman-Fried appeared before Judge Gabriel Gorenstain and was not required to enter a plea.

“Under the bail

agreement, BankmanFried will be monitored via an ankle bracelet. He was required to surrender his passport and to agree to mental health and substance abuse treatment,” the UK Guardian reported yesterday.

According to the newspaper, Judge Gorenstain warned Bankman-Fried that if he violated any of his bail conditions a warrant for his arrest would be issued and his parents would be responsible for the $250m bond.

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

PERFECT SCORE FOR BAHAMAS FROM FINANCIAL TASK FORCE

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas yesterday shrugged off FTX’s implosion through what Attorney General Ryan Pinder hailed as the “enormous accomplishment” of a perfect score in the fight against

CROWDS IN GB FOR HOT MEALS

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

GRAND Bahama residents turned out in large numbers at the Bahamas Union of Teachers building in Freeport yesterday for hot meals distributed by United Faith Ministries International.

A queue of vehicles was directed to a drive through distribution station set up in the parking lot, where

present to ensure a smooth flow of traffic in and out of the distribution station, which opened promptly at noon.

As residents picked up their meals, some of them thanked Apostle Phalmon Ferguson and the crew of volunteers for their kind gesture.

“We appreciate what you are doing for us,” a resident said to Apostle Ferguson.

Dr

Dar-

said

volunteers presented them with their meals. Police officers from Urban Renewal were

financial crime. Ryan Pinder said The Bahamas became only the sixth nation ever to achieve full compliance with the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) 40 recommendations for combating money laundering and terrorism financing.

DEPUTY Prime Minister Chester Cooper pictured during a walkabout in Downtown yesterday. Mr Cooper dismissed talk of a recession next year as he pointed to strong bookings by tourists - who might also get a serenade when they visit. See PAGE THREE for more.

Photo: Austin Fernander

THE SCENE at the giveaway yesterday.

Photo: Denise Maycock

Cooper: We’re not going to take part in the recession

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

DEPUTY Prime Minister Chester Cooper brushed off talks of a possible recession as he pointed to strong tourism bookings for next year.

Mr Cooper said compared to 2019, which was considered a recordbreaking year for tourism, holiday bookings were already up by 11 percent and added that officials expect this to increase due to “last minute bookings.”

The Tourism, Investments and Aviation Minister made the comments to reporters yesterday when asked about his ministry’s plans to maintain tourism activity amid warnings from experts about a likely global recession next year.

“We decided that we’re not going to participate in the recession,” Mr Cooper said. “Over the next three months, the numbers are very strong. ADG (the Acting Director General of Tourism) mentioned it’s

in the region of 11 per cent ahead of 2019.”

He added: “If you look six months out, it’s also ahead and so it’s positive and as the (ADG) mentioned, we will see additional last-minute bookings. So, we expect this number to increase above and beyond the 11 per cent

that we’re now seeing over the next three months. That’s 11 percent over 2019, which was a record setting year.

“We’ve implemented many strategies. This isn’t happening by chance. We have done many marketing and promotional missions.

“There has been a

strategic plan in place over the past twelve months to increase airlift. We are ahead on all of our islands, all of our destinations by way of airlift compared to 2019. “

In terms of seating capacity, Mr Cooper said: “We’re well in advance of 2019.”

He also expressed optimism that 2023 will be the best year the country has ever seen for tourism, as he had previously noted that forward bookings for the first half of 2023 were already showing promising signs.

“We won’t let up,” he added. “We’re positive

but we want to ensure that we continue to make 2023 the best year that we have ever seen in the history of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas by way of tourism. We have a strong team, and the brand of The Bahamas continues to be very strong around the world.”

Mr Cooper spoke to reporters before touring downtown along with other officials from his ministry.

“We’re out with the entire team today (Thursday) really to feel the pulse of the tourists,” he said.

“And we are excited to learn today that today is an exceptional day much like most of the other days as we’ve experienced over the last year, but today I believe we have five ships in the harbour, and almost 18,000 guests.

“And it’s evident as we walk on Bay Street, we see that it’s bustling,” he said.”

However, downtown owners and tourists have long lamented the state of dilapidated buildings among other issues, calling the area an “eyesore”.

Yesterday, Mr Cooper reiterated to reporters that officials are working to address the issue by putting in place several measures to help beautify the area.

These measures include doing more maintenance and consistently collecting garbage in the area, he

added.

He also said that officials were improving public safety for tourists and have already made steps to beef up police manpower on the streets.

This follows a brazen daytime robbery last month when a man snatched a tourist’s purse downtown. The incident was captured on camera and went viral on social media.

“You will see that there is an improved police presence,” Mr Cooper continued.

“Yesterday, the team had a meeting with the Commissioner of Police and the stakeholders in the downtown area, the Downtown Partnership, and we’re working together to put in place strategies to ensure less vagrancy and to ensure more law and order.

“I think the mere presence of police in the downtown area is important. The numbers have increased significantly, and you will see by the mere foot traffic that you will experience on Bay Street, that there is a high level of traffic, and therefore the police are responding appropriately.

“The idea is prevention, and we hope that we would not experience any incidences, like the one you mentioned, in near term or at all in the future, quite frankly.”

By LETRE SWEETING lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

SANTA has come early for some Bahamian retailers, who said they have seen no decrease in sales so far for the holiday season, despite some local shipping issues.

Shawn Gomez, marketing director at Commonwealth Building Supplies (CBS) Bahamas, which is offering in-store and online sale specials of up to 75 percent off straight up until New Year’s Eve, said she is pleased with the sales so far this holiday season despite some ongoing shipping challenges.

“Sales for CBS Bahamas are going very well. I would say that sales this year are slightly better than last year and we appreciate the Bahamian public for coming to CBS Bahamas and choosing to shop with us,” she said.

“I think that’s just a big credit to Bahamians choosing to shop local and recognising that when you combine the shipping and handling fees of the couriers and then custom taxes that you have to pay on top of that — we’re also offering free next day delivery straight up until December 25 — you recognise that what you are looking for you can find right at home,” Ms Gomez said.

Ms Gomez added that some shipping issues have caused concern for the business.

“I think that a lot of Bahamian

businesses are dealing with shipping issues and that’s just the nature of where we live and how we have to operate, but for us our operations team has done a wonderful job of planning and preparing themselves for these major sales that we will be having these holidays.

“I won’t say that we didn’t have any shipping challenges, but due to their excellent planning on the operations side, we were really able to limit those situations drastically, so we didn’t feel it as much,” she said.

Candia Knowles-Rolle, purchasing manager for Variety Disposable Products, said yesterday that sales this year for the business have been just about the same as last year and also pointed to some shipping challenges as the reason.

“Well, it’s been pretty busy since Thanksgiving. So, it’s been a lot of traffic.

I expect to see a lot more between tomorrow and Saturday,” Mrs Knowles-Rolle said.

“I would want to say it’s just about the same, because we’ve been having issues getting stuff in terms of shipping. So that has been our major issue. So stuff we expected to be here last week, just arrived today and haven’t been cleared from customs as yet so I’m not sure how or if they’ll be able to get into the store before the weekend,” she said.

Mrs Knowles-Rolle added that she hopes the government “gives business suppliers a break”.

DEPUTY Prime Minister Chester Cooper alongside Senator Randy Rolle during yesterday’s tour of Downtown.

Photos: Austin Fernander

DEPUTY Prime Minister Chester Cooper sharing a joke during yesterday’s tour of Downtown.

THE TEAM from the Ministry of Tourism during yesterday’s Downtown walkabout.

Bankman-Fried granted $250m bail by US court

from page one

Bankman-Fried reportedly spoke once at yesterday’s hearing when asked by Judge Gorenstain if he understood the conditions of his bail and the consequences surrounding it.

According to reports, he responded: “Yes, I do.”

The 30-year-old is faced with eight fraud charges before the Southern District of New York. These include two counts of wire fraud and two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He also faces charges of conspiracy to commit commodity fraud, conspiracy to commit security fraud, money

laundering conspiracy and conspiracy to defraud the United States.

The Guardian in the UK reported that

Bankman-Fried appeared to be “gaunt” and “tired” during the hearing.

After spending a week on remand at the Bahamas

Department of Correctional Services (BDCS), the former crypto giant waived his right to formal extradition proceedings on Wednesday.

In a statement, Attorney General Ryan Pinder said the written consent by Bankman-Fried to be extradited without formal extradition proceedings “satisfies the requirements” of the extradition treaty between The Bahamas and the US and this nation’s Extradition Act.

Bankman-Fried left the country Wednesday night after he was escorted onto a plane at Odyssey Airport by local and US authorities.

FTX, Alameda Research, and “dozens other affiliated

companies” filed a bankruptcy petition in Delaware last month after facing a liquidity crisis.

The US Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission are said to be focusing on whether FTX founder and FTX used customers’ deposits to fund bets and trading activities at his hedge fund, Alameda Research.

Client funds are supposed to be kept separate from company assets, and there were suggestions the FTX founder has committed the “ultimate sin” by tapping into FTX’s custodial assets to fund Alameda Research.

The embattled former billionaire had previously acknowledged mistakes

that led to the crypto giant’s downfall, but denied claims of deliberate wrongdoing, as he stated his commitment to restoring funds to customers.

Two of the former FTX CEO’s colleagues pleaded guilty to criminal charges and are cooperating with investigators.

“The hearing comes after federal prosecutors revealed that Caroline Ellison, 28, former CEO of the crypto hedge fund company Alameda Research and Bankman-Fried’s ex-girlfriend, and Gary Wang, 29, a co-founder of FTX, had pleaded guilty to criminal offences connected to the collapse,” The Guardian reported.

PMH RENOVATION TO START ‘NEXT WEEK’

from page one

we’re going to move our patients so we can get on with the business of renovating certain aspects of the Princess Margaret Hospital that has been in disrepair for the last 20 years. I am pleased to report that this is pretty much done in principle and the work will begin as early as the beginning of next week where our contractors would go to the Princess Margaret Hospital.

“We are going to renovate female surgical one. We are going to replace the elevators, we’re going to renovate male medical two. We’re going to repair the infrastructural damage that exists - we’re going to have to begin now to reconstruct from the ground up so we can get our wards up and going. We can repair our eye ward. We can do something with our paediatric ward.”

Earlier this month, an agreement that allows the transfer of PMH patients to Doctors Hospital West was announced. It was stated that some patients will be moved to the facility on Blake Road for approximately 14 weeks. It is estimated this will cost

the government between $2m to $2.5m.

The minister told reporters on the sidelines of the event that the transfer of patients is going “quite well”.

“We have now finalised the preparatory measures for our contractors to go in - that will move very quickly. Our crews will work both night and day, in order for us to meet the deadline that we indicated between 14 and 18 weeks while we use Doctors Hospital West.”

Public Hospital Authority (PHA) managing director

Dr Aubynette Rolle had previously explained that the PHA’s agreement with Doctors Hospital allows for full usage of the Blake Road facility amounting to some 51 beds.

When asked how many patients have been transferred and are expected to be transferred, she indicated: “Now in totality, and you’re talking about admissions and discharge, I don’t have that on me, but what I can tell you now is we’re occupying. So you would have known that we would have requested the assistance for 51 beds - we’re occupying at least 50 percent.

“So we’re moving. What

has happened though, is we’re sort of moving anywhere between three to five patients per day. The reason for that is we have a lot of internal medicine patients.

“However, in our plan that we spoke to you about originally we’re moving those stable patients. What we’re now seeing in this season is very critical patients.

“So the critical ones have to remain at the hospital and then the stable ones go down and sometimes we have to make that swap, because we just want to ensure the quality of care.”

As for the cost of PMH’s renovations, Dr Darville said: “The renovations at the PMH I cannot give an exact figure, but there is a wide cross section of contracts. The renovations for the male medical two is over half a million dollars. The renovations for the basement of the unit that is above the eye ward is somewhere between $400,000 to $450,000 - I don’t know the exact amount off the top of my head.”

The minister also spoke about plans for Grand Bahama’s new hospital, saying he expects the groundbreaking for the new facility to happen soon.

FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried, centre, is escorted to his car from the US District Court in Manhattan, New York, yesterday. Bankman-Fried’s parents agreed to sign a $250 million bond and keep him at their California home while he awaits trial on charges that he swindled investors and looted customer deposits on his FTX trading platform. investors and looted customer deposits on his FTX trading platform.

Photo: Julia Nikhinson/AP

FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried leaves court yesterday. Photo: Yuki Iwamura/AP

Ministry says it is tackling flooding near Cable Beach

By LETRE SWEETING lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

THE Works Ministry said it is addressing ongoing flooding issues in an area near Cable Beach following recent complaints.

Residents of the Westward Villas area on Devonshire Street have had growing concerns about continued flooding due to unapproved filling in of the wetlands and mangroves over many years causing large amounts of water to settle in the street.

These concerns prompted a town meeting last month for residents and the Ministry of Works to come to an agreement on steps for remediation.

When contacted recently, a senior representative of the Ministry of Works said that while there was a possible solution to the flooding issue in the area brought to the table, remediation won’t be immediate.

“The Ministry of Works attended the town meeting. They called the town meeting, because we asked them to, we went and he (Henry Moxey, an engineer from the Ministry of Works) outlined to them (residents) exactly what remediation would take place and how it would take place. And so we now have to wait for that to be implemented,” a representative from the Ministry of Works said.

“I hope residents would understand that you cannot have a situation that would have been existing for years and years and then expect instant correction of the problem, but we do note the problem and we know that we will have to take

some steps to prevent the flooding going forward.”

One resident, Tyrone Neely, who has lived on Devonshire Street since 1993, told The Tribune that he has been waiting for the government to deal with a developer in the area, who is allegedly responsible for most of the issues.

He said residents have been plagued with flooding for more than 20 years.

“You see the lake in front of Baha Mar, that comes down and runs straight across Skyline Drive and in the back to Super Value, that is what they (a local developer) cut off. They blocked that off. And so over the years and now, we have an extreme flooding problem. And the flooding is mainly in the area where they are, which is in front of me and heading to the east,” Mr Neely said in a recent interview.

“They changed the dynamics of the ecological system. They built their land high, they created a saucer, so the water stays in the road and flows into anybody’s yard who is lower than them, including me,” he said.

“There are a myriad of issues: a flooding issue, ecological issue, wildlife displaced, fish and turtles used to be in that, and they destroyed it, mosquito issue from stagnant water sitting and turning green, health issue, social issue, because persons can’t come and visit their friends and relatives.

From May to October water was in the street, every time it started to go down, rain came and it comes again,” he said.

Mr Neely said while he appreciated the recent steps

given for remediation from the government at the town meeting last month, he would be more assured by something in writing. He said he and residents of the area have three demands.

“The government never showed us any definitive action, never gave us anything in writing to stop them (developers in the area)... They don’t have any permission to fill in those wetlands,” he said.

“We have a few demands. One, a remedy to the flooding. Two, a refusal for any further activity over there. And three, have them restore some of what they did, because someone at the ministry said to me that they filled in far and beyond what is their property line,” he claimed.

Mr Neely said he and other residents of the area plan to form a nonprofit organisation together that aims to help deal with flooding and other ecological issues.

“We are forming ourselves into a nonprofit organisation and we are not going away, because I don’t plan to move. This is where we live. We had a town hall meeting; 30 to 40 people came and everybody gives you names and we are forming ourselves together,” Mr Neely said.

“We had a crime association some years ago that took on this matter and fought but you know we got discouraged, because there was no action by the authorities to penalise and bring things to an end,” he said.

Developers in the area of Devonshire Street were unavailable for comment up to press time.

RELEASED FROM PRISON

SHOT DEAD

times.

A MAN who was recently released from prison was shot dead yesterday.

Police were alerted to the incident around 7.30pm.

Chief Supt Chrislyn Skippings told the media that officers were on routine patrol off Robinson Road and Eighth Street when bystanders alerted them to the

shooting of a man on Eighth Street.

Officers checked the area and found a man suffering from multiple gunshot injuries.

CSP Skippings said initial reports indicate that a white car with two men inside drove onto Eighth Street, got out of the vehicle and shot the victim multiple

The victim, who was recently released from the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services, died at the scene.

Police are appealing to anyone who may have information on this incident to contact them at 502-9991 or Crime Stoppers at 328TIPS (8477).

Publisher/Editor 1903-1914

LEON E. H. DUPUCH,

SIR ETIENNE DUPUCH, Kt., O.B.E., K.M., K.C.S.G., (Hon.) LL.D., D.Litt .

Publisher/Editor 1919-1972 Contributing Editor 1972-1991

EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON, C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B. Publisher/Editor 1972-

Published daily Monday to Friday Shirley & Deveaux Streets, Nassau, Bahamas N3207

(242) 322-1986 Advertising Manager (242) 502-2394

Circulation Department (242) 502-2386 Nassau fax (242) 328-2398 Freeport, Grand Bahama (242)-352-6608 Freeport fax (242) 352-9348

Help all Bahamians to have a better Christmas

CHRISTMAS is almost here. For many, right now this means a flurry of last-minute shopping, popping up the final decorations, sitting down and wrapping presents.

For others, it is about the buildup to the major services of the year at churches around The Bahamas.

But for some, Christmas is as much about survival to the next meal as any other day in the year.

Money needed for bills cannot be spared for presents. Shoes long worn cannot be replaced. And stomachs may go empty with no way to pay for dinner.

In last week’s Tribune, columnist Diane Phillips told the touching story of brothers Lorenzo and Devon Knowles, who came to Nassau from Long Island 15 years ago.

The pair can often be seen walking to wherever they are able to find work. Side by side, they look after one another in a world that does not always look after them.

They would do odd jobs here, while walking ten miles a day to get to work.

In their work bags, they each carry a Bible. Perhaps sometimes a prayer is all they have.

And yet, thanks to Diane’s column, the people of The Bahamas have risen to the occasion.

Offers of help have been pouring in. Food. Clothes. Money. The offer of work.

It is a true blessing – but now they have lost the roof over their heads after the house was sold by the owner.

What next for the brothers? Well, we hope that the offers of support keep coming for two men who just need that little extra helping hand in life.

The sad thing is that they are not alone. On the front page of today’s Tribune, we report on the crowds turning out to receive hot meals distributed by United Faith Ministries International.

It is wonderful of course that the group has offered such help. It is terrible that so many are in need of it.

In this Christmas season, perhaps more keenly than at other times of the year, it is important to reflect on how we can help those in need.

As we consider the birth of Jesus himself, we remember how his parents Mary and Joseph were turned away from the inn when they tried to find somewhere to stay. And yet, they were given a humble space in a stable.

Sometimes the help does not need to be everything. Sometimes it just needs to be enough.

In this season, for those of us fortunate enough to be able to wrap gifts for others, let us also remember to offer the gift of charity.

A number of charities have told The Tribune that donations are down in this Christmas season.

So look out for that ringing bell at the store. Keep an eye for fundraising drives at your church. Perhaps take a box of food to organisations that offer support.

Spare a little. It could mean a lot.

The Tribune wishes a good Christmas to all its readers and advertisers.

had not died

EDITOR, The Tribune.

MANY people are bent out of shape over the true meaning of Christmas. Some say that it represents a pagan season. Others say that the birth, death and resurrection of The Lord Jesus Christ are merely mumbo-jumbo. Yet, a few more alleged that Christmas is representative of “the day of the Sun“. If any of the foregoing is true or false really means nothing to me one way or the other. The facts are the facts.

If The Lord Jesus Christ was not born, as He clearly was, our entire Christian faith would be in vain. We accept that His death/ sacrifice on the cross was necessary if mankind was ever to reconcile with God due to the original ‘sin’ of disobedience by Adam and Eve. The actual date of His birth is debatable, but in the grand scheme of things does it really matter? Christ never mandated that anyone should celebrate His birthday. Traditionally, however, we have been doing so for eons and, no doubt, we will continue to do so, if we wish. There is no compulsion.

Some wouldbe theologians and biblical illiterates are good

at quoting scriptures to bolster their bogus arguments that to celebrate Christmas and have a nice tree with decorations is ‘the work of the Devil’ and more. They love to selectively refer to particular scriptures and condemn all who do not agree with their posture. Mind you, many of them are ‘good’ people who try to live their lives circumspectly. Many of them, however, while being able to wax eloquently about the whys and the nots of Christmas are not living their lives, publicly, as if they were, in fact, Christians. Christmas, to me, is a time for sober reflections and advanced planning for a brand-New Year. Yes, many of us will go to extremes in eating; drinking and having a whale of a time. There is nothing wrong with any of this, once done in moderation. After a sometimes stressful two years, due to COVID and Dorian, this year’s Christmas is a good time to celebrate and let off some steam, so to speak. 2023, in my opinion, will be one of the best years that The Bahamas has yet to experience. Things are, finally, falling into place all across the board, thanks be to The Almighty God. While celebrating,

however, many of these socalled pious persons would do well to reflect on their own personal lives and their professed walk with The Lord. Many of you all do not even talk to your biological family members, but are creased up in a house of worship on a regular basis and act as if you are God’s gift to the world. There are fathers and mothers who would have long ago abandoned their off spring. Others hate their neighbours with a passion of pure hatred. Wives and husbands are sleeping in the same house, but in different bedrooms. Children are disobedient and cruel towards parents.

Christmas is a good time for reconciliation and mending broken fences. In celebrating, please remember those among us who might be in urgent need of shelter; clothing or food. There are yet many more who just need a word of encouragement. Do not forget the little darlings and the precious pearls. This Christmas whether it be pagan or not should be enjoyed, but not abused. It is to be foremost in our minds, however, that if He had not died there would be absolutely no need to be celebrating his alleged birthday or anything else. We have been presented with an opportunity to get it right with God.

Merry Christmas and an even bigger; better and more prosperous New Year.

ORTLAND H BODIE, Jr Nassau, December 22, 2022.

Ride out your storm

NEXT time a sunrise steals your breath or a meadow of flowers leaves you speechless, remain that way. Say nothing and listen as heaven whispers, “Do you like it? I did it just for you.”

COVID-19 not only brought pain and suffering but, in its swath, it has caused an increase in inflation. Sending the world in a tailspin. Turning the lives of the populace upside down.

A University of Cincinnati economic professor said: “The COVID-19 Pandemic and subsequent supply chain disruptions, combined with lax monetary and fiscal policy due to the pandemic, are causing inflation to persist.”

Nevertheless, with all of its stress, many positive things are happening because of COVID-19.

People are becoming more caring for each other.

Love is more abundant and shared than we have ever experienced before.

Strangers you meet on the streets are smiling and saying hello. It is a beautiful world.

Just yesterday, while driving with me, my daughter pointed out how courteous other drivers are. Yes, there is the guy in the black Cube that cut across us without warning, but he was one out of the thousands who were driving on the streets.

Recently I have been receiving phone calls and WhatsApp messages from family and friends I haven’t heard from in a long time.

A few days ago, the lady in the food store in front of me let me take her place because I only had a few items to cash out.

There is this young man, a vagrant that because of unforeseen circumstances, has fallen on hard times who begs on the corner of East Street and Robinson Road. I have observed that most people see past his faults and are kind to him.

Every day the internet is inundated with spiritual messages of hope and love.

More and more people are reading their Bible and drawing closer to God.

COVID-19 has opened our eyes. No man is an island; we are all codependent. No matter how rich or poor you are we can’t survive without each other .

Soup kitchens, despite the increase in inflation, have been doing marvelous work in helping the poor and needy. If it weren’t for soup kitchens, hundreds of people would go days without something to eat.

During this Yuletide season, it is the most humanitarian slate of events we have ever seen. Almost every parliamentarian, especially the new faces, hosts giveaway functions in their constituency.

Jomo Campbell is all over the place. He appears to be inexhaustible.

Charitable organisations are in parks giving away clothes and food packages daily.

The singing Bishop Prophet Rolle, Bishop Hanchell from Great Commission, Hands of hunger, Reverend C B Moss from Meadows Street and the Big Yellow Church on Blue Hill Road South.

And many others have all been doing an excellent job in carrying out God’s command to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and care for the widows and the fatherless.

ILCARE, and especially Fox Foundation continue to provide for the communities.

Several times a year, they make special efforts to give back in a big way.

Every family in the Kemp Road area is sure that during this holiday season, Fox Foundation will put food on their tables, school supplies, and a gift under the Christmas tree for each child.

You didn’t have to do it, but you did, and we thank you

You didn’t have to love us like you did, but you did, and we thank you.

Yes, I can hear it now.

How can you say it is a beautiful world with all of the violence and crimes taking place?

Well, my friends, I promise you this, no, I guarantee you, contrary to what some may say.

If it wasn’t for the saints, that never stop praying and If it weren’t for those mentioned above, there would be more violence and crime. A hungry man is an angry man.

COVID,

And thank you, Mr Merchant, who refuses to take a minor hit in your profits; while your wonder bread is turning stale on your shelves, and your juice is near past date.

We never realised until now how fortunate we were when Mama taught us how to bake homemade bread.

Or how refreshing and healthy a glass of switcher is.

The last two years have been trying, but we have made it this far. We have come too far to give up now.

Just hold on to Jesus and ride out your storm.

As the year comes to a close, we would be amiss should we neglect to say thanks to our frontline healthcare workers who have tolled tirelessly to keep us healthy and safe.

Doctors, and Nurses we say thank you. Thank you for the many times you leave your families unattended to examine us, turn our beds, and take care of us.

Police officers, Thank you for the times you put on your uniforms leaving home; to protect and defend us, never knowing if your family would ever see you alive again.

Teachers, thank you for your patience while providing our children with an education. Thank you for taking care of them in our absence.

In leaving we take this fantastic opportunity to wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and a Happy New year.

And as usual when given the chance to sit it out or dance we hope you dance.

So, if you’ve died and crossed the stream before us

We pray that angels met you on the shore

And you’ll look down, and gently you’ll implore us To live so we may see your smiling face once more

Merry Christmas Everyone God bless us, God bless the Bahamas

ANTHONY PRATT Nassau, December

22, 2022.

EDITOR, The Tribune.

Look at the long lines. Most people would prefer to beg or accept charity than steal.

your damage is gradually turning into positive.

letters@tribunemedia.net

SKILLS handed down from generation to generation - a youngster at work at the straw market.

Photo: Austin Fernander

Cooper: Developments must meet the required environment regulations

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

IN response to environmentalists’ concerns about the $250m resort and cruise port planned for Long Island, Tourism Minister Chester Cooper maintained yesterday that any development approved by the government will not begin major construction until it meets the required environmental safety regulations.

Mr Cooper, who spoke to reporters before touring the downtown area yesterday, was responding to Sam Duncombe who recently voiced concerns about the multimillion dollar project’s potential environmental impact.

“Firstly, every project that we approve is required to do an environmental assessment and an environmental management plan,” Mr Cooper said yesterday.

“So when we talk about a delay in the completion, what that means is that full scale construction cannot happen — no dredging or no building of seawalls or anything impacting the coastline cannot happen — until that environmental plan is in place.

“So, I’ve heard some comments where a certain environmentalist was talking about consulting local environmentalists. That’s exactly what’s done already. It’s mandated by law, it’s in the requirements and there’s no approval of any development, unless there’s consultation with local environmentalists.”

During a groundbreaking ceremony on Long Island on Monday, one of the developers behind the planned cruise port and resort, called the Calypso Cove, revealed the company was “still in the process of doing all the analysis as well as the environmental impact assessment” for the project.

In an interview with The Tribune on Wednesday, Ms Duncombe said “talk is cheap” and questioned developers’ promise to act within environmental safety regulations.

She also said if project developers were truly concerned about the protection of the environment as they claimed, officials would have sought advice from the local environmental community.

However, Mr Cooper claimed yesterday that consultation was done with local environmentalists as he insisted that the government will not compromise its “environmental integrity.”

“There are many firms of coastal engineers who provide services to the developers and we always make it clear to every developer that unless they pass the environmental protocols, we have nothing to discuss,” he continued.

“So, we don’t compromise our environmental integrity, we believe in balanced development and that is what we have been doing and all of the developers of the country have recognised that. We’re putting in place a compliance unit to ensure there’s full compliance with all of the elements of the heads of agreement.

So we’re doing well in that area.”

Asked when the compliance unit is expected to be formed, the minister said it will happen early in the new year.

A heads of agreement for the project, which will consist of a 200-bedroom hotel, mega yacht marina facilities, casinos and cruise port among other amenities, was signed between the government and Azul Destinations and Calypso Cove Destinations Ltd in October.

Less than 90 days after the project’s heads of agreement signing, a groundbreaking ceremony was held on South Long Island that was attended by several senior government officials, including Prime Minister Phillip “Brave” Davis.

At the ceremony, Mr Davis committed his administration to doing its part in ensuring the project is a success for the benefit of all.

However, he also told developers that its environmental impact assessment needed to be completed as soon as possible because there was not much time left.

“I hear them talking about time and time. Well, we don’t have much time,” the prime minister said “… So we’ll get those environmental studies done and looked at and ensure that there’s a proper environmental management plan that our environment is not destroyed – because a component of the development is to ensure that they preserve a lot of the nature, natural habitat and landscape in this area.”

CROWDS IN GB FOR HOT MEALS

A woman identified as Patrice said she was very thankful.

“I walked out here today when I heard about this,” she said. “I have three children and I was given enough for me and for my children.”

An unemployed male resident described the gesture as an act of kindness.

“I am not working this time and to have a hot meal is one less thing to worry about. I thank the persons responsible for this kind deed.”

Operation Christmas is an initiative to provide over 3,000 plus meals in Grand Bahama, and to inspire faith, hope and love.

Apostle Ferguson felt the need to come to Grand Bahama to uplift the spirits of residents here who are still recovering from the impact of Hurricane Dorian, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This is an extension of our Operation Thanksgiving in New Providence which we were able to extend to Operation Christmas in Grand Bahama,” he explained.

“It’s been going very well, and we are so pleased of all the efforts and persons that have come together to make this happen,” he said.

“We are grateful for those who partnered with us to allow us to use their facilities, including the BUT, the Sir Jack Hayward (School), and Christ the King Church. We are also grateful to Urban Renewal headed by ASP Nicola Sears, and we are grateful to BUT volunteers, and the Kiwanis Club.”

Apostle Ferguson also thanked his own staff out of Nassau, including three of his chefs and his wife. The group also delivered food to various old folk homes in Grand Bahama.

NEW EMS HQ ‘TO REDUCE RESPONSE TIMES’

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

HEALTH and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville said a new headquarters for the National Emergency Medical Services should help to improve emergency response times in certain areas of New Providence.

He spoke on the sidelines of a commissioning ceremony for the new NEMS headquarters on University Boulevard.

“As far as we are concerned, we believe that our response times (are) pretty much on standard of what’s going on in the region. Our job with the relocation (of) facilities is to become more centralised so that we can improve our response time, mainly in the southern, the east, and the west region,” he told reporters.

“As you realise, coming from the Princess Margaret Hospital, there’s a lot of congestion, and that congestion sometimes delays us from arriving at the appropriate time, even though there’s protocols on the road in order for us to get there.

“By strategically placing this emergency medical facility in the central location, we believe that we will be able to improve those times on arrival at scenes of accidents or emergencies

at personal residences or any commercial space.”

NEMS director Dr Avery Hanna said ideally emergency response time would be within four minutes but there are so many factors involved.

Public Hospitals Authority managing director Dr Aubynette Rolle noted the efforts to increase the fleet of EMS vehicles.

“What we are doing, though, to minimise our response, is to increase our fleets. Of course, you know that the ambulances run 24 hours, and therefore, the ability to maintain them. So we are now moving to get additional ambulances.”

She added: “As a matter of fact, just yesterday, I made a deposit on an ambulance. Because of the supply chain issues now, it’s taking anywhere from 18 months to two years just to get an ambulance and so we just made a deposit yesterday to be able to bring some in from Florida.

“And then also we’re doing additional training. So we are increasing the fleet to do the response, as well as increasing our numbers and training of that human capital.”

Dr Hanna said 13 people from various Family Islands are being trained as emergency medical technicians.

“In order to really have one ambulance manned and respond on a

24-hour basis, we need nine EMTs. So for each of those islands, we would need up to nine persons really to help to run that single ambulance for a 24-hour period.”

“Of course, some islands, depending on how big they are, may need to have a service in the north or service in the south - that type of thing. So there is definitely a whole lot of room for growth in EMS. We would like to at least have that one ambulance initially, but on some islands, we might need two or three. So you know, if we multiply that by three ambulances, we’ll need 27 EMTs on that island.”

Dr Darville said he is committed to improving EMS services on the Family Islands.

“I want to speak to our Family Island residents. Very soon, gone will be the day when you have to throw your individual on the back of a truck to carry them to the airport and to have the necessary airlift to New Providence.

“We in this administration assure you that we will put these services in place to improve the mortality and the morbidity of individuals who suffer from serious medical illnesses who need to be transported from one place to the next on the Family Island and from there via air ambulance to New Providence.”

MAN ACCUSED OVER FAILED MURDER BID

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was remanded to prison yesterday in connection with a failed murder attempt outside a bar on East Bay Street last week.

Donnovan Higgins, 25, represented by attorney K Melvern Munroe, faced Magistrate Samuel McKinney on a charge of attempted murder. Higgins also faced charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm and possession of ammunition.

At around 2am on December 17 outside “Papi’s Lounge” near the Esso Service Station on East Bay Street, it is reported that Archelous Thompson encountered two men fighting inside a car. When Mr Thompson attempted to intervene it is alleged that Higgins pulled out a gun and shot him in his neck.

The victim was successfully treated for his injuries at Princess

Margaret Hospital.

It is further alleged that later that same day Higgins was found by police with an Austria Glock 40 pistol with the serial number erased. At the time of his arrest, it is also said that he had 17 live .40 calibre bullets.

While Higgins pleaded not guilty to the firearm and ammunition charges in court, he was not required to enter a plea for the attempted murder charge at this time. He was informed that the indictable charge would go to the Supreme Court by a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI).

The accused was also told that as all charges will be tried in the Supreme Court it is from that court that he had to apply for bail.

He was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services. Before being taken into remand the accused was allowed a brief moment with his fiancée.

Higgins should get his VBI on February 21.

PSYCHOLOGICAL TEST FOR THEFT ACCUSED

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was ordered to have psychological evaluation after being sent to prison on a shop-breaking charge.

Richard Russell, 24, stood before Magistrate Samuel McKinney on charges of shopbreaking, stealing and damage.

It is alleged that Russell broke into T & F Grocery Store around 5.40am on December 6 in Red Bay’s, North Andros. This forced entry is said to have caused an estimated $430 worth of damage to the screen door and wooden door frame. It is further alleged that $260

cash and a $9 pack of Black and Mild cigars were stolen. In court the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges. It was at this point that Russell begged the magistrate to send him to to Sandilands for treatment, claiming he has had a drug addiction problem since childhood.

The magistrate subsequently requested that the accused receive a psychological evaluation while on remand at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services (BDCS). He is expected to be seen by a Sandilands psychiatrist or counsellor on rotation there during his remand. Russell is set to return to court on January 25, 2023.

BOYS IN COURT OVER KNIFE DISCOVERY

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

TWO boys were in court yesterday after being allegedly found with a knife at their high school earlier this month.

The 14 and 13-year-old teenage defendants, whose names are being withheld because they are minors, and their respective guardians appeared before Magistrate Algernon Allen Jr. There the boys faced a charge of unlawfully carrying arms.

It is said that around 1.40pm on December 7 at AF Adderley Junior High School the two boys were found with a flip knife at school.

In court, the 14-yearold defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge while the 13-year-old pleaded guilty.

As a result, the 14-yearold’s police bail of $500 was extended and a probation report was ordered for the 13-year-old.

The accused are to return to court for trial and mention on March 23, 2023.

MAN IN HOSPITAL AFTER STABBING

The

victim

Police

A 54-YEAR-OLD man is in hospital after he was stabbed on Wednesday.

victim was reportedly stabbed by a group of men around 7pm in Fox Hill. Police said the

was taken to the hospital where at last report, he was in stable condition.

are now searching for the men responsible for the attack.

THE SCENES in Grand Bahama during the distribution of food yesterday.

Photos: Denise Maycock/Tribune Staff

My Bahamian journey

MY first visit to The Bahamas took place nearly twenty years ago, in the spring of 2003. But when I reminisce over the twists and turns my life has taken over the years, I realize that the journey that would eventually lead me to forge a lifelong connection to The Bahamas started many years earlier, during my last year of college in January of 1988.

Shortly before graduation, I had the opportunity to spend nearly a month in the Dominican Republic with a handful of other students. The goal of our trip was to wrestle with the (now politically incorrect) question, “What is the Third World?” It was an amazing yet sobering month of soaking in the DR’s rich and beautiful culture while also confronting how various political and religious agendas – both past and present – had impacted the lives of those living on Hispaniola.

Looking back, my time in the DR has proven to be one of the most formative experiences of my life, imbued with a new and growing cultural and social awareness. I left for that month abroad viewing myself as - first and foremost – an “American”. I returned, however, convicted that I was actually – first and foremost – simply a “human being”, a human being whose life was interconnected with the lives of so many others in our hemisphere and around the world.

Years later, sensing a calling to work with college students, I left my career in business and entered seminary at Duke University. Three years later, when I was appointed to serve as a Chaplain at Clemson University, I knew that I wanted to offer college students the same kind of opportunity that had shaped me and expanded my vision as a young adult. My goal was to create a relatively inexpensive cross-cultural, week-long experience for students with four areas of focus: mission/service, retreat, study abroad and spiritual pilgrimage.

By Lane Glaze

In the fall of 2002, I connected with Shaun Ingraham through a mutual friend. Like me, Shaun was a Methodist pastor. He had hosted and managed teams of volunteers in The Bahamas to assist with critical hurricane recovery efforts following Hurricane Andrew in 1992 and other humanitarian projects, both locally and abroad. Shaun and I hit it off immediately, and the next spring we partnered to bring a team of 30 students, faculty and staff to the island of Eleuthera. Over the next ten years, we would partner to bring a total of 12 teams and more than 500 participants to The Bahamas. Just as I had hoped when Shaun and I first formed our partnership, hundreds of former students and others now point to these trips as one of the most life-changing and riveting experiences of their lives.

After the first few years of our friendship, Shaun and I began to wrestle with how best to tackle the economic and social challenges faced by many Bahamians and others in the developing world. In those early years, our work was purely reactive: a storm would hit, and we would respond with tarps, tools and teams. But over time, the nature of our approach began to evolve. Later, our work became more proactive as we focused on projects designed to improve the livelihoods of entire communities. This new strategy was embodied in the formation of Island Journeys (IJ), a nonprofit managed by Shaun and a committed team that began hosting dozens of university, corporate and church teams on community building visits to South Eleuthera.

Through the revolutionary work of Island Journeys, a new model

for community develop ment began to take shape. In 2007, the historic, two hundred plus year old “Lil Prep School” in Tarpum Bay began its transfor mation into the modern Eleuthera Arts and Culture Centre (EACC), thanks in part to labour provided by local volunteers and visit ing student groups. A year later, IJ helped facilitate the groundbreaking for South Eleuthera Emergency Partners (SEEP.) With SEEP emergency opera tion centres in both Tarpum Bay and Wemyss Bight, consistent first-response emergency services were introduced. Through all three organizations, Bahamians came together to build and strengthen their communities - one block, one nail, one dollar, one challenge, and one person at a time.

Eventually the lessons learned through these shared community development efforts manifested in two ways. First, A Shared Vision for South Eleuthera was published in 2010, thanks to the insightful work of our partners at Michael Singer Studios who spent hundreds of hours on the island researching and compiling feedback gathered from communities across Eleuthera. The findings in the “Shared Vision” continue to serve as a plan for long-term, strategic development for the island. Second, in 2012 Shaun and other key partners – including IJ, EACC and SEEP – birthed the One Eleuthera Foundation as the entity through which the concepts and ideas presented in the Shared Vision would become a reality.

As the scope of OEF continued to grow in those early years, a few of us with a love for Eleuthera and the community work being done on the ground saw the

to form One Eleuthera Foundation of the US (OEF-US).

OEF-US is a 501(c)3 based in the Carolinas and was created to assist with expanding OEF’s work around Five Key Areas of Focus: Economy, Education, Environment, Health and Heritage. It has been my privilege to lead OEF-US and work alongside Shaun, The board of directors of OEF and OEF-US and the management team in this capacity over the last six years.

As I look back over the last few decades, my Bahamian journey is far from over. My relationship with the people of Eleuthera has greatly shaped who I am and how I see my role in the world. Building on the lessons that I learned while in the DR years ago, and the many subsequent lessons learned through my Eleuthera-Bahamas experiences, our lives will be forever interconnected. And for that, I am eternally grateful.

• A former CPA and private banker, Lane is a native of Charleston but now makes his home in

Clemson, South Carolina with his wife Anne. An ordained United Methodist minister, Lane has served as president for OEF-US since its inception in 2016. He is also Professor of Practice at Clemson University, teaching in the area of non-profit leadership. Established in 2012, the One Eleuthera Founda- tion (OEF) is a non-pro t organisation located in Rock Sound, Eleuthera. For more information, visit www. oneeleuthera.org or email

info@ oneeleuthera. org. The Centre for Training and Innovation (CTI) is the first and only postsecondary, non-profit education and training institution and social enterprise on Eleuthera. CTI operates a student training campus in Rock Sound, Eleuthera, with a 16-room training hotel, restaurant and farm. For more information about CTI’s programmes email: info@oneeleuthera. org.

of One Eleuthera Foundation

PICTURES show Clemson University students serving the people of South Eleuthera during spring trips between 2007 and 2013. The students would provide labour on local building projects, support government clinics in the settlements, visit schools and participate in various volunteer opportunities.

Rising to support brothers in need

A9MAIN

By Diane Phillips

ON Friday, December 16, the story of brotherly love was the subject of this column. It was the story of two brothers named Lorenzo and Devon Knowles, Long Islanders who came to Nassau to work 15 years ago and for most of those years worked through, or in some connection with, the late Sir Durward Knowles, the first eight years at Queen’s College, later at Montagu Gardens restaurant until it closed. They often worked multiple jobs. After Sir Durward died, they scraped by doing odd jobs, looking after a parking lot, washing dishes at other restaurants, cobbling together a few dollars daily to feed themselves, sometimes going hungry, always faithful to church and Bible study, even when they walked in the rain to get there.

Here is an abbreviated version of how the column started:

YOU see them walking together, never one or the other, always the two of them, side by

clothes and carrying worn out bags.

There is a Bible in each of those worn-out tote bags, along with tools or work clothes for whatever job they are working that day, rags for cleaning, a uniform for washing dishes at a restaurant. Look even closer at their worn-out shoes and your heart could break right there. They walk, on average, more than ten miles a day, from the place they currently rent off Prince Charles Drive in Elizabeth Estates to the Montagu area where they find work or odd jobs and often wait until Bible study starts in the evening in the waterfront park before starting the long fivemile trek back home.

‘I only planned to tell the story. What happened afterward was truly a Christmas miracle. You, the reader, were moved to act. Rich and poor, black and white, young and old, you picked up the phone and called my office or sat down at a keyboard and wrote.’

They are the Knowles brothers.

Devon, who is the shorter of the two, is 47, Lorenzo, 41. They are as constant a fixture in the Eastern District as the view

sun rising over Montagu Bay. Two slight, brownskinned men getting by

THE TRIBUNE

A true story of brotherly love

By Diane Phillips

YOU see them walk- ing together, never one or the other, always the two of them, side by side, each wearing worn out clothes and carrying worn out bags.

If you did not know better, or failed to look closely to see the camara- derie between them and the simple honesty in their ways, you could mistake them for Jonesers. You could, but you would be about as wrong as you could be. There is a bible in each of those worn out tote bags, along with tools or work clothes for whatever job they are working that day, rags for cleaning, a uniform for washing dishes at a res- taurant. Look even closer at their worn-out shoes and your heart could break right there. They walk, on average, more than ten miles a day, from the place they currently rent off Prince Charles Drive in Elizabeth Estates to the Montagu area where they find work or odd jobs and often wait until bible study starts in the evening in the waterfront park before starting the long five- mile trek back home. They are the Knowles broth

was a dream come true, though they missed family and home.

“It is a nice, beautiful place, Long Island, lots of coconut trees, bananas, go fishin’ when you want,” says Lorenzo. They’d catch mackerel, jack fish, and cook ’em fresh. The job at Queen’s Col lege lasted eight years. They lived at St Anne’s housing and until his death in 2011, Bishop Michael Eldon was neighbour and respected elder in their lives.

but never alone. They have each other.

I only planned to tell the story. What happened afterward was truly a Christmas miracle. You, the reader, were moved to act. Rich and poor, black and white,

‘On most things, the brotherscompatible who are rarely seen apart, agree, like alongswimming West Bay. The water at Montagu, they say, is too dirty because of the fish parts and garbage disposed of in it.’

In the years since full- time work ended at QC, though they still help out when needed, life has gotten harsher for Lorenzo and Devon. They clean cars for regular customers, wash dishes in a restaurant that provides them with a welcome hot meal. A manu- facturer in the area supplies them with daily drinking water, another gen- tleman often gives them a lift home to save that five-mile stretch of walk in the dark. Back at their rental, they cook on a hot plate, some- times canned mackerel, a sentimental bow to memories of home. On occasion,

and to make sure they had food to cook on it, added a $200 Super Value gift certificate. A man named Chris bought them brand new walking/tennis shoes from the Sports Centre. Several others gave $20 or $100 and with each envelope delivered to my office there was someone who holding it wanted to share the story of how it had moved them.

The Rotary Club of Southeast Nassau made them part of their give back at Christmas programme, presenting them with a carton filled with more food than they have seen in one place since they left home 15 years ago.

What could be the most life-changing call, email and personal visit came from an

utive at a large company who delivered a sealed envelope accompanied by the offer of a job interview. I drove them to the interview and there is, indeed, a good possibility of a job for

The phone is still ringing with promises of more gifts, but in the midst of all these blessings, Lorenzo and Devon lost the roof over

For the past several months, they had been house-sitting in Elizabeth Estates, providing security. Before they were asked to stay there, the empty house was repeatedly broken into. The owner told them it was up for sale but this week they were told it was sold. They had hours to move what they could pack into large black plastic bags and leave.

That was Tuesday. It rained that night.

They know just how hard the rain fell. It fell on them as they slept on park benches at Montagu.

All the brothers need now is just one more miracle. A place to call home. At least for a little while.

the next and sharing the kind of unspoken love few families experience in

To advertise in The Tribune,

You belted out mes sages like “I want to help, what do they need most?” or “Do they need food?” or “Can you come and collect what I put out for them?” Messages like that came through, several from

day to

HOW last week’s column by Diane Phillips sparked the flood of support for Lorenzo and Devon Knowles.

DEVON, LEFT, AND LORENZO KNOWLES

Jan 6 panel unveils report on Trump ‘conspiracy’

WASHINGTON Associated Press

THE House Jan 6 committee’s final report asserts that Donald Trump criminally engaged in a “multi-part conspiracy” to overturn the lawful results of the 2020 presidential election and failed to act to stop his supporters from attacking the Capitol, concluding an extraordinary 18-month investigation into the former president and the violent insurrection two years ago.

The 814-page report released Thursday comes after the panel interviewed more than 1,000 witnesses, held 10 hearings and obtained millions of pages of documents.

The witnesses — ranging from many of Trump’s closest aides to law enforcement to some of

SENATE

the rioters themselves — detailed Trump’s actions in the weeks ahead of the insurrection and how his wide-ranging pressure campaign to overturn his defeat directly influenced those who brutally pushed past the police and smashed through the windows and doors of the Capitol on Jan 6, 2021.

“The central cause of January 6th was one man, former President Donald Trump, who many others followed,” reads the report. “None of the events of January 6th would have happened without him.”

The insurrection gravely threatened democracy and “put the lives of American lawmakers at risk”, the nine-member panel concluded.

The report’s eight chapters of findings tell the story largely as the panel’s

hearings did this summer — describing the many facets of the remarkable plan that Trump and his advisers devised to try and void President Joe Biden’s victory. The lawmakers describe his pressure on states, federal officials, lawmakers and Vice President Mike Pence to game the system or break the law.

Trump’s repeated, false claims of widespread voter fraud resonated with his supporters, the committee said, and were amplified on social media, building on the distrust of government he had fostered for his four years in office. And he did little to stop them when they resorted to violence and stormed the Capitol.

The massive, damning report comes as Trump is running again for the presidency and also facing multiple federal

investigations, including probes of his role in the insurrection and the presence of classified documents at his Florida estate. This week is particularly fraught for him, as a House committee is expected to release his tax returns after he has fought for years to keep them private. And Trump has been blamed by Republicans for a worse-than-expected showing in the midterm elections, leaving him in his most politically vulnerable state since he won the 2016 election.

It is also a final act for House Democrats who are ceding power to Republicans in less than two weeks, and have spent much of their four years in power investigating Trump. Democrats impeached Trump twice, the second time a week after the insurrection.

He was acquitted by the Senate both times. Other Democratic-led probes investigated his finances, his businesses, his foreign ties and his family.

On Monday, the panel of seven Democrats and two Republicans officially passed their investigation to the Justice Department, recommending the department investigate the former president on four crimes, including aiding an insurrection. While the criminal referrals have no legal standing, they are a final statement from the committee after its extensive, year-and-a-halflong probe.

Trump has tried to discredit the report, slamming members of the committee as “thugs and scoundrels” as he has continued to falsely dispute his 2020 loss.

In response to the panel’s criminal referrals, Trump

said: “These folks don’t get it that when they come after me, people who love freedom rally around me. It strengthens me.”

The committee has also begun to release hundreds of transcripts of its interviews. On Thursday, the panel released transcripts of two closed-door interviews with former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson, who testified in person at one of the televised hearings over the summer and described in vivid detail Trump’s efforts to influence the election results and indifference toward the violence as it occurred.

In the two interviews, both conducted after her July appearance at the hearing, she described how many of Trump’s allies, including her lawyer, pressured her not to say too much in her committee interviews.

certainty needed to ensure the country’s security.

THE Senate passed a massive $1.7 trillion spending bill Thursday that finances federal agencies through September and provides another significant round of military and economic aid to Ukraine one day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s dramatic address to a joint meeting of Congress.

The bill, which runs for 4,155 pages, includes about $772.5 billion for domestic programs and $858 billion for defense and would finance federal agencies through the fiscal year at the end of September.

The bill passed by a vote of 68-29 and now goes to the House for a final vote before it can be sent to President Joe Biden to be signed into law.

“This is one of the most significant appropriations packages we have done in a very long time,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-NY. “The range of people it helps is large and deep.”

Lawmakers were racing to get the bill approved before a partial government shutdown would occur at midnight Friday, and many were anxious to complete the task before a deep freeze and wintry conditions left them stranded in Washington for the holidays. Many also want to lock in government funding

before a new GOP-controlled House next year could make it harder to find compromise on spending.

Senators heard from Zelenskyy about the importance of US aid to his country for its war with Russia on Wednesday night. The measure provides about $45 billion in military, economic and humanitarian assistance for the devastated nation and NATO allies, more than Biden even requested, raising total assistance so far to more than $100 billion.

“Your money is not charity,” Zelenskyy told lawmakers and Americans

watching from home. “It’s an investment in the global security and democracy that we handle in the most responsible way.”

Lawmakers were in disagreement over which amendments were to be voted upon to lock in a final vote on an expedited basis. The impasses had the potential to prevent passage of the bill before the midnight Friday deadline. But negotiations overnight led to a breakthrough and senators gathered early Thursday morning to work through more than a dozen amendments before getting to a final vote.

The House won’t be able

to take up the bill until Friday morning, and while it is expected to pass, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md, said the chamber will also approve a stopgap spending resolution to ensure government services continue without interruption before the bill is signed into law.

The spending bill was supported by Schumer and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, though for different reasons.

McConnell cited the bill’s nearly 10% boost in defense spending, which he says will give America’s Armed Forces the funding and

“The world’s greatest military will get the funding increase that it needs, outpacing inflation,” McConnell said. “Meanwhile, non-defense, non-veterans spending will come in below the rate of inflation, for a real-dollar cut.”

McConnell faced pushback from many Republicans who don’t support the spending bill and resent being forced to vote on such a massive package with so little time before a potential shutdown and the Christmas holiday.

“There has not been enough time for a single person to have read this entire bill. The bill and process ignores soaring inflation, rising interest rates and our ballooning debt of $31 trillion,” said Sen Rand Paul, R-Ky.

“Enough is enough.”

Eighteen Republican senators joined with Democrats in voting for the bill.

For two senators, the bill puts the finishing touches on their work in Washington.

Sen Patrick Leahy, D-Vt, is retiring after serving some 48 years in the Senate and as the current chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. He negotiated the bill for months with Sen Richard Shelby of Alabama, the committee’s ranking Republican, who was elected to the Senate in 1986 and is also retiring.

“What a capstone to a

And, of course, it includes scores of policy changes unrelated to spending that lawmakers sought to include in what is going to be the last major bill of the Congress, else they start from scratch next year in a divided Congress where Republicans will be returning to the majority in the House.

One of the most notable examples was a historic revision to federal election law that aims to prevent any future presidents or presidential candidates from trying to overturn an election. The bipartisan overhaul of the Electoral Count Act is in direct response to former President Donald Trump’s efforts to convince Republican lawmakers and then-Vice President Mike Pence to object to the certification of Biden’s victory on Jan 6, 2021.

The bill also allowed Congress to follow through on some of the most consequential bills it had passed over the past two years, such as a measure aiming to boost computer chip production in the US and another to expand health care services to veterans exposed to toxic burn pits.

WASHINGTON Associated Press

brilliant career,” Schumer said. The bill also contains roughly $40 billion in emergency spending in the US, mostly to assist communities across the country recovering from drought, hurricanes and other natural disasters.

A VIDEO of former President Donald Trump is shown on a screen, as the House select committee investigating the Jan 6 attack on the US Capitol holds its final meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington, on Monday.

Photo: J Scott Applewhite/AP

SENATE Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of NY, speaks during a news conference yesterday.

Photo: Jacquelyn Martin/AP

Denali Nottage takes home men’s crown

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

One day after enduring his longest match ever to book his ticket to the finals, a wellrested Denali Nottage got his shortest time on the court to hoist the 2022 Giorgio Baldacci Open National Championships.

In what he anticipated to be an early present for his 19th birthday on Saturday, Nottage, fully regrouped from his three-set thriller over fellow Grand Bahamian Rodney Carey Jr on Wednesday, only played one game against Kevin Major Jr before he was crowned the new champion.

The 27-year-old Major Jr, who clinched his berth in a two-game sweep over veteran Marvin Rolle on Wednesday, broke Nottage in the first game in

their final yesterday before he forfeited the rest of the match. Major Jr said he had informed the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association Wednesday night that he would not be able to compete in the final but was advised that it was in his best interest to participate.

“I came because they insisted, but I had to get back to work,” said Major Jr, a personal tennis trainer and coach.

“I’m getting older, and I have to take care of the bills. “I love playing tennis and representing the country, but it comes to a point where it has to be financially sound for me. This tournament is not offering me any incentives as a professional tennis player.”

By virtue of being in the final, Major Jr said he fulfilled his commitment to

Nottage, however, said he understands Major Jr’s dilemma, but it wasn’t the outcome that he was hoping for. “I celebrated that I won the tournament after playing so hard in the semifinals,” said Nottage, who in his debut in the tournament last year got eliminated in the quarterfinals.

“It’s okay though. I understand that the life of this sport is not what you always expect it to be, so you have to get used to it.”

Coming in from the Bill Adams Tennis Academy in Pembroke Pines, Florida, Nottage said he performed at his best to get into the final and all he wanted to do was to prove himself against the best players in the island nation.

SEE PAGE 14

RHEMA COLLINS PREPARES FOR OLE MISS

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

AS she continues her transition to college, University of Mississippi bound Rhema Collins came home to take advantage of some training from professional player Ryan Moss and veteran women’s coach Anthony Swaby.

Moss and Swaby took Collins through a series of workouts yesterday at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium as the 6-foot, 2-inch forward took the break from her final season with the Webb School in Bell Buckle, Tennessee.

“I’ve just been focusing on basketball lately, preparing for college,” said Collins, who will be in town until December 26 before she heads back to school to play in a tournament in Tampa, Florida from December 28-31.

“Individually, I feel I’m grown a lot as a player and a person. I feel my team has also matured to a different level from last season. So, I’m really happy about that.”

Elana Mackey upsets Clarke for ladies’ title

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

WITH her college roommate as her lucky charm on the sideline cheering her on, Elana Mackey stunned defending champion Sydney Clarke to capture her first Giorgio Baldacci Open Nationals women’s title.

In the rematch of last year’s final of the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association’s week-long tournament at the National Tennis Centre, Mackey prevailed with an impressive 6-2, 7-5 triumph over Clarke yesterday.

“In school, I go to every home game they have, and it worked every time,” said Mackey’s Mars Hill University’s roommate Alina Mueller from Germany, who is visiting the Bahamas for the first time. “Whenever I’m there, she wins. I guess this was just the

match she on because I’m here.”

Mackey said Mueller has been an inspiration because “I haven’t lost a match since she came out to watch at school.”

With Mueller here in the Bahamas, Mackey was sensational when it counted the most in her final against Clarke, who has held the advantage over the headto-head encounters in the past.

In the first set, Mackey went up a break 3-0 before Clarke finally got on the scoreboard as she held serve at 3-1. Mackey broke again for a 5-1 lead, but refusing to give up, Clarke got the break back to extend the set.

But after breaking to go up 5-2, Mackey held serve and clinched the first set.

They came back in the second and Clarke did the same to Mackey to go up 3-0. Mackey would

then break for a 3-2 deficit before Clarke got another break to surge ahead 4-2.

Both players broke each other, but Mackey went on to cut the deficit to 5-4 on a break.

Mackey would then hold serve for a 5-5, break Clarke for the final time to go up 6-5 and served out the game, set and match.

“I had a plan and I followed it. I was able to execute it very well,” said Mackey, who noted that she “tried to be more consistent and hit most of my balls deep because she was short, and she would have problems hitting the high shots.”

It worked.

“I’ve been training really hard for this tournament in

Brady, Bucs push for playoffs against struggling Cardinals

By DAVID BRANDT AP Sports Writer

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP)

— Tampa Bay’s Tom Brady and Arizona’s Trace McSorley are two quarterbacks making their Christmas Day debut on Sunday.

That’s about where the similarities end.

The Bucs (6-8) have had a tough season but are somehow still clinging to a one-game lead in the mediocre NFC South. The 45-year-old Brady will be making his 331st career start, giving Tampa Bay a wealth of experience as it tries to snap a two-game skid. As for McSorley, he isn’t just making his Christmas Day debut, but his NFL starting debut.

The Cardinals (4-10) are limping down the stretch,

turning to the team’s thirdstring quarterback. The 27-year-old McSorley has been pushed into a starting role after injuries to Kyler Murray and Colt McCoy.

Despite the long odds, the former Penn State standout says he’s looking forward to the challenge.

“(Brady is) the G.O.A.T. and there’s no two ways to put that, but I’ve just got to focus on what I can control,” McSorley said. “I’m going against their defence, not against him, so that’s kind of the way I try and look at it. But it is cool to kind of look back and realise that I’m starting against him the first time.”

Tampa Bay has dropped three of its past four games, including a 34-23 loss to Cincinnati last weekend. Luckily for the Bucs, the

Panthers, Saints and Falcons have all had their problems, and sit one game back of Tampa Bay at 5-9.

“Any division you win, regardless of whether you’re 17-0 or whether

the fall at school, so I’m not surprised by the outcome,” said a jubilant Mackey, who got her usual support from her proud father Patrick Mackey on the sidelines.

For Clarke, it wasn’t what she expected in the results, but she admitted that she’s the only one to blame for her lacklustre performance as she made too many costly errors.

“She (Mackey) played well and took advantage of the opportunities when I wasn’t playing at my best,” said Clarke, who is in the middle of her junior year at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. “So, I just have to go back to the drawing board and get ready for a lot of matches when I go back to school.

“I just had too many errors today that caused me the match. I did my best, but it wasn’t 100 percent.”

Clarke commended Mackey for her

performance. “She was very locked in, and she took advantage of every moment when I fell down, especially in the second set when I was up,” Clarke reflected. “She just snagged back in, so congratulations to her. She did very well.”

Mackey said her and roommate Mueller will celebrate this weekend and also attend the junkanoo celebrations before they head back to school on January 5.

BLTA president Perry Newton said it was good to see the rivalry continue between Clarke and Mackey. “They have been playing against each other for almost all of their lives,” Newton said.

“To see the two of them back at it again, was just amazing. They will get to represent the country again.”

Wake

Forest,

Missouri eye opportunity in the Gasparilla Bowl tonight

By MARK DIDTLER Associated Press

TAMPA, Florida (AP)

— Wake Forest and Missouri, coming off regular seasons full of close losses, look to end the year on a winning note in the Gasparilla Bowl tonight.

Wake Forest (7-5) lost three games by six points or fewer points. Missouri (6-6) came up short by seven points or less four times, including a 26-22 loss to No. 1 Georgia.

“They’re kicking themselves the same way we are, saying with a little better execution in the fourth quarter, these can be two 10-win teams meeting in a New Year’s Six Bowl,” Wake Forest

coach Dave Clawson said. “They played Georgia better than anyone this year.”

Wake Forest quarterback Sam Hartman is expected to close out his Demon Deacons career before entering the NFL draft or the transfer portal.

“Sam’s a guy that’s going to finish what he started,” Clawson said. “Sam’s been nothing but a standup person for us, and has performed at a high level and done everything right. Whatever opportunities he has, he’s earned.”

Hartman is tied with Clemson’s Tajh Boyd (2010-13) for the Atlantic

you’re 4-13, you win the division and you have a division banner,” Bucs coach Todd Bowles said. “Then you try out for your

BUCCANEERS quarterback Tom Brady (12) leaves the field after an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals. (AP Photo/Mark LoMoglio)

make the men’s team for Davis Cup, so while he

didn’t get to complete his match, he earned his spot.

DENALI Nottage won the men’s trophy yesterday.

Photo: Moises Amisial/Tribune Staff

ELANA MACKEY

SYDNEY CLARKE

McCollum scores 40, Pelicans top Spurs 126-117 to end skid

By BRETT MARTEL AP Sports Writer

NEW ORLEANS (AP)

— CJ McCollum scored a season-high 40 points and the New Orleans Pelicans beat the San Antonio Spurs 126-117 last night to end their four-game losing streak.

Jonas Valanciunas had 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Pelicans, who won despite Zion Williamson being scratched from the lineup because of the NBA’s health and safety protocols.

The Pelicans made 13 3-pointers. McCollum hit seven from deep, and his

first gave New Orleans the lead for good at 3-2 in the opening minutes.

The Pelicans led by as many as 23 points and opened the fourth quarter with a 19-point lead. The Spurs got back in the game with a 10-0 run fueled by Stanley Johnson, who scored nine of his 12 points in the final period.

McCollum, however, almost single-handedly kept the Spurs at bay. His floater off the glass was the first of his 19 points in a pivotal seven-minute stretch. The individual scoring outburst included four 3s — one while McCollum was fouled for

a 4-point play. The last of McCollum’s 3s made it 119-106 with 3:31 to go.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich subbed out his entire lineup moments later, and the Pelicans remained comfortably ahead after that.

Jeremy Sochan scored a career-high 23 points for San Antonio. Tre Jones added 19 points and Josh Richardson had 14.

The Pelicans missed their first nine shots from close range but hit four of their six 3-point attempts — with McCollum making three — to take a 12-2 lead.

By the end of the first quarter, the Pelicans had made six 3s, the last of those by Devonte’ Graham putting New Orleans up 37-17.

The Pelicans led 65-46 at halftime.

BEASLEY, CLARKSON LEAD JAZZ TO 120-112 VICTORY OVER WIZARDS

By MATTHEW COLES Associated Press

SALT LAKE CITY (AP)

— Malik Beasley scored 25 points and Jordan Clarkson added 23 to power the Utah Jazz past the reeling Washington Wizards 120-112 last night.

Lauri Markkanen had 21 points and Collin Sexton returned from missing seven games with a right hamstring injury to finish with 18 while playing just 17 minutes due to a medical minutes restriction.

Bradley Beal scored 30 points and Kyle Kuzma had 21, but the Wizards lost for the 14th time in their last 16 games.

Beal scored Washington’s first 12 points of the fourth quarter but the Wizards couldn’t stop the Jazz.

The Wizards fell to 2-8 when Beal is their leading scorer.

The Jazz scored 13 consecutive points bridging the third and fourth quarters, highlighted by a buzzerbeating 3-pointer by Sexton and capped by Nickeil

Jaguars continue playoff push, outclass Jets 19-3

By DENNIS WASZAK JR AP Pro Football Writer

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Trevor

Lawrence leaped for a touchdown and the Jacksonville Jaguars continued their push toward the playoffs with their third straight victory, 19-3 over an embarrassed Zach Wilson and the New York Jets on a rainy, windy Thursday night.

The second matchup between last year’s first two draft picks — Lawrence at No. 1 and Wilson No. 2 — wasn’t even close.

Lawrence finished 20 of 31 for 229 yards and ran for 51 yards and the score on seven carries for the Jaguars (7-8), who moved within one-half game of skidding Tennessee in the AFC South. Jacksonville would win the division title with victories in its final two games — including the season finale against the Titans.

While Lawrence sliced through the Jets’ normally strong defense, Wilson couldn’t get anything going and was booed frequently — all the way to the bench.

Chris Streveler, elevated from the practice squad before the game, replaced Wilson late in the third

quarter. Wilson went 9 of 18 for 82 yards with an interception and a dismal 41.9 rating for the Jets (7-8), whose playoff hopes took a devastating hit with their fourth straight loss. That’s the worst skid under second-year coach Robert Saleh.

And it came in their regular-season home finale — in front of a national television audience.

Wilson, who returned from a three-game benching last Sunday in place of an injured Mike White, couldn’t make any plays and his offensive line gave him little protection.

Things actually got off to a promising start for the Jets when Quinnen Williams strip-sacked Lawrence on the Jaguars’ third play from scrimmage. Carl Lawson recovered to put New York at Jacksonville’s 16.

It was Williams’ careerhigh 12th sack and Lawrence’s eighth lost fumble, tops in the NFL.

But the Jets couldn’t get into the end zone and settled for a 37-yard field goal from Greg Zuerlein after Andre Cisco sacked Wilson on a safety blitz on third down.

Riley Patterson kicked a 32-yarder to tie it on

With Webb School posting an 8-2 win-loss record before she came home, Collins said she just wants to use this time to enjoy the break with family and friends and of course engage in some basketball competition.

She said she’s even thrilled to get in the workout sessions with Moss and Swaby. Both Denika Lightbourne, who attends Tallulah Falls, and Michelle Butler, who is at Mineral Area in Missouri, were also expected to participate in the training but didn’t make it.

“I wasn’t expecting Mr Moss to be here. I thought I would have only been working out with coach Swaby, but it’s cool,” Collins said. “I’m really happy with the opportunity to work with him. I was really shocked to see him.”

After retiring from playing professional when he had his last sting in Hong Kong in 2019/2020, the 48-year-old Moss, who stands at 6-7, has been training players with his most recent stop in Taiwan with their national team.

“This is a good opportunity to give back. I don’t just want to give them on the court experience, but

off the court as well,” Moss said. “I want to teach them what to do when they get their success and how they can keep the success level going.

“So, I’m excited to work with Rhema. She looks like she’s ready for the next level. She’s also eager to learn. That’s what I look for in athletes. As long as you are willing to learn, I’m willing to teach. I try to teach the mental part of the game, not the physical because it’s 80 percent mental and 20 percent physical.”

Swaby said after engaging Moss to work out with the women’s national team that was scheduled to go to Mexico last month, but didn’t because of financial constraints, he volunteered to work with the players whenever they come home.

“He wants to instil in them the importance of coming home and getting some basketball workout in so that when they do go back to school, their game would not have decreased any,” Swaby said.

“We know when they go back for January, this is the important time for the year, especially Rhema, to get her in some frame of mind when she heads to Ole Miss. She’s going to be something special.”

The 17-year-old Collins, who represented

Jacksonville’s second possession.

Lawrence jumped over the pile for a 1-yard goahead touchdown early in the second quarter to cap an impressive 16-play, 96-yard drive. The Jaguars faced just one third down on the drive — on Lawrence’s score. It was Jacksonville’s first scoring drive of 95 yards or more since 2018.

Patterson’s 45-yarder with 2:55 left before halftime extended the Jaguars’ lead to 13-3.

The Jets had just 66 yards of offense in the first half and three first downs. While boos rained down throughout the first half,

the poncho-clad crowd really let New York — and Wilson — have it when he was intercepted by Devin Lloyd on a Hail Mary just before halftime.

After Patterson added a 41-yarder midway through the third quarter, Wilson was booed again when he jogged onto the field with the offense. But then, the Jets instead put Streveler in at quarterback — and the fans went wild. And New York’s offense finally found a short-lived spark.

There were cheers after his 30-yard duck of a throw that C.J. Uzomah caught for a first down. The crowd loved Streveler’s consecutive runs of 14, 10

and 8 yards before he was stopped for a 2-yard loss.

On fourth-and-4, Streveler completed a 4-yard pass to Garrett Wilson and he led the Jets to the Jaguars 13.

But the drive stalled when his throw to Wilson sailed wide of the receiver, turning the ball over on downs.

Streveler, who went 10 of 15 for 90 yards, became a fan favorite during the summer when he led the Jets to three fourth-quarter comeback victories in the preseason.

He also helped lead the Winnipeg Blue Bombers to a Grey Cup victory during the 2019 season, but couldn’t deliver a victory for the Jets in this one.

Instead, Lawrence — who lost 26-21 to Wilson and the Jets last season — and the Jaguars maintained control.

INJURIES

Jaguars: RG Brandon Scherff left in the second quarter with an ankle injury, but returned. ... DE Dawuane Smoot appeared to injure his left leg late in the game.

UP NEXT Jaguars: At Houston on Jan. 1.

Jets: At Seattle on January 1.

Walker-Alexander’s 3 off an offensive rebound.

The surge resulted in the first double-digit lead by either team after 23 lead changes and 11 ties. The span was bolstered by tight defence and increased effort after three quarters of little resistance by the Jazz.

The Wizards had lost 10 straight games before winning at Phoenix on Tuesday. Their defensive deficiencies returned as they allowed the Jazz to make 16-of-35 3-pointers, many of which were wide open due to slow rotations and weak closeouts.

Second-leading scorer Kristaps Porzingis missed his second game with a non-COVID illness but the Wizards still shot 56 percent from the field.

Corey Kispert made a halfcourt shot at the last second to put the Wizards up 66-60. Due to a clock malfunction — the time kept running — the teams had to replay 0.4 seconds of the second quarter after halftime.

BOWL

Coast Conference career passing touchdowns record with 107. He also needs 313 yards passing to join North Carolina State’s Philip Rivers (13,484, 2000-03) as the only quarterbacks in ACC history to reach 13,000 yards.

“It’ll be a great challenge,” Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz said.

Hartman passed for 3,421 yards and 35 touchdowns this season with 11 interceptions.

The Missouri defence will be without defensive ends Isaiah McGuire and DJ Coleman, and safety Martez Manuel. They all opted out of the bowl to prepare for the NFL draft.

Tigers quarterback Brady Cook completed 218 of 334 passes for 2,504 yards and 13 touchdowns with seven interceptions.

Cook will be missing one of his key targets, with wide receiver Dominic Lovett sitting out after entering the transfer portal. He led the Tigers with 56 receptions and 846 yards. Missouri won its final two games following a 66-24 loss to Tennessee.

Wake Forest ended the regular season dropping four of five.

MAKING THE CALLS, AGAIN

Drinkwitz has taken over offensive play-calling again with quarterbacks coach Bush Hamdan leaving to become Boise State’s offensive coordinator.

the Bahamas at the 2019 Centrobasket Under-17 Women’s Championships at the age of 24, has committed to play for Ole Miss, headed by Bahamian coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin beginning in August.

She will follow in the footsteps of point guard Valerie Nesbitt, who played for the Rebels two years ago.

“I’m really confident in my decision. I trust her a lot as a coach and as a person,” said Coillins about the decision to go to Ole Miss with McPhee-McCuin.

“Looking at the other options I had and after hearing all of the great things about her, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to go there.”

While she waits for that opportunity to take place next year, Collins said she’s eager to get going with her high school experience.

“Things have been going very well. My grades are very good, and basketball is going very well,” she noted. “I just been having a fun season.”

Hopefully in the future, Collins will continue to improve and eventually become the next Bahamian to join Jonquel Jones from Grand Bahama in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) or at least in the professional ranks of basketball.

RHEMA COLLINS, centre, with coach Anthony Swaby and trainer Ryan Moss. Photo courtesy of Kevin Major Sr

JAGUARS tight end Evan Engram (17) stiff-arms Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner (1) during the third quarter last night. (AP Photo/ Seth Wenig)

SPURS forward Stanley Johnson (34) goes to the basket in front of Pelicans guard CJ McCollum (3) in the second half last night. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Dolphins and Packers meeting on Christmas with playoff aspirations

By ALANIS THAMES AP Sports Writer

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla.

(AP) — Back in November, Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said Miami’s goal was to play in meaningful games in December and January.

“When you are in those months playing meaningful football, it is something unlike any other style of football that exists,” McDaniel said. “The beginning of the season pales in comparison to that environment.”

The Dolphins and the Green Bay Packers will have that type of experience when they meet on Christmas Day. Both teams are eyeing the postseason, but their scenarios to get there are quite different.

The Dolphins (8-6) will make the playoffs if they win their last three games — or just their last two, against division foes New England and the New York Jets. Miami has lost three straight, though, and wants to begin its playoff push by beating Green Bay.

Standing in their way is four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers.

“We’re about to play Aaron Rodgers, who has been in the league for years and arguably one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play,” safety Jevon Holland said. “So what more do you have to focus on? This is a huge challenge, especially for me. ...

BRADY

FROM PAGE 11

next goal to get to the Super Bowl.

“Our first goal is to win the division, so we’re trying to do that. If we can win the division, then we’ll try and focus on getting playoff games and winning the Super Bowl.”

McSorley was 7-of-15 passing for 95 yards and two interceptions after McCoy left last weekend’s 24-15 loss to the Broncos with a concussion.

Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury said he expects a better performance now that McSorley will get all of the practice reps with firstteam offence.

“I hate to use the term gamer, but he’s got a lot of moxie,” Kingsbury said.

“He plays with a lot of confidence. Teammates respond to that well. He’s mobile and can move around.

“He had a couple of throws he’d like to have back, but he had a couple scoring drives and like I said after the game, I just want to see how he does with some reps.”

Playoffs are playoffs. I’ve never been to the playoffs so I wouldn’t know.”

The Packers (6-8) likely need to win their last three games to make the postseason. Even if they win out, they’re not guaranteed to make it.

“This is a really good football team that we’re going against,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said.

“Obviously they’re very hungry. They’ve got a lot at stake. We’ve got a lot at stake, and it should be a playoff-type game.”

McDaniel and LaFleur know each other well, having worked together as assistants with Houston, Washington and Atlanta.

LaFleur said he sees some advantage in playing against a familiar coach.

HELP FOR TRACE

McSorley might be inexperienced, but he does have some good players around him.

Three-time All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins, running back James Conner and receiver Marquise Brown should all be on the field on Sunday, giving the Cardinals their three top playmakers for one of the few times this season.

Hopkins could still hit 1,000 yards receiving this season despite missing the first six games after being suspended for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances. Conner has run for 268 yards over his past three games.

The biggest problem for the Cardinals is along the offensive line. At least three starters will be out on Sunday and it will be four depending on the status of right tackle Kelvin Beachum, who is battling knee and ankle injuries.

UNCHARACTERISTIC MISTAKES

Brady has been among the NFL’s best at protecting the football over the

“I think it leads to some creativity, quite honestly,” he said, “because you might see the same concept that you have that gets ran and it’s like, OK, what wrinkle can I throw off of this, so I think there’s pluses and minuses to everything.”

THE GESICKI CONUNDRUM

One of the more surprising stories of the Dolphins’ season is how little Mike Gesicki, one of the most athletic tight ends in the NFL, has been involved in the offense.

After having career highs of 73 receptions for 780 yards in 2021, Gesicki has caught 25 passes for 274 yards this year. He has only been targeted five times in the past four games and has just one catch for

5 yards during that span. “I’ve made plays in this league for a long time and I’ve proven the player I am,” Gesicki said. “There’s probably defensive coordinators that are going in and watching our film and have to put in time — or at least used to have to put in time — to ‘How are we going to affect the game plan with 88 out there?’ In my opinion, yeah, I could help, but I’m just going to go about it in the most professional way I can.”

McDaniel said it’s a “failure to some degree” that he hasn’t gotten Gesicki more involved.

DISAPPOINTING DEFENCE

McDaniel said Miami’s defence is not playing to its capabilities.

“I think any person in the locker room and every coach on the coaching staff would say no,” he said.

“Just because they really believe in each other.”

The Dolphins rank 27th in opponent third-down conversion percentage, and they rank near the bottom of the league in passing defence (27th), scoring defence (26th) and redzone defence (25th).

A CHEETAH CHRISTMAS

Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill has never played on Christmas Day and has a few holiday-themed celebrations planned for Sunday. “It’s gonna be a fun show,” Hill said. “I’m gonna give people something to watch. It’s gonna be very entertaining.”

in last weekend’s 34-23 loss to the Bengals.

“Turnovers hurt any team. It’s hurting us big time, whether it’s the quarterback, whether it’s a fumble by the running backs, whether it’s special teams or whether it’s defense not getting them,” Bowles said.

NO DEFENCE

It’s a strange dichotomy for the Cardinals’ defence: Even though several individual players are having good seasons, the group is ranked dead last in the NFL in scoring defence.

Veteran defensive lineman J.J. Watt has had his best season in years with 9 1/2 sacks.

Safety Budda Baker was voted to the Pro Bowl and leads the team with 102 tackles. Second-year linebacker Zaven Collins has taken a big jump from his rookie year and is second on the team with 87 tackles.

Hill has 109 catches for 1,529 and seven TDs this season.

NIXON’S RETURNS

Green Bay’s Keisean Nixon wasn’t even the Packers’ main kick returner at the start of the season, but he now has eight kickoff returns of 30-plus yards and three of 50-plus yards to lead the NFL in both categories.

Nixon has returned at least one kickoff 30-plus yards in each of his last four games, the longest such streak by any Packer since Sam Shields did it in 2010.

Packers coach Matt LaFleur acknowledged after Green Bay’s Monday night victory over the Los Angeles Rams that he should have made Nixon the main kick returner earlier in the season.

“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 Rams game. “That’s fun. That’s pretty incredible.”

CLIMATE CHANGE

The Packers played Monday night with temperatures of 15 degrees — and the wind chill measured at 7 — just before the opening kickoff.

They’re preparing for a much different situation Sunday, though it won’t be quite as warm as usual in Miami. The forecast calls for highs in the mid-50s.

becoming the first player in NFL history to begin a career with at least 1,000 yards receiving in nine consecutive seasons, Chris Godwin has a team-leading 81 catches for 785 yards and three touchdowns.

What’s even more impressive about what he’s done is he’s less than a year removed from surgery to repair both the anterior cruciate ligament and medial collateral ligament in his right knee.

He has five-plus receptions in 11 straight games, the longest active streak in the league.

“It’s just self-determination. ... He tried to get back as fast as he could. He didn’t take days off. He worked overtime, triple-time probably,” Bowles said.

course of a record-breaking 23-year career that’s included seven Super Bowl championships.

The league’s all-time leading passer turned the ball over just four times in

Tampa Bay’s first 11 games this season, including only two interceptions.

Over the past three games, though, he has seven giveaways, including two picks and a pair of fumbles

But as a whole, the Cardinals are giving up 26.6 points per game, which is 32nd out of 32 teams.

GODWIN’S COMEBACK

While Tampa Bay’s Mike Evans is closing in on

GREEN Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) throws against the Los angles Rams in the first half on Monday. (AP Photo/Matt Ludtke)

MIAMI Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) throws a pass during the first half against the Buffalo Bills on Saturday. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)

ARIZONA Cardinals quarterback Trace McSorley (19) throws against the Denver Broncos during the second half on Sunday in Denver.

(AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

FRIENDS of Bahamian legendary sportsman Eddie Ford and Hayward ‘Bump’ Duncombe got together to celebrate another milestone in their lives with a party hosted yesterday at the home of Quintin “Gun” Curry in Blair Estates. While Duncombe turned 61, Ford reached age 75. Ford is a versatile sportsman who scored 100 points in a basketball game and hit a number of centuries in cricket. He is now playing golf and officiating in softball and baseball games. Shown, from left to right are Stanley Mitchell, Julian Edgecombe, Noel Sutherland, Ford, Curry, Douglas Edgecombe Jr, Sharon ‘The General’ Storr, Douglas Edgecombe Sr and Julian Pelican. Not pictured are Franklyn Josey, Fred Williamson and Derrick Ingraham.

DENALI

FROM PAGE 11

“I know I still have more work to do, so whenever they have the next one, I hope to come out and still give it a shot to compete against these guys,” said Nottage, who has now earned his first spot on the Davis Cup team.

“It’s not the celebrations that I wanted, but I will celebrate anyway. I won the title and that is something that can’t change, no matter what they say about the outcome.

“I earned the right to be here, and I was ready to play for it, but I didn’t get the chance to complete the match,” Nottage told The Tribune.

BLTA president Perry Newton said their executive team will review the circumstances that led to Major Jr not completing the match.

And they will make a determination on the way forward. “In sports these things happen,” he pointed out. “I don’t have the details or the full extent to his claims or whatever it is.

Hopefully, he will be in a position to compete for the Bahamas when the Davis Cup team is selected.

“But we’re happy to see Denali come through as the champion. We’ve been watching him, and we saw a lot of talent from him.

“I remember when he played KJ before and lost in the team trials, so we were looking forward to see

how well he would play him today.”

Newton confirmed that the top two players from the tournament are automatically selected to the team, but because of the situation that developed with Major Jr, they will have to review all of the circumstances before a final decision is made on the rest of the team that will be selected at

As a result of their 1-2 finish, Mackey and Clarke will be named to the Bahamas team for the Billie Jean King Cup, formerly Fed Cup for ladies.

The rest of the team, according to Newton, will be decided at another trial a month before the team travel next year.

During the award presentation at the end of the tournament, Caila Moss was presented with the Sportswoman of the Tournament.

The awards were presented by Newton and Antonio Saunders, the director of marketing at Fidelity, the sponsors of the tournament, along with RMS Insurance Agents & Brokers.

a final trial at least a month before the team travels.

Carey Jr was named the Sportsman of the Tournament during the award presentation that was done by Newton and Antonio Saunders, the director of marketing at Fidelity, the co-sponsors of the tournament, along with RMS Insurance Agents & Brokers.

USOPC PUSHES CATEGORY QUALIFIERS FOR SPORT TRANSGENDER ISSUE

By EDDIE PELLS AP National Writer

THE US Olympic and Paralympic Committee is encouraging individual sports to consider “category qualifiers” — classified in some sports as “open” categories — to ensure transgender athletes will have events to participate in once they reach puberty.

The USOPC finalised its so-called position paper at its board meeting earlier this month and released it Monday, addressing a proposed path forward for transgender participation in sports.

The committee’s recommendations were based, it said, on the principle that science and “fairness” should guide all major decisions. As part of that, the two-page paper said the emphasis in youth sports (before children reach puberty) should be to push for as much participation as possible.

“Here, we believe the science is clearer that there is much less physical safety or competitive risk, or sporting advantage based on physiological sex characteristics,” the paper said.

The federation said it wanted to follow the science in determining the conditions under which transgender athletes can compete once they reach puberty, which triggers significant differences in testosterone production between biologically born males and females.

It acknowledged that the “sport landscape may leave currently competing athletes feeling uncertain regarding potential shifts in their eligibility status.”

It used weight classes in boxing, handicaps in golf and different classifications in Paralympic sports, which engender a fair amount of debate themselves, as examples of ways athletes are grouped into different categories.

“There’s already that

opportunity to delineate based on different things, and every sport is different,” said Nitra Rucker, the USOPC’s director of diversity, equity and inclusion. “So you have to look at it on a sport-by-sport basis.”

The British Triathlon federation is among the few that have adopted an open category, which is open to “all individuals including male, transgender and those nonbinary who were male sex at birth,” it said. Separately, it said, the female category is for “those who are the female sex at birth.”

World Aquatics, which released new rules earlier this year that effectively banned transgender females from competing against biologically born females, also said it was proposing an open category. World Athletics is expected to release its revised policies for transgender athletes next year.

US HOUSE PASSES EQUAL PAY BILL IN LATEST WOMEN’S SOCCER WIN

By EDDIE PELLS AP National Writer

THE House has passed a bill that ensures equal compensation for US women competing in international events, a piece of legislation that came out of the US women’s soccer team’s long battle to be paid as much as the men.

The Equal Pay for Team USA Act, passed late Wednesday, will require all athletes representing the United States in global competition to receive equal pay and benefits in their sport, regardless of gender.

It covers America’s 50-plus national sports and requires the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee to handle oversight.

The bill had earlier passed the Senate with unanimous support. It now heads to President Joe Biden’s desk.

In a speech Wednesday night on the Senate floor, Sen. Maria Cantwell

(D-Wash.), who co-sponsored the bill with Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), called the bill a fitting way to cap off 2022, which marked the 50th anniversary of Title IX, the landmark law that promoted gender equity in sports.

“I ... want to thank heroes like Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan, who brought that case against US Soccer,” Cantwell said of the American soccer stars, whose World Cup victory in 2019 provided the backdrop for the start of the effort. “US women’s soccer led the charge after winning the World Cup and making it clear to everyone that women athletes deserve equal pay.”

The bill stems from a federal gender discrimination lawsuit the US women filed against US Soccer in 2019.

Earlier this year, the women signed a new collective bargaining agreement that included identical pay structures for men and

women and equitable distribution of World Cup prize money.

Over the past decade, most Olympic sports in the US have met USOPC standards regarding equal compensation.

But there remained inequities between the men’s and women’s soccer teams — whose roles in international events, such as the World Cup, resulted in unequal pay structures and different oversight — that led legislators to seek to enshrine those standards into law.

“By sending this legislation to the president, both houses have sent a clear message that this is the standard for all national teams in all sports and it underscores the importance of working with our athletes to achieve equal pay including equalising international prize money,” US Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone said in a statement announcing the bill’s passage.

CHAMPION Elana Mackey in action yesterday.

FIDELITY’s marketing manager Antonio Saunders, ladies’ champion Elana Mackey, sportswoman Caila Bowe, runner-up Sydney Clarke and BLTA president Perry Newton. Photos: Kevin Major Sr

THE TRIBUNE’s senior sports reporter Brent Stubbs interviews Alina Mueller of Germany.

RUNNER-UP Sydney Clarke in action yesterday.

SHOWN, from left to right, are Antonio Saunders, Elana Mackey, Caila Bowe, Sydney Clarke and BLTA president Perry Newton.

ELANA MACKEY, left, and her Mars Hill University roommate Alina Mueller from Germany.