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Volume: 123 No. 23, Tuesday, December 23, 2025
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FAMILY STRUGGLES WITH DAD OF THREE’S MURDER Relatives say Mario ‘Ducky’ Lockhart was killed hours after confrontation with couple who refused to pay By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net A ROUTINE night of providing security ended in gunfire and grief early Monday when entrepreneur Mario “Ducky” Lockhart was gunned down outside a party, a killing his family believes followed an earlier confrontation over entry rules.
Lockhart, 52, the owner of Hardcore Security and the entertainment venue Da Crib Lounge, was shot by a masked gunman dressed in dark clothing near Marcus Bethel Way while working security around 2.30am. Police said ShotSpotter technology alerted officers to gunfire off West Bay Street. When police arrived, they found an unresponsive man suffering from gunshot
wounds. Relatives said Lockhart had been supervising security at what was expected to be a routine event. His sister and cousin were also working that night, with Lockhart overseeing the security team while his sister conducted searches of female patrons. Family members said MURDER - SEE PAGE THREE
MARIO ‘DUCKY’ LOCKHART
BRITTANY HARRIS CHARGED WITH Munroe: Cameras captured LIBELLING MINISTER OF ENERGY detainees fatal altercation By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A WOMAN threatened with legal action by the Prime Minister’s Director of Communications, Latrae Rahming, was charged yesterday with libelling Minister of Energy and Transport JoBeth Coleby Davis and attorney Bjorn Ferguson
on social media last year. Prosecutors allege that Brittany Harris, 34, published a video of Bjorn Ferguson on social media sometime in April 2024 with the intent of shaming him. She is also accused of publishing defamatory material about Mrs Coleby-Davis on Facebook in LIBEL - SEE PAGE FOUR
By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net CAMERAS inside the Fox Hill Police Station captured the moments leading up to the death of a 35-year-old detainee during a struggle with four police officers, National Security Minister Wayne Munroe revealed yesterday. The man, Lasheiko Pratt,
a mechanic employed with the Ministry of Works, died shortly after 10am on Thursday while being escorted from his cell to attend court on burglary charges. He had been in custody for two days. Mr Munroe said the station’s surveillance system recorded the entire encounter and will form a central CAMERAS - SEE PAGE FIVE
GIVEAWAY ATTRACTS MASSES
NATIONAL SECURITY MINISTER WAYNE MUNROE
THE TRIBUNE’S
OBITUARIES WILL BE IN TOMORROW’S PAPER SCORES of vehicles wait in line at Thomas A Robinson Stadium to receive $75 from Fox Foundation. See PAGE TWO for story. Photo: Nikia Charlton
Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper
PAGE 2, Tuesday, December 23, 2025
THE TRIBUNE
Thousands camp overnight at stadium for $75 food vouchers By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net THOUSANDS of Bahamians streamed to the national stadium on foot and in long lines of vehicles for a chance at a $75 food voucher and a bowl of chicken souse yesterday, with some people arriving as early as 2pm the previous day and waiting overnight as the Fox Foundation pushed ahead with its annual Christmas giveaway. Organisers said they aimed to distribute $500,000 worth of vouchers to 5,000 people. The vouchers are redeemable at any Super Value in the country. By morning, the scale of the turnout was visible well beyond the stadium grounds. Lines of vehicles stretched across highways and roundabouts leading to the Thomas A Robinson Stadium, while those on foot gathered behind low metal barriers as Fox Foundation volunteers moved through the distribution process. Inside the crowd, the giveaway doubled as an impromptu snapshot of how many people said they are coping with rising prices — and what they think the government has done about it. First-time attendee Myrtis Major, who waited on foot for an hour and a half before receiving her voucher, said the $75 would go “a long way” toward groceries. Still, she said change was needed beyond a one-day distribution. “We need to get rid of this government, because the cost of living is very high in this country,” she said, adding that food and electricity costs continue
to rise. “Right now, I think this administration hasn’t been doing a good job for the past four and a half years.” Shakira Gibson, attending for the fourth year, said she arrived at 5am but still had not received a voucher when she spoke with The Tribune. The mother of two said $75 would not stretch far with current food prices. “I come out here for that?” she said. Ms Gibson added that she has been unemployed for nearly two years. “Everything going up except the pay,” she added when asked about the Davis administration’s performance. Others described the voucher as helpful, even if it barely kept pace with prices. Kenisha Thompson said she initially forgot about the giveaway but stopped when she saw the crowd. She described the cost of living as “a bit high” and said she appreciated the assistance. Cinderella Williams said the voucher would primarily benefit her child, while she continues to juggle expenses as best she can. “The cost of living is very high these days. Prices change a lot, and I ain’t gonna lie, it’s very hard, especially when you have work, rent, light bills and everything else,” she said. Ms Williams said she does not closely follow politics, describing the Davis administration’s performance as “varied,” while speaking positively of her previous local representative, Englerston MP Glenys Hanna Martin. For Daphne Cumberland, the giveaway was connected to the people she supports beyond her own home. She said she
helps others and still has to make her own money stretch despite having a government job. She said she supports five children and has taken in a mother and child. Ms Cumberland said the voucher would help offset the cost of necessities such as newborn clothing, pampers, wipes and milk. Chris Gilbert echoed the pressure of high prices but said the voucher mattered. “Every little helps,” he said. For Derrick Stewart, a grandfather with nine grandchildren from six children, the voucher was simply another way to support family. “If I can go to food stores and get vouchers for groceries, I get it and give it to them,” he said, expressing gratitude to the Fox Foundation and its founder Adrian Fox. Elderly Bahamian David Humes, a mechanic by trade, framed the cost of living as part of a wider failure to prioritise Bahamians. He pointed to deteriorating road conditions as a daily burden that damages vehicles and increases repair costs. “I fix cars every day. These cars used to be a couple hundred dollars to fix—now it’s hundreds and hundreds,” Mr Humes said. “The owner sometimes put pressure on the mechanics, because they expect the mechanic to do it for little, when it shouldn’t be.” He argued that revenue from road traffic fees and vehicle-related taxes should be reinvested into repairs rather than what he described as wasteful government spending. He also raised concerns about import duties and taxes on vehicle parts, saying those costs are passed on to customers,
and warned that Bahamians are being sidelined as land and opportunities are increasingly granted to non-Bahamians. “You got people out here hungry, and for months, for years, the government don’t try to accommodate them,” he said. “Even if you can’t take them off the street, feed them—do something.” Fox Foundation co-founder Adrianna Fox said the sight of people lining up from the previous afternoon was “shocking,” but she said it also made the point the foundation has been seeing for years. “It tells a story that the people of The Bahamas are still in need, and we need more corporate sponsors out here—not just at Christmas time, but throughout the year,” she said. She thanked the Royal Bahamas Police Force for assisting with crowd and traffic management, adding that after 11 years, many attendees are familiar with the flow of the giveaway.
Executive Director of Fox Foundation, Adrian Fox, hands a $75 food voucher to a man waiting in line during the organisations annual Christmas giveaway. Photos: Nikia Charlton She also said the organisation will undergo a full rebrand in the coming year, marking what she described as a new phase after more than a decade of work. "We’re rebranding the logo, rebranding the colour. We’re rebranding what we do," she said, adding that the changes will reflect the foundation’s broader scope and that much of its work is done outside public view. “What we post is
probably one percent of what we do on a yearly basis,” she said. “This is just something that we do so people can see the Fox Foundation, but as a brand, the Fox Foundation believe in betterment of Bahamian people on a daily basis.” She said scholarships and other initiatives will remain central to the foundation’s mission, stressing that the rebrand is meant to strengthen the organisation’s focus rather than change it.
‘Ducky’ gunned down days before Christmas
THE TRIBUNE
MURDER from page one
trouble began earlier when a couple allegedly attempted to enter the event without paying. Lockhart’s niece, Dian Williamson, said her uncle confronted them after they refused to pay and comply with standard security procedures, including being searched. After an argument, the couple left, relatives said. Hours later, a masked man returned and shot Lockhart, killing him. At the time of the shooting, Lockhart’s sister had
Tuesday, December 23, 2025, PAGE 3
stepped away briefly. The family believes that moment may have saved her life. “I still trying to grapple to understand it,” Ms Williamson said. “He had his ways like everyone else, but as far as crime, he never was in no mix up. He never been to prison for things. He always worked for his money and do what he could do and stay low.” Lockhart, a father of three, was a central figure in both his family and the entertainment scene. His death has hit his family especially hard, coming just one year after relatives lost
his sister, Ms Williamson’s mother. Ms Williamson said the family is deeply concerned about Lockhart’s 78-yearold mother, who suffers from dementia and other health issues and is due to celebrate her birthday next month. “I don’t think she understands what’s going on,” Ms Williamson said. “I think when she goes to the morgue, I’m thinking maybe she’ll register then, but my Grammy was just trying to process being this Christmas without mommy and now her baby.” Lockhart’s sister, Nel, who was at the party, has struggled to speak about the shooting without breaking down. His older brother, Kendrick, described the
killing as another devastating blow after a year that also saw the loss of their sister, his girlfriend and his job. “Where I go, he go. He follow,” Kendrick said, recalling their childhood closeness. Ms Williamson said Lockhart was a father figure to her, walking her down the aisle at her wedding a decade ago. “This a shock for the family,” she said. “Like somebody just literally killed somebody for nothing couple days before Christmas.” News of Lockhart’s death rippled quickly through the entertainment community. DJs, promoters and influencers flooded social media with tributes
Munroe promises zero tolerance following murder MARIO ‘DUCKY’ LOCKHART
NATIONAL SECURITY MINISTER WAYNE MUNROE By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net NATIONAL Security Minister Wayne Munroe said his ministry is taking a zero-tolerance approach to crime while continuing to equip the Royal Bahamas Police Force with the tools needed to pursue criminals. His comments followed the country’s latest homicide off West Bay Street, where a man was shot and killed. He was later identified as Nassau Village resident Mario Lockhart. Mr Munroe condemned the incident, calling such acts of violence “foolishness.” “This is a bit of loss of values because I wasn't raised at a time where anybody found it acceptable to go around and shoot other people multiple times at all,” he said, adding that the country has shifted from being largely law-abiding to a more cosmopolitan society that has absorbed destructive
behaviours. Mr Munroe said the Davis administration is working to prevent crime through the introduction of community centres focused on conflict resolution, while also strengthening law enforcement. He pointed to the expansion of CCTV systems with facial recognition, licence plate readers and AI-enabled technology, along with other resources for police. “So if you won't be prevented from doing foolishness, we intend to equip the Royal Bahamas Police Force to get you,“ he added. “We now have anti-gang legislation so when you have organised foolishness, they will get you for that and there are upgraded punishments in that.” “If you can't be prevented, our aim is to get you, try you, punish you. But that's not the end of it. We will also take steps to try and rehabilitate you, because you will be returning to us.”
and calls for justice. Widely known as the “Bahamian Rick Ross” because of his physical resemblance to the American rapper, Lockhart was respected for his professionalism and the seriousness with which he approached his work, providing security for celebrities, artists and major events. “He thought he was working for the president,” Ms Williamson said. “Like whoever his person was because he would be sometimes what you call a personal escort, and if he working for you, ain’t nobody gon’ touch you. Ain’t nobody gon’ look at you unless he say okay.” Relatives said Lockhart was deeply committed to
Nassau Village and regularly gave back to the community. They said he often hired men who might otherwise struggle to find work, urging them to carry themselves with discipline and pride. “That’s the type of person my uncle was,” Ms Williamson said. “My uncle never bothered anyone.” Lockhart also ventured into politics, running unsuccessfully as the DNA candidate for Nassau Village in 2017. His killing pushes the country’s murder count to 81 for the year. As of yesterday, police had not announced any arrests, and another recent suspicious death remains under review for possible classification as a homicide.
PAGE 4, Tuesday, December 23, 2025
THE TRIBUNE
Plea deals and dropped cases dominate DPP court statistics By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net THE Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions completed 204 criminal cases this year, with the bulk ending in plea agreements or being discontinued, according to data that highlights how heavily the justice system relies on negotiated outcomes to move cases along. The figures show that 63 matters were resolved by plea agreement and 73 were discontinued, compared with 27 convictions and 37 acquittals. Five cases were closed after a defendant’s death. The monthly breakdown reveals wide swings in activity, with May emerging as the busiest period. That
month alone accounted for 27 completed matters, including 13 plea agreements, eight discontinued cases, four acquittals and two convictions. At the other end of the scale, January recorded the slowest pace, with seven matters concluded. Those included two acquittals, three plea agreements and two discontinued cases. After January’s lull, February saw a sharp rise to 23 completed matters, driven largely by discontinuances, which made up more than half of the total. March and April followed with more modest numbers, and April stood out for producing no convictions at all. Activity picked up again mid-year. June closed with 16 matters, including three
convictions, while July recorded 15. August saw a further increase to 20 completed cases and produced the highest number
Harris pleads not guilty to libelling Coleby-Davis
BRITTANY HARRIS LIBEL from page one October 2024, along with recorded audio that prosecutors say was posted with the intent to shame the minister. Harris pleaded not guilty to two counts of intentional libel before Deputy Chief Magistrate Kara Turnquest Deveaux. She was granted bail
in the sum of $5,000 with one or two sureties. As part of her bail conditions, she will be fitted with a monitoring device and is required to sign in at the Hamilton Police Station in Canada every Friday. On Sunday, Rahming said he had threatened libel action against Harris, his own cousin, following what he described as sustained personal attacks.
He said he had instructed his lawyer to issue a cease and desist letter and to initiate judical proceedings to have the individuals involved bound over to keep the peace. Harris is scheduled to return to court for trial on February 24 and 25, 2026. Maria Daxon represented the accused, while Inspector K Wilkinson prosecuted.
of convictions in a single month, with six. September nearly matched May’s pace, with 26 matters resolved across
convictions, acquittals, plea agreements and discontinuances. October followed closely behind with 22, though only
one ended in conviction. November and December were comparatively quieter, with 15 and nine matters respectively. Speaking earlier this year, Attorney General Ryan Pinder said plea agreements are a key tool for the department because they ease pressure on the courts and spare victims the stress of trials. While this year’s total of 63 plea agreements fell short of the office’s peak of 96 in 2017, prosecutors say the figures align with a longer-term trend. The ODPP recorded 41 plea deals in 2016, 72 in 2018, 62 in 2019, a sharp drop to 13 in 2020, and 44 in 2023, reflecting fluctuations tied to court capacity, case backlogs and broader systemic pressures.
Thieves slash tents and steal thousands at R M Bailey By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net CHRISTMAS trading at R M Bailey Park was shaken overnight when thieves slashed their way into three vendor tents, stealing thousands of dollars’ worth of merchandise during one of the busiest shopping periods of the year. The break-in occurred near the East–West Highway, where suspects used a knife to cut through canvas tents under cover of darkness. Stolen items included toys, footballs, jewellery, designer clothing and small household appliances. Some toys were dropped as the suspects fled, and a knife believed to have been used in the break-in was later found near a nearby school wall and seized for fingerprint analysis. Karen Brown, president of the RM Bailey Park Association, said the theft bore the hallmarks of a planned operation rather than a spur-of-the-moment act. She said the suspects appeared to have been watching the movements of the on-duty security officer before striking. She said the security officer was on routine patrol when the suspects took advantage of a brief absence from the area. The group, which she said consisted of five people, split up and entered separate tents, targeting merchandise positioned at the back to avoid detection. Despite the losses, vendors reopened the following day and continued trading as usual. Ms Brown said sales so far this Christmas season have been steady, though not at the pace seen in previous
A TENT at RM Bailey park cut open with items strewn about on the ground. years, with the busiest days still expected ahead. “Usually, you know, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, usually they are two of the busiest shopping days out here, you know, because Bahamians being very last minute or you know, if they forget to get that special item, then they know their Bahamian fleemarket is here to accommodate them, so it's been pretty good,” she said. “Everybody seems to be making a dollar or two, not like years before, but I would say it's moderate.” Ms Brown said some vendors were able to limit their losses because they had secured part of their stock in vehicles overnight. In one case, a vendor had removed most of her clothing from her tent, leaving only items displayed on racks. She said vendors rallied together after the incident, helping each other secure
damaged tents and alerting one another to suspicious activity. “We are like a family out here, so if you hurt one you hurt all, so once the security alert me, I would alert the vendor, or I alerted them anyway. And I was out here with them. We tried to patch up the tents as much as possible,” she said. Ms Brown said while the park has experienced minor thefts in the past, this was the first time vendors had been hit by what appeared to be a coordinated group targeting multiple tents at once. RM Bailey Park, a popular flea market-style shopping area, attracts large crowds during the Christmas season and throughout the year, offering clothing, toys, household goods and food. Police are continuing their investigation, and vendors affected by the break-in have been advised to file formal reports.
THE staff of CFAL demonstrated the true spirit of giving by coming together to raise funds from their own pockets and donate essential items in support of three organisations making a meaningful impact within the community. Through this initiative, CFAL staff made a cash donation of $1,100 to the Feeding the Five Thousand Network in support of their Twelve (12) Days of Christmas Feeding Initiative. Additionally, toiletries were donated to the Bahamas
Crisis Centre to assist with their care packages initiative, and baby and toiletry items were donated to PACE through this year’s Giveback Girl Sponsorship Initiative. While CFAL has a strong and longstanding commitment to community support, these contributions, says the company, reflects the staff's willingness to give separately from the regular corporate sponsorship and community support, particularly during the holiday season when the need is greatest.
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, December 23, 2025, PAGE 5
‘Entire interaction’ caught on camera, says Munroe CAMERAS from page one part of the investigation into Mr Pratt’s death. “Fox Hill police station has cameras,” he said. “The matter is caught on camera. The entire interaction with this citizen, from the point he came in, to the point that happened, will be examined.” Mr Munroe, who said he has not seen the footage, appeared to defend officers, warning against what he described as conflicting public expectations of the police. “We have to be very, very careful,” he said. “We complain when people escape. We complain when the police prevent people from escaping.
“On behalf of ordinary police officers, I would say we ought not try to put them in a position where they’re damned if they do and damned if they don’t, because it will affect their morale. Someone trying their best to keep you safe, and the very persons you’re keeping safe questioning your motives, questioning your actions, can affect your morale.” Police said Pratt died after officers intervened when he refused to leave his cell to attend court. Assistant Commissioner of Police Anton Rahming told reporters outside the station that officers acted after the detainee repeatedly resisted instructions. But Pratt’s mother, Cheryl Larrimore, said she
does not accept the official explanation and believes police brutality may have been involved. Speaking with The Tribune after identifying her son’s body at the morgue, she said she observed no visible bruises or marks and described her family as confused, grieving and distrustful of what police have said about how he died. According to ACP Rahming, two officers initially attempted to escort Pratt, but two additional officers were summoned when he allegedly became aggressive. During efforts to restrain and handcuff him, Pratt reportedly held onto an officer and was eventually subdued. Officers then realised he had become unresponsive.
ACP Rahming said the force used was what officers believed was necessary to secure the detainee and noted that Mr Pratt had displayed signs of aggression earlier that morning. Mr Munroe said the existence of video footage, along with other accountability measures, was intended to address precisely such incidents. “When you have a case in court, the judges themselves speak about how you are to look at evidence,” he said. “We’ll have the recording that still won’t satisfy some persons,” he added, pointing to the installation of police station cameras, body-worn cameras and the public’s ability to record police interactions.
NATIONAL SECURITY MINISTER WAYNE MUNROE
$5m community centre and shelter for Pinewood By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net OVER $5m will be spent on building a new Pinewood Community Centre that is intended to double as a hurricane shelter, as residents continue to endure repeated flooding during heavy rains. The $5.09m facility is to be constructed at Pinewood Park on Pigeon Plum Street and is expected to take about 12 months to complete. It will form part of a broader upgrade of the park that also includes refurbishing the baseball diamond, tennis court and children’s playground. The announcement comes months after Tropical Storm Imelda flooded homes, toppled power lines and rendered roads impassable across Pinewood, forcing several residents to evacuate to the Nassau Village Community Centre. Member of Parliament for Pinewood and
Minister of Social Services Myles Laroda said the new centre will significantly strengthen the community’s ability to respond during hurricanes. He said the building will feature an industrial-sized kitchen, bathrooms, National Insurance Board services and Social Services support, and will also be available for private rentals. “This community center will go a long way in letting the people of Pinewood know that there is a place where you could all go,” Mr Laroda said during a press conference at the Ministry of National Security. “Heaven forbid, we able to assist other areas or other islands if there are evacuees, that there's a one stop place that is safe, that we don't have to worry about food being prepared, or people in great numbers using restrooms.” Flooding has plagued Pinewood for decades, with residents repeatedly raising concerns about
ARTIST RENDERINGS showing the $5m Pinewood Community Centre expected to be built over the next 12 months. Photos: Shawn Hanna inadequate drainage. In October, government officials unveiled a $20m
NATIONAL SECURITY Minister Wayne Munroe, Minister of Social Service Myles Laroda and CEO of Premier Importers Chris Leida at the signing of a $5.09m deal to construct the Pinewood Community Centre.
Three RBDF vessels sent to Netherlands for repairs
THREE RBDF VESSELS—HMBS Rolly Gray, HMBS Arthur D. Hanna, and HMBS Cascarilla—are out for repairs in the Netherlands. National Security Minister Wayne Munroe assures the RBDF remains fully operational with other boats, including the HMBS LL Smith and upgraded fast interceptors, ready to patrol.
drainage plan at a Ministry of Works town hall meeting, an initiative prompted by long-standing complaints and again underscored by the damage caused by Tropical Storm Imelda. Asked for an update on those mitigation efforts, Mr Laroda said $20m was allocated in this year’s budget and that the Inter-American Development Bank has approved funding for
the remediation project. He said residents should begin to see tangible progress in the new year. Minister of National Security Wayne Munroe said community centres also play a role beyond disaster response, forming part of the government’s broader crime-prevention strategy. There are currently four functioning community centres on New Providence, including facilities
at Edmond Moxey in Fox Hill, Quahkoo Street and the recently completed Nassau Village Community Centre. Construction of the Englerston Community Centre is expected to begin soon, while work is already under way on the Mount Moriah Community Centre. Chris Leida, chief executive officer of Premier Importers, will spearhead construction of the Pinewood Community Centre.
PAGE 6, Monday, Tuesday, December 23, 2025
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The need is not going away They slept overnight waiting for help. Long lines filled with thousands of Bahamians gathered from as early as 2pm the previous day to get a helping hand from the Fox Foundation’s annual Christmas giveaway. Organisers were planning to give out vouchers to 5,000 people, a total of $500,000 given away. The queues of traffic went far beyond the Thomas A Robinson stadium, while the lines of those on foot were no shorter. We have written in this column several times recently about how acute the need is on the streets. Several organisations have talked of how need is on the rise, while donations are harder to come by. “We need to get rid of this government,” said one woman who queued for an hour-and-a-half to get her voucher, “because the cost of living is very high in this country.” She talked of the cost of food and electricity, and said “this administration hasn’t been doing a good job for the past four and a half years”. Another woman, who had waited since 5am, said a $75 voucher would not go very far, adding “everything going up except the pay”. The cost of living was a common theme. Another talked of it being “a bit high” while another talked of juggling expenses as best she could. Another talked of how road conditions are getting worse – and with it the damage to cars that see repair bills going higher and higher. One said: “You got people out here hungry, and for months, for years, the government don’t try to accommodate them.” We have also heard from the Great Commission Ministries in recent times about the level of need people are going through.
Other organisations too have talked of how people are struggling to get by. As we near Christmas, we applaud the work of these organisations who are doing their best to make things a little better – the likes of the Fox Foundation, of Great Commission Ministries, of the Bahamas Feeding Network, of the churches across the country and schools that collected to give donations to those who need them, whether that is food for the table or a gift for a child that would otherwise go without. We keep hearing about how well the economy is doing. The people at the sharp end are not feeling it. If these lines stretch back so far, if people are so desperate that they wait overnight for a little bit of a helping hand, if they feel so frustrated that they talk of years of hunger, then any economic success is not trickling down. This government is hoping to be re-elected next year. If their electoral fates are in the hands of the hungry, they might as well pack up their offices now. If the economy is doing so well, and these people are not benefitting from that – then who is? Surveys have shown that the middle class is losing out too with the impact of inflation. So who is celebrating? Who is feeling more money in their pocket? It certainly isn’t the people sleeping overnight to get a voucher. It certainly isn’t the homeless people on the street asking for money – some of whom have been there for years. We recognise them as we go on the roads each day. Christmas is at our doorstep, and for too many people in our society, there is no room at our modern-day inn for them. No roof for their heads. No food for their belly. The lines of people are not a sign of greed. They are a sign of need. And the need is not going away.
Jitney drivers not the only ones to blame EDITOR, The Tribune. THE Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has rightly framed road safety as a significant public policy issue, citing concerns such as unreliable public transportation services and risks to motorists and school-aged children. It is not uncommon to see jitney drivers weaving through traffic in an effort to reach the next stop and secure another passenger. While this behavior is understandably frustrating for everyday motorists (especially in during peak traffic hours), simply condemning drivers as “reckless” overlooks the systemic factors that contribute to such behavior. Instead, it is important that we critically evaluate and examine the structures currently in place that may incentives unsafe driving practices. At a fundamental level, the privatised bus system is experiencing a familiar outcome of competition in a capitalist economy. Jitney drivers must compete for passengers in order to
meet their financial needs, and in doing so may prioritise speed over safety. Over time, this pressure is compounded by rising fuel and living costs, as well as a shrinking customer base due to increased reliance on private vehicles. These factors contribute to the behaviors we observe today: illegal stops, speeding, and dangerous overtaking. As competition for passengers intensifies, there must be a proportional increase in government regulation without tipping into over regulation, which could create additional problems. This does not require eliminating the privatised bus system, but rather reforming it through meaningful intervention. Such measures could include partial government subsidies, stricter requirements for who is permitted to drive buses, and stronger enforcement of traffic laws and the proper designation and enforcement of official bus stops. Additionally, growing concerns about the safety of school children,
particularly female students commuting to school must not be ignored. Alongside improved jitney regulation, public schools should provide dedicated transportation operated by vetted drivers to ensure student safety and timely arrival. While some may argue that schools are not always located near families’ homes, this highlights another necessary reform: zoning laws. Improving zoning regulations to ensure that each district has accessible schools which further strengthen both safety and community infrastructure. In addressing the flaws within our public transportation system, we uncover additional challenges that are complex yet deeply interconnected. This reality should not discourage us, but rather guide us toward thoughtful, systemic reform that prioritises safety, fairness, and long-term progress. A CONCERNED MOTORIST Nassau, December 22, 2025.
Have a cool, fun, interesting, amazing photo? Have it featured here in The Tribune’s picture of the day! Email your high quality image to pictureoftheday@tribunemedia.net CHRISTMAS at the Marathon Mall.
Proposed LNG plant concerns EDITOR, The Tribune. KINDLY permit me offer a few comments on the proposed LNG plant to be constructed at Arawak Cay and the attendant Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report which forecast the possibility that the operation of such a plant can result in what can be regarded as an unacceptable and unhealthy level of noise nuisance for persons visiting nearby establishment or residing in nearby communities. The EIA report, as highlighted in one of the local newspapers, forecast that when the plant begins construction and full operation, elevated noise level may affect the comfort and appeal of the surrounding recreational areas and deter tourist and Bahamians from visiting, leading to a decline in business volumes and earnings” The anticipated nuisance is forecast to impact Nassau Harbor tourism and maritime operators. IT goes on further to say among other concerns, that “LNG plants can produce noise levels above eighty-five decibels, which is commonly recognised as the threshold for potentially harmful exposure that may cause hearing damage over time” It is my understanding that the construction and operation of this LNG plant is a private commercial venture with a minority public interest and is intended mainly to service the Nassau Cruise port and or the cruise ships docking at the port. Given such a grim report and the potentially
LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net unhealthy nuisance to be created by the operation of such a plant, the question needs to be asked, why the Department of Environmental Planning and Protection (DEPP) have not bothered to request the developers to search out another site for such an operation. No amount of public consultation will cure the harmful impact such a plant is forecasted to cause, regardless of the mitigation measures taken by the developers. As a matter of fact, the developers armed with such a report ought to now turn their attention to finding an alternative location and that alternative location ought to be private land purchase at their expense. After all, to my knowledge Arawak Cay is still public land and I am unconvinced that any development which primarily serves the narrow interest of the cruise industry is manifestly beneficial to Bahamians at large. It cannot be a case that Arawak Cay is the most convenient location and there is considerable cost saving to be had building and operating the plant from such a location. No matter the financial benefits to accrue to the operators and investors, the health and well-being of residents ought to be the primary concerned of the authorities. Businesses and other amenities at nearby Fish
Fry and the surrounding area should also not have to put up with such a nuisance. While I support any effort to find alternative sources of energy cleaner than fossil fuel, I am still entitled to question why relevant authorities and policy makers in this country seemingly so disposed to bend over backwards to accommodate the cruise industry at the expense of the greater well-being local businesses and residents. I am equally supportive of the role and contribution of the cruise industry to our tourism product; however, I am not convinced that these developments which primarily serves the interest of the cruise industry, similarly serves the broader interest of Bahamians to any great or equal measure. It is however, a step too far in the wrong direction when the health and tranquility of local residents is being put at risk to accommodate the interest of the cruise industry and the commercial pursuits of a group of private investors Equally concerning, is this pervasive and liberal policy in allowing a select group of private investors, the use of public land and seabed to meet their private investment objectives, when the average Bahamian has no such privilege in accessing the use of public land much less the seabed for their private commercial pursuits. CLAUDE B HANNA Nassau, December 22, 2025.
Anarchy, piracy or trickery? EDITOR, The Tribune.
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Photo: David Watson
THERE are some very serious scenarios that have taken place in this little country and I do not think many people, if any, have paid the most minute attention to them We have had three prime
ministers in very recent times, all from the same law firm, and after all of that, to top it off, our current Chief Justice came from the same law firm. Which label should be affixed to this dilemma? Anarchy, piracy, tyranny,
perjury, travesty, agony, injury or trickery? Pick your choice. The critical independent speaks. INDEPENDENT SPEAKS Nassau, December 22, 2025.
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, December 23, 2025, PAGE 7
Customs receives over 90 items from looted barge By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net OVER ninety items believed to have been unlawfully removed from the grounded container barge Brooklyn Bridge have been recovered in Abaco and handed over to Bahamas Customs, as police investigations into the highly publicised looting continue. According to a Bahamas Customs inventory obtained by The Tribune, about 94 items were received by the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s Abaco district and transferred to customs authorities. The goods span food, household, automotive and construction supplies and are believed to have been taken from the barge after it ran aground off North Abaco last month. Customs officials are focusing their investigation on containers numbered 192 to 195, though it has not been confirmed how many items were originally aboard the vessel. The recovered food items included boxes of cereal, biscuits, Cream of Wheat, rice, pasta and a case of creatine supplement. Household supplies ranged from hand towels and toilet tissue to detergent
and fabric softener. Police also listed construction and hardware materials, including air blowers, rolls of artificial grass, paint rollers, copper tubing, concrete stain, joint compound, condensers and air-conditioning remote controls. Automotive-related items recovered included 24 tyres, a portable car charger and motor oil. This news comes as police confirmed the arrest of an adult male from Blackwood, Abaco, in connection with the incident. The man was arrested on December 12 after officers recovered six tyres suspected to have been stolen from the barge. The grounding of the Brooklyn Bridge quickly escalated into a national controversy after widespread looting was reported. The barge, operated by US-based Trailer Bridge, ran aground near Nunjack Cay after its tow line snapped in rough weather while en route from Jacksonville, Florida, to San Juan, Puerto Rico. Videos circulating on social media showed scores of people converging on the stranded vessel in small boats, climbing containers and throwing goods down to waiting craft in what observers described as a chaotic, daylight free-forall. Online reaction was
Locals tie up to loot the Brooklyn Bridge - a container vessel that got stuck on a reef in North Abaco - last month. sharply divided, with some condemning the looting and others openly celebrating it. Trailer Bridge later said an estimated 90 percent of the barge’s containers had been compromised following the grounding. In response, police and
Smoke detectors for 50 families in Christmas fire safety drive By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net ON the heels of several house fires this year, the Urban Renewal Authority has partnered with the Bahamas Insurance Brokers Association (BIBA) to distribute and install smoke detectors for 50 families across New Providence as part of a Christmas fire-prevention initiative. The first phase of the initiative was rolled out in the Carmichael community, which officials identified as a priority area due to vulnerability and need. BIBA President Dwayne Swaby said the initiative was born out of discussions between himself and Urban Renewal Managing Director Stephen Dean,
noting that both men are past presidents of service organisations and shared a desire to give back to their communities. He explained that recent fires across the country highlighted the need for early warning systems in homes, particularly in high-risk areas. Mr Swaby said the proposal received unanimous support from the BIBA board and that Urban Renewal was fully committed from the outset. Mr Dean said Carmichael was selected as the starting point because it is one of the most vulnerable areas served by Urban Renewal centres. “Everyone knew this is most vessels section of Urban Renewal centres. So we can take this thing and take us up to east. We'll
cover all the areas. All the areas have already been mapped out, and families have been identified who are most in need of disposed detectives,” he said. He added that the initiative is supported by data from fire officials, who have stressed the importance of early alerts, especially during the Christmas season when cooking, decorations and electrical use increase. “This is Christmas time, people be cooking, so much things will be happening,” he said yesterday. “Christmas trees will be moving. A lot of stuff will be done and fire prevention, we thought, is one of the best ways so people could save their homes, because people are just moving into their new homes and if we can give them a chance.|”
TWO AMERICANS CHARGED WITH RAPE ON CRUISE SHIP By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net TWO American men were accused yesterday of raping a 25-year-old woman aboard a cruise ship. Prosecutors alleged that Sayjuan Readous, 26, of Detroit, Michigan, and Antoine Flowers, 26, of East Pointe, Michigan, raped the woman while aboard the Carnival Sunrise sometime after 4pm on December 15. Readous was accused of aiding and abetting Flowers
in the sexual assault, while Flowers was further accused of raping the woman a second time. Police said the woman had been invited to a cabin by a man she met aboard the ship and had consensual relations with him. She later woke up to another man, whom she recognised by face, performing sexual acts on her without her consent. Readous was charged with rape and abetment to rape, while Flowers faced two counts of rape. Neither man was required
to enter a plea before Magistrate Abigail Farrington. They were told their case would proceed to the Supreme Court by way of a voluntary bill of indictment and advised of their right to apply for bail through the higher court. Both men were remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services and are expected to return to court for service of their VBIs on March 26, 2026. Assistant Superintendent of Police K Bould prosecuted, while Terrell Butler represented the accused.
MAN REMANDED TO JAIL ON ATTEMPTED RAPE CHARGE By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A MAN was yesterday accused of attempting to rape a woman in New Providence earlier this month. Prosecutors alleged that Tracy Forbes, 52, attempted to rape a 35-year-old woman on
December 12. Forbes was not required to enter a plea to the charge of attempted rape before Magistrate Abigail Farrington. He was told that the matter would proceed to the Supreme Court by way of a voluntary bill of indictment and informed of his right to apply for bail through the higher
court. Forbes was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services and is expected to return to court for service of his VBI on March 26, 2026. Assistant Superintendent of Police K Bould prosecuted, while Terrell Butler represented the accused.
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A container loaded with washers on board the Brooklyn Bridge.
Defence Force officers were deployed to secure the area, and a special task force was established to investigate the thefts. Authorities have since laid multiple charges. Last month, Darren Lightbourne, Ferail McIntosh and Mossell Smith appeared before Assistant
Chief Magistrate Ancella Evans after police alleged they were involved in the looting. Lightbourne and McIntosh are accused of stealing items from the grounded barge, while Smith is accused of receiving stolen goods. All three men denied the allegations and were granted bail,
with reporting conditions imposed. Officials have stressed that the cargo aboard the Brooklyn Bridge was not abandoned and should not have been taken, despite assumptions by some residents at the time that the goods were free for the taking.
He noted that smoke detectors can make the difference between life and death by giving families time to escape. Mr Dean said the smoke detector distribution is only the beginning of broader community support efforts.
“This is the beginning of a number of things that we do here in Urban Renewal. What we think it's best to take it to the people and to help those on need” he said. Urban Renewal Co-Chair Rev Diana Francis said the programme
aligns with the organisation’s mandate to meet the needs of inner-city communities and provide practical support. She added that the initiative reflects a broader mission to save lives and support families during a critical time.
THE TRIBUNE
PAGE A8, Tuesday, December 23, 2025
We condemn
LOUDLY (and sin quietly)
Photo:kues1/Freepik
Ivoine Ingraham facing Reality
THERE'S something deeply unsettling about how easy it has become to point fingers while keeping our own hands clean, only because no one has looked closely enough. We live in a world where duplicity is no longer shocking—it’s normalised, rehearsed, and excused. The Bahamas is no exception. In fact, in some ways, we have perfected it. We condemn loudly what we practise quietly. We accuse fiercely what we ourselves are guilty of, comforted only by the fact that we have not yet been caught. This isn’t a comfortable truth, but it’s a necessary one. We’ve developed a culture of selective outrage. We rage against others for transgressions that mirror our own behaviour, convinced that geography, nationality, or circumstance somehow absolves us. Our morality is situational. Our principles are flexible. And our conscience—once a compass—has become negotiable. Nowhere is this hypocrisy more exposed than in our attitudes toward immigration. We are “hollering,” shouting ourselves hoarse about people who come here and overstay their time. We demand crackdowns. We demand raids. We demand de-
portations. And yes—let’s be honest—immigration laws should be enforced. A country without borders, without systems, without order, is vulnerable. That much is true. However, what we refuse to confront is our own reflection in this mirror. For decades, Bahamians have travelled to Canada, other Caribbean countries, Europe, especially London, and the United States, and quietly overstayed our welcome. We entered through airports, legally, with stamped passports—and then disappeared. I have a relative who went to the United States with his mother at the age of 6, went to kindergarten in Liberty City, High School at Northwestern, college at the University of Miami, got married, had two children who also went to school there. After 50-plus years with a complete family and working, he was deported. None of his children has ever been to the Bahamas, nor does he remember anything or anyone from there. Now his life is upside down because he doesn’t know Nassau and must start over. And many more were eventually caught and deported. Yet we act as though this history does not exist.
We condemn “them” here while pretending “we” were saints abroad. The dishonesty is staggering. What makes this hypocrisy even more grotesque is that while we publicly denounce undocumented people, we privately benefit from their presence. We hire them. We exploit them. We underpay them. We work them harder and longer because we know they have fewer options and less protection. We justify it by telling ourselves we’re “helping them,” when in truth, we’re helping ourselves. As long as they remain useful—quiet, obedient, grateful—we tolerate them. The moment they resist, complain, assert dignity, or step out of the invisible box we placed them in, we weaponise the system against them. We call Immigration. We remind them who has power. We treat them as disposable. This is not governance. This is ownership. This is exploitation dressed up as patriotism. And we must say it plainly: too often, we treat people like property—like personal servants, like modern-day indentured labourers—while convincing ourselves that we are morally superior. The language we use, the tone we take, the jokes we make, the policies we excuse: They all betray a superiority complex that sits uncomfortably close to cruelty. We smile, but our hearts are not clean. What is most shameful is how colour and class distort our so-called “values.” We welcome people with lighter skin, heavier accents, and stronger currencies with open
arms and red carpets. We celebrate their presence. We court their investment. We excuse their excesses. But let our Caribbean brothers and sisters arrive—people who look like us, sound like us, share our bloodlines—and suddenly we become hostile. Suspicious. Righteous. Harsh. The irony is almost unbearable. If we looked closely—truly looked—we would discover that many of the people we now despise are our relatives. Cousins. In-laws. Bloodlines are separated not by oceans, but by time and circumstance. The Caribbean is a web of shared history, shared trauma, shared survival. Our stories overlap more than we care to admit. And this is not ancient history. In the not-too-distant past, this country welcomed people from across the Caribbean who became integral to nation-building. They served in our police force. They taught in our schools. They worked in our prisons. They staffed government departments. Entire professions—quantity surveyors, engineers, specialists—were dominated by Caribbean nationals, who helped build the infrastructure we now take for granted. They shaped institutions. They influenced generations. They helped raise us. So what changed? Fear replaced gratitude. Scarcity replaced solidarity. Emotion replaced reason. We allowed ourselves to be consumed by anxiety, economic pressure, population growth, and social strain, and instead of addressing root causes, we chose easy targets. We became inhumane not be-
cause we lacked humanity, but because we stopped practising it. Our children--interestingly enough--have not followed us down this path. They are friends with people from everywhere. They share classrooms, music, dreams, and digital spaces with peers from distant lands. They understand instinctively what we have forgotten: that humanity is not divided by passport stamps. Yet we stand before them pretending to be righteous. We act sanctimoniously, as though we are better than people simply because we believe they came from “poorer” places. We forget that poverty is not a moral failing. We forget that circumstance is not character. We forget that dignity is not earned through GDP. And, perhaps most damning of all, we let our children watch us abandon the very teachings we claim to hold sacred. We quote Christ when it suits us. We repeat scripture when it flatters our biases. We listen intently when a pastor uses the pulpit to pretend at prophecy—targeting politicians, enemies, or social groups we already dislike. We call it divine revelation. But we conveniently forget the hardest teachings of all: “Love thy neighbour as thyself.” Not selectively. Not conditionally. Not rhetorically. We preach compassion and practise exclusion, speak mercy and live judgment, and condemn loudly while sinning quietly. This hypocrisy does not stop at immigration. It spills into every corner of our public life. For years, business leaders, moral crusaders, and self-appointed guardians of society condemned drug dealers with venom. They supported policies that destroyed young men, handcuffing them not only with prison sentences, but with lifelong criminal records. Entire communities were destabilised. Futures were erased. Potential was buried under the weight of stigma.
Now, suddenly, those same voices are clamouring for licences to sell marijuana. The state once declared war on drugs. Now it wants a share of the profits. You cannot make this up. The same society that criminalised survival now sanitises commerce. The same system that punished the poor now rewards the powerful. And we expect people not to notice? Not to feel resentment? Not to question legitimacy? This is why attitudes are changing, and why trust is eroding. And why we increasingly dislike one another. Hatred, like any habit, must be practised to become proficient. And we have been practising. Repeatedly. Publicly. Proudly. We have learned how to dehumanise with ease, how to justify cruelty with language, and how to absolve ourselves while condemning others. But here is the uncomfortable question we must finally ask: If we are guilty of so much of what we accuse others of, what moral authority do we truly possess? At what point do we stop pretending and start repenting? Because a society cannot survive indefinitely on hypocrisy. It corrodes trust. It poisons empathy. It fractures the community. And eventually, it turns everyone into both accuser and accused. So perhaps it’s time—long overdue—that we return to a principle so simple it feels almost naïve, yet so radical it feels revolutionary: Treat people how you want to be treated. Not how you fear being treated, not how you believe they “deserve” to be treated, but how would you want dignity extended to you when you are vulnerable, desperate, or far from home? Until we do that—honestly, consistently, without performance—we will continue shouting at others while whispering excuses to ourselves. And in the end, history will not judge us by how loudly we condemned wrongdoing, but by how faithfully we lived the values we claimed to believe in
THE TRIBUNE
Tuesday, December 23, 2025, PAGE A9
Science confirms: belly laughs are healthy By ALBERT STUMM Associated Press
MELANIN Bee curves her spine like a stretching cat as she lets out a maniacal, forced laugh. The quick-fire pattern of manufactured giggles —"oh, hoo hoo hoo, eeh, ha ha ha"— soon ripples into genuine laughter, and she giddily kicks her feet. She's practicing what she calls Laughasté, a hilarious yoga routine she created that is a descendant of "laughter clubs" that emerged in India in the 1990s. It feels awkward at first, but you fake it till you make it, she said. "It's about allowing yourself to be OK with being awkward," said Bee, a Los Angeles comedian and speaker. "Then you're going to find some form of silliness within that is going to allow you to laugh involuntarily." The laughter clubs were based on the common-sense notion that laughter relieves stress. But a good laugh is also good for your heart, immune system and many other health benefits, said Dr. Michael Miller, a cardiologist and medical professor at the University of Pennsylvania. "Like we say, exercise at least three to five days a week," Miller said. "Belly laugh at least two to five days a week."
MODEL Eva Herzigova laughs as she attends the final Jean Paul Gaultier Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2020 fashion collection presented on Jan. 22, 2020, in Paris. AP Photo/Thibault Camus
implications of laughter, the modern study of laughter — gelotology — began emerging in the 1960s. Stanford University psychologist William F. Fry, one of gelotology's founders, drew blood samples from himself while watching Laurel and Hardy. He discovered that laughter increased the number of immune-boosting blood The study of laughter cells. Although luminaries from In 1995, Dr. Madan Kataria, the ancient Greeks to Freud a physician in Mumbai, got have opined on the roots and wind of the emerging research
as editor of a health magazine while researching an article on stress management. To combat his own stress, he started the first daily laughter club in a park. It ballooned from a handful of participants to more than 150 within a month, he said. After the group quickly ran out of jokes, Kataria created exercises that activated the diaphragm, and he incorporated yogic breathing exercises, light stretches and delib-
Google parent buys data centre energy specialist for $4.75 billion
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (AP) — Google's corporate parent on Monday announced an agreement to buy data centre energy specialist Intersect for $4.75 billion as part of its effort to secure the vast amounts of electricity needed to power artificial intelligence technology. Alphabet, which depends on Google's search engine and other online services for most of its revenue, is buying out Intersect in its entirety after purchasing a stake in the San Francisco-based startup a year ago. Intersect had previously raised $2.1 billion from Google and other early investors. After the acquisition is completed during the first half of next year, Alphabet intends to allow Intersect to operate independently while continuing its efforts to secure the energy sources needed for the sprawling data centres being built to power the AI services
THE LOGO for Alphabet appears on a screen at the Nasdaq MarketSite in New York, Feb. 14, 2018.
erately silly sounds and movements. "We were faking in the beginning and within seconds, everybody was in stitches," Kataria said. Why is laughter good for you? Miller began studying laughter in the 1990s. Showing funny movies to study participants, he found that laughter produces endorphins in the brain that promote beneficial chemicals in the blood vessels. Nitric oxide, for example, causes blood vessels to dilate, which lowers blood pressure, inflammation and cholesterol. The combination reduces the risk for a heart attack, he said, and the endorphins are natural pain killers. "When you've had a really good laugh, you feel very relaxed and light," said Miller, who is also chief of medicine at the Philadelphia Veterans Administration, where he is implementing a laughter therapy program. "It's like you've taken pain medication." Forced laughter — or simulated mirth, in academia —
may even be more beneficial than spontaneous laughter, said Jenny Rosendhal, a senior researcher of medical psychology at Jena University in Germany. Rosendhal completed a meta-analysis of 45 laughter studies, among other research, and found that laughter-inducing therapies decreased glucose levels, the stress hormone cortisol and chronic pain. They also improved mobility and overall mood, especially in older populations. Because humour is subjective, it is hard to measure. That's why much of the more recent research has focused on laughter yoga and similar programs that provoke sustained bouts of laughter during 30- to 45-minute sessions, Rosendhal said. Laughter yoga is particularly effective for people who might not feel like laughing, such as those struggling with depression or cancer patients, she said. With simulated laughter, the physiological mechanisms are the same, such as additional inhaling, exhaling and muscle activity that also improves mood. "The well-being comes through the back door," she said. "You start with an exercise, and then the Spontaneous laughter comes later because it's funny to see people laughing." How to laugh more During a recent video call, Kataria said the trick is to
learn to laugh for no reason. He and others in laughing yoga classes around the world have created hundreds of exercises that help. The simplest: Get together with another person, look in each other's eyes and repeat the sound "ha" for a full minute. Or try the "breathe in and laugh." Bring your hands to your chest on a deep inhale, hold your breath for three seconds, and burst out laughing on the exhale while extending your hands forward. In laughing yoga classes, people may pretend to greet each other like aliens, crawl around like their favourite animals, or tap their temple as if a light bulb went off, exclaiming, "Aha! ha ha ha!" Kataria suggested bringing laughter into your daily life, even at things that might not seem funny. Demonstrating "credit card bill laughter," he held out his hand as if looking at a statement, and burst into a roiling, infectious laughter. For inspiration, you could log into one of the three dozen free online American laughter clubs recognised by Laughter Yoga International. "Really, it's not about forcing yourself to laugh," he said. "It's like activating your laughter muscles, getting rid of your mental inhibitions and shyness. Then the real laughing is childlike laughing, unconditional laughing."
MEMBERS of laughter clubs participate in a laughter competition for the elderly to celebrate World Laughter Day in Mumbai, India, May 6, 2007. AP Photo/Gautam SingH
AP Photo/Richard Drew rolling out from Google and rivals such as OpenAI. The power-hungry data centres, which are being likened to AI factories, is fuelling a backlash in communities where residents have been interpreting their steadily rising electricity bills as evidence that they help helping footing the boom for a techno-
logy boom that could still go bust. Intersect focuses on finding ways to increase and diversify the supply of energy in an effort to keep hold down power costs. It's already working on a data centre for Mountain View, Californiabased Alphabet in Haskell County, Texas.
Funeral Service For
Ivan Carroll, 78
a resident of #12 Amity Road, Imperial Park, New Providence, Bahamas and formerly of Lower Deadman’s Cay, Long Island, Bahamas will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 27th, 2025 at St. Georges Anglican Church, Montrose Avenue, New Providence. Officiating will be The Reverend Canon Andrew F. A. Toppin assisted by The Reverend Fr. Ivan Eldon and The Reverend Fr. Scott Brennen. Internment in the Lake View Cemetery.
Funeral Service For Rashad Megel Edgecombe, 35 affectionately called “Shady / Spy”
a resident of Podoleo Street, New Providence, Bahamas will be held on Saturday, December 27, 2025, 11:00am at Holy Family Catholic Church, Robinson and Claridge Roads, New Providence. Officiating will be Father Jay Cartwright. Interment will follow in Southern Cemetery, Cowpen and Spikenard Roads, New Providence.
Left to cherish his memories are his loving wife: Naomi Carroll; daughters: DeAndrea Bethell and Tamika Cartwright; grandsons: DeAndré Bethell, Amadeo and Mateo Cartwright; grand daughter: Raevyn Bethell; sisters: Algier Cartwright, Charity Carroll; brother: Erickson Carroll; sons-in-law: Raymond Bethell, Brandon Cartwright; sisters-in-law: Geraldine Carroll, Mary Mortimer, Helen Knowles, Marilyn Moultrie; brotherin-law: Rev. Dr. James Moultrie; nieces and nephews: Kendall, Velma, Keith, Dellareece, Pretrece, Camille, Marcia, Steven, Sheena, Raynard, Tamia, Besa, Jamaal, Chelsea, Stephen, Esther, Rev. Dr. Theodore, Sean, Shelly, Sherrell, Carrison, Shantor, T’nisha, Jamal, Apryl, Casey & Bradley; numerous grand nieces, nephews and cousin including: Alice, Albena, Hazel, Charles, Llewelyn, Ricky, Katie, Delores, Lourey, Valeria, Raleigh, Alecia, Leclean, Cedric, Ignatius, Faye, Angeline, Della, Shirley, Marina, Guildford, Wayne, Kevin, Brenda and Whitmore; and a host of other relatives and friends including: The Carroll, Cartwright, Turnquest, Burrows and Moultrie Family, staff of John Bull Ltd, Members of Southeast Nassau Rotary Club, The Anglican Church Men, Mr. Lennis Rahming, the Imperial Park community and his Special Pet Skye Carroll.
Left to cherish his memories are her mother: Kim Stubbs; son: Taquante Edgecombe; daughter: Shad’dae Edgecombe; sisters: Cedica Stubbs and Faith Edgecombe; brothers: Deanza Edgecombe and Ramaeo Andrews; grandmother: Barbara Marshall; grandfather: James (Millie) Stubbs; granduncle: Charles Hastan Marshall; grandaunt: Melva Marshall; aunts: Carol Rolle, Sandra Clarke, Maria King, Jennifer and Jennie Stubbs, Francine Edgecombe-McDonald, EyvetteMoore, Keshia Edgecombe- Lymuel, Judy Grant, Janet Hanna, Sandra Lamm; uncles: Robin Pratt, James, Mark and Roscoe Stubbs, Maverick McPhee, Archie Wilson, Andrew, John and Herbert Edgecombe, Scott and Keith Bowe; nieces: Aleana Cooper and Reign Andrews; nephews: Steven Swaby, King Khyrie Laing, Ramaeo Andrews Jr.; cousins: Tasha, Garfield and Marvin Pratt, Tamaris, Fabian and Tessa Adderley, Shontoll and Renaldo Rolle, Anya Smith, Angela and Marlon McPhee, Demiko Burrows, Vanessa and Tuesday Marshall, Tshura Oliver, Skye and Christina Clarke, Alicia, James, Jemeka and Teneka Stubbs, Petrell, Malik and Symphony King, Katrez Kristonia, Krishnelle and Kenria Marshall, Tyrineco Brown, Judy Minnis, Shemese Rigby, Andrea, Kim, Narayana, Mohini and Krishnan Valdes, Marva, Nadia Nasair, Rashanti Hepburn, Ashley Archer, Vonya, Mark, Ruby, Codero, Antonio, Jama, Herbert Jr., Ronald Lymuel Jr., Jerome Lewis Jr., Savanna, Justin, Michael Elliot, Jenchio Stubbs, Daria Munroe; numerous other relative and friends including: The Honourable Gleny’s Hanna Martin, Bouvier (Navlet) Poitier & Family, Darnell Knowles & Family, Vernita Sweeting & Family, Christina and Shindeka King (King’s Bar) & Family, Kena Deveaux, Kizzy and Kia Minnis & Family, Dale and Javan (Twiggs) Sweeting & Family, Ricardo Smith & Family, Robert Claire & Family, Barrington Murphy & Family, Janae Cooper & Family, Ricardo Lynes & Family, Pastor Dorsett & Family, Tameka Taylor & Family, William Rolle & Family, Ashley Culmer & Family, Linis Webb & Family, Anderson Abraham & Family, Ryan Stuart & Family, Latisha Woodside & Family, Witney Desinor & Family, Amal Henfield & Family, Tanisha Small & Family, Judy Minnis & Family, Hilda Ferguson & Family, The Entire Podoleo Street Family, R. M. Bailey Class of 2007, BPL family.
Relatives and Friends may pay their last respects at Butlers’ Funeral Homes & Crematorium, Ernest and York Streets on (TODAY) Tuesday, December 22nd, 2025 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and on Saturday at the church from 9:00 a.m. until service time.
Viewing will be held in the Serenity Suite at Restview Memorial Mortuary and Crematorium Limited, Robinson and Soldier Roads, New Providence on (TODAY) Tuesday from 10:00am to 5:00pm and at the church on Saturday from 9:30 am until service time.
THE TRIBUNE
Student helping everyone become a coastline protector By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS lmunnings@tribunemedia.net DIVINA Yolanda Cox, a 26-year-old second-year PhD student in the Geography Department at the University of California, Santa Barbara, is introducing Bahamians to CoastSnap, a citizen science programme designed to help monitor shoreline change across the country. Ms Cox, whose research focuses on coastal geomorphology, explained that CoastSnap allows residents, visitors, and students to actively participate in coastal research by contributing photographs of the shoreline. The project is being carried out in partnership with the University of California, Santa Barbara Geography Department, the UCSB Marine Science Institute, the UCSB Geography Department’s SAND Lab, the Public Beaches and Parks Authority, and JSS Consultants. CoastSnap stations are simple smartphone mounts installed at fixed coastal locations. Participants place their phone in the cradle, take a photograph of the shoreline, and upload the image using a QR code at the station. Because each photo is taken from the same location, scientists can compare images over time to observe how beaches change. Ms Cox said CoastSnap is a cost-effective and valuable tool for The Bahamas, allowing long-term monitoring of beach erosion and recovery after storms and hurricanes.
“CoastSnap helps scientists and coastal managers understand how Bahamian beaches respond to storms, sea-level rise, and seasonal changes,” she said. “This information supports better decisionmaking for coastal development, beach management, and climate adaptation, helping to protect beaches that are critical to tourism, ecosystems, and local communities.” The repeat photographs submitted by
A COASTSNAP station installed on a Bahamian beach
the public allow scientists to study shoreline movement, beach width, and sediment changes over time. These images help identify patterns of erosion, accretion, and post-storm recovery, while complementing traditional coastal surveys. Ms Cox said the initiative is especially important for The Bahamas as a lowlying island nation that is highly vulnerable to sea-level rise, coastal erosion, and increasingly intense weather events. She noted that CoastSnap helps address gaps in long-term coastal data by collecting real-time observations from the same locations. The data collected through the programme can also support education and policy development. Ms Cox explained that CoastSnap provides open-access information that can guide coastal planning and climate adaptation, while increasing public awareness of shoreline change. Students and schools are encouraged to get involved by visiting CoastSnap stations on public beaches and partnering with local non-profit organisations. Ms Cox said she plans to visit schools to speak about the project and introduce students to coastal science and climate research. “As a graduate of the public school system and the Marine Science programme at CV Bethel, I know firsthand how projects like this can inspire students and help shape future careers,” she said.
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DIVINIA Yolanda Cox Participants gain hands-on experience in citizen science while learning about coastal processes, erosion, and the effects of storms and sea-level rise. The programme also helps participants understand how scientific data is used to support environmental management and community planning. Ms Cox said there are plans to expand CoastSnap to more
islands, beginning with those most affected by hurricanes, including Grand Bahama and Abaco. The long-term goal is to install stations on all 17 main islands. She added that starting in New Providence is important because it is the capital, with a large population, major businesses, and significant coastal development.
SAC graduate Aidan Hanna named 2025 AllBahamas Merit Scholar AIDAN Hanna, a 2025 graduate of St Augustine’s College, has been named this year’s All-Bahamas Merit Scholarship recipient, following an announcement by the Ministry of Education and Technical and Vocational Training earlier this month. Mr Hanna earned nine A grades in the 2025 sitting of the Bahamas
General Certificate of Education (BGCSE) examinations and achieved a score of 1490 on the SATs. He is currently studying molecular biology at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. To qualify for the awards, students must earn eight or more A grades in the BGCSE examinations, attain a min-
imum SAT score of 1220, submit a portfolio and successfully complete an interview. The recipient of the All-Bahamas Merit Scholarship — the most prestigious of the awards — must also have secured acceptance to a worldrenowned university. Award recipients were formally recognised at a national ceremony at Baha Mar yesterday.
Empowerment club brings holiday cheer to LW Young Junior High STUDENTS at L W Young Junior High School recently got into the holiday spirit when the school’s Boys and Girls Empowerment Club hosted a Christmas party focused on celebration, inspiration and youth development. The event brought together students, teachers and invited guests, including Fred Mitchell, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Herschel Walker, the United States Ambassador to The Bahamas. Both officials interacted with students and commended the school for its emphasis on empowerment, mentorship and positive leadership. Organisers said the programme featured holiday-themed activities, entertainment and fellowship, reflecting the club’s mission to build confidence, respect and unity among its members. Teachers and coordinators also expressed appreciation for the support of community leaders who continue to invest time and encouragement in students’ personal and
social development. The Christmas party, they added, was not only a seasonal celebration but also a reminder of the club’s wider goal of helping students develop essential life skills and make positive choices. The Boys Empowerment Club was founded in 2015 by Anita Wilmott to support young boys facing social challenges, particularly those related to conflict resolution and gang involvement. The initiative included biweekly lunchtime seminars led by local mentors and community leaders. Following its success, female students requested a similar programme, leading to the establishment of the Girls Empowerment Club in 2019. The girls’ initiative has since grown to more than 100 active members.
HERSCHEL Walker and his wife, Julie Walker, visit the Fox Hill Community Centre alongside Fox Hill MP Fred Mitchell, engaging with students of the L.W. Young Jr High Boys and Girls Youth Empowerment Club during their Christmas Social held at the Fox Hill Community Center.