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Volume: 121 No.27, December 29, 2023

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POLICE ‘KILLED MY SON LIKE A DOG‘ U Mother distraught after shooting of 27-year-old U Officers say that coroner will investigate U Third shooting by police in a week

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net ANGRY relatives and friends berated authorities after police killed Dino Bain hours before the man’s birthday yesterday.

The 27-year-old man was shot yards away from his home on Dean Street around 2.30pm.

His distraught mother spoke briefly to reporters before the angry crowd took her away, telling her not to talk to reporters.

The woman, whom residents called ‘Marva,’ said she wanted answers.

“They kill my child in the street like a dog,” she said.

Another relative claimed that police shot Bain in the

THE MOTHER of Dino Bain cries in despair after police shot and killed her 27-year-old son yesterday on Dean Street, just hours away from his birthday.

Photo: Dante Carrer

SEE PAGE THREE

MUSIC MAKERS DISQUALIFIED DUE TO NOT ENOUGH PARTICIPANTS, SAYS JCNP

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net JUNKANOO Corporation of New Providence chairman Dion Miller said

the organisation is still waiting to learn why the Prodigal Sons dropped out of the Boxing Day parade, adding that Music Makers was disqualified from the competition because it did

not have enough participants to meet eligibility requirements.

Category A Junkanoo groups must have 201 participants and a certain number of dancers for

the step-down or off-theshoulder category.

Music Makers did not meet these requirements, causing them to suffer two eligibility infractions.

Meanwhile, after Youth,

Sports, and Culture Minister Mario Bowleg told The Tribune the Prodigal Sons must give a “decent reason” for dropping out SEE PAGE FOUR

NEW CABINET APPOINTMENTS ANNOUNCED

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net THE Office of the Prime Minister announced changes to the executive yesterday, which will take effect on January 2, 2024.

Pinewood MP Myles Laroda was named Minister of Social Services, Information and Broadcasting, taking over the portfolio

MYLES LARODA that became vacant when Obie Wilchcombe died.

Central, South Andros

and Mangrove Cay MP Leon Lundy was made State Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister. He was previously a parliamentary secretary in that office.

Kingsley Smith, the new MP for West Grand Bahama and Bimini, was named parliamentary secretary in the Ministry for Grand Bahama.

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

SEE PAGE FIVE

VJ EDGECOMBE NAMED JUNIOR MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

SEE SPORTS

THE NEXT EDITION OF THE TRIBUNE WILL BE ON TUESDAY AFTER THE NEW YEAR HOLIDAY

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, December 29, 2023, PAGE 3

Police ‘killed my son like a dog’ from page one head “over nothing”.

“This the first time a killing ever happen with the police them who ain’t even gave they final words,” said the resident, referring to the lack of details police gave about the killing.

“This the first time.”

As police left the scene, Bain’s relatives and friends screamed in anger.

Unlike what typically happens after such incidents, police gave no details about the matter and did not say if a weapon was recovered from the scene.

“What I can say thus far is his majesty the Coroner is leading investigations into a police-involved shooting,” Chief Superintendent Chrislyn Skippings said. “At this time, I won’t get into the specifics of it, no more than I can say that they were conducting an operation when the incident occurred.”

She couldn’t say if the victim was known to police, but confirmed he was not being electronically monitored. She also said officers were wearing body cameras during the incident.

This incident follows a string of police-involved shootings and is the second fatal shooting this week.

On Sunday, police killed a man after responding to a disturbance at a residence on Palm Breeze Road off Carmichael Road. Officers alleged the man engaged them with a cutlass, prompting the shooting.

In an earlier policeinvolved shooting on

THE MOTHER of Dion Bain distraught over the police-involved shooting of her 27-year-old son yesteray.

Photos: Dante Carrer

Saturday, officers shot a 38-year-old man after responding to gunshot reports around Grant Street. The man was in stable condition and was charged with possession of

a prohibited weapon, possession of ammunition and three counts of threats of harm yesterday.

CSP Skippings issued a warning to criminals yesterday, saying: “If you

find yourself in a position where you want to confront a police officer with a weapon, police officers do not practice. Police officers are trained, specialised individuals and when they

draw their weapons, their intent is to kill.”

UÊ ÃÊ The Tribune went to press last night, police reported another homicide.

According to police, a man was reportedly stabbed

on Finlayson Street.

The victim was taken to Princess Margaret Hospital by private vehicle, where he died of his injuries.

See www.tribune242.com for more details.

Music Makers disqualified due to not enough participants, says JCNP PAGE 4, Friday, December 29, 2023

from page one of Tuesday’s parade or return the government’s seed money, Mr Miller said he could not explain the group’s decision.

Category A groups, such as the Prodigal Sons, received $30,000 from the $928,500 seed money the government provided this year.

“We’re still in the process of getting the New Year’s Day parade out, so I assume that in the coming days, the group will formally inform us as to what happened and what transpired in regards to the Boxing Day parade,” Mr Miller said.

“But we’re now preparing for the New Year’s Day parade, which starts early New Year’s morning around two or 1am. We think it’s going to be an exciting parade. The One Family Junkanoo organisation is the defending champion from last year’s New Year’s Day parade. We knew they didn’t perform well with this Boxing Day, so we know they have to come with a

lot of blood in their eyes to redeem themselves.”

The Shell Saxons Superstars unofficially won the Boxing Day Parade, dominating the major categories with its Ancient Rulers theme.

Mr Miller noted that groups are no longer allowed to contest after results are announced.

“In regards to protesters,” he said, “the system to protest has changed and so you won’t see any protests coming in and being launched after the parade results would’ve been read, so we’ve moved to a live adjudication system where groups should they be penalised for any particular matter, they have the ability to go and dispute that right there live in person on the parade to have it resolved which would allow us to get to quicker official results than in the year’s past.”

“The only thing that is happening now is that the scores and whatnot would’ve been sent to our second independent

THE TRIBUNE

THE MUSIC Makers were disqualified at the Boxing Day Junkanoo Parade as the did not have enough participants to qualify for the A category.

Photos: Dante Carrer

auditor who is conducting his work today, and once that would’ve been completed sometime today or tomorrow evening,

the Boxing Day parade would’ve been made official.”

He said no one protested penalties on the night of

the parade.

“There weren’t many penalties at the Boxing Day parade. I think One Family got a penalty, and

I think another group may have gotten another penalty, but there aren’t many penalties in that regard to be contested,” he said.

Death Notice For

Una Idell Mary Reckley, 97 of Saunders Acres and formerly of Garden Hill Estates #2, died at her daughter’s residence on Saturday, 23rd December, 2023.

She is survived by her three (3) sons: Michael, Bertram and Raymond Reckley; two (2) daughters: Melverne Fox and Charmaine Bethel; numerous grandchildren, greatgrandchildren, sisters, brothers, nieces and nephews and a host of other relatives and friends.

Funeral arrangements will be announced at a later date.

SHELL Saxons Superstars were the A Category winners at the Boxing Day Junkanoo Parade.

Police warn ‘zero tolerance’ in GB durinG new Year’s Junkanoo

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

CHIEF Superintendent Alvardo Dames, the officer in charge of the central division in Grand Bahama, said there will be a significant police presence at the New Year’s Day Parade.

He warned that there would be zero tolerance for disorderly and criminal behaviour.

To ensure the public’s safety, Mr Dames said the Junkanoo parade zone has been designated a “no bottle zone”.

He stressed that the parade was a fun family event and that safety was a priority.

“We want to send a strong message to individuals who may feel fit to cause a disturbance, and we are discouraging antisocial behaviour as there will be a heightened police presence in and outside the parade zone,” he said.

The Royal Bahamas Police Force also will be conducting road closures at various locations near the parade route.

Chief Superintendent of Police Christopher

Farquharson, the officer in charge of the Traffic Division, said road closures would take place from 2pm to 12 midnight at the intersections of Mall Drive and Pioneers Way, and West Atlantic Drive and Pioneers Way. There also will be closures from 3pm to 12am at the West Mall Drive and Petticoat Lane; Adventurers Way and West Mall Drive; Adventurers Way and McKenzie Street; East Atlantic Drive Pioneers Way; East Mall Drive and Kipling Lane; Woodstock Street at the rear of the Grand Bahama Port Authority Building, and East Mall Drive and the entrance to Rand Memorial Hospital.

Monique Leary, senior assistant director of the Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Culture, said they are watching the weather and will provide an update by Friday.

She thanked the RBPF for their continued support at the parade by ensuring the safety of both the public and participants.

Man froM eiGht Mile rock arrested for druG Possession

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net A MALE resident of Eight Mile Rock was arrested on Wednesday after he was allegedly found possessing a quantity of illegal drugs.

Drug Enforcement Officers were on mobile patrol in Martin Town, EMR, around 5.25pm near Graveyard Corner where they observed a man

behaving suspiciously.

On seeing the officers, the man ran and attempted to elude the police. Police gave chase and subsequently caught the suspect. Officers discovered a quantity of suspected marijuana on the man.

Police do not know the estimated weight and street value of the suspected drugs. Investigations are continuing.

THE TRIBUNE

New Cabinet appointments announced to be effective starting January 2, 2024

Friday, December 29, 2023, PAGE 5

Darville says final meetings to establish protocols for genetic testing coming early in new year

from page one Mr Lundy said in a statement that he was honoured and “excited to assume” his new role.

He said he is “fully committed to contributing” his best efforts to serve the country nation under the prime minister’s guidance.

“I am keenly aware of the responsibilities that come with this position, and I am eager to make meaningful contributions that will positively impact our citizens and the overall well-being of our country as we work toward the vision outlined in our Blueprint for Change,” he said.

“I want to especially acknowledge my constituents in Andros, and assure you that I will use this opportunity to represent you on a higher level.

Your confidence in my abilities is both humbling and inspiring.”

“I look forward to the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, and I am grateful to have a network of individuals who believe in my capacity to fulfil this important role. For those of you that have sent messages, your thoughtful words of encouragement and support mean a great deal to me.”

The prime minister shuffled his Cabinet in September, announcing seven new ministerial appointments and portfolio adjustments.

PICTURED top: Central, South Andros and Mangrove Cay MP Leon Lundy was made State Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister. Pictured right: Kingsley Smith, the new MP for West Grand Bahama and Bimini, was named parliamentary secretary in the Ministry for Grand Bahama. Pictured below: Pinewood MP Myles Laroda was named Minister of Social Services, Information and Broadcasting

CHILDREN at Ranfurly Homes for Children yesterday welcomed guest Keathon Yallery, holder of the title of Mister Supranational Caribbean. Mr Yallery said the visit would help to promote mental health and self-worth among the children, shedding light on the important of mental health awareness and positive initiatives taking pace at Ranfurly. He said: “I believe that the work being done at Ranfurly Homes is both inspiring and impactful.”

Photo: Dante Carrer

HEALTH AND WELLNESS MINISTER DR MICHAEL DARVILLE

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net HEALTH and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville said final meetings to establish genetic testing protocols for people affected by the landmark Privy Council ruling are set for early January 2024.

He had earlier told reporters that the protocols would be released before the end of this year. Officials have been grappling with how to prevent DNA fraud.

The Privy Council affirmed in May that people born out of wedlock to Bahamian men are Bahamians at birth regardless of their mother’s nationality. However, while many of these persons have since obtained passports, those whose father is not identified on their birth certificates remain in limbo.

“Final meetings are scheduled for early January 2024,” Dr Darville said yesterday. “The plan is to finalise our deliberations with the AG’s office on an effective DNA testing protocol going forward.”

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said that addressing citizenship inequalities is a priority for his

administration next year.

People born outside The Bahamas to a Bahamian mother and foreign father are not automatically citizens, and Bahamian women do not have the same rights as men to get citizenship for their foreign spouse.

On Tuesday, The Tribune reported the challenges Harvard-educated scholar Dr April Finlayson has traditionally faced trying to visit the country to be with her family without hassle.

She said she went to the Passport Office in September and was told she was ineligible for a passport because the affidavit she presented was not accepted as proof of paternity. She has been trying to get a Bahamian passport since she was 15. Before her recent visit to the Passport Office, she went through a three week process of compiling her “original documentation”, such as hospital and school letters.

Attorney General Ryan Pinder said in June 2022 that the administration would push legislation allowing Bahamian men and women to pass citizenship in all circumstances.

He later said this would happen after the Privy Council ruled on the status of children born out of wedlock to Bahamian men.

PAGE 6, Friday, December 29, 2023

The Tribune Limited

THE TRIBUNE

PICTURE OF THE DAY

NULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI “Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master”

LEON E. H. DUPUCH,

Publisher/Editor 1903-1914

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

RT HON EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON,

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

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Unanswered questions still linger THE year is almost done. 2023 is almost out of the door, and 2024 is getting ready to come knocking.

It was a landmark year for The Bahamas, with much made of the 50th anniversary celebrations of independence.

People celebrated in their finery.

Fireworks soared. Drones swarmed in formation display over Clifford Park.

There were balls, parties, and more.

And yet the end of the year still saw long lines of people reaching for a helping hand as companies offered giveaways and charities served up plates of food for the hungry.

The disparity between the different levels in our society continues to be in plain view.

The year will also pass without resolution to a number of issues, some of which should have been dealt with long ago.

We complete another year without the implementation of Freedom of Information laws. That was supposed to be up and running by now. Back in May, it was said the public would be able to request information by September or October, but those dates came and went.

Also in May, the Privy Council ruled that children born out of wedlock to Bahamian men are citizens at birth regardless of their mother’s nationality – and yet The Tribune has this week reported on people who are still stuck in limbo despite that ruling. One Bahamas-born Harvard scholar even was warned that she overstayed in the country of her birth. The court has ruled, but the regulations have not caught up with those Bahamians’ birthright.

That does not even take into account the other areas in which citizenship needs to be addressed. It does not go unnoticed that the ruling amended an inequality for men’s rights, while women’s inequalities over citizenship continue. When will those laws be passed?

How about the legal matter of making

disclosures of assets? The deadline for that was March 1 and still we do not know which of our lawmakers complied with the actual law. Last year, some who did not comply claimed ignorance of the law. There should be no such justification this year. And even if there was, there should be no reason why the public does not know who did or did not disclose as required.

There are other matters too – was any action taken after Immigration officers were caught on camera in an altercation with two Haitian barbers, who were said to have been slapped and beaten in the incident?

And speaking of Haiti, we still do not know the extent of the mission that lies ahead for Bahamian troops who are due to be deployed there soon.

This despite an alert from UNICEF after a Christmas Day attack on a family in Port-au-Prince by an armed group that killed four, including two girls under ten.

Between July and September, the Haitian police recorded 1,239 homicides, compared to 577 the previous year. In addition, abductions have risen by 244 percent, with 701 seized during the gang warfare that plagues the nation.

There are, of course, other matters too – from the ongoing arguments over the future of governance in Grand Bahama to questions over BPL that have lasted longer than the power supply usually manages to stay on.

Questions on issues such as these – and many others – do not go away with the passing of the year. They shall remain and continue to be asked in 2024.

There is a purpose to such questions – it is to make sure our nation does better.

Every year should be a step forward, and we hope 2024 will be just that, another step towards improving and furthering our nation. One step, and one question, at a time.

We wish all our readers and advertisers the very best for the year ahead.

Focus on fixing potholes EDITOR, The Tribune.

I WOULD be grateful if I might pass a little suggestion on to Minister Sweeting to say that although $98,000,000.00 is an impressive amount of money, we don’t need to repave all of the roads in New Providence, but we do need to repair the 98,000,000 pot holes that are in those roads.

The Ministry of Works used to have a Hotline on WhatsApp 376-0936 where drivers could send a Pin Drop and a photograph

of bad potholes needing urgent repair. It was a great scheme but after nothing happened I think people just gave up. The Tribune also had a public service called Fix My Pothole where a location and photo could be sent to give the Ministry a Heads up, but again the total inaction of the Ministry took the breath out of that initiative too.

Also, I have a feeling that the repairs are not being done properly and that is a lot of the reason

why repairs don’t last and the same hole opens up again because the new fill has not been bonded to the old. You can Google Fix My Pothole and there is a professional step by step manual for road repairs.

Such a programme might cost one million dollars which would leave 97 million which could be used to compensate insured drivers for vehicle repairs sustained by the driving public.

MONKEEDOO Nassau, December 26, 2023.

To advertise in The Tribune, contact 502-2394

A MEMBER of Sting Junkanoo group greets Prime Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis during the 2023 Boxing Day Parade.

Photo: Dante Carrer

Praises for ‘new day’ government EDITOR, The Tribune.

2023 WAS a game changing year and one of the literal resurrection of The Bahamas. With the still lingering effects of backto-back hurricanes a few short years ago and the debilitating economic and health status of Bahamians across the board with the arrival of COVID-19, we as a people were between a rock and a very hard place. Compounding these issues was the fact that an FNM administration, led by the Most Honourable Dr Hubert Minnis, was, seemingly, grossly out of touch and was stymied by signs of incompetence and infighting.

One of the few ‘good’ things that Dr Minnis did as Competent Authority was to call early elections in 2021, with more than a year left in his single and final term in office as Prime Minister. By doing so, he, perhaps, unwittingly, opened the political door for the Hon Philip “Brave“ Davis, KC, MP, to literally slip into high office. It is my submission that Dr Minnis and his kitchen cabinet misread the tea leaves and badly under estimated the mood of the collective Bahamian people.

Neither the advent of the hurricanes nor the deadly arrival of the pandemic were the fault of Minnis and the now rump FNM.

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net Their handling of those crisis was the final nail in their political coffin. The PLP was swept back into office by a large majority and the rest is history. The challenges which this party and its leadership faced were daunting to say the least. 2021 into 2022 were rough and tough. Now, thanks to the adroit handling of increased energy costs; inflation and badly broken infrastructure, The Bahamas appears to have bounced back better and bigger than before. This year of 2023 is one of the BEST ones we have had in a decade. Employment opportunities are in abundance. Potential entrepreneurs are lined up to kick start new businesses or to improve existing ones. The downtown Sheraton British Colonial Hotel has reopened. The new port is opened for cruise ship arrivals. Affordable housing continues to come on stream. There is a positive glimmer of light at the end of the Grand Bahama tunnel. Major Family Islands like Abaco; Andros; Eleuthera and Exuma are bursting at the seams and the future looks exceedingly bright for the entire nation.

Yes, 2023 is the year that witnessed the literal resurrection of our wonderful nation and her people. There is still much more work to be done.

We are in URGENT need of a systematic National Youth Service and a comprehensive and affordable National Health Care regime, especially for debilitating issues such as dental; vision and management of chronic diseases.

Talking about vision issues there are too many Bahamians suffering from cataracts and are literally going blind due to a chronic lack of equipment and skilled medical personnel.

I have no doubt, however, that we will all SEE game changing improvements in 2024.

And so, on behalf of tens of thousands of grateful Bahamians, regardless of partisan politics, I award the New Day PLP and it’s pragmatic and stellar unchallenged Leader, the Most Honourable Philip ‘Brave’ Davis, KC, MP, on a job well done and achievement of the resurrection of The Bahamas and her people. 2024 is destined, in my view, to be even BETTER and BIGGER than 2023, the Lord willing.

Jr

ORTLAND H BODIE Nassau, December 28, 2023.

Never forget human rights are critical EDITOR, The Tribune.

UN Human Rights report … what a contrast between Minister Munroe and Prime Minister Davis’ comments yesterday.

Forget not the most fundamental Right is Human Rights … Has the PLP forgotten what their cry — what their screaming was pre-1967?

Sorry, Prime Minister, if we are unwilling to uphold the most fundamental issue of Human Rights because

of funding restraints then what does The Bahamas stand for in the world?

The recent UN report raised nothing new in fact probably were conservative we have had and we continue to abuse the accepted issues of IMO-Human Rights to which we all should shout shame.

Can the courts be speeded up and wait for trials minimised to months not years? Yes. Can’t we tidy up how we manage Carmichael Detention

Centre? Yes. Basic stuff all migrants arriving on our shores are required by Human Rights Convention to be made aware of their Rights...Do we do that most simple act? Probably never that’s’ why the UN group was critical...deal with the small issues the rest will look after themselves, but never forget Human Rights is the most treasured issue.

T ALBURY Nassau, December 22, 2023.

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, December 29, 2023, PAGE 7

MAN CHARGED WITH POSSESSION CWCO brings support and Christmas cheer to Ranfurly OF ASSAULT RIFLE, DEATH THREATS

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A MAN was sent to prison until the New Year after he was allegedly found with an assault rifle following a police-involved shooting near Grant Street over the holiday weekend.

Magistrate Lennox Coleby charged Rodman Knowles, 25, with possession of a prohibited weapon, possession of ammunition and three counts of threats of harm.

Levan Johnson represented the accused.

When police responded to gunfire around Grant Street on December 23, they reportedly spotted a burgundy coloured Nissan Cube attempting to get away.

After stopping the car, the 38-year-old male driver allegedly engaged officers with an AR-15 assault rifle. Police then shot him.

Authorities also seized twenty-seven rounds of .223 ammunition and the weapon.

During this incident,

Knowles, who was a passenger at the time, allegedly threatened to kill PC Cordero McKinney, R/ASP Wakney Moss and Seaman Raynaldo Pinder.

The 38-year-old shooter was treated for his injuries in hospital.

After pleading not guilty to the charges, Knowles claimed that he had nothing to do with the incident as he was just released from prison.

His lawyer told the magistrate there was a discrepancy with his client’s case file because it listed his age as 24, not 25.

Prosecutor Sergeant Harvey objected to Knowles’ bail, citing his risk to public safety because he faces a pending murder charge in connection with the death of Bernard Ancestor on June 12, 2019.

Ultimately, Magistrate Coleby delayed Knowles’ bail hearing until January 16, 2024, remanding the defendant to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until then.

Knowles’ trial is set for February 27 and 28, 2024.

WOMAN WHO ATTACKED MAN WITH CUTLASS TO TAKE ANGER CLASSES

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A WOMAN was placed on six months probation and ordered to attend anger management classes after she admitted to assaulting a man with a cutlass on Christmas Eve. Magistrate Shaka Serville charged Davonnee Jones, 29, with assault with a dangerous instrument and deceit of a public officer.

Jones assaulted Jimmy Damantis in New Providence on December 24. Later the same day,

she attempted to evade arrest by giving WPC 4640 Hepburn a fake name.

After pleading guilty to the offence, Jones was granted a conditional discharge and placed on six-months probation.

During this time, she must enrol in anger management classes. Should she fail to do so, she will face a $1,500 fine or a three-month prison term.

Jones was warned and discharged on the deceit charge.

She must return to court with proof of registration on January 9, 2024.

Homes for Children and Children’s Emergency Hostel MANY children spent Christmas Day surrounded by loved ones, opening gifts, and having a traditional Christmas dinner. Through the support of such corporate entities as Consolidated Water (Bahamas) Ltd (CWCO), the same is true for residents of the Ranfurly Homes for Children and the Children’s Emergency Hostel.

CWCO representatives paid a special visit to both homes to present a donation and understand how best the water supplier can continue to assist them beyond the Christmas season.

Ranfurly Homes for Children administrator Ingrid Deveaux said the home relies heavily on corporate Bahamas and private citizens to function and make Christmas time as special as possible.

“We are very intentional about Christmas and making it feel Christmas-like for the children here,” she said. “We had a whole month of activities as the kids counted down the days. We had a Christmas dinner, wore matching pajamas, and created special memories.

Our children are in a home away from their biological family, but we try to create a family environment.

They deserve every good and great thing.”

Ms Deveaux noted that she recently made an appeal for financial support to get the home through the first quarter of 2024.

CONSOLIDATED Water (Bahamas) Ltd (CWCO) representatives presenting a donation to Ranfurley Home (top photo) for Children and Children’s Emergency Hostel (bottom photo).

“We need the support, and we are happy that

CWCO answered the call as we develop children to

be law-abiding, contributing citizens to society,” she said.

Children’s Emergency Hostel Business manager Charlene Gibson added: “Corporate entities assist us tremendously because it helps with our overhead costs, utilities, and payroll. During the Christmas season, corporate Bahamas helps in providing gifts for the children and lessens our financial load.”

Ms Gibson continued: “At the hostel, it is the same as in a normal home.

We have ham and turkey, peas and rice... a traditional dinner is served to the kids. They open their gifts and dress up. We try to make their environment here similar and simulate that of a normal home.”

CWCO board member Ethan Adderley said the water supplier’s donations are part of its ongoing commitment to support the wellbeing and development of children across The Bahamas.

“Consolidated Water (Bahamas) Ltd is thrilled to support the incredible work of the Children’s Emergency Hostel and Ranfurly Homes for Children,” he said. “It is our hope that our contribution will bring joy and comfort to the children during this festive season and beyond.

CWCO is committed to making a positive impact in the community and will continue to spearhead and support initiatives that enhance the quality of life of the Bahamian people.”

GOLDEN ISLES MP HOLDS CHRISTMAS PARTY FOR CONSTITUENCY

WOMAN ACCUSED OF STEALING PURSE GRANTED $4,000 BAIL

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A WOMAN was granted bail yesterday after she was accused of stealing a purse containing $2,400 in cash in a store last holiday weekend.

Magistrate Algernon Allen, Jr, charged Raquel Charlton, 52, with stealing and receiving.

Charlton is accused

of stealing a black purse containing $2,400 cash and a $60 brown backpack set belonging to Aseline Rena at Fashion Trap on Cordeaux Avenue on December 23.

Later the same day, she was found with the stolen purse and backpack.

After Charlton’s not guilty plea to the charges, she was granted $4,000 bail with one or two sureties.

Her trial starts on February 22, 2024.

MAN WITH DRUGS FOR PERSONAL USE, GETS SIX MONTHS PROBATION

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A MAN was put on six months probation after he admitted to having a quantity of cocaine and marijuana for his personal use earlier this month.

Magistrate Shaka Serville charged Tyreke Stuart, 26, with two counts of possession of dangerous drugs.

Stuart was arrested in New Providence after he

was found with one gram of cocaine and 5 grams of marijuana on December 18.

After pleading guilty to the charges, Stuart asked the court for help with his drug habit.

Magistrate Serville granted him a conditional discharge when he will be put on six-months probation. During this time, he must attend drug counselling. Should he default on these conditions, he will be sent to prison.

RESIDENTS of Golden Isles take part in a Christmas party on December 22, 2023.

A CHRISTMAS party enjoy bouncing castles, the procession. was held in the Golden face painting, ice cream Local vendors and volIsles constituency on and cotton candy. unteers offered food December 22 at the PLP One of the highlights of including traditional holiconstituency office in Bac- the festivities was a vibrant day treats and savoury ardi Road.

Junkanoo performance. delights, and there was a The event, organised The constituency MP, toy giveaway. by the office, saw children Vaughn Miller, took part in Mr Miller thanked the

collective effort, saying: “It warms my heart to see our community come together like this. Events like these strengthen our bonds and remind us of the joy that comes from sharing and caring for one another.”

PAGE 8, Friday, December 29, 2023

THE TRIBUNE

Avis Sturrup-Munroe: A Beacon of Hope and Healing for Cancer Fighters IN THE face of adversity, Avis Sturrup-Munroe emerges not only as a breast cancer survivor but as a beacon of hope for others battling the disease. Her journey from a cancer diagnosis to founding the non-profit organisation Hope 4 Tomorrow exemplifies strength, resilience, and a commitment to empowering others battling cancer.

As a 13-year breast cancer survivor, a mother of two boys, an accountant, an avid farmer, and a nonprofit founder, she has not only beaten the odds and cancer but reclaimed her zest for living abundantly and giving back generously to her community.

A TRIUMPH ADVERSITY

By Yolanda

Pawar

of One Eleuthera Foundation

OVER

Thirteen years ago, Avis Sturrup-Munroe faced an aggressive form of breast cancer, a diagnosis that echoed the tragic loss of her mother to the same disease when Avis was just six years old. At the time of her diagnosis, her son was also six years old, and Avis was determined to break the cycle and fight with every ounce of her strength for more time and life. Wrought with personal hardships and pain, she points to her unwavering faith in God and her unrelenting determination to see her young sons grow into men and to be a part of their lives as the catalyst that gave her the strength and resilience to endure seventeen rounds of chemotherapy, a double mastectomy, and six major surgeries within a span of a year and four months. Staying positive, grounded in her faith and focused on her goal of taking every pos-

YOLANDA PAWAR fighting the disease. Her retreats have inspired hope and provided essential resources to over 60 cancer patients, assisting them in building a daily regimen to promote healing and balanced living.

HOPE 4 TOMORROW: A BLUEPRINT FOR HEALING Hope 4 Tomorrow offers free retreats catering to groups of ten to twelve cancer patients at a time.

The retreats, held one to two times per year, provide a stress-free, four-day, three-night experience focused on self-care, cancer education, nutrition, exercise, meal prepping, camaraderie, and fun.

Participants are responsible for their transport

AVIS MUNROE, Founder of Hope 4 Tomorrow receives a health check-up. sible measure to recover her health was key to her hope and survival.

It was in 2018, after her battle with breast cancer that Avis was inspired to transform her pain into a pathway of hope and healing for other cancer fighters.

She founded Hope 4 Tomorrow, a non-profit organisation dedicated to providing free non-medical cancer wellness retreats on the serene island of Eleuthera.

Through Hope 4 Tomorrow, she turned her journey of healing and disciplined self-care into a blueprint for others

to Eleuthera, but once there, they are provided with an all-inclusive stay and immersed in a healing environment supported by caring volunteers and local and international wellness experts.

Surrounded by Eleuthera’s breathtaking natural wonders, guests also enjoy invigorating land and sea adventures and cultural experiences at a laid-back island pace with plenty of time for rest and rejuvenation. Escaping the hustle and bustle of city life and creating intentional quiet moments in nature for meditative reflection is another

healing gift that guests soak in.

Avis emphasises the importance of intentional self-care, stating, “ You have to be deliberate with AVIS MUNROE, Founder of Hope 4 Tomorrow receives a health check-up. what you eat. You have to found a new sense of pur- (CTI), was kismet. It integrity, and demonstratbe intentional about manfueled Avis’s passion for ing compliance with the aging your stress level and pose in her profession. community development law and the country’s reggetting sufficient rest and OEF’s extensive work in and increased her under- ulatory bodies. promoting community exercise. Hydrating and standing of the nonprofit health and breast eating nutritious healing A VISION FOR THE sector exponentially. foods every day is crucial.

FUTURE Looking back over her The goal is to harness tenure, Avis is grateful the variables you As Avis embarks on for the many lessons can control and a new chapter in 2024, learned through find the right her third-sector she plans to devote herbalance to work with OEF self entirely to expanding fight and and CTI. She the impact of Hope 4 thrive. is most proud Tomorrow in a full-time That’s role. Her focus on buildof the organthe chaling and strengthening her isations’ lenge non-profit reflects her accomplishI conments in commitment to touching tinue to and uplifting more lives facilitatmanage ing the while supporting the needs every of cancer patients in the Eleuthera day to country. She envisions Feeding mainincreased education, outProgramme, tain which pro- reach initiatives, wellness my own vided critical workshops, patient advohealth, and food distribu- cacy initiatives, and more it’s the gift tion to families frequent wellness retreats that I want HOPE 4 Tomorrow, participants celebrate life across Eleuthera on Eleuthera. to share with and their new friendships.

Her story serves as an during the COVIDothers. I aim to inspiration to all, proving 19 pandemic, making help people move that resilience, determinahistory with the launch of beyond illness through tion, and a heart dedicated OEF’s Oasis Grow House, encouragement, education, to giving back can transform the nation’s first and only and developing healthy cancer awareness with smart technology retract- personal adversity into a habits.” programmes dating back able-roof cooling house source of hope and healing to 2014 also resonated and leading the finance for others. To support Hope A LIFE’S JOURNEY with Avis. Working with team in completing both 4 Tomorrow’s mission or to COME FULL CIRCLE OEF and its sister organi- organizations’ exter- learn more about upcoming For Avis, her life’s jour- sation, the Centre for nal audits, ensuring the retreats, visit hope4tomorney and purpose have come Training and Innovation highest level of financial rowbahamas.org. full circle. Each challenge conquered along the way has served as a compass pointing back to the island of her roots and her desire to help people reclaim their health and lives. Born and raised on Harbour Island, Avis left home in her teens to pursue her education in Nassau. After obtaining a bachelor’s degree in accounting, she spent most of her career in the capital, working as an accountant and later in banking and wealth management. After battling cancer, she wanted to return to her peaceful, homesteading roots and actively contribute to developing her island home. In 2020, One Eleuthera Foundation (OEF) presented her with that opportunity.

She accepted the position of Chief Financial Officer and returned home to Eleuthera.

OEF’s focus on sustainable, progressive development in five key sectors, including the economy, education, environment, health, and heritage aligned with Avis’s values. She

AVIS MUNROE, Founder of Hope 4 Tomorrow hand picks the catch of the day, to be served for dinner.

To advertise in The Tribune, contact 502-2394

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, December 29, 2023, PAGE 9

All over in a heartbeat, why?

Argument to preserving Junkanoo pieces throughout the islands IT HAPPENED again this year. Just like it does every year. The magic sounds, rhythm and beat of Junkanoo are still pounding in our ears, our hearts are still beating a bit faster, we can hardly stop doing the shuffle, when it all comes crashing down. Junkanoo is over and the official, efficient round-up begins.

RBPF and Ministry of Works trucks and troops swoop down on Nassau, as instructed, picking up, collecting and tossing onto huge flatbeds the remnants of what was just hours or minutes earlier the magnificent costume pieces of the epitome of Bahamian culture in music, dance and storytelling, the thing we call Junkanoo, the thing we boast about all year, the thing we associate with all things Bahamian. And what do we do with it – we take all the evidence, as if it were a crime, and toss it in the garbage, creating for a short time the most stunning landfill on earth.

Headless wonders.

Wonders of the Deep.

Little Barbies. Old TV screens. Of course, they are just lookalikes, but wow are they magnificent. Every colour and hue under the sun and full moon. Bejeweled and dolled up, larger than life, shorn only in size by the width of Bay Street where the parade takes place.

Why? Why do we toss out like yesterday’s salad the pieces that take up to a year in planning and months to cut, paste, glue and jewel before we even begin the choreography of the performance? Our throwaway society that did such a good job with single use plastics that we don’t even dream of getting bags from the supermarket anymore has done one lousy job of saving the magic pieces of Junkanoo. We junk Junkanoo costumes with the nonchalance and rapidity of swatting a mosquito.

We don’t toss out the goatskin drum or cowbell.

We don’t drop the whistle in the nearest garbage can. Yet we dispose of the most prominent element of Junkanoo, the costume pieces, stripping them from our bodies and dropping them on the ground, like a Ziploc bag that has been washed one too many times and is no longer worth the trouble to save.

What are we supposed to do with the costumes, you might ask. And I’m glad you did.

By Diane Phillips Although the pieces are not made to be permanent, imagine what they could do for months at schools or PMH or senior citizens’ or children’s homes. All those schools with central courtyards with the sun beating down on empty concrete would look a whole lot brighter with the brilliant colours of a piece depicting anything from the Ancient Warriors to the Space Age and they would provide a focal point for students to understand the meaning of Junkanoo.

Radio talk show host Erin Greene suggests that we need to have a better understanding of what festivals, including Junkanoo, can mean to the Bahamian economy as well as the psyche. She is absolutely right. Junkanoo is not a flash in the pan moment of entertainment. If it is – as we say it is – the explosive expression of freedom with all the emotion that goes with that feeling demonstrated through every fibre of our bodies and soul, we need to manage how we celebrate it not just perfect how we clean up after it. Ms Greene suggests courses at UB in festival management and given UNESCO’s recent declaration of Junkanoo as an Intangible Heritage of Humanity symbol, supporting its potential through academia makes sense. Imagine if a Fred Ferguson were teaching a course in the cultural history of music in The Bahamas or students could sit at the feet of Percy “Vola” Francis or Fast Eddie Dames.

Just as we pay homage to the goal of preservation but do a bad job of it in general despite a few valiant efforts, it is time to preserve and share the best of Junkanoo, creating temporary art in public places. Photo opportunities for visitors, learning opportunities for all. It’s pretty hard to find a more compelling lesson than understanding what lies beneath the pulsating rhythm of Junkanoo – the sheer unabashed, wildly abandoned joy of freedom.

Remembering Susan Donald SHE was a tiny woman with power in her hands and anyone who ever had a bad back and sought her services at Life Chiropractic on Village Road, felt that power. Donald died on Christmas day, a young woman with a daughter with special needs and no parents or grandparents left. Her father died when she was young. Her grandparents, David and Frances Donald, a lovely gentle couple, died this year less than two months apart, Fran Donald on November 20 and David on December 22.

Three days later, it would be Susan, a graduate of Xavier’s before leaving Nassau to attend a chiropractic academy where she graduated in the top ten percent of her class and went on to found Life Chiropractic which she operated for more than 30 years while continuing to upgrade skills and treatment methods. As we celebrate the holidays, one young woman with special needs lost everyone who surrounded her with love and care. Please stop by Ty’s Place between Queen’s College and Blairwood on Village Road and let Katie Donald know she is not alone in this world. She is shy but a smile and a flower or a word of comfort could make a difference in a world of someone whose own world came apart in two months while we were making turkey and ham and yams.

DR SU SAN DONALD

PAGE 10, Friday, December 29, 2023

THE TRIBUNE

The amazing people of 2023 Face to Face

By FELICITY DARVILLE

I CAME face to face with some amazing people this year. It has been my pleasure to share their stories and hopefully inspire you, dear readers, to be more, do more, and love more. But the people I really want to highlight as 2023 comes to a close are the ones who may not have made the news - everyday people doing extraordinary things for others. Why are they special? Because their virtues remind us of how important it is to be our best selves every day.

These are not people who were expecting any kind of applause. They just give their best, and by doing so, they create their own little bit of magic in the world - touching others, helping others, and making the world a better place. This is exactly what we need to take our country further, 50 more years and beyond.

We each have a personal responsibility to make it what we want it to be. Fifty and beyond must be shaped by people who have grown up from complaining and bickering, ready to put their just cause into action.

Each one of us can choose the path that best suits us.

Anywhere we face problems in our country, let us work together to find the solutions.

Fifty years is a critical juncture in a lifespan. It’s the “now or never” phase.

Everything that needs to be done, must be done now.

Time to grow up and show up.

KIWANIS CLUB OF OVERTHE-HILL ON Friday, December 8, the Kiwanis Club of Over-The-Hill provided a Christmas treat for the end of term for the preschoolers at Coconut Grove Preschool. These treats including pizza, donuts, water & juice kept

JOIN THE CLUB OUR Clubs and Societies page is a chance for you to share your group’s activities with our readers.

To feature on our Clubs and Societies page, submit your report to clubs@tribunemedia.net, with “Clubs Page” written in the subject line.

For more information about the page, contact Stephen Hunt on 826-2242.

CARLOTTA KLASS We are the people chosen to do it. Bahamians are such wonderful people. We have a light and a passion that ignites hearts around the world.

As I conceive our country’s future, I see a bright road ahead. We are maturing as a people. We need that village mindset, the Bahamian way, to return.

We need to protect our little ones, do better for the elderly, take the homeless off the streets, talk to our neighbours, increase our health and wealth, and make sure that no one is left behind.

I see you out there every day, looking for no recognition, adding bright colour to the world. People like retired nurse Carlotta Klass, who has dedicated her life to breastfeeding

the preschoolers smiling, laughing, and having a great time. This was our way to continue to encourage the kids to participate in our reading programme and to excel in their schoolwork.

ROTARY CLUB OF SOUTH EAST NASSAU For more than three decades, spreading Christmas cheer to the residents of the Robert Smith Child and Adolescent Complex and Special Education Unit at the Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre has been a favourite community service project of the Rotary Club of South East Nassau (RCSEN).

On Saturday, December

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis and Governor General Cynthia “Mother” Pratt during the 2023 Boxing Day Junkanoo parade on December 26, 2023.

Photo: Dante Carrer advocacy in The Bahamas. this life this year. Their rich She spent countless hours legacy lives on.

I think of Governor of her time visiting newborn mothers, helping their General Cynthia A Pratt, baby successfully latch to known all over the world as the breast, setting them “Mother”. Her seat at the up for a lifetime of suc- pinnacle of governance is cess. Her home visits, long a testament to the fact that boyond work hours, at no the inner city is filled with cost, as well as retired nurse gems, waiting to be polLinelle Thompson, are ished in orded to shine.

There are everyday immeasurable. like coach People like Alpheus superstars Bowles who “Hawk” Finlayson and Denyko his wife, Dawn, whose deserve the praise. He love was one for the ages. shows up every day for Their commitment to each young people with bright other, family and country dreams of playing profesenriched every minute of sional basketball. He has their lives. They poured out surmounted painful tragtheir hearts to many, and edies, yet he gives selflessly althoigh they both departed to his sports kids daily.

ALPHEUS “Hawk” Finlayson and his wife Dawn.

16, Santa Claus, Rotarians, guests Tracey Knowles, and his daughter Kasey assisted with the gift presentation, and there was a specially catered meal by longtime club partner Sonia Adderley.

“This is something we love doing, and the administration makes it easy for us,” said Past President and Community Service Director, RCSEN, Lionel Haven.

On hand for the presentation were Thelma Fernander, assistant hospital administrator; Lolita Colebrooke, administrative officer; Kayla Stubbs-Coleby, senior nursing officer; and Dr Davone Rolle, Rotarian of the RCSEN. Most of the patients at the Robert Smith Ward, ages 18 to 65 years old, are diagnosed with cerebral palsy and intellectual disability and residents of the Child and Adolescent ward range from 7 years to 17 years old.

“I think it’s good that we can share this event with Rotarians and

KIWANIS Club of Over-The-Hill president Dominique Gaitor, chairman Tristen Lewis, Coconut Grove Preschool principal Emily Rolle and security officer Sharlene McPhee. community members,” said President of the RCSEN, Leah Lowe.

“On a personal level, it

THE ROTARY Club of South East Nassau’s annual Christmas Community Service to the PHA’s Robert Smith Complex at Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre were joined by, from left, front, Rotarians Penelope Nottage, Cerys Howell, President Leah Lowe, Lolita Colebrooke, administrative officer, Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre and, Thelma Fernander, assistant hospital administrator, (back) Kayla Stubbs-Coleby, senior nursing officer, Rotarian and Director Public Image, Azaleta Ishmael-Newry, PP Bridgette Rolle, PP and Director Community Service, Lionel Haven, Rotarian Dr Davone Rolle, Sandilands Centre, Tracey Knowles and daughter, Kasey.

reminds me to be grateful for what I have and to share blessings with others.”

For more information on the South East Nassau Rotary Club, visit www. rcsen.org.

SANTA Claus (left) presents a gift to a resident of the Robert Smith Complex at the Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre with Rotarian Dr Davon Rolle (right) during a special Christmas event by the Rotary Club of South East Nassau.

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, December 29, 2023, PAGE 11

On Da Road

SCENES from Boxing Day Junkanoo, including Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg shaking cowbells, members of Sting during the parade, and Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis talking to Opposition leader Michael Pintard and FNM deputy leader Shanendon Cartwright.

Photos: Dante Carrer

SPORTS PAGE 12

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 29. 2023

Grand Bahama senior boys steal spotlight

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

A

s the Providence Basketball Club’s 24th Yuletide Classic continued yesterday at the CI Gibson Gymnasium, the two senior boys teams from Grand Bahama took the spotlight.

The St George’s Jaguars, one of the perennial teams to watch, held off the CI Gibson Rattlers B team for a 53-49 victory and the newly

formed Blazers Elite Academy outlasted the Teleos Cherubims.

During the night session, the junior teams were in the spotlight, but scores were not available up to press time last night.

UÊ iÀi½ÃÊ >Ê ÃÕ >ÀÞÊ vÊ Ì iÊ games played: Jaguars 53, Rattlers B 49: In scoring seven straight points down the stretch to break a 46-46 tie in the final two minutes, St George’s held off CI Gibson B team for the win. Deryl Williams erupted for a game high 17 points, Bender

Terminus added nine and Leander Hall finished with seven as the Jaguars got the win.

Michael Pierre had 13 and Charles Maynard added seven in a losing effort for the Rattlers’ B team.

“It’s a game we needed. We started the season kind of rough in Grand Bahama and so this tournament is helping us out,” said Calvin McIntosh, the assistant to head coach Darryl Sears.

“We are three quarters of a team right now so we needed a

tight game like this. We know how to play, but we want them to learn how to win so when we get back to Freeport, we can contend for the title.”

Blazers 48, Cherubim 28: After playing a close first half, the Blazers Elite took their game into another gear and pulled away from Teleos for their second consecutive win in the tournament.

The Blazers Elite, who won their opener over the Nassau Christian Academy Crusaders on Wednesday night, got a game high

14 points from T’Kai Delancy.

Martin Butler scored 10 points and K. Blaford added eight points in a losing effort.

“We started off real sloppy, maybe because we had different times for the game and the guys had not eaten their lunch,” said coach Dr Ray Evans.

“We just had to get some energiser in their system so that they could at least play. We could play a lot better, so hopefully you will

SEE PAGE 15

Falcons eliminated in Arby’s Classic

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net IN their 23rd trip to the Arby’s Classic, head coach Kevin Clarke said his Tabernacle Baptist Academy Falcons continue to get the high level high school basketball talent to get them ready for the local competition in the Bahamas.

The Grand Bahama Secondary Schools Athletic Association’s four-time defending senior boys champions got eliminated from competition after dropping their first two games played.

The Falcons lost their opener 61-54 to the tournament’s host Tennessee High Vikings on Boxing Day and 63-50 to the Daniel Boone Pioneers.

“Coming up here, there’s always going to be such

great talent,” said Clarke, who was assisted by Quincy Gray and Ronald Woodside Jr. “We played against some nationally ranked teams in two tough games, but our guys kept her composure.”

If there’s one major problem they encountered, TABERNACLE Baptist Academy Falcons got eliminated in their 23rd trip to the Arby’s Classic.

Clarke said it’s making the adjustment from the Vikings 61, Falcons 54: “They are a well struc- Minus had nine points with traditional zone they are Giano Murray Murray tured team. They run their two steals and Aiden Bain accustomed to playing scored a side high 11 points offence the whole time. had six points with a pair of in the Bahamas to really with a pair of rebounds They are not going to stop steals and block shots. defending on man-to-man. and Noah Bain had 10 so you really have to dig in Gavin Pearce led a balClarke, who took over points with three steals, two and defend at a high level. anced scoring attack for from former mentor and assists and two rebounds.

“It was a tough game. Daniel Boone with 15 now team manager Norris Aiden Miller and Joshua We led at halftime, but we points. Harry Hamlin had Bain, said he will make Williams both contributed missed some simple assign- 13 points, Tim McGonigle the recommendation that eight points. Miller also ments down the stretch had 11 and Clay Rowland teams concentrate more on had seven rebounds and six and we ended up losing by 10. man-to-man so that they assists. about four points.

“We came out flat and can be better prepared Tennessee High got a “These guys can shoot fell behind by about 16 when they face the teams game high 23 points, four the ball, so you can’t leave points in the first quarter,” from the United States. assists and three steals from them open.”

Clarke said.

UÊ iÀi½ÃÊ >Ê ÃÕ >ÀÞÊ vÊ Colin Brown and 15 points, Pioneers 63, Falcons 50: “We came back in the their games played in the 10 rebounds, four assists Noah Bain scored 19 points second half to bring it back tournament: and three steals in the win. with three assists, Alex to about six. “We played so

SPORTS CALENDAR TRACK BAAA EVENTS AFTER hosting their Odd Distance Meet in December, the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations will be hosting a series of events in January to kick off the new calendar year.

Here’s a look at January’s schedule: January 5-6 - T-Bird Flyers Classic at the original Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium.

Sunday, January 7 - BAAA Church Service - venue and time yet to be released.

BAAA 20 DTSP Wolfpack at the original Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium.

January 27-28 - Redline Athletics’ 4th annual Sonja Knowles Track Classic at the original Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium.

Dec 2023

BAHAMAS YOUTH FLAG FOOTBALL LEAGUE THE Bahamas Youth Flag Football League is expected to have three teams representing the Bahamas at this year’s USA Flag Youth World Championships being hosted in San Antonio Texas, December 30-31. The 3 teams will compete in the 13U, 14U and High School divisions.

Team manager Alexandra DealCoakley expressed her excitement about these teams competing, particularly because these teams have been together for a few years now and are showing lots of chemistry when competing, with one of them even winning a qualifier last year in Tampa, Florida.

Jayson Clarke, assistant coach of the high school team and BYFFL

SEE PAGE 13

hard to dig ourselves out of the hole. It was good for us, but we should not have put ourselves in that position in the first place. We played hard, but if we did things right at the beginning, we would have been in a better position.”

Clarke, however, said they use the tournament to get ready for the start of their season in Grand Bahama in January and for the prestigious Hugh Campbell Basketball Classic in New Providence in February.

BEYOND THE BARBELL: THE MULTIDIMENSIONAL APPROACH TO SPORTS PERFORMANCE TRAINING IN the realm of sports, the pursuit of peak performance is a complex and nuanced journey. As a sports medicine physician and a certified sports performance coach, I have witnessed the evolution of sports performance training from traditional weightlifting to a more holistic approach.

To our active sports enthusiasts, ranging from amateur to professional levels, understanding this evolution is key to unlocking your full potential.

Defining Sports Performance Training: A Holistic Approach Sports performance training transcends traditional workouts. It is an integrated approach aimed at enhancing an

DR KENT BAZARD

athlete’s overall abilities, including strength, power, speed, agility and endurance. The purpose is not merely to excel in physical prowess but to develop a comprehensive skill set that translates directly to improved performance in specific sports.

Strength vs. Power: Tailoring Training to Sports Needs A common misconception is equating strength with power. Strength is the ability to exert force, while power is about exerting that force quickly.

A sprinter, for instance, requires explosive power to burst off the blocks, while a weightlifter needs sheer strength. Training

SEE PAGE 16

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, December 29, 2023, PAGE 13

RUTGERS EARN 31-24 WIN OVER MIAMI IN PINSTRIPE BOWL

By EVERETT MERRILL Associated Press

PUT YOUR DUKES UP: Young, aspiring boxers strike a pose during the Boxing Day Jamboree at the Crossfit Gym in Freeport, Grand Bahama.

Boxing Day Jamboree hits the Crossfit Gym in Freeport, Grand Bahama

NEW YORK (AP) — Kyle Monangai rushed for 163 yards and a touchdown to help secure Rutgers’ first winning season in almost a decade with a 31-24 victory over Miami in the Pinstripe Bowl yesterday.

The Scarlet Knights (7-6) last had a winning season in 2014 when they went 8-4 in their inaugural Big Ten season.

“I’m really happy for our team,” said Rutgers coach Greg Schiano. “I’m sure glad I’m doing it at Rutgers.

It’s where I’m supposed to be.

“A win here is very important.

I’m really excited about where we are headed. It starts with the seniors. They have built the foundation for something special.”

The Scarlet Knights opened this season 6-2 but stumbled in November, losing four straight conference games by an average of 20 points.

“This is a big step for our programme,” said Monangai, who carried the ball 25 times. “We worked our butts off.”

Miami (7-6) has dropped five straight bowl games.

Rutgers took the lead for good at 21-17 after Trevor Yeboah-Kodie blocked a Miami punt that Timmy Ward recovered in the end zone.

Hurricanes quarterback Jacurri Brown scored on a 1-yard keeper with 27 seconds to play to draw Miami within seven at 31-24, and then the Hurricanes recovered an onside kick, but the rally fell short when Miami turned the ball over on downs near midfield with seven seconds remaining.

SPORTS NOTES

FROM PAGE 12 coordinator, also expressed high hopes about this year’s World Championships. “I am looking for all three teams to do very well this year.

They’ve shown tremendous improvement in their level of play, and we even have a few of our players that are now off to school in the US, rejoin the team during the semester break so we’re that much stronger.”

The team left yesterday for San Anotnio, Texas and will play three games each on December 30 to determine seeding for the final day of play on December 31.

MACEDONIA BAPTIST CHURCH FAMILY FUN WALK THE Men’s Department of Macedonia Baptist Church is scheduled to hold a Family Fun Walk Race to kick off the new year and the beginning of its Men’s Anniversary at 6am on Saturday, January 6. The event will honour the late Minister Charles Albury, who passed away this year.

It starts at the church on Bernard Road, Fox Hill, and heads west on Bernard Road to the Village Road round-a-bout and returns on Bernard Road to the church.

Awards will be presented to the first three finishers in each category for men and women. Registration fee is $20 per person. Interested persons are urged to contact Brent Stubbs at 426-7265 or stubbobs@gmail.com for further information.

FIGHT NIGHT: Young, aspiring boxers in action during the Boxing Day Jamboree at the Crossfit Gym in Freeport.

TO ADVERTISE TODAY IN THE TRIBUNE CALL @ 502-2394

PAGE 14, Friday, December 29, 2023

THE TRIBUNE

BAHAMAS ATHLETIC PRIDE POP UP CHRISTMAS CAMP

Coach Brandon Barcomb teams up with I-BAP

Photos by Dante Carrer

I-BAP (Bahamas Athletic Pride) in collaboration with New York’s Electric City Bombers hosted a successful pop up Christmas camp on Saturday at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex to close out the 2023 calendar year.

The softball athletes in attendance were led by New York’s Brandon Barcomb, head coach of the 10U and 12U Electric City Bombers, who passed on various softball skills at the one-day camp. The collaborative effort between the

two softball programmes proved to be fruitful as I-BAP received softball equipment on Saturday as well. Coach Barcomb was delighted to be able to work alongside the young athletes on Saturday morning.

YOUNGSTERS take advantage of the I-BAP (Bahamas Athletic Pride) pop up Christmas camp on Saturday at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, December 29, 2023, PAGE 15

Pistons match longest losing streak in NBA history at 28 games, falling 128-122 to Boston in overtime

By MARK LONG AP Pro Football Writer BOSTON (AP) — Hoping to avoid a 28th straight loss that would match the longest losing streak in NBA history, the Detroit Pistons forced overtime against the league-best Celtics on Thursday night before Boston recovered to win 128-122.

Despite making it to overtime for the first time in the skid, Detroit matched the “Trust the Process” Philadelphia 76ers with 28 consecutive losses. The Pistons need a victory at home against Toronto on Saturday night to avoid breaking the record.

Detroit opened a seasonhigh 21-point lead in the first half only to trail 106100 in the final two minutes of regulation. Jaden Ivey scored six straight points to erase the deficit, then Bojan Bogdanovic made a putback with 4.6 seconds left to send it to OT. But Derrick White scored 10 of his 23 points in the extra period and Kristaps Porzingis had six in the overtime — dunking after a full-court pass from Jayson Tatum and then sinking a pair of free throws to make it 125-117.

Porzingis had 35 points — 11 in the fourth quarter, and eight of those during a 10-0 run that turned a four-point deficit lead into a 106-100 lead.

Tatum had 31 points 10 assists for Boston, which won its fourth straight and its ninth in the last 10 games. Cade Cunningham led Detroit with 31 points and nine assists. Ivey had 22 points and 10 rebounds and Jalen Duren had 15 points and 14 rebounds.

The Pistons set the NBA record for most consecutive losses in a season Tuesday night with their 27th in a row, a 118-112 loss to Brooklyn. The Sixers’ streak stretched over two seasons, 2014-15 and 2015-16.

TIMBERWOLVES 118, MAVERICKS 110 MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Anthony Edwards scored a season-high 44 points and Rudy Gobert

DETROIT Pistons head coach Monty Williams watches his players during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Boston Celtics last night in Boston.

(AP Photo/Charles Krupa) PACERS 120, NUGGETS 142, Haliburton made a three had 20 points and 11 BULLS 104 GRIZZLIES 105 late 3-pointers to quell a rebounds in Minnesota’s CHICAGO (AP) — furious Bulls rally, which DENVER (AP) — victory over Dallas.

The Mavericks were Nikola Jokic had 26 points, NBA assists leader Tyrese had seen them take a 93-90 without Luka Doncic on 14 rebounds and 10 assists Haliburton had a career- lead with eight minutes the second night of back- on a perfect shooting night high 20 without a turnover remaining after trailing by and Denver had its highest- and scored 21 points to as much as 25. to-back games.

PELICANS 112, Dallas fell at Cleveland scoring game of the season help Indiana hold off rout short-handed Chicago.

JAZZ 105 113-110 on Wednesday to Questionable to play NEW ORLEANS night. Doncic missed his Memphis.

Jokic made 11 field goals, before the game because of (AP) — Brandon Ingram third game of the season with left quadriceps sore- including a 3-pointerm a sore lower back, became highlighted a 26-point perness, while Kyrie Irving and three throws without the fifth player in NBA formance with a 3-pointer missed his 11th straight a miss. He has 11 triple- history to have 20 or more that sparked an 8-2 run with a right heel contusion. doubles this season and 116 assists without a turnover, in the final 2:35 and New Minnesota improved to overall. Memphis played following Kevin Porter Orleans held off Utah. without Ja Morant because (1978), John Lucas (1983), Collin Sexton scored 26 13-1 at home.

The Timberwolves of an illness. Morant Rickey Green (1984) and points for Utah.

The Jazz had won its trailed by one point missed his first game since Chris Paul (2016).

Myles Turner led Indiana previous three during a midway through the third returning from a 25-game period before going on a suspension at the start of with 24 points, and Buddy five-game trip that ended Hield added 19 points. in New Orleans. the season.

15-3 run to gain control.

PROVIDENCE FROM PAGE 12

get to see that as the tournament progresses.”

Rattlers A 79, Crusaders 10: Gerard Rolle pumped in a game high 18 points, Zavion Lloyd had 13 and Dwayne Findley had 12 to lead a balanced scoring attack for CI Gibson A team.

Rufus Johnson and Jahmal Johnson had five and four respectively in a losing effort.

Cobras 50, Mystic Marlins 28: CC Sweeting continued to put up big numbers as Tavari Roker scored 11 points and both Donovan Samuels and Brandon Darville added four apiece.

Klye Wilson and Shelton Nelson scored eight and seven in a losing effort for Doris Johnson.

It was the first game played for the Mystic Marlins in the tournament and coach Kevon Spence said they are trying to regroup from last season.

“This is a new unit from last year, so we are trying to pick it up and get some building blocks as we move forward,” he said. “As we play more games, the team will develop more.”

Cougars 31, Cherubim 22: As they continued their wInning streak, Charles W. Saunders prevailed with their second win as Nakero Brown powered inside for 14 points.Trayvon Wright helped out with five.

After winning their opening game, Martino Butler scored a game high 15 as Teleos suffered their first loss.

“Our boys played tough and the e defense was pretty good,” said Cherubim’s coach Walter Charlton. “I could see fatigue getting to them as the game went on.

“We lacked a few of our big men, but we went with what we had and we did the best we could.”

Magicmen 37, Giants 31: In holding off St John’s down the stretch, Government High got their first win of the tournament as Jeremiah Cadet came through with a game high 17 points.

L Rolle added eight.

In a losing effort for Giants, coached by Dwayne Smith, Makelin Darling scored 11 points and Marlon Armbrister chipped in with .

“I’m still upset with our performance. We haven’t practiced since school closed,” said GHS’s coach Elton Sherman. “The guys are still stuffed with ham and turkey.

“We’re still in the rebuilding stage. This is a young team. My team is averaging about 16 years. We are basically getting ready for next season. We didn’t close out like we should. But I’m happy to get the win.”

The tournament will continue today at 9 am. The tournament will wrap up on Saturday when the two champions will be crowned in the junior and senior division.

BROWNS CLINCH SPOT IN PLAYOFFS WITH 37-20 WIN OVER JETS

By TOM WITHERS AP Sports Writer CLEVELAND (AP) — Joe Flacco passed for 309 yards and three touchdowns and the Cleveland Browns clinched an unlikely playoff berth — just their second since 2002 — despite numerous injuries this season with a 37--20 win over the New York Jets on Thursday night.

The Browns (11-5) are assured of a wild-card spot and still have a chance to win the AFC North and maybe the conference’s No. 1 overall seed, something that seemed unfathomable just weeks ago as major injuries piled up.

But things have changed since Flacco arrived.

Cleveland has been charmed.

The 38-year-old quarterback improved to 4-1 as a starter with the Browns, who plucked the Super Bowl 47 MVP off his couch in New Jersey last month to hopefully rescue their season. He’s done that and more.

Flacco threw two TD passes to Jerome Ford in the first half as the Browns

built a 20-point lead over the Jets (6-10), who chose not to re-sign the 15-year veteran after he spent three seasons with them — and after Aaron Rodgers tore his Achilles tendon in Week 1.

Flacco torched New York for 296 yards in the first half and became the first QB in 34 games to go over 300 yards against the Jets.

He’s also the first Cleveland quarterback to pass for more than 300 in four straight.

The Jets were forced to start Trevor Siemian for the second week in a row with Zach Wilson sidelined by a concussion.

Siemian had some nice moments, but an overthrow late in first quarter was returned 30 yards for a TD by safety Ronnie Hickman to put the Browns up 20-7.

New York’s Jermaine Johnson had a pick-6 in the second quarter when he beautifully deflected Flacco’s pass to himself and returned it 37 yards.

Nothing has been easy this season for the Browns, who have continued to win despite being overrun by injuries since the opener.

CLEVELAND Browns quarterback Joe Flacco passes against the New York Jets during the first half of an NFL football game last night in Cleveland.

(AP Photo/Ron Schwane) NEW GUYS a five-game streak withFlacco is their fourth startThe Browns got their out a sack by taking down ing quarterback, they’re missing both first-team first looks at kicker Riley Siemian in the first half.

New York’s Garrett offensive tackles and 12 Patterson and punter Matt players — including QB Haack, both signed earlier Wilson went over 1,000 yards receiving for the Deshaun Watson and run- this week.

Patterson, filling in for second straight season. ning back Nick Chubb an injured Dustin Hopkins, He also did it as a rookie — are on injured reserve.

So, it was fitting they went 4 of 5 on extra points in 2022 and is one of 10 went into their biggest and made a 33-yard field active players with two 1,000-yard seasons to start game this season missing goal with 2:54 left.

Haack averaged 51.7 their career. their starting kicker, punter SCARY MOMENT and wide receiver Amari yards on three punts.

GARRETT & Browns wide receiver Cooper, who was coming Elijah Moore suffered a off a franchise record-set- GARRETT Browns star defensive head injury in the second ting 265-yard performance end Myles Garrett ended quarter. on Sunday in Houston.

After catching a 22-yard pass from Flacco, Moore’s helmet was driven into the turf as he went down. He rolled onto his back and appeared to twitch as teammates quickly called for medical personnel.

Moore, who spent the past two seasons with the Jets, was helped off the field and escorted to Cleveland’s locker room.

INJURIES Jets: WR Allen Lazard (illness) was among the team’s inactives. ... OL Jacob Hanson suffered a concussion. ...

OT Xavier Newman was helped off the fourth quarter with an unspecified injury.

Browns: Cooper came in listed questionable, but was expected to play. However, after he tested a heel injury during an on-field workout, the Browns opted to have him sit rather than risk more damage. ... CB Mike Ford Jr. (calf) got hurt covering a kick in the first quarter.

UP NEXT Jets: At New England on Jan. 7.

Browns: At Cincinnati on Jan. 7.

PAGE 16, Friday, December 29, 2023

THE TRIBUNE

VJ EDGECOMBE NAMED JUNIOR MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

By TENAJH SWEETING Tribune Sports Reporter tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

V

aldez “VJ” Edgecombe has been awarded the Tribune’s 2023 Junior Male Athlete of the Year. With athletics and aquatics garnering a number of the top stories throughout the year, Edgecombe provided a bright spot for basketball in the junior category.

Champion - Valdez Edgecombe The verdict is out on the Bimini native potentially being the next household name in basketball for The Bahamas. He is currently ranked number five on the ESPN Class of 2024 national rankings and up to 25 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division one programmes are actively trying to recruit him to their respective schools.

Among the top NCAA D1 basketball programmes in the mix are the Duke University Blue Devils,

Baylor University Bears and University of Kentucky Wildcats. The trio of teams are currently the top three potential landing spots for Edgecombe as he expects to make a decision soon.

The 6-foot-5 shooting guard was also offered an opportunity to play for the NBA G League Ignite.

The 18-year-old, who currently plays for the Long Island Lutheran High School, was presented the 2022-23 Player of the Year Award for the National Interscholastic Basketball Conference (NIBC).

During this stint, the team boasted a 10-2 win/loss record while VJ averaged a team-high 17.3 points per game, 5.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.1 steals.

Additionally, he was selected as the Adidas Eurocamp Most Valuable Player (MVP) this summer.

The top 2024 prospect had a sweet homecoming earlier this month at the second Hoopfest in Paradise hosted at the Kendal GL Isaacs Gymnasium. He

had a stellar performance in the top high school tourney, propelling the Crusaders to an unblemished 2-0 record to complete the trip.

He helped the team to knock off Mater Dei Catholic High School 81-68 behind his game-high 30 points. In the following game, the result was the same with the Crusaders defeating Riviera Preparatory School 83-50.

Edgecombe had 25 points in this game and averaged 27.5 points in the two games played.

Runner-Up - David Singh The year was nothing short of successful for the aquatics sporting discipline and David Singh contributed greatly to that success in 2023.

He made a name for himself at the 2023 CARIFTA Aquatics Championships and Bahamas National Swimming Championships to earn the runner-up position for Junior Male Athlete of the Year.

Singh, of the Barracuda Swim Club, hauled in eight

medals at the CARIFTA Aquatics Championships in Willemstad, Curaçao.

The junior rounded up wins in the 400m freestyle, 200m and 400m individual medley, 50m and 100m breaststroke, and 50m backstroke.

He earned an additional two silver medals in the 100m and 200m backstroke and a fourth place finish in the 50m fly.

In the 11-12 boys’ division, Singh ended the 50m breast with a personal best time of 34.63 seconds.

Additionally, in the 100m breast, he touched the wall in 1:16.03 for another personal best.

For the 200IM and 400IM events he clocked times of 2:29.75 and 5:24.80 which were both personal bests.

He came first in the 50m back in 31.15 seconds and clocked 4:46.23 in the 400m freestyle. He claimed the 11-12 boys’ division high point award after amassing 73 points in the division.

At the Bahamas Aquatics National Swimming

CHAMPION - Valdez “VJ” Edgecombe Championships, Singh received six first place finishes in the 100m and 200m backstroke, 100 and 200m breast, 200m and 400m IM to solidify himself as a top performer in aquatics.

Third Place Finisher Adam Musgrove Adam Musgrove wrapped up his final season as a junior in iconic fashion.

Musgrove shined brightly at the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) National Track and Field Championships in July.

He completed the event as a double national champion, winning the 100m and 200m U20 events. In the

under 20 boys’ 100m finals, he ran a scorching 10.30 seconds which was a new personal best for him and a new junior national record.

At the 50th CARIFTA Games, the 19-year old earned bronze in the under 20 boys’ 100m and 200m finals with times of 10.44 and 20.96 seconds respectively.

He helped his relay team to earn first and second place finishes in the 4x100m relays at the Pan American Under-20 Championships and NACAC U-23 Championships.

Musgrove concluded his final season as a junior on his own terms.

ELITE BALLERS PLACE THIRD OVERALL IN HOLIDAY CLASSIC

THE Elite Ballers women’s basketball team travelled to Dallas, Texas, to participate in the Holiday Classic December 16-22 but they fell short of winning their second consecutive tournament. The team, coached by Ryan Turnquest and Abel Joseph, placed third overall after they won the Dynasty Tournament a month ago. “We are on a journey to continue to develop the girls and expose them to as much basketball as possible, locally and internationally,” Turnquest said. While on the trip, Turnquest noted that they got to view the Los Angeles Clippers against the Dallas Mavericks, which turned out to be a real treat for the girls. They also got to watch two women’s college games as well. “We are looking for a main sponsor to really be able to reach out and do more for the programme for the girls,” Turnquest said. However, he thanked their sponsors, including Bahamas Bus & Truck, Fox Foundation, Paul Major, Twin Brothers Arawak Cay, MP Leonardo Lightbourne, Ryan and Christmas Tree Garden, MP Glenys Hanna-Martin, Sun Oil Limited, Quality Home Center, Mario Pickstock, The PatMor Group, AG Electric, Consolidated Water, Airomatic Bahamas Limited, Dr Newbold and the Smile Center, Esso Wulff Road, Sawyer’s Fresh Market, John Chea No.4, Ronny Lexidor, Omak Enterprise and 3M Construction.

BAZARD FROM PAGE 12

programmes must be customised to these distinct needs. Research in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research supports the idea that different sports require different strength and power conditioning protocols.

Biomechanics: The Science Behind Movement Integrating biomechanics in training programmes ensures that movements are both efficient and safe. By understanding the mechanical laws that govern movements, athletes can improve their technique to enhance performance and minimise injury risk. For example, analysing the biomechanics of a tennis serve can lead to adjustments that increase serve speed while reducing shoulder strain.

Sport-Specific Training: Mimicking the Field of Play Key to enhancing athletic performance is

sport-specific training, a method that precisely replicates the demands of a given sport. For instance, a basketball player’s regimen should include exercises focusing on vertical jumps and lateral movements, directly mirroring on-court actions. This approach is at the heart of successful programmes like those at Empire Sports Medicine, where training is meticulously tailored to the unique requirements of each athlete’s sport.

Moreover, this specificity extends beyond physical exercises. It includes cognitive and tactical training, such as decision-making drills for soccer players, which replicate in-game scenarios. For swimmers, it might involve perfecting stroke techniques and turn efficiency, emphasizing movements specific to their events. At Empire Sports Medicine, we understand that each sport has its rhythm, pace, and unique set of demands, and our

training programmes are designed to mirror these specifics as closely as possible.

Incorporating technology, like motion analysis tools, further refines this approach by offering detailed insights into an athlete’s movement patterns, allowing for even more personalised training strategies. This level of customisation not only enhances performance but also significantly reduces the risk of sport-specific injuries. By understanding and training the body in the context of the sport’s unique demands, athletes can achieve a level of preparedness that transcends general fitness, making them more agile, efficient, and adept in their specific sporting arena.

Injury Prevention and Treatment: A Dual Focus in Athletic Excellence Injury prevention and treatment are essential aspects of sports performance training. This

approach goes beyond just muscle strengthening, encompassing flexibility and balance exercises to lower the risk of injuries.

When injuries do occur, it is crucial to integrate treatment with performance training for a complete recovery. This method is effectively demonstrated by professional sports teams, where sports medicine professionals and performance coaches collaborate closely to align an athlete’s rehabilitation with their performance goals.

The strategy includes techniques like proprioceptive training, which enhances body awareness and uses stability tools to improve balance. Ensuring adequate rest, proper nutrition, and hydration are also fundamental in recovery and injury prevention. Educating athletes about the signs of overtraining and the importance of reporting discomfort is key to preventing more serious injuries.

This

comprehensive approach not only treats but also prevents future injuries, maintaining the athlete’s long-term health and peak performance.

Real-Life Solutions: Translating Theory into Practice To implement these concepts, start with a thorough assessment of your specific sport’s demands and your current abilities. Consult with a sports performance coach to develop a tailored training plan. Regularly review and adjust this plan as you progress and as your needs change.

In Conclusion: A Comprehensive Path to Excellence Sports performance training is more than just lifting weights or running drills. It is a comprehensive approach that considers the unique demands of each sport and each athlete. By embracing this multifaceted training philosophy, athletes can push their boundaries and achieve new heights

of performance. This article aims to shed light on the sophisticated nature of sports performance training, guiding athletes in their pursuit of excellence.

Remember, the journey to peak performance is not a one-size-fits- all path but a personalised and evolving process. As we strive for greatness in our respective sports, let us embrace the full spectrum of training methodologies available to us.

UÊ ÀÊ i ÌÊ >â>À`Ê ÃÊ >Ê Bahamian sports medicine physician, sports performance coach, sports nutrition specialist and founder of Empire Sports Medicine. Our mission is to empower athletes to reach new heights while safeguarding their health and well-being. We understand the unique demands of sports activities, and we are dedicated to helping athletes prevent injuries, overcome challenges, optimise nutrition and performance.

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, December 29, 2023, PAGE 17

THE YEAR OF SOCIAL MEDIA SOUL-SEARCHING: TWITTER DIES, X AND THREADS ARE BORN AND AI GETS PERSONAL CHARACTERS removed from a sign on the Twitter headquarters building are piled on a street in San Francisco on July 24, 2023.

A little more than a year ago, Elon Musk walked into Twitter’s San Francisco headquarters, fired its CEO and other top executives and began transforming the social media platform into what’s now known as X. Photo:Godofredo A. Vásquez/AP

By BARBARA ORTUTAY AP Technology Writer WE LOST Twitter and got X. We tried out Bluesky and Mastodon (well, some of us did). We fretted about AI bots and teen mental health. We cocooned in private chats and scrolled endlessly as we did in years past. For social media users, 2023 was a year of beginnings and endings, with some soul-searching in between.

Here's a look back at some of the biggest stories in social media in 2023 — and what to watch for next year: GOODBYE TWITTER A little more than a year ago, Elon Musk walked into Twitter 's San Francisco headquarters, fired its CEO and other top executives and began transforming the social media platform into what's now known as X. Musk revealed the X logo in July. It quickly replaced Twitter's name and its whimsical blue bird icon, online and on the company's San Francisco headquarters.

"And soon we shall bid adieu to the twitter brand and, gradually, all the birds," Musk posted on the site.

Because of its public nature and because it attracted public figures, journalists and other highprofile users, Twitter always had an outsized influence on popular culture — but that influence seems to be waning.

"It had a lot of problems even before Musk took it over, but it was beloved brand with a clear role in the social media landscape," said Jasmine Enberg, a social media analyst at Insider Intelligence.

"There are still moments of Twitter magic on the platform, like when journalists

took the platform to post real-time updates about the OpenAI drama, and the smaller communities on the platform remain important to many users.

But the Twitter of the past 17 years is largely gone, and X's reason for existence is murky."

Since Musk's takeover, X has been bombarded by allegations of misinformation and racism, endured significant advertising losses and suffered declines in usage. It didn't help when Musk went on an expletiveridden rant in an on-stage interview about companies that had halted spending on X. Musk asserted that advertisers that pulled out were engaging in "blackmail" and, using a profanity, essentially told them to get lost.

Continuing the trend of welcoming back users who had been banned by the former Twitter for hate speech or spreading misinformation, in December, Musk restored the X account of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, pointing

to an unscientific poll he posted to his followers that came out in favor of the Infowars host who repeatedly called the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting a hoax.

LGBTQ and other organizations supporting marginalized groups, meanwhile, have been raising alarms about X becoming less safe. In April, for instance, it quietly removed a policy against the "targeted misgendering or deadnaming of transgender individuals. In June, the advocacy group GLAAD called it "the most dangerous platform for LGBTQ people."

GLSEN, an LGBTQ education group, announced in December that it was leaving X, joining other groups such as the suicide prevention nonprofit Trevor Project, saying that Musk's changes "have birthed a new platform that enables its users to harass and target the LGBTQ+ community without restriction or discipline."

HELLO THREADS. BLUESKY

X.

AND AND

Musk's ambitions for X include transforming the platform into an "everything app" — like China's WeChat, for instance. The problem? It's not clear if U.S. and Western audiences are keen on the idea.

And Musk himself has been pretty vague on the specifics.

While X contends with an identity crisis, some users began looking for a replacement. Mastodon was one contender, along with Bluesky, which actually grew out of Twitter — a pet project of former CEO Jack Dorsey, who still sits on its board of directors.

When tens of thousands of people, many of them fed-up Twitter users, began signing up for the (still) invite-only Bluesky in the spring, the app had less than 10 people working on it, said CEO Jay Graber recently.

This meant "scrambling to keep everything working, keeping people online,

scrambling to add features that we had on the roadmap," she said. For weeks, the work was simply "scaling" — ensuring that the systems could handle the influx.

"We had one person on the app for a while, which was very funny, and there were memes about Paul versus all of Twitter's engineers," she recalled.

"I don't think we hired a second app developer until after the crazy growth spurt."

Seeing an opportunity to lure in disgruntled Twitter users, Facebook parent Meta launched its own rival, Threads, in July. It soared to popularity as tens of millions began signing up — though keeping people on has been a bit of a challenge. Then, in December, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced in a surprise move that the company was testing interoperability — the idea championed by Mastodon, Bluesky and other decentralized social networks that people should be able to use their accounts on different platforms — kind of like your email address or phone number.

"Starting a test where posts from Threads accounts will be available on Mastodon and other services that use the ActivityPub protocol," Zuckerberg posted on Threads in December.

"Making Threads interoperable will give people more choice over how they interact and it will help content reach more people.

I'm pretty optimistic about this."

MENTAL WORRIES

Social media's impact on children's mental health hurtled toward a reckoning this year, with the U.S. surgeon general warning in May that there is not enough evidence to show that social media is safe for children and teens — and calling on tech companies, parents and caregivers to take "immediate action to protect kids now."

"We're asking parents to manage a technology that's rapidly evolving that fundamentally changes how their kids think about themselves, how they build friendships, how they experience the world — and technology, by the way, that prior generations never had to manage," Dr. Vivek Murthy told The Associated Press. "And we're putting all of that on the shoulders of parents, which is just simply not fair."

In October, dozens of U.S. states sued Meta for harming young people and contributing to the youth mental health crisis by knowingly and deliberately designing features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children to its platforms.

In November, Arturo Béjar, a former engineering director at Meta, testified before a Senate subcommittee about social media and the teen mental health crisis, hoping to shed light on how Meta executives, including Zuckerberg, knew about the harms Instagram was causing but chose not to make meaningful changes to address them.

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HEALTH

PAGE 18, Friday, December 29, 2023

THE TRIBUNE

STOCK MARKET TODAY

Stocks waver in muted holiday trading on Wall Street

By DAMIAN J. TROISE AP Business Writer STOCKS drifted to a mixed finish in muted trading on Wall Street Thursday as markets approach the end of 2023.

The broader market remained mostly quiet ahead of the final trading day of the year, though every major index is on track for weekly gains.

The S&P 500 rose 1.77 points, or less than 0.1% to 4,783.35. It is on track for its ninth straight week of gains and is up more than 24% for the year. The twomonth rally has also pushed the benchmark index closer to breaking its all-time high set in January of 2022.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 53.58 points, or 0.1%, to 37,710.10.

The Nasdaq composite fell 4.04 points, or less than 0.1%, to 15,095.14. It has far outpaced the broader market this year and is on track to close 2023 with a gain of more than 44%.

Markets in Asia gained ground. Tokyo's Nikkei 225 index was an outlier in Asia, shedding 0.4%. Speculation over whether and when the Bank of Japan might ease its longstanding lax monetary policy and raise its key interest rate from minus 0.1% has kept stocks wobbling in the world's third-largest economy.

Markets in Europe fell.

There are few economic indicators out of

Washington this week.

The latest weekly report on unemployment benefits showed that applications rose last week, but not enough to raise concerns about the labor market or broader economy. The overall jobs market has been strong throughout 2023 and has been a driving force for the economy.

The average longterm U.S. mortgage rate retreated for the ninth straight week to its lowest level since May, according to mortgage buyer Freddie Mac. Mortgage rates have been easing since late October, along with long-term Treasury yields.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury surpassed 5.00% in October, but has also

been generally falling since then. It rose to 3.84% on Thursday from 3.79% late Wednesday.

There was also a lack of big corporate news for investors.

Two higher-end models of the Apple Watch can go on sale again after a federal court temporarily lifted a sales halt ordered by the International Trade Commission due to a patent dispute. Apple rose 0.2%.

Technology and communication company stocks had some of the biggest gains. Chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices rose 1.8%.

U.S. crude oil prices fell 3.2% and weighed down energy stocks. Hess fell 2.6%.

Companies are close to wrapping up their latest financial quarter and the next big batch of news will come when they start releasing those results later in January. Overall, companies in the S&P 500 have notched relatively strong profit gains after stumbling during the first half of 2023.

That has given Wall Street more hope the economy will remain strong in 2024.

Analysts polled by FactSet expect companies in the S&P 500 to report earnings growth of 1.4% in the fourth quarter and say profit growth should accelerate next year.

Inflation has steadily eased since 2022 and should continue cooling into next year. The Federal

Reserve's preferred measure of inflation fell to 2.6% in November from a peak of 7.1% in 2022. That has helped improve forecasts for companies worried about inflation squeezing consumers and raising costs.

Economic data over the last few months have raised hopes that the economy can dodge a recession. Wall Street is betting that the Fed is done raising interest rates and will likely shift to rate cuts in the new year.

The central bank has held rates steady since its meeting in July, and Wall Street expects it to start cutting rates as early as March.

New weight loss drugs are out of reach for millions of older Americans because Medicare won’t pay

By AMANDA SEITZ Associated Press

— Medicare should cover obesity drugs:

NEW obesity drugs are showing promising results in helping some people shed pounds but the injections will remain out of reach for millions of older Americans because Medicare is forbidden to cover such medications.

Drugmakers and a wide-ranging and growing bipartisan coalition of lawmakers are gearing up to push for that to change next year.

As obesity rates rise among older adults, some lawmakers say the United States cannot afford to keep a decades-old law that prohibits Medicare from paying for new weight loss drugs, including Wegovy and Zepbound.

But research shows the initial price tag of covering those drugs is so steep it could drain Medicare's already shaky bank account.

A look at the debate around if — and how

WHAT OBESITY DRUGS ARE ON THE MARKET AND HOW DO THEY WORK? The Food and Drug Administration has in recent years approved a new class of weekly injectables, Novo Nordisk's Wegovy and Eli Lilly's Zepbound, to treat obesity.

People can lose as much as 15% to 25% of their body weight on the drugs, which imitate the hormones that regulate appetites by communicating fullness between the gut and brain when people eat.

The cost of the drugs, beloved by celebrities, has largely limited them to the wealthy. A monthly supply of Wegovy rings up at $1,300 and Zepbound will put you out $1,000. Shortages for the drugs have also limited the supplies. Private insurers often do not cover the medications or place

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE Pursuant to the provisions of Section 138 (8) of the International Business Companies Act (as amended), NOTICE is hereby given that Cape Orson Limited has been dissolved and has been struck from the Register with effect 22nd November, 2023.

Alexandre Sampedro and Juliana Glinton LIQUIDATORS c/o EFG Bank & Trust (Bahamas) Ltd Goodman’s Bay Corporate Centre, 3rd Floor West Bay Street and Sea View Drive P.O. Box CB 10956 Nassau, Bahamas

strict restrictions on who can access them.

Last month, a large, international study found a 20% reduced risk of serious heart problems such as heart attacks in patients who took Wegovy.

WHY DOESN'T MEDICARE COVER THE DRUGS? Long before Oprah Winfrey and TikTok influencers alike gushed about the benefits of these weight loss drugs, Congress made a rule: Medicare Part D, the health insurance plan for older Americans to get prescriptions, could not cover medications used to help gain or lose weight.

Medicare will cover obesity screening and behavioral treatment if a person has a body mass index over 30.

People with BMIs over 30 are considered obese.

The rule was tacked onto legislation passed

by Congress in 2003 that overhauled Medicare's prescription drug benefits.

THE U.S. Medicare Handbook is photographed in Washington, Nov. 8, 2018. Obesity drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound that are capturing the attention of celebrities and showing promising results in helping people shed pounds will stay out of reach for America’s older adults. A decadesold law on the books bans Medicare from paying for weight loss drugs.

Photo:Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP Lawmakers balked at paying high costs for drugs to treat a condition that was historically regarded as cosmetic. Safety problems in the 1990s with the antiobesity treatment known as fen-phen, which had to be withdrawn from the market, were also fresh in their minds.

Medicaid, the state and federal partnership program for low-income people, does cover the

NOTICE This is to inform the general public that the prvate roadways and parking areas situated in the

Harbour Bay Shopping Plaza between East Bay Street and Shirley Street will be closed on MONDAY, 1ST JANUARY 2024 in order to preserve the right of way ownership thereof.

- The Owners

drugs in some areas, but access is fragmented.

THE CONVERSATION IS SHIFTING New studies are showing the drugs do more than help patients slim down.

Rep. Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio, introduced legislation with Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-Calif., this year that would allow Medicare to cover the now-forbidden anti-obesity drugs, therapy, nutritionists and dietitians.

"For years there was a stigma against these people, then there was a stigma about talking about obesity," Wenstrup said in an interview with The Associated Press. "Now we're in a place where we're saying this is a health problem we need to deal with this."

He believes the intervention could alleviate all sorts of ailments associated with obesity that cost the system money.

"The problem is so prevalent," Wenstrup said.

"People are starting to realize you have to take into consideration the savings that comes with better health."

Last year, about 40% of the nearly 66 million people enrolled in Medicare had obesity.

That roughly mirrors the larger U.S. population, where 42% of adults struggle with obesity, according to the Centers

for Disease Control and Prevention.

Notably, Medicare does cover certain surgical procedures to treat medical complications of obesity in people with a BMI of 35 and at least one related condition. Congress approved the exception in 2006, noted Mark McClellan, a former head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the FDA. The 17-year-old law may provide a blueprint for expanding coverage of the new drugs, which mirror the results of bariatric surgery in some cases, McClellan said. Evidence showed that the surgery reduced the risks of death and serious illness from conditions related to obesity.

"And that's been the basis for coverage all this time," McClellan said.

COST IS NOW THE ISSUE Still, the upfront price tag for lifting the rule remains a challenge.

Some research shows offering weight loss drugs would assure Medicare's impending bankruptcy.

A Vanderbilt University analysis this year put an annual price of about $26 billion on anti-obesity drugs for Medicare if just 10% of the system's enrollees were prescribed the medication.

LEGAL NOTICE

LEGAL NOTICE

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE

NOTICE

NOTICE

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 138 (8) of the International Business Companies Act (as amended), NOTICE is hereby given that Dreaming Tree Limited has been dissolved and has been struck from the Register with effect from November 28th, 2023.

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 138 (8) of the International Business Companies Act (as amended), NOTICE is hereby given that Lito Corporation Ltd. has been dissolved and has been struck from the Register with effect from 22nd November, 2023.

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 138 (8) of the International Business Companies Act (as amended), NOTICE is hereby given that GNS Investments Corp. has been dissolved and has been struck from the Register with effect from 22nd November, 2023.

Geminorum Ltd. LIQUIDATORS c/o EFG Bank & Trust (Bahamas) Ltd Goodman’s Bay Corporate Centre, 3rd Floor West Bay Street and Sea View Drive P.O. Box CB 10956 Nassau, Bahamas

Alexandre Sampedro and Juliana Glinton LIQUIDATORS c/o EFG Bank & Trust (Bahamas) Ltd Goodman’s Bay Corporate Centre, 3rd Floor West Bay Street and Sea View Drive P.O. Box CB 10956 Nassau, Bahamas

Alexandre Sampedro and Juliana Glinton LIQUIDATORS c/o EFG Bank & Trust (Bahamas) Ltd Goodman’s Bay Corporate Centre, 3rd Floor West Bay Street and Sea View Drive P.O. Box CB 10956 Nassau, Bahamas

THE TRIBUNE

Friday, December 29, 2023, PAGE 19

Skydive company told to stop advertising its jumps FROM PAGE A24 Jumping Operating Certificate expired on November 10, 2023, you do not have the authorisation to conduct skydiving operations until your company has secured a current Skydiving/Parachute Jumping Operating Certificate. If you are found to be conducting operations without the required authorisation,

enforcement action will immediately follow.”

Vans Johnson, Skydive Bahamas chief executive, told Tribune Business he plans to make his first jump in the first week in January and has made application to CAAB requesting permission.

He also said: “I just finished talking to my pilots and my workers, asking them to confirm with me

that they will be here for next week. I’m getting too many requests by email of people wanting to jump and I’m just waiting on them.

“So what I’m going to do is I’m going to pull the trigger because I have done everything that CAAB has asked me to do. I’ve absorbed all of the losses and I have kept quiet about it. But I think as a Bahamian and as a professional,

his behalf so he can confirm a date to commence providing jumps.

Mr Johnson wrote: “We have been losing up to $25,000 per week plus financial (keeping lease for planes and staff on hand to begin operations) and public embarrassment, while waiting for approval of operations that have already been approved.

(We have discussed this

in an email that is also

‘DON’T REVISE ENTIRE BUILDING CODE - JUST ADJUST FOR CERTAIN ISLANDS’

Biden administration grants Louisiana power to approve carbon capture wells

By MICHAEL PHILLIS Associated Press THE Biden administration is handing Louisiana regulators new power to attract and approve carbon capture projects at a time when the state's influential energy sector wants to make the Gulf Coast a hub for the rapidly expanding industry.

Louisiana will be able to issue permits for wells that store carbon dioxide, a critical component of carbon capture and removal technology. In all but two other states, the Environmental Protection Agency is responsible for permitting.

Proponents of the change say it will speed up approvals of new projects that are critical for reducing climatewarming greenhouse gas emissions.

Environmental groups had opposed the move, doubting that a state home to a concentrated stretch of oil, gas and petrochemical plants commonly called "cancer alley" is capable of proper industry oversight and protecting residents.

The EPA said the Louisiana agreement includes safeguards to protect poorer, often majority-Black communities that live near those facilities — and that those standards will serve as a model for other states.

"It can be done in a way that builds in environmental justice principles that allow for the community to participate in the process and ensures that these communities are safe," EPA Administrator Michael Regan said Thursday.

The Biden administration has said enhancing environmental justice is a priority and that it would focus its enforcement power on communities already burdened by too much pollution. The EPA said it secured commitments from Louisiana to have a robust public participation process and to consider how new wells might harm communities

near polluting sites and possibly reduce harm.

Carbon capture technology is aimed at reducing emissions from industrial sources like ethanol plants and coal-fired power plants.

The captured carbon can be transported for injection in wells deep underground. It is these wells that Louisiana will now have the power to approve.

The Biden administration has increased tax breaks for developers of carbon capture projects and provided large grants, including for an ambitious plan in Louisiana to remove carbon directly from the air. Developers have responded, flooding the EPA with permit applications for new wells, but only a handful of carbon capture projects are currently operating and few wells have been approved so far.

In Louisiana, developers have proposed roughly 30 carbon capture projects, among the most of any state, according to a tracker maintained by the climatefocused group Clean Air Task Force.

Louisiana officials welcomed the EPA's decision, saying it will help make the state a major carbon capture player and reduce industrial emissions.

"We have seen unprecedented interest in carbon sequestration projects over the past couple of years, with companies reaching out to our office to express interest in what the regulatory framework will be," Louisiana Department of Natural Resources Commissioner of Conservation Monique Edwards said in a statement Thursday.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards and other political leaders have argued that the state's robust petrochemical industry along the Mississippi River, geology that's well suited for carbon storage and plenty of existing infrastructure make it the perfect place for carbon capture development.

NOTICE NOTICE is hereby given that JOHN ROCK, Eneas Jumper Corner, The Bahamas applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 21th day of December 2023 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

attached. It is crucial for us to begin operating our business at a successful level in all areas, starting with our services.

Unfortunately,

we are currently unable to fulfill the requests of our customers, who email us daily to purchase tickets.”

construction more costly for consumer.

This is a delicate balancing act with the country dealing with the effects of climate change, such as more and stronger hurricanes. Many buildings destroyed during Hurricane Dorian in September 2019 had not been built

to current building codes - but even if they were, would likely have still been destroyed by Dorian.

Mr Sands said: “The building code on certain islands need to be revisited, but the entire building code does not need to be touched and they should address it that way.

He said there should be just a “caveat” that when building on the shoreline, just make minor improvements but not the entire thing needs to be revised, but Mr Sands is not sure if this is the approach that the government is taking despite being on the committee that is overseeing this attempt at revising the building code.

Calls to Mr Sweeting and Craig Delancey, deputy director at the Ministry of Works responsible for overseeing this effort, were not returned up to press time.

Slowdown in inflation, reports Central Bank

maintenance (4.1 percent).

In addition, average prices for miscellaneous goods & services firmed to 2.1 percen, following a 1.1 percent decline in 2022.”

Debra Symonette, Super Value’s president, concurred and said that there have been a few decreases among grocery items particularly in corned beef and sugar. But produce items remain at the levels they were all year long, with little to no ease.

She also addressed the recent recall of Quaker

granola products off of the shelves in the US and if it affected Super Value, which she said it did and the supplier, Thompson Trading, removed all of the affected Quaker products off of the shelves already.

Meanwhile, Super Value had a steady Christmas season with customers getting back to their regular shopping habits they had before 2020.

She also said: “We’re hoping that things will continue to go well and prices remain steady.”

the island, engage with locals, partake of the cuisine and enjoy the activities.

“Domestic tourists have really helped Rollezz a lot and trip advisors giving us the travellers choice award I think really galvanised a lot of people to come and see Cat Island and what makes us the Best of the Best,” he said.

“Most people don’t come to Cat Island because there’s excellent hotels, they come to have adventures. There are things to do, places to dine and eat and all kinds of exploration and that’s what motivates them, we just make it easier for guests to have a great afternoon and to find yourself.”

FROM PAGE A24

EPA Administrator Michael Regan stands near the Marathon Petroleum Refinery as he conducts a television interview, while touring neighborhoods that abut the refinery, in Reserve, La., Nov. 16, 2021. The Biden administration is granting Louisiana’s request to administer its own permit program for wells that store carbon dioxide. It will be just the third state to take over that job from the EPA. The EPA said the Louisiana agreement includes safeguards to protect poorer, often majority-Black communities that live near those facilities. Regan said Thursday, Dec. 28, 2023, “It can be done in a way that builds in environmental justice principles that allow for the community to participate in the process and ensures that these communities are safe.”

Photo:Gerald Herbert/AP

I have exhausted all avenues especially as a small man.”

Calls to CAAB were unsuccessful up to press time. Mr Johnson has also sent further correspondence to Niko Davis, director of Family Island Airports at the Airport Authority, and Alexander Ferguson, director of the Civil Aviation Authority, asking them to intervene on

Clay Sweeting, Minister of Works and Local Government, said at the last Office of the Prime Minister press briefing that the reason why the revision for the code is taking so long is because the ministry does not want to make the codes too stringent to make home

FROM PAGE A24 in the prior year. Likewise, average inflation slowed for food & non-alcoholic beverages (8.8 percent); restaurants and hotels (6.6 percent); clothing & footwear (2.6 percent); and education (1.4 percent).

Providing some offset, average inflation quickened for recreation & culture (12.7 percent); alcohol beverages, tobacco & narcotics (7.9 percent); health (6.0 percent); housing, water, gas, electricity & other fuels (5.0 percent); and furnishing, household equipment & routine household

‘Airlift holding back Cat Island tourism’ FROM PAGE A24 Mr Rolle credited this award as well as the resort’s steady flow of domestic

visitors for the successful year that has seen.

He added that most visitors choose the destination because they are adventure seekers and like to explore

PAGE 20, Friday, December 29, 2023

THE TRIBUNE

Driving into the new year with new jeep thanks to BTC BTC'S Christmas Is On Us campaign reached its finale on Saturday with the presentation of the grand prize of a 2024 Kia Sonet Jeep.

Darlene Brennen was the lucky winner, having been entered to win when she purchased a BTC fiber bundle for her niece, Shandia Brennen. Both were present at the Mall at Marathon retail store on Saturday to celebrate the big win.

Darlene was one of ten finalists whose names were randomly selected to be eligible for the grand prize.

The finalists were invited to BTC’s Mall at Marathon store, where they were asked to pull a balloon from a box and pop it to receive the prize outlined on a piece of paper contained inside the balloon.

All finalists who popped balloons received a prize, but it was Darleen whose gleeful screams filled the store as it was revealed she had won the new, fully loaded SUV. Brennen will also receive free comprehensive insurance for one year, courtesy of Colina General Insurance.

Brennen purchased a fiber plan shortly after BTC’s Christmas campaign was launched on November 11.

She said it was initially her mother who alerted her that she was a finalist, after receiving a call at home from BTC. She said her mother urged her and her niece to attend the grand giveaway announcement on Saturday, just to see if she would win.

“I told my mom we aren’t going to win, but we will go for the fun, and by God’s grace and mercy we won,” a tearful Darlene exclaimed.

“It feels like we are on top of the world. This girl [Brennen’s niece] brings good luck to me. My mom and I do our best to take care of her and I promised my now deceased sister that I was going to take care of her with everything in me.

Thank you BTC, thank you Sanpin Motors, thank you to everybody, but I must thank my God because I need him with every fiber of my being.”

Carole Barnett, BTC’s senior manager of marketing, said of the campaign: “It was just an excellent event. We started early on November 11th because we wanted to ensure that a lot of Bahamians would be able to sign up for our fiber services and our post-paid plans. Our finalists were all excited to be entered to win the Jeep with comprehensive insurance, and the individual who won today will be able to drive into 2024 vehicle debt-free.”

Throughout its six-week Christmas Is On Us campaign, BTC gave away more than $100,000 in cash and prizes. Many signing up for services or paying their bill in full received Visa gift cards, gas vouchers, VIP movie tickets, gift vouchers or tickets to the Black Bottles concert featuring Rick Ross in Grand Bahama.

Also, during BTC’s 12 days of Christmas campaign from December 13–24, several prizes were awarded to persons who participated and one Samsung A54 was given away daily.

THE BAHAMAS PERFORMANCE FOR 2023 AND OUTLOOK FOR 2024 FROM PAGE A22 austere measures to contain expenditure. This we readily recognize may become moot if the IMF is totally wrong. 2024 represent a midpoint of the administration current term and it is to be anticipated that there will be pressures brought to bear on the delivery of programs and initiatives promised.

This holds implications for spending and why it is advisable to adopt the IDB’s recommendation of taking early look at the fiscal targets and making requite adjustments. As it stands success for fiscal outcomes, from a newsworthy point of view, would be any number which is significantly lower than the $379m stated by the IMF, from an objective perspective a maintenance of the downward trend of the deficit would be reasonable. This position will become more easily appreciated with where there is early discussion and narrative around such a possibility allowing for early credit market adjustments and strategic shifts in the private sector and broad appreciation of the realities by the country at large.

Until there is more available information it is risky to land on any one definitive position as to fiscal performance. I believe though that while developments may not progress as speedily as we desire and while there are important challenges to be addressed the country is

in a reasonable position to address same. While there are broad areas which have perennially escaped the attention needed there is sufficient stability to make a concerted attempt at changing this reality in 2024. As the year in which the fiscal shift into surpluses is expected to be launched, policy makers should treat it’s the messaging value its performance carries in shaping or adjusting policy positions with a view of securing the best possible outcomes, maintaining the integrity of the path to remediating the existing debt circumstances and set the country on a clear path for increased fiscal prosperity and economic growth.

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Share your news The Tribune wants to hear from people who are making news in their neighbourhoods. Perhaps you are raising funds for a good cause, campaigning for improvements in the area or have won an award. If so, call us on 322-1986 and share your story.

BTC’s Christmas Is On Us campaign winner, Darlene Brennen(Center) is pictured with her niece Shandia Brennen and BTC executives Carole Barnett, Keisha Edwards, Drexel Woods and Tamica Colebrooke. Also pictured are a representative from Colina Insurance and Sanpin Motors.

THIS brand new 2024 KIA Sonet was on display at BTC’s Mall at Marathon on December 23rd when the lucky winner was announced.

PAGE 22, Friday, December 29, 2023

THE TRIBUNE

THE BAHAMAS PERFORMANCE FOR 2023 AND OUTLOOK FOR 2024

I

t is beyond doubt that the reported performance of the country for the last fiscal, 2022-23, has been noteworthy. Following two years of deep decline, due to the COVID19 pandemic, and an intervening “bounce back” year, 2023 has seen positive economic performance for the country but unfortunately lacking in sufficient potency to seriously start to change our fortunes.

Policy makers in their projections recognise that this would be a longer term process. The question which looms large therefore is whether fiscal 2023-24 can continue to deliver the requisite levels of stabilising effect. I would expect the economic performance, especially in tourism, to continue well into 2024, however, the performance of and overall improvement of the fiscal state of the country will demand other intentional actions.

Reforms no matter how unattractive is needed for help accelerate and sustain growth.

Based on budget performance, the deficit was anticipated at $575m for 2022-23. The actual result was notably lower at $533m, a difference of $42m. Contextually therefore, while

HUBERT EDWARDS BY

the reported first quarter deficit of $58m for of 2023-24 has raised some alarm, both periods taken together, in absolute terms, ought not to be seen as a fiscal crisis. Such a conclusion would require deeper assessment and analysis. In the grand scheme of things a deficit of $50m should be able to attract reasonable explanations. I am therefore hesitant to simply make a year over year comparison.

Explainable and would rather wait on the release of post quarter information.

Of importance revenue, which carried a significant level of uncertainty at the start of the 2022-23 fiscal

year, came in almost on budget. Actual revenue was $2,855.8m compared to a budgeted target of $2,857.3m, less than $2m difference. The argument then was whether revenue could be garnered without new taxes. In the end it was an argument which largely turned on description, fees versus taxes. Regardless of one’s prefer descriptor, the administration proved that it was able to raise the revenue it desired. The question now is whether the increases achieved remain sustainable and if sustainable sufficient to support any expansion being experienced in expenditure.

All things being equal, at this stage, there should be no great cause for alarm. Such a position must however be tempered by the fact that the $58m first quarter deficit represents 51 percent of the total amount budgeted for the entire fiscal. Having regard for late reporting this carries with it a level of uncertainty. Context however is critical. The budget was set to deliver a deficit of .9 percent. I have argued from the outset that this target may have been much too aggressive.

I have always maintain the view that subject to the

preservation of a continued downward trajectory a reasonable target of 1 to 1.5 percent would have been adequate.

The landscape has however been changed dramatically with the intervention of the IMF and its pronouncement of a 2.6 percent or $379m deficit.

From a fiscal perspective this development looms large over the expected performance of the country for the remaining six month of fiscal 2023-24 and the rest of the 2024 calendar year and holds serious implications for the country’s debt and creditworthiness, one of the paramount targets of government policy through to year 2027. There is a concern relative to the cadence at which the fiscal reporting is being released.

It conveys a messaging which is open to interpretation and is likely to feed into existing negative credit sentiments.

Maintaining tis cadence creates the risk that every adverse outcome will become magnified. It must be anticipated that the MOF will rectify this important matter.

Overall the reconsolidation of the economy in 2023 has performed beyond expectation which plays very positively to the

benefit of the country. The performance of Tourism has been record breaking in a number of regards and provides reasonable grounds for optimism going forward.

Objective assessment would conclude that the fiscal affairs of the country has been generally held stable without the emergence of any significant domestic issues of any major concern.

On balance, this is the circumstance needed to start the journey towards addressing the very crucial underlying challenging being imposed by the debt realities of the country.

The pronouncements by the IMF therefore takes on serious implications when contemplated against the back drop of superlative performance in the country’s leading industry. Are we at a point where cash flow is waning?

Progress has been made in stabilizing the economy post pandemic but we are not yet out of the woods. It is my view that early adjustments may be required to keep the country on the path initially laid out the current administration’s first “official” budget. It is my view that there must be greater urgency in addressing the areas which are well known and overdue for

reforms. The performance of Tourism suggests that unless there is a massive growth spurt over a reasonably sustained period, the current circumstances will not change easily without reform intervention, fiscal and otherwise. Tourism is expected to continue to do well but need the support of other productive sectors. The recently released numbers shows that 45 percent of expenditure is consumes by emoluments and cost of debt. The room for maneuvering is indeed limited given that these and other costs are very inflexible. Reforms therefore will require current action for mid to longer term payback.

Based in the forgoing, should the pronounced shift in the deficit hold, the government’s biggest concern in 2024 will be its ability to effectively marshal and avoid a cash flow crunch.

Consequently all efforts which improves or speak positively to the improvement of the country’s credit worthiness should be up for discussion and squarely in the table. This starts with low hanging fruits of timely reporting and extends to the more difficult task, if necessary of employing

SEE PAGE A20

business@tribunemedia.net

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2023

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By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net BAHAMAS Contractors Association president Leonard Sands said yesterday that the entire building code does not need to be revised - just the code for certain islands.

Mr Sands spoke to Tribune Business about the length of LEONARD SANDS time it is taking to revise Bahamas building codes and said more stringent measures will end up increasing the cost to build.

He said: “The more requirements you put in there for the contractor, it gets passed on to consumers. If you’re asking for increase in the shear load on a wall, because you can do a block wall without having any vertical and horizontal reinforcement and if the code changes and now you have to include vertical and horizontal reinforcement of the perimeter, then you’re talking about the perimeter of your home going up by a certain percentage because of the new requirement of steel in the perimeter walls all the way up.

“Right now only an engineer would recommend that kind of change to your perimeter wall. But if the ministry of works were to make a sweeping change to the building code, making that mandatory, then the cost of construction will go up. It really depends on what the changes in the building codes are going to be and which areas of the code they are talking about changing.”

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$5.59

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$5.29

‘Airlift holding back Cat Island tourism’

By FAY SIMMONS Tribune Business Reporters jsimmons@tribunemedia.net A CAT Island hotelier said the tourism market in the southern islands is only constrained by a lack of airlift.

Carl Rolle, owner of Rollezz Villas and Beach Resort in Cat Island, said his hotel was fully booked over the holiday season, with strong bookings to continue into early next year.

Speaking to Tribune Business yesterday, Mr Rolle said there are currently a number of guests on the island, staying at both resorts and short-term rentals and that the volume of inquires reveal a high visitor demand for the destination that is only limited by the available airlift.

“Christmas went well, starting on the 22 of December

t )PUFMJFS TBZT SFTPSUTUISJWJOH CVU HVFTUT IBWF EJGmDVMUZ CPPLJOH nJHIUT t 'VMM GPS $ISJTUNBT BOE 'FCSVBSZ TFU UP CF OFBSDBQBDJUZ BU SFTPSU UPP t 5IJOHT DPVME CF AFWFOCFUUFS XJUI JNQSPWFE nJHIU DPOOFDUJPOT we were full and it will be like that until the end of this month and then right into January we may be about 50 percent and February well be close to 100 percent,” he said.

“I suspect we aren’t the only resort that did well over this period there are a lot of tourists in the market.”

“The thing is this is the tourist season, from here up

to May we will have a lot a tourists, I think the limiting factor is the airlift,” he added.

Mr Rolle explained that due to the limited flight schedule, potential guests often have issues booking connecting flights from New Providence or Florida and noted that although the tourism industry in the southern Bahamas is gaining momentum it could

be “even better” if there was adequate airlift to meet visitor demand.

“I have a guest now that is trying to come in from New Jersey, but they are having difficulties because they are coming in [to New Providence] at 12.30, but the Cat Island flight leaves at 1. And trying to connect with Western Air’s flight to Florida the timing is bad,” he said.

“So, these are the issues that we and other islands in the southern region have with our guests and airlift and if we are able to solve them, we would be able to do even better.”

Rollezz Villas and Beach Resort received Trip Advisor’s Traveller’s Choice Best of the Best Award for 2023 due to high guest reviews and ratings.

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Slowdown in inflation, reports Central Bank

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net THE Central Bank of The Bahamas said inflation slowed to 4.1 percent in its monthly economic developments report for November.

The bank said: “Average domestic consumer price inflation—as measured by the All Bahamas Retail Price Index—slowed to 4.1 percent during the twelve

months to September, from 5.1 percent in the comparative 2022 period, as the rise in global oil prices moderated, vis-à-vis the same period last year.

It continued: “Specifically, the average price for communication declined by 0.1 percent, after posting a 10.5 percent increase last year. Further, the rise in the average cost of transport decreased notably to 0.1 percent from 15.0 percent

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Skydive company told to stop advertising its jumps t $PNQBOZ IPQFT UP CFHJO PQFSBUJPOT JO mSTU XFFL PG +BOVBSZ t $""# XSPUF UP mSN XBSOJOH BHBJOTU TPDJBM

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net A SKYDIVING excursion provider has been warned by the Civil Aviation Authority of The Bahamas (CAAB) to not advertise any jumps until given further approval.

Vans Johnson, of Skydive Bahamas, is hoping to start jumps in the new year - but documents seen by Tribune Business sent to Mr Johnson from the Civil Aviation Authority of The Bahamas (CAAB), signed by its lawyer, Ryan Sands, say that despite being warned by the regulator to not advertise any jumps prior

to approval, Skydive Bahamas nonetheless has been advertising on their various social media pages.

The letter, dated December 7, 2023, said: “We urge… Skydive Bahamas to come into the CAA-B and gain authorisation to conduct skydiving operations before holding out to the public that Skydive Bahamas is authorised to conduct such an activity.

This is to carry out CAAB’s mandate of ensuring the safety and security of the operation and the public who participates in it.

“Consequently, as Skydive Bahamas Adventures’ Skydiving/Parachute

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