12302022 NEWS, SPORT AND BUSINESS

FTX’S

Value of assets controlled by Securities Commission is confirmed in statement

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

MORE than $3.5bn worth of digital assets from FTX Digital Markets have been transferred to digital wallets that are now under the control of the Securities Commission of The Bahamas “for safekeeping”, it was revealed last night.

Although the transfer was previously disclosed, the local regulatory body revealed the value of assets under its watch in a statement issued to the press late yesterday following weeks-long speculation and after facing heavy criticism from US debtors over the issue. In yesterday’s press

release, SCB also revealed that it had applied to the Supreme Court seeking directions regarding access to FTX’s records.

Bahamian joint provisional liquidators of the failed crypto currency exchange have been locked in a near two-month long battle with US debtors concerning the former’s inability to gain access to the company’s data.

This latest action comes after liquidators, on December 9, filed an emergency motion with the Delaware bankruptcy court requesting that it order FTX’s new CEO John Ray to grant the necessary access that has been denied since November 12, 2022.

CHARITY ALARM AT BID TO TAKE BACK FTX DONATIONS

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

LOCAL charities are shocked to learn that the collapsed cryptocurrency exchange FTX has announced they are seeking the return of donations made by its former management.

The FTX Trading Ltd, the US arm of FTX, is urging all recipients of contributions to voluntarily return funds for the benefit of customers. However, it is unclear whether donations received by local entities

are also required to be returned.

“To the extent such payments are not returned voluntarily, the FTX debtors intend to commence actions before the Bankruptcy Court to require the return of such payments, with interest accruing from the date any action is commenced,” FTX said in a statement last week.

“Recipients are cautioned that making a payment or donation to a third party (including a charity) in the amount of

READY TO TAKE ON THE UNIVERSE

‘DIFFICULT DECISIONS’ MUST BE MADE, WARNS MINNIS

By LETRE SWEETING lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday warned that the Davis administration will have to make some difficult decisions with the Bahamian public in mind, just as he did during the pandemic

two years ago with regard to the depleted state of the NIB fund.

Dr Minnis’ comments followed those of Myles Laroda, minister of state with responsibility for the NIB, who on Wednesday said that the government’s decision regarding the fund

TWELVE crew members had to be evacuated after a cargo ship began taking on water in the Abaco area yesterday.

There were concerns about the possible environmental impact the incident could have, given the ship’s steel cargo and heavy fuel oil on board.

Last night, the Ministry of Transport and Housing said the vessel — mv Onego Traveller — was in distress around Hole in the Wall,

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net

and Barbuda that was built in 2002, reportedly began taking on water in the ballast water tank area.

“Due to adverse weather conditions, attempts to beach the vessel to a nearby sandbank to remove fuel and conduct repairs proved unsuccessful,” the ministry said.

“The ministry is advised that remaining cargo onboard is ferix in bulk and steel products. The fuel

MISS Bahamas Universe Angel Cartwright left the country yesterday for Louisiana to prepare for the upcoming Miss Universe pageant. Ms Cartwright, a private banker who is passionate about climate change, will take the stage with other beauty queens on January 14 in New Orleans. Her platform “There is No Planet B” focuses on promoting conservation and preventing climate change.

Photo: Moise Amisial

South Abaco. According to the Ministry of Transport, Onego Traveller, a general cargo ship registered in Antigua

RESPIRATORY ILLNESS TRIAGE IS RESUMED AT SOUTH BEACH CLINIC

THE South Beach Health Centre (SBHC) has resumed triage services for people suffering from respiratory illness, the Ministry of Health advised yesterday.

In a statement, the ministry said the move took effect Wednesday and added that operation hours for this service are from Monday to Friday, starting at 9am to 5pm.

Bahamas Nurses Union president Amancha Williams said she was told the decision to resume services was made to accommodate patients who otherwise wouldn’t be able to be treated at Princess Margaret Hospital’s Accident and Emergency Department due to ongoing renovations there.

“Because we now don’t have A and E (which is) under the renovations, we have to open up various centres to accommodate the influx here in a space that can only probably hold ten people or 18 people which A and E only have sixty people coming in,” she said when contacted by this newspaper yesterday.

“So, we have to divert to various areas so that is the reason why basically, to my understanding that we are basically opening up various areas to accommodate them and you know South Beach is really our centre place.

“So, we are looking at all avenues and we have to be in preparation due to the renovations of A and E. We can’t hold all those persons, and this is the season for flu. We’ve also seen asthmatic patients and we still have COVID going on so we must have a plan in the event that we have an outbreak.”

Earlier this month, The Tribune reported that local health officials have seen a rise in the number of reported flu cases in the country, particularly Influenza A.

Yesterday, Ms Williams told The Tribune that while medical workers continue to see and treat cases, they are not experiencing a surge of infections.

The flu season usually starts in late September or early October and ends around March, according to local officials.

AMANCHA WILLIAMS, Nurses Union president.

Photo: Austin Fernander

FTX’s $3.5bn held ‘for safekeeping’

from page one

The joint provisional liquidators have argued that without access to FTX Digital Markets’ books and records, they will be unable to fulfill their Supreme Court-ordered mandate to protect assets for the benefit of Bahamian creditors and maintain their compliance with its regulatory obligations.

“On 29 December, 2022, the Securities Commission of The Bahamas announced that it applied for directions from the Bahamian Supreme Court in light of the dispute between the court-appointed joint provisional liquidators (JPLs) of FTX Digital Markets Ltd (FTXDM) and the US Debtors over the JPLs’ rights of access to the records of FTXDM,” SCB said yesterday.

“The Commission requested the court’s direction as to whether information respecting the digital assets in the secure digital wallets established by the Commission may be provided to the US debtors representatives.

“On the same day, the court entered an order affirming that the Commission may only lawfully provide assistance to a domestic regulatory authority, or overseas regulatory authority.

“The order further indicated that the JPLs may cooperate with and provide information to the US debtors by sharing with their representatives, in a highly confidential manner, certain information respecting the digital assets being held in the secure digital wallets established by, and under the country of the commission,” the body also said.

SCB then pointed to an affidavit filed yesterday by its executive director, Christina Rolle, that discloses the full actions taken by the commission in response to FTX’s collapse.

These actions include the suspension of the company’s registration, freezing its assets, placing FTX Digital Markets into immediate provisional liquidation, among other things.

SCB also again explained the rationale behind its decision to obtain a Supreme Court order that authorised it to transfer FTX Digital Markets digital assets, worth billions of dollars, to a secure digital wallet.

It said: “Based on information provided by Sam Bankman-Fried to the Commission concerning the cyberattacks that took place on the systems of FTXDM, the restricted access by the employees of FTXDM to its AWS system, and other available information, the Commission determined that there was a significant risk of imminent dissipation as to the digital assets under the custody or control of FTXDM to the prejudice of its customers and creditors.

“As a result, in the exercise of its regulatory powers, the Commission

requested and obtained a court order to safeguard the digital assets owned by or under the custody or control of FTXDM or its principals by transferring them to secure digital wallets under the exclusive control of the Commission.

“Accordingly, on 12 November 2022, the Commission, in the exercise of its powers as regulator acting under the authority of an order made by the Supreme Court of The Bahamas, took the action of directing the transfer of all digital assets of under the custody or control of FTXDM or its principals, valued at more than US$3.5 billion, based on market pricing at the time of transfer, to digital wallets controlled by the Commission, for safekeeping.

“While certain token protocols may require the

burning of old tokens and the simultaneous minting of new replacement tokens to effect transfer, in no case, did the process involve the creation of any additional tokens.”

US debtors’ representatives have accused local regulators of “improperly failing” to publicly disclose information obtained by the commission and other details concerning the digital assets held under its control.

But Ms Rolle denied this in her latest affidavit, arguing that no impropriety was committed and that an invitation to meet with local officials was sent to their representatives.

However, she said no response was received.

“The commission has been advised that it has acted entirely properly and in full accordance

within the limitations of its statutory authority by not making material disclosures to the US debtors, their representatives or other private civil litigants who do not fall within the statutory definitions of an ‘overseas regulatory authority’ or ‘designated third party,’ the affidavit reads.

“The advice received by the commission, however, conflicts with the statements and position expressed by representatives of the US debtors. In the circumstances, the commission is seeking the court’s direction in this regard.

“Moreover, the commission’s respectful adherence to its governing laws by declining unpermitted disclosure to private litigants to date has been entirely proper given the court’s sealing of my previous affidavit(s) and the need for

the commission to secure the relevant digital assets from being misappropriated in accordance with its statutory and fiduciary duties.”

FTX filed for bankruptcy in the United States last month, setting off a whirlwind chain of events which saw The Bahamas headquartered company placed into liquidity.

Earlier this month, FTX founder Sam BankmanFried was arrested after he was indicted in the US. He was extradited to New York last week and has since been released on a $250m bond and placed under house arrest at his parents’ home in California.

According to international reports, Bankman-Fried is expected to be formally arraigned on fraud charges in the US next week.

CHARITY ALARM AT BID TO TAKE BACK FTX DONATIONS

from page one

any payment received from an FTX contributor does not prevent the FTX debtors from seeking recovery from the recipient or any subsequent transferee.”

The failed crypto exchange had pushed to give back to the community by donating to a number of local social outreach programmes in support of the company’s corporate philanthropy efforts.

At the beginning of this year, The Tribune reported that FTX Digital Markets, which is headquartered in The Bahamas, donated more than half a million dollars to local charities.

The sizeable donations included: The Bahamas Cancer Society, $50,000; Hands for Hunger received $250,000; Links Safe House with $100,000; the Nassau chapter of Links Incorporated had received $20,000; the Occupy Mentorship programme received $25,000, Bishop Lawrence Rolle was allocated $50,000 and the Salvation Army got $50,000.

There were many more donations made by this company in The Bahamas.

In an interview with this newspaper yesterday Bishop Rolle said he does not want to address the matter too early, however he noted that returning the money would be a “disgrace”.

Bishop Rolle, of

International Deliverance Praying Ministry, acknowledged that his donation of $50,000 was spent doing charity work.

He said: “This charity is about $10,000 a week. This isn’t nothing to play with.

“I am not responsible for somebody calling me and donating something. I am just a poor man working in the community.”

While noting that he has not been contacted to return funding, he said: “If something come together, then all the poor people will have to sing and dance and come together and return it (the donation)”.

Grand Bahama Down Syndrome Society shared similar sentiments, as the organisation had allocated the funds.

Wende Hanna, president of the Grand Bahama Down Syndrome Society, said the donation in the amount of $5,000 was used to host a summer camp.

She noted that if legally required to return contributions made by the failed crypto exchange, Grand Bahama Down Syndrome Society they could not do it.

“If we were legally

required to under penalty, I guess you would have to find a way to do it. But I mean, we don’t have that. You know, we don’t have those funds at this point,” said Ms Hanna.

The UK Guardian reported that in criminal charges filed in the state of New York, the Department of Justice has alleged that the donations were the

result of criminal money laundering, since the money was effectively taken from customer accounts.

FTX and its associated companies filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the US last month. The company’s former CEO Sam Bankman-Fried was extradited from The Bahamas to the US last week to face fraud charges.

SAM Bankman-Fried leaving court after his extradition hearing.

Photo: Austin Fernander

FNM agrees with IDB on inflation measures

By LETRE SWEETING lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement officials yesterday agreed with a recent report from the InterAmerican Development Bank calling the measures taken by the government to combat inflation not beneficial to small businesses and low income families.

The IDB recently noted the negative impact of expanded price controls on businesses.

Its latest quarterly Caribbean economic bulletin indicated that social assistance to offset the cost-of-living crisis could be better focused on poor families through the use of conditional cash transfer (CCT) initiatives that build on existing initiatives such as food stamps.

The report said: “Furthermore, like price controls, the VAT exemption for electricity bills – and, even moreso, the import tariff reductions and exemptions – would result in government revenues transferred to Bahamians, including those who are least affected by inflation.

“Hence, except for the minimum wage, the remaining policies outlined are effectively untargeted subsidies for everyone - both

National Movement leader Michael Pintard said yesterday: “The IDB in many ways is echoing the point that we have made fairly consistently, that the Prime Minister in his basket of options had several things he could do that he failed to do.

“One of those things was to make sure he is not cutting taxes on people who can pay and are not complaining about paying,” Mr Pintard said.

“(Also) removing VAT on bread basket items and expanding the bread basket items, but in a manner that has been advised by the Ministry of Health on a healthy mix of foods and in discussion with other stakeholders. And so there are several things that they have the capacity to do,” he said.

“The government controls taxation at the border. So there are items that they can remove from the tax and again, medicine is one of those things, baby products is another one of those items,” Mr Pintard said.

“I believe that the Prime Minister is sharp, however, he’s unfocused and so he has to spend a significant amount of time at home talking with his ministers who you have seen, he is at odds with in terms of public statements, multiple ministers have a

different view than the prime minister.

“Those differences are often sorted out in Cabinet, but clearly the dialogue is not happening and we are paying the price as a country,” Mr Pintard said.

Former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis also agreed that prices need to be adjusted not straight across the board, but with greater consideration for the lower income families.

“I agree that’s been more targeted, especially at the lower class and the middle class. The upper class, inflation will not affect them, if prices go up five times. When you adjust prices straight across the board, the upper class benefits, but the lower class don’t necessarily benefit,” Dr Minnis said.

“So you have to really target them, be it by a specific form of benefits, I have my thoughts. I would not want to discuss it at this time. But I have my thoughts as to what should be done specifically for the lower class and the middle class, so as to advance them,” he said.

“That’s why we had introduced the so-called tax-free zones for the inner city. The plan was to extend tax-free zones throughout the entire country, especially in the marginalised areas,” Dr Minnis said.

Last Rites For Patrice Adel Johnson, 55

Of Freetown Lane, will be held on Saturday 31st December, 2022 at Pilgrim Baptist Temple, St. James Road at 11 am. Interment will follow at The Eastern Cemetery. Officiating will be Reverend Dr. Leroy N. Major and Other Ministers.

She was predeceased by: Her father Rev. Carrol Johnson, Mother: Helen Johnson, Sisters: Pamela & Peggy Johnson, Brothers: Philip & Pedro Johnson.

Precious Memories will always linger in the hearts of, Son: DeVaughn (Mikey) Smith; Granddaughter: T’liyah Smith; Brothers: Paul & Preston Johnson; Sister: Naomi Sweeting Ferguson; Nephews: Lenado Burrows, Dominique Johnson, Uriah, Nadarias, Urich; Nieces: Paultera and Shakia Johnson, Cheriah Rahming, Christen Ferguson; Grand Nieces: Skylar & Jemma Knowles; Grand Nephews: Dondre, Lenado Jr. and Josiah Burrows; God Children: Registered Nurse Evanique Munroe, Chelsea Evans, Anwar Robinson, Toni Bethel; Aunts: Stephanie Crawley, Hannah Johnson, Patricia Bethel, Stella Hopkins of Freeport, Grand Bahama, Vanda Morris, Elsaida Melvin, Donna, Esther & Diana Ash, Heather Ash Gay & Millicent Sweeting; Uncles: Bradley Crawley, Charles Morris, Langton Ash Gay, Robert & Winston Ash; Cousins: Valerie Nottage, Glynis Rolle, Lynette Minnis, Monique Cornielle, Phillipa McKinney, Janine Bethel, Jennie & Carmen Forbes, Renia & Cynthia Hutchinson, Nicola Crawley Fox, Antoine & Alana Crawley, Stephen & Marlin Hall, Kevin, Alton & Emerson Gardiner, Brian Forbes, Charles, Gene, Anthony (Tony) Bethel, Bernard Bowe, Zyron Dean, Terry, Glen & Kevin Hutchinson & Senior Customs Officer Perry Ferguson, Jonathan Minnis, Anishka Strachan, Min. George & Carolyn Rodgers, Creswell & Dorothy Clarke, Ellen Forbes, Joanne Johnson, Janice, Cecilia & Paula Stuart, Timothy and Brenda Gibson, Ellen Williams, Lefred Sweeting, Ulrick Johnson, Violet Smith, Merle Saunders of Freeport, Laura Johnson Taylor, Kermit & Elvina Bastian, Ruthie Riveria of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, Shadrach & Martha Johnson, Enos, Mavis & Florence Johnson, Henry Johnson of Freeport, Grand Bahama, Robin Smith, Sabrina Bain, Nicole Bethel, Carolyn Evans & Family, Donna Sherman, Renae Knowles, Elaine and Penny Thompson, Sonia Williams, Kirkwood Gibson & Elizabeth Hepburn of Clearwater Fla, Randy Curtis & Family, Linda Roker, Rose Richards and Olive Connelly, Marva Huff, Jill & Gina Rodgers, Evelyn Burrows, Lindell Rodgers, The families of the late Rev. L.W. Rodgers. Other Relatives and Friends: Pastor & Mrs. Leroy Major and Pilgrim Baptist Temple family, Clarise Williams & family, Tamara Bain, Tanzania Taylor, Barbara Moree, Monique Bain, Leroy Burrows, Cynara Knowles, Lisa Bain, Stanley Coleby, Marcian & Patrice McKenzie, family of the late Rosemary Kerr, family of the late Muriel Thomas Forbes, family of the late Naomi Babbs family, Bishop E. Randy Fraser & family, Pastor Ronald Bastian & Family, Brunell Roach, Juanita Dean, Elder Catherine Roker & family, Barbara, Charlene & Valentino Smith, Deacon Carmetta Burns & family, Janet Roker, Komel, Arlene & Darlene Smith, Michelle Johnson & Family, Paula Whyms, Deacon Yvelverton & Jennie Cox, Stella Farrington, Shedrick & Jacqueline McPhee, Melissa Ferguson, Ruth Fox Smith, Sharmine Thompson, Alice Smith, 1zonza Davis, Stephanie Davis, Megdell Jobnson, Robert Bullard & family, Edna Hanna. Hyacinth Fletcher, Courtnell Brown; Keith & Maybell Mason, Joy Butler, Joyce Bain, Laroda MePhee, Rev. William & Wilamae Hepburn, Novia Munroe, Jodie Turnquest, Winifred Pinder & family, Wendy & Sherry Smith, Kim & Samantha Johnson, Kovin & Lisa Wright & family, Sheila Rolle. Osbourne & Millicent Ferguson & family, Kelly Morley, Aneka Johnson, Jennie Major, Debbie Emanuel, Sheena Lightbourn, Tyrone Brown, Sherrie Morley, Francis Deal, Anne Brown, Renee Glinton, Nicole & Gernase Brown, Shamel Robinson, Pam & Helen Johnson. Wilamae Roker, Staff of John Bull Palmdale, Staff of Atlantis Laundry Dept., The community of Freetown Lane, Sutton Street & St. Margaret Road Community, Doctors and Nurses of Female Medical II, numerous other relatives and friends. We do apologize if any names were overlooked but please rest assured that we appreciate your love and support.

May she Rest in Peace!

The body will repose at CURTIS MEMORIAL MORTUARY, Robinson Road and Fifth Street on Friday 9:00am to 5:00pm and Saturday at the church until service time.

‘DIFFICULT DECISIONS’ MUST BE MADE WARNS MINNIS

will need to take place by next year.

He added that the government will continue to ensure the fund’s sustainability through cutting back on costs, raising revenue or doing both.

Dr Minnis said one thing the Davis administration has to consider is paying more attention to the poor and middle class and make those difficult decisions with regard to easing inflation for Bahamians moving forward.

“When we were hit with COVID, first and foremost, for us, was life. We always felt that if you save lives, people can always rebuild. We cannot create life and whatever was necessary, we would have done to ensure that the Bahamians survived, so that our country and generations can survive and we can always rebuild our country,” Dr Minnis said.

“I’ve said that some very very difficult decisions have to be made. And I didn’t specifically say what decisions, but there are decisions that have to be made and decisions with modification and without necessarily compromising the poor or the middle class. Whatever you do, you must always think of that group,

do not cause even greater hardship, especially on the middle class, because when you do that, poverty increases. Their goal should really be to try and reduce poverty, you cannot eradicate it, but you can reduce it,” he said.

Though Dr Minnis declined to give any solutions to the issue at this time, he said it is the duty of those elected to make the difficult decision necessary to support the public, even if at the cost of an election.

“There are lots of things one has to look at. I won’t give a solution to that problem at this point in time. I want to see what the government does. You are elected to make decisions, to make difficult decisions and you make decisions that are in the best interest of the country. Not the best interest of yourself,” Dr Minnis said.

“Remember, I’ve said before and I’ve gotten beaten. I’ve always said I prefer to lose an election than to lose a country. That’s my view and that won’t change. Country will always be first to me,” the former prime minister said.

On Wednesday, Mr Laroda told reporters when asked for an update on the agency’s financial position before a Cabinet meeting: “The fund is no better, or

no worse than the last time we spoke.”

“The government is going to have to make a decision in the upcoming year as to what its position is going to be as we move forward as it relates to the increase. I think the fund is on pace to lose around $70m plus this year, that’s about $6m a month,” Mr Laroda said at the time.

“And in the upcoming year, even though there’s no projected improvement in revenues, it’s still not gonna make up that black hole so notwithstanding the economy just opening up and businesses may be doing a bit better, there is still tough times in our community, but that decision will have to be made and it’s being considered.

“We just don’t have a date yet for informing the public on what the decision is going to be.”

The Tribune exclusively reported in April that the 11th actuarial review of the National Insurance Board predicted the fund could be depleted by 2028.

That report had reduced the fund’s potential depletion timeline by one year, as the 10th review had made a prediction of 2029.

It also recommended NIB to increase the contribution rate by two percent and continue increases every two years until 2036.

the rich and the poor. That said, as a short-term temporary measure, the price controls have the advantage of not imposing any direct

expenditure costs on the budget,” the report said.

“Beyond targeting food insecurity, well-designed and innovative cash

transfers could have other beneficial secondary effects,” the report said.

In agreement with the report’s assertions, Free

FNM leader Michael Pintard.

from page one

FORMER Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis.

WE SALUTE OUR FRONTLINE COVID WORKERS.

ARE A VACCINATED ENCOURAGED FACILITY AND INVITE ALL PROGRESSIVE BAHAMIANS TO VACCINATE

Respects paid to ‘Dud’ Maynard

By LETRE SWEETING lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

OFFICIALS yesterday remembered the life and legacy of former parliamentarian Andrew “Dud” Maynard, calling him someone who valued country over politics.

Mr Maynard, who was a former senator and parliamentarian with affiliations with both the Free National Movement and the Progressive Liberal Party, died on the morning of December 16 at the age of 82.

A viewing was held for his body yesterday at the Senate.

Deputy Prime Minister

Chester Cooper was one of several government officials to honour Mr Maynard’s life and legacy.

“Today, we recognise the legacy of Andrew ‘Dud’ Maynard. He was a fierce political warrior and friend to many — friend and foe on both sides of the political divide,” said the Minister for Tourism, Aviation and Investments.

“I give respect to Andrew ‘Dud’ Maynard, who as a political genius, who held no prisoners, but at the same time, garnered the respect of everyone around him,” Mr Cooper continued.

“We are happy that we can recognise his

contribution to our country. Certainly, his contribution is etched in the political history of our country,” he said.

Free National Movement leader Michael

Pintard also paid his respects to the former parliamentarian.

“Mr Maynard, as you all would be aware, was an integral part of the Progressive Liberal Party and

in its early days played a pivotal role in multiple victories by the party. He later joined the Free National Movement, was extremely active in his son’s (Charles Maynard) career, and his son was an incredible politician, but more so a humanitarian,” he said.

“He has contributed in a unique way to the political development of The Bahamas. And in a similar fashion as Mr (Hubert) Ingraham, who is the longest serving leader of the Free National Movement, he transitioned and joined us and we were grateful for his sage advice, and his fearlessness,” Mr Pintard said. “I think one lesson that I’ll keep mentioning concerning the passing of Mr Maynard is that we have to end this tribalism in our politics that’s so damaging to the political development of our country, because persons may start in an organisation and transition to another. And the way we demonise each other in Bahamian politics is unhelpful to the

continued development,” he said.

“When there’s a change of administration, the narrow view that we have in our practice causes us not to continue sensible programmes and initiatives and so we’re gonna miss him,” Mr Pintard said.

Former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis echoed Mr Pintard’s sentiments.

“What I admired about Mr Maynard is he has always put country first. He did not care much about his political affiliation,” Dr Minnis said.

“If either party was doing anything wrong, he would have spoken out against it. He would have been an advocate for the people. And I think that’s how most Bahamians should be. Always put country first as opposed to political party,” Dr Minnis said.

A state-recognised funeral for Mr Maynard will be held today at St Agnes Anglican Church on Baillou Hill Road at 11am, followed by the burial at Woodlawn Gardens Cemetery on Soldier Road.

‘NO INTERRUPTION’ TO NEW YEAR UN ANOO BROADCAST

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

YOUTH, Sports and Culture Minister Mario Bowleg is satisfied that after a meeting with stakeholders, both Cable Bahamas and ZNS will broadcast the New Year’s Day Junkanoo Parade without interruption.

The minister said there was an amicable conclusion to this meeting after Cable Bahamas Ltd and the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas sparred over the last few days about the parade’s Boxing Day broadcast.

“I know they will be on the same page - I have no doubt. We left that meeting all shaking hands (and) smiling along with the prime minister, the minister responsible for ZNS — Myles LaRoda — myself.”

He also said: “The CEO from Aliv was there, the chairman of ZNS and the general manager were there. The JCNP was there with their (representative). The parade management team executives were there for Junkanoo and also the National Junkanoo Committee chair.

“Everyone who are the major stakeholders were there and all agreed that we will leave and we did leave there all on one accord.”

The BCB previously said it plans to file a complaint with the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) after accusing Rev, Cable Bahamas, and Aliv of an “intrusion” on the broadcast of this year’s Junkanoo parade.

But Mr Bowleg could not say if there were still plans to continue filing a case with URCA.

“I don’t know that aspect of it. I don’t know because we didn’t discuss that - that was not a part of the meeting,” he said.

“The meeting was just

to ensure that both Channel 12 and ZNS ensure that they would be broadcasting the New Year’s parade without any interruption. Then to ensure that both of them ensure that the naming of the parade is the same on both stations, which is ‘the Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Culture New Year’s Parade powered by Aliv’ and that there is uniformity in the broadcasting. “ Cable Bahamas had accused the BCB of breaching the terms of its broadcasting conditions for the Boxing Day Junkanoo Parade.

The company said its

decision as a result to redirect REV TV subscribers to watch the parade on its channel was not an anti-competition tactic, as claimed by the BCB.

Asked what the main contention was, Mr Bowleg answered: “Aliv was a major sponsor. The parades are powered by Aliv and I think - ZNS was wearing the brand of BTC – you know that their major competitor was the major sponsor. So that was the contention.”

He added: “The shirts were worn by the employees of ZNS, the BTC shirts, and that was an

offence to Aliv based on their agreement with the JCNP, who is responsible for the management of the parade of Junkanoo in New Providence. Because JCNP has an agreement with Aliv.

“Aliv being their major sponsor and their partnership with the ministry that was offensive to them that their competitor would have been branded by another station.”

As for whether the same mistake will be made on New Year’s Day with BTC branding, Mr Bowleg replied: “No, they won’t do that.”

In a statement on Wednesday, CBL said it is “disappointed” by the accusations levied by the state broadcaster.

“The BCB was aware of and breached the terms of our broadcasting conditions for the Boxing Day celebrations. As a result, REV TV subscribers on four islands (New Providence, Grand Bahama, Abaco and Eleuthera) were directed to watch the live broadcast of the Boxing Day Parade on REV channel 212 for a limited period at the beginning of the segment,” according to the press statement.

“This was not an

anti-competition tactic as suggested by the BCB. CBL as a partner of Aliv has made significant contributions to getting Junkanoo back to the people through a multi-year, multi-million-dollar sponsorship of Junkanoo.

“It is unfortunate that other media broadcasters and their partners, by all of their actions thus far, have attempted to hijack the hard work of our contributions and those of the Junkanoo groups. We look forward to an amicable resolution to this matter and hope that this does not take place in the future.”

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis pays his respects to Andrew “Dud” Maynard and, below, greets the family.

Photos: Patrick Hanna/BIS

PICTURE OF THE DAY

Publisher/Editor 1903-1914

LEON E. H. DUPUCH,

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

Publisher/Editor 1919-1972 Contributing Editor 1972-1991

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

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

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Afghan women determined after NGO ban

EVEN before the Taliban barred Afghan women from working at nongovernmental groups, their forces visited the office of one local organisation in the capital Kabul several times to check female staff were obeying rules on dress codes and gender segregation.

Already, the women in the office had been extra careful, hoping to avoid problems with the Taliban. They wore longer clothes and masks along with the Islamic headscarf and stayed separate from male co-workers in the workspace and at meals, one female NGO employee told The Associated Press.

“We even changed our office arrival and departure times because we didn’t want to be followed” by the Taliban, she said, speaking on condition her name, job title and the name of her organisation not be used for fear of reprisals.

That wasn’t enough. On Saturday, Taliban authorities announced the exclusion of women from NGOs, allegedly because they weren’t wearing the headscarf, or hijab, correctly.

The move prompted international aid agencies to halt operations in Afghanistan, raising the possibility that millions of people will be left without food, education, health care and other critical services during the harsh winter months.

The agency coordinating development and relief work in Afghanistan, ACBAR, estimates that many of its 183 national and international members have suspended, stopped or reduced their humanitarian activities and services since the order came into effect.

These members employ more than 55,000 Afghan nationals between them, around a third of whom are women. The agency says female staff play an essential role in NGO activities, providing humanitarian services while also respecting traditional and religious customs. Still, women in some local organisations are trying to keep providing services as much as they can under the radar and paying their staff as long as donor funds continue.

The NGO worker, who has two master’s degrees and three decades of professional experience in Afghanistan’s education sector, wanted to go to the office one last time to collect her laptop but was warned against doing so by her director because there were armed Taliban outside the building.

She is determined to continue helping others, even though she is now working from home.

“It is my responsibility to take the hand of women and girls and provide services for them,” she said. “I will work until the end of my life. This is why I am not leaving Afghanistan. I could have gone, but other women look to me for help. If we fail, all women fail.”

Her NGO advises women on entrepreneurship, health care, social advice and education. Its activities are done in person in the capital, Kabul, and another province. It has helped 25,000 women in the past six months and hopes to help another 50,000 in the coming months, although how it will do this is unclear, given that most of its permanent and temporary staff are women.

Despite initially promising a more moderate rule, the Taliban are implementing their interpretation of Islamic law, or Sharia.

They have banned girls from middle school, high school and university, restricted women from most employment and ordered them to wear head-to-toe clothing in public. Women are also banned from parks, gyms and other public spaces.

The NGO worker said many educated women left after the Taliban takeover in August 2021, costing Afghan civil society much of its capacity and expertise.

“They have been targeting women from the beginning. Why are they making enemies of women? Don’t they have wives, sisters and mothers?” she said. “The women we help don’t have computers, they don’t have Zoom. It’s hard to do this job without being faceto-face. But I am hopeful we can start our work again in the coming weeks.”

Another Afghan NGO worker anticipates that donor funding will stop because of the drop in female participation. She also spoke on condition she not be identified to protect herself, her colleagues and partner organizations.

She is frustrated but not shocked by the Taliban’s latest order. Her pragmatism leads her to believe in the importance of engaging with the Taliban as the country’s de facto rulers. “We pay our electricity bills to the Taliban, we get our identity cards from them. More Afghans need to find ways to sit down with them. We need to tell them these issues aren’t foreign-led.”

But others know there are limits to dialogue with the former insurgents.

“They don’t care about the rights that Islam gives to women, it doesn’t work on them,” said a Kabul-based woman who leads a national NGO. “I know the importance of women’s work and its impact on our female beneficiaries.”

She didn’t want to give her personal information for fear of being identified, and her father has become more protective of her in the wake of Taliban restrictions.

She heads an organisation that has been working in Afghanistan for decades. It employs 242 people, 119 of whom are women.

Her immediate challenges are prosaic, with only a few hours of electricity a day it is difficult to work from home. She is fortunate enough to live close to the office and can get there quickly and discreetly enough if needed, although her female employees who are further away cannot. She misses the comfort of working in an office and the collegiality that comes with it.

Enforcement of the ban is so far not universal, she and others said. It is strictest on women in offices in cities but some women in rural areas, particularly those on the ground providing health care and critical humanitarian aid, have been able to operate. She said provinces outside Kabul and Kandahar, the spiritual birthplace of the Taliban, are more positive about NGO work and that gives her hope.

Her donors are understanding, maintaining the NGO’s salaries and operation costs. Now it is a waiting game, she said, to see how the United Nations and the rest of the international community responds the latest Taliban order.

“I just have to survive in this current situation,” she sighs.

By RIAZAT BUTT Associated Press

Banking problems

EDITOR, The Tribune.

ONE has to take what the Central Bank and the Commercial Banks tell us with a pinch of salt I think.

CIBC First Caribbean has issued the latest dictum that starting in January there will be no more “in branch” services for things that can be done online and at the ATM. Either its ATM manufacturers or programmers can’t get the ATM’s to recognise the new Hanna Hundred Dollar bill or the Central Bank has given them the wrong template.

I spent 15 minutes behind some poor soul trying to make an ATM deposit yesterday at FCIB Harbour Bay and, of course, everyone in the room can hear that it is not accepting all of her notes.

But she tries again because maybe she has a loan payment pending, or has written a cheque that needs to be covered. And only one of the ATMs is functioning, so there is only one machine for as many people as use that facility.

I had the same problem as the young lady and it accepted our late Queen,

Sir Roland, Sir Milo and Stafford Sands but as soon as it hit Hanna it spit him right back out.

Despite the many apologies made by RBC about its three-day online service disruption it seems to have gone down again today.

And the Central Bank is talking fool about getting rid of cheques. People are going to go back to keeping their money in an ovaltine can under the bed.

BRUCE G. RAINE Nassau, December 29, 2022.

Priority projects must be rolled out

EDITOR, The Tribune.

IN SHORT order, 2022 would have rolled out and many of us will be greeting 2023 with great expectations and open arms, as we should.

On average, 2022 was a good year for large numbers of Bahamians and residents, legal and illegal. The national economy is out of the pits and and there are any number of viable employment opportunities. Money is, once again, flowing like milk and honey. Junkanoo is back and the optimistic mood of the nation, collectively can almost be felt; see and touch by all and sundry. There is, however, much more work to be done going into 2023.

An aggressive schedule of National Priority Projects should be conceptualised and strategically implemented starting in 2023 and continued with urgency over the next year or two. Such projects should include a form of National Youth Service; a National Health Insurance Scheme; liberalisation of Crown Land; establishment of a ‘real’ Small Business Development Fund and a semblance of local government to New Providence. Last, but not least, we must divest ourselves of the Grand Lucaya over in Grand Bahama and get the Freeport International Airport up and running in the shortest possible time.

The above is not exhaustive, but that might be a good starting point for the Davis administration in 2023. The state of our younger people is a challenge of the highest order to the stability and sustainability of The Bahamas. There is simply too much avoidable and senseless crime of all types. Our collective fuses are short. At the drop of a hat people are brutally injured or setting into Eternity. The consequences of ‘the law’ means little or nothing to the majority of the alleged perpetrators. Capital punishment has been thrown aside and life in jail is simply a few years and you are released.

Crime will never be eradicated. It is useless for anyone to talk about ‘new’ strategies. That is like putting new wine into old bottles. What we should concentrate on is the eradication and suppression of crime to the irreducible minimum. Draconian and harsh punishment must be meted out in proportion to the crime of which one would have been convicted and exhausted all legal

The

them where possible. If that proves impossible, throw the books at them after due process. The nation is bigger than any one individual and/or societal sector. Saturation patrols seem to be an effective tool and should be deployed even further as we go into 2023. Yes, there will be shrill cries of objection by the so-called human rights elements, but do they have a better plan? If they have one, speak now, I invite you, or forever hold your peace.

National Health is critical to the health and well being of Bahamians. I do not advocate ‘socialised’ medicine but the onslaught of the Dorian and the pandemic which together jacked up insurance premiums and wiped out next to nothing savings accounts, have demonstrated, vividly the necessity of a national affordable and comprehensive National Health Care Scheme along the lines of NIB. Some will protest, bogusly, that such a scheme, for want of a better terminology, would be akin to an additional taxation on the people of The Bahamas.

I beg to differ. As our population ages and people live longer all sorts of routine medical challenges will arise. Dental and vision come readily to mind. Serious operations and transplant issues. It is a good thing to have private medical insurance if you are able to afford it, but I submit that a large percentage of Bahamians have little or no insurance coverage due to reasons often beyond their control or choice. As a nation, we are in no position to leave a single Bahamian behind who may be in need of genuine medical attention on a state subsidized basis.

The Island of Grand Bahama is unique and a not so hidden national treasure. For whatever reasons successive administrations have, seemingly, adopted a hands off approach to that island, especially the City of Freeport and the surrounding areas. Some say that Grand Bahama is best suited as an industrial enclave as opposed to a

dynamic mixture of industrial and touristic based hybrid economy. The essential ‘magic city’ was obliged to die the death of a thousand cuts by a dull and rusty blade.

Unless and until the Freeport International Airport, better, bigger and more eye pleasing is opened over in Grand Bahama and we divest ourselves of Grand Lucaya, we will continue to bark at the Moon and suck teeth and/or dentures. The island of Grand Bahama is wide open for residential and second home exploitation by Bahamians and legal residents. People are able to purchase land and abandoned residential sites all over Freeport itself and the surrounding areas for a pittance compared to a tiny piece of real estate here in New Providence.

The application process and the actual obtaining of a small piece of Crown Land is ridiculous and a sad indictment on all administrations to date. It is almost as if the unwashed Bahamians are consigned to be, forever, landless in a land which is repleted with milk and honey with endless Crown Land. This is dead wrong and is almost criminal, with all due respects.

Bahamians are subjected to a nebulous application process which could take until The Rapture, often without a mere acknowledgement. This liberalisation of Crown Land is critical as a national policy project.

Data from around the world would seem to suggest that small to medium sized businesses generate more than 50% of economic activity and employ close to 75% of the work force. May I suggest that the same things apply here in The Bahamas? We have access to all sorts of international business and funding organizations which appear to be eager to ‘invest’ in this sector of the economy. In 2023 the administration and the private sector must and should take a closer look at this potential economic vehicle.

National Priority Projects must be recognised and developed in 2023 like it or lump it. This never ending back and forth about who was right or wrong while in office is passé and we, as a people, must move on in 2023. In conclusion, Happy New Year and an even better, bigger and more prosperous year.

ORTLAND H BODIE,

Jr

Nassau, December 29, 2022.

appeals. This never ending cuddling of the known and potential criminal hardcore must cease and desist sooner rather than later.

Bahamas owes it to this present evil and mostly wicked generation to rescue and rehabilitate

MISS Bahamas Universe Angel Cartwright pictured as she leaves the country yesterday for the upcoming Miss Universe pageant yesterday. Photo: Moise Amisial

STRUGGLES

remaining onboard is heavy fuel oil and marine gas oil.”

Officials said the 12 crew members have been evacuated from the vessel and all relevant government agencies have been notified and emergency plans have been activated.

“The Ministry of Transport and Housing and the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources are concerned about the possible impact of environmental damage and are continuing to closely monitor this matter,” the statement said, adding that further information will be provided to members of the public as details become available.

$1,000 FINE OVER KNIFE AND GIVING FAKE NAME TO POLICE

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was fined $1,000 in court yesterday after admitting to having a knife in public and giving a fake name to a police officer.

Leslie Knowles, 21, appeared before Magistrate Algernon Allen, Jr, on charges of unlawfully carrying arms and deceit of a public officer.

On December 26 on Charlotte Street, Knowles was found carrying a knife by authorities without being able to give lawful cause for having the instrument. Then on December

27 it is said that while attempting to evade the law, the accused deceived Constable 4418 Newbold by giving him a false name.

In court, Knowles pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the facts stated about his case. He faced a fine of $500 or one month in prison for the knife charge and a further $500 fine or three months in prison for the deceit charge.

Before being released from custody the accused was ordered to pay half of his total fine, with the remainder to be paid off by January 31.

Video of the sinking ship was circulated on social media yesterday.

In July, 35,000 gallons of diesel spilled into waters off an Exuma bay as a vessel contracted by Sun Oil was offloading fuel to Bahamas Power and Light at George Town.

The next month, the spill site was given the all clear to reopen after remediation efforts.

BAIL DENIED FOR MAN CHARGED WITH STEALING 30FT BOAT

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was denied bail after it was alleged that he had stolen a 30ft boat worth over $100K earlier this year.

Rodnel Polydor, 36, stood before Magistrate Kara Turnquest-Deveaux on charges of stealing and receiving.

It is alleged that between October 22-23 in New Providence the accused, being concerned with another, stole a 2015 30ft Sea Hunt Gamefish boat with two Yamaha twin engines.

This stolen vessel valued at $154,708.88 is the property of Shawn Stevens.

After pleading not guilty to the offence Polydor elected to have his matter tried before the Supreme Court.

Prosecutor Inspector Lincoln McKenzie objected to the defendant’s bail resulting in it being denied to him at this time. He has the right to apply for bail in the Supreme Court.

Polydor is to return to court on March 6, 2023, for service of his documents transferring his case to the higher court.

FISHERMAN JAILED FOR UNLICENCED GUN

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A FISHERMAN from Andros was sentenced to 18 months in prison yesterday after admitting to having an unlicenced gun, which he said he bought to protect himself at sea.

Carldeo Munroe, 26, and Lyndonia Demeritte, 35, both represented by Bjorn Ferguson, faced Magistrate Samuel McKinney on a charge of possession of an unlicenced firearm and possession of ammunition.

On December 27, police acting on a warrant searched Munroe’s apartment in Conch Sound, Andros. There in Munroe’s bedroom officers uncovered a black Smith & Wesson .45 pistol in a black holster concealed under his mattress. Authorities further found eight live rounds of .45 ammunition in the same bedroom.

While in a subsequent police interview Munroe admitted to the offence, Demeritte maintained her innocence in the matter.

In court, Munroe pleaded guilty to the charges with Demeritte pleading not guilty to hers. Given Munroe’s plea of guilt the charges against the female defendant were withdrawn.

Prosecutor Sergeant Vernon Pyfrom then

revealed that Munroe had recently been fined on a threats of death charge. During his plea of mitigation, Mr Ferguson stated that his young client is a fisherman and the father of two as well as the breadwinner for his mother and younger siblings. He further explained that Munroe had purchased the firearm to protect himself at sea after close encounters with poachers.

Mr Ferguson said that the accused is a shooting victim, who now has a metal rod in his leg after one such dangerous encounter.

After reiterating that the gun was found in a secure place in Munroe’s home and not in public the attorney asked that the court “temper justice with mercy”. Stating that his client is a productive citizen, Mr Ferguson implored the magistrate to impose a custodial sentence under 12 months on Munroe.

In view of this and considering Munroe’s early plea of guilt to spare the court’s time, Magistrate McKinney sentenced Munroe to 18 months in the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.

The accused was informed of his right to appeal sentencing within seven days.

Before being taken into remand a tearful Munroe was allowed a moment with his family who were present in court.

BAIL OVER GUN THREAT

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was granted bail in Magistrate’s Court after being accused of threatening a woman with a gun on Boxing Day.

Darius Brown, 29, appeared before Magistrate Kara Turnquest-Deveaux on charges of assault with a

deadly weapon and threats of death.

On December 26 on Carmichael Road, it is alleged that Brown assaulted a woman with a gun and threatened her with death. In court the accused pleaded not guilty. He was granted $2,500 bail with two sureties. Brown’s trial is set for March 6, 2023.

from page one

THE MV Onego Traveller.

Break the status quo

“NOW more than ever, Eleuthera, The Bahamas and the region needs the ‘OEFs’ of the world – organisations that are willing to disrupt the status quo and partner with like-minded individuals and institutions to tackle some of the toughest challenges facing people, communities, and the planet. Now, and in the coming years, we anticipate our campus and organization evolving, not only as a key part of Eleuthera’s economic development, but also as a hub where some of the best minds gather to solve our country’s biggest problems.”

- Shaun Ingraham, President and CEO, One Eleuthera Foundation (OEF) and Centre for Training and Innovation (CTI).

REFLECTING on 2022, one of the most significant milestones for One Eleuthera Foundation (OEF) was our organisation’s 10th anniversary, celebrated on April 22nd (Earth Day.)

A decade ago, OEF set out to champion sustainable development, invest in people, stimulate economic growth, and leverage resources to help build self-sufficient thriving communities. As OEF’s scope and impact grew, so did the opportunities to serve, and achieve these goals.

One critical aspect of this expansion was the 2016 acquisition of the historic, Rock Sound Club property. This has become OEF’s headquarters and the student training mecca for South Eleuthera.

Through the Centre for Training and Innovation (CTI) - OEF’s education and training arm – the CTI campus is being utilised to foster entrepreneurship and help vulnerable youth gain employment and secure improved opportunities through technical and vocational training.

But just six years ago,

By Yolanda Pawar

farm and state-of-the-art, 1.1-acre automated Grow House, a 16-room hotel, a farm-to-table restaurant and a newly added apiary and honey harvesting plant.

Our vision is to continue developing the campus into the premier, practical, and innovative training facility for vocational and technical training on Eleuthera and eventually the region.

the Rock Sound campus was a far cry from the luxury boutique resort that once catered to the world’s elite, business tycoons, aristocrats, and Hollywood trendsetters like Frank Sinatra, and Sammie Davis, Jr, during an era when South Eleuthera was booming with tourism and international investment.

Many years of neglect, ownership changes, dormancy, and economic downturn had reduced the once illustrious Rock Sound Club to shambles.

It was the first cohort of CTI students and staff who used their skills and sweat equity to transform the dilapidated property into the attractive and fully renovated student training campus we enjoy today. From renovating and refurbishing buildings, rebuilding roofs, laying tiles, pouring concrete walkways, building hotel furniture, painting and beautifully landscaping the grounds, students and staff proudly led this effort.

Over the years, the OEF/ CTI training campus has seen tremendous growth. The property’s training facilities now include a

One of OEF’s major goals is to create economic empowerment and local ownership. Hera are just a few ways that the CTI training campus will remain pivotal in increasing economic growth, promoting entrepreneurship, and strengthening the local economy in 2023 and beyond.

Driving economic opportunities for locals by developing emerging industries and strategic partnerships.

On December 2, the solar powered “Honey Shack” at CTI was officially commissioned. Outfitted with the tools and equipment needed to process honey, the facility provides a dedicated space for local beekeepers to extract, bottle and prepare their honey for free.

The build-out of the Honey Shack was completed in partnership with the GEF Small Grants Programme. It was part of a larger project to bring critical awareness to saving bee populations through the establishment of an apiary, and the provision of beekeeper training on Eleuthera.

In addition to protecting local bees, this partnership is paving the way for new

economic opportunities for beekeepers. There is a local and worldwide demand for this super-food. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in a special article on the US honey market, “record-setting consumption of honey and made-with-honey products totaled 618 million pounds in 2021”, and continues to increase. The beauty, selfcare and pharmaceutical industries utilise honey as well as honeybee byproducts including beeswax, and propolis which creates additional revenue streams for beekeepers.

In the last two years, CTI has trained 22 beekeepers and partnered with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) to provide further training and professional development. This is one example of how successful partnerships are helping CTI to drive local economic opportunities.

Providing access to new economic opportunities on campus through collaborative community events

As in years past we anticipate our campus returning to a bustling activity centre and community “social hub” that plays a key role in Eleuthera’s economic development. We are constantly incubating new ideas and partnerships to benefit our community and provide access to economic opportunities.

On January 28, CTI will join forces with the Ministry of Tourism’s Eleuthera office to host the Annual Food & Craft Festival from 10am to 10pm. Celebrating all things Bahamian, this exhilarating event will showcase and create valuable exposure and sales for local craft and souvenir producers, and food vendors.

Headlining the event will be Anishka Lewis, and the New Vision Band. Guests can also look forward to live fire dancing performances, games and family entertainment. Throughout the year we will seek out festival organizers and similar partnerships to facilitate events that promote culture and help to boost our local economy.

Additionally, spaces on the CTI Campus will be available to entrepreneurs for destination wedding rentals, curated events and cultural celebrations. Our signature, monthly Farmers Market will also return in January, revitalized and expanded to accommodate additional farmers, artisans and local producers of authentic Bahamian products.

Building local cco-tourism and agri-tourism activities to diversify our offering and support sustainable development

As cited on the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations website, “agritourism, ecotourism, and other forms of landscape-based tourism serve as important drivers of socio-economic growth. It increases and diversifies household incomes, enhances job opportunities, increases the resilience of livelihoods, and helps conserve natural and cultural heritage, and pristine biodiversity across landscapes.”

Capitalising on our campus’ natural resources and existing partnerships,

we will further develop this aspect of our tour experience and guest offering. Through ongoing partnerships with local and international nonprofits such as the Bahamas National Trust and American Bird Conservancy, we will continue hosting workshops and local guide training, as well as research on indigenous and migratory species that can be found at CTI, most notably the Kirtland’s Warbler, one of the rarest songbirds in North America. We envision that our pioneering work in agriculture and farming will also add to our appeal and attract visiting groups to the island to tour, learn and simultaneously bolster the local economy.

Continuation of the “Learn and Earn” Programme

The “Learn and Earn” programme will remain in place to help financially sustain students while they study and learn experientially in real-world environments like our Farmer’s Table restaurant and Retreat Hotel. This training model has been proven to increase the confidence and employability of our students while accelerating their growth and personal earning potential. OEF/CTI will continue to expand our NAECOB-approved courses and professional certificate workshops to prepare students for greater economic and business opportunities.

In closing, we will continue to invest in strategic local and international partnerships, and our campus’ infrastructure to introduce new training and economic growth opportunities in 2023. Through enhanced guest amenities that both complement and connect the different aspects of OEF/CTI and our physical campus, we aim to invite locals and visitors to get involved and enjoy a truly unique, educational and immersive experience.

• Yolanda Pawar is the chief communications officer at the One Eleuthera Foundation. Established in 2012, the One Eleuthera Foundation (OEF) is a nonprofit organisation located in Rock Sound, Eleuthera. For more information, visit www.oneeleuthera.org or email info@oneeleuthera. org. The Centre for Training and Innovation (CTI) is the first and only postsecondary, non-profit education and training institution and social enterprise on Eleuthera. CTI operates a student training campus in Rock Sound, Eleuthera, with a 16-room training hotel, restaurant and farm. For more information about CTI’s programmes, email: info@oneeleuthera.org.

of One Eleuthera Foundation

HORTICULTURALIST Kristen Colvin and a visiting group of 29 youth and adult farm volunteers hailing from Charleston, South Carolina.

YOLANDA PAWAR

Finding our roots, literally

THE very word farming conjures up physical images. Words like honest labour, grit, sweat on the brow, God’s green earth. Its words are prayer-like -praying for good weather and absence of insects that eat what you are growing before you can harvest it.

A lot of words, hard, backbreaking work, the most honourable way to make a living if you don’t mind getting up before the roosters crow and cows moo. A lot of words but in The Bahamas, popular wasn’t one of them.

After a half century, that is changing before our eyes. Bahamians are turning back to the soil and sea in ways we have not seen in decades. The president of the Abaco Chamber of Commerce is a farmer. The Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries is a fisherman. A former state minister of finance and now radio host and UB division chair takes great pride in his backyard farm, sharing photos and seeds with friends. The immediate past prime minister, asked if he wanted to return to medical practice, said no, he wants to farm.

If tech was the wave of the last decade, backyard farming is the wave of the current.

It’s more than a fad. In the past few weeks, hundreds of persons have shown up to events organized by the Agricultural Development Organization in conjunction with the Church Commercial Farming Group to collect backyard farming kits in Abaco and Grand Bahama. More than 500 signed up in Grand Bahama, registering online in a matter of days after the site went live. Hundreds in New Providence have collected kits.

Farming is making a comeback and it can’t come back soon enough if we care about our health, our food security and our quality of life.

Back in 2015, Dr. Graham Cates, an authority on diabetes, pronounced The Bahamas as having the highest rate of pre-diabetes and diabetes per capita in the world. Even worse is our rate of heart disease. Dr. Duane Sands has been among those who continually point out that heart disease is the number one killer of Bahamians. Dr. Arlington Lightbourne, founder of Bahamas Wellness Health Systems, took up the formal study of wellness after years of practice in the emergency rooms of Doctors’ Hospital and PMH witnessing emergencies that were caused not by accidents but by lifestyle.

“I chose emergency room practice because I thought I’d be saving lives. It should have been the highest calling a doctor could reach for,” he said.

“Instead, I was treating patients whose emergencies – heart attack, stroke, hypoglycemic shock –were the result of what they were consuming and how they were living, poor diet, too little exercise, in some cases, alcohol or other substance abuse. Our incidence of noncommunicable disease is

unacceptable and we must find ways to learn wellness is not what we do at a single sitting, it is a way of life.”

The thing about farming is that it is not just what we do, either as a hobby or occupation. It makes a difference in how we live and feel, yet change in behaviour does not come easily. Rarely is there a seismic shift without a catalyst driving that change.

In technology, it was Steve Jobs and the iPad and iPhone. In the reawakening of local farming, change started slowly with a group of 300+ churches organized by former President of the Christian Council Rev. Patrick Paul, but got the Steve Jobs-jolt when former Bahamas Feeding Network Executive Director Philip Smith came along with his newly-formed Agricultural Development Organization (ADO).

Smith, executive chairman of ADO, presented nearly $200,000 to the church group to secure a working partnership that would allow not only for the purchase of thousands of backyard farming kits but the hiring of enough field officers to ensure that those who wanted to plant would have a hand to guide them.

Philip Smith had been feeding people for 17 years, in the beginning, carrying warm loaves of home-baked bread out to waiting hands where the homeless slept or the needy hung out. For the last nine years, he headed Feeding Network. “I saw the hunger every day and it is so heartbreaking,” he says. “You can feed forever, but like the Bible says, if you give a man a fish, he will eat for a day, teach a man to fish, he will eat so long as there are fish in the sea. I say if you teach a man or woman to fish or farm, they will feed themselves and their family and that’s what we are doing through ADO and the churches with partnership with Reverend Pat Paul, who is really getting it done.”

Smith is a relentless fund-raiser, every ounce of his energy poured into increasing food security. He often does not have a dollar in his pocket and lives on little more than faith. A quiet hero who shuns the recognition he deserves, he went from trying to help feed a nation to reminding us that if we grow what we eat and eat what we grow, we will not only reduce our $1.1 billion food import bill, but live healthier lives enriching our diet with the tomatoes, lettuce, carrots, potatoes, limes, guava, spinach, avocados and more that we grow in our yards.

It often takes a single soul to jumpstart a

movement that has been rumbling underground for a very long time. The pandemic that caught our food store, pharmacy and even baby formula shelves with their pants down as it hit the supply chain woke us up from the reverie that whatever we needed would be available when and where we needed.

The slow resumption of availability brought with it an increase in prices that was a double whammy. Then we saw more suffering because attention to routine health matters and maintenance dropped off during the COVID lockdowns, restrictions and related fears of mingling or some medical offices not accepting routine visits. A lack of check-ups led to worsening conditions. Supply starvation, high prices, poor health results – a formula that a harbinger of change and along comes ADO and the relentless Philip Smith joining forces with the committed Rev. Pat Paul. Together, the signs of

a need for change and the people who were the driving forces behind it combined to help all of us find ourselves again not just with sand between our toes, but soil between our fingers and the fruits of our labour on our table.

Backyard farming is here, possibly the hottest new hobby in the country, and community farming is coming next.

Within months, we will see the first of several small holistic green markets. Thanks, Philip Smith and Rev. Pat Paul for reminding us that sometimes, the very best treasure can be found in our own backyard. All we have to do is till the soil.

It’s the least likely place to find a discussion about agriculture but if you wanted to know how well The Bahamas fed itself before commercial farming in the Family Islands hit a wall, just pick up a copy of Paul Thompson’s latest book, Policing The Bahamas 1951 and Beyond. Thompson, you will recall, was a senior police superintendent who served on the Royal Bahamas Police Force for 30 years but to this day remains the voice of wisdom in policing that other officers and the public listen to.

There on pages 270-71 of the book that strays in places from law enforcement (as

if Thompson just needed to share information he had been gathering) is a summary of the many farms that helped keep The Bahamas healthier.

From the pineapple plantation of South Eleuthera owned by the Bakers and Sawyers to the Hatchet Bay dairy, chicken and eggs farm that supplied New Providence, from US-based SML Farms operating in Andros and Abaco to the Abaco Sugar Cane Factory & Plantation to the canning of tomatoes in Cat Island, we were a farming nation.

Maybe Thompson included it in his treatise on policing because he felt its demise was criminal.

ABOVE: Stephon Thompson, 3, a little farmer from Abaco.

PHILIP SMITH, executive chairman of Agricultural Development Organisation.

‘Anti-corruption laws need to be a national priority’

By JADE RUSSELL jrussell@tribunemedia.net

A GOVERNANCE reformer said yesterday that anti-corruption legislation is a key piece of law that needs to be put forward, adding it has not been made a national priority.

“It’s 100 percent a key piece of legislation and a key piece of governance that The Bahamas needs to put forward. And I think that it hasn’t been put forward as a national priority to the degree that it can be,” Matt Aubry, ORG’s executive director, told The Tribune Mr Aubry said that the legislation is important

because corruption continues to plague parts of the public sector and how business is conducted.

“We see that there have been reports that one in five people have said they’ve been paid a bribe or been asked to pay a bribe,” he said.

He described the introduction of the anticorruption legislation as a “critical step” in the development of the country and can improve the country’s reputation.

The Davis administration had promised to pass a comprehensive package of anti-corruption legislation during its first 100 days in office, including the

Integrity Commission and Ombudsman Bills that stalled under its predecessor, but that period passed without the target being met.

In August, Attorney General Ryan Pinder said anti-corruption legislation was being reviewed.

Mr Aubry continued: “It also improves our reputation in terms of attracting the right kind of foreign investors, those who want to be in a place where things are done above board.

As opposed to those who think that The Bahamas is a place where you can get around the system. It’s really critical that we put forward a global standard

anti-corruption legislation that puts a full light on any dark corners, creates an independent space, where when claims of corruption or corruption allegations come forward, they can be vetted in a very anti-political space.”

The country’s reputation was a cause of concern during the collapse of FTX due to the backflash of scrutiny on local authorities. Some international observers have posited that Sam Bankman-Fried moved the company to The Bahamas because of a perception that the country has a lax regulatory regime. However, Prime Minister Phillip Davis has insisted that the

collapse of the crypto giant has nothing to do with The Bahamas, saying “you don’t blame the jurisdiction, you blame the bad actors”.

Mr Aubry said that anticorruption laws will aid in pushing the country forward, adding it will be beneficial in the long-term.

“It creates an opportunity for us to push forward the model of integrity in our public service, as well as improve efficiency and effectiveness. So, the upside of it is very beneficial for The Bahamas,” he said.

“The opportunity now is if they move forward it helps to restore things like public trust. It helps

to attract outside investors and ensure that projects that are in the pipeline are developed appropriately. So, all of those things are really hedging our bet that there will be greater success, in the long-term plan.”

Mr Aubry added: “This year is a critical one and what happened (with) the last administration can also happen here.”

He said the government should focus on matters that aid in the long-term sustainability of the country. Mr Aubry also said a priority of ORG is the immediate enactment of the Freedom of information Act as well.

BARRICADE

‘POSES RIS TO MOTORISTS’

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

THE removal of the barricade that had prevented access to Williams Town by way of the beach access road at Bahama Terrace poses a safety risk to motorists traversing the area, a Grand Bahama Port Authority official is warning.

Troy McIntosh, deputy director and manager of City Maintenance of Building & Development Services at GBPA, said that the barricade was installed for safety reasons.

He explained that the road surface was not built to accommodate vehicles and was never intended for vehicular traffic, but rather only for pedestrian access to the beach at Bahama Terrace.

“So, when the barricades were put up by the GBPA, it was done to ensure the safety of persons traversing that area, and that is important to us,” he said.

“However, two hours after the Port Authority’s service providers installed the barricade some unknown persons removed the barricade, thus putting persons lives at risk,” Mr McIntosh said.

Charles Pratt, senior manager of sales and commercial development at the GBPA, confirmed that a

lease document was signed between the GBPA and the City of Freeport Council as to how the road should be used or managed.

He stated that the use of the road by vehicular traffic is not in keeping with the lease document.

The City of Freeport Council had approached the GB Port Authority a few years ago to provide an access for persons to have access to the beach at Bahama Terrace. The area in question is adjacent to the public cemetery at the Williams Town settlement, which falls outside the port area.

Mr McIntosh noted that the council went through the process to have that approval granted and signed a lease agreement which governs how the road is to be used.

“The council was advised that once you build this road, you must eliminate persons coming from Freeport and travelling into William’s Town by way of this particular road - that must not occur,” he explained.

“The reasons are that firstly, it could be a problem for Bahamas Customs. And secondly, the access was only for pedestrian traffic, not vehicular traffic. So that surface was built for pedestrian traffic and not for cars to drive on it.

“The City of Freeport

Council was advised that once it builds this, it must make sure there is no access for vehicles coming through on that road.”

After the road was built, the GBPA official said the Port Authority learned that persons were using the road as a shortcut.

“It was never intended for through traffic or vehicular traffic at all,” he said. “And so, the City of Freeport chief councillor had been advised that they must block access, and if they don’t do so that the Port Authority will ensure it is there for safety reasons.”

On December 8, the Port Authority acted, and had a barricade erected in the area blocking vehicular traffic from Williams Town to Freeport.

This did not sit well with some residents of Williams Town, particularly those who operate small roadside food booths and businesses, and who saw it as an economic opportunity for them during Fish Fry on Thursdays.

However, within a couple of hours of the barricade being erected, someone had removed it. Efforts were made to contact officials at the City of Freeport District Council, however, attempts were unsuccessful up to press time.

THE president of the Sunshine Pilot Club, Sheila McPhee, and the club’s members in partnership, with the Bahamas Correctional Services Chaplaincy Unit,

recently provided over 100 plates of cooked food for volunteers and caregivers of the chaplaincy. These individuals are part of Transforming Lives Ministries,

which is attached to the Department of Correctional Services. Volunteers include prison officers, police officers, Defense Force officers, members of the clergy and others.

Concern at lack of information about China’s COVID-19 surge

BEIJING Associated Press

MOVES by several countries to mandate COVID-19 tests for passengers arriving from China reflect global concern that new variants could emerge in its ongoing explosive outbreak — and that the government may not inform the rest of the world quickly enough.

There have been no reports of new variants to date, but China has been accused of not being forthcoming about the virus since it first surfaced in the country in late 2019. The worry is that it may not be sharing data now on any signs of evolving strains that could spark fresh outbreaks elsewhere.

The US, Japan, India, South Korea, Taiwan and Italy have announced testing requirements for passengers from China. The US cited both the surge in infections and what it said was a lack of information, including genomic sequencing of the virus strains in the country.

Authorities in Taiwan and Japan have expressed similar concern.

“Right now the pandemic situation in China is not transparent,” Wang Pi-Sheng, the head of Taiwan’s epidemic command center, told The Associated Press. “We have a very limited grasp on its information, and it’s not very accurate.”

The island will start testing everyone arriving from China on January 1, ahead of the expected return of about 30,000 Taiwanese for the Lunar New Year holiday later in the month. The new Japanese rules, which restrict flights from mainland China, Hong Kong and Macao to designated airports beginning Friday, are already disrupting holiday travel plans.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin noted yesterday that many countries have not changed their policies for travellers from China and said that any measures should treat people from all countries equally.

TRUMP SUBPOENA DROPPED AS JAN 6 PANEL ENDS WORK

WASHINGTON Associated Press

THE House January 6 committee has dropped its subpoena against former President Donald Trump as it wraps up work and prepares to dissolve next week.

Mississippi Rep Bennie Thompson, the committee’s Democratic chairman, wrote in a letter to Trump lawyer David Warrington on Wednesday that he is formally withdrawing the subpoena.

“As you may know, the Select Committee has concluded its hearings, released its final report and will very soon reach its end,” Thompson wrote. “In light of the imminent end of our investigation, the Select Committee can no longer pursue the specific information covered by the subpoena.”

The committee had voted to subpoena Trump during its final televised hearing before the midterm elections in October, demanding testimony and documents from the former president as it has investigated his role in the January 6, 2021 Capitol insurrection and efforts to overturn his 2020 defeat.

Lawmakers on the panel have acknowledged the subpoena would be difficult to enforce, especially

as Republicans are poised to take over the House in January. But the move had political and symbolic value.

“We are obligated to seek answers directly from the man who set this all in motion,” Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney, the panel’s vice chairwoman and one of two Republicans on the nine-member committee, said at the time. “And every American is entitled to those answers.”

Trump then sued the panel in November to avoid cooperating. The lawsuit contended that while former presidents have voluntarily agreed to provide testimony or documents in response to congressional subpoenas in the past, “no president or former president has ever been compelled to do so”.

The committee’s request for documents was sweeping, including personal communications between Trump and members of Congress as well as extremist groups. Trump’s attorneys said it was overly broad and framed it as an infringement of his First Amendment rights.

While the panel never gained Trump’s testimony, the committee interviewed more than 1,000 witnesses, including most of his closest White House aides.

Every new infection offers a chance for the coronavirus to mutate, and it is spreading rapidly in China. Scientists can’t say whether that means the surge will unleash a new mutant on the world — but they worry that might happen.

Chinese health officials have said the current outbreak is being driven by versions of the omicron variant that have also been detected elsewhere, and a surveillance system has been set up to identify any potentially worrisome new versions of the virus. Wu

Zunyou, the chief epidemiologist at China’s Center for Disease Control, said Thursday that China has always reported the virus strains it has found in a timely way.

“We keep nothing secret,” he said. “All work is shared with the world.”

Italy’s health minister told the Senate that sequencing indicates that the variants detected in passengers arriving from China are already in circulation in Europe. “This is the most

important and reassuring news,” Orazio Schillaci said.

That squares with what the European Union’s executive branch has said. The EU refrained Thursday from immediately following member Italy in requiring tests for visitors from China, but is assessing the situation.

More broadly, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said the body needs more information on the severity of the outbreak in China, particularly on hospital and ICU admissions, “in order to make a comprehensive risk assessment of the situation on the ground”.

China rolled back many of its tough pandemic restrictions earlier this month, allowing the virus to spread rapidly in a country that had seen relatively few infections since an initial devastating outbreak in the city of Wuhan. Spiraling infections have led to shortages of cold medicine, long lines at fever

clinics, and at-capacity emergency rooms turning away patients. Cremations have risen several-fold, with a request from overburdened funeral homes in one city for families to postpone funeral services until next month.

Chinese state media has not reported the fallout from the surge widely and government officials have blamed Western media for hyping up the situation.

The global concerns, tinged with anger, are a direct result of the ruling Communist Party’s sudden exit from some of the world’s most stringent antivirus policies, said Miles Yu, director of the China Center at the Hudson Institute, a conservative think tank in Washington.

“You can’t conduct the lunacy of ‘zero-COVID’ lockdowns for such a long period of time … and then suddenly unleash a multitude of the infected from a caged China to the world,” risking major outbreaks elsewhere, Yu said in an email.

Dr David Dowdy, an infectious disease expert at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said the move by the US may be more about increasing pressure on China to share more information than stopping a new variant from entering the country.

China has been accused of masking the virus situation in the country before. An AP investigation found that the government sat on the release of genetic information about the virus for more than a week after decoding it, frustrating WHO officials.

The government also tightly controlled the dissemination of Chinese research on the virus, impeding cooperation with international scientists.

Research into the origins of the virus has also been stymied. A WHO expert group said in a report this year that “key pieces of data” were missing on the how the pandemic began and called for a more indepth investigation.

NETANYAHU BACK IN POWER IN ISRAEL

JERUSALEM Associated Press

BENJAMIN Netanyahu yesterday returned to power for an unprecedented sixth term as Israel’s prime minister, taking the helm of the most right-wing and religiously conservative government in the country’s 74-year history.

The swearing-in ceremony capped a remarkable comeback for Netanyahu, who was ousted last year after 12 consecutive years in power. But he faces numerous challenges, leading an alliance of religious and far-right parties that could cause domestic and regional turmoil and alienate Israel’s closest allies.

His new government has pledged to prioritise settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, extend massive subsidies to his ultra-Orthodox allies and push for sweeping reform of the judicial system that critics say could endanger the country’s democratic institutions. The plans have sparked an uproar in Israeli society, prompting criticism from the military, LGBTQ rights groups, the business community and others, and raised concerns abroad.

In a stormy parliamentary session before his swearing in, the combative Netanyahu took aim at his critics, accusing the opposition of trying to scare the public.

“I hear the constant cries of the opposition about the end of the country and democracy,” Netanyahu said from the podium. “Opposition members: to lose in elections is not the end of democracy, this is the essence of democracy.”

His speech was interrupted repeatedly by boos and jeers from his opponents, who chanted “weak,

weak” — an apparent reference to the numerous concessions he made to his new governing partners.

Later, Netanyahu held a brief meeting with his new Cabinet, saying his priorities would include halting Iran’s nuclear program, strengthening law and order and combatting the country’s high cost of living, and expanding Israel’s burgeoning relations with the Arab world.

“I am emotional because of the great trust the people of Israel gave us,” he told the ministers, adding that he was excited to work with the “excellent team” he has assembled. “Let’s get to work.”

Netanyahu is the country’s longest serving prime minister, having held office for a total of 15 years, including a stint in the 1990s. After four consecutive inconclusive elections, he was ousted last year by a coalition of eight ideologically diverse parties united by little more than their opposition to his rule.

That coalition collapsed in June, and Netanyahu and his ultranationalist and ultra-Orthodox allies secured

a clear parliamentary majority in November’s election.

The country remains deeply divided over Netanyahu, who remains on trial for charges of fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three corruption cases. He denies all charges, saying he is the victim of a witch hunt orchestrated by a hostile media, police and prosecutors.

Netanyahu now heads a government comprised of a hard-line religious ultranationalist party dominated by West Bank settlers, two ultra-Orthodox parties and his nationalist Likud party. They have endorsed a set of guidelines and coalition agreements that go far beyond the goals he outlined on Thursday and, some say, risk imperiling Israel’s democratic institutions and deepening the conflict with the Palestinians.

Long a hard-liner toward the Palestinians, Netanyahu already is a strong proponent of Israel’s West Bank settlements. That is only expected to be kicked into overdrive under the new government. Netanyahu has created a special ministerial post giving a firebrand settler leader widespread authority over settlement policies. The coalition’s platform says that “the Jewish people have exclusive and indisputable rights” over the entirety of Israel and the Palestinian territories and promises to make settlement expansion a top priority.

That includes legalising dozens of wildcat outposts and a commitment to annex the entire territory, a step that would snuff out any remaining hopes for Palestinian statehood and draw heavy international opposition.

Israel captured the West Bank in 1967 along with the Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem — territories the Palestinians seek for a future state.

MASKED travellers check their passports as they line up at the international flight check-in counter at the Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, yesterday.

Photo: Andy Wong/AP

ISRAELI Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday.

Photo: Amir Cohen/AP

Championship Day

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

The Providence Storm Basketball Club’s 2022 Holiday Classic will come down to one final day of competition today when the champions will be decided in the senior boys and girls and junior girls divisions at the CI Gibson Gymnasium.

According to Mark Hanna, the tournament director, the senior boys have four pools to determine who will advance to the final, while the senior girls and junior boys will play their final four for their berths into the finals.

In senior boys games played, Doris Johnson A def. Charles W, Saunders 36-24, CV Bethel def. Agape 24-15, Jordan Prince Williams High def. St George’s 26-15, Doris Johnson def. CI Gibson B 36-27, CC Sweeting def. Queen’s College 33-24 and Teleos def. Government High 34-12.

In the junior boys division, St John’s College def. CH Reeves 23-11 and Jordan Prince Williams knocked off Agape Academy 21-13.

And in the senior girls division, CI Gibson nipped St Augustine’s College 27-26 and CV Bethel got by Freedom Baptist 35-12.

- Here’s a summary of the games played: CI Gibson 27, St Augustine’s College 26: Philippa Ferguson’s only two points sealed the win for the Ratters in a nail-biting senior girls game. Jada Francis had 12, Alencia Brice seven and Trenea Greene added six.

“We executed our defence by double teaming their star player (Astonic Moultrie) because we knew they were looking for her for the game winner,” said CI Gibson’s Shannon Williams, who coached the team along with Kevin ‘KJ’ Johnon. “We sent two players at her, one in the front and one in the back and hope that we can tap the ball away from her.”

Moultrie, who had a game high 13 points, was the target, but couldn’t get around the Rattlers’ defence in the winding seconds. Dior-Rae Scott helped out with seven for the Big Red Machine, who held a slim 13-12 lead at the half.

CV

“I feel great about the way my team is playing. We are executing more,” said coach Shantelle Rolle.

“We go into the playoffs tomorrow (today), but I am expecting us to get into the championship and hopefully win it.”

Weddalinnesi Alexis scored eight points in the loss for the Warriors.

CC Sweeting 33, Queen’s College 24: Jamerolston Vil had eight and Emmanuel Adams seven in the senior boys win for the Cobras, who led 17-7 at the half.

“We started off good. I made some subs and that changed the momentum of the game,” said Cobras’ coach Darshtyn Baker.

“We have some very good young guards and they are adjusting very well to playing at this level, so we expect to do very well.”

Leo Burrows scored a game high 13 in a losing effort for the Comets.

Jordan Prince Williams 26, St George’s 15: Kamari Minns poured in a game high 18 points for the Falcons to single-handedly beat the visiting Jaguars in the senior boys match-up.

“We can be a great team. We’re still a bit sluggish condition wise, but with a

little more work and a little more practice, we will be where we need to be,” said

Jordan Prince Williams’ coach Ernest Saunders.

“I have a good group of guys. I just need them to put in a little more work so that we can come out on top.”

Hugo Nesbitt had four and Jarvis Cash three in a losing effort for the Jaguars.

“We know we have a young team and coming into Nassau it would help us to get better,” said St George’s assistant coach Calvin McIntosh. “Despite the fact that we didn’t win, I think we got what we expected out of the trip here.”

Doris Johnson A 36, CI Gibson B 27: Laterrio Young scored 15 points, including 10 in the second half as the Mystic Marlins senior boys built on their 22-12 lead at the half.

“I feel good because we have grown by leaps and bounds since we started in October,” said CV Bethel’s coach Kevon Spence.

“The guys are getting used to the system that I am trying to implement. As time goes by, I know they will get more comfortable and we will perform even better.”

Cavalle Ferguson scored nine points and Prince Wheatley added six in the loss for the Rattlers.

WORLD REACTS TO DEATH OF BRAZILIAN SOCCER KING PELÉ

REACTIONS poured in from around the world to the death of Brazilian soccer legend Pele. He died of cancer in Brazil at age 82. His grace, athleticism and mesmerising moves transfixed players and fans.

“A simple goodbye to the eternal King Pelé will never be enough to express the pain that hits the entire world of football at this moment. An inspiration for so many millions, a reference of yesterday, today, always. The affection he has always shown for me was reciprocal in every moment we shared, even at distance. He will never be forgotten and his memory will last for ever in each and everyone of us football lovers. Rest in peace, King Pelé.” — Cristiano Ronaldo, Portuguese soccer star.

“Your place is on God’s side. My eternal king. Rest in peace.” — 1970 World Cup winner Roberto Rivellino and teammate of Pele on the Brazilian national team.

“Before Pelé, ‘10’ was just a number. I read that somewhere at some point in my life. But that line, beautiful, is incomplete. I would say that before Pelé football was just a sport. Pelé changed everything. He transformed football into art, entertainment. He gave voice to the poor, to the Black and above all he gave Brazil visibility. Football and Brazil elevated their standing thanks to the King! He is gone, but his magic will endure. Pelé is eternal!” — Brazilian star Neymar.

“I had the privilege that younger Brazilians didn’t have: I saw Pelé play, live, at Pacaembu and Morumbi (stadiums). Play, no. I saw Pelé give a show. Because when he got the ball he always did something special, which often ended in a goal. I confess that I was angry with Pelé, because he always massacred my Corinthians. But, first and foremost, I admired him .... Few Brazilians took the name of our country as far as he did.” — Brazil’s President-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

“For a sport that brings the world together like

The top sports stories of the year 2022

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

“LET’S play ball” was the familiar call of the umpire as the Bahamas Baseball Association finally got to play its first official game in the newly and longawaited constructed Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium.

With the focus on the introduction of the first of its series of COPABE tournaments to be played here, Prime Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis and Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg opened the stadium on December 4 for the fourth Caribbean Cup.

It turned out to be the biggest sports story for The Tribune in a year that has been beset with some interesting twists off the playing field as sports returned to full blast in the aftermath of

the two-year hiatus because of COVID-19 pandemic.

Champions - Andre Rodgers opened for business

Although they still had some cosmetic work to be done, the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Davis-led government lived up to the promise of so many others to get the stadium ready by December for the first major international baseball tournament to be played in the Bahamas.

It was a project designed by architect Michael Foster that started a decade away and seemingly ballooned in cost from double to triple the original price with so many delays that one just wanted to see the big white elephant in full operation.

COPABE showed up to join in the celebrations with four teams to play in the initial under-23 or rather open tournament that also

MARIO BOWLEG

served as a qualifier for the Central American and Caribbean Games in 2023.

But after giving it a gallant effort, the Bahamas national team, managed by Geron Sands and featuring the majority of the top players playing in the minor

league or college, didn’t have the stamina to go all the way, finishing in fourth place with just one victory.

Certainly not the start many anticipated considering that the players longed for the opportunity to come home and compete in front of the home crowd. But there’s many who argued why San Francisco Giants’ first base coach Antoan Richardson wasn’t invited to be a part of the coaching staff and other players were not in the pool selection.

The tournament did provide one stipulation and that was the fact that neither Miami Marlins’ second baseman Jasrado ‘Jazz’ Chisholm and Washington Nationals’ shortstop Lucius Fox were eligible to play in the qualifier as they were on Major League rosters.

Nonetheless, they missed the rare opportunity to display their skills at home,

but there will be more homecoming celebrations for them to be a part of, according to BBA secretary general Teddy Sweeting, who served as the chairman of the Local Organising Committee.

Runner-Up - World Relays back home

As the baton left its original home in the Bahamas in 2019 and headed to its second leg in Yokohama, Japan and onto its third leg in Chorzow, Poland in 2021, World Athletics granted the Bahamas the rights in November to bring it home in 2024 back to “Sports in Paradise” as coined by former Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe.

This was the mark of four years that the Bahamas has played host to the unusual track meet that features competition from the 4 x 100m to the 4 x 1500m and to include the mixed gender

4 x 400m and shuttle hurdles relays.

While the Bahamas played gracious hosts in 2014, 2015 and 2017, it wasn’t until the last episode here in 2017 that the quartet of Steven Gardiner, Shaunae Miller-Uibo, Anthonique Strachan and Michael Mathieu prevailed with the closing victory in that historic introduction of the gender relay that many were left disappointed when the previous Free National Movement (FNM) government opted not to host it again in 2019.

It’s back and hopefully the rhythmic sound of junkanoo will propel and inspire so many athletes to attain the lofty goal of representing the Bahamas in relay teams in a bid to qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France.

Bethel 23, Freedom Baptist 12: Towering sisters Terrell and Danielle McCoy scored 14 and 12 points respectively to pace the Stingrays senior girls to victory after they opened a 12-7 lead at the half.

PLAY ACTION: Doris Johnson Mystic Marlins and CI Gibson Rattlers senior boys clash yesterday during the Providence Storm Basketball Club’s Holiday Classic at CI Gibson gym.

A CI Gibson Rattlers player at the charity stripe.

Photos: Moises Amisial/Tribune Staff

HIGHLIGHTS

Cowboys top banged-up Titans 27-13

By TERESA M WALKER AP Pro Football Writer

NASHVILLE, Tenn.

(AP) — Dak Prescott threw for 282 yards and two touchdowns to Dalton Schultz as the Dallas Cowboys beat the banged-up and resting Tennessee Titans 27-13 last night for their sixth win in seven games.

The Cowboys (12-4) posted their first backto-back 12-win seasons since 1994 and 1995, when Dallas won its last of the franchise’s five Super Bowl titles.

Fans were chanting “Let’s go Cowboys!” throughout the game.

The Cowboys still need to finish the regular season by winning at Washington with Philadelphia (13-2) losing out for a chance at a second straight NFC East title.

Otherwise, they will be locked into the No. 5 seed in the NFC.

Ezekiel Elliott ran for a 1-yard touchdown, his ninth straight game with a rushing TD. That made him the fifth player with such a streak since 2000, joining Shaun Alexander (2005), Priest Holmes (11 in 2002), Jonathan Taylor in 2021 and LaDainian Tomlinson (18 between 2004-05).

The Titans (7-9) lost their sixth straight hours after placing quarterback Ryan Tannehill on injured reserve, ending his season unless they reach the AFC championship. They have 22 players on injured reserve and lead the NFL using at least 83 different players.

This game was meaningless for Tennessee in the standings, with next week’s regular-season finale at Jacksonville deciding the AFC South title. So the Titans scratched seven starters, not counting two others put on IR with Tannehill. Those watching included Derrick Henry, the NFL’s second-leading rusher.

The Titans gave Joshua Dobbs, signed December 21 off Detroit’s practice squad, his first NFL start instead of rookie Malik Willis, their third-round pick in April. The former University of Tennessee star played his last college game on this field, a 2016 Music City Bowl win over Nebraska.

He had more yards passing by halftime than Willis managed in any of his first three starts.

Dobbs finished with 232 yards and the first TD pass of his career, a 7-yarder to

Robert Woods, that pulled the Titans within 17-13 late in the third.

The Cowboys scored the final 10 points. Prescott capped a 75-yard drive with his second TD pass to Schultz for a 24-13 lead early in the fourth. Brett

Maher added his second field goal for the final margin. Dallas led only 10-6 at halftime thanks to three turnovers, including two interceptions by twotime All-Pro safety Kevin Byard that set up field goals by Randy Bullock. That

gave Prescott a careerhigh 14 picks, tying him with now-benched Raiders quarterback Derek Carr for most in the NFL. That’s despite Prescott missing five games with a broken thumb. The Dallas quarterback has been picked off in

six consecutive games for the first time in his career.

Prescott took advantage of the ailing Titans defence, finding CeeDee Lamb for 11 catches for 100 yards. When undrafted rookie cornerback Tre Avery was flagged for grabbing Michael Gallup on thirdand-19, Prescott threw a 6-yard TD pass to Schultz on the next play midway through the third for a 17-6 lead.

INJURIES

Dallas center Tyler Biadasz hurt his right ankle when Titans defensive end DeMarcus Walker rolled up on his leg late in the third quarter. That forced Connor McGovern to slide over from left guard, Tyler Smith from left tackle to guard with Jason Peters coming in for Smith. Biadasz did not return. Titans defensive back Andrew Adams hurt his right knee on Schultz’s second TD catch and was carted to the locker room. Titans cornerback Davontae Harris hurt a hamstring early.

UP NEXT Dallas wraps up the regular season at Washington. The Titans visit Jacksonville trying to beat the odds and win a third straight AFC South title.

STABLE CHIEFS FACE REELING BRONCOS IN MIDST OF PLAYOFF PUSH

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports Writer

KANSAS CITY, Mo.

(AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs are perhaps the most stable franchise in the NFL these days, led by a coach in Andy Reid who commands league-wide respect and a quarterback in Patrick Mahomes who is in the mix for a second MVP award.

So it’s no surprise they have clinched the AFC West and are tied with Buffalo for the conference’s best record.

Then there’s the Denver Broncos (4-11), the Chiefs’ opponent Sunday, who mortgaged much of their future to acquire struggling Russell Wilson from the Seahawks and just fired coach Nathaniel Hackett with two games left in his first year.

So it’s also not surprising they’ll be sitting out the playoffs for the seventh straight season.

“They played us tough this last one. They gave us everything that we could ask for,” said Mahomes, who nevertheless led the Chiefs (12-3) to a 34-28 victory in Denver three weeks ago. “We have to go out and play our best ball. If

you look at the tape, you see the talent that they have and how hard they play.”

It will be up to 67-yearold Jerry Rosburg to finally get that talent playing at a high level.

The Broncos turned to the career assistant, who has 18 years of NFL coaching experience, to bridge the gap from Hackett’s firing into next season. He was special teams coordinator in Baltimore for a decade with stops in Atlanta and Cleveland, and was hired by the Broncos in September to hire in-game management when Hackett struggled in his first two games.

“He actually worked for (Ravens coach) John Harbaugh for a number of years,” Reid said.

“One of the top special teams coaches in the NFL and a good football coach, period. But a tremendous special teams coach. Good guy.”

Turns out the affection goes both ways.

“He’s a fine man. He’s been so gracious with my family over the years,” Rosburg said of Reid, who was Harbaugh’s mentor in Philadelphia. “He’s a model for all coaches. We should

all aspire to be like Andy Reid.”

While Wilson is suffering through the worst season of his career, Mahomes is on another tear for the Chiefs, putting himself in position to break the NFL record for yards passing in a season — albeit in a 17-game schedule rather than 16. And Rosburg has seen enough of Mahomes over the years that he’s plenty impressed by him.

He’s just not so excited about facing Mahomes in his first game running the show for Denver. “I could list them, and you all know them,” Rosburg said of the

Chiefs’ playmakers. “Who would sign up for this? You get to coach in the National Football League? OK, here are the Kansas City Chiefs. Here I am, choose me.”

PLAYOFF POSITION

While the Chiefs are tied with the Bills for the AFC’s best record, Buffalo would get the No. 1 seed and lone first-round bye because of its head-to-head win in October in Kansas City. So not only do the Chiefs need to beat Denver, and probably Las Vegas next week, they also need the Bengals or Patriots to beat the Bills down the stretch.

DOMINANCE

OF DENVER

The Chiefs have won 14 straight against their longtime division rival, a franchise record for any opponent. It’s the fifthlongest streak by any team against an opponent in NFL history, and one more would tie for the third longest. The last time the Broncos beat the Chiefs was a 31-24 victory September 17, 2015, in Kansas City.

FIXING WILSON

The priority for the Broncos is fixing Wilson, who was brought in at a high cost (three players, four prime draft picks to Seattle) and signed to a five-year extension with about $165 million in guarantees. But this version of Wilson has been head-scratching: He’s on pace for career worsts in touchdowns, completion percentage and sacks.

“I believe in myself at the highest level,” Wilson said.

“It’s not going to happen this year, but the mission is still the same and that’s to help bring Super Bowls to Denver. That’s the goal.”

COACHING CAROUSEL

Rosburg makes five different Broncos coaches for

safety Justin Simmons since he was taken in the thirdround of the 2016 draft.

If owner and CEO Greg Penner wanted his opinion on, say, defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero getting a shot at the head coaching job, Simmons would gladly give it.

Denver’s defence has been one of the best in the league until a clunker last weekend in a 51-14 loss to Baker Mayfield and the Los Angeles Rams.

“I just want to win,” Simmons said.

“When stuff like this happens like with Coach Hackett, I think about what I could’ve done better to help keep his job stable. Whatever it is, whoever it is, I just want to win,” he added.

WEAPON RETURNING

The Chiefs expect to have wide receiver Mecole Hardman back for the first time since an abdominal injury in Week 9 put him on injured reserve.

He practiced the last couple of weeks, but has not been inactive for games. He was on a tear before getting hurt, too, scoring five touchdowns in his last three games.

Third place finishersBahamas Games is back

Before all of the international hype is centred around the World Relays, the Bahamas will get a chance to showcase its own athletes in the seventh edition of the Bahamas Games.

Although it has been in hibernation for more than two decades, many remember the fierce competition that was witnessed from teams from Grand Bahama in the north to Inagua in the south.

Set in the framework of the country’s 50th Independence celebrations, the Bahamas Golden Jubilee Games is scheduled for July 6-14 and according to Minister Bowleg will serve as a tool of national integration and sports development.

The games will return with vintage Martin Lundy and Sharon ‘the General’ Storr as the chairman and deputy chairman respectively of the Games Secretariat of the Olympic-style competition that was last held in 2001 with the previous events taking place in 1998, 1995, 1991 and 1989.

Once again, athletes will represent teams from New

Providence, Abaco, Acklins, Andros, Bimini and the Berry Islands, Cat Island, Crooked Island, Eleuthera, Exuma and Ragged Islands, Grand Bahama, Harbour Island and Spanish Wells, Long Island, Mayaguana, Rum Cay and San Salvador, either as individuals or combined in some cases.

Athletes will get to display their skills in competitions in basketball, baseball, beach soccer, bodybuilding, boxing, cycling, golf, lawn tennis, powerlifting, softball, regatta sailing, youth Olympic sailing, swimming and track and field.

There are also some sporting disciplines that will be used as demonstrations in their efforts to attract more athletes and officials to participate. But for the most part, the landscape is expected to be a grand one for all who participate this year.

Fourth place finishBLTA elections in court What’s sports in the Bahamas without some controversy in the air, especially when it comes to electing its officers.

The Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association, under the leadership of president Perry Newton, was all set to go to the polls to elect its new executive team for the next two years. However,

former football great Ken Kerr, who was challenging Newton, got a court injunction that prevented the BLTA from going through with the elections.

No new date has been set, but the BLTA has gone on to function as usual, only to be hit with another snag when some of the top players signed a silent protest by not participating in the 2022 Giorgio Baldacci National Open at the National Tennis Center.

Top seed Kevin Major Jr also aborted completion of the men’s final when he

While Nottage went on to earn his first national title, there was a change in the role of the ladies’ finalists as No.2 seed Elana Mackey upset defending champion and No.1 seed Sydney Clarke in two sets.

Fifth place finishArcher returned as BAAA president Many would ask why has this gotten such a high priority? After losing in his bid to become the

Member

After a vigorous campaign trail, Archer secured a resounding victory to continue the mandate that he left in place as he was chosen to head the BAAA going into the 50th anniversary celebrations of the CARIFTA Games here over the Easter holiday weekend.

Additionally, Archer played a vital role on the committee that lobbied and was successful in convincing World Athletics that the World Relays should return to the Bahamas when the sixth edition takes place in 2024 after hosting the first three in 2014, 2015 and 2017.

What a magnificent time for the BAAA, which also has the seventh edition of the Bahamas Games to oversee during the 50th Jubilee anniversary celebrations in July. Archer said he’s up to the task to get the job done with his newly elected executive board.

But on December 4, during the BAAA election of officers at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium, Archer re-emerged as president for the next four years, beating out former president Rosamunde Carey and former athlete/coach/executive Dawn Johnson.

COWBOYS safety Donovan Wilson (6) celebrates the sack of Titans quarterback Joshua Dobbs (11) during the first half last night.

(AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

BRONCOS quarterback Russell Wilson passes during the first half against the Rams on Sunday in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio J Sanchez)

broke Grand Bahamian rising star Denali Nottage and forfeited the rest of the match with a 1-0 lead.

of Parliament for Fort Charlotte as a candidate for the Free National Movement, the argument started to swirl about his future tenure in office for Drumeco Archer as the Bahamas Association of Athletic Association.

A VIEW of the Andre Rodgers National Baseball Stadium under construction.

Hield, Haliburton combine for 11 3s, Pacers top Cavs 135-126

By PHILLIP B WILSON Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS (AP)

— Tyrese Haliburton scored 29 points, Buddy Hield made a 3-pointer three seconds into the game and added 25, and the Indiana Pacers beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 135126 on Thursday night.

Haliburton was 6 for 8 from 3-point range and Hield, who leads the NBA in 3-pointers, was 5 for 6. The Pacers finished 19 of 31 from beyond the arc.

“You can’t ask for much better shooting than that,” said Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith, who had 22 points. “They shoot the ball like that, it’s going to be tough to beat us any night.”

Indiana trailed by seven early in the fourth quarter before rallying. Hield fed Nesmith for a go-ahead dunk to give the Pacers a 120-119 lead with 4:26 remaining.

“This is the most fun I’ve had playing basketball in a very long time,” said Nesmith, a third-year pro acquired from Boston in the offseason.

Haliburton converted a three-point play on the next possession and the Pacers never surrendered the lead.

“This game was about our defense, or the lack of it,” said Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff, whose team ranks No. 1 in fewest points allowed at 105.5

per game. “We decided we wanted to play Indiana Pacers basketball and that’s their strength. We didn’t play Cleveland Cavaliers basketball and play to our strength.”

Bennedict Mathurin scored 23 points and Myles Turner 14 as Indiana snapped a five-game losing streak against the Cavaliers, who have lost three in a row.

“Any time the ball is going into the basket like that, you feel good,” said Pacers assistant coach

Lloyd Pierce, who took over after Rick Carlisle was ejected. “But (the Cavaliers) are capable of doing that. And that’s scary for us.

“When the ball goes into the basket, it makes you want to play that way. We have to play that way. And Ty is our leader. He’s going to set the tone and the pace for us.”

All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell scored 28 points to lead a balanced Cleveland offense with seven doubledigit scorers. Mitchell sank

five of the Cavaliers’ 12 3-pointers.

“We kept giving up 3s,” Bickerstaff said. “The 3-ball is the way back into the game. It’s personneldriven, understanding the person you’re guarding, being on high alert that that’s what they are looking for. I just didn’t think we had the focus on the defensive end of the floor because we were scoring points. We have to be able to do both.”

Cleveland’s Caris LeVert and Jarrett Allen each

had 19 and All-Star guard Darius Garland finished with 18 points and eight assists. The 3-point barrage began just three seconds in as the opening tip was batted directly to Hield, who turned and swished a shot that was the fastest 3-pointer recorded since play-by-play began in 1996-97.

In the first half, the Pacers hit 9 of 15 from beyond the arc and the Cavaliers 7 of 13.

The Cavaliers led 68-64 at halftime.

Coleby brothers ‘are not your ordinary siblings’

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

IT’S unusual to see two brothers playing together at the international level, but all things concerned, Kadeem and Dwight (Jr) Coleby are not your ordinary siblings.

As the elder of the two, Kadeem Coleby played in a number of schools in the United States before he began his career on the professional rank in 2014 with stints in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Japan, his last stop in 2020 after he suffered an injury that sidelined him for a bit.

Three months ago, 33-year-old Kadeem was back in action, suiting up to play for the men’s national basketball team in the FIBA Americas’ 2023 World Cup Qualifiers. However, his younger brother, Dwight Coleby Jr, 28, was also hit by the injury bug and had to sit on the sidelines watching.

Both siblings, who stand at 6-feet, 9-inches and play the centre position, are home in Nassau awaiting on the call for their next assignment overseas.

“Being injured, I had some time to sit back and reflect on my accomplishments and how well I have done for myself,” Kadeem said. “But you really never think about it until you are sidelined and you reflect on all the places you have been, all the things you have done, how far you came and so I’m very proud of where me and my brother have come.

“I’m really proud of both of us and I’m looking forward to hopefully having

another three years or so at it that will carry me well into my thirties and hopefully he can do at least another seven years or so to catch me up.”

Recovering from a left hamstring injury he suffered when he was trying out for the men’s national team at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium, Dwight Jr said he couldn’t play with the team, but he’s now recovering.

“It was hard being on the bench knowing that you could help the team win two of the games and not just one,” Dwight said. “Everything happens for a reason in life, so you can’t take it too hard.”

While Kadeem has recovered nicely from surgery in Boston, he said he’s feeling stronger, incorporating the weight room workouts in his training regimen to make sure that he gets back to full strength.

“Being the older of the two, you never really think about having your younger brother following you,” Kadeem said. “It wasn’t until my father, Dwight Sr, told me that Dwight was starting to play basketball too and he’s looking up to me.

“So it was really fun when we got to the age that we could play together. We didn’t go to the same colleges, but we played in Japan for a season and on the national team at the same time. So it’s great to have a guy that works so hard and understands how to play basketball the right way, is good.”

Dwight said while he’s still waiting for his next deal to play overseas, he’s

Doris Johnson A 36, Charles W. Saunders 24: Laterrio Young scored 10 points and Ryan Lynes, Fernando Lubin and Khyze Smith all scored six in the win for the Mystic Marlins, who led 18-13 at the half.

Romial Strachan and Raymon Woodside both scored five and Leroy Gray, DeQuan Strachan and Treymon Wright all added

excited to be in the same position as his big brother, Kadeem.

“It’s exciting. There ain’t that many guys who are doing it together, so we are really blessed to have this opportunity to play,” said Dwight, who has played in Belgium, Turkey and Italy where he gets to practice at least four days a week and play once a week.

“I know when I was growing up, I had people who told me that I am not good. So every time I go out to work out, it motivates me to get better and to prove everybody wrong. I want to get a few more years out of this, but the most important thing is to stay healthy.”

Looking ahead to the future, Kadeem said if they can stay healthy, they will try to finish off their careers strong, hopefully helping the national team to get to the next level, which is where they come in as big men.

“We need our bigs to be dominant,” Kadeem said.

“We have some superstars in Buddy (Hield). We’re still waiting on (Deandre) Ayton to join us, so

four in the loss for the Crusaders.

CV Bethel 24, Agape 15: Jahliel Minnis scored 10 and Mannie Dorely added eight points for the Stingrays in their senior boys win. They led by 7 at the half.

Dashawn Smith scored seven and Anthony Mertil had six in the loss for the Eagles from Abaco.

Teleos 34, Government High 12: Drew Bethel scored 10 points for the Cheriums’ senior boys, who

we need our bigs to be dominant. We won our last game here because the bigs dominated.

“As long as we can keep that going, the team is going to be good and we will definitely get to do some great things for the Bahamas.”

Kadeem assured the Bahamas Basketball Federation, headed by Eugene Horton, that they just need to provide some of the same amenities that they experience when they play overseas and the players would be happy to come home and play for the country.

“When we go overseas, we have everything that we need,” he said. “We have codes to get into the gyms to train, we have someone that follows everywhere, we have someone who can take us through a vigorous training session and we have spots where we get the right meals. We go to spa and get massages. So we need stuff like that.

“The national team players need that when they come home. We also need to have a reserve team with the same amenities

led 20-4 agt the half. Darrol and Gerkai Stubbs both scored three points in the loss for the Magicvmen.

St John’s 23, CH Reeves 11: Kymani Butler had 11 and Leonardo Rolle 10 to lead the Giants, who led 23-11 at the half in their junior boys game. Jamie Perez had seven in the loss.

Jordan Prince Williams 21, Agape 13: Michael Munnings scored 11 points, including nine in

that the national team gets. Once we put those things in place, we will take off because the Bahamas has naturally0gifted athletes. Our players don’t get to lift weights until we get to the United States. But at age 16-17, we are flying and playing at a high level.”

Kadeem said it was a pleasure to team up with Hield, whom he considers to be a team leader and one who “speaks” and gets the job done. “We just need more power behind him. We know Ayton is a seasoned guy and Buddy is a seasoned vet and Kai (Jones) is starting to grow. So we’re on the right track to get this team together for the future.”

Although he didn’t get to play in the NBA, Kadeem said it all happened for a reason.

“In life, you never understand why certain things happen and then realise that maybe it’s not for me,” said Kadeem, who got a chance to work out with a couple of NBA teams, including the Memphis Grizzlies in 2015 but it didn’t work out.

Kadeem is a long-time fan of the Los Angeles Lakers and while he admitted that they are still trying to find the right pieces to pull it all together, he’s confident that before the season is over, they will turn things around. And while he’s home, Kadeem said he was glad to watch his One Family emerge as the winner of the Boxing Day Junkanoo Parade.

“I grew up in Grants Town right around the corner from Taylor Street, so I’ve been a Warrior fan, so to see them come out

DEANDRE AYTON SCORES 31 IN LOSS TO WIZARDS

By IAN NICHOLAS QUILLEN Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Rui Hachimura matched his career high with 30 points and converted a pivotal three-point play to help the Washington Wizards pull away for a 127-102 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night in a meeting of depleted teams.

“I think right away his level of aggression, you could tell,” Wizards coach Wes Unseld Jr said about Hachimura, who finished 11 of 13 from the floor. “He was not only playing downhill, but he was taking the right types of shots. He played with a sense of urgency.”

Kristaps Porzingis and Kyle Kuzma each had 22 points for Washington as three-time Wizards All-Star Bradley Beal sat out with hamstring soreness. The Wizards shot 57.3% from the floor, outscored the Suns 60-28 in the paint and outrebounded them 46-30.

Deandre Ayton scored 31 points for the Suns, who said Wednesday that AllStar guard Devin Booker will miss at least four weeks because of a left groin strain.

Chris Paul added 20 points as Phoenix led only once on the opening basket while falling to 1-2 on a sixgame road trip. The Suns also are missing the injured Cam Johnson, Cam Payne and Landry Shamet.

“Look, they beat us,” Suns coach Monty Williams said. “They attacked us. Close-outs tonight weren’t great. And in that third quarter and beginning of the fourth, it was just one close-out after another and they were getting to the rim. So that probably hurt us more than anything.”

The Suns’ ugly night finished with four technical fouls after halftime and a fan near the Phoenix bench being ejected in the final two minutes.

“We finished the third really well. I think that was important,” Porzingis said. “That kind of set the tone for the fourth quarter also.”

It was far more competitive until Hachimura’s pivotal driving layup over Ish Wainright led to a three-point play to put Washington ahead 86-82 with 1:56 left in the third.

Entering that possession, the Suns had whittled a nine-point halftime deficit to one, and Hachimura was initially whistled for a charge on the play.

Unseld challanged and the call was reversed with Wainright assessed a block. And Hachimura’s layup and foul shot set in motion a 19-5 run that put the game out of reach.

“Usually I’m more hesitant to use it until late in the game,” Unseld said. “But I felt like that was a momentum stretch there.”

BOOKER SHELVED

The Suns said Booker will be re-evaluated after the four weeks.

“It’s the nature of a guy who puts in a lot of work and lays everything on the line,” Williams said pregame.

“You’re going to run into this from time to time. I’m actually grateful, you know, that it wasn’t worse.”

Booker is averaging a career-high 27.1 points and already topped 50 points twice this season.

the first half of their junior boys game as the Falcons surged ahead 13-8 at the half. Joshua Cornish had six, Tayshawn Clarke four and Judah McIntosh three in the loss.

- Here’s a look at today’s games:

9am - CI Gibson (A) vs Doris Johnson (senior boys)

9:30am - Jordan Prince Williams vs CI Gibson (senior boys)

10am - CC Sweeting vs Queen’s College (senior boys)

10:30am - D Johnson (A) vs CW Saunders (senior boys)

11am - SJ College vs DW Davis (junior boys)

12pm - Jordan Prince Williams vs Agape (junior boys)

12:30pm - CV Bethel vs Freedom Baptist (senior girls)

1pm - CI Gibson vs St Augustine’s College (senior girls)

- Senior boys semifinal games

- Championship games will follow.

KADEEM COLEBY DWIGHT COLEBY

PACERS guards Tyrese Haliburton (0) and Buddy Hield (24) chat in the first half against the New Orleans Pelicans in New Orleans, on Monday, December 26. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)

‘Greatest of all time’

By MAURICIO SAVARESE AP Sports Writer

SAO PAULO (AP) — Pelé will be famous for 15 centuries.

The Brazilian soccer star said Andy Warhol told him that. It was a twist on something else the American artist is widely credited with saying, that “in the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes.” Warhol made the soccer star’s portrait in 1977, and Pelé took great pride in turning his sports fame into decades of global affection and renown.

For most Brazilians Pelé was a cultural and social phenomenon. He was the country’s statesman without an office, a role he played since age 17. He usually took quiet political positions, if any.

Born poor in a small city in Brazil’s southeast, the South American nation’s first millionaire soccer player appeared in ads for gasoline, toothpaste, sugarcane liquor, bicycles, soda, soccer shoes and Viagra, among other products.

“Pelé always knew his place,” his former assistant Pepito Fornos said. “If it was a meeting with Queen Elizabeth, Pope John Paul II, Bono Vox or just a kid he met on the street, everyone treated him with reverence. He was the same boy from the countryside, but when he shared a table with people he was quickly the centre.”

Edson Arantes do Nascimento, globally known as Pelé, died yesterday at a Sao Paulo hospital. Throughout his career and afterward, he walked a fine line between his fame and taking on social problems.

He founded a charity carrying his name and dedicated to helping children. He became a United Nations goodwill ambassador. He did not publicly dedicate much time to activism for any particular cause, however. Brazil’s first modern Black national hero, Pelé rarely spoke about racism in a country where the rich and powerful tend to hail from the white minority.

Opposing fans taunted Pelé with monkey chants at home and all over the world.

“He said that he would never play if he had to stop every time he heard those chants,” said Angelica Basthi, one of Pelé’s biographers. “He is key for Black people’s pride in Brazil, but never wanted to be a flag-bearer.”

The country’s military dictatorship (1964-1985) tortured and killed its Brazilian opponents. Pelé

posed for pictures with government leaders and said they knew what was best.

When Pelé scored the goal he counts as the 1,000th of his career in 1969, he pleaded with authorities “to care for the little children.” He did not assign blame for their misfortune.

Pelé said in a 2021 documentary that he felt pressure from President Emilio Medici to play in the World Cup in Mexico in 1970 and did so even though he had wanted to quit the national team after a poor Brazilian performance in 1966.

Still, the star marveled the world one last time on the sport’s biggest stage. Brazil’s and Pelé’s third World Cup title came when Medici was torturing adversaries, had closed congress and had put a gag on the nation’s top court.

Pelé and every other Brazil player received a Volkswagen from an ally of the dictator upon arrival from Mexico. None of the footballers refused the gift, but the star player was most vehemently critiqued due to his hero status.

“At that moment I did not want to be Pelé,” he said. “We knew a lot of things that were going on in the country.”

Pelé retired from the national team in 1971, left his boyhood club Santos three years later and moved to the United States to play for the New York Cosmos after being lured by then-U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.

During those years, he spoke about love, caring for children and stopping wars.

The Brazilian finished his professional soccer career in 1977 and returned to his country soon after, as democracy was returning.

Pelé’s six-year relationship with popular TV host Xuxa Meneghel also boosted his post-soccer fame nationwide in the early 1980s. She was 17 when they started dating, one year short of legal age in Brazil. The former

footballer, 20 years older than Meneghel, had to ask her father’s permission to date.

Pelé became more politically vocal in retirement. He criticised Ricardo Teixeira, then head of the Brazilian soccer confederation and son-in-law of then-FIFA President João Havelange (1916-2016). He was banned from the draw for the 1994 World Cup, attending it as a pundit for TV Globo.

In 1995, Pelé became sports minister in the

centre-right administration of President Fernando Henrique Cardoso but spent seven years in the job maintaining a relatively low public profile.

For decades, Pelé’s meeting and greeting leaders around the world landed great results for him and his allies. He was one of the key figures of Rio de Janeiro’s winning bid team to host the 2016 Olympics, when he was centre stage again at an International Olympic Committee meeting in 2009. Pelé’s old foe Havelange was in his team again.

“Everyone came to see Pelé and then the others had a chance to speak to them too,” former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said in an interview after Rio’s victory over Chicago, Tokyo and Madrid. “And who could blame the delegates? I would have wanted the same.”

Pelé later struggled with mobility problems he blamed on failed hip surgery, and made his final major appearance on a wheelchair at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Argentina’s Diego Maradona kissed his head in front of the cameras.

Russian President Vladimir Putin — who this year received a letter from Pelé asking him to stop the invasion of Ukraine — helped carry him around.

“Years ago, I promised to myself that, as long as I can, I will always raise my voice in favour of peace,” Pelé said in the letter dated June 1.

“Pelé was one of the greatest to ever play the beautiful game. And as one of the most recognisable athletes in the world, he understood the power of sports to bring people together. Our thoughts are with his family and everyone who loved and admired him.” — Former U.S. President Barack Obama.

“The king of football has left us but his legacy will never be forgotten. RIP KING.” French player Kylian Mbappé.

“With the death of Pelé, soccer has lost one of its greatest legends, if not the greatest. Like all legends, the King seemed immortal. He made people dream and continued to do that with generations and generations of lovers of our sport. Who, as a child, didn’t dream of being Pelé?” — Didier Deschamps, former player and manager of the French national team.

“It will be very difficult to find another Pelé. Pelé had everything a player should have. Agile, jumped like no one, could kick with both legs, physically very strong and brave. There was no one like Pelé.” — Cesar Luis Menotti, Argentine coach and Pele teammate in the Santos football club in Brazil.

“Today football says goodbye to its most beautiful chapter. The man who charmed the world and changed the history of the game forever. You will always be the greatest, because 60 years ago, with all the difficulties you faced, you already did what only a few can do today. The man who dedicated his 1000th goal to children and made our country discover it could be much more.”Brazil player Richarlison.

“Pelé had a magnetic presence and, when you were with him, the rest of the world stopped. His life is about more than football. He changed perceptions for the better in Brazil, in South America and across the world. His legacy is impossible to summarise in words. Today, we all mourn the loss of the physical presence of our dear Pelé, but he achieved immortality a long time ago and therefore he will be with us for eternity.” - FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

PELÉ REMEMBERED FOR TRANSCENDING SOCCER AROUND WORLD

By RONALD BLUM AP Sports Writer

NEW YORK (AP) —

Pelé was remembered for a life beyond the field, for transcending the sport of soccer and becoming perhaps the most well-known person on Earth.

“Before Pelé, ‘10’ was just a number,” current Brazil forward Neymar wrote following the soccer great’s death yesterday at the age of 82. “That line, beautiful, is incomplete. I would say that before Pelé soccer was just a sport. Pelé changed everything. He transformed soccer into art, entertainment. He gave voice to the poor, to the Black and above all he gave Brazil visibility. Soccer and Brazil elevated their standing thanks to the King! He is gone, but his magic will endure.”

Pelé scored 12 goals in 14 World Cup matches and is the only three-time world champion, winning titles in 1958, 1962 and 1970. His death was especially impactful for generations of Brazilian players who idolised him. “Today Brazil

waves goodbye to one of its most illustrious children,” wrote Romario, a 1994 World Cup champion who used Pelé’s full name in his post. “Edson Arantes do Nascimento made the world bow to his talent and took Brazilian soccer to the altar of gods. Throughout his life, Pelé inspired generations of athletes and deserves every tribute.”

Ronaldo, who led Brazil to a fifth World Cup title in 2002, described Pelé as “Unique. Genius. Skilled. Creative. Perfect. Unmatched.”

“What a privilege to come after you, my friend,” Ronaldo wrote. “Your talent is a school through which every player should go. Your legacy transcends generations. And that is the way you will continue to live.”

Pelé was a revered sports figure to a level probably not comparable to any athlete other than Muhammad Ali. As comfortable mingling with heads of states and celebrities as he was evading defenders, Pelé made an impact in capitals across continents.

“As one of the most recognisable athletes in the world, he understood the power of sports to bring people together,” former US President Barack Obama wrote.

Pelé’s greatest impact was in Brazil, a unifying figure celebrated during the 2014 World Cup.

“I saw Pelé play, live, at Pacaembu and Morumbi (stadiums),” former Brazil President and current

President-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva wrote. “Play, no. I saw Pelé give a show. Because when he got the ball he always did something special, which often ended in a goal. ... Few Brazilians took the name of our country as far as he did. As different from Portuguese as one’s language was, foreigners from the four corners of the planet soon found a way to pronounce the magic word: ‘Pelé.’”

For a half-century, people who knew the name of only one soccer player knew Pelé.

“He made people dream and continued to do that with generations and generations of lovers of our sport,” France coach Didier Deschamps said in a statement. “Who, as a child, didn’t dream of being Pelé? ... Pelé was the alliance of beauty and efficiency. His talent and his list of achievements will stay engraved in our minds forever.”

French soccer star Kylian Mbappé tied Pelé for sixth in career World Cup goals with a hat trick in this month’s loss to Argentina in the final. Four years ago, Mbappé became only the second teenager — after Pelé — to score a goal in a World Cup final.

“The king of football has left us but his legacy will never be forgotten,” Mbappé wrote.

When Pelé’s condition worsened last month during the World Cup in Qatar, get well messages were flashed on the sides of buildings in Doha. The English Football

“Pelé did things that no other player would even dream of,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino wrote. “The sight of him punching the air in celebration is one of the most iconic in our sport, and is etched into our history.

“In fact, because televised football was still in his infancy at the time, we only saw small glimpses of what he was capable of.”

When Pelé played for the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League from 1975-77, he helped spark soccer’s rise in the United States, leading to the nation hosting the World Cup in 1994.

“Pele was truly a remarkable figure — on and off the field,” said FIFA Council member Sunil Gulati, a former US Soccer Federation president. “The world has lost a once in a lifetime sportsman who leaves an extraordinary legacy.”

Association lit Wembley Stadium’s arch in Brazil’s colours Wednesday night. FIFA, soccer’s governing body, changed its website’s homepage to photos of Pelé with a black background.

BRAZILIAN soccer great Pelé, and English soccer star David Beckham pose for photos during a US Soccer Foundation fundraising gala, in New York, on March 19, 2008.

(AP Photo/Jason DeCrow)

no other, Pelé’s rise from humble beginnings to soccer legend is a story of what is possible. Today, Jill and I’s thoughts are with his family and all those who loved him.” - US President Joe Biden.

BRAZIL’s soccer legend Pele greets the crowd ahead of a Spanish league soccer match, in the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Jan. 16, 2005. Pelé, the Brazilian king of soccer who won a record three World Cups and became one of the most commanding sports figures of the last century, died in Sao Paulo on Thursday, Dec. 29, 2022. He was 82. (AP Photo/Jasper Juinen)

TOP RIGHT: Pele gestures during a photocall of the movie ‘Pele’, in Milan, Italy, on May 25, 2016. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

SOCCER player Pele embraces boxer Muhammad Ali during a ceremony honouring the Brazilian soccer star of the New York Cosmos at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J., October 1, 1977.

(AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Warren Buffett jumps into local politics to fight streetcar

By JOSH FUNK AP Business Writer

BILLIONAIRE investor Warren Buffett broke with his practice of staying out of local politics to urge his hometown of Omaha to abandon its planned streetcar project because he says it’s too expensive and not as flexible as buses.

Buffett wrote a letter to the editor of the Omaha World-Herald and met with the mayor this week to lobby against the $306 million project and urge the city to let residents vote on it.

But city officials are moving forward with the streetcar because they believe it will spur development, including Mutual of Omaha’s planned $600 million headquarters tower downtown.

Buffett said in his letter that he decided to make an exception to his policy of staying out of local issues even though “it can be off-putting to many to have a wealthy 92-year-old tell them what is good for their future.” He said he wanted to weigh in on the

streetcar because it’s “going to be hugely expensive if implemented.”

“Residents can be far better served by extended or more intensive service by the bus system,” Buffett wrote. “As population, commerce and desired destinations shift, a bus system can be reengineered. Streetcars keep mindlessly rolling on, fueled by large public subsidies.

Mistakes are literally cast in cement.”

Buffett didn’t respond Thursday to questions about his letter.

The proposed streetcar would start less than 20 blocks away from the midtown home Buffett has lived in for decades and run right past the headquarters of his Berkshire Hathaway conglomerate on the way downtown.

Mutual of Omaha officials said when they announced their new office tower that is expected to become their namesake city’s tallest building that the new streetcar was a key part of its plan because it would provide convenient access to the new headquarters. The company

declined to respond directly to Buffett’s criticisms Thursday.

The city is banking on new tax revenue from other development expected along the streetcar line to pay for the project. And the City Council has already approved the bonds that will pay for it.

Buffett said that he would vote no on the project if he was given the chance, but the city isn’t required to hold an election. The project has been moving forward with little significant public opposition since it was announced in January alongside Mutual’s new headquarters.

“I have great admiration for Mr. Buffett,” Stothert said, “but I respectfully disagree with his position on the streetcar.”

WARREN BUFFETT, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, speaks during a game of bridge following the annual Berkshire Hathaway shareholders meeting on May 5, 2019, in Omaha, Neb. Buffett broke with his practice of staying out of local politics to urge his hometown of Omaha to abandon its planned streetcar project because he says it is too expensive and not as flexible as buses.

Buffett’s tiny headquarters staff of about two dozen people isn’t likely to add to the number of people using the streetcar even if it does go right past their front door because it will only extend about seven blocks west of the office.

But the conglomerate Buffett leads as chairman and CEO owns more than 90 companies worldwide, including the BNSF railroad, Geico insurance, several major utilities and an eclectic assortment of manufacturing and retail businesses such as Dairy Queen and Precision Castparts.

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Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert told the Omaha World-Herald that she met with Buffett Wednesday to discuss the streetcar and development in the city.

Photo:Nati Harnik/AP

STOCKS RALLY TO HIGHER CLOSE AS JOB MARKET REMAINS STRONG

By DAMIAN J. TROISE AND ALEX VEIGA AP Business Writers

A RELATIVELY light day of trading on Wall Street ended Thursday with a broad rally for stocks as investors welcomed new jobless benefits data that shows the labor market remains strong.

The S&P 500 rose 1.7%, with roughly 95% of stocks within the benchmark index closing higher. The gains more than made up for the index’s losses the previous two days, the latest oscillation in what has been a volatile, holiday-shortened week for stocks.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1% and the Nasdaq composite gained 2.6%.

Technology stocks, which are down 29% this year, powered much of the rally. Apple and Microsoft each rose 2.8%.

Tesla jumped 8.1% as it continued to recover from steep losses Tuesday following reports it temporarily suspended production at a factory in Shanghai. The stock is still down nearly 66% for the year.

Investors have been hoping for a “Santa Claus” rally. That’s Wall Street’s term for when stocks rise in the last five trading days of December and first two of January. Even a late rally likely wouldn’t change the

broader market’s trajectory for the month.

Every major index is headed for a loss in December that will cap a dismal year. While companies in the S&P 500 raked in record profits this year, investors in the benchmark index will see a roughly 20% loss in 2022, which would mark its worst year since 2008.

Still, going back to World War II, history suggests the market may fare better next year, said Sam Stovall, chief investment strategist at CFRA.

“When you look at down years for the market, history offers some encouragement in that the market is up an average of 14% in the following year and has risen in price more than 80% of the time,” Stovall said.

The S&P 500 rose 66.06 points to 3,849.28. The Dow added 345.09 points to 33,220.80. The Nasdaq rose 264.80 points to close at 10,478.09.

Small company stocks also posted solid gains. The Russell 2000 index rose 44.23 points, or 2.6%, to 1,766.25.

Treasury yields were mixed. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 3.83% from 3.89% late Wednesday.

Markets in Europe closed higher, while markets in Asia slipped.

Investors have been focused on the Federal

INTENT TO CHANGE NAME BY DEED POLL PUBLIC NOTICE

The Public is hereby advised that I, TIMOTHY HOWARD NEWBOLD, of P.O Box F-44113 No. 52 Beachway Drive of The Eastern District, Freeport, Bahamas, intend to change my name to TIMOTHY HIELD ROLLE If there are any objections to this change of name by Deed Poll, you may write such objections to the Chief Passport Offcer, P.O.Box N-742, Nassau, Bahamas no later than thirty (30) days after the date of publication of this notice.

Reserve’s continuing fight against stubbornly hot inflation. The central bank has been raising interest rates in an effort to stifle borrowing and spending and cool inflation, but the strategy risks going too far and sending the economy into a recession. That has put an even greater focus on a wide range of data for Wall Street as it tries to determine whether inflation is cooling and how various areas of the economy are faring.

The latest update from the U.S. shows that the number of people seeking unemployment benefits rose only slightly last week. The labor market has been one of the stronger areas of the economy. That’s normally good news and it has helped create a bulwark against a recession as other areas of the economy slow. It has also made the Fed’s fight against inflation more difficult and means the central bank will have to likely remain aggressive, raising the risk that its policy could bring on a recession.

The Fed has already raised its key interest rate seven times this year and is expected to continue raising rates in 2023. The key lending rate, the federal funds rate, stands at a range of 4.25% to 4.5%, and Fed policymakers forecast that the rate will reach a range of 5% to 5.25% by the end of 2023. Their forecast doesn’t call for a rate cut before 2024.

Probe: Alzheimer’s drug approval ‘rife with irregularities’

Associated Press

THE Food and Drug Administration’s contentious approval of a questionable Alzheimer’s drug took another hit Thursday as congressional investigators called the process “rife with irregularities.”

The 18-month investigation by two House committees detailed “atypical collaboration” between FDA regulators and a company it’s supposed to oversee -- Aduhelm manufacturer Biogen. The probe also cited Biogen documents saying the company intended to “make history” when it set what investigators called an “unjustifiably high” initial price of $56,000 a year for the drug.

The criticism comes as the FDA is expected to decide whether to approve another new Alzheimer’s drug in January. Thursday’s report urged the agency to “take swift action” to ensure that any future Alzheimer’s approvals aren’t met with “the same doubts about the integrity of FDA’s review.”

The FDA and Biogen issued statements Thursday defending the Aduhelm approval process.

In 2021, the FDA overruled its own independent scientific advisers when it approved Aduhelm even though research studies failed to prove it really helped patients. Biogen had halted two studies after disappointing results suggested the drug wasn’t slowing Alzheimer’s inevitable worsening -- only to later contend that a new analysis of one study showed higher doses offered an incremental benefit.

The FDA argued the drug’s ability to reduce a hallmark of Alzheimer’s, a buildup of plaque in the brain, suggested it was likely to slow the disease. Backlash was immediate as three FDA advisers resigned in protest and the agency’s then-acting chief called for an internal investigation. Eventually Medicare refused to pay for the drug -- even after the yearly price was dropped to $28,000 -- unless patients enrolled in clinical trials to prove if it indeed slowed cognitive decline.

Thursday’s report said FDA and Biogen engaged in an unusually high volume of phone calls, meetings and emails, some of them not properly documented.

In addition, the regulators and company spent months working together to prepare a briefing document for FDA’s advisers that didn’t adequately represent substantial disagreement within the FDA about how to handle Aduhelm, the report said.

The investigators recommended that FDA take steps to restore trust in the approval process that include properly documenting interactions with drugmakers. They also urged manufacturers to take into account advice from patient groups and other outside experts on fair drug pricing.

In a statement Thursday, FDA said the Aduhelm decision “was based on our scientific evaluation of the data” and that the agency’s own internal review found its interactions with Biogen were appropriate. But it said it plans to update guidance on Alzheimer’s drug development and will review the investigation’s findings.

In its own statement, Biogen said: “Alzheimer’s is a highly complex disease and we have learned from the development and launch of Aduhelm” but that it “stands by the integrity of the actions we have taken.”

A SCREEN displays financial news on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange in New York, Thursday, Dec. 29, 2022. Stocks are opening higher on Wall Street Thursday in a broad rally led by the IT and communications sectors.

Photo:Seth Wenig/AP

WASHINGTON

NOTICE is hereby given that ALIDIEU BRAZELA of Lower Bogue, Eleuthera, The Bahamas is 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 23rd day of December, 2022 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.

NOTICE is hereby given that ELMIDE JOSEPH of Charles Saunders Highway, Nassau, The Bahamas is 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 30th day of December, 2022 to the Minister responsible

nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.

of

The

Stocks rally to higher close as job market remains strong

By DAMIAN J. TROISE AND ALEX VEIGA AP Business Writers

A RELATIVELY light day of trading on Wall Street ended Thursday with a broad rally for stocks as investors welcomed new jobless benefits data that shows the labor market remains strong.

The S&P 500 rose 1.7%, with roughly 95% of stocks within the benchmark index closing higher. The gains more than made up for the index’s losses the previous two days, the latest oscillation in what has been a volatile, holiday-shortened week for stocks.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1% and the Nasdaq composite gained 2.6%.

Technology stocks, which are down 29% this year, powered much of the rally. Apple and Microsoft each rose 2.8%.

Tesla jumped 8.1% as it continued to recover from steep losses Tuesday following reports it temporarily suspended production at a factory in Shanghai. The stock is still down nearly 66% for the year.

Investors have been hoping for a “Santa Claus” rally. That’s Wall Street’s term for when stocks rise in the last five trading days of December and first two of January. Even a late rally likely wouldn’t change the broader market’s trajectory for the month.

Every major index is headed for a loss in December that will cap a dismal

Mortgage rates' rise has led to wide gap with US bond yields

By ALEX VEIGA AP Business Writer

ECONOMISTS are baffled by a wider-than-usual divergence between longterm mortgage rates and the yield on the benchmark U.S. government bond that is driving a sharp rise in borrowing costs and helping to torpedo the U.S. housing market this year.

The gap, or spread, between the 10-year Treasury yield and the average rate on a 30-year mortgage widened this year as inflation hit the highest level in decades and the Fed began raising interest rates and taking other steps aimed at taming surging prices.

This spread has historically averaged around 170 basis points a month, but between March and October it averaged about 240 basis points, according to Federal Reserve data. In October, the spread widened to 292 points, the biggest monthly gap since August 1986.

"The spread between the 10-year Treasury and the mortgage rate is exceptionally wide, abnormal," Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors said last week. "If we had a narrowing, or say, a normal spread condition, today's mortgage rate could be 5.7%."

Mike Fratantoni, chief economist at the Mortgage Bankers Association, agreed: "One of the more

puzzling aspects of the current environment has been the extremely wide spread of mortgage rates relative to Treasury rates."

Rates for 30-year mortgages usually track the moves in the 10-year Treasury yield, which lenders use as a guide to pricing loans.

Investors' expectations for future inflation, global demand for U.S. Treasurys and what the Federal Reserve does with interest rates can also influence the cost of borrowing for a home.

In the first week of January, when the 10-year Treasury yield averaged 1.77% and the rate on a 30-year mortgage averaged 3.22%, the spread was 145 basis points.

In the months that followed, as bond yields shot upward and mortgage rates doubled from 2021 levels, that spread increased. Last week, it was 252 basispoints wide as the 10-year Treasury yield averaged 3.75%, while the 30-year home loan rate averaged 6.27%.

And as recently as the second week of November, the spread swelled to 326 basis points as the weekly average on a 30-year mortgage climbed to a 20-year high of 7.08%.

The spread between mortgage rates and the 10-year Treasury yield has widened sharply in the past, generally in periods preceding or coinciding with recessions, as in 2000-2001

year. While companies in the S&P 500 raked in record profits this year, investors in the benchmark index will see a roughly 20% loss in 2022, which would mark its worst year since 2008.

Still, going back to World War II, history suggests the market may fare better next year, said Sam Stovall, chief investment strategist at CFRA.

“When you look at down years for the market, history offers some encouragement in that the market is up an average of 14% in the following year and has risen in price more than 80% of the time,” Stovall said.

The S&P 500 rose 66.06 points to 3,849.28. The Dow added 345.09 points to 33,220.80. The Nasdaq

rose 264.80 points to close at 10,478.09.

Small company stocks also posted solid gains. The Russell 2000 index rose 44.23 points, or 2.6%, to 1,766.25.

Treasury yields were mixed. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 3.83% from 3.89% late Wednesday. Markets in Europe closed higher, while markets in Asia slipped.

Investors have been focused on the Federal Reserve’s continuing fight against stubbornly hot inflation. The central bank has been raising interest rates in an effort to stifle borrowing and spending and cool inflation, but the strategy risks going too far and sending the economy into a recession. That has put an even greater focus on a wide range of data for Wall Street as it tries to determine whether inflation is cooling and how various areas of the economy are faring.

The latest update from the U.S. shows that the number of people seeking unemployment benefits rose only slightly last week. The labor market has been one of the stronger areas of the economy. That’s normally good news and it has helped create a bulwark against a recession as other areas of the economy slow. It has also made the Fed’s fight against inflation more difficult and means the central bank will have to likely remain aggressive, raising the risk that its policy could bring on a recession.

The Fed has already raised its key interest rate seven times this year and is expected to continue raising rates in 2023. The key lending rate, the federal funds rate, stands at a range of 4.25% to 4.5%, and Fed policymakers forecast that the rate will reach a range of 5% to 5.25% by the end of 2023. Their forecast doesn’t call for a rate cut before 2024.

and 2008-2009, said George Ratiu, manager of economic research at Realtor. com.

Several factors are driving the wider-than-normal spread. Inflation and the Fed's wave of rate hikes has pushed up costs for banks, which are then passed along to borrowers with higher rates.

Earlier this year, the Fed also began reducing its holdings of Treasury and mortgage-backed securities, or MBS.

"What that means, practically, is there's less money in the lending market to actually reach consumers," Ratiu said. "That also has an upward effect on mortgage rates."

NOTICE is hereby given that KADESHIA ALENDRIA CLARKE of #159 South Kemp Road, Nassau, The Bahamas is 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 30th day of December, 2022 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.

TRADERS work on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange in New York, Thursday, Dec. 29, 2022.

Photo:Seth Wenig/AP

A CUL-de-sac runs through a new housing development in Middlesex Township, Pa., on Oct. 12, 2022. The sharp rise in borrowing costs that helped torpedo the U.S. housing market in 2022 has been partly driven by a wider-thanusual divergence between long-term mortgage rates and the yield on the benchmark U.S. government bond.

Photo:Gene J. Puskar/AP

Average mortgage rates rise after 6 weeks of declines

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP Economics Writer

THE average long-term U.S. mortgage rate rose this week after falling for six straight weeks, adding to the challenges potential homebuyers face amid higher home prices and a limited supply of available houses.

Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac reported Thursday that the average on the benchmark 30-year rate increased to 6.42% from 6.27% last week. That is more than double the

year-ago average rate of 3.11%.

The long-term rate reached 7.08% in late October and again in early November as the Federal Reserve has continued to crank up its key lending rate this year in an effort to cool the economy and tame inflation.

The big increase in mortgage rates has torpedoed the housing market, with sales of existing homes falling for 10 straight months to the lowest level in more than a decade.

While home prices are now dropping as demand

has declined, they are still nearly 11% higher than a year ago. Higher prices and a doubling of mortgage rates have made homebuying much less affordable and a much more daunting prospect for many people.

George Ratiu, senior economist at realtor.com, calculates that the monthly payment for a medianpriced home is now about $2,100, before taxes and insurance, up more than 60% from a year ago. The median is halfway between the highest and lowest figures.

Sales of new homes are also falling. Ratiu expects mortgage rates will remain above 6% next year and sales to stay low.

“All of these data are indicative of a market going through a major reset, which is the Fed’s goal,” he said.

The Fed has hiked its benchmark interest rate seven times this year to a range of 4.25% to 4.5%, the highest in about 15 years. It has signaled it may raise them another three-quarters of a point next year.

Applications for US unemployment aid rose slightly last week

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP Economics Writer

THE number of people seeking unemployment benefits rose only slightly last week with the labor market remaining strong despite the Federal Reserve’s efforts to cool the economy and hiring.

Applications for unemployment aid for the week ending Dec. 24 climbed 9,000 to 225,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday. The four-week average of applications, which smooths out some of the week-to-week swings, slipped just 250 to 221,000.

Unemployment benefit applications are a proxy for layoffs, and are being closely monitored by economists as the Fed has rapidly raised interest rates in an effort to slow job growth and inflation. Should the Fed’s rate hikes cause a recession, as many economists fear, a jump in layoffs and unemployment claims would be an early sign.

So far, the level of jobless claims remains quite low, evidence that Americans are enjoying a high degree of job security. In the coming weeks, thousands of workers with temporary jobs during the winter holidays will lose work and apply for jobless aid. The government seeks to seasonally adjust the data to account for those job losses, but the adjustments are not always perfect and the layoff of temporary workers could distort the data.

TEN PERCENT COST CUT FOR DIGITAL PAYMENTS PLANNED

FROM

become a part of this system. Aliv’s initial list system has another 300 merchants and they have all agreed to come over. So it’s just a process of converting them.”

The Lotus programme allows customers to gain “points” when they use their digital wallet with any participating merchant and those points are not only transferable between other digital wallet providers but also with all of the merchants signed up to the programme. “A customer can get points from one merchant and use those points at another merchant, easy and seamlessly,” Mr Smith added.

He added: “Anybody that has a mobile wallet with sand dollar can participate. The whole goal was to make this ubiquitous,

to get everybody involved because we didn’t want to make this exclusive because that doesn’t benefit anybody.”

“The whole goal is you have to create a system that allows everybody to come in to take advantage to participate where it makes a difference. So everybody would be able to come in and use the system and their way of being able to use the system will be Sand Dollar because Sun Cash’s system is not integrated with Island Pay and is not integrated with Kanoo and Kanoo is not integrated with Cash n’ Go, but the thing that ties us all together is the Sand Dollar

“That’s the reason why the government is so excited about pushing the Sand Dollar and the central bank is pushing that because that allows us all to be integrated.”

‘DIGITISE NIB AND RAISE RETIREMENT AGE TO SAVE FUND’

FROM PAGE A22

rate by two percent on July 1, 2022, followed by increases every two years until 2036, which could restore the short and the medium-term financial sustainability of the scheme.

Mr Gibson said: “There are a lot of things they can do at NIB. I don’t want to be an alarmist because a lot of people are out there saying that NIB is going broke and all of that stuff, but I just want a social security system that’s effectively managed from top to bottom and effectively administered.”

Pointing to the US social security system where the administration is just five percent of the total fund, but in The Bahamas the administration of NIB sucks up over 20 percent of the fund’s resources.

“You’ve got to look at the investment returns and the way we go about that whole investment policy and implementing it. We have to look at the retirement age. Many countries are putting up their retirement age. That certainly would help the long-term sustainability of the fund. Those are just a few things that that come to mind. So yes, we can, we can make the fund sustainable, but changes, changes clearly have to be made,” Mr Gibson said.

Mr Gibson added about Mr Laroda’s comments: “I believe they are sober and forward looking, but that’s not supported by comments you would have from other cabinet ministers. His comments seem at times, whilst they are spot on, to be at odds with the broader policymaking body.”

CAY SEWERAGE PROBLEM ‘NOT ABANDONED’ - BUT

FROM PAGE A22

pumped multiple times a week so residents can live in moderately sanitary conditions.

Mr Neandross said: “Contractor on vacation makes no difference, because one way or another nobody is getting the work done. We tried to get a hold of the guy doing the manual pumping but his vehicle is

down now and he can’t do it.”

Mr Deal further assured that WSC will complete the task of repairing the sewerage system on Treasure Cay and are planning a visit to the cay next year to assure residents it will not only be taken care of, but to pledge more substantive works will be undertaken for 2023 to make life a little easier.

CONSTRUCTION workers build new homes in Philadelphia, Tuesday, April 5, 2022.

Photo:Matt Rourke/AP

A HIRING sign is displayed at a restaurant in Rolling Meadows, Ill., Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022.

Photo:Nam Y. Huh/AP

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net

THE National Insurance Board (NIB) must be digitised and the age of retirement raised to save the fund from collapse, a top insurance executive has warned.

Larry Gibson, chief operating officer of CG Atlantic Pensions, told Tribune Business that the problems at NIB are “no secret” and that it is time for action as he agrees with Myles Laroda, Minister of State with responsibility for the fund.

Mr Laroda told reporters on Tuesday that the fund is getting no better as each day passes by and that the government has to “make decisions” on what to do with the fund as it is projected to lose $70m this year alone.

Mr Gibson, on the other hand, said while the $70m is significant, it should not be looked at as losses in the accounting sense as they are just benefits to be paid out.

These are obligations the fund has committed itself to doing, so the fund is not losing money, it just has too many people it has to pay benefits to and not downsizing the fund or raising rates to make up the deficit.

Mr Gibson also said: “We could do in terms of more digitisation in the way we deliver social insurance benefits that will certainly drive down the

cost. That’s probably one of the bigger things we need to look at.

“We can also look at the level of contributions or the amount of contributions before you’re eligible for benefits, because I remember way back when people had to make 150 contributions before you were eligible and that has subsequently been

adjusted, but maybe it could be adjusted again.”

The 11th actuarial review of the NIB recommended the contribution rate for the pension branch be increased immediately to a level that is at least equal to the PAYG (pay as you go) rate.

It also recommended an increase of the contribution

Ten percent cost cut for digital payments planned

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net

A DIGITAL payments provider is targeting 10 percent reduction in merchant service cost for the 1,5000 merchants signed up with the Lotus Rewards programme within the first year.

Sean Smith, SunCash’s business development manager, told Tribune Business the company’s partnership with Aliv on the Lotus rewards programme has the potential to reduce credit card transaction charges by 10 percent. “We just launched earlier this month, so we have to give it time, but we see that as

a great opportunity and a great savings for the Bahamian public because here’s what happens.

“When you use your Visa card in any grocery store, with any merchant or any place that merchant is losing up to 7 percent of their sales. So if customers spend $100, they’re gonna lose 10 percent of $100 bucks, that’s $10. They’re going to lose $7 because of what they call the fees that visa charges you.”

He added: “But when they use our payment platform, they’re not going to lose that and probably lose less than two percent depending on their volume. This is a great savings for the merchants, so by using

Christmas business is a cut above for hairdressers

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net

HAIR salons and beauticians saw a “serious upsurge” in business this Christmas season, forcing people to make deposits up to a month in advance to have appointment space during Christmas week.

Anton Minnis, vicepresident of the Bahamian Cosmetologists and Barbers Association (BCBA), told Tribune Business his members had an excellent holiday season with salons and barbers alike having to charge customers for reserved spots during Christmas week.

He added: “Due to all the protocols that we adhere to, we were able to maintain sanitary conditions and safe conditions within the workplace. But we were able to see a good upturn into an economy and I think one of the indicators of that is that you see people taking more time with themselves and actually being able to spend and be gratuitous as well.”

Things were so good for barbers and hair salons that people had to book in advance for appointment spaces, “For the month of December people were paying from November just to get an appointment. Some of them were paying $50 and up just to reserve their appointment space.”

The Christmas season always brings additional business for the hair and beauty due to the fact that there are a lot of holiday get-togethers and social functions that happen at the end of the year. In addition, makeup artists do a considerable amount of business for participants in the Junkanoo parades at Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. “We have massage therapists and estheticians as well as makeup artist as well and for makeup artist this is their season because Junkanoo season is coming and they get a lot of work during this time.”

With all of the business for this end of year people, barbers and hair salons can set their 2023 off to a “good pace”, because this is expected to maintain into the New Year.

our local system they save money and the customers get to like it because they get points just like they get points with their visa card.”

Sun Cash will leverage the Lotus Reward programme to bring in more customers into its Sand Dollar wallet, so they can grow their base. If customers and merchants see the benefit of having Sand Dollars and using the Sun Cash app, then the faster the digital economy can grow.

Mr Smith also said: “Sun Cash has a total of 1,200 merchants signed up and it is up to us to on-board them into the Lotus Reward programme, so all 1,200 of those merchants will

Treasure Cay sewerage problem ‘not abandoned’ - but contractor gone on holiday for Christmas

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net

SEWERAGE is again backing up again at Treasure Cay, leaving residents exasperated – but the Water and Sewerage Corporation (WSC) says it has not abandoned them. However, WSC says the contractor may be on his Christmas holiday.

Robert Deal Jr, general manager of WSC, told Tribune Business that the corporation has not left its post at Treasure Cay as it has maintained operations to assist residents on the cay.

He said: “WSC has not taken a vacation. Our operations continue every day.”

However, this is not comforting to residents who are still dealing with backed up sewerage since the beginning of Christmas Day.

Bruce Neandross, a second homeowner on Treasure Cay, said: “WSC just took off for the holiday and didn’t have any backup plans to take care of the lift stations. So all of the units everywhere are backed up. Stuff is coming up through showers and toilets everywhere. It’s a total mess. They are not coming back until after January 1, from what I understand.”

According to Mr Deal, it is just the contractor doing the work that is on vacation, yet still putting a halt to the repair works on sewerage destroyed during Hurricane Dorian in 2019.

This is no comfort to residents, who have already raised and donated $350,000 to WSC to have the problem fixed. The money was finally accepted two full years after it was initially pledged to the WSC, but still Treasure Cay residents are waiting for relief for their backed-up sewerage system that needs to be