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Volume: 122 No. 27, Wednesday, December 31, 2025
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Taran Mackey steps down from diplomatic post and Bank of The Bahamas board after eight months MYSTERY surrounds the sudden resignation of Taran Mackey as The Bahamas’ ambassador to the Kingdom of Bahrain, after just eight months in the role, and from his high-flying position at the Bank of The Bahamas. “I have made this decision to focus on resolving a private matter,” he said in a
statement. Mr Mackey was appointed the youngest director of the Bank of The Bahamas in April, according to a government statement issued at the time. A biography published by the bank described him as managing director of IPG Family Office Limited,
TARAN MACKEY
a multi-family office specialising in trust and estate planning with more than $2bn in assets under administration. The biography said he has experience advising financial institutions, ultrahigh-net-worth people and entrepreneurial families on RESIGN - SEE PAGE FIVE
INAGUA DOCK STILL UNREPAIRED MONTHS AFTER RBDF SHIP CRASH
Former Acklins and Crooked Island MP Dr Franklyn Walkine passes away
By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net
By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
DOCK damage caused by a Royal Bahamas Defence Force vessel crashing into a jetty in Inagua remains unrepaired more than three months later, with Defence Force officials citing warranty and insurance processes as the
reason repairs have yet to begin, despite concerns about navigation hazards at a key marina. The incident occurred on August 30 when HMBS Durward Knowles struck a jetty in Matthew Town after suffering a mechanical failure while approaching alongside. At the time, the DOCK - SEE PAGE THREE
The RBDF’s HMBS Durward Knowles crashed into a jetty in Inagua in August.
FORMER Acklins and Crooked Island MP and physician Dr Franklyn Walkine has died at 73. Dr Walkine entered Parliament in 1989 after winning a by-election and went on to serve the constituency until 1997, including a
period in opposition following the PLP’s defeat in the 1992 general election. In confirming his death, Progressive Liberal Party chairman Fred Mitchell said Dr Walkine continued to defend the interests of Acklins and Crooked Island, his ancestral home, throughout that period. Mr Mitchell remembered him as a successful
entrepreneur and a pioneer in both air ambulance services and the development of Lake View Cemetery. “Dr Walkine brought those lessons to his public life and was forthright and matter-of-fact. He was a leader in the medical field and served as head of the medical council,” he said. WALKINE - SEE PAGE FOUR
Junkanoo Grand Marshal fired THE TRIBUNE’S following Boxing Day parade delays OBITUARIES By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net
NJC Chairman Andrew Pinder
THE National Junkanoo Committee has acknowledged shortcomings in the management of the Boxing Day Junkanoo Parade, saying failures in parade flow and enforcement led to significant gaps on Bay Street and discomfort for
spectators, while confirming that longtime Grand Marshal Dwight Rolle was removed from the role as a result. In a statement issued following Mr Rolle’s public comments, the NJC said its decision was based on what it described as “operational performance and REMOVED - SEE PAGE TWO
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PAGE 2, Wednesday, December 31, 2025
THE TRIBUNE
NJC blames parade gaps on ‘failure to follow rules’ REMOVED from page one adherence to established parade management protocols” and stressed that the matter was not personal. The committee said the role of the Grand Marshal is “clear and well-established”, with responsibility for efficiently bringing groups to the gate and ensuring the parade moves “smoothly and continuously”. “On Boxing Day, it was evident to everyone — groups, officials, and spectators alike — that this did not occur,” the NJC said, pointing to lengthy gaps on the parade route that left empty seats and disrupted the overall experience. The NJC said it issued instructions to the parade management team to allow Fun Groups and B Groups to parade on Bay Street to fill delays and “maintain momentum and protect the overall experience”, but claimed those instructions were not followed by the Grand Marshal. The committee also addressed what it described as “lingering rumours”, insisting that a framework for penalties for infractions remained in place. It thanked Mr Rolle for his years of service and announced that Deputy Grand Marshal Vincent Johnson, assisted by Calvin Greene, will oversee the New Year’s Day Junkanoo Parade, particularly the A-Category groups. Mr Rolle, who had served as Grand Marshal for six consecutive years, said he was informed of his removal during a meeting on Monday night with NJC chairman Douglas Hanna. He said he believed
the meeting was to discuss preparations for the New Year’s Day parade and was surprised to be told he was being let go for being “disrespectful” and “not a team player”. Mr Rolle said he made it clear that his approach to the role was grounded in enforcing rules and regulations rather than accommodating informal directives. “I said to him: ‘Mr Hanna, I don’t operate as a team player, I operate by rules, regulations and facts,’” he said. “If you want team players, it ain’t gonna be me. If rules say don’t go left, you can’t ask me to go left. You do it yourself — and that’s what I stand by.” He attributed many of the delays on Boxing Day to what he described as the absence of enforceable penalties, saying Junkanoo groups took advantage of that gap. The NJC, replacing the Junkanoo Corporation of New Providence as manager of the parades, removed disqualification as a penalty for groups that fail to follow certain rules. Mr Rolle said: “Groups knowing that there was no disqualification, there was no penalties on the board, they were very disrespectful in coming to the gate. It wasn’t a decision made; it was conditions that they were faced with. There was no decision made for no penalties, but there was no penalty device for us to enhance penalty on the parade route.” Mr Rolle said that while groups were placed “on the clock”, the lack of penalties meant there were no consequences when groups failed to mobilise on time.
THE NATIONAL JUNKANOO Committee’s(NJC) press conference regarding the dismissal of Grand Marshal Dwight Rolle ahead of the New Year’s Junkanoo Parade. Pictured from left: Charlene Reid NJC member, Douglas Hanna chairman parade management team, Andrew Pinder NJC chairman, and Kishlane Smith NJC deputy co-chair. Photo: Chappell Whyms Jr He rejected claims that parade management caused the delays, saying officials were in place by 8.35pm on Boxing Day and repeatedly warned at least one major group to prepare to enter the route well in advance of its start time, including in the presence of the NJC president. According to Mr Rolle, that group remained at the gate for a further 20 minutes without penalty, and its clock was later withdrawn because another group was ahead of it, despite that group having left up to 45 minutes earlier. He said the role of the
2025 BOXING DAY Junkanoo Parade, Rawson Square, downtown Bay Street. From Left: Police Chief Shanta Knowles, Deputy PM Chester Cooper, Prime Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis, Governor General Dame Cynthia ‘Mother’ Pratt, Julie Walker, US Ambassador Hershcel Walker. Photos: Kemuel Stubbs
Grand Marshal is to start groups, enforce timing and maintain order once the parade begins, without favour. “We’re not here to please no particular group or no particular individual, only governed by rules and regulations,” he said. Mr Rolle also raised concerns about operational decisions made on the night of the parade, including the late introduction of digital costume scanning, which the NJC had announced in November as part of a move away from automatic disqualification toward a penalty-based
system. He said scanners were brought in more than two hours into the parade without clear guidelines, and did not function properly. “When they began to use the scanner, the scanner would not accept anybody crossing the line, so they tell me they have to take the scanner down to the group in the holding areas to scan,” he said. “I said that is not Junkanoo. I said I’m not going to stand by that, I’m not going to accept it.” Mr Rolle said scanning costumes before they crossed the green line onto
Bay Street could result in participants being logged as having entered the parade even if they never reached the route. He also cited what he described as organisational lapses, including errors in the way group names were displayed on screens, saying he raised concerns with officials in the tally room that were dismissed. Mr Rolle said he joined the parade management team out of love for Junkanoo culture and did his best under difficult circumstances, adding that problems emerged well before Boxing Day.
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, December 31, 2025, PAGE 3
Insurance issues blamed for delay in fixing Inagua dock “The vessel is under warranty, and when that incident happened we went back at the company that did the work for us so that they could be liable, and we’re working through that,” Commodore Moxey said. DOCK from page one Defence Force said the vessel lost control of its controllable pitch propeller system at 7.54am and surged forward unexpectedly despite orders from the bridge team to put the engines astern. The Tribune understands the impact destroyed between 60 and 80 feet of wooden pier at the small marina, leaving broken and submerged poles and damaged infrastructure that continue to pose a hazard to vessels entering the basin. George Harris, a district council member in Inagua, said no repairs have been carried out months after the crash, despite repeated reports to authorities. He said the damaged jetty forms part of a small marina basin used by both the Defence Force and the mail boat and also serves as a port of entry for visiting vessels. “It is the same dock where the Defence Force docks on one side and the mail boat on the other,” Mr Harris said. “December and June is our season when we have hundreds and hundreds of sea craft coming
through that marina.” Mr Harris said public meetings have been held and the relevant authorities notified, but the situation on the ground has not changed. The Tribune understands that before repairs can be commissioned, the Ministry of Works must receive an incident report from the Defence Force, followed by a formal assessment and the issuing of a contract. Asked about the delay, RBDF Commodore Floyd Moxey said the matter is being handled through warranty and insurance arrangements linked to the vessel’s manufacturer, and that the Defence Force is awaiting further word in February. “The vessel is under warranty, and when that incident happened we went back at the company that did the work for us so that they could be liable, and we’re working through that,” Commodore Moxey said. He added that repairs to HMBS Durward Knowles were coordinated through Derecktor Shipyard in Florida and said the repair process includes both the vessel and the damaged dock.
THE RBDF’S HMBS Durward Knowles seen next to damaged dock in Inagua in August.
CENTRE SEES RISE IN ‘EMPLOYED Parents arrested after baby found in box POOR’ SEEKING FOOD ASSISTANCE By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net A POST-Christmas food giveaway provided relief to struggling families in Grand Bahama this week, distributing more than 100 grocery packages at a time when organisers say many households are most vulnerable. The initiative, called Loaves of Love, delivered about 120 grocery bags on Monday at the Evangeline Jervis Community Center on Beach Way Drive. Now in its third year, the effort targets the often-overlooked period immediately after Christmas, when festive support has ended, but financial pressure remains acute. The programme is led by Paul Scavella, a retired Adventist minister and founder of the Blossoming Place Life Coaching Academy, who said the idea grew out of seeing families struggle once the holidays pass. “I help to fill the gap between Christmas and New Year's. After everybody’s eaten all the turkey, sometimes they have nothing left,” he said. “So, we decided that two or three days after Christmas, we would do this.” This year, the ministry partnered with the Evangeline Jervis Community Centre to distribute large bags of essential food items. Families were pre-selected through the community centre and local churches, with a limited number of tickets reserved for walk-ins to ensure help reached those most in need. While the grocery support was central, Mr Scavella said the initiative was also about encouragement and reassurance during a difficult time of year. “We encourage people to embrace the gift of
VOLUNTEERS pack grocery bags as lines formed outside the Evangeline Jervis Community Centre on December 29 during the Loaves of Love post-Christmas giveaway. Photos: Denise Maycock/Tribune Staff Reporter Christ, as well as receive what we are sharing with them,” he said. Carolita Jervis-Carolina, manager of the Evangeline Jervis Community Centre, said the timing of the giveaway made a significant difference. She noted that while most assistance programmes concentrate on the period before Christmas, need often intensifies afterwards. She said the centre already provides food assistance twice weekly, distributing about 80 bags of non-perishable items every Tuesday and Thursday, but the Loaves of Love partnership allowed them to extend that support further. “These are not little bags, they’re big bags filled with bread, cereal, rice, grits, tuna, mackerel, cream, cookies - all that good stuff,” she said. Ms Jervis-Carolina said the profile of those seeking help has shifted in recent years, reflecting broader economic pressures. “We had people who did not have jobs and they came regularly, but we now see a lot of retired
elderly people and caretakers. The number does not decrease, but there is a difference in the category of people that come. So, we have less people who are unemployed, and more people who are employed elderly who are what I call the ‘employed poor,’” she said. “Even though they’re working, they still can’t make ends meet.” She said the centre accepts donations of food, clothing and blankets, and depends heavily on volunteers who assist with packing and distribution each week. She acknowledged the contributions of Arlene Jervis, Cynthia Smith, Dora Hepburn, Ruth Rolle, Carla Curry, Paulette Adderley, Ruth Wilson, and Mavis Grant. “Many of them are not Adventist,” she said. “They just want to do something good for the community.” Organisers said another priority of the initiative is encouraging young people to volunteer, helping to pass on values of service and generosity while addressing immediate needs within the community.
PICTURED is the box where a newborn baby was found locked in the trunk of a car on Saturday. THIS is the cardboard box in which a five-day-old baby was found last week — torn, unsecured and placed inside the locked trunk of a car on a quiet Pinewood Gardens street, where the infant’s cries narrowly prevented what could have been a fatal outcome. The box, photographed after police forced entry into the vehicle, sat inside the trunk of a blue Hyundai Elantra, surrounded by household items and a baby bottle of what looked like milk. Inside it, officers found a newborn boy wrapped in a blanket, with no clothing, hidden from view and locked away. The discovery followed the actions of an 18-yearold resident, Shavallo Pinder, who said he heard what sounded like a baby crying as he stepped outside
his home on Sequoia Street shortly after 11.30pm on December 27. Mr Pinder said he initially searched nearby bushes and windows, trying to locate the source of the sound, before moving closer to a parked car. Officers responding to the scene confirmed the sound of an infant coming from the trunk. With no immediate way to open it, police broke a window to gain entry. “We see the baby inside this box with no shirt on, no pants, no socks, no tam, it was wrapped up in a blue blanket. It didn’t feel real to me because I never saw nothing like that before,” Mr Pinder said. Emergency Medical Services transported the baby to hospital, where medical personnel assessed the
child to be five days old. Police said the infant was listed in stable condition and admitted to the Children’s Ward Nursery for ongoing care. A 38-year-old woman and a 42-year-old man, identified by police as the child’s parents, were arrested and cautioned in connection with the offence of child cruelty. Police also said a sixyear-old and a one-year-old found at the residence were placed into the care of their uncle for welfare reasons, while the infant’s mother was taken to hospital by EMS for medical evaluation. ZNS reported that the police account of the incident was released days after the discovery, following repeated inquiries by the organisation.
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THE TRIBUNE
PM pays tribute to Walkine after a ‘life of service’ WALKINE from page one
“As a physician, he was loved by his patients for his attention to detail. I have lost one of my dearest friends, my Christmas Day breakfast partner. Now no more.” Dr Walkine was academically accomplished, earning a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Detroit before graduating from the University of the West Indies School of Medicine. He completed postgraduate specialty training at McMaster University School of Medicine in Ontario, Canada, and was a diplomate of the Canadian College of Family Medicine. His entry into frontline politics came amid controversy in 1989, when then Acklins and Crooked Island MP Wilbert Moss was forced to resign after being sentenced to three months in prison for attempting to offer a $10,000 advantage to Drug Court Magistrate Cleopatra Christie to have a case dropped. The PLP selected Dr Walkine, then 37, as its candidate just two days before nominations closed for the by-election. At the time, The Tribune reported that some party supporters were disappointed that former Cabinet minister Loftus Roker was not chosen and had vowed not to vote. An official from the delegation to the PLP’s National General Council meeting
“Dr Walkine lived a life of service. He was a doctor who cared for people in their most difficult moments, and he was a former Member of Parliament for Acklins and Crooked Island who carried his community’s hopes into the nation’s Parliament.” - Prime Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis that selected Dr Walkine said most delegates had already returned home and would not attend the party’s convention that year. Another delegate said they would have been “quite happy” with the nomination of trade unionist Obie Ferguson, whose father is a prominent businessman in Lovely Bay, Acklins. Despite the internal unease, Dr Walkine went on to win the by-election and later successfully retained the seat. After leaving politics, he headed Air Ambulance Service Ltd in the 1990s, providing emergency medical flights to the Family Islands. In May 1999, he said the service was averaging three to four emergency calls a week. The company was described as a “wholly Bahamian owned” air ambulance service and had conducted more than 30 flights within The Bahamas and between Nassau, Freeport and South Florida. Prime Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis paid tribute,
saying he received the news ‘with real sadness.’ “Dr Walkine lived a life of service,” he said. “He was a doctor who cared for people in their most difficult moments, and he was a former Member of Parliament for Acklins and Crooked Island who carried his community’s hopes into the nation’s Parliament. “He also served the Progressive Liberal Party with loyalty and conviction. He believed in the progressive fight, the idea that government has a duty to lift people up, protect the vulnerable, and bring opportunity to places too often left behind. In the PLP family, we have lost a brother in the cause, a man who understood that public life is about people, and that leadership means showing up. “Across our islands, Dr Walkine helped strengthen access to emergency care, including through air ambulance services that have assisted families when time was against
DR FRANKLYN WALKINE them. Many Bahamians, in the Family Islands especially, will remember the comfort of knowing help could reach them, even across distance and water. “In 2024, Dr Walkine was honoured as a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George for service to public health.
That recognition reflected years of steady work that made a difference in real lives, in real homes, across our country. To his family, friends, colleagues in medicine, and the people of Acklins and Crooked Island, I offer my deepest condolences. I also extend condolences to
the wider PLP family who mourn a servant of the movement and a contributor to our nation’s progress. Ann and I pray for strength and peace for everyone who loved him. May his memory bring comfort, and may his example continue to speak. May he rest in peace.”
Doctors ‘angry’ over unpaid NHI balances By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net NATIONAL Health Insurance providers say they are still awaiting payment of outstanding balances for November, weeks after renewing concerns about longstanding payment delays and other issues affecting providers. Dr Denotrah Archer-Cartwright, a representative of the newly formed National Health Insurance Providers Association (NHIPA), told The Tribune yesterday that doctors have received only a
partial payment for November and have not been advised when the remaining balance will be paid. One provider described the situation as frustrating, telling The Tribune: “I am very angry that we, the ones on the front line, are the ones making sacrifices to keep NHI going.” The delays are not new but have worsened in recent months, prompting officials to hold a press conference calling for immediate government intervention. Doctors have also pushed back against what they describe as overregulation, intrusive oversight
and unilateral changes to agreements, including a proposed policy that would require them to pay service fees to participate in NHI starting next year. Yesterday, Dr Cartwright said providers have yet to receive any response from NHI or government officials on the issues raised. Meanwhile, Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville has acknowledged the delayed payments, but assured that payments would be made. He added that efforts are underway to regularise outstanding balances.
Full-time radiologist now available in Eleuthera daily DAILY radiology and imaging services are now available in Eleuthera following a major expansion by Bahamas Wellness, a move described as the most significant roll-out of advanced diagnostic services ever achieved outside New Providence and Grand Bahama. The expansion at Eleuthera Wellness Hospital means residents and visitors no longer need to travel off-island for advanced imaging, emergency diagnostics or minimally invasive procedures, with services now offered daily. As part of the expansion, radiologist Dr Alexandria Thompson has been appointed Clinical Director of Imaging Services for Eleuthera Wellness Hospital & Clinics and has relocated to the island to serve full-time — a first for any Family Island. Hospital officials said Dr Thompson brings extensive expertise in diagnostic imaging, emergency radiology,
women’s imaging and image-guided procedures, ensuring continuous clinical oversight, faster turnaround times and improved diagnostic accuracy. She is joined by a highly qualified radiology technologist trained in advanced imaging and emergency protocols, allowing immediate access to critical diagnostics for emergency, outpatient and speciality care. With the new team in place, the hospital now offers full daily radiology coverage. Services include routine and emergency ultrasound — previously available only twice monthly — X-rays and echocardiograms. Mammograms are available Monday through Friday, while daily routine and emergency CT scans will begin in January, supporting rapid assessment for trauma, stroke and abdominal emergencies. Invasive image-guided procedures, including breast and soft tissue biopsies, are also expected to begin in
January. These services previously required off-island referrals. Bahamas Wellness founder and CEO Dr Arlington Lightbourne said the development represents a fundamental shift in Family Island healthcare. “This expansion is more than a service upgrade; it is a transformational shift in how healthcare is delivered across The Bahamas,” he said. “Eleuthera Wellness Hospital is now operating at a standard that rivals sophisticated regional centres.” Bahamas Wellness opened the first hospital in a Family Island at its central Eleuthera location in October. The facility now operates 24-hour emergency and inpatient services, extended urgent care hours, and clinics in Spanish Wells, Rock Sound, Lower Bogue and Nassau. For more information, contact Eleuthera Wellness Hospital & Clinics at 242-332-0224 or visit www. bahamaswellness.health.
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, December 31, 2025, PAGE 5
Mackey quits to focus on a ‘private matter’
TARAN MACKEY RESIGN from page one cross-border and general tax planning, trusts, pre-immigration planning and succession planning.
It also said Mr Mackey specialises in structuring and managing private trust companies and other fiduciary structures for Latin American and Middle Eastern families,
as well as handling immigration matters. His experience includes designing, establishing and administering bespoke international asset-holding and wealth-management
structures, including private trust companies, limited partnerships, foundations and family offices. Mr Mackey holds an LLB (Hons) from the
University of Nottingham in England. He is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners and the International Tax Planning Association. He is also a director
of the Bahamas Financial Services Board and has served as co-chairman of its Immigration Sub-Committee since 2020, according to the biography.
Police probe viral video of government vehicle crash By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net POLICE are investigating a viral video that appears to show a government-issued vehicle striking two cars and initially leaving the scene, prompting renewed warnings about the rules governing the use of state vehicles. The footage, widely circulated on social media, shows a white Toyota truck being followed by a man and woman who allege the driver had already hit their vehicle. As the recording continues, the truck swerves and collides with a white Cube, causing visible damage to its front bumper and hood, before continuing down the road for several minutes. The truck eventually pulls over. The driver exits with his hands raised and calmly approaches the person filming. At that point, the vehicle’s licence plate, “GV4625,” is clearly visible. In the exchange captured on video, the male asks the driver, “What that was just now?” The driver responds, “I was trying to find a police station. Only play joke.” The driver then appears to attempt to shake hands with those confronting him, but is met with anger instead. A woman can be heard saying: “A woman in the back there bleeding. You write her off. You (expletive) her right up.” The driver defends himself, saying, “ I come out the corner first,” while the woman responds, “The woman in the back there in pain.” Another voice
SCREEN CAPTURES of a viral video that shows what appears to be a government vehicle involved in hit-and-run incident, striking two cars and leaving the scene. accuses the driver, saying, “you speed. You been running. That’s a hit and (expletive) run dog.” As tensions escalate, the driver says “lets talk,” to which the male replies: “Talk about what?” The video ends with a police truck visible in the rearview mirror driving off. In response to the footage, Office of the Prime Minister Director of Communications Latrae Rahming said on social media that the matter was under investigation and reminded public officers of their obligations when assigned government vehicles. He said all officers assigned government
vehicles must comply with the vehicle use policy. “Where a government-issued vehicle is found to be at fault, including through reckless driving, the assigned employee will be held financially responsible, including through salary deduction where applicable,” he said. “Government vehicles are insured, and those policies cover damage to other drivers. In addition, the employee will forfeit eligibility for any future assignment of a government vehicle.” Police have not yet released further details on the incident or confirmed whether charges will be brought.
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Chaos inevitable without penalties ONE thing for certain about this year’s Boxing Day Junkanoo is that the right winner was chosen. One Family knocked it out of the park on Bay Street, and social media was buzzing at their performance. As for the rest of the parade? Well, there is a lot still to prove about whether the shake-up in Junkanoo is for the better or not. The National Junkanoo Committee (NJC) has admitted that things could be better – acknowledging the long gaps in the parade and blaming failures in parade flow and enforcement. With just days to go before the next parade, the Grand Marshal has been removed from his post. Dwight Rolle has held the role for a long time – his replacement must be ready to hit the ground running. The NJC says his removal is not personal – but the finger has certainly been pointed his way. In a statement, the NJC said it issued instructions to the parade management team to allow fun groups and B groups to fill the gaps but said those instructions were not followed by the Grand Marshal. The replacement is Deputy Grand Marshal Vincent Johnson, stepping into shoes Mr Rolle has occupied for six years. For his part, Mr Rolle says he was surprised to be let go for being “disrespectful” and “not a team player”. He insisted he was operating by rules. Mr Rolle also noted that because there was no possibility of disqualification as a penalty for groups not following rules, it meant “groups knowing that there was no disqualification, there was no penalties on the board, they were very disrespectful in coming to the gate”. One thing is for certain, behind the scenes has not been a smooth or happy experience. The lack of penalty also makes it hard to enforce discipline. If you can’t penalise a group properly for not showing up on time, then how are you going to ensure they set off when they are supposed to? If the conditions are the same for Mr Rolle’s replacement, we wish him luck in
making sure all groups getting away on time. Mr Rolle raised a number of other concerns too – which we hope are heard. It has been a rough year for Junkanoo. It has been a year fought in the courts and in the political aisles. It has been a year beset by claims of political favouritism, legal challenges and the split in the Valley Boys. In this column some time ago, when the NJC was being given authority for the parades over the Junkanoo Corporation of New Providence, we expressed concern over the short lead-in time to organise the parades. Now the new marshal will have even less time to take on the top role. It is frustrating particularly that Junkanoo has experienced these ructions because of the sheer amount of passion that participants pour into the occasion. From dawn to dusk and beyond, Junkanooers are in their shacks, attending practice sessions, building costumes and lead pieces, coming up with themes and ideas and trying to do one truly remarkable thing: bring joy to Bay Street. So much effort is expended to showcase the creativity of participants, to show their energy, their fire, their enthusiasm. For it to be tangled up in red tape and legal bundles is agonising to see – let alone the scale of the frustration that must be felt by participants. It should not be rocket science to get groups to march on time. Show up or get out of the way. Start late, expect to be docked points. You want to win? Be on time. We hope the New Year parade will be a smoother experience – for participants, for organisers, and for the audience left twiddling their thumbs in the bleachers. The ultimate outcome should be to make everything smooth for everyone. That is the goal to aim for. Then we can all go back to arguing over whether the judging was done right and whether the right group won. In the meantime, congratulations to One Family – may all groups rise to the occasion for New Year.
Do our New Year’s resolutions make sense? EDITOR, The Tribune. PEOPLE need to grow, change, adapt and look to the future. A New Years Resolution can initiate just such an attempt with a hopeful promise. Last year is old news so lets look to the future at best, and hope that what is coming is better than the past. Gotta make a change, look better my friends, or stop drinking or partaking in a Narcos dream, make sound decisions based on your real needs,
putting one step before the other in sound fashion please. Can a resolution work my friend, or are you fooling yourself once again? Need to change everything it seems, so what the hell, make a promise to be better again. A promise to yourself can be forgotten quickly it seems, so pledge to be better in front of others properly. Pledge to change what ever is driving you insane,
and with others help one can perhaps win this time, the prize of keeping that promise and changing in time. Stop spending money you don’t have, exercising each day because its just so, being a better person makes it all worth while, so make a New Years Resolution that can makes sense to all, especially yourself and that is all. STEVEN KASZAB Bradford, Ontario December 30, 2025.
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No more cosmetic reforms EDITOR, The Tribune. AS the sun sets on 2025, it signifies more than just the end of a calendar year. It should also mark the end of outdated mindsets and inherited habits that keep us entangled in legacy policies, programs, processes, protocols, and procedures - systems designed for a different era that continue to govern our decisions today. As we enter 2026, we are not just turning a page as a nation; we are stepping into the second quarter of the 21st century. We must approach this with enthusiasm and unapologetic determination. The uncomfortable truth is that too much of the first 25 years of this century has seen The Bahamas responding rather than proactively building, managing crises instead of fostering resilience, and celebrating activity while delaying accountability. We have endured shocks, storms, and disruptions. However, survival is not a strategy. Endurance is not a plan. Recovery does not equate to transformation. This letter is not a complaint; it is a call for us to mature. We cannot continue to govern the future using frameworks designed for the past. Building a modern Bahamas with outdated administrative systems will not lead to world-class outcomes. We cannot expect new results while clinging to the very routines that produce past failures. The second quarter of this century will be just as challenging as the first. Climate risks will increase, technology will advance rapidly, competition for investment and talent will become fiercer, and costof-living pressures will not vanish through goodwill alone. In such an environment, relying on nostalgia is costly. Delays pose serious risks, and bureaucratic inertia can become a national liability. What needs to change, as a beginning? First, we must commit, clearly and publicly, to an “opportunity and ownership economy.” This should
LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net not be an economy where people merely work, but one where more Bahamians own enterprises, platforms, productive property, infrastructure, and financial potential. Ownership is essential for making prosperity sustainable and transferable. Without ownership, people remain vulnerable to economic shocks, price spikes, and political cycles. Second, we must treat renewable energy and resilience as essential for economic competitiveness, not just as environmental issues. High electricity costs burden every Bahamian household and business, stifling growth, increasing prices, and limiting opportunities for entrepreneurship. If we are serious about affordability, we must also prioritise energy sovereignty through solar power, energy storage, micro grids, grid modernisation, and a national commitment to reliability. This isn’t just ideology; it’s simple mathematics. Third, we need to stop confusing the influx of tourists with genuine advancement. While tourism is vital, it cannot be our only engine of growth, nor should it be a model where much of the highest-value ownership and distribution lies elsewhere. We must transform tourism into a higher-value, more Bahamian-owned system with more local brands, local supply chains, and local investment participation. At the same time, we should develop export-capable sectors beyond tourism, such as FinTech, RegTech, PropTech, InsurTech, maritime services, specialized education (EdTech), climate and resilience services (ClimateTech), digital products, and scalable construction and logistics. Fourth, we must prioritise removing friction in our systems. In 2026, speed is not a luxury; it is a competitive advantage. When
permitting takes too long, land processes are unclear, disputes last for years, and rules change unpredictably; we hinder our own progress. An opportunity economy cannot thrive amidst bottlenecks. We need faster approvals, clearer standards, efficient commercial dispute resolution, and transparent procurement processes, not just for the convenience of businesses, but for the dignity of citizens whose futures are held back by systems that treat time as if it’s free. Fifth, and most importantly, we must demand leadership that matches the moment. The next 25 years cannot be guided by outdated thinking parading as new slogans. The Bahamas needs capable, accountable, and forward-thinking leaders across politics, business, religion, industry, technology, and civil society. We must encourage the rise of new and vibrant leaders, those who can build, measure, adapt, and deliver. Leaders who understand that the future will reward those who can execute, rather than simply explain. This is not a call to disrespect our elders or reject our history. It is a demand that we stop using history as an excuse for underperformance. The Bahamas is too talented, too strategically located, and too resilient to remain stuck in administrative inertia and inherited limitations. Let 2026 be the year we stop negotiating with the obvious. Let it be the year we abandon a culture of delay. Let it be the year we transition from a wage-only society to an opportunity and ownership society. Let it be the year we collectively decide that the future will not merely happen to us; we will actively build it. As the sun sets on 2025, it should also mark the end of every mindset that tells us, “This is just how things are.” That is the most expensive lie we can afford. EDEN MERRY JOHNSON Freeport, Grand Bahama December 30, 2025.
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, December 31, 2025, PAGE 7
IACHR urges Bahamas to implement rights reforms, improve detention conditions By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Digital Editor aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
THE Inter-American Commission on Human Rights has urged The Bahamas to fully implement recently passed human rights and accountability reforms, as it warns that poor detention conditions across the region remain a pressing concern. Speaking with The Tribune following the Commission’s first technical cooperation visit to the country since 2019, Andrea Pochak, Vice President of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) and Country Rapporteur for The Bahamas, said the visit focused on strengthening national institutions through cooperation and technical assistance. While situating The Bahamas within broader regional human rights trends, she said the IACHR
continues to observe serious challenges across the Americas, including shrinking civic space, attacks on journalists and human rights defenders, and the erosion of democratic stability through weakened judicial independence and persistent impunity. “The Americas remain among the most unequal and violent regions in the world,” Commissioner Pochak said, noting that women, people of African descent, migrants, and those living in poverty are disproportionately affected. She added that climate change is intensifying social pressures in the Caribbean, exacerbating migration flows and existing vulnerabilities. Addressing conditions of detention, Commissioner Pochak said the IACHR has identified an urgent regional need to improve safeguards for people deprived of their liberty — an issue that also applies to
Caribbean states such as The Bahamas. “There is also an urgent need to improve conditions in all detention facilities, including by addressing overcrowding, ensuring access to health care, and guaranteeing the separation of children from adults and of pretrial detainees from those with convictions,” she said. She added that states must guarantee access to information, legal assistance, and communication with families from the moment of detention, as well as interpretation services and prompt notification of consular authorities. Under its 2023–2027 Strategic Plan, the IACHR has designated the Caribbean as a strategic priority, with a focus on closer engagement with governments, civil society, and regional institutions. During meetings with Bahamian officials,
Commissioner Pochak said discussions addressed governance, accountability, access to information, and data collection, alongside opportunities for technical assistance grounded in a human rights approach. “Transparency is a cornerstone of democratic institutions,” she said, stressing that access to public information is essential for meaningful public participation and for holding states accountable. Commissioner Pochak acknowledged legislative progress in The Bahamas, including the establishment of the Parliamentary Human Rights Committee in March 2025 and the passage of the Ombudsman Act in 2024. She also cited a reported 28 percent decrease in homicides as of September 2025 and the passage of draft legislation to establish an Independent Investigations Commission to address misconduct by
security forces. However, she cautioned that despite legislative approval, key reforms have yet to be fully implemented. Neither the Office of the Ombudsman nor the Independent Investigations Commission was operational by the end of 2025. On migration, Commissioner Pochak said the IACHR continues to monitor enforcement practices across the region, including the impact of detention and deportation policies on small states. While states have the right to regulate migration, she stressed that such measures must comply with international human rights standards. “Irregular migration status alone can never justify deprivation of freedom,” she said, adding that detention should be used only as a last resort and never applied to children or adolescents. Looking ahead,
Commissioner Pochak said the IACHR aims to formalise cooperation agreements with Bahamian institutions, strengthen national monitoring bodies, and encourage deeper engagement with the inter-American system through the ratification of regional human rights conventions. She added that increased Caribbean representation within the IACHR — with four of its seven commissioners expected to come from the region by 2026 — will help ensure that the realities of small island states are better reflected in regional human rights oversight. Among those commissioners will be Bahamian attorney and human rights advocate Marion Bethel, who was elected during the 55th General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS) in June, marking an historic first for The Bahamas.
Gunman poses as husband to Former police corporal charged trick way into woman’s home with libel against businessman A MASKED gunman who tricked his way into a home by pretending to be a resident’s husband fired a shot during a robbery on East Street South, police said, as officers investigate two separate armed robberies in the capital. In the first incident, a female complainant reported that she was at home at a residence on East Street South when she heard a knock at the door. The individual identified himself as her husband, prompting her to open it. Upon doing so, she was confronted by an unknown dark-skinned male wearing a mask, who claimed he had brought a cellular phone for her husband. The suspect forced his way into
the residence, demanded jewellery, and escorted the victim to a bedroom on the north-western side of the home. He restrained her with electrical tape and stole an assortment of jewellery. Before the suspect could leave, the victim’s husband arrived home and discovered his wife tied up. He encountered the intruder, who discharged a single shot in his direction. The husband fled through the front door, while the suspect escaped through the rear of the residence in an unknown direction. In the second incident, reported around 9pm, a female complainant said she arranged to meet an unknown male to
purchase an iPhone Pro Max she had seen advertised online. The meeting was scheduled to take place at a church in Coconut Grove. Upon arrival, she was approached by a darkskinned, slim-built male wearing a white hoodie, red basketball shorts, and a mask. The suspect, who was carrying a white plastic bag, approached the driver’s side of her vehicle and asked if she wished to see the phone. When she agreed, the suspect produced a firearm and demanded cash. The complainant complied, handing over $1,300. The suspect then fled the scene in a westerly direction toward Market Street.
MAN HELD OVER $20K COCAINE AND LOADED GUN By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A MAN was remanded to prison yesterday after being accused of possessing a loaded firearm and $20,000 worth of cocaine following a police chase in the Tywnam Heights area on Christmas Day. Prosecutors allege that Johnnie Louis-Saint, also known as “Johnnie Herard,” 50, failed to stop his grey Mitsubishi Lancer when signalled by police at about 12pm on December 25, leading to a brief pursuit. During the chase, he was
allegedly seen throwing two items from the vehicle near the intersection of Cornish Hen Road and Lancaster Road. The pursuit ended at Mackey Street and Ivanhoe Road, where police allegedly recovered a purple Ruger EC9S 9mm pistol, nine rounds of ammunition and 2.2lbs of cocaine. The drugs were estimated to have a street value of $20,000. Louis-Saint pleaded not guilty to charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm, possession of ammunition, and possession of dangerous drugs with
intent to supply when he appeared before Magistrate Lennox Coleby. Assistant Superintendent of Police Lincoln McKenzie, who prosecuted the matter, objected to bail, citing uncertainty about the defendant’s identity. The defendant was denied bail and remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services. He was informed of his right to apply for bail through the Supreme Court. The matter was adjourned to January 12, 2026. Levan Johnson represented the accused.
MAN FINED $1,500 OVER BREACHING BAIL By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A MAN awaiting trial for manslaughter in the 2023 death of a threemonth-old girl was fined $1,500 yesterday after admitting to breaching his bail conditions for nearly three months. Kirkwood Thompson, 32, who is on bail in connection with the death of infant Teneisha Tanya Mifort, failed to sign in at the East Street South Police Station on
Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for a 28-day period between October 1 and December 29. Thompson is accused of contributing to the death of Teneisha on January 16, 2023, while she was in his care. Reports indicate that at about 11am that day, Thompson, a family friend, believed the child was sleeping but later realised she was unresponsive. He took her to hospital in a private vehicle, where medical personnel observed visible injuries to her face and later pronounced her
dead. The defendant pleaded guilty to violating his bail conditions when he appeared before Assistant Chief Magistrate Shaka Serville. After Thompson accepted the facts of the case, Magistrate Serville warned him to take his bail obligations more seriously and to comply strictly with the conditions imposed. Thompson was fined $1,500 or faces three months in prison. He must pay half of the fine before his release.
ACCUSED DENIED BAIL AFTER $2,500 THEFT By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A MAN was accused yesterday of breaking into a woman’s home in Pinewood last week and stealing $2,500. Prosecutors allege that Gavargo Saunders, 34, unlawfully entered a residence on the Avenues of Geranium and
Chrysanthemum between 1.05am and 1.30am on December 27 and stole $2,500 belonging to Jacquelin Pierre. Saunders pleaded not guilty to charges of unlawful entry by night and stealing when he appeared before Senior Magistrate Algernon Allen Jr. Sergeant 3004 Forbes, the prosecutor, objected to bail, citing that the
defendant has pending matters of a similar nature. Saunders is also accused of burglarising two homes in Bimini Bay in June and July 2024. He was denied bail and remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until his trial fixture before Chief Magistrate Roberto Reckley on March 30, 2026.
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net A FORMER police corporal has been charged with libel after prosecutors alleged he unlawfully swore an affidavit earlier this year with the intent to defame a
prominent businessman. Delmar Taylor, 39, is accused of making the allegedly defamatory statements against Derek Osborne on July 17 in New Providence. Taylor pleaded not guilty to the charge when he appeared before Deputy Chief Magistrate Kara
Turnquest Deveaux. His bail was set at $1,000 with one or two sureties, and he is scheduled to return to court for trial on March 9, 2026. Ian Cargill represented the accused, while Inspector K Wilkinson appeared for the prosecution.
PAGE 8, Wednesday, December 31, 2025
THE TRIBUNE
“I’m From the Old School”: Wisdom, or a Comfortable Excuse?
What is worth keeping? Some “old school” values are timeless. Clean surroundings matter. Kindness matters. Obeying the law, respecting others, and ourselves matter. But values must evolve in application. Morality must be paired with knowledge. We must strengthen humility by competence. Tradition must be informed by exposure. This is not to suggest that we abandon everything, but in The Bahamas, few phrases are delivered with more pride, or less examination, than “I’m from the old school.” It is said with chest stuck out, a quiet defiance, and often as a conversation-ending shield. The phrase is meant to signal morality, discipline, principle, and respect. But increasingly, one must ask: does “old school” truly represent values—or does it disguise a refusal to grow, stuck in a false sense of valued experiences? Because, if we are honest, painfully honest, “old school” has become a catch-all justification for outdated thinking, limited exposure, and behaviors inherited unquestioningly. It has been elevated from a descriptor of experience into a moral high ground, when in reality, it often masks ignorance that was never challenged, never corrected, and never expanded. Habit Is Not the Same as Wisdom Many of the so-called “old school” behaviors
FACING REALITY BY IVOINE INGRAHAM
we defend today were not born of deep moral insight. They were born of habit. Habit formed in environments where people had little exposure beyond their immediate surroundings. Habit shaped by survival, not strategy. Habit passed down as gospel because there was nothing else to compare it to. Those of us in the afternoon of our lives, including me, are reluctant to change and resist new ideas, especially if they come from a younger mind. When people live their entire lives without exposure to broader ways of thinking, international standards, alternative cultures, and evolving systems, what they practice feels correct simply because it is familiar. But familiarity is not truth. And tradition without understanding becomes a
Morality must be paired with knowledge. We must strengthen humility by competence. Tradition must be informed by exposure. cage, not a compass. We confuse repetition with righteousness. We assume that because something was done “for years,” it must be right. But longevity alone does not validate behavior, especially when that behavior has produced stagnation. Too many of us are stuck in the past. The world is passing us by.
or advocating for their interests. When these same children were later exposed to the real world, schools, workplaces, and global competition, they were ill-prepared for environments that reward confidence, articulation, and initiative. We taught obedience but neglected critical thinking. And then we wondered why others outpaced us.
result was vulnerability. An unprepared child does not remain innocent forever; they become exploitable. When our children encountered the world beyond our control, they faced it blindfolded. They learned lessons the hard way, often through shame, hardship, or irreversible consequences— no wonder they go wild when they go off, after being controlled throughout childhood. No one is suggesting that our young adults should abandon discipline and self-respect during growth. This was not morality. It was avoidance. Humility Became Our Weakness Bahamians are often praised for humility, and rightly so. Humility is a virtue. But humility without knowledge, without assertiveness, without strategic awareness becomes a liability. Too many Bahamians have lost land, businesses, and opportunities because they entered negotiations unarmed with information. Unscrupulous buyers, sharper minds, and internationally trained individuals quickly recognised our naivety. They smiled. They flattered. They exploited. We’ve been taught to trust easily, to avoid confrontation, to believe that politeness equals protection. It didn’t. It never has. Humility should never mean ignorance. Respect should never mean submission. “Old School” Did Not Prepare Us for a Global World
PUBLIC NOTICE This is to inform the General Public that the private roadways and parking areas situated in the Harbour Bay Shopping Plaza between East Bay Street and Shirley Street WILL BE CLOSED on Thursday, 1st January 2026 in order to preserve the right of way ownership thereof. The Owners
Silence Was Mistaken for Respect One of the most damaging “old school” doctrines was the command: “Speak when you are spoken to.” It was sold as respect, but in practice, it cultivated fear, passivity, and intellectual suppression. Children learned early that questioning authority, even respectfully, was interpreted as rudeness. Curiosity was punished. Dialogue was discouraged. The result? Generations of adults are uncomfortable expressing themselves, negotiating for themselves,
How can we combine some positive old-school habits with fresh and innovative ideas?” Ignorance Was Preserved in the Name of Innocence Nowhere was this more destructive than in how we handled life education. Instead of preparing children for the realities of the world, we wrapped them in myths. We told them kissing would get them pregnant. We avoided conversations about sex, consent, finances, contracts, and power dynamics. The outdated education system must be done away with and replaced with new, first-world ideas that would put our children in a more competitive position on the world stage. The intention may have been protection, but the
The world did not wait for us to catch up. While we were clinging to inherited habits, others were acquiring skills, learning systems, mastering contracts, understanding markets, and positioning themselves strategically. People moved here— some with good intentions, others less so. They studied us. They learned our ways. They blended in. They gained trust. And then, in many cases, they outmanoeuvered us. We celebrate when we are accepted into foreign circles, yet rarely question why we so easily grant access to our own. We are often more impressed by accents than by competence, more trusting of strangers than of our own people, which is not openness. It is insecurity dressed as hospitality. How can older and younger generations communicate better to bridge these gaps?
Nostalgia Is Not a Development Plan Let us be clear: there are Bahamians who have succeeded at the highest levels—business, law, medicine, education, entrepreneurship. They exist. They thrive. But they are not successful because they clung to “old school” thinking. They succeeded because they outgrew it. The majority, however, remain trapped in cycles of the same behavior, expecting different results. Still late. Still disorganised. Still excusing inefficiency and still romanticising struggle while resenting progress. We cannot build a first-world nation with third-world thinking. Time Is Not a Suggestion One of the most damaging cultural habits we must abandon is our casual disrespect for time. Being late is not charming. It is not artistic. It is not cute. It is a declaration that someone else’s time, and by extension, their life, does not matter. Accountability is not oppression. It is respect. When we learn to honour time, we reduce stress, increase trust, and elevate standards across society. Structure is not the enemy of freedom. It is the framework that allows excellence to flourish. Integrity Is Not Conditional Another dangerous carryover from distorted “old school” thinking is selective morality. We excuse wrongdoing when it involves family, friends, or our own children. We call it loyalty. In truth, it is cowardice. Integrity that bends is not integrity. If we condone wrong, we teach that consequences are negotiable and character is optional—a society without accountability rots from within. The Choice Before Us Facing reality, we are late, but not too late. The world has moved ahead, yes. But catching up begins with an honest reckoning. “Old school” cannot be a badgwe of honor if it keeps us unprepared, uninformed, and vulnerable. Progress does not erase culture. It refines it. The question is no longer whether change is coming; it is whether it is coming. It is whether we will meet it equipped, or cling to nostalgia while the world passes us by. The time to wise up is now.
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, December 31, 2025, PAGE 9
buys startup ‘The past gives comfort’: Meta Manus in latest move to Finding refuge on analog islands amid deepening digital seas
Associated Press
By MICHAEL LIEDTKE AP Technology Writer AS technology distracts, polarizes and automates, people are still finding refuge on analog islands in the digital sea. The holdouts span the generation gaps, uniting elderly and middle-aged enclaves born in the pre-internet times with the digital natives raised in the era of online ubiquity. They are setting down their devices to paint, colour, knit and play board games. Others carve out time to mail birthday cards and salutations written in their own hand. Some drive cars with manual transmissions while surrounded by automobiles increasingly able to drive themselves. And a widening audience is turning to vinyl albums, resuscitating an analog format that was on its deathbed 20 years ago. The analog havens provide a nostalgic escape from tumultuous times for generations born from 1946 through 1980, says Martin Bispels, 57, a former QVC executive who recently started Retroactv, a company that sells rock music merchandise dating to the 1960s and 1970s. “The past gives comfort. The past is knowable,” Bispels says. “And you can define it because you can remember it the way you want.” But analog escapes also beckon to the members of the millennials and Generation Z, those born from 1981 through 2012 — younger people immersed in a digital culture that has put instant information and entertainment at their fingertips. Despite that convenience and instant gratification, even younger people growing up on technology’s cutting edge are yearning for more tactile, deliberate and personal activities that don’t evaporate in the digital ephemera, says Pamela Paul, author of “100 Things We’ve Lost To The Internet.” “Younger generations have an almost longing wistfulness because so little of their life feels tangible,” Paul says. “They are starting to recognize how the internet has changed their lives, and they are trying to revive these in-person, low-tech environments that older generations took for granted.” Here are some glimpses into how the old ways are new again. Keeping those cards coming People have been exchanging cards for centuries. It’s a ritual in danger of being obliterated by the tsunami of texting and social media posts. Besides being quicker and more convenient, digital communication has become more economical as the cost of a first-class US postage stamp has
advance its AI efforts
THIS PHOTO provided by Mel D. Cole shows Carson Bispels, left, posing for a photo with his father, Martin Bispels, who recently started Retroactv, a company that sells rock merchandise dating back to the 1960s and 1970s, on August 1, 2025, in Asbury Park, N.J. Photo: Mel D. Cole/AP soared from 33 to 78 cents during the past 25 years. But tradition is hanging on thanks to people like Megan Evans, who started the Facebook group called “Random Acts of Cardness” a decade ago when she was just 21 in hopes of fostering and maintaining more human connections in an increasingly impersonal world. “Anybody can send a text message that says ‘Happy Birthday!’ But sending a card is a much more intentional way of telling somebody that you care,” says Evans, who lives in Wickliff, Ohio. “It’s something that the sender has touched with their own hand, and that you are going to hold in your own hand.” More than 15,000 people are now part of Evans’ Facebook group, including Billy-Jo Dieter, who sends at least 100 cards per month commemorating birthdays, holidays and other milestones. “A dying art,” she calls it. “My goal has been to try to make at least one person smile each day,” says Dieter, 48, who lives in Ellsworth, Maine. “When you sit down and you put the pen to the paper, it becomes something that’s even more just for that person.” The singularity of a stick shift Before technology futurist Ray Kurzweil came up with a concept that he dubbed the “Singularity” to describe his vision of computers melding with humanity, the roads were crammed with stick-shift cars working in concert with people. But automobiles with manual transmission appear to be on a road to oblivion as technology transforms cars into computers on wheels. Fewer than 1% of the new vehicles sold in the US have manual transmission, down from 35% in 1980, according to an analysis by the US Environmental Protection
Agency. But there remain stickshift diehards like Prabh and Divjeev Sohi, brothers who drive cars with manual transmissions to their classes at San Jose State University along Silicon Valley roads clogged with Teslas. They became enamoured with stick shifts while virtually driving cars in video games as kids and riding in manual transmission vehicles operated by their father and grandfather. So when they were old enough to drive, Prabh, 22, and Divjeev, 19, were determined to learn a skill few people their age even bother to attempt: mastering the nuances of a clutch that controls a manual transmission, a process that resulted in their 1994 Jeep Wrangler coming to a complete stop while frustrated drivers got stuck behind them. “He stalled like five times his first time on the road,” Prabh recalls. Even though the experience still causes Divjeev to shudder, he feels it led him to a better place. “You are more in the moment when you are driving a car with a stick. Basically you are just there to drive and you aren’t doing anything else,” Divjeev says. “You understand the car, and if you don’t handle it correctly, that car isn’t going to move.” Rediscovering vinyl’s virtues Vinyl’s obsolescence seemed inevitable in the 1980s when compact discs emerged. That introduction triggered an evisceration of analog recordings that hit bottom in 2006 when 900,000 vinyl albums were sold, according to the Recording Industry Association of America. That was a death rattle for a format that peaked in 1977, when 344 million vinyl albums were sold. But the slump unexpectedly reversed, and vinyl
albums are now a growth niche. In each of the past two years, about 43 million vinyl albums have been sold, despite the widespread popularity of music streaming services that make it possible to play virtually any song by any artist at any time. Baby boomers expanding upon their decades-old album collections aren’t the only catalyst. Younger generations are embracing the lusher sound of vinyl, too. “I really love listening to an album on vinyl from start to finish. It feels like I am sitting with the artist,” says 24-year-old Carson Bispels. “Vinyl just adds this permanence that makes the music feel more genuine. It’s just you and the music, the way it should be.” Carson is the son of Martin Bispels, the former QVC executive. A few years ago, Martin gave a few of his vinyl records to Carson, including Bob Marley’s “Talkin’ Blues,” an album already played so much that it sometimes cracks and pops with the scratches in it. “I still listen to it because every time I do, I think of my dad,” says Carson, who lives in Nashville, Tennessee. After starting off with about 10 vinyl albums from his dad, Carson now has about 100 and plans to keep expanding. “The current digital age of music is fantastic, too, but there’s nothing like the personal aspect of going into the record store and thumbing through a bunch of albums while making small talk with some of the other patrons to find out what they’re listening to,” Carson says. Paul, the author of the book about analog activities that have been devoured by the internet, says the vinyl music’s comeback story has her mulling a potential sequel. “A return to humanity,” she says, “could turn out to be another book.”
META is buying artificial intelligence startup Manus, as the owner of Facebook and Instagram continues an aggressive push to amp up AI offerings across its platforms. The California tech giant declined to disclose financial details of the acquisition. But The Wall Street Journal reported that Meta closed the deal at more than $2 billion. Manus, a Singapore-based platform with some Chinese roots, launched its first “general-purpose” AI agent earlier this year. The platform offers paid subscriptions for customers to use this technology for research, coding and other tasks. “Manus is already serving the daily needs of millions of users and businesses worldwide,” Meta said in a Monday announcement, adding that it plans to scale this service — as Manus will “deliver general-purpose agents across our consumer and business products, including in Meta AI.” Xiao Hong, CEO of Manus, added that joining Meta will allow the platform to “build on a stronger, more sustainable foundation without changing how Manus works or how decisions are made.” Manus confirmed that it would continue to sell and operate subscriptions through its
own app and website. The platform has grown rapidly over the past year. Earlier this month, Manus announced that it had crossed the $100 million mark in annual recurring revenue, just eight months after launching. Some of Manus’ initial financial backers reportedly included China’s Tencent Holdings, ZhenFund and HSG. And the company that first launched the platform — Butterfly Effect, which also operates under the name monica.im, which was founded in China before moving to Singapore. A Meta spokesperson confirmed on Tuesday that there would be “no continuing Chinese ownership interests in Manus AI” following its transaction, and that the platform would also discontinue its services and operations in China. Manus reiterated that it would continue to operate in Singapore, where most of its employees are based. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been pushing to revive its commercial AI efforts as the company faces tough competition from rivals such as Google and OpenAI, maker of ChatGPT. In June, the company made a $14.3 billion investment in AI data company Scale and recruited its CEO Alexandr Wang to help lead a team developing “superintelligence” at the tech giant.
What to stream: New Year’s eve edition Associated Press IT’S the end of the year and there are fewer new streaming options headed to a device near you. But it’s a great time to catch up on some of best movies, television, music and video games of 2025. The Associated Press has comprehensive guides on the best releases of the year on its Year in Review page. One of the new offerings this week doubles as a music and television option, just in time for New Year’s Eve, while Netflix gives “Stranger Things” its swan song. New Year’s Eve entertainment streaming December 31 The new year is nearly upon us. Why not ring it in with a few all-star performances? There is no shortage of New Year’s Eve specials to watch, but give “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest,” available to stream online at ABC.com, a whirl. Catch performances from Chappell Roan, 50 Cent, Diana Ross, Chance the Rapper, 4 Non Blondes, 6lack, AJR, BigXThaPlug, Busta Rhymes, Demi Lovato, Charlie Puth, Ciara and many more. ‘Stranger Things’ says goodbye Earlier on New Year’s Eve, “Stranger Things” will make one last trip to the upside-down with its series finale. Netflix is dropping the much-hyped eighth and final episode of Season 5 at 8 pm Eastern. Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Sadie Sink, Noah Schnapp and other denizens of demon-haunted Hawkins, Indiana, will engage in a final boss battle with the villain Vecna as the show that debuted in 2016 comes to a close. Fans have been anxiously speculating about which, if any, of the stars the creators may kill off in the finale. It’s one of Netflix’s biggest nights ever, and could easily be a record-setter for viewers. The episode is also screening in several hundred movie theatres.
PAGE 10, Wednesday, December 31, 2025
THE TRIBUNE
Voices from Gaza demand the world pays attention WE are at the end of 2025 and people are thinking about the year ahead and all that they would like to achieve. Goals and resolutions are being set, and improved lives are being envisioned. There is significant focus on the self and the family at this time. In a few weeks, there will be increased attention on the country and its fate as related to the next general election. Zooming out from our immediate lives and geographic location, the global swing to the political right comes into view. The consequences have been and continue to be far-reaching. While it does not receive the necessary attention, the uninterrupted genocide in Palestine is one of the most horrific failings of our time, certain to reverberate all over the world and for many years to come. The refusal to see the connection between our struggles and the interdependence of our liberation is certain to determine our future. Even after more than two years of feigning or enjoying ignorance, today is a good day to start paying attention. It is a good day to commit to the development of a political ideology that does not discount the lives or the land of people we see as different or distance from ourselves, but demands solidarity with all people in situations of vulnerability. Our survival depends on it, especially as capitalism becomes more acceptable to the masses for whom it is devastating. At the United Nations General Assembly in September, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967 Francesca Albanese said, “As I argued in my last report to the Human Rights Council, this genocide has become profitable, unfortunately, not just for some corrupt private entities. And this is not only Israel’s crimes. This is the
By Alicia Wallace
world’s crime sustained by silence, complicity, and the supply of funds, weapons, and political cover. “History, we’ll remember, because it’s not that this is the first genocide that is been known. No, the Holocaust, the genocide in Bosnia, the genocide in Rwanda were also known to the people of the time. But this genocide happened because the world didn’t care enough to stop them, like today, or not. But today’s genocide is something different. It’s openly incited, cynically denied, and relentlessly supported, armed, and weaponised, while those who oppose it are silenced, beaten, criminalized, and smeared. This is why I say this is the shame of our time and the collapse of the international legal order in this moment, not only for the Palestinians, but for all of us.” In an October address to the General Assembly from Cape Town, due to U.S. sanctions preventing her participation in New York, Albanese said, “International law is clear: States must neither aid nor assist in the internationally wrongful acts of others, and must prevent and punish international crimes. This requires immediately suspending all military, economic, and diplomatic ties with Israel until its crimes cease, and pursuing justice for the survivors by holding perpetrators and accomplices accountable.” To close the perceived distance between us the Palestinian people who are experiencing the genocide perpetrated by “Israel” and the Palestinian people in the
diaspora, fiercely advocating to the lives and the land of their people, it is important to listen to their voices. Their stories are the truth we need to hear and feel. Nour ElAssy “Since becoming a journalist, my life has unravelled in real time. Every time I have found a new place to stay, the bombs have found me again. The signal bars on my phone flicker like a dying heartbeat, and when the battery dies, which is often, I scramble – desperately searching for even a whisper of electricity just to send a photo, a sentence, a single update. Sometimes, I have to walk for kilometres through shattered neighbourhoods to find a generator or a hotspot. All while airstrikes roar above me. "But I keep going. I take testimonies from mothers standing beside the corpses of their children. From fathers who haven’t eaten in three days and have nothing to give their starving kids. From children who draw tanks instead of flowers. And I send them out to the world, praying someone, somewhere, will read them and feel what I feel[…] Every time I zip up my vest, I remember the face of the photographer who was burned alive. The videographer who lost his family while filming the ruins of another. This vest is not armour. It is a shroud. But I wear it anyway. Because my people need someone to tell the world what’s happening. Because silence is complicity. Because if we stop speaking, no one else will.”
A MAN PRAYS beside the rubble of destroyed buildings as children climb over the debris in Jabalia, northern Gaza Strip, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. Photo: Jehad Alshrafi/AP Omar Suleiman “Thousands of children are dead. Thousands of children are under the rubble. Thousands of children are missing limbs. Thousands of children are missing parents. Thousands of children are fighting disease. Thousands of children are having surgeries performed on them without anaesthesia. Thousands of children have been starved. Thousands of children have been bombed out of their homes. Every single child in Gaza has been forever traumatized. All of the above are war crimes. We can keep letting human rights organizations count them. Or we can finally hold them accountable.” Sumayah Abu Qas “Ousamah begged me to let him go there to get food, but I refused. I was afraid of losing him. In the end, I gave in to my daughters’ hunger. On the morning of 19 June 2025, Ousamah went to the aid distribution centre by al-Bureij R.C. in the Netzarim compound with my brother Ahmad and some other friends. That whole day, I was scared and anxious. Then, at 11:00 P.M., my brother came back with
Ousamah’s body. He was covered in blood and dirt. Ahmad told us an Israeli tank had fired a shell at them and hit Ousamah in the back, killing him and five others while they were opening boxes of aid. They all died on the spot.” Ahmad al-Ghalban “We started packing up our things with my uncle Iyad Salem, 33, and his daughter Hibah, 6. Around 2:30 P.M., as we stepped into the street with our things, the army fired shells, and one hit us. I was seriously wounded. Muhammad was dying next to me, and my uncle Iyad was torn to pieces. Hibah, my mother, my sister Alaa, and my brother Qusai were about ten meters away. I lay on the ground, bleeding. I looked at my legs and couldn’t believe what I saw. I told myself, “This is a dream.” My mother screamed and called for help. Five minutes later, a man arrived, and when he saw we were still alive, he put Muhammad and me in a tuk-tuk and took us to the Indonesian Hospital, along with my uncle, my mother, and the others. “On the way, Muhammad recited verses from the Quran and the Shahadatain prayers [recited before death], but I didn’t realize he was taking his last breaths. At the hospital, I was taken into surgery right away. It lasted four or five hours. When I woke up from the anaesthesia, I found out they had amputated both my legs and four fingers on my left hand. My right hand was also broken, and they put a metal implant in it. I had shrapnel all over my body. I stayed in the ICU for five days. “I didn’t know Muhammad had died. I kept asking about him, but my mother said he was hospitalized in critical condition at a-Shifaa Hospital. She was afraid to tell me because I was in a very fragile physical and mental state. I kept telling her, “I want to see Muhammad.” And every time I asked, “Why don’t you go visit him?” she said the doctors wouldn’t let her. After two weeks, when I was doing better emotionally, she told me Muhammad had died. I cried a lot because Muhammad was a friend, too. He was my twin brother. I couldn’t believe he was gone. I cried nonstop for five days. I never imagined I would lose him, or that I would lose both my legs.” Abir Hamza El-Khawaja “We used to have lives and dreams. Despite the fact the Gaza Strip has long been besieged, right now, it's completely desolate. All that exists is destruction. It's become apparent that our dreams may not come true, such as the ultimate dream of visiting Jerusalem, or Akka, for example. But beforehand, we were able to enjoy simple pleasures: We could go to work in the morning; we could eat our favourite food; and we could quietly read a book. We could enjoy watching the sunset over the vast sea, and people could play with their children. We could then return to our families at the end of each night and to a warm bed, where
we could enjoy a favourite drink, in peace. This security disappeared from that moment, and it seems it'll never return. “In previous Israeli military assaults on the Gaza Strip, most people would stay in their homes. We were inevitably suffering from all the death, destruction and incessant bombing, but this time, it's not like that. It's annihilation, displacement and starvation. This time, they're really taking our lives.” Noura Erakat “As a Palestinian, my heart is very broken that a genocide can continue, that Palestinian babies can be slaughtered and there is a debate over whether or not that's OK or how it should be done better. As a Palestinian, I'm so frustrated that rather than take aim at the oppressive systems that placed us in these conditions, like prolonged military occupation, apartheid and genocide, that we are made into a problem to be resolved. We are not the problem. These conditions that oppress us are the problem and should be what the international community targets to destroy, rather than allowing us to be the target of destruction.” Diana Safieh “How do we handle this [survivor’s] guilt? Some struggle and do nothing, while others, occupied with their own struggles, cannot engage. However, many of us feel compelled to do what we can for those who cannot. Our activism is driven by the belief that our survival obliges us to fight for justice and the rights of those in Palestine. This constructive action is crucial for our own survival. And many of us, at home and abroad, seek comfort in those non-Palestinians offering their solidarity, through kind words, marches and other forms of activism. “I do not want to end on a pious note, and yet I will. It is one’s duty to take advantage of all the opportunities life presents to you to make the world a more hospitable place for all of us[…] We must use our privilege to work toward a day when life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness will be afforded to us all.” Act to End the Genocide Boycott, divest, and sanction. This is what we, who support human rights, abhor violence, and work for liberation, are called to do. It is as wrong as it is easy and lazy to assume a position of powerlessness. We can choose to seek information and use it to make decisions that, at the very least, minimize harm. The BDS movement is growing, and the organizers are providing easily accessible information to help participants to avoid giving money to “Israel” and entities that support it. Google, Amazon, AirBnB, and Disney+ are among the companies targeted by the economic boycott. More information is available at bdsmovement. net/campaigns#2. Make 2026 the year that you spend as if the lives of others depend on it. They do.