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TAXI UNION WILL CONSIDER ACTION

Livery drivers

‘are

operating illegally’, says union chief

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Taxicab Union (BTCU) will meet with the Trade Union Congress (TUC) on Monday to decide on possible action against livery drivers operating “illegally” in restricted areas.

The meeting follows months-long concerns over the group’s practices as well as government and hotelproperties,whichthey claim are undermining taxi

drivers’ livelihood.

BTCU president Tyrone Butler told The Tribune yesterday that workers are frustrated and fed up with the lack of action.

“We would take our cue from our leader, who is Mr Ferguson,” Mr Butler said regarding the decision to strike.

“Our issues are still the same. We have an issue with livery drivers and with the government and with various stakeholders.”

GOVT TO ASK RETIRED TEACHERS TO FILL GAPS AFTER CUBA PAUSE

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

SCHOOLS are facing a shortfall in the number of teachers - and plan to turn to retired teachers to fill the gap after pausing recruitment of staff from Cuba.

Education Director Dominique McCartney-Russell told The Tribune there will still be a shortfallof30to35teachers.

She said the Ministry of Education recently held a job fair, saying they were looking to fill 55 vacancies - but that up to 35 vacancies may still be open after interviews. She estimated there are nearly 90 retired teachers who can be used.

CORNISH: GENERATOR BOUGHT FOR GRAND CAY - BUT NO DATE YET FOR INSTALLATION

BY

Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

NORTH Abaco MP Kirk Cornish said yesterday that a second generator has been purchased to resolve long-standing power outages on Grand Cay, Abaco. However, he said logistics arestillbeingworkedoutand could not give a timeframe

as to when the unit would be deliveredandinstalled.

Two weeks ago, residents on Grand Cay expressed frustration over the ongoingpower,water,andphone outages, describing the situation as a daily crisis that has made their lives unbearable and has driven tourists away.

KILLER WHO TRIED TO FLEE JUSTICE IS FOUND GUILTY

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

A GRAND Bahama man who tried to flee while on trial for murder was yesterdayfoundguiltyofstabbing ateenagertodeathduringa nightspot fracas four years ago. Jake Alexander Rigby, of Hepburn Town, was convicted of murdering Ravon Justin Harrison in 2021 after a four-woman, five-man jury returned a unanimous verdict shortly after 3pm Thursday. Supreme Court Justice AndrewForbessetsentencing for November 25 after expressing serious concern over Rigby’s absence earlier in the week, when he failed to appear as the prosecution and defence closed their cases.

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

RELATIVES of Eleson Pierre, the country’s latest murder victim, say they are shocked by his killing, describing him as a “humble” and sweet person who didn’t bother anyone. Pierre, 21, who was out on bail for a serious offence, was shot and killed on Lexington Avenue on Wednesday after being ambushed by gunmen outside a home in the area.

MARKED FOR DESTRUCTION

DWELLINGS in a shanty village off Cowpen Road that have been marked for demolition, pictured yesterday.
Photo: Dante Carrer/Tribune Staff

No direct hit expected from tropical storm - but be vigilant

THE Bahamas is expected to avoid a direct hit from Tropical Storm Erin, though officials are urging residents to remain vigilant as conditions could change.

At a press conference yesterday, Disaster Risk Management Authority managing director Aarone Sargent said Department of Meteorology forecasts show the storm will likely

take a northerly turn away fromthecountry.

However, he cautioned that storms are “very volatile and can make sudden shifts,” urging residents to stay prepared during the peakhurricaneseason.

“While it is still too early to predict, we’re encouraging residents to continue to be proactive and be prepared in this peak season of the hurricane,”hesaid.

As for shelter readiness, Mr Sargent said recent inspections led to the

removal of facilities that failed to meet safety standards.

Of the 144 shelters nationwide — most privately owned — only two are purpose-built government facilities with disability access. Current capacity covers about threepercentofthepopulation, with plans to increase this to ten percent in comingyears. He added that local disaster plans are activated once the Met Office issues warnings or watches and

urged residents to secure their homes, review emergency plans, and check on neighbours.

“Do not wait. Simply take proactive measures and steps to prepare your households, inspect your yards, review your family emergency plans, know where your shelters are,” he said, adding that residents should also check on neighbours and ensure they have necessary medication.

While no direct impact is expected, the Met Office

warns Erin’s outer bands will affect the eastern Bahamas, bringing dangerous marine conditions across Atlantic waters from this weekend into midweek.

Erin, forecast to strengthen into a hurricane Friday, is expected to pass east of the country from Sunday evening to Tuesday night before moving northeast of the Northern Bahamas on Wednesday. Large swells, dangerous surf, and life-threatening

rip currents are forecast to begin Sunday in the Southeast Bahamas and Turks and Caicos, spreadingtotheCentralBahamas by Sunday evening, the North-West Bahamas early Monday, and the Northern Bahamas by midday Monday. Conditions are expected to persist through midweek.

DRM officials briefed PrimeMinisterPhilipDavis this week on the storm’s potential impact and updated disaster preparednessmeasures.

CORNISH SAYS GRAND CAY NOT BEING NEGLECTED

They said they feel abandonedbythegovernment.

However, Mr Cornish denied the claims, insisting thatGrandCayisnotbeing neglected. He said arrangements have been made for abargetoshipwatertothe island this week. He also noted ongoing repairs to phoneservices.

During the summer peak season, he said Grand Cay experienced problems with its generation plant, which supplies power from three units on nearby Walker’s Cay. He said after years of wear and tear, all three unitsneedreplacement.

“Last year, we replaced one of the three units with abrandnewgenerator.And at normal operating hours, ittendstobesufficient.You do have outages here and there, but during the crawfish season, and summer peak season for Grand

Cay when US residents visit with their boats, the demand spikes and causes some issues with the generationplant,”hesaid.

HenotedthataBahamas Power and Light (BPL) team was dispatched to carry out repairs during the first week of August. However, because of high demand during that period, load shedding had to be implemented.

Mr Cornish said government has since purchased asecondunittoreplacethe remainingoutdatedgeneratorsonWalker’sCay.

“That unit has been purchased,andweareworking the logistics to ship it to Walker’s Cay. Once that is done,wewillhavetwounits operating for Grand Cay,” hesaid,addingthatnoshipmentdatehasbeenset.

On the issue of water, theMPstatedthatabarge with water has been sent to Grand Cay this week

to help restore supply after power outages damaged some Water and Sewerage Corporation equipment.

Mr Cornish indicated that repairs have also been madetoreplenishthetank, andarequesthasbeensubmitted for an additional water maker unit to meet the community’s growing needs.

Regarding telephone service, Mr Cornish said BTC, whichBPLalsopowers,has serviced its backup generator. And, the team has also repaired faults, so it can nowbeoperatedmanually.

A former employee, Mr Rolle, has been identified to activate it when needed.

“I have been assured that a team will be back on the 25th of August to carry out some work to install an automatictransferswitchso that once the power goes off,theswitchwillautomaticallycomeon,”hesaid.

LIVERY DRIVERS ACCUSED OF PARKING IN SPACES FOR TAXIS

from page one POWER from page one

Mr Butler accused livery drivers of breaking the law by soliciting customers in areas reserved for taxis, blaming properties such as Atlantis, Nassau Cruise Port, Margaritaville,andtheNassau Airport Development Company for enabling the practice. Taxi drivers are also concerned about the government issuing more than 800newtaxiplatesand300400 livery plates without expanding the transportationmarket,sayingtheover saturation has hurt their earnings. Another frustration, he

said, is the persistence of illegal rideshare operators,or“hackers”,despite government confirmation that such services using private vehicles are banned.

Making matters worse is the alleged lack of co-operation from Transport Minister JoBeth Coleby-Davis.

“She represents the government, but the government is part of the bigger problem that we are experiencing,” he said.

“So,she’sawillingparticipant in our dilemma. The government is responsible for the state of the transportation industry; they createthemonster.”

In a letter yesterday, Trade Union Congress (TUC) president Obie Ferguson urged all affiliate unions to attend Monday’s meeting in support of the BTCU, which recently rejoined the TUC after severing ties with the Bahamas National Alliance Trade Union Congress (BNATUC).

Mr Butler said BNATUC’s link to the Livery Drivers Association — a direct industry rival — was unacceptable at a time when taxi drivers are already facing competition from livery franchises, unregulatedrideshareoperators, and a surge in new plates.

Mr Cornish highlighted several improvements on the island since he became MP.

“GrandCayisnotonthe mainland, but by no means is it being neglected or forgotten,” he said. “As MP, I completed several things, the government complex,

roadrepairs,schoolfencing, and water issues regarding odour, that has been corrected. We also cleaned the dump site. So, quite a numberofthingshavebeen done. Grand Cay is not beingneglected.”

He acknowledged that The Bahamas faces challenges with outdated generation plants across its many islands, but said replacements are being madeasresourcesallow. There are approximately 500 residents living on Grand Cay, which is one of the northernmost islands in theAbacochain.

Photo: Dante Carrer/TribuneStaff

MINISTRY LOOKING TO US AND CANADA FOR TEACHER RECRUITS

TEACHERS from page one

Specific needs include eight language arts teachers, seven technical studies teachers, seven performing arts teachers, six early childhood teachers, three physical education teachers, and six health and family life

teachers.

The ministry had to paused its plan to recruit more than 70 teachers from Cuba, redirecting efforts toward hiring educators from the US, Canada, and local retiredprofessionals.

The move came after it was announced in June by Health and Wellness Minister

Dr Michael Darville that the government was suspending recruitment agreements with Cuba pending discussions with USofficials.

Bahamas Union of Teachers (BUT) president Belinda Wilson previously said trips to recruit Cuban teachers were cancelled in April and May,

yet the Ministry of Education failed to inform or consult the union. At last count, 130 Cuban teachers are employed in The Bahamas. Mrs Wilson said many are expected to return to Cuba this week for the summer break, and it is unclear whether they willcomeback.

She said officials must determine the teachers’ status and how to fill any gaps, as the future of the 20-year-old Cuban teacher recruitment programme isuncertain. Mrs McCartney-Russell added thatcontractorshaveassuredthe ministry that school repairs will finishonschedule.

THE SCENE onDeanStreetintheaftermathoftheshootingofDinoBain.

Cousin: I did not see a gun where officer testified it had been thrown

pbailey@tribunemedia.net

THE cousin of Dino Bain, who was shot and killedbypolicein2023,yesterday contradicted details allegedly provided by the police officer implicated in the case, telling the court he did not see a gun in the directiontheofficerclaimed ithadbeenthrown.

Quinton Strachan gave evidence yesterday during the continued inquest into Bain’sdeaths.

Bainwasfatallyshotbya reserveofficerinabackyard on Dean Street on December28,2023.

ReservePoliceConstable 3099 Franklyn Armbrister, the officer implicated in the case, claimed that Bain pointed a weapon at him, but Bain’s family insists he wasunarmed.

Testimony from the officer in charge of the search operation also contradicted the officer’s account, noting that there was no evidence that Bain was armed despite his claims.

Yesterday, Strachan told thecourthewasworkingon his car when police arrived intheDeanStreetarea.

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officers in the neighbourhood,Strachansaidhekept his tools raised in the air while authorities searched him.

Shortly after, he and nearby officers heard a gunshot.

When he asked what had happened, he was told the shot came from the oppositedirection.

Moments later, someone informed him that “DJ had been shot”. Strachan said he was handcuffed for about five minutes before beingreleased.

He testified that, despite PCArmbrister’sclaimsthat a gun was thrown toward them, neither he nor officersnearbysawanyweapon, and no firearm was recoveredatthescene.

Dr Caryn Sands, who conducted Bain’s autopsy

on January 17, 2024, confirmed the cause of death wasagunshotwoundtothe back.

She said the bullet entered from the right side of Bain’s back, passed throughhisspine,lung,and trachea, and exited above hisleftcollarbone.

The pathologist said the bullet traveled upward, indicating Bain was likely bent forward when shot. She noted he would have suffered internal bleeding, compromised breathing, and would not have died immediately.

DrSandsaddedthatBain was a healthy man prior to theshooting. After reviewing surveillance footage, she said it was possible Bain was shot as he tried to turn and run. The

footage showed Bain on his phone, attempting to flee,beforecollapsingand coughing up blood.

Inspector Henrington Curry testified that he examined PC Armbrister’s Sig Sauer 9mm pistol, a 9mm magazine, 14 rounds of ammunition, and a fired casing recovered at the scene. He confirmed the weapon was functional and thatthecasingmatchedthe gun. Curry also used two of the 14 rounds to test the firearm.

The evidence was marshalled by Angelo Whitfield, while Kara TurnquestDeveauxserved as coroner. K Melvin Munroe represented Bain’s estate, while Glendon Rolle represented PC Armbrister.

MAN ACCUSED OF SERIES OF CARJACKINGS

A MAN was remanded to prison yesterday after being accused of a series of armed carjackings in New Providence over the past month.

Police say Marlon Williams, 26, and accomplices robbed Wallace Whitfield atgunpointofhisblue2010 HondaCRVandaniPhone 11 in a restaurant parking lot on West Bay Street at

10pm on August 6. During the same incident, they allegedly stole $500 and an iPhone 11 from Skye Beer. Thestolenvehiclewaslater recovered in the Yellow Elderarea. The accused and his accomplices are also alleged to have robbed Joseph Lexon at gunpoint ofhisblack2015HondaFit Hybrid outside a residence onFatherCannonRoadoff MarketStreetonAugust9.

Williams was not required to enter a plea to

the armed robbery charges before Chief Magistrate RobertoReckley. He was told his case will proceed to the Supreme Court through a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI), and he must apply for bail inthehighercourt. Hewillremainincustody at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until presentation of his VBI on November 27. Inspector Deon Barr servedastheprosecutor.

Photo: Dante Carrer/TribuneStaff
DINO BAIN

Killer found hiding in trunk of vehicle after missing court date

Rigby, who was on bail, did not notify his attorney or the court on Tuesday, the day the judge was scheduled to deliver his summation.

Hewaslaterfoundhiding in the trunk of a vehicle Wednesday night during a police road check on Warren Levarity Highway nearEightMileRock.

Justice Forbes

addressed the matter without the jury before delivering his summation, warning defence counsel Brian Hanna that he was considering barring Rigby from further court proceedings and keeping him in police custody. The prosecution also noted that his actions were a serious breach of bail.

AssistantSuperintendent of Police Steven Deveaux said that around 11pm on August 13, during a road

check, officers stopped a grey 2007 Honda Accord, registration SG1822, which was speeding. Detecting the smell of marijuana, officers instructed occupants to exit the vehicle.

While searching the trunk, they found Rigby wrapped inawhitesheet.

“He was very violent as we attempted to subdue him,” ASP Deveaux told thejudge.

During the struggle, Rigby allegedly kicked him

MURDER VICTIM’S BROTHER KILLED TEN YEARS AGO

KILLER from page one MURDER from page one

His death — the country’s 57th murder of the year — has left his family devastated.

They are no strangers to gunviolence,havinglosthis elder brother to a shooting overadecadeago.

His mother, Carmeal Estimable, told Eyewitness News that she had been warned that someone was outtokillherson.

“He say mummy I ain’t do nobody nothing. I ain’t have nothing to worry about. He said God watching me. That’s what my son tell me. My son never kill nobody,”shesaid.

She said her son, a diabetic, had left home to purchase medicine and report to police as part of hisbailconditions. During the visit, he stopped to hail a family friend, only to meet his death.

“Why. What I do to peopletodothattomychildren?” the grieving mother said, with tears streaming downherface.

His cousin, Theresa Amilien, said she spoke to Pierre just hours before his death.

They were making plans to plait his hair. However, hours laters, a friend messagedheratwork,sayinghe hadbeenshot.

“I called my mommy I didn’t want scare her with thenewsbutcomeonthat’s her brother child her only nephew and she loved that boywhenItoldhershejust start calling out his name and I heard she ran but the phonedisconnect,”shetold The Tribune Policecouldnotsayifthe murder was connected to recent weekend murders, believed to be linked to gangviolence.

onthehandandbitanother officer’sfinger,causinginjuries that required hospital treatment. Mr Deveaux added that his glasses, phone, and police uniforms were damaged in the altercation.

The murder trial began lastweek.

According to court records, around midnight on November 21, 2021, an altercation broke out between several men at a nightspot in Eight Mile

Rock, resulting in Harrison’sfatalstabbing. An eyewitness testified that Rigby pulled out a knife and stabbed the victim, who was later identified at the morgue by his mother, Charlene Jean.

PathologistDrMandyPedican said Harrison sustained serious injuries to the liver, ribs, diaphragm, and right lung.

Theprosecutionalsopresented a police interview in which Rigby admitted

under caution that he drew a knife and swung after seeing his cousin in a fight with men, one armed with a cutlass. Rigby claimed he did not know he had stabbedanyoneandsaidhe actedinself-defence. Rigby remained silent during the trial and called no witnesses. At defence counsel Mr Hanna’s request, Justice Forbes ordered a probationary reportbeforesentencingon November25.

Ms Amilien said the family is not speculating about the motive, but simplywantsjustice.

“Like I said, my cousin don’t bother nobody is see him unless he go to the place he use to hang out he don’t even go out. He

stay within the grove,” she added.

“That boy always walking on foot. He didn’t had nothing to be scared of cause he know he didn’t do none to be watching over hisback.”

She described Pierre as

caringandresourceful,who was loved by all who knew him. He did not have a specific occupation but took on various jobs, such as carpentry and landscaping, workingwheneveropportunitiesarose.

FISHERMEN RECRUITED TO IMPROVE STORM FORECASTS

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMIAN fishermen have been recruited to play a pivotal role in collecting data that will be used to improve hurricane forecasting and early warning systems. A new programme aims to strengthen hurricane intensity forecasting by establishing a network of Bahamian fishing vessels that will collect data on ocean temperatures at various surface levels. This information will be passed on to forecasters to enhance predictive models. The initiative, a collaboration between the Environmental Defense Fund, the Department of Meteorology and the Ocean Data Network, was launchedin2024.

‘$10,000

Jeffrey Simmons, director of the Department of Meteorology, said the data collected by the fishing vessels provides the “missing pieces” that forecasters need for hurricane modelling.Hehopestheinitiative will expand throughout the region.

“The data they are collecting is very important to us,especiallywhenitcomes to forecasting hurricanes. The data is eventually fed into hurricane models, and it gives us an idea of where warm pools of water exist in and near The Bahamas. These warm pools are considered to be responsible, or at least partly responsible,forrapidintensification of hurricanes,” said Mr Simmons.

“This information is collected in their shore waters, and it’s the missing pieces of our ocean data that we really need. The

work the fishermen do is very vital, it’s very important, and we’re really happy to have them on board doing this work for us, and hope that we can get more to join us, not onlyhereinTheBahamas, but throughout the Caribbeanregion.” Sincetheinitiativebegan, more than 2,600 depth profiles have been collected by participating fishing vessels. Thirteen boats were initially equipped with sensors to gather ocean temperature data as they traversed the waters around Andros, New Providence, Eleuthera, Moore’s Island, Crooked Island, Long Island and Grand Bahama.

Brandon Bethel, small island sustainability programme coordinator at the UniversityofTheBahamas, saidusingfishingvesselsisa cost-effective and efficient

FRAUD SCHEME’ SEES MAN ACCUSED IN COURT

pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A 20-YEAR-OLD man has been granted bail after being accused of stealing over $10,000 from three peopleinaphishingscheme earlierthisyear. Police allege Franklyn Rolle and accomplices stole $4,900 from Quinston Newman’s Commonwealth Bank account on April 29; $4,000 from Janae Gibson’s account on May 12; and $2,200 from Sidria

Thurston’s account on May 15. Rolledeniedtheoffences before Senior Magistrate AnishkaIsaacsyesterday. Bail was set at $6,000 with one or two sureties. Rolle’s trial is scheduled to beginonNovember12.

MAN CHARGED AFTER DROPPING GUN

BY PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

cal .45 pistol and 13 rounds of ammunition outside a shopping complex at about 3.30amonAugust13. Police reportedly saw Gibson acting

before he dropped

weapon. He was arrested andthefirearmrecovered. Gibson denied the charges before Magistrate LennoxColeby. Prosecutor Assistant Superintendent of Police Lincoln McKenzie objected to bail, citing public safety concerns. Gibson was remanded to prison until his trial on November18.

way to improve the country’s hurricane forecasting capabilities.

He explained that specialized scientific vessels, whicharetraditionallyused to measure water temperatures at different depths, can cost up to $100,000 per day. By contrast, using existing fishing vessels significantly reduces the cost ofdatacollection.

“The sensors collect

water temperature at different depths and so when we attach those to, for example, the traps that thesefishermenusetocatch lobsters,itwillreadthedifferent temperatures of the water as it goes down, and then again when it comes up,”saidDrBethel.

“This is also very cost effective because the scientific vessels used to collect ocean data can cost up to

$100,000 per day, so by recruiting these fishermen we are getting accurate data as they sail and do their daily work and saving funds.”

With the 2025 hurricane seasonunderway,DrBethel is assisting with implementing ocean observation systems for The Bahamas, including establishing a localdataportalandidentifyingspecificusecases.

ELESON PIERRE
Photo: Dante Carrer/TribuneStaff

The Tribune Limited

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Publisher/Editor 1919-1972

Contributing Editor 1972-1991

RTHONEILEENDUPUCHCARRON, C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B.

Publisher/Editor 1972-

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Where do we go from here?

IN TODAY’S Tribune, the now departed British High Commissioner, Tom Hartley, offers his thoughts on his time in office - and opens his heart on what he thinks about the future of The Bahamas.

When he sat down with our managing editor to discuss these issues, he was keen to ensure that it was clear his thoughts were coming from the right place - certainly not telling The Bahamas what it should do, after all it is a sovereign nation.

Rather it was a case of offering his perspective as he departed - a last service as he went on his way back to the UK and a new role there.

Mr Hartley has been an excellent High Commissioner.

It should be pointed out he followed an excellent predecessor, Sarah Dickson, who took on the hard task of re-establishing the High Commission after years of its doors being closed.

That always struck many people here in The Bahamas as unusual. As Mr Hartley said, Sir Franklyn Wilson had commented that it was ridiculous that there was a Chinese embassy in The Bahamas for so long but not a British representative. That was no slight on Chinese involvement, more a comment on the oversight of leaving Britain’s relationship to dwindle in absentia.

After Mr Hartley came to The Bahamas three years ago, he spent a great deal of time rebuilding those relationships - and however his successor might fare in the role, that will be one of the abiding impacts in his time here.

So when he talks about questions that TheBahamasperhapsoughttoconsider, it comes from a place of friendship.

He points to the opportunities that might lie ahead for The Bahamas.

He points to the avenues for growth in tourism and particularly financial services.

Afterall,ashenotes,thereareagreat number of investors around the world who want to have a place where they can be confident their money is secure andablyhandledthatisincloseproximity to the United States, working in the

same time zone as the huge New York money markets, but not necessarily within the US itself.

But with those opportunities comes the question of how to take advantage of them.

What do we need as a society in order to capitalise on such chances?

That question is not as simple as it sounds, because it embraces questions such as education, workforce capability, infrastructure and more.

Would we, for example, want to pursue the example of Singapore’s economy, which actively seeks to attract foreign workers?

The end goal there is the one that is prioritised, bringing in significant numbersofskilledworkers,butalsobringing in temporary low-skilled migrants in order to achieve specific goals.

How would Bahamians feel about such an influx of workers? And would that feeling be different if it meant a significant growth in our economy?

If such a process benefits everyone, is it worth the possible societal changes that go with it?

As the World Bank notes, “the story of modern Singapore is the story of migration”, and that it is also “fundamentally characterised by pragmatism”.

The bank adds: “Immmigration has mainly been a policy tool to solve economic and social problems.

“Immigration policy is primarily focused on relieving labour force constraints, at the medium- and high-skilled end, where migrants are valued for bringing capabilities relatively scarce in the resident population, and at the lowskilled end, where migrants are sought for their willingness to accept work Singapore citizens prefer to avoid.”

As a nation, we have only so many hands. Our population is around 400,000. That’s about the size of a city like Wichita or Arlington in the US. That population size needs to do all the jobs - from cleaning the streets to running our banks to being prime minister. Is that enough to seize the opportunities there might be? Our path is up to us - but the advice is always welcome.

Youth in crisis

EDITOR,TheTribune.

PARENTS need to unite.

Tribune reporter writes:

“Mass shooting in the Robinson Road and Market Street area this afternoon.

“The victims were shot shortly after 2pm as they were next to a car in the area - with gunmen pulling up in a Nissan vehicle, exiting the car, and opening fire.

“Twomenwhodiedatthe scene are aged 18 and 20, while the other five, aged from 16 to 22, were taken to hospital with gunshot injuries. Police said their condition is unknown”.

No, this is not the Twilight Zone. This is the Bahamasandourcountryis in crisis due to the alarming rise in violence and crime, particularly among our youth. They are killing each other almost every day.

What is paramount on the minds of most of the people in the country is the age of the persons committing these violent crimes, which shows we are failing as parents and adults.

Where are the preteens and teenagers getting these high-tech weapons from?

Looking around, we see many young parents barely older than their children.

It’s hard for them to guide their children when they’re still trying to figure things out for themselves.

When we say hurtful things to our kids, like

“You’ll never amount to anything,” it hurts and demoralises them. Why do you think they get involved with gangs?

Many young people are getting into trouble, and it’s notjustbecauseofthem;it’s because of us, too. We’re supposed to guide them, but we often fail, and then we blame each other. We need to take responsibility for our actions and words.

Ephesians 6:4-6: “Fathers (mothers), do not provoke your children to anger by howyoutreatthem.Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction from the Lord.”

Weneedmoremenofthe cloth willing to speak and stand up for what’s right and not cloak the wrongdoers. There are more serious concerns than Sebas’s that need to be addressed.

The Prime Minister was on point in his address when he appealed to members of parliament to put down their political knives and focus on unity. The message was not only for politicians.

How could you not be speaking to your next-door neighbours?

We need parents to unite and care for their neighbors’ children as much as they do their own.

This lack of unity and support is gnawing at the very core of our nation. We’re in a war and we

PICTURE OF THE DAY

Importance of proper consultation

EDITOR,TheTribune.

PUBLIC consultation is the foundation of transparent, inclusive, and responsive governance. When it’s done well, it not only improves the quality of laws and policies but also strengthens public trust and ensures decisions reflect the real needs and lived experiences of the people they affect.

can’t give up.

Violence and crime are serious challenges in our country, especially in urban areas, but we can make a difference together.

By standing up for what’s right and supporting one another, we can build a safer, more compassionate community for everyone.

We pause momentarily to thank the social and charitable organisations for the great job they are doing to help the misguided and less fortunate. But there is only so much they can do.

Let’s show our children that we care about them and want to help them succeed.

Let’s work together to make our community a better place.

Another serious concern we must address is the sudden increase in young vagrants and street beggars shuffling aimlessly around the streets.

Whoarethey?Whereare they coming from?

No one seems to have an answer, but the consensus is that they are primarily products of the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.

But that’s a story for another day.

God help our youth.

ANTHONYPRATT Nassau, August 11, 2025.

In recent months, there has been a noticeable increase in calls for public consultationonnewpolicies and developments. These have often come after a bill has been tabled or a project announced. While this may reflect a growing appetite for public engagement, it also reveals a persistent gap: consultation that happens later in the process of development risks missing valuable insights that could strengthen proposals, avoid unintended consequences, and reduce conflict.

ORG has long advocated for standardised and regulari=sed processes for public consultation. Our position paper on Public Consultation outlines how early, well-structured, and inclusive consultation can transform governance. Best practice calls for engagement at a formative stage, before final decisions are made, providing clear and accessibleinformation,realistic timelines, and genuine opportunities for people to shape the outcome. The value of reporting back to participants on how their inputwasusedisalsonoted. These practices directly support the principles of inclusion, transparency, and responsiveness at the heart of good governance.

When public consultation is consistent and well-structured, the benefits are clear. It allows policymakers to tap into diverse perspectives and lived experiences;

it helps identify unintended consequences before they become costly mistakes; it balances competing interests;anditfostersasenseof community-level ownership among communities, leadingtostronger,morewidely supported policies.

We have seen both sides of this coin in recent examples. The early public reaction to the Junkanoo Bill highlighted the cost of late engagement, while the Ministry of Health and Wellness’ ongoing consultation on its National Health and Wellness Plan shows the value of inviting feedback early, while ideas are still being shaped. The benefits are also evident both locally and across the region. In Jamaica’s national development planning process, widespread consultations helped ensure that goals reflected the aspirations of communities nationwide. In Trinidad & Tobago, public engagement was instrumental in ending child marriage, showing how grassroots and governmental consultation can work together to produce meaningful change. Barbados has offered recent lessons on the importance of using diverse methods, both in community and online, to reach a wider range of participants. Here at home, ORG has facilitated consultations on a range of national priorities, showing that these processes can be valuable acrossmanyissues.Withthe Caribbean Policy Development Centre, we helped gather input from marginalised communities across the regiononhowhighnational debt impacts daily life. We also facilitated community

engagement across The Bahamas on the Freedom of Information Act, ensuringadiverserangeofvoices was heard.

With the Bahamas National Trust, we worked with Family Island communitiesnearmarineprotected areas to understand their perspectives on conservation and livelihood.

And with the Bahamas Mangrove Alliance, we engaged environmental stakeholders to improve the permitting process for developments affecting sensitive ecosystems. In each case, early, inclusive, and structured consultation helped to better understand community priorities, concerns, and workable solutions.

When consultation is consistent, transparent, and planned from the outset, it allows policymakers to tap into a wealth of perspectives and expertise, balances competing interests, and fosters a sense of shared ownership that leads to stronger and more widely accepted outcomes.

This is why ORG continues to encourage The Bahamas to adopt a standardised, regularised approach to public consultation for legislation, policy, and development projects, one that is proactive, inclusive, and built into our governance framework.

The full position paper is available at www.orgbahamas.com/citizens/ policy-review-centre/. ORG stands ready to serve as a resource, facilitator, and connector to help decisionmakers and communities work together, turning consultation from a reactionary step into a driver of consensus,trust,andlastingprogress.

CHILD plays near Goodman’s Bay Beach under the watchful eye of a guardian during the hot weatheryesterday.
Photo: Dante Carrer/TribuneStaff

Laroda rejects criticism over violence shelters

SOCIAL Services Minister Myles LaRoda hit back at opposition criticism over his ministry’s domestic violence shelter project, denying claims the shelters are a secretive initiative plagued by delays and are possibly“non-existent”.

His comments came in response to FNM Senator Maxine Seymour, who accused Mr LaRoda of being “evasive” and “indirect” about the status of the shelters. She told The Tribune yesterday that she doubtsanyareoperational.

“It’s quite easy for her to say,” Mr Laroda said in response yesterday. “The one good thing about the truthisthetruthcomesout.”

The project has faced

SENATOR BLASTS GOVT FOR VIOLENCE COMMISSION DELAY

Tribune

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Move-

ment (FNM) Senator Michela Barnett-Ellis has again slammed the government for its two-year delay in implementing the Protection Against Violence Commission.

The bill, passed in 2023, would establish a commission to support victims, coordinate with police in cases of poor cooperation, and develop a national strategic plan to address violence.

However, the commission has yet to be formed, and the government has

provided little updates on its status, sparking criticism from women’s rights advocates.

In response to the backlash, Social Services Minister Myles LaRoda claimed earlier this year that while the commission is not yet operational, its core responsibilities are already being carried out behind the scenes.

However,BahamasCrisis Centre (BCC) director Dr Sandra Dean-Patterson recently said that although there have been some meetingstodiscusstheway forward, more progress is needed. She said the centre

SANDS: IMMIGRATION COMMISSIONER REPORT WILL NEVER BE SEEN

LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Move-

ment (FNM) chairman Dr Duane Sands said Bahamians should not expect the Davis administration to ever release the ImmigrationCommission’sreport.

“The Bahamian people, if they believe that they will ever see this report coming out of this administration, they are kidding themselves. It will not happen,” he told The Tribune yesterday. The commission was establishedinOctober2023 after leaked documents raised concerns about discretionary immigration approvals and alleged political interference by then-Immigration Minister KeithBell.

The controversy triggered widespread public criticism and called into question the transparency and integrity of immigrationpractices. TheDavisadministration pledged that the commission would play a key role in overhauling immigration policy, reviewing the department’s operations, andrestoringpublictrust. Sinceitslaunch,however, the government has provided little detail about the commission’sinternalwork.

In June, press secretary Keishla Adderley told reporters the commission had completed a “comprehensive review” of immigration operations in both New Providence and the Family Islands and that its findings would soon be submitted to the prime

minister,followedbypublic consultations.

However, Prime Minister Philip Davis told The Tribune last month that he had notyetreceivedthereport.

DrSandssaidthedelayin the report’s release is likely to shield certain individuals fromscrutiny.

“The chairman of the Progressive Liberal Party made it very clear that this administration does not believeinfreedomofinformation,” Dr Sands said.

“They have overseen the release of tens of millions of dollars of secret payouts to individuals from the public purse and the Bahamian people don’t have the right to know. They do not wantustoknowwhatreally happened.”

He accused the government of making numerous promises of investigations and reports that never materialise, citing matters such as the release of illegal immigrants downtown, the completion of a shelter in Abaco, transactions involving Bahamas Power andLight(BPL),andnegotiations over the Grand Lucayanresort.

“Do not hold your breath, because you probably will not survive,” Dr Sandssaid.

He added the delay undermines trust in the country’s immigration system and the government as a whole. “I think the credibility of this administration is woefully low, but the impact on the credibility of the institution, the ministry,thegovernment,in the eyes of the public, has also been badly damaged,” hesaid.

shifting deadlines and vagueupdates.

In June 2024, Mr Laroda said a building would be purchased by the end of the budget year. But, four months later, officials were still finalising the transfer of funds. The purchase was completed a month after

that, but no opening date hasbeenset.

Women’s advocacy groups, activists, and Mrs Seymour have repeatedly criticised the government forthedelays.

Mrs Seymour said shelters should not be “top secret” to the point that key details are withheld or thatshe,asasittingsenator, cannotaccessthem.

“I have to doubt and ask for proof, because this particular administration has a consistent record of saying one thing and doing another,”shetold The Tribune yesterday.“Iwouldlike to see the shelter because I don’tbelievethatitexists.”

Mr LaRoda said he has no objection to Mrs Seymour personally viewing the facilities but stressed the locations cannot be madepublicforthevictims’

safety. The Davis administration allocated $500,000 for a shelter as part of its commitment to tackling domesticabuse.

While it was initially understood that a single central facility would be created, Mr LaRoda claimed two shelters are nowindevelopment.

“SocialServiceswillhave two buildings, one which waspurchasedthatisunder renovation,” he said. “The otheroneisaleasedfacility, where the renovation has finished and we are sourcingfurniture.”

Currently, domestic violencevictimscanbetemporarily housed at a Royal BahamasPoliceForcefacility in Chippingham, used as a transitional space until they are transferred to SocialServices.

continues to advocate for change, but the public must also do their part by demanding stronger action to condemn and address violence.

“It’s critical,” she said in July. “It’s important. There should be letters to the newspapers every day. Thereshouldbecallstothe talk shows every day. What are we doing? How is it? Because you’ve said that you’re going to do something about it, so do it. Act it.”

Speaking in the Senate yesterday, Senator Barnett- Ellis renewed her concerns, joining the growing calls for the governmenttoact.

SENATOR MAXINE SEYMOUR
SOCIAL SERVICES MINISTER MYLES LARODA
SENATOR MICHELA BARNETT-ELLIS

The bat-shaped cay where ships came to their end

ASIDEfromthemarque

naval ships wrecked there, the small but strategically placed Samana Cay has claimed its share of wrecks on the current-laced passages to deeper seas it straddles.

Brittanica describes Samana as 22 miles northeast from Acklins Island, and ten miles by two miles at maximum. It resembles in shape a bat, flying secretly to our east. Arced by reefs, “the verdant cay has long been uninhabited, but figurines, pottery shards, and other artifacts discoveredthereinthemid1980s have been ascribed to Lucayan Indians living on the cay about the time of Christopher Columbus’ voyages”. In 1986 the National Geographic Society, concluded after half a decade of hands-on testing that Samana Cay “was the siteofColumbus’firstlandfallintheNewWorld”.

My only contacts with Samana have been small teams of adventurers who Iobservedandheardabout having themselves dropped there by Acklins boatsmen for a period of days or weeks, after which they were picked up. Survivalistsofsorts,asthereislittle manmade there at all, and no population, they live off the land. Having spent a few uncomfortable hours at the Acklins airport with these men, I can only say thattheyarenotatalkative lot–notatall.

ThemotorshipPatriciaR foundered in 1972, west of Samanaduetoashiftinits cargo.Builtin1945,shewas Nicaraguan ship and 710 tons. In 1970, the steamer Jorge struck a submerged object in the same channel and the 1946-built Cuban vesselof7,273tonssank.In 1948, also west of Samana Cay the British motor ship of 197 tons named Earles Transportsankthere.

One of the more interesting survivors of

Bahamian shipwreck who went on to learn a great deal of our ecology and write about it as well was Gilbert Klingel, author of a book named Inagua. On December 10, 1930, Klingel and his first mate Wally Coleman, both 20-something adventurers from Chesapeake Bay, struck the northeast tip of Great Inagua at Christophe Point at night. Their wooden 37’ yawl named Basilisk and modeled after Joshua Slocum’s Spray, quickly ground to bits as they saved enough of it for a temporary camp. Rescued and aided by

solo

wanderers – most memorably a woman named “Mary Darling, a self-sufficient woman” - in the Inagua bush, they learned a great deal about flora, fauna and politics of Inagua during a year-or-so stay. They left an enduring record of the island. Other wrecks on Great Inagua included the 9,000ton Eastern City, a motor ship owned by Leeds Shipping of Cardiff, Wales. She was en route from Vancouver to London when wrecked. In April of 1925, the ship Vincennes was under Captain Cumberland bound from BostonforStCroix,Virgin Islands, when she wrecked on an unnamed Bahamian rock.

Days later, a French ship in the Windward Bahamas wrecked with a cargo of 2,000 bags of coffee, of which 200 were salvaged. In June that year the 471-passenger, 450crew liner Carmania went aground at San Salvador, and was salvaged in part by thetugAliceMoran.

A British brigantine named Cynthia was en route from GlasgowtoMexicowhen

it came to grief on a reef (misnamedCayman)inthe Bahamas, with the crew being rescued in February, 1867.

On December 15, 1849, the American brig William Davis carrying logwood wrecked on the French, or Plaaa Cays in transit from the Dominican Republic to Boston. Captain Cooke endured many open days of open boat voyaging once his ship and its cargo were destroyed. His men rowed to Samana Cay, remaining four days. Then to Fortune Island or Long Cay for two weeks, then they split up and rode different ships to New Orleans, leaving an ill first mate behindonLongCay.

‘My only contacts with Samana have been small teams of adventurers who I observed and heard about having themselves dropped there by Acklins boatsmen for a period of days or weeks, after which they were picked up. Survivalists of sorts, as there is little manmade there at all, and no population, they live off the land.’

On December 6, 1884, the steamer Santo Domingo arrived in New York with 31 shipwrecked sailors. These unfortunates had been tossed ashore on FrenchCays,alsoknownas the Carsoo Bank (not confirmed),aspitofsand,west of Turks Island and North of Haiti. They describe it as a 70-mile long sand bank barely beneath the

surface, of which French Cays are the land portion. Theystruckdespitethesea and wind being calm at the time. By great coincidence the ships Spinaway and Invincible had very similar voyages, from departure from the UK to loading in Haiti and to load in Demerara, during which passage they “struck the same bank within an hour and ten miles of each other. Then the British barque Clara M Goodrich, of 626 tons also grounded not far apart. They had logwood from Demerara, British Guyana and Haiti for Rotterdam and northern Europe. Witnesses described how currents were running “strong and treacherous, and you are being carried along with them before you know it”. Because the ship keeled over and sank so quickly they rigged up a tent on the bank and with “plenty of food”, then remainedfivedays. Then wreckers “hove in

sight and took us off”. Eventually whatever could be stripped and sold from Invinceable was taken to Turks Island where it fetched $2,400 in wrecking court. The men were taken there and released, making it to New York and eventually home to Europe and the UK. Even in rescue the sailors experienced unfomfortable and cramped conditions. In the wrecker ships on the voyage from French Cay to Turks Island they were 27 persons crammed aboard an 8-ton schooner, four of them badly sick with tropical diseases for three days. The 60-year-old seaman John Anderson died on the voyage. The mate added “the men suffered a great deal”.

In February 1949, an “SOS” distress signal was spotted on the eastern end of Plana Cays, which are uninhabited, by an Eastern Airlines flight. Since two passenger planes were lost in that vicinity at that time, aircraft from Guantanamo were sent to scour the area but nothing recent appeared, rather it was thought the message had been carved in the beach long before.

A Tudor Aerial aircraft vanished between Bermuda and Jamaica with 20 people and 32 more lost between Puerto Rico and Miami; neither planes nor persons were ever found.
AUTHOR sailor Gilbert Klingel and his mate Wally Coleman wrecking in Basilisk at Christophe Point, the northern tip of Great Inagua, in the winter of 1930.
MARY DARLING, a self-sufficient woman, pictured in Inagua, circa 1940s. From Inagua, A very lonely and nearly forgotten island by Gilbert C Klingel 1944, VintageBahamas.com, Facebook.

As proud as we are of who we are, we are painfully new at this game of governance

WE ARE entering what is called the silly season. I don’t think of it as silly at all. It is the most serious season we have and it only comes once every five years or so. It’s the moment in time when we figure out our future and if you think that’s silly, well, I cannot help you or hope to change your mind. Of course, there will be silly actions and words that leave us quaking in our boots or shaking our heads, but overall it is anythingbutsilly.

We are entering a season for only the 12th time in modern Bahamian history when we have a chance to decidewhatgovernmentwe want.

Relative to the rest of the world, including all those nations and states that count their politics by centuries not half-decades, we are babes in the woods.

So if some candidates do or say silly things - or all candidates make promises no one could possibly keep - put it down to a bit of wishful thinking or unrealistic expectations, but not an evil attempt to defraud. We are still in our infancy, stilltakingbabysteps.

That is no excuse for mischief, but it is a partial explanation.

As proud as we are of who we are, we are painfully new at this game of governance.

Politics of personality

We are so new that we have not yet established standards by which to judge performance. We do not haveasetdateforelections.

Wedonothaveaguarantee of transparency or accountability or a requirement for public consultation before decisions that affect us are made. We are short on standards and long on who you know. That makes us a very personal kind of governing practice –and I say practice with no malice intended. Physicians practice, why wouldn’t politicians? We may not think of it that way, but that is exactly the point. Without a measuringstick,webecome emotional voters, governed by our hearts, identifying with personality over principle, colours chosen not because of who tromped on inflation or increased the national grade point average, but who we think “gets us” or has our backs. We lose sight of who governs best and embrace who we feel connected to. We take emotion to the ballot box, feeling either besotted or betrayedbyourleaders.

Over the years, writers far more astute than I and far closer to the political scene have added immeasurably to the conversation. Two pieces, in particular,

intrigued me so much that I have held on to them for years. The first was an Insight editorial during the Ingraham administration written by Bahama Journal publisher at the time WendallJones.

Good governance, bad politics

“There is a view which is being espoused in political circles that the Free National Movement is providing good governance but bad politics, and that the former Progressive Liberal Party had good politics and bad government,” he began. Jones, now the Ambassador of The Bahamas to the US, continued to describe the then Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham who when he “took the reigns of government, his soul burned with the zeal of reform”. He credited him with “practical knowledge of administration and handling the business of government with such skill that his public is being induced to take good governance as a matter of course”. But good governance, he said, “is just a detail, like shiny shoes and pressed clothes.” The FNM achieved its manifesto, from delivering essential equipment to PMH to electrifying islands that had never enjoyed the most basic infrastructure, but, saidJones,thePMlostsight of connecting with the grass roots and instead spent too much time cavorting with the rich and famous, resultinginbadpolitics.ThePLP, he said by contrast, feel they have a “better communion with the average Bahamian”. In retrospect, I believe he would have credited that early attempt at government in the sunshine with a far heartier reception. More than two decades have passed since Jones wrote those words and yet littlehaschanged.

Colour of their skin And now it has been 20 years since the late Norman Solomon asked in another editorial “Will a white man lead the country?” I could be wrong, but it feels like we are farther away from that happening than we werein2005whenSolomon askedthequestion.

In another editorial earlier the same year, Solomon said what we all know,

“What this country has always needed and continues to require is quality leadership, regardless of skin tone.” He quoted Dr Martin Luther King “who proclaimed that he wanted his children to be judged not by the colour of their skin but by the content of theircharacter”.

The one thing Norman Solomon got wrong was the description of himself as a “Political Pygmy”. He was a giant of a man who was not afraid to lead or to risk his life for the right cause, including exposing the drug trafficking in the 80s when the Colombian flagflewoverNorman’sCay in Exuma and Bahamians were not allowed access to the cocaine capital of the hemisphere, but Solomon sat on that beach for the most frightening moments of his life, loaded machine guns aimed at his head, to proveapoint.Whatwetruly need is more candidates of courage. Skin colour should be as irrelevant as a jar of jam on a local shelf with a sticker still marked in shillings,penceorpounds.

And so as we enter this serious season, remember this is our only chance in five long years where we search our souls for brave men like Norman Solomon and critical thinkers like Wendall Jones. This is our chance to assure women are equally represented. This is our chance to apply pressure, our moment to refuse to settle for mediocre. We may get a few silly moments, but we need not make it a silly season for as much our leaders of the past and present have succeeded or disappointed, as much as our leaders have attempted to do the right thing, I believe one element connectsthemall. Regardless of party, regardless of real or perceived missteps or corruption or failure in some respect, somewhere deep down inside every single prime minister in the deepestrecessofhisheart,hehas felt a sense of purpose and of urgency – to do right by his people. To leave a footprint and a legacy. To make a better Bahamas. There is that space in the heart of every leader, of most Cabinet ministers, of many members of Parliament, where he or she is driven by a desire to make a difference in their constituency,

where they believe they can change the state of education or health care or crime or physical landscape or culturalapathy. Somewhere between dealing with the realities of limited resources and harsh words from an opposition, somewhereinthevastabyss between budget constraints and Pollyannic dreams of an ideal community, that vision of a happy, healthy, well-connected, relatively crime-freecommunityexists in the minds of people who runforoffice.

It is up to us, the electorate, to demand they remember the reason they ran, to put the footprint of good governance ahead of the strut of personality. It is up to us, the electorate andtheaffected,todemand standards and transparency and accountability and fair taxation and practices, true localgovernment,trueenvironmental management and preservation instead of reckless abandonment of the principles on which our environmental laws and regulationswerefounded.

It is up to us, the electorate, to demand more of the education system, to provide incentives to keep Bahamians at home, to think not in tracks that are routine but in trails that are innovativeandcreative.

The only silly thing about the season is ignoring its possibilities for the impact it will have on many a season to come. This is our time to lead by demanding what we want our leaders to be and far as I can tell, there is nothing silly about that.

Montagephoto: Nikia Charlton

DESANTIS ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR IMMIGRATION ‘DEPORTATION DEPOT’DETENTION FACILITY

FLORIDA Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration is preparing to open a second immigration detention facility dubbed “Deportation Depot” at a state prison as a federal judge decides the fate of the state’s holding center for immigrants at an isolated airstrip in the Florida Everglades known as “Alligator Alcatraz.”

DeSantis announcedThursday that the new facility is to be housed at the Baker Correctional Institution, a state prison about 43 miles (69 kilometers) west of downtown Jacksonville. It is expected to hold 1,300 immigration detention beds, though that capacity could be expanded to 2,000, state officials said.

After opening the Everglades facility last month, DeSantis justified building the second detention center by saying PresidentDonaldTrump’sadministration needstheadditionalcapacitytoholdand deportmoreimmigrants.

“Thereisademandforthis,”DeSantis said. “I’m confident that it will be filled.”

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has trumpeted Republican governors’ efforts to expand their immigration detention capacity, calling Florida’s partnership a model for otherstate-runholdingfacilities.

Plans to open the facility in two to three weeks

DeSantis touted the relative ease and economy of setting up the northern Florida facility at a preexisting prison, estimating the build-out cost to be $6 million.That’scomparedtothehundreds of millions of dollars the state has committed to construct the vast network of tents and trailers at the south facility in theruggedandremoteFloridaswamp.

“This part of the facility is not being used right now for the state prisoners. It just gives us an ability to go in, stand it upquickly,standitupcheaply,”DeSantis

said of the state prison, calling the site “ready-made.” It could take two to three weeks to get the facility operational, according to KevinGuthrie,thedirectoroftheFlorida DivisionofEmergencyManagement,the agency in charge of building the immigrationfacilities.

The state had announced plans to “temporarily” close the prison in 2021, due to persistent staffing shortages.

“A building that’s been dormant now for a couple of years is going to have some unforeseen challenges,” Guthrie said when estimating the construction timeline.

Among the renovations needed: air conditioning,whichisnotrequiredunder Florida’sstandardsforitsprisons,despite thestate’sswelteringclimate.

Florida National Guard to staff the site

Staffing at the site will be handled by theFloridaNationalGuardandstatecontractors “as needed,” DeSantis said. The state’s National Guard had been called on to help run the state’s prisons for more than two years due to chronic staff shortages,beforebeingmobilizedtosupport the state’s immigration enforcement efforts.

DeSantis had previously floated plans to open a second detention facility at a nearby Florida National Guard training facility known as Camp Blanding, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) southwest of Jacksonville.

The long-standing military installation was a major U.S. Army training facility during World War II and serves as a “continuity of government” site for Florida’s executive branch, according to the facility’swebsite.

But announcing the plans Thursday, DeSantis said the Baker facility was a better fit because of its available capacity andproximitytoaregionalairport.

“Blanding does have air capacity, but probably not a big enough runway to

handlelargeplanes,”DeSantissaid.

Everglades facility faces civil rights lawsuit

DeSantis pledged that detainees at the newfacilitywillhave“thesameservices” that are available at the state’s first detentioncenter.

Attorneys for detainees at the Everglades facility have called the conditions there deplorable, writing in a court filing that some detainees are showing symptoms of COVID-19 without being separated from the general population. Rainwater floods their tents and officers go cell-to-cell pressuring detainees to sign voluntary removal orders before they’reallowedtoconsulttheirattorneys.

“Recent conditions at Alligator Alcatraz have fueled a sense of desperation among detainees,” the attorneys said in the court filing.

Conditions at the hastily built detention center were outlined in a filing made Wednesday ahead of a hearing Monday over the legal rights of the detainees. Civil rights attorneys want U.S. District JudgeRodolfoRuiztoensurethatdetainees at the facility have confidential access to their lawyers, which the lawyers say theyhaven’thad.

The state of Florida disputed claims that detainees’ attorneys have been unabletomeetwiththeirclients.

Since July 15, when videoconferencing started at the facility, the state has granted every request for a detainee to meet with an attorney, and in-person meetings started July 28, state officials said. The first detainees arrived at the beginningofJuly.

Attorneys for detainees also wanted the judge to identify an immigration courtthathasjurisdictionoverthedetention center so that petitions can be filed for the detainees’ bond or release. The civil rights attorneys say they’ve been told regularly that federal immigration courts in Florida don’t have jurisdiction overthedetaineesheldintheEverglades.

JUDGE STRIKES DOWN KEY PARTS OF FLORIDA LAW THAT LED TO REMOVAL OF BOOKS FROM SCHOOL LIBRARIES

A FEDERAL judge has struck down key parts of a Florida law that helped parents get books they found objectionable removed from public school libraries and classrooms. It is a victory for publishers and authors who had sued after their books were removed.

U.S. District Judge Carlos Mendoza in Orlando said in Wednesday’s ruling that the statute’s prohibition on material that described sexual conduct was overbroad.

Mendoza, who was appointed by President

Barack Obama, also said that the state’s interpretation of the 2023 law was unconstitutional. Among the books that had been removed from central Florida schools were classics like Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale,” Richard Wright’s “Native Son” and Kurt Vonnegut’s “Slaughterhouse-Five.”

“Historically, librarians curate their collections based on their sound discretion not based on decrees from on high,” the judge said. “There is also evidence that the statute has swept up more non-obscene books than just the ones

referenced here.”

After the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature passed the law, school officials worried that any sexual content was questionable, a belief that was enforced by new state training that urged librarians to err on the side of caution. Last year, Florida led the nation with 4,500 removals of school books.

Under the judge’s ruling, schools should revert back to a U.S. Supreme Court precedent in which the test is whether an average person would find the work prurient as a whole; whether it depicts sexual content in an offensive way; and

whether the work lacks literary, artistic, political or scientific value.

The lawsuit was brought by some of the nation’s largest book publishers and some of the authors whose books had been removed from central Florida school libraries, as well as the parents of schoolchildren who tried to access books that were removed.

The author plaintiffs included Angie Thomas, author of “The Hate U Give”; Jodi Picoult, author of “My Sister’s Keeper”; John Green, author of “The Fault in Our Stars”; and JuliaAlvarez. .

FLORIDA Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during a news conference May 1, 2025, in Miramar, Florida PHOTO: Rebecca Blackwell/AP
“THE Hate U Give,” national young adult best-seller list book.

ROTARY CLUB OF NASSAU

ROTARY Club of Nassau

‘Unites for Good’-The Rotary Club of Nassau (RCN) hosted a Scavenger Hunt with purpose to bring clubs, families and other organizations together for one common goal which was to ‘Unite for Good’!

This fitting theme is the general theme for 20252026 Rotary International.

There was excitement in the air as participants from the Rotary Club of Nassau, Old Fort Bay, and Rotary Club of South East came together to have fun, learn about our rich history and challenges themselves to see who would be the overall winner.

The call was made, Rotarians, families and friends traversed

throughout Nassau to bring back findings from the clues. The evening ended with the overall winners being the Rotary Club of South East, coming in second was the Rotary Club of Old Fort Bay and then third Rotary Club of South Ocean. C. Kino McCartney, President of RCN stated that this was the beginning of many; and the importance of people coming together to unite for common causes and setting common goals. Was it FUN? Yes, it indeed was FUN.

•The Rotary Club of Nassau (RCN) sponsored two deserving students from their Interact Club at R.M. Bailey with scholarships to assist them in their trajectory towards higher learning. The two students were Caley Poitier who will be attending The University of the Bahamas,

and Khali Russell who will attend the University of Missouri; student was awarded $1000.00 each.

RCN’s Youth Service Chair Ms. Allandra Russell, was excited about the opportunity afforded to the young deserving students. She stated the assistance would go a long way in helping the students prepare for University.

URBAN RENEWAL’S YOUTH ACHIEVERS CLUB

Following its successful launch in New Providence, the Youth Achievers Club is now expanding to Grand Bahama, joining a nationwide rollout that will reach every island district with

an Urban Renewal Centre.

At a news briefing on August 12, 2025, at the Ministry of Housing and Urban Renewal Authority headquarters in Grand Bahama, plans were unveiled for the launch of the Urban RenewalAuthority’s Youth Achievers Club on the northern island.

According to Deputy Director for Urban Renewal on Grand Bahama, Senator Kirkland Russell, all youth ages 718 are welcome to join and benefit from the YAC initiative which strives to offer guidance, mentorship, and opportunities for personal growth.

“One of the most importantpartsorelementsofthe Youth Achievers Club is to put Urban Renewal and the government in the position where we can track these children from start to finish,” Senator Russell

explained. “No matter what discipline they may be in, we are able to track their progress, provide intervention, or whatever support they may need along the way.”

From character and Youth Development, Education and Career Development, Health and Life Skills, Music and Arts Urban Youth Christian Movement and Sports, Fitness and Recreation, the program targets six core pillars and aims to inspire, support, engage, and uplift young people across the country, with an inclusive, all-access approach that embraces the differentlyabled youth of the Grand Bahama. Senator Russell emphasized the need to engage all youth, “The whole idea is to ensure we are able to help the child, give them a holistic environment where

they can play, grow, and learn and at the end of the day become productive citizens of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.”

The Deputy Director of Urban Renewal Grand Bahama has issued a heart-felt appeal to civic, and corporate partners, church groups, and volunteers to lend support; assist and donate musical instruments, uniforms, and school supplies as the new school year swiftly approaches.

The call comes ahead of the official launch of the Youth Achievers Club on Friday, August 15, 2025, at Central Zion Baptist Church in Eight Mile Rock. The event will be attended by Minister of Housing and Urban Renewal, The Hon. Keith Bell, and Minister of State for Social Services and Urban Development, Lisa Rahming.

OFFICIALS from the island’s first Urban Renewal Authority
Youth Achievers Club launch at Central Zion Baptist Church. Seated from left are Tanya Munroe, manager Urban Renewal Northern Bahamas; Kirkland Russell, deputy director Of Urban Renewal, Grand Bahama; Lloyd Grant, director of programmes.
ROTARY Club of Nassau sponsoring students for university.
ROTARY Club of Nassau members pose for a photo after the scavenger hunt.

High Commissioner hails potential of The Bahamas as he says his farewells

After three years’ service in The Bahamas, British High Commissioner Tom Hartley is departing. As he entered his final days in the country, he spoke to STEPHEN HUNT about his time in office, and his hopes for The Bahamas in future.

Tom Hartley has been a very visible figure in The Bahamas over the past three years – but as he prepared for his departure this week from his role as British High Commissioner, therewasonetellingphrase that showed how much our nationhasaffectedhim.

“When I came,” he said, “I was an ambassador to The Bahamas. As I leave, I will be an ambassador for TheBahamas.”

For those who have met Mr Hartley at the various events he has organised or attended, it certainly speaks to the enthusiasm he has brought to building connections.

Being very visible is something the High Commission has not been in previous years – it closed down in 1999 before being reopened in 2019 by Mr Hartley’s predecessor, SarahDickson.

One of her first challenges was coordinating with British forces who came to the assistance of those affected by Hurricane Dorian – a trial by fire if ever there was one. British forces were among the first to help victims of that storm.

Mr Hartley arrived at a verydifferentmoment–but also hugely significant. His arrival coincided with the death of Queen Elizabeth II, putting him in the positionofbeingtheconnection between The Bahamas and theUKatapointofhistoric change.

He was in a meeting with anotherpredecessor–Peter Young, who now writes weekly as a columnist with The Tribune – when the word came through about

the queen’s passing, and quickly had to rush to meet PrimeMinisterPhilipDavis toreceivehiscredentials.

“When I got here, I always saw it as my job to build or rebuild bridges,” he said. “People were in many ways just so grateful that the High Commission was back that we got a lot of goodwill. Building bridges was perhaps easier than if we’d been here all that time… the fact it was a clean break and Sarah and I were relatively younger than our predecessors has almost allowed us to reinvent what the High Commissionisallabout.”

He said: “Certainly in my first six months, there were a lot of people saying we really hope you don’t go again. And Sir Franklyn Wilson, he said Bahamians could never believe there was a moment when there was going to be a Chinese embassy in The Bahamas but not a British High Commission.”

Three years on from that initial flurry of meetings, ceremonial procedures and more, Mr Hartley leaves with a great

deal of optimism for what TheBahamascouldbe.

He highlights various successes – such as Kanoo expanding to London, two different rums now being available in the UK, he particularly feels that his tenure “moved the needle” on education and scholarships - and what he calls “near misses”, such as a display of Bahamian goods in Harrods which drew attention if not leading to a regularrepeat.

There are other successesstoo-suchasworking with the sailing community, repatriating 10,000 pages from the UK National Archives to The Bahamas, and building artistic connections - even catching the eye as he joined in Junkanoodancing.

But building international links has been one of thekeypartsofhistenure.

He said: “It’s part of the secret sauce of The Bahamas, in that The Bahamas isn’t just a major bilateral partner of Britain, The Bahamas also hosts this international community, the global comparatives are Monaco, Dubai and

Singapore… I remember thinking it would be great if I could meet someone from Harrods – and I met them hereinTheBahamas.”

That international community, he says, is one of the great advantages here in the country – he talks of how if you go to New York for a meeting with a highpowered executive, you might get five minutes, but in The Bahamas you get fourhoursonagolfcourse.

That international connection is one of the opportunities that he sees as an open door for The Bahamas. Two areas, particularly,standouttohim.

HepointsouthowtheUS luxury market is “no longer New York, it’s now Miami, it’s much younger, it’s much funkier”.

He notes how the old New York luxury market went to the Hamptons –the Miami market comes to TheBahamas. One of the areas that he sees as a ripe chance to expand is the tourism market from the Middle East. He said: “The other market that someone in the Caribbean is going to

win is the Middle Eastern and West African market – and I think now there is just such incredible money there that whoever gets that flight, whoever gets the Qatar or the Emirates flight or the Ethiopian flight to their country will just find an incredible influx of tourists but also investors and highnet-worthcommunity.

“Theywanttobenearthe US but not in the US, they need an offshore jurisdiction, they want luxury, they wanthighqualitytourism… they want a decent financial industry. So in many ways, The Bahamas could skip the European industry and just focus on those others and make a lot of money… there is a market that The Bahamas is missing out on, forsure.”

He adds: “The US needs an offshore financial district – and that will either be Cayman or Bermuda or The Bahamas. The Bahamas therefore has an amazing opportunity… that feelslikeanamazingopportunityforTheBahamasand it really needs to consider how it’s going to prioritise thataboveotherthings.”

With that, he sounds a note of caution. “It’s clear that the politics of The Bahamas is making those sorts of conversations more difficult.”

By that, he notes the one-term trend in politics, with governments not winning a second term, leading to short-term outcomes – though he is careful to note that is not with regard to one political party or another.

Part of that is also with regard to the politics surrounding immigration. He stresses that it is a “sovereign decision” for the country to consider how it governs its borders, but notes that limiting work permits “that makes that conversation around buildingaglobalfinancialservices centreverydifficult,whereit isimpossibleforacountryof just 400,000 people to fully staffwiththehighestquality global employees, you have to have a large immigration of employees and lawyers, the legal system as well is a barrier to big changes like this”.

He added: “Of course we would completely support that as a decision but recognising that comes at odds with building a world class globalfinancialcentre.”

Mr Hartley points towards the Singapore model – often discussed in The Bahamas as a path to follow – with its more open policy on immigration, high salaries for political leaders but zero tolerance towards corruption and more, and says: “The Bahamas has every opportunity to become the Western hemisphere’sSingaporeand more so – Singapore is one island, The Bahamas is 700 – but it has active policies thataremakingchoiceslike thatdifficult.”

His recommendation?

“I think The Bahamas needs to have that national conversation.”

Mr Hartley has now departed his role, and flew to London yesterday. He says though that he has sand in his shoes – and perhapsseesafuturereturn.

As he says, he goes to speak on behalf of The Bahamas elsewhere – and leaves many friends, and more than a few thoughts forthefuture,ashedeparts.

TOM HARTLEY, who ended his tenure as British High Commissioner this week, with Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis in his farewell courtesy call.
Photos: OPM
TOM Hartley during his farewell courtesy call after serving a three-year stint in The Bahamas.

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