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VOLUME:116 No.3, DECEMBER 24TH, 2018
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Oban boss insists: We’re going ahead
MD says impact study done ahead of Jan 7 meeting By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net OFFICIALS from Oban Energies say they have completed an environmental impact assessment and will sit down with the government on January 7 for expected negotiations on a new Heads of Agreement for the company’s proposed oil refinery and storage facility on Grand Bahama. On the sidelines of a $25,000 contribution to Grand Bahama’s Superstar Rockers Junkanoo group,
Alexander Grikitis, managing director of operations at Oban Energies, said the company is still committed to The Bahamas and its people. “We are looking to show our support and showing we are here to support more jobs, and in the long-term Oban has now completed its EIA for our project,” he said on Saturday. “We are hoping to get our permitting going in the New Year, and early January we have a meeting with the government.” SEE PAGE FIVE
ROYAL Bahamas Defence Force officers apprehended four more Dominican fishermen in waters near Great Inagua over the weekend - bringing the total number of arrests this month to 18. Meanwhile, the seven fishermen found with compressors and gas canisters last week have been released without charge because officials ran out of time to hold them.
Attorney General Carl Bethel told The Tribune yesterday that law enforcement officials were advised by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to charge the Dominicans with conspiracy, as they did not have any catch. He said he was surprised to learn 48 hours had lapsed since they had been arrested and not been arraigned, and that there was no magistrate or administrator on the island to hear the matter. SEE PAGE 11
DOUBLE MURDERS: SUSPECT CHARGED By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net
A 33-YEAR-OLD man was charged in a Magistrate’s Court on Friday with the murders of a man and a woman who were shot dead outside an apartment in the Joan’s Heights area last week. Patrick Bowe, of St James Road, stood before Magistrate Kara TurnquestDeveaux, faced with two counts of murder in connection with the December 18 incident in which James Johnson, a 29-year-old father of one, and Kevisha Kerika Richards, a 23-yearold mother of two, were killed. According to initial reports from police, the two were held up by a gunman after pulling up to an apartment unit being rented by Richards. SEE PAGE THREE
BAHAMASAIR APOLOGISES TWICE OVER THREE DAYS
POACHERS SET FREE DUE TO OVERSIGHT By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
HOME
By MORGAN ADDERLEY Tribune Staff Reporter madderley@tribunemedia.net
SHOP TILL YOU DROP LAST-minute shoppers get ready for Christmas at the Oasis store in Sandyport. Photo: Terrel W Carey/Tribune Staff
BAHAMASAIR has issued its second apology in three days following yet another series of flight delays and cancellations for both international and domestic flights that have infuriated passengers this holiday season. Many travellers have expressed their outrage at more than 12 hours of delays on social media, with some criticising the lack of communication from the airline and the fact that they were not issued vouchers or compensation for their inconvenience. SEE PAGE FIVE
PLEASE GOD, KEEP THE LIGHTS ON
By MORGAN ADDERLEY Tribune Staff Reporter madderley@tribunemedia.net
BAHAMAS Electrical Workers Union president Paul Maynard yesterday told The Tribune that The Bahamas is “on the graces of God” regarding whether another major power outage will affect the country this holiday season. Mr Maynard said “ancient equipment” is to blame for the recent spate
UNION boss Paul Maynard of power outages. He noted the new equipment needed
to rectify the situation will not arrive until next summer. On Thursday, a widespread outage struck New Providence, leaving many residents without electricity for hours and delaying flights at Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA). Adding to frustration was the fact that electricity flickered on and off intermittently throughout the SEE PAGE SIX
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Monday, December 24, 2018, PAGE 3
GOVERNMENT COMPLEX DESTROYED BY FIRE By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
SOUTH Andros MP Picewell Forbes yesterday lamented the devastation and significant loss of public records after a local government complex burned to the ground in Fresh Creek, Andros, on Friday. Investigators yesterday concluded an electrical shortage sparked the blaze that destroyed the complex, according to Fire Chief Walter Evans. Mr Forbes said: “That’s a lot of records, what was lost. Was it health, birth records, local government district records would have been lost? It’s really challenging where we are. “It could have been prevented but if it was electrical, I know people in the Family Island might have had inadvertently hooked up a Christmas tree or something. It is very sad.” Officers responded to the fire shortly after 4pm on Friday but were unable to extinguish it despite assistance from area residents. The building burned as Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis visited Andros as part of his Christmas tour of the Family Islands. A video posted to Dr Minnis’ official Facebook page showed Dr Minnis and a group of onlookers, including police officers, watching as flames shot up from the building and debris fell to the ground. No fire truck was at the scene. “We ain’ even have no fire truck, nothing,” said one resident
THE BUILDINGS went up in smoke on Friday aftenoon. The Family Islands lack the resources to combat fires effectively, says MP Forbes.
could be heard complaining in the video. “Nobody doing nothing, everybody just standing up, just watching it burn. Police them on the site and they can’t even
do nothing. They just watching it burn. Y’all do better, man.” Meanwhile Mr Forbes told The Tribune the incident evidenced longstanding challenges faced by
Family Island communities that lack adequate infrastructure and resources to combat fires effectively. He said the complex housed the Ministry of Social Services, Department of Labour, as well as the local district council office. “All the records,” Mr Forbes said, “contracts issued from the old days. It’s where the first clinic would have been housed, a lot of records would have been in that building, old health records. “This fire was just adjacent to the Anglican church that burnt in that same area several years back. The whole issue of fire engines and prevention is a big issue in the Family Islands. We need hydrants in these settlements, all things that we must look at if these islands are to really grow and expand.” Mr Forbes suggested the government look at how fire resources are utilised in small American counties, suggesting tools like a mobile pump system that could be towed by truck could be implemented here. Mr Forbes said: “We need the urgency of proper improvements, installation of equipment that can help us alleviate these fire situations. There is no hydrants in these densely populated communities. The whole thing having a fire engine, getting it covered, then the parts. It’s an issue. I think we need to – across the board – look at this whole issue of fire prevention and how do we fight fires in the Family Islands.”
Man dies after argument outside Nassau nightclub By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
SUSPECT Patrick Bowe. Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff
DOUBLE MURDERS: SUSPECT CHARGED
from page one
Police discovered Johnson’s lifeless body slumped behind the steering wheel of his car and Richards lying in front of her home. Richards was rushed to hospital, but died of her injuries a short time later. Bowe was not required to enter a plea to the charges
and the case was adjourned to February 21, 2019 for service of a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI). He was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services in the interim, however, he has the right to apply to the Supreme Court for bail. Bowe was not represented by an attorney.
A MAN was found unresponsive with injuries to his body near an abandoned building on Hampton Street on Friday night. He was found hours after another man died from his injuries and two others were shot during an incident at a Malcolm Road nightclub earlier on Friday. The country’s murder count stands at 91 for the year, according to The Tribune’s records. The killing Friday night marked the fifth in a week. In the first incident, police responded to reports of shots being fired at the “5-Star” Nightclub off East Street shortly after 2am. According to reports, an argument outside of the club had escalated, resulting in the three men being shot. One died in hospital and the other two men are listed in serious, but stable condition. In the second incident, a victim was found in the area of Hampton Street, Stapleton Gardens shortly after 8pm on Friday. “Officers discovered the man with injuries to his body,” read the police
report. “Paramedics were called to the scene, attempted to revive the victim, but were unsuccessful. He was pronounced dead at the scene.” The killings come on the heels of last Wednesday’s “be careful with the company you keep,” warning by Commissioner of Police Anthony Ferguson. Commissioner Ferguson at the time insisted that despite recent flurry of criminal activity, residents should go out and have fun this Christmas season because they will not be targeted. He reiterated this call during a walkabout of downtown Bay Street on Friday. “These murders are not gang violence,” he said. “These are incidents where you find persons who have . . . conflict that cannot be resolved and not in a gang related issue. They are really isolated cases.” When asked whether he believed the country was “relatively safe,” Commissioner Ferguson replied: “I don’t need to believe that, I know The Bahamas is relatively safe. I am a welltravelled person and those of us who are well traveled and recognise what goes on around the world,” He added: “The issue of
Monday, 24th December 2018
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whether there is a fear or any crime is a real issue, and there are things we will continue to work at. There are things the citizens have to also work at.” Overall, police continue to assert that general crime statistics are trending down. Statistics shared on Wednesday showed there were 89 murders from January 1 to December 18, a
decrease from last year’s 122 murders in the same time period, according to police. Armed robbery incidents declined 16 percent, from 547 to 460 during the same time period while reports of stolen vehicles declined 20 percent, from 450 to 361. The number of shootings also declined, from 110 to 67, a difference of 39 percent.
PAGE 4, Monday, December 24, 2018
THE TRIBUNE
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A calamatious presidential performance which rolls on and on THE current American president’s chaotic administration has rarely suffered a worse week than the one just past. If a Democratic effort to impeach Donald Trump was not previously on everyone’s mind, it is now unlikely to again be far from the epicentre of the media circus and public discourse. The most significant recent event by far was the resignation of Defence Secretary James Mattis. Mattis, much more than Trump’s two secretaries of state or three national security advisers, has advocated for a reasonable foreign policy based broadly upon the liberal democratic principles for which the United States has served as the global standard-bearer since 1945. Mattis, a well respected retired fourstar general in the marine corps, served with distinction in combat and important senior commands during a long military career. He brought a combat veteran’s pragmatism to inform naïve and inexperienced civilians in the White House about military intervention and its costs and consequences. The Defence Secretary finally left this administration after Trump recklessly decided to pull out American forces from Syria that have largely stabilised the northeastern part of the war-torn country and kept it away from Russia, Iran and ISIS. Trump’s decision, taken after no apparent consultation with Mattis or the defence department, partially fulfilled the president’s campaign promise to bring US troops home from the Middle East. Worldwide criticism poured in from everywhere but Moscow. Mattis’ resignation was not scheduled to be effective until the end of February, but yesterday Trump suddenly announced it would take effect January 1 and parachuted into Mattis’ role Deputy Secretary of Defence Patrick Shanahan. “He will be great,” tweeted the president. Once again we’ll wait and see how a senior appointment plays out. Other “highlights” of Trump’s week included his forcing a shutdown over Congressional failure to include $5 billion for his border wall with Mexico – another misguided 2016 campaign promise. In fact, the government shutdown is a nuisance but little more. Economists estimate the last prolonged shutdown five years ago cost the US $1.2 billion of lost GDP each week. In a $20 trillion economy, this is lamentable but not catastrophic. And most 2019 American government operations are already funded and not affected by the shutdown.
Trump also initially struggled to find anyone willing to serve as his Chief of Staff, a position of immense potential power and influence in Washington. He continued to deny his own intelligence community’s conclusion that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman was complicit in the assassination of journalist (and American resident) Jamal Khashoggi. And indictments, plea deals and convictions of Trump campaign figures and advisers continued in a steady stream. There are now rumours the Robert Mueller investigation may conclude within two months. House Democrats under skilled and combative Nancy Pelosi will have a full head of steam by then, and the House Judiciary Committee will be led by Jerry Nadler, a constitutional law expert who represents a New York City district where the last Republican congressman served in 1923. If there’s an impeachment specialist in the House today, it’s Nadler. Also eager to put the Mueller findings to good political use is incoming House Intelligence Committee chairman Adam Schiff of California. Schiff, a bookishlooking and mostly measured and well-spoken congressman, must be itching to take back the gavel from Devin Nunes, his craven California GOP colleague for whom no lie or distraction has been too insignificant or unbelievable to use against Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton. Nunes is one of Trump’s most obsequious followers in Congress, and it will be a relief to see and hear less of him. It is possible and maybe likely the outline of Mueller’s report is already known. Trump does his lying and manipulating mostly in plain sight. Respected Washington Post columnist Michael Gerson wrote that in 2016, “Russian intelligence officials invested in an innovative strategy to support the election of a corrupt US businessman with suspicious ties to Russian oligarchs.” Many pundits echo these sentiments. Impeachment in the House of Representatives needs only a majority vote. Conviction after trial in the Senate requires two-thirds of those voting, so unless evidence of obstruction of justice and wrongdoing is of Nixonian proportions, Senate Republicans likely won’t desert the president any more than Democrats did in 1998 when Bill Clinton was impeached for lying under oath. But the impeachment process will likely be riveting theatre again next year.
Unwise to suggest that Nassau is getting safer EDITOR, The Tribune THERE are times Ministers and senior officials when they will be well advised not to comment as usually what they say comes to bite them hard. Between the PM’s statement copied by the Asst Commissioner of Police and the Minister that it was safer in Nassau can only be described as stupid. Since then how many murders? Hitting 91 and still more days left and
not counting those undecided Coroners cases… My bet 100 level will be hit again! Where is the criminal getting sophisticated? The criminal is shooting his victims down like flies….what is sophisticated about that? Minister, stop wasting our money…the problem is the police’s unwillingness to take the police to the people to the areas where they, RBPF, know these people operate from…oh, yes, all politics!
Been said many times… surround certain areas, hot spots and search ‘til you find…after Events Road blocks and searches. No RBDF pussy foot around spending more and more money which is not necessary. Safer? Where? Ministers have police guards these days. W THOMPSON Nassau December 19, 2018
The wrong moral course EDITOR, The Tribune THE LGBT community in The Bahamas is active and robust. Its leading spokesperson, Erin Greene, recently took Senator Ranard Henfield to task for allegedly uttering a homophobic slur while on Facebook. To his credit, Henfield has apologised. Greene seems to want more from the former We March organiser. With her typical persecution complex, Greene has called for MPs and senators to launch an anti-hate speech campaign, as if the LGBT community is being systematically harassed by the heterosexual population. I’m certain there have been LGBT members who have uttered heterophobic slurs in the past. However, Bahamian heterosexuals never seek to make a mountain out of a molehill by demanding government intervention when they are insulted by gay people. Why is it that Greene and co. always feel as if they are entitled to preferential treatment? Since his appointment to the Upper Chamber, Henfield has rarely been front page material, as was the case during the final year of the Christie administration. This is a point which has been raised by his detractors. Moreover, his detractors have also raised the point that the Free National Movement (FNM) appointed him to the Senate in order to neutralise him as an outspoken critic, as he was towards the Christie administration. For what it’s worth, it was a shrewd political move by the FNM to keep its friends close and its enemies closer. Even in the Senate, Henfield has failed to stand out. Whatever stock he had while leading thousands of Bahamian protestors in his We March demonstrations, it has nosedived. Having said all that, Henfield’s
LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net apology is sufficient. There is no need for penance. I believe that Greene is overreacting. I don’t believe Henfield hates gay people; he simply lost his composure. Bahamians on the whole don’t hate gays. They are just of the view that homosexuality is a practice which is condemned in the Bible. No amount of eisegetical manoeuvring will get LGBT Bible theologians such as Metropolitan Community Church Pastor Troy Perry around this established biblical proposition. Bahamians, by and large, are conservative in their worldview. What Greene and other LGBT activists should be all up in arms about is the high rate of AIDS and HIV within their community. According to the Centres for Disease Control (CDC), approximately 67 percent of people diagnosed with HIV in 2015 were gay and bisexual men in the United States. The CDC further stated that African American men are the ethnic/ racial group most affected by HIV. In The Bahamas, there were 151 people diagnosed with HIV in 2017. Seventy percent of these newly infected individuals are Bahamians. I sincerely believe that a significant percentage of HIV victims are young gay Bahamian men. I am not attempting to scapegoat the LGBT community for the AIDS/HIV epidemic in The Bahamas. My assumption is not based on any scientific data given by the Ministry of Health. My assumption is based on the well known fact that gay and bisexual men are promiscuous. Recently at Galleria Cinema at the Mall of Marathon the biopic
movie Bohemian Rhapsody was played. The film is based on the life of the late Freddie Mercury, who was the lead vocalist for the rock group Queen. Mercury, who succumbed to complications from AIDS in November of 1991, was openly gay. For all intents and purposes, Mercury has become the symbol of the AIDS crisis within the LGBT community in Great Britain and to a lesser extent the United States. Ironically, the 41st president of the United States, George H W Bush, has recently passed away. He served as vice-president to President Ronald Reagan during the 1980s, when Queen attempted to spread their gay message to America. With the AIDS crisis making significant inroads in that country and throughout the world, Queen and Mercury were utterly rejected, especially by the conservative evangelical community. I mentioned Mercury because his attitude towards his sexual orientation and illness was eerily similar to many gay Bahamian men today. Due to the fear of homophobia, many gay Bahamians are afraid to get tested. And this is the reason the disease continues to wreak havoc within that demographic. I am diametrically opposed to homosexuality. I love gays. I just don’t agree with their position, based on what the Bible says. Practising safe sex is simply not enough. Their lifestyle must be outright abandoned. So rather than getting so bent out of shape over an inconsequential spat on Facebook, Greene should use her influence to encourage gay men to change their moral course. KEVIN EVANS Freeport December 2, 2018
Wishing all our readers a Happy Christmas - The Tribune will be back with you on Thursday, Dec 27
THE TRIBUNE
Monday, December 24, 2018, PAGE 5
Oban says impact study done ahead of January 7 meeting from page one Mr Grikitis said company officials are looking to provide new jobs hopefully this time next year. “We will have hundreds of jobs for Bahamians, and we can continue community support going forward to the Superstar Rockers, and other community programmes,” he said. “But we saw what they (Superstar Rockers) did and what they are looking to do, and we want to be part of the community, and we thought this would be a good way to start.” Oban Energies is proposing to build a $5.5 billion oil storage terminal and refinery project in East Grand Bahama. The government’s initial agreement with Oban sparked intense criticism, including points of opposition from several environmental organisations that took issue with lack of an environmental impact assessment, given the project’s risk factors. The fallout prompted an admission from Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis that there were gross missteps in the government process. “While our heart was in the right place, these missteps should not have happened. We must, we can and we will do better,” Dr Minnis said in March. In the months following that admission, various Cabinet members have hinted at key improvements that would be made with a new HOA, but nothing concrete has been presented. While in Grand Bahama on Saturday, Mr Grikitis told The Tribune that Oban would be meeting with the government on January 7. When asked whether there would be any changes to the project, Mr Grikitis said: “I can’t really disclose that now until we talk to the government and then we will kind of get there.” The Oban executive also said company officials have found
OFFICIALS from Oban Energies donated $25,000 on Saturday to the Superstar Rockers in Grand Bahama. From left: Walter Henderson of Superstar Rockers; Alexander Grikitis, managing director of operations Oban Energies; a member of Superstar Rockers and another Oban representative. Photo: Denise Maycock office space in Freeport. “We have identified a location at Grand Bahama Highway, and right after we get through the January 7 meeting with government, we plan to get the lease signed and move the project forward and open the office,” Mr Grikitis said. “As well as once we get through permitting, we plan to clear the first 100 acres to get an office up and going right away,” he added. Earlier this month, Labour Minister Dion Foulkes, who
co-chairs the Cabinet subcommittee looking into Oban, said the government was still looking to pin down a firm date to rework the Oban heads of agreement, saying there was a proposed date for early January. Meanwhile, in reference to Saturday’s donation, Mr Grikitis presented a cheque to the Junkanoo group’s leader Chauncey Grey at their shack at the old El Casino Building. “We were approached by the
BAHAMASAIR APOLOGISES TWICE OVER THREE DAYS from page one Bahamasair managing director Tracy Cooper yesterday outlined the series of factors that contributed to these issues, which ranged from poor weather conditions to a navigational failure at Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA). Mr Cooper said the airline expected to be “back to normal” and “all caught up” by the end of Sunday. He also said those passengers who did not receive any vouchers should “present themselves” to the airline. “If they present themselves and we were to see that we did not take care of any commitments, then we surely will,” he said. One Bahamian passenger, who wished to remain anonymous, told The Tribune yesterday that his flight from Freeport to Nassau was originally scheduled for 2pm Saturday. However, he and his family did not depart until approximately 2.15am Sunday. “But, of course, you get to the airport by 1pm for a 2pm flight,” he said. “So, 13 hours waiting without any consistent updates no (compensation).” The irate passenger said every few hours the travellers were vaguely informed that the delays were due to power outages and bad weather in Florida. “Though as time passed, I did hear that they were having issues with air traffic control,” he added. “Also, those 13 hours we were in the airport, they didn’t even offer us water. They didn’t offer us anything at all. “Because I was travelling with my family, some of us were able to go out and get food and bring it back. But some people sat in there by themselves, no voucher for flights, no voucher even for a meal for 13 hours.”
On Sunday, Bahamasair released a statement on these recent delays. This followed a previous statement issued by the airline on Friday regarding delays and cancellations that occurred earlier in the week, particularly on Thursday. a“(Friday) we had a navigational failure here at (LPIA),” he said. “It disrupted flights for a period of time as well, so we couldn’t get flights out. And then yesterday (Saturday) we had heavy traffic from Air Traffic Control that (was) backing up flights to the tune of about anywhere between 30 minutes to about an hour. “And all of this played around with our ability to do flights as we had them scheduled. We also had a situation with one of our jets that was out of service for a few days. I think it was Wednesday until Saturday or Friday night. And all of this compounded where really we couldn’t be as aggressive as we wanted to be. “As of this morning (Sunday) though, all of our passengers and our bags, with the exception that were in the…Ft Lauderdale Airport from last evening, all of those are in Nassau, on the international side,” Mr Cooper continued. “On the domestic side, we did have about three flights cancelled yesterday (Saturday), simply because of the Air Traffic back up. And we have taken care of two of those flights already, and one we will be doing (within) another hour.
“So pretty much by the end of this day we’ll be back to normal, all caught up and operating for hopefully tomorrow as well.” When asked if he expects that these delays will continue throughout the holiday season, Mr Cooper said: “A few delays, but not the (long) delays we were experiencing.” In response to claims that persons did not receive lunch or travel compensation, Mr Cooper also said Bahamasair “always” provides vouchers. “We always provide either lunch vouchers or food vouchers so that the passengers would have something to eat as well as some compensation for when the delays are extended beyond a certain time.” When asked if vouchers will be retroactively provided to those who did not receive them, Mr Cooper said: “If they present themselves and we were to see that we did not take care of any commitments then we surely will.” In Sunday’s statement, Bahamasair said all bags that were brought to the airline by midday Saturday are in The Bahamas. The statement added that recovery flights for Friday were compounded by the absence of one jet, which was being serviced for a technical issue and not available until Saturday morning. A third jet is receiving “heavy maintenance” in Costa Rica and not set to return “for the next several days.”
Superstar Rockers, and we did not hesitate at all,” Mr Grikitis said. “We were looking forward to giving money to local community projects. “Oban wants to show a commitment to the Bahamas and to Bahamian people. We know that this is good for tourism, and Junkanoo is a long tradition in the Bahamas,” he said. Mr Grey said the group is happy for the donation. “We love it. It goes to show that they
came in and wanted to be a part of the community and Junkanoo puts smiles on people’s faces, and it’s Bahamians,” Mr Grey said. “I can’t think of no better way to stomp for your foot in Bahamian ground than by supporting Junkanoo.” Mr Grey said sponsorships have been tough to come by and the donation from Oban came at the perfect time. “It will give us a boost to go out on the road and represent our culture,” he said.
PAGE 6, Monday, December 24, 2018
THE TRIBUNE
Please God, keep the lights on from page one day, causing some to fear the brown outs would damage appliances. The issue caused panic at LPIA where hopeful passengers reacted angrily to misinformation that flights were cancelled for the day. When asked what caused these outages, Mr Maynard told
The Tribune: “Ancient equipment, man! “They’ve been obsolete for at least 10 years now. We shouldn’t even be fooling with them. But you know, guys go out every day, risk their lives, to deal with it, keep the power going.” On Thursday, Bahamas Power and Light said a cable fault at one of its substations caused the power outages.
When asked if BPL is putting anything in place to prevent these kinds of things from occurring in the future, Mr Maynard pointed to the anticipated new equipment. “We ordered stuff…but (we) gotta wait for them to come,” he said. “Hopefully the stuff will be here by summer and we’ll have it installed. We’ll have some of the stuff installed,” he elaborated. “You can’t do everything. And it’s
costly. It’s very costly. It’s going to cost $100m to deal with the transmission and distribution systems. It’s very costly.” When asked if the Bahamian people should expect that these kinds of outages will continue throughout the holiday season, Mr Maynard initially said “no,” then said whatever occurs will be dealt with. “It’s not gonna happen…When
it happens, we’re gonna deal with it. We deal with the situation.” When asked if what happened on Thursday could happen again Christmas Day, for example, Mr Maynard replied: “Yea, of course. I mean, God got you through the summer. We on the graces of God right now. That’s what it’s about. It is what is…It isn’t a situation where we just got into this. This took years and years and years.”
We’re still unhappy, say junior doctors
By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net
DAYS after the Bahamas Doctors Union agreed to call off strike action to negotiate over outstanding holiday pay, junior doctors said the Public Hospitals Authority’s offer of $1.80 per hour was not generous but below minimum wage. The BDU further disagreed with Health Minister Dr Duane Sands’ assertion that junior doctors’ compensation packages were equivalent to $80,000. The union said the net pay of a junior is closer to some $30,000 less. Further, the BDU said it was disappointed that a promise made by Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis to arrange a meeting over double time holiday pay had not been honoured. The union made its defence in a statement released late Thursday, two days after it was agreed there would be no strike on the promise of swift resolve on the issue of money owed. That same day, PHA said doctors had failed to comply with the use of an automated system for time and attendance monitoring used throughout PHA institutions, which hampered negotiations. “Junior physicians in The Bahamas have never been paid double time for holidays, as is mandated by the Employment Act. Since 2010, the Bahamas Doctors Union has taken part in multiple negotiations with the PHA and has filed
two disputes with the Industrial Tribunal in an attempt to resolve this egregious injustice, all to no avail. We were even privileged to have a sit down with the prime minister who assured us that a meeting would be arranged to table this issue. To our disappointment, the PM failed to honour this promise,” the union said in a press statement. “Most recently, the BDU met with the minister of health and a decision was made to return to the negotiation table with PHA to resolve the issue in a timely manner. However, as we have applied for a strike certificate, this is still a viable option in the event that negotiations fail. “PHA management offered to pay a lump sum that worked out to be an hourly rate of $1.80/hr for working on holidays. This offer, which is far below minimum wage, is what the minister referred to as ‘generous’. “The PHA has also refused to honour the time keeping system that they agreed to under the leadership of the former managing director, and as such, there is currently no agreed upon means of determining hours worked on holidays moving forward. PHA has no individual contracts with physicians and the unilateral decision to implement swiping as a means of timekeeping is not supported by law as it goes against our industrial agreement.” The statement continued: “The $80,000 compensation package for junior doctors that PHA management submitted to the minister
BDU disagree with the assertion of Health Minister Dr Duane Sands, above, that junior doctors’ compensation packages were equivalent to $80,000. is grossly inaccurate as the net pay of a junior physician is closer to some $30,000 less. We note that the quoted figure included duplicate items such as pay for sick leave, vacation and casual days, which are already allotted for in the base salary. “In closing, the minister has since acknowledged that his statements questioning the professionalism of junior doctors were unfair. We view this as a positive step toward amicable negotiations.” The release was in response to the minister’s remarks last Tuesday outside Cabinet. At the time he said the doctors’ decision to take a strike vote had gone against taxpayers’ expectations, given the government pays for doctors’ tuition costs.
He told reporters the offer put forward by PHA was “generous”, adding it was difficult to call doctors a part of the working class. “It’s difficult to call doctors a part of the working class and I think this discussion really gets at the heart of what defines a professional,” Dr Sands said, responding to questions on Tuesday. “Bear in mind, if you look at junior doctors the average salary is about $48,000 a year and total compensation package is about $80,000 a year plus 15 percent gratuity at the end of three years. So it’s hardly true to consider those individuals as typical working class.” He continued: “On Sunday in church the pastor or priest spoke about the vocations and what it means to put on a white collar
and traditionally the white collars would have been physicians, priests, lawyers in exchange for standing and respect of the community. “There was an expected degree of sacrifice, particularly when you add the fact that the Bahamian people have paid for the education of the overwhelming majority of these young physicians. “The fact that Bahamian patients are now being asked to possibly endure the inconvenience of a strike it means that we now need to go back and look fundamentally at what it means to be a professional.” Asked pointedly if he was saying the doctors were ungrateful, Dr Sands said no, but he said Bahamians held certain expectations.
DIALYSIS PATIENT ‘MISSED SEVERAL TREATMENTS’ A MAN who died after being turned away from the Princess Margaret Hospital’s Dialysis Unit a week ago due to a staff shortage was previously “noncompliant” with his treatment schedule, the Public Hospitals Authority said yesterday. PHA released a statement saying it had
concluded an internal investigation into the “unfortunate” death of 25-year-old Neil Johnson, also known as Neil Bethel, finding the patient had missed several treatment dates before he was turned away from the Dialysis Unit on Monday, December 17. PHA said Mr Johnson began receiving dialysis
treatment at PMH in October of this year and was told about the “life and death” implications of a treatment plan and schedule. “At the commencement of his treatment, Mr Johnson received information regarding his diagnosis of renal failure, the requirements for renal replacement dialysis therapy and the ‘life
and death’ implications of the scheduling requirements of his treatment plan,” PHA’s statement said. “He was slated to have dialysis on Monday, Wednesday and Friday of each week. Records retrieved from PMH reveal that he was noncompliant. “During the month of December alone Mr
Johnson missed scheduled appointments on the 3rd, 7th, 10th and contrary to media reports, he also missed his appointment on the 14th of December. When Mr Johnson presented on December 17 for treatment, all available treatment stations were in use and he could not be accommodated due to a shortage of staff in the Dialysis Unit. “He was clinically assessed in line with protocols and given another appointment date. Mr Johnson was further advised to restrict his fluid intake to less than 500ml over the next 24-hour period, and to avoid high phosphorous and potassium containing foods like fruits, potatoes and citrus products. He was advised to return to ER if he experienced any shortness of breath, chest pain or chest discomfort symptoms that he did not manifest at that time,” PHA said. PHA’s statement said Mr Johnson left the unit, but later returned to the Emergency Room where he was again assessed and scheduled for emergent treatment at the Dialysis Unit on December 18 at 5am, when the unit opens. “Unfortunately, Mr Johnson arrested at 4.30am on December 18 after multiple attempts to intervene were unsuccessful,” PHA said.
“Patients who voluntarily miss treatments must report to the hospital’s Emergency Room for assessment.” The statement added: “Before a patient is deferred he/she is evaluated and triaged, and then the next available time for treatment is given, usually within 24 hours.” Last week, Mr Johnson’s family expressed shock at his death, with his sister Stacey Cooper telling The Nassau Guardian her brother was also reportedly turned away the Friday before his death. “Apparently, he was supposed to go for dialysis treatments three times a week; that’s Monday, Wednesday and Friday,” she told the daily. “Friday, he didn’t get served. So, he went back Monday for the appointment. They turned him and 19 others away. “Later that night he was complaining about shortness of breath and we called the ambulance and took him to the hospital. My mother was at the hospital all night with him. The hospital called me and said come deal with my mom. “When I got there that’s when she told me that he passed away. The nurse told my mummy that he died from a heart attack. Then when I asked her what was the cause of death she said he just passed,” his sister said.
MONDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2018
THE STORIES BEHIND THE NEWS
TOURISM, as indicated by the cruise ship Symphony of the Seas, left, is vital to the continued success of the Bahamian economy, as is fighting crime. Above, the RBPF band in full swing and, below, the people charged with fighting crime, Comissioner of Police Anthony Ferguson, left, and Minister of National Security Marvin Dames.
What’s on your Christmas list for The Bahamas? BY MALCOLM STRACHAN
A
S we approach the thick of holiday season and goodwill abounds, the Bahamian people take pause to share in the season of giving with their loved ones. Despite the challenging moments on the political front, a year ending means another begins. To that end, as we are creatures of hope, we must recognise through the toughest of times there is still much to be thankful for and to look forward to. The country being on track for its lowest murder total in years certainly presents something to be celebrated. The Royal Bahamas Police Force, while it still has to ensure it incorporates effective crime-fighting policies that make all Bahamians feel, has done a great job increasing its presence around crime hotspots. Although there have been nearly 90 murders to date, at the very least, we’re trending downward. If there was ever a gift the government could have given to the Bahamian people, it was certainly the ramped-up crime fighting
strategies that have reversed the trend of carnage on our streets. Pondering on other gifts we would like to see given to the country, the mind races like that of a child writing their Christmas list to Santa Claus. Which brings the thought: If Santa was at your beck and call, what would you give The Bahamas for Christmas? Certainly, increased safety and further eradication of the scourge of crime on our streets would be welcomed. Many Bahamian people still feel unsafe and want to live lives free of worry from being robbed, raped or snuffed out. Assurances by Minister of National Security Marvin Dames and top cop Anthony Ferguson that the Bahamian public can expect the police to continue a great job have definitely given us something to be hopeful for. Surely, a safer Bahamas will mean a happier citizenry. Equally as important, the Bahamian people want to see the cost of living decrease in tandem with the increase of opportunities. Referring to psychologist Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, not only do the Bahamian people want to be safe, they also want to feel a sense of accomplishment and fulfilment. The Bahamian people, in addition to having the security to
move around the country, also want to find employment and entrepreneurial opportunities – the latter with more ease. If the government can make both of those major needs a priority by slashing the unemployment rate through facilitating an environment that creates jobs and increasing the ease of doing business, the government can beyond question increase its political capital. We also hope that Santa can help to improve our education system. Increasing opportunities will not do us any good if what we are still producing students from the elementary and high school levels who are not prepared for the rigours of adulthood. For far too long, we have seen a decline in our educational output. As the new year ushers in, we hope to see more of Minister of Education Jeff Lloyd’s plan take shape. As he has always been a stickler for leadership, we hope out public education system will go through a complete overhaul. Perhaps the Ministry of Education can undertake studies of jurisdictions similar to ours, where a complete revamp of the public system was required and done effectively. One thing is for certain, something has to change to help the nation’s youth – those in particular
who hail from the harshest of circumstances - to have a chance at being successful. Meanwhile, we cannot ignore how well the tourism industry has been doing. While official yearend tourism statistics are yet to have been published, Minister of Tourism Dionisio D’Aguilar’s titling 2018 a “banner year” indicates tourists still believe it’s better in The Bahamas In that same vein, it is also the responsibility of those who work in the tourism industry to continue to provide a fulfilling experience for the people who spend their hard-earned dollars with us. They could have gone anywhere else in the world but chose The Bahamas. Those that work within the industry must continue to innovate in product and service offerings. Certainly, we hope this continues, but in addition we would like to see the Downtown Nassau Redevelopment initiative be launched and executed to enhance the visitor experience. Many visitors and even Bahamians living abroad who return to visit have the same complaint about the area. It is either “too dirty” or “too boring” – all of which indicates there is much work to be done.
Understandably, when in government, some projects slide to the backburner as others take priority. However, after promising the government would be focused on the revival of Downtown last January, Tourism Minister D’Aguilar has to ensure this is a priority item in 2019. Finally, perhaps the most painful experience the populace has experienced this past year would have been the increase of value added tax. Thus, in the spirit of transparency, the government must be forthright with the Bahamian people and report on how our tax dollars are being used. Sure, we have been told the increase was to balance the budget, but too often as we have learned – ‘mouth can say anything, and money buy land’. Governance must be a handholding experience where trust and goodwill prevail. Perhaps the greatest gift of all is one whereby the Bahamian people and the government can exist in a symbiotic relationship. Hopefully, as Dear Old Saint Nick visits all of the boys and girls around the world who’ve been on best behaviour – maybe even the ones who’ve been naughty – he grants some Christmas wishes that would make our country a greater place to live.
PAGE 8 MONDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2018
INSIGHT
EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net
Stand up, speak up because Rome is burning and time’s running out
A
STATEMENT may have been made at one or more of the Caribbean countries that attended the Conference of the Parties (COP) on the disastrous effects of climate change in Katowice, Poland in early December, but if any statement was made it is nigh impossible to find it despite the considerable search engines on the internet. Yet, the disastrous results of the Katowice conference should be a renewed call to arms for all Caribbean island-states whose very existence is now closer to extinction than it has ever been. In the face of the continued recalcitrance of the powerful states even to admit the existence of the harmful effects of climate change - and their downright refusal to take the necessary action to stop it - if there is a comatose condition among Caribbean representatives, it is understandable but not forgivable. What happened at Katowice in Poland, is nothing short of a death sentence for small island states. Delegates to the conference went into the room with the full knowledge that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change had called, categorically, in its October 2018 report, for radical structural transformation, particularly as the world is patently failing to hold global warming to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. The report showed that unless the global community brings emissions under control within 12 years, there will be no prospect whatsoever of achieving that goal. Simply put, by the time a child born this year is 12-years-old, Caribbean islands and low-lying coastal areas will be confronting ravages to productive areas and habitats that could induce the flight of people from their homelands. Ralph Regenvanu, Foreign Minister of Vanuatu, was belligerent. Noting that rebuilding
and climate resilience costs are soaring from fiercer storms and rising seas, he is seeking to form a coalition of vulnerable nations prepared to sue fossil fuel companies to pay for damage linked to climate change. He is making a telling point. It is not dissimilar to one made recently by Professor Avinash Persaud, an economist and consultant to the Barbados government. Increasingly, small island states - which are the very least of the contributors to climate change and are its greatest victims - are being required to pay the cost of the loss and damage that are inflicted on them. Persaud argues that “Islands and floodprone places are being asked to pay premiums to be insured against future losses and damage
of a climate change caused by others. This is asking the victim to pay by instalment. If our main response to human-made climate change is to try and make it easier for the victims to pay for it, the march of climate change will press on unimpeded.” But at Katowice, rich countries prevented any movement on how to estimate financial contributions to support adaptation by vulnerable countries. They simply don’t want to pay. The poorer nations rightly want estimates of climate finance to be additional to current development aid. They also want climate finance to be viewed more as a response to the loss and damage suffered by poor countries rather than as aid. There is good reason for these
“wishes” by the poor and vulnerable nations. Without their fulfilment, existing foreign aid flows could easily be reclassified as a contribution to climate finance, leaving the actual amount of support unchanged. This kind of behaviour was obvious at the UN sponsored pledging conference for Caribbean countries devastated by 2017 hurricanes. The so-called “Katowice agreement” avoids the grave concerns about climate finance by not addressing them officially in the final agreement. Imagine that the one positive result of the meeting on the financing issue is that rich country negotiators agreed to “revisit” the issue of scaling up financial contributions in 2025. In other words, they agreed to “talk” about it yet again – fiddling while Rome burns. But, of course, it is not their “Rome”, and, in the minds of many of their negotiators, relocating a few million dislocated and displaced people from small islands is a cheaper option than paying compensation for the destruction of homelands and civilizations caused by climate change. The one hope in all of this is that a National Climate Assessment in the United States, published before the climate conference in
Poland, concludes the impacts of global climate change are already affecting the US as clearly evidenced by the growing number of intense wildfire seasons, droughts, heatwaves and floods the country has been experiencing. The report notes these conditions will worsen unless urgent action is taken to curb greenhouse gas emissions. Significantly, it states annual average temperatures across the U.S. have risen by 1.8°F since the beginning of the 20th century. The costs for the US are also high and rising. Here are some examples: rebuilding Puerto Rico’s power grid destroyed by hurricanes Irma and Maria, is estimated to cost $17 billion; flooding in the Mississippi and Missouri river basins in 2011 caused an estimated $5.7 billion in damage; and the federal cost of fighting fires across the US ranged from $809 million to $2.1 billion per year between 2000 and 2016. The report says that by 2100, these costs could rise to hundreds of billions of dollars a year and could affect the US economy “worse than the Great Recession did”. Given the climate report on the US, there should be strong allies in the states and cities where the harmful effects of climate change have been felt and are not letting-up. Caribbean countries should stand-up, speak out and take a lead in mobilizing small states everywhere to join strong alliances into the decision-making councils and board rooms, globally in an unrelenting campaign for their collective survival. The only solution to climate change is to stop it. The writer is Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the United States and the Organisation of American States. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies at the University of London and Massey College in the University of Toronto. The views expressed are his own.Responses and previous commentaries: www.sirronaldsanders.com
EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net
INSIGHT
MONDAY, DECE,MBER 24, 2018 PAGE 9
Succeeding by degree - all four of them E3SPORTS
Friday, September 30, 2016, PAGE 3
GAIN AN EDGE A NATIONAL DIALOGUE ON HIGHER EDUCATION
“AT THE time because my mum hardly knew anyone in Nassau she went home to Dominica for family support in the last stages of her pregnancy with me. However, we returned before I was one-month-old,” recalled Frances. The need for Land Surveyors in the country in the 1950s drew Frances Armbrister’s mother and father to The Bahamas from Dominica for work. A graduate of the Government High School (GHS) in 1977, transitioning to the then College of The Bahamas (COB) was a natural progression for Frances and many of her fellow GHS classmates. COB still in its infancy, was the educational foundation for the mathematics major who graduated with an Associates of Arts (AA) degree in 1979. Ten years later, Frances came back to her alma mater to sharpen her skills and remain competitive in the workforce. “I was working but felt I could do more for myself than reading novels every night, so I came back for my second degree,” she explains. She persevered and graduated, this time with an AA in Management in 1991. The lifelong learner understood the value of a university degree and the professional and financial benefits derived from attaining higher education. In his research
on “The Impact of College Graduates on Bahamian Society: With Emphasis on Graduates from The College of The Bahamas”, Director of Planning at University of The Bahamas William J. Fielding, examined the economic contributions of university-educated Bahamians to society. A NATIONAL DIALOGUE ON HIGHER EDUCATION According to Fielding, based on 2013 Bahamas Department of Statistics data, “the mean annual earnings of a person with BGCSEs is $22,425 while that of a person with an associate degree is $31,609, and that of a person with a baccalaureate degree is $45,866. The statistics further revealed that 3,867 persons graduating between 2000 and 2009 from the College would have earned $86.7 million per year, based upon their BGCSE qualifications. With their College qualification this group would have earned $146.7 million. Therefore, the graduates’ “value added” can be estimated to be about $60 million per year. In other words, these graduates have $60 million a year more to spend in the economy than they would have, if they had not attended The College of The Bahamas,” he states. For Frances, the financial gains were important as well as the satisfaction of enhancing her professional portfolio which made her stand out from others in her field. “My third degree safeguarded my future, my AA Degree in Office Administration (1999) allowed me to advance on the job, apply my secretarial skills and use new knowledge,” she explained. In 1999, Frances began working at The College of The Bahamas, now University of The Bahamas (UB), as private secretary
GAIN AN EDGE
REFLECTING on her many years of work at UB and in the classroom, Frances Armbrister is proud of her educational journey. and yet again decided to take advantage of the opportunity to learn by going back in the classroom. She successfully completed her Bachelor of Business Administration in Administrative Office Management in 2009. “A university degree is so important today. With so many individuals in the job market one has to be the best at what they do. Also, with today’s market being so competitive, every edge a person has will help them move up in their respective field. A well-rounded university degree will help you understand your profession better, it should teach you how to deal with people and also enhance your ability as a critical thinker and team player,” said Frances.
Reflecting on her many years of work at UB and in the classroom, Frances is proud of her educational journey. She has led by example in her own family exhibiting in real time the value and transformative power of higher education. She is also proud to have played a role in COB’s transition to university status. “I am happy to have witnessed the transformation to UB and be part of the institution’s growth and progression. With change may come a level of discomfort but it is sometimes necessary to grow. I believe in order to keep up with an advancing institution, we ourselves must adjust and always have a mind to learn and grow.”
‘Tis the season - to be on your guard against robbers ARMED robbery is one of the most serious and potentially dangerous crimes committed today. Robbery usually occurs quickly and can be very violent. Plan ahead and reduce the dangers and the potential losses. Here are some tips On How to Protect Yourself from armed robbery. At home 1. Never admit a stranger. 2. Always lock all doors and windows. 3. Listen for strange noises. 4. Do not advertise that you live alone. 5. Never give an unknown caller information. Report nuisance calls to police. 6. When you move to a new home, change the locks. 7. Chain locks are not strong enough to keep out an intruder. Keep doors locked until you know who is there. 8. Always pull shades after dark. 9. Do not leave notes on door about when you will be home. Precautions to take on the road 1. While driving, watch out at intersections and stop lights. Keep car in gear, doors locked and windows rolled up. 2. Park in areas that will be well lit when you return. When you return, look to be sure no one is hiding in a car nearby, beneath or in your car. 3. If you have a stalled car, stay inside the car with doors locked and windows rolled up. If you have a cellular phone call for help. 4. If you are being followed, do not drive home or get out. Drive to the nearest police station or an open store or service
21. Be aware of the alarm verification and robbery procedures with police. 22. Do not activate the alarm unless it can be done safely. If an armed robbery does take place, stay calm and do the following: station for help. Note the licence number and car description and report to the police at once. If you are held up at work: 1. Try to stay calm. Do not make any sudden movements to upset the robber. Remember, the robber is usually as scared as you are. 2. Be sure to follow the robber’s directions. Do not try to escape or set off an alarm in front of the robber. 3. Tell the robber what you are doing, for example, getting a money bag. 4. Try to get a good look at the robber so that you can give a full description to the police. 5. Do not be heroic. Do not take any unwise chances. The robber may become violent. It is better to lose your money than your life. Tips to prevent business armed robbery. The following measures should be followed by all businesses to enhance the safety of employees, customers, members of the public and law enforcement: 1. Light all entrances. Maintain good exterior lighting. Keep windows clear of signs that block the view from the street. 2. Do not open to strangers before or after regular business hours. 3. Lock rear and side doors during evening hours. 4. Use signs to indicate you have an alarm system.
5. Instruct all employees on the use of an alarm system. 6. Devise a system whereby employees can alert each other of a robbery in progress. 7. Do not allow people to linger in your business. 8. Have several employees present when opening and closing the business. Inspect the business for forcible entry before entering the premises. 9. At closing, make sure no one is hiding inside. 10. All employees should follow good cash handling practices i.e. minimum cash on hand, use a safe and take precautions when making bank deposits. 11. Try not to open the cash safe too often. 12. Always keep money out of reach of customers. 13. Mark the edge of the doorway at varying heights to identify the height of a robber. 14. Storage rooms should have a lock that can be opened from the inside. 15. Use surveillance camera equipment, convex mirrors and place cash registers in an area clearly visible from the outside. 16. Report all suspicious activity to the police. 17. Maintain a list of emergency contact numbers. 18. Trim all shrubbery and trees that a criminal could use to hide. 19. Greet all customers and ask for identification as needed. 20. An effort should be made to always have two employees on duty.
1. Cooperate with the robber. 2. Avoid surprises. 3. Try to give them the marked money in your register. 4. Be observant. 5. Call the police immediately after the incident. 6. Preserve the evidence. In the aftermath of a robbery When the robber leaves, staff should not attempt to follow after them. Instead, they should immediately lock all the doors and call the police. Even if you have already activated an alarm, you should still call the police. Have everyone move to the back of the building and wait for the police to arrive making sure to leave everything just as it is. Do not try to clean up or touch anything the robber has touched. You may smudge a fingerprint. While you wait for the police, take time to document what just occurred, including the time the robbery took place, what was stolen and a description of the robber. Write down everything you can think of while it is still fresh in your mind, including the robber’s speech and mannerisms. If there are any witnesses, ask them to write down their account of the robbery, including suspect information. Do not compare notes. People observe things in different ways, so what you might notice, another person may not and vice versa. Comparing
notes could cause memories to be skewed. Ask witnesses to stay until an officer arrives. If unable to do so, write down their names, addresses, and phone numbers. These robbery prevention tips, in addition to partnering with a local, expert alarm company, is a powerful strategy for
protecting your from robberies.
business
Please visit the Royal Bahamas Police Force Website at www.royalbahamaspolice.org or Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ rbpforce for Latest News, Daily Crime Reports and additional Crime Prevention Tips
Recruiting Trainee Health, Safety and Environmental Manager and ISO Internal Auditor Qualifications / Requirements: • Graduate In Occupational Health and Safety or Engineering • Advanced computer literacy essential • Effective social skills to interact with staff, clients, customers, officials and contractors • Detailed orientated person • Strong communication skills • Ability to work independently Job Description We will provide training to the recruit. 1. Protect Employees, customers and the environment 2. Conduct risk assessments 3. Inspections 4. Manage training processes and identify requirements 5. Make recommendations for improvements 6. Draft Health, Safety and Environmental policies, procedures 7. Maintain records and reporting of 8. Investigate incidents to find root cause and implement improvements. 9. Conduct internal audits for company Health, safety, Environment and QA/QC Compliance to its procedures. 10. Develop audit plans and schedules 11. Evaluate processes / improvements for compliance with requirements Location Based in Nassau, but travel to the islands will be required. Please send your resume to jobvacancybs@gmail.com by January 4th 2018.
AIDAN ROGER DUPUCH-CARRON
ONDAY, DECEMBER 24TH, 2018 PAGE 10, Monday, December 24, 2018
THETRIBUNE TRIBUNE THE
SUNRISE: November 24th, 2015 - SUNSET: December 24th, 2017
We Miss You LittleMAN...
Aidan -- US
‘A Mother’s Love Is the Fuel That Enables A Normal Human Being to Do The Impossible!’ MARION C. GARRETTY
THE TRIBUNE
Monday, December 24, 2018, PAGE 11
POLICE INVESTIGATE SERIES OF ARMED ROBBERIES
Poachers set free due to an oversight
from page one
“I was only informed of this situation when it was too late to reach out and get a magistrate down there,” he said. “If they told us the day before that the administrator wasn’t there, of course we would have sent one. I was surprised that 48 hours had lapsed and no indication was made to us at any point that there was no magistrate in town. “Two days before (the fishermen) were released, (officials) were advised by the DPP that they could bring charges of conspiracy to them. So something happened because the magistrate wasn’t there. “If they had only told me,” he continued. “I’ve done it any number of times in pure immigration matters and one of the poaching matters, where we arrange for a magistrate to come down and deal with matter. A magistrate in Nassau could have dealt with it.” RBDF officers apprehended the seven Dominicans aboard two go-fast type vessels with several compressors and containers of gasoline off Great Inagua on December 17. The Dominicans’ fishing apparatus were reportedly confiscated. Under Bahamian law, it is unlawful to detain an individual for more than 48 hours without charge or without an extension from the court. The release is likely to anger local fishermen who have expressed frustration over the government’s response to the poaching threat in Bahamian waters and in bilateral talks with countries like the Dominican Republic. However, Mr Bethel insists the move only illustrates the Bahamas is a “law-abiding country”. “The only message we’re
sending is we’re a law-abiding country,” Mr Bethel said, “and if the time in which it’s permissible to hold someone in jail has passed, and it comes to attention of higher authorities, then those officials will be ordered to release because it amounts to unlawful arrest at that point.” He added: “The laws are the laws and even foreigners doing bad things in our country like that, are protected by them.” The Saturday arrests were a joint effort by the US Coast Guard, Operation Bahamas Turks and Caicos (OPBAT) and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) on Saturday, according to reports. “A US Coast Guard helicopter operating out of Inagua under the OPBAT programme reported the sighting of a 20-ft small go-fast vessel southeast of Great Inagua to the Royal Bahamas Defence Force in Inagua,” an RBDF press statement said. “Shortly thereafter, the RBDF patrol craft P-128, coxswained by Petty Officer Edison Rolle, was dispatched to intercept the vessel. The vessel was subsequently apprehended and taken to Inagua.” Officers reportedly found fishing apparatus and a group on board the vessel with the four Dominicans. “The men, along with the boat and fishing apparatus, were taken into custody and handed over to police and immigration officials at Great Inagua,” the report continued. The apprehension marks the third group of Dominican fishermen picked up in Bahamian waters. Earlier this month, another seven Dominican fishermen were apprehended off Inagua with over 300 pounds of fish.
NEW Providence police are actively searching for the men responsible for a number of armed robberies which occurred over the weekend. In the first incident, shortly after 11pm on Friday, police were told a woman pulled up to a residence on Sandilands Village Road when she was approached by a gunman. The thief stole her handbag, which contained cash and other items, before running away. A short time later, after 11pm on Friday, another woman reported she had arrived at a residence on Rum Close when she was approached by an armed man, who stole her handbag containing cash and other items, before running away. The final incident happened shortly after 3am on Saturday. Police reported that a man was in the area of Fort Charlotte when he was approached by a group of men, one armed with a sharp object, who robbed him of cash, a cell phone and jewelry, before getting into a black Acura car and sped away. Investigations are ongoing.
LOOKING UP AT THE LAW
THE COMISSIONER of Police Anthony Ferguson along with his entourage of officers, conduct the yearly walk about downtown this weeend to ensure the public of their presence and safety during this major holiday session. Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff
PAGE 12, Monday, December 24, 2018
THE TRIBUNE
RESIDENTS CALL FOR LOWER ENERGY PRICES IN REMOTE AREAS
By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
SOME 300 letters of support signed by residents of West and East Grand Bahama were delivered on Friday by the Coalition of Concerned Citizens to the Office of the Prime Minister in Freeport calling for government intervention in lowering the cost of the energy in those outlying areas. Pastor Eddie Victor, president of CCC, said the letters are addressed to Deputy Prime Minister Peter Turnquest, the MP for East Grand Bahama; West Grand Bahama MP Pakesia Parker-Edgecombe, and Minister of State for Grand Bahama Kwasi Thompson. In their letters, the residents are asking the government not to renew the West End and East End agreements with the Grand Bahama Power Company that expired in the latter part of this year. They want government to
approve the application of developers who propose to build a firm solar power plant in East and West Grand Bahama that they say will lower the cost of power by 30 percent to 40 percent. Pastor Victor said so far they have collected 301 letters, and many more are expected to come in. Copies of the letters also will be sent to Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis, he said. “This is the first batch of letters; there are hundreds of more letters coming in and as we collect those we forward them to MP in West GB, the DPM Peter Turnquest, MP for East GB,” Mr Victor said. The CCC has been conducting town meetings in West and East Grand Bahama throughout the year, not only to hear the concerns of residents but to share with them information concerning a new solar power company that could reduce the cost of power. “We asked the public to participate in the process of conveying
PASTOR Eddie Victor with the letters to the government the need to bring down the cost of electricity. We ask our citizens to sign letters of support,” Pastor Victor said. The letters also state that a new power company should be granted a licence and be allowed to construct new power plants in West and East Grand Bahama, and that any new power company being
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approved and licenced should be majority Bahamian owned, and that all power companies in West and East Grand Bahama should be regulated by the Utilities Regulatory and Competition Authority (URCA). Pastor Victor noted that pastors in the various communities are assisting in getting the letters signed by residents and collected for the CCC. The CCC has been advocating and campaigning for lower power rates for the past five years. Members have held a public protest, marches, boycotts, and rallies against the Grand Bahama Power Company. “We are petitioning the government to intervene in the energy sector in Grand Bahama. We ask them to bring down the cost of electricity on this island because we have been paying excessively high electricity rates for years,” he stressed. “It has affected, and it also resulted in hundreds of people living without power on
the island. It also caused hardship on businesses to the point where many have closed,” he added. Pastor Victor said that the CCC supports the solar power project by Northern Bahamas Utilities, a 100 percent Bahamian owned power company, that has applied to the government to build $30 million solar power plants in West and East Grand Bahama. The application is still awaiting approval by the government. He noted that NBU proposed to bring down the cost of power by 33 percent to 40 percent in the respective areas. “This company is 100 percent Bahamian owned. The principals are qualified engineers who are all former employees of the GB Power Company who had served in many levels of the company. The collective experience of the principals amount to 106 years of experience in power generation and transmission distribution.”
POLICE INCREASE VISIBILITY IN GRAND BAHAMA SHOPS
New Student Orientation Spring 2019 Wednesday, 3rd January 2019 Oakes Field Campus WELCOME CEREMONY & STUDENT SUCCESS SEMINARS Keva M. Bethel Building Performing Arts Centre
Check In 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Performing Arts Centre Campus Tours 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Oakes Field Campus Welcome Ceremony 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Performing Arts Centre
POLICE have boosted their profile in Grand Bahama ahead of the holidays. Photos: Vandyke Hepburn
Student Success Seminars 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Performing Arts Centre Spring Blue Fest 12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Independence Park, Oakes Field Follow us on
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By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net POLICE visibility has been beefed up on Grand Bahama, particularly in the main shopping areas throughout the island for the Christmas holidays. Officers on foot patrols have been seen throughout downtown Freeport, the Seahorse Shopping Plaza in Lucaya, and at the Port Lucaya Marketplace on Friday as residents conduct their Christmas shopping. Supt Walter Henderson and Supt Hylton Cash were among those officers in the downtown area conducting a walkabout. Supt Henderson said police want the public to feel safe as they make their Christmas purchases. “During this Christmas season, we realise it is important for the police, especially the uniform sector, to be visible so that the public can feel safe to move about in comfort and ease,” he said. Supt Henderson noted that the prevention of crime is their main objective. He encouraged residents to heed safety tips that were recently released by
the police on the radio, television, and in the newspapers. “We encourage persons to be safe; do not let their guard down even though you want to be enjoying the festive season,” he warned. He noted that most crimes are crimes of opportunity and individuals should pay special attention to their surroundings. Supt Henderson said it is important to keep items safe by storing them in the trunk of their vehicle. “When buying gifts, do not leave them exposed in your vehicle and pay close attention to who may be watching you,” he said. Another tip, he added, is to avoid dark areas by parking in well-lit areas when shopping at night. “Perpetrators who have the mindset of committing an offence may be hiding and waiting for you. You also want to travel in numbers because there is safety in numbers.” In addition to foot patrols, Supt Henderson said uniformed officers are also conducting mobile patrols throughout the island. “Our plainclothed officers are out there as well,” he said.
THE TRIBUNE
Monday, December 24, 2018, PAGE 13
We’re all getting in the Christmas spirit By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net IN a bid to improve their public image, a team of police prosecutors held a toy drive and luncheon last week for over 80 children at the Bahamas AIDS Foundation. A total of 86 children benefitted from last Wednesday’s initiative, according to Inspector Lakisia Moss, the chief welfare officer of the Police Prosecution Division. The rationale behind such a move, according to Insp Moss, was to try and demonstrate to the public that despite their jobs as prosecutors, they are not persecutors, as some are inclined to believe. She also said the initiative was in keeping with the Commissioner’s
A TEAM of police prosecutors held a toy drive and luncheon last week for over 80 children at the Bahamas AIDS Foundation.
Policing Plan 2018, priority three, which endorses interaction with youth and young adults. “As prosecutors, we are some of the last faces seen by either defendants or victims of crime during trial before justice is administered,” Insp Moss said. “In many cases, because of our job description, we are sometimes referred to as heartless, cruel, and insensitive to say the least. “…As such, in an effort to demonstrate to society and minimise the stigma placed upon us by a few, we as members of the Police Prosecution Division, under the leadership of Superintendent Marlon Fullford have decided to embark upon a new initiative this year, hence giving back to the community and putting others before ourselves.”
Insp Moss said the idea was born after she approached Supt Fullford with the idea of “giving back” to the community. She said Supt Fullford was “enthused” about the idea and told her to “run with it.” A staff meeting was subsequently held at the Police Prosecution Division, and those in attendance voted unanimously in favour of the initiative. Other police prosecutors who assisted in the initiative were Assistant Superintendent Barrington Miller; Sergeant 2790 Wynette McPhee; Sergeant 1772 Kesna Strachan; Sergeant 3272 Tameka Gibson; Corporal 582 Julius McPhee; Constable 2014 Casen Cooper; Constable 3381 Maurisa Harvey; Reservist Constable 1718 Michelle Sands as well as executive officer Sauleen Taylor-Smith.
THE FOX Foundation Kemp Road Christmas party giveaway and block party. Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff
LETS Connect Christmas Shopping Expo held at St Gregory Parish Hall on Carmichael Road over the weekend. Photos: Terrel W. Carey Sr/Tribune Staff
Youngsters enjoy carols at St Andrew’s Kirk FOR about 120 children from the Bain & Grants Town area, Santa came early this year, bearing gifts and bringing smiles. They were the children hosted to a Christmas party at StAndrew’s Presbyterian Kirk where they sang carols, played games, drank and feasted on food compliments of McDonald’s, collected gifts and got in the festive spirit of the holidays. “This event is a highlight of the year for the children, many of whom look forward to the annual event,” said Earla Bethel, Clerk of Session at the Kirk and President of DanBrad Ltd, the parent company of McDonald’s which has sponsored the annual Christmas party since its inception. “For me this is something very special. “We are able to give back to the community that we serve and see the smiles on these youngsters’ faces just to have a meal with all of their contemporaries. For some of them they may not have another special meal for this year, so it’s gratifying to know that by partnering with The Kirk, we give a hand to these kids.”
PAGE 14, Monday, December 24, 2018
THE TRIBUNE
TRUMP PUSHES OUT MATTIS AND BRINGS IN SHANAHAN WASHINGTON Associated Press
IRRITATED with the criticism and fallout from Defense Secretary Jim Mattis’ resignation, President Donald Trump yesterday pushed the Pentagon chief out the door two months earlier than planned, an acrimonious end to a tense relationship that had been eroding in recent months. In a series of tweets, Trump appeared to question why he had put Mattis in his Cabinet in the first place and said Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan will take over as acting secretary on Jan. 1 to cover the accelerated departure. Secretary of State Mike
Pompeo, not the president, notified Mattis of the decision, said a senior administration official who insisted on anonymity to discuss personnel issues. The sudden change strips Mattis of any chance to further frame national security policy or smooth rattled relations with allies through the originally planned transition at the end of February. And it reflects White House displeasure with the retired Marine Corps general’s blistering resignation letter, which he delivered to Trump on Thursday. Mattis resigned in protest over Trump’s decision to pull all US troops out of Syria. US officials, however, said that the reaction to his decision to leave — including the shock and dismay expressed
on Capitol Hill — annoyed Trump and likely led to Mattis leaving earlier than planned. “When President Obama ingloriously fired Jim Mattis, I gave him a second chance. Some thought I shouldn’t, I thought I should,” Trump tweeted on Saturday, foreshadowing his displeasure and yesterday’s announcement. He also fumed over the media coverage of his Syria withdrawal order, suggesting he should be popular for bringing troops home. “With me, hit hard instead by the Fake News Media. Crazy!” Trump tweeted. A White House official said Trump decided Mattis should leave the administration earlier than planned to avoid a drawnout transition when someone on
NEW man Patrick Shanahan
hand whom they consider a qualified deputy capable of running the Pentagon in an acting capacity. The official asked not to be identified publicly discussing personnel matters. Lt Col. Joseph Buccino, a spokesman for Shanahan, said the former Boeing Co. executive will accept the appointment as acting secretary. “Deputy Secretary will continue to serve as directed by the president, and the Department of Defense will remain focused on the defense of the nation,” he said. It is unusual for the Pentagon to have an acting secretary of defence. Historically when a secretary has resigned, he has stayed on until a successor is confirmed.
Tsunami hits Indonesia killing more than 220 Associated Press AT LEAST 222 people were killed as waves smashed into houses, hotels and other beachside buildings on Saturday night along Indonesia’s Sunda Strait, in a disaster that followed an eruption and possible landslide on Anak Krakatau, one of the world’s most infamous volcanic islands. More than 800 others were injured and dozens were reported missing after the tsunami hit coastal areas along western Java and southern Sumatra islands at 9:27 pm amid a Christmas holiday weekend. The death toll could increase once authorities hear from all stricken areas. It was the second deadly tsunami to hit Indonesia this year, but the one that killed more than 2,500 people on the island of Sulawesi on Sept 28 was accompanied by a powerful earthquake that gave residents a brief warning before the waves struck. On Saturday night, the ground did not shake beforehand to alert people to the oncoming wave that ripped buildings from their foundations in seconds and swept terrified concertgoers on a popular resort beach into the sea. Azki Kurniawan, 16, said his first warning about the tsunami was when people burst into the lobby of the Patra Comfort Hotel shouting, “Sea water rising!” Kurniawan, who was undergoing vocational training with a group of 30 other students, said he was confused because he had not felt a big earthquake. He said he ran to the parking lot to try to reach his motorbike but discovered it was already flooded. “Suddenly, a 1-metre wave hit me,” he said, his eyes red and swollen from crying. “I was thrown into the fence of a building about 30 metres from the beach and held onto the fence as strong as I could, trying to resist the water, which felt like it would drag me back into the sea. I cried in fear ... ‘This is a tsunami?’ I was afraid I would die.” Dramatic video posted on social
PEOPLE inspect the damage caused by a tsunami, in Carita, Indonesia at the weekend.
media showed the Indonesian pop band Seventeen performing under a tent on popular Tanjung Lesung beach at a concert for employees of a state-owned electricity company. Dozens of people sat at tables while others swayed to the music near the stage as strobe lights flashed and theatrical smoke was released. A
child could also be seen wandering through the crowd. Seconds later, with the drummer pounding just as the next song was about to begin, the stage suddenly heaved forward and buckled under the force of the water, tossing the band and its equipment into the audience.
The group released a statement saying their bass player, guitarist and road manager were killed, while two other band members and the wife of one of the performers were missing. “The tide rose to the surface and dragged all the people on site,” the statement said. “Unfortunately, when the current receded, our members were unable to save themselves while some did not find a place to hold on.” Disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said 222 deaths had been confirmed and at least 843 people were injured. The worst-affected area was the Pandeglang region of Java’s Banten province, which encompasses Ujung Kulon National Park and popular beaches, the agency said.
JAPAN EMPEROR PRAYS FOR PEACE AS REIGN COMES TO END TOKYO Associated Press JAPAN’S Emperor Akihito, marking his 85th birthday — his last before his upcoming abdication — said he feels relieved that his reign is coming to an end without having seen his country at war and that it is important to keep telling younger people about his nation’s wartime history. “It gives my deep comfort that the Heisei era is coming to an end, free of war in Japan,” Akihito, his voice trembling with emotion, said at a news conference at the palace that was released yesterday. “It is important not to forget that countless lives were lost in World War II and that the peace and prosperity of postwar Japan was built upon the numerous sacrifices and tireless efforts made by the Japanese people, and to pass on this history accurately to those born after the war.” Akihito’s 30-year reign of the Heisei is the only era without war in Japan’s modern history. Praying for peace and making amends for a war fought in the name of his father, Hirohito, has become a career mission for Akihito, who succeeded the throne in 1989. He is set to abdicate on April 30, to be succeeded by his eldest son, Crown Prince Naruhito, on May 1. Tens of thousands of well-wishers who gathered at Tokyo’s Imperial Palace to celebrate the occasion cheered and waved small rising-sun flags as Akihito and his family appeared on the balcony to greet and thank them. As emperor, Akihito has made unprecedented visits to the Philippines and other Pacific islands conquered by Japan early in World War II and devastated in fierce fighting as the US-led allies took them back.
LONDON’S GATWICK AIRPORT OPEN BUT NO SIGN OF DRONE CULPRIT
LONDON Associated Press
LONDON’S Gatwick Airport operated without problems Sunday, but the fugitive drone operators who brought incoming and outgoing flights to a standstill over multiple days remained at large — and a potential threat — after police cleared two local residents who were arrested as suspects.
Sussex Police were hopeful they had halted the disruptive and costly drone incursions during one of the heaviest travel periods of the year with Friday’s arrests of a couple who live near the airport. But they were released yesterday and police said they were no longer suspects. Tens of thousands of passengers suffered through long flight delays or were stranded by cancellations after two drones were reported
seen above the airfield at Gatwick on Wednesday night, prompting an immediate suspension of all air traffic. Sussex Chief Detective Jason Tingley said Sunday he could not rule out new drone activity at Gatwick or other UK airports. He also said it was possible that witnesses who reported sightings after the first ones aroused alarm were mistaken. “Of course, that’s a possibility.
We are working with human beings saying they have seen something,” Tingley told the BBC. At the same, he said police were making progress in a threepronged investigation: tracking “persons of interest,” investigating 67 reported drone sightings, and examining a damaged drone found near Gatwick. The drone in police hands may provide useful forensic clues,
such as the DNA of people who handled it, Tingley said. But the rain the London area got on Friday and Saturday might have washed away some evidence, he said. After the shutdown extended into Thursday, increased military protection was brought in Thursday night to watch for more drones while planes resumed taking off and landing at Britain’s second-busiest airport.
THE TRIBUNE
Monday, December 24, 2018, PAGE 15
Painting a smile BUCKETS 10 PIECE CHICKEN 2 LARGE SIDES 4 BISCUITS
8 PIECE CHICKEN 1 LARGE SIDE 4 BISCUITS WITH some charities experiencing a dip in donations this year, paint supplier Sherwin-Williams stepped in to provide some much-needed cheer to the children of the Bahamas Children’s Emergency Hostel. Lessie Smith, administrative assistant at the hostel, said: “As far as donations go, it has been really slow this year. We didn’t even know if we were going to get a tree, but someone graciously came in and
donated a tree and someone came to decorate it. We thank God for Sherwin-Williams because they even brought enough gifts for the children who will be returning.” Gina Sweeting, Sherwin-Williams’ human resources and finance manager, said. “Christmas is the season for giving, so we at Sherwin-Williams wanted to bring some joy to some of these amazing kids at the Bahamas Children’s Emergency Hostel,”
15 PIECE CHICKEN 3 LARGE SIDES 6 BISCUITS
20
STARTING AT
$
(INCL. VAT)