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VOLUME:116 No.104, MAY 23RD, 2019
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Rapist pastor begs to go back to US jail DISABLED ACCESS WE MUST DO MORE
Fox Hill prison too dangerous By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net
A BAHAMIAN pastor sentenced to life plus 20 years on child rape charges in Georgia will be extradited after waiving his right to local legal proceedings yesterday. In a shock declaration, Don Martin, 45, waived his right to a local hearing, begging the court to hasten his extradition back to the United States, claiming his life and wellbeing was being threatened almost daily by gangs at
the Department of Correctional Services. Martin, originally of Martin Town, Grand Bahama, was found guilty of repeatedly inappropriately touching a young girl in College Park and Atlanta from 2005 to 2011, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. He fled to The Bahamas after five days of testimony in that trial. In his absence, he was convicted of rape, aggravated assault, child molestation and first-degree child cruelty. SEE PAGE NINE
HEADS of respective law enforcement agencies raised concerns that the former government never communicated to them how the National Intelligence Agency was to function in the collective fight against crime. Calling it a “mysterious” agency, National Security Minister Marvin Dames said the Christie administration’s NIA – now disbanded
- worked in isolation and did not have respect for or from local authorities. According to Mr Dames yesterday, it was a waste of Bahamian taxpayers’ money for the “personal gains” of the Progressive Liberal Party. He made the assertions during debate of the National Crime Intelligence Agency Bill 2019, which was passed in the lower chamber yesterday. The bill now heads to the Senate for debate and passage. SEE PAGE SIX
SOCIAL Services Minister Frankie Campbell said yesterday that too many commercial and publicly used buildings remain only partially accessible to people with disabilities despite a longpassed deadline for them to be in compliance with the law. The deadline passed on December 31, 2017. However, the minister gave no indication of what the government intended to do to force full accessibility throughout the country, only telling the House of Assembly yesterday that the parliamentary secretary in his ministry, Michael Foulkes, will review the relevant law with the view to SEE PAGE 13
SUSPECT SET FREE OVER CELL BEATING
PLP’S NIA OPERATED FOR ‘PERSONAL GAIN’ By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net
By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net
By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net
FANCY THIS NEXT DOOR?
FED-UP residents are calling on the government to clean up the area around Millennium Gardens after piles of unsightly trash have built up. Full story - Page 3 Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff
POLICE abuse of a suspect has led the Court of Appeal to overturn a man’s armed robbery conviction and sentencing. In a new ruling, appellate judges said evidence from a man’s blood sample should have been excluded from his Supreme Court trial after it was determined that police likely used violent means to coerce his confession and consent to draw blood. After quashing the conviction, the judges said this was not a proper case to order a retrial. SEE PAGE FIVE
MASS NIB NO-SHOW HITS CUSTOMERS
By MORGAN ADDERLEY Tribune Staff Reporter madderley@tribunemedia.net
TENSIONS at the National Insurance Board (NIB) escalated yesterday with an estimated 300 linestaff staging a “sick-out” and leaving many disgruntled customers at the corporation’s Baillou Hill Road headquarters. The Tribune was on the scene yesterday morning where many annoyed patrons described
AN EMPTY carpark at the NIB. impossibly long lines inside the building and called the situation an
“inconvenience” as they left unable to renew NIB cards, apply for pensions, or obtain other vital services. NIB Director Nicola Virgill-Rolle yesterday told The Tribune such issues are regretful but said executives “continue to always have an open door with our unions”. Minister of State for the Public Service and National Insurance Brensil Rolle also addressed the matter yesterday. SEE PAGE SEVEN
Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper
STATESIDE
NAME’S CHANGED BUT IT’S THE SAME OLD STORY
SEE PAGE EIGHT
PAGE 2, Thursday, May 23, 2019
THE TRIBUNE
LEFT: FRANKIE CAMPBELL, Minister of Social Services & Urban Development and Michael Bayley, President & CEO of Royal Caribbean International, help fight hunger on the front lines -- plating hot meals for distribution to hungry homes all over New Providence. Above: Fox Hill MP Shonel Ferguson fills up a plate.
Bayley keeps his promise to feeding network ON A sunny afternoon in November, Royal Caribbean International president & CEO Michael Bayley stood in the AquaTheater of Symphony of The Seas, the largest cruise ship in the world as it made its inaugural visit to Nassau, and before an audience of hundreds including volunteers from one of the destination’s most challenged communities made a promise – to fund all the food needed by the Bahamas Feeding Network in 2019. This week, the Bahamas Feeding Network sent a message back to Bayley and to Royal Caribbean. “Thank you, thank you and thank you,” it read. “We have been able to provide more food than ever before because of Royal Caribbean’s generosity. Thanks to you, we have increased our weekly meals to 5,000 from 3,500 and thanks to funding by Royal Caribbean and our partnerships with local suppliers who also have been so supportive, we have been able to provide more than 72,000 hot meals since January. You
are a true friend in the fight against hunger that affects nearly one in every seven people in this country and you are a true friend to The Bahamas.” The Bahamas Feeding Network has been battling hunger since its launch in 2013. Working from a modest converted home in Fox Hill, dozens of volunteers prep, cook and plate thousands of meals on Thursdays and Sundays. The Feeding Network also distributes food vouchers RBPF Public Affairs & Co to Box hundreds, P.O. N-458 including to those in need on Family Police Headquarters Islands. Distribution of Nassau, Bahamas Ph:meals 502-9991/2 and vouchers goes Cell: 242-359-1985 through churches, soup Email: shanta.knowles@rbpf.bs kitchens and other feeding centres to provide support for well-known entities like Great Commission Ministries and The Salvation Army. Royal Caribbean International’s president was ** introduced to the Feeding Network in the fall of 2018. He SEEK was so HELP instantlyIN POLICE impressed, he donned FEMALE apron and gloves and dug in, are dishing food help and in Police seekingout the public’s encouragement. nd members on Wednesday, 22 May, 2
RBPF
HUNT FOR MISSING GIRL
Missing is Nadia Regis, age 15 years Tuesday, 21th May, 2019 and has not
POLICE are looking for Nadia Regis, 15, who was reported missing by relatives yesterday. The teen resides on Meeting Street and reportedly left home after 4pm on Tuesday and has not been seen or heard from since. She is described as being 4’4”, with a slim build and a medium complexion. Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to call police.
She is described as being 4’4”tall, slim
Anyone knowing the whereabouts Stoppers at 328-TIPS (8477) or the C
TIME TO CLEAN UP THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, May 23, 2019, PAGE 3
Residents fed up with all this garbage outside their back door
By RIEL MAJOR Tribune Staff Reporter rmajor@tribunemedia.net RESIDENTS of Millennium Gardens have complained about mounds of unsightly trash left indiscriminately in their area and are calling on the government to intervene to remove the “eyesores” from the area. The Tribune canvassed the Millennium Gardens area yesterday and spoke to numerous disgruntled residents. Jason Fitzgerald, president of the Millennium Gardens Association, said illegal dumping has been an issue for the area’s constituents since the Christie administration was last in office. Mr Fitzgerald said: “The government should have cleaned it up from maybe three or four days after (Hurricane Matthew); it’s almost been three years. We have been trying and trying but for some reason it just can’t seem to be resolved. “People were given permission I understand to dump there during the (last) hurricane because the dump was overcrowded. From that happening everyone kept using it as a dump site. It’s an eyesore for our community and it is creating a problem with rodents and everything else.” He added: “It’s deplorable and that portion of Millennium Gardens is supposed to be... for other
residential homes but now being used for a dump site.” Jamaal Bethel, a resident, said he thinks the government should put in place a cleaning programme. Mr Bethel, pictured right, said: “I don’t agree with (illegal dumping) because it is causing rodent infestation and that’s a problem for the community. We could get different diseases from rats. The neighbourhood looks appalling, it doesn’t look nice, it brings the neighbourhood down. It’s an eyesore. “I think the government need to deal with. The public will say they need to stop…you know how Bahamian people go. They talk under their breath and turn their back to the issue. They complain about it and they don’t even know their power because the people are the country.” One resident, who only wanted to be identified as Mr Johnson, told The
Photos: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff
Tribune people who are caught dumping illegally should be fined or face some kind of penalty. Mr Johnson said: “It irritates me when I pass that way and see the (trash). I thought they would have done clear it up, but it should be a fine for people dumping. “From the hurricane, they used that (area) for dumping but no one ever came and cleared it up. Seeing that the government allowed people to put it there I think the government should deal with it. The community didn’t allow them to put their trash there, that’s something the government did. I feel like it’s only fitting that the government deal with this situation.” Another resident, who preferred to be unnamed, suggested the government block that area to prevent illegal dumping. “I don’t know why they do it because the (landfill)
is right over there. You can take time to drive here not too far from the dump when you can go there and dump. (Dumping) does make the community look bad and it makes the highway look bad. “It is a nice quite community, but we do have problems with the rats. I’m always putting rat poison over my fence so I feel like the government should block it off, so people won’t be able to get in to dump.” Despite calls from many for the government to get rid of the debris, one female resident said the community should come together and clean up the area. She said: “We live here, and we need to take pride in where we live. The people need to come take care of the community, not the government because it’s us who live here. “In my opinion, it brings the area down, it makes it look as if the people in the community aren’t taking care of the community. It’s not us, it’s persons outside of the community which basically are doing the dumping.” Attempts to reach officials from the Department of Environmental Health for comment yesterday were unsuccessful up to press time. Editorial View - Page 4
PAGE 4, Thursday, May 23, 2019
THE TRIBUNE
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Time to clean up our act THE national motto may be Forward, Upward, Onward, Together – but for some people it seems to be Backward, Downward, Rearward and Every Man For Himself. Turn to page three and you will see the disgraceful state of Millennium Gardens. Time and again, residents find trash dumped in their area – living next door to piles of garbage is something no one should have to endure. You see waste being dumped in many places. Tossed beer cans. Plastic bags tumbling in the wind. Shredded tyres. All the legacy of a leave-it-for-someoneelse-to-do culture. Perhaps cast aside by people who proclaim “It’s better to be in The Bahamas” while doing nothing to make it better for the people around them. This particular mess might be more than down to just selfish individuals, though. At a time when The Tribune has regularly given space to Environment Minister Romi Ferreira and his Be A Hero campaign to clean up our environment, it seems that government – two consecutive administrations, in fact - has its own role in this particular disgrace. You see, after Hurricane Matthew in 2016, it seems the green light was given to use the area for waste because the dump was full. Of course, you know what happens next – once it starts getting used for that, people keep using it. We have rightly lauded Mr Ferreira’s campaign for aiming to clean up the streets, but we might suggest it’s time for him to put on that green cape and swoop down to Millennium Gardens to come to the rescue.
If there has been approval given to dump waste there, then end it. The hurricane has long gone, people don’t need to be dealing with its aftermath three years on. Bring in Urban Renewal teams and volunteers for a mass clean-up, put up signs warning people not to dump – and impose enough of a penalty to make people think twice, or even three times. This is a prime example of a shortterm solution becoming a long-term problem. Let’s tackle it before it goes on any longer. Over to you, Mr Ferreira. But for every person who tosses something out of the window as they drive, and every person who has been using the area as a dump – the real duty is on you. Clean your act up, so we can clean our country up.
Good riddance, Mr Martin YOU couldn’t make it up. A supposed man of God, pastor Don Martin, was found guilty of child rape – and promptly fled from the US back to The Bahamas to avoid being jailed there. He had repeatedly touched a young girl inappropriately repeatedly over six years during his time in Atlanta. She didn’t get to run away from him the way he ran away from the law. And when he faced the court yesterday as it decided on his extradition? He waived his rights and said get me out of here, it’s too dangerous. He says he’s been threatened by gangs in prison – child rapists notoriously being short of sympathy in jail – and so “I am ready to go”.
Level the playing field EDITOR, The Tribune THE comments of the US Assistant Secretary Western Hemisphere is laughable in fact so jokey that it really makes no sense. In 2019 The People’s Republic of China owned over US$22 trillion of US debt and the US asks us and the Caribbean not to have any dealings with the People’s Republic of China? There are 22 trillions reasons why therefore we should have dealings. The Bahamas has significant Chinese holdings… about US$5billion through Hutchinson-Whampao in Grand Bahama - Baha
Mar a further $2.8 billion - maybe $400m in British Colonial/Pointe property without knowing if nationals have acquired real estate over and above. A US Company could have been the partner in Baha Mar…remember Harrah’s? The British Colonial property could have been purchased by an American Company it sat on the market for ages right across from the US Embassy. What has the US given The Bahamas? Donations every year to the RBDF and RBPF never very large amounts…sometimes under $100k donations to Education and maybe
Health basically that’s all. Never has the US offered substantial mega very low cost loans for development but we all remember the critical comment annually as to Civil Rights - Police/ Crime - Travel Advisories which seems no American reads as we are enjoying more US guests than ever. The US refuses to level the playing field in the critical Financial Services sector which hurts the hundreds who work in that area. US controls OECD so they never get black listed! Fair? No, but reality. W THOMPSON Nassau May 20, 2019
What’s the hurry? EDITOR, The Tribune IF SOMEONE removes some of the cards in a pack of playing cards, players would say that they are not playing with a full deck. And so it might be said of some people, who seem not to have a full measure of intelligence. Although there is a very fine, four lane highway, from the junction of Fox Hill Road and running all the way into another Highway to Town ( Blue Hill Road ) our wonderful and finest Royal Bahamas Police Force, incessantly try to squeeze their way through the relatively tiny, country road that is the Eastern Road. And they are never, not ever, not in
a rush, and perhaps it is that their vehicles cannot operate unless the siren is howling. And so it was this morning shortly after 8:00 am when we had two miles plus of bumper to bumper west bound traffic, that the little blue police van came racing along behind me, going east toward Fox Hill and presumably The Prison. Siren screaming and horn belching and I am between the Little Hermitage’s eight foot wall, with no verge, and I am supposed to “pull over” to let these idiots pass me! Pull over where? And even if I scraped the wall, there would not be enough room for their little blue police van to pass between my
truck and the two miles of stopped traffic in the other lane. Yet they blow the horn, as if that will get God’s attention and he will miraculously lift my truck up into the sky, so that they can get their little blue police van through. Maybe there was an insurrection at the prison this morning, or maybe they were just in a rush to get to Checkers Café before they stopped serving breakfast. I do hope that Minister Dames can find out what the hurry was. Please don’t put my real name, but sign me: MONKEEDOO Nassau, May 21, 2019
Our system gives one person too much power EDITOR, The Tribune THE general elections scheduled for 2022 will not be our fathers’ elections. There is an emerging realignment of politics as we know it in our wonderful nation. The FNM is now approaching its third year back in office. While there have been some small baby steps and minimal successes, the political jury is still out on its performance or lack thereof over the last two years and counting. The PLP, so far, has yet to recapture the love and empathy which the bulk of Bahamians used to have for it. In fact, the question, being asked all over the place is whether or not that party is relevant in today’s political world or actually going through its dying gyrations. The DNA, sadly, has lost and is losing ground on a daily basis since the last general elections and the selection of a new cadre of “leaders’’ with all due respect. An astute observer of Bahamian politics, such as myself, with all modesty, will readily see that there is an ongoing realignment of politics as we have, hitherto, known the craft. The expected swing pendulum between the PLP and the FNM has been like clock work for decades. Few administrations would have been re-elected after an initial term. This, to me, translates as voters’ dissatisfaction and anxiety with the incumbent government de jour. Is it possible that Minnis and crew could be re-elected come 2022? All administrations, to date, have been extremely secretive and blatantly non transparent over the years since independence in 1973, forty-six long years ago. They come in with big promises and get
LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net kicked out, ceremoniously and without so much as a “thank you” and “goodbye”. It is a Bahamian political phenomenon that our administrations and the assorted personalities therein do not seem to really care about the social and economic advancement of the unwashed masses. Under the one man style of governance perfected by former PM Christie, the middle class was almost wiped out. At the rate that Minnis et al are going right now with their tax and spend misguided policies. they will likely complete the process. It has been estimated that almost 65% of the so-called “middle class” is living from pay cheque to pay cheque. Savings, on average, where one has an account hovers around B$1,000 per person, if all of that. Home ownership or of real estate is a pipe dream to many and an elusive one at that. The main stream media does the best we are able to elicit information and policy derails from the administration of the day, but our politicians have developed into masters and mistresses of deception and flambay. Few Bahamians are feeling the FNM and even fewer, seemingly, are on the same run as the PLP. The country, in short, is between a rock and a very hard place. This back and forth that plays out daily, is not cutting it for the majority of our people. Some still hold out hope for a better future for themselves and family. Countless others, however, have resigned themselves to a fate over which they appear to have no control.
A drastic realignment is necessary if the bulk of our people are to, finally, cross over into the long promised land in our lifetimes. We must start to look and question declared political policy initiatives as outlined or mumbled by these political jokers and clowns. Just a casual look at the real issues affecting our country and one will readily see that neither of the major parties have any sensible policy positions. We all know, especially those like me who would have smoked and inhaled, that marijuana or cannabis is a mind altering drug which is highly addictive. This dangerous drug is now being talked about, almost exclusively, by the PLP and the FNM as the panacea for all that ails our nation and people. The leadership in both parties claim Christianity, but in actual practice totally ignore scriptural positions. On the getting high issue they are on the same page. In restructuring and growing the economy the difference between them is as far as East is from West. A coalition must be cobbled together to either depose the status quo or to usher in real and effective realignments. To go on the way we have been going is madness. We need constitutional changes and reforms. Under the system we have now, one individual wields too much power and absolute discretion. There is no known school from which an individual “graduates” as Prime Minister so our PMs have had to learn on the job literally. What some of them learnt or hope to learn is not pretty. To God then, in all things, be the glory. ORTLAND H BODIE, Jr Nassau May 19, 2019
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, May 23, 2019, PAGE 5
It’s time for the police to stop investigating the police - Davis
THE HOUSE off Eastern Avenue where three people were shot by police last week. Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net OPPOSITION Leader Philip “Brave” Davis has said the killing of three people by police on Friday and the competing narratives about what led to it are “troubling”. He said the time has come for police to stop investigating police-involved killings, saying the coroner ought to be engaged with her own staff to do the job. The killing of three men in a house on Newgate Road last week has sparked intense discussion. While police said the men were shot because they were armed and opened fire on officers, residents in the home have painted a different picture of what happened. They have alleged the deceased men did not engage officers in gunfire. Mr Davis told The Tribune: “I encountered one of the
persons who was present when I appeared before a justice the other day. They were outside the judge’s chambers awaiting some application that was scheduled to be heard and they stopped me and told me some of the things that occurred. I don’t want to repeat it but it’s really troubling, especially since young children were involved.” “I’m distressed and concerned about killing, period, and we ought to be concerned about such occurrences, particularly when it’s at the hands of supposedly trained officers who are supposed to apprehend and take people into custody using reasonable force short of taking lives. That’s not to say that if their lives are in danger they wouldn’t be justified in taking lives. But it’s always troubling when you have such different versions of what occurred and it’s left to which side one will believe. Do you believe the police or do you believe the
other version? It really doesn’t auger well for what I call the weakening confidence that certain communities are having and reposing in police officers and the whole sort of enforcement polici es that are presently being engaged by police in supposedly detecting crime and finding the culprits of the crime. “Then there is the issue of who will be investigating the matter? Police looking into a police matter? That cries out for an amendment or a crime expert coming in and examining this whole factor. That’s necessary to restore the confidence the public has to have in the police officers to protect them. The time has come for us. Even examining the physical evidence, if the police is doing it, investigating their colleagues, that should change.” Bjorn Ferguson, an attorney who has represented a number of police officers in Coroner’s Court inquests, also said in a statement
PLP leader Philip Davis yesterday the Bahamas should move with the times and establish an independent body to oversee and investigate policeinvolved shootings. “Jamaica rode along this very same road until they established an independent body to investigate police shootings,” he said.
“The public simply lost confidence and trust with the police investigating the police. The body in Jamaica is called the Independent Commission on Investigations (INDECOM). In the United Kingdom, there is an Independent Investigation Office. There is also an independent body in Trinidad and Tobago as well. “Let’s not play around until the citizens lose all trust and confidence in the police before we address this issue. This is a real issue. Trust in the police is fading. Let’s not wait until it is completely obliterated before something happens. The police as an institution is too critical to our democracy. We need the organisation to work. I’m certainly not anti-police. But right-thinking citizens believe in police accountability. The police are not above the law. The same law they enforce, they are bound by as well.”
ARMED ROBBERY CONVICTION OVERTURNED AFTER POLICE BEATING from page one
Adnan Oliver was arrested for allegedly robbing Scotiabank in 2010. During his trial, a registered nurse testified that he was brought into a clinic on the arms of police officers and could not walk. While police said his injuries were obtained when he ran away from them and fell while handcuffed with his hands behind him, the trial judge did not accept officers’ testimony. Appellate judge Jon Isaacs, in a written ruling released Monday, said the trial judge could have “harboured no doubt about the reliability of the appellant’s allegations of abuse,” noting there was “ample evidence of injuries he received while in custody.” Before escaping, a masked man had fired several shots during an armed robbery of Scotiabank’s Emerald Bay, Exuma branch on May 14, 2010. Oliver was arrested on May 15, 2010 and interviewed that day. Between May 16, 2010 and May 17, 2010, he was interviewed four times by police. On May 17 he directed officers to a house where a 9mm casing was
discovered. The Court of Appeal wrote in its ruling: “(Oliver) took officers to another area where, after a trek through bushes, the group came to a small clearing. The appellant then directed the officers to a pile of stones which, when removed, revealed a white bag containing cash, a pair of gloves, a black mask with eyeholes cut out and a firearm wrapped in a cloth. A portion of the glove was clipped off for testing as it contained a substance suspected of being blood. The appellant was, again, interviewed and another statement made by him. Thereafter, he consented to his blood being drawn and the DNA results revealed that the appellant could not be excluded as a contributor. The bait money was identified as being the property of the bank and the shells collected at the scene matched the firearm recovered from under the pile of stones.” Oliver’s blood sample was essential in linking him to the items connected to the armed robbery. However, during his trial he disputed that his interview, statements and blood sample were voluntarily provided. He said he
was beaten by officers to sign the record of interview (ROI) statement and was threatened with more beating if he did not provide a blood sample. During voir dire, the trial judge excluded his records of interview and statements but ruled “that the evidence related to the blood sample could be led.” Oliver was eventually convicted of armed robbery, house breaking, possession of an unlicensed firearm and possession of ammunition. Justice Isaacs wrote there was “incongruity between the judge’s decision not to allow the records of interview and written statement to be admitted into evidence presumably because he harboured a doubt as to their voluntariness and his decision to allow the evidence surrounding the taking of the blood sample to be heard by the jury. This is particularly inexplicable because the taking of the appellant’s blood occurred between the taking of the two statements. “In the circumstances of this case, the judge ought to have refused to allow the prosecution to rely on the evidence derived from the blood samples taken from the appellant in pursuance
of the signed consent form. The result of such refusal would have been to render irrelevant and therefore inadmissible the evidence of the DNA testing and results; and without which, there was no other evidence to connect the appellant to the offenses charged except for the items found in the bushes, that is, the money, the firearm and gloves. The judge ought to have employed section 178 of the Evidence Act and ruled the evidence relating to the consent form and the taking of the appellant’s blood inadmissible in the circumstances of this
case. Had he done so, there was insufficient evidence upon which the prosecution could rely to require the appellant to answer their case.” Justice Isaacs said the judge should not have accepted the signed consent form as evidence of consent but should have established whether “true consent” was given. He said the judge should have considered the constitution’s provision that “no person shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.” Noting the decision to exclude the blood
sample does not reflect a desire to punish the police, he wrote: “There have been many allegations of harsh and abusive treatment of suspects at the hands of the police which have been found by courts of the Bahamas to have credence; and we take judicial notice of same. It does not conduce to the attainment of justice and fairness for the courts to legitimise or encourage such behaviour by placing its imprimatur (approval) inferentially on it via the admission of what the American courts refer to as the ‘fruit of the poisonous tree.’”
PAGE 6, Thursday, May 23, 2019 from page one However, Englerston MP Glenys Hanna Martin told the House of Assembly the Official Opposition would not support the bill in its current form because there had been no consultation with the public on its provisions. She said the fact that the bill lacked transparency and afforded too many freedoms to the minister compounded this. The Official Opposition has also contended that ultimately the prime minister would be the overarching authority of the NCIA. The opposition made several attempts yesterday to move motions to have several clauses of the bill removed, however, the motions were defeated. Nonetheless Mr Dames defended the government’s bill. He said it would not infringe on the rights of citizens, be standardised according to international standards and insisted there would be a clear demarcation when it comes to who can give directives. This new development in national security is a necessary change that has been long contemplated and is arguably overdue, he said. “The proposed NCIA Bill seeks to establish a government agency with
THE TRIBUNE
Dames: PLP’s National Intelligence Agency run for ‘personal gain’ responsibility for gathering intelligence that may very well enhance the security of The Bahamas,” Mr Dames said. “This bill is distinct from other national intelligence structures such as those in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States of America, and Australia mainly due to their governmental constructs. However, there are common components, which will help to facilitate global standardisation and help to create an effective or optimal national intelligence system for The Bahamas. “The Bahamas must enact legislation, guided by other model legislation for the region and global community where there is
almost uniformity between all countries as it relates to their efforts in the fight for national humanity as demonstrated in the security of their citizens.” He also said the NCIA would have three objectives including: coordinating intelligence gathering and joint strategic planning among the heads of national law enforcement agencies; to collect by investigation or otherwise, information on activities that may on reasonable grounds, be suspected of constituting threats to the people and security of The Bahamas and coordinate effective networking between regional and international partners. “The purpose of this bill
National Crime Intelligence Agency Bill 2019. “Further, more often, than not, small arms weapons greatly affect our incidences of homicides on our streets. Between 2012 and 2018, approximately 602 or 82.4 percent of the 731 homicides involved firearms. “Concurrently, of the 31 murders for this year, approximately 27 or 87 percent involved firearms. Between 2013 and April 2019 of this year, approximately 1,486 pistols; 316 shotguns; 234 revolvers; 148 riffles; 84 imitation guns; and 18 prohibited weapons inclusive of flare guns, BB guns and machine guns were recovered by law enforcement.” When it comes to drugs, Mr Dames said the country’s geographical location has plagued its national security. “The Bahamas does not grow coca plants, which are used to make the highly addictive stimulant known as cocaine. “Between 2012 and 2018,
approximately 1,424.4 pounds of cocaine and 6,856.4 pounds of marijuana were seized. There were an average of 1,432.3 arrests made for all types of drugs including ecstasy tablets, powder cocaine, liquid cocaine, marijuana and marijuana plants. “Of the total arrests, there was an average of 1,029 cases which resulted in 1,179 persons being prosecuted. It should be noted that while Bahamian nationals made up the largest group for persons arrested for drugs, persons from as far away as Turkey were involved in the transshipment of drugs in The Bahamas. This further highlights the need for the gathering of intelligence, as crimes are now transnational in nature.” Mr Dames said these facts help frame the question regarding whether interrelated domestic and transnational issues of national security are worth protecting. “The practical and patriotic answer is, ‘yes’. In context then, what does protecting a nation’s national security mean and how do we do it? Those small group of individuals, whether in The Bahamas or not, who wish to exploit our country and its people will naturally organise themselves and make plans covertly, therefore, law enforcement has to use covert means to expose them. “With the proper legal authority, we have to collect intelligence so as to make known their intentions. Then the information collected has to be analysed and assessed thereby using the results of the findings to counter any potential harm to citizens and/or our nation’s national security.”
‘GUN EPIDEMIC CLOSELY TIED TO DRUGS TRADE’
By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net
OF THE 762 murders in the country since 2012, 629 of these have been as a result of gun violence, National Security Minister Marvin Dames revealed yesterday. So far this year, he said, there have been 31 murders, but 87 percent of these or 27 involved firearms. Between 2012 and 2018, approximately 602 or 82.4 percent of the 731 homicides involved guns, he also said. Together, the numbers paint a picture of what the minister called a “gun epidemic” intertwined with challenges authorities face with the transshipment of drugs. “The Bahamas does not manufacture guns either, however, the gun epidemic is closely tied to the transshipment of drugs,” Mr Dames told Parliament yesterday as he made a push for members to accept and pass the
is not to intrude in the lives of law abiding citizens. Such interferences in the lives of law abiding citizens would not be justifiable and it is not the intended purpose of this agency. The unfounded ideas as they are, must be addressed so that the Bahamian people have a full and clear understanding on the purpose and need for this agency. I must reiterate the need to enhance national security. “The answers to such concerns are accountability and transparency on the part of NCIA. The former will seek to facilitate decisions on making information publicly available in various formats that will serve to improve the public’s understanding of
intelligence activities, while protecting information when disclosures would harm the national security of the country. The latter will seek to facilitate building capacity and responsibility that is both internally held and externally reinforced. Transparency and accountability must lie at the centre between liberty and security for without it both civil rights and liberties would be in jeopardy for destruction and dire consequences.” The minister said the government over the last five years has spent between $286 million dollars and $453.3 million dollars for the respective five branches of law enforcement agencies.
He said therefore this proposed law serves to add to the annals of historic legislation designed to propel our nation forward and upward in its development. “With all of the new legislation, new powers and new responsibilities of the five branches of law enforcement, there has been no substantial coordinated efforts or effective oversight. This new proposed legislation seeks to accomplish this significant milestone,” he said. During the Christie administration, there was no legislation to support the newly formed NIA, prompting criticism from some quarters. The agency was disbanded after the FNM took office in May 2017.
NATIONAL Security Minister Marvin Dames
BODY CAMERA DEAL NEARLY DONE By RIEL MAJOR Tribune Staff Reporter rmajor@tribunemedia.net
NATIONAL Security Minister Marvin Dames said contracts should be signed soon with the approved vendor to provide body cameras for law enforcement agencies. In addition, Mr Dames said the police force was making progress over
the introduction of other crime fighting tools such as expanded CCTV coverage, drones and the full implementation of the MARCO alert system for missing children. Mr Dames said officials are finalising contracts and hope to sign those documents soon. He said: “Hopefully in another two weeks or sometime this month or the beginning of
Notice
Next of Kin of Ms. Erica McKell Humes Commonwealth Bank is asking the Next of Kin of Ms. Erica McKell Humes (deceased) to please contact the Mortgage Centre on Prince Charles Drive.
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next month so the numbers are showing we are seeing some positive results in our efforts, so we’ll continue to do it. “Shot Spotter technology where it is currently implemented, we are hoping to expand it this year it is reap tremendous results. The officers are now proactively responding to incidents within 30 seconds of initiation and so we are moving the right directions.” He said despite best efforts, there is no country in the world with zero homicides. “The police job is to do their utmost to prevent, to do their utmost to apprehend because you’re not going to solve anything. We ought to be proud about is due to the effort of the police we are moving in the right direction. The approach we would have taken as a government which is a multi-agency multi sectoral approach. “We’re talking about controlling people’s behaviour and we just have quite a bit of our young men who are engaging in all of the wrong activities and they’re fighting over drugs and turf. “It’s our job to ensure we put a lid on that. Sometimes we have to adjust as a result of incidents and react and change strategy you know. But with the introduction of the technology and the new strategies that are being employed we have already begun to see the (results.)”
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, May 23, 2019, PAGE 7
Customers hit as NIB staff escalate dispute from page one When asked about negotiations, which have been ongoing for weeks, Mr Rolle said as far as he was aware, Tuesday was the first time there was an issue with the talks. He added he met with the NIB executive team and said there is a “strategic plan in place” regarding what steps they will take “if members continue to engage in a sickout”. In a statement released yesterday, NIB noted cashier services for contribution payments and the distribution of short-term benefits cheques were suspended at its Wulff Road and Fox Hill offices. Offices in Fresh Creek, Andros and Rock Sound and North Eleuthera were closed yesterday. All other Family Island offices remained open while the headquarters continued to provide full service, the statement noted. Yesterday’s service disruption occurred one day after dozens of NIB employees demonstrated outside NIB headquarters, after president of the Union of Public Officers Marvin Duncombe said the group had reached an “impasse” in negotiations with management. Mr Duncombe said unfair hiring practices, a broken operational system, and disputes about compensation packages are among the many issues the line-staff union has with NIB. Many customers at the company’s headquarters left yesterday without being assisted. Monika Bethel told The Tribune she was there to get an NIB card for her daughter so the teenager can apply for a summer job. “I was told the staff is on strike and I would be here waiting all day,” Ms Bethel said. “They have one lady here and she’s only here because she’s on probation.” When asked if she will return, Ms Bethel replied: “If my job lets me.” Larissa Rolle said she flew in from Long Island yesterday morning with the intention of getting her daughter an NIB card so her child could apply for a passport. However, because of yesterday’s disruption, Ms Rolle said she could not get a confirmation as to when her business would be sorted. “I was told ‘maybe Friday,’” she said. However, she is scheduled to leave the island shortly and so
this will not help her, she told The Tribune. “It’s an inconvenience,” Ms Rolle continued. “I wish I had known that or else I wouldn’t have come.” Mark Bethel said he visited NIB to apply for his pension, however there was no one there to help. “It’s an inconvenience,” he said. “They couldn’t tell you how long this is going to last. I suppose I will find out when I watch the news.” When contacted about the matter yesterday, Mr Duncombe told The Tribune about 300 employees are unwell. “Many of my members are not feeling well today,” Mr Duncombe said. “Hundreds of them are not at work and are in doctors’ offices all across this country. “So our actions will speak louder than our words today.” However, Ms VirgillRolle stressed yesterday that management had the situation under control. “We currently have some service-level disruptions due to some staff shortages,” she said. “As has been the case previously when these circumstances arise, management staff jump into action and are able to cover essential services for the board. At the moment, we have good operations happening at headquarters. And so we’re able to take care of our customers which are our primary focus of the (NIB) and deal with those persons as effectively as possible. “We’re been in negotiations with the union for about a month. It’s been going very well. I think both sides have felt that way and certainly expressed it to each other. And so we’re at the stage now where we have a slight challenge but it’s one where we believe we look forward to us all sitting back together at the table to be able to reach an understanding.” When asked if these recent actions come as a surprise, Ms Virgill-Rolle said: “I would say that issues like this have come up before and we regret when they do come up in any circumstance because we like to believe that we can always continue to discuss issues with our (staff).” “We’re working on it. We continue to always have an open door with our unions. That’s been my approach since taking office and it’s been the approach with previous directors as well. So we look forward to when they are available and wish to come back.”
AN EMPTY carpark at the National Insurance Board yesterday. Inset, Marvin Duncombe, president of the Union of Public Officers.
Mr Rolle also addressed the matter yesterday. When asked to respond to the union’s threats that they are eyeing a strike vote for next week, Mr Rolle noted unions can take such steps “once they meet all the laws”. “Imagine this though: negotiations have been going on at NIB for weeks,” Mr Rolle said. “My understanding is yesterday was the first time that they had an issue with negotiations. “Everything was being checked off in a reasonable way. And so they’ve decided that I guess in a show of strength or in a show of solidarity (they) need to take a particular action. “I’m not interested in that part of the work. We are focused on making sure that the work gets done at NIB and the Bahamian population is getting the benefit that they deserve.”
www.ub.edu.bs
EARLY CLOSURE
The University of The Bahamas Oakes Field Campus, Grosvenor Close Centre and Chapter One bookstore will close at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, 23rd May 2019 in preparation for the Spring 2019 Commencement, scheduled to be held at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium beginning at 4:00 p.m. Additionally, University of The Bahamas-North in Grand Bahama will close at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, 28th May in preparation for the Spring 2019 Commencement scheduled to be held at the Grand Lucayan Resort, beginning at 6:00 p.m. UB’s Oakes Field and UB-North campuses will reopen as normal on Friday, 24th May 2019 and Wednesday, 29th May 2019 respectively.
PAGE 8, Thursday, May 23, 2019
THE TRIBUNE
N Name’s changed but it’s
ANCY Pelosi and Tim Ryan are both Democratic members of the US House of Representatives, but they don’t really have much in common beyond that. In fact, Ryan ran an unsuccessful campaign to unseat Pelosi as House Minority Leader in 2016, before the Democrats swept into control of the House last year. But Ryan and Pelosi do share something now. They are both focused on and worried about Ohio. Ryan represents a district in eastern Ohio that lies along the Pennsylvania border. It’s home to Youngstown, a decaying rust belt city that has become as emblematic of the deleterious effects of globalisation on traditional smokestack American heavy industry as was Lee County (Ft Myers) Florida of the Great Recession that toppled investment banks and threatened to wipe out American retirement accounts just over ten years ago. Remember that? Every other story about upside down and underwater mortgages seemed to be datelined in or near Ft Myers in southwest Florida, where county authorities had eagerly embraced the pre-recession housing boom and lenders had encouraged people to invest in new inland planned communities like Lehigh Acres. By 2010, you could literally see on TV tumbleweeds blowing down the deserted streets of Lehigh Acres. Empty, abandoned, foreclosed houses were everywhere. Youngstown is like that. It has become a symbol
the same story - and they still love the President LEFT: Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi; above: Democratic presidential candidate and Ohio Congressman Tim Ryan.
STATESIDE
with Charlie Harper
of a greater phenomenon. Unlike nearby former steel industry giants Cleveland and Pittsburgh, Youngstown and smaller neighbouring faded post-industrial cities
like Niles and Warren have seen few benefits from a diversifying and differentiated world economy. These smaller cities have also been unable or
unwilling to move to attract health care, IT, finance and other businesses that have helped Cleveland and especially Pittsburgh rebound and progress.
Ryan’s eastern Ohio congressional district had also not voted for a Republican presidential candidate since Richard Nixon in 1972. Until 2016, that is. Despite the still-strong union ties in most of his district households, Ryan now admits the Democratic party has lost its way with his constituents. Ryan, by the way, is one of the nearly two dozen current Democratic candidates for president. And even though Youngstown and environs have experienced few of the positive effects of job growth and unemployment decline that Republicans currently boast about, Ryan acknowledges U.S. President Trump retains much of his grip on local voters. Ryan and other local
They know how to party in Boston
WHEN you think of professional sports championships, do you ever associate a particular city with numerous titles? Los Angeles, perhaps, where the Lakers, Dodgers, hockey’s Kings and the newly powerful NFL Rams and Chargers reside? New York? The football Giants, hockey’s Rangers, and of course the mighty Yankees have all won relatively recent championships. What about Chicago? Michael Jordan won all six of his NBA crowns there. The White Sox, Cubs
and Black Hawks have all won world championships. Maybe it’s Miami. The Marlins have won two titles in the past 22 years, as have the Heat in basketball. And the Dolphins still boast the only undefeated season in NFL history. Let’s just talk about the past 20 years, since the dawn of this 21st Century. In terms of sustained success across all of its major sports, no American city comes even close to rivalling the northeast metropolis known as the Hub.
Since 2000, Boston has won 12 pro sports championships, led by the Patriots (six) and Red Sox (four), who will both be defending their current titles this year. The Celtics in basketball and Bruins in hockey have also won league championships during this time. And the Bruins will now face the St Louis Blues in this year’s Stanley Cup finals; they could add a 13th crown for Boston very soon. Following Boston on the list of
politicians of both parties told The New York Times that while national Democrats rant on about Trump’s hidden tax returns and corruption, many Youngstown voters don’t seem to care. “I don’t give a damn about Trump’s tax returns,” one said. “The fact is that China has been ripping us off and Trump is hitting them in the face with the tariffs.” Trump was very much on the minds of Ohio Democrats at their recent big annual state fundraiser, where House speaker Pelosi gave the keynote address. She tried to lift spirits left sagging after the GOP swept all the top state offices in November. “We (in the House) will continue to investigate this president and hold him accountable,” Pelosi said. “We will defend our democracy.” Much of the oratory at the session reportedly focused on court-mandated redrawing the lines in Ohio’s 16 congressional districts which are expected to tilt the balance toward Democrats. It was highminded and principled. That won’t likely matter much next year in Tim Ryan’s district. Most voters there have already made up their minds - and most of those still like Trump.
THE BOSTON Bruins, pictured, faces the St Louis Blues in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final next Monday.
pro titlists is Los Angeles, with seven (Lakers and hockey’s Kings); Pittsburgh (hockey’s Penguins, Steelers) and Chicago (hockey’s Black Hawks, both baseball teams) with five, and three others (New York, Miami and San Antonio) with four each. But only Boston has won championships in all four major American pro sports since 2000. If you’re looking for the real City of Champions in the US, like it or not, it’s Boston – by a mile.
THE GERMAN BANK IN THE US REVEALING SOME HARSH TRUTHS
THE Germans have a word for it, and like many German words, the English translation requires several words to translate accurately. The word is schadenfreude. It means taking some satisfaction from the misfortune of others. So OK, you may as well admit it. Doesn’t it feel a little bit good to read in the newspapers and watch on TV as a big scandal involving money laundering and general banking malfeasance continues to unfold – and it doesn’t appear to involve The Bahamas, or even the broader Caribbean, for that matter? There are no bullies in Washington, New York, London or Brussels cooking up new ways to make life difficult here and in other places whose weather and ambience those earnest men and women can only envy? Especially when there are lingering suspicions their own domestic practices are hardly pure as the driven snow they, but not we, often see. Investigators seem to be closing in on banking irregularities
involving Trump and Germany’s Deutsche Bank. It’s a bit hard to foresee how this will all turn out, but the elements of the case appear to involve the German giant bank continuing to lend to Trump’s company - and that of
his son-in-law Jared Kushner, pictured right, - really large sums of money after virtually every other major bank grew weary of Trump’s company’s defaults and stopped doing business with them.
Deutsche Bank has reportedly lent Trump and Kushner’s companies tens of billions of dollars over many years, and may have been holding over $300 million in Trump debt when the new US president took office in 2017. The
THIS TIME TRUMP’S THE ROCKETMAN STILL on the subject of Trump: He seems to be persisting with an idea that clearly appeals to him but is sure to offend a lot of people in the US. Reported objections from many different quarters have so far not deterred Trump from proposing changes to one of the few American national traditions everyone can still support. The Fourth of July fireworks extravaganza on the National Mall in Washington is nationally televised to millions of viewers and is a thrilling commemoration of the nation’s Independence Day. Over half a
million people regularly attend in person. This celebration has been free of politics at least since 9/11/2001. Trump reportedly wants to move the fireworks to a nearby park so he can figuratively wrap himself in the flag and deliver a nationally televised address from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, turning a patriotic tradition into a political sideshow. This story is not yet complete, but Trump holds almost all of the cards. He can likely do this if he insists. And he likes to insist.
German bank has also been investigated in the past for laundering suspicious Russian money. Now Deutsche Bank’s internal anti-money laundering unit, based in Jacksonville, is finding details that don’t reflect well on any of the bank, Trump or his son-in-law. Congressional investigators are intensifying their efforts to figure out if the bank’s relationship with the American president was illegal, unethical or both. In The Bahamas, meanwhile, we can sit back for a change, relax with a cool beverage and watch them fight it out. Hmmm. Schadenfreude. Sounds about right.
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, May 23, 2019, PAGE 9
EX-BANKER CHARGED WITH UNLAWFUL SEX WITH BOY, 14, TO STAND TRIAL IN 2020
By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net
BAHAMIAN pastor Don Martin has been sentenced to life plus 20 years on child rape charges in Georgia.
Send me to a US jail, begs rapist pastor from page one Appearing before Magistrate Samuel McKinney yesterday, Martin declared he was “ready to go” insisting that his life was being threatened by gangs at the prison. As a part of his declaration, Martin told the court the BDCS was inhumane and no place for a person to be kept. He said his time there, which began back in December following his arrest at the Lynden
Pindling International Airport, has made his decision to proceed with extradition easy. After being further warned by Magistrate McKinney about the ramifications of his choice, Martin maintained he wanted to waive his rights and be extradited. “Thank you,” he said with a smile. “I have been threatened by the gangs... Fox Hill ain’t no place for nobody to stay in... I am ready to go.” Deputy Director of
Public Prosecutions Neil Brathwaite guided the matter for the Attorney General’s Office, while attorney Alex Morley appeared for Martin. When asked about the allegations made by Martin in court yesterday, Mr Morley deferred commentary to Wayne Munroe, QC, who had previously represented Martin in the matter. When contacted by The Tribune on the allegations, Mr Munroe said the claims would have to be looked into moving forward.
A FORMER banker accused of unlawful sexual intercourse with a 14-yearold boy will stand trial in April of next year, a Supreme Court judge has said. Paul Lewis, 37, of Yamacraw Shores, was given the dates of April 6 through 10, 2020, for trial by Supreme Court Justice Cheryl GrantThompson yesterday. Justice Grant-Thompson said her intention was to make the case a priority,
given the nature of the alleged offences. However, she was forced to stand the matter down until next spring due to scheduling issues on the part of Lewis’ attorney. Prosecutors alleged Lewis, a former senior banker at a local wealth management company, on Saturday, February 23, had unlawful sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old boy. He has denied the charge. Lewis’ bail has been extended and a pre-trial hearing has been set for March 18, 2020.
PAGE 10, Thursday, May 23, 2019 By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net A NEW Providence man was charged with murder and attempted murder in the Freeport Magistrate’s Court yesterday in connection with two separate shooting incidents in Grand Bahama. Tavares Demonte Beckford, 43, of Domingo Heights, Nassau, appeared before Deputy Chief Magistrate Debbye Ferguson in Court One where he was charged with the January murder of Lester Adderley Sr. He was also charged with the attempted murder of Omar “Punch” Penn, who was shot and injured last October. Tajh Brown, 25, of Freeport, also appeared in Court One where he was charged with harbouring a wanted criminal, Beckford, from lawful arrest. Deputy Chief Magistrate Ferguson read a laundry list of charges, which also included possession of dangerous drugs, unlicenced firearm, and ammunition. In reference to the murder charge, it is alleged that on January 13, at Freeport, Beckford, being concerned with others unknown, intentionally caused Adderley’s death. Adderley, a well-known musician and businessman, was discovered shot to death outside Gametime, in the former Gwen’s Plaza, which was one of several
THE TRIBUNE
Man, 43, faces separate charges of murder and attempted murder establishments acquired by his late son, Lester Adderley Jr. On the attempted murder count, it is alleged that on October 30, 2018 at Freeport, Beckford being concerned with others unknown, attempted to kill Penn. Beckford was not required to enter a plea to both charges as a preliminary inquiry will be held to determine if there is sufficient evidence for him to stand trial for those matters in the Supreme Court. Brown was charged separately with harbouring a criminal. It is alleged that on May 17, the accused harboured Beckford knowing that he had allegedly committed murder and aided in his concealment. He pleaded not guilty to the charge and elected summary trial. The men were not represented by counsel.
TAVARES Demonte Beckford outside court yesterday. Beckford was asked by the judge about his apparent American accent. The judge asked: “Are you a citizen of the Bahamas?” “Yes. I lives in Domingo
www.ub.edu.bs
CAREER OPPORTUNITY SENIOR ADMINISTRATION Suitably qualified candidates are invited to submit applications for the following position:
Executive Vice President who will serve as the chief operating officer of the University of The Bahamas system. Reporting to the President, the Executive Vice President has the primary responsibility of assisting the President in maximizing the institution’s operating performance and achievement of goals. The EVP’s duties include, but are not limited to, overseeing the implementation of the University’s Board-approved strategic plan across all areas of the University; initiating and managing strategic alliances; participating in the development of operating and capital budgets; and assuring effective guidelines and standard operating procedures for the management of the various units reporting to the President. The EVP will work collaboratively with the President’s Cabinet and staff and will provide the President and Board of Trustees with regular updates on the achievement status of academic milestones, admissions and retention initiatives and strategic planning initiatives. In the absence of the President, or during a vacancy in the Office of the President, the Executive Vice President shall be the most senior officer who shall, upon authorization of the Board, exercise and perform the functions and duties of the President. When requested, the EVP will also assist in fundraising and other development or alumni activities. Essential Qualifications are: • Ten or more years of highly successful senior-level higher education administrative leadership experience or the equivalent as determined by the university; • Earned doctorate degree or other terminal degree; • Excellent oral and written communication skills are essential; • Must have collaborative leadership style and be comfortable in an egalitarian environment; • Excellent interpersonal skills are essential. Applications should submit a Letter of Interest, Curriculum Vitae and contact information for three professional references to: Ms. Maelynn Seymour-Major Chief of Staff Email: maelynn.seymour-major@ub.edu.bs Office of the President University of The Bahamas University Drive P. O. Box N-4912 Nassau, The Bahamas Electronic applications are preferred. All applications must be submitted by 31st May, 2019. Late submission will not be considered. Employment is expected to begin July 2019. Official transcripts for all degrees and three current letters of recommendation are required prior to the commencement of employment. The detailed position announcement is available at: http://www.ub.edu.bs/about-us/career-opportunities/administration/.
Heights, Nassau,” he told the judge. Both men were also charged with possession of dangerous drugs, possession of unlicenced firearms, and possession of a large quantity of ammunition. It is alleged that on May 17, Beckford and Brown were found in possession of 15 grams of Indian hemp, with an estimated street value of $75, without having proper authority to possess the same. Beckford pleaded guilty. He said that the drugs were his and not Brown’s, who pleaded not guilty to the charge. According to the particulars read by Prosecutor Sergeant Veron Rolle, on May 17 police executed a search warrant around 4pm at No 82 Rum Cay Close in Hawksbill in the presence of both men. As a result they also went to No 42
Photo: Vandyke Hepburn Albertha Drive, where they recovered suspected marijuana on a kitchen table and both men were arrested. Deputy Chief Magistrate ordered Beckford pay a fine of $200 or four months imprisonment. Brown was granted $500 bail on that charge. The two were also charged with four counts of possession of an unlicenced firearm. It is alleged that on May 17, at Freeport, both men being concerned together were found with a component part of a black .45 magazine. It is alleged that on same date and place, the accused men were found in possession of a component part of a bronze pistol barrel. It is also alleged the men were found in possession of a black 40mm Austria Glock pistol with serial number WYM083. The men were also found
in possession of a black and gray .2333mm Anderson AR15 rifle with serial number 17160180. Beckford and Brown were also charged with three counts of possession of ammunition with intent to supply. They pleaded not guilty to the charges. On the issue of bail, Prosecutor Rolle informed the court that the men would have to apply to the Supreme Court for bail in reference to the murder, attempted murder, possession of unlicensed firearm and ammunition charges. After the list of charges were read, Magistrate Ferguson asked the men if they had any concerns or wanted to say anything to the court. Beckford indicated he would like to request a change of venue and have his matters heard in Nassau as he did not think he could get a fair trial in Grand Bahama. When asked his reasons, he declined to say why he felt that way. The judge told the accused she was not sure this would be acceded to because the offences occurred in Grand Bahama. He also asked the judge to make note on his file that he is a Rastafarian. “I do not eat meat, I am a vegan,” he said, explaining that he did not eat any of the food that was given him while in police custody. Magistrate Ferguson inquired if family members could bring food for Beckford but she was informed that it was prohibited. The men were remanded in custody and matters were adjourned to August 28.
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, May 23, 2019, PAGE 11 Photos: Vandyke Hepburn
VICTIM DIES OF MULTIPLE GUNSHOTS By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net POLICE on Grand Bahama have recorded another homicide after a man was shot dead early yesterday at a known crime hotspot in Freeport. According to reports, the incident occurred shortly after midnight in the Hearn Lane and Murchinson Drive area. Assistant Superintendent
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of Police Terecita Pinder reported when police arrived at the scene they discovered a male on the ground with multiple gunshot wounds to the body. Superintendent Brian Rolle, officer in charge of the Central Detective Unit in Freeport, described the incident as a “senseless” one and urged persons with information to come forward. He told reporters that officers had received
reports of gunshots in the Hearn Lane area around 12.30am and officers were dispatched to investigate. “On arrival to the area, officers found the body of a male lying down with what appeared to be a number of wounds to the body. EMS personnel was called to check for signs of life, but it appeared he was deceased,” he said. Supt Rolle said that the victim appears to be a man in his mid 30’s.
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“We are pleading to the public here in Grand Bahama — anyone knowing any information reach out to the police and inform us of anything you might know. This is just one more of those sad incidents where another young male has lost his life in a senseless manner,” he said. According to The Tribune’s records, this is the second murder on Grand Bahama for the year and the 31st for the country.
PAGE 12, Thursday, May 23, 2019
THE TRIBUNE
Time to get ready for the hurricane season NOTICE ANNUITANT VERIFICATION As part of the verification of benefits procedure, Colina Insurance Limited requires all recipients of annuity payments to produce evidence of their continuing eligibility to receive such payments twice each year – during the months of May and November. To be verified during the month of May 2019, annuitants must visit any of the following Colina locations and be verified by a Customer Service Representative: • • • • • • • •
21 Collins Avenue 56 Collins Avenue Carmichael Road (Walk-In Medical Clinic bldg) 12 Village Road RND Plaza West East Mall & Poinciana Drive (Freeport) Don McKay Boulevard. (Marsh Harbour) Turnquest Star Plaza (George Town)
Clients may also visit CFAL (308 East Bay St., 3rd Fl.) The following documents must be presented at the time of verification: • Annuity card, and • Valid Passport, Drivers License or Voters Card Annuitants residing outside of The Bahamas, or those who are unable to visit our offices physically, may download the Life Certificate Form from the Company’s website, www.colina.com. The form should be completed, validated by a Notary Public and delivered to our office at the address below. Colina Insurance Limited 21 Collins Avenue, P. O. Box N-4728 Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas Annuitants who fail to verify on or before May 31, 2019 will have their payments suspended until this process is completed. Should you require additional information, please contact our Customer Service Centre at 356-8300.
THE official Atlantic hurricane season begins on June 1, even as many communities are still recovering from a destructive year in 2018. Hurricane Florence swamped much of the Carolinas in September, followed by Hurricane Michael, which battered the Florida Panhandle less than a month later. Together, these two storms killed at least 113 people and caused billions of dollars in damages. Early forecasts for 2019 have predicted a slightly below-normal season, with 13 named storms expected to form and two of them developing into major hurricanes. But as the forecasters warn, it only takes one storm making landfall to make it an active season for people in harm’s way. Here are five expert takes on preparing for whatever the 2019 hurricane season brings. 1. How forecasters make predictions We rely on expert forecasters to tell us how strong hurricanes will be, the odds that they will make landfall and where they’re most likely to come ashore. But how do stormcasters develop judgments from enormous quantities of data? As Florida State University meteorologists Mark Bourassa and Vasu Misra explain, models – complex software packages that run on large computers – are essential. But models’ results don’t always agree with each other. That’s why forecasters use collections of storm models instead of just one. And they may tweak certain assumptions built into the models to account for uncertainty about conditions in a particular storm. Storm track forecasts have become much more accurate in recent decades, but predictions of storm intensity have changed little. That’s because it’s hard to capture all the variables that determine storm intensity. “Models are inexact in their descriptions of the entire state of the atmosphere and ocean at the start time of the model,” Bourassa and Misra acknowledge – a point worth remembering if a storm heads in your direction. Improving hurricane forecasts means testing historical storms with today’s sophisticated models and supercomputers.
THE DAMAGE done to Ragged Island by Hurricane Irma in 2016.
2. Should I stay or should I go? If a hurricane is approaching, should you leave? It’s a complicated question, especially when evacuations are recommended but not mandatory. Residents have to weigh the economic and emotional costs of relocating against damage forecasts that may be changing hourly. Government officials feel the pressure when they have to decide whether to order people out of town. University of South Carolina geographer Susan Cutter calls these decisions “part science, part skill based on experience, and part luck.” Constituents may be angry if they evacuate and the storm misses their area – but leaving people in harm’s way is clearly a worse prospect. Planners base evacuation decisions on many factors beyond storm forecasts, Cutter writes. They also consider road networks, demographics, and whether and how quickly residents are likely to follow orders. “It is hard to predict the path of hurricanes, and even more so the behavior of people in response to them,” she notes. 3. The risks extend inland A hurricane is bearing down on the Atlantic or Gulf coast, but you’re on vacation in the mountains. Should you track the forecasts? Louisiana State University geographer Craig Colten’s response is an emphatic yes. As Colten has found in his research on water in the U.S. South, the risk of catastrophic flooding during and after hurricanes extends many miles inland. However, communities away from the shore often are not as well prepared for these emergencies. Geography makes the US eastern seaboard highly vulnerable to river flooding from tropical storms, Colten shows: “From New England to Georgia, a dense network of rivers flows down from the eastern Appalachians across the Piedmont – a broad, rolling plateau extending from the mountains to the coastal plain – and drains into the Atlantic Ocean. Steep gradients move water quickly down the mountain slopes.”
When hurricanes and tropical storms move inland, they meet the steep face of the Blue Ridge Mountains and rise, cooling and releasing huge quantities of rain. These deluges “funnel into river networks and rush toward the sea, often spilling over the banks of overwhelmed channels.” This pattern was readily apparent in September 2018 when Hurricane Florence dumped 20 to 30 inches of rain on many parts of North Carolina, setting flood records at 28 different locations. 4. Your social networks can help or hurt you Social media can be extremely helpful during a disaster. Apps deliver weather updates, public service announcements and directions to the nearest gas station that still has fuel. People can use Facebook or Twitter to call for help when they’re cut off from roads or lose power, and emergency managers use them to organize and deliver food and medical supplies. But when Northeastern University political scientist Daniel Aldrich analyzed how people’s social networks of friends and relatives influenced choices about evacuating, he found more nuanced results. People with extended, far-flung social networks were more likely to evacuate in advance of an oncoming storm, Aldrich observed: “In contrast, we found that having stronger bonding ties – that is, family and friends – made people less likely to evacuate leading up to a hurricane. In our view, this is a critical insight. People whose immediate, close networks are strong may feel supported and better-prepared to weather the storm.” Strong networks are invaluable for anyone weathering the stress of a major disaster. However, Aldrich’s research suggests that a person who sees others in her immediate, close network staying in place may opt not to evacuate, when heeding warnings from public officials would be a better, albeit less natural, choice. This article is a round-up of stories from The Conversation’s archive. theconversation.com
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Thursday, May 23, 2019, PAGE 13
SOCIAL Services Minister Frankie Campbell
We must do more to provide disabled access, says Campbell from page one ensuring regulations are in place by the end of this calendar year. He spoke to the issue while congratulating author Kevin Cartwright on publishing his new book “Revelations of a Silent Heart”. Mr Cartwright is blind and has long been a part of efforts to bring the country on par with international disabilities guidelines. “Members would be aware that matters related to persons with disabilities are included in the portfolio of the Ministry of Social Services and Urban Development,” Mr Campbell said yesterday. “Since assuming this office I have
had the opportunity to meet with many members of the community of persons with disabilities as well as their families, NGOs and other stakeholders. “These individuals are working assiduously along with my ministry toward the further advancement of the Persons with Disabilities Equal Opportunity Act. “Since its enactment, it has been noted that too many commercial or publicly used buildings remain partially accessible or only partially retrofitted with regard to the accommodation of persons with disabilities and too many services remain limited with regard to the extent that they fully meet the needs of this community.”
He continued: “We in the Ministry of Social Services and Urban Development are committed to the ongoing promotion and support of the likes of persons with disabilities. “This commitment is further demonstrated by the priority that Parliamentary Secretary Michel Foulkes has given to reviewing the act with the view to ensuring that regulations are in place by the end of this calendar year and in so doing we also seek to raise public awareness throughout our communities on this subject.” Mr Campbell made an appeal for more non-governmental organisations to assist with initiatives to advance the cause of those in the community.
PAGE 14, Thursday, May 23, 2019
US POISED TO SEND 10,000 TO MIDEAST WASHINGTON Associated Press US OFFICIALS say the Pentagon will present plans to the White House to send up to 10,000 more American troops to the Middle East to beef up defences against potential Iranian threats. The officials say no decision has been made and it’s not clear if the White House will approve sending all or just some of the requested forces. Officials say the troops will be defensive forces, and the discussions include additional Patriot missile batteries and more ships. Tomorrow’s meeting comes as tensions with Iran continue to simmer. Defense leaders told congressional officials on Tuesday that the US doesn’t want to go to war with Iran and wants to deescalate the situation. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the plans have not been formally announced.
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Trump stalks out after three minutes WASHINGTON Associated Press
PRESIDENT Donald Trump abruptly stalked out of a White House meeting with congressional leaders yesterday, flatly declaring he would no longer work with Democrats unless they drop all investigations in the aftermath of the special counsel’s Trump-Russia report. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called it all “very, very, very strange” and said she was praying for Trump and the nation. Trump tweeted his thanks for her prayers but said he would not proceed down two tracks — investigation and legislation. Democrats said his ultimatum seemed scripted, with signs declaring his innocence already prepared for his outdoor remarks that followed. Yet Trump’s unease with congressional oversight and talk of what he called the “i-word” — impeachment — now threatens to deprive him of legislative accomplishments for the remainder of his
term. The scene playing out live on television was reminiscent of earlier ones at the White House, including during the federal government shutdown, when Trump walked out on Democrats. While this standoff could benefit him politically in the short term, with his tough talk stirring up supporters, it leaves his trade deals, a new budget and other goals in jeopardy as he heads into a re-election campaign. Democrats called it another Trump temper tantrum. “I want to do infrastructure,” Trump said he told Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, noting the scheduled topic of the meeting. “But you know what? We can’t do it under these circumstances,” he said he told them. “So get these phony investigations over.” Without ever shaking anyone’s hand, or even taking a seat, Trump turned and left the three-minute meeting. He strode to the Rose Garden where reporters and TV cameras had been assembled and proceeded to assail the Democrats,
TRUMP after yesterday’s ‘meeting’ particularly Pelosi for her comment earlier in the morning on Capitol Hill that she believed the president was engaged in a “cover-up” of the Russia probe. “I don’t do cover-ups,” Trump fumed. Back on Capitol Hill, Pelosi said Trump “just took a pass” on working on national infrastructure problems. Flanked by Schumer and other House and Senate leaders, Pelosi
said the Democrats had gone to the White House “to give this president the opportunity to have a signature infrastructure initiative.” The meeting had been set weeks ago, after Trump and the Democratic leaders agreed to talk further about a possible $2 trillion infrastructure proposal. Democrats have been working with the president’s daughter Ivanka, and Trump was due to provide his ideas on how to pay for it. But he told them he couldn’t engage on infrastructure because Pelosi said “something terrible,” according to an administration official and another person familiar with what happened in the room. Democrats said they doubted he actually was ever going to put forward a plan. Schumer said that when Trump “was forced to say how he would pay for it he had to run away.” Earlier yesterday, House Democrats had convened for a closed-door meeting amid Trump’s stonewalling of their investigators, as a growing number of the party’s lawmakers say they want to open an impeachment inquiry.
SEA DRAGON’S NEW HOME
A SEA dragon swims at the Birch Aquarium at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego. The aquarium has built what is believed to be one of the world’s largest habitats for the surreal and mythical sea dragons outside Australia, where the native populations are threatened by pollution, warming oceans and the illegal pet and alternative medicine trades.
LAWYER AVENATTI CHARGED WITH DEFRAUDING STORMY DANIELS NEW YORK Associated Press
MICHAEL Avenatti, the attorney who rocketed to fame through his representation of porn star Stormy Daniels in her battles with President Donald Trump, was charged yesterday with ripping her off. Federal prosecutors in New York City say Avenatti used a doctored document to divert about $300,000 that Daniels was supposed to get from a book deal, then used the money for personal and business expenses. Only half of that money was paid back, prosecutors said. Daniels isn’t named in the court filing, but the details of the case, including the date her book was released,
make it clear that she is the client involved. Avenatti denied the allegations on Twitter. “No monies relating to Ms. Daniels were ever misappropriated or mishandled. She received millions of dollars worth of legal services and we spent huge sums in expenses. She directly paid only $100.00 for all that she received. I
STORMY Daniels with lawyer
look forward to a jury hearing the evidence,” he wrote. Avenatti added in a later tweet that his agreement for representing Daniels “included a percentage of any book proceeds.” The charges pile on top of previous allegations of legal misconduct by Avenatti, who represented Daniels when she sued to be released from a nondisclosure agreement involving an alleged tryst with Trump. The president denies an affair took place. Avenatti was previously charged in New York with trying to extort up to $25 million from Nike by threatening to expose claims that the shoemaker paid off high school basketball players to steer them to Nike-sponsored colleges.
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Thursday, May 23, 2019, PAGE 15
‘The Bahamas’ own street philosopher’