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VOLUME:116 No.106, MAY 27TH, 2019
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PA GE S SPORTS: BOXER WILLIAMS WINS UNANIMOUS VERDICT GOVT HIRES PRIVATE LAWYER IN BPL ACTION
Hotel workers in strike ballot
Outrage over plan to change service charge and bonus By NEIL HARTNELL & NATARIO McKENZIE Tribune Business Staff
THE hotel union will take a strike vote on Thursday after slamming the industry’s proposal to eliminate the automatic 15 percent gratuity and other worker benefits as “a slap in the face”. Sheila Burrows, the Bahamas Hotel, Catering & Allied Workers Union’s general secretary, said that the offer by resort employers threatened to take the
union’s 4,000-5,000 membership “back 60 years”. Speaking after union members burnt copies of the industry’s proposal during an angry meeting at Workers House, she said: “We got a proposal from them but there was nothing in it.” The most controversial proposals in the offer are the elimination of the automatic 15 percent gratuity and delaying payment of Christmas bonuses until the second week of January. FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS
FORMER Minister of State for Legal Affairs Damian Gomez yesterday called the government’s position on medical marijuana “ludicrous” and “illogical” given the medicinal use of derivatives from other scheduled drugs like cocaine and opium. Mr Gomez questioned why the government was waiting on a report from the Bahamas National Commission on Marijuana
(BNCM) concerning medicinal use given the widespread research and adoption of specific therapies around the world. According to the World Health Organisation, there were 933 new cases of cancer in The Bahamas in 2018, with 482 people dying from the disease last year. “That would be even more of a reason to have deployed at the earliest possible time medications that are beneficial, inclusive of marijuana-based medicines,” Mr Gomez said. SEE PAGE SIX
ATTORNEY General Carl Bethel confirmed yesterday the government has retained a local firm of private lawyers to defend a $1.1 million lawsuit against Public Works Minister Desmond Bannister for the wrongful termination, misfeasance in public office, and defamation/slander. The accusations were leveled by former Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) chairperson Darnell Osborne and former BPL board members Nicola Thompson and Nick Dean, who claim in statements filed last week that Mr Bannister got hostile with them over their independent stance on a number of SEE PAGE FIVE
COCO CAY COULD BE MODEL FOR G. LUCAYAN By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net
MEDICAL MARIJUANA WHY ARE WE WAITING? By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
CROWNING MOMENT
NYAH Bandelier was last night crowned Miss Bahamas 2019 at Atlantis. More pictures - Page 2 Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff
AN enhanced Grand Lucayan with Royal Caribbean International at the helm would spur a “huge economic impact” on Grand Bahama and should reinvigorate the country’s entire tourism sector, according to the cruise line’s president and CEO Michael Bayley. His comments came on the sidelines of the ceremonial opening of RCI’s new top-rated island destination in the Berry Islands, Perfect Day at Coco Cay, telling members of the press his company was positioning itself to spearhead a multimillion dollar, multi-phased SEE PAGE THREE
‘HE TRIED TO CLEAR HIS NAME. NOW HE’S GONE. I HOPE THEY’RE HAPPY’ By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net
THE mother of a 28-yearold man shot and killed yesterday morning claims he was working to clear his name following a 2015 murder charge. Gloria Ferguson, in an interview with The Tribune at her Dorsette Alley home just
ANTHONY FERGUSON
hours after her son was shot a few yards away, said the effects of that incident haunted her son’s short life. At 24, Anthony Ferguson was accused of intentionally causing the death of Arthur Culmer, who was fatally shot at Dorsette Alley on Christmas Eve 2014. Ferguson was charged in January 2015. SEE PAGE FIVE
Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper
INSIGHT
TRUST IN POLICE CAN’T BE TAKEN FOR GRANTED
SEE PAGE SEVEN
PAGE 2, Monday, May 27, 2019
THE TRIBUNE
Nyah’s night
NYAH Bandelier won the title of Miss Bahamas 2019 at Atlantis last night in a glittering contest. Last year’s winner Brinique Gibson, above, was there to crown the new queen. Photos: Terrel W Carey St/Tribune Staff
THE TRIBUNE
Monday, May 27, 2019, PAGE 3
Coco Cay could be model for Grand Lucayan
from page one project on par with Coco Cay in Freeport if negotiations with the government are successful. Highlighting RCI’s ongoing efforts in The Bahamas, Mr Bayley suggested the cruise line’s current $300m per annum economic impact in The Bahamas could drastically increase over time. “Our calculation on the economic impact of Royal Caribbean’s activity in The Bahamas is around $300m per year. I think with Freeport, I don’t know what the number is, but it is going to be hugely significant,” he said. “Just the fact that we are going to redevelop those hotels and beach, that whole area, it is going to be in the hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars. The amount of work that will be underway to regenerate that destination, it is going to be a few years, hundreds of millions of dollars, massive project work, and I think the economic impact is going to huge.” Mr Bayley added: “I am not an economist, I am a businessman, but you can’t help think that the economic impact isn’t going to be fantastic.” RCI signed a letter of intent to purchase the Grand Lucayan resort property from the government for $65m back in March. Included in that deal is proposed initial investment of $135m for the first phase of RCI’s proposed redevelopment of the site. RCI has said its project will take place over a 24-month period and estimates that some 2,000 jobs would be created in the first phase. At the signing, held at the Office of the Prime Minister in Grand Bahama, State Minister for Grand Bahama Kwasi Thompson said the joint venture between RCI and its investment partner, the ITM Group, will not only combine the redevelopment of the Freeport Harbour as a cruise port of choice but will also transform the Grand Lucayan resort into a theme park, featuring water-based family entertainment, with dining, gaming and entertainment options and five-star hotel accommodations. Addressing those plans on Friday, Mr Bayley said his team has gone to great lengths to illustrate to the government of The Bahamas RCI’s “qualities and capabilities” relative to creating a “super destination”. Mr Bayley said RCI was hoping to bring the same creativity, intelligence and guest-centric experience displayed at Coco Cay, to a new Grand Lucayan;
COCO Cay and, inset, Michael Bayley and Hubert Minnis. Photo: Craig Lenihan insisting that executives are aiming to make the property “second to none.” “And I think that is really what Royal Caribbean is pretty good at… delivering great vacations and making sure the guest have a great day,” he told reporters. “And I think we are going to apply all of that design and all of our understanding and knowledge to creating an experience in Freeport that makes people say, I want to go [there].” “What you see [at Coco Cay] that’s what we are capable of creating. What you see over there with the largest ship in the world, is what we are capable of creating. We will bring the same intelligence, creativity and design to the Freeport project,” he said. However, Mr Bayley did note RCI’s full project specs could not be revealed publicly until a finished deal is worked out between the two sides. He asserted
while there is clear excitement on the part of both parties, given the success of Coco Cay, he said there are still negotiations to be concluded. Mr Bayley said the two sides had another 30 to 40 days of discussions remaining. Of this, he said: “This is a big project with a significant investment. We have shareholders as well, as well as our engagement with the community, and we want to make sure when we finalise the proposal, it works for everybody. We want it to
work for the community, we want to work for our guest, we want to work the Bahamas, we want to make it work for Freeport; there is a lot to consider and we are being very thoughtful with it.” When asked if the potential Grand Bahama project would receive the same level of attention and focus as Coco Cay did, Mr Bayley said yes. “[Freeport] will be just as important [as Coco Cay],” he said. “I think that we’ve said that The Bahamas is our
number one destination. I think if you look at the growth of the cruise industry and tourism overall, [the Bahamas] has got the best location in the world. It is great. So we see Nassau, opportunities in Nassau. We hope that the Global Ports Development will go well and that we will participate in creating a more desirable destination. And it is the same for Freeport. You know, these are great… all of these destinations have wonderful potential. Our job, which you see here, is to bring that potential to life,” he said. Mr Bayley added: “And I think that we see that in our guests reaction to a Perfect Day at Coco Cay is, you did it, you got it right, we are real super happy. That is what we are being told by all of guest, this is the highest rated destination, and that is what we want Freeport to be.” Both Prime Minister Dr
Hubert Minnis and Tourism Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar were on hand Friday at Coco Cay’s ceremonial opening, with both men taking time to talk up the potential of RCI in Grand Bahama. For his part, Dr Minnis referred to RCI’s work in Grand Bahama as a “major project,” and he suggested the two sides had committed to seeing the project “come to fruition.” As for Mr D’Aguilar, he insisted that talks were “progressing” at a steady pace, promising a full and accurate address after those talks are completed. The Grand Lucayan’s tender process attracted some 62 expressions of interest from local and global firms. That list was shortlisted to 11 on February 14, and subsequently, on March 22, RCL was unanimously approved for recommendation to Cabinet.
D’AGUILAR CONFIRMS PLANS FOR NEW AIRPORT By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net
THE Minnis administration has committed the funds needed to construct a new airport terminal at Great Harbour Cay, Berry Islands within the next year, Tourism and Aviation Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar has confirmed. The project will act as a conduit for the island chain as it looks to capitalise on the tourism boom associated with Royal Caribbean International’s (RCI) Perfect Day a Coco Cay development. Mr D’Aguilar said the massive $250m project offers a tremendous opportunity for growth and the overall development of the Berry Islands. He said the current air terminal, which has been described by some as the worst in the country, must be addressed immediately to service the expansion of the island chain’s tourism product. Several observes on hand for Friday’s ceremony, including Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis and Mr D’Aguilar, did raise concerns with the state of the Berry Islands’ infrastructure. In recent years, the Berry Islands has seen very little improvement. The Tribune understands that a large percentage of what has been done, was proposed, funded and executed by
foreign direct investors, namely RCI. In fact, residents on hand for Friday’s ceremony credited the cruise line with improving key components of the community, including the purchase of a new ambulance, a locally outfitted fire truck and the ongoing reconstruction of a community centre. In his speech on Friday, Dr Minnis applauded RCI for its philanthropic work across the island chain — primarily its undertaking at the community centre, which had remained stagnant for more than 15 years. “With (RCI’s) assistance, this centre will become a reality by the end of this July. The building will serve as a community centre and hurricane shelter,” he said to resounding applause. As for Coco Cay itself, Dr Minnis called it a milestone for the relationship between the Bahamas and RCI. He said the amenities at the luxury cruise destination — the tallest water slide in North America, the largest wave pool in the Caribbean and, helium balloons that take you 450 feet up in the air — guarantees that visitors to the cay will have a memorable and enjoyable experience, which will bode well for the Bahamas moving forward. In line with this, Mr D’Aguilar said Coco Cay “raises the standards” of what visitors to the Bahamas now expect during their vacations.
DIONISIO D’AGUILAR “It is incredible,” he said. “You have everything here; you’ve got your rides, you’ve got your beaches, you’ve got water sports, you’ve got everything you want to do. It is all here, and in a very control, very neat, very tidy environment and this is what our tourists are experiencing. So, when they come to our population centres, we really have to improve the standard and quality of the service that we are offering.” Mr D’Aguilar also implored young Bahamians to take advantage of the new opportunities
created with the introduction of Coco Cay. He said in addition to host of job opportunities, there were also entrepreneurial opportunities for young Bahamians to partner with RCL to enhance an already great product. “So Bahamians need to apply. There are positions here. I saw a lot of nonBahamian employees on this island, so obviously, there are opportunities for Bahamians but the need to apply and be trained. There are a lot of entrepreneurial opportunities as well. So Bahamians need to rise up so we can get a greater share of the pie from these types of projects in The Bahamas. “It is very important that we follow right through, instead of just getting a job, there are business and entrepreneurial opportunities that are here too; that is why brought the Tourism Development Corporation when we came,” Mr D’Aguilar insisted. According to RCI’s president and CEO Michael
Bayley, Coco Cay has rocketed to the top of cruise line’s list of preferred destinations since its opening earlier this spring. Roughly 20 percent of
cruise passengers who visit The Bahamas on an annual basis arrive via RCI ships and RCI has projected an annual increase in arrivals by 2m by 2020.
PAGE 4, Monday, May 27, 2019
THE TRIBUNE
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More summer trouble as hotel union votes WHEN we wondered in Friday’s paper if a summer of discontent was heading the way of The Bahamas, little did we know another cloud was already forming on the horizon. Add hotel workers to the list of those with grievances to air – a list that already includes health unions and doctors, teachers and NIB workers, not to mention the ongoing rumblings at the Water and Sewerage Corporation. The biggest bone of contention for the Bahamas Hotel, Catering & Allied Workers Union is that employers want to get rid of the automatic 15 percent gratuity. Not just that, but also they want the Christmas bonus to be tied to the hotel’s performance and not guaranteed – and staff might not get the traditional Christmas ham and turkey any more. Staff, unsurprisingly, are unimpressed, especially as the last industrial agreement expired in 2013, and has left workers without a pay increase since 2012, even as the cost of living – including VAT – went up. Sheila Burrows, the general secretary of the union, said members had told officials to “burn the proposal”. A strike vote will be held on Thursday. The 15 percent gratuity is a charged issue for members – and often for hotels too. Hotels look over to all-inclusive resorts which don’t have to add an extra charge to everything and see customers going there because they know exactly how much they’ll spend – and don’t want to lose out on that customer base. It can also be a pain for customers – do you leave the automatic tip even if the service has been horrible? Do you go through the hassle of removing it if you object? And equally does it limit how much a customer wants to give if they would otherwise be inclined to leave more? What is certain is that with a low basic
rate of pay, gratuities make up a big share of staff’s take-home pay – there are people who literally cannot live without that money. So if employers want to overcome staff’s doubts about removing gratuities – doubts fuelled no doubt by a lack of desire to offer pay raises in years, it seems – they had better put some serious proposals about substantially raising basic salaries on the table. No one wants industrial disputes to spread, or come to the front line of tourism, that precious lifeblood of income for our islands. It remains early days in negotiations, and we hope a resolution can be reached – but we would add, threatening Christmas bonuses on top of gratuities certainly doesn’t stop employers looking like Scrooge.
A glimpse of Grand Bahama’s future ROYAL Caribbean International has been proudly showing off its new CocoCay destination – bringing the press over for tours and to try out the attractions. The Berry Islands location has caught the eye of the world as it offers up something new, something different to the market. And the promise is that this is a glimpse of things to come. Eyes now turn to the Grand Lucayan in Grand Bahama, in the hands of Royal Caribbean for the future and with plans for a water theme park on the table, complete with dining, gaming and entertainment, and five-star hotel surroundings. The pledge is to create a “super destination”. There’s a long way to go, but if CocoCay is a sign of what Royal Caribbean can do, then we look forward to Grand Bahama’s future.
Respect the process and don’t jump to conclusions EDITOR, The Tribune
THE nation knows that I supported and voted for the now Minister of National Security who was seeking election to the House of Assembly for Mount Moriah. As a constituent and resident, I was terribly disappointed by the representation of the then MP. He was the worst of the worst in my view. This was no state secret as I had told the then DPM this on countless occasions, in the presence of that individual. The PLP and its leadership cadre paid me no mind, to their peril. The recent fatal raid of a home here in New Providence, wherein three individuals lost their lives, will be the baptism of fire for the Acting Police Commissioner, my fellow Adrosian brother. I do not know the precise details of what went down but it is wrong for the public to simply jump to conclusions. I do not support any potential form of state sanction extra judicial killings, where and whenever
they alleged might have occurred. Having said this, however, we should sit back and allow the evidence, such as it is, to play out judicially and to be marshallled in the Coroner’s Court. We tend to sensationalise every thing in The Bahamas. While I hold no brief, at this juncture, for the Minister of National Security, he is doing the best that he is capable of doing. His communication skills suck and are extremely insensitive. He did, however, strike the right note in stating that armed members of the forces, inclusive of The Royal Bahamas Police Force are mandated to execute the laws of the land. In doing so, it has proven in my extensive experience within the legal profession that there are innocent people who do get caught up in the exchange of cross fire and ‘incidental’ fatalities sometimes occur. By the same token, I would advise criminals and potential criminals to never, ever, have children and other ‘innocent’ people around when so engaged
or suspected, credibly, to be so engaged. It is dead wrong to have any sort of potential ‘human shield/s’ in such circumstances. It is portrayed in movies and fictitious novels every day. Such situations become hostage drama and negotiations. Not so in real life. You confront the armed forces with your own weapons, you should expect instant death and elimination. Sad but true. And so, while we await the convocation of the Coroner’s Court, let us be fully mindful of the historical delays and adjournments in these type matters. Indeed, it might be years upon years before we ever get to a timely ‘conclusion’ in the matter. We must respect the process, however, and not jump to bogus positions. My deepest sympathies to the family/families of the deceased. At the end of the day, to God be the glory, in all of these things. Jr
ORTLAND H BODIE, Nassau May 23, 2019
Security is paramount EDITOR, The Tribune THE current crime trend in The Bahamas and in particular the island of New Providence dictates that we enhance security measures provided for our government officials. Since my departure from the Royal Bahamas Police Force, (as a regular) I have been engaged in the security profession, firstly as corporate director of security at the Paradise Island Resort & Casino and continued with the Atlantis resort. It is at this resort that I had the opportunity to study and be exposed to security concepts that included VIP security. The resort had frequent visits from dignitaries, such as the Shah of Iran, presidents of the United States of America, movie stars and local high profile politicians. Special security arrangements had to be implemented during such visits to the resort. We hosted Royalty at functions in the resort. Providing security coverage at the private residences of our government officials can only be planned with the consideration and the approval of the occupants of those residences. The privacy of such persons must be considered. It is much easier when dealing with residences owned by governments where there is a security plan for the protection of the residences and the occupants. In The Bahamas we are catering to government officials, who reside in their private residences. I recall when Sir Roland Symonette became the first Premier of The Bahamas and the Police Force sent him a driver, a sentry and an aide, he promptly sent them back to Police Headquarters. He declined the gesture. In the following paragraphs are my recommendations for consideration by our government officials, who would wish to enhance the security of their residences for their safety and that of their families. Government House: Alarm Systems, with panic buttons in strategic locations in the building and most important guard dogs and handlers in the gardens. Alarm systems
LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net with panic buttons in strategiclocations in the building and most important guard dogs and handlers in the gardens. Consideration could be given to installing computerised patrol stations, where patrols must punch in at times designated by the Commanding Officer. The equipment at the Patrol Stations will confirm on the computer in the Guard Command Post, that the Patrol Units are visiting those locations in a timely manner. Prime Minister’s Residence: Alarm systems, including panic buttons and cameras, strategically positioned and monitored in the Police Control Centre. Vehicles used by the Prime Minister and his immediate family to be equipped with GPS systems and communication system (other than telephone) for easy location and prompt response. The use of a police attack dog at night would enhance the present physical security detail. Deputy Prime Minister and all Cabinet Ministers Alarm Systems, including panic buttons and cameras to be monitored in the Police Control Centre. Equip vehicles used by Ministers and their immediate families with GPS Systems. Provide communication (other than telephones) in the Ministers’ vehicles. Physical security and Aides must be discussed to determine their needs. Judges, Magistrates (Permanent Secretaries): Alarm Systems, including panic buttons and cameras as per Prime Minister’s residence. Monitor at Police Control Centre. Reserved parking close to their courts, with police personnel visible on arrival and departure. At least one armed police officer available at each court. Other Recommendations: Police mobile patrols must visit residences of Ministers and MPs residing in their patrol areas
and report each visit to the Police Control Centre. Such visits to include the Chief Justice and Judges of the Supreme Court. Visits should be at least twice during an eight hour shift, in particular during the night time. A security consultant or security engineer should be retained to conduct a security survey of all residences of parliamentarians and senior public officials and submit reports on the environment, eg; uncontrolled bushes, insecure fencing, lighting, in particular street lighting and a general appraisal of the neighbourhood. Knowing about the persons residing in close proximity could be important. Consider having the Police Crime Prevention Unit provide crime prevention education to all concerned. The officials can help by being cooperative with security providers by; being alert, obeying instructions and taking advice. Help them to develop a suspicious mind and convince them of the importance of reporting suspicious or unusual activity. Service providers must be checked; photo ID, arrivals and departures and most importantly the need for their presence confirmed with the relevant officials. Shrubbery around residences may enhance beauty, but it is also a hiding place for intruders. Automatic gates to be considered. In most countries there are parking arrangements for government officials and their immediate families, available when visiting the city. It is time for consideration to be given to providing all of the parking on Parliament Street reserved for our officials and their immediate families. Arrangements could be made for those eligible to be provided with parking logos affixed to their vehicles. Camera to be installed on that street for the protection of the parked vehicles. In The Bahamas there is technology, that provides for residents to view their homes on their computers when absent from home. PAUL THOMPSON Nassau May 13, 2019
THE TRIBUNE
Monday, May 27, 2019, PAGE 5
GOVERNMENT HIRES PRIVATE LAWYER IN BPL ACTION from page one
issues related to the LNG power plant deal with Shell North America. In Mr Dean’s statement of claim, he alleges BPL CEO Whitney Heastie fired a senior technical employee who did not support his $4m proposal to purchase new equipment for an aging engine. Much of the claims contained in the writs reflect what was reported by The Tribune last year with the former members recounting the events that led to the board’s shock dissolution; however, Mr Dean suggests Errol Davis, director of BPL’s Generation Department, was also a casualty. In July 2018, Mr Heastie submitted a memo to Mr Dean - the chairman of the procurement committee of the board at the time requesting $4m funding for the purchase and replacement of two turbocharges on an engine that was still operational. It preceded an incident in May when a turbocharger on another one
of the BPL engines at the Clifton Pier Power Plant failed. Mr Dean said he was asked by Mr Heastie to decide on the proposal within six days, and noted the proposal was from a company with which Mr Heastie had a previous relationship. The proposal was deficient, according to Mr Dean, on a number of points: the equipment cost was just under $2.8m and there was no justification for the $1.2m gap between the proposal and funding request; there were no costs included for insurance, freight and installation; and there was also no technical opinion from senior BPL staff to support the purchase. “Technically,” Mr Dean’s statement read, “the fourmillion-dollar investment was difficult to justify when there was a viable alternative $600,000 option on the table, based on an asset that had reached the end of its life. The units that the turbochargers were being ordered for were already
27 years old. An investment of this amount for an asset of this age meant that the quantified ROI would have exceeded the remaining life of the asset; thereby, making the project unjustifiable, based on asset life and investment.” It continued: “Moreover, DA9 & DA10 were scheduled to be replaced under the Shell MoU, as was reported to URCA. The commercial justification is further compromised in the context of BPL’s depreciation schedule of 25 years, which means that the asset is already fully depreciated, thereby, making the investment even more undesirable.” The $600,000 option was to repair engines by replacing the damaged casings instead of purchasing two new turbochargers. Mr Dean states he requested Mr Heastie to shore up technical justification for the proposal, as well as provide competing bids to ensure accountability, transparency and fairness in the procurement process, as well as compliance with the
corporation’s procurement policy. Mr Dean said he requested an on-site visit to the power station on July 31, 2018, and Mr Heastie assigned Mr Davis to accompany him. “During the visit, the plaintiff learned that the BPL’s senior technical staff did not support the proposal to purchase the turbocharges,” the statement read, “but supported the purchase of the casings, as they had the capacity to repair the engines until the engines were replaced.” Mr Dean said Mr Davis was summarily terminated five months ahead of his scheduled retirement after he returned for a site-visit with Mr Dean. Mr Davis had been working at BPL for 25 years. Mr Dean said he asked Mr Heastie for competing bids or a statement confirming that it was not possible to have competing bids for the replacement of the turbochargers at Clifton Pier; a cost breakdown and analysis for competing options; and an opinion from the
senior technical staff of BPL. He added that Mr Heastie failed, neglected or refused to provide the requested information. Last year August, Mr Bannister told Tribune Business that Mrs Osborne and Nick Dean’s refusal to green light the proposal had directly exposed residents in New Providence to blackouts and set the corporation up to incur a $10m-plus loss. Mr Dean states Mr Bannister, pictured above, expressed anger and threatened to remove him and other board members if they did not comply with his wishes in a meeting on August 2, 2018. “[Mr Bannister] stated that he wanted Mr Heastie, the CEO of BPL, to run BPL and have the power to hire BPL’s executives, without reference to or involvement by the board of BPL; that it was nonsense for the Chairwoman [Darnell Osborne] to take the position that the
opinion of outside counsel should be secured prior to board’s signing off on the Shell MOU and the unilateral hiring and firing of BPL’s executives by the CEO.” Notwithstanding the threat, Mr Dean said he maintained his position as an independent director without bias and further suggested that BPL adopt quality management system protocols to ensure corporate accountability, transparency and efficiency. The entire board was called to a meeting with Mr Bannister on August 14, 2018 - with the exception of Mr Dean who was travelling - to ask for their resignations as other directors: Patrick Rollins, Whitney Heastie and Ferron Bethel had already resigned. Mr Bannister reportedly told the grouping that he and Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis were unhappy with the way the board was functioning.
My son was working to clear his name, claims his mother from page one The incident, according to Mrs Ferguson, has always been mired in controversy and confusion, given the fact that her son was also nearly killed, and that he and the deceased were said to be travelling together at the time of the shooting. In a letter he penned with her assistance in recent weeks, Ferguson claimed that he and Culmer were leaving a barber shop when both men were shot. He said he was rushed to the hospital by his brother, where he was immediately transferred to the trauma unit. Ferguson said he spent two weeks in the hospital awaiting surgery to remove a bullet lodged near his heart, before being unexpectedly discharged to be arraigned for Culmer’s murder. In the letter, he notes his plea to Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt when she asked him how he came to be injured. Ferguson recalled the judge’s attempt to arrange a second surgery for him while he was held on remand. He said despite her best efforts, the surgery was withheld. In his letter seen by The Tribune he addressed
this period, writing: “Not because I live through Dorsette Alley, it supposed to be One Order hot spot, but I am not a gang member and should not be used as a scapegoat to the public so that police can look like they solving crime.” Mrs Ferguson said her son was never able to recover from the murder charge, compounded by the fact that he was seen in a negative light by Culmer’s relatives. “It is [name omitted] view that the people came to shoot at me but [Culmer] was caught in the crossfire. [Name omitted] sees his death as my fault and I should pay by going to jail. This is ridiculous obviously,” was how Ferguson concluded his letter. Holding several copies of this letter yesterday, Mrs Ferguson fought back tears as she blamed herself for not doing more to have her son’s ordeal documented in the press and on social media. “Now he gone and I only have the words on the paper,” she said. In his letter, Ferguson said his case ended in a mistrial and referred to a second trial before another judge, however it is not clear how this case concluded. Police in a press statement yesterday appealed
ANTHONY Ferguson was trying to clear his name following a 2015 murder charge. to members of the public with information related to the case to contact CDU at 502-9991, Crime Stoppers at 328-TIPS or 919. Ferguson was one of three men shot over the
WOMAN DIES IN TRAFFIC ACCIDENT A WOMAN is dead following a traffic accident on San Salvador yesterday. According to reports given to police, shortly after noon a crash occurred on Queen’s Highway near the community of Sandy Point, involving a champagne coloured 2011 Hyundai sports
utility vehicle and a black 2010 Nissan Note. The drivers and passengers of both vehicles received injuries and were transported to the community clinic, where a woman was pronounced dead. The other injured persons are listed in serious
condition and are expected to be flown to New Providence for further medical attention. Officers from the RBPF’s Traffic Department in New Providence will travel to San Salvador to continue investigations into this incident.
weekend incidents.
in
separate
A man was reportedly shot while standing at the
junction of Cambridge Lane and West Street in New Providence shortly after 2pm Saturday. Police said two men in a silver coloured car approached him and discharged a firearm in his direction, hitting him in his left ankle before driving off. The victim was taken to hospital and is listed in stable condition. In the third incident, a man went to the Marsh Harbour Health Clinic in Abaco with a gunshot wound in his face. Police said the man reported that while in Murphy Town, sitting in his vehicle shortly before 9pm on Saturday, he was approached by a man whom he knew, who pointed a firearm in his direction, opened fire, hitting him in his face. The man then fled. He was rushed to the clinic by private vehicle and was seen by a doctor who listed his injuries as serious, but stable. He was later airlifted to New Providence for further medical attention. Investigations into all three matters are continuing.
PAGE 6, Monday, May 27, 2019 from page one His comments come as the Medical Association of The Bahamas gets to work drafting a position paper on medical marijuana. MAB president Dr Marcus Cooper acknowledged officials were “dragging our feet” when it came to drafting legislation but sought to temper public anxiety that the country was missing out on major medical breakthroughs. Mr Gomez said: “It’s ludicrous to me that you can have marijuana-based eye drops that is beneficial to the optic nerve but because it’s marijuana it’s outlawed? That doesn’t make sense. “It’s illogical if everyone around us is recognising, ‘hey this has medicinal purposes’ and they’re using it for those persons, what is it for us to discuss?” Mr Gomez continued: “Now you may have discussion on recreational uses because that’s no longer a health issue, that’s about choices. But for the sick and those who are attempting to get better, they should be given every possible means of recovering, and be able to access it locally. This is just basic. “If cocaine and cocainebased medicines are perfectly legal to administer by a physician, what could be the argument for a doctor not legally being in a position to administer marijuana-based medications?” Marijuana, termed Indian hemp in the Dangerous Drugs Act, is classified in part II of the act alongside coca leaves, crude cocaine, and raw opium. Legal pathways already exist for marijuana’s medicinal and scientific use in the country as the Dangerous Drugs Act provides an opportunity to request imports for a specific purpose. Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Pearl McMillan told The Tribune last year the ministry’s records do not indicate that an application to the Dangerous Drugs Act for “Indian hemp” has ever been made.
THE TRIBUNE
‘Government’s position on medical marijuana is ludicrous and illogical’ She said a number of factors could contribute to the lack of applications, and highlighted a lack of awareness and stigma. Yesterday, Dr Cooper said the MAB’s position paper will specifically address benefits, risks, alternatives to current treatment, and guidelines, if any, related to medical marijuana. “We know there are a few indications now that cannabis and cannabinoid products have been successfully used in. There is a lot of anecdotal evidence but the science and literature only support a few indications,” Dr Cooper said. “So we’re going to be looking at those areas where the evidence supports its use and comparing to current therapy to see if there really is a benefit. “The ball is rolling we have started already.” Dr Cooper continued: “People think we’re behind because we’re dragging our feet and we are as far as drafting legislation to address that, but there are no medical breakthroughs that are happening. It’s only now that people are decriminalising and legalising it that they can do research, and that takes time. “So yes people are coming out and saying ‘this helped me’ but we don’t prescribe medication just based on that. We want to make sure we do it properly because it’s not without risk.” The Minnis
FORMER Minister of State for Legal Affairs Damian Gomez administration created BNCM to investigate and report on Bahamians’ views on cannabis. The group was expected to submit its first draft on Bahamian attitudes on the controversial plant— the first step in a larger debate on the prohibition of medical and recreational use — this month. However, the commission has been granted a three-month extension. The Regional Commission on Marijuana, which
presented a report to CARICOM on the social, economic, health and legal issues surrounding marijuana in the region last year, recommended that in a regulated framework, marijuana should be treated like tobacco and alcohol. Despite the assessment being done, Mr Gomez feels the government should have moved more swiftly on the issue. “One would have thought that by now the
government would have moved to pass whatever necessary legislation is need to legalise medical marijuana,” he said. “They don’t need to wait for a commission for that. In the same way that Novocaine and these other drugs are administered, you can’t just go and get it you need a prescription, and it’s supervised by a doctor. I don’t see that as being problematic. “Now we may need to
go further so that pharmacies are enabled to buy those particular medications and in the initial stages we may need to import so you would need some legislation dealing with bringing the drug from the Jamaican institution that does it until we set up our own. “And then from that point onwards our local institution would be the entity that sells the drug ultimately to the patients. It is not about recreation, this is about medicine.” Cannabis and cannabinoid products have shown success in treating chemo therapy-induced nausea and vomiting, and seizures, according to Dr Cooper, who said those treatments were wellpackaged and easy to identify. The MAB president noted the government will be challenged in efforts to decriminalise or regulate the plant for other medicinal purposes, pointing out complex formulations will be difficult for law enforcement to differentiate from contraband. “Nobody has ever died from smoking marijuana,” Dr Cooper said, “that’s true, but there are medical and psychological risks associated with THC in particular.” The MAB’s position paper is several months away, Dr Cooper said, but the association hopes it will coincide with the BNCM’s position paper on legalisation.
22-YEAR-OLD ACCUSED OF MURDER By MORGAN ADDERLEY Tribune Staff Reporter madderley@tribunemedia.net A 22-YEAR-OLD Haitian man was arraigned in a Magistrate’s Court on Friday charged with murdering one man and attempting to murder four others in an incident which occurred earlier this month.
A 33-year-old man was also arraigned in connection with the murder of a man on May 7. Both men appeared before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt and were remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services. It is alleged that on May 13, Rosemond Etienne of
Wilson Tract caused the death of Kyle Rolle and on that same day intentionally and unlawfully attempted to murder four other men. It is also alleged that on May 4, Joey Scott intentionally caused the death of Lamont Fisher. Neither man was required to enter a plea and the matter was adjourned to August 13.
MEN CHARGED WITH RAPE AND ATTEMPTED RAPE
By MORGAN ADDERLEY Tribune Staff Reporter madderley@tribunemedia.net
TWO men were arraigned in a Magistrate’s Court on Friday on separate charges of rape and assault with attempt to rape. Kevin Archer, 21, was accused of assaulting a woman in Nassau Village on May 19 with intent to rape. James Stubbs, 25, was
accused of having sexual relations with an 18-yearold woman without her consent in May 2017. Both men appeared before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt and were remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services. Archer’s mother, who was present in the courtroom, requested that he be given some protection while at BDCS, saying that she and her son are close
relatives of murder victims Marco and Rico Archer. Archer’s mother said she is the sister of the deceased, who were brothers. Rico Archer was murdered on December 11, 2018 outside of his North Street home. His death came seven years after 11-year-old Marco was murdered. Archer’s matter was adjourned to August 13 while Stubbs’ case was set for July 30.
MONDAY, MAY 27, 2019
THE STORIES BEHIND THE NEWS
ON May 17 the gunshots that rang out in Blair Estates and took the lives of three men sent a tremor throughout the community, fracturing the perception of the police force.
The public’s trust in the police should not be taken for granted By MALCOLM STRACHAN
ON May 17 the gunshots that rang out in the wee hours of the morning in Blair Estates sent a tremor throughout the community, fracturing the perception of the police force. So often in police-involved killings, competing accounts on what took place began to spread. Three lives were taken - of men known to the police for a multitude of drug offences and allegations of violent crimes - but there is still discomfort and uncertainty with questions over what actually took place. Like in most stories, there are always three sides – one side, the other side and the truth. Trying to identify the truth is problematic when police are responsible for investigating their colleagues in such matters. As there is a prevailing opinion that police protect one another, this does little to inspire public confidence in the good men and women of the Royal Bahamas Police Force. In fact, it does just the opposite, and The Bahamas is not alone in this - as other countries experience similar issues when society views the police force as a threat to the community. To this end, the government, as well as the police, have much to do to instil and maintain the trust and support of the Bahamian people. Their jobs are far too difficult to execute without the help of the community, and thus, ensuring policing is transparent and inclusive is paramount to efficient performance. In the wake of the killings, many have glorified
the deaths as getting three more “menaces to society” off the streets. However, do we want to live in a society where we give the police licence to murder three men in cold-blood in a home filled with women and children? It is a lot to consider. Certainly, a badge should not give one the perceived right to take the law into their own hands. Likewise, our opinions on those who have resorted to lives of crime does not change the fact we are a country of laws. In the event an arrest can be made, we should be able to rely on our judicial system as the last line of defence from the criminal element. It’s effectiveness, however, is another matter, which should not be remedied by our police officers acting as judge and jury on the streets. Minister of National Security Marvin Dames said in November - after the country experienced the tenth of the 11 MINISTER of National Security Marvin Dames
police-involved killings in the year - that he did not want society to view the RBPF through an “us versus them” lens. Unfortunately, with nothing happening to restore confidence in the police on that front, it seems to be what we’re left with. Though the police have been lauded for the great job they’ve been doing alongside the Minnis administration in the fight against crime, the public’s trust in the RBPF has not. In fact, we can see just how fragile it is when an alleged gang leader has been murdered, and many people empathise with the family whose accounts depict the officers on the scene in such a negative light. Reports of pregnant women being physically assaulted and claims the men did not, as officers on the scene reported, fire a shot at the police before being killed, have been unsettling, to say the least. Worse, the government’s stubbornness toward
forming an independent body, as has been done in other countries, to in effect, police the police, has also rubbed many people the wrong way. Particularly, with the National Security minister’s previous life as a high-ranking police officer consistently being scrutinised, the government’s evasiveness on this issue has left many to be critical of them in this regard. Trust in the police should not be taken for granted, as the public’s belief in its legitimacy is essential. This legitimacy encourages cooperation, which impacts their rate of success in crimefighting. Also, it leads one to obey the law and fosters deference to law enforcement to make good decisions. A study in New York City revealed the responses of 830 residents, surveyed to investigate whether perceived legitimacy of police – trust and confidence in law enforcement – cultivated higher levels of cooperation from the
general public. Interestingly, along with increased cooperation with the police force, the study also showed a correlation between perceived legitimacy of the police and higher levels of cooperation with the public. Similar studies to examine the cooperation of Muslim-Americans with the police on terrorism investigations revealed the same. Outside the US, in Slovenia, a study performed on 638 high school students, likewise, also indicated cooperation with law enforcement depends heavily on one of the major factors of legitimacy – trust. Without trust, an “us versus them” mentality becomes harder to avoid. To his credit, Dames has sought to introduce technology as a means to increase transparency in policing with the introduction of body cameras. Days after the killings took place, he announced the imminent signing of the deal to secure body cameras for local law enforcement agencies would be taking place in a few weeks. Previously, he assured the Bahamian people the RBPF would be outfitted with body cameras before summer. Ironically, despite body cameras being quite effective, it’s reported only few of the United States’ 18,000 police departments use them. Law enforcement in Canada, predominantly, has also opted not to use body cameras suggesting the cost is not worth it. Though, statistics tell a different story. Police departments in Rialto, California, and Mesa, Arizona, both reported use of force by police declining by 59 percent and citizen complaints
decreasing by 50 percent, respectively. Those figures alone make a case for why body cameras can be a great addition to policing in our country. This is likely why the National Security minister has been seeking its implementation since the FNM government came to office in 2017. While he seemingly has followed through with this promise to bring them on stream before summer, we have not heard anything in relation to legislation that should accompany body cameras. Absent that, one could only imagine the amount of issues that would take place. Will footage be public record? Will there be circumstances whereby footage is unable to be seen by the public? Will officers be able to view the footage before turning it over to superiors? Once we start asking questions, this list can become quite lengthy rather quickly. States in the US, which introduced police body cameras nearly 15 years ago, are still developing and refining policies to answer similar questions. As for us, we have to start somewhere, and mitigating the plethora of issues that can come about without properly defined policy legislating the use of body cameras is a good a place as any. The last thing we want is a well-meaning initiative to fail because of lack of government foresight. We should hope the government is finalising legislation to table in parliament to accompany the rollout of body cameras. Anything short of that will be a huge misstep.
PAGE 8 MONDAY, MAY 27, 2019
INSIGHT
EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net
Browne and Mottley:
GASTON BROWNE, prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda.
Shapers of the regional future
P
RIME Ministers Gaston Browne of Antigua and Barbuda and Mia Mottley of Barbados are two of the Caribbean’s young and dynamic leaders, both workaholics with clear and determined visions for the betterment of their countries. Each of them is a committed regionalist, notwithstanding insinuations to the contrary in sections of the regional media. Because of their relative youthfulness, their experience at young ages as ministers of government and parliamentarians, and now the arduous, often lonely, task they have seized with both hands of heading governments, inevitably their actions will shape the Caribbean of the future. Under conditionalities set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that she could not avoid, Prime Minister Mottley is grappling with rebuilding the diminished Barbados economy she inherited when her party was elected to govern last year. Those are circumstances Prime Minister
Browne knows well. He came into office, at his first election as Prime Minister in 2014, to a legacy of Antigua and Barbuda in the firm grip of the IMF’s austerity measures, a high debt to GDP ratio, a banking crisis, high unemployment and a sense of despair in the society, particularly the business sector. Those conditions, apart from the crisis in the banking sector, are very similar to those with which Prime Minister Mottley is wrestling. The two Prime Ministers have much in common and experiences from which they can learn in order to jump hurdles successfully. Prime Minister Mottley’s arrival in the councils of regional decision-making and the institutions of governance was warmly welcomed by Prime Minister Browne. His admiration
Funeral Service For
Alexander Correll Knowles, 78 of Nassau, The Bahamas, will be held at St. Anne’s Anglican Church, Fox Hill, Nassau, on Tuesday 28th May, 2019 at 4:30 p.m. Officiating will be Reverend Father Hugh Bartlett Jr. and Reverend Willish Johnson. He was predeceased by his father and mother, Alexander and Agnes Knowles; brothers, James Knowles and Emerick Knowles; sisters, Jean Pinder and Yvonne Knowles; brothers-in-law, Charlie Collins and William Pinder; sister-in-law, Brenda Knowles. He is survived by his loving wife of 58 years Shirley Knowles, sons, Michael and Andy Knowles; daughter, Michelle Knowles-Doura; daughter-in-law, Kim Knowles; grandchildren, Tyler (Jessica), Ashley, Savannah and Antonio Knowles, Dylan Knowles, Lauryn Doura and Correll Davis; great-granddaughter, Aurora Knowles; brothers, Patrick, Geoffrey and Charlton Knowles; sisters, Ruby Collins, Doris Anderson, Deborah Knowles and Julianna Green; sisters-in-law, Rosa Knowles, Linda Knowles, Amarylis Knowles and Dolly Munro; brothers-inlaw, Richard Anderson and Bobby Munro; nieces and nephews, Craig Pinder, Perry Pinder, Stephen Collins and family, Gina White and family, Karen Leonard and family, Richard Anderson and family, Brian Anderson and family, Cindy Woodward and family, Joanne Aranha, James Knowles Jr. and family, Roman Knowles, Kimberly Knowles, Trishka Knowles and family, Olivier Knowles, Vanessa Knowles, Ryan Knowles, Bianca Carter and family, Christian Knowles and family, Amanda Freedman and family, David Knowles, Daniela Broom and family, Marissa Knowles and family, Britney Green, Matthew Green, Kurt Munro and family, and Audra Iannarone and family. A host of other close relatives and friends throughout the Caribbean, United States and The Bahamas including Bradley Lightbourn, Maury and Eileen Lecker, Dr. Patrick Roberts, Tony and Patsy Herce, Jeff and Margo Albury, Sammy Knowles, the entire staff of Aquapure and his Esso family. A special thanks to Dr. Williamson Chea, Dr. Christine Chin and Verine (Juju) Morgan. In lieu of flowers the family’s requests that donations be made to The Ranfurly Home For Children, P.O. Box N1413, Nassau or St. Anne’s Anglican Church, P.O. Box N. 1569, Nassau in memory of Mr. Alexander C. Knowles. Arrangements by Kemp’s Funeral Home Limited.
for her continues, despite differences in their leadership styles. Those differences in style should not be mistaken for divergences from substance. And, no non-existent rivalry should be conjured by any who thrive on portraying difference as division. Given Antigua and Barbuda’s distinctive political culture, Gaston Browne has adopted a style of open disclosure and comment on all things, big or small. He operates on the basis of being proactive in providing information in order not to be reactive when information is dispensed in his society, not always accurately. Barbadian governance follows a pattern of utilizing institutions, such as parliament, and more formal structures for disseminating information, although the Barbados media was highly critical of former Prime Minister Freundel Stuart for the infrequency of his public explanations. Prime Minister Browne’s open disclosure of matters surrounding the regional airline, LIAT, and particularly policy dissimilarity with Prime Minister Mottley, has been characterised as the basis for a feud. There is no such feud.
The policy dissimilarity between the two Prime Ministers over LIAT arises from the urgency of Barbados reducing debt, and the equal urgency in Antigua and Barbuda of maintaining employment. It does not result from any divergence over the vital importance of the airline to tourism in the region and to regional integration The boundaries set by the Barbados Economic and Recovery Transformation plan, if it is to be strictly followed in all things, give the Barbados government little leeway to incur further debt. Indeed, the strategy is to reduce debt. So, Ms Mottley has indicated Barbados cannot, in its present financial situation, support the recapitalization of LIAT as envisaged by a Caribbean Development Bank sponsored report. By the same token, LIAT employs a relatively large number of people in Antigua (including many non-Antiguans). Their dismissals would have a harmful immediate knockon effect in the Antigua and Barbuda economy. Thus, Mr Browne favours the recommendations of the report. In the circumstances, the Government of Antigua and Barbuda has offered to assume responsibility for certain of Barbados’ debt obligations in relation to LIAT in return for a transfer of shares. In turn, the Government of Barbados has agreed to enter negotiations along the lines of the offer in broad terms.
MIA MOTTLEY, prime minister of Barbados. The challenge before the two governments is how, in good faith and genuine cooperation, they can settle arrangements that: reduce Barbados’ debt; does not swell unemployment in Antigua; and fulfils the joint objective of maintaining regional air transportation to continue to serve tourism and the social and business travel of the Caribbean’s people. There should be no doubt the elimination of LIAT will affect all the many countries it now serves, including Guyana whose oil and gas industries will demand increased air transportation. The region has seen many other airlines come and go since 1974 when the present incarnation of LIAT occurred. The names are now distant memories, but to recall some of them: EC Express, RedJet, Caribbean Star and a brief appearance by American Express. No private company has hung around to deliver the air transportation that is needed regionally from St Kitts-Nevis in the North to Guyana in the South. LIAT (1974) Ltd was formed and supported by CARICOM Heads of Governments because they knew the intrinsic truth that an economically integrated and strong Caribbean society could not be built or sustained without regional transportation. Over those 45 years, LIAT has become a West Indian institution, comparable with the University of the West Indies and West Indian cricket in their contribution to strengthening West Indian roots and enhancing West Indian identity. It is worth noting the governments of The Bahamas
and the Cayman Islands have annual allocations of resources to their airlines, because they fully appreciate the importance of their airlines to tourism and the needs of their people. Jean Holder, an integrationist who has been a key person in regional tourism, including 15 years as the Chairman of LIAT, makes the following point that all governments would do well to remember: “Governments already subsidize every aspect of land-based tourism on the grounds that it is a critical export industry earning foreign exchange. If hotel rooms are one leg of tourism, then air transportation is the second leg without which it cannot stand.” LIAT remains vital to the Caribbean generally and to Antigua and Barbuda and Barbados. It is well within the intellectual capacity and creativity of Prime Ministers Browne and Mottley to give teams, representing their two governments, a mandate to ‘negotiate within a framework of co-operation’. Such a mandate would satisfy the imperatives of their economies while maintaining their joint goal of enhanced Caribbean integration. In the collaboration of these two relatively young, strong and hardworking leaders, the region’s future could be shaped for better. The writer is Ambassador of Antigua and Barbuda 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 at Massey College in the University of Toronto. The views expressed are entirely his own. Responses and previous commentaries: www. sirronaldsanders.com
Death Notice For
Sydney French, 87
of Village Green, Nassau, The Bahamas died peacefully at home on Thursday, May 23rd, 2019. He is survived by his wife, Ivy French; daughters, Maureen French, Patricia French and her partner Bruce Ost; sisters-in-law, Margaret French and Evelyn Thring and her husband Jim of Ontario, Canada.
He was Uncle Sydney to nieces, Linda Sauer, Victoria Roberts and Eileen French; nephew, N. James French III and his wife Janet; nephew-in-law Edward Newbold. Great Uncle to Melissa Fox and her husband, Trevor, Allister Sands and his wife, DeAnna; Adele Robson and her husband Bobby; Stefan Newbold and his wife Glenda; Darren Roberts and his wife Ashley, Michelle Stevenson and her husband Patrick, Joanna Lowe and her husband Simon, and Jamie French. Sydney is also survived by 14 great and great grand nieces and nephews: Kaitlyn, Jenna and Evan Fox; Lucaya and Alexis Sands; Cecily and Cynara Robson; Alaina and A.J. Newbold; Sofia and Saria Roberts; Connor and William Stevenson; and Amelia Lowe. He is predeceased by his granddaughter Sydney Lilly Burrows, parents Nathaniel James French Sr. and Gwendoline French, his brother N. James French Jr., sisters Gwendoline French and Agnes Evans and her husband George; nieces Donna Evans and Joan Newbold and nephew-in-law Harald Sauer. Funeral arrangements to be announced.
INSIGHT
EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net
What kind of people normally bully others? · Generally, those who bully others are looking for superiority over others. That is why they focus on something unique about you and create a feeling of insecurity with the intention of hurting you. · It is their past or current situation of life that turns a person to bully others. Those who bully have experienced a very stressful or traumatic situation in their life. Some people who do not know how to positively respond to stress or trauma may turn to violence and bullying. · The person who bullies, often feels their family and friends do not have enough time to spend with them. A violent family environment also leads to a person becoming a bully. · Just to feel popular and seen as tough or cool can also lead to act of bullying. Some people may also learn to bully from others. · The person who experience bullying, is more likely to bully others. They bully others to protect themselves from being bullied. · The bully has low selfesteem. So they put others down in order to get superiority. Bullies usually do not have any particular talent. So they make fun of others. · But there are some bullies that do not fit in any of the above criteria. They just bully others because of their ego. What kind of people are bullied?
Be Confident. Bullies lose their power if you do not cower. Deep down, they doubt they deserve your respect. They admire you for speaking with self-assurance and
Bullies operate by making their victims feel alone and powerless. Use Simple, Unemotional Language. An assertive, but unemotional response lets a bully know the victim does not intend to be victimized. It does not seek forgiveness, but does not pose a challenge either. Set Limits. The trick is to remain polite and professional while still setting your limits firmly. Do not let the bully get under your skin that is what they want. Practice your response so you are prepared the next time something happens and you can respond swiftly without getting emotional. Keep it simple and straightforward. Act quickly consistently.
and
The longer a bully has power over a victim, the stronger the hold becomes. Oftentimes, bullying begins in a relatively mild form name calling, teasing, or minor physical aggression. After the bully has tested the waters and confirmed that a victim is not going to tell an adult and stand up for his rights, the aggression worsens. How to Prevent Bullying Parents, school staff and other caring adults have a role to play in preventing bullying. Help kids understand bullying. Talk about what bullying is and how to stand up to it safely. Tell kids bullying is unacceptable. Make sure kids know how to get help. Keep the lines of communication open. Check in with kids often. Listen to them. Know their friends, ask about school and understand their concerns. Encourage kids to do what they love. Special activities, interests, and hobbies can boost confidence, help kids make friends, and protect them from bullying behaviour. Model how to treat others with kindness and respect. Kids who know what bullying is can better identify it. They can talk about bullying if it happens to them or others. Kids need to know ways to safely stand up to bullying and how to get help. ·Encourage kids to speak to a trusted adult if they are bullied or see others being bullied. The adult can give comfort, support, and advice, even if they cannot solve the problem directly. Encourage the child to report bullying if it happens.
Keep the Lines of Communication Open People do look to others who they look up to for advice and help on tough decisions. Sometimes spending 15 minutes a day talking can reassure kids that they can talk to their parents if they have a problem. Start conversations about daily life and feelings with questions like these: · What was one good thing that happened today? Any bad things? · What is lunch time like at your school? Who do you sit with? What do you talk about? · What is it like to ride the bus to school? · What are you good at? What do you like best about yourself? Talking about bullying directly is an important step in understanding how the issue might be affecting a person. There are no right or wrong answers to these questions, but it is important to encourage others to answer them honestly. Assure kids them that they are not alone in addressing any problems that arise. Start conversations about bullying with questions like these: · What does “bullying” mean to you? · Describe what someone who bully is like. Why do you think people bully? · Who are the adults you
trust most when it comes to things like bullying? · Have you ever felt scared to go to school or work because you were afraid of bullying? What ways have you tried to change it? · What do you think parents can do to help stop bullying? · Have you or your friends left others out on purpose? Do you think that was bullying? Why or why not? · What do you usually do when you see bullying going on? · Do you ever see someone being bullied? How does it make you feel? · Have you ever tried to
help someone who is being bullied? What happened? What would you do if it happens again? There are simple ways that parents and caregivers can keep up-to-date with kids’ lives. · Read class newsletters and school flyers. Talk about them at home. · Check the school website Go to school events. Meet teachers and counsellors · Share phone numbers with other kids parents Encourage Kids to Do What They Love Help kids take part in activities, interests, and hobbies they like. Kids can volunteer, play sports, sing
in a chorus, or join a youth group or school club. These activities give kids a chance to have fun and meet others with the same interests. They can build confidence and friendships that help protect kids from bullying. Model How to Treat Others with Kindness and Respect Kids learn from adults actions. By treating others with kindness and respect, adults show the kids in their lives that there is no place for bullying. Even if it seems like they are not paying attention, kids are watching how adults manage stress and conflict, as well as how they treat their friends, colleagues, and families.
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What should you do if a bully approaches you?
Stay Connected.
Talk about how to stand up to bullies. Give tips, like using humour and saying “stop” directly and confidently. Talk about what to do if those actions do not work, like walking away · Talk about strategies for staying safe, such as staying near adults or groups of other kids. Urge them to help kids who are bullied by showing kindness or getting help.
al
· A person who is good at what they do · Intelligent, Determined, and Creative · Few or no friends · Popular or well liked · Physical features that attract attention · An illness or disability · Sexual orientation · Religious or cultural beliefs · Race
confidence. So when they bombard, do not counterpunch. Rather, win them over with your strong, firm, courteous demeanour.
ay s Tr u
· Physical bullying can involve hitting, kicking, pinching, pushing or otherwise attacking others. · Verbal bullying refers to the use of words to harm others with name-calling, insults, making sexual or prejudiced comments, harsh teasing, taunting or verbal threats. · Relational bullying focuses on excluding someone from a peer group, usually through verbal threats, spreading rumours and other forms of intimidation. · Reactive bullying involves the bully responding to being a former victim by picking on others. · Bullying can also involve assault on a person’s property, when the victim has his or her personal property taken or damaged. · Cyber bullying is the use of electronic communication to bully a person, typically by sending messages of an intimidating or threatening nature.
d 30
What are the different types of bullying?
Helping kids to beat the bullies
e
B
ULLYING is the use of superior strength or influence to intimidate someone, typically to force them to do something.
MONDAY, MAY 27, 2019 PAGE 9
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PAGE 10 MONDAY, MAY 27, 2019
INSIGHT
EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net
The agony of mixed race babies left after WW2
By LUCY BLAND Professor of Social and Cultural History, Anglia Ruskin University AROUND 2.2 percent of the population of England and Wales is now mixed race and 3.3 percent are from black ethnic groups. During World War II, over 70 years ago, these figures were far lower. And so, unsurprisingly, life was difficult for the 2,000 or so mixed race babies who were born in World War II to black American GIs and white British women. They grew up in predominately white localities and experienced significant racism. I have interviewed 45 of these children (now in their 70s), hailing from all over England. Their story of institutional racism rivals the horrors of the appalling story of the Windrush generation. Of the 3m US servicemen who passed through Britain in the period 194245, approximately 8 percent were African-American. The GIs were part of a segregated army and they brought their segregation polices with them, designating towns near to American bases “black” or “white” and segregating pubs and dances along colour lines, with dances held for black GIs one evening and whites the next. Inevitably, relationships formed between the black GIs and local women and some resulted in what the AfricanAmerican press referred to as “brown babies”. All these children were born illegitimate because the American white commanding officers refused black GIs permission to marry, the rationale being that back in the US, 30 of the then 48 states had anti-miscegenation laws. The children grew up in predominately white areas – the sites where the GIs had been largely based: south and south-west England, south Wales, East Anglia and Lancashire, where they had little or no black or mixed race role models. Most suffered racism, the stigma of illegitimacy and a confused identity. Monica, pictured above, one of the women I interviewed, remembers there were no other mixed race children in her area at all. “That was the hardest part,” she told me. “People literally would turn around if I walked into a shop and stare, it was horrible … I was made to feel like a
complete outcast, like I was contaminated.” Jennifer, meanwhile, recalls one particular incident: “There was a girl that were very friendly. She told me where she lived and I went to call for her one night. And her mother opened the door. Oh, she went bananas. Oh, she went mad! I thought she were gonna have the door off the hinges. It’s a good job my fingers weren’t in the door, she’d have broke them!” Racist name calling was widespread for these children. Gillian, for example, who grew up in Rugeley, Staffordshire, told me that in addition to “blackie” and “nigger”, when she got to secondary school her peers started to call her “Gillywog”. The thing that Deborah, born in Somerset in 1945, never got used to was being pointed at in shops. She remembers children used to ask: “Mummy, why is that girl black?” The hardest thing, she found, “was not knowing why I was different. If you’ve got an identity that includes being black, you should be proud of it”. Just under half of these children were put into children’s homes. Few were adopted. Everyone involved in the adoption process appeared to assume black or mixedrace children were “too hard to place”, an attitude that carried on into at least the 1960s. Of the 45 “brown babies” I spoke to, 21 were put into children’s homes but only four were adopted by non-relatives. Several were adopted by their grandparents, while a few were fostered. Leon Lomax is the only British “brown baby” I have found who was adopted by his US father. In December 1945, Somerset County Council, who had 45 mixed-race GI babies in their care, approached the Home Office to see if they could get the children adopted by “putative fathers, near relatives or other ‘coloured’ families in the US” (“putative” as there was no DNA testing to establish paternity until the 1960s). But the Home Secretary pointed out that it went against the Adoption Act, which only allowed adoption by British subjects or relatives. In 1948, the government changed its policy for just over a year (the year of Leon’s adoption), but in 1949 reverted back to the ban, despite hundreds of African Americans keen
to adopt the children. It appears that in 1948 the government had become increasingly concerned that they were being seen to be shirking responsibility and of dumping the mixed-race children of British subjects onto the Americans. The Home Office explicitly wanted “to avoid any suggestion that we in this country are trying to get rid of the coloured waifs left behind by the American occupation”. Yet government’s ambivalence towards the “brown babies” remained. The children were not white and therefore not truly “British”, since Britishness assumed whiteness. In addition, a mixed-race GI baby stood out as a visual marker of the black soldier having indeed, as the comedian Tommy Trinder was wellknown for quipping, been “over-paid, over-fed, oversexed and over-here”. Whether or not they grew up in a children’s home, nearly all my interviewees knew little or nothing about their fathers. They often did not even know their father’s name. Over the years, some have found their fathers – such is the wonder of DNA testing and its increasing use in the US. Many are still finding US relatives, although it is rare that a father is still alive. For Sandi, finding her father’s wife and hearing her father always talked of her was a turning point: She said: “I was like tumbleweed. You know – when you see them cowboy films and the tumbleweed’s just blowing about where the wind takes it. I was like that. And I was aware of it, but I didn’t how to change it. And it’s about roots. It’s your roots that stabilise you.” And when James met his father in 2000, he told me he felt transformed: “Up to that point, I never felt whole. There was a part of me missing. And finding me dad was that part. I felt better and settled.” The historian David Olusoga refers to the “Windrush myth”: “The widespread misconception that black history began with the coming on that one ship.” The children left behind by the African-American GIs during and after the war are part of this preWindrush black British history – a part that has very largely been overlooked. In generously sharing their stories, the children left behind by the AfricanAmerican GIs during and after the war have shone a light on an important but overlooked aspect of this pre-Windrush black British history. theconversation.com
THE TRIBUNE By FARRAH JOHNSON BUS drivers will no longer pay tickets for bus stop infractions due to “inadequate” stops, Frederick Farrington, president of The Bahamas Unified Bus Drivers Union, said on Friday. Mr Farrington told The Tribune the union is incensed that more than 100 recognised bus stops are not in place, adding the “unfair system” does not allow bus drivers to provide services effectively. “If you were to ride down East Street corridors, there are 24 bus stops that are supposed to be on East Street but there are only four bus stops,” he said. “You go on to Market Street, there’s supposed to be 16 bus stops but there are only two bus stops.” Mr Farrington added bus drivers spend “tons of money in the Treasury Department,” but the basic tools and equipment they need are still missing. “If you have a bus driver that was driving a bus for 20 years he knows where the bus stop supposed to be, [but if] you have a police officer join the force two years ago, he doesn’t know where the bus stop supposed to be. So if a bus stops a certain place, this officer will then write him up a ticket
Monday, May 27, 2019, PAGE 11
Bus union ‘incensed’ that 100 stops are not in place saying he’s not on the bus stop and this the problem that the drivers have,” he explained. Mr Farrington said the union held a meeting in January this year with Works Minister Desmond Bannister who “promised” the issue would be dealt with. “The meeting went well... he also said we have to forward a letter to the road traffic controller, which we did, and the controller sent it back to the Ministry of Works,” Mr Farrington said. The president added they also followed up on the matter and sent another letter to the manager in charge of all of the ground works at the ministry, but nothing has been done as yet. Because the union is collaborating with the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Transport, Mr Farrington said he also “sat down” with Transport Minister Renward Wells,
WELLS: UNIFIED BUS SYSTEM ON ITS WAY By FARRAH JOHNSON
TRANSPORT and Local Government Minister Renward Wells said he is planning to launch the pilot programme for the unified bus transportation system by the end of the month. Noting the agreement for the programme is being reviewed by the government to ensure the administration “crosses their t’s and dots their i’s,” Mr Wells said all of the challenges regarding the pilot project have now been “worked out”. “The agreement I understand has been signed by the AG’s Office now,” he told The Tribune. “The PLP left a building where the project was supposed to be managed from, unfinished with loads of issues that we had to solve, which we have done. “We had to ask for an extension on the IDB grant for the project, which has been granted, and so by the end of May, the bus unification pilot project will be
RENWARD WELLS up and running,” Mr Wells said. Still, the minister said the upcoming programme should be considered more of a “study” rather than a pilot, and insisted there should be a “differentiation” between the two terms. “A pilot project is where you introduce something new [and] we are not introducing anything new,” he stated. “I would have liked to have seen us have a cardless, cashless payment system as a part of this project, but it is not. What we will be doing is valuing what a bus franchise is worth.”
US COAST GUARD CALLS OFF HUNT FOR AIRCRAFT THE US Coast Guard suspended its search for an aircraft on Saturday which went down approximately 221 miles northeast of Marsh Harbour, Bahamas. Two Florida Air National Guard F-15 fighter aircrafts witnessed the plane crash in the ocean on Friday, according to international reports. “Coast Guard 7th District watchstanders were notified by Miami Mission Control of a non-responsive pilot traveling from St Louis, Missouri to Fort Lauderdale, Florida in a 2001 twin-engine Cessna Citation aircraft at approximately 5 pm,” Local10.com reported. “Watchstanders launched a Coast Guard Air Station
Clearwater HC-130 Hercules airplane crew to respond to the incident.” It is believed only the pilot was on board the plane. The Coast Guard conducted aerial searches concentrated in an area of 642 square nautical miles. “Suspending a search is one of the most difficult decisions we ever have to make, and we never make it lightly,” said Christopher Eddy, search and rescue mission coordinator at Coast Guard 7th District, according to Local 10, a Florida news outlet. “We always want the best case scenario to happen and will continue to monitor for new information that could aid responders.”
MILO BUTLER WORK BEGINS
THE Ministry of Public Works/Bahamix will start road works on Milo Butler Highway’s northbound lane from 9.30am to 2.30 pm starting today for six working days. The resurfacing of Milo Butler Highway will extend from the Milo Butler/Tonique Williams Darling roundabout to the Fire Trail Road roundabout. Northbound traffic will be subjected to single lane closures for the duration of the works. Motorists are asked to avoid the area if possible. For inquiries or concerns, contact 242-361-3882/242-361-3886.
To advertise in The Tribune, contact 502-2394
JITNEYS on Bay Street who told him the ministry needed to allocate more funds to repair the necessary areas. “He [Mr Wells] said that he would see that these things be done but hence they are not done… it’s a dying need that the industry needs, and at the hands of the government, it’s like they’re just not assisting us.” When asked to comment on the Bahamas Unified Bus Driver Union’s complaints regarding
inadequate bus stops, Mr Wells admitted there are “few” areas to place them, due to most houses in New Providence being built so closely to roads. “At the end of the day, if the government is going to install bus stops that will need to be a part of the overall unified bus transportation system that will come,” he said. He added the government may also have to evaluate how it “acquires portions of property” in the
country to create more bus stops along routes. Mr Wells insisted other options will still be available. “We may not because where we end up putting bus stops throughout New Providence may be in places where its government owned property – and we can get away with it – rather than privately owned,” he explained. He also referred to the American public transportation system, mentioning the “little distance” most
bus passengers have to walk to reach the bus stops there. “Right now [in The Bahamas] we have a system where someone just steps outside their house, a bus is passing, they flag [it down] and the bus stops anywhere in the road,” Mr Wells said “We’re trying to see how we can bring more order to that system and so a part of that will be designated bus stops.” Meanwhile, Mr Farrington has insisted that “enough is enough,” adding that “tensions” in the bus community were “running high” as they have grown weary of the “constant” unmet promises. He added that this particular issue, along with other challenges that the bus drivers face, will be discussed in the union’s upcoming press conference scheduled for May 29. The Bahamas Unified Bus Drivers Union represents more than 200 of 300 bus drivers who operate in New Providence.
PAGE 12, Monday, May 27, 2019
THE TRIBUNE
MATT AUBRY, executive director of ORG.
ORG: NCIA Bill ‘raises flags’ for us By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net THE Organisation for Responsible Governance has raised concerns over the National Crime Intelligence Agency Bill that was passed in the House of Assembly last week. The bill gives expansive powers to a secretive organisation that would conduct clandestine intelligence gathering activities. Matt Aubry, executive director of ORG, said the government did not consult civil society on the bill even though it was publicly released in 2017. He said mechanisms that could ensure the law is not abused are non-existent. He agreed with some concerns Progressive Liberal Party leader Philip “Brave” Davis and Englerston MP Glenys Hanna Martin raised about the bill in the House of Assembly last week. “I think there were a lot of really important points raised that were similar to concerns that civil society would have about this bill and many of those concerns are similar to pieces that are in other legislation which are quite common,” he said. “Particularly, a bill like this that has an important component of secrecy in it, it is going to be very important that the mechanisms for accountability are clear, transparent and functional. When I look
at the research related to balancing effectiveness of intelligence agencies and transparency, the balance is best struck when you have a very strong focus on enforcement of rule of law and effective bureaucrat methods. If these things are in place, then those that would make the bill ethical and above board tend to unfold. When there’s not a great history then you would want to make sure that those mechanisms are bolstered, not only in the bill itself but within mechanisms outside of it.” When the Minnis administration tabled the National Intelligence Agency Bill in 2017, an Ombudsman Bill and an Integrity Commission Bill were tabled simultaneously. Mr Aubry said it is concerning those bills, which would enhance accountability, have not been debated and passed in the House while the Intelligence Agency bill, which has been amended since it was tabled in 2017, has been advanced to the Senate. “When they came out as a cluster it made sense at that point,” he said. “If you’re going to go forward with something concerning intelligence, you would have mechanisms like the independence of an integrity commission or the independence of a public ombudsman that can act as a voice of the people which would look out for their interests. “When those three things came out at the same time, there was a sense that if they all come together you have to understand them in context of one another. Here we are now and we see that although this bill has moved forward, it’s going in place without anything that would bring accountability. Another concern we have related to timing is that the Freedom of Information Act is still not fully enacted. Through that process, the FOIA would’ve established an information commissioner and that commissioner was supposed to develop a means test which would allow him to discern what information could be brought forward related
to public interest as well as what information would compromise national security. “And if you have a bill like the National Crime Intelligence Agency come into play it would seem that almost by definition they’re going to define what is national security without the interplay and balance of an information commissioner who is by his charge looking out for access of information for the public. If all of these things were in play it would be a different environment. Without them this raises concerns. When dealing with legislation like this, you have to consider how functional it would be and also how it could be used to further the interests of an individual or an agenda and some of the elements that were raised related to the director taking directions from the minister and the minister being bound to Cabinet is concerning. That the review committee is encompassed entirely of parliamentarians which is a global standard is concerning as well because there’s no other mechanism in place to really oversee this. All of these things raise flags for us.” Last week, Mr Davis said the NCIA Bill had elements which are “dangerous” and “unconstitutional”. The bill calls into question the independence of the body and appears to leave the door open to political interference. This is seen in clause eight of the bill outlining that the director of the NCIA “shall be subject to the directions of the minister”. It continues that the minister may from time to give general or specific directions to the director relating to the functions or exercise of the agency’s powers. The NCIA Bill further gives the agency the authority to “use any force as is necessary and reasonable to achieve the objectives” of a search warrant. Contained in clause 28 of the bill, the provision brings into question who is able to quantify what is defined and reasonable and necessary and how this can be done.
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THE TRIBUNE
Monday, May 27, 2019, PAGE 13
GB youth leaders call for end to ‘senseless’ killings By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
GRAND Bahama youth leaders are seeking to unite to stop the “senseless” killings on the island, where they say young men are being gunned down in the streets as a result of gang violence. Local community youth leaders Dudley Seide, Lindy Russell and Cecil Thompson expressed concerns over murders and shooting incidents occurring throughout the island, including the recent shooting death of a man last week in Freeport. Mr Seide, founder of Reach Out Youth Organisation, believes that while there are many youth organisations on the island, many young men are still not being reached in the streets. “We want to get all youth leaders together, along with the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture to have a youth crime forum and to put a committee together to try tackle the crime problem here,” he said.
There has been a string of shootings on Grand Bahama which has resulted in the deaths of several men, including businessmen Anthawan Simms, Lester Adderley Sr, Lester Adderley Jr and Henry Johnson. Mr Seide mentioned the recent murder of a man at Hearn Lane last week and the two murders that occurred on the nearby island of Bimini in less than a month. “Everyone is just sitting on the sidelines. We want to put a team of youth leaders together and once a committee is formed, we will meet with the Ministry of National Security to get a national programme going to put a dent in the crime
DUDLEY SEIDE
problem facing The Bahamas,” he said. Mr Seide said they want to go into High Rock and West End, hitting different areas to sit down and talk with known gang members to stop the violence. “There are known gangs in the schools and around the community, we want to sit with them and find out the issues, and show them that there is better way,” he said. “A lot of young men are dying senselessly, and all we saying is ‘another one gone’. All the youth organisations are doing their own thing, but we have to join forces if we want to tackle this problem.” Mr Seide said the key to solving this crime problem is to deal with it collectively, not separately. He noted young people lack conflict resolution skills and many of the murders are revenge killings. “Too many young boys have the mindset that they are not going to live long, and there is no fear to die or take a life,” Mr Seide said. “It is not normal for a
FIVE ARRAIGNED IN FREEPORT By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net FIVE men were arraigned on Friday in the Freeport Magistrate’s Court in connection with a number of serious offences, including possession of dangerous drugs, unlicensed firearm and ammunition. Everette Burrows, 26, Vance Andres Darville, 23, and Obrien Reckley, 25, all
of Murphy Town, Abaco; Shaquille Edmond Bootle, 25, and Joshua Sebastian Archer, 20, both of Glencoe Circle appeared in Court Two before Magistrate Charlton Smith. The men were charged with possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply. They were also charged with possession of a firearm and ammunition. They all pleaded not guilty to the charges.
In a separate matter, Reckley, Archer, and Bootle were also charged with possession of dangerous drugs. The trio pleaded not guilty to the charge. Burrows was also charged with violation of bail conditions and causing damage. He pleaded not guilty. Bail was denied and the men were remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until trial on September 9.
19 years (person) to take another the life of another 19-year-old; it is unacceptable and we cannot sit back and watch this happen day in and day out, and do nothing. “It is important that we
put this committee together to try and make a difference; if we fail, we fail trying. But doing nothing is not an option anymore; we cannot continue to sit back and watching these young men die on our streets
every day - everyone knows it is a gang issue,” he said. Mr Seide said he and others will hold another meeting with youth leaders today who are interested in being a part of the committee.
THE TRIBUNE
ALL THE FUN OF THE FAIR
OUR Lady of the Holy Souls church held its annual fair and raffle this weekend
Photos: Donavan McIntosh
PAGE 14, Monday, May 27, 2019
THE TRIBUNE
Monday, May 27, 2019, PAGE 15
Europe’s major blocs lose grip on power BRUSSELS Associated Press THE European Union’s traditional centre splintered in the hardest-fought European Parliament elections in decades, with the far right and pro-environment Greens gaining ground yesterday after four days of a polarised vote. Turnout was at a twodecade high over the balloting across the 28 European Union countries. The elections were seen as a test of the influence of the nationalist, populist and hard-right movements that have swept the continent in recent years and impelled Britain to quit the EU altogether. Both supporters of closer European unity and those who consider the EU a meddlesome and bureaucratic presence portrayed the vote as crucial for the future of the bloc. In Britain, voters went for the extremes, with the strongest showing for Nigel Farage’s the newly formed Brexit party and a surge for the staunchly pro-European Liberal Democrats, versus a near wipeout for Conservatives. In France, an electorate that voted Emmanuel Macron into presidential office in 2017 did an about-face and the party of his defeated opponent, Marine Le Pen, drew into first place. In Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel’s ruling coalition saw a drastic loss in support to the Greens and, to a lesser extent, the far right. Italy’s League party, led by Matteo Salvini, claimed 32% of the vote in early projections, compared with around 6% five years ago. “Not only is the League the first party in Italy, but Marine Le Pen is first in France, Nigel Farage is first
BREXIT Party leader Nigel Farage, left, shows his delight as the results come in announced. in Great Britain. Therefore, Italy, France and England: the sign of a Europe that is changing, that is fed up,” Salvini said. Despite gains, the vote was hardly the watershed anticipated by Europe’s far-right populists, who have vowed to dilute the European Union from within in favor of national sovereignty. Pro-EU parties still were expected to win about two-thirds of the 751-seat legislature that sits in Brussels and Strasbourg, according to the projections released by the parliament and based on the results rolling in overnight. The continent-wide voting had major implications not just for the functioning of the bloc but also for the internal politics in many countries . Le Pen exulted that the expected result “confirms the new nationalist-globalist division” in France and beyond; Greece’s governing party
called for snap elections after its loss; and Salvini was expected to capitalize on the outcome to boost his power at home. “The monopoly of power is broken,” Margrethe Vestager, of the pro-EU ALDE grouping that includes Macron’s party. Vestager declared herself a candidate to lead the European commission for ALDE, which gained seats in large part because Macron’s party is itself a newcomer. Le Pen’s far-right, antiimmigrant National Rally party came out on top in France with 24% in an astonishing rebuke of Macron, who has made EU integration the heart of his presidency. His party drew just over 21%, according to government results. Exit polls in Germany, the EU’s biggest country, likewise indicated Merkel’s party and its center-left coalition partner also suffered
losses, while the Greens were set for big gains and the far right was expected to pick up slightly more support. Turnout across the bloc was put at 50.5%, a 20-year high. An estimated 426 million people were eligible to vote. The results will likely leave Parliament’s two main parties, the European People’s Party and the Socialists & Democrats, without a majority for the first time since 1979, opening the way for complicated talks to form a working coalition. The Greens and the ALDE free-market liberals were jockeying to become decisive in the body. A subdued Esther de Lange, vice chair of the European People’s Party, conceded that the results indicate “fragmentation and a shrinking centre”. The Greens did well not just in Germany but in France and Ireland. “The
Green wave has really spread all over Europe, and for us that is a fantastic result,” said Ska Keller, the group’s co-leader in the Parliament. Germany’s Manfred Weber, the candidate of the EPP, the biggest party in Parliament, said that now it is “most necessary for the forces that believe in this Europe, that want to lead this Europe to a good future, that have ambitions for this Europe” to work together. The EU and its Parliament set trade policy on the continent, regulate agriculture, oversee antitrust enforcement and set monetary policy for 19 of the 28 nations sharing the euro currency. Britain voted, even though it is planning to leave the EU. Its EU lawmakers will lose their jobs as soon as Brexit happens. Europe has been roiled in the past few years by immigration from the Mideast and Africa and deadly attacks by Islamic extremists. It has also seen rising tensions over economic inequality and growing hostility toward the political establishment — sentiments not unlike those that got Donald Trump elected in the US. Hungary’s increasingly authoritarian prime minister Viktor Orban, a possible ally of Italy’s Salvini, said he hopes the election will bring a shift toward political parties that want to stop migration. The migration issue “will reorganize the political spectrum in the European Union,” he said. Proponents of stronger EU integration, led by Macron, argue that issues like climate change and immigration are too big for any one country to tackle alone.
3 SENTENCED TO DEATH MURDER SUSPECT IS 102
BAGHDAD Associated Press
A BAGHDAD court yesterday sentenced three French citizens to death for being members of the Islamic State group, an Iraqi judicial official said. They were the first French IS members to receive death sentences in Iraq, where they were transferred for trial from neighboring Syria. The verdict raised new questions about the legal treatment of thousands of foreign nationals formerly
with the extremist group. Many now languish in prisons in Iraq or detention camps in northern Syria. Their home countries hesitate to take back citizens they see as having gone willingly to join the militant group. The official said the three were among 12 French citizens whom the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces handed over to Iraq in January. The Kurdish-led group spearheads the fight against IS in Syria and has handed over to Iraq hundreds of suspected IS members in recent months.
A WOMAN aged 102 has been placed in psychiatric care in northeastern France after she was suspected of murdering her 92-year-old neighbour in a care home, prosecutors said. The victim was found dead and with her face swollen in her room at the care home in the town of Chezy-sur-Marne. An autopsy showed she died “as a result of asphyxiation caused by strangulation and blows to the head”, prosecutor Frederic Trinh said. “The resident of the
neighbouring room, aged 102, appeared in great agitation and told one of the medical staff that she had ‘killed someone’,” he added. Due to her state of confusion, the 102-year-old was transferred to a psychiatric unit after undergoing tests. An investigation has been opened into “voluntary homicide against a person vulnerable due to their physical condition”. She will undergo a psychological examination to determine if she is eligible for penal sanction or criminally irresponsible, he added.
EARTHQUAKE ROCKS PERU LIMA Associated Press
A POWERFUL magnitude 8.0 earthquake struck a remote part of the Amazon jungle in Peru yesterday, collapsing buildings and knocking out power to some areas but causing one reported death. The quake struck at 2:41 am and was centered in a vast nature preserve 57 miles east of the small town of Yurimaguas. Helping limit damage was the earthquake’s depth, at 70 miles below the surface, according to the US Geological Survey. A preliminary survey by authorities found that six people were injured and 27 homes damaged across seven provinces.
OKLAHOMA HIT BY TORNADOES OKLAHOMA Associated Press A TORNADO levelled a motel and tore through a mobile home park near Oklahoma City overnight, killing two people and injuring at least 29 others before a second twister raked a suburb of Tulsa more than 100 milesaway. The first tornado touched down in El Reno, about 25 miles west of Oklahoma City, late on Saturday night. It crossed an interstate and walloped the American Budget Value Inn before ripping through the Skyview Estates trailer park. Mayor Matt White said: “It’s a tragic scene out there. People have absolutely lost everything. It’s so devastating to see the loss out there.”
30 DEAD AS BOAT SINKS KINSHASA Associated Press
AUTHORITIES in western Congo say at least 30 people are dead and another 200 are missing after a boat sank on a lake. Mayor Simon Mboo Wemba said that many of those aboard the boat that sank on Lake Mai-Ndombe were teachers who had travelled to collect their salaries by boat because roads in the region are so poor. Officials estimate several hundred were on board and more than 80 survived. Boats in the Congo are usually overloaded with passengers and cargo, and official manifests don’t include all those aboard.