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Volume: 121 No.35, January 12, 2024
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LAW AND DISORDER As start of legal year marked, another murder sees a grandmother killed and a toddler shot in the head
Bail defended By RASHAD ROLLE AND JADE RUSSELL Tribune Reporters THE contentious bail issue took centre stage when lawyers, the attorney general, judiciary members and top police officials
daylIght murder
marked the opening of the legal year against the backdrop of a soaring murder rate yesterday. Three days after Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander said bail laws should be amended, Attorney SEE PAGE TWO
BY LEANDRA ROLLE and LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Reporters THE murder rate has skyrocketed 150 per cent compared to last year as the country grapples with one of its deadliest ever start to
a year. More people have been killed through January 11 than at any time in over a decade, according to The Tribune’s records, putting the murder rate ahead of 2015 when a record 146
Photos: Dante Carrer
SEE PAGE FIVE
‘I do not support capItal punIshment’
In thIs Issue:
punishment, as in my view it is contrary to New Testament teachings,” said Reverend Harry Bain. “Life is a gift from God and must be cherished, respected, and preserved.” Some believe the death penalty would deter wouldbe murderers. Reverend Bain offered other suggestions to combat crime, calling for heavier penalties for gang-related
UÊWeekend UÊclubs and socIetIes UÊtechnology page UÊour neW column on shIpWrecks UÊrelIgIon page
By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net ONE day after former Cabinet minister Leslie Miller said legislators “lack the guts” to ensure capital punishment is executed, a prominent pastor took a firm position against the penalty during a sermon as lawyers, judges, and government officials gathered at Christ Church Cathedral to mark the opening of the
REVEREND HARRY BAIN legal year. “I do not support capital
Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper
SEE PAGE FOUR
PAGE 2, Friday, January 12, 2024
THE TRIBUNE
Bail system defended from page one General Ryan Pinder disagreed, but said he had asked the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to be more aggressive in appealing judges’ decisions granting bail. Bar Association president Khalil Parker suggested critical commentary about bail reflects an “unhealthy and misguided scapegoating of the judiciary and an undue attack on the administration of justice in this country”. Chief Justice Ian Winder explained what judges consider when granting bail and called for a holistic approach to crime fighting, saying: “There is no prohibition on the grant of bail for murder.” The bail debate has changed little in more than a decade, and the various sides continued reiterating their familiar positions. Mr Pinder said of the 77 people charged with murder last year, two
were given bail and allegedly committed another murder the same year, five were given bail and allegedly re-offended for major offences, and 24 were released on bail within the same year. He noted the Court of Appeal had denied bail to “protect the safety of the public order” and for the defendant’s protection. He said statistics show people on bail for murder are generally repeat offenders and eventually murder victims. “Statistics also show that innocent people are at risk for injury or death because of these retaliatory killings. These in my opinion justify a more aggressive approach by the judiciary in denying bail in murder cases,” he said. He said prosecutors must be more aggressive in appealing bail judgements in certain circumstances. He later told reporters the Bail Act is adequate and SEE PAGE THREE
A PROCESSION of Justices, Magistrates, Members of The Bahamas Bar Association and police officers along Bay Street to Christ Church Cathedral to mark the opening of the 2024 legal year yesterday. Photos: Dante Carrer
THE TRIBUNE
Friday, January 12, 2024, PAGE 3
by the judiciary
CHIEF JUSTICE IAN WINDER
from page two does not need amending. Mr Parker, who spoke after Mr Pinder during yesterday’s ceremony, said: “It is far too easy to simply say that too many people are out on bail.” “Having identified individuals released on bail as a vulnerable class of persons, what we need are policing and other strategies targeted at effectively monitoring and
providing such individuals meaningful protection,” he said. “We also have to consider the conditions at The Bahamas Department of Correctional Services and whether it is a facility one can reasonably ask anyone to remain for their own safety.” On Monday, Commissioner Fernander suggested that people accused of serious crimes should not be given bail within two to three months of being
charged. He said the law mandates granting bail within two to three years in such cases –– a claim countered by Chief Justice Winder, who said during his address yesterday: “Contrary to the opinion of some, the law does not prescribe a twoyear requirement before an accused can be admitted to bail for the offence of murder.” He added: “A charge is not a conviction. The
fact that the police have alleged that you have committed an offence does not automatically suspend your constitutional rights for two years. The police and the prosecution must demonstrate that there is a basis for the pre-trial detention beyond the fact that it is a murder charge. “The seriousness of the offence alleged is indeed a very relevant factor, but not the only factor. The nature of the charge and
of the evidence available in support thereof, the likely sanction in case of conviction, whether conditions can be put in place to ensure the accused attends at his trial, the accused’s record, if any, the likelihood of interference with witnesses, the need to prevent public endangerment and the safety of the accused are some of the other factors the court must also consider.” He added: “Attributing
blame is not the answer. There is enough for all of us to share.” Commissioner Fernander declined to respond to what other officials said about bail when reporters approached him yesterday. “I’ve already laid my concerns,” he said. “All I want us to do now is come together and let’s move forward to address the situation. And I believe that we will do just that.”
Pinder says lawyers practice of adjournments BAR PRESIDENT SAYS A JUDICIAL to delay court cases for clients ‘unacceptable’ COMPLAINTS COMMITTEE TO BE FORMED FOR ACCOUNTABILITY
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net ATTORNEY General Ryan Pinder said some defence lawyers use adjournments as a litigation strategy for their clients, an “unacceptable” practice contributing to trial delays. “Certainly, legitimate reasons for adjournments are understandable, but today defence council clearly use it as a litigation strategy, and its unacceptable,” he said at an event marking the opening of the legal year. “I implore the private Bar to be more principled in their litigation strategy, and I ask the judiciary to have a firmer grip on the functions in their courts and not allow misguided litigation strategies to cause continued delays in hearing and concluding matters.” Mr Pinder also said the central government bears some responsibility for trial delays, noting that more than 150 matters are awaiting a pathology report. He said he spoke to Health Minister Dr Michael Darville about building capacity in this area. “We need to improve our forensics lab,” he said. “These are core matters the central government is committed to address.” Mr Pinder said the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions disposed of 314 matters in the Supreme Court last year. “The acting director of public prosecutions has been working hard to manage a department with a caseload that is larger than the number of prosecutors we have to handle them,” he said. “We are in a continual recruitment exercise for prosecutors.” He also noted that at least 19 new court facilities with chambers for judges will be built “on the site of 50 and 52 Shirley Street and
BAR ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT KHALIL PARKER By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net
ATTORNEY GENERAL RYAN PINDER the Rodney Bain building, spanning from Parliament Street to Charlotte Street.” He said construction on the buildings will begin later this year, and officials hope it will be completed within two years. He hopes a family and juvenile court complex on Bernard Road will open in the first half of this year. He said the complex will house Supreme Court and
Magistrate Court facilities and will have supporting central government agencies such as the police and social services. He added: “We will also encourage mediation as a dispute resolution option, especially in sensitive family matters. We will acquire the necessary facilities to launch a commercial court and arbitration centre to facilitate the effective
and specialised resolution of commercial disputes. By building a new Supreme Court, we will have facilities made available for a Sexual Offences Court and for a new Coroner Court. We are committed to providing the necessary infrastructure for the Judiciary to provide effective and efficient adjudication of disputes and provide justice.”
BAR Association president Khalil Parker said Chief Justice Ian Winder has collaborated with the Bar Council to form a committee to draft a Judicial Complaints Procedure. He said the procedure will be rolled out in the coming months. As officials gathered to mark the opening of the legal year yesterday, he said the project shows a “shared commitment to transparent judicial accountability.” Attorney General Ryan Pinder said last year that he supports a disciplinary system for the judiciary because judges should be held accountable for misconduct like everyone else. “For years,” he said, “the country has suffered under a regime where judgements and decisions have been delayed unnecessarily
in certain instances for years and years and years, which has a direct affect on those who are looking to get justice from the courts themselves. And it is inequitable. It is unfair. In the private sector, you would be terminated. You would not have a job.” Mr Pinder, in an interview with reporters yesterday, reiterated his view, saying: “One of the significant reasons for the call for more disciplinary process for the judiciary has to do with delayed decisions being rendered and that causes a big problem with respect to both commerce, but also with respect to the administration of justice and reaching justice. And so, we look forward to having a discussion with that to see how it encourages more timely responses by the judiciary on their rulings, as well as a formal disciplinary framework.”
PAGE 4, Friday, January 12, 2024
THE TRIBUNE
‘I do not support capital punishment’
REVEREND HARRY BAIN from page one offences and increased requirements to get bail. “Our lawmakers need to do some serious work with respect to crime and penalties,” he said. “Our parliamentary
system was created to legislate laws and policies for the good order of society. If the current laws and policies on our books are inadequate and antiquated, then it is the responsibility of our elected representatives
to put in place legislation which addresses our present-day challenges and for them to be enforced. “A lot of laws on the books, they’re not being enforced so our politicians and policymakers have their work cut out
Four patients with COVID-19 in intensive care in Grand Bahama FOUR Grand Bahama residents with COVID19 require intensive care, three of them are under intubation. The Public Hospitals Authority also said yesterday that six others are receiving care in the medical/surgical unit, but no COVID-19-positive patient has been admitted to a public hospital in New Providence.
The PHA’s update came after Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said there is no need to reintroduce COVID-19 mandates such as wearing masks, but people are recommended to wear them, and businesses could enforce a mask mandate. Former Health Minister Dr Duane Sands, the chairman of the Free National Movement,
said on Wednesday that the COVID-19 ward at the Rand Memorial Hospital is full. He said health officials on that island are concerned about the situation.
for them, and they ought not to be ducking and dilly-dallying. They need to address these matters.” Reverend Bain urged policymakers to adhere to the instructions of the police commissioner. Asked if the country
faces a crime crisis, Commissioner Fernander told reporters yesterday that violent crime is “a concern,” adding: “We have a handle on the matters that occurred.” He said Reverend Bain’s sermon was
excellent and that some of his recommendations “appear as though it is right from my policing plan,” adding: “Same ideas, and we continue to enforce that to ensure safety in our Bahama land.”
THE TRIBUNE
Friday, January 12, 2024, PAGE 5
Grandmother murdered in broad daylight and toddler shot in head from page one people were killed. A 57-year-old grandmother was the latest victim after a man emerged from bushes yesterday and killed her while shooting her two-yearold grandson, leaving him in critical condition. Relatives identified the murder victim as Renee Gray, a motherof-five, and the toddler as Adonai Moss. Ten people have been killed so far this year. Only four were killed up to this point last year, and two in 2022. Police said three women and a child –– all related –– were travelling west on Lily of the Valley corner in a small grey Japanese vehicle when a man emerged from nearby bushes and opened fire on them. After the shooting, the driver drove them to the Quakoo Street police station. Chief Superintendent Chrislyn Skippings told reporters police then took the adult woman and the toddler to the hospital, where the woman died, and the child was treated for head injuries. Police believe the group were the intended target of the gunman. A suspect said to be in his 20s was arrested shortly after the ambush. Police said he was wanted for another matter that happened earlier this year. “For someone to do that in brazen daylight, that means they’re familiar with the area,” CSP Skippings said. “They know the persons in the area. They went to the car. He went to the car and opened fire on the car. He didn’t open fire on nearby homes.” The Office of the Prime Minister called the killing a “senseless act of violence” in a statement, adding: “The prime minister emphasises that there will zero safe havens in our country for those who choose a path of crime and violence.” The shooting came less than 24 hours after a man was killed in the Montel Heights area. That man was reportedly waiting in his car with a woman friend after the vehicle experienced mechanical issues. An unknown man approached and shot him multiple times before fleeing the scene. Police also reported a double shooting on Rosedale Street early Thursday that left two women in hospital. The women, who are said to be in stable condition, were reportedly shot by a man known to them. “We will remain firm,” CSP Skippings said yesterday. “We will remain focused until all of those persons who seek to disrupt this tranquil country is placed before the courts.”
RENEE GRAY
THE VEHICLE involved in a shooting incident that took place on Lily of The Valley Corner yesterday morning where a woman identified as Renee Gray was killed and a toddler left severely injured. The driver transported the injured to the Southern Police Station on Quakoo St where they were taken to hospital. PHOTOS: Dante Carrer
MOTHER OF TEEN GIRL KILLED WHEN HOME WAS RIDDLED WITH BULLETS WAS ARRESTED By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net THE mother of the teen girl who was gunned down in her home last weekend is in police custody and is expected to be charged with a crime. Commissioner of Police Clayton Fernander confirmed to reporters yesterday that police are questioning the mother of 16-year-old Davinique Gray after she allegedly harboured a fugitive. He did not say what charge she would face. The teen was killed in her Nassau Village home on Saturday. Mr Fernander had revealed earlier that the fugitive, Gamaliel Gray, was the intended target of the murderers. Gray was wanted in connection with the death of Gerrad Coakley, who was shot and killed at his residence on January 2. Gray surrendered to police on Monday, accompanied by his attorney. Commissioner Fernander said Gray was at the Nassau Village residence at the time of the shooting. He suggested the incident was linked to gang retaliation. “Officers had to chase him maybe a day or so because we were looking for him. He was running from the police,” he said. “The criminals did their homework. Someone may
DAVINIQUE GRAY have communicated or seen him in Nassau Village at that residence. She put the entire family at risk, and it’s so sad that it ended up that the daughter was shot and killed.” Activist Terneille Burrows called for authorities to prosecute the mother, calling the result of her actions “egregious”. “Harbouring a criminal is a crime, and seeing the results of what that crime led to is even more egregious,” Ms Burrows said on Tuesday. “I agree that she must be grieving because if I was in her position I would be absolutely distraught and remorseful because we are all human beings and, of course, we understand that, but at the end of the day the onus rests with her.”
National day of prayer announced for Monday THE Bahamas Christian Council responded to a call by Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis for a national day of prayer last night, confirming that one will be held on Monday. In a statement, the council said: “The council, representing the collective voice of the Christian community in The Bahamas, is deeply concerned about the recent surge in violent crimes, particularly the senseless murders that have been plaguing our society. The council believes that through a united and fervent plea to God that we can effectively confront and overcome these challenges.” The council invited all Bahamians, regardless of denomination, to join a national prayer event at 7pm in Rawson Square on Monday. The council added: “It is a time
for the nation to come together in solidarity, to pray against the onslaught of crime that has recently escalated in our communities.” The statement continued: “The Bahamas Christian Council implores every Bahamian to consider the gravity of the situation and the power of collective prayer. How many more lives must be lost to senseless violence before we, as a nation, unite in calling upon the Lord to heal and protect our land? “This National Day of Prayer is not just a moment of asking for God’s intervention, but also a time for self-reflection, repentance, and a commitment to fostering a more peaceful and just society. It is a call to action for all Bahamians to play a part in creating a safer and more loving nation, underpinned by the teachings and love of Christ.”
PAGE 6, Friday, January 12, 2024
THE TRIBUNE
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What is the plan to tackle crime? ANOTHER day, another murder. And then prayers, for a little boy who was doing nothing wrong in the world but who was shot in the head by a coward of a man who opened fire on three women and a child. This has been an extraordinarily deadly start to the year. How deadly? A Tribune reporter started counting back, year after year, and as far back as 2014 it appears there has not been a deadlier start to the year. Add that to two years in a row where the Police Commissioner said the murder tally would be less than 100, both years missed, and there is no sense that crime is under control. Yesterday saw the gun turned on women in particular. Not just the shooting that saw a grandmother killed and a two-year-old left fighting for life, but another shooting earlier that saw two women treated in hospital after a man fired at them in their car. We talk about tackling crime, about steering people away from conflict – who is going to reach these, the lowest of the low, the men who turn a gun on women? The government talks about a whole government approach to tackling crime, a plan – but when will we see it have an effect? The plan sounds so vague that it makes one wonder if there really is a plan, or simply rhetoric because something needs to be said in the face of this wave of killings. The numbers could have been higher still – there have been other shootings that our medics have been called upon to save people’s lives from. Then there is the body that was found floating at Potter’s Cay dock – we do not know yet the cause of death in that case. The Commissioner came out the other day spitting fire about the bail system and wanting to know why we are releasing people after three or four months on bail as they wait for their case to be heard. He did not specify how long he thinks it would be appropriate
for someone to be held in prison without a conviction. Yesterday, senior figures in the justice system defended the bail system. Argue about who is right and who is wrong by all means – but it certainly seems that any suggestion by the Commissioner of alterations to the granting of bail as a solution are a long, long way from happening. Chief Justice Winder very pointedly contradicted the Commissioner’s comments about granting of bail, saying: “Contrary to the opinion of some, the law does not prescribe a two-year requirement before an accused can be admitted to bail for the offence of murder.” More notably, he added: “A charge is not a conviction. The fact that the police have alleged that you have committed an offence does not automatically suspend your constitutional rights for two years.” So what is the plan? Not one that involves pointing and blaming the judiciary. What is the actual plan that will seek to bring down the levels of violent crime affecting our country? What can we do that will stop those cowardly men who shoot at women and children? What is the step that will turn people away from crime? How do we stop the virus of violence that is depriving our nation of too many of its young men particularly as they are gunned down one by one? There is a national day of prayer to be held – but will those prayers reach the ears of those who have committed such crimes as spraying the front of a house with bullets and killing a teenage girl inside who was doing nothing more than charging a mobile device? Will they reach the hearts of the gang members, the killers, the robbers, the drug dealers, the thieves, the many more who are dragging our nation down? It is time for plain talking. Not catchphrases. Not slogans. Tell us the plan. Then act on it.
No one is safe unless everyone is EDITOR, The Tribune. NO ONE is safe, unless everyone is safe. Ten lives have been lost to senseless bloodshed during the first 11 days of 2024, leaving families mourning for their loved ones. The harsh reality is that it could easily have been any one of us left breathless – a casualty of war, as bullets do not have GPS and these incidents are taking place in public spaces, at times when everyday citizens are out and about. These brazen acts have tragically claimed the lives of a teenage girl, a grandmother, a young woman and numerous fathers, sons, and brothers. The additional reports of a teenager sustaining stab wounds and a two-year-old child suffering a gunshot injury are deeply troubling and indicative of a broader social crisis. We are all at risk. While reactive measures are essential in the short term to address the current spike in criminal activities, it is imperative that we adopt a more proactive
approach to prevent such tragedies in the future. A key component of our response must be to implement effective mediation strategies and public education campaigns. These initiatives should focus on conflict resolution, promoting a culture of peace and understanding, and educating citizens and residents on the importance of community involvement in crime prevention and reporting. Empowering local communities to be vigilant and involved in safeguarding their own neighbourhoods, by providing the funding, tools and support system neighbourhood watch programmes require is a critical step towards enhancing safety and security. Furthermore, we must expand and intensify our community policing efforts. The police force should not only be seen as enforcers of the law, but as integral members of the community, working in partnership with residents to deter crime. We need to get back to basics and be intentional about instilling traditional
values of responsibility, respect, and civic duty in our young people. Therefore, the government should increase budgetary support for NGOs and organisations that provide positive extracurricular activities and skills training so Bahamian young people can access more opportunities that steer them away from the path of crime. Such investments reap lasting rewards. A comprehensive and multifaceted approach to crime prevention is urgently needed. While immediate reactive measures are necessary to treat the symptoms, we must not lose sight of the importance of proactive strategies that address the root causes of crime and create a safer, more peaceful society for all Bahamians, especially our children. Let me repeat, no one is safe unless everyone is safe. SENATOR MAXINE SEYMOUR Shadow Minister for Social Services January 11, 2024
A MOMENT from the launch of the Bahamas legal year yesterday.
Photo: Dante Carrer
Search for solutions on crime EDITOR, The Tribune. THE brand-new year 2024 rolled in, fireworks barely subsided, and the country is seething with a high volume of senseless murders. There has been one murder a day. One murder is one too many. The demons are mad. Frustrated Bahamians are quick to blame the government but hesitate to accept much of the blame because of their association and sometimes participation, whether they realise it or not. The government cannot do anything without the help of all Bahamians; we all must do our part to report any suspicious behaviour, which, in many cases, could prevent negative and even fatal consequences. Mostly, parents, neighbours, and even the church know that their sons or children are breaking the law. We benefit, and so we look the other way. The only time we talk is when “our good sons” are killed. Help the police and report everyone you believe is violating the law before it is too late. While there is no set pattern, rhyme or reason, guns play a significant role in the killings. There is a consensus that if the government would do more to strengthen the judicial and give the police more support and tools, there would be fewer lives lost. The government’s full support of the police is already happening. The public is agitating for no bail for murder and guns, and repeat offenders of severe crimes must not be allowed to roam free on our streets. Is capital punishment the magic bullet to cure all illnesses, or is it the compounding of several social ills? Why are we so afraid to offend the criminals? Why
LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net are they getting the easy road to travel while lawabiding citizens must obey every law or risk being made uncomfortable by the system? Criminals seem to be in charge, having their way. They are always “known to the police.” Do they have the upper hand because of association and influences or relationships? The criminals are simply too comfortable, bold and daring. The stark reality is there is no way to prevent a person from picking up a gun and going brazenly in front of a police station and shooting in a car, killing one and seriously injuring a toddler and other adults. The other recently reported incidences are equally as troubling. These are unconscionable and unforgiving. But there are some checks and balances that, when put in place, make it difficult for people to possess guns at the alarming rate that they do. Is there a gun shop in The Bahamas, and do they sell ammunition? There is a handoff approach to policing the borders and the port. The police must have some suspicion that our canals may be the transshipment point for guns. Is there a particular unit to monitor and search every pleasure cruiser, yacht or fishing vessel that comes back to port, regardless of who is in the boat or who is captaining the ship? Search all boats all the time. To hell with the excuse of lack of workforce. The port brings in containers from everywhere; how come there is no sophisticated scanning device to monitor those containers coming
from God knows where? Who is benefitting? Trust no one. Guns are big business, and drugs are big business, so why isn’t there more attention paid to the transshipment of guns? Guns, drugs, and human trafficking go hand in hand. Come on, man, there are no gun manufacturers in The Bahamas. Stop pussyfooting. Some wealthy families are getting wealthier shipping guns. On the other hand, why aren’t we more serious about possessing unlicensed firearms, increasing the sentence for such an offence to 10-15 years, with no bail? We are an empathetic people; we do not want anyone to lose their lives, period, but if we are to have a society that attracts people from around the world to spend their money, then crime is everybody’s business because it will hit us in the pocketbook if the tourists stop coming. The hear no evil, see no evil, keep my mouth shut will destroy all of us; we must be vigilant, and we must support the police. We know who is who and what is what. The same criminal you protect today may be the same one who comes into your home tomorrow. Either you are serious about fixing the problem, or you are nothing but a co-conspirator. Buddha said, “Courage isn’t the absence of fear, courage is the emotional wherewithal to deal with fear. Fear has two extremes. At one extreme, we freeze. We are petrified, literally, like a rock. At the other extreme, we panic. How do we find the path through those extremes?....Judith Lief I fear God only! IVOINE INGRAHAM Nassau, January 11, 2024.
W
Gather together EDITOR, The Tribune. GATHER Together Gather Around Kemp Road can we together gather round, take a firm grip and overturn this negative image that Kemp Road is saddled with? Who are these - are those persons giving Kemp Road a black eye, a bad name when people
from - or with roots in this area, in this part of town are among the finest, among the most refined people on God’s green earth. Can we, therefore, gather round and with one concerted effort overturn this negative image with which the area has been saddled - has been burdened - home for so many fine people, inspiration for this poet, for this poem? Who are these bad apples who suggest
that the entire batch of us are rotten when most of us are well groomed, well behaved, cultivated folk of the first water, of the first order… Where is Donald McCartney residing now? I’d want him for certain to join us, to join in. Is Flo Miller alive and well and living in Paris still? OBEDIAH SMITH Nassau, January 11, 2024.
THE TRIBUNE
Friday, January 12, 2024, PAGE 7
Crowdfunded real estate business still waiting one year later for Securities Commission approvals AKERAGE Ltd, a crowdfunding business promising to revolutionize how people invest in real estate, is still awaiting relevant approvals from the Securities Commission of The Bahamas a year after announcing provisional approval from the regulator. The company, founded by Carlyle Bethel, said in a statement yesterday: “For approximately four years, the company has been in constant communication with the Securities
Commission to ensure that our internal processes are legally and financially compliant and are in line with global best practices. Akerage has answered, responded to, and provided all information and documents requested by the Securities Commission. Though we have yet to receive full approval to begin operations, we are confident that our business model will usher in a new era of real estate investment and ownership for the average Bahamian.”
“For far too long, the benefits of real estate ownership have been kept out of reach from the average Bahamian. Every day, we open the newspapers and see foreigners and high-net-worth individuals speak about the benefits and value of owning Bahamian real estate. Yet, Bahamians face consistent roadblocks and an uphill climb to access the benefits that foreigners access regularly. Akerage combines technology and industry experts to
provide low-cost investing into high quality income producing real estate. All properties will be fully owned by investors and held in separate legal entities while being managed by professional third-party property managers in the best interest of the owners. “Akerage reduces the fees, the risks and the wait time associated with the otherwise complex processes involved in real estate ownership. Akerage increases access and affordability for the
average investor. Akerage provides professional expertise, oversight, and guidance to ensure that all properties are managed at a high standard and that all funds generated (after fees and expenses) are transferred to the property owners. Our number one goal is to make investing in income producing property easier and less risky for the average investor. “The entire team at Akerage looks forward to a successful and
prosperous new year as we make real estate investing and ownership a reality for thousands of Bahamians that have been denied their opportunities.” According to the company’s website, after a team of industry experts vets properties, those properties will be listed and purchased by Akerage’s members. “Those properties are then helped in a separate legal entity,” the website says, adding that all members would have legal ownership.
Two men charged for the murder LN COAKLEY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ON HALF DAYS DUE TO WATER SHORTAGE ISSUES of Gerrard Coakley remanded By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Staff Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net SOME 300 LN Coakley Senior High students in Exuma are attending school half-day because of water shortage issues, according to acting Director of Education Dominique Russell. She said the water pump on the campus for senior students is not working, although junior high students have access to running water. She said the Ministry of Education will temporarily send a new water pump to replace the old one. The Water and Sewerage Corporation is also expected to install a holding tank. Ms Russell said the water pump broke down because of electrical overload. “BPL has advised that the school is on a single phase, and so what they are seeking to do is put the
TWO men were remanded yesterday after they allegedly chased and gunned down a 31-yearold man in his South Beach home while he was on release for attempted murder last week. Senior Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans charged LN Coakley High School in Exuma has put students on half days due to water shortage issues. school on three-phase to handle the electrical load,” she said. She could not say when BPL would make the necessary upgrades. Belinda Wilson, president of the Bahamas Union of Teachers, said LN Coakley High School has had water issues for years. “I call upon the Ministry of Education to ensure that this matter is corrected once and for all,” she demanded in a voice
note while stressing that the matter is a health issue. “We definitely do not want to have a possible COVID outbreak or some sort of communicable disease on that campus without fresh running water, so it needs to be corrected forthwith,” she said. “The teachers are sick and tired of excuses. All we want to do is teach and work in a clean, healthy environment.”
Malik Smith, 26, and Gamaliel Gray, 31, with murder. The pair allegedly chased Gerrard Coakley from his back porch into his residence on Datura Avenue, where they shot and killed him on January 2. At the time of his death, Coakley was awaiting trial for his alleged attempt to kill Tamiane Lewis and
Jermaine Thompson on March 13, 2019. The accused were told their matters would be transferred to the Supreme Court through a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI). They will be sent to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until the higher court grants them bail. Their VBIs are set for service on May 22.
Just how friendly are the skies of The Bahamas? PAGE 8, Friday, January 12, 2024
THE TRIBUNE
But the real problem lies not with inspections. Nor does it lie with the operator who must choose between paying a competent pilot what he or she is worth and redoing the upholstery on the headliner.
THEY are the lifeline to the Family Islands – those smaller planes that operate as scheduled charters, crisscrossing the skies day after day. Western Air, Pineapple Air, Southern Air, Titan, Flamingo, LeAir and more, as essential to local economies from Bimini in the north to Ragged and Crooked in the south, as air and water are to life itself. From the crack of dawn till the sun sets, these winged friends of Family Islands take off and land, often with only minutes between landings and departures. Hundreds of travellers, mostly Bahamian, walk out onto the apron of Bahamian airports, climb the metal steps and enter, taking their seat, trusting that what the aircraft they are entrusting with their life lacks in cosmetics they more than compensate for by being safe for the 20- or 50-minute hop from one island to the other. Passenger may be traveling light with little more than an overnight bag but their most important carry-on is trust. But just how friendly are the skies of The Bahamas? It was not long ago that Flamingo Air was grounded after a door flew open. Miraculously, no one was killed, but the incident was a wakeup call, not on the order of the Ethiopian tragedy or the Alaska Air mid-air panel blow out that brought Boeing to its knees, temporarily grounding Max 737s, but serious enough that we have to ask ourselves: Is it time we took a long, hard
By Diane Phillips look at how safe air travel is across the islands, and why it is that these operators who work at meeting schedules and remaining viable have to struggle so to keep afloat when we depend on them so greatly? It’s important to understand the difference, first, between how the FAA and the Civil Aviation Authority operate. Those scheduled charters, for the most part, fall under the purview of the CAA, an historically underfunded agency that is charged with oversight and safety management. That also makes it responsible for checking airports, runways, lights, radar and more. Many safety checks of aircraft are random, done without warning for obvious reasons so the operator cannot alter something for a temporary appearance. Those checks may be as unannounced as pulling up and checking fuel for contamination. Other checks are required – the monthly, 100-hour, annual. Inspections for airframe and checks for engine can be quite different and the Civil Aviation Authority has a mandate to handle all despite its limited resources so often a partnership develops – as experts say it should
– with the operator and the regulator trusting one another to ensure that conditions are met. This is not slackness on the part of CAA; this is the reality of how constant checks are met and reported. But the real problem lies not with inspections. Nor does it lie with the operator who must choose between paying a competent pilot what he or she is worth and redoing the upholstery on the headliner. The real problem lies in access to capital for the local airline operator. Even banks that are somewhat business friendly shy away from lending on assets that can literally get up and fly away. So historically charter air carriers in The Bahamas have been like Chinese restaurants and laundries, launched with funds from family, money raised from selling a piece of family land or a fund-raiser with related partners. With what would be considered a more high-end market, those private charters that fly out of Odyssey or Executive, funding opportunities may vary, but even for them, family is paramount. For the scheduled charters operating out of General Aviation or the domestic terminal at LPIA, funding is a constant struggle. Fortunately, for one of the local scheduled
RIPPED seats and missing cushions on a recent plane ride in The Bahamas - when will we prioritise the resources needed to elevate our aviation industry to meet top standards? charter companies, an alternative lending company is arranging financing of a newer aircraft. Were
other banks and lending institutions more progressive in their thinking and more open-minded in risk management or were some of the subsidies or concessions once extended to Bahamasair or major airlines that bring in visitors extended to local owners and operators, the skies of The Bahamas might be just that much safer for Bahamians. The Bahamas might also want to take a look at what others are doing with aircraft registries. The UK created a deliberate fund for air and airport improvement with monies raised through the registry. The Irish registry does for that nation what the ship registry does for The
Bahamas, a fund-raiser that provides the funds to turn vision into reality. Says one of the leading experts in international air transport and long-time proponent of an functional aircraft registry, former pilot and now veteran lawyer Llewellyn Boyer-Cartwright, the ultimate goal is not the money raised, but the safety that results. “You cannot put anything above the well-being of the Bahamian people, including Bahamians moving between islands,” said Boyer-Cartwright. “You cannot compromise. You have to be proactive, you can’t be reactive, you have to be two steps ahead.”
THE TRIBUNE
Friday, January 12, 2024, PAGE 9
CES 2024 AI FORTUNE TELLING,
TECHTALK
WALMART EXPERIMENTS WITH AI TO ENHANCE CUSTOMERS’ SHOPPING EXPERIENCES
ACCESSIBLE GAMING, A FLYING TAXI AND MARTHA STEWART LAS VEGAS (AP) — Welcome to CES 2024. This multi-day trade event put on by the Consumer Technology Association is expected to bring some 130,000 attendees and more than 4,000 exhibitors to Las Vegas. The latest advances and gadgets across personal tech, transportation, health care, sustainability and more are on display, with burgeoning uses of artificial intelligence almost everywhere you look.
A fortune teller showcased by South Korean manufacturing and IT services giant SK Group at CES this week gives us a glimpse. SK’s AI Fortune Teller, which is powered by high-bandwidth memory technology, claims that it can tell users’ their fortune by reading their emotions. The machine snaps a photo of your face and, naturally, asks you to select a card from an on-screen deck. Within moments, the AI
AN ATTENDEE tests out the GyroGear, a wearable glove that is intended to help stabilise the hands of those with tremors. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun) GYROGLOVE WORKS TO HELP THOSE WITH HAND TREMORS Roberta Wilson-Garrett used to be a morning person who would leap out of bed at dawn. Until, that is, she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease six years ago. Now her hands twist and tremor, making the morning, when her medicine is wearing off, especially difficult. It takes hours for her to get ready for the day. All her coffee mugs have lids on them now. Boston-based GyroGear, a medical tech startup, debuted a hand-stabilising glove at CES 2024 that it hopes will help people like Wilson-Garrett regain control of their lives. “It makes life normal for me again. The things that you take for granted, I don’t take for granted anymore,” Wilson-Garrett told AP on the show floor as her right hand shook. “It gives me back a piece of my old life when I have the glove on.” When Wilson-Garrett slipped on the black glove, her right hand relaxed, and she was able to hold a pen and write her name. The GyroGlove is now available for $5,899. ADVANCING AI WITH FORTUNE TELLING Can generative AI tell your future?
analyses facial characteristics and produces an Tarot card-like print with a short, future-looking message or piece of advice. This AI fortune teller isn’t available to consumers outside of CES, but it’s featured in the Las Vegas show to help display SK’s latest tech and sustainability advances. Other attractions advertised at the “SK Wonderland” interactive exhibit include a fully-electric dancing car and train that’s capable of being powered by hydrogen energy HYUNDAI’S NEW FLYING TAXI CONCEPT LANDS AT CES A new flying taxi concept, dubbed the S-A2 by Hyundai, made its debut at CES 2024. The South Korean vehicle manufacturer envisions the electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle as a commuter solution for urban areas with heavy traffic. Hyundai claims the vehicle will be able to cruise at 120 mph (190 kph) at a 1,500-foot (460-metre) altitude while operating as quietly as a dishwasher. The S-A2 builds on Hyundai’s S-A1 concept, which made its debut at CES in 2020. Company officials say they are working to get the vehicle ready to meet flight
By WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS and ANNE D’INNOCENZIO
A PERSON looks at the Supernal S-A2 passenger electric VOTL aircraft at the Supernal booth during the CES tech show in Las Vegas. Supernal is a part of the Hyundai Motor Group. (AP Photo/John Locher) standards set by nations around the world. A ‘NO SMOKE’ INDOOR SMOKER GE Appliances is looking to change the way you smoke food with its new $1,000 indoor smoker. About the size of a toaster oven or microwave, the GE Profile Smart Indoor Smoker can fit a full brisket cut in half, 40 chicken wings or three racks of ribs. It still uses wood pellets to achieve a smokey flavour, but its technology traps the smoke inside, making it “perfect for people who live in urban environments,” like high-rise apartments, said Whitney Welch, a spokesperson for GE Appliances. GAMING ACCESSIBILITY FOR INCLUSION A focus on accessibility in the gaming industry is on the rise. Just this October, Sony launched the Access controller for Playstation. To talk about the wins so far and the road ahead, CES 2024 featured a panel of four players for “The Evolution of Accessible Gaming.” For Paul Amadeus Lane, an accessibility consultant and broadcaster who moderated the panel, gaming is a lifelong passion, but when he got in a car accident that left him unable to use his fingers, he first thought his gaming days were over. “It was like I lost a good friend. But then that good friend got reunited when I found out about all these accessibility features,” Lane said during the panel. Mark Barlet, founder of AbleGamers, said people with disabilities are 56% more likely to be socially isolated, and combatting that is what drives his organisation. Further, he says it’s smart business. “Twenty percent of the population has some sort of disability and you start looking at game companies competing for eyeballs — all of a sudden, talking about, ‘Hey, would you like to sell more games?’ becomes a really powerful conversation.” When asked what advice they’d give to game developers, panelists Liz Schmidlin, user research
lead at PlayStation, and Michele Zorrilla, senior user experience researcher at Insomniac Games, echoed a similar statement: Start working accessibility conversations in early on in the design process. Barlet added, “Good accessibility is good design.”
GETTING YOUR VOICE BACK Dutch startup Whispp aims to use AI to help millions of people suffering from vocal impairments speak again in their natural voices. While many current
AN ATTENDEE receives a massage from the iYU AI-assisted massage robot, by Capsix Robotics. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun) YOUR OWN PERSONAL ROBOTIC MASSEUSE Artificial intelligence has been seen powering smart home hubs, cars, TVs, medical devices and even fingernail printers at CES 2024. Now it’s giving massages. Created by French company Capsix Robotics, iYU uses artificial intelligence to perform a real-time body scan and recommend the best kind of experience for the user. A robotic arm then performs a variety of massage techniques. WANT A PHYSICAL KEYBOARD FOR YOUR iPHONE? It’s a new product but the functionality might ring familiar — Clicks Technologies’ iPhone keyboard is making a splash at CES 2024. According to co-founder Johnathan Young, the smartphone accessory is aimed at three core audiences: iPhone users with dexterity or accessibility issues, the younger generation looking to stand out, and people who miss their previous smartphone keyboards. Prices range from $139 to $159.
technologies focus on speech-to-text or text-tospeech, Whispp is using audio-to-audio-based AI, resulting in almost realtime speech conversion. Users can recreate their distinct voice by providing recordings of their current or past voice, adding a personalised touch to their own communication. At CES 2024, Whispp launched an AI-powered assistive speech and phonecalling app. MARTHA STEWART, TECHNOLOGIST On Tuesday, businesswoman and media personality Martha Stewart took to the kitchen stage at the Samsung CES booth to craft her “Martha-tini” and smashed potatoes using the company’s SmartThings technology. As a bonus, the famed cooking, entertaining and homemaking celebrity revealed how she first got hooked on the tech culture scene. “Well, I got my first computer in 1982. An IBM. I still have it. ... and all my friends and I would sit up all night long trying to figure out what the computer could do for us.”
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Walmart has unveiled plans to dive further into the world of artificial intelligence — and drones — to improve its customers’ shopping experiences. In a Tuesday keynote at the CES trade show in Las Vegas, the nation’s largest retailer announced it will be expanding its drone delivery to 1.8 million additional households in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area later this year. Drones aren’t new to Walmart — which has already completed 20,000 drone deliveries across seven states to date — but company leaders say that this expansion is a sign of growing demand and efficiency. Walmart executives said no other rival has gotten this close to this type of drone concentration of households in a big metro market. Among AI advances, Walmart announced a generative AI-powered search tool for iOS users that suggests relevant products for consumer queries, ranging from football watch parties to bridal showers.
GE BUSINESS TO FILL ORDER FOR TURBINES TO POWER WESTERN HEMISPHERE’S LARGEST WIND PROJECT By SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN Associated Press ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A business to be spun off by General Electric will build hundreds of turbines for what will be the largest wind project in the Western Hemisphere, part of a massive equipment order and longterm service agreement with the global renewable-energy giant Pattern Energy. GE Vernova officials announced the agreement Tuesday, saying it is the largest onshore wind turbine order received by the company, both in quantity and in the amount of electricity that the 674 turbines will eventually generate when the SunZia Wind Project comes online in 2026. Construction already is underway on the SunZia wind farm and an associated multibillion-dollar transmission line that will funnel power to populated markets in the western United States. Pattern Energy just weeks ago announced that it had closed on $11 billion in financing for the projects. Backers see SunZia — described as an energy infrastructure undertaking larger than that of the Hoover Dam — as a pivotal project. The venture has attracted significant financial capital and stands to boost the percentage of the nation’s electricity that comes from renewable sources amid escalating state and federal energy mandates.
PAGE 10, Friday, January 12, 2024
THE TRIBUNE
Shipwrecks of The Bahamas Highbourne Cay Shipwreck, Exumas, 1513 Iberian, Diego Miruelo, Ponce de Leon
After exploring The Bahamas in his series last year for the crash sites of military planes, ERIC WIBERG returns with a new series this year - this time diving deep into the history of shipwrecks. His first voyage takes us in search of part of Ponce de Leon’s fleet, and to the Exumas. THE night of Tuesday, September 23, 1513, was another boisterous one for a fleet of four heavily armed Spanish vessels returning from a mission to find Florida. Three of the vessels, under Ponce de Leon, had set off together, but the third ship, which is not named in historical records, was on a separate mission, most likely sent by the son of Christopher Columbus, Diego, to spy on de Leon. After all, The Bahamas were claimed as the exclusive property of Christopher Columbus and Bartholomew, his brother. That doesn’t mean mariners didn’t often sail through The Bahamas enslaving the Lucayan and other peoples and plundering whatever they could. It means that since it was illegal for them to do so, they didn’t log or record or share what happened. Ever since this has made identifying the Highbourne Cay wreck difficult to pinpoint, since de Leon’s original fleet of three ships all survived. The answer may lie in this contemporary account: “...until the 23rd of September. And the bark from the island of Espaniola that had joined itself with them was lost there, although the people were saved.” There was only one bark from Hispaniola, and that was under Diego Miruelo. On that stormy night, after being holed up at anchor for 27 days at either Exuma (Curateo, or Lucayan for Outer Far Distant Land), or Little San Salvador (Guateo, Lucayan for Toward the Distant Land), the barquentine under the pilot Diego Miruelo, dragged anchor and ran into shallow water, where it has remained. One of its many cannonades was loaded with powder when found nearly 500 years later, indicating it was ready to signal when in distress. It was never fired, since they were seen by men on de Leon’s fleet, namely: Santa Maria de la Consolacion, San Cristobal, and Santiago. There was evidently ample time for Miruelo’s men to be absorbed into the 300 or so who had been seven months on the De Leon expedition to find Florida (which they did) or a Fountain of Youth (which they didn’t). A critical way to solve the riddle of what ship it would be to clarify which island the Spaniards refer to. That relies largely on their understanding of Lucayan and how close the author was to the action. It turns out he wasn’t. According to Dr Sam Turner, the “principle source of information for this is the chronicler Antonio de Herrera, whose late 16thcentury account of this voyage is based on documents written during the voyage. Herrera recounts that Diego Miruelo’s vessel was lost at Guatao while at anchor, but that all the crew were saved”. In other
By Eric Wiberg words, the writer was translating Lucayan words almost identical from one another and about 80 years later, to identify on which island they wrecked. The intrigue behind these events – and burying knowledge of Miruelo – is significant. He is believed to have discovered Florida before de Leon, when blown off course from a slaving voyage in the Bahamas, and not to have been given credit for it. His Spanish-built ship was sent from either the governor of Hispaniola or Diego Columbus in Cuba, both of whom were locked in power-struggles with de Leon’s overlords. Whether through sabotage (cutting the cable) or not, Miruelo’s ship was eliminated, though it meant de Leon had to welcome Miruelo aboard his ships. So, he ordered them west on the Santiago to look for Bimini while he sailed south, back to Puerto Rico, and eventually the three original ships and men returned there that fall. Why would the “Highbourne Cay Wreck”, dated to the first quarter of the 1500s, not be connected to Miruelo’s ship? The circumstantial evidence is high; two anchors were splayed 150 yards north of the site, which sits just 750 feet northwest of Highbourne Cay, where ballast stones are still visible in 25 feet of water over an area about 75 feet long. One anchor sat on deck still, and while the heavy weapons and ballast remains, it seems clear that the men on board had the time to remove almost all their personal belongings which are usually detritus on such wrecks; in fact only one gold-inlayed knife was found, and that was probably dropped in the rush to get off the sinking vessel as it was pounded on its starboard side by wave from the deep ocean north of Highbourne, at the north of the Exumas. Another explanation is that for 500 years at 25 feet persons have scavenged. Then there is the nickname of the wreck: Iberian – a hat-tip to the fact it is Spanish. Both Miruelo’s vessel and the ship found in Exumas in 1965 are nameless, which speaks to the urge to suppress his exploits. Experts who studied the wreck conclude “it is thought to date as early as 1500–1525 AD,” and 1513 is in the centre of that range. For nearly 70 years persons have been taking essential components and evidence from the site. This might seem a good thing, except almost all of it was taken out of The Bahamas, yet never
returned. Bahamians will have to go overseas and ask permission to find answers, because the site has been pillaged by foreigners, some of them representing prestigious institutions. The story is fast-moving and opaque: Nicholas Budsberg, PhD, says: “The site was first relocated in 1965 by skin divers [Americans Jack Robinson, Clint Hinchman, and Robert Wilkie] and was partially salvaged by a team of treasure hunters the following year.” Smith, Keith, and Lakey wrote in 1985 that “the discoverers applied to the Government of The Bahamas for Permission”, and reached out to Mendel Peterson of the Smithsonian Institute, and “a licence was granted”. Excavations began in 1966, with Teddy Tucker and Robert Canton of Bermuda brought in. According to the Institute
of Nautical Archaeology, between the late-1960s and mid-1980s the site was all but forgotten and ignored: “…many of the artifacts [wound] up in the United States. Some ….to the Mariners Museum at Newport News, …a few acquired by the Smithsonian.” The only major artifact PARTS of the wreckage left behind – a fourth found near Highburne Cay anchor – rests at the marina at Highbourne Cay today, though is not believed to have come from this wreck at all. How are Bahamians to conduct an autopsy when most of the body has been removed? What underwater cultural heritage did these esteemed archaeologists remove from compatthe seabed of The Baha- ible breech mas? According to the chambers (one loaded …) Nautical Archaeology Digi- were also removed from tal Library’s 2018 study by the site in the 1960s. Iron Budsberg and Castro, the wedges for locking the takings included “a wrought breech chambers were also iron harpoon…. over a found…” dozen wrought-iron artilIt is possible that the lery, breech chambers, and wreck is the oldest in the shot … two wrought iron Western Hemisphere, bombardetas … 13 wrought so its value is inestimairon versos – two … thought ble. The artefacts taken, to be verso dobles, a longer more than the remaining type of swivel gun – and 18 ballast pile and timbers,
may allow Bahamians the opportunity to determine what ship it really is. Sitting at the lip between deep water and extensive shallow banks, viscous twice-daily currents create dangers and impediments. Ponce de Leon sailed back to Spain and fame. Not so Pilot Miruelo, who in 1516 “found what many authors believe to have been Pensacola Bay.” Then he went back to Cuba with Spanish gold bartered from indigenes. Miruelo was later tasked with finding Florida a third time, but due to his “failing to take note in the course, and not remember them, he was unable to show the way to Florida on a second trip, and he went insane”. Was he the Iberian who left his vessel in The Bahamas, which now lays in parts in foreign capitals and the Virginia Capes? Will we reopen this 500-year cold case that speaks to the earliest European voyages to The Bahamas and affix a ship name to our first known shipwreck?
THE TRIBUNE
Friday, January 12, 2024, PAGE 11
Hunter Biden pleads not guilty to federal tax charges after an earlier deal imploded LOS ANGELES Associated Press PRESIDENT Joe Biden’s son pleaded not guilty Thursday to federal tax charges filed after the collapse of a plea deal that could have spared him the spectacle of a criminal trial during the 2024 campaign. Hunter Biden has been accused of nine felony and misdemeanour tax offenses. The charges stem from what federal prosecutors say was a four-year scheme to skip out on paying the $1.4 million he owed to the IRS and instead use the money to fund an extravagant lifestyle that by his own admission included drugs and alcohol. “We’re here today because you’ve been accused by the United States of a criminal offense,” Judge Mark Scarsi said to Biden, who entered the not guilty plea himself. Meanwhile, Hunter Biden has also been charged in Delaware with lying in October 2018 on a federal form for gun purchasers when he swore he wasn’t using or addicted to illegal drugs. He was addicted to crack cocaine at the time. He’s also accused of possessing the gun illegally and has pleaded not guilty in that case. The accusations all come from a yearslong federal investigation into Hunter Biden’s tax and business dealings that had been expected to wind down over the summer with a plea deal in which he would have gotten two years’ probation after pleading
HUNTER BIDEN, President Joe Biden’s son, centre, accompanied by his attorney Abbe Lowell, right, sit in the front row at a House Oversight Committee hearing as Republicans are taking the first step toward holding him in contempt of Congress, Wednesday on Capitol Hill in Washington. Photo: Jose Luis Magana/AP guilty to misdemeanour tax charges. He also would have avoided prosecution on the gun charge if he stayed out of trouble. The deal unravelled when a federal judge who had been expected to approve the deal instead began to question it. Now, the tax and gun cases are moving ahead as part of an unprecedented confluence of political and legal drama: As the 2024 election draws closer, the
Justice Department is actively prosecuting both the president’s son and Donald Trump, the Republican front-runner. Hunter Biden’s original proposed plea deal with prosecutors had been pilloried as a “sweetheart deal” by Republicans, including Trump. The former president is facing his own criminal problems — 91 charges across four separate cases, including that he plotted to overturn the
results of the 2020 election, which he lost to Biden, a Democrat. He too appeared in court Thursday, in New York for closing arguments in his civil fraud trial. Hunter Biden’s criminal proceedings are also happening in parallel to so far unsuccessful efforts by congressional Republicans to link his business dealings to his father. Republicans are pursuing an impeachment inquiry into President
Biden, claiming he was engaged in an influencepeddling scheme with his son. Hunter Biden defied a congressional subpoena to appear for closed-door testimony, insisting he wanted to testify in public. He made a surprise appearance at a congressional hearing Wednesday as House Republicans took steps to file contempt of Congress charges. No evidence has emerged so far to prove
that Joe Biden, in his current or previous office, abused his role or accepted bribes, though questions have arisen about the ethics surrounding the Biden family’s international business dealings. In an interview that aired Thursday on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” first lady Jill Biden said she thought the GOP’s treatment of her son was “cruel.” “And I’m really proud of how Hunter has rebuilt his life after addiction. You know, I love my son,” she said. “And it’s had — it’s hurt my grandchildren. And that’s what I’m so concerned about, that it’s affecting their lives as well.” If convicted of the tax charges, Hunter Biden, 53, could receive a maximum of 17 years in prison. Following the collapse of the plea deal, Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed a special counsel to handle the matter. A special counsel is tapped to handle cases in which the Justice Department perceives itself as having a conflict or where it’s deemed to be in the public interest to have someone outside the government step in. Hunter Biden’s defence attorney, Abbe Lowell, has accused special counsel David Weiss of “bowing to Republican pressure.” “Based on the facts and the law, if Hunter’s last name was anything other than Biden, the charges in Delaware, and now California, would not have been brought,” Lowell has said.
KIWANIS CLUB OF OVER-THE-HILL ON Thursday, December 21, 2023, president Dominique Gaitor and the Kiwanis Club of OverThe-Hill under our theme “Service with Passion & Strength” made our annual visit to the Good Samaritan Home for the Aged, Yellow Elder Gardens. Our purpose was to serenade the residents with the singing of Christmas Carols, and to provide them with a Christmas treat. While we sung carols, lead by PLG Benjamin Whyte on the keyboard, members served each resident with a plate of fruits and cakes. In addition, we also donated cleaning supplies to the home. We feel as an organisation that we must give back to our seniors and let them know they are loved, cherished and appreciated for their contributions to our community and country. The Kiwanis Club of Over-The-Hill was organised on September 24, 1975, and remains the only all men’s Kiwanis club in Sunshine Division 22, Bahamas, under the Eastern Cananda & Caribbean District of Kiwanis International.
CANCER SOCIETY OF THE BAHAMAS THIS year, the Cancer Society’s Stride For Life Fun Run Walk will take place on Saturday, February 24th, at 6am, and we’re encouraging everyone to take advantage of our early bird special! Ending on January 31, our Early Bird Special allows adults to register for $25 and children 12 years and under to register for $15. However, starting February 1, the registration fee
MEMBERS of the Kiwanis Club of Over-The-Hill during the visit to the Good Samaritan Home for the Aged. for adults will increase to $30, while the registration fee for children 12 years and under will rise to $20. If you’d like to participate in this exhilarating, worthwhile event, register at https://cancersocietybahamas.org/stride-for-life-2024. For a cost of $30 each, you can purchase a Commemorative Sign, which will be displayed on the grounds of the Cancer Society for the entire month of February. Please send the following information to admin@cancersocietybahamas.org:
UÊ/ iÊ > iÊ> `Ê>Ê« VÌÕÀiÊ of the survivor or fallen angel UÊ/ iÊÌÞ«iÊ vÊV> ViÀ For more information, call (242) 323-4441 or (242) 323-4482, or email at admin@cancersocietybahamas.org. UÊ ÝV Ìi i ÌÊ ÃÊw }ÊÌ iÊ air as Sunshine Bahamas gets ready to hold its 12th Annual Marathon Bahamas event, scheduled for Sunday, January 14, at 6am at the Western Esplanade/ Awarak Cay area, which provides stunning ocean views and beautiful scenery.
Drawing runners of all skill levels, Marathon Bahamas will include a marathon, a half marathon, and a relay, in addition to the highly-anticipated Pink Run 5k, which raises funds for the Cancer Society and brings awareness to Breast Cancer. Sign up for the Pink Run 5K at https://www.marathonbahamas.com/ Also, as one of the event’s volunteer groups, the Cancer Society will be stationed at Cave Heights, where we will give water to runners as they pass by and
JOIN THE CLUB OUR Clubs and Societies page is a chance for you to share your group’s activities with our readers. To feature on our Clubs and Societies page, submit your report to clubs@tribunemedia.net, with “Clubs Page” written in the subject line. For more information about the page, contact Stephen Hunt on 826-2242.
encourage them with loud cheers. If you would like to volunteer at this event with the
Cancer Society, call us at (242) 323-4441 or (242) 3234482, or email us at admin@ cancersocietybahamas.org.
SPORTS PAGE 15
FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 2024
TIMBERWOLVES AT THE DOUBLE By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@teibunemedia.net IN two contrasting ends of the spectrum, the Anatol Rodgers Timberwolves senior girls and boys pulled off a double dose of victory over the Dame Doris Johnson Mystic Marlins in the Government Secondary Schools Sports Association’s basketball action on Thursday at the CI Gibson Gymnasium. In the senior girls opener, Anatol Rodgers needed an extra three minutes in overtime to hold off Dames Doris Johnson 27-22. But in the senior boys’ feature contest, the Timberwolves routed the Mystic Marlins 92-24. Anatol Rodgers’ 68-point rout over Dame Doris Johnson was the second largest, following the defending champions CI Gibson Rattlers’ 90-point, 106-13, massacre over the Government High Magicmen last week at the DW Davis Gymnasium. Timerberwolves 92, Mystic Marlins 24 Cavelle Ferguson, Xavier Thompson and Derek Francis all contributed 15 points to lead a balanced scoring attack for Anatol Rodgers as they made this one look so easy as they remained undefeated at 4-0. Also in double figures were Jefferson Bethel with 12 and Jasmen Rock
with 11. Kirkwood Rolle scored eight and both Mario Nottage and Carlan Cleare added four apiece. Aiden Gustave, Jordan McKenzie, Rico Pierre and J’Vaughantrae Albury had two each. The Timerberwolves opened a 23-8 lead, sparked by six apiece from Ferguson, Thompson and Francis. They extended it to 38-15 at the half as Rock came through canning a pair of three-pointers and Thompson and Ferguson helped out with four and three respectively. By the end of the third, they pushed it ahead 68-19 as Bethel contributed eight and Francis had seven. Ferguson paced the fourth with six, but just about every player scored in the period as they cruised the rest of the way. “We played pretty well on both ends. We just need to be a little more consistent,” said Anatol Rodgers’ head coach Denykco Bowles. “But all in all, I think we had four solid quarters. “We just need to clean it up if we are going to allow ourselves to make a push at the end of the season for the playoffs and eventually the championship. We just need to be more disciplined on the defensive end.” The bright spot for Dame Doris Johhnson came from Sheldon Nelson with 10 points, He was the only player in double figures, Stephen Robiunson SEE PAGE 16
AN ANATOL Rodgers Timberwolves on the ball against Dame Doris Johnson Mystic Marlins.
Photo: Moise Amisial
BASEBALL IN FOURTEEN CLUBS GOLF ACADEMY RELOADED HIGH GEAR FOR 2024 HOSTS FIRST EVENT OF 2024 By TENAJH SWEETING Tribune Sports Reporter tsweeting@tribunemedia.net
By TENAJH SWEETING Tribune Sports Reporter tsweeting@tribunemedia.net WHILE many were enjoying the festivities on Majority Rule Day, juniors along with adults participated at the third Front 9 Golf Tournament Series drive, chip and putt event at the Bahamas Golf Federation’s Practice Facility. The one-day event was the third of ten scheduled in the series and the first Fourteen Clubs Golf Academy event for 2024. Fifty-six participants came out on the holiday to compete in friendly competition which was deemed a success by the club’s founder Georgette Rolle-Harris. “For our first drive, chip and putt event of the season it was awesome. Hosting it on a holiday allowed for a really great family atmosphere. We had 56 participants which was also great and it was really good to see parents competing in the same skill sets as their juniors. It allows a great opportunity for more conversations at the dinner table and the parents get to experience some of the highs and lows their juniors go through. All in all it was a really great event,” according to Rolle-Harris. On Majority Rule Day, Nathalee Tynes led all competitors in the adult female division while Johnathan Cunningham put out a top performance in the adult male category. Tynes totaled 73 points in the event, with her best performance in the putting exercise, to secure a win. Payton Haye trailed for second with a score
SOME of the champions crowned on Majority Rule Day at the Bahamas Golf Federation’s Practice Facility for the second event of the Front 9 Golf Tournament series presented by the Fourteen Clubs Golf Academy. of 61 and Lori Greaves took home third place with 35 points In the male event, Cunningham totaled 99 points after collecting scores of 65 (putt), 21 (chip) and 13 (drive) in the trio of events for first place. Elliot Harvey dropped to the second podium spot with his score of 81 points. Shaun Mahalis fell behind both competitors for third place with 69 points. Maddisson Carroll, left it all on the course in the 13-15 girls division. She rounded up a score of 74 in the various events to be crowned champion.
Jacara Forbes was not too far away on the scoreboard with 68 for the second position. Anissa Robinson ended third a mere point behind Forbes with 67. Zachary Joseph did a number in the boys division of the same age group. He totaled 91 points for the victory and turned in his best performance in the putting exercise. Next up was Juan Wilson who finished up with 79. Rashawn Hanna settled for third best collecting a score of 61. SEE PAGE 16
RELOADED Baseball celebrated its first year in existence last year and after surpassing most of their goals they intend to knock it out the park with regards to development in 2024. Since day one, Reloaded Baseball has been committed to furthering the development of the youth within their programme while elevating their level of play to be on par with international standards. After a successful start for the relatively new baseball club, the plan for 2024 is to kick it into high gear and check off more objectives on the way to their ultimate goal. Peron Burnside, president of the Reloaded Baseball programme, was proud of the steps made towards the right direction in 2023 and wants to take it up a notch locally, nationally and internationally in 2024. “In 2023 we surpassed our initial objectives which was to host at least one invitational and take the kids to international competition. We actually were able to host two invitationals one around Easter and later in October which we had over
30 teams compete in including some Family Islands. It was very successful from a development standpoint; the kids got a lot of reps in. We did our travel ball and hammered down development every week of the year,” Burnside said. The programme saw their kids compete at their first international event in July at the 10U Perfect Game Florida Summer Select Championship Open in Sanford, Florida. Additionally, Reloaded Baseball had 24 players selected to compete at the Perfect Game 2023 Series Texas Challenge last December. “In 2024 we want to surpass that because the ultimate goal is to take the kids to international standards. We are now gonna tap into a lot of international entities who are interested in engaging us in developing which comes with camps, training and competitive play. You are going to see Reloaded doing a lot of international engagements to take it to the next level,” the Reloaded Baseball president said. Some of the international interests on the radar for the programme will include the team traveling to United States Specialty Sports SEE PAGE 16
PAGE 16, Friday, January 12, 2024
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Timberwolves at the double from page 15 followed with four, while Jeffery Musgrove had three and Matthew Cezalien, Keron Walderon and Treyon Wilson all added two. It was the third straight loss for the Mystic Marlins, but coach Kevon Spence said his young squad will have to use this season as a learning experience. “We played against a very well seasoned team and they played extremely well,” Spence said. “We played as best as we could, but when you are so young, you can only expect so
AT the scorer’s desk are Rochelle Kemp and her new recruit Keiara McKenzie, a 12-year-old seventh grader at HO Nash Junior High, who started scoring since the GSSSA 2023-24 season started. much from them. We will get better from the Timberwolves 27, experience as the season Mystic Marlins 22 progresses.” Tied at 21-21 at the end of
regulation, Anatol Rodgers went on a 6-1 scoring spree in the extra period, thanks to two consecutive baskets from Nazariah Taylor and another on the final buzzer from Halley Hall to seal the deal. “I think the girls played a lot more aggressive,” said Timberwolves’ coach Theodore Hanna as they won their first game in three outings. “I have some 11 graders and some 12 graders, but ther 11 graders are still learning when to dribble the ball and when to pass it and top attack the rim. We still have a lot of learning to do.”
In getting their first taste of victory this season, Taylor, who produced eight in the first half and four in the fourth quarter, finished with a game high 16 points. Hall had seven and Tyesha Farrington and Diamond Newbold both had two. Suvhanna Adderley, Dionntay Roxbury and Elyssa McKenzie all had four in a losing effort for Dame Doris Johnson Bernelle Clarke, who scored the only point on a free throw in overtime, had three. “We have some inexperienced players. When it came down to the
pressure moments with the game in the balance, the other team got away from us,” said Mystic Marlins’ coach Vandyke Bethel. “When they had a problem with the clock, we were down by one after coming back from being behind by six. “But we just let the game slip away from us. That showed the lack of experience on this team. We slacked up on the momentum. “We should have put this team away, but they got away from us.” Dame Doris Johnson is still looking for their first win of the season.
RELOADED BASEBALL IN HIGH GEAR FOR 2024 from page 15 Association (USSSA) tournaments in Georgia and South Florida this summer. Also, Jovon Edwards, of Palm Beach Select, will join the Reloaded team to conduct a pitchers and catchers camp following the third Reloaded Invitational set for March 29 to April 1. The programme has also garnered attention from high school scouts and coaches abroad who intend to play at the open invitational. The four-day event will not only see international teams in competition but also clubs from the Family Islands. Reloaded Baseball has made it a point of emphasis to partner with Family Islands to aid in their development and establish more opportunities for interactive play. “We went into Freeport and spoke with both leagues and we are now planning a weekend tournament between Reloaded teams and the teams in Freeport. They wanted to see how we can interactively come to Freeport to help with the training of the kids. They have been following our programme and are impressed with what we have done in such a short time,” “We donated some
equipment to Abaco to Troy Feaste and his crew and we are also building a pitching mound to send over there to them because pitchers are at a disadvantage. We have Long Island, Exuma, San Salvador, Cat Island, Andros, Bimini, Freeport, Eleuthera and Abaco and we are trying to see how we can enhance and help them with their development initiatives in conjunction with what we are doing,” Burnside said. Another initiative carried out by Reloaded Baseball was the addition of softball to their programme late last year. The sport is being spearheaded by Stephen “Bishop” Beneby and is set to experience great progress in 2024. “We had an overwhelming response for softball and have now added a few more coaches to assist Stephen “Bishop” Beneby. The registration for our softball programme involves high school teams coming on board. Also; the coach of the Venezuela national team will be coming down to do some camps with our kids to reach our ultimate goal. A lot more is coming for Reloaded Softball,” he said. The Reloaded Baseball/ Softball executive team members are ready for a prosperous 2024.
FROM left, top row, Gerald Gabriel, Ethan Burnside, second row, Jaycob Clarke, Archie Michelmore, bottom row, Aamir Rahming, and Madela Curry.
+++ SPORTS NOTES +++ BASKETBALL NPBA IS BACK AFTER taking a break for the Christmas holiday, the New Providence Basketball Association will be back in full swing on Friday night at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium when they play a triple header. At 7:30 pm, the Investment Development Rebels will take on the Mekaddish Millionaires; followed by the Sunlight Stampers against the University of the Bahamas Mingoes in a division one affair. The division one finale at 9:30 pm will be played between the
Zulu Media Great Whites against the TMT Giants.
BASEBALL MARIO FORD BASEBALL CAMP The annual Mario Ford Baseball Camp will begin on Saturday, January 20, from 9am to noon at the Windsor Park,. The camp will run until May 18th and is open to boys and girls from the ages of four to 15. Registration will take place on Saturday from 9 am to noon. Interested persons can contact camp organizer Mario Bowleg at 556-0993 for more details.
A JOYOUS FEAT: Champions were crowned on Majority Rule Day at the Bahamas Golf Federation’s Practice Facility for the second event of the Front 9 Golf Tournament series presented by the Fourteen Clubs Golf Academy
FOURTEEN CLUBS GOLF ACADEMY HOSTS FIRST EVENT OF 2024 from page 15 Angelino Cooper was the lone competitor in the 16 and over category. He pulled out scores of 55 (putt), 24 (drive) and 16 (chip) to end with 95 in the competition. Moving along to the girls and boys 10-12 division, Haley Hall and Briland Cunningham took the reins in the respective age groups. Hall bested her competitors in dominant fashion putting up a score of 88. Kaleah Brown came second with 58 points and Kayleigh Rolle wrapped up third with 47. Cunningham racked up a score of 80 for the boys. Caleb Davis got the second spot after finishing five points behind the victor with 75. William
Mahalis completed the trio with a score of 66. Advik Arora won the boys 7-9 category and Sarah Scheidecker got bragging rights for the girls. Liam Miller took control in the mixed 6-and under age group winning with a score of 35. After another successful drive, chip and putt event, the founder of Fourteen Clubs Golf Academy talked about its importance in having the juniors practice in an almost identical environment to that of the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals in Augusta, Georgia. “The Masters Drive, Chip and Putt event is a big event for junior golfers aged 7-15 to get to play on the final stage which is a once in a lifetime
opportunity. We set up very similarly to what you see at any of their qualifying sites. For putting we have the same distances, three chip shots to the same similar grid and driving is set up in the same 40-yard grid” “If we could get our players competing and starting to match their scores with the scores that are actually winning those qualifiers and make it to Augusta they can see where they are excelling and where they need to improve. I think that this year we can have some players make it through the final qualifying stage and hopefully we can see some bright young Bahamian players on TV playing at Augusta,” Rolle-Harris said. The next event of the tournament series will take place on January 21.
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MAYFIELD AND BUCCANEERS RELISH HAVING SECOND SHOT AT HURTS, EAGLES IN PRIME TIME NFC WILD CARD MATCHUP By FRED GOODALL AP Sports Writer TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers insist they never doubted themselves. Not after Tom Brady retired. Not even after the Philadelphia Eagles gashed them in an early-season, prime-time matchup that suggested there was a huge gap between themselves and the defending NFC champions. Jalen Hurts and the Eagles dominated the Bucs in Week 3, running 78 plays to Tampa Bay’s 44 and outgaining the seemingly overmatched, Brady-less Bucs 472 yards to 174 en route to a 25-11 victory. Philadelphia rushed for 201 yards, while the Eagles kept Tampa Bay out of the end zone until early in the fourth quarter. After the sputtering Bucs offense broke finally through, with Baker Mayfield throwing a short touchdown pass to Mike Evans and adding a 2-point conversion to trim a 22-point deficit to 14, Hurts and the Eagles’ offense took the field and held the ball for the final nine minutes of the game. A little over three months later, the NFC South champion Bucs (9-8) relish an opportunity to make amends when the Eagles (11-6) visit Raymond James Stadium on Monday night in the final game of the NFL’s wild-card weekend. For much of the season, it’s a rematch that didn’t figure to happen. Philadelphia started 10-1 before losing five of six to fall all the way to the No. 5 seed. Tampa Bay, meanwhile, rebounded from a stretch in which it lost six of seven to go 5-1 over the last six weeks to win its third consecutive division title and earn the No. 4 seed. “We have a locker room full of guys that are comfortable being counted out. That’s when we’re most comfortable,” Mayfield said. “All we wanted was a chance to get in. Now we’re here, and we’ve got to handle it the right way.” Tampa Bay is only team in the NFC that’s made the playoffs each of the past four seasons. The culture built while Brady was with the team the past three years is one of the reasons coach Todd Bowles was confident the Bucs were capable of continued success with Mayfield at quarterback. “We talked about it early in the summer. We’ve got a very good culture. “How we like what we have. It was a complete change from what we had before, which was great, too, but there’s a lot of ways to skin a cat,” Bowles said. “The guys believed in each other. “They never fed into the outside media. We wrote our own narrative. We heard everything. They practiced hard, they worked hard, and they got it done.” Philadelphia spent much of the season resembling a team that was determined to get back the Super Bowl after losing the title game to the Kansas City Chiefs last February. When players gathered for practice this week, coach Nick Sirianni spoke to them about getting back to who they are as a team. “I don’t think you come up with a new message because you got to the playoffs, you come back to who you are, what got you here,” Sirianni said. “Even if you drifted a little bit from who you are, what got you there, just trying to get yourself back to that moment.”
Friday, January 12, 2024, PAGE 17
PATRIOTS’ ‘PARTNERSHIP’ WITH BILL BELICHICK COMES TO AN END AFTER 24 SEASONS, SIX SUPER BOWL TITLES By KYLE HIGHTOWER AND JIMMY GOLEN AP Sports Writers FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Bill Belichick had a vision of building the kind of sustained championship football team that had rarely been seen before in the NFL when he was hired by the New England Patriots. He walks away feeling like it was a job well done. The six-time NFL champion agreed to depart as the coach of the Patriots, ending his 24-year tenure as the architect of the most decorated dynasty of the league’s Super Bowl era. “It’s with so many fond memories and thoughts that I think about the Patriots,” Belichick said on Thursday in a media availability with owner Robert Kraft. “I’ll always be a Patriot. I look forward to coming back here. But at this time, we’re going to move on. And I look forward, excited for the future.” Neither Belichick nor Kraft took questions, though Kraft said during an availability later in the day that the team missing the playoffs in three of the past four seasons factored into wanting to sever their relationship. “What’s gone on here the last three to four years isn’t what we want. So we have a responsibility to do what we can to fix it to the best of our ability,” Kraft said. Speaking to reporters from the podium where he had given so many terse, nonresponsive postgame recaps, Belichick appeared in a jacket and tie and spoke first, followed by Kraft. The coach even smiled a couple of times — including when he conceded respect for the media “even though we don’t always see eye to eye.” He also thanked the fans for “the sendoffs, the parades, the Sundays.” But most of his time was spent thanking the people throughout the organisation, especially the more than 1,000 Patriots players he coached in his time here. “Players win games in the NFL,” Belichick said. “I’ve been very, very fortunate to coach some of the greatest players to ever play the game.” Kraft called the relationship a marriage that had required work and had come to an end. “I’m very proud that our partnership lasted for 24 years,” Kraft said. “Bill has taught me a lot over those years, and we had high expectations for what we could achieve together. I think we were the only ones who had those expectations, and I think it’s safe to say we
NEW England Patriots team owner Robert Kraft, left, and former Patriots head coach Bill Belichick embrace during an NFL football news conference, Thursday, in Foxborough, Mass., to announce that Belichick, a six-time NFL champion, has agreed to part ways with the team. (AP Photo/Steven Senne) exceeded them.” “We did,” Belichick agreed. “Thanks to you,” Kraft said. Belichick, 71, became just the third coach in NFL history to reach 300 career regularseason victories earlier this season, joining Hall of Famers Don Shula and George Halas. With 333 wins including the playoffs, Belichick trails only Shula (347) for the record for victories by a coach. But the Patriots ended this season 4-13, Belichick’s worst record in 29 seasons as an NFL head coach. It supplanted the 5-11 mark he managed in his last year in Cleveland in 1995 and again in his first year in New England in 2000. Including the playoffs, he ends his Patriots tenure with a 333-178 record. Belichick is expected to resume his pursuit of Shula’s record elsewhere. Kraft alluded to that, saying complete closure for their relationship couldn’t come “while he’s still coaching.” “But I hope when that’s all over, we can do something that properly honours him and respects him for what he’s done with us,” Kraft said. With his cutoff hoodies and ever-present scowl, Belichick teamed with quarterback Tom Brady to lead the Patriots to six Super Bowl victories, nine AFC titles and 17 division championships in 19 years. During a less successful — but also tumultuous — stint with the original Cleveland Browns, Belichick earned 37 of his career victories. Reaction to Thursday’s announcement poured in across social media. It
NEW England Patriots coach Bill Belichick holds up a Super Bowl trophy as he addresses the crowd during a rally Feb. 7, 2017, in Boston to celebrate the team’s win over the Atlanta Falcons in the NFL Super Bowl 51 football game in Houston. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola, File) included one from Brady, who responded with three heart emojis to a post on ESPN’s Instagram page that had photos of Belichick and Kraft embracing. It’s not immediately clear who Kraft will tap to replace the future Hall of Famer, and he declined to get into particulars out of respect for Thursday’s announcement. “We’ll have a chance to talk about that in the very near future,” Kraft said. But asked later what kind of coach he’ll seek, he added: “We’re looking for someone who can help us get back to the playoffs and win.” Patriots linebackers coach Jerod Mayo won a Super Bowl ring playing under Belichick and has interviewed for multiple head coaching vacancies since becoming a
New England assistant in 2019. Mayo turned down a few interviews last offseason before signing a contract extension to remain with the Patriots. Mike Vrabel, who was fired earlier this week by the Tennessee Titans and won three Super Bowls with the Patriots, is also expected to be a candidate. Belichick had been grooming offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels to replace him before McDaniels left following the 2021 season to become the coach of the Raiders. He has since been fired by Las Vegas. Belichick’s exit from the Patriots comes just a day after another coaching great and longtime friend Nick Saban announced he’d retire after winning seven college national championships.
Saban worked for Belichick’s father, Steve, in the 1980s as a coach at Navy, and Bill Belichick hired Saban as his defensive coordinator when he became Cleveland’s head coach in 1991. The six Super Bowl wins tie Belichick with pre-merger mentors Halas and Curly Lambeau for the most NFL championships. Belichick also won two rings as Bill Parcells’ defensive coordinator with the New York Giants. But the Patriots have stumbled to a 29-39 record since Brady departed following the 2019 season. Beginning in 2001 when Brady became the starting quarterback, the Patriots missed the playoffs only once — when Brady was injured in 2008. This marked New England’s fifth consecutive season without a playoff victory. Belichick’s subsequent solutions at quarterback haven’t panned out. Brady’s initial replacement, Cam Newton, didn’t resemble the player who won the 2015 MVP award and was cut after a 7-9 finish in 2020. Meanwhile, Brady won his seventh Super Bowl ring with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that same season. Mac Jones, a 2021 firstround draft choice, was a Pro Bowl selection as a rookie and led New England to the playoffs. But he regressed in Year 2 when Belichick put longtime defensive assistant Matt Patricia in charge of the offense. Jones didn’t fare much better this season when Bill O’Brien returned as offensive coordinator. He was benched four times before being replaced as starter by backup Bailey Zappe for the final six games. That left the Patriots looking at a lengthy rebuild, with no candidate on the roster to bring stability to the sport’s most important position. Belichick, who also served as the de facto general manager with final say on personnel decisions, was celebrated for his ingenuity managing the salary cap during the run of Super Bowl success. It included getting stars like Brady and others to accept cap-friendly contracts or adjust their deals to accommodate the signing of other players. But that acclaim has waned in the years since Brady left, as a run of draft picks and high-priced free agents didn’t live up to expectations. In addition, Belichick has seen several members of his personnel and scouting departments leave for other jobs. Now it won’t be Belichick making the decisions for the Patriots on or off the field.
TYREEK HILL RETURNS TO KC AS DOLPHINS VISIT CHIEFS FOR FRIGID AFC WILD-CARD GAME tendon and Bradley Chubb is out with a torn ACL, while linebackers Andrew Van Ginkel, Jerome Baker and Cameron Goode have been placed on injured reserve. “It’s really a special room to have this many good rushers on the same team at one time, so a lot of knowledge,” said Irvin, who was recently released from Detroit’s practice squad. “Hopefully we can be together longer than one week.”
By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports Writer KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Tyreek Hill and the Miami Dolphins missed out on the opportunity to play the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium back in November, when the NFL had moved their high-profile matchup to Frankfurt, Germany. Hill and Co. will finally get their chance on Saturday night. With a whole lot more at stake, too. The wide receiver will be playing in Kansas City for the first time since the Chiefs sent him to the Dolphins when the teams meet in a wild-card playoff game. And along with what figures to be plenty of boos — Hill has actively needled the Chiefs on social media since the trade — he will be greeted by wind chills expected to be well below zero at kickoff. “We’re competitors. You’ve seen me — I have that fire — and he’s the same way,” said Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who helped turn Hill into a star during his first six seasons in the league. “That’s what makes him so great. And we’re still friends in the offseason and all that, but when you’re on the field, you’re competing to win. That’s just how it is.” Make no mistake: The Chiefs know how to win this time of year. While the Dolphins are in the postseason in consecutive years for the first time since 2001, the Chiefs will be playing their 15th straight home playoff game, not counting three Super Bowl appearances. It’s a streak that dates to Jan. 15, 2017, back when Hill was wrapping up his rookie season and Mahomes had yet to take the reigns of one of the NFL’s most dynamic offenses. “We play a lot of big games — games on short rest, night games — and having that experience will help,” Mahomes said. “A lot of guys on this team have done that, so the step up you see going into the playoffs, we make it a little smaller, because we’ve been in games like this. We can rely on our experience
MIAMI Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) is congratulated by his teammates after scoring a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Sunday, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee) and be the best team we can be.” The Chiefs wrapped up their eighth straight AFC West title with one game left in the regular season, so Mahomes and several of their biggest stars were able to sit out a win over the Chargers, and instead prepare for another playoff appearance. The Dolphins, meanwhile, are limping in both literally and figuratively. A wave of late-season injuries has left coach Mike McDaniel with a patchwork defense and cobbled-together pass rush, while consecutive losses to Baltimore and Buffalo denied the Dolphins the chance to host a game this weekend. And avoid the frigid weather gripping the Midwest. The game in Kansas City is expected to be among the coldest in NFL history, and Miami has lost its past 10 games when the temperature is 40 degrees or lower at kickoff. “The team will be fired up to go and embrace the challenge,” McDaniel said, “and there’s many layers to why it’s a challenge. For us in-house, we all believe in each other and want to get a losing taste out of our mouths. That’s the only
objective.” The Dolphins experienced the same losing taste in November, when the Chiefs beat them 21-14 in Germany. “Previous games, wins, losses — they mean nothing. That has absolutely no bearing on what’s going to happen,” Chiefs safety Justin Reid said. “The best team is going to come out on top.” PLAYOFF PROSPECTS Miami has won all three of its playoff games against the Chiefs, two wild-card matchups and a divisional-round game in 1971 that remains the longest game in NFL history. But the Dolphins’ more recent playoff history has been bleak. They’ve not won a game since Dec. 30, 2000, when they beat the Colts in overtime, and they have only one playoff road win since 1972. WHAT A RUSH The Dolphins signed Melvin Ingram to the active roster and veterans Justin Houston and Bruce Irvin early in the week, hoping to fortify a pass rush decimated by injuries. Jaelan Phillips tore his Achilles
OPTIMISTIC OUTLOOK The Dolphins are optimistic that wide receiver Jaylen Waddle will be back from a high ankle sprain and running back Raheem Mostert from an ankle injury after each missed the past two games. They will also have De’Von Achane available against Kansas City after the speedy running back missed their game in Germany with a knee injury. THE FLIP SIDE The Chiefs are as healthy as they have been all season. Left tackle Wanya Morris is their only injury of note after he went into the concussion protocol against the Chargers last week. But he was only playing because of a neck injury to Donovan Smith, who has practiced all week and is expected to play for the first time since Dec. 3 against Green Bay. FLIPPED SCRIPTS The Chiefs are usually the team putting up big points, but it was the Dolphins who led the NFL in offense for the first time in 30 years at more than 400 yards per game. Meanwhile, the Chiefs overcame inconsistency on offense — they led the NFL in dropped passes — by leaning on the league’s No. 2 ranked defense, which held 13 of 17 opponents to 20 points or fewer. “They give us different looks. They present one-high deals, then go to two-high. They present twohigh deals, then have fire zones,” Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa said, “so we’ll just have to be ready and then with their (Cover) 0s that they have, too. So we’ve just got to be ready with that and yeah, here we go.”
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NBA’S IN-SEASON TOURNAMENT WILL ‘NO DOUBT’ RETURN NEXT SEASON, COMMISSIONER SILVER SAYS PARIS (AP) — NBA Commissioner Adam Silver says the In-Season Tournament will “no doubt” be back next season with some unspecified tweaks. So, most likely, will another regular-season trip to Paris — perhaps this time with multiple games for the teams selected. Silver touched on both of those possibilities for the 2024-25 schedule on Thursday before the Brooklyn Nets and Cleveland Cavaliers played the NBA’s third regular-season game in Paris. The In-Season Tournament, like the play-in that’s used to determine the Nos. 7 and 8 seeds for each conference in the playoffs, began with a one-year trial so the league could evaluate it before deciding whether to bring it back. The tournament wrapped up last month with the Los Angeles Lakers beating the Indiana Pacers in Las Vegas for the championship. It was mostly wellreceived by teams and fans. Silver said team presidents recently met and discussed potential modifications, including how how to break ties, the appearance of the courts and perhaps the name of the event. “We are pleased with the success after the first season and no doubt it will be back next year, probably with just a couple of tweaks,” Silver said. “Then beyond that, as we’re talking to television partners, maybe figuring out exactly when the best time of year is to do it, maybe it will make sense to make some other modifications to the format, those are things we’ll look at.” Silver is also looking at returning to Paris, first for the Olympics and then next winter for more NBA games. With No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama leading France’s biggest presence on NBA rosters, and with Paris set to host the Olympics, the French market has become more important to the league. It staged its first regularseason game in the French capital in 2020 and seems headed back next season. Silver said he recently ran into former French star Tony Parker, and the ex-longtime San Antonio Spurs player told the commissioner he’d never been busier. “He’s gone from event to event over the last several days and I said, ‘You’re going to be even busier in the Olympics and wait until we’re back next year,’” Silver said. “That hasn’t been confirmed yet, but we’re very likely to be back next year and and we’re very excited about that.” Wembanyama, who had his first NBA triple-double on Wednesday in Detroit, leads a record 14 French players on NBA rosters this season. The Nets and Cavs are playing just a single game after traveling to France following a game on Sunday. Silver said the next event could feature multiple games. “In terms of the efficiency, given the scope of the operation bringing two teams over here, we’ve had conversations with teams that, once they’re here, would they potentially play a second game against each other before returning to the States?” Silver said. “And that’s something we’re looking at, potentially even for next season.” Silver added that there was no update on the league’s TV negotiations. He said there have been discussions and there will be an exclusive negotiating period with the current partners that hasn’t yet begun, before the deals expire after next season. “My sense is over the next month or so those conversations will become more intense as we focus on this exclusive negotiating period, and we’ll see whether we can get them done during that period or whether we end up having further discussions beyond that,” Silver said.
MILWAUKEE Bucks’ Bobby Portis reacts after a three pointer during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
PORTIS, ANTETOKOUNMPO SPARK 25-0 SPURT IN BUCKS’ 135-102 BLOWOUT OF CELTICS By STEVE MEGARGEE AP Sports Writer MILWAUKEE (AP) — Bobby Portis and Giannis Antetokounmpo combined to score 20 straight points during a 25-0 spurt midway through the first half and the Milwaukee Bucks rolled to a 135-102 victory over the NBA-leading Boston Celtics on Thursday night. Portis scored 28, Antetokounmpo added 24 and both players had 12 rebounds to help the Bucks win for just the second time in six games. Damian Lillard chipped in 21 points while returning to Milwaukee’s lineup after missing the Bucks’ 132-116 home
loss to the Utah Jazz on Monday for personal reasons. The Bucks led by as many as 43 points in Jrue Holiday’s return to Milwaukee, and their 75-38 lead at the break was their fourthbiggest halftime advantage in franchise history. The Bucks hadn’t played a game since Monday, while the Celtics were back in action one night after beating the Minnesota Timberwolves 127-120 in overtime. Boston allowed its highest point total of the season and rested all its starters for the entire second half. The Bucks didn’t play any of their starters in the fourth quarter.
Payton Pritchard scored 21 and Sam Hauser 15 for the Celtics, who missed 16 of their first 17 3-point attempts and ended up going 9 of 34 from beyond the arc. Milwaukee shot 56.5% overall and was 18 of 42 on 3-point attempts. After Boston’s Oshae Brissett dunked to cut Milwaukee’s lead to 31-23 with 2:14 remaining in the first quarter, the Celtics wouldn’t score again for over 6 1/2 minutes. Boston’s drought finally ended when Jaylen Brown dunked with 7:38 left in the second period. Portis scored 13 points and Antetokounmpo had
seven during that 25-0 spurt. After Portis scored eight of the last 10 points in the first quarter to extend Milwaukee’s lead to 41-23, the Bucks scored 15 straight points to open the second period. Portis, who had been 1 of 12 from 3-point range this month, was 5 of 6 from beyond the arc on Thursday. Holiday scored six points and shot 2 of 9 in his first game at Milwaukee since the Bucks traded him in September as part of the package to acquire Lillard from the Portland Trail Blazers. Portland sent him
to the Celtics a few days later. Holiday played for the Bucks from 2020-23 and was part of their 2021 championship team. He had faced his former team once already this season, when the Celtics beat the Bucks 119-116 in Boston on Nov. 22. Holiday received a standing ovation when a tribute video aired on the Fiserv Forum scoreboard during the game’s first timeout. UP NEXT Celtics: Host the Houston Rockets on Saturday. Bucks: Host the Golden State Warriors on Saturday.
DONOVAN MITCHELL SCORES SEASON-HIGH 45 POINTS, CAVALIERS BEAT NETS 111-102 IN PARIS PARIS (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored a season-high 45 points and the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Brooklyn Nets 111-102 on Thursday in the NBA’s third regular-season game in Paris. Mitchell had his 16th 40-point game in just two seasons in Cleveland. He added 12 rebounds, six assists and four steals, joining LeBron James as the only Cavaliers with at least 45 points, 10 boards, five assists and three steals in a game. He’d like to join James on the list of U.S. men’s basketball gold medalists when Paris hosts the Olympics this summer. “I’d love to come back and play in the Olympics,” Mitchell said. “This city is a very electric basketball city.” Mitchell’s quick start sent the Cavaliers to a lead they would never lose and he scored 21 points in the fourth quarter, making four 3-pointers after going 0 for 6 through three, to keep the Nets from coming all the way back after cutting a 26-point deficit to single digits. “We did some really good things in the second half and his ability to just put that ball in the hole is a difference maker,” Nets coach Jacque Vaughn said. Caris LeVert added 21 points in Cleveland’s first time playing outside North America in the regular season, while Jarrett Allen had 12 points and 12 rebounds in his career-best eighth straight doubledouble. The Cavaliers won their fourth straight, improving to 9-3 since Dec. 16. Mikal Bridges and Cam Thomas each scored 26 points for the Nets, who matched their worst half of the season with 34 points in the first half and have lost 12 of 15. Lonnie Walker IV added 20 points, providing energy off the bench with starters Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith both ailing and playing limited minutes. The Nets’ struggles kept the NBA from delivering much of a show in front of a crowd that included French soccer superstar Kylian Mbappé and former NBA stars Tony Parker and Joakim Noah. But better basketball is ahead.
CLEVELAND Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell, left, drives to the basket during the NBA basketball game between Brooklyn Nets and Cleveland Cavaliers, at the Accor Arena in Paris, Thursday. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena) NBA Commissioner Adam Silver noted that the United States, which has won the last four Olympic gold medals in men’s basketball, could send a powerhouse roster this summer. “I think a love of competition and a love of this market, seemingly all the marquee U.S. NBA players want to participate,” Silver said during a news conference before the game. He added that the NBA expects to return to France next season, perhaps with the teams selected playing multiple games. Headed by No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama, France had a record 14 players on opening-night rosters this season and has become one of the league’s
most important markets, ranking No. 1 in Europe and the Middle East for sales of NBA-branded merchandise. Mitchell scored the game’s first six points and Cleveland raced to a 16-4 lead. It was 54-34 at halftime and the Cavs took their largest lead when Mitchell’s layup made it 60-34 early in the third. “I think Donovan came out ready for the moment,” Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “We talked about beforehand how special this game was to be a part of, what it means for the NBA to select you to come over here and represent the league and the game of basketball on a worldwide stage, and I thought Donovan was phenomenal at giving
the audience and us what they came to see and what we needed to go and win the game.” Cleveland’s Tristan Thompson was ejected early in the fourth quarter for flagrantly fouling Nic Claxton after the Nets center had dunked and taunted the veteran center. The Cavs, playing without Evan Mobley (knee surgery) and Darius Garland (broken jaw), played the final three quarters without starting guard Max Strus because of right knee soreness. UP NEXT Nets: Host Miami on Monday. Cavaliers: Host Chicago on Monday.