01242025 NEWS AND SPORT by tribune242

DOCTORS RESUME TALKS WITH GOVT

Glover-Rolle hopeful industrial agreement ready by next month

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Chief

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

Reporter

LABOUR Minister Pia Glover-Rolle said that negotiations between the government and health unions are progressing, with hopes of ﬁnalising new industrial agreements by next month.

This follows a period of stalled contract talks. “The goal is for me as the minister to wrap it up as soon as possible,” she said. “Negotiations are conversations back and forth. When we pull away from the table, the conversation ends. So I’m happy to have them back at the tabl.” Healthcare workers took

LOCA L GOVT EL ECTIONS SEE DEL AYS AND BA LL OT ERRORS

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport

Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

LOCAL government elections across The Bahamas yesterday were marked by low voter turnout, and several Family Islands experienced complications, including signiﬁcant polling delays and ballot errors, which raised concerns about inadequate preparation. Eleuthera’s voting was delayed for up to six hours due to late polling station openings and ballot errors. Polling stations in Harbour Island and Governor’s Harbour did not open until 2.30pm, well beyond the mandated 8am start time. Further complicating the

FOAM breaks ground on new housing and shelter project

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

FAMILIES of All

Murder Victims (FOAM), led by its president, Khandi Gibson, held a

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

Prime Minister Philip

“Brave” Davis had proclaimed January 23, 2025, as Families of All Murdered

groundbreaking ceremony yesterday for a new housing and shelter project on Carmichael Road West, just past Bacardi Road. The initiative aims to provide housing, shelter, and resources for families in need, including victims of violence and hardship.

GOVT L AUNCHES BI-MONTHLY PAY OPINION SURVEY

THE Ministry of Finance launched a survey to gather public servants’ opinions on a proposed shift to bimonthly pay, Public Service Minister Pia Glover-Rolle said yesterday. This follows calls from Bahamas Public Service Union (BPSU) president Kimsley Ferguson for a

structured poll to assess public servants’ views on the proposed change. Mrs Glover-Rolle encouraged public servants to participate in the survey, emphasising the importance of understanding workers’ perspectives before implementing the change. She said: “You’ve heard the Minister of Economic

By NEIL HARTNELL

BAHA Mar’s contractor is fighting to prevent Sarkis Izmirlian from using evidence disclosed in US legal proceedings to help with his bid to wind-up its two Nassau-based hotels. Their latest battle was revealed yesterday by Izmirlian’s push for the appointment of an “independent examiner” to investigate dealings between CCA’s US subsidiary and other affiliates for alleged irregularities prior to its Chapter 11 filing.

LABOUR Minister Pia GloverRolle

CHINESE Ambassador to The Bahamas Yan Jiarong and British High Commissioner Tom Hartley participate in a Junkanoo rushout during the 2025 Chinese Lunar New Year Reception at Margaritaville yesterday. See PAGE TWO for more.

Photo: Dante Carrer/Tribune Staff

Mitchell: White trying to smear foreign service

By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

MINISTER of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell last night said St Anne’s MP Adrian White was trying to “smear” the foreign service when he claimed the government had bought at least three luxury BMW vehicles for its embassy in Washington DC.

Mr Mitchell, speaking at the Chinese New Year celebration at Margaritaville last night, said: “I expect when Parliament meets on Wednesday to have a full set of answers on that.

The Member of Parliament for St Anne’s made a considerable number of material misstatements. He was trying to smear the Foreign Service, and we will answer him thoroughly when Parliament meets.”

Mr White had raised concerns about the acquisition of luxury cars for the embassy, suggesting potential fiscal irresponsibility. An audit of the embassy, presented in the House of Assembly on

Wednesday, revealed that at least three luxury cars were acquired in the past two years - a 2023 BMW 740i, a 2023 BMW 740 XI, and a 2022 BMW 740.

In addition to addressing the luxury car controversy, Mr Mitchell also spoke about the government’s position on China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

He noted that the initiative remains “under the consideration of the government” and said: “I can’t pronounce on that.

We have no opposition to Belt and Road Project, but it’s a formal decision which has to be taken by the government, and the matter is under consideration at the moment.”

The Belt and Road Initiative, a Chinese-led global development strategy, has drawn attention for its potential to fund infrastructure projects.

The recent Bahamas Business Outlook saw The Bahamas being urged to join its Belt and Road Initiative while the US cautioned against potential risks.

Chinese Ambassador Yan Jiarong called for The Bahamas to sign on, citing economic opportunities and development projects.

Meanwhile, US Embassy charge d’affaires Kimberly Furnish warned against investments with “nefarious strings attached”, indirectly referencing China.

The Foreign Affairs Minister also addressed questions surrounding the shift in accounting responsibilities within the ministry, clarifying the legislative mandated change in roles of the Permanent Secretary (PS) and the Director General.

Minister Fred Mitchell explained: “The Public Finance Management Act requires a principal accounting officer. With the separation of the Foreign Service from the Public Service generally, the permanent secretary will remain the principal accounting officer for the ministry, and the Director General will be the public accounting officer for the corporation.”

Chinese Lunar New Year celebrated at Margaritaville

FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER FRED MITCHELL

A CELEBRATION to mark the Chinese Lunar New Year was held at Margaritaville last night - with Governor General

Dame Cynthia Pratt and Prime Minister Philip Davis in attendance. The occasion saw cultural performances

including dances, a recital of Chinese poetry by Bahamian children, a demonstration of kung fu and a Junkanoo rushout.

The celebrations marked the arrival of the year of the snake, while also highlighting connections between China and

The Bahamas - including video footage being shown of Chinese Ambassador Yan Jiarong dancing with Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell at a Fox Hill Junkanoo event.

Photos: Dante Carrer/Tribune Staff

Local govt elections see delays and ballot errors

process were errors on the ballots. In Harbour Island, a candidate’s name was omitted, requiring the ballots to be reprinted and sent from New Providence, resulting in additional delays.

Meanwhile, low voter turnout was reported throughout the country.

Adrian White, Member of Parliament for St Anne, highlighted several issues in the House of Assembly on Wednesday regarding problems with the ballots for the North Andros seats. One issue involved the inclusion of department heads and a candidate who had been nominated and accepted but was left off the ballot in Hope Town, Abaco.

Mr White criticised the overall handling of the elections, noting that the issues stemmed from a lack of preparation and rushed legislative changes.

“This particular local government election has not been handled with

proper care,” he said yesterday, attributing the issues to the repeal and replacement of the previous law with new legislation debated and passed just before the holiday break.

“I proposed an amendment to the 2024 bill to ensure that the upcoming elections could be held in 2025, but Mr Munroe, leader of government business, denied that such a change was necessary,” he added.

Mr White also noted that citizens were not notiﬁed in advance to update their voter registration cards so that cards would reﬂect the area they are living in before the writs of election were issued. In Grand Bahama, voter turnout was slow during the morning but was expected to increase in the evening after work hours.

Leonard Dames, administrator for West Grand Bahama, reported that the polls opened on time and the elections proceeded smoothly.

At the polling station at Martin Town Primary School, a few voters had lined up outside around 12.30pm waiting to cast their votes.

Candidates Lorna Davis and Sandra Rollings of Jones Town, Eight Mile Rock, West Grand Bahama Township, reported that while voter turnout was slow, they hoped it would pick up in the evening.

“The polling station opened on time, and there was only a slight hiccup at the start, but everything went smoothly after that,” Ms Rolling said.

In Freeport, low voter turnout was also reported. At Freeport Primary School, most of the polling stations were quiet. At Jack Hayward High School, fewer than 100 voters had cast ballots by 3pm, and poll workers reported that they were not busy.

Some Long Island residents called for the Parliamentary Registrar to maintain the voter register better.

FOAM breaks ground on new housing and shelter project

Victims Day for the third consecutive year. The day, which also marks Ms Gibson’s birthday, honours her dedication and efforts

to support grieving families across the nation.

Ms Gibson reflected on her journey of service. “All I know is that I had two brothers murdered, and their children

needed help,” she said.

“I knew that if we were going through this, others would be going through the same thing my family and I felt. But you know, God took it beyond just

helping murder victims. He took it to housing, to domestic violence, to sheltering, and so FOAM had to rebrand. Our motto now is making life easier for those in need and hurting amongst us. This has been a journey.”

The project will include a housing facility accommodating up to eight people per family, with a total capacity of 40 people in Phase One.

ensuring they have a safe space to refresh and continue their daily responsibilities.

FOAM estimates the total budget for the project to be $1 million, with Phase One costing $250,000. Construction is set to begin in the second week of February, though no completion date has been set.

FOAM received several donations during the ceremony to support the project. However, the total amount donated yesterday was not disclosed.

Mrs Gibson highlighted its broader vision, saying: “We don’t want to just give the women refuge; we want to give the family refuge. It’s also going to be a housing project.” She also announced plans for portable showers to provide relief for individuals and families facing sudden displacement,

Delivering the keynote remarks at the ceremony, Ann Marie Davis of the Office of the Spouse of the Prime Minister emphasised the importance of the project and acknowledged the strength of families enduring loss.

“If there are any families today who have endured any profound loss, I want to say this: Your pain is not forgotten,” she said. “Your voices are heard. You and your strength inspire us all to be better. This project is for you — a promise that you will have people to stand by you and to advocate for justice while helping you heal. And to Ms Gibson and FOAM and your team, thank you for your vision and your tireless dedication. Your work is transforming lives and uplifting your communities.”

The property, spanning two acres, was made possible with the assistance of Prime Minister Davis. from page one

FNM leader Michael Pintard cast a ballot at a polling station in Grand Bahama yesterday during local government elections.

MINISTER of Energy and Transport JoBeth Coleby-Davis, wife of Prime Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis, Ann Marie Davis, FOAM president Khandi Gibson, Senate president Lashelle Adderley and Bishop Walter Hanschell during the groundbreaking of the FOAM (Families Of All Murder Victims) shelter and housing project on Carmichael Rd yesterday.

Photos: Dante Carrer/Tribune Staff

Govt launches bi-monthly salary opinion survey

Affairs say that if it’s not what you want, we won’t do it, but we’re moving into a progressive and efﬁcient environment.”

Mrs Glover-Rolle initially set early 2025 as the start date for the bi-weekly system but later extended the timeline for further consultation after union leaders expressed concerns.

The initiative is part of broader public service reforms, including electronic salary notiﬁcations, online job applications, and the Cloud Bahamas project to digitise the public service.

At a symposium reviewing the government’s public service agenda, Mrs Glover-Rolle acknowledged signiﬁcant progress but noted that much work remains. She highlighted efforts in clearing the backlog, improving accommodations, completing a public service audit, and promoting thousands of public servants. Additionally, plans are underway to

relocate the ministry to a new building. She added: “Importantly, we’re simultaneously ensuring that we adopt international standards for workers rights and exploring concepts like you’ve heard mentioned in press, paternity leave, remote work, and new advances in the way you do work.”

Mrs Glover-Rolle also announced forthcoming changes to the Employment Act, Industrial Relations Act, and Public Service Act to modernise the public service. She encouraged workers to remain focused and resilient as “silly season” approaches, warning against being discouraged by political jabs. She said: “I don’t want you to be discouraged by the political jabs. The political jobs are at me,” and emphasised the gratitude of thousands of public servants for the efforts to promote, reclassify, and improve morale and conditions within the public service.

Applebee’s franchise open now in New Providence

THERE’S a new name in town – but a familiar one to travellers.

Applebee’s has opened in Nassau – with the prospect of more venues to follow. The ﬁrst restaurant has opened up at Superplex

Fusion, and an opening night celebration was held this week.

The company’s director of operations, Rayford Rahming, told The Tribune this week that they have already hired around 165

people and are “looking for more”.

Applebee’s is open 11am to midnight, 365 days a year. The restaurant itself opened on Christmas Day, with the launch event held this week.

Pia Glover-Rolle addressing the media rearlier this month.

Doctors resume talks with govt

industrial action earlier this month over issues such as unpaid overtime and lack of health insurance.

When asked about her confidence in resolving these issues, Mrs GloverRolle acknowledged that overtime remains a “sticking point” but expressed optimism.

She emphasised the government’s commitment to accountability within the healthcare sector.

“We need to know who’s in the building,” she added. “We need to know who is in the hospital, who is at the facility. Payroll is a separate matter. Overtime is a matter unto itself, but accountability is very important in healthcare.”

Bahamas Doctors Union (BDU) president Dr Camille Glinton-Thompson has said that doctors are not opposed to recording their attendance but want written guarantees

for overtime compensation, especially for the long, consecutive hours they work on call. She noted that introducing a clock-in system could result in exorbitant costs given the extensive hours doctors work.

Meanwhile, regarding the Consultant Physician Staff Association (CPSA), health officials confirmed that all articles in the proposed industrial agreement, except for the financial aspects, have been agreed upon.

“We remain hopeful,” CPSA president Dr Charelle Lockhart told The Tribune. “(The) meeting with her was refreshing. She came with a listening ear and heard our concerns.”

For his part, Health and Wellness Minister Michael Darville said that the government is committed to building a new hospital even though industrial issues with healthcare workers raise concerns about how the

government could support additional workers.

He noted that health manpower resources are a significant regional issue, and The Bahamas is no exception.

He said 50 trained clinical nurses will soon begin their roles at Bahamas Baptist College. Additionally, the government is bringing in doctors from Africa, as the Cabinet made a decision.

He said: “We’ve had meetings with other CARICOM members or CARICOM ministers of health to speak about the challenges we have throughout the region with the mass recruitment from North America, but our hospitals will be constructed, and we have a plan how to train Bahamians in the long term, but how to recruit healthcare professionals from abroad in the short term to ensure that we do not build hospitals that become white elephants and non-productive.”

GOVT HOLDS SYMPOSIUM HIGHLIGHTING INITIATIVES TO IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

MENTAL health advo -

cates convened at the Ministry of Health and Wellness’s Mental Health Act in Action Symposium

to highlight the ministry’s initiatives aimed at improving mental health services. Organised by the Department of Public Health, the symposium is part of a series designed to raise awareness about

available public health services and programmes, addressing the community’s challenges throughout their health journeys. Originally scheduled for World Mental Health Day on October 10, 2024, the event was postponed due

to logistical issues. Dr Phillip Swann, director of the Department of Public Health, expressed confidence in the programme, stating it would provide valuable insights into the efforts required to implement and sustain mental health programmes that meet the needs of those targeted. Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville emphasised the ministry’s ongoing collaboration with the Pan American Health Organization and five uniform branches, including the Royal Bahamas Defence Force and the Royal Bahamas Police Force, to train officers in crisis intervention and mental health protocols. He added that the Public Hospitals Authority and the Department of Public Health are conducting extensive training not only in New Providence and Grand Bahama, but

also across islands from Abaco to Inagua.

Addressing the new Mental Health Act, Dr Darville reassured those attending that the Act includes necessary safeguards to provide proper care for individuals suffering from mental illnesses. He explained that the Act adopts a balanced approach to ensure public safety while upholding the rights and dignity of those with mental health issues. Dr Darville acknowledged current resource limitations but affirmed that the staged implementation of the Act will address many challenges associated with caring for individuals with mental illnesses.

Dr David Allen of the Renascence Institute and National Crime Prevention Chair urged adults to show kindness to at risk children, warning that “a hurt child is a dangerous adult”. He also voiced concerns about fentanyl

overdoses, a sentiment echoed by Andrea Johnson-Thompson. Ms Johnson-Thompson shared the tragic story of her son, Andre Thompson, who died in 2022 from fentanyl. She revealed that he was not a user but was given a pill by someone else. She emphasised the dangers of fentanyl, stating: “Fentanyl is so dangerous it’s 100 times stronger than cocaine and it’s like you’re playing Russian roulette, because six out of 10 pills can have fentanyl in it.” Ms Johnson-Thompson also disclosed that her son’s death certificate listed a heart attack, and she only discovered the true cause was related to drug use when she found evidence connecting the pill to the person who provided fentanyl. Dr Allen questioned the number of deaths due to fentanyl, citing issues with drug testing.

MINISTER OF LABOUR AND PUBLIC SERVICE PIA GLOVER-ROLLE

MINISTER of Health and Wellness Dr Michael Darville speaks during the Mental Health ACT symposium at Atlantis Paradise Island yesterday.

Photos: Dante Carrer/Tribune Staff

The Tribune Limited

NULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI

“Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master”

LEON E. H. DUPUCH

Publisher/Editor 1903-1914

SIR ETIENNE DUPUCH, Kt., O.B.E., K.M., K.C.S.G., (Hon.) LL.D., D.Litt .

Publisher/Editor 1919-1972

Contributing Editor 1972-1991

RT HON EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON, C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B.

Publisher/Editor 1972-

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Govt must get balancing act right

THE recent union action – a twoday disruption that ended with both sides declaring victory – seems in truth to have been an unequivocal success for the TUC and its union participants.

At the end of last year, there was talk about the number of unions in possession of strike certificates, but widespread volatility was not seemingly close. But then came the action – and look what happened next.

In today’s Tribune , you can read about how the doctors are coming back to the table to talk about a deal that seemed to be stuck in limbo prior to the action.

Elsewhere, we have seen the government being very vocal about people getting their letters of employment, or with a desire to return to the table.

In short, before the action, no one was talking about any of that. Now? It’s not just talk, it’s things getting done.

Through it all, one notable feature has been how many union participants have spoken highly of Labour Minister Pia Glover-Rolle. The sense has been that where there have been sticking points, they do not rest with her but elsewhere in government.

The sickout, or strike, or call it what you will, has seen attention focused on the issues affecting the various unions, and seemingly new progress towards resolving them.

It is of course a shame that it ought to come to that – but the action can be seen as a success from the union side of things. Even the criticisms that were levelled – including Prime Minister Philip Davis talking about how medical staff had shown a lack of care for their patients – have been rowed back.

All of this is not to say that peace has broken out – there remain plenty of concerns. For example, doctors are wondering if it takes this long to get a deal and they are left feeling underappreciated how the government ever expects to recruit enough new doctors to staff a new hospital. If they can’t keep the staff they already have happy, how is the job supposed to look appealing for a significant influx of new recruits?

Each other union has its individual issues – some of which may be easily resolved, some more difficult.

All of this comes before the real election countdown kicks in too –when many a faction might be asking of government what it intends to deliver to encourage support.

And while members of unions might be counting on the outcome so far as a success, the public purse may feel differently depending on the cost of concessions delivered by the government. There lies a balancing act – and one any government has to get right to counterpart the demands on the purse with the life of the economy.

Urgent change needed at Social Services and NIB

EDITOR, The Tribune.

I WRITE today not only to voice my deep concerns regarding two of our nation’s key government departments: the Ministry of Social Services and the Department of National Insurance, but to offer possible solutions if given the opportunity to speak with the current minsters or heads of department for both of these institutions, which are designed to serve the Bahamian people, have been operating with significant inefficiencies, reluctance to embrace change, and a failure to modernise their services. As a result, our citizens are left frustrated and underserved. The need for reform in these departments is urgent. There is an undeniable gap in service delivery that affects a vast number of Bahamians, particularly those who are most vulnerable. Yet, despite this pressing need, both agencies have remained stagnant, unwilling to adopt the innovative solutions that could help them better

serve the public. Furthermore, this stagnation also contributes to the lack of opportunities for young Bahamians—college graduates and high school leavers—who are eager to enter the workforce and contribute to the nation’s growth. It is clear that we need more than just operational tweaks; we need a comprehensive rethinking of how these departments operate. Introducing incentives and reinventions to the Ministry of Social Services and the Department of National Insurance could not only create more efficient and accessible services but could also provide new job opportunities, especially for the younger generation. This would empower them with both the skills and employment they need to thrive, while also strengthening the very institutions that serve us all. We, the Bahamian people, must stop placing blame on political parties and start taking responsibility for the systems we have allowed to stagnate.

PICTURE OF THE DAY

Pintard must decide on Minnis

Our focus should be on holding public institutions accountable and pushing for a reimagined government that works for us, the citizens. It’s time we use our constitution—the very framework that ensures our rights— as a tool to demand meaningful change. Our problems are not insurmountable, but they will remain unresolved unless we move away from the blame game and begin a focused, collective effort to modernise the government systems that should be working in our favour. I believe there are real solutions that can bring about meaningful change, and if given the opportunity, I am confident that our fellow Bahamians will begin to feel the positive effects of these changes. We must not allow ourselves to stand in the way of progress any longer. The time for action is now, and it starts with us demanding the improvements that our country so desperately needs.

PURPOSE DRIVEN Nassau, January 23, 2025.

EDITOR, The Tribune. I AM in full agreement with a local daily’s opinion that former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis is on a collision course with current Free National Movement Leader Michael Pintard, after the former announced that he’ll be contesting the general election. I had always held to the viewpoint that the FNM’s training module for prospective candidates would be seen as being beneath Minnis. For the Minnis camp, what could FNM chair Dr Duane Sands, who isn’t even a sitting MP, possibly teach Minnis, who has been elected to the House of Assembly on four consecutive elections dating back to 2007? Moreover, Minnis has led the FNM from 2012 to 2021. He was also prime minister from 2017 to 2021. Despite his unpopularity, his political resume is impressive. His tenure as FNM leader coincided with Pintard ﬁnally gaining a seat in Parliament for the Marco City constituency in Grand Bahama -- a thing he was unable to do under former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham. I am of the belief that the foregoing will be the arguments put forth by Minnis apologists. Subjecting himself to a training procedure is, in all likelihood, humiliating to the former FNM leader. Minnis apologists see this novel initiative by the FNM top brass as a subtle method in sidelining the Killarney MP, without having to do so in a more traditional fashion. If this was the aim of the Pintard and Sands leadership team, it has apparently failed in quietly elbowing Minnis

out of the way. If history has taught us anything, Minnis will not go down without a ﬁght that will be well publicised. The helter skelter atmosphere he has brought into the FNM is what he is most comfortable with. From his tenuous relationship with Loretta Butler -Turner and his unilateral approach to governing the country during the height of the COVID19 pandemic - an approach that pretty much sidelined his Cabinet - it is safe to say that Minnis is well within his elements. Since the one day FNM convention last year, Minnis has avoided openly challenging Pintard. In the event Pintard refuses to nominate Minnis in Killarney, all hell will break loose. I foresee Minnis running as an independent candidate in Killarney if the Pintard team rejects his candidacy. Hundreds of FNM voters who are sympathetic to Minnis will support him. This will either cause one of two things to happen in Killarney: One, either Minnis wins or two, the PLP will win by default. For Pintard and Sands, it will be a pick your poison option. Minnisites in other constituencies will support their preferred leader by either voting COI or staying home on Election Day. This group appears ready to help sabotage the FNM as a way of getting back at powerful FNM donors who backed Pintard.

To them, Minnis was unfairly treated when he was coerced into stepping down as FNM leader. Minnis

apologists haven’t forgiven the FNM hierarchy for this perceived maltreatment. They don’t regard Pintard as the legitimate leader of the FNM. To them, he’s an interim leader holding the fort for their true leader. They’re more critical of Pintard than of the current government. Minnis can help alleviate the tension within the FNM by strongly and publicly urging his base to give Pintard their unwavering support. He can also strongly and publicly chastise those who continue to undermine Pintard. If Minnis has done both already, I am not aware of it. The helter skelter Minnis has brought into the FNM is preventing the party leadership from devoting their time in solely focusing on the Progressive Liberal Party administration. So much time and energy are being utilised by the FNM leadership in dealing with the pesky Minnis faction. Is there a middle ground the two warring FNM groups can meet? Is there a compromise that both Pintard and Minnis can live with? If the Pintard group is prepared to lose Killarney in the next election cycle, then they would have no issue severing ties with Minnis. Pintard might value peace of mind over holding on to one seat, considered an FNM stronghold. If, on the other hand, the FNM leader is unwilling to lose Killarney, then he will have to continue tolerating the insubordinate Minnis faction within his party. Either way, Pintard is saddled with an awkward dilemma.

KEVIN EVANS Freeport, Grand Bahama January 22, 2025.

EDITOR, The Tribune.

I AM aware that within the next few months Civil Servants will be paid on the 15th and 30th monthly. While there are many that are looking forward to this, there are some disciplines that are necessary as it relates to obligations. I just thought I would offer a bit of advice for those that might need it. For the most part many have loan payments due on the 30th, due to previous pay date of 28th monthly. If it is wished that payments be made each pay period, your

lending facility/loan ofﬁcer as well as Treasury should be advised to amend same. If you wish to have your full payment sent at the 30th monthly, then you should speak with your lending facility/loan ofﬁcer and have your repayment date changed to the 2nd of the month. This will avoid possible late fees as your salaried date is now the 30th. You should strive to maintain clear communication as to your preference.

Write a list of your monthly recurring bills and now separate them into ﬁrst payday and second payday and

decide which ones you will pay from each pay period. Most Civil Servants, for the most part, are disciplined with their bills because they have salary deductions, but for the bills that are not automatically deducted, please use this opportunity to put disciplines in place. Two pay periods monthly may sound great, but the amount of money doesn’t change so please be guided accordingly. VANESSA A SCOTT, JP Nassau, January 23, 2025.

A GREEN Heron (known locally as a Poorjoe) rests on a Sea Grape tree near the Montagu foreshore Thursday yesterday in Nassau.

Photo: Tim Aylen/Bahamas Visual Services

Two accused of vehicular manslaughter in separate incidents in New Providence last year

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

TWO men were granted bail yesterday after being accused in two separate fatal traffic accidents in New Providence last year.

Assistant Chief Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans arraigned Bahamian Joel Gilbert, 24, on charges of vehicular manslaughter.

Magistrate Vogt-Evans also arraigned Ecuadorian David Rodas-Herrera, 26, on the same charges.

Gilbert, while allegedly driving dangerously in a Nissan Cube southbound on Minnie Street, struck and killed 35-year-old pedestrian Robyn RolleBenicourt just after she

exited a vehicle at 6.30 pm on 12 June 2024. Rodas-Herrera, while allegedly driving recklessly in a 2014 Ford Edge northbound on New Providence Highway, collided with a black Dodge RAM at 4.30am on 31 August 2024. While this accident resulted in injuries to the occupants of both vehicles, it reportedly only caused the death of Rodas-Herrera’s front-seat passenger, 33-year-old Hansel Strachan Jr.

Both defendants were informed that they were not required to enter a plea at that time for their respective charges. They were told that their cases would proceed to the Supreme Court through a Voluntary Bill of Indictment (VBI).

Both accused were granted bail of $10,000 each, either in cash or bond.

Gilbert must sign in at the Wulff Road Police Station on Sundays by 7 pm, while Rodas-Herrera must sign in at the Cable Beach Police Station every Sunday by 7pm. Additionally, both accused were instructed to surrender their respective travel documents.

The accused will return for potential service of their individual VBIs on 14 April. Phillip Lundy represented Gilbert, while Christina Galanos represented Rodas-Herrera. Assistant Superintendent of Police S Coakley served as the prosecutor in both cases.

CHARGE OF ATTEMPTED MURDER IN THE 2023 KILLING OF RIC ARDO BULLARD

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN had his attempted murder charges moved to the Supreme Court after he was accused of shooting a man outside his house in Pinewood Gardens in the summer of 2023.

Chief Magistrate Roberto Reckley presided as Shaquan Dean, 30, stood for charges of attempted

murder and possession of a ﬁrearm with intent to endanger life.

Dean, along with another armed male suspect, reportedly approached Ricardo Bullard as he sat in his Honda vehicle outside his home on Thatch Palm Avenue on the night of July 26, 2023. The defendant allegedly shot the then 29-yearold victim multiple times about the body with a handgun.

Bullard was successfully treated for his injuries in the hospital.

The accused was served and signed his voluntary bill of indictment (VBI), transferring his matter to the Supreme Court.

He also elected to give his notice of alibi of witnesses speaking to his defence within 28 days.

He will next appear before Senior Justice Cheryl Grant Thompson on April 4.

WOMAN FINED AFTER ADMITTING TO STEALING OVER $17K W HILE WORKING AT PARADISE GAMES

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A WOMAN was ﬁned

$5,000 yesterday after admitting to stealing $17,500 while working at Paradise Games over the last two months.

Senior Magistrate Kendra Kelly arraigned Glendea Smith, 33, on stealing by reason of employment and money laundering.

Smith was charged alongside Randesha Daverman, 29, who faced charges of money laundering and abetment to commit stealing.

Smith reportedly stole

$17,500 from a gaming house in New Providence between December 1, 2024 and January 15. Authorities reportedly found Smith with $2,361 reasonably suspected of being proceeds of the theft on January 17. Daverman allegedly assisted with the theft on January 15. She is further accused of having $1,800 in her possession, which is believed to be the proceeds of the crime on January 17. Smith was the sole defendant to plead guilty to her charges, while her coaccused pleaded not guilty to her respective charges. Smith expressed remorse to the magistrate for her

actions. Smith was ordered to compensate Paradise Games $15,139 and pay a ﬁne of $5,000 or risk a oneyear prison term. She was further ﬁned $1,500 for the money laundering charge or risk an additional eight months in prison.

Daverman was granted bail at $3,000 with one or two sureties. Under the terms of her bail, she must sign in at the Fox Hill Police Station the ﬁrst Monday of every month.

Daverman will next appear in court on February 7.

Sergeant Vernon Pyfrom served as the prosecutor.

Mental evaluation ordered for man accused of arson

BY DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

A 43- Y EAR - OLD

Grand Bahama man accused of arson has been ordered to undergo a mental evaluation at the Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre, postponing his arraignment until March.

Cristian Dante Ciccolella, of Deadman’s Reef, West Grand Bahama, appeared before Magistrate Simone Brown in Eight Mile Rock Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.

During the proceedings, Ciccolella’s lawyer, Brian Hanna, made an application for his client to receive psychiatric treatment to assess his mental fitness.

Mr Hanna told the court that his client described experiencing “a war in his head between the good and bad conscience”.

Death Notice for

Tiffany P. Thompson 53

A resident of York St., Gleniston Gardens passed away on January 9th, 2025.

She is pre-deceased by her Father, Trevor B Thompson; Mother, Valerie Pyfrom; Brother, Bryan A Thompson.

is survived by her Step Mother:

A private Memorial Service will be held for Family and Friends at a later date.

Arrangements by Kemp’s Funeral Home Limited.

Magistrate Brown asked Ciccolella how he was feeling and whether he had ever been diagnosed with a mental condition.

“I am 100 percent sober,” Ciccolella replied.

“I was diagnosed with ADHD with anxiety and depression. I do not take any medication.”

The accused was arrested in connection with a building fire that occurred around 2.15pm on Sunday, January 19, in the Deadman’s Reef area. The building was extensively damaged.

The penalty of arson carries a 20-year imprisonment term. Whoever intentionally and unlawfully causes any dwelling-house or vessel to be set on fire shall be liable to imprisonment for twenty years.

“He feels someone is out to harm him, and he feels he is not stable and needs medication,” Mr Hanna said.

“I feel people are out to kill me,” he said. “I have proof of that. I put myself in police custody. I am tired of running for my life.”

He further claimed that attempts had been made on his life and on his two pet dogs.

“I was shot in the head and stomach, and one of my dogs has wounds, and the other dog is missing,” Ciccolella told the court.

Magistrate Brown ordered that Ciccolella be sent to the Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre in New Providence for six weeks to receive treatment and prescribed medication. The evaluation will determine his mental fitness and ability to understand the charge he is facing. Ciccolella was remanded in custody, and the matter was adjourned to March 13 for his arraignment.

Ciccolella told the court he fears for his life and wanted to be taken into police custody for his safety.

Man accused of stealing froM soMeone’s BANK

ACCOUNT AND MONEY

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was granted bail after he was accused of stealing $11,000 from someone’s bank account earlier this month.

LAUNDERING

Senior Magistrate Kendra Kelly arraigned Dario Smith, 32, on stealing and money laundering (acquisition). Smith allegedly stole $11,000 from Jean-Marie Formige’s CIBC account on January 13. The defendant pleaded not guilty to both charges. Smith’s bail was set at $5,000 with one or two sureties. Under the terms of his bail, he must sign in at the Nassau Street Police Station on the ﬁrst Monday of every month by 7pm. Smith returns for trial on April 14.

Mark Rolle represented the accused. Sergeant Vernon Pyfrom served as the prosecutor.

Hamster

off Faith Avenue, New Providence, Bahamas died in San Salvador, Bahamas on Tuesday, January 14, 2025.

He was predeceased by his father: Eleazor Rolle.

He is survived by his wife: Tameka

mother: Margaret

daughter:

Arrangements for the funeral service are being fnalized and details will be announced at a later date.

GOVERNOR General Dame Cynthia ‘Mother’ Pratt received members of the Bahama Island Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, January 23, 2025 in a courtesy call at Government House.

Photo: Patrick Hanna/BIS

Rolle;

Rose Jolly;

Tamea Rolle; sisters: Ericka Rolle, Alfreka Rolle and Vernita Williams; brothers: Eleazor Rolle, Adrian Rolle and Valentino Rolle and a host of other relatives and friends.

She

Dorothea

Thompson; Brothers: Andrae (Melissa), Steven (Meredith) Dustin Evans. Aunts: Barbara Albury, Sheila (Larry) Irene Thompson, Patricia Pyfrom, Deborah and Carolyn Pyfrom Ingrid Suazo, Ruth Knowles. Uncles: Rudolf Jr. Herman and Wesley (Sharon); and a host of other relatives and friends.

Responsible and safe guidelines to protecting your garden from pests

THE arrival of another La Niña Winter means exceptionally cooler temperatures, making vegetable growing a pleasure! Even with cool temperatures, gardeners still have to stay on top of the insect pests that are after their prized vegetables. One reason winter is when peak agricultural production happens here in The Bahamas is that the insect pests do not reproduce as fast, resulting in smaller, less aggressive populations, and ultimately, less damage to crops. That does not mean we should let our guard down. Here are the insect pests you might encounter in your garden even during this period of gloriously “cold’” temperatures.

Whiteflies are small, winged insects that look like white flecks flitting about when you disturb a plant. They are piercing and sucking insects that feed on the contents of the plants’ cells. They not only cause damage directly to the plant by sucking its juices but are also the vectors for microbial pathogens like viruses that could wipe out your crops. Whiteflies are commonly found on tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant, and peppers. Aphids are another piercing and sucking pest that is incredibly small but visible to the naked eye. They are pear-shaped and look fat and juicy. There are many types, but most commonly bright green and black aphids are found. Aphids, like whiteflies, secrete the excess sugars that they

By Selima Hauber

do not consume from the plants’ juices in small droplets called honeydew. This sugary liquid sticks to the plants’ leaves providing the perfect ﬁlm for a black fungus called sooty mold to grow on. If your plants have sooty mold, you more than likely have an aphid or whiteﬂy infestation.

The cucumber striped beetle is a pest that is new to me here in Eleuthera. This pest decimates the leaves of plants in the cucumber family including melons and pumpkins. The small beetle can be found in the ﬂowers and on the leaves often mating. These beetles must be killed at ﬁrst sight, or in short order,

your plants’ leaves will become a lacy skeleton, and all hope will be lost.

If you have grown tomatoes before, you have surely had the experience of visiting your beautiful plants in the morning only to ﬁnd sticks where thick, luscious leaves were only hours ago. The culprit is the dreaded tomato hornworm, a voracious caterpillar that can devour a plant overnight. The clever larva is a master at biomimicry, looking quite like the tomato stems itself, in an effort to evade predators. If leaves have disappeared overnight, and there are small, spherical, greenish-brown pellets dotting the ground below,

do not leave until you have found the worm and removed it. The hunt takes a minute, but it is worth the time to save your plants. There are other caterpillar species that attack a variety of crops, leaving holes or damaged leaf margins. Droppings and adult moths or butterﬂies indicate the presence of plant-eating larvae.

Now before you rush off to the garden supply centre and buy something to wage war on the pests, you should know that there are also beneficial insects in your garden that help keep the pest populations under control, and they should therefore be protected at all costs. The most easily identifiable beneficial insect is the ladybug beetle. Ladybugs are a gardener’s best friend as they devour aphids.

Do not purchase the ﬁrst treatment you come across, or you could be destroying the ladybugs along with other beneﬁcial insects too. Not all pest control is created equal. There are strong, broadspectrum treatments that eradicate the good and

the bad. The most popular one amongst Farmers and backyard growers in The Bahamas is Sevin dust. This dust is a pretty strong chemical that should not be used ﬂippantly as it not only kills the beneﬁcial and pest insects, but pests can quickly develop resistance to it. Restricted, responsible use of this dust is for the control of the cucumber striped beetle as there are practically no treatments that effectively control this pest. Instead of making it snow over the entire plant, apply a very light dusting only to the part of the plant where the beetle was seen. One very light application is generally enough to last most of the season if caught early enough before the population explodes.

The beauty of being a producer today is the wide range of ‘soft’ or biological treatments. They are referred to as biological as they are either extracts from plants or actual bacteria or fungi that attack and kill insect pests. The most commonly available biological treatment for caterpillars is Bt, which is a bacterium called Bacillus thuringiensis. Bt is locally marketed under the trade names Thuricide or Dipel. This bacterium exists naturally everywhere and is not harmful to us. Bt is always in an organic Farmer’s arsenal. A plant extract that controls insect pests is neem oil which works as a feeding deterrent and a growth regulator. Look for commercial products labelled “neem oil” or its active ingredient azadirachtin.

Other safe treatments for insect pests are horticultural oils and insecticidal soap. Horticultural oils work best in controlling soft-bodied pests like aphids and whiteﬂies. Oils should be applied in the very early morning or late afternoon. Avoid applying in the middle of the day when the sun is directly overhead or when daytime temperatures are

above 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Insecticidal soaps are also effective at controlling soft-bodied insects by damaging the protective coating, causing them to dry out. If you really want to play it safe and save some money, you can make your own pest treatments with ingredients already in your kitchen. The website www.oisat.org – Online Information Service for Non-Chemical Pest Management in the Tropics has an extensive database of easy-to-prepare pest treatments. Simply enter the insect pest in the search window, then scroll down to select a recipe for a spray. Because these are not concentrates, you must use them early and often for them to be effective. Consider these as preventatives and apply them even before a couple of pests turn into a burgeoning, destructive population. With these tools, you can protect the beneﬁcial insects that are helping you and increase the chances of achieving a successful growing season. Be kind to your plants and protect your health by choosing the gentler ways of controlling garden pests.

Dr Selima Hauber, PhD, is the agricultural education and outreach officer at OEF and CTI. Established in 2012, the One Eleuthera Foundation (OEF) is a nonprofit organisation located in Rock Sound, Eleuthera. For more information, visit www.oneeleuthera.org or email info@oneeleuthera. org. The Centre for Training and Innovation (CTI) is the first and only postsecondary, non-profit education and training institution and social enterprise on Eleuthera. CTI operates a student training campus in Rock Sound, Eleuthera, with a 16-room training hotel, restaurant and farm. For more information about CTI’s programmes, email: info@oneeleuthera.org.

of One Eleuthera Foundation

DR SELIMA HAUBER

WINTER planting at the CTI farm in Rock Sound. Eleuthera.

LADYBUGS are a gardener’s best friend.

THE TOMATO hornworm is a voracious caterpillar that can devour a plant overnight.

Baby, it’s cold outside

THERE was a distinct chill in the air this week. Not sure if it was the weather or something deeper, more emotional like a churning in my stomach, the kind produced by nibbling too much uncooked banana bread dough. Sure enough, the weather was brutal. It dipped into the low 50s when I was in Florida for a few days. My hands and ﬁngers turned into icy palms and digits searching for a snuggly jacket pocket to restore feeling and my mind turned to the days of August when others complain between puddles of sweat and I relish the warmth, turning my face to the sun saying, give me more, give me more. But somehow, I don’t think the chill was restricted to what you can read on a thermometer. It was a feeling of losing control. In a single 24-hour period, the clock turned back 50 years in America and whether you are a Trump fan or detractor, it matters not for that is not the issue. The issue is that in the country that holds itself as the most democratic in the world, in the country that stands proud as a model of checks and balances, a model which all other countries could only hope to emulate, the reality is that with a swift swipe of the pen, the new and very popular president was able to alter history.

Swipe, the US is no longer a party to the Paris

By Diane Phillips

Accord. Swipe, ICE can raid schools and hospitals searching for illegal immigrants. Swipe, henceforth, there shall be no more than two genders, male and female. Swipe, there will be no additional hiring for most of the Federal government without proven need. Swipe, swipe, stroke, stroke, with a swipe of the arm and a stroke of the pen, the new and popular president changed history. And with that he threw pens in the air as if it were confetti at a wedding celebration rather than an announcement of what was to come as a country on the warpath of ridding a nation of anyone who did not conform. It matters not that some of the dozens of executive orders Trump signed will never become law. His signature and his style, his rhetoric and the crowds rallying around him set the tone and delivered a wallop of a message – to make America great again, he was the man in charge and this is the way it was going to be, fall in line. No one stopped to ask, ‘When was America not great?’ or

‘What do all those people do, millions of them, who had become accustomed to living and working in the US and giving birth to American children, when they are sent to a place they have not called home in decades if ever?’ Or for that matter, ‘Who is going to toil the ﬁelds, work the restaurants, manicure the lawns of the wealthy who depend on foreign labour for their comfortable lifestyle?’

I understand the frustration that led to the craving for strong leadership that showed its face without leaving questions unanswered. America did not get it all right under Biden. No country gets it all right under any leader. Countries are messy places to govern. Even a town, or a settlement, is a messy place to govern because, thank heavens, people have differences of opinion. But that is also the beauty of a democracy. Those opinions and that messiness has a place to be heard. Differences can be expressed. In a true and lasting democracy, no one wields a pen with such powerful ink that it silences those who prefer to tick

Trump’s executive orders can make change – but are limited and can be undone by the courts

By SHARECE THROWER Vanderbilt University

BEFORE his inaugu-

ration, Donald Trump promised to issue a total of 100 or so executive orders once he regained the presidency. These orders reset government policy on everything from immigration enforcement to diversity initiatives to environmental regulation. They also aim to undo much of Joe Biden’s presidential legacy. Trump is not the ﬁrst U.S. president to issue an executive order, and he certainly won’t be the last. My own research shows executive orders have been a mainstay in American politics – with limitations.

What is an executive order?

Though the Constitution plainly articulates familiar presidential tools like vetoes and appointments, the real executive power comes from reading between the lines.

Presidents have long interpreted the Constitution’s Article 2 clauses – like “the executive power shall be vested in a President” and “he shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed” – to give them total authority to enforce the law through the executive branch, by any means necessary. One leading way they do that is through executive orders, which are presidential written directives to agencies on how

to implement the law. The courts view them as legally valid unless they violate the Constitution or existing statutes.

Executive orders, like other unilateral actions, allow presidents to make policy outside of the regular lawmaking process.

This leaves Congress, notoriously polarized and gridlocked, to respond.

Thus, executive orders are unilateral actions that give presidents several advantages, allowing them to move ﬁrst and act alone in policymaking.

How have they historically been used?

Every U.S. president has issued executive orders since

‘other’ for gender, whether we agree with their choice or not. In a true and lasting democracy, no one wields a pen that changes the hours of hundreds of thousands in the labour force without warning, ordering them back to full-time ofﬁce duty whether they have the means to ﬁnd child or senior caregivers who have become accustomed to the care provided by someone working virtually. This is not a condemnation of any of those initiatives – America deserves to get exactly what it voted for and Trump knows his audience well.

they were ﬁrst systematically cataloged in 1905.

In March of 2016, thenpresidential candidate Donald Trump criticized President Obama’s use of executive orders.

“Executive orders sort of came about more recently. Nobody ever heard of an executive order. Then all of a sudden Obama – because he couldn’t get anybody to agree with him – he starts signing them like they’re butter,” Trump said. “So I want to do away with executive orders for the most part.”

Little in this statement is true.

Obama signed fewer orders than his predecessors – averaging 35 per year. Trump issued an average of 55 per year.

Against conventional wisdom, presidents have relied less on executive orders over time. Indeed, modern presidents used drastically fewer orders per year – an average of 59 –than their pre-World War II counterparts, who averaged

He will satisfy the quest his supporters believe is the path to glory. He will continue to go for the big gains, renaming places, gathering territory, making his mark in every corner -- something the Biden administration avoided or neglected in its own quest to make the vulnerable safe and build a culture based on assimilation rather than divisiveness.

The Biden administration missed the opportunity to tell the story of the strongest economy in decades. It missed the opportunity to talk about the advances

314.

Executive orders have been used for everything from routine federal workplace policies like ethics pledges to the controversial 2017 travel ban restricting entry into the United States. They have been used to manage public lands, the economy, the civil service and federal contractors, and to respond to various crises such as the Iran hostage situation and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Presidents often use them to advance their biggest agenda items, by creating task forces or policy initiatives and directing rulemaking, the process for formally translating laws into codiﬁed policy.

Limitations in their use

Why don’t presidents always issue executive orders, a seemingly powerful policy device? Because they come with serious constraints.

First, executive orders may not be as unilateral as they seem. Drafting an order involves a time-consuming bargaining process with various agencies negotiating its content.

Second, if they are issued without proper legal authority, executive orders can be overturned by the courts – although that happens infrequently.

Trump’s 2017 travel ban faced several legal challenges before it was written in a way to satisfy the court. Many of his initial orders, on the other hand, didn’t face legal scrutiny because they simply requested agencies to work within their existing authority to change important policies like health care and immigration.

Congress is another barrier, as they give presidents the legal authority to make policy in a certain area. By withholding that authority, Congress can deter presidents from issuing executive orders on certain issues. If the president issues the order anyway, the courts can overturn it.

Legislators can also punish presidents for issuing executive orders they do not like by sabotaging

America made in scientiﬁc research and technology, in manufacturing, in health care, in the number of permanent jobs created.

All of that is behind us now. The Bidens have ﬂown off as the storms of a cold season rage on, mixed with wildﬁres on one coast, icy record-breaking temps on the other. Winter will slowly turn to Spring and the cherry blossoms will be in full bloom in Washington, but the chill, well, that may linger until the veil is lifted and Americans unite to protect the very democracy that made America great all along.

their legislative agendas and nominees or defunding their programs.

Even a polarized Congress can ﬁnd ways to sanction a president for an executive order they don’t like. For example, a committee can hold an oversight hearing or launch an investigation –both of which can decrease a president’s public approval rating.

Congresses of today are equipped to impose these constraints and they do so more often on ideologically opposed administrations. This is why scholars ﬁnd modern presidents issue fewer executive orders under divided government, contrary to popular media narratives that present executive orders as a president’s way of circumventing Congress.

Finally, executive orders are not the last word in policy. They can be easily revoked.

New presidents often reverse previous orders, particularly those of political opponents. Biden, for instance, quickly revoked Trump’s directives that excluded undocumented immigrants from the U.S. Census.

All recent presidents have issued revocations, especially in their ﬁrst year. They face barriers in doing so, however, including public opinion, Congress and legal limitations.

Regardless, executive orders are not as durable as laws or regulations.

Constraints on Trump

Some of Trump’s executive orders, particularly those focused on the economy, will require legislation since Congress holds the purse strings.

Though Trump inherits a Republican House and Senate, their majorities are marginal, and moderate party dissenters may frustrate his agenda. Even so, he will undoubtedly use all available legal authority to unilaterally transform his goals into government policy.

But then again, these directives may be undone by the courts – or by the next president with the stroke of a pen.

PRESIDENT Donald Trump throws pens used to sign executive orders to the crowd during an indoor Presidential Inauguration parade event in Washington on Monday.

Photo: Matt Rourke/AP

CANCER SOCIETY OF THE BAHAMAS

The 6th Annual Charity Golf Tournament, held on January 12, was a tremendous success, attracting numerous golfers who teed off at Baha Mar’s Royal Blue Golf Course to raise funds for the Expansion Project of the Cancer Caring Centre.

With its spacious, comfortable rooms and modern conveniences, the Cancer Caring Centre is a ‘home away from home’ for Family Islanders undergoing cancer treatment in Nassau, who, during their free stay, can also receive transportation to health centers, banks, supermarkets, and other essential locations. As part of the Expansion Project of the Cancer Caring Centre, the Cancer Society hopes to break ground on ten additional rooms, a day centre for New Providence residents, and, in the long term, a hospice for those diagnosed with cancer.

Surrounded by the mesmerising beauty of Baha Mar’s world-famous golf course, the golfers competed for fantastic prizes, including two brand-new vehicles donated by Nassau Motors and Easy Car Sales. Immediately after the tournament, a Golf Ball Drop by Drone announced the winners of even more amazing prizes:

• First Prize Winner

Rochelle Wilkinson - $7k

Super Value Gift Certiﬁcate

• Second Prize

Winner Shevaun DaviesTwo Week Stay at a Villa in France

• Third Prize Winner Gary Sands - One Week Stay at a Beach House in Little Cayman

• Fourth Prize

Winner Jake Neudorf - $3k

Super Value Gift Certiﬁcate

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.

• Fifth Prize Winner Laura Peters - One Week Stay at a House in Hope Town, Abaco With much gratitude and appreciation, the Cancer Society thanks the Golf Committee and its Chairman for organizing this successful event and Baha Mar’s Royal Blue Golf Club, whose golf course once again provided breathtaking views for the competing golfers. We also thank the Presenting Sponsors, Odysee Aviation and Colina Insurance, and the Silver Sponsors, Bahamas Builders and Developers Co Ltd and Stirling Global.

HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF THE BAHAMAS

“Garden lovers, it’s time again to check out The Bahamas’ Biggest Annual Plant Sale, The Horticultural Society of The Bahamas (HSB) Nassau Branch Annual Plant Sale, set for 9am to 1pm on Saturday, February 1, at ‘The

Retreat’ Garden, Village Rd,” urges HSB president Georgette Dames.

She continues: “We are excited and looking forward to the many bargains that will be held at the February 1 Plant Sale. Bring your pockets full and your boxes empty for all the plants to replenish your gardens!”

“ADMISSION IS FREE!, And you really cannot beat the prices, from $1 to over $100,” reports Sara Parker, HSB publicity chairman for 40 plus years. Sara Bardelmeier founded the HSB in September, 1983. She brought together a group of gardening enthusiasts who were interested in horticulture and sharing their knowledge with others. Meetings are held on the ﬁrst Saturday of the month, usually in a member’s garden. New members are welcomed, said HSB historian Lana Levarity.

Some of the HSB objectives are:

• To help educate the interested public in the care and maintenance of

trees and plants, thereby enhancing the beauty of our Islands.

• To promote awareness of the natural beauty that surrounds us, including animals as well as plant life, thereby helping us to improve the quality of life in our Islands.

Chairing the 2025 sale are HSB vice presidents Ian Hutchinson and Meka McWeeney, both proliﬁc growers.

Past treasurer Sarah Lobosky advises cash only will be accepted at the sale. Ten percent of the proceeds go to the Society with the rest going to the participating member. Members participating as special vendors donate 15 percent to the HSB.

HSB immediate past president Dail Pearce always brings show stopping plants to the HSB Sale. “You won’t ﬁnd better plants or prices or advice anywhere other than our Sale, “ he beamed.

Special vendors at this year’s sale include:

• Flamingo Nursery for

orchids and supplies;

• Marina Greaves with water garden features and creative containers and unusual plants;

• Errol “Duke” Strachan’s bedding plants, herbs and fruit trees;

• Donnell’s Garden & Nursery specialising in hand painted Spanish pots;

• Kent Lightbourne specialising in bromeliads;

• Meka McWeeney with orchids and other exotic plants;

• Beverly and Baldwin Evans with creative containers, air plants and other bromeliads. These vendors are all members of HSB.

“The club’s nearly 100 active members are getting ready to sell their plants and gardening items at the best prices. Many orchids will be on sale this year. You will ﬁnd great gift ideas in anticipation of Valentines Day, too,” advises 2nd vice president Meka McWeeney.

The popular $5 tables are a hot spot for many bargains and many surprise ﬁndings.

“This sale is the perfect opportunity for you to freshen up your gardens with hanging baskets, bromeliads, fruit trees, herbs, water plants, roses, orchids, or other exotic or bedding plants - all at amazingly good prices and supply,” says sale co-chairman Hutchinson. HSB Ofﬁcers for 2025 are: PRESIDENT GEORGETTE DAMES

Immediate Past PRESIDENT, Dail Pearce; 1ST VICE VICE PRESIDENT, IAN HUTCHINSON; 2ND VICE PRESIDENT Meka McWeeney TREASURER, Jillian Ferreira; ASST TREASURER, Alexandria Watkins Davis ; SECRETARY, Lakeisha Thomas Brown; ASST Secretary, Sandra Sunderland HISTORIAN LANA LEVARITY

“Plant sales really don’t get better than this. See you there!” says Dail Pearce.

THE HORTICULTURAL Society of The Bahamas will hold its annual plant sale on February 1.

THE CANCER Society of The Bahamas held its sixth annual charity golf tournament on January 12.

Marvin ‘Togie’ Wood set to run for president of the Bahamas Softball Federation

By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

WITH Jenny Isaacs not seeking another term in ofﬁce, Marvin ‘Togie’ Wood has put his name in the hand to serve as the new president of the Bahamas Softball Federation.

The BSF held its nominations on Friday, January 17 at the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and set the annual general meeting and election of ofﬁcers for Friday, January 31.

During the nominations, which followed the BSF’s induction ceremony of 27 persons last week at Government House, the following persons were nominated, along with Wood: 1st vice president - Helena Cooper from Grand Bahama; 2nd vice president Arthur Johnson; third vice president Hilton Bowleg; fourth vice president Stephano Bevans from Grand Bahama; ﬁfth vice president Shane Albury; secretary-Martha Edgecombe from Grand Bahama; assistant secretary - Nicarra Curtis; treasurer - Lyrone Burrows and assistant treasurer - Stephanie Goodridge-Nagee.

All positions were unopposed during the

nomination process conducted by the Bahamas Olympic Committee but, according to Wood, they will have to be ratified during the AGM when all of the affiliated island associations are present. Only four of the associations were present for the nomination, but it has been reported that there is expected to be a challenge for the presidency from internationally certified umpire Thomas Sears.

When contacted, Sears said he’s planning on running for president and is completing his slate of ofﬁcers.

He indicated that there was no formal notiﬁcation of the nomination day and so he’s going to challenge the process during the elections.

Wood, a former national team player who served in the previous administration as ﬁrst vice president, said after Isaacs opted not to seek another four-year

term, he decided to step it up. “I see a gap and I think I will bridge the gap with the Family Islands and get them playing softball again, so that is the reason why I decided to throw my name in the hat,” said Wood, who also serves as president of the New Providence Oldtimers Softball Association. Once they are done with the election formalities and he’s ofﬁcially elected, Wood said he will converse with his executive team to chart

the way forward in hosting an umpire’s course, coaches clinic and going to the Family Islands to ﬁnd out what is needed to get them playing again and they will “do” their “best to assist.”

Sears, however, opted to go into any details of his plans until he can get clariﬁcation on whether or not he will be allowed to present his slate to run. While it’s not a slate of ofﬁcers nominated, Wood said he’s eager to work with the list and to

do “whatever” is necessary “to get softball back to its glory days.” In those days, fastpitch softball was played mainly in New Providence, Grand Bahama, Eleuthera, Exuma, Andros, Abaco and Long Island.

Each season, there was the All-Star Classic where the top players came together and showcased their skills.

The season culminated with the National Championships where the champions from the respective islands came together to determine who had the best team in the country in both the men and women divisions.

Both the All-Star Classic and the Nationals served as the impetus for the BSF in selecting its national men and women teams to represent the Bahamas in regional competition.

And to help boost morale in the federation, the nationals were played on the various islands, which provided some ﬁnancial infusion as well for those islands.

MADISON KEYS UPSETS IGA SWIATEK, WILL FACE SABALENKA IN THE FINAL

By HOWARD FENDRICH AP Tennis Writer

MELBOURNE, Aus-

tralia (AP) — When Madison Keys finally finished off her 5-7, 6-1, 7-6 (10-8) upset of No. 2 Iga Swiatek in a high-intensity, high-quality Australian Open semifinal on Thursday night, saving a match point along the way, the 29-year-old American crouched on the court and placed a hand on her white hat. She had a hard time believing it all. The comeback. What Keys called an “extra dramatic finish.”

The victory over ﬁve-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek, who’d been on the most dominant run at Melbourne Park in a dozen years. And now a chance for Keys to play in her second Grand Slam ﬁnal, a long wait after being the 2017 U.S. Open runner-up.

“I’m still trying to catch up to everything that’s happening,” said the 19thseeded Keys, who will face No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, the two-time defending champion, for the trophy Saturday. “I felt like I was just ﬁghting to stay in it. ... It was so up and down and so many big points.”

Just to be sure, Keys asked whether Swiatek was, indeed, one point from victory, acknowledging she really had no idea. Yes, Madison, Swiatek was that close to ending things while serving at 6-5, 40-30, but missed a backhand into the net, then eventually getting broken by double-faulting, sending the contest to a ﬁrst-to-10, win-by-two tiebreaker.

“I felt like I blacked out there at some point,” Keys

said, “and was out there running around.”

Whatever she was doing, it worked. Keys claimed more games in the semiﬁnal than the 14 total that Swiatek dropped in her ﬁve previous matches over the past two weeks.

“It was a matter of one or two balls,” said Swiatek, who lost in the Australian Open semiﬁnals two years ago, too. “Madison was kind of brave.”

Sabalenka beat good friend Paula Badosa 6-4, 6-2 earlier Thursday. Sabalenka, a 26-year-old from Belarus, can become the ﬁrst woman since 1999 to complete a threepeat.

“If she plays like this,” the 11th-seeded Badosa said, “I mean, we can already give her the trophy.”

Keys might have something to say about that. Still, Sabalenka won her ﬁrst major championship at Melbourne Park in 2023, and she since has added two more — in Australia a year ago and at the U.S. Open last September.

The last woman to reach three ﬁnals in a row at the year’s ﬁrst Grand Slam tournament was Serena Williams, who won two from 2015-17.

Martina Hingis was the most recent woman to win three titles in a row in Melbourne, doing it from 1997-99.

“I have goosebumps. I’m so proud of myself,” said Sabalenka, whose 4-1 headto-head record against Keys includes a win in the 2023 U.S. Open semifinals. Swiatek had not lost a single service game since the first round, but was broken three times by Keys in the first set alone and eight times in all.

That included each of Swiatek’s ﬁrst two times serving, making clear right from the get-go this would not be her usual sort of day. And while Swiatek did eke out the opening set, she was overwhelmed in the second, trailing 5-0 before getting a game.

This was the big-hitting Keys at her very best. She turns 30 next month and, at the suggestion of her coach, former player Bjorn Fratangelo — who also happens to be her husband — decided to try a new racket this season, an effort both to help her with generating easy power but also to relieve some strain on her right shoulder. It’s certainly paid immediate dividends. Keys is

now on an 11-match winning streak, including taking the title at a tuneup event in Adelaide.

She was good enough to get through this one, which was as tight as can be down the stretch.

“At the end, I feel like we were both kind of battling some nerves. ... It just became who can get that ﬁnal point and who can be a little bit better than the other one,” Keys said.

“And I’m happy it was me.”

Sabalenka trailed 2-0, 40-love at the start but quickly ﬁgured things out, especially once Rod Laver Arena’s retractable roof was shut in the ﬁrst set because of a drizzle. She straightened her strokes and overpowered Badosa,

WHO IS ON TODAY’S SCHEDULE AT THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN?

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - Who is on Friday’s schedule at the Australian Open?

who eliminated No. 3 Coco Gauff to reach her ﬁrst major semiﬁnal.

“She started to be very, very aggressive,” said Badosa, who thought about retiring last year while dealing with a stress fracture in her back. “Everything was working.”

Sabalenka and Badosa did their best to avoid any eye contact for much of the evening, whether up at the net for the coin toss or when they crossed paths at

changeovers. When their match was over, they met for a lengthy hug.

During Sabalenka’s oncourt interview, she joked about taking Badosa — who by then was sitting in a hallway, her head bowed — on a shopping spree to make things up to her, paying for whatever the Spaniard wants.

Told what Sabalenka said, Badosa noted: “It’s going to be something really expensive.”

Djokovic hopes to win his unprecedented 25th Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, where he’s won 10 championships. He needed painkillers after

The Australian Open men’s ﬁnalists will be determined when Novak Djokovic takes on No. 2 Alexander Zverev in an afternoon semiﬁnal on Rod Laver Arena and defending champion Jannik Sinner plays Ben Shelton, a 22-year-old lefthander from the U.S., in a night match. Djokovic and Sinner have been dealing with illness or injuries this week, although not willing to talk about those to any extent.

hurting his left leg in the quarterfinal win over over No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz. The Djokovic-Zverev semifinal is scheduled for 2:30 pm local time (10:30pm Thursday EST). Sinner, who is on a 19-match winning streak, and Shelton, who is into his second major semifinal, will start their semifinal at 7:30pm local time (3:30am

EST). The mixed doubles ﬁnal will get Day 13 underway at 12 noon local time (8pm. Thursday EST). Two all-Australian wildcard teams — Olivia Gadecki and John Peers against Kimberly

ﬁnal at the Australian Open since 1967.

Birrell

John-Patrick Smith

doubles

THE newly elected BSF board, led by president, Jenny Isaacs-Dotson, second from left in front row next to director of sports Tim Munnings, are ﬂanked together after the elections in 2022.

JENNY Isaacs is not seeking another term in ofﬁce.

MADISON KEYS, of the U.S. celebrates after defeating Iga Swiatek of Poland in their semiﬁnal match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, early Friday, January 24, 2025.

(AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Chiefs are back in the AFC title game for a 7th straight season, Bills aim to dethrone them

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports Writer

KANSAS CITY, Mo.

(AP) — The Bills and Chiefs have met seven times over roughly four years, building such an intense, competitive rivalry that Kansas City safety Justin Reid admitted that the Super Bowl champs just assume they’ll see Buffalo twice a year.

Once in the regular season and once in the playoffs.

So, the Chiefs begin working on them in the offseason, studying everything Buffalo does on offence and defence with their eyes on January. And it must be paying off, because while the Bills have won all four matchups in the regular season, and handed the Chiefs one of their two losses this season, Kansas City has won all three games played in the postseason.

The Chiefs will try to do it again Sunday night as they pursue an unprecedented third straight Lombardi Trophy, while the Bills will try to end what is fast becoming a postseason curse by ﬁnally beating Kansas City for the AFC championship.

“You always remember the feeling of not pulling through. That sticks with you for a while, and it really doesn’t leave,” Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen said.

“But again, I think every year you go through in this

league, you learn more things about yourself, about your team, about the game of football.

“We’re just grateful and humbled to have another opportunity at it.”

It’s hardly surprising that the Bills and Chiefs have met so often, or that they are meeting again, when you consider the collective star power.

Allen could be headed to his ﬁrst MVP award this season, while Kansas City counterpart Patrick Mahomes already has two.

The Bills have James Cook and Amari Cooper on offence, Gregory Rousseau and Von Miller on defence, while the Chiefs will have Travis Kelce, DeAndre Hopkins, Chris Jones and Trent McDufﬁe on the ﬁeld Sunday night.

They’ll almost certainly have Taylor Swift in a luxury suite, too.

Talk about star power.

“I don’t think anyone is making this too big of a moment. Everybody knows how big it is,” said Mahomes, who is 4-2 in AFC title games with both of the losses coming in overtime, “but at the same time, we have to go about our process.”

After all, why mess with success?

As for the Bills, who have not made it back to the Super Bowl since losing to the Cowboys in their fourth straight appearance in the 1993 season, all of those playoff losses to Kansas City over the years

have come in heartbreaking fashion.

They scored the ﬁrst nine points of the 2020 AFC title game before getting outscored 38-15 the rest of the way. In the divisional round the next year, Buffalo took the lead on a touchdown with 13 seconds left, only to watch Mahomes lead the Chiefs to a tying ﬁeld goal as time expired, then beat them with a TD in overtime. And in the divisional round a year ago, Isiah Pacheco’s short touchdown run with 40 seconds left lifted the Chiefs to a 24-20 victory in Buffalo.

“It feels like a divisional game. We know them really well, they know us,” Reid said of playing the Bills. “In the offseason we’re preparing for each other

because we know we’ll face each other twice, because it seems to happen every year. And it’s always a tough challenge, but it’s one we’re excited for, and another good one for all the fans.”

Road bumps The Bills are 0-4 on the road in the playoffs under Sean McDermott, and they’ve dropped seven straight since a 29-10 victory at Miami in the AFC championship game in the 1992 season. Two of their losses have come in overtime, a 22-19 defeat at Houston in the 2019 wildcard round and that 42-36 loss at Kansas City in the 2021 divisional round. There’s also the “Music City Miracle,” a 22-16 loss at Tennessee in the 1999 wild-card round that was

decided on a kickoff return in the ﬁnal seconds.

Gambling man McDermott will never be considered the NFL’s biggest gambler on fourth downs, but the Bills coach has been one of the most successful this season. Buffalo converted 16 of 22 opportunities in the regular season for a 72.7% success rate that was second in the league. It’s a big improvement from McDermott’s ﬁrst season, when the Bills converted 2 of 15.

“You grow through the years. You learn things. You learn about a bunch about your team for that season,” he said. “So all are a little bit different. But you continue to try to put your team in position to win. And that’s what we do.”

Reinforcements

The Chiefs didn’t have injured pass rusher Charles Omenihu nor cornerback Jaylen Watson when the Bills beat them 30-21 in November. Omenihu didn’t return from his torn ACL for two more weeks, and Watson didn’t make it back from a broken ankle until their 24-13 divisional win over Houston. Both could play a big role in slowing down Allen and Co. on Sunday.

Turnover time

The Bills had a leaguebest plus-24 turnover differential in the regular season, and they’re plus-3 in two playoff games. The Chief were merely plus-6 in the regular season, but they’re plus-11 and have not lost a turnover since playing Buffalo in Week 11.

“Every team that’s won ball security, won the turnover battle, has won the game (in the playoffs) so far,” Mahomes said. “That is important to us. Buffalo does a great job it. I don’t think they’ve lost a turnover battle this season.”

Under pressure Chiefs had eight sacks against Texans last weekend, the second most in a playoff game in franchise history. But getting Allen to the ground is a tough task — he was sacked 17 times in the regular season, and Kansas City failed to do it at all. “Once you have ahold of him,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said, “you’d better know he’s going to be difﬁcult to bring down.”

EAGLES, COMMANDERS PLAY FOR 3RD TIME THIS SEASON, BUT SUNDAY’S MATCHUP HAS SUPER BOWL SPOT AT STAKE

By DAN GELSTON AP Sports Writer

PHILADELPHIA (AP)

— Take a look at the Eagles since October — en route to 16 total wins for the second time in three seasons — and all the hallmarks of a dominant Super Bowl favourite are checked.

A 10-game winning streak. Saquon Barkley rewriting team record books and ﬁnishing on the cusp of the NFL single-season rushing record. The top-rated defence in the NFL. Six Philadelphia players in the Pro Bowl. They even made a little-known author a best seller.

The Eagles are 14-1 since October — and that includes two straight home postseason victories.

It’s that “1” that troubles the Eagles a bit more this weekend.

The Washington Commanders are the one behind the 1 in 14-1, a thrilling comeback home win against the Eagles in December that made coach Dan Quinn and a special quarterback in Jayden Daniels truly believe that, yes, maybe the long-downtrodden franchise once known more for shoddy ownership is ﬁnally equipped to make a Super Bowl run. Who wants to doubt them?

Certainly not the topseeded Lions, knocked off last week after Washington’s defence got ﬁve turnovers and its offence never turned the ball over in a 45-31 victory in Detroit. Certainly not the Eagles, the game ﬁlm from their December defeat still irritatingly fresh and their eyes wide open given another two-TD effort from Daniels against the Lions.

“We’ve got a lot of expectations about how we can play and what we do,” Quinn said. That starts with taking Round 3.

The rubber match is set in the NFC championship game Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field, where the Eagles are trying to return to the Super Bowl for the second time in three seasons. They are 6-point favourites to beat Washington, per BetMGM Sportsbook, but go in with QB Jalen Hurts nursing a left knee injury. Hurts never missed a snap after he was hurt against the Los Angeles Rams in the divisional game and he remained steadfast this week that he would play — a needed boost for the Eagles after he was concussed in the previous game against the Commanders and missed the ﬁnal two games of the regular season.

Hurts ran for the goahead score, Barkley rushed for 146 yards and two fourth-quarter

touchdowns, and the Eagles held off the Commanders 26-18 in the ﬁrst matchup in November. The Commanders took the rematch 36-33 a month later behind ﬁve touchdown passes from Daniels.

“He can extend plays and make a play with his legs. He can extend a play and make a play with his arm,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said. “You can see that he’s calm and cool in the biggest moments and got a lot of respect for how he’s playing.”

The Commanders had few believers outside the locker room that they could get this far in the postseason.

Daniels has led the Commanders to six consecutive victories — winning the first five on the final play of scrimmage before upsetting the Lions by double digits.

The Commanders don’t expect the magic to run out in Philly in the ﬁrst conference title game between NFC East teams since the 1986 season — even as they rank behind Buffalo,

Kansas City and the betting favourite Eagles to win the Super Bowl.

“It’s the ﬁnal four,” Daniels said. “There’s going to be a lot more eyes on these teams, so you could get out of whack, you could listen to the media, stuff like that. But if you keep your same routine, stay consistent, it will work out.”

Slowing Saquon Barkley is coming off rushing for 205 yards and two touchdowns against the Rams. He had two big games against the Rams this season. Against the Commanders, it has been a mixed bag.

Barkley had 15 carries for 56 yards in the first half of these teams’ first game this season November 14 at Philadelphia, before finishing with 146 yards and two TDs. He had 109 yards and two TDs in the first quarter at Washington on Dec. 22, then had 22 runs for 41 yards the rest of the game with Hurts sidelined by a concussion. “He’s a remarkable player,” Quinn said. “You have to be able to do

right over and over again and not get bored with just being in the right spot over and over again.” Barkley brushed off any concerns that the Commanders had his number this season.

With good reason, perhaps. The Commanders faced Eagles backup QB Kenny Pickett for the bulk of that game once Hurts was concussed, eliminating a top offensive threat. The top focus — and Nos. 2, 3 and 4 — became stopping Barkley.

“I think they sold out on the run,” Barkley said. “It worked for them in the second half. In the grand scheme of things, we still put up 30-something points and had the opportunity to win the football game. It ended up with in our hands, but we didn’t do that, so we’ll prepare for whatever they’re going to bring.”

Rookie QB history Daniels is one more upset away from becoming the ﬁrst rookie quarterback to lead his team to the Super Bowl. He is only the sixth to reach a conference championship game. The previous ﬁve are Brock Purdy, Mark Sanchez, Joe Flacco, Ben Roethlisberger and Shaun King.

Purdy’s 49ers lost at Philadelphia two years ago.

“Man, I’m not even thinking that far,” Daniels said this week. “It would obviously be a blessing, but I’m just focused on how can I be better day by day.” Daniels already set the rookie QB record for rushing yards with 891, and he’s the leading passer through two rounds of the playoffs with 567.

“He’s the ultimate pro as a rookie,” top receiver Terry McLaurin said.

“Whether it’s a good play or a bad play, he’s always worried about the next play and he’s worried about how we can execute this next play at the highest possible ability that we have for our offence.”

PHILADELPHIA Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith (6) and Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni embrace after an NFL football NFC divisional playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, January 19 in Philadelphia.

(AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

KANSAS City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) talks on the sidelines with head coach Andy Reid, right, during the second half of an NFL football AFC divisional playoff game against the Houston Texans on January 18.

(AP Photo/Ed Zurga)

Shawn Neely wins battle with cancer

By TENAJH SWEETING Tribune Sports Reporter

A more than two-year battle with a rare cancer is now over for Bahamian swimmer Shawn Neely.

The 22-year-old was steadily climbing the swimming ranks before his journey to success was derailed by a rare cancer diagnosis back in July 2022.

He experienced an excruciating pain in his testicles that prompted him to seek medical attention.

Just one year into his college tenure at the Delta University, he was diagnosed with Metastatic Paratesticular Embryonal Rhabdomyosarcoma (PRMS), a rare and aggressive disease which typically occurs in children and adolescents. Despite the ups and downs experienced during his battle with the rare disease, including being cleared of cancer at one point, he is grateful to now be cancer free. “It is very relieving and I am very grateful. There are plenty of different emotions. I lost a lot but I am just happy to be here and live life. I am just giving thanks to God

and everybody who helped me get here including my family and my friends and even the people I don’t know that supported me on my journey.

“It is really a lot off my shoulders dealing with that everyday, the ﬁnancial problems and just having cancer. You see people die from cancer everyday so just knowing I beat a disease as deadly as that is just relieving,” he said.

During Neely’s battle with cancer, he had to rely on the support of his family, peers and in some cases strangers as he launched a GoFundMe campaign to aid in his medical expenses throughout the ordeal.

The GoFundMe, which raised over 70k in donations, helped to aid in his medical expenses, including nine rounds of chemotherapy, and for Neely he could not be more grateful for his supporters.

“I would just like to thank them and tell them how much I appreciate them. It is not everyday that every person would get the same support as me so I am just very thankful. When I ﬁrst started, I didn’t expect to get that much support but with the help

of my family, friends and supporters who shared my story it was unbelievable to me. Although I cannot pay them back in monetary value I will try to pay them back with the bright future I have,” he said.

Prior to his cancer diagnosis, he competed at the 50th Bahamas National Championships in 2022. He earned a second place finish in the 100m butterfly in 56.79 seconds. Additionally, he competed in the 50m free for a fourth place finish and wrapped up the 100m free in fifth. He admitted that his background as an athlete helped him to remain strong and push through his cancer battle despite the tough times.

“It actually did because as an athlete we carry our bodies through so much pain voluntarily to achieve certain goals. I just was used to the pain but it was more lasting instead of it feeling like a two-hour practice it felt more like everyday. I just looked at it like that or like a set. I did nine rounds of chemo so I just looked at it like counting down from a set. Most people are not used to that type of pain so that kind of helped a lot as an athlete going through so

much I kind of related it to my cancer and treatment,” he said.

Although the 22-year-old is grateful to be cancer free, he still has moments where he thinks “what if” but for now he is thankful to have another opportunity to do more in life.

“It is kind of hard knowing where I could have been and that I was ﬁnally getting to where I wanted to be in my career. But then for it to come back again at the end of the semester it was kind of hard for me because I knew where I wanted to be, knew the teams I wanted to make. It was kind of hard the way that hit me. It is a lot but I just try to be grateful for what I have and not look back on the past so much because I still have a chance and opportunity to do more in life,” he said.

Neely hopes to return to the pool one day but for now he is focused on removing a blockage in his urethra and possibly pursuing a career in ﬁlmmaking.

The cancer survivor encouraged those engulfed in their own battles to never lose faith in God, don’t doubt yourself and believe that you can do it no matter what.

A MORE than two-year battle

‘WEMBY’ SHINES IN PARIS AS SPURS BEAT PACERS 140-110

PARIS (AP) — Victor

Wembanyama scored 30 points in his ﬁrst NBA game on his native French soil, Devin Vassell added 25 and the San Antonio Spurs beat the Indiana Pacers 140-110 on Thursday night.

Wembanyama ﬁnished with 11 rebounds, six assists and ﬁve blocks for the Spurs. Harrison Barnes scored 20 for San Antonio, which won for only the second time in its last eight games. The Spurs had a huge 57-31 edge in rebounding.

Bennedict Mathurin led Indiana with 24 points. Pascal Siakam added 18, Myles Turner scored 14 and Tyrese Haliburton and Obi Toppin ﬁnished with 13 each for the Pacers.

Indiana had won eight of its last nine contests.

TRAIL BLAZERS 100, MAGIC 79 ORLANDO, Fla. (AP)

— Anfernee Simons scored 21 points and the Portland Trail Blazers extended their winning streak to three with a victory over Orlando, spoiling the return of Magic forward Franz Wagner.

Toumani Canara added 16 points and six rebounds for Portland. Deni Avdija

finished with 13 points, five rebounds and five assists,

while Jabari Walker had six steals in 19 minutes. Wagner, who missed 20 games after tearing his oblique in early December, led Orlando with 20 points. Tristan Da Silva came off the bench with 16 points. Paolo Banchero had eight points and nine rebounds, but shot 1 for 14 with ﬁve turnovers.

Blazers guard Scoot Henderson fouled out with 6:12 left, having played 14 minutes.

RAPTORS 122, HAWKS 119

ATLANTA (AP) — Scottie Barnes had 25 points, including a key basket in the ﬁnal minute, and Toronto picked up their second road win of the season with a victory over Atlanta.

Bruce Brown had 18 points, while Jacob Poeltl and Chris Boucher each had 17 in the opener of a two-game series in Atlanta. The Hawks had a chance to tie with 2.7 seconds left, but good defense forced a 3-pointer by Onekya Okongwu at the buzzer that was an airball.

Bogdan Bogdanovic shook off a recent shooting slump to score 23 points and hit three of his ﬁve 3-pointers for the Hawks. He had missed his last 14 ﬁeld goal attempts

entering the game. Dyson Daniels had 22 points, eight rebounds, ﬁve assists and four steals. The Hawks have lost three straight. They host Toronto again on Saturday. Grady Dick and RJ Barrett scored 15 points apiece for the Raptors, who have won four of ﬁve.

BUCKS 125, HEAT 96

MILWAUKEE (AP)

— Damian Lillard had 29 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds and Milwaukee overcame travel issues to beat Miami for their ﬁfth straight victory.

Lillard had appeared to get his fourth career triple-double before leaving with 3:57 remaining, but the 10th rebound that had been credited to Lillard was changed. The start was pushed back an hour due to the Bucks’ troubles getting out of New Orleans, which had a historic snowstorm Tuesday. The Bucks’ scheduled Wednesday game with the Pelicans was postponed, and their plane arrived in Milwaukee less than three hours before the start Thursday.

Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo had 25 points and 12 rebounds. Gary Trent Jr. scored a season-high 21 points and

shot 7 of 10 on 3-point attempts. Kel’el Ware had 22 points and 10 rebounds for Miami. Tyler Herro had 21 points and nine assists.

MAVERICKS 121,

THUNDER 115

OKLAHOMA CITY

(AP) — Spencer Dinwiddie scored 28 points, and Dallas beat Oklahoma City.

P.J. Washington had 22 points and 19 rebounds and Kyrie Irving added 24 points for the Mavericks, who have been without Luka Doncic for nearly a month because of a left calf strain. Dallas has won three of the four meetings this season against a Thunder team that leads the Western Conference and only has eight losses all season.

Jalen Williams led Oklahoma City with 33 points.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who was named an AllStar starter earlier in the evening, scored 16 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter for the Thunder.

Gilgeous-Alexander scored a career-high 54 points in a win over Utah on Wednesday, but made just 5 of his ﬁrst 15 shots against Dallas before getting on track.

Gilgeous-Alexander did not play last time the teams met, when the Mavericks

won 106-98 in Dallas on Jan. 17.

The Thunder led 62-60 at halftime, but Dallas took over in the third quarter and led by 13 at one point. Gilgeous-Alexander banked in a shot from the lane at the buzzer to cut Dallas’ lead to 91-83 heading into the fourth.

NUGGETS 132, KINGS 123

DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic had his ﬁfth straight triple-double before the fourth quarter, ﬁnishing with 35 points, 22 rebounds and a season-high 17 assists to help Denver beat Sacramento.

Jokic has an NBAleading 20 triple-doubles this season, 14 before the fourth quarter. He had 20 points and 20 rebounds before the end of the third quarter.

The Nuggets led by 22 at halftime and used a 14-5 run at the end of the third, capped by Jokic’s 66-foot heave at the buzzer, to take a 25-point lead.

Domantas Sabonis had 23 points and 17 rebounds for Sacramento. The Kings lost for the third time in 13 games since Doug Christie took over as the interim coach. The Kings scored the ﬁrst 14 points of the fourth and got as close as 126-121.

cancer is now over for

‘BUDDY’ HIELD SCORES 17 IN 123-117 LOSS TO KINGS

By ANTONIO RAY HARVEY Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif.

(AP) — DeMar DeRozan scored 32 points, Domantas Sabonis had 26 points and 18 rebounds and the Sacramento Kings overcame an 18-point deﬁcit to beat the Golden State Warriors 123117 on Wednesday night. Malik Monk added 20 points and nine assists and DeAaron Fox had 14 points for Sacramento, which made 30 of 32 free throws. The Kings have won three in a row overall, seven straight at home and are 10-2 under interim coach Doug Christie. Andrew Wiggins had 25 points and Buddy Hield added 17 points for the Warriors. Steph Curry ﬁnished with 14 points and 12 assists.

DeRozan scored 19 points in the third quarter, hitting two free throws to tie it at 85. Behind 113-111, the Kings went on an 8-0 run, completed by a layup by Fox with 1:07 remaining. The Warriors were without Draymond Green (left calf strain) and Jonathan Kuminga (right ankle sprain). Green will be reevaluated next week.

Takeaways

Warriors: Made 14 of 26 shots from 3-point range in the ﬁrst half.

Kings: Outscored the Warriors 37-20 in the third quarter to tie it at 85.

Key moment

Trailing by seven points, the Kings charged back to take a 100-99 lead on a 3-pointer by Keon Ellis at 7:45 mark of the fourth quarter.

Key stat The Kings had a 28-0 edge in fast-break points. Up next

Both teams were back in action last night. Golden State hosted Chicago, and Sacramento opened a sixgame trip at Denver

with a rare

Bahamian swimmer Shawn Neely.

SAN Antonio Spurs centre Victor Wembanyama (1) drives to the basket against Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell (9) and forward Pascal Siakam (43) during the second half of a Paris Games 2025 NBA basketball game in Paris, yesterday. (AP Photo/ Thibault Camus)

UNIVERSITY OF THE BAHAMAS ATHLETICS

Mingoes sweep Aces for ﬁrst win in UB Showcase

THE University of The Bahamas Mingoes women’s volleyball team got its ﬁrst victory in the UB Women’s Volleyball Showcase with a three-set sweep over the Midnight Aces at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium on Tuesday.

UB won the match 25-12, 26-24 and 25-20 for a 1-2 win/loss record in the showcase.

UB’s captain Zarria Rose said that her squad brought the energy in this game.

“We brought this game and you saw it with the crowd. We were more efﬁcient with our hitting and passing.

“The girls did very well tonight (Tuesday).

It was a dominant ﬁrst set for UB who got into the groove with their serves and spikes. They went up 19-10 before running away with the ﬁrst set 25-12.

The second set saw the Aces keeping the game competitive after the Mingoes led 13-8 at one point.

The Aces took the 15-14 lead before going up 18-15.

UB responded and tied the game at 24 points before taking the set 26-24. UB got the 2-0 lead.

UB jumped out to a 12-7 lead and never looked back in the third set. They fed off the crowd’s energy before moving on to win that set 25-20 to secure the 3-0 match sweep.

Charles W Saunders High School on Jean Street.

The run will begin from Jean Street and head south to Prince Charles Drive. It will travel east on Prince Charles Drive to Fox Hill Road. On Fox Hill Road, the route will head north to Bernard Road, west on Bernard Road and south on Jean Street back to the ﬁnish line.

The walk will leave Jean Street and travel north to Bernard Road, head west on Bernard Road to Soldier Road, travel south on Soldier Road to Prince Charles Drive, head east on Prince Charles Drive and back to Jean Street and the ﬁnish line. The categories for both the male and female in both events will be under-15, under-20, under-40, under60 and 60-and-over. There will also be a Pastors/Ministers/Deacons category.

Medals will be presented to the first three finishers in each age category, while the top finishers in each event will be presented with a trophy. There will also be a trophy for the church with the most finishers. The registration fee is $10 per person and there will be a souse out priced at $10 for chicken or turkey. Interested persons are urged to contact Ann Thompson at 425-3557 or email ann837609@gmail. com or Brent Stubbs at 4267265 or email stubbobo@ gmail.com.

RED-LINE

SONJA KNOWLES

CLASSIC

THE Red-Line Athlet-

ics Track Club will hold its ﬁfth annual Sonja Knowles Classic over the weekend of January 25-26 at the original Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium. The meet, sponsored by Slim Jim and Mahatma, will begin at 10am on Saturday, January 25 and conclude on Sunday, January 26, starting at 1pm.

Leading the way for UB with 11 attacking points was Miracle Stubbs who also had 10 kills. Hannah McBride had eight kills.

UB ﬁnished with 30 kills. Shantana Etienne led the Aces with ﬁve kills.

UB returns to the same location 7pm Tuesday, January 28 against the Spikers.

Meet director Tito Moss has indicated that they will offer some awesome customised medals for top three ﬁnishers, customised crystal awards for MVPs U7 to U20 boys and girls. He also noted that they will offer more events for the under-7 to under-13 age groups, but they expect that the under-15 to the open and masters categories will be very competitive with heats and ﬁnals in all sprint events. Interested persons are urged to send in entries to redlineathletics242@gmail. com and smnbutler@yahoo. com or contact Tito Moss at 425-4262.

TRACK AND FIELD

STAR PERFORMERS

MEET

THE Star Trackers Track Club will hold its 22nd Star Performance Track and Field Classic on Saturday, February 1 at the original Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium. The event, powered by Baker/ Greyco Limited, will be held from 9am to 5pm.

The registration deadline is on Friday, January 24 at 10pm at www.coachoregistration.com.

Meet director Dave Charlton promises that the athletes and spectators will enjoy a very competitive meet that will be contested on time.

SPECIAL OLYMPICS BAHAMAS

OPEN HOUSE

SPECIAL Olympics Bahamas is preparing to hold their open house on Dolphin Drive on February 4, 11, 18 and 25 and everyone is invited to attend any session.

Every Tuesday during the month of February, 2025 between the hours of 10am and 3pm, Special Olympics is iinviting the general public along with family and friends to visit our ofﬁce at #24 Dolphin Drive to view our Wall of Fame. While there, they are asking for guests to sign their Visitor’s Register and leave a phone contact for an opportunity to receive

one of their “Special” Red Balls.

“Shake hands with our athletes and chat with one of our stars,” said a press release. “Join the Inclusion Revolution today.”

Donations of any amount are welcomed and appreciated during the open house dates.

LOVE AND ROMANCE ROAD RACE AT 6am on Saturday, February 8, Love and Romance will take to the asphalt at our 3rd annual couples, Valentines-themed 5k Fun, Run Walk Push.

Hundreds of couplesadorned in their red and white sports outﬁt - will be running, walking, skating and biking together from Arawak Cay to Go Slow Bend and back.

They will traverse along scenic West Bay Street, while being entertained with romantic instrumental music, local artists singing and civic groups cheering them on along

the route. They return to the valentine-themed Race Village where they will receive awards, prizes and surprises. For more information, persons are asked to contact Marcel Major at 242-804-8595.

BBSF

SOFTBALL LEAGUE

THE Bahamas Baptist Sports Federation will hold its 2025 softball league, starting on Saturday, February 8 at the Charles W Saunders High School, Jean Street. The co-ed slow pitch league will allow each team up to a total of 15 players with the registration fee of $200.

The deadline for team registration with rosters and team payment is Saturday, January 25, 2025. Interested persons can tournament director Thomas Sears at 424-2888 or email 242softball@gmail. com or Brent Stubbs at 4267265 or emil stubbobs@ gmail.com

UB right hitter right hitter Miracle Stubbs sets the ball.

UNIVERSITY of The Bahamas right hitter Davanna Douglas bumps the ball against the Aces.

Photos by UB Athletics

UB setter and captain Zarria Rose goes up for a block.

UB right hitter Davanna Douglas goes up for a spike in The Mingoes game against the Aces at the Kendal Isaacs Gym on January 21. The Mingoes won 3-0.

Understanding and managing hamstring injuries in athletes

By Dr Kent L Bazard

HAMSTRING injuries are common in sports demanding speed, agility, and explosive power - key characteristics of activities like track, baseball, and soccer that are widely popular in The Bahamas. They can sideline athletes for weeks, affecting performance and progress.

Understanding the injury types, causes, and strategies for prevention and management helps athletes maintain consistency and resilience.

Acute vs. Chronic Injuries

Hamstring injuries generally fall into two categories: acute strains and chronic overuse injuries. Acute strains typically occur during high-intensity activities, such as sprinting or quick changes in direction.

Athletes often report sharp, sudden pain in the back of the thigh when these injuries occur.

Chronic or overuse injuries, on the other hand, result from repetitive stress, poor mechanics, or inadequate recovery. Symptoms include persistent tightness, movement-related pain, and reduced performance over time.

Common Causes of Hamstring Injuries Muscle Imbalances Unequal strength between the hamstrings and their counterparts, such as the quadriceps, increases the likelihood of injury. This imbalance becomes critical in activities requiring rapid deceleration or acceleration.

Fatigue As muscles tire, their ability to absorb force diminishes, making them prone to strains or tears.

Fatigue is a key factor that leads to many injuries, particularly in demanding sports environments.

Inadequate Warm-Ups Rushing into activities without proper warm-ups makes muscles less elastic and more vulnerable to injury.

Athletes in explosive sports, such as track or soccer, are especially at risk.

Overtraining and Poor Recovery

Overtraining compromises muscle health. Without adequate rest, hamstrings face diminished function and heightened susceptibility to overuse injuries.

Research underscores the importance of balancing rigorous training with scheduled recovery periods.

Managing Hamstring Injuries - Immediate Care

The RICE protocol— Rest, Ice, Compression,

and Elevation - although updated, is still essential for minimising pain and swelling in the early stages of an injury.

Pain management strategies, including antiinﬂammatory medications, may help but should be used cautiously to avoid delaying the healing process.

Rehabilitation Strategies

Rehabilitation focuses on progressively rebuilding strength and ﬂexibility. Eccentric exercises, such as Nordic hamstring curls, play a pivotal role in preventing reinjury by enhancing muscle resilience.

Prevention and Long-Term Care

Dynamic Warm-Ups

Incorporating warm-ups that mimic the sport’s movement patterns prepares muscles for the demands of high-intensity activities. Dynamic stretches and light drills are particularly effective for sports like baseball and track.

until the ﬁnancial statement was produced.

elections. The federation had requested that the NPVA postpone its election, but reports indicated that Forbes advised her board that there wasn’t any reason why the elections should not be staged and the report submitted later. Despite asking Forbes not to attend the elections, the federation considered the elections null and void

overwhelming experience. I just can’t put it into words. It’s just an overwhelming experience for me.” Riley follows in the footsteps of Glenn Pratt, the president of the Bahamas Professional Golfers Federation, who was inducted last year.

“I’ve had an opportunity to learn about his history and what he has done in the past,” said Riley, who has worked with Pratt in the revitalisation of the BPGF.

“I was a little too young, but hearing his story and getting to know him better and looking on the website and hearing about the other golfers, I feel honoured.”

But Forbes said she advised the board that there was no reason why the NPVA could not conduct their elections as their issue was the fact that they could not get their ﬁnancial statement from the bank as their members were not signatory on the account.

Having gone against the board, the ﬁve executives contacted the BOA, who

then submitted a letter to the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture appraising them of the controversy.

It was also reported that the board convened a Zoom meeting on January 13 with Mushtaque Mohammed, president of CAZOVA and Cristobal Hofﬁz Marte, vice president of NORCECA, along with executives of the BOC and the Ministry of Sports to clear up the situation.

Monitoring Training Loads

Balancing training intensity and volume with sufﬁcient rest is critical.

Overtraining not only risks injury but can also reduce overall athletic performance.

By tracking performance metrics and recovery trends, coaches and athletes can optimise training programs.

Psychological and

Emotional Well-Being

Addressing mental health is just as important as physical recovery. Fatigue and overtraining often carry psychological dimensions.

Ensuring adequate offseason breaks and access to mental health resources helps athletes stay focused and balanced.

Local Insights and

Solutions

In The Bahamas, where track and baseball are beloved pursuits, the risk of hamstring injuries is signiﬁcant. Prevention strategies,

W without him. My team played great, all credit to him. I just was doing the right thing to win because I know they were gonna key in on me when I drive. That was the main thing for me, I just wanted to create for my teammates,” he said.

The Bears fell behind by four (30-26) after one half of play against the Wildcats.

Baylor trailed by nine (43-34) when CJ Jones hit a three for Kansas State at the 14:30 mark of the second half.

Edgecombe scored backto-back buckets, including a crowd-thrilling dunk that trimmed the deﬁcit to 45-42 with 10:05 remaining in the game.

The Bears, led by the Bimini native, eventually outscored Kansas State 44-32 in the second half. The Wildcats now own a 7-11 win//loss record.

Utah State vs Nevada

The Aggies made it difﬁcult for the Nevada Wolf Pack to take care of the ball in their last matchup.

The team forced 18 turnovers while only losing the ball on only eight occasions.

Dexter Akanno, of Utah State, made a three-pointer at the

During the meeting, treasurer Keith Dean reportedly collapsed and died as he, along with Forbes and assistant treasurer Christine Cunningham, participated in the Zoom from the Ministry of Education. The meeting was abruptly called off and subsequently the ﬁve executive members lodged their “vote of no conﬁdence” resulting in the meeting scheduled for

from proper warm-ups to individualised training plans, can mitigate this risk. Coaches should prioritise dynamic exercises and tailor regimens to each athlete’s needs, while athletes must remain proactive about their recovery and wellness.

Collaborating with sports medicine specialists further enhances injury management and prevention efforts.

By integrating expert advice, athletes can focus on their goals while minimising setbacks, ensuring they perform at their best throughout the season.

sports medicine physician at Empire Sports Medicine, specializes in ensuring athletes reach their peak performance safely. With extensive experience and a passion for sports health, Dr. Bazard provides insights and guidance for athletes of all ages.

two-minute mark that gave the Aggies a 44-34 advantage in the ﬁrst half.

The Aggies closed out the ﬁrst half with a 47-38 lead and never looked back.

Albury canned a shot from long range with 16:19 remaining in the game to give his team a 60-45 advantage. He scored all of his points in the second half of play.

The Nevada Wolf Pack never recovered after falling behind.

Kansas vs TCU Storr and the Kansas Jayhawks made it look easy against the TCU Horned Frogs to improve to 14-4 on the season and 5-2 in the conference.

The victors shot the ball 55.6 per cent while holding the Horned Frogs to 37.9 per cent from the ﬁeld.

Storr put up 10 of his 12 points in the second half. He nailed a stepback jumper at the 11:30 mark to keep Kansas in the lead 49-48.

The Jayhawks went on a 14-2 run and closed out the game outscoring TCU 74-61.

Bahamian collegiate players will return to action on Saturday. Baylor will face Utah at 4:40pm on Saturday at the Jon M Huntsman Centre. Kansas is set to take on the no.7 ranked Houston at 6:30pm at the Allen Fieldhouse. Utah State takes on the Air Force Falcons at 4pm in the Clune Arena.

Sunday with Mohammed coming to town to preside over the matter.

It was agreed that if the “vote of no conﬁdence” is passed, Forbes will be asked to resign, but if it is rejected, the ﬁve executives will have to step down and resign. However, it has been pointed out that both the NPVA and the Grand Bahama Volleyball Association would not be allowed to vote as they have reportedly been suspended for non-payment of dues. But both the NPVA, now headed by Randy Elliott and the GBVA, headed by Whitney Armbrister, are both appealing the decision before the meeting is held on Sunday.

Riley is one of those golfers whom Pratt has agitated to get a professional golf job at one of the local properties, although she worked at Baker’s Bay in Abaco for nine years and at the Albany Golf Club for about 15 months.

Having taken some time off to deal with her nine-year-old son, Riley said she’s delighted to be back in the spotlight with this induction into the Hall of Fame.

“This is great for me because this is the year that I had planned to get back into playing form and actually try to play some events in the US,” Riley said.

“There are some golfers whom I played against years ago like Paula Pearson-Tucker, who is still playing. She’s up there in age, but she’s still doing her thing and she’s doing it well. So it’s people like her who are inspiring me to get back into it.

“So this induction comes at the right time. So as the

vice president of the Bahamas Professional Golfers Federation, we have a lot planned this year for professional golfers and our junior golfers as well. So I want to be right there.”

Over a span of more than 20 years, Riley has played professional golf and has taught for 10 years as a club professional.

One of her most memorable working experiences was as a marketing/operations intern with the PGA Tour during her ﬁnal year at the Champions Club in Houston, Texas, where she got to host The Tour Championship (sponsored by The Coca-Cola Company).

“I was able to be a part of organising and hosting an event on the most prestigious tour in the world,” Riley recalled. “The

amount of attention to detail and months of work that preceded a seven-day golf tournament week was astounding.

“It was one of my biggest learning experiences, topped off by having a full golf lesson from the great Jackie Burke Jr, one of golf’s amazing Hall of Fame members.”

Another amazing experience for Riley came during her tenure at Baker’s Bay.

“There, I encountered some of the industry’s most challenging but rewarding tasks while ensuring the enjoyment of our many members,” she pointed out.

“Over the last 12 years, I have gained extensive experience in the golf industry but, as you know, that experience can be transferred to many other ﬁelds.”

Riley said she’s just accustomed to taking on any task and seeing it through until completion to satisfy the team goal. She said the induction is putting a stamp of approval on her work ethic.

BAZARD DR KENT

BAYLOR guard VJ Edgecombe scores against Kansas State guard Coleman Hawkins on Wednesday night. (Rod Aydelotte/Waco Tribune-Herald via AP)

RACQUEL RILEY

SPORTS

SECTION E FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 2025

VJ Edgecombe scores career-high 30 points

By TENAJH SWEETING Tribune Sports Reporter tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

Baylor freshman Valdez “VJ”

Edgecombe had a career night in the Bears’ 70-62 victory against the Kansas State Wildcats at the Foster Pavilion on Wednesday night.

The Bimini native erupted for a career-high 30 points, three rebounds and two steals in 38 minutes played. He was efﬁcient in the win, shooting 8-for-13 from the ﬁeld and 11-for-12 at the charity stripe.

Edgecombe was not the only Bahamian collegiate baller to pick up a win on

THE SPORTS CALENDAR January

CHESS AWARDS CEREMONY

THE Bahamas Chess Federation will hold a celebration of chess in 2024 at the 2025 BFF’s awards presentation on Sunday, January 26, from 4-5:30 pm at Traveller’s Rest, West Bay Street. During the event, the BCF will present awards to their outstanding players during the 2024 season.

RUGBY SEASON OPENING

AFTER making some minor repairs to the Winton rugby pitch, the Bahamas Rugby Union is all set to open its 2025 season at 2pm on Saturday.

The BRU will also play matches on Saturday, February 8, Saturday, February 22, Saturday, March 8 and Saturday, March 22. All ages and all

abilities are welcome, including men and women, ‘Golden Oldies’ teams and beginners and seasoned players.

The BRU is also inviting persons to come and try rugby this year. The only equipment needed are tennis/ cleats and PE kit. For further information, persons are urged to call (242) 812-0417.

BAHAMAS BAPTIST SPORTS FEDERATION FUN RUN/WALK RACE

THE Bahamas Baptist Sports Federation, now in its second year of existence, will hold its annual Family Fun Run/Walk race on Saturday, January 25. The dual event, opened to the general public, will get started at 6:30am from the Bahamas Baptist College/

Wednesday in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) basketball action.

Deyton Albury and the Utah State Aggies picked up their 17th win of the season against the Nevada Wolf Pack 90-69 at the Smith Spectrum in Logan, Utah.

Albury scored nine points and three assists in 21 minutes of gametime. He shot 3-for-3 from the ﬁeld on the night.

Kansas guard AJ Storr and the Jayhawks defeated the TCU Horned Frogs 74-61 at the Schollmaier Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.

Storr put up 12 points, six rebounds and three

BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor

THE Bahamas Volleyball Federation is expected to stage a “vote of no confidence” in president Crystal Forbes at the office of the Bahamas Olympic Committee on Sunday. The vote is being staged by the federation against Forbes, whom they felt sided with the New Providence Volleyball Association over their elections last year. Five members of the federation have asked the BOC along with their international bodies, CAZOVa and NORCECA, to intervene when a zone meeting was held on January 13. Apparently, the board members, first vice president Lloyd “Ratty” Davis, second

steals in 22 minutes off the bench. He shot 6-for-10 in the contest.

Baylor vs Kansas State The Baylor Bears improved to 12-6 on the season after Edgecombe went off for a career night against the Wildcats.

“VJ” was a man on a mission in the second half. He scored 20 of his 30 points in this session of the team’s comeback win.

He spoke about what led to his performance against the Wildcats.

“I know we had to win. I just want to thank God, I wouldn’t be in this position without him and we wouldn’t have gotten the

vice president Don Cornish, third vice president Helena Cooper, secretary Kurtwood Greene Sr and assistant secretary Sydeline Justlien have casted a vote of “no conﬁdence” in Forbes, claiming that she went against the

By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

RACQUEL Riley, one of the top female professional golfers in the country, will be the latest Bahamian golfer to be inducted into the African American Golfers Hall of Fame.

The Class of 2025 induction ceremony will take place on May 24 in Palm Beach County, Florida, as a part of the AAG’s 20th anniversary, which will also include the African American Collegiate & Youth Golfers Hall of Fame. Riley, 43, joins the class that includes Conway Amar, Lee Gradford Jr, Leonard D. Brown Jr, Kenneth M .Crowlety, General A, Freed, Burlin Germany, Jimmie James, Ronald J. Twiery, Erika Savers, Sommer Woods and the Green Ladies Golf Club.

“I’m incredibly honoured. I feel amazing. I’m just ready to celebrate and really enjoy this one,” said Riley, who joins Agatha Delancy as a Bahamian female inducted into the AAG. “It conﬁrms to me that even though I was absent from the playing arena, I was still on the minds of a lot of the golfers and the persons that I’ve met through my playing career and my club and professional career.

“At ﬁrst, I was like ‘wow,’ this is incredible. It was an

PAGE 15

board and hasn’t presented any plans for the federation since taking over on March 9, 2024. Among the issues that prompted the “vote of no confidence” in Forbes was a report that the New Providence Volleyball Association, then headed by Peter Ferguson, who had relocated to Exuma and left first vice president Adalbert Ingraham acting in his capacity, had not issued a financial statement going into their elections last year.

The NPVA, at the time, indicated that there were some issues in claiming their ﬁnancial statement from First Caribbean Bank and they were not able to present their ﬁnancial report to its membership going into the SEE PAGE 15

CRYSTAL FORBES, president of Bahamas Volleyball Federation.

TOP - Baylor guard VJ Edgecombe dunks over Kansas State after a fast break in the second half on Wednesday night in Waco, Texas. Edgecombe takes the court in an NCAA college basketball game against TCU on Sunday, January 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerry Larson)