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VOLUME:114 No.65, FEBRUARY 23rd, 2017
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CLASSIFIEDS TRADER: CARS, CARS, CARS AND TECH!
‘I forgive teacher for my son’s death in car’ By SANCHESKA DORSETT Tribune Staff Reporter sdorsett@tribunemedia.net ROSEMANIE Louis, the mother of the threeyear-old boy who died after being found unresponsive in a car in front of his nursery last week, said while there is a “big hole” in her heart caused by her only son’s death, she forgives the teacher who accidentally “forgot” her child. Ms Louis, who is Haitian, said her son, Kayden Guerrier, was a “happy boy” who told her he loved her every day and was polite to everyone he met. She said if she knew last Monday was the last time she would see her son alive, she would have “hugged him a little harder”. Kayden was found unresponsive in a car in front
THREE-year-old Kayden Guerrier. of his daycare on February 13. According to initial reports from police, a daycare worker at his school off Coleman Lane found the child shortly after 2pm. The child was rushed to the Princess Margaret Hospital where he died a short time later.
MILLER: ENFORCE DEATH PENALTY OR LET THE CRIMINALS TAKE OVER By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
TALL Pines MP Leslie Miller yesterday advised lawmakers that if they did not have the “guts” to support capital punishment then they should abandon the anti-crime fight altogether and let criminals
“take over” the country. Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Mr Miller suggested that government interference was preventing the courts from carrying out the death penalty - referring to a conversation he is supposed to have had with a senior Supreme Court judge. SEE PAGE NINE
DOUBLE THE BACON DOUBLE THE CHEESE
Officer-in-charge of the Central Detective Unit, Chief Superintendent Fernander, said the toddler was left in the car “by mistake” for hours after he was picked up by one of the teachers, who took him to school. In an interview with The Tribune at her Kemp Road home yesterday afternoon, Ms Louis, who was visibly distraught, recalled her last moments with her son. “Kayden woke up and said he wanted tea. I bathed him, gave him the tea and then the lady came for him,” she told The Tribune. “He said, ‘Bye mommy I love you’. At 12.30 the police called me and said Kayden can’t breathe and he is in the hospital,” Ms Louis, who also has a daughter, said. SEE PAGE SIX
INSIDE
TALL Pines MP Leslie Miller condemned the voter registration process yesterday, accusing government workers at registration sites of intimidating and harassing Bahamians for unnecessary documentation despite official proclamations. Mr Miller pleaded with National Security Minister Dr Bernard Nottage, who has responsibility over elections, to reinforce pronouncements made to the Parliamentary Registration
Department. In a statement to Parliament, Mr Miller claimed that the contrary actions of registration officers have contributed to the sluggish pace of registration, adding that noncompliant officers should be fired. Mr Miller recounted the experience of a TOPS employee, who he said was turned away three times from three different registration sites. In another account, Mr Miller said that registration officers demanded that registrants have a new NIB card and a valid passport.
“The minister implored those persons who are registering people, to register people on a timely basis,” Mr Miller said. “The gentleman had his passport, his NIB card as well as his driver’s licence. Plenty of those persons who are responsible for registering people today are still requesting their passport and a valid passport, I don’t know why you need a valid passport, driver’s licence plus NIB card. The new thing now is that you must have your new card, that’s what they are telling people.” SEE PAGE NINE
INTERCEPT BILL CONSULTATION HAILED AS A VICTORY By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net THE Grand Bahama Human Rights Association yesterday hailed the postponement of debate on the
Interception of Communications Bill 2017 for public consultation as a landmark victory. Amid growing pushback against the so-called “spying” bill, Attorney General Allyson Maynard-Gibson,
QC, on Tuesday night defended the need for the bill but announced that her office will lead a “period of public consultation” on the legislation. SEE PAGE SIX
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ROSEMANIE LOUIS, the mother of Kayden, speaks with The Tribune as she fights back tears after the death of her son. Photo: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff
VOTER REGISTRATION STAFF ACCUSED OF DEMANDING UNNECESSARY PAPERWORK By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
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BUTLER-TURNER: PUT COUNTRY BEFORE EGOS OR PLP WINS
By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net OFFICIAL Opposition Leader Loretta ButlerTurner yesterday forecast that it was “very likely” the Progressive Liberal Party will be returned as the government unless splintered opposition forces can put the future of the country before their own egos. Mrs Butler-Turner told reporters outside Parliament yesterday that the path to achieving a unified opposition is “very straightforward” but was blocked largely by the leadership desires of all persons involved. She maintained that, despite the protestations of other groupings, the only team that she has not had SEE PAGE THREE
PAGE 2, Thursday, February 23, 2017
THE TRIBUNE
THE FNM held a rally in Exuma on Monday, with crowds turning out to hear the party platform as the build-up towards the next election continues.
FNM RALLY IN
EXUMA
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Thursday, February 23, 2017, PAGE 3
PM promises to ensure lunch vendors are paid wages By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net IN light of additional reports that lunch vendors on the national school lunch programme are not being paid, Prime Minister Perry Christie yesterday announced he would “see to it” that they are paid. Responding to claims by Official Opposition Leader Loretta Butler-Turner in the House of Assembly on Wednesday that vendors in her constituency of Long Island have not been compensated for services since the start of the year, Mr Christie said he would be assuming personal responsibility of the matter and “immediately” begin the process of paying the
PRIME Minister Perry Christie speaking to Leader of the Opposition Loretta Butler-Turner in the House of Assembly yesterday. Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff vendors. for lunch vendors, I would “With respect to payment move to investigate that,”
stated Mr Christie, who is also minister of finance. He added: “Ordinarily, the Minister of State for Finance (Golden Isles MP Michael Halkitis) would have the carriage of that, but Mr Speaker I would like to communicate with the member for Long Island because there is no explanation or excuse when it comes down to paying vendors for services provided.” He also said: “ . . . So I will see to it that if they have not been paid and it is not being processed, that it will take place immediately.” Mrs Butler-Turner for her part, expressed fear that if the situation was not rectified, it could lead to a serious drop-off in the performance of those students
in her constituency that depend on the programme for needed meals. She contended that in addition to the fate of the students involved, the vendors in question depend on payment to make ends meet. She added that without these payments, many of the vendors were being placed in desperate circumstances. Last month reports surfaced in Grand Bahama that vendors there had not been paid for up to five months in some cases. The Tribune reported previously that the issue was highlighted on a 104.5
FM talk show with radio personality “Purple” during a live broadcast on January 24. According to the host, the vendors had not been paid and, as a result, were frustrated. The host expressed further concern that children on the programme may be affected if the vendors are unable to provide adequate lunch because of non-payment by the government. At that time, education officials in Grand Bahama indicated that cheques for the vendors are prepared in Nassau, not in Freeport.
BUTLER-TURNER: PUT COUNTRY BEFORE EGOS OR PLP WINS from page one
formal talks with was the Free National Movement. Mrs Butler-Turner lamented that there was still a “void of leadership” in the country, and suggested that while she had previously felt strongly about the ability of opposition forces to coalesce around the central theme of ousting the PLP, her team was having great difficulty achieving that goal. “I think it’s important that the Bahamians have two clear choices and that is a unified opposition and the government,” she said, “and so it’s important that we try to work toward unifying at least the opposition forces. Maybe not under the same umbrella because everyone wants to be leader but certainly to be able to put our differences aside to turn the country around.” She added: “I said to people who are advising the FNM, I said it’s very simple: we’ve just got to be able to determine if we unify ourselves, like I said, it doesn’t have to be under one brand. We just have to come together and ensure that we are not splitting the vote in so many different directions, that’s the important thing. “The conceptualisation is very straightforward, it’s the egos of individuals. Until we actually determine that the country is more important than each of us as individuals, we will probably end up with what we have, and history certainly dictates that if we go into an election splintered in so many directions that’s very likely, that’s the reality.” Mrs Butler-Turner was responding to questions from the media on the path forward for herself and the
CLARIFICATION - DR ANDRE ROLLINS WE HAVE been asked to make clear that Dr Andre Rollins, MP for Fort Charlotte, did not indicate in the House of Assembly on February 17 he was prepared to swim in vomit to return to the Free National Movement, rather he said that if he had to get back into the party it was something he was prepared to do. Dr Rollins said: “The member for Killarney may not be the leader of the Opposition but he is still the leader of the FNM and I would say this: it is said in the past that Mr Perry Christie, the right honourable member for Centreville, was prepared to swim in his vomit to return to the PLP. Well, I will tell you this for the record right now: I would never swim in any vomit but if I have to get back in the FNM and run in the next election to make sure that the PLP has no chance, no chance whatsoever of regaining power, let me tell you something, that is something I would be prepared to do.” We are happy to make this clear.
other six MPs who are currently facing disciplinary action from the FNM over their move in December to remove Dr Minnis as leader of the Official Opposition in Parliament. “I believe that one of the things you see happening in the country today is that there exists a void of leadership, and I felt strongly that opposition forces would have been able to come together and to fight against the common goal and that is to rid this country of the PLP,” she said. “Unfortunately it appears we are having great difficulty in achieving that and so we will continue as best we could.” When asked whether unification efforts indicated her willingness to work alongside the FNM, she said: “I think the DNA, the FNM, the United People’s Movement, the Gatekeepers, whatever opposition forces are out there, we are not each other’s enemies. I think objectively what we need to demonstrate is that we need to displace this incompetent, this inept, PLP government, and so if calmer heads would prevail I’m sure that those dialogues can happen. But, of course, it takes calm heads for that to happen.” Mrs Butler-Turner added: “I think that’s the most important thing, you know, we’ve got to realise that the country is not in a good place. The country under the PLP has not been accountable, they have not been effective, they have not been transparent, bills are not being paid in a timely fashion. We’ve paid the most taxes that this country has ever undertaken and yet
the regular running of business is not happening, so if we are going to represent the interests of the people who vote for us, those of us who actually represent opposition forces, we’ve got to do better, we’ve got to come together.” Last week, Fort Charlotte MP Dr Andre Rollins - one of the “rebel seven” - said he was prepared to “get back in the FNM” if that’s what it took to ensure the PLP did not win the next election. While making his contribution in the House of Assembly last week, Dr Rollins said despite all that has happened, he considers himself to be a member of the FNM and his main objective is to make sure the party, led by Dr Minnis, becomes the next government of the Bahamas. When asked whether she shared Dr Rollins’ view, Mrs Butler-Turner said: “I wasn’t here when he said that, but he did explain what he was attempting to do. I do believe that every right thinking Bahamian who wants what’s best for the country realises that the PLP is the common denominator and we’ve got to be able to try and come to-
gether for the greater good of the Bahamian people.” Pressed on whether this would mean she was willing to work under Dr Minnis, she said: “I just said to you that I think everyone wants to be leader, I don’t know about the under. I think it’s not so much an under, we’ve got to work together. “Let’s stop placing one person on top of the other and let us see how we can best work together. That is important whether it’s Dr Hubert Minnis, whether it’s Branville McCartney, whether it’s Greg Moss (UPM), whether it’s Loretta Butler-Turner; whichever the grouping we have got to come together.” After she was appointed leader of the Official Opposition, Mrs Butler-Turner said she was forming a “bold and powerful” coalition with Mr McCartney and the Democratic National Alliance. Mr McCartney later said he did not know what the Long Island MP was referring to, saying the two had only discussed her appointing him to the Senate. Mrs Butler-Turner later accused the DNA leader of throwing her “under the bus”.
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THE TRIBUNE
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Conservatives welcome Trump with delight - and wariness WASHINGTON (AP) — For the past eight years, thousands of conservative activists have descended on Washington each spring with dreams of putting a Republican in the White House. This year, they’re learning reality can be complicated. With Donald Trump’s presidential victory, the future of the conservative movement has become entwined with an unconventional New York businessman better known for his deal-making than any ideological principles. It’s an uneasy marriage of political convenience at best. Some conservatives worry whether they can trust their new president to follow decades of orthodoxy on issues like international affairs, small government, abortion and opposition to expanded legal protections for LGBT Americans — and what it means for their movement if he doesn’t. “Donald Trump may have come to the Republican Party in an unconventional and circuitous route, but the fact is that we now need him to succeed lest the larger conservative project fails,” said evangelical leader Ralph Reed, who mobilized his organization to campaign for Trump during the campaign. “Our success is inextricably tied to his success.” As conservatives filtered into their convention hall Wednesday for their annual gathering, many said they still have nagging doubts about Trump even as they cheer his early actions. A Wednesday night decision to reverse an Obama-era directive that said transgender students should be allowed to use public school bathrooms and locker rooms matching their chosen gender identity has thrilled social conservatives. “He’s said that on multiple occasions that he’s not a conservative, especially socially,” said Zach Weidlich, a junior at the University of South Alabama, “but my mind-set was, give him a chance, especially now that he’s elected.’” “He was the better of two evils given the choice,” added Timmy Finn. “I agree with his policies, however, I think he’s moving a little too fast.” Trump has a somewhat tortured history with the Conservative Political Action Conference, an annual convention that’s part ideological pep talk, part political boot camp for activists. Over the past six years, he’s been both booed and cheered. He’s rejected speaking slots and galvanized attendees with big promises of economic growth and electoral victory. At times, he has seemed to delight in taunting them. “I’m a conservative, but don’t forget: This is called the Republican Party, not the Conservative Party,” he said in a May interview on ABC’s “This Week.” Matt Schlapp, chairman of the American Conservative Union, which hosts CPAC, said Trump’s aggressive style is more important than ideological purity. “Conservatives weren’t looking for somebody who knew how to explain all the philosophies. They were actually looking for somebody who would just fight,” he said. “Can you think of anybody in America who fits that bill more than Donald Trump?” Trump is to address the group Friday morning. Vice President Mike Pence is to speak Thursday as are White House chief
of staff Reince Priebus and senior advisers Steve Bannon and Kellyanne Conway. The tensions between Trump’s brand of populist politics and conservative ideology will be on full display at the threeday conference, which features panels like: “Conservatives: Where we come from, where we are and where we are going” and “The Alt-Right Ain’t Right At All.” Along with Trump come his supporters, including the populists, party newcomers and nationalists that have long existed on the fringes of conservativism and have got new voice during the early days of his administration. Pro-Brexit British politician Nigel Farage will speak a few hours after Trump. Organisers invited provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos after protesters at the University of California at Berkeley protested to stop his appearance on campus. But the former editor at Breitbart News, the website previously run by Bannon, was disinvited this week after video clips surfaced in which he appeared to defend sexual relationships between men and boys as young as 13. Trump “is giving rise to a conservative voice that for the first time in a long time unabashedly, unapologetically puts America first,” said Republican strategist Hogan Gidley. “That ‘America First’ moniker can very well shape this country, but also the electorate and the Republican Party and conservative movement for decades.” Trump’s early moves — including a flurry of executive orders and his nomination of federal Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court — have cheered conservatives. They’ve also applauded his Cabinet picks, which include some of the most conservative members of Congress. The ACU awarded his team a 91.52 per cent conservative rating — 28 points higher than Ronald Reagan and well above George H.W. Bush who received a 78.15 rating. But key items on the conservative wish list remain shrouded in uncertainty. The effort to repeal President Barack Obama’s health care law is not moving as quickly as many hoped, and Republicans also have yet to coalesce around revamping the nation’s tax code. No proposals have surfaced to pursue Trump’s campaign promises to build a border wall with Mexico that could cost $15 billion or more or to buttress the nation’s infrastructure with a $1 trillion plan. Conservatives fear that those plans could result in massive amounts of new spending and that Trump’s penchant for deal-making could leave them on the wrong side of the transaction. “There is wariness,” said Tim Phillips, president of Koch-brothers-backed Americans for Prosperity. But with a Republican-controlled Congress, others believe there’s no way to lose. “He sits in a room with Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan. Is there a bad a deal to made with those three in the room?” asked veteran anti-tax activist Grover Norquist. “A deal between those three will, I think, always make me happy.” By Lisa Lerer and Andrew Taylor of the Associated Press.
Elites only? EDITOR, The Tribune. SO what does it take to be a successful candidate in a Bahamian election? Incredibly, looking at the stats for 2012 all of the successful candidates collectively amassed a whopping $91,780,005.00 in declared assets or on average divided amongst the 38 MPs some $2.41 million each. The top with the most was Hon Hubert Minnis with $10,980,122.00, next to him Hon B J Nottage with $8,180,725.00 - the smallest declared assets was H E Pricewell Forbes with
$37,961.00. The question has to be asked - is entering politics now an elite’s occupation? In May 2017, it will be exceptionally interesting to see how these assets declared in 2012 grew or reduced... remembering our tax liabilities grew. Which country with under 400,000 people have 27 millionaires as elected MPs... 71% of the 38 Editor... 71%! Since 2012, the Chair for Disclosure saw it fit not to publish the annual declarations of MP-Senators. In view of the cry for the
fullest transparency one would have thought the good Chairman would have published all (did all comply annually?) Based on the participation-voting in 2012 the level of voting went from a high in MICAL of 96% to a low in Bain & Grants Town of 82.3%...Bahamians exercise their voting right Whatever people are saying... might be slow to register but I doubt too many will abstain. W THOMPSON Nassau, February 21, 2017.
Christie in the Wild, Wild West EDITOR, The Tribune. IN April of 2012, bad boy Sheriff Perry Christie of Centreville stood up at a rally at RM Bailey Park and waved a magic wand called a Charter of Governance that he promised would fix the economy and end crime. Crime, he said, was the fault of the FNM because Hubert Ingraham refused to carry through on Christie’s prized Urban Renewal baby. So, re-elected a month later, he dragged out Urban Renewal 2.0 and sold it as the panacea for crime. Abracadabra and wham! Crime is gone. Or not. Five years and millions of unaccounted urban renewal dollars later our Sheriff gazes on the carnage in our streets and what comes to his mind is the Wild, Wild West. Bad analogy, Sir. The Wild West was a new frontier and they had a fair share of shootings. But they also had the long arm of the law to enforce a prairie code of justice. And a headstrong citizenry who demanded and got action from the Federal Marshalls, the Sheriff and deputies. We have strict gun laws in our country but lax gun
LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net control. We rightly search for bullets in hand luggage at our airports, but can’t seem to catch the guns concealed in containers entering our seaports. We have rampageous gangs of thugs roaming the streets looking to settle petty scores by the most violent means known to them – gunfights. Their preferred method of execution is a drive by hail of bullets that endangers the lives of unsuspecting citizens. Seven murders in one weekend tell me that Sheriff Christie has lost control of the west. Some young people have a disdain for authority. Their value system is alien to their grandparents who respected law and order and who never harboured criminals and wanted nothing to do with the proceeds of crime. There is a generational clash of values, of lifestyles and of priorities. Getting tough on crime must involve more than just a surge of policemen on the streets.
We need a gang unit comprised of policemen who look and act like gang members. By infiltrating the gangs they will know what they are up to; when the gun shipments are coming in, and they will also know who is paying whom to look the other way. The Commissioner of Police may already have this on his radar but perhaps we need to reach out to our friends who have had success infiltrating gangs. The Toronto Police have something they called the Integrated Gun and Gang Task Force who would welcome understudies from our constabulary. The notorious Wild West gangster Jessie James wasn’t done in by a swarm of policemen. It was a trusted confidante, Robert Ford, who shot him dead in his own living room. Sheriff Christie should set politics aside and see what others in law enforcement bring to the table. He could start by talking to a guy whose name rhymes with Garvin James. THE GRADUATE Nassau, February 21, 2007.
Alternative facts EDITOR, The Tribune.
that great, old Bahamian saying goes, “Mouth could WHILE watching the say anything.” Anyone can evening news on ZNS, I come on national TV and couldn’t help but notice say how great and wonderBTC’s little promotional ful BTC is, but anyone who ad where an “on the spot” actually uses BTC’s serreporter, armed with a mi- vices, especially their data crophone bearing BTC’s plans, knows the truth: it’s familiar logo, interviewed not all that. random Bahamian people, Right now, even as I asking them if the Baha- write this letter, I am unmas was “BTC Country”, able to access the internet, and what they liked most despite having the 2GB about the company. When 30 day data package, with prodded, they all answered 223MB of data left (hope“yes” to question one, while fully it will be back up for giving numerous and rather me to post this letter). This interesting answers to ques- is how BTC’s service really tion two. One young lady is, it stops working for long even went as far as saying periods of time without exthat her favourite thing planation, and I’m pretty about BTC was “their data”. sure that everyone reading At that point, I didn’t this post has experienced know whether to burst out the dreaded dropped call laughing, shake my head in on more than one occasion. disgust, or to throw an obIf BTC’s services were so ject at the TV screen. As great, then there certainly
wouldn’t be a need for another telecommunications company serving as competition. Internet access is extremely important to me; it is an excellent way to promote yourself if you wish to start a small business. But how can one utilise this tool if they can’t access it? You pay $10, $20, $30 for data; that’s a substantial amount of money to spend. When you pay for data to access the internet, you should be able to access the internet. BTC is only contradicting themselves with ads boasting about how “great” they are, while continuing to give substandard performance. SANDILANDS VILLAGE Nassau, February 22, 2017.
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, February 23, 2017, PAGE 5
FORMER BOXER FACES TRIAL OVER HUMAN TRAFFICKING By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net
JAMES COAKLEY, who is accused of sexual assault and human trafficking.
Photo: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff
CHIEF Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt will preside over the trial of a man facing allegations of human trafficking. James Coakley, 53, of Cargill Creek, Andros was brought to Magistrate’s Court last week to answer to two counts of trafficking in persons contrary to Section 3(1)(a) of the Trafficking in Persons Prevention and Suppression Act, Chapter 106. The former boxer was also charged with three counts of rape filed under Section 6(a) of the Sexual Offences Act, Chapter 99. It is alleged that he engaged in the trafficking of a woman within the Bahamas for the purpose of sexual and labour exploitation between
December 21 and 25, 2016. It is further alleged that on December 22, 24 and 25 of 2016, he had sexual intercourse with the woman against her will. While Coakley was not allowed to enter a plea to the rape charges, he pleaded not guilty to the human trafficking allegations. A status hearing was fixed for yesterday to determine whether the chief magistrate or Magistrate Andrew Forbes will be hearing the matter. When the matter was called, it was confirmed that the chief magistrate will preside over the matter on April 3. Concerning the remaining allegations of rape, Coakley will be served with a voluntary bill of indictment on April 12 fast-tracking that aspect of the case to the Supreme Court for trial.
Legal discussions in case of banker’s killing By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net LEGAL discussions held yesterday in the absence of a jury hearing evidence in the trial of a man accused of murdering a banker prompted a 24-hour adjournment of the case. The discussions between Senior Justice Vera Watkins, prosecutors Cordell Frazier and Anya Allen and the accused’s lawyer Michael Hanna were held before Lamar Albury’s trial resumed from the previous day concerning the December 2015 death of Devince Smith. When the 12-member jury returned to the courtroom, Ms Frazier asked for an adjournment of the proceedings until today at 10.30am. The judge explained to the jury that the legal parties had held discussions “a short while ago and as a result, I’m acceding to the
request.” It is alleged that Albury murdered Smith sometime between December 19 and 21, of 2015. Smith’s partially decomposed body was found shortly after 2.30pm on December 21, 2015 at his St Alban’s Drive apartment. Police were alerted to the apartment after relatives, who had not heard from the victim, went to his home and found him dead in the living room. Smith was a sports coach and was employed at Pictet Bank & Trust Ltd. He was also a former president of the New Providence Volleyball Association. Albury maintained his “not guilty” plea to the murder charge he faces when the trial began. On Monday, the jury heard that Albury allegedly confessed to his relatives that he fatally stabbed the banker who hired him to do maintenance work at his apartment for an upcom-
ing holiday gathering when the victim allegedly made a sexual advance at him. On Tuesday, Smith’s housekeeper testified that in the three months she’d known Albury, the accused had been to Smith’s apartment on three occasions and on the other two occasions, the accused and Smith were seen in the victim’s Jeep drinking. Detective Const Leonardo Dean also took the witness stand and said that on December 21, 2015 around 3.30pm, he went to the scene of an alleged homicide on St Albans Drive. He was given information and instructions from a superior officer and when he went into unit no.6 of the complex, he observed a deceased male clad in black shirt and blue jeans that were pulled down to his ankles. The investigator said he also observed shoe impressions with suspected blood, blood on the walls leading
upstairs, broken glass on the floor, items scattered across the master bedroom floor and a computer notebook covered in blood. The detective said he photographed all of his observations and areas pointed out to him throughout the scene. Cpl Davon Frazier testified that on December 23, 2015, he went to the Rand Laboratory and spoke with forensic pathologist Dr Caryn Sands who conducted an autopsy of a man with multiple injuries to the head, neck, shoulder and extremities. Cpl Frazier said he photographed the injuries of the dead man and that the pathologist also collected a tube of blood, a container of muscle tissue, liver and bone, and anal swab, a pe-
nile swab and oral swab that she handed to him in a biohazard bag.
The bag was handed over to the police forensics lab for analysis, the jury heard.
PAGE 6, Thursday, February 23, 2017
‘I forgive teacher for my son’s death in car’ from page one
“I went to the hospital and the police came to me with the doctor and said Kayden couldn’t breathe. I asked them how because he was not sick when he went to school; then they said he died. I screamed and I asked why and the police told me that the teacher left Kayden inside the car. I don’t know why she left him, no one is saying anything to me.” Ms Louis said she spoke with the teacher in question for the first time since the incident on Wednesday, but she still has no idea why her only son was left to die in the car alone. However, she said she forgives the
teacher, who has promised to pay for the funeral and “any other expenses”, including flying the child’s father to New Providence from Haiti. “She said she will do whatever needs to be done. (Whether) it was an accident or negligence, I will just let the police handle that part of it,” Ms Louis said. “The teacher is sad and sick, I feel for her but I miss my son. I do not believe she meant to do it. Only her and God knows what happened, it is now a police matter. I forgive her. He was my only son now I only have one daughter. He was a good boy, he was not rude. He always told me he loved me.
Anything he ate he would make me eat it too, he was always sharing and now he is gone and I won’t see him anymore. I miss him so much, oh Lord. There is a big hole in my heart.” When contacted yesterday, Chief Supt Fernander said there is no update in the investigation and the police are waiting for the results of the autopsy. Meanwhile, Ms Louis said the funeral will be held in “two to three weeks” because the family is trying to get Kayden’s father to Nassau. A vigil in Kayden’s honour will be held tonight at 7pm on the park opposite Pilgrim Baptist Church on St James Road.
THE TRIBUNE
KAYDEN GUERRIER, who died aged three after being found unresponsive in a car.
INTERCEPT BILL CONSULTATION HAILED AS A VICTORY from page one
She said this decision was made because of concerns that the public is being “misled very substantially” about the content of the proposed legislation and that much of the debate over the issue has been partisan. However outside of the House of Assembly yesterday, Leader of Government Business Dr Bernard Nottage said Mrs MaynardGibson’s statement did not mean the bill had been “delayed.” “That’s not a delay, the bill has been tabled, the public has responded to what they receive the bill to be about,” Dr Nottage,
minister of national security, said. “It’s clear to us that the purpose of the bill is being misrepresented by those who are commenting on it, and like we have done with many bills in the past, we have determined that we will have a public education exercise so that the public will know exactly what the bills are about rather than listening to hearsay which is inaccurate.” Dr Nottage added: “So it’s not a delay, we don’t have a timeframe before or after that the bill must be done.” Critics have said the bill can impede civil liberties if enacted without public consultation. This week former Court of Appeal President Dame Joan Sawyer and
Free National Movement Leader Dr Hubert Minnis raised concerns about it. According to Dr Minnis on Monday, debate on the bill was scheduled for yesterday. The GBHRA, one of several organisations that endorsed a petition to “kill the bill,” issued a statement yesterday on the government’s decision to postpone debate. “The postponement of Interception of Communications Bill 2017 for public consultation marks the dawn of a great new day for civil society and public interest activism in The Bahamas,” the group said. “It is a landmark victory for the concept of ‘we the people’ and a precedent that will alter the political landscape of the country forever. For far too long, the elite political class has dominated national affairs with unquestioned authority and total impunity, while ordinary citizens remained unaware of the incredible power vested in them by their Constitution. The average Bahamian believed there was nothing he or she could do to influence national decisions, other than running for office. “With this one victory, all that has changed. With this one victory, members of the public now know that the real power is vested in their hands and that at the end of the day, government is answerable to the citizenry – not the other way around.” Although the GBHRA denied Mrs Maynard-
Gibson’s assertion that the pushback was politically motivated, the group thanked the government, “and the attorney general in particular, for accepting the will of the people and backing down from the dangerous and unconstitutional course upon which it had been engaged.” “Now, we as a society have a chance to balance the very important matter of ensuring that law enforcement are able to deal with modern threats effectively, with the crucial question of protecting the fundamental rights of individuals,” the human rights group stressed. Mrs Maynard-Gibson, in Tuesday’s statement, said the Interception of Communications Bill has two main purposes: “To ensure that the police have a critical crime-fighting tool in their arsenal, by modernising the law that allows the police to intercept the planning and execution of serious crimes, including drug and gun trafficking, cybercrimes and other criminal activities; and the second is to add a new privacy protection for Bahamian citizens, so that from now on, independent judicial review would be required before a citizen’s communications could be monitored or intercepted.” She also said that in her consultations with various people and groups, “the more people learn about the legislation, the more they support it.” “That is because all Bahamians who are concerned about crime and
security want to ensure that our police have a legal path to intercepting the communications of criminals,” Mrs Maynard-Gibson said. “They also understand that the Listening Devices Act, first passed 45 years ago, long before electronic and digital communications became commonplace, did not keep pace with modern technology. “In addition, contrary to many of the concerns that have been raised, the legislation adds, rather than removes, protection for private citizens. It does so by adding new protective steps - a judge in the Supreme Court must grant the police permission to intercept any citizen’s communications, if the judge finds that reasonable suspicion is justified and the Supreme Court sets a time limit for the duration of the interception. Any extension beyond that time limit must be granted by the Supreme Court. “And the Supreme Court can also give instructions as to how and when those records should be destroyed when the threat is removed. These new protective steps safeguard citizen privacy in a way that meets concerns raised in a recent Privy Council case on the Listening Devices Act, which specifically recommended that consideration be given to providing greater protections to Bahamian citizens.” She added: “Because we are concerned that the public has been misled very substantially about the content of this legislation, we have decided to add a period of public consultation,
which will be led by the Office of the Attorney General. During this period, we will work with civil society to ensure that Bahamians will have an opportunity to learn about and review the legislation, have their questions answered and their concerns addressed.” The Interception of Communications Bill will provide for the “interception of all communications networks regardless of whether they are licensed as public or not.” The bill says this will include telecommunications operators, internet providers and postal services. Under the current draft, the Commissioner of Police, or someone acting on his behalf, would have to petition the Attorney General to make an “ex parte” application to a judge in chambers for an interception warrant. We March Bahamas, another civic group that endorsed the online petition, cancelled its planned six-hour protest that was to begin 4pm yesterday at Arawak Cay. A post on Facebook by Ranard Henfield, the community activist behind the We March movement, confirmed that the march had been called off. However, Mr Henfield reminded the public to “not for a moment think the government will not try and bring this bill up again before elections or after elections if they win. Stay ready to apply even more pressure if they refuse to take our suggestions and amendments over the next few days.”
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THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, February 23, 2017, PAGE 7
BAHA Mar stands in the foreground as a tower of smoke rises behind it after a fire at the Harrold Road Landfill last year.
Photo: Heather Carey
‘Why did it take Chinese protest to deal with landfill? By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net DEMOCRATIC National Alliance Leader Branville McCartney yesterday castigated Prime Minister Perry Christie over reports the government is leaning toward a Bahamian consortium to alleviate woes at the New Providence landfill just days after a Baha Mar official suggested that the state of that property could be an issue for the resort moving forward. The former Bamboo Town MP, while scoffing at the government’s “quick response when the Chinese come calling”, urged voters to hold the government accountable over the ordeal he said has been a blight on citizens for years to no avail. Mr McCartney was referring to comments made by Graeme Davis, Chow Tai Fook Enterprises (CTFE) Bahamas, president earlier this week. Mr Davis, during an appearance on radio talk show “The Revolution” with host Juan McCartney on Monday, said he and other businessmen in New Providence are concerned about the inability of the government to properly remediate the city’s landfill. While his remarks on
Monday were expressed publicly for the first time, the DNA leader yesterday speculated that Mr Davis’ feelings had been made privately to the government on several occasions since CTFE, Baha Mar’s buyer, entered into discussions about the resort. A day after Mr Davis made his remarks, a Tribune Business exclusive report revealed that members of the 10-strong Waste Resources Development Group (WRDG) met with Mr Christie on Monday as the government becomes increasingly eager for a solution ahead of Baha Mar’s April 21 opening. Mr McCartney, who in recent years has been one of the strongest proponents for the remediation of the landfill site, said: “It is curious now, that the prime minister would now be running around trying to fix this problem because the Chinese has said something about it.” He added: “The Bahamian people have been talking about this for years and years and years and nothing happened until the Chinese start making noise. Only thing the man said was that he had a problem with it and… (the) prime minister gone and start doing things. “We have had protest, public outcry and my un-
derstanding is that this is just coming to the attention of the new purchaser. It is probably coming to the understanding of the new purchaser because they probably smelled it last weekend like I did.” Mr McCartney lives in a community near the landfill. “I guess for us Bahamians, if we want anything done we need to go down there to the Chinese Embassy and start making some noise; and then we may get this government to do things and get off of their backsides to do some stuff.” Mr McCartney said while he wants the Baha Mar property to come to some positive resolution, he understands what the potential owners could be facing with the acquisition of the once stalled $3.5bn resort. Frequent fires have been a vexing issue at the dump for years, with the site sometimes emitting thick, toxic black smoke extending for miles outside of its perimeter. Mr McCartney said it was next to impossible to hold to the idea that a visitor would spend thousands of dollars to travel to the Bahamas to stay at a resort minutes away from a toxic nightmare. “Buyer be aware,” assert-
ed the DNA leader. “The owners of Baha Mar must be very careful because when that dump starts to burn, and it is starting to burn now, it is not a pretty site and it smells bad; but most importantly it is not good for your health and the health of the visitors coming to that resort. “We as Bahamians have experienced it already.” Mr McCartney criticised the disregard shown by successive governments; the Progressive Liberal Party’s inaction over a $650m Stellar Energy waste to energy proposal and the Free Na-
tional Movement’s passivity after receiving an Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) grant in the mid-1990s to alleviate the ordeal. He said this has compounded an already bad issue into something that now threatens the health and economic livelihood of the country. The DNA last March announced that if elected, the party would seek to put out a request for proposals (RFP) for the construction of a new “state of the art scalable megawatt wasteto-energy facility” starting at 85 megawatts.
The deal, which would be structured in the form of a public private partnership (PPP) with a local initial public offering (IPO), will allow for the government to recapture full ownership of the waste of energy plant by Bahamas Power and Light after a determined period. Renew Bahamas, the company contracted to manage the landfill in 2014, pulled out of that deal recently claiming low profitability rates. The government has still not clarified the circumstances surrounding Renew’s withdrawal.
PAGE 8, Thursday, February 23, 2017
THE TRIBUNE
Honouring a pioneer STILLS and behind-thescenes shots of Bahamian actor Bert Williams. By SANCHESKA DORSETT Tribune Staff Reporter sdorsett@tribunemedia.net THE government is working on plans to “enshrine” the life and work Egbert “Bert” Williams to ensure that the country knows the work of the first Bahamian actor to ever be caught on film, Prime Minister Perry Christie said last night. At a screening of Lime Kiln Club Field Day (1913), a silent film starring Mr Williams, Mr Christie said it is regrettable that the Bahamas has moved “relatively slow” in lifting up persons who have contributed mightily to the development of the country.
“The odds were stacked against him,” Mr Christie said at the event held at Galleria Cinemas on Wednesday night. “Here he was a black man in an industry where the odds of success for someone whether black or white were highly stacked against them but more so for a black man in the US. “He became the toast of Broadway in New York and almost single handedly broke the racial barrier in entertainment at a time when people of colour where denigrated to the bottom of the social ladder. This Bahamian of humble beginnings performed for the most grand of audiences, including the King of England. “Be assured that my government will
cause the relevant agencies to enshrine the memory of this Bahamian icon. We have been relativity slow in going through our history and lifting out the exploits and contributions of persons who have contributed mightily to the development of our country notwithstanding some of the challenges they faced. He was very proud of his roots and proud to be Bahamian. He was also one of the first black millionaires in the United States.” Mr Williams, born in Nassau in the fall of 1874, was the first black actor in film and Broadway and is considered the pioneer during the vaudeville and renaissance era of black entertainment throughout the Americas.
Seven reels of Lime Klin Club Field Day were produced before the project was officially abandoned. In 1938, the Museum of Modern Art secured the negatives of the film from Biography Company in bankruptcy proceedings. Subsequently in 1976, an archivist rediscovered the reels and began the process of restoration of this film - then considered the only surviving film of its kind. After being mastered and rendered, the film was finally presented by the Museum of Modern Art in New York in 2014. Bert Williams died in 1922 from pneumonia. He remained a performer until the time of his death.
GRAND BAHAMA TO HOST AIR SHOW FROM MAY 19-20 RESIDENTS and vacationers to Grand Bahama can now mark their calendar for the Grand Bahama Air Show taking place May 19-20 at Taino Beach in Freeport, Grand Bahama. This is the second year the event is being held. The family-friendly event is
organised by the Ministry of Tourism, in conjunction with Sun ‘n Fun, the second largest aviation show in the United States of America and veteran air boss, John Wayne of John Wayne Air Cavalry, LLC. Last year, the unique and exciting air show featured some of the most talented
and skilled aviation stunt performers in America, and attracted thousands of residents, vacationers, pilots, aviation enthusiasts, and the international media at it inaugural show on the shores at Taino Beach. The 2017 Grand Bahama Air Show is expected to sur-
pass the incredible success of last year and is touted to be bigger, better, longer and even more exciting. Those attending can expect to be captivated from start to finish with spectacular aerobatic and low-lying manoeuvres from precise formation flying squads and veteran
parachutists, performing daring routines from high-speed, loud roaring aircrafts. Students between the ages of eight and 17 interested in aviation also will be hosted to a one-day seminar and workshop at the Grand Bahama Airport on May 19
where they can learn more about the aviation industry and career opportunities. For more information and to register, participate or attend the Grand Bahama Air Show visit: Bahamas.com/gbiairshow or call 1-242-352-8044.
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THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, February 23, 2017, PAGE 9
Miller: enforce death penalty or let the criminals take over from page one The Progressive Liberal Party MP was responding to questions from the media on the initiatives announced by National Security Minister Dr Bernard Nottage last week - which Mr Miller called a “total absolute waste” of time without enforcement of the death penalty. He also took aim at the disparity in commentary from Prime Minister Perry Christie and Commissioner of Police Ellison Greenslade, as he reiterated his support for hanging. “The prime minister says that The Bahamas is tantamount now to the Wild, Wild West,” he said. “The commissioner says we’re just emotional in our sense of what is going on. Well if seven people get kill in 48 damn hours, if that ain’t something to get upset about then someone need to tell me what is.” There has been a spike in murders recently, with 15 homicides recorded in February alone with the total so far this year standing at 29 up to press time. When Mr Christie and Commissioner Greenslade made their conflicting comments last week, seven homicides had been recorded since the evening of February 10 and the morning of Monday February 13. There have been two more homicides since then. Mr Miller added: “I believe that the initiatives being undertaken now is fine to assist but unless people appreciate the fact that they will pay for their crime, that there is a price to pay, that when you take a life yours will be taken, nothing will happen as far as I’m concerned. “These guys don’t give a
LESLIE MILLER, MP for Tall Pines, pictured speaking outside the House of The Assembly. damn what they do because ways criticising the courts and industry said. Last week Wednesday, they know they will wake about not being able to up the next morning, catch hang. It is you and your col- Dr Nottage announced a shower, eat three meals, leagues that is prohibiting several anti-crime strateand go to bed. So why us from hanging.’ He said gies including “lockdowns,” should they be concerned there’s one person at Fox mobile police vans and an about you or me or anyone Hill prison now who is eligi- armed forces partnership. else? They can kill knowing ble to be hanged, what gone At the time, he admitted that there is no repercus- happen to him, nothing so that people involved with “gangs, drugs and guns” are sion for their life and unless what we making noise for? “If you ain’t got the guts committing murders. we bring in capital punishDr Nottage said intelment, that is on the books, to hang nobody just leave it we’re only wasting our time alone and let them take over ligence has suggested that as far as I’m concerned, a the country. Just let them there are connections berun amok the way they been tween many violent incitotal absolute waste.” Mr Miller claimed: “In doing and just let them kill dents on the streets of New my constituency, I met all of us. They ain’t gon’ kill Providence and inmates at a senior Supreme Court me because it’s gonna be the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services judge last week, he and his them before me. “I can promise you that,” and recently released priswife and he said to me ‘you know Mr Miller you all al- the former minister of trade oners.
VOTER REGISTRATION STAFF ACCUSED OF DEMANDING UNNECESSARY PAPERWORK from page one “This has happened on three occasions with my people over the weekend, they are telling them they must have a new NIB card. The minister made it clear to all Bahamians that all you need is your passport that shows your picture on it, that you can register to vote as a voter in this country. I was here when he said it, these people are not following the rules and they are intimidating people and causing Bahamians not to want to go to vote.” Mr Miller added: “I’m asking the minister again to inform those persons who have the responsibility to stop harassing Bahamians from registering to vote because that is what they’re doing. “[Registering] should be the easiest process for any-
one who are legitimate Bahamians to register to vote, they [registration officers] should facilitate them and assist them, they should be happy that people are registering to vote. They are making it very difficult and it’s not fair.” According to Parliamentary Commissioner Sherlyn Hall yesterday, the numbers of persons on the voter register is now just over 115,000. For his part, Dr Nottage told Parliament that it was unclear why persons were still refusing to follow instructions despite the frequent communication between his ministry and the PRD. He noted that several officers had been removed from the voter registration and sent back to their respective areas, due to complaints that they were not following protocol. Speaking to reporters
outside the House of Assembly yesterday, Dr Nottage said: “I’m very disappointed with the personnel issues, where there are persons, who, notwithstanding all of the explanations that have been made to them, all of the education they’ve had on it, all of the recurrent interceptions we’ve had to make with them. There have been one or two persons who were sent back to their normal jobs so I’m not too sure why it is that people will not follow the instructions that they are given. “It is my hope that we get it right, and most Bahamians will vote. I am encouraged by the recent uptick in registration and I think if we continue along these lines the figures won’t be very much different than they were in 2012. “That is my wish,” Dr Nottage said.
Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff Outside Parliament yes- one thing that we do know terday, Dr Nottage said: is that there are very few “My response is that we crimes committed against are doing everything to tourists, that they come counteract the perceived here in their thousands and increases in crime. I think are able to walk about the that the law enforcement place safely. So there’s no agencies have adopted the experience among tourists recommendations which of serious crimes, they can we’ve put in place, so I ex- go to the beaches, they can pect that we will see a sig- go shopping, they can use nificant downward trend the taxis and horse and carin crime over the next - I riages. understand the concern, “For the cruise ship pasbut I think we are putting sengers,” he added, “my in place measures which understanding is they have will alleviate the situa- been very impressed by the tion.” role the police is playing When asked about the in the downtown area. So impact of crime on tour- what more is there for me ism, Dr Nottage said: “The to say?”
PAGE 10, Thursday, February 23, 2017
MARY Bethel (left) and Grace Roker are excited to get all dolled up by BTVI cosmetology students.
THE TRIBUNE
Photos: Shantique Longley
Bringing a beauty treat to senior citizens home PAT’S Senior Citizens Home was a flurry of excitement recently as residents got a beauty treat from cosmetology students of the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI). “I like working with seniors,” said Kei-Anna Glinton, 19. “I have a grandfather who I stay home with a lot, so I see this as a means of giving back to the community. It’s heartwarming.” Kei-Anna was among
the 19 students of the Hair Analysis class who volunteered their services to the live-in senior citizens’ home on Soldier Road. Under the watchful eyes of their instructor, Monique A Marshall, the students gladly styled the hair of the elderly female residents and gave them manicures. “They were here before me,” said Naji Adderley. “I have a great grammy and she means a lot to me, so it feels good to be here
because when I get old, I would want people to do it for me.” There are over 1,700 students enrolled in programs at BTVI’s New Providence, Grand Bahama and Abaco campuses. The cosmetology programme in New Providence has 57 students. Chair of the Beauty Trades department, Donnalee Minnis, is a proponent of giving back to the community. “The reality
is, we will be old someday. What we are doing is teaching our students how to share, how to give back and say, ‘Thank you.’ We don’t ever want the elderly to feel they are forgotten. It takes a village to raise a child and they helped to raise us,” she said. The home’s Director, Patricia (Pat) Moxey, was grateful for the support, saying that there is dignity in old age. “We don’t know what life has in store for
us. Life has its challenges and at the end of the day, we don’t know where life will take us. And you don’t have to be old to be in a senior citizens’ home; you may be incapacitated,” said Ms Moxey, who started the home eight years ago. “This home is uniquely different. All of their loved ones take care of the 30 residents. They are well cared for with three meals per day and three snacks a day. We also get help from the com-
munity. I am thankful,” she said. Meanwhile, Ms Marshall noted that although the students were getting hands-on experience during the visit, that was not the main focus. “It’s not just about getting experience. It’s deeper than that. These residents need attention and from the looks on their faces, they are loving it. Someone is taking the time to attend to them and I am honoured to be here,” she said.
THE ROYAL treatment for Grace Roker, as BTVI student, Thurmika Bethel dries her hair.
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, February 23, 2017, PAGE 11
FROM left, Carlton Russell, President of the Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association; Joy Jibrilu, Director General, Bahamas Ministry of Tourism; Tyrone Anderson, Cacique Awards semi-finalist; and Stuart Bowe, Immediate Past President, Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association.
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THE Cacique Award, which honour individuals whose dedication and commitment to the tourism industry exceed the highest standard of service excellence, will be held for the 17th time in April, with 25 categories recognised. The Ministry of Tourism and the Bahamas Hotel Association held the first annual Cacique Award in 1996 when the long-standing tourism partners joined their respective awards - the National Tourism Achievement Awards and the Hotel Industry Awards - to celebrate the finest in industry. Since then, the Cacique Award, considered by many to be the most prestigious awards ceremony in the country, has been held as a black tie, red carpet, celebrity-style event. The finalists, and winners are treated like celebrities as employers, fellow employees, family and friends support their “choice recipient” amidst a cadre of industry professionals, organisations, executives, artisans, musicians and lifetime achievers who gather to be recognised for their achievements and to receive the illustrious Cacique Duho trophy. Carlton Russell, President of the Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA) said: “This award plays an integral role in reminding us that everyone matters in the tourism in-
dustry. The Cacique Award finalists and winners exemplify that which is ingrained in each of us, aspects of ourselves we must continue to cultivate and contribute to society. This award goes beyond recognising great service and performance, it extols the achievements of persons we are proud to celebrate, admire and emulate.” The BHTA contributed its design of the Duho as the award trophy, as it had traditionally used the Duho for their Hotelier Awards. The Duho is a befitting symbol of distinction: as the leader of the Lucayan community, the “Cacique” would hold official meetings and perform ceremonial functions, while seated on a beautiful, intricately carved “seat” which represented the Cacique’s authority and superior standing in the community. The judging panel’s honorary chairman is E John Deleveaux and chairman is Bridget Murray and includes Ruth Gardiner, Natasha Wright, Micklyn Lightbourne, Chef Michael Adderley, Chef Don Ingraham and Chef Edwin Johnson. BHTA CACIQUE FINALISTS Manager of The Year: Tyrone Anderson – Valentines Residences Resort & Marina, Harbour Island Eleuthera; Monique Taylor - Comfort Suites, Paradise
Island; Shanasco Campbell – British Colonial Hilton, Nassau. Supervisor of The Year: Avan Wilson – Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bhruna Neymour - Small Hope Bay Lodge, Andros; Jerome Sears - British Colonial Hilton, Nassau. Sales Executive of The Year: Tia Duncombe Comfort Suites, Paradise Island; Deryn Prabhu British Colonial Hilton, Nassau. Employee of The Year (Front of The House): Dicienzo Storr – Melia Nassau Beach; Wilkah Hart - British Colonial Hilton, Nassau; Randy Rahming – Atlantis, Paradise Island. Employee of The Year (Heart of The House): Kendal Deveaux – Atlantis, Paradise Island; Jarrad Thompson - British Colonial Hilton, Nassau; Tiffany Seymour - Melia Nassau Beach. Chef of The Year: Clement Williams – Atlantis, Paradise Island; Cheryl Mckenzie - British Colonial Hilton, Nassau; Mario Adderley - University of the Bahamas. Hotelier of the Year Category: Eltha Deleveaux – Comfort Suites, Paradise Island; Dean Spychalla – Valentine’s Residences Resort and Marina, Harbour Island, Eleuthera; Jeff Birch – Small Hope Bay Lodge, Andros.
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Mrs. Roxanne Chipman Director (242) 364-3176
PAGE 12, Thursday, February 23, 2017
THE TRIBUNE
MORE than 2,000 people crammed into the Melia hotel to hear Eva Schloss recount her life story.
The Holocaust story that brings thousands to hear survivor’s words WHEN the doors opened at 6pm at Melia Nassau Beach on February 9 for an evening with 87-yearold Holocaust survivor Eva Schloss, a crowd of 400 was expected. Two thousand two hundred people showed up. “They kept streaming in and streaming in,” said Rabbi Sholom Bluming,
director, Nassau Jewish Community. “They had to open an additional part of the ballroom, then another part, filling it with every chair the hotel owned. The huge number of attendees is a testament of the thirst Bahamians have for stories of inspiration and knowledge about history and perhaps it’s because many people
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are experiencing difficult challenges in life and hearing Eva’s story shed light on her strength and resilience, which in turn gives them hope in their own life to never give up.” Mrs Schloss took the audience through a journey that started out with a happy childhood and morphed into a wartime life in hiding with the family living in two different countries. Any hope that such good fortune would continue was dashed as Jews were increasingly isolated and marked for German World
HOLOCAUST survivor Eva Schloss with Rabbi Sholom Bluming, director, Nassau Jewish Community. War Two camps. No longer she and her mother were they did not know where was it just a matter of go- living, they escaped capture family members were or ing to separate schools or by diving through a hole in even if they were still alive. no school at all, or being a tile wall. Only Mrs Schloss’ mothallowed to enter stores at Luck more than skill er survived, something only certain hours, it was saved her life. She recalled she learned after she had now a struggle just to es- the moment of capture and mourned her death. Her cape capture. Hiding places the years that followed, the only brother was murdered. got smaller and smaller. three-day transport to the So was her father. One night when the Nazis camp at Auschwitz, 800 to But Anne Frank’s father, stormed the house where a cattle car with two slop who had possession of his buckets a day. daughter’s now famous di“It is so ironic,” she said. ary, sought out what was “I remember many years left of Mrs Schloss’ famlater they were transport- ily and entrusted the diary ing 40 sheep in a cattle car to Eva, who had been her and everyone was outraged best friend in a far happier at how inhumane it was. childhood. For years, she And yet I wondered where tried to get it published, was the world when this was but no one was interested. happening to human be- ‘Who would want to read a ings?” story of a child?’ Finally, it She spoke of the indigni- was published. Eventually, ties. “They lined us up and Eva’s mother married Otto went through the selection. Frank, Anne’s father. It would take about two “For many years I did not hours every week as we want to share my own story stood naked.” Only a large- and then one day, through brim black hat her mother an unplanned request from had given her to make her two friends to explain the look older as she dropped background of a new Anne her head as low as she could Frank exhibition, I opened saved her from being sent up. I talked for hours.” to the gas chambers the first It was then she decided to time. She was 15 and small write a book, to go on the and the Nazis had no use road and to share her story for such a specimen. with the world. In Nassau, The new prisoners were she also shared it with more ordered to strip, their than 700 students from 10 clothes tossed away. They schools who attended a speendured being sprayed with cial event the day before the icy water and de-loused. It record crowd gathered to was freezing. A large heap hear her story. of clothing stood nearby. “Eva left us with two imThey were told to take one portant lessons from her garment and that was what talk,” said Rabbi Bluming.” they would wear until they The first was not to turn a or it wore out. The work blind eye to the intolerance routine was harsh, the star- and genocide that is hapvation even worse. pening in the world around “Sometimes on a Sunday us today. We must stand up the soldiers would make a to indifference and not albig pot of potatoes and we low injustice to threaten the could smell them. Some- lives of those who cannot times they would give us stand for themselves.” the potato water and we The second message is to were so hungry for it. Other find the silver linings even times they would bring it in the darkest moments of to us and dump it on the life; for in great challenges ground and laugh.” you can find the strength to The horrors left a scar far overcome it. deeper than the branding. There will never be anEven as the war ended and other evening like the one the Russians came into the when Eva Schloss spoke camp to free the prisoners, to 2,200 people in Nassau, there were cruelties - and most of whom walked out confusion. People did not slowly, stunned, moved, know where to go, who to and as one said, “forever trust, they had nothing, changed”.
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, February 23, 2017, PAGE 13
READERS GIVE VIEW ON INTERCEPT BILL IN The Tribune’s latest online poll, we asked readers if they thought the Interception of Communications Bill would help in the fight against crime. At the time of going to press, 86 per cent of those voting did NOT think the bill would help. Just 14 per cent thought it would. Commenting on the issue, Lkalikl said: “This is a PLP power grab. Nothing more, nothing less. The only thing this will be used for is to protect the PLP from those who don’t think PLP. So, unless you are brainwashed PLP, oppose this bill.” Alex_Charles offered this: “Hard to say, while it is technically an effective tool to fight crime, it’s hard to trust this administration or this AG. They do not have the political capital leverage for this bill, it will be extremely unpopular. Also, the timing is excruciatingly poor. You had five flipping years to pass this if it was so important. Why have they waited until right before the election? It’s too suspicious and this administration is too untrustworthy. It’s sad
really.” Athlete12 agreed: “If it’s supposed to fight crime you would think the PLP would’ve passed it the first year in office. More importantly, how is it helping the people right now? The Bahamas does not need a 5-10 year plan, we need impactful changes now.” And The_Oracle said: “They’re just following the well-worn path towards tools for political persecution and totalitarian governance, easily accomplished when you can target political opposition, enemies of the party (note I said party, not state) and anyone else you don’t like. The press should be absolutely screaming and railing against this, as should every right thinking private citizen. The road they’re intent on is almost impossible to come back from or
survive.” We March Bahamas yesterday called off a planned protest against the bill after the Attorney General announced of a “period of public consultation” before the legislation is implemented. Readers on tribune242. com gave their reaction. UserOn said: “This shows that when people are not complacent and demand better of government we get results. We must keep it up!” Sealice had this to say: “It’s not even close to a victory - this is part of their sleight of hand. Next thing you know we wake up next week and the paper has a story about how the bill got passed in a late night session. If you don’t keep
the coals in the fire they don’t stay hot and burn. Keep the coals in the fire, keep on marching so these fools can see they are in the wrong!!” After Supreme Court
YOUR
Justice Ian Winder refused an application to start judicial review proceedings over the Constituencies Commission’s report on constituency boundaries, Publius said:
“The ruling is a sound one. On to the election itself where the real problems will exist.” And there was this comment from Honestman; “The PLP’s best efforts at gerrymandering will fail. The people have had enough of this useless, selfserving government. It is a shame that the new administration is going to have a huge financial mess to contend with.” • Don’t miss your chance to join the debate on tribune242.com.
CHOICE FOR THE FAMILY WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/JOYFM1019
PAGE 14, Thursday, February 23, 2017
THE TRIBUNE
FNM EVENT IN PINEWOOD
SOME of those attending the FNM event in Pinewood last night, at which FNM leader Dr Hubert Minnis addressed party members. Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff
WORK
NOTICE
Pinewood Boulevard, Buttonwood, Sugar Apple Street, Willow Street, Jacaranda Street,Thatch Palm Street Water and Sewerage Corporation advises the public and its customers of Pinewood Boulevard, Buttonwood, Sugar Apple Street, Willow Street, Jacaranda Street and Thatch Palm Street and surrounding areas that improvement works will take place on Thursday, February 23rd, 2017 which may affect water supply to the aforementioned area. Works are scheduled to begin at 10:30 PM and are anticipated to be completed by 4:00 AM. The Corporation apologizes for any inconvenience which may be caused and appreciates your support as we work to improve our level of service.
Tel: (242) 302-5599 or Toll Free (242) 300-0150 Find out more on
or our website www.wsc.com.bs
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, February 23, 2017, PAGE 15
TRE Sands found ‘Uncle Barry’ near Harbour Island.
A NINE-pound lobster speared near Tiamo Resort, South Andros. SPENCER Kemp on Yellowfin Tuna. WAHOO, Grouper, Yellowfin Tuna, Trigger Fish and lobster all feature in this week’s pictorial roundup of fishing in the Bahamas Keep checking the Bahamas Sport Fishing Network (BSFN) expert page for fishing reports throughout the Bahamas: this will be helpful in tracking the “hot spots” and providing advice on gear and fishing
A TRIGGER Fish taken near Chub Cay Resort & Marina, Berry Islands.
CAPTAIN TRAVIS, of Gustoi Charters, on the deep drop Grouper in Abaco methods being used. For a sample of the spectacular fishing to be had in The Bahamas, expert advice, tournament dates and results, informative features and photo galleries visit the BSFN page at tribune242. com or www.bsfn.biz. BSFN slideshows can be found on USA Today’s website in the Travel section at experience.usatoday.com.
Manager Wanted
Upscale ladies boutique and gift shop in bustling Harbour Island resort requires a full time manager. 40 yours per week. Strong sales experience required. Needs to be computer savvy, friendly, and be able to work on own initiative. References required. Tel: 242-422-2108 Email: info@calicotradingco.com
PAGE 16, Thursday, February 23, 2017
THE TRIBUNE
CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF THE CHILDREN AT RANFURLY
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For more information visit: www.ranfurlyhome.org Please “Like” us on Facebook Ranfurly Home for Children, Mackey Street P.O. Box 1413 Nassau, Bahamas 242-393-3115
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, February 23, 2017, PAGE 17
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PAGE 18, Thursday, February 23, 2017
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THIS image provided by NASA/JPL-Caltech shows an artist’s conception of what the surface of the exoplanet TRAPPIST-1f may look like, based on available data about its diameter, mass and distances from the host star. The planets circle tightly around a dim dwarf star called Trappist-1, barely the size of Jupiter. Three are in the so-called habitable zone, where liquid water and, possibly life, might exist. The others are right on the doorstep. Pictures: NASA/JPL-Caltech/AP
Seven Earth-size planets found orbiting single star CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida Associated Press FOR the first time, astronomers have discovered seven Earth-size planets orbiting a single nearby star — and these new worlds could hold life. This cluster of planets is less than 40 light-years away in the constellation Aquarius, according to NASA and the Belgian-led research team who announced the discovery Wednesday. The planets circle tightly around a dim dwarf star called Trappist-1, barely the size of Jupiter. Three are in the so-called habitable zone, the area around a star where water and, possibly life, might exist. The others are right on the doorstep. Scientists said they need to study the atmospheres before determining whether these rocky, terrestrial planets could support some sort of life. But it already shows just how many Earth-size planets could be out there — especially in a star’s sweet spot, ripe for extraterrestrial life. The more planets like this, the greater the potential of finding one that’s truly habitable. Until now, only two or three Earth-size planets had been spotted around a star. “We’ve made a crucial step toward finding if there is life out there,” said the University of Cambridge’s Amaury Triaud, one of the researchers. The potential for more Earth-size planets in our
THIS illustration provided by NASA/JPL-Caltech shows an artist’s conception of what the TRAPPIST-1 planetary system may look like, based on available data. Milky Way galaxy is mind- Zurbuchen said at a news than our sun, a perpetual of planet Earth.” In a comtwilight as we know it. And panion article in Nature, boggling. The history of conference. Last spring, the Universi- the star would glow red — he said Gillon’s team could planet-searching shows “when there’s one, there’s ty of Liege’s Michael Gillon maybe salmon-colored, the have been lucky in nabbing more,” said Massachusetts and his team reported find- researchers speculate. so many terrestrial planets “The spectacle would in one stellar swoop. Institute of Technology as- ing three planets around Trappist-1. Now the count is be beautiful because every trophysicist Sara Seager. “But finding seven trans“With this amazing sys- up to seven, and Gillon said now and then, you would iting Earth-sized planets tem, we know that there there could be more. Their see another planet, maybe in such a small sample must be many more poten- latest findings appear in the about as big as twice the suggests that the solar sysmoon in the sky, depending tem with its four (sub-) tially life-bearing worlds journal Nature. This crowded yet com- on which planet you’re on Earth-sized planets might out there just waiting to be pact solar system — 235 and which planet you look be nothing out of the ordifound,” she said. NASA’s Thomas Zurbu- trillion miles away — is at,” Triaud said Tuesday in nary,” Snellen wrote. chen, associate administra- reminiscent of Jupiter and a teleconference with reAltogether, astronomers tor for the science mission, its Galilean moons, accord- porters. have confirmed close to Years are exceedingly 3,600 planets outside our said the discovery “gives us ing to the researchers. Picture this: If Trappist-1 short in this star system — solar system since the 1990s, a hint that finding a second Earth is not just a matter of were our sun, all seven the planets take just 1 ½ to but barely four dozen are in if, but when,” and address- planets would be inside 20 days to orbit Trappist-1. the potential habitable zone The Leiden Observato- of their stars, and of those, es the age-old question of Mercury’s orbit. Mercury is the innermost planet of our ry’s Ignas Snellen, who was just 18 are approximately “Are we alone out there?” not involved in the study, is the size of Earth. “We’re making a step own solar system. The ultracool star at the excited by the prospect of forward with this, a leap Gillon and his team used forward in fact, toward heart of this system would learning more about what both ground and space telanswering that question,” shine 200 times dimmer he calls “the seven sisters escopes to identify and
track the seven Trappist-1 planets, which they label simply by lowercase letters, “b’’ through “h.” As is typical in these cases, the letter “A’’ — in upper case — is reserved for the star. Planets cast shadows on their star as they pass in front of it; that’s how the scientists spotted them. Tiny, cold stars like Trappist-1 were long shunned by exoplanet-hunters (exoplanets are those outside our solar system). But the Belgian astronomers decided to seek them out, building a telescope in Chile to observe 60 of the closest ultracool dwarf stars. Their Trappist telescope lent its name to this star. While faint, the Trappist-1 star is close by cosmic standards, allowing astronomers to study the atmospheres of its seven temperate planets. All seven look to be solid like Earth — mostly rocky and possibly icy, too. They all appear to be tidally locked, which means the same side continually faces the star, just like the same side of our moon always faces us. Life could still exist at these places, the researchers explained. “Here, if life managed to thrive and releases gases similar to that that we have on Earth, then we will know,” Triaud said. Chemical analyses should indicate life with perhaps 99 percent confidence, Gillon noted. But he added: “We will never be completely sure” without going there.
NEW EPA CHIEF CO-ORDINATED WITH FOSSIL FUEL INDUSTRY WASHINGTON Associated Press
WHILE serving as Oklahoma’s attorney general, new Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt co-ordinated closely with fossil-fuel companies and special interest groups working to undermine federal efforts to curb planetwarming carbon emissions, newly released emails show. More than 7,500 pages were released under court order Tuesday evening after an Oklahoma judge ruled that Pruitt had been illegally withholding his correspondence, which is public record under state law, for the last two years. Pruitt’s office was forced to release the emails after he was sued by the Center for Media and Democracy, a left-leaning advocacy
group. Other emails are still being held back pending further review by the judge. The Republican-dominated Senate voted on Friday to confirm President Donald Trump’s pick to lead EPA. Democrats had sought to delay the vote on Pruitt’s confirmation until the requested emails were released, but Republican leaders used their slim majority to push Pruitt through. The emails show Pruitt and his staff co-ordinating their legal strategy with oil and gas industry executives and conservative advocacy groups funded by those profiting from fossil fuels, including the billionaire brothers David and Charles Koch. While serving as Oklahoma’s elected state lawyer for the last six years, Pruitt sued federal agencies
more than a dozen times to challenge stricter environmental regulations. Among the emails is a series of 2013 exchanges between Pruitt’s staff and Richard Moskowitz, general counsel for the Washington-based American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers. The lawyer detailed the industry’s plan to seek waivers from the federal rules boosting the use of renewable fuels and asked Pruitt to make a specific legal argument under air pollution regulations known as the National Ambient Air Quality Standards. The email was copied to Thomas Bates, then Pruitt’s first assistant attorney general. “We think it would be most effective for Oklahoma to file a separate waiver petition that emphasises ‘severe environmen-
tal harm,’ as this argument is more credible coming from a state with primary responsibility for achieving and maintaining attainment with the NAAQS,” Moskowitz wrote. Moskowitz’s email was then forwarded to Pruitt’s deputy solicitor general, P. Clayton Eubanks, who replied that he knew little about the federal Renewable Fuel Standard and asked for further instructions about what the trade group wanted them to do. “I think it is safe to say that AG Pruitt has an interest in the issue,” Eubanks wrote. “Hopefully I haven’t missed the boat too much on these questions but I want to make sure I fully understand what Oklahoma’s role will be.” Now working at EPA, Pruitt did not immediately
respond to a request for comment Wednesday. Environmentalists cited Pruitt’s close ties to the fossil fuel industry in opposing his nomination. Like Trump, Pruitt has questioned the validity of scientific studies showing the Earth is warming and that carbon emissions from human activity are the primary cause. As attorney general, Pruitt’s office joined a GOP-led multi-state lawsuit seeking to overturn President Barack Obama’s plan to limit emissions from coal-fired power plants. During his confirmation hearing last month, Senate Democrats pressed Pruitt on political donations he had raised from energy companies such as Exxon Mobil and Devon Energy, including “dark money” funneled to groups not re-
quired to disclose their donors. Pruitt’s staff was also in close contact with the American Legislative Exchange Council and Americans for Prosperity to coordinate opposition to new EPA regulations. Oil industry giant Exxon Mobil is a major donor to ALEC, while AFP is closely linked to Koch Industries, which owns petroleum pipelines. In another exchange of emails from 2013, executives from Devon, an Oklahoma City-based oil and gas company, asked Pruitt to send an official state response to new regulations on hydraulic fracturing proposed by the US Bureau of Land Management. The company provided a draft letter for Pruitt’s signature, addressed to the White House office that reviews regulations.
PAGE 20, Thursday, February 23, 2017
THE TRIBUNE