03052024 NEWS AND SPORT

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FLIGHTS

State of emergency declared in nation after prison breakout

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

ALTHOUGH Bahamasair has suspended flights to Haiti, Immigration Acting Director William Pratt said repatriation flights to Haiti will continue even though that country declared a state of emergency after thousands of inmates

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

AN ex-deputy prime minister yesterday branded the Government’s handling of Bahamas Power & Light (BPL) reforms “an insult to the Bahamian people” as it emerged the utility’s “financing needs” exceed $500m.

escaped prison. Haiti declared a threeday state of emergency and a night-time curfew after armed gangs stormed the country’s two biggest jails, allowing more than 3,000 criminals to escape and inflame the country’s crisis. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday

Shiver trial delay to July

SEE PAGE T H REE LINDSAY SHIVER, the American woman accused of conspiring to kill her husband in a plot foiled by police, as she leaves court after a pre-trial hearing yesterday. See PAGE FIVE for story. Photo: Dante Carrer

FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS

By

SOME

held ministerial responsibility for the state-owned electricity provider under the Minnis administration, told Tribune Business that “we were BPL reforms are an ‘insuLt to the Bahamian PeoPL e’ WORKS Minister Clay Sweeting. Photo: Steven Hanna

“Some

agreement serves the employees of Atlantis, Ocean Club Four Seasons, Lyford Cay Club and Town Hotel.

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune News Editor rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Supreme Court ordered Canton House Chinese Restaurant to pay $85,697.38 plus interest to a man who suffered severe burns on the job.

Daquille Missick sued the restaurant for personal injury, loss and damage in 2017.

During the accident, he suffered “second-degree burns to 21-30 per cent of the upper body which required a split-thickness

SEE PAGE T H REE SEE PAGE FIVE SEE PAGE FOUR

Author of ‘Pearl and Her Gee’s Bend Quilt’ reads to primary school students

AUTHOR of “Pearl and Her Gee’s Bend Quilt”, Tangular A. Irby, visited Albury Sayle and Columbus Primary Schools and read her book to students. The author donated copies of her book to the schools’ libraries and distributed gifts to the students. Photos: Dante Carrer

Flights are halted amid Haiti chaos

from page one

that five members of the country’s diplomatic staff in Haiti have returned to The Bahamas for consultations. The United States has advised its citizens to leave Haiti as soon as possible, and Canada has closed its embassy there.

Bahamasair managing director Tracy Cooper told reporters yesterday that the security risk within Haiti has led the airline to suspend flights.

“We are understanding that the unrest in Haiti is more concentrated around Port-au-Price relating to gang violence and also where there is some encroachment upon the jail and some releasing of prisoners,” he said.

“Bahamasair doesn’t fly into Portau-Prince at this time, we fly into Cap-Haitien, but out of an abundance of caution and with collaboration and consultation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we have decided that we would suspend our operation into CapHaitien for the immediate future.”

Mr Pratt noted Bahamasair planes carry 50 to 70 people to Haiti per trip. He said other planes the government charter can have a maximum of 25 people.

“We utilise the smaller flights along with Bahamasair and so if Bahamasair is 100 per cent suspended and the other flights are still operating we will utilise the smaller flights,” he said.

Mr Pratt said 70 Haitians are currently awaiting deportation.

As for the detention centre, he said: “We are not going to stop picking up illegal immigrants for sure. We are not going to let it overflow. We are hoping that Bahamasair will be able to resume flights in a few weeks or so.”

In a recent statement, Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said the situation in Haiti “deteriorated to the point where leaders of the Caribbean had to be called into an emergency meeting”.

However, The Bahamas has resisted calls to suspend repatriations amid instability in Haiti.

SOLDIERS guard the entrance of the international airport in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, yesterday. Authorities ordered a 72-hour state of emergency starting Sunday night following violence in which armed gang members overran the two biggest prisons and freed thousands of inmates over the weekend.

Hotel Union signs ‘Historic’ agreement wit H atlantis

from page one

Darrin Woods, president of BHCAWU, noted this was the first agreement since 2013. He said the agreement took effect yesterday.

“Some of the things we were able to get for the membership across the board would have been an 11 per cent increase across the board,” he said.

“For the tip category, it would be 11 per cent on top of the minimum wage. For the non-tip, it will be 11 per cent on the last negotiated rate. We were able to get lump sum payments for them, which are historic.

“What we were able to achieve under this industrial agreement has never been done in the history of our 65 years of existence, so we were very, very pleased with that.”

Mr Woods said achieving “quality” base pay for tipped employees to access bank credit better and improve their living standards was a key goal for the union.

BHREA president Russell Miller said both parties

hope not to let the industrial agreement expire for as long as the previous one did.

“Some of the changes in the agreement are things that over for the last 11, 12 years have not been affected, have not been impacted,” Mr Miller said after the agreement was signed at the National Training Agency. “We have reached the agreement. It impacts the overall take-home performance of our team members substantially. This was not an easy decision because we knew it was going to impact the association particularly, but it was the right thing to do because of the fact that folks have not received increases or not gotten the benefit of an industrial agreement over the last 12 years.”

The Department of Labour intervened earlier this year amid a standoff between the two sides.

Labour Minister Pia Glover-Rolle noted yesterday that this was the 24th trade union agreement signed over the past 28 months.

Photos: Odelyn Joseph/AP

DARRIN WOODS, PRESIDENT OF BHCAWU

Chinese eatery to pay worker burnt on job over $85,000 from page one

skin graft,” according to acting Registrar Edmund Turner’s judgement, which noted that the defendant did not challenge the man’s evidence during the trial.

The judgement did not give details about Mr Missick’s accident.

Nonetheless, the acting registrar noted:

“There

Carnival Cruise Lines announces competition to name Artisan Village at new Celebration Key destination

CARNIVAL Cruise Lines, with support from the Ministry for Grand Bahama and the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, is announcing a local community competition to name the Artisan Village at the new Celebration Key cruise destination.

The contest, open to all Grand Bahamians, will close March 25, 2024, after which a selection committee, including local officials and representatives of the cultural and creative industries, will recommend a slate of finalists with the winning entry to be announced in early April.

The prize package will consist of: B$5,000 cash; attendance at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Artisan Village, including transportation, food and beverage; and a day-pass to Celebration Key,

The

However, the court did not award him damages for this because he did not identify it in his Statement of

The

along with drink vouchers, food and a cabana for the winner to enjoy.

The Artisan Village will be a cultural space where local artisans and creatives can showcase their talents and share their artistic expressions and authentic cultural products with visitors from around the world. It is a central feature of the now $600m Celebration Key flagship project, the largest of its kind ever undertaken by Carnival Corporation.

“We are extremely excited about this competition,” said Carnival Corporation and PLC’s public affairs and community engagement director Philcher Grant-Adderley.

“Carnival has sought to prioritise authentic Bahamian culture throughout every aspect of this project, from the food to the

architecture, and nowhere more than in the Artisan Village, which we envision as a cornerstone of the entire destination.

Entries can be submitted by individuals, families, groups, local organisations, classrooms, etc. Individuals under 18 can take part, but must also submit a Release Form completed by a parent or legal guardian.

Submit your entries online at: www.celebrationkeygrandbahama. com.

Each entry should include a 200-300-word summary explaining the name and how it relates to Celebration Key and, more importantly, Bahamian culture. Participants may present more than one idea, but each concept must be submitted separately.

The names submitted should

not include the names of existing businesses, corporations, brands, political figures, names of specific people, things and places. Participants must be following the Celebration Key’s Facebook and Instagram accounts in order to be eligible to win the Contest. With the recently announced additional $100m pier extension investment, the now $600m flagship project remains the largest of its kind ever undertaken by Carnival Corporation. The initial phase of the project, including the original two cruise ship berths, is projected to help generate over 700 permanent jobs in the community – including approximately 300 Bahamians hired directly by Carnival Corporation to help welcome 2.2 million guests each year to Grand Bahama starting in 2025.

Finlayson takes radio show Immediate Response on the road to London, England

BAHAMIAN international motivational speaker and talk show host, Spence Finlayson, recently took Immediate Response to London, England where he broadcasted live for two days on television and radio on the ZNS Network.

Finlayson, interviewed a number of outstanding and celebrated Bahamians in the UK Diaspora, including, The Bahamian

High Commissioner H.E.

Paul Andy Gomez, former commissioner of police Paul A O Rolle, permanent representative to the IMO, Former MP Danny Johnson, Bahamian opera singer Franz Hepburn, Mr Anthony Stuart, senior director of emerging markets for the Ministry of Tourism and Aviation, Duchess Williams Alonga, president of the Bahamas Host

Notice of Passing Winifred Anne Lady Johnstone

passed peacefully at her residence in Blair Estates on the morning of Sunday, March 3rd, 2024 at the age of 91 years.

She was predeceased by her loving husband, Sir Geoffrey A. D. Johnstone.

She is survived by her sister Sonia Lady Kelly, Bruce and Gloria Raine, Heather and David White, David Johnstone and Glen Johnstone (Merilyn), first cousin Cynthia Adderley, grand-nephews Sean Raine (Nadine), Spencer White (Michelle), Adrian White MP (Mirlande), Jake Johnstone, Alexander and Michael Johnstone, grand-nieces Shannon Chappell, Katherine Elza, and Shyla Johnstone, great grand-niece Julia Raine, great grand-nephews Franklin and Nathan White, Finley Chappell, Conry Raine, and Maxim and Lennox White. She loved her family and lived a full life.

Funeral arrangements will be announced at a later date.

Association, Mike Guy, IMO and Wilfred Adderley of the Commonwealth Secretariat, Barrister Allen Benjamin and his wife, scientist Vanessa Benjamin, Charles Storr, Bernis Pinder, liaison officer for the IMO , British author Simon Firth , Allison Christie Norjte, special advisor/consultant to the Bahamas High Commission London and Ebony Bain. The show was broadcasted live from the Bahamas High Commission in London.

Spence Finlayson had the vision to take the show globally showcasing

outstanding and celebrated Bahamians in the respective locales. His first trip with Immediate Response internationally was in New York, then onto Houston and Atlanta. He was accompanied by his A-Team of ZNS technical crew including, Porcia Fernander, producer / technical director, Tanaz Fraser, engineer/audio, Gershan Swain, cameraman/editor and Devonte Hanna, social media reporter.

Bahamian High Commissioner Paul Andy Gomez, gave Mr. Finlayson and his team high marks for their “professionalism and that

Immediate Response made the High Commission look very good.” Duchess Williams Alonga said that Immediate Response must return to the UK for a part two show with other significant Bahamians in the diaspora. Overall the remarks were extremely positive and upbeat from the many viewers on the ZNS Official Facebook page.

Pastor Mario Moxey and Fr. James Moultrie both told Finlayson that ‘he was on an assignment from God’ when he took over the hosting duties of Immediate Response two and a half years ago.

Career Opportunity

Wine Steward

We are looking for a Sommelier to act as our wine expert and create wine lists that pair with our food menus.

Essential Duties employees functions.

up to our brand standards. tasting procedures. with guests

QUALIFICATIONS

related role.

Please forward your resumes to P.O. Box CB-11538

SPENCE Finlayson is pictured interviewing Bahamas High Commissioner H.E. Paul A. Gomez at the Bahamas High Commission in London, England for radio programme Immediate Response.

Lindsay Shriver trial delayed until July

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE trial of an American woman accused of plotting to kill her husband was postponed yesterday to July.

Lindsay Shiver was charged with Abaco locals Terrance Bethel and Faron Newbold last year with conspiracy to commit murder.

Prosecutors alleged the accused plotted to kill Mrs Shiver’s husband, Robert, in Abaco on July 16, 2023.

Authorities reportedly discovered the plot after seizing a phone while investigating another crime in Guana Cay.

The trio denied the charges and were supposed to stand trial yesterday before Senior Justice Cheryl Grant-Thompson.

However, the judge rescheduled the trial because of the ongoing case of Long Island MP Adrian Gibson and others.

Justice Grant-Thompson set the trio’s trial for July 1 through 12 and the pre-trial for June 5. She said a case management hearing will happen on May 1.

Mr Shiver reportedly filed for divorce from his wife after allegedly uncovering the alleged affair between her and one of her co-conspirators.

As part of her bail conditions, Mrs Shiver must remain 100 feet from her husband and his residence despite being granted leave to move to her parent’s home in Alabama as she awaits trial.

Shanty residents with kids given extra time

from page one

Mr Sweeting said there have been no incidents after demolition exercises began in Abaco last week.

Mr Sweeting said his ministry knows that residents in Gladstone Road have complained about a developing unregulated community in their

area. Neighbours speculated the residents in the unregulated community were displaced after the previous shanty town demolition in the Kool Acres, All Saints Way and Area 52 communities.

However, Mr Sweeting said the community Gladstone Road residents are complaining about “started

some time ago.”

He said the Unregulated Communities Action Task Force (UCATF) will visit Eleuthera later this month to assess communities there.

Last week, more than 60 structures were demolished at the Gaza shanty town in Abaco so far, with more expected to be destroyed.

SOME people with children in Abaco shanty towns were given extra time to find a place to live because they were not prepared to move when bulldozers showed up last week, Works Minister Clay Sweeting said yesterday.

Taxi #876

of Nassau Street, will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, 7th March, 2024 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Boyd Road. Officiating will be Monsignor Alfred Culmer, assisted by other members of the clergy. Interment will follow in St. Joseph’s Church Cemetery, Boyd Road.

Torpedo Rodrick Robinson is preceded in death by his parents: Ethelyn Demeritte Knowles; and George Satchell Robinson and his only son: Rodrick Rolland Robinson.

He will forever be remembered by his, only grandson: Rodrick Rolland Robinson; Daughter-in-Law: Carine Robinson; Brothers: Frederick (Victoria), Gregory (Margaret), George ‘Sweet Boy’, Eugene, Reynold (Alisa), Carlton (Portia), Franklyn (Yanlin Lai), Gilford, Godfrey Stephen, Leslie (Keva), Paul and Brian Robinson; Sisters: Veronica (Leo) Sears, Violet (Adrian) Rodgers, Agatha (David) Thompson, Sandra Beechum, Loretta (Dr. Carlos) Thomas, Dr. Jacquelyn Robinson-Hilton (Philip), Linda (Patrick) Basden, Bridgette (Gregory) Burrows, Georgianne, Allison (Lionel) Evans, Yvette Rolle, Paulette (Michael) Bain, Valencia Robinson; Nephews: Leo and Leoton Sears, Vandyke (Brandy) Robinson, Marcellus Ifill, Antonio Rodgers, Gregory (Melinda) Robinson, Dario (Samantha) Robinson, Gregory (Tika) Johnson, Quaid Robinson, Troy Thompson, Traverse (Sharnelle), Billy Dee Robinson, Sean Ryan Thomas, ASP Satchell Robinson, Rasheed and Asif-ali Robinson, Jeude Robinson, Qi-Shenglai Robinson, Geovanni Robinson, Uriah and Henderson Cartwright, Dr. Deangelo Munroe, Justin Collie, Amasa Brown and Tennielle Miller, Kareem (Juana) Robinson, Antoinne (Erika) Robinson, Brian Robinson Jr. and Brian Robinson; Nieces: Vanessa (Clarence Jr.) Carter, Tanya and Bernique Deal, Leonda Sears, Adria (Wayne) Cargil, Brettina Robinson, Raquel (Octavius) Farmer, Shameal and Dellarese Robinson, Destini (Audric) Pinder, Georgette (Delano) Sands, Jacqueline, Georgia and Georgianna Robinson, Latishka (Clyde) Quallo, Eugenia Fawkes, Carlesia Burrows, Shavonia (Deangelo) Turnquest, Genell (Carlos) Sands, Dr. Countess Miller, Georgia K. Robinson, ChanningNoelle and Courtney Thomas, Asiya (John) Igbokoyi, Kikiya (Keno) Smith, Antius (Deangelo) Butler, Karlica Robinson, Frankianne Robinson, Kiara Smith, Karisma Robinson, Shakile Hanna, Mickaela and McKenzie Bain, Lakeisha, Kennisha and Destiny Evans, Lornae Moultrie; Cousins: Therisma Clarke-Major, Lanece, Shante, MaryAnn Clarke, The Demeritte family including: Patricia Curry-Collins and family, Winnifred Colbourne and family, Patricia Moxey and family, The Wallace family including Lorraine Henderson and family, Delores Pinder and family, family of the late Grace Cumberbatch, Garnet Watson Christopher Rolle and family and family of the late Francis Parris; Numerous grand-nephews, grand-nieces, and cousins. Other relatives and friends including: The children of the late Monica Woodside, Beverly Smith, Yvette Robinson, Earl Ferguson, Shirley Ann Collie, and Cynthia Todd.

May His Soul Rest In Peace!

Friends may pay their last respects at Bethel Brothers Morticians & Crematorium, #44a Nassau Street on Wednesday, 6th March, 2024 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and at the church on Thursday, 7th March, 2024 from 9:00 a.m. until service time

LINDSAY SHIVER, the American woman accused of conspiring to kill her husband in a plot foiled by police, as she leaves court after a pre-trial hearing yesterday.

Photo: Dante Carrer

The Tribune Limited

LEON

SIR

RT

Publisher/Editor

Publisher/Editor 1919-1972

Contributing Editor 1972-1991

Effects of disasters are not felt equally

After all, a hurricane, tornado or wildfire doesn’t discriminate against those in its path. But the consequences for those impacted are not “one-size-fits-all.”

That’s evident in the U.S. Census Bureau’s newly released results from its national household surveys showing who was displaced by disasters in 2023.

Overall, the Census Bureau estimates that nearly 2.5 million Americans had to leave their homes because of disasters in 2023, whether for a short period or much longer. However, a closer look at demographics in the survey reveals much more about disaster risk in America and who is vulnerable.

It suggests, as researchers have also found, that people with the fewest resources, as well as those who have disabilities or have been marginalized, were more likely to be displaced from their homes by disasters than other people.

Decades of disaster research, including from our team at the University of Delaware’s Disaster Research Center, make at least two things crystal clear: First, people’s social circumstances – such as the resources available to them, how much they can rely on others for help, and challenges they face in their daily life – can lead them to experience disasters differently compared to others affected by the same event. And second, disasters exacerbate existing vulnerabilities.

This research also shows how disaster recovery is a social process. Recovery is not a “thing,” but rather it is linked to how we talk about recovery, make decisions about recovery and prioritize some activities over others.

Sixty years ago, the recovery period after the destructive 1964 Alaskan earthquake was driven by a range of economic and political interests, not simply technical factors or on need. That kind of influence continues in disaster recovery today. Even disaster buyout programs can be based on economic considerations that burden under-resourced communities.

This recovery process is made even more difficult because policymakers often underappreciate the immense difficulties residents face during recovery.

Following Hurricane Katrina, sociologist Alexis Merdjanoff found that property ownership status affected psychological distress and displacement, with displaced renters showing higher levels of emotional distress than homeowners. Lack of autonomy in decisions about how to repair or rebuild can play a role, further highlighting disparate experiences during disaster recovery.

The 2023 census data consistently showed that socially vulnerable groups reported being displaced from their homes at higher rates than other groups.

People over 65 had a higher rate of being displaced than younger people. So did Hispanic and Black Americans, people with less than a high school education and those with low household incomes or who were struggling with employment compared to other groups. While the Census Bureau describes the data as experimental and notes that some sample sizes are small, the differences stand out and are consistent with what researchers have found.

Low-income and marginalized communities are often in areas at higher risk of flooding from storms or may lack

investment in storm protection measures.

The morass of bureaucracy and conflicting information can also be a barrier to a swift recovery. After Hurricane Sandy, people in New Jersey complained about complex paperwork and what felt to them like ever-changing rules. They bemoaned their housing recovery as, in researchers’ words, a “muddled, inconsistent experience that lacked discernible rationale”.

Residents who don’t know how to find information about disaster recovery assistance or can’t take time away from work to accumulate the necessary documents and meet with agency representatives can have a harder time getting quick help from federal and state agencies.

Disabilities also affect displacement. Of those people who were displaced for some length of time in 2023, those with significant difficulty hearing, seeing or walking reported being displaced at higher rates than those without disabilities.

Prolonged loss of electricity or water due to an ice storm, wildfire or grid overload during a heat emergency can force those with medical conditions to leave even if their neighbors are able to stay.

That can also create challenges for their recovery. Displacement can leave vulnerable disaster survivors isolated from their usual support systems and health care providers. It can also isolate those with limited mobility from disaster assistance.

Crucial research efforts are underway to better help people who may be struggling the most after disasters.

For example, our center was part of an interdisciplinary team that developed a framework to predict community resilience after disasters and help identify investments that could be made to bolster resilience. It outlines ways to identify gaps in community functioning, like health care and transportation, before disaster strikes. And it helps determine recovery strategies that would have the most impact.

Shifts in weather and climate and a mobile population mean that people’s exposure to hazards are constantly shifting and often increasing. The Coastal Hazard, Equity, Economic Prosperity, and Resilience Hub, which our center is also part of, is developing tools to help communities best ensure resilience and strong economic conditions for all residents without shortchanging the need to prioritize equity and well-being.

We believe that when communities experience disasters, they should not have to choose among thriving economically, ensuring all residents can recover and reducing risk of future threats. There must be a way to account for all three.

Understanding that disasters affect people in different ways is only a first step toward ensuring that the most vulnerable residents receive the support they need. Involving community members from disproportionately vulnerable groups to identify challenges is another. But those, alone, are not enough. If we as a society care about those who contribute to our communities, we must find the political and organizational will to act to reduce the challenges reflected in the census and disaster research.

Tricia Wachtendorf and James Kendra University of Delaware

EDITOR, The Tribune.

A COLLEAGUE of mine told me that his aunt, who has been residing in New York since the early 1980s, complained bitterly to him about the soaring costs of food in her area. She also informed him that other New Yorkers are also complaining about the inflation crisis. She is black. Unfortunately, the majority of African Americans and other ethnic minorities support the Democratic Party. They associate the Republican Party with the white oligarchy in the United States. This is an all too common perception that continues to hurt the GOP. Ironically, the Free National Movement suffers from the same public relations narrative.

Be that as it may, the Supreme Court in North America ruled that the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, Donald Trump, should not be excluded from the Colorado ballot in the Super Tuesday Primary run-offs this week. Trump’s only serious challenger is former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, who’s expected to get steamrolled. Trump currently has 244 delegates to Haley’s 43. He needs 1,215 delegates to secure the GOP nomination. I see no reason why he shouldn’t get it. There’s a reason why the Democratic Party has used the judiciary to block Trump’s nomination. That’s the only way they can beat him. And so it’s beginning to look like a rematch

of the 2020 Presidential Election. The Bahamian diaspora living in the US can now make an informed decision as to who to support in November. They’ve lived under both presidencies, which makes this important electoral contest all the more unique.

The question the Bahamian diaspora must ask itself: under whose presidency has it fared better economically? Current President Joe Biden’s Presidential Inflation Rate is a staggering 17.3 percent. In December 2019, Trump’s PIR was just 5.8 percent. When Biden assumed office in January 2021, he inherited an inflation rate of 1.4 percent. The inflation rate had been under 3 percent for 109 straight months from that point. Three months into his tenure in May 2021, the rate had climbed to 5 percent. The inflation rate had remained at 5 percent or higher for 23 months.

Between December 2021 and November 2022, it was at 7 percent or higher.

Under Biden, whose policies have harmed the domestic oil industry in North America, gas inflation is pegged at 35.1 percent. Under Trump it was 22 percent. Electricity is at 25.1 under Biden. Under Trump it was just 2.2 percent. This means that the average electric

bill in the US is nearly 23 percent higher under Biden’s disastrous stewardship of the American economy than it was under his predecessor. Food inflation under Biden is 20.1 percent. This has translated to higher food prices in The Bahamas, which imports over 90 percent of its food items from the US. A 30 ounce jar of Hellman’s Mayonnaise is over $10 in most food stores. A loaf of bread is over $6 in many food stores. A dozen eggs is averaging over $5. In some instances, $7 and $8.

A relative told me that the average price for a MacDonald’s sandwich combo is averaging over $9 in the US. In the Family Islands, the inflation crisis is much worse. Bidenomics and its attendant American Rescue Plan have been utterly disastrous for the average American citizen -- and Bahamians as well. The Biden administration is eerily similar to the Jimmy Carter administration. High inflation dogged that administration also. Biden has simply not been good for The Bahamas. His policies have eviscerated the middle-class. I am appealing to the Bahamian diaspora to please make the right choice in ending this unsustainable nightmare. The Bahamas simply cannot take another four years of Bidenomics.

KEVIN EVANS

Freeport, Grand Bahamas March 4, 2024.

EDITOR, The Tribune.

IN A government that boasts of progress and proactive governance, Myles Laroda’s tenure as Minister stands out, but for all the wrong reasons. Following in the footsteps of his predecessor, Obie Wilchcombe, who left a notable mark in the Ministry of Social Services, Laroda’s time in office has been nothing short of a stark regression. The expectation was for continuity, innovation, and perhaps an acceleration in the vital work of addressing the social needs of our nation. Instead, what we’ve witnessed is a period marred by inertia and a perplexing detachment from the pressing issues that face our society.

Mr Laroda’s ineffective stewardship is not a revelation but a continuation of a pattern of underperformance, previously evidenced during his tenure as Minister of National Insurance and Disaster Recovery. The hope

that a shift to the Ministry of Social Services might herald a new chapter for him, and by extension for the Bahamian people, has been thoroughly dashed. His record of failure, now extended, raises serious questions about his suitability for high office and the judgment of those who continue to place him in positions where his decisions, or lack thereof, have profound implications on the welfare of our nation. Under his watch, we’ve seen little to no advancement on the initiatives left by Mr Wilchcombe, projects that promised to address the multifaceted challenges of social welfare in The Bahamas. What we needed was a visionary, someone with the zeal to push boundaries, innovate, and bring about tangible change. What we got was a minister seemingly content with the status quo, unbothered by the stagnation of critical programs designed to uplift the most vulnerable among us.

This lack of progress is not just disappointing; it’s a betrayal of the public trust. The role of Minister of Social Services is not a ceremonial position; it is a calling that demands action, empathy, and an unwavering commitment to the betterment of society. By any measure, Mr Laroda has fallen woefully short of these expectations.

It is imperative for the health and future of our nation that we have leaders who are not only capable of recognising the challenges we face but are also committed to addressing them head-on. Mr Laroda’s record of inaction and failure renders him unsuitable for the responsibilities he has been entrusted with. It’s time for a change, for the sake of every Bahamian relying on the critical services and support that the Ministry of Social Services is supposed to provide.

THE GATE KEEPER Nassau, March 2, 2024.

Jury selected for inquest into 2018 police-involved killing of two men on Cowpen Road

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A FIVE-PERSON jury was empanelled yesterday as the inquest into the 2018 police-involved killings of Roy Stubbs and Ernst Forest on Cowpen Road began.

Acting Coroner Kara Turnquest-Deveaux presided as the jury was selected to hear testimony in the inquiry.

This will be the third

police-involved killing inquest this year. Jurors recently returned a homicide by manslaughter finding against officers involved in the fatal shooting of Richard “Buddy” Bastian and Harold “Kevin” Brown on Tonique Williams-Darling Highway around 1am on December 2, 2017.

Police claimed they engaged Stubbs and Forest at 2pm on January 22, 2018, for suspicious behaviour in a vehicle on

Cowpen Road.

Police said the suspects got out of their vehicle with their weapons drawn, causing officers to open fire on them fearing for their own lives and those of nearby civilians.

At the time of his death, Stubbs was being electronically monitored on attempted murder charges.

Angelo Whitfield will marshal the evidence when testimony begins today.

EXUMA MAN ACCUS ED OF MOL E STING T EN-Y E AR-OLD GIRL ON TWO OCCASIONS

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A 20-YEAR-OLD man was sent to prison yesterday after being accused of twice molesting a tenyear-old girl in Exuma last week.

Assistant Chief Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans charged Tivano Forbes with two counts of unlawful sexual intercourse. The defendant’s mother was present in court for his arraignment. Forbes allegedly had unlawful sexual

intercourse with an underage girl twice in Exuma on February 25.

The defendant was told that his case would be moved to the Supreme Court by a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI). His VBI is scheduled for service on June 24.

25-Y E AR-OLD M AN CHARGED WITH RAP E

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A 25-YEAR-OLD man was jailed yesterday after he was accused of raping a 27-year-old woman last

week. Assistant Chief Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans charged Aaron Mackey with rape. Mackey allegedly raped a woman in New Providence on February 27.

Mackey was told that his matter would be transferred to the Supreme Court by a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI).

The defendant’s VBI is due for release on June 27.

A RMED ROBBERY ACCUSED ADMITS TO ESCAPING CUSTODY AT SOUTHERN POLICE STATION LAST W EEK

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN accused of robbing a web shop admitted yesterday to escaping the Southern Police Station last week.

Magistrate Kendra Kelly charged Tevin Fritz with armed robbery and escape.

Fritz, with armed accomplices, allegedly robbed the Chances web shop on Baillou Hill and John Roads of

$500 in cash on February 24. Police reportedly apprehended Fritz on Fleming Street in a grey coloured Japanese vehicle matching the getaway car used in Chance’s heist later that day. While detained for this robbery, Fritz escaped the Southern Police Station around 9pm on February 29, the night before his arraignment. Fritz’s co-accused in

the armed robbery was arraigned on Friday. Although Fritz pleaded guilty to the escape charge, he was told that the armed robbery matter would be transferred to the Supreme Court by a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI). Fritz will return to court for sentencing on the escape charge on Wednesday. His VBI will be served on May 24.

Levan Johnson represented the accused.

M AN WITH PRIOR CHARGE OF ARSON OF A CHURCH NOW CHARGED WITH SE TTING FIRE TO A CAR

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN previously charged with the arson of a church was remanded in custody yesterday for allegedly setting a car on fire.

Magistrate Algernon Allen, Jr, charged Trey Bastian, 25, with arson of a machine, using explosive

materials to cause damage and causing damage by fire. Bastian was previously accused of arson at Bethel Baptist Church on Meeting Street on July 7, 2021, causing $8,000 worth of damage. The charges against him in that matter were withdrawn in January 2022 after a church member requested the matter be dropped.

Bastian allegedly used explosive material to set fire to a 2005 Volkswagen Jetta, causing $7,878 worth of fire damage in the area of Bay Street on January 18.

The defendant was told that his matter would be transferred to the Supreme Court by a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI). His VBI is set for service on June 18.

Ministry of Health and Barry University team up for Foot Fest

THE MINISTRY of Health announcing the launch of Foot Fest 2024 yesterday in partnership with Barry University. The event is a transformative health and wellness initiave geared towards improving foot care. The festival, which runs until Friday, offers a range of free services to the public, including foot exams and surgeries and health screenings among other things.

Photos: Dante Carrer

Weathering the hurricane of divorce

THERE is a stigma attached to being divorced that is often unspoken. But it is felt by all who have undergone its sting. Families came together to witness your union. People expect that you made a good, conscious decision, and that you would be able to stick by that decision until death. If you have children, it can be especially frowned upon. But divorce happens, and those who experience it can find themselves in a lonely, difficult place.

Calliope Couchell-Wilson likens divorce to a hurricane. It can totally ravage your image; it can blow the roof off your persona; it can flood out your self confidence; and it can leave you feeling devastated and broken. But hope is not lost. For Bahamians, who know all too well about surviving hurricanes, they know that any storm can be overcome, and the sun will shine again.

Calliope wanted to reach out and touch those who are in this difficult space, and so she wrote a book that delves into her own experience, while providing sound and comforting advice. The book, Weathering the Hurricane of Divorce - Reflections of a Survivor is sure to help others weather their storms in life.

“Divorce’s ramifications are great and many,” Calliope said, “It rips people, families, and communities apart.

“It is the death and destruction of many things, without the usual coping mechanisms we have in death, such as funeralsformal mourning rituals, united community support and life insurance. There is blame and shame. Even if you didn’t initiate the divorce, people may ask if you did something to push your spouse to want a divorce. Close relationships are damaged when confidences shared between the formerly married couple are

Face to Face

By FELICITY DARVILLE

shared publicly. Every aspect of life and sense of identity is impacted.” Divorce and separation don’t only come from marriage, Calliope explains. People can experience the loss of a close friendship, a boyfriend or girlfriend, a business partner, a career, or even a family member. She contends that each one of these are potentially as painful as the end of a marriage. Calliope is a church girl. With a life so openly dedicated to the church and the work of Christ, she found her divorce to be incredibly challenging. However, it is her faith and devotion that pulled her through. She says that while no two relationships are alike, there are tools that anyone can use to help themselves heal … and

honest self-reflection and a sympathetic exchange with the reader. This book is a step-by-step survival kit for the stages leading through and following after divorce, underlining ways of inner growth without undermining moments of intense challenge. I can identify with Calliope, when she writes: “I cling to memories of answered prayers in dark days of questioning everything.” Memories of answered prayers are moments of divine grace, where we surrender to God’s love and God takes control.”

Calliope was born and bred in The Bahamas to a Scottish father and a Bahamian mother of Greek descent. From birth, she was actively involved in the life of the local Greek Orthodox Church, as well as in diverse family interests such as a mango farm, law firm, a catering company, and numerous artistic, sea-faring, and environmental conservationist activities.

even learn to love again. Her book is candid and open and lays her heart bare. Calliope selflessly shares her own journey in order to help others weather their own storm. Chapters include topics like “Abandoning a Sinking Ship”; “Sharks and Shoals”; “Learning to Walk on Water”; “Laughing into the Wind and Dancing in the Rain”; “Onboarding New Passengers and Crew”; and “Admiring Rainbows” is a journey through her life and times. It is destined to make the reader feel every emotion she went through and find the information relatable to their own lives.

“Anyone who has experienced some aspect of brokenness, breakdown, or break-up - indeed, anyone who has undergone some form of death or divorce, whether personal or social, physical or spiritual - will immediately connect with the content of this book,” said Father John Chryssavgis in the foreword of the book.

“This book is easy to read, replete with simple yet profound insights, accompanied by theological and spiritual, prayerful and at the same time practical intuitions.”

“In her story, Calliope Couchell-Wilson offers an open and mature conversation, simultaneously an

After graduating high school from Queen’s College, Calliope pursued a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies at Hellenic College, Brookline, Massachusetts, where she graduated as valedictorian. It is an undergraduate programme that shares a campus with the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Seminary.

She married a fellow classmate shortly after graduating college. The newlyweds settled in Charlotte, North Carolina, and had two beautiful daughters. Calliope supported various family business interests in Charlotte. She also became involved with the newly formed community of St Nektarios Greek Orthodox Church, where she served as a catechism teacher and youth group leader. Eventually, her dedication and enthusiasm led her to become a part of the Youth Advisory Board and Parish Council Secretary for the church. She also created and facilitated a Facebook Group, “Orthodox Christian Girl Talk”, which addressed the challenges of daily life for women and mothers.

But a hurricane swept in and significantly altered her life. In 2011, following her divorce, she returned to her homeland, The Bahamas with her daughters. After helping manage her family’s law firm for a few years, Calliope attained Advanced Diplomas in Anti-Money

Laundering and Risk & Governance from the International Compliance Association, and she is currently the firm’s compliance officer and office manager. She continued to serve in the church - this time at home in the Greek Orthodox Church - as one of the heads of youth education and then as co-chair of Family Life Ministries.

These two strong pillars of her life path - a career at a law firm and more than two decades working in family life in her church - made her realise just how many people were weathering storms like she did and needed some tools to help them overcome.

In addition to helping people going through their own storms, she also sees the importance of helping family members, friends and even the society understand how to assist those going through difficult divorce and separation issues.

“By remembering we all stumble and fall, what is important is that we stand up again, and not to be an obstacle to someone regaining their feet,” she advised.

“Allow people time to process information and make their own decisions. Offer physical support, make sure those weathering a divorce have the basics they needfood, sleep, safety, and more. Read and share this book to better understand the divorce experience and the tools we can use to weather this storm.” She overcame the hurricane of her divorce with great help from her church: “The Orthodox Church was a true beacon in the storm, offering the wisdom of many ages as guidance”.

But how does one know if they are not giving up on their marriage too early,or staying too long?

Calliope shared: “Each person must decide this for

themselves, for each situation is different. Staying in a struggling marriage is hard, but so is divorce. There is no easy path, especially with children involved. When dealing with difficult relationships and making decisions, it is essential to judge a tree by its fruit, which may take time to be evident. Judge someone’s actions, rather than their words. Also ask yourself if your child or loved one were being treated in the manner in which you are, would you want them to tolerate this treatment?”

Every dark cloud has a silver lining, if you look close enough. That silver lining led to the sun streaming in and bringing a rainbow in Calliope’s life. She found love once again, got married in 2018, and gained a wonderful son in the process.

“It is important to be open to new, healthy relationships of all types,” she said.

“Friendship is part of the joy of life and what helps us get through the day. It is also important for our children to understand that healthy relationships are possible, and they are watching us. However, people have different scars and circumstances, I couldn’t bear to sit through a wedding ceremony immediately following my divorce, now years later I am happily married. It takes time, healing and courage to explore new relationships, and there is no set timeframe or finishline.”

Weathering the Hurricane of Divorce by Calliope Couchell-Wilson can be found on Amazon as a hardcopy as well as in Kindle format. It is also available at Logos Book Store, as well as Tanya Saunders Boutique in Harbour Bay; at Bahama Arts and Handicrafts on Shirley Street; and at the Greek Orthodox Church Bookstore on West Street, Nassau.

SMALL Children featured in photo - Diana Couchell (L) and Diane Maillis (R)

CALLIOPE COUCHELL-WILSON

WEDDING Family Hug - Jim Wilson, Andrew Wilson, Diana Couchell and Maria Couchell

Unabated extremist attitudes a growing concern in the UK

TO follow up last week’s column about anti-semitism, I revert today to the issue of extremism. In the last few days, there have been two important developments in Britain in relation to this that need to be aired in order to appreciate the seriousness of what is going on there. These are a victory for extreme forces in a by-election and a major speech to the nation by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak about protecting the nation’s democratic values. With the war in Gaza continuing to dominate the world news as it rages on unabated, extremist attitudes and actions in the UK are of growing concern as pro-Palestinian demonstrations are becoming more violent, with those responsible for it appearing to be gaining strength and influence.

Last Friday, the press in the UK were all agog when they were told that the prime minister would be delivering an address later that day from the podium outside No 10 Downing Street. Normally, such events are reserved for major announcements like dates for elections or prime ministerial resignations. So, reportedly, there was much anticipation about an early general election.

Showing at last that instead of being regarded primarily as a leader well versed on the technical detail of policy rather than at ease with the bigger strategic picture and broader concepts, the prime minister delivered a powerful warning about the danger of extremists targeting UK democracy that threatened

The Peter Young column

disaster for the whole country as it was progressively giving way to intimidation and sectarianism. He spoke strongly and movingly about the need to preserve Britain’s traditional liberal values of freedom, tolerance, equality, fairness, mutual respect and adherence to the rule of law that were the foundation of the nation’s long history of democracy. These were under attack, he said, by extremists -hardline political agitators preaching division, hatred and intimidation. Now was the time for new robust measures, and he promised action within the coming days and weeks. Many will hope this will include stronger police action after what has been seen recently as a craven response to extremist activity by the forces of law and order.

Some have said that this was a rambling address that was also short on detail. But a closer study of the

UK press shows that, by common consent, it went down well generally. As one commentator put it, in confronting the “poison” of Islamist and far-right extremism -- from which the institutions and processes that underpin the nation’s democracy should be protected - Mr Sunak delivered the speech Britain needed to hear; and he did it notably well.

To quote what could be considered his main thrust: “This situation has gone on long enough. Our great achievement in building the world’s most successful multi-ethnic, multi-faith democracy is being deliberately undermined. There are forces here at home trying to tear us apart. We must not allow that to happen” -- and he described them as people pushing ‘a divisive, hateful, ideological agenda’. By any standards this was indeed tough talk and, on all the evidence, also timely.

The prime minister was speaking after the previous day’s by-election that has been described as a serious setback for Britain. Held in the northern town of Rochdale, with its large Muslim population and which had been a Labour stronghold for years, its candidate last week had been jettisoned earlier for his antisemitic attitude and remarks and there was insufficient time to parachute in a replacement.

With both the main parties effectively deserting the field, the contest was won resoundingly by former Labour MP, George Galloway, and his own Workers Party of

PRIDE IN BAHAMAS TOURISM

HOW interesting it was to read recently in The Tribune a report of remarks by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism about the need for Bahamians to have pride in tourism as the country’s largest industry. Chester Cooper was speaking at the launch by his ministry of its “Tourism is Everyone’s Business” domestic campaign which aims to inform the public about its importance.

This looks to be an excellent initiative given that tourism accounts for 50 per cent of GDP and provides employment for some 60 per cent of the workforce.

It is likely that the more people know what is happening generally in the tourism field - and about what is on offer to visitors - the greater the chance is of effective cooperation and coordination, as appropriate, amongst providers of “the tourism product”.

What is more, in view of the large numbers involved, that should benefit the country as a whole.

Equally, it is good to learn from the Minister that January’s tourism numbers remain strong despite warnings – for example, from the US - about the lack of security locally. But the UK’s official Travel Advice looks to me to be more realistic and balanced and, quite rightly, should not deter visitors from coming.

It is, of course, inevitable that a huge majority of The Bahamas’ total annual visitors should come from North America. Nonetheless, it is surprising that historically the numbers from Britain have been relatively low. I have not been able to study the latest figures but have often wondered why the Ministry of Tourism, Investments and Aviation in the past has apparently not given greater weight

to the UK as a potential market, not least because after a nine hour flight visitors are likely to remain longer at their destination and spend more money here. However, it is good to see its latest advertising initiative of branding taxis and buses in London with beautiful images of The Bahamas.

For years, Barbados had a huge shop window in busy Regent Street in central London showing the delights of its island. Far too often, Britons have preferred Barbados because they felt more at home there and thought it was less expensive. But, in my view, The Bahamas as a tourist destination has so much more to offer than Barbados.

While at Bridgetown airport a few years ago, I recall watching one charter flight after another coming in from the UK and thinking what might be done

Britain. He has a reputation as a carpetbagger after changing constituencies several times. He is also a well-known Israel-hating extremist and strong supporter of the Palestinian cause while at the same time denouncing the West. One of his party colleagues is now under police investigation following his call that Israel has forfeited the right to exist. Rochdale was clearly fertile ground for Galloway’s toxic political stance of division and hate as he used the conflict in the Middle East to advance his agenda.

Many people in Britain are now complaining that Galloway’s election is not just a problem for

Rochdale but a disaster for the whole country; not least, for example, because it has emboldened the extremist far-right British National Party. This result undermines the country’s values on which its democracy depends. An organisation called the Community Security Trust, which protects the Jewish community, has noted a significant rise in racism and hatred recently with synagogues and Jewish students, as well as shops, being targeted and attacked. There are also growing concerns about the safety of MPs. It is now being said that Britain’s tolerance of violent pro-Palestinian

to divert them to Nassau.

Now, of course, the regular commercial airlift between Nassau and London has improved with British Airways offering daily flights and Virgin Atlantic four flights per week – and there is the prospect of Virgin

FINLAND TOP OF HAPPINESS STAKES ONCE AGAIN

IT HAS probably come as no surprise to many people – in so far as they will have even noticed it at all -- that this year Finland has been ranked again the happiest country in the world in the UN World Happiness Report. This means it has taken top place for seven years in a row.

In mentioning its success last year, I admitted to being unaware of the detailed criteria against which this judgement about countries is made. But I now gather that among others they include things like its status as a well-functioning society with free health care and limited corruption, in relation to which Finland scores highly.

But it might just be worth repeating my earlier view that this exercise seems not to be about happiness in the deeper personal sense but more about a general sense of contentment in possessing the basic necessities of life in the shape of sufficient resources to live safely and comfortably in a decent environment. Add to that an overall feeling of security in a neutral nation (though, of course, Finland has just joined NATO) and

it is understandable that most Finnish people are happy with their lot. Good as all that might be, however, the “experts” – in the shape of so-called therapists who are forever advising other people how to conduct their lives - claim that overall contentment with one’s conditions of everyday life is only one element of happiness which is a deeply personal and individual matter and does not necessarily depend on external

stimuli.

Most people would surely agree with them about the importance of appreciation and gratitude for having the basic necessities in daily life. They ought also surely accept their advice that happiness is not essentially about achieving a destination or an end-goal but a gradual process of growth and self-fulfillment during the course of a satisfactory life while appreciating the moment as it happens.

flights going on to Freeport when its new airport opens.

While looking at UK tourism here, it was also startling to see the latest figures of bilateral trade in goods and services. These show a massive increase in 2023 compared to the

protests that are being driven by extremists has been tested to the limit. But, to sceptics in the community, it remains to be seen whether there will be more robust action taken by the authorities following the prime minister’s address last week. The indications are that public opinion as a whole now demands new action in defence of the nation’s traditional values and its institutions that underpin its democracy. This should surely be a matter for both main political parties, and it could well be tested at a general election earlier than expected – perhaps as soon as May rather than the autumn?

previous year, presumably in the value of services. Without knowing more about these figures and how they are determined, it is hard to comment. But what is encouraging is that at last there is a more productive trading relationship, in goods and services, between The Bahamas and the UK – thanks in part no doubt to the 2021 Economic Partnership Agreement which is the cornerstone of the UK’s trading relationship with CARIFORUM countries.

What was also surely noteworthy were the remarks by the UK’s trade commissioner for the region during his visit to The Bahamas last year. He acknowledged Britain’s “historical commercial underrepresentation” in The Bahamas, which is a message that many of us have been trying to put across for a number of years – and one can only hope that this new improved commercial relationship will now flourish while the number of visitors also grows.

BRITAIN’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak addresses the media at Downing Street in London, Friday.

Photo: Alberto Pezzal/AP

MINISTER OF TOURISM CHESTER COOPER

Sweeting says draft amendments aim to strengthen local government

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net

WORKS and Family Island Affairs Minister Clay Sweeting said his ministry had drafted amendments to the Local Government Act to strengthen the effect of local government on Family Island communities.

It is unclear whether the Davis administration has a timeline for bringing the amendments to Parliament.

In the 2021 Speech from

the Throne, the administration promised to “empower Local Government with revenue-raising powers and share jurisdiction over local affairs and community management and development.” However, little has been said about this since then. In honour of Local Government Month, Mr Sweeting said yesterday that local councils have played a vital role in developing Family Islands by improving infrastructure and community service. “Local government

serves as the backbone of progress, fostering greater efficiency in addressing the unique needs of every community,” he said. “You see, this is important to empowering local leaders who have been elected to unlock the true potential for the substantial growth while also preserving the rich cultural heritage of each community.”

Mr Sweeting said for the first time in over 20 years, the Davis administration increased the budget for local government at the start of this fiscal year.

ON February 25, the Bahamas National Trust (BNT) received several reports from concerned citizens about suspected environmentally harmful activities happening in the Bonefish Pond National Park area. The reports included an eyewitness account of fill being dumped into the wetland. Following these reports, BNT teams immediately conducted aerial and on-the-ground patrols, confirming the activities were not occuring within the park boundaries. However, there is still concern about its effects on the fragile coastal wetland and marine environment at Bonefish Pond National Park. The BNT will continue to monitor the situation closely and is in communication with nearby landowners who provide reports of suspicious

activities in the vicinity of the park.

“We humbly thank our park stakeholders and concerned citizens who reported the activity and voiced their concerns for Bonefish Pond,” said Chantal Curtis, BNT parks planner and New Providence parks manager.

“Because of their vigilance, we were able to quickly investigate the matter at hand. We’ll continue our weekly patrols to safeguard this precious national park.” BNT executive director Lakeshia Anderson-Rolle said: “Although the area where the incident has taken place is outside of the park’s boundary, the concerns expressed by citizens show an increased awareness of the importance of conserving our wetlands, and the integrity of

Bonefish Pond.

“The recent show of community stewardship inspires us, as local community support is an essential component of effective national park management and protection. It is our collective responsibility to ensure the protection of our nation’s natural beauty and biodiversity for future generations.”

The public can report suspected illegal activity within or near national parks across The Bahamas by contacting the BNT’s new Enforcement Hotline at (242) 396-0188.

To report suspected environmental violations outside of national park boundaries, contact the Department of Environmental Planning & Protection (DEPP) at (242) 322-4546 or email inquiries@depp.gov.bs.

THE Bahamas Chess Federation is commemorating its 50th anniversary as a proud member of FIDE. Additionally, CARICOM is marking its 50th year with the 2024 CARICOM Classic Inaugural Team Chess Tournament, hosted by the Guyana Chess Federation, from March 3rd to 10th.

This significant milestone has prompted us to reflect on the remarkable progress our federation has made over the past five decades.

In celebration of this achievement, we have carefully selected a team that we believe will represent our country and contribute to the continued success of our federation.

This team is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the Bahamas Chess

Federation over the past 50 years, with a commitment to shaping a positive trajectory for the next 50 years. The team comprises two male players, Avian Pride and Dr. Joseph Ferguson, along with two female players, WFM Polina Karelina and Chika Pride. Avian Pride is the current Bahamas National Chess Champion, Scholastic Champion, and Junior Champion. Dr. Joseph Ferguson, two time Junior National champion, placed 2nd in the Bahamas National Chess Championship 2024 and brings his expertise to the team. WFM Polina Karelina is the highest rated and titled female player in The Bahamas. Chika Pride is the junior female champion. Our President, Curtis Pride

Sr, will serve as the delegate and team manager, collaborating with other Presidents from CARICOM countries to enhance the overall performance of chess players in the region.

Team Bahamas will compete against players from Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Jamaica, St Lucia, The Cayman Islands, Barbados, Suriname and Dominica.

First, second and third place winners will be awarded cash prizes, medals and trophies at this tournament.

“We look forward to this exciting journey, celebrating our achievements, and fostering a bright future for the Bahamas Chess Federation,” the federation wrote.

TEAM Bahamas at the opening ceremony on Sunday with GM Viswanathan Anand the deputy president of FIDE and five time World Chess Champion in the middle.

PHOTOS: STEVEN HANNA/MOW

Gangs in Haiti try to seize control of main airport in newest attack on key government locations

PORT-AU-PRINCE Associated Press

HEAVILY armed gangs tried to seize control of Haiti’s main international airport on Monday, exchanging gunfire with police and soldiers in the latest attack on key government sites in an explosion of violence that includes a mass escape from the country’s prisons.

The Toussaint Louverture International Airport was closed when the attack occurred, with no planes operating and no passengers on site.

Associated Press journalists saw an armoured truck on the tarmac shooting at gangs to try and prevent them from entering airport grounds as scores of employees and other workers fled from whizzing bullets.

It is the biggest attack on the airport in Haiti’s history.

Last week, the airport was struck briefly by bullets amid ongoing gang attacks, but gangs did not enter the airport nor seize control of it.

The attack occurred just hours after authorities in Haiti ordered a nighttime curfew following violence in which armed gang members overran the two biggest prisons and freed thousands of inmates over the weekend.

A 72-hour state of emergency began Sunday night. The government said it would try to track down the escaped inmates, including from a penitentiary were the vast majority were in pretrial detention, with some accused of slayings, kidnappings and other crimes.

“The police were ordered to use all legal means at their disposal to enforce the curfew and apprehend

UN

all offenders,” said a statement from Finance Minister Patrick Boivert, the acting prime minister. Gangs already were estimated to control up to 80% of Port-au-Prince, the capital. They are increasingly coordinating their actions and choosing once unthinkable targets like the Central Bank.

Prime Minister Ariel Henry travelled abroad last week to try to salvage support for a United Nations-backed security force to help stabilize Haiti in its conflict with the increasingly powerful crime groups.

Haiti’s National Police has roughly 9,000 officers to provide security for more than 11 million people, according to the UN They are routinely overwhelmed and outgunned.

The deadly weekend marked a new low in Haiti’s downward spiral of violence. At least nine people had been killed since Thursday — four of them police officers — as gangs stepped up coordinated attacks on state institutions in Portau-Prince, including the international airport and national soccer stadium.

But the attack on the National Penitentiary late Saturday shocked Haitians who are accustomed to living under the constant threat of violence. Almost all of the estimated 4,000 inmates escaped. Three bodies with gunshot wounds lay at the prison entrance Sunday.

In another neighbourhood, the bloodied corpses of two men with their hands tied behind the backs lay face down as residents walked past roadblocks set up with

burning tires.

Among the few dozen people who chose to stay in prison are 18 former Colombian soldiers accused of working as mercenaries in the July 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse.

“Please, please help us,” one of the men, Francisco Uribe, said in a message widely shared on social media. “They are massacring people indiscriminately inside the cells.”

Colombia’s foreign ministry has called on Haiti to provide “special protection” for the men.

A second Port-au-Prince prison containing around 1,400 inmates also was overrun.

Gunfire was reported in several neighbourhoods in the capital. Internet service for many residents was down as Haiti’s top mobile network said a fiber optic cable connection was slashed during the rampage.

After gangs opened fire at Haiti’s international airport last week, the US Embassy said it was halting all official travel to the country. On Sunday night, it urged all American citizens to depart as soon as possible.

The Biden administration, which has refused to commit troops to any multinational force for Haiti while offering money and logistical support, said it was monitoring the rapidly deteriorating security situation with grave concern.

The surge in attacks follows violent protests that turned deadlier in recent days as the prime minister went to Kenya seeking to move ahead on the proposed UN-backed security mission to be led by that East African country. Henry took over as prime minister following Moise’s assassination and has

72-hour

postponed plans to hold parliamentary and presidential elections, which haven’t happened in almost a decade.

Jimmy Chérizier, a former elite police officer known as Barbecue who now runs a gang federation, has claimed responsibility for the surge in attacks. He said the goal is to capture Haiti’s police chief and government ministers and prevent Henry’s return.

The prime minister, a neurosurgeon, has shrugged off calls for him to resign and didn’t comment when asked if he felt it was safe to come home.

eN voy says ‘reasoN able groUNds’ to believe Hamas committed sex Ual violeNce oN oct 7

the Gaza Strip in southern Israel, October 12, 2023. The UN

on sexual violence in conflict said in a new report yesterday, that there are “reasonable grounds” to believe Hamas committed rape, “sexualized torture,” and other cruel and inhumane treatment of women during its surprise attack in southern Israel on October 7.

UNITED NATIONS

Associated Press

THE UN envoy focusing on sexual violence in conflict said in a new report Monday that there are “reasonable grounds” to believe Hamas committed rape, “sexualised torture,” and other cruel and inhumane treatment of women during its surprise attack in southern Israel on October 7. There are also “reasonable grounds to believe that such violence may be ongoing,” said Pramila Patten, who visited Israel and the West Bank from January 29 to February 14 with a nine-member team. In the report, she said the team “found clear and convincing information” that some hostages have been subjected to the same forms of conflict-related sexual violence including rape and “sexualised torture.”

The report comes nearly five months after the October 7 attacks, which left about 1,200 people dead and some 250 others taken hostage. Israel’s war against Hamas has since laid waste to the Gaza Strip, killing more than 30,000 people, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The UN says a quarter of Gaza’s 2.3 million people face starvation.

Hamas has rejected earlier allegations that its fighters committed sexual assault.

Patten’s report said the team’s visit “was neither intended nor mandated to be investigative in nature.” She said the team was not able to meet with any victims of sexual violence “despite concerted efforts to encourage them to come forward.” However, team members held 33 meetings with Israeli institutions and conducted interviews with 34 people including survivors and witnesses of the October 7 attacks, released hostages, health providers and others.

Based on the information it gathered, Patten said, “there are reasonable grounds to believe that conflict-related sexual violence occurred during the 7 October attacks in multiple locations across Gaza periphery, including rape and gang rape, in at least three locations.”

Across various locations, she said, the team found “that several fully naked or partially naked bodies from the waist down were recovered – mostly women – with hands tied and shot multiple times, often in the head.”

While this is circumstantial, she said the pattern of undressing and restraining victims “may be indicative of some forms of sexual violence.”

At the Nova music festival and its surroundings, Patten said, “there are reasonable grounds to believe

that multiple incidents of sexual violence took place with victims being subjected to rape and/or gang rape and then killed or killed while being raped.”

On Road 232 — the road to leave the festival — “credible information based on witness accounts describe an incident of the rape of two women by armed elements,” Patten said. Other reported rapes couldn’t be verified during their time in Israel.

But she said “the mission team also found a pattern of bound naked or partially naked bodies from the waist down, in some cases tied to structures including trees and poles, along Road 232.”

Patten said that in kibbutz Reim, the mission team verified the rape of a woman outside a bomb shelter and heard of other allegations of rape that could not yet be verified.

At Kibbutz Be’eri, Patten said, her team “was able to determine that at least two allegations of sexual violence widely repeated in the media, were unfounded due to either new superseding information or inconsistency in the facts gathered.”

These included a highly publicized allegation that a pregnant woman’s womb was reportedly ripped open before being killed with her fetus stabbed inside her, Patten said.

SOLDIERS guard the entrance of the international airport in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, yesterday. Authorities ordered a

state of emergency starting Sunday night following violence in which armed gang members overran the two biggest prisons and freed thousands of inmates over the weekend. Photo: Odelyn Joseph/AP

THE SITE of a music festival near the border with

envoy focusing

Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg/AP

GOLDEN MOMENT

Devynne Charlton sets new world record in the 60 metre hurdles - wins the gold

DEVYNNE CHARLTON, of The Bahamas, won the gold medal in the women’s 60 metres hurdles final during the World Athletics Indoor Championships at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, Scotland, on Sunday, March 3, 2024. Shining brightly in another perfect race from start to finish, Charlton separated herself from the rest of the field as she powered over the five flights of hurdles in 7.65 seconds to shatter the previous mark of 7.67 that she established on February 11 at the Millrose Games in New York. Defending champion Cyrena Samba-Mayela of France emerged with the silver in 7.74 and Pia Skrzyszowska of Poland claimed the bronze in 7.79.

Kacy Lyn Smith ‘powers up’ in the junior jumping ranks

KACY Lyn Smith continues to power up through the junior jumping ranks on her way to her ultimate goal - a return to the FEI North American Youth Jumping Championships, representing The Bahamas.

Aboard her new horse D’Angelo 6, the pair were spectacular indeed during two weeks of competition at the World Equestrian Center Winter Spectacular in Ocala, Florida, turning in their most impressive performances to date.

Last year Kacy and her former mount, Chicago M, were just days away from the FEI Championships when a technicality derailed their entry and she was forced to withdraw.

On the heels of that tremendous disappointment, finding D’Angelo 6 – a 14-year old Oldenburg gelding Kacy affectionately calls ‘Angel’ - was a blessing and a whole new learning experience. Imported from Germany this past October, Angel comes with speed and strength and experience of big classes – just what Kacy needed to help her achieve her goals. So together with

her parents and her trainer Kama Godek, Kacy laid out a detailed training plan.

In January she and ‘Angel’ began finding their footing in the show ring in Low Junior classes - well down from the High Junior classes that Kacy had been excelling in all last summer.

“He is so powerful to jump,” she explained. “[At first] he was a bit hard for me to control.”

Competing steadily through the winter, the pair began to click and rise through the ranks.

“We had some miscommunications,” admitted Kacy. “He’s such a saint. I had a lot of homework to do.”

The homework has begun to pay off. In Week VIII of the Ocala Winter Spectacular Kacy and D’Angelo 6 dominated the 1.30-1.35m (Medium Juniors) Jumper Division by winning the Speed class on Friday, posting a double clear to win the two-phase competition on Saturday, and then continuing the sweep of clear rounds with another double clear to place 6th of 39 starters in the $5000 1.35m Jumper

Classic. In the end their consistency earned a division-high 21 points and champion honours. That success carried through to Week IX, when for the first time in nearly a year, Kacy found herself back in familiar territory –in the 1.40m High Juniors – and in the ribbons, taking 6th place.

The pair finished the week strongly, nearly going clear in the last round but with one fence down for four faults.

“Totally my fault,” admitted Kacy, praising her horse for his efforts. “Angel makes it so easy! I’m really proud of how fast I’ve gotten back into the Highs!”

Now that she and Angel are back on the international competition track, Kacy is looking forward to enjoying a week off.

After getting some rest, she plans to represent The Bahamas in the CSI1* Show Jumping event at The Live Oak International Horse Show in Ocala, Florida, in March.

SAC GRADUATING CLASS OF 1968 MAKE DONATION TO THE BIG RED MACHINE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT

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The jury, however, is still out on whether or not the fundraiser reached its projected target for the summer school for the students at a cost of about $800 per student, but as time goes on, McKinney said they will help to get more students from the government schools involved in the sport.

“The fundraising is about 75 per cent there, but we’re hoping to get some more,” McKinney said. “Money isn’t going to disappear. This is something we can spread out over the years. So we will have so many kids for the summer and just continue doing it every year.”

This year’s event, according to Ana Wassitsch, was a memorable one. Having been a part of the committee that was working on the whole expedition since November, said the journey was a lot slower than anticipated.

“If you go too fast, you get physically exhausted, but if you go too slow, your mind is thinking too much,” said Wassitsch, who was a part of the crew on another boat that accompanied McKinney.

“So we were trying to find a medium in there that is ideal for the sailor. So it was a little bit less than we expected. At some point, I wouldn’t say he was tired, but you see that it was very tiring. But the wind picked

up, so we had to talk to him throughout the entire process.”

Once Montagu was in sight, Wassitsch said they had to encourage McKinney to hold on for the final stretch.

Among the other members of the crew that made the trek with McKinney were Peter Wassitsch, Kecia Francis, Andrew Higgs and Nico Maritz. Already, plans are in the works for an encore next year but, in the meantime, McKinney said he’s looking forward to sailing in an event next month before he prepares for the World Championships in France in September in a three-man keel boat as he attempts to get back on the podium. But after

Akani was the only one in his family who took it to the professional level due to his discipline and hard work. His daily routine involves going to bed at about 10pm – quite late for an elite athlete – but one thing he’s super strict about is nutrition.

“Eating home-cooked meals so that my body is 100 per cent. I need to make sure that I’m a lean running machine.”

His competition schedule keeps him on the road quite a bit, and Jamaica, London, and Zurich have been his favourite places to compete so far. In his downtime, he enjoys playing golf, watching movies and listening to a lot of old-school hip-hop and “Amapiano,” a newage music genre specific to South Africa.

Running on Sunshine

His career highlight was breaking the South African 100m national record back in July 2021 at 9.84 seconds. “Our country had never had a sprinter make the finals and rank among the top in the world. Being able to do that and inspire the next generation has been really rewarding,” he said.

Conversely, his biggest challenge so far was a tragic false start in Budapest last year. Nevertheless, he emphasized the importance of staying positive and persevering.

“It was terrible for me and the team. Something I don’t usually do. It was an unusual feeling and hard to keep positive. I had to coach myself, I’m going to Paris! I’m going to be on the podium!

“If you’re going to continue in this sport, you must pick yourself up from these hits. You can train all you want, but if your headspace isn’t there, you’re not going to make it.”

At the end of the day, Akani is all action and inspiration. He gives off a contagious “Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish” attitude that would make even Steve Jobs proud.

In a recent article, Akani proclaimed that he wanted to be the fastest man in the world.

“I think this is the year that I’ll take home a medal. I’ve been to all the finals since 2016. Everything is aligning.”

His advice to young up-and-coming athletes chasing their Olympic dreams is to never give up.

“Keep pushing and training. Don’t give up on that dream. You’ve been given a talent, but that alone won’t get you there. You need to put the work in to achieve that dream.”

annual elite training camp June 24 to July 13 each day from 9am to noon.

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Sports Complex. The entry fee will be $10 for adults and $5 for children. For more information, persons are asked to contact 242-727-6826 or fasttrackmanagamentoo@gmail.com

RED-LINE YOUTH

TRACK CLASSIC

THE Red-Line Athletics Track Club’s third annual Red-Line Youth Track Classic is set for 9am to 5pm May 25-26 at the original Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium. The entry deadline is May 15 with a fee of $19 per athlete and $10 per relay team.

CHESS CARICOM CLASSIC

THE Bahamas Chess Federation announced that Avian Pride, Dr. Joseph Ferguson, Polina Karelina and Chika Pride will represent BCF and The Bahamas at the 2024 CARICOM Classic Inaugural Team Chess Tournament. The event, hosted by the Guyana Chess Federation, is scheduled for March 3-10.

BASKETBALL NEX-GEN CAMP

THE Nex-Gen Camp is scheduled to be held at the Teleos Basketball Gymnasium on Carmichael Road. Space is limited so persons are asked to book their reservations as soon as possible.

JRC Basketball Academy will stage the third

BAAA AWARDS POSTPONED THE Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations has announced that the awards banquet has been postponed until the weekend when the BAAA hosts its Senior National Championships. Details will be forthcoming from the committee.

TRACK CARIFTA QUALIFICATIONS THE Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations has announced the following resolutions for its final CARIFTA Games trials for selection to Team Bahamas to compete in Grenada over the Easter holiday weekend:

1. If there are two or more qualifiers in the 100m or 400m, athletes will be added to complement a relay team.

2. If an athlete qualifies in college but cannot make it to the trials, and we have a total of three qualifiers in that event, the two highest marks will be accepted.

KACY and Angel 1.40m smile in High Juniors.

DONATION: Members of the St Augustine’s College graduating class of 1968 made a donation to the Big Red Machine Athletic Department. The donation of $2,500 was made last week to assist in the development of the weight room at St Augustine’s College. Once completed, the weight room is claimed to be the only one of its kind in any of the schools in New Providence.

completing the race from Exuma to Nassau, McKinney said he will take a hot

shower and reflect on the completion of his daring journey yesterday.

GAVIN McKinney coming off the boat.

GAVIN McKinney flanked by supporters on his return home.

Team Bahamas shines

KEN MULLINGS: ‘I WAS HAPPY WITH MY PERFORMANCE’

knees. The hurdles was a good race and I matched my PB again. But then came the crazy pole vault where I just let it get away from me.”

Mullings said he and his coach Petro Kyprianou had calculated that if they had garnered sufficient points in the first six events, he could have escaped with whatever time he posted in the 1,000m, which was his weakest event.

“But the pole vault was the key factor for me. I just don’t know what happened,” he said. “But big shout out to the men who finished ahead of me. They executed it and got the job done.

“The competition was there. I did my best. Unfortunately I didn’t get a medal.

But I’m not disappointed or mad. I was disappointed in some events, but overall, I was happy with my performance.”

Fourth place in the world is not bad, but certainly

getting a medal would have been the icing on the cake for Mullings. “Fourth place ain’t the best place you want to be at in the Olympic Games or the World Championships, but it feels a little better than doing it at Pan Am,” recalled Mullings, who also missed the opportunity to medal at the latter games in Chile. Despite falling short of his goal, Mullings said he will cherish the experience in Glasgow. “The welcome committee was very helpful, all the people they had on staff did a very good job, the food was great and the crowd was amazing,” he pointed out. “Other than the World Championships in Oregon, this crowd was pretty hype for an indoor meet.

“They were really loud as they gave us the support to go out there and do some big things.” With the indoor season over and done with,

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Mullings said his focus of attention has shifted to outdoors and the quest to get to the Olympics in Paris, France, in August.

“My confidence has really blown through the roof. I feel like I’m a competitor now on the world level and I can go out there and compete with the best in the world and now just make up the numbers,” he quipped.

“I feel like I’ve put myself out there to let them know that this isn’t a walk in the park now. I am ready to compete with anybody anywhere right now.”

Unlike the indoors where they only compete in seven events in the heptathlon, the outdoors is 10 events, which include the 400m and the 1,500m - two events that Mullings tends to struggle in. “You also don’t have the extra hours that you compete in, so the hep(tathlon) is much easier,” Mullings noted.

“For me, most of my stronger events are in the

hep, but the way I’ve been training, it was mainly for the decathlon.

“I just happened to improve enough to make it indoors. But my whole goal is to get ready for the outdoors. So that is why with my performances indoors, it really tells me that I could look for some big things to happen outdoors.”

After taking a short break to relax and recuperate, Mullings will be back

BLTA FIELDS TWO MORE TEAMS FOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION

in action from April 14-15 when he opens his outdoor season in the decathlon at the Mt SAC Relays. While he was a little disappointed when his fourth-place finish flashed on the screen, Mullings said he was a little more rejuvenated when he watched as Devynne Charlton eclipsed the women’s 60m hurdles for another world record.

“She ran right after I passed the finish line in

the 1,000m, so that kind of cheered me up,” he said. “I think that’s why I’m so happy now because she wiped that bad taste out of my mouth.”

Mullings and Charlton were a part of a six-member team that represented The Bahamas at the championships over the weekend.

Charlton’s gold pushed The Bahamas to a sevenway tie for ninth in the medal standings.

SIMON EHAMMER, of Switzerland, and Ken Mullings, of The Bahamas, compete in the Heptathlon 60 metres during the World Athletics Indoor Championships on Saturday, March 2. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

ANTHONIQUE STRACHAN, of The Bahamas, Geraldine Frey, of Switzerland, and Vitoria Cristina Rosa, of Brazil, compete in a women’s 60 metres heat during the World Athletics Indoor Championships at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, Scotland, on Saturday.

(AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

ANTHONIQUE STRACHAN, of The Bahamas, Geraldine Frey, of Switzerland, Vitoria Cristina Rosa, of Brazil, Maria Isabel Perez, of Spain, and Anais Valentina Hernandez Alegria, of Chile, stop against the crash pad after a 60m heat Saturday. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

SIMON EHAMMER, of Switzerland, and Ken Mullings, of The Bahamas, compete in the Heptathlon 60 metres hurdles on Sunday. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

COACH Marion Bain with players Caitlyn Pratt, Briana Houlgrave and Kaylah Fox.

COACH Ricardo Demeritte is pictured with the boys’ team of Synaj Watkins, Dylan Sykes and Patrick Mactaggart.

SPORTS

Mullings: ‘I was happy with my performance’

By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

Ken Mullings will probably not forget his golden opportunity to get on the podium at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow, Scotland, on Sunday.

Coming into the sevenevent competition at the Emirates Stadium as the top qualifier, Mullings led the 10-man field through to the pole vault. He had a disappointing ninth place finish that dropped him to second.

But although he tried to salvage what was left in the 1,000 metres, a personal best run for ninth place was only good enough to put him in fourth place in the standings, trailing the bronze medallist by just two points.

Finishing with 6,242 points for $8,000, Mullings watched as Simon Ehammer captured the gold with 6,418, Sander Skotheim of Norway got the silver with 6,407 and the bronze went to Johannes Erm of Estonia with 6,340.

“I can’t even complain.

I started off matching my PB and I went into the long jump and did a big PB and that gave me a

lot of confidence,” Mullings said. “It went into the shot put and even though it was horrible, it wasn’t

detrimental to my overall position.

“In the high jump, I had a tremendous jump, I am

still excited about that. Big shout out to our physiotherapist Nick Morley. He was able to work on

my knees. I felt like I was jumping on my 17-year-old

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Minister Bowleg congratulates Devynne Charlton

MINISTER of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg congratulated Devynne Charlton on her second record breaking performance and gold medal feat at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow, Scotland on Sunday. Her impressive time of 7.65 seconds pushed the Bahamas in a seven-way tie for ninth place on the medal chart, which was top from the Caribbean, although the USA led

the field with 20 medals, including six gold, nine silver and five bronze.

“This remarkable achievement places her in a league of her own, proving that she is truly the world’s best in this electrifying event,” Bowleg said. “Team Bahamas’ success extends beyond gold medals.”

Ken Mullings, according to Bowleg, displayed exceptional athleticism in the heptathlon, securing a personal best and a new

national record with his fourth-place finish. Charisma Taylor showcased her talent with a sixth-place finish in the women’s triple jump.

In addition, Donald Thomas and LaQuan Nairn displayed their skills in the high jump and long jump events with markings of 2.15m and 7.59m respectively. Anthonique Strachan competed in the women’s 60m event, finishing eighth in the semi-final round.

HUNGRY FOR A MEDAL

Author:

THE 30-year-old South African sprinter Akani Simbine is hungry for several things. One of them is “Braai,” his favourite dish and a key part of South African culture. Cooking a spiced roast with sides over an open fire is one thing that consistently brings South Africans together. More than food, however, he is hungry for a medal, and he will have another chance to make South Africa shine if he qualifies for the Olympics at the World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24 in Nassau May 4-5.

He has had several close calls, but a medal still eludes him. In August 2021, he barely missed winning an Olympic medal in Tokyo when he finished fourth in the 100m in 9.93 seconds. Four years prior, he came in fifth in the 100m at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio.

Akani specializes in the 100m and 200m, and this

May he will join three of his top compatriots in the 4x 100m relay in The Bahamas. “I want South Africa to win. We’ve had the worst luck when it comes to relays. We either don’t make the zone or drop it. It’s been very frustrating. Today, the South African relay team is well-trained and determined. However,

he admits that keeping a “team” feeling is difficult sometimes because “everyone is used to competing as individuals.”

The World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24 competition this May will be his first time visiting The Bahamas, but will his busy schedule allow any beach time?

Akani knows Bahamian sprinting legends Shaunae Miller-Uibo and Steven Gardiner quite well as they see each other often on the circuit. “Shaunae speaks highly of The Bahamas and the beach looks amazing, so I hope I get to see it,” he says.

The Road to Paradise As a child, Akani was always very athletic, splitting his time between soccer, cricket and rugby. He originally dreamed of becoming a soccer player but this changed at the age of 18 when he began running and broke some records.

He acquired his athletic talent from his mother, but

Bowleg noted that the entire nation overflows with pride for the accomplishments by this six-member team.

“We celebrate Charlton’s record-breaking feat, the resilience and determination of all our athletes, and their unwavering spirit in representing The Bahamas on the world stage,” Bowleg said.

“They have shown the world that our small nation packs a powerful punch. The aquamarine, black

and gold proudly flies high in recognition of your achievements.”

Bowleg congratulated Team Bahamas, the coaches, the federation and everyone who contributed to the incredible performance.

“The journey continues, and we stand with you, united, as you pave the road to Paris with gold and world records in your sights,” he said.

“We salute you. 242 to the world.”

THE SPORTS CALENDAR

By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor

GAVIN McKinney was hoping for much better conditions, but he still managed to complete his daring fundraising sail from Exuma to Nassau in a 14-foot Laser boat in just over eight hours yesterday.

“The weather forecast was for light winds, but unfortunately, it got lighter,” McKinney said on his arrival in Montagu Bay shortly after 3pm from the journey that started about 7:20am.

“We had about three hours where it was very slow and frustrating. We were struggling to do five knots. We should have been doing about 7-8 knots, so it took a little longer. It was a little frustrating, but we got here.”

After composing on this journey to raise $70,000 for the Bahamas Sailing Association’s youth programme, the 70-year-old McKinney said they were contemplating when it was the best time and, while they went out yesterday, he felt today would have been better.

“Mother nature doesn’t play by the rules. We thought today would be okay, but it just dropped out and made it more difficult,” McKinney said. “But tomorrow (today) looks better, so maybe we might just go back out.”

With the mission complete, McKinney said he doesn’t have to talk about it anymore. He remembers sitting down at the Nassau Yacht Club with a few of his friends when the idea was birthed over a few beers.

“We can probably have something to come in a few years where we have a race or more people sailing together to build it up and get more people involved. That is my goal,” stated McKinney.

and Field Classic on Saturday, March 16 at the original Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium.

by the Shift Lady Eagles against the Lady Defenders.

6pm on Saturday, March 9 at the William Thompson Auditorium, Jean Street.

At the meeting, plans will be revealed for the staging of the tournament April 24-27. All churches interested in participating are urged to have at least two members present.

SPARTANS TRACK CLASSIC

THE Noble Preparatory Academy Spartans will hold their annual Track

The event will run from 9am to 2pm. The registration fee is $15 per athlete. The entry fee will be $15 for adults in the VIP stand and $8 for children. The general admission will be $10 for adults and $6 for children.

RED-LINE Field Classic

THE Red-Line Athletics Track Club will hold its Field Events Classic on Saturday, May 18 at the original Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium. The event, designed for competitors in categories of under-13 to open, will run from 10am to 8pm.

FAST TRACK INVITATIONAL

FAST Track Athletics announced that its third annual Spring Invitational will take place over the weekend of May 10 and May 11 at the Grand Bahama

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KEN MULLINGS, of The Bahamas, and Makenson Gletty, of France, compete in the Heptathlon 60 metres hurdles on Sunday.

(AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

AKANI SIMBINE