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YET MORE FAILURES OVER DISCLOSURES
This time mould is blamed for delay on declarations
By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter
kcampbell@tribunemedia.net
THE Public Disclosures
Committee chairman said office inaccessibility and facility issues, including mould, have slowed the processing of this year’s public disclosures of public officials.
“We’ve had some setbacks,” said Bishop Victor Cooper, four days after the deadline passed for public officials to declare their assets, liabilities and income.
“We’ve got a situation where the office is unable to operate as it should. That slows down the process because we don’t have
GLOVER- ROLLE SILENT ON WHO GAVE SUPPORT FOR PAY CHANGE
By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter
jrussell@tribunemedia.net
PUBLIC Service Minister Pia Glover-Rolle said the administration has met with stakeholder groups that support bi-monthly pay for public servants –– but government officials have not identified the groups. Meanwhile, Bahamas
Union of Teachers (BUT) president Belinda Wilson, who strongly opposes bimonthly payments, told The Tribune she met with Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis yesterday and he presented a solution favourable to her union.
“I anticipate that Minister Pia Glover-Rolle will be
By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net
A TOP defence attorney was cautioned in court yesterday after he threatened to slap Water and Sewerage
By EARYEL BOWLEG
Tribune
Staff Reporter
ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
TWO people were killed in separate traffic accidents, bringing the country’s road fatality count for the year to 11. In the second incident, Chief Superintendent Sybrina Porter, head of SEE PAGE F IVE
Corporation (WSC) General Manager Robert Deal during cross-examination in the ongoing trial of Long Island MP Adrian Gibson and others.
Geoffrey Farquharson, one of Mr Gibson’s
attorneys, apologised to Mr Deal after the outburst, which occurred while questioning him about his involvement in the WSC’s tank painting project.
THE SCENE of a traffic accident that left a man dead on Prince Charles Drive yesterday.
Photo: Dante Carrer/Tribune Staff
FORMER Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham at the funeral of his daughter Kelli Ingraham yesterday. See PAGE 12 for more.
Photo: Chappell Whyms Jr
St Francis and Joseph Senior Day
MINISTER of Education Glenys Hanna Martin and other officials addressed students at St Francis & Joseph Catholic Primary School during Senior’s Day yesterday, encouraging them to embrace learning and future opportunities.
Photos: Dante Carrer/Tribune Staff
Yet more failures over disclosures
from page one
access to our facility.”
He said he couldn’t say who failed to declare and was unsure when the office issues would be fixed.
The US Department of State, in its 2024 Investment Climate Statement on The Bahamas, highlighted the country’s failure to release public disclosure reports for over a decade. The report noted that the Public Disclosures Committee has not published required reports for 13 years, with the last one issued in 2011 covering financial declarations only up to 2008.
It also criticised delays in fully enacting anticorruption laws and accused some Bahamian officials of showing a “complete disregard” for compliance with the Public Disclosure Act.
The law requires senators, members of parliament and senior public officials to declare their assets, income, and liabilities annually.
Bishop Cooper has previously downplayed the committee’s role in publishing disclosures, stating that while it completes reports, it does not have the authority to publish them in the Gazette, suggesting that responsibility lies with the prime minister and the opposition. However, the Public Disclosure Act clearly states that the committee itself is required to publish a summary of declarations once reviewed.
The law also mandates that the committee report non-compliance to the prime minister and the opposition leader, who can escalate the matter to Parliament, the attorney general, or law enforcement.
While Bishop Cooper revealed last year that 90 percent of parliamentarians had met the March 1, 2024, disclosure deadline, he acknowledged that several senators and senior public officials had failed to comply. Officials never disclosed who had failed to declare.
Under the law, non-compliance can result in fines of up to $10,000 or two years in prison.
Glover-Rolle silent on who gave support for pay change
from page one
advised by the Prime Minister soonest,” she said.
“The decision is favourable to the members of the Bahamas Union of Teachers. I consider this matter resolved.”
Mrs Glover-Rolle has said the Ministry of Finance has been meeting with stakeholders about the proposed change to bi-monthly payments.
However, Mrs Wilson said neither she nor Bahamas Public Services Union (BPSU) president Kimsley Ferguson has met with the ministry.
She said a survey last year showed that 83 percent of BUT members want to keep their
monthly salary payments. In January, Mrs GloverRolle announced that the Ministry of Finance had launched a survey to gather public servants’ opinions on the proposed shift to bi-monthly pay. Initially, the plan was to implement the change in early 2025, but the timeline was extended for further consultations after union leaders raised concerns. When asked for an update on the survey, Mrs Glover-Rolle told The Tribune last week that the Ministry of Finance was training technical staff across the service. She said once that was completed, meetings with stakeholders would
resume.
“The final decision regarding semi-monthly payments will be made subsequent to stakeholder meetings,” Mrs GloverRolle said.
“The decision will emerge based on those final meetings, but all stakeholder meetings to date have been positive in favour of the semimonthly payments.”
She declined to elaborate on the stakeholder meetings, referring The Tribune to the Ministry of Finance. However, Office of the Prime Minister Director of Communications Latrae Rahming did not respond with additional information before press time.
Two killed in traffic accidents
the Traffic Division, said police received a report of a crash on Prince Charles Drive, near the Seventhday Adventist Church, shortly before 7pm.
Officers arrived to find a white Toyota had crashed into a lamp pole.
CSP Porter said speed may have been a factor in the accident.
As a result of the crash, streetlights in the area were out, CSP Porter confirmed.
In the first incident, a woman died in Pinewood Gardens after two vehicles collided and crashed into a wall.
CSP Porter said police received reports of the crash shortly before 3
The jaws of life had to be used to free the lone male driver, who was trapped inside the vehicle. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) responded and pronounced him dead at the scene.
pm. It occurred at the intersection of Sapodilla Boulevard and Thatch Palm Avenue and involved a black Toyota Mark X and a black Nissan Cube.
According to police, the Toyota Mark X was heading east on Sapodilla Boulevard while the Nissan Cube was travelling north on Thatch Palm Avenue. The vehicles collided at the intersection before crashing into a wall, sustaining extensive
damage.
“The black Nissan Cube, which was driven by a female, collided into the wall, and she was ejected from the driver’s seat to the passenger side, where she was partially outside the vehicle,” CSP Porter said.
EMS responded and pronounced the woman dead at the scene. The driver of the Toyota Mark X sustained minor injuries and was taken to the hospital for treatment.
PUBLIC DISCLOSURE COMMISSION CHAIRMAN BISHOP VICTOR COOPER
PUBLIC SERVICE MINISTER PIA GLOVER-ROLLE
THE SCENE on Sapodilla Blvd off East Street South where a woman was killed in a traffic accident yesterday. Photo: Dante Carrer/Tribune Staff
Rights committee ‘needs to tackle police brutality and labour violations’
By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
HUMAN Rights Baha-
mas wants members of the Parliamentary Human Rights Committee (PHRC) to tackle police brutality, arbitrary detentions, and inhumane prison conditions.
The organisation released a statement yesterday after the government said the committee had its first session on February 27, nearly two years after Parliament approved its formation.
“We encourage its members to work expeditiously and meaningfully to address the many serious human rights challenges that continue to face the Bahamian public,” Human Rights Bahamas said.
“These include violations of labour and workplace rights; police brutality; arbitrary arrests and detentions; and inhumane prison conditions, among others. We look forward to working closely with this committee to improve the lives of Bahamians and residents in line with the rights and protections enshrined in the Constitution.”
The resolution to establish the committee was passed on April 26, 2023.
St Anne’s MP Adrian White, a committee member, outlined two key objectives: facilitating
dialogue with human rights entities and addressing necessary legislative amendments.
He shared his priorities with The Tribune, noting that the committee would focus on: “First, minors who can’t defend themselves; second, adults who need additional assistance, such as individuals with disabilities or victims of domestic violence or discrimination; third, non-citizens; and fourth, incarcerated individuals.”
Senator Michela Barnett-Ellis, deputy chair of the committee, stressed the need to review the implementation of existing human rights laws and ensure government agencies’ policies align with these regulations.
“We also need to address our international obligations, as we’ve signed various treaties. It’s essential we implement what’s necessary to meet these commitments,” she said.
“There’s a lot to be done simultaneously. We need to ensure our existing laws are being properly implemented and achieving their goals, while also fulfilling our international human rights obligations.”
Senator Erecia HepburnForbes, another PHRC member, confirmed a meeting would take place this week.
NO BAHAMIA NS REPORTED AS DETAINED BY US IMMIGRATIONS, SAYS A MB ASSADOR JONES
By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net
NO Bahamians have been reported as detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) since the United States intensified enforcement efforts, according to Ambassador to the United States Wendell Jones.
Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, and Maryland.
of over 1.4m people from various countries facing deportation.
In a social media statement last month, officials gave an assurance that the embassy would help Bahamians residing in or travelling to Washington DC, Minnesota, Iowa, Michigan, Wisconsin,
As of November 2024, 426 Bahamian citizens were under final orders of removal, according to an ICE report. The Bahamians, who were not detained up to that point, are part of a broader list
In recent months, the Trump administration has intensified immigration enforcement, increasing arrests and expanding deportation efforts. This includes using military planes for removal flights and threatening diplomatic repercussions for countries that refuse to accept deportees.
The embassy urged anyone with a loved one detained by ICE to immediately contact the Embassy Consular Annex of The Bahamas for consular assistance.
When contacted by The Tribune Ambassador Jones said he had received no reports of Bahamians being detained.
“We just wanted Bahamians to be aware that they are able to get
assistance and information from the embassy or the consulate offices just in case they are detained or they experience any difficulty,” he said. “This is just for guidance for people who might be anxious or would have some questions.” Ambassador Jones added that so far, no Bahamians had reached out to the embassy with concerns.
ST ANNE’S MP ADRIAN WHITE
SENATOR MICHELA B ARNETT-ELLIS
GBPA chief doubts over govt plans for Afro-Caribbean marketplace
By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
A GRAND Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) executive doubts the Davis administration has a business plan for the Afro-Caribbean Marketplace project, which it has described as a “gamechanging development” for Freeport’s International Bazaar.
Ian Rolle, president of the GBPA, said the government has yet to submit a plan for review. He also responded to Grand Bahama Minister Ginger Moxey’s claim during the recent Grand Bahama Business Outlook that while purchase agreements had been finalised with Bazaar property owners and the government is ready to proceed, the GBPA cited longoutstanding receivables from property owners as
an issue, causing a slight delay. “I don’t think it is holding it up,” Mr Rolle said yesterday. “I think we made it known that we are willing to work with the government.”
He said: “There is no financial business plan, and in every business deal, you must have a financial plan. You must have a business plan to determine if a deal is feasible. We have not seen that, and I don’t think one exists. So, once we see a feasible plan, we are willing to do our part to facilitate anything that will bring new life into the International Bazaar area.”
The International Bazaar has deteriorated significantly since the closure of the Royal Oasis Resort in 2004 due to severe hurricane damage. The area has suffered several fires and has become an eyesore. The Davis administration
has said it has signed a $1.8m Project Preparation Facility agreement with Afreximbank to establish the Afro-Caribbean Marketplace and Logistics Center. The development would feature exhibition pavilions representing 54 African countries, 20 Caribbean nations, and 16 islands of The Bahamas and will facilitate the trade of authentic Caribbean and African goods.
Ms Moxey has said the project aims to resolve longstanding issues, including reopening the West Sunrise Highway and redeveloping the defunct Princess Tower and Casino and the International Bazaar properties, which the government is purchasing.
She said the initiative is expected to stimulate economic activity in Freeport and serve as a logistics hub for trade and product distribution.
Port Authority renames streets in honour of three veteran educators in Grand Bahama
By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter
THE Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) has renamed streets in honour of three veteran educators in Grand Bahama who made significant contributions to education and the development of young people.
An official unveiling ceremony was held on Tuesday. The first renaming was held at Coral Road, near the Grand Bahama Sports Complex, which is now Gladstone ‘Moon’ McPhee Drive.
The second was at Beach Way Drive, near Bishop Michael Eldon School, now renamed Anita Doherty Drive. The third, East Atlantic Drive near the Pro-Cathedral of Christ the King, has been renamed Cecil Thompson Drive.
Ian Rolle, President of the Grand Bahama Port Authority, said the initiative is part of a broader effort to recognise people who have left a lasting impact on Freeport.
“One of the initiatives we had a few years ago was to rename a few of these streets,” he said. “And this year, in particular, is very important to the City of Freeport because we are celebrating 70 years
of the Hawksbill Creek Agreement. We saw it very fitting to start the renaming process that we envisioned a few years ago this particular year. A number of these individuals were chosen because they are nation builders. A nd what we are trying to achieve at the GBPA is to ensure that the ordinary man who has contributed to the building of this city have their names etched in stone — or signs. Today is just the start of a process where we will rename several streets in honour of people who truly made a difference in this city.”
Mr Rolle explained that a committee had chosen a few names and they then went out to the public, originally looking for one name. However, because the voting was so overwhelming for the three people they decided to honour all three.
He said that they felt it was important to invite students to witness the street renaming.
“It is particularly important that people recognise the contributions of teachers. It is not all about lawyers, accountants, and politicians. The true heroes are people in the classroom — community builders, coaches,
and mentors who dedicate their private time to developing young people on Saturdays and after school. These are the true heroes of The Bahamas, not just Freeport, and they deserve to be honoured.”
Gladstone ‘Moon’ McPhee was also presented commemorative plaque and flowers. He expressed his gratitude for the recognition.
“I am happy that the Grand Bahama Port Authority thinks so much of what I have done, so I am extremely happy,” he said.
His street renaming took place near the Grand Bahama Sports Complex, where he played a significant role. Mr McPhee, known for his lifelong dedication to education and athletics, spent many years shaping young minds at the Grand Bahama Catholic High School.
The late Anita Doherty taught at Bishop Michael Eldon for many years and passed away in March 2022. Her son, John Jr, and wife, Tara, were present and accepted the plaque on her behalf.
Wayne Smith, a close colleague of Ms Doherty, described the recognition as well deserved.
“It is a well-deserving
Woodside named CIBC Caribbean’s Director of Corporate Banking
NEDRA Woodside has consistently demonstrated her expertise in credit underwriting, portfolio management, and corporate banking for over 25 years.
Today, her mastery of complex financial structures and client relationships has propelled her to being named CIBC Caribbean’s new Director of Corporate Banking.
Starting her journey in entry-level positions, Nedra has consistently demonstrated an exceptional ability to rise through the ranks. In her most recent role as Associate Director of Credit Underwriting and Portfolio Management, Nedra led a team of managers and officers across The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands, driving performance and operational efficiency.
In 2023 alone, Nedra not only exceeded her personal annual sales target by 28%, achieving $28.3 million, but also played a crucial role in helping the bank’s Bahamas unit surpass its overall sales target by reaching $136 million. Her latest promotion is a reflection of her dedication and the tangible impact she has had on CIBC Caribbean’s growth and success.
Nedra’s new director role will see her continuing to influence the strategic direction of corporate banking at CIBC Caribbean. She will drive innovation and growth and further cement the bank’s commitment to excellence as a regional powerhouse in the financial services industry. Nedra’s accolades, including multiple FirstStars awards and CEO recognitions, underscore her exceptional leadership and commitment. Nedra’s promotion is not just a recognition of her stellar track record but also a reflection of her deep commitment to CIBC Caribbean clients and team.
honour for Ms Doherty. She has been a pillar in this community,” he said.
Mr Smith said Ms Doherty initially taught at Hawksbill High and later at Freeport High. He said she was an excellent educator and contributor to both the school and the community.
He said Doherty began her teaching career in Nassau, making an impact in New Providence as well.
Cecil Thompson called the recognition a humbling experience. Mr Thompson was a teacher
and principal before he was elevated to various ranks in the Ministry of Education, including District Superintendent and Deputy Director.
“It is a tremendous honour and a humbling experience. Over the course of my teaching career, I have received hundreds of honors, but never before has a street been named after me.
And so, I am most grateful to Sarah St George, chairman of the GB Port Authority, and her executives for considering someone like me from
Andros worthy of being called one of the icons of the city.”
“I can’t find the words to describe it because most people who receive such honours are unaware of it — they are honoured after they have passed. But Gladstone ‘Moon’ McPhee and I have that rare distinction. He is a legendary coach, and the late Anita Doherty — who was celebrated in her lifetime — did not live to see a street named in her honour. Having students at the ceremony made it even more special to me.”
GRAND BAHAMA PORT AUTHORITY PRESIDENT IAN ROLLE
NEDRA WOODSIDE
The Tribune Limited
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PICTURE OF THE DAY
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What is the point of declarations if law not enforced?
LET us look at a story of contrasts.
Last week, Defence Force Commodore Raymond King spoke with integrity when he said that the leaders of the force – particularly those involved in logisitics, maintenance and procurement – ought to be required to disclose their finances.
This comes at a time when we have seen allegations of corruption in a number of cases, some already before the courts – including a major US indictment in which both police officers and a defence force officer were named.
The commodore recommended the proposal to the government, saying that legislation is needed.
It is the right thing – even though he did not have to put such a suggestion forward. He could have gone on just doing things the way they have been done, but he felt it was important.
He said it could help identify unusual financial transactions linked to service members and their bank accounts. In short, it could help prevent payoffs and kickbacks.
We applaud him for his determination to keep the force clean.
Disclosures, after all, are important. Or are they? You would not know they were important to see the way that the public disclosures required of parliamentarians are treated.
For more than a decade, our country has failed to release public disclosure reports – a fact noted by the US Department of State in last year’s Investment Climate Statement on The Bahamas.
Still, the deadline has just passed for this year’s disclosures, so we can be sure officials are on the case, making sure everyone has obeyed the law this time around, right?
After all, it is the law. Fail to disclose and the penalty could see you spend as much as two years in jail.
Last year, one in ten parliamentarians failed to meet the deadline. We were never informed who. Still, why should the people who make the laws be held to account by the laws? Why should the nation’s elite be bound by the regulations the same way as the rest of us are? Who cares about the rule of law anyway? The answer to those questions is that all should be equal before the law, and all of us should care, of course.
This year, the Public Disclosures Committee Chairman said they have had “setbacks” in ensuring that the law is followed.
Apparently, the office has mould, and the state of the office is such that it has slowed things down.
Several days after the deadline of March 1 passed, the chairman cannot say who failed to declare. Nor could he say when the issue would be fixed.
Required reports have not been published for 13 years. The lack of urgency to attend to this year’s problems would suggest we can add another year to that number in due course.
One of the keys to the government’s so-called plans for tackling corruption is expanding who has to make financial declarations. What is the point if this is how the laws we have are treated?
This constant failure to respect our laws on disclosures is a slap in the face to the Bahamian public. Find an office. Get the work done. Tell the Bahamian public. And do it now.
Birthday wishes for columnist Diane Phillips
YOU will forgive, we hope, a small indulgence today. Yesterday was the birthday of one of our columnists, Diane Phillips, though we think of Diane as a friend as much as a columnist.
Indeed, she has been a passionate voice in The Bahamas for many years on many topics. She has fought hard for environmental issues and issues of transparency. She has played a part in sailing becoming the national sport. She has fought to encourage Downtown to grow. She has pushed to ensure our historic locations are recognised and preserved, supported the work of the Bahamas Humane Society, and more and more and more.
And of course she has plenty more to fight for yet. Recently, she tilted at Montagu’s forest of signs by the beach, wishing we might again be able to see the sea, rather than a sea of advertisements. Happy birthday, Diane.
Pineridge hard to win for Moxey
EDITOR, The Tribune.
GRATEFUL yet again for the opportunity to write about this thing precious to Bahamians called junkanoo. Going back decades, I can vividly remember attending one of the junkanoo parades, and at a time when the music makers’ group used to win parades. There was a participant in that group on the bass drum, referred to as ‘lord frog’ this man was easily a 400 pound specimen-of-a-huge-man, and no lie, each time he would pass by me, ironically huge too was his drum, and each time he got to where I was
standing on the parade route, my heart would jump, throbbing, it would, my body would shook, the vibrations from that drum was authoritative, it got attention, but it didn’t dawn on me then, that that could pose a health risk, a heart altering rhythms-possibly? It wasn’t until years later, a man that does the drumming on Bay Street for the entertainment tourists, not long ago, told me that he was dealing with heart problems, an operation to be had that weekend. And I am aware that that condition has perhaps numerous possibilities? I figured that it
is time that a study takes place to verify whether or not, the bass drums (used in junkanoo), have a deleterious (harmful often in a subtle or unexpected way), effect on the human heart?
Because, and whilst on the one hand, junkanoos thought it fun to be a participant in junkanoo parades, but unbeknown to them, were involved in a craft, that was a deadly connotation of a national culture, something that could be killing them softly, but most assuredly, definitely slowly?
FRANK GILBERT Nassau, March 3, 2025.
EDITOR, The Tribune. THE Pineridge constituency in Grand Bahama used to be loyal to a fault to the Opposition Free National Movement. Along with High Rock and Marco City, Pineridge would cause Grand Bahama to be known as FNM Country during the eighties. The Pineridge constituency was created by the boundaries commission in 1977. In that year’s general election, the Grand Bahama constituency was won by the FNM’s Garnet Levarity. Ironically, the only other seat won by the FNM was High Rock with Maurice Moore. Pineridge would again elect an FNM in 1982, paving the way for FNM founder Sir Cecil Wallace-Whitfield to re-enter the House of Assembly, after a decadelong absence from the Lower Chambers. In 1987, Sir C A Smith was elected MP in Pineridge. Smith would win again in 1992 and 1997. That’s five consecutive election wins for the FNM between 1977 and 1997. The win streak would come to a shocking end in 2002, when the Progressive Liberal Party candidate Anne Percentie gained the upset win against Smith. The FNM would rebound in 2007 with Kwasi Thompson, the current East Grand Bahama MP. The constituents of Pineridge returned the PLP to Parliament when they opted to select Dr Michael Darville in 2012. Darville, in turn, lost his seat to the FNM’s Frederick McAlpine in 2017. And now we come to the current Pineridge MP Ginger Moxey, who defeated the FNM’s Welbourne Bootle in 2021. Since 1997 with Smith, Pineridge has opted not to re-elect its incumbent. This inevitably leads one to assume that history is not on Moxey’s side if she chooses to run again in that unstable constituency. Pineridge has run through five MPs in 24 years, between 1997 and 2021. In fact, Moxey is the sixth MP in that area since 1997. What’s more, the economy in Grand Bahama in general and Pineridge in particular continues to struggle. I believe that
Grand Bahama’s protracted recession is one of the main reasons Pineridge has been swapping representatives in each election cycle. I have been addressing the issue of Freeport’s recession since 2011 in the dailies. Since that time, nothing has really changed. When Smith lost to Percentie in 2002, the Royal Oasis Resort and Casino was still open for business and the International Bazaar was still thriving. The main tourism anchor resort would shut down during Percentie’s tenure in 2004. Each Pineridge MP since 2004 has been mercilessly judged on the basis of the economy. Unfortunately for Moxey, I see no reason for her to be treated differently by the voters of that area. I don’t consider Moxey to be a lazy MP by any stretch of the imagination. She seems to be a hard worker. She also comes off as likable and down to earth. I have heard stories of her assisting less fortunate Grand Bahamians. I have absolutely nothing against her. But I believe she is in a tough situation. I say this because her government, particularly PLP Chair Fred Mitchell, has been severely critical of her former employers at the Grand Bahama Port Authority. I remember Moxey being promoted as vice president of the GBPA in 2009. I don’t believe she shares the sentiments of Mitchell when he gave GBPA Executive Director Rupert Hayward a tongue lashing for light comments he made at the recent Grand Bahama Business Outlook at the Grand Lucayan Resort. The relationship between the PLP government and the GBPA seems to strained at best. The two are currently locked in litigation. If she has publicly criticized her former employers over the state of Freeport, I have not seen it. The Grand Lucayan Resort continues to receive substantial
amounts of subsidies from the state annually, while the Sheraton and Breaker’s Cay Hotels are in a state of disrepair. Port Lucaya, on most days, is a ghost town with very little going on. Compared to Paradise Island and Cable Beach, Port Lucaya looks like Skid Row in Los Angeles. The Grand Bahama International Airport remains an eyesore, at least the international terminal. Carnival Celebration Key is a nice start in helping to rebuild the economy. But what Grand Bahama really needs is two massive investments in tourism on the scale of the Baha Mar Resort in Cable Beach. Until this happens Freeport will continue to struggle. While FNMs would love nothing more than to rake Moxey over the political coals for the state of Freeport, I cannot bring myself to place the blame entirely at her doorstep. Freeport has been in a downward spiral economically a full 17 years before Moxey was elected to the House of Assembly. Some might disagree with this writer and point to her post as the minister for Grand Bahama. This writer, however, believes that this particular ministry is useless; and is a complete waste of taxpayer’s money. If we are going to criticise Ginger Moxey, at least be fair. I know some FNMs take issue with her positive commentary about the state of Freeport. But being a PLP MP and Cabinet minister, I don’t know what else she can say. She has to sound as positive as the American televangelist Joel Osteen when discussing Freeport. Anything remotely negative about the dire state of Freeport would automatically shift attention to her current employer. Will Ginger Moxey be able to buck the trend in Pineridge by being reelected in 2026? If she is able to do so, she will accomplish something no Pineridge incumbent has done since C A Smith in 1997. The odds are certainly stacked against her. KEVIN EVANS
Freeport, Grand Bahama March 4, 2025.
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MAN shakes cowbells during a Junkanoo rush in The Bahamas.
Photo: Kristin Whylly
‘I’ll come up and slap you’, defence lawyer tells witness
from page one
Mr Deal had previously testified that he was not directly involved in the project and had only received regular reports on it.
However, Mr Farquharson challenged this, suggesting that Mr Deal was responsible for staying informed on the corporation’s tank works and building renovations.
Mr Deal maintained that he had already answered the question and reiterated that he was not directly involved.
But Mr Farquharson pressed further, repeating the question.
“You can only stay up to date if you’re involved,” Mr Deal responded.
The attorney then asked if Mr Deal understood the difference between receiving information and being involved in a project.
The witness replied that he had only received updates and reports.
At that point, Mr Farquharson pointed to an email the witness allegedly received regarding the tank works.
When Mr Deal asked to see the email, the attorney snapped: “Don’t ask me no questions. Mr Deal, I’ll come up there and slap you, ya know.”
Director of Public Prosecutions Cordell Frazier immediately intervened, and Mr Farquharson apologised.
The exchange was one of several tense moments between the witness and Mr Farquharson, who
repeatedly sought to undermine Mr Deal’s credibility, accusing him of withholding information and being evasive.
Throughout his questioning, the attorney scolded the witness, at times telling him to “stop doing foolishness,” “don’t shuffle and jive in this witness box,” “stop wasting time” and “I’ll jail you if you try that with me.”
Justice Cheryl GrantThompson repeatedly warned him against threatening the witness. Still, he continued to chide Mr Deal.
The defence attorney also grilled him about his past suspensions from WSC, suggesting that one was linked to allegations of using WSC staff to renovate his apartment in Eastwood.
He further claimed an employee accused Mr Deal of using the corporation’s equipment for the work.
Mr Deal didn’t confirm the allegations. He admitted that he was suspended once, adding the reasons were never officially disclosed to him.
He also testified that he has yet to receive an official response from the corporation on the outcome of the matter.
Asked if he still owned the building in Eastwood, the witness said he didn’t own any building there.
Mr Farquharson then suggested that Mr Deal had only kept his job because of Mr Gibson’s intervention.
“And look what you doing to him? They said no good deed goes
unpunished,” the defense attorney remarked.
The witness maintained that his relationship with Mr Gibson was cordial and that he was always respectful to him.
Mr Farquharson’s questioning also focused on Mr Deal’s role as head of WSC’s Internal Control and Compliance Division (ICCD).
He suggested it was a conflict of interest for the ICC to investigate the board.
However, Mr Deal disagreed, insisting the ICCD is responsible for investigating a range of matters.
Mr Farquharson then asked whether it would be more fair or appropriate for an external entity to investigate the board.
Mr Deal replied that it would depend on the circumstances.
Mr Gibson has been on trial alongside Elwood Donaldson Jr, former WSC general manager, Joan Knowles, Peaches Farquharson, and Jerome Missick since November 2023.
The charges stem from contracts awarded by the corporation while he served as WSC executive chairman.
Mr Farquharson, Damian Gomez KC, Murrio Ducille KC, Ian Cargill, Bryan Bastian, Ryan Eve and Raphael Moxey represent the defendants.
Meanwhile, the Crown’s lawyers include Director of Public Prosecutions Cordell Frazier, Cashena Thompson, Karine MacVean and Rashied Edgecombe.
Two men facing charges of child molestation and murder
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter
pbailey@tribunemedia.net
TWO men were informed that their charges of child molestation and murder, respectively, would proceed to the Supreme Court.
Senior Magistrate Anishka Isaacs presided as Toni Brown, 54, was served with his voluntary bill of indictment (VBI) on two counts of unlawful sexual intercourse.
Brown is accused of having sexual intercourse with a 12-year-old girl between September 1, 2023, and
September 30, 2023. He is also accused of molesting the same girl again when she was 13 years old, between August 1, 2024, and August 31, 2024. Magistrate Isaacs also presided over the case of Dontray Cooper, 25, who faces charges of murder and two counts of attempted murder. Cooper and his accomplices allegedly shot and killed 34-year-old Valentino Bowe outside a bar on Windsor Place Road and Soldier Road on September 2, 2024, while Bowe was drinking with friends around 9pm. Cooper is also accused of shooting
and injuring 35-year-olds Ian Farrington and Foster Rolle at the same location. Mr Farrington and Mr Rolle sustained injuries to their arms and legs, but were successfully treated in hospital.
Bowe was pronounced dead at the scene leaving behind two young children.
Both defendants signed their respective VBIs and were informed that they would appear before Justice Gregory Hilton on March 21, 2025, for arraignment.
Assistant Superintendent of Police K Bould served as the prosecutor.
MAN ON BAIL CHARGED WITH GUN POSSESSION
By PAVEL BAILEY
Tribune Staff
Reporter
pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A MAN awaiting trial for murder was remanded into custody yesterday after he was found with two loaded guns near a park in Mason’s Addition last week.
Magistrate Lennox Coleby arraigned Mario Cuffe, 23, alongside Edward Ferguson, 34, and Marvette Ferguson, 36, on charges of possession of unlicensed firearms with intent to supply and possession of ammunition.
Prosecutors allege that the defendants were found
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter
pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A DEFENCE Force officer was granted bail yesterday after being accused of vehicle fraud and allegedly possessing a fake certificate of title last week.
with a black and purple 9mm SCCY CPX-2 pistol, a black G3C Taurus pistol, and 17 9mm rounds, which were located on one of the defendants’ persons and in their vehicle, respectively, at 11.20am on March 1. The accused all pleaded not guilty to the charges. While Assistant Superintendent of Police Lincoln McKenzie raised no objection to Marvette Ferguson’s bail, he did object to bail for the other defendants. Mr McKenzie cited that Cuffe had a pending murder charge.
Cuffe and his accomplices
are accused of a driveby shooting on Key West Street that killed 25-yearold Travon Joseph, also known as Travon Rolle, on December 30, 2022. Nelson Adderley, 27, was also injured during the incident.
Marvette Ferguson’s bail was set at $6,000 with one or two sureties. The male defendants will remain remanded at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until their bail hearing on March 6.
Alphonso Lewis and Tonique Lewis represented the accused.
Senior Magistrate Raquel Isaacs arraigned Phanarje Culmer, 24, on fraud by false pretences and possession of a forged document. Prosecutors allege that between January and February 2025, Culmer fraudulently traded a white 2015 Nissan Cube, which belonged to Andrew Cash. Culmer is further accused of being found with a forged road traffic department certificate of title in the name of Beathric Brice on March 2.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges. Her bail was set at $4,500, with one or two sureties. Culmer was also warned not to interfere with any witnesses in the case.
Her trial is scheduled to begin on April 16.
Assistant Superintendent of Police K Bould served as prosecutor.
C AR THEFT AND HAVING GUN M AGAZINE CHARGES
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A MAN was granted bail yesterday after being accused of stealing a car and possessing a gun magazine last month.
Senior Magistrate Algernon Allen Jr arraigned Milton Burrows, 18, on charges of theft and possession of a firearm component. Burrows is accused of stealing a Nissan Note belonging to Dennis Peterson on February 6 in New Providence. He is also alleged to have been found with a gun magazine on February 28.
of his bail, Burrows must wear a monitoring device and adhere to a 5.30pm to 7am residential curfew. He must also sign in at the East Street South Police Station every Friday by 6pm.
Prosecutor Sergeant 3008 Forbes did not object to Burrows’ bail, which was set at $9,500. Under the terms
Burrows was warned not to contact the virtual complainant or any witnesses in the matter. His trial is set to begin on June 10.
ADRIAN GIBSON
Rights, equality and empowerment for ALL women and girls
INTERNATIONAL
Women’s Day is on March 8, and the theme set by the United Nations this year is “For ALL women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.” The popular theme that is being more widely used, set by internationalwomensday.com, is #AccelerateAction.
The theme set by the United Nations is one that is important to understand. The emphasis, in the theme, is on “all” and that is for good reason. In many ways and in may spaces, women’s rights and “women’s empowerment” (which needs a discussion on its own) are handled as though women are a homogenous group, all with the same kinds of lives and the same needs. This, of course, is not true. This way of working does not come solely as a result of ignorance, but as a way to elevate some women while excluding many other women who are, indeed, “othered” in multiple ways. We can look, for example, at the suffragist movement in the US and the way it welcomed the work of black women, then excluded black women as white women decided it was good enough for white women to have the right to vote and the right for Black women to vote could be looked at later. Similar exclusion takes place today, and here, in The Bahamas. Women experiencing poverty, LBTQ+ women, women who are not Christian, women who have multiple children, and migrant women have completely different experiences. They are discriminated against, they are barred from opportunities, they are ignored, and their circumstances are not specifically considered when laws are made and amended, policies are drafted and implemented, and programs are designed and delivered.
The theme specifying “ALL women,” with “all” in capital letters is emphasizing the need for true inclusion and full consideration of the conditions of different groups of women—women in all of our diversity. Initiatives for women always miss the women most in need of support when they do not start by centring women in situations of vulnerability. When we plan to meet the needs of women with disabilities, women experiencing poverty, women with multiple children and little support, LBTQ+ women, women in the Family Islands, and migrant women, we certainly reach women at lower levels of risk. The reverse is not true.
By Alicia Wallace
Focusing on women who can afford $100 breakfasts and $75 panel discussions ensures the exclusion of women who cannot afford it or have to prioritise other activities and necessities. Those who are excluded are those who have the greatest need and are the least served.
Every year, International Women’s Day gets more corporate attention and is used by entrepreneurs and businesses to boost their brands. It is rarely regarded as a day to reflect on the progress made, the stagnation that persists, and the ways various entities can step up and do more for the advancement of women through full access to human rights which is linked to legal reform, feminist policymaking, and sustainable programming and service provision that responds to women’s needs.
Following her visit to The Bahamas in 2017, then Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women Dubravka Šimonovi ć identified marital rape as the ‘most pressing issues in The Bahamas, noting that the failure to criminalise it thus far is “a sign that something is deeply wrong.” She also commented on the normalisation of violence against women which desperately needs to be addressed.
As the popular theme of #AccelerateAction is bandied about, there ought to be a call for the criminalisation of marital rape. It is not a complicated issue. Rape by a spouse is rape. All rape is rape. There must be no circumstances under which the violent act of rape is legal or excused. There is no debate to be had about the humanity of women, whether or not they are married, and there is no debate to be had about rape, regardless of the parties involved. Women are human beings, rape is a violent act, and marital rape must be criminalised. Nothing can be said by any person, including religious misleaders, to dilute these facts. Either they denounce violence against women or they do not. Legislators, however, must not take their cues from people who
are prone to violence and excusing it with their barbaric interpretations of religious text (to which no person in The Bahamas and no law in The Bahamas, a secular State, need abide). This administration is aware of its obligations, even as it refused to meet them.
The Bahamas ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in 1993. After ratifying CEDAW, State Parties are expected to submit reports on their progress toward full compliance with the Convention. The Bahamas last reported to the CEDAW Committee in 2018—the last date set for its report with the next report date unknown due to the backlog caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the report and the constructive dialogue with The Bahamas in 2018, the CEDAW Committee, in its Concluding Observations, recommended that the Government of The Bahamas “adopt, without delay, the amendments to the Sexual Offences Act expressly criminalising marital rape{…]”
The Bahamas participated in the Universal Periodic Review in 2018, reporting to its peers— other Member States. After reviewing the report submitted by the State and considering information shared by other parties, several Member States, including Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Indonesia, and Mexico, made comments to the Government of The Bahamas, urging it to criminalise marital rape. Equality Bahamas has been running its #Strike5ive campaign to criminalise marital rape for several years. There was a vast improvement between the 2018 and the 2023 amendment bills, only for the 2023 draft to be abandoned when the government tried to distract everyone with the gender-based violence bill which it even more swiftly abandoned. Criminalising marital rape requires only the act of parliament. Legislators need only rise above their own fear and care about more than reelection. This Women’s
History Month and this week, while many are talking about International Women’s Day and trying to prove they care about women, demand the criminalisation of marital rape.
The Government of The Bahamas must:
1. Amend Section 3 of the Sexual Offences Act to remove the words “who is not his spouse” in order to rid the definition of rape of the marital exception. Section 3 currently says, “Rape is the act of any person not under fourteen years of age having sexual intercourse with another person who is not his spouse [without consent].”
2. Repeal Section 15 on “sexual assault by spouse”. With necessary amendment to Section 3, removing “who is not his spouse” from the definition of rape, as all rape
would be covered by the Act. Section 15, at present, acknowledges rape perpetrated by a spouse in a narrow set of circumstances, limiting it to cases where the married people are separated or in the process of getting divorced.
3. Amend the Sexual Offences Act to include a statutory definition of consent.
4. Include a clause of non-immunity on the basis of marriage. It must be explicit stated that rape is not legally excusable or prosecuted differently by reason of marriage. Marriage cannot be a defence for rape.
Plan to participate in the International Women’s Day March + Expo hosted by equality Bahamas. The annual event will begin at the eastern Parade (lawn east of Scotiabank on East Bay,
accessible by vehicular traffic from Dowdeswell Street) at 8:45am on Saturday, March 8, when participants will gather for the march to The Dundas grounds on Mackey Street. Upon arrival at The Dundas, the international Women’s Day expo will open with Zumba with Ms Deidree followed by concurrent sessions including poetry writing, salsa dancing, and yoga, a dedicated space for art by Sixty 2 Sixty Art Gallery, a fun zone for children by Sustainable me Summer Camp, and non-governmental organisations including Bahamas Crisis Centre, The Dignified Girl Project, and Hands for Hunger. it is a great place to spend the day with family, friends, and new people and to engage in fun activities without having to spend money on site.
Intel showcases transformational changes with Xeon 6 processors
BARCELONA
Associated Press
THE telecommunications industry is undergoing a major transformation as AI and 5G technologies reshape networks and connectivity. While operators are eager to modernize infrastructure, challenges remain, such as high capital expenditures, security concerns and integration with legacy systems. At MWC 2025, Intel – alongside more than 50 partners and customers – will showcase groundbreaking solutions that deliver high capacity and high efficiency performance with built-in AI integration, eliminating the need for costly additional hardware and delivering optimized total cost of ownership (TCO).
Intel Xeon 6 processors deliver exceptional performance for the widest range of workloads and are engineered for efficiency and low total cost of ownership.
On February 24, 2025, Intel launched the Intel Xeon 6 SoCs with P-core processors – power-efficient, edge servers with Intel vRAN Boost and media acceleration, and networking built in. (Credit: Intel Corporation)
“By leveraging cloud technologies and fostering close collaborations with partners, we are helping operators virtualize both 5G core and radio access networks – proving that the most demanding, missioncritical workloads can run efficiently on general-purpose silicon,” said Sachin Katti, senior vice president and general manager of the Network and Edge Group at Intel Corporation.
“Through our Xeon 6 processors, we are enabling the future of AI-powered network modernization.”
Nearly every commercial virtual radio access network deployment runs on Intel Xeon, and now the new Xeon 6 SoC, purpose-built for network and edge applications, is setting a new benchmark for
performance-per-watt. By integrating AI acceleration with Intel® Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX) and Intel® Advanced Matrix Extensions (AMX), the SoC boosts AI RAN performance by up to 3.2x over previous generations 4 and redefines performance without the need for discrete accelerators. Moreover, with eight integrated Ethernet ports and a total throughput of up to 200 gigabits per second (Gbps), the Intel Xeon 6 SoC provides robust connectivity. This combination of optimized architecture and capacity gain means operators can dramatically reduce their server footprint, allowing them to deploy more capacity with fewer servers by enabling consolidation of multiserver open vRAN sites to a single-server footprint delivering optimized TCO
The Intel Xeon 6 SoC also includes the industry’s first integrated media transcode accelerator, Intel® Media Transcode Accelerator, which delivers up to 14.25x performance-per-watt gain for video transcoding 5, helping video service providers offer near-real-time experiences for live sports, gaming and auctions while significantly reducing power consumption.
As data generation surges at the network edge, security remains a critical focus. Intel Xeon 6 SoC addresses this with its leading-edge security features that enable more secure, zerotrust connections across the edge-to-cloud ecosystem. Intel is driving the next wave of vRAN and open RAN innovation, with significant enthusiasm from leading telecom operators: Vodafone’s first OpenRAN deployments are
demonstrating the competitiveness of networks built on Intel Xeon versus advanced legacy radio access networks (RAN). AT&T is teaming up with Ericsson and Intel to build the world’s most open, programmable and reliable RAN network 6. This year, AT&T will begin using Intel’s Xeon 6 SoC, a high-capacity, programmable virtual RAN hardware platform, to enable ongoing AI advancements through seamless software updates. Samsung leverages Xeon 6 to enhance performance and energy efficiency, accelerating AI integration across RAN and supporting its TCO and AI objectives. Verizon has over 40% of its nationwide 5G RAN footprint virtualized, in addition to its entire 5G core and edge. Verizon is developing the next-gen high-computedensity vRAN server, based on Intel Xeon 6, to double RAN compute capacity and enable greater energy efficiency and multitenancy, and a lower TCO Ericsson is industrializing Open RAN and AI RAN innovations with Xeon 6 SoC and has achieved its first Cloud RAN call on Xeon 6, powered by Dell servers.Operators including Rakuten Mobile, Reliance Jio, SK Telecom and TELUS are advancing 5G adoption and transforming network infrastructure using Intel Xeon processors for smarter, more flexible and energyefficient networks.
Intel® Xeon® 6 processors with E-cores, launched in 2024, are experiencing widespread adoption among 5G core solution vendors and telecom operators. The addition of Intel® Infrastructure Power Manager (IPM) software enhances energy efficiency and accelerates time-to-market for customers seeking to optimize infrastructure, reduce energy consumption and minimize hardware footprints while maintaining performance.
UK DATA PROTECTION WATCHDOG INVESTIGATING HOW T IKTOK USES children’s personal data
LONDON Associated Press
The UK’s data protection watchdog said Monday that it’s investigating how TikTok uses the personal information of teenagers to deliver content recommendations to them when they use the social media platform.
The Information Commissioner’s Office said that there are growing concerns around how social media platforms were using data generated by children’s online activity to power their recommendation algorithms, and the potential for young people to see inappropriate or harmful content as a result.
The regulator said that it wanted to ensure the robustness of TikTok’s safety procedures when it comes to using the personal information of teens ranging in age from 13 to 17.
“It’s what they’re collecting, it’s how they work,” information commissioner John Edwards said. “I will expect to find that there will be many benign and positive uses of children’s data in their recommender systems.”
“What I am concerned about is whether they are sufficiently robust to prevent children being exposed to harm, either from addictive practices on the device or the platform, or from content that they see, or from other unhealthy practices,” he said.
As part of the investigation, the regulator will also look into how online forum site Reddit and imagesharing site Imgur use children’s personal data and how they estimate or verify a child’s age.
TikTok, which is operated by Chinese technology firm ByteDance, said in a statement that it was “deeply committed to ensuring a positive experience for young people on TikTok.”
“Our recommender systems are designed and operate under strict and comprehensive measures that protect the privacy and safety of teens, including industry-leading safety features and robust restrictions on the content allowed in teens’ feeds,” it said.
In 2023, the regulator imposed a fine of 12.7 million pounds (about $16 million) on the video sharing app for misusing children’s data and violating other protections for young users’ personal information.
The office said at the time that TikTok didn’t adequately identify and remove children under 13 from the platform, and that it allowed as many as 1.4 million children in the UK under 13 to use the app in 2020, despite the platform’s own rules prohibiting children that young from setting up accounts.
MONSTER HUNTER WILDS SURPASSES 8 MILLION COPIES SOLD IN THREE DAYS
OSAKA Associated Press
CAPCOM today announced that worldwide sales of Monster Hunter Wilds, released on February 28, 2025, surpassed 8 million units in 3 days, which is the fastest a title has reached this milestone in the company’s history.
Monster Hunter Wilds is the latest entry in the Monster Hunter series and is set in a dynamically changing world that is in one moment a severe wilderness, swarming with packs of attacking monsters, and in the next transforms into a rich natural environment teeming with life. Monster Hunter Wilds features grand, beautiful visual depictions
made possible by the RE ENGINE, Capcom’s proprietary game development engine, and cross-play, allowing players to enjoy the game together regardless of their game platform. Following the game’s announcement, Capcom promoted the appeal of Monster Hunter Wilds to a broad audience worldwide, exhibiting the title at global video game events and holding an online open beta test to give many players a chance to try it, while also providing updates on game information via the online events such as Monster Hunter Wilds Showcase. As a result of these continuous global initiatives, Monster Hunter Wilds has evoked massive excitement and achieved sales of
8 million units in 3 days, the fastest any game has done so in Capcom’s history. Capcom remains firmly committed to satisfying the expectations of all users by leveraging its industry leading game development capabilities in order to create highly entertaining gameplay experiences.
The Monster Hunter series consists of hunting action games that pit players against giant monsters in beautiful natural environments.
Beginning with the first title in 2004, the series established a new genre in which players cooperate to hunt ferocious monsters with their friends, growing into a global phenomenon with cumulative sales of the series exceeding 108 million units.
MONSTER Hunter Wilds is the latest entry in the Monster Hunter series and is set in a dynamically changing world teeming with life.
Graphic: Business Wire
ON February 24, 2025, Intel launched the Intel Xeon 6 SoCs with P-core processors – power-efficient, edge servers with Intel vRAN Boost and media acceleration, and networking built in.
Photo: Intel Corporation
TRUMP VOWS TO PRESS AHEAD ON RESHAPING A MERICA IN SPEECH TO CONGRESS AS DEMOCRAT S REGIST ER DISSEN T
WASHINGTON Associated Press
PRESIDENT Donald Trump vowed Tuesday to keep up his campaign of “swift and unrelenting action” in reorienting the nation’s economy, immigration and foreign policy in an unyielding address before Congress that left Democratic legislators to register their dissent with stone faces, placards calling out “lies,” and one legislator’s ejection.
Trump’s prime-time speech was the latest marker in his takeover of the nation’s capital, where the Republican-led House and Senate have done little to restrain the president as he and his allies work to slash the size of the federal government and remake America’s place in the world.
The president’s address, clocking in at a record 99 minutes, added up to a defiant sales pitch for the policies that Trump promised during his campaign and leaned into during his first weeks back in office. Trump pledged to keep delivering sweeping change to rescue the nation from what he described as destruction and mistakes left by his predecessor. He seldom addressed his comments directly to the American people, who are trying to keep up with the recent upheaval, while repeatedly needling the Democratic lawmakers seated before him.
Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin, who delivered the Democratic response following Trump’s speech, allowed that “America wants change, but there’s a responsible way to make change and a reckless way, and we can make that change without forgetting who we are as a country and as a democracy.”
Emboldened after overcoming impeachments in his first term, outlasting criminal prosecutions in between his two administrations and getting a tight grip on the GOPled Congress, Trump has embarked on a mission to dismantle parts of the federal government, remake the relationship with America’s allies and slap on tariffs that have sparked a North American trade war.
“It has been nothing but swift and unrelenting
action,” Trump said of his opening weeks in office. The people elected me to do the job, and I am doing it.”
Trump, who has billionaire adviser Elon Musk orchestrating his efforts to slash the size and scope of the federal government, said he is working to “reclaim democracy from this unaccountable bureaucracy” and threatened federal workers anew with firings if they resist his agenda.
Musk, who was seated in the House gallery, received a pair of standing ovations from Republicans in the chamber, as Trump exaggerated and shared false claims about alleged government abuse uncovered by the Tesla and SpaceX founder and his team of disrupters.
Trump repeated false claims that tens of millions of dead people over 100 years old are receiving Social Security payments, prompting some Democrats to shout, “Not true!” and “Those are lies!”
Trump spoke at a critical juncture in his
presidency, as voters who returned him to the White House on his promise to fix inflation are instead finding economic chaos. All the gains the S&P 500 have made since Election Day are now gone, while consumer sentiment surveys show the public sees inflation as worsening.
Trump seemed prepared to double down on his trade policies, which experts have warned will raise prices for consumers.
“Whatever they tariff us, we tariff them. Whatever they tax us, we tax them,” Trump said. At the same time, he tried to ease concerns about the resulting price increases, saying, “There’ll be a little disturbance, but we’re okay with that. It won’t be much.”
Trump said one of his “very highest priorities” was to rescue the economy and offer relief to working families. He promised to organize the federal government to lower costs on eggs and energy, blaming his Democratic predecessor Joe Biden for the situation and offering scant details of his own
plans.
Trump also called for the extension of his first-term tax cuts and additional federal funding for his border crackdown, including for his promised efforts at “mass deportation” of people in the US illegally.
He celebrated his crackdown on migration, saying, “It turns all we really needed was a new president.”
Speaking about his promised tax cuts, Trump seemed to goad Democrats, saying: “I’m sure you’re going to vote for those tax cuts. Because otherwise I don’t believe the people will ever vote you into office.”
The backdrop was the new economic uncertainty unleashed after the president opened the day by placing stiff tariffs on imports from the country’s neighbours and closest trading partners. A 25% tax on goods from Canada and Mexico went into effect early Tuesday — ostensibly to secure greater cooperation to tackle fentanyl trafficking
and illegal immigration — triggering immediate retaliation and sparking fears of a wider trade war. Trump also raised tariffs on goods from China to 20%. Republicans were boisterous as Trump stepped to the lectern in the House, chanting “USA! USA!” as the president basked in the cheers. The GOP lawmakers were jubilant, having won a trifecta of the White House, Senate and House in the elections. However, they face the challenging task of delivering on Trump’s agenda as well as avoiding a government shutdown later this month.
Across the aisle, outof-power Democrats set the tone early, with most remaining seated without applauding or making eye contact with Trump as he was introduced in the chamber.
After several interruptions, House Speaker Mike Johnson jumped in and called for decorum to be restored in the chamber as Republicans shouted “USA” to drown out the cries from the other side of the aisle. Johnson then ordered Texas Rep. Al Green removed from the chamber.
It’s worth it to let people know that there are some people who are going to stand up” to Trump, Green told reporters after being thrown out of the chamber.
Other Democrats held up signs criticizing like Save Medicaid” and “Protect Veterans” during Trump’s remarks, seeking to drive public awareness to elements of Trump’s agenda they believed might offer them a pathway back to the majority.
Some Democrats chose to highlight the impact of Trump’s actions by inviting fired federal workers as guests, including a disabled veteran from Arizona, a health worker from Maryland and a forestry employee who worked on wildfire prevention in California.
Trump also used his
speech to address his proposals for fostering peace in Ukraine and the Middle East, where he has unceremoniously upended the policies of the Biden administration in a matter of just weeks. On Monday, Trump ordered a freeze to US military assistance to Ukraine, ending years of staunch American support for the country in fending off Russia’s invasion.
Trump recited a letter he received earlier Tuesday from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, saying that the wartime president wants to come back to the table after a explosive Oval Office meeting last week broke down negotiations for a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine. “We’ve had serious discussions with Russia and have received strong signals that they are ready for peace,” Trump said. “Wouldn’t that be beautiful?” He also announced the arrest of a suspect in the 2021 suicide bombing at the Kabul airport that killed US troops during the withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Trump’s 1 hour and 39 minute speech was the longest annual address a president has ever delivered to Congress, breaking Bill Clinton’s record of 1 hour and 28 minutes.
Watching from the gallery with first lady Melania Trump were guests including 15-year-old Elliston Berry, of Aledo, Texas, who was the victim of an explicit deepfake image sent to classmates. Other White House guests included relatives of Corey Comperatore, the former Pennsylvania fire chief who was killed as he protected his family during an assassination attempt on Trump last summer.
Republican lawmakers cheered the conclusion of Trump’s address with chants that echoed his words after he was struck in the ear by a bullet: “Fight! Fight! Fight!”
PRESIDENT Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress at the Capitol in Washington, yesterday.
Photo: Win McNamee/AP
New Providence students perform for National Arts Festival
Agriculture Development Organization gives out 150 backyard farming kits to cancer walk participants
MANY men, women, and children gathered for the annual Stride for Life Cancer Walk, an event designed to honour those affected by cancer, on February 22. Participants, who walked a mile from the Cancer Society headquarters over the Paradise Island bridge and back, were treated to a special surprise at the event’s conclusion: over 150 backyard farming kits distributed by the Agricultural Development Organization (ADO). The kits, which include seeds and essential gardening supplies such as soil, irrigation tubing, and fertilizer, aim to inspire healthy eating habits and self-sustainability. This initiative was made possible through the generosity of RBC, a major sponsor of the event and a committed partner in promoting agricultural growth at every level.
Philip Smith, ADO’s Executive Chairman, expressed his excitement about the overwhelming response: “We were thrilled to see so much interest. We thought people might be tired after the walk, but they eagerly lined up five or six rows deep to get a backyard farming kit. It’s a wonderful sign that Bahamians are taking a fresh look at growing their own food and embracing healthier living.”
Established just over two years ago by Smith, who previously led the Bahamas Feeding Network, the ADO focuses on enhancing food security in The Bahamas. “The COVID19 pandemic underscored the importance of having a secure food supply,” Smith noted. “While there will always be a need for feeding those in hunger, we can mitigate that need
by encouraging more local food production.”
The backyard farming kits represent just one facet of ADO’s outreach. RBC has also played a crucial role by funding two of the six community farms the organization has initiated. Since its inception, ADO has supported farming initiatives at over 30 schools across four islands and distributed nearly 4,000 backyard farming kits.
Looking ahead, ADO is working closely with the Ministry of Agriculture with an ambitious goal of distributing 20,000 backyard farming kits by the end of 2026. Field officers are available to assist recipients as they embark on their gardening journeys, further underscoring ADO’s commitment to fostering a healthier, selfsufficient community.
A NUMBER of students performed drama, singing, or verse speaking on the second day of E Clement Bethel National Arts Festival which took place yesterday at All Saints Parish Hall in New Providence with various schools attending.
Photos: Chappell Whyms Jr
Together in mourning for Kelli
THE FUNERAL of Former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham’s daughter Kelli Keira A Ingraham was held at Christ Church Cathedral George Street yesterday.
Photos: Chappell Whyms Jr