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VOLUME:114 No.74, MARCH 8TH, 2017
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SPORTS: BAHAMIAN BASEBALL STAR RICHARDSON RETIRES
Nygard guilty
Fashion mogul MILLER: HOW CAN WE SPEND ON CARNIVAL is convicted of contempt of court BUT NOT ON RESIDENTS HIT BY DUMP FIRE? By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net CANADIAN fashion mogul Peter Nygard was convicted of contempt of court and fined $50,000 by a judge yesterday for breach of the Supreme Court’s order concerning illegal dredging near his property in Lyford Cay. Last night, a spokesperson for Nygard said his team disagrees with the judge’s ruling, adding that while Nygard paid the $50,000 fine before the specified deadline, he will appeal the ruling. If the fine was not paid by March 21, Nygard faced 14 days in prison. He was further ordered to remove the excavated sand and return it to Jaws Beach by April 7 or face additional fines. Justice Rhonda Bain also
awarded legal costs to Save The Bays (STB), the local environmental group which has brought several judicial review cases against Nygard over offshore construction works allegedly carried out in the absence of necessary permits and approvals and which have resulted in the near doubling of the size of his property. According to one estimate of the 27 days in court, the costs could be near $1m. The ruling by Justice Bain followed an unsuccessful application by Gia Moxey, an associate of Elliot Lockhart, QC, and lead counsel for Nygard, to have the ruling on yesterday’s committal proceedings adjourned until May as the Lyford Cay resident did not want the ruling to be handed down in the absence of Mr Lockhart, whose mother died on Sunday. SEE PAGE SIX
MINNIS: DNA COALITION FAILED OVER DEMAND FOR 16 SEATS By KHRISNA VIRGIL Deputy Chief Reporter kvirgil@tribunemedia.net FREE National Movement Leader Dr Hubert Minnis last night revealed that negotiations for a coalition between the FNM and the Democratic National Alliance failed because DNA Leader Branville McCartney wanted 16 seats uncontested and an agreement for his party to have the final say on the makeup of the government, including who would be named prime minister.
Upon hearing the demands of Mr McCartney, Dr Minnis told a raucous crowd of party supporters that he “reverted back to my younger days growing up in Bain Town (and the) Grove and I told Bran where to go.” Dr Minnis said he was not prepared to “giveaway” the FNM or pander to “oversized egos” and blamed the former Bamboo Town MP for enabling the Progressive Liberal Party to win the 2012 general election, SEE PAGE TWO
MEMBER of Parliment for Tall Pines Leslie Miller testing out one of the cots at the Kendall Issacs Gym after he received complaints from residents of Jubliee Gardens who stayed there for shelter. Photo: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff By SANCHESKA DORSETT Tribune Staff Reporter sdorsett@tribunemedia.net TALL Pines MP Leslie Miller said yesterday if the government can spend millions of dollars on Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival, officials can also afford to “put the damn people of Jubilee Gardens” in motels instead of forcing residents to sleep
on a “cot in a cold gym.” In an interview with The Tribune at the Kendal G L Isaacs Gymnasium - a designated shelter for displaced people affected by a raging dump fire - Mr Miller said he was “shocked” when he saw where the residents were being housed. He said dozens of his constituents have called him complaining that there
is no privacy in the gym and the sleeping areas are not adequate for families. “If you could pay for carnival, deal with the damn people who are stressed,” Mr Miller told The Tribune. “Nothing is more paramount than the health of your people. Would you come here and live for four days? Why you expect other people to come? If you
are displacing me, put me somewhere half decent. Don’t think these damn ‘rinky dink’ hotels any good either. They are not the best in the world but they are more comfortable than this. I am shocked that this is what they set up here and say people should be living in, I am really shocked.” SEE PAGE THREE
By SANCHESKA DORSETT Tribune Staff Reporter sdorsett@tribunemedia.net THREE days after a massive fire broke out at the
New Providence Landfill, head of Police Fire Services Superintendent Walter Evans said that firefighters have made “some progress in extinguishing the blaze,”
and the hazardous smoke that once covered Jubilee Gardens has been “significantly reduced.” However, Supt Evans said the cause of the fire, which
started in bushes off Fire Trail Road and spread to the landfill, has still not yet been determined. SEE PAGE THREE
FIREFIGHTERS MAKING PROGRESS IN TACKLING MASSIVE BLAZE
GRAY: TESTS ON BAIC FEED CRUISE LINE EXECUTIVE ‘CONCERNED’ ABOUT CRIME AFTER LIVESTOCK DEATHS By KHRISNA VIRGIL Deputy Chief Reporter kvirgil@tribunemedia.net A MAJOR international cruise line executive said yesterday he is “concerned” about crime levels in the country, stressing that “we want our guests to be very safe” in The Bahamas where more than 600 murders have been recorded under the Progressive Liberal Party this term.
Michael Bayley, president and chief executive officer of Royal Caribbean International (RCI), told The Tribune if customers do not feel safe visiting the country, they will no longer vacation here, adding that these concerns have been communicated to the government through the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA). SEE PAGE SEVEN
By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
MINISTER of Agriculture V Alfred Gray yesterday said his ministry will await the results of tests ordered on a batch of feed from the Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation’s (BAIC) Feed Mill as he pushed back against “speculation” that recent livestock deaths were linked
Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper
to contaminated feed. Noting the timing of recent pig deaths at the Gladstone Road Agricultural Centre (GRAC) and several “swimming pigs” in Exuma, Mr Gray suggested that there could be a wider issue impacting livestock, similar to the canine distemper outbreak in 2014. However, he urged the public to await the results of testing. SEE PAGE SEVEN
PAGE 2, Wednesday, March 8, 2017
THE TRIBUNE
FIRE BREAKS OUT AT HIGH SCHOOL
FIREFIGHTERS yesterday rushed to the A F Adderley High School after workers accidentally set several trailers at the back of the school on fire. According to head of Police Fire Services, Superintendent Walter Evans, the old trailers - once used for classrooms - were being disassembled by workers when one of the men used a blowtorch and accidentally set one of the trailers on fire. The fire quickly spread to a second trailer, but firefighters extinguished the blaze without incident. No one was harmed during the fire. Supt Evans said police have no reason to suspect anything “nefarious” regarding the incident.
A FIRE started at the rear of AF Adderley Junior High School yesterday afternoon.
Photo: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff
MINNIS SLAMS ‘WASTED’ MONEY FOR RENEW BAHAMAS By KHRISNA VIRGIL Deputy Chief Reporter kvirgil@tribunemedia.net
FREE National Movement Leader Dr Hubert Minnis questioned the “wasted money” paid to Renew Bahamas, the company previously contracted to manage the New Providence Landfill, insisting that this and other expenditure under the Christie administration will be investigated should the FNM be elected to office. Speaking to scores of
supporters last night, Dr Minnis accused Prime Minister Perry Christie of pretending that his administration bears no responsibility for the disaster at the city dump. Dr Minnis said Mr Christie should take his “trash talk” about seriously addressing the problems at the landfill and “empty it at the dump.” Renew Bahamas was engaged by the government in 2014 to manage the landfill and help address the matter of recurring fires, however
the company ended its services in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew. Dump fires were a persistent problem under Renew’s management. “The same man, who stuck up his middle finger at the Bahamian people, is now going around pretending that his government bears no responsibility for the disaster at the dump,” Dr Minnis said during his party’s ratification of its final slate of candidates before the 2017 general election.
“Christie is now pretending that the dump problem is something relatively new. He is conveniently forgetting that his government gave a contract to a crony company to manage the landfill. The company was another PLP failure and another disaster. They are the masters of disasters. The company got plenty money from the government; another example of waste. “I don’t only want to know where the value added tax (VAT) money gone. I want to know about all
the waste of government money, from VAT, from customs duties, from Road Traffic fees, and from everywhere else. Where all the money gone? “After coming to office, the FNM will expose the waste and the corruption, including the waste of VAT money,” Dr Minnis said. The Killarney MP also pledged that a government led by the FNM would provide the resources, funds, material and management needed to modernise waste management in New Providence.
“Christie will talk about it,” Dr Minnis said. “I will get it done. Let me tell you something about emperor Perry Gladstone Christie. Whenever there’s a crisis or a problem, he rushes to the scene of the problem, offering big talk and grand gestures. “Then the next day or so he goes on television or radio to make a big display about how’s he’s going to address the problem. Well you know what usually happens next. Absolutely nothing,” Dr Minnis said.
MINNIS: DNA COALITION FAILED OVER DEMAND FOR 16 SEATS from page one
“causing pain and suffering” over the last five years. According to the Killarney MP, Mr McCartney demanded that the FNM did not contest the Bamboo Town constituency, Seabreeze, Garden Hills, Carmichael, Golden Isles, Southern Shores, Marathon, Elizabeth, Pinewood, Fox Hill, Golden Gates, North Abaco, Central and South Abaco, Marco City, Yamacraw and to have the St Thomas More constituency if there was one. The DNA further wanted an agreement that should they be successful, the party would be tasked with deciding the deputy prime minister, the make-up of the Cabinet and ambassadors, Dr Minnis said. This deal, he said, was bound to bring instability to the government. The details of the failed coalition discussions came to light during the FNM’s final ratification last night at the party’s headquarters on Mackey Street. The party ratified five candidates, including Dr Minnis for Killarney, Shanedon Cartwright for St Barnabas, former Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette for the St Anne’s constituency, Pakeshia Parker-Edgecombe for West Grand Bahama and Bimini and Rev Vaughn Miller for Golden Isles.
FNM leader Dr Hubert Minnis, left, at last night’s ratification, which saw five candidates ratified, including Brent Symonette, right. Photo: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff Mr Miller replaces Keny- seats. He wanted the FNM who was the prime minisatta Gibson, who withdrew not to oppose 16 seats. The ter. The DNA would decide from the race last week Fri- seats he wanted were as fol- who was the deputy prime day for “personal reasons,” lows: he wanted Bamboo minister. The DNA would a day after PLP Chairman Town, he wanted Seabreeze, decide the cabinet and the Bradley Roberts suggested he wanted Garden Hills, DNA would select the amthat the party was privy to he wanted Carmichael, he bassadors for the Bahamas. damaging information about wanted Golden Isles, he “I reverted back to my him that it was about to re- wanted Southern Shores, he younger days growing up in wanted Marathon, he wanted Bain Town (and the) Grove lease in the public domain. “In the last election Bran Elizabeth, he wanted Pine- and I told Bran where to go. I caused the PLP to win,” Dr wood, he wanted Fox Hill, was not prepared to give away Minnis said during his ad- he wanted Golden Gates, he the FNM and I am still not predress to scores of FNM sup- wanted North (Abaco) and pared to give away the FNM.” porters. “He broke ranks and South (and Central) Abaco, Dr Minnis went on to recaused all the pain and suffer- he wanted Marco City, he spond to criticisms that his ing we had to endure at the wanted Yamacraw, and if party is still divided, pointhands of the PLP during the there was a St Thomas More, ing to situations that have last five years. I don’t believe he wanted St Thomas More.” gone public that the same is He continued: “The occurring in the governing Bahamians are going to make only seats he did not want party. Dr Minnis said his the same mistake again. “The FNM under my was Killarney, Montagu, party was “finished” with leadership will not pander to St Anne’s and the inner infighting. oversized and out sized egos. city. You see what he also “There is a lot of noise We will not be blackmailed. wanted besides taking the in the market and the noise We will not enter into any best from the FNM, he also will get louder as the elecdeals that will bring instabil- wanted an agreement that if tion draws closer. The big ity to governance and just to the DNA got the most seats headlines shout out about let you know Bran wanted 16 that the DNA would decide confusion and disarray in
the ranks of the opposition. Well I want to tell you tonight that there might be confusion and disarray out there, but there is no confusion and disarray in here. “There is no disarray in the FNM. We are not a party of that squabbling. We finished with that. The FNM is all together and our door is always open. We are going about our business and our business is the people’s business. We are getting ready to win the next election. We are getting ready to put our teams out and we are getting ready to govern. We are not waiting for anyone. We are not waiting until they get their massive egos sorted out. If you want to get rid of the PLP, if you want a new government, there is only one way to go and that is the FNM. “Only the FNM can defeat the PLP. A vote for an independent is a vote for the PLP. And I said it before and I will say it again and I want you to listen and hear me well. I want all of the Bahamas to hear my words and my voice. If you go to bed with the DNA you will wake up with the PLP and Christie.” For his part, Mr Symonette said it was clear for everyone to see that the FNM is the party of choice. He said the FNM has the best candidates, deputy leader and leader. “I have served the people of the Bahamas to the best of my ability and I will continue to serve those people, but more importantly I
will serve the leader of the FNM to the best of my ability,” Mr Symonette said. “And Bradley Roberts can take that to the bank. This country is tired of Christie and his group of useless, worthless, good for nothing, nonproductive persons who do not have the interest of the Bahamian people at heart.” When he took the podium, Mr Cartwright said Bahamians all across the country have had enough of the PLP government. “For far too long the Bahamian people have been denied their dreams and aspirations. The reality for the Bahamian people is this, we have an economy that is not growing, an economy that has only grown 0.1 per cent at the end of 2016. It’s the people’s time. We have a situation in the country where there were 600 murders in the last five years and that’s why it’s the people’s time. We have unemployment, which is at 17 per cent and that is why it’s the people’s time. The Bahamian people have been over taxed.” Mr Miller went on to use his address to speak to Golden Isles constituents saying: “The FNM under Dr Minnis has heard your concerns, heard your cries and will not only listen but also as your government will respond and make the changes you’re calling for. The Commonwealth of the Bahamas will once again become a strong, vibrant, respected, productive, safe, God-fearing nation.”
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, March 8, 2017, PAGE 3
Miller: how can we spend on Carnival but not on residents hit by dump fire? from page one Residents in Jubilee Gardens and the surrounding areas were forced to evacuate their homes on Sunday after a massive fire at the landfill blanketed the community in thick, black hazardous smoke. Embers from the nearby fire also threatened area homes on Sunday, however officials have said no homes were destroyed from the blaze. On Monday, Minister of the Environment Kindred Dorsett said residents will have to wait at least five to seven days before the evacuation order is lifted and persons are allowed to “safely” return to their homes. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) along with the Department of Social Services opened the gym as a shelter for persons who were forced to evacuate their homes on Sunday. Social workers and members of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force are serving as shelter managers. Mr Miller, a member of the governing Progressive Liberal Party, said the residents of Jubilee Gardens did not cause the fire and should at the very least be made comfortable since they cannot stay in their homes. He said he will address the matter in the House of Assembly today. “They voted for me, so they putting the pressure on me and so I will put the pressure on the prime minister and the government,”
Mr Miller said. “I will deal with them tomorrow (Wednesday) in Parliament. I can’t see any grown person sleeping in these, these things for little children to play in not for adults to sleep in,” Mr Miller said, referring to the shelter’s cots. “No one wants to come here, people called me up to 2am and said they are not coming here. So I told them to go to hotels and the government will fit the bill. Hello. Social Services have certain motels to accommodate them, some are full and some they didn’t call, they only calling the ones they say compliant. The people don’t want to come here, they say it is inadequate and I agree with them. I mean it’s okay if it was a hurricane but if someone cause a fire and I am displaced, you want me to come here for a week? “No one wants to be anywhere except for their home, appreciate that first, even in the hotel you are not comfortable. When you come in here you sleeping on a cot and there is no privacy and the people raising hell about it, rightfully so. These people have been suffering for 30 years and no government has gotten it right yet. The prime minister said the government is going to take care of these people and I expect them to do that,” Mr Miller added. One resident affected by the fire, who wished to remain anonymous, told The Tribune that she was refused hotel accommodation by the Department of
Social Services because she “made too much money”. “I came by yesterday morning and I spoke with a Social Services agent and she told me that the only place they had available was here at the gym,” the woman claimed. “Now she said that motel rooms were provided the previous night and she asked me where I stayed, where I worked and where my son went to school. “None of this matters, whether I am working or not, at the end of the day it’s a crisis and everyone should be treated equally. They are being selective, if they think you can afford to pay for a hotel room, they will make you stay here in the gym. That is the impression I got. When I answered all the questions I was told ‘No, we cannot provide you with a hotel at this time.’ No one wants to stay here, I have a family of four and there is no privacy. There is a long question and answer period, I did not think was necessary, a lot of people didn’t come on Sunday for various reasons and so I think that if you didn’t come on Sunday, you are no longer a priority.” On Monday, Social Services Minister Melanie Griffin said at least 13 families in the Tall Pines constituency were evacuated from their homes and received temporary accommodations at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium. Those families represented 54 people, comprising 34 adults and 20 children, she said.
MINISTER Leslie Miller assessing damage in Jubliee Gardens yesterday. Photo: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff
FIREFIGHTERS MAKING PROGRESS IN TACKLING MASSIVE BLAZE from page one
Residents in Jubilee Gardens were forced to evacuate their homes on Sunday after a fire at the landfill blanketed the community in thick, black hazardous smoke. The fire also threatened some homes in the area, however Supt Evans told The Tribune that no houses were destroyed. “We are making progress, that is all I can say at
this time. Things are moving,” Supt Evans said on Tuesday. “We are making significant progress and the conditions have been improved for the residents. We are working with a number of resources and the fire has not spread. The smoke has been reduced and the visibility in Jubilee Gardens has been improved. All the resources we have are spread between Jubilee Gardens and the fire that
started in the back of Aquinas. “Currently, there is no threat to the buildings and progress is being made with that forest fire as well, the biggest thing right now is dealing with the smoke.” Residents in Jubilee Gardens will have to wait at least five to seven days before the evacuation order is lifted and they are “safely” allowed to return to their homes, Minister of Envi-
ronment Kenred Dorsett said on Monday. At a press conference at the Office of the Prime Minister, Mr Dorsett said firefighters do not expect the fire at the New Providence Landfill to be extinguished for approximately a week. He said firefighters are battling two different types of fires, one at the landfill and a forest fire in the surrounding areas. The city dump has been
LIVES OF FARM PIGS NOT THREATENED BY FIRE By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net
BAHAMAS Humane Society (BHS) President Kim Aranha yesterday confirmed that the lives of 100 pigs at a farm off Gladstone Road were not threatened by the smoke and flames emanating from the New Providence Landfill’s most recent fire. Mrs Aranha told The Tribune that “everything is under control” at the farm in question, and that as of yesterday afternoon none of the pigs were suffering from smoke inhalation and had access to “plenty of water” at the Fire Trail Road west site. Mrs Aranha also said the BHS did not encounter any serious problems during the fire, and that to the best of BHS officials’ knowledge, no animals were injured or killed as a result of the blaze. Nonetheless, Mrs Aranha said the BHS took in “about eight” displaced cats and dogs as a result of the fire. She also said the Humane Society had to care for a total of four animals for the duration of the fire, mainly because the families that owned them “had to vacate and they didn’t know what to do with them”. However, she said the animals have since been reunited with their owners. Mrs Aranha’s comments were in response to a Facebook live video by Heather Carey, spokesperson for Raising Awareness about the Bahamas Landfill (RABL) on Sunday, in which a local farmer claimed that some 60 to 80 pigs were located on his Fire Trail Road west property that was adversely affected by Sunday’s massive
blaze. In the video, the owner claimed that the pigs were not chained and/or contained in a pen, and were thus able to move to an area of the property furthest away from the blaze and dense smoke. However, he expressed concern about whether all of the animals would be able to be relocated should things get worse. When contacted yesterday, Mrs Aranha confirmed that all of the pigs were alive. Percy Grant, BHS shelter manager, also told The Tribune that while there were fires on Fire Trail Road west, they posed no “imminent” danger to the pigs or the property in question. “We went to see them yesterday, we were there today (Tuesday), the air is clear, they’re completely fine, they have plenty of water, the owner - though nobody could find him was actually monitoring the situation,” Mrs Aranha said. “His son works about 200 yards away from the farm, and my guys from the Humane Society met with him today, and he was very grateful for everybody’s concern. Everything is under control and those 100 pigs are just fine.” Mrs Aranha also said no cats or dogs were harmed during the fire. She credited this to the efforts of Free National Movement (FNM) election candidate Donald Saunders, whom she said freed any animals he saw trapped in yards affected by Sunday’s blaze. “So I think the animals were able to get away from the toxic smoke,” Mrs Aranha added. “We’ve been in Jubilee Gardens every day, we’ve helped a couple of people with their animals.
We’ve had no serious problems, as far as we know no deaths, no injuries. We took care I think a total of four animals for the duration of the fire, because the families had to vacate and they didn’t know what to do with them. “They’ve been, I think, reunited now with their families. And I must say that in my opinion looks like the fire department did a pretty good job keeping that fire away from the actual homes.”
She added: “But apart from that we activated, we prepared, we had the whole clinic ready with cages and extra towels and food, and it was a non-event.” On Sunday, residents in Jubilee Gardens were forced to evacuate their homes after a massive fire at the landfill covered the community in thick, black hazardous smoke. The fire also threatened some homes in the area, however officials said that no houses were burned or destroyed.
plagued with recurring fires for a number of years. Renew Bahamas was engaged by the government in 2014 to manage the landfill and help address the matter, however the company ended its services in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew last October. The government subsequently took over management of the landfill. Since then, The Waste Resources Development
Group (WRDG), a consortium of 10 Bahamian waste management groups, has submitted a proposal to take over the operations at the landfill. This week, Prime Minister Perry Christie confirmed that two companies, both Bahamian, have submitted bids to run the dump. Mr Christie, who toured the affected areas on Sunday, said the matter should be resolved shortly.
PAGE 4, Wednesday, March 8, 2017
THE TRIBUNE
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What have Trump’s advisers got to hide? WASHINGTON’S most durable and most often ignored truism of the past 50 years is probably the admonition that “the cover up is worse than the crime”. The phrase that is now part of American political legend still draws its greatest inspiration from the infamous Watergate break-in nearly half a century ago. The bungled burglary of Democratic Party offices in the Washington waterfront apartment and office complex by Republican operatives in 1972 ignited a chain of events that eventually brought down the Nixon administration in 1974. Now comes the latest evidence that American politicians cannot learn from past mistakes. In his January confirmation hearings before a panel of his longtime colleagues in the US Senate, Attorney General Jeff Sessions denied that he had contact with Russian officials during the 2016 Presidential campaign. That was soon revealed as false. Some Democratic party politicians called for Sessions to resign. Pundits accused the nation’s top law enforcement officer of perjury. Even a few Republican Senators appeared uncomfortable with Sessions’ casual mistreatment of the truth under oath. Nevertheless, many of the Attorney General’s harshest critics acknowledged that his conversations with ubiquitous Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak and perhaps other Russian officials - during the campaign did not break the law. Sessions was, after all, still a member of the US Senate in 2016 and although he played an increasingly prominent role in the presidential campaign, his Russian contacts could be regarded as normal business practice for a sitting US Senator. But Sessions certainly seems to have lied in his confirmation testimony. So once again, the cover up was worse than the crime. Sessions’ penalty is that he has agreed to recuse himself from the Justice Department’s ongoing investigation of Russian efforts to destabilise the 2016 American presidential election. The FBI, under the Attorney General’s supervision as part of the Justice Department, is leading the investigation. Many politicians and public figures inside Washington and beyond the Beltway have called for a special prosecutor to fully investigate Russian efforts to delegitimise the American presidential election and perhaps influence the outcome to favour Donald Trump. Sessions and
former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn have both been caught lying about their Russian contacts before and after the election, which makes it look like the Trump administration may have something significant to hide. Whatever form the Russian interference investigation takes will resemble a Commission of Inquiry. And whatever findings emerge, the Trump administration is likely to be sullied at the very least. It is the nature of contemporary American national politics that the Russian influence issue will continue to dominate Washington news. So long as the Trump administration continues its missteps and political misjudgments in trying to manage this controversy, the trail of leaks and revelations will dribble out. Trump seems so careless with his tweets and some public comments that it is easy to imagine that he will persist in damaging his still brand-new administration. Perhaps turnabout is fair play. After the Republican opposition resolutely hammered President Obama about his birth certificate and belaboured Hillary Clinton over her email practices, Trump’s opponents could feel justified in their relentless pursuit of the Russian issue. At some point, this matter could imperil Trump’s presidency. Almost from the moment of his inauguration, impeachment has been discussed as a reasonable, even inevitable, means of reversing what many feel was an election mistake. In theory, public pressure could force the president’s decision to leave office, or mounting evidence of lying, disinformation or other misdeeds could persuade some members of the Republican majorities in Congress to break ranks and join in possible Democratic calls for Trump’s impeachment. None of this looks especially likely now. But historians and journalists often describe the Watergate break-in as a third-rate burglary, and it festered for many months before the Nixon administration’s duplicity and deception were fully revealed. In that effort, the New York Times and the Washington Post enjoyed some of the finest moments in their respective distinguished histories. Now, the New York Times and the Washington Post are again in the front ranks of critics of the current administration. Dedication, skill and financial support won’t be lacking in either newsroom. It’s anyone’s guess where it all will lead.
You should use your vote EDITOR, The Tribune. THROUGHOUT the world, the political class is held in contempt today. They seem unable to come to grips with the problems in their home countries, it is all talk and no acton. The result is extreme groups are winning elections. We have seen this happen in the US with the election of Donald Trump and there are some frightening elections coming up this year in France, Holland and Germany. The parties we are familiar with are all in trouble to some degree and in many countries being challenged by more radical political groups. But what about The Bahamas where we have a game changing election coming up in no more than two months. Who to vote for must be a nightmare. The two main parties spend more time slinging mud at each other than suggesting solutions to the huge problems we have in
this small country. What we also get is all talk and no action. So as a Bahamian voter, vote but read the various parties manifestos carefully and listen to their speeches. There will be many promises of what they are going to do but most likely very little about how they propose to do it. Mud slinging and promises will not solve our problems. In my opinion, you should ask yourself a number of questions such as :1. Has your life improved over the past five years and do you feel happier with life now moreso than you did five years ago? 2. Are there more or less opportunities to get satisfying work now than there were? 3. Do you see a brighter future for you and your children ahead with things as they are now? 4. Is the education of your children satisfactory so you feel they are able to obtain good jobs when they gradu-
ate? 5. Is crime a serious issue in your life and could the high level of criminal activity be halted? There are so many questions that need answering not least, is this country becoming a gamblers paradise with web shops on every corner. If you cannot answer these questions positively then perhaps it is time for some new group to get a chance to govern the country. Personally I think you should look at each individual candidate in your constituency regardless of party. If you are satisfied your choice is honest and has integrity and more important going to do the best job they can for you, and will put their best efforts into improving life in the Bahamas then vote for them, forget the party. PATRICK H THOMSON Nassau, March 7, 2017.
Christie loses his cool EDITOR, The Tribune. ONE of the many tasks of the US Central Intelligence Agency is to keep an updated psychological profile of political leaders from around the world. The desk analyst responsible for the Bahamas must have fallen off her chair this week when shown the picture of Perry Christie giving the digitus impudicus to the Bahamian people. We all knew for some time that Christie is a narcissistic blowhard in love with his own voice. But now we can add to that words like vulgar, crude and unhinged. The CIA, like the Bahamian people don’t need to dig deep to compile a dossier on the Prime Minister. Study his speeches (braggadocios, whiny and without discernible meaning); or observe his behaviour in public (easily riled, thin skinned, self absorbed). Now add to that the neurotic behaviour of giving a one-fingered salute from a public platform. Christie can thank his lucky stars that he had the good fortune to “flip the bird” in Fox Hill where the good church-going people there are likely to drop to their knees and pray for him, rather than return the insult. We can all agree that while the gesture was beyond the pale of decent conduct, it was not illegal and therefore would not earn Christie a stay at that walled “resort” at the other end of Fox Hill. So serious do some people around the world take this offence that there are laws on their books that deem it disorderly conduct and gets you hauled before a magistrate on indecency charges. Just ask the American Airlines pilot who, on landing at a Brazilian airport on a flight from Miami, opened the cockpit window and flew a different bird at his hosts. He was arrested, taken to federal court and fined. The pilot was truly upset that Brazil dared to
LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net require that all Americans entering their country be fingerprinted and photographed, forgetting, of course, that Brazil was giving the US a taste of their own medicine. Christie’s behaviour was vile, vulgar and gross and is certainly unbecoming of the man who is completing his 43rd year of public service, 10 of which have been as Prime Minister and occupier of the office our American friends would call “the bully pulpit”. Letting the bird fly is an ancient gesture that falls under the category of free speech in our free society and so the Prime Minister had every right to use hand jive to speak his dirty mind. He has demonstrated his contempt for Bahamians in so many other more tangible and hurtful ways that this one finger salute should not be regarded as the worst he has done. We must hold him accountable for it. Thanks to the Internet, the world saw it. What is more disturbing though is that our children and young people saw it. The teenagers know it well. It is a part of the everyday lexicon of the common thug. Ergo, is the Prime Minister now in solidarity with these thugs? Is he a hood brother whose example need no longer be followed? This particular Valley Boy won’t be dissed by anyone. Look at me, the Prime Minister’s finger screamed. “I is man”. Except, he is the leader of this country and he ought to show us some respect. He owes us all the decency to comport with the norms of polite society. Thou must keep thy vulgar finger away from public scrutiny. Christie has made a habit of becoming unhinged when people tick him off. Only God knows how many fingers he must have shown the musician who recorded
a nasty song about Christie’s family, when his wife summoned him round to the homestead for what must have been tea and potato bread. Alfred Sear’s ears must still be ringing from the wild finger rhythms that must have been on private display when Christie heard he was being challenged for the leadership of the PLP. One big finger raised high must be how he celebrated when he crushed Sears in the final vote. And woe be unto the next Cabinet minister who goes to see Christie to “bitch and complain” about anything. Through tightly pursed lips he is going to give them a non-verbal dressing down the likes of which they would never have witnessed before. I have no doubt Christie is now getting reports from the ground that foretell of trouble ahead for the PLP in general and him in particular. And so he is lashing out at all the ungrateful Bahamians who don’t appreciate him and who can’t see that he has a divine right to the Prime Ministry. A Facebook post set Christie off this time. What’s it going to be next time? Is he going to take it out on poor Jerome Fitzgerald for not grovelling hard enough when excusing the boss’ crude sign language? Or maybe B. J. Nottage will get the “what for” when he bothers Christie with more reports of murder and mayhem? Christie is now in the illustrious company of the aptly named disgraced US politician Anthony Weiner who after being caught exposing himself on social media, rode off into political oblivion with his middle finger raised high in defiance. As Christie unravels, Hubert Minnis could do well to learn from Michelle Obama. When they go low, go high Doc. THE GRADUATE Nassau, May 7, 2017.
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, March 8, 2017, PAGE 5
PM bid to appeal over call for judge’s recusal is rejected By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net A JUDGE yesterday refused leave to appeal her ruling on Prime Minister Perry Christie’s recusal application that argued that she, while awaiting an approval of her application to extend her tenure as a Supreme Court judge, cannot be perceived to be impartial in hearing an ongoing judicial review into allegations that Lyford Cay resident Peter Nygard illegally increased the size of his property. Justice Rhonda Bain is expected to provide her reasons, in writing, for the refusal today when the matter is called at 10am. With a judgment, the prime minister and his attorneys can review the ruling and determine whether they wish to proceed with a direct application to the Court of Appeal concerning the February 6 decision. Attorneys for the prime minister filed a motion in the Supreme Court on January 26 asking that Justice Bain recuse herself from the judicial review - or any other cases in which he is a party - on the basis that she is set to attain the legal age for retirement in April.
PRIME Minister Perry Christie pictured yesterday. Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff She has an application for lawyers in his capacity as the executive, stressing that extension that would have minister responsible for cases are distributed by the to be authorised by the gov- Crown land and was argued chief justice – a role that cannot be “usurped by the ernor general on the advice on January 30. In a 40-page ruling hand- prime minister.” of the prime minister in The judge also said the consultation with the leader ed down on February 6, Justice Bain reminded Mr prime minister should have of the Official Opposition. The motion of recusal Christie of the independ- immediately filed a motion was filed by Mr Christie’s ence of the judiciary from seeking her recusal if he
had concerns, instead of choosing to “sit back and do nothing for upwards of seven months” while other Nygard matters were continuing in court. “The application for extension of tenure by Bain J (Justice Bain) was made on June 6, 2016. The application for recusal of Bain J by the first respondent (Mr Christie), by reason of Bain J’s application for extension, was not made until January 26, 2017, upwards of seven months after the application for extension was made,” the judge noted previously. “The prime minister in his capacity as minister responsible for Crown lands through his counsel continued to participate in these proceedings after the application for extension was made in June 2016. Since the application for an extension was made the court continued hearing the matters and has delivered eight rulings,” the judge’s ruling added. Justice Bain also said that since applying for an extension of her tenure, “the court commenced the hearing of the Keod Smith and Derek Ryan contempt application on December 8, 2016” and Mr Nygard’s “first committal matter on
October 3, 2016.” Nygard’s first committal matter was completed yesterday with the Canadian fashion mogul being convicted of contempt of court by Justice Bain and fined $50,000 for breach of the Supreme Court’s order concerning illegal dredging near his property in Lyford Cay. Nygard was given until March 21 to pay the fine or he will spend 14 days at the Department of Correctional Services in Fox Hill. He was further ordered to remove the excavated sand from his property and return it to Jaws Beach by April 7. Failure to do so will result in an additional $50,000 and a $1,000 fine for each day this subsequent order is not carried out. Wayne Munroe, QC, Clinton Clarke and Tommel Roker appeared for the prime minister in the recusal application and the ruling that was returned yesterday. Fred Smith, QC, Romauld Ferreira, Dawson Malone and Perline Ingraham appeared for the Coalition to Protect Clifton Bay, now called Save the Bays. John Minns and Roberts Adams are legal counsel for the Neighbours Action in this matter.
JURY EXPECTED TO START DELIBERATIONS TODAY IN MURDER CASE By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net
A JURY yesterday listened to an hour of closing arguments from Crown and defence counsel about whether a man should bear criminal liability for fatally stabbing a banker he claimed had made a sexual advance at him at a home where he was hired to do a painting job. The 12-member panel is expected to decide the fate of 26-year-old Lamar Albury following more than two weeks of evidence concerning the killing of Devince Smith, who was found lifeless in his St Alban’s Drive apartment with 33 sharp force wounds in 2015. His lawyer Michael Hanna told the jury that they heard him testify that he was sexually assaulted and that he was taken by surprise. “He never went there other than to do a job and in the circumstances he was in fear for his life,” Mr Hanna argued. “We saw no motive of
robbery in this matter because he went there at the invitation of the deceased. There was no forced entry. None at all.” Mr Hanna likened what happened to his client to activities during the days of slavery and colonialism, an era “where sexual harassment happened on the job everyday and not just to women, but to men.” Mr Hanna implored the jury to look clinically and dispassionately at the evidence before them and determine that Albury acted in self-defence. Cordell Frazier, who has prosecuted the case with Anya Allen, told the jury: “It’s now time for you to decide what and who you believe.” “At the opening of this case I told you that the accused had a right to presumption of innocence and now I’d like to tell you that the deceased had a right to life and that right was taken away from him.” Ms Frazier contended that the Crown had proven its case that murder had occurred as required by law. She said there is no dispute
that Smith is dead, that he died within 366 days of being attacked, that harm was used to cause the death and that the killing was intentional. “By stabbing the deceased the number of times that he did, we say there was no other intent than to kill,” Ms Frazier said. The fifth element of proving murder occurred is determining whether the harm was unlawful, the prosecutor said. Ms Frazier said the law allowed killing in self-defence in specific instances, including rape. “You have to determine whether the circumstances was an extreme necessity for the extent of the selfdefence,” the prosecutor urged. Ms Frazier reminded the juror that prior to being picked up by Smith to carry out the job at the apartment, there was a conversation between Albury and Smith where the latter had requested of the accused to bring a girl or two for sex. She also questioned how Albury could bring paint to the apartment if he hadn’t been shown by Smith what
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We, CIBC TRUST COMPANY (BAHAMAS) LIMITED, the Trustee of the Pension Fund, hereby give notice of the position of Former Employees (being those whose employment was terminated prior to 30th November 2016) and Employees (being those who remained employed on 30th November 2016, but not after that date) in relation to the surplus of the Pension Fund. Former Employees, please be advised that, pursuant to sections 6 and 11.1 of the Pension Fund Plan Rules, you have received your full entitlement under the terms of the Pension Fund and are not entitled to further payment. Employees, please be advised that you have received your initial entitlement under the terms of the Pension Fund and will be granted a share in the surplus of the Pension Fund, after the annual audit has been completed. Please note that the purposes of the audit are, inter alia, to account for all of the expenses incurred in the administration of the Pension Fund and to arrive at the correct figure representing the funds available for disbursement as surplus thereof. We assure you that we are making every effort to work with the auditors to expedite the completion of the audit. Accordingly, we ask for your continued patience and undertake to keep you updated as matters progress. CIBC TRUST COMPANY (BAHAMAS) LIMITED Goodman’s Bay Corporate Centre West Bay Street P.O. Box N3933 Nassau, Bahamas Tel: 356-1800; Fax: 322 3692
he wished for him to paint. “Did he really go there to paint? That’s a question for you,” Ms Frazier said. Albury, of Chippingham, is on trial before Senior Justice Vera Watkins on a murder charge which he has denied since his formal arraignment and at the commencement of his trial on February 20. Smith’s partially decomposed body was found shortly after 2.30pm on December 21, 2015 at his St Alban’s Drive apartment. Smith was a sports coach and was employed at Pictet Bank & Trust Ltd. He was also a former president of the New Providence Volleyball Association. Albury pleaded not guilty to the murder charge. On the first day of trial, the jury heard that Albury had confessed to his relatives that he had fatally stabbed the banker, who had hired him to do a paint job at his apartment for an upcoming holiday gathering, when the victim made a sexual advance at him. The second day of trial, Smith’s housekeeper testified that in the three months
she had known Albury, the accused had been to Smith’s apartment on three occasions and on two other occasions, the accused and Smith were seen in the victim’s Jeep drinking. The prosecution’s final witness was forensic pathologist Dr Caryn Sands, who testified that the wounds, including a slit throat, were unlikely to have been caused by a painting knife as Albury had told police when interviewed in custody 14 days after the incident. On Monday, Albury was asked by Senior Justice Watkins to indicate whether he would remain silent at his trial or elect to given testimony under oath. Albury elected to take the stand and spoke to how accepting a “compliments to the season” Hennessy drink from Smith when he arrived at the apartment before he started the job spiralled into a scuffle and stabbing after the banker allegedly made sexual overtures. When cross-examined, it was suggested to Albury that in his record of interview in police custody, he
made no claim that Smith made a pass at him. Albury said he felt ashamed to speak about the attempted sexual assault so he withheld the information. The accused denied that Smith was running away from him. However, he conceded that Smith had no weapon. Albury was asked why were the chairs in the living room overturned if the scuffled occurred upstairs and Smith collapsed at the base of the stairs. The accused said when he left Smith there, he could not say if he was still alive and that Smith might have overturned the chairs. Albury conceded that he turned himself in with a lawyer 14 days after the incident. However, he claimed that he hold his relatives what happened the day after and not December 29/30 as the jury heard. Albury also conceded that he burned the clothes he wore on that day. The case resumes today when the judge is expected to summarise the evidence before excusing the jury to deliberate on a verdict.
PAGE 6, Wednesday, March 8, 2017
THE TRIBUNE
Nygard guilty of contempt from page one Mr Nygard’s calendar, according to Ms Moxey, was booked out for several weeks and he could not attend court at an earlier date, even after Justice Bain allowed a recess to determine an earlier date for the matter to render the decision given Mr Lockhart’s personal circumstances. Justice Bain, in light of Ms Moxey’s insistence that the matter could not be heard until May, rejected the request for an adjournment and handed down her decision on an application to commit the Lyford Cay resident to prison after it was alleged that he engaged in dredging activities off the coast of his Nygard Cay home in defiance of a court order. If Nygard fails to return the excavated sand by April 7, he will face an additional $50,000 and a $1,000 fine for each day this subsequent order is not carried out. An injunction against such activities was handed down by Justice Bain on June 13, 2013. It is alleged that Nygard violated this in December 2014. Appeal Despite the ruling, Nygard has maintained the actions in question were in accordance with a government issued permit. “We respectfully disagree with the judge’s ruling and plan to appeal the decision, although we have paid the initial $50,000 fine in advance of the March 21 deadline, as required by the court,” a statement from Nygard’s US public relations representative, Sitrick and Company, said last night. “It remains our contention that the removal and stockpiling of sand from the Nygard Cay marina was carried out in good faith in full accordance with the conditions of a government issued permit. The permit was issued to Nygard Holdings Ltd, and its duly authorised representatives caused the lawful removal
PETER Nygard arriving at the Supreme Court yesterday. of obstructions to the marina. The permit was issued by the government after the injunction was in place and we had no reason to believe that the permit was invalid or that the government had issued it without proper authority. “We also respectfully disagree and plan to appeal the order to move the stockpiled sand to Jaws Beach. While the original government permit required the removed sand to be placed on Jaws Beach, the government amended its requirement to allow the sand to be stockpiled in the absence of any evidence whatsoever that the sand deposited in Nygard Cay’s marina was coming from Jaws Beach. There was no evidence presented in court showing that any sand removed from Nygard Cay’s marina since
the injunction had migrated from Jaws Beach, therefore we believe there is no justification for requiring the sand to be moved to Jaws Beach,” the statement said. Arguments In closing arguments on February 27 in the Supreme Court, STB’s lead lawyer Fred Smith, QC, told the court that clear evidence had been presented, in the form of photographs and witness testimony, proving that for a period of nine days in December 2014, Nygard periodically dredged the sea bed at Simms Point/Nygard Cay in explicit contravention of the court order. He claimed that Nygard has not denied that he was fully aware of the terms of the injunction and therefore knew he was breaching
Memorial Service Stanley Richard Bethel, 53 of Nassau, The Bahamas, who his residence, on Sunday, 5th be held at Epworth Methodist Sound, Abaco, The Bahamas, March, 2017 at 11:00 a.m.
died peacefully at March, 2017, will Chapel, Cherokee on Saturday, 11th
Reverend L. Carla R. Culmer will officiate, assisted by Reverend J. Marie Neilly and Mr. Hartis Pinder and interment will be in the Public Cemetery, Cherokee Sound, Abaco. Stan has requested that BRIGHT COLOURS be worn at the Memorial Service in celebration of his life. Stan was predeceased by his father, George Archibald Bethel. Left to cherish his memory are his wife of 34 years, Joanna Michelle Bethel; son, Brian Bethel; daughter, Fallon Bethel; mother, Sharon Bethel; granddaughters, India Rolle and Brianna Bethel; brother, Michael Bethel; sisters, Jennifer Sawyer and Florence Christie (adopted sister); sisters-in-law, Maria Bethel and Janice Hayling; brothers-in-law, Trevor Sawyer and Mark Hayling; daughter-in-law (to be), Carmen Cordova Chilquillo; uncles, George (Sonny) Bethel, Paul Bethel, Joe Daddio, Clifford Cates, Richard Hodgekins (Jr.) and Hartis Pinder; aunts, Mildred (C.C.) Bethel, Patsy Bethel, Melvina Daddio, Anne Hodgekins, Peggy Hodge, Ruth Caitlin, Laura Sawyer, Kathyann Sawyer and Greta Pinder; nephews, Mikey Bethel, Cody Bethel, Noah Hayling; nieces, Amanda Sawyer, Erica Bethel, Leah Hayling; cousins, Karen Eldon, Marjorie (Richard) Eldon, Sylvia Bethel, Marsha Cates, Candice (Philip) Strachan, Denise (Jimmy) McIntosh, Tracy (Christopher) Russell, Hope Suker, Melissa (Jeff) Williams, Nicole Hodgekins, Bonnie (John) Knowles, Kent (Patricia) Bethel, Jim (Gaylene) Bethel, Ian (Alana) Carroll, Kevin (Raquel) Bethel, Jeffrey (Diane) Lowe, Terry (Evelyn) Albury, Terry Hodgekins, Kent Hodgekins, John (Maria) Sawyer, Ian (Lisa) Sands, Daniel Sands, David (Stephanie) Suker, Ricky Sawyer, Alvin (Terrisa) Hodge. Special Friends, Will Mahany, Lymas Taylor Jr., Shantell Fawkes, Cortez Bowles, Jonathan Cox, Donavon Collie & Family, Tina Nixon & Family, Heather Albury, Kenneth Albury, Darryl Darville & Family, Patria Higgs, Margaret Malone & Family, Christine Wong, & The Smitty Pharmacy Girls. Other Friends and Family including, The Owners & Staff of ‘The Duke of Top Sail’, Bahamas Customs Department – Arawak Cay Port, The Port Department – Arawak Cay, The ‘Papa J’ Crew, The Owners & Staff of Easy Car Sales, The D’Albenas Agency Crew, Rev. Charles & Mrs. Sheran Sweeting & Family, Katherine & Neil Cadman, Rudy, Hank, Garison & Byron Sweeting, Mr. Clinton Cartwright, Rev. L. Carla R. Culmer, The Sweeting, Albury, Pinder, Underwood & Hayling Families, Junior & Loree Sands, Lockwood & Margaret Albury, Simon & Kim Rodan, The Ivanoe Road Crew, Dr. Gemma Rolle, Dr. Dwayne Sands, Dr. Christine Chin, Dr. Michael Darville, Dr. Margo Munroe, Dr. Theodore Turnquest, Dr. Duvaughn Curling, Dr. Bruce Wiita (West Palm Beach), The Angels Elite Nursing Team including Head Nurse Wring, Nurse Joanne Brookes, Nurse Jamie Sears, Nurse Evelyn Alfred, Nurse Vernencha Adderley, Alverna McKinney and Nurse Tarique Fernander who cared for Stan like he was family. The doctors and nurses of Jupiter Medical Center & Doctors Hospital. His pet children and grandchildren: Abbey, Mia, Archimedes, Bagheera and Mr. Pickles and a host of other relatives and friends too numerous to mention. Arrangements by Kemp’s Funeral Home Limited.
Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff it by conducting such activities. Mr Smith argued that the dredging was clearly authorised by Nygard, as it was carried out on his property and, at times, under his supervision. In his closing arguments before the judge, Mr Lockhart told the court that a permit to dredge the sea floor was granted to Nygard Holdings Ltd and not Peter Nygard in October 2014. Therefore, he argued, and in the absence of any definitive evidence to the contrary, the court should assume that the company, and not the individual, carried out the dredging complained of in STB’s application. Peter Nygard and Nygard Holdings Ltd, Mr Lockhart stressed, are separate entities. He added that no evidence had been adduced to prove that Nygard was personally responsible for the dredging which took place off the coast of his property. Mr Smith branded this an “absurd” argument which “defied logic” as it would allow any individual, prohibited by the court from undertaking certain activities, to simply carry them out under another name. In her 41-page ruling yesterday, Justice Bain noted that “from the evidence, it was beyond a reasonable doubt that the fifth respondent (Nygard) instructed Melissa Hall to apply for a permit. “That after the permit was granted and revised the fifth respondent allowed the dredging to take place. The fifth respondent was photographed observing the dredging taking place.
The fifth respondent was heard berating one of the workers,” the judge noted. “The court holds that the fifth respondent authorised the December 2014 dredging. The injunction covered the dredging that took place. The fact that a permit to conduct dredging was granted to the fifth respondent in his name or in the name of Melissa Hall & Co or in Nygard Holdings Ltd is irrelevant as the injunction prohibited any dredging of the sea bed located south of Simms Point/Nygard Cay by the fifth respondent either directly or through his employees and agents. “The applicants have proved that dredging of the sea bed on the sea bed located south of Simms Point/ Nygard Cay did in fact take place,” the judge added. Justice Bain noted that Nygard “gave no evidence on his own behalf and called one witness, Mrs Melissa Hall, who was instructed to and who did in fact apply for and painted a permit to dredge the property of Nygard Cay.” “Mrs Hall admitted that she did not receive the instructions from the fifth respondent directly but that she received her instructions from Eric Gibson, the property manager of the fifth respondent,” the judge said, stressing that this fact was undisputed by counsel. The judge noted that notwithstanding the June 2013 injunction, Nygard instructed Mrs Hall to apply for the permit. “Melissa Hall, in her evidence, stated that she was not aware of the injunction when she applied for a permit. Mrs Hall stated that as
she was applying for a permit for the first time, she met with Mr Michael Major (director of the Department of Physical Planning) for assistance in preparing the application. Notwithstanding this, when the permit was granted October 9, 2014, Melissa Hall on October 23, 2014 made an application to dispose of the excavated material on the existing beach at Nygard Cay which was contrary to condition (j) of the permit granted,” the judge said. “In response to Mr Major’s email response, Melissa Hall wrote a scathing letter to Mr Michael Major alleging bias in dealing with her client and threatening to appeal to the minister or make an application for judicial review.” The judge observed that Mr Major “varied the permit and waived condition (j) and advised that the disposal of the excavated material was allowed on the area designated as accretion - on the plan (2) on the plan.” “Further Michael Major advised that the material is to be stockpiled only and not applied to any beach on your client’s property.” It was with these facts in mind that Justice Bain found Nygard “guilty of contempt of court in his breach of the injunction filed June 14, 2013.” Dawson Malone, Romauld Ferreira and Perline Ingraham appeared with Mr Smith for yesterday’s ruling. Wayne Munroe, QC, Tommel Roker and Clinton Clarke appear for the prime minister, deputy prime minister, minister of transport and the Town Planning Committee.
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Wednesday, March 8, 2017, PAGE 7
GRAY: TESTS ON BAIC FEED AFTER LIVESTOCK DEATHS “Several animals have died in Exuma, several animals have died at Gladstone Road, so it may be something in the air,” Mr Gray said. “And the Exuma pigs did not eat our (BAIC) food so remember when we had the dog’s temper (sic), where dogs were just falling down dead. “It may be something that is airborne, we don’t know. That’s why I need to have the results of the test because without those results everybody is speculating.” In a Tribune report last week, farmers claimed that gross mismanagement at BAIC was responsible for hundreds of livestock deaths since Hurricane Matthew last October. One insider confirmed that 40 adult hogs and scores of suckling pigs at the GRAC piggery have died within the past two months. At that time, the BAIC Feed Mill had been shut down for nearly three
weeks, intensifying the economic hardship experienced by farmers last year, as they have to purchase feed at retail prices from local distributors, essentially paying double the cost for half the amount. The insider alleged that the feed was contaminated by mouldy corn that was ordered from the US but spoiled due to improper storage. It was further alleged that officials knew that the feed was compromised but decided to “take a gamble” due to the heavily politicised nature of the sector, which saw more than half of the staff at the corporation replaced by non-technical political placements. Yesterday, Mr Gray said: “I don’t know why the famers would conclude it’s the feed that caused the disaster which they befall. We have selected some of the food, sent it off for testing and we are awaiting for the conclusion of the test.
MINISTER INTENDS TO RELEASE REPORT ON SWIMMING PIGS
By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
THE mysterious deaths of seven “swimming pigs” in Exuma that has captured the attention of activists around the world, may soon be solved, according to Agriculture Minister V Alfred Gray. Mr Gray confirmed yesterday that tests ordered on blood samples have been returned, and that he expects to release the report after consultation with the government’s veterinarian. “I have it,” he told re-
porters outside the Office of the Prime Minister yesterday. “I intend to call a press conference and speak to it. I think the initial results show the pigs ingested sands and that clogged their stomach. “It’s a whole combination of things and we are not in the business of speculating. I want to have conclusive evidence that I can rely on and take actions to prevent any reoccurrence of that situation.” The Bahamas Humane Society has called for the release of all autopsies per-
formed on the seven swimming pigs that died. BHS President Kim Aranha told The Tribune that the longer the cause of death is kept a “secret” the more people will speculate that something nefarious was done to the animals. Mr Gray said yesterday: “The swimming pigs are in the main all alive except for (seven) of them that died. A veterinarian was sent by my ministry to test blood samples and do an autopsy on one or two of the pigs. The autopsy initially revealed that the pigs
ingested sand together with food things. “People throw things on the sand and while they eat the food, they also eat the sand. Over time, their stomachs became full of sand because the other things will pass out but the sand will not, and so the initial conclusion is that they may have died from the indigestion of sand.” He added: “The lab has tested the samples which were sent and we have just received the results. I will make the results public as soon as the veterinarian sends the results to me.”
I think that’s a reasonable position because we don’t want to agree with them before we know conclusively whether the food was contaminated.” He continued: “That batch of food is finished that they claim might have
been contaminated, but I’m not joining them in that regard because I’m not sure. I’m awaiting the results of the test.” Mr Gray confirmed that the feed mill was now operational and that there has been a new shipment of
food. He insisted that the corporation did have a nutritionist on site, and that it only lacked sufficient testing facilities to test for contaminants. “We have a nutritionist on site,” he said. “What
we do not have is sufficient testing facilities to test for poison and the rest of it and so we have to send it to our lab. The feed mill doesn’t have it. We send it to the lab at Gladstone Road site and they are doing the testing for us.”
Cruise line executive ‘concerned’ about crime from page one There have been 32 murders so far in 2017, taking the murder toll in nearly five years under the Christie administration to 601, according to The Tribune’s records. Mr Bayley’s remarks come two weeks after Baha Mar executive Graeme Davis, Chow Tai Fook Enterprises (CTFE) Bahamas president, suggested that if the Christie administration is unable to control crime, the country’s tourism product could be headed in a negative direction. Nonetheless, Mr Bayley said the cruise line, which brings around 1.7m visitors to the country each year, is committed to maintaining a concrete relationship with the country and plans to double visitor numbers over the next 10 years. He made the comments on the sidelines of a heads of agreement signing between RCI and the government for a $40m fixed pier cruise port at Coco Cay, also known as Little Stirrup Cay in the Berry Islands. During the signing, Prime Minister Perry Christie said the installation of the fixed pier will allow for additional safety of cruise ship passengers and employees on the cay, where they will be able to have direct access to the island instead of tendering boats. He said Royal Caribbean will also carry out an expansion of the services offered at the cay by injecting $150m over a three-phased process. The pier is expect-
ed to lead these improvements. “I think obviously everybody is concerned with regards to crime particularly as it relates to tourism,” Mr Bayley told The Tribune at the Office of the Prime Minister. “We have a very strong relationship with the FCCA, which is the industry association that we’re obviously participants with and the FCCA are constantly in discussion and dialogue with different governmental groups around the Caribbean with regards to any spike or changes that we see in crime trends. “I think obviously we have been operating for many, many decades and we are kind of familiar with occasional spikes and when we see anything occurring we are in conversation with the governments in regards to actions either they are taking or planning on taking. So we’re concerned. “Obviously we want our guests and our customers to be very safe otherwise they won’t come on vacation, but we don’t see it as a major issue and we think that the right kind of attention and focus has been put into place.” He continued: “I always say ‘it’s better in The Bahamas’ but I understand that has changed to ‘it keeps getting better’ and I think that’s true. We bring 1.7m people here to The Bahamas and it’s a highly rated experience. We check and we monitor every single guest feedback on every single destination we go to and obviously we take that
PRIME Minister Perry Christie alongside Michael Bayley, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, at yesterday’s heads of agreement signing. Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff artists and other profes- Christie said. very seriously. global passenger market Royal Caribbean Cruises capture and 14 per cent “So The Bahamas always sions will also be engaged scores very well and when it to help create authentic Ltd is a multinational cor- revenue market share of a continues to score well we Bahamian culture,” Mr poration with 17 per cent $40bn industry. will continue to come here. I think that is proven by our long relationship with The Bahamas and the fact that we have 13 of our ships calling in The Bahamas on a regular basis. That’s quite a lot of ships.” Mr Christie said RCI has invested $235m in the development of Coco Cay. With the accommodation of the fixed pier, the cay will be able to receive larger cruise ships and will accommodate Oasis-class ships that carry up to 5,400 passengers. “There will be a new craft market place, shore, excursion building, bike and equipment rentals building, transportation centre, suite guest building, a new active aquatic zone, additional food and beverage facilities and associated infrastructure and landscaping,” Mr Christie said. “Phase III is slated to have additional guest attractions including a ropes course, zip line, water park, lagoon cabanas, pools and employee accommodations and facilities. Local musicians, entertainers,
SMITH DENIES PLP CHAIRMAN’S CLAIM OVER LEAKS FORMER Exuma member of Parliament George Smith has dismissed an accusation from Progressive Liberal Party Chairman Bradley Roberts, who accused the former Cabinet minister of leaking information to The Nassau Guardian. In a statement released to the media, Mr Smith said he would not ordinarily respond to Mr Roberts’ “tirades” but was constrained to clear up the chairman’s accusations. He also said Mr Roberts’ “shoot from the hip” approach is a “disservice” to the PLP. “I am not the source of the information,” Mr Smith said. “ . . . It is not my style to give an opinion to the press, request anonymity; then hide under a rock. “I joined the Eastern Branch of the Progressive Liberal Party in 1961. I attended my first convention in 1964. When others, in 1967, were assisting the UBP in doing all they could to hold onto power, Livingstone Coakley and I took
the fight for Majority Rule against a powerful UBP in Exuma. “For the following seven general elections, I was a standard bearer for the party winning six consecutive elections through 1992. After leaving the House (of Assembly) in 1997, I continued to contribute to party campaigns, in byeelections and in the general elections of 2002, 2007 and 2012. ‘Not been actively involved?’ What rubbish.” Bradley Roberts’ ‘shoot from the hip’ approach does the PLP a disservice. “I, like many Bahamians, do predictions of the possible outcome as we near elections. I would share my analysis with a close circle (all PLPs) and invite their reaction. I did this after the 2017 Constituencies Commission report - in some areas we agreed and in some we disagreed. “As for my active involvement in the PLP, who in the hell gave Bradley Roberts the right to determine when anyone’s involvement in
their party ceases?” Mr Smith said his record in public office will speak for itself, adding that he has a “pleasant and respectful” relationship with the PLP’s leader and deputy leader. He also said he is still convinced that the PLP is “the best party to govern” the country, but urged party members, including leaders, “to put aside all pettiness, arrogance and aloofness and put on the armour of humility.” On Sunday, Mr Roberts dismissed an opinion piece published in The Nassau Guardian last week as “fake news,” while also accusing Mr Smith of allegedly supplying the information in the report to the newspaper. He also said Mr Smith is not actively involved in the PLP. The report in question, published in The Guardian’s National Review section, said the PLP predicted a win of 14 out of 39 constituencies thus far, based on information supplied by a source.
PAGE 8, Wednesday, March 8, 2017
THE TRIBUNE
Women be bold: seize the moment as election looms T
Culture Clash
ODAY is International Women’s Day, a day for global recognition of the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women and a call to action for genBy ALICIA WALLACE der equality. This year, International Women’s Day calls on us to Sexual Health and Rights “Be Bold for Change” and Association, acknowledgthe message is resonant, ing their work and the dire particularly during general need for greater resourcing election season in the Ba- to serve communities and hamas. advocate for the rights of What better time is there women and girls. to push for a more genderWe hope for engagement inclusive counwith the new try with legis- “Bahamian women Department lation, policy of Gender and leadership are vital to this and Famthat reinforce society. They are ily Affairs, the principles depended on and participation of equality? in national called upon to This year, dialogue and we celebrate 50 fill many, often new opporyears since the disparate, needs. tunities for first time Bacivil society to From child care hamian womcontribute to en voted, and and household legislation and reflect on the management policy. activities and We can rest to significant discussions the future of that led to last contributions women and year’s referen- to expenses, girls, however, dum results. on hope. We look to Bahamian women Election organisations answer the call.” season always like Equalbrings promisity Bahamas, Bahamas es. Political parties set their Crisis Centre and Bahamas agendas, develop docu-
ments to communicate their supposed intentions and sell dreams of a better Bahamas. This time around, things are moving slowly. Plans are slow to come, “debate” is a dirty word and gender issues continue to be ignored. Would it be any different if there were more women in Parliament? At present, 13 per cent of Members of Parliament are women. The Free National Movement’s website shows 33 candidates, only three of which are women. Eleven of 30 Democratic National Alliance candidates are women. The Progressive Liberal Party’s website is not functioning well enough to assess the gender balance, but according to records of ratified candidates thus far, the party is not set to break any records. It’s interesting that the DNA has the most women on the roster given the party leader’s sentiments toward women. Branville McCart-
JOB OPPORTUNITY:
CHIEF CURATOR Applications are invited from suitably qualified professionals for the post of Chief Curator at The National Art Gallery of The Bahamas. The NAGB is an independent quasi-governmental corporation. Hired persons are employees of the Board and work on fixed-term independent contracts. No pension or health care is provided. The Chief Curator is responsible for the selection, presentation, care and scholarly interpretation of the National Collection for the public and the development of an exhibition schedule for the NAGB. He/she will have a clear vision for the Gallery’s exhibition program and how the National Collection is researched, documented and interpreted. The Chief Curator is a museum professional who has demonstrated excellence in curation and is capable of budget planning, grant writing and all financial aspects of creating, implementing and installing an exhibition. This is a fulltime position.
Key Responsibilities include:
Oversee management of gallery collection including the development of a database to catalogue the National Collection and its historicization with the wider curatorial team; Plan and coordinate the gallery’s exhibition programme; coordinate exhibition, education and outreach activities; Administer gallery activities with Education Officer and Communications and Development Officer; Solicit and secure exhibition opportunities for Bahamian Artists, residencies and other professional placement opportunities; Oversee the research and writing of the history and descriptions of The National Collection items to properly illustrate display and catalogue items in conjunction with curatorial team; Coordinate exhibit design, planning, production, and installation including working with visual artists to support their projects; Oversee cataloging and care for the National Collection, including overseeing the development and maintenance of the collections database; Staff training and supervision in curatorial practices, arts education, communications and community outreach efforts; Supervise curatorial assistants, trainees and interns; Oversee the organization, scheduling and implementation of educational and public outreach programmes e.g. tours, workshops, and lectures;
PERSONAL SPECIFICATIONS:
The applicant must have the equivalent of a Master’s Degree or Ph.D. from relevant areas such as Anthropology, Cultural Studies, Museum Studies, Art History, Contemporary Art, or Curatorial Studies; four-to-six years of experience working in an art gallery, museum or related environment, with a portion of those years in a leadership role; proven knowledge of the region, including research projects; a clear understanding of national and regional artists and art histories in relation to international art histories and market trends and of current international trends, exhibitions and markets so as to advise on direction for Bahamian artists; of museum policies, policies, practices, and procedures. The Chief Curator must display excellent organizational, planning and administrative abilities with outstanding verbal and written communication skills; engagement in the Museum’s development and readiness to work unfavourable hours; creativity, and flexibility. Capabilities must include MS Office and cataloguing software for museums, contemporary exhibition design and fabrication methods; scale, balance, proportion, and colour; knowledge or familiarity with architecture, graphic and building design; knowledge of materials and basic conservation of objects. Please send the following documents in support of your application: 1. CV or résume 2. Letter of Intent 3. Writing sample of under 1,000 words. 4. 3 Letters of recommendation. Note: Make sure your application and any attachments to the application submitted at the time of filing are complete and accurate and include details on all experience, education, training and other information that qualifies you for this recruitment. Failure to submit a complete and accurate application at the time of filing may result in your ineligibility for this recruitment. Only the most qualified applicants will continue on in the selection process. Review Process: The review process will include evaluation of applications in relation to minimum requirements. Only those applicants whose qualifications most closely meet the needs of the Department will be invited for an interview. Application deadline, March 24th, 2017 For further questions, please contact Amanda Coulson, Director, The National Art Gallery of the Bahamas at acoulson@nagb.org.bs.
ONLY 13 per cent of Members of Parliament currently are women - including Melanie Griffin, pictured here at the PLP convention. ney, the party’s leader, opposed the marital rape bill in 2012 and voted against the four proposed constitutional amendment bills for gender equality in 2016. The FNM and the PLP, of course, have their own inconsistent history where women’s rights - constitutionally and legislatively - are concerned. One need only look at the 2002 referendum and the years of debate leading to the 2016 referendum to see the murkiness of party and candidate positions on gender issues. We can all agree that Bahamian women are vital to this society. They are depended on and called upon to fill many, often disparate, needs. From childcare and household management to significant contributions to expenses, Bahamian women answer the call. Further, it is often women who first identify needs and find ways to respond to them, whether by fundraising, teaching, listening or running for political office. We acknowledge this as truth, yet struggle to see the importance of recognising the humanity of women and girls. Society is beginning to consider gender - and its subsequent consequences - in relation to issues some may never have to think about. Inability to pass on citizenship has only entered the conversation with the rejected four constitutional amendment bills. When will the wage gap be on our radar? When will the conversation about quotas be raised, enabling more women to enter politics? Who will address the archaic, sexist policy that allows medical professionals to require a woman to have her husband’s permission for tubal ligation? The road ahead is long, and the changes we need will require dedication and boldness. Many talk about the graduation rates, from high school and college and the job women hold, but do not think about the rights women are denied. Not only that, but few people are fighting for those rights, using their power and influence to move us forward. There is a role for everyone to play. We can challenge inequality when we see it. We can model health
BRANVILLE McCartney leads the party with the greatest proportion of female candidates but opposed the marital rape bill in 2012 and the 2016 Constitutional Amendment Gender Equality Referendum. relationships and talk to issues are included. Show young people about dating them where gender issues to reduce gender-based vio- are missing. For example, lence. We can work for the any plan to address crime advancement of women by should include domestic demanding better represen- and sexual violence. In tation, from boardrooms 2017, any plan for education to political parties. We can should include exposure to celebrate the achievements STEM (Science, Technoloof women and ensure that gy, Engineering and Mathother women and girls see ematics) specifically for the possibilities. girls. Women and girls, as Election season, as we all a marginalised group, must know, is the perfect time be centred in national plans to state our claims. Candi- and their components, pardates are now making their ticularly where there are rounds, and though they re- known issues that need to fuse to participate in public be addressed. debates, we can ask them Political parties make questions one-on-one. Dur- their plans for our country ing International Women’s in isolation, never asking Month, think about the sta- for our opinions. But when tus of Bahamian women. they come to us in hopes Consider the rights, roles of collecting one vote at a and representation of Ba- time, it is one of many ophamian women. Challenge portunities to be heard. the idea that where we are is Determine what it will take good enough, and the rights to build the Bahamas you we have are all we need. want to see and ask quesRefuse to settle. tions to help you determine Allow yourself to imag- who is best equipped to get ine a better Bahamas for you there. all Bahamians, women inBe bold for change. cluded. What does it look like? What has to happen to • Alicia Wallace is a get there? What do our rep- women’s rights activist and resentatives need to believe public educator. She proto be a part of that process? duces The Culture RUSH Our questions, when they - a monthly newsletter fusvisit to ask for our votes, ing pop culture, social jusshould be centred on those tice and personal reflection values. Ask your potential - and tweets as @_ AliciaArepresentatives how they udrey. Contact her at culvoted in the 2016 referen- turerush@aliciaawallace. dum and why. Ask them to com. She will be writing show you their party plan fortnightly in The Tribune and point out where gender on Wednesdays.
THETRIBUNE TRIBUNE THE
Wednesday, March 8th, 8, 2017, PAGE A99 Wednesday, March 2017, PAGE
TECHTALK
LURING CASUAL GAMERS NINTENDO SWITCH’S BIG CHALLENGE:
WITH three kids and constant travel for work, John Hussey jumped at the chance to play an open-world adventure game like “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” anywhere, anytime. After he heard about the Nintendo Switch, a hybrid game machine that works as both a console at home and a tablet on the go, Hussey ordered one in January even though it wouldn’t arrive until last Friday, when Nintendo’s latest game machine made its debut. Nintendo will need lots of traditional gamers like Hussey to redeem itself as a console maker, after being eclipsed by Microsoft and Sony in the game-console wars. But Nintendo will also need lots of casual gamers who are satisfied with playing on a smartphone and would never have dreamed of buying a $300 game machine. And in trying to appeal to many audiences, Nintendo risks not being the best at serving any one. THREE LIVES The Switch is like three machines in one. Wireless controllers attach to a game tablet for hand held gaming. Take the tablet to a gathering with friends, and you can rest it on a table with a kickstand and detach the controllers for use as stand-alone devices. Back home, slide the tablet into a docking station and snap the controllers into a grip accessory and you have a traditional game console attached to a TV. With each switch — get it? — you can pick up where you left off. “Knowing I could get the ‘Zelda’ game both at home and on the road, at this stage in my life that’s essential,” said Hussey, a sales rep from Bloomington, Indiana. “I can’t sit around at home and play a 70-hour game, but if I’m on airplanes or hotels, it’s perfect for me.” The new “Zelda” game is the biggest available at launch, though Nintendo is also pushing a collection of casual party games called “1-2-Switch.” Nintendo says more than 80 titles are in development, including “Super Mario Odyssey” and the action-puzzle game “Snipperclips: Cut it Out, Together.”
GAME OVER ... TRY AGAIN Nintendo’s Wii in 2006 introduced motion control to gaming and was a massive success, forcing Microsoft and Sony to respond with their own motion controls. But the Wii’s successor in 2012, the Wii U, proved disappointing. People thought it was too expensive at $300, especially when it had few must-have games. Since then, the Japanese video game maker has faced other hiccups. Its NES Classic retro module was a “hot” holiday gift, but it was difficult to find during the holidays. It fared better with the monsterchasing “Pokemon Go” sensation on phones, but that wasn’t developed in-house. The iPhone game “Super Mario Run” garnered buzz, but some balked at the $10 price. It’s also not available on Android until later this month. The Switch represents a new hope. Nintendo is forecasting sales of 2 million units in the first month. IDC analyst Lewis Ward estimates Nintendo will ship 8 million within a year — better than the Wii U, though not as much as the Wii. MULTIPLAYER With the Switch, Nintendo is hoping “to reach gamers, families and we even hope to reach people who haven’t played video games before,” Nintendo managing executive director Shinya Takahashi said. “Really the goal with the Nintendo Switch is to reach as broad an audience as possible.” Part of that involves changing the nature of game play. Nintendo developed the mini-games in “1-2-Switch” so players look at their opponents —
A SCENE from the game “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.” (AP)
not screens — as they draw guns or milk cows. Nintendo Switch developer Yoshiaki Koizumi said he wanted the game to reflect Nintendo’s roots as a playing card company in the 1880s. Nintendo wants to bring people together, and “one of the best ways to do that is giving them the opportunity to be able to see each other’s expression,” much like when you’re playing cards, he said. Andrew Maher, a cook in Columbia, Missouri, looks forward to playing with his girlfriend, something they couldn’t do together on phones. He said the Switch “seems like a fun group experience.” But Nintendo doesn’t want to give up on traditional gamers either — thus the docking station for playing on the big screen. PRESS START The be-all approach comes with compromises. As a game console, the Switch doesn’t have the range of games available on Sony’s PlayStation 4 and Microsoft’s Xbox One. As a tablet, it lacks traditional features such as a web browser and streaming video apps like Netflix (even rival game consoles have these). Euromonitor analyst Matthew Hudak said Nintendo needs a way
to be different from rivals, and “the smartest play for them is to try to be this all-purpose console for social, casual or dedicated needs.” But if Nintendo fails to persuade casual gamers to spend $300 on something that does less than their phones, the Switch could wind up on the trash heap like the Wii U. “For the average consumer seeking a new console, they want to be able to spend the least money, be able to keep up with all the biggest releases and play the same games as their friends, none of which they can currently do with Nintendo Switch,” said Joshua Clay, a video game programmer in Derby, U.K., who doesn’t plan to switch from his PlayStation 4. IDC’s Ward is more optimistic. While hardcore gamers might stick with the Xbox One or PlayStation 4 because they’re more powerful and support more multiplayer online games, he said the Switch’s portability and easy-to-use controllers will appeal to first-time gamers. “I’m predicting Nintendo is going to be viewed in retrospect at the end of the year as ‘Back in the game,’” he said. MAE ANDERSON, AP Technology Writer
• US Senator Edward Markey wants to give the world internet access. The Massachusetts Democrat has introduced legislation to help expand quality and open access to the internet in the developing world. Markey said more than half of the world’s population remains offline, and developing countries remain far behind global averages. As of 2016, more than 80 percent of households in the developed world had internet access, compared with just 41 percent of households in developing countries and 11 percent in the world’s least developed countries. Markey’s bill would direct the State Department and other federal agencies to encourage a competitive market for investment and innovation in internet infrastructure and services. Markey said bridging the global digital divide can promote prosperity, strengthen democracy, expand educational opportunity, and provide better health care. • AN YON E wanting to invest in the company that owns Snapchat now has an opportunity to do something that early investors were unable to do: buy shares for less than they cost on the first day of trading. After tumbling 12 per cent Monday, shares of Snap Inc. fell another 10 per cent Tuesday, closing at $21.44. Snap priced its initial public offering of 200 million shares at $17 each. The shares opened at $24 apiece Thursday and jumped 44 percent on their first trading day. Industry analysts grew leery of slowing user growth numbers last year and everyone is now trying to figure out the value of a young company that is quickly catching up to Twitter in the number of people who use it.
WIKILEAKS: CIA HAS TARGETED EVERYDAY GADGETS FOR SNOOPING
MAYBE the CIA is spying on you through your television set after all. Documents released by WikiLeaksallege a CIA surveillance programme that targets everyday gadgets ranging from smart TVs to smartphones to cars. Such snooping, WikiLeaks said, could turn some of these devices into recorders of everyday conversations — and could also circumvent datascrambling encryption on communications apps such as Facebook’s WhatsApp. WikiLeaks is, for now, withholding details on the specific hacks used “until a consensus emerges” on the nature of the CIA’s programme and how the methods should be “analysed, disarmed and published.” But WikiLeaks — a nonprofit that routinely publishes confidential documents, frequently from government sources — claims that the data and documents it obtained reveal a broad program to bypass security measures on everyday products. MORE PRIVACY CLASHES If true, the disclosure could spark new privacy tensions between the government and the technology industry. Relations have been fraught since 2013, when former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden disclosed secret NSA surveillance of phone and digital communications. Just last year, the two sides feuded over the FBI’s calls for Apple to rewrite its operating system so that agents could break into the locked iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino attackers. The FBI ultimately broke into the phone with the help of an outside party; the agency has neither dis-
closed the party nor the nature of the vulnerability, preventing Apple from fixing it. According to WikiLeaks, much of the CIA programme centred on dozens of vulnerabilities it discovered but didn’t disclose to the gadget makers. Common practice calls for government agencies to disclose such flaws to companies privately, so that they could fix them. Instead, WikiLeaks claims, the CIA held on to the knowledge in order to conduct a variety of attacks. As a result, tech companies such as Apple, Google and Microsoft haven’t been able to make the necessary fixes. “Serious vulnerabilities not disclosed to the manufacturers places huge swathes of the population and critical infrastructure at risk to foreign intelligence or cyber criminals who independently discover or hear rumours of the vulnerability,” WikiLeaks wrote in a press release. “If the CIA can discover such vulnerabilities so can others.” A BIG YAWN TO SOME Not everyone is worried, though. Alan Paller, director of research for the cybersecurity training outfit SANS Insti-
tute, said the case boils down to “spies who use their tools to do what they are paid to do.” He said criminals already have similar tools — and he’s more worried about that. Rich Mogull, CEO of the security research firm Securosis, said that agencies gathering intelligence on other organizations and governments need, by definition, technical exploits that aren’t public. If they’re authentic, the leaked CIA documents frame a stark reality: It may be that no digital conversation, photo or other slice of life can be shielded from spies and other intruders prying into smartphones, personal computers, tablets or just about device connected to the internet. “It’s getting to the point where anything you say, write or electronically transmit on a phone, you have to assume that it is going to be compromised in some way,” said Robert Cattanach, a former U.S. Department of Justice attorney who now specialises in cybersecurity and privacy for the law firm Dorsey & Whitney.
the CIA to collect audio and other messages from data-scrambling communication apps such as WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram and Confide by intercepting data before it is encrypted or after it’s decoded. The CIA didn’t appear to compromise the apps themselves, but rather the phone’s underlying operating system. WikiLeaks says the CIA had separate teams looking for vulnerabilities in iPhones and Android phones and also targeted tablets such as iPads. According to WikiLeaks, the vulnerabilities were discovered by the CIA itself or obtained from other government agencies and cyberweapon contractors.
SIDESTEPPING ENCRYPTION WikiLeaks claims the hacks allowed
ANICK JESDANUN, AP Technology Writer
TVS WikiLeaks also claims that the CIA worked with U.K. intelligence officials to turn microphones in Samsung smart TVs into listening devices. The microphones are normally there for viewers to make voice commands, such as requests for movie recommendations. If the TV is off, there’s no listening being done. But WikiLeaks claims that a CIA hack makes the target TV appear to be off when it’s actually on — and listening. WikiLeaks says the audio goes to a covert CIA server rather than a party authorised by Samsung. In such cases, audio isn’t limited to TV commands but could include everyday conversations.
PAGE 10, Wednesday, March 8, 2017
THE TRIBUNE
Rotary celebrates 30 years of women membership ALONG with celebrating International Women’s Day today, Rotary clubs around the world have their own reason to celebrate. The 112-year-old organisation is recognising 30 years since women were allowed to join its membership. The Rotary Club of East Nassau (RCEN), founded in 1963, is recognising the 127 combined years of service from its current 30 female members. Making up 25 per cent of the membership, the female complement brings an added vivacity to the club’s existing programmes. The club’s first female President, Michele Moodie, was inducted into the club 12 years ago. RCEN’s signature projects focus on lit-
eracy and crime prevention through youth sports. Current female members are Erin Bethell Jones, Carol Bischof, Rosalyn Brown, Novalette Cambridge, Tanya Carey, Bianca Carter, Natalya Clarke, Kandice Davis, Diane de Cardenas (president), Royann Dean, Mayuri Deka, Hannah Foster-Middleton, Constance Gibson, Rekell Griffin, Iona Henderson, L Desiray Ingraham, Kristy Kemp, Karen Knowles, Corinne Laville, Shana Lee, Stacy Lubin-Gray, Tanya McCartney, Dianne Miller, Michele Moodie (past president), Esther Rassin, Joanne Robertson, Patrice Robinson, Hope Sealey, Joanne Smith (past president), Wendy Sneff.
SOME of the women who are members of the Rotary Club of East Nassau.
SERGEANT LINDA SULLIVAN A PIONEER IN THE RBPF A VETERAN Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) officer has been recognised for her pioneering role in leading the way for women
in a male-dominated profession by the United States Embassy in Nassau. Sergeant Linda Sullivan, who has served with the
RBPF for 33 years, is the 2017 recipient of the Embassy’s Woman of Courage award. “Her efforts have been instrumental in opening doors for her female colleagues, and ensuring they receive the same training and benefits as their male counterparts,” a press release from the Embassy said. “In addition to serving as a mentor for women police officers in the Bahamas, Sgt Sullivan has been a strong advocate on the need for more law enforcement attention to domestic violence, as well as an educator within the community on the dangers of drugs. “In 1992, Sgt Sullivan received the Gallantry Medal, the RBPF’s highest honour. She also has the unfortunate distinction of being the first woman police officer ever shot in the line of duty in the Bahamas. The incident occurred in January,1988.” Sgt Sullivan received her award from US Chargé d’Affaires Lisa Johnson at a breakfast reception at Liberty Overlook on Friday in front of her family and friends and invited guests, who included Minister of National Security Dr Ber-
US Chargé d’Affaires Lisa Johnson (second right) and Sgt Linda Sullivan (third right) with former US Embassy Nassau Woman of Courage award recipients including Janet Bostwick, Sheila Culmer, Andrea Archer; Rosa Mae Bain; A Missouri Sherman-Peter and Marva Jervis. nard Nottage, Chief Superintendent Samuel Butler, who serves as Head of the Drug Enforcement Unit, US. and Bahamian government officials. With March being observed as Women’s History Month Ms Johnson explained the significance of International Women’s Day on March 8, a day set aside to honour women who continue to strive to achieve justice and equality for all. “These women show us what is possible when women and girls stand up for the rights and freedoms of not just themselves, but also those around them,” she said. “The particular details and circumstances of each of these women differ,
but they are linked together by their exceptional devotion and leadership in advocating for human rights, women’s equality, and social progress, sometimes at great personal sacrifice and danger to themselves and those that they love.” The State Department initiated the International Woman of Courage Awards in 2007 under Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to honour and celebrate women globally who have exemplified exceptional courage and leadership. Each year, American embassies around the world celebrate the brave and heroic women who create positive change in their countries and communities. Former recipients of the
US Embassy Nassau award include Marva Jervis, for over 30 years a tireless champion for individuals living with HIV/AIDS; Sheila Culmer, for a lifetime of advocacy on behalf of people with disabilities; Andrea Archer, for educating and helping teenage mothers; A Missouri Sherman-Peter, for her long and exemplary career in the Bahamian foreign and civil services; Janet Bostwick, for her inspirational role in the women’s labour movement; Dr Sandra Dean Patterson, who was recognised in 2007 and 2011 for her accomplishments at The Crisis Centre; and Rosa Mae Bain, for her dedication to HIV/AIDS research.
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2017
MESSAGE FROM THE HON. MELANIE S. GRIFFIN MINISTER OF SOCIAL SERVICES AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT International Women’s Day, celebrated on
giving for the elderly as well as those with the 8th of March annually, is an opportunity disabilities. While a number of men do step up, we would like to see them more for us to honour women – in all spheres systematically engaged in sharing these in The Bahamas. I believe that women in responsibilities; this is one way to ensure the Bahamas are doing a phenomenal job that we have stronger families by 2030. as joint partners in the building of this nation. Their role in the family, workplace, In education, women in The Bahamas have sports, culture, religion, business, politics, excelled accounting for more than 50% and communities is significant and cannot of graduates at the secondary and tertiary be overstated. In all these areas, women levels. Their success at all levels in the are stepping forward thereby ensuring a educational system has resulted stronger, more equitable Bahamas. This in their increasing numbers in the work year’s theme for International Women’s force as well as their enhanced economic Day is “Women in the Changing World of empowerment. Education has also Work: Planet 50:50 by 2030”; I think it’s resulted in more positive health outcomes fitting for us to discuss where we are as a for women and children – including country and what Planet 50:50 by 2030 reduced maternal and infant mortality should look like here in the Bahamas. rates. In 2030, we would want to see more women in leadership roles given their Let’s think about the roles women play high rates of educational attainment and within some of the main spheres of our participation in the labour force, growing society. In the realm of the family, women financial independence, and an enhanced for the most part have the primary entrepreneurial spirit. responsibility for child rearing and care
As we celebrate this year’s International Women’s Day, I pay tribute to women everywhere and in every walk of life, including women who continue to lead in their churches and communities particularly in service to the elderly and poor. We saw the revival of this community spirit in the wake of Hurricane Matthew and it is this sprit that we envisage maintaining well beyond 2030 – a spirit that embraces all members of society, discourages violence against women, and recognizes those most vulnerable and marginalized among us. To achieve the vision of an inclusive, equitable, stronger, violence-free nation by 2030, it is imperative that we include women as partners and leaders and celebrate them for their tremendous role in building stronger families, stronger communities, and a stronger Bahamas. Happy International Women’s Day!
THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, March 8, 2017, PAGE 11
LONG LINES AT AIRPORT AFTER WEATHER DISRUPTION By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net LONG immigration queues at the Lynden Pindling International Airport on Friday formed after weather conditions in Miami, Florida caused several large flights to land in New Providence in “unusually quick succession,” a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration said yesterday. According to reports reaching The Tribune, some tourists expressed frustration and reported waiting for up to two hours to clear the immigration checkpoint, saying the experience affected their view of the Bahamas. However, a government spokesman said yesterday that the problem had noth-
ing to do with staff quantity as officials take care to “organise staff schedules so that the lines do not become overly long or onerous.” “However, during peak travel times a wait of 30 to 40 minutes to clear immigration is considered within the industry standard,” the spokesperson said. “If there is a specific complaint from a member of the travelling public, the department would be happy to have it investigated. It is worth noting that during the weekend of Friday, March 3, at no time did the baggage carousels have to be cleared because entering passengers were delayed in clearing immigration and collecting their luggage.” The ministry’s statement added: “The public is assured that in the normal course of airport management, air-
port and immigration supervisory staff at Lynden Pindling International constantly monitor the flow of inbound customers through the airport with a view to increasing staff whenever necessary to ensure the free flow of individuals in the usage of the facility. “The travelling public is also reminded that for almost a year now, returning residents have the option of using the new, automated kiosks to traverse the immigration formalities upon returning to The Bahamas. Records show that during the weekend of March 3-5, an adequate complement of immigration officers would have been on duty at Lynden Pindling International Airport during peak hours, with all available immigration booths manned and operational.”
LONG lines at immigration at the Lynden Pindling International Airport on Friday.
GIBSON: HIGHER PACE OF PAYOUTS FOR HURRICANE REPAIRS By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net
THERE has been an improvement in the pace at which the government is providing assistance to persons negatively affected by Hurricane Matthew, Labour Minister Shane Gibson said yesterday. Mr Gibson, the government’s Hurricane Matthew Czar, said a “restructuring” of the repair programme’s technical team has led to the appointment of an administrator to assist technical director Melanie Roach in the execution of the team’s mandate. As a result, Mr Gibson said the number of vouchers issued in Andros has increased, and that “more work” is being done on that island, which he said he was “really concerned about” because there were persons in settlements there “who hadn’t gotten any relief at all.”
Mr Gibson also said hurricane relief efforts in New Providence is also “beginning to pick up.” However, he could not give a timeline as to when some semblance of normalcy would be returned to the lives of those reeling in Hurricane Matthew’s aftermath. Hurricane Matthew devastated large sections of New Providence, Andros and Grand Bahama in October. In response, the government established a Hurricane Matthew repair programme on those three islands, which consists of a voucher system for physical home repairs, and a 180day exigency order, which expires in April. Last week, Mr Gibson said he was “disappointed” in the pace of the government’s hurricane relief efforts, stating that three months after the category four storm, the government has done a subpar job in
meeting its goal of providing total relief to persons reeling in the hurricane’s aftermath. At the time, Mr Gibson said he would meet with the Hurricane Matthew repair programme’s technical team with the aim to “revamping” the structure of the technical team to expedite the hurricane relief process. When questioned outside of the Office of the Prime Minister yesterday for an update on the matter, Mr Gibson said: “I’ve seen where the numbers did increase. We did some restructuring in the areas. We have just agreed to appoint an administrator, a new person in the area to assist with administration. We had Melanie Roach there who was the technical director, and so we have strengthened the team in there, so we’ve now seen more work coming out, particularly in Andros, which I
was really concerned about. “Because we had a number of settlements who hadn’t gotten any relief at all. And so we’ve seen where quite a bit of vouchers went down there and in Nassau it’s beginning to pick up and so we’ve seen an improvement.” Mr Gibson also said officials have already completed the designs of homes to be built on the coastline, and are now waiting on approval from the Ministry of Works and Urban Development before commencing construction. When questioned on the decision to rebuild homes on the coastline, which is especially vulnerable to hurricanes, Mr Gibson said: “Well, residents don’t want to move. For those who want to move we will relocated them, and those who don’t want to move we can’t force them to move. They’ve been living there in
some cases for two to three generations or family members living there, so if they insist they want to stay we didn’t want to pressure anybody to move. “I mean there may come a time when we would have to do that as the government of the Bahamas or a government of the Bahamas would have to do that, because when you start putting your own life in jeopardy you put others as well. “When you decide to stay on the coastlines, we hear hurricanes are coming and all of a sudden you realise we can’t stay anymore, then we have to send in a relief team to get you out, which means we are then putting the lives of those persons in jeopardy as well. “And so I’m sure there will come a time when the government of the Bahamas would have to make it mandatory that in certain areas we’ll not allow homes
to be built.” In January, Mr Gibson told Parliament that contracts valued at some $3.5m had been issued for labour and materials to repair homes damaged by the category four storm last year. At the time, Mr Gibson also revealed that the response to the loan programme for public officers and government employees for hurricane related repairs was “overwhelming,” totalling over $24m at the time. He said that number was equivalent to 5,128 loan approvals. Additionally, Mr Gibson said at the time that the government had spent $10m on clean up activities up to December of last year and $1m to remove debris in Grand Bahama. Mr Gibson also said at the time that just under $300,000 was spent in north Andros and $40,000 in central Andros.
PAGE 12, Wednesday, March 8, 2017
THE TRIBUNE
FROM left, Portia Simpson-Miller, former Prime Minister of Jamaica; Dame Calliopa Pearlette Louisy, Governor General of Saint Lucia; Dame Marguerite Pindling, Governor General of The Bahamas; and Dame Cecile la Grenade, Governor General of of Grenada. Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff
HONOURING THE WOMEN WHO LEAD THE REGION THREE leading Caribbean figures were honoured last night by Celebrating Women International (CWI) at a special presentation and reception at Government House. Dame Cecile la Grenade, governor general of Grenada, Dame Calliopa Pearlette Louisy, governor general of Saint Lucia, and Portia Simpson-Miller, former prime minister of Jamaica, received their 2016 “Women of Distinction” Global Leadership Awards in Politics from CWI. The ceremony was delayed due to Hurricane Matthew as the three honourees were unable to visit The Bahamas as scheduled. Mrs Simpson-Miller was the first female prime minister of Jamaica, serving from March 2006 to September 2007, and from January 2012 to March 2016. First elected in 1976, she has held a number of cabinet positions and is a champion of equal rights. She is presently the leader of the opposition People’s National Party and Time magazine ranked her among the top 100 most influential people in the world in 2012. Dame Cecile La Grenade was sworn in as the first fe-
FORMER Prime Minister of Jamaica Portia Simpson-Miller with Tribune publisher Eileen Carron during a visit yesterday. male to hold the office of governor general of Grenada in 2013. She chaired the country’s Public Services Commission for three years and was voted Grenada’s businesswoman of the year in 2010 by the Chamber of Industry and Commerce. Dame Calliopa Pearlette Louisy was appointed governor general of Saint Lucia in 1997 and has had a long and distinguished career in education. She continues her research in education and small state issues and her work has been published in international journals. She is also a patron of culture and the performing arts and promotes Creole lan-
guage and culture. Founded in 2013, CWI’s goals are to unite, connect, engage and inspire women to honour and celebrate themselves and other women worldwide and to expand women’s global business and leadership opportunities. Since 2014, the organisation has recognised and honoured nearly 500 women, including Bahamians, from around globe who have been awarded for their stellar achievements in an array of categories which include entrepreneurship and innovation, health care, education, finance, community service, performing arts and more.
FORMER Prime Minister of Jamaica Portia Simpson-Miller paid a courtesy call on The Tribune’s publisher Eileen Carron yesterday and toured the newspaper’s office and Radio House. They are pictured in front of a portrait of Mrs Carron’s great grandfather, Elias Dupuch.
FORMER Jamaican Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller and Tribune publisher Eileen Carron in Radio House yesterday. Photos: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff