Reel in the best! Get a Double Filet- O-Fish today. ®
BAHAMAS ‘A HAVEN FOR FINANCE CRIME’
US govt says nation lacks political will to tackle corruption
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor
nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
THE US government is asserting that The Bahamas “lacks... political will” to fully crack down on financial crime with this nation representing a “low risk” haven for fraudsters and corrupt individuals. The State Department, unveiling its annual international narcotics control strategy report for 2025, critcised the lack of prosecutions and convictions for money laundering and other financial-related crimes while acknowledging that Bahamian regulators had “imposed” almost $220m in so-called administrative penalties on licensed financial institutions in 2024 for legal and supervisory breaches.
GOVT ASKED TO CLARIFY HOW C UBAN WORKERS ARE PAID
By RASHAD ROLLE AND EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporters
THE Bahamian government may be required to prove that Cuban workers in The Bahamas receive their salaries directly, rather than through the Cuban government, as the United States threatens to expand visa restrictions to foreign
officials involved in Cuba’s labour export programme. International labour laws generally require that workers be paid directly and have full control over their earnings. Reports from some countries where Cuba operates similar labour export programmes indicate that
Father’s alleged voice notes express remorse over molesting daughter
By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
THE Supreme Court heard voice recordings allegedly of a father accused of incest, in which
he appeared to apologise to his daughter for years of alleged sexual abuse and molestation.
The recordings, sent by WhatsApp to the alleged victim’s phone in late 2020, were later forwarded to a
lead police investigator in March 2021. The father is facing five counts of incest allegedly committed between September 2015 and July 2019
‘I found space ROCKET DEBRIS on the beach’, SAYS ISLANDER
By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS
Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net
Defence attorney accuses Water and Sewerage chief
By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net
A DEFENCE attorney in the criminal trial of Adrian Gibson and others yesterday accused Water and Sewerage Corporation (WSC) General Manager Robert Deal of “being a criminal” and suggested
of ‘being a criminal’
that he had turned a blind eye to an alleged conflict of interest involving a landscaping contract awarded to the daughter of former WSC chairman Sylvanus Petty. During a fiery crossexamination, Geoffrey Farquharson, who
A RAGGED Island resident said he found debris from a SpaceX Starship rocket along the beach on Tuesday afternoon while on the shoreline with his daughter.
Craig Maycock, Sr, said the largest fragment of the debris was about a foot long.
“It had a little funny smell,” he added, sharing photos with The Tribune His apparent discovery came after a SpaceX Starship rocket was launched
THE BAHAMAS’ Creven Ferguson attempts a bicycle kick in the team’s 5-4 victory against Trinidad & Tobago at the 2025 CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship last night at the Malcolm Park Beach Soccer Facility. See SPORTS for more. Photo: Chappel Whyms Jr
‘I found space rocket debris on the beach’, says islander
from SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Texas on March 6, 2025. It was intended to re-enter over the Indian Ocean but lost communication and disintegrated about nine minutes into the flight. The explosion was visible from several regions, including Florida, Cuba, The Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, and Turks and Caicos.
Reports of debris in The Bahamas prompted a recovery team from SpaceX to arrive on March 7, coordinating with officials from The Bahamas. An initial assessment by the Department of Environmental Planning and Protection (DEPP) and SpaceX on March 8 in Crooked Island found no debris in the waters.
On March 9, senior DEPP officials and SpaceX’s recovery team conducted aerial reconnaissance, identifying debris near Ragged Island. Several pieces were retrieved, and underwater recovery operations began on March 10.
Mr Maycock said he collected three tubs of debris, including steel, brick, and tile blocks, some with serial numbers. In a video, he described the debris as “rocket booster parts like dirt.”
His wife, Ms Rochelle Maycock, said the rocket’s explosion was terrifying and said the government must do more to protect residents from what Ragged Island residents see as a new hazard: falling rocketship debris.
“When the explosion started, I thought it was an earthquake,” she said. “I said, ‘What the hell, we having an earthquake.’ The ground started shaking, and when I talk about shaking,
I mean literally. I was so scared.”
“That thing dangerous, you know.”
This incident is not the first time SpaceX debris has fallen, as similar occurrences in the past have raised concerns about environmental and safety risks. Falling debris in January damaged a car in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
US regulatory agencies have determined that a rocket’s materials — stainless steel and silica-based heatshield tiles — do not pose risks to water, air quality, or marine life.
Bahamian government officials said last week that they had launched independent environmental assessments, including tests for toxic contaminants, rocket fuel residues, and seabed disruption. Sampling of water and air quality is also underway.
Officials have promised to release a formal statement on the findings and next steps.
The Office of the Prime Minister has also emphasised that SpaceX’s Starship rocket differs from the Falcon 9 rockets, which are partially reusable and used for missions like satellite launches and cargo delivery to the International Space Station. The Starship is a more powerful rocket, still in development, and intended for long-distance missions. Operations for the Starship fall under the jurisdiction of the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The government has entered into an agreement permitting up to 20 Falcon 9 booster landings in The Bahamas, with each entry requiring a separate licence from the Civil Aviation Authority of The Bahamas.
Split feelings on the future of Carnival
By JADE RUSSELL Tribune staff Reporter
jrussell@tribunemedia.net
“The interest in carnival is just not there,” said Anthony Coakley, the cofounder of the Enigma Carnival Group, which launched in 2015 but ended in 2019.
“We started with 23 bands. Now, there are
INTRODUCED with great fanfare in 2015, Carnival in The Bahamas was meant to establish itself as a staple on the country’s cultural calendar. Now, opinions on its future are split, with many seeing it as a fading experiment that never fully took root in Bahamian culture.
At its height, the event attracted thousands of people, with large parades in Grand Bahama and New Providence, as well as performances by both local and international artists.
probably six or seven — it has dramatically declined.” When the event first launched, it was marketed as a breakthrough, blending elements of Junkanoo with the style and energy of Caribbean carnival traditions. Its name –– Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival –– was intended to highlight Junkanoo’s influence while reassuring critics who feared the festival would distract from the country’s signature cultural event.
entirely. Former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis acknowledged the economic benefits of the event but criticised the Christie administration’s heavy investment in it.
Bahamas Carnival Association (BCA) president Dario Tirelli.
To many, the festival is at a crossroads.
BIG DEAL
The government initially allocated millions of dollars to the festival, with $9 million initially set aside for its launch in 2015.
Mr Coakley said some bands had up to 1,000 participants in the early years.
Last year, some barely managed 20 to 30 people.
The festival faced a setback in 2017 when the government reduced its subsidy by 50 percent. In 2018, it withdrew funding
Mr Coakley said the lack of funding left the festival struggling to maintain momentum, emphasising that some parades worldwide benefit from government assistance with promotion and logistics.
Last year, the festival began distancing itself from the Junkanoo association, dropping its mandate for Junkanoo-infused costumes.
“If you want someone to come and spend $2,500 to come here, you’re trying to get them to the product they’re used to,” explained
“When we look across the country, it definitely doesn’t have the same level of excitement that it used to,” said Jayson Braynen, co-founder of Mas Khaos Carnival Band, which debuted in 2022. Nonetheless, he believes his group’s approach, which emphasises affordable costumes and more intimate events, signals how Carnival can work in The Bahamas.
“We prioritise connection over numbers,” he said yesterday.
“It doesn’t have to be like Trinidad. We have our own identity.”
CRAIG MAYCOCK SR
TWO baskets of possible Space X rocket debris found on a beach in Ragged Islnd.
Govt asked to clarify how Cuban workers are paid
between 75 percent and 90 percent of the workers’ wages are retained by the Cuban government, with only a fraction remitted to them.
Asked yesterday about
local situation, Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell declined to comment. The US government has long claimed that Cuba’s state-run medical missions amount to forced labour, arguing they
enrich the Cuban regime at the expense of Cuban professionals. Under a new visa restriction policy, foreign government officials involved in these programmes — including those in The Bahamas
FORT FINCASTLE VENDORS TO RELOCATE AS REPAIRS AT WATER TOWER CONTINUE
By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter
kcampbell@tribunemedia.net
THE government has announced a four-month closure of Fort Fincastle to facilitate repairs to the water tower, forcing straw vendors at the historic site to temporarily relocate to Fort Charlotte.
Officials from the Antiquities, Monuments, and Museums Corporation (AMMC) said the closure is necessary to allow contractors unrestricted access to the site. The renovation, set to begin on March 15, was initially expected to be completed by February 2025 but has been delayed due to construction interruptions.
The $3 million contract awarded to SJK Construction in May 2024 includes interior and exterior restoration work to address structural concerns at the long-inactive Water Tower. AMMC Director Don Cornish said that while interior renovations had been completed with minimal disruption, exterior repairs now pose greater risks, making it impossible for vendors to remain on-site.
“There’s a column of about three square meters
that has started to really become an issue of concern,” Mr Cornish said. He added that the height of the tower and uncertainty about how debris would fall made it too dangerous for vendors to stay.
Vendors will be relocated to Fort Charlotte, another historic site that has been undergoing changes. Executive Chairman of the Straw Market Authority Robert Lightbourne defended the move, describing it as a necessary step toward longterm improvements.
“We want to give access — full, complete access — to that area so that they will deliver for us what we want, what we need,” Mr Lightbourne said.
Officials have assured vendors that Fort Charlotte will be promoted as an alternative site to maintain their income, though some remain unconvinced. Mr Cornish acknowledged that discussions with vendors were ongoing and that the relocation decision was made in consultation with stakeholders.
“The corporation considers this a major adjustment, and we are cognizant of their contributions to the quality of
the experience they offer our guests,” he said.
Officials did not provide an engineering report or structural assessment, but Mr Cornish said the decision was based on the risk of serious injury or death if vendors remained at the site during repairs.
“The technical people were warning us for some time about the dangers, and the challenge we always had was what was the best safe space in that area,” he said.
Mr Cornish also noted that he had been asked to explore restoring all 42 vendor stalls at Fort Fincastle within the next four months.
With the project already delayed past its original timeline, vendors now face at least four months of uncertainty as they adjust to a new location.
Mr Lightbourne urged vendors to cooperate with the transition, saying that while challenges remain, the project’s long-term benefits outweigh the temporary disruption.
“For any system to work to the satisfaction of everybody, it requires full cooperation,” he said. “We never get that, but we encourage it.”
- could be barred from entering the United States if they cannot provide evidence that workers are fairly compensated and not coerced.
Yesterday, Human Rights Bahamas (HRB) has called on officials to clarify how Cuban workers are compensated.
The organization also called on the government to say whether Cuban workers have freedom of movement or any restrictions imposed by Cuban authorities.
“HRB encourages the government to fully and clearly explain its position on this matter so that the reputation of The Bahamas is preserved and not subjected to any misinformation or
mischaracterisation on the international stage,” the group said.
Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis has denied that the country engages in forces Labour but said the government is reviewing the US policy.
The Cuba question has arisen despite The Bahamas maintaining a Tier 1 ranking in the 2024 Trafficking in Persons report, indicating it meets international standards for combatting human trafficking. The Bahamas is one of a few countries in the world with the highest rating, but the US has continually recommended stronger efforts to identify potential trafficking victims among Cuban workers in governmentsponsored programmes.
In a voice note yesterday, Bahamas Union of Teachers President Belinda Wilson said the government employs 130 Cuban teachers. She said these teachers play a vital role to fill the gap because of the teacher shortage especially in those disciplines or subject areas where the local expertise is not readily available.
“My experience is that the Cuban teachers who are recruited enjoy the same benefits as Bahamian teachers and other educators,” she said. “In fact, in some instances, more benefits, such as a gratuity payment at the end of their contracts.” It is unclear how many Cuban nurses are in The Bahamas.
HEALTH and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville officially welcoming 50 Cuban nurses into the public healthcare system, including specialised nurses on January 2022. from page one
FORT Fincastle.
Fleming Street murder victim was provider for three kids and his mom
By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
EDWARD Thompson Jr, a 27-yearold single father, was the primary caretaker for his mother, who suffers from heart disease, when he was murdered Tuesday night on Fleming Street.
Police said the father of three children, ages four, six, and eight, was walking on Fleming Street when a masked man on a motorcycle rode up on the side of him, firing shots in his direction.
His aunt told The Tribune her nephew had just visited a web shop to put funds in an account when he was shot.
She was standing on a porch when she heard the shots ring out.
Her last conversation with her nephew was about identification cards needed for a job –– his failure to get a National Insurance Board card because he needed a birth certificate.
She said her nephew worked multiple jobs, including construction and landscaping, to help provide for his family.
She talked about how he went about his days like anyone else, handling the small, ordinary tasks that make up a life — taking his son to school, making sure his children were fed, helping his mother with chores — only to be senselessly killed.
His family, she said, had been trying with his leadership to get his mother a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine, which helps with obstructive sleep apnea.
She said her nephew’s four-year-old child had taken the news of his death particularly badly.
“He saying he daddy went to the shop and he ain’t come back,” she said, speaking to The Tribune anonymously.
Dealing with her nephew’s death, she said, is worsening his mother’s health.
“She catching shortness of breath right now and I trying to calm her down,” she said. “The more I cry, the more she crying, so I try to stop crying, although it’s a blow for me also because I watch my nephew grow up.”
JR. LOAN OFFICE POSITION
Join Our Growing Team as a Junior Loan Ofcer!
Are you a motivated and detail-oriented individual with a passion for fnance and helping people achieve their dreams?
Te Public Workers’ Co-operative Credit Union Limited is seeking a dynamic and enthusiastic Junior Loan Ofcer to join our expanding team. Tis is an excellent opportunity for a driven professional to launch their career in the lending industry and make a real impact.
RESPONSIBILITIES: application to closing. providing guidance throughout the loan process. regulations. partners.
QUALIFICATIONS: plus.
What We Ofer:
make a positive impact on people’s lives.
Are you ready to take the next step in your career? Apply today!
Please submit your resume and cover letter to hr@pwccul.com –
EDWARD THOMPSON JR
CHERYL E BAZARD, Attorney-at-Law, was administered the Oath of Allegiance and the Judicial Oath, and presented her Instrument of Appointment as Acting Justice of the Supreme Court by Governor General Dame Cynthia ‘Mother’ Pratt during an Appointment Ceremony in the Ballroom of Government House, March 10, 2025.
Photos: L etisha Henderson/BIS
Father’s alleged voice notes express
remorse over molesting daughter
in both Abaco and Freeport. The abuse reportedly began when the complainant was ten years old and continued into her early teens.
In the recordings played in court, a male voice, allegedly that of the accused father, expressed remorse, claiming he was not in his right mind if the abuse had occurred. He suggested that external forces may have influenced his actions, said he had no memory of what happened, and repeatedly apologised.
During testimony last week, the court heard that the victim’s cellphone, which contained the voice recordings and a journal documenting the alleged abuse, was handed over to police but could no longer be found.
Corporal 3653 Andrea Duncanson, the lead investigator at the time,
testified last Friday. Now attached to the Financial Intelligence Unit in New Providence, she recalled receiving the victim’s phone and journal and securing them in an evidence drawer at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Abaco. However, she said the items were no longer in police possession.
On Thursday, the Crown called Detective Sergeant 2955 Mario Rahming, an expert in digital retrieval and extraction from the Digital Forensic Unit at CID. He testified that on March 7, 2025, he received three voice notes from Cpl Duncanson, which she had sent to him via WhatsApp. He then downloaded the recordings onto a CD, marked it with his initials, and entered it as exhibit BB3.
During cross-examination, Sgt Rahming admitted that he could not confirm whose voice was
in the recordings or when they were made.
The Crown recalled Cpl Duncanson, who gave evidence virtually. She testified that after appearing in court on March 7, she searched her phone and found three voice notes the victim had sent her on March 30, 2021. She then forwarded them to Sgt Rahming with further instructions.
Under cross-examination, Cpl Duncanson confirmed that during the investigation, she played the voice notes for the accused during a recorded interview, using the victim’s phone.
Defence attorney Mr Hanna pressed the officer, pointing out that the recordings played in court came from her phone rather than directly from the victim’s device.
Cpl Duncanson acknowledged this, but maintained that the time stamp confirmed the
Miller patron for 14th Annual Sandilands Push-a-thon
victim had sent them to her on March 30, 2021 via WhatsApp.
“You will agree that beyond a reasonable doubt or any level of certainty, you can’t prove it came from the victim’s phone?” Mr Hanna asked.
The officer disagreed.
When asked if she knew the victim’s cellphone number, Cpl Duncanson said she could not recall but had documented it in her case diary, which she did not have with her at the time.
Jurors asked Cpl Duncanson whether she knew what the victim had texted her father before he sent the voice messages. She could not recall the exact wording, but said the victim confronted him about the years of abuse.
In the recording played in court, the father allegedly said: ”Honey, honey, baby, baby, that shit hurt me so bad. You know for sure if
that shit ever happened, you know Daddy was not in his right mind. If it happened for real, you should know I was not in my right mind.
“Forces of people trying to put things in your mind to get rid of you. If that shit occurred, I was never in my right mind. I am very much sorry, forever. You don’t know how serious this force is. It come over me. Something just come over me and I don’t remember what happened.”
The complainant, now 19 years old, testified that she had texted her father via WhatsApp in late 2020, asking why he did what he did to her.
She said he did not respond immediately, but replied later that same day.
When prosecutor Sean Norville-Smith asked how she could identify the voice in the recordings, she said it was her father’s,
adding that she recognised it instantly.
She also testified that she sent the recordings to Cpl Duncanson a few days after giving her police statement on March 26, 2021.
During cross-examination, Mr Hanna questioned the victim about why she had not mentioned the voice notes in her initial testimony.
She said the events had taken place some time ago and she did not remember.
“After you had texted and gotten recorded voice notes at the end of 2020, three months later you gave a statement and did not inform police about the text and voice notes in your possession?” Mr Hanna asked.
“No, sir,” she replied.
After the Crown closed its case, the defendant informed the court that he intends to remain silent. Closing arguments will be presented on Friday.
JUDGE RULES TO ALLOW KEY WITNESS IN MURDER TRIAL TO TESTIFY ANONYMOUSLY
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A JUDGE has ruled that a key witness in the retrial of Bruce Colebrooke for the 2012 murder of Aboyami Sargent will testify anonymously, despite objections from the accused.
Senior Justice Cheryl Grant Thompson decided as the case progresses. Colebrooke, previously convicted in 2015, was granted a retrial after the Court of Appeal ruled that the evidence of an anonymous witness was questionable.
Keod Smith, the defendant’s attorney, argued that the ruling would breach Colebrooke’s constitutional right to a fair trial, as he would not be able to confront his accuser. While Justice Thompson acknowledged the defendant’s right to face his accuser, she considered the safety of the witness, given the small size of the nation and the potential for deadly reprisal.
For this reason, she ruled that the witness’s identity will be concealed from the defendant, and their voice will be digitally altered to ensure clarity while maintaining anonymity. However, both the judge and the jury will be permitted to view the witness in person. The defendant’s lawyer also will be allowed to view the witness but will be bound by a confidentiality agreement preventing them from disclosing the witness’s identity to the defendant, should they recognise them. Colebrooke will remain on bail until his retrial, which will proceed before Justice Thompson at a later date.
FORMER Member of Parliament Leslie Miller was the patron the 14th Annual Pushathon honoured for his faithful attendance over the years. Mr Miller shared memories of past Pushathons, where he competed and won multiple categories over the years.
Photos: Dante Carrer/Tribune Staff
The Tribune Limited
NULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI
“Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master”
Publisher/Editor 1903-1914
PICTURE OF THE DAY
LEON E. H. DUPUCH
SIR ETIENNE DUPUCH, Kt., O.B.E., K.M., K.C.S.G., (Hon.) LL.D., D.Litt .
Publisher/Editor 1919-1972
Contributing Editor 1972-1991
RT HON EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON, C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B.
Publisher/Editor 1972-
Published daily Monday to Friday
Shirley & Deveaux Streets, Nassau, Bahamas N3207
TELEPHONES
News & General Information
(242) 502-2350
Advertising Manager (242) 502-2394
Circulation Department (242) 502-2386
Nassau fax (242) 328-2398
Freeport, Grand Bahama (242)-352-6608
Freeport fax (242) 352-9348
WEBSITE, TWITTER & FACEBOOK
www.tribune242.com
@tribune242 tribune news network
Corruption without consequences
OUR nation’s relationship with our near neighbours in the US continues to be in the spotlight.
Earlier this week, it was a warning that visas of public officials might be at risk because of the employment of Cuban workers here in The Bahamas.
Yesterday, the US government took aim at a lack of “political will” here to tackle financial crime.
The State Department hit out at the lack of convictions for money laundering and other financial crimes.
The US noted: “While The Bahamas makes efforts to improve its money laundering/terrorist financing enforcement capabilities, its investigations often do not result in prosecutions or convictions.”
According to the US, we are not doing enough to prosecute financial crimes, we are not doing enough to seize assets, including real estate and cash, and we are not doing enough on fraud.
Our banking systems are described as “vulnerable”.
When we do pursue cases, we are said to have a “culture of adjournments” which sees cases delayed, delayed and delayed again.
We are behind the curve on dealing with cyber crime in terms of legislation, according to the US, and we are affected by “domestic fraud schemes and transnational criminal activities”.
As for bribery, the report highlights that under the law, bribing a government official can carry a fine of up to $10,000 or a prison term of four years. When is the last time you remember that particular law being enforced? Why, only last year, The Tribune reported on a study that found that nearly three-quarters of all Bahamian
firms had admitted to paying bribes to obtain permits and public services. That came from an Inter-American Development Bank report, in which we were only behind Grenada in the region in the amount of bribes being paid.
That even came down to frequent small level bribes, such as paying public officials “lunch money”.
This report comes at a time when relationships between the US and The Bahamas are seeing tension, to say the least.
There is the matter of the Cuban workers here – which the government has pushed back on, denying that there is forced labour here in The Bahamas.
There are now calls for the government to make clear how those workers are paid, whether the money goes straight to the workers or whether it goes to the Cuban government. How much of that money ends up in the workers’ pockets is a good question.
Another good question is that if the government is indeed sure it is doing the right thing when it comes to employing Cuban teachers and medical personnel, will it continue to do so despite the pressure from the US?
That is where the proof will be in the pudding.
Meanwhile, the US highlighting the shortfall in our prosecution of financial crimes should be the kick we need to take such matters in hand.
Bribes and fraud should not be such a regular part of our lives – but we know that it can be a daily occurrence.
We should not allow such modern-day pirates to find a foothold in our society, and we should use legal measures at our disposal to tackle such behaviour. If we do not, we cannot complain when others point out our failings.
Go back to DNA, McCartney
EDITOR, The Tribune
DID you hear that foul piece of political ordure which the FNM traitor, Branville McCartney so arrogantly advised to the party that he so cruelly abandoned? He had the audacity to gave counsel to the FNM about giving the former party leader Dr Hubert Minnis a nomination to run in The next general election.
How politically arrogant can a turncoat become?
No one with sense in the Free National Movement –FNM takes Branville ‘The proven snake’ McCartney seriously. His beloved Democratic National Alliance – DNA still exists, but is presently on life support and is only in need of some intense loving boost to live a bit more - just to simply add some cash to the public treasury.
Give US the silent treament
EDITOR, The Tribune.
Go and revive your needy political house, Mr McCartney, and invite your cousin – Dr Hubert Minnis to be its leader. That way, you and your sweetheart of a coz could get a royal cut-hip - to safely propel both of you into the nearest political graveyard – once and for all man.
DENNIS DAMES Nassau, March 7, 2025.
AS A supposedly fair minded person, well-read I might add, I believe that it becomes problematic when a country has a political grudge with another country spanning decades, I think that it would be foolproof to extrapolate that to do business with the adverse nation, boldly, a kind of right in your face, and there is nothing that you can do about it, is asking much in the way of intolerance. To add insult to injury, the Republic Of Cuba is nobody’s friend, should I have to remind us Bahamians, May 10th, 1980, the unlawful criminal assault and murder of marines from the M/V Flamingo, whose only sin was that they had arrested mariners from Cuba, illegally found in Bahamian waters, so engaged. Well, since our nation had had no means to defend itself from the Cuban powerhouse military, local politicians communicated the threat to the US (then) President Ronald Reagan, who matriculated the presidential order to officials at the Homestead Naval Base, who in turn scramble two F-16 fighter jets to the rescue, but sadly, four marines were never found and we know the story? Now, as I think about it, as vital facts have it, we are settlers of a very small country, reliant on the 70 percent of our visitors coming from the US, is this not a bargaining chip? Maybe not singularly to the Americans, because
we do have a corresponding valuable parcel of land (AUTEC-Base in Fresh Creek, Andros, and I am certain that the People’s Republic Of China would like to have)? That should be able to remind the Americans, take your time, we have sovereignty, a vital chip that we can agitate about? But, you know, and might I remind the US akin to the David and Goliath story in the Holy Bible (Father God empowered little David who went up against that giant), and little is much when Father God is onboard.
Whatever might the reasoning be, why the US is intending to strip local politicians off of their US visas, is really not here, or there and really who cares? But you know, the propensity nowadays for the larger countries picking the weaker nations is widespread and we see it playing out in Ukraine, versus the Russian Federation! Why don’t the US pick on the Russian Federation, who is the match for the US, but no, they would rather go after the very weak nations like The Bahamas (might we remind President Trump, that the Democrats had him one step from the jailhouse, but for our prayers to Father God on his behalf! Sir, control your people politically, because The Bahamas does not deserve this? Which is not
fair, but God? And Such a case can be made, but what have we seen cozying up to the Russian headman by President Trump. My query is this, is the US planning to go to war against the Bahamas? If it is, I just would like to say to them, bring it on and see what Father God does to you, them?
You can be a friend and an enemy all at the same time, but why the Commonwealth Of Bahamas, a country with not a hostile bone in the nation’s body? The Bahamas government has entered into business arrangements with the Republic Of Cuba, their health services to hire nurses for our local hospitals, anything other reason, I and the Bahamian people don’t know about? In conclusion, I say to the government, there is no need to go after the US authorities to have them provide you with an explanation, suck it up! For there are times when silence becomes the greatest weapon. Let them do what they believe that they can, and just watch God, hallelujah and amen! I call on the Prime Minister Davis and his political colleagues not to stoop, leave the Americans alone, arrange no meetings with them, because we the Bahamian people are a God fearing people, not a desperate people, but a faith based nation, who knows the power of prayer, hallelujah to the Lamb Of God!
FRANK GILBERT Nassau March 12, 2025.
BRENDA SMITH Nassau, March 5,
ART from Johnique Beadle’s straw doll series on show at the National Art Gallery of The Bahamas last night at the launch of the NEleven exhibition.
Photo: Stephen Hunt
Defence attorney accuses Water and Sewerage chief of ‘being a criminal’
represents Mr Gibson, repeatedly challenged Mr Deal over the process that led to the awarding of the contract to Mainscape Maintenance — a company reportedly operated by Sylatheia Gierszewski, Mr Petty’s daughter.
“Why,” Mr Farquharson asked, “did you sign the contract if you definitely knew it was a serious conflict and gangsterism at its highest?”
“Are you a gangster?”
The judge swiftly intervened, instructing the witness not to respond to the latter question.
Mr Deal said no one knew the connection between the company and the corporation when the contract was signed.
The defence attorney suggested that the PLP directed contracts to certain individuals, but the witness denied this, insisting that a process was followed in which the project management unit prepared a listing.
He testified that around 15 companies were listed for landscaping work and that Mainscape was simply one of them.
However, Mr Farquharson noted that the department fell under Mr Deal’s remit and questioned how a brand new company, which he claimed was incorporated in September 2021, was selected.
“I’m putting it to you sir that it was Mr Petty who told you to give his daughter a contract,” Mr Farquharson argued, “and that he rooted the request through people who work for you.”
Mr Deal said he had no discussions with Mr Petty about the contract.
He said as far as he was aware, the company received a single contract for several landscaping works in early 2022, which
was eventually terminated “when everything came to light.”
daughter. “Not that I’m aware,” Mr Deal replied. When asked if there was a bidding process for the contract, Mr Deal admitted there was no tendering process but said the same approach and pricing structure was used under the former administration when similar jobs were divided.
Mr Farquharson questioned why the witness had filed a complaint in this case but had not done so when the PLP awarded contracts. The witness responded that the same process and pricing had been used in both instances and stated that he had never lodged a complaint about landscaping contracts under either administration.
Mr Farquharson then pressed the witness on when the internal control and compliance division of the WSC and the police would investigate him. However, the judge intervened, noting that the witness could not possibly know what actions the police might take.
The heated exchange was among several that prompted the judge to intervene, cautioning Mr Farquharson for berating the witness and rebuking him for suggesting she was defending Mr Deal.
At several points, she instructed the witness not to answer questions she deemed inappropriate — including one where Mr Farquharson asked: “What do you think is going to happen to you when the government changes?”
Earlier, he asked the witness whether the law required disclosing any contract exceeding $25,000 to the public.
Mr Deal said he could not speak to that policy.
“You can’t speak to whether you knew that or not? Stop your foolishness,” the attorney responded.
He suggested that failing to do so amounted to a breach of the law, but Mr Deal said he was not familiar with the specifics the attorney was referring to.
“I’m putting it to you that you are a criminal,” he said, prompting the judge to instruct the witness not to answer the question.
“I’m putting it to you that... after the PLP came to power, you signed more than $260,000 worth of contracts with her within the three months.”
But the witness again denied that multiple contracts were signed.
Mr Gibson, the MP for Long Island, has been on trial alongside Elwood Donaldson Jr, former WSC general manager, Joan Knowles, Peaches Farquharson, and Jerome Missick since November 2023.
The charges stem from contracts awarded by the corporation while he served as WSC executive chairman.
Mr Farquharson, Damian Gomez KC, Murrio Ducille KC, Ian Cargill, Bryan Bastian, Ryan Eve and Raphael Moxey represent the defendants.
Asked if he had ever seen the company’s corporate documents, Mr Deal said he had only seen its business licence at some point. The attorney shot back: “The business licence doesn’t make up a company, Mr Deal.” When asked about the contract’s value, the general manager estimated payments totalled over $25,000 annually.
exceeding $260,000 were issued for Mr Petty’s
But Mr Farquharson sought to contradict that, suggesting contracts
PRISON WORKER ON PROBATION AFTER PLEADING GUILTY TO DRUG POSSESSION
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter
pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A PRISON worker was placed on probation yesterday after admitting to having $180 worth of marijuana last week.
Chief Magistrate Roberto Reckley arraigned Deangelo Ferguson, 37, on a charge of possession of dangerous drugs.
During a search of Ferguson’s residence on Key
By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A 17-YEAR-OLD man with a pending armed robbery charge was remanded to Simpson Penn Centre for Boys yesterday after being accused of stealing a car.
West Street on March 6, police reportedly seized 19 grams of marijuana found in two plastic packages — one in a kitchen bowl and another in a drawer. Ferguson pleaded guilty to the charge. His attorney, Linda Virgil, told the court that her client is a government employee at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services. She noted his early plea, his apology, and his cooperation with
Senior Magistrate Algernon Allen Jr arraigned the defendant, whose name is withheld due to his age, on charges of stealing and receiving.
By PAVEL BAILEY
Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A MAN was granted bail yesterday after being accused of injuring his brother during a physical altercation on Woodland Road last weekend.
authorities, requesting leniency in sentencing.
The magistrate granted a conditional discharge, placing Ferguson on six months’ probation. During this time, he is required to enroll in drug counseling.
Failure to comply will result in a $500 fine or a one-month prison sentence.
Ferguson will return to court for a progress report on September 16.
Inspector Deon Barr served as the prosecutor.
Prosecutors allege that on January 28, the defendant and accomplices stole a white 2014 Nissan Note valued at $8,000 from Jordanay Joseph in New Providence. The defendant, accompanied by his guardian, pleaded not guilty.
Prosecutor Sergeant 2257 Wilkinson objected to bail, noting that the accused already has a pending armed robbery charge and was on probation for a prior offence.
The magistrate denied bail, remanding him to Simpson Penn. His trial is set for June 5.
Senior Magistrate Algernon Allen Jr arraigned Michael Allen, 58, on a charge of causing harm. Prosecutors allege that during an intense verbal argument at 7.30am on March 8, the defendant punched his brother, William Allen, in the eye, causing injury. The defendant and complainant are sons of the late parliamentarian Sir William Allen. Michael Allen pleaded not guilty to the charge.
After prosecutor Sergeant 2257 Wilkinson raised no objections to bail, the magistrate granted it at $1,500 with one or two sureties. The defendant was warned not to contact or interfere with the complainant or any witnesses, or risk having his bail revoked. His trial is set for April 15.
Mr Farquharson then shifted his line of questioning to procurement policies.
Meanwhile, the Crown’s lawyers include Director of Public Prosecutions Cordell Frazier, Cashena Thompson, Karine MacVean and Rashied Edgecombe.
of Cowpen Road and formerly of Mastic Point, Andros will be held on Saturday, March 15, 2025 at 11:00am at First Holiness Church of God, Bamboo Town. Officiating will be Bishop Gregory Collie. Interment will follow in Lakeview Memorial Gardens. He was predeceased by his brothers: Charles Bowleg and Christie Bowleg (Louise); sisters: Inez Bowleg, Dorian Bowleg, and Winal Bowleg-Adderley.
Left to cherish his loving memories are his wife: Althea Thelma Bowleg; daughters: Brenda Bowleg-Thompson, Portia Bowleg, Lorelda Bowleg, and Remelda Strachan; sons: Jeffery Bowleg, Felix Bowleg (Doramae), Elisha Bowleg, Raymond Bowleg, David Rolle (Angela), and Donald Butcher; grandchildren: Thomasine, Kimberly, Jeffshanti, Jeffonia, Jeffinique, Eltora and Lorenda Bowleg, Alyassa and Gerard Whymms, Jamal and Toni Bethel, Stephen Adderley Jr., Diallo and Devontae Rolle, Latoya Pinder, Samantha Rolle, Linval McLean, and Sabrina Lockhart; sister: Ellen Bowleg; brother: Bertram Bowleg (Minister Veronica Bowleg); brother-in-law: Rodney Nottage; great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and numerous other relatives and friends Special thanks: First Holiness Church of God, Apostle Javis Simmons of Ministry of Today International (Hallandale Beach, Florida), Winnifred Scott, Tiffany Nairn, Angelia Brown, Denise Darling, Philip Cleare, and Marline Denis/Princess (Caretaker). If any names may have been omitted, please charge it to our heads and not our hearts.
ADRIAN GIBSON
Last Rites for BISHOP HUBERT
A. PINDER SR., 86
of Bel Air Estates, New Providence, Bahamas will be held on Sunday, March 16th, 2025 at Coconut Grove Temple, Coconut Grove at 1:00pm. Officiating will be Bishop Denczil A. Rolle, assisted by other Ministers of the Clergy. Interment will follow at the Woodlawn Gardens, Soldier Road.
He was predeceased by his wives: Mary Pinder and Paulette Pinder; daughter: Dina Monique Anderson (Pastor Randy Anderson).
He is survived by his sons: Alphonso, Hubert (Shonell) and Philip Pinder), Norville Sherman; daughters: Dellareese (Bishop Lynden C. Young), Sharon (Minister Vallen Coakley), Ericka (Rodney Farquharson Jr.) and Raquel Pinder; brothers: Cecil and Samuel Pinder; sisters: Berthamae White, Diana Russell and Sandra Clarke (Gregory Clarke), Minister Harriet Davis; grandchildren: Pareece Moss, Ethan Pinder, Alphonzo Jr. aka Gandy, Dr. Alphanette Pinder, Alkera (Raj), Alesha Pinder, Divinia (Covan), Denaj, Randi, Jasmine, Micah & Victory Anderson, Sheval, Jorell, Valron (Felicity), Joel, Michael & Israel Coakley, Renee, Rodney III, Zion & Zoe Farquharson, Jada & Pinder Ariel Pinder and Lindicia Rolle; great grandchildren: Liam Johnson, Alphonzo Pinder III, Kiari & Kiana Curling, André Morley, Faith and K’hmari Coakley; nieces and nephews: Sophia, Allington, Andrea, Lakeisha, Trevor, Kevin, Ernestine, Shonell, Alkera, Timinthia, Katho, Samman, Akeem, Akeema, Ursula, Anastacia, Candy, Sheneka, Monique, Desmond; cousins: Yvonne Clarke, Franklyn Pinder , Florence Carter, Mark Beckford, Juanita, DeeDee, Victor,Gregory, Benjamin, Clyde Beckford, Kenneth Beckford, Beulah, Judy, Joann, Cheryl, Paulamae, Claudine, Edith, Queenie, Patrice, Enid, Sidney, Eugene, Levi, John, Carolyn, Benjamin, Geraldine, Pricilla, Bishop Quant Miller and a host of other relatives and friends; special thanks are extended to: Cecily Stuart at The Travelling Pharmacist, Dr. Eneas Carey & Team, Dr. Davis & Team at We Care Dental, Dr. Derwin Johnson & Team at Oak Tree Medical Center and Surgical Suites; care givers: Angela Flemming, Jackie Campbell, Lillian Richards, Karen Thompson and Ms. Bell at Twilight Home for the Elderly; Pastor Ian Strachan, Bishop Luther & Irena Thurston at Seed Outreach Ministries, Dr. Eldon & Lydia Johnson, Pastor Annamae Duncombe, Elvira Moss, Minister Verdell Pinder, Pastor H. G. Ferguson and Members of First Church of the Lord Jesus Christ Family, Bishop Lynden C. Young, officers and members of Believers Bible Ministries, Bishop Ronald Campbell, Bishop Denzil Rolle, Executive officers and entire membership of the Highway Church of God. Mr. Randolph Curtis Mortician Extraordinaire of Curtis Memorial Mortuary and the management and staff of Woodlawn Gardens.
The body will repose at Curtis Memorial Mortuary on Robinson Road (TODAY) Friday, March 14th, 2025 from 10:00am to 5:00pm and at the church on Saturday and Sunday from 11:00am.
Death Notice for ERMA VICTORIA BAIN, 75
of Gleniston Gardens, New Providence, Bahamas and formerly of Moore’s Island, Bahamas, died at the Princess Margaret Hospital on Friday, March 7th, 2025. She is survived by husband: George Bain; sons: Dwight, Jerome and Gerard; daughter: Lynette; sister: Isabella Culmer; 4 grandchildren and a host of other relatives and friends.
Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Curtis Memorial Mortuary and will be announced at a later date.
When did we stop being Little Nassau or Funky Nassau and just become Tacky Nassau?
HUMANS are amazing creatures. We get used to our surroundings, even if we don’t really like them. We just stop seeing the bad stuff. It’s a positive trait in some ways, showing our adaptability. Our senses are so malleable we can adapt to just about anything given enough time. A smell that is so offensive it makes us gag at first whiff becomes tolerable after a while. We hardly notice it. A charred building crumbling from the intense heat catches our eye the day after fire destroyed it. We wonder when they will tear it down. When weeks go by and it is still standing in shambles, it becomes just another blight on the drive to take a child to school.
Our adaptability is killing our demand for better.
We see that which offends - and we just plain adjust. At least that is the only excuse that I can think of that would allow hundreds, if not a few thousand, Bahamians and other residents to pass by areas of New Providence strewn with a forest of mish-mash signage, billboards from one end of a strip to another, a solid plywood storm of tackiness, stare it with all its tackiness in full display, drive on, and accept that it
By Diane Phillips
is okay. It is not okay. And it makes me wonder, when did we stop being Little Nassau or Funky Nassau, a small city that everyone adored and felt proud to be part of, and become Tacky Nassau, a place that we tolerate, because we get used to what we see. Even if it offended us at first, given time our senses get numb to it.
Call it the numbing effect – like the Novocaine the dentist gives you before a procedure to numb the area that would feel the pain. That is the sole excuse I can offer for the fact that hundreds of Bahamians and other residents pass by Montagu bend with tacky billboards staring them in the face day after day and they do nothing about it. They were offended when the first signs went up blocking the stunning view of a redeveloped Montagu foreshore. There were a few to begin with,
then a few more. Today, there are 16 blasting everything from events that have already ended to beverages, from a $99 tourist attraction to some sort of human resource management. Now, the passersby have simply stopped seeing them.
The billboard blasphemy is a sign of a different kind –a sign of total disrespect for the environment.
Commercial signage has its place. That place is not blocking the view of one of the last remaining open vistas of a shoreline, beach and bay in an otherwise densely populated Nassau. Nor is it appropriate on a road that is among the first views of The Bahamas for more than a million visitors, or returning residents, leaving LPIA heading into town.
This is not an anti-signage campaign. This is an end-the-tackiness, carelessness, sloppy signage campaign and I will repeat
it until enough voices join the cry to restore our view and our pride in a place as beautiful and as special as Little Nassau and until the powers that be understand that Tacky Nassau brings all of us down. And while I am not afraid to speak up about the Novocain effect that allows such visual carnage to go unchecked, I am also a solutions-oriented person so please allow me to offer positive suggestions. Why not schedule workshops with public consultation on areas that should be designated as appropriate for commercial signage, then have sign companies or other enterprises submit proposals for attractive uniform style signs that individual businesses or institutions can lease space on. Perfect example – the walkway at Nassau Cruise Port. We also need to create historic plaques for buildings on the Historic Register. And why not create a competition for art students to design story telling signs along Bay and Shirley Streets at specific locations telling the story of the history of Nassau? Signs just large enough to be Instagrammable without being offensive…or in the Family Islands where once the first session of Parliament was held in Cupid’s Cay, Eleuthera, since the building has since been torn down and there is no testament to its existence.
Well-designed signage in the appropriate place can help tell our story.
Right now, the story our signage is telling is that we don’t care about how we look. We are going out in public like the emperor who had no clothes and pretending to be finely dressed. Maybe the Novocaine will wear off, our numbness will pass and we will awaken to the reality that tacky signage is painful and it’s time to do better for all of us, those who stopped seeing it and those who saw it all along.
Congrats to Pauline Davis
GOLDEN Girl Pauline
Davis is being inducted into an international Hall of Fame for athletes and no one I have ever met in the field of sports deserves it more.
Pauline is a role model whose ethical standards shine as brightly as the Olympic Gold medals she won in relay and individual, medals that were later stolen along with everything else of value in her Nassau home and never recovered. The first black woman to be named to the board of what is now World Athletics, she holds
a lifetime seat as an honorary director. Her courage in the early days of exposing doping in track and field took a fierce bravery that brought threats against her life. She stood as a stalwart of the anti-doping movement, and to this day, remains committed to finding new talent, scouting in schools and track clubs, helping to create opportunities for those showing promise. Congrats to a stand-up heroine. Next time we say we are short on heroes in The Bahamas, let’s call Pauline Davis’ name.
PAULINE Davis celebrating.
Wrecks in the Exumas
THE former mailboat
Exuma Pride began her career as His Majesty’s Ship LCG(M)192 before becoming Hjelmeland Fjord in Norway in 1949; she was built in Middlesborough, England in October, 1944.
By Eric Wiberg
In The Bahamas, she served Georgetown and the Exuma Cays from 1978 to 1987. The 299-ton steel ship was 300 tons, 155’ long, 23’ wide and 8’ deep. Powered by two Paxman diesel engines of 1,000 hp each, she could make 11.75 knots. With a range of 2,000 miles, she was built of steel as a medium support landing craft. Her wartime crew was 31, but in Norway she could carry 427 passengers and 15 cars. On delivery, the vessel went straight to lay up in Southampton. In Norway, where there was also a great need for new tonnage in the coastal fleet, so in August 1946 she was sold to shipping agent Leif Storhaug in London, then Bergen owners in Stavanger. In August 1949, skipper
Johan Kalheim ran cargo trips as far as Bergen, and a decade later Johan Warland took command. In September 1978, she was sold to the Exuma Shipping and Transportation Co. of Nassau. On the way from Norway, she suffered engine trouble off Bermuda, and had to be towed to the Bahamas,
arriving in August, 1979.
A Yorkshireman named John Gynell overseeing Sir Robert McAlpine and Sons civil engineering and construction activities in Exuma.
Exiled to Miami after independence, he managed to return to Exuma as owner of the freighter. For conversion to Bahamian mailboat, she was entrusted to Ray Ward in Providenciales, Turks & Caicos. According to Gynell’s daughter, Helen, “he bought this boat with all his life savings, and put it in service as a mailboat”. Soon, the Exuma Pride took over a night passage route from Nassau to Georgetown.
“Once known as ‘the tyrant of Exuma’,” his daughter writes, “some unknown person or persons with a grudge, set it adrift from the Georgetown dock one night. Since my father was not on the island at the time, there was nothing he could do to stop anyone from salvaging it. So, after it was adrift for the number of hours stated by law, it was stripped. It drifted and ended up” beached at Crab Cay, southeast of
town. Mr Gynell’s heart was broken. “He thought he was doing something good for the island, upgrading the old wooden boat to this ship,” Helen said: “he named it the Enrus for the god of the east wind, then Exuma Pride. It is now known locally as the Exuma Shame.”
By 1987, Lloyd’s Register declared the ship’s existence “in doubt”, a step before de-listing her. Previous nicknames include Old Joe. The vessel was wrecked unusually, with at least half of it remaining above water. According to a visiting yachtsman, she was never ‘officially’ commissioned to carry the mails, and “mysteriously slipped her mooring” to run aground. Very close to land – you can still toss a pebble onto it from shore - the site is out of the way, especially since development of Crab Cay stopped, and so the ship is rarely visited, and is easier to find by boat than foot.
Another exotic European wreck lies nearby. In 2022, Exuma online pundits asked about the “very expensive looking abandoned racing boat in a cove between Crab Cay and Great Exuma, just south of the bridge”. A bit of sleuthing reveals that this is a three-hulled, 50-foot boat which was participating in a Trans-Atlantic yacht race from Normandie, France to Guadeloupe, in the French Antilles, named La Route du Café, (coffee route) or TransAt Jacques Vabre. Though the markings are almost all gone six year later, they were once blue and black and read 29, Drekan Groupe. French sailors Eric Defert and Christopher Pratt were rescued from this capsized craft and it drifted, abandoned from the Azores to the Bahamas for nearly two years. In March 2017, Defert bought the former yacht Crepes Whaou!, built in 2005, 50-feet wide, and three tons. That fall, he brought on Christopher Pratt as the only other crew and on November 5, they set off racing from France to the Caribbean, only to capsized four days later. The race organisers announced that “Drekan Groupe was racing downwind east of the Azores in 25 knot northeasterlies - with violent squalls of 35 knots - and
a cross sea. The boat was not under autopilot. Defert and Pratt just had time to get into the cockpit before it turned over completely. They donned their survival suit and triggered their emergency beacon”. The rescue coordination center in Punta Delgada, Azores, warned the race management, and the sailors called ashore to say both were well and 380 miles from Terceira, out of range of a rescue helicopter. The nearest cargo ship was the Dutch Beautriton, 30 miles away, which duly diverted to them, supported by a Portuguese Navy patrol boat. After VHF contact was made with the yachtsmen, the Dutch rescuers waited till dawn to launch the ship’s lifeboat. They then recovered both sailors, the emergency beacon was shut off, and the location of the abandoned drifting yacht went dark. The cargo ship headed to South Carolina with the crew. The blow was particularly hard on the skipper, “Defert, [who] had a hard time making ends meet the project, calling on local help before leaving Le Havre.” For 17 months yacht drifted some 3,000 nautical miles to Seven Palms’ Beach on the ocean side of Governor’s Harbour, landing there on February 8, 2019. Though still upside down, it was in strong condition.
On February 11, Bahamian salvor Roston McGregor of Valiant Marine Salvages stabilized the wreck until skipper Defert could arrive from France and help make it ready to tow to Exuma. First, they had to flip it right-side up and float it, which took 10 days. There is a film on YouTube by Ocean Addict named “Righting of the trimaran Multi50 Drekan Groupe in The Bahamas”. With “the overall assessment rather good,” they “planned to bring it back by cargo ship to France,” per Pascal of the catamaran Black Lion and Voiles et Voiliers. It was left on a mooring at Crab Cay and inspected on April 30, 2022. When in 2023, I visited the trimaran, the boat was still afloat. Impressive that the mooring has held all this time, and the vessel has not met the same fate as its neighbor, also from Europe: Exuma Pride.
EXUMA Pride in Norway as Hjelmeland Fjord, ex-HMS LCG(M)192.
TRIMARAN Drekan Groupe capsized and being towed to Governor’s Harbour in July, 2019.
FRENCH sailors, Eric Defert and Christopher Pratt, rescued by Dutch cargo ship Beautriton on 9 November, 2017.
TRIMARAN #29, Drekan Groupe of Crab Cay Exuma April 30, 2022.
‘Lunch and Learn’ event for International Women’s Day
IN CELEBRATION of International Women’s Day, Colina Insurance Limited hosted a special Lunch and Learn event for its staff, focused on financial empowerment for women.
This year’s IWD theme, “Accelerate Action”, calls for intensified efforts to drive progress and create meaningful change. Colina answered that call by fostering financial literacy and supporting a cause that uplifts women in need.
The featured speaker, Tiffany Cartwright, investment manager at Colina Financial Advisors Ltd. (CFAL), led an insightful discussion on the importance of financial empowerment, equipping attendees with the knowledge and tools to achieve financial security and freedom.
“Financial independence is very important, you have to plan your future,” explained Cartwright. She went on to emphasise the significance of self-care for women. “As women, we care for everyone and tend to leave ourselves for last. It’s important to take some time to care for yourself because the future is uncertain.”
Cartwright’s presentation included a budget guideline that helps individuals break down their salary to determine how to allocate their money.
“Bills should be a priority, which is why 60 percent of your salary should be allocated to them. Following that, set aside 10
ANGLICAN CHURCH MEN
The Anglican Church Men (ACM) of the Diocese of The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos has announced the establishment of the Tomas McIntosh Young Committed Leader Award through a unanimous motion. This prestigious award pays tribute to Inspector Tomas McIntosh, who served as President of his branch at St. Agnes Anglican Church, a community leader and an Officer of the Royal Bahamas Police Force.
Sargent McIntosh was known for carrying the banner of the ACM with pride and dedication. His untimely passing last year prompted the ACM Council to honor his legacy of bravery, selflessness, and compassion by creating this award. The Tomas McIntosh Young Committed Leader Award aims to inspire young leaders within the ACM ranks, ensuring that they not only bear Tomas’s name but also uphold his exemplary values.
The inaugural presentation of this medal will take place on Wednesday, March 19, at 7pm during a special Mass at St George’s Parish on Montrose Avenue, coinciding with the Feast of St Joseph, the Patron Saint of the ACM. All ACM members are expected to attend this significant event, which will be led by the Diocesan Bishop, The Rt Rev Laish Z Boyd.
The evening will highlight the contributions of several young, dynamic, and committed leaders within the ACM. Many of these outstanding individuals will be honored with the Tomas McIntosh Young Committed Leader Award, recognising their dedication and influence in their respective parish, and communities.
We invite the community to join us in Mass, as we celebrate the legacy of Inspector Tomas McIntosh and the remarkable efforts of our young leaders.
ROTARY CLUB OF NASSAU
The Rotary Club of
percent each for regular savings and charity. Your pension should receive 5 percent. Once you have full control over your bills, you can allocate 15 percent to activities you enjoy, “she detailed.
Colina also reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Bahamian women by donating $10,000 to The Bahamas Crisis Centre. The centre plays a crucial role in assisting victims of domestic
violence and advocating for the rights of women and children.
Cleopatra Christie, administrator at The Bahamas Crisis Centre, expressed her gratitude for Colina’s generous contribution, emphasising its impact on the organisation’s ability to support those in need. “We provide a glimmer of hope for women, and we can only do this with the corporate help of Colina,
saying thank you is not enough.”
Colina’s Lunch and Learn events are designed to align with the awareness themes of each month, providing employees with educational opportunities that support their personal and professional growth. Recognising the importance of financial security, Colina ensured that both male and female staff members had access to valuable
insights on products that could help safeguard their future.
“Empowering women with financial knowledge is a critical step toward fostering independence and security,” said Maxine Seymour, director of corporate communications at Colina. “We are proud to champion initiatives that drive action and create positive change within our community.”
30 YEARS TO CELEBRATE FOR CABLE BAHAMAS
CABLE Bahamas is celebrating 30 years of service in The Bahamas.
“For 30 years, we have been at the forefront of every major shift in Bahamian telecommunications,” said Franklyn Butler II, CEO of Cable Bahamas. “We’ve led the way with innovation, choice, and reliability, and as we celebrate this milestone, we are committed to and excited about shaping the next era of technology in telecoms.”
Since launching in 1995, Cable Bahamas has grown from a cable television provider to delivering broadband, mobile, and digital solutions to thousands of Bahamians.
To commemorate this milestone, Cable Bahamas is partnering with Bahamasair to give a new ALIVFibr subscriber a roundtrip getaway - with more competitions to come.
“We are just getting started,” said Butler. “Our customers and employees are the foundation of our success, and this milestone is a tribute to their loyalty and dedication. We look forward to showing our appreciation throughout the year.”
The company urged readers to follow its social media challenges - and watch out for further promotions as part of the celebration.
Nassau, under the leadership of President Wayne Miller, successfully hosted its annual Disaster Preparedness Seminar on Saturday, March 8, at the J Whitney Pinder Building. This vital community initiative aimed to educate residents on climate change, natural disasters, and risk management, ensuring they are better prepared for emergencies. The seminar featured
insightful presentations from distinguished experts, including Aarone Sargent, managing director of the Disaster Risk Management Authority; Corporal Dion Conliffe of the Royal Bahamas Police Force Fire Services; and Dr Trevor Johnson, Disaster Risk Management chair at the Bahamas Red Cross. Each speaker provided critical information on disaster preparedness, response strategies, and
the impact of climate change on the Bahamas. Their presentations were highly informative and well received by attendees.
As part of its ongoing commitment to community resilience, the Rotary Club of Nassau, in partnership with Urban Renewal Authority Center Managers, donated 28 hurricane preparedness kits to families in need across New Providence. These emergency kits, which include
essential supplies for storm readiness, are a crucial step in ensuring vulnerable residents are equipped to face potential disasters.
“Equipping families with emergency kits is essential for their safety and well-being during a disaster,” said president Wayne Miller. “Through education and tangible support, we are strengthening our communities and fostering a culture of preparedness.”
JOIN THE CLUB
OUR Clubs and Societies page is a chance for you to share your group’s activities with our readers. To feature on our Clubs and Societies page, submit your report to clubs@tribunemedia.net, with “Clubs Page” written in the subject line. For more information about the page, contact Stephen Hunt on 826-2242.
THE LUNCH and Learn event hosted by Colina.
THE DISASTER Preparedness Seminar held by the Rotary Club of Nassau.
BROTHER Tomas McIntosh of the Anglican Church Men.
THE GIRL Guides of The Bahamas recently had a camping event. Pictured is tent pitching at Rangers’ Camp.