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VOLUME:114 No.83, MARCH 21ST, 2017

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WOMAN: FELISHA ROSENDAHL DECORATES HER WAY TO SUCCESS

Gunman shoots worker dead

CARNIVAL BANDS SLAM WE MARCH CALL FOR DELAY

By SANCHESKA DORSETT Tribune Staff Reporter sdorsett@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS Carnival Band Owners Association (BCBOA) president Dario Tirelli yesterday blasted We March Bahamas organisers for calling for Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival to be postponed less than six weeks before bands hit the streets.

Mr Tirelli told The Tribune if We March insists on protesting Bahamas SEE PAGE SIX

Shock at broad daylight killing on construction site

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net POLICE are asking “what went wrong” after a male construction worker was shot to death on the job at the worksite of the new Post Office building on Tonique Williams-Darling highway yesterday afternoon.

Chief Superintendent Clayton Fernander, the Officer-in-Charge of the Central Detective Unit (CDU), said the deceased, who appeared to be in his mid-40s, was the only construction worker killed by the lone gunman yesterday, despite being one of “a number of other employees” working at the old City Market site.

He confirmed that the deceased was known to police and had been “in and out of the system” prior to his death.

However, Chief Supt Fernander said police have no motive for the killing, which pushes the murder count to 36 for the year, according to the The Tribune’s records.

According to police, the construction worker was with a number of other employees in the westernmost portion of the plaza shortly after 2pm, when a lone gunman entered the area. The gunman shot the man in his body and then fled on foot, Chief Supt Fernander said.

“We don’t know the motive at this time,” Chief Supt Fernander said. “The

A POLICEWOMAN comforts distraught onlookers at the scene of the murder at the old City Market site yesterday.

Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune staff

SEE PAGE TWO

INGRAHAM HITS OUT AT ‘LACK OF DEPUTY PM: FNM REPRESENTING LIGHTBOURN: PLP ‘LURING’ UNIONS INTERESTS OF ‘BAY STREET BOYS’ WITH CHANGES TO LABOUR LAWS TRANSPARENCY’ ON ECONOMY

By NICO SCAVELLA

By KHRISNA VIRGIL Mr Davis, speaking to a Butler-Turner also hit out at Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham yesterday criticised government’s lack of transparency over the economy this term, challenging that the Christie-led administration’s fiscal performance over the past five years could not rival his party’s governance during the Great Recession. FORMER Prime Minister Hubert

SEE PAGE SIX Ingraham.

DEPUTY Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis last night cautioned voters to be wary of voting for the Free National Movement (FNM), claiming that former Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette’s return to frontline politics is proof that the party is representing the interests of the “Bay Street Boys” as opposed to “ordinary people”.

crowd of supporters during a town hall meeting at the CV Bethel High School last night, hit out at the FNM’s slogan “It’s the People’s Time”, suggesting that even though the Hubert Minnis-led party is trying to “present themselves different this time”, the return of Mr Symonette, the son of United Bahamian Party (UBP) Leader Roland T Symonette, is proof that the FNM “ain’t got no SEE PAGE SIX

Deputy Chief Reporter kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

MONTAGU MP Richard Lightbourn yesterday accused the governing Progressive Liberal Party of attempting to “lure” labour unions and their members into supporting the party with amendments to legislation that governs employee relations weeks ahead of the impending general election.

Meanwhile, Official Opposition Leader Loretta

the Christie administration saying amid debate on the legislation, there were Bahamians who have not been paid for months for services to the government.

She also pointed to certain members of Parliament who have consecutive absences from House sessions, which she said qualifies as grounds to vacate their parliamentary seats.

The Opposition members lambasted the government during debate on Bills for SEE PAGE SIX

PRIVY COUNCIL OVERTURNS ‘NINETY’ KNOWLES RULING

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE Privy Council yesterday paved the way for a battle over assets allegedly belonging to convicted drug trafficker, Samuel ‘Ninety’ Knowles, after it ruled that the US government’s $13.9 million confiscation order against him can be registered in the Bahamas.

The UK court, the highest in the

Bahamian judicial system, overturned a previous Court of Appeal verdict that found the confiscation order could not be registered under the Proceeds of Crime Act because there was no written request from the US Attorney General to do so.

The ruling enables the US government to seek forfeiture of Bahamasbased assets that it claims belong to Mr Knowles, paving the way for a new legal battle with his family, who allege the assets - including real es-

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

tate, bank accounts and a car rental business at Nassau’s airport - were obtained via legitimate means.

In December, 2015, Knowles filed a $70m law suit claiming damages from the government for the “emotional, mental torture” he experienced as a result of his “premature” extradition to the United States 11 years ago. He is currently being held at the Federal Correctional Institution in Butner, North Carolina.

FULL STORY, SEE BUSINESS

PAGE 2, Tuesday, March 21, 2017

GUNMAN SHOOTS WORKER DEAD FROM PAGE ONE big question is: what went wrong? It appears as though he was the target because there was a number of other employees working in this area and the gunman approached him and shot him, so something went wrong.

“That is the line of inquiry that we are following as we speak.

“We are speaking to some of the workers who were present during the time of the shooting.

“We’re also doing some door-to-door inquiries in this general area to see whatever assistance we could retrieve.

He added: “We appeal to members of the public who may have been passing in this area, we have some business establishments just behind this construction site, also a residential area.

“So we’re appealing to anybody who would have been in this area, or saw or heard anything to please come forth to assist in advancing this investigation.”

On Sunday, two bodies of two boys were

discovered with execution-style gunshot wounds to the head on a dirt road off Graham Drive, Yellow Elder Gardens.

Police formally identified the victims yesterday as 13-year-old Keishon Williams, of Plantol Street, and 15-year-old Devonte Lindsey, of Knowles Drive, Bozine Town. Williams was a student at Government High School, according to police, who confirmed that Lindsey was a student of AF Adderley High School.

Hours after the discovery of the bodies, Prime Minister Perry Christie reflected on the efficacy of his government’s anti-crime efforts as he restated his administration’s commitment to stopping the “madness that has seemed to grip our country.”

Mr Christie told The Tribune the increase in homicides is bigger than the Progressive Liberal Party, the Free National Movement and the Democratic National Alliance.

He said everyone must come together to save the reputation and integrity of the Bahamas.

THE TRIBUNE

ARMED police at the site off Tonique Williams-Darling Highway. Photos: Shawn Hanna

THE body of the worker is removed from the site.

EMOTIONS run high at the scene of yesterday’s murder.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, March 21, 2017, PAGE 3

PM HITS OUT AT WE MARCH BAHAMAS OVER PLAN TO STOP AT HIS HOME, OFFICE Christie says organisation’s ‘poor judgement’ could ‘ignite something’

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net WITH We March Bahamas now finalising plans for its third protest march, one that will see the group make stops at his home and office, Prime Minister Perry Christie has warned that the organisation’s “poor judgment” could “ignite something that they least expect to happen”.

Mr Christie said yesterday that the personalised style of protest being employed by We March Bahamas was inviting a section of the public, unhappy with his administration and its policies, to speak of him and members of his family in a way that would cause large scale confrontations between them and his supporters.

On Sunday, We March lead organiser Ranard Henfield told The Tribune that members of his team, in conjunction with officials from the Raising Awareness of the Bahamas Landfill (RABL)

group, had concluded plans to protest issues associated with the New Providence landfill on April 2.

Mr Henfield also told The Nassau Guardian that the groups intend to make at least two stops - at the office and home of the Prime Minister - in hopes of getting their concerns heard.

However, despite these indications, Mr Christie said yesterday he was still “unaware” of the true nature of the groups’ plan.

On being made aware of the proposed plans, the Centreville MP advocated that the groups “exercise the greatest care” in their attempts to get his attention, acknowledging that his status as Prime Minister does not allow for untethered access to his family and private life.

“I would advocate that they exercise the greatest care before they personalise marches and issues because I am a public figure – but I have a family. They cannot control the emotions of people who are a

THREE MEN ARRESTED OVER WEEKEND DRUG SEIZURES IN BIMINI

By KHRISNA VIRGIL Deputy Chief Reporter kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

AUTHORITIES arrested three men over the weekend after drugs valued at more than $420,000 were seized in two separate incidents.

Police said the first incident happened shortly after 8am on Sunday following the execution of a search warrant at a house in South Bimini.

When police entered the residence, according to reports, they discovered 191.5lbs of marijuana with a street value of over $191,000. A 54-year-old resident of Bimini was taken into custody, police said.

In another incident in Bimini, officers stopped a vessel and discovered 20lbs of suspected cocaine with a street value of $225,000 along with 10lbs of marijuana worth $10,000.

Two men, aged 43 and 42, were arrested and taken into custody police said. The drugs from these police seizures total $426,000 in value and comes after a major drug bust in the capital in February.

At the time, police arrested nine persons, including a Bahamian pilot and two men from Suriname, in connection with three major marijuana seizures in New Providence and Abaco. Officers seized 633lbs of marijuana with a combined estimated street value of $640,000.

Warrant Regarding this incident, officer-in-charge of the Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU), Chief Superintendent Samuel Butler, said acting on information, officers from the DEU with a warrant, went to a residence in the area of Boatswain Hill where they discovered a large quantity of drugs on the premises.

Three adult males, one Bahamian and two Surinamese, and a Bahamian woman were taken into custody as a result of the find.

“While we are still early in our investigations, we were able to seize a large amount of drugs concealed on the premises in this western community,” Chief Supt Samuel Butler said at the time.

“The Drug Enforcement Unit remains committed to the cause of removing illegal drugs from our streets. We are cognisant of the relationship between drugs and the various serious crimes on our streets. We will continue to be as diligent as we can to remove drugs from the streets and apprehend drug traffickers.”

“We are pleased with the progress that we have made so far and we will continue to progress with this investigation and will have several persons before the courts. This is not something that was random; we were deliberate in our efforts as was mandated to us by the commissioner of police in his police plan. We want to say to drug traffickers, the DEU is even more persistent and we will come after you wherever you are and we will get you,” he said.

TOP LEFT AND RIGHT: We March Bahamas organiser Ranard Henfield and Prime Minister Perry Christie.

ABOVE: Marchers take part in one of the protests earlier this year.

part of their members.

“When they do something, then they are actually inviting people to speak of me and all who live in my place in a way that could ignite something that they least expect to happen.

“I think it is in poor judgment that they are doing (this),” said Mr Christie.

“Most certainly it is something that may give them some thrills but I don’t think that they should take it (this) far be-

cause in public life, they cause people to see that the divisions are now becoming too deepened, too crazy.”

“I think we all have a duty in being able to understand what outcomes we will like when we demonstrate, and that is not a good outcome, to be able to do that and personalise it in such a way.”

As a part of its initial march on November 25, 2016, We March led more than a thousand people from Arawak Cay to

downtown Nassau. Ultimately, a large group of protesters occupied Rawson Square for 12 hours as part of the demonstration.

Then, Mr Henfield publicly presented a list of demands to Mr Christie with the demand that he meet with the group on the steps of Parliament.

It led to several weeks of intense dialogue between Mr Henfield and members of the Christie administration, resulting in a second march on the Majority Rule holiday in January.

The government has consistently argued that the existence of We March should be viewed as antigovernment.

In February, We March announced that it planned to stage 12 more “events and protests” throughout the Bahamas before the next general election.

At that time, Mr Henfield said the group was still on a mission and would continue to “stay focused” despite “the tactics and anger of people that want to resist change”.

FLORIDA FAMILY IN TRAGIC CRASH HAD CLOSE CONNECTIONS IN GRAND BAHAMA

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

FOUR members of the South Florida family died in the traffic accident.

A SOUTH Florida family of four killed in an horrific traffic accident on Sunday morning in Florida has close family connections in Grand Bahama, The Tribune has discovered.

Randolph Russell, a native of Eight Mile Rock, Grand Bahama, has lost his son, Nathan Russell, his daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren in the crash on Interstate 75 near the small city of Alachua.

Nathan Russell, 37; his wife, Lynda, 35; and two of their children, 15-year-old LaNyah and 10-year-old Natayah, died in a crash on the southbound carriageway near mile marker 397, the Florida Highway Patrol reported.

Ten-year-old Nathan Russell Jr was critically injured in the crash and taken to University of Florida Shands Hospital in Gainsville. There were reports

that Nathan Jr died in hospital yesterday, but The Tribune was unable to confirm that up to press time last night.

The Tribune attempted to contact the father yesterday at his home in Freeport, but there was no answer and it is believed that he may have left the island after learning the news.

A close relative in Eight Mile Rock described the incident as “very devastating news”. The relative said that Nathan Russell was born in the United States and resided in South Florida.

According to reports, at 8.43am, Mr Russell was driving south on Interstate 75 (I-75), near US 441, with his family in a Chrysler 200. Officials said he went off the road and onto the right shoulder and hit the rear of a disabled tractor-trailer that was parked on the shoulder.

In the Chrysler, only Natayah Russell was wearing a seat belt.

The family resided in Hollywood, Florida.

PAGE 4, Tuesday, March 21, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

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The frightening consequences of labour amendments MAKE NO bones about it, the political season is upon us.

It was ushered in by a slew of amendments to the Employment Act and Industrial Relations Act tabled last week in Parliament, amendments that were clearly conceived to win votes among the masses who, the Progressive Liberal Party believes, will equate dictating higher redundancy and termination pay with finding the Holy Grail.

Tragically, the real consequences of the proposed amendments are more like The Last Supper, celebratory dining before the betrayal that befalls the very individual being toasted and celebrated.

The amendments do not strengthen the position of the worker. On the contrary: they weaken it by making the employment environment more taxing and unstable than it already is. They are a punishing slap in the face to business so it is no surprise that businesses large and small – hotels, restaurants, wholesale and retail, manufacturing – have come together to say they will fight the proposed amendments with everything they have.

And the timing could not be worse for proposed amendments that increase termination costs, redundancy pay caps and include such idiocy as requiring an employer to notify the Minister of Labour if he or she plans to make a single position redundant.

So if a fuel station operator or a hair salon owner wants to make a cashier or receptionist position redundant because they no longer need a night cashier or a second receptionist, do they really have to seek permission from the Minister of Labour? The potential for bureaucratic bungling boggles the mind.

Further increases in the cost of doing business make absolutely no sense in an economy slowly recovering from a lengthy recession at a time when companies are still reeling from hikes in business license fees. Those hikes came shortly after they swallowed the Value-Added Tax (VAT) pill, including the extra expenses incurred by having to retain an accountant to certify returns, while still paying Customs duties that consultants advised should be abolished once VAT was introduced.

Additional increases in the cost of doing business will only serve as a disincentive for investment, both domestic and foreign, further slowing what is already an abysmal rate of growth.

Specifically, increasing the redundancy pay cap 67 per cent within a two-year period - from 24 weeks to 40 weeks for line staff, and from 48 weeks to a maximum of 80 weeks for management - could have

one of several effects. Employers who are considering making a position redundant are likely to speed up their decision, acting now rather than later to avoid higher costs, so the immediate effect could be more people left jobless. Some businesses may move to outsource greater shares of their production or sales or hire more part-time staff to reduce eventual liability through either termination or redundancy.

Many of the small- to medium-size businesses in the Bahamas struggle weekly to keep their doors open. They are already mired in a conundrum of having to retain existing staff no matter how unproductive they are, or how recalcitrant, or how slack, because letting them go is too costly. It is easy for someone who is not in business to say that such a condition is just the result of poor management, but the reality is that a business that is operating at bare bones, paying its bills relatively on time and hoping for brighter days ahead may not have the $20,000 or $30,000 that it costs to let a single employee go. So they retain them until retirement.

The high cost of termination or redundancy also chokes and suffocates the freedom to recruit new, young talent.

By loading business with the burden of retention till death or retirement do us part, the proposed labour amendments stifle the ability to inject fresh blood, an objective that is highly desirable not only for the business to remain competitive but to reduce the extraordinary youth unemployment rate that hovers around 30 per cent.

With nearly one of every three young people on the unemployment roll, how can a country expect to make the most of its talent when there is no place for that talent to go? How can it expect to solve its crime problem when nearly one-third of its youth population has no pay cheque at the end of the week?

There is also the matter of how the proposed amendments were tabled, which the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers’ Confederation argues is in direct conflict with government’s policy that a tripartite council agreed. While the Chamber agrees that it was consulted during the drafting, it did not agree to the amendments it reviewed and said there were last-minute changes in the version tabled.

If the poorly-conceived labour amendments are any indication of the type of politics the present government plans to offer, Dr Hubert Minnis’ lack of charisma may look like a small price to pay for a thoughtful and safer regime.

Banks in the Bahamas

EDITOR, The Tribune.

I am moved to write following a recent article whereby the Royal Bank of Canada announced that it was closing branches in Treasure Cay, Harbour Island, Spanish Wells and Bimini. Apart from the pain of adding Bahamians to the list of the unemployed what was the motivation for such an announcement?

Is the Royal Bank of Canada saying that it is not making any profit in these locations? Is that the key to motivating the closures i.e.

PROFIT, PROFIT PROFIT? It is only recently that all the banks substantially increased their bank charge fees causing an outcry for some form of price control.

I can only assume that the motivation to increase bank charge fees was for profit, profit, profit. I am very much against Government getting involved with price control as not only is it none of its business but it eliminates the very essence of competition. It is only when competitive forces are “in play” that the public benefits.

GRAND BAHAMIANS ARE FED UP WITH MICHELLE RECKLEY AND HER PLP ANTICS EDITOR, The Tribune.

FEW people outside of Grand Bahama would recognise the name Michelle Reckley. But on the island of Grand Bahama, everybody knows her. Reckley was on ZNS at a PLP event held at a mega church based on Grand Bahama on March 17 imploring Bahamians to give her party another opportunity to govern. She is the Iron Lady of the PLP who calls the shots on that northern island. She seems to wield the same kind of authority as Grand Bahama Minister Dr Michael Darville.

It has been rumoured that she was instrumental in securing the Central Grand Bahama nomination for Julian Russell over former Port Authority executive Ginger Moxey.

Moxey told the media that PM Perry Christie called her on the night of the nomination to inform her of the party’s decision to go with Russell. Reckley, the former assistant secretary-general of the PLP on Grand Bahama, now heads Urban Renewal, despite not having the academic qualifications. Urban Renewal 2.0 has been a catastrophic failure at reducing crime.

With 600 plus murders under Christie’s watch, any chatter of the FNM’s tinkering of Urban Renewal being the reason for the hundreds of murders committed under the Ingraham government must now be put to rest. Reckley stirred up quite a bit of controversy in 2013 when she directed Urban Renewal employees to dress in the PLP colour, yellow. Listening to Reckley those, you wouldn’t know that FNMs also pay

taxes in this country. She is perhaps the most partisan PLP in the country. She used to be a school caterer. They are saying on Grand Bahama that not only does Reckley at times cooks for the PM, but that she also has his cell phone number. When Darville and Moxey told the media that Freeport was booming, they weren’t lying. What they failed to do, however, was to say who exactly was experiencing this economic boom.

With a jobless rate around 19%; the International Bazaar in rundown condition with about four existing businesses operating outside of a slew of churches located there; the closures of the Memories Resort, Breaker’s Cay at the Grand Lucayan Resort, Butler’s Food World, the International Sewing Centre, Animale, Treasure Bay Casino, BETCO, Savemore Food Store and the impending closure of The Jewellery Box, it all underscores the severity of Freeport’s economic drought. There are plenty more businesses which have failed in Freeport.

The closure of these businesses have directly contributed to Freeport’s excessively high jobless rate. Thousands are jobless with over one thousand plus set to enter the anemic job market this June.

There are reports of families sleeping in the old abandoned Princess Resort and Xanadu buildings. There are also rumours that homeless people are living in the International Bazaar. Darville, his family, close friends and relatives are experiencing an economic boom.

The PLP Iron Lady and her family are experiencing an economic boom.

They get to eat the fat of the land while

many Grand Bahamians are living in abject poverty. So when Darville and Co says it’s booming in Freeport, they really mean to say it’s booming for a select group of PLPs. Grand Bahamians have a right to know how is it remotely possible for a high ranking PLP official to secure the school bus contract? With her government salary, how was this PLP able to purchase the buses? Further, are rumours true that this PLP is in the process of building a massive house in an upscale area of Freeport and has even purchased a shopping complex in the Freeport City area? Grand Bahamians are talking.

There are even rumours that this PLP has bragged that her goal is to see $1 million on her bank account during this term.

The PLP is atrocious when it comes to governing, but is very good when it comes to taking care of its cronies.

Grand Bahamians are tired of the PLP. Even rank-and-file PLPs have abandoned the party on account of the PLP Iron Lady.

They are fed up with Reckley and her PLP antics. Reckley is an albatross around the neck of the PLP. She is one of the main reasons why thousands of Grand Bahamians are eager to vote out her scandalous government. I predict Grand Bahama will be going red this election season.

T HE WHISTLEBLOWER Nassau, March 19, 2017.

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net When someone like a bank is in operation, especially in a foreign country, it forms part of the social fabric of the society.

As such there are, or should be, both moral and ethical considerations each of which should be a factor just as much as profitability.

In the case of the Royal Bank of Canada they have been in operation in the Bahamas since 1908 and should have a corporate indebtedness to the Bahamas where they have enjoyed privileges for over 100 years and have without doubt the lion’s share of providing banking services throughout The Bahamas.

Where was our Government in this decision process? Did they not remind the Royal Bank of Canada of their corporate obligations and the favourable treatment that they have been afforded over the many years?

I must confess I wondered about the change in structure about five years ago when the operations in The Bahamas were structured under a separate corporate umbrella as opposed to being a branch.

The significance of such a change meant that the corporate entity had to rely upon its own capital and reserves instead of those of its parent.

Even though the new structure appointed a veteran Bahamian Banker as its Chief Executive Officer I rather believe that he has limited overall authority and I very much doubt that the branch closure decision was taken by him. I believe that the decision was made in Canada and he was asked to implement same.

These are very disconcerting actions – (i) the change of corporate structure and (ii) the closure of well-established branches – are these the signs of the Royal Bank of Canada withdrawing from the Bahamas?

Is the Bahamas market considered too small in the Global world? Will their next announcement be their withdrawal from The Bahamas?

Unfortunately all the Canadian based banks seem to be following a similar pattern when it comes to a reduction of overall banking services in the Bahamas.

Many functions have been transferred from the Bahamas to other jurisdictions in the Caribbean.

This outsourcing has also contributed to the number of unemployed while the quality of service has dropped dramatically. Is anyone in the Bahamas challenging these actions and defending the country’s best interests? – it would appear not.

My other concerns relate to who will fill the void created by the branch closures of the Royal Bank?

I sincerely hope that it will not be the Bank of the Bahamas attempting to open branches in these locations.

Their operations are highly questionable and lack credibility. The continual “bail-out” of their past indiscretions by Government who takes money from the people (in the form of National Insurance) is highly unethical and immoral.

Another alternative could be the “numbers houses/web shops”.

As these “numbers houses/web shops” are not able to deposit their takings with the major banks they are exploring other avenues for their excess cash accumulations.

It seems that they are looking into other activities such as banking and investing.

As the “numbers houses/ web shops” were contrary to the Public Referendum, the Government chose to ignore the results and proceeded to “legitimised” their operations.

These entities are already seeking protection from competition and exclusiveness and thus it is highly conceivable that we could have a banking system that will not be regulated by The Central Bank which in turn will do The Bahamas even more reputational damage – especially with outside agencies such as IMF, World Bank, OECD, etc., FAIR & BALANCED Nassau, March 20, 2017.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, March 21, 2017, PAGE 5

PM VOWS ‘MAXIMUM PROTECTION’ FOR INVESTORS IN PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net IF re-elected, Prime Minister Perry Christie yesterday vowed that his administration will legislate its current model of public-private-partnerships to ensure “maximum protection” for investors seeking to aid the government in future projects.

Mr Christie made the announcement during a tour of the new Fox Hill community centre, scheduled to open on April 1.

The 27-year-old project, started in 1992 by former area MP George Mackey, is nearing completion as a result of a private-publicpartnership initiated by the Christie administration and Bahamas Striping Ltd. Mr Christie underscored the invaluable benefit of the PPP model to a country like the Bahamas given the extreme necessity of having to duplicate infrastructure across many different islands.

The Centreville MP added that his government has considered it “more convenient” to involve the private sector companies in the development, construction and completion of public projects, pointing out that the move has bolstered in his administration’s push for financial prudence.

“It is a win-win situation,” Mr Christie said.

“We have embarked on it aggressively. I think in a next term, a government of The Bahamas would have to legislate to ensure the maximum protection for the investors in the public-private-partnership.”

He said: “We expect, most certainly it is our hope that we will be that government and where we are able to take it to that step where we institutionalise a public-private-partnership and place it where the private sector partner is able to get the required guarantees without having

to have heads of agreements governing the relationship.”

“Building schools, building roads, building hospitals or mini-hospital, building clinics. All have to be duplicated,” he said.

“It becomes very exacting when you are dealing with aviation and shipping now because there are special rules when you are dealing with international bodies governing them where there must be special security provisions, meaning new technologies, new provisions, a lot of money.

“So, what the government has found, and we began with Bimini, that if we are able to attract the private sector to agree to do certain things that would ordinarily be done by the government, then that would enable us to finance out of cashflow as a opposed to having to borrow additional funding.”

Project As a result of this partnership, Bahamas Striping has sub-contracted 33 companies that have employed an estimated 161 persons on the project.

The facility, once completed, will feature an outdoor pool, a multi-purpose auditorium, a kitchen area, offices, bathrooms and study areas.

However, the cost of the project is now an estimated $2 million, $250,000 of which was supplied through a loan from the Inter-American Development Bank.

Last August, Fred Mitchell, the MP for Fox Hill, indicated the cost would be $750,000.

Of Bahamas Striping, Mr Christie said he welcomes the company’s inclusion because it proves that not just small to medium business in the Bahamas can flourish.

“They have now decided that in addition to being able to provide great services for the country, that they would actually get involved in pub-

PRIME Minister Perry Christie speaks yesterday during a tour of the new Fox Hill community centre. lic partnership basis.

“And so, we welcome that because to me, they have become exemplars now, demonstration that not just the big name companies can do this, but they themselves, and this is a highly visible project for them.

“I am so happy that they have been able to do this because when we come here to open this up, the credit for moving to a completion could be given to them and the fact that they have been able to do that,” he stated.

Works Minister Philip “Brave” Davis also revealed that Bahamas Striping is in active discussions with the Christie administration over several proposed road work projects for Family Island communities.

Mr Davis said of the government’s relationship with private entities such as Bahamas Striping: “It frees up the government to be able to finance other services and products that are necessary in our society today. Everyone knows that it is not as robust as it ought to be because the structures of our tax regime.”

“We are an island nation, we have to duplicate so many infrastructure and assets to provide the government services that are necessary for our citizens.

“And so this is a prime example of the governments coming together with the private sector and making things happen that benefits the community,” he added.

PRIME Minister Perry Christie speaks during yesterday’s walkthrough of the Fox Hill Community Centre.

CHRISTIE: CLAIMS OF TAXPAYERS’ MONEY BEING USED FOR CAMPAIGN ARE ‘FAKE NEWS’

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net CLAIMS by the Free National Movement that the government is using “tax payer money” to fund its 2017 electoral campaign was yesterday blasted as “fake news” by both Prime Minister Perry Christie and Deputy Prime Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis.

The two, addressing the press on the sidelines of a walk-through of new Fox Hill community centre, took FNM Chairman Sidney Collie to task for what they labelled “ignorance” and “deliberation distortion of fact” by the opposition for political gain.

Mr Collie in a statement on Friday suggested that the PLP government has raided taxpayer funds since taking office in 2012.

He insisted that the only thing the Christie administration has done is short-changed the Bahamian people at every turn.

Mr Collie also accused the government of handing out “lavish contracts” to their “friends and donors”.

Mr Christie, referring to portions of a statement issued by PLP Chairman Bradley Roberts on Sunday, warned Mr Collie that while his words are directed to the PLP as a political organisation, all responses on the matter would come from the government, which he said must defend its actions.

“We are the government of The Bahamas, if in fact they put out false information and fake news on the Progressive Liberal Party, it is the government of The Bahamas that must defend itself,” stated Mr Christie.

“The government of The Bahamas was elected by the people who we would wish to protect when it comes to our revenue. But part of the protection is not allowing lies to be institutionalized through fake and false

information.

“And so the balance that must exist in our country, we feel good about it. We are a mature party. Mr Collie, he should know personally, him, he should know personally the maturity of this government,” he added.

Added Mr Christie: “Let him hear me say that. He should know personally the maturity of my government.”

For his part, Mr Davis said Mr Collie’s claims should be viewed as nothing more than nonsense from a party that could not “discern between what is government and what is politics”.

He said: “Again, this demonstrates the level of either ignorance on that side and or deliberate distortion of fact, to be able to promote their own political (agenda).”

Mr Davis said he remains hopeful that the country could one day develop to a degree where campaign finance laws could be enacted, bring an end to these sorts of arguments.

Mr Davis said: “Those calls have been and I think it is something that we ought to be addressing, but unfortunately no one has gotten around to it.”

“This is something that has been talked about from time immemorial and we always seem to put it on the side and it is always heightened at this time of the year depending on who is in government.

“When we were in opposition we called for it. It is always the cry for the opposition,” Mr Davis said. “It is a debate that will continue until we deal with it.”

Months after being elected to office in May of 2012, Prime Minister Christie committed his government to campaign finance reform talks.

However, despite this indication, there has been no progress toward any such talks or legislation.

Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune staff

WORK taking place on the new Fox Hill community centre during yesterday’s walkthrough.

MINISTER of Foreign Affairs and Immigration and Fox Hill MP Fred Mitchell shows Sandilands Primary School students around the new community centre.

PAGE 6, Tuesday, March 21, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

DEPUTY PM: THE FNM REPRESENTING INTERESTS OF ‘BAY STREET BOYS’ FROM PAGE ONE love for our people”.

Mr Davis also surmised that Mr Symonette’s return was due to the latter sensing “a weak leader” in Dr Hubert Minnis, and that Mr Symonette consequently “thinks it’s his time to get in.”

The Cat Island MP also suggested that the ringing of the election bell could come “very soon”, charging that “soon and very soon” Mr Christie is “going to do that thing”. “He has been dropping hints here and there,” Mr Davis said. “He has advised it is only a short time now, just a small window and time to get registered.”

Mr Davis also excoriated Dr Minnis for his tumultuous tenure as leader of the FNM, calling the Killarney MP a “fellow who don’t know what to say unless someone tells him what to say”.

Mr Davis further said it would be a “joke” if “someone who is hiding from debates in Parliament, someone who can’t keep his party together, someone whose senators have had to resign in disgrace because of scandal after scandal, that someone like that should be considered to run this country.”

“With (Dr Minnis) and the FNM you would get change, but you wouldn’t get progress,” Mr Davis told supporters. “On the one hand you have an experienced, wise leader who knows how to represent the Bahamas in turbulent times. And on the other hand you have a fellow who don’t know what to say unless someone tell him what to say. Hubert Minnis ain’t no leader. He’s always been a follower, and he’s still following. And in times like these we need real leadership.

“His own colleagues have said the most terrible things about him. They call him incompetent and complained that he just can’t be trusted.

They say that he can’t be trusted, and then they are asking you to trust him now that it’s election time.

Boy, they must think we’re foolish. It would be a joke, that someone who is hiding from debates in Parliament, someone who can’t keep his party together, someone whose senators have had to resign in disgrace because of scandal after scandal, that someone like that should be considered to run this country. That is not a joke. It’s dead serious.”

Turning his attention towards Mr Symonette, Mr Davis said the former Deputy Prime Minister’s re-entry into politcs, along with the FNM’s ratification of another candidate, Dionisio D’Aguilar, for the Free Town constituency, suggests the party is seeking to appeal to the interests of the “Bay Street Boys” and other elitist factions within the country.

“They try to present themselves different this time,” Mr Davis continued.

“This time they say it’s the people’s time. I don’t think they mean regular Bahamians.

“When they say that it is people’s time, they can’t be talking to us ordinary Bahamians. Which people you think they talking about?

“To me, I see the Bay Street Boys. That’s what I see. Who you see back there? Brent Symonette.

He’s back. He sensed a weak leader in (Dr Minnis), and he thinks it is his time to get in.

“While he was in retirement, he was like the buzzard hovering, waiting for the carcass to lay out, and now he sees the carcass is sputtering, he is now landing. That’s why he’s back,

PHILIP DAVIS, Deputy Prime Minister, giving remarks at the meeting at CV Bethel Senior High School yesterday. Photos Shawn Hanna

PLP supporters at last night’s meeting.

after saying he was resigning from politics. Now you know how he got there, and you know how he goes.”

Mr Davis added: “Now along with Brent, you got (Mr D’Aguilar), who throw rocks at the PLP for spending money on the people for Urban Renewal and Social Services. That’s what he’s done, that’s what he does.

They ain’t got no love for our people, so I don’t know

whose people’s time they’re talking about. But the PLP has always been about the people and, in particular, us ordinary people.”

Mr Davis added: “(Dr Minnis) is nothing but a puppet, one being used to fool the Bahamians.”

Last night also saw speeches from several other PLP members, including the Prime Minister and PLP Leader Perry Chris-

tie, party Chairman Bradley Roberts, Pinewood MP Khaalis Rolle, Bamboo Town candidate Greg Burrows, and South Beach MP Cleola Hamilton.

Mr Christie, during his remarks, said the PLP is the best option to lead the country, boasting of members and candidates who are “the best in the country.”

“We are a fantastic team,

made up of good candidates,” he said. “So as you move around this island, as you talk about the coming general elections, the one fact that is beyond debate: we, the PLP, have the best team. And we have no evidence that the FNM has a team. They have not demonstrated it. In fact, it’s difficult to determine whether they have a real leader.”

LIGHTBOURN: PLP ‘LURING’ UNIONS WITH CHANGES TO LABOUR LAWS FROM PAGE ONE

Acts to amend the Employment Act and the Industrial Relations Act yesterday afternoon in Parliament.

“How can this be that important? Half the members of the government are not even here in Parliament and they want to suggest that this means so much to them,” Mr Lightbourn remarked.

“It’s appalling. The only reason that this piece of legislation is of any importance to the government is because it’s one of those things you throw out before election in an effort to induce the members of the union to think the government is looking out for our best interest, aren’t they wonderful. No you’re not wonderful. It’s appalling, Mr Speaker.

“This piece of legislation was so important and here we are weeks, months before an election and this is the first moment on which they are talking about it? They haven’t given this legislation one piece of

consideration until now weeks before the election. (It is) absolutely appalling and I assume that the members of the unions here present are not going to be lured into thinking that the government is interested in this by waiting this amount of time.”

He continued: “When we were approaching the last election I seem to remember the members opposite carrying on (and) criticising the previous administration for signing contracts weeks or months before an election and the Prime Minister as I recall was one of those persons that assured the Bahamian people that would not happen (and) that it is wrong.

(And) what are we seeing now?

Every day we see some new contract signed by this government weeks before the election and this was so terrible five years ago. This was so terrible that the government was going to do something to stop it.”

Last week Labour Minister Shane Gibson tabled the amend-

ments, the most concerning of which to employers is the raising of the redundancy cap in the Employment Act by two-thirds.

Line staff currently entitled to a maximum of 24 weeks or six months redundancy pay and gain two weeks for each year they have been employed up to a 12-year ‘cap’ would now be entitled to 32 weeks up to 16 years upon enactment of the legislation. Managerial staff would go from the existing 48 weeks/12 months entitlement immediately to 60 weeks and then to 80 weeks two years after enactment. Employers have called the associated cost increases prohibitive and yesterday, Atlantis, Paradise Island, joined the chorus of criticism.

Long Island MP Mrs ButlerTurner went on to suggest that consideration should be given to pay cuts to members of Parliament who are consistently absent from House proceedings.

It was unclear to whom the MP was referring but in recent weeks

FROM PAGE ONE Junkanoo Carnival, the bands will throw a fete (party) “right where the march ends”.

He said he is disappointed that We March organisers did not sit down and talk with the BCBOA, to understand the amount of money that private citizens have invested in the festival.

In fact, Mr Tirelli said the government has done “very little” to assist Carnival bands this year, adding that they have failed to effectively market the event to the world.

“I believe in marketing and sales, so there is no such thing as bad press, so We March is going to help drive the event and let people who may not have known that Carnival is coming. So it will spark the conversation,” Mr Tirelli said.

“So its positive in that aspect, but it is negative because it is affecting costume sales. We have people calling from Trindad and other places asking if we are still having a carnival. The bulk of our money is coming from the international market. But if they want to march against Carnival we will throw a fete right where the march stops.”

Mr Tirelli said if the government does decide to cancel or postpone carnival, the BCBOA will have their own

criticisms have been directed at Free National Movement Leader Dr Hubert Minnis and PLP Elizabeth MP Ryan Pinder over their noticeable absences from House sessions.

She said: “You cannot go on the job and say I want xyz of money, but your productivity falls short of xyz.

“That is when you know that you are being productive for your employer and your employer is happy to give you the benefits.

“All too often, Mr Speaker, we demand so much and we see so much wrong on the other side, but many times we don’t look within.

It’s just like us in here. Some of us choose to come to work (and) some of us choose not to come to work. But yet we (are) still getting paid. That can’t be right. If you (are) getting paid you show up to work.

“I heard someone on the back bench ask someone on the bank bench here today ‘how was your trip?’ They been gone so long I

thought they was gone for good.

But the reality is their money gone in the bank. You know and they ain’t been here for weeks and weeks and weeks … accountability. You have to put in the time if you getting the man dime or the woman dime.

“Don’t tell me ‘oh you been on (an) extended trip’. Your job is to be here. And if you are not here, you’re either sick or you have a good reason for not being here.

“We have members sitting back here. Look at these seats back there. How about we deduct some money out of their pay just like how the businesses deduct out of y’all pay cheque.

“How about that? Because they don’t come to work.

“One I understand hasn’t been here for 90 days. That means he vacated the seat actually, but has the salary been vacated? We as legislators if we want to govern then let us govern ourselves accordingly,” Mrs Butler-Turner said.

CARNIVAL BANDS SLAM WE MARCH CALL FOR DELAY street party.

“We will have our own street parade. We will go to the Commissioner of Police and have our own street parade. Carnival will continue and this is a freight train that will not stop,” he said.

“Plenty people are waiting on this; this is an industry so we are not worried.

We cannot hurt our head about things. To be honest the government has failed with the international pro-

motion, they have not been doing a good job. I welcome We March to have a conversation with us and find out what this festival is and what this industry is about. I have supported We March but this is something that they should not be marching against.

They should have had a conversation with us.”

We March Bahamas intends to stage its third protest on April 2 to, among other things, demand that an elec-

FROM PAGE ONE Mr Ingraham lamented that the government has not made much information available to the public, and as such, he did not know very much about the current state of the economy.

During an interview on Bahamas at Sunrise, the former Prime Minister said that public concerns over the national debt and ValueAdded Tax (VAT) would be eased by greater transparency.

“I don’t know very much about the current state of the economy because the government is not very transparent in its dealings,” he said. “It doesn’t make available very much information in public places. The State Minister for Finance was on the radio the other day and he was asked a very basic question about the VAT and the expense for VAT and he seemed to have been challenged to respond to the question.

Mr Ingraham said: “The reality though is that there is a feeling in this society that the Value-Added Tax was a tax that was going to be used to pay down the government debt.

Well, that was how it was sold to the public

tion is called before May 7 and the postponement of Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival.

In a Facebook post, the civic group mentioned the successes of its two previous protests, noting that efforts mounted by the group had averted several major events.

At the conclusion of the post, We March declared, “Now, we march again.”

The organisation announced six issues that it wanted to have addressed by government within the coming weeks.

HUBERT INGRAHAM HITS OUT

but the truth is it was a revenue raising measure.

“The national debt in and of itself was not a challenge in a society if people could see where the money is going and what the money is being used for. When you continue to increase the debt and you’re able to touch, feel and see what the money is being spent on.

“The government does have answers to give as to why the debt has increased to such an extent over the last four and a half to five years. They blame us for many things but the reality is, if you take the amount of money they have borrowed over the last four and a half years and compare it to what the FNM borrowed in the five years it was in office even while the Great Recession took place in 2008 and government revenue just dropped out - expenditure just skyrocketed.

He continued: “If you take those two periods and you see what it is that the FNM left in place from the monies that were borrowed and you compare it to now, you will have to ask the question ‘wow, what is this all about?’”

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, March 21, 2017, PAGE 7

KEOD SMITH’S LAWYER ASKS JUDGE TO CONSIDER WRITTEN ARGUMENTS

By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net THE lawyer representing Keod Smith in contempt proceedings asked a Supreme Court judge yesterday to consider the written arguments and authorities submitted when determining whether the attorney should be committed to prison for scandalous accusations of bias.

The accusations were made against the judge through a series of affidavits Smith created in support of a recusal application from an ongoing judicial review to which he is a party.

Smith and Elliot Lockhart, QC, appeared before Justice Rhonda Bain for responding submissions to be heard on why the former member of Parliament and his then lawyer, Derek Ryan, should not be committed to prison concerning a series of affidavits filed by Smith in January, 2014.

As has been the case at prior hearings, only Smith was present in court by the time the matter was called.

Ryan was absent, as he was when the matter began on March 1.

Support Mr Lockhart, who was absent on March 6 due to the death of his mother, laid over written submissions in support of his clients’ defence against committal.

“We rely on the closing submissions which have been laid over dated March 5. In reply to submissions of Mr Klein, we have nothing to add to that,” Mr Lockhart said.

When asked by Justice Bain if he did not wish to walk the court through the documents, Mr Lockhart said: “I will ask you to consider them as read.”

Justice Bain has reserved her ruling on the matter.

On March 1, Crown attorneys Loren Klein, Darcell Smith-Williamson and Hyacinth Smith appeared in amicus as a neutral party to the proceedings.

Mr Klein offered the court a number of authority cases for consideration, including that of the Court of Appeal decision of Maurice Glinton, QC, who was, in October, 2015, fined $15,000 for his words and actions during an extradition appeal that he contended were not contemptuous.

After the submissions on the law concerning contempt/committal proceedings, Mr Lockhart called Smith to produce his defence as had been ordered by the court.

Smith took the stand and offered an apology and explanation to Justice Bain that he never intended to impugn the professional reputation of the judge through the series of

affidavits.

He also absolved Ryan of having any involvement in the preparation of the affidavits.

In January, 2014, Smith filed a series of affidavits claiming that Justice Bain should recuse herself from a judicial review proceeding as she had allegedly made a series of decisions based on her affiliation with the Free National Movement.

Ten months later he attempted to withdraw the applications for the recusal of Justice Bain.

Advisor He alleged the judge once worked under former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, that she was appointed to a high-ranking position in the Attorney General’s Office because of her ties to the FNM and that her two sons were fathered by a person he claimed is a close friend and advisor to Mr Ingraham.

Smith, a former Progressive Liberal Party MP, claimed that Justice Bain had made several rulings in favour of attorney Fred Smith, QC, who in the past had been affiliated with the FNM, and “can only be explained as coming about as a result of her bias”.

Mr Lockhart claimed in December that the contents of the documents were not contemptuous and were either a matter of public record or could be proven if his clients were given adequate opportunity to do so.

He also said that Ryan should be absolved from the proceedings because although his law firm’s name appeared on the affidavits, they had been created and filed by Keod Smith.

The current committal proceedings stem from a judicial review application filed by the Save The Bays - formerly the Coalition to Protect Clifton Bay which is challenging an application by Peter Nygard to further develop his Mayan-themed development in Lyford Cay and gain a lease for Crown land reclaimed from the sea without official approval.

The coalition claims that over the last 30 years, Nygard Cay has nearly doubled in size as a result of construction works undertaken without the appropriate permits and in a manner that had caused significant damage to the surrounding environment of Clifton Bay. Fred Smith, QC, Romauld Ferreira, Dawson Malone and Crispin Hall appeared for STB yesterday.

Crown attorneys Loren Klein, Darcell SmithWilliamson and Hyacinth Smith re-appeared yesterday in amicus as a neutral party to the proceedings.

Gia Moxey appeared with Mr Lockhart.

JURY EMPANELLED FOR MURDER, AND ARMED ROBBERY TRIAL

By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A SUPREME Court jury was empanelled yesterday for the trial of a man accused of murder and armed robbery.

The trial of 29-year-old Henley Claridge will begin today after an adjournment for 24 hours at the request of the prosecution.

Claridge is on trial before Senior Justice Stephen Isaacs on two counts of armed robbery and a single charge of murder, alleged to have been committed on March 4, 2014.

It is claimed that he robbed Tonika Laroda and Darius Adderley of two Samsung cellphones together valued at $600. He is further accused of intentionally killing Adderley by means of unlawful harm.

Shortly before 9pm, Adderley was sitting in his 2003 Dodge Town and Country Van on Roseland Street with a female friend when a man armed with a handgun robbed them.

As he was leaving, the suspect shot at the vehicle, hitting Adderley in the back. The woman was unharmed during the robbery. Adderley was taken to hospital by ambulance, but died of his injuries shortly after his arrival.

Claridge, when formally arraigned in Supreme Court on July 4, 2014, pleaded not guilty to all three charges. He maintained that plea yesterday.

He has retained attorney Jiaram Mangra to defend him while Desiree Ferguson and Cassie Bethel represent the Crown.

NYGARD RECUSAL BID WON’T BE HEARD UNTIL FORMAL APPLICATION

By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A NEW recusal bid by Canadian fashion-mogul Peter Nygard will not be heard or considered until a formal application is lodged, a judge presiding over judicial reviews concerning the alleged illegal expansion of his western New Providence property said yesterday.

Before Justice Rhonda Bain, Nygard’s lawyer, Damian Gomez, QC, drew to the court’s attention that a notice of motion for recusal was being filed subsequent to a letter which was sent to the court last week asking the judge to recuse herself from the legal proceedings before her.

“It may be prudent to first hear the application before embarking on the judicial review as they do affect the property of Mr Nygard,” Mr Gomez said.

Fred Smith, QC, and lead lawyer for lead counsel for Save The Bays in the ongoing judicial review applications, dubbed the latest intended application “an abuse of process of the court”.

“It is an abuse of the court process for Mr Nygard at this stage to be mounting a fresh recusal motion against this court. Where much, if not all, referenced in the preview letter has been known to him for years. It follows a recusal

by Keod Smith, then Nygard, then the Prime Minister. This court is not to be buffeted by serial recusal applications,” Mr Smith stressed.

Mr Smith added that if Nygard wished to make an application of perceived bias, he could do so during the trial. “He cannot seek to ambush and derail efforts to progress these judicial review proceedings when we’re at trial,” the STB lawyer noted.

“This court is not a pingpong to be bounced back and forth between Keod Smith, Peter Nygard and the Prime

PETER Nygard at a recent court appearance.

Minister. This is an abuse of process.”

Robert Adams, in agreement, said the recusal should not be heard until a formal application was lodged.

Justice Bain told Mr Gomez: “When I have your applicant in hand, I’ll deal with it.”

Save The Bays’ battle with Mr Nygard over the construction/development activities at his Lyford Cay home stem from allegations that the activities have led to substantial growth of the property.

The group claims Mr Nygard has almost doubled the size of his property, from 3.25 acres to 6.1 acres, since he acquired it in 1984, by allegedly reclaiming Crown land from the sea. The advocacy group has alleged that Mr Nygard achieved this without the necessary permits and approvals, claims that have been denied by the fashion designer.

In 2015, Justice Bain was asked to recuse herself from committal proceedings involving Mr Nygard through a notice of motion filed in the Supreme Court by his former lawyer on the grounds of bias. However, in January,

2016, Justice Bain said Mr Nygard had not proved there was evidence of bias or apparent bias towards him and found the accusations to be “scandalous”.

The Court of Appeal, six months later, affirmed Justice Bain’s rejection of the application in an appeal of the decision by the Lyford Cay resident.

In January, attorneys for Prime Minister Perry Christie, filed a motion to have Justice Rhonda Bain recuse herself from these cases, and from a fourth Judicial Review brought by 103 of Mr Nygard’s Lyford Cay neighbours, on the basis that she is set to reach the legal age for retirement in April.

Justice Bain has filed an

application for extension that would have to be authorised by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister in consultation with the leader of the Official Opposition.

On February 7, Justice Bain ruled that Mr Christie’s application had “no merit” and reminded him of the independence of the judiciary, stressing that the Chief Justice’s role in deciding which judge hears a given case cannot be “usurped by the Prime Minister”.

Mr Christie, in his capacity as Minister for Crown Lands, appears with several other senior officials and controversial developer Peter Nygard as a respondent in three Judicial Review cases brought by STB to challenge the environmentally destructive construction works that were allowed to take place at Nygard Cay over the past three decades.

Last week, the Prime Minister was refused leave to appeal Justice Bain’s rejection of his recusal bid.

David Higgins, Clinton Clarke and Tommel Roker appeared for the Prime Minister and other government respondents in the judicial review yesterday.

Fred Smith, QC, Romauld Ferreira, Dawson Malone and Crispin Hall appeared for the Coalition to Protect Clifton Bay, now called Save the Bays.

John Minns and Robert Adams are legal counsel for the neighbours’ action in this matter.

MAN CHARGED WITH RAPE, ARMED ROBBERY

A 42-YEAR-OLD Freeport man was charged with rape and armed robbery in the Freeport Magistrate’s Court on Friday.

Greg Israel, of Easter Avenue, appeared before Magistrate Charlton Smith in Court Two. He was not required to enter a plea to the charges.

He was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services in New Providence until March 23 for trial.

TEENAGER CHARGED WITH MURDER, FIREARM OFFENCES

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

AN 18-YEAR-OLD Bimini youth was charged in the Freeport Magistrate’s Court with a number of serious offences yesterday, including the murder of 20-year-old Seyon Williams, of South Bimini.

Cyril Ashton McPhee, of Morgan’s Drive, South Bimini, appeared before Deputy Chief Magistrate Debbye Ferguson.

In addition to the murder charge, he was also charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm with intent to supply, three counts of unlicensed firearms and two counts of ammunition possession.

McPhee was not required to enter a plea to the charges and was remanded at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services in New Providence until July 5 for a preliminary inquiry into the matters.

PHOTO: Vandyke Hepburn/BIS

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

BAN AIMED AT ELECTRONICS IN CABINS OF SOME US-BOUND FLIGHTS WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. government is temporarily barring passengers on certain flights originating in eight other countries from bringing laptops, iPads, cameras and most other electronics in carry-on luggage starting Tuesday.

The reason for the ban was not immediately clear.

U.S. security officials would not comment. The ban was revealed Monday in statements from Royal Jordanian Airlines and the official news agency of Saudi Arabia.

A U.S. official told The Associated Press the ban will apply to nonstop flights to the U.S. from 10 international airports serving the cities of Cairo in Egypt; Amman in Jordan; Kuwait City in Kuwait; Casablanca in Morocco; Doha in Qatar; Riyadh and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia; Istanbul in Turkey; and Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. The ban was indefinite, said the official.

A second U.S. official said the ban will affect nine airlines in total, and the Transportation Security

Move revealed in statements from Royal Jordanian Airlines Administration will inform the affected airlines at 3 a.m. Eastern time Tuesday.

The officials were not authorised to disclose the details of the ban ahead of a public announcement and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Royal Jordanian said cellphones and medical devices were excluded from the ban. Everything else, the airline said, would need to be packed in checked luggage. Royal Jordanian said the electronics ban affects its flights to New York, Chicago, Detroit and Montreal.

David Lapan, a spokesman for Homeland Security Department, declined to comment. The Transportation Security Administration, part of Homeland Security, also declined to comment.

A U.S. government official said such a ban has been considered for several weeks. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to disclose the inter-

nal security discussions by the federal government.

Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly phoned lawmakers over the weekend to brief them on aviation security issues that have prompted the impending electronics ban, according a congressional aide briefed on the discussion.

The aide was not authorised to speak publicly about the issue and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The ban would begin just before Wednesday’s meeting of the U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State group in Washington.

A number of top Arab officials were expected to attend the State Department gathering. It was unclear whether their travel plans were related to any increased worry about security threats.

Brian Jenkins, an aviation-security expert at the Rand Corp., said the nature of the security measure suggested that it was driven by

intelligence of a possible attack. He added that there could be concern about inadequate passenger screening or even conspiracies involving insiders — airport or airline employees — in some countries.

Another aviation-security expert, professor Jeffrey Price of Metropolitan State University of Denver, said there were disadvantages to having everyone put their electronics in checked baggage. Thefts from baggage would skyrocket, as when Britain tried a similar ban in 2006, he said, and some laptops have batteries that can catch fire — an event easier to detect in the cabin than in the cargo hold.

Most major airports in the United States have a computer tomography or CT scanner for checked baggage, which creates a detailed picture of a bag’s contents. They can warn an operator of potentially dangerous material, and may provide better security than the X-ray machines used to screen passengers and their carry-on bags. All checked baggage must be screened for explosives.

PAGE 8, Tuesday, March 21, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

Religious intolerance: Bahamas, Caribbean and the Middle East T

HEY say even Jesus was accused of blasphemy, particularly noted in several places in the gospels of the New Testament.

Making an accusation of blasphemy is a very easy and persuasive way to ensure religious doctrine, whatever its origin, whatever its intent, is never, ever opposed.

If blasphemy is viewed as ‘evil’ or ‘illegal’ and punishable by law, in its most extreme, it creates an example of the person identified as a blasphemer by showing to the world what will happen to you if you go against a certain religion.

Blasphemy, as defined, is irreverence for what is deemed sacred.

I have a particular reader - well, only one who has made himself known to me, though I am sure there are many others who share his view - who thinks that when I call ‘Jesus’ or ‘God’ in exclamation in my column, that I am blaspheming. There are many assumptions here.

First, there is the assumption that I share the same faith as him and/or that I believe Jesus and God are the same entity.

Second, there is the assumption that blasphemy is observed in the Bahamas at all, let alone as a punishable crime.

Third, there is an assumption that what you view as sacred and what I view as sacred are the same thing; why should my lack of observance of what is sacred to you or your lack of observance of what is sacred to me, intentional or not, be deemed blasphemy? Why can’t they just be different and respected?

Finally, there is the assumption that I’m saying what I’m saying in this column for saying its sake, that there is not a large swathe, if not bordering on a good half or more of the Bahamian religious population, even including Christians, who use the names of Jesus or God in exclamation. Like them, on occasion, I might use a colloquialised exasperation which is commonplace in our culture when we feel there is an overwhelming helplessness.

This being the case, many Bahamians would understand my use of the words/ names within a certain context, which is why I would use them ... to reach those readers more easily in a way they can understand or relate to; this is a fact of Bahamian dialogue and culture which, admittedly, non-Bahamians might be challenged to un-

By NICOLE BURROWS

derstand.

That said, as I tolerate your right to hold any religion near and dear to you, you ought to tolerate my right to disagree with your belief system. Tolerance includes respect and not judging other people’s humanity or integrity by your own personal - or national - religious beliefs.

And it’s a two-way street.

The divisiveness of religion and religious faiths is the source of many of our world’s worst problems, from a small-scale Bahamas to a large-scale Middle East. Humans, once brainwashed in tradition and culture, do not understand how to separate themselves from it and expect that everyone else should live according to their rules of religion, even to the point of superimposing their cults/traditions on every other soul in the world whom they have never before met.

humanity? We seek instead to make people become religious followers like us or change them into who we want them to be, instead of fostering a peace through understanding and appreciating the differences among us.

So we argue, taunt, brainwash and try to convert, when we are not created to be homogenous. It is a recipe for continued social and cultural failure and so we continue to fail.

hink about it.

If you worship a god who is meant to be god of all people of the earth, how are you going to tell any religion of the earth other than yours, including those that are ancient in comparison to Christianity, that they are wrong for what they believe? How are you going to tell someone with no religion or religious faith that they are wrong for what they believe when they have never been indoctrinated in or exposed to a religion?

And with respect to meting out judgment and punishment, if a god is all-powerful, who are you, man, mere mortal, to seek to dole out judgment and punishment of others for not believing as you do?

Moreover, your antagonism does not serve to engender faith, trust, or respect, only more opposition. If you sincerely wanted to get others to understand what you believe or why you believe it, the best way to do that is to demonstrate in your comprehensive life and your daily living the purpose and application of your faith or belief. It may not change their minds (or win their tithes) but it is not for you to change minds of people who have their own. They will, though, be more likely to respect you and your faith and seek to learn whatever they can from you that works toward the greater good.

But what is wrong with

There’s a Trinidadian puppet show on YouTube with a very foul-mouthed pastor living a very foul life. Pastor Stewart is his name. It’s performed by Roger Alexis of LEXO TV. Don’t go looking for it or watching it, if culturally-determined obscene language offends you and you can’t see beyond it to get a louder message, because there are many such ‘obscenities’.

And while many may just laugh and be entertained

by Pastor Stewart, or others choose to be offended by the thought of him, it drives home the point of the duplicity of religious practice, especially in a country like the Bahamas.

Though, with Pastor Stewart being a ‘Trini’, he is obviously a phenomenon found elsewhere in the Caribbean and the wider world.

The Pastor Stewarts of the world are the people who sit so comfortably in judgment of others on the topic of religion, pious men and women who get up in public before a congregation, or a viewing or listening audience, professing their (often meant to be Christian) faith but carrying on in the pulpit like the Trinidadian puppet show cast led by Pastor Stewart.

As for me, I grew up in five Anglican churches, almost one for every stage of my life you could say: as an infant, a child, a pre-teen, a teenager and an adult. I

T

“Tolerance includes respect and not judging other people’s humanity or integrity by your own personal - or national religious beliefs.

And it’s a twoway street.”

was baptised, confirmed and served on the altar as an acolyte in the Anglican church. It would be a mistake to assume that you have more knowledge about the Christian faith/ church than I do.

My maternal relatives are historically full-time Anglicans and my paternal relatives are historically full-time Catholics.

I couldn’t have avoided religious immersion if I had tried. I had a beloved Anglican priest for an uncle, until his untimely death 21 years ago.

In fact, I wish he was still around so I could share this column with him and engage him in deeper conversation about the subject.

The way I see it, as long as no one is diminishing, injuring or killing anyone else in the process of expressing differences, it is quite all right to have them.

And if you want to live somewhere where it is punishable by law to blaspheme, per your interpretation or religion, there are many such places in the world to live, though the Bahamas is not one of them. In fact, it is likely you would not want to live in those places either, because they tend to also be places where you could get killed just for having a different religion, be it a minority or a majority, Christian or Muslim ... or any other.

To drive home my point, consider something a bit more international and horrific. If you have listened to or read any news in the last six years, you have heard of the war in Syria. The war in Syria

really started when the Syrian government sought to suppress political objection by its citizens.

There were underlying, unspoken reasons for that.

There’s always tension in that land, and there always will be tension there, because at the heart of those wars in the Middle East, more specifically the area referred to in history as the Levant, are factions

“The way I see it, as long as no one is diminishing, injuring or killing anyone else in the process of expressing differences, it is quite all right to have them.” that hate one another and punish, torture and kill each other on the basis of religious beliefs.

S

unnis in Syria are a majority. ShiaAlawites in Syria are a minority (of which Syria’s leader Bashar alAssad is one). Sunnis, Shias/Shiites and Shia Alawites all follow Islam.

Sunnis don’t believe their Prophet Muhammad appointed a successor but that his adviser, Abu Bakr, was chosen otherwise as caliph and took the role.

Shias believe Muhammad did appoint a successor through family lineage, Ali, who was both his cousin and his son-in-law.

And therefore, those who

follow Ali are Alawites, or Shias who have branched off into another sect of belief in the Muslim faith.

And from then to now, all of them are at odds with one another because each group sees itself as being more morally and spiritually excellent than the other.

When the so-called ISIS/ISIL (the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria/the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) arose, they took their so-called predominantly Sunni Muslim faith to a militant level. At the centre of their belief system is that Shia Muslims are not pure Muslims and they must be killed in order for Islam to be pure again.

And all of this is why no amount of political intervention can ever resolve the problems of certain Middle East nations. I remember, even as a girl and as a teenager, the battles, the holy wars, between Sunnis and Shias reported in world news. And still it continues.

Everyone who has joined the war in Syria, which is more or less a free-for-all at this time, with the exception of foreign militia, is fighting on the principle of religious intolerance rooted in who you are, based on where you are from, and which tribe, faith or grouping you identify with, which ultimately (in their eyes) determines the correctness and sacredness of your religious beliefs and forms the basis of decision-making on whether you should live or die.

Comments and responses to nbrurrows@tribunemedia.net

READERS REACT TO PRIME MINISTER’S CALL FOR UNITY IN FIGHT AGAINST CRIME

CALL FOR UNITY: Prime Minister Perry Christie.

AFTER the deaths of two young teens prompted Prime Minister Perry Christie’s call for unity to stop the “madness that has seemed to grip our country”, readers gave their reaction on tribune242.com.

Athlete12 wasn’t impressed with the PM’s remarks: “Tired of you repeating the same thing over and over. Shut up and go into the abyss. All the consultants you’ve brought in and they haven’t told you that more resources do not solve crimes. Crime comes from a disconnect between offenders and their society due to a number of things such as poverty and lack of opportunity which is heavy on our land. Neither of which the PLP or FNM have been able to solve.”

Honestman, referring to Minister of National Security Dr Nottage’s comment that people connected to “gangs, drugs and guns” are linked to the frequent killings, said: “Well we welcome that insightful analysis from our Crime Czar but what is he and his party going to do about it? And presum-

ably the PLP won’t mind if the FNM erects a number of billboards at prominent roundabouts in the coming months just to remind the tourists as to how bad things are.”

DonAnthony had this to say: “When does this never ending, unmitigated stream of ‘teachable moments’ end? Meanwhile the youth of this country lie in blood, daily hunted down like animals.

It is enough to make you weep.

Mr Christie had his chance and FAILED, it is time for him to shut up and leave office. He will never leave of his own volition so it is up to the Bahamian people to vote his incompetent administration out.

He failed, it is time to fire him and

try someone new.”

Seaman was also critical of Mr Christie: “This man had five years to bring some law and order to this country, after all, he had the answers for all the crime in 2012 from day one, they said.”

There was this from Thomas: “We should unite. Unite to rid our country of a leader who ‘flips the bird’ on national TV, who uses a church to ‘rally and romp’ cus he’s right up there with God. Who taxes food and medical services to spend on street parties, etc, etc.”

And Birdiestrachan said: “Crime goes deeper than any political party, it goes to the heart and soul of the persons committing the crime, it is not natural it is devilish.

It breaks the heart of those who loved the victims. It should not be used as a political football. I am very sorry for those who are left to mourn.”

Don’t miss your chance to join the debate on tribune242.com.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, March 21, 2017, PAGE 9

FREE NATIONAL MOVEMENT supporters on a walkabout in Nassau Village yesterday evening.

Halson Moultrie confident political campaigning will remain amicable

By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net FREE National Movement candidate for Nassau Village, Halson Moultrie, yesterday expressed confidence that political campaigning among opposing parties in his prospective constituency will remain amicable leading up to the general elections.

Mr Moultrie was among more than a dozen FNM supporters who were seen canvassing the community with party leader Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday evening.

Last week, several videos of an altercation between supporters for the FNM and Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) in the Carmichael Road area were posted on social media with supporters from both parties shown heckling each other.

Mr Moultrie yesterday said he does not anticipate a similar situation in Nassau Village.

“The PLP candidate, you know I know him well,” Mr Moultrie said. “When we were campaigning on Saturday we had an opportu-

FNM supporters, party leader walkabout in Nassau Village

FNM candidate for Nassau Village, Halson Moultrie (centre), on a walkabout yesterday evening with party leader Dr Hubert Minnis (far left) and his supporters.

Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

nity for the groups to come together. And, of course, it was very good for both sides to see the two candidates coming together, communicating, hand-shaking, embracing.

“And that is the type of campaign we’re hoping to have in Nassau Village where Dion Smith, of course, he can run on his

record, whatever that might be, and I am introducing my new vision and plan to the community.

“And the people will then decide which they would prefer to go with for themselves for the next five years,” he added.

In the 2012 elections, Mr Smith, on the PLP’s ticket, secured the Nassau Vil-

lage seat with 2,262 votes over the FNM’s Basil Moss, with 1,518, and Democratic National Alliance (DNA) Deputy Leader Chris Mortimer, who won 834 votes.

Both Mr Smith and Mr Mortimer have been ratified by the PLP and DNA to contest the seat in the upcoming elections which have yet to be called.

When asked the likelihood that there would be a different outcome to that of 2012, Mr Moultrie expressed his confidence that Nassau Village will choose him and the FNM. “Reception has been overwhelmingly strong in every area. You know we have seven districts. We have Glenniston Gardens,

we have Ocean Estates, we have Hope Gardens, Mount Tabor Estates, Lynden Pindling Estates, Redland Acres, and Nassau Village proper.

So we have a diverse constituency that extends from Windsor Place all the way up into SeaBreeze and we found that the people are very receptive.”

FNM PROMISES TO END NEGLECT AND MISERY IN GB

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

DR HUBERT Minnis has promised that a Free National Movement government will put an end to the neglect and misery in Grand Bahama and restore the island to its former glory.

The FNM Leader said that his party will bring more new industries to the island, stimulate and support a restoration of the glory that was once Grand Bahama and bring relief to the poor and less fortunate.

While in Freeport last Friday, Dr Minnis introduced his change team in Grand Bahama. Joining him on stage were Deputy Leader Peter Turnquest, the candidate for East Grand Bahama; Michael Pintard, the candidate for Marco City; Frederick McAlpine, the candidate for Pineridge; Iram Lewis, the candidate for Central Grand Bahama; and Pakesia Edgecombe, the candidate in West Grand Bahama and Bimini.

Dr Minnis said that Grand Bahamians are living a “miserable life” because of the outrageous decisions of the PLP government.

“The PLP has brought nothing but misery, misery and more misery,” he told a packed rally of supporters. “The misery index is off the charts. Businesses, hotels and your casino closing. Thousands laid off, high unemployment, and crime increasing,” he said.

He noted that homeless families are living in the International Bazaar or in parked cars and that the school lunch programme has stopped because lunch vendors cannot get paid.

Dr Minnis said that the FNM will put an end to the neglect when elected. “FNMs, just as we have done before we will put an end to Grand Bahama’s neglect. Grand Bahama will live again,” he said.

He noted that Grand Bahama has all the advantages of becoming the industrial capital of the Bahamas and that the FNM will ensure that it happens.

THE FNM event held in Freeport on Friday night.

Dr Minnis said that almost every major successful industry in Freeport came under FNM leadership - the Container Port, Grand Bahama Shipyard, Bahama Rock, Bradford Marine, Polymers International “and all the industrial companies that service these companies came as a part of our vision to make Grand Bahama the industrial capital of the Bahamas”.

“Under a Minnis-led government we will continue the practice started by my predecessor,” he pledged.

Dr Minnis also revealed that an FNM government, in conjunction with the University of The Bahamas, will encourage the establishment of a technical and scientific research hub in Grand Bahama, similar to the renowned Silicon Valley in California.

He assured his listeners that the

FNM will also extend the course offerings at the Northern Campus of the University so that students will not have to travel to Nassau to complete their degree.

“We will encourage investors to take advantage of the duty-free concessions offered to businesses locating in East and West Grand Bahama.

“Grand Bahama declined when Grand Bahama lost those magical differences. When Grand Bahama tried to become another Nassau or Paradise Island, that’s when Grand Bahama began to lose,” he said.

Dr Minnis said FNM will restore tourism again so that Grand Bahama can become a destination where the enjoyment is again outside hotels.

“That enjoyment will be delivered by Bahamians with the talent, the creativity and the en-

trepreneurial drive that restores the magic. Bahamian music, art, shows, theme parks, and the Bahamian people will be the core reason to come to Grand Bahama,” he said.

The FNM leader indicated that the party will also address the high cost of travel to Grand Bahama which is hindering the island.

He said that while Grand Bahama is much closer to the United States than most of the competing destinations in the region, it is much more expensive to travel to Freeport than to Nassau, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and many other places in the Caribbean and Mexico that are much further away.

“This makes no sense. We are going to correct this problem,” said Dr Minnis.

Dr Minnis said Grand Bahama duty-free shopping is another ad-

vantage. “Freeport can become world-renowned for its shopping opportunities. When we have visitors travelling all across Grand Bahama enjoying the Bahamian experiences that are the Grand Bahama experience, we will enable them to shop at prices that will make Grand Bahama an ideal destination.

“Yes, people will leave Florida and travel to Grand Bahama for a quick foreign getaway and for a quick shopping trip at the same time.

“Millions come from Europe to Florida. Millions come from South America to Florida. Millions come from all across North America to Florida.

“But many do not know how close they are to the Bahamas and many do not know when they will again have such an opportunity,” he said.

PAGE 10, Tuesday, March 21, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

NATIONAL SPELLING BEE WON BY SAC STUDENT JEE’VON Pratt, a 12-year-old student at St Augustine’s College, won the 20th annual Bahamas National Spelling Bee at Atlantis, Paradise Island on Sunday night.

It was the second year in a row that an SAC student had won the title and Jee’Von beat India Bowleg, 11, of Gateway Christian Academy, and Srathak Saxena, 11, of St Andrew’s School, at the end of 17 rounds and four

hours of intense competition.

He will now represent the Bahamas in the prestigious Scripps National Spelling Bee from May 28 to June 3 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland.

The finalists paid a courtesy call on Perry Christie at the Office of the Prime Minister, on Friday before competing for the trophy.

JEE’VON PRATT (sixth right) was the winner of the Bahamas National Spelling Bee on Sunday night, two days after being pictured with his fellow finalists at the Office of the Prime Minister. Photo: Derek Smith/BIS

SUCCESS IS ON THE MENU FOR BAHAMAS CULINARY TEAM THE 2017 Bahamas national culinary team, annnounced last week by the Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA), will head to the annual Taste of the Caribbean competition with high standards to live up to.

The prestigous contest, an intensely competitive, regional culinary competition hosted by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) in Miami, Florida, from June 2 to 6 brings the best chefs and bartenders from nationals around the region to compete in a variety of categories.

The chefs on the team are sponsored by their respective employers, who represent a wide cross section of hotel properties in the Bahamas including Baha Mar, Courtyard Marriot, Graycliff Hotel and Restaurant, Melia Nassau Beach Resort, Sandals Royal Bahamian and One&Only Ocean Club. In addition, a young chef from Grand Bahama is supported by the Grand Bahama Island Tourism Board and his employer, Baker’s Bay Golf and Ocean Club, Abaco.

The University of The Ba-

Chefs and bartenders head to Taste of the Caribbean event hamas’ Culinary and Hospitality Management Institute is providing its training facilities as the team will undergo an intensive training process to prepare for competition.

The team will be following in formidable footsteps as the 2015-2016 selection won the coveted title of “Caribbean National Team of the Year” in 2015 and brought home Hall of Fame status consecutively for categories such as Pastry Chef of the Year (three years in a row) and Caribbean Bartender of the Year (two years in a row).

Both achievements are precedent setting.

In 2016, the team won gold in Team of the Year, Caribbean Chef of the Year, Bartender of the Year and Hall of Fame Gold Medal Status in the seafood category.

“The excitement and en-

thusiasm emanating from team members is infectious,” Carlton Russell, the BHTA president, said.

“The team members are eager to represent the Bahamas, to show their regional competitors and their fellow culinarians what they are capable of.

The Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association, working alongside our partners and sponsors, is so pleased to support this endeavour as it serves to promote the Bahamas as a premier culinary destination, with an abundance of world-class chefs and mixologists who can deliver flavours of food and beverage that are spectacular, indigenous and unique to the Bahamas”.

Charlotte Knowles Thompson, Team Administrator at the BHTA, said the team would have the focus of attention on them in Miami. “Over the past

THE 2017 Bahamas culinary team (from left to right): Front row: Dicienzo Storr, Mixologist, Chef Emanuel “Manny” Gibson, Team Captain, Charlotte Knowles-Thompson Team Administrator, Suzanne Pattusch, Executive Vice President, Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association, Chef Mario Adderley, Team Manager, Gino Longley, Alternate Mixologist. Back row: Chef Asteir Dean, Chef Kevyn Prat, Chef Angel Bantacourt, Chef Tamar Rahming, Junior Chef Kenria Taylor, Chef Carvison Pratt, Chef Jamal Petty, Team Consultant, Chef Owen Bain, Apprentice Chef Ryan McIntosh and Chef Jay Lockhart, Team Consultant. several years, particularly in the last few years, the Bahamas has become the team to beat, so the pressure will be on team members to perform,” she said.

“But what is important here is how the team works together to support each other. Already we can see the team gelling beautifully, so in a sense we are already successful in achieving our goal”.

In addition to the chef corporate sponsors, the national culinary team’s participation is made possible through the efforts and support of the BHTA and its partners - The Ministry of Tourism and Cable

Bahamas (Rev On) who are key platinum sponsors, and gold sponsors Sandals Royal Bahamian, Bahamian Brewery (Sands Beer), Bahamas Food Services, Bahamasair and The MailBoat Company.

The 2017 National Culinary Team includes Chef Mario Adderley, Team Manager, University of The Bahamas (UB); Chef Emmanuel Gibson, Team Captain; “Manuelo Lettuce Eat”, Chef Tamar Rahming, Graycliff Hotel and Restaurant; Junior Chef Kenria Taylor, UB; Apprentice Chef, Ryan McIntosh, Sandals Royal Bahamian; Chef Angel Bantacourt and Chef

Kevyn Pratt, One&Only Ocean Club; Dicienzo Storr and Gino Longley, Mixologist and Alternate Mixologist respectively, Melia Nassau Beach; Chef Carvison Pratt, Baha Mar; Chef Owen Bain, “Cassava Grill” and Grand Bahamian; and Asteir Dean, Baker’s Bay Golf and Ocean Club, Abaco. Team Consultants include Chef Jay Lockhart, “Jay’s Catering/Private Chef”, and Chef Jamal Petty, Courtyard Marriott. The Team Administrator is Charlotte Knowles Thompson and Bridget Murray, is University of The Bahamas liaison for the team.

CARIBBEAN NEWS

UN CHIEF: END THE PEACEKEEPING MISSION IN HAITI BY OCT 15 UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is recommending that the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Haiti wrap up with the departure of all 2,370 military personnel by Oct. 15.

The U.N. chief said a successor smaller peacekeeping operation should be established to continue to support police training, political stability, good governance, electoral reform, the rule of law and human rights in the impoverished Caribbean nation.

He recommended in a report to the U.N. Security Council obtained Monday by The Associated Press that the new mission include about 1,275 police, down from the current 2,541.

He also said it should have a new name, though he didn’t propose one.

“Haiti reached a major milestone on the path to stabilisation, with the peaceful conclusion of the electoral process and the return to constitutional order on Feb. 7, 1017” when Jovenel Moise was sworn in as president, Guterres said.

He said constitutional rule “and a continued period of political stability ahead will hopefully allow Haiti to move from economic fragility to sustainable growth, with the help of significant international assistance.”

The secretary-general’s long-

awaited report confirms the U.N.’s intention to wrap up a peacekeeping force that has been cycling through the country since a 2004 rebellion engulfed Haiti in violence.

The United States, the largest contributor to the U.N.’s farflung peacekeeping operations, is seeking to streamline and cut funding. President Donald Trump’s administration is reviewing all 16 operations, and Haiti’s mission, known as MINUSTAH, which costs $346 million a year, is one of those it has targeted for closure.

Withdrawal Guterres called in the report for a “staggered” withdrawal of Haiti’s peacekeepers, from 19 countries, over the next six months as well as a phased reduction in its civilian tasks.

Uruguayan President Tabare Vazquez announced at a public event in Montevideo earlier Monday that his country’s troop contributions to the Haiti mission would end this month and the roughly 250 Uruguayan peacekeepers would return home in early April.

The country had as many as 1,000 troops deployed in Haiti at the height of the mission.

Addressing the transition in the report, Guterres said, “a key

IN this 2006 photo, U.N. troops from Uruguay march during a transitional ceremony at the U.N. Spain base in ForteLiberte, Haiti. Uruguay’s president Tabare Vazquez said on Monday that his country is pulling its soldiers out of a United Nations peacekeeping mission in Haiti, where they have served since 2004. (AP)

element will be to ensure that no security vacuum is created or perceived by a sudden, complete withdrawal of MINUSTAH’s uniformed operational elements, which spoilers may be tempted to exploit.”

“The guiding principle for the future role and presence of the United Nations in Haiti is to ensure a responsible transition that builds on the achievements of the past 13 years and allows for continued support to the priority stabilisation and capacitybuilding needs in the country,” he said.

For years, uniformed U.N.

troops provided the only real security in Haiti, but their tenure has been rocky and these days Haiti’s police do most of the heavy lifting.

U.N. peacekeepers earned praise for boosting security, paving the way to elections and providing crucial support after disasters, particularly the devastating 2010 earthquake. But some troops have also been accused of excessive force, rape and abandoning babies they fathered.

The peacekeepers will undoubtedly be remembered most for inadvertently introducing re-

cent history’s deadliest cholera outbreak because of inadequate sanitation at a base used by Nepalese troops.

Guterres said Haiti remains “extremely vulnerable to cholera” because the epidemic’s root causes remain — only 25 percent of Haitians have access to adequate sanitation, just 58 percent have access to safe water, and there is limited access to health care.

He urged donors to contribute to a trust fund aimed at eliminating cholera in Haiti, which requires $400 million but so far has received just $9.8 million.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, March 21, 2017, PAGE 11

20 BAGS of garbage were collected from the beach, the dune and surrounding area on Paradise Island.

SCHOOL PROJECT INSPIRES PARADISE ISLAND CLEAN UP WHEN Toby Smith’s daughter told him that after an exercise in dissecting fish at the Island School in Eleuthera every fish that was examined contained fragments of plastic, he decided to act.

Bianca, his daughter, explained that as the small reef fish that they were dissecting were fodder for larger fish, the concentration of plastic in the bodies of the bigger fish grows.

Last week, Mr Smith, the principal at Bahamas Mosquito Fogging Co Ltd, his daughter and a volunteer tourist, set off by boat for a beach clean up exercise on Paradise Island in conjunction with Bahamas Waste.

“We managed to collect 20 bags (a boat full) of garbage

from the beach, the dune and surrounding area and rid it of harmful plastic, Styrofoam and any other garbage they saw,” he said.

“What we see washing up on the beach and blowing into the dune is a tip of the iceberg compared to how much garbage is in the sea. We need to stop using plastic and Styrofoam, it does not break down, it’s all over the place. A stream of garbage floats out the harbour on every ebb tide and it’s a disgrace. People throw garbage on the ground or overboard without a thought.”

Mr Smith urged the public to simply bag up their waste and take it home with them or make sure it goes into a proper garbage container.

“We are known worldwide for

‘SWEETHEART DEAL’ PUTS COUPLE IN THE DRIVING SEAT HERMAN and Cheryl Russell, the winners of Nassau Motor Company’s 77th anniversary ‘Sweetheart Deal’ drawing were handed the keys to their free Chevrolet Spark recently by the company’s Chevrolet brand manager Forrestal Dorsett.

The Russells bought a 2015 Chevrolet Cruze from NMC earlier this year. The purchase made the longtime customers eligible for the drawing for a ‘Sweetheart Deal’ car giveaway.

“The Cruze was the sixth car the Russells have bought from us over the years,” said NMC’s Director/ Operations Manager Rick Lowe. “It was a pleasure for us to reward them with a free vehicle. The fuel-efficient Spark is a super second car for urban transportation.”

NMC is continuing its 77th anniversary promotions with special discount pricing on all Chevrolet models in stock. In addition to the Spark, these include the Trax compact SUV, the Captiva mid-size SUV, the Sonic and Cruze sedans, the Tahoe full-size SUV and Silverado pickup.

As a full service automobile company, NMC represents General Motors, Honda and ACDelco in the Bahamas. Founded in 1940, the company maintains a sophisticated service facility and well-stocked parts department.

“What we see washing up on the beach and blowing into the dune is a tip of the iceberg compared to how much garbage is in the sea. We need to stop using plastic and Styrofoam, it does not break down, it’s all over the place.” our natural beauty, we should be protecting it for future generations,” he added.

When asked why he does this work, he said it was because he is a proud Bahamian “and wants to see the

Bahamas look beautiful and improved. Everyone needs to do their part and rather than complaining. Actually put those words into action and be the change you want to see.

I love my country and its people and want to see change.

By me doing my part, I hope it will encourage others to pitch in also in any way.”

Mr Smith’s company’s “Giving Back Programme” over the years has seen him and Bianca restore Stephen Burrows’ White Crown Pigeon and Conch Shell sculptures and place them back on public display on the J F Kennedy Drive roundabouts, having rescued them from certain destruction. They sculpted ‘Ringo the Flamingo’ on the Baha Mar roundabout

on JFK. He built the whole sculpture in his driveway from scratch while it was lying horizontally and the first time he saw it stand up was when it was installed on the roundabout.

With their crew they also restored the steam roller in front of the Ministy of Works on Thompson Boulevard. Mr Smith said he researched the original colour of the machine and painted it green and is now puzzled after many years why it has now been painted bright yellow.

When a video went viral last year on the poor appearance of Nassau, he went with his crew to do his part by cleaning up the planters and look of Rawson Square by removing the weeds, trimming

the landscaping and taking accumulated garbage.

Mr Smith thanked Bahamas Waste for collecting the garbage for disposal and was grateful for the help from a volunteer tourist, Adam, who pitched in to help gather bags and debris to collect with his boat.

He is also appreciative of an anonymous party that made funding available to cover the expenses.

As for his next project, Mr Smith is tight lipped. “It’s a really bright idea that will raise the bar in looking after our surroundings and rich Bahamian history,” he said. “Once approved, it will be a shining example of Bahamian pride and he is certain the general public will love it.”

PAGE 12, Tuesday, March 21, 2017

ANTIQUE AUTO CLUB IS REVVED UP FOR ANNUAL CAR SHOW

THE TRIBUNE

THE 30th annual Antique Auto Club of the Bahamas Auto Show and Steak-Out drew a healthy crowd to Arawak Cay on Saturday with a large than usual turnout of vintage cars and spectators. The six-hour show offered something for aficionados and children, for whom the art competition, open to five to 15-year-olds again proved popular. As usual the show closed with the Valley Boys Junkanoo rush-out. The grills were busy during the afternoon providing steak and chicken dinners. All proceeds from the show will go to support the Zion Children’s Home in Eleuthera, this year’s charitable beneficiaries.

Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune staff