03212023 NEWS AND SPORT

NO INQUESTS IN 74 POLICE SHOOTINGS

Human rights report highlights absence of Coroner’s probes

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune News Editor rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE latest US report on human rights in The Bahamas reveals that 74 police-involved shooting deaths are awaiting inquests at the Coroner’s Court.

The report, which has changed little in recent years, highlights poor prison conditions and weak enforcement of corruption laws while acknowledging

positive elements of life in The Bahamas, including free and fair elections, protections against arbitrary arrests and detention, and the independence and impartiality of the judiciary.

The report says: “The Coroner’s Court determines whether security force killings are justifiable and pursues prosecutions; however, the director of public prosecutions had

JUDGE RULES OFFICER WAS UNLAWFULLY DETAINED

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune News Editor rrolle@tribunemedia.net

A JUDGE ruled a police officer was unlawfully arrested in 2016 after declaring support for Maria Daxon.

Police Commissioner

Clayton Fernander, then a Chief Superintendent of Police, was involved in the

matter along with other senior police officials.

Sgt Theodore Neily claimed in a lawsuit that police unlawfully detained him and that several senior police officers “acted maliciously and without proper authority and jurisdiction”.

He said on September 1, 2016, he was talking to a colleague at the Central Detective Unit about Ms

FTX LOOKS TO BLOCK BAHAMIAN LIQUIDATORS

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

FTX’s US chief yesterday shattered the ceasefire with Bahamian provisional liquidators by launching a legal bid to deny them access to any assets caught in the crypto exchange’s multi-billion dollar collapse.

Meanwhile, liquidators are accusing their US counterparts of interfering with a $45m stablecoin recovery and failing to preserve the value of the collapsed crypto exchange’s $241m local real estate empire. to enable Sam Bankman-Fried and his closest associates to channel proceeds from their purported fraud away from US regulatory oversight.

EX-PM SAYS OBAN DEAL ‘WAS DEAD’

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

PERRY Christie says he is “utterly amazed” that Dr Hubert Minnis would blame his administration for flawed due diligence on the $5.5bn Oban Energies project given that the deal “was dead” when he left office in 2017.

The former PLP leader, in an interview with Tribune Business, said the controversial Grand Bahama oil refinery and storage terminal project “never went anywhere” before his administration was voted out of office on May 2017 because its promoters could not provide proof they had assembled the necessary financing.

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

A new $500m project for Exuma promises to boost that island’s tourism and spark significant job growth.

Government officials signed a Heads of Agreement with Cave Cay Limited yesterday, paving the way for its development of a new resort and marina in Cave Cay, Exuma.

Prime Minister Phillip “Brave” Davis called the agreement’s signing historic. He said: “This is a $500m investment which we enthusiastically embrace. Again

it demonstrates the efforts that we’re putting into expanding and diversifying the tourism product.”

“And it also, again, marks the expression of confidence that the international community is having in our brand and I want to thank the developers for their continued confidence.

“We look forward to this project coming on stream and adding again to the

IS FOR THE PEOPLE WITH A DOLLAR AND A DREAM. I’M A LITTLE GIRL FROM THE BAHAMAS THAT WAS GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY.’

Police say weekend murders related

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

CHIEF Superintendent of Police Michael Johnson said police believe the separate killings in Nassau Village, Montell Heights and Faith Avenue South over the weekend are connected.

However, he declined to provide additional details even as senior police officers led reporters on a tour of the communities.

In a separate meeting with reporters, National Security Minister Wayne Munroe bemoaned the disregard murderers have for human life.

“From the two murders

that I was briefed on over the weekend, they were intentional, there were multiple shots,” Mr Munroe said.

“In one case, there were a total of I think 26 round casings recovered at the scene. And so, when you fire 26 casings, two different calibres, that means you have two gunmen, and they are intent on killing their target.”

“And somewhere in The Bahamas, somebody would be saying this is their good son who is doing that. We really need to stop that. Good children do not shoot people multiple times. Good children do not murder other people, good children do

not rob other people.”

“You would have seen over the course of this same week the impact that the saturation patrols are having where the police are now very efficiently getting to scenes and apprehending persons. I say again, if you confront the police, if you fire on the police, they will fire back.”

“(It has) nothing to do about not having a father, nothing about being poor can drive you to shoot another human being four, five times letting off 14 rounds. That is just clearly a wicked thing to do and we need to start to recognise that you can’t make any excuses for that.”

UN MARKS TODAY AS DOWN SYNDROME DAY WORLDWIDE

MINISTER of Social Services and Urban Development Obie Wilchcombe with Ida Poitier Turnquest, vice president of the Bahamas Down Syndrome Association.

PEOPLE are being urged to wear mismatched socks today to mark Down Syndrome Day in The Bahamas.

The global day has been declared by the United Nations to celebrate and raise awareness of people with Down Syndrom.

“Inclusion of persons with disabilities in every aspect of our daily lives and especially in policymaking and decision-making to enable them to have equal opportunity to education, employment, health, social and cultural activities and government services exemplifies the rights-based approach,” said Nalini Bethel, chairperson of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities. “We are trying to level the playing field so that a person with a disability enjoys the same human rights as the rest of us and the same access to services.”

The Bahamas Down Syndrome Association’s president, Betty Taylor, said they are advocating for full and effective participation by members in decisionmaking concerning persons

with Down Syndrome and to have the freedom to make their own choices.

She said: “Everyone has the right to be treated fairly. We are working not only to raise awareness but also to improve the lives of those with Down Syndrome in The Bahamas.”

The association encourages the public to buy their socks on sale at Harbour Bay Plaza and wear the mis-matched socks today.

A proclamation declaring today as World Down Syndrome Day by Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis has been issued.

Minister of Social Services and Urban Development Obie Wilchcombe said his Ministry is moving swiftly towards a policy of inclusion for all.

He said: “It is very important that we each play a role in giving a helping hand to those who are in need but equally as important, to recognise that persons with disabilities have the same rights as those without disabilities, and that everyone should be encouraged to fully participate in the social, economic and cultural life of The Bahamas.”

YESTERDAY the RBPF toured the three areas where three ,em were killed over the weekend; Montel Heights, Nassau Village and Faith Ave. Chief Supt Insp Michael Johnson (middle left) and Supt Jan Minnis (bottom left) spoke to the press. Chief Supt Michael Johnson says that police believe all three murders are connected.

Photos Austin Fernander

Climate Change outlook grim, especially for small island states

CORAL reefs at the Great Barrier Reef are visible in Gunggandji Sea Country off the coast of Queensland in eastern Australia. Humanity still has a chance, close to the last one, to prevent the worst of climate change’s future harms, a top United Nations panel of scientists said yesterday. The report mentions “tipping points” around that temperature of species extinction, including coral reefs, irreversible melting of ice sheets and sea level rise on the order of several yards.

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune News Editor rrolle@tribunemedia.net

A new United Nations report offers a troubling assessment of a world running out of time to prevent catastrophic levels of global warming.

The International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a body of experts

convened by the UN, released its most comprehensive report yesterday, reiterating that small island states like The Bahamas will struggle the most to adapt to climate change impacts.

The report, an authoritative summary of the latest scientific conclusions about climate change, concludes it is still possible to stop

temperatures from rising above 1.5 degrees by 2030 but that the world is likely to miss this target.

“Climate change is a threat to human well-being and planetary health,” the report says with “very high confidence”.

“There is a rapidly closing window of opportunity to secure a liveable and sustainable future for all.”

250 JOBS TO COME IN EXUMA PROJECT

from page one

inventory of luxury resorts and exciting experience for our tourism.”

Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper, the MP for Exuma, said this was the fifth Heads of Agreement signing for projects in Exuma since the Davis administration came to power, reflecting the “renaissance” of the island.

Mr Cooper said the development would provide more than 250 jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities for Bahamians.

He said the environment would not be affected negatively.

“Of course, you already know that Exuma is the yachting and boating capital of the Bahamas and this marina will certainly add significant charm and value to the already significant offerings that we have,” he said.

“We anticipate that Cave Cay Limited is going to build one of the largest marinas in the country, but I’m delighted to say there’s going to be no dredging as this marina already exists.

“So, this is a restoration, revitalisation of what Cave Cay has been known for over the last decade or

more and this new investment of $500m in excess thereof is certainly going to do wonders for the entire area.”

Felipe MacLean, CEO of Cave Cay Limited, said his team would keep the project environmentally sustainable. He said the project would be completed in eight years, with the first phase done over two years and a workforce of 80 percent Bahamians.

Officials did not specify when construction would begin for the project.

The report says that “deep, rapid and sustained mitigation and accelerated implementation of adaptation actions in this decade” are required to reduce projected losses and damages.

“Rapid and far-reaching transitions across all sectors and systems are necessary to achieve deep and sustained emissions reductions and secure a

livable and sustainable future for all,” it adds.

World leaders and advocates reacted with alarm to the report.

UN Secretary-General

Antonio Gutierrez said all countries and economic sectors must “massively fast-track climate efforts.”

He proposed a Climate Solidarity Pact where G-20 countries would

make an extra effort to cut emissions and where wealthier countries would mobilise resources to support emerging economies. Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis has made climate change a signature issue of his government, urging large emitters of greenhouse gases to reduce emissions through decisive action.

CALLS PM ‘WEAK’ FOR LETTING HANNA MARTIN SPEAK PUBLICLY AGAINST RCI DEAL

MINNIS

By LETRE SWEETING Tribune Staff Reporter lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis called his successor “weak” for letting Glenys Hanna Martin speak publicly against a planned Royal Caribbean International project without facing repercussions. Mrs Hanna Martin opposes RCI’s planned Paradise Island beach club venture, insisting last week that the cruise industry “does not require an island (off) New Providence”. Free National Movement officials have since called for her resignation, citing Cabinet procedure requiring that ministers present a united front to the public regardless of internal disagreements.

In response, Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said on Sunday that he still supports the education minister and that she did not break cabinet rules. He said Mrs Hanna Martin’s comments were consistent with her previous comments about the RCI deal and reflected her usual passionate advocacy for Bahamians.

Dr Minnis took a swipe at Mr Davis for his response.

“With respect to Glenys or other Cabinet ministers, I’ve said repeatedly and said it in Parliament that the Prime Minister is demonstrating himself to be a weak leader,” he told reporters outside the House of Assembly.

“He must take control. He is weak. He can’t even get his own Cabinet to agree with his position. That is weakness. His own remarks are conflicting.

“The Prime Minister must demonstrate strength, he must demonstrate leadership and take control of his party. You must be able to control your cabinet.”

“Maybe Glenys Hanna Martin needs to be the leader of that party. In the presence of the Prime Minister’s weakness that he has clearly demonstrated, Glenys Hanna Martin has demonstrated strength. She has demonstrated strength and leadership capabilities. Maybe she should be the leader of the Progressive Liberal Party.”

FNM leader Michael Pintard rejected Mr Davis’ claim that Mrs Hanna Martin did not break

cabinet procedure.

“Cabinet decisions once made require that every Cabinet minister is a part of collective responsibility, they take responsibility for the final decision,” he said.

“That matter has clearly gone through NEC, the National Economic Council, and has a Cabinet conclusion so certainly no minister has the right to depart from that convention and the Prime Minister is then duty bound to follow the Cabinet manual, which all of us who have sat in the room, it’s a document we are given and we understand what the terms of our engagement as a Cabinet minister is and she’s violated those terms of engagement and so the Prime Minister is duty bound to act in the event that she fails to do the honourable thing.”

The Davis administration announced on March 7 that it had approved RCI’s $100m project, which is subject to final environmental approvals.

The controversial project will cover 17 acres, 13 of privately held land and four of Crown Land.

Photo: Sam McNeil/AP

YESTERDAY’s heads of agreement signing for the Cave Cay project.

Photos: BIS

DEPUTY Prime Minister Chester Cooper at yesterday’s ceremony.

Munroe addresses Bay Street stores defrauding tourists, calling it ‘foolish’ and ‘self-destructive’

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net

NATIONAL Security Minister Wayne Munroe is concerned that some Bay Street businesses are allegedly defrauding tourists, thus jeopardising the country’s tourism industry.

Consumer Protection Commission (CPC) research and training manager Lavade Darling said last week that “certain stores” on Bay Street target tourists, particularly cruise ship passengers.

“They would purchase an item for X amount of dollars and they give you some free items, and when these tourists get back to their home, they find that their credit card has been

charged $10,000, $15,000 for an item that really only should cost what they agreed to purchase.”

Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander said he had “no information” about this when asked yesterday.

Mr Munroe also said he is unaware of the issue but urged people to complain to authorities if they are affected.

“(For) police to become involved, a complaint (is required),” he said. “Once a complaint is made, then that one should be very easy to investigate because the charge would be at a merchant terminal which would be assigned to a particular business which would be used by a particular person. And then if they cannot show that they have

provided goods to the value of what is shown on the charts, then there would be a problem.”

Mr Munroe said defrauding tourists is self-destructive.

“You are foolish, because you can track credit card charges back to a terminal,” he said. (And) that’s self-destructive for your business, (for) every hotel worker, (for) everyone who depends on a hotel worker to work, (for) everything that drives this country’s tourism.”

“And if you mess with that, then you’re messing with the country’s prosperity, and there should be strict enforcement of that. And if it’s happening, we would invite the complaints.”

TOURISM DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION BILL DELAYED AS STAKEHOLDERS NOT CONSULTATED

By LETRE SWEETING Tribune Staff Reporter lsweeting@tribunemedia.ne

LEGISLATORS post-

poned debate on the Tourism Development Corporation Bill yesterday after an industry official claimed hundreds of vacation rental hosts oppose it and believe it will reduce available rooms in the market.

Theofanis Cochinamogulos, interim president of the Bahamas Vacation Rentals Association, cited a lack of consultation in a letter pushing government officials to adjourn the debate on the Bill.

He declined to discuss stakeholders’ issues with the Bill in an interview with The Tribune.

The Bill would establish the Tourism Development Corporation

of The Bahamas, an entity concerned with sustainable tourism development. The corporation would develop and maintain a register of tourism-related enterprises, including vacation rental homes. It would also have the power to issue guidelines of standards and best practices for tourism-related enterprises and could inspect such institutions.

The Bill would also establish a tourism development fund to receive monies from parliamentary allocations, fees, and monies charged on tourism activities and services, among other things.

In his March 19 letter to House Speaker Patricia Deveaux, Mr Cochinamogulos said: “There are sections in this Bill that will result in rooms being pulled

FORM B

MINISTER OF TOURISM TOUTS ‘SIGNIFICANT’ OPPORTUNITIES AS GB TOURISM GROWS

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

DEPUTY Prime Minis-

ter Chester Cooper said the government is committed to entrepreneurship and will be launching an entrepreneurship symposium around the country, starting in Grand Bahama.

He reported a good turnout at the launch in Grand Bahama recently held at the PLP Headquarters in Freeport.

off the market at a time when there is a shortage of rooms for tourists visiting our country.

He asked to meet government officials soon to collaborate and co-create a bill with other stakeholders.

After Parliament’s adjournment, Free National Movement leader Michael Pintard said failing to consult stakeholders is a habit of the Davis administration.

“One of the matters we intended to raise in this debate was the lack of consultation because already we were aware that several groups were concerned, and this is a pattern of behaviour by this administration, (its) failure to consult on important pieces of legislation,” he said.

Notice of Intended Marriage (Section 7(3))

The persons named and described hereunder have given notice to me of their intended marriage, namely

Darcy John Wolframe, Divorced, of 1657 Grousewood Lane, Kingston, Ontario K7L 4V3, United States of America and Rosemarie Josephine Seguin, Widowed, of 1657 Grousewood Lane, Kingston, Ontario K7L 4V3, United States of America

Any person knowing any just cause or impediment why this marriage should not be allowed should enter caveat forthwith in the office of the Registrar of Marriages.

Dated this 16th day of March, 2023.

Mr Cooper, who is also Minister of Tourism, Investment, and Aviation, said there is “significant growth in tourism” on Grand Bahama.

“We had a full house at PLP Headquarters talking about entrepreneurship,” he said last week while in Grand Bahama. “We are taking this entrepreneurship symposium around the country, but we came to GB first. There are some significant opportunities here.”

He said lots of opportunities will come from the airport, and the Grand Lucayan Resort when it is sold.

“The government is committed to entrepreneurship and there is significant growth in tourism on the island of GB,” said Mr Cooper.

“We are doing some interesting things with the

airport, and we are working actively still to sell the Grand Lucayan Resort, and we’re optimistic. The reality of where we are is there is significant opportunities, and we want Grand Bahamians to prepare for the opportunities in the medium and near terms.”

In terms of the airport, Mr Cooper said there are potential opportunities for construction.

However, he added: “But the core of the conversation is how we could build more linkages to tourism and cause there to be more successful businesses; how we can take advantage of the large number of tourists coming to the island of GB.”

He said the average number of cruise passenger arrivals to Grand Bahama is

FORM B

5,000 a day. However, “most of them are staying on the ship,” he said.

He said Ian Ferguson from the Tourism Development Corporation talked about business ideas to help get tourists off the ship, and getting more of the dollar.

Mr Cooper said tourism is everybody’s business. “The reality of where we are at the moment is that we need all of the industries reducing the level of imports to support the tourism industry,” he added.

He said people also heard about how to access funding with the Bahamas Development Bank, Small Business Development Centre, and the Venture Fund.

Notice of Intended Marriage (Section 7(3))

The persons named and described hereunder have given notice to me of their intended marriage, namely

Robert Lee Tucker Jr, Single, of 1560 N Main Street, Apt. F2, Layton, UT 84041, United States of America and

Alexsa Kenesha Thomas, Single, of 1560 N Main Street, Apt. F2, Layton, UT 84041, United States of America

or

Dated this 17th day of March, 2023.

DEPUTY Prime Minister Chester Cooper spoke at an entrepreneurship symposium in Grand Bahama. Photo: BIS

NATIONAL Security Minister Wayne Munroe met with US Chargé d’Affaires Usha Pitts speaking on issues with Bay Street businesss defrauding tourists.

Photos: Moise Amisial

Camille Gomez-Jones Registrar of Marriages

Any person knowing any just cause

impediment why this marriage should not be allowed should enter caveat forthwith in the office of the Registrar of Marriages.

Camille Gomez-Jones Registrar of Marriages

No inquests in 74 police shootings

yet to appoint a lawyer to marshal the cases, which had gone untouched since the start of the COVID19 pandemic. A total of 74 police-involved shooting deaths were before the Corner’s Court.”

The Coroner’s Court is known for having a significant backlog of police-involved killing cases.

After this newspaper reported the long-standing issue in 2017, former

Attorney General Carl Bethel said there were about 28 outstanding police-involved killing cases. He said he found the delays “distressing” and “unacceptable”.

Eighteen inquests were subsequently held between January 2018 and June 2019, three resulting in unlawful killing rulings and one resulting in an open verdict finding. The other killings were deemed lawful.

The COVID-19 pandemic again brought inquests to a halt and the

inquiries have been slow to resume. The latest US human rights report also hits out at prison conditions.

“BDCS inmates reported infrequent access to nutritious meals and long delays between daily meals.

Authorities allowed family members to bring meals to prisoners, but limited food sales by independent vendors,” the report says. “Sanitation was a general problem, and cells were infested with rats, maggots, and insects.”

“Inmates complained

JUDGE RULES OFFICER WAS UNLAWFULLY DETAINED

from page one

Daxon’s arrest when he said “they should free Maria Daxon,”, adding: “no justice, no peace”.

After an officer heard his comment, Sgt Neily soon found himself in the crosshairs of senior police officials.

He said after leaving work, he received a call to see then-Chief Superintendent Clayton Fernander, who questioned him about his comments.

Mr Fernander then accompanied him to see former Commissioner of Police Anthony Ferguson at police headquarters.

Sgt Neily said he was not allowed to drive his own car to the station and was taken there in an unmarked police jeep.

He claimed senior officials defamed him at headquarters.

“He was instructed to hand over his firearm certificate and entry key and advised to not enter any police station or go in any police vehicle or carry any firearm until further advised,” according to Justice Camile Darville Gomez’ ruling.

“The Commissioner of Police requested that an entry be made in the diary at CDU. He was directed to report to the Police Headquarters on September 5th, 2016 and was referred to the Chaplain, Father Stephen Davies who recommended that he (visit) Dr Barrett for an evaluation which he did. He was suspended for 12 weeks and upon his return to the office he was transferred to another department.”

“He claimed that he suffered emotional stress and embarrassment after his colleagues discovered what had happened. Additionally, he claimed that officers would huddle and talk about him and that one officer told him that no one wanted to work with him after they had heard he was a gangster

who hangs with criminals.”

Justice Gomez said Sgt Neily’s testimony was largely uncontested during the trial, which featured testimonies from Mr Fernander and thenPolice Inspector Michael Johnson, now the Chief Superintendent of Police in charge of the Central Detective Unit.

Justice Gomez ruled that Sgt Neily was unlawfully arrested.

“It was pellucid from the evidence that the plaintiff was not reasonably suspected of having committed or being about to commit a criminal offence

they were denied access to regular medical and psychological care. Prisoners consistently complained that prison authorities did not take their health concerns seriously. Sick male inmates and male inmates with disabilities had inadequate access to the medical centre. Correctional officers and civil society representatives accused prison management of contributing to COVID19 outbreaks by failing to quarantine COVID-positive prisoners or provide prisoners with timely access

to the vaccine.”

The report also highlights problems involving corruption and campaign finance.

“The law provides criminal penalties for corruption by officials, and the government generally implemented the law effectively,” it says. “On October 3, the government launched an e-procurement platform to serve as a clearinghouse for government contracts. There was limited enforcement of conflicts of interest related to government contracts, and the government had not enacted a public

procurement bill passed in 2021. There were reports of government corruption during the year in which officials sometimes engaged in cronyism and accepted small-scale “bribes of convenience”.

“The campaign finance system was unregulated, with few safeguards against quid pro quo donations. The procurement process was susceptible to corruption because it contained no requirement to engage in open public tenders.”

USCG INTERCEPTS CUBAN MIGRANTS NEAR CAY SAL

which would cause the plaintiff’s transportation from CDU to the police headquarters to be lawful.

The plaintiff was not permitted to drive in his own vehicle and was unaware of the reason or purpose of his meeting with the Commissioner of Police,” she wrote.

However, the judge rejected the officer’s defamation claim, noting his meeting with police officials was private.

The judge adjourned the matter to determine damages.

THE US Coast Guard transferred 29 migrants to Bahamian authorities yesterday after they were detained near Cay Sal Bank.

A Customs and Border Patrol Air and Marine Operations aircrew alerted the crew of the Coast

Guard Cutter Resolute to the vessel, which landed on Cay Sal Bank.

Bahamian authorities requested that Coast Guard crews rescue the Cuban migrants off the island. One person required a medivac to receive medical care.

FORM B

“Coast Guard and partner agency crews are stopping people from illegally landing in the US,” said Lt Cmdr Mark Cobb. “Don’t take to the sea, and use safe and legal means to immigrate to the US.”

Notice of Intended Marriage (Section 7(3))

The persons named and described hereunder have given notice to me of their intended marriage, namely

Richard William Jones, Single, of 22 Thicknall Drive, Stourbridge, DY9 0YH, United Kingdom and Charlotte Kristy Jade Hutchinson, Single, of 22 Thicknall Drive, Stourbridge, DY9 0YH, United Kingdom

Any person knowing any just cause or impediment why this marriage should not be allowed should enter caveat forthwith in the office of the Registrar of Marriages. Dated this 16th day of March, 2023.

FORMER Commisioner of Police (COP) Anthony Ferguson and current COP Clayton Fernander were called to testify in the case of the unlawful arrest of Sgt Theodore Neilly.

Camille Gomez-Jones Registrar of Marriages

The Tribune Limited

Human rights report highlights familiar failing

THE prolonged failure to carry out inquests into police-involved shootings has been an issue that The Tribune has long spotlighted – and now it is garnering international attention.

The latest report by the US on human rights issues in The Bahamas notes that an astonishing 74 cases of policeinvolved shooting deaths still await their turn at the Coroner’s Court.

That is an absolute failure of justice – and we say that both in regard to the families wanting answers for what happened that led to officers opening fire and killing someone, and for the officers themselves.

Without knowing the circumstances of the cases – because they have not yet been examined in a legal process –some of those incidents will have likely been justified shootings. How many, we cannot say for sure, of course, but for officers who were doing their jobs properly, that cloud hangs over them too.

It even begs the question of whether there is any particular officer involved in multiple shooting incidents that remain unresolved.

Back in 2017, when The Tribune reported on the long backlog over police-involved killings, former Attorney General Carl Bethel called the delays “unacceptable”. That was when there were about 28 outstanding such cases.

And yet here we are, years later, with the delays seemingly not only accepted but added to even more.

As with many things, the COVID pandemic has affected the situation – but it is not solely responsible. A significant delay was caused by the failure to appoint a lawyer to marshal the cases.

Things do seem to be starting to move again at last – but the backlog will take some considerable effort to clear. Some cases might never be adequately

resolved. With the passage of time, some witnesses may no longer be available, for example. A verdict may be reached, but will it be the verdict that might have been recorded closer to the time of the shooting?

The absence of a lawyer to marshal the cases also indicates the level of priority such incidents are being given. You will note it is one lawyer, not two, three, or more. That total of 74 will take a lot of work for one person to work through.

And all of that comes without adding any new cases that occur.

Our nation has a higher rate of policeinvolved shootings than elsewhere, when looked at with regard to the number of cases compared to the population level.

Will every one of those outstanding cases prove to be justified shootings, and our increased incidence of fatal shootings is appropriate? We see cases of inappropriate police behaviour in other nations, we should not be so naïve to think there are no such cases here.

But we haven’t even had the opportunity to weigh up whether these are fair shootings or not – the case hasn’t even reached the coroner’s court to start with.

The old saying says that justice delayed is justice denied – what is it when there seems no hope at all of justice being reached?

For the sake of families, we ought to devote the resources needed to find the answers. For the sake of officers carrying out their duties appropriately, we ought to ensure their names are clear. And for the officers who have acted inappropriately, we ought to ensure they are not back on the streets if they have taken an action that needlessly cost a life.

For all of those reasons, the coroner’s court needs to be fully functional, and finding the answers to every single one of those 74 deaths.

Cruise deal strikes nerve

EDITOR, The Tribune.

THE Minister of Education gave her opinion on the pending cruise deal and it seems to have struck a nerve, especially with the politically active.

Is it what she said or how she said it?

Some are saying that it is more about the time that she chose to say it, however, this is a view she has always held. The leader of the Opposition called for the Prime Minister to have her resign immediately, the Talk Show hosts want her head to roll but the public is saying, “hmmmmmm?”

Especially those who were politically aware for the 50 plus years. Why the uproar? She brought up the “Bahamianisation” issue. The one that the Progressive Liberal Party established and talks a lot about, and it is the same one that the Free National Movement talks about also. Why was an

attempt made to shut her down?

Both the PLP and the FNM are guilty of talk, as the number of foreigners profiting from our Tourism product increase at a steady pace. Observers say that legal fees are a key component in many of these investments; especially if Crown land is involved.

Many were shocked to see in this morning’s paper that Minister Hanna-Martin has the full support of the Prime Minister, he may have been the only sensible person in the lot, but then he knows that any other decision would have created a battle that he would have lost to the “Iron Lady”.

The noise also shows a lack of maturity among some, but also ignorance and the absence of a sense of history. The present Minister of Education has a political pedigree that is presently unequaled by any member of Parliament and that is just the way it is.

EDITOR, The Tribune. AND then there were three. On Monday, March 13, the media profession in The Bahamas lost a giant of a journalist and broadcaster, Mr Ed Bethel. In the golden era of ZNS Radio, before ZNS TV and before social media, Bahamians were fortunate to listen to broadcasting legends Rusty Bethel, Mary Kelly, Don Pritchard among others in the late 40s, 50s and 60s. Then in the late 60s, 70s and 80s the super stars on radio were Bern Evens, the first black person to read the news on ZNS, Carl Bethel, Naden Beneby, Charles Carter, Cindy Williams, Calsey Johnson, Ed Bethel, Elva Russell-Rolle, Peter Bowleg, Basil Bazz Jazz Cooper, Dorothy Panza, Mike Smith, Jeff Scavella, Kirk Smith, Phil Smith, Alex Curry, Yvette Stuart and many others, too many to name all. The music on ZNS Radio had a pure and wholesome feel the programming with every genre of music including Noel Hamilton’s Classical music hours. The daily radio dramas on Radio Bahamas captivated the Bahamian audience - however it was the fantastic local radio drama, written by retired Justice Jeannie Thompson with Patricia Thomas starring as Sister Sara, Lerlene Collie as Ms Lye and Charlie Bowleg as Zeak, called the Fergusons of Farm Road as well as the 7.55am must-listen-to segment Mike’s Comedy Capers and the ‘Family Island You Ask For It’ Saturday night radio programme with Jeff Scavella that proved to be the favorites! ‘Nassauvians’ and Family islanders lived by the many talented voices on the radio, as a matter of fact it was not Gospel or believed until it was heard on ZNS Radio. Family islanders, especially, woke up and went to sleep to the sounds of ZNS Radio.

or preparation.

Mr Ed Bethel became my mentor as soon as I was employed by the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas in the Master Control department of ZNS TV-13 in 1979. In addition to working with my father at The Tribune, they both attended St John’s and both worshipped at St Mary’s The Virgin Anglican Church. Eddie B or Mr B as we all called him was one of the reasons why I wanted to become a broadcaster. Mr B’s command of the English language, his voice control, and his vast knowledge made him a walking, talking Google before there was a Google. Yes, I could read, I understood how to use nuances with subtle distinctions and variation for effect when reading but I never had the booming voice a radio announcer was known for but that did not stop me from going to ZNS in 1976 as an intern and like a puppy following Peter Bowleg, Kirk Smith and Ed Bethel around. As broadcast radio is ‘Theatre of the Mind’, it was later in my life and thanks to Greg Lamkin, that I had the opportunity to get on the radio as characterisations of voices in commercials became popular in the 80s. and as an actor and Danza Award winner I voiced and acted in a number of TV and radio commercials.

as his VTR editor. This was way before the advent of the internet, as we know it today, it was all about getting video from file tapes and shooting and videotaping the photos from tapes, stock photos, the encyclopedia and magazines then video dubbing them over the voice tract of Mr Bethel. During these long hours, I sat at the feet of the master while soaking up as much knowledge as I could which has served me well in my life. After a late night of editing, Mr B would always take me to Father Allen’s chicken shack where he would meet up with his good friend George ‘God Bless’ Moxey. ‘God Bless’, on meeting me, said that he could have been my great granduncle as he knew my great grandaunt Roxanna and put his fingers in his Johnnie Walker and ginger ale drink, sprinkled a little on the ground and said ‘a little bit for Roxanna’. This little ritual became our tradition whenever we met and November 2022 at Mr B’s birthday celebration would be our last time sprinkling a little bit for Roxanna.

She should have been Davis‘ Deputy but for some reason the Prime Minister chose a person who came into the fold with a nomination from the Opposition Party in his hand.

I would behoove Mr Cooper to bide his time and wait for the dust on this one to settle and stay away from the ongoing political hackery.

More than likely the “B” topic will continue and even derail the pending deal that was so adamantly touted by the Prime Minister.

With the current state of the nation, it may be a good thing that this topic gets the attention it needs. Mr Pintard needs to go through “Race and Politics in the Bahamas”, by Colin A Hughes paying special attention to the conclusions gathered therein.

The Constitution we have was aimed at making the majority of Bahamians employees of the Government, but I think that this intent may be causing a problem with any Bahamianisation programme, and then you add insult to injury when the persons we elect every five years, swear allegiance to the Queen (now King) and her successors and not to the prime minister.

EDWARD HUTCHESON Nassau, March 20, 2023.

Ed Bethel, known best as a broadcaster, started in media as a Tribune sports reporter, then was convinced to come to the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas (ZNS Radio) by Charles Carter and Calsey Johnson as a radio sports reporter. It was said by most ladies at the time that Ed Bethel looked as good as a tall glass of fine wine. During his first tenure at ZNS, he mentored Peter Bowleg and Kirk Smith in the Sports department plus countless others in the News Department.

Mr Bethel was known as a walking, talking encyclopedia. When you met Ed Bethel, you had to be impressed by his elegant style, his effortless grace, his intellect and his unique broadcasting talents. In the golden era of ZNS broadcasting, a broadcaster was more than just a voice, you had to have journalistic skills, a sense of how to produce radio and TV shows and sometimes in radio produce technically and be able to splice and edit tape. Unlike today, where anyone who goes in front of a mike with an opinion or being a political pundit is calling themselves broadcasters. Broadcasters had a sense of class, knew their content, could read and pronounce the King’s English flawlessly, today there is a lack of pride for the broadcast profession, any Tom, Dick, Mary or Harry with a smartphone tries to provide important information to the public without a care to proper presentation

One thing everyone knew about Ed Bethel was that he did not suffer fools well, he was a Man’s Man, a true Alpha male, yes, there were those who would seek to undermine him but like a Phoenix he would continue to shine and rise. As an iconic news reporter and anchor at ZNS Radio who covered most of the significant events in The Bahamas, the two outstanding events I enjoyed most that Mr. B provided coverage for was his broadcast coverage of the 1973 Bahamian Independence as well as his play by play of Elisha Obeah’s historical boxing championship victory from Paris. In July 1977, Ed Bethel, Calsey Johnson and Charles became the faces of Bahamian TV as well as the voices of Radio Bahamas as the inaugural Bahamian TV programme Focus aired on ZNS-TV-13 our own Bahamian Television station. Up to that time, most Bahamians watched three channels ABC channel 10, CBS channel 4 and NBC channel 7 and if the weather was exceptionally good WPIX channel 6.

As a VTR editor in the early 80s I would work long hours late at night with Ed Bethel as he produced new programmes, his show Perspective as well as news reports. Once while editing a news story after a FNM rally, I tried to advise Mr B on the audio/video content insert we should use but every selection I picked Mr B said ‘no’, when we reached a unflattering insert, Mr B said ‘use that’. Of course, I said ‘Mr B, news is supposed to be objective’ and with the wit that could only come from God he said with his sly grin ‘Paul, at ZNS, news is not objective it is subjective’ end of story. It was during CHOGM in 1985 that Mr B and I worked our longest hours together as he had the task of producing short documentaries on each of the Commonwealth nations and he selected me

Mr B left ZNS in the late 80s and our paths would cross mostly on Tuesdays at Lunch Bunch. Meeting Mr B at the weekly Lunch Bunch surrounded by men of affluence and influence was always a joy. Mr B would hold court during the conversation’s topics of life, politics, religion and current affairs. In the 90s, Mr B would join Jones Communications and in 2002 Mr B would leave broadcasting and join the diplomatic corps moving to New York as Consul General then return to broadcasting where again we would both be employed by the Guardian Media Group. Once again in 2012, Mr B would be called to serve his country in the United Kingdom as the High Commissioner and like in broadcasting Mr B fitted in seamlessly like a glove - it was as if Mr B was born for that duty. When Mr B announced he was diagnosed with cancer, my wife Porcia, a cancer survivor, my mom and I would visit Dawn and Mr B offering advice and suggestions on homemade remedies, what to do while taking chemo as well as positive words of encouragement. Three weeks ago, when the ill-advised note on social media started circulating, we were bombarded by calls so we called Dawn and then went to Mr B, he was not up to seeing anyone but we all hoped for the best, but it was not to be. And now there is only three from the golden age of ZNS mega stars - Mr Louis Hanchell, broadcasting’s most prolific administrator, Nadene Campbell-Beneby, veteran female broadcaster, and the man with the golden voice, Carl Bethel. Mr B will be missed by many but thanked by even more, he will especially be missed and thanked by media professionals as well as High Commissioners, Ambassadors and personnel in the diplomatic corps who have been tutored and inspired by him. My wife Porcia and I extend our condolences to Dawn, the children and grandchildren as well as all his family and friends. May the soul of Ed Bethel and all the souls of the faithfully departed rest in peace and rise in glory.

ONE of the vehicles on display at Saturday’s Antique Auto Club car show.

Photo: Moise Amisial

Residents complain about illegal dumping on the side of the road

By FAY SIMMONS jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

RESIDENTS of Englerston are complaining about debris left on the roadside and in a neighbouring abandoned property.

One resident, Craig Forbes, spoke to The Tribune and said that people hired to provide routine yard maintenance and undertake construction projects in his neighbourhood have become accustomed to dumping the trash in an abandoned property or on the roadside.

He said: “There is property that the owner passed and it hasn’t been sold as yet.

Anytime they clean anybody’s yard they dump all the garbage on this property. Now it looks like one of those junk yards you see on TV.”

He added: “My neighbour hired someone to knock down her wall, that’s fine and good, but now they knocked the wall down and dumped all the garbage on the government sidewalk. Persons trying to get in the primary school can hardly park because of the trash over the government side walk.”

Mr Forbes is convinced the government should step in and order a clean up of the area and hold persons accountable for littering.

He said: “That’s wrong what they are doing.

We need the government to step up and deal with them. Its become a safety hazard, an environmental hazard and its lowering our property value.”

Mr Forbes says he has already spoken to his MP Mrs Glenys Hanna Martin about the issue and last week lodged another complaint with the police.

He said: “My MP for Englerston, Hanna Martin, I already made her aware of this. I went to the police station and spoke to some officers about this as well - that was last week.”

No update from officials had been received at the time of going to press.

NO BAIL FOR ACCUSED ON SEX WITH 13-YEAR-OLD

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A 27-year-old man accused of illicit sexual relations with a 13-year-old girl last summer was remanded yesterday.

Keyvon Mackey stood before Assistant Chief Magistrate Subusola Swain on three counts of unlawful sexual intercourse.

$7K

It is alleged that between June 1 and 17 in New Providence that Mackey had sexual relations with a female minor on three occasions. As these charges are indictable offences the accused was not required to enter a plea. Mackey was informed that his case would proceed to the Supreme Court by way of

a Voluntary Bill of Indictment (VBI), service of which is set for May 25.

The accused was further told that while the magistrate lacked the jurisdiction to grant him bail he had the right to apply for it in the higher court.

Until bail is granted, the accused will be sent to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.

BAIL FOR TEEN ON ARMED ROBBERY CHARGE

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A 17-year-old man accused of robbing a woman at gunpoint last year was granted bail yesterday.

The juvenile defendant, whose name is being withheld because he is a minor, stood before Magistrate Kara Turnquest-Deveaux

accused of armed robbery. He was in the presence of his guardian and was represented by attorney Terrell Johnson.

It is alleged that on September 22 in New Providence the accused, while being concerned with another and armed with a black handgun, robbed Pamela Taylor of $200 that belonged to MST convenience store.

As the charge is an indictable offence the teenage defendant was not required to enter a plea in court. He was informed that his matter would be transferred to the Supreme Court by way of a Voluntary Bill of Indictment (VBI), and was granted $7,000 bail with one or two sureties. Service of the VBI is set for May 24.

$3.5K BAIL ON FIVE BAIL VIOLATION CHARGES

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN denied five counts of violating bail conditions yesterday while on release for a charge of attempted murder - and has been granted bail again. Kesner Lexidor, 34,

faced Magistrate Samuel McKinney at Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

It is alleged that between February 4 and 11, while on Supreme Court bail for charges of attempted murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, Lexidor

failed to charge his monitoring device on five occasions. In court, the accused pleaded not guilty to all charges. Bail was granted to him at $3,500 with one or two sureties. Lexidor’s trial will begin on April 27.

RESIDENTS in Englerston are complaining tht a property in the neighbourhood is being used as a dumping ground for yard and construction debris, and recently the dumping has even partially blocked the sidewalk.

This Women’s History month be inspired, be encouraged and most of all ‘Keep Going’

THERE is power in 11 women coming together to share some of their most personal stories of life’s trials that turned into triumph. It’s liberating for them, and motivating for all who they share their stories with. By giving real-life accounts of the things they endured and what they overcame, these women prove anyone could do the same. This month, Women’s History Month, the author Aisha Wonderfull decided to celebrate this group of women - all from different backgrounds, ethnicities and countries - who joined forces to produce the book anthology, Keep Going.

Dedicated to “all women who have their eyes set on a brighter future”, Keep Going is designed to change lives, one reader at a time.

The Keep Going Virtual Conference, held March 14 and 15, brought together men and women from around the world to hear first-hand from the authors.

Aisha produced this book under her company, Universal Impact Press, making this the third anthology for the company. Yellow Elders was a special project honouring Bahamian women - matriarchs and community leaders. Authors collaborated to celebrate the women in their lives, and share unique aspects of Bahamian culture. Our Fathers was the second anthology, and in a similar fashion, this book highlighted Bahmian patriarchs and men of substance in the lives of the authors.

This time around, Aisha Wonderfull decided to invite ten women - including me - to join her in a journey of baring the soul to find the nuggets of wisdom that women need to help them get through some of the most difficult times in their lives. She said of the book: “As a native of The Bahamas, Keep Going is truly an example of the Bahamian motto to move ‘Forward, Upward, Onward, Together!’.

“Through this book, I have linked arms and held hands with these nine amazing co-authors as we have done just that... by stepping forward together to share our stories with you. I know that as you read through this book, the stories and examples of these amazing and powerful women will touch a chord deep inside of you. And undoubtedly, you will remember your own strength, your own power that has been instilled and passed down to you.”

As a writer, I have written for an extensive range of products, including news and magazine articles, speeches and poems.

I have helped others edit their books and even lent a hand in writing. But on this occasion, I had the opportunity to become an author of a best selling book that

Face to Face

By FELICITY DARVILLE

fulfils my dream of becoming an author, while working with a group of phenomenal women who have taught me so much along the way.

On the topic of “Mental and Emotional Well-Being”, Ednica Newbold and Kay Charlton Clare help those who know what it is to be depressed, dejected, and ready to give up. Abuse, grief, loss of income, and other challenges can change a once happy person into someone they don’t even recognise.

“Life can be so chaotic that sometimes, we forget to breathe,” says Ednica.

“Most of us are so wrapped up in the routine of striving and surviving that we retreat and resume our days without taking intentional breaths. Whatever is going on right now, take a moment to escape from your reality and in 5,6,7,8... breathe!”

“In our life, we women experience hurt in so many ways,” Kay shared, “In relationships, families, losing a loved one, being betrayed, and in so, so many ways.”

“So many people have been affected by hurt and over time, the hurt developed into hate. We have totally missed the way to keep going instead of keep blaming. It’s time for us to rise above our feelings and see life in the fragile state that it meets us. Let us avoid blaming others for how we take things and start expressing how the situation made us feel.”

I had the honour of presenting the second chapter: “Money, Wealth and Abundance”. In this chapter, I explain how faith and synchronicity came together to make a miracle happen for me when I needed most, and money appeared for me. I have found that big and little miracles happen every day when you live in a state of gratefulness. I share a part of the responsibilities of being a parent: “Children have the most beautiful eyes … so innocent and pure. They can melt your heart in a minute. You know that they are depending on you. But you must not translate that responsibility into a burden. You must not let that pressure weigh you down. Give it all to God. Don’t forget that you, yourself, are a child. You are a child of your Creator. Oftentimes, we forget that. We think we have no one to turn to. We forget that the One we can turn to is the Creator of us all! You cannot tap into a bigger source than that!”

Virginia Somerville reminds us that in our lives,

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more than one challenge will present itself, as she wrote in the chapter “Relationships”.

“We all find ourselves changing our priorities... it is part of the progression in this life,” she explained.

“Remember the adage that you can never sit still. If you are not moving forward, then you are moving backward. I hate the feeling of retreating. It’s like admitting I failed. The important thing to remember is that you pick yourself up. Look ahead and decide that today will have at least one positive thing occur. As simple as getting out of bed and brushing your teeth and dressing for the day.”

Author Krista Barr Bastian knows all about tough circumstances explained that in order to keep going in spite of tough circumstances, one must build resilience and perseverance.

“As with any journey,” she said, “There are mountains and valleys.”

“However, we must learn that neither the mountain nor the valley should be considered in isolation. Instead, they are all a part of bigger, wider, deeper picture - a beautiful rendition of the faithfulness of God manifesting as purpose in our lives.”

Olivia Munroe Ferguson and Tashoy Walters also spoke on the topic “Resilience and Perseverance”.

Traveling on my life’s journey, I was met with so many obstacles that could have hindered me from progressing in life,” Olivia explained.

“Instead of laying down and playing dead, I stood up and kept on fighting. Every obstacle was used for my advantage. As your praises go up the blessings will come down. In my life, I have found that not to just be a saying, but a reality. You have to be practical and consistent with gratification.”

“Yes, sometimes the things we go through in life may want to break us down,” Tashoy added.

“We can pause for a moment; it’s okay to pause.

It’s okay to take a break. It’s okay to take that time alone.

It’s okay to take time to heal.

It’s okay to take time to rest. But what we don’t do is stop. The only thing that we stop doing is anything that hurts us and does not bring us joy, cause trauma and may keep us away from what we are supposed to have fulfilled on this Earth. That’s what we stop. To keep going, you have to be sure in who you are. Once you get the baseline of certainty, nothing no one and no thing can get in your way.”

The final chapters deal

Notice of Intended Marriage (Section 7(3))

The persons named and described hereunder have given notice to me of their intended marriage, namely

Patrick Mark Bell, Single, of 524 Westside Circle, China Grove, NC 28023, United States of America and

Amber Russ Bumgarner, Divorced, of 524 Westside Circle, China Grove, NC 28023, United States of America

Any person knowing any just cause or impediment why this marriage should not be allowed should enter caveat forthwith in the office of the Registrar of Marriages.

Dated this 16th day of March, 2023.

with spirituality, and the three ladies presenting in them share compelling stories.

Alicia Hernandez learnt how to look beyond the pain of the present circumstance to see the bigger picture. If people going through trials remember to look beyond where they are, they would be able to ‘keep going’.

“It is important to remember that the pain we feel is not the end, because there is so much more to life than loss, and some things must end for others to begin,” she explained.

“It is not always easy, but it is always possible to overcome those moments that threaten to consume us. It can’t be done alone but thankfully the only one we need on our side is on our side; all we have to do is ask

for help.”

Author CR Lundy shared an experience that many church-goers faced at some point in their lives. She was “churched out”.

“I identify ‘churched out’ to feeling overly dictated to and mandated by church leadership, and some membership, to rules, regulations and orders that are exaggerated and have nothing to do with The Almighty’s commandments, principles and precepts,” she said.

On her journey to spirituality, giving up could have sent her down a totally different road, but she kept going until she found God through her own understanding.

In the final chapter, Denise D. Beneby speaks on “unwavering faith”. Her consistent studying of the

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Bible gave her nuggets of wisdom she could pull from in any situation. As she shares her personal story of struggle, she remained confident in her ability to overcome it, recalling Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”.

“With the confidence this scripture provides, one can persevere through life’s challenges,” she said. As women all over the world meet, unite, and empower each other this Women’s History Month, we, as authors of “Keep Going”, encourage you to never give up on your dreams, and find sources of inspiration in the stories we tell.

Keep Going is “a collection of inspirational stories and practical advice for women to persevere powerfully through challenges and create magic out of any mess”!

Find Keep Going on Amazon, or contact Felicity Darville on Facebook for future information on an official book signing event. For more information on how you too can share your story and become a bestselling author, connect with Aisha Wonderfull on Facebook or visit www.universalimpactpress.com.

Notice of Intended Marriage (Section 7(3))

The persons named and described hereunder have given notice to me of their intended marriage, namely

Nicholas Christopher Pantages, Single, of 395 Wilson Ave., Satellite Beach, FL 32937, United States of America and

Jennifer Shannon Curtis, Single, of 4147 56th Lane, Vero Beach, FL 32967, United States of America

Any person knowing any just cause or impediment why this marriage should not be allowed should enter caveat forthwith in the office of the Registrar of Marriages. Dated this 16th day of March, 2023.

CR Lundy DENISE Beneby

TASHOY Walters

VIRGINIA Somerville

KRISTA Barr-Bastian

OLIVIA Munroe Ferguson

ALICIA Hernandez

EDNICA Newbold

KAY Charlton Cleare

AUTHOR Aisha Wonderfull

BOOK available on Amazon

Camille Gomez-Jones Registrar of Marriages

Camille Gomez-Jones Registrar of Marriages

Maintaing Indo-Pacific peace is focus of AUKUS in face of assertive China

WITH the publicity surrounding last week’s San Diego meeting about the AUKUS agreement, I wonder how many people will have recalled one of US President Biden’s famous gaffes. This was at the virtual press conference in September, 2021 - attended by Biden and the then Australian and British prime ministers, Scott Morrison and Boris Johnson - announcing this far-reaching defence and security alliance between the three countries when Biden could not remember Morrison’s name and in addressing the press called him simply “that guy down under”. At last year’s press conference, the US president announced this ground-breaking trilateral agreement which was to be called AUKUS. Under its terms, the three countries would co-operate in the development of the first nuclear-powered - but without nuclear weapons - fleet for the Australian navy, making it only the seventh country in the world to have the powerful deterrent of such submarines. It would also substantially increase the size of Britain’s own nuclear-powered submarine fleet. The impetus for this was security concerns about China’s increasingly aggressive moves and military expansion in the South China Sea and the

The Peter Young column

consequent need to defend the West’s interests in the Indo-Pacific region. For Britain, the AUKUS pact fitted with the government’s foreign policy review published in March of the same year which recognised that while the US remained the UK’s most important strategic ally and partner –and NATO was the bedrock of defence and security in the Euro-Atlantic sphere – there was a need partially to shift Britain’s focus towards the Indo-Pacific region which was becoming the geopolitical centre of the world, with countries such as India, China, Japan and Australia among others home to a quarter of the world’s population and

US PRESIDENTS BURNISH THEIR IRISH CREDENTIALS

FOR DEVOTEES of US

TV channels, it was hard to miss coverage of the visit to the White House of Ireland’s Prime Minister last Friday when President Biden celebrated St Patrick’s Day with him; and nobody could have missed the President showing off proudly the water in the White House fountains which had been turned green in celebration of Ireland’s National Day.

As the only Catholic occupant of this famous building apart from John F Kennedy, Biden is known for regularly making reference to his Irish roots and identifying himself as Irish-American. Perhaps it should come as no surprise that US presidents tend to emphasise their “Irishness” and burnish their Irish credentials even if their links with the “Land of the Leprechauns” have been found to be tenuous. Former President Clinton, in particular, was known for claiming Irish roots – despite the lack of evidence to back that up.

There are said to be as many as thirty million people in the US who identify as Irish and many claim that Irish migration over the years has been a vital part of the American saga.

Irish nationalism runs high and the polls suggest that a majority of Americans, if asked, would support a united Ireland. US presidents tend to indulge such views, though in practice such a stance has little impact on US-UK relations. Generally, across the political spectrum the US has supported peace and prosperity in Northern Ireland for decades and there has been involvement in the peace process there, though not always without controversy.

Biden himself has taken a close interest in this process. But the evidence shows that he and his colleagues have tended to misunderstand the facts about the Northern Ireland Protocol post-Brexit. That said, the good news is that he has indicated his intention to attend the 25th anniversary celebrations in April of the 1998 Good Friday agreement. The US claims to have helped broker this agreement to bring an end to decades of sectarian violence – and, for Biden, a visit to Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland would surely be a symbolic return to his much touted Irish roots.

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making up 40 per cent of global GDP.

Unsurprisingly, China reacted strongly to this announcement in 2021 about AUKUS, saying that the pact risked severe damage to regional peace and intensification of the arms race. Now, eighteen months later, details of the agreement have been released at the San Diego meeting between Biden and the current Australian and British premiers, Anthony Albanese and Rishi Sunak. AUKUS will be based on a British design and will be partly manufactured there as well as in Australia, with the first submarines seaworthy from the late 2030s. China has strongly opposed the agreement once more

in the strongest language since Beijing’s reaction to the ill-advised visit by the US political leader Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan last summer.

For their part, the AUKUS partners say that the agreement will contribute to “global security and stability” and, in the words of the US president, it is aimed at bolstering peace in the region. The joint statement at San Diego stressed that the three nations have traditionally stood “shoulder to shoulder with other allies to help sustain peace, stability and prosperity around the world, including in the Indo-Pacific” and that there was a continuing need to protect freedom, human rights, the rule of

law, the independence of sovereign states and the rules-based international order.

Albanese pointed to the economic benefit to his country of building the submarines partly in Australian shipyards, adding that this marked the “biggest investment in Australia’s defence in all of its history”. But, despite recent differences about the origin of the COVID-19 virus, he also wanted good relations with China as Australia’s biggest trading partner.

Sunak spoke of the pressing need to shore up stability in the region while Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine together with China’s growing assertiveness and the disturbing behaviour of Iran and North Korea all created disorder, division and danger in a troubled world. He said that China posed an “epochdefining challenge” to world order. Britain could not be blind to this while also wanting to engage with China as the “sensible and responsible thing to do”. The British Prime Minister pledged meanwhile to increase defence spending by some $6 billion over the next two years.

Overall, the AUKUS project has sparked fresh debate about how the West got it wrong in its earlier assessment that economic liberalisation in China would lead to an opening

up of society and greater political freedom. As Western multinationals set up joint ventures in China and the standard of living rose, the reasoning was that the Chinese Communist Party might loosen its grip and allow modest democratic reforms. But it has not worked out like that. As China has become an economic giant and developed a military force to be reckoned with, the CCP has tightened its grip on the country; and the experts maintain that, while it does not want war with the West and is willing to engage with the rest of the world as long as that is on its own terms, China is intent on challenging the US for world domination. Finalisation of the AUKUS pact at San Diego has been described as a projection of power and collaborative intent by old democracies coming together to counter a new and growing adversary in the shape of China. There are now high hopes that this is an alliance that will last, not only because of the serious level of trust in sharing sensitive technology but also because of the long timelines for construction of the submarines. Given the scope and length of the project and the heavy investment, the commitments made will surely be hard to break.

WILL PUTIN EVER HAVE TO ANSWER FOR WAR CRIMES?

IT WAS not hard to predict what would hit the headlines last week. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant for Russian president Vladimir Putin. The court alleges he has been responsible for war crimes in Ukraine. This has come as no surprise but the timing is unexpected. Reportedly, the ICC thought of keeping the warrant secret because of concern it might harden Putin’s attitude and finally close the door on any prospect of peace negotiations to bring the war to an end. The conflict has reached a relative stalemate and such talks to stop the fighting and secure the withdrawal of Russian troops cannot be ruled out. However, the court, which has been investigating war crimes and crimes against humanity in Ukraine as far back as 2013 - a year before Russia’s annexation of Crimea - states it is now going public in the hope that this might deter further such war crimes and stop them altogether from being committed, though many people regard that as naïve wishful thinking. Russia does not recognise the ICC or its jurisdiction and has already dismissed the warrant as

Notice of Intended Marriage (Section 7(3))

The persons named and described hereunder have given notice to me of their intended marriage, namely

Johnnie Vernon Jones Jr, Divorced, of 35269 Hatherly Place, Sterling Heights, MI 48310, United States of America and

Ernestine Denise Brown, Single, of 35269 Hatherly Place, Sterling Heights, MI 48310, United States of America

Any person knowing any just cause or impediment why this marriage should not be allowed should enter caveat forthwith in the office of the Registrar of Marriages.

Dated this 16th day of March, 2023.

“outrageous”. The Kremlin regards it as meaningless and it is unlikely to have any effect on the course of the war. It is also unlikely that the warrant could even be successfully served on Putin. But it might be worth examining briefly some of these issues today.

The ICC says it has reasonable grounds to believe Putin committed the criminal acts directly as well as working with others. The court has focused its claims on the unlawful deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia, and a UN report has condemned these forced deportations as “violating international humanitarian law and amounting to a war crime”. Russia’s commissioner for children’s rights, who has spoken openly about indoctrinating Ukrainian children taken forcibly to Russia, is also wanted by the ICC for the same crimes. In addition, Russian troops have been accused of thousands of abuses against civilians and, according to evidence from Ukraine itself, more than 62,000 war crimes have been recorded including the deaths of as many as 450 children.

There have been countless attacks on civilian infrastructure so that the

UN believes there is sufficient evidence to accuse Putin for these according to the rules of warfare which are set out in international treaties, notably the Geneva Conventions. Furthermore, while the US played a central role in the creation of the ICC, it is not a signatory to it. But President Biden has said that the court is right to issue an arrest warrant for Putin and his Vice President declared at the Munich Security Conference in February that the US formally accused Russia of crimes against humanity in Ukraine.

So, what might happen next? The issue of an arrest warrant for Putin is likely to be no more than the first step of a lengthy process. The ICC was established in 2002 and 123 countries are signatories to it. The court lays down that it is the duty of any state to exercise its own criminal jurisdiction over those responsible for international crimes. So it will only intervene when a state is unable or unwilling – as, in this case, Russia - to carry out an investigation and prosecute perpetrators. Ukrainian courts have already prosecuted a Russian soldier who was jailed for life for shooting an unarmed civilian, and other

FORM B

cases are going on with no doubt more to follow. But, to all intents and purposes, Putin himself faces no prospect of being arrested unless he travels to one of the ICC’s signatory countries or he is ousted from power. As for the wider effects of the arrest warrant, it is already being seen as a firm and unequivocal signal from the international community that what is happening in Ukraine is against international law. The ICC has revealed the extent of opposition to the Russian invasion. Some commentators are now saying that this should be a wake-up call for countries not in the Western alliance and who have failed to condemn Russia’s invasion; and it could bring about a change of attitude in such countries in dealing with a suspected war criminal and wanted man. Moreover, there is now mounting pressure internationally to set up a one-off Nuremberg-type tribunal to try crimes against humanity and prosecute the crime of aggression. It is clear that, although holding Putin and his colleagues to account for war crimes will take time, the ICC action over an arrest warrant will be widely welcomed as a step in the right direction.

Notice of Intended Marriage (Section 7(3))

The persons named and described hereunder have given notice to me of their intended marriage, namely

Ryan James Marquis, Divorced, of 7700 Bethany Circle, Anchorage, AK 99507, United States of America and

Nicole Marie Sizemore, Widowed, of 7700 Bethany Circle, Anchorage, AK 99507, United States of America

Any person knowing any just cause or impediment why this marriage should not be allowed should enter caveat forthwith in the office of the Registrar of Marriages.

Dated this 17th day of March, 2023.

BRITAIN’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, right, meets with US President Joe Biden and Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese, left, at Point Loma naval base in San Diego, US, Monday March 13, 2023, as part of AUKUS, a trilateral security pact between Australia, the UK, and the US.

Photo: Leon Neal/AP

Camille Gomez-Jones Registrar of Marriages

Camille Gomez-Jones Registrar of Marriages

Putin welcomes China’s Xi to Kremlin amid Ukraine fighting

MOSCOW Associated Press

RUSSIAN President

Vladimir Putin warmly welcomed Chinese leader Xi Jinping to the Kremlin on Monday, sending a powerful message to Western leaders that their efforts to isolate Moscow over the fighting in Ukraine have fallen short.

Xi’s trip — his first abroad since his re-election earlier this month — showed off Beijing’s new diplomatic swagger and gave a political lift to Putin just days after an international arrest warrant was issued for the Kremlin leader on war crimes charges related to Ukraine.

The two major powers have described Xi’s threeday trip as an opportunity to deepen their “no-limits friendship.” China looks to Russia as a source of oil and gas for its energy-hungry economy, and as a partner in standing up to what both see as US aggression, domination of global affairs and unfair punishment for their human rights records.

The two countries, among the five UN Security Council’s permanent members, also have held joint military drills. US officials have picked up indications China is considering supplying Russia with weapons for its fight in Ukraine but have seen no evidence they’ve actually done so.

The leaders smiled and shook hands before sitting down at the start of their meeting, calling each other “dear friend” and exchanging compliments. Putin congratulated Xi on his reelection and voiced hope for building even stronger ties.

“China has made a colossal leap ahead in its development in recent years,” Putin said, adding that “it’s causing genuine interest all around the

world, and we even feel a bit envious,” as Xi smiled.

The Kremlin leader welcomed China’s proposals for a political settlement in Ukraine and noted Russia is open for talks.

“We will discuss all those issues, including your initiative that we highly respect,” Putin said. “Our cooperation in the international arena undoubtedly helps strengthen the basic principles of the global order and multipolarity.”

Both Moscow and Beijing have accused Washington of trying to isolate them and hold back their development as they challenge it for regional and global leadership.

In an increasingly multipolar world, the US and its allies have been unable to build a broad front against Putin. While 141 countries condemned Moscow in a United Nations vote marking the first anniversary of Russian troops rolling into Ukraine, several members of the G-20 — including India, China and South Africa — abstained. Many African nations also have refrained from openly criticizing Russia.

“We hope that the strategic partnership between China and Russia will on the one hand uphold international fairness and justice, and on the other hand promote the common prosperity and development of our countries,” Xi said. In their 4 1/2 hours of talks, along with a dinner that included a Pacific seafood platter and roast venison in cherry sauce, Putin would offer Xi a “detailed explanation” of Moscow’s actions in Ukraine, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. Broader talks on a range of subjects are scheduled Tuesday.

For Putin, Xi’s presence is a prestigious, diplomatic

boost to show partnership in the face of Western efforts to isolate Russia over Ukraine.

In an article published in the Chinese People’s Daily newspaper, Putin described Xi’s visit as a “landmark event” that “reaffirms the special nature of the Russia-China partnership” and said the meeting signalled that the two countries aren’t prepared to accept attempts to weaken them.

“The US policy of simultaneously deterring Russia and China, as well as all those who do not bend to the American diktat, is getting ever fiercer and more aggressive,” he wrote.

China portrays Xi’s visit as part of normal diplomatic exchanges and has offered little detail about its purpose, though Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told reporters Monday that China “will

uphold its objective and fair position on the Ukrainian crisis and play a constructive role in promoting peace talks.” Xi didn’t directly mention the Ukraine fighting or his peace plan when he sat down for the talks with Putin.

Beijing’s leap into Ukraine issues follows its recent success in brokering talks between Iran and its chief Middle Eastern rival, Saudi Arabia, which agreed to restore their diplomatic ties after years of tensions.

Following that success, Xi called for China to play a bigger role in managing global affairs.

Although they boast of a “no-limits” partnership, Beijing has conducted a China First policy. It has refrained from supplying Russia’s military — a move that could worsen relations with Washington and turn important European

trade partners against China. On the other hand, it has refused to condemn Moscow’s aggression and criticized Western sanctions against Moscow, while accusing NATO and the United States of provoking Putin’s military action.

Western pressure has made Russia increasingly reliant on Beijing, observers said.

Alexander Gabuev, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment, noted that Beijing is aiming at “getting Russia as a junior partner deeper into China’s pocket.”

Dmitry Oreshkin, professor at Free University in Riga, Latvia, observed that Beijing benefits from tensions between Moscow and the West, by gaining access to cheap Russian energy resources. “It’s very convenient for China, which couldn’t get such a discount

before,” he said. China last month called for a cease-fire and peace talks. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy cautiously welcomed Beijing’s involvement, but the overture fizzled.

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby urged Xi “to press President Putin directly on the need to respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.” He also said the US administration believes Xi could play “a constructive role” by speaking directly with Zelenskyy.

The Kremlin has welcomed China’s peace plan, while US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday any proposal that left Russian forces in place in Ukraine would merely let Moscow reequip and otherwise regain strength to resume its offensive.

TRUMP INDICTMENT WOULD BE UNPRECEDENTED

By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER and MEG KINNARD

Associated Press

THE decision whether to indict former President Donald Trump over hushmoney payments made on his behalf during his 2016 presidential campaign lies in the hands of a Manhattan grand jury that has been hearing evidence in secret for weeks.

An indictment of Trump, who is seeking the White House again in 2024, would be an unprecedented moment in American history, the first criminal case against a former US president.

Law enforcement officials are bracing for protests and the possibility of violence after Trump called on his supporters to protest ahead of a possible indictment.

An indictment could also test a Republican Party already divided over whether to support Trump next year, in part due to his efforts to undermine his 2020 election loss.

Trump denies any wrongdoing and has slammed the Manhattan district attorney’s office probe as politically motivated.

Here’s a look at the hushmoney probe, grand jury process and possible ramifications for his presidential campaign:

WHAT’S THE PROBE ABOUT?

The grand jury has been probing Trump’s involvement in a $130,000 payment made in 2016 to the porn actor Stormy Daniels to keep her from going public about a sexual encounter she said she had with him years earlier. Trump lawyer Michael Cohen paid Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, through a shell company before being reimbursed by Trump, whose company, the Trump Organization,

BUT CAN A FORMER PRESIDENT BE INDICTED?

In a word, yes. Long-standing Justice Department policy prohibits the federal indictment of a sitting president, but Trump, two years out of office, no longer enjoys that legal shield. And the New York case is not a federal probe anyway.

WHAT IS THIS GRAND JURY?

logged the reimbursements as legal expenses.

Earlier in 2016, Cohen also arranged for former Playboy model Karen McDougal to be paid $150,000 by the publisher of the supermarket tabloid The National Enquirer, which then squelched her story in a journalistically dubious practice known as “catch-and-kill”.

Trump denies having sex with either woman.

Trump’s company “grossed up” Cohen’s reimbursement for the Daniels payment to defray tax payments, according to federal prosecutors who filed criminal charges against the lawyer in connection with the payments in 2018. In all, Cohen got $360,000 plus a $60,000 bonus, for a total of $420,000.

Cohen pleaded guilty to violating federal campaign finance law in connection with the payments. Federal prosecutors say the payments amounted to illegal, unreported assistance to Trump’s campaign. But they declined to file charges against Trump himself.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s team appears to be looking at whether Trump or anyone committed crimes in New York state in arranging the payments, or in the way they accounted for them internally at the Trump Organization.

A grand jury is made up of people drawn from the community, similar to a trial jury. But unlike juries that hear trials, grand juries don’t decide whether someone is guilty or innocent. They only decide whether there is sufficient evidence for someone to be charged. Grand juries exist in the federal court system and in many states.

Proceedings are closed to the public, including the media. There is no judge present nor anyone representing the accused.

Prosecutors call and question witnesses, and grand jurors can also ask questions. In New York, the person who could be indicted may ask for a certain witness, though it’s up to grand jurors.

New York grand juries have 23 people. At least 16 must be present to hear evidence or deliberate.

Twelve have to agree there is enough evidence in order to issue an indictment. The grand jury may also find there is not enough evidence of a crime or direct the prosecutor to file lesser charges.

Centuries-old rules have kept grand juries under wraps to protect the reputations of people who end up not being charged, to encourage reluctant witnesses to testify, to prevent those about to be indicted from fleeing and to guard

against outside pressure.

Grand juries have long been criticised as little more than rubber stamps for prosecutors. Former New York Judge Sol Wachtler famously said that prosecutors could convince a grand jury to “indict a ham sandwich”. Defenders of the process say it is a crucial safeguard against politically motivated prosecutions.

WHO HAS TESTIFIED IN THIS CASE?

One of the final witnesses being called was Robert Costello, who was once a legal adviser to Cohen, the government’s key witness in the investigation.

The men have since had a falling out, and Costello has indicated that he has information he believes would undercut the credibility of Cohen and contradict his current incriminating statements about Trump.

Costello contacted a lawyer for Trump saying he had information that could be exculpatory for Trump, according to a person familiar with the matter who insisted on anonymity to discuss secret legal proceedings. The lawyer brought it to the attention of the district attorney’s office, which last week subpoenaed Costello’s law firm for records and invited him to testify.

He was at the building where the jurors were meeting on Monday, invited by prosecutors, ensuring the grand jury had an opportunity to consider testimony or evidence that could weaken the case for indicting.

Trump was also been invited to testify, but his lawyer has said the former president has no plans to participate.

WHAT ABOUT THE POLITICAL RAMIFICATIONS?

Trump says charges

would actually help him in the 2024 presidential contest. Long-time ally Lindsey Graham, senator from South Carolina, said Saturday that District Attorney Bragg “has done more to help Donald Trump get elected”.

Florida Gov Ron DeSantis, considering joining the Republican field, criticizes the Trump investigation as politically motivated, “fundamentally wrong.” But he also threw one of his first jabs at the former president in a quip likely to intensify their rivalry. DeSantis said he personally doesn’t “know what goes into paying hush money to a porn star to secure silence over some kind of alleged affair”.

Comments by other potential rivals, eager to convince voters it is time to move on from the former president but also contending with the fact that he remains the most popular figure in the party:

• During a Saturday visit to Iowa, former Vice President Mike Pence called the idea of indicting a former president “deeply troubling.”

• Asa Hutchinson, the former Arkansas governor mulling his own 2024 bid, said he didn’t expect Trump to withdraw from the race after an indictment, though that would be the “right” thing to do.

• Former South Carolina Gov Nikki Haley, a declared candidate who also served as Trump’s U.N. ambassador, said Monday on Fox News that Bragg’s case was an attempt at scoring “political points,” adding, “You never want to condone any sort of prosecution that’s being politicised”.

“At the end of the day, not one single person’s opinion of him will be any different after indictment than it was before,” veteran GOP operative Terry

Sullivan said in an interview. “All of his perceived negatives are already baked into his name ID with voters.”

WHAT ABOUT OTHER TRUMP INVESTIGATIONS?

The New York probe is among many legal woes Trump is facing.

The Justice Department is investigating his retention of top secret government documents at his Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago, after leaving the White House, as well as possible efforts to obstruct that probe. Federal investigators are also still probing the Jan 6, 2021, insurrection and efforts to overturn the election Trump falsely claimed was stolen.

Portions of a report from a special grand jury in Georgia that investigated whether Trump and his allies illegally interfered in the 2020 election in Georgia shows jurors believed “one or more witnesses” committed perjury and urged local prosecutors to bring charges. The former president never testified, but the report didn’t foreclose the possibility of other charges.

WHAT’S NEXT IN NEW YORK?

It’s unclear. Trump declared in a social media post over the weekend that he expects to be taken into custody on Tuesday and urged supporters to protest his possible arrest. However, there has been no public announcement of any time frame for the grand jury’s secret work. A Trump spokesperson said there has been no notification from Bragg’s office. Law enforcement officials have been making security preparations for the possibility of an indictment in coming days or weeks — or a court appearance by the president himself.

IN this handout photo released by the Russian Presidential Press Office, Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands prior to their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, yesterday.

FORMER President Donald J Trump.

SURPRISE, TOPS SPIETH, SCHENK AT INNISBROOK

PALM HARBOR, Fla.

(AP) — Taylor Moore was never really the star attraction Sunday at the Valspar Championship until he had finished hitting all the right shots and posed with the trophy for his first PGA Tour title that sends him to the Masters.

Adam Schenk and Jordan Spieth provided enough compelling theatre for so much of the day, locked in a battle on the back nine of the Copperhead course at Innisbrook.

When it was over, all they shared was misfortune.

INTER-SCHOOL NATIONAL GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS APRIL 17-21 AT BGF’S 9-HOLE DRIVING RANGE

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

AFTER hosting two successful events in 2021 and 2022, the Bahamas Golf Federation’s Junior Golf Association is eager to put on the third edition of the Inter-School National Golf Championships.

This year’s event is scheduled for April 17-21 at the BGF’s 9-hole Driving Range at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex and is expected to be staged in eight different categories, ranging from the lower and upper primary schools and junior and senior high schools for boys and girls.

In a joint announcement yesterday in the foyer of the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium, the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and the Ministry of Education joined the BGF and the Fourteen Clubs Golf Academy in releasing details for the event, which was accepted into the Ministry’s curriculum in the fall of 2020.

Acting Director of Sports Kelsie Johnson-Sills, representing the Minister of Sports Mario Bowleg, said they are partnering with the Ministry of Education, to provide another sporting discipline for the young people of the nation to be exposed to.

“The sport of golf teaches you discipline. The sport of golf teaches you how to be focused and honest as a player,” Johnson-Sills said.

“The game is in your hands. It’s not a team shot, so every shot counts. Everything that you do is scored for you.”

Through the sport, Johnson-Sills said the Bahamas could see its first Tiger Woods, so she encourages the young players to go out and do their best.

One of the youngsters present was Tyler Rolle, a seven-year-old student from Nassau Christian Academy. He thanked everybody for making it possible for them to participate in the tournament.

As a former junior golf player, pro volleyball player Byron Ferguson, the liaison officer for golf in the Ministry of Sports, said the sport has helped him in many ways to develop discipline and just to be focused.

“I want to encourage the parents to stick with golf because it can open many doors for their children,” he said. “It’s a sport that keeps you focused.”

Zane Lightbourne, the Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, congratulated the Fourteen Clubs Golf Academy and the BGF for providing the collaboration of the ministries for making the tournament available for the players to fulfil their dreams of becoming the next Tiger Woods.

“We know that golf is identified as an individual sport but it teaches a

person so much and there are so many opportunities that are available in the sport of golf,” said Lightbourne, who noted that he too enjoys playing the game. “We all know the name Tiger Woods and we know that when you aspire to be great, you always aspire to follow the greatest in the sport. So we encourage you to go out and be the best you can be.”

Lightbourne, an advert basketball player, said the physical education teachers in their schools now have to learn the sport so that they can teach it to their students because it’s now a part of their curriculum and it’s an event that is on the calendar.

Gina Gonzalez-Rolle took the opportunity to interview Aiyanna Hernandez, an 11-year-old student of the defending champions Eva Hilton Primary School.

“I started golf when I was in grade four,” said Hernandez, one of the top performers last year. “Golf is an amazing game. It helps me a lot in school. It actually helps me to bring up my grades in school.”

Gonzalez-Rolle said they are eager to watch the growth and development of so many young players who participated in the sport.

“So many dreams have become a reality and really it’s just the beginning,” said Gonzalez-Rolle, who was able to assist a single parent mother in securing a golf scholarship to a division one Ivy League school for her daughter.

Gonzalez-Rolle noted that all of their students who have received scholarships are not just excelling on the golf course, but they are doing extremely well in the classroom.

“I put it to you that the Bahamas has been put on the map through track and field, swimming, baseball and basketball, but give us three years to the most

and you will see our Tiger Rolles or Renee Sands,” she stated.

Not only has the sport attracted students from the public and private schools, they are on the golf course competing against each other in fierce competition as golf is now a part of the school curriculum, and it will be one of the disciplines featured in the Bahamas Games this summer.

She thanked the two ministries, the BGF, the Junior Golf Association, Georgette Rolle-Harris and Fourteen Clubs Golf Academy, the parents, the sponsors - Lightbourne Trading with M&Ms and Mars bars, R&A, Aquapure and the Baha Mar

Foundation - and the media for all of the contributions they have made to the success of the tournament.

Rolle-Harris, the tournament director, said each team will be allowed to field a minimum of three players with a maximum of five players, although only the best three schools will count.

And the school which does not have three players, according to RolleHarris, can enter their players as individuals, who will be eligible to compete for the top prizes. The top teams and the top individuals, who are not already a part of the team, make it to the finals.

“As we grow, we are increasing the numbers. In

the first year, there weren’t many teams so we allowed up to 18 players per division,” Rolle-Harris said.

“The second year, we increased to the top four teams in some cases and the top five individuals not a part of a team.

“I believe that this year, due to the interest, we will increase to the top five teams and top 11 individuals not already a part of a team. The maximum players per division making it to the finals will be 36.”

Rolle-Harris, however, said while they have started at the Driving Range, they hope that eventually they can take the tournament to one of the major golf courses where the competition will be intensified.

Moore surged into the mix with a 9-iron to 5 feet for birdie on the 15th hole and a 25-foot birdie putt on the 16th hole, followed by two tough pars for a 4-under 67.

That turned out to be a winner when Spieth hit his tee shot into the water on the 16th and Schenk, going for his first PGA Tour victory, hit a drive on the final hole that settled next to a large pine tree. He made bogey and finished one shot behind.

Moore, who grew up outside Oklahoma City, was on the practice range anticipating a playoff when he realised he had won at 10-under 274.

“I might have been under the radar to some people watching, but I felt like I was in the golf tournament from the time I teed off today and was just excited to control what I could control and get it done,” Moore said.

The victory sends him to the Masters in three weeks, a welcome addition to his schedule.

Spieth was tied for the lead when he sent his tee shot into the water on the 16th and managed to stay in the game by getting upand-down from 163 yards to salvage bogey. On the par-3 17th, which yielded only two birdies all day, Spieth hit 4-iron to 6 feet — only to miss the birdie putt.

Tommy Fleetwood was part of a three-way tie early on the back nine until he took bogey on the par-5 14th. Spieth didn’t realise anyone else was in the mix.

“I thought it was me and Adam. I thought it was down to us two,” Spieth said. “I was thinking it was Tommy one back of us with a few holes to go and so I thought we could still kind of control it from the last group. Then I saw 10 (under) was posted walking off 16 green.”

The real heartbreak belonged to Schenk, whose wife flew down to Florida for the final round a month before she is due with their first child. Schenk holed a 70-foot birdie putt on the 12th hole. He made tough par saves on the 16th and 17th holes to stay tied. On the 18th, however, he pulled his tee shot to the left. It was roughly the same line as Moore had hit his tee shot earlier, only Schenk’s ball rolled through the gallery and stopped next to a pine tree.

STUDENTS are flanked by Ministry of Education and Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture officials along with Bahamas Golf Federation executives.

TYLER Rolle speaks as Anthony Hinsey, Zane Lightbourne and Gina Gonzalez-Rolle look on.

ACTING Director of Sports Kelsie Johnson-Sills speaks as Zane Lightbourne, Gina Gonzalez-Rolle and Georgette Rolle-Harris look on.

Photos: Jevone Williams

No. 3 Ohio St beats No. 6 UNC 71-69, advances to the Sweet 16

By JACOB BENGE Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Jacy Sheldon made a tiebreaking jumper in the lane with 1.8 seconds left to lift No. 3 Ohio State to a 71-69 win over No. 6 seed North Carolina yesterday and help the Buckeyes advance to the Sweet 16 for the second straight season.

With the game tied, Sheldon took the pass from Eboni Walker and floated in the game-winning score. North Carolina had one final chance, but turned it over with a second remaining.

“Eboni did a great job,” Sheldon said.

“It didn’t go as planned and she made a great play there, and that’s what led to that bucket. So I think keeping our composure in that situation was huge, keeping possession of the ball. And that was all Eboni.”

Ohio State (27-7) saw its 12-point lead with 7:02 to go erased as the Tar Heels went on a 13-2 run midway through the fourth quarter.

The Tar Heels did most of that run without star Deja Kelly, who exited midway through the final quarter with a leg injury. She went to the locker

room, but returned to the court a short time later.

Trailing 66-63, Kelly made two free throws before Paulina Paris made a layup in transition to give the Tar Heels (22-11) its first lead of the game with 2:09 left.

Sheldon scored to give the Buckeyes the lead back with 1:07 left. She added a free throw 29 seconds later to make it a two-point game.

Kelly, who finished with 22 points to lead North Carolina, hit a jumper to tie the game at 69 with 9 seconds left. “I asked them to be what they have been all year, which is a group of fighters,” North Carolina coach Courtney Banghart said. “We asked them to be hard to beat, and we thought those things would get us to a Sweet 16. They did all of those things, right, but you got to be so good to win in March, so good, and we just were not quite good enough.”

Ohio State led the entirety of the first half, including by as many as nine points in the first quarter, on 46% shooting. Taylor Mikesell went 3-of-6 from beyond the arc in the first half.

Sheldon finished with 16 points, Walker added 15

and Cotie McMahon scored 14. Taylor Mikesell had a team-high 17.

“This is a great win for us because it puts us in the Sweet 16 but also just I have so much respect for North Carolina,” Ohio State

coach Kevin McGuff said.

“We beat a great opponent today.”

X’S AND O’S McGuff said Ohio State’s final play design was intended to give Sheldon the basketball, but it

didn’t unfold according to plan. Walker, who averaged over 14 minutes and 4 1/2 points per game this season, took the inbounds pass from Rikki Harris, looked toward Sheldon after catching the ball, dribbled to the

top of the key and hooked it back to Sheldon for the game-winning score.

“Eboni made a great decision not passing the initial one to Jacy because she really wasn’t open, and then we swung the ball back around and got it back in her hands,” McGuff said. “I told her in the locker room sometimes it’s about X’s and O’s and sometimes it’s about having the best player on the court.”

BIG

PICTURE

North Carolina: The Tar Heels allowed an opposing team to shoot at least 50% for the third time all season and first time since December. North Carolina allowed the Buckeyes to shoot 54.2% in the second half. Ohio State: The Buckeyes have made second-half comebacks in all four of their postseason victories, including a 24-point resurgence that broke the Big Ten Tournament record March 4. Ohio State advances to the Sweet 16 for the fourth time since the 2015-16 season.

UP

NEXT Ohio State will play winner of No. 2 seed UConn and No. 7 seed Baylor in the Seattle 3 Regional.

MARCH MADNESS ROUT AS LADY VOLS REACH 2ND STRAIGHT SWEET 16

By TERESA M WALKER AP Sports Writer

KNOXVILLE, Tenn.

(AP) — Reserves Sara

Puckett and Jillian Hollingshead led five Lady Vols in double figures with 13 points apiece as fourthseeded Tennessee routed No. 12 seed Toledo 94-47 last night to advance to their second straight Sweet 16 in the Seattle 3 Regional. This is the first time since 2015 and 2016 that Tennessee (25-11) has reached consecutive Sweet 16s and the first in coach Kellie Harper’s fourth season.

The Lady Vols now have reached the Sweet 16 for

the 36th time as the only programme to play in all 41 NCAA Tournaments.

Puckett was 5-of-7, making all three of her 3s. Rickea Jackson and Jasmine Powell each added 12, and Jordan Horston had 10 points and eight rebounds.

Toledo (29-5) snapped a programme record 17-game winning streak and missed out on its first Sweet 16.

The Rockets lost for the first time since January 18 at Bowling Green, which was avenged in the Mid-American Conference Tournament championship for their first NCAA Tournament berth since 2017. Quinesha Lockett led

Toledo with 19 points.Tennessee looked much more like the programme that used to roll through early tournament games, never trailing as they improved to 30-3 all-time in the second round and 24-1 on the court named for the late Pat Summitt.

The Lady Vols, who won at least 25 games for a 38th season, scored the first three points. Toledo got within 5-4 on a Lockett layup. Then Tennessee took control even as the Lady Vols struggled to find the basket early. They led 19-8 after the first quarter.

Karoline Striplin knocked down a pair of 3s within the first 50 seconds of the second, and Tennessee hit 6-of-8 beyond the arc in the quarter. The last came from Puckett with 41.7 seconds remaining for their biggest lead yet at 50-21 before going into halftime up 50-22. Toledo tried to rally in the third with a 12-2 run capped by Garcia’s 3 with 3:57 to go. That only trimmed the lead to 60-36, and the Lady Vols led 72-40 going into the fourth. They finished it off outscoring Toledo 22-7 in the fourth, not allowing the Rockets to score even a single bucket over the final 6:11.

BIG PICTURE

Toledo: The Rockets head home still looking for the programme’s first Sweet 16 berth. They are 4-9 all-time in NCAA Tournament play, Coach Tricia Cullop could have her leading scorer back if Lockett returns for next season and joins the four juniors, including starters Khera Goss, Sammi Mikonowicz and Jessica Cook. ... The Rockets had hoped to use their speed to counter Tennessee’s height but were outscored 17-4 on the fast break.

Tennessee: The Lady Vols have locked down on defence in the first two games. They held Saint Louis to 50 points in the first round, the fewest they had allowed in this tournament since giving up 46 to Northwestern State on March 22, 2014. Then nearly matched that tournament low in this game as they dominated across the court.

UP NEXT

Lady Vols get rematch in Sweet 16. They lost 59-56 Dec. 4 to then-No. 9 Virginia Tech as part of the Jimmy V Women’s Classic in Knoxville without forward Rickea Jackson. That also was C Tamari Key’s last game before blood clots ended her season.

TENNESSEE head coach Kellie Harper, right, talks to guard Jordan Horston (25) in the first half of a second-round college basketball game against Toledo in the NCAA Tournament yesterday. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

OHIO State guard Jacy Sheldon (4) is hugged by guard Hevynne Bristow (3) after Ohio State defeated North Carolina in a second-round college basketball game in the women’s NCAA Tournament in Columbus, Ohio, yesterday. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Warriors stop 11-game road skid, beat Rockets 121-108

HOUSTON (AP) —

Stephen Curry scored 30 points and Klay Thompson added 29 as the Golden State Warriors snapped an 11-game road skid with a 121-108 win over the Houston Rockets last night.

The game was close most of the way before the Warriors used a 12-2 spurt early in the fourth quarter to pull away and hold on for their first win away from home since January 30 at Oklahoma City.

The Warriors, who entered the game seventh in the Western Conference, have been great at home this season (29-7) but have struggled on the road, where Monday’s win improved them to just 8-29.

The Western Conference-worst Rockets got 21 points and 12 rebounds from Tari Eason.

TIMBERWOLVES 140, KNICKS 134

NEW YORK (AP)

— Julius Randle scored 57 points to tie the thirdhighest total in Knicks history, but Minnesota rode a sizzling start and a steady finish to beat New York.

Taurean Prince scored a season-high 35 points and went 8 for 8 from 3-point range for the

Timberwolves, while Mike Conley added 24 points and 11 assists. His three free throws gave Minnesota the lead for good with 2:17 remaining.

The Timberwolves made more than 70% of their shots in the first half and led by 17 before Randle carried the Knicks back with a franchise-record 26 points in the third quarter.

He finished tied with Richie Guerin behind the only two 60-point games in Knicks history, Carmelo Anthony’s 62 on January 24, 2014, and Bernard King’s 60 on Christmas Day in 1984.

But the Knicks had their three-game winning streak snapped.

BULLS 109, 76ERS 105, (Double Overtime) PHILADELPHIA (AP)

— Zach LaVine scored 26 points, DeMar DeRozan had 25 and Chicago defeated Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers in double overtime to snap their eight-game winning streak.

Nikola Vucevic added 21 points and 12 rebounds for the Bulls, who have won three games in a row and five of six. Chicago is

fighting for the final playoff spot in the East.

Embiid had 37 points, 16 rebounds and three blocks before fouling out with 3:54 left in the second overtime. It was the 10th straight game in which he has scored at least 30 points. Philadelphia could’ve clinched a playoff spot with a victory, but the 76ers struggled once Embiid left the court after a foul on LaVine.

GRIZZLIES 112, MAVERICKS 108 MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP)

— Jaren Jackson Jr. scored

28 points, including a key layup with 17 seconds left as Memphis defeated Dallas in Ja Morant’s first game back with the team after an eight-game NBA suspension.

Santi Aldama added 22 for the Grizzlies and Desmond Bane finished with 17 as Memphis won for the sixth time in seven games.

Kyrie Irving led the Mavericks with 28 points, but missed all eight of his shots in the fourth quarter as Memphis outscored Dallas 29-12 in the period. Morant did not dress for the game

AP

but was on the Memphis bench, coming out to a hearty ovation from fans just before tipoff.

The NBA assessed the suspension after a video from a Denver-area strip club earlier this month showed Morant brandishing a gun.

Meanwhile, the Mavericks were again without leading-scorer Luka Doncic, who missed his fifth game with left thigh soreness.

JAZZ 128, KINGS 120

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Ochai Agbaji scored a career-high 27 points, including six 3-pointers, to lead Utah over Sacramento.

Kelly Olynyk had 19 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists for the Jazz. Kris Dunn added 18 points and 10 assists. Udoka Azubuike chipped in with a career-high 13 points and a season-best eight rebounds.

Eight players scored in double figures for the Jazz, who shot 52% from the field.

De’Aaron Fox had 37 points and seven assists to lead the Kings. Keegan Murray added 22 points.

MAGIC JOHNSON JOINS HARRIS’ BID FOR THE COMMANDERS

By STEPHEN WHYNO AP Sports Writer

WASHINGTON (AP)

— Magic Johnson has joined Josh Harris’ bid to buy the NFL’s Washington Commanders, according to a person with knowledge of the situation.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity yesterday because details of the bid are not being publicised.

Johnson, a basketball Hall of Famer who has become a prominent executive, is already involved in sports ownership with stakes in Major League Baseball’s Los Angeles Dodgers, Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles F.C. and the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks. He was also part of Harris’ unsuccessful bid to buy the Denver Broncos, who were instead sold to a group led by Walmart heir Rob Walton for a record $4.65 billion.

The Commanders are expected to sell for more, which would be the highest price paid for a North American professional sports franchise. Forbes estimates the team is worth $5.6 billion.

Harris along with partner David Blitzer owns the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers and NHL’s New Jersey Devils. Washington-area billionaire Mitchell Rales is also reportedly part of Harris’ group.

Amid multiple investigations into workplace conduct and potential financial improprieties, longtime owner Dan Snyder and wife Tanya began exploring selling part or all of the team in the fall. Any sale would need to be approved by three-quarters of NFL owners, which could happen at their upcoming meeting in Arizona.

McPhee-McCuin and Ole Miss reach first Sweet 16 in 16 years

FROM PAGE 16

and No.5 seed Louisiana, but McPhee-McCuin said it doesn’t matter. They are packed and heading to the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, starting on Friday.

“I love Seattle,” an emotional 40-year-old McPhee-McCuin stressed. It was the first time since 2009 that a No.1 seed failed to reach the Sweet 16 in the women’s NCAA Tournament. The Cardinal, 29-6, had not been eliminated in the second round since 2007. The 2021 national champion made 14 consecutive appearances in the Sweet 16 for the third best mark of all-time behind the University of Connecticut Huskies and the Tennessee Volunteers, who did it 28 and 27 times respectively.

For Ole Miss, it was the first appearance for the Rebels in the Sweet 16 since 2007.

For McPhee-McCuin, now in her fifth year after making the trek from Jacksonville University where she began herhead-coaching sting from 2013-2018 (following stints as an assistant at Frank Phillips College, Arkansas - Pine Bluff, University of Portland, and Clemson), the Sweet 16 appearance couldn’t come at a better time.

“Everyone had a dream coming up,” said McPheeMcCuin, who graduated from Catholic High in 2000 and went on to play as a point guard for MiamiDade Community College from 2000-2002 and the University of Rhode Island’s Rams from 20022004, finishing with a BA in business management.

“I’m a dreamer, and I try to be a dream merchant for my players. But how cool is it to take down someone that you admired (in Stanford’s coach Tara VanDerveer). Like, that was pretty freaking cool. So I’ll never forget this.”

The Lady Rebels, whose entire team started their season with their first trip to The Bahamas to participate in a pre-season tournament at Baha Mar in November, has had another high point to reflect on this past season. Last month, Ole Miss had an impressive run

against national champions South Carolina in a Southeastern Conference (SEC) regular match-up, taking the undefeated Gamecocks to overtime in a nine-point loss.

But against the Cardinal, the Lady Rebels led from start to finish, opening as much as a 13-point lead in the third quarter with three players leading the Lady Rebels in double digits.

Angel Baker had 13, Marquesha Davis 12 and Rita Igbokwe added 11. The difference in the outcome of the game, according to

McPhee-McCuin, was what wins games – defence.

”We knew that Stanford’s size and length would be a little problematic for us, but we also knew we could defend,” she summed up.

Cameron Brink, who missed the Cardinal opening game in the tournament due to a stomach bug, had a game high 20 points, 13 rebounds and seven block shots, but it wasn’t enough for Stanford to stay alive.

“People tried, but it was a struggle,” said Stanford’s coach VanDerveer, the Hall of Famer and winningest women’s coach.

Snyder’s ownership has been a hot-button issue for years, since several employees came out about workplace harassment, which prompted a league investigation and a $10 million fine. When no written report of Beth Wilkinson’s investigation was produced, the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Reform launched its own review of the situation, which included a referral to the Federal Trade Commission.

The league retained former U.S. Attorney Mary Jo White to investigate, and that probe is ongoing. At a league meeting in October, Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay said there was “merit to remove” Snyder — who then hired Bank of America Securities two weeks later.

DAISY MCPHEE, left, mother of Mississippi head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin, and daughter Yasmine McCuin, right, react after Mississippi won at the end of the second half of a second-round college basketball game in the women’s NCAA Tournament on Sunday. (AP Photos/Josie Lepe)

GLADSTONE MCPHEE, father of Mississippi head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin, celebrates the team’s win against Stanford on Sunday.

MISSISSIPPI head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin reacts after winning against Stanford in the women’s NCAA Tournament.

MISSISSIPPI head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin kisses her daughter, Yasmine, after winning against Stanford after the second half of a second-round college basketball game in the women’s NCAA Tournament, Sunday, March 19, 2023, in Stanford, California.

WARRIORS’ Stephen Curry (30) drives to the basket as Rockets’ Jabari Smith Jr. defends last night in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

RISING TENNIS STAR MAJOR JR SIGNS ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP WITH HOWARD UNIVERSITY BISON

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

AS he prepares to complete his high school education at Windsor High School, Michael Major Jr is now looking forward to making the transition to college.

Major Jr, one of the country’s most promising junior athletes, has officially signed his letter of intent to further his education at Howard University where he will be playing for the Bison men’s tennis team, coached by Nicholas Askew.

Major Jr, who represented the Bahamas on a number of the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association’s junior national tennis teams with the latest being the Jr Davis Cup in 2022, said he’s excited about being accepted to the division one college in Washington DC.

“I think this is very good for me and my family, my coaches and even my teammates and friends at school to see all of the hard work that I’ve put into finally paying off for me,” Major Jr said. “It’s really a surreal feeling for me.”

Major Jr, who will be leaving school a year earlier at age 16 because of his strong academic achievement at Windsor High School, said he decided to go to Howard after he met the coaches and the players on the team.

“Howard has a rich history and I can learn a lot about the black history, so it just felt like a homely environment for me,” Major Jr said. “I felt like I’m already a part of the team when I visited them. I felt like this was the place that I want to be.”

According to Major Jr, the Bison has not given him an expectation for him when he comes in August. But he said he told them that it’s his goal to help Howard win the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Championships in his freshman year.

“I will continue to stay focused, trust my coaches and remain humble,” said Major Jr in his final months before he graduates in June. “I want to continue

FA CUP FROM PAGE 16

touchline monitor.

Before the official could even make a decision, he had shown a red card to Silva for remonstrating furiously in the dugout.

Replays showed Willian had clearly used his hand and was sent off as a result. That sparked outrage from Mitrovic, who angrily approached Kavanagh and

OLYMPICS

FROM PAGE 16

Athletes Village. They have simulated conditions in the parts of the accommodation most exposed to the sun and have tested the effectiveness of the cooling system with an objective to keep the indoor temperature between 23 and 26 degrees Celsius (73 and 79 degrees Fahrenheit).

The geothermal energy system will ensure that the temperature in the athlete apartments in the SeineSaint-Denis suburb does not rise above 26 degrees Celsius (79 degrees Fahrenheit) at night, including during a potential a heat wave, said Laurent Michaud, the director of the Olympic and Paralympic Villages.

He said organisers have conducted tests in rooms that are located on the highest floors of the residences and are facing south and exposed to direct sun on two sides. They also considered directions of winds in the region and the water temperature in the Seine. They have worked closely with France’s

doing what I’ve been doing, but I want to do it at 100 percent and not let up.

“I’m coming out a year early because of my academics, but I know I will be prepared for the task ahead of me.

“I just want to thank my parents (Michael Sr and Bernadette Major) and all of my coaches at Windsor and Albany and in the BLTA for helping me to get to this point. I promise to make you all proud when I head off to school.”

Richele LeSaldo, the director of the Tennis Academy at Albany, said she had the opportunity to coach Major Jr for the past two years and based on his achievement, they are all excited about his future developments on the collegiate scene.

“MJ came into the academy as one of our scholarship players. I really wanted him in the academy, but in my first year here, I didn’t have all of the financial requirements to get him in,” she said. “As soon as we got the funding, I got him in.

“It’s been an incredible three years. He epitomizes what a student-athlete is and should be. His work ethic is amazing. He is a true ambassador for the academy the way he carries himself on and off the court and out in the community.”

LeSaldo, who has afforded scholarships to a number of Bahamians at Windsor High School through the Albany Tennis Academy, congratulated his parents for the morals they instilled in their son.

“On a day when he’s off, he’s not feeling well, but he still goes out and gives it his best shot,” she added. “He makes it so easy as an athlete to coach. It’s been a pleasure to be a part of this journey with this incredible athlete, who is wrapping up his education one year early than most students.

“Howard is the perfect match for him, so I’m just happy for him. It’s just the beginning of the next step for him. I know he will strive academically and continue to pursue his dream of becoming a professional tennis player.”

LeSaldo feels Major Jr could become the

was also shown red. All three dismissals came over a period of 40 seconds.

“Even if I haven’t done something special, I have to control myself,” Silva said afterward.

“I didn’t say anything special to the ref, he didn’t listen and showed me the red card. It is a moment to control my emotions. The game was decided in the moment.”

All that was left was for Bruno Fernandes to

national weather agency to develop temperature forecasts. “Despite outdoor temperatures reaching 41 degrees Celsius (106 degrees Fahrenheit), we had temperatures at 28 degrees (82 degrees Fahrenheit) in most of these rooms,” Michaud told The Associated Press, detailing the results of a heatwave simulation. “In other rooms, we clearly had lower temperatures.”

In addition to the underfloor cooling, the insulation built into the buildings will enable residents to keep the cold obtained during the night throughout the day, Michaud said. To keep the coolness inside, the athletes will have to follow some basic rules, he added, including making sure the window blinds are shut during the day.

Laurent Monnet, who is in charge of the green transition at Saint-Denis City Hall, Paris’ northern suburb where the main Olympic Village will be located, said all rooms should be 6 degrees Celsius (11 degrees Fahrenheit) cooler than the outside temperature, without an AC unit. Although some

Bahamas’ next big talent in the sport.

Over the past two years while he spent a lot of time training in the Bahamas at Albany, Canadian tennis player Milos Raonic said he and Major Jr have been hitting partners after he shared time with Jacobi Bain before he left for school. “He’s been able to help me in my workouts in the mornings before he goes to school and whenever we could after school,” said Raonic, who started their relationship in 2020. “He’s a very good kid. He plays a very good tennis and so I’m pleased that we get to hit together.”

As Major Jr gets ready for college, Milos said he feels he will be ready for the next step in his career.

“I think everything is coming together for him as a college tennis player,” he said. “He is a very good tennis player, but when he heads to college and he has to practice and play every

weekend, he will definitely take his game to the next level.

“When you are on an island like this and you are one of the best players, you don’t always reach your full potential. But now he will compete every Friday and Saturday to play tennis and I think that will help his game to come together.”

Playing against players who are 20-21 years old will also help to push Major Jr’s game even further, according to Milos, who hopes to get his season started on the grass circuit in a few months.

Raonic was ranked in 2016 as the number three player in singles by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP). He is also the first Canadian male player in the Open Era to reach the Australian Open semifinals, the French Open quarterfinals and Wimbledon final. He has won a total of eight ATP Tour titles.

dispatch his penalty and even the score in the 75th.

Two minutes later Marcel Sabitzer put United in front and nine-man Fulham was on its way out.

Fernandes scored a second to make it 3-1 in the sixth minute of stoppage time and set up a Wembley semifinal game against Brighton.

Manager Erik ten Hag has already led United to victory in the League Cup this season and his team

Major Jr’s father Major Sr thanked LeSaldo and Raonic, along with a number of persons who assisted in some way in their son’s development over the years.

“Special thank you to Esper and Linda Major, MJ’s grandparents; Mark and Vickie Knowles; coaches Richele and Glen; Bommer George; Hugo Bethel, Cassie Smith, Kaylana, Lale, Smiley, BLTA, Ricardo, Greg Clarke, Gowen Bowe, Donald Archer, Nicholas Rees, Island Luck, Asure Win, Dominic, Citi Bank staff, Marvin Rolle, Switcha Bahamas, coaches at Albany, Oneal.

“Teachers at Windsor and St John’s, Tia, staff at the Atlantis resort and Baha Mar, KJ and PJ Major, the McPhee family, Danny Rigby, coach Bain and family and Members of Parliament Leroy Major and Frankie Campbell,” Major Sr said.

is also into the quarterfinals of the Europa League where it faces Sevilla.

“One thing is important — don’t think too far ahead,” Ten Hag said. “Go from game to game.

“We see the progress in the team, but this team has a strong character, strong belief, strong determination to win games. Today was an example of it. When you have difficult period in a game, stay in the game and turn the game.”

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) — Carlos Alcaraz returned to No. 1 in the ATP rankings yesterday, replacing Novak Djokovic, and Rafael Nadal dropped out of the top 10 for the first time in 18 years.

Alcaraz rose one spot, swapping places with Djokovic, a day after ending Daniil Medvedev’s 19-match winning streak by beating him in straight sets in the final at Indian Wells, California.

Alcaraz, a 19-yearold from Spain who first ascended to No. 1 by winning the U.S. Open in September, didn’t drop a set in the hard-court tournament.

Djokovic has spent more weeks at No. 1 than any man or woman in tennis history.

He did not play in Indian Wells because he is not allowed to enter the United States as a foreign citizen who is not vaccinated against COVID-19. He also will miss the Miami Open that begins this week; Alcaraz is the defending champion there.

Nadal has been sidelined since January by an injured hip flexor and he slipped four spots to No. 13 yesterday, ending a stay in the top 10 that began in April 2005. It is the longest such run in the ATP; Jimmy Connors is next on the list with about 15 years.

Djokovic and Nadal currently share the men’s record of 22 Grand Slam singles titles.

Elena Rybakina’s straight-set victory over Aryna Sabalenka for the Indian Wells trophy pushed Rybakina up three spots to a career-high No. 7 in the WTA rankings. Iga Swiatek remained at No. 1, followed by Sabalenka, who defeated Rybakina in the Australian Open final in January.

CONCACAF

FROM PAGE 16

players such as goalkeepers Ian Lowe, Michael Butler, and Vance Wheaton; defenders Troy Pinder, Lesly St. Fleur, Miguel Thompson, Phieron Wilson, Quinton Carey, Roen Davis, Elijah Mitchell & Ian Harris; midfielders Michael Massey, Deron Ferguson, Omari Bain, Christopher Rahming, Reuben Edgecombe, William Bayles, Marcel Joseph, and Nicolas Lopez; and forwards Jordin Wilson, Wood Julmis, and Nahum Johnson, are set to make a mark in this highly anticipated event.

Olympic hopefuls have already expressed concern about the lack of air conditioning, Monnet said athletes should adapt and help contribute to fight against climate change.

“We need athletes to set an example when they use the buildings,” Monnet said. “We can build the most virtuous village we want, it is also the use that will be made of it that will weigh on our carbon footprint.”

Eliud Kipchoge, a twotime Olympic champion and marathon world record holder, endorsed the Paris sustainability plan. The Kenyan is one the sport’s most vocal proponents of environmental justice and has repeatedly sounded the alarm on climate change and the impact of global warming.

“It’s a good thought, because we all need to reduce our carbon,” Kipchoge said in an interview with the AP.

He called on fellow athletes to help combat climate change by reducing their carbon impact during competition, training and their lives in general because “we are all going

to go through the same scenario.”

Paris organisers have been in touch with national Olympic committees and said they will have the option of setting up their own AC units in specific cases and on condition that the devices comply with the organising committee’s technical criteria.

Most national Olympic officials have responded to the plans to keep their athletes cool during the Paris Games with a wait-and-see attitude. Some Olympic officials are not excluding bringing their own air conditioners to France — or paying for one on the spot — depending on the weather at the time.

The Australian Olympic Committee said it will keep an eye on the weather patterns in Paris over the coming year to ensure “the optimal high-performance environment for our athletes, including heat and humidity mitigation that may be required.”

Michaud, the director of the Olympic Village, said organisers want to be kind to the environment, but not endanger the health of athletes. Some athletes,

especially in Paralympic events, have difficulty regulating their body’s core temperature and if they reside in rooms in which it proves impossible to keep at 26 degrees Celsius (79 degrees Fahrenheit) at night, national delegations will be able to install a portable AC system.

“It will be on a case-bycase basis, and for health and safety of the athletes,” Michaud said, adding that ventilators vaporising water droplets could be installed instead of traditional air conditioning nits.

Hidalgo, the Paris mayor, is adamantly against turning next year’s event into the bring-your-own-airconditioning Olympics — health exceptions aside.

“I can assure you that we will not change course and that there will be no changes to the construction programme of the village regarding air conditioning,” Hidalgo said.

Regarding the option of organisers providing national teams with an additional cooling mechanism, she said: “I am not in favour of it. We must be consistent with our objectives.”

The team is supported by a dedicated coaching staff, including head coach Nesley Jean, assistant head coach Kevin Davies, goalkeeper coach Avery Kemp, manager Larry Minns, equipment manager Steven Sorilien and team physician Sandeep Goud. Ticket prices have been set to ensure accessibility for all fans.

VIP tickets are priced at $25, Adults General Admission tickets cost $15, and Kids under 12 can attend the match for just $7. Fans can purchase their tickets online at bahamasfa.net, or visit the NSA office at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium Western Grandstand starting Monday, March 20 until Match Day.

The BFA invites soccer enthusiasts and proud Bahamians alike to come out and support the men’s national soccer team in this vital international match.

The event promises to deliver an exhilarating experience, a unique opportunity to unite as a nation, and showcase the Bahamian soccer talent on a global platform.

MICHAEL Major Jr signs his letter of intent. TOP LEFT INSET: Shown are his parents Michael Sr and Bernadette Major.

FULHAM’s Aleksandar Mitrovic shown a red card Sunday. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

Karting taking 242 to the world

By FAY SIMMONS jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

YOUNG Bahamians have been getting a taste of the racing world thanks to Edukarting Bahamaseven resulting in a trip to compete in France.

Members of the Edukarting

Bahamas team were present at the 2023 Antique Auto Club of the Bahamas car show at the weekend and shared their experiences with The Tribune

The Edukarting Programme was founded and coordinated by the Bahamas Motorsports Association with the support of the FIA Sport Grant Programme and provides an opportunity for students to learn kart driving and road safety skills.

Last year, the team competed at the 2022 FIA Motorsport Games in France, which is considered the Olympics of motorsports along with 72 countries.

Ramando Hudson, team captain, fondly recalled his first time racing on a professional race track.

He said: “It was exciting because it was my first time driving on a proper race car track and the experience was awesome to me.”

He added: “I got in Edukarting during school, it was like a summer camp. The guys who come from the UK used to come over and I was interested so I asked about it and I joined.”

Maria Scott, a 10th grade student at Aquinas College, was captivated by the French culture and enjoyed bonding with her teammates.

She said: “It was a great, the culture was so much different in France and there was so much to learn while we were there. The actual racing itself was so thrilling. It was an amazing experience and being there as a team. We had so much fun off the track as well as on the track.”

Naja Rolle, a student at the University of The Bahamas, considered the trip a learning experience and is looking forward to future competitions.

She said: “It was a very good experience. We got to see a lot of different types of races that we don’t necessarily do in The Bahamas so I feel as though it was a very

good learning experience for us and it will prepare is for the next year.”

The Edukarting initiative was introduced in 2013 as a summer camp into public schools and four of the schools with automotive programs continued as an after-school Kart Club.

Dominick Robinson, E-sports Racer, and many other current members of the team were introduced to the sport through the camp. He said: “It was a summer 2019, and there was an ad in the newspaper for the summer camp so I just decided to try it out.”

Ms Scott said: “I started at the Edukarting camp in 2017 or 2018.

I started in the parking lot of BTVI, and we were just learning the basics, the flags, how to drive stuff like that. And then we moved to the drag strip over by the sports centre where we raced and competed to see who would get chosen to go to France.”

Ms Rolle was inspired to join the team due to her older sister’s experience with the camp and has been actively involved ever since.

She said: “My sister was involved in this when I was younger, so I ended up following her. I went through the whole course, and then I decided that I was very much interested in it. I asked if I could teach, it has been eight years now and it’s been blossoming ever since. I’ve been involved in everything from that day.”

The team gave various reasons to get involved with the sport, including teamwork, communication skills, mechanics and off course entertainment.

Ms Scott said: “I feel like it’s important that we get more girls in it. Because driving and racing and stuff like that is more of a boy managed field. There weren’t many girls, I was only competing against one other girl to go while I was there was four or five six

BATTLING IT OUT TO BUILD BRIDGES

By FAY SIMMONS jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

STUDENTS took up a challenge to build bridges in a contest last week - with a tough battle to determine the winning entries.

The IBS Build-A-Bridge Challenge was held on Thursday at Holy Trinity Activities Centre, providing 26 local and international schools the chance to demonstrate their science and engineering skills.

The competition was held for the first time since 2019 and included five Family Island high schools and an international school from California - Castle Mount High School.

The Anatol Rodgers High School

$1,000 to win in essay competition

STUDENTS can win up to $1,000 in an essay competition on sustainability and climate change sponsored by solar company Inti Corporation in cooperation with the Ministry of Education.

The competition is open to junior, senior and tertiary level students.

The tertiary level winner will receive a prize of $1,000, the senior high school winner $750 and the junior high school winner $500.

One student will be Inti’s Youth Environment Ambassador for a year and the school with the most entries will receive the Environmental Leadership Award.

Inti Corporation is the company responsible for the design, engineering, procurement and construction of the nation’s first solar farm contributing to a power company grid.

different boys. So it’s really important that we get more young ladies involved.”

Mr Hudson said: “It helps you like communicate with people and practice teamwork. It takes up a lot of time so you don’t have any idle time at home doing negative stuff.

Ms Rolle said: “They could come to us from the Instagram Edukarting Bahamas or Road safety Bahamas we should have an Easter camp coming up. So just get involved in it. Once you’re involved. You’ll get to learn so many new things. This is not only about karting, it’s about safety, it’s about financing, PR, marketing and mechanics. It has a little bit of everything for anyone, so anybody can get involved.”

Mr Robinson said: “If you like to speed, if you’d like to drive, this is the sport for you.”

Inti is focused on sustainability and has embraced a commitment to gender equality. The firm is actively seeking more women in engineering and construction of the Grand Bahama project.

Owen Bethel, the president of Inti Corporation, encouraged students to be mindful of sustainable practices and climate change.

He said: “We are encouraging all students to stop and think about how sustainable practices impact climate change. The topic we want them to write about is ‘Renewable and sustainable energy can significantly impact climate change in The Bahamas.

“We believe that when students think of key words like hurricane, rising sea levels, solar solutions and sustainable development and consider those words in connection with The Bahamas, even in connection with a storm they may have gone through, it will bring home a subject that at times can feel remote or distant.”

team of Jaydica Cooper, Recalicia Rahming, Jabori Brown and Ashenii Adu took home the top prize in the bridge load category, followed by Queen’s College and St John’s College, the 2019 winners, in third place.

In the aesthetics category, there was a tie for first place between Mary Star of The Sea Catholic School in Grand Bahama (team members Nathalie Samson, Tai Laing and Rachel Sebastian) and NGM Major High School in Long Island (members Denetra Bascombe, Jarrad McPhee, Anastacia Clarke, Courtney Knowles and Naarziae Adderley). Heuristics Academy, a new entrant to the competition came in third place.

IBS is hopeful that the challenge will help high school students to develop an interest in engineering and the applied sciences and teach the discipline and determination needed to face life’s challenges.

Over the past 12 years, approxi-

mately 1,000 high school students have gone through the program and many have gone on to study engineering or an applied science. IBS offers its summer intern ship program to one member of the winning team and is hopeful that participants will one day be the foun-

dation of the Bahamian engineering, architectural and science fields.

• Final scores: Bridge load: Anatol Rodgers bridge weight .436lb, failing load 254.5lb; Queen’s College .5245lb, 231lb; St John’s College .4705lb,

Aesthetics: Mary Star of the Sea 25pts; NGM Major 25pts; Heuristics Academy 24.67pts.

He added: “The students who are now in junior and senior high and in college will carry the mantle forward and the more we can incentivise them to think about innovation in areas like renewables, the better protected we will be in the future, their future.

Essay competition rules include a word count of 400 to 600 words for junior secondary level students, 650 to 800 for senior secondary and 800 to 1,000 for tertiary level students. A team of teachers will screen submissions and finalists will also be interviewed by judges for selection of the ambassador who will represent Inti on environmental matters at conferences and other opportunities for one year.

Full rules, including key words and entry requirements, are available at

TEAM Bahamas in France last year. Above right, an Edukarting kart. EDUKARTING team members with organisers of the car show on Saturday.

Photo: Moise Amisial

TOP, the winning team from Anatol Rodgers, and below, the joint winners from Mary Star of the Sea and NGM Major.

SPORTS

McPhee-McCuin

and Ole Miss Rebels stun Stanford, reach first Sweet 16 in 16 years

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

Coach Yolett ‘Yo’ McPhee-McCuin and her University of Mississippi Lady Rebels are now into the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Sweet 16 of the women’s national basketball tournament for the first time in 16 years. Grand Bahama native McPhee-McCuin and her Lady Rebels booked their ticket to the NCAA Regionals in Seattle, Washington, this weekend as they pulled off a 54-49 win over the three-time national champions and number one seed Stanford Cardinal on Sunday night at Stanford’s Maples Pavilion.

“Everyone, especially on social media say, ‘Yo can’t win the big one,’ so for our

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION

team to do this, I’m full of gratitude,” stated McPheeMcCuin, a product of her

‘Buddy’ Hield cans 20 but Hornets finish strong, beat Pacers 115-109

By CAL REED Associated Press

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 28 points, and the Charlotte Hornets erased a 21-point first-half deficit to beat the Indiana Pacers 115-109 last night behind a strong finish to snap a sixgame home losing streak.

Terry Rozier added 23 points and Gordon Hayward had 22 for the Hornets, who outscored the Pacers 19-4 over the final six minutes to deal the Pacers’ postseason hopes a big blow.

Nick Richards was strong in the second half for Charlotte, finishing with 14 points and 17 rebounds.

Myles Turner and Buddy Hield each had 20 points for the Pacers, who entered the night 1 1/2 games behind the Chicago Bulls for the 10th spot in the Eastern Conference standings.

The Hornets trailed 105-96 with 6:23 left in the game after Hield knocked down a 3-pointer.

But Svi Mykhailiuk’s 3-pointer from the corner sparked a 13-0 Hornets run to put Charlotte in control as the Pacers were held scoreless for more than

five minutes. Hayward’s 3-pointer with 3:32 left put the Hornets ahead for good.

The Pacers (32-40) looked like they might blow out the Hornets early, bolting to a 40-22 lead behind Turner, who had 15 points in the first quarter on 9 of 9 shooting from the foul line.

The lead got as big as 21 in the second quarter, but the Hornets (23-50) battled back to take the lead in the third quarter when JT Thor buried a 3-pointer from the wing off an assist from Hayward.

HIELD’S ENDURACE: 72 GAMES AND COUNTING

While some NBA players have missed a game here or there for load management reasons, Hield has now played in all 72 games for the Pacers.

“He is very prideful about playing,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said before the game.

“He hates missing games, plays hurt, and is very unique. He has a tremendous level of endurance, stamina, and he works at it. He’s also wired to love the game and he just loves to play.”

Paris aims to keep Olympians cool without air conditioners

By BARBARA SURK and SAMUEL PETREQUIN Associated Press

THE Paris Olympics is going underground to find a way to keep athletes cool at the 2024 Games without air conditioners.

Organisers are planning to use a water-cooling system under the Athletes Village — much like the one that has helped the Louvre Museum cope with the sweltering heat that broke records last year — to keep temperatures in check for the Olympians and Paralympians who stay there.

The decision is part of the organising committee’s goal to cut the carbon footprint of the Paris Games by half and stage the most sustainable Olympics to date by installing a special technology to use natural sources

to keep everyone cool even during a potential heat wave.

“I want the Paris Games to be exemplary from an environmental point of view,” said Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, who has resolved to tackle climate change with an ambitious action plan that aims to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and make the City of Lights carbon neutral by 2050.

Compared to a conventional project, the carbon impact will be reduced by 45% for the Athletes Village during the construction phase and over the entire Olympic cycle, she said.

For two months between July and September 2024, the Athletes Village north of Paris will host 15,600 athletes and sports officials during the Olympics and 9,000 athletes and their

supporting teams during the Paralympics. After the games, the 50-hectare (125acre) site next to the River Seine in the popular district of Seine-Saint-Denis will become a zero-carbon, eco-friendly residential and commercial neighbourhood

with 6,000 news inhabitants — the first ones moving in as soon as 2025.

In anticipation of hot weather, organisers have been studying heatwaves block by block in the

father, legendary men’s national team basketball coach and Catholic High Crusaders’ famed coach Gladstone ‘Moon’ McPhee and her principal mother Daisy McPhee, who were both in attendance.

“This is for the people with a dollar and a dream. I’m a little girl from The Bahamas that was given an opportunity. I wasn’t Ole Miss’ first choice, but I was the right one. I wasn’t naïve to think that I could do it and that’s what no ceilings mean, that there’s no limit. So I’m just really proud to be the head coach here.”

The Rebels, 25-8, now await the winner of the match-up on Monday night between No.4 seed Texas

SEE PAGE 13

CONCACAF NATIONS LEAGUE: BAHAMAS VS TRINIDAD MARCH 24

THE Bahamas Football Association (BFA) proudly announces the upcoming Concacaf Nations League match, scheduled for 4pm March 24 at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium.

Soccer fans across the nation eagerly anticipate the thrilling showdown between the men’s national soccer team and Trinidad & Tobago. “This match is an excellent opportunity for our talented players to showcase their skills on the international stage, and we are excited to bring this incredible event to the Bahamian soccer community,” said Carl Lynch, BFA deputy general secretary.

“We encourage everyone to come out, support our national team, and be a part of this unforgettable experience.”

The Concacaf Nations League unites national teams from North America, Central America and the Caribbean in a competitive league structure, fostering regional rivalries and offering teams the chance to improve their global FIFA ranking.

The men’s national soccer team, featuring prominent

SEE PAGE 14

By JAMES ROBSON AP Soccer Writer

MANCHESTER, Eng-

land (AP) — It was all set up for a famous FA Cup upset as Fulham led treble-chasing Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday.

But in the space of seven chaotic second-half minutes, the visitors were reduced to nine players, had their manager sent off and conceded twice.

It was a meltdown of epic proportions and United capitalised on it in ruthless fashion to advance to the semifinals with a 3-1 win that keeps its three-pronged trophy pursuit on track. There is also the prospect of a mouthwatering

FA Cup final against Manchester City after the rivals were kept apart in the draw for the last four.

Thoughts of an allManchester showdown at Wembley on June 3, however, looked in serious doubt after Aleksandar Mitrovic fired Fulham ahead in the 50th minute of the quarterfinal match. That was before the game was turned upside down as Fulham’s players and manager Marco Silva lost control.

Emotions boiled over after Willian blocked Jadon Sancho’s goalbound shot in the 70th and VAR instructed referee Chris Kavanagh to review the incident on the

THE OLYMPIC athletes’ village construction site is pictured In Saint Denis, outside Paris, on Saturday.

(AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Golf, Page 11

INDIANA Pacers guard Buddy Hield smiles prior to an NBA basketball game against the Charlotte Hornets, Monday, March 20, 2023, in Charlotte, N.C.

(AP Photo/Matt Kelley)

MISSISSIPPI head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin gets emotional with her dad Gladstone McPhee, right, after winning against Stanford during the second half of a second-round college basketball game in the women’s NCAA Tournament on Sunday, March 19, 2023, in Stanford, California.

(AP Photo/Josie Lepe)