03272023 NEWS AND SPORT

HOUSE & HOME

FAMILIES HOMELESS AFTER BIMINI BLAZE

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

ELEVEN families were displaced after a fire destroyed four homes in Bimini yesterday and exposed the dysfunctional firefighting equipment on the island.

Residents battled the flames with hoses from their homes and buckets of water drawn from the sea. Some cried as the houses burned down but there were no reports of injuries.

Videos showing the destructive blaze spread

across social media on Sunday.

“I lost everything,” said 36-year-old Danika Cartwright-Weech, a newlywed who moved into her home last month. “I don’t know what happened. All I know is I woke up and my roof was basically on fire; that was it.”

Pastor Oral Ellis recounted waking up to unusual sounds and hearing a neighbour screaming for him to escape the house.

“When I get out the door, I looked up and (the)

SEE PAGE THREE

NEW LEGAL HURDLE FACES GOVT ON SHANTY TOWNS

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune News Editor rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE government faces a new legal challenge over the possible demolition of shanty towns after an appeal was filed against an earlier ruling.

FNM LEADERS TOLD ‘STAY OUT’ OF CONSTITUENCY BUSINESS

DR SANDS: VAT ON HEALTH INSURANCE CLAIMS ‘ABSURD’

The Court of Appeal has been asked to overturn the Supreme Court ruling that sanctioned the Minnis administration’s shanty towns eradication policy and paved the way for the Davis administration’s

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

THE assistant chaplain of the Free National Movement wants FNM leaders to stop interfering in constituency association affairs.

In an internal communication leaked to The

Tribune, Kevin Harris, who is also a former director of Bahamas Information Services, also criticised deputy chairman Don Saunders for attending last week’s Mount Moriah constituency meeting where he publicly argued with the Carmichael

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

THE FNM’s chairman yesterday branded the proposal to change the VAT treatment of health insurance claims as “absurd, insane and inane”, warning that it will “destroy” the medical

US HOTEL GROUP PURCHASE OF GINN DENIED

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

THE government has rejected a US hotel group, which last week agreed to pay $325,000 in sanctions to settle COVID fraud allegations, as a buyer of the 2,012 acre former Ginn development in Grand Bahama’s West End. Kingwood

International Resorts, which has been pursuing a multi-year effort

to obtain Bahamian government approval to acquire the project, had been accused by the US Justice Department of “knowingly providing false information” to secure pandemic-related financial assistance via a scheme involving “ghost” employees that was designed to “personally benefit” its principals.

sector if implemented as originally planned.

Dr Duane Sands, himself a physician, told Tribune Business that the government’s proposal would halt insurance companies reclaiming VAT on health insurance claims.

Fire displaces eleven families as dysfunctional fire apparatus failed to bring it under control

US EMBASSY NOTES $1BN SPENT TO REMOVE GUNS IN REGION

IN THE wake of Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis announcing The Bahamas had joined a legal action against US gun manufacturers, the US Embassy has highlighted efforts to tackle gun trafficking and violence in the region.

The Embassy noted the

US government does not comment on ongoing legal matters. Last week, The Bahamas joined an amicus curiae brief (friend of the court) supporting an appeal by Mexico in a case seeking to hold US gun manufacturers to account for the spread of firearms throughout the region.

Other countries joining the brief included Antigua and Barbuda, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago.

However, the Embassy statement did point out government efforts to assist the Caribbean region.

The statement said:

“Over the past 12 years, the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative has devoted nearly $1bn to programmes designed to reduce illicit trafficking, increase citizen security, and prevent youth crime and violence.”

It added: “We partner with law enforcement agencies

across the region to take down the networks of those who profit from the illicit gun trade. Our attachés from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) in Jamaica, The Bahamas, and Trinidad support host country investigations into firearms trafficking cases. In collaboration with their regional counterparts from the US Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) they enforce US export laws and investigate firearms and ammunition smuggling operations that violate these laws.”

The Embassy pointed to results such as a joint operation in September 2022 that involved officers from 19 countries in the region, as well as INTERPOL, CARICOM, the World Customs Organisation, ATF and HSI that led to the seizure of 350 weapons, 3,300 rounds of ammunition and ten tons of cocaine.

In another incident, in March 2022, multiple international sting operations led to 111 seizures, including 446 firearms and 188,256 rounds of ammunition.

Additionally, the Caribbean Crime Gun Intelligence Unit (CCGIU) was set up in November last year by the CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS) with support from US agencies.

The Embassy said: “The CCGIU’s main objective is to improve intelligence and information sharing among Caribbean and US law enforcement agencies. The CCGIU supports

CARICOM member states with seizing firearms, related parts, and components as well as in identifying, charging, and prosecuting co-conspirators for firearms crimes. The CCGIU works with US and international law enforcement partners, including ATF and HSI, UK National Crime Agency (NCA), INTERPOL, and the Regional Security System (RSS).

“Over the past two weeks, HSI Nassau and CBP Preclearance Nassau have provided training to the Royal Bahamas Police Force Anti-Gang and Firearms Unit (AGFU) at Lynden Pindling International Airport in Nassau, Bahamas. Two separate 16-hour training blocks provided a total of 12 participants with classroom instruction and practical experience to operate a new inspection device. Effective utilisation of this technology will help detect contraband concealed in parcels being shipped to The Bahamas and keep those guns off the streets. AGFU participants included constables, inspectors, seamen, and officers from RBPF, Bahamas Customs, Bahamas Immigration, and Royal Bahamas Defense Force.”

The statement concluded: “Our actions demonstrate the US government’s commitment to helping The Bahamas and the Caribbean effectively address firearms trafficking. We will continue our mission to remove illegal guns from the streets and work with our partners to address violent crime.”

OVER the last two weeks, HSI Nassau and CBP Preclearance Nassau provided training to the RBPF Anti-Gang and Firearms Unit (AGFU) at Lynden Pindling International Airport.

Families homeless after Bimini blaze

bedroom upstairs, that was fully engulfed,” he said. “So the only thing I could do was go back into my bedroom. I grabbed my wallet and my phone and my glasses.”

Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis travelled to Bimini with a delegation to assess the damage. In a meeting with victims, he pledged to help them return to normalcy.

Residents said after the fire began around 5am in the Porgy Bay settlement, it spread to multiple densely situated homes.

In addition to the four destroyed structures, three houses were extensively damaged by water and smoke.

Obie Wilchcombe, Minister of Social Services and MP for the island, said officials secured apartments for the displaced residents and money for them to purchase clothing from Mucka Mucks.

“Our social services team has already prepared the slips for you to be able to go to the shops immediately to purchase food,” he told the residents at a meeting. “Those have been done and are in place now.”

Inadequate fire equipment angered residents who said the blaze would have been contained with functional equipment.

“We really need a fire engine truck in Bimini like yesterday,” said Hugh Smith. “A lot of us took a big risk getting burned in the fire and the smoke. Right now when I belch I belching smoke. All my head hurting right now, but if we had firetruck this morning, we only probably would have lose one room in one house but we end up losing five houses and almost lose the big apartment on the next side.” Bimini island administrator Desiree Ferguson said

the fire had spread uncontrollably by the time some “mobile ones” reached the scene. She suggested Resorts World Bimini sent the units.

“One didn’t have enough pressure; the other one worked but it wasn’t sufficient water,” she said.

Mr Wilchcombe said officials know they need to replenish the fleet of fire trucks. He said two mechanics will visit the island to examine the engines of the trucks there.

“It’s a situation that obviously is as I move unacceptable and it’s one of those things that we have to contend with,” he said.

SCENES from the blaze that left eleven families homeless yesterday in Bimini

FNM leaders told ‘stay out’ of constituency business

Constituency Association chairman.

Division in the FNM has attracted attention after leaders reportedly tried to block former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis from speaking at constituency association meetings.

Yesterday, Mr Harris said he is confident the party will overcome its issues.

His communication, which was not intended for public consumption, said: “The FNM is a democratic political organisation founded on the individual right to freedom of expression and association. What I am seeing play out is a decision to focus on constituency associations that intended to have meetings where the former Prime Minister was invited to speak. I have told the chairman and the leader that what I see happening in regards to interfering with meetings in particular where Dr Minnis is scheduled to speak is simply wrong and undemocratic. If we are honest, we are not seeing leaders of this party focus heavily on any other constituency association meetings and based on the number of flyers being created there are many meetings taken place.”

FNM leaders reportedly tried to block Dr Minnis from speaking at a Garden

Hills constituency association meeting, pushing the party’s internal tensions into public view.

The divisions in the party were highlighted again last week when former Tall Pines MP Don Saunders openly argued with Peter Outten, the chairman of the Carmichael constituency association, after telling reporters he knew nothing about efforts to prevent Dr Minnis from speaking at association meetings.

Mr Harris said he was surprised Mr Saunders even attended the Mount Moriah meeting.

“In my opinion, Don knew full well who would be in attendance and I believe he is aware of the temperament of some of the men who would be there,” he said.

“My question to Don is why raise the issues that you raised after the meeting when in my view again, knowing it would create tension. Up until that point from what many have said and what I watched online, the meeting seemed to have been very organised and it seemed to have went well. From the snippets that I heard from Dr Minnis’ speech, he seemed focused again on attacking the PLP and not the FNM or the Leader of the FNM. I was also informed that Dr Minnis also called for party

NEW LEGAL HURDLE FACES

unity and that the FNM is a family. I want to commend Dr Minnis for his maturity and leadership in this regard.”

“The FNM as some say was started by men who were soldiers of dissent and that spirit some say follow us to this day. I believe it also happens in the PLP. The bottom line, we have always had members who support a sitting leader and some who still supported a former leader or even someone else altogether who wish to be leader. That is all of their rights to do so.

“This is not kindergarten, this is politics and, yes, at times some will passionately support who they support. The key here is for us as a party not to be seen as trying to prevent people to support who they wish. These so called 30, 40, 50 or even 150 are FNMs. I may not agree with all they do and say and how they may behave at times, but I support their rights to do so. I may not agree with everything the leader, chairman or Dr Minnis does and says, but I support their rights to do so. I can as a member in each instance agree to disagree. We must stop interfering in these constituency associations decisions as to who wish to serve as a guest speaker and allow these meetings with FNMs to be held in peace.”

GOVT ON SHANTY TOWNS

from page one

eradication exercises.

Respect Our Homes Limited and 177 residents/ occupants of shanty towns in The Bahamas filed their Notice of Appeal Motion on March 10, 2023, a month after Justice Cheryl GrantThompson ruled their constitutional rights were not violated when the government issued legal notices for them to vacate the land.

Fred Smith, KC, leads a team of lawyers representing the appellants.

News of the appeal comes after the government posted 260 eviction notices in unregulated communities off SC Bootle Highway, Abaco, last week.

The appellants oppose the government’s decision to allegedly take “apparent” possession of the shanty town land, to disconnect utilities in those areas, and to issue general, blanket notices under the Buildings Regulation Act to demolish shanty town buildings.

Their appeal relies on six grounds.

First, they argue Justice Grant-Thompson wrongly concluded the government showed no intention to possess shanty town land in Abaco.

Their motion says: “Hurricane Dorian struck on September 1, 2019, and therefore post-dated the Possession Decision. Action taken in light of an event post-dating a decision cannot rationally affect the assessment of whether the original decision was in fact taken, and accordingly, the learned judge misdirected herself in the consideration of the evidence on this issue.”

“As a result of this finding, the learned judge did not consider the lawfulness of the Possession Decision. Had she done so, she ought to have found that it was unlawful for the reasons advanced by the Appellants.”

The second ground of appeal is that the judge “failed to address grounds for review, advanced, misconstrued and misapplied the provisions of the Water Sewerage Act and the Electricity Act, and wrongly applied the case of Mercury Energy LTD vs Electricity Corporation of New Zealand”.

The third ground of appeal is that the judge “misdirected herself by conflating two separate grounds of review, namely who was authorized to issue the Notices… and the question whether the Ministry of

FRED SMITH, KC leads a team of lawyers launching an appeal into the governments push to demolish shanty towns.

Public Works acted under dictation”.

The fourth ground of appeal is that the judge “failed to make any finding and/or give sufficient reasons in respect of her decision on the appellants’ challenges to the Notices Decision based on extraneous purpose, acting under dictation, fettering of discretion and irrelevant considerations”.

The fifth ground of appeal is that the judge “wrongly failed to find that the Notices were invalid on their face”.

The final ground of appeal is that the judge “misdirected herself in relation to the application for constitutional relief and failed to give reasons for dismissing it”.

LLOYD SAYS CORPORAL PUNISHMENT NEEDS TO BE ERADICATED FROM SCHOOL SYSTEM

By LETRE SWEETING Tribune Staff Reporter lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Education

Minister Jeff Lloyd wants a complete ban on corporal punishment in schools, linking beatings to high rates of violence in the country.

National Security Minister Wayne Monroe told

The Tribune on Friday he is still awaiting a report on a beating incident at a Bimini primary school earlier this month that left a child nursing injuries after a police officer punished several boys. The incident put a spotlight on corporal punishment.

According to Education Minister Glenys Hanna Martin, the guideline for using corporal punishment is that it it is only to be done by a senior administrator in the presence of another administrator. She said the Bimini incident, as

reported, did not comply with the guideline.

Mr Lloyd, nonetheless, believes corporal punishment should be banned outright.

“I’m not going to sit by and support or endorse the physical application of corporal punishment,” he said. “It’s time for us to face the fact that the way that we have been raising our children, including how my parents raised me, it’s not been to their highest benefit. It may get you some temporary obedience. But what does that do to the long-term emotional and physical health of a child?”

“I am not by any means suggesting that we go easy on children who are disruptive or misbehaving and so on. They ought to be dealt with, seriously and deliberately, not only them but their parents. But I don’t believe that the infliction of physical, violent punishment meets the objective, that we seek to attain.

“During my time in office, I commissioned a study about corporal punishment. At that time, there was some consideration about whether it could be abolished. And I can remember clearly, my memory was that it needed to be abolished, and other more humane applications of punishment, discipline and so on be introduced.

“I stood up in the House of Assembly, and I said very clearly at that time, that I personally do not support the application of corporal punishment.”

Mr Lloyd wants a national conversation about how children are raised in The Bahamas.

“There is no mystery about why you’re seeing such violence in our Bahamian society,” he said. “These little small, supposedly peaceful, peace-loving, kindhearted people are visiting the kind of violence upon each other in our words and our attitude, and

obviously also in our physical interaction with people. It’s horrendous.”

“And you see this in the neglect of children. You see this in the abuse of children.

FORMER Minister of Education Jeff Lloyd says corporal punishment needs to be removed from schools and linked it to the violent behaviour we see in the country. You see this in domestic violence situations. How can children find ways to resolve their conflicts, when they are being raised in an environment of violence and disrespect?

Lloyd “Can’t you see the connection? Aren’t we paying attention to how one act leads to another

act, which is the most undesirable act, and that is children hurting one another, children fighting with one another and children harming one another.” The officer in the Bimini incident has been transferred. Police are said to be investigating whether he committed a crime.

BELL CALL FOR INCREASED

PRODUCTIVITY IN LABOUR

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

LABOUR Minister Keith Bell called for increased productivity in the labour force on Friday, saying that the lack thereof has contributed to the high number of work permits issued each year. Mr Bell was speaking at the annual general assembly meeting of the National Tripartite Council (NTC), held at the National Training Agency on Gladstone Road.

During his keynote speech, Mr Bell acknowledged the need for more work to be done regarding implementing the government’s policies on labour relations.

However, he urged that “specific and concrete recommendations” be given to increase productivity within the Bahamian labour force.

“Although it is not on the agenda, I am seeking your specific and concrete recommendations on increasing productivity in the workplace,” said Mr Bell.

“It is something that we cannot legislate but we have to ensure that the increase in minimum wage corresponds with an increase in productivity in the workplace, especially as

we move towards a livable wage.

He continued: “This is a special concern to me as the Minister of Labour and Immigration and part of the reason in some respect, why we have to issue so much work permits in this country every year. This is a matter that must be addressed rather sooner than later.”

He noted that there are plans to host a roundtable discussion to formulate a national policy on the granting of work permits within the country.

Unable to give a definitive date, Mr Bell said the discussion is expected to be between the months of July and August.

He also credited the NTC for its role in the recent increase in the minimum wage. Since the introduction of the minimum wage increase, there have been no reports of layoffs or redundancies to date, according to Mr Bell. Additionally, he noted that NTC is presently conducting research for the transformation of The Bahamas Industrial Tribunal and the enactment of the Industrial Court Bill 2023. The Labour Minister also presented the NTC’s annual report for July 2021 to June 2022 to be tabled in the House of Assembly.

Weekend double shooting leaves one man dead and a teenager in the hospital

A MAN was murdered and a teenager was hospitalised in a double shooting on Saturday night.

The pair were said to have been sitting on the wall of a residence in the Finlayson Street area when two men approached and opened fire, hitting both victims several times about the body.

Police officers said that they were alerted to the incident by ShotSpotter shortly after 10pm.

On arriving at the scene, officers found the two men lying in front of the residence.

Emergency medical technicians were called and confirmed that one man

had died at the scene. The second victim was taken to hospital where his condition remains unknown at the time of going to press.

Officers are searching for two suspects, who they said initially approached the victims from a southerly direction before fleeing in an unknown direction.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the Criminal Investigations Department on 502-9991/2/3 or CRIMESTOPPERS on 328-TIPS.

Meanwhile, police are also investigating a double stabbing in a fight that left two people hospitalised. The two men, aged 34 and 25, both of Kemp

Road, suffered stab wounds in an incident shortly before 10pm on Friday.

Officers said that reports indicated the men were at a business on Kemp Road when they began an argument that then became physical.

One of the men reportedly produced a knife and attacked the second, causing injuries to his upper body. The second man, who was disarmed, also received stab wounds to his upper body, officers said.

Emergency Medical Services personnel were summoned to the scene and took both men to hospital, where they were reported to be in stable condition.

Grand Bahama.

A SUSPECTED rape is being investigated in Exuma, which reportedly took place on Saturday.

Police said that shortly after 4.30am, the victim caught a ride with a man known to her from a nightclub in the area of the Airport Road.

During that journey, police said the man diverted and parked his vehicle at the front of a residence in the Boulevard Road area and sexually assaulted the victim, before pushing the victim out of the vehicle and leaving her stranded.

The woman contacted a relative and reported the incident to the police and the man was arrested.

Investigations continue.

• A 29-year-old man was left in hospital after being shot on Friday. The man, of Hospital Lane, was reportedly near a business establishment on that road when, shortly after 10pm, he was approached by occupants

of a black Honda note. The male attackers produced firearms, shot the victim and fled in the vehicle in an unknown direction. The vehicle was found abandoned on Hay Street a short time later with three firearms inside and a quantity of ammunition. The victim was taken to hospital, where he was said to be in serious condition.

• A teenager is in hospital after being shot on Friday in the Farrington Road area.

At 12.32pm, the victim, while in the area of Myrtle Street, was approached by a male known to him, who produced a firearm and shot him in the leg. The attacker then fled in an unknown direction. The victim was taken to hospital by private vehicle, where he was in serious condition.

• Police are investigating a reported kidnapping and armed robbery on Thursday in

Shortly after 9pm, while on a basketball court in Coral Gardens, a man was approached by two men armed with a high-powered weapon and a knife, who reportedly ordered him into the back seat of his blue Nissan March and drove to an area near the Airport Road. While there, the victim was able to open the door and escape into nearby bushes.

The suspects then drove off in the vehicle, which also contained his wallet and un unknown amount of cash.

The suspects were described as slim, with dark complexions, and 5ft 9in to 5ft 10in tall.

In another incident an hour later, a man was robbed outside his home in the Garden Villas area by two men who exited a blue Nissah March and approached him, armed with high-powered weapons. The victim ran away and hid but on returning

to his home found that $80 in cash had been stolen from his kitchen counter.

• A police chase ended with four young suspects being arrested on Saturday for possession of dangerous drugs. Shortly after 1am, during saturation patrols in the Pinewood Gardens area, officers say the occupants of a burgundy Nissan Cube acting suspiciously on seeing a marked police vehicle. The Cube sped off to the east in an attempt to evade officers. A pursuit followed until the vehicle shortly came to a stop on Pigeon Plum Street. A search of the vehicle found a quantity of suspected marijuana and the occupants of the car, an 18-year-old male, an 18-year-old female and two juvenile males were detained in custody.

MAN DENIES KILLING TCU PRESIDENT LEON GRIFFIN

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN has denied the 2021 killing of former Taxi Cab Union president Leon Griffin, who was shot dead outside his home in 2021.

Demargio Lockhart, 22, stood before Senior Justice Bernard Turner on Friday on charges of murder and conspiracy to commit murder.

It is alleged that on December 23, 2021, Lockhart shot Leon Griffin in the head as he sat in his car outside his house in Winton Meadows.

The murder made national headlines after Griffin’s wife, former Social Services Minister Melanie Griffin, found his body slumped over in the vehicle shortly after 8pm that night.

The defendant pleaded

not guilty to both charges. Lockhart was informed he is to return before Justice Turner on March 28 for potential trial date fixture.

Another man, Alvardo “Boogey” Curry, 24, also appeared before Justice Turner on a separate murder charge.

It is alleged that on February 24, 2022, Curry shot and killed Jermaine “Rock Man” Smith on Baillou Hill Road South and Cowpen Road.

Curry pleaded not guilty. He indicated to the court that he was represented by Jeffrey Farquharson who was not present at the time. The defendant was informed his matter had been transferred to Justice Guillimina Archer-Minns. Curry is expected to appear for trial date fixture on April 5 at 2pm.

A MAN was murdered and a teenager was hospitalised in a double shooting on Saturday night on Finlayson Street.

Photo: Austin Fernander

The Tribune Limited

Honduras links with China after Taiwan break

HONDURAS established diplomatic ties with China on Sunday after breaking off relations with Taiwan, which is increasingly isolated and now recognised by only 13 sovereign states.

Foreign ministers from China and Honduras signed a joint communique in Beijing — a decision the Chinese Foreign Ministry hailed as “the right choice”.

The diplomatic victory for China comes as tensions rise between Beijing and the United States, including over China’s increasing assertiveness toward self-ruled Taiwan, and signals growing Chinese influence in Latin America. The new China-Honduras relationship was announced after the Honduran and Taiwanese governments made separate announcements that they were severing ties.

China and Taiwan have been locked in a battle for diplomatic recognition since they split amid civil war in 1949, with Beijing spending billions to win recognition for its “one China” policy.

China claims Taiwan is part of its territory, to be brought under its control by force if necessary, and refuses most contacts with countries that maintain formal ties with the island democracy. It threatens retaliation against countries merely for increasing contacts.

China’s Foreign Minister Qin Gang said the establishment of ties proved that adhering to “one China” policy is winning people’s hearts and is “the general trend”.

“We inform sternly the Taiwan authorities that engaging in separatist activities for Taiwan independence is against the will and interests of the Chinese nation and against the trend of history, and is doomed to a dead end,” he said.

The Honduran Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Twitter that its government recognises “only one China in the world” and that Beijing “is the only legitimate government that represents all of China”.

It added that “Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory, and as of today, the Honduran government has informed Taiwan of the severance of diplomatic relations, pledging not to have any official relationship or contact with Taiwan”.

Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu told a news conference Sunday that Taiwan had ended its relations with Honduras to “safeguard its sovereignty and dignity”.

Wu said that Honduran President Xiomara Castro and her team always had a “fantasy” about China and had raised the issue of switching ties before the presidential election in Honduras in 2021. Relations between Taiwan and Honduras were once stable, he said, but China had not stopped luring Honduras.

Honduras had asked Taiwan for billions of dollars of aid and compared its proposals with China’s, Wu said. About two weeks ago, the Honduran government sought $2.45bn from Taiwan to build a hospital and a dam, and to write off debts, he added.

“The Castro government dismissed our nation’s longstanding assistance and relations and carried out talks to form diplomatic ties with China. Our government feels pained and regretful,” he said.

Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen said her government would not “engage in a meaningless contest of dollar diplomacy with China”.

“Over these past few years, China has persistently used various means to suppress Taiwan’s international participation, escalate military intrusion, and disrupt peace and stability in the region,” she said in a recorded video. Her office spokesperson Olivia Lin said in a statement that relations between the sides had lasted for more than 80 years.

Analysts have warned over the implications of the newly formed ties between China and Honduras. Political analyst Graco Pérez in Honduras said Beijing’s narrative would highlight the benefits, including investment and job creation, “but that is all going to be illusory.”

Pérez noted that some other countries have established such relations, but “it didn’t turn out to be what had been offered”.

For decades, China has funneled billions of dollars into investment and infrastructure projects across Latin America. That investment has translated to rising power for China and a growing number of allies.

In Honduras, it has come in the form of construction of a hydroelectric dam project in central Honduras built by the Chinese company SINOHYDRO with about $300m in Chinese government financing.

Honduras is the ninth diplomatic ally that Taipei has lost to Beijing since the pro-independence Tsai first took office in May 2016.

Taiwan still has ties with Belize, Paraguay and Guatemala in Latin America, and Vatican City. Most of its remaining partners are island nations in the Caribbean and South Pacific, along with Eswatini in southern Africa.

Some of these diplomatic recognitions were earned through Taiwan’s financial and technical aid in the 1980s and ‘90s following its exceptional economic growth, Lorenzo Maggiorelli, a professor at the political science and international relations department of Jorge Tadeo Lozano University in Bogotá, Colombia, wrote in his research.

In 1998, Taiwan set up a $240m aid fund for its Central American allies in a hope of retaining their support. Taiwanese businesses were also encouraged to invest in Central America to consolidate political ties, Maggiorelli wrote.

Tsai is set to begin a ten-day trip on Wednesday with visits to Guatemala and Belize. Her delegation will also stop in New York and Los Angeles, Lin said last week. Taiwan’s Vice Foreign Minister Alexander Yui earlier said the purpose of Tsai’s trip is to highlight the island’s friendship with the two Latin American countries.

Wu said he did not have any evidence that the timing of the announcement was related to Tsai’s trip but noted “China seems to be doing this intentionally.”

Despite China’s campaign of isolation, Taiwan retains robust informal ties with more than 100 other countries, most importantly the United States. The US doesn’t have diplomatic relations with Taiwan but has maintained that Taipei is an important partner in the Indo-Pacific.

By The Associated Press

EDITOR, The Tribune.

IT IS truly said that it is an ill wind that blows nobody any good. While drivers curse the disgraceful state of our potholed roads in Nassau, there is one man, Locksley Thompson aka the street philosopher “Potcake”,

who revels in our collective misery. As soon as a pothole dislodges one of our hubcaps, Potcake is right behind to pick it up. Finders Keepers Losers Weepers.

BRUCE G. RAINE Nassau, March 26, 2923

We need to save conch

EDITOR, The Tribune.

IN THE 6th January 2023 edition of The Nassau Guardian there appeared under the heading “No Need for Conch Season Yet” statements attributed to Eric Carey, the former executive director of the Bahamas National Trust (BNT) in which he is quoted as saying that “I don’t think we need a conch season yet.”

To say that I was disappointed with such a statement emanating from Mr Carey would be a gross understatement. Mr Carey has provided yeoman’s service to BNT and to The Bahamas in his capacity as the head of BNT but with the greatest respect that statement is a grave disservice to the country and damage to his reputation.

The article commenced with a statement to the effect that “if measures put in place by the government to protect Bahamian conch stocks are enforced there would be no need for a season on conch”, which would suggest that Mr. Carey clearly acknowledges that the laws which are in place are not being enforced and further he appears to be of the view that we will at some time in the future need to impose a conch season if those measures are not adopted.

Every time there is talk of imposing new restrictions on the conch industry there seems to be a call for a further study. Surely there is no need to have another study to determine the state of the conch population. Common sense would suggest that there is no creature, animal, fish or fowl on this planet which does not require some form of protection in order to preserve it from extinction. As a student in the 1960s one would hear of the unlimited quantity of fish on the Grand Banks off New Foundland which were regarded as one of the richest fishing grounds in the world. Overfishing got out of control and reached the point where in 1992 a moratorium was introduced creating a total ban on cod fishing in an effort to resuscitate the fish population. Canadian cod was at that point not biologically extinct but commercially extinct. There has been no meaningful recovery in the cod population since 1992.

In history, one would learn about the passenger pigeon which in the early 1800’s was estimated to number three billion, that is billion with a B and by 1900 not one survived in the wild and the last one died in captivity in 1914.

The Bison of North American once roamed the plains in the United States in the millions anywhere from 30 to 60 million in the late 18th century but which by 1884 had been culled to 325. The number in the wild have gradually increased to approximately 20,000 after almost 140 years.

Something nearer home to which we can relate is the conch industry of Florida. The animal was removed in such numbers that a total ban had to be introduced and has been enforced for about 40 years. The conch population in Florida has not, during the ban recovered in any meaningful way and the total ban remains in place. Yet Florida boaters can come to the Bahamas in the thousands and remove as many conch as their little heart’s desire, notwithstanding that the law imposes a limit on each vessel. Can we not learn something from the ban in Florida?

Despite the numerous lessons which the world has shown us, when we are faced with proposals to protect the conch population it is still suggested that we need a new survey to determine whether we need to take measures to protect the conch population? Surely no further survey is required!

Mr Carey is further quoted as stating that “Generally, I think the Minister, as a former commercial fisherman, understands the fight and the need to be on the side of fishermen”. If that is the view of the Minister that would be scary as surely the Minister would not be picking sides in such a debate which would be seen as pandering to the wishes of a handful of fishermen while ignoring the view of the majority of persons who also make a living from selling conch whole, preparing conch

salad or serving conch in so many different forms and above all the majority of the Bahamian public or visitors to the country who love to eat it. By ensuring that the laws are observed the Minister would in fact be doing the fishermen and the entire Bahamian population a favour by ensuring that the existing regulations are enforced and the export of conch banned so that by doing this he will be contributing to the preservation of the conch population so that no government would ever need to impose a conch season or other measures to ensure the survival of the conch population for the benefit of us all.

I would like to believe that some of the more controversial statements in the article attributed to Mr. Carey are, in the context of his entire interview, taken out of context in that he emphasizes the need for the enforcement of existing regulations, but to suggest that there is “no need for a conch season yet” sends an entirely wrong message as you are in effect stating that a conch season will be required, in the future, so surely your entire message should be geared towards ensuring that a conch season will NEVER be required. In the circumstances the entire tenor of Mr. Carey’s comments should in my respectful view have focused on the serious state that the conch industry finds itself in and the necessity of enforcing the existing laws with regard to the size and number of conchs caught, the creation of additional protected areas and the creation of new measures. Failure to address the issue NOW will be to the detriment of us all and when you have to impose a conch season it is already too late.

The same concerns apply to every fish in the sea and in that regard if we continue to catch fish at the present level with scant regard for the numbers removed or the size of the fish, we will end up like the Grand Banks in a few short years with a moratorium banning fishing and conching of any kind.

RICHARD LIGHTBOURN

Nassau, March 26, 2023

Promises, promises in Mangrove Cay

EDITOR, The Tribune.

I’M WRITING regarding a recent visit back home to Mangrove Cay, Andros.

Due to illness and the COVID virus it had been three years since we had been home.

I must say between the water and internet services nothing has changed. What a nightmare! Our home is on a hill. Can you imagine the drip of water we had the whole time. I would start a load of wash early in the morning about two hours later it may be finished.

No way a shower is possible. It was a chore trying to catch enough water to bathe. The internet is up and down like a yoyo. We stuck it out, but I cannot imagine just how patience can run out for everyone. What a state of affairs. Our neighbours said, oh, we are supposed to be getting new pipes. I seem to remember at least three other water and sewage meetings held on Mangrove Cay. Persons from North, and Central Andros and Nassau coming to promise new pipes. These promises are at least six years old. Just when will

it come to reality?

The next issue. We spoke to four young people from and raised on MC that had come home to live and work. Instead of being welcomed home with open arms people started picking them apart. For example: Who does she/ he think they are? Why did they get that job? Grumble, Grumble, criticise our young people go off to school and train to bring back knowledge to help build up home. We have had professional persons from MC in key positions with every entity government and

private company’s. I always wondered why they don’t come home. After talking with the persons we met it becomes so sad and uncomfortable. They are run out of town, so to speak. Mangrove Cay needs its people to be welcomed home to build up the island. Are we scared, are we jealous, are we selfish? What is it?

Please stop sending your own people away, welcome them home. Embrace the knowledge and experience they bring to contribute to MC. Look at some other islands that are and have

been growing they have welcomed their young people back. My husband and I are older now, but we look around and feel sad to see after 36 years where have we come? Please think about what we have observed, try to change your mindset, be kind, be glad to see your family come home. God bless the Bahamas and God bless Mangrove Cay.

ELLIOTT AND PAT GREENE

Mangrove Cay, March 23, 2023.

MAN PLEADS ‘NOT GUILTY’ ON SEX ABUSE CHARGES

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A 42-YEAR-OLD man denied sexually abusing a young girl over the course of a year in Supreme Court on Friday

Damien Brown appeared before Senior Justice Bernard Turner on twelve counts of unlawful sexual relations.

Between December 31, 2020 – November 8, 2021 Brown is alleged to have had illicit sexual relations with the minor on 12

occasions while she was between the ages of 11 and 12. Charges were officially filed by the complainant’s mother in 2021 when she became aware of the alleged abuse.

Before the Justice, Brown pleaded not guilty to all 12 charges against him. The defendant was then told that his matter had been transferred to Justice Willamae Renae McKay. Brown is expected to appear for trial date fixture before Justice McKay at 10am on April 6.

$350 FINE ON GUILTY PLEA FOR ATTEMPTED STEALING

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was fined $350 in court on Friday after he admitted to trying to steal a $76 sound bar while working at Kelly’s House and Home earlier this month.

Craig Taylor, 20, faced Magistrate Kendra Kelly on an initial charge of stealing by reason of employment. This charge was then amended to be attempted stealing after Prosecutor Sergeant Vernon Pyfrom indicated that Taylor never

Forestry director: prescribed burning could help recovering pine forests

BY DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

THE PINE forests in East Grand Bahama are showing signs of “regeneration” post Dorian, a Forestry official with the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources confirmed.

Danielle Hanek, director of the Forestry Unit, reported that there is new growth of young pine trees in the damaged forests of East End.

left the store with the item in question.

On March 10 at Kelly’s on Robinson Road the defendant was caught attempting to steal the 32” wireless Bluetooth sound bar valued at $76.99.

In court Taylor pleaded guilty to the offence. As such Magistrate Kelly granted the defendant a conditional discharge where he is to pay a fine of $350 or risk three months in prison. Taylor was further ordered to attend counseling at CCAC or risk a six month prison sentence.

MURDER SUSPECT FINED $1,250 FOR BAIL BREACH

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN on bail for murder was fined $1,250 in court on Friday after he admitted to failing to charge his electronic monitoring device (EMD) five times.

Owen Williams, 22, appeared before Magistrate Kendra Kelly on five counts of violation of bail conditions.

These charges are in connection with bail granted by the Supreme Court for

Forbes’ alleged involvement in the death of Richard Fowler in Fox Hill on February 12, 2019.

While on release for these charges in New Providence from January 21 to February 23 Williams failed to charge his EMD on five occasions.

In court the defendant pleaded guilty to the charges.

As such Magistrate Kelly sentenced Williams to pay a total fine of $1,250 or risk six months in prison for the offence.

“It means that the environment is catching itself and that the salinity is going down; it means it is restoring itself naturally, which is great,” she said.

Ms Hanek accompanied Environment Minister Vaughn Miller and his team to Grand Bahama on Thursday. As part of Forestry Awareness Week, they attended a tree planting at a school and also met with staff at the ministry’s office in Freeport.

She stated that there are things that the Forestry Unit can do to help facilitate the natural restoration process of the forests.

Four years after Dorian, the damage and standing dead trees is still visible. Even though it looks like all the forests are gone, Ms Hanek said that is not case as the regeneration process has started.

She said their job is to help that process. For that to happen, she said a few things could be done: removing some of the snags

or the dead trees; mulching to restore the soil composition to improve the process; and a prescribed burn to help rejuvenate the pine stock.

The forestry official believes the latter would be the best method as it would also help reduce the fuel on the ground where many of the top crowns or the tree tops fell during the storm.

“The idea is really a prescribed burn or doing extraction which will help with the reforestation rejuvenation process,” Hanek said.

Deforestation is another issue that the Forestry Unit, along with other agencies, is trying to address in New

Providence.

Minister Miller is concerned about that in his constituency of Golden Isles.

According to Director Hanek, there are two areas of concern where they have seen an aggressive removal of trees. One area is 750 acres, and the other is estimated around 500 acres, she reported.

“So, we did this time lapse from 2020 to present, and that did severely impact the forest,” Hanek said.

She explained that when it rains the forest is not able to trap and retain water.

“We saw that effect with the increase of flooding which is one of the main immediate consequences

of that,” she added.

Even though the trees are missing, Hanek said it is still classified as a forest.

“It is a huge impact to the fact of our ability to sequester carbon. But all is not lost, we still have the ability to go in and reforest the area,” she said.

Ms Hanek said a multiagency taskforce has been created to address the issue.

“The Ministry of Agriculture will look at agriculture leases that are not being used wisely; the Crown lands, you have the Police, Defence Force, Ministry of Environment, and the Ministry of Works, all collaborating together to finding a resolve to the issue,” she stated.

THE BAHAMAS Debutante Foundation paid a courtesy call on Ann Marie Davis of the Office of the Spouse of the Prime Minister, March 22 at Goodman’s Bay Corporate Centre. The Debutante Foundation is a mentoring programme that ‘aims to help young ladies make the transition from adolescence to young adulthood with poise and grace.’ Mrs. Davis is pictured, centre, with committee members and students. Committee members are Mrs. Christina Johnson, president, centre right; Leah Williams, right; Fredericka Hamilton, centre left; and Angel Johnson, left.

Kristaan Ingraham/BIS

ENVIRONMENT Minister Vaughn Miller and Director of Forestry Unit Danielle Hanek, met with staff at the ministry in Freeport while in Grand Bahama on Thursday to mark Forestry Awareness Week.

Photo: Vandyke Hepburn

Photo:

How does our nation gain from these resort developments?

By MALCOLM STRACHAN

AS ANNOUNCEMENTS go, it couldn’t have come at a worse time for the developers – but perhaps not a better time for the nation.

Right in the middle of the debate over the benefits or lack thereof with regard to the Royal Caribbean deal on Paradise Island, here comes a whole new player to blow that one out of the water.

New World Developments has launched a plan to develop 10,000 acres of San Salvador in a scheme that will cost $1bn over the next five years.

There will be ten hotels, a golf course, a sports academy, with development director Simon Tolan describing it as “like a Baker’s Bay, but just bigger and more exclusive”.

It has everything to back up that “more exclusive” label – from a famous name associated with the project, in this case former NFL quarterback Drew Brees – to talk of flying in on private jet to meet with the island commissioners.

Bahamians may well be looking at this mega-development in the constituency of Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis and asking well, what does this do for us?

Planning permission has been granted in principle, according to the business plan, after a meeting at the Prime Minister’s office on January 27, 2021.

There is talk of 1,500 permanent jobs – though

does San Salvador have a labour pool sufficient to cater to those needs? If not, then where will those workers come from, and where will they live? Who will do the construction?

How much of that $1bn will go into the Bahamian economy?

What about the support infrastructure – power supply, sewage and other waste – that would be required? That’s before even reaching the possible environmental impact of a scheme that talks of the possibility of creating an inner lagoon and the need to acquire intervening property and relocation a research laboratory to make the most of its opportunities. The document itself talks of the five national parks on San Salvador and how they “could provide challenges during

the review and approval process”. We hear often of these mega-developments being proposed – yet how many of them actually come to fruition, and how many make any kind of dent on our national finances?

Our national debt has not been wiped out by these various proposals, our dwindling NIB fund has not been rescued – for all the money being talked about, how much of it actually benefits us?

The same questions raised about the Royal Caribbean deal can be directed here – how is this going to benefit local Bahamians, and what will it take away from elsewhere? We can’t be naïve enough to believe that there are 1,500 San Salvador people presently out of work who will be magically in work at this location when it opens.

A local food chain opening up in New Providence is struggling to find enough cooks – so I am fairly sure the smaller population of San Salvador will not have enough people to meet the range of needs that this “more exclusive” location will be looking for.

This will be a development that will radically reshape the island and social structure of San Salvador. It will no longer be the traditional lifestyle that San Sal currently has – it will be a resort island and large parts of society will rotate around servicing the needs of that development.

There has been talk apparently with local administrators – but is this what the people of San Salvador want?

Some may well do, and certainly there is a need for job vacancies to be filled (the same could be said of

anywhere in The Bahamas these days).

But what level of consultation has been conducted with the community as a whole?

This will fundamentally change the nature of life on the island – and for what?

What will we as a nation get? What will San Salvador as an island get? These are the questions that people are grappling with.

It is not just me asking these questions – a quick look at the replies to The Tribune’s Facebook page in response to this announcement shows many having the same concerns.

Some asking if the island can sustain a resort of that size, some saying we are losing our homeland, talking of selling out our country island by island.

Some point out that these kind of developments are granted all kinds of exemptions for building materials, while the small Bahamian business or resident still has to pay up. Some ask whether there will be a hospital for San Sal, or fire trucks – the natural question to follow being who will pay for that? Another talks of the Prime Minister jetting around the world talking about the dangers of global warming and wonders how a development such as this affects emissions.

From an environmental view along, it seems impossible that this development would not encounter opposition.

Of course, we have had mega-developments before.

We have a Baker’s Bay. We have Atlantis. We have

Baha Mar. What we need to ensure is that there is an effective trade-off, where we know what it costs us, but what we gain collectively is of greater benefit to all.

That counts for development such as this one. It counts for developments such as the Royal Caribbean one. It counts for whoever winds up owning the Grand Lucayan. It counts all the way down to smaller locations – such as the swimming pig resort that ran into opposition from its local neighbours. Thorough consultation is one method of doing that, but we do not seem to be very good at that either. With the Royal Caribbean development, the government doesn’t even seem to be able to work out a consistent line on it. Is it very close to breaking ground, as the Prime Minister said, or is it not even past a final decision in Cabinet, as Youth, Sports and Culture Minister Mario Bowleg said?

The Royal Caribbean deal may be the most obvious clash, thanks to the neighbouring lighthouse development, of whether we are putting Bahamians first or not – but each of these deals needs to be considered in the light of how it benefits us all. And we need to be told exactly how.

The comments by members of the public on social media show many things but they show one thing most of all – that a great number remain to be convinced that these projects will help our nation.

AN IMAGE showing the parcels of land for the San Salvador development.

AN ARTIST’s impression of the Royal Caribbean development planned for Paradise Island.

The future of businesses in the Family Islands

By FAY SIMMONS jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

AS THE road to 50 years of independence continues, FAY SIMMONS discussed the future of Family Island small and medium sized businesses with their local Chamber of Commerce representatives.

Darin Bethel, president of the North Andros Chamber of Commerce, has noticed an increase in the number of SMEs since the pandemic, however he is worried about their future with the island’s current revenue stream.

He said: “We have a lot of young entrepreneurs that have moved back to North Andros and opened small and medium businesses. I commend those individuals for taking the risk even though we have a very small economy. But I’m concerned about them, because it’s just not enough revenue, the lake doesn’t have enough fish for all the fishermen that we now have.”

He added: “The primary thing that we need is more revenue, some type of investments. We need to talk to investors and hear what their concerns are, let them know what our concerns are and try to establish a working relationship that can keep them satisfied and investing.”

James Carey, president of the Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce, is hopeful that the new developments announced for Grand Bahama will entice Grand Bahamians that fled the island after Hurricane Dorian to return.

He said: “Grand Bahama needs its critical mass, it needs population, the chamber is very determined to encourage both the development of businesses and participate in some of the larger initiatives that are coming because we know people that are watching and we’re hoping that it will entice them, those who left Grand Bahama because of the hurricane, etc, to come back home and those who are watching to make it Grand Bahama again.”

He continued: “We’re very bullish on the prospects for Grand Bahama and determined to participate with the developmental process. A number of initiatives have been announced, and we’re truly hoping that they’ll come to fruition. Some things don’t happen,

Road to 50

He added: “I saw that the BAIC is doing an initiative with egg farming. It’ll be good if they put at least four or five of those satellite egg farms in Andros, there’s farmers that are ready and willing and able to do it and also help bring in some new revenue into the economy and provide some jobs and allow for the businesses to survive.”

A number of projects including the airport reconstruction and the Six Senses resort are slated for Grand Bahama, and Mr Carey is hoping these developments will attract more SMEs.

services that meet proper business standards.”

Mr Bethel also asserts that North Andros needs an upgraded port to accommodate the growing yachting industry and bring revenue into the Androsian economy. He said: “We also need means to upgrade our ports so that we could make docking more accessible for visitors. Most importantly, the sailors and yachters that will come through. That is an avenue to bring revenue inside the country. North Andros particularly does not have the means to facilitate sailors, we need some warrants for docking out in the Morgan bluff area that will allow those individuals to come into shore and spread some of the revenue.”

Mrs Maoulis is optimistic that once Abaco has a united business community, investor confidence will increase and lead to an improved future. She said: “We need more business, across-the-board, joining and taking part in shaping Abaco, to become a better place to live, and do business. We strive for a united, healthy business community because takes more than just a few to foster growth and confidence in investors for a better future.”

their business and need funding.”

Thomas Sands, president of the Eleuthera Chamber of Commerce, asserts that the chamber must assist the growth and evolution of commerce through providing constructive input, fostering corporate partnerships and adopting a non-political approach.

He said: “It is my belief that the chamber in each community where it exists must assist in leading

commerce, its growth and evolution. This requires the continued gathering of facts, sharing those facts with the community and in turn providing constructive input. We must foster corporate partnerships which are thoughtfully executed for the short and long-term health of membership, our community and its quality of life. Given a continuously changing environment, innovation, consistency, credibility and a non political approach is essential.”

and Grand Bahama, unfortunately, has a history of things being announced and they’re not ultimately coming to concrete in the ground, but we’re very hopeful that these things will manifest and concrete on the ground and we see the type of development that this island so sorely needs.”

Mr Bethel noted how small business grants helped to increase efficiency in local businesses and is hopeful that initiatives such as the recently announced Golden Yolk egg production programme will boost Andros’ economy.

He said: “They did some small business grants and that helped a lot of the business. Efficient industry in North Andros is coming back. We have more individuals that are consistently efficient and that is helping with the economy, even though they send most of the products Nassau for sale.”

He said: “Once the construction process starts and the businesses start to operate, there will be a natural flow of small businesses and medium-sized businesses to fill the void for the population. There are a number of businesses licences being approved for small businesses in Grand Bahama, and I see this as a very positive trend.”

Daphne DeGregoryMaoulis, president of the Abaco Chamber of Commerce, would like to see an improvement in the maintenance of the airport and docking ports on Abaco.

She said: “The Marsh Harbour airport is the entrance to our city and should be properly maintained and landscaped, the parrot repaired and the general area kept beautiful. The ports both international and domestic should be rebuilt to provide safe, secure, and professional

Mr Carey and the Grand Bahama Chamber is focussing on helping businesses to operate effectively through sessions that teach accounting, marketing and technological techniques. He said: “We’ve had some sessions, exposing businesses to accounting practices, technology and using social media promotion. So we’re certainly going down that path to encourage businesses to operate effectively. And ultimately, we wish to see them sustained. And one of the ways in doing that is to make sure persons know if they are doing the right thing and that they’re making money”

Mr Bethel cited a high member turnover as one of the chamber’s biggest hurdles, however, he will continue to agitate members of the community to become more involved.

He said: “As far as the structure of the chamber and helping drive SMEs and being strong enough to help businesses in time of need, we have struggled. We’ve struggled with attracting the individuals that would take the time out to partake in the chamber.

“Unfortunately, a lot of our members have been the civil servants, you know, police officers or teachers, immigration officers, customs officers and eventually most of them end up leaving and so we are continually trying to find and retain members.

“I’ve been trying to agitate and continue to get businesses to to be involved but they normally only kneel in the chamber when they do find themselves in trouble or have challenges with something or they want to do an upgrade to

THE GROUNDBREAKING ceremony of the Golden Yolk initiative - which could benefit Andros, according to Darin Bethel, president of the North Andros Chamber of Commerce.

Photo: Moise Amisial

DAPHNE DeGregory-Maoulis highlights the need to improve port maintenance, both air and sea.

The measure of success is not in what you get, but in what you give

ADAM opened his eyes but quickly shut them. He’d been living in darkness for over a week because opening his eyes elicited such burning pain that his head felt like it would explode. His eyelids were swollen to twice their size and half of his face felt tight and twisted. Sensitive to the slightest light and sound, his head throbbed incessantly, like someone was banging it with a hammer. All of his tests were nondefinitive and doctors couldn’t determine what was wrong. So, as he lay there in his hospital room, alone in the dark and quiet, Adam reflected on his life. This was ten years ago and he was 34 at the time.

Self-described as a quiet and shy child, Adam loved sports and playing with his brothers. He also loved to watch cartoons, especially He-man, hence the decision to refer to him by the alias Adam, after the show’s protagonist and hero. His past medical history was normal, he doesn’t take any medication, he’s a healthy eater and is incredibly active. Despite this, Adam suffered through multiple injuries throughout his life, each trial pushing his gentle spirit to its limits.

As a ninth grader, Adam usually caught the bus for school in the morning with his older brother and then they’d walk home together afterwards. But, one day his brother didn’t go to school and Adam was forced to ride the bus alone. At the time, and perhaps even now, bus drivers competed against each other aggressively, often speeding from one stop to another trying to capture the greatest number of riders before a rival bus arrived. Their competition was as dangerous for the passengers as it was for the pedestrians.

As Adam was approaching his stop, the bus driver yelled for him to jump off. But in his reckless rush, the driver never fully yielded and Adam was thrown to the concrete pavement. As he landed, his body jerked forward with such crushing velocity that all of his body weight plummeted onto his right ankle. The fall sent shockwaves down Adam’s

leg culminating in the most horrific blast imaginable and causing his bones to erupt into multiple fragments. In his embarrassment, Adam gave a thumbs up to the driver to signal that he was okay. He was He-man after all and a small stumble shouldn’t hurt badly. The driver sped off but as Adam tried to stand, the pain was so unbearable that he collapsed to the ground.

A bystander came to his aid. Seeing that Adam’s foot and ankle were swelling, maybe even doubling in size, and turning red, he immediately came to the rescue, lifting the 13-yearold and driving him to where his mother worked. That experience taught Adam that Angels come when they’re most needed.

Adam’s ankle was broken into several pieces. Because he had an open cut to the area acting as a direct portal of entry for bacteria to his bones and ankle joint, his case was

By DR KENNETH D KEMP

considered a surgical emergency. He was rushed into surgery and he remained in hospital for two weeks, all the while on intravenous antibiotics and pain killers. His recovery was slow and he spent nearly three months at home in a cast. It would be almost five months before he could ambulate without a limp.

Once fully recovered, Adam, from grade 10 to 12, excelled in sports. When he graduated, he worked at a job that required a lot of lifting. After several years, he began to experience significant discomfort in his lower stomach and groin regions. The pain intensified so he was seen by his medical physician and was diagnosed with an inguinal hernia, where a portion of his abdomen started to protrude through his lower abdominal wall. Left untreated, it could’ve led to an obstruction and tissue death. So, Adam had it surgically repaired within days of his diagnosis and his recovery period lasted three weeks.

Adam eventually left that job and worked at a hotel for a short while. In both instances, his positions hadn’t existed and were only created because his employer recognized his potential. He then worked at a number of other businesses, always showing a strong work ethic. While in between jobs, and wanting to do the right thing, he also started donating blood.

Even as he married, fathered and raised two children and held a steady job, he continued to donate blood annually for the past two decades because he has one of the rarest blood types in the world, AB negative, seen in less than 1% of the US population.

On a day that he donated blood, and for a few days after, he recalls not eating much. Shortly afterwards he developed a low-grade fever and a headache that persisted for days. Then, his eyes began to sting so he went to his doctor, was placed on an IV drip and told that he had a viral infection. His fever initially went down, but by that night it returned. Four days later he ended up back at the doctor’s office but his physician was off the island. So, he went to a clinic and was placed on a drip once again. True to form, his fever returned within hours along with fatigue, a worsening headache and blurred vision.

The right side of Adam’s face began to droop noticeably, his condition steadily worsening day by day. By the end of the week, with the accompanying pain intensifying, Adam’s family decided it was time for him to go to the hospital, in the scene where I first started his story. His eyes burned when open so he kept them closed, living in complete darkness for over a week. At the hospital, all of his blood tests, diagnostic scans, urinalysis and spinal tap results were normal.

After four days in hospital, a neurologist examined Adam and made note of his Bell’s Palsy, a condition where the nerves on the right side of the face become weak causing the face to droop. He then told

Adam that he suspected an eye infection and referred him to see an eye specialist. Within minutes of the eye specialist putting drops into his eyes, Adam says that his pain began to subside and within hours it had resolved entirely. Since then, he’s recovered some of the strength on the right side of his face, but he never regained complete sensation to the area and his smile is no longer symmetrical. A small price to pay to be pain free and visually unobstructed.

Eventually, Adam was hired as a manager for a large Bahamian company. Today, with his eyes wide open and pain-free, the same young man who struggled to find his way is a life coach and a quiet hero to the more than 300 employees who see him as a role model and mentor. Never sure of what he wanted to be in life, he better than anyone, can lead them on a less circuitous path than he had. What he teaches them is that you don’t always have to move forward quickly so long as you don’t move backwards.

He also emphasizes that success is gauged differently to those with a pure heart. As long as he can pay his bills, take care of his wife and children and see them lead an honest and fulfilled life, with a little extra left over to give back to his church and community, he knows that he’s made a meaningful difference.

The Bible teaches us that if you hold onto your life, you’ll lose it, but if you give your life away it becomes

everlasting. Following this as a mantra, Adam shares what he’s learned with many young kids who work alongside him and those in his neighborhood, many of whom are just one generation removed from poverty. He lives by three rules, firstly in all things give thanks, secondly always take care of your blessings, and thirdly to always do the best with the skills and gifts that you’ve been blessed with.

William Shakespeare once wrote that the evil men do live long after they are gone, while the good is often tethered to their bones. Adam is as rare as his blood type, a great man with a grateful heart. He proudly says that he’s never measured the success of his life by how much money he has in his account, but by how much love he has in his life. Then, always thinking of how he can give back, Adam paused, smiled and, with a pen and paper in hand, said that he plans to share that quote with his staff in the morning.

This is the KDK Report.

• Nicknamed ‘The Prince of Podiatry’, Dr Kenneth D Kemp is the founder and medical director of Bahamas Foot and Ankle located in Caves Village, Western New Providence. He served as the deputy chairman for the Health Council for five years and he currently sits on the board of directors for the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation in his role as co-vice-chairman.

The Bible teaches us that if you hold onto your life, you’ll lose it, but if you give your life away it becomes everlasting.

DEVELOPMENT CRISIS THREATENS SMALL STATES

“THE world is facing a crisis of development.”

Those are the first words of a paper from officials of the World Bank Group (WBG), setting out a proposed roadmap for “urgent action” to tackle the “growing crisis of poverty and economic distress, and global challenges, including climate change, pandemic risks, and rising fragility and conflict”.

These are all conditions that impact developing countries, across the globe, and more particularly small economies. To these conditions must be added, high cost of living, resulting from both the economic effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russian war on Ukraine.

Yet, the World Bank claims it is not able to lead such urgent action even though, as the world’s major funder of development, it should be. In its own roadmap paper, the Bank discloses that its “2018 Capital package was designed to be prepared for one mid-sized crisis a decade, and not multiple overlapping crises”. It goes on to say that Bank support “is set to decline starting [in the] Financial Year 2024 and, in real terms, Bank support today is below the levels of the 1980s”.

Worsening the situation is that the populations of low-income countries are expected to rise by 25 percent by 2050, requiring more funding from the Bank if it is to be helpful in averting economic catastrophe in these countries.

In other words, the bank says it does not have sufficient funds to cope with the needs for development financing and thus, has called for “a massive step up in the international community’s support”. Clearly, the bank either recognises, or has been told by the powerful governments, which control its policies, that they are unwilling to provide more resources. Therefore, the policymakers have introduced the notion that the private sector should be encouraged to contribute to multilateral financing. In part, this is why the Biden Administration of the United States of America has nominated Ajay Banga, an Indian-American national and former chief executive officer of MasterCard, to be president of the bank.

Even accepting Mr Banga’s skills in business, it is left to be seen if he will be successful in mobilising the scale and type of financial contribution and participation that the bank now evidently requires to fulfil its mandate.

Caribbean small states will be among the principal sufferers from the bank’s resource constraints. In a separate paper entitled, “Overlapping Crises, Multiple Challenges,” bank officials detail a gloomy picture of the current situation of these countries and their prospects. Among the conditions is the rise in interest rates, which will make refinancing of existing debt more burdensome, and affording new borrowing almost impossible. In several Caribbean small states, debt service is already above the threshold of ten percent of exports of goods (including tourism). Indeed, debt service in some Caribbean states exceed the acceptable threshold even more.

Increased interest rates will make it exceedingly difficult for those Caribbean small states, which are described as “high income”, to cope with the increase in cost of money.

Among these states are Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, St Kitts-Nevis and Trinidad and Tobago. Despite the protests and rigorous arguments of these countries that “high income” is not,

World View

By SIR RONALD SANDERS

by itself, a determinant of underdevelopment, and that they share similar, if not exact circumstances of other small states, the policy makers at the bank and the International Monetary Fund, are adamant in not amending the criterion. Indeed, one World Bank executive board member, officially representing the Caribbean, unflinchingly declared that seeking concessionary financing for “high income” small Caribbean states was an “ask” that would not be fulfilled.

The paper on the overlapping crises that confront small states, provides a prescription of actions that small states should take to “mitigate the effects of global inflation, and position their economies to move past Covid-19”. One of the prescriptions is that “expenditure restraint –particularly of recurrent spending would bolster fiscal positions and reduce the need for additional debt”.

At a time of high inflation, affecting the cost of living of people, decreased government revenues, and the need to cushion costs to the poor and vulnerable, the prescriptions could have benefitted from a more realistic approach, based on direct consultation with small states.

A more practical proposal in the paper was that “the international community can help by scaling up non-concessional official financing, concessional financing, and grants; helping to leverage private sector financing; and upgrading the international architecture for dealing with excessive debt”. However, nothing has happened in recent years to inspire belief that the wealthy countries will become more responsive to the urgent development needs of developing countries, particularly small states.

Among many disheartening events are the failures of rich nations to honour their commitments to fund resistance and resilience to the adverse effects of Climate Change, and their lukewarm response to the urgings of small states for compensation for loss and damage that they endure every day.

As the roadmap paper points out, “richer countries, which significantly expanded their economies over the last decades, were the largest contributors of CO2 emissions, while small states are the most affected and face the most significant costs of adaptation.” The injustice cannot be more blatantly obvious. There is also one fast emerging issue that the bank does not mention in either of its papers. That issue is the threat to the rule of law and democracy, within countries, that is now posed by the high rate of inflation, the significantly higher costs of certain foods, and higher interest rates. These have combined to create dissatisfaction amongst populations, leading to a clamour for increased wages, and to protests and demonstrations in some countries, either opportunistically organised, or encouraged, by opposition political parties. These demands cannot be easily satisfied by small economies which are still struggling to recover from the impact of COVID-19, and which are now engulfed by the soaring prices that are a consequence of the Russian war on Ukraine. The crises that small states

face call for responsibility by all; not the feckless pursuit of narrow political ambitions, the results of which will be disastrous for all.

The policy makers at the World Bank and the IMF should listen before deciding, and in doing so they should contemplate

the consequences of rigid positions at a time when the world would benefit for flexibility and mutually beneficial cooperation.

• Responses and previous commentaries: www. sirronaldsanders.com

(The writer is Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the United States and the Organization of American States. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies at the University of London and Massey College in the University of Toronto. The views expressed are entirely his own).

NEW World Bank president nominee Ajay Banga.

Women marching in unity

WOMEN joined together on the streets and in celebration yesterday for the Dame Doris Johnson National Women’s Unity March and Concert.

The event was held in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Independence, with all women and girls invited to march in unity.

Following the march, there was a free all-woman concert.

Photos: Tre Sweeting/Tribune Staff

SPORTS

Athletes qualify for the CARIFTA Games

By TENAJH SWEETING tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

Day two of the combined CARIFTA Trials and National High School Championships wraps up day 2 with St. Augustine’s College in first place. The Big Red Machine leads all schools with a total of 377 points.

The Queen’s College Comets remain in second position with 317. St. John’s College follows them both with a combined team score of 129.

Day two of three featured fewer finals than day one as athletes looked to qualify for the finals on day three of the combined event.

In more CARIFTA qualifying action, yesterday’s under 17 boys’ high jump was an exciting one.

A total of five athletes beat the CARIFTA qualifying mark of 1.85m.

Joshua Williams brought home the victory for Tabernacle Baptist Academy with a jump of 1.93m.

Queen’s College Comets’

Kenny Moxey notched a jump of 1.89m. St. Georges’ Erris Pratt and Kingsway’s Kenyon Johnson both accomplished the same feat

SEE PAGE 17

SAC in the lead after day 2 of National High School Track & Field Championships

BLANKED 3-0 BY TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

TRINIDAD and Tobago didn’t waste any time putting their stamp of arrival on the outcome of their rematch against the Bahamas in the CONCACAF Nations League matchup at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium on Friday.

Coming off their 1-0 triumph on Monday, June 6, 2022, Trinidad & Tobago came back and booted in their first goal in the first five minutes by Kareem Moses. They added another from captain Joevin Jones in the 26th minute and Ryan Telfer capped it off with another in the 34th minute to push their lead to 3-0 at the half.

It didn’t matter because neither team scored in the second half as Trinidad & Tobago held on for a 3-0 victory.

Bahamas head coach Nesly Jean said it was a learning experience for his youthful team.

“The game was very good. But this is a young team. Most of the guys are just 21, 20 and some are 16, but it’s no excuse here,” Jean said. “We have to make mistakes, so this is where we learn.”

While trying to press the Trinidadians, Jean admitted that it opened the game for

SEE PAGE 16

NPBA PLAYOFFS: GIANTS SWEEP HIGH FLYERS 2-0

By TENAJH SWEETING tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

THE Commonwealth Bank Giants will advance to NPBA championship finals after defeating the Sand Dollar Imports High Flyers 96-81 on Friday night at the A.F. Adderley Gymnasium. In a game that got off to a slow start by both teams as the first quarter wrapped up 18-14 favouring the High Flyers, the CB Giants looked to take control coming out of halftime.

Despite the first half of the game being all Sand Dollar, the Giants took over in the third quarter, leading the game 70-61 going into the fourth.

Perry Thompson, head coach of the CB Giants, talked about the second half surge of his team. “It was more of a personal

change than a gameplan, all season we have been getting off to relatively slow starts, our bench has been huge for us all year so our second quarters are historically better,” Thompson said.

Thompson was right as the Giants’ bench outscored the High Flyers 36 to 15.

Dylan Musgrove led the charge for the CB Giants as he was the game’s leading scorer with 23 points to go with four rebounds and two steals on the night. Musgrove was joined by Jackson Jacob who poured in 21 points to go with five assists and two steals.

Although Sand Dollar battled hard in the first half, the Giants were able to overcome a sluggish start. The winning team dominated the paint 58 to 42 on an efficient 62%. The High

Bulls spoil LeBron’s return with 118-108 win over Lakers

By GREG BEACHAM AP Sports Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP)

— LeBron James scored 19 points off the bench in his return from a monthlong injury absence, but Zach LaVine scored 32 points to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 118-108 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers yesterday.

DeMar DeRozan added 17 points for the Bulls, who easily overcame James’ return with an impressive performance in their seventh win in nine games. LaVine hit 11 of his first 14 shots to lead an offensive effort that snapped the Lakers’ three-game winning streak despite the return of the NBA’s career scoring leader. James sat out 13 games with right foot soreness,

missing four weeks during the Lakers’ run at a playoff berth. The team provided few updates on his recovery, and his return came with little advance warning, the decision made only after a pregame workout.

And for only the second time in his 20-year, 1,958game NBA career, James wasn’t a starter. He came in as a reserve midway through the first quarter, still doing his standard pregame chalk toss while receiving a standing ovation from Lakers fans.

Troy Brown Jr. and Malik Beasley scored 18 points apiece, but Anthony Davis managed just 15 points and nine rebounds as the Lakers (37-38) failed to get above .500 for the first time since January 9, 2022.

Flyers beat the Giants 20 to 19 in second chance points. However, the Giants got out and ran, leading to 35 fast break points compared to the High Flyers’ 21.

Musgrove talked about the team’s mindset on Friday night. “It feels good to get the W [win], we did not want to play a game three tomorrow and the mindset for us was to close this one out and that’s what we did,” he said.

The two teams split the regular season series 1-1, making them no strangers to each other.

Jackson credited the High Flyers team and coaching staff for competing hard with them. He added that he is thankful for being able to advance to the championships once again. The High Flyers had five players that scored double digits in

the game with Rus-Shorn Strachan leading the way for the team with 20 points. Donnie Culmer, head coach of the High Flyers, talked about how proud he is with the progress of his team despite the series loss. Culmer said a loss is always disappointing but he told his guys it was always a three-year process but each year his team has progressed against the Giants.

He added that the team will require some fine tuning and tweaking but will be back next year.

He gave credit to the Giants for being a dominant team but emphasized that the High Flyers will be back and ready next year.

The CB Giants will look to dethrone the defending division one champions

SEE PAGE 18

Ronaldo nets 121st, 122nd goals as Portugal routs Luxembourg

LUXEMBOURG (AP)

— Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice to lead a 6-0 rout of Luxembourg in European Championship qualifying as the Portugal star added to his records for international goals and appearances yesterday.

The double from Ronaldo, the all-time scoring leader in men’s soccer, took his career tally for Portugal to 122 goals in 198 games.

The 38-year-old Ronaldo opened the scoring and netted his team’s fourth goal just after the half-hour mark as the 2016 champions easily beat the outplayed hosts.

João Félix and Bernardo Silva scored in between Ronaldo’s goals, while substitutes Otavio

and Rafael Leão added goals in the second half.

The comfortable win comes three days after Ronaldo became the most-capped player in men’s international soccer when he scored twice in his 197th appearance to help beat Liechtenstein 4-0 in the debut of coach Roberto Martínez.

Ronaldo’s place as Portugal’s unquestioned leader has been restored under the Spanish coach, who joined Portugal after finishing his long stint in charge of Belgium following the World Cup. Portugal leads Group J with six points. Slovakia is next with four points after its 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, which has three.

MONDAY, MARCH 27, 2023

Photo: Austin Fernander/Tribune Staff

LOS Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, right, is defended by Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso during the first half of an NBA basketball game yesterday in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Volleyball champions crowned

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

AFTER a week of intense competition during the tournament, the Public Primary Schools Sports Association crowned Sandilands Primary as the boys and girls volleyball champions on Friday at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium.

Stephen Dillet won 12-15, 15-14 and 10-0 over Sybil Strachan Primary for the boys’ title, while Sandilands Primary prevailed over Cleveland Eneas Primary in two straight sets, 15-8 and 15-9.

Head coach Margaret Albury was more excited about the victory than her players from Stephen Dillet, who stayed composed throughout the tournament.

“They showed me, even when the ball was going out, they brought it back in and they got the three hits,” Albury said. “I’m pleased with their effort. I am ecstatic about their performances. I couldn’t ask for a better performance.”

For Greer Thompson, the coach of Sybil Strachan, they were not as focused as she wanted them to be.

“I think they played well, but in the last half, they got their minds out of the game. They were not focused and that is what caused us the game,” Greer said. “All in all, I think they did well. Thanks to God and to my mommy.”

Thompson was referring to Linda Thompson, who passed away a few weeks ago. She noted that she tried to stay focused because the tournament was coming up, but it was a little hard for her knowing that she was still grieving the loss of her mother.

For the third-place prize, Centreville Primary held off Sadie Curtis 9-15, 9-15 and 10-8.

“In the semi-finals, we got a little nervous because we had to play so hard,” said Centreville’s first year coach Rashad Cunningham. “I was so happy with the way they came out and played. Centreville is not known for its athletic prowess, so it’s good that we can take something to our school to enjoy in a more positive light.”

Vashon Armbrister, the head coach of Sandilands Primary, said it was a dream come true for his girls because if anybody saw what they looked like

at the start of practice, they would not have anticipated them being the last team standing.

“The girls did an excellent job,” Armbrister pointed out. “We started practicing in January, but it was a struggle. The girls could not bump and they couldn’t serve. So every day possible, we worked with the girls and they gave it their best effort and this is the result of it.

I’m extremely proud of the girls.”

He said he now believes in the quote that “practice does make perfect” because their performance was above their expectations and the entire Sandilands Primary School will ensure that they come back next year bigger and better to defend their title.

In falling short of being the champions, Mariska Thompson said her team beat themselves.

“My top players got upset, so I told them they have to be calm, whether they are leading or not,” Thompson stated. “You must be calm and composed and believe that you can win. So it wasn’t that the other team was better, it was just that my team lost focus.”

It was another battle in the consolation third place game, as Garvin Tynes emerged on top of EP Roberts with a hard fought 15-6, 6-15, 10-8 decision.

Shatia Seymour, who assisted head coach Janice Williams, said their Garvin Tynes team did excellent.

“We lost the game to come into the championship, but they came back and did what they had to do,” Seymour said. “They served, they passed and they did very well.”

Despite not getting into the final, Seymour said they will celebrate the third place because they earned it.

Just about all of the teams participated in the tournament that got started on Monday and Tuesday with the elimination games for the girls and Wednesday and Thursday for the boys. Friday was designed for the quarterfinals, semi-finals and finals.

The New Providence Volleyball Association and its referees association conducted all the games. Next up for the association, headed by Latoya Bain, track and field, April 26-28 at the Thomas A Robinson Stadium.

BURNS WINS FINAL MATCH PLAY IN ROUT OVER YOUNG

By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) —

The final hours of the last WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play turned into a dud for everyone but Sam Burns.

Burns went on a tear yesterday afternoon in the championship match with eight birdies on his final 10 holes and enough help from Cameron Young for a 6-and-5 victory. It was the second-largest margin in an 18-hole match in this tournament.

Burns won for the fifth time on the PGA Tour. Young, who had a late rally with clutch birdies to eliminate Rory McIlroy in the semifinals, had to settle for his sixth runner-up finish in the last 18 months.

“What a week,” Burns said. “I’m so tired.”

Burns made it to the championship match yesrerday afternoon only when defending champion Scottie Scheffler missed a 4-foot birdie putt on the 20th hole of their semifinal match.

Given new life, Burns made birdie from a fairway bunker with a 15-foot putt to advance.

Young had an early lead. Burns squared the match on the fifth hole and took the lead with a chip-andputt birdie on the par-5 sixth. And then on the next hole, Young missed a 6-foot par putt to fall 2 down. It was his first bogey

since the seventh hole on Thursday.

All the momentum Young had built up over the week seemed to vanish. And the silky putting stroke of Burns was never better.

He holed a 20-foot birdie putt at No. 8. He made a 12-footer on No. 10 to go 4 up. He birdied the 11th hole from 25 feet — Young made his from 20 to halve the hole — and then it ended so abruptly.

Young pulled his shot from rough into the water on the par-5 12th, and then he came up short of the green and into the water on the reachable par-4 13th.

Burns chipped to just inside 3 feet, and Young removed his cap without making him putt.

“It’s easy to think you’re so close,” Young said. “There’s one guy standing between you and winning the tournament. And that one guy is Sam Burns playing really well.”

The highlight was his semifinal win over McIlroy, who was in full flight for so much of the week.

McIlroy was 2 up with three holes to play when Young won the 16th with a birdie and then hit a nifty pitch-and-run up the slope and his purest putt of the week.

Scheffler was trying to join Tiger Woods as the only back-to-back winners, and he had a 2-up lead over Burns through 10 holes.

CENTREVILLE Primary boys volleyball third place finishers.

STEPHEN Dillet boys volleyball champions.

SANDILANDS Primary girls volleyball champions.

CLEVELAND Eneas girls volleyball runners-up.

GARVIN Tynes girls volleyball third place finishers.

SYBIL Strachan boys volleyball runners-up.

A ROBINSON

Bahamas men lose to Trinidad, 3-0

CONCACAF

FROM PAGE 14

their opponents to get through their defence and that made the difference in the outcome of the game.

The Bahamas is now in St Vincent & The Grenadines where they are set to play their next game at 3pm.

“I think the guys just need to hold their heads up,” said Nesly, in making the adjustment for today’s game after the loss at home. “We have to tweak it a little because it’s a different team. But we will be ready.”

As the elder statesman on the team, defender Lesly St Fleur said it was a pleasure playing with the younger guys.

“Being an older player on the team, we have to learn from each other,” St Fleur said. “We have to mix some of the veteran players with the young guys to keep the team solid. With the mix of veteran players, I think we will be a team that will be hard to beat.”

But, in the meantime, one of the younger players

on the team said they can only get better as they continue to play together.

After the victory, Trinidad & Tobago’s coach Angus Eve said he thought his team played a very good “professional” team.

“We are still gelling. We only brought the guys together three days in Fort Lauderdale and we had a camp and so I was very impressed with how we played today,” Eve said.

“We linked up with each other. We should have scored more goals.

“However, a win away from home, 3-0, is a good result.”

Mission accomplished, was how Jones summed up their performance.

“I think it was a great performance by the team. We came out and got the start we wanted to get and overall, we didn’t score in the second half, but we came here with the mindset to win.

“We got three points and now we can go home and face the next team.” Eve said they knew once they got on the scoreboard early, they had enough firepower to hurt the young Bahamian team and it worked right into their favour.

ON THE REPLAY: Trinidad & Tobago didn’t waste any time putting their stamp of arrival on the outcome of their rematch against the Bahamas in the CONCACAF Nations League matchup at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium on Friday. Coming off their 1-0 triumph on Monday, June 6, 2022, Trinidad & Tobago came back and defeated the men’s national soccer team 3-0. Photos: Austin Fernander/Tribune Staff

SAC in lead after day 2 of National High School Track & Field Championships

CARIFTA

to qualify for April’s 50th CARIFTA Games. SAC’s Demian Brice also joined the fray with a jump of 1.87m to qualify for April’s event. In the under 17 girls long jump, Jamiah Nabbie was victorious. Saturday’s under 17 girls 100m CARIFTA qualifier made her mark once again but this time on the field. Nabbie jumped 5.59m, passing the qualifying mark of 5.46m while also shattering Daejha Moss’ 2014 national high school record of 5.44m.

In yesterday’s track action, Shimar Bain blitzed the competition in the under 20 boys 400m hurdles. Bain finished with 53.25 in the race to beat the CARIFTA qualifying mark 54.43. Bain was joined by The Big Red Machine’s Clinton Laguerre who clocked 54.19 in the race.

Bain talked about how it felt to qualify for the country’s 50th CARIFTA Games. “It feels good, it was my expectation to win and also qualify for CARIFTA, seeing that it’s my last year and its at home,” Bain said.

Bain said despite hurdles being the hardest race in track, he went through the race with the mindset of keeping calm, clearing the hurdles, being aggressive in attacking them and walking through the line.

Laguerre, who also qualified for CARIFTA on day two of the trials and national high school championships, talked about his strategy in the race.

Laguerre said although he expected a faster time, he saw his opponent pass him but decided to remain focused, knowing that he had another stretch to go. He added that despite qualifying earlier in the season, he still wanted to double down to ensure that he was on the CARIFTA team.

Laguerre will look to put on a show with his teammates in the under 20 boys 4x400m relay finals today.

The Big Red Machine saw more of its athletes qualify for CARIFTA in the under 17 girls and boys

400m hurdles. Darvinique Dean blew past the competition as she brought home a first place victory with a time of 1:01.84. Although she already qualified for April’s event on Saturday, the athlete beat the qualifying mark of 1:09.86 in this race as well. She was joined by fellow teammate Bayli Major who also qualified with a time of 1:02.13.

Additionally, St.John’s Ta’mia Taylor joined her competitors as she beat the qualifying mark with 1:06.69.

For the boys, SAC’s Quinton Rolle bested the CARIFTA qualifying time of 56.31 after clocking 56.23 in the race. He was followed by St. John’s Zion Davis who came second with

56.90. Third place finish belonged to C.R. Walker’s Christian Pierre who ran a time of 59.67.

In the girls’ 3000 metres open run, Sunland Baptist’s Akaya Lightbourne placed first with a time of 11:18.52. She bested Lunnise Gibson’s 2015 NHS record of 11:44.51.

She was followed by St. Andrews’ Grace Farrington who placed second. Kingsway’s Tellica Seymour came in third with 12.44.23.

Lightbourne said it felt good to win and she gave credit to her coach’s strategy which was to make 1.40 or 1.30 every lap.

She added that she kept on pace with that time and decided to pick it up every lap.

Day two wrapped up with the girls 800m run open heptathlon and the boys 1500m run open octathlon.

Kaily Pratt, winner of the girls 800m open run, emerged victorious in the long distance race with 2:45.08. The Big Red Machine’s Trinity Pennerman ran a time of 2:45.74. They were followed by Lashae Smith who came in third.

In the men’s long distance action, CR Walker’s Kyle Bain brought home another first place victory. Bain notched 4:48.47 in his eighth event in a two-day time span. He was followed by second place finisher Rayheem Robinson of C.C.

Sweeting. Third place finish belonged to C.R. Walker’s Reanno Todd.

Kyle Bain talked about how it felt to finally complete the octathlon. “It feels amazing to finish it now obviously but throughout the two days it was hard,” Bain said.

Despite being tired he credited being mentally strong and his will to earn points in the event for his first place finishes in the last two races.

In this past weekend’s CARIFTA Trials and National High school Championships action, the CARIFTA qualifiers are:

CARIFTA Qualifiers

Darvinique Dean, Keyezra Thomas, Jamiah Nabbie, Shayann Demeritte, Ishmael Rolle, Shatalya Dorsett, Amari Pratt, Akaya Lightbourne, Carlos Brown, Adam Musgrove, Zion Campbell, Tylah Pratt, Alexand Komolafe, Lanaisha Lubin, Apryl Adderley and Calea Jackson.

The final day of the three day meet will feature highly anticipated relay finals action. This morning’s session begins at 9am.

ABOVE: SHIMAR BAIN, CARIFTA qualifier, winner of the under 20 boys 400m hurdles. RIGHT : KYLE BAIN, winner of 1,500m boys open octathlon. Photos by Tenajh Sweeting

ON TRACK: Young athletes compete in the combined CARIFTA Trials and National High School Championships at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium. The event ends today. Photos: Austin Fernander/Tribune Staff

Towns makes 2 late 3-pointers, lifts Timberwolves over Warriors

By JANIE MCCAULEY AP Sports Writer

SAN

FRANCISCO

(AP) — Karl-Anthony

Towns hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 11 seconds to play after Kyle Anderson stole a pass by Draymond Green, and the Minnesota Timberwolves held off the Golden State Warriors 99-96 last night to keep things interesting in the wild Western Conference playoff standings.

Jordan Poole gave Golden State the lead on a 3-pointer with 1:28 left, moments after Towns had connected from deep. Poole, who had a game-high 27 points, then secured a rebound on the other end.

The Warriors had a chance with 9.9 seconds left but Stephen Curry couldn’t corral Poole’s errant pass, then Curry missed a contested 3 from the baseline just before the final buzzer.

Towns had 14 points and five rebounds in his second outing following a 52-game absence with a strained right calf. He returned Wednesday against Atlanta.

Green fouled Rudy Gobert with 27.7 seconds left to save a likely dunk, and Gobert missed the first of his two free throws. Green went down hard taking a charge from the 7-foot-1 Gobert earlier in the quarter.

The Warriors had their nine-game home winning streak snapped and missed a chance to boost their playoff positioning. A victory also would have clinched Sacramento’s first postseason berth since 2006.

The Kings, coached by former Golden State top assistant Mike Brown, will try to end the longest playoff drought in NBA history tonight at home against Minnesota.

Naz Reid hit a baseline 3-pointer with 6:12 remaining, followed by a layup. He scored 23 points off the bench to lead Minnesota, which snapped a 12-game skid on the Warriors’ home floor.

Anderson contributed

12 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. Curry tied it at 61 with 5:35 left in the third only for Minnesota to make a great play moments later:

Nickeil Alexander-Walker lunged for a diving save across the half-court line to save a backcourt violation and flicked the ball to Anderson for a 40-foot 3 to beat the shot clock at the 5:07 mark.

Poole’s 3 just before the third-quarter buzzer got Golden State within 77-73 going into the fourth.

CAVALIERS 108,

ROCKETS 91

CLEVELAND (AP) — Jarrett Allen had 24 points and 14 rebounds, Donovan Mitchell scored 22 and Cleveland beat Houston to clinch a playoff spot for the first time since 2018.

It’s also the first time Cleveland has made the playoffs without LeBron James on the roster since 1998.

The Cavaliers are closing in on locking up the No. 4 spot in the Eastern Conference — and homecourt advantage in the first round. They’ve won 9 of 11.

Evan Mobley added 19 points and Darius Garland had 17 for Cleveland.

Jalen Green scored 30 to pace the Rockets, who have lost five straight.

GRIZZLIES 123, HAWKS 119

ATLANTA (AP) — Ja

Morant scored 27 points in his return to the Memphis starting lineup and the Grizzlies held off Atlanta for their sixth consecutive win. Desmond Bane added 25 points for Memphis, twice delivering fourthquarter baskets after the Hawks pulled within one. Memphis is second in the Western Conference

despite a 15-22 road record. But the six-game winning streak, the NBA’s longest active streak, includes two victories away from home. Morant received a big cheer from the Atlanta sellout crowd during pregame introductions. He came off the bench in his first two games after serving an eight-game NBA suspension for posting a video in which he was shown waving a gun at a Denver-area strip club.

Trae Young led the Hawks with 28 points and 10 assists, one day after he was ejected for throwing the ball at an official during a 143-130 win over Indiana.

CELTICS 137, SPURS 93

BOSTON (AP) — Jaylen Brown scored 41 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to lead Boston over San Antonio.

The Celtics were without star forward and leading scorer Jayson Tatum, who was sidelined with a bruised left hip. But they still moved within 1½ games of Milwaukee for the Eastern Conference’s best record with their seventh victory in nine games.

Malcolm Brogdon added

20 points and nine assists for Boston, and Derrick White had 19 points with eight rebounds.

Zach Collins had 21 points with seven rebounds for the Spurs, who finished an 0-4 road trip.

HORNETS 110, MAVERICKS 104 CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Charlotte Hornets overcame a 40-point outing from Luka Doncic for their second win over Dallas in three days, another costly blow to the Mavericks’ playoff hopes.

Gordon Hayward scored 22 points and P.J. Washington added 21 points and 12 rebounds for the Hornets, who have been eliminated from playoff contention.

Doncic picked up his 16th technical foul of the season in the third quarter, meaning he will face a one-game suspension tonight unless the technical is rescinded by the league office. Kyrie Irving had 18 points for Dallas. MAGIC 119, NETS 106 ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Cole Anthony had 21 points to lead eight Orlando scorers in double

Conference leaders clash as Nuggets top Bucks 129-106

DENVER (AP) —

Nikola Jokic had 31 points and 11 assists, Jamal Murray finished with 26 points and nine assists, and the Denver Nuggets beat the Milwaukee Bucks 129106 on Saturday night in a late-season showdown of the NBA’s conference leaders.

Michael Porter Jr. scored 19 points for West-leading

Denver (50-24), which outscored East-leading Milwaukee 68-40 in the second half.

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 31 points -- just seven in the second half -and grabbed nine rebounds for the Bucks (53-20). The battle of the top teams in each conference -- and two strong MVP candidates -- was more

competitive than the teams’ first meeting, won by the Bucks 107-99.

SUNS 125, 76ERS 105

PHOENIX (AP) — Devin Booker scored 29 points, Bismack Biyombo added 17 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks, and the Phoenix Suns snapped a three-game losing streak. Phoenix got good minutes from most of their bench players, particularly Terrence Ross and T.J. Warren. Warren finished with 16 points, while Ross had 15. Booker shot 9 of 18 from the field and hit all nine of his free throws.

The Suns won despite a huge game from Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey, who finished with 37 points on 14-of-19 shooting, including 7 of 11 from 3-point range. Joel Embiid added 28 points and 10 rebounds.

KINGS 121, JAZZ 113

SACRAMENTO, Calif.

(AP) — Kevin Huerter scored 27 points, had seven rebounds and four assists and Sacramento beat Utah.

Domantas Sabonis finished with 16 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists for his NBA-leading 60th double-double of the season. Harrison Barnes added 18 points. Keegan Murray scored 14 of his 22 total points in the first quarter and knocked down six three-pointers for the Kings. Jazz rookie Walker Kessler scored a career-high

figures, and the Magic overcame Mikal Bridges’ 44 points in a victory over Brooklyn.

Franz Wagner added 19 points and 10 rebounds for Orlando. Wendell Carter had 18 points and six rebounds, and Jalen Suggs returned from an injury with 16 points to help the Magic win their third straight. Paolo Banchero finished with 11 points and nine rebounds.

THUNDER 118, TRAIL BLAZERS 112 PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Shai GilgeousAlexander scored 31 points and Oklahoma City beat depleted Portland.

Jalen Williams had 23 points and Isaiah Joe added 20 off the bench for the Thunder (37-38), who moved into a tie for ninth place in the Western Conference with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Shaedon Sharpe led the Trail Blazers with a careerhigh 29 points, and Nassir Little scored a season-best 28 off the bench. The loss was Portland’s eighth in 10 games. The Blazers (32-42) are four games back of 10th place in the West and the final spot in the play-in tournament.

RAPTORS 114, WIZARDS 104

TORONTO (AP) —

O.G. Anunoby scored 29 points, Fred VanVleet had 28 and Toronto never trailed in a win over Washington.

Pascal Siakam had 19 points and 11 rebounds, and Jakob Poeltl added 12 points and 12 rebounds.

Ninth-place Toronto clinched the three-game season series with the Wizards and maintained a three-game lead over 11th-place Washington in the Eastern Conference standings.

Both teams have seven games remaining.

Scottie Barnes scored 13 points in his return to the starting lineup after missing two games because of a sore left wrist as Toronto won for the ninth time in 10 home games.

Kristaps Porzingis scored 26 points for the shorthanded Wizards, who have lost four straight road games.

FROM PAGE 14

The Lakers still were without D’Angelo Russell, who missed his second straight game with a right hip injury. Los Angeles went 8-5 in James’ absence, but his return will force an adjustment of the chemistry built by his teammates in his absence — and the Bulls took full advantage.

James got his first basket on a drive late in the first quarter, and he finished the first half with eight points. But Chicago largely controlled play, streaking to a 20-point lead in the second quarter. Los Angeles briefly got the lead down to single digits down the stretch, but got no closer. The Bulls largely controlled Davis even after Nikola Vucevic was ejected in the second quarter with two quick technical fouls when he argued what appeared to be a good call against him.

Patrick Beverley had 10 points and five assists in his first game against the Lakers since they traded him last month. Beverley has been outspoken about his desire to hurt the Lakers’ playoff hopes during this home-and-home series between the teams, but Davis and the other Lakers smiled at his provocative talk.

When Beverley made a little hook shot with 1:12 left to boost Chicago’s lead back to double digits, Beverley slapped the floor and made the dismissive “too small” gesture sometimes used by NBA players to taunt their opponents, in this case James.

TIP-INS

Bulls: DeRozan sat out Friday’s win in Portland with a strained quadriceps ... Alex Caruso played against his former team through foot soreness. ... Javonte Green missed his second straight game with residual soreness in his return from right knee surgery. ... DeRozan will attempt to play in both back-to-back games in Los Angeles, coach Billy Donovan said.

Lakers: Russell has missed eight games with two injuries since joining the Lakers last month. He has played with James only twice. ... Wenyen Gabriel scored two points on his 26th birthday.

31 points for the Jazz. Kessler added 11 rebounds and finished 14 of 16 from the floor. Kelly Olynyk finished with 17 points and 10 assists, Ochai Agbaji scored 20 and Jarrell Brantley added 13 off the bench for Utah.

HAWKS 143, PACERS 130

ATLANTA (AP) — John Collins led eight Atlanta scorers in double figures with 21 points and the Hawks overcame Jordan Nwora’s season-high 33 points and protected their shaky hold on the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference playoff standings

Trae Young was ejected in the third quarter after firing an unusually hard pass to referee Scott Wall during a timeout. Wall caught the ball. Young was immediately called for a technical foul and ejected. Young had 14 points and five assists. Dejounte Murray had 20 points in his return after missing two games with a non-COVID illness. Saddiq Bey led Atlanta’s bench with 18 points.

Tyrese Haliburton scored 19 points and Buddy Hield had 16 for Indiana.

PELICANS 131, CLIPPERS 110

LOS ANGELES (AP)

— Trey Murphy III scored 32 points, Brandon Ingram had 32 points and 13 assists, and the New Orleans Pelicans never trailed against the Los Angeles Clippers. C.J. McCollum had 21 points, eight rebounds and

DENVER Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, left, juggles the ball as Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton, center, and Denver forward Michael Porter Jr. battle for position under the net in the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, March

eight assists for the Pelicans, who have won four in a row.

Bones Hyland scored 18 points and Kawhi Leonard added 12 points and six rebounds for the Clippers, who have lost three of four.

At risk of falling out of the play-in tournament with a loss, the energized Pelicans started out hot, scoring the first eight points, and never let up.

NETS 129, HEAT 100

MIAMI (AP) — Mikal Bridges scored 27 points, and the Brooklyn Nets opened the third quarter on a 31-6 run on the way to rolling past Miami and leapfrogging the Heat back

into the No. 6 spot in the Eastern Conference.

Cam Johnson added 23 points and Spencer Dinwiddie scored 15 for the Nets (40-34), who snapped a fivegame slide. They’re only a half-game up on Miami (40-35) in the race for the sixth and final guaranteed playoff berth, but swept the Heat 3-0 this season and would also own a head-tohead tiebreaker. Max Strus scored 23 for the Heat, all of them in the first half.

Tyler Herro scored 23, Jimmy Butler had 18 and Bam Adebayo finished with 16 for the Heat. Miami was outscored 64-31 after halftime.

25, 2023, in Denver.

(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

TIMBERWOLVES forward Karl-Anthony Towns (32) celebrates after his winning 3-point basket against the Warriors last night in San Francisco.

(AP Photo/D Ross Cameron)

OLE MISS ELIMINATED

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

AFTER falling short of advancing to the Elite Eight of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Women’s Basketball Championships, coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin urged the Bahamian public to be patient with her University of Mississippi Lady Rebels.

Ole Miss made their exit in the Sweet 16 of the March Madness Tournament on Friday night as they fell victim to the Louisiana Cardinals inside the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington.

The Rebels, 25-8, qualified for the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2007, having advanced past Gonzaga and an upset over topseeded Stanford in their first two games to secure their second-consecutive fourth-place finish in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the regular season.

But McPhee-McCuin said they were hoping to continue their trek to at least the Final Four, but Louisiana stopped them from moving on. But she noted that she was still impressed with the strides her team made along the way.

“It’s more than I expected, but we lost about 70 percent of our scoring to the WNBA,” said McPhee-McCuin, whose top performer centre Shakira Austin skipped her junior year to earn the third overall pick in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) Draft by the Washington Mystics in 2022.

“So if you would have asked me at the beginning of the season would I expect for this team to be in position, I probably would have said no, but they worked extremely hard to get here and so they surpassed all of my expectations. We just have to be a little more patient. We will eventually get there.”

Against the Cardinals, the Lady Rebels had an uphill battle after trailing 20-15 at the end of the first quarter. It was an 18-13 third quarter spurt that propelled Louisiana to a comfortable 52-42 lead that they maintained through the fourth quarter to hold off every comeback Ole Miss mounted.

“It was great. I just think the lights got a little too bright for us,” said McPheeMcCuin. “This was our first time competing in the Sweet 16 for the first time in 16 years and Louisiana was

YOLETT McPhee-McCuin.(AP)

there a lot more times. But we will be back. We have now set a standard that we have to maintain and to surpass in the future.”

Three senior guards led by example with double figure scoring performances for Ole Miss.

Marquesha Davis had 19 points, eight rebounds and three assists, Myah Taylor also had 19 points with three rebounds and Angel Baker chipped in with 11 points and six rebounds.

Louisiana produced a more balanced attack with four players in double figures as junior guard Haley Van Lith connected on a game high 21 points with five rebounds and four assists.

McPhee-McCuin said prior to the start of the season, she brought her entire team, including coaching staff and supporters to the Bahamas in November, for a preseason tournament at Baha Mar, which helped them to bond together and get the ball rolling for the regular season.

“That helped us tremendously. We played up to our level talent being away in an uncomfortable environment and I truly feel like that helped us to get to where we are,” said McPhee-McCuin, who hopes to return in November for another pre-season tournament at Atlantis this time.

On Friday, McPheeMcCuin said she was pleased to see the support from the Bahamian public in the stands. She noted that there were more than 25 Bahamians in attendance, including members of the Bahamas Consulate and her parents Daisy and Gladstone ‘Moon’ McPhee, who assisted in her development from her initial stages as a student-athlete at Catholic High School in Grand Bahama.

“There was a lot of pride and I am eternally grateful for it,” McPhee-McCuin said. “I know that people expected us to go on, but it just wasn’t our time. Our time will come. I just want the Bahamian people to be patient with us. We will be back.”