04092024 NEWS AND SPORT

RBPF Tech Expo launched

THE ROYAL Bahamas Police Force launched its inaugural three day Technology Expo under the theme “From Pixels to Protection: Innovation in Public Safety” at the RBPF Headquarters. The expo highlighted crime fighting technology such as drones and cameras. Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis, National Security Minister Wayne Munroe, and Commissioner Clayton Fernander gave remarks and toured the event. The Prime Minister arrived to the event in his new BMW i7 M70.

ROYAL Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) Commodore Raymond King, Killarney MP and Former Prime Minister Hubert Minnis, Former Governor General Dame Marguerite Pindling, Deputy Police Commissioner Leamond Deleveaux, Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander, Christine Fernander, Ann Marie Davis, Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis, Minister of National Security Wayne Munroe and other officials cut the ribbon during the opening ceremony of the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) Technology Expo held at police headquarters yesterday. Photos: Dante Carrer

Police chief to review fatal shooting advice

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Court inquests for those matters returned a homicide by manslaughter finding, and the DPP’s office has faced pressure to decide whether any officer who might have been involved in the killings will be prosecuted.

Commissioner Fernander told The Tribune: “We will view it as a team and if I have my views or input in it, I will send my views back to the DPP, but I will view as well to see what it is that she directed us to do, but I will have a hand in it in making a decision as well.”

Three officers shot Forbes on March 25, 2018, in Yellow Elder. The man later died at the Princess Margaret Hospital. Evans, meanwhile, was killed on Sandy Lane in Mason’s Addition on May 27, 2018. Officers were responding to an alleged armed robbery suspect. While the officers maintained that Evans was armed, several eyewitnesses said he was not.

By convention, the police always follow the recommendation of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Two men charged in last week’s mass shooting

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

AN UNCLE and nephew were charged yesterday in connection with last week’s mass shooting on Peardale Road, which left six people hospitalised.

Acting Chief Magistrate Roberto Reckley charged Deltino Thurston, 35, with attempted murder and Dwayne Thurston with armed robbery.

On Easter Sunday, the pair allegedly armed with firearms got out of the back of a vehicle and opened fire on a group of people standing at the front of a business on Peardale Road, south of Wulff Road. The victims, aged 16, 20, 23, 37, 41 and 44, were all taken to hospital and remain in stable condition. The two men were not allowed to enter a plea and were remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.

Deltino’s case will be transferred to the Supreme Court by Voluntary Bill of Indictment on May 28 and Dwayne’s case will be sent on June 20. Earlier yesterday, Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander told the press officers are searching for two other suspects.

TWO MEN CHARGED IN SAUNDERS MURDER CASE

Donald Saunders while trying to rob him at Rags Bar on the night of March 27. During this same robbery, the pair allegedly stole $650 from the establishment. The accused were told their case would be transferred to the Supreme Court through a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI). After being informed of their right to apply for bail through the higher court, they were told they would be remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.

Nixon,

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$36m stadium repair to finish 14 days before World Relays

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the stadium.

“These repairs are taken on by the People’s Republic of China as this was a gift given to The Bahamas some ten years ago and as you can see the repairs are needed,” he said.

“We thank them for their commitment to ensuring that they bring this facility back up to A1 standard so that we can continue holding international events and using these facilities as a development of our young people.”

China gifted the 190,000-square-foot stadium to The Bahamas in 2011, signalling the growing bilateral relations between the two countries. Dai Qingli, ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, said: “The rough estimate made by the Bahamas government when they put forward the project proposal was like $28m, but because of this urgent nature, it became an urgent project so the cost went up by a few million dollars.”

on this stadium project for many months now, since last year,” she said. “This is a collaborative project between our two governments. We have been able to secure a Chinese government grant at the request of The Bahamas government.

Ms Qingli, whose last day in office is tomorrow, said the repairs are a symbol of friendship between both countries. “We have been working

“We all know the importance of this stadium to the Bahamian people and we see this as a symbol of friendship between our countries, so we want this symbol to stand tall and proud and especially to be ready in time for the World Relays.”

The Chinese government is also constructing a man camp, a

housing facility for athletes, according to Mr Bowleg. The facility will accommodate 150 people and feature a canteen and sleeping quarters.

“What we will do now is when our national teams are preparing in the various disciplines, they will have some place that we can host them at less of cost and you know again it’s our job that we maintain and upkeep these facilities to ensure that they can be of great asset to us in the long run,” he said. He highlighted the need to hire additional staff to help maintain and upkeep the facilities.

SOME former employees of PharmaChem Technologies have been employed elsewhere since they were let go in January, although Director of Labour Howard Thompson could not confirm the number. More than 100 employees were laid off on January 12 when PharmaChem closed down, attributing this to “unprecedented challenges” affecting its ability to sustain operations.

Yesterday, Mr Thompson said: “We have a Public Employment Services Unit. And so, a lot of persons who would have reached out to the department for assistance. We’re able to try to source them to other employers looking for opportunities. We would often post on the website various openings so that’s what we have done so far for those persons. “But I think we have got a couple of them sorted out with new employment.”

Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis in January said the government was unsuccessful in intervening to prevent the closure of PharmaChem Technologies. Tribune Business reported the company was experiencing “technical and operational issues” related to its $400m plant expansion, which was designed to expand the range of drugs supplied to its sole client, Gilead Life Services. The project reportedly went significantly over budget due to cost overruns. The company was unable to meet Gilead’s desired production timelines and volumes, so the latter pulled its financial support from PharmaChem, resulting in its closure.

Darville promises new GB hospital will be completed during this term of govt

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

HEALTH Minister Dr Michael Darville promised that a new $210m hospital with oncology services will be completed in Grand Bahama during Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis’

needs. “Many may not know that the RMH was never a public hospital,” he said. “It provided some of the tertiary health care services, but it was evolving around a MOU with the

Princess Margaret Hospital for those services that were not provided.

“The new facility that we are constructing will be a freestanding facility inclusive of the long-awaited oncology services.

“So, I want to let you know we are on target for delivering this hospital in our term in office, and you will have essential healthcare services that we have been speaking about for many years.”

Dr Darville also said an e-clinical record to let

people access their medical records no matter where they are in the country is in the works.

“This is good news because we intend to digitize healthcare services so that we can improve service delivery throughout the country,” he said.

He said the National Insurance Drug Prescription Plan accessed through the National Insurance Board will be expanded to the National Health Insurance Authority so more people will access free prescription

drugs. Under NIB, some 44,000 government employees benefit from the plan.

“We want to ensure that individuals who suffer from chronic non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and kidney failure will have access to medication,” Dr Darville said.

“The movement of the NIDPP to NHI, we want to expand that 44,000 to the 150,000 recipients of NHI to access medication across the Bahamas.”

LABOUR DIRECTOR HOWARD THOMPSON

OUTGOING Chinese Ambassador to The Bahamas Dai Qingli greets Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis during an event to mark the formalization of the renovation and maintenance project of The National Stadium yesterday. Photos: Dante Carrer

Women advocates say communication lacking over abuse victims shelter

By KEILE CAMPBELL kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

WOMEN advocates say the Ministry of Social Services has not sufficiently responded to stakeholders querying the status and timeline for the domestic abuse victims shelter, nor further consulted with women’s activists about their issues with the Protection Against Violence (PAV) Act.

Director of the human rights group Equality Bahamas, Alicia Wallace, said requests for a meeting with the minister of Social Services have been sent many times since last August, the latest being March 12. She said emails were responded to with an acknowledgement of receipt, but no follow-up with a scheduled date or communication of a potential date.

Ms Wallace said monthly meetings used to be held with non-profit organisations (NGO). She said although those meetings were “pointless” and involved late notices, even those meetings had not been held for months.

Last week, Minister of Social Services Myles Laroda said the promised domestic abuse victims shelter “is coming” and the process of “acquiring a facility” is on the government’s agenda.

Last July, the late Obie Wilchcombe, the former minister of social services, said the government was preparing four new shelters for women, with the first set to open in a few weeks.

Activist Khandi Gibson, whose advocacy for a women’s shelter involved protesting in front of Sybil Strachan Primary School while the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were visiting the school during their trip to The Bahamas, credited the Davis administration for listening to NGOs concerning the shelter, but said there needs to

be more collaboration and partnership with NGOs. “As for collaboration, getting our expertise, our consultancy, nothing – or should I say, not as yet,” she said.

“Until the government sees grassroot NGOs as part of the solution, we will forever be in this fight.“

Free National Movement Senator Maxine Seymour, the shadow Minister of Social Services, said she is concerned that there are seemingly no definitive plans in place to address critical women’s issues as the Davis administration nears the end of another budget cycle.

“My thing is, how long is the process going to last, because we’re in the process of doing a lot of things when it comes to women,” she said. “They have been in the process of bringing equality to citizenship laws, they’ve been in the process of reviewing marital rape legislation, they can be in process for a long time because there’s no clear definition on what timeline for months.”

She said she has written to and followed up with the Ministry of Social Services concerning several matters, but got no response.

“I’m not surprised they’re not sitting to the table with the NGOs,” she said. “The sad thing is, these are the people and organisations who consistently work every single day around the clock with victims of domestic violence and so they’re the ones who know and understand the nature of this way more than anyone, any minister who may have been recently appointed and so they understand what the women’s needs are, they understand where the inequalities are, they understand where, you know, the legislation there are gaps, and so why is it that the Ministry of Social Services cannot make time to sit with them is beyond me.” KHANDI GIBSON, founder and president of Families of All Murder Victims.

Mom concerned for son’s wellbeing in prison after no answer by phone

By

THE mother of a man behind bars for violating his bail conditions said she is concerned about her son’s welfare after being unable to reach him and receiving reports that he was severely beaten by inmates in prison. Acting Corrections Commissioner Doan Cleare told The Tribune yesterday that officials are investigating her concerns but did not give an update up to press time.

Chakara Burrows said that since her son, Dante Scott, was arrested last year, the two have spoken regularly, typically at least twice a week. She said his silence and her inability to reach him is unusual. She last spoke to him the week before last. “I was somewhere on Friday and somebody who just came from out of prison came and told me, because he know my son, that some prison officers took my son out of the cell and carried my son into another cell and had some guys gang him and beat him severely,” she said. Scott was previously charged with receiving and threats of harm, according to his mother. She said he pleaded guilty to the bail offence in February and was sentenced to six months behind bars. “The prison officer would call me, but he hasn’t called me for a while to say, well, Dante Scott say do this, or Dante Scott say do that,” she said. The mother, who lost her 18-year-old son last

year after he collapsed shortly after escaping from the Princess Margaret Hospital last year, said she is worried. “You know when your mind on somebody, it don’t be far from the truth, just like when I lost Devon,” she said. “My mind was on him strong strong strong that Tuesday, and eventually, they called me and tell me my child dead.”

Coastal wetlands can’t keep up with sea-level rise

WETLANDS have flourished along the world’s coastlines for thousands of years, playing valuable roles in the lives of people and wildlife. They protect the land from storm surge, stop seawater from contaminating drinking water supplies, and create habitat for birds, fish and threatened species. Much of that may be gone in a matter of decades.

As the planet warms, sea level rises at an ever-faster rate. Wetlands have generally kept pace by building upward and creeping inland a few meters per year. But raised roadbeds, cities, farms and increasing land elevation can leave wetlands with nowhere to go. Sea-level rise projections for midcentury suggest the waterline will be shifting 15 to 100 times faster than wetland migration has been clocked.

I have been studying coastal geology and wetlands for more than 40 years. The rates of sea-level rise that we’re seeing now mean portions of today’s coastal wetland ecosystems will be lost to the ocean in the years and decades to come at a tempo never seen before.

Wetland plants were able to keep pace in the past The presence of expansive wetlands along the coasts is in large part because sea level has been relatively stable for millennia.

Wetland plants could easily adapt to small changes in the ocean level because those changes were typically less than 1 millimetre per year. The plants naturally create or trap sediment, building elevation to keep up with rising seas. Wetland ecosystems are also adept at migrating horizontally and therefore could colonize areas of the coastline that were slowly flooded over time.

However, the world’s climate began to change about a century and a half ago. Fossil fuel combustion in factories and vehicles sent increasing amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, raising global temperatures. This also warmed the oceans, causing them to expand, and accelerated the melting of glaciers and ice sheets. The combination of thermal expansion of seawater and melting land ice has added volume to the ocean, causing sea level to rise at everfaster rates.

Water level data collected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration at gauges distributed along the US coast indicates the average rate of sea-level rise is now about 10 millimetres per year – much faster than in the past – and it is expected to continue accelerating. During the second half of the 21st century, scientists expect sea-level rise to average about 30 millimetres per year. That’s 30 times faster than it was rising before the Industrial Revolution.

Sea level is rising faster than wetlands can adapt The rates of sea-level rise along the mid-Atlantic and southeastern US coasts are now faster than most coastal wetland plant communities can build elevation.

Within decades, it is very likely that much of these crucial ecosystems will drown. Areas once occupied by a lush, expansive and contiguous coastal wetland

ecosystem will, over time, become riddled with small, isolated ponds that enlarge, interconnect and eventually transform to open seawater.

A regional analysis I recently conducted of published horizontal rates of wetland migration along the US midAtlantic and eastern Gulf of Mexico coastal plains suggests wetlands can move inland at an annual pace measured in meters to tens of meters. In the same areas, however, theoretical rates at which the shoreline will move inland – calculated using NOAA sea-level projections in the year 2050 – range between 100 to 150 meters per year. That’s 15 to 100 times faster than wetlands can move.

The inundation models that scientists typically use to emulate coastal wetland resilience to rising seas assume wetlands will migrate inland at the same rate as the shoreline. As a result of the work I recently completed, it appears the models have overestimated coastal wetland resilience and that wetland losses this century will be higher than predicted.

Even under the most ambitious scenarios for reducing carbon dioxide emissions, sea-level rise will likely continue to accelerate this century. That means the loss of wetland ecosystems as they currently exist along our coastlines will continue for generations as the climate continues to warm and the oceans rise.

3 ways to protect these valuable ecosystems

So, what can be done to save our coastal wetlands? What actions can be undertaken to minimize the loss of these ecologically and economically important areas?

First, land managers could implement programs to acquire or create conservation corridors adjacent to areas where coastal wetlands currently exist. These undeveloped or natural landscapes will provide a pathway through which the wetlands can move inland as sea level rises.

Second, it seems ever more urgent to remove human-built structures – roads, dikes, levees – that will prevent the landward advance of coastal wetlands.

A project in Oregon did this by removing an earthen dike to allow the wetlands to migrate. In South Florida, engineers elevated miles of US Highway 41, locally known as the Tamiami Trail, between Miami and Naples to allow the resumption of water flows that had been cut off.

Finally, in areas historically drained for agriculture and flood control, surface water management projects can restore freshwater flow toward the coastal zone. In South Florida, for example, rainwater in the Everglades prevented salt water from advancing underground – until extensive canals were built to drain the region for development and agriculture. Several large water management projects are now redirecting rainwater back into the Everglades to slow the advancing underground saltwater plume, which can be lethal to freshwater wetland and upland plant communities.

Randall W. Parkinson Florida International University

EDITOR, The Tribune.

THE Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) faces its greatest challenge since the enactment of the Hawksbill Creek Agreement in 1955, with the incredible demands that it fork over a staggering $357 million to the central government. This bill, allegedly accumulated between 2018 and 2022 for services done on Grand Bahama by the state, leads one to wonder what exactly did the government do in Freeport that would cost this much in six years.

I vividly recall some pushback that the Port Authority received from the Progressive Liberal Party government under former Prime Minister Perry G Christie. Whatever differences there were between the GBPA and the Christie administration seemed, to outsiders at least, to have been ironed out. With a brilliant King’s Counsel in the person of current Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis, the Port Authority might find itself in a dogfight for its very survival in the coming months and years. The demand for $357m has the potential to cripple the GBPA. In fact, I am not convinced that the Port Authority and its ownership have the amount Davis is demanding in liquid assets. It would be the height of naivety for any informed Grand Bahamian to think that they do. Could this be Davis’ strategy of attempting to get the ownership to hand over the Port Authority to the central government as payment, without having to dig into the coffers of the state to pay for it. As far as I am aware, the GBPA owns the Grand Bahama Utility Company and the

Grand Bahama Development Company.

I believe, and I stand to be corrected, that the Port Authority has some interests in the harbour company. It also owned, back in the day, the local power company. But that was sold to a foreign entity with deep pockets. From the looks of it, the Port Authority does not seem to be as lucrative as it once was, having divested itself of such a valuable asset. When Christie was PM, there were talks that the GBPA was valued between $250m to $500m. Professional auditors will have to determine the exact value of the Port Authority. But I am having a hard time believing that the quasigovernment entity is worth a quarter billion dollars, let alone the $357m that the Davis government is demanding to be paid in a mere 30 days. The current state of Freeport, which is deteriorating, belies any claims of such a high estimation. Granted, there are talks of some $2 billion in investments in the pipelines. Hopefully these investments are able to create much needed jobs. But the readership must appreciate the degree of the suffering in Freeport that has been caused by the downward trajectory of the economy over the past quarter of a century. While Freeport continues to be stuck in a devastating recession, Freeporters are watching, with some degree of frustration, Out Islands like Bimini, Abaco, Exuma and the Berry Islands flourish

financially. As an objective Bahamian on the outside looking in, it is hard to argue with Davis, when one takes the time to examine the overall situation in Freeport. Anyone who argues otherwise is either dishonest or is highly uninformed. With Grand Bahama’s close proximity to the United States of America, its economic slump is totally unacceptable. In order to recapture its glory, Freeport would need developments on the scale of Atlantis on Paradise Island, a Bah Mar -- both of which would absorb thousands of unemployed and under-employed Grand Bahamians. Freeport also needs a functional airport -- not necessarily the size and cost of the Lynden Pindling International Airport on New Providence. Moreover, Freeport needs a cinema and a massive clean-up campaign that would target abandoned, dilapidated buildings, beginning with the rundown International Bazaar. I foresee the current impasse between the Davis government and the GBPA delving into a protracted legal battle in the courts, which might take years to resolve. Does the GBPA have $357m at its disposal? Something tells me, and I could be wrong, no. But I am not the least bit convinced that this is what the Davis government is really after. I sincerely believe that Davis, who no doubt has done his homework, is bluffing. What the PLP government is really after, I think, is the Port Authority itself.

KEVIN EVANS

Freeport, Grand Bahama April 8, 2024.

THE PRIME Minister’s arrives in his new BMW i7 M70 that cost the public purse nearly $200k. Photo: Dante Carrer

WITNESS TELLS HOW TEEN ROBBER KILLED BY POLICE

an order when she heard someone order the restaurant’s patrons to get on the ground. She said she turned around and saw Johnson in a camouflage face mask as he walked towards seated patrons with a gun.

She said she was initially in disbelief. She said eventually, Johnson’s back faced her, and a partition separated the two.

Ms Morley said she she bent down and moved towards the door, where she encountered a man in grey outside. She said she told the man to “get the [expletive] out of my way, I’m getting out of here.”

Although she recalled the man muttering something under his breath, she said he moved aside and allowed her to get out.

She said near the bottom of the stairs, she heard the man in grey tell the gunman that police were coming. She then noticed the man outside reach inside his waist for something, causing her to run towards her car and dive inside before shutting the door.

She said while ducking for cover in her car, she heard shots but couldn’t see who fired them. Later that evening, she gave a statement to police before leaving the scene.

Sergeant Akira Robinson of the Criminal Investigations Department testified that she went to Double Dragon after the shooting.

She said when she arrived at the scene, she saw several police units had already arrived, and she found the deceased’s body lying on the ground near the back of the building. She said she spoke to several restaurant patrons and employees and recorded their statements. The statement of Trinity Bowleg, a restaurant employee, was read before the five-person jury.

Ms Bowleg said she was sitting in the waiting area at the front of the restaurant around 10pm when she heard a commotion.

She said she saw a short, dark man in black clothing with a handgun demanding

that people get on the ground and give him their belongings. A short time after the robbery began, she heard the deceased’s accomplice say from outside, “the man is coming”, before both men tried to flee the scene.

Ms Bowleg said after running upstairs, she heard gunshots but later told police that she did not get a good look at either suspect.

Juanita Daxon-Pinder, Ms Bowleg’s mother, testified that she was in the restaurant’s parking lot with a clear view of the entrance waiting to pick up her daughter when the incident happened.

She said she was listening to music when a young man in grey clothing approached the restaurant from a western direction with a black mask and a baseball cap on. Although Mrs DaxonPinder couldn’t see the suspect’s face clearly, she said he looked 18 to 30.

She said she became concerned when she saw the deceased pull a gun from his pants, and she tried to call her daughter to tell her to hide. When her daughter didn’t answer the phone, she said she tried to call the police, but was unsuccessful.

Mrs Daxon-Pinder said she was scared when the deceased ran past her car. She said she saw an officer engage the man, telling him: “Stop, police”.

She said while Johnson was climbing a wall, he aimed a gun at the officer and fired it, causing the officer to return fire. She claimed the deceased fired “a lot”.

She said she was ducking, screaming and hiding in her car during the gunfire, fearing she would be killed. She claimed that the deceased was still firing in the air by the time he dropped to the other side of the wall.

When questioned by K Melvin Munroe, the attorney for the officer in this inquest, Mrs Daxon-Pinder claimed the deceased fired his gun first.

Acting Coroner Kara Turnquest Deveaux presided over the hearing, and Angelo Whitfield marshalled the evidence.

MAN ACCUSED OF MURDERING MECHANIC OUTSIDE HIS HOME

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was held in custody yesterday after he was accused of murdering a mechanic outside his auto body shop last month.

Chief Magistrate Roberto Reckley charged Samuel Higgs, 21, with murder and attempted murder. Along with accomplices, Higgs, while armed with a gun, allegedly shot 42-year-old Paul Cox, Jr, and 41-year-old Dominic

Watson outside an Auto Body Shop on Gilda Street around 11am on March 24.

The suspects reportedly fled the scene in a white Japanese vehicle.

Both victims were taken to the hospital after the shooting, but Cox died of his injuries shortly after arriving.

Higgs was told that his matter would be moved to the Supreme Court by a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI). His VBI is set for service on May 30.

MAN ACCUSED OF TRYING TO KILL THREE POLICE WITH ASSAULT RIFLE

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was jailed yesterday for allegedly trying to kill three police officers with an assault rifle in Nassau Village last month.

Chief Magistrate Roberto Reckley charged Daltino Thurston, aka “Anton Nottage”, 35, with five counts of attempted murder, five counts of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, possession of an unlicensed firearm and possession of ammunition. Thurston, while armed with an assault rifle and helped by an accomplice, allegedly tried to kill Deangelo Armbrister and Lamar Hanna on March 31. Thurston also allegedly tried to kill Assistant

Employees now able to be report trade union disputes through govt’s MyGateway portal

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jade@tribunemedia.net

EMPLOYEES can now report their trade union disputes through the government’s MyGateway portal, according to Director of Labour Howard Thompson.

The Department of Labour launched four digital services on March 4th that would allow for new trade union registration, the transfer of trade union licence, trade union document requests, and reports of the trade dispute.

Mr Thompson highlighted that the public will now access such services from the comfort of their home rather than physically visiting the department.

“If you’re an employee and you reside let’s say San Salvador and you have an issue with your employer down there, you can actually get on

your internet, go to my MyGateway, go to the Department of Labour’s part of the website, and you can file your trade dispute and have the process started,” Mr Thompson told reporters at a press conference yesterday.

Van Delaney, the registrar of trade unions, said trade unions can now register on MyGateway, adding that one application already submitted is being vetted. People would have to pay a fee to get documents.

Mr Delaney also said he hopes the portal will eventually facilitate the renewal of trade union licenses.

Tajh Seymour, ICT specialist for the digital transformation unit, said six services have been launched for the Ministry of Labour. He said the digital department aims to put 200 government services online, with 95 available so far.

DIRECTOR of Labour Howard

Superintendent Jermaine Flowers, Detective Inspector Devan Clarke and Detective Constable Wayne Munroe after they engaged him in a brief car chase that ended when the suspect’s vehicle ran into a wall on Spruce Street. Although Thurston reportedly briefly evaded authorities, he was later captured in the same area where the car chase concluded. An assault rifle with 29 rounds of .223 ammunition was allegedly recovered in the vicinity.

The defendant was told that his matter would proceed to the Supreme Court through a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI).

Thurston’s VBI is slated for service on May 30. Inspector Deon Barr served as prosecutor.

Thompson.

Carolyn Hanna - being the change you want to see

CAROLYN F Hanna is a living, powerful example of “being the change you want to see in the world”. While some complain about the state of affairs in their country, point fingers and cast blame; others, like Carolyn, are quietly making a difference by putting their passion into action.

Carolyn is a matriarch, community activist, hospital chaplain, and veteran in the telecommunications industry. She is a person who believes in helping others and making a difference wherever she goes. A former employee of BaTelCo (BTC) for 36 years, Carolyn found herself just as busy in the corporate world as she was in her community and spiritual life. She dedicated herself to her God, her family, her church and her country and as such, she injects high energy and a jubilant spirit into everything she does, even though she is now 82-years-old.

This year was a special one for Carolyn. This was the fifth time that she travelled to the United Nations (UN) Headquarters in New York, USA, to attend the Commission on the Status of Women. This year’s session was the 68th international meeting (CSW68) and countries around the world came together to discuss women’s issues, report on progress made, and map out plans for areas in need of progress.

What makes Carolyn’s attendance at CSW68 so special is that she funded her own trip. She did not go as a guest of the government, as a part of a group, or attached to an NGO. She simply went as a woman who is invested in the advancement of women in her country and around the world.

“From the first time I went,” she said, “It opened my eyes to what women are going through around the world, and how they come to the UN to represent their countries and speak for women.”

Carolyn attended for four consecutive years prior to the COVID19 pandemic. This year was the first time she returned to CSW since the pandemic, and she hit the ground running. She attended every single event she could during CSW68, including side events, meeting women, hearing from them, and sharing her testimony as a Bahamian woman.

“I have met thousands of women by attending CSW over the years,” Carolyn said. “Our stories are all the same. We have issues with women and the wage gap - women not getting their fare share. There is a billion dollar sex trafficking industry that affects not only countries around the

Face to Face

By FELICITY DARVILLE

world, but The Bahamas as well. We need more women in leadership, especially in government. Some African countries seem to be doing well with promoting women to Parliament. But wherever the women are from that I meet, we all have the same issues and concerns.”

Attending CSW as an individual, taking on the expense on your own is no easy feat. Carolyn had to fly to New York, get a hotel, and cover all her expenses. She is so convicted in her belief in the power of advocacy that on one occasion, she arranged for ten women to attend the conference with her. This year, she took a young lady who had never attended CSW before for the “eye opener” of a lifetime.

Unfortunately, she says sometimes, the information goes over the heads of some of the attendees. Carolyn says that training is necessary, so that attendees could gain the necessary skills to not only represent their countries at the meeting, but return and make formal reports on the outcomes so that other women in their country could be informed and enlightened. In addition, she said it’s important for “continuation”, so that the work for women being done in the country can transcend changes of ministers, political parties, and so on.

The greatest indictment for women, Carolyn said, is that women do not support one another enough. “We keep talking about the men allowing us to lead, but we really don’t want to lead,” she opined.

“Women are quite happy with men in leadership. They talk about it, but they don’t strive towards it. There is no reason why a woman can’t be leader of this country - because we are the majority. The men support the men, but women don’t support women enough. We have to get together and fight for us to be on the front line. Sometimes this opinion is taken as a negative, but it’s really a positive for our country.”

“More women ought to get involved and speak truth to power in The Bahamas. If you are not in a position to do so, life becomes difficult and our cries fall on deaf ears.

Every female Cabinet Minister in The Bahamas should have gone to CSW68. I personally shared my experiences

with President of the Senate Lashell Adderley and kept encouraging her to go. I was happy that she made it this year, as well as Urban Renewal State Minister Lisa Rahming. But I feel that they need more opportunities to speak at these events. This year, there were so many attendees in the general assembly that I ended up sitting in the overflow. But I shared my knowledge and gained from others. Other countries have so much literature to share. Our country is kind of back on this, but I would love to see this happen.”

With seven women parliamentarians currently in the House of Assembly, Carolyn says she is proud of her country’s advancement, but there is a long way to go.

One way to increase women’s leadership in politics, she said, is for women to come together across the political divide to commit to the improvement of women’s issues in The Bahamas.

She gave a charge: “Women in The Bahamas ought to get up and do something tangible and do something to help our country. Women in parliament should form a conglomerate and see how they can focus on their issues. The politics will always be there, but we as women need to stand up in this country and bring things together. We have a loud voice if we come together. Don’t allow the things that divide us cause us not to come together and speak truth to power.

Former Minister of Social Services Melanie Griffin is a perfect example. During one of Carolyn’s CSW missions, Minister Griffin, a PLP MP, invited former FNM MP and Attorney General Janet Bostwick and former Social Services Minister Loretta Butler Turner to attend. Together, they hosted a high-level side event, and Mrs Bostwick was given a special award during a luncheon there at UN headquarters.

Carolyn told me that when Minister Griffin learned of her mission to New York, she went out of her way to ensure that her personal taxi driver took Carolyn to and from the sessions. Carolyn could not afford a hotel near the UN headquarters, and would have to travel a distance to attend sessions every day. Minister

Griffin waited each day for her to be secured to her hotel. This kind of personal women’s empowerment is important to her, and it’s something that she passes on to every young woman she mentors.

She first became invested in women’s issues when, as a corporate executive and community activist, she was invited to monthly meetings at the Ministry of Social Services. Today, even though the meetings are not as regular, she continues to push for women’s empowerment in every aspect of her life.

When she speaks about her sojourn to the UN headquarters, Carolyn finds that often, women aren’t even aware of the significance of these meetings, and they don’t understand the purpose of the UN. Therefore, she said, for women to truly become activists, they need to be informed and educated on how they can become local and global

advocates. This year, Minister of Social Services, Information and Broadcasting Myles LaRoda and his delegation, including Permanent Secretary Phedra Rahming-Turnquest, led a high-level side event that focused on gender and climate change. That event garnered a high turnout and sparked widespread interest. Women from countries around the world got a better perspective on how climate change affects them, and the numbers show that women are disproportionately affected by climate change than men. For example, in situations like a hurricane, women are more likely responsible for caring for the elderly and babies and preparing food, even in dire circumstances. They are more likely to be injured or lose their lives in these storms. Issues like these were laid out by an expert panel which included two Bahamian environmentalists - Dr

Rihanna Murphy-Neely, Director of Environmental protection and Planning, Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources, and Dr Adele Thomas, vice chair of Working Group II for the IPCC Seventh Assessment Cycle and a Senior Researcher at Climate Analytics. No matter how far she travels to advocate for others, Carolyn always returns home to a loving family. Born in New Providence to a father of Cat Island descent and an American mother, Carolyn is a proud mother of five, grandmother of 7, great grandmother of 11, and most recently, she has become a great great-grandmother. She is setting an example for them that at any age, they can give their time and talents to enhance not only their personal lives or their communities, but to make a global impact that could be of benefit to all mankind.

CAROLYN F Hanna proudly represented her country at the 68th Commission on the Status of Women, United Nations Headquarters, New York, USA

CAROLYN F Hanna devotes her life to advocating for women and to serving in Ministry at her church, Christ Church Cathedral

DESCENDANTS of Carolyn Hanna, matriarch and women’s advocate.

NATO fulfils its purpose

CELEBRATIONS of the 75th anniversary of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) were in full swing last week as all concerned paid tribute to the success of this remarkable intergovernmental military alliance since its founding in 1949. In the words of its Secretary-General, Jens Stoltenberg, “NATO is bigger, stronger and more united than ever” and has broadly ensured peace, democracy and prosperity for its members.

The body originally comprised 12 member states and has now expanded to 32, with Finland and Sweden being notable recent additions. Its original purpose was to provide collective security, in the wake of the Second World War, after the USSR moved permanently into Eastern European countries as it simultaneously advanced to Berlin.

Following the US’s Marshall Plan to rebuild Western Europe and create a rearmed, economically strong and integrated group of countries, it was hoped NATO would provide an essential barrier against further communist expansion westward by guaranteeing its member states freedom and security. The purpose was to help them promote democratic values and enable them to consult and cooperate on defence and security-related issues, build trust and – in the longterm – prevent conflict.

The notion of collective defence was especially attractive. Article 5 of the NATO treaty provided that, if an ally became the victim of an armed attack, every other member of the Alliance would consider it as an act of violence against all its members and take

The Peter Young column

action accordingly. A relatively recent example of this was that immediately after the 9/11 attacks NATO met in emergency session and agreed to support the US response to the attacks. Another benefit of Article 5 was that it has prevented the revival of nationalistic militarism in Europe. It is also significant that, such has been the success of NATO, which has been judged to have worked well, that it has expanded considerably and pressure has grown on its member states to accept their financial responsibilities on defence issues – so much so that 20 of them are now meeting the target of spending two per cent or more of GDP on defence.

One of the purposes of this column is to draw attention to Britain’s actions in the international arena and to try to explain policy issues. So, against this background, I should like to draw attention to the speech by Britain’s foreign secretary, David Cameron, at the celebration of NATO’s 75th anniversary.

The importance of the organisation can, perhaps, be judged by one particular incident recalled by Lord Cameron. One of his predecessors, the much respected and admired Ernie Bevin, was reported to have said about NATO in 1948 that “decisions we make now will be vital to the future peace of the world”. Lord Cameron confirmed yet again that the UK strongly supported NATO’s action in relation to the Ukraine war because tyrants should not be allowed unilaterally to redraw the boundaries of Europe. Among numerous problems, he said, Ukraine was his main priority. There

is, of course, a view amongst some historians that one of the reasons for the invasion was the expansion of NATO too close to Russia’s borders so that this was seen in Moscow as a threat. But the foreign secretary emphasised that, if Putin were permitted to prevail in Ukraine, other countries in the region would be at risk of attack. He also hoped that more and more NATO members would follow their colleagues in making the two per cent commitment which, he said, was a “floor” not a “ceiling “. What I found particularly interesting, however, was the stress Lord Cameron placed on the importance of future generations continuing today’s public support for NATO even though their priorities overall might be different. The awareness of today’s political leaders of the danger to other countries of ultimate Russian success in Ukraine was, he said, partly due to their understanding of NATO and the notion of collective defence. Some people’s beliefs and attitudes were driven by family knowledge and personal involvement and experience, as a result of which they understood the dangers of the destruction of war and the implications for the rest of the world.

Can arms sales to Israel be justified?

ARMS sales to foreign countries have always been a controversial issue for UK governments. Many supported the professed policy of the then Labour Party government of the 1990s in adopting an “ethical arms policy” based on the principle that the circumstances and sensitivities of any particular case which might be controversial should be considered individually against Britain’s beliefs and values and broader foreign policy issues. Depending on the circumstances and the political reality of the moment, Britain may not wish to allow its manufacturers to supply weapons to a regime which because of its actions was labelled as controversial or worse.

The Israel/Gaza war broke out six months ago after Hamas’ murderous rampage within Israel resulted in the murder of some 1,200 people and the capture of over 200 hostages. It has been called the deadliest single assault on Jews since the Holocaust. In a swift and punishing response, Israel vowed to “crush and destroy Hamas” so that it no longer posed any threat, and to bring all the hostages home. According to Hamas’ figures, in Israel’s invasion of Gaza and the brutal war that followed at least 33,000 Palestinians have been killed and massive amounts of infrastructure have been destroyed. The Israeli Defence Force says it has killed thousands of Hamas fighters and broken up the network of tunnels they have used to carry out attacks.

As the war continues inexorably with the horror of daily death and destruction, the recent Israeli airstrike on an aid convoy operated by the World Central Kitchen charity that resulted in the deaths of seven, including three UK citizens, has precipitated growing international and domestic demands for a ban on the sale of arms to this increasingly isolated country. Israel has acknowledged its responsibility for this airstrike and described it as a “grave mistake stemming from a serious failure” that was a case of misidentification in violation of its own procedures. Britain has demanded transparency and accountability over this and, despite the initial inquiry by the Israelis that has admitted wrongdoing and has resulted in the senior officers responsible being sacked, the UK government has called for an independent review.

Among others in the UK, a group of 600 retired judges has written to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak urging a ban on arms sales and saying that the provision

of military assistance to Israel may make Britain complicit in genocide as well as in breach of other international humanitarian law. The letter also calls for the government to press for a permanent ceasefire while there have been demands for publishing the legal advice it has received about the extent to which Israel is violating international law with its actions over Gaza. The fact that senior judges normally refrain from weighing in on politically sensitive issues makes their intervention this time all the more significant.

One of the signatories of this letter was Lord Sumption, the former UK senior judge who made a name for himself opposing lockdowns during the COVID pandemic. He has explained separately that, since Israel’s military action and collective punishment have been recognised by the ICJ (International Court of Justice) as potentially constituting genocide, Britain is legally bound to try to prevent it - which is not compatible with providing arms to Israel. Lord Sumption has also reminded everyone that the policy of successive British governments has always been to observe international law scrupulously. As regards the counter arguments in favour of arms sales, former prime minister Boris Johnson has said in his Daily Mail column that it would be “insane” for Britain to turn its back on the only democracy in the Middle East. Shunning the Israelis would mean, in effect, repudiating them when the

nation had only recently suffered the biggest and most horrific massacre of Jews since WW2 and when some 130 hostages were still being held in Gaza. He goes on to argue that, if other countries – not least of course the US - ended military support, the defeat of Israel was likely. Victory for Hamas would enable them to rebuild their own forces and attack a weakened Israel again. The indications so far are that the UK government is not going down this route, but Lord Cameron has said that support for Israel was not unconditional.

Notwithstanding all this, it seems that most people believe Israel has matched the brutality of Hamas and gone beyond reasonable retaliation in Gaza. Israel should, of course, be allowed to defend itself. However, by failing to do enough to protect civilians while hunting down Hamas – and in its wholesale destruction of infrastructure – it has not exercised a proper degree of “proportionality” between military objectives and the risk of human suffering and casualties. It has therefore attracted almost worldwide opprobrium, with the UN calling the situation a betrayal of humanity. All that said, Israel is – at the time of writing -- withdrawing army units from southern Gaza. Many observers are hoping that that could indicate its military objectives may have been at least partially fulfilled and that the prospect of a ceasefire should not now be ruled out.

Over the years, Britain had been largely united in support of NATO, and expansion of the organisation itself has seemed desirable to today’s and yesterday’s leaders and policy-makers. But what about future generations?

In Lord Cameron’s words, it might be necessary to make the foundational argument again that it is essential to allow countries to make decisions about their political future free of threats from more powerful neighbours – and, in Europe, this can best be done in the knowledge that NATO is there to support them and ensure their security.

ANNIVERSARY OF INVASION OF FALKLAND ISLANDS

ARGENTINA’S invasion of the British territory of the Falkland Islands on April 2, 1982, seems a very long time ago. The conflict that followed has now become a forgotten war, but it was top of the world’s news agenda at the time. Having been involved in the aftermath as a young(ish) desk officer in the then Foreign and Commonwealth Office working on policy in relation to reconstruction and redevelopment of the islands, this time of the year always brings back mixed memories of an extraordinary series of events.

In reaction to the invasion and brief occupation of this remote place with a population of less than 3,000, who were fiercely opposed to any interference in their lives by Argentina, Britain rapidly sent a task force which landed on the Falklands on May 21. After several weeks of fierce fighting Argentina’s forces surrendered on June 14. During a conflict lasting seventyfour days, 255 British and

649 Argentine personnel were killed and many more wounded. Six British warships were sunk and among numbers of Argentine aircraft and ships lost, the cruiser the General Belgrano was sunk by a British nuclear-powered submarine. Three islanders also lost their lives during the hostilities.

Despite some international criticism, Britain never had any doubt about its sovereignty over the Falklands which it had administered for 150 years; and it was acting in accordance with the principle of self-determination enshrined in the UN Charter. A familiarisation visit left one with a sense of pride that one’s own country was prepared to stand up to international aggression and to send a task force 8,000 miles away in the South Atlantic to protect the wishes of so few. This brief but brutal conflict may be largely forgotten but not by those who participated in it and by the families left to mourn their dead.

BRITISH Foreign Secretary David Cameron speaks with the media as he arrives for a meeting of NATO foreign ministers at NATO headquarters in Brussels, on April 3, 2024. NATO foreign ministers gathered in Brussels on Wednesday to debate plans to provide more predictable, longer-term support to Ukraine.

Photo: Virginia Mayo/AP

A VEHICLE of aid workers with World Central Kitchen with a hole reportedly caused by an Israeli airtstike.

Photo: Ismael Abu Dayyah/AP

A ROYAL Navy Westland Sea King HC.4 of 825 Naval Air Squadron takes off after transporting J Company, 42 Commando, Royal Marines from Port San Carlos to Darwin on the 28th May 1982. Photo: Imperial War Museum

GENDER-AFFIRMING SURGERY,

AND GENDER THEORY BLASTED BY VATICAN AS VIOLATIONS OF HUMAN DIGNITY

VATICAN CITY Associated Press

THE Vatican on Monday declared gender-affirming surgery and surrogacy as grave violations of human dignity, putting them on par with abortion and euthanasia as practices that it said reject God’s plan for human

The Vatican’s doctrine office issued “Infinite Dignity,” a 20-page declaration that has been in the works for five years. After substantial revision in recent months, it was approved March 25 by Pope Francis, who ordered its publication.

From a pope who has made outreach to the LGBTQ+ community a hallmark of his papacy, the document was received as a setback, albeit predictable, by trans Catholics. But its message was also consistent with the Argentine Jesuit’s long-standing belief that while trans people should be welcomed in the church, socalled “gender ideologies” should not.

In its most eagerly anticipated section, the Vatican repeated its rejection of “gender theory,” or the idea that one’s biological sex can change. It said God created man and woman as biologically different, separate beings, and said people must not tinker with that or try to “make oneself God.”

“It follows that any sexchange intervention, as a rule, risks threatening the unique dignity the person has received from the moment of conception,” the document said.

It distinguished between gender-affirming surgeries, which it rejected, and “genital abnormalities” that are present at birth or that develop later. Those abnormalities can be “resolved” with the help of health care professionals, it said.

Advocates for LGBTQ+ Catholics immediately criticized the document as outdated, harmful and contrary to the stated goal of recognizing the “infinite dignity” of all of God’s children. They warned it could have real-world effects on trans people, fuelling anti-trans violence and discrimination.

“While it lays out a wonderful rationale for why each human being, regardless of condition in life, must be respected, honoured, and loved, it does not apply this principle to genderdiverse people,” said Francis DeBernardo of New Ways Ministry, which advocates for LGBTQ+ Catholics. Nicolete Burbach, lead expert in social and environmental justice at the London Jesuit Centre, said the document showed the Vatican continues to fail to engage with queer and feminist approaches to the body “which it simply dismisses as supposedly subjecting both the body and human dignity itself to human whims.”

“I think the main difficulty faced by the document is that it attempts to affirm the church’s authentic commitment to human dignity in the face of a troubling history on the part of the church itself around attacks on that dignity,” said Burbach, a trans Catholic theologian who researches transness and the

Catholic Church. The document’s existence, rumoured since 2019, was confirmed in recent weeks by the new prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, Argentine Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, a close Francis confidant. Fernández had cast the document as something of a nod to conservatives after he authored a more explosive document approving blessings for same-sex couples that sparked criticism from conservative bishops around the world, especially in Africa.

And yet, in an apparent attempt at balance, the document takes pointed aim at countries — including many in Africa — that criminalise homosexuality. It echoed Francis’ assertion in a 2023 interview with The Associated Press that “being homosexual is not a crime.”

The new document denounces “as contrary to human dignity the fact that, in some places, not a few people are imprisoned, tortured, and even deprived of the good of life solely because of their sexual orientation.”

The White House said President Joe Biden, a devout Catholic, was “pleased” to see that the declaration “furthers the Vatican’s call to ensure that LGBTQ+ (individuals) are protected from violence and imprisonment around the world,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.

On the specifics involving gender theory, Jean-Pierre stressed that it was not Biden’s role to “litigate internal church policy.”

Asked how its negative take on trans people squared with Francis’ message of welcome, Fernández said the welcome remained but that the pope fervently believed that the idea that gender was fluid “rather than helping to recognize dignity, impoverishes the vision” of a man and woman coming together to create new life.

The document is something of a repackaging of previously articulated Vatican positions, read now through the prism of human dignity. It restates wellknown Catholic doctrine opposing abortion and euthanasia, and adds to the list some of Francis’ main concerns as pope: the threats to human dignity posed by poverty, war, human trafficking, the death penalty and forced migration.

In a newly articulated position, it says surrogacy violates both the dignity of the surrogate mother and the child.

While much attention about surrogacy has focused on possible exploitation of poor women as surrogates, the Vatican asserts that the child “has the right to have a fully human (and not artificially induced) origin and to receive the gift of a life that manifests both the dignity of the giver and that of the receiver.”

“Considering this, the legitimate desire to have a child cannot be transformed into a ‘right to a child’ that fails to respect the dignity of that child as the recipient of the gift of life,” it said. The Vatican had

previously published its most articulated position on gender in 2019, when the Congregation for Catholic Education rejected the idea that people can choose or change their genders and insisted on the complementarity of biologically male and female sex organs to create new life.

The new document from the more authoritative Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith quotes from that 2019 education document, but tempers the tone. Significantly, it doesn’t repeat Vatican doctrine that homosexual people deserve to be treated with dignity and respect but that homosexual actions are “intrinsically disordered.”

In a news conference to introduce the document, Fernández acknowledged that the “intrinsically disordered” language was very strong. He suggested there might be a better way, “with other words,” to express the church’s vision of sex between husband and wife to create new life.

Francis has ministered to trans Catholics, including trans sex workers, and insisted that the Catholic Church must welcome all children of God.

But he has also denounced “gender theory” as the “worst danger” facing humanity today, an “ugly ideology” that threatens to cancel out God-given differences between man and woman. He has blasted in particular what he calls the “ideological colonization” of the West in the developing world, where development aid is sometimes conditioned on adopting Western ideas about gender.

Transgender activists immediately called the document “hurtful” and devoid of the voices and experiences of real trans people, especially in the distinction it makes between gender-affirming surgeries and surgeries on intersex people.

“The suggestion that gender-affirming health care — which has saved the lives of so many wonderful trans people and enabled them to live in harmony with their bodies, their communities and (God) — might risk or diminish trans people’s dignity is not only hurtful but dangerously ignorant,” said Mara Klein, a nonbinary, transgender activist who has participated in Germany’s church reform project.

Klein said the Vatican “hypocrisy” was furthered by the document’s approval of surgery on intersex people, “which if performed without consent especially on minors often cause immense physical and psychological harm.”

The document comes at a time of some backlash against transgender people, including in the United States where Republican-led state legislatures are considering a new round of bills restricting medical care for transgender youths — and in some cases, adults.

“On top of the rising hostility towards our communities, we are faced with a church that does not listen and refuses to see the beauty of creation that can be found in our biographies,” Klein said in an email.

Eagle Pass, Texas yesterday.

Photo: Eric Gay/AP

A fond farewell

THE MINISTRY of Foreign Affairs hosted a farewell reception for the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, Dai Qingli on Friday, April 5, at the British Colonial, Bay Street.

MINISTER CALLS ON CHILDREN TO EMBRACE HERITAGE

“BAHAMIAN Pride, Nothing to Hide: Embracing Our Heritage” was the theme at the First Step Academy elementary school on March 21.

Minister of Environment and Natural Resources Vaughn Miller addressed students, saying: “Let us embrace our heritage for it is a source of strength, resilience, and identity, woven from the stories of our ancestors.

“As young Bahamians, you are the inheritors and successors of

our heritage entrusted with preserving and passing on the traditions of our forebears to future generations. Let us embrace our Bahamian Pride, for it is what sets us apart and unites us as one people, one nation, indivisible.” Mr Miller also encouraged the students to let their Bahamian pride shine bright for all the world to see, ensuring them that this would illuminate the path towards a future filled with hope, opportunity and unity.

A STUDENT speaks in Bahamian dialect while dressed in cultural Bahamian clothing.

MINISTER of Environment and Natural Resources Vaughn P Miller speaking to students at First Step Academy.

AKHEPRAN STUDENTS TAKE PART IN INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION

By TRUE VISION MEDIA

AKHEPRAN International Academy (AIA) students had the opportunity to make an impact that will affect their nation and the world when they participated in the 68th annual Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68).

A delegation including AIA students and faculty, including President Dr. Jacinta Higgs attended the event, held March 11-22, 2024. Hosted in New York City, CSW68 convened with the theme: “Accelerating the achievement of gender

equality and the empowerment of all women and girls by addressing poverty and strengthening institutions and financing with a gender perspective”.

AIA students participated in the CSW68 Youth Forum, held March 15, 16 & 17 at the UN Secretariat. The dynamic engagement of young people in past CSWs led to them being recognized as important partners in advocacy.

The meaningful engagement of youth and adolescent activists during CSW68 included: strengthening youth capacities through workshops on

the structure of CSW and this year’s priority theme; development of youth and adolescent recommendations in preparation for engaging with the Zero Draft, which include building a common set of positions to influence the broader civil society positions including governments; and overall participation in the Youth Forum during CSW68. AIA students brought meaningful representation for The Bahamas at the high level event. They shared views, gave ideas, and helped to create strategies that would help young

people around the world become better advocates for gender equality. The in-person Youth Forum hosted 250 youth and adolescent participants. It featured a diverse and international gathering of young individuals. Participants had the opportunity to critically examine the impacts of current socioeconomic crises on women and girls and provide their recommendations for strengthening accountability mechanisms, and present a set of commitments for advocating gender-responsive reforms in public institutions.

Photos: Anthon Thompson/ BIS

Game on for Tai Cheng

The BTVI Story

TAI CHENG is no ordinary 18-year-old. While studying information technology (IT) at the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI), he also studies computer information systems at the University of The Bahamas (UB).

Questioned as to how he manages to simultaneously take four classes at each institution, Tai said, “It’s not hard, but it’s quite a workload. It takes a bit of time, but is manageable,” he said casually. The future game designer shared why he felt it

important to enrol in BTVI’s degree programme.

“I heard BTVI is really good at hands on learning. My mom suggested it. She told me about the certifications, which I thought were a plus,” said Tai.

Though only in his second semester, the 4.00 grade point average (GPA) student has already attained certification in IT fundamentals and is now pursuing the same in desktop applications. In 2017 and 2018, BTVI received the top award for the highest CompTIA certification scores out of 40 testing centres in the

BREAKFAST SCHEME EXPANDS

By FAY SIMMONS Tribune Education Reporter jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

THE National School Breakfast pilot has been expanded into five additional schools in New Providence within this academic year. The announcement from the Ministry of Education and Technical Vocation training said that an additional 2,300 students will receive breakfast 3-days a week starting on Monday April 8, and they will continue to receive the free meals for the remainder of the academic year. Schools included in the expansion include five primary schools: CW Sawyer, Stephen Dillet Primary, Woodcock Primary, Yellow Elder Primary and EP Roberts Primary. The programme has a $1m budget allocated for the 2023/2024 academic

year. The breakfast meal initiative, which launched in New Providence in October 2023 with four schools, initially expanded to the Family Islands in November 2023.

Since January 2024 breakfast has been served five days a week in the Family Islands and three days a week in the New Providence based institutions

All New Providence based schools in the programme include: Columbus Primary; Ridgeland Primary; Sandilands Primary; Albury Sayle Primary; CW Sawyer Primary; Yellow Elder Primary; Stephen Dillet Primary; EP Roberts Primary; Woodcock Primary. Family Islands schools include: Cherokee Sound Primary; Old Bight Primary; Rolleville Primary and Holmes Rock Primary

YOUNG POETS SHINE IN CONTEST

THE Bahamas has won a clean sweep in the UNESCO

contest.

second place prize

each

Latin America and Caribbean regions.

Also, Tai has been introduced to TestOut. It provides students with real world experiences through interactive, hands-on lab exercises, video training and more.

“I really like TestOut.

There are labs where I can do practical things through simulation,” he said.

Meanwhile, Tai said he has learned a lot about cyber security and Microsoft Access.

“In high school, it was Word, PowerPoint and Excel, but with Access, I’m dealing with databases. With cybersecurity, I’ve learned that logs share when someone accessed a computer and when they left. There are bio scanners too, which are connected to fingerprints, the retina or even the face. With cybersecurity, I’ve learned a lot about how important security is for the safety and privacy of users.

There are always new ways to steal someone’s identity,” said Tai.

Additionally, the bright young man was recently recognised by the Ministry of Education and Technical and Vocational Training for outstanding results in the Bahamas General Certificate of Secondary Education (BGCSE) exams. The 2023 Temple Christian High School graduate and son of Kam and Felita Chang, attained 8 A’s, 1 B and 1 C. To wind down, he hangs out with friends and recently began teaching himself to play the guitar via YouTube. “I’m learning a skill and I heard music and art are good for stimulating the brain,” he said.

• “The BTVI Story” is a bi-weekly column which highlights the who, what and why of the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI), a tertiary institution where individuals ‘Discover the Possibilities’ related to various trades. The column is produced by BTVI’s Office of Public Relations.

HELPING YOUNG VOICES TO BE HEARD

By FAY SIMMONS Tribune Education Reporter jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

BREEF hosted the “young voices for conservation” Environmental Journalism Workshop last weekend where students got hands on mentoring from local journalism professionals and learned about conservation

The workshop was open to students aged 11 to 25 and they participated in interviewing activities, group storytelling, photography sessions and environmental campaign group activities on climate change, loss of biodiversity and marine pollution.

Marley Johnson, a photographer at Eyewitness News, conducted a photography session where she gave pointers on how to capture the essence of your subject.

He hands-on presentation introduced students to different angles and styles of capturing photographs of our natural environment and encouraged them to think of their photos as permanent memories that can display the beauty of our current environment hundreds of years later.

“It’s important to document how nature is growing and the different things that occur in our environment. Our trees, plants, flowers, oceans that’s all included and it’s all around us so we can’t ignore it,” said Ms

“Just taking a picture of a tree, if you go back and look for that tree years later it may be gone, but you will still have that photo that shows the memory of today and you can say I remember this great big tree from some time ago.”

PICTURED are youngsters taking part in the Environmental Journalism Workshop and, below right, photographer Marley Jayy giving a presentation.

Photos: Dante Carrer

TAI CHENG

World Poetry Day

Students from The Bahamas took home the first and

in

age category at the inaugural competition. The poetry contest was open to students from CARICOM countries in four age groups: 6-8 years; 9-12 years; 13-17 years; 18 and older. The topic for all ages was climate change and winners were presented with certificates, trophies and gift certificates.

MINISTER of Education, Technical and Vocational Training Glenys Hanna-Martin with the winners. Photo: Patrice Johnson/BIS

NBA Playoff positioning battles continue

THE last week of the NBA season has arrived. With no games yesterday — the league typically tries to not play on the night of the NCAA men’s championship game — the schedule resumes today with 14 games, 13 of which have at least some form of playoff implications.

The big game Tuesday: A likely play-in tournament preview with Golden State visiting the Los Angeles Lakers, a meeting of teams with championship pedigree that could meet next week in an elimination game. This week is all about playoff positioning. In the East, Milwaukee, Orlando, New York and Cleveland will likely finish second through fifth in some order. In the West, Denver, Minnesota and Oklahoma City will almost certainly finish 1-2-3 — again, in some order — and the Los Angeles Clippers seemed to be almost locked into the No. 4 spot.

TODAY’S NATIONAL TV SCHEDULE

The day’s lineup includes every team except Cleveland and Brooklyn, with two games nationally televised: 7:30pm Eastern — Boston at Milwaukee, TNT/TruTV 10pm Eastern — Golden State at L.A. Lakers, TNT/ TruTV WHO’S IN/ WHO’S OUT

By STEVE MEGARGEE AP Sports Writer

MILWAUKEE (AP)

—

The Milwaukee Bucks’ roller coaster season has hit its nadir with the playoffs less than two weeks away. The Bucks have lost four straight games and six of their past seven. They’re 15-17 under coach Doc Rivers after going 32-14 before his arrival.

Although Milwaukee (47-31) has a one-game lead over the Orlando Magic (46-32) and New York Knicks (46-32) in the race for the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs behind the Boston Celtics, the Bucks could be facing another early exit if they don’t turn things around.

“Definitely not a good feeling,” two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo said Sunday after the Bucks’ 122-109 loss to the New York Knicks. “Kind of the environment on the team doesn’t feel right.” Antetokounmpo then went into more detail regarding his comment about the environment.

By SCHUYLER DIXON AP Sports Writer

DALLAS (AP) — Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic draped their arms over each other in a pseudo-embrace, smiles of exhaustion on the faces of the co-stars of the Dallas Mavericks.

The final seconds of a 147-136 overtime victory against Houston on Sunday were still ticking off, with Irving and Doncic having combined for 85 points as part of a 22-point rally for a win that wouldn’t have been possible without Dante Exum’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of regulation.

Irving, who scored a season-high 48 points, may have been “depleted” — his word during an on-court interview just a couple of minutes later — but he and Doncic hope they’re just getting started.

The 14th victory in 16 games was another step toward Dallas securing a guaranteed playoff spot among the top six in the Western Conference.

As of now, Philadelphia, Miami, New Orleans, Sacramento, the Lakers and Golden State also hold what would be the play-in spots.

Brooklyn, Toronto, Charlotte, Washington, Detroit, Houston, Utah, Memphis, Portland and San Antonio have been eliminated from all postseason contention.

BETTING GUIDE

Boston has home-court advantage throughout the NBA playoffs and is currently the heavy favourite to win the championship, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. The Celtics are listed at +170, well ahead of defending champion Denver (+360). Next up: Milwaukee (+800), the

The only seed that has been locked up is East No. 1, which Boston wrapped up weeks ago. Denver, Minnesota and Oklahoma City have clinched playoff spots in the Western Conference. Boston and Milwaukee have clinched spots from the Eastern Conference. There were 20 teams still in the race for the Larry O’Brien Trophy when the regular season ended Sunday, and those 20 slots are already claimed — with Chicago and Atlanta certain to be in the play-in tournament next week.

Clippers (+850) and Oklahoma City (+1400).

WHAT TO KNOW

— Tyrese Maxey had his league-high-tying third game of at least 50 points this season, leading Philadelphia to a 133-126 double-overtime win over Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs. Maxey, Philly teammate Joel Embiid and Phoenix’s Devin Booker all had three 50-or-more games this season. The win moved the 76ers past Miami into the No. 7 spot in the East.

— Klay Thompson scored 32 points on the day that Golden State’s postseason berth was clinched, and the Warriors beat Utah even without a resting Stephen Curry.

— The Clippers rallied from 26 points down to

beat Cleveland 120-118. It tied the second-largest comeback win in the NBA this season and is the third time the Clippers won after trailing by at least 20 points.

STAT OF THE DAY

There have been more assists this season than ever before. The previous record for a season in the NBA was 62,279. After Sunday, the total was 62,597. It’s the third straight season and the sixth time in the last eight years that the NBA has seen a new total assist record.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Guys are coming into form at the right time.” — Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley, after the Magic improved to 22-9 in their last 31 games by beating Chicago.

“When you lose games, you don’t feel good,” he said. “You’re not happy. If you go back home, you cannot sit down and watch Amazon Prime and be relaxed and enjoy your steak (or) some guys who drink, drink your wine or beer or whatever they drink. Or in my case, do my Legos. When I try to put my Legos in place, I’m more frustrated and I’m hurting my fingers and stuff. That’s what I mean by the environment not feeling good.

“We’re not a losing team. We don’t have that mentality. That’s not in us.”

The Bucks have been through plenty of upheaval ever since they had the league’s best regular-season record last year, but lost to the Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs.

They fired coach Mike Budenholzer and acquired star guard Damian Lillard. Budenholzer was replaced by Adrian Griffin, who got dismissed midway through the season despite having a 30-13 record. Joe Prunty went 2-1 as an interim head coach before Rivers came aboard.

The coaching change was an indication the Bucks weren’t satisfied with their struggles on defence and uncomfortably close wins over losing teams during Griffin’s brief tenure. But the inconsistency has continued under Rivers.

“Or failing at a high level,” he quickly added. Sort of covers the endings of both seasons for superstars with 13 All-Star selections between them.

Last year, injuries were a problem in the two months after Dallas sent two important players from the run to the 2022 Western Conference finals to Brooklyn for Irving.

Once the Mavericks realised it would be difficult to get into the West playin tournament with two games remaining, coach Jason Kidd essentially acknowledged the team was tanking to try to salvage a draft pick from the

The Mavs are two games clear of seventh with four games remaining, and face 19-win Charlotte tonight. Dallas holds the tiebreaker on the next three teams in the standings. What that means is Irving and Doncic are on the verge of their playoff debut together, a year after the trade for Irving led to an unceremonious tanking instead of a trip to the postseason. “Life is about redemption, especially in sports, where anybody can say anything and something could happen the next day or the next two weeks or the next few months that leads to you succeeding at a very high level,” Irving said.

failed trade for Kristaps Porzingis four years earlier.

Although costly (a $750,000 fine from the NBA), the strategy worked, and Dallas added a building block in centre Dereck Lively II from Duke.

Lively’s availability for the playoffs is in question due to a knee injury, but Daniel Gafford’s addition at the trade deadline this year gives Dallas a similar dunker and rim protector. P.J. Washington was the other February acquisition,

and the roster appears to be a much better fit than after the Irving trade. At least that’s what the standings show. “The chemistry is big,” Doncic said. “We are on a roll right now.”

Injuries were an issue for Irving the first half of this season, but Dallas is 22-7 in the 29 consecutive games he has played since returning from a thumb injury. He also had an extended absence with a bruised heel. Irving is on his longest continuous stretch since 2015-16.

Doncic is two games from playing in 70 for the first time since his rookie season, and the Mavericks recently won 10 consecutive games with the NBA scoring leader — and Irving, of course — in the lineup.

When Doncic sat with a sore knee in Friday’s 108106 victory over Golden State, Irving played more than 42 minutes for just the second time this season.

During Irving’s six-game absence with the thumb injury, Doncic played at least that long four times, and ended up sitting once to rest because of the heavy workload.

Irving scored 25 points in the fourth quarter and overtime against the Rockets. The 11th of 12 assists from Doncic, who scored 37 points, set up Exum’s tying 3.

Plenty of reasons for both to savour the win.

“At the end of the game, Luka’s like, ‘I’m tired, man,’” Irving said. “That was one of those in-themoment type things for us as brothers to embrace each other. We know how hard we’ve worked and how much work it took to get to this point in the season.”

The Bucks lost seven of Rivers’ first 10 games. They won six straight after the All-Star break. Now they’re slumping again. “These are the moments where you find out who’s a real one and who’s not, because everybody’s going to be saying negative stuff, how wrong it is and how bad it is,” Lillard said. “You can fold or not fold. That’s what we’re going to learn about ourselves going into the playoffs, based on the experience we’re having right now.”

Any comparison of the records under Griffin and Rivers should mention the extenuating circumstances. Milwaukee’s schedule got significantly tougher after the coaching change. Sunday’s loss to the Knicks marked just the fourth time in the past 29 games that Antetokounmpo, Lillard and three-time All-Star Khris Middleton were all available, and Middleton left after getting hit in the mouth midway through the second quarter.

CLIPPERS forward Paul George, left, high fives teammate centre Mason Plumlee in the second half against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

THIS handout photo provided by the Dallas Mavericks shows Dallas Mavericks guard Dante Exum (0) celebrating his last second three pointer with teammate Luka Doncic (77) as Houston Rockets defenders Reggie Bullock Jr. (25), Jabari Smith Jr. (10) and Jalen Green (4) look on at the end of the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game on Sunday in Dallas. (AP)

DALLAS Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving, left, is guarded by Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Dallas on April 5. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Perfect ending: South Carolina’s Dawn Staley wins third national title as Gamecocks down Iowa

By TOM WITHERS AP Sports Writer

CLEVELAND (AP)

— With the championship secured, Dawn Staley released a year’s worth of pent-up frustration and pain. The tears flowed freely. The burden lifted.

South Carolina got past Caitlin Clark this time.

A year after their perfect season crashed with a semifinal loss to the sensational Clark in the Final Four, the Gamecocks and Staley, their fiery and fierce coach, finished the job with an 87-75 win over Iowa in the NCAA championship on Sunday. This wasn’t necessarily about revenge, although South Carolina guard Raven Johnson dubbed this season “The Revenge Tour,” it was incredibly satisfying for South Carolina (38-0), which became just the 10th team in history to finish undefeated. “It was emotional for me because of how it ended last year,” said Staley, who sat at the postgame dais with a net draped around her neck and the NCAA title trophy within reach. “I’ll leave that there.”

The greatest season in women’s college basketball — highlighted by Clark’s rampage of the record books, young stars and unprecedented TV ratings — was dominated by one team: South Carolina stood alone. With five new starters, the Gamecocks were head and shoulders better than every other team in the country. They credited Staley, their 5-foot-5 coach, now on a short list with the game’s iconic leaders, with taking them to the top.

“We have the best coach in the country, in the

nation, in the whole wide world,” Johnson said. Staley’s third title and second in three years made her just the fifth coach to win three, joining Geno Auriemma (11), Pat Summitt (8), Kim Mulkey (4) and Tara VanDerveer (3). Beyond that, Staley entered an even more select club with Auriemma, Summitt, Mulkey and Jody Conradt as the only coaches to go unbeaten. Not bad for a former AllAmerican guard who went 0-3 in the Final Four at Virginia.

“The best in the business,” said Gamecocks centre Kamilla Cardoso, named the tournament’s most outstanding player after a 15-point, 17-rebound final.

After the Gamecocks took the celebration outside the arena, Staley spoke by phone with President Joe Biden, who offered her congratulations from the White House.

The 53-year-old Staley doesn’t like to call herself coach, preferring “dream merchant” as her mission is to pave the path for her players — on and off the court. The Gamecocks adore her as was evidenced by the affection they showed her following the game. Cardoso, who left her family in Brazil at 15 to play in the U.S., broke down when talking about Staley.

“She’s just like a family for me, a family away from home,” Cardoso said, choking up. “I’m just so thankful to have her.”

“She’s like a mom,” Johnson said. “I go to her about everything. I could joke around with her. I could do anything. It’s a home-away-from-home feeling.”

Staley of course wanted this title for this year’s team. She wanted it just as badly for South Carolina’s beloved “Freshies” — Aliyah Boston, Brea Beal, Zia Cooke, Laeticia Amihere and Olivia Thompson — who came up short a year ago at the hands of Clark.

“I wasn’t going to allow what I felt happened to us last year happen this year,” she said, referring to some calls that went Clark’s way.

“So I had a little bit of PTSD, and I addressed it in real time. It’s heavy.

“You carry the burden of every single one of your players, all the coaches and staff members that put so much into our team. And it’s a heavy load to be undefeated, to finish the job.”

The AP’s Coach of the Year leaned on one of her new freshies as freshman guard Tessa Johnson scored a season-high 19 points and the Gamecocks clamped down on Clark, who scored 30 in the final. South Carolina was too much for Iowa.

Too much depth and too much size. The Gamecocks outrebounded the Hawkeyes 51-29, and South Carolina’s bench outscored Iowa’s a staggering 37-0.

Always fashion forward, Staley wore a silver jacket for the title game after sporting Louis Vuitton from head to toe in the semifinals.

She spent much of the first half with her hands shoved into her pants pockets as she fumed to

the officials about some questionable fouls called against her team.

But she had a very different look in the closing seconds as the realization of winning another championship sunk in.

In her 16 years at South Carolina, Staley has built what was once an alsoran programme in the tradition-rich Southeastern Conference into a dynasty and the measuring stick for women’s hoops.

And she’s done it her way — critics be damned.

“We’re going to keep doing what we’re doing the right way, whether we are the popular or unpopular successful programmes in the country,” she said.

“We’re going to keep doing it that way,” she added.

HITS 3-RUN HOMER IN WIN OVER

ST. LOUIS (AP) —

The Miami Marlins ended their team-record ninegame losing streak starting the season when Jasrado “Jazz” Chisholm Jr. and Nick Gordon hit three-run homers in a six-run first inning that lifted them over the St. Louis Cardinals 10-3 on Sunday.

“I’m just happy for the guys, they can actually smile and breathe a little bit,” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said. “Celebrating in there after kind of a long week, long 10 days, two weeks whatever you want to call it. So it just feels really good to be able to smile in there.” Schumaker would not comment on a report by USA Today that he and Miami had eliminated a 2025 team option from his contract during the offseason.

Miami had been the first team to start 0-9 since Atlanta and Minnesota in 2016.

The Marlins avoided becoming the first team to lose its first 10 games since the 2002 Chicago White Sox began 0-11.

Max Meyer (1-0), a 25-year-old right-hander, got his first major league win in his fourth start and appearance. Meyer allowed one run and three hits in six innings, striking out three and walking one.

“Max was really the story today,” Schumaker said.

“It’s exactly what we needed. He’s easy to root for. He’s just different out there. He’s a special kid that has this ninth inning mentality every pitch, and he has a bright future here.”

Meyer had Tommy John surgery on August 9, 2022, and returned to a major league mound this April 1, when he pitched five innings without a decision against the Los Angeles Angels.

remaining undefeated as the national champions with an 87-75 win over the Iowa Hawkeyes, McPheeMcCuin said her Lady Rebels are now heavily into their recruiting process.

“We are very active, trying to finish out our class, making sure we get the right pieces so that we can have a really good year and to put us in a position to be playing in Tampa (final four) next season.”

As for not making it to the elite eight, McPheeMcCuin said she wished that people would understand how hard it is to win basketball games.

“I have to stay grounded and remember that I’m only in year six,” said McPheeMcCuin of her coaching chores at Ole Miss. “While we did something incredible to this past season it’s not normal. “There was a lot that we had that went really well for us and what we will do now is to take a look at everything, evaluate it and see

what it is we need to do to move the needle forward. “I know one of the things we will have to do to move the needle forward is to get players that fit our culture, fit our competitive nature and that are aware to come here and want to win. That is the goal.”

The Lady Rebels will have to do it without one of their key players in forward Marquesha Davis, who is expected to be entering the Women’s National Basketball Association draft.

“Marquesha Davis has had a phenomenal year with us and she’s been having a lot of interviews with pro teams,” McPheeMcCuin noted. “We have a couple players who have completed their collegiate eligibility, but I haven’t gotten the same traction for them as I got for her.”

McPhee-McCuin, however, still has Bahamian Rhema Collins on her roster. Collins played sparingly in her rookie season this year, but McPheeMcCuin said there’s a bright future ahead of the rising young star. “People have to remember that Rhema has

only been playing for four years and so Rhema’s latter part of her career will be better and she knows that,” McPhee-McCuin said.

“The goal is to work with her and put her in a situation where she could possibly be a guard or a forward who could move and do some things. She just needs to put in the work. “She is patient. She’s well aware of the plans we have for her and she trusts me so that’s why I am excited about her.”

McPhee-McCuin is hoping to bring Collins home, along with a member of her coaching staff at Ole Miss in June as she begins the preparation for the women’s national team’s participation in the FIBA Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) Championships, scheduled for August 19-25 at a venue yet to be announced.

As she reflected on the March Madness final game played with South Carolina, completing a perfect season and denying the nation’s best scorer in Katlin Clark and her Iowa team to shine,

McPhee-McCuin said she liked what she saw.

“The game is in good hands. Women’s basketball is in a good place,” she noted. “We get more viewers than NBA basketball and men’s NCAA basketball and it’s only going to continue to get better.

“We have some big names in the game, people like our style of play, so it’s only going to get better seriously.”

When she comes home in June, McPhee-McCuin revealed that she will be “scouting the talent available.”

“The plan is to put the best group of players together, so I have to take a look at that, hiring coaches and then starting and working with them in training camp as we implement a system that will collaborate with the coaches here to get us started.”

Her target is to get the women’s national team qualified for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, California, and include fellow Bahamian pro star Jonquel Jones back on the

roster. “We will start with this tournament. We will try to get some elite players here to play,” said McPheeMcCuin about the CBC Championships, a title she won as the first Bahamian female coach in 2018. “I don’t want people to look at this roster and they feel like this is the best group that can help us to advance to the next round. We just want to put all of the pieces together so that we can really be successful. I really have a lot of high hopes.” Although Jones, who is now a member of the New York Liberty team in the WNBA, is currently playing for the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team, she revealed that she has not given up her citizenship as a Bahamian. McPhee-McCuin said there’s a process that the BBF will have to go through in order to regain the services of Jones on the national team, but it’s something that they are pursuing. As an outstanding player herself, McPhee-McCuin

had high hopes of playing at the professional level after she graduated from Catholic High in Grand Bahama, However, after her stint as a guard at Miami Dade Community College, McPhee-McCuin began her coaching career as an assistant and then landed her first head coaching job at Jacksonville University from 2013 to 2018 and then onto Ole Miss. In between those coaching jobs, McPhee-McCuin also served as the head coach for the Bahamian national team since 2013. And, three years later, she emerged as the first female coach to win the first CBC title for the Bahamas in 10 years after a 55-51 win over Jamaica to qualify for the 2016 CentroBasket Championship.

As she seeks to continue to develop Ole Miss into a powerhouse in the SEC and the NCAA, McPheeMcCuin is hoping to do the same with the Bahamas women’s national team in the CBC. And eventually in FIBA America.

MISSISSIPPI head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin watches during the first half of a second-round college basketball game against Notre Dame in the NCAA Tournament Monday, March 25, 2024, in South Bend, Ind.

(AP Photo/ Michael Caterina)

SOUTH Carolina head coach Dawn Staley celebrates after the Final Four college basketball championship game against Iowa in the women’s NCAA Tournament on Sunday in Cleveland. South Carolina won 87-75.

(AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Queen’s College Comets honoured for competing in the CARIFTA Games

FROM PAGE 16

swim team; Everette Fraser, head coach of the Comets’ track team and Corrington Maycock, the head coach of the Blue Chips Throwers Club and the president of the Bahamas Association of Athletic Coaches. Hobbs said they had four swimmers, including collegian Rhanishka Gibbs, who was not present, from the swim team that captured the sixth straight CARIFTA title at the Betty Kelly Kenning Swim Club. The other members on the swim team - Alissa Ferguson, Madison Gilbert,

Nassau Darts Association to play in tourneys at home, abroad

AFTER completing its league play, the Nassau Darts Association is now gearing up for several national and international tournaments. Kraven Ho’s, one of the divisional champions, will be travelling to Eleuthera June 14-15 to participate against the championship teams from Grand Bahama, Abaco and Eleuthera.

But the most important thing is the Masters trials to determine who will make the national team.

The trials are scheduled for April 26-27 at the Get It Right Club on Gladstone Road. The top 10 men and six women will be selected to represent the Bahamas at the Caribbean Cup July 19-29 in Jamaica.

16

is expected to be turned over to the Local Organising Committee for commencement of hosting the World Relays next month. Additionally, the People’s Republic of China is also creating a housing facility on the site of the stadium, something that Bowleg feels should have been done a long time ago.

“We are using this opportunity to allow the People’s Republic of China to assist in building this facility that will be a great asset to the Bahamian people,” Bowleg stated.

“What we will do now when our national teams are preparing in the various disciplines, they will have some place that we can house them at a lesser cost. It’s our job to maintain and upkeep these facilities to assure that they will be of great asset to us in the long run.”

The housing facility will be equipped with a canteen, a bathroom in each sleeping quarters. It will be designed similar to a hotel as it will be fully furnished.

Damari Butler and Kyana Higgs - were all a part of the contingent that got their well-deserved recognition at Queen’s College. And there were 16 current athletes and three former students who travelled to Grenada where the Bahamas finished second behind powerhouse Jamaica. The four former athletes were present. Members of the track team from the Comets were Everette Fraser, Alexandria Komolafe, Davon Davis, Jade Knowles, Branden Mackey, Ethan North, J’Kaiyah Rolle, Jaylern Stuart, Annae Mackey, Zion Miller, A’Karee Roberts, Ishmael Rolle, Taysha Stubbs, Robert Deal, Jonathan Harris and Kenny Moxey Jr. Nias Richards, Lanaisha Lubin and Kaden Cartqweright, all 2023 graduates of Queen’s College, were a part of the track team and joined in the celebration. “We had a junkanoo rush-out, the cheerleaders and the band all performing for them as they marched out,” Hobbs said. “Our kids did extremely well representing Queen’s College.

celebration for them. Our kids really, really performed well. We are proud of them.”

The athletes were feted to lunch where they also got a taste of a special cake that was designed especially for the celebration. Queen’s College will now turn its attention to the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ National High School Track and Field Championships this weekend at the original Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium.

“They all did extremely well. We are so proud of all of them. That was the reason why we decided to stage this special

As they get back in competition mode, Fraser however, noted that coming off the performances at

CARIFTA, he’s just looking for the Comets to show up and make their presence felt as they always do.

“We are going to send our athletes to compete,” Fraser said.

“It’s not about winning the title. We just want our athletes to go out there and compete to the best of their abilities.”

The meet will run from Thursday to Sunday and while there will be divisional winners for the various age groups, no overall champion will be crowned.

Hopefully, Queen’s College will have another reason to celebrate their Comets’ achievement.

Once the repairs to both the recently completed Betty Kelly Kelly Swim Complex and the Thomas A. Robinson Stadium is done, Bowleg said the Bahamas Government through the NSA will be hiring additional personnel to ensure that the facilities are properly maintained and serviced.

“I think with the present board in place and the present management team in place in the NSA, they will ensure that we have enough manpower to maintain all of these facilities in the Queen Elizabeth Sports Center so that we won’t have to back either receiving assistance or spending millions of dollars to upgrade these facilities.

“These facilities have not received this type of attention for over 20-plus years and, as you can see, there was so much work and effort gone into the Thomas A. Robinson Stadium, the Belly Kelly Kenning, the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium and the Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium because we understand what sports can do to a nation as it unites a nation through sport.” World Athletics, the governing body of track and field around the world, decided to venture to the Bahamas with its newest event, the World Relays in 2014. It remained in the Bahamas for the next two editions in 2015 and 2017 before it was moved to Yokohama, Japan in 2019 and then Chorzow, Poland in 2021.

This year’s event is critical to the participating nations as the World Relays, dubbed “Chase the Sun” from Paradise to Paris, will enable teams in the men and women 4 x 100 and 4 x 400m relays as well as the mixed 4 x 400m relay teams to qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, July 26 to August 11.

It’s anticipated that more than 40 countries with some of the top athletes in the world will be participating in the two-day spectacle, and Bowleg is urging the public to get their tickets as they are selling fast.

For the first time in the history of the World Relays, there will be a “fan zone” where seats will be erected close to the action on the infield, allowing patrons to view unparalleled and close up views of another “Bahamazing” experience on the track.

OWEN TAYLOR EARNS ATHLETE OF THE YEAR AWARD

FROM PAGE 16

Following an impressive 11-2 regular season and impeccable 4-0 regional record, Blues baseball went on to win in both the OUA semifinals and final to achieve their gold medal.

Individually, Taylor received accolades as the OUA championship MVP and earned a spot on the OUA first team all-star roster. His remarkable stats include 37 hits, 19 walks, 33

runs, 32 RBIs, and a .416 batting average in 89 atbats over 26 games played, placing him among the top performers on the Blues. Additionally, he showcased his versatility by pitching in the final inning of the OUA championship, securing a 6-5 extra-inning win with back-to-back strikeouts. Taylor is an outfielder/ pitcher, whose major at UT is commerce.

BAHAMIAN baseball player Owen Taylor, giving his speech far right, receives his award.

Stadium repairs ‘definitely needed’

By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

and

repairs

Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium and finally a housing project in the Queen Elizabeth Sports Center are almost complete.

According to Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg yesterday during a joint press conference with the Bahamas Government and the People’s Republic of China, the repairs to the stadium began just before

the hosting of the CARIFTA track and field competition last year and will be ready to host the world at the relays, scheduled for May 4-5. During the initial repairs to the structure of the stadium, the Bahamas Government spent about $3 million last year with SJK Company to get it ready for CARIFTA.

But after the completion of CARIFTA, the negotiations commenced in December with the People’s Republic of China, who agreed to spend $36 million dollars to completely repair the 15,000-seat stadium.

“These repairs are totally taken on by the People’s Republic of

China as this was a gift given to The Bahamas some 10 years ago,” said Bowleg, who thanked Her Excellency Dai Qingli, the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the

Commonwealth of The Bahamas, for their commitment to completing the project. “As you see, the repairs are definitely needed and we want to thank them for their commitment to ensuring that they bring this facility back up to A-1 standard so that we can continue holding international events using these facilities for the development of our young people.” While Mondo, the premier Olympic and artificial turf flooring company, is in town making the necessary adjustment to the track and infield surfaces, Bowleg revealed that over 150 Chinese and about 50 Bahamians

QC Comets honoured

The Athletic Department of Queen’s College took the time out yesterday to honour their former and present students who competed at this year’s CARIFTA track and field and swimming competitions over the Easter holiday weekend.

On the return to their Village Road campus, the Comets’ athletes and swimmers were paraded through the school’s driveway as the faculty and staff, fellow students and parents

lauded them for their efforts at the competition. All of the Comets’ athletes and swimmers contributed to the overall success of Team Bahamas both home and away, which was more reasons for Queen’s College to show their gratitude during the celebration.

Sandre Hobbs, the head of the Physical Education Department at Queen’s College, was joined by coaches physical education teacher Camron Bruney, the head coach of the Barracuda Swim Club and an assistant of the CARIFTA

are employed on the building projects.

He also pointed out that the eastern grandstand’s new roof is completed and the lighting fixtures are being put in place. On the western grandstand, he noted that the beams are being sprayed and the seats have been replaced.

With no confirmed date for all the repairs to be completed, Bowleg assured the press that based on the plans by the contractors and the National Sports Authority, 14 days before the start of the relays, the stadium

TAYLOR EARNS ATHLETE OF THE YEAR AWARD

BAHAMIAN baseball player Owen Taylor was presented with the ninth annual Frank Pindar athlete of the year award at the University of Toronto.

The honour was given to Taylor on Saturday at the UT’s Varsity Blues T-Holders when a number of athletes from different sports were recognised, including basketball MVP Callum Baker, swimming standout Nina Mollin and tennis star Anastasiya Dyadchenko.

The Blues also honoured swimming veterans Graeme Aylward and Mahaylia Datars with the George M. Biggs Trophy and Dr. Clara Benson Honour Award, for their outstanding athletic achievement, scholarship and community service during their tenure at the University of Toronto.

In addition, Dyadchenko and Bill Dongfang took home the 13th annual Varsity Blues rookie of the year awards. Taylor, on the other hand, had a remarkable season as he assisted the Blues in their run to the OUA championship banner this season.

April, 2024

ROAD RACE:

MOTHER ME MINISTRY

THE Mother Me Ministries presents a fun run/walk race on Saturday, April 13, starting at 5:30am at Goodman’s Bay. The race will travel to Sandyport and return to Goodman’s Bay where free glucose and blood pressure testing will take place. The entry fee is $25 per person and $20

MEMBERS of the Queen’s College Comets track, field and swim teams who competed in the CARIFTA Games over the Easter holiday weekend.

SOME members of the Queen’s College track and field team pose together.