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US: SECOND RAPE

CA SE UNREPORTED

Police have denied withholding details of alleged crimes

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune News Editor

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

POLICE did not publicly disclose two alleged rapes involving American tourists and jet ski operators in the past month — cases highlighted in a heightened advisory issued yesterday by the US Embassy in Nassau, which warns travellers of sexual assault risks tied to jet ski rentals in The Bahamas. Last week, The Tribune reported that a Carnival Cruise Line passenger alleged a jet ski operator raped her near Junkanoo Beach. A man has since been charged with raping the 23-year-old

PM: TARIFFS P UT COUNTRY IN UNCHARTED TERRITORY

By RASHAD ROLLE

News Editor

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Philip Davis warned that newly announced US tariffs have placed The Bahamas in “unchartered territory,” with potentially serious consequences for local exporters, the cost of living, and the tourism sector. The United States’ sweeping ten percent base tariff on goods from more than 100 countries — The Bahamas included — could lead to fresh inﬂationary pressure, Mr Davis said, aggravating already high prices at home and threatening economic

‘Govt knocked down my home by mistake’

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

A SINGLE mother had her newly acquired property in Nassau Village demolished without notice

— the result of a government-led initiative targeting abandoned buildings.

Housing and Urban Renewal Minister Keith Bell said that the matter will be addressed to the woman’s satisfaction.

Shcara Forbes, 34, said she purchased the distressed Fourth Street property through the Bahamas Mortgage Corporation in June 2023, after three

‘My daughter deserves an education’

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

FROM public schools to private institutions, grant programmes to special education centres — every path to the classroom has been blocked for an Abaco mother trying to secure an education for her sevenyear-old daughter with cerebral palsy. Royaltee Newton was diagnosed with the condition at age two. She uses a wheelchair and needs

MEDITERRANEAN Shipping Company (MSC) is “joining” the Grand Bahama Shipyard via a joint venture with the latter’s two existing cruise line shareholders, it was conﬁrmed last night. Dave Skentelbery, the Shipyard’s chief executive, conﬁrmed that the global global cargo shipping giant is set to buy-in to the Grand Bahama-based operation once all necessary government and regulatory approvals are received.

ROYALTEE Newton - seven-year-old with cerebral palsy.

THE HOME belonging to Shcara Forbes which was mistakenly demolished under Urban Renewal’s ‘Clear, Hold, Build’ initiative.

Man charged with murder of Edward Thompson

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

AN 18-year-old man was remanded to custody yesterday after being accused of fatally shooting Edward Thompson near Fleming Street and Baillou Hill Road last month. Ahkeem “Keemy” Nixon was arraigned on a murder charge before Chief Magistrate Roberto Reckley. Prosecutors allege

that on March 11, Nixon approached Edward Thompson, 27, on a bicycle and fatally shot him near Evangelistic Assembly Church. The suspect was reportedly seen ﬂeeing the scene in an eastern direction. Three children survive Thompson. Nixon was informed that he was not required to enter a plea at this stage. His case will be transferred to the Supreme Court via

a Voluntary Bill of Indictment (VBI). He was also advised of his right to apply for bail through the higher court. Until then, Nixon will be held at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services, with his VBI expected to be served on June 12.

Alphonso Lewis represented the accused, while Inspector Deon Barr appeared for the prosecution.

Woman who took son to school on scooter is to be given a car

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net

A VIDEO showing a young mother riding an electric scooter with her eight-year-old son clinging to her back on the way to school grabbed attention — and life-changing support — after it exposed the daily struggle she faced without access to a car.

Davantae McCartney, 25, posted the video on TikTok earlier this week, never expecting it would go viral. Within hours, it had more than 400,000 views, drawing praise from viewers inspired by her determination to ensure her son never missed school, even if it meant relying on a $500 electric scooter she had saved months to buy.

“I wouldn’t allow it to happen where my son feels like I’m going to be the type of mom that, because I don’t have a ride, he’s going to miss school or his grades are going to fall or him to fail just because of me as a parent— that’s not fair to him as the child,” she said, tears streaming down her face.

Since the video’s release, Ms McCartney said she has received donations

from across The Bahamas and abroad. One man — a complete stranger — contacted her and rented a vehicle for her to use temporarily. She said he has since pledged to purchase a car for her, expected to be ready this week.

“As we speak, I’m sitting in a car rental that he brought,” Ms McCartney said tearfully. She called the man an “angel in disguise” and said he partnered with Christamara Bain, owner of Bundles of Beauty, who offered to license, insure, and assist financially with the vehicle.

Ms McCartney, originally from Eleuthera, said her son Byron Ferguson has spent most of his life living with her in New Providence, but two years ago, she returned to Eleuthera to build a better income for him. She launched a series of side businesses — doing nails, selling food, and making holiday baskets — that began to thrive.

She considered relocat-

on borrowed rides, buses, or paid transportation to get Byron to and from school.

Despite her success, she grew increasingly worried about her son, who remained in New Providence with his father. Though she visited often, she said the distance became unbearable, especially after Byron’s father lost his own mother. from page one

ing Byron to Eleuthera, but decided the education system in New Providence would better support his development. In January, she left her businesses behind and returned to New Providence without a job or vehicle, solely to be present in her son’s life.

“No one could love her son” like she does, she stressed.

Without a car, Ms McCartney said she relied

Determined not to let her child fall behind, Ms McCartney began saving for a scooter — an affordable option she was familiar with from her time in Eleuthera. She purchased it just over a month ago and made it part of her daily routine.

People often stared as she rode alongside trafﬁc

with her son gripping her back, his backpack in her hand.

Three weeks ago, after picking Byron up from Sadie Curtis Primary, she asked a stranger to record them. On Monday, she posted the clip to TikTok — never anticipating the response it would receive.

Her son enjoys the rides, she said, and sometimes other children ask if they can hop on, too. But more than anything, she hopes

her story sends a message to other single mothers.

She said her journey shows that help can come in unexpected ways, and people should never feel ashamed of their struggles. She said the massive outpouring of support proves that the Bahamian community still cares deeply. She urged others not to let pride or fear hold them back from seeking help when they need it most.

‘My daughter deserves an education’

assistance to use the bathroom — help her mother, Deandra Newton, said has been impossible to secure despite years of appeals to the Ministry of Education.

Mrs Newton said that while Royaltee received the physical support she needed at the special needs school — including access to bathroom facilities — the environment took a mental toll on her.

She explained that Royaltee began mimicking behaviours of other students, including making sounds and gestures that didn’t reﬂect her own developmental level, which concerned her mother.

“Mentally, she’s very capable,” she said. “She can read and she can write. That’s not for her but children who actually needs that.”

She said her daughter has never had consistent access to a classroom.

She couldn’t attend preschool because of her condition, so her parents used YouTube videos and books to teach her at home.

When she turned ﬁve, they tried enrolling her in a government primary school in Abaco but were told no aide was available to assist her in grade one.

She asked if Royaltee could instead be placed in preschool — but was told she was too old.

“So, they tell me they gon’ contact me when they have an answer for me. I say, ‘ﬁne.’ Days turn into weeks and weeks turn into months,” Mrs Newton said.

Several private schools also declined to accept Royaltee. One ﬁnally offered her a place in a private preschool, but Mrs Newton was forced to withdraw her due to high tuition costs. She said when she asked the Ministry of Education for ﬁnancial help, she said she was told her daughter was ineligible for a grant because the programme only covers preschool students.

Later, she enrolled Royaltee in a special needs centre, but eventually removed her because it was not a good ﬁt.

Frustrated, she returned to the ministry last year and was again told no aide was available.

Royaltee was eventually placed at a public primary school. For a time, things improved — a janitress volunteered to help her use the bathroom. But in March, that help disappeared when the janitress left.

The school’s principal tried to assist by having a teacher help the girl in the interim. But that solution quickly unraveled after a ﬁght broke out on campus while the teacher was helping Royaltee in the bathroom. The teacher was unable to respond. Soon after, Mrs Newton received a call from the school.

“I’m at work, I get a phone call from the school, the principal. She’s telling me today is the last day for the teacher assisting Royaltee to the

restroom,” she saiod. “You need to go and talk to the Ministry of Education and see what they can get worked out because we need an aide for her.” She returned to the ministry yet again — and was given the same response she’s received since 2023.

Beyond the education challenges, the girl’s condition has placed a ﬁnancial strain on the family. Every three months, Mrs Newton travels to Miami for $2,000 Botox injections to manage

her daughter’s muscle stiffness. She said the emotional weight of the ﬁght for access to education is even heavier. “It’s very depressing,”

she said. “She wants to be in school with children in her set. She wants to be in a normal classroom setting. She wants to learn

and it pains me to hear my baby ask me every morning, ‘Mommy, when I going back to school?’ I said ‘Royaltee, we have to wait’.”

DEANDRA Newton and daughter, Royaltee Newton.

A SCREENSHOT (left) of a TikTok video shows Davantae McCartney carrying her son Byron Ferguson to school on an electric scooter. She is pictured with her son above at a beach.

Constituents may not want Millerbut Mitchell says no one else running

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

DESPITE discontent

among Golden Isles over their MP, Vaughn Miller, Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) chairman Fred Mitchell said no one else has shown interest in the seat, likely paving the way for Mr Miller to be renominated.

Asked if he was conﬁdent in Mr Miller’s leadership, Mr Mitchell did not offer a ringing endorsement.

“He is the sitting member of Parliament for the Progressive Liberal Party and there’s no one else that I know of that’s vying for the seat, and that’s where we are,” he

told The Tribune “He continues to work in the constituency and unless the party decides otherwise, and I won’t speculate one way or the next, he’s the sitting member of parliament and continues to do his work in the constituency and he has told us he intends to seek the nomination again.”

On Tuesday, some Golden Isles residents lamented unmet expectations. They said Mr Miller campaigned on ﬁxing infrastructure, clearing bushes, and building new recreational spaces — none of which, they claimed, have materialised.

Mr Miller, also the

Minister for Environment, declined to comment yesterday but said he “absolutely” intends to run again.

Mr Mitchell acknowledged the residents’ complaints and said he would discuss them with Mr Miller.

“I’m certain that he’s cognisant of what’s going on in the constituency and will continue to apply his shoulder to the wheel,” he said.

Many PLP supporters in the constituency favour Economic Affairs Minister Michael Halkitis, the party’s former standard bearer in the area. Yesterday, Mr Halkitis said his focus is on the St Barnabas constituency.

A FOUNDING MEMBER OF FNM REBUKES LEWIS OVER DEPA RTURE A ND JOINING COI

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Staff Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

MAURICE Moore, a founding member of the Free National Movement (FNM), has broken his silence on the political defection of Central Grand Bahama MP Iram Lewis, calling it a “total disrespect” to himself and the constituents who helped elect him under the FNM’s banner.

Mr Moore, often referred to as one of the “founding fathers of the FNM party in Grand Bahama”, did not mince words in rebuking Mr Lewis over his decision last week to leave the FNM and align himself with the Coalition of Independents (COI), a party led by Lincoln Bain.

Mr Lewis, first elected in 2017 and re-elected in 2021 under the FNM, announced his switch to the COI on April 2 in Parliament — a move that shocked senior members of the party and grassroots supporters alike.

For more than two decades, Central Grand Bahama has been considered a safe seat for the FNM. Neko Grant, the first MP for the newly created constituency in 1992, held the seat until his retirement in 2016.

Mr Lewis, a political newcomer at the time, was selected to replace him with the support of Mr Moore.

“I am not at all impressed with how he behaved. If that’s the way he wants to deal with it then so be it,” Mr Moore said. “He can’t win in Central Grand Bahama no more because you don’t do what you feel like and then expect the constituents to support you.”

Mr Moore said Mr Lewis never reached out to him or the constituents before making the switch, despite the role they

played in his political rise.

“He was not a good representative, so I don’t know how he expects Central Grand Bahama to support him,” he said. “I was instrumental in helping him get elected here because this is my constituency. This is where I live. But he did not have the common decency to even talk to me about it. So I am not impressed at all and I believe this is the beginning of his end in politics.”

Calling Mr Lewis’s decision “absolute nonsense,” Mr Moore added: “It must be some personal reasons why he is doing it. But if he was seeking to advance himself politically, joining with them ain’t going to help him. So, I don’t know, maybe there is some other reason.”

Many in the FNM have expressed a sense of betrayal over the defection, especially in Grand Bahama, where constituents have criticised Mr Lewis. Some residents wrote letters to party leadership expressing their dissatisfaction and opposition to Lewis running as the FNM candidate in the next general election.

Mr Moore said: “Leaving the constituency that I helped you get into, without even the common decency of telling me what he was doing or asking

me what I think, I am disappointed. He did not have the common courtesy to talk to me about it. I am disappointed in his behavior — totally disappointed.”

Asked who he believes should replace Mr Lewis as the FNM’s candidate, Mr Moore declined to comment. However, on Monday, FNM leader Michael Pintard addressed supporters at a zone meeting in Freeport, vowing that the party will reclaim the seat.

“At the end of the day, I want to say to you that while we appreciate our brother, bad decisions and poor judgment must be rewarded with the most significant cut hip he has ever seen,” Mr Pintard said. He described Mr Lewis’s defection as a betrayal of the FNM and criticised

the former MP for failing to consult the constituents of Central Grand Bahama before leaving.

“I regret that a wiser decision was not made — not so much not to go, but at least to have had a conversation with you,” he said.

He added: “We don’t have a problem paying out the $150,000 salary on your behalf, but we expect accountability in return. You should not have a problem taking criticism because, at the end of the day, all of us must listen in humility to the people we work for. We work for you.”

On Thursday, COI Leader Lincoln Bain is expected to meet with constituents at the YMTA to officially introduce Mr Lewis as the party’s new MP for Central Grand Bahama.

PLP CHAIRMAN FRED MITCHELL

MAURICE Moore - a founding member of the Free National Movement.

Ten compete for the crown of Miss Universe Bahamas

TEN contestants have been announced by the Miss Universe Bahamas Organization for this year’s national pageant. Organisers said the competition promises to be “dynamic, empowering and full of inspiring moments”.

This year’s ten contenders are: Halle Bowe - Miss Heal Wellness; Vanya Cartwright - Miss Exuma Home Rentals; Buronka Verneus; Timiah Forbes; Marissa Coakley - ContourMe Body Studio; Nyisha Tilus - Miss New

Providence; Maliqué Bowe - Miss JacDenJonBuck Company Ltd; Laura Smith - Miss Bahama Spice; Trinae Thompson - Miss BLOF & PromiseMe Photography; and Beyonce Forbes - Miss Grand Bahama.

Several changes have

been introduced this year - with the age limit removed, and for the ﬁrst time, the competition is open to married women and mothers. Tickets and voting for the People’s Choice award will be available online. This allows the public

to vote for their favourite contestant, with the winner securing an automatic spot in the top six. The voting platform will go live ahead of the debut and sashing ceremony, on Sunday, at Rosewood, Baha Mar. Tickets can be purchased from contestants. The grand ﬁnale of the Miss Universe Bahamas Pageant 2025 will take place on Sunday, May 25, at 8pm at Atlantis Showroom, Paradise Island.For ticketing, voting, and more information, visit www. MUBahamas.com.

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The Tribune Limited

NULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI

“Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master”

LEON E. H. DUPUCH

Publisher/Editor 1903-1914

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Publisher/Editor 1919-1972

Contributing Editor 1972-1991

RT HON EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON, C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B.

Publisher/Editor 1972-

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Crime details need to be shared

LAST week, The Tribune reported on an accusation that a US tourist had been raped by a jet ski operator.

The date of the alleged incident was April 1. The Tribune reported the incident on April 3. It had not been included in the police crime reports at the time we reported it.

A man was charged over the crime on Monday.

The Tribune duly reported that the details of the crime had not been relayed to the public by the police in the customary fashion.

On Tuesday, Police Commissioner Shanta Knowles defended the reporting practices of the force, saying: “We don’t hold information back from the public. We make sure that everything that comes to our attention that is needed to be known to the public is known to the public.”

She added: “I cannot say why it was not in the crime report, but what I can say to you is that the matter was not initially reported right after the incident occurred.”

However, she did not account for why the incident had not subsequently been included in reports.

There was, we were told, a delay in being able to take a report from the victim of the alleged attack due to them being on another cruise port in The Bahamas.

As we report today, this is not the only incident that has not been publicly revealed.

The US Embassy yesterday said that a second incident involving a US tourist being raped by a jet ski operator took place recently.

Details of the second allegation have not been released.

What is known in both instances is that women were allegedly taken by male jet ski operators from beaches on Nassau and Paradise Island to isolated islands and raped.

Rape is a serious offence and is commonly reported by the police force in its public updates. Quite why that has not been the case here is not known.

There have been other instances this year where The Tribune has been alerted to alleged crimes that have not

been reported by police.

One such example is the death of Sammy Thompson, who died three weeks after he was reportedly struck in the head with a bottle at a nightclub in Rock Sound, Eleuthera. An initial request by The Tribune for information was met with a response that no complaint had been filed at the time, but the head of the Eleuthera division later confirmed police received information about a fight days after the incident and had launched an investigation. Whatever the reason for the failure to include such incidents in the police reports, it ought to be dealt with. Perhaps it is an issue with the reporting network providing information for release, for example.

The family of Sammy Thompson launched a public campaign with the hashtag #JusticeForSammy as they looked for accountability and answers. It should be noted that despite the lack of public announcement regarding Mr Thompson’s death, the family said they have had regular contact with investigators.

In the case of the alleged attacks on US women, there is a requirement that crimes involving US citizens must be reported to the US Embassy.

The reporting structure by which the police notiﬁes the media, and accordingly the public at large, of incidents is important. There should be conﬁdence that all serious crimes are being reported.

That can start by releasing more details on the second rape allegation announced by the US.

The police will certainly know of the importance of this duty. Commissioner Knowles herself in the past was involved in just such a role ensuring the timely release of information.

We hope these are anomalies that can be remedied.

Regardless, The Tribune will be sure to continue to report on crimes as and when our reporters become aware of them and conﬁrm them and not just wait for an ofﬁcial release.

The public needs to know – and that is the only duty that matters.

Minnis’ time is now over

EDITOR, The Tribune. IT should not have come to this—its a crying shame that Dr Minnis’ lack of sportsmanship and statesmanship have forced the Pintard-led FNM to politely tell him, in front of the nation, that his time in frontline politics is over. In most Westminster democracies, it is traditional for a leader to offer their resignation when their party is beaten badly at the polls. Minnis wanted to stay on as opposition Leader, and clearly wanted his old job as party leader back

from the moment Pintard took the chair.

The day Pintard won, he said that he would blow up Minnis’ phone for advice. The defeated doctor would never answer the call to put his party before his ego. He didn’t even show up to shake Pintard’s hand in either of the two conventions his successor won. Some have branded the move disrespectful, which is what young people are told any time we are burdened with the job of telling our elders it’s time to retire. If Minnis had passed the

baton gracefully, he would be better respected and the FNM would have been better off.

Alas, we’re here now. The FNM can ﬁnally begin transitioning younger, fresh faces into their candidate lineup. This is a big opportunity for Pintard to put his stamp on the party. Let’s see who will emerge from the wings of the ofﬁcial opposition now that it’s no longer in Dr Minnis’ shadow.

ZIENNIAL BAHAMIAN

April 8, 2025.

Collective stupidity on the rise

EDITOR, The Tribune. COLLECTIVE stupidity appears to be well on track to become the next great pandemic which will bring life as we knew it for most of our lives to a traumatically abrupt halt.

At this point, please don’t become easily or prematurely offended to think that this broad brush with which I have painted my introductory remark might somehow cover you, too. No, of course, not! It is simply a very subjective and generalised observation I have made as I looked around recently.

Looking abroad to the north, as well as around our picturesque archipelago, who can deny that collective stupidity seems to be out there, building up much like an impending category ﬁve hurricane? With forces in these populations lined up much like the proverbial domino pieces, all it takes is but one push by that leading piece/card, and the whole deck can go crumbling or crashing down.

Over so, a tariff debacle, along with bold new xenophobic onslaughts might be used as issues of mass destruction.

In this neck of the woods (without consideration of realistically addressing forest ﬁres), Bahamians will likely swing themselves once more by resigning to that “minnie, minnie, miney moe” election process.

Does it really matter who is doing the lashing?

Until and unless I am

convinced to the contrary, my assertion will continue to be that “the wrongest thing one could ever do is to know a lie and think it true!”.

Glancing again brieﬂy at the growing craziness across the sea, there are many on that side of the waters (and here, for that matter) who may very well drown in their tears, having to now admit that a certain narcissistic psychopath is driving that bus at breakneck speed, approaching a curve with a deep precipice below. Some on that fateful bus might regret having gotten on board, but with the rest of the passengers still gleefully cheering on the driver, is there any chance of the bus sensibly slowing down as it enters that bend?

Meanwhile, our own hand-me-down system of musical chairs legislative process is about to start playing again. Will it be Peter this time, or will it be Paul, who gets to sit when the music stops? Those of us who can see what we lookin’ at, and admit that there’s no difference between Peter and Paul need not waste our breath praising one or criticising the other, when clearly the game itself needs to be changed. Only those who were around to witness the

clickers in every hand euphoria of a ﬂedgling political party who distributed those devices, as women ﬁnally received the vote in 1962, will recall that emancipation from mental slavery is not an easy thing to achieve. Those who are around now, and feel some disgust or frustration with the same ol’ same ol’, plus a desperate need for change, cannot embrace a new updated version of the same ol’ collective stupidity.

Anyone can promise anything. When a new sharp hook is baited with some juicy, say, $100,000 payout without having to work for it, there is bound to be a few hungry or greedy preysto-be eager to chump down on such a deceitful prize. Same game, different players, looks like a new swing is coming to a constituency near you very soon.

Collective stupidity allows certain masses to follow someone who will lead and teach where and what he/she does not go nor know. When you get right down to it, individually or collectively, stupidity is still stupidity.

Ignorance is one thing. We are all ignorant of certain things. Stupidity is something else! It ain’t long now until you get to stand for something, or fall yet again for anything; stupid, stupider, stupidest ... or something new and different.

MB April 8, 2025.

EDITOR, The Tribune.

THE resignation of MP Iram Lewis on the face of his past was nothing spectacular but look at the potential next moves probable if not certain... Rt Hon Hubert Minnis could leave the FNM as could Long Island MP Adrian Gibson... Will they join Lewis and then COl suddenly will become the Ofﬁcial Opposition and the FNM downgraded to basically holding two seats? There is no love in politics... Pintard was so it was said a protégé of Minnis close but what happened

as today they are miles apart. What is the COl? Don’t really think they know themselves except Lincoln Bain is certainly a populous politician but has a background which will be attacked by the PLP and that alone could kill all changes for him especially if the move as I suggest occurs. PLP already on campaign trail unofﬁcial but PM doing more public events than ever...new Voter’s Card by September 2025...I suggest Davis will use the shortest campaigning period allowed as the current bad weather from

Trump and Co could rufﬂe the cost of living, unable to control that as the Tariff and Chinese built boat fee is on landed costsreduced tourists arrivals, landed and cruise. Never forget Bahamians kick out governments... most times because of Minister’s arrogance. I suggest the arrogance

Govt breaks ground on $10.5m health clinic in Coconut Grove

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

THE Davis administration has broken ground on the new Coconut Grove Advanced Health Centre, a $10.5m facility aimed at expanding access to medical care and easing pressure on the Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH).

Located off Grasmerd Bend on Baillou Hill Road, the 14,500-square-foot centre will offer primary, secondary, and urgent care services once completed.

Health and Wellness

Minister Dr Michael Darville said the new clinic will help address overcrowding at PMH’s emergency department.

“It is designated to reduce waiting times, improve access to care and give residents a welcoming environment that supports prevention, early detection, and long-term wellness, lessening the needs to seek emergency care at the Princess Margaret Hospital,” Dr Darville said.

Construction is expected to take under 15 months after the contractor mobilises.

The project comes nearly a decade after Hurricane Matthew severely damaged the original Coconut Grove Clinic in 2016, forcing patients to be redirected to the Blue Hills and Fleming Street clinics.

Subsequent assessments found that the original structure no longer met the licensing standards required by the Department of Public Health and the National Health Insurance Authority.

Dr Darville also announced that the government will celebrate the reopening of three polyclinics — Ann’s Town, Elizabeth Estates, and the newly renovated Blue Hill Road Clinic in the coming weeks.

Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said the new health facility would be built to EDGE Certiﬁcation standards, ensuring sustainability, accessibility, and climate resilience.

“This new health facility will incorporate a

and A & M Construction supervisor Michael Roker sign documents during the groundbreaking ceremony of the Coconut Grove Advanced

Govt rehiring staff after US measles rise

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

HEALTH and Wellness

Minister Dr Michael Darville said the government is re-engaging senior staff involved in the national immunisation programme amid mounting concern over a resurgence of measles in developed countries and declining vaccination rates in The Bahamas.

Health ofﬁcials are “very concerned”, Dr Darville said, as measles cases climb internationally. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported over 600 cases in 2025 alone.

The minister said the government is working closely with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and deploying pop-up vaccination clinics to improve outreach. He acknowledged that the country’s 2023 immunisation rate of 86 to 87 percent falls below the 95 percent threshold needed for herd immunity.

“We are about to go on a very aggressive crusade, along with the Ministry of Education and our school population to ensure

main clinic, medical waste building and ambulance garage,” he said. “This community will have a modern, comprehensive facility to meet its health care needs. The clinic will facilitate lab work, medical imaging and surgery operations amongst other vital services. Most importantly, it will restore. It will restore the peace of mind that was lost to the people of this community in 2016.”

Economic Affairs Minister Michael Halkitis said the groundbreaking symbolises hope and commitment to community health and prosperity.

Meanwhile, Mr Davis addressed the recent rise in suicides, calling the trend “troubling” and afﬁrming the government’s commitment to addressing the issue.

“We cannot afford to ignore the warning signs,” he said. “One life lost is one too many. These matters weigh heavily on our hearts, but even amid such strife, we must continue building sites of hope and opportunity.”

Affairs Clay

the Senate

Philip

that we do a better job in immunising and to get our numbers above 85 to 90 percent,” Dr Darville said.

Ofﬁcials say the drop in vaccination coverage stems in part from disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and anti-vaccination rhetoric from that era. Gina Rose, national coordinator of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI), previously warned that The Bahamas remains at risk of a measles outbreak if vaccination rates are not improved. She stressed that children under ﬁve are the most vulnerable and said any future case would likely be imported from abroad. The last recorded case of measles in The Bahamas was in 2019, involving a visiting child.

Dominique McCartney-Russell, Director of Education, has said that immunisation requirements for school registration were temporarily relaxed during the pandemic due to overburdened health services and logistical issues. She said the Ministry of Education has since resumed normal enforcement of these requirements.

Minister of Economic

Minister of Health and

Minister of Education and

A & M Construction

FROM left are A & M Construction supervisor Michael Roker, Health director Dr Phillip Swann, Minister of Social Services, Information and Broadcasting Myles LaRoda, Minister of Works and Family Island

Sweeting,

Affairs and Leader of Government Business in

Michael Halkitis,

Wellness Dr Michael Darville, Prime Minister

‘Brave’ Davis,

Technical and Vocational Training Glenys Hanna-Martin,

principal Bishop Anthony Roker, Minister of Energy and Transport JoBeth Coleby-Davis and Free National Movement (FNM) deputy leader Shanendon Cartwright during the groundbreaking ceremony of the Coconut Grove Advanced Health Centre yesterday.

Photos: Dante Carrer/Tribune Staff

MINISTRY of Health and Wellness permanent secretary Colin Higgs

Health Centre.

MINISTER of Health and Wellness Dr Michael Darville.

US: Second rape case unreported

woman.

On Tuesday, Police Commissioner Shanta Knowles defended the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s handling of the matter, saying ofﬁcers do not “hold information back from the public”.

However, the US Embassy said yesterday that two rape incidents — not one — involving American citizens and jet ski operators occurred recently.

According to the advisory, both women were picked up by male jet ski operators from beaches on Nassau and Paradise Island, then taken to isolated islands near New Providence, where the assaults occurred.

Authorities have not released any details about the second alleged rape, and the time or location of that incident remains unclear.

“We make sure that everything that comes to our attention that is needed to be known to the public is known to the public,” Commissioner Knowles told reporters on Tuesday. “I cannot say why it was not in the crime report, but what I can say to you is that the matter was not

initially reported right after the incident occurred. We know that the victim had left the country, well had left this island and was at another cruise port in The Bahamas, and we were able to catch up with that person and take the report.”

The US alert also noted that since August 2024, four US citizens have been hospitalised following jet ski accidents, with two requiring emergency medical evacuation to the United States. Due to ongoing safety concerns, US government personnel are prohibited from renting jet skis on New Providence and Paradise Island.

PM: Tariffs put country in uncharted territory

momentum.

“The new tariffs are likely to cause new inﬂationary pressures, which would mean higher prices for Bahamian consumers,” he said in a statement. “For a country like ours, higher prices will add to what is already an unbearably high cost of living.”

Mr Davis said he would not “sugarcoat the dangers” posed by the sharp escalation in global trade tensions. “We may be in unchartered territory,” he said, “but we know how to survive storms.”

He said the government has already contacted US ofﬁcials and is working with

other Caribbean nations on a collective diplomatic response to the tariffs. Locally, ofﬁcials are consulting with Bahamian exporters to assess the impact and explore shortterm policies to soften the blow.

A key concern, he said, is that reduced demand from American buyers — who currently account for the majority of exports — could ripple through multiple Bahamian industries. He also raised alarms about a possible US economic slowdown, which would affect the country’s vital tourism sector.

In view of the challenges, he pointed to government’s steps to better position the

country, including establishing a national trade policy and a dedicated agency to diversify trade opportunities.

He also said efforts to lower prices through longterm reforms remain on track. He cited the recent signing of additional agreements to expand solar energy and upgrades to the electricity grid, which he described as “much-needed and long overdue.”

“Our country’s ﬁrst nationwide, comprehensive energy reforms are underway,” he said. “I’m thankful we will face this new crisis with these crucial pricereducing energy reforms in motion.”

He said a reduced VAT

rate on food and efforts to increase local food production are part of the broader plan to ease economic burdens on families.

His statement comes days after Moody’s upgraded the country’s credit outlook to positive for the ﬁrst time in nearly two decades. While Mr Davis welcomed the development, he acknowledged Moody’s warning that The Bahamas remains highly vulnerable to external shocks.

He concluded by appealing to Bahamians’ resilience.

“We have always found a way to create opportunities out of uncertainty,” he said. “As one nation, together, we will pursue a constructive path forward.”

‘Govt knocked down my home by mistake’

years of failed attempts. She planned to renovate the home gradually while

living nearby with her two children.

Ms Forbes said she had tried unsuccessfully to purchase the property three

times over the course of three years. After being denied twice, she prayed for guidance, ultimately trusting that if it was meant to

be, the opportunity would come.

She said she received a call around 11am on February 28 from a relative, urging her to come to the property. When she arrived and saw the structure had been demolished, she was devastated, describing the moment as overwhelming and emotionally paralyzing.

The demolition took place shortly after the expansion of the Clear, Hold, Build initiative into Nassau Village — a programme launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Renewal to remove derelict vehicles and buildings believed to be linked to criminal activity. The initiative had been piloted previously in the Englerston constituency.

Mr Bell said community members identiﬁed the structure as derelict and a potential security risk.

Mr Bell explained that when a property is flagged, efforts are made to identify its owner. He said residents in the area had described the structure as derelict and problematic for years. While he stopped short of drawing conclusions, he said he was satisfied that the officers involved acted in the community’s best interest to eliminate what they believed was an eyesore and potential hub for criminal activity.

Ms Forbes said she never received any official notice and rejected the justification given to her by Urban Renewal officers on-site.

Ms Forbes said the officer attempted to justify the demolition by referencing the Urban Renewal programme’s Clear, Hold, Build initiative, claiming the property could have been used by individuals engaged in criminal activity. She said she challenged that explanation, arguing that not every case fits that description and insisted that in her opinion the officer had failed to do proper due diligence.

She said a senior police ofﬁcer referred to a letter condemning the structure — a letter she said she never received.

“I was so devastated,” she said. “I had my son with me. My son say, oh, mommy, they knock down your house. I was so hurt. I was hurt to the core, I cried literally. When I got home after that, oh I broke down.”

Following media coverage of her case, Ms Forbes said the Ministry of Housing and Urban Renewal contacted her. She declined to share details of the discussion but conﬁrmed that no formal agreement had been reached.

“I would just really want the damages to be repaired, meaning that the four walls and the roof,” she said. “But I always say, sometimes the plans God has for you is much more bigger than what we even ever expected, so I am so grateful and optimistic.” Mr Bell said government will continue aggressively with its strategy.

“We are not deterred,” he said. “We are going to clear the community of these derelict and abandoned buildings and we are going to try to work with property owners to rehabilitate as best as we can.”

PRIME MINISTER PHILIP ‘BRAVE’ DAVIS

THE URBAN Renewal progrmme ‘Clear, Hold, Build’ mistakenly demolished Shcara Forbes home.

Optimism amid uncertain global trade landscape

AS the US and other stock exchanges slumped again early this week, the effort to ﬁgure out what’s really in Donald Trump’s head continues. An unusually cogent analysis of Trump’s tariffs came Tuesday from a Georgetown University professor speaking to a select audience on a webcast.

According to professor Marc Busch, the US president can still salvage some real gains from his dramatically unsettling early steps that have turned the world international trade upside down during the last ten weeks.

Busch noted that Trump’s final response to an offer from the European Union over the weekend could trigger big benefits. European officials noted that they had already made the “zero-zero tariff” deal proposal to reduce trade disparities on imports like chemicals, pharmaceuticals, rubber, plastic, machinery and cars.

“We have offered zerofor-zero tariffs for industrial goods as we have successfully done with many other trading partners,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.

“Because Europe is always ready for a good deal. So we keep it on the table,” she said at a press conference.

“We stand ready to negotiate with the US,” von der Leyen added. “But we are also prepared to respond through countermeasures and defend our interests.”

Trump initially rejected the proposal by the European Union, saying the

STATESIDE

offer was not enough to reverse his 20 percent duties on imports. But as we know, Trump often reacts this way as a means of extracting concessions from transactional partners. And yesterday, some tariff reconsideration was underway.

“The EU has been very tough over the years,” Trump told reporters when he was asked about the offer. “It was formed to really do damage to the United States in trade.”

Busch is an expert on

international trade law and policy. He admitted at the start of his remarks that he has a “natural afﬁnity” for tariffs in general. “They can be a very useful tool in implementing a national trade policy.”

He then tried to get into Trump’s head by identifying various possible motives for an obsessive policy that has aroused criticism across the globe.

“Here’s one plausible theme: Tariffs force foreign direct investment.” When we consider this, we

second possible rationale.

“Maybe the objective is instead simply to restore bilateral issues by eliminating the trade balance with these other nations.

“Or thirdly, perhaps Trump’s tariff gambit is simply to raise revenue.”

Maybe raising revenue from tariffs would offset perpetuating Trump’s tax breaks for his wealthy friends, as he clearly intends. Who knows now? But we’re likely to ﬁnd out pretty soon.

The professor then punched a hole in the second rationale. “The thing about the trade imbalances is that 85 percent of American workers now are employed more in the services sector than in the manufactured goods sector.

“If you add in that factor, the so-called ‘trade imbalance’ gets dramatically shifted in the other direction,” Busch said. “Canada is a good example. Yes, the US certainly maintains a goods trade imbalance with Canada. But add in the services trade component, and you have a startlingly different picture.”

think about how America forced Japanese automakers like Toyota and Honda to bring their manufacturing businesses onto US soil in the 1970s and 1980s. Now, these Japanese titans have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in auto plants in places like Ohio, Indiana and Tennessee.

That’s a lot of manufacturing jobs created in areas with economies that were either depressed or moving in that direction. But that was forty-plus years ago. The US economy has changed and developed since then.

Busch continued with a

Figures to support Busch’s comments come from the World Trade Organization, a 30-year-old world group of more than 150 nations that has often been criticised by Trump for alleged bias against the US Last month, Trump ordered a pause in American ﬁnancial support for the WTO. He derides the organization as infringing on US economic sovereignty.

Busch returned to the EU’s ‘zero for zero’ offer.

“It’s important to remember here that Trump has a perfect right to complain about various long-standing European non-tariff

barriers to trade, especially with regard to imports such as cars from the US.”

Anyone who has driven in Europe and returns to the US can appreciate the gross imbalance in automobile sales and respective market availability.

Summarising, Busch said Trump has positioned the US, and the international economy, at a real inﬂection point. “We cannot easily unwind the uncertainty we have created,” he said.

“There’s been a real loss of international trust.”

Still, there is room for optimism. Curiously, Busch sees the much-viliﬁed World Trade Organization as part of a potential solution. “In 1947, 23 nations met in Havana to form the General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs; the GATT basically imposed a cap on tariffs.”

“I believe that if the WTO – which China controversially joined in 2001 – would simply return to a worldwide policy that would cap tariffs, we could all get out of the current mess with economic disaster avoided and Trump able to boast about the various trade deal successes he had achieved. Win-win.”

As this week drifted along, however, it was hard to see a positive outcome. Even as characters as diverse as 53-year-old tech billionaire and Trump adviser Elon Musk and 91-year-old Iowa Senator and GOP leader Chuck Grassley continued to mutter about the tariffs, Trump characteristically seemed to double down on his tariff tactics. Could a simple cap on tariffs be an answer?

Hockey legends and their politics

WHILE the world’s attention seems riveted on Trump and his economic machinations, two of the world’s most rapacious strongmen remained steadfastly focused on their territorial ambitions.

Curiously, hockey became involved.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was visiting Washington for a meeting with Trump, even as his troops continue an assault on Gaza that seems to be leading to some kind of permanent neutralisation of whatever remains of a Hamas-led threat to Israel’s southern border.

And Russia’s Vladimir Putin is still playing diplomatic footsie with Trump on a ceaseﬁre in the threeplus year Ukraine war. Putin, still appearing to be following pages from Adolph Hitler’s 1930s playbook by talking peace while annexing territory from his neighbours, is intensifying his assaults on Ukraine with increasingly callous and brutal attacks on civilian institutions.

Even Alex Ovechkin has become enmeshed in Putin’s machinations. Long identiﬁed as a staunch Russian nationalist, the newly-crowned all-time

National Hockey League goal scorer received congratulations from Putin:

“I congratulate you on your outstanding record. You have surpassed legendary masters in the number of goals scored in National Hockey League games,” Putin said Monday.

While Ovechkin has been able to navigate his controversial relationship with Putin, the man whose record he broke has had more trouble due to his own relationship with Trump.

Wayne Gretzky, the Ontario native whose rise to superstardom propelled the Edmonton Oilers to numerous NHL championships before his controversial trade to the Los Angeles Kings in 1988, has proudly embraced his Canadianness even while living in the US ever since. That hadn’t really dimmed his status in Canada until Trump returned to the White House this year and immediately began imposing crippling tariffs on Canada while ranting about possibly annexing the country.

Canadian politicians are now running for ofﬁce on claims they can best deﬂect Trump.

According to a

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation analysis, “pictures of Gretzky celebrating Trump’s election night victory at Mar-a-Lago and attending his inauguration don’t sit well at a time Canadians face an existential crisis in the wake of rising tariffs and the US president’s comments about turning its northern neighbour into a 51st state.

“Many ﬁnd it unsettling that Gretzky is silent on the topic, even with Trump suggesting Gretzky run for ofﬁce for the eventuality of becoming the nation’s governor once it joins the US.”

“I always thought he was the greatest,” a long-time Canadian neighbour told CBC about Gretzky. “Now, I wouldn’t say I hate him. Dislike is a better word.

“It disappoints the hell out of me. And I don’t think his father would appreciate it either,” he added. “A lot of people are pissed off with him right now because he went and kissed Trump’s ring.”

The two greatest hockey scorers of all time are both mixed up with two of the world’s most controversial political leaders. With all that’s happening, why would we be surprised?

with Charlie Harper

WASHINGTON Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin, right, is greeted by Wayne Gretzky during a ceremony after he scored his 895th career goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against New York Islanders in Elmont, NY, on Sunday.

Photo: Adam Hunger/AP

EUROPEAN Commission President Ursula von der Leyen addresses journalists during a media conference at EU headquarters in Brussels, on Monday.

Photo: Virginia Mayo/AP

Mother of missing man holds on to hope as search for son suspended

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

TANYA Nicola Gilbert

woke up to an empty driveway and a gnawing sense that something was wrong.

Her 24-year-old son, Dudley Gilbert Jr, had left their Brinkhill Road home in Grand Bahama around 8pm on Saturday, April 5, to pick up food. He never returned. Now, days later, with ofﬁcial search efforts suspended, Ms Gilbert continues to plead for help ﬁnding her son — and refuses to give up hope.

“I feel conﬁdent, because where there’s no body, there’s hope, you know, so as long as I don’t see something physical, I’m quite sure my son is alive,” she told The Tribune yesterday.

Mr Gilbert was last seen driving his mother’s vehicle, which was later found near a beach site where his late father once operated a water sports business.

A video posted online shows a man, believed to

be Mr Gilbert, paddling a white kayak away from Lucaya Beach toward Pinder’s Point. According to information gathered by the family, he later stopped at a bakery to buy something to eat before returning to the kayak.

“The mere fact that he did that indicated to me that he was in his right frame of mind, the fact that he just went to the bakery and got the bread and went back to the kayak,” Ms Gilbert said, expressing that this small act gave her some comfort that her son was not in immediate distress.

She believes the loss of his father a year and a half ago may have taken an emotional toll.

“He was really battling through his thought process, and that was his way of grieving, you know, so that may have taken a toll,” she said. “He was treated in the early part of the grievances, and he was doing well again.”

The family secured an air rescue ﬂight on Monday

and visited four beaches in the days following his disappearance. Ms Gilbert has issued a public plea to all boaters, jet skiers, and merchant vessels to remain alert and look out for any signs of her son.

Ms Gilbert said the experience has been especially difﬁcult as a single mother, noting that Dudley is her only biological son. She expressed gratitude for the support of her mother and siblings during this challenging time.

In an emotional message to the public, she encouraged families to cherish their loved ones and show support, especially as many silently struggle with mental health challenges.

“I just want to say that if you have love one to always remember to say that I love you and give them a big help, because people are going through a lot,” she said. “People are going through a lot mentally.”

The Royal Bahamas Defence Force has since

suspended the search for the missing kayaker after extensive efforts yielded no results. A statement released on their Facebook page conﬁrmed that aerial reconnaissance teams and ground search parties covered areas including Pinder’s Point, Eight Mile Rock, Deadman’s Reef and surrounding locations. Surface assets from the Defence and Police Forces, as well as BASRA Northern Bahamas, were also involved in the operation. Adverse weather conditions hindered air search operations. The RBDF reported that despite the extensive efforts, no signs of the missing man were found, and, in the absence of new actionable intelligence, active search operations have been suspended pending further developments. The RBDF continues to liaise with local pilots and encourages anyone with relevant information to come forward.

Mitchell says he has ‘no knowledge’ why Bahamians sought refuge abroad

By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

MINISTER of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell said he did not know why some Bahamians are seeking asylum abroad, responding to a recent report from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) documenting over 2,700 Bahamian nationals globally as refugees or asylum seekers.

“In my experience as a minister, I remembered some people used domestic violence or sexual orientation as a reason,” he said. “I have no knowledge of why anyone sought refuge abroad.”

The 2024 IOM report, published this week, placed The Bahamas second only to Jamaica among English and Dutch-speaking Caribbean countries with the highest number of citizens seeking international protection. While the report did not analyse individual

BAPTISTE INDICTED IN US COCAINE CASE AFTER A DDERLEY REMOVED

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune News Editor rrolle@tribunemedia.net

UNITED States federal prosecutors have issued a new indictment in a major cocaine trafﬁcking case, correcting the name of a defendant from Theodore Nathaniel Adderley to Ulrique Jean Baptiste. Adderley was initially listed among 11 Bahamians accused of helping trafﬁc cocaine into the United States, but it appears investigators mistakenly named him.

The issue came to light after Benjamin Silverman, a court-appointed attorney, revealed in a letter to US District Judge Gregory H Woods that Jean Baptiste, arrested in the Dominican Republic on March 24

and arraigned in New York on April 4, denied being Adderley or having any involvement in the alleged crimes.

Using fingerprint records, officials later confirmed the man in custody was Ulrique Jean Baptiste. Prosecutors initially believed “Blue,” a nickname cited in the investigation, referred to Adderley. But Mr Silverman says the US government now believes “Blue” is actually Jean Baptiste.

In a parallel move after the release of the superseding indictment, Judge Woods reissued a Brady order, underscoring the government’s obligation to disclose all evidence favourable to the defence — including material that

could impact sentencing or undermine a witness’s credibility.

The case stems from a sweeping US federal indictment unsealed in New York, charging numerous Bahamians and two Colombians with conspiracy to traffic cocaine into the United States.

Among those named are senior members of the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) — including Chief Superintendent Elvis Curtis, Sergeant Prince Albert Symonette, and Chief Petty Officer Darrin Roker. Symonette has since been discharged from the force.

The indictment alleges that these officials played key roles in facilitating the

transhipment of cocaine from South America through The Bahamas and into the US, accepting bribes and leveraging their official positions to aid traffickers. The scheme allegedly compromised Operation Bahamas, Turks and Caicos (OPBAT) — a long-standing joint law enforcement initiative targeting drug smuggling in the region. According to prosecutors, drug traffickers paid cash bribes to gain safe passage through Bahamian airports and ports with the help of corrupt officials. In one instance, Curtis alleged he solicited $2m in exchange for securing political support for law enforcement assistance with cocaine shipments.

cases, it identiﬁed broader migration drivers in the region such as political instability, economic hardship, and discrimination — especially against vulnerable groups like women and LGBTQIA+ individuals.

Alicia Wallace, executive director of Equality Bahamas, linked asylum claims to systemic social issues yesterday.

“People who experience violence, especially that’s rooted in hatred and discrimination, have the right to pursue safer lives elsewhere,” she said. “In fact, some of the most vile voices in the public often suggest they should ﬁnd somewhere else to live. It appears that 2,700 Bahamians have chosen to do just that.”

She argued that the government has failed to address the root causes of these outﬂows, saying: “The state refuses to acknowledge its own failings. The State does not protect us. It is complicit in hatred, violence, and othering.”

The issue of discrimination was brought into national focus last year following the visit of WNBA star Jonquel Jones to Grand Bahama. Ms Jones, accompanied by her ﬁancée, toured schools and participated in public events during her championship homecoming tour. The visit triggered a wave of online backlash after a parent’s voice note questioning the appropriateness of her introducing her same-sex partner to students went viral.

The backlash prompted responses from public figures, including transgender advocate Alexus D’Marco and Bahamas Christian Council president Delton Fernander. Ms Jones herself later addressed the controversy, expressing gratitude for the warm welcome she received but affirming her identity: she said she would not compromise who she is or her relationships to fit societal expectations.

DUDLEY GILBERT JR

Man ordered to compensate teen niece $5,000 for indecent assault

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A 44-YEAR-OLD man was ordered to compensate his 17-year-old niece $5,000 yesterday after he admitted to touching her inappropriately and kissing her neck while giving her driving lessons last weekend.

Assistant Chief Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans arraigned the male

defendant, whose name is being withheld to protect the identity of the victim, on indecent assault. The defendant reportedly put his hand on his niece’s upper thigh and kissed her neck while in a vehicle at 2pm on April 6 in New Providence. After the defendant pleaded guilty to the charge, Magistrate Evans sternly reprimanded him for his inappropriate

behaviour towards his niece, which constituted a serious breach of her trust.

The defendant was granted a conditional discharge, where he was placed on a one-year probation.

He was further ordered to compensate the complainant $5,000 or risk an eight-month prison term.

Assistant Superintendent of Police S Coakley served as the prosecutor.

TWO CHARGED WI T H MURDER AND ATT EMP T ED MURDER

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

TWO men were remanded into custody yesterday in connection with a double shooting last August that left one man injured and another — a popular local DJ — dead after months of battling for his life.

James Johnson, 33, and Jerome Wright, 22, were arraigned before Assistant Chief Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans on charges of murder and attempted murder in the shooting of Arthur Wilson and Deontae Ferguson outside a business on Young Street on August 28, 2024.

Wright was previously charged with two counts of attempted murder for the same incident last September. Following Wilson’s death on February 22, one charge was upgraded to murder.

Prosecutors say the men

approached the victims shortly before 11.30pm, opening ﬁre before ﬂeeing the scene on foot. Ferguson was treated for his injuries and survived. Wilson, however, was shot twice in the head and once in the chest. The shooting left him paralysed and hospitalised for months.

The Tribune previously reported that Wilson had said in an interview earlier this year that he was shot shortly after ﬁling a police report in support of a rape victim. His mother, Alethia FergusonCunningham, claimed he received repeated threats and feared for his life, and said police were not sufﬁciently responsive to their concerns.

She also described the immense physical and emotional toll her son endured following the attack. Wilson’s family launched a GoFundMe campaign in hopes of securing treatment abroad, but the effort

fell short, and plans to airlift him to Cuba were abandoned.

“He would give you the shirt off his back, and if he don’t know you and if you don’t have no food, he’d cut that plate in half, and he’d share that with you,” his mother said during a previous interview, rejecting any perception that her son was involved in wrongdoing.

Yesterday, Johnson and Wright were informed in court that they were not required to enter pleas. The case will proceed to the Supreme Court through a Voluntary Bill of Indictment (VBI). They were also advised of their right to apply for bail in the higher court.

Both men were remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services, with their VBI expected to be served on May 1.

Assistant Superintendent of Police S Coakley represented the prosecution.

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN awaiting trial for three murders was sentenced to one year in prison Tuesday after admitting he had breached his bail conditions for more than 200 days.

Machino McKenzie, 24, was arraigned on two counts of violating bail conditions before Senior Magistrate Kendra Kelly-Burrows.

McKenzie was previously granted bail by the Supreme Court in connection with three murder charges, two counts of attempted murder, possession of a ﬁrearm with intent to endanger life, and

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A 59-YEAR-OLD

woman was granted bail yesterday after being accused of negligently scalding a three-year-old boy she was babysitting in a bathtub last month.

Judy Spence was arraigned on a charge of child cruelty

attempted armed robbery. According to police, the accused was allegedly involved in a drive-by shooting using a Japanese vehicle that resulted in the deaths of Andrew Burrows and Lakeithra Stubbs around 7pm on October 30, 2022, on Lightbourne Avenue. Ms Stubbs, 27, was reportedly caught in the crossﬁre as she stood on her mother’s porch.

Two other people, Rickara Collie and Johnny Severe, were also injured during the incident, which involved a high-powered weapon. At the time of his death, Burrows was on bail for the 2018 murder of Craig Smith.

McKenzie is also accused

before Assistant Chief Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans.

Prosecutors allege that on March 31, while babysitting for her neighbours in New Providence, Spence negligently caused the child to suffer scald burns to his bottom while bathing him.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Bail was set at $6,000 with one or two sureties.

of causing the death of Averyon Duncanson on November 12 2022 in New Providence. While on release for the armed robbery charge, McKenzie reportedly failed to sign in at his local police station for 269 days up to March 3. He also failed to sign in for 94 days during the same period concerning his murder charges. He pleaded guilty to breaching his bail conditions and accepted the facts presented by the prosecution. He was sentenced to one year at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services. Sergeant Vernon Pyfrom served as the prosecutor.

As part of her bail conditions, Spence must sign in at the Wulff Road Police Station by 7pm every Sunday, and she will be ﬁtted with an electronic monitoring device. Her trial is scheduled to begin on May 6. Levan Johnson represented the accused, while Assistant Superintendent of Police S Coakley appeared for the prosecution.

IN THE MATTER OF all that parcel of land situate at “White Bluff” near the Settlement of Governor’s Harbour in the Island of Eleuthera of the Islands of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas and containing 4.591 acres more or less which said piece parcel or lot of land is bounded on the NORTH by land now or

of the Islands of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas and containing 12 987 acres more or less which said piece parcel or lot of land is bounded on the NORTH by a public road and running thereon 445.64 feet, SOUTH by the Sea and running thereon 481.86 feet,

be recorded in the Department of Lands and Surveys in accordance with s. 3 of the Land Surveys Act No. 1975 (the “subject property”). AND

IN THE MATTER OF the Quieting Titles Act (the Act). AND

IN THE MATTER OF the Petition of Eleuthera Land Company Limited Petitioner

NOTICE

Eleuthera Land Company Limited, the Petitioner claim to be owner in fee simply absolute by virtue of their possessory and/or documentary title of and/or to the property namely: All that parcel of land situate at “White Bluff” near the Settlement of Governor’s Harbour in the Island of Eleuthera of the Islands of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas and containing Ten and five six (10.56) acres more or less which said piece parcel or lot of land is bounded on the NORTH by land now or formerly the property of the estate of the late Sir R. T. Symonette measuring 492.86 feet, SOUTH by land the property of the Petitioner measuring 486.29, EAST by land now or formerly the property of the estate of the late George Saunders measuring 991.03 feet, WEST by land the property of D. Artie Nottage measuring 759.15 feet NORTHWEST by land now or formerly the property of Eleuthera Adventures Limited measuring 197.99 feet, such portion of land having such shape size and dimensions as shown on the Survey Plan completed by Roland John Surveying Co. Limited to be recorded in the Department of Lands and Surveys in accordance with s. 3 of the Land Surveys Act No. 1975 (the “subject property”).

Copies of a diagram or plan showing the position boundaries and shape marks and dimensions of the said piece parcel and lot of land may be inspected during normal working hours at the following places:

2025-04-08

1. The Registry of the Supreme Court located at the British American House Annex, Marlborough Street, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

2. RBO Advisors, No. 10 One West, Windsor Field Road, New Providence, The Bahamas and the Office of the Administrator of Great Exuma.

NOTICE is hereby given that any person or persons having a right of Dower or an adverse claim not recognized in the Petition shall within thirty (30) days after the appearance of the Notice herein file in the Registry of The Supreme Court in the City of Nassau aforesaid and serve on the Petitioner or the undersigned a statement of his claim in the prescribed form, verified by an Affidavit to be filed therewith.

Failure of any such person to file and serve a statement of claim within thirty (30) days herein will operate as a bar to such claim.

DATED 8th day of April, A.D., 2025

RBO ADVISORS No. 10 One West Windsor Field Road New Providence, The

feet, and WEST by land now or formally the property of U.S. Steel and running thereon 1,252.62 feet, such portion of land having such shape size and dimensions as shown on the Survey Plan completed by Roland John Surveying Co. Limited to be recorded in the Department of Lands and Surveys in accordance with s. 3 of the Land Surveys Act No. 1975 (the Parcel B”)

1. The Registry of the Supreme Court located at the British American House Annex, Marlborough Street, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

2. RBO Advisors, No. 10 One West, Windsor Field Road, New Providence, The Bahamas and the Office of the Administrator of Great Exuma.

Page 3 of 5 2025/CLE/QUI/00126

Failure of any such person to file and serve a statement of claim within thirty (30) days herein will operate as a bar to such claim.

DATED 8th day of April, A.D., 2025

RBO ADVISORS No. 10 One West Windsor Field Road New Providence, The Bahamas Attorneys for the Petitioner

German parties agree to form a new government after months of drift in Europe’s biggest economy

BERLIN Associated Press

GERMAN election

winner Friedrich Merz sealed a deal Wednesday to form a new government that aims to spur economic growth, ramp up defence spending, take a tougher approach to migration and catch up on longneglected modernization.

The agreement paves the way for new leadership in the 27-nation European Union’s most populous member, which has Europe’s biggest economy. It follows months of political drift and weeks of negotiations as the continent faces uncertainty over the Trump administration’s sweeping tariffs and its commitment to European allies’ defence.

Merz is on track to become Germany’s new leader in early May, replacing outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

The 69-year-old’s twoparty Union bloc emerged as the strongest force from Germany’s election on Feb. 23. Merz turned to the Social Democrats, Scholz’s center-left party, to put together a coalition with a parliamentary majority.

‘Germany is back on track’ Before Merz can take the helm, the coalition deal needs approval in a ballot of the Social Democrats’ membership and by a convention on April 28 of Merz’s Christian Democratic Union party. Once

those hurdles are cleared, the lower house of parliament — in which the allies have 328 of the 630 seats — can elect him as chancellor.

Merz said the deal is “a very strong and clear signal to the people of our country, and also a clear signal to our partners in the European Union: Germany is getting a government that is capable of acting and will act strongly.”

Asked about his message to the US president, Merz replied: “The key message to Donald Trump is, Germany is back on track. Germany will fulfill the obligations in terms of defence and Germany is willing to strengthen their own competitiveness.” He added, “We will bring the European Union forward.”

The prospective coalition embarked on one big project before even reaching a deal to govern together. Last month, it pushed plans through parliament to enable higher defence spending by loosening strict rules on incurring debt, and to set up a huge infrastructure fund that’s aimed at boosting the stagnant economy. That was an about-turn for Merz, whose party had spoken out against running up new debt before the election without entirely closing the door to future changes to Germany’s self-imposed “debt brake.”

Economy and migration

Other measures in the agreement are more in line with what he campaigned for. The coalition aims to boost companies’ investment and then cut corporate tax, make working overtime more attractive and cut electricity tax.

Merz, the opposition leader at the time, made reducing migration central to his election campaign.

On Wednesday, he said the new government will suspend family reunions for many migrants, designate more “safe countries of origin,” launch a “return offensive” for rejected asylum-seekers

and turn some people back at Germany’s borders in consultation with neighbours.

It will also tighten a law passed by the outgoing government that eased the rules for gaining citizenship, scrapping the possibility for well-integrated applicants to get a German passport after three rather than five years of residence. Throw out the fax machines

The new government will include a “digitisation ministry” to modernize a country that still has a reputation for tangled bureaucracy and

Trump: Israel would be ‘leader’ of Iran strike if Tehran doesn’t give up nuclear weapons programme

WASHINGTON Associated Press

PRESIDENT Donald Trump said Wednesday that Israel would be the “leader” of a potential military strike against Iran if Tehran doesn’t give up its nuclear weapons program. Trump made the comments ahead of this weekend’s scheduled talks involving US and Iranian ofﬁcials in the Middle East

sultanate of Oman. Trump earlier this week said the talks would be “direct” while Iran has described the engagement as “indirect” talks with the US

“If it requires military, we’re going to have military,” Trump said. “Israel will obviously be very much involved in that. They’ll be the leader of that. But nobody leads us, but we do what we want to do.”

The United States is increasingly concerned as Tehran is closer than ever to a workable weapon. But Trump said on Wednesday that he doesn’t have a deﬁnitive timeline for the talks to come to a resolution.

“When you start talks, you know, if they’re going along well or not,” Trump said. “And I would say the conclusion would be what I think they’re not going

along well. So that’s just a feeling.”

The US and other world powers in 2015 reached a long-term, comprehensive nuclear agreement that limited Tehran’s enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. But Trump unilaterally withdrew the US from the nuclear agreement in 2018, calling it the “worst deal ever.”

Iran and the US, under

old-fashioned paperwork.

“Not everything has to be regulated down to the smallest detail,” said the Social Democrats’ coleader, Lars Klingbeil.

“The diggers must work and the fax machines in our country must be thrown away. Our economy must grow.”

Merz said the coalition plans to reduce the size of the federal administration by 8% over its four-year term. But, referring to the United States’ Department of Government Efficiency, he said it doesn’t plan to do so by firing workers. “We’re not hiring an Elon Musk

here who will do it like they do in Washington,” he said. “We will do it ... sensibly, with a sense of proportion.”

Pressure from abroad and at home

The election took place seven months earlier than planned after Scholz’s unpopular coalition collapsed in November, three years into a term that was increasingly marred by infighting and widespread discontent. Germany, the 27-nation European Union’s most populous member, has been in political limbo since then.

The market turbulence caused by US President Donald Trump’s announcement of sweeping tariffs added to pressure for Merz’s Union and the Social Democrats to bring their coalition talks to a conclusion. The tariffs threaten to add to the woes of an exportheavy economy that shrank for the past two years.

Another factor in the haste to reach an agreement was a decline for the Union in the opinion polls, showing support slipping from its election showing, while the far-right Alternative for Germany, which finished a strong second in February, gained as the political vacuum persisted.

“The political center in our country is in a position to solve the problems we face,” Merz said. Ministers will be named at a later date.

President Joe Biden, held indirect negotiations in

Vienna in 2021 aimed at restoring the nuclear deal. But those talks, and others between Tehran and European nations, failed to reach any agreement.

Meanwhile, the US Treasury Department earlier on Wednesday issued new sanctions targeting Iran’s nuclear program.

Five entities and one person based in Iran are cited in the new sanctions for their support of Iran’s nuclear program. The designated groups include the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran and subordinates Iran Centrifuge Technology Company, Thorium Power Company, Pars Reactors Construction and Development Company and Azarab Industries Co.

“I want Iran to be great,” Trump said Wednesday. “The only thing that they can’t have is a nuclear weapon. They understand that.”

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian again pledged Wednesday that his nation is “not after a nuclear bomb” and even dangled the prospect of direct American investment in the Islamic Republic if the countries can reach a deal. The comments by the reformist leader represent a departure from Iran’s stance after its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, in which Tehran sought to buy American airplanes but in effect barred US companies from coming into the country.

“His excellency has no opposition to investment by American investors in Iran,” Pezeshkian said in a speech in Tehran, referring to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khame-

and invest.”

nei. “American investors: Come

MARKUS SOEDER, chairman of Bavarian’s Christian Social Union party, Friedrich Merz, Christian Democratic Union party chairman and the Social Democratic Party co-leaders Lars Klingbeil, address the media after reaching an agreement between their parties on a coalition for a new German government at a news conference in Berlin, Germany yesterday. Photo: Ebrahim Noroozi/AP

PRESIDENT Donald Trump listens as Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at a news conference in the East Room of the White House, February 4, 2025, in Washington. Photo: Evan Vucci/AP

MARY Star of the Sea Catholic Academy 11th grader Xaria Ingraham (left) beat out four other contenders in the Ministry of Tourism, Investments and Aviation’s 2025 Junior Minister Speech Competition on Thursday, March 3, at the Grand Lucayan Resort. Her win earned her the title of Junior Director of Tourism, representing Grand Bahama in the nationals. Making the presentation was the 2024 Junior Director Kalei McIntosh (centre), of Sunland Baptist, and MOTIA General Manager (GB) Nuvolari Chotoosingh (right).

Photo: Danielle Rollon/BIS