04242024 NEWS AND SPORT

Govt and RCI sign HOA

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net

THE Davis administra-

tion and Royal Caribbean International (RCI) signed a Heads of Agreement yesterday to develop RCI’s $165m Royal Beach Club Paradise Island.

The groundbreaking for the Royal Beach Club was held shortly after. RCI officials and members of the government gathered at the Office of the Prime Minister to seal the historic project in black and white.

The 17-acre project is expected to start construction on the western end of Paradise Island. Guests at the Royal Beach Club will experience private cabanas, live music, local artisans, pools, and Bahamian boutiques.

Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said the $165m project will help further to enhance the vitality of the country’s tourism project. He said that not only would the project create 200 jobs, but Bahamians would also have ownership of the multimillion-dollar project.

“Bahamians will not just work there,” he said. “People of this nation will also share ownership in this development as well. It is anticipated that PDI Paradise Limited will hold at least 51 per cent of the shares in the Royal Beach Club, with the remaining shares allocated to the National Investment Fund for the benefit of the Bahamian people. Through this partnership, we will provide new employment and economic opportunities for this nation.”

Once the Royal Beach Club is completed, it is SEE PAGE THREE

DEPUTY Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investment and Aviation Chester Cooper, Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis and other officials view a model of the proposed Royal Beach Club during a reception at the Nassau Cruise Port following a groundbreaking ceremony on western Paradise Island yesterday. Photos: Dante Carrer

FROM left are Director of Investments Phylicia Woods Hanna, Royal Caribbean International Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider, Minister of Health and Wellness Dr. Michael Darville, Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty, Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis, Royal Caribbean International President & CEO Michael Bayley, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism Investments and Aviation Chester Cooper, Minister of Energy and Transport JoBeth Coleby-Davis, President and General Manager of Royal Beach Club and Royal Caribbean International Bahamas Philip Simon and Royal Caribbean Group Vice President of Government Relations Russell Benford during the groundbreaking ceremony. ROYAL Caribbean International President & CEO Michael Bayley.

AN ARTIST rendering of the proposed Royal Beach Club to be constructed on western Paradise Island.

OFFICIALS including Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investment and Aviation Chester Cooper, Jason Liberty, President and Chief Executive Officer for Royal Caribbean Group and Michael Bayley, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean International arrive at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Royal Beach Club on western Paradise Island.

for $165m Beach Club

from page two

Cruise Port and then to Downtown. Mr Davis said a joint venture with a Bahamian-owned entity for the operation of a water taxi business will provide transportation options for guests at the Royal Beach Club.

Mr Davis added:

“Ultimately, this project will largely be run by Bahamians. Owned by the Bahamian people and supported by Bahamian businesses. When we talk about the need to ensure that major tourism projects are primarily for the benefit of the Bahamian people. These are the kinds of opportunities that we are talking about. By signing today’s agreement, we add another world-class

experience to our tourism product.”

RCI’s CEO Jason Liberty said the ultimate goal of the project is to represent the beauty of The Bahamas. He said the Royal Beach Club will also attract new guests to The Bahamas, which he thinks is a great opportunity.

Asked about the concern about cruise lines telling passengers not to come off the ships when visiting The

Bahamas, Mr Davis said there are sufficient tourists at the port any given day. He said the Royal Beach Club itself can’t accommodate all of the visitors, but it will add to giving tourists something to do and encourage passengers to come off the ship.

In terms of the environment, RCI officials said they will work to protect trees and plants that are native to The Bahamas.

However, when asked if there was a management waste plan during the construction process for the project, RCI officials did not say. RCI officials were also not able to say how many jobs will be available for the construction phase of the project, but noted a local company will be used.

Asked about how many Bahamian businesses will be a part of the Royal

Beach Club and how they will be selected, Philip Simon, the Royal Beach Club’s president and general manager for the cruise line’s Bahamas operations, said there will be an RFP process.

Mr Simon couldn’t say how many Bahamian businesses would be selected at the time.

Despite the delays, RCI’s Royal Beach Club is still expected to open in 2025.

ANOTHER TRAFFIC FATALITY AS GB MAN KILLED IN CRASH LAST NIGHT

A MAN died in a fatal crash in Grand Bahama last night and two more people were injured in a two-vehicle collision.

The incident took place shortly after 9pm at Midshipman and Churchill Drive. Assistant Commissioner Shanta Knowles, speaking to media at the scene, said: “A two-vehicle collision occurred at this intersection.

Three persons were involved in this incident. Two of them were taken to the hospital with injuries and a third, the driver of a Jeep, succumbed to his injuries on scene. Our officers are investigating.. we are unable at this point to tell you or to give you information as to what may have contributed to this accident.” She said the driver of the second vehicle “received extensive injuries, he’s alert but he has some serious injuries” and added that the passenger of the Jeep “also has injuries, she is also alert

but they are both in serious condition”. While there was no indication as yet what may have caused the collision, ACP Knowles urged drivers to be safe on the roads. She said: “I want to say that over the past weekend we have held a number of road checks here in Grand Bahama. We have held a number of road checks from the beginning of this year, the purpose of which is to encourage the public to slow down, to drive within the speed limit and to obey the traffic regulations. We continue to preach that to the public. You have to drive with due care and attention, you have to drive for the safety of yourself and your passengers and other road users. We will continue to hammer that information.

Unfortunately this is now the fourth death on the roads of Grand Bahama for the year and we are hoping and praying that there are no more.”

A GB man died and two others were injured in two-vehicle collision last night. Photo: Vandyke Hepburn

expected to host an average of 2,000 guests. Guests will be able to go to the beach club via ferry from the Nassau

MICHAEL BAYLEY, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean International signs during a heads of agreement signing between The Bahamas government and Royal Caribbean at the Office of The Prime Minister yesterday. Photos: Dante Carrer

Cleare sworn in as Dept of Corrections commissioner

By KEILE CAMPBELL kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

NATIONAL Security Minister Wayne Munroe said Cabinet has approved the construction of a new virtual court at the Department of Correctional Services. He said there will be 20 virtual courts and two physical courts with accompanying cells for prisoners to be “secure and also separated”.

However, wider plans for an expanded prison, crucial to accreditation hopes, have not been approved. Mr Munroe said he would take a revised position on the expansion plans to Cabinet within four to six weeks.

Newly confirmed Corrections Commissioner Doan Cleare officially urged the government to “speed up the process” of building expanded prison facilities.

“We know that the government resources are limited,” he said during his installation ceremony yesterday. “We know that the Defence Force is begging for more boats, the police more cars and more guns, immigration more buses.”

“It’s a big effort between whether we should build a prison first or a hospital.”

Commissioner Cleare said the prime minister assured him that once plans for a new hospital are announced, officials can “put shovels in the ground” for the new prison. The cost of building the new prison facility has fluctuated multiple times.

In May 2023, National Security Minister Wayne Munroe revealed that the construction plans moved from a $40m high-medium security facility to a $90m “correctional institution, administrative, housing, and medical facility”.

In September 2023, Prison Commissioner Doan Cleare revealed the cost of expanding the prison was cut by 40 per cent after the Ministry of Finance asked officials to revise their plans.

Last October, Economic Affairs Minister Michael Halkitis said construction of new prison facilities might happen through “stepby-step improvements” to avoid a large initial investment.

“If we don’t build a facility and do it quickly, the hospital wouldn’t be able to handle the amount of murders and the amount of panic that will come their way, because why? Because we cannot correct the persons properly in our current state.”

Mr Murphy’s lawyer, Romona FarquharsonSeymour, has since said the decision to send her client on administrative leave was “foul and inappropriate”. Last month, a Supreme Court judge rejected her attempt to prevent the Office of the Attorney General from representing Minister Munroe in the case. Yesterday, Commissioner Cleare championed the quick construction of new facilities at BDOCS and the creation of a better environment to treat inmates more humanely. “We have to create a climate for these persons to change,” he said. “We want to reduce crime so much that the commissioner can go to San Salvador and relax. That’s our purpose, that’s our focus.” from page one

against him. Commissioner Cleare became acting commissioner in October 2021 after Mr Munroe sent Mr Murphy on administrative leave. Mr Munroe initially said the leave was so officials could investigate the case of Prescott Smith, who was imprisoned in possible breach of a Supreme Court order. Commissioner Cleare’s rise was a moment of redemption after the Minnis administration sidelined him. In 2019, he and deputy commissioner Bernardette ThompsonMurray, represented by Mr Munroe, filed lawsuits claiming former Minister of National Security Marvin Dames forced them to take vacation leave to facilitate the appointment of Mr Murphy, their junior.

Fernander disagrees with Pintard that anti-gang bill may make criminals of innocent parents - ‘We do our investigation’

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

POLICE Commissioner Clayton Fernander disagrees with Free National Movement leader Michael Pintard, who believes the anti-gang bill passed in the House of Assembly earlier this month may make criminals out of innocent parents.

The bill says anyone harbouring a gang member could be jailed for up to 20 years. If the gang member or gang leader is a child, their parent would be convicted for harbouring them.

Mr Pintard argued that many parents do not know the double lives their children lead. Commissioner Fernander, however, said yesterday: “We do our investigation. That’s why it’s called investigation. Either we charge you or we roll you out, and that’s what we do.”

Defending the bill, Commissioner Fernander highlighted the case of 16-year-old Davinique Gray, who was murdered in her Nassau Village home on January 6. Shinikia Johnson, the girl’s mother, was charged with harbouring a fugitive, a man police believe was the intended target of her daughter’s killer. “We could highlight several examples where

innocent people, children, are losing their lives because individuals are harbouring these gangs,” Commissioner Fernander said yesterday. “So we support that bill and we are looking for it to roll out quickly.”

Commissioner Fernander also discussed efforts to capture suspects of recent murders.

He noted that on Friday, a man was charged with two counts of murder in connection with the deaths of Chatere Wells and Dino Smith on Prince Charles Highway in January.

He also said the alleged murderer of a 42-yearold Water and Sewerage Cooperation (WSC) subcontractor appeared before the court on Friday and that three people were charged and arraigned yesterday in connection with the death of a 33-year-old man who was shot and killed during an argument outside a local nightspot on West Bay Street on April 15.

Meanwhile, he said, investigations are ongoing concerning an Office of the Prime Minister’s employee whose 44-yearold boyfriend, Philip McPhee, Jr, was granted $1,500 bail on Friday after he allegedly injured her in a domestic incident. Some close to the man alleged that the woman threatened his relatives.

SENATOR RENEWS CALL FOR LIFEGUARDS AT PUBLIC BEACHES

THE importance of

She called for the same supervision and

response capabilities

others

She said: “Over

lives were saved by lifeguards in Florida over the 4th of July weekend last year, which proves that they do make a difference. I urge the government to take immediate action to better our beaches, not only by stationing lifeguards but also by improving the maintenance and infrastructure of these facilities and more strictly regulating watercraft activities, which still pose risks to families.”

COMMISSIONER Doan Cleare inspects prison officers during his confirmation ceremony yesterday where he was made permanent Commissioner of the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services. Photo: Keile Campbell

POLICE Commissioner Clayton Fernander disagrees with Free National Movement leader Michael Pintard, who believes the antigang bill passed in the House of Assembly earlier this month may make criminals out of innocent parents.

US: Bahamas not equal for women

from page one

Bahamian women could not confer citizenship to their children if the child was born outside of The Bahamas. Women were also unable to confer citizenship to their adopted children.”

In March, Attorney General Ryan Pinder said he appreciated the frustration some felt waiting for the government to change the law, but that “buy-in” from the collective was necessary.

Regarding contracts and procurement, the US said: “There was limited enforcement of conflictof-interest clauses and anti-corruption clauses in government contracts.”

Additionally, the US noted that although a human rights committee to monitor and protect the enforcement of human rights was established in April, “the committee did not advance an agenda or publish resolutions.”

In contrast to previous reports, the US highlighted progress related to asylum, though it noted that no legal framework exists to govern the matter.

“UNHCR reported improved relations with the government regarding asylum cases,” the US said. “Authorities involved UNHCR in asylum proceedings.”

The report also said: “The campaign finance system was unregulated, with few safeguards against quid pro quo donations.”

IN March of this year Attorney General Ryan Pinder said he understands the frustration some feel waiting for the government to address citizenship inequalities, but that buy-in from “the

US SAYS LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY IN BAHAMAS IS DISENFRANCHISED

from page one

The report further said: “Societal discrimination existed against members of the LGBTQI+ community, with some persons reporting job and housing discrimination based on sexual orientation.”

“NGOs reported LGBTQI+ individuals faced social stigma and discrimination and did not believe they were adequately protected by authorities. There was generally low social tolerance for same-sex relationships. Same-sex marriage was not legal. Homophobic epithets were common and socially acceptable.

“During Pride events held in October, local religious leaders publicly demonstrated against LGBTQI+ awareness events and condemned scheduled activities at the country’s sole university.”

The report noted that the age of consent for heterosexuals is 16, while the age of consent for sexual activity between people of the same sex is 18.

The US said although there were no reports of groups inciting or tolerating violence against LGBTQI people, “NGOs noted a lack of an alternative reporting mechanism for LGBTQI+ persons who might be uncomfortable reporting incidents to police or government agents.”

The US noted that while the Domestic Violence (Protection) Orders Act protected partners from domestic and sexual violence, no such law protects LGBTQI+ people. The US said although the government effectively enforced the law, “activists suspected heterosexual and homosexual rape were underreported”.

PM SAYS DIVORCE IS A SOLUTION FOR MARITAL RAPE

from page one

Insisting he is not insensitive to the issue, he said: “My thing is that the time when, any time, a couple was married in a blissful marriage reach the stage where they’re going to report their husband for rape, it seemed to me that marriage was irretrievably broken down, meaning that they’re no longer married even though it may not have been so pronounced by a court.”

Asked about making it easier for people to get a divorce, Mr Davis said the divorce process could already be “easy”.

“In so far as making it easier to have a divorce in those certain situations, the law is there, it could be easy,” he said. “The problem is that most women they’re abused in the sense that the abuse itself sort of disarmed them, disarmed them from moving forward because of another fear, the fear of surviving what will happen if I divorce.”

Mr Davis said the government is creating mechanisms to ensure that such people will be provided with a “safety net” to survive on their own. He said judicial challenges prevent people from finalising divorces

as quickly as they should, adding that when he practised law, several divorces could be settled in a week depending on the judge and the case circumstances.

“In fact, technology, to my mind, has really slowed down the process in the administration of justice,” he said. “But we have to find an answer to that. I’m, in fact, meeting with the officials in the judiciary to see how we could speed up those things.”

Bahamas Crisis Centre director Sandra DeanPatterson recently said the laws relating to protecting women victims of marital rape are inadequate.

PRIME MINISTER PHILIP ‘BRAVE’ DAVIS

BAHAMAS Christian Council president Bishop Delton Fernander and several dozen senior pastors held a press conference at UB in October of last year, objecting to a LGBTQ+ forum to be held at the university.

collective” is critical.

US report tells us what we know

AT the start of this year, a spike in the murder rate brought international warnings to travellers that prompted the government to loudly proclaim –and often – that The Bahamas was a safe place to visit.

in that debate – which included the Prime Minister suggesting that murders should not be reported on the front page – was much talk of how safe The Bahamas was for Bahamians.

In today’s Tribune, we report on international warnings that also directly affect Bahamians – and their rights.

The United States report on human rights has pointed up a number of areas in which our country is letting down its own people. There are a number of issues that have been pointed out – all of which have been highlighted in these pages, and this column.

Firstly, there is the ongoing failure to address inequalities in citizenship. In short, this means women do not have the same rights as men when it comes to passing on their citizenship – and there seems to be little urgency from government to change that.

The report notes: “Married Bahamian women could not confer citizenship to their children if the child was born outside of The Bahamas. Women were also unable to confer citizenship to their adopted children.”

Last month, Attorney General Ryan Pinder talked of the need for “buy-in” from the collective before a change in the law.

Until that buy-in, we suppose women will just have to continue to wait for equality.

Repeatedly, issues affecting women have been raised recently – not just citizenship, but also the issue of marital rape, which this administration has constantly shown is not even on its agenda, let alone a priority. Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said as much yesterday, saying that marital rape legislation was not on the party’s blueprint for change. He is right, it was not – but when asked about marital rape and saying it was not on the party’s agenda, the resultant public uproar made sure it was on the table. The government seems to be trying to take it back off the

table. Mr Davis even seemed to hint that perhaps women are better off not being married – divorce your husband if you think he has raped you. You will have more rights to prosecute your rapist if you are not married to him. Imagine a woman who has been raped by her husband hearing that – no hint of telling the rapist not to commit the crime, but suggesting the victim go through the divorce process to get away from him. The law is not changing, so look out for yourself. Then there is the issue of legislation on gender violence. A bill tackling such was in the process of being created only to be sidelined in favour of a bill that stripped all mention of gender out.

Activists trying to press for discussions on gender violence are struggling to get a meeting with the Minister of National Security, or even a return phone call.

The US report covers other issues – such as the limited enforcement of clauses to tackle conflicts of interest and corruption in government contracts, while there is also, despite occasional talk of such, a lack of campaign finance legislation. Meanwhile, a human rights committee established this month has not offered up any kind of agenda. Issues affecting the LGBTQI community were also noted. When the international warnings at the start of the year were issued, we noted that these were warnings telling us what we already knew, and we should not be hesitant about recognising the problems we face. The same holds true with this latest report. We know the problems. It does not take outsiders to tell us what we already know. But will it cause us to address those problems, or even simply admit to them?

Will the government response be to lay out a plan for how such issues will be dealt with? When legislation to tackle them can be expected? Or will the government push back on international warnings as it has before? If it does, then do not be surprised if there continues to be no urgency to take steps forward in bringing women the equality, and the protection, that they deserve.

At the time there was no reason given as to what the money would be used for.

I’m not sure if this was disclosed or not. I heard that it was to provide funding for a project to provide some power generation for BPL.

If that is correct, this is a big joke. At the last AGM, last year, FOCOL told shareholders they were already providing or were beginning to provide power to BPL. So, it is strange to ask for funds for something you already started or about to start. So, it is quite odd. Also, in that same article there was a statement made that a subscriber to the right offering would get in at $5.00 and would likely at the time of subscribing be getting shares that were already at $5.50, suggesting a 10% premium. As of this writing today (April 12th), FOCOL closed at $4.80 which would be an unrealized loss on the $5.00 per share on any shares purchased in the rights offering. Of course, the stock can go up in value and probably will. The point is, there’s too much fast talking and smoke and mirrors here. The whole ask for the funding was nonsense.

FOCOL had more than what they needed in earnings to proceed without having to come to shareholders. They stated how they had a really great year last year, profit wise. Then shortly after their hands are out asking shareholders for money. Where does the greed and manipulation end?

It would be really helpful if journalists would ask questions. There were tons of questions that should have been asked that were not asked. The journalist seemed to be less a journalist and more of a secretary taking dictation. We need better, people.

EDITOR, The Tribune.

THE iconic Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) will celebrate its half way mark back in elective office within a few short months. While a lot of ground work and reconstruction would have been done, to date, there is much more that has to be done if the Davis administration is to continue it’s stellar and very productive efforts to resurrect and to literally salvage our society. I make no secret that I am a genuine and long time adherent of the economic; political and societal efforts of the PLP. In fact, only the late great and deeply lamented Sir Lynden Oscar Pindling could have been a greater PLP than I, bar none. The ravages of back to back hurricanes and then the dreaded and very misunderstood COVID-19 threw the nation off track in a very bad way. The actual handling of the effects of these events by the Minnis led administration was disjointed and badly executed. Mind you, I do believe that he and his team, such as it was, did their level best But that was far short of what one could have done, in my view. In any event, they paid a heavy price at the electoral polls in 2021. The average Bahamian, however. was basically left to fend for themselves. In short you all were between a big rock and a very hard place.

The Lord, however, as always, heard the anguish and cries of the people of this wonderful nation. He stopped by and engineered the return of the PLP to power after Minnis called an early election, which I am sure that he regrets to this very day. Now that the Hon Philip ‘Brave’ Davis would have achieved his life long dream in becoming Prime Minister, he and his crew have their work cut out for them. We are not out of the woods yet.

Scarce and very precious parliamentary time has been expended on debating issues which, in my considered view are none issues such as the so called Marital Rape Bill and the so called Anti-Gang Bill. Throw into the third ingredient into the pot, the Medical Marijuana Bill and you have an almost toxic bird soup. May I be allowed to explain why/with your leave? Rape has been described, for eons, in all civilised countries as the forcible sexual relations by a perpetrator against, ordinarily a female BUT males have been known to be raped

and continue to be raped by another male and/or a female depending on the circumstances. The current relevant laws are clear cut and easily understood, or should be, by all and sundry. Almost out of the clear Blue, some self appointed “progressive” and “activists” are clamoring for a Marital Rape Bill !! What real difference would such a Bill make? Absolutely none. A man is potentially guilty of rape if he forces himself on his wife… male or female, without consent. End of story. A female is in that same category, depending on the circumstances and prevailing evidence..

We saw the passage of the Anti Gang Bill in the House of Assembly recently. While I generally support Any pertinent legislative initiatives, we have to be realistic and nut succumb to hysteria and what might appear to be legal and workable “solutions”. The title of that Bill sounds great from a public relations point But lingering questions may not have been properly addressed during the “debate”. What is the legal and constitutional definition of a ‘gang’ ? How is a Bahamian assumed or presumed to be a “gang member” and what are the dubious qualifications? Is there a real possibility that someone could or may be described as “Gang” member? Is such a label potentially discriminatory, constitutionally? Some of the ‘punishments’ proscribed, in a possibly draconian manner’, may well be struck down, legally, if and when challenged in a competent court of law, here in The Bahamas or straight up to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council?

Like the late and deeply lamented Sir Lynden Oscar Pindling, I have long advocate a form of National Youth Service, under one umbrella as opposed to all of the little bits and pieces. May I recommend a single and unified National Youth Service? I realise that there are still some misguided individuals who are afraid; that such a service may be referred to as Brave’s army just like how certain detractors referred to Sir Lynden when he, et al, first proposed it decades ago. Had we done it then, I dare say that all of the so

called gang related criminal activities would not be a major issue today. The nation gyrated around and literally ducked this prophetic stance of Sir Lynden. Indeed, we sowed the wind and are now reaping the whirlwind. I suggest that the PM bite the so called bullet and do what has to be done in short order. There is No MoreTime To Waste. The so called Anti-Gang Bill, as much as I would wish it to succeed, is doomed to failure and debilitating constitutional challenges.

Lastly, some moon beam persons are advocating for the decriminalisation of possession of marijuana and legislative approval for medical marijuana!! Medical marijuana is a misnomer of the highest order. Extensive studies have revealed that the habitual usage of ‘the healing’ causes a marked decrease in a male’s sperm count and that may inhibits one’s ability to utilise certain skills and work.

In addition, the indiscriminate usage could limit one’s ability to drive or operate certain machinery etcetera. These are easily verifiable.

If decriminalise and agreed to for medical purposes, who or what will be the authorised outlet or supplier of the raw weed?

It is not likely that the alleged illegal drug dealer will just close up his lucrative shop; roll over and play dead? I further submit that more so called gang warfare will break out so as to protect territory…How will the administration collect the supposed excise taxation on ‘the healing’? Who will be responsible for the administration’ security and distribution of the raw weed? Who will process it into medical form and who will ensure quality and safety Regimes. If I were to be a user how will I be assured that no impurities or additives would not be commingled with the raw weed

Brave knows or he should know that there are more pressing national issues that he will have to address by the first quarter of next year. The over all agenda of the PLP is bigger than anyone man or woman. The interest of the majority of Bahamians, while dealing with the minority views, is critical if Brave expects another term in office, which I fully look forward to and support unconditionally. To God then, in all things, be the glory.

AN ULTRA-Orthodox Jewish man burns leavened items in final preparation for the Passover holiday in the ultra-Orthodox Jewish town of Bnei Brak, near Tel Aviv, Israel, yesterday. Jews are forbidden to eat leavened foodstuffs during the Passover holiday, which celebrates the biblical story of the Israelites’ escape from slavery and exodus from Egypt.

Photo: Oded Balilty/AP

THREE MEN CHARGED ON THE MURDER OF RENALDO PINDER

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

THREE men were behind bars yesterday after they were accused of killing a man last week.

Senior Magistrate Shaka Serville charged Tommy Reckley, 24, Dwayne “Snipes” Clarke, 27, and Jorel Augustine, 25, with murder.

The trio allegedly killed

Renaldo Pinder on April 15 in New Providence. The defendants were told their case would move to the Supreme Court through a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI). They were remanded in custody. Their VBIs are set for service on July 23. Sergeant C Farrington served as the prosecutor. K Melvin Munroe and Ian Cargill represented the defendants.

MAN CHARGED ON FIVE COUNTS OF INCEST FOR MOLESTING HIS NIECE

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A 25-YEAR-OLD man was remanded in custody yesterday after he was accused of molesting his underaged niece five times over the last two years.

Assistant Chief Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans charged the male defendant, whose name is being withheld to protect the identity of the complainant, with five counts of incest. The defendant allegedly had unlawful sexual intercourse with his niece five times between January 1, 2022, and March 22, 2024. The defendant was told that his matter would move to the Supreme Court through a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI). His VBI is set for service on July 29. Levan Johnson represented him.

WOMAN ACCUSED OF TRYING TO KILL MAN WITH HER VEHICLE

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A WOMAN was remanded to prison yesterday after she allegedly tried to kill a man with her vehicle on Carmichael Road last week.

Magistrate Kendra Kelly charged Antonice Clarke, 23, with attempted murder. Clarke reportedly argued with Matthew Griffin in her grey Jeep vehicle before Griffin exited the car near Hall Close shortly after 10pm on April 16. Allegedly, the defendant

intentionally rammed the 29-year-old man with her vehicle before fleeing the area. She later surrendered to police. The victim reportedly lost his right leg in this incident. Clarke was told that her matter would proceed to the Supreme Court through a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI). The defendant’s VBI was set for service on June 10. Murrio Ducille KC represented the defendant. Sergeant Vernon Pyfrom served as the prosecutor.

MAN CHARGED WITH ROBBING A WOMAN AT GUNPOINT OF $700

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was remanded in custody yesterday after he was accused of robbing a woman at gunpoint earlier this month.

Magistrate Kendra Kelly charged Grashano Miller, 25, with armed robbery. Miller, while armed with a black handgun, allegedly robbed Keva Rose of $700 on April 8. The defendant was told his matter would be transferred to the Supreme Court through a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI). His VBI is slated for service on June 12. Sergeant Vernon Pyfrom served as the prosecutor.

Darville: ‘We’re an open book’ on catastrophic healthcare fund

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

HEALTH and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville dismissed the idea that the Davis administration is not transparent about its catastrophic healthcare fund, saying: “We’re an open book.”

The administration allocated $10m to help Bahamians pay for lifesaving healthcare services, but it is unclear how much has been spent, how many have benefitted from the programme, how officials determine who to help or how to apply for assistance.

Former Health Minister Dr Duane Sands criticised the lack of transparency over the matter on Sunday.

Yesterday, Dr Darville said hundreds have benefited from the programme, but did not give expenditure details. He reiterated that the programme would be audited, but did not say when.

He said people who suffer from cardiovascular, orthopaedic, and oncological conditions have been helped.

“The programme is managed through the Ministry of Health. All cases that are approved, is by way of Cabinet and I made it very clear that the programme

will eventually be audited,” he said.

“I am pleased with what we have done so far with the programme and the many hundreds of poor people who have benefited from the programme and we will continue.”

Dr Darville had previously said there would be “serious” guidelines for spending money.

However, FNM chairman Dr Sands said it is still unclear who qualifies for help. He questioned

how many times one person can benefit from the programme.

“I think there needs to be a whole lot more transparency to avoid even the perception that there is not a fair level playing ground in terms of accessing funds,” he said.

Expressing shock over Dr Sands’ comments, Dr Darville said: “These are public funds, and the Bahamian people can rest assured that they are not only handled transparently,

but also very much accounted for, and we will continue to provide you services, these life-saving services to the Bahamians, the Bahamian people to ensure that rather than waiting on these long lines for these procedures and trying to have cookouts, we have a means and a way on how to address these for many Bahamians who are suffering from chronic non-communicable diseases and life-threatening illnesses.”

Tug and barge still stranded in Fowl Cay protected park will likely face penalties

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE owners of a vessel stuck in a protected area of Abaco will likely face penalties, according to Department of Environmental Planning and Protection director Dr Rhianna Neely-Murphy. After experiencing rough seas enroute to Baker’s Bay, Abaco, in late March, a barge and tugboat got stuck in Fowl Cay’s National Park, a protected area managed by the Bahamas National

Trust.

The incident prompted area residents to rescue about six people. The barge sits atop a coral reef and the tugboat remains partially sunken. Dr Neely-Murphy confirmed environmental damage, but she declined to give further details.

She said bad weather, among other challenges, has hindered efforts to remove the vessels.

She said another vessel capable of removing the barge is needed. “Once they were able to identify a suitable

company with the equipment to assist, then we had to confirm a plan of action that would minimise further damage to the reef,” she said. “All of this took some time.” Abaco residents continue to express concerns about the vessels’ impact on coral reefs and the length of time it is taking to remove the vessels.

Meanwhile, Acting Port Controller Lieutenant Commander Berne Wright said port officials had told the vessels’ owners they want the boats removed as soon as possible, but

he could not say when this would happen.

“We want it gone and as quickly as it can be removed safely, that is what will happen,” he told The Tribune yesterday.

“What you may determine to be a beautiful day doesn’t mean that it’s good weather in the maritime field,” he added. “You also have swells. You have waves. You have wind, so, yes, looking from the shore you may say oh, wow, that is great, but to execute that type of operation, no, it may not be favourable.”

A BARGE loaded with pea rock and a tug got stuck on the reek in Fowl Cay National Park just outside of Man-O-War, Abaco in late March. They have not yet moved the vessels due to ‘bad weather and other challenges.’

WELLNESS MINISTER DR MICHAEL DARVILLE

Founder of NABHOOD awarded President’s Lifetime Achievement Award for his service

ELEUTHERA-born American hotel industry influencer Dr Andy Ingraham has received the President’s Lifetime Achievement award from the President of the United States, President Joseph Biden. This award represents the highest honour of community service from the President.

In a letter to Dr Ingraham, President Biden said: “The American story depends not on any one of us, but on all of us. I congratulate you for taking it upon yourself to contribute to the public good, and I’m proud to present you with the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of your passion for service to this great nation.

“Throughout our country’s history, the American story has been strengthened by those who combine an optimism about what can be, with the resilience to turn that vision into reality. I know I’m not alone in recognising that those who are willing to step up and volunteer in service of community and country are essential to the ongoing work of forming our more perfect union.”

Dr Ingraham is the president, founder and CEO of the National Association of Black Hotel Owners, Operators and Developers (NABHOOD), which has been in existence for more than 24 years. Ingraham has helped to lead the rise in black hotel owners and operators, not only in America, but also in the Caribbean and Latin America. The NABHOOD Annual Convention has been described by industry executives as the best place to meet potential African American hotel owners and learn about the multicultural tourism market.

NABHOOD’s reach has impacted black people and minorities in the region and around the world. Dr Ingraham is also the president of Horizons Marketing Group International, and he serves on several boards in the region. Ingraham has a passion for empowering young people and as such, he has helped to source scholarship funds for hundreds of students, not only in the hotel industry, but in other areas that are important to national development. He is a board member for the Smith Pickard Friendship and Alliance Scholarship, which helps with tuition, tools, and internships for students. The scholarship was founded by former Governor General Cornelius A Smith and Dr William F Pickard, an extraordinary businessman from Detroit. The pair met on the shores of Grand Bahama and there, they forged a friendship and made a pact that has lasted more than 50 years. The scholarship is awarded to an equal number of students from Metro Detroit and the Bahamas pursuing a degree in agriculture with a minor in business, and has since expanded to touch other areas such as education and aviation.

Face to Face

By FELICITY DARVILLE

Dr Ingraham has a charisma for connecting people. He has proven himself successful in brokering multi-million dollar deals between major companies. He recognises gaps and seeks to fill them to improve the hotel industry; he spots talent and provides them opportunities to elevate; and he promotes the work of entrepreneurs, helping to make their dreams come true. His reach extends to government officials in the US and the region, as they all see the importance of the success of the hotel and tourism industry for the stability of their economies.

“By sharing your time and passion, you are helping discover and deliver solutions to the challenges we face - solutions that we need now more than ever,” President Biden said on bequeathing Ingraham with the President’s Lifetime Achievement award. “We are living in a moment that calls for hope and light and love. Hope for our failures, light to see the way forward, and love for one another. Through your service, you are providing all three.”

“On behalf of the American people, I extend my heartfelt appreciation to you for your volunteer leadership, and I encourage you to continue to answer the call to serve,” said the US President. “The country is counting on you!”

It’s a huge honour for the little boy from Palmetto Point with big dreams of touching the world. In Miami and other parts of South Florida, the Ingraham family has made a significant impact. Keeping the Bahamian culture and presence alive in South Florida, Ingraham businesses like The Bahamian Kitchen, and his daughter Nakia Ingraham’s funeral home are important elements in the fabric of society. Dr Ingraham is committed to family, and

his wife and children, who all inherited his business acumen, are a testament to his love and loyalty.

Dr Ingraham schooled at the West Indies College in Mandeville, Jamaica, at Miami Dade College and at Florida International University, studying business and business administration. He has proven that education is the key to success and because of it, he works hard to support the dreams of young people through scholarships, mainly to attend Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Through NABHOOD and a myriad of other ventures, he expresses his commitment to community and youth empowerment.

The Annual International African American Hotel Ownership and Investment Summit and Trade Show is NABHOOD’s best resource for creating wealth and empowerment in African American and minority communities. This four-day summit is designed to educate attendees on becoming a hotel owner or investor, share minority investment trends, explore supplier opportunities, find out how to market to minorities and diversity issues affecting the industry. The summit features a number of executive level professionals from the world’s leading hotel brands and they share a wealth of information needed to succeed in this industry.

Never forgetting his homeland, Dr Ingraham hosts Bahamian students and hoteliers at this conference. Students have received scholarships and have gained a wealth of knowledge and connections to help them excel in their careers in the hotel industry. Students from the University of The Bahamas have participated in NABHOOD for years, usually chaperoned by Dr Ruth Gardiner.

Dr Ingraham has attracted new investment to

The Bahamas through his network of hoteliers looking to invest; he has provided training and resources for hotel executives; and he successfully worked to launch the Bahamas Preclearance Centres at Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport and Fort Lauderdale Executive Airports.

In 2023, the 27th NABHOOD conference was held at the Miami Marriott, attracting hundreds of attendees from throughout the region. Ingraham did not stop there. That conference led right into the 11th Annual International Multicultural and Heritage Tourism Summit and Trade Show, led by his daughter, PJ Douglas-Sands. That conference was followed by yet another - the second annual Bahamas Diaspora Conference, bringing together Bahamians who live in Florida and other parts of the United States. This celebration was particularly special as it commemorated the 50th anniversary of Bahamian Independence, and was attended by Prime Minister Philip E Davis and Ann Marie Davis.

The NABHOOD 2023 conference awardees included the woman known as America’s first female black billionaire, Sheila Johnson, who has hotel investments in the USA and the Caribbean. She claimed the NABHOOD/ Hank Thomas Trailblazer Award and during the conference, she took the time to speak with young people, women and potential investors in order to inspire them and share golden nuggets of success. The conference, hosted every July, included other awardees such as: NABHOOD Chairman Award: John Lancaster, Choice Hotels International; AAHOA/ NABHOOD Outstanding Hotelier of the Year: Kendra Plumber- Founder, Elise Capital; NABHOOD Deal of the Year: Waldorf Astoria Washington, DC; NABHOOD Diversity Award, Geoff Ballotti, President/CEO, Wyndham Hotels and Resorts; and NABHOOD 2023 Scholarship Recipient: FMU (NABHOOD Fund). The Bahamas Diaspora honorees included Prime Minister Davis, who received the Politics and Leadership award from US Congresswoman Frederica Wilson. Seven other awardees were celebrated at the Bahamas Diaspora Conference, including: Dr William

Pickard – Diaspora Education; Rob Ceravolo, – The Bahamas Diaspora Relief Award; Yolanda CashJackson – The Garth Basil Coleridge Reeves, Sr, Philanthropic Award; HT Smith – The M Athalie Range -Community Service Award; Leona Cooper-Baker – The Dr Enid C Pinkney Historic Preservation Award; Dewey Knight III – the EWF Stirrup Sr Entrepreneurship & Community Development Award; and Will and Heather Packer – the Diaspora Philanthropic Award. Congresswoman Wilson, who is a Bahamian descendant, noted that Bahamians’ contribution to the development of cities throughout South Florida cannot be overlooked. The establishment of “Little Bahamas” in Coconut Grove, Florida, solidifies this and ensures that Bahamians will be honoured for their pioneering role for generations to come. NABHOOD has provided a platform for the growth of governments, associations, communities and individuals, leading to Ingraham’s pioneering work being recognised by president Biden and the White House. Ken Fearn, managing partner of Integrated Capital LLC serves as chairman of the board for NABHOOD. The funding partners are Hilton Hotels, Marriott International, and Parity Technology Solutions. Corporate partners include top businesses in the hotel industry including Hyatt, Choice Hotels, Best Western, Wyndham and Radisson Hotels and Resorts, and much more. Strategic partners are the National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals (NCBMP) and the National Association of Black Women in

Construction Inc (NABWIC).

AMERICAN HOTEL INDUSTRY INFLUENCER DR ANDY INGRAHAM

CGI Merchant raised $650 million and recently purchased the 263 room Trump Hotel in Washington DC for $375 million or $1.43 million per key and converted it to the Waldorf Astoria Washington DC.

LETTER from US President Biden to Andy Ingraham.

US Ambassador nominated by President Biden to The Bahamas, Calvin Smyre (center) with Andy Ingraham (left) and his son Shimado (right).

THE TURKS and Caicos Islands Jamaica Five Day Economic trip was capped off with a reception with the Prime Minister of Jamaica, The Honorable Andrew Holness at the residence of Jamaican businessman & former college roommate of the Premier, Eric Crawford in Kingston on Tuesday August 16, 2022 (Pictured L to R) Hon. Anthony Musgrove, Minister of Border Control, Turks and Caicos; Dr. Andy Ingraham, Special Advisor to the Premier; Hon. Charles Washington Misick, Premier, Turks and Caicos; Mr Noel Smith; Hon Andrew Holness, Prime Minister of Jamaica; Mrs Smith; Eric Crawford; and Mr. Kenny Mason.

ANDY Ingraham with the Chairman of Marriott Intl, David Marriott at the New York Hotel Investment conference.

Middle East is as dangerous as ever while Iran and Israel conflict remains

HISTORIANS of the future may well wonder how the current IsraelGaza war suddenly blew up without warning and how quickly things can change, at least in the short-term.

When they research this case, they will discover how Hamas launched their unexpected and murderous attack on Israel from Gaza on October 7 last year and, as the Israelis inevitably struck back in self-defence against such atrocities, that part of the Middle East became a cauldron of hostility, fighting, death and destruction.

The horror of what happened and the extreme loss of life, mainly amongst Palestinians, has seemed all the more difficult to take in when measured against the utterances, just days before the Hamas attacks, by Jake Sullivan, President Biden’s National Security Adviser. He had remarked that the region was quieter than it had been in two decades.

At that time, US negotiators were aiming to reach a deal to normalise relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia, and they were also working towards a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians along with expansion of the Abraham Accords. The Israel-Gaza war has now lasted for six months.

As they seek out Hamas in their bid to destroy them completely once and for all, the Israelis have, of course, been roundly condemned for their unacceptably aggressive action against civilians in Gaza. According to the Hamas-run health ministry, Israel has been responsible for the deaths of more than 34,000 people in Gaza since the start of the war. But, with no sign of a ceasefire, what is now new is Iran’s overt direct involvement in the conflict against Israel by directly attacking it. The overall situation has gone from bad to worse, but now back to bad

The Peter Young column

again as conditions have fluctuated, with Iran’s direct action, ironically, turning out to be less dangerous so far than previously feared.

In an admirably perceptive piece over the weekend, Lyse Doucet, one of the BBC’s best correspondents, argues that Iran sees itself as a patient, strategic player in the complicated mix of Middle East politics. It is now basking in what it sees as its new projection of power. The BBC headline about ‘an audible sigh of relief’ seems, from all the evidence, to sum up the mood of those in the region. It indicates that there had been a notable calmness and comfort following the recent tit-for-tat actions between Israel and Iran as people realize it could all have been much worse. It could have led almost immediately to further hostilities between these two leading mutual antagonists. But, after each side has made its position clear, there is nonetheless still a danger that this is just the opening salvo. So the question remains -- will the lull last? In this context, many people are said to support the US stance that it will not assist Israel in any plans

for counter-attacks in the region. It is now clear that Iran’s heavy strike on Israel on April 13, with some 300 explosive drones and ballistic and cruise missiles, was triggered by Israel’s April 1 attack on the Iranian diplomatic compound in Damascus. Many people had earlier advised against this attack as unwise in the extreme. It resulted in the deaths of a senior Iranian military figure and eight other people. But Iran’s retaliatory attack of April 13 was the first ever direct

US SHOULD BE APPLAUDED FOR NEW HELP TO UKRAINE

WHILE the Israel-Gaza conflict has been top of the world’s news agenda for many months, there has obviously been less attention given by the international media to the ongoing war in Ukraine that was precipitated by Russia’s invasion in February, 2022.

Since, by all accounts, Ukraine’s recent muchvaunted offensive in the east of the country turned out to be less successful than had been hoped, the war has been deteriorating into something of a stalemate. But the US Congress finally approved a new aid package this past Saturday and, given the importance of such a promising development, I believe it is worth covering it in a separate piece today.

Ukraine’s prime minister did not mince his words when speaking to the BBC during a recent visit to Britain. President Zelensky and he have been warning for months that, without further military aid from the US, there is a danger of Ukraine losing the war.

If that happens, they say, Russia could well invade Poland and the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, among others, and thereby trigger a third world war. This has, of course, been contested by the Kremlin which says that any new American aid will not help Ukraine much on the battlefield and will only cause greater loss of life.

All the evidence shows that Kyiv now faces a serious weapons shortage in its fight against the occupying Russian forces. There have been months of delay and increasingly dire warnings amongst legislators in the US about so-called wasting aid money to fight Ukraine’s war when America is facing a crisis at its

border with Mexico. To my eye, that line of argument does not stand up when much of the expenditure of the aid money concerned would be with defence contractors inside the US. But, be that as it may, on Saturday the House of Representatives approved a $95bn aid package to include funding for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. $61bn of this package is specifically for addressing the conflict in Ukraine. The legislation now goes to the Senate and, if approved as expected, new supplies

could be delivered within weeks or even days. This is an undoubtedly big win for Ukraine which has been crying out for new weapons and military supplies to fight back against a new Russian offensive that is said to be gaining ground. It is also a success for President Biden who has been calling Ukraine a ‘world-defining conflict that the US must defend’. So, this vote has been widely applauded. But for many in Ukraine the future remains uncertain as they plan for the future and hope for the best.

attack on the Jewish state; and even though most of the drones and other missiles were shot down and caused no casualties or only limited damage, an unprecedented direct attack of this sort created real fears that the region would blow up into a wider conflagration.

Israel’s own presumed retaliatory action last Friday – for which, reportedly, it has now admitted responsibility – with air strikes on Iran’s central industrial province of Isfahan that contains a nuclear facility and a major airbase

that had been used on April 13 - seems to have been almost brushed aside by the Iranians. Indeed, Iran’s political and military leaders have downplayed the incident as having little consequence. But, by its April 13 action, it has demonstrated its power while Israel for its part has sent a strong signal that it has the ability to strike inside Iran. Meanwhile, the US has said that its focus is on deescalation, and it has been emphasized by all parties that everyone in the region wants to stop a catastrophic

all-out war. As Lord Cameron has said, Israel should be “smart” in devising a response and not be led into further conflict in the region.

Despite all that, these latest developments have shown the rest of the world that, although Iran works mainly through proxies – Hezbollah in southern Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen as well, of course, as Hamas in Gaza – the evidence shows that it is the main player in financing and supporting terrorism in the Middle East.

The future of Gibraltar

THINKING about a third piece for this week’s column, it struck me that Gibraltar was suddenly in the news and that it might be interesting to find out why.

A little research shows that this month there have been ongoing talks in Brussels by Spain, Britain, the European Commission and representatives from Gibraltar itself about the future of this British Overseas Territory which is 3 miles wide and 0.75 of a mile long and is dominated by the Rock of Gibraltar itself. With its population of under 35,000, historically it belongs to Britain since it was ceded to it under The Treaty of Utrecht in 1713.

For reasons that are hard to discover, Gibraltar was not included in the permanent UK-EU Brexit deal leading up to the UK’s final withdrawal from the bloc

in 2020 and seems to have been operating under ad hoc arrangements. Reportedly, during the last two years or so there have seventeen rounds of talks aimed at reaching a permanent solution. So the current negotiations look to be the next in the sequence. The majestic Rock of Gibraltar, a phenomenon of nature at the southern tip of the Iberian peninsula, stands guard over the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea. So it has always been strategically important and none more so than when it played a crucial role during the Second World War. Although ruled by Britain since 1713, it is self-governing in all areas except defence and foreign policy. Spain has consistently claimed sovereignty over the territory. But Gibraltar’s 1969 Constitution

states that there can be no transfer of sovereignty against the wishes of the local people who are said to be fiercely patriotic and, although having affection for Spain and its people, have maintained intense suspicion of the Spanish state. From all the available information, it seems the key to the future of Gibraltar is the issue of sovereignty. In 2002, a referendum on whether Britain and Spain might share this was resoundingly rejected. Although the UK is willing to cooperate on practical and procedural matters, it is clear from recent statements by British government ministers that sovereignty is non-negotiable. They are firm that there should be no transfer of sovereignty to Spain against the wishes of the local people of Gibraltar.

THIS satellite image from Planet Labs PBC shows Iran’s nuclear site in Isfahan, Iran, April 4, 2024. Iran fired air defenses at a major air base and a nuclear site early Friday morning near the central city of Isfahan after spotting drones, which were suspected to be part of an Israeli attack in retaliation for Tehran’s unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country. (Planet Labs PBC via AP)

Photo: Planet Labs PBC/AP

THE FAMOUS Rock of Gibraltar.

Photo: Michal Mrozek

UKRAINIAN soldiers carry shells to fire at Russian positions on the front line, near the city of Bakhmut, in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, on March 25, 2024. Approval by the U.S. House of a $61 billion package for Ukraine puts the country a step closer to getting an infusion of new firepower. But the clock is ticking. Russia is using all its might to achieve its most significant gains since the invasion by a May 9 deadline.

Photo: Efrem Lukatsky/AP

Environmentalists honour Earth Day by planting 150 mangrove seedlings in GB

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

MANGROVE seedlings were planted just off Dover Sound in observation of Earth Day yesterday.

The Bahamas Mangrove Alliance (BMA) and a team from the Clinton Global Initiative, along with representatives from the Ministry of Tourism and GB Devco, planted 150 seedlings. The exercise kicked off a two-year initiative being undertaken by BMA to plant over one million mangroves in The Bahamas.

Rashema Ingraham, executive director of Waterkeepers Bahamas; Gail Woon, founder of Earthcare Bahamas; Justin Lewis, Bahamas initiative manager of Bahamas Bonefish Tarpon Trust; Dr Karlisa Callwood, of the Perry Institute for Marine Science Bahamas; Laura Barron, of Clinton Global Initiative; and Charisse Brown, of GB Devco and LUSCO, were among a group of 30 people that participated. They also toured sites of previous mangrove plantings.

Ms Ingraham said Earth Day is a significant day globally, and was pleased to join with various organisations, including a team from the Clinton Global Initiative, in the planting exercise at Dover Sound.

Laura Barron, senior manager of Climate Resolute Team at Clinton Global Initiative, said: “We are excited to be here on Earth Day to support the BMA, which is committed to planting one million mangroves in The Bahamas over the next couple of years. “It is important to see the residual impact of Hurricane Dorian after so many years, and to see what work it takes to restore the coastal ecosystem to ensure the natural systems are thriving. It is amazing what the organisation is doing.”

Charise Brown, CEO and senior legal counsel at GB Devco and Lucaya Services Company (LUSCO), said they are pleased to partner with BMA in their mangrove restoration efforts and noted Dover Sound is in the Lucaya area, which falls under the responsibility of GB Devco and LUSCO.

“We recognise the importance of protecting our mangroves because they are versatile and help with storm surge protection for the nature environment and act as a nursery for many marine species,” Ms Brown said.

Justin Lewis, Bahamas Initiative Manager for BBTT, took the group by boat to BBTT’s and Earthcare’s mangrove planting sites.

In 2019, BBTT reported that 40 percent of mangroves on Abaco, and 73 percent on Grand Bahama were affected as a result of Hurricane Dorian.

Dr Karlisa Callwood, director of community engagement and social science research at the Perry Institute for Marine Science, said the work that has been done over the past few months is commendable. “It is great to see the mangrove seedlings start to take root and to also share the work we have been doing with visitors to The Bahamas,” she said.

Pintard: Retired nurses should be brought back to alleviate shortage

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

OPPOSITION Leader

Michael Pintard said the nursing profession is experiencing a severe shortage in the country, and said retired nurses should be brought back into the system.

Mr Pintard spoke at the Retired Nurses of Grand Bahama luncheon and officers’ installation at Jubilee Cathedral on Sunday.

He said: “We talk about a new hospital; the issue is not the place, but it is the people. Do we have enough of them to populate the new facilities or the facilities that exist right now?

“Resignations, and emigration to Canada and the US, and, unfortunately, death have gutted the nursing system. And so we have a shortage of well in excess of 200 nurses right now in our system.”

Mr Pintard said both administrations have failed nurses.

“One of the things we can do right away is that retired nurses can still work in establishments and provide guidance and leadership in wellness training in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas,” he said.

“In this room are many years of expertise that we still need; we are importing hundreds of nurses from elsewhere, and in part, we need some because of the deficit of people who emigrated.”

Mr Pintard said previous government promises to nurses have not been satisfied, yet the government is spending money elsewhere.

He said there is no provision for insurance coverage for nurses when they retire.

He said: “Our nurses are still retiring without the requisite insurance to ensure long-term coverage unless you have been creative in finding it outside of the system that you have served, and this is a tragedy and that ought to be remedied.

“Right now, policymakers are making decisions about ensuring that we are able to migrate from the public system that maintain our health insurance through establishing with insurance companies a relationship where policymakers after they would have left office are not destitute.”

He believes the same should happen for nurses in The

Bahamas.

Mr Pintard said there had been tragic stories of nurses who died because of COVID, and their families could not benefit because the deadline for the requisition of funds was missed. He said deadlines are irrelevant, especially when those nurses had provided many years of service in the public healthcare system and had lost their lives. “We can and must do better with you,” he told retirees. He added: “One of the things I am sure that this present Minister of Health would be open to is entering into a formal relationship with this group to provide wellness leadership in private companies, schools, and elsewhere so you can continue to serve and also financially benefit from that little thing we did not provide you before you retired.”

Mr Pintard pledged to contribute financially for the next three months to assist retired nurses in Grand Bahama. Shirley Bain, president of the Retired Nurses of Grand Bahama, said retired nurses are still capable and eager to partner with the government and healthcare institutions.

The organisation was started six years ago by Pastor Valerie Mullings to bring retired nurses together on the island and to agitate for certain benefits.

Ms Bain said the organisation would like to get hospital VIP cards and continued insurance coverage for retired nurses.

“Once you are retired, you are not covered by any insurance, and we are not getting the kind of quality service we should get when we come to the hospital for care,” she stated. “We want to make it known we are here, and we want to partner with the government and health institutions to bring better service for us retirees and assist young nurses by helping to educate and mentor them,” she said.

The newly installed executive officers are Shirley Bain, president; Patricia Hanchell, first vice president; Lanna Munroe, 2nd vice president; Doretha Carey-Hield and Cheryl Smith, secretary; Stephanie Small and Ione Henley, treasurers; Edith Gardiner, chaplain; and Hazel Rigby and Ellamae Guarro, public relations.

THE BAHAMAS Mangrove Alliance and a team from the Clinton Global Initiative, along with representatives from the Ministry of Tourism and GB Devco participated in the ceremonial planting of 150 seedlings.

MICHAEL Pintard addressing retired nurses on Grand Bahama on Sunday at the luncheon and installation of officers at Jubilee Cathedral. Mr Pintard also made a financial commitment to the organization.

Photos: Denise Maycock

SATELLITE PHOTOS SUGGEST IRAN AIR DEFENCE RADAR STRUCK IN ISFAHAN DURING APPARENT ISRAELI ATTACK

JERUSALEM Associated Press

SATELLITE photos taken Monday suggest an apparent Israeli retaliatory strike targeting Iran’s central city of Isfahan hit a radar system for a Russian-made air defence battery, contradicting repeated denials by officials in Tehran of any damage in the assault. The strike on an S-300 radar in what appears to have been a very limited strike by the Israelis would represent far more damage done than in the massive drone-and-missile attack Iran unleashed against Israel on April 13. That may be why Iranian officials up to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei have been trying to dismiss discussing what the attack actually did on Iranian soil.

Analysts believe both Iran and Israel, regional archrivals locked in a shadow war for years, now are trying to dial back tensions following a series of

escalatory attacks between them as the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip still rages and inflames the wider region. But a strike on the most advanced air defence system Iran possesses and uses to protect its nuclear sites sends a message, experts say. “This strike shows Israel has the ability to penetrate Iran’s air defence systems,” said Nicole Grajewski, a fellow at the Carnegie Endowment’s nuclear policy program who wrote a forthcoming book on Russia and Iran. “The precision of it was quite remarkable.”

The satellite images by Planet Labs PBC taken Monday morning near Isfahan’s dual-use airport and air base, some 320 kilometres (200 miles) south of Tehran, showed an area nearby that served as a deployment point for the air defence system. Burn marks sit around what analysts including Chris Biggers, a consultant former government imagery analyst,

previously had identified as a “flap-lid” radar system used for the S-300. Less-detailed satellite images taken after Friday showed similar burn marks around the area, though it wasn’t clear what was at the site. Biggers said other components of the missile system appeared to have been removed from the site before the attack — even though they provide defensive cover for Iran’s underground Natanz nuclear enrichment facility.

“That’s a powerful statement, given the system, the location, and how they use it,” Biggers wrote.

On Friday, air defences opened fire and Iran grounded commercial flights across much of the country. Officials in the aftermath sought to downplay the attack, trying to describe it as just a series of small drones flying through the sky.

“What happened ... was not a strike,” Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian claimed

in an interview with NBC News. “They were more like toys that our children play with – not drones.”

In the attack’s aftermath, however, Iraqis found what appeared to be remnants of surface-to-air missiles south of Baghdad. That, coupled with a suspected Israeli strike on a radar station in Syria the same day, suggests Israeli fighter jets flew over Syria into Iraq, then fired so-called “standoff missiles” into Iran for the Isfahan attack. Small, shorter-range drones may have been launched as well — Israel has been able to launch sabotage attacks and other missions inside of Iran.

Still, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani repeated Tehran’s denial Monday. “Relevant authorities have announced that this harassment attack has caused no damage whatsoever and Iran’s defensive system have carried out their duties,” Kanaani told journalists at a briefing.

“Therefore in our opinion this issue is not worthy of addressing.”

The S-300 and their years-delayed delivery to Iran show the challenge Tehran faces in getting any foreign-made advance weapon systems into the country. Russia and Iran initially struck a $800 million deal in 2007, but Moscow suspended their delivery three years later because of strong objections from the United States and Israel.

After Iran reached its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, Russia unfroze the deal and is believed to have given Iran four sets of an export variant of the S-300.

The relationship between Iran and Russia has deepened in recent years. Moscow relies heavily on Iran’s bombcarrying Shahed drones to target sites across Ukraine as part of its war on the country. Those same drones featured in the Islamic Republic’s attack on Israel.

Tehran meanwhile has made repeated comments over recent years about trying to obtain Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets from Russia to improve its decades-old fighter fleet. In September, a Russian-made YAK-130 combat trainer aircraft entered service in Iran. That model can be used to train pilots for the Su-35.

Russia now has the S-400, but the S-300 which has a range of up to 200 kilometres (125 miles) and the capability to track down and strike multiple targets simultaneously, remains one of the most-potent air defence weapons in the world. The batteries can be used to shoot down missiles as well as aircraft.

Iran likely needs Russian assistance to repair the damaged radar — and will seek newer weapons as well as time goes on, Grajewski said.

“Iran wants new weapons from Russia all the time –to try to show that it’s not so isolated,” she said.

Report urges fixes to online child exploitation CyberTipline before AI makes it worse

A TIPLINE set up 26

years ago to combat online child exploitation has not lived up to its potential and needs technological and other improvements to help law enforcement go after abusers and rescue victims, a new report from the Stanford Internet Observatory has found. The fixes to what the researchers describe as an “enormously valuable” service must also come urgently as new artificial intelligence technology threatens to worsen its problems.

While the sheer amount of CyberTipline reports is overwhelming law enforcement, researchers say volume is just one of several problems core to the system. For instance, many of the reports sent by tech companies lack important details, such as enough information about an offender’s identity, the report said. This makes it hard for law enforcement to know which reports to prioritise.

“There are significant issues with the entire system right now and those cracks are going to become chasms in a world in which AI is generating brandnew CSAM,” said Alex Stamos, using the initials for child sexual abuse materials. Stamos is a Stanford lecturer and cybersecurity expert.

The system is behind technologically and plagued by a constant challenge among government and nonprofit tech platforms: the lack of highly skilled engineers, who can get paid far higher salaries in the tech industry. Sometimes those employees are even poached by the same companies that send in the reports.

Then there are legal constraints. According

“Almost certainly in the years to come, the CyberTipline will just be flooded with highly realistic-looking AI content, which is going to make it even harder for law enforcement to identify real children who need to be rescued,” said researcher Shelby Grossman, an author of the report. The service was established by Congress as the main line of defence for children who are exploited online. By law, tech companies — must report any child sexual abuse material they find on their platforms to the system, which is operated by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. After it receives the reports, NCMEC attempts to find the people who sent or received the material — as well as the victims, if possible. These reports are then sent to law enforcement.

to the report, court decisions have led the staff at NCMEC to stop vetting some files (for instance, if they are not publicly available) before sending them to law enforcement. Many law enforcement officials believe they need a search warrant to access such images, slowing down the process. At times, multiple warrants or subpoenas are needed to identify the same offender.

It’s also easy for the system to get distracted.

The report reveals that NCMEC recently hit a milestone of a million reports in a single day due to a meme that was spreading on multiple platforms -- which some people thought was funny and others were sharing out of outrage. “That day actually led them to make some changes,” Stamos said. “It took them weeks to get through that backlog” by making it easier to cluster those images together.

The CyberTipline received more than 36 million reports in 2023, nearly all from online platforms. Facebook, Instagram and Google were the companies that sent in the highest number of reports.

The overall number has been dramatically increasing. They come from big companies like Google, Amazon, and Meta as well as smaller ones.

Nearly half of the tips sent last year were actionable, meaning NCMEC and law enforcement could follow up.

Hundreds of reports concerned the same offender, and many included multiple images or videos. Around 92% of the reports filed in 2023 involved countries outside the US, a large shift from 2008 when the majority involved victims or offenders inside the US

Some are false alarms. “It drives law enforcement nuts when they get these reports that they perceive are definitely adults,” Grossman told reporters. “But the system incentivises platforms to be very conservative or to report potentially borderline content, because if it’s found to have been CSAM and they knew about it and they didn’t report it, they could receive fines.”

One relatively easy fix proposed in the report would improve how tech platforms label what they are reporting to distinguish between widely shared memes and something that deserves closer investigation. The Stanford researchers interviewed 66 people involved with the CyberTipLine, ranging from law enforcement to NCMEC staff to online platform employees. The NCMEC said it

looked forward to “exploring the recommendations internally and with key stakeholders.” “Over the years, the complexity of reports and the severity of the crimes against children continue to evolve. Therefore, leveraging emerging technological solutions into the entire CyberTipline process leads to more children being safeguarded and offenders being held accountable,” it said in a statement.

Among the report’s other findings:

• The CyberTipline reporting form doesn’t have a dedicated field for submitting chat-related material, such as sextortion messaging. The FBI recently warned of a “huge increase” in sextortion cases targeting children — including financial sextortion, where someone threatens to release compromising images unless the victim pays.

• Police detectives told Stanford researchers they are having a hard time persuading their higher-ups to prioritise these crimes even after they present them with detailed written descriptions to emphasize their gravity. “They wince when they read it and they don’t really want to think about this,” Grossman said.

• Many law enforcement officials said they were not able to fully investigate

all reports due to time and resource constraints. A single detective may be responsible for 2,000 reports a year.

• Outside the US, especially in poorer countries, the challenges around child exploitation reports are especially severe. Law enforcement agencies might not have reliable internet connections, “decent computers” or even gas for cars to execute search warrants.

• Pending legislation passed by the US Senate in December would require online platforms to report child sex trafficking and online enticement to the CyberTipline and give law enforcement more time to investigate child sexual exploitation. Currently, the tipline doesn’t offer straightforward ways to report suspected sex trafficking.

While some advocates have proposed more intrusive surveillance laws to catch abusers, Stamos, the former chief security officer at Facebook and Yahoo, said they should try simpler fixes first.

“There’s no need to violate the privacy of users if you want to put more pedophiles in jail. They’re sitting right there,” Stamos said. “The system does

assault. Photo: Planet Labs PBC/AP

Isaiah Ellis dominates rowing

FROM PAGE 16

Hunter Shouldice, who won his heat. Shouldice beat out Sandor Bianchi and Francis in his heat. The women’s singles was won by Sascha Moxey of the Nassau Rowing Club over Alessandra

“I need to work on my stroke itself and more of the nitty gritty of my technique,” Ellis said. “If I get the chance to go, I would love to represent my country well and to put up a good fight.

“I don’t just want to go there. I want to at least make the finals.”

Rob Gibson is the Canadian three-time Olympian who is now teaching rowing here in the Bahamas and now specially at Windsor School where he’s training Ellis and some of the other top rowers in the country.

“It’s an amazing experience to be trained by him,” Ellis said of Gibson. “He has an amazing story, having started rowing in grade 11 and he was able to rise to the level of competing in the Olympics.

“I am glad that he is here and I get a chance to travel with him and get to learn from him.”

Gibson, who won a silver medal at the 2012 Olympics in London as a member of Canada’s eight-man team, said the level of competition was vast, led by the fantastic performance from Ellis.

“Isaiah Ellis entered four events and he won all four of them,” Gibson said.

“He’s really emerging as the premier rower in the country. “He stepped up to the challenge yesterday, competing in four events and winning all of them.”

As for the overall performances in the regatta, Gibson said he was pleased to see the improvement made by the competitors since the first classic was held in 2022.

“It was a smashing success. We had rowers from all age groups competing here in the Bahamas,” Gibson said. “It was a wellrun regatta. There was tight racing all around.

“Windsor won some races, Nassau Rowing Club won some races, King’s College won some races. It was a very well-run regatta and we are looking forward

to building on in years to come.”

Deputy Prime Minister I. Chester Cooper was on hand to serve as a marshall for some of the races.

He was joined by Dr Kenneth Romer, the director of aviation. Before the school year is over, Gibson said they are hoping to get the rowers to compete again, but everything is still in the works and details could not be released at this time.

By GRAHAM DUNBAR AP Sports Writer

GENEVA (AP) — The World Anti-Doping Agency said after reviewing various media reports that it stands by its decision to clear 23 Chinese swimmers who tested positive for a banned heart medication before the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

WADA addressed questions at a news conference yesterday and acknowledged there would be scepticism about details of the case after the release on Sunday of a documentary by German broadcaster ARD.

In an earlier statement following initial newspaper reports led by the New York Times, WADA said it agreed with Chinese authorities and ruled the swimmers’ samples were contaminated. The contamination was accepted to have come from spice containers in the kitchen of a hotel where some of the Chinese team stayed for a national meet in January 2021. Chinese authorities handling the case after testing the swimmers in January 2021 cleared them without any penalties and WADA accepted their conclusions. Sending independent investigators to China that year was not feasible during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We had no credible way to disprove the contamination theory,” WADA prosecutor Ross Wenzel told reporters in an online call on Monday, adding there was no political pressure to drop the case. Wenzel detailed a timeline from January to June 2021 for the case to be resolved. That was just weeks before the Tokyo

Olympics opened, and with the Beijing Winter Games approaching in February 2022 that was a personal project for Chinese President Xi Jinping. Chinese swimmers went on to win three gold medals in Tokyo, where the United States took silver in two of those races and Britain was second in the other.

“Following WADA’s review of the documentary, the agency still stands firmly by the results of its scientific investigation and legal decision concerning the case,” WADA said in the statement before putting forward its senior managers up for questioning on Monday.

WADA said based on available scientific evidence and intelligence, “which was gathered, assessed and tested by experts in the pharmacology of trimetazidine (TMZ); and, by anti-doping experts,” it had no basis under the global anti-doping code to challenge the Chinese agency’s findings of environmental contamination.

The drug at the centre of this case was also the medication that led to the suspension of Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva at the Winter Olympics in Beijing in 2022.

In that case, WADA moved to appeal and sought sanctions for Valieva after Russian anti-doping authorities judged she was not to blame.

China’s star swimmer Sun Yang also tested positive for TMZ and served a three-month ban in 2014. That case also was kept quiet by Chinese and swim authorities and provoked criticism from opponents when he won at the world championships the next

year. Sun was later banned for breaking doping rules in a high-profile case WADA did pursue.

Dismissing weekend suggestions WADA was “soft on Chinese athletes,” agency president Witold Banka reminded reporters it had been “vigorously pursuing justice” in the Sun case. A ban of more than four years for three-time Olympic champion Sun expires next month.

WADA said its position in the latest Chinese case was also accepted by World Aquatics, which governs international swimming.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin on Monday described the media reports as “disinformation and a misrepresentation,” and affirmed WADA’s decision.

Wang said China’s anti-doping authorities

investigated the incident and found the positive results were due to “the ingestion of contaminated food by the relevant athletes without knowledge of the contaminated food, and the Chinese swimmers involved were not at fault or negligent, which did not constitute a doping violation.”

However, anti-doping rules in Olympic sports do require a provisional suspension — which the Chinese swimmers avoided from their national antidoping agency — when athletes test positive for TMZ, except if contamination is suspected. “I want to emphasize,” Wang said, “that the Chinese government has maintained a firm stance of zero tolerance towards doping, strictly abides by the WADA code, resolutely

safeguards the physical and mental health of athletes, maintains fair play in sports competitions, and contributes positively to the global efforts in the crackdown on doping.”

China has given almost $2 million to WADA in recent years above its expected payments as a national government. The 30-member Chinese swim team won six medals in Tokyo, including three golds.

Zhang Yufei won the women’s 200 metres butterfly ahead of Regan Smith of the United States, and silver in the 100 butterfly where American Torri Huske was out of the medals in fourth place.

Zhang and Yang Junxuan were part of the 4x200 freestyle relay team that took gold, edging the Americans including seven-time

“Doping can deprive clean athletes of hardearned moments they deserve such as standing on the podium and the lifechanging opportunities that may follow,” Swimming Canada said Sunday in a statement.

In the men’s 200 medley in Tokyo, Wang Shun beat silver medallist Duncan Scott, the British star who refused to share a medal podium with Sun Yang at the 2019 world championships.

Many of the athletes still compete for China and are expected to swim at the Paris Olympics that start in July.

WADA said it was given a tip by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency as early as 2020 — before this case arose — about allegations of doping cover-ups in China but the USADA never followed up with evidence.

USADA CEO Travis Tygart called the news of the Chinese positive tests “crushing.”

“It’s even more devastating to learn the World Anti-Doping Agency and the Chinese Anti-Doping Agency secretly, until now, swept these positives under the carpet by failing to fairly and evenly follow the global rules that apply to everyone else in the world,” Tygart said.

The case underscores what many view as a flaw in the global anti-doping system — that a country’s own anti-doping organisation is often the first line of defence in catching drug

and those

Olympic champion Katie Ledecky. Canada was fourth.

PRIYA Alexander and Emma Reynolds smiling after winning the women’s 2x doubles event. DEPUTY Prime Minister I. Chester Cooper and Dr Kenneth Romer, director of aviation, enjoying a boat ride to watch the rowing competition. COXSWAIN Brooklyn Louis and team getting ready to race.

SANDOR Bianchi and NRC rower Harper Romer. COACH Rob Gibson with Andre Forbes.

ISAIAH ELLIS, centre, is flanked by coach Rob Gibson and members of Windsor School boys’ rowing team.

THE Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools is scheduled to begin its soccer championships on Wednesday at the Bahamas Football Association’s Roscoe Davies Developmental Center at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex.

Following the sudden death playoffs last week, here’s a look at the teams who have booked their spots into the finals and the matches on tap in each division:

Junior Girls - Queen’s College and St. Andrew’s.

Junior Boys - St. Andrew’s and Windsor

Senior Girls - Lyford Cay and St. Andrew’s

Senior Boys - Lyford Cay and Windsor

Championship games: Wednesday,

Game 1 at 4:00pm - Junior Girls

Queen’s College vs St. Andrew’s.

Game 2 at 6:00 - Junior Boys

St. Andrew’s vs Windsor Thursday, April 25, 2024

Game 1 at 4:00pm - Senior Girls

Lyford Cay vs St. Andrew’s

Game 2 at 6:00pm - Senior Boys Lyford Cay vs Windsor Trophies will be presented after each game. As such, there might be a ten-minute delay for Game 2.

The entry fee is $2.00 for students in uniform and $5.00 for adults

National High School Soccer

The following three (3) teams have advanced to the National High Schools Soccer Games.

Senior Girls - Lyford Cay, St. Andrew’s and Queen’s College. Senior Boys - Lyford Cay, Windsor School and St. John’s College.

Steven Gardiner ‘just glad to be back’

meet at the Louisiana State University’s Gold

Meet at the Bernie Moore Track Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

The 28-year-old Abaco native surged to the front of the pack in the men’s 400 metres in a sizzling time of 44.45, well off his lifetime best of 43.49 to clinch the world title in 2019.

In the process, he surpassed the qualifying standard of 45.00 for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France as he goes in as the defending champion from the last games held in Tokyo, Japan in 2020.

“The main priority right now is to remain healthy. We are too concerned about running every week, but rather to stay healthy,” said Gardiner, about his plans with coach Gary Evans at the training site in Florida.

“We have a few meets on our schedule that we would like to compete in, but the plan is to stay healthy first and just drop the hammer

at the Olympics. The plan is to stay injury-free and make the final and do what we have to do to get on the podium.” Gardiner admits that Evans knows how to get the best out of him, but he’s hopeful that he will get through it and be ready to compete at the games in Paris, France in August.

Before he gets to Paris, Gardiner intends to come home next week to prepare for the World Relays to be staged at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium May 4-5 with the view of getting the mixed 4 x 400m and the men’s 4 x 400m relays teams qualified for the Olympics.

“We are home once again, so it would be good for us to medal again,” said Gardiner, who teamed up with Shaunae MillerUibo, Michael Mathieu and Anthonique Strachan to win the mixed relay at the last World Relays held in the Bahamas in 2017.

“We know that the majority of the top collegiate athletes won’t be able

to compete, but with the people we have available, hopefully we can go out there, put together some good relay teams to keep the gold medal at home.”

Although the weather was “super hot” in Louisiana, Gardiner said he got

to compete against some of his training partners, beating out American Vernon Norwood, who was second in 44.94 and Great Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith, who was third in 45.00.

“It was a good race. The competition was there.

Everybody did their thing,” Gardiner said. “This will be the majority of the guys, added with a few others, who will be competing.

“It’s 10 years now that I’ve been doing it professionally and it’s basically the same set of people that I have to look forward to competing against. So I’m pleased with my performance against them.”

When he first started, switching from running the 200m as a junior competitor to the 400m as a senior, Gardiner said he was pleased with his transformation from coach Anthony Williams to Evans.

“I feel amazing about it.

When I first started, I was much younger and I needed to develop physically and mentally, but once I did it and got second place, I said I wanted to get the gold,” Gardiner reflected. “I got the gold medal in the World Championships and then I wanted to go to the Olympics. I got a bronze medal in the 4 x 4 relay, I wanted an individual medal. I got it. It was gold. So everything

that has happened in the sport, I am thankful.

“All of the things that I set my mind out to do, I accomplished it. But it’s always good to do it all over again. But I’m just having fun right now, I want to do it again and I’m working on doing it again, but I’m having fun right now trying to do it.”

To the Bahamian public, who have been throwing their support behind him, even when he went down with the injury, Gardiner said it’s their prayers and comments that have been able to sustain him with his faith in God.

“Thanks for all of the positive stuff, all of the advice and the congratulations and all of the prayers that you have sent to me through Facebook. I really appreciate it,” Gardiner stated. “It wasn’t easy, but with everybody behind me, it makes it less stressful for me to go out there and compete. I really appreciate it and I’m really excited to come home and compete in the relays.”

FROM PAGE 16

Through the newly launched B-Unstoppable campaign, customers will experience new upgrades to the MyBTC mobile app and have countless ways to win tickets to the upcoming BTC World Relays event.

Customers can also sign up for a $64.99 postpaid plan, add a 30-day prepaid plan or sign up for a super-fast and reliable fiber bundle to be eligible to win.

Existing customers paying their bills in full will also be eligible to participate in this promotion and more details will be available on BTC’s social media pages. An excited and determined Blake Bartlett thanked BTC for its support.

“I joined the company just seven months ago, and the experience has been warm and inviting thus far,” Bartlett said. “My BTC family really treats me well! I met our CEO just a few weeks ago, and it was an instant bond and connection. “I couldn’t believe how personable he was. To be

Photos by Dante Carrer

The spark to a bright future

ENGAGING with realworld electrical systems and applications is the hands-on learning approach Daniel Rolle was looking for when he applied to study Electrical Installation at the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI).

From his days in high school at Aquinas College, Daniel’s interest in Electrical Installation was ignited, eventually becoming a passion. It is this field that enhances his critical thinking skills and problemsolving abilities. “My ultimate goal is to become a highly knowledgeable and wellrespected electrician and start my own business selling electrical components, as well as having a team of electricians to service clients in the residential, commercial and industrial sectors,” said Daniel. Already, Daniel is receiving part-time electrical experience while studying at BTVI.

“I am learning how to wire electrical devices and bending PVC pipes using a torch and tank. BTVI has prepared me to apply these skills in unfinished apartments and homes,” said the 24-year-old. “BTVI is making a difference in my life, providing practical knowledge that can be instantly applied in the world of work. The training is not only valuable for those looking to join a company, but also for those who want to become entrepreneurs,” he stated. Daniel is a student of veteran engineer and electrical installation instructor, Gregory Curry. He said Mr

MEET Hillcrest Academy’s Fantastic Four.

Jolin Collie, Romya Hunt, Makaih Brennen and Azaria Jenoure are the members of the Hillcrest Academy debate team which competed in last year’s World Scholars Cup in London and won 22 gold and silver medals. Students from junior and senior high schools entered the international academic competition but Hillcrest Academy was the only primary school that competed and made history with their stellar performance. The team is looking forward to participating in this year’s competition in Sweeden.

Jolin Collie won three gold medals and two silver medals at the competition. She is in the fifth grade and enjoys playing basketball and debating. Her favourite subject is bible and she plans to become a surgeon one day.

The Fantastic Four The BTVI Story STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

Curry has made an indelible mark on his life. “He encourages us to produce quality electrical work and always be professional, regardless of the task we are given,” said Daniel, who recently completed his second semester at BTVI. “I’ve also learned, for example, LED lights are the most cost effective as they use less energy than the commonly used incandescent bulbs. Also, fluorescent bulbs come in a compact version that have the ballast built-in,” he added. Meantime, the focused young man encourages

others to join the electrical field. “I recommend it to anyone who loves solving problems and wants a skill set that will always be in demand. People who do hands-on work are important because we are responsible for building and maintaining systems crucial for a well-functioning society. Those who turn their noses up won’t understand the value of being able to wire up their own home, install their own plumbing or fix their own car,” he stressed.

With the support of his family, Daniel is determined to be among the best in his chosen field, adding that being open to learning lessons along the way is paramount.

“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.

Azaria’s greatest accomplishment to date is traveling to London on the debate team and meeting the Prime Minister.

Makaih Brennen won four gold medals and two silver medals at last year’s competition. She is in the seventh grade at Queen’s College and enjoys creating art and dancing. Her favourite subject is English Language and she would like to become a real estate agent.

Makaih’s greatest accomplishment to date is traveling to London, winning 22 medals and meeting the Prime Minister.

Jolin’s greatest accomplishment to date is traveling to London with her debate team members and meeting the Prime Minister. Romya Hunt won three gold medals and two silver medals at the competition. She is in the fifth grade and enjoys travelling and shopping. Her favourite subject is mathematics and she plans to become a computer engineer. Romya’s greatest accomplishment to date is being a part of the debate team and traveling to London and now Sweden! Azaria Jenoure won four gold medals and two silver medals at last year’s competition. She is in the seventh grade at Aquinas College and enjoys playing volleyball. Her favourite subject is mathematics and she plans to become a doctor.

CLOCKWISE from top left, Makiah Brennen, Romya Hunt, Azaria Jenoure and Jolin Collie with Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis.

Isaiah Ellis, fast becoming the top rower to watch in the country, had a spectacular showing at the Nassau Rowing Club’s Lake Cunningham Classic on Saturday in Lake Cunningham. Ellis, an 11th grade student of the Windsor School Rowing Club, won all of the races he participated in to earn the top spot in the classic that was held between Windsor School, the NRC, Lyford Cay and King’s College.

“I worked really hard to get to this point,” Ellis said. “I did the singles in the 700 metre course. The water was flat, which was the ideal weather for us to compete in.

“I won my heats and then I went to the final and I won again, so it was an amazing performance. The competition was amazing as well. It was good to compete against the local rowers at home because we really only get to compete against each other when we go away.”

In his heat of the men’s singles, Ellis out-duelled Harper Romer and Andre Forbes. And, in the final, Ellis won over Nassau

Three years ago, 16-yearold Ellis attended a summer rowing camp and because of his performance, he got a scholarship to attend Windsor and he’s been working towards the showing that he produced on Saturday.

BAHAMAS men’s national 400 metres record holder Steven Gardiner said he’s glad to be back, but he’s hoping that he can stay “injury free” as he looks forward to a funfilled season in preparation to defend his title at the Olympic Games in August.

At his last global competition at the World Athletics’ 2023 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary in August, Gardiner pulled up and didn’t finish his men’s 400 metre semi-final race.

“It was pretty bad,” Gardiner reflected about the injury. “It’s a good thing that I didn’t keep on going because I could have torn it right off the bone. So I’m happy to get through it and can compete again.”

Gardiner was diagnosed with a two-millimetre tear in his right tendon. He had to travel to Germany to get some specialist zed treatment. It started the day

after the injury in August and he returned in November for a check-up and he followed that up with another trip in March. “It’s a lot of work and a lot of money that I have to put into it,” said Gardiner, who is expected to make two more trips to Germany before the Olympics for full clearance.

“You don’t want to feel good and just run on it. Once I feel anything, I will have to shut it down because we don’t want to go backwards. We want to continue moving forward. We’re going to try our best. But I feel good right now and I’m just glad to be back.”

This year, Gardiner returned to the track, running one indoor meet on March 15 at the University of Miami Cobb Stadium in Coral Gables, Florida where he ran 31.99 seconds for a victory in the men’s 300m. On Saturday, he competed in his first outdoor

BTC sponsors Blake Bartlett for World Relays

said Keisha Edwards, head of commercial operations at BTC.

“Our new B-Unstoppable campaign demonstrates our unwavering commitment to supporting sports and our athletes.

“In addition to utilising Blake as the headliner of our campaign, we are also featuring Olympic medallist and Abaco native, Steven Gardiner, who is also a brand ambassador for BTC.

“It’s a reminder to our youth that once you have a dream and a desire to be the best, that BTC will always be here to support you.

“Our legacy of support for athletics and culture remains unmatched, and we are happy to be the title sponsor of the upcoming relays.”