04252023 NEWS AND SPORT

POLICE TO QUIZ MP IN RAPE CASE THIS WEEK

Lawyer retained by woman who made assault allegations

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

POLICE Commissioner Clayton Fernander said police would question a sitting Member of Parliament accused of raping and assaulting his ex-girlfriend before the end of this week. His comment yesterday came as the alleged victim retained a lawyer, Bjorn Ferguson, to represent her in the case more than two

weeks after she filed a complaint in Grand Bahama against the MP.

“Yes, we have an official complaint reported in Grand Bahama, and we are actively dealing with that matter and we will leave no stone unturned,”

Commissioner Fernander said during a press conference, his first time publicly addressing the matter.

“I heard a lot of talks in

SERIOUS CRIME 25% DOWN - BUT RAPE CA SES INCREA SE

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

SERIOUS crime has declined by more than a quarter this year, according to Commissioner of Police Clayton Fernander, although there has been an increase in the number of rapes.

During a press conference yesterday, he revealed that up to April 23, serious

crimes decreased by 28 per cent compared to the same period in 2022, but rape increased by 10 per cent.

He said there have been 22 rapes, including two cases involving tourists.

He said 59 per cent of the victims knew the assailant, while 41 per cent did not know the attacker.

Ninety-five per cent of the victims were under 35, while 55 per cent of the

A ZARIO M AJOR FAMILY TOLD TO SEEK JUS TICE IN COURT

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

NATIONAL Security Minister Wayne Munroe said the family of Azario Major, a man police killed in 2021, should seek to prevail

U P TO 200 JOB S FROM $110M MARINA RE S ORT

in the Coroner’s Court, not the “court of public opinion” where the disclosure of evidence could contaminate the potential jury pool.

Azario’s family has maintained their conviction

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net

THE Legendary Marina Resort is set to develop a $110m project in eastern New Providence that would deliver up to 200 jobs.

Munroe: M arital rape was ‘not on agenda’

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

NATIONAL Security Minister Wayne Munroe said criminalising marital rape should not be a significant priority of the Davis administration because the Progressive Liberal Party did not promise it in its Blueprint for Change manifesto. He declined to give his position on the issue.

on stating an opinion on something that’s not on the legislative agenda and the Prime Minister’s spouse has already said that we need to have widespread consultation,” he said.

“What Wayne Munroe thinks about something that will change the fundamental social institution is not as important as what the hundreds of thousands

A Heads of Agreement between the government and the resort was signed yesterday at the Office of the Prime Minister. Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis expressed

A NEW alliance has formed for the protection of mangroves. The Bahamas Mangrove Alliance was launched on Earth Day at the weekend with a community mangrove planting event in East End, Grand Bahama. From left, Gimel Morely and Dr Karlisa Callwood of the Perry Institute for Marine Science, Rashema Ingraham of Waterkeepers Bahamas, Jim McDuffie and Justin Lewis of Bonefish & Tarpon Trust, and Waterkeepers youth cadet Cordae Strachan. See page 5 for full story.

Police crime statistics: Serious crime 25% down - but rape cases increase

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suspects were under that age.

On the other hand, Commissioner Fernander said there were 41 cases of unlawful sexual intercourse, a 15 per cent decrease compared to 2022.

Commissioner Fernander said a domestic violence unit in the police force would soon open.

Meanwhile, he said crime against the person has decreased by 30 per cent.

“Crime in New Providence decreased by 30 per cent. Crime in Grand Bahama, northern Bahamas, decreased by 32 per cent. Crime in the Family Islands increased slightly from 78 cases to 83, representing a six per cent increase. And that includes the little shop breaking and housebreaking,” the commissioner said.

There have been 41 murders this year, a 16 per cent decrease from last year.

Ten men on bail are suspects in the murders, while 24 other suspects had prior police contact.

Eight victims killed were being electronically monitored, 11 victims killed were on bail, and 23 victims had prior police contact.

Commissioner Fernander said the motive for the killings included retaliation, gangs, drugs, and conflicts.

He said armed robberies have decreased by 37 per cent.

He said 117 firearms had been taken off the streets, 176 people were arrested, and 117 were placed before the court.

He said 1,754 rounds of ammunition were recovered.

“I also had communication with our Chief

Justice, Mr Winder, and you will see as early as the third week or so in May, two magistrates will be identified just to deal with firearms matters,” he said.

CRIME STATISTICS FOR JAN 1-APR 23

The commissioner said four people are in custody for killing two brothers on Saturday.

“With respect to that matter, thus far in our investigation, we believe it

was some conflict. We suspect that the two brothers were on the way home and ran into a roadblock with about three other vehicles that was blocking the path,” he said.

“And whatever they run into and what was going on there, we are trying to determine, and there was some conflict, and they were shot. Officers (were) right on the light

at Robinson and Marathon Road when they heard the shots and as they approached, the three vehicles that were blocking the path of the two victims sped off.”

COMMISSIONER of Police Clayton Fernander noted during a press conference yesterday that serious crimes has declined by more than a quarter this year, however, there has been an increase in the number of rapes. Photo: Moise Amisial

Azario Major family told to seek justice in court

that he was unlawfully killed, despite police claiming otherwise.

On April 14, a video of the killing incident that was narrated by a YouTube personality was released on Facebook. It has been shared more than 12k times and received more than 18k reactions. The video plunged the matter back into the forefront of the public consciousness, sparking shock, widespread criticism of the police and calls for the Major family to receive justice.

Asked about the video yesterday, Mr Munroe said: “If you don’t agree with what a policeman says was his reason for killing somebody, it’s going to a coroner’s inquest, you’re going to have your day in court. If you seek to poison the well of potential jurors, your outcome may be preventing you the very justice that you claim to be seeking.”

Early in the video, Azario appears to converse with the officer who would later shoot him.

As the video progresses, people outside a bar grow visibly tense and animated, including Azario and reportedly multiple officers.

Eventually, officers surround Azario’s car before he was killed.

Mr Munroe said the wide circulation of the video could cause a jury to not be impartial.

He said: “Okay, so at every case, you have two sides of a story. Justice is to let the court decide it, right? Are they letting a court decide it? Are they

wanting a court to decide it?”

“The video has been circulated many times. The matter was set for Coroner’s inquest, which involves a jury. The likelihood of you seating a jury now who hasn’t seen the video at all (with) that narration is low.

“So, what they may well have accomplished is that they may have accomplished that case not being able to be tried in the near future because they chose to try it in the court of

public opinion. The law is very simple, justice is that you are to be judged by an impartial jury, an impartial jury means the jury is not affected by any external matters.”

The case is expected before the Coroner’s Court next month.

Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander said yesterday police would not relaunch investigations following the video’s release.

“Yes, I saw the video, I don’t know what they’re saying that happened …

The facts will be revealed, and I’m not going to get into that.”

“We are not relaunching any investigation. The investigation has been completed and it’s before the court now. How the video got out? I don’t know, but that matter is before the court and I don’t wish to expand on that.”

The family of Azario said they have spent over $40,000 investigating the shooting death.

Police coMMissioNer ‘ W ill deal W ith’

W hoe V er leaked Murder sceNe Photos

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

POLICE Commis -

sioner Clayton Fernander said he is disgusted that crime scene photos of the mother and daughter murdered over a week ago were leaked and circulated to the public, insisting officers are doing all they can to identify the culprits.

The horrific photos showed the bruised and decaying bodies of Allison Thompson, 35, and her 14-year-old daughter Trevornika. The photos were shared in WhatsApp groups and on Facebook.

Mr Fernander said he was disgusted to see the

graphic photos on social media and vowed that police would not hesitate to deal with those responsible, even if it’s one of their own.

“That is still under investigation and we want to find the person,” Commissioner Fernander told reporters during a press briefing at RBPF’s headquarters yesterday.

“If it’s in, we will deal with those individuals and if it’s out, the same thing will happen. I was disgusted when I saw that and we met with the family to try to assure them that we are doing all we could to identify a person responsible.”

Mr Fernander appealed to social media users to

FNM WoMeN’s PresideN t: W e

Must ‘all sta Nd agaiNst gBV’

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

KATHY Munnings, president of the FNM Grand Bahama Women’s Association, is calling on Bahamians to take a strong stand in the fight to end gender-based violence (GBV) in The Bahamas.

Last week, the second gender-based prevention Family Island Coordination Council was launched in Grand Bahama by the Department of Gender and Family Affairs in the Ministry of Social Services and Urban Development. The first was launched in Abaco in March.

While speaking at the FNM Women’s Association monthly meeting in Freeport, Ms Munnings said GBV is a worldwide issue that mainly affects women and their children.

“Today, we call upon men and women to let their voices be heard in this fight to end gender-based violence in our country and worldwide,” she said in a statement.

“Here in The Bahamas, we are all too familiar with such happenings. Women, in particular, are primarily the victims of this injustice and by extension their children also suffer.”

“As a people, and as a community we must all take a strong stand and continue to call on the powers that be to address this matter that has resulted in not only mental, financial, physical and sexual violence, but lives being lost.”

Ms Munnings encouraged Bahamians to become keepers of their neighbours, and more importantly advocates for programmes and policies to address GBV and bring to justice those that are committing such acts.

Women, she stressed, have a right to feel safe in their homes and community.

“It will take each of us coming together with one voice to end GBV. Healing is needed for so many victims and we can all make a difference, by simply taking a stand to unite in fighting against it,” she said.

be responsible and considerate when sharing sensitive pictures online, saying: “If someone send you these videos, man don’t send them to your sister, your brother or dad, man delete it.”

“I tell you social media, it was all for good but it’s the devil. It was all for good, but we’re using it just to mash up each other man and to embarrass each other. Come on, man. What we coming to as a country? I was disgusted when I saw that

out there and the family really during their time of grieving that they’re able to see their loved one in that condition.”

“We gatta pray this devil away.” The women’s relatives have said they seek legal representation over the leak. The family has argued that only the police could have released the photos. Meanwhile, 23-yearold Blake Strachan has since been charged with murdering the women.

By LETRE SWEETING Tribune Staff Reporter lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

SOCIAL Services Minister Obie Wilchcombe said the Gender Violence Bill is 98 per cent complete. His comments follow recent high-profile cases of violence against women, including the murder of three women in less than a week.

Interest in the bill has grown amid reports of the crimes. Attorney General Allyson Maynard Gibson recently noted the bill was first drafted ten years ago and has not been brought to Parliament.

“We’re very near completion,” Mr Wilchcombe told reporters before a House of Assembly sitting yesterday.

“We are 98 per cent completed. We have one or two matters to look into today and over the next week or so. Very soon we’ll have the domestic violence bill placed on the table of the House. It might not be that name, but that’s what it is.

“We’re very pleased about it. I think it’s very progressive, it’s going to assist in the matters in reference to abuse. But we’re going to make sure that it’s put in play. And once it’s introduced, we want to roll it out in a way in which all the pieces are in place simultaneously.”

The Gender Violence Bill would address abuse in various relationships, including marriages, but it is not to be confused with the Marital Rape bill, which Mr Wilchcombe said “is still a distance away.”

When asked about the consultation process for the Gender Violence Bill, Mr Wilchcombe said: “The Attorney General’s office has been doing most of that work. They have been consulting. Once the bill is laid in Parliament, we will go throughout the country for

a period, a short period, just ensuring that everybody in the country understands what the bill is all about. And then we’ll come back and debate the bill.

Mr Wilchcombe said in the meantime, his ministry had spent a “considerable amount” of money creating shelters for women and children fleeing domestic abuse.

“Last month, we spent about $2.4m just on shelters that we are renting. It’s a significant amount of money and we have to find ways to reduce it.

“But we’re not gonna leave anybody out. I think everyone understands how we operate. We’re giving them sufficient time to go and search out a job. We want to put the human side into providing shelter assistance, and at the same time, helping the individual find a responsible job.

“I would love to get out of the business of having to build these safe houses, because if we can get rid of it, then we don’t need them. And that’s the bottom line. And that’s the way we’ll see progress made in our country. We have to get more of our people in less issues than they’re facing right now.”

Mr Wilchcombe said he is implementing a new protocol to transition some residents from their safe houses to other facilities.

“A part of the protocol that we’ve put in place now is we will provide assistance and the amount of time will be three months in the first instance because we’re going to help everybody get jobs,” he said. “Because if we can get to working, then we’ll cause that transition.”

Mr Wilchcombe said his ministry is partnering with the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) to create more shelters for domestic abuse victims.

MINISTER of Social Services Obie Wilchcombe says ‘we are very near completion’ on the Gender Violence Bill which is expected to address the matter of marital rape among other issues.

THE FAMILY of Azario Major (pictured above), who was killed by police in 2021, have spent $40k in their quest for justice. The case is expected to be before the Coroner’s Court next month.

Mitchell decries ‘debanked’ communities and the need to find a solution for them

By LETRE SWEETING Tribune Staff Reporter lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

FOREIGN Affairs Min-

ister Fred Mitchell said parliamentarians might have to legislate improved banking services throughout the country.

Mr Mitchell, speaking during a debate in the House of Assembly on a Central Bank amendment, said banking services are deteriorating.

“The one that really annoys Bahamians is when you dial on the phone, you can’t get anybody in the bank to answer the phone,” he said. “The phone is being answered by someone somewhere else. One of the solutions to this problem is the legislature is going to have to intervene.

“I’m wondering now whether the answer to this is not to separate the

regulatory functions from the monetary functions in the bank. And doing some things like ensuring there is Bahamian content in banking so that when a customer of a bank needs to find out something from a bank, they have a right to speak to someone in person, not someone on the phone, but someone in person. And they (will) have a right to speak to someone in person in The Bahamas.

He added: “This is a really serious problem and I would wish that some solutions are coming quickly. I know that some entrepreneurs are now working with the banks and with the government with the idea of creating banking agencies, which is a new form of financial services where the banks themselves have various islands.

“I think if we can do that, that might rectify some of the issues of these communities that are being debanked or have been debanked. And (it can) provide the liquidity, which is necessary for communities to be able to survive.”

East Grand Bahama MP Kwasi Thompson agreed with Mr Mitchell.

“With respect to his position with the banks in the

family islands, I support his comments,” he said. “I can’t believe any of us would not support those terms.

“While you are in government, I believe you have an opportunity to do something about it. I think if you were able to convince your colleagues that action should be taken, we would support it.”

UP TO 200 JOBS FROM $110M M ARINA RESORT

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excitement for the development, which will include a 130-room hotel, 20 condominiums, a marina village, and restaurants, among other amenities.

“With up to 200 projected jobs for Bahamians, an estimated $158 million in added government revenue for the next 25 years, this development promises to help fuel the economic revolution my administration has been working so diligently to facilitate,” Mr Davis said.

Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper said the project developer has committed to maintaining high environmental standards. He said: “We are delighted that this developer is committed to the highest environmental

standards and is committed to ensuring compliance with the standards set by the Department of Environmental Planning and Protection.

“Let me just say that over the course of the last 18 months, we have done a significant level of signings. As demonstrated by the various press releases we’ve had, we’ve attracted more than $6 billion dollars of new investments. And now we are keen to see all of them come out of the ground. So, this is an important occasion today. But what will be an even more celebrated occasion is to see shovels in the ground and the work proceeding.”

For her part, Elizabeth MP JoBeth Coleby-Davis said it is exciting to see the project come to her

community.

“I know many in the area of Yamacraw and Hanna Road are excited about the new energy that the project will be bringing. And we’re

excited to see the transition and the jobs that are coming,” she said.

Peter Bos, founder of Legendary Marina, said the development would help showcase The Bahamas and bring more tourism to the island.

“This is a project that is dear to my heart, let’s put it that way,” he said. Work is set to begin n the Legendary Marina Resort at Blue Water Cay this summer.

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of Bahamian people think about it who got married, who are married. That’s more important.”

Reporters have recently asked Members of Parliament their position on the matter as the Davis administration weighs amending the Sexual Offences Act to criminalise it.

It is unclear when consultations on the proposed legislation will end or when a law to criminalise marital rape will be brought to Parliament.

The Bahamas’ legal system is one of about 35 worldwide that does not recognise marital rape without conditions.

Pressed for his view, Mr Munroe said: “I haven’t seen it in the Blueprint for Change. I didn’t campaign on it, to ask anybody to vote for me because we would criminalise that. I campaigned and asked people to vote for me for doing certain things.

“My task is to do the

things that I told them I would do if they voted for me. This thing that a politician can be elected and do whatever they like puts politicians as gods and that is not healthy and that is not right.”

Some women’s rights advocates have accused the government of “dragging its feet” on marital rape legislation.

Mr Munroe said: “Well, anyone who can point to the Blueprint for Change and say that the people voted for us to do this, because that’s important … We got elected based on what is in the Blueprint for Change.

“This is what we say we’re going to do, so if you voted for me and we didn’t say anything about marital rape, and then I jumped up and talked that I will press marital rape without asking you who sent me to the House, that’s not the way democracy works, either. Otherwise, it would be you just got elected and do whatever you choose.”

PRIME Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis speaks with Teri Bos of Legendary Marina Resort after the signing of a $110m MOU.

Photo: Austin Fernander

MINISTER of National Security Wayne Munroe says the issue of Marital Rape was not on the ‘Blueprint for Change’ that the party ran on.

Police to quiz MP in rape case this week

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the media, but again, we don’t investigate in the media. We are doing our due diligence in terms of doing our follow-ups and seeing who we need to see to ensure that we dot the I’s and cross the T’s and before this week is out, that individual will be in for questioning.”

He said “no one is above the law,” adding police will not be pressured to rush their investigation.

Prime Minister Phillip “Brave” Davis drew criticism after telling reporters on Saturday that he heard the alleged victim was not pressing charges, a claim the woman has denied.

The woman’s lawyer, Mr Ferguson, appeared to refer to Mr Davis’ comment in a statement to The Tribune yesterday.

He said: “We’ve taken note of the public commentary by certain public personalities and decry them. My client has made a legitimate complaint to the police and expects a professional investigation to be undertaken. At the conclusion of the police investigation, we expect the case file to be reviewed by the Director of Public Prosecutions. We have taken inventory of all the statements and also the handling of the investigation. At the appropriate time, we will

address them.”

In the last week, the case has attracted attention because it involves an elected official. Many questioned whether police would adequately investigate a complaint against a sitting member of the governing party. The alleged victim said police in Grand

Bahama tried to get her to sign a document indicating she would not proceed with the matter even before they had spoken to the MP.

National Security Minister Wayne Munroe yesterday defended the fact that police have not yet questioned the MP.

He said in his 30 years

NEW MA NGROVES CONSERVATION GROUP COMES TOGETHER IN GRA ND BAHAMA

THREE conservation organisations have joined forces to protect mangroves in The Bahamas.

The Bahamas Mangrove Alliance has been formed by the international nonprofit organisation the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust and local non-profits the Perry Institute for Marine Science, and Waterkeepers Bahamas.

The newly formed coalition will focus on mangrove protection, restoration, science, prevention of loss, grassroots advocacy, and raising awareness through education. These founding groups aim to grow the alliance to include other non-profits, national park and other fisheries managers, island communities, community leaders, and sustainable businesses.

Waterkeepers executive director and Freeport native Rashema Ingraham said: “We are very

excited to be partnering with regionally recognised organisations like PIMS and BTT to broaden the reach and scope of efforts to ensure that mangrove forests throughout The Bahamas are healthy and continue to benefit the marine and coastal environment, as well as the human populations and our national Blue Economy that depend upon it to survive and thrive. As the BMA grows, we invite members of the public and other groups to join our cause!”

To mark the founding of the alliance on Earth Day, the groups together hosted a community mangrove planting in East End Grand Bahamas on Saturday.

“Mangroves are so critical to the health of marine ecosystems across The Bahamas,” said BTT president and CEO Jim McDuffie. “They are an

essential part of the shallow water environment that makes The Bahamas a premiere and economically valuable destination globally for flats fishing while also serving as nursery and spawning habitats for a majority of the country’s valuable commercial fisheries.”

PIMS director of community conservation and Caribbean marine scientist Dr Karlisa Callwood said: “Joined with many other groups and alongside Government, our initial focus for mangrove restoration has been on Abaco and Grand Bahama, the islands hit hardest by Hurricane Dorian. However, wetlands and mangrove systems throughout the country need protection, as well as careful and ongoing scientific monitoring and restoration exercises such as our Earth Day planting today.”

of experience, the police conduct their investigations before questioning the accused.

“Godspeed to her, Godspeed to the police and their investigation and Godspeed to whoever the person is being accused,” he told reporters.

“We have a system that is just that: if you proceed in accordance to the system, then that is where you get justice. You get justice by the process.”

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net

TRANSPORT and Housing Minister JoBeth

Coleby-Davis said officials should be careful not to “speak just for speaking sake”.

She was reacting to the notion that women Members of Parliament have been silent about the allegations surrounding one of their male colleagues.

“We have to be careful not to speak just for speaking sake,” she said. “Where there are allegations, there are police investigations, and the investigation should be carried out first so that everyone can speak to the true facts and the true nature of the situation.”

“I think that is what’s important as not only female MPs, but leaders, just leaders in general. It’s important for you to have the facts, have the information before you speak out towards it and bring any sort of criticism or trying to tear down one person for not doing what you think they should. Because people are careful not to make judgment, not to pass judgment, you want to have the facts and so that’s what’s important.”

Recent violence against women has sparked calls for tighter laws to address the matter.

TRANSPORT and Housing Minister

Jobeth Coleby-Davis said, ‘It’s important for you to have the facts, have the information before you speak out towards it’

Mrs Colbey-Davis said people must feel protected. “I assume that the Attorney General’s office would have provided comments as it relates to the status where they are in updating legislation or providing legislation that brings closure to concerns where there may not be areas in the law that protects women,” she said.

“But as a female, as a woman, as a mother, you want to ensure that first persons feel protected; one, by the law and (two), the execution of the law. Many years ago, I used to volunteer with the Crisis Centre. I volunteered with them because I had a family member that was in a situation years ago. “I wanted to be a voice and be a part of bringing that change. And so definitely, I do lend my voice where I can because you don’t want to see persons suffer in silence, to let them know that they have an avenue and to open that door for them to feel they can reach out, speak out, and get help.”

She said people often stay quiet because they feel they won’t get the help they deserve.

“It’s important for me to see that persons feel protected.” Mrs ColebyDavis said. “And so, I do support amendments were necessary.”

COMMISSIONER of Police Clayton Fernander said yesterday that the police will be speaking with the MP accused of rape and abuse later this week. He said “no one is above the law,” adding police will not be pressured to rush their investigation.

Photo: Moise Amisial

The Tribune Limited

Crime statistics are welcome news

THE news that crime has dropped is always to be welcomed – even if a close look at the detail raises some questions.

When looking at the statistics, sometimes the percentage numbers can be misleading – a small number of cases can mean a large swing in percentage terms from a small change.

So there is a rise of ten percent in the number of rapes, for example, though that translates to a difference of two cases in the year so far. That kind of statistical swing can easily even out over the year. It is a concern of course, every rise in cases is, and every single case is regrettable.

Equally, while there is a drop in the number of murder cases of 16 percent, we are still at a total of 41 murders this year so far according to the statistics – and we have just experienced a violent week that has pushed the numbers higher. Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander has previously set a goal of fewer than 100 murders this year. We missed that target last year by a distance, and with 41 murders so far this year and we are still in April, there is a long haul ahead of us if we are to avoid reaching three digits in the murder tally.

Some categories make us scratch our heads too. We have 128 armed robberies, 20 robberies and just two attempted robberies. Evidently, the robbers in our society succeed more than they fail in the attempt.

And other categories make us raise an eyebrow – the 60 percent drop in stealing from vehicles, for example. Have we

really seen criminals just stop deciding to snatch things from cars?

We should also bear in mind that the police can only record what is reported to them – so if there is an increase in victims reporting crimes, that is positive news in terms of feeling they can approach police for a resolution, but it causes a change in figures that may not actually mean more crimes are being committed, merely more being reported. The reverse is also true – if people feel there is no point reporting a crime to the police, that doesn’t change the number of crimes taking place on our streets, just the total number the police know about.

So we should not place absolute faith in the statistics being a total reflection of our society – nor undervalue them as a sign of our progress.

Reduced numbers are a good thing, and we commend Commissioner Fernander for the direction those numbers are going.

We hope beyond hope that he is successful, not least of all in reaching his stated goal in the number of murders this year.

Every reduction in a category of crime is a step closer to a safer society – and are we not all aching for that? Do we not all long for a world where we do not hear gunshots echoing at night, where we can walk the streets without fear?

If that is so, then we must hope and pray for the success of the police in their mission.

This good news is a glimmer of light. We hope that soon our nation will shine.

Being failed over crime

EDITOR, The Tribune.

LIKE clockwork, shots rang out all over New Providence last weekend, leaving several dead and wounded victims. It is fair to surmise that a good number of victims and perpetrators of the last ten or so casual murders will be people on bail for murder and people convicted for carrying firearms and already released after pitifully short sentences.

Our administrative class has run out of anything to offer by way of solutions – apart from dull platitudes. Meanwhile, we the population are expected to sit idly like tranquillised sheep watching the show as if those we employ to do something about it are mere subjects, rather than agents of our plight. Very little is said (except once in a while by a Commissioner

Will Bahamas side with China or Taiwan?

EDITOR, The Tribune

TENSIONS are escalating between the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of China, known to us as Taiwan. I read in The Telegraph, a British newspaper, that former head of the US IndoPacific command, Admiral Philip Davidson, predicted that China will invade Taiwan by 2027. Military analysts have dubbed this timeframe the “Davidson Window.”

In China, according to CBN, patriotic Chinese are saying, “Ukraine today, Taiwan tomorrow.” It would appear that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ill-fated decision to annex Ukraine has inspired the Communist Party in Beijing and President Xi Jinping.

Taiwan is located 100 miles from the coast of southeast China. The two independent countries were separated since the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949, when Taiwan’s first President Chiang Kai-shek was forced to retreat from the mainland after his Nationalist army was soundly defeated by Mao Zedong and the People’s Liberation Army.

Since 1979, the US has maintained an official relationship with the Chinese, although that relationship is beginning to thaw,

especially since former House Speaker Nancy

Pelosi visited Taiwan in 2022. The visit of Taiwanese President Tsa Ing-wen to current House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California recently has also annoyed Beijing, so much so that they’re currently conducting military drills near Taiwan.

China has the biggest navy in the world. Regarding China’s One China policy, Beijing is hoping to reunite the island of Taiwan to the mainland.

Any war between the two Asian countries would hurt the West economically, as Taiwan produces 65 percent of the world’s semi-conductors that are used to energise laptops, smart phones and cars.

Washington has continued to encourage the Taiwanese people to elect pro-independence politicians, while it continues to arm its ally, much to the chagrin of Beijing.

The current geopolitical standoff is likened to a love triangle between the US, China and Taiwan. The Bahamas, as far as I am aware, has diplomatic relations with both the US and China. About two weeks ago, China Ambassador to

The Bahamas Her Excellency Dai Qingli donated six Hisense smart TVs to the Bahamian Parliament.

The Progressive Liberal Party official who received the donation spoke about this nation’s strong ties to the People’s Republic of China. I believe that tensions between China and the US over Taiwan will eventually place this country in an awkward situation.

If and when that day comes, will the Bahamian government throw its support behind the US and the Taiwanese people or will it side with Beijing?

I am not too sure that The Bahamas will get away with straddling the fence. Both super powers might demand that The Bahamas take a side.

I believe that it will be a no-brainer to side with the US, based on our strategic location to that country and our dependence on the US to fuel our tourism industry.

Without the US, The Bahamas would be another Haiti. The Bahamas simply cannot afford to annoy Washington on the matter of Taiwan maintaining its independence from mainland China.

KEVIN EVANS Freeport, Grand Bahama. April 24, 2023.

of Police) about the easy preventability of these murders – many of which simply would not have occurred save for failures of judges and politicians.

But slumbering politicians and roosting legal eagles suddenly arise from hibernation and spring into action when a politician from distant St Vincent has the gall to call out the obvious issue of repetitive murders of and by people on bail for murder. They suddenly find the indignation to speak up.

And what they have to say is bogus twaddle.

There is nothing said or done by the Privy Council that requires Bahamian judges to immediately accede to applications for bail at the first instance, nor is there anything preventing them from generally denying bail for murder and letting the

applicant appeal that decision to the Privy Council – keeping our streets at least marginally safer in the interim.

There is certainly nothing preventing them from giving people who carry illegal weapons 15-year sentences like in Jamaica, Cayman or Britain. In fact, now that (thanks to Hubert Ingraham) there is nothing to stop them giving less than just four years, they typically hand out sentences of a year or two. Many of these people go on to murder and maim within the 10-year period that they would still have been imprisoned in a sane country. Bahamians need to be more assertive against those who fail them miserably and then bristle at criticism.

ANDREW ALLEN Nassau, April 23, 2023.

Payouts for legal cases

EDITOR, The Tribune.

IT WAS very interesting to hear that the Hon Prime Minister declined to reveal settlement amounts in actions settled by the government with members of the security forces because he did not want pending actions to be affected.

It is trite law that judgments and settlements are based on matters previously decided or in legal jargon, precedent. If there is a fear of revealing these figures,

can it be assumed that they possibly exceeded figures adjudicated or agreed previously? Because we also know that bad precedents make bad law. To be clear, as the moneys were paid by us, the taxpayers, we are not satisfied with this inane excuse and we demand to know the figures.

Another disturbing aspect of this matter is that we were made aware that the legal firm of the Hon Minister of National Security, represented some

Bail issue... who is really at fault?

EDITOR, The Tribune.

A MEDIA feeding frenzy was sparked recently by remarks attributed to the Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves at a CARICOM Summit in Trinidad & Tobago relative to bail being granted in homicide cases by Bahamian judges. He apparently questioned whether or not theses judges “live on Mars” as if to suggest that the honourable justices were solely responsible for what appears to be a lax bail system here in The Bahamas.

would the Supreme Court grant bail. In recent times it has been opined that persons accused of murder are eligible to be admitted to bail on conditions, inclusive of wearing a monitoring electronic device. Even persons who would have been accused of multiple alleged homicides are now routinely granted bail. Something has to be wrong with this.

the ‘worst of the worst’ so basically there is an ambiguity that exists and the hands of the judiciary are tied. Our legislators, at the stroke of a pen are able to define in law when a convicted and sentenced murderer should be executed. We could also eliminate the criminal jurisdiction of the Judicial Committee and retain the civil aspects.

if not all of the litigants, therefore can we be told if the briefs were turned over to other Counsel prior to settlement? If not,(and I state this in spite of having been accused of not knowing what I was talking about on a previous occasion,) I would suggest that the Hon Minister would find himself in a conflict of interest.

JEANNE THOMPSON Nassau, April 24, 2023.

In different ways all of the attending Heads of Government expressed similar concerns with persons being charged with a homicide and being swiftly admitted to bail pending the trial of the matter.

When I was privileged to practice law persons so charged were expressly prohibited from being granted bail in cases of homicide.

They were, however, entitled to a trial within six months under the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code Act. If that timeline could not be met then and only then

To solely lay the blame at the feet of Bahamian justices, however, is dead wrong, pardon the pun. The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council based in the UK has played a vital role in our judicial system, especially on the criminal side. State executions have all but been eliminated by the orbiter dicta of the Council in that a convicted murderer can only be executed where the particular case has been deemed “the worst of the worst”.

Unfortunately no court at any level has yet to determine and rule on what constitutes the “worst of the worst”.

Legislatures throughout the wider CARICOM countries, inclusive of The Bahamas, have yet to legislate a definition for

PM Gonsalves may have been too liberal in his characterisation, but the question of bail here in The Bahamas and other CARICOM nations has become something of a joke. The Judges, however, apply and enforce the law as it is on the books and not as they would wish it to be. The promulgation of law is within the exclusive purview of the legislature and the politicians. I fear, however, that because of political considerations this systematic and debilitating way of granting bail in cases of alleged homicide will prevail for the foreseeable future.

ORTLAND H BODIE, Jr Nassau, April 23, 2023.

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was sent to prison on Monday accused of killing Yinka Strachan, the 42-year-old woman whose body was recovered from a canal with gunshot wounds last week.

Juliano Dorsett, 34, faced Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt accused of murder.

It is alleged that on April 19, in New Providence, Dorsett caused the death of the

mother-of-three. The victim’s body was discovered partially submerged in a South Beach canal by a group of men swimming there at around 3pm the same day.

When authorities arrived at the scene, they discovered that the victim’s corpse had apparent gunshot wounds.

Dorsett was remanded to prison as he awaits bail. His case will proceed to the Supreme Court by Voluntary Bill of Indictment, due to be served on August 23.

Munroe calls Minnis’ comment about a rape whistle ‘distasteful’ and ‘not amusing’

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

NATIONAL Security Minister Wayne Munroe criticised former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis in Parliament yesterday, accusing him of making “a poor joke about rape victims”.

Dr Minnis brought whistles to the lower chamber, telling the women parliamentarians he got each of them a whistle.

in the country. He asked: “How many whistles has the prime mister given to our females to deter criminals? Madame Speaker, (according) to the prime minister’s statement, government should provide women with whistles to help deter crime. How many females have gotten their whistles? Madame Speaker, I say if these questions are not answered in a timely manner, then I may be forced to release information in my position.”

NO

BAIL FOR CUBAN MAN ACCUSED OF SEXUAL ASSAULT OF 8-Y EAR-OLD

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A CUBAN MAN has been accused of sexually assaulting an eight-yearold girl.

Roysmel Mendez, 26, faced Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt on a charge of indecent assault, as he was

accused of inappropriate behavior with the eightyear-old on April 10 in New Providence.

The case was transferred to the Supreme Court by Voluntary Bill of Indictment (VBI) and the defendant was remanded to prison until he is granted bail. The VBI is due to be served on August 23.

Dr Minnis alluded to his successor’s comments in 2020 about how the government should provide women and children with complimentary whistles.

Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis, then the leader of the Official Opposition, was roundly mocked for the recommendation, even though experts accept whistles as a tool to prevent sexual assaults.

During his contribution to the debate on the Central Bank of The Bahamas (Amendment) Bill yesterday, Dr Minnis said he was concerned by the violence

Near the end of his contribution, Dr Minnis took out a whistle and told the women parliamentarians he brought a whistle for each of them.

“I want to help the Prime Minister,” he said. “I brought a gift for the women in this parliament. All the women. Madame Speaker, I’ll start with you. The Prime Minister said that in order to deter crime, he recommended government should provide women with a whistle to blow to deter crime. Madame Speaker, I have everybody’s whistle to

CRUISE SHIP MALE NURSE HELD ON SEXUAL ASSAULT CHARGE M AN CHARGED WITH AIDING IN MURDER NOT GRANTED BAIL

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MALE nurse aboard a cruise ship was sent to prison yesterday after he was accused of sexually assaulting a female patient under his care last week.

Titus Dabre, 34, of Bombay, India, stood before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt on a charge of rape.

According to police reports, on April 18 at around 7.30am, a

43-year-old woman from Cleveland, Ohio, visited the infirmary aboard a cruise ship as it was docked in New Providence. While receiving medical attention, it is alleged that after Dabre administered a dosage of medication he sexually assaulted the victim.

Dabre was informed by the Chief Magistrate that his matter would proceed to the Supreme Court by way of Voluntary Bill of Indictment (VBI), due for service on August 23.

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was sent to prison on Monday after he was accused of aiding in the murder of a 19-year-old earlier this year in South Beach.

Lougens Francoeur, 27, appeared before Assistant Chief Magistrate Subusola Swain on charges of abetment to murder and conspiracy to commit murder.

It is alleged that, on February 5 in New Providence,

Francoeur being concerned with others purposefully conspired as well as aided and abetted in the murder of Garvin Hanna.

The 19-year-old male victim’s body was found near the water at South Beach on Baillou Hill Road South at around 9pm that day clad in a white T-shirt and black pants with apparent gunshot injuries.

Francoeur was remanded to prison until he is granted bail. His case will proceed to Supreme Court by Voluntary Bill of Indictment, due on August 17.

ensure that every female adheres to what the prime minister wants (them) to do.”

During his contribution, Mr Munroe chastised the former Prime Minister.

“Killarney, when he was here, told a poor joke about rape victims of all things and that he has brought whistles now,” he said.

“When they were in power, he should’ve recruited policemen. He should’ve bought police cars.”

St Anne’s MP Adrian White tried to get Mr Munroe’s comments struck from the record, insisting Dr Minnis never joked about rape. Mr Munroe replied:

“Let me be quite full in what Killarney said because it was and is distasteful.”

He added: “Madame Speaker, you know I said to one of my colleagues on this side, I’ve really had enough of the self-righteousness of

the people on the opposite side. The member for Killarney raised an article that related to rape victims and the use of whistles to deter rape. That is what he did in this place. We told him when he first said it that it wasn’t in good taste, and in the end, in laughter, he talked about having a whistle for you and having a whistle for Elizabeth. It was in poor taste.

“It amazed me that it was said by a man who had the ability to buy police vehicles and not let us have to buy 100 of them; a man who had the ability to recruit police officers so that we’re not recruiting two and two and a half squads per year. That man has the gall to come in here and talk about he’s going to give you a whistle. Yes, St Anne’s, it’s not funny, it’s not amusing, and it really ought never to have been said.”

MINISTER of National Security Wayne Munroe took exception to the comments made by Dr Hubert Minnis on having rape whistles to give to the women in parliament. He said ‘it’s not funny, it’s not amusing, and it really ought never to have been said.”

Dr Ancilleno Davis hopes to inspire more Bahamian students to become scientists

IF THE curiosity and natural scientific inkling of a child is nurtured, the possibilities are endless. In the case of Bahamian children, nurturing such natural passion is critical in the protection and preservation of the environment for generations to come. For Dr Ancilleno Davis, growing up spending his after school days at the Botanical Gardens planted him in the right nurturing grounds and produced one of the most outstanding Bahamian scientists today.

Ancilleno was born in Nassau and attended Catholic Schools - St Francis and Joseph on Boyd Road, then St Augustine’s College. While in primary school, the young Ancilleno spent his afternoon school days surrounded by the pristine beauty of the Botanical Gardens.

“We would walk around the corner to my mom’s work at the Royal Botanical Gardens,” he recalls.

There, I met many of the scientists and environmental folk who would guide my learning.”

His love of nature, early exposure to plants and animals, and connection with scientists at work, proved the right formula to steer the young Ancilleno to an early path in science. His mother, Vivienne Rahming, worked at the Botanical Gardens. She introduced him to Dr Jeffry Lynn who was the Ministry of Agriculture’s Chief Veterinarian at the time. He met Eric Carey who also worked for the Ministry of Agriculture back then, and he eventually became the Executive Director of the Bahamas National Trust.

From an early age, Ancilleno found a way to empower himself: “I always used to ask the employees about all the plants and I gave impromptu tours to random tourists. I got a few tips back then - big money for a primary schooler!

Vivienne and his father, Ancil Davis raised their children, including his older brother, Jamison; older sister Nicolasena; and younger brother Bovair to follow their passions and work hard to achieve their goals. They all did just that and are successful in their respective fields today. Jamison is a professional in banking. Nicolasena works

Face to Face

By FELICITY DARVILLE

as an art teacher at St Thomas More. Bovair rose to Acting Sub Lieutenant in the Royal Bahamas Defense Force and now works at the United States Embassy, Nassau.

For Ancilleno, he found a way to succeed... but it wasn’t a path for the weak of heart. In order to attend the College of The Bahamas and begin his tertiary education in science, Ancilleno worked three jobs. Those jobs, along with the help of his mother and a special scholarship grant, helped to make his dreams come true. He was awarded the Marilu Tolo scholarship award for young men and women of high academic standing from the Lyford Cay Scholarship Foundation.

Eric Carey, who would have watched the young Ancilleno blossom, offered him a research position on the Kirtland’s Warbler Research and Training Programme after he completed his Associate of Arts degree in Biology with Chemistry at COB.

“That project got me started as a scientist studying birds on Andros and Eleuthera,” he said.

“I eventually moved to Abaco for the Parrot Project and was offered a scholarship by Dr James Wiley. The Parrot Project was basically me walking around in the forest for 8 to 12 hours a day trying to find out where the parrots nested, then getting GPS locations and recording as much data as I could.”

As simple as that may sound, Ancilleno’s work was critical in helping to map the nesting and movements of these endemic birds at a time when extinction was looming. These special birds are the only parrots recorded in the world to nest underground - taking to the crevices of Bahamian limestone in an effort that may be to protect them from the fires of the pine forest.

Ancilleno went on to attend the University of Maryland Eastern Shore where he graduated with a

Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science with focus on Marine Science. He then received a fellowship to complete his Master of Science degree in Marine Estuarine and Environmental Science before returning to his beloved Bahamas.

When he returned home, Ancilleno cleaned pools at the Atlantis Resorts for 16 months before joining the Nature Conservancy. Back on the science track and ready to make a difference in his country, Ancilleno found himself immersed in a series of important environmental projects between 2008 and 2012.

They include: coordinating the Kerzner Marine Foundation’s Blue Project; supporting the first leg of Prince Khaled bin Sultan’s Living Oceans Foundation’s Global Reef Expedition; the Deep Water Horizon Oil Spill Response; the Bahamas National Trust’s ‘In Their Footsteps’ trip; and founding ‘Bahamians Educated in Natural and Geospatial Sciences’.

Kerzner’s Blue Project focused on coral reef conservation. Through this project, Ancilleno ended up starting the first ‘in situ’ coral nurseries in the Bahamas, growing coral from fragments in the ocean instead of in labs.

Eventually, Ancilleno decided to take his passion to another level and pursue his education even further. He left The Bahamas again to earn his PhD from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. He funded his education through a scholarship by the Gerace Foundation and by working more than one job while schooling - a task that was difficult but necessary to achieve his goals.

He returned to The Bahamas in 2019 and worked at Blue Lagoon Island, leading the team to earning the first Travelife Global Certificate in Sustainable Tourism Partner Level Award. He also founded his company Science and Perspective, and

coordinated the ground water monitoring activities for IsraAID in Abaco and Grand Bahama. Currently, Ancilleno is the Senior Scientist and Policy Analyst for The Bahamas National Trust (BNT).

Dr Ancilleno Davis is known as not only a scientist, but an educator and artist. He has taught at three universities in economics, physics, marine botany, ornithology and art. He is currently working on a project in the Abaco National Park with Demonica Brown, an Avian Science Officer at BNT. She leads the Caribbean Landbird Monitoring Work, conducting training and community engagement related to bird monitoring and conservation. This past Saturday, he was excited to participate in National Parks Day. Celebrations, led by the BNT, is always held on the Saturday after Earth Day. It is an international globally recognised day of environmental action and celebration.

When asked about opportunities for your Bahamians to pursue science in ways that will benefit their country, he said: “There are many opportunities, but not enough. Students also need to know that there are more types of science

than just marine biology in the Bahamas - ornithology, entomology, soil science, botany, data science, and remote sensing are all out there.”

“The Bahamas has amazing natural resources... from the oceans to the forests,” he said, adding that young scientists have a vast world in science to explore right at home.

Throughout my career, I have found that we need more Bahamian students involved. The research dies out after four years if we rely on the foreign funding. But a knowledgeable Bahamian community will take care of their parrots... their reefs... their conch, flamingoes and lobster for generations.”

As he continues his vital work, Ancilleno hopes to raise the level of his fellow Bahamian’s ability to read or view scientific information and “discern the truth or valuable information from the misinformation”.

There are regular or pseudo science articles in the news and on social media that people share with me that may or may not have merit,” he said.

“Oftentimes, things spiral out of control when someone runs with a grain of truth and tries to build a house on it.”

Dr Davis is well known on social media for

providing answers to some of the local videos that go viral. Most recently, someone filmed a caterpillar that was considered “alien” with huge eyes, a nose and mouth. He dispelled the myth by informing the public that the caterpillar would turn into a silk moth butterfly.

Eventually, by sharing as much information as possible, Bahamian scientists can help to create a more informed public. People are showing an increased interest in environmental protection.

The Bahamas Independence Secretariat has several environmental initiatives taking place as a part of the 50th Independence Anniversary celebrations. They include the Mangrove Project, in which grade six students across The Bahamas will plant mangroves and engage in activities to promote sustainability, and create awareness of climate change.

Then on International Arbour Day, grade 12 students in New Providence and the Family Islands will plant vegetables and fruitbearing trees around the country. For more information on these and other events, visit www.celebrate-bahamas.com.

BAHAMIAN SCIENTIST EXTRAORDINAIRE, DR. ANCILLENO DAVIS

ABOVE: Dr. Davis teaching students at Forest Heights Academy about wildlife on their campus in Abaco.

BELOW: Dr. Davis teaching youth in Crossing Rocks, Abaco how to use binoculars during BNT’s National Parks Day event.

Events in Sudan matter to the rest of the world

INTERNATIONAL

alarm bells have been ringing, but the press headline on Sunday revealed all –“Special forces airlift US diplomats from Sudan”. President Biden had just announced that the US military had evacuated by helicopter diplomats and their families from the Sudanese capital Khartoum. Britain has also evacuated its diplomats amongst reports of similar action by other Western countries.

Such action shows the seriousness of the local situation as heavy fighting rages in the densely populated city of some six million people. With the threat of escalating violence, this is a power struggle between the regular army and a paramilitary group called the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), formed some ten years ago. Since the conflict broke out on 15 April, more than 400 people have been killed and countless numbers wounded. But, serious as the situation is in itself, it is also hugely significant more widely in the world because Sudan is in an unstable geopolitically vital region in what has become a fragile part of the African continent.

Khartoum is said to be unaccustomed to war. There has been heavy gunfire together with strikes by fighter jets within the city itself. Urban areas have been shaken by explosions and hospitals overwhelmed.

The result is a frightened population largely confined to their homes and suffering from shortages of food,

FORMER

The Peter Young column

water and fuel together with widespread power cuts. Sudan, with a population of 46 million, is the third largest country by area in Africa. It is also one of the poorest. It occupies a strategic position in north-east Africa alongside the Red Sea and straddles the Nile River. It borders Egypt to its north, Libya and Chad to the west, Ethiopia and Eritrea to the south as well as the relatively new nation of South Sudan which formally broke away from its northern neighbour in 2011 after a long and bloody civil war, taking with it the region’s oil fields. Now, in Sudan itself the rival military groups are struggling for control of shrinking economic resources including gold and the agricultural potential of the rich soil around the Nile for which they are seeking investors.

The country’s long-term dictator President Omar alBashir was ousted in 2019

DEPUTY

AFTER months of rumour and speculation, the row over allegations by civil servants of bullying behaviour by a senior cabinet minister in the UK Conservative government has ended with his resignation. Such a saga within the Westminster system of government is of significant interest and is, I think, worth examining here.

The now former Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary, Dominic Raab, who had also been Brexit Secretary and Foreign Secretary, has been dogged by controversy for some time over his treatment of staff. This included a number of formal complaints about his alleged bullying and even that his body language was intimidating. These were considered sufficiently serious for a formal inquiry to be conducted by a senior barrister. Leaks from Raab’s own officials suggested an investigation would depict him as a monstrous bully who terrorised civil service staff with impossible demands and excessively harsh criticism of their performance.

However, this turned out to be over the top since the report of the investigation, which was published last week, cleared Raab of all but two of the complaints against him. It found that, while he did not shout, swear or physically threaten staff, they were upset by his abrupt behaviour, including asking too many questions,

after decades of internal conflict and economic isolation.

A joint military and civilian government that had been established was overthrown in a coup in 2021 when the present leader, General Abdel al-Burhan, took over. Since then, the country has been run by a council of generals led by him as head of the armed forces and, in effect, the country’s president and by his deputy and leader of the RSF, General Mohamed Dagalo.

Rivalry between these two men is at the centre of the dispute which has led to the current outbreak of fighting that has intensified in the last few days. They have disagreed about the direction the country should take and the proposed move towards civilian rule, particularly over the pace of transition and the question of civilian control over the military. A framework deal to put power back in to the hands of civilians was apparently agreed last December but talks to finalise details failed. General Dagalo has now said the 2021 coup was a mistake and has presented the RSF and himself as a leader and statesman on the side of the people against the so-called elites of Khartoum. However, many disbelieve this because of the RSF’s involvement in the notorious Janjaweed militia accused of ethnic cleansing when brutally attacking rebels in Darfur. Meanwhile, General al-Burhan has declared that the army should only hand over power to an elected government.

According to reports, one of the main sticking points

P

between the two military leaders is about plans to incorporate the 100,000strong RSF within the regular army and disagreement about who would lead a new combined force. Fighting started after members of the RSF were redeployed around the country which the army saw as a threat. There is also the fundamental fear that continued fighting could destabilize and fragment the country.

As the rest of the world looks on, the security situation in the region remains complicated. There is a danger of the trouble in Sudan’s western Darfur region spilling over in to neighbouring Chad and the Central African Republic. There is instability on Sudan’s border with the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia which has recently emerged from a gruelling conflict – as well as with Eritrea, which is a oneparty dictatorship. Moreover, the stark coastline of eastern Sudan looks out on to the Red Sea where Russia wants

to establish a naval base giving its warships access to one of the world’s busiest and most congested sea lanes.

Then there is Egypt, Sudan’s powerful neighbour to the north. Its leaders must be watching developments with some trepidation. There are said to be an estimated 5 million Sudanese fleeing poverty or fighting who are living in Egypt. The latter’s government is reputed to be close to Sudan’s army and does not want to see an alternative political order in Khartoum that might be hostile to Cairo. This is mainly because Sudan has for long been an important ally in Egypt’s long-running dispute with Ethiopia over that country’s giant hydroelectric project on the Blue Nile and the threat of controlling the flow of the river that is vital to the lives of more than 100 million Egyptians.

Thus, various different countries have a close interest in events on the ground and will try to influence

them if they can. So there is a danger of large-scale external intervention while the UN and Western countries have called for an end to the fighting and a return to dialogue.

Sudan is one of Africa’s faltering giants seeking to fulfill its potential. Other countries will be worried that the present crisis could evolve from a relatively straightforward power struggle into a wider and complex civil war. But, judging from the massive street protests calling for the ending in 2019 of the almost three decades of rule by President Omar al-Bashir who had stayed too long, the public will not remain silent for long if the military – whichever side comes out on top in the current crisis -do not restore civilian rule. That said, it seems that for the moment the Sudanese themselves want peace and stability more than they crave democracy.

RIME MI N I S TER RE S I GNS AMI D BULLYI NG S CA ND AL

interrupting them in meetings and questioning the quality of their work. In summary, the report concluded overall that his conduct had been “abrasive” but not “abusive”.

Of the two bullying allegations upheld, Raab said in his resignation letter that he found these adverse findings to be “flawed”, notably one that related to the removal of a senior diplomat who, he claimed, had tried to scupper the post-Brexit deal over Gibraltar. He considered these findings set a dangerous precedent because the fallout of his resignation might be that ministers would struggle to take any action against lazy or incompetent staff for fear of being labelled bullies. In his view, the civil service had become increasingly politicised and Left-wing inclined and such allegations had become a ‘nuclear’ weapon that could be used in future against any minister whose agenda and zeal for reform they happened not to like.

Raab blasted “the tyranny of subjective hurt feelings” and warned of senior mandarins trying to prevent ministers from delivering change. He believed he was guilty of nothing more than being a tough boss with high standards who was trying to get things done. He added there was also a danger of setting the bar for definition of bullying so low that it would prevent

admonishment for substandard work. In his experience, civil servants did not like admitting they were wrong and they were rarely held accountable for shoddy and inadequate work or for flawed advice to ministers. Some officials who worked for him at the Ministry of Justice had been unable to keep up with the ‘pace, standards and challenges’ that he demanded. He also thought there were instances of civil servants actively trying to thwart government policies, for example in relation to Brexit. He concluded that ‘bosses have to boss’ and that nowadays people are reluctant to accept discipline.

All that is, of course, Raab’s side of the story. Without knowing the detailed evidence, it is probably unwise for others to comment, though he is said by some to be gruff, terse, thin-skinned and not very people-friendly. But, generally in any organisation, being ticked off by your boss should not necessarily be called bullying, depending, of course, on the manner in which it is done. It is the job of ministers to take action and secure results for those who elected them. The public surely accept that ruffling a few feathers of civil servants – if that becomes necessary along the way - is not something to be automatically condemned. However, others will say

FITTING TRIBUTE TO LATE QUEEN

TO COMMEMORATE

The Queen’s birthday on April 21, the Royal Family have paid tribute to the nation’s beloved monarch who died peacefully at the age of 96 in September last year after celebrating her Platinum Jubilee. An image was released showing her with one of her traditional beaming smiles to the camera during a visit to Edinburgh last June.

Alongside the image a caption began with the words “Today we remember the incredible life and legacy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, on what would have been her 97th birthday”.

As part of this tribute, Kensington Palace also released over the weekend a new and previously unseen photograph of The Queen surrounded by some of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The image was the work of the Princess of Wales, a keen

that in modern times, with people’s greater sense of entitlement and obsession over their alleged hurt feelings, different standards should be applied.

Maybe the report of the inquiry should have the last word. It said, inter alia, that

Raab’s style of working as a minister was “inquisitorial, direct, impatient and fastidious” – and many people contend that that is exactly what they want from the politicians they elect.

There could be helpful lessons from this for other

countries with the Westminster form of government. So, after experience of working indirectly for ministers as a British career diplomat, perhaps I could return next week with thoughts about their role and that of officials.

SMOKE is seen in Khartoum, Sudan, Wednesday. Terrified Sudanese are fleeing their homes in the capital Khartoum, witnesses say, after an internationally brokered cease-fire failed and rival forces battled in the capital for a fifth day.

Photo: Marwan Ali/AP

Mob in Haiti capital burns to death 13 suspected gangsters

HAITI Associated Press

A MOB in the Haitian capital beat and burned 13 suspected gang members to death with gasolinesoaked tires M onday after pulling the men from police custody at a traffic stop, police and witnesses said.

The horrific vigilante violence underlined public anger over the increasingly lawless situation in Port-au-Prince where criminal gangs have taken control over an estimated 60% of the city since the July 2021 assassination of President Jovenel M oïse.

Six more burned bodies were laid in a nearby neighbourhood later M onday, and some witnesses said that police killed them and residents set them on fire, but the AP could not verify the accounts independently.

Haiti National Police said in a brief statement that officers in the city’s Canape Vert section stopped and searched a minibus for contraband early M onday, and had

confiscated weapons from suspects before they were “unfortunately lynched by members of the population.” The statement did not elaborate on how members of the crowd were able to take control of the suspects.

A witness who gave his name as Edner Samuel told The Associated Press that members of the crowd took the suspected gangsters away from police, beat them and stoned them before putting tires on them, pouring gasoline over them and burning them.

An AP reporter at the scene saw 13 bodies burning in a street.

The fires drew hundreds of onlookers in the hilly suburb of the city, many of them shielding their noses from the fumes. The Canape Vert neighbourhood so far has managed to evade control by the criminal gangs.

Samuel said the suspects were believed to have been heading to another area to join a group of gang members who were battling police. Another witness, Jean Josue, said

there had been a lot of shooting in the area since the early morning. The situation in the capital was tense, and shots could be heard ringing out from several neighbourhoods.

In the nearby area of Turgeau, a few minutes drive from Canape Vert, witnesses said that police had killed six gang suspects in a firefight, and that local residents dragged the bodies from where they fell to a central location and lit them on fire.

An AP reporter saw the six burned bodies. Police did not immediately release any statements about the violence in Turgeau.

Witnesses in Canape Vert said the suspects there were believed to have been members of the Kraze B arye gang, which translates to “ B reaking B arriers.” Authorities say the group is led by Vitel’Homme Innocent, who is accused of helping kidnap 17 US missionaries in O ctober 2021 and also is linked to the assassination of M oïse.

UAE SPACECR A FT TA K ES CLOSE - UP photos of Mars’ little Moon

Notice

PUBLIC WORKERS’ CO-OPERATIVE CREDIT UNION LIMITED

The Nominations Committee, of the Public Workers’ Co-operative Credit Union Limited, in accordance with Sections 46, 47, 48, 73 and 79 of The Bahamas Co-operative Credit Unions Act, 2015, wishes to announce that applications are now invited from members in good standing who may wish to be considered to run as candidates for the below-listed posts, to become vacant at the next Annual General Meeting (AGM), to be held on FRIDAY, MAY 26th, 2023:

No member may be elected to the Board of Directors, Supervisory or Credit Committees unless he or she has satisfied the Guidelines for Assessing the Fitness and Propriety of Applicants for Regulated Functions, regarding Fit and Proper Requirements, as outlined by our Regulator, the Central Bank of the Bahamas.

Further, please note that all interested members must meet the following criteria:

- Is 18 years of age or older (Section 50(a) of The Bahamas Co-operative Credit Unions’ Act, 2015).

- Is not disqualified from serving in accordance with Section 50 of The Bahamas Co-operative Credit Unions’ Act, 2015.

- Has qualifications or experience in matters relating to accounts, finance, business administration, commerce, or law; (Section 48(4)(a) (i) of The Bahamas Co-operative Credit Unions’ Act, 2015).

Interested members can obtain a Nomination Form from the Credit Union’s offices, Wulff Road (Nassau), or Oak Street (Freeport); or by email to sthompson@pwccu.org.

All members interested in serving on any of these three (3) Committees should submit: the completed/signed Nomination Form and a cover letter and resume outlining their qualifications and experience by 4:00 p.m., on Monday May 8th, 2023, to any of our offices, or via the email, listed above.

No nominations will be allowed from the floor

Finally, all Member-sponsored RESOLUTIONS, for the consideration of the AGM, must be submitted by 4:00 p.m., on Monday May 8th, 2023, at any of our offices, or via the email address, listed above.

FLORIDA Associated Press

A SPACECRAFT around Mars has sent back the most detailed photos yet of the red planet’s little moon.

The United Arab Emirates’ Amal spacecraft flew within 62 miles of Deimos last month and the close-up shots were released Monday. Amal — Arabic for Hope — got a two-for-one when Mars photobombed some of the images. It was the closest a spacecraft has been to Deimos in almost a half-century.

The spacecraft also observed the little explored far side of the odd-shaped, cratered moon, just 9 miles by 7 miles by 7 miles.

Mars’ other moon, Phobos, is almost double

that size and better understood since it orbits much closer to Mars — just 3,700 miles away, the closest of any planet’s moon in our solar system.

Deimos’ orbit around Mars stretches 14,000 miles out. That’s close to the inner part of the spacecraft’s orbit — “which is what made observing Deimos such a compelling idea,” said the mission’s lead scientist Hessa al-Matroushi.

“Phobos has got most of the attention up until now — now it’s Deimos’ turn!” she added in an email.

Al-Matroushi and other scientists with the UAE Space Agency said these new images indicate Deimos is not an asteroid that got captured in Mars’ orbit eons ago, the leading theory until now. Instead, they say the moon appears

to be of Martian origin — perhaps from the bigger Martian moon or from Mars itself.

The findings were presented Monday at the European Geosciences Union’s general assembly in Vienna.

Amal will continue to sweep past Deimos this year, but not as closely as the March 10 encounter, according to al-Matroushi.

NASA’s Viking 2 came within 19 miles of Deimos in 1977. Since then, other spacecraft have photographed Deimos but from much farther away.

Amal rocketed to Mars on July 19, 2020, one day shy of the 50th anniversary of humanity’s first moon landing — Earth’s moon, that is — by Apollo 11’s Neil Armstrong

Buzz Aldrin.

and

THIS image provided by the UAE Space Agency shows the planet Mars and its moon, Deimos, in the foreground. The United Arab Emirates’ Amal spacecraft - Arabic for Hope - flew within 62 miles of Deimos in March 2023.

Photo: UAE Space Agency/AP

BYSTANDERS gather around the bodies of alleged gang members that were set on fire by a mob after they were stopped by police while traveling in a vehicle in the Canape Vert area of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, yesterday.

Photos: Odelyn Joseph/AP

UBFIT RACE RAISES MORE THAN $50,000

By TENAJH SWEETING tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

THE University of The Bahamas (UB) hosted

In the age group, Cierra

CARIFTA

FROM PAGE 16

this happen with a very tight budget,” Maycock said. “Everything was controlled, everything was detailed and everything was budgeted to the tee.”

Having secured more than $1.5 million in cash and value in kind, Maycock thanked corporate Bahamas for rallying and assisting the youth in the region.

He noted that Scotiabank, the regional bank for the games, had post from throughout the region where they have banks located.

He also thanked Aliv and the Movie Group for their assistance, taking the live broadcasting of the games to millions around the world as they sent out messages and congratulations

to the various athletes participating in the games.

With Christianity as the bedrock of the nation, Maycock said they catered to the Christian community during the most golden period of the year with a number of religious activities around the games.

The festivities for the games started with the Legends Walk where Shaunae Miller-Ubio, Steven Gardiner and Anthonique Strachan had their photos unveiled, joining the rest of the Bahamian sporting icons.

Also in December, the LOC hosted the Todd Delaney’s “Victory Believe To Jesus” concert.

Right after the Christmas holiday, Maycock said the LOC immediately began the countdown for the start of CARIFTA on April 7.

“We created a mini theme park around the Easter

holiday celebrations where we had a manger, Christmas tree, a 50-foot plus cross and a tomb with the stone rolled away so persons could feel the excitement of Easter.

“We also invited for the first time the Bahamas Brass Band to perform during the opening ceremonies to perform. They came and they did perform.”

With all that they had anticipated, Maycock said the LOC surpassed their expectations in terms of the operations and the performances of the games where the Bahamas produced its best ever showing.

For the highs for the games, Maycock said it would have been the performances of the athletes, who were very inspired and enthused from the large crowd of spectators and the CARIFTA junkanoo group that provided the rhythmic

music to help inspire them. “This would have been the highest intake of ticket sales in excess of $450,000 plus that we received,” Maycock revealed.

“We were aiming for half a million dollars, so that was a high for us.”

If there were any low points that they encountered, Maycock said a resounding yes, indicating that they didn’t provide all of the deliveries that they had promised to produce for the many sponsors of the games, especially the big donors.

“They understood that there were areas that we could have improved upon in our deliverables to them,” he stated. “We didn’t take their sacrifices and investments lightly. So we were disappointed and we do apologise for our shortfalls in our deliverables.”

PARTICIPANTS enjoy the University of The Bahamas’ UBFIT Fun, Run, Walk and Skate race for the sixth consecutive year on Saturday morning. Photos

Maycock, however, said he was truly pleased with the entire staff of the LOC and the volunteers who came on board and assisted.

He noted that they all made their contributions to the success of the games.

But he noted that while there was some criticism over the amount of persons who were hired to work in the lead up to the games, Maycock said he didn’t see anything wrong with it.

“We had persons who came along who truly needed our help,” said Maycock.

Maycock noted that his heart was so touched that there were times he cried for the outpouring for assistance that was requested.

“I remember one day I was really prepared to quit, but on that same day, a mother came along who needed some assistance urging to take care of her

children,” Maycock said. “We were able to provide her with a job and she was able to sustain her family for a bit.”

Looking at what he did, especially in creating the cultural village around the stadium, Maycock said he was able to carry out a mandate he got from God and that was to assist some people in general.

He said he was thankful that he was able to carry out the mission that God had given him through his service of ministry during the games.

Now that the games are over, Maycock, a chartered accountant by profession, said he can go back into retirement.

Although he retired at the age of 50, Maycock said his chartered accounting firm was able to make a contribution to the 50th CARIFTA Games.

courtesy of Tariq Cartwright

Butler scores 56, Heat stun Bucks 119-114 for 3-1 lead

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer

MIAMI (AP) — Jimmy Butler scored a Miami playoff record 56 points, and the Heat roared back from 14 points down in the final quarter to stun the Milwaukee Bucks 119-114 last night to put the NBA’s top overall seed on the brink of early elimination.

The 56 points also became Butler’s career high. He was 19 for 28 from the field, 15 of 18 from the foul line and added nine rebounds for eighth-seeded Miami — which took a 3-1 lead over the Bucks in their Eastern Conference first-round series.

Bam Adebayo scored 15, Caleb Martin had 12 and Gabe Vincent scored 10 for the Heat.

Game 5 is at Milwaukee on Wednesday. Brook Lopez scored 36 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for Milwaukee. Giannis Antetokounmpo returned from a two-game absence with a bruised back and had a tripledouble — 26 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists.

And the Bucks led almost the whole way, until the Heat roared back in the final minutes. Butler had 21 of his points in the fourth, and the Heat still trailed 101-89 after a layup by Lopez with 6:09 left.

That’s when a 13-0 run, capped by a Butler dunk off a Bucks turnover, put Miami up for the first time all night with 3:17 left — 102-101.

The lead changed hands four more times, and But ler’s 3-pointer with 1:20 left put Miami ahead for good. He added a step-back jumper on Miami’s next possession, punched the air in celebration, and the Heat knew they would soon be leaving with a 3-1 lead.

Antetokounmpo missed Games 2 and 3 of the series — and most of Game 1 — with a bruised lower back. He worked out Sunday,

AP SOURCE: JETS AGREE ON DEAL TO ACQUIRE QB AARON RODGERS

By DENNIS WASZAK JR AP Pro Football Writer

AFTER six weeks of waiting, Aaron Rodgers is leaving behind his brilliant legacy in Green Bay and heading to the bright lights — and massive expectations — of the Big Apple.

The New York Jets agreed on a deal yesterday to acquire the four-time NFL MVP from the Packers, according to a person with knowledge of the trade. The person spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because the teams had not officially announced the deal.

Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said at a pre-draft news conference that the deal hasn’t been finalised, but should be completed before the draft begins Thursday.

“We were expecting it to be done very quickly, hopefully soon,” Gutekunst said. “A lot of things have been agreed upon. Some things to go through.”

The Jets will receive Rodgers, the No. 15 overall pick and a fifth-rounder this year from the Packers, according to another person with knowledge of the trade. In exchange, Green Bay will get the 13th overall selection, a secondrounder (No. 42) and a sixth-rounder this year and a conditional 2024 secondround pick that can become a first-rounder if Rodgers plays 65% of plays for New York next season.

ESPN first reported the agreement on terms between the teams on a deal.

The 39-year-old Rodgers spent a few days in February contemplating his life

and playing future during an isolation retreat in Oregon — while fans and reporters speculated about what he would decide.

He emerged and deliberated some more before deciding on March 10 he intended to play again — and for the Jets. Rodgers made his intentions official during an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” on YouTube and Sirius XM on March 15. That came after New York had sent a contingent that included owner Woody Johnson, coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas to Rodgers’ home in Southern California in early March.

And then he and the sports world waited — and waited — for the Packers and Jets to finally complete a deal.

“We’ve been working on this for a while,” Gutekunst said. “To get beyond the draft I think would have been tough for both teams.”

Several weeks of negotiations appeared to be stalled at times, with fans — and the teams — wondering when or if the trade would be completed.

“We’re anxious,” Johnson told reporters at the league’s annual meetings on March 28. “I guess, as we look forward, we’re optimistic. But we have a plan, so we’re willing to stick with our plan. And I don’t think anybody is hyperventilating at this point.”

It took a while, but the sides were finally able to agree on compensation. And the deal puts the onetime Super Bowl champion in New York after Zach Wilson, the No. 2 overall draft pick in 2021, struggled mightily in his first two seasons.

SUNS, NUGGETS, CELTICS CAN ALL ADVANCE WITH GAME 5 VICTORIES

By DAVID BRANDT AP Sports Writer

PHOENIX (AP) — Load management is a big topic across the NBA these days.

One great way to make sure players get rest in the playoffs is to end the series early.

The Phoenix Suns, Denver Nuggets and Boston Celtics all have that opportunity tonight when they host Game 5s with a 3-1 lead in the series.

“Closeout games are always the hardest,” Suns centre Deandre Ayton said. “We expect it’s going to be a battle. We’re just gearing up.”

The Western Conference top-seed Nuggets already had one opportunity to end their series, but the feisty Timberwolves managed to extend it with a Game 4 win in overtime on Sunday.

“We really wanted to come out and have a sweep under our belt. Didn’t happen,” Nuggets guard Jamal Murray said. “They fought. They fought like hell, all game long. Even when we put a scare in their heart a little bit, they kept fighting, kept playing, and the crowd was into it.”

The Suns-Los Angeles Clippers series has been shaped by Kawhi Leonard’s knee injury.

Leonard has missed the past two games with a sprained knee, which has helped tip the series in favour of Phoenix.

“He’s definitely hurt. It’s not load management where he’s taking time off,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “He’s shown in the past that he’s played through injuries in the playoffs and so if it’s something he can’t play through, then it has to be pretty serious.”

L.A.’s Paul George has been out since March 21 with the same injury as Leonard.

HAWKS AT CELTICS

Boston leads 3-1. Game 4, 7:30 p.m. EDT, TNT.

— NEED TO KNOW: The Celtics have never lost a best-of-seven playoff

series after building a 3-1 lead. They are 27-0 in those situations over their storied history.

— KEEP AN EYE ON:

Jaylen Brown’s facial wear. The Boston star had been using a protective mask since February, when he sustained a broken bone in his face. But he ditched the mask in the second quarter of Game 4 after making just 1 of 7 shots. He went 11 of 15 the rest of the way to finish with 31 points in a 129-121 victory. Presumably, he won’t be wearing the mask anymore in these playoffs. “As soon as I took it off, things started to turn around a little bit,” Brown said.

— INJURY WATCH: Boston G Marcus Smart looked just fine in Game 4 after falling hard on his tailbone in the previous contest. He said they were times when his lower back tightened up, and he’ll have to remain diligent in his treatment to make sure the pain doesn’t keep him off the court. “Throughout the game, it got a little tight on me. It flared up. But once I got it stretched out again, got it loose, got some heat on it, it was pretty good,” Smart said.

— PRESSURE IS ON:

The Hawks. It looks like another brief playoff appearance unless they can pull of a win in Boston, a daunting task indeed. Atlanta has lost five straight at TD Garden since Feb. 17, 2021, including 13-point defeats in the first two games of this series. If the Hawks lose, it would be the second straight year they’ve gone down in five games in the opening round and could signal major changes heading into the offseason.

TIMBERWOLVES AT NUGGETS Denver leads 3-1. Game 5, 9 p.m. EDT, NBA TV.

— NEED TO KNOW:

The Nuggets closed the last 2½ minutes of the fourth quarter of Game 4 on a tying 12-0 run, but the Timberwolves recovered with an 18-point overtime

on 6-for-8 shooting for a 114-108 victory. It denied Denver a first playoff-series sweep in franchise history and keep the first-round matchup alive despite Nikola Jokic’s playoffcareer-high-tying 43 points.

— KEEP AN EYE ON: Anthony Edwards. Minnesota’s All-Star guard has 129 points in four games, the second-most in the NBA playoffs behind Phoenix’s Devin Booker (139). He delivered a wide array

of clutch baskets down the stretch for the Wolves in Game 4, including a pullup 3-pointer from the wing with 11.5 seconds left in overtime to push their lead to four. He’s the first player in Wolves’ history with 100-plus points over three consecutive playoff games. Only LeBron James (eight) had more 30-pluspoint playoff games before age 22 than Edwards does (five). Still, Edwards was aiming for a higher bar

after his 12-for-27 shooting performance.

“I played terrible, if you ask me,” he said. “I took three bad 3s, three terrible possessions, and I damn near shot us out the game.”

— INJURY WATCH:

Wolves sixth man Kyle Anderson was inadvertently struck by a stray arm from Edwards during a leap for a rebound late in the third quarter and did not return after suffering what the team announced

as a left eye and facial contusion. Coach Chris Finch said Anderson went to see an eye specialist. ... Nuggets coach Mike Malone on Jokic’s aggression with 12 free-throw attempts in Game 4 after zero in Game 3: “He’s banged up. He’s playing hard.”

— PRESSURE IS ON: Jamal Murray. After scoring 40 points in Game 2, Denver’s standout point guard missed 26 of 43 shots over the two games in Minnesota. He had 19 points in Game 4, with Nickeil Alexander-Walker frequently picking up his defense before half court and making him work hard for every shot, drive and pass.

CLIPPERS AT SUNS Phoenix leads 3-1, Game 5, 10 p.m. EDT, TNT

— NEED TO KNOW:

The Suns took control of the series with two wins in Los Angeles and now return to Phoenix to try and close it out. The Suns have taken advantage of the absence of L.A. star Kawhi Leonard, who missed both Games 3 and 4 because of a sprained knee.

— KEEP AN EYE ON:

Three-time All-Star Devin Booker is cooking for the Suns, averaging 34.8 points on 57.1% shooting. The 26-year-old isn’t just scoring, he’s averaging 5.5 assists, 4.3 rebounds, 2.8 steals and 1.3 blocks.

— INJURY WATCH:

All eyes are on Leonard to see if he can return. The Suns have been without backup point guard Cam Payne, who hasn’t played in the series because of a sore back.

— PRESSURE IS ON:

Russell Westbrook. If Leonard can’t play, the Clippers almost certainly have to have another massive game from Westbrook, who has played well in the series. He’s improved his scoring total each game, rising from 9 points in Game 1 to 28 in Game 2, 30 in Game 3 and 37 in Game 4. L.A. might need a 40-spot from him on Tuesday to extend the series.

MIAMI Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) celebrates after scoring during the second half of Game 4 in a first-round NBA basketball playoff series against the Milwaukee Bucks last night in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

SUNS guard Devin Booker, right, drives past Clippers guard Norman Powell during the second half in Game 4 of their first-round NBA basketball playoff series on Saturday in Los Angeles.

(AP Photo/Mark J Terrill)

CELTICS forward Jayson Tatum (0) celebrates after scoring against the Hawks during Game 4 of their first-round NBA basketball playoff series on Sunday in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

REFRIGERATION TENNIS TOURNAMENT

Another great tournament in beautiful Palmetto Point

IT was a great tournament this weekend in beautiful Palmetto Point, Eleuthera, at the 16th Annual Tim’s Refrigeration Tennis Tournament at Knowles courts.

The categories at this year’s tournament were men and ladies singles and mixed doubles.

The tourney was in honour of the late Wesley Rolle, past president of the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association (BLTA). The trophy for the MVP of the tournament in Wes’ honour was given to Jason Quashie.

On hand to assist Johnson in presenting the winners with their awards was BLTA president Perry Newton, who took the opportunity to present the coaches from Eleuthera with their Play Tennis course certificateRoy Rivera and Michelle Walker who participated in the coaches certification course in Nassau. In addition, Carol Young was recognised for obtaining her USTA Coaching certificate.

Women Singles

Winner:Kerrie Pryor

Runner Up: Tracie

Penfound Men Singles

Winner: Jethro

Armstrong Runner Up: Matthew Pryor

Mixed Doubles

Winners: Van Wilson and Tracie Penfound

Runner Up: Larry Rolle and Caitlin Walker BLTA treasurer Tim Dames has sponsored this tournament for the past 16 years and we applaud his commitment to tennis in Eleuthera and in The Bahamas.

Coach Artie Johnson, president of the ETA, was the tournament director and organised the entire event.

told their deposit was not received on time by his company and so they could not secure the original deal as promised.

Efforts by The Tribune to contact Mr Pinder were unsuccessful yesterday.

According to the documents filed, he advised the group that they were unable to fulfil the original deal and they were seeking some type of compensation.

A date was set for payment to be made to the group, but that fell through as well.

After threatening to get police involved and eventually exposing Pinder to the media, Mr Hameed said it wasn’t until last Wednesday that they received $1,300 of the agreed amount that was promised. Hameed said this was totally unacceptable because they had to secure funding from home in England to assist them with the remainder of their stay in Texas, which also included competing in a few meets where they had to pay entry fees. They have since relocated to Fort Worth.

The group of athletes, according to Mr Hameed, contacted Mr Pinder, who had visited England and initially agreed to assist them in their training camp in Texas.

Mr Hameed said it’s unfortunate that it came down to this, but they just want to receive what is due to them.

Pinder, 34, was a member of the Bahamas men’s gold medal winning 4 x 400 metre relay at the 2012 Olympics in London with Chris Brown, Michael Mathieu and Ramon Miller. He also got a bronze on the relay team at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and competed on two silver medal relay teams at the World Relays in 2014 and 2015 in Nassau.

MANTAS

FROM PAGE 16

each team went up by one point. I like that game. We played very hard and we won it.”

Not just because of the fact that they won, but Borbely said he liked the way the team played.

“These 12 and 13-yearold players will become my 14-year-olds and they will become the 16-year old-team, so I have a few more years to work with them and they will only become better and better,” he insisted.

“I’m very happy that I got a chance to take them to this tournament. Some of them, at least five of them, played in an international tournament before, so for them to go back with the younger swimmers and to win the bronze is a good feeling.”

Borbely, who works out extensively with the team at the Betty Kelly Kenning Swim Complex, said the swimmers will now prepare for the Bahamas Aquatics’ National Swimming Championships in June.

After that, Borbely said he will be preparing the team to participate in their next international competition at the USA Junior Olympics in Dallas, Texas, this summer.

STRACHAN FROM PAGE 16

necessary,” he said. “That’s the key right there. When you put in the work, you will get good results.”

With his season winding down in about three weeks, Strachan said he’s hoping that he can end up throwing at least 87 feet before he returns home to resume his training with his long-time coach and mentor Corrington Maycock.

“I’m expecting some great things in these meets coming up,” said Strachan.

The World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, is the major item on Strachan’s watch list for this year.

He hasn’t achieved the qualifying standard yet, but he feels it will come sooner or later.

“I’m not rushing it. I know I have time. I know I will qualify for the World Championships,” he projected.

Over the Easter holiday weekend, Strachan was in the

stands at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium when his younger sister broke the under17 girls’ javelin record. She threw the spear 46.07m for the gold ahead of team-mate DiorRay Scott, who finished with the silver with 45.13m.

“It took me back to my performance last year when I broke the record,” Strachan said.

“I know that feeling she was having and I was just happy to be there to support her so she could break the record while I was there watching. So that was a great feeling for me.”

The 19-ear-old Strachan, who is studying business administration at Auburn, said his only regret was he didn’t get to compete before the huge crowd of spectators in the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium.

“I know where I’m at, I probably could have thrown even further,” Strachan said.

“That kind of crowd could only get you going, so I was kind of depressed and sad that I couldn’t compete this year.”

Once he’s done with his collegiate obligations at the NCAA National Championships around June 10, Strachan said he will pack his bags and head home to train again with Maycock before he competes in the BAAA Nationals and the various international meets on the horizon. “Coach is like a father to me. I’m just thankful to him. He didn’t have to bring me from Andros and make me who I am today. All thanks go out to him and to my parents,” said Strachan, the son of Latisha Moss and the stepchild of Sabrina Moss. “If it wasn’t for coach Maycock, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

Maycock, who operates the Blue Chips Throwers Club, brought Strachan in from Andros in 2016 at the age of 13 and now today, he’s listed as one of the top javelin throwers in the world. “I’m grateful for everything he has done for me,” Strachan summed up. Strachan is expected to be back in action with the Tigers.

MEN’s national javelin record holder Keyshawn Strachan embraces his sister Kamera Strachan as silver medallist Dior-Ray Scott looks on during this year’s 50th CARIFTA Games at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium.

STUDENTS SHOW OFF SCIENCE SKILLS

By FAY SIMMONS Tribune Education Reporter jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

STUDENTS showcase their skills at school science fair.

Excelsior Elementary

School held its second annual science fair yesterday under the theme ‘Robotics is the Future’. Students from kindergarten through sixth grade displayed various models and experiments about the solar system,

magnets, wind, energy and robotics. Students were judged by a range of professionals while parents and guests observed their creativity and whit.

Axel Johnson, Tario Smith and Anthony won first place in division one. Shenandoah Thompson and Logan McKinney won first place in division two for their display on forces. Dominic Moss and Megan Freeman won first place in division three and Ethan Martin won first place in division four with his electric potato battery.

PLANTING A TREE FOR EARTH DAY IS JUST THE START OF PROTECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT

STUDENTS at the RM Bailey School planted two yellow elder trees on the school campus in honour of Earth Day 2023. The trees were donated by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources and the minister Vaughn Miller stated the importance of students making informed decisions that benefit the environment.

He said: “You are the next generation of leaders, and your actions will significantly impact the quality of life for yourselves and future generations.”

Mr Miller remarked that climate change, deforestation and pollution are significant environmental challenges that The Bahamas faces and must address.

He said: “The good news is that we can make a significant difference by taking individual and collective action. We can reduce our carbon footprint by utilising public transportation, biking, or walking instead of driving. We can also minimise the amount of plastic we use by using reusable bags and water bottles. Additionally, we can recycle and reduce waste, and we can also advocate for environmentally friendly policies.”

He told the students that The Bahamas has been the “voice of reason” globally on the impact of climate change on Small Island Developing countries for a long time.

He said “As global temperatures rise, so does the sea level around us, making life more difficult for life on land and in the water. When we litter and pollute the environment, it makes it harder to provide those critical ecosystem services that it’s designed to provide.

He added: “If you see something, say something. Do not sit by and allow neighbours and friends to destroy our forests, beaches and mangroves.”

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

EIGHTEEN-year-old

Anfrenee Hanna is a twelfth-grade student at Tallulah Falls School in Georgia, USA.

Anfrenee’s favourite subject is mathematics and he enjoys playing basketball, swimming and lifting weights. He plans to play college basketball while earning a degree in engineering. A fun fact about him is he was named after four-time NBA allstar Anfrenee “Penny” Hardaway.

His biggest achievement to date is his stellar basketball record scoring 1000 points and 500 rebounds.

• Do you know a student you would like to see featured in Student Spotlight? Send a picture and brief details to jsimmons@ tribunemedia.net.

YOUNGSTERS taking part in the Excelsior Elementary School science fair yesterday.

STUDENTS of RM Bailey Senior High School’s agriculture department are pictured following the planting of two Yellow Elder trees on the school’s campus. The trees were donated by the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources in recognition of Earth Day 2023. Also shown at far right is Dr Rhiana Neely-Murphy, director of the Department of Environmental Planning and Protection.

SPORTS

OLYMPIAN AND HIS COMPANY COULD BE SUED

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

A BAHAMIAN Olympian and his consultancy company in Houston, Texas could be sued for allegedly reneging on a financial deal to accommodate a group of athletes from England in a training site in Texas.

Mantas water polo bring home bronze

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

The Mantas Water Polo Club, with a rising new squad of competitors, returned from the Rise Up Tournament in Orlando, Florida with the bronze medal.

The team, coached by Laszlo Borbely and Wandalee Burrows, clinched the bronze medal with a 9-0 whitewashing of Team Orlando on Sunday after the team finished the round robin competition with a 2-1 win-loss record.

Members of the team included Shanterro Knowles, Joysell Brown, Isaiah Colon, Jaylen Rahming, Caylen Brown, Paityn Burrows, Landon

Sumner, La’Mya Bodie, Jacob Johnson, Jahmahl Wilson, Cameron Carroll, Skarlette Donaldson, Asher Bastian and Grace Smith.

Borbely, who has worked extensively over the past few years to make the Manta Water Polo Club one of the most respected in the region, said the competition was an eye opener for the competitors.

“We came into it with some fresh new swimmers. At the beginning, we lost our first game, but we came back and won the last two games,” he said. “So I’m very happy that we got the bronze medal.

“In the bronze medal game, it was 9-8, but we had to fight for it because

SEE PAGE 14

STRACHAN PLEASED WITH PERFORMANCE

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

AFTER watching his sister Kamera Strachan produce a record-breaking performance at the Oaktree Medical Center’s 50th CARIFTA Games over the Easter holiday weekend, Bahamas men’s national javelin record holder Keyshawn Strachan said he was surprised to learn that he was on the watch list for the NCAA.

Strachan, who closed out his CARIFTA experience last year in Kingston, Jamaica, with his recordbreaking performance of 79.89 metres, improved the mark to 84.27m in one of his meets so far this year at the Mike A Myers Stadium in Austin, Texas, on March 31. While it was Strachan’s lifetime best, the performance came just before he returned home for CARIFTA when he tossed the javelin 76.97m at the Tom Jones Memorial at the Percy Beard Track in Gainesville, Florida. “I feel very good about my progress. This is where I want

to be at,” he said. “It’s a good spot and all I have to do is build off the momentum and throw even further. But I actually feel good about the season so far. “Everything has been going good. My training is going great, so I’m really happy for that.”

Those performances helped to place Strachan on the Bowerman 2023 Men’s Mid-Outdoor Watch List, alongside Texas Tech’s sprinter Terrence Jones from Grand Bahama,

along with Tennessee’s Dylan Jacobs and Arkansas’ Jaydon Hibbert and Ayden Owens-Delerme.

The 19-year-old freshman at Auburn said he woke up to the congratulatory messages. “I really didn’t expect it. What was so crazy was I was sleeping and when I woke up, I had a lot of messages from the Auburn coaching staff and my teammates telling me about this Bowman list.

“I wasn’t expecting it because there a lot of

athletes who are performing just as spectacular as I am, so I really wasn’t expecting to be there with some of them, including Terrence Jones, who is having a fantastic season.”

Strachan said he’s just enjoying the moment and will continue to put in the work so that he can continue his progression.

“I’m just taking the training serious and doing the things that are

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Grand Bahamian quarter-miler Demetrius Pinder and his DP Management Company are being accused of financial mismanagement and abandonment by a visiting group of seven athletes and their coaches from the United Kingdom.

Speaking on behalf of the group, Umar Hameed, a British-Pakintani sprinter, said all they want is for Pinder to provide them with some remuneration so they can deal with the hardship they are experiencing away from home.

Hameed said they paid DP Management the sum of $5,800 for their stay in Texas to train from March 27 to May 6. The deal would have provided them with two accommodations, two cars and access to both a gym and training facilities.

However, on their arrival at the George Bush International Airport on March 27, they said they were escorted to the rental company where they discovered they will only have access to the car for three days.

Immediately they contacted Pinder, who reportedly instructed them the matter would be sorted out before they had to return the rental. They proceeded to the living accommodations but, on the third day, they said they were told by the property management they had to leave because their time had expired.

Again the group contacted Pinder and they said he promised to meet them to explain the situation. From their initial meeting, they said they were

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LOC CEO: ‘CARIFTA 50 was something out of the box’

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

IN the aftermath of the Oaktree Medical Center’s 50th CARIFTA Games, Lynden Maycock said he provided more of a “minister” than a service as the Chief Executive Officer of the Local Organising Committee.

And so while many looked at the games held over the Easter holiday weekend as successful, Maycock said he saw it as an opportunity to provide some much needed financial assistance that was needed by so many persons whom he employed and the many doors that were opened to the events that were put on outside of the precincts of the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium.

“CARIFTA 50 was something out of the box.

IT was a 50th celebrations and it was something that was different from all other CARIFTA Games in the

history of the games,” Maycock said.

“And so for the 50th anniversary, we wanted to do something extraordinary for the 50th anniversary or the games.

“With the games being held in the Bahamas as we celebrated 50 years of Independence and with Prime Minister Philip Davis, who now leads CARICOM, and they were celebrating 50 years, when I met with our NACAC president Mike Sands, we decided to make it a Golden Jubilee celebrations of 50 years for the Bahamas.”

As this was a milestone for the country and with the Oaktree Medical Center coming on board as the official title sponsors, providing some $300,000 in sponsorship, Maycock said they were well on their way to showing the greatest junior athletes in this region to the world. “We went above and beyond to make

TUESDAY, APRIL 25, 2023

NBA, Page 13

TOP: Mantas water polo team with coaches Laszlo Borbely and Wandalee Burrows. ABOVE: Some club members getting in a workout.

NATIONAL javelin record holder Keyshawn Strachan presents gold and silver medals to his sister Kamera Strachan and Dior-Ray Scott respectively.