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Miller: Exile transgenders

MP says he wants God to end Earth now By KHRISNA VIRGIL Tribune Staff Reporter kvirgil@tribunemedia.net TALL Pines MP Leslie Miller has forcefully denounced the growing transgender community in this country while urging people to financially contribute to having this sect of society exiled to their own private island to ensure “they stay out of the way” of generations of Bahamians who are depending on the success of the June 7 referendum. While pledging to give the group its first $1,000 toward this relocation, Mr Miller told The Tribune that it was his constant prayer that “God would come now and just end the world” as their actions “go against His will”.

The former minister of trade and industry also dismissed the concerns of Bahamas Transgender Intersex United (BTIU), which last week made its debut at a press conference calling for equal rights for transgender Bahamians. In response, Mr Miller said: “If you want to like man, that’s your damn business but don’t try to impose your will on other people.” He told this newspaper that he was of the view that members of the transgender community were currently being treated equally because “they are men therefore you go and live like a man, you are a woman (so) you live like a woman.” This he said was equality in the eyes of God.

BAMBOO Town MP Renward Wells yesterday called for the government to immediately provide funding for the campaigns opposing the gender equality referendum. Mr Wells, a member of the FNM, said he would “proudly” vote against the fourth bill as he defended the validity of opposition campaigns, noting that there were credible arguments against all of the Constitutional Amendment Bills. He said the government was duty bound to provide equal funding for all campaigns. “If the government is going to promote and fund the ‘yes’ vote,” he said, “then the government, in a constitutional referendum, is duty bound to fund the ‘no’ vote campaign as well to the exact dollar amount. That is what happens in a democracy in order for there to be equity. SEE PAGE FIVE

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net

SAVE Our Bahamas yesterday said the Christie administration has not shown any interest in “balancing the tables” ahead of the gender equality referendum, stressing that it has “unfairly” thrown its full support behind the government funded YES Bahamas campaign. Pastor Lyall Bethel, a SEE PAGE FIVE

SEE PAGE SIX

now faces. He said anyone who disagreed with this is “deluding” themselves. He was responding to the leak – which he called a “bad idea” – of a chain of emails sent among FNM members of Parliament after Fort Charlotte MP Dr Andre Rollins wrote to party Leader Dr Hubert Minnis asking for his consideration in appointing Dr Duane Sands to the Senate. SEE PAGE THREE

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

GOVT ‘NOT INTERESTED IN FUNDING RIVAL CAMPAIGN’

FORMER CHAIRMAN CALLS FOR EARLY FNM CONVENTION

By KHRISNA VIRGIL Tribune Staff Reporter kvirgil@tribunemedia.net FORMER Free National Movement Chairman Darron Cash was adamant yesterday that a “clean up” of the FNM must take place, as the party could not contest the next general election with “splintered leadership”. An early convention, Mr Cash said, was the only credible solution to the “current morass” the party

WELLS TO ‘PROBABLY’ VOTE NO ON BILL FOUR

RICARDO BAIN, aged 44, left, and Herman Pinder, aged 31, who have both been discharged from the police force and admitted stealing phones from BTC. Photos: Tim Clarke/Tribune Staff

POLICE OFFICERS GUILTY OF STEALING PHONES FROM BTC

By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

TWO former policemen who took advantage of their former positions to commit theft may spend 18 months in prison if they fail to pay a $3,000 fine imposed on them by a magistrate. Within hours of their dismissal from the Royal Bahamas Police Force, exConstables Ricardo Bain, 44, and Herman Pinder, 31, appeared before Magistrate Andrew Forbes to face stealing and receiving

charges stemming from a break-in at the Bahamas Telecommunications Company’s (BTC) JFK location in the RND West Plaza. Magistrate Forbes, after the pair admitted guilt, expressed his perplexity at the poor judgment of Bain and Pinder who served 26 and seven years respectively on the force. “I’m always lost for words when I have persons, who have been designated with the principal responsibility of the protection of Bahamian society, finding themselves before me charged

with such facts,” Magistrate Forbes said. “I cannot quite grasp how two officers who had been attending an alleged break-in made the decision that they were going, rather than investigate the breakin, instead help themselves to (the) merchandise in the store. “How does one go from ‘I’m here to engage in protecting and serving the public’ to ‘I’m going to enrich myself’? How does one make that leap mentally?”

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CHIPMAN VOWS 100% BACKING FOR MINNIS

By SANCHESKA BROWN Tribune Satff Reporter sbrown@tribunemedia.net ST ANNE’S MP Hubert Chipman said yesterday he supports FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis “100 per cent” and the party is investigating who leaked confidential emails between himself, other members of the FNM and Dr Minnis to the press. Mr Chipman told The Tribune that he feels like the “world is shooting at the FNM” and every time they begin to work on their internal issues, someone tries to sabotage them. SEE PAGE THREE


PAGE 2, Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Toll increase comes into effect for PI bridge

THE new toll fares to cross the Paradise Island bridge have now come into operation. The increased tolls came into effect on Sunday - seeing car drivers having to pay double the previous $1 fee. Commercial vehicles under seven feet in height, taxis and motorcycles also now pay $2 each. Commercial vehicles taller than seven feet but with two axles pay $4, while those with three or more axles must pay $6. Photos: Tim Clarke/ Tribune Staff

THE TRIBUNE


THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, May 3, 2016, PAGE 3

Sands approached to become FNM senator

By SANCHESKA BROWN Tribune Satff Reporter sbrown@tribunemedia.net FORMER Free National Movement Deputy Chairman Dr Duane Sands said yesterday he has been approached by the leadership of the party to become the party’s next senator. In an interview with The Tribune, Dr Sands said “there have been many different conversations, from many different angles” but stressed the decision ultimately lies with FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis. His comments came one day after media reports that FNM members were agitating for Dr Sands to replace Kwasi Thompson in the Senate as Mr Thompson reportedly is “not offering himself for the next election.” In a leaked email thread, Ft Charlotte MP Dr Andre Rollins urged Dr Minnis to remove Mr Thompson “to have every Senate seat occupied by individuals who will be running in the next general election.” According to the leaked emails, Long Island MP Loretta Butler Turner, St Anne’s MP Hubert Chipman and Montagu MP Richard Lightbourn all backed Dr Rollins’ comments. When contacted yesterday, Dr Sands said while he is flattered to have the support of his colleagues “no decision has been made.” “I am a team player and if it is in the interest of the leadership of the FNM to have me contribute to the party and the country in the role as senator, I am happy and willing to serve,” Dr Sands said. “There have been conversations from different angles. However, what the outcome of these conversations will be is up to the leader. He makes the decision and we leave it up to him. I hope the leadership of the FNM is not made gun shy about a decision now that

I am a team player and if it is in the interest of the leadership of the FNM to have me contribute to the party and the country in the role as senator, I am happy and willing to serve.’ Dr Duane Sands

these comments have made their way into the public domain.” Dr Sands also questioned how the emails were leaked to the press but said they prove that the FNM is able to have “objective conversations” even when they disagree. “When things like this happen, it impacts the public’s perception of the FNM but at least the public can see that the conversation was objective,” Dr Sands said. In the leaked email thread, Mr Chipman said the FNM was a “parked car going nowhere.” In reference to those comments, Dr Sands said Mr Chipman was speaking candidly because he assumed the conversation was “confidential”. “When you believe your comments are confidential, you tend to use language less measured and more impassioned than if you believe you are under a spotlight,” Dr Sands said. Dr Sands previously served as a senator in the last Ingraham administration. He ran unsuccessfully for the FNM’s deputy post at the party’s convention in 2014. He was recently ratified as the FNM’s candidate for Elizabeth in the upcoming election, a seat he has lost twice to PLP candidate Ryan Pinder, once in the 2012 general election and in the 2010 bye-election.

FORMER CHAIRMAN CALLS FOR EARLY FNM CONVENTION

from page one

Dr Rollins asked for Dr Sands to replace Senator Kwasi Thompson as he said he was informed that the senator would not be seeking re-election in the next general election. He further argued that the appointment of Dr Sands to the Senate would signal that the FNM was readying itself to “bring the fight” to the Progressive Liberal Party. Several FNM MPs including Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner, St Anne’s MP Hubert Chipman, Central and South Abaco MP Edison Key and Montagu MP Richard Lightbourn responded in the email chain expressing support for the decision. Some of the replies in the email chain appeared criti-

cal of the party’s leadership. “It is my considered view that the FNM needs an early convention,” Mr Cash wrote yesterday in the last of three related posts on his Facebook page. “For a spell, it seemed that we could survive without a convention that involved a leadership showdown. I no longer feel that is possible or wise even if it was. It would be unwise to permit the recurring circular firing squad to continue for months. Men and women of courage can face firing squads. But it is worse when you do not know where the shots are coming from, as in the leak of the ‘communication’.” He continued: “Clean up must take place and the party must then move forward. The FNM cannot persist in being a party of

CHIPMAN VOWS 100% BACKING FOR MINNIS

from page one

His comments came after an email thread from Ft Charlotte MP Dr Andre Rollins, advising Dr Minnis to remove Kwasi Thompson as senator and appoint Dr Duane Sands, along with responses from other MPs was published in a newspaper yesterday. In one email, Mr Chipman said he believes the FNM is “a parked car going nowhere”. Yesterday, Mr Chipman said whoever did this “malicious act” was trying to cause further discord within the party. He said he believes the emails were leaked by a member of the FNM but would not speculate as to who he thought it was. “Those were personal emails to the leader and let me make it clear, I support Dr Minnis 100 per cent. I thought it was malicious. These were internal emails that were addressed to the leader. “All we were trying to do was push for Dr Sands. That is something positive and someone is trying to

make it negative,” Mr Chipman told this newspaper. “They tried to make it look like we were bullying when we were just suggesting. We were just in the House of Assembly talking about leaked emails and now we are doing the same foolishness. This is terrible. “I do not believe any account was hacked, I believe someone leaked it. They are trying to cause problems within the party, trying to cause an uproar. “We are trying to move forward and get past our issues and it looks as if the world is shooting at the FNM,” Mr Chipman said. Earlier this year, FNM Deputy Leader Peter Turnquest said despite being perceived as a fractured organisation, the Official Opposition “is still a united force to reckon with” ahead of the 2017 general election. The party has been dogged with a series of internal spats that have been made public. Despite Mr Turnquest’s assurances, a source within the party recently said “chaos is underway behind the scenes”.

splintered leadership at the top. An early convention is the only credible solution to the current morass. In my view, anyone who suggests otherwise is deluding themselves.” Mr Cash also stressed that the constant leak of the FNM’s internal communications reflected poorly on its members who now appear unable to keep their own secrets. “Add to that the irony that upon taking the oath as Cabinet ministers, members of this now government-in-waiting will swear that they will not divulge Cabinet secrets. The fresh Cabinet manual will instruct them that ‘in no circumstance may the nature of the discussion or of the

opinions expressed by individual members of Cabinet be divulged.’ From the outside looking in it appears that no one should be trusted. This is after all a very small group. I have not seen the ‘communication’ but I would be interested to know if Dr Minnis had anything to say. After all, both he and I have been here before on the receiving end of leaks.” Mr Cash also said presidents and prime ministers go to great lengths to

prevent the public release of advice given to them primarily so that advisors can speak freely and honestly. Public release of that advice, especially when it is not on a policy matter, is counterproductive, Mr Cash said. Mr Cash served as FNM

chairman from 2012 to 2014. In November of that year, he contested the FNM deputy leader’s position at the party’s convention, but lost to East Grand Bahama MP Peter Turnquest. The FNM’s next convention is scheduled for November.


PAGE 4, Tuesday, May 3, 2016

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Trump has a ‘plan B’ for convention - outside help WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump has a Plan B if he’s faced with a contested convention, and it involves the sort of outside groups that he’s called “corrupt”. While the billionaire businessman might lock up the Republican presidential nomination in the next five weeks of voting, he and his allies are simultaneously undertaking a parallel effort in case he falls short. Outside groups, including one led by longtime Trump political ally Roger Stone, and a loose collection of colourful supporters such as “Bikers for Trump” are organising ahead of the July convention in Cleveland. They’re soliciting money to pay for their transportation and housing, and they’re already trying to influence the mood of the convention with a social media campaign saying that anything short of a Trump nomination would be “stealing”. “Our principal focus right now is Cleveland,” Stone said of his group, called Stop the Steal. “We want to bring as large a contingent as possible to demonstrate the breadth of Trump’s appeal so that the party can see graphically what they’re going to lose if they hijack the nomination from him.” Stop the Steal and other groups are gaining steam even though Trump has insisted he wants no donor help for his bid and is beholden to no one. Super political action committees “are a disaster, by the way, folks,” Trump said at a Republican debate in March. “Very corrupt.” Stop the Steal is not technically a super PAC, but it operates under very similar rules. This past week, Trump’s lawyers sent the Federal Election Commission a letter renewing the campaign’s disavowal of groups using his “name, image, likeness, or slogans in connection with soliciting contributions.” All the groups planning Cleveland activities repeatedly use his name in their literature. Trump set the stage for what the outside groups are doing by making provocative comments about the complex way Republicans pick a nominee — “rigged,” he calls it. Voters weigh in, but each state has its own rules about what delegates go to the convention and how they must vote on a presidential candidate while they’re there. Stop the Steal and other Trump fans are pushing a similar message on social media and websites. “The big steal is in full swing,” one online letter says, calling unfriendly delegates “stooges.” The Stone-led Cleveland coalition includes We Will Walk, Bikers for Trump, Citizens for Trump and Women for Trump. Stone said the goal is to bring thousands of people to march peacefully in the streets. “We are prepared to bring the Republican Party down if they mess with Trump and try to take it away from him by doing the dirty tricks,” said Paul Nagy, a New Hampshire Republican. He runs We Will Walk, a group that has collected more than 41,000 online signatures of people who say Trump deserves the nomination.

The public relations offensive is a counterpart to GOP rival Ted Cruz’s carefully crafted, labour-intensive strategy of recruiting friendly delegates in hopes he can win if Trump falls short on the first ballot of voting. This weekend in Arizona, Cruz won another strategic victory over Trump, getting numerous friendly delegates elected to head to Cleveland while the Trump backers appeared to be virtually shut out. Those delegates are required to first vote for Trump at the convention because he won the state, but they could later switch their votes to Cruz. While Cruz is playing within the party’s rules, Trump’s claim that what Cruz is doing amounts to “stealing” resonates with voters. In mid-April, after Cruz swept Colorado’s elected delegates, stay-at-home mom Erin Behrens said she felt sick about what was happening to her candidate. So Stop the Steal helped her organize protests in the state. Stone and an ally, Greg Lewis, flew in to help Behrens answer email and arrange a rally. At the April 15 event in Denver, about 200 demonstrators waved banners that read “Banana Republicans” and chanted “Stop the Steal!” Behrens said in an interview last week that she’s continuing to organise Trump supporters in Colorado. “If there’s funny business and they make it clear they’re going to not give it to Trump, Stop the Steal Cleveland will be one thing,” she said. “But we will have protests, events across the United States. Count on it.” A good chunk of what the outside groups are doing now is fundraising. “Bottom line we need to raise $262,000 in the next two weeks,” Stop the Steal’s website says. “If you can’t make it to Cleveland will you help those who can? Will you send $500, $200 or even $100 to this crucial effort?” A different pro-Trump group, Great America PAC, also is raising money for a Cleveland effort. This one is led by William Doddridge, chief executive officer of the Jewellery Exchange. Its commercials warn that “party elites” will try to seize the nomination from Trump at the convention and suggest that people stop that from happening by calling an 800 number and giving money. It needs the help. The group’s latest fundraising report, covering through the end of March, shows it is more than $600,000 in debt. The super PAC can take unlimited contributions from individuals, corporations and unions. Trump’s lawyers have specifically asked it to cease operations. Stop the Steal isn’t a super PAC, the category of outside group that attracts the most ire from Trump, Stone said. But it’s a distinction without a difference. It is organised as a political nonprofit “527” group that files periodic disclosure reports about its donors and spending with the Internal Revenue Service rather than the Federal Election Commission. Like an FEC-monitored super PAC, a 527 can take unlimited amounts of money from individuals, corporations and unions. By Julie Bykowicz of the Associated Press

Frederick Bain

EDITOR,The Tribune.

IN the year 1975, a period in the life of our country when the fascination and intrigue of travelling abroad and the haunting images of opportunity of success especially in the United States, preoccupied our minds. The consciousness of many Bahamian students were revived as to the vital importance of a tertiary education. As a result of this awareness, scores of students exercised their options upon completion of high school to pursue a college education preferably in America, rather than enter the employment arena.

The gradually increasing anti-social activies amongst our male population, twenty-three young men decided to enlist in the Royal Bahamas Police College as recruits. They committed themselves to performing a national service for their country. Amongst these men, including myself was Fredrick Bain, who was assigned the number 116 and we were integrated into B Squad 1975. This would signal the commencement and establishment of a bond and friendship that would survive forty years, even though in the intervening years we travelled in different directions precipitated

by the vicissitudes of life. As I reflect on the way we were and in memory of Fredrick “Uncle” Bain, I would have to include portions of our squad song composed by recruit constable 249 Josey. “On the 12th May, 1975 our squad was formed; twenty-three young men so bold to take a stand in our land. For united we stand, divided we fall and if our backs should ever be against the wall, we been together you and I”. Rest on “Uncle” and thanks for the memories. FRANKLY JOSEY Nassau, April, 2016.

The vote facing The Bahamas EDITOR, The Tribune. WE ALREADY have a discrimination in our laws where residents may not gamble in the licensed casinos but that is covered and exempted by direct mention of the fact that it is discriminating. I do tend to agree with Justice Sawyer but would never had admitted that I had not read the proposed amendments as there is no doubt, unintentionally at least one of the proposals is creating discrimination and as Chief Justice Longley suggested after the Red Mass in January 2016, Article 4 could be challenged. I suspect if a referendum was taken on the issue of Should Citizenship be given to anyone other than a born child of a Bahamian as high as 95 per cent would respond in the negative. Convention globally it is accepted that a country offers citizenship, subject qualification written in Law to apply and be processed within a reasonable time two- three-four as many as

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net ten years is not acceptable. The usual basic qualification to start is continuous legal residency of five years. Article 26 defines and requires under law (not ‘policy’) broadly there will be no discrimination. Defining Marriage special circumstances for unwed persons - males or females, non-Bahamian married to Bahamians I suggest is a form of discrimination that is why we could be making a serious mistake by trying to be too broad in what is proposed and by definition. It surely is so much easier if we accept - a child born to a Bahamian is Bahamian. For the rest in a non-discriminatory approach by a simple qualification, written in Law, after five years of legal and continuous residency you may apply for citizenship. Unfortunately, since 1973 actually illegally policy has

governed the issuance of Citizenship and Permanent Residency. Process cannot be as with so many cases, not months or even one-two years, but three-four-fivesix and even ten more years and still waiting for process. It is seriously ironic that today very much the norm the heterosexual does not marry - keeps sweetheart whilst the gays demand the legal right to marriage - not an oxymoron? It might be too late this time we might get this right after the fathers at the Constitutional Conference in London imposed, 43 years ago and all agreed not to give women equal rights and solely because we signed onto the UN Women’s Rights Convention this is being proposed. If a No vote is the will of those who vote then what really changes - We’ve lived with this status for 43 years, and few made any noise. I see women run The Bahamas! L HUMES Nassau, May 1, 2016.

The best price may not be the best pick EDITOR, The Tribune. ACCORDING to the Bahamian press, as well as the Prime Minister and Mr Winder himself, Sarkis Izmirlian’s offer to buy back Baha Mar seems to be unbeatable. But there is a Gorilla in the room. Mr Izmirlian has a condition that can hardly be attractive to the Chinese Exim Bank, regardless of their loan being paid in full. The Gorilla is that CCA Bahamas, a “cousin company” be removed as the contractor to finish this project. In other words for the Chinese Governmentowned Exim bank to be made whole, another Chinese Government-owned company would be removed from completing the project. Traditionally Chinese

would rather lose money than loosing “face”. Then there is the disturbing speculation that the owner of the Pointe in Nassau, CCA Bahamas is one of the parties interested in “taking over” Baha Mar. CCA America may be a world-wide contractor but it has a past record that is hardly commendable as a responsible contractor, not to mention as a resort operator. Blacklisted by the World Bank for numerous projects infected with the same virus that brought down Baha Mar, CCA is hardly qualified to be an operator of Baha Mar. Regardless of how the (surely opaque) financial agreements might be arranged between two Chinese government owned companies, the future financial health of this coun-

try is extremely dependent on Baha Mar being a success as a resort. Getting the best price for the project is not necessarily in the best interests of this country. Rather, it is getting the best price from the most competent operator of this resort. The liquidators should have a duty to not only get the best price for this mega resort which is so big that the failure of Baha Mar as a business would surely have an unknowable disastrously negative affect on the financial future of The Bahamas, but they should also have an interest in picking an investor that can fire up this financial engine in the best interests of the Bahamas. CURTIS CAMPAIGNE Nassau, May 1, 2016.


THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, May 3, 2016, PAGE 5

‘Govt brainwashing Bahamians for vote’ By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

SAVE Our Bahamas took its vote “no” campaign to Grand Bahama, with committee member Pastor Lyall Bethel telling a forum that the YES Bahamas campaign is no longer about educating, but rather about “brainwashing” Bahamians. He believes it is unfair that taxpayers’ money is financing the vote “yes” commercials that are being repeatedly aired on ZNS, the government-run broadcast network, when the other side is not being given equal opportunity to present its views in the same way. “During ZNS’ 30 minute newscast there were five or more vote ‘yes’ commercials - it is no longer about information, it is brainwashing with taxpayers’ money,” said Pastor Bethel in Freeport. “We have asked government about funding because both sides need to be properly financed and we have yet to hear from them; we made a request and we think it is patently unfair. This is not a brainwashing campaign it is (supposed to be) an educational one where both sides should be known. If they are so secure in their argument, then let us have the same funds to get our argument across,” he said. Save Our Bahamas does not support the fourth Constitutional Amendment Bill over fears that it will lead to gay marriage. The fourth bill seeks to end discrimination based on sex. The group invited Pastor Rex Major, Harvey Tynes, QC, and Marco City MP Gregory Moss to speak about the bills at a pastors’ forum at Calvary Temple Church in Freeport last Friday. Pastor Bethel said: “The bill we considered to be most problematic is bill four, which is not really about gender equality.” “We already have gender equality in our Constitution. There is an Employment Act where you can’t discriminate against a male or female. The former deputy prime minister was a female, and most of the school principals are females – one has to look far

and wide to find men.” He added: “What we have been finding is that other side (say ‘yes’ campaign) is not arguing fairly, and say that (those who support the vote ‘no’ campaign) are misogynist, and homophobes.” “They say we don’t have the arguments, but we do. We have a QC and Greg Moss who are saying where the danger lies in the bills. It is our intent to tell pastors to educate their congregation to know where the issues arise.” Pastor Bethel said the group is not against women’s rights. “We are for equality of women and we find it distasteful when someone says that to vote ‘no’ is tantamount to being against women and children. I was raised by a single mother, and I have a wife and two daughters, and I would do nothing to endanger them having a future.” When asked about transgender individuals saying they want equality, Pastor Major, who sat on the first Constitutional Commission in 2002, responded that marriage is not based on equality. “Marriage is not a right,” Pastor Major said. “If it was, why does not a man marry his daughter, and why don’t two sisters get married? We must have some boundaries. You have to have some line which is drawn and we adopted the biblical Christian line because that is what we say we are. We say it in the Constitution that we have an abiding respect for Christian values.” Mr Tynes, QC, thinks that all four bills are flawed, but his main complaint is with bill two. This bill would give the foreign husband of a Bahamian woman the same right to apply for citizenship that the foreign spouse of a Bahamian man currently enjoys. However this would not be automatic and be subject to review by immigration officials. He said: “It gives to any foreign person who marries a person who is Bahamian or becomes a Bahamian the right to be registered as a Bahamian citizen. I believe there are rights and privileges that go with citizenship that ought not be given to any foreign person based purely on their question of marriage.” A referendum will be held on these issues on June 7.

WELLS TO ‘PROBABLY’ VOTE NO ON BILL FOUR

from page one

“We are having an equality referendum and you are not being equal and equitable in your promotion with tax payer dollars. They shouldn’t fund the ‘no’ campaign two days before the vote either, that’s disingenuous. They should be doing that right now.” It was confirmed last month that the government was providing funds to the vote “yes” campaign. Activist group Citizens for Justice has said it will take legal action against the government this week hoping to force it to provide public funds to the vote “no” campaigns. Attorney Paul Moss, who represents the group, said that CFJ may request an injunction to prevent the government from continuing to fund the YES Bahamas campaign - or might even ask for an injunction on the referendum itself. CFJ is opposed to the fourth and second bills. Another vote “no” group, Save Our Bahamas, whose members are opposed to bill four, asked last month for $100,000 of public funds.

Several church leaders also made public declarations in support of a “yes” vote, including Bishop Neil Ellis of Global United Fellowship of Churches, Bishop Laish Boyd of the Anglican Diocese and Archbishop Patrick Pinder of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese. Meanwhile, Mr Wells questioned how religious opponents of the 2002 referendum could justify their support of the 2016 bills. “The PLP’s opposition to the exact same bill in 2001 was legitimate, or was it propaganda? Because some very cogent arguments were used as to why the Bahamian people shouldn’t vote yes at that time. “Some of the same pastors who were opposed to the bill then are promoting it now. So was it propaganda back then, or now have they seen the truth? None of them have come out and said they were wrong. “Is it because the PLP is putting it out now?” The bills were passed in the House of Assembly on March 2. The first bill was passed by all 37 members present in the House of Assembly. Marco City MP Greg Moss voted against bill two and bill three

was passed with the full support of the members present in the Lower Chamber. The fourth bill, which was the most controversial, was passed by a vote of 34 members of Parliament supporting it, two voting no and one abstaining. Mr Moss and Mr Wells voted against the bill while Central Grand Bahama MP Neko Grant abstained. St Anne’s MP Hubert Chipman was absent from the vote due to illness. It was Mr Wells’ opinion that opposition campaigns have been stigmatised by political figures as negative or illegitimate but the vote was not a political matter. “The Constitution sets the boundaries for the way government operates and the way the citizenry operates and treats each other. “Those pastors who are out there, they ought not be castigated for putting out their view. “I will proudly vote no on bill four,” Mr Wells said. “There are cogent arguments on bills one, two, and three as well, but as it stands now I will vote for those.” The gender equality referendum will be held on June 7.

Chairman Sean McWeeney has said for legal reasons both the “yes” and “no” campaigns should have public funds. According to Pastor Bethel, the government has no interest in funding opposing views out of fear that the June 7 vote would fail. Pastor Bethel said the government was more focused on silencing opposing views than on ensuring a balanced educational campaign. He referred to comments by former Court of Appeal President Dame Joan Sawyer. Dame Joan recently told The Nassau Guardian that she didn’t see the need for the June 7 vote, insisting that if she were to take part in the referendum, she would vote no because she saw no issue with the current status of women in the country. However, she made this statement after admitting that she had not read the four proposed bills. “All of this is sad,” Pastor Bethel told the Tribune yesterday. “Anyone that isn’t talking the right narrative is being completely destroyed. Dame Joan Sawyer, one of the brightest legal minds in this country, is now being ridiculed because she opted to point out her take on these bills.” Attorney General Allyson Maynard-Gibson, responding to Dame Joan’s comments, said the main purpose of the referendum is to ensure that “equality under our laws be enshrined in our

nation’s most important legal document”, and Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner said she was “bothered” by the former chief justice’s declaration that if she did vote, she would vote no, despite not reading any of the proposed questions. Then, former PLP Cabinet minister George Smith said Dame Joan’s comments showed that she was “absolutely mistaken”. Pastor Bethel added: “Now her legal knowledge isn’t up to par? I have read and listened with great interest the reports that smear and misrepresent what she said. This entire ordeal is sad. I’m sorry, just because someone opposes your stance on a matter, that doesn’t give you the right as a government to attack them.” On Monday the YES Bahamas campaign announced that it would launch an educational hotline to answer questions and aid the public with information pertaining to the constitutional amendments. The campaign said the hotline would be staffed by lawyers trained on the issues involved in the referendum. The hotline will launch at 5pm this evening and will be available weekdays from 5pm to 9pm and 9am to 1pm on weekends. To contact the hotline, call 3223010/11/12.

GOVT ‘NOT INTERESTED IN FUNDING RIVAL CAMPAIGN’ from page one

member of the religious group urging a no vote to constitutional amendment four on the grounds that it would open the door to same-sex marriage, said the government wasn’t ready to be “accountable and fair” in this situation. He added that the Christie administration has labelled any group that opposes its stance as “fearmongers”. He also insisted that the YES Bahamas campaign was a “brainwashing mechanism” by the Christie administration. He stressed that YES Bahamas was not attempting to educate the public on the legal and social context of the four constitutional amendments as proposed. “There is no education taking place. That group since its inception has done nothing but called for a ‘yes’ vote. Where is the education in that?” He lambasted the Christie administration for its refusal to fund groups opposing a “yes” vote. The group previously wrote to Prime Minister Perry Christie requesting $100,000. Senate President Sharon Wilson, co-chair of the YES Bahamas campaign, confirmed to The Tribune that public funds are fuelling the group’s campaign. Constitutional Commission

SHAQUILLE Munroe at court yesterday.

Photo: Tim Clarke/Tribune Staff

MAN ACCUSED OF JAYNELL PIERRE MURDER

By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was remanded to prison yesterday after he was arraigned in connection with a murder that occurred a month ago. Shaquille Munroe, 23, of Elizabeth Estates stood before Magistrate Andrew Forbes accused of intentionally causing the death of Jaynell Pierre on April 2. According to reports, shortly after 6pm on the day in question, Pierre was sitting near an establishment located on Churchill Ave-

nue when three men armed with a handgun approached and shot him before fleeing in a green Honda vehicle. He was taken to hospital, but died of his injuries. Munroe has been charged with murder under Section 291 (1)(B) of the Penal Code. A charge under this section does not attract the discretionary death penalty if a conviction is reached at the end of trial. He was not allowed to enter a plea to the charge due to the nature of the offence. He will be able to do so after the case is forward-

ed to the Supreme Court through the presentation of a voluntary bill of indictment scheduled for May 31. He was remanded to the Department of Correctional Services without bail. However, he can apply for a bond to the higher court. Munroe was not represented in yesterday’s arraignment.

The subsidiary of an International Financial Institution is looking for a

LATAM Relationship Manager Private Banking Core Responsibilities Develop the Latin American Market through identification and acquisition of new direct clients as well as eligible professional business introducers and asset managers specialised in the region. Promote the jurisdication and the institution and its services Possess a book of clients Reports to the Head of Private Banking The position is open to candidates who match the following profile: • • • • • • • • • •

Bachelor’s Degree in Business or Finance Minimum 7-10 years advanced experience in and excellent knowledge of private banking and trust services Has established networks with existing portfolios Willing to travel Ability to work under pressure Flexibility in office hours and hands-on approach when required Goal-oriented, self-motivated, positive attitude and outlook Excellent oral and written communication, public presentation and client relationship management skills Proficiency in Microsoft Office Fluent in English and Spanish (Portuguese, French, German and/or Italian would be an advantage)

Interested persons should submit their curriculum vitae along with a cover letter by January 15th, 2016 addressed to:

Private & Confidential Relationship Manager Latin America DA 117801 c/o The Tribune Box P.O.Box N-3207 Nassau, Bahamas

Only those candidates meeting the above criteria will be contacted for an interview.


PAGE 6, Tuesday, May 3, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

Fewer vendors to operate at this year’s Carnival

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net THE Bahamas National Festival Commission has “scaled back” the number of vendors that will operate at this weekend’s Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival festivities, BNFC CEO Roscoe Dames said yesterday. Mr Dames said the commission has “streamlined” its operations and made the necessary “adjustments and cuts” to this year’s budget, allowing for just over 60 food vendors and just under 20 craft vendors to be in operation this weekend, as opposed to the estimated 200 vendors that rented booths during last year’s festivities. Mr Dames also said that every effort has been made by the BNFC and the Ministry of Finance to be “responsible and prudent” in the way it coordinates its expenditure for Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival, and has taken advice from both critics and supporters of Junkanoo Carnival “so that we could have a much leaner and more efficient operation.” Mr Dames’ comments came during a press conference at BNFC headquarters. Last year, several vendors told The Tribune that last year’s inaugural Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival was the “biggest financial disappointment” of their lives. At the time, BNFC Chairman Paul Major said that

during the festival, he with other commission officials observed “low volumes” of people patronising vendors who were stationed on both the eastern and western ends of the carnival site. As a result, Mr Major said around 30 to 40 vendors did not pocket the kind of money they had anticipated. According to a commission official, food vendors paid $450 to operate during the festival while craft vendors paid $300 to sell items at the cultural village. The BNFC also faced strong criticism for going over-budget, lack of proper planning, not enough international marketing and not announcing a headliner for the festival’s concert sooner. Yesterday however, Adrian Thompson, BNFC logistics manager, said rather than the estimated 200 vendors in operation at last year’s festivities, this year’s Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival will see over 60 food vendors, 22 of whom will be stationed on Clifford Park with four craft vendors. An additional 15 craft vendors will be stationed in the cultural village along with over 40 food vendors, Mr Thompson said. “We’ve learnt a number of lessons from critics, those who opposed carnival and those who loved carnival we took everyone’s advice, whether solicited or unsolicited and we put it into our programme so that we could have a much leaner and more efficient

ZAMAR vice-president Kay-Andra Gardiner, executive director Unique Bahamas International Patrick McGrew, CEO BNFC Roscoe Dames and logistics manager Adrian Thompson at yesterday’s press conference. Photo: Tim Clarke/Tribune Staff operation,” Mr Dames said yesterday. Mr Dames also said BNFC has put stronger attention on its expenditure with this year’s carnival festivities, and has taken into consideration “all of the expenses that we had last year and where we can make adjustments and cuts.” “We were mandated to take a closer look to what we need as opposed to what we want, and our needs were addressed first, and our wants were considered where possible,” he

added. “So every effort, from the Ministry of Finance to the BNFC, every effort has been made to be responsible and prudent in the way we spend for Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival, the way we invest. Spending is one thing, but we’re making a significant investment in the country and for the country.” Mr Dames also said that the number of international media that has taken an interest in Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival has “doubled”

from last year’s festivities. “I mean, they want to be here,” he said. “They heard about it and they want to come. To have 100 media from all over the world speaks volumes to 2017.” Junkanoo Carnival will take place on May 5-7 in New Providence. The festival will see performances from Trinidadian soca singer Destra, Grammy award winning Haitian hip-hop artist Wyclef Jean and Jamaican reggae star Tarrus Riley. The festival will also fea-

ture a mix of Bahamian artists and other international performers. Regional soca artists Ricardo Drue, Kerwin Du Bois, Farmer Nappy, Rupee, Fadda Fox, Patrice Roberts, Skinny Fabulous, Bunji Garlin and Lyrical will hit the stage during the three-day festival. Bahamian performers, including Elon Moxey, the Blue Band Connection, Willis and the Illest, Veronica Bishop, Ira Storr, Funky D and Puzzle, will also perform.

POLICE OFFICERS GUILTY OF STEALING PHONES FROM BTC

from page one

“I’m sitting here trying to grasp that. How did two senior officers come to that decision?” “An officer of 26 years experience on the police force makes that decision? Not the decision that ‘I will call in senior officers to ascertain whether or not (the) Scenes of Crime Unit needs to come in, take fingerprints, photographs, see whether or not suspects might still be in the area. No. I’m going to remove the cell phones out of the establishment. And here we are before a court not as witnesses in a criminal matter but defendants in a case.” The judge added: “And for what... $435 worth of phones you’ve lost your careers? You’ve lost the respect of your colleagues and face the possibility of going to prison.” Police prosecutor Supt Ercell Dorsett told the magistrate that the officers were dispatched to investigate a

break-in at the store in the RND Plaza on Thursday night, April 29. The officers, instead, allegedly helped themselves to three Samsung J1A cell phones which they stuffed in their bosom area. The alleged theft was captured on the store’s hidden cameras. “They were confronted but they denied doing so. It was not until they were confronted with surveillance that they acknowledged it,” the prosecutor said. Devard Francis, lawyer for Pinder, told the court that his client had not wasted the court’s time. “He is remorseful and contrite for his actions,” the lawyer said, further stressing to the magistrate that Pinder was the breadwinner for his family. “Everyone has made mistakes and I’d ask you to temper justice with mercy,” Mr Francis added. Maria Daxon, lawyer for Bain, said her client is remorseful for his actions and knew “he made a bad judgment call.”

“I’m asking the court to be lenient. These men have served this country for years,” Ms Daxon stressed. Magistrate Forbes said the sole mitigating factor in their favour was their lack of antecedents and pending matters before the court. “What is certainly aggravating is the defendants are former police officers who ought to have known better,” the magistrate stressed. Notwithstanding this, the magistrate said an immediate custodial sentence was not a fitting punishment for their actions. He ordered that they each pay a fine of $3,000 by Friday or spend 18 months at the Department of Correctional Services. “The reason I’m imposing the fine is perhaps you will financially recognise your behaviour was reprehensible,” the magistrate explained, stressing that they caused embarrassment to the RBPF and potentially diminished society’s trust in the law enforcement agency.

THE GUILTY officers, centre, outside court yesterday.

Photo: Tim Clarke/Tribune Staff

MILLER: EXILE TRANSGENDERS

from page one

Death Notice For

Lealand A. Lightbourn, 78 a resident of #7 Reginal Road, Perpall’s Tract, died at Princess Margaret Hospital on Friday, April 29, 2016. He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Emerald Lightbourn; 6 children: Gordon “G.O.” Lightbourn, Marvin “Whabby” Lightbourn, Melanie “Melly LightbournRowe, Denalda “Dede” Alexandre, Erica Lightbourn and Jason “Flava” Lightbourn; 7 grandchildren; 2 brothers: Alvin “Ellie” Lightbourn & Llewellyn “Lu Lu” Lightbourn; 2 sisters: Petrina “Trina” McPhee & Angela “Angie” Lightbourn; 1 son-in-law: Timothy Alexandre; aunts: Lillian Rolle of Eight Mile Rock, Grand Bahama and Velma Smith of USA; numerous nieces & nephews & a host of other relatives & friends.

BTIU representatives have called on the Christie administration to ensure that the fundamental rights of all genders of Bahamians - male, female and transgender - are protected. “I have children and grandchildren and we (are in) a society that is already fractured with all the damn crimes and things that are happening in our country,” Mr Miller said when contacted for comment. “Why is it that everybody has to have their own way in our country? We are supposed to be a Christian nation and all you got is fighting between one church and the next. “These transgender, or whatever you call them, is against the will of God so why would we as a people want to go against the will of God to have these people say what they want from what they don’t want. You are either a man or a woman. “God should hurry up and come and get this over and done with so we don’t have to worry about them. Just come stop the world.”

These transgender, or whatever you call them, is against the will of God so why would we as a people want to go against the will of God to have these people say what they want from what they don’t want.’

He continued: “If God sent you here to repopulate the world for us to live in society in harmony and in peace, (why) you have people who don’t want to produce any babies and who don’t have the capacity to produce children? What purpose do they serve here on this earth? Tell me what purpose they serve? Man can’t make babies with man (and) woman can’t make baby with woman. What purpose (do) they serve?” Asked if he believed that the public opinion on the transgender and gay communities could affect the outcome of the referendum

that seeks to ensure both men and women have equal rights in the Constitution, Mr Miller said they should keep their “sadistic” and “sordid” actions to themselves. He added that if Bahamians allowed the views of a small group to cause the vote to be unsuccessful, it would be the electorate’s fault. According to BTIU spokesperson Alexus D’Marco, there are more than 50 transgender male, female and youth living in the Bahamas. “So what do we do? Just give them some place where they could go and (be) safe,” Mr Miller said. “Everybody make a contribution (to) put them on a nice island and just play with each other for the rest of their lives if that’s what they want to do. “Because they ain’t going to make babies. So soon they’ll die. You got to be able to produce to have the next generation so that will be the last generation of them. “I will be the first one to make a contribution to them. I’ll give them $1,000 right now. Build them a nice

beautiful setting on a nice cay and say this is Eden right there and they go right there. To us, it would be Sodom and Gomorrah, but to them it would be Eden. Put them in Eden with beautiful flowers and beautify the place. This has got to stop. When is enough, enough, man?” Question four of the upcoming referendum, which has been the source of heated debate and much opposition, will ask voters to eliminate discrimination based on sex in the Constitution by inserting the word “sex” into Article 26. Some critics think that this could one day lead to same-sex marriages, but the government has denied this as a possibility and stressed that the focus is solely on gender equality. BTIU representatives have said they aren’t looking to shift the focus of the referendum, but they want to use the national conversation on equality to be all encompassing. BTIU has stressed that there are no laws to protect transgender and intersex Bahamians.


THE TRIBUNE

MINNIS: NATION ON COURSE FOR DEADLIEST YEAR YET

THE country is on track to see the “deadliest year” in its history, FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis said yesterday as he lamented the number of homicides committed during the Christie administration’s term. “Our country is yet again on track to see the deadliest year in the history of the Bahamas,” the Killarney MP said in a statement. “It seems like each day more innocent lives are being taken. In just four years this government has seen more murders than the previous five years combined. “What’s disappointing – but not surprising to Bahamians – is that the government failed to produce their crime plan in 2015 and once they finally did in February of this year, it was a series of recycled programmes that have failed to stem this growing problem. “This government should know that you cannot fix a problem, when you keep ignoring it. Our families and communities deserve better. Their job is to protect our people and communities. “If we are going to meet the challenges our country faces, we need leadership up to the challenge. No more failed solutions, and broken promises while our young men and women continue to die on our streets.” His comments came a day after two men were killed in separate incidents on Sunday, pushing the murder count for 2016 to 44 for the year. Last month, The Tribune was the first to report that the number of homicides under four years of the Christie administration had exceeded the 490 murders the PLP said occurred during five years of the last Ingraham administration. So far, there have been 502 homicides since May 7, 2012, according to The Tribune’s records. Ahead of the last general election, the PLP placed several billboards around New Providence which read “Under the FNM government 490-plus murders”. While in opposition, the PLP campaigned that it had the answers to crime and murder while the Ingraham administration did not.

16 CUBANS DETAINED BY COAST GUARD

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net SIXTEEN Cuban migrants that were intercepted at sea and brought to Grand Bahama were on Monday flown to New Providence. The migrants were spotted in the Cay Sal Bank area on board a rustic vessel by the US Coast Guard, which brought them to Lucaya Harbour around 11am on Sunday. Immigration official Napthali Cooper reported that the migrants were in good health and that two of the men had been repatriated from The Bahamas last year. He said the two migrants had been previously intercepted in Bahamian waters in August 2015 and were detained at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre before being repatriated to Cuba. The 16 migrants were turned over to Bahamian authorities and taken to the Department of Immigration for processing. On April 27, more than 30 migrants of various nationalities were brought to Freeport after being intercepted in three different incidents at sea by the US Coast Guard Cutter Margaret Norville. The group consisted of 29 Cuban migrants, including a woman, six Haitian men and one Ecuadorian.

Verdict due in BEC bribe case today By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net A JURY is expected to deliberate on a verdict today in the case of a man alleged to have a role in the Alstom SA/Bahamas Electricity Corporation bribery scheme. The nine-member panel’s deliberation on eight days worth of evidence in the

bribery trial of 79-year-old Freddie Solomon Ramsey, who faces four counts of conspiracy to commit bribery and 14 counts of bribery, will follow Justice Bernard Turner’s summation of the case. A verdict was expected on Monday but two hours after the scheduled start of proceedings, the jury was called into the courtroom where the judge explained

Tuesday, May 3, 2016, PAGE 7

FRED Ramsey outside court last week. the delay. “We’re approaching lunch time. If we are to come now and break for lunch and resume after, we’d have to go into the evening,” Justice Turner said. “This adjournment is not to be attributed negatively to any party in this matter. I am adjourning this matter to tomorrow (Tuesday) and will seek to ensure that we start on time,” the judge

stressed, while reminding the jury members of their oath. The bribery allegations are related to a widespread scheme involving tens of millions of dollars in bribes to countries around the world. They were brought to light in 2014 in a US Department of Justice report, which said that Alstom SA allegedly paid more than $300,000 to a BEC board

member to influence contracts between 1999 and 2003. Ramsey, who pleaded not guilty to all the charges, is on $40,000 bail and is represented by Wayne Munroe, QC, Tommel Roker and Bridgette Ward. Garvin Gaskin, acting director of public prosecutions, is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Cordell Frazier.


PAGE 8, Tuesday, May 3, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

The bus ride from hell By NICOLE BURROWS

I

JOKINGLY called it the bus ride from hell. Obviously, that was after I had safely disembarked and walked into familiar territory. Why did I take it? Well, as I go about researching this next book and film, visiting all the little towns and cities in my reach, I want to and I try to experience how the local people live. If I’m writing about real people, I want to have real experiences. That makes sense, right? And what better way to do that than to watch them go about their usual day, blending in (I hope) while taking mental and written notes? So I hopped aboard, just after 4pm, with the intention that I’d return within the hour. After all, all buses do a loop and return to the place you got on… eventually. So this would be a breeze. What I didn’t bargain on, which ended up being both a good and bad thing, was that the rush hour in this small part of town was maddening... and the lives of the people rushing so very real. I first encounter an elderly Asian couple, each of them eighty-plus for sure, maybe older. One thing about the people in this town, they get around, no matter their age. They have

By NICOLE BURROWS

a decent public transportation system and they make good use of it. These two long-time lovers are waiting in the shade of a big tree. The man walks slowly and speaks loudly. The woman walks with a walker. They ride the bus for just a short while before getting off at the grocery store. He shouts at the driver to stop, never mind the bell tag. He can’t reach that quickly enough so he hollers. It’s actually kinda sweet; even though she can reach it, he does the shouting on her behalf. They mosey on out. A few stops later, a young African-American man (and now I really have to be specific because I have never been in one place with such a high concentration of ethnic diversity) boards the bus. He looks deeply displeased. There’s lengthy dialogue with the driver before we even pull off. I can’t quite make out what they’re saying, but I get the feeling that something has gone awry with his previous bus connection, leaving him without the proper ticket to board this bus. Somehow

PUBLIC NOTICE TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN

I, LOU ADAMS SR. am NOT the father

of the Late Deacon Harold Leroy Adams-Grant as printed in The Tribune’s Obituraries Section on Thursday, April 14, 2016 and also in the Churches Services Obituary Book for Deacon Harold Leroy Adams-Grant dated, Sunday, April 17th, 2016

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they work it out, but he sits, shaking his head, clearly annoyed, but composed. I watch him through my shades. That goes on for a few minutes. And since this is a people watching expedition, I look more closely at the bags he’s carrying. He had just been to the grocery store, and through the bags I could see about two giant multipacks of Ramen noodles. I know about Ramen noodles. We ate Ramen noodles every which way we could think of in college. We weren’t welloff - in hindsight we were somewhat poor - so we had to be creative with our meals. I could only hope that this young man would also be creative with his Ramen noodles, because I know what it means when that’s the biggest portion of your grocery list. We drive a little further, having just taken our northern loop, and all is well. I’ve been aboard for maybe ten or 15 minutes now and looking forward to scoping out the area, familiarising myself with what’s around me, so I can make a list of places to go. We’re headed south and my excitement is still at a healthy setting. I see a popular shopping district and wonder if I should get off there. Nope; this bus will soon make a loop and once I’ve seen where it goes I can get off on the way back up. We pass another few points of interest and I make note. After about 20 more minutes of driving, I decide the bus is probably gonna turn around soon. It veers off perpendicularly, and does a loop at a school, dropping off and collecting passengers. I figure this is the beginning of the return trip. Wrong. The bus continues south and I look at my watch… it’s almost 45 minutes now I’ve been riding and maybe I should get off and get the next bus heading back up. But as I think of this, we cross over a major highway, and then the scenery starts changing instantly and drastically. We’re headed into the inner city, and a colourful assortment of passengers await this bus. Two more young AfricanAmerican men board, and they are loud… the kind of loud that by the time they’re gone you feel like you’ve known them for years. But these guys are really young

Now I’m panicked, because it’s too late to get off. I don’t know how much longer this bus will go further away from where I got on, but it ain’t turning around. And I would be more stupid to get off now, in the middle of ‘Hood Nowhere’ to wait for any other transportation. Safer to stay on board, even with all that’s going on around me.’ and that’s part of their loudness… they’re having fun, telling jokes, some of which make me smile, though I try not to seem like I’m listening. On and on they go. On more people board. And I lose track of who came first: black, white, in between; very young and very old; fragrant not so fragrant; able-bodied and disabled.

A

t some point, this rugged, white lady gets on the bus. She doesn’t seem like she’s got it all upstairs. She clearly leads a hard life. She talks loudly and hardly sits down before she’s asking a young woman about her baby. And I swear there’s blood on her shirt. And maybe some greenish coloured snot. I turn away. The OCD germophobe in me is crying. The bus is suddenly too hot. There are too many people on it. And as fast as six people disembark, another dozen climb aboard. I can’t feel the AC. I can smell everything. Someone who just boarded has a three-week overdue need for a soapy shower. The pretty lady with the braids smells like she just smoked enough cigarettes for everyone on this bus. Then out the corner of my eye I swear I see smoke. Is someone behind me smoking? Is this damn bus on fire?!? You see, this is the same nonsense. Why did I choose to get on this bus today? And now it’s rush hour! I was supposed to be off the bus by rush hour! But, how was I to know the bus would stay on a southbound journey for so long!? I look at the quiet guy to my left to see if he knows where this smoke is gently billowing from, and he looks behind us. And then the somewhat crazy white lady, shouts out “It’s only vapours! It’s only vapours! Okay I’ll stop! But it’s only vapours!” What the hell? I am definitely in the twilight zone. This cannot be happening. She’s vaping on the bus!? Now I’m panicked, because it’s too late to get off. I don’t know how much longer this bus will go further away from where I got on, but it ain’t turning around. And I would be more stupid to get off now, in the middle

of ‘Hood Nowhere’ to wait for any other transportation. Safer to stay on board, even with all that’s going on around me. Then, a young black woman boards and the two young guys are smitten with her, so they chat her up a bit. At one point, they start to ask her if she doesn’t want to talk to them and I have flashbacks of many a jitney ride under the same duress. She’s calm and pleasant and they work it out aloud and keep chatting. Then she gets off and they wish aloud that the ride was 40 minutes longer so they could get to know her much better. The bus passes by her as she walks and one of them near sprains his neck to watch her behind; in five minutes more he’ll need a bib. Not long after, another young black woman boards and the same two young men get excited – more to play with! Even though she is clearly very young and has a young baby with her. Then they realise, the boy behind her is not her little brother, but her baby’s father. I swear, he looked no more than 16 or 17. Okay, maybe 17. But not 18. Maybe she was 18, but, then again… So the two guys reeled in their game and gave respect to the baby daddy, telling him “she look just like you, man”. And after that, a man in a wheelchair boarded. He was paralysed, though not fully, but also had a breathing tube. The two young guys - I should really give them names - obnoxious though they were (one admitted loving to look at himself in the mirror every day), were very respectful to the man. They told him “we gat you” when the bus stopped suddenly and the brake on his chair didn’t fully hold. A few minutes later, one of them was bold enough to ask him how he got paralysed. He said he was shot by police. I can’t believe my ears. Though I’m sure there is a long and interesting story there, the young men reply, “yeah, well, you know when they see our colour skin that’s what happens”. And you know you’ve heard this before, but I’m now seeing a man who was shot by a cop. I have no idea what

may have gone down, but my mind is flooded with all the possibilities… overlain with the thought, “this really happens”. We pass through the deepest part of a ghetto, where there are houses just like the ones you’d see in Pinewood, or Yellow Elder. Mostly black folk live in this neighbourhood. Mostly black folk ride this bus. There are a dozen churches. I’m betting mostly black folk attend them. And I’m wondering how that has helped, if they are still so depressed and living in poverty. Is this the fate of my Caribbean people? Because I’ve already heard two different accents on this one bus ride... several Jamaicans and a couple of Haitians, all looking for a better life in this vast land. And I start to feel melancholy… for them, for my island people. Even though right now, I have the lightest skin on board and no one would think I was an islander unless I opened my mouth to talk. They probably think I’m the ‘po-po’. More people get off, more people get on. The bus keeps going south. By the time I realise where it’s headed, I see skyscrapers. We pull into a bus depot. Everyone gets off. I’m the only one left on board. At this point, the driver usually turns around and asks, “Ma’am, where you going?” But not this guy. He’s just trying to load up to head back. And really, that’s fine with me, because I’ve seen, heard, felt, and smelt enough for the day. The new crew pack the bus… they all just got off from work. But no more observing for me. In fact, I try to block everyone out, because I feel down and I just want to be back where I got on. We finally turn around and head north, but not until we’ve sat in some rush hour traffic for another half hour. Then the bus roof starts leaking as the AC kicks up a notch. The bus slams into something in the roadway sending shocks throughout my body... vertical pain. Are we there yet? Finally, we break free of traffic, scary people, nasty language, horror stories, vapours, and people who wanna knock you over when you try to find a new seat. And finally, I reach the stop where I got on. It’s now after 7pm. I’m the last one on the bus again. It’s three hours later. And I’ve got a story of my own to tell. Send email to nburrows@tribunemedia.net


THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, May 3, 2016, PAGE 9

BROKER IS ACCUSED OF $200,000 FRAUD

By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

FROM left, Louise Gomez, mother; Dr Hubert Minnis, FNM leader; Governor General Dame Marguerite Pindling; Senator Monique Gomez, and her father, Andy Gomez, at a recent ceremony at Government House where Senator Gomez received her instrument of appointment.

New FNM senator calls for bipartisan Bahamas MONIQUE Gomez, newly appointed senator for the Free National Movement (FNM), is calling for Bahamians to put aside party politics and focus on nation building. She raised this issue during a recent ceremony at Government House where she received her instrument of appointment. “At this time in our country’s development, we are faced with many complex and difficult issues. We are challenged to create a

stable micro economical environment which supports positive economic growth and enhance quality of life for all. We are faced with myriad social challenges, such as increased crime and violence, worrying levels of poorly managed immigration and outward migration,” Senator Gomez said. “There is much concern regarding the type and quality of governance provided within our nation. The consequence of this is that far too many Bahamians are losing

OAS chairman Argentine ambassador Juan Jose Acuri makes a presentation to ambassador Sir Ronald Sanders after praising him for his stewardship of the Council for the past three months. Sir Ronald‘s weekly column, “World View”, appears every Monday in The Tribune.

OAS TRIBUTE TO SANDERS PRESIDENCY

THE Organization of American States (OAS) paid tribute Monday to Antigua and Barbuda’s ambassador Sir Ronald Sanders for his successful presidency of the Permanent Council, its governing body. In praising Sir Ronald’s stewardship of the council, the current chairman, Argentina’s ambassador, Juan Jose Acuri, speaking in the presence of high representatives of all 34 member states said: “Ambassador Sanders successfully led the activities of the council in the past three months. During that period, the authority held 14 meetings to discuss various issues, including the financial situation of the organisation, the strategic vision, the modernisation of management of the secretariat and adoption of the programme budget end of the organisation for the second year the biennium 2015-2016.” Sir Ronald had made the financial circumstances of the OAS and its future a theme of his presidency. The OAS council also recalled the pivotal role Ambassador Sanders played in helping to mediate a

solution to a political and constitutional stalemate in Haiti in early February that threatened civil strife and instability. The chair of the council declared that as the Head of a special OAS mission to Haiti, Ambassador Sanders “contributed to key negotiations conducted between the various Haitian political actors to achieve a solution to the crisis”. In presenting Sir Ronald with a plaque, commemorating his presidency, the Argentine ambassador declared: “Ambassador, your diplomatic skills and professionalism are recognised in this room and were clearly demonstrated during his tenure in the presidency of the council.” Responding briefly, the Antigua and Barbuda Ambassador called for the Permanent Council to re-orient itself to its essential role as a governing body of the organisation and to restore its importance in guiding and managing the affairs of the OAS. Sir Ronald said “this is vital, if the Organization is to deliver on its obligations to the people of its member states”.

97 FALL ILL ON DISNEY CRUISE SHIP

ORLANDO, Fla. Associated Press

THE CDC is investigating an outbreak of a stomach bug aboard the Disney Wonder cruise ship last week. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that 92 passengers and five crew members reported falling ill. The ship had almost 2,700 passengers and almost 1,000 crew members. It left Miami last Wednesday and returned Sunday after going to The Bahamas.

A spokeswoman says Disney Cruise Line implemented added sanitation measures such as continuous cleaning of handrails. Self-service stations at buffets and ice cream stations also were discontinued to limit passenger contact with food. The ill passengers were confined to their rooms for 24 hours, and cruise activities weren’t affected. The primary symptom was vomiting. The last time a Disney ship had a significant illness outbreak was in 2002.

hope and even falling into a state of apathy and despair. However, I am convinced that if we collectively seek to address these issues, we can rebound. While there is a time for partisanship, we must be able to rise above personal interests or partisan allegiance and put our country, our people and their welfare first,” she added. Ms Gomez said that her Senate appointment is an opportunity to serve her country and address issues near to her heart.

Chief among them is protecting the rights of women and children, which includes access to affordable healthcare, proper education, adequate housing, safer communities and a livable wage. Senator Gomez thanked her parents, Louise and Andy Gomez, former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham for his mentorship during her early legal career, and Leader of the Opposition Dr Hubert Minnis for entrusting her with the Senate appointment.

A BROKER denied conning a woman of more than $200,000 through over-priced customs duties for a multi-million dollar home renovation project. Ryan Cartwright, 40, of San Souci, appeared before Magistrate Samuel McKinney facing eight counts of fraud by false pretences. Karen Silverman is the victim of the alleged fraud. It is alleged that the broker, between March 3, 2014, and May 7, 2015, obtained $201,219.29 from Ms Silverman after misrepresenting certain facts. Cartwright pleaded not guilty to all charges. According to reports, the complainant, a property owner in Ocean Club Estates, had begun a $4.6 million home renovation and construction project on her property on Paradise Island in 2013. The project manager and architect for the job were terminated in late 2014 on the basis of alleged mismanagement and negligence. A forensic audit was allegedly performed where it was allegedly revealed that the fired architect’s broker had overbilled her on customs duties for items related to the construction project. Cartwright was remanded to the Department of Correctional Services without bail, due to recent amendments of the Bail Act removing the lower court’s jurisdiction to consider bail in such matters. Cartwright can apply for a bond in the Supreme Court. He returns to Magistrate’s Court for trial on June 30. He has retained attorney Wellington Olander to represent him. Police Sergeant Philip Davis is prosecuting the case.


PAGE 10, Tuesday, May 3, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

SOME of the Eco Kids and members of Earthcare during the clean-up at Williams Town Beach in Grand Bahama.

EARTHCARE CREW STAGES CLEAN-UP IN GRAND BAHAMA THE EARTHCARE Eco Kids recently performed a beach clean up at Williams Town Beach to commemorate coastal awareness month on Grand Bahama. Approximately 150 lbs of marine debris and garbage were removed and given to Sanitation Services to be placed in the Pine Ridge Landfill. “The idea that we should keep our coasts and islands clean is very important,” said Gail Woon, EARTHCARE founder and a director of Save The Bays group. “It is very gratifying to see the youth taking responsibility for our coasts.” At Williams Town, EARTHCARE members performed a major clean up of the coast. The EARTHCARE Eco Kids include: Tylea Man-

chester, Patrick Bain, Rachelle Manchester, Sarah Gardiner, Shakada Hutson, Tyler Riley, Damari Clarke, Phebe Thompson, Rizpah Thompson, Lanae Gibson, Romeen Taylor Jr, Jamarr John, Clinique Robinson, Dwannae Bain, and Lamar Gardiner, EARTHCARE Eco Kids team leader. Schools represented include: Martin Town Primary, Freeport Primary, Sunland Baptist Academy, Freeport Bible Academy, and St. Georges High School. EARTHCARE members who assisted include Tyrie Moss, EARTHCARE Eco Kids facilitator, Requal BelleSmith, Michael Marshall, Analicia Carroll, Sarah Kirkby, Nicole Picot and Ms Woon.

NATHANIEL Smith with debris he found.

A TINY velella vellela, Purple Sail adult found on the day.

Photos: Tyrie Moss

EARTHCARE members and volunteers.

THE EARLY Birds on the day of the clean-up.

YOUNGSTERS DRESS IN GREEN TO PLANT TREE FOR EARTH WEEK

CHILDREN dressed in every shade of green from lime to forest and chartreuse assembled in the schoolyard of Windsor Preparatory School at Old Fort in Nassau on Wednesday, ears tuned and eyes bright with anticipation as they gathered for a tree-planting ceremony as part of the school’s Earth Week festivities. Diane Phillips, a member of the non-profit environmental conservation and education group Save The Bays, was on hand to plant a Lignum Vitae tree in honour of The Canopy Project, an initiative launched by the Earth Day Network in 2011 which works with local communities to conserve, repair, and restore tree cover. To date, the project has been responsible for planting 3.2 million trees worldwide. Mrs Phillips told the students that while The Bahamas has been ahead of the

conservation curve when it comes to enacting legislation to protect marine life citing shark and sea turtle bans and closed seasons for Nassau grouper and crawfish, the country remains about 40 years behind the US when it comes to preserving the environment given the lack of an Environmental Protection Act. According to the World Wildlife Fund, 51.5 per cent of the Bahamas is forested. Safeguarding the country’s tree population is critical to maintaining the integrity of its fragile ecosystem, particularly in the face of global warming. With the reality of increasingly unpredictable weather patterns and more frequent and violent storms and floods, increasing tree cover to prevent devastating soil erosion especially in low-lying areas is a top priority. The Nassau tree planting was just one of sev-

eral activities by Save The Bays marking Earth Day. In Grand Bahama, Joe Darville, chairman of the organisation with nearly 20,000 Facebook friends, planted a series of Lignum Vitae trees while Earthcare Eco-kids under the leadership of Save The Bays member Gail Woon did a beach clean-up. And wellknown ecologist and attorney Romi Ferreira, a Save The Bays director, personally sponsored an Earth Day competition. Nine schools submitted projects for the day-long exhibition and judging held at the Paul Farquharson Conference Centre at Police headquarters. And private citizens did their part, including Elaine Pinder and team who dedicated five acres of wetlands at Sapodilla Estate in western New Providence, an oasis populated by ducks, turtles and birds and filled with beauty.

DIANE Phillips helps youngsters at a tree planting ceremony at Windsor Preparatory School.


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