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Settlement offer for priSon chief

Commissioner reviews proposal from govt to bring lawsuit to an end

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter Ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

SIDELINED Correc-

tions Commissioner Charles Murphy is reviewing an Office of the Attorney General offer to settle a lawsuit he brought after the Davis administration sent him on administrative leave in 2021.

Commissioner Murphy’s lawyer, Romona Farquharson Seymour, said the offer comes before a trial

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter Ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

A PROMINENT lawyer said the Davis administration’s reason for declining to disclose settlement awards is unjustified because lawyers share information among themselves.

Since the Progressive Liberal Party came to office, the Office of the

set for July. She said the offer ––which she did not disclose –– appears serious and is in keeping with the OAG’s awards to other prominent officials who sued the government in recent years.

“We obviously consider our case unique because you know certain aggravating situations have occurred,” she said. “This wasn’t just the run-of-the-mill (case

SEE page three

Attorney General has settled high-profile lawsuits brought under the Minnis administration.

Still, officials have repeatedly said disclosing the settlement sums would prejudice ongoing negotiations and proceedings.

However, Attorney

Romona Farquharson Seymour said this ignores

SEE page three

consul General a l dillette dies at home

AL DILLETTE, The Bahamas’ Consul General in Toronto, died at home in his official residence on Monday night. In a statement, Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell said “we have lost a treasured son, friend, and brother”.

“I regret to report the death of Albert King Dillette, known to his friends, including me, as Al Dillette,” Mr Mitchell said.

“Mr Dillette died at home in his official residence in Toronto last evening. He was discovered by

GB residents unhappy with GBpa over rate increase

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

GRAND Bahama businesses and residents yesterday said it was “amazing” that the island’s new water regulatory regime appeared to have been implemented almost two weeks before they were warned of imminent rate hikes.

Speaking to Tribune Business, after the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) confirmed it had approved the rate increases sought by its Grand Bahama Utility Company affiliate, they said this calls into question whether there was any real intent to have a true public FULL Story - See Bu S ine SS

on investmen t repay order

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

LINCOLN Bain is awaiting the Court of Appeal’s verdict about his application to appeal to the Privy Council to overturn a decision related to a failed investment deal.

Sir Michael Barnett, president of the Court of Appeal, heard arguments as to whether Bain has the right to appeal to the Privy Council after the Supreme Court decided he had failed to properly invest or return Zinnia Rolle’s funds under an agreement both parties had signed.

SEE page S even

the Consulate General’s staff when he could not be reached this morning. The emergency services with the consulate staff entered the premises and discovered that he had passed away. It appears that he died from natural causes.

“For me personally, this is a great loss. We have been friends, confidantes, and colleagues since we were boys. I have spoken to his

‘No N eed to keep size of awards a secret’

Bahamas’ Consul General in Toronto, Al Dillette, dies at home

condolences of the nation and the Ministry.

“Prime Minister Philip Davis was informed, and he too has expressed his condolences to Mrs Dillette and the children and his siblings.

“Al Dillette was one of the finest journalists this country produced,” the statement continued. “He loved to tell the stories of his time at ZNS and his role in defining broadcasting, public relations, and the history of our country since independence. He was a champion of life in Freeport and in Grand Bahama. He was looking forward to the 50th anniversary celebrations of our country, especially now that he was in an official role, a role he inaugurated just a few short weeks ago when we were all gathered in Canada.

“We have lost a treasured son, friend, and brother.

“Mr Dillette is survived by his wife, Kathryn, two sons, Adam and Robert (Xavier); one daughter, Alana (Derrick) and three grandchildren, Aafiah, Maya and Elijah.

“We say in his passing to God be all the glory for a life well lived. May he rest in peace.”

In a statement, Prime Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis said Mr Dillette was not only a colleague, but a close personal friend.

“It is with profound sadness and a heavy heart that I learn of the untimely passing of my dear friend and esteemed colleague, Mr Al Dillette, a distinguished diplomat, public relations specialist, and an invaluable member of our nation,” Mr Davis said. “As the Consular General for The Bahamas in Toronto, Mr Dillette was beginning to make his mark, and his dedication to public service will be dearly missed.

“I had the distinct honour of being present with Mr. Dillette in Toronto for the opening of The Bahamas Consulate Office. Not only was he a colleague, but he was also a close personal friend, with whom I shared many memories and experiences. He played an instrumental role in establishing the Consulate Office, and his passion for his work was evident as he embarked on this new

chapter. Despite the short duration of his tenure, Mr Dillette’s unwavering commitment to enhancing the relationship between The Bahamas and Canada will be remembered for years to come.

“His focus on assisting the Bahamian diaspora, promoting foreign direct investment, and being a responsible contributor to international affairs is a testament to his legacy.

Mr Dillette’s lifetime of public communication, from his beginnings as a broadcaster to his service in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, showcased his dedication to the well-being of our nation. His leadership in The Bahamas Olympic Committee further demonstrated his love for sports and our country.

“Born in Nassau and educated in The Bahamas, Jamaica, and the United Kingdom, Mr Dillette brought a wealth of knowledge and experience to his diplomatic posting. His enthusiasm for this new challenge was palpable, and he was determined to serve the interests of our country to the best of his ability.

“Al’s warm personality,

contagious laughter, and genuine kindness touched the lives of countless individuals, both personally and professionally. I will forever cherish our conversations, our shared passion for the advancement of The Bahamas, and the unwavering support he provided during our friendship.

“On behalf of the Government and the people

of The Bahamas, I extend our deepest condolences to his wife Kathryn, two sons, Adam and Robert (Xavier); one daughter, Alana (Derrick) and three grandchildren, Aafiah, Maya and Elijah.

“As we mourn the loss of a remarkable individual and a cherished friend, we celebrate the contributions Al Dillette made to our nation,

even in the early stages of his work in Toronto.

“We pledge to carry on his legacy in our ongoing efforts to strengthen and promote The Bahamas in the international community.

“May his soul rest in peace, and may his memory live on in the hearts and minds of all who had the privilege of knowing him.”

Prime Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis called Al Dillet ‘a distinguished diplomat, public relations specialist, and an invaluable member of our nation,”

PM appeals for support in the fight against climate change

By LETRE SWEETING Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis appealed for support in the fight against climate change yesterday while addressing a roundtable hosted by the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC) in the United Kingdom.

The event is among several in which Mr Davis will participate before King Charles is crowned later this week.

“In remarks I made to the General Assembly of the United Nations in September 2021 in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, I made the point that surely, a key learning that came out of the experience is that none of us is safe until we all are safe,” Mr Davis said.

“The same applies in relation to climate change, and the finance needed to help us survive it. Climate and climate change is no respecter of borders. Carbon emissions harm us all because what happens in one country doesn’t stay in that country. And in finding and implementing solutions, please know that The Bahamas is committed to playing an active role as a partner.”

Last year, Mr Davis announced plans to offer blue carbon credits for companies aiming to offset their greenhouse gas emissions.

Yesterday, he said the government is “making good progress in developing a Blue Carbon Market”.

“We are also progressing well on understanding exactly how much carbon our seagrasses are absorbing,” he said. “The findings so far indicate that our seas and sea grasses absorb more carbon faster than the Amazon Rain Forest. But in making progress, we need the support of the countries and companies like the ones present here today. We need your support.”

Mr Davis emphasised the impact severe weather systems have on The Bahamas.

“The impact of Hurricane Dorian, that category 5 monster storm which struck our islands of Abaco and Grand Bahama in 2019, remains with us,” he said.

“The loss of lives and livelihoods is still part of our present reality. And the consequences from that storm, and the next one, may be even worse. Some of us know already what it is to be a climate refugee. And some of us know what it is to lose everyone and everything.

“We estimate that more than 40 per cent of our national debt is due to the damage caused by hurricanes. That single fact casts an unflinching light on our situation. We are desperate to break this cycle of disaster, repair and rebuild, followed by disaster, repair and rebuild.”

Settlement offer for priSon chief from oAG

administration.

where) you’re sending a senior civil servant on administrative leave. You would recall the minister (Wayne Munroe) made a lot of comments … about Mr Murphy, very scathing comments about his performance, about investigations. I mean, it’s just a slew of things that he just ran on with for weeks after this unfortunate situation occurred.

“So all of that is very defaming, and so … all of that has been considered when you talk about a settlement.”

Commissioner Murphy was sent on administrative leave in September 2021 so officials could investigate the case of Prescott Smith, who was imprisoned in possible breach of a Supreme Court order.

National Security Minister Wayne Munroe later said an inquiry into several matters involving the commissioner would occur, including his handling of a prisoner who contracted COVID-19.

The commissioner has not been back on the job since he was sent on administrate leave and is now on pre-retirement

vacation.

Mr Munroe’s involvement in sidelining Commissioner Murphy was scrutinised because his

law firm represented Acting Commissioner Doan Cleare and Deputy Commissioner Bernadette Thompson-Murray

‘No N eed to keep size of awards a secret’

reality, saying that lawyers share information about settlement agreements among themselves.

The OAG has made an offer to settle a lawsuit Mrs Farquharson-Seymour’s client, Corrections Commissioner Charles Murphy, brought against the government. She said the offer is similar to other awards prominent public officials have recently received –– this she knows from talking to other lawyers.

“We’ve had a benefit because, obviously, lawyers may share,” she said. “That means we have been privy to know certain things. But why the government doesn’t wish the general public to know how they’re spending the public purse? That’s a political decision.

“Anyone can make a compelling argument for and against something,

but I would say it’s obviously a matter where the Opposition needs to be very robust because the public obviously takes the position that they have a right and they should know how their money is being spent.”

She said it is common for lawyers to discuss such matters.

“You want to know precedent,” she said. “If you know a lawyer who is dealing with another matter, obviously when things are said to us it’s said in confidence, so we would share with each other.”

“Obviously if you’re on good terms with another counsel, we’re all learned friends so it would be shared so you have an idea what is happening. When you come up with a matter, you ought to know sort of the ballpark figure, you know, that the government tends to want to settle in certain circumstances.

“Matters are unique depending on their circumstances. It’s rare to find any one or two matters that is exactly alike so it’s just a guide.”

Police Commissioner Clayton Fernender, Deputy Commissioner Leamond Deleveaux, former Minister of Labour Shane Gibson, Financial Secretary Simon Wilson and former Bahamas Power & Light Chairwoman Darnell Osborne are a few high-profile officials awarded confidential settlements in the last year. Mrs Farquharson-Seymour said the secrecy is dangerous.

“We really ought to be pushing for the Freedom of Information Bill,” she said. “These things ought to be known. Because where things can be done in secrecy, it may leave room for abuse. The public ought to know. This is public funds.”

when they sued the government under the Minnis administration for being forced on vacation leave. Since the Davis

administration took office, the OAG has settled several high-profile lawsuits brought under the previous

Former Labour Minister Shane Gibson, Financial Secretary Simon Wilson, Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander, Police Deputy Commissioner Leamond Deleveaux and former Bahamas Power & Light Chairwoman Darnell Osborne are among the persons whose cases have been settled.

However, Commissioner Murphy would be the first high-profile official to have their case settled following the actions of the Davis administration.

Mrs FarquharsonSeymour noted that new Supreme Court rules which took effect in March encourage parties to negotiate to reach an agreement before trial.

“I don’t know if that was the driving force, but as I can say to you that the government has made an overture … we will take it from there,” she said.

Attorney General Ryan Pinder did not respond to The Tribune’s request for comment up to press time.

Prime Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis attending the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC) Roundtable on The Blue Green Economy and Resilience for Small Island States.

Photo: BiS

from page one

from page one

Former Corrections Commissioner Charles Murphy is set to review a settlement from the Office of the Attorney General after he was placed on administrative leave and had scathing comments directed at him by the Minister of National Security Wayne Munroe.

Rastafarians frustrated on constitutional challenge for religious use of

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net

THE Rastafarian community is frustrated waiting for the Supreme Court’s ruling on the constitutionality of laws prohibiting their possession and use of marijuana.

Lorenzo Stubbs was arrested in December

2020 after police found 1.6 ounces of marijuana worth $150 in his home.

His trial is on hold pending his constitutional challenge of Section 29 (6) of the Dangerous Drugs Act, which prohibits drug possession. His constitutional challenge alleges the law infringes on his right to practice his faith.

Yesterday, Mr Stubbs said his plans in life now revolve around getting the ruling. He said he has been unable to live comfortably awaiting the verdict.

“My lawyer right now, we more than likely will have to be putting pressure (on) the court system instead of actually waiting,” he said. “I’m sure it’s been long enough now that

marijuana

they could have come to a conclusion.”

Priest Delrado Burrows, Secretary of the Ethiopia Africa Black International Congress True Divine Church of Salvation, also complained about how long his community awaits Justice Lorein Klein’s ruling.

“Our position is, it should never take this long for a constitutional

matter,” he said. “Our human rights are being infringed upon. This delay only shows the ineffectiveness and inefficiencies of the court. Two years is just too long for a constitutional issue. Governments came, governments left, all making promises they were going to address these concerns, but people are still being pursued and arrested

for marijuana. We’re calling on the judiciary, we’re calling on the government to hear our cry.”

Attorney General Ryan Pinder told reporters in February that legislation to decriminalise small amounts of marijuana is nearly completed. However, he could not say when the bill would be tabled in the House of Assembly.

ORG: TablinG Of Ombudsman bill a ‘public siGn Of pROGRess’

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Organisation for Responsible Governance (ORG) hailed the government’s tabling in the House of Assembly of the Ombudsman Bill as “a public sign of progress.”

The bill was tabled last week. ORG commended the Davis administration for a step that could create a more open, fair and transparent administration.

“For over five years, ORG has advocated for Ombudsman legislation that reflects international standards to promote greater transparency and accountability and provide Bahamians the power and avenue to hold those in authority accountable,” ORG said in a statement.

“Legislation of this kind has commonly been used throughout the Caribbean to provide clearer pathways for citizens to report and pursue concerns of corruption and make a significant difference in the promotion of integrity in governance.”

“ORG commends the Davis administration for bringing The Ombudsman Bill 2023 forward and recommends that sufficient time be allowed for public

review and input of the legislation.”

“To support wide public consultation, the Ombudsman Bill, 2023 has been placed on ORG’s free online Policy Review Centre where persons can read the bill and provide feedback statements of support and suggestions for improvement.”

The bill, among other things, would establish the Office of Ombudsman to investigate any administrative action of any public authority to decide whether there is evidence of maladministration on the part of the authority.

ORG’s executive director, Matt Aubry said: “Maladministration like corruption threatens sustainable economic development, the administration of justice and endangers the rule of law. Most of all, it undermines our democracy.”

He added: “Along with improved accountability, the Office of the Ombudsman could see the ease of doing business improve throughout the country as the public service thrives. This can provide citizens with greater individualised freedom through access to financial opportunity and inclusion.”

For his part, ORG’s assistant director

Pictured

head of Organisation for Responsible Governance (ORG). An ORG press release said, ‘“ORG notes the tabling of the Ombudsman Bill, 2023 as a public sign of progress and underscored the not for profit organisation’s aim to continue the public promotion and awareness of policies and procedures that encourage a fair and just society,”

Steffon Evans said the legislation, if properly implemented, could bring about major reform concerning how

maladministration and corruption are handled in The Bahamas.

“ORG notes the tabling of the

Ombudsman Bill, 2023 as a public sign of progress and underscored the not for profit organisation’s aim to continue

the public promotion and awareness of policies and procedures that encourage a fair and just society,” ORG said.

80 vOlun T eeRs help ba RefOOT Wines and pa RT neRs cleanup JaW s beach

BAREFOOT Wines has issued a thank you to partners who helped to clean up Jaws Beach as part of an annual tradition. The Barefoot Wines team partnered with The American Embassy, PWC, CG Atlantic, Bahamas Waste and Rotary Club Old Fort Bay to conduct

their tenth annual beach clean-up as a part of a larger coastal clean-up initiative held by the brand’s North American regional partners. These beach clean ups are held three times a year and are a part of the brand’s commitment to building awareness on the

importance of keeping not only our coast lines clean but all the islands of The Bahamas.

A total of 80 volunteers assembled to assist in combing the shores of Jaws Beach, 15 of which were employees of the Commonwealth Brewery Limited (CBL) team.

Matt aubry,

Bell: Research findings will determine whether employment age is changed

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

IMMIGRATION Min -

ister Keith Bell said research findings would determine whether the government raises the minimum employment age, though it is necessary to align age-related legal provisions.

Mr Bell’s comment came after The Tribune reported that the National Tripartite Council would review raising the minimum employment age in the Employment Act to 16.

Labour Director Robert Farquharson said raising the minimum employment age to 16 would align the provision with best practices.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) also pushes The Bahamas to implement the change.

However, Philip Beneby, president of the Retail

Grocers Association, suggested he opposes a shift, saying it would produce more idle teenagers who get into mischief.

Responding yesterday, Mr Bell said: “We will have to wait for the proper, thorough, indepth research to be done before anyone can make an informed decision, but we have to move things with modern times.”

“We have to ensure that there is parity in the law, in terms of age. The age to vote cannot be different from the age to drink, from the age to drive, (so) all of these different things, we have to make sure that everything is on one accord... and so I can only say that laws are evolving.

“Nothing is static and until we get the proper, in-depth research, and, of course, consultation and the Cabinet’s decision, then we will be in a better position to address that question, but it is being considered.”

Meanwhile, Sharon Martin, chairperson of the National Tripartite Council, said she believes there needs to be a minimum age limit for general employment.

“I’m very well aware of the pushback on the minimum age but we also have to take a keen look at the policy, the child labour policy in The Bahamas,” she said. “We also have to take a look at the children who are working in the food stores and what age (they can work). There has to be a limit on how old you are in order to work.”

“Again, policy is everything and if you do not initiate policies (and) if you do not initiate boundaries, then everybody does everything and who knows what’s legal and what’s illegal, and that’s the main thing. The minimum age needs to be raised in order to allow things in The Bahamas to really take shape.”

GrievinG Lawyer cL aims FamiLy Guardian reduced mother’s L iFe insurance entit L ement

By LETRE SWEETING Tribune Staff Reporter lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

A GRIEVING lawyer protested in front of the Family Guardian Financial Centre on East Bay Street yesterday, claiming the insurance company’s policies denied him $7,000 from his dead mother’s life insurance policy.

In a press release, attorney Mark Symonette-Rolle said: “How is it fair to a policyholder who missed only a single premium payment to have her entitlement under the policy reduced from $10,000 to as little as $2,800?

“At no time did Family Guardian advise the insured of its intent to reduce the payout if she failed to pay a single premium by a certain date.

“In my view, this is grossly unfair, ridiculous, insensitive and unbecoming of an institution like Family Guardian which has an established presence in this country.”

“All her life, she was paying premiums. There is no payment missing, except in March, when she was hospitalized and under anaesthesia. She died in April, so she missed March and April. And they’re saying now because she missed one

payment, that they’re going to reduce the policy from $10,000 to $2,800.”

Mr Symonette-Rolle said his family is now suffering the financial burden of over $10,000 in funeral service expenses.

He met with representatives of the company yesterday morning.

Kerry Higgs, senior vice

president of the insurance company, told The Tribune the company is in the early stages of reviewing the man’s claim, and the company expects to meet with him again pending receipt of additional information.

“The policy is being administered purely by contract and it is very

clear in the contract so there is no issue around the policy changing,” she said. “The contract is very clear. And in this instance, the client has been asked for additional information. However, whatever that information is, the contract is the contract and there is no policy change, no contract

change, etcetera.”

She said the claim was made on April 20, following which Mr Symonette met a junior member of the claims team who requested more information yesterday.

“Our thinking really is that this is very early stages and what we’re really attempting to do.

We fully appreciate that this is a difficult time for the family and it is not our policy to discuss personal matters, but what we can share is that we are in the initial stages of responding to the client and we have requested additional information from the client,” she said.

Minister of Labour and Immigration Keith Bell said, ‘we will have to wait for the proper, thorough, in-depth research to be done before anyone can make an informed decision, but we have to move things with modern times.

Lawyer and grieving son, Mark Symonette-Rolle protested outside Family Guardia Financial Centre on East Bay Street yesterday against what he called a ‘grossly unfair’ action taken in reducing his deceased mother’s policy entitlement by over $7,000 due to missing a payment, which was the month she was in hospital before she passed away.

Photos: austin Fernander

Despite faithfully paying her premium for years Lawyer Mark Symonette-Rolle said because his mother missed her final payment while in hospital before she died the payout was reduced from $10,000 to $2,800. Here he throws the policy symbolically in the garbage bin.

The Tribune Limited

Freedom of the Press is crucial to democracy

TODAY marks World Press Freedom

Day – when we reflect on the importance of a free press, something that Mahatma Gandhi called “a precious privilege that no country can forego”.

That may be so, but there are many countries where the press enjoys no such freedom, and where sometimes journalists pay the highest price in the course of carrying out their duties.

Not far away, in recent weeks two journalists have been killed in Haiti amid the ongoing gang violence affecting the country.

Radio reporter Dumesky Kersaint was shot dead in mid-April, while journalist Ricot Jean was found dead last week.

Kersaint was an online journalist for Radio Tele INUREP, and the “climate of tolerated and fueled violence” was blamed by the National Association of Haitian Media for contributing to his death.

Jean was reported by newspaper Le Novelliste to have been kidnapped and his body was found the next day. He worked for Radio-Tele Evolution Inter.

These are far from the only deaths that have taken place – with at least nine journalists reported to have been killed in Haiti last year.

It is no coincidence that the safety of journalists is at risk in a country that is wrestling with the ability to function as a democracy.

As the famed journalist Walter Kronkite said, “Freedom of the press is not just important to democracy, it is democracy.”

Here in The Bahamas, we must be thankful for the privilege we have – but also mindful of the constant need to ensure that it is upheld.

Intimidation and harassment are far from unknown in this country, with The Tribune having held the line on many occasions over the years when under

great pressure. Even at the smallest level, there have been occasions where our reporters have been denied access to an event because a member of government has not liked how an article may have reflected upon them. That is the case even under this current administration.

For us, while we value what we have, we must constantly seek greater opportunities for our society.

That includes the need for greater transparency and accountability.

We can point at no end of cases where we still fall short in that regard.

Take a look at the Freedom of Information laws that have been much talked about, passed, and yet still languish with no sign of full implementation.

How about the public disclosure laws which require Parliamentarians to make their disclosures by a set deadline – yet long after that deadline has passed, we still do not know who declared, who did not, and if any action will be taken against those who broke the law.

Such transparency allows us all – citizen and journalist alike – to hold those in power to account. If freedom of the press means anything at all, then it means the ability to stand up and speak to power. As citizens, we must not be intimidated by our governments. As journalists, we must be able to seek answers of our leaders, and speak without fear of intervention.

Author and journalist George Orwell declared: “Freedom of the press, if it means anything at all, means the freedom to criticise and oppose.”

As we honour World Press Freedom Day, we must heed those words and not back down from our responsibility to live up to them.

After all, journalists have given their lives in the name of a free press. The least we can do is carry on in their name.

Online poll: How you voted

IN THE last Tribune online poll, we asked readers if they thought the move towards online banking in The Bahamas benefitted them. The majority of those

voting – 66 per cent – said they did indeed feel they benefitted from the move, with 34 percent saying otherwise.

Don’t miss your chance to vote in the latest poll

Why we need Freedom of the Press

ON December 17, 1986, journalist Guillermo Cano Isaza was assassinated in front of the offices of his newspaper, El Espectador, in my home country of Colombia. He was targeted because of the news stories he was pursuing as a journalist.

On World Press Freedom Day every year, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) honours his legacy by awarding the Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize to a person or entity anywhere in the world that has stood up for press freedom — especially in the face of physical danger.

and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”

on tribune242.com which asks: Do you think The Bahamas should have a national holiday to mark the Coronation of King Charles III? Log on and vote now.

Today, as we observe the 30th anniversary of the proclamation by the UN General Assembly of World Press Freedom Day, I reflect on the story of Guillermo Cano Isaza, which made me aware for the first time in my youth of the risk members of my own family faced doing their jobs as journalists. It was a risk I too would face if I decided to follow in their footsteps. Remaining steadfast in my mission, I would go on to develop a career as a news producer in Colombia where I would meet two brave colleagues who I pay tribute to on this day: Jaime Garzon, a journalist, comedian, and peace activist who was murdered in 1999 and Orlando Sierra Hernández, a columnist and deputy newspaper editor who was murdered in 2022. Both deaths, according to UNESCO’S Observatory of Killed Journalists, have been linked to the performance of their duties.

These first-hand experiences have shaped my view on press freedom as a fundamental human right which must be defended, protected, and expanded in all contexts. This view is supported by Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states:

“Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion

When journalists are intimidated and fear for their safety, the fourth estate is weakened, leaving the citizenry that journalists serve without the ability to hold those in power accountable. And such threats to the freedom of journalists and media workers are growing daily. From global health to the climate crisis, corruption, and human rights abuses, they face increased politicisation of their work and attempts to silence them from many sides.

According to UNESCO, 2022 was one of the most dangerous years to be a journalist with 86 journalists and media workers killed around the world — a year-over-year increase of 50 percent. Moreover, even against the backdrop of global conflicts in Ukraine and other parts of the world, the deadliest region to be a journalist last year proved to be Latin America and the Caribbean. This is a reflection of the outsize risk journalists in the region face while covering topics such as crime, corruption, gang violence, and the environment. The three countries that saw the most killings of journalists last year according to UNESCO were Mexico (19), Ukraine (10) and Haiti (9).

As Haiti struggles with a multi-dimensional crisis caused by three consecutive years of economic recession, a political impasse, and unprecedented levels of gang violence, the level of risk incurred by journalists working in the country has increased.

At the United Nations, we are working to support journalists and media

workers everywhere. Despite a less lethal work environment in many Caribbean countries, there are still places where the media is not free to report and investigate without fear of retribution. Journalists across the region report incidents of intimidation, harassment, and even physical violence, all of which undermine the fundamental principles of democracy.

To address these challenges, Caribbean governments must continue strengthening measures to protect press freedom and enact laws that provide journalists with legal and whistle-blower protection. Citizens can also support press freedom by demanding transparency and accountability from their elected officials. By denouncing censorship and supporting independent journalism, citizens can help create a more open and democratic society.

Globally, the wider international community must also participate in advocacy for press freedom in their individual countries as well as collectively, across the world. This includes holding governments accountable for their actions and ensuring journalists can carry out their work without fear of retribution.

Let us never forget that it is the responsibility of journalists to expose human rights abuses and advocate for the rights of vulnerable populations. Without a free and independent press, these abuses can go unnoticed and unchallenged. As someone who knows what it is like to work in an environment where press freedom is constantly under threat, I pledge my personal support and that of the United Nations Information Centre for the Caribbean area for the defence of press freedom in the region.

LILIANA GARAVITO Director of the United Nations Information Centre for the Caribbean Area.

Family and crime

EDITOR, The Tribune.

CRIME - the eradication over the years of the ingredient called Family’s root cause for crime. Young ones growing up in an unbalanced unit far from criticising single mothers many have done an incredible job, but you have the disaster of the 25 percent who failed. I am of African heritage. I observe we rarely

see those of the minority, the Caucasians - Conchie Joes - being hauled in front of the Courts. Their children go to the same schools, play together, smoke the weed and drink.

Yes, usually although changing comes from a two-person family unit, but you rarely see them crossing the Law.

Less talk - wasting horrible amounts of money which we don’t have - less

spin - work on reinstating the Family. Not easy as it is virtually a dinosaur amongst us, the majority. The Bahamas is no longer a society that goes to church - that’s a good place to start. This is the essential issue - admit it, we screwed up on family.

A MUSLIM woman holds out her hands painted with traditional “henna” as she performs an Eid alFitr prayer, marking the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, at the Badshahi mosque, in Lahore, Pakistan, last month.

Photo: KM Chaudary/AP

Bain awaits appeal verdict on investment repay order

with interest.

In recapping the case, Sir Michael said Ms Rolle alleged that she had signed an agreement on April 23, 2010, with Mr Bain for him to hold $40,000 of her funds in a trust for three years.

Interest at ten per cent was to be paid annually, with an option for Mr Bain to invest these monies on her behalf if she wanted this. The plaintiff claimed that she never exercised this option and that Mr Bain never returned what amounted to $64,000

In a second contract dated May 4, 2010, Ms Rolle became a partner in Bani Shoe Warehouse on Mackey Street, a business partially owned by Mr Bain. It was expected that she would supply the establishment

from page one with merchandise and would receive 30 per cent of all sales, but neither did she receive money from this business deal. Bain and his legal team, which includes attorneys Tanya Wright and Maria Daxon, maintain that the $40,000 given to Bain was to acquire the children’s shoe department of Bain’s business and denied receiving any funds for investment.

demolition to stA rt with burned buildinGs At intern Ation A l bA z AA r

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

DEMOLITION of the fire-damaged buildings in the International Bazaar will start on Wednesday, the Grand Bahama Port Authority Ltd has announced.

The structures that will be taken down are located in the Asian and African section, where a massive fire occurred in November 2021.

In a press statement on Tuesday, GB Port Authority said it is the sixth demolition process for 2023 in the Port area.

The former Bloneva Building on East Mall Drive, downtown, Freeport, was also recently demolished.

According to the GBPA, the Bahamas Hotel Catering and Allied Workers Union (BHCAWU), their president Darrin Woods, his executive members, and Christopher Paine, president of the International

Bazaar Owners Association, responded positively to their appeal to remove the building from the city’s landscape.

“We urged other building owners of remaining fire-damaged and derelict buildings to liaise with the GBPA in the continued spirit of cooperation to complete the removal of compromised structures,” according to the statement.

The GBPA said the structures are unattractive and potentially hazardous.

“We are committed to protecting the health and safety of the public and it is necessary that the fire damaged structures be demolished,” it stated.

People are asked to stay away from the condemned site while demolition activities are ongoing.

The GBPA said it is continuing efforts to address dilapidated buildings and structures throughout the city.

It is noted that collaboration with building owners and stakeholders is continuing. They will

also

continue to work with the government of The Bahamas on approving the amendments to the bylaws that will empower the GBPA to effectively and efficiently address the remainder of derelict buildings in the International Bazaar and other dilapidated structures within Freeport.

They further claimed that in November 2010, Ms Rolle ceased to operate the kid’s shoe business after a fire.

In 2021, Justice Cheryl Grant-Thompson ruled in favour of Zinnia Rolle, ordering Bain to repay Ms Rolle $64,000.

The leader of the Coalition of Independents appealed that ruling to the Court of Appeal last year. The court upheld the

Supreme Court’s decision. However, Sir Michael condemned the length of legal proceedings under Justice Grant-Thomson as a “blight on the administration of Justice” and struck down the ruling that Bain repay the $64K by February 28, 2022, or risk a 90-day prison term. Sir Michael reserved his decision as to whether the case will be allowed to move to the Privy Council.

Govt to Am A lGA m Ate Public A nd PrivAte A PPrenticeshiP ProGr A mmes

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE government will introduce a national apprenticeship programme by amalgamating various private and public sector training initiatives, officials said yesterday.

National Tripartite Council Chairperson Sharon Martin said the Apprenticeship Act would be amended and updated to achieve this.

“The Bahamas does not have a national apprenticeship programme so you find that several places, businesses, everywhere, persons decide that they’re gonna have a national apprenticeship programme so what the government hopes to do is to amalgamate every apprenticeship programme,” said Ms Martin, a member of the National Apprenticeship Programmes Board. Her comments came during a press conference. She said: “There are some programmes that are called training programmes so what we call work-based programmes are all over the country so we have to make definitions. We have to define what an

apprenticeship programme looks like.”

Ms Martin said work has started to amend the law and establish the national programme.

“We are at the stage that by June, we will come to the public for consultations, so public consultations have actually started. We have done at least three public consultations with what we call the social partners — the government, the workers and the employers,” she said.

“And they have looked at the bill. They have tweaked (the bill). They have said what they want and do not want in the bill, and so the bill has now gone back to the draftsman for revision and then it comes back to us so that we can take it to the wider public.”

She said the programme will focus on developing skills in information and communication technologies (ICT), maritime, health services and construction.

“Those are the major industries that we have to focus on,” she said.

Minister of State for Education Zane Lightbourne, head of the apprenticeship programme’s board, thanked the International

Labour Organization (ILO) for helping implement the programme.

He said: “Definitely, this is an opportunity for us to again be excited about something for our young people, for us to be excited about the forward movement in our nation and for us to pretty much jump into sharing the good news and giving our young men and young ladies hope that there are places they can begin and a future they can look into where they can expand and go as high and as far as they want to in the work sector.”

Labour Minister Keith Bell and Works and Utilities Minister Alfred Sears also praised the apprenticeship programme, with Mr Bell calling it a “bold initiative”.

“This is a time for all of us Bahamians to get involved,” he said. “There will be widespread consultation. Get to know what the national apprenticeship programme is all about. Engage the committee. Engage everyone to ensure that we come up with the best possible programme because you know we are going to come back to this very soon.”

t

een held on Accus Ation of two A rmed robberies

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

AN 18-year-old was sent to prison yesterday after being accused of two armed robberies in Nassau last week.

Ricardo Francique, represented by Alphonso Lewis, faced Magistrate Samuel McKinney on two counts of armed robbery and one count of receiving.

On April 25, he is accused of robbing Cranston Russell, Jr, of his grey

iPhone 12 Pro Max, an iPhone 13, as well as $70 in cash while being concerned with another.

On the same day, Francique is alleged to have stolen Q’Desha Pratt’s pink iPhone 13 at gunpoint. Later that day, he was arrested after being found with three iPhones valued at $2,400.

Francique was sent to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services. His case will be moved to the Supreme Court by Voluntary Bill of Indictment, set to be served on June 29.

house burGler Ple A ds not Guilty, Gr A nted $5,000 bA il

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was granted bail on Tuesday after being accused of stealing more than $1,000 when he broke into a house in New Providence earlier this year.

Terran Mackey, 22, stood before Magistrate Samuel McKinney on charges of housebreaking, stealing and damage.

It is alleged that on

March 27 Mackey broke into the home of Talesha Turnquest, causing $398.32 worth of damage to her door and lock. Mackey is then alleged to have stolen a 65-inch black flatscreen TV, a black Fire stick and a Ring doorbell, altogether valued at $1,131.97

After pleading not guilty, he was granted $5,000 bail with one or two sureties. Mackey’s trial will begin on June 5.

LINCOLN Bain awaits the Court of Appeal’s verdict about his application to appeal to the Privy Council to overturn a decision related to a failed investment deal which he was ordered to repay.

Our human rights record on review

Today, The Bahamas is under review at the 43 Session of Universal Periodic Review (UPR) at the United Nations in Geneva.

The UPR, now in its fourth cycle, was established by the Human Rights Council and is designed as a peer review. States report on what they have done since the previous review to improve human rights conditions and fulfill their obligations to the people.

a written State report is submitted, and the Working Group reviews this report along with a compiled report including information from treaty bodies (such as Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of discrimination against Women, also known as CEdaW) and other UN entities, and submissions by other stakeholders including non-governmental organizations. It is understood that States usually present a highlight reel, downplaying human rights violations and failures to take appropriate action while overstating its commitment and the progress being made. This is one of the reasons that it is important for other stakeholders to submit reports that include the challenges faced in-country and independent views of the progress being made.

In addition to submitting written reports, non-governmental organisations have the opportunity to speak at UPR pre-sessions, sharing information and highlighting key areas within which they want Member States to give recommendations.

In a three-and-a-half hour meeting of the UPR Working Group, questions are posed to the State under review, comments can be made, and recommendations are given by Member States. These are based on the reports made available to them. The State has the opportunity to answer questions during the session.

There are three sessions per year in which 14 States are reviewed. a total of 42 States are reviewed each year, so the cycles are five years long in order to cover all 193 UN Member States. Following the review, an outcome document is produced with support from the office of the United Nations High Commissioner on Human Rights (oHCHR). The outcome document contains the recommendations made by Member States, and the State under review can support (meaning accept) or note (usually meaning reject) the recommendations made. It is expected that the State spends the next five years, leading to its next review, implementing the recommendations.

In the third UPR cycle, The Bahamas received scores of recommendations. Germany recommended the establishment, as soon as possible, of a national

By Alicia Wallace

human rights institution (NHRI). Importantly, it called for the NHRI to be in compliance with the Paris Principles. Indonesia called on The Bahamas to “step up efforts in establishing a national human rights institution in line with the Paris Principles”. It is interesting that it was reported last week that a resolution was passed, unanimously, to appoint a parliamentary committee on human rights.

Five Members of Parliament and three senators are to form this committee responsible for “investigation of alleged human rights violations through parliamentary inquiries, holding public hearings on human rights-related issues and carrying out on-site visits”.

Regarding the formation of the committee, the leader of the Free National Movement said: “We support this committee but what we do not support is having it appointed as a charade to give this government an opportunity to tick a box to the international community and say that we are committed to addressing this.”

It is important to note that this parliamentary committee is not, and does not even come close to, a national human rights institution. NHRIs both promote and protect human rights. They conduct and publish research, provide training, monitor the human rights situation, receive and investigate reports of human rights violations, provide advice to the government, and support human rights defenders. The Paris Principles state that the NHRI must be independent of the government, guaranteed by statutory law or constitutional provisions. It must be properly funded in a way that does not affect its independence, and it is expected to be accessible to the general public.

It certainly appears as though the government has made the deliberate decision not to establish the NHRI, instead creating another committee that is highly likely to fail. In fact, it is probably designed to fail as the government has completely ignored the Paris Principles which are necessary to make the entity effective, accessible, and, critically, independent. It will, no doubt, highlight this shameful substitution to give the appearance of progress, and hope that other States do not notice.

Slovenia and Ukraine recommended the

establishment of the office of the ombudsman in accordance with the Paris Principles. Last week, it was reported that the ombudsman Bill, 2023 was tabled in Parliament, just as similar legislation was tabled by the previous administration in 2017 with no further action. organization for Responsible Governance has made the Bill available in the Policy Review Centre section of its website, and the page has a form for members of the public to provide feedback on the Bill. This is an opportunity for civic engagement, and being informed on the Paris Principles will make feedback stronger and more relevant to the obligations the government has to the people. There were six recommendations on persons with disabilities, and all of them was supported (accepted) by the State. Jamaica and Maldives called for The Bahamas to create an environment for people with disabilities to be included in the mainstream education system. Senegal recommended the development of a social protection policy to benefit people with disabilities and guarantee their civil, political, economic and cultural rights.

Seven recommendations were made specific to discrimination against women, four on violence against women, and one on the advancement of women. all of these recommendations were supported (accepted) by the State. They included passing legislation to criminalise marital rape, taking effective measures to ensure gender equality, and combatting violence and discrimination against women and girls. None of these have been implemented, so these recommendations are likely to be repeated. The State may also face questions about its failure to implement these recommendations over the past five years.

The Government of The Bahamas does not generally come back to The Bahamas and update the people on

its participation in international mechanisms. The media does not usually offer particularly in-depth reporting on proceedings either, but the information is available on the oHCHR website. The session with The Bahamas review at the 43rd Session of the Universal Periodic Review will be streamed on the United Nations Web TV at 8:30am today. This can be accessed at https://media.un.org/en/ webtv/schedule/2023-05-03. Tune in, take notes, pay attention to the information reported by the media and by the government itself, and look out for the release of the outcome document. It will not only give an indication of the gaps between international human rights standards and where The Bahamas is now, but, through its response — supported or noted — the State’s position on the closing that gap.

ReseaRch on mateRnity leave

Equality Bahamas is conducting research on postpartum experiences and maternity leave with Bahamian mothers and mothers in The Bahamas. The International Labour organization (ILo) mandated that maternity leave by a minimum of 14 weeks, and it recommended 18 weeks. In The Bahamas, maternity leave is 12 weeks, paid once every three years by a single employer. Equality Bahamas recognizes that maternity leave is important for the health and wellbeing of mothers and babies, that paternity leave would be beneficial for families, and that inequitable parental leave is a result of and contributes to gender inequality and the unequal distribution of unpaid care work within households and families.

Bahamian mothers (anywhere in the world) and mothers in The Bahamas (of any nationality) are invited to participate by completing the survey at tiny.cc/matleave242 and signing up to join a focus group discussion at tiny. cc/parents242. The survey takes six to eight minutes to complete and the first 100 respondents have the option to receive phone credit. The focus group sessions will be no more than 90 minutes and, in an effort to reduce the barriers to participation, Equality Bahamas is ensuring that participants will be provided with transportation and childcare stipends. For more information, contact Equality Bahamas at equalitybahamas@gmail.com.

ROBOTS RUN THE SHOW AS SWISS RADIO TESTS AI VOICES FOR A DAY

By JAMEY KEATEN

Associated Press

GENEVA (AP) — The voices sound like well-known personalities, the music features trendy dance beats and hip-hop syncopations, and the jokes and laughter are contagious. But listeners of an offbeat Swiss public radio station repeatedly got the message on Thursday: Today’s programming is brought to you by Artificial Intelligence.

Three months in the making, the French-language station Couleur 3 (Color 3) is touting a one-day experiment using cloned voices of five real, human presenters — in what managers claim is a world first — and neveraired-before music composed almost entirely by computers, not people. From 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., the station said, AI controlled its airwaves. Every 20 minutes, listeners got a reminder.

With an eerie, Sci-Fi movie-like track whirring in the background, a soothing, raspy female voice said: “AI is taking your favourite radio by storm.”

“For 13 hours, our digital alter egos have taken the reins, broadcasting their voices and their messages across the airwaves, without mercy or respite,” the voice said, at times almost taunting listeners.

“The boundaries between human and machine have been blurred, and it’s up to you to unravel what’s real and what’s fake.”

“Our voice clones and AI are here to unsettle, surprise

and shake you. And for that matter, this text was also written by a robot.” The explosive emergence of ChatGPT last autumn and other “Generative AI” tools have caused a stir — and often fear, confusion, fascination, laughter, or worry — about the long-term economic, cultural, social and even political consequences. Some musicians have complained that AI has ripped off their styles. In the face of such recalcitrance, the Swiss station, which falls under the umbrella of public broadcaster Radio Television Switzerland, notes the concerns about AI — and embraces and seeks to demystify it.

Antoine Multone, the station’s chief, said Couleur 3 could get away with the experiment because it’s already

known as “provocative.”

While some might fear the project could be a first step toward the obsolescence of people on the air — and firings of personnel too — or could weaken journalism, he defended the project as a lesson on how to live with AI.

“I think if we become ostriches ... we put our heads in the sand and say, ‘Mon Dieu, there’s a new technology! We’re all going to die!’ then yeah, we’re going to die because it (AI) is coming, whether we like it or not,” Multone said by phone. “We want to master the technology so we can then put limits on it.”

Some have gone even further, like Seven Hills, Ohio-based media company Futuri, which has rolled out RadioGPT that relies on AI.

At Couleur 3, the voices of the presenters were cloned with the help of software company Respeecher, which has worked with Hollywood studios and whose website says its team is mostly based in Ukraine. Station managers say it took three months to train the AI to understand the needs of the station and adopt its quirky, offbeat vibe.

The tracks aired during the day were at least partially composed by AI and some were entirely, “and that’s also a first,” Multone said. AI was behind the voices that sang songs broadcast in the morning, and it played DJ in the afternoon — selecting copyrighted music.

To avoid any possible confusion with today’s real news, the synthetic voices

OPENAI: CHATGPT BACK IN ITALY AFTER MEETING WATCHDOG DEMANDS

— indistinguishable from a real person’s — served up top-of-the-hour news flashes that were way too futuristic to be believable: A temporary ban on spaceship flights over Geneva airspace due to noise complaints; the opening of the first underwater restaurant in Lake Zurich; extraterrestrial tourists who mistook swans on Swiss lake for inflatable toys. The AI had been instructed to come up with news that might be read in the year 2070.

Multone acknowledged a lot of discussion among staffers about whether to go through with it, and “I was ready to pull the plug on the project if I had seen that my team wasn’t 100% motivated to try it.”

Hundreds of messages poured into the station in the morning shortly after the programming began, Swiss public radio said in a statement. One complained of boring jokes. Another listener, stupefied, admitted to being stumped. One critic called the project a waste of time for a station that gets public funding.

“The main feedback we get, in 90% of the messages, is: ‘It’s cool, but there’s a human element missing.

“You can sense these are robots, and there are fewer surprises, less personality,’” Multone said, noting an on-air discussion of the experiment was planned Friday — by real people.

“Many messages just said: ‘Give us back our humans!’” he said. “I think that’s great.”

INSIDER Q&A: AURORA CEO CHRIS URMSON ON SELF-DRIVING TRUCKS

By TOM KRISHER

AP Auto Writer

DETROIT (AP) — Sometime next year, semis with no human in the cab will start carrying freight down Interstate 45 between Dallas and Houston.

The trucks will run on an autonomous driving system called the Aurora Driver, developed by Pittsburgh-based Aurora Innovation. The company is now making about 50 trips per week with human safety drivers on board.

The prospect of a driverless semi is scary to many, but not to CEO Chris Urmson, who helped to build Google’s autonomous vehicle unit. Urmson, 46, co-founded Aurora in 2017.

He spoke with The Associated Press about the future of autonomous vehicles. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Q: Aurora has said its driving system is now “feature-complete.” Does that mean you’re close to putting trucks on the road without humans inside?

A: Over a year ago, we laid out how we were going to get from there to actually having these trucks on the road with nobody on board as they drove safely, full of goods for people. What it means is that all of the parts of the system are in place. They just don’t necessarily work well enough yet that we would trust it to operate without a person on board who was there to deal with rare events. It’s this moment where we switch from putting the pieces together to refining and validating

the stuff. The next really big deal for us will be this Aurora Driver-ready milestone where we’re confident that with a truck that has the appropriate redundancies, that we’d be able to drive that safely down the freeway. From there we’re off to the races, starting to see trucks operate without people on them.

Q: Will you test without operators aboard, without carrying freight?

A: I would expect we will. If you’re one of our customers, they’re going to want to put it through paces a little bit before they they put their brand stamp of approval on it. For us to get to the point of

operating without that person on board, we want to close our safety case.

Q: To many, the sight of an 80,000-pound semi with no human driver is pretty scary. How would you address those fears?

A: We’ve used machine learning, artificial intelligence, to teach them how to drive the way that a good human driver does. If you’re just observing the truck and you’re passing it, you probably don’t notice. There are so many opportunities in bringing this technology into freight. While it’s an incredibly important job, and it’s one where I have a ton of respect to the people who do it, it’s a really difficult job. The likelihood of dying as a truck driver on the job is 10 times more than the average American. On many long-haul trips, drivers have to sleep away from home. They don’t get to spend time with family. It takes a toll on their quality of life. So there’s an incredible opportunity to make goods move more safely, to make them more efficient and more cost-effective.

Q: Can you control the trucks remotely if needed?

A: When the truck is driving down the road, it needs to be able to to operate safely with or without those remote support people. But there are things that the human mind looks at where it’s very easy to understand. Encoding all of those possible things in software is really hard. As we deploy the Aurora Driver, it’ll always operate safely, whether that person is there or not.

But it can ask for help.

Q: You have said that eventually your trucks are going to hit something. How would you allay fears about that?

A: It’s important to recognise that trucks are involved in something like a half million accidents here today. So we expect to reduce that number. These trucks will be sharing the road with people, and people will do unexpected things. We’ll do everything we can to make these vehicles are safe. We’ll have a level of confidence on the way this thing’s going to behave that will be unprecedented.

Q: Teslas on either Autopilot or “Full Self-Driving” using only cameras have crashed into emergency vehicles, motorcycles and other things. Why should we trust you folks when this keeps happening with other vehicles?

A: They aren’t really self-driving vehicles. They’re kind of being branded in a way that maybe is a little bit misleading. We’ve believed for a long time that using a a combination of laser, radar, cameras — inventing our own even more capable long-range lidar (Light Detection and Ranging) — that increases the robustness of the system. The likelihood that you miss something becomes vanishingly small. You had to think about how the different sensors might fail and how you can use different sensors to complement the weaknesses and augment the strengths of one another so that you can actually be robust in challenging situations.

By KELVIN CHAN AP Business Writer

ChatGPT’s maker said Friday that the artificial intelligence chatbot is available again in Italy after the company met the demands of regulators who temporarily blocked it over privacy concerns.

OpenAI said it fulfilled a raft of conditions that the Italian data protection authority wanted satisfied by an April 30 deadline to have the ban on the AI software lifted.

“ChatGPT is available again to our users in Italy,” San Francisco-based OpenAI said by email. “We are excited to welcome them back, and we remain dedicated to protecting their privacy.”

Generative AI systems like ChatGPT, which use vast pools of online data like digital books, blog posts and other media to generate text, images and other content mimicking human work, have created buzz in the tech world and beyond.

But their rapid development has stirred fears among officials and even tech leaders about possible ethical and societal risks, with European Union negotiators scrambling to update draft artificial intelligence regulations that have been years in the making.

JAPAN’S HONDA OUTLINES GLOBAL STRATEGY FOR ELECTRIC CARS

By YURI KAGEYAMA AP Business Writer

TOKYO (AP) — Honda is gearing up for an electrification shift in North America with two models developed with General Motors going on sale next year and a bigger EV with a new platform in 2025, a year earlier than initially announced.

“We believe that the value society places on being kind to the environment will only build in momentum,” President Toshihiro Mibe said last week in announcing a sprawling set of initiatives intended to put Honda on the global EV map.

Mibe told reporters Tokyo-based Honda will forge ahead on investments and partnerships to realise such goals.

Honda has set a goal to have all its models around the world electric or fuel cell, which runs on hydrogen and is emissions-free, by 2040. It aims to make more than 2 million EVs a year by 2030.

In Japan, where EV demand is picking up gradually, an EV based on the tiny N-ONE model goes on sale in 2025. Two more EV models are planned for the following year.

CHRIS URMSON, CEO of self-driving vehicle technology company Aurora Innovation. (Aurora Innovation via AP)

“The boundaries between human and machine have been blurred, and it’s up to you to unravel what’s real and what’s fake. Our voice clones and AI are here to unsettle, surprise and shake you. And for that matter, this text was also written by a robot.”

Radio station Couleur

3

I WAS not asked to speak at this year’s Grand Bahama Business Outlook on the future of Grand Bahama but if I had been, this is what I would have said:

The time has come to get back to fundamentals, reinvigorate Grand Bahama and reimagine what the island could and should become. We need to think outside the box and come up with a bold new plan – one which, after many years of setbacks and struggle, will finally allow us to take full advantage of the potential of this sleeping economic giant, for the benefit of ALL Bahamians and future generations.

This plan must welcome and bring together everyone with a vested interest in Grand Bahama’s success, from local Freeport businesses and big foreign investors, to the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GPBA) and the residents of every community on our island, and perhaps most importantly, the Government of The Bahamas.

I believe such a plan must have six key pillars:

1. BACK TO BASICS

The City of Freeport was originally designed as a special partnership between a private company and the Government of The Bahamas unlike anything that ever existed anywhere before. The idea was to create an open and accessible climate for international investment and an economic engine that would be of massive benefit not just for the island, but also The Bahamas as a whole. Although this link has sadly weakened considerably over the years, the visionary idea remains sound, and we must use it as the foundation of our new plan for the future. This time, we need a true public-private partnership between the GBPA, private company licensees and Government, one that fairly represents all concerned and functions on a basis of mutual trust and deep collaboration for the benefit of Grand Bahamians and the nation as a whole.

For this to happen, the GBPA must grow into a

A thriving Grand Bahama

world-class institution, a genuine big player on the international stage that is able to attract major foreign investment and bring new and exciting industries to the island. It must have a progressive and inclusive board of directors supported by a highly qualified and professional management team.

The partnership between Government and GBPA must become more responsive to investors and the wider community – including private company licensees and GB residents from east to west – and more active in standing up for the rights and interests of all stakeholders in a fair and reasonable manner.

2. A POPULATION EXPLOSION

This new partnership between Government and GBPA must create a regulatory framework capable of attracting new large investments and generating countless employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for the island. This abundance of new jobs and opportunities would draw thousands of Grand Bahamians currently living away back home, in

turn reversing the notorious “brain-drain” that has cost the island so much in terms of lost skills and initiative. It would also bring many skilled, talented and ambitious professionals, craftsmen, scientists, technicians, artisans and creatives from Nassau and other islands, as well as internationally, to take advantage of the new and more diverse employment opportunities, and training and skills development in new industries.

A larger population would mean more people to share the cost of running the island, meaning lower fees and taxes for all. This would attract even more new businesses and licensees, residents and large developments, leading to even more jobs for workers and more tax revenue for the island, not to mention a vibrant marketplace for Grand Bahamian products and services, in a self-reinforcing loop of ever-increasing prosperity and opportunity.

3. A NEW MODERN CITY

The increased government tax revenues could be invested in

new top-notch schools, modern and affordable climate-resilient housing, cutting-edge public medical facilities and provide subsidies for renewable energy that would drive down the cost of electricity for households, among countless other utilities and amenities to support a new thriving metropolis on Grand Bahama, not to mention the increase in GBPA revenues that can be invested into the development and beautification of our city and the wider Port Area. This vision incudes nothing less than the creation, through well thought out master-planning, of a brand-new modern city that will be home to hundreds of businesses and tens of thousands of new residents pursuing careers in exciting and rewarding industries. This new city could make Grand Bahama a world-class business center, maritime hub and innovation destination that is unequalled anywhere in the region. Training and employment opportunities would become available in a greatly expanded tourism product including the thriving high-end ecotourism market, as well as in a number of industries new to the island like the blue and green economy, sustainable aquaculture, clean hydrogen energy and crucially, climate resilient construction solutions.

4. A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

Building long-term resilience for our communities in the face of stronger storms, more violent floods and the destruction of our marine ecosystem is the biggest challenge facing The Bahamas today. The climate crisis is already hitting small island nations first and hardest, as we recognize only too well in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian. At the same time, an abundance of career opportunities aimed at helping coastal communities defend against climate threats are just waiting to be claimed.

A new vision for Grand Bahama must allow us to take full advantage of this virtually untapped reservoir of employment and entrepreneurial possibilities, developing a whole new cadre of skilled local professionals, and Bahamian businesses, and placing them at the forefront of an emerging new sector that is likely to become one of the most important economic engines of the global economy in coming decades. This will not just accelerate the climate solutions that The Bahamas needs most to attract investment and keep our communities safe; it will also establish the country as global leader in this field.

5. A CHANGE IN ATTITUDE

GBPA must come to see itself as part of a larger whole, in the same boat as the other stakeholders and winning or losing according to how the collective tide rises or falls. In particular, we must find a way to work closely with the Government in the spirit of constructive partnership. Crucially, there must be no thought of sacrificing the rights and interests of either Freeport licensees, or the wider Grand Bahama public.

For its part, Government must come to view GBPA as a true partner on the road to success and prosperity for the entire nation. GBPA

and Government must collaborate closely to create an updated, globally competitive regulatory framework that facilitates a standard of ease of doing business unrivaled in the region and which subsequently attracts largescale investment both from Nassau but critically, also from abroad. As regards licensees and Grand Bahama residents, what is required is a spirit of open-mindedness and willingness to look forward not back in the name of writing an ambitious new chapter together. This chapter must be written so that the benefits of a successful Grand Bahama are felt and enjoyed not just by Grand Bahamians, but by all Bahamians in our wonderful country.

6. COMING TO THE TABLE

If Government and a reinvigorated GBPA can work together, then I firmly believe an extremely bright future is within our reach. Change inevitably takes time (and I’m aware that patience is not something we should be asking of Grand Bahamians, given the frustrating years of waiting for much-needed growth on the island) and it could be several years before it comes to full fruition. But under the right plan, Grand Bahama residents and businesses could start seeing material benefits almost immediately.

The time has come for an open and frank discussion about the future of Grand Bahama in which all stakeholders have a voice. The Hayward Family, as Bahamians, are invested in the long-term term future of Grand Bahama. It is therefore my sincere hope that the Government and other stakeholders share our view that deep collaboration is desperately required for Grand Bahama to thrive, and will agree to come to the table and create an official plan that can usher in the brightest possible future for Grand Bahama, its people, and The Bahamas as a whole. We all need to work hard together to make this a reality.

In this article, RUPERT HAYWARD looks to the future of Grand Bahama - and considers how we can reinvigorate and revitalise all parts of the community.

THE GRAND Lucayan resort has been the subject of a number of failed plans - but no matter what lies ahead for it, Grand Bahama needs a wider plan to reinvigorate the island.

Biden sending 1,500 troops for Mexico border migrant surge

WASHINGTON Associated Press

THE BIdEn administration will send 1,500 active-duty troops to the US-Mexico border starting next week, ahead of an expected migrant surge following the end of coronavirus pandemic-era restrictions.

Military personnel will do data entry, warehouse support and other administrative tasks so that US Customs and Border Protection can focus on fieldwork, White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said Tuesday. The troops “will not be performing law enforcement functions or interacting with immigrants, or migrants,”

Jean-Pierre said. “This will free up Border Patrol agents to perform their critical law enforcement duties.”

They will be deployed for 90 days, and will be pulled from the Army and Marine Corps, and defence Secretary Lloyd Austin will look to backfill with national Guard or reserve troops during that period, Pentagon spokesman Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat ryder said. There are already 2,500 national Guard members at the border. The C o VI d -19 restrictions have allowed US officials to turn away tens of thousands of migrants crossing the southern border, but those restrictions will lift May 11, and border officials are bracing for a surge. Even amid the restrictions, the administration has seen record numbers of people crossing the border, and President Joe Biden has responded by cracking down on those who cross illegally and by creating new pathways meant

to offer alternatives to a dangerous and often deadly journey.

For Biden, who announced his democratic reelection campaign a week ago, the decision signals his administration is taking seriously an effort to tamp down the number of illegal crossings, a potent source of republican attacks, and sends a message to potential border crossers not to attempt the journey. But it also draws potentially unwelcome comparisons to Biden’s republican predecessor, whose policies Biden frequently criticized. Congress, meanwhile, has refused to take any substantial immigration-related actions.

Then-President donald Trump deployed activeduty troops to the border to assist border patrol personnel in processing large migrant caravans, on top of national Guard forces that were already working in that capacity.

Jean-Pierre downplayed any similarity between Biden’s immigration management and Trump’s use of troops during his term. “dod personnel have been supporting CBP at the border for almost two decades now,” Jean-Pierre said. “So this is a common practice.”

It’s another line of defence in an effort to manage overcrowding and other possible issues that might arise as border officials move away from the CoVId-19 restrictions.

Last week, administration officials announced they would work to swiftly screen migrants seeking asylum at the border, quickly deport those deemed as not being qualified, and penalize people who cross illegally into the US or illegally through another country on their way to the US border.

They will also open centres outside the United States for people fleeing violence and poverty to apply to fly in legally and

settle in the United States, Spain or Canada. The first processing centres will open in Guatemala and Colombia, with others

expected to follow.

The Pentagon on Tuesday approved the request for troops by Homeland Security, which manages the border.

The deployments have a catch: As a condition for Austin’s previous approval of national Guard troops to the border through oct. 1, Homeland Security had to agree to work with the White House and Congress to develop a plan for longer-term staffing solutions and funding shortfalls, “to maintain border security and the safe, orderly, and humane processing of migrants that do not involve the continued use of dod personnel and resources,” said Pentagon spokesman Air Force Lt. Col. devin robinson.

As part of the agreement, the Pentagon has requested quarterly updates from Homeland Security on how it would staff its border mission without service members. It was not immediately clear if those updates have happened or if border officials will be able to meet their terms of the agreement — particularly under the strain of another expected migrant surge.

Homeland Security said it was working on it. “US Customs and Border Protection is investing in technology and personnel to reduce its need for dod support in coming years, and we continue to call on Congress to support us in this task,” the agency said in a statement.

loneliness Poses risks as deadly as sMoking says surgeon general

WASHINGTON Associated Press

WIdESPrEAd loneliness in the US poses health risks as deadly as smoking up to 15 cigarettes daily, costing the health industry billions of dollars annually, the US surgeon general said Tuesday in declaring the latest public health epidemic.

About half of US adults say they’ve experienced loneliness, dr. Vivek Murthy said in an 81-page report from his office.

“We now know that loneliness is a common feeling that many people experience. It’s like hunger or thirst. It’s a feeling the body sends us when something we need for survival is missing,” Murthy told The Associated Press in an interview. “Millions of people in America are struggling in the shadows, and that’s not right. That’s why I issued this advisory to pull back the curtain on a struggle that too many people are experiencing.”

The declaration is intended to raise awareness around loneliness but won’t unlock federal funding or programming devoted to combatting the issue. research shows that Americans, who have become less engaged with worship houses, community organizations and even their own family members in recent decades, have steadily reported an increase in feelings of loneliness. The number of single households has also doubled over the last 60 years. But the crisis deeply worsened when CoVId-19

WidesPread loneliness in the U.S. is posing health risks as deadly as smoking a dozen cigarettes daily, costing the health industry billions of dollars annually, the US surgeon general Dr Vivek Murthy said Tuesday in declaring the latest public health epidemic. About half of US adults say they’ve experienced loneliness, Murthy said in a new, 81-page report from his office.

spread, prompting schools and workplaces to shut their doors and sending millions of Americans to isolate at home away from relatives or friends.

People culled their friend groups during the coronavirus pandemic and reduced time spent with those friends, the surgeon general’s report finds. Americans spent about 20 minutes a day in person with friends in 2020, down from 60 minutes daily nearly two decades earlier.

The loneliness epidemic is hitting young people, ages 15 to 24, especially hard. The age group reported a 70% drop in time spent with friends during the same period.

Loneliness increases the risk of premature death by nearly 30%, with the report revealing that those with poor social relationships also had a greater

risk of stroke and heart disease. Isolation also elevates a person’s likelihood for experiencing depression, anxiety and dementia, according to the research. Murthy did not provide any data that illustrates how many people die directly from loneliness or isolation.

The surgeon general is calling on workplaces, schools, technology companies, community organizations, parents and other people to make changes that will boost the country’s connectedness. He advises people to join community groups and put down their phones when they’re catching up with friends; employers to think carefully about their remote work policies; and health systems to provide training for doctors to recognize the health risks of loneliness.

Technology has rapidly exacerbated the loneliness

problem, with one study cited in the report finding that people who used social media for two hours or more daily were more than twice as likely to report feeling socially isolated than those who were on such apps for less than 30 minutes a day.

Murthy said social media is driving the increase in loneliness in particular. His report suggests that technology companies roll out protections for children especially around their social media behaviour.

“There’s really no substitute for in-person interaction,” Murthy said. “As we shifted to use technology more and more for our communication, we lost out on a lot of that inperson interaction. How do we design technology that strengthens our relationships as opposed to weaken them?”

LONDON

Associated Press

London police said a controlled explosion was carried out as a precaution outside Buckingham Palace late Tuesday after a man was arrested there on suspicion of possessing an offensive weapon.

The Metropolitan Police said officers arrested the man after he approached the palace gates and threw items suspected to be shotgun cartridges into the palace grounds. A bag that police deemed suspicious was found in the suspect’s possession, the police force said.

Police said the incident was not being treated as terrorism-related.

“officers worked immediately to detain the man and he has been taken into police custody,” Chief Superintendent Joseph Mcdonald said in a statement. “There have been no reports of any shots fired, or any injuries to officers or members of the public.”

King Charles III and Camilla, the queen consort, were not at Buckingham Palace at the time of the arrest. Palace officials declined to comment,

saying the incident was a police matter.

Cordons were erected in the area late Tuesday. Police said officers remained at the scene and investigations were ongoing.

The incident took place just days ahead of Charles’ coronation ceremony, which is scheduled to take place at nearby Westminster Abbey on Saturday.

In recent days Buckingham Palace has seen a flurry of activity as tourists and international media begin to descend for the coronation — the first to take place in the country since Queen Elizabeth II was crowned in 1953.

dozens of foreign royals, dignitaries and heads of state are expected to travel to the to attend the event, set to be a huge policing operation.

on Saturday Charles and Camilla will ride in a gilded coach from the palace to Westminster Abbey, where they will be crowned in a ceremony steeped in history. The pair will then return to the palace, escorted by a spectacular military procession featuring thousands of ceremonial troops, before they appear on the palace balcony to greet well-wishers.

Police officers patrol at Buckingham Palace on Saturday ahead of the coronation of Britain’s King Charles III.

Photo: Kin cheung/AP

Man arrested outside Buckingha M Palace with susPected wea P on

Photo: susan Walsh/AP

President Joe Biden walks along a stretch of the US-Mexico border in El Paso Texas, January 8, 2023. The Biden administration has requested 1,500 troops for the US-Mexico border amid an expected migrant surge following the end of pandemic-era restrictions.

Photo: andrew Harnik/AP

Table tennis spring tourney this Saturday at LW Young Junior High

By TENAJH SWEETING tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Table Tennis Federation (BTTF) will host a spring table tennis tournament this Saturday at LW Young Junior High School.

The event is scheduled for 9am to 3pm and will be their second event of the calendar year. This year’s spring tourney will include matchups between boys and girls of the 11 and under, 15 and under, as well as the 18 and under divisions.

The tournament will also feature seniors and an open event which will allow for anybody interested in table tennis to register for the competition.

Sudan Khalfani, youth director of the BTTF, talked about his expectations for this weekend’s tourney.

“We expect this tournament to have a major turnout and the event will determine who are the best players and how ready we are to advance the national programme,” Khalfani said.

With the event just a few days away, this year’s registrants will include competitors from both public and private schools, and home schools.

The public can expect to witness some competitive table tennis action from students of Sybil Strachan, S C McPherson, C V Bethel, L W Young, Kingsway Academy, Leadership Academy, Columbus Primary, Queen’s College, St Andrew’s, and Windsor.

The youth director said he is very impressed with the registration numbers so far and will look to introduce the sport to more schools with the help of the Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg.

The registration deadline is 8pm Friday for persons that have not signed up for this weekend’s table tennis tourney.

The amount of rounds will vary between 3 to 5 depending on the division being played.

In the federation’s first event of the year, Queen’s College’s Ronal Fernando secured the win for the 12 and under division.

Courtney Rahming came in second from Claridge Primary and Sybil Strachan’s Keyonna Bain brought home third place.

The 13-and-under division saw a pair of LW Young Golden Eagles take home first and second place finishes. Patrick Rahming placed first and fellow schoolmate Aljani Heron finished up in second. Sybil Strachan’s Lejon Kelly capped off the division in third.

Mosiah Bain, of Leadership Academy, emerged victorious for the 15-andunder division. Second place finisher was Cozman Rahming of Doris Johnson and Kingsway’s Matthew Manickam finished the competition in third.

For persons that have not registered as yet with two days remaining, they can still sign up by contacting 426-5153 or via email bahamasyouthtt@gmail. com

MATCHDAY: CITY HOSTS WEST HAM, LAZIO CAN DELAY NAPOLI TITLE

A LOOK at what’s happening in European soccer today:

ENGLAND

First-place Manchester City hosts West Ham, and striker Erling Haaland needs one goal to set a new record for the most goals scored in a Premier League season. He has 34 and shares the record with Alan Shearer and Andy Cole. City has six games remaining so it seems certain Haaland — who has 50 goals in all competitions — will set a new benchmark.

“The magnitude of a record is because for a long time it was not broken,” City manager Pep Guardiola said. “All records will be broken one day.”

Liverpool hosts Fulham with the fifth-placed Merseyside club looking to strengthen its bid for

MEDVEDEV AND RUBLEV LOSE

By TALES AZZONI AP Sports Writer

MADRID (AP) —

Carlos Alcaraz made sure he wouldn’t be among the top seeds being upset at the Madrid Open yesterday, playing well from the start to secure his spot in the quarterfinals with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Alexander Zverev. After both second-seeded Daniil Medvedev and fifthseeded Andrey Rublev lost their fourth-round matches at the clay-court tournament, Alcaraz cruised past 13th-seeded Zverev to stay on track to defend his title at home. It was a rematch of last year’s Madrid final, which Alcaraz also comfortably won against the former two-time champion in the Spanish capital.

“For me it’s amazing to play the level that I played today,” Alcaraz said. “I feel really good right now and this match gives me a lot of confidence.”

Alcaraz didn’t concede any break opportunities against Zverev and converted on four of the 10 break chances he had.

The 19-year-old Spaniard ended with 21 winners and 12 unforced errors. Zverev had only nine winners and 22 unforced errors.

“This is not a normal result, Zverev is a great player and has great shots, it would be more normal to be a tighter match and I was prepared for it,” the second-ranked Alcaraz said. “I played well. I kept attacking and didn’t let him take control, especially on his serve. I played a complete match, that’s why the result was like that.”

Alcaraz, coming off the title in Barcelona, has won 18th straight matches in Spain.

Europa League qualification and keep alive its slim Champions League hopes.

ITALY Napoli could be crowned Serie A champion without even kicking a ball — if second-place Lazio fails to beat Sassuolo.

If Lazio wins, Napoli’s 33-year wait for the league title will extend at least another day when it plays at Udinese.

Lazio has lost its past two matches and also needs the points to keep hold of second place. It has one more point than Juventus, which hosts relegationthreatened Lecce.

Inter Milan, AC Milan and Roma are all locked on the same number of points, three behind Juve, in a tight battle for the Champions League qualifying spots. Both the Milan clubs play teams fighting for survival

as fourth-place Inter visits Hellas Verona, while Milan hosts 19th-place Cremonese. Verona would move out of the bottom three with a win. Roma travels to Monza. Bottom club Sampdoria hosts Torino and Fiorentina visits Salernitana, which snatched a late draw at Napoli on Sunday to keep the Partenopei’s celebrations on hold.

GERMANY Stuttgart can reach the German Cup final with a win at home over Eintracht Frankfurt in their semifinal despite fighting for survival in the Bundesliga.

Only goal difference was keeping Stuttgart out of the league’s relegation zone with four rounds remaining, making it a candidate for the relegation/ promotion playoff against the team that finishes third in the second division. That

two-legged playoff would take place around the same time as the cup final, meaning the German soccer federation could be forced to change the schedule if Stuttgart beats Frankfurt. Frankfurt will hope to save the federation the bother by reaching its first German Cup final since 2018, when it defeated Bayern Munich 3-1 to win the competition for the fifth time. Stuttgart is going for its fourth cup title. SPAIN Valencia continues its fight against relegation when it hosts Villarreal in the Spanish league. Valencia entered the midweek round in 17th place, just outside the relegation zone. It has won only twice in its last seven league matches. Villarreal, which has won five of its last seven games, including

the last two, is still fighting for a Champions League place. It entered the round in fifth place, five points behind fourth-place Real Sociedad.

Atletico Madrid continues its chase of second-place Real Madrid when it hosts relegationthreatened Cadiz.

Second-to-last-place Getafe, winless in six matches, tries to move out of the relegation zone when it hosts Celta Vigo, which has one win in six games.

FRANCE Brest hosts Nantes in a match with huge relegation implications. Both clubs have 32 points but Brest is currently in the final relegation spot on goal difference. Nantes will try to bounce back from a 5-1 loss to Toulouse in the French Cup final on Saturday.

Women’s second seed Aryna Sabalenka reached the last four after trailing Mayar Sherif by a set and a break. Sabalenka rallied to beat the Egyptian 2-6, 6-2, 6-1. The Australian Open champion reached her fifth semifinal in seven tournaments. She won Madrid in 2021.

The 59th-ranked Sherif was the first Egyptian to make it to the quarterfinals in a WTA 1000 event.

“It was crazy match. I think she played unbelievable tennis. It was really tough today,” Sabalenka said. “I just couldn’t adjust for her game, and I was really going crazy. I’m really happy that I was able to stop myself, to take a little breath and just like start everything from the beginning.”

Medvedev lost to 121stranked qualifier Aslan Karatsev, a fellow Russian, 7-6 (1), 6-4.

PATH TO PARIS OLYMPICS SET FOR EUROPEAN WOMEN’S SOCCER TEAMS

NYON, Switzerland

(AP) — The path to the 2024 Paris Olympics for European women’s soccer teams was made clearer yesterday when UEFA made the group-stage draw for the inaugural Women’s Nations League.

Two teams will advance from the top-tier Nations League Finals in February to join Olympic host France in the 12-team lineup in July next year. The Olympic tournament already includes 2019 Women’s World Cup winner the United States, Brazil and Colombia.

The Nations League Finals will involve winners of the four League A groups drawn yesterday that will play from September to December.

European champion England was grouped with Netherlands, the 2019 Women’s World Cup beaten finalist, plus their

respective neighbours and rivals Scotland and Belgium.

Sweden, the Tokyo Olympics silver medalist, was drawn with Spain, Italy and Switzerland. Germany will play Denmark, Iceland and Wales.

France’s group includes Norway, Austria and Portugal.

If England advances to the Paris Olympics, the team will represent Britain as it did in Tokyo. The first Women’s Nations League involves 51

of the 55 UEFA member federations playing in three tiers. Russia is banned because of the country’s military invasion of Ukraine.

No entry was submitted by Gibraltar, Liechtenstein or San Marino.

STUDENTS of various primary schools compete in table tennis.

BARCELONA’S ALEXIA PUTELLAS, background centre, celebrates with her teammates at the end of the Women’s Champions League semifinal, second leg, soccer match between FC Barcelona and Chelsea FC at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain, on April 27. The match ended in a 1-1 draw but Barcelona advance on a 2-1 aggregate.

(AP Photo/ Joan Monfort)

Brunson, Randle help Knicks beat Heat 111-105 to even series

By BRIAN MAHONEY AP Basketball Writer

NEW YORK (AP) —

Jalen Brunson scored 30 points and keyed the run the New York Knicks needed just in time to get by a Miami Heat team playing without Jimmy Butler, evening the Eastern Conference semifinals at a game apiece with a 111-105 victory last night. Julius Randle returned from a sprained left ankle that sidelined him in Game 1 with 25 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists, and RJ Barrett scored 24 points for the No. 5-seeded Knicks.

Josh Hart finished with 14 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists.

But it was Brunson, who pointed the blame at himself and said he had to be better after going 0 for 7 from 3-point range in the opener, who made the biggest plays in a game the Knicks trailed much of the way.

Caleb Martin scored 22 points in place of Butler for the Heat, who host Game 3 on Saturday afternoon. They will hope to have Butler, the leading scorer in the playoffs who sat out after spraining his right ankle late in their 108-101 victory in the opener.

They almost didn’t need him.

Miami had a six-point lead midway through the fourth quarter thanks to undrafted players Martin and Gabe Vincent before Brunson, who had been listed as questionable with a sore right ankle, took over. He made a 3-pointer that became a four-point play when Isaiah Hartenstein was fouled on the play, and the point guard then scored to knot it at 93.

96-93 on Vincent’s three free throws, but Josh Hart tied it with a 3 before Brun son hit a 3 and scored again to make it 101-96 with 2:48 remaining. behind the arc.

hurt against Heat in a vic tory March 29 after starting the first 77 games. of the playoffs but wasn’t sharp for much of the series against Cleveland before reinjuring the ankle in the Game 5 clincher.

Tuesday for a Knicks team trying to advance to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2000, when they got there after beating Miami in seven games.

of the Knicks’ first three baskets, with the Heat paying extra attention to him and leaving shooters

part of the second half after going to the locker room with a bruised lower back.

Knicks: Starting centre Mitchell Robinson committed two fouls in the first 2:31 and sat the remainder of the first quarter.

The crowd at Madison Square Garden included comedians Chris Rock and Mike Myers, retired tennis star Roger Federer, former Knicks All-Star Carmelo Anthony and actress Jessica Alba.

NBA MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: 76ERS’ EMBIID WINS LEAGUE’S TOP INDIVIDUAL HONOUR

By DAN GELSTON AP Sports Writer

PHILADELPHIA 76ers centre and league scoring champion Joel Embiid earned his first NBA MVP trophy last night, topping two-time winner Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets.

The 29-year-old from Yaoundé, Cameroon, averaged 33.1 points to win his second straight scoring title, averaged 10.2 rebounds and tied a career high with 4.2 assists per game. Embiid played in 66 games, the second-highest total of his career, but again has been hit with injuries in the playoffs. Embiid has been sidelined with a sprained right knee that cost him one game of the playoff sweep against Brooklyn and the opening game of the Eastern Conference semifinals against Boston, which was won by Philadelphia on Monday night.

Jokic finished runner-up and Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks was third. Embiid received 73 firstplace votes. Jokic received 15 first-place votes, and Antetokounmpo got 12.

“It’s been a long time coming,” Embiid said. “A lot of hard work. I’ve been through a lot. I’m not just talking about basketball. I’m talking about my life. My story. Where I come from. How I got here and what it took for me to be here.”

The 76ers watched on TV in Boston and erupted in applause and started chanting “MVP! MVP!” as the big man buried his head in his hands as he sat

in a chair. Embiid was in tears as teammates James Harden, Tobias Harris and Tyrese Maxey mobbed him in celebration.

Embiid then vowed “I’ll be back” for the playoff series against the Celtics.

But as for Game 2 tonight?

“We shall see,” Embiid said. Embiid has been determined to win -- and campaigned for -- the MVP trophy for years. The third overall pick of the 2014 draft, Embiid missed his first two full seasons with injuries before settling in as one of the top big men of his generation. He was at his best this season when he totaled three 50-point games, including a careerhigh 59 against Utah in November. He had 13 total 40-point games.

When Embiid totalled 52 points and 13 rebounds in a win against the Celtics in April, coach Doc Rivers boldly declared, “The MVP race is over.”

Embiid certainly didn’t argue that night with his coach or Sixers teammates who stumped on his behalf.

“They’re probably right,” Embiid said. “But we have bigger goals in mind.”

Embiid is the first 76er to win league MVP since Allen Iverson in 2001. Julius Erving in 1981, Moses Malone in 1983 and Wilt Chamberlain from 1966-1968 are other 76ers to win NBA MVP awards.

Embiid’s injury could be the deciding factor in the 76ers’ chase for the NBA championship. The Sixers are trying to win their first NBA title since 1983 and advance past the second

round for the first time since 2001 — which was the last time a Sixer won the MVP award.

Allen Iverson was named league MVP in 2001. Other 76ers to capture the league’s top individual award: Julius Erving, 1981; Moses Malone, 1983; and Wilt Chamberlain, 1966-1968. Embiid, who graduated from a Florida high school and played a season in college at Kansas, has been every bit the dominant force in the NBA over the past seven seasons. Once the poster child for load management, Embiid has played 134 regular-season games the last two seasons and his 30.6 points last season made him the first international player ever to

win an NBA scoring title. He’s a six-time All-Star and was runner-up each of the last two seasons to Jokic. Antetokounmpo won in 2019 and 2020. Jokic in 2021 and 2022.

Now, the award belongs to Embiid, who didn’t pick up a basketball until he was a teenager in Africa, when a friend informed him that very few 7-footers succeed in soccer.

A few months later, Embiid was lured to a basketball camp in the capital of Yaounde run by NBA veteran Luc Mbah a Moute, one of just two players from Cameroon to have played in the NBA. Mbah a Moute persuaded Embiid’s parents to let him move 6,000 miles to Florida, and helped enrol

him at Montverde Academy, one of the best high school programmes in the country. He played just 28 games in his lone season at Kansas before leaving for the NBA.

“I am absolutely thrilled for Joel on winning the MVP award. He is the real deal and deserves every bit of recognition that comes his way,” Rivers said. “He embodies everything that the honour stands for. His drive to improve is unmatched, and like the saying ‘a dream doesn’t become reality through magic, it takes hard work’, he’s put in the work.”

Embiid, who became an American citizen last year, was known early in his career for sucking down

Shirley Temples but has worked with sports dietitians to develop healthier eating habits and streamlined his workouts.

Sixers fans can enjoy him for years. Embiid’s fouryear, $196 million contract extension doesn’t kick in until next season and takes him through 2026-27.

The affable centre became the face of the 76ers’ rebuilding effort more commonly known as The Process. He embraced the nickname and is introduced before every home game as Joel “The Process” Embiid.

He can now add MVP.

Billboards went up around Philadelphia of Embiid with the slogan “MVPIID” and Sixers fans serenaded him with “MVP!” chants from pregame introductions all the way to his final free throw attempts.

Embiid, who shares with his long-time girlfriend a son named in the honour of his late brother, holds career averages of 27.2 points and 11.2 rebounds in 394 career starts. He’s a four-time All-NBA selection and three-time All-Defensive Team selection.

This is the fifth consecutive year an international player has been MVP, extending the longest streak in NBA history.

It’s also the second time that international players finished 1-2-3 in MVP voting; the first time was last season.

Embiid becomes the second winner from Africa, joining Hakeem Olajuwon, the Nigerian who won for Houston in 1994.

York Knicks’ Julius Randle last night returned from a sprained left ankle that sidelined him in Game 1 with 25 points, 12 rebounds (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

PHILADELPHIA 76ers centre Joel Embiid celebrates after a 3-point basket by James Harden during the final minute of Game 1 against the Boston Celtics in the NBA basketball Eastern Conference semifinals playoff series on Monday night in Boston. (AP Photo/ Charles Krupa)

Glory Basketball Jam prize money doubles for year 2

By TENAJH SWEETING tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

THE Glory Basketball

Jamboree will make its return to the Kendal GL Isaacs Gymnasium for year two in less than two weeks.

The highly-anticipated basketball tournament will be a three-day event set for May 11-13 starting at 4pm.

This year’s cash prize sits at $5,000, doubling last year’s amount of $2,500. The basketball tourney will feature 10 teams, including the event’s first ever champions the Discount Distributors Rockets.

Also, fans of the tourney can expect appearances from an Abaco and Grand Bahama team as well as a surprise team to make things interesting.

Ricardo Smith, commissioner and chief executive officer of Bahamas Pro

Basketball Tournaments, talked about his excitement and the purpose of this year’s basketball jamboree.

“I am very excited that this year we are going to be able to put on the second annual Glory Basketball Jam. “It is an attempt to ensure that the hope is kept alive for professional basketball in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas,” Smith said. He added that the tournament gives Bahamian players the opportunity to utilise their talent to secure an income by providing the opportunity for persons to compete for the cash prize.

It is his hope that the tournament will be the stepping stone towards creating a league that will allow for persons to be duly compensated for their talents, efforts and time.

Among the other teams expected to compete at the second edition of the Glory Basketball Jamboree will be the Giants, the returning Pirates basketball team, and the new-look Tucker boys.

This year’s tournament trophy will be dedicated to Ricardo ‘Ricky’ Farquharson. He is hearing impaired but has seemingly beaten the odds to compete on a national and international level. Also, a donation will be made to the Centre for the Deaf in honour of the universal role model, according to Smith.

Last year’s award went to Floyd “Off the Wall” Saunders, who was notorious for his infamous throwing the ball off the wall followed by a ferocious slam dunk.

Event organisers are urging Bahamians to come out as it will be a great opportunity to witness the best basketball talent in the country.

Additionally, basketball will not be the only way for persons to occupy their time at the tournament.

“While the basketball tournament is going on there will be a pop-up shop happening, you’re gonna have an opportunity to socialise, and enjoy some nice snacks so it will be a treat to see the level of basketball [teams] we have in this country to vie for the prestigious $5,000 cash prize, annual trophy and individual awards,” the promoter said. This year’s pop-up vendors will include the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC), INO Temporary Tattoo

ARSENAL DEFEATS CHELSEA

Transformations, and WL empire.

The basketball jamboree will also feature a Sunshine Auto Sales rims competition on Friday.

There will be cars from the auto sales company on display and persons will get the opportunity to put their own rims on display.

The winner will receive a free set of rims courtesy of the company.

For persons that wish to attend the tournament, the cost is $10 and they can reach out to the Glory Basketball Jam Facebook page to have tickets delivered or their email bahprobasket@ gmail.com.

With this year’s event set to have prizes ranging from flat screen televisions to stoves, persons will not want to miss the exciting three-day jamboree. Come out and enjoy.

Elder shuts down Jazz and Marlins, outpitches Alcantara in Braves win

MIAMI (AP) — Bryce

Elder outpitched NL Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara by throwing seven innings of three-hit ball and the Atlanta Braves beat the Miami Marlins 6-0 last night.

Ozzie Albies homered and doubled, while Ronald Acuña Jr doubled, drove in a run and stole his NLleading 14th base for the Braves. Acuña played a day after sustaining a bruised left shoulder when he was plunked by a 93 mph fastball in the second game of a doubleheader against the New York Mets.

Elder (3-0) struck out six and induced 10 groundouts in his longest start of the season.

Alcantara (1-3) has a 7.40 ERA and lost three of his four starts since throwing a complete game shutout against Minnesota on April 4. The Braves chased Alcantara after five innings and 103 pitches. Alcantara gave up three runs, six hits, walked three, struck out five and hit two batters.

Albies gave the Braves an early lead with his solo shot in the second. He drove Alcantara’s fastball over the wall in right for his eighth homer. Atlanta loaded the bases with no out in the third before Eddie Rosario grounded into a double play that scored Matt Olson from third.

Rosario’s two-out RBI single in the fifth made it 3-0.

Acuña hit a sacrifice fly and Austin Riley and Sean Murphy had consecutive

walks with the bases loaded against Miami reliever Johan Quezada in the eight to pad Atlanta’s lead.

Kirby Yates and Joe Jimenez followed Elder and each pitched one inning.

BUILDING UP THE PITCH COUNT

Olson helped cut Alcantara’s outing with two lengthy plate appearances. In the first, Olson fouled off four consecutive pitches before striking out on the ninth pitch. Olson then worked out of a 1-2 count in the fifth and drew a walk by forcing Alcantara to throw 10 pitches.

ROSTER MOVE

The Marlins placed OF Avisaíl García on the 15-day injured and recalled INF Xavier Edwards from Triple-A Jacksonville. Edwards pinch hit in the ninth and flew out to center.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Braves: RHP Raisel Iglesias (right shoulder inflammation) is scheduled to throw again in the next couple days after two rehab outings with Triple-A Gwinnett.

Marlins: RHP Johnny Cueto (right biceps tightness) will throw in a rehab game with Jacksonville on Saturday.

INF Garrett Cooper is still dealing with nausea after exiting in the fourth inning of the series finale against the Chicago Cubs on Sunday.

UP NEXT

Braves RHP Kyle Wright (0-1, 4.86) will start the second game of the series today against Marlins LHP Braxton Garrett (1-0, 2.45).

3-1,

TAKES LEAGUE LEAD FOR NOW

By MATTIAS KAREN Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — Arsenal kept the Premier League title fight alive by beating up on a Chelsea team that seems to be in need of life support under Frank Lampard.

Arsenal returned to the top of the standings — for a day at least — by dismantling Chelsea 3-1 at the Emirates Stadium yesterday to end a four-game winless run that saw its control of the title race slip away.

The Gunners channelled their disappointment over last week’s 4-1 loss to rival Manchester City into a dominant first-half display, going 3-0 up inside 34 minutes as Chelsea slumped to a sixth straight loss in all competitions under Lampard.

Martin Odegaard scored two nearly identical goals and Gabriel Jesus added the third minutes later. The visitors offered little in response until Chukwunonso Madueke pulled one back in the 65th but never came close to staging a comeback as the hosts saw out the game.

“We came out with a different spirit, a different team to last time (against City),” Odegaard told Sky Sports. “It hurt after the (City) game and we used this anger and the disappointment in this game to bounce back.”

The win puts Arsenal two points above Manchester City atop the standings, but given that Pep Guardiola’s team has two games in hand — including at home against West Ham today — it may not stay there for long.

Arsenal was coming off the loss to City and a run of three straight draws before that. But Mikel Arteta’s team couldn’t have asked for much easier opposition as it tried to get back on track.

“If we want to have any chance to win the league, we had to win today,” Arteta said.

Granit Xhaka created the two opening goals in similar fashion, sending a low cross into the box from the left to pick out Odegaard, who beat goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga with his left foot both times. That took any remaining air out of a Chelsea team that has nothing to play for and is languishing in 12th place under its third manager of the season in Lampard, who is set to leave at the end of the campaign.

HAROLD RAMIREZ HOMERS AS RAYS BEAT PIRATES IN A MATCHUP OF TOP TEAMS

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (AP) — Harold

Ramírez homered and drove in two runs to lead the Tampa Bay Rays over the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-1 last night in a matchup of teams with the top two records in the major leagues.

Ramírez drove in the game’s first run with an RBI single in the fourth and boosted the lead to 4-1 with a solo homer in the sixth against Roansy Contreras (3-2). Contreras allowed

four runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings.

Tampa Bay left-hander

Josh Fleming left in the fifth after taking Ke’Bryan Hayes’ hard-hit single off his left foot. The Rays said initial images didn’t show a fracture.

Colin Poche (3-0) replaced Fleming in the fifth and gave up a double to Bryan Reynolds and Carlos Santana’s tying sacrifice fly. Hayes called safe on a close play at the plate that stood after a video review.

Jason Adam worked the ninth for his first save this season.

RED SOX 7, BLUE JAYS 6 BOSTON (AP) — Connor Wong hit two homers, including a tiebreaking solo shot in the eighth, to help Boston rally past Toronto. Masataka Yoshida and Christian Arroyo also homered for Boston and the Red Sox tied a season-high for hits with 14, including four by Wong.

Wong also had a double in the second that bounced just below the yellow line at the top of Fenway Park’s iconic left-field wall.

Reliever Richard Bleier (1-0) got the win and Josh Winckowski picked up his first save. Erik Swanson (1-1) took the loss.

Daulton Varsho hit a three-run homer for the Blue Jays in the sixth and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. finished with a pair of singles and two RBIs.

WHITE SOX 3, TWINS 2, 10 INNINGS CHICAGO (AP) —

Andrew Benintendi robbed Carlos Correa of a homer and hit a game-ending single in the 10th inning, and Chicago earned its second straight win after a 10-game losing streak.

Hanser Alberto opened the 10th on second as the automatic runner and advanced on Elvis Andrus’ sacrifice. Tim Anderson bounced to shortstop and Benintendi lined a clean single into left against Caleb Thielbar (0-1).

Eloy Jiménez homered and Michael Kopech pitched six effective innings for the White Sox.

Jimmy Lambert (2-1) pitched a scoreless 10th for the win, which came hours after the White Sox made 11 roster moves. Minnesota wasted another stellar performance by Joe Ryan, who pitched six scoreless innings. Ryan allowed one hit, struck out

seven and walked two, lowering his ERA to 2.37.

NATIONALS 4, CUBS 1

WASHINGTON (AP)

— Alex Call hit a two-run double during a three-run seventh inning, and Washington beat Chicago.

CJ Abrams had the tiebreaking RBI single in the seventh off Keegan Thompson (1-2) as part of a 3-for-3 night. Victor Robles followed with an infield hit and Call doubled to the gap in left-center to make it 4-1.

Trevor Williams, a former Cub, pitched into the sixth inning for Washington and departed with a 1-0 lead. Hunter Harvey (1-1) got the final out of the seventh, then allowed two baserunners in the eighth but got out of the inning when he caught Wisdom looking with a 98 mph fastball.

Kyle Finnegan finished for his sixth save. Cubs righthander Hayden Wesneski allowed one run on five hits over six innings.

YANKEES 4, GUARDIANS 2 NEW YORK (AP) —

Willie Calhoun snapped a seventh-inning tie with his first home run for the New York Yankees, who beat Cleveland to stop a fourgame slide.

Gerrit Cole settled down after a rocky start and rookie Anthony Volpe homered in the sixth to begin New York’s comeback from a two-run deficit. Cole struck out eight in six innings and remained unbeaten in seven starts this season with a 1.35 ERA. The right-hander needed 69 pitches to get through the first three innings but threw only 39 over the next three. With one out in the seventh, Calhoun lined an 0-2 curveball from James Karinchak (0-4) to right field for his first major league home run since April 11 last year with Texas. Wandy Peralta (2-0) got two outs and Michael King worked 1 2/3 hitless innings.

STUDENTS from IMG academy listen to Miami Marlins centre fielder Jasrado “Jazz” Chisholm Jr before last night’s baseball against the Atlanta Braves in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

MARLINS centre fielder Jazz Chisholm Jr bats against the Atlanta Braves during a baseball game on April 27 in Atlanta.

(AP Photo/John Bazemore)

SPORTS

Rev Thompson takes over as chairman of Bahamas Games

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

With the sixth Bahamas Games just two months away, the Games Secretariat has a switch in leadership with Rev Harrison Thompson taking over from the retired chairman Martin Lundy.

Thompson, who served as the chairman of the 50th CARIFTA Games, replaces Lundy, who retired from the public service in April. Lundy served as chairman of the fifth games held in 2001. He was returned to that capacity in the lead-up to the return of the games this year, scheduled for July 6-14.

In accepting his new role, Thompson said he’s delighted to have the opportunity to once again serve the Commonwealth of the Bahamas in whatever capacity he is afforded.

“I’m working with the executive committee and we have a general government agency that we are working together with to make sure that the Bahamas Games is all inclusive

for all Bahamians,” Thompson said. “We want to make this the best one ever.”

Although he served in the capacity of an advisor, Thompson attended the previous conclaves involving the council representatives from each of the 10 islands or grouping of islands as well as the 14 core sporting disciplines, and said the Games Secretariat is ensuring that the funding is adequately distributed before the end of the week.

“We also want to encourage the island councils to seek some additional funding to support their campaign to get their teams ready for the games,” he said. “The government has committed to providing the funding that has been allocated to the island councils.

“We hope that they can get that funding from the government this week so that they can jump start their drive to get their teams ready. We know that the Family Islands have already submitted their team listing, but we’re still waiting on New Providence and Grand Bahama.”

Thompson said he noted that they still have an issue

with the New Providence Sports Council, headed by Roy Colebrooke, who is adamant that they still be a part of the Games Village at Breezes Resort Bahamas just like everybody else.

“We don’t have the rooms to accommodate New Providence with the Family Island teams because their team is the largest. We just don’t have the room space to accommodate their team and I think that is creating a problem with them submitting their team.”

At the end of the day, Thompson said they believe

that “common sense” will prevail. He said while they won’t have the room capacity to accommodate New Providence, the Games Secretariat will provide them with all of the other amenities, including the meals each day. For the island councils coming in, Thompson said they intend to make sure that they are properly compensated during their stay in New Providence for the games. “We will serve how best we will serve them because we don’t want them to be at a disadvantage,”

said Thompson, a former Family Island administrator and a former permanent secretary. “We will look at their needs and see how we can address them as a means of urgency. We will be working 24-7 to get everything in place because we only have about 70 days left before the games get started. We don’t have much time.”

To assist in the workload in the Games Secretariat, Thompon said they have recruited some of the persons who worked on the Local Organising Committee for the 50th CARIFTA Games over the Easter holiday weekend to help get the job done.

“We feel we have a great team in place that should help to push the games further,” Thompson said. “So we feel we will be ready for the start of the games in July.”

To the spectators who are expected to come out to watch the estimated 2,500 athletes and officials from teams Abaco, Andros, Bimini and the Berry Islands, Columbus Isles, Eleuthera, Exuma and Ragged Island, Grand Bahama, Long Island,

MICA and New Providence, Thompson said they can look forward to a very competitive games.

“We will put on a show for the Bahamian public. We want the Bahamian public to buy into the vision of what we are trying to do to include all Bahamians,” Thompson said.

“We want to ensure that the Bahamian product is shown throughout the islands and to the world and that we have raw talent here in the Bahamas. The Bahamas Games will be a place where they can spot those raw talents.”

Competition, during the games, will be held in softball, basketball, track and field, lawn tennis, swimming, soccer, volleyball, bodybuilding and powerlifting, cycling, baseball, regatta sailing, rowing and golf in addition to beach soccer and beach volleyball.

The games, the brainchild of the late Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Peter Bethell, was first held in 1989. It continued in 1991 and was then scheduled for every three years, but the next one took place in 1995 and then 1998 before the last one was staged in 2001.

NPA Invitational Spring Classic starts tomorrow at Kendal Isaacs Gym

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE Noble Preparatory Academy’s Invitational Spring Classic Basketball Tournament is back and organiser Geno Bullard anticipates that it will be bigger and better this year.

The classic is set for Thursday to Saturday at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium and, for the first time, it will feature the varsity senior and junior boys and girls teams.

“For many years we have been trying to put together this programme where we incorporate education with basketball,” said Bullard, the president of Noble Preparatory Academy. “That is my first priority, developing student-athletes.

“So I always wanted to build a programme where we can be sure that during the tournament, we can have educational opportunities with persons who can speak on an educational platform.”

During the tournament, Bullard said they have put together a solid programme where they will have a number of persons who will be providing tips for students seeking to further their education in college.

“Over the years, we at NPA, have been giving away scholarships from our tournament,” said Bullard, who also serves as the head coach of the NPA Spartans basketball teams for boys and girls. “Hopefully in the future, we will be able to put that back in place.”

With more than 30 teams registered to participate in the tournament, Bullard said they hope to entertain the spectators with an appearance by Julian Believe and Friends.

“So it’s going to be three days of fun, education

and entertainment where family members can come out in a safe environment where they can learn some stuff from Niagara College where they offer over 100 programmes.

“We have been working with Niagara College for over 15 years and we have been able to get a number of student-athletes off to compete in Canada and we hope that we can continue to do that this year.”

The competition, according to Bullard, will be very intense with teams participating from both the public and private schools. “We have Charles W Saunders, the BAISS champions, CI Gibson, the GSSSA champions,” Bullard said. “We also have Teleos from the BSA and a team from the Turks and Caicos Islands also competing.

“I know the competition is going to be great because we have a good mixture of competition from across the board. So we know that they will come out and compete and represent their schools well.”

If there’s any concern about host NPA, Bullard said his Spartans will be just as competitive.

“Any opportunity we get, we prepare our student-athletes,” Bullard said. “When we have opportunities arise for our students, we allow them to compete and if they are good enough, we get them to go off to the prep schools or Niagara College in Canada.”

Bullard said they will add another dimension when they stage an alumni game that allows student-athletes who played NPA and Niagara Falls against a men’s division one team from the New Providence Basketball Association. “That’s going to be a bonus game just to highlight some of our players from Noble Preparatory Academy, who went on to play for Niagara College.”

The action kicks off on Thursday at 4pm with games continuing on Friday at the same time.

The tournament is slated to wrap up on Saturday, following a 10am start that day.

SPRING INVITE: Organiser Geno Bullard anticipates that the Noble Preparatory Academy’s Invitational Spring Classic Basketball Tournament will be bigger and better this year starting Thursday to Saturday at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium.

REV Harrison Thompson