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Rollins: Minnis has no vision

FNM leader ‘is using tactics of a demagogue’ By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net INFIGHTING in the Free National Movement (FNM) took another dramatic turn yesterday as Fort Charlotte MP Dr Andre Rollins lambasted supporters of Leader Dr Hubert Minnis, accusing them of “espousing the tactics of a demagogue interested in dumbing down the debate because the leader has no substance or vision for this country”. He insisted that those FNM members characterising recent actions by him and several others of the party’s parliamentar-

JULY DATE POSSIBLE FOR CONVENTION

By KHRISNA VIRGIL Tribune Staff Reporter kvirgil@tribunemedia.net TALKS taking place among Free National Movement (FNM) executives have centred on a tentative convention date in early July, a high-level party insider told The Tribune yesterday. A final decision on this date is to be made on Thursday night during a special council meeting that was called by FNM Secretary General Michael Foulkes SEE PAGE FIVE

‘VOTING NO COULD OPEN DOOR TO SAME-SEX MARRIAGE’

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net A VOTE against bill four may actually make it “easier to overturn the existing legal ban on same-sex marriage,” according to Constitutional Commission Chairman Sean McWeeney who has hit out at the “irony” of arguments launched by opponents of the fourth Constitutional Amendment Bill. SEE PAGE SIX

TWO MEN ACCUSED OF MURDERS

ians as a move by “elitists promoting a UBP agenda” were only underscoring the “weakness of the current leadership”. In a statement posted to his Facebook page on Monday, Dr Rollins said this line of attack was only strengthening the position of the government. Last week, The Tribune reported that the majority of the FNM’s parliamentary team had threatened to petition Governor General Dame Marguerite Pindling to remove Dr Minnis as leader of the Official Opposition unless an earlier convention date was set. SEE PAGE FIVE

MINNIS: I’VE NEVER FELT SO GOOD

By KHRISNA VIRGIL Tribune Staff Reporter kvirgil@tribunemedia.net DESPITE the Free National Movement parliamentary caucus’ attempt to remove leader Dr Hubert Minnis from the helm of the organisation, he insisted yesterday that he “has never felt so good” and was not concerned about the “noise in the market”. Despite the fact that it appears as though the majority of his parliamentary team want him gone, the SEE PAGE THREE

COLIN STORR JR, left, aged 20, of West Street, who is accused of the murder of Denero Burrell on May 5, and Michael Preval, aged 29, of Golden Gates, who is charged with killing Craig Davis on Wulff Road on May 24. See page six for the full story. Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

BPL STILL HAS SHORTFALL OF POWER AFTER BLACKOUT

By SANCHESKA BROWN Tribune Staff Reporter sbrown@tribunemedia.net BAHAMAS Power and Light yesterday admitted that the utility provider is still experiencing “a generation shortfall” following an island-wide outage on Sunday. In a statement, Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) said continuing challenges in the system resulted in periods of supply interruption for 20 per cent of customers on Monday. BPL also admit-

ted that its reserve supply was affected by a major cable failure and the present generation can only meet exiting demand – meaning there is no back up if one of the present engines were to fail. “A major cable failure was responsible for shutting down generation, transmission and distribution networks on the island around 12.30 Sunday afternoon. After an initial investigation, teams began working SEE PAGE SIX

THREE ACCUSED OF SEX ATTACKS ON MINORS

By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

THREE men appeared in Magistrate’s Court yesterday accused of sexually assaulting three minors, a boy and two girls, in separate incidents. Patrick Anthony Smith, 33, appeared before Chief Magistrate Andrew Forbes facing a charge each of attempted unlawful sexual intercourse with a dependant and unlawful sexual intercourse with a dependent.

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

It is alleged that he attempted to have sex with an 11-year-old girl entrusted to his care between May 1 and 22 and then sexually assaulting the child on May 23. Smith was told by the chief magistrate that he would be allowed to enter a plea to the allegations when formally arraigned in the Supreme Court. He was told that a presentation of a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI), SEE PAGE SIX

PAGE 2, Tuesday, May 31, 2016

A WREATH is laid at a ceremony yesterday to commemorate the lives of fallen military veterans.

AMONG those at yesterday’s ceremony were, from left, FNM leader Dr Hubert Minnis, Minister of State for National Security Keith Bell, Deputy Prime Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis, Governor General Dame Marguerite Pindling, US Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Lisa Johnson, Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell, and Attorney General Allyson Maynard-Gibson.

THE TRIBUNE

HONOURING THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN SERVICE TO honour Memorial Day, the US Embassy yesterday held a wreath laying ceremony at Clifton Pier in memory of fallen comrades and military veterans. The tribute was held at the site of the memorial to Patrol Squad 23, to commemorate the ten US crew members who lost their lives during a training mission off the coast of Nassau

on May 7, 1954. The military services of Bahamian Private First Class Norman Darling who died in the Iraq War in 2004 and Sgt Errol McKinney, US Army, a Bahamian killed in a motorcycle accident in 2013 shortly after to returning to Ft Bliss, Texas, following a deployment to Afghanistan, were also honored.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, May 31, 2016, PAGE 3

Butler-Turner: Party is not as strong as it should be

By SANCHESKA BROWN Tribune Staff Reporter sbrown@tribunemedia.net LONG Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner admitted yesterday that the Free National Movement is “not as strong as it should be so close to the next general election” but said she hopes an early convention can bring “unity”. In an interview with The Tribune, Mrs Butler-Turner said “thousands” of persons are depending on the FNM to take them out of the hands of a failing PLP government, but the party’s internal issues may be causing some persons to doubt the Official Opposition. Going into the next convention, Mrs Butler-Turner said she hopes members vote based on “what is good

for the party” and not based on “personality”. “The party, the FNM is not as strong as it should be less than a year out of the general election. All we are requesting is that Dr Minnis as a good leader move the convention date up so that the party can heal, regroup and unify and be strong,” Mrs Butler Turner said. “No one is trying to get rid of Dr Minnis - maybe Dr Minnis may need a new mandate, maybe we need to regroup. We need to look at how we are going to make this party stronger. If Dr Minnis goes into the convention and prevails then maybe he should surround himself with those who he feels can make him stronger because he hasn’t been able to unify the party thus far. At the last convention they

said it was me. I ran, I lost and I moved out of the way but the party still hasn’t gotten to the point where we are gaining traction.” Mrs Butler-Turner said no one in the party is discussing challenging FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis for his post until he announces a new convention date. At the party’s last convention in November 2014, Mrs Butler-Turner was unsuccessful in her bid to unseat the Killarney MP. Last week, The Tribune reported that the majority of the FNM’s parliamentary team threatened to petition Governor General Dame Marguerite Pindling to have Dr Minnis removed as leader of the Official Opposition unless an earlier convention was held.

from page one

to the criticism from his own members of Parliament who have lost confidence in him, Dr Minnis said: “All I can say now is I have never felt so good in my life. I spoke to all my grandkids and they made me feel even better.” He said he intends to spend some time with his grandchildren before Parliament meets to debate the budget. This comes after Long Island MP Loretta ButlerTurner on Sunday said that the FNM’s parliamentary caucus does not want to resort to petitioning Governor General Dame Marguerite Pindling to have Dr Minnis removed as leader of the Official Opposition, but prefers to reach an “amicable” decision on an earlier convention date. And while some view the MPs’ threat to express no confidence in their leader as a mutiny against Dr Minnis, Mrs Butler-Turner said the parliamentary caucus was not planning a “coup”, but was simply pushing for an early convention to put the FNM on the best footing to win the next general election. Last week, The Tribune reported that the FNM appeared to be “teetering” on the brink of a leadership meltdown following an

LORETTA BUTLER-TURNER

DEEP DIVIDES MINNIS: I’VE NEVER FELT SO GOOD AMONG PARTY MEMBERS IN VIEWS OF LEADER

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

A LEADERSHIP conundrum in the Free National Movement (FNM) is setting up a battle between those who think Dr Hubert Minnis is failing skill tests and those who believe he is enhancing the voices of regular Bahamians in ways never before seen in the party. Interviews with nearly a dozen FNM delegates and councilors yesterday revealed a deeply divided party featuring people who hold polar opposite views of Dr Minnis. Both sides seemed to cling to narratives that explain why the other side has the view it does. Among those who oppose Dr Minnis as leader, many said the Killarney MP has the support of some in the party only because he has made “significant promises” to them or provided them with services like travel. On the other hand, among those who support Dr Minnis, many said adversaries of the leader represent the “old guard” that privileges the perspectives of a select few while silencing the voices of many more. Most of the delegates and councilors who opposed Dr Minnis pined for the return of former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham as opposed to the promotion of a current, active frontline member of the party. Jason Carey, an FNM member who expects to be elected to Eleuthera’s constituency branch team when elections are held, said most FNMs on that island want Mr Ingraham to return and Dr Minnis to step down. “They want Hubert Ingraham to come back to sort out the party and groom Loretta (ButlerTurner) to take over later,” he said, blaming the Long Island MP’s loss in the 2014 leadership race on sexism. “Dr Minnis is like a child trying to do a man’s job and Christie is the man.” “Ingraham is proven,” one party councilor, who did not want to be named, said. “He has done it before so he can do it again. (Minnis) got to go.” Similarly, a delegate from Marathon lamented the failure of the FNM to gain greater traction with the Bahamian electorate, saying Dr Minnis has not shown the ability to unify the party. “I’m not opposed to having a change in the leadership,” she said. “Since Dr Minnis has been elected leader, there has always been back and forth and questions about whether he has what it takes to win

the election. With all that’s happening in the country right now, the opposition is too weak and this weakness falls under his leadership.” However, the delegate said she would bet on Dr Minnis to win when a convention is held. “I feel that if a convention is held he would win because of the voting populace,” she said. “Those persons that have the power or right to vote would most likely still re-elect him as leader of the party because a lot of them, he has really sold them a lot of dreams. If you talk to him on a regular basis, he promises a lot.” But for those like Colin Ingraham who are partial to the party’s leader, Dr Minnis is fighting a noble battle to wrest power from the control of a group of formidable party insiders and spread it among members of lesser standing. “The general sentiment at this time is that we know the party is going through change and when you are going through the process of change, it’s sometimes ugly especially when you consider that many of the persons in the establishment have been in place for decades and they tend to think it’s their divine right to dictate what happens,” he said. “But for us who have toiled in the field, we are happy to have a leader that has been listening to us and having us feel a part of what’s going on.” Regarding accusations that a United Bahamian Party (UBP) faction of the FNM is seeking to move Dr Minnis as leader, Mr Ingraham, chairperson of public relations in the FNM, said he thinks this notion is misguided. “I wouldn’t say there is a UBP faction because that is too narrow,” he said. “It’s just that there is a group of people that has gotten accustomed to being in control of too many things. There are certain people in this country that believe that based on who their mother or father is, that causes them to have a greater right to be involved in the benefits of this country and that’s not acceptable.” Those who supported Dr Minnis gave lukewarm responses to talk about the return of Mr Ingraham, saying the time has come for new leadership. Teewhy Kelly, a delegate of West Grand Bahama, said: “Mr Ingraham did his part very well and did a very good job. There are more Bahamians like Mr Ingraham who could take this country even further if given that chance. In 40 years we’ve only had three leaders? That speaks bad about our country.”

embattled Killarney MP told The Tribune that he had no “bad blood” with any of them. Dr Minnis said his focus remains on the social ills plaguing the country, adding that like other Bahamians, he was only concerned with crime and unemployment among other challenges facing the country. However, he would not directly respond to the turmoil that is gripping his party. Asked about the likelihood of the organisation convening an earlier convention than was originally planned, the FNM leader said “anything is possible”. “What made me feel so good, when I watched TV yesterday,” Dr Minnis said referring to the US presidential race, “I was watching (Bill) O’ Reilly interview (Donald) Trump and he said to Trump, you don’t have the black support, how are you going to turn that around and the economy is not doing well?’ “Trump’s response was this has been the worst period (economically) for the blacks even with a black president and to stimulate and help the middle class I will introduce tax free zones.” Dr Minnis said this showed him he was on the right path because introducing tax free zones in the Over-the-Hill area is one of his key ideas. When pressed to respond

“explosive” council meeting on Thursday, which saw serious threats levelled at Dr Minnis to have him removed from the post by way of a petition to the governor general. The Tribune understands the matter was raised in the council meeting by Fort Charlotte MP Dr Andre Rollins after the issue was discussed in an earlier parliamentary meeting. When asked about this, Mrs Butler-Turner said: “For him (Dr Rollins) to say something like that was leverage for persons who felt they don’t want to wait until November. “Even if that becomes an option ... we don’t want to use such a position, we want to agree in an amicable way and to respect the returns (of the convention).” She added: “We felt, the majority of the parliamentary caucus felt, that the November convention date does not give the party a sufficient amount of time to fully regroup all elements of machinery to take on a general election.

“The parliamentary caucus told Dr Minnis to consider an early convention to have the best possible strategy to take on the PLP. Some people have taken that to say the parliamentary caucus wants to (oust) Dr Minnis.” She did not specify if the parliamentary team gave Dr Minnis a deadline to decide on a new convention date before they make good on the ultimatum, but said the group does not want to see this matter “protracted”. Mrs Butler-Turner maintained that the FNM’s parliamentary caucus wants the party to regroup, pick a vibrant leadership team and galvanise support to boot the Christie administration out of office. This latest effort from the parliamentary team has the support of six of the opposition’s 10 MPs. This includes St Anne’s MP Hubert Chipman, Montagu MP Richard Lightbourn, North Eleuthera MP Theo Neilly, Central Grand Bahama MP Neko Grant, Mrs Butler-Turner and Dr Rollins.

PAGE 4, Tuesday, May 31, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

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It’s raining men! Sweden sees historic gender balance shift STOCKHOLM (AP) — Famous for its efforts to put women on an equal footing with men, Sweden is experiencing a gender balance shift that has caught the country by surprise: For the first time since record-keeping began in 1749, it now has more men than women. Swedes don’t quite know what to make of this sudden male surplus, which is highly unusual in the West, where women historically have been in the majority in almost every country. But it may be a sign of things to come in Europe as changes in life expectancy and migration transform demographics. “This is a novel phenomenon for Europe,” said Francesco Billari, a University of Oxford demographer who is president of the European Association for Population Studies. “We as researchers have not been on top of this.” The tipping point in Sweden happened in March last year, when population statistics showed 277 more men than women. The gap has since grown to beyond 12,000. While that’s still small in a population of almost 10 million, it’s “not unreasonable” to suspect that Sweden will have a big male surplus in the future, said Tomas Johansson, a population expert at the national statistics agency, SCB. Despite a natural birth rate of about 105 boys born for every 100 girls, European women have historically outnumbered men because they live longer. An Associated Press analysis of national and European Union population statistics suggests women will remain in the majority in most European countries for decades to come. But the number of men per 100 women, known as the sex ratio, is increasing, slowly in Europe as a whole and quickly in some northern and central European countries. Norway swung to a male surplus in 2011, four years before Sweden, while Denmark and Switzerland are nearing a sex ratio of 100. Germany, which had an unnatural deficit of men after two world wars, has seen its sex ratio jump from 87 in 1960 to 96 last year. Meanwhile, Britain’s sex ratio rose from 93 to 97 in the same period. British statistics officials project that men will be in the majority by 2050. Researchers don’t have a clear idea of what happens to a society when the population becomes more masculine. Tomas Sobotka, of the Vienna Institute of Demography, said in theory a male surplus could increase the bargaining power of women by allowing them to be choosier when picking a partner. But they could also face an increased risk of harassment from frustrated males struggling to find a mate. Sweden’s rapid shift to a male majority — which experts didn’t see coming just 10 years ago — has triggered debate among some feminists about the potential impact on women in one of the world’s most egalitarian countries. Statistics officials say Sweden’s demographic shift is mainly due to men catching up with women in terms of life expectancy. But the arrival in recent years of tens of thousands of unaccompanied teenage boys from Afghanistan, Syria and North Africa is also having a significant impact. Sweden’s biggest male surplus is in the 15-19 age group, where there are 108 boys for every 100 girls. That imbalance could grow to 115-to-100 this year when the impact of last year’s record number of asylum-seekers — including more than 35,000 unaccompanied minors — is reflected in the population statistics. Valerie Hudson, director of a programme on women, peace and security at

Texas A&M University, said this should make Swedes concerned, because her research has linked skewed sex ratios in China and India to more violence against women and higher crime levels. What’s happening in Sweden, Hudson said, “is one of the most dramatic alterations of demography over such a short period of time that I’ve ever seen.” She called it ironic that a country considered a beacon of women’s rights isn’t paying more attention to the issue. “Are people thinking about whether this could undermine the gains that have been made by Swedish women over the last 150 years?” Hudson said. Other feminist researchers disagree. “Hogwash,” said Jacqui True, a professor of politics and international relations at Monash University in Australia. How many men there are in a population matters less than how much a society is shaped by “hyper-masculine” gender characteristics such as aggression and hierarchies where males are preferred, True said. Annick Wibben, of the University of San Francisco, said gender equality is so “deeply embedded” in Swedish society that comparisons with China or India, where sex-selective abortions have resulted in unnatural surpluses of men, don’t tell you much. “The way in which masculinity works in different societies needs to be taken into account,” she said. In Sweden, there’s been little discussion about the surplus, perhaps because of the link to immigration, a sensitive subject in the Nordic country. Equality Minister Asa Regner, of the governing Social Democrats, twice turned down requests to be interviewed. The main opposition party, the centreright Moderates, also declined to comment. Elsewhere in Europe, the gender balance is stable or tipping further in favour of women in some countries, including Italy, Spain and Greece. But overall, the proportion of men in the 28-nation European Union is increasing slowly, according to the bloc’s statistics agency, Eurostat. Last year there were 12 million more women than men in the EU, which has a population of just over 500 million people. That gap is projected to narrow in coming decades “mainly because of the decreasing gap in life expectancy,” said Eurostat spokeswoman Baiba Grandovska. Experts say men, particularly in western Europe, are living healthier lives than their fathers, drinking and smoking less, and benefiting from better treatment of heart disease. In wealthy countries, men have moved away from mining and other dangerous occupations to safer whitecollar jobs. Eurostat projects the male-female gap will dip below 1 million in 2080. But such projections are highly uncertain, as the Swedish example shows. In 2003, Sweden’s SCB projected that a male surplus wouldn’t happen until 2050. Three years later it moved up the date by 10 years. It barely had time to recalibrate its projections before the moment arrived last year when men outnumbered women. SCB expert Lena Lundkvist said the gender balance could shift rapidly in other places as well. “In some countries, the mortality rate for men is still very high,” she said. “If men change their behaviour, things are going to move quickly in those countries, too.” By Karl Ritter of the Associated Press

Editor’s note: In the dark thanks to power outages? You’re not alone - cartoonist Jamaal Rolle’s cartoon is absent today after he was plunged into darkness. Bahamas Power & Light are urged... don’t get on the wrong side of a cartoonist!

Please say the coup ain’t true EDITOR, The Tribune. I AM amazed and perplexed beyond imagination, of what I heard reported over the airwaves this morning. The report stated that six members of the official opposition, have drafted a letter to the Governor General to have Dr Hubert Minnis removed as Leader of the Opposition and to appoint Mrs. Loretta Butler-Turner in his stead. But have not delivered the said letter. In essence, the parliamentary members of the FNM, have lost confidence in the leadership of Dr Hubert Minnis. In the movie “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly” one of the characters, who I think was Lee Van Cleff, said: “When you pull your gun, you shoot not talk!” I do not categorise the parliamentary group for wanting to remove the leader. However, I do condemn that group severely in the manner in which they are attempting to remove Dr Minnis. Had the letter been delivered, it would have been a done deal, and the FNM and country would have had to deal with the consequences of the actions taken. In actuality,

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net that grouping would have had garnered the respect of those, who even did not agree with them of removing Dr Minnis as leader, in that they had the courage and the confidence to make a decision, that they thought was best for the Party and the Country. What in fact their actions demonstrate, is that the grouping is motivated by personal agendas, lacking confidence and is short sighted. My deceased mother always said to me and my siblings and my extended family “do not hang your underwear in public”. This Parliamentary group had with their action, broken one of the cardinal rules imbedded in me by my dear mother. Let me state emphatically that I am FNM, having campaigned throughout the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, and have held office as Counsel Representative, Appointed Executive, Elected Executive and Deputy Secretary General. Since 1970 upon the passing of the common entrance exam, Sir Roland Symonette visited my home and invited

me together with a group of other young boys in the Shirlea area to work for that summer, in cleaning up the area. Mr Craig Bethel and I were appointed co-leaders of that grouping. Actually it was the beginning of our initiation into politics, and community involvement for me. Craig was a PLP, like 80 per cent of my friends and will remain. The current action by the parliamentary group of the FNM, is one of the most distasteful actions that I have ever seen, taken by politicians in the past 45 years. As I would not vote for numbers two and four of the referendum bills, I will not support this particular action of the Parliamentary group of the FNM. I would use any influence that I may have, to stop this madness by the Parliamentary group. Are they trying to have the PLP win the next general election by their actions? What kind of silliness and ineptitude pills have they taken? DAS DAT! Somebody please tell me that this is not true! BARRY A SAWYER, Nassau, May 30, 2016.

Don’t blame your beliefs on me EDITOR, The Tribune IF I COULD, I would ask Dr Hubert Minnis to help me understand the following: if I express what I believe unapologetically; if I make it unflinchingly clear where I stand on an issue, how does that amount to “shoving the issue down someone’s throat”? His moral ambivalence is truly unbecoming. On an issue like gender equality I expect nothing less than moral certainty from my leaders. People in this country don’t even want to take responsibility for their own beliefs, much less reveal where they stand on an issue. Now, because someone puts a persuasive argument forward or because they make their message ubiquitous or because their message annoys or offends you, they are forcing you to believe. No way. People choose to believe whatever they want to believe and whoever they want to follow. No matter how effective or ineffective the propaganda tactics of the vote yes and no campaigns may be, this notion that ideas are being forced on people is utter bullshit. I’ll be the first one to admit that Yes Bahamas is doing a half ass job, but not because it is somehow “shoving gender equality down people’s

throats”. And nevertheless, I support them 100 per cent purely because we share the same objective and vision for our nation. In fact, I wish I could ram a belief in gender equality down some people’s throats, but advocacy doesn’t work like that. Advocacy works by building consensus around ideas, in the hopes of using the power of the majority to influence change. And building a consensus requires you to galvanise people who already believe like you do and to persuade others to support your beliefs so that societal norms are created based on those shared convictions. This is exactly what the No Vote campaign is doing with great success. So are they shoving their message down people’s throats? No. They are simply being persuasive, as it is easier to play to people’s prejudices than to the better angles of their nature. And in our hyper-religious society, with widespread distrust of Government, the No Vote campaign can lay claim to a Godordained advantage. Regardless, however, people need to get over themselves and take responsibility for their own damn beliefs and susceptibility to be influenced by others. There was a disgusting viral video cir-

culating on Whatsapp this week of a woman actually advocating for the 6,000 plus people on the “gay cruise” to drown at sea. This call for death to the gays came in the form of a prayer circle. And I must be ambivalent about that kind of sickening intolerance. Those of us who are serious about nation building and have no interest in pussyfooting around the issue of gender equality, social justice and human rights must press on, standing firmly in our convictions in the face of all emissaries of the status quo, should they be found in the clergy or the ranks of Queen’s Counsels. Dr Minnis, please make yourself more useful by doing the same and having the courage to lead. And I likewise call on civil society to do the same. We have far too many socialites in this country masquerading as activists; social clubs pretending to be advocacy organisations, especially when it comes to women’s rights. Bahamians, stop joking around and stand up for what you believe. Whatever that may be, have the courage to say it loud and say it proud. NOELLE NICOLLS Entrepreneur, Journalist, Activist Nassau May 27, 2016

PM believes Food priorities EDITOR, The Tribune. Re: Chinese ‘Agree’ To Complete Baha Mar. The Tribune, May 26, 2016. WE should all rejoice that the PM has such un-

canny foresight and negotiating skills. Apparently he not only believes in Bahamians but also continues to believe in our very agreeable Chinese saviours. Furthermore, we are truly blessed that our inscru-

table comrades’ enduring goodwill toward the Bahamian people, seemingly knows no bounds. KEN W KNOWLES, MD Nassau, May 28, 2016.

EDITOR, he Tribune.

WE have one of the highest rates of obesity in the world, but Prime Minister Christie says his government will reduce or eliminate duty on macaroni, ice cream, biscuits, waffles, cakes and pas-

tries. Why not fresh fruit and vegetables? A large number of Bahamians suffer from hypertension, but Mr Christie will reduce or eliminate the duty on prepared turkey, ham, chicken and beef meat,

which are typically packed with salt. Why not fresh meat? One thing’s for sure, we are what we eat – fat, sick and not too swift. KRAFT and OSCAR Nassau, May 26, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, May 31, 2016, PAGE 5

Rollins: Minnis has no vision

from page one

This latest effort from the parliamentary team has the support of six of the opposition’s 10 MPs, The Tribune understands. This includes St Anne’s MP Hubert Chipman, Montagu MP Richard Lightbourn, North Eleuthera MP Theo Neilly, Central Grand Bahama MP Neko Grant, Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner and Dr Rollins. According to a report in The Nassau Guardian yesterday, South Abaco MP Edison Key alleged that Dr Rollins was being used as a “hatchet man” by a United Bahamian Party (UBP) faction of the FNM to get rid of Dr Minnis. Hitting out at his critics, Dr Rollins said: “If you have to resort to pandering to the emotions of the poor and working class, by suggesting that those who oppose Dr Minnis are opposed to poor, working class Bahamians, then I say to you that you are espousing the tactics of a demagogue interested in dumbing down the debate because the leader has no substance or vision for this country. “The party is weakened by the ongoing attempts to

‘

The party is weakened by the ongoing attempts to vilify some of those who comprise the base of the party simply because it is a convenient strategy for the current leader to remain in the position of power at any expense.’ vilify some of those who comprise the base of the party simply because it is a convenient strategy for the current leader to remain in the position of power at any expense,” he said. The Fort Charlotte MP suggested that Dr Minnis’ “brainless political strategists” have failed to see the wider picture. He warned that while their tactics may result in the support of a council stacked with “hand-picked supporters”, it would not result in victory in the upcoming general election. “The same ones you castigate using your political minions by way of talk radio, ought to be invited to join you when you go through the gates of Lyford Cay shilling for money to fund your political campaigns. Then they will see just how many times the words ‘poor Bahamians’ comes up in your conversations with them,” he stated. “I am no UBP and I cer-

tainly have not been given any inducements or rewards for any actions I have taken as a member of the FNM. I cannot be bought,” he added. “However, I believe in keeping it real. My loyalty is to this country and the Bahamian people. They deserve to be respected and not played by those interested in being politically duplicitous. Now, do we want to have an honest debate or do we want to sit back while desperate politicians try to play us for fools?” Dr Rollins also said the FNM has remained a strong party because it has been able to draw the support of “black Bahamians, white Bahamians, ‘conchy joe’ Bahamians” and people from all social classes. On Saturday, Dr Rollins stressed that leaders must never be afraid to “allow democracy to reign” adding that if Minnis is fit for his post, he will “weather the storm”.

DR Andre Rollins (left) with his new party leader Hubert Minnis after his defection to the party from the PLP last year.

CANDIDATES REASSURED BY DEPUTY LEADER

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemdia.net

FREE National Movement (FNM) Deputy Leader Peter Turnquest yesterday insisted that no supporter or prospective candidate should be apprehensive over the level of discord among the party’s parliamentary caucus. Addressing the slate of recently ratified candidates, the East Grand Bahama MP told The Tribune that they “are solid and should not be concerned about these issues which will sort themselves out in short order”. Mr Turnquest was attempting to quell public speculation over the party’s leadership woes. His comments came after a senior council member, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, detailed several instances in which the pro-Hubert Minnis faction of the FNM allegedly made moves to destabilise those who oppose the leader. That source alleged that this faction has been allowed to operate without reproach, often times “forcing out anyone that would dare to challenge (Dr Minnis)”. The same source said that the fast-tracking of “dead on arrival” candidates was a major reason for the latest push by the majority of the party’s parliamentary caucus to oust Dr Minnis as leader. Earlier this month The

Tribune reported that members of the Fort Charlotte constituency branch believed to be anti-Minnis were allegedly restricted from participating in the branch’s voting process out of fear that they would circumvent the ratification of a pro-Minnis candidate. Fort Charlotte is currently represented by FNM member Dr Andre Rollins, but party insiders are suggesting that Mark Humes, a recent addition to the party, was now being touted as the “it man” by Dr Minnis. “When he brought (Dr) Rollins over and promised him everything in the world members in Fort Charlotte were saying that other candidates were out there that could have done a better job,” a Fort Charlotte source said yesterday. “We made that call. When we spoke out against it, the party’s executive said that our association was dysfunctional. Now that the plan has backfired and (Dr) Rollins and them aren’t on the same page they are trying again to get the person they want in place. “Now, the party is doing all it can to ensure that when we have a vote, those that vote are all for Dr Minnis. They already have Mark (Humes) in the wings, waiting and ready. The idea is that Fort Charlotte, one of the constituencies that supported Dr Minnis in the last convention, would accept whatever is thrown at us,” the source said.

Mr Humes resigned from his post as Democratic National Alliance (DNA) Chairman in July 2013, saying the decision was personally motivated and in keeping with his principles and what he believes to be “right and true”. He contested the 2012 general election as the DNA’s candidate for Fort Charlotte, where he received 519 votes. When contacted for comment Mr Humes told The Tribune that he was not aware that he was being considered for the constituency. He said while he had not formally applied for the position, the Fort Charlotte candidacy was something he was very interested in. Mr Humes noted that while he was still a “relatively new” FNM, he has watched the party for some time and resolved himself to the thought that “party politics would work itself out”. Mr Humes said while the party does “have its issues”, the FNM offers a “wonderful chance to do good”. It has also been alleged that South Beach, Southern Shores, Golden Isles, Marco City, Central Grand Bahama and some Family Island constituencies have been “bullied into submission” by pro-Minnis operatives. South Beach candidate Howard Johnson said there are some in the party who are split into different camps: those who support Dr Minnis and those who

JULY DATE POSSIBLE FOR CONVENTION

from page one

to specifically address the continuous agitation to hold the event before November. It is expected that all positions in the party would be up for challenge at convention. While these talks are continuing, the six members of the FNM parliamentary caucus who threatened to have Dr Hubert Minnis removed from the post of Official Opposition leader by way of a petition to Governor General Dame Marguerite Pindling have made the decision to abandon this move, the high-level source informed this newspaper. This threat on the part of the MPs has garnered mixed reactions from senior FNMs. Frank Watson, who served as deputy prime minister under a previous Ingraham administration, said while the public infighting in the organisation “doesn’t help the party” the FNM has given Dr Minnis four years to get himself in order. “You know the discussions are continuing,” Mr Watson said yesterday. “But what is going on in the public really doesn’t help the

party but you know we have choices to make. That is life. This is just democracy in action.” Asked if the FNM leader was given a fair chance, Mr Watson said: “He’s had four years to get it together.” Meanwhile, former Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette maintained that the only way for the divided party to unite would be to convene an early convention. He said: “The main focus at the moment is for the party to decide whether it wants an early convention. There appears to be differing opinions and persons who want to run can run and if they don’t want to then they don’t. “Obviously there must be some degree of dissatisfaction, but I am a firm believer in this convention because that will quell the outcry. I have never been one to fight battles in public but I will say that I think it is unfortunate that this is taking place.” He continued: “That’s why the early convention is important for us to go to the highest authority and deal with it from there.” Mr Symonette was also dismissive when questions were asked regarding

whether he was seeking a leadership post in the FNM. “I don’t know that my name is in the mix for leadership,” he replied. “As I have said over and over again, if I have any intention on running I will make it known.” Last night, FNM Chairman Sidney Collie confirmed that Thursday’s special meeting will deal with the convention dilemma. “FNMs and the general public are advised that the executive committee of the Free National Movement will meet on Thursday, June 2, 2016, at party headquarters, Mackey Street,” he said. “The meeting will be followed immediately by a meeting of the Central Council which will review the decision regarding the holding of the party’s national convention and establish a new date. “An announcement will be made immediately following to advise FNMs and the general public of the outcome.” This comes after six FNM MPs gave Dr Minnis an ultimatum last week: hold an early convention or they would seek to have the governor general remove him as Official Opposition leader.

favour Loretta Butler-Turner. “I don’t do factions, it should never be like that. We are here to improve this party and as a result of that, improve the Bahamas,” he said. Meanwhile, newly appointed FNM Senator Dr Duane Sands stated that all party members are “rightly

concerned” about the issues facing the party. “We are not afraid to allow a healthy democracy to play out. We will not stran-

gle it or stifle it. For love of country demands much ... even painful introspection and self-adjustment,” he told The Tribune.

PAGE 6, Tuesday, May 31, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

COLIN STORR JR., 20 of West Street, charged with murder. Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

MICHAEL PREVAL, 29 of Golden Gates, charged with murder.

By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

indictment, scheduled for August 3. Preval has retained attorney Ian Cargill to represent him. In the other murder arraignment before Chief Magistrate Andrew Forbes, 20-year-old Colin Storr Jr was accused of intentionally causing the death of Denero Burrell on May 5. He is also charged under Section 291 (1)(B) of the Penal Code.

TWO MEN FACE COURT OVER RECENT MURDERS

TWO men were remanded to prison yesterday after being arraigned in connection with two separate murders. Michael Preval, 29, of Golden Gates stood first before Magistrate Constance Delancy accused of inten-

tionally causing the death of Craig Davis on May 24 and was charged with murder under Section 291 (1) (B) of the Penal Code. A charge under this section does not attract the discretionary death penalty if a conviction is reached at the end of the trial. According to police, Davis was walking on Wulff Road when another man

shot him after a brief exchange of words. It happened around 6pm in the area of Wulff and Pinedale Roads. Magistrate Delancy informed the accused that he would not be allowed to enter a plea because his case would be fast-tracked to the Supreme Court. This would occur through service of a voluntary bill of

Shortly after 11.30pm, Burrell was involved in an argument with another man at a park on Quarry Mission Road that led to him being shot. The suspect fled the scene on foot in an unknown direction. The victim was rushed to hospital where he died of his injuries shortly after his arrival. Storr, who was not rep-

resented in yesterday’s arraignment, returns to Magistrate’s Court on July 7 for the matter to be fasttracked to Supreme Court where he will be allowed to enter a plea to the charge. Storr and Preval were remanded to the Department of Correctional Services without bail, but have the right to make an application to the higher court.

‘Voting no could open door to same-sex marriage’ from page one His comments were outlined in a letter addressed to Bahamas Faith Ministries International Senior Pastor Dave Burrows, dated May 23, 2016. Mr McWeeney, QC, suggested that if those against bill four ultimately succeed in having it defeated, “it may indeed become a little easier – certainly not harder” for same-sex marriage to become law, something he said would be “a classic case of having to be careful about what you wish for”. He said bill four seeks to “tie the court’s hands” when it comes to interpreting what “sex” means in the

INTheTHE TRIBUNE ON WEDNESDAY harsh realities of against. inequality Bahamas. The painful and heart wrenching stories of families split apart and politically victimised under the Constitution as it stands with Bahamian women and children discriminated

A special 16-page section on why the June 7 gender equality referendum is so important for future generations of Bahamians plus a look at what each of the four amendment bills mean.

Constitution, to be defined as “meaning male or female.” And that definition, Mr McWeeney said, precludes other definitions of the word– including sexual orientation – from being applied. He also said that bill four, by extension, would also preclude claims of discrimination based not on sex, but on sexual orienta-

tion, that is, where two people of the same sex claim an entitlement to marry. Furthermore, Mr McWeeney explained that the existing ban on samesex marriage contained in the Matrimonial Causes Act will be “constitutionally sanctified” if bill four is approved by a “yes” vote in the referendum. He also said the law’s prohibition of same-sex marriage would be “constitutionally em-

Funeral Service For

Zearline Miller, 69

a resident of Washington Street, will be held at The New St. Paul’s Baptist Church, Blue Hill Road & Bias Street, on Wednesday, 1st June, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. Officiating will be Rev. Dr. Robert L. Colebrook, assisted by Rev. Kenneth Bain & Minister Christopher Strachan. Interment follows in Southern Cemetery, Cowpen & Spikenard Roads. Left to cherish her memories are her 1 brother: Eugene “Bobby” Miller; 1 uncle: Rev. Melvin Miller; 1 aunt: Gladys Gray; brother-in-law: Amos Saunders: nieces: Karon, Cyrstal, Melissa, Makara & Maria Johnson; nephews: Marvin, Amos Jr., Dave Saunders; other relatives & friends: Lucille Flowers, Daisy & Dorothy Knowles, Rosemond Wells, Cheryl & Charles Ferguson, Monique & Jeff Cooper, Patrice, Sharmaine, Sherry & Phillip Brown, Jancy Higgins & Mrs. Althea Poitier, Lulamae Smith, Cyril, Wellington & Chester Smith, Rev. Sammy Saunders, Gloria, Naomi, Shirley & Sylvia Charlton, Max Johnson, & a host of other relatives & friends. Friends may pay their last respects at Demeritte’s Funeral Home, Market Street, from 12-6:00 p.m. on Tuesday & at the church on Wednesday from 9:00 a.m. until service time.

braced” if “sex” were to be added as a ground under Article 26 as proposed by bill four. To support his argument, Mr McWeeney referred to previous assertions by Dame Joan Sawyer and attorney Fred Smith, QC, both of whom have suggested that Article 15 of the Constitution already protects individuals from discrimination on the basis of sex, and as a result, a legal path to same-sex unions is already present. Mr McWeeney said if Dame Joan and Mr Smith were correct in their assertions about Article 15 and the word “sex” is left undefined, it may end up being interpreted by the courts as including sexual orientation and consequently lead to same-sex marriage. He said then same-sex mar-

riage “might end up being let in through the very door (opponents) thought they were closing by voting ‘no’ to (bill four).” “The irony here seems to have escaped the ‘no’ advocates,” Mr McWeeney said. “They seem not to appreciate that if their own arguments and assumptions are correct and they succeed in defeating bill number four, they may actually be making it easier for same-sex marriage to become law, not harder: a classic case of having to be careful about what you wish for. You just might get it. Only later do you discover that it had exactly the opposite effect to what you thought you were getting.” With regards to the Matrimonial Causes Act, Mr McWeeney said Article 26 (4)(c) of the Constitution already provides that dis-

crimination in relation to “marriage” laws is permissible but at present it only applies where the marriage law in question discriminates based on “race, place of origin, political opinions, colour (or) creed.” However, he said if “sex” were to be added as a ground, it would mean “that marriage laws that discriminate based on sex would be constitutionally permissible as well.” “Bottom line? (Bill four), if it becomes law, will not open the door to same-sex marriage,” Mr McWeeney said. “Not even a little bit. But if it does not become law, it may indeed become a little easier – certainly not harder –“to overturn the existing legal ban on samesex marriage.” The referendum is slated for June 7.

BPL STILL HAS SHORTFALL OF POWER AFTER BLACKOUT

from page one

to restart engines and incrementally restore supply to affected communities on the island. By 6.30pm restoration was complete; however, the system shutdown caused some minor challenges that resulted in periods of supply interruption for some customers throughout the night and in to Monday morning,” the statement said. “Yesterday’s (Sunday’s) event also impacted BPL’s reserve supply in New

Providence meaning that the present generation can only meet existing demand. As a result, challenges with an engine at Clifton Pier Power Station on Monday morning resulted in a generation shortfall impacting approximately 20 per cent of customers at varying times throughout the morning and early afternoon on Monday. Repairs to that engine were completed around 2pm and supply was restored to all impacted customers by 2.40pm on Monday afternoon.” In the meantime, BPL

said the corporation is looking to complete repairs on its reserve engine before the end of the week and plans are underway to increase overall system reliability within the next few weeks and throughout the summer. Affected customers took to BPL’s Facebook page to vent their frustration on Monday. One customer wrote: “And now, power is off again. Second day in a row! What the hell is going on? Y’all have just gotten worse and worse! This

is ridiculous! Every time it rains now, the power goes out! It’s embarrassing and disgraceful! We live in an archaic country with disgraceful infrastructure!” Another person wrote: “Where are the updates for today’s outage? Is this going to become the norm? Every time it thunders, there’s a power outage? Worst company ever!” BPL apologised to its customers affected by the recent outages and pledged its “full commitment to the ongoing improvement of its service across the country.”

THREE ACCUSED OF SEX ATTACKS ON MINORS from page one scheduled for July 7 in Magistrate’s Court, would transfer the matter to the higher court. The chief magistrate then informed Smith that he was not eligible to be considered for bail due to amendments to the Bail Act, which removed discretion from the lower court to consider a bond on such offences. Smith was told to apply

to the Supreme Court for bail if he wished. He has retained attorney Ian Cargill to represent him. In another arraignment before Magistrate Constance Delancy, 26-year-old Samuel Kelly Jr also faced a charge each of attempted unlawful sexual intercourse with a dependant and unlawful sexual intercourse with a dependent. It is claimed that he attempted to have sex with a 16-year-old dependent between May 9 and 14 of this

year. It is further alleged that he had sex with the girl on numerous occasions between July 2014 and May 8, 2016. He too will have his case fast tracked to the Supreme Court where he will be able to enter a plea to the allegations. His VBI presentation is fixed for August 3. Also scheduled to have his case fast-tracked to the Supreme Court on that date is 33-year-old Chancey

Brown who was arraigned on a single count of rape. Brown is accused of having sexual intercourse with a 17-year-old boy without his consent sometime between April and May of this year. Brown was told by the magistrate that he would have to apply for bail to the Supreme Court given the nature of the offence. Smith, Kelly and Brown were all remanded to the Department of Correctional Services to await trial.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, May 31, 2016, PAGE 7

Mitchell ‘a hypocrite’ for comments over Baha Mar By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net ST Anne’s MP Hubert Chipman yesterday called Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Fred Mitchell a “hypocrite of the highest order” for accusing Bahamians of launching “jingoistic” attacks against Baha Mar’s Chinese investors. Mr Chipman, in a statement, said Mr Mitchell’s comments last week were “rich and comically hypocritical” when considering that the Fox Hill MP “often injects jingoistic thinking and rhetoric into the public domain”. The shadow minister of foreign affairs and immigration suggested that Mr Mitchell is in no position to criticise others on “jingoism” when he has “routinely accused others of not being as nationalistic and as patriotic as he supposedly is” on other matters. Mr Chipman also criticised Mr Mitchell and the government for their handling of the Baha Mar controversy, charging that “had the government not foolishly sought to push the resort into liquidation”, the country “would have been in a better negotiating position with all the stakeholders”. Mr Chipman was responding to a statement by Mr Mitchell last week, in which the Fox Hill MP lambasted Bahamians for

spreading “racism” and extreme patriotism against Baha Mar’s Chinese investors. At the time, Mr Mitchell stressed that the country should not be engaging in “this kind of dog whistling and borderline race baiting for the fun of it”. Mr Mitchell also said the country’s “image abroad as a place for investment and in tourism cannot develop the reputation of being racists or jingoists”, and as such called on the public’s “better nature on this score where the country’s international reputation and vital interests are at stake”. In response yesterday, however, Mr Chipman said Mr Mitchell’s statements were “rife with his signature hypocrisy”. “All of this is rich and comically hypocritical coming from someone who often injects jingoistic thinking and rhetoric into the public domain,” Mr Chipman said. “Following the collapse of Baha Mar because of the incompetence of the PLP and the Christie government, (Mr Mitchell) used jingoistic rhetoric to attack the developer. “(Mr Mitchell) went so far as to use threatening language about revoking the permanent residency of the developer. These bombastic remarks by the typically belligerent Mitchell could have a chilling affect for foreign investors and touristic development.” Mr Chipman was refer-

BAHA MAR ring to Mr Mitchell’s public recrimination of Baha Mar developer Sarkis Izmirlian last year, when he said that an invitation should be extended to the developer “to consider making the appropriate steps to live elsewhere” if he could not conform with the expected conduct of “economic guests”. At the time, Mr Izmirlian had criticised Prime Minister Perry Christie for the government’s winding up

petition against the mega resort. “(Mr Mitchell) has often appealed to the worst demons of our nature in the pursuit of his unquenchable ambition to remain relevant and to achieve his ultimate goal of becoming prime minister,” Mr Chipman continued. “His jingoism does not seep, it comes in torrents. “When criticised over human rights and immigration matters, (Mr Mitchell) has routinely accused others of

not being as nationalistic and as patriotic as he supposedly is. Such jingoism is par for the course for Mitchell and the PLP, who like to pretend that they are the most patriotic people in The Bahamas.” Ultimately, Mr Chipman slammed the Christie administration for how it managed the Baha Mar debacle, charging that the PLP’s “incompetence” led to the resort’s “collapse”. “Had the government not foolishly sought to push

the resort into liquidation, which resulted in its going into receivership, the country would have been in a better negotiating position with all the stakeholders,” he said. “Instead the country is in a worse position economically and in terms of its sovereignty – another hobby horse Mitchell and the PLP like to ride when it suits their purpose. This is ironic that the PLP was supposed to be putting Bahamians first.”

WARRANT CONSIDERED FOR MINISTERS ACCUSED OF GETTING CHILD DRUNK IN MIX-UP OVER COURT DATE

By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A WARRANT of arrest was almost issued yesterday for two ministers due to give a defence concerning allegations that they gave a 15-year-old boy liquor to get him drunk. Arsenio Butler, 29, and Devin Sears, 27, appeared before Chief Magistrate Andrew Forbes yesterday afternoon for the continuation of their trial concerning an incident alleged to have occurred between January 31, 2014, and February 1, 2014. It was alleged that they gave a teenage boy alcohol “in a manner likely to cause injury to his health”. However, the chief magistrate informed the pair and their lawyer Romona Farquharson-Seymour that the matter was scheduled for 10am and no one from the accused men’s side had shown up.

Mrs Farquharson-Seymour said she understood the matter would be heard at 1pm. The chief magistrate said this was not the case as the court and Crown was present and ready to proceed but neither accused appeared. “I was preparing a warrant of arrest,” Chief Magistrate Forbes added. “I do apologise on their behalf,” the attorney said. “It happens,” the chief magistrate said, accepting the apology. Butler and Sears are to return to Magistrate’s Court on June 2 at 1pm for a fixture hearing to determine when they will give their defence. Butler, a pastor-elect, had been separately charged with indecent assault, after it was alleged that he put his hand down the teenager’s trousers. Both pleaded not guilty to the charges in their first Magistrate’s’ Court appearance in February 2014. Magistrate Forbes, in

October 2015, determined that a sufficient case had not been made out by the Crown for Butler to answer to the charge of indecent assault when considering the second of two statements given to police by the complainant. The alleged assault was only referred to in the second statement, which the complainant and police were at odds about in testimony as to where the statement was taken. The magistrate discharged Butler of the assault charge. However, the court ruled that Butler and Sears must answer to the remaining charge based on the evidence produced by the prosecution. The pair can choose to remain silent or take the witness stand and give evidence under oath. They can also elect to call witnesses on their behalf. Cordell Frazier represents the Crown.

42-YEAR-OLD MAN ARRESTED AFTER ZNS RADIO HOST’S IS KILLED

By SANCHESKA BROWN Tribune Staff Reporter sbrown@tribunemedia.net POLICE arrested a 42-year-old man early yesterday morning in connection with the murder of a veteran ZNS radio broadcaster last week. Officer-in-Charge of the Central Detective Unit, Chief Superintendent Paul Rolle, said police arrested the suspect, a resident of Quakoo Street, around 4am. Chief Supt Rolle said police believe the motive for the murder was robbery. The arrest came days

after a 30-year-old woman also wanted by police in connection with the murder turned herself in for questioning. Police reported that the woman, a resident of Plantol Street, surrendered to the Central Detective Unit just before 6pm on Saturday, two hours after a wanted bulletin with a photo was issued. An initial sketch of the person believed to be a suspect in the killing of 48-year-old Scott Richards near Bonefish Pond was released the day before. Last Thursday, Assistant Commissioner of Police

Leon Bethel told reporters at the crime scene that officers from the Carmichael Road Police Station were on routine patrol near Bonefish Pond when they found the victim’s body. “They were checking the area around 9.55am, when they saw a vehicle they thought to be suspicious. It was a grey Durango (vehicle). They decided to check further and about 100 feet away from the vehicle was the body of a man lying on the ground,” ACP Bethel said. Richards was a radio announcer for ZNS Inspiration 107.9 FM.

SIX CUBAN MIGRANTS DETAINED

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

SIX Cuban migrants were discovered last Monday on Water Cay in the Cay Sal Bank after reportedly leaving Cuba on May

18, Bahamian immigration officials have reported. The group - four men and two women - was discovered on May 23 by US Coast Guard officials after being stranded on the cay for a couple of days and had to use a piece of wood from

their rustic vessel to start a fire. The USCG Cutter Shriek brought the migrants to Lucayan Harbour, Grand Bahama, around 8am on Saturday and turned them over to immigration officials.

PAGE 8, Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Breaking up is so very hard to do

T’S been a while since I’ve seen you. I hope you’re doing okay, with all the things you have going on. Your name gets called often, in these parts, and I find myself listening in whenever I hear it. I know, to you and probably to others, it seems like I just bailed on you, that I gave up on you, cold turkey, but I had to take this time away from you to be sure about what I really wanted. Truth be told, I think you gave up on me, a long time ago; I will try not to play that over in detail. But I needed to see this as a possibility … to think and see straight, and I couldn’t do it with you around me all the time. I also knew in my heart that, if I didn’t remove myself from your physical presence, I probably would not be able to make myself decide about the next steps I’d take in my life. I had to get out of the proverbial forest to see the trees. You know full well, when you turn on your charm, though rare it has been of late, I get to this place in my mind where I can’t resist you and my judgement is completely clouded. This time, I couldn’t let that be. You know you’ve always been important to me. You were my first love, and the first love always remains treasured for sentimental reasons even if it doesn’t last. We lasted a long time. We’ve been together from the very beginning, you and I, and in all that time we’ve been inseparable. But in every relationship you get to the point where you start to change, you start to grow and sometimes you grow in different directions … or maybe not at the same pace. I feel like that’s what happened with us. Our relationship was magical at the start. We went everywhere together, did everything together. No one got between us. Nothing could penetrate our

THE TRIBUNE

bond. Our love was pure … unadulterated … and it was real. We were both really young, but we loved each other the way we knew how to, like we’d been together for decades. And before you knew it we actually were together for decades. I can’t believe how it still all seems like yesterday. There I go again, waxing nostalgic. That’s my prob-

lem. And it’s always been my problem. I think of all our good times and I try to cling to them. I want it to be like it was. If I could have that, I keep telling myself, maybe this would work between us. But I’ve done this at great cost … idealising the future based on our past. And the cost is borne not just by me but by you, too. Our

love for each other is not in question, but when things have changed so drastically between us in our relationship so that we feel foreign to one another, that’s not a good sign. It’s a sign that we have gone too far past our ‘use by’ date … we have hung on too hard and for too long. And what comes next is an expensive price to pay. We saw the writing on the wall. We can’t pretend we didn’t. I wanted the beauty of what we shared before, but I was never sure about returning home after college, because I always felt like there was so much more in this world to be done and to be experienced. I didn’t think to do and to experience it would ever mean we couldn’t or wouldn’t be together.

By NICOLE BURROWS

the time. And that really hurt me because I’ve only ever wanted the best for you. I’ve seen all your potential, and I don’t think it’s the love lenses I wear for you. You are more than physically beautiful … so much more, even though we know that changes, too, with time. You used to make everyone who came to visit us feel so welcome, so warm, providing the right atmosphere, full of laughter, beaming with love, brimming with pride, so that anyone would be happy to know you and spend time with you … and to love you, because ut things changed. I know many did and still I honestly don’t do - like me. Yes, I love think I changed. you. Yes, you will always The same thing I wanted be my first love and nothing all along is the same thing I ever changes that. In many, want now … to share my life many ways, I wouldn’t be with you while sharing the here today, were it not for world with you. But maybe you. that was never okay with But maybe your part in you. Maybe that was never my life is done … at least what you really wanted, and for now. And even though maybe - please try not to I miss you terribly each and be offended every single You used to - you have day, and I changed far make everyone think about more than I all that we who came could. shared over For a long to visit us feel so the years, I time, you let welcome, so warm, know the rest people get of this part of by with non- providing the right my journey I sense with- atmosphere, full of have to walk out hold- laughter, beaming alone. ing them I hope that accountable, with love, brimming you will find and by the with pride, so that it in your time you re- anyone would be heart to foralised you give me for should have happy to know you leaving so held your and spend time with abruptly and ground it you.’ for tending was already to my own a huge problem for us. You needs for just this once. allowed people to come be- Because I knew it was tween us. You gave them now or never. I spent 16 more time and attention years beyond college trythan you gave me. You al- ing to make things work lowed them to tell you with you. But maybe, right things that weren’t true, and now, while I am outside of all these things changed you our relationship, I can say for me. - maybe - it was not meant This great love of mine to be. And you know I’ve seemed to turn on me out tried. I’ve taken every job of nowhere. You started I could, even when I knew letting people into our life it wouldn’t fit, just to be in together without checking the same space with you … to see if their intentions just to say I stayed with you were any good to you … and that we worked it out. to us. You didn’t take me But nothing did work. I alseriously when I told you ways felt that we were disI could see you changing connected from each other, and not for the better. You trying to seal up the empty - and others - thought I spaces and survive at the was just picking on you all same time.

‘

More than my first love, you will always be my greatest love. My heart is with you, my love is with you, and I will always want the best for you. But the best for you right now does not include me being there with you. And you know that is a very difficult thing for me, because to get away from you and make something more of myself, to make my dreams come true, to put myself in a better position to help my family, and the children I still want to have, to help you, your children, and really all our family … means I have to also be away from the people I love the most in this world. And that is no easy thing to do. It almost breaks - well, it would break - my heart, if I didn’t already make up my mind that it is ultimately for them - our families - that I do this … that I’ve taken this solo journey. And so far, all these months, it has not been easy … not in the least. Thankfully, I’ve had quite a few guardian angels along the way. But doing it, doing this, is the only thing I can do to give my best to the people who deserve my best. And I hope one day you will understand that I want that to include you. Please know that you are always in my thoughts. I really do miss you every day. And I look forward to the day when I can return home and smile and laugh with you like the good old friends that we are … to give you back what you gave to me all those years ago. Who knows what the future holds? Maybe we will love again like we did before, or maybe we won’t. But until that moment of truth, I’ll continue to love you as you are, from where I am, hope for the best for you, try to do my best for you from here, and await the day when you see (and fulfil) all the potential I have always seen in you, before it’s too late for you to do so. I love you from the deepest part of me, Bahamaland. And I always will. For evermore. Send emails to nicol@ fastnet.com

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, May 31, 2016, PAGE 9

REGENERATIVE MEDICINE CONFERENCE TO BE HELD IN GRAND BAHAMA

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

THE newest technology and research in regenerative medicine will be presented by the world’s top physicians and research scientists in the field at a leading conference in Grand Bahama next month. The 2016 Regenerative Medicine Conferenceconference is being hosted from June 23 to 25 by the Grand Bahama Port Authority Ltd (GBPA), in partnership with Regenera Global, a multi-national company involved in research development and marketing of new biological and pharmaceutical projects in the specialist field.

More than 200 medical executives from some 60 countries will be travelling to Freeport. Ian Rolle, president of the GBPA, believes that the conference is an excellent opportunity for Grand Bahama to be recognised “as a progressive world hub ready for investment in regenerative medicine and technology, and niche specialty procedures”. On Monday Mr Rolle noted that Grand Bahama is already home to Okyanos, the first stem cell medical facility in the Bahamas. “We know through research of this very lucrative industry more than one third of the population requiring treatment or care for non-invasive specialty

treatment presently travel abroad, some as far as the Asian Pacific coast, and we rather have them travel to our shore, and they probably would if we had the facilities,” he said at a media conference at the GBPA. Mr Rolle is believes that hosting such a conference in Freeport will attract potential facilities to the island. Minister for Grand Bahama Dr Michael Darville noted that officials work closely with the Port Authority and said there are a few applications on the drawing board for regenerative medicine and stem cell therapies on the island. “We have on the drawing board a few potential applications. Of course, there is

a very (stringent) process or programme to license these facilities, and even though we want to move very quickly we have an Ethics Committee and a Scientific Committee … because our game plan is the prevent contamination of our jurisdiction for those who are trying to get into stem cell therapy for economic gain and the science is not robust or advance enough to show clinical outcome representing quality and the latest in terms of scientific knowledge.” Dr Darville endorses the conference. “This will bring many reputable scientists to the island to discuss the latest therapies in regenerative medicine, and the application to clinical practice,” he said. “In the sharing of infor-

Student: BTVI gave me ability to dream again By HADASSAH HALL GERRARD Russell is determined to not be average. His pledge from the first semester at the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institution (BTVI) was to remain committed and dream big. “BTVI has given me my ability to dream again. After high school, I quit dreaming, but at BTVI, I started dreaming about possibilities,” he said. “The instructors are really knowledgeable, personable and they actually care. It’s a community, and as it grows, the students are growing with it.” The information technology management and security plus major is among the 250 and more BTVI students slated to graduate on July 5 at Bahamas Faith Ministries International. The road for the 26-yearold has not been without its challenges. He knows what it is to drive from his Chippingham home to BTVI on Old Trail Road with a near empty gas tank. He knows what it is to accept a sponsored suit to attend a regional conference because he did not own a suit. And as he did not have a full scholarship, he knows what it is to struggle to pay school fees. Nevertheless, Mr Russell did not focus on what he did not have, but what opportunities were in front of him. “I came to BTVI on faith. My mom used to pay all my fees, but one brother now attends BTVI and the other one is enrolled in home school, so it resulted in less money to assist me. I still had to come up with $600$700 per semester, so I fixed

computers on the side,” he said. He refused to allow such obstacles to deter him; rather he used them as fuel to propel him. It is a far cry from what his outlook once was. He admitted that while a student of C C Sweeting High School, he threw opportunities away. “I began skipping classes, but at BTVI, I actually wanted to come to classes. There was this draw (towards BTVI). Here, they focused on my talent. It drove me to the point I fell in love with school. At BTVI, it’s not the old desk and book system. It’s more of an exploration of learning. Besides, after six years in the work world, I needed more than a boss screaming at me,” he said. With his eyes on entrepreneurship and a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.7, Mr Russell’s career goal is to become a security auditor. “I want to sell security protection. I would hack the system by showing the vulnerabilities of it in an effort to improve upon the overall security,” he proposed. Additionally, because of BTVI, he has been afforded opportunities he otherwise may have never received. Earlier this year, he participated in the first Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) ‘hackathon’. In 2014 he was one of two local technical education students sponsored by the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) to represent the Bahamas at the Regional Youth ICT Innovations Training Workshop in Antigua and Barbuda. Also in 2014, Mr Russell

was an exchange student at Fanshawe College in Canada. He said the Emerging Leaders in Americas Programme scholarship was eye opening. “I never dreamt I would come to BTVI and go to college for two semesters. I thought I would come through the system, learn some computer repair and graduate,” the institution’s 2016 student speaker admitted. “Fanshawe really opened my mind. It was so progressive and I learned there are so many more components to IT. I remember the first day of class; a professor gave us a sheet of paper and we had to figure out CISCO switches and routers,” he said. Mr Russell said because of the exposure, he no longer has a myopic view of the world. “I now know there is a whole world out there. It is hard to perceive it while here. TV doesn’t do it justice,” he said. “I cannot go back to the way I used to live. I learned to cook, manage my finances and time, I became independent. I had a Brazilian, Mexican and Indian roommate. I learned about their cultures and how they perceive the world – whether liberal or conservative. I miss them,” he confessed. Although it has taken Gerrard four years to complete his Associate of Applied Science degree, it is the journey as opposed to the destination that has made him realize the possibilities that exist. “BTVI gave me much more than a degree. It gave me a hope and a future. Thank you BTVI for giving me a life.”

We must make use of net metering View from afar

SINCE neither all my readers nor I are engineers, I will write in layman’s terms about the practice of net metering being adopted in enlightened countries. Net metering is a system whereby consumers of electricity are able to install solar or wind generating units at their homes or commercial enterprises and then are given credit for the electricity that they feed into the national grid. This excess arises during periods of high wind and strong sunshine when the owners of these renewable energy installations are not consuming as much as they are producing. This eliminates the need for very expensive battery storage units. The benefits to the environment of using wind and solar to produce electricity are a given. The benefits are

By JOHN ISSA

especially great for countries like The Bahamas, which depend on clean seas, vibrant coral reefs, fishing and an attractive climate for its very survival. Not to mention the devastation that rising seas would bring to our low lying islands. The economic benefits are equally obvious. We would reduce our imports of fuels thus saving valuable foreign exchange. We would also reduce the capital needed by BEC/BPL to expand their generating

capacity as much as they would otherwise have had to do. So we need to ask: ‘why do we not already have net metering in The Bahamas?’ The country desperately need to take every action and adopt every policy that can benefit its people and the economy. Net metering is a no brainer. • John Issa is executive chairman of SuperClubs. He is writing regularly in The Tribune.

BTVI student Gerrard Russell.

mation there is also the potential to attract some new potential clients to practice stem cell therapy and research on the island of Grand Bahamas. I am convinced … it will bring forth much fruit to the island.” Kathy Hebert, CEO of Regenera Global, said the conference speakers are top in their field, including the director of the Mayo Clinic’s Regenerative Medicine Division, and the director of research from Texas Heart Institute. “We are working to bring top physicians and research scientists from all over the world here to Freeport so people can access to these thought leaders, and we like to bring together technologies that will to be used

with patients today,” she said. Ms Hebert said that persons can register online at Regenera Global with a special rate available for Bahamians using the promotional code “Bahama” when registering. Betty Bethel, director at the Ministry of Tourism in Grand Bahama, said that the ministry has identified religious, sports, and medical tourism as niche areas that brings group travel to the island. “Grand Bahama has always been seen as a destination that matches well with medical tourism because we do have a history of nontraditional treatments being offered to international guests,” she said.

PAGE 10, Tuesday, May 31, 2016

YOUR SAY By FREDERICK SMITH QC

THE TRIBUNE

Fred Mitchell and the Haitian ‘pestilence’

AM a firm believer in giving credit where credit is due. I agree with the words of Dr Andre Rollins, that Fred Mitchell poses a “clear and present danger” to the continued development of democracy in The Bahamas. In my opinion, Fred Mitchell is not only antiHaitian, but a political opportunist. And, as Nicki Kelly so accurately wrote in her article in The Punch on August 13, 2015: “There is little that foreign affairs Minister Fred Mitchell does without malice aforethought.” She went on to say, again historically accurately, “And since it is always Mr Mitchell’s wont to fire up racial discord as part of his political arsenal …” So, permit me to share the full extent and objectives of what I suspect these malicious multipronged racist and ethnically targeted policies are towards the Haitian Bahamian community in The Bahamas. Firstly, the policies are not the personal expressions of Fred Mitchell, although he is no doubt the architect of these malignancies. Secondly, the policies have been 100 per cent supported, adopted, encouraged and fully executed and maintained by the current Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) administration of the Government. Thirdly, the policies, from inception, have been 100 per cent embraced by the Free National Movement (FNM), the Official Opposition, which has maintained that they stand “shoulder to shoulder with the Government”. Fourthly, the Democratic National Alliance (DNA) have likewise fully supported and encouraged the policies. Fifthly, after all the abuses manifested by the policies were exposed, the FNM have been invited and have been provided with multiple opportunities to distance themselves from the government policies but have failed to do so. Indeed, not only have they failed to do so, but in the lower and upper houses of Parliament they voted unanimously to support the 2015 Amendments to the Immigration Act which have purported to legalise some aspects of the PLP policies. I suspect that one of the main reasons that all three political parties find the policies attractive is their political insecurity and fear of what they are now observing as the potential “Haitian-Bahamian political voting bloc”. It is a voting bloc that they fear; it is one that they cannot control; it is

‘

A DOCUMENT issued by the Registrar General’s Office highlighting the importance of a birth certificate. World War II, and South Government will use this Africa’s abuse of blacks legal justification, just as in under Apartheid being the Dominican Republic “documented”. they have simply passed a This illegal and dis- law stripping all Dominican criminatory policy is being Republicans of Haitian ethachieved by various means nic origin of their Dominibut ultimately by forcing can citizenship going back every person in The Baha- generations. mas who is of Haitian ethThe new “Belongers Pernic origin and who does not mit” will not be of any ascurrently hold a Bahamian sistance to: passport, to get a Haitian 1 - Those who apply for passport even though they citizenship after the age of were 19 as the government has 1 - born in The Bahamas already stated that such a before Independence in permit will only be given to 1973 and entitled to be a persons who have applied under article 7 (2) one that has the poten- objective is being achieved Bahamian citizen; or 2 born in The Bahamas 2 - Those who apply for tial for growing extremely by making it as difficult as large, extremely powerful possible for those who are after 1973 and are entitled citizenship under artiand articulate; and it is here and have legal, moral, to be registered under article 7 [2] but who cannot one which is legally en- ethical and internationally- cle 7 of the Constitution; or show and produce docu3 - entitled to apply after mentation for the legal titled to grow and there- recognised rights to have fore must be “contained”. those rights recognised 19 to be naturalised and get status of their parentage; those persons, despite Which is why Fred Mitch- and or to be accorded the citizenship. I suspect that when their entitlement by beell becomes overly excited legal status to which they every time I publicly urge may be entitled by various these persons of Haitian ing born in The Bahamas the Haitian Bahamian provisions of the Constitu- heritage, all born in The will simply not be able to community to politically tion, the Immigration Act, Bahamas, pursue their ap- apply for the belongers organise, to promote and International Conventions plications for citizenship permit in The Bahamas, their ap3 - Those who are born in protect their interests and or otherwise. That is quite a different plications will either never The Bahamas before 1973 rights, and make sure that he and other abusive MPs policy than one which is be determined or will be as they too will be unable are not re-elected and/or perfectly legal pursuant to refused by the thousands to produce documentation get their own MPs elect- the provisions of the Baha- and when not dealt with for the legal status of their mas Immigration Act and (as has been the histori- parentage as required by ed. The unstated but long- accepted by international cal position) or refused, the belongers permit appliterm full extent and objec- norms and practices, which they will then be directed cation form. tive of the PLP, and adopt- is to humanely prevent ille- to make arrangements to eviously, the chiled by default by the FNM, gal immigration. I have no leave The Bahamas bedren of persons and DNA, is to rid The quarrel with enforcement cause, perversely, their born in The BaHaitian passports, issued of the law, and neither does Bahamas of as many people who are identified eth- the Grand Bahama Human in The Bahamas, will not hamas of Haitian heritage nically as “Haitians”, lest Rights Association or other have a visa from the Baha- are also being required mas government entitling to obtain a passport from the Haitian “pestilence” NGOs. them to be in The Baha- Haiti. But once again, Fred overrun and overwhelm Accordingly, when the Mitchell is not only hold- mas. The Bahamas. continuous deportations beThis will then be used as ing the Rule of Law and the This ethnic cleansing Constitution in contempt by the lawful reason to deport gin of the Bahamian-born persons who have children, threatening to burn it as he them. Mark my words: many in accordance with what the did in 1989, but now that he is an actual power, he is, in thousands will not be Bahamas government will my opinion, using the po- dealt with and many thou- proclaim as “humanitarian lice and executive power of sands will be refused. internationally recognised the State to execute illegal Many more thousands norms”, their children, all and unconstitutional poli- will simply be left in a of whom are second or “Belongers Permit Limbo third generation born in cies. The Bahamas, will also be Land”. This is not a short-term deported on the perverse he underpinning of these illegal poli- policy objective. This policy basis that “humanely”, they cies is the overarch- has been embraced by the should remain with their ing illegal requirement that PLP administration, the parents. This is a malevolent Fred Mitchell has illegally FNM and the DNA. Accordingly, it is a master plan that Fred proclaimed by ministerial diktat that all persons in policy that will become Mitchell and the PLP ubiquitous have cooked up and which The Bahamas require to be embedded, and endemic in Bahami- the FNM and the DNA “documented”. wholeheartedly, There is no such law an political governance have passed by Parliament; and will continue to be unanimously, and without there is no such law found implemented aggressive- one dissenting voice emin our Constitution; there ly by successive govern- braced. And the master plan and is no such common law; ment administrations of there is no such judge- whichever flavour of the objective will then be easily executed on a continumade law; there is no inter- day. The Bahamas govern- ous basis, because all of the national convention or law to that effect. It is the ab- ment will, on a continu- targeted deportees, includerrant brainchild of Fred ous and ongoing basis, ef- ing all of their children, fect mass deportations of will now have valid Haitian Mitchell. FOR THE FAMILY This was the fulcrum every person who is not a passports to be shipped of Hitler’s discrimina- citizen, ie those whose ap- back to Haiti - a country tion against the Jews, plications have not been none of them have ever seen the USA’s internment determined and/or have or known - even though WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/JOYFM1019 they were born in The Baof American citizens of been refused. Japanese heritage during So in The Bahamas, the hamas and have rights to be

The unstated but long-term full extent and objective of the PLP, and adopted by default by the FNM, and DNA, is to rid the Bahamas of as many people who are identified ethnically as “Haitians”, lest the Haitian “pestilence” overrun and overwhelm The Bahamas.’

YOUR

CHOICE

here. The courts of The Bahamas will not be able to deal with this as there will be too many cases of abuse; the judicial system is already clogged with thousands of unheard cases and the delays unavoidable; the Executive branch of the Government does not recognise any judicial precedent set for one person as being a principle applicable to all persons in a similar category; there is no publicly-funded legal aid; most persons will not be able to afford legal representation for these kinds of immigration human rights matters; most persons will not even know what their legal rights may be; and lastly and tragically there are very few lawyers (out of nearly 2,000) who are available on a pro bono basis to assist. And lastly, let it not be forgotten that the Haitian government is complicit in this illegal policy by going along with the programme and providing, at the insistence of the Bahamas government, passports to persons born in The Bahamas, notwithstanding that the Haitian Government knows that these Bahamian-born applicants, (some of whom are second or third generation born children in The Bahamas) do not wish to be citizens of Haiti, but are being forced to obtain Haitian passports by the illegal policies of the Bahamian government. Lastly, as I have always said, and I repeat: there is no legal requirement for anybody to be “documented” in The Bahamas. Personally, I wish I didn’t travel that often and that I could let my passport lapse and then drive around our streets without any “documentation” and see if the immigration and/or police arrest me for being “undocumented” and bring a test case. Indeed, as can be seen from the official publication of the Registrar General of The Bahamas, responsible for registering births and deaths in The Bahamas, the only document we really need if born here is a birth certificate. “Having A Birth Certificate ... Is your permanent identification as a Bahamian”. • Frederick Smith QC is the president of the Grand Bahama Human Rights Association

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, May 31, 2016, PAGE 11

Tambearly School celebrates

30th anniversary AS part of its 30th anniversary celebrations, Tambearly School held a party event at the weekend, filled with art, food, music, dancing and a live auction.

Photos: Shawn Hanna/ Tribune Staff

PAGE 12, Tuesday, May 31, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

Raising hands to stand guard for nation

COMMISSIONER PATRICK WRIGHT, of the Department of Correctional Services, welcomed 125 trainees yesterday in a ceremony that included 40 women in the 2016 recruitment class. Photos: Tim Clarke/Tribune Staff