06112024 NEWS AND SPORT

BPL DEAL TO BRING ‘NEW ERA’

Photo: Dante Carrer/Tribune

Graduation rate sees 14 percent increase

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net

EDUCATION Minis-

ter Glenys Hanna Martin said the graduation rate increased by 14 per cent compared to the previous academic year after government approved changes to the Bahamas High School Diploma.

A 24-member national review commission recommended crediting more students with different learning styles and priorities.

Among other things, the type of BJC passes needed for students to get a diploma was changed, and the requirement for 27 credit hours was removed. Punctuality and attendance rate requirements were reduced from 90 to 80 per cent, and the parentteacher conferences were removed as a criterion.

She said the ministry will also address long-standing infrastructural issues throughout the country, noting that there are structural, plumbing and electrical concerns related to decaying campuses around the country, most of which have structures older than 40 years.

She said the ministry will complete the extension of Government High School (GHS). The school will also receive an athletic track and swimming pool. In addition, classroom block extensions will be given to Patrick Bethel High school, Arthurs Town Comprehensive School, the Emma Cooper Primary School, and at Coopers Town Primary.

Mrs Hanna Martin gave a comprehensive overview of the public education system during her contribution to the House of Assembly’s budget debate. She said over 300 educators will be used to counter the global teacher shortage. She also said her ministry will hire 100 teacher aides for special education, pre-primary, pre-vocational, and generalist areas. She said the ministry is getting teachers trained to deal with children of special needs, with 14 teachers completing their Master’s degree in special education at Barry University in December after the ministry partnered with that university and teachers. After Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis announced a salary review for public service workers, Mrs Hanna Martin said she is confident this will result in enhanced salaries and benefits for administrators and teachers. She expects 90 people to be promoted to administrators before or during the next academic year. Additionally, she said students in the next academic year will get an indigenous Bahamian history textbook to enhance their knowledge of Bahamian culture. The integration of Junkanoo into the school curriculum is expected as well. She said in November, students from pre-primary through high school will benefit from this, and students will focus on Junkanoo during April, with April 15th observed as cultural month.

Mrs Hanna Martin also revealed that a parent unit has been established in her ministry. She said through

an online portal, parents can interact directly with the ministry and monitor their child’s progress where appropriate. Additionally, she said the ministry has appointed a committee to review and advise on modifying school uniforms during hot temperatures “to ensure greater comfort”.

Hanna Martin addresses education concerns

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net

EDUCATION Minister Glenys Hanna-Martin is concerned about businesses catering to students during school hours and parents threatening school safety through disorderly conduct that require intervention from law enforcement officers.

She also revealed during her contribution to the budget debate in the House of Assembly yesterday that the government wants to introduce a boarding school for at-risk boys.

She said Cabinet recently appointed a sub-committee involving herself, the minister of social services, the minister of immigration, and the minister of state for the environment to explore the feasibility of creating a boarding school, a concept Cabinet has approved. The Ministry of Works will create the architectural

designs and consultants are aiding with the programme’s design.

She said preliminary figures show school violence, stabbings, and assaults have declined this school year, and she credited school resource officers (SRO) for intervening and preventing school violence.

She said barbers have often given haircuts to students during school hours.

She said SROs have warned business owners that they are breaching the Education Act when they serve students who should be in school –– a ground to revoke a business license.

“I wish to admonish all business owners not to provide any products or services to school students during school hours and support us in our efforts to ensure that our nation’s youth obtain their education,” she said.

She also expressed concern about the trend of parents threatening school

safety. She said this academic year, some parents or guardians have visited school campuses to challenge school staff over their child’s behaviour or grades.

“In several of these cases, SROs had to place parents under arrest for a variety of offences, including threats of death, disorderly behaviour, obscene language, and assault on the school campus,” she said. “Those parents were subsequently placed before the courts as it should be known that police will maintain and the ministry a ‘zero’ tolerance approach for this threat to school safety.”

Additionally, she said since the attendance hotline was officially launched in January 2024, there have been 173 calls up to April from people saying a child was not attending school. Mrs Hanna–Martin said the latest reports show school attendance is now up to 92 per cent.

TWO MEN SHOT TO DEATH IN LESS THAN 24 HOURS

from page one

The pair were approached by a heavily tinted Nissan vehicle, police said, and a man exited the car and opened fire on the victim with a high-powered weapon, hitting him multiple times.

Another man who was in the immediate area was also hit, and was taken to hospital via emergency medical services. His condition was unknown at the time of going to press.

Earlier in the day, at about 12.30am, a teenager was shot as he walked south on Pinedale Road off Wulff Road. He was approached and shot multiple times by an unknown gunman.

The 19-year-old victim was taken to hospital but succumbed to his injuries yesterday morning, at about 11.30am.

Police are actively investigating the incidents, and appealed to the public last night from the scene of the latest shooting to

MINISTER of Education and Technical and Vocational Training Glenys Hanna Martin during her contribution to the Budget Debate in the House of Assembly yesterday.

Photo: Dante Carrer/Tribune Staff

BPL deal to bring ‘new era’

from page one

and Light (BPL) and usher in a new “energy era” during yesterday’s launch at the Office of the Prime Minister.

Yesterday’s event followed months of anticipation about what the administration planned for BPL.

Mrs Coleby-Davis said the government’s energy reform plan will focus on five key areas: building utility-scale solar power in the Family Islands, expanding solar projects in New Providence, moderating the electricity grid and the transmission and distribution network for New Providence, transforming energy generation through LNG implementation in New Providence and an equity rate adjustment programme.

The first point in the government’s energy reform plan addresses renewable energy production for the Family Islands.

Mrs Coleby-Davis noted that the government and BPL launched a request for proposals in December for Family Island New Energy Generation to create “more independence in energy generation” in those communities.

She said ultimately, several companies were chosen to produce renewable energy-based independent power producer projects for several Family Islands.

“I am pleased to share that the recommended IPP for Abaco is Verdant and Consus, for Andros is Providence Advisors, for Eleuthera is Verdant and Consus, for Exuma is INTI Corporation and Osprey Construction, and Long Island, San Salvador, and the Berry Islands is Wilkem Technologies and Roswall Incorporation. Currently, we are negotiating the power purchase agreements for all of the named IPPs,” she said.

“Each island has unique energy requirements and geographical constraints, necessitating a customised

MINISTER of Energy and Transport JoBeth Coleby-Davis speaks during an event at the Office of The Prime Minister where plans for the full conversion and integration of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) in New Providence within two years and the integration of solar projects throughout the country were unveiled yesterday.

energy solution. To ensure the most suitable approach, each island’s technical specifications were thoroughly reviewed for applicability.

We have finalised the design criteria in terms of agreement and selected both the micro-grid controller and the communication profile.

Long lead time supply chain equipment has been identified and their specifications have been submitted to the respective manufacturers. We anticipate that groundbreaking and works shall begin before the end of 2024.”

For New Providence, Mrs Coleby-Davis said Eco Energy, INTI Incorporation, and Compass were recommended to become the island’s independent power producers, with negotiations ongoing for the power purchase agreements.

“This initiative provides a green energy solution for the existing battery

BPL ANNOUNCEMENT ‘DOES NOT ALLEVIATE’ UNION CONCERNS

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Chief Reporter

BAHAMAS Electrical Workers Union (BEWU) president Kyle Wilson said the Davis administration’s announcement of plans to reform Bahamas Power and Light has not alleviated employees’ concerns about their future with the company.

The Davis administration unveiled its reform plans yesterday, which include modernising the electricity grid, building utility-scale solar power in the Family Islands, transforming energy generation through LNG implementation in New Providence and introducing equity rate adjustments.

Officials said the plan would increase storm resilience, lower the cost of living and improve economic competitiveness while creating more employment and investment opportunities with a 21st-century infrastructure.

Mr Wilson said yesterday was not the first time he has heard about many of these promises, although he now knows the companies BPL plans to partner with.

He said: “I understand the government’s move to a new energy era. I understand the globalisation issues and talking about climate change and all of that, and having to make the necessary changes here in the energy sector. But my concern, as the union’s president, is what is the future for the workers that are under my purview? What and how is it going to affect them? I’m hearing of training from the minister and changes that are happening, but nothing direct.”

Energy Minister JoBeth Coleby-Davis has repeatedly said there would be no staff layoffs and told employees yesterday that

all concerns would be addressed.

However, Mr Wilson said the union last met government officials several months ago.

He said there may be no layoffs now, but the future is uncertain.

He said: “We have a current industrial agreement that ends in 2026. But what happens after that?”

“The membership has tons of questions and they’re putting it all on my back, and they’re looking for me to deliver, and I’m asking them before we get to a point of contention, before I have to run up down the street and embarrass my country and embarrass my government, just to get simple questions answered. I’m saying sit with me, sit with us who are the major stakeholders.”

Mr Wilson believes the government is only communicating with the Bahamas Electrical Utility Managerial Union (BEMU). The leader of that union, Christopher Hanna, could not be reached for comment before press time.

“What I understand is the senior union leadership, under Mr Chris Hanna would have probably been meeting with the government,” Mr Wilson said. “We’re supposed to be holding hands, but I understand that they would have gone on and have meetings. So I would say you probably want to speak with the senior union to find out why they would have been meeting with them in the absence of me, who carry the strong majority in BPL.

“So that behoves me, and they’ve even been in House of Assembly probably purporting to be in agreement, and so when we’d have had a position together, it sort of strikes me that they would be working with one union and not the next.”

energy storage while adding renewable energy to the overall energy mix,” she said. “Approximately 70MW of solar power and 35MW of battery energy storage systems will be integrated into the existing grid. 25MW of the solar energy will be paired with the 25MWH of battery energy storage system that already exists at the Blue Hills Power Station.”

The government’s third area of focus speaks to modernising the Electricity Grid and T&D network for New Providence through a partnership with Island Grid.

Mrs Coleby-Davis said this is needed for several reasons, mainly because of BPL’s nearly $500m legacy debt, ageing infrastructure, and inability to meet generation demands based on local growth predictions for the next decade.

“The partnership with Island Grid will extend the infrastructure capabilities beyond what BPL alone can do by bringing in a generation and T&D expert to pursue much-needed upgrades,” she said. “It is important to share that Island Grid has over 60 years experience in delivering best-in-class energy infrastructure under the company’s subsidiary, Pike. The company’s projects in the Bahama include projects on Walkers Cay, Grand Cayman, Grand Bahama, and Puerto Rico.”

She said the government’s partnership with Island Grid will also lower fuel

cost and improve operating efficiency.

She said ECF Consulting would independently oversee all projects to completion, coordinating between various stakeholders, including contractors, suppliers and regulatory authorities.

She also assured BPL workers that the partnerships would not lead to layoffs, advising them that existing industrial agreements would not be impacted and that no voluntary separation programme would be offered.

“It is our expectation that exciting new roles and training opportunities will emerge that BPL employees will have early access to,” she said. “Meetings will be held with all employees of BPL to ensure that all questions and concerns will be answered.”

As for transforming energy generation through LNG implementation in New Providence, Mrs Coleby-Davis said this will help “revolutionise” energy generation in the capital.

“By integrating LNG, we aim to reduce overall energy costs, enhance the efficiency of our generation assets, and minimise environmental impacts,” she said. “This initiative introduces LNG as a cleaner alternative to Heavy Fuel Oil and Automotive Diesel Oil.”

She said LNG will be primarily sourced from Shell, while other partners will include the Bahamas Utility Company (BUC).

“By 2026, we will construct a state-of-the-art 177MW combined cycle LNG plant at the Blue Hills Power Station,” she added.

“This innovative facility will feature four natural gas units paired with two steam turbines, maximising efficiency by utilising excess steam from the gas units. This combined cycle configuration will be the most cost-effective generation solution in the BPL fleet. It will replace the 107MW of rented generation capacity and address the 63MW generation shortfall under contingency conditions, enhancing redundancy and resilience.”

In addition to these new units, she said BPL will convert two of its original generators at its Blue Hills Power Station, completing the transition to a more efficient and resilient system. This fuel-switching initiative is also expected to save BPL and its consumers some $125m annually, she added.

Regarading equity rate adjustment, she said beginning next month, rates would be adjusted to allow more affordable bills. She said residential customers and SMEs are subsidising high-energy users under the existing tariff structure.

“All residential consumers with low and moderate electricity usage will benefit, as the base rate tariff for the first 0 to 200 kWh will be reduced to zero,” she said.

“The upper bands will stay the same, but even if you are a resident with a bill of around 600kWh you will still benefit from your first 200kWh being reduced to zero. Note that everyone will still have to pay for the fuel charge for every unit they consume.

“The commercial base tariff will drop slightly from 15 cents to 14.5 cents, and the temporary supply base tariff, which particularly affects the Family Islands, will drop from 16.38 cents to 15 cents. Again, they will both continue to also pay for their fuel charge.”

Mrs Coleby-Davis said the government is also amending the fuel charge by reducing the cost for the first 800kWh by 2.5 cents and increasing the charge above 800kWh by 1.5 cents.

This means consumers who use less energy will enjoy a lower fuel charge, she said.

She said the new rates will be in effect until a comprehensive tariff review is completed and the government and URCA approve new rates.

“The general service base tariff will rise slightly from 8.7 to 10 cents for the first 900,000 units and from 6.2 to 9 cents for units above 900,000,” she said.

“Currently, general service customers receive a subsidy of about $20m from other BPL customers every year, but they will still be paying less than all other energy classes and will still benefit from a more modest subsidy.”

She said energy costs should decrease over time due to efficiency upgrades at BPL, which include the installation of a new HFO boiler at Clifton Pier, two new 30MW LNG burning units and the conversion of BPL’s use debt to BSD.

“The positive effect of what we are kicking off now will not only be felt by our children and our children’s children generation but it will be noticed around the world,” she added.

Prime Minister Philip Davis said the government’s plans to reforms for BPL followed three years of hard work and represents his administration’s “big ambitions” for the country.

“We are determined to close the gap between our national potential and our national reality –– and with this very big and ambitious agenda of reform and investment, we believe we are well on the way to ensuring that a new energy era will lead also to a new economic era –– a new era of opportunity for all,” he said.

Photo: Dante Carrer/Tribune Staff

Officer testifies that victim had replica gun and wore makeshift bullet-proof vest

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

JURORS in the Coro -

ner’s Court yesterday heard that a man police killed in 2022 had a fake gun and a makeshift bullet-proof vest.

Police responded to calls of an armed robbery near Hospital Lane on April 9, 2022. They reportedly engaged and shot Walter Johnson after he drew a weapon.

During the inquest into the killing yesterday, an officer from the police armoury said the weapon photographed on the scene was a replica firearm.

When shown photos of the deceased lying face up on the road near Hospital Lane and Meeting Street, Inspector Kristoff

Greenslade identified a military green replica Glock pistol. He said if he encountered the same object, it would be difficult to identify it as fake in low light. He said the officers may have been in fear for their lives when they saw what they believed to be a weapon. He said it was not reasonable for officers to aim for the hand, adding that they are trained to discharge their weapons as a last resort and to shoot at centre mass.

Forensic pathologist Dr Caryn Sands testified that on July 8, 2022, she performed an autopsy on the deceased’s body.

She said Johnson’s cause of death was a gunshot wound to his head and right thigh. She said the wounds to

the head of the deceased injured his brain and that the skin was missing where his skull was fractured.

She said given the months the deceased’s body spent in cold storage, his skin had started to slip off. She said this explained the mould spots on his torso in photos of his autopsy.

Dr Sands said the deceased was wearing blue pants and a green makeshift bullet-proof vest with flat metal plates on both sides in the cushions.

She said one of these plates was a blue one-way street sign and the other a dark metal plate.

Acting Coroner Kara Turnquest Deveaux presided over the inquest. Angelo Whitfield marshalled the evidence.

WOMAN ACCUSED OF STEALING ALMOST $400K FROM TWO DIFFERENT PEOPLE’S

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A woman’s police bail was extended yesterday after she was accused of stealing almost $400,000 from two the bank accounts of two people over two years.

Senior Magistrate Shaka Seville charged Brenda Deveaux, 59, with eight counts of stealing by reason of employment, eight counts

of forgery, eights counts of falsification of accounts and eight counts of money laundering (acquisition).

Deveaux allegedly stole $332,639.22 from Boyce Moxey’s CIBC account by creating fraudulent withdrawal slips and falsifying accounts between September 2, 2021, and November 18, 2021. She also allegedly stole $58,500 from Maria Slyfain’s CIBC account through

BANK ACCOUNTS

similar means between April 1, 2022, and July 20, 2022,. She pleaded not guilty to all 32 charges.

Deveaux was informed that her police bail will be extended until today so that the court can make a determination on her bail application.

The trial in this matter begins on August 7.

K Melvin Munroe represented the accused.

Royal Bahamas police officer wins at international Toastmasters challenge

A ROYAL Bahamas police officer triumphed in an international Toastmasters challenge recently.

Euvunka Paul, a 44-year-old officer who serves as Assistant Superintendent at Fort Charlotte police station, won the contest in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on March 4.

She defeated nearly 400 participants from 133 clubs across South Florida and The Bahamas in the Toastmasters District 47 Table Topics Championship with a motivational speech titled “What If?”

Her winning speech was an impromptu speech which opened with an urban legend about frogs. She inspired the audience by telling the crowd, “You must LEARN, You must GROW and most importantly You must SHARE from your experiences.”

She is a member of Pinewood Trendsetters Toastmasters Club #7773041 where she serves as president.

Death Notice For

Violet Luvinia Wirth

born in Mangrove Bush, Long Island passed away on Thursday, June 06th, 2024.

Left to cherish her precious memories are her husband: Gerard J. Wirth, Hon Consul of Malta; daughters: Patrice Jones; Carolyn Knowles (deceased); and Elizabeth Albury; sons-in-law: Stephen Jones; Peter Albury; grandchildren and spouses: Travis Jones; Sheena (Jeffrey) Thompson; Bianca (James) Galantis; siblings: Erskine (Faye) Knowles; Hildred Knowles; Diana Matsas; sister-in-law: Hazel Wirth; The Wirth, Tabone and Grech Families of Malta; and a host of numerous other relatives and friends.

Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, June 15th, 2024, 10:00a.m. at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church, Western Road, Lyford Cay.

In lieu of fowers, donations to St. Paul’s Parish Community Program would be appreciated. Details to follow.

WALTER JOHNSON

GOVERNOR GENERAL, Her Excellency Dame Cynthia ‘Mother’ Pratt received members of the Jacksonville Urban League in a courtesy call at the Office of the Governor General on Thursday, June 6, 2024.

Photo: Letisha Henderson/BIS

RBPF OFFICER EUVUNKA PAUL

Bowleg: $10m allocated for World Relays budget

By KEILE CAMPBELL kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

YOUTH, Sports, and Culture Minister Mario Bowleg said the government allocated $10m for last month’s World Relays. When it came to power, the Minnis administration cancelled the World Relays event, saying the government needed to prioritise its economic and social initiatives. The Progressive Liberal Party blasted that decision and vowed to resume it.

Mr Bowleg said yesterday that the Local Organising Committee (LOC) is still completing its financial assessments related to the event but said it received $8.3m from the government and accumulated $1.5m in revenue. He said the overall expenses for the event was $8.9m.

He said more than 25 vendors were engaged for the two-day event and that they, on average, made more than $1500 a day.

He said the event had a significant impact on employment and tourism by creating job opportunities across the hospitality, transportation, security and media sectors, though he did not provide specifics.

“Notably, 192 companies participated, in addition to the 50 jitney drivers responsible for transporting athletes, coaches, and officials to and from the stadium,” he said during his budget contribution yesterday in the House of Assembly.

“Furthermore, tourism experienced a notable surge, with over 4,000 room nights booked and a notable increase in air arrivals. Industries like restaurants and transportation reaped the benefits, with rental car companies witnessing increased demand as visitors sought hassle-free exploration.”

Prime Minister Philip Davis has said funds have been allocated to bid for the 2026 World Relays and to host the 2026 Bahama Games.

Mr Bowleg also said the government gave “an unprecedented show of support” to Olympic athletes by earmarking $150,000 for the Bahamas Olympic Committee.

Sex claim about senior govt official dubbed ‘just rumours’

from page one

director in the Office of the Prime Minister Latrae Rahming said the government is not distracted by “social media trolls”.

Relatives of people alleged to be involved in the matter dismissed the claims as rumours at the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, where their loved ones were dealing with a drugs-related legal matter.

Earlier, Mr Rahming told reporters outside

OPM: “We anticipate, as we head into the election season, Bahamians can expect any numbers of persons particularly associated to political parties or non-associated political parties to say a number of defamatory remarks.”

“I think that from our perspective, we know that with the introduction of AI, we expect deep fakes. We expect a number of doctored images so we understand that we are entering different territories, AI, and we’re very

cautious of that.

“I think, taking the same line that the party take, that we encourage all of our members of government, when there are defamatory comments to make reports to the police. We take that very seriously but we aren’t distracted by social media trolls. I mean, that’s their job, they get paid to disrupt the political process and that’s what everyone been focusing on doing the work of the Bahamian people.”

ANDROS WOMAN PLEADS GUILTY TO DRUG CHARGE

from page one

week.

Magistrate Lennox Coleby charged Gladys Newton, 26, and her mother, Pollyann Newton, 61, with possession of unlicensed firearms, possession of ammunition, and possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply.

Police searched their Mastic Point, North Andros residence and found a box inside Gladys Newton’s residence around 9.30am on June 5. Inside, police recovered a black and silver Smith & Wesson Springfield .45 pistol and eight rounds of ammunition. Authorities also seized 5.2lb of cocaine in this incident.

During a police interview, Gladys Newton said her boyfriend asked her to hold the illicit items in her room two weeks before police found them.

Ms Newton pleaded guilty to all three charges while her mother entered a not guilty plea. Ms Newton also accepted the facts as presented by the prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Police Lincoln McKenzie.

Mario Gray, the defendant’s attorney, said Ms Newton was remorseful for her actions and regretted bringing her mother to court. Mr Gray further said his client accepted responsibility from the onset of this matter.

The attorney said “love and emotion found a victim in this matter” and claimed that Ms Newton’s emotion brought her to court as she “was left holding the bag” when she took the items from her boyfriend. However, he said his client accepted responsibility for

her lack of judgment.

After describing Ms Newton as a young, hardworking entrepreneur who is the mother of a four-yearold child, Mr Gray implored the court to temper justice with mercy in its sentencing.

Magistrate Coleby considered these factors and that the defendant was influenced by her lover. He also credited Ms Newton for her early plea.

Gladys Newton was sentenced to 36 months at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services for the firearm charges. She was also fined $35,000 for the drug charge and risks an additional two years in prison if she fails to pay.

The charges against Pollyann Newton were withdrawn. The court was packed with the defendants’ relatives and the media during the arraignment.

MINISTER OF YOUTH, SPORTS AND CULTURE MARIO BOWLEG

DIRECTOR of communications in the Office of the Prime Minister Latrae Rahming said the government is not distracted by “social media trolls”.

The Tribune Limited

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LEON E. H. DUPUCH, Publisher/Editor 1903-1914

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Publisher/Editor 1919-1972

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Israel rescues four captives but kills 374 Palestinians - what next?

ISRAEL’S dramatic weekend rescue of four hostages from the Gaza Strip, in an operation that local health officials say killed 274 Palestinians, came at a sensitive time in the 8-month-old war, as Israel and Hamas weigh a U.S. proposal for a cease-fire and the release of the remaining captives.

Both sides face renewed pressure to make a deal: The complex rescue is unlikely to be replicated on a scale needed to bring back scores of remaining hostages, and it was a powerful reminder for Israelis that there are still surviving captives held in harsh conditions. Hamas now has four fewer bargaining chips.

But they could also dig in, as they repeatedly have over months of indirect negotiations mediated by the United States, Qatar and Egypt. Hamas is still insisting on an end to the war as part of any agreement, while Israel says it is still committed to destroying the militant group.

Here is a look at the fallout from the operation and how it might affect ceasefire talks:

ELATION, AND MOUNTING CALLS FOR A DEAL

The rescue operation was Israel’s most successful since the start of the war, bringing home four of the roughly 250 captives seized by Hamas in its October 7 cross-border attack, including Noa Argamani, who became an icon of the struggle to free the hostages.

The raid also killed at least 274 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, deepening the suffering of people in Gaza who have had to endure the brutal war and a humanitarian catastrophe. The ministry does not distinguish between fighters and civilians in its tallies.

The rescue was met with elation in Israel, which is still reeling from the Hamas attack and agonizing over the fate of the 80 captives and the remains of over 40 others still held in Gaza. Israeli hard-liners are likely to seize on it as proof that military pressure alone will bring the rest back.

But only three other hostages have been freed by military force since the start of the war. Another three were mistakenly killed by Israeli forces after they escaped on their own, and Hamas says others have been killed in Israeli airstrikes.

“If anyone believes that yesterday’s operation absolves the government of the need to strike a deal, they are living a fantasy,” Israeli columnist Nahum Barnea wrote in the mass-selling Yediot Aharonot newspaper. “There are people out there who need to be saved, and the sooner the better.”

Even the Israeli army’s spokesman, Rear Adm Daniel Hagari, acknowledged the limits of military force. “What will bring most of the hostages back home alive is a deal,” he told reporters. Over 100 hostages were released during a weeklong cease-fire last year, in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel, and reaching a similar agreement is still widely seen as the only way of getting the rest of the hostages back. Hours after Saturday’s rescue, tens of thousands of Israelis attended protests in Tel Aviv calling for such a deal.

US President Joe Biden last week announced a proposal for a phased plan for a cease-fire and hostage release, setting in motion the administration’s most concentrated diplomatic push for a truce.

Biden described it as an Israeli proposal, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly questioned some aspects of it, particularly its call for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and a lasting truce. His ultranationalist coalition partners have threatened to

bring down his government if he ends the war without destroying Hamas. That appears to have only deepened suspicions on the part of Hamas, which has demanded international guarantees that the war will end. It’s unclear if such guarantees have been offered, and Hamas has not yet officially responded to the plan.

NETANYAHU SEEKS TO GAIN

The rescue operation was a rare win for Netanyahu, who many Israelis blame for the security failures leading up to the October 7 attack and the failure to return the hostages despite months of grinding war.

He has reveled in the operation’s success, rushing Saturday to the hospital where the freed hostages were held and meeting with each of them as cameras rolled. The rescue operation will likely help rehabilitate his image.

But as the elation fades, he will still face heavy pressure from an American administration that wants to wind the war down and an ultranationalist base that wants to vanquish Hamas at all costs. His main political opponent, the retired general Benny Gantz, quit the emergency wartime coalition on Sunday, leaving Netanyahu even more beholden to the hard-liners.

Netanyahu is already facing criticism from some of the families of deceased hostages, who say they received no such visits and accuse him of only taking credit for the war’s successes. Israel will also likely face heightened international pressure over the raid’s high Palestinian death toll.

“The success in freeing four hostages is a magnificent tactical victory that has not changed our deplorable strategic situation,” columnist Ben Caspit wrote in Israel’s Maariv daily.

It all makes for a tough balancing act, even for someone like Netanyahu, who friends and foes alike consider to be a master politician.

The operation could provide the kind of boost with the Israeli public that would allow him to justify making a deal with Hamas. Or he might conclude that time is on his side, and that he can drive a harder bargain with the militants as they grapple with a major setback.

HAMAS LOSES BARGAINING CHIPS

Hamas has lost four precious bargaining chips it had hoped to trade for high-profile Palestinian prisoners. Argamani, widely known from a video showing her pleading for her life as militants dragged her away on a motorcycle, was a particularly significant loss for Hamas.

The raid may have also dealt a blow to Hamas’ morale. In the October 7 attack, Hamas managed to humiliate a country with a far superior army, and since then it has repeatedly regrouped despite devastating military operations across Gaza.

But the fact that Israel was able to mount a complex rescue operation in broad daylight in the center of a crowded urban area has at least temporarily restored some of the mystique that Israel’s security forces lost on October 7. The operation also refocused global attention on the hostage crisis at a time when the US is rallying world pressure on Hamas to accept the cease-fire deal.

But Hamas has a long history of withstanding pressure from Israel and others — often at enormous cost to Palestinians. The militants may conclude that it’s best to use the remaining hostages to end the war while they still can — or they might just look for better places to hide them.

By TIA GOLDENBERG Associated Press

Reform the budget process

EDITOR, The Tribune. THE Parliament is about to begin debate on the annual budget this week. I have written on several occasions about the need for some structural reform to the budget process. The process today is far too cumbersome and wasteful of valuable parliamentary time.

I wish to begin with a few words about the MidYear Budget exercise. I find it to be a complete waste of parliamentary time. It makes no sense in having two major budget debates within a span of three months. If the Government feels it necessary to report or account to the nation midway during the fiscal year, then all that needs to be done is for the Minister of Finance to make a communication on the revenue and expenses of the government for the six months period. This should be followed by a half day question and answer period when the House resolves itself into a committee of the whole, a day or two after the reading of the communication. This will give cabinet ministers the opportunity to respond to queries asked by the opposition. It should not be an occasion for a full-fledge parliamentary debate.

As it now stands, the annual budget exercise is a tortuous and arduous. It’s inefficient and wasteful and it lasts the full month of June when the Senate goes through the same procedure as the House.

I wish to again propose

that the parliament pursue the following process.

• The Minister of Finance reads the Budget Communication on the last Wednesday in May, lays the annual estimates of revenue and expenditure on the table, and introduces and reads for the first time the Annual Appropriation Bills;

• On the Monday of the following week the House should resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House when it sits as a Finance Committee. At this time, the Permanent Secretaries and the Finance Officers for each ministry inclusive of the Financial Secretary should be invited (summoned) to appear before the Committee to answer questions of members of Parliament on a rotation basis. It should be noted that provision for a Finance Committee is already a feature of the current Rules of Procedure except that the Rules call for a Select Committee and I am proposing that the Finance Committee sit as a Committee of the whole House instead. The House Rules and Business Committee should recommend the required amendment to the Rules.

This process of senior governmental offices responding to questions would significantly reduce the need for the grueling back and forth during the Committee of the whole

House after second reading.

• Second Reading and Committal of Bills

• When the House resolves itself into a Committee of the whole, the opposition and other Members would have previously questioned and received answers from senior public officers and Ministers should only have to answer political questions.

• The process in the House ends with the Third Reading and passing of the Bills.

• Should this process be followed, there should be no need for an extended question and answer period in the Senate.

One last point. There is no need for Members of Parliament to make their seemingly obligatory obituary, birthday greetings and other constituency messages during their budget contributions as provision exist in the Order of Business under Members Statements for those matters. I strongly believe that the budget process is in need of reform which would continue to allow the Minister of Finance to prepare and present his budget submissions, for Ministers to account to Parliament for the conditions of their ministries and departments and for the senior public officers who are the ones who have the answers to budget allocations to account to Parliament. The process needs to be made more efficient and less tortuous.

MAURICE TYNES Nassau, June 4, 2024.

Road tra fc enforcement

EDITOR, The Tribune.

ROAD Traffic removal of the 90-day insurance long overdue but will the sector and Road Traffic enforce?

Traffic and RBPF but 50% now are not but we hear about road blocks and very few say arrests under this issue.

Duty reduced or nil… Why drones? Yes to support Fly fishing industry a big dollar earner in the islands. Paper Detergent hmm this sounds like a preference for some ‘in-favor fellas’ why not on all Detergents? Catastrophic Health Plan... mmmm talked about but certainly not implemented. We saw the Real Estate Agents reaction to the economic residence - seems they have not read the text… primary no difference to what the Christie

Government amended but clearly a revenue enforcement additive by insisting that the buyer basically will show there are no Real Property arrears... doesn’t that happen now with the deed of purchase? Residence look at the CARICOM countries who aggressively have been very successful with their economic Residence and Citizenship programmes - the Real Estate sector should support this concept as the permanent residence programme has not been successful maybe 10-120 awarded in any fiscal year. Tourism - harp on this our Gross Arrivals at million but fellas if 2.5+ million sit on their cruise boats in the harbour should they be counted? 2.5m visitors who never come ashore is a massive loss of revenue to straw vendors-taxi’s-tours- retail

etc. etc. RCL, PI Beach Club retail on Bay will not benefit a dime. Cruise the FNM made an enormous mistake when they favored the proposal from APD/51% owned by GovernmentGovernment bidding for a Government concession 30 years with extensions... If accurate due diligence had been done no sane Government would have chosen who they did. We need ships making first stops in Nassau at the beginning of the cruise not last port of call before the end of the cruise. Debt Debt debt... Won’t go away $12b and counting...$864m inTax Arrears...can they be reduced?

K SIMMS Nassau, May 31, 2024.

STORMY clouds gather offshore beyond a tree in the South Beach yesterday.

Photo: Craig Lowe

After success in high school, student weighing six offers from universities

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter

BRIHEL Moore from Grand Bahama has been accepted into six US colleges and universities following an active and successful senior year at St George’s High School.

The twelfth-grade student with a 3.82 GPA has narrowed her options to two of the six universities: Colorado State University and Hollins University in Virginia. She also secured acceptance letters from Georgia State University, Spring Hill College in Alabama, Central State University in Ohio, and Bethune-Cookman University in Florida.

This fall, she plans to pursue a degree in environmental engineering at her preferred college.

“I know I want to make a difference in the world, but

most of all in my nation, and I feel that this is my purpose,” she said. Miss Moore is the deputy head girl and salutatorian of the SGHS Class of 2024. She was selected as the top graduating female because of her academics, leadership, extracurricular activities, and community service achievements.

She held the position of chief councillor in the Local Government Junior Council. During her term, the junior council renovated the school’s library, which had not been used for the past five years, established a peer-tutoring room, and created a reading garden. Additionally, the council engaged in community service by visiting elderly residents at the Home Away from Home and donating to the Grand Bahama Children’s Home.

Ms Moore attended the Rotary Youth Leadership

Award in January and participated in the prestigious Bahamas Governor General’s Youth Award.

The Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority awarded her the Janet Jones Ballard Award, a full scholarship at Central State University, for being the most ‘Outstanding Family Island Student’.

During the national speech and debate competition, the finals for which was held in New Providence, she and her team emerged victorious, outperforming an all-boys team from Exuma. She won the ‘Best Speaker’ award.

She was raised by her mother and said her high school journey was not easy.

“I owe it all to God and would not have been able to achieve all this if it was not for Him, and the great support of my mother,” she said.

MAN ACCUSED OF UNLAWFUL SEXUAL RELATIONS WITH HIS STEP-DAUGHTER

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter

A 36-YEAR-OLD man was remanded in custody yesterday after he was accused of molesting his stepdaughter twice last year and rendering her unconscious.

Senior Magistrate Shaka Serville charged the male defendant, whose name is being withheld to protect the identity of the minor, with two counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a dependent child and single count of

garroting.

She also stressed the importance of mentorship programmes for young girls, such as the Vessels of Purpose Elite (VOPE), which empowers girls to be societal leaders. She was named most outstanding mentee.

The accused allegedly had unlawful sexual relations with his 12-year-old daughter twice in New Providence between August 1, 2023 and September 30, 2023. During this same timeframe, the defendant allegedly overpowered the girl, rendering her unconscious.

The defendant was informed that his matter would proceed to the Supreme Court by way of a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI). He will be remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until his VBI is served on October 29.

Bridgette Bridgewater-Cooper is very proud of her daughter’s accomplishments.

“I just give God all the glory and honor,” she said.” It was not easy, but in the end, it was worth it all.

Brihel is very dedicated, hardworking, and

tent. When she sets her mind to something,

is going after that. No matter what obstacles she encounters, she always finds a way to succeed.”

persis-

she

BRIHEL Moore (left), St George’s High School principal Frazette Gibson, and Bridget BridgewaterCooper, Brihel’s mother.

Long Island Regatta pioneer honoured

BAHAMIANS attend Regattas like it’s the country’s official pastime. Locals and tourists alike flock to island after island, where these legendary sloop sailing races take place. There’s a lot of camaraderie, reunion, and celebration on land; but out there on the water, the real action takes place. Underestimated by those who never took the time to understand it, the new national sport of The Bahamas, sloop sailing, requires great skill, precision, tenacity and wit. Some of the greatest sailors in the world were born here in The Bahamas.

In fact, the first gold medal The Bahamas ever won at the Olympics was in Tokyo in 1964, when Sir Durward “Sea Wolf” Knowles teamed up with Cecil Cooke in the Star Class in sloop sailing.

At home, many local superstars were born. In Long Island, sailing is in the blood - and the success of Long Islanders at the National Regatta is proof of that. This past weekend, The 55th annual Long Island Regatta, held in Salt Pond, was a success.

The Long Islanders’ passion for sailing and love for the seas continues as a

Face to Face

By FELICITY DARVILLE

strong tradition. One such superstar is remembered long after his sails were hoisted for the last time.

Roy Harding was one of the early pioneers of the Long Island Regatta. A businessman by profession, he started out as a freight hauler, having purchased his own vessel, the St Louis, in 1958. Harding went on to own and operate Long Island Petroleum, located in Salt Pond, which still operates today under the management of his family.

Not only did Roy Harding pass on his entrepreneurial spirit to his descendants; he also passed on his love of sailing. He began in the role of Vice Commodore of the Long Island Regatta from its inception in 1968. Just three years later, he was elected to the role of Commodore - a position he held with unwavering

commitment for 16 years before retiring only due to age. Roy was married to Sue Fox-Harding and together, they lovingly raised seven childrenfour boys and three girls. Their children are: Steve Harding; Dorothea Fox; Jacqueline Carroll; Peter Harding; Cheryl de Goicoechea; Wayne Harding; and Walter Harding. Several of his grandchildren and great grandchildren actively sail in the regattas today.

Some of the sailors that come from Mr Harding’s lineage include: Roger Fox; Marty Fox and Craig Fox. Even great-grandchildren are involved, including: Kristofer Fox; Isaac Fox; Luke Knowles; and Dylan Fox. In the past few years, two of his greatgranddaughters are also involved in the national sport.

According to The Long Islanders’ Association (LIA), sailing has been a part of Long Island all through its history. From as far back as 1898, organised races were held in Deadman’s Cay/ Buckley’s Sound. In 1967, the competition moved to Salt Pond harbour on Sunday afternoons. An American investor on the island was impressed with what he saw and offered to donate a trophy to the winner. The interest grew and in 1968, the first three-day official Regatta was staged at Salt Pond and the name “Long Island Regatta” was coined.

Roy Harding was among the early pioneers along with Hugh Cottis, District Inspector of Schools. In addition to his responsibilities as Commodore, Roy was instrumental in spearheading fund-raising events all over the island, and he found time to make house visits to collect donations and annual dues.

Roy and others, including John McKie - secretary, and Larry Cartwrightvice-commodore, would attend the annual Family Island Regatta to court and encourage sailors and boat owners to attend the Long Island Regatta. This resulted in Commodore Harding taking on the awesome responsibility of transporting their boats to Long Island and ensuring their safe-keeping until the Long Island Regatta commenced on the Saturday of the Whit Monday weekend.

According to the LIA, Commodore Harding’s keen interest in the growth and development of Long Island could be seen, not

only in his contributions to the Long Island Regatta, but in his daily life, as the regatta was always in his conversations to visitors and locals alike.

The Long Island Sailing Club proudly hosts the “Roy Harding Challenge Cup Race” each year in his honour, and this year was no exception. His daughter Cheryl recalls: “The main thing I can remember is that my dad used to be out in that boat all day long following behind those racing boats, no matter whether it was pouring rain or terrible weather. He didn’t have any cover on his boat either. He definitely put his heart into it, I can confidently say.”

Roy Harding passed away in 2002, leaving an indelible mark on Long Island and on the national sport, sailing. He left a great legacy of commitment to family, community island spirit, and national responsibility. His children and son-in-law continue to serve the community through Long Island Petroleum and other ventures. An astute businessman, Roy was also in the business of buying and exporting lobster and other seafood. His daughter continues this business after his passing, enjoying fruits from the seeds he took the time to sow with love.

Commodores of the Long Island Regatta include: Hugh Cottis (1968-1971); Roy Harding (1971-1987); Harry Harding (1987-1990); Lawrence Cartwright (1990-1993); Harry Harding (19931999); and Chester Fox (1999-present).

Legends are born at Regattas, and this year’s Long Island Regatta, held June 5-8, was no exception. One captain and his team emerged victorious in the A, B, and C class - a performance of incomparable measure. Stefan Knowles holds the triple crown in sailing. This past weekend, he was the successful skipper for Running Tide - A Class; Susan Chase - B Class; and Sassie Sue - C Class. He won all three categories.

Long Island is leading the way in ensuring that the national sport of The Bahamas continues on for generations. It was heartwarming to see the number of young men, and even a few young women, as well as boys and girls, actively participating in the Long Island Regatta. It didn’t hurt that spectators also enjoyed the best mutton, fresh pork and chicken, and other native dishes.

At each Regatta, The Long Islanders’ Association produces a magazine - a commemorative keepsake that documents the history, and keeps regattagoers in the know, year after year. Bahamasair provided extra lift to Long Island for the regatta, and the barges, or mailboats, took the cars - and even the sloops, back to their respective islands. There’s something even bigger than just sailing boats that makes regattas so special. When people unite over things they are passionate about, they can build their communities and ensure that their cultural traditions continue long after they are gone - and Roy Harding proved just that!

ROY Harding commodoring - pioneer of the Long Island Regatta.

ROY HARDING, advocate for sailing in The Bahamas, was honored by the Long Island Sailing Club with the Roy Harding Challenge Cup, held in Salt Pond, Long Island on May 18, 2024.

STEFAN Knowles (standing, third from right, holding the baby) is the triple crown captain of the Long Island Regatta, having served as skipper for three boats, winning the A, B, and C categories. He is surrounded by teammates and family members.

THE LONG Islanders’ Association President Tanyia Farquharson, right, with Dr. Deveaux of Oaktree Medical, a major sponsor of the Long Island Regatta magazine

Elections galore as the EU has its turn

THIS is a period for elections. Recently, they have been held in the world’s largest democracy, India; in South Africa, which I wrote about in last week’s column; in Mexico, where voting has been marked by a horrific spate of assassinations and kidnappings; and this past week there were parliamentary elections in Europe. Then, a general election in Britain is due on July 4 and a US presidential election –the daddy of them all that is the biggest prize in the Western world – will take place at the beginning of November.

Of these, the European Parliament elections, which take place every five years, were completed on Sunday. They may be the least well known, probably because there is generally little publicity about the parliament whose 705 representatives of the bloc’s 27 member states – soon to rise, respectively, to 720 and 28 with the EU accession of Croatia on July 1 – meet in both Strasbourg and Brussels. This is the only directly elected body of the European Union, with some 370 million people eligible to vote for representatives. These are supposed to provide a direct link between the citizens of the bloc’s member states and its executive branch in Brussels comprising the unelected institution of the EU Commission as well as the Council of Ministers which is made up of the EU’s national governments.

What has been of particular interest about the elections in India and South Africa is that both have resulted in a weakening of the sitting governments

The Peter Young column

to the extent that their well-established groups of legislators are being forced to share power and are now in the process of forming coalitions. The electorates have shown they are not happy with the status quo and want a change in the established political order, and it will be interesting to watch developments in both countries. In Britain, the nation is now well into its sixweek election campaigning period. But this has already been marred for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his Conservative Party by reaction in the UK to his decision to leave France early before the end of the 80th anniversary D-Day commemorations last week. As explained elsewhere on this page, he did so while world and other leaders gathered for the international remembrance ceremony on Omaha Beach on Thursday afternoon which he did not attend.

Returning to Europe, it is the case that the main task of the European Parliament is to shape the direction of EU laws normally proposed by the European Commission. But many believe that real power in the EU lies within the Commission and also in the Council of Ministers where national governments express their views and, with whom some say, the European Parliament shares power. So, there appears to be a continuing debate about the likely impact any new composition of the European Parliament will have across the EU and further afield.

At the time of researching and writing today’s column – in advance of and during the elections, with the majority of countries

voting on Sunday – it is too soon for detailed results. But, as these were still awaited, the international media suggested that parties on the far right in many EU countries were anticipating significant gains. Reportedly, the polls suggested that two groups on the political right – the European Conservatives and Reformists and the Identity and Democracy – could overtake the centre left. But there was nothing yet to substantiate this.

The likely effect of any significant move to the right could be far-reaching. As Italy has shown, being nationalist and right-wing does not mean turning the nation’s back on international co-operation. Prime

Minister Giorgia Meloni is an avowed Atlanticist and has pledged ongoing military and economic aid to Ukraine. But it could, for example, put the brakes on plans for new climate and sustainability laws and also influence social or economic legislation, and the EU’s backing as a whole for aid to Ukraine could also be affected.

The EU has apparently wanted for a long time to take the lead in protecting the environment. But stricter regulations about, for example, the use of pesticides do not suit everyone and nationalist parties often want to show that they are protecting “ordinary people” against the EU and so-called elites. So environmentalists have been worried about potential weakening or delaying of green policies. Another major issue has been immigration. EU migration and asylum policy signifies in many people’s minds “fortress Europe” where the priority has been to keep foreigners out. So deals have been made with non-EU countries like Tunisia, Morocco, Libya and Turkey to crack down on people smugglers. Now, if the hard-right takes over, the practice of making EU states take a quota of asylum seekers – and pay significant contributions to help countries like Italy and Greece to which migrants usually head in the first instance – could be stopped by future nationalist, farright MEPs. It strikes me, more broadly, that right-wing nationalist parties could well push for a different type of EU by working against any idea of further integration and closer union and trying to bring back more power to nation states and reduce interference by Brussels in everyday life. Furthermore, right-wing representatives might not want expansion of the EU to include, for example, Ukraine and Georgia, not least because Ukraine as the bread basket of Europe might prevent French farmers from getting a look-in. There is also the political and ‘defence’ dimension of letting Ukraine in to the EU. Furthermore, doubts about what the far-right stands for are growing as its priorities vary in different countries. But there is no space today to examine this in any depth.

EUROPEAN UNION SWINGS RIGHT - POLL RESULTS COMING IN ON MONDAY MORNING

EVEN though results are still being called preliminary, it was already becoming clear yesterday morning that the elections for the European Parliament had resulted in a big shift politically to the right though Europe’s centrist elements also did well, increasing their share of the seats in the European Parliament. So, although Europe is now leaning to the right, the centre is still holding. This election was a step backwards for the Greens. But, given press deadlines, it is too soon for further analysis today in this column. Thus, suffice it to say now that already President Macron has called a snap election as Marine Le Pen’s rightwing National Rally party dominated the election in France by winning more than thirty per cent of the vote. The German Chancellor’s Party, the Social Democrats in his ruling coalition government, also fared badly while in Italy, which is Europe’s third largest economy, Prime Minister Meloni did well and is now considered one of the rising stars of European politics. Meanwhile, in Spain the centrist parties stemmed the advance of the far-right and this was said to be a boost for Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.

LAST week, I covered in detail the meaning and significance of the D-Day landings in Normandy 80 years ago. How nice it is today to report the success of the commemoration of this historic military achievement during the Second World War. How appropriate the events in Normandy last Thursday seemed – June 6 itself under the cloudless skies of early summer – in the presence of the world leaders concerned and, most importantly, with large numbers of veterans in attendance.

My wife and I watched some of the events on TV but, clearly, were unable to follow everything that was going on. However, from what we did manage to see, we could not help being impressed by the running of the events concerned and the organisational efficiency on display. The whole thing, including the BBC TV coverage, was so well done. Earlier, in Portsmouth, Prince William delivered a moving address at a D-Day commemorative event, reading out an entry from a British officer’s diary as he prepared for the invasion.

The importance of remembering the service of Britain’s war heroes was the central theme of a speech by King Charles. As he said, the “stories of courage, resilience and solidarity move and inspire us. It is our duty to ensure we and future generations do not forget their service and sacrifice in replacing tyranny with freedom”.

lessons that come to us again and again” that nations must stand together to oppose tyranny and that the men and women of that

generation did not flinch but “carried out their duty with a humbling sense of resolve and determination”.

Then came what turned out to be a controversial incident that some in the UK press say may have cost Rishi Sunak next month’s election in the UK, though others say its significance has been overblown.

According to reports, out of an abundance of caution because of his cancer treatment, King Charles did not stay on in Normandy for the Thursday afternoon international commemorative gathering of world leaders at Omaha Beach cemetery to honour the American troops who landed there. Prince William represented him – and Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron and Labour opposition leader Sir Keir Starmer were also present, but not the PM who was also supposed to be there. While watching the proceedings on TV, I admit to wondering, given Britain’s huge role under the towering leadership of Churchill in 1944, why Biden and Macron were apparently dominating proceedings, with neither King Charles nor the PM present. But all is now clear. Both the King and premier were absent by design – the King through ill health and Sunak because of ill judgement as he returned to London to record a political TV interview and advance his campaign instead of – as

ITALY’s Foreign Minister and Forza Italia party leader Antonio Tajani speaks about the results of the European Parliamentary elections at the electoral committee of Forza Italia in Rome, Monday, June 10, 2024. Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni hosts this week’s summit of the Group of Seven industrialized nations as the most stable European Union leader. Meloni’s German and French counterparts were shaken by European Parliamentary elections that fortified Meloni’s far-right Brothers of Italy as the strongest in Italy, setting her up as a possible bridge maker, if not kingmaker, in Europe.

the press and other critics noisily insist – showing respect to the nation’s veterans. The press seems to have led the charge in criticising his decision not to attend as “completely wrong” because it was his public duty to stay to honour the British veterans and to show the rest of the world that they mattered as individuals. He has also been accused of being unpatriotic and not showing the right level of commitment to representing his country. He later apologised for his “error of judgement”, but people have been roundly condemning him and calling into question his judgement, saying that, if he can’t get the small things right, why should they trust him with the big ones. Nonetheless, some observers regard the incident as trivial and blown up by the media out of all proportion. Others believe it is sufficiently serious to have derailed his election campaign. To my eye, he was unwise to have left Normandy early in order to continue his campaign for the coming election, but this should surely not be a game changer. However, since politics is partly about symbolism and perception, what matters is securing the trust of the people who give politicians power. How unfortunate it is that this has developed in to a row that is persisting for longer than the situation merits.

The King then went to Normandy which, Buckingham Palace said, was the first time he had travelled abroad since his diagnosis of cancer. He attended the Royal British Legion’s event at the

British Normandy Memorial and spoke of the need to “recall

Photo: Mauro Scrobogna/ LaPresse/AP

ITALIAN Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni speaks about the results of the European Parliamentary elections at a press conference at the Fratelli d’Italia party electoral committee in Rome yesterday.

Photo: Roberto Monaldo/LaPresse/AP

PRIME Minister Rishi Sunak, Queen Camilla, King Charles III during the wreath laying at the UK national commemorative event for the 80th anniversary of DDay, held at the British Normandy Memorial in Ver-sur-Mer, Normandy, France on June 6, 2024.

Photo: Gareth Fuller/AP

Trump urges pro-life group to stand up for ‘innocent life’

INDIANAPOLIS Associated Press

DONALD Trump on Monday urged a staunchly anti-abortion Christian group to stand up for “innocent life,” ambiguously revisiting an issue that Democrats want to make a focus of this year’s presidential election.

The former president and presumptive Republican nominee’s prerecorded message praised the work of those attending the event hosted by The Danbury Institute, which is meeting in Indianapolis in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention. The newly-formed institute is an association of churches, Christians and organizations that wants to eradicate abortion in its entirety.

A panel of in-person speakers doubled-down on that anti-abortion stance on Monday, and a top Southern Baptist leader called for a hardline position against in vitro fertilization. Albert Mohler, the president of the SBC’s flagship seminary, said IVF is a “commodification of the embryo” that assaults human dignity. He criticized pastors as well as politicians showing openness to it including in Alabama, which shielded IVF providers from prosecution and civil lawsuits after a state Supreme Court ruling said frozen embryos are children.

“We’re about to find out how pro-life the prolife movement is,” Mohler said.

Trump has repeatedly taken credit for the overturning of a federally guaranteed right to abortion — having nominated three of the justices who overturned Roe v. Wade — but has resisted supporting a national abortion ban and says he wants to leave the issue to the states. At

Military plane carrying Malawi’s VP is missing, a search is underway

MALAWI Associated Press

A MILITARY plane carrying Malawi’s vice president and nine others went missing Monday while on a short trip from the capital to a mountainous region in the country’s north and a search is underway, the president’s office said.

The plane carrying 51-year-old Vice President Saulos Chilima left the southern African nation’s capital, Lilongwe, at 9.17 am but disappeared from radar and failed to land as scheduled around 45 minutes later at Mzuzu International Airport, about 370 kilometres (230 miles) to the north.

“All efforts to make contact with the aircraft since it went off radar have failed thus far,” according to a statement from Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera’s office. Chakwera ordered a search operation and cancelled a trip to the Bahamas, his office said. The others onboard were not identified.

Mzuzu is Malawi’s third biggest city and the capital of the northern region. It lies in a hilly, forested area dominated by the Viphya mountain range, which has vast plantations of pine trees.

Malawi’s The Times media group reported that search teams involving soldiers, police officers and others were scouring one of those forested areas near Mzuzu for signs of the plane.

Chakwera ordered national and local authorities to “conduct an immediate search and rescue operation to locate the whereabouts of the aircraft,” his office said. Chakwera later announced on his official Facebook page that he would make a live speech to the nation at 11 pm

Chilima had been facing corruption charges over allegations that he received money in return for influencing the awarding of government contracts, but the charges were surprisingly dropped by prosecutors last month. That led to criticism that Chakwera’s administration was not taking a hard enough stance against graft.

Chilima was arrested in late 2022 and made several court appearances, but the trial had not started. He denied the allegations.

Chilima was a candidate in the 2019 Malawian presidential election and finished third. That vote was won by incumbent Peter Mutharika but was annulled by Malawi’s Constitutional Court because of irregularities. Chakwera finished second in that election.

Chilima then joined Chakwera’s campaign as his running mate in an historic election rerun in 2020, when Chakwera was elected president. It was the first time in Africa that an election result that was overturned by a court resulted in a defeat for the sitting president.

odds with Mohler’s view, Trump does support IVF access.

In his recorded remarks, Trump thanked the audience for their “tremendous devotion to God and Country” and said everyone needs to pull together to preserve their values, including religious liberty, free speech, innocent life and America’s heritage and traditions.

“You just can’t vote Democrat. They’re against religion. They’re against your religion in particular,” Trump said. “You cannot vote for Democrats and you have to get out and vote.”

Both Southern Baptists and Republicans at large are split on abortion politics, with some calling for immediate, complete abortion bans and others more open to incremental tactics. Polls over the last several years have found a majority of Americans support some access to abortion, and abortionrights groups have won several statewide votes since Roe was overturned, including in conservativeled states like Kansas and Ohio.

Like the GOP, the Southern Baptist Convention has moved steadily to the right since the 1980s, and its members were in the vanguard of the wider religious movement that strongly supported Republican presidents from Ronald Reagan to Trump. The Conservative Baptist Network, one of the event’s sponsors, wants to move the conservative denomination even further to the right.

Although they criticized President Bill Clinton’s sexual behaviour in the 1990s, Southern Baptists and other evangelicals have supported Trump. That has continued despite allegations of sexual misconduct, multiple divorces and now his conviction on 34 charges in a scheme to

illegally influence the 2016 election through a hush money payment to a porn actor who said the two had sex. Trump gave his address on the same day he was appearing virtually for a required pre-sentencing interview with New York probation officers.

Many Southern Baptists say they see him as the only alternative to a Democratic agenda they abhor.

H. Sharayah Colter, spokesperson for The Danbury Institute, said in a statement that the presidential race was a “binary choice” and said Trump has “demonstrated a willingness to protect the value of life even when politically unpopular.”

And Mohler, who leads Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, and once an outspoken Clinton critic, wrote a column after Trump’s conviction attacking Democrats for supporting transgender rights.

“Say what you will about Donald Trump and his sex scandals, he doesn’t confuse male and female,” wrote Mohler.

On Monday, he denounced Trump’s prosecution and conviction, other speakers tapped into themes of Christian nationalism, a fusion of American and Christian identity.

Trump has said he would not sign a national abortion ban and in an interview on the Fox News Channel last week, when commenting on the way some states are enshrining abortion rights and others are restricting them, said that “the people are deciding and in many ways, it’s a beautiful thing to watch.”

For over a year until he announced his position this spring, Trump had backed away from endorsing any specific national limit on abortion, unlike many other Republicans who eventually ended their

presidential campaigns. Trump has repeatedly said the issue can be politically tricky and suggested he would “negotiate” a policy that would include exceptions for rape, incest and to protect the life of the mother.

Democrats and President Joe Biden’s campaign have tried to tie Trump to the most conservative state-level bans on abortion as well as a recent Alabama Supreme Court ruling that would have restricted access to in vitro fertilization and other fertility procedures that are broadly popular.

“Four more years of Donald Trump means empowering organizations like The Danbury Institute who want to ban abortion nationally and punish women who have abortions,” said Sarafina Chitika, a spokesperson for Biden’s campaign. “Trump brags that he is responsible for overturning Roe, he thinks the extreme state bans happening now because of him are ‘working very brilliantly,’ and if he’s given the chance, he will sign a national abortion ban. These are the stakes this November.”

When asked about his appearance before The Danbury Institute, Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said Trump “has been very clear: he supports the rights of states to determine the laws on this issue and supports the three exceptions for rape, incest, and life of the mother.”

Leavitt also said, “President Trump is committed to addressing groups with diverse opinions on all of the issues, as evidenced by his recent speech at the Libertarian Convention, his meetings with the unions, and his efforts to campaign in diverse neighbourhoods across the country.”

Newly chosen Haitian PM discharged from hospital after spending a night in treatment

HAITI’S newly selected Prime Minister Garry Conille was discharged from a hospital Sunday after spending a night in treatment for an undisclosed condition.

In a video published on YouTube, Conille said he felt well and was “ready” to continue to help steer the country out of its current security crisis by forming a government that will also prioritise issues like health care.

In his video, Conille said:

“The whole time I was at the hospital, I was thinking of something: People that need to go to the general hospital can’t get there (due to widespread violence). People who need health care can’t afford it.” Gang violence remains relentless in the Caribbean country, with three police officers killed Sunday and a fourth one missing, according to Synapoha, a police union. The officers were part of a new anti-gang unit, it said. The violence has forced roughly 60% of hospitals in the capital city’s metropolitan area to close, while gangs also loot and burn pharmacies and doctors are forced to stay at home on some days to avoid dangerous clashes between gangs. Conille arrived in Haiti on June 1 after a transitional council selected him as the nation’s new prime minister. He had been working outside the country as UNICEF’s regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean.

The new prime minister has an arduous task ahead of him, having to quell rampant gang violence while

helping lift Haiti out of deep poverty, with inflation reaching a record 29%, according to the latest data available.

In recent years, gangs that control at least 80% of Port-au-Prince have forced more than 360,000 people from their homes, and they control key routes from the capital to Haiti’s northern and southern regions, often paralysing the transportation of critical goods.

Conille’s predecessor, Ariel Henry, was forced to resign in April, following coordinated attacks by gangs that seized police stations, raided prisons and fired on the nation’s main international airport while Henry was on an official trip to Kenya.

The Haitian government is now awaiting the UNbacked deployment of a police force from Kenya and other countries.

A person close to Conille, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media, told The Associated Press on Saturday night that he was with the prime minister when he noticed Conille, who he said is asthmatic and sometimes uses an inhaler, appeared to have trouble breathing. The person said he called high-ranking officials and told them Conille needed to be taken to the hospital.

Conille appeared to be in good spirits in the video released Sunday, where he sported a purple shirt and spoke against a background of trees and bushes.

“I hope that by early next week we can have a government in place,” he said. “I am doing everything we can so we can get out of this crisis.”

PORT AU PRINCE Associated Press

MALAWI Vice President Saulos Chilima,left, and his wife Mary disembark from a plane upon his return from South Korea in Lillongwe, Sunday, June 9, 2024.

Photo: AP

REPUBLICAN presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally last week in Phoenix. Trump on Monday, June 10, will address a Christian group that calls for abortion to be “eradicated entirely,” as the presumptive Republican nominee again takes on an issue that Democrats want to make a focus of this year’s presidential election.

Photo: Rick Scuteri/AP

FROM PAGE 16

frame,” Sweeting said. “We had a lot of rain, which impacted us on the softball field at Baillou Hills. “We want to thank the National Sports Authority and Martin Burrows, as well as the staff at the Andre Rodgers Stadium, including Michel Foster and Woslee Construction, for the drainage system that was in place at the Andre Rodgers Stadium.

“The field was superbly done and there was no issue with water in respect of playing the games, once the water subsided. The only problem is you can’t play baseball in the rain. So we had to wait until it was completed.”

All things considered, Sweeting said they were able to provide the avenue for the young men to display their talents and it showed the depth of the

sport from the various membership teams they participated on.

“They were able to represent the leagues that they wanted to compete for and compete at the nationals and the results speak for itself,” Sweeting stated. “The young men competed very well.”

Sweeting commented on the CBL team, managed by Mario Ford, for staying together since the sixth Bahamas Games and winning the 23-and-under title and the JBLN team, managed by Winton Seymour Jr, for going undefeated in carting off the 16-andunder crown.

“It shows that the young men are determined and they enjoyed the weekend,”

Sweeting said.

“They got some surprises where we presented the champions with championship rings, while the runners-up got medals.

“We are going to try to find ways for us to continue to build on our senior division to make it stronger. We

will be looking at implementing them next year to make the championships even stronger.”

The BBA, headed by president Sam Rodgers, hosted a college showcase for the players on Saturday before the rain came where they got a chance to be viewed in front of the visiting college and professional scouts. There were about nine players whom the scouts were interested in as a result of their performances in the showcase.

Details, however, were not available as the process had just begun.

During the opening ceremonies on Thursday, the BBA honoured a number of persons for their collegiate players, based on their performances for their respective teams.

“We went through all of our players and we selected the top six from division one, division II, junior college and NAIA,” Sweeting disclosed. “Out of six awards, four were there to

receive them as they played in the nationals. The other two are still in the United States.

“We also gave out our lifetime achievement awards where we honoured those persons, whose shoulders the sport lay upon. We honoured about five individuals. The others will be honoured when we go to Grand Bahama.”

Three of the six umpires honoured got their awards, while the remaining three will also receive them when the junior nationals are played in Grand Bahama next week.

The BBA now turns its attention to its junior nationals that will take place in Grand Bahama from June 20-23 for the 14U, 12U, 10U and coach pitch.

“We look forward to a successful week in Grand Bahama as these talented young players present their talent to the Bahamas,” Sweeting stated.

At the same time, there was a 10-and-under national

team representing the Bahamas at the Caribbean & Latin American Zone Championships in Panama and there were players who were advised not to travel by their organisations.

Sweeting said while the event was a private one similar to Babe Ruth and Little League Baseball, they can select players from any league to try out for their teams.

However, he said the BBA is preparing to send its 12U national team off to compete in the Dominican Republic in July and they are faced with the same situation where players are being advised by their organisations that they should not travel with the team.

“I think it’s an injustice to this country and we should not allow it to continue,” Sweeting said.

“I think we need to let the elephant out of the room and stop allowing this to happen.

“I say this to parents, your decision on your

children’s participation lies with you. When they are selected to a tryout for the national team that for your child to go and compete against the best in the other countries.

“The Bahamas Baseball Association is mandated to select a national team that goes up against other countries’ national teams. So the opportunity will be there for your child to be seen and evaluated.”

Two months ago when the BBA sent its 15U national team off to compete in the World Cup Qualifier in the Dominican Republic, every Major League baseball club had scouts there as they get ready to sign their next crop of players.

“I can only tell parents, do not allow these organisations to determine the future of your child,” he said.

“Don’t sit idly by and watch as they miss the opportunity to represent their country and get a chance to be exposed to the international scouts.”

Analysis: The chance was there for Dallas in Game 2, but Mavs now face even tougher road vs. Boston

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer

GAME 2 provided Dallas with a huge chance.

The Mavericks could have flown back to Dallas with the home-court advantage in the NBA Finals. They could have tied the title series at a game apiece. They could have put the heavily favoured Boston Celtics into what would have been their most precarious spot of the season. Instead, they’re down 2-0 — and now the odds of pulling this off just got a whole lot longer.

They missed eight free throws, gave up 21 points off turnovers, didn’t take advantage of an uncharacteristic 3-point clankfest from the Celtics – 10 for 39 — plus wasted another big effort from Luka Doncic on a night where he battled through ankle, rib and knee issues and still did whatever he wanted. They were better than they were in Game 1. That said, they still weren’t good enough. Final score: Boston 105, Dallas 98, and the Celtics are now two wins away from what would be their record-setting 18th NBA championship.

“At the end of the day, they are better than all the teams we’ve played,” Dallas’ PJ Washington said. “It’s the finals, and we’ve just got to be better. ... Their record says that they have

been the best team all year. They have two superstars, they have a lot of great role players and they play team ball. So, we’ve just got to be better.” Or else.

The only path for Dallas to capture this title now is to win four of the next five games, against a team that hasn’t come close to losing four games in a fivegame stretch at any point this season. The Celtics are 14-2 in these playoffs, 78-20 overall this season and the only way that their fingerprints aren’t on the Larry O’Brien Trophy before long is for them to come completely apart.

Which isn’t likely. Possible, sure. Likely, no.

“The journey to this point has been great, but we still know being up 2-0 means nothing,” said Celtics guard Jrue Holiday, who led Boston with 26 points in Game 2. “Job’s not done. We have to do whatever it takes.”

Doncic had the 50th known triple-double in NBA Finals history — 32 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists. He also had eight turnovers and went just 4 for 8 from the foul line, two reasons why he pointed the finger of blame directly at himself after the game.

“At the end of the day, we’ve got to make some more shots,” Doncic said. “I think my turnovers and my missed free throws cost

us the game. So, I’ve got to do way better in those two categories. But at the end of the day, we’ve got to make shots to win the game.”

Dallas tied a seasonlow with six 3-pointers, but that wasn’t what the Mavs should lament most when they review how the game went from beyond the arc. They were 11-1 in these playoffs when holding teams below 38% on 3s; make it 11-2 now, since Boston shot 25.6% in Game 2 and won. The Celtics aren’t likely to struggle that much from deep too often. “Every game we lose, it’s a missed

CELTICS TRADED FOR JRUE HOLIDAY WITH NBA FINALS

IN MIND, AND NOW THEY’RE TWO WINS AWAY FROM THE TITLE

By KYLE HIGHTOWER AP Sports Writer

BOSTON (AP) — This moment is exactly why the Boston Celtics went out and got Jrue Holiday. When president of basketball operations Brad Stevens and the rest of the front office sat down after last season to piece together their next steps following Boston’s Eastern Conference finals loss to Miami, a question hovered over them.

How much were they willing to shake up the core of a team that had lost in the NBA Finals in 2022 and then came up a game short of returning the following season?

In the end they opted to swing big, trading longtime point guard Marcus Smart as part of the deal that netted 7-footer Kristaps Porzingis. Then, after Milwaukee traded Holiday to Portland to get Damian Lillard, the Celtics pounced, dealing former NBA Sixth Man of the Year Malcolm Brogdon and big man Robert Williams III to get Holiday.

The bold moves have proven to be exactly what the Celtics needed, helping produce a 64-win regular season, a romp through the first three rounds of the playoffs and a 2-0 lead over the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals. For the defensive-minded Holiday,

whose defence limited Kyrie Irving, combined with a 26-point, 11-rebound effort helped Boston salvage its 105-98 Game 2 victory, it’s the latest example that Holiday is where he is meant to be. “I think that this is what was supposed to happen. And I’m glad that I’m here and I’m glad that I’m in this moment,” Holiday said prior to the start of the Finals.

“(Celtics coach) Joe Mazzulla has talked about that a lot, especially this season is being in the moment, and that’s what I’ve tried to do.”

Part of what’s made Holiday so effective for the Celtics is the 33-yearold’s willingness to adapt his game to fill whatever his team has needed this season.

A No. 3 scoring option in Milwaukee behind Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton during the Bucks’ 2020-21 championship season, Holiday has accepted being the fourth or fifth option in Boston. His 12.5 points per game average this regular season was the lowest since his rookie season.

But there have been times, such as in Game 2, when Dallas doubled up on All-Star Jayson Tatum, put more pressure on Jaylen Brown or Porzingis struggled, when Holiday had to increase his output.

He’s done it, while maintaining intensity on the

defensive end this season. He was selected to the NBA All-Defensive second team. It was the sixth time he was picked for the first or second team in his career.

Holiday believes it’s a byproduct of the collective unity the team has been building throughout the season.

“I think when you sacrifice together and you do something together, it brings you closer,” he said. “I think being able to go through wins and losses and to build something, it means a lot. ... From (roster spots) 1 to 15, somebody’s sacrificed something.”

Part of what’s helped ease Holiday’s transition to Boston has been the familiarity he already had with Tatum, with whom he played alongside on the 2020 U.S. Olympic basketball team that captured the gold medal during the Olympics in Tokyo.

Tatum said that relationship made periodic check-ins he had at times this season with Holiday easier. “I would just check in or always remind him to be yourself and, we’re going to need you in big moments, obviously like (Game 2),” Tatum said.

It’s allowed Holiday to play to his strengths, most notably his ability to bring a measure of calm to the court in Mazzulla’s controlled chaos.

opportunity for us,” Doncic said.

Dallas was right there, which will make the loss hurt even more. It still took a pair of unlikely plays by the Celtics — a 34-foot, beat-the-clock 3-pointer by Payton Pritchard to end the third quarter, and a chasedown block by Derrick White in the final minute of the fourth on a play where it seemed like Washington got fouled on a dunk try — for Boston to wrap Game 2 up. “That’s what Payton Pritchard does,” White said of the deep heave.

In the biggest moments, Boston found a way. That

all said, it’s not over. Comebacks from 2-0 down in the NBA Finals aren’t unprecedented. The last team to lead the finals 2-0 was Phoenix in 2021; the Suns didn’t win another game in that series against Giannis Antetokounmpo, Holiday and Milwaukee. Golden State led Cleveland 2-0 in 2016; Cleveland won in seven, something that Kyrie Irving will surely remind his Dallas teammates of now since he hit the 3-pointer that basically sealed that title for LeBron James and the Cavs. And nobody needs to tell Dallas that

2-0 leads guarantee nothing; the Mavericks had that lead against Dwyane Wade and Miami in 2006, the city was planning parade routes, and the Heat won the next four games for their first championship.

“We are not down,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. “We’re positive. This is a group that believes. We didn’t get an opportunity to get a split or win two here on the road. Now Boston held serve. Now we’ve got to go home and hold serve.” To his credit, he made it all sound very simple. But he knows the task is much harder now.

Holiday’s also been able to provide stability in crunch time for a team that in recent playoff runs sometimes wilted in those moments, often trying to lean on one-on-one play or committing turnovers.

And while a player such as Smart was a dominant alpha on the court, Holiday knows what it’s like to play alongside a star such as Antetokounmpo, and coax the best out of them.

Asked to imagine what position the Celtics might be in without Holiday on the roster, Tatum didn’t want to entertain the thought.

“Good thing we don’t have to find out,” he said.

No matter what happens over the remainder of the Finals, this won’t be a one season-and-done stop for Holiday, who signed a four-year extension in April.

“And I’m supposed to be with my teammates. And we’re supposed to do this together.”

But there’s only one way he’ll feel as if his arrival in Boston can be deemed a success.

“It’s been great and the journey’s been awesome, but at the end of the day, the job is not done,” he said.

“From here on it’s like — I’m supposed to be here,” Holiday said.

DALLAS Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) shoots while defended by Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) and centre Al Horford (42) during the second half of Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday in Boston.

(AP Photo/Steven Senne)

CELTICS guard Jrue Holiday takes a shot over Mavericks forward P.J. Washington (25) during the first half of Game 2 of the NBA Finals basketball series on Sunday in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

CARA SAUNDERS EARNS HER IFBB PRO CARD

FROM PAGE 16

all around. There isn’t anything in particular that I need to focus on. I am never happy with my results. I always feel like I could always do better than I did. So I just have to sit down, look at the video and see what I need to do from there.”

Looking back at the competition, LaFleur admitted that it was tougher than she anticipated.

“I was in a fight for my life,” she pointed out.

“These were some big women.

“Thank God I was short, but I have muscle on me. These were some big women with muscles, so I had a fight on my hand.”

Bahamas blanked 3-0 by the Dominican Republic

Javelin thrower Rhema is coming into her own

FROM PAGE 16

Eve, who was a 13-time national champion. “I told her I’m looking forward to watching her compete at the Olympics and to just stay focused on what she needs to do.”

Maycock, who has watched as Otabor made her global debut last year at the World Championships and then going on to secure the silver at the Pan American Games, said the 21-year-old should have been further than she is.

“She had a road block at FIU where I felt the coach didn’t do what he was supposed to do to bring her along to where she should have been,” Maycock said.

“Before she went to college, I told her she would break the NCAA record and win NCAAs. I felt deep in my heart that she should have won it three straight years, not counting her freshman year, but from her sophomore to her senior year.”

As she brought the curtain down on her four-year collegiate career, Otabor has lived up to the expectations of Maycock, a coach she gave a lot of credit to her performances over the years.

“That throw that I had, I thought I could have done that earlier in the season, but it didn’t happen until this weekend,” she said.

“It came at the right time, at the right meet and in the right environment. So I felt like I was walking in my purpose and plan from God.

“I know there’s still a lot more left in the tank. But I want to thank all of the people who sent me their congratulations on social media. Hopefully when I come home, I will be able

to put on a show that they will all remember. I want to be able to go to the Olympics and perform my best and hopefully make everybody proud.”

In thanking God for allowing her to display her talent, her parents Tiffany Bullard and Letetia Dean and her family for providing the moral support, her friends who continue to encourage her and her coaches, especially Maycock, whom she said was there with her on the journey from day one.

“Coach Maycock was someone who instilled a lot in me and continues to encourage and motivate me to perform at my best,” she said.

“A lot of credit must go to coach Maycock. He dedicates a lot of his time. He definitely works with us to help us produce the results that we have. He pours a lot into his athletes. What you see is the results of what he has poured into us on a daily basis because we constantly talk on a daily basis.”

Maycock, who has also coached Keyshawn Strachan, a fifth place finisher for Auburn University in the men’s javelin, said beyond all of the accolades, his greatest joy is to see Otabor graduate on May 18. “I’ve seen a lot of coaches put her down and even say that she would tap out early, but I had to keep her on the right track,” he said. “If nobody believed in her, it would have been a different story.

“But I sat down and told her that she doesn’t have any limits. Rhema is someone with heart and determination. You can’t tell her what she can or cannot do. She will prove you wrong.”

Otabor, who spent her first two years in college at Florida International University, has announced that she will return to Nebraska after the Olympics to pursue her masters’ degree in actuarial science, a discipline that applies mathematical and statistical methods to assess risk in insurance, pension, finance, investment and other industries and professions.

“I’m glad that I got over one bump in the road, but I’m looking forward to returning for the second bump,” she said.

“I am happy that I will be able to stay right at Nebraska and continue my studies. Hopefully I can help out with the track team as I look at competing on the professional circuit at the same time.”

With the Olympics on the horizon, Maycock said the plan is to prepare Otabor to throw at least 66-67 metres and that would enable her to

be a contender in Paris.

“There’s a lot of things technically that she needs to improve on,” Maycock pointed out. “Those things will be ironed out because one thing about her is if you give her instructions, she’s going to carry them out. “I’m sure with these technical issues ironed out, she’s going to have bigger performances coming up.”

There’s still a lot of hope that Strachan will be able to rebound from his shoulder injury and qualify for the Olympics.

But if he doesn’t, Maycock said they will focus on the future ahead of Strachan, who will be heading into his senior year in August.

Maycock, however, said he is pleased with the progress both Strachan and Otabor have made as they lead the list of talented javelin throwers in the Blue Chip club.

“We have to fill those gaps when throwers like Taysha Stubbs and

Dior-Rae Scott go on to college this year,” Maycock said. “We want to continue this javelin mecca that we are developing in the Caribbean and the Western hemisphere. “I don’t want that to die. We are looking for the next superstars for javelin so that we can continue to dominate.”

While Otabor and Strachan have stood out at the senior level, Maycock has coached a host of throwers who have excelled at the junior level, including Bullard, Stubbs, Scott, Latia Saunders, Kaden Cartwright, Annae Mackey, Kamara Strachan, Tarajh Hudson, Jaylen Stuart, Danielle Nixon, Laquell Harris and Acacia Astwood.

Otabor, a former softball player at Nassau Christian Academy, will be back in action this weekend before she returns home for the BAAA Nationals, June 26-28 at the original Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium.

16

but they will receive a t-shirt from the Coach Yo Foundation.

PRAYERS FOR THOMPSON

THE track and field fraternity is asking for prayers for Bahamas former national decathlon record holder Kendrick Thompson, who was injured in a boating accident last week in Andros. Thompson is currently on bed rest as he recuperates from the accident after he had to be airlifted to the capital for treatment.

JOHNSON’S BASKETBALL

CAMP

GET ready for the annual Coach Kevin Johnson’s Basketball Camp 2024. Coach Kevin ‘KJ’ Johnson has announced that his camp will run from June 24 to July 12 at the CI Gibson Secondary High School and will run daily from 9am to 1pm. Campers will get a chance to play and learn the fundamentals of the game of basketball from professional instructors. Interested persons can sign up by contacting coach Johnson at 636-9350 or email: coachkjjohnson@ gmail.com

BASKETBALL

NEX-GEN

THE third annual Nex-Gen Elite Training Basketball Camp, hosted by JR Basketball Academy, is all set for June 24 to July 13 from 9am to noon at the Telios Indoor Gymnasium on Carmichael Road. The camp, powered by Frazier’s Roofing, will provide training for game situations, shooting, passibng, ball handling, defense and footwork for boys and girls between the ages of 8-19 years. Registration is now open. Interested persons can contact Cadot at 535-9354, email jrcbasketballacademy.com or go online to www.jrcbasketballacademy. com

JAVELIN thrower Rhema Otabor in action.

CARA Saunders with her pro card.

LORRAINE LaFleur in action.

Bahamas blanked by the D.R.

By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

The Bahamas 10-andand-under Pony League baseball team fell short against the Dominican Republic in their playoff game at the Caribbean & Latin American Zone Championships.

After completing pool three of the round robin with a perfect 3-0 win-loss record, the Bahamas fell short on Monday in their semifinal match in a 3-0 decision to the Dominican Republic, who had scored

a total of 34 runs in winning their pool.

Shilo Henfield got the start and pitched the first six innings before he was relieved by Tyler Smith, who pitched to one batter. The Bahamas bats didn’t have any success with the Dominican Republic pitcher. “We had one or two plays that we didn’t execute,” said Bahamas manager James Clarke. “It should have been 1-1 going into the bottom of the sixth. But it was purely a defensive game that went for about an hour and-a-half.”

Venezuela went to shutout the Dominican

Otabor coming into her own

By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor

IN 2018 just before the CARIFTA Games here in Nassau, Rhema Otabor connected with coach Corrington Maycock in his Blue Chip Athletics Club as she followed her brother Michaelangelo Bullard.

While Bullard eventually faded off the scene although he just graduated this year from Texas State, Otabor continued to excel, surpassing Lavern Eve as the new Bahamian women’s javelin national record holder and two-time NCAA Championship champion.

More importantly, Otabor achieved all of those feats over the weekend at the championships in Eugene, Oregon where she posted the fifth best mark in the world with her victory for Nebraska with 210-feet, 7-inches or 64.19 metres to qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, next month. Eve, who previously held the national record of 209-1 (63.73m) from April 20, 2000, said she was watching the highlights

on Saturday when she saw Otabor’s accomplishment.

She said she texted her that night congratulating her and spoke to her the next day.

“I’ve been watching her compete for a while now. She’s been coming close and thought it’s only a matter of time now,” Eve said. “The record has been there long enough and now only shows the progression in the event.

“That’s what records are there for. It’s a marker. We’ve had a big gap for such a long time now which shows a stagnant in the event. Hopefully this will encourage more throwers in the event to make it and to make it more competitive.”

As a NCAA champion for Louisiana State University and a five-time Olympian, who also won Commonwealth Games silver and bronze and Pan American Games silver and a pair of bronze medals, Eve said she’s happy for Otabor’s feat.

“She’s very humble and looking forward to more big throws from her,” said

SEE PAGE 14

THE SPORTS CALENDAR

Republic 3-0 in the championship game to secure the berth into the World Series in August. The Bahamas ended up third out of a field of 12 teams. “I definitely think, despite all of the odds we had to overcome to get here, the guys played very well and they gelled very well,” Clarke said. “The main thing is a lot of people know that the Bahamas is very competitive in baseball. So I think it’s key for us to keep these coming up together so that they can continue to play at a high level and continue to keep the Bahamas on the map.”

Joining Henfield and Smith on Team Bahamas were Jacob Clarke (JBLN); Tre’Nardo Hart (JBLN); Michael Sweeting (Grand Bahama); Bruce Russell (Grand Bahama); Jace Wilchcombe (Grand Bahama); Raheem Adderly (JBLN); Jovani McKinney (JBLN); Tyler Smith (Freedom Farm); Reid Ingraham (Freedom Farm); Email Knowles (Grand Bahama) and Diondre Thompson (Grand Bahama).

Clarke, who worked on the coaching staff with Donovan Cox from Grand Bahama, Temico Smith from Freedom Farm and

technical director Terran Rodgers, said the team could have been slightly different and the outcome could have gone another way if they had all their ducks in the pond.

“We’re the only country where we go and compete and even win and we don’t carry our best athletes or teams,” said Clarke, who indicated they had about five players from Freedom Farm whose parents opted for them not to travel at the last minute. “At some point, and this is not just for baseball, we have to get it right because, at the end of the day, if we had come

BASKETBALL PEACE ON DA

THE annual Peace On Da Streets Basketball Classic, dubbed “Shooting Hoops instead of Guns,” is scheduled for July 15-21 at the Michael ‘Scooter Reid” Basketball Center at the Hope Center. All games will start at 6pm each day. Categories include 12-and-under, 16-and-under, 20-and-under, government ministry, church and open divisions. The event is being promoted by Guardian Radio and Radio House Outreach.

here with our original thing, this would have been a no brainer for us to win. The team we originally assembled was just that good.”

The team will now make their return home on Wednesday after making a stopover in Miami, Florida.

The players will then prepare for the Bahamas Baseball Association’s Junior Nationals in Grand Bahama next week.

Following the nationals, Clarke said the players will then go on their road trip to the United States with their various club teams to compete in some summer competition.

CARA Saunders became the latest Bahamian to earn her IFBB Pro League, winning the women’s Wellness title at the Toronto Show in Toronto, Canada over the weekend.

Also at the Delta Toronto Airport & Conference Center, pro builder Lorraine LaFleur fell short in her bid to qualify for the Mr Olympia, placing fourth in both the open and masters women’s physique categories. Saunders, who held her pro card on the IFBB elite side, moved over to the pro side where she earned her second pro card in the amateur segment of the women’s wellness category. Saunders, however, was unavailable for comments up to press time.

Competing in her first IFBB Pro Show, LaFleur said she went up against 21 other competitors, so she was still pleased with the outcome, although the goal was to win it.

“Hopefully in the next show I could creep up to third place and see how it goes,” said LaFleur, who will return to compete in July at the Atlanta Pro. “I could make improvements

June, 2024

By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

CLERGY VS POLITICIANS AS a part of the annual Peace ON Da Streets Basketball Classic, organisers will once again stage the showdown between members of the Clergy against the Members of Parliament. The game is scheduled for 8pm Sunday, July 21 at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium.

BASKETBALL CLINIC WOMEN’S national basketball coach Yolett McPhee will be in town this weekend and will conduct a free basketball clinic at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium. The Ole Miss University women’s head coach will host the clinic in two sections. Students in grades 1-4 will be in session from 9-10am and 5-8 will go from 10-11am. All participants are asked to bring their own basketballs,

DESPITE the inclement weather, Bahamas Baseball Association secretary general Theodore Sweeting said they still had a very successful Brice Newball Foundation/Andre Rodgers Senior National Baseball Tournament. The tournament, which got started on Thursday at both the Baillou Hills playing field and the Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium, was hampered by rain on the final day of competition on Saturday and had to be completed on Sunday. The Junior Baseball League of Nassau went undefeated and won the 16-and-under title with a 9-1 rout over the Freedom

JAVELIN thrower Rhema Otabor with coach Corrington Maycock, right.