06162016 edition

THURSDAY i’m lovin’ it!

HIGH 90ÂşF LOW 77ÂşF

The Tribune L ATEST NE WS ON TRIBUNE242.COM

The People’s Paper

CLOUDY, T-STORM

Biggest And Best!

THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2016

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Trade N G A I B A R

D E R F I N

-%

$" ) Ĺš( Š0ÂœÂ‘Čą Â?Â&#x;Š—ŒŽ

Čą

help wanted

S A M A B A H

Cars Fo Real r Sale Help Estate W Rental anted and m Ads much uch, more. ..

˜•Â? Ž› žŠ—Â?Â’Â?¢ ȹǛŗȹ ž¢ Â’Â?‘ȹ ŠœœŠž Ĺ˜ ”

ŚŖř

Ç›ČąĹœĹ?ĹœČŹ

tuition school

Čą Š— ›ȹÂ?Â˜Čą Œ˜Â?’Š Â? ÂŽÂĄÂ?Čą Â˜Â˜ČąÇ­Čą ŠœÂ?Čą ˜ŒŠÂ?ÂŽÂ?ǹȹ ž•ěȹ Â?

cars for sale

OBITUARIES

ds Classifier h 12, 2012 Monday, Marc

e TheTribun

real estate

Volume: 112 No.131

PRICE – $1 (Family Islands $1.50)

CARS! CARS!

CLASSIFIEDS TRADER

Govt ‘should not have handed over power management’

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net TALL Pines MP Leslie Miller yesterday admonished the Christie administration for surrendering the day-to-day management of Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) to PowerSecure, insisting that the move could hurt the Progressive Liberla Party (PLP) in the next general election.

Mr Miller spoke to The Tribune as thousands of Bahamians were left without electricity yesterday due to “outage rotations� by BPL to help offset the fact that corporation could not meet customer demand. “They criticised us when we were there but we had it right,� Mr Miller said, referring to his time as chairman of the Bahamas Electricity Corporation, which

was later renamed BPL. “We had a plan for these summer blackouts and were executing it; by June we were going to have the cost of electricity down to 26 cents per kilowatt-hour. We had a agreement in place to purchase oil at $30 per barrel but we got stopped dead in our tracks because these foreigners thought they knew better. “We had a plan in the works to have a fully operational 128 megawatt plant up and running by June of this year, we had the financing and a guaranteed loan from the National Insurance Board.�

Mr Miller said these plans were halted once the government decided that it would be better served by passing off the management of the corporation to the American firm.

Call today 328-0

AT STARTING

for rent

Miller: BPL deal was a mistake L! ADS SEL PHOTO 351 002 / 502-2

$25

SEVERE WEATHER BRINGS FUNNEL CLOUDS TO NASSAU

BAHAMAS Power and Light (BPL) yesterday announced “outage rotations� throughout New Providence as the corporation continues to grapple with “generation challenges� at its power stations.

In one of several statements released yesterday, BPL said customers would experience power outages in two-hour intervals “until further notice�.

Customers were advised

COURT of Appeal President Dame Anita Allen should recuse herself from potential cases about samesex marriage in the future, Marco City MP Greg Moss said yesterday, arguing that in her speech this week she displayed an “activist� mindset that is prejudiced against the status quo.

Delivering the eighth Annual Eugene Dupuch Distinguished Lecture on Tuesday night, Dame Anita said the laws of the Bahamas do not conclusively prohibit same-sex marriage.

She drew particular attention from opponents of the recent Constitutional Referendum when she called on the country to reconsider its traditional views about marriage.

Among other things, Dame Anita said a statutory provision clarifying that gay marriage is prohibited in The Bahamas may be

‘NO NEED TO CLARIFY LAW ON MARRIAGE’

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

CONSTITUTIONAL Commission Chairman Sean McWeeney said yesterday he does not believe a statutory provision clarifying that same-sex marriage is illegal in The Bahamas is necessary to prevent successful legal challenges to the status quo.

His statement came after Court of Appeal President Dame Anita Allen suggested during a speech on Tuesday that without such a provision, one cannot conclusively say same-sex marriage is currently illegal in The Bahamas.

SEE PAGE 11

SEE PAGE SIX

to check BPL’s Facebook page for continued updates on the affected areas. At 10.30pm a statement said one engine had been returned to service to provide enough capacity to meet customer demand on the island while repairs were completed on two others.

But a severe thunderstorm which produced lightning strikes then damaged BPL’s transmission and distribution networks, causing further outages in several commmunities across the island.

SEE PAGE SIX

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net

SEE PAGE 11

WAVE OF OUTAGES AMID ‘GENERATION CHALLENGES’

By SANCHESKA BROWN Tribune Staff Reporter sbrown@tribunemedia.net

DAME ANITA ‘SHOULD NOT SIT ON CASES OF SAME-SEX MARRIAGE’

A PHOTOGRAPH taken by Jamie Liddell yesterday showing a funnel cloud over Nassau as severe weather battered New Providence. For more on the weather effects, see page three.

FISHERMEN CALL FOR POACHERS’ BOATS TO BE SUNK IMMEDIATELY

By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net  BAHAMAS Commercial Fishers Alliance President Adrian LaRoda yesterday called for Dominican and other poaching vessels to be “immediately sunk� if caught illegally fishing in Bahamian waters. He said the country is “past the

point of negotiations and talking and dealing with these matters passively.�

Mr LaRoda told The Tribune that the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) needs to take a “no tolerance stance� against poachers, adding that he would be meeting with association members and “make appeals to our partners in other places to

assist us with this kind of issue�.

He also said going forward, the association will be seeking a “deeper response� from the government on the matter.

He was contacted a day after National Security Minister Dr Bernard Nottage revealed that RBDF

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

SEE PAGE 12

WILCHCOMBE: WE ARE ALL TO BLAME FOR CRIME LEVELS

By KHRISNA VIRGIL Tribune Staff Reporter kvirgil@tribunemedia.net  TOURISM Minister Obie Wilchcombe said yesterday that all Bahamians should take the blame for the country’s “unacceptable� crime levels, which have sparked repeated visitor advisories.

Mr Wilchcombe said while the tourism economy continues to grow, the repeated advisories issued by other countries because of high levels of crime will eventually impact the success of the tourism market.

SEE PAGE 12

PAGE 2, Thursday, June 16, 2016

Three Investment Strategies.

Three Funds. Great Performance.

TARGETED EQUITY FUND

15.86% Apr. 2015 - Apr. 2016

SECURE BALANCED FUND

9.22% Apr. 2015 - Apr. 2016

PRIME INCOME FUND

4.76% Apr. 2015 - Apr. 2016

Past performance of a fund is not a predictor of future performance. The Securities Commission of the Bahamas has not expressed an opinion about the merits of the Funds or determined that the advertisement is accurate or complete.

Royal Fidelity Mutual Funds

We can help you secure your financial future Call Paulette Lozaique or Tishrea Grey at 397-4553 to find out more!

www.royalfidelity.com

ROYAL FIDELITY > MUTUAL FUNDS

THE TRIBUNE

TODAY Show correspondent Kerry Sanders with the swimming pigs of Exuma.

SWIMMING PIGS HOG THE SPOTLIGHT ON TODAY SHOW SWIMMING swine were stars of national television in the United States, as NBC’s “Today Show” featured the swimming pigs of Exuma on June 14.

“Today” correspondent Kerry Sanders traced the emergence of a colony of pigs on Big Major Cay, Exuma, as one of the Bahamas’ popular tourism attractions.

His report dispelled several exotic theories of how the pigs got onto the island and presented interviews with Wade Nixon and Don Rolle, the Exuma residents who first brought the pigs to Big Major Cay. Their attempt to start a pig farm for food ended up as an attraction enjoyed by thousands of visitors each year.

The NBC report came about through collaborations between the Big Major Cay owners, The Bahamas

Film & Television Commission, the Exuma Tourist Office and Bahamian filmmaker Charlie Smith, the director of the short film, “When Pigs Swim”.

“More than four million viewers tuned in to the NBC ‘Today Show’ report,” said Clarence Rolle, general manager of the Bahamas Film & Television Commission.

“So that is likely to have endeared our swimming pigs to millions of people.

Other television shows such as ABC’s ‘The Bachelor’, the vacation photos of celebrities such as Judge Judy and Dwayne Wade, and even trailers for video games such as ‘Angry Birds 2’ have made people around the world more aware of our swimming pigs in recent months.”

The ‘Today Show’ report has also been posted to the show’s website, today.com.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, June 16, 2016, PAGE 3

WATERSPOUTS IN STORMY WEATHER

By SANCHESKA BROWN Tribune Staff Reporter sbrown@tribunemedia.net

ONE photograph circulating on the internet purported to show a tornado forming over the airport, although The Tribune could not verify its authenticity.

A SEVERE afternoon thunderstorm spawned three waterspouts over Lake Killarney and dropped several inches of rain in the capital, according to Senior Meteorological Officer Kaylinda Forbes yesterday.

A severe thunderstorm warning was in effect yesterday afternoon for Andros, New Providence and their adjacent waters.

According to a release from the Met Office at 4.50pm, radar and satellite imagery showed clusters of

severe thunderstorms affecting New Providence and Andros and additionally waterspouts were observed over Lake Killarney.

Residents were warned that some of the thunderstorms would be severe at times causing strong gusty winds, dangerous lightning, heavy downpours, hail, waterspouts or tornadic activity.

Residents were advised not to seek shelter under trees or in water, as they can become lightning conductors.

Mrs Forbes estimated that by 8pm, the bad weather would dissipate.

“The cluster is moving pretty fast

so I would say in about an hour it will be out of the way and we will get a little break,” she said on Wednesday afternoon.

“However, there is a whole lot of activity occurring south of Andros and we will have to monitor them to see if another cluster will form.

If that happens we will send another warning.”

Several images of reported waterspouts near the Lynden Pindling International Airport circulated on social media yesterday. One resident sent images to The Tribune which she said were taken of a waterspout ANOTHER photo of stormy weather yesterday on social media. in southern New Providence.

Prosecutor calls for ‘maximum penalty’ over McCartney murder

By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net SHOOTING an unarmed man in the head and crushing nearly every bone in his body with his own truck to ensure his death warranted the maximum penalty on the law books, a prosecutor argued yesterday.

Former couple Thorne Edwards and Lyndera Curry made their latest post-conviction appearance before Senior Justice Stephen Isaacs in the Supreme Court on respective charges of murder and manslaughter stemming from the accosting and fatal shooting of businessman Kurt McCartney on October 24, 2013, in Gambier.

Branville McCartney, brother of the deceased, was present in court as sentencing for the pair finally commenced after three delays since their conviction last December.

The Crown is seeking the discretionary death penalty for Edwards and life imprisonment for Curry.

Roger Thompson, trial prosecutor, said the murder “is a fit and proper case for the imposition of the maximum penalty for murder with respect to Thorne Edwards and the maximum penalty for manslaughter with respect to Lyndera Curry”.

“Thorne Edwards shot McCartney to the head while the girlfriend drove the vehicle over his body and the actions of both convicted led to the death of the deceased.

“Mr McCartney did not die immediately and he must have suffered excruciating pain. He did not do anything to provoke the attack. They could have robbed him without shooting him in the head and rolling over his body. The convicts appeared to have planned this killing,” Mr Thompson added.

Edwards and Curry, along with Okell Farrington and Sumya Ingraham, were on trial for nearly two weeks concerning McCartney’s murder and armed robbery.

On December 14, 2015, a jury took three hours to return verdicts for each of the accused persons after they had been excused to deliberate on the evidence.

Edwards was unanimously convicted of murder and was found guilty of armed robbery on a majority verdict of 9-3. Curry was acquitted of murder but found guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter by 11-1. The same count was returned on her conviction for armed robbery.

Farrington and Ingraham were acquitted of murder, manslaughter and armed robbery. Businessman and community activist Terry Delancy, who had been accused of being an accessory to the murder after the fact, was acquitted of the charge following the close of the prosecution’s case for legal reasons.

It was alleged that Edwards shot McCartney in the face after he became involved in an argument between Curry and the victim. The prosecution maintained that McCartney was crushed when Farrington, Ingraham and Curry allegedly rolled over his body as they fled the scene in the victim’s Hummer. It was alleged that Edwards ran away after the shooting.

“Thorne Edwards armed himself with a gun and he must have had intention to kill. He could have robbed Kurt (McCartney) without killing him. This indicates a disposition to re-offend, to kill without costs,” the prosecutor stressed yesterday.

The 2011 amendment to the Penal Code, which followed the Privy Council’s decision in the Maxo Tido

decision, notes that only certain types of aggravated murder are currently punishable by death. These include murder of a law enforcement officer; murder of a judicial officer, including judges, registrars and prosecutors; murder of a witness or juror; murder of more than one person; murder committed by an accused who has a prior murder conviction; and murder in exchange for value.

The amendment further provides that any murder committed in the course of/or in furtherance of a robbery, rape, kidnapping, terrorist act, or any other felony is punishable by death, with no explicit requirement of intent to cause death.

The prosecutor said that as recently as 2013, the Supreme Court imposed the death penalty for two men in separate murder cases, Kofhe Goodman and Anthony Clarke.

Mr Thompson stressed that murder, manslaughter and armed robbery were serious offences and that in this case, the convicts committed them in public spaces in view of civilians who could have have been impacted by their actions.

He also highlighted that nearly every bone in McCartney’s body was broken after being rolled over by his own truck, not including the bullet to his brain.

Mr Thompson said that both convicts have refused to accept responsibility for

their actions and have yet to express remorse for the fatal conclusion of the night in question.

Mr Thompson had tried to argue a point alleging the correlation between crime statistics concerning murders and the Bahamas’ last hanging.

However, Senior Justice Isaacs said that not only were the statistics irrelevant to sentencing as each case had to be determined on its own merit but “the last time there was a death sentence, there were two murders the next day”.

Geoffrey Farquharson, Edwards’ lawyer for the sentencing phase of trial, responded that the “transcripts do not indicate the motive for the incident that took place”.

He added: “There’s nothing to suggest that the shooting was in pursuance of armed robbery. The taking and driving of the vehicle, from the record, it appears to have been done in panic leading to further injury of the deceased. I say that to say there’s nothing in evidence to suggest robbery was a motive for murder.”

Mr Farquharson also stressed that the prosecutor neglected to mention that Goodman’s case was the

subject of an appeal while Clarke won his appeal against the death penalty and was re-sentenced.

Mr Farquharson referred to the authority case of Tremmingham, which notes that the court has to be satisfied that a killing meets the worst of the worst threshold in order to moved to impose the death penalty.

The lawyer further stressed that the Crown had not proved that Edwards, whom by the probation officer’s own report had been a productive citizen up to the time of conviction, was not beyond rehabilitation if

released from prison after a specified number of years.

Mr Farquharson acknowledged the 2011 amendments to the Penal Code but said they were nothing more than “statutory guidance” for the judiciary, which has unfettered discretionary powers empowered by the Constitution.

Mr Farquharson said if the victim was not who he was, a beloved businessman to many persons including himself, “there would be no call for the imposition of the death penalty”.

The sentencing hearing continues today.

Make a purchase of $100 or more & receive a gift, whiles supplies last!

Galleria Cinemas Galleria Cinemas The TheMall-at-Marathon Mall-at-Marathon BOX BOXOFFICE OFFICEOPENS OPENSAT AT10:00 10:00AM AMDAILY DAILY

EFFECTIVE AUGUST 24TH,17TH, 2007 2016 EFFECTIVE JUNE FINDING DORY CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE THE CONJURING 2 WARCRAFT

NEW

1:10

3:35

N/A

6:10

8:30

10:35

NEW

1:00

3:25

N/A

6:00

8:20

10:45

6:35

N/A

10:15

C

1:00

3:50

N/A

T

1:00

3:25

N/A

6:00

8:20

10:45

NOW YOU SEE ME 2

T

1:00

3:45

N/A

6:30

N/A

10:00

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA X-MEN APOCALYPSE ANGRY BIRDS

B

1:00

3:25

N/A

6:00

8:20

10:45

T

N/A

N/A

N/A

7:00

N/A

10:00

3:30

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

B

1:15

GALLERIA 6 - JFK DRIVE

USE YOUR E-CARD TO RESERVE TICKETS AT 380-3649 OR WWW.GALLERIACINEMAS.COM

FINDING DORY CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE THE CONJURING 2 WARCRAFT NOW YOU SEE ME 2 TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA

NEW 1:15 NEW 1:00

3:30

N/A

6:15

8:25 10:30

3:25

N/A

6:00

8:20 10:45

C

1:00

3:45

N/A

6:35

N/A 10:15

T

1:00

3:25

N/A

6:00

8:20 10:45

T

1:05

3:50

N/A

6:30

N/A 10:05

B

1:00

3:25

N/A

6:00

8:25 10:45

There will be no 1:00pm showings at J.F.K from Monday thru Thursday except holidays

Madeira Shopping Plaza•Marathon Mall•RND Plaza Freeport•Southwest Plaza (Open Every Sunday 9am-5:30pm) Shop Online at:

380-FLIX

Use your e-card to reserve tickets at 380-3549 or visit us at www.bahamaslocal.com

PAGE 4, Thursday, June 16, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

The Tribune Limited NULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI “Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master”

LEON E. H. DUPUCH,

SIR ETIENNE DUPUCH,

jrolle@tribunemedia.net

Publisher/Editor 1903-1914 Kt., O.B.E., K.M., K.C.S.G., (Hon.) LL.D., D.Litt .

Publisher/Editor 1919-1972 Contributing Editor 1972-1991

EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON,

C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B. Publisher/Editor 1972-

Published daily Monday to Friday

Shirley & Deveaux Streets, Nassau, Bahamas N3207 TELEPHONES

News & General Information Advertising Manager Circulation Department Nassau fax Freeport, Grand Bahama Freeport fax

(242) 322-1986 (242) 502-2394 (242) 502-2386 (242) 328-2398 (242)-352-6608 (242) 352-9348

WEBSITE, TWITTER & FACEBOOK www.tribune242.com

@tribune242

tribune news network

Obama, Dalai Lama anger China with White House meeting WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama thanked the Dalai Lama on Wednesday for offering condolences after 49 people were killed in the worst mass shooting in modern US history, as the pair once again angered China by meeting at the White House.

It was Obama’s fourth White House meeting with Tibetan spiritual leader, whom Beijing accuses of leading a campaign to split the region off from the rest of China. The Dalai Lama says he simply wants a higher degree of autonomy under Chinese rule.

China condemned the meeting after the White House listed it on Obama’s public schedule. The meeting was closed to news media coverage, but the White House released on its Flickr account a photo by the president’s official photographer of the two men greeting each other.

White House press secretary Josh Earnest said Obama has “warm personal feelings” toward the 80-year-old Dalai Lama and fellow Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Obama also appreciates his teachings and believes in preserving Tibet’s unique religious, cultural and linguistic traditions, Earnest said.

The Dalai Lama led a minute of silent prayer for the shooting victims during a visit at the US Institute of Peace in Washington on Monday, the day after a gunman opened fire at an Orlando, Florida, nightclub, killing 49 people and wounding dozens more.

“The president thanked the Dalai Lama for his expression of condolences about the terrorist attack in Orlando over the weekend,” Earnest said.

China strongly disapproved of the meeting. Its Foreign Ministry said it had made “solemn representations” to the US Embassy in Beijing and expressed its “firm opposition”.

“We need to emphasise that the Tibetan issue is China’s internal affairs and other countries do not have any right to interfere with this,” spokesman Lu Kang told a daily media briefing.

“The 14th Dalai Lama is not simply a religious figure but a political figure in

exile who has been conducting secessionist activities internationally under the pretext of religion,” the statement said.

“If President Obama meets with Dalai Lama, it will send the wrong signal to Tibetan separatist forces, and it will undermine the mutual trust and cooperation between China and the US.” Lu urged Washington to “stick by its promise of recognizing Tibet as part of China, and not support Tibetan independence or any separatist activities”.

Earnest reiterated Wednesday that US policy toward Tibet remained unchanged.

“Tibet, per US policy, is considered part of the People’s Republic of China, and the United States has not articulated our support for Tibetan independence,” he said. “Both the Dalai Lama and President Obama value the importance of a constructive and productive relationship between the United States and China.

All of those were policy positions of the United States before the meeting occurred. Our policy hasn’t changed after the meeting.”

China also blames the Dalai Lama and others for inciting a wave of self-immolations among Tibetans in recent years.

Dozens have set themselves on fire while calling for the return of the Dalai Lama or for Tibetan independence.

Obama held the meeting in the Map Room, instead of the Oval Office, because the Dalai Lama is not a head of state.

The president had been scheduled to travel to Wisconsin on Wednesday for his first campaign appearance with presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton following his formal endorsement of her last week. But the event was postponed after the Orlando shooting, creating room on Obama’s schedule to meet with the Dalai Lama, who was already visiting Washington.

Obama planned to visit Orlando today to pay tribute to the victims and meet with their loved ones.

By Darlene Superville of the Associated Press

Unpaid real property tax as much as $400m EDITOR, The Tribune.

I AM hearing that Real Property Tax people are starting a re-evaluation process…if it is to create an electronic data base I certainly support that BUT if it is to re-assess, probably increase the Tax Assessment I take the greatest objection seeing that the department has an inability or convenience not to be able to collect over $400m in back unpaid assessments.

Editor, my suggestion to the Financial Secretary and the Minister of Finance and the Minister of State of Finance is to effectively adopt the simple approach of shame and collect. Do your job!

Publish a list of bad debts and debtors and watch how quickly the money flows in.

Remember that VIP who owed $400,000 how quickly the lady paid up or someone paid? Hours, Editor, hours the money was in the bank.

Some of the worst offenders are the wealthy - well connected but what I do not understand is that for Business License you must be compliant, all Real Property Taxes paid (I believe government is breaking the law by imposing this as property is unusually in a corporate company it is personally owned so how can you attach that to a business?)

I do not support the constant policy of successive governments of giving incentives to pay debts - sorry guys those who pay should be the only people who get rewarded for paying - do the courts reward criminals?

Public Disclosure of MPs - Senators - we saw last Tuesday how far mistrust of government has gone Disclosure Commission published the 2015 - 2016 Disclosures were you not embarrassed anyone - the public needs to know if their MP does not pay his/her taxes. Again, use the effec-

tive shame and collect approach. A reminder it is the law and the MP’s/Senators are not exempt from this.

Concessions to owner-occupiers and owner-occupier Bahamian pensioners - stop playing with their heads Minister - give the concession permanently not on-off, on again as politics plays.

Pensioners are a tight income and don’t need this frustration and stress.

Shame and Collect and stop pussy-footing around we are tired of hearing so-andso, wealthy as hell does not pay.

Action Mr Minister, Mr Prime Minister, today not tomorrow and no more second and third chances and no concessions for not paying, you reward the criminal?

Aren’t MPs supposed to show civic responsibility and pride?

W THOMPSON Nassau, June 13, 2016.

The illogical fallacy of CA Smith EDITOR, The Tribune.

I SHOULD be grateful if you would permit me a little space to comment on the unwarranted attack by retired Parliamentarian and Ambassador to Washington C A Smith on retired Governor General Sir Arthur Foulkes which he made by open letter on the 10th June 2016.

While Mr Smith has unreservedly since apologized to Sir Arthur I trust you may find some merit in these few trenchant words as I am seriously bothered by what I apprehend to be a pattern of behaviour instigated by the Leader of the Opposition the effect of which is that persons are duped into besmirching the character of others for no good reason other than the political advantage of Dr Minnis.

If I am correct in that view, that is utterly shameful, particularly when it is done stealthily through others so that Dr Minnis is sheathed from the consequences of attacking others , perhaps even legally.

I read Mr Smith’s long, rambling and confused narrative littered with bromides and banalities as it was, but could not with my trained legal mind detect one single clue which might connect Sir Arthur to the erstwhile Simon and “Front Porch“.

I was bound to take this personally as Sir Arthur has been both a mentor over the years and a close friend to me after I went through a very difficult time in the wake of my son’s death. I was offended.

Thus I concluded that C A, in his sycophantic zeal to discharge this task and with the Oleander perfumed

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net breezes of Mount Fitzwilliam at least distally in mind he obviously, somewhat overreached.

Then it hit me. Mr Smith had succumbed to the Philosophers’ trap , the fallacy of the undistributed middle. Extrapolated the logic holds that Sir Arthur is a talented journalist , Simon is a talented journalist, voila, Sir Arthur is Simon!

What other explanation could there be?

Of course C A Smith has now apologized, but his credibility is in tatters; and for what a political mediocrity as is Hubert Minnis !

I have asserted that Dr Minnis is the bane behind these personal attacks.

Why do I say this ?

None of us live in an information void. I am aware of efforts through surrogates and scouts to scour the lives of persons on the front lines looking into the intimate details of their lives.

These people are not doing this of their own volition. I believe it was the Graduate, that inveterate letter writer who suggested for us the number of Senate appointments, Cabinet appointments, diplomatic appointments, Governors General appointments and Board appointments that Minnis has been able to dispense with febrile enthusiasm as political spoils in expectancy since 2012.

Well as we know from the Jerome Fitzgerald experience garbage cans or cylindrical files often have a rebound effect !

I also point to the animus

obvious in the personal attacks which have taken place against the Members for Long Island and for Montagu .

The periodic disparaging remarks made by Dr Minnis against the Member St Annes and the efforts by the Leader of the Opposition to interfere in the Constituency Association elections of Fort Charlotte.

His patronage of the politically illiterate and amateurish former Senator Laneisha Rolle was a divisive tactic in the Party particularly with her scabrous farragos to the media.

Even if one were to concede to his supporters that Minnis won the last leadership poll convincingly he has squandered this victory by proving yet again, as he has done for the last four years, that he is a divider not a uniter.

Dr Minnis is inept, inarticulate and inane! He has demonstrated no ability as a political manager, tactician or strategist!

He has destroyed the FNM’s legacy of trust, competence and accountability in government.

This recent attack on Sir Arthur shows how one misanthropic man can pit two fifty year friends against each other. It is sad, but true, Minnis is a wrecking ball the FNM can no longer afford .

As Abraham Lincoln said of the United States one hundred and fifty years ago . …”A house divided against itself cannot stand...”

It is time for a change and a new direction in the FNM! MICHAEL SCOTT Nassau, June 15, 2016.

The consequences of the referendum Re: Referendum result EDITOR, The Tribune.

TO the enlightened and the educated who are overwhelmingly in the minority in The Bahamas the result of the referendum was a huge disappointment.

When any human being is asked “do you want equality” and the answer is a resounding NO its a reflection on the education or in this case lack of education of the masses.

This mass stupidity does make you realise why the PLP continuously win elections. As soon as

a PLP government is returned to power the outcome is sadly predictable.

Incompetence and corruption, unfettered raiding of the cookie jar.

Leading to economic downturn which directly causes a rise in crime and higher unemployment. This present government is by

far the worst to date by a considerable margin. The corruption is so transparent. Can’t they at least try and hide it?

Regardless of this because of the lack of education/common sense unthinkably the PLP could be returned to government.

If that did happen its hard to think how we would survive. Cuba is opening up, the offshore banking business is in tatters.

How long until devaluation of the dollar occurs?

Can’t help but reflect back on Winston Churchill’s classic adage “If you want to be put off

democracy, talk to the average voter for a few minutes.”

Still true 80 years on.

Come back and save us one more time please, Mr Ingraham.

THE REALIST Nassau, June 13, 2016.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, June 16, 2016, PAGE 5

Talk show host calls for Christie to quit as PM RESPECTED radio talk show host and attorney Jeffrey Lloyd has called for Prime Minister Perry Christie to step down as leader of this country, citing the results of the last two referendums as votes of no confidence in him and his administration.

Mr Lloyd was the guest on radio show “Real Talk Live” with host Ortland Bodie on Tuesday, when he said that Mr Christie no longer has the moral authority to lead The Bahamas and has lost the mandate to govern this country.

He also called for the Christie administration to cease any negotiations for the sale of Baha Mar until after the next general election.

Despite his eagerness to see the resort opened, Mr Lloyd warned that with the prime minister in such a desperate state politically, he is incapable of negotiating a deal that would protect the Bahamian people over his Chinese counterparts.

As the project has sat idle now for over a year, Mr Lloyd said the Chinese government is no doubt very much aware of the 2017 general election fast approaching, and the level of desperation the prime minister now finds himself in.

This, he said, was evidenced by the recent reports that Chinese investors had requested 50 0 citizenship approvals, a 30 -year exemption from casino license payments and a 30 -year break from value added tax (VAT) among other concessions, just for the restart of construction at the

TALK show host Jeffrey Lloyd.

MAN HELD OVER MARIJUANA POSSESSION A 21-YEAR-OLD man is in police custody after being discovered with what was suspected to be marijuana at Bimini International Airport.

According to police, at 4pm on Tuesday, the man presented himself to the security screening area at the airport with his luggage, where it was discovered by police to contain a quantity

of suspected marijuana.

He was arrested and should be arraigned in court this week.

Additionally, officers of Operation Turf Sweep on Tuesday arrested three men, two Bahamians and one American, for possession of dangerous drugs in Grand Bahama.

The men were arrested in the Taino Beach area hav-

ing been found in possession of a quantity of what was suspected to be marijuana.

Police said the men will be arraigned this week.

property.

Last month, Mr Christie said the government did not agree to any citizenship grants, however he did not specifically address the other reported requests from the Chinese.

With this in mind, Mr Lloyd warned the Export Import Bank of China (EXIM Bank), China Construction America (CCA), and any would-be Chinese investors, that if he were to become prime minister any deal made by this administration would be revoked immediately.

“I want to say this to the Chinese,” Mr Lloyd said. “I want to make this very clear to the Chinese.

“When I become the prime minister of the Bahamas, and I want you to understand this, I don’t care what you have agreed with Mr Christie, that deal,

that contract, on the day I become prime minister will be cancelled.”

He added: “Here is a government, and here is a prime minister, who is scraping for their political lives.

“They are in this moment I believe seeking some kind of accommodation with the Chinese. They are right now I believe doing some type of negotiations with the Chinese.

“I believe that this government does not have the moral authority to negotiate a single thing on our behalf with anybody until such time as an election is called and a new mandate is given by the representatives of the people.

“It is quite clear that Bahamians no longer have faith. This administration has failed on a myriad of issues,” he said.

PAGE 6, Thursday, June 16, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

Miller: BPL deal was a mistake from page one

“And they say they ‘believe in Bahamians’. The (management transition) was not necessary, the corporation is moving backward, but that’s ok, God don’t sleep. Election coming,” he told The Tribune.

BAND-AID APPROACH BPL, in a statement around noon yesterday, acknowledged that it was experiencing “generation challenges” at its power stations.

As a result, the corporation implemented a twohour outage rotation schedule.

The move was also meet with contempt by former State Minister for Environment Phenton Neymour who suggested that the “Band-Aid like” fix has brought no resolution to the long-standing issues at the corporation.

Mr Neymour told The Tribune the government has intentionally misled the public on matters relating to BPL, despite knowing from the onset that the energy generation area of the

corporation was operating on a “wing and a prayer”.

In addition to accusing the PLP of shamelessly adopting a scheme it had previously criticised, the former South Beach MP suggested the Christie administration was being disingenuous over what was spurring the recent rate reduction in power bills across New Providence.

Mr Neymour revealed that sources within BPL have noted the failure of one of its major generators at the corporation’s Blue Hill Road Power Station.

He alleged that the government, through the management of BPL, has entered into leasing agreements with foreign companies to rent out additional generators to offset the loss.

The Free National Movement (FNM), during its last stint in office, rented a number of generators to help with the load demands of New Providence.

In August, 2014, Mr Miller, then BEC chairman, said the FNM paid $750,000 a month to rent the generators, lamenting that the party would have been better served constructing a new plant at Clifton Pier.

“Instead, they spent money on that and on putting

LESLIE MILLER MP, the former chairman of BEC, who has criticised the deal to bring in foreign managers of the new BPL. up plants in Family Islands tail by detail why BEC need running BEC/BPL was this goes through, when like Abaco, Eleuthera and to raise its rates. I was ridi- unsustainable. They got one would have added Bimini when those islands culed by the entire PLP. If breaks on fuel, dropping all the smaller aspects of didn’t need them. If (Mr they had stuck to the plans from $100 per barrel when their bills - base rate, fuel Neymour) was on top of we had implanted at that we were in office to $30 charge, Value Added Tax everything like he tries to point BEC would have been per barrel recently and it and this new bond fee seem, he would have made on a better footing,” Mr has stabilised at $50 per electricity would be more some effort to try to put up Neymour said. barrel. expensive than it ever was a new plant in New Provi“They are being deceit“They should have come under the FNM.” dence where it was neces- ful on multiple fronts at the honestly and told BahamiEarlier this month BPL sary,” Mr Miller was quoted moment. Essentially BPL is ans as I attempted to do. CEO Pamela Hill wrote a as saying. relying more on rental gen- Instead, the PLP perpetu- letter to customers detailing Meanwhile, Mr Neymour erators now, than it is on the ated that the rate decreases the need for a rate increase, yesterday scoffed at the fact generators it owns because were because of them. At- suggesting that the compathat less than two years lat- those generators (the ones tempting to deceive the ny was unable to meet its reer this administration is in a owned BPL) are in such people. sponsibility due to the lack similar situation. poor condition.

“How is it that they found of finances to expand and “When I was in charge of “That is why I stated it a way to lower the rate and develop its services.

BEC I went to the public, I two years ago, the way in now there are rumblings It was later reported that was honest, I explained de- which the government is about a rate increase? If Cabinet denied this request.

WAVE OF OUTAGES AMID ‘GENERATION CHALLENGES’ from page one The company said crews were working through the night to carry out repairs and restore power.

This failure to keep the lights on came months after American company PowerSecure was contracted to take over management at the government-owned utility provider. The new man-

agement deal was touted by the government as being the answer to sub-par electricity service and high electricity bills.

“BPL advises its New Providence customers that it is presently experiencing generation challenges at its power stations. As a result, there is insufficient capacity to meet peak customer demand at this time,” the corporation said.

“While efforts are underway to return the affected generator units to service in the shortest possible time, there is presently a generation shortfall. As a result BPL will continue a two hour outage rotation throughout the afternoon ... BPL apologises to its customers and assures them that teams are working quickly to improve generation capacity as soon as possible.”

Customers in the areas of Blue Hill Road north, Coral Harbour, Imperial Park, Soldier Road east of Sea Breeze, Yamacraw Beach Estates, Joe Farrington Road, Prince Charles Drive (from Blanco Bleach to Sea Breeze), Golden Gates 1 and 2, Cordeaux Avenue, Key West Street, Charles Vincent Street, Balfour Avenue, Hay Street, Taylor Street, Milton Street, Lily of the Valley Corner, Ross Corner, Fowler Street and all side streets, were the first to experience the rolling blackouts around noon.

Shortly after 2pm, the electricity supply was then interrupted in the area of the Southwest Plaza, Golden Gates 1 and 2, Cordeaux Avenue, Key West Street, Charles Vincent, Balfour Avenue, Hay Street, Taylor

Street, Milton Street, Lily of the Valley, Ross Corner, Fowler Street, Oakes Field, Davis Street, Warren Street, Hawthorne Street, Bernard Road, Adderley Street, Village Road, Eastern Road (to St Anne’s), Westridge, Sea Beach Estates, Sandyport, Delaporte, Blue Hill Road south of Carmichael, and all side streets.

Around 5pm, BPL announced power outages in Elizabeth Estates, Oakes Field, Davis Street, Warren Street, Hawthorne Street, Blue Hill Road (south of Carmichael Road), Coral Harbour, Airport Road West, Solomon’s Plaza, Old Fort Bay, William’s Lane, Kemp Road, White’s Addition and all side streets.

BPL said some customers may experience longer outages and appear on “several lists” because in order to reduce the load “we may have to temporarily turn off supply to some areas that were previously impacted”.

BPL said that the twohour rotation would continue until generation capacity improves.

Last month, BPL expressed confidence that it would meet peak summer demand while acknowledging that it has been tackling challenges at its Clifton Pier Power Station.

Business venture seeks investment for expansion Business concept direct to consumer.

manufacturers

With offices in asia and showroom in Bahamas and (10) years experience in manufacturing. We are seeking expansion of our offices, showrooms,warehouse, and product lines.

Minimum investment $200,000.00.

Short term or long term investment.

Money back guarantee.

A golden opportunity for present and future investments.

E-mail in confidence to: Bahamaslocalpartner@gmail.Com

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, June 16, 2016, PAGE 7

CONTESTANTS pose for a picture with their committee members, and members of the The Island Game Foundation. (Top row from left) Head of Logistics Mario Almanzar, Miss Paradise Island Pischia Adderley, Miss Staniel Cay Shanice Burrows, Miss Exuma Aria Romer, Miss Abaco Whender LaFrance, Miss Cat Island Rotalya Williams and Miss Bahamas Vice President Jerome Sawyer. (Bottom row from left) Miss New Providence Andrea Bowleg, Miss Long Island Ashley Hamilton, Musician Dyson Knight, Island Game Executive Director of Administration and Finance Erica Laing and Island Game Business Development Manager Chigozie Ijeoma, Miss Acklins Zoie Hanna and Miss Eleuthera Geena Thompson.

Beauty queens help out at soup kitchen

GLOVES are on. Miss Bahamas contestants help prepare the food.

THE 2016 Miss Bahamas Beauty Pageant contestants teamed up with The Island Game Foundation at their weekly soup kitchen activities recently at the St Francis and Jo-

seph Parish Hall.

The soup kitchen provides hot meals and food items to the less fortunate in the area.

The contestants helped to organise and package the

MISS Bahamas contestants help the staff of the soup kitchen at St Francis & Joseph distribute meals.

Sail Master/Coach

NEEDED • Male or female.

• Must be a qualified sailor with extensive racing experience • Qualified to coach junior sailing program • Boats are Optimists and Sunfish/Laser (16 boats) and Brenta 30’s (4boats) • Good people motivator/social coordinator • Base salary $45,000.00 per year Please send resume to: vshippingbahamas@gmail.com

food items and took part in the devotions for the morning.

Island Game is a presenting sponsor in this year’s Miss Bahamas Beauty Pageant scheduled for July 24.

PAGE 8, Thursday, June 16, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

Time for the creation of a Police Complaints Authority T

HE Complaints and Corruption Branch/ Unit (CCU) of the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) should be disbanded and replaced by a Police Complaints Authority.

As it stands, the concept of the CCU is representative of a rigged process, with the branch serving as a terrible design for police accountability.

To say that one police branch can fairly investigate officers - with whom the personnel at the unit may have just worked arm-in-arm before being transferred is preposterous. Here, we have a set-up where officers are transferred in and out of the CCU in much the same way as they are transferred from one police station to another, from one island to another, from the K9 unit to the Drug Enforcement Unit to the Central Detective Unit to mobile to the band and so on. It is incestuous.

This failed experiment ought to be scrapped, immediately.

The Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) is comprised of about 3,500 officers, including police reservists. A little more than half are situated in New Providence and the rest are spread between the Family Islands. If the New York Police Department (NYPD) - a force of 34,450 with nearly 4,500 additional Auxiliary Police Officers, 5,000 School Safety Agents, 2,300 Traffic Enforcement Agents and 370 Traffic Enforcement Supervisors could face similar issues of transparency and be subjected to external investigations, then certainly a force of 3,500 regular and reserve officers would mean that almost every officer knows the other and therefore it is

A Young Man’s View

By ADRIAN GIBSON

simply too small - barring With a beer in his hand the any other reason - to have a man known as (the Officer) properly functioning CCU. approached the counter for If I was an officer, how service as he was off duty could one impartially in- and in his plain clothes. I vestigate me if I formerly offered him a beer, took his worked alongside them, put empty beer bottle off the my life on the line for them counter and discarded it. I or if they are my family or then proceeded to give (the formerly my commanding Officer)his change for a $3 officer? I know a family of beer from a $50 bill. I refour or five brothers and turned $47 to (the Officer) sister/s, all of whom are and remained behind the members of the RBPF - not counter. (The officer) then to mention their cousins. proceeded to harass one Bahamians should have of my customers that were no confidence in the CCU. seated at the bar counter Any references to it are with his head down resting. erased from (The Officer) the Police Act After that kept pushing (i.e. section my customer officer 81). in attempt admitted to On August to wake him 12, 2015, Jon- brutalising this and repeatnique Pratt, of 28-year-old young edly shook Money Rock, and pushed South An- woman, he was on the young dros, was se- allowed to remain man. I interverely beaten vened stating on the police by a police that the young officer who force.’ man had patwas formerly ronised my posted there. Ms Pratt is the establishment all day and owner and manager at All- therefore I was okay with Stars Restaurant in High him resting if he needed to Rock, South Andros. as he waited for his friend I have opted not to men- to be ready to leave.” tion the police officer’s She went on: “(The Ofname today as Ms Pratt ficer) walked over to the is initiating legal action pool table and picked up against him. I will instead the white cue ball and startrefer to him as “the Of- ed fussing with the friend ficer”. In her letter to the of the gentleman that was CCU, she wrote: sleeping at the counter. I “At about 9.30pm, a man approached the table after of about 5ft 10in tall, stalky feeling the tension escain size with light brown com- late in the room. As I atplexion and a low cut fade tempted to reach for the entered my business place cue ball from (the Officer) at All-Stars Restaurant in he made the statement High Rock, South Andros. that, “if I touch him that’s

‘

POLICE Commissioner Ellison Greenslade. assault”. With that being said I turned around and went back behind the bar counter and called the police station in Kemp’s Bay at 369-4736. I informed the on duty officer at the station that (the Officer) was at All-Stars Restaurant harassing my customers and I needed immediate assistance. I then took out the $50 bill given to me by (the Officer) and returned his funds to him requesting my change. I informed him that I am making the decision not to serve him nor to charge him for his open drink and then I asked him to leave. (The Officer) took both the $50 bill and the $47 in change and put all of the monies into his pocket.

He proceeded to walk out the door to his vehicle. At this point the other customers had already gone back to their own business and playing games as before.

“I walked out the door behind (the Officer) followed by my co-worker Nicky Rolle. I informed (the Officer) that I had already contacted the police regarding his behaviour so he should just return the change to me or we can wait until they arrive to resolve the matter. The Officer spun around from trying to open his car door and told me to get out of his face before he strikes me down … he suddenly and unexpectedly shoved me to the ground. I got up yelling that I would press charges and he was not to leave until the police arrived to recover my funds and take my statement for him shoving me.

He jumped in his car and I told Nicky to have someone call the station again. By this time the customers in the restaurant have noticed the commotion outside and some of them come into the parking lot to see what is going on …. the Officer proceeded to argue with customers and I intervened to stop the situation from escalating. I did this by letting everyone know the police were on their way.

That being said the Officer drove through my landscaping to get out of the parking lot and proceeded to speed down the road out of sight. I got in my vehicle and went straight to the police station,” she wrote.

Ms Pratt told the CCU: “I met (the Officer) already lying to the on-duty officer that we tried to gang him in the parking lot and when he saw me he started yelling and directing the onduty officer to arrest me. I stated to the (the corporal) on duty that I would like to file a complaint against (the Officer) for pushing me to the ground given I had abrasions on my back and dirt on my shirt and shoulders. (The Officer) proceeded to yell at me and call me “a stupid bitch” repeatedly. I could not get a word in. He became more aggressive and started approaching me. (The corporal) stood between us yelling at (the Officer) “cop calm down, cop calm down.” To no avail the Officer started threatening to strike me. Saying “I don’t know anything, if I think I could do something to him.

I can’t do him anything and he doesn’t know what I came there for because I assaulted him.” He got in my face yelling again and

the corporal tried to intervene by telling (the Officer) to calm down. He would not. (The Officer) suddenly struck me to my left jaw and drops me straight to the police station floor flat on my back. I started yelling (to the corporal) to do something and he reached down to help me up ... (the Officer) charged at me again so I got up off the floor … (the Officer was) cussing at me and calling me a “bitch” … (I then hid behind the corporal) completely unsure of his ability to protect me from (the Officer) as he taunts me and tries to get at me. I then ran behind the plexiglass window where civilians are not allowed in attempt to grab the phone and call 911.”

Ms Pratt stated that the supervising officer soon arrived in the police station, calmed the situation as best he could and sent her to the local clinic. Upon her return to the station, she told the CCU: “As I gave my statement (the Officer) returned, yelling and creating a scene in the police station yet again.

He was walking around taunting me and lying about the events of the night so loudly that I could hear him from the back room where I gave my statement. As I sat there with (the corporal) and a female reserve officer.

I began to get frightened (as I was) again unaware of (the Officer’s) intentions. I was shaking and stopped giving my statement. I asked (the corporal) if he should be there taunting me as I gave my statement and refused to complete my statement until (the Officer) was removed from the hallway and I felt safe.”

She went on: “In the first altercation where (the Officer) pushed me in the parking lot I received abrasions and bruises to my right shoulder and side. In the second altercation I cut my lower lip, chipped my two middle bottom teeth, locked my jaw, locked two fingers, split my cheek on the inside, cut my tongue and the left side of my face is swollen. I received the $47 change back from (the Officer after the Officerin-Charge) forced him to return my funds and (the Officere-in-Charge) requested that I appended my statement with a note that I received my funds in full.”

ASTOUNDING There is much more to her story, including witness accounts. However, what is most astounding is the fact that after that officer admitted to brutalising this 28-year-old young woman, he was allowed to remain on the police force. The CCU told her that the Officer was merely docked 10 days’ pay, supposedly demoted and transferred from Andros to New Providence. What’s more, this young woman and one of her employees and a customer (both witnesses) - were charged with assault and obstruction only to have the trumped charges subsequently withdrawn.

Ms Pratt has written to the Commissioner of Police (COP) and she was told by someone in his office that her letter would not be passed on to the Commis-

sioner because he should not know about her case because it is before the Tribunal. That was months ago.

Moreover, she has travelled from Andros on several occasions to visit the CCU for a letter or a certificate of conviction telling her of the outcome of the case. She has been given the run around on four different occasions since January. The CCU invited her to have her lawyer speak to the COP and also to retrieve the certificate of conviction. I have spoken to her attorney, who informed me that though she has called the CCU on countless occasions and written two or three letters, she too has been given the run around.

There is clearly a lack of accountability here.

Accountability speaks to answerability for performance. It also speaks to a responsibility to discharge one’s duties in a manner satisfactory to whoever may be the beneficiary of such duties or responsibilities.

This case is representative of yet another failure of the CCU to thoroughly address public complaints.

Police officers should be accountable to the people, the law and the organisation. Their accountability to the Bahamian people has been steadily eroded and distorted.

Although section 78 of the Police Act calls for a Police Complaints Inspectorate, which would review the investigation and determination of a complaint by the CCU, we see no civilian oversight. Whatever happened to adherence to Article Two of the United Nations Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials?

The COP is accountable to the executive, managing and administering the force, with what can hardly be described as operational independence. As it stands, the current COP’s superintendence of the RBPF leaves much to be desired.

The COP should be accountable to Parliament.

We have a “ruler supportive” police force.

This notion that the police can handle complaints against the police is nothing short of a farcical pretence meant to fool the public into trusting an internal system that little to nothing is known about, a system that can withhold documents and evidence pertaining to an investigation when requested by a complainant and/or their attorneys, a system where the COP and/ or his officers with charge of a matter hardly, if ever, formally respond to a complainant or their legal counsel. This failure to respond appears to be an insincere means by which to protect the organisation and/or unethical officers against law suits. What they don’t appear to realise that any sensible lawyer/complainant could issue summons for discovery and disclosure and still obtain the same, with costs.

According to Colleen Lewis, in her seminal work ‘Complaints Against the Police’, the police are the “gatekeepers of the criminal justice system” having been entrusted with “considerable coercive powers and a significant degree of discretion”. That discretion

THE TRIBUNE

is not rigid but rather, in the an officer’s sworn duty. It words of Lord Denning in makes allegiance to fellow the case R v Commissioner officers - even corrupt ones of Police of the Metropolis, - more important than alex parte Blackburn [1968] legiance to the Department 2 QB 118, “that the police and the community. When have a wide discretion in this happens loyalty itself enforcing the law”. That becomes corrupt and erects discretion the strongPolice officers ought not be est barrierabused but sto corrupshould be must be, as tion control: accountable to Lewis asthe code of serts, “exer- the people, the law silence and cised fairly in and the organisation. the “Us vs the interests menTheir accountability Them” of justice”. tality.”

The blue to the Bahamian Accordcurtain of si- people has been ing to Lewis: lence engulfs “The police the RBPF. steadily eroded and code of siThere is a distorted.’ lence procode of sitects the kind lence. The brotherhood of behaviour that the “them syndrome is obvious. One against us” mentality can must be caught red handed create. This remains a proband without any reasonable lem for any system which excuse to be fired. Even if handles citizen’s grievances caught on tape, there are about police conduct but, as those in command - I am is demonstrate below, when told - who would inquire police control the process of the complainants if they the problem is compoundwould not want the matter ed. The following brief look to be dealt with internally at the inadequacy of police rather than simply, and im- controlled, internal acmediately, charging the of- countability policies helps fending officers just as they to explain why the handling arrest, charge and pros- of complaints against police ecute everyone else. emerged as a political issue The Mollen Inquiry in the 1950s and 1960s and (1993) on the code of silence why it has intermittently and the police misconduct remained on the political in the New York City Police agenda ever since.”

Department stated: “A common and signifi“Group loyalty often cant factor for the breakflourished at the expense of down in police account-

‘

Thursday, June 16, 2016, PAGE 9

ability centred around the closed and secretive police controlled, internal system of handling citizens’ complaints and the lack of effective redress it provides for complainants.”

Indeed, given the accounts of police violence, misconduct, insensitivity and corrupt behaviour, how could a discerning public trust their internal processes to honestly hold police officers accountable, to properly handle complaints. I certainly don’t.

CLOSED SYSTEM It is foolish too, in Lewis’ words, to expect this “closed system” to “investigate future partners or superiors but lends credence to the argument that it is unrealistic to expect them to investigate former partners, superiors or colleagues who, as members of the same closed system, have shared departmental, district and station problems and are inculcated with the same strong culture. To use the police family analogy, asking police to investigate their colleagues through internal only processes is akin to asking brothers and sisters to investigate each other or their parents.”

I couldn’t agree more.

According to Jerome Skolnick and James Fyfe

in their book ‘Above The Law: Police Use and Abuse of Excessive Force’: “Once they are inside, new officers’ behaviour, perceptions, and values are influenced enormously by their administrators, and there develops within police departments a shared view of the world and the role of the police in it. To be sure, the routine of policing is governed in large measure by peer pressures and by the desire for peer approval, but, whether through act or omission, the chief is to the main architect of police officers’ street behaviour ...”

An external, independent body is needed to oversee police complaints. The CCU ought to be folded and those officers re-assigned to carry out police work in other pertinent areas.

In order to ensure a transparent system of checks and balances, complaints against the police and the complaints process must be externally scrutinised.

To use Lewis’ words, “the receipt, investigation, determination and discipline of the police” should be the exclusive responsibility of an external independent, civilian agency. The current legislative framework of the Police Act is unaccommodating and serves to prop up this notion of more of the same, of police offic-

ers being able to investigate other police officers.

“This policy also means that if honest police have no faith in their internal investigation section which, it is argued, was the case in Queensland before the Fitzgerald Inquiry (1989), they have nowhere to go with their concerns.

Through no fault of their own they are forced to remain loyal to a code which protects immoral and illegal behaviour and to turn a blind eye to misconduct, violence or corruption of some police officers. This unjust and unsatisfactory situation only serves to strengthen the ‘blue curtain of silence’, a well-documented cause of sustained endemic police corruption and abuse. By maintaining such a policy governments run the risk of allowing the ethical standards of the police organisation to be set according to the “lowest common denominator” principle. When a scandal erupts, as it inevitably does under such conditions, the community tends to judge the entire force on the basis of those standards and is often faced with having to fund yet another commission of inquiry into police misconduct,” Lewis wrote.

We certainly need such a commission of inquiry given the widespread instances

of police malpractice, corruption, the excessive use of force and this notion by some officers that they are above the law. No one is beyond accountability, right?

Why are suspects being questioned by police without being advised of their rights? Why are confessions being coerced and/or beaten out of people?

A Police Complaints Authority - comprised of retired civil servants, police officers and members of civil society - can ensure greater police accountability, elevate standards for quality policing, investigate police abuse of power and assist with eliminating this unwillingness to expose cases of police malfeasance that we currently see. At present, the CCU is betraying the public’s trust.

We need an independent inspectorate of the RBPF, one tasked with the inspection of police stations in an effort to promote efficiency and effective law enforcement standards. We, the public, are tired of seeing, hearing and experiencing misuse of police power and being subjected to these excesses, gross human rights violations and police highhandedness. The days of institutionalised corruption are over.

Comments and responses ajbahama@hotmail.com

PAGE 10, Thursday, June 16, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

JUDGE ASKED TO RULE ON WITNESS ANONYMITY IN TRIAL

By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A JUDGE has been asked by the Crown to allow a witness anonymity order to remain in place during the trial of a man accused of committing murder.

Axanthio Thompson,

YOUR

and his lawyer Wayne Munroe, QC questioned if the order sought by prosecutor Halicia Delancy covered just the start of trial or the whole proceeding in relation to the November 2014 murder of Loren Jermaine Rolle.

Rolle was shot and killed in front of a home in Yellow

Elder Gardens.

Mr Munroe argued that if the latter condition was imposed, then it would have a great prejudicial affect on his client’s ability to prepare a defence to allegations to which he has pleaded not guilty.

Ms Delancy told Senior Justice Stephen Isaacs that

CHOICE FOR THE FAMILY WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/JOYFM1019

the order was put in place in March 2015 in the Magistrate’s Court.

The extension is sought because the prosecution’s case, argued Ms Delancy, is based on the account of an eyewitness who is hesitant to give evidence if their identity and location is not shielded.

Mr Munroe said if there was evidence of fear then allowing the order to remain in place until the start of trial would be justified. Any other option, he added, placed his client’s right to prepare a defence at risk because he would not know if the witness is truly anonymous

and whether the evidence may be motivated by malicious intent.

Senior Justice Isaacs said he would deliver a decision on Friday, June 17, at 9.30am.

Ryszard Humes also appeared for the 28-year-old accused in yesterday’s application by the Crown.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, June 16, 2016, PAGE 11

Dame Anita ‘should not sit on cases of same-sex marriage’ from page one

necessary to conclusively rule out same-sex unions.

Responding yesterday, Mr Moss said: “My starting position is she must prepare to recuse herself from any application that comes before her because clearly she has a fixed view on this and that’s unfortunate. You cannot give that kind of lecture and then at the end of it say you haven’t made up your mind. You clearly have an activist view toward what should happen in this country.

“There are people who have an activist approach to causing the laws of the Bahamas to allow for samesex marriage and who are antagonistic towards the expression of the will of the people in the referendum that just happened. To the extent that public policy of the Bahamas is meant to be a reflection of the will of the people, then in that referendum just held last week the will of the people and the public policy of The Bahamas must be interpreted in

DAME Anita Allen speaking at the Eugene Dupuch lecture. a way that precludes same- country, Mr Moss said he sex marriage.” does not believe it is necRegarding a statutory essary, but that it would be provision clarifying mar- prudent for legislators to riage entitlement in the include such a provision in

the law and eventually in the Constitution.

“It’s clear marriage is between men and women,” he said. “Common law defines man and woman as being determined by a biological test. Had we put sex in Article 26 (of the Constitution) that would have changed the common law. That said, with the activist agenda that we see out there, it would be prudent to make that clear, to start that process of making that clear by a simple statute which would have the effect of determining what the law of the land is in advance of any challenge to suggest that that law of the land is contrary to the Constitution.”

Paul Moss, a lawyer connected to one of the referendum’s vote ‘no’ campaigns, also said yesterday that Dame Anita’s comments about marriage were “wholly inappropriate”.

“As a sitting judge, her opinion should be confined to herself and not the public,” he said in an email to The Tribune.

“She has voiced an opinion and sought to give cre-

‘NO NEED TO CLARIFY LAW ON MARRIAGE’ from page one

Mr McWeeney said he found Dame Anita’s controversial and highly anticipated presentation, “erudite, balanced, provocative and above all else intellectually honest”.

But on the issue of a clarifying statutory provision that says marriages not involving a man and a woman are void, he said if Prime Minister Perry Christie were to seek his advice on the matter he would recommend not implementing such a provision.

“Where statute is silent,” he said, “a basic principle is a common law fills the vacuum and common law is extremely clear that the only marriage that is valid is one between a man and a woman. So even if a statute is not clear about an issue, one would look at what the common law says to determine what to do.”

Nonetheless, in its report in 2013, the Constitutional Commission recommended to the government that it include such a provision to note explicitly that laws prohibiting same-sex marriage in the country would

not be inconsistent with the Constitution.

“It was a specific proposal from various elements of the religious community,” he said yesterday.

“Persons like Pastor Rex Major appeared before the commission with that recommendation. But ultimately, the Constitution is not the place to define marriage. That should be left over to the legislature.

And in any case, it wasn’t necessary.”

Mr McWeeney maintained his belief that the failure of the fourth referendum bill will make it

easier to argue that prohibiting same-sex marriage is unconstitutional.

That bill sought to end discrimination based on sex, which was defined as being male or female.

“What has happened now is the Bahamian people have missed the opportunity to narrow the meaning of sex,” he said.

If a same-sex couple were to seek marriage in this country, Mr McWeeney expressed confidence that the challenge would be vigorously opposed by the Office of the Attorney General.

dence to the voices of the ‘yes’ vote campaign. As a member of the bench, this is non-conventional as any matter of this nature that may come before a panel that sits on, her recusal is required.”

During her speech at the British Colonial Hilton, Dame Anita emphasised that she was giving her personal opinion and was not presenting views endorsed by the Court of Appeal.

“We are now a multicultural and multi-faith society, in which many

do not ascribe to JudeoChristian beliefs,” Dame Anita said.

“And in determining the way forward it may well be necessary to give serious consideration to whether there is any longer any reason why the contours of contemporary secular marriage should continue to be shaped by Judeo-Christian doctrine ... Why should sexual orientation or gender identity deprive two consenting adults of the right to enter into a contract of marriage?”

Isn’t Your Health Worth It?

Career Opportunity

Occupational Therapist Supervisor In the Rehabilitation Department of Doctors Hospital

Position Summary

The successful candidate: •

Provides leadership and effectively manages team performance

•

Develops and effectively implements plan for management of assigned service area

•

Demonstrates competence in training staff and efficiently reviewing patient medical records

•

Competent to conduct one-on-one patient interviews and assessments and create treatment plans

•

Coordinates discharge planning and effectively communicates with multi-disciplinary team

•

Able to demonstrate professionalism in providing appropriate Occupational Therapy information to patients, family/caregivers, students and other members of the DHHS community

•

Assesses departmental workload and available staffing levels; assigns staff to ensure timely service delivery and effectively manages care delivery on assigned shifts

•

Assists with update of protocols and various departments policies and practices and ensures adherence to them

Personal Attributes •

Strong leadership and influencing abilities

•

Demonstrates clinical knowledge and reasoning; ability to make sound decisions

•

Skilled at developing the performance and technical skills of the team Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

•

Qualifications/Education • • • •

5 years experience and at least 1 year as a Senior Therapist Bachelors, Masters, or Doctorate Degree in Occupational Therapy Exposure working in various settings: Outpatient, Inpatient, Home-care, Skilled Nursing Facility etc Certifications: CPR/BLS; Clinical Instructor certification; HPC registered

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interviews.

Application deadline: Monday, June 27th, 2016

Please submit resume to: The Human Resources Department Doctors Hospital P.O. Box N-3018 Nassau, Bahamas Fax us at: (242) 302-4738 Email: hr@doctorshosp.com Website: www.doctorshosp.com

I

I

I

PAGE 12, Thursday, June 16, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

Fishermen call for poachers’ boats to be sunk immediately

from page one marines were involved in a shootout and subsequent high-speed chase with suspected Dominican poachers in the Cay Lobos area on Monday night.

No marines were hurt, nor were any of the vessels damaged during the testy encounter, according to Dr Nottage.

The suspected vessel ultimately escaped capture after it entered Cuban waters and HMBS Cascarilla called off the chase.

“Speaking for an industry, we have gone past the point of negotiations and talking and dealing with these matters passively,”

Mr LaRoda said. “Our military needs to take a firmer stance, and have a no tolerance stance to the point where when these vessels are found they are immediately sunk because we’re past the diplomatic process now.

“We’ve been negotiating now for ten years. We now need to take a stance of action, where no questions are asked, the persons are incarcerated, and the vessels are immediately sunk.

The same way the (United States) does it, that’s what we need to do.”

Mr LaRoda also called for stiffer penalties for poaching, which he suggested should entail lengthy terms of imprisonment for

‘

We’ve been negotiating now for ten years. We now need to take a stance of action, where no questions are asked, the persons are incarcerated, and the vessels are immediately sunk. The same way the (United States) does it, that’s what we need to do.’ those caught in the act.

“The only deterrent is for these people to be kept away from their families for years and years, because the financial impact of illegal fishing far outweighs whatever fines could be imposed on them,” he said.

“So they’re not afraid to pay the fines, and unfortunately the fines in the Bahamas have been fairly low – very low as a matter of fact, com-

pared to other countries with similar issues.

“So yes, a deterrent may be stiffer fines under the new fisheries regulations.

That could be a major deterrent, but again until that’s enacted, until that’s put into force, we do not know how much of a deterrent it is. And for the life of me I can’t figure out why that has not been brought to Parliament yet.”

WILCHCOMBE: WE ARE ALL TO BLAME FOR CRIME LEVELS from page one

He was also adamant that while violent crimes are a challenge, The Bahamas has the lowest levels of criminality against tourists.

This comes after the Canadian government again warned its citizens last week about crime in New Providence.

The advisory, posted on

the Canadian government’s website www.canada.ca, said that while there is no nationwide advisory in effect for The Bahamas, its citizens should “exercise a high degree of caution” due to “high rates of crime, particularly in Nassau.”

The warning comes just months after the US Embassy in Nassau issued a Christmas crime warning for American residents living in the Bahamas or planning to travel to this country.

“I think the Bahamian people should receive this flack for all of us because our nation is being poorly, in my view, defined because of circumstances and situations that come from a small group of people,” Mr Wilchcombe told reporters in the foyer of the House of Assembly yesterday.

“The truth is we have to deal with the issue, which means that our war on crime must be a very strong one, continuous, deliberate and very focused.”

He added: “We might not see the immediate impact but there is some impact and people might be hesitant to come particularly

Mr LaRoda also said it is “sad” that it took Monday’s incident to illustrate the dangers Bahamian fishermen face at sea, particularly in the southern Bahamas.

“It’s normal to have 11 poaching vessels out on the fishing grounds, compared to the two or three Bahamian vessels,” Mr LaRoda said. “And if you have 11 (poaching) boats out there, and each boat has 30 to 40 men on it, that’s a real threat. And we have been complaining about these things for years.”

He added: “At one point the politicians used to make fun of it and say oh we’re seeing ghosts, ‘the fishermen are seeing ghosts.’

Well now the ghosts shot at

the Defence Force boat.”

The government has previously engaged the Dominican government in discussions in an attempt to curb the long-standing problem of poachers from that country robbing Bahamian waters of hundreds of thousands of pounds of seafood.

On Tuesday, Dr Nottage said Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Fred Mitchell, who is in the Dominican Republic on government business, has taken Monday’s incident up with the government there.

Dr Nottage also said he has directed an “immediate and thorough investigation” into the matter by law enforcement agencies.

OBIE WILCHCOMBE because of what the world is seeing with other types of crime. So when you say crime, the category is not necessarily defined and can send the wrong message about your country. The Bahamas must return to its image of a place of hospitality, a place where our people ensure that it is better in the Bahamas.”

Despite Canada’s recent crime warning, Mr Wilchcombe said this country continues to have a good response from visitors in that region.

“Our tourism industry has grown. We are having a tremendous response from the Canadian market (and) tremendous response from the United States and other markets around the world.

“And so the crime warnings have an impact. You don’t see it immediately but you begin to see a degree of hesitance (from) visitors or some having difficulty even considering the Bahamas and destinations that face such circumstances,” the minister said.

Meanwhile, during his budget communication yesterday St Anne’s MP Hubert Chipman slammed the government for its inability

to get a handle on crime.

He said despite the government’s promise to deal with the issue, the country was no safer now than it was four years ago when the Christie administration took office.

On Monday, National Security Minister Dr Bernard Nottage had very little to say about violent crime when he was questioned

by The Tribune, however he told a local daily that overall crime was down this year compared to the same period in 2015.

On Sunday, three new homicides were added to the murder count, pushing it to 56 for the year. Up to this time last year, the country had recorded 69 homicides, a difference of 18 per cent. However, 2015 was a record-breaking year for homicides, with police recording 146 that year.

Dr Nottage added that Sunday’s murders were “unusual” considering crime trends this year.

This attracted harsh criticism from Free National Movement Leader Dr Hubert Minnis who said the comments were “deaf” and “insensitive”.

THE TRIBUNE

DELIGHT FOR LYFORD CAY GRADUATES LYFORD CAY International School’s graduating class of 2016 represent nine different nationalities and speak seven languages.

They will attend universities in five countries on three continents, with nine of the graduates having received over $1.3m in financial awards for their studies abroad.

Last week, LCIS hosted the 2016 graduation ceremony at the Meliã Nassau Beach Hotel. Vikram Gandhi, founder of VSG Capital Advisors Pvt Ltd and Asha Impact, gave the commencement address, telling students about four ideas he believes would help them to lead successful lives - atomic living (knowing when to trust your instincts), essentialism (the relentless pursuit of less), not ‘sweating’ the small stuff and making an impact every day.

“Focus on what is impor-

tant to you and cut out the noise,” Mr Gandhi said, imploring the graduates to find value in the small things of life and to “make an impact on a daily basis”.

He said the definition of impact is “a very personal thing” and that, throughout life, we all must continually ask ourselves, “Did I contribute something meaningful?”

Valedictorian Michael Mindorff delivered the class address. Charging the graduates to hold on to the social consciousness of the International Baccalaureate curriculum they have studied, he asserted “It does not take much to be the light in the dark, to help someone along a path.

When it takes so little to make a difference ... apathy is inexcusable.”

At each graduation ceremony, LCIS acknowledges members of the graduating

LIMITED

Wilton Street Next to DW Davis School Tel: 325-3507, 394-0835 Open Monday to Friday 7am to 4pm Saturday 7am - 3pm

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK!

class who have attended the school for all of their academic lives. These alumni are affectionately known as “Lyford Lyfers”. This year’s newly-inducted “Lyfer” was Gabrielle Hollaender. She was presented with a commemorative award by her first teacher, Colleen Kemp, who has worked at LCIS for 26 years.

LCIS principal Dr Stacey Bobo gave her address.

Impact was a continuous theme throughout the evening, as she not only congratulated the graduates on their many achievements, but also encouraged them to strive to make an impact on the lives of every person they encounter in their futures.

“Small acts of kindness can change the path of another person. Nurture positive values by making a difference in your communities,” said Dr Bobo.

Wall Clocks Shower Curtains Oster Appliances Rubbermaid Coolers & Storage Bins Frying Pans (Various Sizes) Wood & Plastic Clothes Hangers New Lighting Supplies & Flashlights ... and so much more!

Thursday, June 16, 2016, PAGE 13

THE 2016 graduating class of Lyford Cay International School.

PAGE 14, Thursday, June 16, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

YOUTH ENVIRONMENT GROUP TO HELP TACKLE UNEMPLOYMENT KENRED Dorsett, Minister of the Environment and Housing, announced the establishment of the Youth Environmental Corps yesterday, a programme devised to assist in relieving unemployment.

Mr Dorsett said that the programme will provide apprenticeship and training for young Bahamians in the developing green and blue economies and will cater to hundreds of Bahamian workers aged between 17

and 40 over the next five years.

Mr Dorsett said the government envisages 1,200 jobs will be created over the next four years. The Youth Environmental Corps will work with the Bahamas National Trust (BNT), the Bahamas Public Parks and Public Beaches Authority and the Forestry Unit of the Department of the Environment.

He said that the BNT had “a significant financial

gap” and was unable to pay for the human resources needed to manage the Bahamas’ marine protected areas and national parks.

The Youth Environmental Corps would help to reduce that economic gap “and enhance our ability to protect and manage these resources”.

The Forestry Unit is expected to take on 200 people over the next five years.

The Bahamas Public Parks and Public Beaches author-

ity is expected to engage between 100 and 300 people as orientation and training begins for the wardens and staff required to begin work on the proposed Lake Killarney National Park and the National Hero’s Garden, in the Botanical Gardens.

The Lake Killarney National Park will be developed over a five-year period and will provide over 19.5 miles of walking trails and boardwalks. It will provide

facilities for bird watching, kayaking, snorkelling and relaxation. During the development phases, hundreds of green and blue jobs will be created.

“The Youth Environmental Corps is a work programme for young adults to learn valuable job skills in construction, painting, landscape, maintenance, forestry and park warden services,” Mr Dorsett said.

“Some of the projects they will be involved with

include maintaining trails, constructing pathways, planting trees and shrubs, propogations, replanting mangroves, diving and coral restoration, learning and labelling protected trees, basic forest management skills, installing irrigation systems, building and repairing fencing, park benches and gazebos.

“I look forward to the young people of the country taking advantage of this opportunity.”

DAVID HUMES, right, at the Supa Kutz free haircut for senior citizens.

FREE HAIRCUTS FOR SENIOR CITIZENS AS BARBER GIVES BACK TO THE COMMUNITY DAVID Humes says an early morning meditation led him to understand that the changes he wanted to see in his community had to start with him.

This week, his Supa Kutz barber salon on Nassau Street hosted its second annual Senior Citizen’s Day. The five-hour event saw some 80 senior citizens bused from around New

Providence to the Fort Charlotte salon and treated to free haircuts and a day of entertainment, food and drink and games.

“It is a blessing that we’ve made it to this point,” Mr Humes told The Tribune.

“This was an idea that came out of an early morning talk I had with God. He told me that this is what I had to do and I have never

looked back.”

Mr Humes, a barber for nearly 13 years, said he wanted to bring happiness to a generation of residents that have done so much for Bahamian society.

The inaugural event last year saw some 40 people assisted. Mr Humes said his focus is on a big and better event.

Parents,

Looking for a clean, safe and stimulating environment for your kids this summer? need fun summer activities that are a cut above the rest?

SUPA Kutz held a free haircut for senior citizens day at Nassau Street on June 8. David Humes, the owner of Supa Kutz, is pictured left.

Then enroll your kids now for

Summer at Sojourner A summer Day Camp for Active Minds Ages 5 - 13

July 4th to July 29th, 2016

Weekly Themes with interactive activities centered around: *The Environment * Bahamian History & Heritage * It’s All About You * Self Sufficiency ** Also ask about our special Math and Reading tutoring Program

Clean, comfortable, modern surroundings $100.00 weekly (includes lunch, snacks & field trips) $375.00 special monthly registration discount Call Now: 394-8570 Space is Limited Registration Deadline is Monday, 27th June

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, June 16, 2016, PAGE 15

Meetings to be held to brief residents on NHI THE National Health Insurance Secretariat will hold five town hall meetings on June 22 and June 23 in Acklins, Crooked Island, Freeport and Abaco.

Members of the NHI Secretariat, including Dr Kevin Bowe, deputy director for NHI; Elizabeth Keju, NHI consultant, administration and public management of change; and Damara Dillett, NHI legal consultant will facilitate the presentations and take questions from the audience.

The presentations are designed to inform the general public about the benefits and phases of NHI Bahamas, along with separate

TOWN HALL MEETINGS DATES

Snug Corner, Acklins Wednesday, June 22 6.30pm Snug Corner Primary School

Crossing Rocks, Abaco Wednesday, June 22 5.30pm Crossing Rocks Primary School Sandy Point, Abaco Wednesday, June 22 7.30pm ongoing health care system strengthening activities.

All residents are invited

St Martin’s Church

Anglican

Crooked Island Thursday, June 23 5pm Crooked Island High School Freeport, Grand Bahama Thursday, June 23 6pm Bahamas Union of Teachers Grand Bahama Building. and encouraged to attend these information meetings.

YOUR RESPONSE TO DAME ANITA’S COMMENTS ON SAME-SEX MARRIAGE AFTER Court of Appeal President Dame Anita Allen said the judiciary was likely to face challenges in determining whether samesex marriages are legal in The Bahamas, readers gave their reaction on tribune242.com.

Well_mudda_take_sic said: “It is simply unconscionable and highly unethical, and most inappropriate to say the least, for the sitting President of our Court of Appeal to take it upon herself to publicly opine on a possible road map to same-sex marriage in our country and then encourage “some courageous and astute Bahamian advocate” to recognize that he or she “might succeed in convincing a court that the right to marry is located in one or more of the aforementioned fundamental rights”

that she considers relevant to the issue.”

But Finola had praise for Dame Anita: “In much the same way that judges sitting on the Supreme Court in the US regularly speak about progress of the law, Dame Anita has done so and should be commended for doing so in a manner that is thorough and in a lecture at a law school where students should be called on to critically analyse the law and its progression. That she did so after the referendum and not before, is to her credit.”

There was this from Economist: “From an eco-

nomical point of view we would have been better off with a ‘Yes’ vote for all the Bills. It now looks as if we will have a poor economy and same sex marriage.

Where is the wisdom in that?”

And Reality_Check offered: “Joan Sawyer had retired and therefore was not a sitting judge at the time she weighed in with her personal view that a “Yes” vote to question #4 would effectively be in support of same-sex marriage. For Anita Allen to say what she has said while still sitting as President of the Court of Appeal is astonishingly unethical even though her remarks come after the recent referendum.”

• Don’t miss your chance to join the debate on tribune242.com.

PAGE 16, Thursday, June 16, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

CONGRATULATIONS to Team Longs Marine in Grand Bahama for winning the annual Harbourside marine Bahamas Rotary Tuna Classic.

FISHING around the islands of the Bahamas has been spectacular again this week, according the Bahamas Sport Fishing Network’s (BSFN) experts.

Keep checking the BSFN expert page for fishing reports throughout the archipelago: this will be helpful in tracking the “hot spots” and providing advice on gear and fishing methods being used.

For a sample of the spectacular fishing to be had in The Bahamas, expert advice, tournament dates and results, informative features and photo galleries visit the BSFN page at tribune242.com or www. bsfn.biz.

BSFN slideshows can be found on USA Today’s website in the Travel section at experience.usatoday.com.

LAVON SCHWARTZ landed this nice 42lb Yellowfin Tuna near Andros.

WAYNE RUSSELL with the winning 69lb Yellowfin Tuna in the Harbourside marine Bahamas Rotary Tuna Classic.

BSFN expert Chang Sieng Chin on the fish in Exuma.

BLACKFLY LODGE in Abaco put their guest John on a Permit for the first time.

Career Opportunity

Career Opportunity

Scotiabank (Bahamas) Limited – Freeport Branch is seeking the services of a

Scotiabank Caribbean Treasury Limited

Personal Banking Officer

Assistant Trader

is seeking the services of an

Position Summary:

Position Summary:

The Personal Banking Officer is a member of the branch team and is responsible for contributing to the overall success of the branch at which they are assigned by meeting negotiated goals through the identification and satisfaction of customer needs. Success will be achieved through meeting the goals negotiated with the branch manager. These assigned goals include specific personal sales goals, sales activity goals, along with other objectives relating to teamwork, customer service and personal development.

The Assistant Trader is a member of the Scotia Caribbean Treasury Front Office team and is responsible for assisting with the overall management of the cash book. This includes setting daily interest rates, managing the gap positions, writing deal tickets and checking all reports for accuracy.

Key Accountabilities for this role: • Identifying and satisfying the financial needs of potential customers; • Listening to and fully identifying the customer’s needs to link the identified need to appropriate solutions; • Using the Bank’s referral process when a referral opportunity is identified; • Initiating calls to a predetermined group of customers to retain and expand banking relationships, by offering customized solutions to customers; • Developing new customer opportunities through referrals from existing, satisfied clients and other sources; • Consistently delivering the desired customer experience during every customer interaction; • Applying the Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements including verifying and documenting Customer identity, source(s) of funds and the nature of the activity that is to be undertaken.

Educational Requirements: • Three years of related experience within the finance industry, in a Lending capacity; • Undergraduate Degree in Banking, Marketing or General Business

Functional Competencies: • • • • • • • •

Strong sales ability; Thorough knowledge of all Commercial Banking products and services; Excellent written and oral communication skills, negotiation and analytical skills; Good technical knowledge of Banking Systems and platforms; Strong Relationship Management Skills; Strong Customer Service Skills; Strong networking and interpersonal skills; Goal oriented and a self-starter

Qualified candidates should submit C.V. via email to: hrbahamas@scotiabank.com on or before June 22, 2016

Key Accountabilities for this role: • Ensure all treasury activity is conducted in accordance with prevailing Treasury Risk Management policies and practices; • Assist in managing the unit’s funding and liquidity activity to achieve an optimum funding position; • Monitoring daily positions to minimize the effect of adverse conditions and profitably to employ surplus funds; • Ensure adequate and accurate management information reports sufficient to satisfy the requirements of Senior Management are delivered in a timely fashion.

Educational Requirements: • Five years of related experience within the finance industry; • Undergraduate Degree in Finance or Economics.

Functional Competencies: • Thorough knowledge of the financial markets gained through formal training or on the job experience; • Excellent knowledge of money market products including swaps, futures, nondeliverable forwards and asset/liability management; • Well versed in economic indicators and the effect they have on the market; • Working knowledge of computers and spreadsheet programs; • Excellent written and oral communication skills, negotiation and analytical skills; • Strong networking and interpersonal skills; • Strong accounting and organizational skills; • Thorough understanding of banking operations and related accounting procedures; • Goal oriented and a self-starter.

This is a temporary assignment and the successful candidate will be placed on a 3 month contract. Qualified candidates should submit C.V. via email to: hrbahamas@scotiabank.com on or before June 22, 2016.

Only candidates short-listed for an interview will be contacted.

Only candidates short-listed for an interview will be contacted.

®Trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia, used under licence (where applicable).

®Trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia, used under licence (where applicable).

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, June 16, 2016, PAGE 17

Why Bahamians face a choice over the global gay agenda

Your Say

By JOEY GASKINS

I

N the newspaper last week, I saw a group of holy men - sitting behind a big table, lined off in front a firing squad of news cameras proudly heralding victory against a sinister and powerful agenda, the purpose of which was to forever alter our way of life in The Bahamas. I guess we should say “Thank you?”

To assure this victory, however, sacrifices had to be made and in this instance that sacrifice was the citizenship of some Bahamian children yet to be born, the non-Bahamian husbands of Bahamian women and protections against discrimination based on sex. Sure, the referendum was not perfect and the political climate surrounding it was not either, but it was made out to be something it was not to stop something it did not represent.

In Orlando this past weekend, other sacrifices were made, but in blood. A man, angered at the sight of men kissing each other, who had also taken to beating his wife regularly, decided that enough was enough. Action needed to be taken and so 49 lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people were slaughtered, along with their allies, while another 53 were seriously wounded.

Indeed, standing between the rhetoric of our would-be saviours who caution against the irreparable damage of yielding to this phantom “global gay agenda” and the mass death in Orlando is also the neat suggestion that an island internment camp should be set up to remove the scourge of homosexuality and gender variance from our communities - all stops along a road to a logical conclusion, just a matter of degrees apart.

From what I can glean, the problem seems to be that LGBTQ people have mustered the gall to ask for, of all things, the same rights, privileges and responsibilities as their heterosexual counterparts.

Equal access to state services - the very same services they pay equal taxes to support - and for protection against violence and discrimination are at the top of the list, but same-sex marriage seems to dominate the conversation.

Besides three countries, 11 of the top 15 safest places on earth for LGBTQ people are also those ranked among the top 25 most peaceful places on earth. A majority of them also rank above the median country for economic stability and general happiness. None of them have been swept into

PASTORS at a press conference following the No vote in the referendum. the ocean, suffered plagues they have taken a wholly or have been destroyed by reductive and fundamentalfire and brimstone - just ist view of what democracy lucky, I guess. Although it actually is; this is, my councould be that, by valuing trymen and women, where the lives and livelihood of Bahamians have to make a minorities who are differ- decision. ent, societies exemplify that Democracies are not just all lives have value. about the power of the vote Never mind what the - if they were, they would evidence shows, many ar- descend into tyrannical mague that allowing for equal jority rule. A central tenet treatment will bring emi- of democracy is that in nent destruction. We are democratic societies every told LGBTQ people are person is equal before and an abomination and to give under the law. Sometimes it them any rights is to en- takes democracies a while dorse their abhorrent be- to come to this reality but haviours. We are even asked the forward march of deto remember a time when mocracy is always toward LGBTQ people equality.

Is it cowered in fear, We forget lying about who that we proconsidered they are, or betfessed, at the deprivation ter still, when framing of our LGBTQ peo- to deny a group supreme law, ple didn’t even of people rights, not just an exist. What a abiding respect time that was - equal treatment, for Christian when the natu- protection and values but also ral order of the the privileges a belief in the world was unfundamental disturbed and that come with rights and freefear kept all being a citizen, doms of the who were dif- whoever they individual, the ferent tucked establishment silently away in may be?’ of a free and their closets. democratic As a result of these ar- sovereign nation and that guments, campaigns in op- our lives would not be frusposition to the so-called trated by any deprivation. “global gay agenda” have Is it considered deprivasprung up across the world. tion to deny a group of peoIn The Bahamas, they re- ple rights, equal treatment, lentlessly shouted “Vote protection and the priviNo” to take action against leges that come with being what they have framed as a citizen, whoever they may Goliath - the brutal giant be? in Biblical lore that stood ready to savage God’s chonfortunately, sen people. some have framed It seems, however, that the rights and Goliath is less a giant and freedoms of the individual more a dwarf on stilts. - true democracy - and the Whether it is bands of cryp- “abiding respect for Christo-Nazis in Russia dragging tian values” as oppositiongay men from their homes al, and set amidst the conor the executioner in Iran flict of these two aspirations hanging men suspected of a battle has emerged. But homosexuality or legisla- the real battle isn’t between tors in Uganda who passed democracy and Christian laws that made homosexu- values, it is between democality punishable by death, racy and fundamentalism. it is David’s savagery that Religious fundamentalworries me more than the ism has seen unrelenting imaginary giant haunting growth throughout the the minds of a few holy 20th century. From Jerry men.

Falwell’s conservative reliWhat many of these gious right to the Taliban in countries have in common Afghanistan to violent rovis their authoritarian po- ing gangs of fundamentalist litical structures. In The Buddhists in Sri Lanka, and Bahamas, opponents of the - yes - even a man so con“global gay agenda” claim flicted about his own sexuto be protecting our demo- ality he was driven to mass cratic sovereignty from murder - fundamentalism is unwanted international the true enemy. pressure. I would venture a What religious fundaguess that like their inter- mentalism purports to do is pretation of Biblical texts, to reclaim order and more

‘

U

EXTENDED WORK NOTICE NEW PROVIDENCE

Wulff Road

(Market Street to Mount Royal Ave) The Water and Sewerage Corporation advises the public its customers and the residents of Wulff Road, from Market Street to Mount Royal Ave. that the Corporation has commenced water main improvement work in their area.

Ongoing work is expected to be completed by July 8th.

During this period there may be an interruption in the water supply, road closures and detours around the work area. The motoring public is therefore asked to avoid this area were possible.

The Corporation apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause and greatly appreciates your continued support as we work to improve our level of service.

Tel: (242) 302-5599 or Toll Free (242) 300-0150 Find out more on

or our website www.wsc.com.bs

JEAN DASILVA, left, is comforted by Felipe Soto, as they mourn the loss of their friend Javier Jorge-Reyes in Sunday’s mass shooting at the Pulse Orlando nightclub. specifically power in a world cay necessary for the very that has changed more rap- cataclysm for which they idly than at any other time hope and pray. in history and it gives the In the Bahamian case, as believer a story to justify is perhaps the case in many their fear and frustrations, other places, our crusadand even their violence. ers are careful to only war That story begins with against the perceived imcreation and concludes with morality of a minority. The the apocalypse. Between shouts of victory against the that history and the coming “global gay agenda” are echfuture, the believer is cast oes sounding from the very simultaneously as both vic- centre of this cycle of fataltim and crusader in a wick- istic thinking. Shooting up ed world with a fiery end. a nightclub is where we find With all their righteous in- ourselves in the extreme dignation, fundamentalists the difference only depends are tasked with protecting on how vigorously some have “traditional morality” at decided to fight for their reall costs. This is of course ward - 72 virgins or not. despite the inevitability of Therefore I reiterate: Bathe end of days, which re- hamians have a decision to quires the very moral decay make. It is not a simple one that fundamentalists claim and it does not concern itto fight against. In the end, self with who we are now but fundamentalists believe with who we intend to be. that they will be judged for Like the Orlando shooter how vigorously they fought we are a society at conflict against the same moral de- internally. We can choose

to hope that the future for us is bright and that we can move forward, upward and onward together as a people no matter how we identify, depending on the strength of our unity; or we can lean on the petty divisions of the past and the apocalyptic foretelling of our future.

We can choose courage to face the world with truly Christians values: love, acceptance and a belief in the best of those around us; or we can choose to be mired in fear, building a wall around ourselves to keep out the spectres birthed from the muck of our own insecurities. We can choose to judge our values as a nation; or to judge our brothers and sisters.

The shooter chose division and doom, he let the fear of who he was and what others would think give power to his insecurities and drive him to vengeance. In the end, instead of coming to terms with who he was, he passed judgement on those around him - the cost of which is untold.

Our choice as a nation is no different and I suggest we choose wisely.

Joey Gaskins is a Bahamian writer, strategist, researcher and advocate who studied political science at Ithaca College, New York.

THE TRIBUNE

Thursday, June 16, 2016, PAGE 19

RAISING A GLASS TO HENNESSY MAURICE-Richard Hennessy gave an insight into the family whose name has become synonymous with cognac over 250 years at the Balmoral Club last night.

Mr Hennessy, the eighth generation of the

family which came from Ireland and settled in south west France to produce the acclaimed variety of brandy sold on five continents, addressed a cocktail event hosted by MAURICE Hennessy speaking at Commonwealth Brewery “An Evening With Hennessy” at Balmoral Club last night.

Ltd.

MAURICE HENNESSY, global brand ambassador, and Hans Nevens, president and managing director of Commonwealth Brewery Ltd, pictured in the centre at the “An Evening With Hennessy” event held at Balmoral Club last night.

Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

DEAL

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Pringles & Coca-Cola promotion. winners

Alvida

Bassett Jana

$20.00 VAT INCLUSIVE

Terrika

Stubbs Campbell