06162023 NEWS, SPORT AND BUSINESS

‘WE WERE BEATEN IN POLICE STATION’

Men allege officers beat them with a hose, bat and PVC pipe while in custody

By LETRE SWEETING Tribune Staff Reporter lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

FIVE men who brawled with police in a bar in Bimini over the weekend said officers beat them “black and blue” with a garden hose, a baseball bat and a PVC pipe after taking them into custody.

One of the men, Leo Sands, said he did not know the men were police officers

Smiles and tears as Watson bows out

when he fought them in the bar. He said the men were not wearing police insignia or uniforms.

He shared photos with The Tribune showing extensive bruises on the leg and bottom of an allegedly beaten man.

He said he wants the three officers allegedly involved in the incident thrown off the police force.

‘We kne W’ Prison Would fail accreditation Bid

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

DOAN Cleare, the acting commissioner of corrections, admitted yesterday that the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services failed an accreditation inspection earlier this year, saying officials knew the prison would “fail miserably”.

He said the most

significant remaining problem is the inadequate toilet system, noting the prison’s slopping practices, a defining characteristic of the institution in Bahamian culture, must be eradicated to be accredited.

He said it would cost about $1.8m to end slopping in the facility, which will involve uprooting floors and cutting walls.

44 Percent of s tudents need ‘urgent intervention’

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

A LEARNING loss survey found that 44 per cent of public school students require urgent learning intervention, Education Minister Glenys Hanna Martin said yesterday.

The ministry surveyed public school students while partnering with Renaissance Learning Inc, a company providing the government $1m in consultancy services for diagnostic

assessment and accelerated learning recovery.

Mrs Hanna Martin said there were two rounds of testing, the second to capture the impact of intervention efforts.

She said 33,420 students were given a reading test in round one, and 29,960 were given the reading test in round two.

She said 29,926 students sat the math test in round

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

FTX’s Bahamian liquidators say it is increasingly likely they will have to battle the US Justice Department in the courts to recover $143m given that prospects of an amicable resolution have become “more remote”.

FTX Bahamian liquidators have received legal advice concluding there are “grounds to challenge” the federal government’s seizure of these funds from the FTX Bahamian subsidiary they oversee.

...as charities ‘liaising’ over cry P to firm’s donations

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

FTX’s Bahamian liquidators are “liaising” with local charities and non-profits over the collective $5.4m in donations they received from the collapsed crypto exchange to determine if they still hold any of these funds.

In their May 24, 2023, report to the Supreme Court revealed that FTX Digital Markets, the Bahamian subsidiary, made some 95 donations during the almost two years immediately prior to the group’s November 2022 implosion.

ft X Bahamas liquidators to fight do J on $143m a ssets

AN emotional Clint Watson said leaving Office of the Prime Minister’s press secretary role to become the new general manager of the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas was not an easy decision. He insisted he was not forced out.

Photo: Moise Amisial

Bahamas - the Road to 50 - people and places

BOWLEG: NATION AL YOUTH POLIC Y A ND LEGISLATION TO BE P RESEN TED BY OCTOBER

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net

YOUTH Sports and Culture Minister Mario Bowleg said a national youth policy would be tabled in the House of Assembly in October.

He acknowledged the policy has been in the works for decades, moving through several administrations without being formally adopted.

“The national youth policy provides a common

and mutual understanding of the importance of youth development among stakeholders and individuals in The Bahamas,” Mr Bowleg said in the House Assembly during his contribution to the budget debate.

“The national youth policy serves to facilitate the development of an enabling environment for young people in The Bahamas, and to ensure that they reach the most favourable potential towards their growth.”

“It gives me great pleasure to announce that we will present an updated national youth policy to this honourable House along with the accompanying legislation in October of this year to be debated by this honourable House as we celebrate national youth month on the 50th anniversary of our country’s independence.”

He added: “I am pleased to notify that I have already met with the youth policy task force team that will lead the

3,000 ALREADY SIGNED UP FOR UPCOMING BAHAMAS GAMES WITH $4M PRICE TAG

charge of conducting an in-depth review of the draft youth policy. This task force will conduct practical in-person and theoretical research.”

Mr Bowleg said the policy includes a compendium of pro-youth legislation such as a National Youth Commission bill, the National Youth Council bill, a National Institute for the Youth Development bill and the National Youth Development Endowment Trust Fund bill.

Police ‘shoot sus P ect’ in restaurant roBBery

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net

THE Davis administration plans to spend at least $4.2m to host the first Bahamas Games in over 20 years, according to Youth, Sports & Culture Minister Mario Bowleg.

Mr Bowleg said 3,000 athletes have already confirmed their participation in the event.

“The investment by the government of The Bahamas has a direct impact on the country,” Mr Bowleg said during his budget contribution in the House of Assembly.

“It leads to a healthier nation and to a wider pool of people from which to pick the champions of the future. $3m has been invested thus far for the Bahamas Games. And an additional $1.2m has been allocated to this year’s budget to ensure successful hosting.”

“Many will look at the numbers, but no amount can be placed on unifying a country. Even though we are separated by water, The Bahamas Games is the link that’s needed to fasten the chain of islands. This is why sports is the most powerful vehicle.”

After a 22-year hiatus, the sixth version of the Bahamas Games has been launched as the “Bahamas Golden Jubilee Games” to coincide with the nation’s 50th independence celebrations.

Mr Bowleg said the patrons for this year’s games include former Prime Minister Perry Christie and sports enthusiast Beverly Wallace-Whitfield.

More than 600 volunteers have already signed up to assist with the historic sports event.

“In order to host these games,” Mr Bowleg said, “the necessary infrastructure had to be in place. That meant upgrades to facilities here in the capital as well as the Family Islands. Back then, venues only needed to be fans friendly now the venues have to be viewership ready.

“Broadcasting is a major part of the evolution of sports, and we here in The Bahamas will not be behind the eight ball. The projected budget will help secure airfare, accommodations, meals, grand transportation, and insurance for athletes.”

The Bahamas Games will be held on the 7th15th of July under the theme, “Chances are Challenges for the Courageous.” The opening ceremony will be July 8th at 6.30pm at the National Thomas A Robinson Stadium.

The last Bahamas Games event was held in 2001. The event includes a range of sporting events allowing athletes across The Bahamas to participate.

AS the countdown to the 50th anniversary of Bahamian Independence continues, Tribune photographer Austin Fernander has turned his lens on the nation. In a series of photographs, he explores the identity of The Bahamas - its people, its places, its history and its future. Follow his photographs both here in the pages of The Tribune - and on our social media pages on Twitter and Facebook.

Photos: Austin Fernander

44 percent of public school students are in need of ‘urgent intervention’

from page one

one, and 25,330 did so in round two.

However, she said many students were not tested; officials are trying to determine why they were unavailable.

“The students who were not tested are being sought out by the project coordinator in conjunction with the relevant schools and the attendance unit,” she said in the House of Assembly yesterday during her budget contribution.

“The findings of this testing are the cause for significant concern and has revealed that the greatest need for urgent intervention is in New Providence, Grand Bahama, Abaco and Eleuthera.”

“Now, I want to say that I am inclined to believe that this 44 per cent of our student population is not necessarily all that we can put into what we call learning loss and its potentially systematic gaps that have prevailed and persisted over a very long period of time in our educational system. And so, I suspect that this

captures the entire bundle of learning loss that these students may be faced with.”

Strategies to deal with learning loss involve summer programmes, early morning classes, athome remediation and the assistance of non-governmental agencies, Mrs Hanna-Martin said.

“So this is not a small task, and it has to be coordinated, strategic and sustained, and this is what we’re looking at in the short term,” she said.

“I hope it’s short term. It may be short to medium term to intervene with these young people to allow them to catch up.”

Mrs Hanna Martin said school attendance rates increased significantly during the previous school year. She said the 2022/23 school year attendance rate of 94 per cent was a major jump from the previous school year, when over 4,000 students were absent from classes. Our review has shown that the country has seldom, if ever in recent years, seen this level of attendance and the achievement is indeed remarkable,” she said.

GOV T IN PLANNING PHASE TO BUILD A PERFORMING AR T S SCHOOL SAYS EDUCAT ION MINIS T ER

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

EDUCATION Minister

Glenys Hanna Martin said a performing arts school in The Bahamas would cater to post-high school students and involve three years of study.

“We’re still very much in the planning phase, and we want to make sure that scholarships are available to every Bahamian who satisfies entry requirements to be able to attend,” she said.

“We want this to be the best school in the region and plan to make it attractive to fee-paying international students. We take ourselves seriously in The Bahamas.”

She said the government would release a consultation document after the independence celebrations and seek public feedback on the project.

Discussions among stakeholders are already underway, she said.

“They are speaking to the University of The Bahamas, the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, the school of dance, all of the various components of the art and different schools with a view to seeing how there can be an amalgamation, a streamlined approach for it,” she said.

“The syllabus will cover all of the disciplines which I mentioned earlier as well as some of the technical skills which are essential to the creative arts,” she continued. “Courses will run for three years –– one year along with shorter courses on evenings and weekends.”

“In September, the national dance school will be re-opened, which is the first step to moving toward full-time training, and immediately, we expect to launch short writing courses thereafter. In the short term, classes will be held over various sites until a purpose-built space can be created.”

Mrs Hanna Martin said various properties are being considered as permanent premises for the school. She said: “In order to better prepare younger people for the enrolment in this school, we are already developing the arts syllabus in primary and secondary schools.”

She said more details on the syllabus will be announced later.

“We are fully aware that no one is going to attend the school unless they can see a career path afterwards, so we’re already working on and with institutions. Everything we’re doing seeks

TOURIS T DROWNED WHILE ON SCUBA DIVE NEAR PEARL ISLAND

By LETRE SWEETING Tribune Staff Reporter lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

A 46-YEAR-OLD North Virginia woman drowned on Tuesday, police said.

The woman reportedly experienced breathing difficulties shortly after 12 noon on Tuesday while scuba diving on Pearl Island.

“As a result, the victim was retrieved from waters and transported to Princess Margaret Hospital, where she was seen and examined by a doctor, who pronounced her dead,” a police statement said.

This drowning is one of several this year.

On March 30, a 51-yearold Korean male cruise passenger was found unresponsive shortly after 1pm at Light House Beach at Ocean Cay.

According to reports, bystanders pulled the unresponsive male visitor from

the waters. He was seen and examined by the ship’s doctor, who found no signs of life.

Then, on May 4, the lifeless body of a 67-yearold man was found floating at Prince George Wharf around 7.15am.

The man was reportedly a resident of Faith United Way in the Golden Gates area. Royal Bahamas Defence Force officers assisted in retrieving the body.

Twelve days later, the lifeless body of a 41-year-old Freeport man was found in waters near the government dock in north Bimini.

Shortly after 8am on Saturday, police received reports that a crew member on a fishing vessel was missing. Hours later, the man was found by police and taken to the Alice Town Police Station. He was examined by a doctor who pronounced him dead.

to build on existing talent and structures, and so we will actively pursue a range of partnerships around The Bahamas and around the world so that we can

provide programmes and opportunities to make our people simply the best.”

“Thousands upon thousands of Bahamians will be touched by the creativity

and talent coming out of this school. Thousands upon thousands will benefit directly and indirectly. These are the first steps towards building a school,

and our new day success will shine brightly for generations.” Mrs Hanna-Martin said the institution would not be a magnet school.

A LEARNING loss survey found that 44 per cent of public school students require urgent learning intervention, Education Minister Glenys Hanna Martin said yesterday.

Photo: Moise Amisial

PICTURED is a photo of Ringplay Productions “12 Angry Men” play that was held at the Dundas Dundas Centre for the Performing Arts in 2014. Education Minister Glenys Hanna Martin yesterday announced the government’s plan to build a performing arts school, saying “We want this to be the best school in the region.”

Smiles and tears as Clint Watson bids farewell as press secretary

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

AN emotional Clint Watson said leaving Office of the Prime Minister’s press secretary role to become the new general manager of the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas was not an easy decision.

He insisted he was not forced out.

“This is not easy for me because we enjoy such a great relationship, and we can do so much more together,” he said.

Mr Watson said he is putting the country first by moving to ZNS.

“I’m not being forced out”, he said. “They are telling every minute of the day, ‘you don’t have to go you know, you can stay.’ It’s the same thing for the prime minister.”

“This was not easy for him because we’ve worked very well together, extremely well. I’m pleased and honoured that he is pleased with my work. I support him 100 per cent and what he does.”

“For everyone involved, it is not easy. It wasn’t the easiest decision to make, but I believe that it’s necessary, and it’s going to benefit at the end of the day.”

OPM officials have not said who will succeed Mr Watson. However, Keishla Adderley is the deputy press secretary.

Mr Watson served as news director of

Eyewitness News before joining the Davis administration. Before that, he was a reporter and editor at ZNS.

Communications Director Latrae Rahming said he would miss Mr Watson as a colleague and friend.

Mr Watson said he does not believe ZNS is headed in the wrong direction.

“I think it’s in the right direction and so what I want to do is accelerate where it’s trying to get to its goal,” he said.

“We want to do a lot more as far as news programming, a lot more as far as television programming entertainment, with radio entertainment.”

“And so there are a number of things together with a team that we want to do to ensure that ZNS and the Broadcasting Corporation is the choice for entertainment and news and information and not just an option, but it is people’s first choice.”

He dismissed a question about whether ZNS is too biased.

“People say partial, but I believe ZNS does its job,” he said. “I mean if you look at its competitors, many people can say they’re partial. They focus on maybe their area or expertise or their focus is on whoever pays their bills. So I think its unfair to classify ZNS as partial because it’s operated and run by the government.”

“Any government entity around the world

in media, their focus and attention is on what government is doing. That’s not partiality –– that’s

the mandate of state-run enterprises anywhere. BBC, CBC in Canada –– state-run enterprises,

their intention and their purpose is to make sure that its citizen is aware of what government is doing,

what government programmes are, how they can access them. That’s their focus.”

‘Positive case is in isolation’ says darville does not Believe there is community sPrea d

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

HEALTH Minister Dr

Michael Darville does not believe there is community spread of monkeypox in The Bahamas even though a person confirmed to have the disease had no relevant travel history.

On Wednesday, the Ministry of Health & Wellness reported the first confirmed case of a Bahamian with the disease, a 31-yearold man who presented with symptoms of the virus on June 1 and was placed in isolation.

Although the man had no significant travel history, an indicator of possible community spread,

Dr Darville suggested surveillance protocols are limiting threats.

“There are many factors,” he said yesterday. “Full surveillance protocols are in effect and yes, the positive case is in isolation. It’s been more than ten days and no one

exposed shows signs or symptoms of monkeypox at this time but surveillance is ongoing and those exposed are still being monitored.”

Until press time, Dr Darville could not confirm the number of people isolating.

The World Health Organisation announced the end of the global emergency around monkeypox in May.

According to a WHO situational report, only 552 new cases were confirmed between May 26th and June 5th, with six new related deaths.

The WHO said there were around 275 new cases per week during the two weeks, most of which were in the European and South-East Asia regions.

Dr Darville said the patient is in “satisfactory health” and is improving.

The Ministry of Health & Wellness identified gay, bisexual, and men who have sex with other men (MSM) or individuals with multiple sexual partners as people with a high risk of

exposure to the virus but encouraged everyone to follow health protocols.

“COVID has taught us a lot about sanitation. Hand washing is a protective factor for both COVID and monkeypox,” Dr Darville said.

Symptoms of monkeypox include skin rash/ lesions, fever, headache, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills, and exhaustion. Symptoms can last for two to four weeks. According to the ministry, the death rate associated with the disease is low, ranging between three to six per cent of persons infected.

In October, 1400 monkeypox vaccines arrived in the country through a Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) fund.

Yesterday, Dr Darville said a “community” was informed of the monkeypox case, prompting an uptick in vaccine uptake, though he could not say how many people have been vaccinated.

HEALTH Minister Dr Michael Darville does not believe there is community spread of monkeypox in The Bahamas even though a person confirmed to have the disease had no relevant travel history.

AN emotional Clint Watson said leaving Office of the Prime Minister’s press secretary role to become the new general manager of the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas was not an easy decision. “This is not easy for me because we enjoy such a great relationship, and we can do so much more together,” he said.

Photo: Moise Amisial

‘We were beaten in police station’

Mr Sands said he and his 25-year-old son were celebrating his niece’s graduation at a bar in Bailey Town, Bimini, when police allegedly manhandled his son.

“My son was walking behind me going inside the bar,” he said. “When I go to the bar and I spin around to ask my son what he wanted to drink, I didn’t see him.

“So when I looked toward the door area, I saw the officer had him by his neck. At the time, I didn’t know he was an officer. He didn’t have on a uniform. He was in plain clothes. He had my son by his throat. That set off a trigger in me and I just lost it.”

“They were just drinking and carrying on at the bar. Nobody knew they were officers.

Mr Sands shared videos with The Tribune of the aftermath of the brawl, which show commotion in the street on the usually calm island.

He said he was taken into custody along with four others, including his son.

“They placed everyone in custody and cut up everybody hip,” he said. “My son got locked up that morning, and I turned myself in the day after.

When we were in custody, they beat everybody.

“They used a PVC pipe, a garden hose and a baseball bat. They struck and beat until everyone

PHOTOS show bruising on legs and back of one of the men allegedly beaten by police officers at a Bimini police station. Five men who brawled with police in a bar in Bimini over the weekend said officers beat them “black and blue” with a garden hose, a baseball bat and a PVC pipe after taking them into custody.

was black and blue. It was five of us in custody. There were three police officers.”

He said the men were released from custody on Tuesday.

He said he filed a complaint with police.

He said: “The police don’t want to release the report to the doctors so the doctors could sign off on the forms and stuff

like that.”

“When an officer beats up a person, they have to write up a report, and the doctors have to write up a report, then both have to sign off on them. The

police are holding out, and they don’t want to answer any questions.”

allegations of abuse directly yesterday. He said four men were taken into custody, released on bail and will appear in court soon to face charges.

‘We kne W’ Prison Would fail a merican correctional a ssociation accreditation Bid

from page one

The prison’s conditions are notoriously poor, but Mr Cleare said this is the first time the prison is seeking accreditation from the American Correctional Association (ACA), which he described as the standard in accreditation processes.

Prison officials are preparing for the next inspection, which the ACA will again conduct in a few months.

“We knew –– myself knew, the minister knew, the government knew ––that the initial inspection, the prison will fail miserably,” Mr Cleare told The Tribune yesterday. “So all we were looking for them to tell us what we need to do to pass inspection and they have given us a comprehensive report. We are now going through the report and implementing what was requested of us.”

Mr Cleare said the national security minister must decide whether to release the report to the public.

He said the ACA noted

“lots of concerns” over the prison. The ACA indicated, ‘you must have proper procedures in place’ to have a correctional facility, he said.

“You must have a dining hall in place,” he added.

“You must have proper medical facilities in place. You must have trained professional staff and corrections in place. You must have the proper equipment listing in place. You must have proper CCTV in place.”

“They said that we must have psychiatry, psychologists, and nutritionists. All of those things were put in place, you know, based on the report.”

During a press briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister yesterday, Mr Cleare said officials are working in phases to achieve accreditation goals because it is an expensive exercise.

“So for example,” he said, “we just opened up a new juvenile facility –– they said that can be accredited. The female correctional facility we have to do some minor work to

it and they said that can be accredited.

“We know maximum security prison cannot be accredited, so our challenge is the remand centre. We have just remodelled the entire top floor ––almost $300,000. We are approaching the bottom floor.”

Asked if he is optimistic about passing the next inspection, Mr Cleare said: “Again, if we don’t solve the toilets, we will still fail the inspection. We can’t be 80 per cent complete with the necessary improvements if we don’t solve the toilets. To me, the toilet is a major issue because we are trying to end slopping.”

DOAN CLEARE, the acting commissioner of corrections, admitted yesterday that the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services failed an accreditation inspection earlier this year, saying officials knew the prison would “fail miserably”

The Tribune Limited

Making up for children’s lost time

IT is easy to think as we look around at our day-to-day living that the spectre of COVID-19 is behind us. It is not.

First of all, there is the virus itself. Cases still happen. People still need treatment. The medical system still has to deal with the consequences, the costs, the care.

Then there is the aftermath of what went before – not least of all the long periods of lockdown.

Those had an economic toll, of course.

The shutdowns of international travel wreaked havoc with our economy, so dependent on tourism.

Then there were the more intangible costs – especially to our children.

When schools shut down to reduce the spread of the virus, children were forced to learn from home. Some succeeded in that. Some struggled. Given the situation – with some families struggling for income and having to make decisions between food and electricity connection, some were unable to deal with the possibility of learning over the internet at all.

Then there were some who simply disconnected – disengaged from school entirely.

The situation many of those students find themselves in now has been dubbed “learning loss” – the difference between where they are in terms of their education and where they should be.

Tens of thousands of students have now been tested to see exactly what that measure of learning loss is – and the need, according to Education Minister Glenys Hanna Martin, is urgent.

Yesterday, she said that the findings of the tests were “cause for significant concern”.

The areas most in need are New Providence, Grand Bahama, Abaco and Eleuthera.

So how will the country deal with this?

There will be summer programmes, early classes, “at-home remediation” which sounds like homework to me, and help from other agencies.

Mrs Hanna-Martin is under no illusions – “this is not a small task,” she says.

Whether it is short-term or long-term remains to be seen.

The loss has not just been educational, but emotional. As students returned to school after the lockdowns, one school counsellor told The Tribune how there were behavioural problems to begin with. The cause? Children had gone through many months of physical growth but did not have the social growth to go with it. Simply put, their bodies were bigger than they knew what to do with. Bumps became fights.

Snapped words became full-blown arguments. For some, they had to relearn how to learn – sitting in a classroom and listening again.

Getting children back involved and making up for lost time is vital – to stop a generation being left behind.

We need to find a way to ensure that this generation of children emerges from school equipped for their future. If we do not, it hurts them, and it hurts our society, our nation.

So we applaud Mrs Hanna-Martin for focusing on the problem. At the same time, we recognise this should not be a burden shouldered by schools alone –so the involvement of non-government agencies is also welcome.

Getting our children back on the path to achieve the best they can is a truly important goal – one that should bring together all sides. All parties. Government and non-government. Schools and parents. Everyone. We must make it count.

Is Watson move a demotion?

EDITOR, The Tribune.

A GENTLEMAN who I believe supports the Progressive Liberal Party asked me if I consider Clint Watson’s relocation from the Office of the Prime Minister as Press Secretary to ZNS (or the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas) a promotion?

I told him no, considering that Watson, as Press Secretary, was the de facto mouthpiece of the Davis administration; having immediate access to Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis. For many thousands of Bahamians, Watson has become the face of the PLP. Moreover, Watson was always included in Davis’ entourage when travelling abroad. Since September 2021, Watson has travelled to Africa, Europe, North and South America and Asia, where his gospel group, Shabach, performed at Expo 2020 Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. With his appointment as general manager at ZNS,

I think it is safe to assume that whatever privileges Watson enjoyed as Press Secretary, he will no longer have. According to the OPM press release announcing his appointment at ZNS, it was stated that Watson “has served with distinction in his role of press secretary.”

It further stated that his initiatives at the OPM were instrumental in “helping to make this administration the most transparent in Bahamian history.” The last part of that sentence has led me to wonder if Watson had penned this press release, giving him the opportunity to toot his own horn? Whatever the case may be, if Watson, as the press release claims, served with distinction, why is he being moved from the OPM? Throughout his tenure as press secretary,

there have been a few embarrassing hiccups that would suggest that Watson and the executive were not singing from the same hymnal. I believe, and I could be wrong, that the PLP hierarchy has made the shrewd decision to remove Watson as the de facto mouthpiece of the Davis administration, as whatever popularity he had gained as host of Beyond the Headlines where he raked the previous government over the hot coals, has all but eroded, to the degree that even rank-and-file PLPs are annoyed at him. I believe that his “elevation” to the post of general manager at the Broadcasting Corporation is really a stealth demotion. Watson’s removal from the OPM is Davis’ way of restructuring his public relations team.

KEVIN EVANS Freeport, Grand Bahama, June 14, 2023.

Bird deaths

EDITOR, The Tribune

THERE is a horrible avian flu striking at the wild bird population across North America. The Avian Flu H5N1 has caused devastation within the poultry industry, and may have killed over a billion wild birds too.

Statistics show that between 197-976 million wild birds have died striking windows, doors, buildings across the continent.

72 million have been poisoned through the use of pesticides

75 million struck by vehicles,

175 million by high tension wires

Female feral cats kill over 1.7 billion wild birds annually, domestic felines kill a further 764 million (science news).

Feral cats (pests) threaten our communities, pets, children, elderly. How? Feral cats can and do carry many diseases, infections by simply scratching a family members showing human emotional responses to a cat, believing the feral cat is perhaps a stray domestic cat when it is much more. Feral cats are social, living in any area of the wilderness, bush, sheds,

abandoned buildings and just out back of your school or someone’s home. Young and old see a furry cat, not a infestation to happen. Ticks, fleas, infection ridden are just some threats you should see.

If you love wildlife, the song of a beautiful wild bird, the feral cat is your enemy. Wildlife has enough problems living beside humanity, but with all the above challenge’s only technology can help save bird lives. Making high rises, windows and tension wires much more visible to the bird, allowing it to miss a potential obstruction, stopping the use of all pesticides. What about the feral cat? Spading the critters is very difficult and costly. The feral cat population is multiplying with no technological method available to stopping it. What to do?

1. Communities need culling programmes to be established with the disposal of these bodies once studied.

2. Domestic cats should be licenced, and if found loose within the community the owners fined and the cat destroyed. You don’t care for it, bye bye bye Kitty.

3. Government studies of feral population will

provide needed information on rodent populations, disease spread.

4. Possible tranquilizer teams let loose upon feral communities, to gather and dispose of the critters. Possibly saving the very young cats that have not entered the dangerous period of wilderness conformity. Thing is that there are too many cats in North America. What can we possibly do with them? Adoption is out, since over a billion domestic cats are waiting for adoption or death already. The community needs to be aware of the costs involved in the protection, caring for unwanted domestic cats. Perhaps a new sport should be developed, where feral cats and those on the loose can be harvested by licensed hunters as a form of community service.

Think about it folks, what do feral cats provide us? Nothing at all. Do I sound heartless? Maybe, but I want wild birds to bring their song to next generation within my community and family too.

A HARE runs over a small road as the sun rises in Frankfurt, Germany, yesterday.

Photo: Michael Probst/AP

Bahamas keeps Tier 1 status in latest US human trafficking report, but improvements needed

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas has maintained its Tier 1 ranking in the latest US human trafpersist over the government’s efforts to initiate prosecution, identify victims, provide investigative data and protect vulnerable groups.

According to the newly released report from the US State Department, the government of The Bahamas has fully complied with the minimum standards and sustained efforts during the reported period considering the impact

capacity.

The report said: “These efforts included convicting to imprisonment; making efforts to provide restitution to a repatriated foreign victim; adopting legislation to allow victims to testify remotely; providing continued support for foreign victims repatriated abroad; cooperating with a neighbouring country to repatriate three victims; training of labour inspectors; carried out more awareness raising; created new hot-

cases; and solicited feedback from underserved policies.”

However, the US recommends the government be more inclusive of LGBTQI+ groups, Haitian and stateless persons, and foreign diplomatic missions.

Additional recommendations include: “Increase efforts to investigate, prosecute, and convict trafidentify victims and refer them to services; reduce delays in court proceedings; ensure the process for at-risk communities does not create additional

vulnerabilities; include Haitian Creole and Spanish-speaking services on

The report noted an increase in prevention efforts through initiatives.

The report said the government also added National Health Survey for 14 to 17-year-olds, including those from marginalized communities.

However, the US highlighted observations during the previous reporting period in which the government did not regularly collect data on investigations, prosecutions, and

convictions and could not respond to requests for data in a timely or coordinated manner.

“Experts reported concerns about excessive pre-trial detention because of criminal justice system delays, preventing even the most serious criminal cases from advancing in a timely manner,” the report says.

“Observers noted the pandemic and lack of judges and prosecutors in the country backlogs in all cases. The courts easily granted bail, even to defendants accused of violent crimes, and law enforcement did not

have the resources to fully uphold the law.

“NGOs reported that although the country adopted appropriate laws and procedures, lowerlevel police, immigrationtors did not implement them because of a failure to understand them, neglect, or complicity. Observers also noted some immigrasolicited Haitian migrants for bribes to prevent detention.”

The report said although training for government did not fully implement guidelines concerning protection and prevention.

NEW CREATIVE GROUP CALLS ON GOVT TO BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR PROMISES M ADE TO THE ARTS

A NEW creative arts group is calling for a viable and sustainable performing arts industry in The Bahamas.

Smashing The Box Bahamas is calling on successive governments to be accountable for promises made to the performing arts industry over the decades, the most recent being the announcement of a performing arts school during the Parliamentary budget debate, as well as during the Prime Minister’s visit to the United Kingdom for the coronation of King Charles.

In a statement, the group said: “The arts community is anxious to hear the details surrounding the establishment, location, infrastructure, and timelines proposed for such an entity.

“Data collection would

be a necessary starting point to determine the number of Bahamians presently involved in the industry, and their immediate needs. Proper legal groundwork, such as enforceable copyright and intellectual property laws and infrastructure, is also crucial for the protection of the industry’s artists, creators, and performers.”

The statement added:

“When BTC was sold in 2014, the PLP government stated that a BTC Foundation would be established with a trusttype structure in order to make donations to various Bahamian social and community projects. The Foundation was developed to invest in projects “aimed at increasing and improving access to, and enjoyment of, telecommunications technology as well as other important

MAN CHARGED WITH POSSESSION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY ON HIS PHONE

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A 28-YEAR-OLD man was imprisoned after allegedly having child pornography of underage boys on his phone.

Terrell Clarke was charged with three counts of possession of child pornography before Assistant Chief Magistrate Subusola Swain.

Between April and June in New Providence, Clarke was found with 25 images of underaged boys engaged in sexual acts in his Telegram group and mobile device.

His voluntary bill of indictment will be served on August 30. charge his electrical monitoring device while on bail for gun-related charges.

Montell Miller, 27, faced bail conditions before Magistrate Samuel McKinney.

Previously, Miller was charged with endangering the lives of Tamar Rahming and Kenesha Forbes with a shotgun on July 17, 2020.

Between March and May, while on bail for the two counts of possessing

endanger life, Miller failed to charge his monitoring After pleading guilty to the offence, He could face six months in prison if he fails to pay.

He was also placed on probation for 18 months. to nine months in jail after admitting to illegally entering a woman’s home and property.

Jamal Smith, 37, was charged with stealing, receiving and unlawful entry before Assistant Chief Magistrate Subusola Swain. On June 11, Smith unlawfully entered Iris Ingraham’s residence on Honeycombe Street, stealing Ms Ingraham’s Samsung A20 Cellphone. Following Smith’s guilty plea to the stealing and unlawful entry charges, the receiving charge was withdrawn.

The defendant was sentenced to nine months in prison for the unlawful entry charge and two months for the stealing charge, which will be served concurrently.

MAN JAILED FOR SIX MONTHS FOR POSSESSION OF GUN A MMUNITION

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was sentenced to six months in prison after admitting to having sixtion and a gun magazine.

Marlon Whyte, 26, and Michael Sands, 31, were charged with possession of a possession of ammunition.

Along with Coilest Forbes, 71, the defendants faced an additional charge of possessing dangerous drugs with intent to supply.

On June 12, police executed a search warrant by entering a residence on Fire Hydrant Street.

They uncovered six ammunition and a black magazine.

During the raid, police uncovered 6.8lb of Indian Hemp with an estimated

Whyte pleaded guilty to the ammunition charges, and Sands pleaded guilty to the drug charge. The charge against Forbes was subsequently dropped.

Whyte was sentenced to six months in prison. Sands in jail. Sands is expected before he is release.

civic projects”. A 2017 news report revealed that the BTC Foundation had accrued 1.3 million since its creation with Royal Fidelity as its custodian.

“STBB is calling on the government to provide the public with details about

the status of this Foundation and its funds.”

The group is also calling upon the opposition to explain what became of the proposed multi-million dollar “Culture Fund” that the Minnis-led FNM government promised,

stating that grant applications would be reviewed by a panel of members throughout the country’s art community.

The group added: “Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fred Mitchell, eloquently expressed at an October

2022 Meeting of the Economic Commission of Latin America and The Caribbean, that Culture and investment in the orange economy is clearly something that has benefits for countries. Entertainers from around the region help to promote their countries. It helps to inspire people to greater things. Minister Mitchell pointed out how Bob Marley’s estate is the third highest earner in music, and he also noted the positive effect that it has on Jamaica. He stated that it is important for the government to invest in sports and culture.”

For more information on the group, visit www. creativenassau.com.

The group is also asking creative individuals to complete the short Orange Economy Survey on the site.

PICTURED are some members of Smashing The Box Bahamas: Form left to right: Kevin Kemp, Pink Sands Studios; Cyril Thompson, Pianist; Stephen Catalano, Animator, Streetlight Studios; Selah Moonie, Recording Artist, Musician, Music Executive; Terneille “TADA” Burrows; Max, Animator, Streetlight Studios; Delano Sweeting, Bahamas Beauty International

US B-18A bombers crash land near Acklins while patrolling for German and Italian subs

THREE US warplanes crash landed on or near Castle Island, Acklins, in World War II. To the aviators, the large lighthouse was that uncomfortable halfway point of no return. Faced with mostly open ocean ahead, if in trouble they had to make the decision to ditch, and if so where. Castle Island Light was a good place to be found and rescued if they survived.

On September 4, 1942, a US Army Air Force air crew under pilot Richard Ginther, supported by Arthur Hammer, John Smith, Charles Perkins, George Oakes, John Boener, and John Soar, were patrolling from Cuba to Bahamas against German and Italian submarines in a new Douglas B-18A medium bomber.

At 6.30pm, Ginther logged that the aircraft’s right engine began “getting rough;” an understatement for failing. It sputtered and vibrated badly. At 900 feet Ginther abandoned the patrol and turned to Cuba. When the engine vibrated more, he headed for the nearest land: Acklins. As the plane’s engines both

By Eric Wiberg

lost oil pressure and began overheating, the crew were ordered to prepare for a “forced landing”. As a precaution, they dropped the depth charges while still in “armed” status.

Feathering the right propellers at 500 feet, Ginther ordered three of the men into the back of the plane and headed northeast, paralleling the coast of Castle Island about two miles to the west of it. Unable to find a landing spot on shore, he shouted to prepare for a water landing. At that point, the plane was only 200 feet high and making over 100 knots. Ginther then put the port engine into full RPM.

Navigator Smith said “when we turned back to Acklins Island [it] was just visible about 10 miles NE of us. At 6.35pm I told Oakes [Radio

Operator] to get out a forced landing message. As we turned to make a landing on the beach, the right engine failed completely, so we turned towards open water to the west. The landing was very smooth.”

After passing Castle Island, Ginther shut off then feathered the port engine, and the plane “hit the water easily at a nose-high attitude. The nose plowed under the water, but recovered”. Radar Operator Soar relates that the three men in the back of the plane used parachutes “to cushion their shock as we landed. When we hit the water, I slid forward. Then all of a sudden we were in the water. We were about one mile from shore. Darkness had begun to approach.” Radio Operator Oakes wrote that “First

I got out of the plane onto the raft. Then, seeing that the plane was floating, I reentered it. With help, the doors released with the inflatable rafts in less than a minute. The Bombardier noted that “....we tried to detonate [sensitive technology] without success. It was underwater at the time.” Hammer, Ginther, Oakes and myself went out through the pilot’s escape hatch and sat on the fuselage, loading the life rafts. A strong east wind was blowing [to the west], and the airplane was drifting away from the land,

so we decided to go ashore at once”. A raft was loaded with safety supplies and sent to shore. Once it returned, all the men boarded the two rafts and rowed to Acklins. At dusk and in pouring rain, “while rowing ashore, a British constable and his son rowed alongside, and accompanied us ashore. They offered any help they could give. They left after about fifteen minutes”. After 8pm that evening, to their relief a PBY amphibian aircraft approached and they fired flares with the signal “OK.” They said help was on the way. All seven of

the aircrew were seen on the beach.

Navigator Lt John W Smith continues: “We tried to sleep, but bugs and continued rain showers prevented it.” Oakes said “...after we first landed, a native of the island came out and asked us if we needed any help.” Soar said that “about halfway to the shore two natives who live on the island came up and offered us assistance. They came into shore with us. They departed and said that they would come back the next morning, which they did. We built a fire and dried our

clothes... We slept as best we could, although it rained five or six times during the night.” Those men are believed to be members of the Forbes family of Salina Point, who have generations of service as lighthouse keepers and constables.

The next day at 4.45am, rescuers left Cuba in a Catalina PBY#6 and arrived over the small camp at at 6.27am. At 7am, the rescuers made a water landing a mile from Acklins, and the survivors paddled out to the rescue plane in rafts. The officer in charge conveyed his orders from Guantanamo to the destroyer USS Borie, which sent a boat over, that if the plane could not be salvaged it was to be stripped of sensitive items and destroyed. By 7.50am, all the aircrew from B-18 were aboard the PBY, which

took off, leaving the crew’s rafts to be retrieved by USS Borie. USS Borie had first sighted the abandoned plane at 6.35 that morning. After 7am, they made speed for Jamaica Bay, southwest Acklins to pick up survivors. Before 8am, the Borie “hove-to alongside plane while party in charge of Lt (jg) Arnold set out to salve all equipment possible. At 8.05am, the ship sighted USS PC-465, and later USS J Fred Talbot. At 9.43am, Lt Arnold’s salvage party returned, and by 9.56am the Borie sailors “commenced firing at plane in order to sink it”. Less than half an hour later, at 10.22 the men logged: “Plane sank. Ceased firing.” They had expended 156 cartridges, most of them the 4” and 50-calibre, some with tracers. Six hours

after arriving, at 10.35am USS Borie sped away from Castle Island and Acklins for Guantanamo, her mission complete. At 8.10am, before Borie went to work, another PBY sighted the stricken B-18 appearing to be floating on the water. By 8.50 am all of Lt. Ginther’s B-18 crew landed safely at Guantanamo, checked for shock and exposure, and found to be fit. The commander noted “Airplane finally destroyed by destroyer.” Ginther commended his crew highly: “The emergency equipment functioned perfectly. Mosquito bars are recommended as an addition to the drop kit, as well as a carton of cigarettes. The action of the Navy in effecting our rescue shows a well-trained and efficient organisation.”

DOUGLAS B-18A Medium Bomber

CREW under Lt. Richard Ginther of B-18 Bolo Acklins water.

RESCUE plane PYP #6 was a Patrol Sea Plane or PSP from Squadron VP-34 based in Georgetown, Exuma. Photo: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VP-34

The immense significance of small men and women in the world

AT a public consultation the other night a man approached the microphone and started with the words, “I know I am just a small man.” He used the words small man almost apologetically, as if he wanted the audience to think he was insignificant, unimportant because he did not own a big business or to feel sympathy with him if we, too, were not the big shots in the room.

He repeated the words “small man”, unrelated to his physical stature but reflective of what he shared that he said made him so. His mother was a straw worker, his father drove a taxi. He himself had some sort of related tourism enterprise. The room was packed, standing room only inside and a few dozen more on virtual and I can pretty well guarantee that not a single person in that room or watching online thought of him as a small man in the way he meant it as “not mattering in the scheme of things”.

Small men and women matter and it’s about time they stopped selling themselves short.

It’s the small and medium size businesspeople, even the micro businesses, that keep the country’s economic metronome ticking. The fruits of their labour reverberate. Tick-tock, tick-tock (not to be mistaken with the viral video medium), just a steady drumbeat of daily activity tick-tock that flows through the economy, the bus driver who shows up, climbs into the worn seat, turns the key and heads out on the road picking up riders on their way to work who might not be able to get there if it were not for that #10 bus. It’s the straw worker whose grandmother started next to the fish stalls along Nassau harbour decades before and paved the way for her to have a comfortable stall in the modern World Famous Straw Market today. It’s the teacher’s aide and the janitor and the hospital worker and the woman who tosses the newspaper in front yards at 4.30am and the garbage collector who scoffs at being called a sanitation engineer because he knows exactly what he does and he’s proud of doing it well. Try to get by without them and see how far the glamour of a tourist haven or the continuation of community life goes in their absence.

The problem is that when someone says “small man” in The Bahamas we instinctively know what he means. It’s a wave of guilt or sympathy we feel for the guy who is never going to make it to the top. And that is because we have

been reared to respect wealth over hard work, position over compassion and power over integrity.

That is not meant to imply that all who are powerful are evil or that success should not be applauded. The reality is that we also don’t respect success as much as we should, a subject about which this columnist has written many times only to suffer the rancor of those who disagree.

But in this case, what we mean is that a hard-working man or woman in any position - from that bus driver to the grandmother who put her kids through college weaving straw - is not small. That driver, that straw worker, that janitor help carry the country and the load they bear is only diminished by their own view that they are small.

By thinking of themselves as small they do themselves a disservice. They debase their own legacy by dissembling their own self-worth.

And, ironically, it’s a Bahamian thing. In other cultures, and in fact universally, small man has an entirely different meaning. It refers to a character flaw, not professional or socio-economic status.

Nowhere outside The Bahamas could I find a reference to a common cultural expression of the small man meaning someone whose father drove a taxi. How ironic it is here in this country when we all know the power of the taxi driver and have never forgotten the lessons of that day in November 1957 when 200 taxi drivers united to create a blockade, bringing air traffic to a complete halt at what was supposed to be the opening of the Nassau International Airport and instead turning it into the day they had to cancel all flights.

Small man can also be small minded. It can also speak to a type of thinking that is narrow in scope or a type of repugnant behaviour. Confucius looked at the concept of the small man as one with a bias. Here in his words: “A gentleman can see a question from all sides without bias. The small man is biased and can see a question only from one side.” Elsewhere he wrote, “A great man is hard on himself, a small man is hard on others.”

So to those of you who call yourselves small, please look in the mirror and see proud instead.

And personally, to the sweet gentleman who called himself a small man, we understood what you meant. We just don’t think of you as small and hope you will soon see yourself through our eyes.

‘Small men and women matter and it’s about time they stopped selling themselves short.’

ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY, PI UPSILON OMEGA CHAPTER

THE Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Pi Upsilon Omega Chapter in Grand Bahama celebrated its 36th anniversary of sisterhood and service.

The organisation held a number of events to mark this significant milestone, under the theme, “Strength and Durability Through the Years”.

A virtual mental health webinar, featuring Dr Kelafo Collie, MD, was held on May 25 to promote mental health awareness and provided helpful resources to those struggling with depression and anxiety.

Pi Upsilon Omega Chapter has also launched a Pretty Pad Drive to assist young girls with access to feminine products.

Liyah Forbes, public relations officer, said the initiative highlights the sorority’s mission and its impact on women’s lives in the community through service and outreach. She said personal hygiene kits will be presented to young women and girls.

Donations of supplies can be dropped off at Kelly’s Freeport Customer

Service Desk, or monetary-kind can be made to the Chapter’s Fundraising account at RBC Freeport Branch Code #05285, Account#1705359, or online to http://www.fygaro.com/ en/payments/da6e441a8adc-a5d6-3a09457509c0/ buy-now.

President Yvonne Pearson said: “God has been good to us, and we want to continue building on the foundation established by our charter members.

The Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority is the oldest Greek-letter organisation founded by and for African-American women. The sorority is committed to service and works to provide assistance and support to communities in need.

In May 1978, 18 collegeeducated Bahamian women formed the Pi Upsilon Omega Chapter on Grand

Bahama.

For over three decades, sorority members have been actively involved in community service and outreach - providing scholarships to local students, hosting educational workshops, planting trees to reduce our carbon footprint, and participating in various community initiatives to promote health, wellness, and education.

“I am so proud of Pi Upsilon Omega and their service to the Freeport, Grand Bahama community for the last 36 years. They have certainly shown ‘strength and durability’ by living up to our founders’ mission to serve all mankind,” said Carrie J Clark, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, International Regional Director.

With the theme, Soaring

Funeral Service For

Ernest Livingston Munroe, 41

of Moss Town, Exuma, Bahamas will be held on Saturday, 17th June, 2023, 11:00am at Carmichael Union Baptist Church, Carmichael Road, New Providence, Bahamas. Offciating  will be  Rev Joseph  Rolle assisted by other minister of the Gospel. Interment will follow in the Lakeview Memorial Gardens, John F. Kennedy Drive.

Left to cherish his found memories are his wife and bestfriend: Tamara Munroe; sons: Edvardo Munroe and Jamaro Griffn; parents: Ernest Munroe Sr. and Veronica Foster; brothers: Brian (Lydia) and Garvin (Kamesha) Munroe; sister: Kaycian Young; mother-in-law: Sharon Williams; father-in-aw: Elias Griffn; sisters-in-law: Shaneicka, Elanqua, Latoya, Renae, Debbie and Nikisha Griffn; brother-in-law: Alexander Coakley; uncles: Nathaniel Sr, David and Philip Sr., Clyde Ferguson and Simeon Munroe; aunts: Sheila Munroe-Curry, ELrite, Luella, Vernita, Marilyn Munroe, Loron Ferguson, Arnett Munroe, Terricita Munroe, Donna Burrows, Jacky Wilson, Angelica Brown, Janet; nieces: Kaliyah, Britney, Samone and Caitlyn Munroe; nephews: Kayden Munroe, Krishawn Hendfeld and Dario Johnson; other relatives and friends including: Clementrio and Chico, Jasmine Brown and family, Wayne Curtis and family, Dr. Rolle and family, Cynthia and family, Harold Major and family, Moss Town Seventh Day Church family, The First Baptist Church family, Pastor Randy Musgrove and the Mount Zion Baptist Church family, Commonwealth Mason and Order of the eastern Star #444, the entire Moss Town and George Town community, Private Medical Ward and PMH Hospital; and a host of other relatives and friends too many to mention.

Relatives and friends may pay their last respect at the Rev. Clemese Cox Suite at Rosewill Memorial Morturary, #244 Market Street and Oxford Avenue on (TODAY) Friday, 16th June, 2023 from 10:00am - 5:00pm and at the Church on Saturday, 17th June, 2023 from 9:30am until service time.

to Greater Heights of Service and Sisterhood, the 2022-2026 administration led by International President Danette Reed, has six initiatives: Strengthen Our Sisterhood: Empower Our Families; Build Our Economic Wealth; Enhance Our Environment; Advocate for Social Justice; Uplift Our Local Community.

GIRL GUIDES

On Sunday, June 11, at 6pm the Sunflowers, Brownies, Guides, Rangers and their leaders – Miss Louise Barry, Mrs. Karen Coleby, Mrs. Pamela Deveaux, Mrs. Bryinda Russell and Mrs. Renate McWilliams gathered with a large number of parents, former guides, former leaders and parishioners to celebrate 43 years of guiding at St George’s Church. In the fall of 1979, Canon Dudley Strachan, the Rector of St George’s enlisted the service of Miss Lottie Knowles, a former Guide and Sunday School teacher to begin guiding in the parish. Miss Knowles started the Brownie Pack. Shortly thereafter, in January of 1980, Miss Knowles invited her friend and former guide, Miss Louise Barry to begin a Guide Company. Brownies and Guides were enrolled by Mrs. Beryl Higgs, Eastern District Commissioner on the 9th June, 1980. While Sunflowers and Rangers groups were established later, the Brownies and Guides have functioned consistently over the years.

The spirited service was led by Cleomi McPhee, a Ranger Guide. The Associate Priest, Father Ivan Eldon gave the homily. He commended the leadership of the Units for their commitment to the programme and to ensuring that the girls were afforded the opportunity to participate in activities relating to the Promise and Law. He challenged the former guides to assist the current leaders and to let their light shine as examples for others to follow.

Over the years, the 36th Nassau Guides are wellknown and have built a strong positive reputation. They not only travelled internationally to conferences and camps, but have also become successful professionals in their own right.

Former girls and young women participated in the Service, Omari Downs provided a violin solo, and Sunflowers, Brownies, Guides and Rangers received awards for their contributions and achievements over the year. The Units presented the church and Camp Discovery with First Aid kits.

The Bahamas Girl Guides Association invites other churches, groups, schools and communities to begin Sunflowers, Brownies, Guides and Ranger groups. Begin with finding suitable leaders who will be trained and supported in the programme implementation.

Contact 322-4342 or email bggassociation@yahoo.com for more information.

ROTARY CLUB OF EAST NASSAU

As the Rotary Club of East Nassau celebrates 60 years since it was chartered, one of its goals is to raise $60,000 for the East Nassau Club Charitable Trust (ENRCCT) which is

a scholarship foundation that supports tertiary education for local students. The ENRCCT has been instrumental in providing scholarships in purely academic pursuits for nearly 30 years. This unique fundraising effort has a twofold purpose: it recognises recipients for their contribution to the community, much like what Sir Durward did throughout his life; and secondly, it provides a donation of $2,500 that is made to the ENRCCT Foundation in their names. The recognition is presented to individuals who have shown a similar commitment to making our world a better place.

One of the first recipients at the 60th Jubilee celebration on May 6 was Rotarian JR (James Ray) MacDonald, who has worked assiduously in the background changing lives here in The Bahamas. Through Baker Construction, he has been passionately involved in cultivating promising track athletes from the Bahamas by securing full ride university scholarships for them. In the past 15 plus years, over 100 talented kids have benefitted from this support.

Our second honorary at that event was Francisco (Franny) DeCardenas who is a consummate Rotarian and who gives so willingly that he is an inspiration to others. From his work with the BAPD on the wheelchair drive year after year, Franny has always been all heart. He is a great fundraiser because you know that if he’s asking you to help support a cause it’s a worthwhile initiative that he has already given and committed significant time to ensure its success.

Franny also uses his vocation as a way to support our club and countless charities. Whether by helping donate garbage bins for the ENRCCT charity auctions each year or donating dumpsters at the Scouts Cleanup Day, Franny as Managing Director of Bahamas Waste is always a true socially responsible corporate citizen.

Since retiring from Deloitte, our third recipient, Geoff Andrews, has dedicated his time to many not-for-profit organizations, serving on their boards and the board of several private companies. Geoff now serves as President of the Bahamas National Trust, Treasurer of the Governor General’s Volunteer Bahamas, and is a board member of the Rotary Club of East Nassau, St. Andrew’s International School and Baha Mar Foundation. He is a past Chairman of the Access Accelerator Small Business Development Center. Always willing to extend his accounting services, he seems to be the ‘longest serving treasurer’ of East Nassau and has been a pillar of the club for many years.

A Sir Durward Knowles Humanitarian Award was also given to Laura Kimble, the Chairperson of BAARK!. From the organisation’s inception, Laura has initiated and implemented multiple programmes to further their mission of spaying and neutering cats and dogs in an effort to reduce the number of homeless animals. Known as Operation Potcake, the spray/neuter clinics have taken place in several Family Islands, partnering with vets and

volunteers to stabilize animals populations there. BAARK! also has a strong education component that teaches responsible pet ownership.

This was an especially significant 60th anniversary award for the club as Laura’s grandfather, Alan Kimble, was a charter member and treasurer of the Rotary Club East Nassau.

Rupert Roberts, long time member of RCEN and Super Value founder was recognised for having given to Rotary over countless years in the form of groceries, financial aid and support to those less fortunate in our community. His generosity has made him a worthy recipient of the Sir Durward Knowles Humanitarian Recognition. Accepting the award on his behalf was Super Value Food Store’s company president, Debra Symonette.

Lastly, ENRCCT honoured two of its members who have given endless hours of their time and service above self in keeping the foundation going. Past Presidents Mayuri Deka and Philip Cumming were both awarded Sir Durward’s and $5,000 was given to the scholarship fund in recognition.

RCEN continues to raise funds for ENRCCT scholarships which is presently supporting 17 students continue or complete their tertiary education. Anyone wishing to make a donation can contact enrccharitabletrust@gmail.com for more information.

TOASTMASTERS

Toastmasters recently unveiled renowned speaker, media personality, and corporate CEO, Lisa Nichols, pictured above, as the keynote speaker for its 2023 International Convention, held at the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar Resort and Convention Center in Nassau, Bahamas, August 16-19 and as a hybrid event. Nichols has a global platform that reaches over 80 million people in more than 170 countries, and her social media following is more than 1.9 million.

Nichols’ goal – her mission, her passion – is to jumpstart people who feel stuck, people who know they can achieve something but are intimidated or overwhelmed by where or how to begin. She sees herself as the ignition to help people reinvent themselves, to create second chances, and to get up after failing.

Nichols will deliver her keynote presentation, “Jumpstart Your Greatness,” from the main stage on August 16. Nichols hopes her speech will inspire and empower Toastmasters’ members to overcome obstacles or challenges they might be facing in any aspect of their lives.

“We couldn’t be happier that Lisa Nichols will help us to kick off our highly anticipated 2023 International Convention,” says Matt Kinsey, Toastmasters’ 2022–23 International President. “Lisa is a dynamic speaker with a great message that is sure to inspire our members.”

To learn more about the 2023 International Convention, and obtain a complete schedule, visit toastmasters.org/ events/2023-internationalconvention/hotel-travel. The public is welcome to attend.

ROTARY Club of East Nassau: Some members of the ENRCCT committee with new awardees. Pictured from left, Joanne Smith, Rafique Symonette, Adam Darville, Corinne Laville, Robert Lotmore, Franny DeCardenas, Philip Cumming, Mayuri Deka and John Robertson.

ELEVEN of the Charter Members of Pi Upsilon Omega.

SCENES from a service to celebrate 43 years of guiding on Sunday at St George’s Church.

SPORTS

Strachan sets new 100m personal best

BAHAMAS

Women’s FOOTBALL HUMMEL CUP CONTINUES ON SATURDAY

By TENAJH SWEETING Tribune Sports Reporter tsweeting@ tribunemedia.net

The Bahamas Football Association’s (BFA) second edition of the Hummel Cup will continue for the women’s division this Saturday at the Roscow A L Davies Field. The women’s soccer teams started their games last weekend as teams from Group A and B battled against each other. The Group A teams included Cavaliers FC, Future Stars, and the defending champions United FC. Teams in Group B are the Baha Juniors, Dynamos FC, and Western Warriors. Ultimately, the women’s 2023 Hummel Cup winner will be crowned after this weekend.

Anya James, president of the BFA, talked about how impressed she was with crowd turnout and the play of the women soccer teams.

“I am very impressed with the turnout at the tournament and the level of support for our women’s programme and also the level of female players we have that are excited to be back on the pitch playing,” James said.

The Hummel Cup tournament is played based on the rankings of the Group A and B teams. The winning teams earn three points, if a match ends in a draw, one point, and no points are rewarded for losses.

In Group A, United FC leads both groups with nine points after defeating the Western Warriors (2-0), Baha Juniors (1-0), and Dynamos FC (1-0). The Cavaliers FC are right behind them in the Group A rankings with six points. The team wrapped up the Dynamos FC (2-0), and the Western Warriors (1-0). The Future Stars remain the only scoreless team in the rankings.

For Group B, the Baha Juniors lead with six points after winning against the Cavaliers FC (2-0), and the Western Warriors (9-0). Dynamos FC sits second in the rankings with three points after earning a 6-0 over the Future Stars last weekend. The Western Warriors are tied with the latter also with three points after beating the Future Stars 2-0. James talked about

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bsetubbs@tribujnemedia.net

SPRINTER Anthonique

Strachan has her sights set on the World Championships in August and she’s already starting to make a statement to her rivals going into the biggest global international meet this year.

Strachan, in continuing to turn her career around after she was plagued by a series of injuries a few years ago, placed second in the women’s 100 metres at the Oslo Diamond League on Thursday in another lifetime best achievement.

Her time of 10.92 seconds came behind Ivory Coast’s Marie-Josee Ta Lou, the winner in a world leading and meet record of 10.75.

But for Strachan, it improved on her previous personal best of 10.98 that she ran at last year’s World Championships at the Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon where she ended up as a semifinalist in the century.

“I’m very content to get a

personal best despite making some mistakes in the race,” said Strachan, who ran on the inside of the field in lane two and made up enough ground in the middle of the race to hold onto her spot.

In the process, she held off her Jamaican training partner Shericka Jackson, who ran 10.95 for third.

Also in the race were Great Britain’s duo of Dina Asher-Smith, fourth in her season’s best of 10.98, the same time for Daryll Neita, who joined her compatriot in a photo finish for fourth place. “It’s a great confidence boost to best some of these women so I’m excited and I hope to run some more PBs this season,” said Strachan, the only Bahamian to compete in the meet.

The 29-year-old could face these same competitors at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary from August 19-27th, where she hinted that she could contest the sprint double for the first time in her career on the senior circuit.

“I may run the double in Budapest,” she stated. “Medals are nice, but I always want to take stock of the progress that I’ve made and take the Champs step by step.”

She’s also still looking for her first major individual medal on the international stage since capturing the sprint double at the World Junior Championships in 2012, Not only has she already dipped under the World Championships qualifying standard of 11.15 in the 100m, but she also did the mark of 22.8 in the 200m when she ran a personal best of 22.15 at the Moulay Abdellah in Rabat on May 28th.

Before she decides on whether or not she will go for the sprint double in Budapest, Strachan will be coming home to go after the feat at the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ National Championships, scheduled for July 5-7 at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium.

DAALAN ADDERLEY NAMED NCBWA 2023 THIRD TEAM ALL-AMERICAN

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

UNLIKE many of his peers from the Junior Baseball League of Nassau who took the direct route, signing professional contracts to play baseball, Daalan Adderley decided to go through the collegiate ranks.

He’s reaping the benefits of his decision to play for Texas Southern University where he was just named a 2023 National Collegiate Baseball Writers’ Association (NCBWA) Third Team AllAmerican and a member of the NCAA Div. I Central AllRegion Second Team.

“I’m extremely happy to be honoured in this manner,” Adderley said. “When I heard that they were honouring me, I couldn’t believe it because I’ve never heard of any Bahamian achieivng what I did.”

The former Queen’s College student, who went on to complete high school at McCallie Preparatory School in Chattanooga, Tennessee, finished the 2023 season ranked sixth nationally in batting average as he sported a .421 average. He also ranks third in the NCAA in on-base percentage (.541) and 21st in runs per game (1.25).

He was also named as the 2023 SWAC Player and Hitter of the Year and selected to The Bobby Bragan National Collegiate Slugger Award (BBNCSA). He became TSU’s first All-American since Kamren Dukes in 2018. Also in 2018, Dukes and Gaudencio Lucca were named to the ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Division I All-Central Region team.

“This means a whole lot to me because, as a Bahamian, I am here representing the entire country,”

said Adderley, the only Bahamian playing on the team. “I realise that I am representing the country and so I was very happy to be able to accomplish what I did.”

Not only was he ranked nationally in the USA top 10, but Adderley finished sixth in the batting average; he was fourth in on base percentage; awarded the SWAC Player and Hitter of the Year awards; made the SWAC 1st team All-Conference; made the All-region and All-American teams; was the first captain on the MBP HBCU All-Star team; was on the 2023 Bobby Bargain Slugger Award list and was invited to participate in the HBCU swingman Classic.

Additionally, the 21-year-old was named to the NCBWA Division One All American team and ABCA NCAA Division One Rawlings All Region Team.

Looking back at his season, Adderley said it was beyond his expectations.

“I think I was able to achieve the goals that I set out and I got to do a lot more,” said Adderley, who just completed his junior year. “It was much more than I anticipated, so I’m really pleased with what I did this year.”

In the classroom, Adderley produced a 3.6 grade point average as he pursues his degree in General Science.

He is the son of Lisa AdderleyAnderson and Dwight Adderley. He has an older brother, Dr Shae Adderley, whom he considers to be one of his role models. He also has another brother and two sisters.

When asked why he decided to go through the collegiate ranks rather than signing a pro contract like the majority of his peers here at home, Adderley said he thought it was the best way for him to get to the Major Leagues.

“The goal, hopefully if it comes my way, is to play in the Major League,” Adderley said. “But

me and my mom just decided that going to college and getting my education first was the best way for us to go and to get a chance to play in an international environment.

“I have no regrets.

“I have made the decision to go to college and as you can see, it’s working out very fine for me, so I’m pleased with the decision that I made.”

Adderley, however, said with the opening of the new Andre Rodgers National Stadium, he hopes that he can one day come home and reunite with some of his teammates and represent the Bahamas in an international tournament.

For now, he’s just going to enjoy his collegiate experience as he goes through summer school and gets prepared to play in the HBCU Swingman Classic on July 7 during the Major League Baseball All-Star Classic weekend in Seattle, Washington. No doubt with the statistics he’s produced during the season, Adderley is hoping to make an impact in front of the MLB scouts in his bid to become one of the next pro players for The Bahamas.

ANYA JAMES, president of the Bahamas Football Association (BFA).

DAALAN Adderley with some of his latest awards.

SPRINTER Anthonique Strachan. (File photo)

BAHAMAS Women’s FOOTBALL HUMMEL CUP CONTINUES ON SATURDAY

FROM PAGE 11

the women shining on and off the Roscow A L Davies soccer field.

“I expect the crowd to be even bigger this weekend and the games to be even more competitive I am proud of the girls who are happy to be playing on the new field and proud of BFA council member Daria Adderley who is an inspiration to the young women of the Cavaliers FC,” she said.

The games start at 5pm this Saturday as the second-ranked Group A Cavaliers FC will match up against the thirdranked Future Stars. Meanwhile, last year’s runner ups Dynamos FC will take on the Western Warriors. United FC will take on the winner of the group A match at 6pm and the Baha Juniors will await the group B winner.

The finals will get underway at 8pm as the defending champions will aim to win two consecutive Hummel Cup titles.

BasketBall ROAD RACE AT foX hill festival

THE Fox Hill Festival, celebrating the community’s origin as one of the oldest Bahamian Villages, will commence the Fox Hill Basketball Tournament at the Fox Hill basketball park on Monday as a part of the celebrations. The tournament will run through August 12 when the Fox Hill Festival comes to a close.

Additionally, there will be a fun run/walk from 6-8 am, starting and finishing at the Fox Hill Parade on Saturday, July 29th.

BRONCOS WRAP UP 1ST OFFSEASON Programme under PAYTON, ASPIRE TO match nuggets avs success

By ARNIE STAPLETON

AP

Pro Football Writer

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.

(AP) — The Denver Broncos wrapped up their first offseason programme under head coach Sean Payton in relative isolation Thursday about 20 miles south of the Nuggets’ championship celebration that drew tens of thousands of revelers downtown.

Rejecting the “field day” finishes that some of his predecessors preferred, Payton ran a spirited indoor practice before dismissing his players for their five-week summer break.

“Definitely seeing another team in the same city win it all” is an inspiration, veteran safety Kareem Jackson said.

“Those guys had a great year. “It’s definitely encouraging for us. We definitely want to do the same thing.”

The Nuggets dispatched the Miami Heat in five games in the NBA Finals, winning the franchise’s first championship in 47 years in the league. Their fellow Ball Arena tenants won the Stanley Cup last summer when the Colorado Avalanche topped Tampa Bay in six games.

That makes Denver the only city that’s celebrated an NBA, NHL and NFL champion since 2015, although the Broncos haven’t made the playoffs since winning Super Bowl 50 seven years ago.

Since beating Carolina 24-10 in Hall of Famer Peyton Manning’s final game, the Broncos have churned through 13 starting quarterbacks and Payton is their fifth head coach since Gary Kubiak stepped away a year after winning it all.

‘very comPetitive tournament’ eXPected at Blta 2023 JUNIOR TENNIS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

By TENAJH SWEETING Tribune Sports Reporter tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

The Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association (BLTA) will continue their 2023 junior tennis national championships for the older division starting today. Juniors of the under 12 through 18 divisions will battle at the National Tennis Centre (NTC) starting at 2pm today.

The event will continue from Friday, June 16 until Wednesday, June 21 and will feature singles and doubles competition in all divisions.

The Automotive Industrial Distributors Ltd (AID) sponsored event will include 150 matches between 100 tennis players from New Providence, Grand Bahama, Exuma, and Eleuthera.

Perry Newton, president of BLTA, talked about the level of competition expected to be on display this weekend.

“We expect a very competitive tournament. We look especially to the 14 and 16 girls and boys – the competition is going to be very fierce. Everybody is vying to be at the top and earn high ranking points, ” Newton said.

He added that the weather will definitely play a role in the competition especially if it is hot because it will test the overall conditioning and stamina of the athletes which can potentially lead to some upsets.

The 2023 junior tennis nationals will not only allow athletes to compete for the championship but they will also have the opportunity to earn the highest ranking points for the BLTA calendar year.

Unlike the younger division which featured shorter sets, the older players will battle in the best of three tiebreaker sets. Last week at the NTC there were 13 new players that competed in the under 8 and under 10 divisions and there

are more newcomers expected to play this weekend as well. With the sport growing more with every competition, Newton said it is a collective effort that goes into it.

“It is not one person that can take the credit,” the president said. “There is a lot of thanks that has to be given to parents for staying committed to the success of their kids and we have to look at the athletes who want to play tennis… it’s a lot of persons that go into this and without one portion it’s hard to have success so we are working to continually grow each area.”

The 2022 defending champions Patrick MacTaggart, Dentry Mortimer Jr, Kaylah Fox, Sarai Clarke, and others will also be in action to defend their championship hardware.

With over 150 matches scheduled and 20 set to take place today starting at 2pm, the efforts of the newly-trained umpires have been

greatly appreciated. Following a two-day umpire training course in May, the newest umpires were finally able to showcase their officiating abilities at last weekend’s junior nationals for the under 8 and 10 divisions.

After two days of competition at the NTC last weekend, Eden Storr was crowned champion for the under 8 girls.

Her runner up was Christin McWilliam. For the under 10 girls, Londyn Mortimer came away as the champion and Rebecca Bitan was the runner up. Meanwhile, Cory Conyers won the under 10 boys division and Max Shick was the runner up.

The event is sponsored by AID, Coca Cola, and RMS Insurance Agents. The next event on the BLTA calendar will be the International Tennis Federation (ITF) tournament from June 24 to July 1.

aleXis gray’s sWitch from track to Wrestling has Been ‘very refreshing’

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

SINCE completing her tenure at Texas Southern University in 2019, Alexis Gray decided to make the transition to wrestling.

In January, she signed a three year NXT contract with World Wrestling Entertainment and is in Orlando, Florida where she is in training for her professional debut as “Bahama Mama” – her official stage name.

“It’s a great, great environment and great people from around the world,” said Gray about her experience in training camp so far. “It’s fun and very refreshing to be taking up a new style of competition.”

The 25-year-old Gray, who stands at 5-feet, 3-inches, was ranked second

ALEXIS Gray

in the 2019 SWAC Outdoor T&F Championships, running a lifetime best of 11.68 seconds in the 100 metres. She has also largely been ranked in first place during the Howie Ryan Invitational held in February 2019. And she has already reflected the changes on her

official Instagram account, as she now has the tags for both WWE as well as NXT on her handle. She admitted that the WWE was a better fit for her future aspirations and she’s now done with running track.

“I’m an exciting person and a thrill seeker,” she pointed out.

“So when I got the opportunity to become a part of NTX branch of WWE, I jumped at it. Definitely was the calling for me and I felt it in my bones.”

WWE has recently placed added emphasis on the signing and development of former college athletes, and it has used the NCAA’s new name, image and likeness (NIL) rules to its advantage.

The company started a new NIL programme called Next In Line, which allows

it to sign athletes who are still competing collegiately. It puts the athletes under the WWE umbrella and allows them to learn about the world of sports entertainment before WWE decides on whether to commit to them with an official contract.

Gray joined Raw women’s champion Bianca Belair, a collegiate track athlete before signing with WWE, as she starred at the University of Tennessee, Texas A&M University and the University of South Carolina.

Belair was a natural for pro wrestling from the start, and she has gone on to become one of WWE’s top stars as a one-time Raw women’s champion, onetime SmackDown women’s champion and one-time women’s Royal Rumble winner.

Gray said she decided to make the transition from track to wrestling because of the success rate.

“I can see myself going much further and much faster under conditions that allow me to maximum everything I’m capable of,” Gray pointed out. “Also, I’m being compensated good for my skills.”

The St John’s College standout and former member of the TWD Athletics Track, headed by Golden Girl Tonique Williams, she said she had no regrets running away from track.

“I went out there and gave it my all,” she stated.

“I learned and got so much discipline from each and every one of my coaches and now that I’m here in WWE, I see why I needed it. It was all a preparation.”

maX homa haPPy With start in his hometoWn us oPen

By JOE REEDY AP Sports Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) — For someone who hates Thursdays and the first round of tournaments — especially majors — Max Homa ended up having a pretty good morning.

Homa had his best round in a U.S. Open, a 2-under 68 while playing in front of mostly family and friends at Los Angeles Country Club. Homa grew up in Valencia.

“I think that they have the old cliche that you can’t win it the first day, you could lose it, and I lose a lot of these things on the first day,” Homa said. “So it’s nice to just go out there and treat it like a round of golf and not put too much on it.”

Homa’s previous low in the U.S. Open was a 1-under 69 in last year’s first round at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts.

Thursday’s round was his second time breaking par in 11 tries at the U.S. Open.

Homa, who is No. 7 in the world, said the morning crowd was subdued, and he speculated that wouldn’t be the case Friday afternoon or over the weekend.

The highlight of his day was a

35-footer for birdie on the par-3 15th hole.

Homa shot a course-record 61 at LACC in the Pac-12 Championship in 2013. He wasn’t shocked when Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele threatened his mark — and set a U.S. Open record — by shooting 8-under 62s.

“It’s a great round. But the greens just aren’t very firm,” Homa said. “If you drive the ball well, you have a lot of iron shots. It’s very impressive, but they’re tremendous golfers.”

LEFT-HANDED COMPLIMENTS

Phil Mickelson began his 32nd U.S. Open with a 69 and a grandstand heckler in a sombrero.

The six-time major champion stayed in the hunt the day before his 53rd birthday despite bogeying two of his final three holes. He also bounced back after being forced to back off a putt on the ninth hole by the heckler, who mentioned LIV Golf and a host of additional complaints about Lefty before security intervened.

“I made two bad swings that cost me a few strokes, but I hit a lot of good shots today,” Mickelson said.

“It’s a decent start, and I have a chance (Friday) morning to come out and shoot a good solid round to get myself in position for the weekend, and morning is the time to do it when it’ll still be a little bit soft.”

He also declined to discuss the announced partnership between LIV and the PGA Tour. Mickelson’s infamously pointed criticisms of the PGA Tour were one of the biggest flashpoints in the messy defections to LIV.

“I don’t want to detract right now from this tournament and where I’m at,” Mickelson said. “I’m playing well. I want to get myself in contention. I’ll talk about it maybe after.”

SCHEFFLER’S COMEBACK

The weather was mild and Scottie Scheffler was running hot.

He began the U.S. Open by driving into a bunker, blasting out, finding another bunker and making bogey on the par-5 first hole. He missed a 6-foot birdie attempt on the sixth. And then on the par-5 eighth, his shot from the rough sailed right into a bunker, leaving him short-sided without a reasonable chance at birdie.

He slammed his club into the

ground walking on a path through the barranca. When his bunker shot ran some 25 feet by the hole, he whacked the rake with his sand wedge.

A birdie on the par-3 ninth settled him. Scheffler birdied the next hole and, despite a three-putt bogey on his final hole, walked away with a 67.

“What I’m most proud of my round today was I got off to the slow start,” he said.

“The front nine is easier than the back nine, and I think I played the par 5s 1 over today. It was frustrating to get off to that slow of a start, but I still was able to shoot 3 under.”

That put him five behind the leaders and very much in the mix. Scheffler, the No. 1 player in the world, has not finished out of the top 12 in the 13 tournaments he has played this year.

Also to his relief, his putter largely cooperated.

Scheffler had been losing shots to the field on the greens over his previous 14 rounds going into the U.S. Open.

On Thursday, he was around 30th in the field in putting as the first round was finishing.

THE NEWEST officials from the two-day umpires training course will put their newfound knowledge to the test this weekend at the 2023 junior tennis national championships at the National Tennis Center (NTC).

miami’s Jes s SÁNCHEZ MAKES GAME-SAVING CATCH AS MARLINS TOP MARINERS 4-1

By TIM BOOTH AP Sports Writer

SEATTLE (AP) — Jesús

Sánchez raced back to the wall, made his leaping attempt and felt there was weight to his glove.

Home run robbery’s don’t get much better than what Miami’s right fielder pulled off on Wednesday night, stealing a grand slam in the bottom of the ninth to preserve the Marlins’ 4-1 victory over the Seattle Mariners and avoid a threegame sweep.

Sánchez’s leaping, gamesaving catch at the wall robbed Seattle’s Eugenio Suárez of a slam that would have tied the game. Instead, it became a painfully long sacrifice fly for Seattle and a highlight moment for Sánchez.

“When I felt that the glove was heavy I knew there that I had made the catch,” Sánchez said through an interpreter. “I grabbed the ball, just made the throw. It was great.” Seattle loaded the bases with one out in the ninth inning against A.J. Puk thanks to a pair of errors by Luis Arraez. Suárez lined a 2-1 pitch from Puk deep to right field, but Sánchez quickly tracked his way to the wall and made a leaping grab to pull back the potential game-tying homer.

Ty France scored on the play to break up the shutout, but Cal Raleigh lined out to Sánchez to end the game.

“That’s 100 percent the best play that’s ever happened when I’ve been pitching,” Puk said. It was the third time in the game Suárez hit a long fly ball, only to see it grabbed on the warning track or at the wall.

“It is hard, man, but I understand this game. Sometimes, it’s like that,” Suárez said.

Sánchez’s defensive gem made a winner out of 20-year-old rookie Eury Pérez, who dazzled in just his seventh start. Pérez limited the Mariners to just a pair of hits and pitched into the sixth for the first time. Pérez (4-1) struck out six and walked only one and helped Miami’s pitching recover after getting knocked around in the first two games of the series.

“They were swinging a lot of breaking ball pitches in the last couple of games and so we decided to attack with that with the fastball,” Pérez said. “Fastball was extraordinary today.”

Jorge Soler hit his 20th homer of the season hitting a line drive out to deep right-centre field off Seattle starter Luis Castillo leading off the sixth inning. Soler hit just 13 homers in 72 games last season for the Marlins, but reached the 20-homer mark for the third time in his career.

Arraez’s chase of .400 ran into a roadblock against Seattle pitching. Arraez went 0-for-3 on Wednesday with a walk and hit by pitch, and was hitless in 12 at-bats in the series. It’s the first time this season Arraez has gone hitless in three straight games.

Pérez had some good fortune also, as two earlier flyouts by Suárez and a long fly ball from Teoscar Hernández failed to carry out of the park that might have cleared the wall on a warmer night.

Castillo (4-5) limited damage overall considering he struggled badly with his control from the outset. Castillo laboured through 5 2/3 innings, giving up only two hits and two runs, but matched his career-high with six walks.

Jonathan Davis scored on a wild pitch from Castillo in the third inning, and the Marlins added a pair in the eighth on Nick Fortes’ RBI double and Davis’ sacrifice fly.

“Luis, stuff was really good, just not as sharp command wise as he normally is,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said. “I say all that and they got just two hits off him and a couple of runs.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Marlins: Injured OF Jazz Chisholm Jr. took batting practice on the field before Wednesday’s game as he continues to recover from a right big toe injury. Manager Skip Schumaker said Chisolm would be re-evaluated Thursday and that this was the first step in eventually getting back on the field.

TIGERS BEAT TWINS 8-4 FOR SECOND VICTORY IN 13 GAMES

By PATRICK DONNELLY Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS (AP)

— Javier Báez and Spencer Torkelson each had two hits and drove in two runs to help the Detroit Tigers beat the Minnesota Twins 8-4 on Thursday night for just their second victory in 13 games.

Matt Vierling was 3 for 3 with a run and an RBI for the Tigers.

Matthew Boyd (4-5) survived a four-run second inning for the victory.

He walked one and struck out eight over six innings.

Donovan Solano homered for the Twins, who had won four of their previous five.

Relievers Will Vest, Jason Foley and Alex Lange each pitched a scoreless inning to close out the Twins, who went 2 for 23 after Solano’s home run in the second inning gave them a 4-1 lead.

Twins starter Sonny Gray laboured through four innings, including a 35-pitch fourth that spelled the end of his night. Reliever Jovani Moran (0-2) replaced Gray and gave up three runs in the fifth.

Detroit’s go-ahead rally began with one-out singles by Torkelson and Kerry Carpenter. Báez followed with a line drive into the alley in left-centre that rolled all the way to the wall for a tying two-run triple.

Báez used his speed again to give Detroit the lead.

With Minnesota’s infield drawn in, Nick Maton hit a two-hopper to second baseman Kyle Farmer. Báez left on contact, however, leaving Farmer no choice but to throw to first base to retire Maton.

The Tigers added three insurance runs in the ninth when Torkelson hit a two-run double and came around on Zack Short’s

double. The Tigers got on the board with a two-out rally in the second. After Gray retired the first two batters, Andy Ibáñez worked a fullcount walk. He moved up a base on Miguel Cabrera’s single and scored on Matt Vierling’s base hit. The Twins answered immediately with a two-out

rally of their own. Willi Castro’s RBI single it, and Solano followed with a long fly ball that carried into the bullpen for a three-run homer.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Twins: DH Byron Buxton was back in the lineup hitting and hitting in the cleanup spot. He was activated earlier in the day

after missing two weeks with bruised ribs.

UP NEXT RHP Joe Ryan (7-3) is set to start for Minnesota against Detroit on Friday night. He’s coming off a nodecision in Toronto, when he gave up three earned runs over six innings. Detroit hasn’t announced a starter.

PHILLIES ABOVE .500 FOR FIRST TIME SINCE MAY 13, BEAT DIAMONDBACKS 5-4

By DAVID BRANDT AP Baseball Writer

PHOENIX (AP) — The defending National League champions have needed more than two months to start playing good baseball.

Considering recent history, the Philadelphia Phillies are just fine with that trend.

Bryson Stott hit his second homer in three games, Aaron Nola threw 6 2/3 effective innings and the Phillies moved over .500 for the first time in more than a month by beating the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-4 on Thursday.

“It’s awesome,” catcher Garrett Stubbs said. “I guess June really is the month for the Phillies.”

The Phillies have won 10 of 12 and own a 35-34 record, jumping above .500 for the first time since May 13. They took three of four games from the NL West-leading Diamondbacks this week.

Philadelphia’s recent surge is reminiscent of last season, when a nine-game June winning streak changed the team’s fortunes and eventually propelled them all the way to the World Series.

“It just happens as the year goes on, you get more reps and start finding new things,” Nola said.

“Guys start finding themselves, feeling good on the mound and at the plate.”

Nola (6-5) was terrific outside of a four-run third. The veteran righthander gave up four runs on six hits and a walk while striking out nine.

Craig Kimbrel worked the ninth for his 10th save despite three pitch-clock violations, including

two to one batter.

Philadelphia was 25-32 on June 2 following a five-game losing streak, but its star-filled lineup has started to produce over the past few weeks.

The Phillies scored 32 runs in four games against Arizona.

All nine starters had at least one hit Thursday, led by two each from Stott, Nick Castellanos, Trea Turner and Alec Bohm.

Stott led off the second by turning on a high fastball from Ryne Nelson that landed in the right-field seats for a solo homer — his second long ball of the series and seventh this season. Turner added an RBI infield single later in the inning.

Philadelphia pushed its advantage to 3-0 in the third on Bohm’s RBI double. The Diamondbacks responded with a four-run third, capped by

Ketel Marte’s three-run homer to right-center for a 4-3 lead. It was Marte’s 10th homer of the season.

That advantage was short-lived. The Phillies jumped back on top 5-4 in the fourth on run-scoring hits from Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper.

That ended the afternoon for Nelson (2-4), who was repeatedly hit hard, giving up five runs on 10 hits over four innings. The rookie right-hander walked two, struck out five, and now has a 5.30 ERA.

“They’re the defending National League champions for a reason,” D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said. “It’s nice to go toe-to-toe with them, but I’m not about moral victories, I’m into wins. Period.”

Jake McCarthy and Gabriel Moreno both had two hits for the D-backs, who lost their second

straight one-run game.

“The Phillies are playing well right now, they’re swinging it well,” first baseman Christian Walker said. “We had some chances, stayed in a couple of the games, but they didn’t go our way.”

STOTT’S SURGE

Stott pushed his batting average to .301 with another two-hit game. The second baseman is 12 of 23 at the plate over his past six games. The 25-year-old hit .317 in the first month of the season before slumping to .255 in May. He’s up over .350 so far in June.

“Everybody goes through the ebbs and flows of the season,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “He started off great, then fatigue sets in, things like that. But he’s back to seeing the baseball, using the field, working long counts. He’s doing a great job.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Diamondbacks: Marte started for the first time since Monday. He’d been dealing with lower back soreness.

UP NEXT Phillies: A three-game series at Oakland starting Friday. RHP Taijuan Walker (6-3, 4.67 ERA) will pitch the first game against Athletics LHP JP Sears (1-3, 4.15).

Diamondbacks: Will host Cleveland for a three-game series beginning Friday. RHP Zac Gallen (7-2, 3.09 ERA) pitches the first game against Guardians RHP Triston McKenzie (0-1, 4.50).

DETROIT Tigers starting pitcher Matthew Boyd (48) throws to a Minnesota Twins batter during the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bailey Hillesheim)

PHILADELPHIA Phillies’ Bryson Stott, right, celebrates after his home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks with Phillies’ Alec Bohm (28) during the second inning of a baseball game Thursday, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

ARIZONA Diamondbacks’ Ketel Marte, right, celebrates his three-run home run against the Philadelphia Phillies with Diamondbacks’ Geraldo Perdomo (2) and Gabriel Moreno (14) during the third inning of a baseball game Thursday, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

man city starts ePl title defence against vincent komPany’s Burnley

By STEVE DOUGLAS and JAMES ROBSON AP Sports Writer

MANCHESTER City

will begin its latest English Premier League title defense against Burnley, a promoted team managed by City great Vincent Kompany.

The opening round of the season also contains a match between two of the league’s so-called “Big Six” as Chelsea — with a new manager on board in Mauricio Pochettino — hosts Liverpool.

City’s trip to Turf Moor will start the season on Aug. 11 — and on a Friday night — and it’s laden with narrative because of the presence of Kompany, who spent 11 years (2008-19) at the club and has a statue outside the team’s Etihad Stadium.

Kompany, who was City captain for eight years and won four Premier League titles, led Burnley back into the top division in his first season as a manager in English soccer.

He has already faced City as a Burnley manager and it didn’t turn out to be such a happy occasion, with his team getting thrashed 6-0 in the FA Cup quarterfinals in March.

City’s early season schedule looks relatively benign — the champion also plays promoted Sheffield United and host Fulham and Nottingham Forest in its first six games — before a tough-looking October when City plays Arsenal (Oct. 7) and Manchester United (Oct. 28) away either side of hosting Brighton.

Arsenal, which ran City surprisingly close in the title race last season, begins the campaign with matches against Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace and then Fulham.

Arsenal is in the Champions League for the first time in six years, with its first two group games in Europe coming immediately ahead of Premier League matches against Tottenham and Man City.

The first league game for new Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou is a London derby at Brentford, while Manchester United is at home to Wolverhampton on Aug. 14.

Luton will play its first top-flight match since 1992 away to Brighton. The following week, Kenilworth Road will become the smallest ground to host a Premier League game when Burnley visits.

The other promoted side is Sheffield United, which starts the season at home to Crystal Palace.

TITLE RIVALS

The top two from last season go head to head before the season when City faces Arsenal at Wembley in the Community Shield on Aug. 6.

The traditional curtainraiser is usually between the league champion and FA Cup winner. But because City won both competitions, it faces the runner-up in the league, Arsenal.

While that game can be seen as a chance to strike a psychological blow ahead of the campaign, it is worth remembering Liverpool beat City in last year’s Community Shield, only for Pep Guardiola’s team to go on and win a treble of trophies including the Champions League.

Of far more importance will be the first league meeting between City and Arsenal on Oct. 7 at Emirates Stadium.

TOUGH START FOR POCHETTINO

Beginning his Chelsea career with a home game against Liverpool, represents a daunting start for Pochettino.

Liverpool was the team that denied him the Champions League title in 2019 when beating his Tottenham team 2-0 in the final.

While Jurgen Klopp’s side suffered a disappointing campaign last season, it will be among the teams expected to challenge City for the title.

Chelsea does not face another big six team until Arsenal on Oct. 21, meaning Pochettino will have the chance to build some momentum to that point.

But that Arsenal game is the start of a challenging run when Chelsea will also take on Tottenham, City, Newcastle and United over a seven-game period.

SUBSTITUTE JOSELU SCORES LATE WINNER AS SPAIN BEATS ITALY 2-1, ADVANCES TO NATIONS LEAGUE FINAL

By MIKE CORDER Associated Press

ENSCHEDE, Netherlands (AP) — Another weekend, another European final for Rodri.

The midfielder whose goal in Istanbul secured Manchester City’s first Champions League title on Saturday played another key role as Spain beat European champion Italy 2-1 on Thursday to advance to the Nations League final against Luka Modric’s Croatia on Sunday.

“I’m thrilled with my year,” Rodri said. “It’s been a huge effort — with the World Cup and winning the historic treble with Manchester City and now we’re in the (Nations League) final.”

With extra time looming, Rodri’s deflected shot fell to substitute Joselu in the 88th minute and the Espanyol striker — who was only just onside — turned in the winner from close range at FC Twente Stadium.

“I didn’t actually celebrate too much because I wasn’t sure it would count,”

Rodri said. “Joselu got into the space. He scored a really important goal for us.”

It is a second chance for Spain, which reached the Nations League final in 2021 — beating Italy in the semifinals before losing to France.

It also was a turnaround in fortunes for Spain coach

Luis de la Fuente, who replaced Luis Enrique after the World Cup in Qatar. He entered the match under pressure after his first two matches in charge were a hard-fought victory against a Norway team missing Erling Haaland and a 2-0 loss to Scotland.

“We just needed time,” he said. “I’ve always said that this is a process and it takes time to establish ideas. It takes time in training. We were unlucky that day.”

Spain had opened the scoring in the third minute when veteran Italy captain Leonardo Bonucci was tackled by Gavi and dispossessed by Yeremy Pino, who then calmly fired past Gianluigi Donnarumma for his second international goal.

But Ciro Immobile hit back quickly for Italy, converting an 11th-minute penalty after Nicolo Zaniolo hit a powerful shot that hit the arm of France-born Real Sociedad defender Robin Le Normand, who was making his debut for La Roja.

Spain takes on Croatia in Rotterdam on Sunday in the final while Italy will face hosts the Netherlands in the third-fourth match also in Enschede.

Davide Frattesi thought he had put Italy ahead in the 22nd after running onto a long pass by Jorginho and slotting a low shot through the legs of Unai Simón, but the effort was ruled offside.

The crowd at FC Twente stadium in the eastern Dutch city of Enschede was far quieter than the raucous Croatia supporters who roared their side to a 4-2 victory over hosts the Netherlands.

The exception was Spain fans often calling on Rodri to shoot. They got their wish in the 88th minute when his effort set up the winner.

While 37-year-old Luka Modric starred in Croatia’s victory, Bonucci — one year younger — could not make amends for his early error and was substituted at halftime.

In his absence of Italy’s defensive talisman, Spain started the second term

strongly and twice came close to taking the lead.

“We dropped off too much in the second half. Absolutely,” Italy coach Roberto Mancini said.

Donnarumma denied Mikel Merino with a good save in the 49th minute. Morata then gathered the rebound with his back to the goal, but shot just wide.

Three minutes later, Rodri connected with an acrobatic effort that sailed just over the bar after Donnarumma weakly punched away a Jordi Alba free kick.

Italy came close to taking the lead in the 65th minute, but Unai Simon’s reflex save denied Davide Frattesi a goal.

Mancini lamented the lack of world class forwards at his disposal.

“For a while now, Italy have been lacking some forwards, I don’t know why,” he said.

The match started with a moment’s silence for Silvio Berlusconi, the former Italian premier and owner of AC Milan who died Monday.

Jude Bellingham given idane’s no. after comPleting move to real madrid

By JOSEPH WILSON Associated Press

HOLDING up the same No. 5 shirt once donned by Zinedine Zidane, Jude Bellingham completed his move to Real Madrid on Thursday after signing a six-year deal with Europe’s most successful club.

Bellingham posed with his new shirt before Madrid’s packed trophy case after he passed a medical exam and signed the contract alongside club president Florentino Pérez.

“I have said in many interviews how much I admire Zinedine Zidane,” Bellingham said about his new number after wearing 22 with his former clubs. “I am not trying to be the same as him, I am just trying to be Jude, but it is definitely a bit of a homage to how great he was.”

Despite reportedly being a transfer target for several top European clubs, including Manchester City and Manchester United, Bellingham opted to move to the Spanish club that has won the European Cup a record 14 times.

Pérez called Bellingham one of the “best players in the world” and underscored that while he had other clubs after him, “he is here because this is where he wanted to be.”

Madrid did not confirm the transfer fee, but Dortmund said in a statement to the stock exchange last week that it could reach more than 130 million euros ($139 million).

His love for the elegance of the Zidane he watched as a child — combined with Madrid’s winning pedigree — was key, Bellingham said, to ignoring calls from English clubs to come back home.

Zidane was a world champion with France, but he had his greatest success with a club at Madrid, where he won the Champions League as a player before coaching the team to three more. And could there be just a touch of

Zidane in those spin moves Bellingham used to slip past confounded defenders in the Bundesliga?

“I really admire Zidane and the legacy he has at this club with the No. 5,” he said. “It’s a number that inspires me.”

Only 19 years old, Bellingham joins a youth movement at Madrid that includes 22-year-old Brazil forwards Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo, French internationals Eduardo Camavinga (20) and Aurélien Tchouaméni (23), and Uruguay midfielder Federico Valverde (24).

While he won’t be asked to replace the scoring void left by the exit of Karim Benzema, Bellingham

may still have some very big boots to fill. Veteran midfielders Luka Modric, a former Ballon d’Or winner, and Toni Kroos, both have contracts that expire at the end of this month.

Bellingham said he would like to learn from Modric and Kroos.

“Their experience is huge and they will be great for me,” he said. “I’ll be like a sponge around them, trying to steal anything they’ve got.”

Bellingham joined Dortmund from second-division English club Birmingham in 2020. His threeseason stay at Dortmund ended after the team lost the German title

to Bayern Munich on goal difference. He debuted for England in 2020 and has played 24 times for his national team.

Madrid has also made small deals to buy back former players Brahim Díaz and Fran García as it seeks to recover the Champions League and Spanish league titles that it relinquished last season.

The powerhouse team is expected to attempt to make another big signing to replace Benzema after his departure for Saudi Arabia. Madrid is in the middle of rumors of a possible exit of Kylian Mbappé from Paris Saint-Germain or Harry Kane from Tottenham.

SPAIN’s Joselu celebrates after scoring his side’s second goal during the Nations League semifinal soccer match between the Spain and Italy at De Grolsch Veste stadium in Enschede, eastern Netherlands. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

REAL Madrid’s new signing Jude Bellingham speaks during a press conference at the club’s training ground in Madrid, Spain, Thursday. England midfielder Jude Bellingham has completed his move to Real Madrid from Borussia Dortmund by signing a six-year deal. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

ITALY’s Ciro Immobile celebrates after scoring his side’s first goal from the penalty spot.

STOCK MARKET TODAY: WALL STREET JUMPS, AND ITS WINNING STREAK KICKS INTO A HIGHER GEAR

By STAN CHOE AND DAMIAN J. TROISE AP Business Writers

STOCKS swept higher Thursday, revving the longest rally for Wall Street in a year and a half into a higher gear. The S&P 500 rallied 1.2% to reach heights untouched since April 2022. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 428 points, or 1.3%, while the Nasdaq composite rose 1.1%.

Homebuilder Lennar helped lead the S&P 500 with a gain of 4.4% after reporting stronger profit and revenue for the latest quarter than expected. It also gave a better-thanexpected forecast for upcoming deliveries, saying customers are accepting the “new normal” of higher interest rates.

The stock market is still absorbing the Federal Reserve’s warning from a day earlier that it could raise interest rates two more times this year in its battle against inflation. It’s already hiked its benchmark rate to the highest level since 2007, which has helped slow inflation somewhat but has also caused severe pain in some areas of the economy.

The Fed is trying to find the right level for rates where it can slow spending by Americans enough to get inflation under control but not so much that it causes a deep recession. Economic reports on Thursday offered a mixed picture of how that effort is going.

But for a market that’s been relentlessly rising, that was enough to firm hopes that the Fed may end up raising rates only once this

year and that the economy can skirt a painful recession.

“Today’s mixed economic data probably won’t provide much clarity for investors wondering what to make of the Fed’s mixed message from Wednesday,” said Mike Loewengart, head of model

portfolio construction at Morgan Stanley Global Investment Office.

Treasury yields fell immediately following the reports. In the stock market, meanwhile, a wide range of stocks climbed to quell some criticism that this year’s rally has been

due to only a handful of companies benefitting from the frenzy around artificial intelligence.

“The Fed remains data and event dependent, so investors globally will need to be so as well,” said John Vail, chief global strategist at Nikko Asset Management.

Thursday’s headline economic report showed that sales at U.S. retailers unexpectedly strengthened last month, when economists were forecasting a drop. That could be a sign that spending by consumers overall is holding up despite more expensive rates on credit cards and other loans. But underneath the surface, the numbers were a touch weaker than expected after ignoring sales of autos, fuel and some other areas. Those numbers feed into the U.S. government’s estimates for the overall economy’s growth.

A separate report said slightly more workers applied for unemployment benefits last week than expected. Though the number is still relatively low compared with history, a tick higher could be a sign that a remarkably resilient job market is finally starting to loosen following the Fed’s barrage of rate hikes since early last year.

In manufacturing, the impact of higher rates has been more clear. The industry has been contracting for months, though it accounts for only a relatively small part of the economy.

One report Thursday said manufacturing activity in the mid-Atlantic region suffered its 10th straight month of contraction. Another, though, said sentiment among manufacturers in New York state unexpectedly improved this month.

Treasury yields slumped after the reports. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 3.72% from 3.79% late Wednesday. It helps set rates for mortgages and other important loans.

The two-year yield, which moves more on expectations for the Fed, fell to 4.64% from 4.69% late Wednesday.

Even though the Fed warned Wednesday that it may hike rates twice more this year, it also let a meeting pass without raising rates for the first time in more than a year. In another upside for markets, the Fed said it hasn’t made any final decision yet on whether to keep raising rates.

That helped the S&P 500 to close Thursday with a sixth straight gain, its longest winning streak since late 2021. The stock market has leaped nearly 24% since hitting a bottom last October, as the economy has so far avoided a recession and inflation has come down from its peak last summer.

The S&P 500 rose 53.25 points to 4,425.84. The Dow gained 428.73 to 34,408.06, and the Nasdaq climbed 156.34 to 13,782.82.

Much attention is on the Fed’s next meeting, which will run from July 25-26. The bet on Wall Street is that it will raise rates next month, but traders at the moment are mostly convinced that will be the last increase of the year, according to data from CME Group.

Before that meeting, relatively few high-profile economic reports will be arrive that could sway the Fed’s thinking. Among them are the next monthly updates on the job market and inflation at the consumer level. Companies will also begin reporting in early July how much profit they made during the spring.

JOB OPPORTUNITY

Rahming’s Medical Centre

is looking to employ the following health care professionals to work at our new medical facility

• Primary Care Physicians candidates with past graduate encourage to submit their resume for special consideration

• Licensed pharmacist part time or full time

• Licensed Dentist

• Partime or Full time ultrasound,radiologytechnician offered

Please forward all inquires/resumes along with contact information to rahmingsmedicalcenter@gmail.com (242) 425-1623

TRADERS work on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange in New York, Wednesday, June 14, 2023. Photo:Seth Wenig/AP

Energy Department among federal agencies breached by Russian ransomware gang

By FRANK BAJAK AP Technology Writer

THE DEPARTMENT of Energy and several other federal agencies were compromised in a Russian cyber-extortion gang's global hack of a file-transfer program popular with corporations and governments, but the impact was not expected to be great, Homeland Security officials said Thursday.

But for others among what could be hundreds of victims from industry to higher education — including patrons of at least two state motor vehicle agencies — the hack was beginning to show some serious impacts.

Jen Easterly, director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, told reporters that unlike the meticulous, stealthy SolarWinds hacking campaign attributed to state-backed Russian intelligence agents that was months in the making, this campaign was short, relatively superficial and caught quickly.

"Based on discussions we have had with industry partners ... these intrusions are not being leveraged to gain broader access, to gain persistence into targeted systems, or to steal specific high value information— in sum, as we understand it, this attack is largely an opportunistic one," Easterly said.

"Although we are very concerned about this campaign and working on it with urgency, this is not a campaign like SolarWinds that presents a systemic risk to our national security or our nation's networks," she added.

A senior CISA official said neither the U.S. military nor intelligence community was affected. Energy Department spokesperson Chad Smith said two agency entities were compromised but did not provide more detail.

Known victims to date include Louisiana's Office of Motor Vehicles, Oregon's Department of Transportation, the Nova Scotia provincial government, British Airways, the British Broadcasting Company and the U.K. drugstore chain Boots. The exploited program, MOVEit, is widely used by businesses to securely share files. Security experts say that can include sensitive financial and insurance data.

Louisiana officials said Thursday that people with a driver's license or vehicle registration in the state likely had their personal information exposed. That included their name, address, Social Security number and birthdate. They encouraged Louisiana residents to freeze their credit to guard against identity theft.

The Oregon Department of Transportation confirmed Thursday that the attackers accessed personal information, some sensitive, for about 3.5 million people to whom the state issued identity cards or driver's licenses.

The Cl0p ransomware syndicate behind the hack announced last week on its dark web site that its victims, who it suggested numbered in the hundreds, had until Wednesday to get in touch to negotiate a ransom or risk having sensitive stolen data dumped online.

The gang, among the world's most prolific cybercrime syndicates, also claimed it would delete any data stolen from governments, cities and police departments.

The senior CISA official told reporters a "small number" of federal agencies were hit — declining to name them — and said "this is not a widespread campaign affecting a large number of federal agencies." The official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the breach, said no federal agencies had received extortion demands and no data from an affected federal agency had been leaked online by Cl0p.

U.S. officials "have no evidence to suggest coordination between Cl0p and the Russian government," the official said.

The parent company of MOVIEit's U.S. maker, Progress Software, alerted customers to the breach on May 31 and issued a patch. But cybersecurity researchers say scores if not hundreds of companies could by then have had sensitive data quietly exfiltrated.

"At this point, we are seeing industry estimates of several hundred of victims across the country," the senior CISA official said. Federal officials encouraged victims to come forward, but they often don't. The U.S. lacks a federal data breach law, and disclosure of hacks varies by state. Publicly traded corporations, health care providers and some critical infrastructure purveyors do have regulatory obligations.

The cybersecurity firm SecurityScorecard says it detected 2,500 vulnerable MOVEit servers across 790 organizations, including 200 government agencies. It said it was not able to break down those agencies by country.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency in the Treasury Department uses MOVEit, according to federal contracting data.

Spokeswoman Stephanie Collins said the agency was aware of the hack and has been monitoring the situation closely. She said

it was "conducting detailed forensic analysis of system activity and has not found any indications of a breach of sensitive information." She would not say how the agency uses the file-transfer program.

The hackers were actively scanning for targets, penetrating them and stealing data at least as far back as March 29, said SecurityScorecard threat analyst Jared Smith.

This is far from the first time Cl0p has breached a file-transfer program to gain access to data it could then use to extort companies. Other instances include GoAnywhere servers in early 2023 and Accellion File Transfer Application devices in 2020 and 2021. The Associated Press emailed Cl0p on Thursday asking what government agencies it had hacked. It did not receive a response, but the gang posted a new message on its dark web leak site saying: "We got a lot of emails about government data, we don't have it we have completely deleted this information we are only interested in business." Cybersecurity experts say the Cl0p criminals are not to be trusted to keep their word. Allan Liska of the firm Recorded Future has said he is aware of at least three cases in which data stolen by ransomware crooks appeared on the dark web six to 10 months after victims paid ransoms.

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that PHILOCLES JEUNE of Hay Street off East Street, New Providence, The Bahamas, is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/ naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twentyeight days from the 16th day of June, 2023 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that NIKLINE JACSAINT of Windsor Place, New Providence, The Bahamas, is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/ naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twentyeight days from the 16th day of June, 2023 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that DANE ST. AUBYN BEADLE, of S. C. Bootle Highway, Marsh Harbour, Abaco, The Bahamas is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 9th day of June 2023 to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

NOTICE

NOTICE is hereby given that MICHEL PEREZ GARCIA , Jacaranda Close, Sandyport Subdivision, New Providence, The Bahamas applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 9th day of June 2023 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

JEN EASTERLY, director of the Department of Homeland Security's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, speaks at the National Association of Secretaries of State winter meeting, Feb. 16, 2023, in Washington. U.S. officials say the Department of Energy and several other federal agencies were compromised in a Russian cyber-extortion gang's global hack of a file-transfer program popular with corporations and governments.

Photo:Patrick Semansky/AP

Charities asked: Do you hold any of FTX’s $5.4m?

Elsewhere, the Bahamian liquidation trio blasted the “numerous obstacles and lack of co-operation” placed in the way of progressing FTX Digital Markets’ winding-up by John Ray, head of the 134 FTX entities in Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in Delaware. They also accused the FTX US chief of halting efforts to secure, and begin realising, the $256m worth of Bahamian real estate assets acquired by FTX prior to its November 2022 collapse.

Noting that “limited progress” has resulted, the FTX Digital Markets trio also revealed that some of the $256m acquisitions had not closed before they were appointed. “The joint provisional liquidators identified 41 properties with a total acquisition price of $256m conveyed in the name of FTX Property Holdings, or in the name of individual employees of FTX Digital Markets,” they informed the Supreme Court.

“FTX Property Holdings did not operate a bank account and, based on a review of the books and records, the joint provisional liquidators have concluded that all property purchases, operating and

maintenance costs were financed by FTX Digital Markets prior to insolvency. FTX Digital Markets is potentially the only, or at least the largest, creditor of FTX Property Holdings.”

The Bahamian liquidators said the January 6, 2023, co-operation agreement worked out with Mr Ray stipulated that they would take the lead on winding-up the real estate portfolio - and realising value for FTX creditors and investors - via either a liquidation process supervised by the Supreme Court or other agreed procedure.

“To that end, the joint provisional liquidators prepared the necessary documentation for the issuance of a statutory demand and winding-up petition over FTX Property Holdings,” the Supreme Court report said.

“On February 14, 2023, the statutory demand was served on the registered office of FTX Property Holdings.

“Service was objected to by the Chapter 11 debtors as being a violation of the automatic stay, even though the co-operation agreement expressly contemplated a winding-up by the Supreme Court of The Bahamas, and the service of a statutory demand was a

condition precedent to such a winding-up.

“While the joint provisional liquidators disagreed entirely with the Chapter 11 debtors’ position on this matter, in the spirit of co-operation the joint provisional liquidators agreed to rescind the statutory demand with the understanding that the debtors would engage in discussions to commence the agreedupon liquidation proceeding in The Bahamas,” the Bahamian liquidators continued.

“However, since this time, the Chapter 11 debtors have not engaged in discussions regarding the commencement of a liquidation proceeding and limited progress has been made to obtain control over the real estate. The joint provisional liquidators’ intention is to market and sell the properties as contemplated by the co-operation agreement and they will, if necessary, seek the assistance of the Supreme Court to do so.

“Some of the property purchases were not completed at the time of the joint provisional liquidators’ appointment, and the joint provisional liquidators are considering the strategy in relation to these with a view towards maximising recoveries for customers

and creditors. The joint provisional liquidators hope to present the strategy for the sale of all the properties and seek the debtors’ agreement for the process to proceed.”

Besides confirming that operational and maintenance costs, including insurance, are current for all the properties, the Bahamian provisional liquidators added that they “continue to preserve the value of the assets held by FTX Property Holdings in The Bahamas.

“The joint provisional liquidators have had discussions with vendors regarding the completion of incomplete property acquisitions, and appropriately credentialled real estate agents, regarding optimal strategies to maximise value from real estate assets. While those discussions have been fruitful, there has been a recent delay triggered by the unannounced interference by the Chapter 11 Debtors in The Bahamas.”

Elsewhere, the Bahamian liquidators said the parents of Sam Bankman-Fried, the embattled FTX founder who is facing multiple criminal charges in New York over the crypto exchange’s collapse, have handed over the multi-million dollar Old Fort Bay home acquired for

them “to the control of FTX Digital Markets”. It was bought using the Bahamian subsidiary’s money, and the report added: “The joint provisional liquidators are assessing the next steps to preserve, maintain and ultimately realise value for the estate of FTX Digital Markets.” Former senior FTX executives and management are also in their sights.

“The joint provisional liquidators have identified that certain employees have received employee loans from FTX Digital Markets,” the trio said. “The company provided $20.9m in loans to six employees related to property purchases, as well as $850,000 to three employees in non-property related loans and salary advances. The joint provisional liquidators are initiating recovery actions in respect of these loans/payments.”

None of the former employees were named.

And, while no valuations were published, the Bahamian provisional liquidators said they are planning to shortly seek the Supreme Court’s permission to selloff FTX Digital Markets’ former vehicles, IT and office equipment. “The joint provisional liquidators have completed the vehicle fleet

NOTICE

In the Estate of GODFREY ANTHONY BETHELL late of Bahamas Breeze Retreat in the Settlement of Palmetto Point in the Island of Eleuthera one of the Islands of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, deceased.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that all persons having any claim against the above named Estate are required on or before the 10th day of July, 2023 to send their names and addresses and particulars of their debts or claims to the undersigned and if so required by notice in writing from the undersigned to come in and prove such debts and claims or in default thereof they will be excluded from the benefts of any distributions made before such debts are proved AND all persons indebted to the said Estate are asked to pay their respective debts to the undersigned.

HAILSHAMS LEGAL ASSOCIATES

Counsel and Attorneys at Law RENALDO HOUSE 10 Queen’s Highway Palmetto Point, Eleuthera, Bahamas

P. O. Box SS 5062, Nassau, Bahamas

Attorneys for the Administratrix of the above Estate Tel: 242-332-0470 email: hailshams@1stcounsel.com

appraisal process. Valuations have been obtained from two independent appraisers,” they said in their Supreme Court report.

“The joint provisional liquidators require the sanction of the Supreme Court in order to commence selling assets. As substantially all of the motor vehicles, IT and office equipment are depreciating, the joint provisional liquidators are in the process of filing an application for sanction from the court in order to sell these assets.

“The joint provisional liquidators invited offers from local dealerships and bulk equipment purchasers in respect of these assets, and will advertise locally for sale to ensure an appropriate level of price discovery. The joint provisional liquidators continue to insure the company’s vehicle fleet, however, seek to recover a portion of the associated costs at the end of the insurance policy period as vehicles are sold and secured.”

The Bahamian liquidators reiterated that, of the $15bn in fiat currency deposited with FTX Digital Markets by clients, some $5.6bn was transferred to FTX Trading, an entity in Mr Ray’s control, with a further $2.1bn sent to Alameda Research, the private trading vehicle previously controlled by Mr Bankman-Fried. All told, some $7.7bn allegedly flowed out of the Bahamian subsidiary.

“Regrettably, despite the entry into the co-operation agreement, the joint provisional liquidators have faced numerous obstacles and lack of co-operation from the Chapter 11 debtors,” the Bahamian trio alleged of Mr Ray and his team. “In particular, the Chapter 11 debtors have sought to assert interests in and/or claims over ($45m in) US dollar stablecoins which the co-operation agreement expressly provided that the joint provisional liquidators would control.

“The Chapter 11 debtors have also denied the joint provisional liquidators full access to data to which the joint provisional liquidators are entitled pursuant to the co-operation agreement. Further, the Chapter 11 debtors have interfered with the joint provisional liquidators’ efforts to monetise and lead the liquidation process of FTX Property Holdings.

“The joint provisional liquidators’ requests for access to the e-mail, slack chat and google drive messages of FTX Digital Markets employees remains unfulfilled, which in turn is hampering the joint provisional liquidators’ abilities to discharge their fiduciary duties to their estate and stakeholders, including the customers of FTX Digital Markets. It is also unclear whether the AWS data provided by the Chapter 11 debtors is complete.”

‘Not scratched 10%’ of fly fishing potential

“I notice here at BAMSI, through Dr Raveenia Roberts-Hanna and a few others on our team, we were very instrumental in getting a national training programme here at BAMSI. But I can share with you, clearly with the average age of guides in The Bahamas, there is really an urgent need to get persons into this industry.

“I spoke to the head of fisheries sector in Belize yesterday. When I first wrote to the Cabinet of The Bahamas, which was 20 years or two decades ago, they had a dozen. Today, Belize has 1,000 full-time fishing guides. The Bahamas is around 400, and Belize doesn’t have onetenth of the area in terms of their fishing grounds compared to The Bahamas. We have lost a lot of ground in developing the industry.”

Creation, and implementation, of a national training programme for Bahamian fly fishing guides was contained in legislation to regulate the industry which came into effect on January 9, 2017. However, Mr Smith argued that this needs to extend far beyond BAMSI and “really needs a lot more support if we are to do some catching up, which is badly needed”. He added: “The country can capitalise many times more than we are presently doing at the moment. When we think of the fly fishing industry, we have not scratched the surface in terms of its true potential.”

Calling for improvements to the fishing licence/permit process, Mr Smith urged that cruising and fishing permitting be reviewed as “incredible abuses” are occurring.

“The permit review of the fishing/cruising permit

system in The Bahamas,” he added. “It allows incredible abuse presently taking place with our fisheries, as persons can buy a cruising permit but nobody buys an individual fishing permit. Many anglers who fish at my lodge are always asking me: ‘Prescott, why is it that the Government allows such abuse of its fisheries in The Bahamas?’.”

The Fly Fishing Association president also argued that the fly fishing industry was a large enough, and sufficiently important, economic contributorespecially in the Family Islands - to merit closer attention and its own dedicated unit in the Ministry of Tourism.

“A separate department in the Ministry of Tourism is urgently needed when it comes to this industry,” Mr Smith said. “The way the industry is marketed presently, it does the country

Andros shipper ‘exceeds every financial projection’

FROM PAGE A24

this has happened before in a consistent way.

“The way we do it today, as the operator of a single vessel, we probably move more than any other operator on Potter’s Cay dock.”

He added that Central Andros Shipping has a oneday vessel turnaround time, calling at South Andros on a Monday; returning to Nassau to load up again on Tuesday; arriving in Central Andros on Wednesday; returning to Potter’s Cay again on Thursday; and then calling in Morgan’s Bluff on Friday.

“Our vision is to develop an international shipping route between Florida and the entire island of Andros,” Mr Munroe revealed. “We will also look to serve the neighbouring islands of New Providence, Exuma and Eleuthera, all by providing international shipping services. This will be done by a company headquartered in Andros and owned by Androsians.......

“Over the last year we’ve invested significantly in strengthening our operations and capacity because the growth has been so phenomenal that we’ve been really challenged to keep up. We are building out, and have improved our facilities on the vessel - navigation, auto pilot and steering systems.

“We have built an office building on Potter’s Cay dock that has improved our ability to receive cargo with a storage facility when

the vessel is not in port. We look to build similar facilities in Morgan’s Bluff and Fresh Creek, Andros, over the next few months.”

Mr Munroe said his family has a long history in shipping. His father, together with his uncle, Samuel, built their first 40-foot vessel, the Pleasant, by hand in the early 1970s and operated from Staniard Creek in central Andros. They expanded through the addition of extra boats, the Central Andros Express One and Two, plus the Lady D, the latter being a 100-foot vessel.

However, it was left to Mr Munroe to carry on the family tradition when Central Andros Shipping was incorporated in 2017. “He was very much part of the plan to rebuild the shipping operation in such a way as to make a much more significant impact on Andros’ development,” he added of his father. “He was very excited about it, but while he supported it wholeheartedly, the transition was not as smooth as we expected it to be.

“That’s a national challenge, the difficulty some of our people have passing the baton...... While we were able to work through it, it should become an important part of the discussion of our national development.” Mr Munroe suggested this may have resulted from “the fear factor”, and a reluctance to let go as persons pass on to the next stage in their life.

Central Andros Shipping received $735,000 in

financing from Fidelity Bank (Bahamas) and the Bahamas Entrepreneurial Venture Fund (BEVF), which was arranged through the SBDC and its Access Accelerator. He acknowledged that the latter was “initially challenged with the size of the proposal in terms of funding” but was able to work through it.

“Shipping is really the lifeblood of The Bahamas, and no matter where we are in national development we will never outgrow the need to move cargo from one island to the next,” Mr Munroe said. “Andros will always have a strong foothold in the shipping industry.

“Just a few weeks ago, we had the privilege of supporting the South Andros homecoming. This is an annual event, and really took off in the early 1990s. We moved 250=300 passengers and 45 vehicles all in a weekend for three days. When you think about it, it’s practically impossible to expand or grow these local economies without the ability to move people in these numbers and in this way.”

Mr Munroe said Central Andros Shipping provides “a weekend getaway into Morgan’s Bluff”, leaving Nassau on Friday with an average 80-100 passengers and between 15-30 vehicles. He added that it allows Androsians to “return home at an affordable cost and get back to Nassau fresh for Monday morning” and work.

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a great disservice and The Bahamas has lost billions of dollars in revenue.

“You can imagine... We have the largest flats in the world, but even in our Ministry of Tourism, they have a director of weddings but don’t have a specific department to deal with the largest fisheries of its kind on planet earth. It means we as a country have to know where every fishing club is, where every outfitter is, whether they are in Japan or England or elsewhere in the world.

“The industry, in terms of its true potential, we have not even gotten as close as 5-10 percent of it.” Asked by Kerry Fountain, the Bahamas Out Island Promotions Board executive director, whether a fishing guide needs assessment has been conducted for every Family Island, Mr Smith replied: “A conference like this is sometimes very important to say things that are not very popular.”

He argued that all other tourism industry bodies had fought against the fly fishing

legislation that was enacted in early 2017 even though many of their individual members stood to benefit from it. Emphasising that he and the Association placed the industry’s interests first, ahead of individual lodges, businesses and guides, Mr Smith said:

“I will tell you that if we are to protect this resource we have a very narrow window because there are a lot of competing interests out there pushing The Bahamas in a direction that will destroy these resources.”

He argued that The Bahamas should have “five to six times” the number of guides it presently has, but added that they also need to be in specialist areas such as permit fisheries, tarpon and freshwater fisheries.

“There’s no written policies in place,” Mr Smith said.

“The country is losing a lot of revenue. As simple as having an outfitter’s licence, which means fishing gear can be bought in-country.”

Many anglers who try to buy equipment in The Bahamas cannot find what

they need, he added, while a “repressive tax system” meant Customs was unsure what to charge visitors bringing in rods, reels and other essentials. As a result, Mr Smith said The Bahamas was losing out on potential foreign exchange earnings.

“Andros has 25-plus guides with their average age in the early 40s-50s,” he added. “We should have double the amount of individuals in their 20s and 30s coming into the industry. We need to get women into this industry. It’s not just lodges and taking anglers to the flats.....

“On a scale of one to ten, we’ve not even reached 0.1 in terms of the potential of this industry. The potential is endless in terms of developing what this industry really has to offer. The approach has to be to develop it in the interests of the country beyond our individual businesses.”

National debt growth slows as hits $11.5bn

dollar obligations. As a result of these developments, the direct charge on the Government rose by $67.9m (0.6 percent) over the quarter and by $571.9m (5.4 percent) on an annual basis to $11.104bn at endMarch 2023.

“An analysis by component showed that Bahamian dollar debt represented 53.4 percent of the total, while foreign currency liabilities accounted for the remaining 46.6 percent.” As for the Government’s contingent liabilities, which represent borrowings it has guaranteed on behalf of state-owned enterprises (SOEs), the Central Bank said these “edged up by $0.4m (0.1 percent) over the previous three-month

period, but declined by $6.8m (1.7 percent) yearon-year, to $390.6m”. It added: “As a result, the national debt - inclusive of contingent liabilities - expanded by $68.3m (0.6 percent) over the quarter, and by $565.2m (5.2 percent) on an annual basis, to $11.495bn. With the recovery in output, the direct charge as a ratio to GDP decreased by an estimated 3.6 percentage points on a yearly basis to 83.4 percent at end-March. In addition, the national debt-to-GDP declined to an estimated 86.3 percent compared to 90.2 percent in the same quarter of 2022.”

Turning to the banking sector, the Central Bank said: “Total domestic credit contracted by $54.7m (0.6 percent) during the first

quarter of 2023, notably lower than the year earlier $288.6m (3.2 percent) reduction. This followed an average quarterly decrease of 1 percent over the preceding five-year period.

“In particular, the dominant Bahamian dollar component - comprising 93.5 percent of the totalfell by $26.1m (0.3 percent), significantly lower than the $261.1m (3 percent) decline in the comparable period of 2022. The foreign currency component reduced by $28.6m (4.6 percent), in line with the $27.5m (8.6 percent) fall-off in the preceding year.”

Breaking this down, the regulator added: “A detailed breakdown of Bahamian dollar consumer credit showed that net repayments occurred for

PRIVATE NETWORKS, SECURITY

debt consolidation ($7.6m), land purchases ($2.8m), travel ($1.6 m) and education ($1m), with a more muted repayment of less than $1m recorded for taxis and rented cars.

“In contrast, net lending increased for private cars ($7.3m) and ‘miscellaneous’ purposes ($6.7m), while smaller gains were posted for furnishings and domestic appliances ($0.9m), credit cards ($0.5m), medical services ($0.4m) and home improvements and commercial vehicles ($0.1m each).

“The remaining private sector loan categories revealed that credit balances decreased for professional and ‘other’ services ($13.2m), construction ($7.9m), transport ($6.3m), fisheries ($2.7m)

By FRANK BAJAK AP Technology Writer

SUSPECTED statebacked Chinese hackers used a security hole in a popular email security appliance to break into the networks of hundreds of public and private sector organizations globally, nearly a third of them government agencies including foreign ministries, the cybersecurity firm Mandiant said Thursday.

"This is the broadest cyber espionage campaign known to be conducted by a China-nexus threat actor since the mass exploitation of Microsoft Exchange in early 2021," Charles Carmakal, Mandiant's chief technical officer, said in a emailed statement. That hack compromised tens of thousands of computers globally.

In a blog post Thursday, Google-owned Mandiant expressed "high confidence" that the group exploiting a software vulnerability in Barracuda Networks' Email Security Gateway was engaged in "espionage activity in support of the People's Republic of China." It said the activivity began as early as October.

The hackers sent emails containing malicious file attachments to gain access to targeted organizations'

and tourism ($0.8m). Much lesser credit balances were recorded for entertainment and catering ($0.2m) and mining and quarrying ($0.1m). Conversely, credit balances rose for private financial institutions ($29.3m), manufacturing ($4.1m), ‘miscellaneous’ purposes ($2.2m) and distribution ($1.8m).”

As for the housing sector, the Central Bank said: “The most recent data obtained from domestic banks, insurance companies and the Bahamas Mortgage Corporation indicated that the total value of mortgages outstanding contracted by $18.8m (0.7 percent) to $2,891bn in the first quarter, extending the $5.9m (0.2 percent) decrease in the corresponding period of 2022.

devices and data, Mandiant said. Of those organizations, 55% were from the Americas, 22% from Asia Pacific and 24% from Europe, the Middle East and Africa and they included foreign ministries in Southeast Asia, foreign trade offices and academic organizations in Taiwan and Hong Kong. the company said.

Mandiant said the majority impact in the Americas may partially reflect the geography of Barracuda's customer base.

Barracuda announced on June 6 that some of its its email security appliances had been hacked as early as October, giving the intruders a back door into compromised networks. The hack was so severe the California company recommended fully replacing the appliances.

After discovering it in mid-May, Barracuda released containment and remediation patches but the hacking group, which Mandiant identifies as UNC4841, altered their malware to try to maintain access, Mandiant said. The group then "countered with high frequency operations targeting a number of victims located in at least 16 different countries."

Word of the breach arrived with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken departing for China this weekend as part of the Biden administration's push to repair deteriorating ties between Washington and Beijing.

His visit had initially been planned for early this

“Underlying this outturn, the residential component - which comprised 93.1 percent of total mortgages - reduced by $10.1m (0.4 percent) to $2.69bn, exceeding the $1m fall-off in the preceding year. Likewise, the commercial component declined by $8.6m (4.2 percent) to $200.6m, surpassing the $4.9m (3 percent) retrenchment during the same period last year. At end-March, the majority of mortgages were held by domestic banks (86.7 percent) followed by the Bahamas Mortgage Corporation (6.8 percent) and insurance companies (6.5 percent).”

year but was postponed indefinitely after the discovery and shootdown of what the U.S. said was a Chinese spy balloon over the United States.

Mandiant said the targeting at both the organizational and individual account levels, focused on issues that are high policy priorities for China, particularly in the Asia Pacific region. It said the hackers searched for email accounts of people working for governments of political or strategic interest to China at the time they were participating in diplomatic meetings with other countries.

In a emailed statement Thursday, Barracuda said about 5% of its active Email Security Gateway appliances worldwide showed evidence of potential compromise. It said it was providing replacement appliances to affected customers at no cost.

The U.S. government has accused Beijing of being its principal cyberespionage threat, with state-backed Chinese hackers stealing data from both the private and public sector.

In terms of raw intelligence affecting the U.S., China's largest electronic infiltrations have targeted OPM, Anthem, Equifax and Marriott.

Earlier this year, Microsoft said state-backed Chinese hackers have been targeting U.S. critical infrastructure and could be laying the technical groundwork for the potential disruption of critical communications between the U.S. and Asia during future crises.

China says the U.S. also engages in cyberespionage against it, hacking into computers of its universities and companies.

EX-CHAMBER CHIEF TO HEAD UP ROYAL CARIBBEAN’S BEACH CLUB

ROYAL Caribbean yesterday announced it has hired a former Chamber of Commerce executive director to head both its Bahamian subsidiary and Paradise Island-based Royal Beach Club.

The cruise giant, in a statement, said Philip Simon will formally become Royal Beach Club president, and general manager of Royal Caribbean International Bahamas, on July 1. He will oversee every aspect of the proposed Paradise Island project and serve as the cruise line’s local chief executive in working with the Government, regulatory agencies, businesses and fellow residents to bring the development to fruition.

“Welcoming a leader who is as well-respected and accomplished in The Bahamas as Philip Simon is the start of an exciting chapter,” said Jay Schneider, Royal Caribbean’s chief product and innovation officer.

PHILIP SIMON

“With a project as significant as the Royal Beach Club at Paradise Island that will introduce a firstof-its-kind public-private partnership, we are committed to maximising Bahamian participation and building a development that will set new standards in environmental design and operation in The Bahamas. Philip, a resident and native of The Bahamas, has the experience and reputation to ensure that.”

Royal Caribbean said that having Mr Simon as president and general manager will ensure Bahamian influence in Royal Caribbean’s local operations starts at the top of the company. He will lead executive staff and a team based in Nassau, and oversee everything from the Beach Club’s development to the recruitment of local Bahamians and businesses for its construction and eventual operation.

A key part of this role will involve bringing to reality a new public-private partnership (PPP), which invites Bahamians to own up to 49 percent of the equity in the Royal Beach Club. Mr Simon will also drive the cruise line’s efforts to support partners, businesses and entrepreneurs, and maximise the opportunities for Bahamian businesses to operate the beach experience.

“I am excited to represent both Royal Caribbean

International and the country in what will be a very unique opportunity for all sides, with the new Beach Club and the tremendous potential for extended growth and partnership for years to come,” Mr Simon said.

He was most recently managing partner at PMR Bahamas Realty, which signed a Heads of Agreement with the Davis administration to develop Torch Cay in the Exumas. He headed PMR’s (Penske Media Real Estate) business in The Bahamas, and also previously served as president of New Providence Development Company before that.

Mr Simon was also the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce’s executive director from 2002-2010, where he managed its daily affairs with a special focus on trade and business development. He holds a degree in physics and mathematics from the then-College of The

FTX BAHAMAS WARNS OF $143M US DOJ BATTLE

FROM PAGE A24

If the FTX Bahamas trio end up initiating legal action against the US Justice Department, they will be taking on the federal equivalent of the Attorney General’s Office. Given its power and resources, as well as the might of the US government, most seek to avoid a head-on collision with this agency, but the joint provisional liquidators indicated they may have no choice given the importance of the $143m cash assets to the Bahamian subsidiary’s clients and creditors.

However, the Bahamian joint provisional liquidators’ report to the Supreme Court underscored just how vital the $143m is to their winding-up effort. For it represents 65 percent, or almost two-thirds, of cash assets belonging to FTX Digital Markets to-date. Of the total $219.5m identified thus far, the joint provisional liquidators have recovered some $76.3m to-date.

Of the latter sum, some $26.7m was received from Bahamas-based Equity Bank & Trust; $18.1m from BCB Bank; $31.2m from Fidelity Bank (Bahamas); and $300,000 from Deltec Bank & Trust. However, not all these assets belong to FTX Digital Markets and/or can be used to finance the winding-up, as a significant portion are likely to be client assets held on trust for their benefit.

“At the time of the first report, the joint provisional liquidators had in their control $31.5m of estate cash and were in the process of securing $44.8m in bank accounts marked as funds held for the benefit of customers (FBO) cash,” the Bahamian liquidators told the Supreme Court.

“Although it is unclear yet whether fiat funds marked as FBO are assets of customers held on trust, out of an abundance of caution the joint provisional liquidators have not thus far used FBO cash to meet estate costs to-date.” As a result, and with the $143m held by the US Justice Department, the Bahamian trio have limited

funds with which to finance their activities.

Having held $21.5m of cash at November 14, 2022, they subsequently received Supreme Court approval to settle $17.9m of costs and professional fees. This, together with $900,000 in payroll costs and $900,00 in “other commitments”, means the Bahamian liquidators’ cash resources had shrunk to $1.8m at endApril 2023, highlighting the importance of recovering the $143m.

“The joint provisional liquidators remain open to continuing a constructive dialogue with the US Justice Department in relation to funds in the name of FTX Digital Markets subject to criminal forfeiture by the US Justice Department. At the time of this report, however, it appears that the likelihood of an agreed resolution is becoming more remote, and as such the joint provisional liquidators will consider the other remedies available,” they told the Supreme Court.

The US Justice Department swooped in to seize and secure the funds, held at two US banks, from accounts in the name of FTX Digital Markets, the Bahamian subsidiary, over Christmas and just before the 2023 New Year. It was able to do this because the Bahamian provisional liquidators had, at that point, yet to obtain Chapter 15 recognition from the US courts as a “foreign main proceeding”, which meant they had little standing or authority in the US at that time.

The Bahamian liquidator trio are thought to be suspicious that Mr Ray and his team, and their attorneys at the US law firm at Sullivan & Cromwell, tipped off the US Justice Department to the accounts containing $143m. The funds were held at two institutions, Silvergate and Farmington/Moonstone Bank, with the latter’s chairman being Jean Chalopin, who holds the same position with Bahamas-based Deltec Bank & Trust.

“Approximately $143m of fiat funds were seized from bank accounts in the name

of FTX Digital Markets held at Farmington State Bank, doing business as Moonstone Bank (Moonstone), and Silvergate Bank,” the Bahamian joint provisional liquidators said. “In relation to Sam Bankman-Fried’s pending criminal case, the US Justice Department obtained a seizure warrant for... the accounts under the criminal and civil forfeiture statutes.”

With no civil proceedings underway involving the FTX Digital Markets bank accounts, the trio added that the US Justice Department was only moving forward on the criminal side in a bid to “forfeit Mr BankmanFried’s personal interest in the accounts”. However, the Bahamian provisional liquidators are arguing that the embattled FTX founder has no interest in the accounts or $143m, and that these assets instead belong to FTX Digital Markets’ customers and creditors.

“The joint provisional liquidators have met with the US Justice Department twice and in-person, and have had several teleconferences with the US Justice Department to discuss the issue,” their Supreme Court report added. “The joint provisional liquidators are advised that they have grounds to challenge the Government’s seizures of the accounts.

“For several months the joint provisional liquidators have engaged patiently and constructively with the US Justice Department to discuss a protocol for the release of the seized funds. In accordance with their statutory powers, the joint provisional liquidators continue to take advice from legal counsel in respect of the options available to them to recover FTX Digital Markets’ funds, including filing a potential motion for a hearing to challenge the seizure and release the funds on the basis that they belong in the estate of FTX Digital Markets for the benefit of creditors of FTX Digital Markets rather than in the hands of the Department of Justice.”

Bahamas, and a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Texas Tech University. He also has a master’s degree in business administration with concentrations in entrepreneurship and finance from the University of Maryland.

Mr Simon has served on the boards of Bahamas Ferries, the Bahamas Entrepreneurial Venture Fund, The Regional Management Consultancy Task Force, Civil Society Advisory Group, the Bahamas National Pride Association and the Bahamas Trade Commission.

He is also the former chairman of the Self-Starter youth entrepreneurial grant programme, an honorary member of the Rotary Club of Old Fort Bay and a former membership officer of YPO Bahamas. He is the current chairman of Junior Achievement Bahamas and deputy chair of The Bahamas Primary

School Student of The Year Foundation.

The Royal Beach Club at Paradise Island is a proposed 17-acre beach experience targeted at the western end of Paradise Island. Bahamians will be invited to own up to 49 percent of the project’s equity, while local businesses and entrepreneurs will also have the opportunity to manage the majority of the project’s experiences.

The new venture is projected to generate hundreds of jobs during both its construction and longterm operation. The Royal Beach Club will comrpise 13 acres of land owned by Royal Caribbean and four acres of Crown Land. The Crown Land will be contributed as equity in the new venture to ensure a share of the profits return to the Government and Bahamian taxpayer. This, in addition to a new tourism levy, will go into reinvesting in the local community.

The Bahamian provisional liquidators then asserted that, under the terms of the January 6, 2023, cooperation deal with Mr Ray and his team they have the right to secure and recover all assets in the name of FTX Digital Markets, the crypto exchange’s Bahamian subsidiary.

However, the trio blasted: “The joint provisional liquidators have reason to believe that the Chapter 11 debtors have, and continue to, actively interfere with the joint provisional liquidators’ negotiations with

the US Justice Department regarding the Moonstone and Silvergate accounts in violation of the co-operation agreement and the automatic stay pursuant to the recognition under Chapter 15.

“Despite the Chapter 11 debtors’ commitments in the co-operation agreement, the joint provisional liquidators have evidence that the Chapter 11 debtors have actively sought to frustrate the joint provisional liquidators’ efforts to receiver the seized funds and have reason to believe they were instrumental in the funds being seized in the first place.

“The joint provisional liquidators believe that

the Chapter 11 debtors’ improper conduct gives rise to significant post-petition claims against them for violation of the Bankruptcy Code and the co-operation agreement, and potential violations of the moratorium established in the provisional liquidation proceeding of FTX Digital Markets. The joint provisional liquidators are taking legal advice and will pursue recoveries as appropriate.”

The Bahamian liquidators also reiterated their desire to reach a “consensual conclusion” with the US Justice Department in the hope that a full head-on collision can be avoided.

JUST 8% OF ARABLE LAND BEING USED FOR FARMING

JUST 8 percent of all land allocated for Bahamian farming is presently being used for such purposes, it was revealed yesterday.

Dr Burnell Cardron, general practitioner and owner, Pompey Medical & Heastie’s Farm, told the Andros Business Outlook conference that just 7,650 hectares are presently being cultivated out of the 95,000 set aside for agricultural purposes.

Noting that agriculture accounts for just 2 percent of Bahamian gross domestic product (GDP), or economic output, she added that while 6 percent of total Bahamian land is arable land, of that percentage just 10 percent is presently being used for farming.

Dr Cardron’s comments came as she encouraged Bahamians to exploit indigenous plants and fruits as a source of foreign currencyearning exports that can lower The Bahamas’ food import bill, increase revenues and employment.

“The Bahamas has the capacity to develop its agricultural industry using sustainable methods of farming customised to a variety of crops, even including our indigenous plants that are found in abundance,” she said.

“We can create markets for exports, and this can help to reduce our food bill. And we can also enter untapped industries, which can create more job opportunities and increase income generation, resulting in a more stable economy.

“And considering that all future generations can benefit from the groundwork

from what we do today, I think it would be in our best interest to look at some of our indigenous plants and see how they can be of benefit to us all.”

Dr Cardron explained that after paying out production and labour costs, the native sapodilla plant can bring in over $6,400 per acre annually.

Using data obtained from Florida farmers, she added:

“One acre of sapodilla actually yields between 5,000 to 8,000 pounds annually. So you can see it’s quite lucrative once you put the time and effort into it. On average, net returns, you can yield 6,500 pounds per acre annually.”

The average price per pound is $1.80, meaning that one acre of sapodilla can generate gross yields of about $11,700 annually.

The net returns, after production costs and labour

expenses are paid, generate about 99 cents per pound. And that equates to about $6,407 per acre annually net.

Dr Cardron said the sapodilla plant has numerous uses, including the production of natural chewing gum, medicines, skincare products, cosmetics and biodiesel. She added that sustainable agriculture should ensure The Bahamas protects its environment and maximises use of renewable resources.

She added: “There are antioxidants found in sapodilla which can help assist in anti-aging. It has anti-inflammatory and anti-Pyretic properties. And it can also be used as an anti-microbial and an analgesic. It’s also hepatic protective and helps with detoxification, and also it has a cholesterol lowering effect.

“With regards to the processing of the sapodilla, the fruit can be used and processed in a variety of different ways. You can use the sapodilla to make jams, jellies, wine, different fruit juices, ice cream. And also, the by-products of sapodilla, particularly the seeds, you can make sapodilla oil and it can also be used make biodiesel and also used in cosmetics.

“The bark of the sapodilla can be used to treat dysentery, and particularly the sap that comes from the bark is used to make natural gum. It has a coagulated white, milky, latex substance which consists about 15 percent of rubber and 38% percent of resin,” Dr Cardron continued.

“It was once used as filling for tooth cavities, and the Mayans and Aztecs also use the white sap to freshen their breaths and clean their

Andros resorts target 30 extra employees

By FAY SIMMONS Tribune Business Reporter jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

TWO Andros resorts will be seeking a combined 30 new recruits at a job fair scheduled to be held in the 2023 second half, it was revealed yesterday.

Leon Lundy, parliamentary secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office, told the Andros Business Outlook conference that both Kamalame Cay and the newly renovated Andros Lighthouse Yacht Club and Marina are seeking new hires.

The Mangrove Cay, Central and South Andros MP said: “It is anticipated that a job fair will be held in the latter part of this year to fill around 30 new full-time positions at both Kamalame Cay and the Andros Lighthouse Yacht Club and Marina.t

He added hat Kamalame Cay has partnered with Blue Tide Marine to offer tours of Andros’ Great Barrier Reef, expanded its farm-totable culinary offerings and has plans build professional tennis and pickleball courts.

“Kamalame Cay, which celebrates its 25th year in operation, has announced plans for world-class professional tennis and pickleball courts,” Mr Lundy said.

“Kamalame Cay has also expanded its farm-to-table business with an enhanced culinary journey that offers products directly sourced from its farm. Kamalame Cay is expanding its partnership with Blue Tide Marine to offer its guests with ocean adventures along the Great Barrier Reef.”

Mr Lundy also noted that renovations to the Andros Lighthouse Yacht Club and Marina are progressing well, and the resort will feature 20 rooms and a marina

that offers full provisioning including fuel supplies.

He said: “Excellent progress has been made with the renovation of Andros Lighthouse Yacht Club and Marina. When completed, we expect that it will offer 20 rooms, a refurbished pool and a rebuilt marina. The marina will offer essential services such as fuel, water and full provisioning, catering to the needs of yacht owners and boating enthusiasts.”

Mr Lundy gave an update on infrastructure upgrades for his constituency and wider island. He revealed that new bridges at Fresh Creek and Stafford Creek will cost $35m and $15m, respectively, while the docks in North Andros are expected to be completed shortly with a $2.5m investment.

He said: “Bridges in Fresh Creek and Stafford Creek are on course to be completed within the upcoming fiscal year. The cost of the upgrades to the bridge in Fresh Creek is estimated at $35m, and the one in Stafford Creek is estimated at $15m. The docks in North Andros are expected to be completed at a cost of $2.5m.

“We also expect the completion of the dock and ramp in Lisbon Creek in short order. A new airport is on the way for South Andros, and it is my hope that as the details are finalised I can share more on this in the coming months.”

Mr Lundy added that the clinic in Mangrove Cay will see $2.9million worth of upgrades and, when the new Customs and Immigration station opens this year, Mangrove Cay will serve as another international point of entry. He said: “The cost of the upgrades at the Mangrove Cay Community Clinic have been budgeted at $2.9m.

teeth. The leaves, and also the peel of the sapodilla, can be used and it also has quite a few medicinal benefits as well. Sustainable agriculture has to be able to protect our environment. It has to expand our natural resources and also make the best of our non-renewable resources.

“Threats to our agricultural system can relate to lack of protection of agricultural lands. You can have fires where persons engage in the slash and burn technique,and that can pose a risk of uncontained fires, and a lack of water supply especially, in the central and southern Bahamas where we have limited freshwater reserves and poor water quality. We have to consider climate change increasing temperatures, flooding and hurricanes, and also various different [plant] diseases.”

“In Mangrove Cay, the port of entry and Customs office will open within this fiscal year, making Mangrove Cay another international port that services our residents and tourists alike.

We have seen upgrades in infrastructure through waterworks and new underground pipes in Mangrove Cay.”

In South Andros, Mr Lundy said a new passport office, cultural museum and BAMSI office are underway. He added that upgrades are being made at the Central Andros High School and the Lowe Sound Primary School. “In South Andros, a BAMSI office will be opened as an expansion and extension of the institute,” he added.

“A new passport office is on the way in South Andros, along with a cultural museum. The multi-purpose gymnasium will be opened in this upcoming fiscal year, and it is expected to host both local and international teams and tournaments. In our schools, we see the construction of a pavilion at Central Andros High, and the continued construction upgrades at Lowe Sound Primary.”

Mr Lundy said Andros’ economy expanded by 6.2 percent in 2022, mainly due to increased investments in real estate. He added that this was a good indicator of future economic growth for the island.

He said: “From 2015 to 2022, the island of Andros consistently accounted for 1 percent of the Bahamas’ total GDP. However, in 2022, the island’s GDP reached its highest level in an eight-year period. Andros experienced a significant economic growth of 6.2 percent in 2022, with real estate activities being the primary contributor.”

“And for those who may not know, increased real estate sales is a prominent indicator of a strengthening economy and future income growth.”

Today marks the end of another school year. Most educational institutions in The Bahamas would likely describe it as a challenging but successful period. We know, and research bears this out, that quality education systems are those where students, parents, teachers and the administrative system work together in ensuring that no child is left behind.

A key factor in improving the success rate of academic institutions is the level of local corporate support they receive throughout the course of the school year. When businesses understand that they, too, have a crucial role to play in the development

of healthy young minds, our school system and society as a whole benefits tremendously. Here, then, are seven quick tips for businesses on how to keep students engaged during the school year and on summer breaks:

1. Create meaningful after-school care programmes. These can be activity-based programmes that may not be structured like a regular school day, but allow students to explore their specific interests and hobbies.

2. Hire as many students for meaningful summer employment as possible. There are many companies who have a sizeable budget

for hiring students during their break period. A little goes a long way in this regard.

3. Create a ‘Support the A’s’ programme or some type of incentive system that rewards students for great academic performance.

4. Deploy and assign professionals to schools in your business district to make the learning process more relevant to real life and actual business experiences. Every senior executive should have some presence in a school as a means of paying it forward.

5. Provide and donate furniture, technology and

money to support the many programmes schools struggle to make happen each term. Schools should be focused on providing top quality education for students, and not be burdened with trying to raise funds for trips, computers and such like.

6. Volunteer to be part of the curriculum design. This strategic approach to help the entire school system is vital to the long-term, sustained development of our children’s productivity in the workplace.

7. Enact programmes and policies that encourage parents to be engaged and involved in the life of the school. Have them attend

parent-teacher conferences. Participating in reading programmes and school shadowing processes can only help the system. Our new mantra as a society must become:

‘Education is everyone’s business’. A strong, vibrant and healthy society is an educated one, where even the youngest among us possess the ability to think critically and act responsibly. Let us all do our part.

Andros initiative set to create up to 700 jobs

Cluster Development Programme launches on June 29-30

IAN

FERGUSON

A FORMER Chamber of Commerce chief executive yesterday said 700-plus jobs are forecast to ultimately be created after Andros’ community-based Tourism

Edison Sumner, principal of Sumner Strategic Partners, told the Andros Business Outlook conference that the initiative has been sparked by $300,000 in grant funding from the Complete Caribbean partnership facility.

“The Andros-based Community Cluster Programme currently consists of upwards of 60 members,” he added, “which includes firms, entrepreneurs, agencies that have agreed to work together to build the local community of Andros through industry, entrepreneurship and business leadership, while sustaining

the natural and cultural integrity of the island.”

Andros is known for its flats fishing and bonefish eco-lodges. Mr Sumner said this initiative aims to capitalise on Andros’ nature tourism potential, adding: “The programme was designed to explore, and to promote, the whole area of eco-tourism in Andros

and capitalise on its natural resources.

and informed about this programme, I want to encourage those of you in the Andros community, north, south, central, Mangrove Cay and altogether be excited about it, because it is something that’s going to do very well to the island.”

$5.85 $5.85 $5.75 $5.95

FTX Bahamas warns of $143m US DOJ battle

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

FTX’s Bahamian liquidators say it is increasingly likely they will have to battle the US Justice Department in the courts to recover $143m given that prospects of an amicable resolution have become “more remote”.

Brian Simms KC, the Lennox Paton senior partner, and the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) accounting duo of Kevin Cambridge and Peter Greaves, in their latest report to the Supreme Court revealed they have received legal advice concluding there are “grounds to challenge” the federal government’s seizure of these funds from the FTX Bahamian subsidiary they oversee.

Revealing that they have negotiated “patiently and constructively” with the US Justice Department to secure the return of assets they assert belong in FTX Digital

Markets’ liquidation estate, the trio indicated that time to reach a consensual solution is running out and they will have no choice but to initiate litigation to recover a substantial sum held in fiat cash.

And, without providing details, the Bahamian liquidators also accused their nemesis John Ray, head of the 134 FTX entities in Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in Delaware, of “improper conduct” and interference with their attempts to secure

the release of the $143m from the US Justice Department.

The two sides have been locked in a prolonged battle for control of FTX’s winding-up ever since the crypto exchange collapsed in early November 2022, and the Bahamian trio are accusing Mr Ray and his team of breaching both the co-operation agreement between the parties and the Chapter 15 recognition that they have obtained from the US courts in relation to the assets

Charities asked: Do you hold any of FTX’s $5.4m?

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

seized by the US Justice Department.

And, suggesting that relations between Mr Ray and the Bahamian joint provisional liquidators are presently at rock bottom, the latter also warned they may take legal action against the US chief and Chapter 11 debtors by suggesting their conduct gives rise to “significant post-petition claims”.

SEE PAGE A21

‘Not scratched 10%’ of fly fishing potential

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

THE BAHAMAS has “not even scratched 10 percent” of the fly fishing industry’s economic potential, it was asserted yesterday, amid “urgent” calls for it to rapidly increase guide numbers to “catch up” with rivals.

Prescott Smith, the Bahamas Fly Fishing Industry Association’s president, even suggested to the Andros Business Outlook conference that this nation is losing “billions” in fly and bonefishing revenues because the sector lacks a dedicated marketing unit within the Ministry of Tourism.

Pointing out that the ministry has a weddings director,

and unit that handles this niche, he questioned why the fly fishing industry was not afforded similar treatment and priority when “we have the largest flats of their kind on planet earth”. And, focusing on Andros, Mr Smith argued that the island needed to “double” its 25-plus existing guides by attracting younger persons aged in their 20s and 30s into the sector.

“We have been pushing also for a national training programme to get a whole new generation of guides into the industry,” he told attendees, adding that he was “equally passionate about all areas of eco-tourism”. Mr Smith continued: “Presently we have 400 [fishing] guides in The Bahamas.

SEE PAGE A19

Andros shipper ‘exceeds every financial projection’

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

AN ANDROS shipping company, which in summer 2021 was hailed as the largest recipient of financing arranged through the Small Business Development Centre (SBDC), yesterday said it has “beaten every financial projection” since launching.

Valentino Munroe, Cen-

tral Andros Shipping’s managing director, told the Andros Business Outlook conference that the company has “invested significantly in strengthening our operations” over the past year because of the challenges experienced in

keeping up with its “phenomenal” growth.

With its flagship vessel, the 196-foot Captain Prince, serving all parts of Andros, he unveiled ambitions to ultimately expand to operating international cargo shipping routes between Florida and a number of Bahamian islands while remaining true to the company’s roots.

“Since we launched operations just a year ago, we have exceeded every financial projection in our business plan,” Mr Munroe said. “Our growth has been incredible. We currently serve the entire island of Andros, and don’t know if

SEE PAGE A19

National debt growth slows as hits $11.5bn

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

THE NATIONAL debt’s growth rate slowed below 1 percent during the three months to end-March 2023 as the total sums owed by The Bahamas to its creditors rose to just under $11.5bn.

The Central Bank, unveiling its latest quarterly review, said that while the national debt’s rate of expansion had reduced compared to 2022 it had still risen by some $565.2m on a 12-month annual basis.

“Budgetary financing during the third quarter of

fiscal year 2022-2023, was dominated by domestic market operations. In particular, internal borrowings totalled $611.3m, and comprised of loans and advances ($450m), government bonds ($128.8m) and net Treasury bills/ notes ($32.4m),” the Central Bank said of the three months to end-March 2023.

“Further, external drawdowns amounted to $117.1m, reflecting expanded use of an existing commercial loan. Debt repayments for the period totalled $673.8m, of which a dominant 80.9 percent went towards retiring Bahamian

FTX’s Bahamian liquidators are “liaising” with local charities and non-profits over the collective $5.4m in donations they received from the collapsed crypto exchange to determine if they still hold any of these funds.

Brian Simms KC, the Lennox Paton senior partner, and the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) accounting duo of Kevin Cambridge and Peter Greaves, in their May 24, 2023, report to the Supreme Court revealed that FTX Digital Markets, the Bahamian subsidiary, made some 95 donations during the almost two years immediately prior to the group’s November 2022 implosion.

“FTX Digital Markets made 95 donations (to the value of $5.4m) to local charities and community organisations in The Bahamas between January 1, 2021, and the insolvency. Some of those charities have written to the joint provisional liquidators to offer the return of funds to the estate. The joint provisional liquidators are in the process of liaising with the charities requesting an accounting of the sums received and confirmation of any remaining balances held,” the trio said.

Tribune Business understands that the FTX Digital Markets liquidators have written to all donation recipients to inquire about how much they received, and if they have spent all the monies. Should they still possess any funds, they have been asked not to spend these.

The $5.4m figure cited is a relatively small sun when set against the billions caught in FTX’s collapse, and it is thought that the Bahamian liquidators have taken no decision as to how they will approach the issue. One possibility is that they may settle just for the return of donations that have not yet been spent, but that remains to be seen.

BRIAN SIMMS KC