06202023 NEWS AND SPORT

‘BPL a disgrace’

MP Pinder calls for decentralisation of power company

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

CENTRAL and South

Abaco MP John Pinder

lashed out at Bahamas

Power and Light (BPL) yesterday over the frequent power outages affecting the island, calling it a “disgrace”.

He called for the decentralisation of BPL’s management, saying more authority needs to be given to company heads on Abaco.

“BPL, power has been absolutely a disgrace in

The Singing Policeman

Abaco,” he said during his contribution to the Budget debate in the House of Assembly. “BPL needs to decentralise their management and give more authority to the general managers in the islands ––not only more authority but more human capital and more financial resources. This past month now, but I’ll speak about this past week, our power has been on less than a quarter, less than thirty per cent of the time. “Our islands are packed. We have tourism budding. Demand is

$500m GB shipyard will Be world’s largest, says Moxey

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

GRAND Bahama Min-

ister Ginger Moxey said a $500m investment in the Grand Bahama Shipyard would make it the world’s largest shipyard facility.

She said the project will begin this year, with the docks delivered in the back half of 2025 and 2026.

“When completed, the expanded shipyard facility

will be the largest cruise ship repair facility in the world, and with the new docks, it will be capable of servicing all cruise lines around the world, including cargo ships, bulk carriers, tanker ships as well as the growing new LNG vessels,” she said. “This means that the larger cruise ships currently operating year-round in the Caribbean will be able to be repaired here in The Bahamas.”

MoM wants police ‘charged with Murder and jailed’

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@ tribunemedia.net

THE mother of a man whose killing was determined to be homicide by manslaughter believes the ruling should have been homicide by murder.

Police killed Shanton Forbes on March 25, 2018. Last week, Coroners Court jurors returned a verdict in the case.

Forbes’ mother, Shantell Forbes, said: “I really wanted them to be charged

prostitutes, drug peddlers not welcoMe downtown

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

PROSTITUTES, drug peddlers and thieves are not welcome downtown, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism Chester Cooper said yesterday. He pledged that police would remove such people through a zero-tolerance approach.

48-slip marina planned near for Mer us emBassy land

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

A PROMINENT Bahamian contractor is seeking approvals from Department of Environmental Planning and Protection (DEPP) to dredge more than 40,000 cubic yards of fill to make way for a 48-slip marina located at the rear of a former US embassy property opposite Arawak Cay.

strictly with murder and jailed.”

“I will be pressing charges or whatever I have to do as I speak, I will.

They will not get away.”

On the day of the incident, Constable Greenslade and Constable Young went to the backyard of a home on Brahm Drive in Yellow Elder Gardens, where a party was being held. The

face to face:

l inda s tubbsdesigning with Bahamian Flair page eight

biShop Lawrence roLLe, a police recruit, performing at a dinner hosted by Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander last night. See PAGE TWO for more pictures.

Photo: austin Fernander

Police host dinner for new recruits at Farquarson Conference Centre

‘BPL is a disgrace’

high. Yet, the power is not only not steady and off but when it comes on, it comes off right back immediately. Food is being spoiled, appliances are being lost. Revenue is being lost. The revenue from our tourism economy is being lost. In The Bahamas, it may be 70 per cent of our economy. In Abaco, it is everything. Every dollar coming from there.”

Abaco residents say the island is suffering an electricity crisis.

Junior Mernard, a resident of Hope Town, told The Tribune on Sunday: “In a 24-hour period, we would be off anywhere between 12 to 16 hours a day. It’s off as I speak to you now.”

The power cuts also affected the island’s airport, with flight agents checking passengers in manually.

Yesterday, Mr Pinder said the power situation on the island is due to “years of FNM neglect”, an assertion Opposition Leader Michael Pintard rejected.

Mr Pintard said he was told that issues with the generator were to blame for the power outages.

“I understand that one may have been fixed but it’s quite possible that the

technicians were not paid appropriately, but just for the record, Abaco preDorian had four generators that provided at least twice the amount of power that was required and even after Dorian, again, we were in a position to provide sufficient power,” the FNM leader said in the evening session, hours after Mr Pinder ended his contribution.

“This is a new problem, quite possible because of the cash flow issues that BPL is having and failure to pay technicians.”

Mr Pinder applauded BPL workers for their efforts to resolve the problem, saying: “Without them, we will still not have power today.”

“Furthermore, I think it’s time we explore partnership with other entities to make BPL stronger nationwide. We’re an archipelago spread of 100,000 square miles and dozens and dozens of communities that need reliable power so this is something Central and South Abaco will be pushing for I will not stop and I’ve had multiple meetings with the chairman of BPL. I’m in constant contact with BPL Abaco on the ground and I will continue to voice your concerns in Abaco,” he said.

from page one

CENTRAL and South Abaco MP John Pinder lashed out at Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) yesterday over the frequent power outages affecting the island, calling it a “disgrace”.

ThE RoyAL Bahamas Police Force hosted a dinner for new recruits, as enjoyed a meal and entertainment from fellow officers.

Photos: Austin Fernander

Prostitutes, drug peddlers and the like not welcome Downtown

“Right now, with the help of Commissioner Fernander, we’re receiving greater police presence that we hope will be consistently visible,” he said during his debate contribution in the House of Assembly.

“We’re working on a clean, safe environment Downtown, and I want to be very clear about this: drug peddlers, hackers, hagglers, prostitutes, harassers, thieves, and troublemakers are not welcome Downtown. They are, in fact, not welcome anywhere, but there will certainly be zero tolerance Downtown, and the mission of the police is to remove them. Please understand. Do not seek to complain to me or anyone in this administration about it, you have been warned, and it has to be done.”

He added: “With 30,000 visitors per day, there are enough ways to make an honest living in a manner that adds value and we will support you in doing so. We’re also working with the Ministry of Health, the police and the Department of Social Services to manage vagrancy. We are sensitive to the plight of the mentally ill and those who suffer from addiction and with the recently passed Mental Health Act, we will manage this issue compassionately.”

“We will ensure that vagrants receive the care they need, and they will not receive that care wandering about and sleeping on the streets or in derelict buildings. We can do better as a country to support our vulnerable and we will.”

Mr Cooper’s pledge is the latest from a government official to improve

Downtown. Observers will likely watch to see what happens differently this time.

Mr Cooper said $1m had been allocated in the budget to beautify Downtown.

He said Senator Randy Rolle had been tasked with monitoring upgrades in the area.

“We will, under no circumstances, allow Bay Street to remain in the state that it has languished in for decades,” he said. “The poor state of our capital’s city centre is even more glaring now that the port is there.

“We are working with the Downtown Nassau Partnership to create and execute an overall plan for Downtown and we have already begun stakeholder engagement. We have devised a plan with quick wins and wins with a short, medium and long-term horizon.”

Mr Cooper said the tourism enhancement levy, which will take effect on January 1, 2024, will help Downtown, adding: “That $2 the opposition is complaining about will go a long way.” He said the demolition of buildings will continue soon.

“Nine buildings have been identified for demolition Downtown, and notices have been given,” he said. “More demolition will begin in August this year.” He said dilapidated buildings that aren’t demolished will be transformed into attractive storefronts and entertainment centres.

“We will triple the number of garbage cans Downtown and have more timely power washing. We will also revamp planters and benches and place new signage Downtown. We

will be encouraging storefront competitions and native shows in Pompey Square and Rawson Square and Goombay Summer is coming back to Bay Street, this summer.”

Mr Cooper said the government plans to develop a system for short-term parking and create a pedestrianised market street beside the Nassau Straw Market.

Additionally, Mr Cooper said the government would propose closing down Prince George Wharf to regular vehicular traffic during certain hours of the day “as a first step on fully pedestrianising the wharf.”

“We plan to beautify the Churchill Building space, which will mean even more potential green space and potential vendor opportunities in the short term until we establish a permanent plan for this historic

site,” he said. “We will encourage investment in clubs, restaurants, entertainment and residences. Everyone is complaining about the state of Downtown. Now it is time for everyone to do what we can to help.”

Mr Cooper also announced plans to launch incubation centres Downtown, “converting what would be considered costprohibitive spaces in the Downtown area into affordable shared spaces”. The centres will be located east of East Street, while the main facility will be positioned on Bay Street. He said it would serve as “the instrument which underpins the long-awaited revitalisation and rejuvenation of Downtown Nassau, with a keen focus on the eastern portion of the district”.

DPM urges Baha Mian investors to hel P a DD to rooM ca Pacity as hotels are full

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

TOURISM Minister

Chester Cooper urged Bahamian investors to open their homes to help meet tourism demand, citing room capacity as a challenge due to high hotel occupancy rates.

“Our industry is booming, but we need more rooms,” Mr Cooper said during his contribution to the budget debate in Parliament yesterday.

Mr Cooper said local hotels are constantly at capacity and that the vacation rental sector can serve as a “vital supplement” to accommodate guest stays.

“Whilst we build more hotels, this is the fastest way to expand capacity,” he said. “ So, I call on Bahamians investors to open your homes, help us to solve this incredible problem –– whilst making money and creating wealth.”

He said the Tourism Development Corporation would support the sector.

The corporation’s purpose will be to facilitate more and enhanced Bahamian-owned tourism offerings.

“Tourism is by far our biggest industry, and we must be the biggest owners of it, and we need to be intentional and deliberate about this strategy,” Mr Cooper said.

He said tourism numbers continue to beat pre-pandemic levels and again forecasted visitor arrivals to be over 8 million at year’s end.

“At the end of April 2023, overall air and sea

arrivals surpassed 2022 levels by 79 per cent and exceeded the banner 2019 numbers by 32 per cent,” he said. “Looking specifically at the numbers, between January to April 2022, we welcomed an overall 1.9 million visitors. During that same period in 2019, we welcomed 2.7 million visitors but guess what, in the same four-month period this year, we welcomed some 3.5 million visitors and we got eight more months left.”

He said if The Bahamas continues on this path, visitor arrivals will surpass 2019 numbers, which was considered a recordbreaking year. Regarding air stopover arrivals, he said this year’s numbers surpassed 2022 levels by 34 per cent and matched 2019 performance rates, “pacing well ahead of overall global pre-pandemic recovery forecasts.”

“At some point within this fiscal year,” he added, “we saw most of our islands experiencing their most historic monthly foreign air arrivals. We are breaking records in Paradise Island, South Andros too, North Andros and the Berry Islands, Cat Cay, Cat Island, Eleuthera, Exuma and Long Island too. We’re breaking records.”

He also noted a strong rebound in islands still recovering post-Dorian and post-pandemic like Abaco and Grand Bahama.

Mr Cooper said air stopovers in both islands exceeded 2022 levels by 70 per cent. “When we combine

total air and sea arrivals into Grand Bahama, total visitor arrivals exceeded 2022 levels by 137 per cent, and overall visitor arrivals have soared to

91 per cent of 2019 prepandemic/Dorian levels,” he said. “When we look at Abaco’s overall air and sea arrivals, you will see that overall visitor arrivals

surpassed 2022 figures by 72 per cent and at the end of April, Abaco’s overall visitor arrivals were at 99 per cent of the 2019 figures.”

Mr Cooper credited the hard work of the tourism ministry for improving tourism statistics, adding: “The numbers have never been better.”

from page one

PROSTITUTES, drug peddlers and thieves are not welcome Downtown, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism Chester Cooper said yesterday.

Photo: Moise Amisial

Minister says she will not allow the

GBPA to ‘stand in the way’ of Bahamians

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

THE Davis administration’s criticism of the Grand Bahama Port Authority continued yesterday, with Grand Bahama Minister Ginger Moxey saying business as usual cannot be tolerated in the relationship anymore.

She said while natural disasters have helped spark Grand Bahama’s decline, so too has the make-up of the island because of the United Bahamian Party’s (UBP) decision to let a private entity “control government-related functions, without checks and balances”.

During her contribution to the Budget debate in the House of Assembly, she said: “There can be no entity that stands in the way of economic prosperity for Bahamians, notwithstanding how successful the agreement with that entity may have been in the past.”

“We will not, under any circumstances, allow the interests of a body corporate, particularly one that is not beneficially owned by Bahamians, to stand in the way of the fortunes of thousands of Bahamian families. I am sure our prime minister will have more to say on this matter.”

During his Budget communication last month, Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said his administration would take

decisive action on the GBPA, saying the Hawksbill Creek Agreement no longer works.

“Grand Bahama contributes 12 per cent of the overall GDP of The Bahamas, yet its economy declined by nine per cent compared to the previous year,” he said.

Likewise, Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell accused GBPA of neglect.

Critics don’t want to see the government take control of Freeport. Mr Mitchell, however, said the government is already sustaining the island.

“There’s an agreement between the two sides,” he said. “The government is supposed to provide services to the city and the GBPA is supposed to pay the government back for those services.”

He called on the GBPA to follow the Hawksbill Creek agreement.

“Nothing more, nothing less,” he said. “We’re not asking you to do anything religious or, you know, acts of the deity. All we’re asking you to do is follow the agreement.

“If you’re supposed to be promoting investment in Freeport, then promote investment. If you’re supposed to be putting infrastructure in Grand Bahama and supporting it, then put in the infrastructure, but The Bahamas government is putting in the hospital, The Bahamas government is going to fix the airport. We’re doing the hotel.”

Speaking against the Grand Bahama Port Authority, Grand Bahama Minister Ginger Moxey said, “We will not, under any circumstances, allow the interests of a body corporate, particularly one that is not beneficially owned by Bahamians, to stand in the way of the fortunes

Corona host beaCh Clean-up at Coral h arbour

CoroNA hosted a beach clean-up that saw Bahamians fill trash bags with plastics and other garbage removed from the shore of Coral Harbour Beach on Saturday, June 10. The event was well attended, and volunteers enjoyed their time cleaning the beach, all in celebration of World oceans Day.

Corona brand coordinator Dante McDonald said: “We just want to bring awareness to how important it is to keep the ocean and the planet clean. Anything that has

to do with the betterment of the earth and the ocean, Corona is happy to be a part. It’s more than just being about beer, but creating and supporting initiatives that foster protection of the place we call home.”

McDonald said about 25 people attended the cleanup, including 15 volunteers, who were treated to a brief after-party, courtesy of Corona.

All attendees were given gloves, Corona t-shirts and paraphernalia, as well as other tools needed to carry out the beach clean-up.

$500m Gb shipyard will be world’s larGest, says moxey

from page one

Ms Moxey said the expansion project would create opportunities for local entrepreneurs, contractors and Bahamian businesses.

Ms Moxey said with the expansion, the shipyard will regain the number one ranking as the top cruise ship repair facility in the world, able to accommodate all classes of ships.

She said the expansion would “grow total employment at the yard and dedicated subcontractors who service the yard to over 100,000, including a continued commitment to train local labour to satisfy the needs of the requirement for the new facility”.

in keeping with the brand’s commitment to the environment and in celebration of World Oceans Day 2023, Corona hosted a beach cleanup at Coral Harbour Beach and rewarded volunteers with branded gear and cold Corona beer for their efforts.

Photo: Courtesy of J.Co films for Barefoot Marketing

of thousands of Bahamian families. I am sure our prime minister will have more to say on this matter.”

Mom wants police ‘charged with murder and jailed’

officers shot Forbes multiple times in his chest.

The 21-year-old died of his injuries at the Princess Margaret Hospital later that day.

The officers involved claimed the deceased was armed. They allegedly recovered a black Glock .40 pistol over the wall near where Forbes was shot. The weapon was found alongside a .40 magazine with six rounds in the chamber and blood on it.

Jurors could have returned a ruling of homicide by murder, homicide but manslaughter or justified homicide.

“To be honest,” Ms Forbes said, “they should have been charged with murder because at the end of the day one of the

officers shot my son 17 times and he could not explain and he would not go up to explain and the other officer shot him as well”

“I felt like that was intentional and I still feel like they should be charged with murder and not manslaughter, so I am still not too pleased, but, like I say, if it was murder, I would feel much better because I feel like that’s an overkill. Like they said, it’s unlawful, that’s overkill, 17 bullets from one officer I feel like it could have been dealt with better.”

Acting Director of Public Prosecutions Cordell Frazier will determine whether to charge any of the officers with a crime.

Ms Forbes, a mother of five, said she still struggles to accept her son’s tragic fate and finds it difficult to forgive the

police involved. She said it was difficult sitting near the officers during the trial.

“I gotta be honest, I had to ask God to forgive me because if I could have done something to them that day, I would have done it,” she said.

“I gotta be honest because I don’t see how people out there are going around killing people and you have a family and you have kids.

“What it looks like to me is like they don’t get it or they are stuck on dumb because what goes around comes around, you don’t go around killing people and shooting down people for no apparent reason.”

Ms Forbes wants the officers involved charged with a crime and kicked off the force. She said her son was friendly, family-orientated, and hard-working.

Veteran attorney to run for Bahamas Bar a ssociation president to ‘take it where it needs to go’

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

VETERAN attorney

Romona Farquharson

Seymour wants new vision and leadership for the Bahamas Bar Association, telling The Tribune she is running to be the new president. Mrs Farquharson, a general practice attorney for over 20 years, said she is confident she can succeed in the role.

“I’m going to put my best foot forward, as I believe I can do a better job, take the Bar further where it needs to go,” she said.

“We need to right ourselves in some things, and again, it’s not a case where I’m saying that the present president hasn’t done anything; no, certainly not, not saying that at all, but we need more and we should have that.”

With elections scheduled for June 30, Mrs Farquharson-Seymour stressed the need for electoral reform. She said

debates should be held amongst candidates.

“We also have issues with respect to our voting process,” she said. “It’s based heavily on how many proxies a person can get, and I believe that is really killing the Bar.

“It is being abused. It’s causing persons to just sit back and say, well, okay, all I have to do is sign a proxy form and not question, well, why is it that you want to be president? More particularly to my opponent, why is it that you want to be president for another term, making it eight or ten years? What further vision is there that you have, or what is it that you want to complete?”

“And so, you know, all of those things need to be addressed.”

Mrs Farquharson-Seymour said she contacted the current Bar president, Khalil Parker, about having a debate, but he declined her request.

If elected, Ms Farquharson-Seymour said she would pursue transparency. She emphasised the

need to reactivate the Bar and Bench Committee and remove government taxes on specific legal services. Although she did not discount the work of the current leadership team, she criticised their ability to follow through.

“You would be heard,” she said, “and then been given, let’s say, a satisfactory answer, but then does that really translate to action, something happening? And that seems to be where the gap is. Yes, you’re hearing me, and you’re saying the right words, tickling my ear, but then where’s the action?

“You say you’re doing things behind the scenes? Well, what exactly is that and where are we at, and why can’t you just reach the finish line and get it done? If you are being ignored, then tell us as a membership, and then how do we respond as a membership? We need to know because we have the numbers, we have the influence, so I think that’s where the difficulty has really been.”

31-year-old man shot monday while V isiting female friend, becomes 54th murder victim

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

A 31-year-old man is the latest murder victim in The Bahamas.

Police said at around 1.30am on Monday, the man was with a female

friend when he reportedly heard a knock at the door. When he opened the door, he was shot multiple times by an unknown male. He died of his injuries on the scene. His death comes after two men were killed over the weekend. There have

been 54 murders for the year.

Yesterday, police reported that two men were shot on Bamboo Street, west of Sisal Road, Sunshine Park. Both were taken to the hospital. Their condition was not confirmed up to press time.

dri V er Burned Beyond recognition in accident

By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

A DRIVER was burned beyond recognition after his vehicle burst into flames upon colliding with a utility pole yesterday morning.

Police are investigating the accident’s circumstances, which reportedly occurred around

4.30am yesterday on Carmichael Road, just west of Baillou Hill Road.

Initial reports indicate the vehicle collided with the pole in the area of the Southwest Plaza and on impact, burst into flames.

Upon extinguishing the blaze, fire services discovered the individual’s body, but authorities are unable to provide the make or

model of the vehicle or the sex of the individual.

State Legal Affairs Minister Jomo Campbell recently revealed that the Royal Bahamas Police Force reported over 6,000 traffic accidents in 2022. Approximately 59 traffic fatalities were recorded last year –most of the victims were young Bahamian males.

THE mother (pictured on the right) of a man whose killing was determined to be homicide by manslaughter believes the ruling should have been homicide by murder. Police killed Shanton Forbes (pictured left) on March 25, 2018. Last week, Coroners Court jurors returned a verdict in the case.

VETERAN attorney Romona Farquharson Seymour says she is running to be the new president. With over 20 years as a general practice attorney, she is confident she can succeed in the role. “I’m going to put my best foot forward, as I believe I can do a better job, take the Bar further where it needs to go,” she said.

The Tribune Limited

The blame game in politics

BLAMe is an easy thing to do. Something has gone wrong? Blame someone else. It’s their fault. It does not seem to matter who “they” are – it’s not you, so blame them instead.

There seems to be a lot of blame going around at the moment.

Take the perennially defunct power supply in Abaco. Central and South Abaco MP John Pinder has been calling out BPL as a “disgrace”, saying the power supplier – or perhaps the power non-supplier given how often the power is off – needs to give more authority to local managers on the islands.

Who does Mr Pinder blame for this? his finger points at the FNM, of course, talking of “years of neglect”.

The FNM points the finger back, saying that there was sufficient power both before and after hurricane Dorian, so why the difference now? They suggest a failure to pay technicians under the current administration might be the root of the problem.

So what will Mr Pinder do about it?

After all, his party is in power now. he’s had meetings, he says. We are sure everyone is comforted by the news meetings have been held.

We will wait to see if more dynamic action will follow.

Meanwhile, his Parliamentary colleague Ginger Moxey, the Minister for Grand Bahama, is joining in the others in her party blaming the Grand Bahama Port Authority for the island’s woes.

It has been pointed out by a number of PLP voices now that there are problems with the roads, problems with

upkeep and maintenance.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell also said: “The government is supposed to provide services to the city and the GBPA is supposed to pay the government back for those services.” he pointed to the hospital being put in place by the government, along with repairs to the airport and that “we’re doing the hotel”, although the Grand Lucayan’s fate is nothing to boast about.

If we were to believe the voices of protest about Grand Bahama’s woes, one would think that nowhere else in The Bahamas was suffering from potholed roads, lagging infrastructure and faltering investment on islands where the government was the hand at the tiller.

The famous movie actress Katharine hepburn once said: “We are taught you must blame your father, your sisters, your brothers, the school, the teachers — you can blame anyone, but never blame yourself. It’s never your fault. But it’s always your fault because if you want to change, you’re the one who has got to change. It’s as simple as that, isn’t it?

The star was also a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Children’s Fund – so she knew a thing or two about politics too, and about fighting for people’s rights and to improve their lives.

In this latest round of the blame game, no actual solutions have been put forward as yet. So perhaps that might be a step forward. If things are not good enough, then take some advice from a hollywood star turned humanitarian. Change. It’s as simple as that.

EDITOR, The Tribune.

There has been a heightened awareness of domestic violence. We can agree that there have been too many incidences of women who endure the most forms of disrespect and abuse physically, mentally, and psychologically.

Many families are struggling because the atmosphere at home is a war zone.

This constant negativity has eroded the family environment and caused the family and communities to weaken.

Children are carrying a heavy load because they witness the abuse. regardless, our impressionable children act out on society for not coming to their aid. So it is safe to say that the state failed them. But a hidden monster has not been exposed because the victims are embarrassed to speak out.

In Bahamian society, it is macho to endure pain, and many who express displeasure are called hurtful names. Therefore, the man never talks but suffers in silence.

The best-kept secret is the man who experienced torture by an aggressive

woman who exploits his inability to respond for whatever reason.

So the woman makes demands because she mistakes his non-combative demeanour as a weakness. Whenever she wants an advantage, she demands it and inflicts verbal and physical abuse until she gets it. he takes the abuse because he does not want to embarrass himself by reporting it to an insensitive police force who would laugh him out of the station before rendering help. So he avoids getting in trouble by saying nothing.

But the Bahamian society has no place for the abused male and no sympathy. So where does this broken and confused man go for help? No real man would let a woman constantly beat him mentally, physically, or otherwise.

The abusive woman constantly threatens him for being his gentle spirit; he does not want his buddies or family to know that he is easygoing, so he never

seeks help; cancer continues to eat, and sooner or later, one person expires.

The culturally based myth that men are perpetrators and women are victims is exceptionally damaging to the thousands of male victims of sexual, mental, and physical abuse who live unacknowledged by our society.

It is time for our narrowminded, petty society to call a spade a spade.

The fictitious male chauvinistic culture has only slowed the potential progress this country desperately needs to advance.

The family is broken, and the church and the pretenders retard the growth by not condemning negative behaviour under the disguise of supporting families staying together.

Oh, yes, we are the great pretenders!

It is time for us to air all our dirty laundry so we can clean it up and move on our way to building a better country. Incest is my next stop.

IVOINE W INGRAHAM

Your Conscience Nassau, June 18, 2023.

Men are abused too; hidden truth Fix child protection act for dads

EDITOR, The Tribune.

I AM writing to bring awareness to a social crisis that has permeated Bahamian society, and that is fatherhood absenteeism.

This past Sunday – June 18th, Father’s Day was celebrated across the globe. The significance of Father’s Day is to honour fathers and father figures for their love, support and guidance. Moreover, it is a day to celebrate the important role that fathers play in our lives.

In The Bahamas, fathers, particularly those whose children were born out of wedlock or those divested from once established marriages, are at a major legal and social disadvantage.

The Child Protection Act of 2007 – the legislation governing the duties and responsibilities of parents as well as other matters such as maintenance, custody and guardianship, states that the mother of any child born out of wedlock shall be the primary guardian of that child. This particular piece of legislation also makes provision for Bahamian judges to issue orders relative to

custody and access once a divorce has been finalized and in most instances orders are issued in which the mother retains primary care and control while the father has specified access to the child.

It is my humble submission that this legislation is out-dated and infringes on the rights of the child.

According to articles seven, nine and eight of The United Nations Convention on The rights of The Child; a child has the right to be known and cared for by both parents, a child has the right to maintain personal relations and direct contact with both parents and a child has the right to be raised by both parents, respectively.

It is not the fault of the child that he or she was born outside the confines of marriage nor is it his or her fault that his or her parents are divorced and no longer living together. As such, the child should not have to be deprived of his or her right to have a meaningful relationship with both parents.

According to research conducted by the United States Centers for Disease

Control and the United States Department of Justice and United States Census Bureau, children raised by one parent account for 90% of homeless and runaway children, 85% children with behavioral disorders, 85% prisoners, 75% children in substance abuse centres, 71% high school dropouts, 70% juveniles in state institutions and 63% teen suicides.

I am publicly calling for an amendment to the child protection act to allow for the mother and father of a child born out of wedlock to be granted joint legal custody of that child upon the successful presentation of a legally recognized declaration of paternity and for Bahamian judges to issue orders promoting equal parenting.

As The Bahamas approaches its fiftieth year as an independent nation, this writer finds it just and fit to eliminate any and all vestiges of inequality in our legislation.

A fAmily dog sits in front of what is left of its home following an apparent Sunday night tornado that swept through the small community of Louin, Miss., yesterday.

Photo: Rogelio V. Solis/AP

Pilot granted judicial review after Civil Aviation refuses to renew his licence

By LETRE SWEETING Tribune Staff Reporter lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

THE Supreme Court granted a pilot leave to launch judicial review proceedings against the Bahamas Civil Aviation Authority’s refusal to renew his pilot’s licence.

Darryl Elmer Bartlett claimed the authority acted “illegally” and denied him “natural justice” by not giving him a reasonable opportunity to make a written or oral representation objecting to their decision to deny him the renewal of his licence.

Justice Donna Newton ruled: “The appeals route with the authority should have been exhausted before any further consideration is given to the applicant in the Supreme Court. However, the proper process was not

followed by the authority. “There is no evidence that the applicant was afforded proper notice and provided a date when he could address the authority on the renewal pursuant to section 33(2) (c). Even if it is accepted that the applicant applied under the wrong provision, a decision was rendered and as such he was entitled to have his appeal heard by the authority.

“I agree with counsel for the applicant that he was wrongly advised that his appeal should have been lodged under Section 44. This is not the appropriate section.

“I am satisfied that the applicant has met the standard required to obtain leave to apply for judicial review. The respondents’ application to set aside the leave is therefore dismissed. Mr Bartlett’s judicial review

counselling ordered for mother who Beat child with drop cord

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MOTHER was ordered to attend counselling sessions after admitting beating her 11-year-old son with an extension cord last week.

The 32-year-old woman, whose name is being withheld to protect the minor’s identity, was charged with cruelty to children before Magistrate Algernon Allen, Jr.

On June 14, the defendant ordered her son to strip to his underwear; she beat him with a wire extension cord as he lay face down on her bed. After the victim reported the incident to his grandparents, they discovered injuries to his back and extremities.

After pleading guilty, the defendant was granted a conditional discharge. Under the terms of her release, she is expected to attend four months of anger management and parent counselling sessions.

She would face a $3,000 fine and a six-month prison sentence if she fails to complete the courses.

• A man was granted $3,000 bail after allegedly setting fire to a two-storey building in May, causing $33,114.58 worth of damage.

Alton McCurdy, 63, was charged with arson to a building. Allegedly, McCurdy intentionally set fire to a six-room, twostorey stone building belonging to Micheal Craig Roberts on May 11 in New Providence.

• A 20-year-old man is behind bars after being

accused of an armed carjacking in the Stapledon Gardens area earlier this month.

Brandan Smith was charged with armed robbery, possession of an unlicensed firearm and possession of ammunition.

Around 9pm on June 2, Smith and a male accomplice armed with handguns allegedly approached Andron Williams outside a residence on Lancaster Lane and Christie Avenue. They stole his lavender 2014 Nissan March valued at $6,000.

Later that same day, police recovered the vehicle after it was abandoned at the eastern end of Arawak Cay.

Inside the car, police found a black Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol with the serial number erased, along with ten unfired rounds of 9mm ammunition.

This weapon is believed to have been used in the carjacking.

Smith was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.

• A man was sentenced to three years in prison after admitting to having two firearms last year.

Dorestin Odestin, 20, stood before Magistrate Shaka Serville, facing two counts of possession of an unlicensed firearm and two counts of possession of ammunition.

On August 22, 2020, in New Providence, Odestin was arrested after he was found with a black pistol with the serial number erased, along with three rounds of unfired 9mm ammunition.

application should be heard on the merits. There will be no order as to costs.”

Attorney Bjorn Ferguson represents Mr Bartlett.

In February 2015, Mr Bartlett was initially convicted and sentenced in the Magistrate’s court to two years and six months in prison on several counts of possession, conspiracy to possess and importation of dangerous drugs.

Mr Bartlett appealed his sentence, and the Court of Appeal granted him bail on the condition that he surrender his pilot’s licence and that he is not issued

with a new licence without the court’s approval.

The appellate court increased Mr Bartlett’s prison sentence to five years due to his role in the offences and the amount of dangerous drugs involved.

In May 2015, during his incarceration, Mr Bartlett’s pilot’s licence expired. Three weeks after his release from prison, on December 12, 2019, he applied to renew the licence.

After conducting a background check, the authority discovered the conviction for drug possession and advised him that

his renewal application was under review on September 2020.

In March 2021, Mr Bartlett applied for leave for judicial review and an order of mandamus that the authority renews his pilot’s licence. He purported that the delay in rendering the decision was unreasonable and he was being treated with bias.

The authority said it became aware of the ex parte application on March 24, 2021. Michael Allen, then director general, wrote to him denying his request for renewal because he was not

considered a fit and proper person to be issued the pilot’s licence as required by section 21 of the Civil Aviation Act.

Mr Bartlett then appealed to the authority on April 30, 2022. More than a month later, Mr Allen told Mr Bartlett that section 44 did not apply to his appeal and that his appeal was also lodged out of time.

Mr Bartlett subsequently filed an application on July 1, 2021, for leave to apply for judicial review regarding the refusal to renew his pilot’s licence.

Linda Stubbs - designing with Bahamian flair

WITH a deep sense of national pride, Linda Christina Stubbs has decorated some of the most outstanding events in The Bahamas. Her works are designed to spark emotions of excitement and bring Bahamian culture alive.

Born on Eleuthera, Linda digs deep into her roots to find the passion to execute one thrilling event after another.

All along, Linda has been known for her works. She quietly goes about sketching, sourcing materials, planning, curating and executing her designs. Often, it’s the client who gets the praise. People admire the space and would compliment those who live or work in it. For Linda, there’s no issue in that. She is just happy to know that there’s a new aura in the space - one that brings good feelings to all involved. But in this issue of Face to Face, we uncover a bit about the woman responsible for bringing to life some of the most spectacular events in the country.

Linda Christina Stubbs (née Wood) was born in Gregory Town, Eleuthera, which is one of the most northern settlements on the island. She was born to Wendell and Althea Wood (née Young). Her father was born in Gregory Town while her mother was born in South Eleuthera in a settlement called Wemyss Bight. Both families were very well known in their settlements and made a valuable contribution to their communities.

The Youngs were farmers, making their living off of the land, and holding dear to their morals and principles, living the good island life. The Woods were merchants. Linda’s grandfather, Reginald D Wood, had a large department store that she calls “the Walmart of his day”. He also had large buses that were outfitted with lots of merchandise and they were sent out north and south to sell to people in other settlements who could not get to Gregory Town to shop.

He had large investments in land and several buildings in the settlement. Like many Eleuthera Islanders, he also farmed pineapples and in his spare time, he plaited fish pots.

Linda’s schooling began in Eleuthera. However, she and her siblings moved to Nassau with their mother. She graduated and earned her diploma with awards in Fine Arts. She earned her BJCs and GCEs, and found herself always excelling in fine arts and technical studies.

“It was evident the trajectory my career path would take,” Linda told me. “I did not attend a traditional tertiary institution; however, I’ve participated in many specialized training courses and seminars in Europe and across the USA, and I still do to this very day. The reason is that we should never stop learning, refreshing our knowledge, learning new

Face to Face

By FELICITY DARVILLE

techniques and discovering new trends. I am committed to excellence in everything that I do.”

Linda did not begin her professional life as a designer. She married early and from that marriage, she bore three children - Owen, Danielle and Robbyn.

“It’s one of the best decisions I made in that I’m still very young at heart, and my children are adults, two of whom are married with their own families,” she said.

“I’m now able to enjoy the best years of my life.”

With this freedom, Linda has the time to produce one excellent design after another. She has now been in art and design for more than 30 years.

Prior to finding her calling, Linda was a hotelier, banker and timeshare executive. She worked briefly in Virginia Beach, USA, and at Xanadu Resort in Freeport, Grand Bahama.

“These experiences were good, but they were not my calling and I knew it,” She said.

“As soon as the opportunity presented itself, I moved away from employment to self employment.

Historically, all of my family members on both sides were entrepreneurs, self-employed or contract workers. That was the right fitting mold for me, so in the early 1990s, I took the leap of faith.”

“My initial focus was interior design. I obtained my certification as a window treatment specialist. Prior to that, I became certified in management and motivational training in London. When I fully immersed myself in designing, I functioned in every area of design. One of my most memorable projects was to have been the first Bahamian that Atlantis Resorts engaged to design and decorate 100 of their rooms, thanks to the late Deon Strachan.”

The opportunity to decorate Atlantis blossomed into a myriad of opportunities, as word of mouth spread about Linda’s special creative touch. She was responsible for renovating the Cabinet Room which was housed in the Churchill Building, downtown, Nassau.

She has also designed the offices of several Government ministers, the office of the Speaker of the House of Assembly, as well as the Levy Building on East Bay Street.

Linda has creatively transformed spaces for several government agencies for various events. She didn’t do it alone, however. She believes in empowering others and as a result, she created a team to help her pull off each assignment.

They include: Chedi Ferguson; Cheryl Rolle; Dave Turnquest; Kay Lowe;

Kay vette Rolle; Keva Mckinney; Robbyn Stubbs; Eric Jean; Owen Stubbs; Marcus Taylor and others. Together, they make a formidable team under Linda’s direction, and they have consistently produced show stopping designs. Linda has had the privilege of being the first person to decorate the interiors of the House of Assembly for Independence. This was met with wonderful accolades from the Speaker and Members of Parliament. She was also the curator of the large scale historical exhibitions often seen in Rawson and Parliament Squares, Bay Street. She has designed showcases for the Governors General, The Road to Majority Rule, The Women’s Suffrage Movement, and The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, for which Prince Harry flew in to officially open that exhibit.

The opening of Parliament is one of the biggest fashion highlights of the year. But what many do not know is that the exquisite backdrop was designed by Linda on many occasions. She has also served as decorator for the opening of the Legal Year by the Supreme Court.

Beautiful memorials created for the lying in state of great Bahamians such as Paul L Adderley, the longest serving Attorney General of the 20th century, and for the late Chief Justice Stephen Isaacs were also done by Linda. These designs were mini exhibitions of their lives and work.

When international diplomats from around the world have convened in New Providence for highlevel talks and conferences, Linda has designed the room on countless occasions. She has even traveled abroad to decorate events for the government of The Bahamas, including Cuba, when The Bahamas received keys to the city.

Linda shares other highlights of her design career: “We were honoured to have been granted the

opportunity to decorate for the official opening of the Office of the Prime Minister in its current location, and what a beautiful event it was!”

“My team and I have decorated the event to stage the Cacique Awards on behalf of the Ministry of Tourism on several occasions. We took pride in nailing the event, by bringing to light the selected theme where coordinators, honorees and attendees had a great appreciation for the execution of the theme.”

“We were just as honoured to have decorated Goombay Summer Festivals and Junkanoo Summer Festivals for the Ministry of Tourism, bringing to light the selected themes for all of the events, which were extremely successful.”

Linda has decorated for Junior Junkanoo, at the request of Esso and the National Junkanoo Committee. She was also responsible for the exhibit to launch Carnival in the Bahamas, as well as the exhibit to commemorate the life of Sir Sidney Poitier.

During Christmas time, Bahamians seem to always find it a hit or miss with the national Christmas tree.

“For years, the Bahamian people were disappointed and agitated with the way the tree was decorated,” Linda explained.

“In 2020, my design team was finally called upon to decorate the Christmas tree. Needless to say, it was beautiful and greatly appreciated by Bahamians and visitors alike. Many photos were taken and sent around the world by proud family members and friends. We received great commendations from the Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture for the first tree produced in recent times that was lauded and not criticized. The tree was photographed and used for a Christmas card by UNESCO, sent to more than 250 counties.”

“Christmas of 2021 found the world still grappling with the effects of COVID19. We were once again invited to submit a bid for the Christmas tree. It was announced earlier that there would be no Junkanoo because of COVID. Prime Minister Philip Davis requested that the city be decorated properly for the season. I was called in by a lighting company who was awarded the contract to create an attraction downtown. We were subcontracted to decorate the tree. Needless to say, we did a magnificent job and the lighting company executed their job brilliantly.”

Independence is also a special time for Linda and her team, as it is an opportunity to kick national pride into high gear. She has led the team responsible for decorating national spaces for Independence celebrations for 18 consecutive years.

“We have taken it from simple displays to the most spectacular, memorable designs ever produced,” Linda shared.

“We have installed larger than life 2D renditions of our coat of arms, which spanned some 21 feet wide by 19 feet high. When the coat of arms was installed, the city erupted. People came from all over Nassau to take photos at the larger than life replica. It was epic and the sense of being proud to be Bahamian permeated throughout the entire country by way of social media for those in the Family Islands and abroad.”

“The following year 2020, we replicated the

largest version of the Bahamas flag to have ever been seen. I will never forget, after working during the wee hours of the morning installing the flag, the sun was rising and the installation was done. The flag was 22 feet wide and 18 feet high. We were standing off and marveling on how beautiful and perfect the flag was slotted together. As we stood there, a small group of ladies approached the area. When they saw what we were looking at, they erupted into loud cheers. Just recalling the incident gives me goosebumps! They ran towards the flag and began singing the national anthem, beaming with pride and tears were streaming down one of their faces. It was a brief but emotionally charged experience and this design also went viral across the nation.”

In 2018, Linda and her team paid tribute to the four Bahamian Prime Ministers with praying hands: “They gave us the theme ‘We’ve Come This Far by Faith’. We depicted the Prime Ministers asking God to bless and guide our nation, because I truly believe that in governing a nation, they must seek God and pray. I brought on cultural Ambassador Jamaal Rolle to help create this piece. It was requested that it remain in place for months past Independence.”

For this year’s Independence, Linda formed a group called ‘Designers United’ - which consists of 18 professional designers with different skill sets. They have all come together to curate a special line of products for the home and office in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Bahamian Independence.

Linda sources as much of her materials locally as possible. She supports a number of local businesses, and gives special credit to Commonwealth Fabrics. The company, over the years, has been a tremendous support to her business, and they have always ensured that the correct pantone colours of the Bahamian flags are used in all of their products.

To contact Linda, email her at decoratorsden@yahoo. com, or call 477-7383.

Linda C StubbS, designer for national events

independenCe 2020 design - the largest depiction of the Bahamian flag everin Parliament Square by Linda C Stubbs inSet: A giant Coat of Arms she created during Independence

New national sport - expanded role for local sailing clubs

Although it has been fun and a learning experience to have crewed for various people on boating pleasure trips while living here in the Bahamas, I confess to little real knowledge about sailing. But one does not need to know a great deal about this wonderful activity and sport to realise how important it is in this country. So it comes as no surprise that the declaration by the house of Assembly in April that sailing is now the national sport of the Bahamas has been widely welcomed, with many people saying that this was anyway long overdue.

It then struck me that it might be interesting to look at the work of a body like the Royal Nassau Sailing Club which I have been told is recognised, along with the Nassau Yacht Club, as a major sailing centre in the country. As I understand it, these two clubs are the main organisers of the sport. Both host international events in the famous Montagu Bay which has become renowned around the world for its scenic and unspoilt environment and for the excellent conditions it provides for sailing –and both clubs have active junior programmes, with the RNSC starting its own in 2005 using optimist Dinghies. the RNSC’s main purpose is to encourage and promote yacht sailing and racing and to produce an unmatched environment for sailors and others to enjoy the sport. those at the RNSC directly involved have told me that its main activity over the years has been the Snipe Fleet for which the club has hosted four major international events in the last twelve years as well as running its own annual Snipe Winter Championship. For many years the club has also had an active Sunfish Class in which members represented the Bahamas at major international events.

The Peter Young column

Delving a bit deeper, I learnt that the club has developed a successful training programme, with instruction provided by world-class Bahamian sailors who have themselves competed internationally over many years with considerable success – and, most importantly, this programme has been available to everybody throughout the country with an emphasis on young people from all backgrounds. Interestingly, almost all of the junior sailors who have represented the Bahamas at international events since 2005 have been coached as youngsters by Robert Dunkley at the RNSC, including all five of the sailors currently participating in the optimist World Championships in Spain. A little research reveals that, historically, the Bahamas as a nation has a fine record of producing top-rate sailors who have excelled in international competition. Perhaps the most famous of these was the late Sir Durward Knowles who won a gold medal at the 1964 olympics in tokyo. Some 16 RNSC members have raced in the olympics including the late Sir godfrey Kelly and his brothers, Basil and David, in the 1960s and, most recently in 1996, Robert

Dunkley, Mark holowesko and Myles Pritchard – and it seems to me hugely significant that some of the country’s highly skilled sailors are passing on their knowledge and expertise to the next generation.

As an RNSC member myself, I am aware of misconceptions about the club. But I am assured that it is open to membership applications from anyone who might be interested in joining either to participate in sailing or as a social member.

From my own observation, steps are currently being taken to create a welcoming environment for potential new members; and there is a belief within the club that it could become a greater force for good in the Bahamas –especially, of course, in the sailing world – if people in the community were aware of what it has to offer everybody irrespective of their background.

By way of history, readers might be interested to know that the RNSC has enjoyed royal patronage since 1926 when it received its Royal Charter from King george V. the club has received visits from members of the Royal Family over the years, dating back to that of the late Prince Philip, who was an honorary life Member and presented the King’s Cup sailing trophy to the winners in 1959. this trophy was donated to the RNSC by King george V at the time he granted the club its Royal Charter and it has been known since then simply as the King’s Cup.

Most recently, Prince Edward, who has now succeeded his father as the Duke of Edinburgh, has visited the Bahamas a number of times in connection with the governor general’s Youth Award and has dined at the club.

the RNSC has a strong heritage of sailing and community and is steeped in tradition. through its programme of instruction by

local Bahamian sailors for fellow Bahamians from whatever background, there now seems to be an opportunity to stimulate even more interest and provide practical assistance to unleash the potential of young people in particular. this must surely be good for the country as a whole, not least as sailing has at last become its national sport.

As an example of the success already of the club’s junior programme, the attached photograph of the winners of this year’s

BRITISH POLITICS IN DISARRAY AGAIN w ITH jOHNSON AT THe CeNTRe

AS A major world player, Britain’s latest political situation is always of general interest to other countries.

Regarded as the cradle of democracy, the Westminster system is seen as an example of sound governance and stability. Against this backdrop, the political chaos in autumn last year, which saw three different uK prime ministers in as many months, was all the more shocking. Stability was then restored under a new prime minister, Rishi Sunak, and the squabbling amongst Conservative MPs quietened down considerably. however, this new found temporary serenity was upset last week by the resignation as an MP of former prime minister Boris Johnson.

Some say he jumped before he was pushed because he stepped down in advance of what turned out to be a damning report by the Committee of Privileges of the house of Commons. this group had been investigating whether he deliberately misled Parliament over parties at No 10 Downing Street in violation of lockdown rules during the pandemic. Even though he acknowledged what he claimed was an honest mistake of fact and quickly corrected it, the Committee found him guilty and imposed a 90-day suspension that was overtaken by his resignation and sought to banish him permanently from Parliament by taking away his pass.

this action has been widely criticised as a disproportionate overreaction by the Privileges Committee – a kangaroo court and a witch-hunt - and a deranged attack by vigilantes who want to get rid of Johnson forever. Some have called it vengeful action by a group with a cynical agenda claiming to be safeguarding the sanctity of Parliament

yet only succeeding in making a mockery of their role. one uK newspaper called it “the most spiteful stitch-up in the history of politics” and others labelled it hypocritical and vindictive while Johnson himself, showing anger and bitterness, described it as “rubbish, a lie, absurd and complete tripe”. At the time of writing, the outcome of last evening’s debate in the house of Commons about the Privileges Committee’s Partygate report was uncertain.

Boris Johnson? It is said that he provokes adulation and irritation in equal measure. Put more bluntly, you either love him or hate him. the opposition parties are united in their loathing, not least because they fear him as a clever and witty politician and a proven vote winner who is popular with the public. Some say he was the best tory prime minister since Margaret thatcher. others maintain he should never have been allowed anywhere near Downing Street. Comparisons with former uS President Donald

trump are inevitable. Both are charismatic, prominent characters and seem to love controversy though Johnson is clearly the more erudite of the two. But, as far as Johnson is concerned, people wonder above all how such a gifted and successful politician went, in the space of three and a half years, from the triumph of winning a huge majority at a general election to being humiliated by his peers and no longer even allowed to enter Parliament. What is more, the voting public regard it as a turn-off – an interminable witch-hunt when the country is beset by a series of genuine crises. the general view now appears to be that Johnson is not someone who will simply lie down and disappear, particularly because he feels genuinely wronged. So this is unlikely to be the final curtain on a colourful career and a political comeback cannot be ruled out. he has the capacity to attract attention and disrupt things. he has been quickly hired by the Daily Mail to write a regular column so he has already found a pulpit from which to preach and to test whether he still has any real following and influence. It is hard to think the British people have heard the last of him.

It is said that political power is an addiction – a drug like no other – and to stay high you need more and more of the same. Frontline politics is exciting, intoxicating and fulfilling but, at its worst, it is a rough and tough occupation.

So, with Rishi Sunak languishing in the polls with a tory party still divided - and now also having to face a disgruntled electorate in at least three upcoming byelections – will the ghost of Boris Johnson haunt him? Politics in Britain during the coming months promises to

particularly interesting.

King’s Cup illustrates how the RNSC is now operating. gavin McKinney, victor in the 5.5m World Championships amongst many other wins during a highly successful sailing career, is alongside his crew member Joshua Weech who started sailing with Robert Dunkley at the age of nine. Joshua is a four-time Bahamas optimist National Champion and has been the top Bahamian at both the optimist North American and World Championships. last month, the RNSC

hosted the 2023 annual King’s Cup event for the club championship. It is a five-race series in which all races count to determine the overall winner. It was sailed in near perfect wind conditions and the team of McKinney and Weech came out on top as the eventual winners. they also won the trophy in 2021. While congratulating them, some now hope that this is a sign of things to come as the Royal Nassau Sailing Club succeeds in opening up first-class sailing to the wider community.

lASt weekend on a fine summer’s day, the traditional and much-loved annual ceremony of trooping the Colour took place on horse guards Parade in central london. this is an occasion for the British Army’s most prestigious regiments to honour the monarch’s official birthday and demonstrate their loyalty to the Crown.

As far as one could see from the television coverage and from all reports, this year’s event, which was Charles III’s first official birthday parade as sovereign, proceeded without a hitch. It was a fine display of the nation’s traditional military pomp and pageantry and impressive precision - both foot soldiers and mounted cavalry - in front of the new King on horseback which was a practice the Queen had given up during her later years; and people have been commenting on how well he controlled his horse which was said “to have been a bit frisky” on the day.

After the parade there was a fly-past watched by the monarch and a slimmed

down Royal Family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace and by thousands of onlookers thronging the Mall. this was the full 70-aircraft fly-past planned for the Coronation six weeks earlier that had to be curtailed because of poor weather. the finale was performed by the RAF’s aerobatic stars, the Red Arrows, who created their traditional red, white and blue vapour trails in the skies above.

For many people this was Britain at its best and left them with a proverbial lump in the throat. But, as always, some wonder why their monarch should have two birthdays. the answer is that a parade is held in June because the weather is more likely to be good than on a monarch’s actual birthday if that happened to be during the winter. this is said to go back to the year 1748 during the reign of george II who was born in November when the weather conditions were deemed to be unsuitable. the new King’s real birthday is November 14.

be

Britain’s King Charles III leaves Buckingham Palace to take part in the Trooping The Colour parade, in London, Saturday.

Photo: alastair Grant/AP

Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson pictured leaving Parliament. Britain’s House of Commons is likely to endorse a report that found Johnson lied to lawmakers about lockdownflouting parties in his office. That would be a humiliating censure that would strip the former prime minister of his lifetime access to Parliament. Lawmakers yesterday debated a report by the Privileges Committee that found Johnson in contempt of Parliament, and are expected to approve its findings.

Photo: matt Dunham/AP

Four time Optimist National Champion Joshua Weech (left) stands next to victor of the 5.5m World Championships Gavin McKinney (right) together won the 2023 King’s Cup event, as their succcess and the progress seen by many others in local and international competitions, bodes well for the future of The Bahamas’ new national sport.

Deep-sea craft carrying five people to Titanic wreckage reported missing, search underway

Associated Press

A rescue operation was underway deep in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean on Monday in search of a technologically advanced submersible vessel carrying five people to document the wreckage of the Titanic, the iconic ocean liner that sank more than a century ago.

The vessel was reported overdue sunday night about 435 miles (700 kilometres) south of st. John’s, Newfoundland, according to canada’s Joint rescue coordination centre in Halifax, Nova scotia. Lt. cmdr.

Len Hickey said a canadian coast Guard vessel and military aircraft were assisting the search effort, which was being led by the us coast Guard in Boston.

rear Adm. John Mauger, a commander for the us coast Guard, said additional resources would arrive in the coming days.

“It is a remote area — and it is a challenge to conduct a search in that remote area,” he said. “But we are deploying all available assets to make sure we can locate the craft and rescue the people on board.”

According to the coast Guard, the craft submerged sunday morning, and its support vessel lost contact with it about an hour and 45 minutes later.

The submersible was operated by OceanGate expeditions. David concannon, an adviser to OceanGate, said the submersible had an 96-hour oxygen supply starting at roughly 6 am sunday. In an email to The Associated Press, concannon said he was supposed to be on the dive but could not go due to another client matter. He said officials were working to get a remotely operated vehicle that can reach a depth of

6,000 meters (about 20,000 feet) to the site as soon as possible.

OceanGate’s expeditions to the Titanic wreck site include archaeologists and marine biologists. The company also brings people who pay to come along, known as “missions specialists.” They take turns operating sonar equipment and performing other tasks in the five-person submersible. The coast Guard said Monday that there was one pilot and four “mission specialists” aboard.

OceanGate said its focus was on those aboard and their families.

“We are deeply thankful for the extensive assistance we have received from several government agencies and deep sea companies in our efforts to reestablish contact with the submersible,” said a written statement from the company.

uK businessman Hamish Harding was one of the

mission specialists, according to Action Aviation, a company for which Harding serves as chairman. The company’s managing director, Mark Butler, told the AP that the crew set out on Friday.

“There is still plenty of time to facilitate a rescue mission, there is equipment on board for survival in this event,” Butler said. “We’re all hoping and praying he comes back safe and sound.”

Harding is an adventurer who holds three Guinness World records, including longest duration at full ocean depth by a crewed vessel. In March 2021, he and ocean explorer Victor Vescovo dived to the lowest depth of the Mariana Trench. In June 2022, he went into space on Blue Origin’s New shepard rocket.

The expedition was OceanGate’s third annual voyage to chronicle the deterioration of Titanic,

which struck an iceberg and sank in 1912, killing all but about 700 of the roughly 2,200 passengers and crew. since the wreckage’s discovery in 1985, it has been slowly succumbing to metal-eating bacteria. some have predicted the ship could vanish in a matter of decades as holes yawn in the hull and sections disintegrate.

The initial group of tourists in 2021 paid $100,000 to $150,000 apiece to go on the trip.

unlike submarines that leave and return to port under their own power, submersibles require a ship to launch and recover them. OceanGate hired the canadian vessel Polar Prince, a medium duty icebreaker that was formerly operated by the canadian coast Guard, to ferry dozens of people and the submersible craft to the North Atlantic wreck site. The submersible would make multiple dives in one expedition.

The expedition was scheduled to depart from st. John’s, Newfoundland, in early May and finish up at the end of June, according to documents filed by the company in April with a us District court in Virginia that oversees Titanic matters.

The submersible, named Titan, is capable of diving 4,000 meters or 13,120 feet “with a comfortable safety margin,” OceanGate said in its court filing. It weighs 20,000 pounds (9,072 kilograms) in the air, but is ballasted to be neutrally buoyant once it reaches the seafloor, the company said.

The Titan is made of “titanium and filament wound carbon fibre” and has proven to “withstand the enormous pressures of the deep ocean,” OceanGate stated. OceanGate told the court that Titan’s viewport is “the largest of any deep diving submersible” and that its technology provides an “unrivalled view” of the deep ocean.

In a May 2021 court filing, OceanGate said the Titan had an “unparalleled safety feature” that assesses the integrity of the hull throughout every dive.

At the time of the filing, Titan had undergone more than 50 test dives, including to the equivalent depth of the Titanic, in deep waters off the Bahamas and in a pressure chamber, the company said.

During its expedition in 2022, OceanGate reported that the submersible had a battery issue on its first dive, and had to be manually attached to its lifting platform, according to a November court filing.

“In the high sea state, the submersible sustained modest damage to its external components and OceanGate decided to

cancel the second mission for repairs and operational enhancements,” the filing stated.

More missions, however, followed. The company reported that 28 people visited the wreck site last year. experts said Monday that rescuers face steep challenges.

Alistair Greig, a professor of marine engineering at university college London, said submersibles typically have a drop weight, which is “a mass they can release in the case of an emergency to bring them up to the surface using buoyancy.”

“If there was a power failure and/or communication failure, this might have happened, and the submersible would then be bobbing about on the surface waiting to be found,” Greig said.

Another scenario is a leak in the pressure hull, in which case the prognosis is not good, he said.

“If it has gone down to the seabed and can’t get back up under its own power, options are very limited,” Greig said. “While the submersible might still be intact, if it is beyond the continental shelf, there are very few vessels that can get that deep, and certainly not divers.” even if they could go that deep, he doubts they could attach to the hatch of OceanGate’s submersible. chris Parry, a retired navy rear admiral from the uK, told sky News the rescue was “a very difficult operation.”

“The actual nature of the seabed is very undulating. Titanic herself lies in a trench. There’s lots of debris around. so trying to differentiate with sonar in particular and trying to target the area you want to search in with another submersible is going to be very difficult indeed.”

US Coast Guard Rear Adm. John Mauger, commander of the First Coast Guard District, speaks to the media yesterday in Boston. A search is underway for a missing submersible that carries people to view the wreckage of the Titanic. Canadian officials say the five-person submersible was reported overdue Sunday night about 435 miles (700 kilometers) south of St. John’s, Newfoundland and that the search is being led by the US Coast Guard.

Photo: Steven Senne/AP

Ayton, Suns continue whirlwind of change under new owner

By DAVID BRANDT AP Sports Writer

PHOENIX (AP) —

Mat Ishbia’s five-month tenure as the new owner of the Phoenix Suns has produced a whirlwind of change.

Nobody seems completely safe — not even 12-time All-Star point guard Chris Paul — as the Michigan native continues his quest to deliver Phoenix its first NBA title.

The aggressive owner oversaw his latest big move Sunday, when the Suns put together the framework for a trade that would send Paul, Landry Shamet and other compensation to the Washington Wizards in exchange for three-time

All-Star Bradley Beal.

Paul — making an appearance on ABC’s ‘Good Morning America’ on Monday morning to promote his new book — seemed just as shocked by the development as everyone else.

“I was surprised, too,” Paul said. “I found out on the plane, yesterday, flying here for this. In this league, anything can happen, so you just figure out what’s next.”

Paul came to the desert in 2020, bringing instant credibility to the Suns, who had languished near the bottom of the standings for the better part of a decade. The point guard formed a formidable backcourt with Devin Booker, and the Suns came agonisingly close to a championship, winning the first two games of the NBA Finals against the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021 before losing the next four.

The Suns were also good in the past two regular seasons, but suffered back-to-back embarrassing playoff exits on their home floor. That was apparently enough for Ishbia to decide that wholesale changes needed to be made.

Ishbia — who took over control of the team from

the embattled Robert Sarver in February — hasn’t been shy about making big moves, even before their latest playoff exit.

The Suns added 13-time All-Star Kevin Durant in a blockbuster trade deadline deal that sent Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson and a bevy of first-round picks to the Brooklyn Nets. The bold move failed to produce a championship, so Ishbia continued his overhaul.

The Suns recently fired coach Monty Williams, who was the NBA’s Coach of the Year in 2022, and brought in Frank Vogel, who led the Lakers to a title in the Florida bubble

in 2020. Now the team is moving on from the 38-year-old Paul and bringing in Beal, who has averaged more than 22 points per game over his 11-year career.

More changes could be on the horizon.

The Suns now have a stellar nucleus of Booker, Durant, Beal and Deandre Ayton, but not much help around them.

The foursome will make about $150 million next season and the Suns will have to be creative as they try to add quality role players.

Another option would be trading Ayton, a former No. 1 overall pick in 2018 who has had five

VICTOR ARRIVES IN US FROM FRANCE AHEAD OF THURSDAY’S NBA DRAFT

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer

VICTOR Wembanyama has arrived in the United States for the NBA draft.

The plane from France carrying Wembanyama — who almost certainly will be taken by the San Antonio Spurs with the No. 1 pick in Thursday’s draft — arrived at Newark International Airport outside of New York City yesterday.

up-and-down seasons with the franchise. There doesn’t seem to be a ton of obvious suitors for an Ayton deal, particularly after the 6-foot-11 centre had an underwhelming performance in this year’s playoffs.

But with Ishbia helping pull the strings these days, nothing seems impossible at the moment.

The former Michigan State walk-on basketball player — who was part of the Spartans’ championship team in 2000 — has made it clear no one in the organisation is sacred as he pushes for a title.

“I want to think big,” Ishbia said back in February.

AP SOURCE: BEAL BEING TRADED TO PHOENIX BY WASHINGTON

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer

BRADLEY Beal will soon be part of the NBA’s newest Big 3, after the three-time All-Star agreed Sunday to be traded to the Phoenix Suns and team up with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker in a trio with serious offensive firepower and championship aspirations.

The Suns agreed to send Chris Paul, Landry Shamet and a package of future second-round picks to Washington, according to a person with knowledge of the negotiations. Some pick swaps will also be part of the trade, said the person, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal is pending league approval.

The biggest domino to fall was this: Beal waived his no-trade clause to be sent to the Suns, agent Mark Bartelstein said

Sunday. There is a chance that the trade could eventually include a third team, particularly if a club wants to acquire Paul, but the basic framework is done.

ESPN first reported details of the trade.

For Phoenix, a franchise that had a 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals against Milwaukee in 2021 before falling in six games, the motivation is obvious — to win a title. The Suns will be different this coming season; Frank Vogel is succeeding the fired Monty Williams (who is now in Detroit) as coach, Paul will no longer be the starting point guard who is still searching for his first championship, and Durant and Booker will have a training camp together for the first time.

It’s also the start of something new, and probably needed, in Washington. The Wizards have finished with a losing record in each of the last five years,

missing the playoffs in four of those, and haven’t won a postseason series since 2018. The Wizards will

pick eighth in Thursday’s draft, and Kyle Kuzma and Kristaps Porzingis could decide later this week to become free agents by declining player options — moves that seem likely.

The deal was struck less than a week after Denver topped Miami in the NBA Finals, and with the Heat having also spent the last few days working with the Wizards on the possibility of acquiring Beal. It also begins a week where Victor Wembanyama will be the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft Thursday by San Antonio — and where more players could be on the move, since trades frequently happen on draft night. It is the second major acquisition for owner Mat Ishbia in Phoenix. He landed Durant for a massive combination of players and first-round draft picks just days after formally taking over the Suns in February.

There are 12 active players in the NBA with at least 500 games played while averaging at least 22 points per game. Phoenix now has three of them in Beal, Durant and Booker. They will make about $130 million combined next season, meaning the Suns will pay a ransom in salary and tax for this title shot.

Starting with 2017-18 — Beal’s first All-Star season — he’s averaged 26.0 points per game. That’s 10th-best in the NBA over that span.

He’s been an All-Star in three of those six seasons and made All-NBA in 2020-21, when he finished second in the scoring race for the second consecutive year.

Beal is entering the second year of what could be a five-year, $251 million contract; the last of those years is at his option and would pay him $57.1 million. Over the next four years, he’s owed about $207.7 million.

And even before becoming an NBA star, he got his first official taste of NBA stardom.

Some fans knew what flight he was on and when the plane was landing, and many were waiting. Wembanyama cheerfully signed autographs, scrawling his name onto basketballs and Spurs jerseys — some even with his name already on the back — before making his way into a waiting vehicle.

“I don’t know how they knew what flight I was on, but it’s fun,” Wembanyama said in a video distributed on the NBA’s social media channels as he walked through the New Jersey airport, ducking his head to avoid some of the signage bolted to the terminal’s ceiling.

“It’s different, seeing that you can have such impact on people.”

It’s the start of a hectic few days for the 19-yearold French phenom who long has been considered a generational prospect the likes of which hasn’t been seen since LeBron James entered the league in 2003.

Wembanyama is expected to appear at a pre-draft media availability on Wednesday, then has the actual draft Thursday and likely will be in San Antonio sometime Friday.

The rest of his summer won’t exactly be slow, either.

Wembanyama already has been announced as one of the expected participants in the inaugural NBA Con in Las Vegas coinciding with the start of Summer League there from July 7-9, and he has said he wants to play for France in the Basketball World Cup that will take place in the Philippines, Indonesia and Japan starting in late August and running through September 10.

Warriors committed to keeping Draymond, new GM says

By JANIE MCCAULEY AP Sports Writer

SAN FRANCISCO

(AP) — The Golden State Warriors want to keep Draymond Green, yet the team is prepared for him to formally decline his $27.5 million player option for the final year of his contract next season and become an unrestricted free agent seeking a long-term deal.

The Athletic reported yesterday that Green would opt out. Green, who said in April he wants to retire with Golden State, would have to notify the Warriors of his decision by June 30.

“I saw the report, too. Until we get the paperwork and the filing we can’t really comment or say much,” new general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr said yesterday at his introductory news conference.

“I will say it, I think Steve (Kerr) has said it, I’ll reiterate, we really want Draymond back. What he means to this organisation and this team in terms of trying to win at the highest level, we feel like we have

to have him. So that’s very important.”

Kerr has applauded Green’s fiery, emotional play. The season began with Green punching Jordan Poole at practice during training camp then taking a brief leave of absence from the team.

This spring, Green served a one-game suspension during the Warriors’ 114-97 Game 3 victory in the first round of the playoffs that Golden State won in seven games. He vowed afterward not to change. “Draymond won’t be moved by no Draymond rules,” he said. “I will continue to play the game how I play the game, operate how I operate, be exactly who I am, because that leads to winning.”

In the fourth quarter of the Kings’ 114-106 Game 2 win, Green stepped on the chest of Sacramento center Domantas Sabonis after Stephen Curry grabbed a defensive rebound.

In 2016, Green was suspended for a crucial Game 5 loss to LeBron James and the Cavaliers in the NBA

Finals after accumulating too many flagrant fouls in the playoffs that season. The Warriors wound up losing in seven. Dunleavy and owner Joe Lacob know there’s much to do better this summer with the expectations that the Warriors will contend for another championship next season.

And, they hope, with Green a part of that core of players along with Curry and Klay Thompson that has won four titles together.

“Look, he’s been a spectacular player for us. We

would not have these championships without his involvement, no question,” Lacob said of Green.

“I think everyone understands that in this room. He’s meant a lot to this franchise. He’s a bit of a controversial player perhaps in some corners around the league, certain things that have happened over the years. He knows that. We know that. But the good overwhelms the bad is what I would say.

“... He’s meant a lot. I think if he does come back that he will be very important to our success certainly going forward in the next few years.”

Dunleavy, promoted from assistant GM to replace Bob Myers, is optimistic of keeping the roster together — Poole and the younger players, too.

Curry, Green and Thompson are still competing at an elite level.

“That’s our hope. We love those guys and value them. I think there is a way to do it. That’s something we’ll have to work through. It certainly is possible,”

Dunleavy said. “The big thing is those guys are still playing at a high level. Steph conservatively is one of the top five players in the league. Draymond just had an incredible year. Essentially first team all defence.

We’re biased. One of the premier defenders in the league.

“Klay has really returned well from his Achilles injury and his knee. Those guys are playing well at an older age.”

THE SUNS now have a stellar nucleus of Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal and our very own Deandre Ayton, shown here on the bench listening to a trainer. (AP)

GOLDEN State Warriors forward Draymond Green.

GUARD Bradley Beal looks on during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Boston Celtics. Beal is being traded to Phoenix after the Wizards and the Suns agreed Sunday on the first blockbuster of the offseason, a person with knowledge of the negotiations said. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

HIGHLIGHTS

Arraez gets five hits for the 3rd time this month as Marlins rout Blue Jays 11-0

MIAMI (AP) — Luis

Arraez went 5 for 5 again to raise his batting average to .400, and Jorge Soler homered as the streaking Miami Marlins routed the Toronto Blue Jays 11-0 last night.

Jon Berti had three hits and Jesús Sánchez doubled twice for the Marlins, who finished with a season-high 19 hits and won their fifth straight. Miami improved to a season-high 11 games over .500 at 42-31.

It was the second time in his past three games that

Arraez went 5 for 5, following an 0-for-15 slide that dropped his average to .378. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, he became the fourth major leaguer since 1900 to have three

five-hit games in a calendar month, joining three Hall of Famers: George Sisler (August 1921), Ty Cobb (July 1922) and Dave Winfield (June 1984).

Arraez has 102 hits in 67 games played, the

second-fastest player to 100 in Marlins history. Dee

Strange-Gordon reached the century mark in 65 games in 2015.

Arraez’s fifth single, a line drive to left field with the base loaded, scored two and highlighted a five-run seventh. The crowd of 12,226 gave Arraez a standing ovation before the at-bat and chanted “Louie! Louie!

Louie!” once he reached first base.

No big league player has batted .400 for a full season since Ted Williams hit .406 for the Boston Red Sox in 1941. Bo Bichette had two hits for the Blue Jays, shut out for the first time this season.

Bichette also reached 100

hits with his leadoff single in the ninth.

Soler’s two-run homer and Garrett Cooper’s RBI single in the third put Miami ahead 3-0. Soler drove a breaking pitch from starter José Berríos to leftcentre for his 21st homer. The Marlins padded their lead on Soler’s sacrifice fly and Sánchez’s RBI groundout in the fourth.

Starting pitcher Bryan Hoeing threw four scoreless innings in a bullpen game for Miami. Hoeing allowed three hits and struck out a career-high five. Huascar Brazobán (1-1) followed and got the next six outs. He gave up one single. Berríos (7-5) was lifted after the fourth. The

right-hander permitted five runs and eight hits in his shortest outing of the season. He walked one and struck out four.

HOEING’S ESCAPE

The Blue Jays threatened in the fourth, when Daulton Varsho and Bichette singled to start the inning.

But then Berti began a 5-4-3 double play on Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s hard smash to third. Hoeing struck out Spencer Horwitz to end the inning.

ROSTER MOVES

The Blue Jays recalled C Tyler Heineman and RHP Trent Thornton from Triple-A Buffalo and optioned Bowden Francis to the same minor league club. Thornton relieved Berríos

and threw two scoreless innings.

TRAINER’S

ROOM Blues Jays: C Alejandro Kirk (left hand laceration) was placed on the 10-day injured list. Kirk was hit by a pitch Sunday against Texas and the cut didn’t heal enough for a shorter absence.

Marlins: CF Jasrado “Jazz” Chisholm Jr (turf toe) worked out and the expectation is he will begin a rehab assignment later in the week.

UP NEXT Blue Jays RHP Yusei Kikuchi (6-2, 4.31 ERA) starts the middle game of the series tonight against RHP Eury Pérez (4-1, 1.80).

ALEK THOMAS HOMERS IN RETURN TO MAJORS AND MERRILL KELLY SHINES AS D-BACKS RIP BREWERS 9-1

MILWAUKEE (AP)

— Alek Thomas homered during Arizona’s six-run first inning against Corbin Burnes, Merrill Kelly continued his road dominance and the Diamondbacks rolled to victory over Milwaukee.

Kelly (9-3) moved into the NL lead for wins by striking out seven and allowing just three hits and one run in seven innings.

Kelly has produced five consecutive quality starts. After getting called up from Triple-A Reno earlier in the day, Thomas went 2 for 4 and scored twice. His two-run homer into the second deck of the right-field seats capped the Diamondbacks’ first-inning outburst against Burnes, the 2021 NL Cy Young Award winner.

Burnes (5-5) ended a string of four straight quality starts by allowing seven runs – matching his career high – in five innings. He struck out three and walked two.

RANGERS 5, WHITE SOX 2

CHICAGO (AP) —

Rookie Josh Jung hit his 15th home run, Jonah Heim

had a late two-run single and Texas beat Chicago, which lost for the seventh time in nine games.

Andrew Heaney (5-4) pitched neatly into the sixth after struggling in three previous starts, and the Rangers opened the threegame series on a winning note after taking two of three from the Blue Jays.

Heaney gave up two runs and five hits in 5 2/3 innings. Will Smith worked the ninth for his 13th save in 14 chances.

Nathaniel Lowe singled and scored in the fourth against Tanner Banks (0-2) to make it 3-0. Banks allowed three runs and five hits in 3 2/3 innings in his first big league start as the White Sox used him as the opener in a bullpen game.

METS 11, ASTROS 1 HOUSTON (AP) — Francisco Lindor homered and drove in five runs, and Max Scherzer pitched eight fantastic innings for his longest outing with New York in their victory over a skidding Houston.

Scherzer (6-2) gave up just four hits and struck out eight to bounce back from

consecutive rough starts against the Braves and Yankees.

Daniel Vogelbach, who tied a season high with three RBIs, homered off rookie Hunter Brown (6-4) to start the third. Brown allowed seven hits and a career-high six runs in 5 2/3 innings.

Yainer Diaz homered for the second time in three games, but the Astros couldn’t do much else as they lost their season-high fifth straight. Houston has scored just one run in three of its last five games as the team struggles to deal with an injury to star slugger Yordan Alvarez.

REDS 5, ROCKIES 4 CINCINNATI (AP) — Joey Votto homered and hit a go-ahead, two-run single in his return to the Reds’ lineup after a 10-month absence that followed surgery, helping Cincinnati extend its longest winning streak in a decade and move into first place in NL Central for the first time since the opening week of the season

Votto drove a first-pitch, belt-high fastball from Austin Gomber (4-7) about a dozen rows into the rightfield seats for a 3-1 lead in the fifth. After circling the bases on his 343rd home run, Votto emerged from the Reds dugout for a curtain call, wearing the celebratory Viking helmet and cape that have followed Cincinnati long balls this season. He had not homered since last Aug. 6 against Milwaukee’s Jake McGee.

Alex Young (1-0) walked Mike Moustakas with the bases loaded in the sixth, giving Colorado a 4-3 lead, then retired Jurickson Profar on an inning-ending grounder. Alexis Díaz got his 19th save in 20 chances, striking out Randal Grichuk and Ryan McMahon, then retiring Elias Díaz on a game-ending groundout.

RED SOX 9, TWINS 3 MINNEAPOLIS (AP)

— Alex Verdugo tripled and drove in four runs,

James Paxton pitched 6 1/3 effective innings and Boston beat Minnesota for their fifth straight win.

Triston Casas hit a tworun homer and Jarren Duran added three doubles for Boston, which has outscored opponents 40-14 during the win streak. Paxton (3-1) gave up three hits and a walk while striking out seven. Twins catcher Christian Vázquez hit a three-run homer against his former team, his first in 48 games in his first season in Minnesota.

Pablo López (3-4) allowed five runs — four earned — in 5 2/3 innings for Minnesota, which has lost four of five but remains two games ahead of Cleveland in the American League Central despite falling under .500 for the second time this season.

CUBS 8, PIRATES 0 PITTSBURGH (AP) — Drew Smyly gave up three hits in five innings, Mike Tauchman hit a two-run single during a brief downpour and Chicago surged past Pittsburgh.

Smyly (7-4) worked around five walks to win his second straight start following a three-game losing streak. Tauchman finished with three hits and

drove in three runs. Dansby Swanson added two hits as Chicago spoiled the majorleague debut of highly touted Pirates prospect Henry Davis.

Osvaldo Bido (0-1) pitched well in his second major-league start save for a bumpy second inning that coincided with a short deluge that the teams played through even as the fans in the stands scrambled for cover.

Bido, who impressed in his debut last week against the Cubs, settled down after the skies cleared. Bido retired 12 of 13 batters in one stretch and struck out seven against two walks in six innings to boost his chances of sticking around a while longer.

TIGERS 6, ROYALS 4 DETROIT (AP) —

Kerry Carpenter hit a three-run homer in a fiverun, seventh inning that lifted Detroit over Kansas and sent the Royals to their 12th loss in 13 games.

Miguel Cabrera singled and Jonathan Schoop doubled, chasing Royals starter Jordan Lyles in the seventh.

Jake Rogers hit a two-run single off Taylor Clarke (1-1) that cut the deficit to 4-3, and Carpenter hit a two-out line drive down the

right-field line for his sixth homer this season.

Tyler Alexander (2-1) allowed one hit in two scoreless innings with four strikeouts. Alex Lange pitched the ninth for his 11th save in 13 chances.

CARDINALS 8, NATIONALS 6

WASHINGTON (AP)

— Brendan Donovan and Paul Goldschmidt hit backto-back homers in the fifth inning, and St. Louis rallied from an early deficit to beat Washington in a Juneteenth matinee.

Donovan’s three-run shot to right-center off Josiah Gray (4-6) tied the game 5-all, and Goldschmidt put the Cardinals ahead to stay when he lined a hanging curveball from Gray over the wall in left. Gray allowed a season-worst six runs in five innings.

Jack Flaherty (4-5) gave up six runs for the second consecutive start but won for the first time since May 15.

Génesis Cabrera got the final two outs in the seventh, Giovanny Gallegos worked the eighth and Jordan Hicks got three outs for his third save in three days while a big contingent of Cardinals fans stood and cheered behind their dugout.

MIAMI Marlins’ Luis Arraez reacts after hitting a single during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays, Monday, June 19, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Jasrado ‘Jazz’ Chisholm Jr (turf toe) expected to begin rehab assignment later this week

JAZZ CHISHOLM

ARIZONA Diamondbacks’ Alek Thomas hits a two-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers last night in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Brandon Miller tops AP’s list of talented 1-and-done forwards in the NBA draft

By AARON BEARD AP Basketball Writer

BRANDON Miller rapidly became an elite NBA draft prospect in his lone season at Alabama.

He headlines The Associated Press’ list of forwards and could go as high as second overall behind presumptive No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama. There are other one-and-done prospects such as Villanova’s Cam Whitmore, Houston’s Jarace Walker and Central Florida’s Taylor Hendricks as potential top-10 picks.

• Here’s a look at the top forwards in the draft:

BRANDON MILLER, Alabama

STRENGTHS: Miller, 20, went from McDonald’s All-American to AP first-team All-American. The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 18.8 points and 8.2 rebounds while shooting 38.4% from 3-point range and 85.9% from the foul line. He also showed the ability to play off the dribble or attack the rim, along with quality play on the defensive end behind the length to chase multiple positions. It adds up to a mix of shooting, athleticism and size suited for today’s NBA game that demands versatility on the wing.

CONCERNS: He needs bulk on a 200-pound frame to handle bumps and physical play at both ends. He faded late after dealing with a groin injury, including averaging 9.3 points on 8-for-41 shooting (19.5%) and going 3 for 19 from 3-point range in three NCAA Tournament games as the Crimson Tide fell in the Sweet 16 despite being the top overall seed.

There’s also his ties to a significant off-court issue: A murder case that led to former Tide player Darius Miles and another man being indicted on capital murder charges. A police investigator testified in February that Miles texted Miller to bring him his gun that night. Miller hasn’t been charged with wrongdoing and continued to play, though the ongoing case brought intense scrutiny through the second half of the season on Miller and the Alabama program.

CAM WHITMORE, Villanova

STRENGTHS: The McDonald’s All-American got a late start to the season due to thumb surgery, but became the Big East freshman of the year. Whitmore, who turns 19 in July, has an NBA-ready frame (roughly 6-6 without shoes, 235 pounds) and athleticism to attack off the dribble. He ranked tied for third at the NBA combine in max vertical leap (40.5 inches). And he shot 37.3% on 3s after becoming a starter for the final 20 games.

CONCERNS: He shot just 65.9% at the foul line as a starter and didn’t consistently create opportunities, having nearly as many games with no attempts (six) as those with three or more (seven).

JARACE WALKER, Houston

STRENGTHS: The McDonald’s All-American joined Kelvin Sampson’s Cougars program built on defense, rebounding and toughness — a formula typically better suited to older players. Yet the 6-7 forward fit right in as a 250-pound presence. He measured with a better than 7-2 wingspan at the NBA combine, ranked tied for third in standing vertical leap (34.5 inches) and tied for ninth in max vertical leap (38.0). Walker, 19, is strong enough to tussle with bigger opponents and nimble enough to switch onto wings.

CONCERNS: Walker’s stroke is still developing. He shot 34.7% from 3-point range and just 66.3% from the foul line.

TAYLOR HENDRICKS, Central Florida STRENGTHS: The fourstar recruit was a surprise, averaging 15.1 points and 7.0 rebounds while shooting 47.8% from the field and 78.2% from the line. Notably, he shot 39.4% from behind the arc and had only four games out of 33 in which he failed to hit a 3. Measuring slightly taller than 6-8 without shoes at the combine, Hendricks has athleticism and length (better than a 7-foot wingspan) that could help him become a two-way power

forward for today’s floorspaced game.

CONCERNS: The 19-year-old needs strength to a slender 213-pound frame. He also faced an AP Top 25 opponent twice all season, offering only a glimpse of how he handles top competition.

OTHER PLAYERS OF NOTE

— GRADEY DICK:

The Kansas one-and-done wing made 40.3 percent of 3-pointers as a potential

lottery pick who can space the floor and potentially play as a guard. The 19-year-old measured at better than 6-6 without shoes at the NBA combine, though his minutes could depend on how he holds up defensively.

— BILAL COULIBALY: Wembanyama’s teammate in France offers his own intriguing skillset.

Still just 18, the athletic 6-8 wing is a first-round prospect with

disruptive-defender potential and the potential to be a quality three-point shooter.

— G.G. JACKSON: The 18-year-old was set to be the nation’s No. 1 recruit for this season at North Carolina. Instead, he reclassified to enroll early and played a sometimes-frustrating season at South Carolina.

The first-round prospect has a 6-8 frame with a nearly 7-foot wingspan,

athleticism and shot-creating potential.

— KRIS MURRAY: The twin brother to Sacramento Kings rookie Keegan Murray more than doubled his scoring at Iowa last season (20.2, up from 9.7).

The wing — who measured nearly 6-8 with a nearly 7-foot wingspan at the combine — turns 23 in August, hit 35% of his 3s over the past two seasons and could go in the back half of the first round.

Today in Sports - Miami Heat win first NBA Championship, Wade named Finals MVP JUNE

20

1908 — Colin wins the Tidal Stakes at Sheepshead Bay and retires undefeated after 15 starts. No major American racehorse approaches this record until 1988, when Personal Ensign retires with a perfect 13-for13 career.

1936 — Jesse Owens sets a 100-meter record of 10.2 seconds at a meet in Chicago.

1940 — Joe Louis stops Arturo Godoy in the eighth round at Yankee Stadium to retain the world heavyweight title.

1960 — Floyd Patterson knocks out Ingemar Johansson in the fifth round in New York to become the first boxer to regain the world heavyweight title.

1966 — Billy Casper beats Arnold Palmer by four strokes in a playoff to win the U.S. Open.

1967 — Cassius Clay, later known as Muhammad Ali, is convicted of violating the United States Selective Service laws by refusing to be drafted. Clay is sentenced to five years in prison and fined $10,000, the maximum penalty for the offense. Ali remains free while his conviction is on appeal.

1968 — The Night of Speed. In a span of 2½ hours, the world record of 10 seconds for the 100 meters is broken by three

men and tied by seven others at the AAU Track and Field Championships in Sacramento, Calif. Jim Hines wins the first semifinal in a tight finish with Ronny Ray Smith, becoming the first man to break the 10-second barrier. Both runners are credited with a time of 9.9 seconds. Charlie Greene wins the second semifinal and then ties Hines’ 9.9 record in the final.

1976 — UEFA European Championship Final, Red Star Stadium, Belgrade, Yugoslavia: Czechoslovakia upsets West Germany, 5-3 on penalties following 2-2 draw.

1980 — Roberto Duran wins a 15-round decision over Sugar Ray Leonard at Olympic Stadium in Montreal to win the WBC welterweight crown.

1982 — Tom Watson wins the U.S. Open by two strokes over Jack Nicklaus.

1982 — Pete Rose is 5th to appear in 3,000 games (Cobb, Musial, Aaron, Yaz).

1984 — Jockey Pat Day equals a thoroughbred racing record for an eightrace card when he wins seven races at Churchill Downs. Day’s only loss is in the fourth race.

1993 — Lee Janzen holes a 30-foot chip for birdie on No. 16 and adds birdies on the par-5 closing holes for a two-stroke victory over Payne Stewart in the U.S.

Open. Janzen ties Jack Nicklaus’ record 272 total and Lee Trevino’s four straight rounds in the 60’s.

1993 — John Paxson hits a 3-pointer with 3.9 seconds left as the Chicago Bulls win their third consecutive NBA title with a 99-98 victory over the Phoenix Suns in Game 6 of the finals.

1994 — Ernie Els of South Africa becomes the first foreign winner of the

U.S. Open since 1981, beating Loren Roberts on the second sudden-death hole.

1994 — Former NFL running back, broadcaster and actor O.J. Simpson arraigned on murder of Nicole Simpson & Ronald Goldman.

2004 — Retief Goosen captures his second U.S. Open in four years. In the toughest final round at the U.S. Open in 22 years,

rebounds to lead Miami past the Dallas Mavericks 95-92 as the Heat roar back from a two-game deficit to win the NBA finals in six games.

2013 — LeBron James has 37 points and 12 rebounds, and the Miami Heat repeat as champions with a 95-88 victory over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 7 of the NBA Finals.

2017 — Tiger Woods checks into a clinic to manage his pain medication and sleep disorder, following his arrest for driving under the influence.

2018 — Christiano Renaldo scores a goal against Morocco to become the all-time leading European goalscorer (85) in international compitition.

2019 — Duke power forward Zion Williamson is the first player chosen in the 2019 NBA Draft.

2020 — Tiz the Law, ridden by Manuel Franco, wins the 152nd Belmont Stakes becoming the first New York-bred horse to win the event since 1882.

Goosen closes with a 1-over 71 for a two-shot victory made possible when Phil Mickelson three-putts from 5 feet on the 17th.

2004 — Ken Griffey Jr. hits the 500th home run of his career, off Matt Morris, to help the Cincinnati Reds beat the St. Louis Cardinals

6-0.

2006 — Dwyane Wade caps his magnificent playoffs with 36 points and 10

FORMER Miami Heat player Dwyane Wade waves to fans during the first half of Game 3 of the NBA Finals basketball game between the Miami Heat and the Denver Nuggets on June 7 in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

ALABAMA forward Brandon Miller is among the top forwards in the upcoming NBA draft. (AP Photo/ John Amis)

VILLANOVA’s Cam Whitmore is among the top forwards in the NBA draft on Thursday night.

(AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

CENTRAL Florida forward Taylor Hendricks.

HOUSTON forward Jarace Walker is among the top forwards. (AP Photos/Phelan M Ebenhack)

FROM PAGE 16

opportunities on their serves. The guys we played against were like juniors. You could tell this was their first time playing. They were really young.”

Today, in their second match, Rolle said the Bahamas will take on top seed Paraguay out of their group.

“We played them last year, so we know what to expect,” he insisted. “We will go out there and play our best. It’s unfrotunate KJ couldn’t finish the match against the same guy who he will play against.

“But this year, KJ is healthy and we hope that he can play strong. We will go out there and play our best and try to finish strong.”

Rolle noted that earlier in the week when they arrived it was cold, but it’s now warming up and, if the conditions remain the same for the rest of the week, they hope to make the best of it.

As the elder statesman of the team, having travelled and played in more Davis Cup ties than any other member, Rolle said their living accommodations are really nice with just about all of the amenities at their disposal.

He noted that while there’s nothing much to complain about, the team just has to get prepared to play each match.

JUNIOR GOLFERS

FROM PAGE 16

Kerrington Rolle, another 15-year-old, also attends Albany Golf Academy. He is playing on his third national team, having just got started playing at the age of 10. He also enjoys soccer, tee ball and swimming whenever he gets the opportunity.

Camdyn Forbes, another 15-year-old, has been playing competitive for three years, but hopes to one day become a professional player.

Two players make up the girls’ 15-and-under

MARTINA NAVRATILOVA SAYS SHE IS CLEAR OF CANCER

NEW YORK (AP) —

Martina Navratilova says she is clear of cancer.

The tennis Hall of Famer announced the news yesterday on Twitter after what she said was a full day of tests at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

“Thank you to all the doctors, nurses, proton and radiation magicians etcwhat a relief,” she wrote.

Navratilova, 66, revealed she had been diagnosed with throat cancer and breast cancer in January and that she would begin treatment that month. She had been diagnosed with a noninvasive form of breast cancer in 2010 and had a lumpectomy.

The 18-time Grand Slam singles champion had noticed an enlarged lymph node in her neck in November and a biopsy revealed the early stage throat cancer. But Navratilova felt well enough to return to her TV work with the Tennis Channel by the Miami Open in March.

VENUS PULLS OFF VICTORY

BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) — At age 43 and ranked No. 697, Venus Williams isn’t done quite yet — especially on her favored surface of grass.

Williams upset 48thranked Camile Giorgi 7-6 (5), 4-6, 7-6 (6) after more than three hours at the Birmingham Classic yesterday for her first victory over a player in the top 50 in nearly four years.

Williams, a seven-time Grand Slam champion and five-time winner of the Wimbledon singles, was out for six months because of a hamstring injury sustained in Auckland in the first week of the year.

On her return last week, she lost to 17-year-old Celine Naef in the first round of the Libema Open in the Netherlands.

division. Taylor Sands, a 15-year-old, is representing the Bahamas for the first time, but hopes to take it all the way to the LPGA Tour.

Seannae Norville-Smith started playing at the age of 10. Two players will participate in the boys’ 11-13 division.

Patrick MacTaggart, a 13-year-old seventh grade student, aspires to play collegiate golf, but also enjoys tennis and fishing.

De’Nahji Mortimer is a 13-year-old ninth grader at Bishop Michael Eldon High School in Grand Bahama. He follows in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, who both

represented the Bahamas in golf, but he also wants to play professional and eventually win a title on the PGA Tour. And there will

also be two players in the girls’ 11-13 division. Haley Hall, 12, is excited about her return to the national team after making

her debut last year. She has been playing golf for six years and is looking forward to the competitiveness from her rivals around the Caribbean.

Maddison Carroll is a 12-year-old student of Tambearly International School who has been playing golf for eight years and who hopes to one day become a LPGA player as well.

CHARISMA

FROM PAGE 16

goals set out for myself, mainly because it was my last nationals and I wanted to make an impact,” she reflected. “But everything happened for a reason and God’s timing is perfect. It just wasn’t his timing for me.

“So I had to stand on that and trust and believe in his plan. I know I will be back bigger and better. I was really disappointed with my performances at NCAA, but as an athlete, you have to take things as they come and move and grow from it.”

Now that her collegiate season is over, Taylor has her sights set on the global stage where she hopes to continue as a professional athlete.

The Atlanta Open was a good indicator of what to expect. She will no doubt get her big test at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, where she has to achieve the qualifying standards or be given an

Williams said it was “touch and go” against Giorgi. “There were so many moments where I thought, ‘This match is over,’ then she would hit a shot from out of nowhere,” Williams said. “She pushed me to be better than what I thought I could be, and it’s great for me. “I haven’t played a lot of matches, and it’s great to come through.”

There were also wins for third-seeded Magda Linette, fifth-seeded Anhelina Kalinina of Ukraine and Bernarda Pera of the United States in the Wimbledon warmup event.

invite based on her ranking. The standard for the 100m hurdles is 12.78 and she has a season’s best of 12.80; the long jump standard is 6.85 and her SB is 6.51m and in the triple jump, the standard is 14.52m and she has a SB of 13.99m.

“I’m just training right now, keeping my body in shape so that I can compete at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary,” said Taylor, who is also a pretty good sprinter and to be a part of the relay pool if a team is selected.

“I’m really looking forward to that.”

But before the World Championships, Taylor said she will be home to participate in the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations’ National Championships, scheduled for July 5-7 at the Thomas A Robinson Stadium.

“I’ve decided to come back home and compete for the home crowd,” Taylor said. “I’m very excited about this new chapter in my life that will follow now that I’m done with college.”

TEAM captain Marvin Rolle, on the left, and Donte Armbrister pose in front of the scoreboard after their doubles victory.

BAHAMAS Davis Cup team, from left to right, of captain Marvin Rolle, Donte Armbrister, Denali Nottage and Kevin Major Jr.

CHRISTOPHER CALLENDER JACKSON MACTAGGART

St Andrew’s School is giving back

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

XAVIER Dei Fisher

recently graduated from St. Thomas University, Miami Gardens, Florida, with a Master of Arts in Criminal Justice.

Xavier always questioned the mindset of a criminal and through her graduate studies developed a love for the enforcement of justice through the eye of a law enforcement officer.

After she declared her major in criminal justice, she was introduced to a variety of related courses, with her favorite being forensic anthropology, where she was taught to analyse corpses at a crime scene and all the complexities related to securing evidence for forensic analysis.

That course specifically inspired her to focus her senior year project on the case of Marco Archer.

Xavier’s hobbies include gaming and watching real crime TV shows to become more aware of the variety of crimes that take place and how law enforcement officials navigate solving such crimes.

She intends to focus her career on becoming a homicide or special victims’ detective to the highest ranking in order to provide justice for the victims and their families and also to stomp out further injustices.

AS THE school year came to an end, both primary and secondary students of St Andrew’s donated toiletries, cleaning supplies, towels, board games and sports balls to the residents at the Elizabeth Estates Children’s Home.

Shanon Wilson, St Andrew’s Leadership Team, said it is important for children to learn to be charitable at a young age and that the students chose to donate items the Elizabeth Estates Children’s Home due to its proximity to the school.

She said “The St Andrew’s Student

Leadership Team, before graduating and ending our school year, wanted to give back to the community around our school because St. Andrew’s focuses on and emphasises giving back in our community. We decided to give back to the children at the Elizabeth Estates Children’s Home because it is part of our neighbourhood and they deserve to feel loved and cared for. It’s important for children to learn to give back at a young age; our idea was just to give joy from our school to another institution. The entire St Andrew’s community, the secondary and primary school,

worked together to gather the items for this donation.”

The students collected the necessities and PTA member Ms FernanderFrancis delivered the items personally. Ms Fernander-Francis said the children at the home were “excited and grateful”. She said: “It was very meaningful that the students at St Andrew’s School reached out to the kids in the home and went above and beyond to express to them love in action, and to make them realise that all is not lost and we are thinking of you.”

Epiphany tutoring pays off

By FAY SIMMONS jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

THE ANGLICAN Church of The Epiphany’s Tutoring Programme at the Thelma Gibson Primary School completed its first successful year last week.

The programme started in 2022 and catered to second and third grade students at the school.

The group held Saturday classes and according to programme coordinator Keva Cartwright many students were not reading to their age level when the programme started.

She said: “When the children started with us they were tested using the Holborn Reading Scale to see where they were in their literacy development so that the classes could be tailored to address any skills gap.

“The test results revealed that we had a few students who were non-readers, and the majority of students were not reading at their age level. This made our objective clear: work to bring the students up to their reading age level, or bring them closer to it.”

Ms Cartwright added that at the end of the programme a second round of testing revealed that all of the students that consistently attended the Saturday classes showed improvements in their reading skills.

She said: “In May 2023, we again tested the students using the Holborn Reading Scale to see how they would score, and the results were impressive. All the students

who attended classes on a consistent basis showed improvements over their initial reading test score.”

“The breakdown of their improvement is as follows: 54% of the students improved their reading scores, but not to their age level; 15% improved their scores to their age level; and an impressive 31% improved their reading scores to above their age level.”

The programme tutors were ten volunteer educators consisting of three retired teachers, six active teachers and an education professional within the ministry of education.

Ms Cartwright said the group is looking forward to commencing the programme in the next school year and is currently trying to refurbish the library at the school so that more students can benefit from the facility.

She explained: “When schools reopened for face-to-face classes after the challenges of the pandemic, the library at Thelma Gibson was transitioned to serve as a classroom as additional class space was needed.

“After the loss of the old library, the Anglican Church of The Epiphany responded to the need to create and set up a new library in the room that was designated to be the library.”

Ms Cartwright added that new library needs shelving and the programme has partnered with a local business to connect them with a supplier and install the shelves upon arrival.

She said: “JBR store graciously

agreed to work with us to source a supplier of library shelving and arranged to take the measurements and find and liaise with a supplier. They also agreed to install the shelving free of charge when it arrives.

“We received an invoice for the cost of the shelving and the price is

US$20,808 Shipping and VAT will add $7,000 for a total landed price of $27,808.

“Persons who would like to help us make a new library at Thelma Gibson Primary School a reality can contact the Anglican Church of The Epiphany for further information.”

TUESDAY, JUNE 20, 2023 Jazz,

Team Bahamas suffers 2-1 loss in Davis Cup opener

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

The Bahamas men’s tennis team suffered an opening 2-1 loss to the Dominican Republic as the Davis Cup competition got underway yesterday at the International Tennis Club in Asuncion, Paraguay.

But player/captain Marvin Rolle said the team is in high spirits and looking forward to playing through the rest of the week out

of Group B where they have to face the other teams in Paraguay, Costa Rica and Honduras.

In the opening singles match, Grand Bahamian Denali Nottage made his debut, losing 6-2, 6-4 to Alejandro Jose Gandini. He was followed by Kevin Major Jr, who played in the top seed match against Peter Bertram, losing 6-4, 6-3.

It came down to the doubles and Rolle teamed up with Donte Armbrister as they sealed the only victory for the Bahamas with a 7-6 (7), 6-2 decision over Alberto Puello and Emmanuel Munoz.

Rolle, in summing up the team’s performance, said it was mixed reactions from the matches they played.

“It was Denali’s first time playing in the Davis Cup, he was definitely nervous,” Rolle said. “He played much better in the second set. He started to find his groove and he started to get into the match. A few points here and there made the difference.

“But he was just getting his feet wet. That’s how it goes sometimes when you are playing for the first time. Your nerves get the best of you, but he played well.”

CHARISMA GETS READY FOR SUMMER

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

ALTHOUGH she had a long and hectic collegiate season, versatile Charisma Taylor said she’s looking forward to taking the next step and completing the year with a possible trip to the World Championships.

After wrapping up her final season for the University of Tennessee at the NCAA Championships over the weekend of June 7-10 in Austin, Texas, Taylor competed at the Atlanta Open in Atlanta, Georgia, over the weekend. She was sixth in the women’s 100 metre hurdles in a time of 13.18 seconds. The event, featuring a cross section of international athletes, was won by Danielle Williams of Jamaica in a season’s best of 12.62.

Cindy Sember of England finished just ahead of Taylor in 13.15. “The meet was okay. It was my first meet for the year, not competing for Tennessee, so it was different,” said Taylor, who had the second fastest qualifying time of 13.13 behind American Kaylor Harris out of the University of Central Florida, who led the field in 12.88.

“I didn’t have my coaches around. I basically had to do everything for myself, which is something I guess I have to start to get accustomed to doing.”

As for the competition, Taylor said she felt right in her element.

“I think my legs were a little bit fatigued because I just came from Nationals where I just competed in four events the week before,” she said. “I just wanted to see what I could run because I’m doing a new technique for my start.

“The competition was really good. There were many high ranked competitors, so it was definitely good to run against them. I ran against some of them before, so it was good to get that opportunity again.”

Taylor, 23, had just completed the NCAA Championships where she was fourth in the triple jump with a leap of 45-feet, 8 1/2-inches or 13.93 metres; sixth in the long jump with 21-1/2 (6.41m) and 10th in the 100m hurdles in 12.94.

“Coming out of the NCAA Championships, I was not happy with my result,” she said. “I definitely had bigger and higher

SEE PAGE 14

In his match, Rolle said he felt Major Jr played as well as he could against his opponent, who was ranked about 781 in the world.

“He played well. It was a good match,” Rolle stated. “Just some key points here and there was the difference. When the tight moments came, KJ couldn’t capitalise.

“In the second set, it was tied up at 3-3, and then a few errors on KJ’s part allowed the guy to pull away. I could have helped him a little more with some more tips here and there.”

In the doubles match where he has been a formidable teammate, Rolle said he was delighted to help Armbrister come out with his first Davis Cup victory in his second appearance on the team.

“We played well. We were down in the first set, but we came back and broke to go away and he closed out the tie breaker pretty strong, winning 7-0,” Rolle stressed.

“In the second set, we were grooving well. We were serving well and we had a lot of

SEE PAGE 14

12 JUNIOR GOLFERS ON PAR FOR CARIBBEAN AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIPS

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Golf Federation’s Junior Division will be sending a 12-member team off to compete in the Caribbean Amateur Junior Golf Championships next month.

The championships are scheduled for July 3-8 in the Cayman Islands.

The Bahamas will be competing against teams from Barbados, the Cayman Islands, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Martinique, Puerto Rico, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos and the US Virgin Islands in their bid to win the prestigious Hank James Trophy.

The Bahamas finished fourth at last year’s championships behind Puerto

Rico, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica in that order. But junior golf chairman and team manager Gina Gonzalez-Rolle said they have the team to be a force to reckon with again this year.

“We did have some good individual performances last year from Team Bahamas and this year, we have quite a few new players,” Rolle said. “We’re

looking for our new players to shine.

“But if not, we know one thing for sure. We are a rising team. A lot of our players are very young, but they will continue to do nothing, but get better as time goes on.

“As you know, we’ve been working real hard on junior golf for the past fourfive years and we know that they will come out

forcefully and continue to just get better and better.”

Rolle will be travelling along with Fredrick Taylor, the coach of the team. He is a board member of the BGF and the lead coach for the Fourteen Clubs Golf Academy.

There will be six different age groups for competition and the Bahamas will have representation in all of them.

In the 18-and-under boys division, the Bahamas will be represented by three players.

Zion Taylor, an 18-yearold, started playing at the age of 12 and hopes to one day play on the PGA Tour.

Christopher Callender, who will be making his international debut, enjoys the camaraderie of his teammates and is driven by a competitive spirit.

Alex Dupuch, a senior at Windsor High School, has been playing golf since the age of four. He hopes to study economics in college.

The girls’ 18-and-under division will comprise of Miljokjka Gojkovic, a 17-year-old, who has been playing golf for two years despite the fact that she was introduced to the sport at the age of five.

Tyesha Tynes, 17, has been a part of the junior national team for the past six years.

Three players will also represent the Bahamas in the boys’ 15-and-under division.

Jackson MacTaggart, a 15-year-old ninth grader, aspires to play collegiate golf and is an active tennis player. He also loves to go spearfishing.

SEE

CHARISMA TAYLOR, of the Bahamas, in action in this file photo. She’s looking forward to taking the next step and completing the year with a possible trip to the World Championships. Taylor was sixth in the women’s 100 metre hurdles at the Atlanta Open in Atlanta, Georgia, over the weekend.

ALEX DUPUCH MADDISON CARROLL CAMDYN FORBES MIJOJKA GOJKOVIC