WOMAN & HEALTH
The Tribune
PM: Cannabis law
‘long tiMe CoMing’
Compendium of bills to legalise medical and religious use debated
By LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Chief
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
Reporter
THE Bahamas moved closer to legalising cannabis for medical and religious use yesterday when parliamentarians debated a compendium of bills in the House of Assembly.
The long-awaited debate came after consultation with interest groups, including the Rastafarian community, pharmaceutical groups, members of a former cannabis commission and the Bahamas Christian Council. Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville said the government was satisfied that its legal
Cabinet approves resumption of diplomatiC presenCe in Haiti
By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS
Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net
FOREIGN Affairs Min-
ister Fred Mitchell said Cabinet has approved resuming the country’s diplomatic presence in Haiti.
New four-year industrial agreement signed between BTC and BCPOU
By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter kcampbell@tribunemedia.net
Mr Mitchell told
Bahamian diplomats in Haiti were evacuated in March when security conditions deteriorated amid gang violence. The Bahamian embassy in Haiti has 11 local staff and nine diplomatic staff members, including Chargé Commander Godfrey Rolle. Mr Rolle said the local staff are at the embassy, but diplomatic duties are at a standstill.
A NEW industrial agreement between the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) and the
Bahamas Communications & Public Officers Union (BCPOU) includes salary increases and lump sum payments.
Officials said the fouryear agreement, signed yesterday, came after
‘Voice note scandal the
By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter
jrussell@tribunemedia.net
heated negotiations that threatened to prevent a deal.
BTC’s director of peoples K Darron Turnquest said the new agreement
worst since drug era’
FORMER Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said the controversy surrounding the Royal Bahamas Police Force after the leak of voice notes is among the most severe corruption scandals the country has faced since the drug era of the 1970s and 1980s. The voice notes
purported to capture a financial quid pro-quo arrangement involving a senior police officer, a lawyer and a murdered gang leader.
“The allegations we are seeing are some of the most serious in an independent Bahamas,” Dr Minnis said in the House of Assembly. “They are also among the
By NEIL HARTNELL
THE Bahamian entrepreneur battling to restore Paradise Island’s lighthouse yesterday thanked the Government for “putting down their gloves” by not opposing his Privy Council appeal. Toby Smith told Tribune Business he was not “having a dig” at the Government but genuinely hoping its approach to the Court of Appeal hearing could pave the way for both sides to “start afresh”.
story -
forMer Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis
several members of the Rastafarian community attended the House of Assemebly yesterday during the debate over the bills for legalising marijuana for medical and religious use. Photo: Dante Carrer/Tribune Staff
PM: Cannabis law ‘long time coming’
team captured many recommendations even if it did not agree with every point interest groups made.
He hailed the bills, saying the Davis administration believes it created a “solid piece” of legislation to create a safe and controlled medical and religious cannabis regime.
Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis made similar comments while contributing to the marijuana debate, saying the bills were “a long time coming” and the product of nearly three years of work.
“I truly believe that this compendium of cannabis reforms represents a significant step forward as we develop a modern Bahamian economy and society,” Mr Davis added.
“We promised the Bahamian people that we were here to make the difficult
choices, take on the big issues, and fight the hard fights and we’ve kept our word.”
Dr Darville said there would be chances to bring the bills back to Parliament for critical safety adjustments and to support the operation of the proposed Bahamas Cannabis Authority. The bills legalise cannabis for religious purposes by allowing organisations to use it as a sacrament after obtaining a licence.
It also sets a regime that would oversee all aspects of medical cannabis regulation by including rules for handling and storing cannabis, managing medical dispensaries and monitoring and evaluating the regime.
Addressing the bills’ medical benefits, Dr Darville noted many Bahamians are battling cancer and other diseases and need alternative treatments for pain
management and related issues.
“I have had patients outright say to me, Doc, fix it because I do not want to go to jail, but I am willing to take a chance to bring these products into the country illegally because you do not live my discomfort,” he said.
“Through these bills, many Bahamians with conditions such as chronic pain, Alzheimer’s disease, sickle cell anemia, chronic autoimmune disorders, anxiety, HIV/AIDS, sleep disorders, mental disorders, autism, cancer and many other conditions will have the opportunity to access the therapeutic advantages of cannabis through prescriptions provided by local medical professionals trained in cannabis treatments.”
However, he stressed that medical cannabis is not intended for children, teenagers or pregnant women,
though special exemptions will be made in some instances.
“We know that there will be special exceptions, however stringently monitored by the Ministry of Health and Wellness and our chief medical officer because if you search the literature, there is evidence, solid evidence, that the use of cannabis products for epilepsy in children is documented and there will be a special indication for its use in children,” he said.
He said the bills would also bring significant economic opportunities for Bahamians.
The bills decriminalise marijuana possession of up to one ounce, but does not address recreational use of the substance.
Under the bill, cultivation, retail, transport and religious use licences would be reserved for Bahamian citizens 21 years or older or companies that are one hundred per cent beneficially owned by one or more Bahamian citizens.
Dr Darville said this provision ensures that economic gains from the cannabis industry stay “within our borders.”
He said the government would be speaking soon about the hemp industry.
Free National Movement MPs supported the bills but raised several concerns, including licensing requirements for research, analytic testing and manufacturing.
The bill notes that licences could be obtained by entities where one or more Bahamians beneficially own at least 30 percent of the company.
FNM deputy leader Shandenon Cartwright questioned why foreign ownership could not be restricted to minority ownership.
In response, Prime Minister Davis said: “I’m now being reminded that that threshold of 30 percent was benchmarked with the region, and you would find that most of the region would permit foreign entry to, say, 70 percent ownership, a maximum 70 percent ownership, and so to remain competitive, I’m now reminded that is why it is 30 percent.”
HealtH and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville speaking during the debate on the compendium of marijuana bills in the House of Assembly yesterday.
Photos: Dante Carrer/Tribune Staff
FNM deputy leader Shandenon Cartwright raises questions on the marijuana bills in the House of Assembly yesterday.
‘Legalise marijuana for recreational use’
By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net
FORMER Prime Min-
ister Dr Hubert Minnis, whose administration did not bring cannabis legislation to the House of Assembly, said the substance should be legalised for recreational use in The Bahamas.
Becoming one of the few elected officials to endorse recreational use of marijuana fully, he said the same rules for alcohol use can be applied for people to use marijuana responsibly.
He said the compendium of bills the Davis administration will pass does not go far enough. Those bills legalise cannabis for medical and religious purposes.
Dr Minnis said many countries legalised cannabis for medical purposes decades ago, adding that the country is behind in acknowledging the benefits of marijuana.
“Uruguay, Canada, and Thailand have fully legalised cannabis,” he said.
“Several other countries have legal regimes with full implementation pending in various ways. Uruguay, in South America, was the first country to fully legalise cannabis in 2013.”
“We allow adults to use alcohol with rules. There is a minimum age to buy alcohol. There are regulated vendors for the sale of alcohol. There are hours when it can be sold. You are not allowed to drive while intoxicated with alcohol. Similar rules should be put in place for the recreational use of cannabis.”
“It is time that we legalise it and allow people to make their own decisions on its use. I believe in personal responsibility when it comes to adults and issues such as cannabis.”
Dr Minnis said some people drink or smoke, but they have jobs and families and are responsible citizens. The current bills decriminalise possession of up to one ounce of marijuana. People without a cannabis licence found with up to 30 grams of marijuana can get a fixed penalty fine of $250.
Dr Minnis said the $250 is too high –– a week’s wage for some people. He recommended amending this to $50.
“If the point of this bill is to decriminalise small possession, the ticket price should not be as high as proposed,” he said.
The Minnis administration never moved to change
the status quo on cannabis in the country despite appointing a commission that recommended legalising the substance for medical use and decriminalising small amounts of the substance.
In May, Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said his administration decided now is not the appropriate time to facilitate some recreational use of cannabis.
“The jury is still out on the impact of recreational use,” Dr Davis said.
“There have been some studies that demonstrate that irresponsible use of marijuana could lead to harm to the individual and to their mental state. We want to have a clear understanding of what recreational use will be, hence all we’re doing at the moment is dealing with the issue of relief for medicinal purposes and because of our constitutional constraints about freedom of religion, to allow use in the religions where the conscience permits the use of marijuana.”
FORMER Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis greets members of the Rastafarian community who attended the debate on the compendium of cannabis bills in the House of Assembly yesterday.
Photos: Dante Carrer/Tribune Staff
‘Voice note scandal the worst since drug era’
most serious since the drug era of the 1970s and 1980s.”
r eflecting on the drug era, d r Minnis said it destroyed many people, communities, and families and corrupted politicians, police, d efence Force officers, lawyers, and members of the judiciary.
“Those at the very highest levels of our country benefitted even as young and old became addicted to crack cocaine,” he said. “The Bahamian people are alarmed by the current allegations.”
d r Minnis reiterated his call for a commission of inquiry into gang activity and its connections to police. He said the inquiry would investigate the gang leaderships and their relationships with senior law enforcement officers and elected officials.
Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander has said the Security and Intelligence Branch of the police force will spearhead the investigation and that the Police Complaints Inspectorate will supervise that investigation.
A senior d avis administration official also told this newspaper that the r BPF has formally asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to send diplomatic notes requesting Scotland yard’s help investigating the matters related to the voice notes.
d r Minnis, however, said this is insufficient. He said the police cannot investigate themselves when allegations involve a senior officer.
d uring the drug era, a previous P l P government kept refusing the appointment of a commission of inquiry,” he said. “ e ventually, because of the extent of the corruption and the demands of the Bahamian people, the opposition, the media, and others, a commission was finally called.
“A former prime minister was forced to act because we had been labelled a ‘nation for sale’, and because other governments were alarmed about the corruption in our country, which flowed across their borders.”
d r Minnis said if Mr
d avis does not call a commission of inquiry, it would suggest the government is not interested in fully investigating the claims. The Tribune reported last Thursday that Michael Fox, Sr, the father of alleged gang
leader Michael Fox, Jr, and Sandra Smith, the mother of d ino Smith, said their sons told them to release the leaked voice notes if something happened to them. Ms Smith said she never got the voice notes. Mr Fox, Sr, said he had them but
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that LAMAGE PHANORD of Montgomery Avenue, Carmichael Road, Nassau, The Bahamas applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 16th day of July, 2024 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
Man charged in GB with distributing pornographic material involving a minor
By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
A 41- ye A r-old man accused of releasing a video containing child pornography was charged in Freeport’s Magistrate Court yesterday.
e dwin Bauld, Jr, appeared before Magistrate l aQuay l aing on three charges stemming from the circulation of a video on social media of a man having sex with a young girl.
The accused was seated due to his disability as the charges were read to him in court. A lawyer did not represent him.
He was charged with disseminating or distributing pornographic material involving a minor.
Between September 17 and 19, 2023, at e ight Mile r ock, the accused allegedly received a video from a minor of that minor engaged in explicit sexual acts and distributed the clip.
He is charged with intentionally causing or inciting a female child under the age of 18 to be involved in pornography, namely video footage.
Bauld is also charged with conspiracy to commit extortion. He and another allegedly agreed to extort $500 from Tavares r eckley by accusing or threatening him with committing rape. He was not required to enter pleas to any of the charges, as the matters will proceed by a Voluntary Bill of Indictment.
d uring his arraignment, Bauld complained of alleged mistreatment while in custody at the e ight Mile r ock Police Station.
He said he was detained since Monday, July 8, and only ate once.
Asked if police offered him something to eat, he said he refused to eat because no one would help clean him if he needed to use the toilet.
He said he peed in a container at night and slept on a sheet on the concrete floor in a cell.
He claimed Central Investigation d epartment officers made him walk long distances and up a ramp despite his disability. He said he fell and could barely catch his breath while being taken to court.
“I do not have a wheelchair, and they make me walk,” he said. “I have a spine and restless leg condition.” He said a wheelchair was not available to him while he was detained in custody.
Magistrate l aing noted his complaints and instructed police prosecutor Sergeant Garth McIntosh to ensure that Bauld has proper accommodations and a wheelchair.
The matter was adjourned to September 26, 2024. Bauld was remanded to the Bahamas d epartment of Corrections.
Chief Superintendent of Police Michael Johnson, the officer-in-charge of the Central Investigation d epartment, has taken garden leave as authorities investigate the matter.
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that JEAN STANLEY VOLMAR of #55 Golden Isle Road Nassau, The Bahamas applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 16th day of July, 2024 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
NOTICE
for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/ naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas and that any person who knows any reason whyregistration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 9th day of July, 2024 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.
was not behind their release.
Former Prime minister Dr Hubert minnis
New four-year industrial agreement signed between BTC and BCPOU
advances efforts to align staff benefits, enhance performance management practices, review salary bands of senior associates, and improve various
allowances for employees. He said the agreement includes a ten percent salary increase for senior associates and a lump sum payment in year one that is expected to be paid out on Monday.
He said salary-based increases of three percent would come into effect in year two, four percent in year three, and three percent in year four for all staff within the salary bands.
BCPOU president
Benjamin campaigns to be returned as BCPMU president
By KEILE CAMPBELL Tribune Staff Reporter
kcampbell@tribunemedia.net
THE Bahamas Communications and Public Managers Union (BCPMU) is gearing up to negotiate a new industrial agreement with the Bahamas Telecommunications Company, and the Bahamas Communications & Public Officers Union (BCPOU) is preparing for elections.
BCPOU Sherry Benjamin is running to return as leader.
“My record speaks for itself,” she said yesterday after the BCPOU signed an industrial agreement with BTC.
“I came in offering my service to members of the BCPOU, they gave me an assignment, I understood that assignment and I executed that to the best of
my abilities.”
Signing yesterday.
She said she had signed five contracts as a union leader related to ZNS, the Bridge Authority, and BTC. Meanwhile, BTC’s director of peoples, K Darron Turnquest, said the BCPMU’s industrial agreement negotiations have begun. He could not say when negotiations would be complete.
“We are hopeful,” he said. “I would say that the temperature of those negotiations is very positive, and I’ll await the outcome of that.”
The BCPMU has raised concerns about workplace safety and health issues. Mr Turnquest said health and safety are big concerns for the utility company.
“We are a utility company,” he said. “We know what that comes with,
and the BCPOU and the BCPMU, we’ve worked in partnership to identify and try to course correct anything that comes to our awareness and we continue to work in that vein.
“You would’ve seen just last year we closed an entire building which was not a mould issue, it was a mildew issue, a temperature issue, but simply we closed the building because our union partners, we did a walkabout and we said no, you know, our employees are first.”
“We’re not afraid to act on things relative to health and safety. It is one, how will we become aware of those things? Two, the time that we take to address it and the team that we put on to address it.”
He said 85 cases, including health and safety cases, were closed this year.
Sherry Benjamin Benjamin said the previous industrial agreement expired in March 2023. Negotiations for a new one started in August and ran into a stalemate “sometime in early December”, prompting an
intervention from Minister of Labour and Public Service Pia Glover-Rolle and Director of Labour Howard Thompson, which was unsuccessful.
“Most presidents would say they have a difficulty
trying to sign one agreement,” she said. “This is our third agreement with BTC in a three-year period, so I think that is really commendable and that speaks to the level of the relationship we had.”
BCPOU president Sherry Benjamin speaking at BTC & BCPOU
Photo: Nikia Charlton
BCPOU and BTC signed a new four-year industrial agreement yesterday. Pictured from: Richard Simms, Javotte Moncur, Kevin Burrows, Sherry Benjamin (BCPOU president), Sameer Bhatti (BTC chief executive officer), Valentino Grimes, K.Darron Turnquest & Samuel Lovett. Photo: Nikia Charlton
The Tribune limited
NULLIUS ADDICTUS JURARE IN VERBA MAGISTRI
“Being Bound to Swear to The Dogmas of No Master”
LEON E. H. DUPUCH
Publisher/Editor 1903-1914
SIR ETIENNE DUPUCH, Kt., O.B.E., K.M., K.C.S.G., (Hon.) LL.D., D.Litt .
Publisher/Editor 1919-1972
Contributing Editor 1972-1991
RT HON EILEEN DUPUCH CARRON, C.M.G., M.S., B.A., LL.B.
Publisher/Editor 1972-
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‘One inch from a potential civil war’
By Arie Perliger
UMass lowell
WItH an assassination attempt on Donald trump at a rally in Pennsylvania on July 13, 2024, the US experienced another violent episode in its increasingly polarised politics. Former President trump, who’s about to formally become the GOP nominee for president in the 2024 election, survived the attempted assassination when, initial reports said, a bullet grazed his ear. But one rally attendee was killed, more spectators were injured and the suspected gunman is also dead. the Conversation’s politics editor, Naomi Schalit, spoke with University of Massachusetts, Lowell, scholar Arie Perliger after the event. Perliger offered insight from his study of political violence and assassinations. Given the stark political polarisation in the US, Perliger said, “it’s not a surprise that eventually people engage in violence.”
Schalit: When you heard the news, what was the first thing you thought?
Perliger: the first thing that I thought about is that we were basically one inch from a potential civil war. I think that if, indeed, Donald trump would have suffered fatal injuries today, the level of violence that we witnessed so far will be nothing in comparison to what would have happened in the next couple of months. I think that would have unleashed a new level of anger, frustration, resentment, hostility that we haven’t seen for many, many years in the US this assassination attempt, at least at this early stage, may validate a strong sense among many trump supporters and many people on the far right that they are being delegitimised, that they are on the defensive and that there are efforts to basically prevent them from competing in the political process and prevent trump from returning to the White House.
What we’ve just seen, for many of the people on the far right, fits very well into a narrative that they’ve already been constructing and disseminating for the last few months.
Political assassination attempts don’t aim only to kill someone. they have a larger goal, don’t they?
In many ways, assassination attempts bypass the long process of trying to downgrade and defeat political opponents, when there is a sense that even a long political struggle will not be sufficient. Many perpetrators see assassinations as a tool that will allow them to achieve their political objectives in a very quick, very effective way that doesn’t demand a lot of resources or a lot of organisation. If we are trying to connect it to what we’ve seen today, I think that many people see trump as a
unicorn, as a unique entity, who in many ways really consumed the entire conservative movement. So by removing him, there’s a sense that that will or may solve the problem.
I think that the conservative movement changed dramatically since 2016, when trump was first elected, and a lot of the characteristics of trumpism are actually now fairly popular in different parts of the conservative movement. So even if trump will decide to retire at some point, I don’t think that trumpism – as a set of populist ideas – will disappear from the GOP. But I can definitely understand why people who see that as a threat will feel that removing trump can solve all the problems.
In a study of the causes and impacts of political assassination, you wrote that unless electoral processes can address “the most intense political grievances … electoral competition has the potential to instigate further violence, including the assassinations of political figures.”
Is that what you saw in this attempted assassination?
Democracy cannot work if the different parties, the different movements, are not willing to work together on some issues. Democracy works when multiple groups are willing to reach some kind of consensus through negotiations, to collaborate and to cooperate.
What we’ve seen in the last 17 years, basically since 2008 and the rise of the tea Party movement, is that there’s increasing polarization in the US. And the worst part of this polarisation is that the American political system became dysfunctional in the sense that we are forcing out any politicians and policymakers who are interested in collaboration with the other side. that’s one thing. Second, people delegitimise leaders who are willing to collaborate with the other side, hence, presenting them as individuals who betrayed their values and political party.
the third part is that people are delegitimising their political rivals. they transform a political disagreement into a war in which there is no space for working together to address the challenges they agree are facing the nation.
When you combine those three dynamics, you create basically a dysfunctional system where both sides are convinced that it’s a zero-sum game, that it’s the end of the country. It’s the end of democracy if the other side wins.
If both sides are hammering into people again and again that losing an election is the end of the world, then it’s not a surprise that eventually people are willing to take the law into their hands and to engage in violence.
• Originally published on www.theconversation.com
Give support to victims of sex abuse
EDITOR, The Tribune. I AM writing to highlight a critical issue that demands our urgent attention: the long-term impact of child sexual abuse on survivors and the imperative need for early intervention. the recent discussions in our community about this sensitive topic underscores the importance of taking proactive measures to protect our children and support survivors.
Childhood sexual abuse is a devastating experience that can have profound and lasting affects on an individual’s mental, emotional, and physical well-being throughout their lives. Research consistently shows that survivors of such abuse often struggle with a range of issues in adulthood, including, but not limited to post-traumatic stress disorder (PtSD), depression, anxiety disorders, substance abuse, and difficulties in forming and maintaining healthy relationships.
One of the key reasons why addressing child sexual abuse early is crucial is the potential to mitigate these long-term
effects. When children are not supported or protected from abuse, they are left to navigate overwhelming emotions and experiences on their own. this lack of intervention can perpetuate feelings of shame, guilt, and helplessness, which may become deeply ingrained and manifest in adulthood as maladaptive coping mechanisms and psychological distress.
Furthermore, the societal stigma and silence surrounding child sexual abuse often prevent survivors from seeking help or disclosing their experiences. this silence can perpetuate a cycle of trauma across generations, as untreated survivors may struggle to break free from the emotional and psychological burden imposed by their childhood experiences.
As a community, we have a collective responsibility to prioritize the safety and well-being of our children. this includes implementing
comprehensive education programmes that teach children about body anatomy, safe touch, and how to recognise and report abuse. It also involves creating supportive environments where survivors feel empowered to seek help without fear of judgment or reprisal. early intervention can significantly reduce the likelihood of long-term trauma associated with child sexual abuse. By addressing this issue headon and providing survivors with the necessary support and resources, we can help mitigate the devastating impact of childhood trauma on individuals, families, and communities. It is time for us to come together as a community to protect our children and support survivors of child sexual abuse. Let us work towards creating a society where every child feels safe, heard, and supported, and where survivors are given the opportunity to heal and thrive.
SHERvONNE CaSH HOllIS Co-founder/executive director, Save Our Children Alliance. July 2024.
EDITOR, The Tribune. My political campaign will start to target and pay special attention to Prime Minister Philip Davis who is 73 years old because I strongly believe that he is not able to lead the Bahamas for a next five years as Prime Minister of the Bahamas.
As the leader of the BFP Party to become the next Prime Minister of the Bahamas I will implement and lead by protecting every
single Bahamian for justice and equality. A Bahamas where there would be no hatred, but love. A Bahamas where there would be no disloyalty, but sincerity. A Bahamas where there would be no dishonesty, but trust. A Bahamas where there would be no injustice, but fairness. A Bahamas where there would be no degrading of one another, but respect for each other. A Bahamas where there would be no differences
because of sexual orientation, race, creed, religious and political beliefs, but being a One Bahamas. Pedro Smith, author, leader of the BFP Party to become the next Prime Minister of the Bahamas and Government in 2025 in building a better and greater Bahamas for the Bahamian people, children and grandchildren.
PEDRO SMITH Nassau, July 2024.
EDITOR, The Tribune. Let me call these Sirens - Noise…I’m Running Late … Get Out Of the Way! How many times do you, like the rest, are in traffic and suddenly you hear sirens two-three different tones which makes it worse...fury rush as outriders ziz-zag through traffic get out of the way … Minister dis or dat going to lunch, running late! Watched BBC London this morning... British Prime Minister left his official
office Downing Street… four outriders, absolutely no noise - no sirens, decorum drove to give in his resignation to His Majesty without any Nassau huffpuff and noise... can’t we copy? Please! editor why can’t we adopt this rational way to move our VIPs and many time suspect lesser folk many times seem to be even entertainment people going to Atlantis their long escapades two-threefour push their way with RBP outriders... is this all necessary?
Remember under PM Perry Christie infamous for unpunctuality/Police had to rush him around town so he wouldn’t be embarrassingly late … many times you see those darkened Ford SUV’s rush so-called ViPs to meetings, nothing really official just a function at an hotel if they planned their scheduling better - Get Out Of the Way… Me com’n! Political “arrogance!’ M THOMPSON Nassau.
A boy jumps backward into the waters of Lake Michigan on a warm day Sunday, July 14, 2024, in Chicago.
Photo: Erin Hooley/AP
Mitchell advises people with criminal history in the US not to travel to Panama
By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
FOREIGN Affairs Min-
ister Fred Mitchell warned people with a criminal record or history in the United States against travelling to Panama.
“This is not a new issue but for some reason I call it an avalanche of these cases, about five, six or seven of these people calling desperately from the airport and their relatives, calling the foreign ministry and the honourary consul in Panama to be rescued from the airport,” he said in the House of Assembly yesterday.
Mr Mitchell said Panama has a relationship or agreement with the US in which American officials share information about people who have committed offences or may have been arrested in the US.
If a person’s name appears in the system, they are ineligible to land in Panama and are put on the next flight back to The Bahamas. The problem is compounded by the limited flights from Panama to The Bahamas, with Mr Mitchell saying there are only three
such flights a week.
He said people are not kept in a detention centre but are at the airport and sent to New Providence on the next available flight.
He said even though in several cases over the last
Cabinet approves resumption of diplomatiC presenC e in Haiti
from page one
reporters yesterday that the owner of the building housing the Bahamian embassy wants to sell the structure, so officials are looking for new premises.
He said: “Defence Force offices are part of the security detail for the diplomatic mission in Haiti, and so they go in advance to reconnoitre and decide on a place. Then the diplomats will return.”
Kenyan officers recently arrived in Haiti to begin the multinational security mission to stabilise that country.
Mr Mitchell could not say when Defence Force officers would join that mission.
“The Kenyans are just now on the ground. They are the ones who are in operational control and command so, the question of what the mission is, and
the specifics of it would have to be left to them and the relationship between the Royal Bahamas Defence Force and the Kenyans and, of course, the Haitian government,” he said.
The United Nations backed the Kenyan-led mission. Mr Mitchell said the resolution allowing it has been extended to next year.
“That means we still have the legal cover for everything, but at the moment, it’s a diplomatic mission, and then we’ll know operationally what happens with the Defence Force,” he said.
The Davis administration has committed to sending 150 Defence Force officers to join a multinational team to help stabilise Haiti. National Security Minister Wayne Munroe has said the officers will help with maritime security.
week the honorary consul negotiated with Panamanian authorities for people to go to other destinations, the authorities sometimes refused to allow this.
He said the Bahamian government had
questioned Panamanian officials about the necessity of the practice.
“If somebody has not committed a crime in your own country and is not in that country and not suspected of committing a
crime –– we certainly don’t impose that on persons coming in from Panama or Panamanian citizens coming into The Bahamas –– why would you not reciprocate the same civility and courtesy to
Bahamian?” he asked. He said the Bahamian government will probably speak with airlines, saying it is “odd” for them not to warn passengers about this practice before taking their money.
FOREIGN AFFAIRs MINIstER FREd MItchEll
GOvERNOR General Dame Cynthia ‘Mother’ Pratt attended the Honourary Consular Corps Independence Luncheon at Graycliff Restaurant, West Hill Street, on July 11, 2024. Photos: Patrick hanna/BIS
PIctuREd l-r: Debi Williams, Governor General Dame Cynthia Pratt, and Max Gibson.
Urban Renewal’s Summer Camp opening
Dame Cynthia ‘Mother’ Pratt, Governor General, joined in the 100th birthday celebration festivities of Ms Mary Stubbs of Thompson Ward, Geriatric Hospital, Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre, on Friday.
Photos: Patrick Hanna/BIS
Young participate musically during the opening ceremony of the Urban Renewal Summer Camp yesterday. The ceremony was attended by Glenys Hanna Martin, Lisa Rahming and Keith Bell as well as other officials.
Photos: nikia Charlton
Lana Lavarity - A lifelong educator and great example
SHE has achieved her three-score and ten, and she’s still going strongnot only in life, but as a life-long learner. Lana Marie Hanna-Levarity has led a remarkable career spanning four decades as a veteran educator. She has taught thousands of students in a wide range of subjects including accounting, English language, history, geography, business studies, family life and home economics. Although she is an accomplished and beloved teacher, Lana has never stopped learning.
Even at the age of 70, Lana is still putting her brain power to work by earning yet another university degree - a Master of Laws (LLM) in International Law.
Her tertiary journey began in 1974 at the Bahamas Teachers College (which transitioned into the College, now University of The Bahamas), where she earned a Diploma in Secondary Education, endorsed by the University of the West Indies (UWI). She went on to study accounting, law and economics with the College of Arts, Science & Technology (CAST) in Kingston, Jamaica.
“Both courses were extremely challenging as, at COB, they were based on a purely British System of Education,” she recalls.
“The work that we covered in year one and year two comprised end of term; end-of-year; and final exams. Besides, as teacher trainees, we had to successfully pass a 12-week internship in the local high schools during year one as well as year two. We also had to complete a one-year research (referred to as an individual study) under the tutelage of a professor, that was published to be referenced by future students. It was only when all of these requirements were met, that we were awarded a Diploma in Education as a teacher.”
“At CAST, exams were written daily in preparation for external exams in accounting, administered in Scotland. I spent most nights, while riding the bus from Half-Way-Tree in Jamaica to the campus, with my head immersed in books.”
Lana’s early exposure to regional learning paved the way for her to increase her capacity and define her space in international affairs.
She pursued studies in Ecology at the University of Miami, then ventured further north, and enrolled in the University of North Texas (UNT) in Dallas Fort-Worth, Texas, USA.
Lana holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree in Accounting, Finance and Banking. It was while at UNT that Lana Hanna and Rudy Levarity, who were already married, with one son, pursued their studies together.
The fair and lovely Lana was a Bahamian beauty queen who was a runner up in the Miss Discovery
Face to Face
By FELICITY DARVILLE
Day pageant in 1971. Their common Bahamian heritage helped fan the love flames. Lana’s parents (both deceased) were Nolan Hanna (from Spring Point, Acklins), a stone mason by profession, and Princess Juanita Kemp Hanna, a nurse of Nassau, Bahamas. Princess’ father was from Hatchet Bay, Eleuthera, and mother, from Mangrove Cay, Andros. The tall, dark and handsome Rudy was a UNT athletic star who set 8 records in track and field in the 1980’s and to date, four of them are still standing.
Rudy went on to become an Olympian who received a gold medal from the US President after The Bahamas stood in solidarity with the United States in 1980, when the US led a boycott of the Summer Olympic Games in Moscow. This move was to protest the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. In total, 65 nations joined the USA in the boycott.
Lana and Rudy’s love kept growing stronger from UNT days to the present. They have been married for 51 years, and they have one son - Rudy Jr, and two grandchildren - Jamal and Teneisha. Lana’s academic pursuits have taken her across continents and disciplines. Along the way, she has delved into subjects ranging from banking and finance to accounting, law, and economics, demonstrating a remarkable breadth of intellectual curiosity.
After UNT days, she went on to study Accounting with the Association of Chartered Accountants (ACCA) in Glasgow, Scotland. Then, in her pursuit of higher education, Lana obtained a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) in Finance and Sustainability from Robert Kennedy College in Zurich, Switzerland, a partner university with Cumbria University in the United Kingdom.
She is currently completing her final examinations for the Masters of LawsInternational Law (LLM) from the same institution.
“In a world where education is valued as the cornerstone of personal growth and success, it is imperative to acknowledge individuals who have shown an unwavering commitment to learning throughout their lives,” Lana advised.
For all who think that they are simply too old to learn something new, let Lana’s tenacity and her courage to conquer the rigors of a tertiary institution serve as living proof that learning is truly a lifelong journey.
Hanna-Levarity is a 70 year-old student attaining a Master of Laws in International Law, proving that it’s never too late to pursue one’s educational goals. This is along with an MBA in Finance and Sustainability Degree she earned at the height of the global pandemic.
The support of her family and loved ones is immeasurable. She has passed on her thirst for knowledge to the next generation, including me. As a student of St Augustine’s College (SAC), Mrs Levarity inspired me in the subject of English language. She poured into me and her contributions to my life as a student helped shape my success as a journalist today. Many students from SAC and other schools can attest to the same.
The Levaritys are excellent role models and an inspiration to many; most importantly, their children, who all followed in their footsteps of excellence. Both husband and wife have given the best of themselves in service to their country. Rudy is a world-class sprinter, having been inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame of the University of North Texas (2005); the Sports Hall of Fame of The
Bahamas (2017); and he was awarded the Order of Distinction - Companion in The Bahamas National Honours (2024).
Lana has given more than four decades of distinguished service as an educator. Even in retirement, she refuses to allow her thirst for knowledge fade. Her tireless pursuit of intellectual growth in the twilight of her career is a testament to her undying love for learning and personal development.
She is a beloved teacher because of her gracious nature and her genuine care for each individual who comes under her tutelage. She did not just pass on the information found in the school’s curriculum; she passed on life skills and shared wisdom from her breadth of life knowledge.
Her children and grandchildren have followed in her footsteps with a thirst for learning. Their son, Rudy Levarity Jr is married with two children.
Rudy Jr has served as aid to the Prime Minister in his career. He has held several managerial positions, particularly being responsible as a part of a team for the development of Arawak Port Development. His son, Jamal Levarity, while living with his grandparents and tutored by his grandmother Lana,, earned a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree in Accounting from the University of The Bahamas. Today, he works in wealth management at Royal Bank, Head Office, East Hill Street. Lana’s granddaughter, Teneisha, also studied at UB and is currently a Banker at Bank of The Bahamas.
Instead of looking at life with despair when one reaches the age of retirement, Lana advises colleagues to use this time to reset their goals. She is a shining example of someone who embraces this transition with enthusiasm and a desire to
continue making a positive impact on the lives of others.
She has now embarked upon a new journey as an Image and Etiquette consultant and business owner, bringing with her a wealth of knowledge, experience and a passion for helping others succeed.
“Retirement,” she said, “Is indeed a time to recalibrate and explore new horizons and this professional is doing just that.”
But Lana’s journey does not end with her academic accomplishments. Instead, it serves as a powerful reminder that learning knows no bounds and that age is never a barrier to personal growth and development.
“The pursuit of knowledge is not merely a destination but a lifelong quest,” Lana advised, “One that enriches our minds, broadens our horizons and ultimately shapes the very essence of who we are.”
Top: The Levarity’s - 51 years of marriage and counting.
Above: Lana and Rudy back on old stomping grounds at the University of North Texas, where Rudy was honored for his days as an American all-star, being inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame of the University of North Texas, Dallas Fort-Worth, Texas, USA.
LAnA
STunning at Seventy Mrs Lana Marie Hanna-Levarity celebrates a lifetime of successful learning, as she completes her studies for a Masters Degree in International Law from Robert Kennedy College in Zurich, Switzerland in partnership with the University of Cumbria, the United Kingdom.
JD Vance, once fierce critic of Trump and now ally, picked as running mate
MILWAUKEE
Associated Press
Former President Donald Trump chose Sen. JD Vance of ohio as his running mate on monday, picking a onetime critic who became a loyal ally and is now the first millennial to join a major-party ticket at a time of deep concern about the advanced age of America’s political leaders.
“After lengthy deliberation and thought, and considering the tremendous talents of many others, I have decided that the person best suited to assume the position of Vice President of the United States is Senator JD Vance of the Great State of ohio,” Trump said in a post on his Truth Social network as the republican National Convention got underway in milwaukee.
Hours later, Vance formally received his party’s formal nomination after walking onto the floor of the convention to merle Haggard’s “American First.”
The 39-year-old Vance rose to national fame with the 2016 publication of his memoir, “Hillbilly elegy.” He was elected to the Senate in 2022 and has become one of the staunchest champions of the former president’s “make America Great Again” agenda, particularly on trade, foreign policy and immigration.
But he is largely untested in national politics and is joining the Trump ticket at an extraordinary moment in American history. An attempted assassination of Trump at a rally Saturday has shaken the campaign, bringing new attention to the nation’s coarse political rhetoric and reinforcing the importance of those who are one heartbeat away from the presidency.
Vance himself faced criticism in the wake of the shooting for a post on X that suggested President Joe Biden was to blame for the violence.
“The central premise of the Biden campaign is that President Donald Trump is an authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs,” Vance wrote. “That rhetoric led directly to President Trump’s attempted assassination.” Law enforcement has not yet specified a motivation for the shooting.
Why Vance Was chosen oVer the other finalists
The pick is sure to energize Trump’s loyal
base. Vance has become a fixture on the conservative media circuit and frequently spars with reporters on Capitol Hill, helping establish him as the kind of leader who could carry Trump’s mantle into the future, beginning with the next presidential election in 2028.
But the pick also means that two white men will now lead the republican ticket at a time when Trump has sought to make inroads with Black and Latino voters.
In his post announcing his pick, Trump said Vance “will be strongly focused on the people he fought so brilliantly for, the American Workers and Farmers in Pennsylvania, michigan, Wisconsin, ohio, minnesota, and far beyond.” Several of those midwestern states are expected to play a critical role in November’s election.
But Vance also had another advantage: his chemistry with Trump. Personal relationships are extremely important to the former president and he and Vance have developed a strong rapport, speaking on the phone regularly.
Trump has also complimented Vance’s looks, saying he reminded him of “a young Abraham Lincoln.”
Trump and Vance spoke about 20 minutes before the Truth Social post and Trump formally offered him the job, according to a person familiar with the call who requested anonymity to share the private conversation.
Trump had long said he wanted to dramatically reveal his pick onstage at the convention, which he said would make it more “interesting” and “exciting.” The timing is later than in recent cycles, but hardly unprecedented. In 1980, ronald reagan made his decision less than 24 hours before he formally accepted the GoP nomination, and George HW Bush waited until his convention in 1988.
Biden’s reelection campaign issued a statement calling out Vance for saying, had he been vice president, he would have allowed “multiple slates of electors” to challenge Biden’s victory over Trump four years ago. Trump repeatedly promoted falsehoods about election fraud before and
after Jan. 6, 2021, when rioters loyal to the former president stormed the Capitol to try to stop the certification of his loss.
“Donald Trump picked JD Vance as his running mate because Vance will do what mike Pence wouldn’t on January 6: bend over backwards to enable Trump and his extreme mAGA agenda, even if it means breaking the law and no matter the harm to the American people,” Biden campaign chair Jen o’malley Dillon said in the statement.
Florida Sen. marco rubio and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, the other contenders on Trump’s shortlist, had been informed earlier monday afternoon that they were not his pick, according to people familiar with their conversations.
Trump had spent months testing the field, assessing how his contenders performed on television, at fundraisers and on rally stages. Several, including Burgum and Vance, joined him at his criminal hush money trial in New York. others were there at the debate last month, where Biden’s disastrous performance upended his campaign, leading to widespread calls for him to step aside in favour or a younger candidate.
In “Hillbilly elegy,” Vance detailed life in Appalachian communities that drifted from a Democratic Party many residents found disconnected from their daily travails. While the book was a bestseller, it was also criticized for sometimes oversimplifying rural life and ignoring the role of racism in modern politics. Vance once Was a harsh trump critic
The relationship between Vance and Trump has been symbiotic.
Vance’s fame grew in tandem with Trump’s unlikely rise from a reality television star to republican presidential nominee and eventually president. During the early stages of Trump’s political career, Vance cast him as “a total fraud,” “a moral disaster” and “America’s Hitler.”
But like many republicans who sought relevance in the Trump era, Vance eventually shifted his tone. He said he was proved wrong by Trump’s performance in office and evolved into one of his most steadfast defenders.
“I didn’t think he was going to be a good president,” Vance recently told Fox News Channel. “He was a great president. And it’s one of the reasons why I’m working so hard to make sure he gets
a second term.”
Vance was rewarded for his turnaround during his bid for an open Senate seat in 2022, during which he landed Trump’s coveted endorsement and rode it to victory in a crowded republican primary and a general election hard fought by Democrats. He is close to Trump’s son Donald Jr.
“Listen, I’ve seen him on TV,” Donald Trump Jr. said of Vance, speaking to CNN from the convention floor. “I’ve seen him prosecute the case against the Democrats. No one’s more articulate than that. And I think his story, his background, really helps us in a lot of the places that you’re going to need from the electoral College standpoint.”
Vance is now a Trump loyalist who has challenged the legitimacy of criminal prosecutions and civil verdicts against him and questions the results of the 2020 election.
He told ABC News in February that, if he had been vice president on Jan. 6, 2021, he would have told states where Trump disputed Biden wins “that we needed to have multiple slates of electors, and I think the US Congress should have fought over it from there.”
“That is the legitimate way to deal with an
election that a lot of folks, including me, think had a lot of problems in 2020,” he said. many states adopted emergency measures four years ago to allow people to vote safely during the CoVID-19 pandemic. But judges, election officials in both parties and Trump’s own attorney general have concluded there was no evidence of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election.
Vance’s book Vaulted him to national prominence
Vance’s book — subtitled “A memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis” — was embraced for its insights into Trump’s appeal in middle America, where manufacturing job losses and the opioid crisis had driven many families like his into poverty, abuse and addiction. The tale of Vance’s hardscrabble childhood in middletown, ohio, where he was born, and his familial eastern Kentucky hills region also captivated Hollywood. ron Howard made it into a 2020 movie starring Amy Adams as Vance’s mother and Glenn Close as his beloved “mamaw.”
With his grandmother’s encouragement, Vance went on to serve in the marine Corps, including in Iraq, and to graduate from ohio State University and Yale Law School. From there, he joined a Silicon Valley investment firm before returning to ohio to launch a nonprofit that he said would aim to develop opioid addiction treatments that might be “scaled nationally.”
Ultimately, our ohio renewal failed at that mission and was shuttered.
During the 2022 campaign, then-US rep. Tim ryan, his Democratic rival, charged that the charity was little more than a front for Vance’s political ambitions. ryan pointed to reports that the organization made payments to a Vance political adviser and conducted public opinion polling, even as its actual efforts to address addiction largely floundered. Vance denied the characterization.
As a senator, Vance has shown some willingness to work across the aisle. He and ohio’s senior senator, Democrat Sherrod Brown, have teamed up on a number of issues important to the state, including fighting for funding for a $20 billion chip facility Intel is building in central ohio and introducing rail safety legislation in response to the fiery derailment in east Palestine, ohio.
Republican vice presidential candidate Senator JD Vance, R-Ohio, arrives on the floor during the first day of the 2024 Republican
National Convention at the Fiserv Forum, yesterday in Milwaukee.
Photo: carolyn Kaster/AP
Photo: Michael conroy/AP
From Biles to Sha’Carri, Team USA packed with star power heading into Olympic Games
By PAT GRAHAM AP Sports Writer
FROM Simone Biles to
Sha’Carri Richardson and Diana Taurasi to Katie Ledecky, Team USA will provide some of the biggest star power at the 2024 OlympicGames.
And it will be the women leading the way as the U.S. looks to top the overall medal table for the eighth consecutive Summer Games.
The nearly 600 athletes going to the Paris Olympics include more than 250 returning Olympians and 122Olympicmedallists.
Golfers Xander SchauffeleandNellyKorda,along with surfer Carissa Moore, are among the numerous Olympians set to defend theirtitlesinFrance.
It’s a loaded U.S. roster where the women outnumberthemen314to278—at lastcount—andagesrange from16to59.
The most decorated member of Team USA in PariswillbeLedecky,who’s trying to add to her collection of 10 medals (seven golds).
Comebacks and redemption
Biles is back in action afterpullingoutofmultiple gymnastics finals in Tokyo toprotecthermentalhealth andsafety.
There’s Richardson making her Olympic debut after a much-debated absence three years ago because of a positive marijuanatest.
The 27-year-old Biles leads a U.S. women’s gymnastics team filled with familiar faces and looking forredemptioninParis.
The team settled for silver three years ago behind the Russian athletes competing as the Russian OlympicCommittee.
Richardson has become a media sensation for her speed, charisma and perseverance.
The 100-metre world champion earned a spot for Tokyo in 2021 but was banned following her positivetestformarijuana.
It sparked an intense debate about whether she was being unfairly singled out for taking a substance that doesn’t improve performance.
The 24-year-old Richardson,whogracesthecoverof Vogue magazine, said she was“overwhelmedwiththe emotions of just joy” after makingtheteam.
Star power on the court
On the court, hoops royalty LeBron James and Taurasileadtheirteams.
And it’s no surprise that the men’s and women’s basketball squads brimming with talent are heavy favourites to bring home thegold.
James, Joel Embiid, Kevin Durant and Steph Curry join forces to lead a U.S. contingent going for a fifthstraightOlympictitle.
A’ja Wilson, Brittney Griner and Taurasi headline a women’s squad that has won seven consecutive
Olympic gold medals. Taurasi has been a part of five ofthem.
Who else is on the Team USA roster?
Decorated swimmers
Ledecky and Caeleb Dressel are on deck to shine again in the pool, and majors winners and world No. 1 golfers Scottie Scheffler and Korda take to the links.
“We’re telling these stories — we’re laughing, we’re crying, we’re cheering them on,” said Lyndsay Signor,seniorvicepresident of consumer engagement at NBC Sports. “So that really warrants both the
combination of the athletes themselves and the celebritieswe’vepartneredwith.”
NBChasbeenairingpromotional Olympic material around the clock. There’s Biles being interviewed by singerSZA.
Other athletes featured in spots include Richardson, sprinter Noah Lyles, 400-metre hurdles worldrecord holder Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Ledecky and reigning Olympic all-around gymnastics winnerSuniLee.
The U.S. women’s soccer team, led by new coach Emma Hayes, chases after its first Olympic gold since
2012 and Victor Montalvo
— “B-Boy Victor” — will beacontenderwhenbreaking makes its Olympic debutinParis.
Coco Gauff is among the favourites to bring home a medal on the clay courts at Roland Garros, the site of theFrenchOpen.
Medal forecast That abundance of star power is why Nielsen’s Gracenote forecasts the U.S. hauling in 123 medals. That’s ahead of China (87), Britain (62) and France (56). This could be the eighth straight Summer Games where the Americanshavetoppedthemedal
table.“IfAmericanathletes win, that drives ratings and endorsements, and makes it attractive for American corporations to invest in the Olympic movement,” said Dr. Yoav Dubinsky, an instructorofsportsbusiness fromtheLundquistCollege of Business at the UniversityofOregon.
“All part of the story of American lifestyle. Their successes, and at times failures or adversities, contributetoBrandAmerica.” Olympic entertainers
NBC brought in Academy Award-winning director Steven Spielberg tonarrateashortfilmtitled, “Land of Stories,” where the Olympics set a scene to telltales.
Even more stars will participate in the network’s coverage as celebrities Snoop Dogg, Kelly Clarkson, Peyton Manning, Colin Jost, Leslie Jones and Jimmy Fallon make appearances.
Snoop already is trotting out his tracksuits to get in some work. The 52-yearold hip-hop star ran a 200-metre race against Ato Boldon and Wallace Spearmon at the Olympic track trials in Eugene, Oregon, lastmonth.
His time was 34.44 seconds. Usain Bolt’s world record of 19.19 remains safe.
“(Snoop) has really brought a perspective that’s not only fun and interesting,” Signor said, “it’s lovableaswell.”
WORLD SWIMMING BODY PROMISES MORE ANTI-DOPING TESTS OF CHINESE TEAM BEFORE PARIS OLYMPICS
By GRAHAM DUNBAR AP Sports Writer
GENEVA (AP) — Chinese swimmers going to the Paris Olympics are undergoing increased drug testing of at least eight times this year before the Games, World Aquatics saidyesterday.
The Chinese swim team inParisissettohave11athleteswhotestedpositivefor a banned heart medication in 2021, six months before the Tokyo Olympics. They avoided being suspended. In Tokyo, the swimmers wonthreegoldmedals.
A Chinese state-backed investigation in June 2021 blamedmasscontamination by food in a hotel kitchen though without evidence to proveit.
Thecasewasnotpublicly revealed until reporting three months ago by the New York Times and GermanbroadcasterARD.
The World Anti-Doping Agency has been widely criticised — and targeted by a United States federal investigation — for accepting the explanation in 2021 when travel to China was
not possible during the COVID-19 pandemic. A WADA-appointed prosecutor in Switzerland last week cleared the Montrealbasedagencyofbiastoward Chinainareportthathada limitedremit.
Swimming’s governing bodyalsoappointedapanel to study how it handled the casethreeyearsago,includingfollowingWADAatthe time by not challenging the Chinese claim at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The panel’s 11-page report with recommendations was published yesterday, 12 days before swim events start in Paris at La Defense Arena. It detailed a promise of more anti-doping tests for some countries ahead of the Olympics and especially China.
World Aquatics said “a certain number of athletes from specific nations will be tested four times” since the start of the year by the Lausanne-based International Testing Agency, whichrunsanti-dopingprogrammesformanyOlympic sports.
Chinese athletes competing in Paris “will be tested by the ITA no less than eight times during this same period,” the world swimbodysaid.Thosesamples would ideally not be collected by the Chinese anti-dopingagencyandalso not be tested by laboratoriesinChina.
World Aquatics is set to publish those test results before the Olympics opening ceremony on Friday of nextweek.
“What is extremely clear, and what cannot be taken for granted, is that the trust of the aquatics community is vital to the continued success of World Aquatics as an international federation,” the governing body said.
The five-member report team appointed by World Aquatics was chaired by former Spanish sports minister Miguel Cardenal, who previouslywasamemberof the management board at CAS.
“The committee has not identified any irregularities, mismanagement or coverup” by World Aquatics, said the Cardenal panel,
which included Olympic gold medal swimmer FlorentManaudouofFrance.
To rebuild trust with athletes and coaches, the panel recommended World Aquatics routinely publish
details of who is provisionallysuspendedforpotential breaches of anti-doping rules. It also wants details published of how often athletes were tested, and by who, in the six months
before events like an Olympics or world championships. “World Aquatics must accept this challenge and intensify its communication with athletes,” the panelsaid.
UNITED States forward LeBron James watches play from the bench during the second half of an exhibition basketball game against Canada on Wednesday, July 10 in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Steve Marcus)
SIMONE Biles and the U.S. women celebrate as the 2024 team is named at the United States Gymnastics Olympic Trials on Sunday, June 30 in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
SHA’CARRI RICHARDSON, of the United States, celebrates after winning the gold medal in the final of the Women’s 100-metres during the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, on August 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Team USA builds big lead then holds off Australia for 98-92 win in Olympics tuneup
By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer
THERE was a lot for the U.S. Olympic team to like yesterday. And a lot not to like.
Anthony Davis scored 17 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, Tyrese Haliburton came up with a pair of late 3-pointers that helped stop a freefall by the Americans, and the U.S. beat Australia 98-92 on Monday to improve to 2-0 in its five-game slate of exhibitions leading into the Paris Olympics.
Devin Booker scored 16 for the U.S., Anthony Edwards scored 14 and three players — LeBron James, Bam Adebayo and Joel Embiid — finished with 10 for the Americans, who are playing host to a pair of exhibitions at Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, this week. They’ll play SerbiathereonWednesday.
Jock Landale scored 20 for Australia, which got 17 from Josh Giddey and 14 fromDysonDaniels.
The U.S. led by 24 midway through the third
quarter, yet saw that lead cut to six with 5:05 left after Australia went on a 39-21 run. But Haliburton had the next six points on his 3s, pushing the lead back to 92-80. Australia cut it to four on two separate occasions,
but Booker went 4-for-4 from the line in the final 8 seconds to ensure the U.S. wouldescape.
“Third quarter, we started turning the ball over,” U.S. coach Steve Kerr said. “We gave up a ton of points at the basket.
Back cuts, offensive boards and so, the game shifted. It’s a good lesson for us. Better to learn that lesson now than later. And this will be a good tape for us to watch. But I give Australia a ton of credit. They were great. They fought. They
werereallyphysical.Tookit to us in the last quarter and a half and really made it a game.”
Second unit, again Just like in the Canada game, the so-called second unit — Haliburton, Jrue Holiday, Adebayo, Davis and Booker — changed the game. That was the group on the floor when the Americans took a game that was tied at 19-19 with 3:15 left in the first and turned it into a 39-23 lead — a 20-4 run in a span of justover5minutes.
Kerr used that group as his starting five to open the secondhalf.Butit’sbecome a clear trend already: when the U.S. goes to its bench and can replace All-Stars with other All-Stars, it’s just going to be a massive problem for opponents who don’t have anywhere near thatsamelevelofdepth.
“The strength of our team is our depth and we have to utilise our depth,” Kerrsaid.
It’s been something the Americans have used to their advantage in the past.
Dwyane Wade led the gold-medallist 2008 U.S.
Olympic team in points, even though he was sixth in minutes on that team and came off the bench in all eightgames.
Turnovers Here’s the big trouble sign right now for the U.S.: turnovers.
FIBA games are shorter than NBA games, 40 minutes instead of 48 minutes. That means there are fewer possessions and makes it even more imperative to notgivetheballaway.
Which the Americans did.Alot.Aftercommitting 15 turnovers in last week’s exhibitionwinoverCanada, the U.S. had 18 giveaways on Monday and Australia used them to fuel the comeback effort — getting 25 points off turnovers in the secondhalfalone.
“Our turnovers, it’s all aboutfocusandexecution,” Davissaid.
Injury watch Kevin Durant missed his second consecutive game because of a calf strain, and with only one practice between games it wouldn’t seem likely that he plays Wednesday against Serbia either.
Derrick White, who arrived in Abu Dhabi over the weekend and got into his first practice with the team on Sunday, also didn’t play. White replaced Kawhi Leonard — who deals with knee issues — on the U.S. roster after the Americans determined last week that it wasn’t in Leonard’s best interesttoplaythissummer.
States’ Jayson Tatum, second from front left, drives with the ball past Australia’s defense during the USA Basketball Showcase in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, July 15, 2024. (AP Photos/Altaf Qadri)
KEVIN JOHNSON BASKETBALL CAMPERS AWARDED
Clippers say they wanted Kawhi Leonard on US basketball team for Paris Olympics
By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer
LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Los Angeles Clippers hadnoproblemwithKawhi Leonard playing for the U.S. in the Paris Olympics this summer and wanted him to remain on the team, general manager Lawrence Franksaidyesterday. USABasketballremoved Leonard — whose NBA season was disrupted at the end because of a knee problem — from its roster last week after a four-day,
four-practice training camp and replaced him with the Boston Celtics’ Derrick White. USA Basketball said that it and the Clippers determined that Leonard not playing this summer wasinhisbestinterest.
“It was USAB’s call, and I was, quite frankly, very disappointed with the decision,” Frank told reporters in Las Vegas. “Kawhi wanted to play. We wanted himtoplay.” Leonard missed 12 of the Los Angeles Clippers’ final 14 games this past season
with right knee inflammation, though he said last week that he felt fine and the knee was doing well. But USA Basketball — which has Clippers coach Tyronn Lue as an assistant on head coach Steve Kerr’s staff—feltdifferently.
Leonard is a two-time NBA champion, six-time All-Star and six-time AllNBA player, but injury issues have been a recurring theme over the past seven seasons. USA Basketball had monitored him going into camp and
To Publish your
USA Basketball managing director Grant Hill even watched a workout earlier this summer to check on Leonard’shealth.
“I was there the first two practices. He looked very good, was a full participant in everything that they did,” Frank said. “I wasn’t there for the third practice, where ultimately, that was the point where they decided to go in a different direction. I expressed then, I really wished that they would have given Kawhi moretime.”
The U.S. has been without three-time gold medallist Kevin Durant since it convened in Las Vegas for camp earlier this month. Durant is with the team but did not play in either of its first two exhibitions — a win over Canada on July 10 and a win over Australia yesterday. If a player on the 12-man roster is hurt during the Olympics, there’s no replacement option. That’s a major factor weighing on teams as they finalise their
rosters before play starts in Francelaterthismonth.
“I understand USAB’s perspective that they have to look at what they feel is in the best interest of the team,despitewhatIthink,” Frank said. “They’re also managing some other players who are dealing with injuries, so, I understand that they have to do what’s best. ... You have to move forward. We support USAB. Desperately want to see them win the gold medal. I know that’s how Kawhifeels,too.”
TROPHY TIME: After three weeks of intensive training, campers at the Coach Kevin Johnson’s Basketball Camp 2024 got to showcase what they learned in front of their family members. Friday was the final day of the camp at the CI Gibson Gymnasium and Johnson said the instructors wanted the campers to demonstrate what they’ve been doing since the camp got started on June 24. Here, young campers can be seen receiving their trophies at the end of the camp.
Special Olympics Wall of Fame
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
IN an effort to sensitise the public to the accomplishments of their athletes and, at the same time, give their athletes the recognition that they so rightly deserve, Special Olympics Bahamas is creating their ownWallofFameandseek tobeincludedinotherlocal establishedenshrinements.
Gilbert Williams, president of the organisation, said there’s too much history that needs to be preserved that they have decided to establish their WallofFame.
“Firstly, we want to highlight and recognise the accomplishments and contributions of our members, both to the programme and to the country,” Williams said.
“Secondly, our athletes do not get the recognition they deserve at a national level.
“If we (Special Olympics Bahamas) don’t make a big deal over the accomplishments of our athletes and coaches,whowill?
“And finally, this initiative is important for posterity. Our athletes have created history, it is up to ustorecordit.”
Through this initiative, Williams said they hope to build the awareness of their athletes and what they are capable of and, at the same time, bring greater awareness of Special Olympics Bahamas as anorganisation.
“Ultimately, we want to get our athletes the recognition they deserve on a nationallevel.
“A presence on the walls at the Lynden Pindling International Airport; the Walk of Fame at the
for the first
Thomas A Robinson National Stadium and in the National Sports Hall of Fame.
“We believe we have at least a couple athletes that belong in the National SportsHall.”
Each athlete had to have attained a
tenure of 10 years of participation at international level and performance results. Their nominations were submitted by organisation members and reviewed and decided on by an
independent review and selectioncommittee.
Thefinalfiveselectedwill beannouncedinthecoming weekswithplanstoholdan official ceremony later this year for their placement on the Wall of Fame at the Special Olympics Bahamas headquarters at 24 Dolphin Drive in the Abilities UnlimitedBuilding.
The mission of Special Olympics is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstratecourage,experiencejoyandparticipatein a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families,otherSpecialOlympics athletesandthecommunity.
The last Special Olympics World Games was held in June, 2023 in Berlin, Germany.
The Bahamas collected a silver in bowling from Austin Green and he combinedwithBronsonAranha forasilverindouble.
In April, Special Olympics Bahamas reintroduced its National Bocce Championships after a five-year hiatus. They then participated in the regional bocce tournamentintheCaymanIslands in May, coming home with an individual silver from Krytal Clarke and a bronze fromColetteGrant.
The duo combined to win a bronze in doubles competition.
JUBILEE MINISTRIES CHAMPIONS OF CO-ED SLOWPITCH SOFTBALL TOURNEY
taking a break in 2019. This year’s softball team was held in memory of the late Renee ‘Sunshine’ Curry-Davis, who recently passed away. Curry-Davis served on the federation board as the director for track and field. Her portraitwasondisplayduringthe tournamentasthefederationpaid theirrespects.
Golden Gates Native, the church Curry-Davis so proudly played for, was eliminated during the previous weekend of the round robin tournament by Macedoniaina19-8decision.
Macedonia also got by New Bethlehem in the last inning to book their spot in the final with a 15-13win.
Jubilee earned their berth in the final by pulling off a 7-3 win overNewBethlehem.
Rev.DanielNottage,thesenior pastor at Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church and the newly installed executive secretary of the Bahamas Missionary and Educational Convention, was on hand to present the awards to the two teams after Saturday’s championshipgame.
Rev. Nottage, along with Rev. Dr.HartmanNixon,seniorpastor
contests. Financial hurdles loomed large, but thanks to the investment of the Government of the Bahamas
at Macedonia and Rev. Alonzo HinseyJr,seniorpastoratGolden Gates Native Baptist Church, all participated in the official opening ceremonies the previous Saturday.
Two prominent Pastors, Rev. Stephen Duncombe and Bishop Delton Ellis, participated in the tournament for Jubilee and Macedoniarespectively.
Rev. Brent Stubbs, the president of the federation, commended Thomas Sears, the director of softball, for the tremendous contribution that he madeinthetransformationofthe field.
and generous support from sponsors like the Bahamas Olympic Committee, Baha Mar, Oaktree Medical, Island Luck Cares Foundation and personal contributions from Chavano “Buddy” Hield and the Thompson family, wepressedforward.”
At the pre-qualifying tournament last August in Argentina, Bowleg said many felt their victory over Argentinatoqualifyforthe Olympic Qualifying Tournament was a stroke of luck.
“But our team knew we belonged and could compete against the world’s best,” Bowleg stated. “The team was youthful, energetic,anddrivenbyhunger. They carried the hopes of every Bahamian on their shoulders, determined to show the world they were deservingoftheirplace.”
At the Olympic Qualifier in Spain, Bowleg said The Bahamas “shocked the world” by defeating powerhouses such as Finland and Poland, demonstrating not only “our talent, but our resilience.”
After beating Lebanon to advance to the final, Bowleg said the final match against Spain was played under intense spotlight
There’sstillsomemoreworkto bedone.
Buteverybodywhocameoutto participate or to spectate, agreed that the field was in tremendous shape to “play ball” from the state that they met it before the tournamentgotstarted.
Stubbs noted that the aim of his executive team is to bring the glorydaysbacktoBaptistsports.
The officers include Sean Bastian (first vice president); Rev. Dereck Munroe (second vice president); Jeffery Burnside Jr (third vice president); Kendal Rolle (fourth vice president); Dec. Wellington Miller and Dec.
againstabasketballgiantin Spain.
“We pushed Spain to their limits, earning global respectandadmiration,”he pointedout.
“The Bahamas stood tall on the world stage, with our performances shinning brightly in aqua, gold and black, creating a lasting legacy in basketball history.”
Although they didn’t achieve the success acquired, Bowleg said the basketball team ignited the Olympic torch for the athletes who will represent the Bahamas when the BOC officially announces the teamtonight.
“While I refrain from pre-empting the committee’s announcement, I take this moment to express heartfelt gratitude to all of the athletes,” Bowleg stated.
He noted that during an Olympic cycle, which is every four years, athletes set their sights on meeting rigorous Olympic qualification standards and their journeys demand immense dedication, blood, sweat, tears, countless hours of practice, training and competition.
“Injuries may be sustained along the way, some
Joanne Webb (Special Assistants); Nicola Major (secretary); AriealWebb(assistantsecretary); Olympia Evans (treasurer); Kirk Farquharson (volleyball director) and Barron Musgrove (cycling director).
Up next for the federation is basketball in August, cycling in September and track and field in November.
The track meet is expected to be named in honour of the late Curry-Davis, the past secretary of the Bahamas Association of Certified Officials (BACO) and former fast-pitch and slow-pitch softballplayer.
manageable in short periods, others necessitating extended recovery,” he pointedout.“Yet,theirlove and passion for their sport shine through as these athletesreturntotopformand peakphysicalcondition.”
Bowleg said the Bahamas Government and his ministry are committed to providing the support needed for the success of the athletes as they recognise that their journey is intertwined with the nationalgoals.
“Their struggles and triumphs reflect our collective experience,” he said.
“By celebrating their successes,wealsoaddresstheir challenges. As a small but resilient nation that often exceeds expectations, we are ensuring they have the comprehensive support needed to excel in every aspectoftheirjourney.”
The Bahamas, according to Bowleg, has had a richhistoryintheOlympics and they will continue the journey as they celebrate this year’s 2024 Paris team and look for the 2028 Los AngelesGames.
“We must set ambitious goals now,” he stressed.
“When the games were last hosted in LA in 1984, the Bahamas competed in four
disciplines. I firmly believe we are on the verge of expandingourpresence.
“Thisgovernmentiscommittedtopreparingathletes acrosssixdisciplinesforthe 2028 games. I intend to collaborate closely with the BOCandthefederationsto strategise and achieve this goal.Itismygoaltoensure our athletes have the support and resources needed to excel on the world stage.”
Again, Bowleg congratulated the men’s basketball team, headed by coach Chris DeMarco, and led by Hield, Deandre Ayton, Eric Gordon and VJ Edgecombe, for their inspiring journey and exceptional performance, demonstrating the power of resilience anddedication.
“AsweawaitTeamBahamas’ official announcement for the Olympics, I applaud all our athletes in aquatics and athletics, who represent Bahamian pride with their commitment to excellence,”hesaid.
“Let’s unite in support that brings national unity, inspires future athletes, and promotes education through sports. Together, wewillcontinuetoadvance, moving ‘Forward, Upward, OnwardandTogether.’”
Nominated
five selections are Deron Forbes, Vashnik Thompdon, Bronson Aranha, Anitqa Moncur, Colette Grant, Latonyta Moss and Mario Nottage.
50 50 for
By FAY SIMMONS jsimmons@tribunemedia.net
THE Lyford Cay Foundation has selected 50 Family Island students to participate in its 50 for 50 programme, allowing them to spend a week in New Providence visiting various tertiary level institutions.
Dr Nicola Virgil-Rolle, executive director of the Lyford Cay Foundation, explained the initiative was launched in honour of the country’s 50 Independence and expands the reach of the foundation’s FOCUS On Course to College (OCTC) programme.
She said: “We conceived this idea about a year ago, when we thought about what the Lyford Cay foundation should be doing
for the 50th anniversary of independence of The Bahamas. And we know we had a wonderful programme called FOCUS, which focused on getting students from high school and getting them to be first in family in college.
“We thought to share this experience with the rest of The Bahamas, and to invite students from all islands to participate in a one-week long programme. We’re just overjoyed that we were able to pull it together with the help of the principals and guidance counsellors of the various schools in the Family Islands, who helped us select students with the help of their parents who prepared them for the travel and our partner Breezes which allowed us to house these 50 students for one week.”
She said the response to the programme was “amazing” and revealed the foundation is interested in expanding the FOCUS programme to the Family Islands. She said: “We would love to have FOCUS be expanded to the Family Islands and so we’re using this to really see how we can do this effectively. We think focus is that there’s an excellent program that allows students from the public-school sector to really think about the next steps for them be it college, be the workforce, but just being productive citizens. And so, we are looking at how we expand this across The Bahamas.”
Jadin Rolle, of A Loftus Roker High School, Acklins, said he was interested in participating in the
All about Ivanna
THE achievements of Ivanna Seymour have been a hot topic as of late, with her commandeering one of the world’s largest ships, Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas, widely circulated on social media.
Ms Seymour also received special congratulations from Prime Minister, Philip Davis for becoming the highest ranking Bahamian onboard the Utopia of the Seas.
Her interest in the maritime field started from she attended Xavier Lower School, overlooking the entrance to the Port of Nassau, when she would insist on her parents Tania Gray and Andre “Moose” Seymour taking her across the street to watch the cruise ships leave the harbour.
She would study the ships with a gleam in her eyes and say to her mother, “When I grow up, I want to work on a ship just like that!”
Ivanna has come a long way since then, earning a Master Mariner’s license after years of studying as
working in the field.
She joined the Bahamas Maritime Cadet Corps while a student at St Augustine’s College and participated for three years and completed the programme in 2009.
Within days of receiving her
programme to broaden his horizon and find new opportunities.
Hesaidheishopingtocontinue his studies at Lynn University and one day become a pilot.
“I plan to attend Lynn University, I’m open to scholarships. I would like to be a pilot, most definitely for a commercial airline and I wish to attend college to do so, if possible, but I don’t mind if I have to go through other means,” he said.
Jadinsaidheisworkingtobuild his resume and has received valuable insight from the programme. He said: “I am looking for connections and the information and skills that I would need in my college preparation, such as my resumes and portfolios, and they are really giving us some really
Certificate of Completion from the BMCC she was out on the Pilot Boat at the Port of Nassau, learning from the best in the industry for two weeks before studying at Holland College in Prince Edward Island, Canada.
Once she completed her studies, Ivanna accumulated sea time through her work at Campbell Shipping and local interisland operators such as Dean’s Shipping, all the while working her way up through the ranks, and alternating sea time with classroom instruction.
He love for the sea, years of hard work and strong determination to overcome obstacles have all led to the point of where she is now.
She said that once an individual has a passion and the drive to achieve and succeed, then anything is possible.
“There will always be obstacles and nay-Sayers who would want to discourage you or have you settle for less than what you have set for yourself –but press on!” said Ivanna.
YOUNG CHESS STARS TO TAKE ON COMPETITORS IN FLORIDA
A TEAM of Bahamian chess prodigies are set to compete at the Pan-American Youth Chess Championships in Orlando, Florida, this month, showcasing their skills against topcompetitorsfromNorthAmerican, SouthAmericaandtheCaribbean.
The team consists of four students. Team members include Avian Pride, 16, who holds all the Bahamas’ Chess National titles: National, Junior National and Scholastic Champion, a title he has held for the past three years consistently. Avian will also be a part of this year’s Chess Olympiad team representing The Bahamas
in Budapest, Hungary, and is the National U18 Champion.
Chika Pride, who is regarded as the top female youth chess player in the country, will also be on the team.
Chika is the National Female Junior Champion and earned a fourth place finish in the Nationals and is also the National U14 Champion.
Caerwyn Turnquest, nine, will also be representing Team Bahamas. He is poised to become the youngest-rated player in the country pending FIDE’s official announcement.
Caerwyn is also a qualifier for this year’s CAC Chess Youth festival and will represent
the country in El Salvador in August. He has already claimed the title of National U10 Champion, showcasing remarkabletalentatayoungage.
Danica Rolle, who has established herself as the strongest primary school female player in the Bahamas will also be competing in Orlando. Danica has earned the title of National U10 Female Champion through her dedication and skill. She is also a qualifier for this year’s CAC Chess Youth Festival.
Elton Joseph, coach, said the team is the “pinnacle” of young chess talent in the country.
valuable insights and experience.”
Alisha Carey, Harbour Island All School, Eleuthera, said she was encouraged to attend the programme by her school administrators and plans to connect with other Family Island students during her time. She said that while she is undecided on a university as there are “simply so many good options” she is resolute on her decision to study ultrasonography and become an ultrasound technician. Through participating in the initiate, she plans to have new experiences and boost her self-esteem.
She said: “I’m looking to meet new people, experience more, boost my self-esteem and just have fun while I’m here.”
TEACHING FINANCIAL LITERACY
THE Bahamas Development Bank (BDB) recently hosted a group of over 50 Freeport Primary School sixth graders for a session on financial literacy.
Through engaging activities and discussions, the sixth graders learned about the importance of planning for the future and how disciplined saving can help them achieve their dreams.
“It is crucial for our young people to understand the value of money management early on. By teaching them the principles of saving and goal setting, we are not only empowering them to make sound financial decisions in the future but also contributing to the overall economic well-being of our community.”
Following the interactive session, BDB presented a donation to Freeport Primary School to assist graduating sixth graders with their transition to junior high school.
Brent Deveaux, credit operations manager, BDB, stressed the importance of learning sound financial practices early in life and that BDB is proud to invest in the financial literacy of students as part of their commitment to national development.
THE Association of Tertiary Institutions in The Bahamas will hold a college fair on Saturday, July 27, at the Mall at Marathon. The event will run from 10am to 4pm. For more information, contact 324-8934 or email atib.education@gmail.com.
IVANNA SEYMOUR
SPORTS
TUESDAY,JULY16,2024
‘Bahamas stood tall on the world stage’
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
Mario Bowleg said as the Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, he was proud to be able to witness the progress of the senior men’s national basketball team in their bid to becomethefirstteamsport to qualify for the Olympic Games.
Whiletheteamadvanced to the championship game a week ago in Valencia, Spain, Bowleg told the House of Assembly yesterdaythattheteamfellshort of advancing to the games, scheduled for July 27 to August 11 in Paris, France, bylosingtoSpain.
According to Bowleg, who served previously as the president of the Bahamas Basketball Federation and the head coach of the men’s team, the journey started 51 years ago to make The Bahamas the envyoftheworld.
He noted that their forefathers courageously took bold steps to pave the way for the advancement of
the sport, laying the foundation for a future where Bahamians could excel on the global stage in sports, educationandbeyond.
“Their visionary leadership and perseverance continue to inspire us today as we build upon their legacy and strive for excellenceineveryendeavour,”hesaid.
In2015,Bowlegrevealed that the BBF embarked on a mission after they got the mandate from FIBA, the international governing body for basketball, who identified The Bahamas as a rising star in their revamped World Cup format and issued a challenge for the country to raisetheirgame.
“Asthethenheadcoach, I vividly remember the excitementandtheresponsibility we felt,” Bowleg pointedout.
“From day one, I had confidence in this team, even when financial supportwasscarce.
“We knew the potential we had, and we were determined to prove ourselves. The decision to accept FIBA’s challenge was a pivotal moment for
Historic 30th AID Claycourt Tennis Championships set for August 3-17
THE historic 30th edition of the annual AID Claycourt Tennis Championships is slated to be held at the Gym Tennis Club in Winton Meadows, Nassau fromAugust3-17.
The “AID”, as the tournament is commonly known, is the most popular event on the local tennis calendar and will offer singles and doubles competition in ten categories: Gentlemen’s & Ladies’ Open Singles & Doubles, Gentlemen’s & Ladies 35 & Over Singles & Doubles andMixedDoubles.
Additionally, Boys & Girls U16 Singles divisions willbeheldforouryounger tennisstars.
The AID is the longest running tournament with the same sponsor and the sponsors are planning a special event this year to commemorate this 30th year.
“AID is once again delighted to partner with the Gym Tennis Club in hosting this important, national tournament,” said AID president Jason Watson.
“We are proud of continuing our sponsorship into the tournament’s 30th year and we look forward to the usual two weeks of great competition.” All entrants will receive a goody-bag of souvenir items, attractive trophies
and prize money will also be awarded to all winners andrunners-up.
Eddie Carter, president of the Gym Tennis Club and tournament director, welcomed the tournament totheirproperty.
“The Gym is again happy to host this amazing tournament and our organisational team will ensure this special occasion is appropriately commemorated,”Cartersaid.
“We are grateful to AID for their usual generous sponsorship and we look forwardtothekeencompetition and camaraderie the tournamentisknownfor.”
The entry deadline is Wednesday, July 31 at 6pm
CHESS TOURNEY POSTPONED THE Bahamas Chess Federation has announced that its Independence Cup 2024 Tournament, scheduled for July 13-14, has been postponed due to the lack of a suitablevenue. This tournament was supposed to bethesecondqualifierfortheBahamas National Chess Championship 2025. The federation will arrange anotherqualifiersoon. ThenextopenqualifieristheNew Providence Open 2024, scheduled forAugust10-11.
BASKETBALL
PEACE ON DA STREETS
THE annual Peace On Da Streets Basketball Classic, dubbed “Shooting Hoops instead of Guns,” began
July, 2024
yesterday and will be held every day until July 21 at the Michael ‘Scooter Reid” Basketball Center at the Hope Center. All games start at 6pm daily. Categories include 12-and-under, 16-and-under, 20-and-under, government ministry, church and open divisions. The event is being promoted by Guardian Radio and Radio House Outreach. CLERGY VS POLITICIANS AS part of the Peace ON Da Streets Classic, organisers will once again stage the showdown between members of the Clergy against the Members of Parliament. The game is scheduled for 8pm Sunday, July 21 at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium.
and the draws for all divisions will take place at the Gym Tennis Club the following day - Thursday, August1at6pm.
Entries can be returned by email to aidclaycourts@ hotmail.com or delivered to the Gym Tennis Club beforethattime.
Participants may enter a maximumofthreeevents.
Entry fees are $20 for each singles and $10 per player for each doubles with juniors paying half priceforallevents.
our national basketball programme.”
Speaking out for the first time since he returned homefromthetournament in Spain, Bowleg said the transformative journey began with a new game plan, aiming to improve their skills and strategies and to establish a strong presence among their internationalcompetitors.
With a clear vision and a commitment to excellence, Bowleg said they embarked on the path that they felt would propel The Bahamas towards the ultimate goal of qualifying for the Olympics and inspiring the future generation of Bahamianathletes.
“The country faced tough opponents in prequalifying tournaments across the Americas,” Bowlegstated.“Eachgame presented an unique challenge, testing the team’s resilienceandskills.
“From buzzer beating shots to intense defensive stands, every moment highlighted our team’s dedication and readiness for these
BFA U15 BOYS, GIRLS IN SERIES OF INT. FRIENDLIES
THE Bahamas Football Association (BFA) announced a series of international friendly matches between the Bahamas under-15 boys and girls teams and the Optimal TrainingFoundation(OTF) Academy from North Florida. The matches are scheduled to take place from July 19-21 at the Roscow AL Davies Fields. Admission is free, and the public is invited to come out and support our young Bahamianplayers.
July19 U15Girls:9am U15Boys:10:30am July20 U15Girls:9amand6pm U15 Boys: 10:30am and 7:30pm July21 U15Girls:6pm U15Boys:7:30pm This exciting event highlights the remarkable talent andhardworkoftheyoung playersintheBahamasU15 boys and girls national programmes.Theseteamstrain through the BFA’s Centre of Excellence, which features top talent selected from BFA clubs and high school sports programmes acrosstheBahamas.
JUBILEE Ministries emerged as the champions of the Bahamas Baptist Sports Federation’s 2024 Co-Ed Slowpitch Softball Tournament that was concludedonSaturday. With the return of the tournament to the home of “Baptist Sports,” at the revamped Charles W. Saunders playing field, Jubilee Ministries held off Macedonia Baptist 13-9 to earn the championshiptitle.
Third baseman D’Juan Seymour was named the most valuable player after he went 2-for-3 with a grand slam home run in a six-run first inning and added a two-run double in a five-run thirdinning.
Sophie Cartwright scored three runs and both Jana Bain and Alfred Seymour scored a pair of runs. Seymour was the
JUBILEE Ministries MVP D’Juan Seymour receives his award from Rev. Daniel Nottage as BBSF advisor Wellington Miller (far left) looks on.
AID’s director Janelle WatsonDavis presents a sponsorship cheque to tournament director Mickey Williams.
DEANDRE AYTON, of the senior men’s national basketball team, receives a Player of the Game award.