07182023 NEWS AND SPORT

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Volume: 120 No.135, July 18, 2023

FNM: Bell SuperSeded iMMigratioN oFFicialS

Claims that minister forced release of Chinese workers

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune News Editor rrolle@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Move-

ment Leader Michael

Pintard said Immigration Minister Keith Bell superseded senior immigration officials on January 17 to force the release of dozens of Chinese nationals working illegally at the British Colonial Hotel.

Mr Pintard, citing information from unnamed senior immigration officials, said when officers showed up at the Hilton

and loaded buses with Chinese nationals, a senior official of the hotel contacted Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper.

“After a call from Minister Bell was made, the nationals were released from the bus to return to the site,” he claimed.

Mr Bell declined to respond yesterday, saying he would address it in the House of Assembly. Mr Cooper also declined to comment.

Mr Pintard said

SEE page five

Jobs and prices fear over electric costs

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

GROCERS may raise food prices and gas retailers are promising to lay off staff as some businesses see a 70 per cent increase in electricity costs this summer.

Arnette Ingraham, Bahamas Power and Light’s communications manager, attributed the soaring electricity costs to higher power consumption and the effects of increased fuel charges.

BPL announced last year that customers using less than 800kWh would see an increase of two cents p/ kWh. Those using more power would see a rise of 4.3 cents p/kWh in four increments, peaking in September 2023.

Alarmed residents have been complaining about the costs on social media.

“The increase is a significant one looking at the bills from time past,” said Philip Beneby, president of the

SEE page three

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

NEIL Campbell, the acting permanent secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Family Island Affairs, confirmed the North Andros District Council was given money to have a beach cleaned, violating the law.

SEE page five

Bahamas Department of Correctional Services graduates inmates

Jobs and prices fear over electric costs

from page one

Retail Grocers Association.

“This is the most significant it has been in any one period.”

Mr Beneby said grocers are reviewing their business model “to see what needs to be changed in order to absorb these increased costs”.

He said businesses are trying to avoid passing the costs on to consumers.

“It won’t be very long because you can only carry those costs for so long before you have to pass them on in some shape, way or form because when it’s time for government fees to be paid, you must have the government fees to pay them,” he added. “You must have BPL’s fees to pay them. Otherwise, you know what happens.”

Raymond Jones, president of the Bahamas

Petroleum Retailers Association (BPRA), called the higher costs a disaster.

He said retailers have seen a 75 per cent increase in electricity costs.

“If we were another retailer with the freedom to adjust our margins, it wouldn’t have been an issue,” he said, noting the Davis administration refuses to adjust their margins. “We’d adjust the margin to cover the cost

and maintain a reasonable profit.”

“There’ll be lots of layoffs,” he claimed. “There will be a reduction in hours and operations. All of that’s coming in the very near future.”

Meanwhile, Fusion expects a $500k jump in electricity costs by the end of the fiscal year.

“The overall bill moved up around 70 per cent over the past few months and

Ministry officials concerned as road works

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net

A MOTORIST struck a traffic manager with a rock last week, injuring the man in what a top Ministry of Works official said is an example of the hazards some employees face.

Bahiyyah Hepburn, an assistant civil engineer in the ministry, said such attacks make it risky to repair roads at night.

“The motorist became irate because they were doing paving works on East Street south”, she said. “This was around Calvary Deliverance Church and he became irate because the road was closed and he took a rock; he threw the rock and hit the traffic manager in the head, which required stitches.”

“We’ve had people just not adhere,” she continued. “They will drive full speed through a closure in the night because they either don’t care or they’re drunk or under the

influence of substances, all these allegedly. So, when we consider doing night work, it is a very serious decision in order to do that.”

“As a manager, I get very concerned because you don’t know who you’re going to encounter. And that comes with any area, trust me on this one.”

Nonetheless, Ms Hepburn said the public is usually accommodating to roadworks.

“While you might want to go from point A to point B in the fastest way possible, we ask that patience be exercised,” she said. “Because it’s not just about getting from where you want as soon as possible all the time. It’s ensuring that when we do these road fixes that overall after we’re done you will be able to go where you got to go.”

Asked about the man who assaulted the traffic manager, Ms Hepburn said he drove off and got away.

e

I think we may be expecting about a half a million dollars increase in the electricity bill at the end of the year,” said Chief Legal Officer Tecoyo Bridgewater. He said Fusion wouldn’t burden patrons but is examining cost-cutting measures.

“We’re looking for deals all around as it relates to the costs of the goods we import,” he said. “We do have an agreement that

allows us to get certain reductions on certain items that are brought in. Now we can look for additional concessions. If they’re out there, we hope to get them, but we’re doing things like energy savings. We’re trying to look into some renewable energies.” Ms Ingraham, BPL’s communications manager, said electricity costs are expected to be lower next year.

Mployee hit with rock by Motorist

GROCERS may raise food prices and gas retailers are promising to lay off staff as some businesses see a 70 per cent increase in electricity costs this summer.

Bahiyyah hEpBuRn, an assistant civil engineer at the Ministry of Works said “As a manager, I get very concerned because you don’t know who you’re going to encounter. And that comes with any area, trust me on this one.”

Photo: Moise amisial

Children allowed to visit parents in prison beginning next month

By LETRE SWEETING Tribune Staff Reporter lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

CHILDREN will visit their parents in prison for the first time in a programme starting next month, according to acting

Corrections Commissioner Doan Cleare.

He said the six-month programme will begin at the women’s prison, with children allowed to spend a day with their parents.

“The Cuban government has a rehabilitative programme called Grow Your Child,” he told reporters.

“This programme allows for incarcerated men, especially, and females to have their kids come into the prison and spend the day with them. During that day, they attend classes with their loved ones, and this programme lasts for about six months.”

“So this is a programme that we tried to start here many, many years ago, from 2015, but it never materialised. So come next month, we’re going to start with

a phased

approach. We’re going to start with the female prison, then we’re going to move to medium, then the remand centre, and then maximum-security prison.

“All incarcerated men especially and females who are here, once they give us the names of their kids, they will come here and spend the day with them. The primary purpose of this is to break that cycle. There are too many fathers and sons incarcerated in here at this facility. So we’re trying to break that curse.”

Mr Cleare’s comments came after a ceremony at the prison where 27 inmates were graduated from a Journey Course Training programme. The programme is an eight-week course that teaches inmates values from the book of Mark in the Bible. Some 300 people have graduated from the programme to date.

Kendra Bowe and the chaplaincy department support the programme at the facility.

Davis a Dministration looking to ‘tone Down’ cost of new correctional facility

By LETRE SWEETING Tribune Staff Reporter lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

THE Davis administration has asked prison officials to reduce costs for a planned high-medium security correctional facility, according to acting Corrections Commissioner Doan Cleare.

“What happened is that the government is of the view that the current facility is costly, which amounts to, I think, $93m,” he said, noting officials met to discuss the matter on Sunday. “What they are asking us now is if we can remove some of the things that may not be totally necessary for a facility.

“We are now in the process of trying to tone down some of the costings and do a resubmission to the government. Once that is done, we will be proceeding as mandated.”

National Security Minister Wayne Munroe revealed in May that the government expanded its construction plans for the corrections facility, moving from a $40m high-medium security facility to a $90m “correctional institution, administrative, housing and medical facility”.

Officials say facility upgrades are vital to getting accredited by the American Correctional Association. However, questions have been raised about the contract award process for the project. Meanwhile, acting

Commissioner Cleare said after a Jamaican prisoner was accidentally repatriated to Jamaica in May, the prison tightened its procedures to prevent a repeat incident.

“There are lots of new procedures that are now put in place,” he said. “We had three different checks. We now have five checks. Also, immigration will now be a part of it, in terms of their checks now too. So it most likely wouldn’t happen again.”

Ramone Haughton, 25, was found guilty of overstaying and having a firearm. When he completed his sentence for overstaying in May, he was released from prison. He was deported before serving his firearm sentence.

“Based on our initial investigations, that amounted to a procedural error,” acting Commissioner Cleare said. “What actually caused the issue is that the same individual was charged in two different courts on the same day.

“Our records department was of the view at that time that this person only had one charge. So after the court sent back for that person, they realised it was two different charges on the same person. “But he was then released to Immigration and Immigration deported him. So it is up to the attorney general’s office to determine whether they will seek his extradition back to The Bahamas to stand trial.”

community meetings to be hel D on Parole bill before it is tableD

By LETRE SWEETING Tribune Staff Reporter lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

ACTING Corrections

Commissioner Doan Cleare said four town hall meetings would be held before a bill establishing a parole system for inmates is tabled in the House of Assembly.

The first meeting will be held at Doris Johnson Senior High School tomorrow at 7pm. Acting Commissioner Cleare said a symposium featuring presentations on parole from international guests would be held on September 13 and 14.

“The community has

to be sensitised first,” he said. “Once we sensitise the community, a white paper will go out, which is now completed, and then the minister will make an announcement. Then the government will determine the date when it will be rolled out, but we are expecting it to roll out sometime this year.

“Now, what’s going to happen is we’re going to have a parole board and the parole will pretty much control who gets parole and what the conditions are. Also, if the judge gives you seven years, you will get seven years, so it will be the parole board who will

determine the programmes you go into and the conditions in terms of you being released from here.”

CommuniMr Cleare noted that a parole board is different from the Prerogative of Mercy Committee, which allows the governor general to pardon convicted criminals.

In 2016, the Christie administration appointed a Parole and Re-entry Steering Committee to propose a policy framework for a parole system.

The Minnis administration said it would table a bill to introduce a parole system but did not do so.

THE Davis administration has asked prison officials to reduce costs for a planned high-medium security correctional facility, according to acting Corrections Commissioner Doan Cleare.

CHILDREN will visit their parents in prison for the first time in a programme starting next month, according to acting Corrections Commissioner Doan Cleare.

FNM: Bell superseded immigration officials

top immigration officials “took strong issue” with what happened and “communicated their objection to the permanent secretary”.

“Immigration,” he said,”was not able to process the great number of Chinese and had no idea who they were.”

Mr Pintard claimed there were between 60 and 100 Chinese nationals without a work permit. He said officials told him some workers were in the country for “possibly a year”.

“The rationale is obviously they are facilitating those that wish to have the hotel completed,” he told The Tribune. “Our position is, while there’s an urgency in making sure the infrastructure of hotel properties are taken care of, the manner in which we do it is as important.”

Mr Pintard said the Chinese nationals should have been detained and their documentation properly assessed.

“Since they were

released, there was great uncertainty around who all these people were and the circumstances surrounding them,” he said.

“This chain of events has raised questions about the appropriateness of Minister Bell and others’ actions and his alleged interference in the due process of immigration enforcement. If proven true, such actions undermine the principles of fair and equitable treatment for all workers, as well as the credibility of the government in upholding immigration laws.”

Immigration Director Keturah Ferguson referred this newspaper to the department’s public relations representative yesterday when asked about the matter. A response did not come before press time.

The FNM has increased its scrutiny of Mr Bell after he oversaw an unorthodox citizenship oath ceremony at a funeral last month. The party says many questions about the episode remain unanswered.

North A Ndros district couNcil ‘viol Ated’ loc A l GoverNmeN t Act

Councils can only accept money from the central government, according to the Local Government Act.

Some North Andros residents were alarmed to learn the North Andros District Council was paid to clean up Cedar Beach after a party over the Independence weekend. Although the $400 payment is not a substantial sum, residents fear this may point to a deeper problem.

The payment was revealed when a party promoter responded to claims that Cedar Beach was not cleaned after his event.

He disclosed a receipt on social media with a note that said: “$400 for cleaning Cedar Beach after beach party July 8, 2023.”

The name on the receipt was the North Andros District Council. It is unclear whether the promoter knew giving money to the council was unlawful.

Although Mr Campbell said an investigation is ongoing, he defended the council’s actions yesterday.

“It’s nothing foul,” he said. “It’s well-intentioned.”

“Ain’t nothing bad or like they pocket $300, $400.”

“Even though local government may not be empowered to do it, they

were trying to find a measure in good conscience in order to solve a problem that is age-old. But that don’t give them the right.”

“When I served in other parts of the country, this is what I would do. I would say, you want to have this event? Give me a $100 or $200 security deposit. It goes towards lighting because you want to use a parking area, water, what have you, or it goes towards clean-up.

“When you clean the park satisfactorily, I will give you back your money. See now what they did, they didn’t put that proviso in it, so now we’re in this jam. That’s what I would’ve done. But I don’t know if

a pile of bottles and other garbage were left beind on Cedar Beach despite a $400 payment collected by the North Andros District Council.

they said give us the $400, and we will clean it.”

Although North Andros Chamber of Commerce President Darin Bethel

called for the police to investigate the matter, Mr Campbell said an internal ministry investigation is all that is happening.

“If it was me, I would give him back his $400 and have him clean the beach and let him see how much it actually costs,” he said.

s ix people ch A r G ed i N mAG istr Ates c ourt i N Gr AN d B A h A m A for vA rious crimes

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedi.net

Six persons were charged in the Freeport Magistrate’s Court on Monday for various serious offenses, including armed robbery, stealing, burglary, and unlawful sexual intercourse and willful damage.

Lawrence Arthur, 21, of Scott Avenue, was charged with unlawful sexual intercourse. He was not required to enter plea to the charge. He was granted $8,000 bail with two sureties. The matter was adjourned to August 21.

Frankie Seymour, 34,

of Wrexham Drive and Marcus Anthony Forbes, 25, of Pinedale, Eight Mile Rock, were charged with armed robbery and stealing.

The pair was denied bail and the matter was adjourned to September 29, 2023. On the charge of stealing, they were both granted $5,000 bail with one suretor.

Shawn Woodside, 27, of Murchison Drive, was charged with Burglary. He pleaded not guilty and was denied bail. He was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Corrections until September 9, 2023.

Shequera McFall, 19, of Loyalist Lane, was charged with stealing by reason of service. She pleaded pleaded guilty and will sentenced on Tuesday, July 18.

Phillip Lightbourne, 42, of Bahamia Arms, was charged with willful damage. He was convicted and fined $100 and ordered to compensate public health authorities $300. In default of payments, Lightbourne will be sentenced to 2 months imprisonment at the Bahamas Department of Corrections.

mAN’s rem A iNs fouNd iN Bushes iN freeport

ANIMALS carried body parts of a dead man in Freeport on Sunday, prompting police to find a man’s decomposing body.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Stephen Rolle

said yesterday that foul play is not suspected in the man’s death. He said the man was found after 10pm on Sunday in a poorly kept area on Pioneer’s Way near

a local church. Animals had begun to eat the man. Police couldn’t say how long they suspected the man was dead. ASP Rolle said a DNA test is needed to reveal the man’s identity.

Shequera McFall, 19, of Loyalist Lane hullo Smith Glen Campbell and Shawn Woodside

Free National Movement Leader Michael Pintard said Immigration Minister Keith Bell superseded senior immigration officials on January 17 to force the release of dozens of Chinese nationals working illegally at the British Colonial Hotel.

The reManS of a man found in the bushes in Freeport is taken away.

Photo: Vandyke hepburn

The Tribune Limited

What now?

EDITOR, The Tribune.

WITH most of those celebrations related to our 50 years as an Independent Bahamas now being seen in our rear-view mirrors, it would be so good if the degrees of nationalism displayed at the time could be sustained in some truly meaningful ways. At least, that’s my opinion. My opinion, too, is that our National Anthem, National Motto, National Pledge, plus other National Symbols ought to be solid foundations upon which The Bahamas should be building better Bahamians.

The law must be the law for all

IN this column yesterday, we highlighted the frustration many people felt when investigations are promised but nothing ever seems to be delivered.

We noted several investigations – the alleged assault of two Haitian barbers, the beating of students at a school in Bimini, the investigation of a sitting MP for alleged rape, an allegation of torture by police in Eleuthera, and more.

The failure to expedite investigations – or even carry them out in such a manner where alleged victims have even been approached by officers seeking to establish the facts – leads to a lack of trust that our public servants are indeed serving the public.

In today’s Tribune, we witness another example – this time in the case of a council that has received money to have a beach cleaned in contravention of the law.

The story is simple enough – a party promoter held an event in North Andros, and afterwards looked to pay for a clean-up.

A video circulated after the event showing bottles on the beach – leading to claims the beach was not cleaned. The promoter posted the receipt to social media for a payment of $400 to clean up Cedar Beach. The problem was that the name on the receipt was North Andros District Council. The council, under the law, can only accept money from central government. That is under the terms of the Local Government Act.

The acting permanent secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Family Island Affairs is Neil Campbell – and he spoke to the issue yesterday, confirming that the council was given money to have the beach cleaned.

Rather than call in the police for a breach of the law, however, he defended

the council, saying “it’s well-intentioned”. Try that excuse next time in a court of law and see how it flies.

He said it “ain’t nothing bad or like they pocket $300, 400” although he did not specify where the money went.

Moreover he went on to say that when he served in other parts of the country, he would tell people to give him a $100 or $200 security deposit that would be returned if the park was cleaned satisfactorily. If he did so as a member of local government, is he admitting he broke the law too?

The president of the North Andros Chamber of Commerce has called for the police to investigate. Mr Campbell says it will only be an internal ministry investigation – though Mr Campbell seems to have judged the matter already by his tone.

The law as it stands prevents, for example, members of councils pocketing money from event organisers. More to the point, it is simply the law. Break it and you should face the appropriate consequences. Fail to uphold the law, and every council will be able to do this, with little to no oversight and leaving the system open to potential corruption.

It is only $400, some might say – but the National Security Minister was happy to name and shame a company that had not acquired a $20 licence to use the national symbols recently. It is not about the money, it is about the law. The law is the law – and it should apply to everyone equally. If some are subject to laws but not others, it is little wonder people lose respect for the systems that govern our society. Did the council receive money in contravention of the law? Then deal with the council accordingly. There should be no other option.

Andros alarm

EDITOR, The Tribune.

I WRITE to express the collective concern of Androsians around the operation of our current local government council. At a time when North Andros is most in need of leadership to address our economic, infrastructure and development needs our local government council is apparently without direction or focus. The recent stories in your paper which confirmed that our local council collected funds to clean up a public beach after a private beach party is just the latest example of ineptitude.

On the face of it,we congratulate the promoter for making arrangements to have the beach cleaned but we are equally disappointed that those funds were collected by the council and the work carried out by council members. This action by the council is in direct contradiction to the local Government

Act (1996) which is explicit about the fact that the council cannot issue bills or raise revenue even for services rendered. Put simply, the solicitation of funds for this or any other purpose by local government is illegal under the law and we should remember that “he who cannot be trusted with a little can certainly not be trusted with a lot”.

Also of concern is that the Island Administrator nor the Chief Councilor have offered any explanation. Both would have been trained prior to taking their positions and would be well aware that these positions must be governed by the rule of law and at least the appearance of integrity.

The promised investigation is not difficult and a simple phone call to the promoter can confirm who negotiated the price and who he paid.

At a time when there is growth on many islands, North Andros continues to struggle with very high unemployment of

seventeen percent (17%) and instead of self-interest this opportunity could have benefitted a local entrepreneur or any of the dozens of young people looking for jobs on the island. This debacle is small when compared to our electricity situation, the lack of a bank, limited access to healthcare or the fact that we have not had a single major investment proposed for our island but once again it painfully demonstrates the lack of leadership. Until we can agree on what is right or wrong progress will be difficult.

I call on the Minister to not allow this matter to be swept under the rug and for Police to investigate this offence.

We can and must do better if we want progress in North Andros.

CONCERNED CITIZENS OF NORTH ANDROS

July 17, 2023

That’s not to say that we have not been increasing the status and qualifications of many, many Bahamians over the past 50 years, because we have. In fact, one can point in almost any direction and be pointing at outstanding Bahamians, at home and abroad. Even if we use the popular (but distorted) list which cites doctors, lawyers, accountants, and such professionals to demonstrate advancements and achievements, it would still be highly debatable whether or not such upward mobility came as a result of Independence itself.

Although Bahamian Independence, and Majority Rule are undeniably factors in the progressive movement of Bahamians by and large, without definitive goal posts, anywhere we kick the ball can be considered a goal.

Building better Bahamians on the foundation of our national symbols would be an all-inclusive endeavour that this nation can embark upon, with specific measures to show success or failure. No matter the noise in the market, there can be no better natural resource in The Bahamas than Bahamians. With the necessary paradigm shift to make every Bahamian work for a better Bahamas, and The Bahamas work for bettering Bahamians, how could the outcomes be other than win/win situations?

In building this new and improved Bahamas, don’t you think we ought to commit to the fact that we are all equally valuable to the process? Some of us, so to speak, may be carpenters, others masons, plumbers, electricians, helpers... and so on and so forth. Once we emancipate ourselves from maniacal partisan political party allegiances and pay dedicated allegiance to The Bahamas instead, we would be well on our way to that new, better Bahamas.

With the traditional squabble about personality, leadership, and status-hustling pushed aside, that Bahamian axiom “...if ya can’t fish, cut bait” could find valuable merit in the next 50 years of building our better, Independent Bahamas. Teaching all Bahamians to fish is surely better than pseudo kind-heartedly or otherwise offering a fish

each day. Further, in teaching Bahamians that it’s ok to cut bait or clean fish when their fishing skills may be lacking, is still a very good lesson to be taught and learnt. What we can all do for our country is just as important as what our country can do for us. That scale and symbiotic relationship should always be balanced... moving forward, upward, onward together.

Our national map and compass can be instrumental in charting the course around any treacherous shoals - present and future. However, as we embark on our journey through the next 50 years of an Independent Bahamas, how many Bahamians now have a good idea of what the explicit national development agenda is for, say, even the next ten years? Are we still in the era of “whatever buck up, goes”? Although noticeably absent from those Bahamas Games this time around, are we still perfecting that popular sport of “kicking the can down the road”? Is the next election cycle still to take priority over the life cycles and well-being of innocent Bahamians caught up in one or another of our sad daily statistics? One person can say it. Even two or three in the crowd might whisper it. But when will a significant group, or the entire crowd, shout out the truth about the “Emperor’s new clothes”? Is 50 years of Independence nuttin’ but a number?

One step forward, two steps backwards might be what some Bahamians see in that rear-view mirror, with the official celebrations of 50 years of Independence simmering down in the coolish, balmy breezes of this July. Can we build better Bahamians with so many youth here whose parents came to The Bahamas illegally? How and when will there be definitive answers to such vexing questions about certain legal status and related problems?

Pre-Independence was a time of one radio station in The Bahamas. Now, 50 years later, we have lots of radio stations sprinkling the airwaves. Talk shows, like social media, have become very popular and influential with huge numbers of Bahamians. Leading up to, during, and after this year’s Independence Celebrations, however, has there been any real attention paid to ways in which Bahamians can truly move forward, upward, onward together?

Thankfully, a few radio stations highlighted significant historical notes and information. Sadly, by contrast, there are still Government officials and other prominent personalities who continue to mislead the nation with broadcast comments like “Randolph Fawkes” and “the Preamble states that this is a Christian nation”

whilst other radio talk shows insisted on dragging stories of partisan political disgraces through the mud of malodorous discourse at this momentous time.

That sort of mudslinging happens with or without the intermittent rainfalls of late. Even in the House, a mere two days after the July 10 date, Members of Parliament spent most of their time “on the Floor” (as well as the usual heckling off the Floor) slinging mud and manure at each other - with remarks which had nothing to do with the Bill being debated.

Perplexingly, there was not even a bull in sight, nary a bona fide heifer around to produce the stuff being tossed in those hallowed halls. This calls to mind the fact that each sunrise might look a bit different, but new and old days appear to be the same. The House is the House. That’s just the way it is... 50 years post Independence.

Much more can be said about the sad state of affairs just waiting to be remedied in our moving beyond that 50 years marker, but let’s end this scribble with a glimmer of that rising sun we celebrate in our National Anthem.

How about contacting our Members of Parliament and requesting that they take the necessary actions, within the next fiscal year, to abolish the Senate? Clearly, it serves no useful purpose, being merely perfunctory and useless. Or, could it be that our Upper House - in the Kingdom’s tradition - simulates the House of Lords, somewhere over there across the deep blue seas? In our local case, are there annual budgetary allocations for the upkeep of rubber stamps for that place?

Before our Independence celebrations conclude, perhaps our King could be consulted on the matter, and he just might be benignly inclined to grant a jolly good benevolent Royal favour with funding for that relic of a Senate.

Maybe the bottom line to the foregoing lines of mine is that we in The Bahamas can do much better than we have done in the past 50 years, as we are doing presently. There is no shortage of real problems and vital situations that we cannot collectively address and fix. Some of these are pre-Independence, and others are quite current. Take your pick.

With the goals of building better Bahamians and a better Bahamas, the particular details and time lines should be all there could be to conscientiously debate bettering our Bahamas. When our debates, Parliamentary and otherwise, are focused on best solutions to the issues at hand and not irrelevant trifling, we should be that much closer to those (yet to be clearly articulated) common, loftier goals we dedicated ourselves to 50 years ago.

MB Nassau, July 17, 2023.

Sands’ naivety

EDITOR, The

AT A time when the consensus is that we unite as a people, the Free National Movement, under the pettiness and political naivety of Duane Sands, decides to waste time on trivialities. He cannot help himself after seeing the outpouring of patriotism and fellowship shown at the well-received presentations and participation of the Bahamian people at the Independence Celebration in Clifford Park.

Ironically though, at the same time of the event, Sand’s brother said that the occupancy rate at Baha Mar was very high, which proves that the overall impact on the economy is good.

The expressions of approval and flag waving of thousands showed that Bahamians are happy

about the wisdom in giving thanks for the past fifty years. We should make no apologies to remind us that God has brought us a mighty long way.

Sands should apologise that the FNM seems not involved in anything Bahamian. They do not participate in Majority Rule Day, celebrating all Bahamians finally seizing control from the white elite. He did not say why there is no participation in anything cultural, no sporting event, junkanoo, or national event.

Outside observers would conclude that there are one hundred percent black in the Bahamas.

We remember that most white Bahamians disagreed with the Bahamas becoming independent. Some even were planning to take

up arms to prevent independence. Sadly, scores of white Bahamians moved abroad in protest.

Finally, Bahamians are honoured internationally; many have Keys to the City of large States. So Sands, with little time remaining, the FNM should work assiduously to create a party that will attract Bahamians. As it stands now, the badly wounded party he is chairing has lost all credibility to comment and even present themselves as an alternative.

Since 2021 Bahamians have become much wiser and will not be distracted by childish rhetoric. The FNM does not have a foot to stand on. IVOINE W INGRAHAM Nassau, July 14, 2023.

Three men charged with armed robbery and murder

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

THREE men were remanded in custody after they were charged with a series of armed robberies in New Providence, including a botched attempt that ended in a man being shot and killed in February.

Leroy Estime, 27, was charged with murder, attempted armed robbery, housebreaking, grievous harm and four counts of armed robbery.

Frero Senat, 36, was charged with armed robbery and housebreaking.

Ervin Moxey, 30, was

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was sentenced to two years in prison after admitting to having an unlicensed gun in his home.

Travis Rigby, 24, and Cristal Cambridge, 29, were charged before Senior

charged with murder, attempted armed robbery, armed robbery and arson.

With a black handgun, Estime allegedly robbed Verilien Louis of $8,000 on February 14. He also allegedly robbed Ronite Julmuste of $600 cash and an iPhone 7 that day.

Estime and Moxey allegedly shot and killed 38-year-old Escaniel Doudou during a failed armed robbery attempt on February 25.

Estime and Senat allegedly broke into Mary Alexandre’s home on June 20, robbing her of $4,000.

Estime allegedly shot and seriously injured

Police investigate armed robbery and sexual assault of a woman

62-year-old Jean Bien Aime as he was en route to the airport to catch a flight to Haiti on July 4. During this same incident, he allegedly stole Bien Aime’s suitcase full of clothing.

Moxey is accused of stealing a grey 2009 Toyota ISSI from Jacob Prenelus at gunpoint on July 4. The vehicle, which belonged to Alcy Beneas and was valued at $8,000, was found on fire on All Saints Way in Excellence Estates later that day.

The cases will be transferred to the Supreme Court through a voluntary bill of indictment to be served on October 5.

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net

NEW Providence police are investigating a sexual assault and armed robbery reported yesterday.

According to reports, sometime around 9.54am, while on the outside of a friend’s residence in the area of Cowpen Road, the victim was approached by an unknown man who allegedly produced a firearm, robbed her of an undisclosed amount of cash, and sexually assaulted her.

The suspect then entered the home and robbed a male resident

of his cell phone and cash. The suspect fled the area in an unknown direction.

Meanwhile, police arrested eight suspects for possessing an illegal firearm and ammunition on Sunday.

Police said shortly after 8.45pm, officers visited a residence in the area of Mantol Street, Montel Heights, where they conducted searches that led to the discovery of a highpowered weapon and a quantity of ammunition.

Eight adult residents of the home were arrested and taken into police custody.

Police also said they are seeking the public’s

help in locating and apprehending two male suspects believed to be responsible for an armed robbery that occurred on Sunday.

Sometime around 9.47am, while parked in front of a relative’s home around Hampshire Street, the victim was approached by two masked men dressed in dark clothing. The men allegedly produced firearms and robbed the man of his navy blue 2015 Lexus R-X 450 Jeep LP#AM9836. The suspects then fled the area in the stolen vehicle, travelling in an unknown direction.

two-year sentence for unlincensed firearm and ammunition

Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-

Evans with possession of an unlicensed firearm and possession of ammunition.

They were also charged with possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply.

Police executed a search warrant on the defendants’ residence on Lancelot Drive on July

14. Officers found Rigby asleep on the couch and discovered a black Austria Glock .40 pistol in a bag. The weapon was found with a magazine containing 11 rounds of .40 ammunition. Police also confiscated ten grams of marijuana from the defendants’ residence.

In an interview with police, Rigby admitted to

owning the gun, claiming he had it for his protection. However, he did not comment on owning the weapons.

While both accused pleaded not guilty to the drug charge, Rigby alone pleaded guilty to the weapon charges.

Bail for the drug charge was set at $2,500 for the accused. The weapon

charges against Cambridge were withdrawn.

Rigby’s attorney, Murrio Ducille, said his client had the gun because he had been robbed numerous times. He said his young client pleaded guilty immediately and had no antecedents before the court. He asked the magistrate to be merciful.

Although Magistrate

Vogt-Evans considered Rigby’s early plea, she noted the proliferation of gun-related violence in the country. She sentenced Rigby to two years in prison to deter such crimes. Rigby was informed that he could appeal the sentence within seven days. The drug trial is set for October 30.

m

an accused of ra P e held until trial date

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN has been charged with rape after allegedly sexually assaulting a young woman in New Providence in April.

Clyson Beckford, 31,

allegedly raped a 22-yearold woman on April 13. He was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services. His case will be moved to the Supreme Court through a voluntary bill of indictment due for service on October 5.

two months sentence for stealing $20 worth of lysol

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was sentenced to two months in prison after admitting to stealing $21 worth of aerosols last week.

Stephen Hilton, 63, was charged with stealing before Senior Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans.

Hilton stole two Lysol sprays valued at $20.99 from Alexandria McKenzie

on July 15. After Hilton pleaded guilty, his lawyer said he suffered from drug addiction.

Prosecutors revealed that Hilton served a threemonth prison sentence for another stealing charge last year.

The judge admonished the defendant for his continued criminal behaviour, citing his advanced age before sentencing him to two months in prison.

BFN’s ‘Tee-off for hunger’ sets goal to provide 750k meals through golf fund-raiser

By: MIA GARDNER

THE Bahamas Feeding Network (BFN) yesterday announced plans to host their second annual ‘Teeoff for Hunger’ Golf Tournament to raise enough money to provide

750,000 meals this year. Fidelity Bank will continue as title sponsor of the event with Better Homes and Gardens MCR Bahamas hosting the tournament on September 19th at Ocean Club, Paradise Island.

Chief executive officer of Fidelity Bank Gowon Bowe said: “This is really important, the support and the actual participation even more because it adds to the credibility, it adds to the welcomeness of the event and

organisation and so from that perspective we are certainly proud to have our flag flown. When we think about 64,000 meals being provided, when we put that in the context of us being 400,000 people,that gives

us a sense of what the deal is, so this is one of those where, despite our prosperity, we have to remember that we are our brother’s keeper and whilst we can’t do it all, helping hands light work.”

The tournament, a

two-man scramble, will have a maximum of 62 teams with players’ handicaps set at 24 maximum per man and 28 per woman. Winner prizes include a Mercedes Benz provided by Tyreflex in conjunction with Insurance Management.

$2m allocated to repair roads on new providence

By JADE RUSSELL Tribune Staff Reporter jrussell@tribunemedia.net

THE Ministry of Works officials said $2m had been allocated to repair roads and remove potholes.

Francis Clarke, a senior civil engineer in the ministry, said New Providence’s water drainage system has contributed to the number of potholes.

“Once it rains, we will see potholes appearing,” he said during a press conference yesterday to discuss potholes. “That’s because we don’t have adequate drainage or an elaborate drainage system that would take the water runoff or discharge it properly. And if it’s not discharged properly,

water would be settled in the area over a long period of time.”

Mr Clarke said only 15-20 per cent of roads in the capital meet 21st-century standards.

He said heavy rain in June and July hindered road repair efforts.

He said 12 contractors have been assigned to improve the roads, with each contract worth $101,999.82.

Civil engineer Bahiyyah Hepburn said some roads need to be completely resurfaced.

She said people whose vehicles are damaged by potholes can send a compensation claim to the ministry’s permanent secretary.

“It is then evaluated on a case-by-case basis,” she said. “You do not just automatically just get compensated just because of damage because there are several factors that are in play with regards to that, including your own vigilance, safety, and on top of that conditions.”

Bahamix is the paving contractor for the ministry.

“We’ve discovered 118 potholes,” Bahamix General Manager Ryan Rahming said. “So, between the 11th and the 15th, we covered 118 individual patches over those 23 roads.”

Officials are also testing an artificial intelligence app that would help detect road defects.

Francis clarke, a senior civil engineer in the ministry, said New Providence’s water drainage system has contributed to the number of potholes.

crews from Ministry of Works patching holes on various roads in Nassau.

Photos: MOw

LeRon Rolle - Aiming for world success in archery

THE Bahamas has had the kind of international success in sports that some small countries only dream of. Bahamians stand tall, beaming with national pride when their national anthem is played from podiums around the world, knowing that another athlete has captured a gold medal. Bahamians have made amazing strides in many sports, like basketball (including the NBA), American football (including the NFL), baseball (including the MLB), track and field, tennis, swimming, sailing and more. So many more sporting disciplines are out there to conquer, including archery, and LeRon Rolle is aiming to master it. With a steady pace, achieving one success after the other, LeRon aims to become the number one ranked archer in the world. He wants to become an Olympic champion in compound archery, and he is practising every day to achieve it.

Currently, LeRon is the national record holder in the compound bow with a score of 674 out of a possible 720. He recently achieved this feat when he represented The Bahamas at the Central American and Caribbean Games in San Salvador, El Salvador, June 29 – July 8, 2023. LeRon competed in both the Individual, and mixed team categories, making an impressive performance along with team mate Rachael Brown. In addition to setting a new national record, he had a personal best that keeps improving with each competition.

“Ever since I was four years old, I was involved in track and field, soccer and basketball,” LeRon said, “but during the 2020 pandemic, restrictions prevented me from participating in team sports.

“So, I tried archery and from the day I held that bow, I was hooked! Looking back, I know that this process was purposed by God, so I have the responsibility of walking in it with excellence to positively impact others.”

LeRon took his first class in archery on February 28, 2021, taught by Gina Jenkins, President of the Bahamas Archery Club. He first learned how to shoot the bare bow. He enjoyed it, but he took particular interest in working with the compound bow.

By the end of May, LeRon got his chance to work with the compound bow when he was introduced to David Rahming, president of Yamacraw Archery. The rest, he says, is history.

LeRon had been shooting for just four weeks when he received a silver medal in his first archery tournament - the Summer Classics - held on June 26, 2021, at Pinewood Archery.

With just four months’ experience, LeRon shot with people who had been in the sport for more than a year. His score was 116 at the end of six ends. His second local federation tournament - Winter Classics - was a virtual event held in December, 2022. Archers from clubs in New Providence and Grand Bahama participated in this event. LeRon competed in the open men’s category with much more seasoned archers, and he achieved a fifth place score of 267.

After seven months of competitive shooting, it became clear that LeRon had a special talent for archery – one that could be nurtured to the Olympic status he now dreams of. In March of 2022 at the age of 16, LeRon became the only junior archer representing Team Bahamas, and the youngest participant competing at the world ranking Puerto Rico Invitational tournament. These games also served as a qualifier for the Central American and Caribbean games in 2023. He was successful in

Face to Face

By FELICITY DARVILLE

achieving a spot for The Bahamas at these games.

LeRon shot with some of the best archers in the world and achieved personal best scores. For LeRon, a major highlight at the Puerto Rico Invitational was his elimination of the archer from Guadeloupe who had been in the sport for eighteen years. He entered that tournament ranked at 33; but by the time he was done competing, LeRon climbed his way up to rank 17.

With international experience in competition under his belt, LeRon returned home to The Bahamas in June of 2022 for the Spring Classics where he earned a bronze medal in the compound men’s division with a score of 410 points.

In September 2022, LeRon travelled with team Bahamas to Santo Domingo to participate in the 8th Copa Merengue de Trio Conarco world ranking tournament. There, he achieved a personal best of 516 in qualification and 115 in elimination rounds. That same month, he returned home to compete in the virtual Summer Classics, where he earned yet another bronze medal.

By November of 2022, with a growing track record of success, LeRon received national acclaim when he won a gold medal and established a new national record in the Bahamas Archery Fall Classics tournament in the under-18 compound men’s division.

In the same month, LeRon made history when he became the first Bahamian archer to participate at the world ranking Pan American Games qualifier. The tournament was held in Santiago, Chile. Once again, LeRon achieved a personal best score of 617 in the qualification round and 142 out of 150 in the elimination round. He also served as a volunteer for the Chile Archery Federation.

On December 13, 2022, LeRon won the gold medal and established a new national record in the under 18 men’s compound division of the Bahamas Archery Federation’s Winter classics, Lyford Cay. By the end of December, he won the round robin tin cup archery tournament in the compound division.

In just a year, LeRon’s progress was so amazing that others were taking notice around the world. He received an invitation to train, at no cost to him, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic with effect from December of 2022. By January, 2023, LeRon was able to embrace the opportunity to train in Santo Domingo. While there, he achieved a personal best score of 629 out of a possible 720.

By February, he was back in Nassau, where he won a gold medal in the Open Men’s compound division at the Bahamas Nationals Archery Tournament. He also established a new national record, achieving a personal best score of 666 out of a possible 720.

LeRon competed in the European Grand Prix and European Games Qualifying Tournament, held April 3–8 in Lilleshall, Great Britain, where he won an elimination match in a shoot off with Bulgaria, scoring a perfect 10 over the Bulgarian.

From May 12–15, LeRon competed in the under-21 Men’s Compound Division at the Gator cup in Gainesville, Florida. He then

went on to compete in the Hyundai World Cup stage 3 tournament in Medellin, Colombia, June 11–18. He achieved a personal best and set a new national record – once again – scoring 669 out of a possible 720.

“I am still young in the sport as it relates to years of experience, but I am really pleased with my very rapid progress,” LeRon said.

“I have been shooting for almost two years, but each time I step on the competition line, I learn from others in the sport who have been shooting for at least 10 years, and just continue to excel.”

To date, after shooting for only one year, LeRon holds ranking at the world level status and becomes the highest ranked Bahamian archer at the global level, and among the best in the English speaking Caribbean.

Leroy Major, Member of Parliament for Southern Shores, was highly impressed by LeRon’s accomplishments and looks forward to other Southern Shores youngsters following in his footsteps. Major says that LeRon serves as a great source of inspiration for children, because he made major strides worldwide at such a young age, proving that young Bahamians can achieve anything they set their mind to.

“I have had tremendous support, and I am very grateful to both archers and coaches from The Bahamas as well international countries such as the Dominican Republic, Israel, Great Britain, USA, US Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, Trinidad and Tobago, Puerto Rico, Slovakia, Austria, and Colombia, Argentina, and El Salvador,” he said.

Born May 5, 2005, LeRon is the third child of Lawrence and Lisa Rolle. His mother was the first to encourage him to try archery, knowing that her athletic son needed to find a suitable outlet for his talents when the pandemic hindered the association required to compete in other sports. LeRon gets major encouragement from his family, including his siblings Lakeisha Levan Rolle; his grandmother Mary Stovel; grandaunt, Louise Simmons; and many other family members including his uncles: Louis, Leroy, Lernex, and Brendan Foulkes.

“My Olympic goal is to earn the position as the number one-ranked archer in the world in compound archery,” LeRon told me.

“On my journey towards accomplishing this feat, I practice every day to improve my skills and techniques, and when I get an opportunity to do so, I train with fellow archers from Santo Domingo, which will ultimately increase my scores and bring me closer to my goal.”

He’s not leaving Bahamian kids behind. He has a passion, which he considers more like a ministry. LeRon is the founder of Trinity Flames Archery Club, a community-based programme established on November 16, 2022. At the age of 16, LeRon achieved his basic instructor certification in archery, and served as an archery range officer during the Ministry of Education’s Youth, Sport and Culture summer initiative in June 2022. This summer, he is busy working with students at Trinity Christian Schools. Kids love learning from him as much as he enjoys teaching

a sport that is quickly becoming his favourite. As a part of his ministry, LeRon offers theory and practical training for students at Trinity Christian Schools at no cost. He has also begun discussions with the Anglican diocese to train people in archery at St John’s College and St Anne’s School. LeRon is a young man who had big dreams from an early age. When he was three years old, he aspired

to become an astronaut. Today, he is pursuing a degree as well as certifications in IT networking, and he looks forward to working in the field of cyber security. But while he enjoys the technical field, he is driven by his success in archery, and dreams of standing on an Olympic podium, hearing his Bahamian national anthem played as he clenches a gold medal.

It’s only up from here. LeRon is scheduled to compete in the Hyundai Archery World Cup – 4th stage, August 15-20, 2023, in Paris, France. This tournament will bring his outdoor season to a close for this year. In the meantime, he continues to train daily to improve his skills and techniques, and prepare for the 2024 Indoor season, and 2028 Olympic Games.

LeRon represents The Bahamas at the CAC Games, July 2022 and sets a new national record.

LeRon with students from Trinity Christian Schools.

LeRon at the European Grand Prix, Lillieshall, England where he won a shoot off against Bulgaria.

Actors are demanding that Hollywood catch up with technological changes

By DaviD arDiti University of texas arlington

For the first time since 1960, actors and screenwriters are on strike at the same time.

As with many of the other strikes that have rippled across the United States over the past three years, this walkout is over demands for better pay and restrictions on their employers’ use of technology to replace paid work.

the actors’ strike began on July 14, after their union, SAG-AFtrA, voted to end negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and television Producers, which represents the major production studios. the main concerns of the union – which represents 160,000 actors and people in other creative professions – centre around compensation on streaming platforms, such as Netflix and Amazon Prime, and artificial intelligence.

Screenwriters, who have been on strike since May 2, have similar concerns.

the two strikes have halted US tV and movie production. Premieres are being cancelled, and emmynominated actors aren’t campaigning for those prestigious tV awards.

Rewind to the rise of TV

ever since Louis Le

Prince filmed the first movie, roundhay Garden Scene”, in 1888, actors have earned a living through their work being shown on screens small and large.

the first hit shows on tV aired in the mid-1940s, but actors initially earned far less from television than movies. Around 1960, with the advent of hits like “Leave

It to Beaver”, “Beverly hillbillies” and “Bonanza”, tV became very profitable. tV’s growing prestige and economic heft gave television actors newfound power at the contract negotiating table.

Actors demanded that their craft be compensated for tV shows about as highly as for their film appearances.

Led by future President ronald reagan and Charlton heston – who went on to serve as a National rifle Association president – the Screen Actors Guild went on strike on March 7, 1960. Among that union’s top demands: health care coverage and residuals for movies aired on television, reruns and syndication.

residuals are a form of royalty paid to actors when movies and tV shows air on television after their initial run. that can include reruns, syndication and the broadcasting of movies on television. the actors union’s strike, which coincided then as today with a screenwriters strike, successfully negotiated a contract with executives that resolved the residuals conflict and secured health care coverage for its

members.

that contract applied to broadcasting and, years later, cable tV.

But it doesn’t work for streaming, because streamed shows aren’t scheduled.

Whereas “Friends”, a sitcom that initially aired on NBC, is available today on Max, formerly hBo Max, through syndication, and its actors receive relevant residuals, “orange Is the New Black” originated on Netflix. Because it never runs on a different platform via syndication, the actors in its castearn paltry residuals in comparison – even though viewers are still watching the show’s seven seasons. hwang Dong-hyuk, the creator of “Squid Game,” forfeited all residuals when he cut a deal with Netflix. It earned Netflix nearly US$1bn, but hwang got none of that bounty.

Fast-forward to 2023

As I explained in my 2021 book, “Streaming Culture”, streaming has fundamentally changed the production and consumption of both tV and film while blurring the lines between them.

People consume different types of media through subscriptions and streaming technology than they do while watching broadcast tV and cable television. Actors and writers are concerned that their compensation hasn’t kept up with this transformation.

And the actors who are on strike argue that the formulas in place since 1960 to calculate residuals don’t work anymore.

residuals paid for roles in broadcast tV shows are based on the popularity of those programs, with actors earning far more for hits like “Grey’s Anatomy” and “NCIS” than for duds. hit shows can have a second life on streaming platforms and result in actors getting paid again for that earlier work.

In contrast, streaming residuals pay a flat rate for foreign and domestic streams. A streaming original film or tV show earns a set amount for residuals in its domestic market and second set amount for foreign markets. this fee doesn’t change based on popularity or the number of times a production is streamed.

But streaming has changed more than residuals for actors and writers. It has also transformed how tV shows are made.

Ejecting regularly scheduled shows

Many tV seasons have grown shorter since streaming became the norm, falling from 20 or more episodes to ten or fewer per season. that’s because streamers started making shows with lower budgets, as it costs less to produce fewer episodes. the studios also cut costs by hiring fewer writers.

Since actors are typically paid per episode in which they perform, their salaries have dropped by virtue of having fewer appearances in even the most popular shows. the gaps between seasons have also grown longer and more unpredictable. every season of the nine-year run of “Seinfeld” on NBC began

in the fall and ended the next spring, then picked up again the next fall.

Streaming shows are far less predictable. Amazon Prime’s “the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” paused for more than two years between seasons 3 and 4. the same streamer aired the first season of “Lord of the rings: Power of the rings,” in September 2022, but Season 2 won’t be released until late 2024. As gaps between seasons grow, some actors are having a harder and harder time making ends meet. Another change has to do with the question of whether particular shows will keep going. In conventional broadcast or cable television, networks determine whether they will renew a show during the period known as “sweeps”, at the end of a tV season. Since streaming television has no defined seasons, these decisions can drag on. this can leave actors and writers in limbo. And their contracts often stop them from working on other shows between seasons.

Will AI erase actors?

Although residuals and the number of episodes have until now been negotiable, perhaps the strike’s biggest issue is the studios’ use of artificial intelligence Actors fear studios will use AI to replace actors in the future. Without a contract that says otherwise, once a studio films an actor, it can potentially use the actor’s likeness in perpetuity. this

means a background actor could be shot for one episode of a tV show and continue to be seen in the background for seasons without pay. that hasn’t happened yet, but many actors are certain it will.

Actors object to the possibility that studios will seek to “own our likeness in perpetuity, including after we’re dead, use us in their movies without any consent, without any compensation to our performers, especially background performers”, said actor Shaan Sharma, best known for his role on “the Chosen”. “It’s inhumane. It is dystopian.”

Until now, actors and writers say, the studios have refused to negotiate over AI with actors or writers. But both unions see AI as a threat to their members’ livelihoods, a point SAG-AFtrA President Fran Drescher made on MSNBC.

As Drescher continually points out in her media appearances, 99% of actors are struggling on workingclass incomes. Meanwhile, studio executives continue to increase their own pay. For example, in 2022, Netflix coCeos reed hastings and ted Sarandos earned roughly $50m each. Warner-Discovery Ceo David Zaslav earned $39m.

No ‘pause’ for widening inequality gap the gulf between what actors and top executives earn is a major difference between today’s actors and writer strikes and the 1960 strikes. In 1965, executives

made 15 times the average salary of their workers. By 2021 those top execs were earning 350 times more than the average worker – including actors.

And while today’s biggest stars, like Pedro Pascal and Natasha Lyonne, earn millions for every performance, most actors struggle to make ends meet.

In Los Angeles, actors earn an average hourly wage of $27.73.

Meanwhile, studios are pulling in huge profits. For example, Netflix and Warner Bros. earned $5.2 billion and $2.7 billion in 2022, respectively.

Watching union action on repeat

As I explain in my new book, “Digital Feudalism: Creators, Credit, Consumption, and Capitalism”, striking actors and screenwriters are part of the wave of labour unrest in recent years. In my view, US workers are rejecting a system that expects workers to buy more on credit while making a living with increasingly precarious jobs.

From Starbucks baristas to Amazon’s union organisers to the workers planning the pending UPS strike, more and more Americans are fighting for higher wages and more control over their schedules.

In fighting threats to their livelihoods, actors and screenwriters are the latest example of a national movement for stronger labour rights.

• Originally published at www.theconversation.com

Picketers carry signs outside Amazon Studios in Culver City, Calif. on Monday, July 17, 2023. The actors strike comes more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions and have clear guidelines around the use of AI in film and television productions.

Photo: chris Pizzello/AP

Russia halts landmark deal that allowed Ukraine to export grain at time of growing hunger

LONDON

Associated Press

Russia on Monday halted a breakthrough wartime deal that allowed grain to flow from ukraine to countries in africa, the Middle East and asia where hunger is a growing threat and high food prices have pushed more people into poverty.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the Black sea Grain initiative would be suspended until demands to get Russian food and fertilizer to the world are met. an attack Monday on a bridge connecting the Crimean Peninsula to Russia was not a factor in the decision, he said.

“When the part of the Black sea deal related to Russia is implemented, Russia will immediately return to the implementation of the deal,” Peskov said.

Russian representatives at the operation center for the initiative were

more definitive, calling the decision “a termination,” according to a note obtained by The associated Press. Russia has complained that restrictions on shipping and insurance have hampered its agricultural exports, but it has shipped record amounts of wheat since last year.

The suspension marks the end of an accord that the u.N. and Turkey brokered last summer to allow shipments of food from the Black sea region after Russia’s invasion of its neighbor worsened a global food crisis. The initiative is credited with helping reduce soaring prices of wheat, vegetable oil and other global food commodities.

ukraine and Russia are both major global suppliers of wheat, barley, sunflower oil and other food that developing nations rely on.

The suspension of the deal sent wheat prices up about 3% in Chicago trading, to $6.81 a bushel, which is still about half what they

were at last year’s peak. Prices fell later in the day. some analysts don’t expect more than a temporary bump in food staples traded on global markets because countries such as Russia and Brazil have ratcheted up wheat and corn exports. But food insecurity worldwide and prices at local stores and markets have risen as developing countries also struggle with climate change, conflict and economic crises. Finding suppliers outside ukraine that are farther away also could raise costs, analysts say.

The grain deal provided guarantees that ships would not be attacked entering and leaving ukrainian ports, while a separate agreement facilitated the movement of Russian food and fertilizer. Western sanctions do not apply to Moscow’s agricultural shipments, but some companies may be wary of doing business with Russia.

ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said

amid a surge in malnutrition l ack of funding forces un to slasH food program me in Haiti

he wanted to keep the initiative going even without Russia’s safety assurances for ships.

“We are not afraid,” he said, adding that shipping companies told him “everyone is ready to continue supplying grain” if ukraine and Turkey were on board.

The Russian Foreign Ministry again declared the northwestern Black sea area “temporarily dangerous.” sergei Markov, a Moscow-based proKremlin political analyst, speculated that if ukraine doesn’t heed the warnings, Russia could strike ukrainian ports or place mines in shipping routes.

The Black sea Grain initiative has allowed three ukrainian ports to export 32.9 million metric tons of grain and other food to the world, according to the Joint Coordination Center in istanbul.

Russia has repeatedly complained that the deal largely benefits richer nations. JCC data shows that 57% of the grain from ukraine went to developing nations, with the top destination being China, which received nearly a quarter of the food.

u.N. secretary-General antonio Guterres said the end of the deal will result in more human suffering but that the u.N. would keep working to ensure the flow of supplies from ukraine and Russia.

ukraine can still export by land or river through Europe, but those routes have a lower capacity and have stirred divisions among its neighbors.

“We will stay fixed on finding pathways for solutions,” he told reporters. “There is simply too much at stake in a hungry and hurting world.”

White house national security spokesman John Kirby blasted Moscow for pulling out of the deal and said the decision would “harm millions of vulnerable people around the world.”

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said officials were talking with Russia and that he hoped the deal would be extended.

The agreement was renewed for 60 days in May, but the amount of grain and number of vessels departing ukraine have plunged, with Russia accused of preventing new ships from participating since June 27. The last ship left ukraine on sunday and was inspected Monday.

The war in ukraine sent food commodity prices to record highs last year and contributed to a global food crisis, which was also tied to other conflicts, the fallout from the pandemic and climate factors.

high grain prices in countries like Egypt, Lebanon and Nigeria exacerbated economic challenges and helped push millions more people into poverty or food insecurity

Rising food prices affect people in developing countries disproportionately, because they spend more of their money on meals. Poorer nations that depend on imported food priced in dollars also are spending more as their currencies weaken and they are forced to import more because of climate change. under the deal, prices for wheat and other commodities have fallen, but food was already expensive before the war in ukraine, and the relief hasn’t trickled down to kitchen tables.

“Countries such as sudan, somalia, Ethiopia

are dependent on food imports from ukraine, so it does hamper availability and accessibility to food,” said shashwat saraf, the international Rescue Committee’s regional emergency director for East africa.

Now, it’s key to watch whether Russia “weaponizes” its wheat exports, said simon Evenett, professor of international trade and economic development at the university of st. Gallen in switzerland.

as the world’s current largest wheat supplier, Russia could hike its export taxes, which “would raise world grain prices as well as allow Russia to finance more of its military campaign in ukraine,” Evenett said. he noted that Moscow already raised them slightly this month.

The grain deal has faced setbacks since it was brokered by the u.N. and Turkey. Russia pulled out briefly in November before rejoining and extending the deal.

in March and May, Russia would only renew for two months, instead of the usual four. Joint inspections meant to ensure vessels carry only grain and not weapons have slowed considerably.

The amount of grain shipped per month has fallen from a peak of 4.2 million metric tons in October to over 2 million metric tons in June.

Meanwhile, Russia’s wheat shipments hit alltime highs following a large harvest. The country exported 45.5 million metric tons in the 20222023 trade year, with another record of 47.5 million metric tons expected in 2023-2024, according to u s. Department of agriculture estimates.

Associated Press

ThE uN’s World Food Program announced Monday that it is facing a shortage of funds and won’t be able to help 100,000 people in haiti this month who urgently need assistance.

The 25 percent cut comes as a record 4.9 million people in the country of nearly 11 million need help with finding food, the agency said.

“These cuts could not come at a worse time, as haitians face a multi-layered humanitarian crisis, their lives and livelihoods

upended by violence, insecurity, economic turmoil and climate shocks,” said Jean-Martin Bauer, the agency’s director for haiti.

The agency warned that its haiti response plan is only 16 percent funded, and that it won’t be able to provide food to a total of 750,000 haitians if it doesn’t secure $121 million through the end of the year. unless we receive immediate funding, further devastating cuts cannot be ruled out,” Bauer said. so far this year, the World Food Program has provided more than 450,000 school children with hot meals,

often the only food they receive in a day.

Per capita, the number of haitians facing emergency-level food insecurity is the second highest in the world, with nearly 5 million struggling to eat every day, according to the agency. More than 115,000 children younger than 5 also are expected to struggle with malnutrition this year, a 30% surge compared with last year.

Gang violence has worsened the situation, paralysing the transportation of goods and preventing people from leaving their homes.

A mAlnourished baby is measured by a health worker at the Gheskio Centre in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Friday. The Centre monitors malnourished children’s weight gain and growth on a weekly basis and hands out peanut-based therapeutic supplements to help them gain weight.

Photo: odelyn Joseph/AP

Bulk grain cargo ship TQ Samsun is anchored in the Black Sea near the entrance of the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul, Turkey, Monday, July 17, 2023. Russia on Monday halted a breakthrough wartime deal that allowed grain to flow from Ukraine to countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia where hunger is a growing threat and high food prices have pushed more people into poverty.

Photo: sercan ozkurnazli/AP

More than 50 competitors in the 50th National Bodybuilding Championships

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

WITH so many of the top competitors earning their professional card and others opting not to compete anymore, the Bahamas Bodybuilding Federation is still pressing on to provide some top notch competitors for the future.

On Saturday night in the Performance Arts Center at the University of the Bahamas, the federation hopes to showcase more than 50 competitors in its 50th National Bodybuilding Championships.

The championships were originally scheduled to be a part of the sixth Bahamas Games that concluded over the weekend, but BBF president Joel Stubbs said they got the call from the International Bodybuilding Federation and they were given a citation not to participate.

“We complied with all of the requirements from WADA (the worldwide anti-doping body), but that didn’t work out and so we were disappointed that we could not compete in the Bahamas Games,” Stubbs said. “Nonetheless, the 50th version of the Bahamas Nationals will be held on Saturday.”

It will get started at 4pm with the youth arm of the federation, now headed by ‘Downtown’ Natasha Brown, for competitors between the ages of 7-15 in the various age groups.

The nationals will follow, starting at 7pm when competitors will participate in the masters in bodybuilding, to the fitness male and female, women’s wellness, women’s figure, women’s physique, men’s physique, men’s classic bodybuilding, open men’s bodybuilding and women’s bikini.

“We are anticipating a very competitive night,” Stubbs said. “All of our pros will be in our company as well. They will be competing with the amateurs in one round and then we will go into the other rounds of the nationals and novice categories.”

Since they were not able to field a significant number of competitors to stage the Novice by itself, Stubbs said they have decided to combine the novice with the open nationals, providing three segments for the public to view.

“We know that the pros will have a slight advantage in size, but this is just an opportunity for the public to see the pros, who have left the scene over the past couple of years after earning their pro cards and are

not competing locally anymore,” he said. All of the titles will be given to the competitors competing in the national division only. The pro competitors will not be eligible as they compete at a different level than the amateurs.

At the completion of the nationals, Stubbs said they will be selecting the national team from the competitors entered in the national divisions to represent the Bahamas at the Central American and Caribbean Bodybuilding Championships in Aruba September 20-21.

“We are hoping that we can be in a place where we can carry a sizeable team to the championships,” said Stubbs, as he made an appeal for corporate Bahamas to join the Bahamas

Government in assisting the federation in the costly venture. Clifford Dawkins said after enjoying weightlifting as a hobby for the past 4-5 years, he decided to step out on the stage and see what he is capable of doing in the novice bodybuilding category.

“You can expect for me to be very enthusiastic and to see how well I match up against the other competitors,” said Dawkins, who noted that he is currently self trained.

Speaking on behalf of himself and some of the others who are slowly departing the sport, Paul ‘Mighty Mouse’ Wilson said having spent the past 20 years, he’s been deterred by the lack of support from the country.

“It takes money to compete in any sport, but bodybuilding is very expensive,” he pointed out.

“It’s not subsidised as heavily as track and field and so when it comes to travelling, getting accommodations and registering for the event, most of it comes out of the athletes’ pocket.”

It would have been nice if some of the athletes could have gotten some type of subventions from the government, but if he doesn’t see his way clear in the immediate future, he could be joining some of the others on the sidelines watching instead of competing.

Also on hand for the press conference were one of the founding members of the federation, Richard

Bahamas NACAC champions again

Demeritte, and long-time executive Danny Sumner, who provided their support and encouragement to the federation.

Demeritte said he was surprised to hear the dilemma that the federation is currently going through.

He noted that he will be willing to sit down with the executives and ascertain what could be done from the government perspective to get the sport back to its former and glory days.

And while he provided an historic review of the sport since its inception in 1946 by Ben Welder in Quebec, Canada, Sumner revealed that the Bahamas Games was formed in 1962 and the nationals got started in 1973 to commemorate the Bahamas first Independence celebrations.

Sumner, however, said the sport has grown by leaps and bounds for bodybuilding - male and female - and now there are more than 11 different categories to compete in.

Having earned the distinction of serving along with Demeritte, Paul Wong, Jeremy Knowles and Donald Saunders as the first core of Bahamian judges, Sumner said the sport has progressed to the level where Stubbs has excelled as one of the top competitors to compete at Mr Olympiad and has been showcased throughout a number of international magazines.

He noted that the federation is now in good hands with Leonardo ‘Nardo’ Dean assisting Stubbs.

He noted that he hopes that the former bodybuilders would get the kind of recognition that they have done to get the sport to where it is today, celebrating its 50th year of existence with its national championships.

BABE RUTH CARIBBEAN INVITE ALL SET FOR THURSDAY

FROM PAGE 16

Burrows is confident in the player selections. Burrows stated: “We have the strongest, we believe, that’s available from which we can select.”

Zane Lightbourne, Minister of State in the Ministry of Education and Technical and Vocational Training, spoke on how this event is more than just a competition.

“It is more than baseball, this is life for many people, communities to come together, and the potential for our youths to get exposed so they can fulfil their full potential.”

NACAC President Mike Sands presented the gold medals to Team Bahamas, who returned home yesterday from the IV North American, Central American and Caribbean Under-13 and Under-15 Championships in the Dominican Republic. The Bahamas topped Jamaica, who was second and Cuba, who came in third.

NACAC

FROM PAGE 16

“Jahcario (Wilson) won the under-15 boys’ division and Kamron (Henfield) was 21st. We also had a strong under-13 boys’ division.

Emile (Higgins) was fifth and Avonte (Lotmore) was seventh.”

Based on what she saw, Francis said a lot of the clubs are concentrating on their youth development programme and it’s paying off.

Lightbourne further went on to encourage Bahamians to come out and support the country in the championships.

“I am encouraging our people in this country to get ready to come and support your people, support your country, support sports in this country.”

“We were looking for the greatest from this crew. This is one of the strongest teams that I’ve seen and they came through,” she said. “I was very pleased with the way the team performed overall.”

She noted that the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations is looking to continue to excel at this level and she hopes that they can duplicate the feat at the next NACAC U13 and U15 Championships in two years.

DANNY SUMNER, Joel Stubbs and Richard Demeritte talking about the Bahamas Bodybuilding Federation Nationals on Saturday.

Photo: Austin Fernander/Tribune Staff

TEAM Bahamas’ mixed relay team.

Bodybuilder Lorraine emerges as champion of Orlando TY Pope Classic

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

LORRAINE LaFleur

emerged as the champion of the Orlando TY Pope Classic over the weekend in Orlando, Florida.

One of two Bahamians competing in the event, LaFleur participated in three divisions and captured the titles in the novice, masters and open categories as she dominated the competition.

It was LaFleur’s second appearance at the NPC event and she couldn’t be happier with all that she received as champion, including the crown, the slash, a ring, clothes, a bag full of supplements and most importantly, a reimbursement on some of the expenses she incurred to get to the event.

“The competition was good,” said LaFleur, one of four ladies competing in her division. “When I go on stage, I’m prepared, so I go there ready for whatever comes my way.”

And it showed in her performance.

“This was by far my best condition that I was in going into the competition,” said LaFleur, a

ACES LOOK TO KEEP HISTORIC PACE IN 2ND HALF

By DOUG FEINBERG AP Basketball Writer

THE Las Vegas Aces are on an historic pace heading into the second half of the season and have shown no signs of letting up.

With 19 wins in their first 21 games, the Aces sit atop the WNBA standings and have the top offence and defence in the league.

“Just staying focused on what we’ve been doing up to this point,” point guard Chelsea Gray said. “Trust in each other, playing for each other and with each other and just having fun doing it. We never take anybody for granted.”

Gray, one of four Las Vegas players in the All-Star Game over the weekend, said despite the Aces’ record, the WNBA is a lot more competitive then it’s been in recent years.

“This league is so good and there’s a lot of parity between the teams,” she said. “There’s not a bunch that’s just up top. So you got to come with your best game every night.”

Las Vegas is seeking to become the first repeat champion since Los Angeles in 2001 and ‘02. Before the playoffs, the Aces can make a run at the best record in league history — the 29-5 mark posted by Phoenix in 2014.

owner and personal trainer at Gains For Life with her male pro bodybuilder partner Jason Johnson.

“For me this is my year as a pro. I was more relaxed and I had more time to focus on myself. So I was very happy with my performance.”

Also travelling and competing in the championship with LaFleur was Aaron Mackey, who was third in the men’s Classic Physique and fourth in the Men’s Physique.

Now that she’s back home, LaFleur said she will be on stage on Saturday night as she competes in the Bahamas Bodybuilding Federation’s National Championships at the University of the Bahamas’ Performance Arts Center.

“They want all of the pros to step on stage and perform, so I have to do that,” said LaFleur as she gears up to compete in the open division this weekend.

“I am coming to perform for the crowd and to have some fun.”

Then come November, LaFleur said she intends to compete in the next NPC show that is scheduled to take place at the Atlantis resort as she closes out the year on a high note.

“We are all so competitive that we just challenge each other every day,” Aces guard Kelsey Plum said. “There’s no letup on this team.” New York and Connecticut sit second and third, respectively, in the standings. The Liberty are still trying to put together a full 40-minute effort with a revamped roster that includes offseason additions Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones and Courtney Vandersloot.

The Liberty have looked great at times and not so good at others. New York blew a 20-point lead at Indiana before the All-Star break but pulled it out in overtime.

Guard Sabrina Ionescu, who won the 3-point contest during All-Star weekend with a recordbreaking performance, said the Liberty are still learning how to “keep a lead.”

“We’re just continuing to learn how to play well with one another,” she said. “It’s a big factor into why some of our games end up the way they do. But we understand it’s happened one too many times, and we have to look inward and continue to build that chemistry. I think we will.”

MEN TO COMPETE IN ARTISTIC SWIMMING AT OLYMPICS FOR FIRST TIME

By STEPHEN WADE AP Sports Writer

FUKUOKA, Japan (AP)

— Snicker if you wish.

Guffaw for good measure.

Bill May and other male synchronised swimmers — now called artistic swimmers — have heard the putdowns before.

But they’re getting the last laugh. Men have competed in synchro at the lower levels for decades.

Now they’re being included in the Olympics, meaning next year’s Summer Games in Paris.

“I think it’s a huge opportunity for the sport to grow and attract more men,” May told the Associated Press at the World Aquatics Championships.

“By keeping men out you’re limiting the sport. By including men you’re going to see an upshift in the popularity and the numbers.”

May looks like a lean bodybuilder. He was

among the first men to compete when synchro was included in the worlds for the first time in 2015. And he worked for 17 years at Cirque du Soleil doing water-themed shows. He has come out of competitive retirement for a chance to compete at the Olympics.

“There has always been that misconception that it’s a female-only sport, or that it’s for wimps, or that it’s not a difficult sport,” the 44-year-old May said.

“Anyone that has anything negative to say about the sport — boy, female, anyone. Just try it and you’ll know it’s the most difficult sport in the world.”

This is not the synchronised swimming that your parents or grandparents watched — the water ballet that made few waves below the flowery rubber caps and permanent smiles, It’s estranged from the sport introduced at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.

The acrobatic team event, in particular, features lifts, throws and flips, and diving routines launched off the shoulders of teammates treading water below. It’s gymnastics on water and concussions are a risk.

Interested men often confront the stereotypes.

Beginning in elementary school, 18-year-old American Kenny Gaudet dreamed of being a synchronised swimmer. He made it, but it wasn’t easy.

“It makes me emotional just to think about the problems we all went through and the struggles we all had just to get a chance to swim and do what we love,” said Gaudet who competed at this year’s worlds.

“So much bullying. So much slander. So much hate,” he added. “Just because of my gender, just because I’m a male in artistic swimming. When I first started I wanted to quit so many times. Growing up

my peers would ask why I’m doing a female sport, why am I being like a girl and degrade me for doing what I love to do.”

One aspect of Adam Andrasko’s job as the head of USA Artistic Swimming is recruiting men. He said there are about 100 participating in the United States, up from 25 just four years ago. “There hasn’t been a good foundation of growth,” Andrasko said.

“You haven’t had the farm system.”

A few countries at the world championships have male swimmers including the United States, Japan, Germany and China. Spain and Italy also have top competitors.

“There aren’t a lot of countries with strong males,” in the international competition, Andrasko said, noting men often lack the flexibility to compete.

“So you might not see a lot of males swimming in the

Olympics. I’m concerned it goes to the Olympic Games and we don’t see a male participating. I definitely have that fear.”

“To this point,” he added, “women are still far better at this sport than a man.”

Another fear, apparently unfounded, is that women might resent the men competing in the sport. Men will compete in only team events at the Olympics. Teams have a maximum of eight members — with a limit of two men — which means men might crowd out some women.

There is no requirement for men to be included.

Asked about any acrimony, two-time American Olympian Anita Alvarez replied: “No, not at all.”

Alvarez has blacked out twice in the last two years while competing and had to be resuscitated. She’s been cleared to compete with no diagnosis except physical or mental exhaustion.

Holding her breath for too long underwater is also suspected.

Men can add some physicality to routines, and their presence could lead to a wider audience. Alvarez also credits May with choreography skills that he picked up with Cirque du Soleil. “Having the inclusion of both males and females will make it more open for young boys and young girls to dream of being in the Olympics, parents wanting to start their kids,” Alvarez said. She ran off her workout routine, sure to scare away men and women — equally.

“We’re training eight-plus hours a day, treading water all day,” she said. “You have to be able to count time and work with music. You have to be able to watch your patterns and stay in line. We don’t wear goggles when we compete. You’re holding your breath. You don’t touch the bottom.”

LORRAINE LaFleur flexing her muscles at the Orlando TY Pope Classic.

LORRAINE LAFLEUR, in the centre, posing at the Orlando TY Pope Classic over the weekend.

Athletes reflect on 6th Bahamas Games - a Golden Jubilee event

By LEESHAN MORLEY Tribune Intern

WITH Saturday marking the end of the basketball segment of the 6th Bahamas Games, eight athletes were able to stop and reflect on how they felt coming into the games and their excitement going up against the other islands.

Raynia Russell from Columbus Isles Arawaks women’s team reminisced about being in a competition as big as the Bahamas Games and playing against the other teams.

“I feel as though it was a good experience, our team came out and did their best.”

She further went on to express her hopes about the team building a closer connection and coming back stronger next time.

Tracey Lewis from the Exuma and Ragged Island Navigators women’s team also played with the national team and participated in college basketball leagues.

Lewis says that coming into the Games she was confident. She felt like the teams were equally matched up.

“I was happy that all of the teams are matched up well, it’s even, and it was no super team that was put together, so every time we

come out and play, we are able to compete and the best team wins.”

Lashann Higgs, from the Eleuthera Adventurers women team, has also stepped into big competitions by being involved in college basketball and presently playing in Europe. She expressed that it is neat to be able to play against the other islands, especially being off to school.

Jurelle Mullings from the Abaco and Cays Survivors women’s team was able to speak on how she felt optimistic coming into the Bahamas Games. She spoke about having a good team, with a good mix of veteran and younger players.

The players were able to gel well on the court while having fun.

Mullings further went on to say that she loves the idea of playing against other islands. “I love it. If anyone

knows me, I’m a nationalist, so just the fact of the Bahamas coming together to do anything gives me joy.”

D’Angelo Parker from the Grand Bahama Lucayans men’s team expressed that he has not been in a

tournament as big as the Bahamas Games, and that being a rookie on the team has been a very good experience. He further went on to say that coming into the Games he just plans to show up and do the best

that he can. Parker also mentioned that being in the games was a dream come true for him. “This was one of the tournaments I was wishing to play in and this year it turned out to be a dream come true.”

Mobley’s double-double leads Cavs to 99-78 win over Rockets for the Summer League title

By MARK ANDERSON AP Sports Writer

LAS VEGAS (AP)

— Isaiah Mobley had 28 points and 11 rebounds, and the Cleveland Cavaliers captured the NBA Summer League championship with a 99-78 victory last night over the Houston Rockets.

This was the Cavaliers’ first title since the Summer League went to a tournament format in 2013. Mobley was voted game MVP, more than making up for not being selected to the all-tournament team.

“I try to not worry about stuff I can’t control,” Mobley said. “Do I agree with it? No, but it is what it is. I’ll take the championship all over it all day.”

Sam Merrill scored 27 points, making 6 of 12 3-pointers, and Emoni Bates added 19 points for the Cavaliers (6-0).

Nate Hinton led Houston (5-1) with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Three other Rockets also scored in double figures: Cam

Whitmore (14), Trevor Hudgins (13) and Fletcher Magee (10). Whitmore was chosen tournament MVP.

Mobley, a second-round pick in 2022, finished strong in Summer League. He put the Cavaliers in the title game by scoring 23 points and making the winning shot in overtime to beat the Brooklyn Nets 102-99 on Sunday.

Merrill, who was voted first-team all-tournament, has a history of playing well at the Thomas & Mack Center.

His 3-pointer with 2.5 seconds left gave Utah State the 2020 Mountain West tournament championship, one of the last shots in college basketball before the COVID-19 shutdown.

“It’s a great arena,” Merrill said. “I’ve played it in more than any other, other than (Utah State’s). It’s nice knowing the locker room and feeling comfortable, and obviously we had a lot of success here.”

Yesterday, the Cavaliers asserted control early by

Shaquille Evans from the Andros Island Chickcharnies men’s team, is also no stranger to high-level basketball. He has played years of college basketball. He also expressed how great it has been to come back, play with old teammates and go up against the other islands while representing his home.

Christopher Grant from the Eleuthera Adventurers men’s team expressed that this is the first time that he played in an event as big as the Bahamas Games. He said he loved the experience and that his team came in and played strong.

Grant added that it was also great to go up against tough competition and be able to take the win.

Dylan Musgrove from the New Providence Buccaneers men’s team expressed that he has never been in a competition this big but he came in with a lot of confidence.

He said it was great to play with his teammates and represent his own island. He further went on to say that he liked having the opportunity to be exposed to the way that others play representing their islands. His plan was to just take it one game at a time and focus on getting the gold.

running out to a 17-4 lead. Houston went on a 19-4 run to cut the margin to 41-38 late in the first half.

But then Cleveland scored the first 11 points of the second half to take a 62-44 lead.

And the outcome was never seriously in doubt after that.

“I felt like if we banded together, we were going to make a run (in the second half),” Hinton said

“They made some tough shots and some great shots, so shout out to those guys for making those shots.”

In addition to Whitmore and Merrill, the all-tournament first team was made up of Keyonte George of the Utah Jazz, Orlando Robinson of the Miami Heat and Hunter Tyson of the Denver Nuggets.

The second team was Bates, Max Christie of the Los Angeles Lakers, Javon Freeman-Liberty of the Chicago Bulls, Xavier Moon of the Los Angeles Clippers, Jabari Smith Jr. of the Rockets and Jalen Wilson of the Nets.

Grand Bahamas Lucayans capture most gold medals at 6th Bahamas Games

FROM PAGE 16

game to secure the gold for Grand Bahama.

She is related to legendary Basil ‘the Kid’ Sands.

“I commend all of the athletes in all of the sports for coming out and putting their best foot forward,’ Tener-Knowles said. “We didn’t have any place for our boxers to perform and they also did exceptionally well.” New Providence chairman Roy Colebrooke said while the Buccaneers fell short in the gold rush, he was still elated with the overall accomplishment of the team in winning the most medals. “This was the first time that we relaxed the draft

and so everyone had an opportunity to compete for the team of their choice,” Colebrooke said. “So there were no unfair practices for any of the athletes during the games.

“I want to congratulate all of the athletes from New Providence. We did it and we did it well. We had some close encounters where we came so close to winning like in women’s softball and men’s basketball, but that’s what relaxing the draft did for us.

“It provided quality competition across the board and so now everyone is looking forward to competing in the next games in 2026. I can assure you that New Providence will be ready.”

Aside from the women’s softball and men’s basketball, Colebrooke said he was impressed with the track team and all of the other sports, even the ones that they didn’t win.

“We await the next Bahamas Games,” he stated.

No doubt, the Chickcharnies had so much to say about these games and nobody was more elated than Andros chairman Brian Cleare.

“I feel very good about the way Andros performed in all of the disciplines that we participated in,” he pointed out. “Our athletes gave it their best. Because they gave it their best, we were victorious in a lot of the disciplines that we competed in.”

He noted how focused the athletes and coaches were as they captured the tennis and golf gold medals and how they feared in the other sports, including cycling, baseball and softball.

“I was very proud of our athletes and I want to thank all of our sponsors, including Great Sturrup Cay, who sponsored the Chickcharnies uniforms for the track and field team.

“There were some hiccups here and there, but the Bahamas Games Secretariat was able to smooth them out.

“Every morning during our meetings at 7am, we talked about our problems and Romell Knowles and his team was able to sort them out.”

Cleare said he was hoping that the games will move to 2025, which would allow the younger athletes to build on their momentum.

But he said with the games now pushed to 2026, it gives them a little more time to properly prepare to compete at this high level of national prominence.

If there was anything else that he would take away from the games, TenerKnowles said it would have been watching so many young athletes from the various Family Islands come to New Providence and enjoy themselves in the hotel.

And they made some friendships that they can count on for life as he did so many years ago.

BALTIMORE (AP) —

Chris Taylor hit a grand slam on an 0-2 pitch in the sixth inning from Bryan Baker, and the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied to beat Baltimore 6-4, snapping the Orioles’ eight-game winning streak last night. Los Angeles trailed 4-1 entering the sixth before Will Smith’s RBI single. Baltimore starter Grayson Rodriguez left with men on first and second and nobody out. Baker (3-3) issued a walk to load the bases, then kept throwing fastballs around the plate to Taylor, who hit a drive to center for his 12th homer of the year. Emmet Sheehan (3-0) allowed four runs in five innings, but the Orioles did not come all that close to scoring on the Los Angeles bullpen. Ryan Brasier worked a hitless ninth for his first save since joining the Dodgers last month.

Freddie Freeman finished a homer shy of the cycle for the NL West-leading Dodgers. Adley Rutschman homered for the Orioles, who missed a chance to move percentage points ahead of Tampa Bay for first place in the AL East.

RANGERS 3, RAYS 2

ARLINGTON, Texas

(AP) — Aroldis Chapman got his first win since being traded to Texas when pinchrunner Josh Smith scored on a wild pitch in the ninth inning by Tampa Bay’s Pete Fairbanks.

Chapman (5-2), acquired from Kansas City last month, twice threw the fastest pitch for the Rangers in the Statcast era (since 2015) with 102.8 mph sinkers while striking out the side in the ninth.

All-Star rookie Josh Jung led off the bottom half with a double and was replaced by Smith, who went to third with two outs on Nathaniel Lowe’s groundout. A 1-1 fastball from Fairbanks (0-3) to Mitch Garver went past catcher Christian Bethancourt, and Smith scored easily.

The Rangers won the opener of a series matching AL division leaders, improving to 4-0 since the All-Star break.

CLEVELAND Cavaliers’ Isaiah Mobley, centre, shoots against Houston Rockets’ Darius Days, left, and Nate Hinton during the first half of a NBA summer league championship basketball game last night in Las Vegas.

(AP Photo/John Locher)

JURELLE MULLINGS, far left, of the Abaco and Cays Survivors women’s team in action during the basketball segment of the 6th Bahamas Games.

Photo: Austin Fernander/Tribune Staff

Karters show skills at Bahamas Games

By FAY SIMMONS Tribune Education Reporter jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

MEMBERS of the Edukarting Bahamas team were present at the Bahamas Games to display their skills and introduce Family Island visitors to the sport.

Susan Schauff, vice president of the Bahamas Motorsports Association, said the demand for karting and sim racing has increased locally. She added that sim racing provides an opportunity for students to par ticipate remotely and widen their social networks.

She said: “The demand for Karting - real permanent kart track/race track, plus Sim racing, which is now Olympic Sports - grew exponentially. We were invited to participate at the IOC’s E-Sports Olympics with the finals in Singapore for June.

“One could be in Inagua and race against kids in a country

they’ve dreamt of like Japan and race in life time against someone there, new friendships could be built, apart from the possibility to participate at the Olympics.”

Ms Schauff noted the Motorsports Association is trying to implement Edukarting into the National Youth Programme and maintained that Edukarting is a

team sport that teaches life skills to participants. She said: “We are still in talks if or how Edukarting can be implemented into the National Youth Programme. We believe that EduKarting which is like the fusion of educa tion and Motorsports can truly make a difference.

“It’s more than just sports as it’s a team sports, it’s always teams of five, everyone gets a job: financial officer, marketing officer, mechanic, driver and team captain, and all learn life skills from road safety, community work, virtual budgeting, marketing, mechanical part, driver skills, team work, and trust.”

FIRE SERVICES CAMP COULD SAVE A LIFE

By FAY SIMMONS Tribune Education Reporter jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

THE Royal Bahamas Police Force Fire Services is holding its first summer programme under the theme ‘Creating Safer Communities by impacting our youth through Fire Prevention’.

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

GREGORY Alexander

Stubbs is a recent graduate of Queen’s College and the 2023 Gentleman of the Year.

Gregory received the biology, chemistry and Spanish awards, as well as the Grit and Grace Award and the Rev P Dyer Memorial prize.

He was a member of the Student Christian Movement, president of the Anchor Club and a member of the school choir.

Gregory would like to become a gastroenterologist and is attending Oral Roberts University to major in biology this fall.

• Do you know a student you’d like to nominate for Student Spotlight? Email details to jsimmons@ tribunemedia.net.

The summer programme began yesterday and will run over the next two weeks at the Police Training College on University Drive for students between the ages of eight and sixteen.

Inspector Natalie Ranger, Guard Commander said that they intend to make to camp an annual event and that there were 65 campers present on the opening day.

She said: “We currently have 65 campers today.

“It’s a two-week long programme, the hours are from 9am to 1pm.”

Inspector Ranger explained that the goal of the summer camp is to educate students on fire awareness, causes, safety and protection. She added that campers will also learn how to escape fires and plan a safe meeting place if they find

themselves in an emergency situation. She said: “The main goal of this programme is to educate our youth and to inform them on fire awareness, the importance of fire safety, to know the root causes, what causes fire, how to protect themselves and their families in the event that there is a fire in their homes or their schools.

“We’re going to teach these children how to escape fires. We’re also going to teach them how to plan a meeting place in the event that they have an unlikely situation such as a fire.”

Pictured right, Minister of State in the Ministry of Social Services Lisa Rahming with a young participant in the camp run by Fire Services.

Ms Schauff explained that the annual Edukarting Summer Camp has been postponed to October so that it can coincide with the National Championship. She added that the team is still in need of a professional simulator centre but keeps up with practices races and mechanical workshops. She said: “We will hold the National Championship in October and move our camps to that time instead of August. In the meantime we do practice races, mechanical workshops and will continue our fight for a professional simulator center to enable more to this Olympic sport.

“Since we are an FIA Association, we offer our UB Edukarting

ABACO CAMP MARKS 50TH YEAR

By FAY SIMMONS Tribune Education Reporter jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

THE Abaco Youth Camp at Assemblies of God in the Bahamas including the Turks and Caicos, also known as Camp Abaco, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year as the country celebrates its 50th year of independence.

Reverend Seymour, camp organiser explained that the camp his held annually for children age seven through seventeen and includes indoor, outdoor and devotional activities.

He said: “We have a summer camp every July and we have three sections. We have a junior camp which is from age seven to nine. We have the intermediate camp which is age 10 to 12. Then we have the junior cap which is

thirteen through 17.

“We have activities, sporting activities like basketball, softball, outside games and inside games and then we have chapel of course.”

Rev Seymour noted that the campus reopened last year after being destroyed by Hurricane Dorian and closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. He added that the reconstruction was due mainly to assistance from NGOs and the New Providence office.

He said: “Hurricane Dorian destroyed the campus. It was about at least 60 percent of the campus destroyed. But because of the NGO teams and our Nassau office the campus was restored in 2022, last year we had our first camp again after Dorian and the COVID.”

Rev Seymour added that the

camp is planning a banquet

to celebrate its anniversary and reunite with old campers and workers next year. He said: “We’re looking forward doing a grand thing sometime next year. We didn’t have time to plan what we want to do. We want to be able get a reunion of old campers and old workers and do

Club the participation on certain seminars like I-racing and work on applicants for their international internships.”

Ms Schauff added that although many students may not want to become professional race drivers the skills gained in Edukarting will help them to further their chosen careers. She maintained that the most exciting part of working with the team is watching them discover and develop their talents.

She said: “There are students who in the end want to become professional race drivers, but even more who want to become entrepreneurs, build their own marketing agency one day, become teachers, thinking of their own mechanical workshop, event organisers, media officer, running a race track, simulator centre to name a few.

“It’s always very exciting to watch the students find their own talents, most of them never knew they had, neither did their family or teachers.”

a big banquet and bring in everybody and say thanks for those who served over the years.

“That’s the plan and hopefully we’ll be able to make that happen.”

Photo: Moise Amisial

Bahamas NACAC champions again

By BRENT STUBBS Senior sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

The Bahamas team returned home Monday from the IV North American, Central American and Caribbean Under-13 and Under-15 Championships as repeat champions.

Team Bahamas, coached by Sherry Francis, posted a total of 27,984 points to out-distance Jamaica, who was second with 27,043 points and Cuba, who came in third with 26,641 in the two-day event over the weekend in the Dominican Republic.

It was an improvement on Team Bahamas’ performance at the last championships in Nicaragua in 2021.

In the divisional competition, Team Bahamas’ duo of Symiah Strachan and Trinity Rolle captured the pentathlon girls’ 11-12 division with 5,411 points over Jamaica, who had 5,065 with the Dominican Republic third with 5,044. Strachan won the divisional title with 2,733 and Rolle was third with 2,678.

The pentathlon boys’ under-13 division saw Team Bahamas, consisting of Avonte Lotmore and Emile Higgins, pick up second place with 5,927 points behind Cuba’s victory of 5,940 and just ahead of Barbados with 5,855 for third. Higgins was fifth with 2,986 and Lotmore seventh with 2,941.

In the heptathlon girls’ under-15 division, Keyezza Thomas and Alexandria Komolafe led Team Bahamas to third place with 7,617. The Dominican Republic won with 7,813

Team brings home trophies, medals

BABE RUTH CARIBBEAN INVITE ALL SET FOR THURSDAY AT THE NEW STADIUM

By LEESHAN MORLEY Tribune Intern

NOW that the Bahamas Games are over, another tournament is preparing to grace the Bahamas shores.

The Babe Ruth Caribbean Championship and Invitational is set to take off at 8am on Thursday and will continue until Monday the following week.

The venue: The Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium and The Baillou Hills Softball Complex.

Greg Burrows, commissioner of the Babe Ruth Baseball Caribbean Region, was able to elaborate on the number of teams coming and preparations being made for the championship games.

A total of 18 teams are scheduled to start arriving today and four more teams are expected to come in on Wednesday. Burrows was also able to confirm that The Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium will be ready for this year’s championship after not having it completed from the following year. “I am proud to say yes they will be able to play baseball in our stadium.”

The competition has been divided into two divisions. The first one being 16 and under division which is an invitational including teams from outside of the Caribbean.

and Curacao was second with 7,620. Thomas was second with 4,355 points and Komolafe was 19th with 3,262.

And in the heptathlon boys’ under-15 division, Team Bahamas’ pair of Jahcario Wilson and Kamron Henfield was third as well with 9,029.

The British Virgin Islands took the top spot

with 9,478 and Jamaica came in second with 9,126. Wilson won with 4,798 and Henfield got 21st with 4,231.

Francis said she was quite pleased with the performances of the team.

“We knew we were going in with a very strong team and we were the overall winners from the last games and this team was

even stronger than the last one,” Francis said. “So we knew that we were going to come out victorious.”

Francis said there were some outstanding performances across the board.

“In the under-13 girls division, Symiah (Strachan) got first place and Trinity (Rolle) was third, so that division was very

strong,” Francis said. “Trinity only missed the second spot by about five points, so they were very strong.

“In the under-15 girls’ division, Keyezza (Thomas) was second and Alexandria (Komolafe) did very well. That was a very strong area aswell.

SEE PAGE 12

The second is the 12 and under division which is the road to the World Series.

The champions of this division will be representing the region.

In team member selection, all small countries were able to create an allstar team selecting the best of the best.

SEE PAGE 12

Grand Bahama Lucayans win most gold medals

By BRENT STUBBS Senior sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

WITHOUT as many sporting activities in their various disciplines to rely on coming into the sixth Bahamas Games, Grand Bahama Sports Council chairman Churchill Tener-Knowles said he was extremely proud of the way the Lucayans performed.

The Lucayans came to New Providence and captured the most medals over arch rivals New Providence Buccaneers, who trailed in second ahead of the Andros Chickcharnies. New Providence, however, earned the most medals, but it was the gold that counts in multiple competition.

International and national softball Hall of Famer Tener-Knowles said unlike the past five games, with the last one taking place in 2001, Grand Bahama was not as fully prepared, but they still managed to prevail.

Considering what they went through to get ready for these games over the past nine days, TenerKnowles said it was worth every bit of obstacles that they had to overcome.

“We don’t have a competitive fastpitch men’s or ladies’ league, but we were able to put together these

teams for the Bahamas Games,” Tener-Knowles said. “The same applies to volleyball and other sports. Before the Bahamas Games, we normally have the Grand Bahama Constituency Games and from that, we have a pretty good view of all the athletes and we select from that.”

Unfortunately, financial constraints prevented these games from taking place, due to the effects of Hurricane Dorian and COVID-19 pandemic.

Nonetheless, TenerKnowles commended Team Grand Bahama for their stellar performance in the games. “On the whole, I think we did exceptionally well considering the shortfalls and the conditions of the athletes here in Grand Bahama, just as they did in Abaco, Eleuthera and some of the other Family

Islands. “I think all of the islands performed very well and everybody can now see what they need to do to get ready for the next Bahamas Games in 2026. I know here in Grand Bahama, for the

athletes and the associations, we will try to harness what we experienced and try to get ready to compete like we did in the past.” Tener-Knowles also took the time to commend the

Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and Minister Mario Bowleg and the Games Secretariat, led by Harrison Thompson and Romell Knowles.

“Not because he’s my nephew, but I think Romell did a tremendous job in ensuring that what needed to be done to make a games a success was done,” TenerKnowles said.

“He brought a wealth of experience to the table and during our meetings every morning at 7am, he and the rest of the team, including Harrison, Mynez Sherman and Renee Davis, made sure that what needed to be done was done.

“There were many people who felt that the games were not going to come off and should not have even been held after Martin Lundy and Sharon Storr left office. But I watched as everybody came together and made it work for us.”

As for Team Bahamas, Tener-Knowles said he was particularly pleased with both the women’s and men’s softball teams, especially their 13-yearold pitcher LaBrea Sands, who was named the most outstanding female player after she pitched a stellar

BRINGING HOME THE GOLD: Team Bahamas returned home yesterday from the IV North American, Central American and Caribbean Under-13 and Under-15 Championships as repeat champions.

Photo: Austin Fernander/Tribune Staff

THIRTEEN-year-old pitcher LaBrea Sands was named the most outstanding female player after she pitched a stellar game to help win the gold for the Grand Bahama Lucayans.

Photo: Austin Fernander/Tribune Staff