Executive joins Bonefish and Tarpon Trust Board

gunpoint on November 11, 2019, in New Providence. The bag was said to contain Ms Poitier’s bank cards, cell phone and $235 in cash.

Calvin Seymour represented Demeritte. Uel Johnson was the prosecutor.

After reviewing the evidence, a nine-person jury returned a unanimous not guilty verdict on both charges. Before he was released from custody, Demeritte told a tearful relative in court: “I’m coming home.”

Two Jailed For Housebreaking

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

TWO men were sentenced to two years in prison after they were found guilty of housebreaking in New Providence earlier this year.

Assistant Chief Magistrate Subusola Swain tried Marc Semelean, 42, and Jean Mifort, 46, on housebreaking charges.

The pair broke into the residence of Tavallia Dean on May 4 and stole close to $1,000 of the woman’s property.

After being found guilty of the offence, the pair was sentenced to two years at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services. Two other men were granted bail after they were accused of a separate robbery earlier this month.

Magistrate Algernon Allen Jr charged Duran

Horton, 40, and Navardo

Rolle, 31, with robbery.

The duo allegedly robbed Mylanne Dumercy of $2,155 on July 13 in New Providence.

Both accused men pleaded not guilty to the charge. Horton was granted bail at $1,500. Rolle was granted bail at $1,200 under the condition he obey a nightly residential curfew and be fitted with a monitoring device. He is also expected to sign in at the Elizabeth Estates Police Station every Monday, Wednesday and Friday by 7pm. The trial begins on September 5.

18 Months In Jail Over Gun

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Staff Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was sentenced to 18 months in prison after admitting to having an unlicenced gun on Hospital Lane earlier this week.

Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle Davis charged Kevin Hepburn, 45, with possession of an unlicenced firearm and possession of ammunition.

Police reportedly observed Hepburn acting suspiciously on Hospital Lane and South Street on July 17. A search of Hepburn’s person uncovered a black Taurus G2C 9mm pistol with the serial number ACH124872. The weapon was also found with six rounds of 9mm ammunition.

Hepburn pleaded guilty to the offence. He is also to pay a fine of $3,000 or risk an additional six months in prison.

Notice

NOTICE is hereby given that FRITHO WILFRID LOUIS of #114 Kitchener Avenue, Freeport, Grand Bahama, Bahamas, is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 21st day of July, 2023 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.

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NOTICE is hereby given that LARY TOUSSAINT of Balfour Avenue, New Providence, Bahamas, is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 14th day of July, 2023 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.

A SENIOR Atlantis executive has joined the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust as a board member.

Bahamian executive Vaughn Roberts, the senior vice president for government affairs and special projects at Atlantis, has joined the trust’s board of directors as the international non-profit organisation continues to strengthen efforts to restore and conserve coastal flats.

Mr Roberts joins the BTT board with more than 25 years of corporate leadership experience in the areas of government affairs, finance, and management of multi-faceted projects.

He said: “Atlantis and flats fishing are two cornerstones of the Bahamian tourism product and we are excited to be allies in efforts to preserve and protect our natural wonders. I am honored to join the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust board and to support the organisation’s important mission to conserve marine habitats here in The Bahamas and throughout the Caribbean.

“The importance of BTT’s work to identify, research and conserve shallow water habitats essential to our fisheries and economy cannot be overstated. Atlantis is proud to support the current mangrove restoration project as well as the remarkable past research that focused on bonefish spawning.”

Mr Roberts also serves as chairman of the board of Friends of the Arts in The Bahamas Inc and on the boards of the National Art Gallery of The Bahamas, the Bahamas Hotel Industry Management Pension Fund, the Charitable Arts Foundation, and the Downtown Nassau Partnership.

“We are honored to welcome Vaughn to the board of directors,” said Jim McDuffie, BTT president and CEO. “His leadership, knowledge and commitment to the cause will greatly benefit our mission at a pivotal moment in The Bahamas.”

Mr McDuffie added: “Vaughn has the relationships and passion to be a crucial asset to all of our conservation efforts in The Bahamas and the region – those that are currently in operation and those which we hope to launch in the future.”

BTT has partnered for many years with a number of Bahamian conservation groups, including the Bahamas National Trust (BNT), whose new executive director Lakeshia Anderson-Rolle spoke at the organisation’s recent board meeting and 10th annual Florida Keys dinner and awards ceremony, to promote mangrove restoration across The Bahamas.

In her remarks to a room of over 300 BTT supporters, she said: “In reflecting on the past 15 years of the partnership between BNT & BTT and all of the great things we did together, from conducting research to inform new protected area designations, to supporting flats conservation educational programmes, to restoring mangroves in heavily degraded and impacted by major hurricanes, to the reopening of blocked creeks that supports the fly-fishing industry - I am more than hopeful for the future.”

Another key initiative for BTT is the Bahamas Mangrove Alliance (BMA), a new multi-sector coalition dedicated to protecting and restoring mangrove habitats across the archipelago. Announced on Earth Day 2023, the BMA’s other founding members are local nonprofits the Perry Institute for Marine Science (PIMS) and Waterkeepers Bahamas (WKB).

University Offers Mental Health Qualification

THE University of The Bahamas said it would offer a master’s programme in mental health and school counselling, “areas where there is a clear and present need”.

“Recognising the pressing need for qualified mental health professionals, the University of The Bahamas (UB) is actively contributing to this crucial fight as The Bahamas is taking a significant step towards addressing mental health and psychosocial issues,” UB said in a statement. “The aim is to produce highly skilled mental health and school counselling professionals to offer comprehensive care and treatment. Graduates will be able to work in diverse settings, including hospitals, mental health treatment facilities and schools.

Programme coordinator Dr Detra Bethell reportedly said: “University of The Bahamas is dedicated to nation building and meeting the needs of The Bahamas. One objective of the recent Mental Health Bill 2022 is to ‘facilitate the provision of comprehensive

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mental health care and treatment in each community throughout The Bahamas’. The university has heard this need and has developed a programme to facilitate the training of qualified mental health professionals who are equipped to provide comprehensive, evidenced-based, culturally relevant mental health care across the country.”

Dr Thalia Micklewhite, dean of the College of Social and Education Studies at UB, added: “With the increase in mental health issues in populations across the world since COVID and [Hurricane] Dorian in our own Bahamaland, the need for trained mental health counsellors has increased exponentially. Having been integrally involved in the approval of the programme, I know that it is of the highest standards and will have experienced and skilled facilitators to produce the finest graduates.”

“More importantly, I am delighted that the University of The Bahamas has embraced and delivered on the

NOTICE is hereby given that PATRICIA MARINA FOUNTAIN of P. O. Box N-1092, Cayview Lane, West Bay Street, New Providence, The Bahamas applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 14th day of July 2023 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

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NOTICE is hereby given that MIKEY ORNIS of Cooper’s Town, Abaco, Bahamas, is applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for registration/ naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 14th day of July, 2023 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.

challenge to meet the pressing educational needs of the country. We will produce highly skilled school counsellors for our children and mental health counsellors for the overall wellbeing of the nation.”

UB said the counselling programmes follow rigorous international standards and guidelines of the USbased Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programmes (CACREP).

“As it pursues its national development mandate, UB has been developing academic programmes to increase capacity in many sectors; counselling is one of them,” UB’s press statement said.

“Students will be engaged in intellectual discourse and innovative content delivery. A cohort model will foster strong relationships among students to support their academic growth and professional development. They will also benefit from highly qualified and experienced faculty with backgrounds in aligned areas.”

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NOTICE is hereby given that CHALINE DUVILIER of Exuma, The Bahamas applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 21th day of July 2023 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

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NOTICE is hereby given that KEEANA GREAVES of Amberjack Street, Freeport, Grand Bahama applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 21th day of July 2023 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.